the chouans-第20章

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s。　The　devil　had　not　allowed　that　hour　which　had　elapsed　since　the　lady's　arrival　to　be　wasted。　With　Francine's　assistance；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　armed　herself　with　a　travelling…dress　more　dangerous；　perhaps；　than　any　ball…room　attire。　Its　simplicity　had　precisely　that　attraction　which　comes　of　the　skill　with　which　a　woman；　handsome　enough　to　wear　no　ornaments；　reduces　her　dress　to　the　position　of　a　secondary　charm。　She　wore　a　green　gown；　elegantly　cut；　the　jacket　of　which；　braided　and　frogged；　defined　her　figure　in　a　manner　that　was　hardly　suitable　for　a　young　girl；　allowing　her　supple　waist　and　rounded　bust　and　graceful　motions　to　be　fully　seen。　She　entered　the　room　smiling；　with　the　natural　amenity　of　women　who　can　show　a　fine　set　of　teeth；　transparent　as　porcelain　between　rosy　lips；　and　dimpling　cheeks　as　fresh　as　those　of　childhood。　Having　removed　the　close　hood　which　had　almost　concealed　her　head　at　her　first　meeting　with　the　young　sailor；　she　could　now　employ　at　her　ease　the　various　little　artifices；　apparently　so　artless；　with　which　a　woman　shows　off　the　beauties　of　her　face　and　the　grace　of　her　head；　and　attracts　admiration　for　them。　A　certain　harmony　between　her　manners　and　her　dress　made　her　seem　so　much　younger　than　she　was　that　Madame　du　Gua　thought　herself　beyond　the　mark　in　supposing　her　over　twenty。　The　coquetry　of　her　apparel；　evidently　worn　to　please；　was　enough　to　inspire　hope　in　the　young　man's　breast；　but　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　bowed　to　him；　as　she　took　her　place；　with　a　slight　inclination　of　her　head　and　without　looking　at　him；　putting　him　aside　with　an　apparently　light…hearted　carelessness　which　disconcerted　him。　This　coolness　might　have　seemed　to　an　observer　neither　caution　nor　coquetry；　but　indifference；　natural　or　feigned。　The　candid　expression　on　the　young　lady's　face　only　made　it　the　more　impenetrable。　She　showed　no　consciousness　of　her　charms；　and　was　apparently　gifted　with　the　pretty　manners　that　win　all　hearts；　and　had　already　duped　the　natural　self…conceit　of　the　young　sailor。　Thus　baffled；　the　youth　returned　to　his　own　seat　with　a　sort　of　vexation。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　took　Francine；　who　accompanied　her；　by　the　hand　and　said；　in　a　caressing　voice；　turning　to　Madame　de　Gua：　〃Madame；　will　you　have　the　kindness　to　allow　this　young　girl；　who　is　more　a　friend　than　a　servant　to　me；　to　sit　with　us？　In　these　perilous　times　such　devotion　as　hers　can　only　be　repaid　by　the　heart；　indeed；　that　is　very　nearly　all　that　is　left　to　us。〃

Madame　du　Gua　replied　to　the　last　words；　which　were　said　half　aside；　with　a　rather　unceremonious　bow　that　betrayed　her　annoyance　at　the　beauty　of　the　new…comer。　Then　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　to　her　son：　〃'Perilous　times；'　'devotion；'　'madame；'　'servant'！　that　is　not　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　it　is　some　girl　sent　here　by　Fouche。〃

The　guests　were　about　to　sit　down　when　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　noticed　Corentin；　who　was　still　employed　in　a　close　scrutiny　of　the　mother　and　son；　who　were　showing　some　annoyance　at　his　glances。

〃Citizen；〃　she　said　to　him；　〃you　are　no　doubt　too　well　bred　to　dog　my　steps。　The　Republic；　when　it　sent　my　parents　to　the　scaffold；　did　not　magnanimously　provide　me　with　a　guardian。　Though　you　have；　from　extreme　and　chivalric　gallantry　accompanied　me　against　my　will　to　this　place〃　（she　sighed）；　〃I　am　quite　resolved　not　to　allow　your　protecting　care　to　become　a　burden　to　you。　I　am　safe　now；　and　you　can　leave　me。〃

She　gave　him　a　fixed　and　contemptuous　look。　Corentin　understood　her；　he　repressed　the　smile　which　almost　curled　the　corners　of　his　wily　lips　as　he　bowed　to　her　respectfully。

〃Citoyenne；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　always　an　honor　to　obey　you。　Beauty　is　the　only　queen　a　Republican　can　serve。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　eyes；　as　she　watched　him　depart；　shone　with　such　natural　pleasure；　she　looked　at　Francine　with　a　smile　of　intelligence　which　betrayed　so　much　real　satisfaction；　that　Madame　du　Gua；　who　grew　prudent　as　she　grew　jealous；　felt　disposed　to　relinquish　the　suspicions　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　great　beauty　had　forced　into　her　mind。

