white lies-第50章

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〃Don't　be　alarmed；　sweet　one；　I　am　better。　　And　I　will　never　do　it　again；　since　it　frightens　you。〃　　Then　Josephine　said　to　her　sister　in　a　low　voice；　and　in　the　Italian　language；　〃I　hoped　it　was　death；　my　sister；　but　he　comes　not　to　the　wretched。〃

〃If　you　hoped　that；〃　replied　Rose　in　the　same　language；　〃you　do　not　love　your　poor　sister　who　so　loves　you。〃

While　the　Italian　was　going　on；　Jacintha's　dark　eyes　glanced　suspiciously　on　each　speaker　in　turn。　　But　her　suspicions　were　all　wide　of　the　mark。

〃Now　may　I　go　and　tell　mamma？〃　asked　Rose。

〃No；　mademoiselle；　you　shall　not；〃　said　Jacintha。　　〃Madame　Raynal；　do　take　my　side；　and　forbid　her。〃

〃Why；　what　is　it　to　you？〃　said　Rose；　haughtily。

〃If　it　was　not　something　to　me；　should　I　thwart　my　dear　young　lady？〃

〃No。　　And　you　shall　have　your　own　way；　if　you　will　but　condescend　to　give　me　a　reason。〃

This　to　some　of　us　might　appear　reasonable；　but　not　to　Jacintha：　it　even　hurt　her　feelings。

〃Mademoiselle　Rose；〃　she　said；　〃when　you　were　little　and　used　to　ask　me　for　anything；　did　I　ever　say　to　you；　'Give　me　a　REASON　first'？〃

〃There！　she　is　right；〃　said　Josephine。　　〃We　should　not　make　terms　with　tried　friends。　　Come；　we　will　pay　her　devotion　this　compliment。　It　is　such　a　small　favor。　　For　my　part　I　feel　obliged　to　her　for　asking　it。〃

Josephine's　health　improved　steadily　from　that　day。　　Her　hollow　cheeks　recovered　their　plump　smoothness；　and　her　beauty　its　bloom；　and　her　person　grew　more　noble　and　statue…like　than　ever；　and　within　she　felt　a　sense　of　indomitable　vitality。　　Her　appetite　had　for　some　time　been　excessively　feeble　and　uncertain；　and　her　food　tasteless；　but　of　late；　by　what　she　conceived　to　be　a　reaction　such　as　is　common　after　youth　has　shaken　off　a　long　sickness；　her　appetite　had　been　not　only　healthy　but　eager。　　The　baroness　observed　this；　and　it　relieved　her　of　a　large　portion　of　her　anxiety。　　One　day　at　dinner　her　maternal　heart　was　so　pleased　with　Josephine's　performance　that　she　took　it　as　a　personal　favor；　〃Well　done；　Josephine；〃　said　she；　〃that　gives　your　mother　pleasure　to　see　you　eat　again。　　Soup　and　bouillon：　and　now　twice　you　have　been　to　Rose　for　some　of　that　pate；　which　does　you　so　much　credit；　Jacintha。〃

Josephine　colored　high　at　this　compliment。

〃It　is　true；〃　said　she；　〃I　eat　like　a　pig；〃　and；　with　a　furtive　glance　at　the　said　pate；　she　laid　down　her　knife　and　fork；　and　ate　no　more　of　anything。　　The　baroness　had　now　a　droll　misgiving。

〃The　doctor　will　be　angry　with　me；〃　said　she：　〃he　will　find　her　as　well　as　ever。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　Jacintha　hastily；　〃when　does　the　doctor　come；　if　I　may　make　so　bold；　that　I　may　get　his　room　ready；　you　know？〃

〃Well　thought　of；　Jacintha。　　He　comes　the　day　after　to…morrow；　in　the　afternoon。〃

At　night　when　the　young　ladies　went　up　to　bed；　what　did　they　find　but　a　little　cloth　laid　on　a　little　table　in　Josephine's　room；　and　the　remains　of　the　pate　she　had　liked。　　Rose　burst　out　laughing。　〃Look　at　that　dear　duck　of　a　goose；　Jacintha！　　Our　mother's　flattery　sank　deep：　she　thinks　we　can　eat　her　pates　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night。　　Shall　I　send　it　away？〃

〃No；〃　said　Josephine；　〃that　would　hurt　her　culinary　pride；　and　perhaps　her　affection：　only　cover　it　up；　dear；　for　just　now　I　am　not　in　the　humor：　it　rather　turns　me。〃

It　was　covered　up。　　The　sisters　retired　to　rest。　　In　the　morning　Rose　lifted　the　cover　and　found　the　plate　cleared；　polished。　　She　was　astounded。

The　large　tapestried　chamber；　once　occupied　by　Camille　Dujardin；　was　now　turned　into　a　sitting…room；　and　it　was　a　favorite　on　account　of　the　beautiful　view　from　the　windows。

One　day　Josephine　sat　there　alone　with　some　work　in　her　hand；　but　the　needle　often　stopped；　and　the　fair　head　drooped。　　She　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　　To　her　surprise　it　was　echoed　by　a　sigh　that；　like　her　own；　seemed　to　come　from　a　heart　full　of　sighs。

She　turned　hastily　round　and　saw　Jacintha。

Now　Josephine　had　all　a　woman's　eye　for　reading　faces；　and　she　was　instantly　struck　by　a　certain　gravity　in　Jacintha's　gaze；　and　a　flutter　which　the　young　woman　was　suppressing　with　tolerable　but　not　complete　success。

