white lies-第53章

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t；　what　went　farthest　to　console　Edouard；　was；　that　after　this　contretemps　she　never　ceased　to　invite　him　to　come　to　Beaurepaire。　　Now；　before　this；　though　she　said　many　kind　and　pretty　things　in　her　letters；　she　had　never　invited　him　to　visit　the　chateau；　he　had　noticed　this。　　〃Sweet　soul；〃　thought　he；　〃she　really　is　vexed。　　I　must　be　a　brute　to　think　any　more　about　it。　Still〃

So　this　wound　was　skinned　over。

At　last；　what　he　called　his　lucky　star　ordained　that　he　should　be　transferred　to　the　very　post　his　Commandant　Raynal　had　once　occupied。　　He　sought　and　obtained　permission　to　fix　his　quarters　in　the　little　village　near　Beaurepaire；　and　though　this　plan　could　not　be　carried　out　for　three　months；　yet　the　prospect　of　it　was　joyful　all　that　timejoyful　to　both　lovers。　　Rose　needed　this　consolation；　for　she　was　very　unhappy：　her　beloved　sister；　since　their　return　from　Frejus；　had　gone　back。　　The　flush　of　health　was　faded；　and　so　was　her　late　energy。　　She　fell　into　deep　depression　and　languor；　broken　occasionally　by　fits　of　nervous　irritation。

She　would　sit　for　hours　together　at　one　window　languishing　and　fretting。　　Can　the　female　reader　guess　which　way　that　window　looked？

Now；　Edouard　was　a　favorite　of　Josephine's；　so　Rose　hoped　he　would　help　to　distract　her　attention　from　those　sorrows　which　a　lapse　of　years　alone　could　cure。

On　every　account；　then；　his　visit　was　looked　forward　to　with　hope　and　joy。

He　came。　　He　was　received　with　open　arms。　　He　took　up　his　quarters　at　his　old　lodgings；　but　spent　his　evenings　and　every　leisure　hour　at　the　chateau。

He　was　very　much　in　love；　and　showed　it。　　He　adhered　to　Rose　like　a　leech；　and　followed　her　about　like　a　little　dog。

This　would　have　made　her　very　happy　if　there　had　been　nothing　great　to　distract　her　attention　and　her　heart；　but　she　had　Josephine；　whose　deep　depression　and　fits　of　irritation　and　terror　filled　her　with　anxiety；　and　so　Edouard　was　in　the　way　now　and　then。　　On　these　occasions　he　was　too　vain　to　see　what　she　was　too　polite　to　show　him　offensively。

But　on　this　she　became　vexed　at　his　obtuseness。

〃Does　he　think　I　can　be　always　at　his　beck　and　call？〃　thought　she。

〃She　is　always　after　her　sister；〃　said　he。

He　was　just　beginning　to　be　jealous　of　Josephine　when　the　following　incident　occurred：

Rose　and　the　doctor　were　discussing　Josephine。　　Edouard　pretended　to　be　reading　a　book；　but　he　listened　to　every　word。

Dr。　Aubertin　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　Madame　Raynal　did　not　make　enough　blood。

〃Oh！　if　I　thought　that！〃　cried　Rose。

〃Well；　then；　it　is　so；　I　assure　you。〃

〃Doctor；〃　said　Rose；　〃do　you　remember；　one　day　you　said　healthy　blood　could　be　drawn　from　robust　veins　and　poured　into　a　sick　person's？〃

〃It　is　a　well…known　fact；〃　said　Aubertin。

〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　Rose；　dryly。

〃Then　you　place　a　very　narrow　limit　to　science；〃　said　the　doctor；　coldly。

〃Did　you　ever　see　it　done？〃　asked　Rose；　slyly。

〃I　have　not　only　seen　it　done；　but　have　done　it　myself。〃

〃Then　do　it　for　us。　　There's　my　arm；　take　blood　from　that　for　dear　Josephine！〃　and　she　thrust　a　white　arm　out　under　his　eye　with　such　a　bold　movement　and　such　a　look　of　fire　and　love　as　never　beamed　from　common　eyes。

A　keen；　cold　pang　shot　through　the　human　heart　of　Edouard　Riviere。

The　doctor　started　and　gazed　at　her　with　admiration：　then　he　hung　his　head。　　〃I　could　not　do　it。　　I　love　you　both　too　well　to　drain　either　of　life's　current。〃

Rose　veiled　her　fire；　and　began　to　coax。　　〃Once　a　week；　just　once　a　week；　dear；　dear　doctor；　you　know　I　should　never　miss　it。　　I　am　so　full　of　that　health；　which　Heaven　denies　to　her　I　love。〃

〃Let　us　try　milder　measures　first；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃I　have　most　faith　in　time。〃

〃What　if　I　were　to　take　her　to　Frejus？　hitherto；　the　sea　has　always　done　wonders　for　her。〃

〃Frejus；　by　all　means；〃　said　Edouard；　mingling　suddenly　in　the　conversation；　〃and　this　time　I　will　go　with　you；　and　then　I　shall　find　out　where　you　lodged　before；　and　how　the　boobies　came　to　say　they　did　not　know　you。〃

Rose　bit　her　lip。　　She　could　not　help　seeing　then　how　much　dear　Edouard　was　in　her　way　and　Josephine's。　　Their　best　friends　are　in　the　way　of　all　who　have　secrets。　　Presently　the　doctor　went　to　his　study。　　Then　Edouard　let　fall　a　mock　soliloquy。　　〃I　wonder；〃　said　he；　dropping　out　his　words　one　by　one；　〃whether　any　one　will　ever　love　me　well　enough　to　give　a　drop　of　their　blood　for　me。〃

