the chouans-第50章

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　was　still　going　on；　were　waiting　the　return　of　the　National　Guard；　to　judge　of　their　losses。　Seeing　the　girl　in　her　strange　costume；　her　hair　dishevelled；　a　gun　in　her　hand；　her　shawl　and　gown　whitened　against　the　walls；　soiled　with　mud　and　wet　with　dew；　the　curiosity　of　the　people　was　keenly　excited；all　the　more　because　the　power；　beauty；　and　singularity　of　this　young　Parisian　had　been　the　subject　of　much　discussion。

Francine；　full　of　dreadful　fears；　had　waited　for　her　mistress　throughout　the　night；　and　when　she　saw　her　she　began　to　speak；　but　Marie；　with　a　kindly　gesture；　silenced　her。

〃I　am　not　dead；　my　child；〃　she　said。　〃Ah！〃　she　added；　after　a　pause；　〃I　wanted　emotions　when　I　left　Paris；　and　I　have　had　them！〃

Francine　asked　if　she　should　get　her　some　food；　observing　that　she　must　be　in　great　need　of　it。

〃No；　no；　a　bath；　a　bath！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil。　〃I　must　dress　at　once。〃

Francine　was　not　a　little　surprised　when　her　mistress　required　her　to　unpack　the　most　elegant　of　the　dresses　she　had　brought　with　her。　Having　bathed　and　breakfasted；　Marie　made　her　toilet　with　all　the　minute　care　which　a　woman　gives　to　that　important　act　when　she　expects　to　meet　the　eyes　of　her　lover　in　a　ball…room。　Francine　could　not　explain　to　herself　the　mocking　gaiety　of　her　mistress。　It　was　not　the　joy　of　love；a　woman　never　mistakes　that；　it　was　rather　an　expression　of　concentrated　maliciousness；　which　to　Francine's　mind　boded　evil。　Marie　herself　drew　the　curtains　of　the　window　from　which　the　glorious　panorama　could　be　seen；　then　she　moved　the　sofa　to　the　chimney　corner；　turning　it　so　that　the　light　would　fall　becomingly　on　her　face；　then　she　told　Francine　to　fetch　flowers；　that　the　room　might　have　a　festive　air；　and　when　they　came　she　herself　directed　their　arrangement　in　a　picturesque　manner。　Giving　a　last　glance　of　satisfaction　at　these　various　preparations　she　sent　Francine　to　the　commandant　with　a　request　that　he　would　bring　her　prisoner　to　her；　then　she　lay　down　luxuriously　on　a　sofa；　partly　to　rest；　and　partly　to　throw　herself　into　an　attitude　of　graceful　weakness；　the　power　of　which　is　irresistible　in　certain　women。　A　soft　languor；　the　seductive　pose　of　her　feet　just　seen　below　the　drapery　of　her　gown；　the　plastic　ease　of　her　body；　the　curving　of　the　throat；all；　even　the　droop　of　her　slender　fingers　as　they　hung　from　the　pillow　like　the　buds　of　a　bunch　of　jasmine；　combined　with　her　eyes　to　produce　seduction。　She　burned　certain　perfumes　to　fill　the　air　with　those　subtle　emanations　which　affect　men's　fibres　powerfully；　and　often　prepare　the　way　for　conquests　which　women　seek　to　make　without　seeming　to　desire　them。　Presently　the　heavy　step　of　the　old　soldier　resounded　in　the　adjoining　room。

〃Well；　commandant；　where　is　my　captive？〃　she　said。

〃I　have　just　ordered　a　picket　of　twelve　men　to　shoot　him；　being　taken　with　arms　in　his　hand。〃

〃Why　have　you　disposed　of　my　prisoner？〃　she　asked。　〃Listen　to　me；　commandant；　surely；　if　I　can　trust　your　face；　the　death　of　a　man　/after/　a　fight　is　no　particular　satisfaction　to　you。　Well；　then；　give　my　Chouan　a　reprieve；　for　which　I　will　be　responsible；　and　let　me　see　him。　I　assure　you　that　aristocrat　has　become　essential　to　me；　and　he　can　be　made　to　further　the　success　of　our　plans。　Besides；　to　shoot　a　mere　amateur　in　Chouannerie　would　be　as　absurd　as　to　fire　on　a　balloon　when　a　pinprick　would　disinflate　it。　For　heaven's　sake　leave　cruelty　to　the　aristocracy。　Republicans　ought　to　be　generous。　Wouldn't　you　and　yours　have　forgiven　the　victims　of　Quiberon？　Come；　send　your　twelve　men　to　patrol　the　town；　and　dine　with　me　and　bring　the　prisoner。　There　is　only　an　hour　of　daylight　left；　and　don't　you　see；〃　she　added　smiling；　〃that　if　you　are　too　late；　my　toilet　will　have　lost　its　effect？〃

〃But；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　commandant；　amazed。

〃Well；　what？　But　I　know　what　you　mean。　Don't　be　anxious；　the　count　shall　not　escape。　Sooner　or　later　that　big　butterfly　will　burn　himself　in　your　fire。〃

