the princess de montpensier-第7章

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Meanwhile　the　Duc　and　the　Comte　were　approaching　Champigny；　but
in　very　differing　frames　of　mind。　The　Duc　was　full　of　joy　and　all
the　happiness　of　expectation。　The　Comte　was　in　a　mood　of　despair
and　anger；　which　tempted　him　at　times　to　run　his　sword　through
his　rival。　They　at　last　reached　the　park；　where　they　left　their
horses　in　the　care　of　the　Duc's　squire；　and　passing　through　a　gap
in　the　wall　they　came　to　the　flower　garden。　The　Comte　had　always
retained　some　hope　that　the　Princess　would　come　to　her　senses　and
resolve　not　to　see　the　Duc；　but　when　he　saw　that　the　drawbridge
was　lowered　he　realised　that　his　hope　was　in　vain。　He　was　tempted
to　take　some　desperate　measure；　but　he　was　aware　that　any　noise
would　be　heard　by　the　Prince　de　Montpensier　whose　rooms　looked
out　onto　the　same　flower…garden；　and　that　all　the　subsequent
disorder　would　fall　on　the　head　of　the　one　he　loved　most。　He
calmed　himself　and　led　the　Duc　to　the　presence　of　the　Princess。
Although　the　Princess　signaled　that　she　would　like　him　to　stay　in
the　room　during　the　interview；　he　was　unwilling　to　do　so；　and
retired　to　a　little　passage　which　ran　alongside　the　Princess's
apartment；　a　prey　to　the　saddest　thoughts　which　could　afflict　a
disappointed　lover。

Now；　although　they　had　made　very　little　noise　while　crossing　the
bridge；　the　Prince　de　Montpensier　was　awake　and　heard　it。　He　made
one　of　his　servants　get　up　and　go　to　see　what　it　was。　The　servant
put　his　head　out　of　the　window　and　in　the　darkness　he　could　make
out　that　the　drawbridge　was　lowered。　He　told　his　master　who　then
ordered　him　to　go　into　the　park　and　find　out　what　was　going　on。　A
moment　later　he　got　up　himself；　being　disturbed　by　what　he
thought　he　had　heard；　that　is　footsteps　on　the　bridge　leading　to
his　wife's　quarters。

As　he　was　going　towards　the　little　passage　where　the　Comte　was
waiting；　the　Princess　who　was　somewhat　embarrassed　at　being　alone
with　the　Duc　de　Guise；　asked　the　latter　several　times　to　come
into　the　room。　He　refused　to　do　so　and　as　she　continued　to　press
him　and　as　he　was　furiously　angry　he　answered　her　so　loudly　that
he　was　heard　by　the　Prince　de　Montpensier；　but　so　indistinctly
that　the　Prince　heard　only　a　man's　voice　without　being　able　to
recognise　it　as　that　of　the　Comte。

These　events　would　have　infuriated　a　character　more　placid　and
less　jealous　than　the　Prince　de　Montpensier。　He　hurled　himself
against　the　door；　calling　for　it　to　be　opened；　and　cruelly
surprising　the　Princess；　the　Duc　de　Guise　and　the　Comte　de
Chabannes。　This　last；　hearing　the　Prince's　voice；　saw　immediately
that　it　was　impossible　to　prevent　him　from　believing　that　there
was　someone　in　his　wife's　room；　and　that　he　was　in　such　a　state
that　if　he　found　that　it　was　the　Duc　de　Guise　he　might　kill　him
before　the　eyes　of　the　Princess　and　that　even　her　life　might　be
at　risk。　He　decided；　in　an　act　of　extraordinary　generosity；　to
sacrifice　himself　to　save　a　successful　rival　and　an　ungrateful
mistress。

While　the　Prince　was　battering　on　the　door；　he　went　to　the　Duc；
who　had　no　idea　what　to　do；　put　him　in　the　care　of　the　woman　who
had　arranged　his　entry　by　the　bridge　and　told　her　to　show　him　the
way　out。　Scarcely　had　he　left　when　the　Prince　having　broken　down
the　door　entered　the　room　like　a　man　possessed。　However　when　he
saw　only　the　Comte　de　Chabanne；　motionless；　leaning　on　a　table
with　a　look　of　infinite　sadness　on　his　face；　he　stopped　short。
The　astonishment　of　finding　his　best　friend　alone　at　night　in　his
wife's　room　deprived　him　of　speech。　The　Princess　had　collapsed
onto　some　cushions　and　never　perhaps　has　fate　put　three　people　in
a　more　unhappy　position。　At　last　the　Prince　made　an　attempt　to
make　sense　of　the　chaos　before　his　eyes。　He　addressed　the　Comte
in　a　tone　of　voice　which　still　had　some　friendliness；　〃What　is
this　I　see？〃　he　said。　〃Is　it　possible　that　a　man　I　love　so　dearly
has　chosen　among　all　other　women　to　seduce　my　wife？　And　you
madame；〃　he　said；　turning　to　his　wife；　〃was　it　not　enough　to
deprive　me　of　your　love　and　my　honour　without　depriving　me　of　the
one　man　who　could　have　consoled　me　in　such　circumstances？　Answer
me；　one　of　you；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃and　explain　this　affair；　which
I　cannot　believe　is　what　it　seems。〃　　The　Princess　was　incapable
of　replying　and　the　Comte　opened　his　mouth　once　or　twice　but　was
unable　to　speak。

