martin guerre-第7章

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penetrates　and　circulates　through　the　whole　system；　corrupting　the

blood　and　affecting　the　very　sources　of　life　until　it　causes　the

destruction　of　the　whole　body；　so　does　that　mental　poison；　suspicion；

extend　its　ravages　in　the　soul　which　has　received　it。　　Bertrande

remembered　with　terror　her　first　feelings　at　the　sight　of　the

returned　Martin　Guerre；　her　involuntary　repugnance；　her　astonishment

at　not　feeling　more　in　touch　with　the　husband　whom　she　had　so

sincerely　regretted。　　She　remembered　also；　as　if　she　saw　it　for　the

first　time；　that　Martin；　formerly　quick；　lively；　and　hasty　tempered；

now　seemed　thoughtful；　and　fully　master　of　himself。



This　change　of　character　she　had　supposed　due　to　the　natural

development　of　age；　she　now　trembled　at　the　idea　of　another　possible

cause。　　Some　other　little　details　began　to　occur　to　her　mindthe

forgetfulness　or　abstraction　of　her　husband　as　to　a　few　insignificant

things；　thus　it　sometimes　happened　that　he　did　not　answer　to　his　name

of　Martin；　also　that　he　mistook　the　road　to　a　hermitage；　formerly

well　known　to　them　both；　and　again　that　he　could　not　answer　when

addressed　in　Basque；　although　he　him　self　had　taught　her　the　little

she　knew　of　this　language。　　Besides；　since　his　return；　he　would　never

write　in　her　presence；　did　he　fear　that　she　would　notice　some

difference？　　She　had　paid　little　or　no　attention　to　these　trifles；

now；　pieced　together；　they　assumed　an　alarming　importance。　　An

appalling　terror　seized　Bertrande：　was　she　to　remain　in　this

uncertainty；　or　should　she　seek　an　explanation　which　might　prove　her

destruction？　　And　how　discover　the　truthby　questioning　the　guilty

man；　by　noting　his　confusion；　his　change　of　colour；　by　forcing　a

confession　from　him？　　But　she　had　lived　with　him　for　two　years；　he

was　the　father　of　her　child；　she　could　not　ruin　him　without　ruining

herself；　and；　an　explanation　once　sought；　she　could　neither　punish

him　and　escape　disgrace；　nor　pardon　him　without　sharing　his　guilt。

To　reproach　him　with　his　conduct　and　then　keep　silence　would　destroy

her　peace　for　ever；　to　cause　a　scandal　by　denouncing　him　would　bring

dishonour　upon　herself　and　her　child。　　Night　found　her　involved　in

these　hideous　perplexities；　too　weak　to　surmount　them；　an　icy　chill

came　over　her；　she　went　to　bed；　and　awoke　in　a　high　fever。　　For

several　days　she　hovered　between　life　and　death；　and　Martin　Guerre

bestowed　the　most　tender　care　upon　her。　　She　was　greatly　moved

thereby；　having　one　of　those　impressionable　minds　which　recognise

kindness　fully　as　much　as　injury。　　When　she　was　a　little　recovered

and　her　mental　power　began　to　return；　she　had　only　a　vague

recollection　of　what　had　occurred；　and　thought　she　had　had　a

frightful　dream。　　She　asked　if　Pierre　Guerre　had　been　to　see　her；　and

found　he　had　not　been　near　the　house。　　This　could　only　be　explained

by　the　scene　which　had　taken　place；　and　she　then　recollected　all　the

accusation　Pierre　had　made；　her　own　observations　which　had　confirmed

it；　all　her　grief　and　trouble。　　She　inquired　about　the　village　news。

Pierre；　evidently；　had　kept　silence　why？　　Had　he　seen　that　his

suspicions　were　unjust；　or　was　he　only　seeking　further　evidence？　　She

sank　back　into　her　cruel　uncertainty；　and　resolved　to　watch　Martin

closely；　before　deciding　as　to　his　guilt　or　innocence。



How　was　she　to　suppose　that　God　had　created　two　faces　so　exactly

alike；　two　beings　precisely　similar；　and　then　sent　them　together　into

the　world；　and　on　the　same　track；　merely　to　compass　the　ruin　of　an

unhappy　woman！　　A　terrible　idea　took　possession　of　her　mind；　an　idea

not　uncommon　in　an　age　of　superstition；　namely；　that　the　Enemy

himself　could　assume　human　form；　and　could　borrow　the　semblance　of　a

dead　man　in　order　to　capture　another　soul　for　his　infernal　kingdom。

Acting　on　this　idea；　she　hastened　to　the　church；　paid　for　masses　to

be　said；　and　prayed　fervently。　　She　expected　every　day　to　see　the

demon　forsake　the　body　he　had　animated；　but　her　vows；　offerings；　and

