an historical mystery-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


polished　than　those　of　the　provincial　gentlemen；　showed　that　knowledge
of　men　and　things　had　given　them　that　supplementary　education　which
makes　its　possessor　a　man　of　the　world。

Not　lacking　money；　thanks　to　Michu；　during　their　emigration；　they　had
been　able　to　travel　and　be　received　at　foreign　courts。　Old
d'Hauteserre　and　the　abbe　thought　them　rather　haughty；　but　in　their
present　position　this　may　have　been　the　sign　of　nobility　of　character。
They　possessed　all　the　eminent　little　marks　of　a　careful　education；　to
which　they　added　a　wonderful　dexterity　in　bodily　exercises。　Their　only
dissimilarity　was　in　the　region　of　ideas。　The　youngest　charmed　others
by　his　gaiety；　the　eldest　by　his　melancholy；　but　the　contrast；　which
was　purely　spiritual；　was　not　at　first　observable。

〃Ah；　wife；〃　whispered　Michu　in　Marthe's　ear；　〃how　could　one　help
devoting　one's　self　to　those　young　fellows？〃

Marthe；　who　admired　them　as　a　wife　and　mother；　nodded　her　head
prettily　and　pressed　her　husband's　hand。　The　servants　were　allowed　to
kiss　their　new　masters。

During　their　seven　months'　seclusion　in　the　forest　（which　the　young
men　had　brought　upon　themselves）　they　had　several　times　committed　the
imprudence　of　taking　walks　about　their　hiding…place；　carefully　guarded
by　Michu；　his　son；　and　Gothard。　During　these　walks；　taken　usually　on
starlit　nights；　Laurence；　reuniting　the　thread　of　their　past　and
present　lives；　felt　the　utter　impossibility　of　choosing　between　the
brothers。　A　pure　and　equal　love　for　each　divided　her　heart。　She
fancied　indeed　that　she　had　two　hearts。　On　their　side；　the　brothers
dared　not　speak　to　themselves　of　their　impending　rivalry。　Perhaps　all
three　were　trusting　to　time　and　accident。　The　condition　of　her　mind　on
this　subject　acted　no　doubt　upon　Laurence　as　they　entered　the　house；
for　she　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　took　an　arm　of　each　as　she
entered　the　salon　followed　by　Monsieur　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　who
were　occupied　with　their　sons。　Just　then　a　cheer　burst　from　the
servants；　〃Long　live　the　Cinq…Cygne　and　the　Simeuse　families！〃
Laurence　turned　round；　still　between　the　brothers；　and　made　a　charming
gesture　of　acknowledgement

When　these　nine　persons　came　to　actually　observe　each　other；for　in
all　meetings；　even　in　the　bosom　of　families；　there　comes　a　moment　when
friends　observe　those　from　whom　they　have　been　long　parted；the　first
glance　which　Adrien　d'Hauteserre　cast　upon　Laurence　seemed　to　his
mother　and　to　the　abbe　to　betray　love。　Adrien；　the　youngest　of　the
d'Hauteserres；　had　a　sweet　and　tender　soul；　his　heart　had　remained
adolescent　in　spite　of　the　catastrophes　which　had　nerved　the　man。　Like
many　young　heroes；　kept　virgin　in　spirit　by　perpetual　peril；　he　was
daunted　by　the　timidities　of　youth。　In　this　he　was　very　different　from
his　brother；　a　man　of　rough　manners；　a　great　hunter；　an　intrepid
soldier；　full　of　resolution；　but　coarse　in　fibre　and　without　activity
of　mind　or　delicacy　in　matters　of　the　heart。　One　was　all　soul；　the
other　all　action；　and　yet　they　both　possessed　in　the　same　degree　that
sense　of　honor　which　is　the　vital　essence　of　a　gentleman。　Dark；　short；
slim　and　wiry；　Adrien　d'Hauteserre　gave　an　impression　of　strength；
whereas　Robert；　who　was　tall；　pale　and　fair；　seemed　weakly。　Adrien；
nervous　in　temperament；　was　stronger　in　soul；　while　his　brother　though
lymphatic；　was　fonder　of　bodily　exercise。　Families　often　present　these
singularities　of　contrast；　the　causes　of　which　it　might　be　interesting
to　examine；　but　they　are　mentioned　here　merely　to　explain　how　it　was
that　Adrien　was　not　likely　to　find　a　rival　in　his　brother。　Robert's
affection　for　Laurence　was　that　of　a　relation；　the　respect　of　a　noble
for　a　girl　of　his　own　caste。　In　matters　of　sentiment　the　elder
d'Hauteserre　belonged　to　the　class　of　men　who　consider　woman　as　an
appendage　to　man；　limiting　her　sphere　to　the　physical　duties　of
maternity；　demanding　perfection　in　that　respect；　but　regarding　her
mentally　as　of　no　account。　To　such　men　the　admittance　of　woman　as　an
actual　sharer　in　society；　in　the　body　politic；　in　the　family；　meant
the　subversion　of　the　social　system。　In　these　days　we　are　so　far
removed　from　this　theory　of　primitive　people　that　almost　all　women；
even　those　who　do　not　desire　the　fatal　emancipation　offered　by　the　new
sects；　will　be　shocked　in　merely　hearing　of　it；　but　it　must　be　owned
that　Robert　d'Hauteserre　had　the　misfortune　to　think　in　that　way。
Robert　was　a　man　of　the　middle…ages；　Adrien　a　man　of　to…day。　These
differences　instead　of　hindering　their　affection　had　drawn　its　bonds
the　closer。　On　the　first　evening　after　the　return　of　the　young　men
these　shades　of　character　were　caught　and　understood　by　the　abbe；
Mademoiselle　Goujet；　and　Madame　d'Hauteserre；　who；　while　playing　their
boston；　were　secretly　foreseeing　the　difficulties　of　the　future。

