the chouans-第71章

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Corentin　rose；　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two；　and　looked　at　Marie。

〃You　have　grown　rich　in　a　very　short　time；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　ill…　disguised　bitterness。

〃Montauran；〃　she　continued；　〃will　make　you　a　better　offer　still　for　his　ransom。　Now；　then；　prove　to　me　that　you　have　the　means　of　guaranteeing　him　from　all　danger　and〃

〃Can't　you　send　him　away　the　moment　he　arrives？〃　cried　Corentin；　suddenly。　〃Hulot　does　not　know　he　is　coming；　and〃　He　stopped　as　if　he　had　said　too　much。　〃But　how　absurd　that　you　should　ask　me　how　to　play　a　trick；〃　he　said；　with　an　easy　laugh。　〃Now　listen；　Marie；　I　do　feel　certain　of　your　loyalty。　Promise　me　a　compensation　for　all　I　lose　in　furthering　your　wishes；　and　I　will　make　that　old　fool　of　a　commandant　so　unsuspicious　that　the　marquis　will　be　as　safe　at　Fougeres　as　at　Saint…James。〃

〃Yes；　I　promise　it；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　sort　of　solemnity。

〃No；　not　in　that　way；〃　he　said；　〃swear　it　by　your　mother。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　shuddered；　raising　a　trembling　hand　she　made　the　oath　required　by　the　man　whose　tone　to　her　had　changed　so　suddenly。

〃You　can　command　me；〃　he　said；　〃don't　deceive　me　again；　and　you　shall　have　reason　to　bless　me　to…night。〃

〃I　will　trust　you；　Corentin；〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　much　moved。　She　bowed　her　head　gently　towards　him　and　smiled　with　a　kindness　not　unmixed　with　surprise；　as　she　saw　an　expression　of　melancholy　tenderness　on　his　face。

〃What　an　enchanting　creature！〃　thought　Corentin；　as　he　left　the　house。　〃Shall　I　ever　get　her　as　a　means　to　fortune　and　a　source　of　delight？　To　fling　herself　at　my　feet！　Oh；　yes；　the　marquis　shall　die！　If　I　can't　get　that　woman　in　any　other　way　than　by　dragging　her　through　the　mud；　I'll　sink　her　in　it。　At　any　rate；〃　he　thought；　as　he　reached　the　square　unconscious　of　his　steps；　〃she　no　longer　distrusts　me。　Three　hundred　thousand　francs　down！　she　thinks　me　grasping！　Either　the　offer　was　a　trick　or　she　is　already　married　to　him。〃

Corentin；　buried　in　thought；　was　unable　to　come　to　a　resolution。　The　fog　which　the　sun　had　dispersed　at　mid…day　was　now　rolling　thicker　and　thicker；　so　that　he　could　hardly　see　the　trees　at　a　little　distance。

〃That's　another　piece　of　ill…luck；〃　he　muttered；　as　he　turned　slowly　homeward。　〃It　is　impossible　to　see　ten　feet。　The　weather　protects　the　lovers。　How　is　one　to　watch　a　house　in　such　a　fog？　Who　goes　there？〃　he　cried；　catching　the　arm　of　a　boy　who　seemed　to　have　clambered　up　the　dangerous　rocks　which　made　the　terrace　of　the　Promenade。

〃It　is　I；〃　said　a　childish　voice。

〃Ah！　the　boy　with　the　bloody　foot。　Do　you　want　to　revenge　your　father？〃　said　Corentin。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　child。

〃Very　good。　Do　you　know　the　Gars？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Good　again。　Now；　don't　leave　me　except　to　do　what　I　bid　you；　and　you　will　obey　your　mother　and　earn　some　big　sousdo　you　like　sous？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　like　sous；　and　you　want　to　kill　the　Gars　who　killed　your　father　well；　I'll　take　care　of　you。　Ah！　Marie；〃　he　muttered；　after　a　pause；　〃you　yourself　shall　betray　him；　as　you　engaged　to　do！　She　is　too　violent　to　suspect　mepassion　never　reflects。　She　does　not　know　the　marquis's　writing。　Yes；　I　can　set　a　trap　into　which　her　nature　will　drive　her　headlong。　But　I　must　first　see　Hulot。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and　Francine　were　deliberating　on　the　means　of　saving　the　marquis　from　the　more　than　doubtful　generosity　of　Corentin　and　Hulot's　bayonets。

〃I　could　go　and　warn　him；〃　said　the　Breton　girl。

〃But　we　don't　know　where　he　is；〃　replied　Marie；　〃even　I；　with　the　instincts　of　love；　could　never　find　him。〃

After　making　and　rejecting　a　number　of　plans　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　exclaimed；　〃When　I　see　him　his　danger　will　inspire　me。〃

She　thought；　like　other　ardent　souls；　to　act　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　trusting　to　her　star；　or　to　that　instinct　of　adroitness　which　rarely；　if　ever；　fails　a　woman。　Perhaps　her　heart　was　never　so　wrung。　At　times　she　seemed　stupefied；　her　eyes　were　fixed；　and　then；　at　the　least　noise；　she　shook　like　a　half…uprooted　tree　which　the　woodsman　drags　with　a　rope　to　hasten　its　fall。　Suddenly；　a　loud　report　from　a　dozen　guns　echoed　from　a　distance。　Marie　turned　pale　and　grasped　Francine's　hand。　〃I　am　dying；〃　she　cried；　〃they　have　killed　him！〃

