the princess de montpensier-第6章

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Princess　was　at　Blois；　learning　that　she　was　going　to　Champigny
arranged　to　meet　her　on　the　road　and　go　with　her。　She　greeted　him
with　a　thousand　expressions　of　friendship　and　displayed　an
extraordinary　impatience　to　talk　to　him　in　private；　which　at
first　delighted　him。　Judge　his　dismay　when　he　found　that　this
impatience　was　only　to　tell　him　that　she　was　loved　passionately
by　the　Duc　de　Guise；　a　love　which　she　returned。　He　was　so
distressed　that　he　was　unable　to　reply。　The　Princess；　who　was
engrossed　by　her　infatuation；　took　no　notice　of　his　silence。　She
began　to　tell　him　all　the　least　details　of　the　events；　and　how
she　and　the　Duc　had　agreed　that　he　should　be　the　means　by　which
they　could　exchange　letters。　The　thought　that　the　woman　he　loved
expected　him　to　be　of　assistance　to　his　rival；　and　made　the
proposal　as　if　it　was　a　thing　he　would　find　agreeable　was
bitterly　hurtful；　but　he　was　so　much　in　control　of　himself　that
he　hid　all　his　feelings　from　her　and　expressed　only　surprise　at
the　change　in　her　attitude。　He　hoped　that　this　change　which
removed　even　the　faintest　hope　from　him　would　at　the　same　time
change　his　feelings；　but　he　found　the　Princess　so　charming；　her
natural　beauty　having　been　enhanced　by　a　certain　grace　which　she
had　acquired　at　Court　that　he　felt　that　he　loved　her　more　than
ever。　This　remarkable　devotion　produced　a　remarkable　effect。　He
agreed　to　carry　his　rival's　letters　to　his　beloved。

The　Princess　was　very　despondent　at　the　absence　of　the　Duc　de
Guise；　and　could　hope　for　solace　only　from　his　letters。　She
continually　tormented　the　Comte　de　Chabannes　to　know　if　he　had
received　any　and　almost　blamed　him　for　not　having　delivered　one
sooner。　At　last　some　arrived；　brought　by　a　gentleman　in　the　Duc's
service；　which　he　took　to　her　immediately　so　as　not　to　delay　her
pleasure　for　a　moment　longer　than　necessary。　The　Princess　was
delighted　to　have　them　and　tortured　the　poor　Comte　by　reading
them　to　him；　as　well　as　her　tender　and　loving　reply。　He　took　this
reply　to　the　waiting　courier　even　more　sadly　than　he　had　made　the
delivery。　He　consoled　himself　a　little　by　the　reflection　that　the
Princess　would　realise　what　h　was　doing　for　her　and　would　show
some　recognition。　Finding；　however；　that　she　daily　treated　him
with　less　consideration；　owing　to　the　anxieties　which　preoccupied
her；　he　took　the　liberty　of　begging　her　to　think　a　little　of　the
suffering　she　was　causing　him。　The　Princess　who　had　nothing　in
her　head　but　the　Duc　de　Guise；　was　so　irritated　by　this　approach
that　she　treated　the　Comte　much　worse　than　she　had　done　on　the
first　occasion　when　he　had　declared　his　love　for　her。　Although
his　devotion　and　patience　had　stood　so　many　trials；　this　was　too
much。　He　left　the　Princess　and　went　to　live　with　a　friend　who　had
a　house　in　the　neighbourhood；　from　where　he　wrote　to　her　with　all
the　bitterness　that　her　behaviour　had　provoked　and　bid　her　an
eternal　adieu。

The　Princess　began　to　repent　having　dealt　so　harshly　with　a　man
over　whom　she　had　so　much　influence；　and　being　unwilling　to　lose
him；　not　only　on　account　of　their　past　friendship；　but　also
because　of　his　vital　role　in　the　conduct　of　her　affair；　she　sent
a　message　to　him　to　say　that　she　wished　to　speak　to　him　one　more
time　and　that　afterwards　she　would　leave　him　free　to　do　as　he
pleased。　One　is　very　vulnerable　when　one　is　in　love。　The　Comte
came　back；　and　in　less　than　an　hour　the　beauty　of　the　Princess；
her　charm　and　a　few　kind　words　made　him　more　submissive　than
ever；　and　he　even　gave　her　some　letters　from　the　Duc　de　Guise
which　he　had　just　received。

At　this　time　there　was　a　scheme　afoot　in　the　Court　to　attract
there　all　the　leaders　of　the　Huguenots；　with　the　secret　aim　of
including　them　in　the　horrible　massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew's　day。
As　part　of　this　attempt　to　lull　them　into　a　false　sense　of
security；　the　King　dismissed　from　his　presence　all　the　princes　of
the　houses　of　Bourbon　and　de　Guise。　The　Prince　de　Montpensier
returned　to　Champigney；　to　the　utter　dismay　of　his　wife；　the　Duc
de　Guise　went　to　the　home　of　his　uncle；　the　Cardinal　de　Lorraine。

