white lies-第58章

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e　blush　more　for　me。　　But　my　mother！〃　and；　thus　appealed　to；　Dr。　Aubertin　felt；　for　the　first　time；　all　the　difficulty　of　the　situation　he　had　undertaken　to　cure。　He　hesitated；　he　was　embarrassed。

〃Ah；〃　said　Josephine；　〃you　see。〃　　Then；　after　a　short　silence；　she　said　despairingly；　〃This　is　my　only　hope：　that　poor　Raynal　will　be　long　absent；　and　that　ere　he　returns　mamma　will　lie　safe　from　sorrow　and　shame　in　the　little　chapel。　　Doctor；　when　a　woman　of　my　age　forms　such　wishes　as　these；　I　think　you　might　pity　her；　and　forgive　her　ill…treatment　of　you；　for　she　cannot　be　very　happy。　　Ah　me！　ah　me！　ah　me！〃

〃Courage；　poor　soul！　　All　is　now　in　my　hands；　and　I　will　save　you；〃　said　the　doctor；　his　voice　trembling　in　spite　of　him。　　〃Guilt　lies　in　the　intention。　　A　more　innocent　woman　than　you　does　not　breathe。　Two　courses　lay　open　to　you：　to　leave　this　house　with　Camille　Dujardin；　or　to　dismiss　him；　and　live　for　your　hard　duty　till　it　shall　please　Heaven　to　make　that　duty　easy　（no　middle　course　was　tenable　for　a　day）；　of　these　two　paths　you　chose　the　right　one；　and；　having　chosen；　I　really　think　you　are　not　called　on　to　reveal　your　misfortune；　and　make　those　unhappy　to　whose　happiness　you　have　sacrificed　your　own　for　years　to　come。〃

〃Forever；〃　said　Josephine　quietly。

〃The　young　use　that　word　lightly。　　The　old　have　almost　ceased　to　use　it。　　They　have　seen　how　few　earthly　things　can　conquer　time。〃

He　resumed；　〃You　think　only　of　others；　Josephine；　but　I　shall　think　of　you　as　well。　　I　shall　not　allow　your　life　to　be　wasted　in　a　needless　struggle　against　nature。〃　　Then　turning　to　Rose；　who　had　glided　into　the　room；　and　stood　amazed；　〃Her　griefs　were　as　many　before　her　child　was　born；　yet　her　health　stood　firm。　　Why？　because　nature　was　on　her　side。　　Now　she　is　sinking　into　the　grave。　　Why？　because　she　is　defying　nature。　　Nature　intended　her　to　be　pressing　her　child　to　her　bosom　day　and　night；　instead　of　that；　a　peasant　woman　at　Frejus　nurses　the　child；　and　the　mother　pines　at　Beaurepaire。〃

At　this；　Josephine　leaned　her　face　on　her　hands　on　the　doctor's　shoulder。　　In　this　attitude　she　murmured　to　him；　〃I　have　never　seen　him　since　I　left　Frejus。〃　　Dr。　Aubertin　sighed　for　her。　　Emboldened　by　this；　she　announced　her　intention　of　going　to　Frejus　the　very　next　day　to　see　her　little　Henri。　　But　to　this　Dr。　Aubertin　demurred。　　〃What；　another　journey　to　Frejus？〃　said　he；　〃when　the　first　has　already　roused　Edouard's　suspicions；　I　can　never　consent　to　that。〃

Then　Josephine　surprised　them　both。　　She　dropped　her　coaxing　voice　and　pecked　the　doctor　like　an　irritated　pigeon。　　〃Take　care；〃　said　she；　〃don't　be　too　cruel　to　me。　　You　see　I　am　obedient；　resigned。　　I　have　given　up　all　I　lived　for：　but　if　I　am　never　to　have　my　little　boy's　arms　round　me　to　console　me；　thenwhy　torment　me　any　longer？　Why　not　say　to　me；　'Josephine；　you　have　offended　Heaven；　pray　for　pardon；　and　die'？〃

Then　the　doctor　was　angry　in　his　turn。　　〃Oh；　go　then；〃　said　he；　〃go　to　Frejus；　you　will　have　Edouard　Riviere　for　a　companion　this　time。　Your　first　visit　roused　his　suspicions。　　So　before　you　go　tell　your　mother　all；　for　since　she　is　sure　to　find　it　out；　she　had　better　hear　it　from　you　than　from　another。〃

〃Doctor；　have　pity　on　me；〃　said　Josephine。

〃You　have　no　heart；〃　said　Rose。　　〃She　shall　see　him　though；　in　spite　of　you。〃

〃Oh；　yes！　he　has　a　heart；〃　said　Josephine：　〃he　is　my　best　friend。　He　will　let　me　see　my　boy。〃

All　this；　and　the　tearful　eyes　and　coaxing　yet　trembling　voice；　was　hard　to　resist。　　But　Aubertin　saw　clearly；　and　stood　firm。　　He　put　his　handkerchief　to　his　eyes　a　moment：　then　took　the　pining　young　mother's　hand。　　〃And；　do　you　think；〃　said　he；　〃I　do　not　pity　you　and　love　your　boy？　　Ah！　he　will　never　want　a　father　whilst　I　live；　and　from　this　moment　he　is　under　my　care。　　I　will　go　to　see　him；　I　will　bring　you　news；　and　all　in　good　time；　I　will　place　him　where　you　shall　visit　him　without　imprudence；　but；　for　the　present；　trust　a　wiser　head　than　yours　or　Rose's；　and　give　me　your　sacred　promise　not　to　go　to　Frejus。〃