〃You　see　me　as　a　criminal〃　he　said　at　last；　〃and　unworthy　of　the
friendship　you　have　shown　me；　but　the　situation　is　not　what　you
may　think　it　is。　I　am　more　unhappy　than　you　and　more　despairing。
I　do　not　know　how　to　tell　you　more　than　that。　My　death　would
avenge　you；　and　if　you　were　to　kill　me　now　you　would　be　doing　me
a　favour。〃　These　words；　spoken　with　an　air　of　the　deepest　sorrow；
and　in　a　manner　which　declared　his　innocence　instead　of
enlightening　the　Prince　confirmed　him　in　the　view　that　something
mysterious　was　going　on　which　he　did　not　understand。　His
unhappiness　was　increased　by　this　uncertainty。　〃Kill　me
yourself；〃　he　said；　〃or　give　me　some　explanation　of　your　words
for　I　can　understand　nothing。　You　owe　it　to　my　friendship；　you
owe　it　to　my　restraint；　for　anyone　but　me　would　have　already
taken　your　life　to　avenge　such　an　affront。〃

〃The　appearances　are　wholly　misleading〃　interrupted　the　Comte。
〃Ah！　It　is　too　much。　I　must　be　avenged　and　clear　things　up
later；〃　said　the　Prince；　advancing　towards　the　Comte　like　a　man
carried　away　by　rage。　The　Princess；　fearing　bloodshed　（which　was
not　possible　as　her　husband　did　not　have　a　sword）；　placed　herself
between　the　two　of　them　and　fell　fainting　at　her　husband's　feet。
The　Prince　was　even　more　affected　by　this　than　he　was　by　the
calmness　of　the　Comte　when　he　confronted　him；　and　as　if　he　could
no　longer　bear　the　sight　of　those　two　people　who　had　caused　him
such　distress；　he　turned　away　and　fell　on　his　wife's　bed；
overcome　by　grief。　The　Comte　de　Chabannes；　filled　with　remorse　at
having　abused　the　friendship　of　which　he　had　had　so　many　marks；
and　believing　that　he　could　never　atone　for　what　he　had　done；
left　the　room　abruptly　and　passing　through　the　Princess's
apartment　where　he　found　all　the　doors　open；　he　went　down　to　the
courtyard。　He　had　a　horse　brought　to　him　and　rode　off　into　the
country　led　only　by　his　feelings　of　hopelessness。　The　Prince　de
Montpensier；　seeing　that　his　wife　did　not　recover　from　her　faint；
left　her　to　her　women　and　retired　to　his　own　quarters　greatly
disturbed。

The　Duc　de　Guise　having　got　out　of　the　park；　hardly　knowing　what
he　was　doing　being　in　such　a　state　of　turmoil；　put　several
leagues　between　himself　and　Champigny；　but　could　go　no　further
without　news　of　the　Princess。　He　stopped　in　the　forest　and　sent
his　squire　to　find　out　from　the　Comte　de　Chabannes　what　had
happened。　The　squire　found　no　trace　of　Chabannes　but　was　told　by
others　that　the　Princess　was　seriously　ill。　The　Duc's　inquietude
was　increased　by　what　the　squire　had　told　him；　but　as　he　could　do
nothing　he　was　constrained　to　go　back　to　his　uncle's　in　order　not
to　raise　suspicions　by　too　long　an　absence。

The　Duc's　squire　had　been　correct　when　he　said　that　the　Princess
was　seriously　ill；　for　as　soon　as　her　women　had　put　her　to　bed
she　was　seized　by　a　violent　fever　with　horrible　phantasies；　so
that　by　the　second　day　her　life　was　despaired　of。　The　Prince
pretended　that　he　himself　was　ill　so　that　no　one　should　be
surprised　that　he　did　not　visit　his　wife's　room。　The　order　which
he　received　to　return　to　the　Court；　to　which　all　the　Catholic
princes　were　being　recalled　in　preparation　for　the　massacre　of
the　Huguenots；　relieved　him　of　his　embarrassment。　He　went　off　to
Paris　without　knowing　what　he　had　to　hope　or　fear　about　his
wife's　illness。　He　had　hardly　arrived　there　when　the　assault　on
the　Huguenots　was　signalised　by　the　attack　on　Admiral　de
Chatillon。　Two　days　later　came　the　disgraceful　massacre；　now　so
well　known　throughout　Europe。

The　poor　Comte　de　Chabanne；　who　had　gone　to　hide　himself　away　in
one　of　the　outer　suburbs　of　Paris　to　abandon　himself　to　his
misery；　was　caught　up　in　the　ruin　of　the　Huguenots。　The　people　to
whose　house　he　had　retired；　having　recognised　him；　and　having
recalled　that　he　had　once　been　suspected　o