the chouans-第20章

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e。　Listen　to　what　I　say；　for　your　life　depends　on　it。　If；　before　you　reach　a　place　of　safety；　you　meet　that　odious　man　you　saw　in　my　company　at　the　inn；　escape　at　once；　for　he　will　instantly　betray　you。　As　for　me；〃　she　paused；　〃as　for　me；　I　fling　myself　back　into　the　miseries　of　life。　Farewell；　monsieur；　may　you　be　happy；　farewell。〃

She　made　a　sign　to　Captain　Merle；　who　was　just　then　reaching　the　brow　of　the　hill　behind　her。　The　marquis　was　taken　unawares　by　her　sudden　action。

〃Stop！〃　he　cried；　in　a　tone　of　despair　that　was　well　acted。

This　singular　caprice　of　a　girl　for　whom　he　would　at　that　instant　have　thrown　away　his　life　so　surprised　him　that　he　invented；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　a　fatal　fiction　by　which　to　hide　his　name　and　satisfy　the　curiosity　of　his　companion。

〃You　have　almost　guessed　the　truth；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　an　/emigre/；　condemned　to　death；　and　my　name　is　Vicomte　de　Bauvan。　Love　of　my　country　has　brought　me　back　to　France　to　join　my　brother。　I　hope　to　be　taken　off　the　list　of　/emigres/　through　the　influence　of　Madame　de　Beauharnais；　now　the　wife　of　the　First　Consul；　but　if　I　fail　in　this；　I　mean　to　die　on　the　soil　of　my　native　land；　fighting　beside　my　friend　Montauran。　I　am　now　on　my　way　secretly；　by　means　of　a　passport　he　has　sent　me；　to　learn　if　any　of　my　property　in　Brittany　is　still　unconfiscated。〃

While　the　young　man　spoke　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　examined　him　with　a　penetrating　eye。　She　tried　at　first　to　doubt　his　words；　but　being　by　nature　confiding　and　trustful；　she　slowly　regained　an　expression　of　serenity；　and　said　eagerly；　〃Monsieur；　are　you　telling　me　the　exact　truth？〃

〃Yes；　the　exact　truth；〃　replied　the　young　man；　who　seemed　to　have　no　conscience　in　his　dealings　with　women。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　gave　a　deep　sigh；　like　a　person　who　returns　to　life。

〃Ah！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　am　very　happy。〃

〃Then　you　hate　that　poor　Montauran？〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　could　not　make　you　understand　my　meaning。　I　was　not　willing　that　/you/　should　meet　the　dangers　from　which　I　will　try　to　protect　him；since　he　is　your　friend。〃

〃Who　told　you　that　Montauran　was　in　danger？〃

〃Ah；　monsieur；　even　if　I　had　not　come　from　Paris；　where　his　enterprise　is　the　one　thing　talked　of；　the　commandant　at　Alencon　said　enough　to　show　his　danger。〃

〃Then　let　me　ask　you　how　you　expect　to　save　him　from　it。〃

〃Suppose　I　do　not　choose　to　answer；〃　she　replied；　with　the　haughty　air　that　women　often　assume　to　hide　an　emotion。　〃What　right　have　you　to　know　my　secrets？〃

