la constantin-第4章

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〃I　think　I　have　heard　it。〃

〃They　say　she　has　had　a　stormy　past；　and　has　been　greatly　talked　of；　but　then　half　of　what　one　hears　is　lies。　　Since　she　came　to　live　here　she　has　been　very　quiet。　　No　visitors　except　onea　nobleman；　a　duke…　…wait　a　moment！　　What's　his　name？　　The　Duc…Duc　de　Vitry；　and　for　over　three　weeks　even　he　hasn't　been　near　her。　　I　imagine　from　this　absence　that　they　have　fallen　out；　and　that　she　is　beginning　to　feel　the　want　of　money。〃

〃You　seem　to　be　intimately　acquainted　with　this　young　woman's　affairs。〃

〃Indeed　I　am；　and　yet　I　never　spoke　to　her　till　this　morning。〃

〃How　did　you　get　your　information；　then？〃

〃By　chance。　　The　room　adjoining　this　and　one　of　those　she　occupies　were　formerly　one　large　room；　which　is　now　divided　into　two　by　a　partition　wall　covered　with　tapestry；　but　in　the　two　corners　the　plaster　has　crumbled　away　with　time；　and　one　can　see　into　the　room　through　slits　in　the　tapestry　without　being　seen　oneself。　　Are　you　inquisitive？〃

〃Not　more　than　you；　Madame　Rapally。〃

〃Come　with　me。　　Someone　knocked　at　the　street　door　a　few　moments　ago；　there's　no　one　else　in　the　douse　likely　to　have　visitors　at　this　hour。　　Perhaps　her　admirer　has　come　back。〃

〃If　so；　we　are　going　to　witness　a　scene　of　recrimination　or　reconciliation。　　How　delightful！〃

Although　he　was　not　leaving　the　widow's　lodgings；　Maitre　Quennebert　took　up　his　hat　and　cloak　and　the　blessed　bag　of　crown　pieces；　and　followed　Madame　Rapally　on　tiptoe；　who　on　her　side　moved　as　slowly　as　a　tortoise　and　as　lightly　as　she　could。　　They　succeeded　in　turning　the　handle　of　the　door　into　the　next　room　without　making　much　noise。

〃'Sh！〃　breathed　the　widow　softly；　〃listen；　they　are　speaking。〃

She　pointed　to　the　place　where　he　would　find　a　peep…hole　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　and　crept　herself　towards　the　corresponding　corner。　　Quennebert；　who　was　by　no　means　anxious　to　have　her　at　his　side；　motioned　to　her　to　blow　out　the　light。　　This　being　done；　he　felt　secure；　for　he　knew　that　in　the　intense　darkness　which　now　enveloped　them　she　could　not　move　from　her　place　without　knocking　against　the　furniture　between　them；　so　he　glued　his　face　to　the　partition。　　An　opening　just　large　enough　for　one　eye　allowed　him　to　see　everything　that　was　going　on　in　the　next　room。　　Just　as　he　began　his　observations；　the　treasurer　at　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi's　invitation　was　about　to　take　a　seat　near　her；　but　not　too　near　for　perfect　respect。　　Both　of　them　were　silent；　and　appeared　to　labour　under　great　embarrassment　at　finding　themselves　together；　and　explanations　did　not　readily　begin。　　The　lady　had　not　an　idea　of　the　motive　of　the　visit；　and　her　quondam　lover　feigned　the　emotion　necessary　to　the　success　of　his　undertaking。　　Thus　Maitre　Quennebert　had　full　time　to　examine　both；　and　especially　Angelique。　　The　reader　will　doubtless　desire　to　know　what　was　the　result　of　the　notary's　observation。




CHAPTER　III

ANGELIQUE…LOUISE　DE　GUERCHI　was　a　woman　of　about　twenty…eight　years　of　age；　tall；　dark；　and　well　made。　　The　loose　life　she　had　led　had；　it　is　true；　somewhat　staled　her　beauty；　marred　the　delicacy　of　her　complexion；　and　coarsened　the　naturally　elegant　curves　of　her　figure；　but　it　is　such　women　who　from　time　immemorial　have　had　the　strongest　attraction　for　profligate　men。　　It　seems　as　if　dissipation　destroyed　the　power　to　perceive　true　beauty；　and　the　man　of　pleasure　must　be　aroused　to　admiration　by　a　bold　glance　and　a　meaning　smile；　and　will　only　seek　satisfaction　along　the　trail　left　by　vice。　　Louise…　Angelique　was　admirably　adapted　for　her　way　of　life；　not　that　her　features　wore　an　expression　of　shameless　effrontery；　or　that　the　words　that　passed　her　lips　bore　habitual　testimony　to　the　disorders　of　her　existence；　but　that　under　a　calm　and　sedate　demeanour　there　lurked　a　secret　and　indefinable　charm。　　Many　other　women　possessed　more　regular　features；　but　none　of　them　had　a　greater　power　of　seduction。　　We　must　add　that　she　owed　that　power　entirely　to　her　physical　perfections；　for　except　in　regard　to　the　devices　necessary　to　her　calling；　she　showed　no　cleverness；　being　ignorant；　dull　and　without　inner　resources　of　any　kind。　　As　her　temperament　led　her　to　share　the　desires　she　excited；　she　was　really　incapable　of　resisting　an　attack　conducted　with　skill　and　ardour；　and　if　the　Duc　de　Vitry　had　not　been　so　madly　in　love；　which　is　the　same　as　saying　that　he　was　hopelessly　blind；　silly；　and　dense　to　everything　around　him；　he　might　have　found　a　score　of　opportunities　to　overcome　her　resistance。　We　have　already　seen　that　she　was　so　straitened　in　money　matters　that　she　had　been　driven　to　try　to　sell　her　jewels　that　very；　morning。