The　heavy　footfall　of　a　man　was　heard　in　the　antechamber。　Francine　went　out　and　returned　with　a　corporal。　The　man；　making　a　military　salute　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　produced　some　letters；　the　covers　of　which　were　a　good　deal　soiled。　Receiving　no　acknowledgment；　the　Blue　said　as　he　withdrew；　〃Madame；　they　are　from　the　commandant。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　a　prey　to　horrible　presentiments；　read　a　letter　written　apparently　in　great　haste　by　Hulot：

　　〃Mademoisellea　party　of　my　men　have　just　caught　a　messenger　from　　　the　Gars　and　have　shot　him。　Among　the　intercepted　letters　is　one　　　which　may　be　useful　to　you　and　I　transmit　itetc。〃

〃Thank　God；　it　was　not　he　they　shot；〃　she　exclaimed；　flinging　the　letter　into　the　fire。

She　breathed　more　freely　and　took　up　the　other　letter；　enclosed　by　Hulot。　It　was　apparently　written　to　Madame　du　Gua　by　the　marquis。

　　〃No；　my　angel；〃　the　letter　said；　〃I　cannot　go　to…night　to　La　　　Vivetiere。　You　must　lose　your　wager　with　the　count。　I　triumph　over　　　the　Republic　in　the　person　of　their　beautiful　emissary。　You　must　　　allow　that　she　is　worth　the　sacrifice　of　one　night。　It　will　be　my　　　only　victory　in　this　campaign；　for　I　have　received　the　news　that　　　La　Vendee　surrenders。　I　can　do　nothing　more　in　France。　Let　us　go　　　back　to　Englandbut　we　will　talk　of　all　this　to…morrow。〃

The　letter　fell　from　Marie's　hands；　she　closed　her　eyes；　and　was　silent；　leaning　backward；　with　her　head　on　a　cushion。　After　a　long　pause　she　looked　at　the　clock；　which　then　marked　four　in　the　afternoon。

〃My　lord　keeps　me　waiting；〃　she　said；　with　savage　irony。

〃Oh！　God　grant　he　may　not　come！〃　cried　Francine。

〃If　he　does　not　come；〃　said　Marie；　in　a　stifled　tone；　〃I　shall　go　to　him。　No；　no；　he　will　soon　be　here。　Francine；　do　I　look　well？〃

〃You　are　very　pale。〃

〃Ah！〃　continued　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　glancing　about　her；　〃this　perfumed　room；　the　flowers；　the　lights；　this　intoxicating　air；　it　is　full　of　that　celestial　life　of　which　I　dreamed〃

〃Marie；　what　has　happened？〃

〃I　am　betrayed；　deceived；　insulted；　fooled！　I　will　kill　him；　I　will　tear　him　bit　by　bit！　Yes；　there　was　always　in　his　manner　a　contempt　he　could　not　hide　and　which　I　would　not　see。　Oh！　I　shall　die　of　this！　Fool　that　I　am；〃　she　went　on　laughing；　〃he　is　coming；　I　have　one　night　in　which　to　teach　him　that；　married　or　not；　the　man　who　has　possessed　me　cannot　abandon　me。　I　will　measure　my　vengeance　by　his　offence；　he　shall　die　with　despair　in　his　soul。　I　did　believe　he　had　a　soul　of　honor；　but　no！　it　is　that　of　a　lackey。　Ah；　he　has　cleverly　deceived　me；　for　even　now　it　seems　impossible　that　the　man　who　abandoned　me　to　Pille…Miche　should　sink　to　such　back…stair　tricks。　It　is　so　base　to　deceive　a　loving　woman；　for　it　is　so　easy。　He　might　have　killed　me　if　he　chose；　but　lie　to　me！　to　me；　who　held　him　in　my　thoughts　so　high！　The　scaffold！　the　scaffold！　ah！　could　I　only　see　him　guillotined！　Am　I　cruel？　He　shall　go　to　his　death　covered　with　caresses；　with　kisses　which　might　have　blessed　him　for　a　lifetime〃

〃Marie；〃　said　Francine；　gently；　〃be　the　victim　of　your　lover　like　other　women；　not　his　mistress　and　his　betrayer。　Keep　his　memory　in　your　heart；　do　not　make　it　an　anguish　to　you。　If　there　were　no　joys　in　hopeless　love；　what　would　become　of　us；　poor　women　that　we　are？　God；　of　whom　you　never　think；　Marie；　will　reward　us　for　obeying　our　vocation　on　this　earth；to　love；　and　suffer。〃

〃Dear；〃　replied　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　taking　Francine's　hand　and　patting　it；　〃your　voice　is　very　sweet　and　persuasive。　Reason　is　attractive　from　your　lips。　I　should　like　to　obey　you；　but〃

〃You　will　forgive　him；　you　will　not　betray　him？〃

〃Hush！　never　speak　of　that　man　again。　Compared　with　him　Corentin　is　a　noble　being。　Do　you　hear　me？〃

She　rose；　hiding　beneath　a　face　that　was　horribly　calm　the　madness　of　her　soul　and　a　thirst　for　vengeance。　The　slow　and　measured　step　with　which　she　left　the　room　conveyed　the　sense　of　an　irrevocable　resolution。　Lost　in　thought；　hugging　h