a woman of thirty-第23章

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　our　lips　when　we　play　with　children。　The　mother　looked　on　smiling；　now　and　then；　doubtless；　putting　in　some　low　word　that　came　up　from　the　heart；　for　her　companion　would　stop　short　in　his　full　happiness；　and　the　blue　eyes　that　turned　towards　her　were　full　of　glowing　light　and　love　and　worship。　Their　voices；　blending　with　the　child's　voice；　reached　me　with　a　vague　sense　of　a　caress。　The　three　figures；　charming　in　themselves；　composed　a　lovely　scene　in　a　glorious　landscape；　filling　it　with　a　pervasive　unimaginable　grace。　A　delicately　fair　woman；　radiant　with　smiles；　a　child　of　love；　a　young　man　with　the　irresistible　charm　of　youth；　a　cloudless　sky；　nothing　was　wanting　in　nature　to　complete　a　perfect　harmony　for　the　delight　of　the　soul。　I　found　myself　smiling　as　if　their　happiness　had　been　my　own。

The　clocks　struck　nine。　The　young　man　gave　a　tender　embrace　to　his　companion；　and　went　towards　the　tilbury　which　an　old　servant　drove　slowly　to　meet　him。　The　lady　had　grown　grave　and　almost　sad。　The　child's　prattle　sounded　unchecked　through　the　last　farewell　kisses。　Then　the　tilbury　rolled　away；　and　the　lady　stood　motionless；　listening　to　the　sound　of　the　wheels；　watching　the　little　cloud　of　dust　raised　by　its　passage　along　the　road。　Charles　ran　down　the　green　pathway　back　to　the　bridge　to　join　his　sister。　I　heard　his　silver　voice　calling　to　her。

〃Why　did　you　not　come　to　say　good…bye　to　my　good　friend？〃　cried　he。

Helene　looked　up。　Never　surely　did　such　hatred　gleam　from　a　child's　eyes　as　from　hers　at　that　moment　when　she　turned　them　on　the　brother　who　stood　beside　her　on　the　bank　side。　She　gave　him　an　angry　push。　Charles　lost　his　footing　on　the　steep　slope；　stumbled　over　the　roots　of　a　tree；　and　fell　headlong　forwards；　dashing　his　forehead　on　the　sharp…edged　stones　of　the　embankment；　and；　covered　with　blood；　disappeared　over　the　edge　into　the　muddy　river。　The　turbid　water　closed　over　a　fair；　bright　head　with　a　shower　of　splashes；　one　sharp　shriek　after　another　rang　in　my　ears；　then　the　sounds　were　stifled　by　the　thick　stream；　and　the　poor　child　sank　with　a　dull　sound　as　if　a　stone　had　been　thrown　into　the　water。　The　accident　had　happened　with　more　than　lightning　swiftness。　I　sprang　down　the　footpath；　and　Helene；　stupefied　with　horror；　shrieked　again　and　again：

〃Mamma！　mamma！〃

The　mother　was　there　at　my　side。　She　had　flown　to　the　spot　like　a　bird。　But　neither　a　mother's　eyes　nor　mine　could　find　the　exact　place　where　the　little　one　had　gone　under。　There　was　a　wide　space　of　black　hurrying　water；　and　below　in　the　bed　of　the　Bievre　ten　feet　of　mud。　There　was　not　the　smallest　possibility　of　saving　the　child。　No　one　was　stirring　at　that　hour　on　a　Sunday　morning；　and　there　are　neither　barges　nor　anglers　on　the　Bievre。　There　was　not　a　creature　in　sight；　not　a　pole　to　plumb　the　filthy　stream。　What　need　was　there　for　me　to　explain　how　the　ugly…looking　accident　had　happenedaccident　or　misfortune；　whichever　it　might　be？　Had　Helene　avenged　her　father？　Her　jealousy　surely　was　the　sword　of　God。　And　yet　when　I　looked　at　the　mother　I　shivered。　What　fearful　ordeal　awaited　her　when　she　should　return　to　her　husband；　the　judge　before　whom　she　must　stand　all　her　days？　And　here　with　her　was　an　inseparable；　incorruptible　witness。　A　child's　forehead　is　transparent；　a　child's　face　hides　no　thoughts；　and　a　lie；　like　a　red　flame　set　within　glows　out　red　that　colors　even　the　eyes。　But　the　unhappy　woman　had　not　thought　as　yet　of　the　punishment　awaiting　her　at　home；　she　was　staring　into　the　Bievre。



Such　an　event　must　inevitably　send　ghastly　echoes　through　a　woman's　life；　and　here　is　one　of　the　most　terrible　of　the　reverberations　that　troubled　Julie's　love　from　time　to　time。

