la constantin-第6章

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；　'I　love　no　one　else！'〃

Jeannin；　who　was　as　fat　as　a　stage　financier；　paused　here　to　gasp；　for　the　utterance　of　this　string　of　banalities；　this　rigmarole　of　commonplaces；　had　left　him　breathless。　　He　was　very　much　dissatisfied　with　his　performance；　and　ready　to　curse　his　barren　imagination。　　He　longed　to　hit　upon　swelling　phrases　and　natural　and　touching　gestures；　but　in　vain。　　He　could　only　look　at　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　with　a　miserable；　heart…broken　air。　　She　remained　quietly　seated；　with　the　same　expression　of　incredulity　on　her　features。

So　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　go　on　once　more。

〃But　this　one　assurance　that　I　ask　you　will　not　give。　　So　what　I　havebeen　told　is　true：　you　have　given　your　love　to　him。〃

She　could　not　check　a　startled　movement。

〃You　see　it　is　only　when　I　speak　of　him　that　I　can　overcome　in　you　the　insensibility　which　is　killing　me。　　My　suspicions　were　true　after　all：　you　deceived　me　for　his　sake。　　Oh！　the　instinctive　feeling　of　jealousy　was　right　which　forced　me　to　quarrel　with　that　man；　to　reject　the　perfidious　friendship　which　he　tried　to　force　upon　me。　　He　has　returned　to　town；　and　we　shall　meet！　　But　why　do　I　say　'returned'？　　Perhaps　he　only　pretended　to　go　away；　and　safe　in　this　retreat　has　flouted　with　impunity；　my　despair　and　braved　my　vengeance！〃

Up　to　this　the　lady　had　played　a　waiting　game；　but　now　she　grew　quite　confused；　trying　to　discover　the　thread　of　the　treasurer's　thoughts。　To　whom　did　he　refer？　　The　Duc　de　Vitry？　　That　had　been　her　first　impression。　　But　the　duke　had　only　been　acquainted　with　her　for　a　few　monthssince　she　hadleft　Court。　　He　could　not　therefore　have　excited　the　jealousy　of　her　whilom　lover；　and　if　it　were　not　he；　to　whom　did　the　words　about　rejecting　〃perfidious　friendship；〃　and　〃returned　to　town；〃　and　so　on；　apply？　　Jeannin　divined　her　embarrassment；　and　was　not　a　little　proud　of　the　tactics　which　would；　he　was　almost　sure；　force　her　to　expose　herself。　　For　there　are　certain　women　who　can　be　thrown　into　cruel　perplexity　by　speaking　to　them　of　their　love…passages　without　affixing　a　proper　name　label　to　each。　　They　are　placed　as　it　were　on　the　edge　of　an　abyss；　and　forced　to　feel　their　way　in　darkness。　　To　say　〃You　have　loved〃　almost　obliges　them　to　ask　〃Whom？〃

Nevertheless；　this　was　not　the　word　uttered　by　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　while　she　ran　through　in　her　head　a　list　of　possibilities。　Her　answer　was

〃Your　language　astonishes　me；　I　don't　understand　what　you　mean。〃

The　ice　was　broken；　and　the　treasurer　made　a　plunge。　　Seizing　one　of　Angelique's　hands；　he　asked

〃Have　you　never　seen　Commander　de　Jars　since　then？〃

〃Commander　de　Jars！〃　exclaimed　Angelique。

〃Can　you　swear　to　me；　Angelique；　that　you　love　him　not？〃

〃Mon　Dieu！　　What　put　it　into　your　head　that　I　ever　cared　for　him？　It's　over　four　months　since　I　saw　him　last；　and　I　hadn't　an　idea　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　　So　he　has　been　out　of　town？　　That's　the　first　I　heard　of　it。〃

〃My　fortune　is　yours；　Angelique！　　Oh！　assure　me　once　again　that　you　do　not　love　himthat　you　never　loved　him！〃　he　pleaded　in　a　faltering　voice；　fixing　a　look　of　painful　anxiety　upon　her。

He　had　no　intention　of　putting　her　out　of　countenance　by　the　course　he　took；　he　knew　quite　well　that　a　woman　like　Angelique　is　never　more　at　her　ease　than　when　she　has　a　chance　of　telling　an　untruth　of　this　nature。　　Besides；　he　had　prefaced　this　appeal　by　the　magic　words；　〃My　fortune'　is　yours！〃　and　the　hope　thus　aroused　was　well　worth　a　perjury。　　So　she　answered　boldly　and　in　a　steady　voice；　while　she　looked　straight　into　his　eyes

〃Never！〃

〃I　believe　you！〃　exclaimed　Jeannin；　going　down　on　his　knees　and　covering　with　his　kisses　the　hand　he　still　held。　　〃I　can　taste　happiness　again。　　Listen；　Angelique。　　I　am　leaving　Paris；　my　mother　is　dead；　and　I　am　going　back　to　Spain。　　Will　you　follow　me　thither？〃

〃I…follow　you？〃

〃I　hesitated　long　before　finding　you　out；　so　much　did　I　fear　a　repulse。　　I　set　out　to…morrow。　　Quit　Paris；　leave　the　world　which　has　slandered　you；　and　come　with　me。　　In　a　fortnight　we　shall　be　man　and　wife。〃

