white lies-第69章

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〃We　must　bow。　　We　can　never　be　happy　together　on　earth；　let　us　make　Heaven　our　friend。　　This　is　still　left　us；not　to　blush　for　our　love；　to　do　our　duty；　and　to　die。〃


〃How　tender；　but　how　firm；〃　thought　Camille。　　〃I　might　agitate；　taunt；　grieve　her　I　love；　but　I　could　not　shake　her。　　No！　　God　and　the　saints　to　my　aid！　they　saved　me　from　a　crime　I　now　shudder　at。　And　they　have　given　me　the　good　chaplain：　he　prays　with　me；　he　weeps　for　me。　　His　prayers　still　my　beating　heart。　　Yes；　poor　suffering　angel！　　I　read　your　will　in　these　tender；　but　bitter；　words：　you　prefer　duty　to　love。　　And　one　day　you　will　forget　me；　not　yet　awhile；　but　it　will　be　so。　　It　wounds　me　when　I　think　of　it；　but　I　must　bow。　　Your　will　is　sacred。　　I　must　rise　to　your　level；　not　drag　you　to　mine。〃

Then　the　soldier　that　had　stood　between　two　armies　in　a　hail　of　bullets；　and　fired　a　master…shot；　took　a　little　book　of　offices　in　one　hand；the　chaplain　had　given　it　him；and　fixed　his　eyes　upon　the　pious　words；　and　clung　like　a　child　to　the　pious　words；　and　kissed　his　lost　wife's　letter；　and　tried　hard　to　be　like　her　he　loved：　patient；　very　patient；　till　the　end　should　come。

〃Qui　vive？〃　cried　the　sentinel　outside　to　a　strange　officer。

〃France；〃　was　his　reply。　　He　then　asked　the　sentinel；　〃Where　is　the　colonel　commanding　the　brigade？〃

The　sentinel　lowered　his　voice；　〃Asleep；　my　officer；〃　said　he；　for　the　new…comer　carried　two　epaulets。

〃Wake　him；〃　said　the　officer　in　a　tone　of　a　man　used　to　command　on　a　large　scale。

Dujardin　heard；　and　did　not　choose　a　stranger　should　think　he　was　asleep　in　broad　day。　　He　came　hastily　out　of　the　tent；　therefore；　with　Josephine's　letter　in　his　hand；　and；　in　the　very　act　of　conveying　it　to　his　bosom；　found　himself　face　to　face　withher　husband。

Did　you　ever　see　two　duellists　cross　rapiers？

How　unlike　a　theatrical　duel！　　How　smooth　and　quiet　the　bright　blades　are！　they　glide　into　contact。　　They　are　polished　and　slippery；　yet　they　hold　each　other。　　So　these　two　men's　eyes　met；　and　fastened：　neither　spoke：　each　searched　the　other's　face　keenly。　Raynal's　countenance；　prepared　as　he　was　for　this　meeting；　was　like　a　stern　statue's。　　The　other's　face　flushed；　and　his　heart　raged　and　sickened　at　sight　of　the　man；　that；　once　his　comrade　and　benefactor；　was　now　possessor　of　the　woman　he　loved。　　But　the　figures　of　both　stood　alike　haughty；　erect；　and　immovable；　face　to　face。

Colonel　Raynal　saluted　Colonel　Dujardin　ceremoniously。　　Colonel　Dujardin　returned　the　salute　in　the　same　style。

〃You　thought　I　was　in　Egypt；〃　said　Raynal　with　grim　significance　that　caught　Dujardin's　attention；　though　he　did　not　know　quite　how　to　interpret　it。

He　answered　mechanically；　〃Yes；　I　did。〃

〃I　am　sent　here　by　General　Bonaparte　to　take　a　command；〃　explained　Raynal。

〃You　are　welcome。　　What　command？〃

〃Yours。〃

〃Mine？〃　cried　Dujardin；　his　forehead　flushing　with　mortification　and　anger。　　〃What；　is　it　not　enough　that　you　take　my〃　　He　stopped　then。

〃Come；　colonel；〃　said　the　other　calmly；　〃do　not　be　unjust　to　an　old　comrade。　　I　take　your　demi…brigade；　but　you　are　promoted　to　Raimbaut's　brigade。　　The　exchange　is　to　be　made　to…morrow。〃

〃Was　it　then　to　announce　to　me　my　promotion　you　came　to　my　quarters？〃　and　Camille　looked　with　a　strange　mixture　of　feelings　at　his　old　comrade。

〃That　was　the　first　thing；　being　duty；　you　know。〃

〃What？　have　you　anything　else　to　say　to　me；　then？〃

〃I　have。〃

〃Is　it　important？　for　my　own　duties　will　soon　demand　me。〃

〃It　is　so　important　that；　command　or　no　command；　I　should　have　come　further　than　the　Rhine　to　say　it　to　you。〃

Let　a　man　be　as　bold　as　a　lion；　a　certain　awe　still　waits　upon　doubt　and　mystery；　and　some　of　this　vague　awe　crept　over　Camille　Dujardin　at　Raynal's　mysterious　speech；　and　his　grave；　quiet；　significant　manner。

Had　he　discovered　something；　and　what？　　For　Josephine's　sake；　more　than　his　own；　Camille　was　on　his　guard　directly。

Raynal　looked　at　him　in　silence　a　moment。

〃What？〃　said　he　with　a　slight　sneer；　〃has　it　never　occurred　to　you　that　I　MUST　have　a　serious　word　to　say　to　you？　　First；　let　me　put　you　a　question：　did　they　treat　you　well　at　my　house？　at　the　chateau　de　Beaurepaire？〃