〃The　right　of　a　man　who　loves　you。〃

〃Already？〃　she　said。　〃No；　you　do　not　love　me。　I　am　only　an　object　of　passing　gallantry　to　you；that　is　all。　I　am　clear…sighted；　did　I　not　penetrate　your　disguise　at　once？　A　woman　who　knows　anything　of　good　society　could　not　be　misled；　in　these　days；　by　a　pupil　of　the　Polytechnique　who　uses　choice　language；　and　conceals　as　little　as　you　do　the　manners　of　a　/grand　seigneur/　under　the　mask　of　a　Republican。　There　is　a　trifle　of　powder　left　in　your　hair；　and　a　fragrance　of　nobility　clings　to　you　which　a　woman　of　the　world　cannot　fail　to　detect。　Therefore；　fearing　that　the　man　whom　you　saw　accompanying　me；　who　has　all　the　shrewdness　of　a　woman；　might　make　the　same　discovery；　I　sent　him　away。　Monsieur；　let　me　tell　you　that　a　true　Republican　officer　just　from　the　Polytechnique　would　not　have　made　love　to　me　as　you　have　done；　and　would　not　have　taken　me　for　a　pretty　adventuress。　Allow　me；　Monsieur　de　Bauvan；　to　preach　you　a　little　sermon　from　a　woman's　point　of　view。　Are　you　too　juvenile　to　know　that　of　all　the　creatures　of　my　sex　the　most　difficult　to　subdue　is　that　same　adventuress；she　whose　price　is　ticketed　and　who　is　weary　of　pleasure。　That　sort　of　woman　requires；　they　tell　me；　constant　seduction；　she　yields　only　to　her　own　caprices；　any　attempt　to　please　her　argues；　I　should　suppose；　great　conceit　on　the　part　of　a　man。　But　let　us　put　aside　that　class　of　women；　among　whom　you　have　been　good　enough　to　rank　me；　you　ought　to　understand　that　a　young　woman；　handsome；　brilliant；　and　of　noble　birth　（for；　I　suppose；　you　will　grant　me　those　advantages）；　does　not　sell　herself；　and　can　only　be　won　by　the　man　who　loves　her　in　one　way。　You　understand　me？　If　she　loves　him　and　is　willing　to　commit　a　folly；　she　must　be　justified　by　great　and　heroic　reasons。　Forgive　me　this　logic；　rare　in　my　sex；　but　for　the　sake　of　your　happiness；and　my　own；〃　she　added；　dropping　her　head；　〃I　will　not　allow　either　of　us　to　deceive　the　other；　nor　will　I　permit　you　to　think　that　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　angel　or　devil；　maid　or　wife；　is　capable　of　being　seduced　by　commonplace　gallantry。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　marquis；　whose　surprise；　though　he　concealed　it；　was　extreme；　and　who　at　once　became　a　man　of　the　great　world；　〃I　entreat　you　to　believe　that　I　take　you　to　be　a　very　noble　person；　full　of　the　highest　sentiments；　ora　charming　girl；　as　you　please。〃

〃I　don't　ask　all　that；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃Allow　me　to　keep　my　incognito。　My　mask　is　better　than　yours；　and　it　pleases　me　to　wear　it；　if　only　to　discover　whether　those　who　talk　to　me　of　love　are　sincere。　Therefore；　beware　of　me！　Monsieur；〃　she　cried；　catching　his　arm　vehemently；　〃listen　to　me；　if　you　were　able　to　prove　that　your　love　is　true；　nothing；　no　human　power；　could　part　us。　Yes；　I　would　fain　unite　myself　to　the　noble　destiny　of　some　great　man；　and　marry　a　vast　ambition；　glorious　hopes！　Noble　hearts　are　never　faithless；　for　constancy　is　in　their　fibre；　I　should　be　forever　loved；　forever　happy；　I　would　make　my　body　a　stepping…stone　by　which　to　raise　the　man　who　loved　me；　I　would　sacrifice　all　things　to　him；　bear　all　things　from　him；　and　love　him　forever；even　if　he　ceased　to　love　me。　I　have　never　before　dared　to　confess　to　another　heart　the　secrets　of　mine；　nor　the　passionate　enthusiasms　which　exhaust　me；　but　I　tell　you　something　of　them　now　because；　as　soon　as　I　have　seen　you　in　safety；　we　shall　part　forever。〃

〃Part？　never！〃　he　cried；　electrified　by　the　tones　of　that　vigorous　soul　which　seemed　to　be　fighting　against　some　overwhelming　thought。

〃Are　you　free？〃　she　said；　with　a　haughty　glance　which　subdued　him。

〃Free！　yes；　except　for　the　sentence　of　death　which　hangs　over　me。〃

She　added　presently；　in　a　voice　full　of　bitter　feeling：　〃If　all　this　were　not　a　dream；　a　glorious　life　might　indeed　be　ours。　But　I　have　been　talking　folly；　let　us　beware　of　committing　any。　When　I　think　of　all　you　would　have　to　be　before　you　could　rate　me　at　my　proper　value　I　doubt　everything〃

〃I　doubt　nothing　if　you　will　only　grant　me〃

〃Hush！〃　she　cried；　hearing　a　note　of　true　passion　in　his　voice；　〃the　open　air　is　decidedly　disagreeing　with　us；　let　us　return　to　the　coach。〃

