camille-第33章

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〃Well；　you　must　try　again　to…morrow。〃

〃I　am　very　much　inclined　to　wait　till　he　sends　for　me。　I　think　I　have　done　all　that　can　be　expected　of　me。〃

〃No；　my　friend；　it　is　not　enough；　you　must　call　on　your　father　again；　and　you　must　call　to…morrow。〃

〃Why　to…morrow　rather　than　any　other　day？〃

〃Because；〃　said　Marguerite；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　she　blushed　slightly　at　this　question；　〃because　it　will　show　that　you　are　the　more　keen　about　it；　and　he　will　forgive　us　the　sooner。〃

For　the　remainder　of　the　day　Marguerite　was　sad　and　preoccupied。　I　had　to　repeat　twice　over　everything　I　said　to　her　to　obtain　an　answer。　She　ascribed　this　preoccupation　to　her　anxiety　in　regard　to　the　events　which　had　happened　during　the　last　two　days。　I　spent　the　night　in　reassuring　her；　and　she　sent　me　away　in　the　morning　with　an　insistent　disquietude　that　I　could　not　explain　to　myself。

Again　my　father　was　absent；　but　he　had　left　this　letter　for　me：

〃If　you　call　again　to…day；　wait　for　me　till　four。　If　I　am　not　in　by　four；　come　and　dine　with　me　to…morrow。　I　must　see　you。〃

I　waited　till　the　hour　he　had　named；　but　he　did　not　appear。　I　returned　to　Bougival。

The　night　before　I　had　found　Marguerite　sad；　that　night　I　found　her　feverish　and　agitated。　On　seeing　me；　she　flung　her　arms　around　my　neck；　but　she　cried　for　a　long　time　in　my　arms。　I　questioned　her　as　to　this　sudden　distress；　which　alarmed　me　by　its　violence。　She　gave　me　no　positive　reason；　but　put　me　off　with　those　evasions　which　a　woman　resorts　to　when　she　will　not　tell　the　truth。

When　she　was　a　little　calmed　down；　I　told　her　the　result　of　my　visit；　and　I　showed　her　my　father's　letter；　from　which；　I　said；　we　might　augur　well。　At　the　sight　of　the　letter　and　on　hearing　my　comment；　her　tears　began　to　flow　so　copiously　that　I　feared　an　attack　of　nerves；　and；　calling　Nanine；　I　put　her　to　bed；　where　she　wept　without　a　word；　but　held　my　hands　and　kissed　them　every　moment。

I　asked　Nanine　if；　during　my　absence；　her　mistress　had　received　any　letter　or　visit　which　could　account　for　the　state　in　which　I　found　her；　but　Nanine　replied　that　no　one　had　called　and　nothing　had　been　sent。

Something；　however；　had　occurred　since　the　day　before；　something　which　troubled　me　the　more　because　Marguerite　concealed　it　from　me。

In　the　evening　she　seemed　a　little　calmer；　and；　making　me　sit　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　she　told　me　many　times　how　much　she　loved　me。　She　smiled　at　me；　but　with　an　effort；　for　in　spite　of　herself　her　eyes　were　veiled　with　tears。

I　used　every　means　to　make　her　confess　the　real　cause　of　her　distress；　but　she　persisted　in　giving　me　nothing　but　vague　reasons；　as　I　have　told　you。　At　last　she　fell　asleep　in　my　arms；　but　it　was　the　sleep　which　tires　rather　than　rests　the　body。　From　time　to　time　she　uttered　a　cry；　started　up；　and；　after　assuring　herself　that　I　was　beside　her；　made　me　swear　that　I　would　always　love　her。

I　could　make　nothing　of　these　intermittent　paroxysms　of　distress；　which　went　on　till　morning。　Then　Marguerite　fell　into　a　kind　of　stupor。　She　had　not　slept　for　two　nights。

Her　rest　was　of　short　duration；　for　toward　eleven　she　awoke；　and；　seeing　that　I　was　up；　she　looked　about　her；　crying：

〃Are　you　going　already？〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　holding　her　hands；　〃but　I　wanted　to　let　you　sleep　on。　It　is　still　early。〃

〃What　time　are　you　going　to　Paris？〃

〃At　four。〃

〃So　soon？　But　you　will　stay　with　me　till　then？〃

〃Of　course。　Do　I　not　always？〃

〃I　am　so　glad！　Shall　we　have　lunch？〃　she　went　on　absentmindedly。

〃If　you　like。〃

〃And　then　you　will　be　nice　to　me　till　the　very　moment　you　go？〃

〃Yes；　and　I　will　come　back　as　soon　as　I　can。〃

〃You　will　come　back？〃　she　said；　looking　at　me　with　haggard　eyes。

〃Naturally。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　will　come　back　to…night。　I　shall　wait　for　you；　as　I　always　do；　and　you　will　love　me；　and　we　shall　be　happy；　as　we　have　been　ever　since　we　have　known　each　other。〃

All　these　words　were　said　in　such　a　strained　voice；　they　seemed　to　hide　so　persistent　and　so　sorrowful　a　thought；　that　I　trembled　every　moment　lest　Marguerite　should　become　delirious。

〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃You　are　ill。　I　can　not　leave　you　like　this。　I　will　write　and　tell　my　father　not　to　expect　me。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　cried　hastily；　〃don't　do　that。　Your　father　will　accuse　me　of　hindering　you　again　from　going　to　see　him　when　he　wants　to　see　you；　no；　no；　you　must　go；　you　must！　Besides；　I　am　not　ill。　I　am　quite　well。　I　had　a　bad　dream　and　am　not　yet　fully　awake。〃

From　that　moment　Marguerite　tried　to　seem　more　cheerful。　There　were　no　more　tears。

When　the　hour　came　for　me　to　go；　I　embraced　her　and　asked　her　if　she　would　come　with　me　as　far　as　the　train；　I　hoped　that　the　walk　would　distract　her　and　that　the　air　would　do　her　good。　I　wanted　especially　to　be　with　her　as　long　as　possible。

She　agreed；　put　on　her　cloak　and　took　Nanine　with　her；　so　as　not　to　return　alone。　Twenty　times　I　was　on　the　point　of　not　going。　But　the　hope　of　a　speedy　return；　and　the　fear　of　offending　my　father　still　more；　sustained　me；　and　I　took　my　place　in　the　train。

〃Till　this　evening！〃　I　said　to　Marguerite；　as　I　left　her。　She　did　not　reply。

Once　already　she　had　not　replied　to　the　same　words；　and　the　Comte　de　G。；　you　will　remember；　had　spent　the　night　with　her；　but　that　time　was　so　far　away　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　effaced　from　my　memory；　and　if　I　had　any　fear；　it　was　certainly　not　of　Marguerite　being　unfaithful　to　me。　Reaching　Paris；　I　hastened　off　to　see　Prudence；　intending　to　ask　her　to　go　and　keep　Marguerite　company；　in　the　hope　that　her　mirth　and　liveliness　would　distract　her。　I　entered　without　being　announced；　and　found　Prudence　at　her　toilet。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　anxiously；　〃is　Marguerite　with　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃How　is　she？〃

〃She　is　not　well。〃

〃Is　she　not　coming？〃

〃Did　you　expect　her？〃

Madame　Duvernoy　reddened；　and　replied；　with　a　certain　constraint：

〃I　only　meant　that　since　you　are　at　Paris；　is　she　not　coming　to　join　you？〃

〃No。〃

I　looked　at　Prudence；　she　cast　down　her　eyes；　and　I　read　in　her　face　the　fear　of　seeing　my　visit　prolonged。

〃I　even　came　to　ask　you；　my　dear　Prudence；　if　you　have　nothing　to　do　this　evening；　to　go　and　see　Marguerite；　you　will　be　company　for　her；　and　you　can　stay　the　night。　I　never　saw　her　as　she　was　to…day；　and　I　am　afraid　she　is　going　to　be　ill。〃

〃I　am　dining　in　town；〃　replied　Prudence；　〃and　I　can't　go　and　see　Marguerite　this　evening。　I　will　see　her　tomorrow。〃

I　took　leave　of　Mme。　Duvernoy；　who　seemed　almost　as　preoccupied　as　Marguerite；　and　went　on　to　my　father's；　his　first　glance　seemed　to　study　me　attentively。　He　held　out　his　hand。

〃Your　two　visits　have　given　me　pleasure；　Armand；〃　he　said；　〃they　make　me　hope　that　you　have　thought　over　things　on　your　side　as　I　have　on　mine。〃

〃May　I　ask　you；　father；　what　was　the　result　of　your　reflection？〃

〃The　result；　my　dear　boy；　is　that　I　have　exaggerated　the　importance　of　the　reports　that　had　been　made　to　me；　and　that　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　be　less　severe　with　you。〃

〃What　are　you　saying；　father？〃　I　cried　joyously。

〃I　say；　my　dear　child；　that　every　young　man　must　have　his　mistress；　and　that；　from　the　fresh　information　I　have　had；　I　would　rather　see　you　the　lover　of　Mlle。　Gautier　than　of　any　one　else。〃

〃My　dear　father；　how　happy　you　make　me！〃

We　talked　in　this　manner　for　some　moments；　and　then　sat　down　to　table。　My　father　was　charming　all　dinner　time。

I　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　Bougival　to　tell　Marguerite　about　this　fortunate　change；　and　I　looked　at　the　clock　every　moment。

〃You　are　watching　the　time；〃　said　my　father；　〃and　you　are　impatient　to　leave　me。　O　young　people；　how　you　always　sacrifice　sincere　to　doubtful　affections！〃

〃Do　not　say　that；　father；　Marguerite　loves　me；　I　am　sure　of　it。〃

My　father　did　not　answer；　he　seemed　to　say　neither　yes　nor　no。

He　was　very　insistent　that　I　should　spend　the　whole　evening　with　him　and　not　go　till　the　morning；　but　Marguerite　had　not　been　well　when　I　left　her。　I　told　him　of　it；　and　begged　his　permission　to　go　back　to　her　early；　promising　to　come　again　on　the　morrow。

The　weather　was　fine；　he　walked　with　me　as　far　as　the　station。　Never　had　I　been　so　happy。　The　future　appeared　as　I　had　long　desired　to　see　it。　I　ha