white lies-第51章

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py　lovers　must　have　passed。　　Her　frequent　sighs　of　pity　and　sympathy　drew　Josephine　on　to　pour　out　all　her　griefs。　　When　the　tale　was　ended　she　gave　a　sigh　of　relief。

〃It　might　have　been　worse：　I　thought　it　was　worse　the　more　fool　I。　I　deserve　to　have　my　head　cut　off。〃　　This　was　Jacintha's　only　comment　at　that　time。

It　was　Josephine's　turn　to　be　amazed。　　〃It　could　have　been　worse？〃　said　she。　　〃How？　tell　me；〃　added　she　bitterly。　　〃It　would　be　a　consolation　to　me；　could　I　see　that。〃

Jacintha　colored　and　evaded　this　question；　and　begged　her　to　go　on；　to　keep　nothing　back　from　her。　　Josephine　assured　her　she　had　revealed　all。　　Jacintha　looked　at　her　a　moment　in　silence。

〃It　is　then　as　I　half　suspected。　　You　do　not　know　all　that　is　before　you。　　You　do　not　see　why　I　am　afraid　of　that　old　man。〃

〃No；　not　of　him　in　particular。〃

〃Nor　why　I　want　to　keep　Mademoiselle　Rose　from　prattling　to　him？〃

〃No。　　I　assure　you　Rose　is　to　be　trusted；　she　is　wisewiser　than　I　am。〃

〃You　are　neither　of　you　wise。　　You　neither　of　you　know　anything。　　My　poor　young　mistress；　you　are　but　a　child　still。　　You　have　a　deep　water　to　wade　through；〃　said　Jacintha；　so　solemnly　that　Josephine　trembled。　　〃A　deep　water；　and　do　not　see　it　even。　　You　have　told　me　what　is　past；　now　I　must　tell　you　what　is　coming。　　Heaven　help　me！　But　is　it　possible　you　have　no　misgiving？　　Tell　the　truth；　now。〃

〃Alas！　I　am　full　of　them；　at　your　words；　at　your　manner；　they　fly　around　me　in　crowds。〃

〃Have　you　no　ONE？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　turn　your　head　from　me　a　bit；　my　sweet　young　lady；　I　am　an　honest　woman；　though　I　am　not　so　innocent　as　you；　and　I　am　forced　against　my　will　to　speak　my　mind　plainer　than　I　am　used　to。〃

Then　followed　a　conversation；　to　detail　which　might　anticipate　our　story；　suffice　it　to　say；　that　Rose；　coming　into　the　room　rather　suddenly；　found　her　sister　weeping　on　Jacintha's　bosom；　and　Jacintha　crying　and　sobbing　over　her。

She　stood　and　stared　in　utter　amazement。


Dr。　Aubertin；　on　his　arrival；　was　agreeably　surprised　at　Madame　Raynal's　appearance。　　He　inquired　after　her　appetite。

〃Oh；　as　to　her　appetite；〃　cried　the　baroness；　〃that　is　immense。〃

〃Indeed！〃

〃It　was；〃　explained　Josephine；　〃just　when　I　began　to　get　better；　but　now　it　is　as　much　as　usual。〃　　This　answer　had　been　arranged　beforehand　by　Jacintha。　　She　added；　〃The　fact　is；　we　wanted　to　see　you；　doctor；　and　my　ridiculous　ailments　were　a　good　excuse　for　tearing　you　from　Paris。〃〃And　now　we　have　succeeded；〃　said　Rose；　〃let　us　throw　off　the　mask；　and　talk　of　other　things；　above　all；　of　Paris；　and　your　eclat。〃

〃For　all　that；〃　persisted　the　baroness；　〃she　was　ill；　when　I　first　wrote；　and　very　ill　too。〃

〃Madame　Raynal；〃　said　the　doctor　solemnly；　〃your　conduct　has　been　irregular；　once　ill；　and　your　illness　announced　to　your　medical　adviser；　etiquette　forbade　you　to　get　well　but　by　his　prescriptions。　Since；　then；　you　have　shown　yourself　unfit　to　conduct　a　malady；　it　becomes　my　painful　duty　to　forbid　you　henceforth　ever　to　be　ill　at　all；　without　my　permission　first　obtained　in　writing。〃

This　badinage　was　greatly　relished　by　Rose；　but　not　at　all　by　the　baroness；　who　was　as　humorless　as　a　swan。

