albert savarus-第16章
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〃He will never love me！〃 thought she。
This conclusion aggravated her anxiety to know whether she might not
be mistaken； whether Albert really loved an Italian Princess； and was
loved by her。 In the course of this fateful night； the power of swift
decision； which had characterized the famous Watteville； was fully
developed in his descendant。 She devised those whimsical schemes；
round which hovers the imagination of most young girls when； in the
solitude to which some injudicious mothers confine them； they are
roused by some tremendous event which the system of repression to
which they are subjected could neither foresee nor prevent。 She
dreamed of descending by a ladder from the kiosk into the garden of
the house occupied by Albert； of taking advantage of the lawyer's
being asleep to look through the window into his private room。 She
thought of writing to him； or of bursting the fetters of Besancon
society by introducing Albert to the drawing…room of the Hotel de
Rupt。 This enterprise； which to the Abbe de Grancey even would have
seemed the climax of the impossible； was a mere passing thought。
〃Ah！〃 said she to herself； 〃my father has a dispute pending as to his
land at les Rouxey。 I will go there！ If there is no lawsuit； I will
manage to make one； and /he/ shall come into our drawing…room！〃 she
cried； as she sprang out of bed and to the window to look at the
fascinating gleam which shone through Albert's nights。 The clock
struck one； he was still asleep。
〃I shall see him when he gets up； perhaps he will come to his window。〃
At this instant Mademoiselle de Watteville was witness to an incident
which promised to place in her power the means of knowing Albert's
secrets。 By the light of the moon she saw a pair of arms stretched out
from the kiosk to help Jerome； Albert's servant； to get across the
coping of the wall and step into the little building。 In Jerome's
accomplice Rosalie at once recognized Mariette the lady's…maid。
〃Mariette and Jerome！〃 said she to herself。 〃Mariette； such an ugly
girl！ Certainly they must be ashamed of themselves。〃
Though Mariette was horribly ugly and six…and…thirty； she had
inherited several plots of land。 She had been seventeen years with
Madame de Watteville； who valued her highly for her bigotry； her
honesty； and long service； and she had no doubt saved money and
invested her wages and perquisites。 Hence； earning about ten louis a
year； she probably had by this time； including compound interest and
her little inheritance； not less than ten thousand francs。
In Jerome's eyes ten thousand francs could alter the laws of optics；
he saw in Mariette a neat figure； he did not perceive the pits and
seams which virulent smallpox had left on her flat； parched face； to
him the crooked mouth was straight； and ever since Savaron； by taking
him into his service； had brought him so near to the Wattevilles'
house； he had laid siege systematically to the maid； who was as prim
and sanctimonious as her mistress； and who； like every ugly old maid；
was far more exacting than the handsomest。
If the night…scene in the kiosk is thus fully accounted for to all
perspicacious readers； it was not so to Rosalie； though she derived
from it the most dangerous lesson that can be given； that of a bad
example。 A mother brings her daughter up strictly； keeps her under her
wing for seventeen years； and then； in one hour； a servant girl
destroys the long and painful work； sometimes by a word； often indeed
by a gesture！ Rosalie got into bed again； not without considering how
she might take advantage of her discovery。
Next morning； as she went to Mass accompanied by Marietteher mother
was not wellRosalie took the maid's arm； which surprised the country
wench not a little。
〃Mariette；〃 said she； 〃is Jerome in his master's confidence？〃
〃I do not know； mademoiselle。〃
〃Do not play the innocent with me；〃 said Mademoiselle de Watteville
drily。 〃You let him kiss you last night under the kiosk； I no longer
wonder that you so warmly approved of my mother's ideas for the
improvements she planned。〃
Rosalie could feel how Mariette was trembling by the shaking of her
arm。
〃I wish you no ill；〃 Rosalie went on。 〃Be quite easy； I shall not say
a word to my mother； and you can meet Jerome as often as you please。〃
〃But； mademoiselle；〃 said Mariette； 〃it is perfectly respectable；
Jerome honestly means to marry me〃
〃But then；〃 said Rosalie； 〃why meet at night？〃
Mariette was dumfounded； and could make no reply。
〃Listen； Mariette； I am in love too！ In secret and without any return。
I am； after all； my father's and mother's only child。 You have more to
hope for from me than from any one else in the world〃
〃Certainly； mademoiselle； and you may count on us for life or death；〃
exclaimed Mariette； rejoiced at the unexpected turn of affairs。
〃In the first place； silence for silence；〃 said Rosalie。 〃I will not
marry Monsieur de Soulas； but one thing I will have； and must have； my
help and favor are yours on one condition only。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃I must see the letters which Monsieur Savaron sends to the post by
Jerome。〃
〃But what for？〃 said Mariette in alarm。
〃Oh！ merely to read them； and you yourself shall post them afterwards。
It will cause a little delay； that is all。〃
At this moment they went into church； and each of them； instead of
reading the order of Mass； fell into her own train of thought。
〃Dear； dear； how many sins are there in all that？〃 thought Mariette。
Rosalie； whose soul； brain； and heart were completely upset by reading
the story； by this time regarded it as history； written for her rival。
By dint of thinking of nothing else； like a child； she ended by
believing that the /Eastern Review/ was no doubt forwarded to Albert's
lady…love。
〃Oh！〃 said she to herself； her head buried in her hands in the
attitude of a person lost in prayer； 〃oh！ how can I get my father to
look through the list of people to whom the /Review/ is sent？〃
After breakfast she took a turn in the garden with her father； coaxing
and cajoling him； and brought him to the kiosk。
〃Do you suppose； my dear little papa； that our /Review/ is ever read
abroad？〃
〃It is but just started〃
〃Well； I will wager that it is。〃
〃It is hardly possible。〃
〃Just go and find out； and note the names of any subscribers out of
France。〃
Two hours later Monsieur de Watteville said to his daughter：
〃I was right； there is not one foreign subscriber as yet。 They hope to
get some at Neufchatel； at Berne； and at Geneva。 One copy； is in fact；
sent to Italy； but it is not paid forto a Milanese lady at her
country house at Belgirate； on Lago Maggiore。
〃What is her name？〃
〃The Duchesse d'Argaiolo。〃
〃Do you know her； papa？〃
〃I have heard about her。 She was by birth a Princess Soderini； a
Florentine； a very great lady； and quite as rich as her husband； who
has one of the largest fortunes in Lombardy。 Their villa on the Lago
Maggiore is one of the sights of Italy。〃
Two days after； Mariette placed the following letter in Mademoiselle
de Watteville's hand：
Albert Savaron to Leopold Hannequin。
〃Yes； 'tis so； my dear friend； I am at Besancon； while you thought
I was traveling。 I would not tell you anything till success should
begin； and now it is dawning。 Yes； my dear Leopold； after so many
abortive undertakings； over which I have shed the best of my
blood； have wasted so many efforts； spent so much courage； I have
made up my mind to do as you have doneto start on a beaten path；
on the highroad； as the longest but the safest。 I can see you jump
with surprise in your lawyer's chair！
〃But do not suppose that anything is changed in my personal life；
of which you alone in the world know the secret； and that under
the reservations /she/ insists on。 I did not tell you； my friend；
but I was horribly weary of Paris。 The outcome of the first
enterprise； on which I had founded all my hopes； and which came to
a bad end in consequence of the utter rascality of my two
partners； who combined to cheat and fleece meme； though
everything was done by my energymade me give up the pursuit of a
fortu
