la constantin-第9章

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　service。　　How　much　more　eagerly　would　I　die　for　you；　madam；　whose　beauty　has　ravished　my　heart！　　What　do　you　demand　of　me？　　Tell　me　what　you　desire　me　to　do。〃

〃Prevent　this　duel；　don't　allow　an　interview　to　take　place　between　your　uncle　and　the　man　whom　he　mentioned。　　Tell　me　you　will　do　this；　and　I　shall　be　safe；　for　you　have　never　learned　to　lie；　I　know。〃

〃Of　course　he　hasn't；　you　may　be　sure　of　that；　you　simpleton！〃　muttered　Maitre　Quennebert　in　his　corner。　　〃If　you　only　knew　what　a　mere　novice　you　are　at　that　game　compared　with　the　chevalier！　　If　you　only　knew　whom　you　had　before　you！〃

〃At　your　age；〃　went　on　Angelique；　〃one　cannot　feignthe　heart　is　not　yet　hardened；　and　is　capable　of　compassion。　　But　a　dreadful　idea　occurs　to　mea　horrible　suspicion！　　Is　it　all　a　devilish　tricka　snare　arranged　in　joke？　　Tell　me　that　it　is　not　all　a　pretence！　　A　poor　woman　encounters　so　much　perfidy。　　Men　amuse　themselves　by　troubling　her　heart　and　confusing　her　mind；　they　excite　her　vanity；　they　compass　her　round　with　homage；　with　flattery；　with　temptation；　and　when　they　grow　tired　of　fooling　her；　they　despise　and　insult　her。　Tell　me；　was　this　all　a　preconcerted　plan？　　This　love；　this　jealousy；　were　they　only　acted？〃

〃Oh；　madame；〃　broke　in　the　chevalier；　with　an　expression　of　the　deepest　indignation；　〃how　can　you　for　an　instant　imagine　that　a　human　heart　could　be　so　perverted？　　I　am　not　acquainted　with　the　man　whom　the　commander　accused　you　of　loving；　but　whoever　he　may　be　I　feel　sure　that　he　is　worthy　of　your　love；　and　that　he　would　never　have　consented　to　such　a　dastardly　joke。　　Neither　would　my　uncle；　his　jealousy　mastered　him　and　drove　him　mad

But　I　am　not　dependent　on　him；　I　am　my　own　master；　and　can　do　as　I　please。　　I　will　hinder　this　duel；　I　will　not　allow　the　illusion　and　ignorance　of　him　who　loves　you　and；　alas　that　I　must　say　it；　whom　you　love；　to　be　dispelled；　for　it　is　in　them　he　finds　his　happiness。　　Be　happy　with　him！　　As　for　me；　I　shall　never　see　you　again；　but　the　recollection　of　this　meeting；　the　joy　of　having　served　you；　will　be　my　consolation。〃

Angelique　raised　her　beautiful　eyes；　and　gave　the　chevalier　a　long　look　which　expressed　her　gratitude　more　eloquently　than　words。

〃May　I　be　hanged！〃　thought　Maitre　Quennebert；　〃if　the　baggage　isn't　making　eyes　at　him　already！　　But　one　who　is　drowning　clutches　at　a　straw。〃

〃Enough；　madam；〃　said　the　chevalier；　〃I　understand　all　you　would　say。　You　thank　me　in　his　name；　and　ask　me　to　leave　you：　I　obey…yes；　madame；　I　am　going；　at　the　risk　of　my　life　I　will　prevent　this　meeting；　I　will　stifle　this　fatal　revelation。　　But　grant　me　one　last　prayer…permit　me　to　look　forward　to　seeing　you　once　more　before　I　leave　this　city；　to　which　I　wish　I　had　never　come。　　But　I　shall　quit　it　in　a　day　or　two；　to…morrow　perhapsas　soon　as　I　know　that　your　happiness　is　assured。　　Oh！　　do　not　refuse　my　last　request；　let　the　light　of　your　eyes　shine　on　me　for　the　last　time；　after　that　I　shall　departI　shall　fly　far　away　for　ever。　　But　if　perchance；　in　spite　of　every　effort；　I　fail；　if　the　commander's　jealousy　should　make　him　impervious　to　my　entreatiesto　my　tears；　if　he　whom　you　love　should　come　and　overwhelm　you　with　reproaches　and　then　abandon　you；　would　you　drive　me　from　your　presence　if　I　should　then　say；　'I　love　you'？　Answer　me；　I　beseech　you。〃

〃Go！〃　said　she；　〃and　prove　worthy　of　my　gratitudeor　my　love。〃

Seizing　one　of　her　hands；　the　chevalier　covered　it　with　passionate　kisses。

〃Such　barefaced　impudence　surpasses　everything　I　could　have　imagined！〃　murmured　Quennebert：　〃fortunately；　the　play　is　over　for　to…night；　if　it　had　gone　on　any　longer；　I　should　have　done　something　foolish。　　The　lady　hardly　imagines　what　the　end　of　the　comedy　will　be。〃

Neither　did　Quennebert。　　It　was　an　evening　of　adventures。　　It　was　written　that　in　the　space　of　two　hours　Angelique　was　to　run　the　gamut　of　all　the　emotions；　experience　all　the　vicissitudes　to　which　a　life　such　as　she　led　is　exposed：　hope；　fear；　happiness；　mortification；　falsehood；　love　that　was　no　love；　intrigue　within　intrigue；　and；　to　crown　all；　a　totally　unexpected　conclusion。




