the collection of antiquities-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ly　imprudent；　the　whole　thing　should　be　shown　in　the　light　of　a　boy's　thoughtless　escapade。

But　Chesnel　slept　neither　soundly　nor　for　long。　Before　dawn　he　was　awakened　by　his　housekeeper。　The　most　bewitching　person　in　this　history；　the　most　adorable　youth　on　the　face　of　the　globe；　Mme。　la　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　herself；　in　man's　attire；　had　driven　alone　from　Paris　in　a　caleche；　and　was　waiting　to　see　him。

〃I　have　come　to　save　him　or　to　die　with　him；〃　said　she；　addressing　the　notary；　who　thought　that　he　was　dreaming。　〃I　have　brought　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　given　me　by　His　Majesty　out　of　his　private　purse；　to　buy　Victurnien's　innocence；　if　his　adversary　can　be　bribed。　If　we　fail　utterly；　I　have　brought　poison　to　snatch　him　away　before　anything　takes　place；　before　even　the　indictment　is　drawn　up。　But　we　shall　not　fail。　I　have　sent　word　to　the　public　prosecutor；　he　is　on　the　road　behind　me；　he　could　not　travel　in　my　caleche；　because　he　wished　to　take　the　instructions　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals。〃

Chesnel　rose　to　the　occasion　and　played　up　to　the　Duchess；　he　wrapped　himself　in　his　dressing…gown；　fell　at　her　feet；　and　kissed　them；　not　without　asking　her　pardon　for　forgetting　himself　in　his　joy。

〃We　are　saved！〃　cried　he；　and　gave　orders　to　Brigitte　to　see　that　Mme。　la　Duchesse　had　all　that　she　needed　after　traveling　post　all　night。　He　appealed　to　the　fair　Diane's　spirit；　by　making　her　see　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　that　she　should　visit　the　examining　magistrate　before　daylight；　lest　any　one　should　discover　the　secret；　or　so　much　as　imagine　that　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　had　come。

〃And　have　I　not　a　passport　in　due　form？〃　quoth　she；　displaying　a　sheet　of　paper；　wherein　she　was　described　as　M。　le　Vicomte　Felix　de　Vandeness；　Master　of　Requests；　and　His　Majesty's　private　secretary。　〃And　do　I　not　play　my　man's　part　well？〃　she　added；　running　her　fingers　through　her　wig　a　la　Titus；　and　twirling　her　riding　switch。

〃O！　Mme。　la　Duchesse；　you　are　an　angel！〃　cried　Chesnel；　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　（She　was　destined　always　to　be　an　angel；　even　in　man's　attire。）　〃Button　up　your　greatcoat；　muffle　yourself　up　to　the　eyes　in　your　traveling　cloak；　take　my　arm；　and　let　us　go　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Camusot's　house　before　anybody　can　meet　us。〃

〃Then　am　I　going　to　see　a　man　called　Camusot？〃　she　asked。

〃With　a　nose　to　match　his　name；〃＇*＇　assented　Chesnel。

＇*＇　Camus；　flat…nosed

The　old　notary　felt　his　heart　dead　within　him；　but　he　thought　it　none　the　less　necessary　to　humor　the　Duchess；　to　laugh　when　she　laughed；　and　shed　tears　when　she　wept；　groaning　in　spirit；　all　the　same；　over　the　feminine　frivolity　which　could　find　matter　for　a　jest　while　setting　about　a　matter　so　serious。　What　would　he　not　have　done　to　save　the　Count？　While　Chesnel　dressed；　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse　sipped　the　cup　of　coffee　and　cream　which　Brigitte　brought　her；　and　agreed　with　herself　that　provincial　women　cooks　are　superior　to　Parisian　chefs；　who　despise　the　little　details　which　make　all　the　difference　to　an　epicure。　Thanks　to　Chesnel's　taste　for　delicate　fare；　Brigitte　was　found　prepared　to　set　an　excellent　meal　before　the　Duchess。

Chesnel　and　his　charming　companion　set　out　for　M。　and　Mme。　Camusot's　house。

〃Ah！　so　there　is　a　Mme。　Camusot？〃　said　the　Duchess。　〃Then　the　affair　may　be　managed。〃

〃And　so　much　the　more　readily；　because　the　lady　is　visibly　tired　enough　of　living　among　us　provincials；　she　comes　from　Paris；〃　said　Chesnel。

〃Then　we　must　have　no　secrets　from　her？〃

〃You　will　judge　how　much　to　tell　or　to　conceal；〃　Chesnel　replied　humbly。　〃I　am　sure　that　she　will　be　greatly　flattered　to　be　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse's　hostess；　you　will　be　obliged　to　stay　in　her　house　until　nightfall；　I　expect；　unless　you　find　it　inconvenient　to　remain。〃

〃Is　this　Mme。　Camusot　a　good…looking　woman？〃　asked　the　Duchess；　with　a　coxcomb's　air。