Several　years　had　gone　by。　The　Marquis　de　Vandenesse　wore　mourning　for　his　father；　and　succeeded　to　his　estates。　One　evening；　therefore；　after　dinner　it　happened　that　a　notary　was　present　in　his　house。　This　was　no　pettifogging　lawyer　after　Sterne's　pattern；　but　a　very　solid；　substantial　notary　of　Paris；　one　of　your　estimable　men　who　do　a　stupid　thing　pompously；　set　down　a　foot　heavily　upon　your　private　corn；　and　then　ask　what　in　the　world　there　is　to　cry　out　about？　If；　by　accident；　they　come　to　know　the　full　extent　of　the　enormity；　〃Upon　my　word；〃　cry　they；　〃I　hadn't　a　notion！〃　This　was　a　well…intentioned　ass；　in　short；　who　could　see　nothing　in　life　but　deeds　and　documents。

Mme。　de　Aiglemont　had　been　dining　with　M。　de　Vandenesse；　her　husband　had　excused　himself　before　dinner　was　over；　for　he　was　taking　his　two　children　to　the　play。　They　were　to　go　to　some　Boulevard　theatre　or　other；　to　the　Ambigu…Comique　or　the　Gaiete；　sensational　melodrama　being　judged　harmless　here　in　Paris；　and　suitable　pabulum　for　childhood；　because　innocence　is　always　triumphant　in　the　fifth　act。　The　boy　and　girl　had　teased　their　father　to　be　there　before　the　curtain　rose；　so　he　had　left　the　table　before　dessert　was　served。

But　the　notary；　the　imperturbable　notary；　utterly　incapable　of　asking　himself　why　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　should　have　allowed　her　husband　and　children　to　go　without　her　to　the　play；　sat　on　as　if　he　were　screwed　to　his　chair。　Dinner　was　over；　dessert　had　been　prolonged　by　discussion；　and　coffee　delayed。　All　these　things　consumed　time；　doubtless　precious；　and　drew　impatient　movements　from　that　charming　woman；　she　looked　not　unlike　a　thoroughbred　pawing　the　ground　before　a　race；　but　the　man　of　law；　to　whom　horses　and　women　were　equally　unknown　quantities；　simply　thought　the　Marquise　a　very　lively　and　sparkling　personage。　So　enchanted　was　he　to　be　in　the　company　of　a　woman　of　fashion　and　a　political　celebrity；　that　he　was　exerting　himself　to　shine　in　conversation；　and　taking　the　lady's　forced　smile　for　approbation；　talked　on　with　unflagging　spirit；　till　the　Marquise　was　almost　out　of　patience。

The　master　of　the　house；　in　concert　with　the　lady；　had　more　than　once　maintained　an　eloquent　silence　when　the　lawyer　expected　a　civil　reply；　but　these　significant　pauses　were　employed　by　the　talkative　nuisance　in　looking　for　anecdotes　in　the　fire。　M。　de　Vandenesse　had　recourse　to　his　watch；　the　charming　Marquise　tried　the　experiment　of　fastening　her　bonnet　strings；　and　made　as　if　she　would　go。　But　she　did　not　go；　and　the　notary；　blind　and　deaf；　and　delighted　with　himself；　was　quite　convinced　that　his　interesting　conversational　powers　were　sufficient　to　keep　the　lady　on　the　spot。

〃I　shall　certainly　have　that　woman　for　a　client；〃　said　he　to　himself。

Meanwhile　the　Marquise　stood；　putting　on　her　gloves；　twisting　her　fingers；　looking　from　the　equally　impatient　Marquis　de　Vandenesse　to　the　lawyer；　still　pounding　away。　At　every　pause　in　the　worthy　man's　fire　of　witticisms　the　charming　pair　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　their　looks　said　plainly；　〃At　last！　He　is　really　going！〃

Nothing　of　the　kind。　It　was　a　nightmare　which　could　only　end　in　exasperating　the　two　impassioned　creatures；　on　whom　the　lawyer　had　something　of　the　fascinating　effect　of　a　snake　on　a　pair　of　birds；　before　long　they　would　be　driven　to　cut　him　short。

The　clever　notary　was　giving　them　the　history　of　the　discreditable　ways　in　which　one　du　Tillet　（a　stockbroker　then　much　in　favor）　had　laid　the　foundations　of　his　fortune；　all　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　whole　disgraceful　business　were　accurately　put　before　them；　and　the　narrator　was　in　the　very　middle　of　his　tale　when　M。　de　Vandenesse　heard　the　clock　strike　nine。　Then　it　became　clear　to　him　that　his　legal　adviser　was　very　emphatically　an　idiot　who　must　be　sent　forthwith　about　his　business。　He　stopped　him　resolutely　with　a　gesture。

