la mere bauche-第4章

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own　mind　whether　the　capitaine　should　be　invited　to　this　conference
or　no。　　For　many　reasons　she　would　have　wished　to　exclude　him。　　She
did　not　like　to　teach　her　son　that　she　was　unable　to　manage　her　own
affairs；　and　she　would　have　been　well　pleased　to　make　the　capitaine
understand　that　his　assistance　was　not　absolutely　necessary　to　her。
But　then　she　had　an　inward　fear　that　her　green　spectacles　would　not
now　be　as　efficacious　on　Adolphe；　as　they　had　once　been；　in　old　days；
before　he　had　seen　the　world　and　become　a　man。　　It　might　be　necessary
that　her　son；　being　a　man；　should　be　opposed　by　a　man。　　So　the
capitaine　was　invited　to　the　conference。

What　took　place　there　need　not　be　described　at　length。　　The　three
were　closeted　for　two　hours；　at　the　end　of　which　time　they　came　forth
together。　　The　countenance　of　Madame　Bauche　was　serene　and
comfortable；　her　hopes　of　ultimate　success　ran　higher　than　ever。　　The
face　of　the　capitaine　was　masked；　as　are　always　the　faces　of　great
diplomatists；　he　walked　placid　and　upright；　raising　his　wooden　leg
with　an　ease　and　skill　that　was　absolutely　marvellous。　　But　poor
Adolphe's　brow　was　clouded。　　Yes；　poor　Adolphe！　for　he　was　poor　in
spirit；　he　had　pledged　himself　to　give　up　Marie；　and　to　accept　the
liberal　allowance　which　his　mother　tendered　him；　but　it　remained　for
him　now　to　communicate　these　tidings　to　Marie　herself。

〃Could　not　you　tell　her？〃　he　had　said　to　his　mother；　with　very　little
of　that　manliness　in　his　face　on　which　his　mother　now　so　prided
herself。　　But　La　Mere　Bauche　explained　to　him　that　it　was　a　part　of
the　general　agreement　that　Marie　was　to　hear　his　decision　from　his
own　mouth。

〃But　you　need　not　regard　it；〃　said　the　capitaine；　with　the　most
indifferent　air　in　the　world。　　〃The　girl　expects　it。　　Only　she　has
some　childish　idea　that　she　is　bound　till　you　yourself　release　her。
I　don't　think　she　will　be　troublesome。〃　　Adolphe　at　that　moment　did
feel　that　he　should　have　liked　to　kick　the　capitaine　out　of　his
mother's　house。

And　where　should　the　meeting　take　place？　　In　the　hall　of　the　bath…
house；　suggested　Madame　Bauche；　because；　as　she　observed；　they　could
walk　round　and　round；　and　nobody　ever　went　there　at　that　time　of　day。
But　to　this　Adolphe　objected；　it　would　be　so　cold　and　dismal　and
melancholy。

The　capitaine　thought　that　Mere　Bauche's　little　parlour　was　the
place；　but　La　Mere　herself　did　not　like　this。　　They　might　be
overheard；　as　she　well　knew；　and　she　guessed　that　the　meeting　would
not　conclude　without　some　sobs　that　would　certainly　be　bitter　and
might　perhaps　be　loud。

〃Send　her　up　to　the　grotto；　and　I　will　follow　her；〃　said　Adolphe。　　On
this　therefore　they　agreed。　　Now　the　grotto　was　a　natural　excavation
in　a　high　rock；　which　stood　precipitously　upright　over　the
establishment　of　the　baths。　　A　steep　zigzag　path　with　almost　never…
ending　steps　had　been　made　along　the　face　of　the　rock　from　a　little
flower　garden　attached　to　the　house　which　lay　immediately　under　the
mountain。　　Close　along　the　front　of　the　hotel　ran　a　little　brawling
river；　leaving　barely　room　for　a　road　between　it　and　the　door；　over
this　there　was　a　wooden　bridge　leading　to　the　garden；　and　some　two　or
three　hundred　yards　from　the　bridge　began　the　steps　by　which　the
ascent　was　made　to　the　grotto。

When　the　season　was　full　and　the　weather　perfectly　warm　the　place　was
much　frequented。　　There　was　a　green　table　in　it；　and　four　or　five
deal　chairs；　a　green　garden　seat　also　was　there；　which　however　had
been　removed　into　the　innermost　back　corner　of　the　excavation；　as　its
hinder　legs　were　somewhat　at　fault。　　A　wall　about　two　feet　high　ran
along　the　face　of　it；　guarding　its　occupants　from　the　precipice。　　In
fact　it　was　no　grotto；　but　a　little　chasm　in　the　rock；　such　as　we
often　see　up　above　our　heads　in　rocky　valleys；　and　which　by　means　of
these　steep　steps　had　been　turned　into　a　source　of　exercise　and
amusement　for　the　visitors　at　the　hotel。

