a woman of thirty-第29章

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Helene　knelt　timidly　before　her　father。

〃Father；　I　love　and　revere　you；〃　she　said；　〃whether　you　lavish　all　the　treasures　of　your　kindness　upon　me；　or　make　me　feel　to　the　full　the　rigor　of　disgrace。　。　。　。　But　I　entreat　that　your　last　words　of　farewell　shall　not　be　words　of　anger。〃

The　General　could　not　trust　himself　to　look　at　her。　The　stranger　came　nearer；　there　was　something　half…diabolical；　half…divine　in　the　smile　that　he　gave　Helene。

〃Angel　of　pity；　you　that　do　not　shrink　in　horror　from　a　murderer；　come；　since　you　persist　in　your　resolution　of　intrusting　your　life　to　me。〃

〃Inconceivable！〃　cried　her　father。

The　Marquise　then　looked　strangely　at　her　daughter；　opened　her　arms；　and　Helene　fled　to　her　in　tears。

〃Farewell；〃　she　said；　〃farewell；　mother！〃　The　stranger　trembled　as　Helene；　undaunted；　made　sign　to　him　that　she　was　ready。　She　kissed　her　father's　hand；　and；　as　if　performing　a　duty；　gave　a　hasty　kiss　to　Moina　and　little　Abel；　then　she　vanished　with　the　murderer。

〃Which　way　are　they　going？〃　exclaimed　the　General；　listening　to　the　footsteps　of　the　two　fugitives。〃Madame；〃　he　turned　to　his　wife；　〃I　think　I　must　be　dreaming；　there　is　some　mystery　behind　all　this；　I　do　not　understand　it；　you　must　know　what　it　means。〃

The　Marquise　shivered。

〃For　some　time　past　your　daughter　has　grown　extraordinarily　romantic　and　strangely　high…flown　in　her　ideas。　In　spite　of　the　pains　I　have　taken　to　combat　these　tendencies　in　her　character〃

〃This　will　not　do〃　began　the　General；　but　fancying　that　he　heard　footsteps　in　the　garden；　he　broke　off　to　fling　open　the　window。

〃Helene！〃　he　shouted。

His　voice　was　lost　in　the　darkness　like　a　vain　prophecy。　The　utterance　of　that　name；　to　which　there　should　never　be　answer　any　more；　acted　like　a　counterspell；　it　broke　the　charm　and　set　him　free　from　the　evil　enchantment　which　lay　upon　him。　It　was　as　if　some　spirit　passed　over　his　face。　He　now　saw　clearly　what　had　taken　place；　and　cursed　his　incomprehensible　weakness。　A　shiver　of　heat　rushed　from　his　heart　to　his　head　and　feet；　he　became　himself　once　more；　terrible；　thirsting　for　revenge。　He　raised　a　dreadful　cry。

〃Help！〃　he　thundered；　〃help！〃

He　rushed　to　the　bell…pull；　pulled　till　the　bells　rang　with　a　strange　clamor　of　din；　pulled　till　the　cord　gave　way。　The　whole　house　was　roused　with　a　start。　Still　shouting；　he　flung　open　the　windows　that　looked　upon　the　street；　called　for　the　police；　caught　up　his　pistols；　and　fired　them　off　to　hurry　the　mounted　patrols；　the　newly…aroused　servants；　and　the　neighbors。　The　dogs　barked　at　the　sound　of　their　master's　voice；　the　horses　neighed　and　stamped　in　their　stalls。　The　quiet　night　was　suddenly　filled　with　hideous　uproar。　The　General　on　the　staircase；　in　pursuit　of　his　daughter；　saw　the　scared　faces　of　the　servants　flocking　from　all　parts　of　the　house。

〃My　daughter！〃　he　shouted。　〃Helene　has　been　carried　off。　Search　the　garden。　Keep　a　lookout　on　the　road！　Open　the　gates　for　the　gendarmerie！Murder！　Help！〃

With　the　strength　of　fury　he　snapped　the　chain　and　let　loose　the　great　house…dog。

〃Helene！〃　he　cried；　〃Helene！〃

The　dog　sprang　out　like　a　lion；　barking　furiously；　and　dashed　into　the　garden；　leaving　the　General　far　behind。　A　troop　of　horses　came　along　the　road　at　a　gallop；　and　he　flew　to　open　the　gates　himself。

〃Corporal！〃　he　shouted；　〃cut　off　the　retreat　of　M。　de　Mauny's　murderer。　They　have　gone　through　my　garden。　Quick！　Put　a　cordon　of　men　to　watch　the　ways　by　the　Butte　de　Picardie。I　will　beat　up　the　grounds；　parks；　and　houses。The　rest　of　you　keep　a　lookout　along　the　road；〃　he　ordered　the　servants；　〃form　a　chain　between　the　barrier　and　Versailles。　Forward；　every　man　of　you！〃

