white lies-第52章

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th　great　respect；　and；　after　the　first　compliments；　informed　him　that　he　had　been　settled　some　months　in　this　little　town；　and　was　doing　a　fair　stroke　of　business。

〃Killing　some；　and　letting　nature　cure　others；　eh？〃　said　the　doctor；　then；　having　had　his　joke；　he　told　Mivart　what　had　brought　him　to　Frejus。

〃Are　they　pretty　women；　your　friends？　　I　think　I　know　all　the　pretty　women　about；〃　said　Mivart　with　levity。　　〃They　are　not　pretty；〃　replied　Aubertin。　　Mivart's　interest　in　them　faded　visibly　out　of　his　countenance。　　〃But　they　are　beautiful。　　The　elder　might　pass　for　Venus；　and　the　younger　for　Hebe。〃

〃I　know　them　then！〃　cried　he；　〃they　are　patients　of　mine。〃

The　doctor　colored。　　〃Ah；　indeed！〃

〃In　the　absence　of　your　greater　skill；〃　said　Mivart；　politely；　〃it　is　Madame　Aubertin　and　her　sister　you　are　looking　for；　is　it　not？〃

Aubertin　groaned。　　〃I　am　rather　too　old　to　be　looking　for　a　Madame　Aubertin；〃　said　he；　〃no；　it　is　Madame　Raynal；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Beaurepaire。〃

Mivart　became　confidential。　　〃Madame　Aubertin　and　her　sister；〃　said　he；　〃are　so　lovely　they　make　me　ill　to　look　at　them：　the　deepest　blue　eyes　you　ever　saw；　both　of　them；　high　foreheads；　teeth　like　ivory　mixed　with　pearl；　such　aristocratic　feet　and　hands；　and　their　armsoh！〃　and　by　way　of　general　summary　the　young　surgeon　kissed　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　and　was　silent；　language　succumbed　under　the　theme。　　The　doctor　smiled　coldly。

Mivart　added；　〃If　you　had　come　an　hour　sooner；　you　might　have　seen　Mademoiselle　Rose；　she　was　in　the　town。〃

〃Mademoiselle　Rose？　who　is　that？〃

〃Why；　Madame　Aubertin's　sister。〃

At　this　Dr。　Aubertin　looked　first　very　puzzled；　then　very　grave。

〃Hum！〃　said　he；　after　a　little　reflection；　〃where　do　these　paragons　live？〃

〃They　lodge　at　a　small　farm；　it　belongs　to　a　widow；　her　name　is　Roth。〃　　They　parted。　　Dr。　Aubertin　walked　slowly　towards　his　carriage；　his　hands　behind　him；　his　eyes　on　the　ground。　　He　bade　the　driver　inquire　where　the　Widow　Roth　lived；　and　learned　it　was　about　half　a　league　out　of　the　town。　　He　drove　to　the　farmhouse；　when　the　carriage　drove　up；　a　young　lady　looked　out　of　the　window　on　the　first　floor。　　It　was　Rose　de　Beaurepaire。　　She　caught　the　doctor's　eye；　and　he　hers。　　She　came　down　and　welcomed　him　with　a　great　appearance　of　cordiality；　and　asked　him；　with　a　smile；　how　he　found　them　out。

〃From　your　medical　attendant；〃　said　the　doctor；　dryly。

Rose　looked　keenly　in　his　face。

〃He　said　he　was　in　attendance　on　two　paragons　of　beauty；　blue　eyes；　white　teeth　and　arms。〃

〃And　you　found　us　out　by　that？〃　inquired　Rose；　looking　still　more　keenly　at　him。

〃Hardly；　but　it　was　my　last　chance　of　finding　you；　so　I　came。　　Where　is　Madame　Raynal？〃

〃Come　into　this　room；　dear　friend。　　I　will　go　and　find　her。〃

Full　twenty　minutes　was　the　doctor　kept　waiting；　and　then　in　came　Rose；　gayly　crying；　〃I　have　hunted　her　high　and　low；　and　where　do　you　think　my　lady　was？　sitting　out　in　the　gardencome。〃

Sure　enough；　they　found　Josephine　in　the　garden；　seated　on　a　low　chair。　　She　smiled　when　the　doctor　came　up　to　her；　and　asked　after　her　mother。　　There　was　an　air　of　languor　about　her；　her　color　was　clear；　delicate；　and　beautiful。

〃You　have　been　unwell；　my　child。〃

〃A　little；　dear　friend；　you　know　me；　always　ailing；　and　tormenting　those　I　love。〃

〃Well！　but；　Josephine；　you　know　this　place　and　this　sweet　air　always　set　you　up。　　Look　at　her　now；　doctor；　did　you　ever　see　her　look　better？　　See　what　a　color。　　I　never　saw　her　look　more　lovely。〃

〃I　never　saw　her　look　SO　lovely；　but　I　have　seen　her　look　better。　Your　pulse。　　A　little　languid？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　a　little。〃

〃Do　you　stay　at　Beaurepaire？〃　inquired　Rose；　〃if　so；　we　will　come　home。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　you　will　stay　here　another　fortnight；〃　said　the　doctor；　authoritatively。

〃Prescribe　some　of　your　nice　tonics　for　me；　doctor；〃　said　Josephine；　coaxingly。

〃No！　I　can't　do　that；　you　are　in　the　hands　of　another　practitioner。〃

〃What　does　that　matter？　　You　were　at　Paris。〃

〃It　is　not　the　etiquette　in　our　profession　to　interfere　with　another　man's　patients。〃

