la constantin-第15章

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　enough　to　believe　that　the　admiration　she　feels　is　equalled　by　the　admiration　she　inspires；　as　the　unfortunate　Trumeau　found　to　his　cost。　　All　his　carefully　prepared　declarations　of　love；　all　his　skilful　insinuations　against　Quennebert；　brought　him　nothing　but　scornful　rebuffs。　　But　Trumeau　was　nothing　if　not　persevering；　and　he　could　not　habituate　himself　to　the　idea　of　seeing　the　widow's　fortune　pass　into　other　hands　than　his　own；　so　that　every　baffled　move　only　increased　his　determination　to　spoil　his　competitor's　game。　　He　was　always　on　the　watch　for　a　chance　to　carry　tales　to　the　widow；　and　so　absorbed　did　he　become　in　this　fruitless　pursuit；　that　he　grew　yellower　and　more　dried　up　from　day　to　day；　and　to　his　jaundiced　eye　the　man　who　was　at　first　simply　his　rival　became　his　mortal　enemy　and　the　object　of　his　implacable　hate；　so　that　at　length　merely　to　get　the　better　of　him；　to　outwit　him；　would；　after　so　long…continued　and　obstinate　a　struggle　and　so　many　defeats；　have　seemed　to　him　too　mild　a　vengeance；　too　incomplete　a　victory。

Quennebert　was　well　aware　of　the　zeal　with　which　the　indefatigable　Trumeau　sought　to　injure　him。　　But　he　regarded　the　manoeuvres　of　his　rival　with　supreme　unconcern；　for　he　knew　that　he　could　at　any　time　sweep　away　the　network　of　cunning　machinations；　underhand　insinuations；　and　malicious　hints；　which　was　spread　around　him；　by　allowing　the　widow　to　confer　on　him　the　advantages　she　was　so　anxious　to　bestow。　　The　goal；　he　knew；　was　within　his　reach；　but　the　problem　he　had　to　solve　was　how　to　linger　on　the　way　thither；　how　to　defer　the　triumphal　moment；　how　to　keep　hope　alive　in　the　fair　one's　breast　and　yet　delay　its　fruition。　　His　affairs　were　in　a　bad　way。　　Day　by　day　full　possession　of　the　fortune　thus　dangled　before　his　eyes；　and　fragments　of　which　came　to　him　occasionally　by　way　of　loan；　was　becoming　more　and　more　indispensable；　and　tantalising　though　it　was；　yet　he　dared　not　put　out　his　hand　to　seize　it。　　His　creditors　dunned　him　relentlessly：　one　final　reprieve　had　been　granted　him；　but　that　at　an　end；　if　he　could　not　meet　their　demands；　it　was　all　up　with　his　career　and　reputation。

One　morning　in　the　beginning　of　February　1660；　Trumeau　called　to　see　his　cousin。　　He　had　not　been　there　for　nearly　a　month；　and　Quennebert　and　the　widow　had　begun　to　think　that；　hopeless　of　success；　he　had　retired　from　the　contest。　　But；　far　from　that；　his　hatred　had　grown　more　intense　than　ever；　and　having　come　upon　the　traces　of　an　event　in　the　past　life　of　his　rival　which　if　proved　would　be　the　ruin　of　that　rival's　hopes；　he　set　himself　to　gather　evidence。　　He　now　made　his　appearance　with　beaming　looks；　which　expressed　a　joy　too　great　for　words。　　He　held　in　one　hand　a　small　scroll　tied　with　a　ribbon。　He　found　the　widow　alone；　sitting　in　a　large　easy…chair　before　the　fire。　　She　was　reading　for　the　twentieth　time　a　letter　which　Quenriebert　had　written　her　the　evening　before。　　To　judge　by　the　happy　and　contented　expression　of　the　widow's　face；　it　must　have　been　couched　in　glowing　terms。　　Trumeau　guessed　at　once　from　whom　the　missive　came；　but　the　sight　of　it；　instead　of　irritating　him；　called　forth　a　smile。

〃Ah！　　so　it's　you；　cousin？〃　said　the　widow；　folding　the　precious　paper　and　slipping　it　into　the　bosom　of　her　dress。　　〃How　do　you　do？　It's　a　long　time　since　I　saw　you；　more　than　a　fortnight；　I　think。　Have　you　been　ill？〃

〃So　you　remarked　my　absence！　　That　is　very　flattering；　my　dear　cousin；　you　do　not　often　spoil　me　by　such　attentions。　　No；　I　have　not　been　ill；　thank　God；　but　I　thought　it　better　not　to　intrude　upon　you　so　often。　　A　friendly　call　now　and　then　such　as　to…day's　is　what　you　like；　is　it　not？　　By　the　way；　tell　me　about　your　handsome　suitor；　Maitre　Quennebert；　how　is　he　getting　along？〃

〃You　look　very　knowing；　Trumeau　：　have　you　heard　of　anything　happening　to　him？〃

〃No；　and　I　should　be　exceedingly　sorry　to　hear　that　anything　unpleasant　had　happened　to　him。〃