At　twenty…three　years　of　age；　having　passed　through　the　many
reflections　of　a　long　solitude　and　the　anguish　of　a　defeated
enterprise；　Laurence　had　become　a　woman；　and　felt　within　her　an
absorbing　desire　for　affection。　She　now　put　forth　all　her　graces　of
her　mind　and　was　charming；　she　revealed　the　hidden　beauties　of　her
tender　heart　with　the　simple　candor　of　a　child。　For　the　last　thirteen
years　she　had　been　a　woman　only　through　suffering；　she　longed　to
obtain　amends　for　it；　and　she　showed　herself　as　loving　and　winning　as
she　had　been；　up　to　this　time；　strong　and　great。

The　four　elders；　who　were　the　last　to　leave　the　salon　that　night；
admitted　to　each　other　that　they　felt　uneasy　at　the　new　position　of
this　charming　girl。　What　power　might　not　passion　have　on　a　young　woman
of　her　character　and　with　her　nobility　of　soul？　The　twin　brothers
loved　her　with　one　and　the　same　love　and　a　blind　devotion；　which　of
the　two　would　Laurence　choose？　To　choose　one　was　to　kill　the　other。
Countess　in　her　own　right；　she　could　bring　her　husband　a　title　and
certain　prerogatives；　together　with　a　long　lineage。　Perhaps　in
thinking　of　these　advantages　the　elder　of　the　twins；　the　Marquis　de
Simeuse；　would　sacrifice　himself　to　give　Laurence　to　his　brother；　who；
according　to　the　old　laws；　was　poor　and　without　a　title。　But　would　the
younger　brother　deprive　the　elder　of　the　happiness　of　having　Laurence
for　a　wife？　At　a　distance；　this　strife　of　love　and　generosity　might　do
no　harm；in　fact；　so　long　as　the　brothers　were　facing　danger　the
chances　of　war　might　end　the　difficulty；　but　what　would　be　the　result
of　this　reunion？　When　Marie…Paul　and　Paul…Marie　reached　the　age　when
passions　rise　to　their　greatest　height　could　they　share；　as　now；　the
looks　and　words　and　attentions　of　their　cousin？　must　there　not
inevitably　arise　a　jealousy　between　them　the　consequences　of　which
might　be　horrible？　What　would　then　become　of　the　unity　of　those
beautiful　lives；　one　in　heart　though　twain　in　body？　To　these
questionings；　passed　from　one　to　another　as　they　finished　their　game；
Madame　d'Hauteserre　replied　that　in　her　opinion　Laurence　would　not
marry　either　of　her　cousins。　The　poor　lady　had　experienced　that
evening　one　of　those　inexplicable　presentiments　which　are　secrets
between　the　mother's　heart　and　God。