He　stayed　a　month　at　Beaurepaire；　then　off　to　Paris　again：　and　being　now　a　rich　man；　and　not　too　old　to　enjoy　innocent　pleasures；　he　got　a　habit　of　running　backwards　and　forwards　between　the　two　places；　spending　a　month　or　so　at　each　alternately。　　So　the　days　rolled　on。　Josephine　fell　into　a　state　that　almost　defies　description；　her　heart　was　full　of　deadly　wounds；　yet　it　seemed；　by　some　mysterious；　half…healing　balm；　to　throb　and　ache；　but　bleed　no　more。　　Beams　of　strange；　unreasonable　complacency　would　shoot　across　her；　the　next　moment　reflection　would　come；　she　would　droop　her　head；　and　sigh　piteously。　　Then　all　would　merge　in　a　wild　terror　of　detection。　　She　seemed　on　the　borders　of　a　river　of　bliss；　new；　divine；　and　inexhaustible：　and　on　the　other　bank　mocking　malignant　fiends　dared　her　to　enter　that　heavenly　stream。　　The　past　to　her　was　full　of　regrets；　the　future　full　of　terrors；　and　empty　of　hope。　　Yet　she　did　not；　could　not　succumb。　　Instead　of　the　listlessness　and　languor　of　a　few　months　back；　she　had　now　more　energy　than　ever；　at　times　it　mounted　to　irritation。　　An　activity　possessed　her：　it　broke　out　in　many　feminine　ways。　　Among　the　rest　she　was　seized　with　what　we　men　call　a　cacoethes　of　the　needle：　〃a　raging　desire〃　for　work。　　Her　fingers　itched　for　work。　　She　was　at　it　all　day。　　As　devotees　retire　to　pray；　so　she　to　stitch。　　On　a　wet　day　she　would　often　slip　into　the　kitchen；　and　ply　the　needle　beside　Jacintha：　on　a　dry　day　she　would　hide　in　the　old　oak…tree；　and　sit　like　a　mouse；　and　ply　the　tools　of　her　craft；　and　make　things　of　no　mortal　use　to　man　or　woman；　and　she　tried　little　fringes　of　muslin　upon　her　white　hand；　and　held　it　up　in　front　of　her；　and　smiled；　and　then　moaned。　　It　was　winter；　and　Rose　used　sometimes　to　bring　her　out　a　thick　shawl；　as　she　sat　in　the　old　oak…tree　stitching；　but　Josephine　nearly　always　declined　it。　　SHE　WAS　NEARLY　IMPERVIOUS　TO　COLD。

Then；　her　purse　being　better　filled　than　formerly；　she　visited　the　poor　more　than　ever；　and　above　all　the　young　couples；　and　took　a　warm　interest　in　their　household　matters；　and　gave　them　muslin　articles　of　her　own　making；　and　sometimes　sniffed　the　soup　in　a　young　housewife's　pot；　and　took　a　fancy　to　it；　and；　if　invited　to　taste　it；　paid　her　the　compliment　of　eating　a　good　plateful　of　it；　and　said　it　was　much　better　soup　than　the　chateau　produced；　and；　what　is　stranger；　thought　so：　and；　whenever　some　peevish　little　brat　set　up　a　yell　in　its　cradle　and　the　father　naturally　enough　shook　his　fist　at　the　destroyer　of　his　peace；　Madame　Raynal's　lovely　face　filled　with　concern　not　for　the　sufferer　but　the　pest；　and　she　flew　to　it　and　rocked　it　and　coaxed　it　and　consoled　it；　till　the　young　housewife　smiled　and　stopped　its　mouth　by　other　means。　　And；　besides　the　five…franc　pieces　she　gave　the　infants　to　hold；　these　visits　of　Madame　Raynal　were　always　followed　by　one　from　Jacintha　with　a　basket　of　provisions　on　her　stalwart　arm；　and　honest　Sir　John　Burgoyne　peeping　out　at　the　corner。　　Kind　and　beneficent　as　she　was；　her　temper　deteriorated　considerably；　for　it　came　down　from　angelic　to　human。　　Rose　and　Jacintha　were　struck　with　the　change；　assented　to　everything　she　said；　and　encouraged　her　in　everything　it　pleased　her　caprice　to　do。　　Meantime　the　baroness　lived　on　her　son　Raynal's　letters　（they　came　regularly　twice　a　month）。　　Rose　too　had　a　correspondence；　a　constant　source　of　delight　to　her。　　Edouard　Riviere　was　posted　at　a　distance；　and　could　not　visit　her；　but　their　love　advanced　rapidly。　　Every　day　he　wrote　down　for　his　Rose　the　acts　of　the　day；　and　twice　a　week　sent　the　budget　to　his　sweetheart；　and　told　her　at　the　same　time　every　feeling　of　his　heart。　　She　was　less　fortunate　than　he；　she　had　to　carry　a　heavy　secret；　but　still　she　found　plenty　to　tell　him；　and　tender　feelings　too　to　vent　on　him　in　her　own　arch；　shy；　fitful　way。　　Letters　can　enchain　hearts；　it　was　by　letters　that　these　two　found　themselves　imperceptibly　betrothed。　　Their　union　was　looked　forward　to　as　certain；　and　not　very　distant。　　Rose　was　fairly　in　love。

One　day；　Dr。　Aubertin；　coming　back　from　Paris　to　Beaurepaire　rather　suddenly；　found　nobody　at　home　but　the　baroness。　　Josephine　and　Rose　were　gone　to　Frejus；　had　been　there　more　than　a　week。　　She　was　ailing　again；　so　as　Frejus　had　agreed　with　her　once；　Rose　thought　it　might　again。　　〃She　would　send　for　them　back　directly。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃why　do　that？　　I　will　go　over　there　and　see　them。〃　　Accordingly；　a　day　or　two　after　this；　he　hired　a　carriage；　and　went　off　early　in　the　morning　to　Frejus。　　In　so　small　a　place　he　expected　to　find　the　young　ladies　at　once；　but；　to　his　surprise；　no　one　knew　them　nor　had　heard　of　them。　　He　was　at　a　nonplus；　and　just　about　to　return　home　and　laugh　at　himself　and　the　baroness　for　this　wild…goose　chase；　when　he　fell　in　with　a　face　he　knew；　one　Mivart；　a　surgeon；　a　young　man　of　some　talent；　who　had　made　his　acquaintance　in　Paris。　　Mivart　accosted　him　with　great　respect；　and；　after　the　first　compliments；　informed　him　that　he　had　been　settled　some　month