That　vehicle　soon　came　up；　they　took　their　places　and　drove　on　several　miles　in　total　silence。　Both　had　matter　for　reflection；　but　henceforth　their　eyes　no　longer　feared　to　meet。　Each　now　seemed　to　have　an　equal　interest　in　observing　the　other；　and　in　mutually　hiding　important　secrets；　but　for　all　that　they　were　drawn　together　by　one　and　the　same　impulse；　which　now；　as　a　result　of　this　interview；　assumed　the　dimensions　of　a　passion。　They　recognized　in　each　other　qualities　which　promised　to　heighten　all　the　pleasures　to　be　derived　from　either　their　contest　or　their　union。　Perhaps　both　of　them；　living　a　life　of　adventure；　had　reached　the　singular　moral　condition　in　which；　either　from　weariness　or　in　defiance　of　fate；　the　mind　rejects　serious　reflection　and　flings　itself　on　chance　in　pursuing　an　enterprise　precisely　because　the　issues　of　chance　are　unknown；　and　the　interest　of　expecting　them　vivid。　The　moral　nature；　like　the　physical　nature；　has　its　abysses　into　which　strong　souls　love　to　plunge；　risking　their　future　as　gamblers　risk　their　fortune。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and　the　young　marquis　had　obtained　a　revelation　of　each　other's　minds　as　a　consequence　of　this　interview；　and　their　intercourse　thus　took　rapid　strides；　for　the　sympathy　of　their　souls　succeeded　to　that　of　their　senses。　Besides；　the　more　they　felt　fatally　drawn　to　each　other；　the　more　eager　they　were　to　study　the　secret　action　of　their　minds。　The　so…called　Vicomte　de　Bauvan；　surprised　at　the　seriousness　of　the　strange　girl's　ideas；　asked　himself　how　she　could　possibly　combine　such　acquired　knowledge　of　life　with　so　much　youth　and　freshness。　He　thought　he　discovered　an　extreme　desire　to　appear　chaste　in　the　modesty　and　reserve　of　her　attitudes。　He　suspected　her　of　playing　a　part；　he　questioned　the　nature　of　his　own　pleasure；　and　ended　by　choosing　to　consider　her　a　clever　actress。　He　was　right；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　like　other　women　of　the　world；　grew　the　more　reserved　the　more　she　felt　the　warmth　of　her　own　feelings；　assuming　with　perfect　naturalness　the　appearance　of　prudery；　beneath　which　such　women　veil　their　desires。　They　all　wish　to　offer　themselves　as　virgins　on　love's　altar；　and　if　they　are　not　so；　the　deception　they　seek　to　practise　is　at　least　a　homage　which　they　pay　to　their　lovers。　These　thoughts　passed　rapidly　through　the　mind　of　the　young　man　and　gratified　him。　In　fact；　for　both；　this　mutual　examination　was　an　advance　in　their　intercourse；　and　the　lover　soon　came　to　that　phase　of　passion　in　which　a　man　finds　in　the　defects　of　his　mistress　a　reason　for　loving　her　the　more。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　thoughtful。　Perhaps　her　imagination　led　her　over　a　greater　extent　of　the　future　than　that　of　the　young　/emigre/；　who　was　merely　following　one　of　the　many　impulses　of　his　life　as　a　man；　whereas　Marie　was　considering　a　lifetime；　thinking　to　make　it　beautiful；　and　to　fill　it　with　happiness　and　with　grand　and　noble　sentiments。　Happy　in　such　thoughts；　more　in　love　with　her　ideal　than　with　the　actual　reality；　with　the　future　rather　than　with　the　present；　she　desired　now　to　return　upon　her　steps　so　as　to　better　establish　her　power。　In　this　she　acted　instinctively；　as　all　women　act。　Having　agreed　with　her　soul　that　she　would　give　herself　wholly　up；　she　wishedif　we　may　so　express　itto　dispute　every　fragment　of　the　gift；　she　longed　to　take　back　from　the　past　all　her　words　and　looks　and　acts　and　make　them　more　in　harmony　with　the　dignity　of　a　woman　beloved。　Her　eyes　at　times　expressed　a　sort　of　terror　as　she　thought　of　the　interview　just　over；　in　which　she　had　shown　herself　aggressive。　But　as　she　watched　the　face　before　her；　instinct　with　power；　and　felt　that　a　being　so　strong　must　also　be　generous；　she　glowed　at　the　thought　that　her　part　in　life　would　be　nobler　than　that　of　most　women；　inasmuch　as　her　lover　was　a　man　of　character；　a　man　condemned　to　death；　who　had　come　to　risk　his　life　in　making　war　against　the　Republic。　The　thought　of　occupying　such　a　soul　to　the　exclusion　of　all　rivals　gave　a　new　aspect　to　many　matters。　Between　the　moment；　only　five　hours　earlier；　when　she　composed　her　face　and　toned　her　voice　to　allure　the　young　man；　and　the　present　moment；　when　she　was　able　to　convulse　him　with　a　look；　there　was　all　the　difference　to　her　between　a　dead　world　and　a　living　one。

In　the　condition　of　soul　in　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　now　existed　external　life　seemed　to　her　a　species　of　phantasmagoria。　The　carriage　passed　through　villages　and　valleys　and　mounted　hills　which　left　no　impressions　on　her　mind。　They　reached　Mayenne；　the　soldiers　of　the　escort　were　changed；