juana-第14章

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of　time；a　sort　of　renewal　of　their　own　existence。　Diard　was　now　an

accidental　circumstance；　not　a　participator　in　her　life；　and　since　he

had　ceased　to　be　the　father　and　the　head　of　the　family；　Juana　felt

bound　to　him　by　no　tie　other　than　that　imposed　by　conventional　laws。

Nevertheless；　she　brought　up　her　children　to　the　highest　respect　for

paternal　authority；　however　imaginary　it　was　for　them。　In　this　she　was

greatly　seconded　by　her　husband's　continual　absence。　If　he　had　been

much　in　the　home　Diard　would　have　neutralized　his　wife's　efforts。　The

boys　had　too　much　intelligence　and　shrewdness　not　to　have　judged　their

father；　and　to　judge　a　father　is　moral　parricide。



In　the　long　run；　however；　Juana's　indifference　to　her　husband　wore

itself　away；　it　even　changed　to　a　species　of　fear。　She　understood　at

last　how　the　conduct　of　a　father　might　long　weigh　on　the　future　of　her

children；　and　her　motherly　solicitude　brought　her　many；　though

incomplete；　revelations　of　the　truth。　From　day　to　day　the　dread　of

some　unknown　but　inevitable　evil　in　the　shadow　of　which　she　lived

became　more　and　more　keen　and　terrible。　Therefore；　during　the　rare

moments　when　Diard　and　Juana　met　she　would　cast　upon　his　hollow　face；

wan　from　nights　of　gambling　and　furrowed　by　emotions；　a　piercing　look；

the　penetration　of　which　made　Diard　shudder。　At　such　times　the　assumed

gaiety　of　her　husband　alarmed　Juana　more　than　his　gloomiest

expressions　of　anxiety　when；　by　chance；　he　forgot　that　assumption　of

joy。　Diard　feared　his　wife　as　a　criminal　fears　the　executioner。　In

him；　Juana　saw　her　children's　shame；　and　in　her　Diard　dreaded　a　calm

vengeance；　the　judgment　of　that　serene　brow；　an　arm　raised；　a　weapon

ready。



After　fifteen　years　of　marriage　Diard　found　himself　without　resources。

He　owed　three　hundred　thousand　francs　and　he　could　scarcely　muster　one

hundred　thousand。　The　house；　his　only　visible　possession；　was

mortgaged　to　its　fullest　selling　value。　A　few　days　more；　and　the　sort

of　prestige　with　which　opulence　had　invested　him　would　vanish。　Not　a

hand　would　be　offered；　not　a　purse　would　be　open　to　him。　Unless　some

favorable　event　occurred　he　would　fall　into　a　slough　of　contempt；

deeper　perhaps　than　he　deserved；　precisely　because　he　had　mounted　to　a

height　he　could　not　maintain。　At　this　juncture　he　happened　to　hear

that　a　number　of　strangers　of　distinction；　diplomats　and　others；　were

assembled　at　the　watering…places　in　the　Pyrenees；　where　they　gambled

for　enormous　sums；　and　were　doubtless　well　supplied　with　money。



He　determined　to　go　at　once　to　the　Pyrenees；　but　he　would　not　leave

his　wife　in　Paris；　lest　some　importunate　creditor　might　reveal　to　her

the　secret　of　his　horrible　position。　He　therefore　took　her　and　the　two

children　with　him；　refusing　to　allow　her　to　take　the　tutor　and

scarcely　permitting　her　to　take　a　maid。　His　tone　was　curt　and

imperious；　he　seemed　to　have　recovered　some　energy。　This　sudden

journey；　the　cause　of　which　escaped　her　penetration；　alarmed　Juana

secretly。　Her　husband　made　it　gaily。　Obliged　to　occupy　the　same

carriage；　he　showed　himself　day　by　day　more　attentive　to　the　children

and　more　amiable　to　their　mother。　Nevertheless；　each　day　brought　Juana

dark　presentiments；　the　presentiments　of　mothers　who　tremble　without

apparent　reason；　but　who　are　seldom　mistaken　when　they　tremble　thus。

For　them　the　veil　of　the　future　seems　thinner　than　for　others。



At　Bordeaux；　Diard　hired　in　a　quiet　street　a　quiet　little　house；

neatly　furnished；　and　in　it　he　established　his　wife。　The　house　was　at

the　corner　of　two　streets；　and　had　a　garden。　Joined　to　the　neighboring

house　on　one　side　only；　it　was　open　to　view　and　accessible　on　the

other　three　sides。　Diard　paid　the　rent　in　advance；　and　left　Juana

barely　enough　money　for　the　necessary　expenses　of　three　months；　a　sum

not　exceeding　a　thousand　francs。　Madame　Diard　made　no　observation　on

this　unusual　meanness。　When　her　husband　told　her　that　he　was　going　to

the　watering…places　and　that　she　would　stay　at　Bordeaux；　Juana　offered