He　caught　up　the　rifle　which　his　man　had　brought　out；　and　dashed　into　the　garden。

〃Find　them！〃　he　called　to　the　dog。

An　ominous　baying　came　in　answer　from　the　distance；　and　he　plunged　in　the　direction　from　which　the　growl　seemed　to　come。

It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　all　the　search　made　by　gendarmes；　servants；　and　neighbors　had　been　fruitless；　and　the　dog　had　not　come　back。　The　General　entered　the　salon；　empty　now　for　him　though　the　other　three　children　were　there；　he　was　worn　out　with　fatigue；　and　looked　old　already　with　that　night's　work。

〃You　have　been　very　cold　to　your　daughter；〃　he　said；　turning　his　eyes　on　his　wife。〃And　now　this　is　all　that　is　left　to　us　of　her；〃　he　added；　indicating　the　embroidery　frame；　and　the　flower　just　begun。　〃Only　just　now　she　was　there；　and　now　she　is　lost　。　。　。　lost！〃

Tears　followed；　he　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　for　a　few　minutes　he　said　no　more；　he　could　not　bear　the　sight　of　the　room；　which　so　short　a　time　ago　had　made　a　setting　to　a　picture　of　the　sweetest　family　happiness。　The　winter　dawn　was　struggling　with　the　dying　lamplight；　the　tapers　burned　down　to　their　paper…　wreaths　and　flared　out；　everything　was　all　in　keeping　with　the　father's　despair。

〃This　must　be　destroyed；〃　he　said　after　a　pause；　pointing　to　the　tambour…frame。　〃I　shall　never　bear　to　see　anything　again　that　reminds　us　of　/her/！〃

The　terrible　Christmas　night　when　the　Marquis　and　his　wife　lost　their　oldest　daughter；　powerless　to　oppose　the　mysterious　influence　exercised　by　the　man　who　involuntarily；　as　it　were；　stole　Helene　from　them；　was　like　a　warning　sent　by　Fate。　The　Marquis　was　ruined　by　the　failure　of　his　stock…broker；　he　borrowed　money　on　his　wife's　property；　and　lost　it　in　the　endeavor　to　retrieve　his　fortunes。　Driven　to　desperate　expedients；　he　left　France。　Six　years　went　by。　His　family　seldom　had　news　of　him；　but　a　few　days　before　Spain　recognized　the　independence　of　the　American　Republics；　he　wrote　that　he　was　coming　home。

So；　one　fine　morning；　it　happened　that　several　French　merchants　were　on　board　a　Spanish　brig　that　lay　a　few　leagues　out　from　Bordeaux；　impatient　to　reach　their　native　land　again；　with　wealth　acquired　by　long　years　of　toil　and　perilous　adventures　in　Venezuela　and　Mexico。

One　of　the　passengers；　a　man　who　looked　aged　by　trouble　rather　than　by　years；　was　leaning　against　the　bulwark　netting；　apparently　quite　unaffected　by　the　sight　to　be　seen　from　the　upper　deck。　The　bright　day；　the　sense　that　the　voyage　was　safely　over；　had　brought　all　the　passengers　above　to　greet　their　land。　The　larger　number　of　them　insisted　that　they　could　see；　far　off　in　the　distance；　the　houses　and　lighthouses　on　the　coast　of　Gascony　and　the　Tower　of　Cardouan；　melting　into　the　fantastic　erections　of　white　cloud　along　the　horizon。　But　for　the　silver　fringe　that　played　about　their　bows；　and　the　long　furrow　swiftly　effaced　in　their　wake；　they　might　have　been　perfectly　still　in　mid…ocean；　so　calm　was　the　sea。　The　sky　was　magically　clear；　the　dark　blue　of　the　vault　above　paled　by　imperceptible　gradations；　until　it　blended　with　the　bluish　water；　a　gleaming　line　that　sparkled　like　stars　marking　the　dividing　line　of　sea。　The　sunlight　caught　myriads　of　facets　over　the　wide　surface　of　the　ocean；　in　such　a　sort　that　the　vast　plains　of　salt　water　looked　perhaps　more　full　of　light　than　the　fields　of　sky。

The　brig　had　set　all　her　canvas。　The　snowy　sails；　swelled　by　the　strangely　soft　wind；　the　labyrinth　of　cordage；　and　the　yellow　flags　flying　at　the　masthead；　all　stood　out　sharp　and　uncompromisingly　clear　against　the　vivid　background　of　space；　sky；　and　sea；　there　was　nothing　to　alter　the　color　but　the　shadow　cast　by　the　great　cloudlike　sails。