prayers　had　no　result。　　But　Heaven　sent　her　an　idea　which　she

wondered　had　not　occurred　to　her　sooner。　　〃If　the　Tempter；〃　　she　said

to　herself；　〃has　taken　the　form　of　my　beloved　husband；　his　power

being　supreme　for　evil；　the　resemblance　would　be　exact；　and　no

difference；　however　slight；　would　exist。　　If；　however；　it　is　only

another　man　who　resembles　him；　God　must　have　made　them　with　some

slight　distinguishing　marks。〃



She　then　remembered；　what　she　had　not　thought　of　before；　having　been

quite　unsuspicious　before　her　uncle's　accusation；　and　nearly　out　of

her　mind　between　mental　and　bodily　suffering　since。　　She　remembered

that　on　her　husband's　left　shoulder；　almost　on　the　neck；　there　used

to　be　one　of　those　small；　almost　imperceptible；　but　ineffaceable

birthmarks。　　Martin　wore　his　hair　very　long；　it　was　difficult　to　see

if　the　mark　were　there　or　not。　　One　night；　while　he　slept；　Bertrande

cut　away　a　lock　of　hair　from　the　place　where　this　sign　ought　to　be

it　was　not　there！



Convinced　at　length　of　the　deception；　Bertrande　suffered

inexpressible　anguish。　　This　man　whom　she　had　loved　and　respected　for

two　whole　years；　whom　she　had　taken　to　her　heart　as　a　husband

bitterly　mourned　forthis　man　was　a　cheat；　an　infamous　impostor；　and

she；　all　unknowing；　was　yet　a　guilty　woman！　　Her　child　was

illegitimate；　and　the　curse　of　Heaven　was　due　to　this　sacrilegious

union。　　To　complete　the　misfortune；　she　was　already　expecting　another

infant。　　She　would　have　killed　herself；　but　her　religion　and　the　love

of　her　children　forbade　it。　　Kneeling　before　her　child's　cradle；　she

entreated　pardon　from　the　father　of　the　one　for　the　father　of　the

other。　　She　would　not　bring　herself　to　proclaim　aloud　their　infamy。



〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃thou　whom　I　loved；　thou　who　art　no　more；　thou

knowest　no　guilty　thought　ever　entered　my　mind！　　When　I　saw　this　man；

I　thought　I　beheld　thee；　when　I　was　happy；　I　thought　I　owed　it　to

thee；　it　was　thee　whom　I　loved　in　him。　　Surely　thou　dost　not　desire

that　by　a　public　avowal　I　should　bring　shame　and　disgrace　on　these

children　and　on　myself。〃



She　rose　calm　and　strengthened：　it　seemed　as　if　a　heavenly

inspiration　had　marked　out　her　duty。　　To　suffer　in　silence；　such　was

the　course　she　adopted；a　life　of　sacrifice　and　self…denial　which

she　offered　to　God　as　an　expiation　for　her　involuntary　sin。　　But　who

can　understand　the　workings　of　the　human　heart？　　This　man　whom　she

ought　to　have　loathed；　this　man　who　had　made　her　an　innocent　partner

in　his　crime；　this　unmasked　impostor　whom　she　should　have　beheld　only

with　disgust；　she…loved　him！　　The　force　of　habit；　the　ascendancy　he

had　obtained　over　her；　the　love　he　had　shown　her；　a　thousand

sympathies　felt　in　her　inmost　heart；　all　these　had　so　much　influence；

that；　instead　of　accusing　and　cursing　him；　she　sought　to　excuse　him

on　the　plea　of　a　passion　to　which；　doubtless；　he　had　yielded　when

usurping　the　name　and　place　of　another。　　She　feared　punishment　for

him　yet　more　than　disgrace　for　herself；　and　though　resolved　to　no

longer　allow　him　the　rights　purchased　by　crime；　she　yet　trembled　at

the　idea　of　losing　his　love。　　It　was　this　above　all　which　decided　her

to　keep　eternal　silence　about　her　discovery；　one　single　word　which

proved　that　his　imposture　was　known　would　raise　an　insurmountable

barrier　between　them。



To　conceal　her　trouble　entirely　was；　however；　beyond　her　power；　her

eyes　frequently　showed　traces　of　her　secret　tears。　　Martin　several

times　asked　the　cause　of　her　sorrow；　she　tried　to　smile　and　excuse

herself；　only　immediately　sinking　back　into　her　gloomy　thoughts。

Martin　thought　it　mere　caprice；　he　observed　her　loss　of　colour；　her

hollow　cheeks；　and　concluded　that　age　was　impairing　her　beauty；　and

became　less　attentive　to　her。　　His　absences　became　longer　and　more

frequent；　and　he　did　not　conceal　his　impatience　and　annoyance　at

being　watched；　for　her　looks　hung　upon　his；　and　she　observed　his

coldness　and　change　with　much　grief。