〃You　are　not　in　earnest！〃

〃May　I　expire　at　your　feet　if　I　am　not！　　Do　you　want　me　to　sign　the　oath　with　my　blood？〃

〃Rise；〃　she　said　in　a　broken　voice。　　〃Have　I　at　last　found　a　man　to　love　me　and　compensate　me　for　all　the　abuse　that　has　been　showered　on　my　head？　　A　thousand　times　I　thank　you；　not　for　what　you　are　doing　for　me；　but　for　the　balm　you　pour　on　my　wounded　spirit。　　Even　if　you　were　to　say　to　me　now；　'After　all；　I　am　obliged　to　give　you　up'　the　pleasure　of　knowing　you　esteem　me　would　make　up　for　all　the　rest。　　It　would　be　another　happy　memory　to　treasure　along　with　my　memory　of　our　love；　which　was　ineffaceable；　although　you　so　ungratefully　suspected　me　of　having　deceived　you。〃

The　treasurer　appeared　fairly　intoxicated　with　joy。　　He　indulged　in　a　thousand　ridiculous　extravagances　and　exaggerations；　and　declared　himself　the　happiest　of　men。　　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi；　who　was　desirous　of　being　prepared　for　every　peril；　asked　him　in　a　coaxing　tone

〃Who　can　have　put　it　into　your　head　to　be　jealous　of　the　commander？　Has　he　been　base　enough　to　boast　that　I　ever　gave　him　my　love？〃

〃No；　he　never　said　anything　about　you；　but　someway　I　was　afraid。〃

She　renewed　her　assurances。　　The　conversation　continued　some　time　in　a　sentimental　tone。　　A　thousand　oaths；　a　thousand　protestations　of　love　were；　exchanged。　　Jeannin　feared　that　the　suddenness　of　their　journey　would　inconvenience　his　mistress；　and　offered　to　put　it　off　for　some　days；　but　to　this　she　would　not　consent；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the　next　day　at　noon　a　carriage　should　call　at　the　house　and　take　Angelique　out　of　town　to…　an　appointed　place　at　which　the　treasurer　was　to　join　her。

Maitre　Quennebert；　eye　and　ear　on　the　alert；　had　not　lost　a　word　of　this　conversation；　and　the　last　proposition　of　the　treasurer　changed　his　ideas。

〃Pardieu！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃it　looks　as　if　this　good　man　were　really　going　to　let　himself　be　taken　in　and　done　for。　　It　is　singular　how　very　clear…sighted　we　can　be　about　things　that　don't　touch　us。　This　poor　fly　is　going　to　let　himself　be　caught　by　a　very　clever　spider；　or　I'm　much　mistaken。　　Very　likely　my　widow　is　quite　of　my　opinion；　and　yet　in　what　concerns　herself　she　will　remain　stone…blind。　　Well；　such　is　life！　　We　have　only　two　parts　to　choose　between：　we　must　be　either　knave　or　fool。　　What's　Madame　Rapally　doing；　I　wonder？〃

At　this　moment　he　heard　a　stifled　whisper　from　the　opposite　corner　of　the　room；　but；　protected　by　the　distance　and　the　darkness；　he　let　the　widow　murmur　on；　and　applied　his　eye　once　more　to　his　peephole。　　What　he　saw　confirmed　his　opinion。　　The　damsel　was　springing　up　and　down；　laughing；　gesticulating；　and　congratulating　herself　on　her　unexpected　good　fortune。

〃Just　imagine！　　He　loves　me　like　that！〃　she　was　saying　to　herself。　〃Poor　Jeannin！　　When　I　remember　how　I　used　to　hesitate。　　How　fortunate　that　Commander　de　Jars；　one　of　the　most　vain　and　indiscreet　of　men；　never　babbled　about　me！　　Yes；　we　must　leave　town　to…morrow　without　fail。　　I　must　not　give　him　time　to　be　enlightened　by　a　chance　word。　　But　the　Duc　de　Vitry？　　I　am　really　sorry　for　him。　　However；　why　did　he　go　away；　and　send　no　word？　　And　then；　he's　a　married　man。　Ah！　if　I　could　only　get　back　again　to　court　some　day！。。。　　Who　would　ever　have　expected　such　a　thing？　　Good　God！　　I　must　keep　talking　to　myself；　to　be　sure　I'm　not　dreaming。　　Yes；　he　was　there；　just　now；　at　my　feet；　saying　to　me；　'Angelique；　you　are　going　to　become　my　wife。'　One　thing　is　sure；　he　may　safely　entrust　his　honour　to　my　care。　　It　would　be　infamous　to　betray　a　man　who　loves　me　as　he　does；　who　will　give　me　his　name。　　Never；　no；　never　will　I　give　him　cause　to　reproach　me！　　I　would　rather　

A　loud　and　confused　noise　on　the　stairs　interrupted　this　soliloquy。　At　one　moment　bursts　of　laughter　were　heard；　and　the　next　angry　voices。　　Then　a　loud　exclamation；　followed　by　a　short　silence。　　Being　alarmed　at　this　disturbance　in　a　house　which　was　usually　so　quiet；　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　approached　the　door　of　her　room；　intending　either　to　call　for　protection　or　to　lock　herself　in；　when　suddenly　it　was　violently　pushed　open。　　She　recoiled　w