no　difficulty；　and　at　once　formed　a　plan　to　teach　the　children　Spanish

and　Italian；　and　to　make　them　read　the　two　masterpieces　of　the　two

languages。　She　was　glad　to　lead　a　retired　life；　simply　and　naturally

economical。　To　spare　herself　the　troubles　of　material　life；　she

arranged　with　a　〃traiteur〃　the　day　after　Diard's　departure　to　send　in

their　meals。　Her　maid　then　sufficed　for　the　service　of　the　house；　and

she　thus　found　herself　without　money；　but　her　wants　all　provided　for

until　her　husband's　return。　Her　pleasures　consisted　in　taking　walks

with　the　children。　She　was　then　thirty…three　years　old。　Her　beauty；

greatly　developed；　was　in　all　its　lustre。　Therefore　as　soon　as　she

appeared；　much　talk　was　made　in　Bordeaux　about　the　beautiful　Spanish

stranger。　At　the　first　advances　made　to　her　Juana　ceased　to　walk

abroad；　and　confined　herself　wholly　to　her　own　large　garden。



Diard　at　first　made　a　fortune　at　the　baths。　In　two　months　he　won　three

hundred　thousand　dollars；　but　it　never　occurred　to　him　to　send　any

money　to　his　wife；　he　kept　it　all；　expecting　to　make　some　great　stroke

of　fortune　on　a　vast　stake。　Towards　the　end　of　the　second　month　the

Marquis　de　Montefiore　appeared　at　the　same　baths。　The　marquis　was　at

this　time　celebrated　for　his　wealth；　his　handsome　face；　his　fortunate

marriage　with　an　Englishwoman；　and　more　especially　for　his　love　of

play。　Diard；　his　former　companion；　encountered　him；　and　desired　to　add

his　spoils　to　those　of　others。　A　gambler　with　four　hundred　thousand

francs　in　hand　is　always　in　a　position　to　do　as　he　pleases。　Diard；

confident　in　his　luck；　renewed　acquaintance　with　Montefiore。　The

latter　received　him　very　coldly；　but　nevertheless　they　played

together；　and　Diard　lost　every　penny　that　he　possessed；　and　more。



〃My　dear　Montefiore；〃　said　the　ex…quartermaster；　after　making　a　tour

of　the　salon；　〃I　owe　you　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　but　my　money　is　in

Bordeaux；　where　I　have　left　my　wife。〃



Diard　had　the　money　in　bank…bills　in　his　pocket；　but　with　the　self…

possession　and　rapid　bird's…eye　view　of　a　man　accustomed　to　catch　at

all　resources；　he　still　hoped　to　recover　himself　by　some　one　of　the

endless　caprices　of　play。　Montefiore　had　already　mentioned　his

intention　of　visiting　Bordeaux。　Had　he　paid　his　debt　on　the　spot；

Diard　would　have　been　left　without　the　power　to　take　his　revenge；　a

revenge　at　cards　often　exceeds　the　amount　of　all　preceding　losses。　But

these　burning　expectations　depended　on　the　marquis's　reply。



〃Wait；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Montefiore；　〃and　we　will　go　together　to

Bordeaux。　In　all　conscience；　I　am　rich　enough　to…day　not　to　wish　to

take　the　money　of　an　old　comrade。〃



Three　days　later　Diard　and　Montefiore　were　in　Bordeaux　at　a　gambling

table。　Diard；　having　won　enough　to　pay　his　hundred　thousand　francs；

went　on　until　he　had　lost　two　hundred　thousand　more　on　his　word。　He

was　gay　as　a　man　who　swam　in　gold。　Eleven　o'clock　sounded；　the　night

was　superb。　Montefiore　may　have　felt；　like　Diard；　a　desire　to　breathe

the　open　air　and　recover　from　such　emotions　in　a　walk。　The　latter

proposed　to　the　marquis　to　come　home　with　him　to　take　a　cup　of　tea　and

get　his　money。



〃But　Madame　Diard？〃　said　Montefiore。



〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　the　husband。



They　went　down…stairs；　but　before　taking　his　hat　Diard　entered　the

dining…room　of　the　establishment　and　asked　for　a　glass　of　water。　While

it　was　being　brought；　he　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　and　was　able；

without　being　noticed；　to　pick　up　one　of　those　small　sharp…pointed

steel　knives　with　pearl　handles　which　are　used　for　cutting　fruit　at

dessert。



〃Where　do　you　live？〃　said　Montefiore；　in　the　courtyard；　〃for　I　want　to

send　a　carriage　there　to　fetch　me。〃



Diard　told　him　the　exact　address。



〃You　see；〃　said　Montefiore；　in　a　low　voice；　taking　Diard's　arm；　〃that

as　long　as　I　am　with　you　I　have　nothing　to　fear；　but　if　I　came　home

alone　and　a　scoundrel　were　to