Love　and　idleness　induced　in　him　such　a　violent　desire　to　see　the
Princess　de　Montpensier　that；　without　considering　the　risks　to
her　and　to　himself；　he　made　some　excuse　to　travel；　and　leaving
his　suite　in　a　small　town；　he　took　with　him　only　the　gentleman
who　had　already　made　several　trips　to　Champigny；　and　went　there
by　post…chaise。　As　he　knew　no　one　whom　he　could　approach　but　the
Comte　de　Chabannes；　he　had　the　gentleman　write　a　note　requesting
a　meeting　at　a　certain　spot。　The　Comte；　believing　that　this　was
solely　for　the　purpose　of　receiving　letters　from　the　Duc　de
Guise；　went　there；　but　was　most　surprised　to　see　the　Duc　himself
and　equally　dismayed。　The　Duc；　full　of　his　own　plans；　took　no
more　notice　of　the　Comte's　dismay　than　had　the　Princess　of　his
silence　when　she　told　him　of　her　amour。　He　described　his　passion
in　florid　terms　and　claimed　that　he　would　infallibly　die　if　the
Princess　could　not　be　persuaded　to　see　him。　The　Comte　replied
coldly　that　he　would　tell　the　Princess　all　that　the　Duc　wanted　to
convey　and　would　return　with　her　response。　He　then　went　back　to
Champigny　with　his　own　emotions　in　such　a　turmoil　that　he　hardly
knew　what　he　was　doing。　He　thought　of　sending　the　Duc　away
without　saying　anything　to　the　Princess；　but　the　faithfulness
with　which　he　had　promised　to　serve　her　soon　put　an　end　to　that
idea。　He　arrived　without　knowing　what　he　should　do；　and　finding
that　the　Prince　was　out　hunting；　he　went　straight　to　the
Princess's　apartment。　She　saw　that　he　was　distressed　and
dismissed　her　women　in　order　to　find　out　what　troubled　him。　He
told　her；　as　calmly　as　he　could；　that　the　Duc　de　Guise　was　a
league　distant　and　that　he　wanted　passionately　to　see　her。　The
Princess　gave　a　cry　at　this　news　and　her　confusion　was　almost　as
great　as　that　of　the　Comte。　At　first　she　was　full　of　joy　at　the
thought　of　seeing　the　man　she　loved　so　tenderly；　but　when　she
considered　how　much　this　was　against　her　principles；　and　that　she
could　not　see　her　lover　without　introducing　him　into　her　home
during　the　night　and　without　her　husband's　knowledge；　she　found
herself　in　the　utmost　difficulty。　The　Comte　awaited　her　reply　as
if　it　were　a　matter　of　life　or　death。　Realising　that　her　silence
indicated　her　uncertainty；　he　took　the　liberty　of　presenting　to
her　all　the　perils　to　which　she　would　be　exposed　by　such　a
meeting；　and　wishing　to　make　it　clear　that　he　was　not　doing　this
in　his　own　interest；　he　said　that　if；　in　spite　of　all　that　he　had
said　she　was　determined　to　see　the　Duc；　rather　than　see　her　seek
for　aid　from　helpers　less　faithful　than　himself；　he　would　bring
the　Duc　to　her。　〃Yes　Madame〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　go　and　find　the
Duc　and　bring　him　to　your　apartment；　for　it　is　too　dangerous　to
leave　him　　for　long　where　he　is。〃　〃But　how　can　this　be　done？〃
interrupted　the　Princess。　〃Ha！　Madame；〃　cried　the　Comte；　〃it　is
then　decided；　since　you　speak　only　of　the　method。　I　shall　lead
him　through　the　park；　only　order　one　of　your　maids　whom　you　can
trust　to　lower；　exactly　at　midnight；　the　little　drawbridge　which
leads　from　your　antechamber　to　the　flower　garden　and　leave　the
rest　to　me。〃　　Having　said　this　he　rose　and　without　waiting　for
any　further　comment　from　the　Princess；　he　left；　remounted　his
horse　and　went　to　look　for　the　Duc　de　Guise；　who　was　waiting　for
him　with　the　greatest　impatience。

The　Princess　remained　in　such　a　state　of　confusion　that　it　was
some　time　before　she　came　to　her　senses。　Her　first　thought　was　to
send　someone　after　the　Comte　to　tell　him　not　to　bring　the　Duc；
but　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　do　so。　She　then　thought　that
failing　this；　she　had　only　not　to　have　the　drawbridge　lowered；
and　she　believed　that　she　would　continue　with　this　resolve；　but
when　the　hour　of　the　assignation　drew　near　she　was　no　longer　able
to　resist　the　desire　to　see　the　lover　whom　she　longed　for；　and
she　gave　instructions　to　one　of　her　women　on　the　method　by　which
the　Duc　was　to　be　introduced　into　her　apartment。

Meanwhile　the　Duc　and　the　Comte　were　approaching　Champigny；　but
in　very　differing　frames　of　mind。　The　Duc　was　fu