〃It　may　be　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　after　all；〃　she　whispered　to　her　son。

〃But　that　escort？〃　answered　the　young　man；　whose　vexation　at　the　young　lady's　indifference　allowed　him　to　be　cautious。　〃Is　she　a　prisoner　or　an　emissary；　a　friend　or　an　enemy　of　the　government？〃

Madame　du　Gua　made　a　sign　as　if　to　say　that　she　would　soon　clear　up　the　mystery。

However；　the　departure　of　Corentin　seemed　to　lessen　the　young　man's　distrust；　and　he　began　to　cast　on　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　certain　looks　which　betrayed　an　immoderate　admiration　for　women；　rather　than　the　respectful　warmth　of　a　dawning　passion。　The　young　girl　grew　more　and　more　reserved；　and　gave　all　her　attentions　to　Madame　du　Gua。　The　youth；　angry　with　himself；　tried；　in　his　vexation；　to　turn　the　tables　and　seem　indifferent。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　appeared　not　to　notice　this　manoeuvre；　she　continued　to　be　simple　without　shyness　and　reserved　without　prudery。

This　chance　meeting　of　personages　who；　apparently；　were　not　destined　to　become　intimate；　awakened　no　agreeable　sympathy　on　either　side。　There　was　even　a　sort　of　vulgar　embarrassment；　an　awkwardness　which　destroyed　all　the　pleasure　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and　the　young　sailor　had　begun　by　expecting。　But　women　have　such　wonderful　conventional　tact；　they　are　so　intimately　allied　with　each　other；　or　they　have　such　keen　desires　for　emotion；　that　they　always　know　how　to　break　the　ice　on　such　occasions。　Suddenly；　as　if　the　two　beauties　had　the　same　thought；　they　began　to　tease　their　solitary　knight　in　a　playful　way；　and　were　soon　vying　with　each　other　in　the　jesting　attention　which　they　paid　to　him；　this　unanimity　of　action　left　them　free。　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour；　the　two　women；　already　secret　enemies；　were　apparently　the　best　of　friends。　The　young　man　then　discovered　that　he　felt　as　angry　with　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　for　her　friendliness　and　freedom　as　he　had　been　with　her　reserve。　In　fact；　he　was　so　annoyed　by　it　that　he　regretted；　with　a　sort　of　dumb　anger；　having　allowed　her　to　breakfast　with　them。

〃Madame；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　〃is　your　son　always　as　gloomy　as　he　is　at　this　moment？〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　replied；　〃I　ask　myself　what　is　the　good　of　a　fleeting　happiness。　The　secret　of　my　gloom　is　the　evanescence　of　my　pleasure。〃

〃That　is　a　madrigal；〃　she　said；　laughing；　〃which　rings　of　the　Court　rather　than　the　Polytechnique。〃

〃My　son　only　expressed　a　very　natural　thought；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Madame　du　Gua；　who　had　her　own　reasons　for　placating　the　stranger。

〃Then　laugh　while　you　may；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　smiling　at　the　young　man。　〃How　do　you　look　when　you　have　really　something　to　weep　for；　if　what　you　are　pleased　to　call　a　happiness　makes　you　so　dismal？〃

This　smile；　accompanied　by　a　provoking　glance　which　destroyed　the　consistency　of　her　reserve；　revived　the　youth's　feelings。　But　inspired　by　her　nature；　which　often　impels　a　woman　to　do　either　too　much　or　too　little　under　such　circumstances；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　having　covered　the　young　man　with　that　brilliant　look　full　of　love's　promises；　immediately　withdrew　from　his　answering　expression　into　a　cold　and　severe　modesty；a　conventional　performance　by　which　a　woman　sometimes　hides　a　true　emotion。　In　a　moment；　a　single　moment；　when　each　expected　to　see　the　eyelids　of　the　other　lowered；　they　had　communicated　to　one　another　their　real　thoughts；　but　they　veiled　their　glances　as　quickly　as　they　had　mingled　them　in　that　one　flash　which　convulsed　their　hearts　and　enlightened　them。　Confused　at　having　said　so　many　things　in　a　single　glance；　they　dared　no　longer　look　at　each　other。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　withdrew　into　cold　politeness；　and　seemed　to　be　impatient　for　the　conclusion　of　the　meal。

〃Mademoiselle；　you　must　have　suffered　very　much　in　prison？〃　said　Madame　du　Gua。

〃Alas；　madame；　I　sometimes　think　that　I　am　still　there。〃

〃Is　your　escort　sent　to　protect　you；　mademoiselle；　or　to　watch　you？　Are　you　still　suspected　by　the　Republic？〃

Mademoiselle　felt　instinctively　that　Madame　du　Gua　had　no　real　interest　in　her；　and　the　question　alarmed　her。

〃Madame；〃　she　replied；　〃I　really　d