a woman of thirty-第45章
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rooms to ourselves； and there will be no more noise。 How do you feel this morning？ Are you tired？〃
As she spoke； the Marquise rose and went to Moina's bedside。
〃Let us see；〃 she said； feeling for the girl's hand。
〃Oh！ let me alone； mother；〃 said Moina； 〃your fingers are cold。〃
She turned her head round on the pillow as she spoke； pettishly； but with such engaging grace； that a mother could scarcely have taken it amiss。 Just then a wailing cry echoed through the next room； a faint prolonged cry； that must surely have gone to the heart of any woman who heard it。
〃Why； if you heard /that/ all night long； why did you not wake me？ We should have〃
A deeper moan than any that had gone before it interrupted the Marquise。
〃Some one is dying there；〃 she cried； and hurried out of the room。
〃Send Pauline to me！〃 called Moina。 〃I shall get up and dress。〃
The Marquise hastened downstairs； and found the landlady in the courtyard with a little group about her； apparently much interested in something that she was telling them。
〃Madame； you have put some one in the next room who seems to be very ill indeed〃
〃Oh！ don't talk to me about it！〃 cried the mistress of the house。 〃I have just sent some one for the mayor。 Just imagine it； it is a woman； a poor unfortunate creature that came here last night on foot。 She comes from Spain； she has no passport and no money； she was carrying her baby on her back； and the child was dying。 I could not refuse to take her in。 I went up to see her this morning myself； for when she turned up yesterday； it made me feel dreadfully bad to look at her。 Poor soul！ she and the child were lying in bed； and both of them at death's door。 'Madame；' says she； pulling a gold ring off her finger； 'this is all that I have left； take it in payment； it will be enough； I shall not stay here long。 Poor little one！ we shall die together soon！' she said； looking at the child。 I took her ring； and I asked her who she was； but she never would tell me her name。 。 。 。 I have just sent for the doctor and M。 le Maire。〃
〃Why； you must do all that can be done for her；〃 cried the Marquise。 〃Good heavens！ perhaps it is not too late！ I will pay for everything that is necessary〃
〃Ah！ my lady； she looks to me uncommonly proud； and I don't know that she would allow it。〃
〃I will go to see her at once。〃
The Marquise went up forthwith to the stranger's room； without thinking of the shock that the sight of her widow's weeds might give to a woman who was said to be dying。 At the sight of that dying woman the Marquise turned pale。 In spite of the changes wrought by fearful suffering in Helene's beautiful face； she recognized her eldest daughter。
But Helene； when she saw a woman dressed in black； sat upright in bed with a shriek of horror。 Then she sank back； she knew her mother。
〃My daughter；〃 said Mme。 d'Aiglemont； 〃what is to be done？ Pauline！ 。 。 。 Moina！ 。 。 。〃
〃Nothing now for me；〃 said Helene faintly。 〃I had hoped to see my father once more； but your mourning〃 she broke off； clutched her child to her heart as if to give it warmth； and kissed its forehead。 Then she turned her eyes on her mother； and the Marquise met the old reproach in them； tempered with forgiveness； it is true； but still reproach。 She saw it； and would not see it。 She forgot that Helene was the child conceived amid tears and despair； the child of duty； the cause of one of the greatest sorrows in her life。 She stole to her eldest daughter's side； remembering nothing but that Helene was her firstborn； the child who had taught her to know the joys of motherhood。 The mother's eyes were full of tears。 〃Helene； my child！ 。 。 。〃 she cried； with her arms about her daughter。
Helene was silent。 Her own babe had just drawn its last breath on her breast。
Moina came into the room with Pauline； her maid； and the landlady and the doctor。 The Marquise was holding her daughter's ice…cold hand in both of hers； and gazing at her in despair； but the widowed woman； who had escaped shipwreck with but one of all her fair band of children； spoke in a voice that was dreadful to hear。 〃All this is your work；〃 she said。 〃If you had but been for me all that〃
〃Moina； go！ Go out of the room； all of you！〃 cried Mme。 d'Aiglemont； her shrill tones drowning Helene's voice。〃For pity's sake；〃 she continued； 〃let us not begin these miserable quarrels again now〃
〃I will be silent；〃 Helene answered with a preternatural effort。 〃I am a mother； I know that Moina ought not 。 。 。 Where is my child？〃
Moina came back； impelled by curiosity。
〃Sister；〃 said the spoiled child； 〃the doctor〃
〃It is all of no use；〃 said Helene。 〃Oh！ why did I not die as a girl of sixteen when I meant to take my own life？ There is no happiness outside the laws。 Moina 。 。 。 you 。 。 。〃
Her head sank till her face lay against the face of the little one； in her agony she strained her babe to her breast； and died。
〃Your sister； Moina；〃 said Mme。 d'Aiglemont； bursting into tears when she reached her room； 〃your sister meant no doubt to tell you that a girl will never find happiness in a romantic life； in living as nobody else does； and； above all things； far away from her mother。〃
VI。
THE OLD AGE OF A GUILTY MOTHER
It was one of the earliest June days of the year 1844。 A lady of fifty or thereabouts； for she looked older than her actual age； was pacing up and down one of the sunny paths in the garden of a great mansion in the Rue Plument in Paris。 It was noon。 The lady took two or three turns along the gently winding garden walk； careful never to lose sight of a certain row of windows； to which she seemed to give her whole attention； then she sat down on a bench； a piece of elegant semi…rusticity made of branches with the bark left on the wood。 From the place where she sat she could look through the garden railings along the inner boulevards to the wonderful dome of the Invalides rising above the crests of a forest of elm…trees； and see the less striking view of her own grounds terminating in the gray stone front of one of the finest hotels in the Faubourg Saint…Germain。
Silence lay over the neighboring gardens； and the boulevards stretching away to the Invalides。 Day scarcely begins at noon in that aristocratic quarter； and masters and servants are all alike asleep； or just awakening； unless some young lady takes it into her head to go for an early ride； or a gray…headed diplomatist rises betimes to redraft a protocol。
The elderly lady stirring abroad at that hour was the Marquise d'Aiglemont； the mother of Mme。 de Saint…Hereen； to whom the great house belonged。 The Marquise had made over the mansion and almost her whole fortune to her daughter； reserving only an annuity for herself。
The Comtesse Moina de Saint…Hereen was Mme。 d'Aiglemont's youngest child。 The Marquise had made every sacrifice to marry her daughter to the eldest son of one of the greatest houses of France； and this was only what might have been expected； for the lady had lost her sons； first one and then the other。 Gustave； Marquis d'Aiglemont； had died of the cholera； Abel； the second； had fallen in Algeria。 Gustave had left a widow and children； but the dowager's affection for her sons had been only moderately warm； and for the next generation it was decidedly tepid。 She was always civil to her daughter…in…law； but her feeling towards the young Marquise was the distinctly conventional affection which good taste and good manners require us to feel for our relatives。 The fortunes of her dead children having been settled； she could devote her savings and her own property to her darling Moina。
Moina； beautiful and fascinating from childhood； was Mme。 d'Aiglemont's favorite； loved beyond all the others with an instinctive or involuntary love； a fatal drawing of the heart； which sometimes seems inexplicable； sometimes； and to a close observer； only too easy to explain。 Her darling's pretty face； the sound of Moina's voice； her ways； her manner； her looks and gestures； roused all the deepest emotions that can stir a mother's heart with trouble； rapture； or delight。 The springs of the Marquise's life； of yesterday； to…morrow； and to…day； lay in that young heart。 Moina； with better fortune； had