Disguising　the　uneasiness　this　discovery　gave　her；　she　looked　her　visitor　full　in　the　face；　and　said　mildly；　but　a　little　coldly；　〃Well；　Jacintha？〃

Jacintha　lowered　her　eyes　and　muttered　slowly；

〃The　doctorcomesto…day；〃　then　raised　her　eyes　all　in　a　moment　to　take　Josephine　off　her　guard；　but　the　calm　face　was　impenetrable。　So　then　Jacintha　added；　〃to　our　misfortune；〃　throwing　in　still　more　meaning。

〃To　our　misfortune？　　A　dear　old　friendlike　him？〃

Jacintha　explained。　　〃That　old　man　makes　me　shake。　　You　are　never　safe　with　him。　　So　long　as　his　head　is　in　the　clouds；　you　might　take　his　shoes　off；　and　on　he'd　walk　and　never　know　it；　but　every　now　and　then　he　comes　out　of　the　clouds　all　in　one　moment；　without　a　word　of　warning；　and　when　he　does　his　eye　is　on　everything；　like　a　bird's。　Then　he　is　so　old：　he　has　seen　a　heap。　　Take　my　word　for　it；　the　old　are　more　knowing　than　the　young；　let　them　be　as　sharp　as　you　like：　the　old　have　seen　everything。　　WE　have　only　heard　talk　of　the　most　part；　with　here　and　there　a　glimpse。　　To　know　life　to　the　bottom　you　must　live　it　out；　from　the　soup　to　the　dessert；　and　that　is　what　the　doctor　has　done；　and　now　he　is　coming　here。　　And　Mademoiselle　Rose　will　go　telling　him　everything；　and　if　she　tells　him　half　what　she　has　seen；　your　secret　will　be　no　secret　to　that　old　man。〃

〃My　secret！〃　gasped　Josephine；　turning　pale。

〃Don't　look　so；　madame：　don't　be　frightened　at　poor　Jacintha。　Sooner　or　later　you　MUST　trust　somebody　besides　Mademoiselle　Rose。〃

Josephine　looked　at　her　with　inquiring；　frightened　eyes。

Jacintha　drew　nearer　to　her。

〃Mademoiselle；I　beg　pardon；　madame；I　carried　you　in　my　arms　when　I　was　a　child。　　When　I　was　a　girl　you　toddled　at　my　side；　and　held　my　gown；　and　lisped　my　name；　and　used　to　put　your　little　arms　round　my　neck；　and　kissed　me；　you　would；　and　if　ever　I　had　the　least　pain　or　sickness　your　dear　little　face　would　turn　as　sorrowful；　and　all　the　pretty　color　leave　it　for　Jacintha；　and　now　you　are　in　trouble；　in　sore　trouble；　yet　you　turn　away　from　me；　you　dare　not　trust　me；　that　would　be　cut　in　pieces　ere　　I　would　betray　you。　　Ah；　mademoiselle；　you　are　wrong。　　The　poor　can　feel：　they　have　all　seen　trouble；　and　a　servant　is　the　best　of　friends　where　she　has　the　heart　to　love　her　mistress；　and　do　not　I　love　you？　　Pray　do　not　turn　from　her　who　has　carried　you　in　her　arms；　and　laid　you　to　sleep　upon　her　bosom；　many's　and　many's　the　time。〃

Josephine　panted　audibly。　　She　held　out　her　hand　eloquently　to　Jacintha；　but　she　turned　her　head　away　and　trembled。

Jacintha　cast　a　hasty　glance　round　the　room。　　Then　she　trembled　too　at　what　she　was　going　to　say；　and　the　effect　it　might　have　on　the　young　lady。　　As　for　Josephine；　terrible　as　the　conversation　had　become；　she　made　no　attempt　to　evade　it：　she　remained　perfectly　passive。　　It　was　the　best　way　to　learn　how　far　Jacintha　had　penetrated　her　secret；　if　at　all。

Jacintha　looked　fearfully　round　and　whispered　in　Josephine's　ear；　〃When　the　news　of　Colonel　Raynal's　death　came；　you　wept；　but　the　color　came　back　to　your　cheek。　　When　the　news　of　his　life　came；　you　turned　to　stone。　　Ah！　my　poor　young　lady；　there　has　been　more　between　you　and　THAT　MAN　than　should　be。　　Ever　since　one　day　you　all　went　to　Frejus　together；　you　were　a　changed　woman。　　I　have　seen　you　look　at　him　asas　a　wife　looks　at　her　man。　　I　have　seen　HIM〃

〃Hush；　Jacintha！　　Do　not　tell　me　what　you　have　seen：　oh！　do　not　remind　me　of　joys　I　pray　God　to　help　me　forget。　　He　was　my　husband；　then！oh；　cruel　Jacintha；　to　remind　me　of　what　I　have　been；　of　what　I　am！　　Ah　me！　ah　me！　ah　me！〃

〃Your　husband！〃　cried　Jacintha　in　utter　amazement。

Then　Josephine　drooped　her　head　on　this　faithful　creature's　shoulder；　and　told　her　with　many　sobs　the　story　I　have　told　you。　She　told　it　very　briefly；　for　it　was　to　a　woman　who；　though　little　educated；　was　full　of　feeling　and　shrewdness；　and　needed　but　the　bare　facts：　she　could　add　the　rest　from　her　own　heart　and　experience：　could　tell　the　storm　of　feelings　through　which　these　two　unhappy　lovers　must　have　passed。　　Her　frequent　sighs　of　pi