Laurence；　in　her　inward　consciousness；　was　not　less　alarmed　at　finding
herself　tete…a…tete　with　her　cousins。　To　the　active　drama　of
conspiracy；　to　the　dangers　which　the　brothers　had　incurred；　to　the
pain　and　penalties　of　their　exile；　was　now　succeeding　another　sort　of
drama；　of　which　she　had　never　thought。　This　noble　girl　could　not
resort　to　the　violent　means　of　refusing　to　marry　either　of　the　twins；
and　she　was　too　honest　a　woman　to　marry　one　and　keep　an　irresistible
passion　for　the　other　in　her　heart。　To　remain　unmarried；　to　weary　her
cousins'　love　by　no　decision；　and　then　to　take　the　one　who　was
faithful　to　her　in　spite　of　her　caprices；　was　a　solution　of　the
difficulty　not　so　much　sought　for　by　her　as　vaguely　admitted。　As　she
fell　asleep　that　night　she　told　herself　the　wisest　course　to　follow
was　to　let　things　take　their　chance。　Chance　is；　in　love；　the
providence　of　women。

The　next　morning　Michu　went　to　Paris；　whence　he　returned　a　few　days
later　with　four　fine　horses　for　his　new　masters。　In　six　weeks'　time
the　hunting　would　begin；　and　the　young　countess　sagely　reflected　that
the　violent　excitements　of　that　exercise　would　be　a　help　against　the
tete…a…tetes　of　the　chateau。　At　first；　however；　an　unexpected　result
surprised　the　spectators　of　these　strange　loves　and　roused　their
admiration。　Without　any　premeditated　agreement　the　brothers　rivalled
each　other　in　attentions　to　Laurence；　with　a　sense　of　pleasure　in　so
doing　which　appeared　to　suffice　them。　The　relation　between　themselves
and　Laurence　was　just　as　fraternal　as　that　between　themselves。　What
could　be　more　natural？　After　so　long　an　absence　they　felt　the
necessity　of　studying　her；　of　knowing　her　well　and　letting　her　know
them；　leaving　to　her　the　right　of　choice。　They　were　sustained　in　this
first　trial　by　the　mutual　affection　which　made　their　double　life　one
and　the　same　life。

Love；　like　their　own　mother；　was　unable　to　distinguish　between　the
brothers。　Laurence　was　obliged　（in　order　to　know　them　apart　and　make
no　mistakes）　to　give　them　different　cravatsto　the　elder　a　white　one；
to　the　younger　black。　Without　this　perfect　resemblance；　this　identity
of　life；　which　misled　all　about　them；　such　a　situation　would　be　justly
thought　impossible。　It　can；　indeed；　be　explained　only　by　the　fact
itself；　which　is　one　of　those　which　men　do　not　believe　in　unless　they
see　them；　and　then　the　mind　is　more　bewildered　by　having　to　explain
them　than　by　the　actual　sight　which　caused　belief。　If　Laurence　spoke；
her　voice　echoed　in　two　hearts　equally　faithful　and　loving　with　one
tone。　Did　she　give　utterance　to　an　intelligent；　or　witty；　or　noble
thought；　her　glance　encountered　the　delight　expressed　in　two　glances
which　followed　her　every　movement；　interpreted　her　slightest　wish；　and
beamed　upon　her　ever　with　a　new　expression；　gaiety　in　the　one；　tender
melancholy　in　the　other。　In　any　matter　that　concerned　their　mistress
the　brothers　showed　an　admirable　quick…wittedness　of　heart　coupled
with　instant　action　which　（to　use　the　abbe's　own　expression）
approached　the　sublime。　Often；　if　something　had　to　be　fetched；　if　it
was　a　question　of　some　little　attention　which　men　delight　to　pay　to　a
beloved　woman；　the　elder　would　leave　that　pleasure　to　the　younger　with
a　look　at　Laurence　that　was　proud　and　tender。　The　younger；　on　the
other　hand；　put　all　his　own　pride　into　paying　such　debts。　This　rivalry
of　noble　natures　in　a　feeling　which　leads　men　often　to　the　jealous
ferocity　of　the　beasts　amazed　the　old　people　who　were　watching　it；　and
bewildered　their　ideas。

Such　little　details　often　drew　tears　to　the　eyes　of　the　countess。　A
single　sensation；　which　is　perhaps　all…powerful　in　some　rare
organizations；　will　give　an　idea　of　Laurence's　emotions；　it　may　be
perceived　by　recalling　the　perfect　unison　of　two　fine　voices　（like
those　of　Malibran　and　Sontag）　in　some　harmonious　/duo/；　or　the
blending　of　two　instruments　touched　by　the　hand　of　genius；　their
melodious　tones　entering　the　soul　like　the　passionate　sighing　of　one
heart。　Sometimes；　seeing　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse　buried　in　an　arm…chair
an