white lies-第31章

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　She　consented　in　an　absent　way；　and　presently　began　to　walk　very　fast；　unconscious　of　her　companion。　　Rose　laid　a　hand　upon　her　playfully　to　moderate　her；　and　found　her　skin　burning。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？〃　said　she；　anxiously。

〃Nothing；　nothing；〃　was　the　sharp　reply。

〃There's　a　fretful　tone；　and　how　excited　you　look；　and　feel　too。　Well；　I　thought　you　were　unnaturally　calm　after　such　an　event。〃

〃I　only　saw　his　back；〃　said　Josephine。　　〃Did　not　you　see　him？〃

〃See　who？　　Oh；　that　tiresome　officer。　　Why；　how　much　more　are　we　to　hear　about　him？　　I　don't　believe　there　WAS　one。〃

At　this　moment　a　cocked　hat　came　in　sight；　bobbing　up　and　down　above　the　palings　that　divided　the　park　from　the　road。　　Josephine　pointed　to　it　without　a　word。

Rose　got　a　little　cross　at　being　practically　confuted；　and　said　coldly；　〃Come；　let　us　go　in；　the　only　cocked　hat　we　can　see　is　on　the　way　to　Paris。〃

Josephine　assented　eagerly。　　But　she　had　not　taken　two　steps　towards　the　house　ere　she　altered　her　mind；　and　said　she　felt　faint；　she　wanted　air；　no；　she　should　stay　out　a　little　longer。　　〃Look；　Rose；〃　said　she；　in　a　strangely　excited　way；　〃what　a　shame！　　They　put　all　manner　of　rubbish　into　this　dear　old　tree：　I　will　have　it　all　turned　out。〃　　And　she　looked　with　feigned　interest　into　the　tree：　but　her　eyes　seemed　turned　inward。

Rose　gave　a　cry　of　surprise。　　〃He　is　waving　his　hat　to　me！　　What　on　earth　does　that　mean？〃

〃Perhaps　he　takes　you　for　me；〃　said　Josephine。

〃Who　is　it？　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃IT　IS　HE！　　I　knew　his　figure　at　a　glance。〃　　And　she　blushed　and　trembled　with　joy；　she　darted　behind　the　tree　and　peered　round　at　him　unseen：　turning　round　a　moment　she　found　Rose　at　her　back　pale　and　stern。　　She　looked　at　her；　and　said　with　terrible　simplicity；　〃Ah；　Rose；　I　forgot。〃

〃Are　you　mad；　Josephine？　　Into　the　house　this　moment；　if　it　IS　he；　I　will　receive　him　and　send　him　about　his　business。〃

But　Josephine　stood　fascinated；　and　pale　as　ashes；　for　now　the　cocked　hat　stopped；　and　a　pale　face　with　eyes　whose　eager　fire　shone　even　at　that　distance；　rose　above　the　palings。　　Josephine　crouched　behind　Rose；　and　gasped　out；　〃Something　terrible　is　coming；　terrible！　terrible！〃

〃Say　something　hateful；〃　said　Rose；　trembling　in　her　turn；　but　only　with　anger。　　〃The　heartless　selfish　traitor！　　He　never　notices　you　till　you　are　married　to　the　noblest　of　mankind；　and　then　he　comes　here　directly　to　ruin　your　peace。　　No；　I　have　altered　my　mind。　　He　shall　not　see　you；　of　course；　but　YOU　shall　hear　HIM。　　I'll　soon　make　you　know　the　wretch　and　loathe　him　as　I　do。　　There；　now　he　has　turned　the　corner；　hide　in　the　oak　while　he　is　out　of　sight。　　Hide；　quick；　quick。〃　　Josephine　obeyed　mechanically；　and　presently；　through　that　very　aperture　whence　her　sister　had　smiled　on　her　lover　she　hissed　out；　in　a　tone　of　which　one　would　not　have　thought　her　capable；　〃Be　wise；　be　shrewd；　find　out　who　is　the　woman　that　has　seduced　him　from　me；　and　has　brought　two　wretches　to　this。　　I　tell　you　it　is　some　wicked　woman's　doing。　　He　loved　me　once。〃

〃Not　so　loud！one　word：　you　are　a　wife。　　Swear　to　me　you　will　not　let　him　see　you；　come　what　may。〃

〃Oh！　never！　never！〃　cried　Josephine　with　terror。　　〃I　would　rather　die。　　When　you　have　heard　what　he　has　to　say；　then　tell　him　I　am　dead。　　No；　tell　him　I　adore　my　husband；　and　went　to　Egypt　this　day　with　him。　　Ah！　would　to　God　I　had！〃

〃Sh！　sh！〃

〃Sh！〃

Camille　was　at　the　little　gate。

Rose　stood　still；　and　nerved　herself　in　silence。　　Josephine　panted　in　her　hiding…place。

Rose's　only　thought　now　was　to　expose　the　traitor　to　her　sister；　and　restore　her　peace。　　She　pretended　not　to　see　Camille　till　he　was　near　her。　　He　came　eagerly　towards　her；　his　pale　face　flushing　with　great　joy；　and　his　eyes　like　diamonds。

〃Josephine！　　It　is　not　Josephine；　after　all；〃　said　he。　　〃Why；　this　must　be　Rose；　little　Rose；　grown　up　to　a　fine　lady；　a　beautiful　lady。〃

〃What　do　you　come　here　for；　sir？〃　asked　Rose　in　a　tone　of　icy　indifference。

〃What　do　I　come　here　for？　is　that　the　way　to　speak　to　me？　but　I　am　too　happy　to　mind。　　Dear　Beaurepaire！　do　I　see　you　once　again！〃