〃Yes；〃　faltered　Camille。

〃You　met；　I　trust；　all　the　kindness　and　care　due　to　a　wounded　soldier　and　an　officer　of　merit。　　It　would　annoy　me　greatly　if　I　thought　you　were　not　treated　like　a　brother　in　my　house。〃

Colonel　Dujardin　writhed　inwardly　at　this　view　of　matters。　　He　could　not　reply　in　few　words。　　This　made　him　hesitate。

His　inquisitor　waited；　but；　receiving　no　reply；　went　on；　〃Well；　colonel；　have　you　shown　the　sense　of　gratitude　we　had　a　right　to　look　for　in　return？　　In　a　word；　when　you　left　Beaurepaire；　had　your　conscience　nothing　to　reproach　you　with？〃

Dujardin　still　hesitated。　　He　scarcely　knew　what　to　think　or　what　to　say。　　But　he　thought　to　himself；　〃Who　has　told　him？　does　he　know　all？〃

〃Colonel　Dujardin；　I　am　the　husband　of　Josephine；　the　son　of　Madame　de　Beaurepaire；　and　the　brother　of　Rose。　　You　know　very　well　what　brings　me　here。　　Your　answer？〃

〃Colonel　Raynal；　between　men　of　honor；　placed　as　you　and　I　are；　few　words　should　pass；　for　words　are　idle。　　You　will　never　prove　to　me　that　I　have　wronged　you：　I　shall　never　convince　you　that　I　have　not。　Let　us　therefore　close　this　painful　interview　in　the　way　it　is　sure　to　close。　　I　am　at　your　service；　at　any　hour　and　place　you　please。〃

〃And　pray　is　that　all　the　answer　you　can　think　of？〃　asked　Raynal　somewhat　scornfully。

〃Why；　what　other　answer　can　I　give　you？〃

〃A　more　sensible；　a　more　honest；　and　a　less　boyish　one。　　Who　doubts　that　you　can　fight；　you　silly　fellow？　haven't　I　seen　you？　　I　want　you　to　show　me　a　much　higher　sort　of　courage：　the　courage　to　repair　a　wrong；　not　the　paltry　valor　to　defend　one。〃

〃I　really　do　not　understand　you；　sir。　　How　can　I　undo　what　is　done？〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　cannot。　　And　therefore　I　stand　here　ready　to　forgive　all　that　is　past；　not　without　a　struggle；　which　you　don't　seem　to　appreciate。〃

Camille　was　now　utterly　mystified。　　Raynal　continued；　〃But　of　course　it　is　upon　condition　that　you　consent　to　heal　the　wound　you　have　made。　　If　you　refusehum！　but　you　will　not　refuse。〃

〃But　what　is　it　you　require　of　me？〃　inquired　Camille　impatiently。

〃Only　a　little　common　honesty。　　This　is　the　case：　you　have　seduced　a　young　lady。〃

〃Sir！〃　cried　Camille　angrily。

〃What　is　the　matter？　　The　word　is　not　so　bad　as　the　crime；　I　take　it。　　You　have　seduced　her；　and　under　circumstances　　But　we　won't　speak　of　them；　because　I　am　resolved　to　keep　cool。　　Well；　sir；　as　you　said　just　now；　it's　no　use　crying　over　spilled　milk；　you　can't　unseduce　the　little　fool；　so　you　must　marry　her。〃

〃Mmmarry　her？〃　and　Dujardin　flushed　all　over；　and　his　heart　beat；　and　he　stared　in　Raynal's　face。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter　again？　　If　she　has　played　the　fool；　it　was　with　you；　and　no　other　man：　it　is　not　as　if　she　was　depraved。　　Come；　my　lad；　show　a　little　generosity！　　Take　the　consequences　of　your　own　actor　your　share　of　itdon't　throw　it　all　on　the　poor　feeble　woman。　　If　she　has　loved　you　too　much；　you　are　the　man　of　all　others　that　should　forgive　her。　　Come；　what　do　you　say？〃

This　was　too　much　for　Camille；　that　Raynal　should　come　and　demand　of　him　to　marry　his　own　wife；　for　so　he　understood　the　proposal。　　He　stared　at　Raynal　in　silence　ever　so　long；　and　even　when　he　spoke　it　was　only　to　mutter；　〃Are　you　out　of　your　senses；　or　am　I？〃

At　this　it　cost　Raynal　a　considerable　effort　to　restrain　his　wrath。　However；　he　showed　himself　worthy　of　the　office　he　had　undertaken。　He　contained　himself；　and　submitted　to　argue　the　matter。　　〃Why；　colonel；〃　said　he；　〃is　it　such　a　misfortune　to　marry　poor　Rose？　　She　is　young；　she　is　lovely；　she　has　many　good　qualities；　and　she　would　have　walked　straight　to　the　end　of　her　days　but　for　you。〃

Now　here　was　another　surprise　for　Dujardin；　another　mystification。

〃Rose　de　Beaurepaire？〃　said　he；　putting　his　hand　to　his　head；　as　if　to　see　whether　his　reason　was　still　there。

〃Yes；　Rose　de　BeaurepaireRose　Dujardin　that　ought　to　be；　and　that　is　to　be；　if　you　please。〃

〃One　word；　monsieur：　is　it　of　Rose　we　have　been　talking　all　this　time？〃

Raynal　near