CHAPTER　V

The　chevalier　was　still　holding　Angelique's　hand　when　a　step　resounded　outside；　and　a　voice　was　heard。

〃Can　it　be　that　he　has　come　back？〃　exclaimed　the　damsel；　hastily　freeing　herself　from　the　passionate　embrace　of　the　chevalier。　　〃It's　not　possible！　　Mon　Dieu！　　Mon　Dieu！　it's　his　voice！〃

She　grew　pale　to　the　lips；　and　stood　staring　at　the　door　with　outstretched　arms；　unable　to　advance　or　recede。

The　chevalier　listened；　but　felt　sure　the　approaching　voice　belonged　neither　to　the　commander　nor　to　the　treasurer。

〃'His　voice'？〃　thought　Quennebert　to　himself。　　〃Can　this　be　yet　another　aspirant　to　her　favour？〃

The　sound　came　nearer。

〃Hide　yourself！〃　said　Angelique；　pointing　to　a　door　opposite　to　the　partition　behind　which　the　widow　and　the　notary　were　ensconced。　〃Hide　yourself　there！there's　a　secret　staircaseyou　can　get　out　that　way。〃

〃I　hide　myself！〃　exclaimed　Moranges；　with　a　swaggering　air。　　〃What　are　you　thinking　of？　　I　remain。〃

It　would　have　been　better　for　him　to　have　followed　her　advice；　as　may　very　well　have　occurred　to　the　youth　two　minutes　later；　as　a　tall；　muscular　young　man　entered　in　a　state　of　intense　excitement。　Angelique　rushed　to　meet　him；　crying

〃Ah！　　Monsieur　le　duc；　is　it　you？〃

〃What　is　this　I　hear；　Angelique？〃　said　the　Duc　de　Vitry。　　〃I　was　told　below　that　three　men　had　visited　you　this　evening；　but　only　two　have　gone　outwhere　is　the　third　？　　Ha！　　I　do　not　need　long　to　find　him；〃　he　added；　as　he　caught　sight　of　the　chevalier；　who　stood　his　ground　bravely　enough。

〃In　Heaven's　name！〃　cried　Angelique；〃in　Heaven's　name；　listen　to　me！〃

〃No；　no；　not　a　word。　　Just　now　I　am　not　questioning　you。　　Who　are　you；　sir？〃

The　chevalier's　teasing　and　bantering　disposition　made　him　even　at　that　critical　moment　insensible　to　fear；　so　he　retorted　insolently

〃Whoever　I　please　to　be；　sir；　and　on　my　word　I　find　the　tone　in　which　you　put　your　question　delightfully　amusing。〃

The　duke　sprang　forward　in　a　rage；　laying　his　hand　on　his　sword。　Angelique　tried　in　vain　to　restrain　him。

〃You　want　to　screen　him　from　my　vengeance；　you　false　one！〃　said　he；　retreating　a　few　steps；　so　as　to　guard　the　door。　　〃Defend　your　life；　sir！〃

〃Do　you　defend　yours！〃

Both　drew　at　the　same　moment。

Two　shrieks　followed；　one　in　the　room；　the　other　behind　the　tapestry；　for　neither　Angelique　nor　the　widow　had　been　able　to　restrain　her　alarm　as　the　two　swords　flashed　in　air。　　In　fact　the　latter　had　been　so　frightened　that　she　fell　heavily　to　the　floor　in　a　faint。

This　incident　probably　saved　the　young　man's　life；　his　blood　had　already　begun　to　run　cold　at　the　sight　of　his　adversary　foaming　with　rage　and　standing　between　him　and　the　door；　when　the　noise　of　the　fall　distracted　the　duke's　attention。

〃What　was　that？〃　he　cried。　　〃Are　there　other　enemies　concealed　here　too？　　〃And　forgetting　that　he　was　leaving　a　way　of　escape　free；　he　rushed　in　the　direction　from　which　the　sound　came；　and　lunged　at　the　tapestry…covered　partition　with　his　sword。　　Meantime　the　chevalier；　dropping　all　his　airs　of　bravado；　sprang　from　one　end　of　the　room　to　the　other　like　a　cat　pursued　by　a　dog；　but　rapid　as　were　his　movements；　the　duke　perceived　his　flight；　and　dashed　after　him　at　the　risk　of　breaking　both　his　own　neck　and　the　chevalier's　by　a　chase　through　unfamiliar　rooms　and　down　stairs　which　were　plunged　in　darkness。

All　this　took　place　in　a　few　seconds；　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　Twice；　with　hardly　any　interval；　the　street　door　opened　and　shut　noisily；　and　the　two　enemies　were　in　the　street；　one　pursued　and　the　other　pursuing。

〃My　God！　　Just　to　think　of　all　that　has　happened　is　enough　to　make　one　die　of　fright！〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi。　　〃What　will　come　next；　I　should　like　to　know？　　And　what　shall　I　say　to　the　duke　when　he　comes　back？〃

Just　at　this　instant　a　loud　cracking　sound　was　heard　in　the　room。　Angelique　stood　still；　once　more　struck　with　terror；　and　recollecting　the　cry　she　had　heard。　　Her　hair；　which　was　already　loosened；　escaped　entirely　from　its　bonds；　and　she　felt　it　rise　on　her　head　as　the　figures　on　the　tapestry　moved