the countess of saint geran-第6章

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aside　his　sword。　　Then　falling　into　a　chair；　he　said



〃First　of　all；　let　me　rest　a　little。〃



The　marquis　wore　a　travelling…dress；　but　although　he　had　not　stated

his　name；　Louise　Goillard　saw　at　a　glance　that　he　was　a　very

different　person　from　what　she　had　thought；　and　that；　on　the

contrary；　he　was　some　fine　gentleman　who　had　come　on　his　love

affairs。



〃I　beg　you　to　excuse；〃　said　she；　〃a　fear　which　is　insulting　to　you。

You　came　in　so　hurriedly　that　I　had　not　time　to　see　whom　I　was

talking　to。　　My　house　is　rather　lonely；　I　am　alone；　ill…disposed

people　might　easily　take　advantage　of　these　circumstances　to　plunder

a　poor　woman　who　has　little　enough　to　lose。　　The　times　are　so　bad！

You　seem　tired。　　Will　you　inhale　some　essence？〃



〃Give　me　only　a　glass　of　water。〃



Louise　Goillard　went　into　the　adjoining　room；　and　returned　with　an

ewer。　　The　marquis　affected　to　rinse　his　lips；　and　said



〃I　come　from　a　great　distance　on　a　most　important　matter。　　Be　assured

that　I　shall　be　properly　grateful　for　your　services。〃



He　felt　in　his　pocket；　and　pulled　out　a　purse；　which　he　rolled

between　his　fingers。



〃In　the　first　place；　you　must　swear　to　the　greatest　secrecy。〃



〃There　is　no　need　of　that　with　us；〃　said　Louise　Goillard；　〃　that　is

the　first　condition　of　our　craft。〃



〃I　must　have　more　express　guarantees；　and　your　oath　that　you　will

reveal　to　no　one　in　the　world　what　I　am　going　to　confide　to　you。〃



〃I　give　you　my　word；　then；　since　you　demand　it；　but　I　repeat　that

this　is　superfluous；　you　do　not　know　me。〃



〃Consider　that　this　is　a　most　serious　matter；　that　I　am　as　it　were

placing　my　head　in　your　hands；　and　that　I　would　lose　my　life　a

thousand　times　rather　than　see　this　mystery　unravelled。〃



〃Consider　also；〃　bluntly　replied　the　midwife；　〃that　we　ourselves　are

primarily　interested　in　all　the　secrets　entrusted　to　us；　that　an

indiscretion　would　destroy　all　confidence　in　us；　and　that　there　are

even　casesYou　may　speak。〃



When　the　marquis　had　reassured　her　as　to　himself　by　this　preface；　he

continued：　〃I　know　that　you　are　a　very　able　woman。〃



〃I　could　indeed　wish　to　be　one；　to　serve　you。〃。



〃That　you　have　pushed　the　study　of　your　art　to　its　utmost　limits。〃



〃I　fear　they　have　been　flattering　your　humble　servant。〃



〃And　that　your　studies　have　enabled　you　to　predict　the　future。〃



〃That　is　all　nonsense。〃



〃It　is　true；　I　have　been　told　so。〃



〃You　have　been　imposed　upon。〃



〃What　is　the　use　of　denying　it　and　refusing　to　do　me　a　service？〃



Louise　Goillard　defended　herself　long：　she　could　not　understand　a　man

of　this　quality　believing　in　fortune…telling；　which　she　practised

only　with　low…class　people　and　rich　farmers；　but　the　marquis　appeared

so　earnest　that　she　knew　not　what　to　think。



〃Listen；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　no　use　dissembling　with　me；　I　know　all。　　Be

easy；　we　are　playing　a　game　in　which　you　are　laying　one　against　a

thousand；　moreover；　here　is　something　on　account　to　compensate　you

for　the　trouble　I　am　giving。〃



He　laid　a　pile　of　gold　on　the　table。　　The　matron　weakly　owned　that

she　had　sometimes　attempted　astrological　combinations　which　were　not

always　fortunate；　and　that　she　had　been　only　induced　to　do　so　by　the

fascination　of　the　phenomena　of　science。　　The　secret　of　her　guilty

practices　was　drawn　from　her　at　the　very　outset　of　her　defence。



〃That　being　so；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃you　must　be　already　aware　of

