white lies-第6章

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oung　mistresses。　　Do　you　not？〃

These　simple　words　seemed　to　touch　a　grander　chord　in　Jacintha's　nature。

〃Love　them？〃　said　she；　clasping　her　hands；　〃ah；　sir；　do　not　be　offended；　but；　believe　me；　it　is　no　small　thing　to　serve　an　old；　old　family。　　My　grandfather　lived　and　died　with　them；　my　father　was　their　gamekeeper；　and　fed　to　his　last　from　off　the　poor　baron's　plate　（and　now　they　have　killed　him；　poor　man）；　my　mother　died　in　the　house　and　was　buried　in　the　sacred　ground　near　the　family　chapel。　　They　put　an　inscription　on　her　tomb　praising　her　fidelity　and　probity。　　Do　you　think　these　things　do　not　sink　into　the　heart　of　the　poor？praise　on　her　tomb；　and　not　a　word　on　their　own；　but　just　the　name；　and　when　each　was　born　and　died；　you　know。　　Ah！　the　pride　of　the　mean　is　dirt；　but　the　pride　of　the　noble　is　gold。〃

〃For；　look　you；　among　parvenues　I　should　be　a　servant；　and　nothing　more；　in　this　proud　family　I　am　a　humble　friend；　of　course　they　are　not　always　gossiping　with　me　like　vulgar　masters　and　mistresses；　if　they　did；　I　should　neither　respect　nor　love　them；　but　they　all　smile　on　me　whenever　I　come　into　the　room；　even　the　baroness　herself。　　I　belong　to　them；　and　they　belong　to　me；　by　ties　without　number；　by　the　many　kind　words　in　many　troubles；　by　the　one　roof　that　sheltered　us　a　hundred　years；　and　the　grave　where　our　bones　lie　together　till　the　day　of　judgment。〃*


*　The　French　peasant　often　thinks　half　a　sentence；　and　utters　the　other　half　aloud；　and　so　breaks　air　in　the　middle　of　a　thought。　Probably　Jacintha's　whole　thought；　if　we　had　the　means　of　knowing　it；　would　have　run　like　thisBesides；　I　have　another　reason：　I　could　not　be　so　comfortable　myself　elsewherefor；　look　you〃


Jacintha　clasped　her　hands；　and　her　black　eyes　shone　out　warm　through　the　dew。　　Riviere's　glistened　too。

〃That　is　well　said；〃　he　cried；　〃it　is　nobly　said：　yet；　after　all；　these　are　ties　that　owe　their　force　to　the　souls　they　bind。　　How　often　have　such　bonds　round　human　hearts　proved　ropes　of　sand！　　They　grapple　YOU　like　hooks　of　steel；　because　you　are　steel　yourself　to　the　backbone。　　I　admire　you；　Jacintha。　　Such　women　as　you　have　a　great　mission　in　France　just　now。〃

Jacintha　shook　her　head　incredulously。　　〃What　can　we　poor　women　do？〃

〃Bring　forth　heroes；〃　cried　Publicola　with　fervor。　　〃Be　the　mothers　of　great　men；　the　Catos　and　the　Gracchi　of　the　future！〃

Jacintha　smiled。　　She　did　not　know　the　Gracchi　nor　their　politics；　but　the　name　rang　well。　　〃Gracchi！〃　　Aristocrats；　no　doubt。　　〃That　would　be　too　much　honor；〃　replied　she　modestly。　　〃At　present；　I　must　say　adieu！〃　and　she　moved　off　an　inch　at　a　time；　in　an　uncertain　hesitating　manner；　not　very　difficult　to　read；　but　Riviere；　you　must　know；　had　more　than　once　during　this　interview　begged　her　to　sit　down；　and　in　vain；　she　had　always　thanked　him；　but　said　she　had　not　a　moment　to　stay。　　So　he　made　no　effort　to　detain　her　now。　　The　consequence　wasshe　came　slowly　back　of　her　own　accord；　and　sat　down　in　a　corner　of　the　porch；　where　nobody　could　see　her；　and　then　she　sighed　deeply。

〃What　is　the　matter　now？〃　said　Edouard；　opening　his　eyes。

She　looked　at　him　point…blank　for　one　moment；　and　her　scale　turned。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　she　timidly；　〃you　have　a　good　face；　and　a　good　heart。　　All　I　told　you　wasgive　me　your　honor　not　to　betray　us。〃

〃I　swear　it；〃　said　Edouard；　a　little　pompously。

〃ThenDard　was　not　so　far　from　the　truth；　it　was　but　a　guess　of　his；　for　I　never　trusted　my　own　sweetheart　as　I　now　trust　a　stranger。　　But　to　see　what　I　see　every　day；　and　have　no　one　I　dare　breathe　a　word　to；　oh；　it　is　very　hard！　　But　on　what　a　thread　things　turn！　　If　any　one　had　told　me　an　hour　ago　it　was　you　I　should　open　my　heart　to！　　It's　not　economy：　it's　not　stinginess；　they　are　not　paying　off　their　debts。　　They　never　can。　　The　baroness　and　the　Demoiselles　de　Beaurepaireare　paupers。〃