Standing　at　the　wall　one　could　look　down　into　the　garden；　and　down
also　upon　the　shining　slate　roof　of　Madame　Bauche's　house；　and　to　the
left　might　be　seen　the　sombre；　silent；　snow…capped　top　of　stern　old
Canigou；　king　of　mountains　among　those　Eastern　Pyrenees。

And　so　Madame　Bauche　undertook　to　send　Marie　up　to　the　grotto；　and
Adolphe　undertook　to　follow　her　thither。　　It　was　now　spring；　and
though　the　winds　had　fallen　and　the　snow　was　no　longer　lying　on　the
lower　peaks；　still　the　air　was　fresh　and　cold；　and　there　was　no
danger　that　any　of　the　few　guests　at　the　establishment　would　visit
the　place。

〃Make　her　put　on　her　cloak；　Mere　Bauche；〃　said　the　capitaine；　who　did
not　wish　that　his　bride　should　have　a　cold　in　her　head　on　their
wedding…day。　　La　Mere　Bauche　pished　and　pshawed；　as　though　she　were
not　minded　to　pay　any　attention　to　recommendations　on　such　subjects
from　the　capitaine。　　But　nevertheless　when　Marie　was　seen　slowly　to
creep　across　the　little　bridge　about　fifteen　minutes　after　this　time；
she　had　a　handkerchief　on　her　head；　and　was　closely　wrapped　in　a　dark
brown　cloak。

Poor　Marie　herself　little　heeded　the　cold　fresh　air；　but　she　was　glad
to　avail　herself　of　any　means　by　which　she　might　hide　her　face。　　When
Madame　Bauche　sought　her　out　in　her　own　little　room；　and　with　a
smiling　face　and　kind　kiss　bade　her　go　to　the　grotto；　she　knew；　or
fancied　that　she　knew　that　it　was　all　over。

〃He　will　tell　you　all　the　truth；how　it　all　is；〃　said　La　Mere。　　〃We
will　do　all　we　can；　you　know；　to　make　you　happy；　Marie。　　But　you　must
remember　what　Monsieur　le　Cure　told　us　the　other　day。　　In　this　vale
of　tears　we　cannot　have　everything；　as　we　shall　have　some　day；　when
our　poor　wicked　souls　have　been　purged　of　all　their　wickedness。　　Now
go；　dear；　and　take　your　cloak。〃

〃Yes；　maman。〃

〃And　Adolphe　will　come　to　you。　　And　try　and　behave　well；　like　a
sensible　girl。〃

〃Yes；　maman；〃and　so　she　went；　bearing　on　her　brow　another
sacrificial　kissand　bearing　in　her　heart　such　an　unutterable　load
of　woe！

Adolphe　had　gone　out　of　the　house　before　her；　but　standing　in　the
stable　yard；　well　within　the　gate　so　that　she　should　not　see　him；　he
watched　her　slowly　crossing　the　bridge　and　mounting　the　first　flight
of　the　steps。　　He　had　often　seen　her　tripping　up　those　stairs；　and
had；　almost　as　often；　followed　her　with　his　quicker　feet。　　And　she；
when　she　would　hear　him；　would　run；　and　then　he　would　catch　her
breathless　at　the　top；　and　steal　kisses　from　her　when　all　power　of
refusing　them　had　been　robbed　from　her　by　her　efforts　at　escape。
There　was　no　such　running　now；　no　such　following；　no　thought　of　such
kisses。

As　for　him；　he　would　fain　have　skulked　off　and　shirked　the　interview
had　he　dared。　　But　he　did　not　dare；　so　he　waited　there；　out　of　heart；
for　some　ten　minutes；　speaking　a　word　now　and　then　to　the　bath…man；
who　was　standing　by；　just　to　show　that　he　was　at　his　ease。　　But　the
bath…man　knew　that　he　was　not　at　his　ease。　　Such　would…be　lies　as
those　rarely　achieve　deception；are　rarely　believed。　　And　then；　at
the　end　of　the　ten　minutes；　with　steps　as　slow　as　Marie's　had　been；
he　also　ascended　to　the　grotto。

Marie　had　watched　him　from　the　top；　but　so　that　she　herself　should
not　be　seen。　　He　however　had　not　once　lifted　up　his　head　to　look　for
her；　but　with　eyes　turned　to　the　ground　had　plodded　his　way　up　to　the
cave。　　When　he　entered　she　was　standing　in　the　middle；　with　her　eyes
downcast　and　her　hands　clasped　before　her。　　She　had　retired　some　way
from　the　wall；　so　that　no　eyes　might　possibly　see　her　but　those　of
her　false　lover。　　There　she　stood　when　he　entered；　striving　to　stand
motionless；　but　trembling　like　a　leaf　in　every　limb。

