white lies-第40章

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Edouard　Riviere　retarded　his　cure　by　an　impatient　spirit：　but　he　got　well　at　last；　and　his　uncle　drove　him　in　the　cabriolet　to　his　own　quarters。　　The　news　of　the　house　had　been　told　him　by　letter；　but；　of　course；　in　so　vague　and　general　a　way　that；　thinking　he　knew　all；　in　reality　he　knew　nothing。

Josephine　had　married　Raynal。　　The　marriage　was　sudden；　but　no　doubt　there　was　an　attachment：　he　had　some　reason　to　believe　in　sudden　attachments。　　Colonel　Dujardin；　an　old　acquaintance；　had　come　back　to　France　wounded；　and　the　good　doctor　had　undertaken　his　cure：　this　incident　appeared　neither　strange　nor　any　way　important。　　What　affected　him　most　deeply　was　the　death　of　Raynal；　his　personal　friend　and　patron。　　But　when　his　tyrants；　as　he　called　the　surgeon　and　his　uncle；　gave　him　leave　to　go　home；　all　feelings　were　overpowered　by　his　great　joy　at　the　prospect　of　seeing　Rose。　　He　walked　over　to　Beaurepaire；　his　arm　in　a　sling；　his　heart　beating。　He　was　coming　to　receive　the　reward　of　all　he　had　done；　and　all　he　had　attempted。　　〃I　will　surprise　them；〃　thought　he。　　〃I　will　see　her　face　when　I　come　in　at　the　door：　oh；　happy　hour！　this　pays　for　all。〃　He　entered　the　house　without　announcing　himself；　he　went　softly　up　to　the　saloon；　to　his　great　disappointment　he　found　no　one　but　the　baroness：　she　received　him　kindly；　but　not　with　the　warmth　he　expected。　　She　was　absorbed　in　her　new　grief。　　He　asked　timidly　after　her　daughters。　　〃Madame　Raynal　bears　up；　for　the　sake　of　others。　　You　will　not；　however；　see　her：　she　keeps　her　room。　　My　daughter　Rose　is　taking　a　walk；　I　believe。〃　　After　some　polite　inquiries；　and　sympathy　with　his　accident；　the　baroness　retired　to　indulge　her　grief；　and　Edouard　thus　liberated　ran　in　search　of　his　beloved。

He　met　her　at　the　gate　of　the　Pleasaunce；　but　not　alone。　　She　was　walking　with　an　officer；　a　handsome；　commanding；　haughty；　brilliant　officer。　　She　was　walking　by　his　side；　talking　earnestly　to　him。

An　arrow　of　ice　shot　through　young　Riviere；　and　then　came　a　feeling　of　death　at　his　heart；　a　new　symptom　in　his　young　life。

The　next　moment　Rose　caught　sight　of　him。　　She　flushed　all　over　and　uttered　a　little　exclamation；　and　she　bounded　towards　him　like　a　little　antelope；　and　put　out　both　her　hands　at　once。　　He　could　only　give　her　one。

〃Ah！〃　she　cried　with　an　accent　of　heavenly　pity；　and　took　his　hand　with　both　hers。

This　was　like　the　meridian　sun　coming　suddenly　on　a　cold　place。　　He　was　all　happiness。

When　Josephine　heard　he　was　come　her　eye　flashed；　and　she　said　quickly；　〃I　will　come　down　to　welcome　himdear　Edouard！〃

The　sisters　looked　at　one　another。　　Josephine　blushed。　　Rose　smiled　and　kissed　her。　　She　colored　higher　still；　and　said；　〃No；　she　was　ashamed　to　go　down。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Look　at　my　face。〃

〃I　see　nothing　wrong　with　it；　except　that　it　eclipses　other　people's；　and　I　have　long　forgiven　you　that。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　dear　Rose：　look　what　a　color　it　has；　and　a　fortnight　ago　it　was　pale　as　ashes。〃

〃Never　mind；　do　you　expect　me　to　regret　that？〃

〃Rose；　I　am　a　very　bad　woman。〃

〃Are　you；　dear？　then　hook　this　for　me。〃

〃Yes；　love。　　But　I　sometimes　think　you　would　forgive　me　if　you　knew　how　hard　I　pray　to　be　better。　　Rose；　I　do　try　so　to　be　as　unhappy　as　I　ought；　but　I　can't；　I　can't。　　My　cold　heart　seems　as　dead　to　unhappiness　as　once　it　was　to　happiness。　　Am　I　a　heartless　woman　after　all？〃

〃Not　altogether；〃　said　Rose　dryly。　　〃Fasten　my　collar；　dear；　and　don't　torment　yourself。　　You　have　suffered　much　and　nobly。　　It　was　Heaven's　will：　you　bowed　to　it。　　It　was　not　Heaven's　will　that　you　should　be　blighted　altogether。　　Bow　in　this；　too；　to　Heaven's　will：　take　things　as　they　come；　and　do　cease　to　try　and　reconcile　feelings　that　are　too　opposite　to　live　together。〃

〃Ah！　these　are　such　comfortable　words；　Rose；　but　mamma　will　see　this　dreadful　color　in　my　cheek；　and　what　can　I　say　to　her？〃

〃Ten　to　one　it　will　not　be　observed；　and　if　it　should；　I　will　say　it　is　the　excitement　of　seeing　Edouard。　　Leave　all　to　me。〃