A　glorious　day；　a　fair　wind；　and　the　fatherland　in　sight；　a　sea　like　a　mill…pond；　the　melancholy　sound　of　the　ripples；　a　fair；　solitary　vessel；　gliding　across　the　surface　of　the　water　like　a　woman　stealing　out　to　a　trystit　was　a　picture　full　of　harmony。　That　mere　speck　full　of　movement　was　a　starting…point　whence　the　soul　of　man　could　descry　the　immutable　vast　of　space。　Solitude　and　bustling　life；　silence　and　sound；　were　all　brought　together　in　strange　abrupt　contrast；　you　could　not　tell　where　life；　or　sound；　or　silence；　and　nothingness　lay；　and　no　human　voice　broke　the　divine　spell。

The　Spanish　captain；　the　crew；　and　the　French　passengers　sat　or　stood；　in　a　mood　of　devout　ecstasy；　in　which　many　memories　blended。　There　was　idleness　in　the　air。　The　beaming　faces　told　of　complete　forgetfulness　of　past　hardships；　the　men　were　rocked　on　the　fair　vessel　as　in　a　golden　dream。　Yet；　from　time　to　time　the　elderly　passenger；　leaning　over　the　bulwark　nettings；　looked　with　something　like　uneasiness　at　the　horizon。　Distrust　of　the　ways　of　Fate　could　be　read　in　his　whole　face；　he　seemed　to　fear　that　he　should　not　reach　the　coast　of　France　in　time。　This　was　the　Marquis。　Fortune　had　not　been　deaf　to　his　despairing　cry　and　struggles。　After　five　years　of　endeavor　and　painful　toil；　he　was　a　wealthy　man　once　more。　In　his　impatience　to　reach　his　home　again　and　to　bring　the　good　news　to　his　family；　he　had　followed　the　example　set　by　some　French　merchants　in　Havana；　and　embarked　with　them　on　a　Spanish　vessel　with　a　cargo　for　Bordeaux。　And　now；　grown　tired　of　evil　forebodings；　his　fancy　was　tracing　out　for　him　the　most　delicious　pictures　of　past　happiness。　In　that　far…off　brown　line　of　land　he　seemed　to　see　his　wife　and　children。　He　sat　in　his　place　by　the　fireside；　they　were　crowding　about　him；　he　felt　their　caresses。　Moina　had　grown　to　be　a　young　girl；　she　was　beautiful；　and　tall；　and　striking。　The　fancied　picture　had　grown　almost　real；　when　the　tears　filled　his　eyes；　and；　to　hide　his　emotion；　he　turned　his　face　towards　the　sea…line；　opposite　the　hazy　streak　that　meant　land。

〃There　she　is　again。　。　。　。　She　is　following　us！〃　he　said。

〃What？〃　cried　the　Spanish　captain。

〃There　is　a　vessel；〃　muttered　the　General。

〃I　saw　her　yesterday；〃　answered　Captain　Gomez。　He　looked　at　his　interlocutor　as　if　to　ask　what　he　thought；　then　he　added　in　the　General's　ear；　〃She　has　been　chasing　us　all　along。〃

〃Then　why　she　has　not　come　up　with　us；　I　do　not　know；〃　said　the　General；　〃for　she　is　a　faster　sailor　than　your　damned　/Saint…　Ferdinand/。〃

〃She　will　have　damaged　herself；　sprung　a　leak〃

〃She　is　gaining　on　us！〃　the　General　broke　in。

〃She　is　a　Columbian　privateer；〃　the　captain　said　in　his　ear；　〃and　we　are　still　six　leagues　from　land；　and　the　wind　is　dropping。〃

〃She　is　not　/going/　ahead；　she　is　flying；　as　if　she　knew　that　in　two　hours'　time　her　prey　would　escape　her。　What　audacity！〃

〃Audacity！〃　cried　the　captain。　〃Oh！　she　is　not　called　the　/Othello/　for　nothing。　Not　so　long　back　she　sank　a　Spanish　frigate　that　carried　thirty　guns！　This　is　the　one　thing　I　was　afraid　of；　for　I　had　a　notion　that　she　was　cruising　about　somewhere　off　the　Antilles。Aha！〃　he　added　after　a　pause；　as　he　watched　the　sails　of　his　own　vessel；　〃the　wind　is　rising；　we　are　making　way。　Get　through　we　must；　for　'the　Parisian'　will　show　us　no　mercy。〃

〃She　is　making　way　too！〃　returned　the　General。

The　/Othello/　was　scarce　three　leagues　away　by　this　time；　and　although　the　conversation　between　the　Marquis　and　Captain　Gomez　had　taken　place　apart；　passengers　and　crew；　attracted　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　a　sail；　came　to　that　side　of　the　vessel。　With　scarcely　an　exception；　however；　they　took　the　privateer　for　a　merchantman；　and　watched　her　course　with　interest；　till　all　at　once　a　sailor　shouted　with　some　energy　of　language：

〃By　Saint…James；　it　is　all　up　with　us！　Yonder　is　the　Parisia