Jeannin　was　the　first　to　'break　silence。

〃You　are　astonished　at　my　visit；　I　know；　my　charming　Angelique。　　But　you　must　excuse　my　thus　appearing　so　unexpectedly　before　you。　　The　truth　is；　I　found　it　impossible　to　leave　Paris　without　seeing　you　once　more。〃

〃Thank　you　for　your　kind　remembrance；〃　said　she；　〃but　I　did　not　at　all　expect　it。〃

〃Come；　come；　you　are　offended　with　me。〃

She　gave　him　a　glance　of　mingled　disdain　and　resentment；　but　he　went　on；　in　a　timid；　wistful　tone

〃I　know　that　my　conduct　must　have　seemed　strange　to　you；　and　I　acknowledge　that　nothing　can　justify　a　man　for　suddenly　leaving　the　woman　he　lovesI　do　not　dare　to　say　the　woman　who　loves　himwithout　a　word　of　explanation。　　But；　dear　Angelique；　I　was　jealous。〃

〃Jealous！〃　she　repeated　incredulously。

〃I　tried　my　best　to　overcome　the　feeling；　and　I　hid　my　suspicions　from　you。　　Twenty　times　I　came　to　see　you　bursting　with　anger　and　determined　to　overwhelm　you　with　reproaches；　but　at　the　sight　of　your　beauty　I　forgot　everything　but　that　I　loved　you。　　My　suspicions　dissolved　before　a　smile；　one　word　from　your　lips　charmed　me　into　happiness。　　But　when　I　was　again　alone　my　terrors　revived；　I　saw　my　rivals　at　your　feet；　and　rage　possessed　me　once　more。　　Ah！　you　never　knew　how　devotedly　I　loved　you。〃

She　let　him　speak　without　interruption；　perhaps　the　same　thought　was　in　her　mind　as　in　Quennebert's；　who；　himself　a　past　master　in　the　art　of　lying；　was　thinking

〃The　man　does　not　believe　a　word　of　what　he　is　saying。〃

But　the　treasurer　went　on

〃I　can　see　that　even　now　you　doubt　my　sincerity。〃

〃Does　my　lord　desire　that　his　handmaiden　should　be　blunt？　　Well；　I　know　that　there　is　no　truth　in　what　you　say。〃

〃Oh！　　I　can　see　that　you　imagine　that　among　the　distractions　of　the　world　I　have　kept　no　memory　of　you；　and　have　found　consolation　in　the　love　of　less　obdurate　fair　ones。　　I　have　not　broken　in　on　your　retirement；　I　have　not　shadowed　your　steps；　I　have　not　kept　watch　on　your　actions；　I　have　not　surrounded　you　with　spies　who　would　perhaps　have　brought　me　the　assurance；　'If　she　quitted　the　world　which　outraged　her；　she　was　not　driven　forth　by　an　impulse　of　wounded　pride　or　noble　indignation；　she　did　not　even　seek　to　punish　those　who　misunderstood　her　by　her　absence；　she　buried　herself　where　she　was　unknown；　that　she　might　indulge　in　stolen　loves。'　　Such　were　the　thoughts　that　came　to　me；　and　yet　I　respected　your　hiding…place；　and　to…day　I　am　ready　to　believe　you　true；　if　you　will　merely　say；　'I　love　no　one　else！'〃

Jeannin；　who　was　as　fat　as　a　stage　financier；　paused　here　to　gasp；　for　the　utterance　of　this　string　of　banalities；　this　rigmarole　of　commonplaces；　had　left　him　breathless。　　He　was　very　much　dissatisfied　with　his　performance；　and　ready　to　curse　his　barren　imagination。　　He　longed　to　hit　upon　swelling　phrases　and　natural　and　touching　gestures；　but　in　vain。　　He　could　only　look　at　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　with　a　miserable；　heart…broken　air。　　She　remained　quietly　seated；　with　the　same　expression　of　incredulity　on　her　features。