〃If　you　were　in　sickness　and　sorrow；　who　knows？〃　said　Rose；　coloring　up。

〃I　would　soon　be　in　sickness　and　sorrow　if　I　thought　that。〃

〃Don't　jest　with　such　matters；　monsieur。〃

〃I　am　serious。　　I　wish　I　was　as　ill　as　Madame　Raynal　is；　to　be　loved　as　she　is。〃

〃You　must　resemble　her　in　some　other　things　to　be　loved　as　she　is。

〃You　have　often　made　me　feel　that　of　late；　dear　Rose。〃

This　touched　her。　　But　she　fought　down　the　kindly　feeling。　　〃I　am　glad　of　it；〃　said　she；　out　of　perverseness。　　She　added　after　a　while；　〃Edouard；　you　are　naturally　jealous。〃

〃Not　the　least　in　the　world；　Rose；　I　assure　you。　　I　have　many　faults；　but　jealous　I　am　not。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　are；　and　suspicious；　too；　there　is　something　in　your　character　that　alarms　me　for　our　happiness。〃

〃Well；　if　you　come　to　that；　there　are　things　in　YOUR　conduct　I　could　wish　explained。〃

〃There！　I　said　so。　　You　have　not　confidence　in　me。〃

〃Pray　don't　say　that；　dear　Rose。　　I　have　every　confidence　in　you；　only　please　don't　ask　me　to　divest　myself　of　my　senses　and　my　reason。〃

〃I　don't　ask　you　to　do　that　or　anything　else　for　me；　good…by；　for　the　present。〃

〃Where　are　you　going　now？　tic！　tic！　I　never　can　get　a　word　in　peace　with　you。〃

〃I　am　not　going　to　commit　murder。　　I'm　only　going　up…stairs　to　my　sister。〃

〃Poor　Madame　Raynal；　she　makes　it　very　hard　for　me　not　to　dislike　her。〃

〃Dislike　my　Josephine？〃　and　Rose　bristled　visibly。

〃She　is　an　angel；　but　I　should　hate　an　angel　if　it　came　forever　between　you　and　me。〃

〃Excuse　me；　she　was　here　long　before　you。　　It　is　you　that　came　between　her　and　me。〃

〃I　came　because　I　was　told　I　should　be　welcome；〃　said　Edouard　bitterly；　and　equivocating　a　little；　he　added；　〃and　I　dare　say　I　shall　go　when　I　am　told　I　am　one　too　many。〃

〃Bad　heart！　who　says　you　are　one　too　many　in　the　house？　　But　you　are　too　exigent；　monsieur；　you　assume　the　husband；　and　you　tease　me。　　It　is　selfish；　can　you　not　see　I　am　anxious　and　worried？　you　ought　to　be　kind　to　me；　and　soothe　me；　that　is　what　I　look　for　from　you；　and；　instead　of　that；　I　declare　you　are　getting　to　be　quite　a　worry。〃

〃I　should　not　be　if　you　loved　me　as　I　love　you。　　I　give　YOU　no　rival。　　Shall　I　tell　you　the　cause　of　all　this？　you　have　secrets。〃

〃What　secrets？〃

〃Is　it　me　you　ask？　am　I　trusted　with　them？　　Secrets　are　a　bond　that　not　even　love　can　overcome。　　It　is　to　talk　secrets　you　run　away　from　me　to　Madame　Raynal。　　Where　did　you　lodge　at　Frejus；　Mademoiselle　the　Reticent？〃

〃In　a　grotto；　dry　at　low　water；　Monsieur　the　Inquisitive。〃

〃That　is　enough：　since　you　will　not　tell　me；　I　will　find　it　out　before　I　am　a　week　older。〃

This　alarmed　Rose　terribly；　and　drove　her　to　extremities。　　She　decided　to　quarrel。

〃Sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　thank　you　for　playing　the　tyrant　a　little　prematurely；　it　has　put　me　on　my　guard。　　Let　us　part；　you　and　I　are　not　suited　to　each　other；　Edouard　Riviere。〃

He　took　this　more　humbly　than　she　expected。　　〃Part！〃　said　he；　in　consternation；　〃that　is　a　terrible　word　to　pass　between　you　and　me。　Forgive　me！　I　suppose　I　am　jealous。〃

〃You　are；　you　are　actually　jealous　of　my　sister。　　Well；　I　tell　you　plainly　I　love　you；　but　I　love　my　sister　better。　　I　never　could　love　any　man　as　I　do　her；　it　is　ridiculous　to　expect　such　a　thing。〃

〃And　do　you　think　I　could　bear　to　play　second　fiddle　to　her　all　my　life？〃

〃I　don't　ask　you。　　Go　and　play　first　trumpet　to　some　other　lady。〃

〃You　speak　your　wishes　so　plainly　now；　I　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　obey。〃

He　kissed　her　hand　and　went　away　disconsolately。

Rose；　instead　of　going　to　Josephine；　her　determination　to　do　which　had　mainly　caused　the　quarrel；　sat　sadly　down；　and　leaned　her　head　on　her　hand。　　〃I　am　cruel。　　I　am　ungrateful。　　He　has　gone　away　broken…hearted。　　And　what　shall　I　do　without　him？little