la constantin-第14章

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〃What　do　you　desire　to　know；　sir？〃

〃How　is　the　Chevalier　de　Moranges　getting　on？〃

〃Very　badly；　very　badly。〃

〃Take　care；　commander；　don't　deceive　me。　　One　is　so　easily　tempted　to　believe　what　one　hopes；　and　I　hope　so　strongly　that　I　dare　not　believe　what　you　say。　　I　saw　you　coming　out　of　the　house；　not　at　all　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　just　heard　bad　news；　（quite　the　contrary：　you　looked　at　the　sky；　and　rubbed　your　hands；　and　walked　with　a　light；　quick　step；　that　did　not　speak　of　grief。〃

〃You're　a　sharp　observer；　sir。〃

〃I　have　already　explained　to　you；　sir；　that　when　one　of　us　belonging　to　a　class　hardly　better　than　serfs　succeeds　by　chance　or　force　of　character　in　getting　out　of　the　narrow　bounds　in　which　he　was　born；　he　must　keep　both　eyes　and　ears　open。　　If　I　had　doubted　your　word　as　you　have　doubted　mine　on　the　merest　suspicion；　you　would　have　said　to　your　servants；　'Chastise　this　rascal。'　　But　I　am　obliged　to　prove　to　you　that　you　did　not　tell　me　the　truth。　　Now　I　am　sure　that　the　chevalier　is　out　of　danger。〃

〃If　you　were　so　well　informed　why　did　you　ask　me？〃

〃I　only　knew　it　by　your　asserting　the　contrary。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　de　Jars；　who　was　growing　restive　under　this　cold；　satirical　politeness。

〃Do　me　justice；　commander。　　The　bit　chafes；　but　yet　you　must　acknowledge　that　I　have　a　light　hand。　　For　a　full　week　you　have　been　in　my　power。　　Have　I　disturbed　your　quiet？　　Have　I　betrayed　your　secret？　　You　know　I　have　not。　　And　I　shall　continue　to　act　in　the　same　manner。　　I　hope　with　all　my　heart；　however　great　would　be　your　grief；　that　the　chevalier　may　die　of　his　wound。　　I　have　not　the　same　reasons　for　loving　him　that　you　have；　so　much　you　can　readily　understand；　even　if　I　do　not　explain　the　cause　of　my　interest　in　his　fate。　　But　in　such　a　matter　hopes　count　for　nothing；　they　cannot　make　his　temperature　either　rise　or　fall。　　I　have　told　you　I　have　no　wish　to　force　the　chevalier　to　resume　his　real　name。　　I　may　make　use　of　the　document　and　I　may　not；　but　if　I　am　obliged　to　use　it　I　shall　give　you　warning。　　Will　you；　in　return；　swear　to　me　upon　your　honour　that　you　will　keep　me　informed　as　to　the　fate　of　the　chevalier；　whether　you　remain　in　Paris　or　whether　you　leave？　　But　let　this　agreement　be　a　secret　between　us；　and　do　not　mention　it　to　the　so…called　Moranges。〃

〃I　have　your　oath；　monsieur；　that　you　will　give　me　notice　before　you　use　the　document　I　have　given　you　against　me；　have　I？　　But　what　guarantee　have　I　that　you　will　keep　your　word？〃

〃My　course　of　action　till　to…day；　and　the　fact　that　I　have　pledged　you　my　word　of　my　own　free　will。〃

〃I　see；　you　hope　not　to　have　long　to　wait　for　the　end。〃

〃I　hope　not；　but　meantime　a　premature　disclosure　would　do　me　as　much　harm　as　you。　　I　have　not　the　slightest　rancour　against　you；　commander；　you　have　robbed　me　of　no　treasure；　I　have　therefore　no　compensation　to　demand。　　What　you　place　such　value　on　would　be　only　a　burden　to　me；　as　it　will　be　to　you　later　on。　　All　I　want　is；　to　know　as　soon　as　it　is　no　longer　in　your　possession；　whether　it　has　been　removed　by　the　will　of　God　or　by　your　own；　I　am　right　in　thinking　that　to…day　there　is　some　hope　of　the　chevalier's　recovery；　am　I　not？〃

〃Yes；　Sir；〃

〃Do　you　give　me　your　promise　that　if　ever　he　leave　this　house　safe　and　sound　you　will　let　me　know？〃

〃I　give　you　my　promise；〃

〃And　if　the　result　should　be　different；　you　will　also　send　me　word？〃

〃Certainly。　　But　to　whom　shall　I　address　my　message？〃

〃I　should　have　thought　that　since　our　first　meeting　you　would　have　found　out　all　about　me；　and　that　to　tell　you　my　name　would　be　superfluous。　　But　I　have　no　reason　to　hide　it：　Maitre　Quennebert；　notary；　Saint…Denis。　　I　will　not　detain　you　any　longer　now；　commander；　excuse　a　simple　citizen　for　dictating　conditions　to　a　noble　such　as　you。　　For　once　chance　has　been　on　my　side　although　a　score　of　times　it　has　gone　against　me。

De　Jars　made　no　reply　except　a　nod；　and　walked　away　quickly；　muttering　words　of　suppressed　anger　between　his　teeth　at　all　the　humiliations　to　which　he　had　been　obliged　to　submit　so　meekly。