〃Oh；　dear！　I　am　so　sorry；〃　began　Josephine。

〃I　see　nothing　here　that　my　good　friend　Mivart　is　not　competent　to　deal　with；〃　said　the　doctor；　coldly。

Then　followed　some　general　conversation；　at　the　end　of　which　the　doctor　once　more　laid　his　commands　on　them　to　stay　another　fortnight　where　they　were；　and　bade　them　good…by。

He　was　no　sooner　gone　than　Rose　went　to　the　door　of　the　kitchen；　and　called　out；　〃Madame　Jouvenel！　　Madame　Jouvenel！　you　may　come　into　the　garden　again。〃

The　doctor　drove　away；　but；　instead　of　going　straight　to　Beaurepaire；　he　ordered　the　driver　to　return　to　the　town。　　He　then　walked　to　Mivart's　house。

In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he　came　out　of　it；　looking　singularly　grave；　sad；　and　stern。


CHAPTER　XVII。


Edouard　Riviere　contrived　one　Saturday　to　work　off　all　arrears　of　business；　and　start　for　Beaurepaire。　　He　had　received　a　very　kind　letter　from　Rose；　and　his　longing　to　see　her　overpowered　him。　　On　the　road　his　eyes　often　glittered；　and　his　cheek　flushed　with　expectation。　　At　last　he　got　there。　　His　heart　beat：　for　four　months　he　had　not　seen　her。　　He　ran　up　into　the　drawing…room；　and　there　found　the　baroness　alone；　she　welcomed　him　cordially；　but　soon　let　him　know　Rose　and　her　sister　were　at　Frejus。　　His　heart　sank。　Frejus　was　a　long　way　off。　　But　this　was　not　all。　　Rose's　last　letter　was　dated　from　Beaurepaire；　yet　it　must　have　been　written　at　Frejus。　　He　went　to　Jacintha；　and　demanded　an　explanation　of　this。　The　ready　Jacintha　said　it　looked　as　if　she　meant　to　be　home　directly；　and　added；　with　cool　cunning；　〃That　is　a　hint　for　me　to　get　their　rooms　ready。〃

〃This　letter　must　have　come　here　enclosed　in　another；〃　said　Edouard；　sternly。

〃Like　enough；〃　replied　Jacintha；　with　an　appearance　of　sovereign　indifference。

Edouard　looked　at　her；　and　said；　grimly；　〃I　will　go　to　Frejus。〃

〃So　I　would；〃　said　Jacintha；　faltering　a　little；　but　not　perceptibly；　〃you　might　meet　them　on　the　road；　if　so　be　they　come　the　same　road；　there　are　two　roads；　you　know。〃

Edouard　hesitated；　but　he　ended　by　sending　Dard　to　the　town　on　his　own　horse；　with　orders　to　leave　him　at　the　inn；　and　borrow　a　fresh　horse。　　〃I　shall　just　have　time；〃　said　he。　　He　rode　to　Frejus；　and　inquired　at　the　inns　and　post…office　for　Mademoiselle　de　Beaurepaire。　　They　did　not　know　her；　then　he　inquired　for　Madame　Raynal。　　No　such　name　known。　　He　rode　by　the　seaside　upon　the　chance　of　their　seeing　him。　　He　paraded　on　horseback　throughout　the　place；　in　hopes　every　moment　that　a　window　would　open；　and　a　fair　face　shine　at　it；　and　call　him。　　At　last　his　time　was　up；　and　he　was　obliged　to　ride　back；　sick　at　heart；　to　Beaurepaire。　　He　told　the　baroness；　with　some　natural　irritation；　what　had　happened。　　She　was　as　much　surprised　as　he　was。

〃I　write　to　Madame　Raynal　at　the　post…office；　Frejus；〃　said　she。

〃And　Madame　Raynal　gets　your　letters？〃

〃Of　course　she　does；　since　she　answers　them；　you　cannot　have　inquired　at　the　post。〃

〃Why；　it　was　the　first　place　I　inquired　at；　and　neither　Mademoiselle　de　Beaurepaire　nor　Madame　Raynal　were　known　there。〃

Jacintha；　who　could　have　given　the　clew；　seemed　so　puzzled　herself；　that　they　did　not　even　apply　to　her。　　Edouard　took　a　sorrowful　leave　of　the　baroness；　and　set　out　on　his　journey　home。

Oh！　how　sad　and　weary　that　ride　seemed　now　by　what　it　had　been　coming。　　His　disappointment　was　deep　and　irritating；　and　ere　he　had　ridden　half　way　a　torturer　fastened　on　his　heart。　　That　torture　is　suspicion；　a　vague　and　shadowy；　but　gigantic　phantom　that　oppresses　and　rends　the　mind　more　terribly　than　certainty。　　In　this　state　of　vague；　sickening　suspicion；　he　remained　some　days：　then　came　an　affectionate　letter　from　Rose；　who　had　actually　returned　home。　　In　this　she　expressed　her　regret　and　disappointment　at　having　missed　him；　blamed　herself　for　misleading　him；　but　explained　that　their　stay　at　Frejus　had　been　prolonged　from　day　to　day　far　beyond　her　expectation。　　〃The　stupidity　of　the　post…office　was　more　than　she　could　account　for；〃　said　she。　　But；　what　went　farthest　to　console　Edouard；　was；　that　after　this　contretemps　she　never　ceased　to　invit