white lies-第61章

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not　be　three　weeks　ere　she　sees　her　child　under　her　friend's　roof。〃

The　moment　Rose　was　alone；　she　sat　down　and　sighed　bitterly。　　〃There　is　no　end　to　it；〃　she　sobbed　despairingly。　　〃It　is　like　a　spider's　web：　every　struggle　to　be　free　but　multiplies　the　fine　yet　irresistible　thread　that　seems　to　bind　me。　　And　to…night　I　thought　to　be　so　happy；　instead　of　that；　he　has　left　me　scarce　the　heart　to　do　what　I　have　to　do。〃

She　went　back　to　the　room；　opened　a　window；　and　put　out　a　white　handkerchief；　then　closed　the　window　down　on　it。

Then　she　went　to　Josephine's　bedroom…door：　it　opened　on　the　tapestried　room。

〃Josephine；〃　she　cried；　〃don't　go　to　bed　just　yet。〃

〃No；　love。　　What　are　you　doing？　　I　want　to　talk　to　you。　　Why　did　you　say　promise？　and　what　did　you　mean　by　looking　at　me　so？　　Shall　I　come　out　to　you？〃

〃Not　just　yet；〃　said　Rose；　she　then　glided　into　the　corridor；　and　passed　her　mother's　room　and　the　doctor's；　and　listened　to　see　if　all　was　quiet。　　While　she　was　gone　Josephine　opened　her　door；　but　not　seeing　Rose　in　the　sitting…room；　retired　again。

Rose　returned　softly；　and　sat　down　with　her　head　in　her　hand；　in　a　calm　attitude　belied　by　her　glancing　eye；　and　the　quick　tapping　of　her　other　hand　upon　the　table。

Presently　she　raised　her　head　quickly；　a　sound　had　reached　her　ear；　a　sound　so　slight　that　none　but　a　high…strung　ear　could　have　caught　it。　　It　was　like　a　mouse　giving　a　single　scratch　against　a　stone　wall。

Rose　coughed　slightly。

On　this　a　clearer　sound　was　heard；　as　of　a　person　scratching　wood　with　the　finger…nail。　　Rose　darted　to　the　side　of　the　room；　pressed　against　the　wall；　and　at　the　same　time　put　her　other　hand　against　the　rim　of　one　of　the　panels　and　pushed　it　laterally；　it　yielded；　and　at　the　opening　stood　Jacintha　in　her　cloak　and　bonnet。

〃Yes；〃　said　Jacintha；　〃under　my　cloaklook！〃

〃Ah！　you　found　the　things　on　the　steps？〃

〃Yes！　I　nearly　tumbled　over　them。　　Have　you　locked　that　door？〃

〃No；　but　I　will。〃　　And　Rose　glided　to　the　door　and　locked　it。　　Then　she　put　the　screen　up　between　Josephine's　room　and　the　open　panel：　then　she　and　Jacintha　were　wonderfully　busy　on　the　other　side　the　screen；　but　presently　Rose　said；　〃This　is　imprudent；　you　must　go　down　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs　and　wait　till　I　call　you。〃

Jacintha　pleaded　hard　against　this　arrangement；　and　represented　that　there　was　no　earthly　chance　of　any　one　coming　to　that　part　of　the　chateau。

〃No　matter；　I　will　be　guarded　on　every　side。〃

〃Mustn't　I　stop　and　just　see　her　happy　for　once？〃

〃No；　my　poor　Jacintha；　you　must　hear　it　from　my　lips。〃

Jacintha　retired　to　keep　watch　as　she　was　bid。　　Rose　went　to　Josephine's　room；　and　threw　her　arms　round　her　neck　and　kissed　her　vehemently。　　Josephine　returned　her　embrace；　then　held　her　out　at　arm's　length　and　looked　at　her。

〃Your　eyes　are　red；　yet　your　little　face　is　full　of　joy。　　There；　you　smile。〃

〃I　can't　help　that；　I　am　so　happy。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　it。　　Are　you　coming　to　bed？〃

〃Not　yet。　　I　invite　you　to　take　a　little　walk　with　me　first。　　Come！〃　and　she　led　the　way　slowly；　looking　back　with　infinite　archness　and　tenderness。

〃You　almost　frighten　me；〃　said　Josephine；　〃it　is　not　like　you　to　be　all　joy　when　I　am　sad。　　Three　whole　weeks　more！〃

〃That　is　it。　　Why　are　you　sad？　because　the　doctor　would　not　let　you　go　to　Frejus。　　And　why　am　I　not　sad？　because　I　had　already　thought　of　a　way　to　let　you　see　Edouard　without　going　so　far。〃

〃Rose！　O　Rose！　O　Rose！〃

〃This　waycome！〃　and　she　smiled　and　beckoned　with　her　finger；　while　Josephine　followed　like　one　under　a　spell；　her　bosom　heaving；　her　eye　glancing　on　every　side；　hoping　some　strange　joy；　yet　scarce　daring　to　hope。

Rose　drew　back　the　screen；　and　there　was　a　sweet　little　berceau　that　had　once　been　Josephine's　own；　and　in　it；　sunk　deep　in　snow…white　lawn；　was　a　sleeping　child；　that　lay　there　looking　as　a　rose　might　look　could　it　fall　upon　new…fallen　snow。

At　sight　of　it　Josephine　uttered　a　little　cry；　not　loud　but　deep　ay；　a　cry　to　bring　tears　into　the　eye　of　the　hearer；　and　she　stood　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　her　hands　clasped；　and　her　eye　fascinated　and　fixed　on　the　cradle。