〃And　madame？〃

〃What　madame？〃

〃Madame　Dujardin　that　is　or　was　to　be。〃

〃This　is　the　first　I　have　ever　heard　of　her；〃　said　Camille；　gayly。

〃This　is　odd；　for　we　have　heard　all　about　it。〃

〃Are　you　jesting？〃

〃No。〃

〃If　I　understand　you　right；　you　imply　that　I　have　broken　faith　with　Josephine？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Then　you　lie；　Mademoiselle　Rose　de　Beaurepaire。〃

〃Insolent！〃

〃No。　　It　is　you　who　have　insulted　your　sister　as　well　as　me。　　She　was　not　made　to　be　deserted　for　meaner　women。　　Come；　mademoiselle；　affront　me；　and　me　alone；　and　you　shall　find　me　more　patient。　　Oh！　who　would　have　thought　Beaurepaire　would　receive　me　thus？〃

〃It　is　your　own　fault。　　You　never　sent　her　a　line　for　all　these　years。〃

〃Why；　how　could　I？〃

〃Well；　sir；　the　information　you　did　not　supply　others　did。　　We　know　that　you　were　seen　in　a　Spanish　village　drinking　between　two　guerillas。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　Camille。

〃An　honest　French　soldier　fired　at　you。　　Why；　he　told　us　so　himself。〃

〃He　told　you　true；〃　said　Camille；　sullenly。　　〃The　bullet　grazed　my　hand；　see；　here　is　the　mark。　　Look！〃　　She　did　look；　and　gave　a　little　scream；　but　recovering　herself；　said　she　wished　it　had　gone　through　his　heart。　　〃Why　prolong　this　painful　interview？〃　said　she；　〃the　soldier　told　us　all。〃

〃I　doubt　that；〃　said　Camille。　　〃Did　he　tell　you　that　under　the　table　I　was　chained　tight　down　to　the　chair　I　sat　in？　　Did　he　tell　you　that　my　hand　was　fastened　to　a　drinking…horn；　and　my　elbow　to　the　table；　and　two　fellows　sitting　opposite　me　with　pistols　quietly　covering　me；　ready　to　draw　the　trigger　if　I　should　utter　a　cry？　　Did　he　tell　you　that　I　would　have　uttered　that　cry　and　died　at　that　table　but　for　one　thing；　I　had　promised　her　to　live？〃

〃Not　he；　he　told　me　nothing　so　incredible。　　Besides；　what　became　of　you　all　these　years？　　You　are　a　double　traitor；　to　your　country　and　to　her。〃

Camille　literally　gasped　for　breath。　　〃You　are　a　most　cruel　young　lady　to　insult　me　so；〃　said　he；　and　scalding　tears　forced　themselves　from　his　eyes。

Rose　eyed　him　with　merciless　scorn。

He　fought　manfully　against　this　weakness；　with　which　his　wound　and　his　fatigue　had　something　to　do；　as　well　as　Rose's　bitter　words；　and　after　a　gallant　struggle　he　returned　her　her　haughty　stare；　and　addressed　her　thus：　〃Mademoiselle；　I　feel　myself　blush；　but　it　is　for　you　I　blush；　not　for　myself。　　This　is　what　BECAME　of　me。　　I　went　out　alone　to　explore；　I　fell　into　an　ambuscade；　I　shot　one　of　the　enemy；　and　pinked　another；　but　my　arm　being　broken　by　a　bullet；　and　my　horse　killed　under　me；　the　rascals　got　me。　　They　took　me　about；　tried　to　make　a　decoy　of　me　as　I　have　told　you；　and　ended　by　throwing　me　into　a　dungeon。　　They　loaded　me　with　chains；　too；　though　the　walls　were　ten　feet　thick；　and　the　door　iron；　and　bolted　and　double…bolted　outside。　　And　there　for　months　and　years；　in　spite　of　wounds；　hunger；　thirst；　and　all　the　tortures　those　cowards　made　me　suffer；　I　lived；　because；　Rose；　I　had　promised　some　one　at　that　gate　there　（and　he　turned　suddenly　and　pointed　to　it）　that　I　would　come　back　alive。　　At　last；　one　night；　my　jailer　came　to　my　cell　drunk。　　I　seized　him　by　the　throat　and　throttled　him　till　he　was　insensible；　his　keys　unlocked　my　fetters；　and　locked　him　in　the　cell；　and　I　got　safely　outside。　　But　there　a　sentinel　saw　me；　and　fired　at　me。　　He　missed　me　but　ran　after　me；　and　caught　me。　　You　see　I　was　stiff；　confined　so　long。　　He　gave　me　a　thrust　of　his　bayonet；　I　flung　my　heavy　keys　fiercely　in　his　face；　he　staggered；　I　wrested　his　piece　from　him；　and　disabled　him。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃I　crossed　the　frontier　in　the　night；　and　got　to　Bayonne；　and　thence；　day　and　night；　to　Paris。　　There　I　met　a　reward　for　all　my　anguish。　　They　gave　me　the　epaulets　of　a　colonel。　　See；　here　they　are。　　France　does　not　give　these　to　traitors；　young　lady。〃　　He　held　them　out　to　her　in　both　hands。　　She　eyed　them　half　stupidly；　all　her　thoughts　were　on　the　oak…tree　hard　by。　　She　began　to　shudder。　Camille　was　telling　the　truth。　　She　felt　that；　she　saw　it；　and　Josephine　was　hearing　it。　　〃Ay！　look　at　them；　you　naughty　girl；〃