It　was　only　when　he　reached　the　top　step　that　he　made　up　his　mind　how
he　would　behave。　　Perhaps　after　all；　the　capitaine　was　right；　perhaps
she　would　not　mind　it。

〃Marie；〃　said　he；　with　a　voice　that　attempted　to　be　cheerful；　〃this
is　an　odd　place　to　meet　in　after　such　a　long　absence；〃　and　he　held
out　his　hand　to　her。　　But　only　his　hand！　　He　offered　her　no　salute。
He　did　not　even　kiss　her　cheek　as　a　brother　would　have　done！　　Of　the
rules　of　the　outside　world　it　must　be　remembered　that　poor　Marie　knew
but　little。　　He　had　been　a　brother　to　her　before　he　had　become　her
lover。

But　Marie　took　his　hand　saying；　〃Yes；　it　has　been　very　long。〃

〃And　now　that　I　have　come　back；〃　he　went　on　to　say；　〃it　seems　that　we
are　all　in　a　confusion　together。　　I　never　knew　such　a　piece　of　work。
However；　it　is　all　for　the　best；　I　suppose。〃

〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　Marie；　still　trembling　violently；　and　still
looking　upon　the　ground。　　And　then　there　was　silence　between　them　for
a　minute　or　so。

〃I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Marie；〃　said　Adolphe　at　last；　dropping　her
hand　and　making　a　great　effort　to　get　through　the　work　before　him。
〃I　am　afraid　we　two　have　been　very　foolish。　　Don't　you　think　we　have
now？　　It　seems　quite　clear　that　we　can　never　get　ourselves　married。
Don't　you　see　it　in　that　light？〃

Marie's　head　turned　round　and　round　with　her；　but　she　was　not　of　the
fainting　order。　　She　took　three　steps　backwards　and　leant　against　the
wall　of　the　cave。　　She　also　was　trying　to　think　how　she　might　best
fight　her　battle。　　Was　there　no　chance　for　her？　　Could　no　eloquence；
no　love　prevail？　　On　her　own　beauty　she　counted　but　little；　but　might
not　prayers　do　something；　and　a　reference　to　those　old　vows　which　had
been　so　frequent；　so　eager；　so　solemnly　pledged　between　them？

〃Never　get　ourselves　married！〃　she　said；　repeating　his　words。
〃Never；　Adolphe？　　Can　we　never　be　married？〃

〃Upon　my　word；　my　dear　girl；　I　fear　not。　　You　see　my　mother　is　so
dead　against　it。〃

〃But　we　could　wait；　could　we　not？〃

〃Ah；　but　that's　just　it；　Marie。　　We　cannot　wait。　　We　must　decide
now；to…day。　　You　see　I　can　do　nothing　without　money　from　herand
as　for　you；　you　see　she　won't　even　let　you　stay　in　the　house　unless
you　marry　old　Campan　at　once。　　He's　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow
though；　old　as　he　is。　　And　if　you　do　marry　him；　why　you　see　you'll
stay　here；　and　have　it　all　your　own　way　in　everything。　　As　for　me；　I
shall　come　and　see　you　all　from　time　to　time；　and　shall　be　able　to
push　my　way　as　I　ought　to　do。〃

〃Then；　Adolphe；　you　wish　me　to　marry　the　capitaine？〃

〃Upon　my　honour　I　think　it　is　the　best　thing　you　can　do；　I　do
indeed。〃

〃Oh；　Adolphe！〃

〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　you　know？　　Suppose　I　was　to　go　down　to　my
mother　and　tell　her　that　I　had　decided　to　keep　you　myself；　what　would
come　of　it？　　Look　at　it　in　that　light；　Marie。〃

〃She　could　not　turn　you　outyou　her　own　son！〃

〃But　she　would　turn　you　out；　and　deuced　quick；　too；　I　can　assure　you
of　that；　I　can；　upon　my　honour。〃

〃I　should　not　care　that；〃　and　she　made　a　motion　with　her　hand　to　show
how　indifferent　she　would　be　to　such　treatment　as　regarded　herself。
〃Not　that；　if　I　still　had　the　promise　of　your　love。〃

〃But　what　would　you　do？〃

〃I　would　work。　　There　are　other　houses　beside　that　one；〃　and　she
pointed　to　the　slate　roof　of　the　Bauche　establishment。

〃And　for　meI　should　not　have　a　penny　in　the　world；〃　said　the　young
man。

She　came　up　to　him　and　took　his　right　hand　between　both　of　hers　and
pressed　it　warmly；　oh；　so　warmly。　　〃You　would　have　my　love；〃　said
she；　〃my　deepest；　warmest　best