vendetta-第6章

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jesting；　and　making；　as　usual；　his　jests　more　dreaded　than　his

reprimands。　Ginevra　had　not　obeyed　the　professor's　order；　but　remained

at　her　post；　firmly　resolved　not　to　quit　it。　She　took　a　sheet　of　paper

and　began　to　sketch　in　sepia　the　head　of　the　hidden　man。　A　work　done

under　the　impulse　of　an　emotion　has　always　a　stamp　of　its　own。　The

faculty　of　giving　to　representations　of　nature　or　of　thought　their

true　coloring　constitutes　genius；　and　often；　in　this　respect；　passion

takes　the　place　of　it。　So；　under　the　circumstances　in　which　Ginevra

now　found　herself；　the　intuition　which　she　owed　to　a　powerful　effect

upon　her　memory；　or；　possibly；　to　necessity；　that　mother　of　great

things；　lent　her；　for　the　moment；　a　supernatural　talent。　The　head　of

the　young　officer　was　dashed　upon　the　paper　in　the　midst　of　an　awkward

trembling　which　she　mistook　for　fear；　and　in　which　a　physiologist

would　have　recognized　the　fire　of　inspiration。　From　time　to　time　she

glanced　furtively　at　her　companions；　in　order　to　hide　the　sketch　if

any　of　them　came　near　her。　But　in　spite　of　her　watchfulness；　there　was

a　moment　when　she　did　not　see　the　eyeglass　of　the　pitiless　Amelie

turned　full　upon　the　drawing　from　the　shelter　of　a　great　portfolio。

Mademoiselle　Thirion；　recognizing　the　portrait　of　the　mysterious　man；

showed　herself　abruptly；　and　Ginevra　hastily　covered　the　sheet　of

paper。



〃Why　do　you　stay　there　in　spite　of　my　advice；　mademoiselle？〃　asked　the

professor；　gravely。



The　pupil　turned　her　easel　so　that　no　one　but　the　master　could　see　the

sketch；　which　she　placed　upon　it；　and　said；　in　an　agitated　voice：



〃Do　you　not　think；　as　I　do；　that　the　light　is　very　good？　Had　I　not

better　remain　here？〃



Servin　turned　pale。　As　nothing　escapes　the　piercing　eyes　of　malice；

Mademoiselle　Thirion　became；　as　it　were；　a　sharer　in　the　sudden

emotion　of　master　and　pupil。



〃You　are　right；〃　said　Servin；　〃but　really；〃　he　added；　with　a　forced

laugh；　〃you　will　soon　come　to　know　more　than　I　do。〃



A　pause　followed；　during　which　the　professor　studied　the　drawing　of

the　officer's　head。



〃It　is　a　masterpiece！　worthy　of　Salvator　Rosa！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　the

energy　of　an　artist。



All　the　pupils　rose　on　hearing　this；　and　Mademoiselle　Thirion　darted

forward　with　the　velocity　of　a　tiger　on　its　prey。　At　this　instant；　the

prisoner；　awakened；　perhaps；　by　the　noise；　began　to　move。　Ginevra

knocked　over　her　stool；　said　a　few　incoherent　sentences；　and　began　to

laugh；　but　she　had　thrown　the　portrait　into　her　portfolio　before

Amelie　could　get　to　her。　The　easel　was　now　surrounded；　Servin

descanted　on　the　beauty　of　the　copy　which　his　favorite　pupil　was　then

making；　and　the　whole　class　was　duped　by　this　stratagem；　except

Amelie；　who；　slipping　behind　her　companions；　attempted　to　open　the

portfolio　where　she　had　seen　Ginevra　throw　the　sketch。　But　the　latter

took　it　up　without　a　word；　and　placed　it　in　front　of　her。　The　two

young　girls　then　looked　at　each　other　fixedly；　in　silence。



〃Come；　mesdemoiselles；　take　your　places；〃　said　Servin。　〃If　you　wish　to

do　as　well　as　Mademoiselle　di　Piombo；　you　mustn't　be　always　talking

fashions　and　balls；　and　trifling　away　your　time　as　you　do。〃



When　they　were　all　reseated　before　their　easels；　Servin　sat　down

beside　Ginevra。



〃Was　it　not　better　that　I　should　be　the　one　to　discover　the　mystery

rather　than　the　others？〃　asked　the　girl；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　painter；　〃you　are　one　of　us；　a　patriot；　but　even　if