the　situation　in　which　I　find　myself；　you　must　know　that；　hurried

away　by　a　blind　and　ardent　passion；　I　have　betrayed　the　confidence　of

an　old　lady　and　violated　the　laws　of　hospitality　by　seducing　her

daughter　in　her　own　house；　that　matters　have　come　to　a　crisis；　and

that　this　noble　damsel；　whom　I　Love　to　distraction；　being　pregnant；

is　on　the　point　of　losing　her　life　and　honour　by　the　discovery　of　her

fault；　which　is　mine。〃



The　matron　replied　that　nothing　could　be　ascertained　about　a　person

except　from　private　questions；　and　to　further　impose　upon　the

marquis；　she　fetched　a　kind　of　box　marked　with　figures　and　strange

emblems。　　Opening　this；　and　putting　together　certain　figures　which　it

contained；　she　declared　that　what　the　marquis　had　told　her　was　true；

and　that　his　situation　was　a　most　melancholy　one。　　She　added；　in

order　to　frighten　him；　that　he　was　threatened　by　still　more　serious

misfortunes　than　those　which　had　already　overtaken　him；　but　that　it

was　easy　to　anticipate　and　obviate　these　mischances　by　new

consultations。



〃Madame；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃I　fear　only　one　thing　in　the　world；

the　dishonour　of　the　woman　I　love。　　Is　there　no　method　of　remedying

the　usual　embarrassment　of　a　birth？〃



〃I　know　of　none；〃　said　the　matron。



〃The　young　lady　has　succeeded　in　concealing　her　condition；　it　would

be　easy　for　her　confinement　to　take　place　privately。〃



〃She　has　already　risked　her　life；　and　I　cannot　consent　to　be　mixed　up

in　this　affair；　for　fear　of　the　consequences。〃



〃Could　not；　for　instance；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃a　confinement　be

effected　without　pain？〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；　but　this　I　do〃　know；　that　I　shall　take　very

good　care　not　to　practise　any　method　contrary　to　the　laws　of　nature。〃



〃You　are　deceiving　me：　you　are　acquainted　with　this　method；　you　have

already　practised　it　upon　a　certain　person　whom　I　could　name　to　you。〃



〃Who　has　dared　to　calumniate　me　thus？　　I　operate　only　after　the

decision　of　the　Faculty。　　God　forbid　that　I　should　be　stoned　by　all

the　physicians；　and　perhaps　expelled　from　France！〃



〃Will　you　then　let　me　die　of　despair？　　If　I　were　capable　of　making　a

bad　use　of　your　secrets；　I　could　have　done　so　long　ago；　for　I　know

them。　　In　Heaven's　name；　do　not　dissimulate　any　longer；　and　tell　me

how　it　is　possible　to　stifle　the　pangs　of　labour。　　Do　you　want　more

gold？　　Here　it　is。〃　　And　he　threw　more　Louis　on　the　table。



〃Stay；〃　said　the　matron：　〃there　is　perhaps　a　method　which　I　think　I

have　discovered；　and　which　I　have　never　employed；　but　I　believe　it

efficacious。〃



〃But　if　you　have　never　employed　it；　it　may　be　dangerous；　and　risk　the

life　of　the　lady　whom　I　love。〃



〃When　I　say　never；　I　mean　that　I　have　tried　it　once；　and　most

successfully。　　Be　at　your　ease。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　marquis；　〃you　have　earned　my　everlasting　gratitude！

But；〃　continued　he；　〃if　we　could　anticipate　the　confinement　itself；

and　remove　from　henceforth　the　symptoms　of　pregnancy？〃



〃Oh；　sir；　that　is　a　great　crime　you　speak　of！〃



〃Alas！〃　continued　the　marquis；　as　if　speaking　to　himself　in　a　fit　of

intense　grief；　〃I　had　rather　lose　a　dear　child；　the　pledge　of　our

love；　than　bring　into　the　world　an　unhappy　creature　which　might

possibly　cause　its　mother's　death。〃



〃I　pray　you；　sir；　let　no　more　be　said　on　the　subject；　it　is　a

horrible　crime　even　to　think　of　such　a　thing。〃



〃But　what　is　to　be　done？　　Is　it　better　to　destroy　two　persons　and

perhaps　kill　a　whole　family　with　despair？　　Oh；　madame；　I　entreat　you；

extricate　us　from　this　extremity！〃



The　marquis　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　sobbed　as　though　he

were　weeping　copiously。



〃Your　despair　grievously　affects　me；〃　said　the　matron；　〃but　consider

that　for　a　woman　of　my　calling　it　is　a　capital　offence。〃



〃What　are　you　talking　about？　　Do　not　our　mystery；　our　safety；　and　our

credit　come　in　first？



They　can　never　get　at　you　till　after　the　death　and　dishonour　of　all

that　is　dear　to　me　in　the　world。〃



〃I　might　then；　perhaps。　　But　in　this　case　you　must　insure　me　against

legal　complications；　fines；　and　procure　me　a　safe　exit　from　the

kingdom。〃



〃Ah！　that　is　my　affair。　　Take　my　whole　fortune！　　Take　my　life！〃



And　he　threw　the　whole　purse　on　the　table。



〃In　this　case；　and　solely　to　extricate　you　from　the　extreme　danger　in

which　I　see　you　placed；　I　consent　to　give　you　a　decoction；　and

certain　instructions；　which　will　instantly　relieve　the　lady　from　her

burden。　　She　must　use　the　greatest　precauti