So　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　go　on　once　more。

〃But　this　one　assurance　that　I　ask　you　will　not　give。　　So　what　I　havebeen　told　is　true：　you　have　given　your　love　to　him。〃

She　could　not　check　a　startled　movement。

〃You　see　it　is　only　when　I　speak　of　him　that　I　can　overcome　in　you　the　insensibility　which　is　killing　me。　　My　suspicions　were　true　after　all：　you　deceived　me　for　his　sake。　　Oh！　the　instinctive　feeling　of　jealousy　was　right　which　forced　me　to　quarrel　with　that　man；　to　reject　the　perfidious　friendship　which　he　tried　to　force　upon　me。　　He　has　returned　to　town；　and　we　shall　meet！　　But　why　do　I　say　'returned'？　　Perhaps　he　only　pretended　to　go　away；　and　safe　in　this　retreat　has　flouted　with　impunity；　my　despair　and　braved　my　vengeance！〃

Up　to　this　the　lady　had　played　a　waiting　game；　but　now　she　grew　quite　confused；　trying　to　discover　the　thread　of　the　treasurer's　thoughts。　To　whom　did　he　refer？　　The　Duc　de　Vitry？　　That　had　been　her　first　impression。　　But　the　duke　had　only　been　acquainted　with　her　for　a　few　monthssince　she　hadleft　Court。　　He　could　not　therefore　have　excited　the　jealousy　of　her　whilom　lover；　and　if　it　were　not　he；　to　whom　did　the　words　about　rejecting　〃perfidious　friendship；〃　and　〃returned　to　town；〃　and　so　on；　apply？　　Jeannin　divined　her　embarrassment；　and　was　not　a　little　proud　of　the　tactics　which　would；　he　was　almost　sure；　force　her　to　expose　herself。　　For　there　are　certain　women　who　can　be　thrown　into　cruel　perplexity　by　speaking　to　them　of　their　love…passages　without　affixing　a　proper　name　label　to　each。　　They　are　placed　as　it　were　on　the　edge　of　an　abyss；　and　forced　to　feel　their　way　in　darkness。　　To　say　〃You　have　loved〃　almost　obliges　them　to　ask　〃Whom？〃

Nevertheless；　this　was　not　the　word　uttered　by　Mademoiselle　de　Guerchi　while　she　ran　through　in　her　head　a　list　of　possibilities。　Her　answer　was

〃Your　language　astonishes　me；　I　don't　understand　what　you　mean。〃

The　ice　was　broken；　and　the　treasurer　made　a　plunge。　　Seizing　one　of　Angelique's　hands；　he　asked

〃Have　you　never　seen　Commander　de　Jars　since　then？〃

〃Commander　de　Jars！〃　exclaimed　Angelique。

〃Can　you　swear　to　me；　Angelique；　that　you　love　him　not？〃

〃Mon　Dieu！　　What　put　it　into　your　head　that　I　ever　cared　for　him？　It's　over　four　months　since　I　saw　him　last；　and　I　hadn't　an　idea　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　　So　he　has　been　out　of　town？　　That's　the　first　I　heard　of　it。〃

〃My　fortune　is　yours；　Angelique！　　Oh！　assure　me　once　again　that　you　do　not　love　himthat　you　never　loved　him！〃　he　pleaded　in　a　faltering　voice；　fixing　a　look　of　painful　anxiety　upon　her。

He　had　no　intention　of　putting　her　out　of　countenance　by　the　course　he　took；　he　knew　quite　well　that　a　woman　like　Angelique　is　never　more　at　her　ease　than　when　she　has　a　chance　of　telling　an　untruth　of　this　nature。　　Besides；　he　had　prefaced　this　appeal　by　the　magic　words；　〃My　fortune'　is　yours！〃　and　the　hope　thus　aroused　was　well　worth　a　perjury。　　So　she　answered　boldly　and　in　a　steady　voice；　while　she　looked　straight　into　his　eyes

〃Never！〃

〃I　believe　you！〃　exclaimed　Jeannin；　going　down　on　his　knees　and　covering　with　his　kisses　the　hand　he　still　held。　　〃I　can　taste　happiness　again。　　Listen；　Angelique。　　I　am　leaving　Paris；　my　mother　is　dead；　and　I　am　going　back　to　Spain。　　Will　you　follow　me　thither？〃

〃I…follow　you？〃

〃I　hesitated　long　before　finding　you　out；　so　much　did　I　fear　a　repulse。　　I　set　out　to…morrow。　　Quit　Paris；　leave　the　world　which　has　slandered　you；　and　come　with　me。　　In　a　fortnight　we　shall　be　man　and　wife。〃

〃You　are　not　in　earn