Josephine　greeted　Edouard　most　affectionately；　drew　from　him　his　whole　history；　and　petted　him　and　sympathized　with　him　deliciously；　and　made　him　the　hero　of　the　evening。　　Camille；　who　was　not　naturally　of　a　jealous　temper；　bore　this　very　well　at　first；　but　at　last　he　looked　so　bitter　at　her　neglect　of　him；　that　Rose　took　him　aside　to　soothe　him。　　Edouard；　missing　the　auditor　he　most　valued；　and　seeing　her　in　secret　conference　with　the　brilliant　colonel；　felt　a　return　of　the　jealous　pangs　that　had　seized　him　at　first　sight　of　the　man；　and　so　they　played　at　cross　purposes。

At　another　period　of　the　evening　the　conversation　became　more　general；　and　Edouard　took　a　dislike　to　Colonel　Dujardin。　　A　young　man　of　twenty…eight　nearly　always　looks　on　a　boy　of　twenty…one　with　the　air　of　a　superior；　and　this　assumption；　not　being　an　ill…natured　one；　is　apt　to　be　so　easy　and　so　undefined　that　the　younger　hardly　knows　how　to　resent　or　to　resist　it。　　But　Edouard　was　a　little　vain　as　we　know；　and　the　Colonel　jarred　him　terribly。　　His　quick　haughty　eye　jarred　him。　　His　regimentals　jarred　him：　they　fitted　like　a　glove。　　His　mustache　and　his　manner　jarred　him；　and；　worst　of　all；　his　cool　familiarity　with　Rose；　who　seemed　to　court　him　rather　than　be　courted　by　him。　　He　put　this　act　of　Rose's　to　the　colonel's　account；　according　to　the　custom　of　lovers；　and　revenged　himself　in　a　small　way　by　telling　Josephine　in　her　ear　〃that　the　colonel　produced　on　his　mind　the　effect　of　an　intolerable　puppy。〃

Josephine　colored　up　and　looked　at　him　with　a　momentary　surprise。　She　said　quietly；　〃Military　men　do　give　themselves　some　airs；　but　he　is　very　amiable　at　bottom。　　You　must　make　a　better　acquaintance　with　him；　and　then　he　will　reveal　to　you　his　nobler　qualities。〃〃Oh！　I　have　no　particular　desire；〃　sneered　unlucky　Edouard。　　Sweet　as　Josephine　was；　this　was　too　much　for　her：　she　said　nothing；　but　she　quietly　turned　Edouard　over　to　Aubertin；　and　joined　Rose；　and　under　cover　of　her　had　a　sweet　timid　chat　with　her　falsely　accused。

This　occupied　the　two　so　entirely　that　Edouard　was　neglected。　　This　hurt　his　foible；　and　seemed　to　be　so　unkind　on　the　very　first　day　of　his　return　that　he　made　his　adieus　to　the　baroness；　and　marched　off　in　dudgeon　unobserved。

Rose　missed　him　first；　but　said　nothing。

When　Josephine　saw　he　was　gone；　she　uttered　a　little　exclamation；　and　looked　at　Rose。　　Rose　put　on　a　mien　of　haughty　indifference；　but　the　water　was　in　her　eyes。

Josephine　looked　sorrowful。

When　they　talked　over　everything　together　at　night；　she　reproached　herself。　　〃We　behaved　ill　to　poor　Edouard：　we　neglected　him。〃

〃He　is　a　little　cross；　ill…tempered　fellow；〃　said　Rose　pettishly。

〃Oh；　no！　no！〃

〃And　as　vain　as　a　peacock。〃

〃Has　he　not　some　right　to　be　vain　in　this　house？〃

〃Yes；no。　　I　am　very　angry　with　him。　　I　won't　hear　a　word　in　his　favor；〃　said　Rose　pouting：　then　she　gave　his　defender　a　kiss。　　〃Yes；　dear；〃　said　Josephine；　answering　the　kiss；　and　ignoring　the　words；　〃he　is　a　dear；　and　he　is　not　cross；　nor　so　very　vain；　poor　boy！　now　don't　you　see　what　it　was？〃

〃No。〃

〃Yes；　you　do；　you　little　cunning　thing：　you　are　too　shrewd　not　to　see　everything。〃

〃No；　indeed；　Josephine；　do　tell　me；　don't　keep　me　waiting：　I　can't　bear　that。〃

〃Well；　thenjealous！　　A　little。〃

〃Jealous？　　Oh；　what　fun！　　Of　Camille？　　Ha！　ha！　　Little　goose！〃

〃And；〃　said　Josephine　very　seriously；　〃I　almost　think　he　would　be　jealous　of　any　one　that　occupied　your　attention。　　I　watched　him　more　or　less　all　the　evening。〃

〃All　the　better。　　I'll　torment　my　lord。〃

〃Heaven　forbid　you　should　be　so　cruel。〃

〃Oh！　I　will　not　make　him　unhappy；　but　I'll　tease　him　a　little；　it　is　not　in　nature　to　abstain。〃

This　foible　detected　in　her　lover；　Rose　was　very　gay　at　the　prospect　of　amusement　it　afforded　her。

And　I　think　I　have　many　readers　who　at　this　moment　are　awaiting　unmixed　enjoyment　and　hilarity　from　the　same　source。

I　wish　them　joy　of　their　prospect。

Edouard　called　the　next　day：　he　wore　a　gloomy　air。　　Rose　met　this　with　a　particularly　cheerful　one；　on　this；　Edouard's　face　cleared　up；　and　he　was　himself　again；　agreeable　as　this　was；　Rose　felt　a　little　disappointed。　　〃I　am　afraid　he　is　not　very　jealous