Weighed　down　by　his　good…sense　and　kindness；　Josephine　resisted　no　longer　in　words。　　She　just　lifted　her　hands　in　despair　and　began　to　cry。　　It　was　so　piteous；　Aubertin　was　ready　to　yield　in　turn；　and　consent　to　any　imprudence；　when　he　met　with　an　unexpected　ally。

〃Promise；〃　said　Rose；　doggedly。

Josephine　looked　at　her　calmly　through　her　tears。

〃Promise；　dear；〃　repeated　Rose；　and　this　time　with　an　intonation　so　fine　that　it　attracted　Josephine's　notice；　but　not　the　doctor's。　　It　was　followed　by　a　glance　equally　subtle。

〃I　promise；〃　said　Josephine；　with　her　eye　fixed　inquiringly　on　her　sister。

For　once　she　could　not　make　the　telegraph　out：　but　she　could　see　it　was　playing；　and　that　was　enough。　　She　did　what　Rose　bid　her；　she　promised　not　to　go　to　Frejus　without　leave。

Finding　her　so　submissive　all　of　a　sudden；　he　went　on　to　suggest　that　she　must　not　go　kissing　every　child　she　saw。　　〃Edouard　tells　me　he　saw　you　kissing　a　beggar's　brat。　　The　young　rogue　was　going　to　quiz　you　about　it　at　the　dinner…table；　luckily；　he　told　me　his　intention；　and　I　would　not　let　him。　　I　said　the　baroness　would　be　annoyed　with　you　for　descending　from　your　dignityand　exposing　a　noble　family　to　fleashush！　here　he　is。〃

〃Tiresome！〃　muttered　Rose；　〃just　when〃

Edouard　came　forward　with　a　half…vexed　face。

However；　he　turned　it　off　into　play。　　〃What　have　you　been　saying　to　her；　monsieur；　to　interest　her　so？　　Give　me　a　leaf　out　of　your　book。　I　need　it。〃

The　doctor　was　taken　aback　for　a　moment；　but　at　last　he　said　slyly；　〃I　have　been　proposing　to　her　to　name　the　day。　　She　says　she　must　consult　you　before　she　decides　that。〃

〃Oh；　you　wicked　doctor！and　consult　HIM　of　all　people！〃

〃So　be　off；　both　of　you；　and　don't　reappear　before　me　till　it　is　settled。〃

Edouard's　eyes　sparkled。　　Rose　went　out　with　a　face　as　red　as　fire。

It　was　a　balmy　evening。　　Edouard　was　to　leave　them　for　a　week　the　next　day。　　They　were　alone：　Rose　was　determined　he　should　go　away　quite　happy。　　Everything　was　in　Edouard's　favor：　he　pleaded　his　cause　warmly：　she　listened　tenderly：　this　happy　evening　her　piquancy　and　archness　seemed　to　dissolve　into　tenderness　as　she　and　Edouard　walked　hand　in　hand　under　the　moon：　a　tenderness　all　the　more　heavenly　to　her　devoted　lover；　that　she　was　not　one　of　those　angels　who　cloy　a　man　by　invariable　sweetness。

For　a　little　while　she　forgot　everything　but　her　companion。　　In　that　soft　hour　he　won　her　to　name　the　day；　after　her　fashion。

〃Josephine　goes　to　Paris　with　the　doctor　in　about　three　weeks；〃　murmured　she。

〃And　you　will　stay　behind；　all　alone？〃

〃Alone？　that　shall　depend　on　you；　monsieur。〃

On　this　Edouard　caught　her　for　the　first　time　in　his　arms。

She　made　a　faint　resistance。

〃Seal　me　that　promise；　sweet　one！〃

〃No！　no！there！〃

He　pressed　a　delicious　first　kiss　upon　two　velvet　lips　that　in　their　innocence　scarcely　shunned　the　sweet　attack。

For　all　that；　the　bond　was　no　sooner　sealed　after　this　fashion；　than　the　lady's　cheek　began　to　burn。

〃Suppose　we　go　in　NOW？〃　said　she；　dryly。

〃Ah；　not　yet。〃

〃It　is　late；　dear　Edouard。〃

And　with　these　words　something　returned　to　her　mind　with　its　full　force：　something　that　Edouard　had　actually　made　her　forget。　　She　wanted　to　get　rid　of　him　now。

〃Edouard；〃　said　she；　〃can　you　get　up　early　in　the　morning？　　If　you　can；　meet　me　here　to…morrow　before　any　of　them　are　up；　then　we　can　talk　without　interruption。〃

Edouard　was　delighted。

〃Eight　o'clock？〃

〃Sooner　if　you　like。　　Mamma　bade　me　come　and　read　to　her　in　her　room　to…night。　　She　will　be　waiting　for　me。　　Is　it　not　tiresome？〃

〃Yes；　it　is。〃

〃Well；　we　must　not　mind　that；　dear；　in　three　weeks'　time　we　are　to　have　too　much　of　one　another；　you　know；　instead　of　too　little。〃

〃Too　much！　I　shall　never　have　enough　of　you。　　I　shall　hate　the　night　which　will　rob　me　of　the　sight　of　you　for　so　many　hours　in　the　twenty…four。〃

〃If　you　can't　see　me；　perhaps　you　may　hear　me；　my　tongue　runs　by　night　as　well　as　by　day。〃

〃Well；　that　is　a　comfort；〃　said　Edouard；　gravely。　　〃Yes；　little　quizzer；　I　would　rather　hear　you　scold　than　an　angel　sing。　　Judge；　then；　what　music　it　is　when　you　say　you　love　me！〃