The　commandant　shrugged　his　shoulders　slightly；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　is　forced　to　obey；　whether　he　will　or　no；　the　commands　of　a　pretty　woman；　and　he　returned　in　about　half　an　hour；　followed　by　the　Comte　de　Bauvan。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　feigned　surprise　and　seemed　confused　that　the　count　should　see　her　in　such　a　negligent　attitude；　then；　after　reading　in　his　eyes　that　her　first　effect　was　produced；　she　rose　and　busied　herself　about　her　guests　with　well…bred　courtesy。　There　was　nothing　studied　or　forced　in　her　motions；　smiles；　behavior；　or　voice；　nothing　that　betrayed　premeditation　or　purpose。　All　was　harmonious；　no　part　was　over…acted；　an　observer　could　not　have　supposed　that　she　affected　the　manners　of　a　society　in　which　she　had　not　lived。　When　the　Royalist　and　the　Republic　were　seated　she　looked　sternly　at　the　count。　He；　on　his　part；　knew　women　sufficiently　well　to　feel　certain　that　the　offence　he　had　committed　against　this　woman　was　equivalent　to　a　sentence　of　death。　But　in　spite　of　this　conviction；　and　without　seeming　either　gay　or　gloomy；　he　had　the　air　of　a　man　who　did　not　take　such　serious　results　into　consideration；　in　fact；　he　really　thought　it　ridiculous　to　fear　death　in　presence　of　a　pretty　woman。　Marie's　stern　manner　roused　ideas　in　his　mind。

〃Who　knows；〃　thought　he；　〃whether　a　count's　coronet　wouldn't　please　her　as　well　as　that　of　her　lost　marquis？　Montauran　is　as　lean　as　a　nail；　while　I〃　and　he　looked　himself　over　with　an　air　of　satisfaction。　〃At　any　rate　I　should　save　my　head。〃

These　diplomatic　revelations　were　wasted。　The　passion　the　count　proposed　to　feign　for　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　became　a　violent　caprice；　which　the　dangerous　creature　did　her　best　to　heighten。

〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　my　prisoner；　and　I　have　the　right　to　dispose　of　you。　Your　execution　cannot　take　place　without　my　consent；　and　I　have　too　much　curiosity　to　let　them　shoot　you　at　present。〃

〃And　suppose　I　am　obstinate　enough　to　keep　silence？〃　he　replied　gaily。

〃With　an　honest　woman；　perhaps；　but　with　a　woman　of　the　town；　no；　no；　monsieur　le　comte；　impossible！〃　These　words；　full　of　bitter　sarcasm；　were　hissed；　as　Sully　says；　in　speaking　of　the　Duchesse　de　Beaufort；　from　so　sharp　a　beak　that　the　count；　amazed；　merely　looked　at　his　antagonist。　〃But；〃　she　continued；　with　a　scornful　glance；　〃not　to　contradict　you；　if　I　am　a　creature　of　that　kind　I　will　act　like　one。　Here　is　your　gun；〃　and　she　offered　him　his　weapon　with　a　mocking　air。

〃On　the　honor　of　a　gentleman；　mademoiselle〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃I　have　had　enough　of　the　honor　of　gentlemen。　It　was　on　the　faith　of　that　that　I　went　to　La　Vivetiere。　Your　leader　had　sworn　to　me　that　I　and　my　escort　should　be　safe　there。〃

〃What　an　infamy！〃　cried　Hulot；　contracting　his　brows。

〃The　fault　lies　with　monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Marie；　addressing　Hulot。　〃I　have　no　doubt　the　Gars　meant　to　keep　his　word；　but　this　gentleman　told　some　calumny　about　me　which　confirmed　those　that　Charette's　mistress　had　already　invented〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　count；　much　troubled；　〃with　my　head　under　the　axe　I　would　swear　that　I　said　nothing　but　the　truth。〃

〃In　saying　what？〃

〃That　you　were　the〃

〃Say　the　word；　mistress　of〃

〃The　Marquis　de　Lenoncourt；　the　present　duke；　a　friend　of　mine；〃　replied　the　count。

〃Now　I　can　let　you　go　to　execution；〃　she　said；　without　seeming　at　all　agitated　by　the　outspoken　reply　of　the　count；　who　was　amazed　at　the　real　or　pretended　indifference　with　which　she　heard　his　statement。　〃However；〃　she　added；　laughing；　〃you　have　not　wronged　me　more　than　that　friend　of　whom　you　suppose　me　to　have　been　theFie！　monsieur　le　comte；　surely　you　used　to　visit　my　father；　the　Duc　de　Verneuil？　Yes？　well　then〃

Evidently　considering　Hulot　one　too　many　for　the　confidence　she　was　about　to　make；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　motioned　the　count　to　her　side；　and　said　a　few　words　in　her　ear。　Monsieur　de　Bauvan　gave　a　low　ejaculation　of　surprise　and　looked　with　bewilderment　at　Marie；　who　completed　the　effect　of　her　words　by　leaning　against　the　chimney　in　the　artless　and　innocent　attitude　of　a　child。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　cried　the　count；　〃I　entreat　your　forgiveness；　unworthy　as　I　am　of　it。〃

〃I　have　nothing　to　forgive；〃　she