you　were　not；　I　should　still　have　confided　the　matter　to　you。〃



Master　and　pupil　understood　each　other；　and　Ginevra　no　longer　feared

to　ask：



〃Who　is　he？〃



〃An　intimate　friend　of　Labedoyere；　who　contributed　more　than　any　other

man；　except　the　unfortunate　colonel；　to　the　union　of　the　7th　regiment

with　the　grenadiers　of　Elba。　He　was　a　major　in　the　Imperial　guard　and

was　at　Waterloo。〃



〃Why　not　have　burned　his　uniform　and　shako；　and　supplied　him　with

citizen's　clothes？〃　said　Ginevra；　impatiently。



〃He　will　have　them　to…night。〃



〃You　ought　to　have　closed　the　studio　for　some　days。〃



〃He　is　going　away。〃



〃Then　they'll　kill　him；〃　said　the　girl。　〃Let　him　stay　here　with　you

till　the　present　storm　is　over。　Paris　is　still　the　only　place　in

France　where　a　man　can　be　hidden　safely。　Is　he　a　friend　of　yours？〃　she

asked。



〃No；　he　has　no　claim　upon　me　but　that　of　his　ill…luck。　He　came　into　my

hands　in　this　way。　My　father…in…law；　who　returned　to　the　army　during

the　campaign；　met　this　young　fellow；　and　very　cleverly　rescued　him

from　the　claws　of　those　who　captured　Labedoyere。　He　came　here　to

defend　the　general；　foolish　fellow！〃



〃Do　you　call　him　that！〃　cried　Ginevra；　casting　a　glance　of

astonishment　at　the　painter；　who　was　silent　for　a　moment。



〃My　father…in…law　is　too　closely　watched　to　be　able　to　keep　him　in　his

own　house；〃　he　resumed。　〃So　he　brought　him　to　me；　by　night；　about　a

week　ago。　I　hoped　to　keep　him　out　of　sight　in　this　corner；　the　only

spot　in　the　house　where　he　could　be　safe。〃



〃If　I　can　be　useful　to　you；　employ　me；〃　said　Ginevra。　〃I　know　the

Marechal　de　Feltre。〃



〃Well；　we'll　see；〃　replied　the　painter。



This　conversation　lasted　too　long　not　to　be　noticed　by　all　the　other

girls。　Servin　left　Ginevra；　went　round　once　more　to　each　easel；　and

gave　such　long　lessons　that　he　was　still　there　at　the　hour　when　the

pupils　were　in　the　habit　of　leaving。



〃You　are　forgetting　your　bag；　Mademoiselle　Thirion；〃　said　the

professor；　running　after　the　girl；　who　was　now　condescending　to　the

work　of　a　spy　to　satisfy　her　jealousy。



The　baffled　pupil　returned　for　the　bag；　expressing　surprise　at　her

carelessness；　but　this　act　of　Servin's　was　to　her　fresh　proof　of　the

existence　of　a　mystery；　the　importance　of　which　was　evident。　She　now

ran　noisily　down　the　staircase；　and　slammed　the　door　which　opened　into

the　Servins'　apartment；　to　give　an　impression　that　she　had　gone；　then

she　softly　returned　and　stationed　herself　outside　the　door　of　the

studio。







CHAPTER　III



LABEDOYERE'S　FRIEND



When　the　painter　and　Ginevra　thought　themselves　alone；　Servin　rapped

in　a　peculiar　manner　on　the　door　of　the　dark　garret；　which　turned　at

once　on　its　rusty　and　creaking　hinges。　Ginevra　then　saw　a　tall　and

well…made　young　man；　whose　Imperial　uniform　set　her　heart　to　beating。

The　officer　had　one　arm　in　a　sling；　and　the　pallor　of　his　face

revealed　sharp　suffering。　Seeing　an　unknown　woman；　he　recoiled。



Amelie；　who　was　unable　to　look　into　the　room；　the　door　being　closed；

was　afraid　to　stay　longer；　she　was　satisfied　with　having　heard　the

opening　of　the　garret　door；　and　departed　noiselessly。



〃Fear　nothing；〃　said　the　painter　to　the　officer。　〃Mademoiselle　is　the

daughter　of　a　most　faithful　friend　of　the　Emperor；　the　Baron　di

Piombo。〃



The　young　soldier　retained　no　doubts　as　to　Ginevra's　patriotism　as

soon　as　he　saw　her。



〃You　are　wounded；〃　she　said。



〃Oh！　it　is　nothing；　mademoiselle；〃　he　replied；　〃the　wound　is　healing。〃



Just　at　this　moment　the　loud　cries　of　the　vendors　of　newspapers　came

up　from　the　street：　〃Condemned　to　death！〃　They　all　trembled；　and　the

soldier　was　the　first　to　hear　a　name　that　turned　him　pale。



〃Labedoyere！〃　he　cried；　falling　on　a　stool。



They　looked　at　each　other　in　silence。　Drops　gathered　on　the　livid

forehead　of　the　young　man；　he　seized　the　black　tufts　of　his　hair　in

one　hand　with　a　gesture　of　despair；　and　rested　his　elbow　on　Ginevra's

easel。



〃After　all；〃　he　said；　rising　abruptly；　〃Labedoyere　and　I　knew　what　we

were　doing。　We　were　certain　of　the　fate　that　awaited　us；　whether　from

triumph　or　defeat。　He　dies　for　the　Cause；　and　here　am　I；　hiding

myself！〃



He　rushed　toward　the　door　of　the　studio；　but；　quicker　than　he；　Ginevra

reached　it；　and　barred　his　way。



〃Can　you　restore　the　Emperor？〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　expect　to　raise　that

giant　who　could　not　maintain　himself？〃



〃But　wh