〃She　is　a　bit　of　a　queen　in　her　own　house。〃

〃Then　she　is　sure　to　meddle　in　court…house　affairs；〃　returned　the　Duchess。　〃Nowhere　but　in　France；　my　dear　M。　Chesnel；　do　you　see　women　so　much　wedded　to　their　husbands　that　they　are　wedded　to　their　husband's　professions；　work；　or　business　as　well。　In　Italy；　England；　and　Germany；　women　make　it　a　point　of　honor　to　leave　men　to　fight　their　own　battles；　they　shut　their　eyes　to　their　husbands'　work　as　perseveringly　as　our　French　citizens'　wives　do　all　that　in　them　lies　to　understand　the　position　of　their　joint…stock　partnership；　is　not　that　what　you　call　it　in　your　legal　language？　Frenchwomen　are　so　incredibly　jealous　in　the　conduct　of　their　married　life；　that　they　insist　on　knowing　everything；　and　that　is　how；　in　the　least　difficulty；　you　feel　the　wife's　hand　in　the　business；　the　Frenchwoman　advises；　guides；　and　warns　her　husband。　And；　truth　to　tell；　the　man　is　none　the　worse　off。　In　England；　if　a　married　man　is　put　in　prison　for　debt　for　twenty…four　hours；　his　wife　will　be　jealous　and　make　a　scene　when　he　comes　back。〃

〃Here　we　are；　without　meeting　a　soul　on　the　way；〃　said　Chesnel。　〃You　are　the　more　sure　of　complete　ascendency　here；　Mme。　la　Duchesse；　since　Mme。　Camusot's　father　is　one　Thirion；　usher　of　the　royal　cabinet。〃

〃And　the　King　never　thought　of　that！〃　exclaimed　the　Duchess。　〃He　thinks　of　nothing！　Thirion　introduced　us；　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；　M。　de　Vandeness；　and　me！　We　shall　have　it　all　our　own　way　in　this　house。　Settle　everything　with　M。　Camusot　while　I　talk　to　his　wife。〃

The　maid；　who　was　washing　and　dressing　the　children；　showed　the　visitors　into　the　little　fireless　dining…room。

〃Take　that　card　to　your　mistress；〃　said　the　Duchess；　lowering　her　voice　for　the　woman's　ear；　〃nobody　else　is　to　see　it。　If　you　are　discreet；　child；　you　shall　not　lose　by　it。〃

At　the　sound　of　a　woman's　voice；　and　the　sight　of　the　handsome　young　man's　face；　the　maid　looked　thunderstruck。

〃Wake　M。　Camusot；〃　said　Chesnel；　〃and　tell　him；　that　I　am　waiting　to　see　him　on　important　business；〃　and　she　departed　upstairs　forthwith。

A　few　minutes　later　Mme。　Camusot；　in　her　dressing…gown；　sprang　downstairs　and　brought　the　handsome　stranger　into　her　room。　She　had　pushed　Camusot　out　of　bed　and　into　his　study　with　all　his　clothes；　bidding　him　dress　himself　at　once　and　wait　there。　The　transformation　scene　had　been　brought　about　by　a　bit　of　pasteboard　with　the　words　MADAME　LA　DUCHESSE　DE　MAUFRIGNEUSE　engraved　upon　it。　A　daughter　of　the　usher　of　the　royal　cabinet　took　in　the　whole　situation　at　once。

〃Well！〃　exclaimed　the　maid…servant；　left　with　Chesnel　in　the　dining…　room；　〃Would　not　any　one　think　that　a　thunderbolt　had　dropped　in　among　us？　The　master　is　dressing　in　his　study；　you　can　go　upstairs。〃

〃Not　a　word　of　all　this；　mind；〃　said　Chesnel。

Now　that　he　was　conscious　of　the　support　of　a　great　lady　who　had　the　King's　consent　（by　word　of　mouth）　to　the　measures　about　to　be　taken　for　rescuing　the　Comte　d'Esgrignon；　he　spoke　with　an　air　of　authority；　which　served　his　cause　much　better　with　Camusot　than　the　humility　with　which　he　would　otherwise　have　approached　him。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃the　words　let　fall　last　evening　may　have　surprised　you；　but　they　are　serious。　The　house　of　d'Esgrignon　counts　upon　you　for　the　proper　conduct　of　investigations　from　which　it　must　issue　without　a　spot。〃

〃I　shall　pass　over　anything　in　your　remarks；　sir；　which　must　be　offensive　to　me　personally；　and　obnoxious　to　justice；　for　your　position　with　regard　to　the　d'Esgrignons　excuses　you　up　to　a　certain　point；　but〃

〃Pardon　me；　sir；　if　I　interrupt　you；〃　said　Chesnel。　〃I　have　just　spoken　aloud　the　things　which　your　superiors　are　thinking　and　dare　not　avow；　though　what　those　things　are　any　intelligent　man　can　guess；　and　you　are　an　intelligent　man。Grant　that　the　young　man　had　acted　imprudently；　can　you　suppose　that　the　sight　of　a　d'Esgrignon　dragged　into　an　Assize　Court　can　be　gratifying　to　the　King；　the　Court；　or　the　Ministry？　Is　it　to　the　interest　of　the　kingdom；　or　of　the　country；　that　historic　houses　should　fall？　Is　not　the　existence　of　a　great　aristocracy；　consecrated　by　time；　a　guarantee　of　that　Equality　which　is　the　catchword　of　the　Opposition　at　this　moment？　Well　and　good；　now　not　only　has　there　not　been　the　slightest　imprudence；　but　we　are　innocent　victims　caught　in　a　trap。〃

〃I　am　curious