the crystal stopper-第53章

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to　Clarisse　Mergy　and　told　her　the　news　of　the　day　…　part　of　which；　for　that　matter；　she　already　knew　…　I　felt　two　　things　very　thoroughly。　　One　was　that　I　entertained　for　her　a　much　deeper　feeling　than　I　thought；　the　other　that　she；　on　the　contrary；　entertained　for　me　a　feeling　which　was　not　without　contempt；　not　without　a　rankling　grudge　nor　even　a　certain　aversion。〃

〃Nonsense！　　Why？〃

〃Why？　　Because　Clarisse　Mergy　is　an　exceedingly　honest　woman　and　because　I　am。。。　just　Arsene　Lupin。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃Dear　me；　yes；　an　attractive　bandit；　a　romantic　and　chivalrous　cracksman；　anything　you　please。　　For　all　that；　in　the　eyes　of　a　really　honest　woman；　with　an　upright　nature　and　a　well…balanced　mind；　I　am　only　only　the　merest　riff…raff。〃

I　saw　that　the　wound　was　sharper　than　he　was　willing　to　admit；　and　I　said：

〃So　you　really　loved　her？〃　

〃I　even　believe；〃　he　said；　in　a　jesting　tone；　〃that　I　asked　her　to　marry　me。　　After　all；　I　had　saved　her　son；　had　I　not？。。。　So。。。　I　thought。　What　a　rebuff！。。。　It　produced　a　coolness　between　us。。。　Since　then。。。　〃

〃You　have　forgotten　her？〃

〃Oh；　certainly！　　But　it　required　the　consolations　of　one　Italian；　two　Americans；　three　Russians；　a　German　grand…duchess　and　a　Chinawoman　to　do　it！〃

〃And；　after　that。。。　？〃

〃After　that；　so　as　to　place　an　insuperable　barrier　between　myself　and　her；　I　got　married。〃

〃Nonsense！　　You　got　married；　you；　Arsene　Lupin？〃

〃Married；　wedded；　spliced；　in　the　most　lawful　fashion。　　One　of　the　greatest　names　in　France。　　An　only　daughter。　　A　colossal　fortune。。。　What！　You　don't　know　the　story？　　Well；　it's　worth　hearing。〃

And；　straightway；　Lupin；　who　was　in　a　confidential　vein；　began　to　tell　me　the　story　of　his　marriage　to　Angelique　de　Sarzeau…Vendome；　Princesse　de　Bourbon…Conde；　to…day　Sister　Marie…Auguste；　a　humble　nun　in　the　Visitation　Convent。。。　*　________________________________________________________________________

*See　The　Confessions　of　Arsene　Lupin　By　Maurice　Leblanc　Translated　by　　Alexander　Teixeira　de　Mattos　________________________________________________________________________

But；　after　the　first　few　words；　he　stopped；　as　though　his　narrative　had　suddenly　ceased　to　interest　him；　and　he　remained　pensive。

〃What's　the　matter；　Lupin？〃

〃The　matter？　Nothing。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　。。。　There。。。　now　you're　smiling。。。　Is　it　Daubrecq's　secret　receptacle；　his　glass　eye；　that's　making　you　laugh？〃

〃Not　at　all。〃

〃What　then？〃

〃Nothing；　I　tell　you　。　。　only　a　memory。〃

〃A　pleasant　memory？〃

〃Yes！。。。　Yes；　a　delightful　memory　even。　　It　was　at　night；　off　the　Ile　de　Re；　on　the　fishingsmack　in　which　Clarisse　and　I　were　taking　Gilbert　away。　。。。　We　were　alone；　the　two　of　us；　m　the　stern　of　the　boat。。。　And　I　remember　。。。　I　talked。。。　I　spoke　words　and　more　words。。。　I　said　all　that　I　had　on　my　heart。。。　And　then。。。then　came　silence；　a　perturbing　and　disarming　silence。　　　　　'

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　I　swear　to　you　that　the　woman　whom　I　took　in　my　arms　that　night　and　kissed　on　the　lips　　…　　oh；　not　for　long：　a　few　seconds　only；　but　no　matter！　…　I　swear　before　heaven　that　she　was　something　more　than　a　　grateful　mother；　something　more　than　a　friend　yielding　to　a　moment　of　susceptibility；　that　she　was　a　woman　also；　a　woman　quivering　with　emotion　。。。　〃　　And　he　continued；　with　a　bitter　laugh；　〃Who　ran　away　next　day；　never　to　see　me　again。〃

He　was　silent　once　more。　　Then　he　whispered：

〃Clarisse。。。　Clarisse。。。　On　the　day　when　I　am　tired　and　disappointed　and　weary　of　life；　I　will　come　to　you　down　there；　in　your　little　Arab　house　。。。　in　that　little　white　house；　Clarisse；　where　you　are　waiting　for　me。。。





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