Now　you　are　not　saying　what　you　think；　you　know　you　can't　bear　him。〃

〃Well；　to　speak　the　truth；　I　have　no　great　reason　to　like　him。　　If　it　were　not　for　him；　I　should　perhaps　have　been　happy　to…day；　my　love　might　have　moved　your　heart。　　However；　I　have　become　resigned　to　my　loss；　and　since　your　choice　has　fallen　on　him；and　here　he。　sighed；〃well；　all　I　can　say　is；　I　hope　you　may　never　regret　it。〃

〃Many　thanks　for　your　goodwill；　cousin；　I　am　delighted　to　find　you　in　such　a　benevolent　mood。　　You　must　not　be　vexed　because　I　could　not　give　you　the　kind　of　love　you　wanted；　the　heart；　you　know；　is　not　amenable　to　reason。〃

〃There　is　only　one　thing　I　should　like　to　ask。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　mention　it　for　your　good　more　than　for　my　own。　　If　you　want　to　be　happy；　don't　let　this　handsome　quill…driver　get　you　entirely　into　his　hands。　　You　are　saying　to　yourself　that　because　of　my　ill…success　with　you　I　am　trying　to　injure　him；　but　what　if　I　could　prove　that　he　does　not　love　you　as　much　as　he　pretends？〃

〃Come；　come；　control　your　naughty　tongue！　　Are　you　going　to　begin　backbiting　again？　　You　are　playing　a　mean　part；　Trumeau。　　I　have　never　hinted　to　Maitre　Quennebert　all　the　nasty　little　ways　in　which　you　have　tried　to　put　a　spoke　in　his　wheel；　for　if　he　knew　he　would　ask　you　to　prove　your　words；　and　then　you　would　look　very　foolish。〃。

〃Not　at　all；　I　swear　to　you。　　On　the　contrary；　if　I　were　to　tell　all　I　know　in　his　presence；　it　is　not　I　who　would　be　disconcerted。　　Oh！　I　am　weary　of　meeting　with　nothing　from　you　but　snubs；　scorn；　and　abuse。　　You　think　me　a　slanderer　when　I　say；　'This　gallant　wooer　of　widows　does　not　love　you　for　yourself　but　for　your　money…bags。　　He　fools　you　by　fine　promises；　but　as　to　marrying　younever；　never！'〃

〃May　I　ask　you　to　repeat　that？〃　broke　in　Madame　Rapally；

〃Oh！　I　know　what　I　am　saying。　　You　will　never　be　Madame　Quennebert。〃

〃Really？〃

〃Really。〃

〃Jealousy　has　eaten　away　whatever　brains　you　used　to　possess；　Trumeau。　　Since　I　saw　you　last；　cousin；　important　changes　have　taken　place：　I　was　just　going　to　send　you　to…day　an　invitation　to　my　wedding。〃

〃To　your　wedding？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　to　be　married　to…morrow。〃

〃To…morrow？　　To　Quennebert？〃　stammered　Trumeau。

〃To　Quennebert；〃　repeated　the　widow　in　a　tone　of　triumph。

〃It's　not　possible！〃　exclaimed　Trumeau。

〃It　is　so　possible　that　you　will　see　us　united　tomorrow。　　And　for　the　future　I　must　beg　of　you　to　regard　Quennebert　no　longer　as　a　rival　but　as　my　husband；　whom　to　offend　will　be　to　offend　me。〃

The　tone　in　which　these　words　were　spoken　no　longer　left　room　for　doubt　as　to　the　truth　of　the　news。　　Trumeau　looked　down　for　a　few　moments；　as　if　reflecting　deeply　before　definitely　making　up　his　mind。　　He　twisted　the　little　roll　of　papers　between　his　fingers；　and　seemed　to　be　in　doubt　whether　to　open　it　and　give　it　to　Madame　Rapally　to　read　or　not。　　In　the　end；　however；　he　put　it　in　his　pocket；　rose；　and　approaching　his　cousin；　said

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　this　news　completely　changes　my　opinion。　　From　the　moment　Maitre　Quennebert　becomes　your　husband　I　shall　not　have　a　word　to　say　against　him。　　My　suspicions　were　unjust；　I　confess　it　frankly；　and　I　hope　that　in　consideration　of　the　motives　which　prompted　me　you　will　forget　the　warmth　of　my　attacks。　　I　shall　make　no　protestations；　but　shall　let　the　future　show　how　sincere　is　my　devotion　to　your　interests。〃

Madame　Rapally　was　too　happy；　too　certain　of　being　loved；　not　to　pardon　easily。　　With　the　self…complacency　and　factitious　generosity　of　a　woman　who　feels　herself　the　object　of　two　violent　passions；　she　was　so　good　as　to　feel　pity　for　the　lover　who　was　left　out　in　the　cold；　and　offered　him　her　hand。　　Trumeau　kissed　it　with　every　outward　mark　of　respect；　while　his　lips　curled　unseen　in　a　smite　of　mockery。　The　cousins　parted；　apparently　the　best　of　friends；　and　on　the　understanding　that　Trumeau　would　be　present　at　the　nuptial　benediction；　which　was　to　be　given　in　a　church　beyond　the　town　hall；　near　the　house　in　which　the　newly…married　couple　were　to　live；　the　house　on　the　Pont　Saint…Michel　having　lately　been　sold　to　great　advantage。

〃On　my　word；〃　said　Trumeau；　as　he　went　off；　〃it　would　have　been　a　great　mistake　to　have　spoken。　　I　have　got　that　wretch　of　a　Quennebert　into　my　clutches