〃Paupers；　Jacintha？〃

〃Ay；　paupers！　their　debts　are　greater　than　their　means。　　They　live　here　by　sufferance。　　They　have　only　their　old　clothes　to　wear。　　They　have　hardly　enough　to　eat。　　Just　now　our　cow　is　in　full　milk；　you　know；　so　that　is　a　great　help：　but；　when　she　goes　dry；　Heaven　knows　what　we　shall　do；　for　I　don't。　　But　that　is　not　the　worst；　better　a　light　meal　than　a　broken　heart。　　Your　precious　government　offers　the　chateau　for　sale。　　They　might　as　well　send　for　the　guillotine　at　once；　and　cut　off　all　our　heads。　　You　don't　know　my　mistress　as　I　do。　　Ah；　butchers；　you　will　drag　nothing　out　of　that　but　her　corpse。　And　is　it　come　to　this？　the　great　old　family　to　be　turned　adrift　like　beggars。　　My　poor　mistress！　my　pretty　demoiselles　that　I　played　with　and　nursed　ever　since　I　was　a　child！　　（I　was　just　six　when　Josephine　was　born）　and　that　I　shall　love　with　my　last　breath〃

She　could　say　no　more；　but　choked　by　the　strong　feeling　so　long　pent　up　in　her　own　bosom；　fell　to　sobbing　hysterically；　and　trembling　like　one　in　an　ague。

The　statesman；　who　had　passed　all　his　short　life　at　school　and　college；　was　frightened；　and　took　hold　of　her　and　pulled　her；　and　cried；　〃Oh！　don't；　Jacintha；　you　will　kill　yourself；　you　will　die；　this　is　frightful：　help　here！　help！〃　　Jacintha　put　her　hand　to　his　mouth；　and；　without　leaving　off　her　hysterics；　gasped　out；　〃Ah！　don't　expose　me。〃　　So　then　he　didn't　know　what　to　do；　but　he　seized　a　tumbler　and　filled　it　with　wine；　and　forced　it　between　her　lips。　All　she　did　was　to　bite　a　piece　out　of　the　glass　as　clean　as　if　a　diamond　had　cut　it。　　This　did　her　a　world　of　good：　destruction　of　sacred　household　property　gave　her　another　turn。　　〃There；　I've　broke　your　glass　now；〃　she　cried；　with　a　marvellous　change　of　tone；　and　she　came…to　and　cried　quietly　like　a　reasonable　person；　with　her　apron　to　her　eyes。

When　Edouard　saw　she　was　better；　he　took　her　hand　and　said　proudly；　〃Secret　for　secret。　　I　choose　this　moment　to　confide　to　you　that　I　love　Mademoiselle　Rose　de　Beaurepaire。　　Love　her？　　I　did　love　her；　but　now　you　tell　me　she　is　poor　and　in　distress；　I　adore　her。〃　　The　effect　of　this　declaration　on　Jacintha　was　magical；　comical。　　Her　apron　came　down　from　one　eye；　and　that　eye　dried　itself　and　sparkled　with　curiosity：　the　whole　countenance　speedily　followed　suit　and　beamed　with　sacred　joy。　　What！　an　interesting　love　affair　confided　to　her　all　in　a　moment！　　She　lowered　her　voice　to　a　whisper　directly。　　〃Why；　how　did　you　manage？　　She　never　goes　into　company。〃

〃No；　but　she　goes　to　church。　　Besides；　I　have　met　her　eleven　times　out　walking　with　her　sister；　and　twice　out　of　the　eleven　she　smiled　on　me。　　O　Jacintha！　a　smile　such　as　angels　smile；　a　smile　to　warm　the　heart　and　purify　the　soul　and　last　forever　in　the　mind。〃

〃Well；　they　say　'man　is　fire　and　woman　tow：'　but　this　beats　all。　Ha！　ha！〃

〃Oh！　do　not　jest。　　I　did　not　laugh　at　you。　　Jacintha；　it　is　no　laughing　matter；　I　revere　her　as　mortals　revere　the　saints；　I　love　her　so　that　were　I　ever　to　lose　all　hope　of　her　I　would　not　live　a　day。　　And　now　that　you　have　told　me　she　is　poor　and　in　sorrow；　and　I　think　of　her　walking　so　calm　and　gentlealways　in　black；　Jacintha；　and　her　low　courtesy　to　me　whenever　we　met；　and　her　sweet　smile　to　me　though　her　heart　must　be　sad；　oh！　my　heart　yearns　for　her。　　What　can　I　do　for　her？　　How　shall　I　surround　her　with　myself　unseenmake　her　feel　that　a　man's　love　waits　upon　her　feet　every　step　she　takes　that　a　man's　love　floats　in　the　air　round　that　lovely　head？〃　　Then　descending　to　earth　for　a　moment；　〃but　I　say；　you　promise　not　to　betray　me；　come；　secret　for　secret。〃

〃I　will　not　tell　a　soul；　on　the　honor　of　a　woman；〃　said　Jacintha。

The　form　of　protestation　was　quite　new　to　Edouard；　and　not　exactly　the　one　his　study　of　the　ancient　writers　would　have　led　him　to　select。　　But　the　tone　was　convincing：　he　trusted　her。　　They　parted　sworn　allies；　and；　at　the　very　moment　of　parting；　Jacintha；　who　had　cast　many　a　furtive　glance　at　the　dead　game；　told　Edouard　demurely；　Mademoiselle　Rose　was　very　fond　of　roast　partridge。　　On　this　he　made　her　take　the　whole　bag；　and　went　home　on　wings。　　Jacintha's　revelation　roused　all　that　was　noble　and　forgiving　in　him。　　His　understanding　and　his　heart　expanded　from　that　hour；　and　his　fancy　spread　its　pinions　to　the　sun　of　love。　　Ah！　generous　Youth；　let　who　will　betra