〃The　tongs；　my　lord　Marquis？〃　queried　the　notary；　handing　the　object　in　question　to　his　client。

〃No；　monsieur；　I　am　compelled　to　send　you　away。　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　wishes　to　join　her　children；　and　I　shall　have　the　honor　of　escorting　her。〃

〃Nine　o'clock　already！　Time　goes　like　a　shadow　in　pleasant　company；〃　said　the　man　of　law；　who　had　talked　on　end　for　the　past　hour。

He　looked　for　his　hat；　planted　himself　before　the　fire；　with　a　suppressed　hiccough；　and；　without　heeding　the　Marquise's　withering　glances；　spoke　once　more　to　his　impatient　client：

〃To　sum　up；　my　lord　Marquis。　Business　before　all　things。　To…morrow；　then；　we　must　subpoena　your　brother；　we　will　proceed　to　make　out　the　inventory；　and　faith；　after　that〃

So　ill　had　the　lawyer　understood　his　instructions；　that　his　impression　was　the　exact　opposite　to　the　one　intended。　It　was　a　delicate　matter；　and　Vandenesse；　in　spite　of　himself；　began　to　put　the　thick…headed　notary　right。　The　discussion　which　followed　took　up　a　certain　amount　of　time。

〃Listen；〃　the　diplomatist　said　at　last　at　a　sign　from　the　lady；　〃You　are　puzzling　my　brains；　come　back　to…morrow；　and　if　the　writ　is　not　issued　by　noon　to…morrow；　the　days　of　grace　will　expire；　and　then〃

As　he　spoke；　a　carriage　entered　the　courtyard。　The　poor　woman　turned　sharply　away　at　the　sound　to　hide　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　The　Marquis　rang　to　give　the　servant　orders　to　say　that　he　was　not　at　home；　but　before　the　footman　could　answer　the　bell；　the　lady's　husband　reappeared。　He　had　returned　unexpectedly　from　the　Gaiete；　and　held　both　children　by　the　hand。　The　little　girl's　eyes　were　red；　the　boy　was　fretful　and　very　cross。

〃What　can　have　happened？〃　asked　the　Marquise。

〃I　will　tell　you　by　and　by；〃　said　the　General；　and　catching　a　glimpse　through　an　open　door　of　newspapers　on　the　table　in　the　adjoining　sitting…room；　he　went　off。　The　Marquise；　at　the　end　of　her　patience；　flung　herself　down　on　the　sofa　in　desperation。　The　notary；　thinking　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　be　amiable　with　the　children；　spoke　to　the　little　boy　in　an　insinuating　tone：

〃Well；　my　little　man；　and　what　is　there　on　at　the　theatre？〃

〃/The　Valley　of　the　Torrent/；〃　said　Gustave　sulkily。

〃Upon　my　word　and　honor；〃　declared　the　notary；　〃authors　nowadays　are　half　crazy。　/The　Valley　of　the　Torrent/！　Why　not　the　Torrent　of　the　Valley？　It　is　conceivable　that　a　valley　might　be　without　a　torrent　in　it；　now　if　they　had　said　the　Torrent　of　the　Valley；　that　would　have　been　something　clear；　something　precise；　something　definite　and　comprehensible。　But　never　mind　that。　Now；　how　is　the　drama　to　take　place　in　a　torrent　and　in　a　valley？　You　will　tell　me　that　in　these　days　the　principal　attraction　lies　in　the　scenic　effect；　and　the　title　is　a　capital　advertisement。And　did　you　enjoy　it；　my　little　friend？〃　he　continued；　sitting　down　before　the　child。

When　the　notary　pursued　his　inquiries　as　to　the　possibilities　of　a　drama　in　the　bed　of　a　torrent；　the　little　girl　turned　slowly　away　and　began　to　cry。　Her　mother　did　not　notice　this　in　her　intense　annoyance。

〃Oh！　yes；　monsieur；　I　enjoyed　it　very　much；〃　said　the　child。　〃There　is　a　dear　little　boy　in　the　play；　and　he　was　all　alone　in　the　world；　because　his　papa　could　not　have　been　his　real　papa。　And　when　he　came　to　the　top　of　the　bridge　over　the　torrent；　a　big；　naughty　man　with　a　beard；　dressed　all　in　black；　came　and　threw　him　into　the　water。　And　then　Helene　began　to　sob　and　cry；　and　everybody　scolded　us；　and　father　brought　us　away　quick；　quick〃

M。　de　Vandenesse　and　the　Marquise　looked　on　in　dull　amazement；　as　if　all　power　to　think　or　move　had　been　suddenly　paralyzed。

〃Do　be　quiet；　Gustave！〃　cried　the　General。　〃I　told　you　that　you　were　not　to　talk　abo