〃He's　as　insolent　as　a　varlet　who　has　no　fear　of　a　larruping　before　his　eyes：　how　the　rapscallion　gloried　in　taking　advantage　of　his　position！　　Taking…off　his　hat　while　putting　his　foot　on　my　neck！　　If　ever　I　can　be　even　with　you；　my　worthy　scrivener；　you'll　pass　a　very　bad　quarter　of　an　hour；　I　can　tell　you。〃

Everyone　has　his　own　idea　of　what　constitutes　perfect　honour。　　De　Jars；　for　instance；　would　have　allowed　himself　to　be　cut　up　into　little　pieces　rather　than　have　broken　the　promise　he　had　given　Quennebert　a　week　ago；　because　it　was　given　in　exchange　for　his　life；　and　the　slightest　paltering　with　his　word　under　those　circumstances　would　have　been　dastardly。　　But　the　engagement　into　which　he　had　just　entered　had　in　his　eyes　no　such　moral　sanction；　he　had　not　been　forced　into　it　by　threats；　he　had　escaped　by　its　means　no　serious　danger；　and　therefore　in　regard　to　it　his　conscience　was　much　more　accommodating。　　What　he　should　best　have　liked　to　do；　would　have　been　to　have　sought　out　the　notary　and　provoked　him　by　insults　to　send　him　a　challenge。

That　a　clown　such　as　that　could　have　any　chance　of　leaving　the　ground　alive　never　entered　his　head。　　But　willingly　as　he　would　have　encompassed　his　death　in　this　manner；　the　knowledge　that　his　secret　would　not　die　with　Quennebert　restrained　him；　for　when　everything　came　out　he　felt　that　the　notary's　death　would　be　regarded　as　an　aggravation　of　his　original　offence；　and　in　spite　of　his　rank　he　was　not　at　all　certain　that　if　he　were　put　on　his　trial　even　now　he　would　escape　scot　free；　much　less　if　a　new　offence　were　added　to　the　indictment。　　So；　however　much　he　might　chafe　against　the　bit；　he　felt　he　must　submit　to　the　bridle。

〃By　God！〃　said　he；　〃I　know　what　the　clodhopper　is　after；　and　even　if　I　must　suffer　in　consequence；　I　shall　take　good　care　that　he　cannot　shake　off　his　bonds。　　Wait　a　bit！　　I　can　play　the　detective　too；　and　be　down　on　him　without　letting　him　see　the　hand　that　deals　the　blows。　It'll　be　a　wonder　if　I　can't　find　a　naked　sword　to　suspend　above　his　head。〃

However；　while　thus　brooding　over　projects　of　vengeance；　Commander　de　Jars　kept　his　word；　and　about　a　month　after　the　interview　above　related　he　sent　word　to　Quennebert　that　the　Chevalier　de　Moranges　had　left　Perregaud's　completely　recovered　from　his　wound。　　But　the　nearly　fatal　result　of　the　chevalier's　last　prank　seemed　to　have　subdued　his　adventurous　spirit；　he　was　no　longer　seen　in　public；　and　was　soon　forgotten　by　all　his　acquaintances　with　the　exception　of　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi。　　She　faithfully　treasured　up　the　memory　of　his　words　of　passion；　his　looks　of　love；　the　warmth　of　his　caresses；　although　at　first　she　struggled　hard　to　chase　his　image　from　her　heart。　　But　as　the　Due　de　Vitry　assured　her　that　he　had　killed　him　on　the　spot；　she　considered　it　no　breach　of　faith　to　think　lovingly　of　the　dead；　and　while　she　took　the　goods　so　bounteously　provided　by　her　living　lover；　her　gentlest　thoughts；　her　most　enduring　regrets；　were　given　to　one　whom　she　never　hoped　to　see　again。




CHAPTER　VIII

With　the　reader's　permission；　we　must　now　jump　over　an　interval　of　rather　more　than　a　year；　and　bring　upon　the　stage　a　person　who；　though　only　of　secondary　importance；　can　no　longer　be　left　behind　the　scenes。

We　have　already　said　that　the　loves　of　Quennebert　and　Madame　Rapally　were　regarded　with　a　jealous　eye　by　a　distant　cousin　of　the　lady's　late　husband。　　The　love　of　this　rejected　suitor；　whose　name　was　Trumeau；　was　no　more　sincere　than　the　notary's；　nor　were　his　motives　more　honourable。　　Although　his　personal　appearance　was　not　such　as　to　lead　him　to　expect　that　his　path　would　be　strewn　with　conquests；　he　considered　that　his　charms　at　least　equalled　those　of　his　defunct　relative；　and　it　may　be　said　that　in　thus　estimating　them　he　did　not　lay　himselfopen　to　the　charge　of　overweening　vanity。　　But　however　persistently　he　preened　him　self　before　the　widow；　she　vouchsafed　him　not　one　glance。　　Her　heart　was　filled　with　the　love　of　his　rival；　and　it　is　no　easy　thing　to　tear　a　rooted　passion　out　of　a　widow's　heart　when　that　widow's　age　is　forty…six；　and　she　is　silly　eno