〃My　child　under　this　roof！　　What　have　you　done？〃　but　her　eye；　fascinated　and　fixed；　never　left　the　cradle。

〃I　saw　you　languishing；　dying；　for　want　of　him。〃

〃Oh；　if　anybody　should　come？〃　　But　her　eye　never　stirred　an　inch　from　the　cradle。

〃No；　no；　no！　the　door　is　locked。　　Jacintha　watches　below；　there　is　no　dan　　Ah；　oh；　poor　sister！〃

For；　as　Rose　was　speaking；　the　young　mother　sprang　silently　upon　her　child。　　You　would　have　thought　she　was　going　to　kill　him；　her　head　reared　itself　again　and　again　like　a　crested　snake's；　and　again　and　again　and　again　and　again　plunged　down　upon　the　child；　and　she　kissed　his　little　body　from　head　to　foot　with　soft　violence；　and　murmured；　through　her　streaming　tears；　〃My　child！　my　darling！　my　angel！　oh；　my　poor　boy！　my　child！　my　child！〃

I　will　ask　my　female　readers　of　every　degree　to　tell　their　brothers　and　husbands　all　the　young　noble　did：　how　she　sat　on　the　floor；　and　had　her　child　on　her　bosom；　how　she　smiled　over　it　through　her　tears；　how　she　purred　over　it；　how　she；　the　stately　one；　lisped　and　prattled　over　it；　and　how　life　came　pouring　into　her　heart　from　it。

Before　she　had　had　it　in　her　arms　five　minutes；　her　pale　cheek　was　as　red　as　a　rose；　and　her　eyes　brighter　than　diamonds。

〃Bless　you；　Rose！　bless　you！　bless　you！　in　one　moment　you　have　made　me　forget　all　I　ever　suffered　in　my　life。〃

〃There　is　a　cold　draught；〃　cried　she　presently；　with　maternal　anxiety；　〃close　the　panel；　Rose。〃

〃No；　dear；　or　I　could　not　call　to　Jacintha；　or　she　to　me；　but　I　will　shift　the　screen　round　between　him　and　the　draught。　　There；　now；　come　to　his　aunta　darling！〃

Then　Rose　sat　on　the　floor　too；　and　Josephine　put　her　boy　on　aunt's　lap；　and　took　a　distant　view　of　him。　　But　she　could　not　bear　so　vast　a　separation　long。　　She　must　have　him　to　her　bosom　again。

Presently　my　lord；　finding　himself　hugged；　opened　his　eyes；　and；　as　a　natural　consequence；　his　mouth。

〃Oh；　that　will　never　do；〃　cried　Rose；　and　they　put　him　back　in　the　cradle　with　all　expedition；　and　began　to　rock　it。　　Young　master　was　not　to　be　altogether　appeased　even　by　that。　　So　Rose　began　singing　an　old…fashioned　Breton　chant　or　lullaby。

Josephine　sang　with　her；　and；　singing；　watched　with　a　smile　her　boy　drop　off　by　degrees　to　sleep　under　the　gentle　motion　and　the　lulling　song。　　They　sang　and　rocked　till　the　lids　came　creeping　down；　and　hid　the　great　blue　eyes；　but　still　they　sang　and　rocked；　lulling　the　boy；　and　gladdening　their　own　hearts；　for　the　quaint　old　Breton　ditty　was　tunable　as　the　lark　that　carols　over　the　green　wheat　in　April；　and　the　words　so　simple　and　motherly；　that　a　nation　had　taken　them　to　heart。　　Such　songs　bind　ages　together　and　make　the　lofty　and　the　low　akin　by　the　great　ties　of　music　and　the　heart。　　Many　a　Breton　peasant's　bosom　in　the　olden　time　had　gushed　over　her　sleeping　boy　as　the　young　dame's　of　Beaurepaire　gushed　nowin　this　quaint；　tuneful　lullaby。

Now；　as　they　kneeled　over　the　cradle；　one　on　each　side；　and　rocked　it；　and　sang　that　ancient　chant；　Josephine；　who　was　opposite　the　screen；　happening　to　raise　her　eyes；　saw　a　strange　thing。

There　was　the　face　of　a　man　set　close　against　the　side　of　the　screen；　and　peeping　and　peering　out　of　the　gloom。　　The　light　of　her　candle　fell　full　on　this　face；　it　glared　at　her；　set　pale；　wonder…　struck；　and　vivid　in　the　surrounding　gloom。

Horror！　　It　was　her　husband's　face。

At　first　she　was　quite　stupefied；　and　looked　at　it　with　soul　and　senses　benumbed。　　Then　she　trembled；　and　put　her　hand　to　her　eyes；　for　she　thought　it　a　phantom　or　a　delusion　of　the　mind。　　No：　there　it　glared　still。　　Then　she　trembled　violently；　and　held　out　her　left　hand；　the　fingers　working　convulsively；　to　Rose；　who　was　still　singing。

But；　at　the　same　moment；　the　mouth　of　this　face　suddenly　opened　in　a　long…drawn　breath。　　At　this；　Josephine　uttered　a　violent　shriek；　and　sprang　to　her　feet；　with　her　right　hand　quivering　and　pointing　at　that　pale　face　set　in　the　dark。

Rose　started　up；　and；　wheeling　her　head　round；　saw　Raynal's　gloomy　face　looking　over　her　shoulder。　　She　f