the princess de montpensier-第4章

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services　which　the　Duc　might　provide；　and　turned　away　without　any
other　acknowledgement。　The　Duc　was　not　deterred　from　entering　the
room；　his　feelings　incensed　both　against　the　King　and　the　Duc
d'Anjou。　His　natural　pride　led　him；　as　an　act　of　defiance；　to　pay
more　attention　to　Madame　than　usual；　and　what　the　Duc　d'Anjou　had
told　him　prevented　him　from　looking　in　the　direction　of　the
Princess　de　Montpensier。

The　Duc　d'Anjou　watched　both　of　them　with　close　attention。　The
Princess's　expression；　in　spite　of　herself；　showed　some　chagrin
when　the　Duc　de　Guise　spoke　with　Madame。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　who
realised　from　what　she　had　said　to　him；　when　she　mistook　him　for
the　Duc　de　Guise；　that　she　was　jealous；　hoped　to　cause　trouble。
He　drew　close　to　her　and　said；　〃It　is　in　your　interest　and　not　in
mine　that　I　must　tell　you　that　the　Duc　de　Guise　does　not　deserve
the　choice　you　have　made　of　him　in　preference　to　me；　a　choice
which　you　cannot　deny　and　of　which　I　am　well　aware；　he　is
deceiving　you　madame；　and　betraying　you　for　my　sister　as　he
betrayed　her　for　you。　He　is　a　man　moved　only　by　ambition；　but
since　he　has　the　good　fortune　to　please　you；　that　is　enough；　I
shall　not　attempt　to　stand　in　the　way　of　a　felicity　which　without
doubt　I　merit　more　than　he。　It　would　be　undignified　for　me　to
persist　in　trying　to　gain　the　heart　which　is　already　possessed　by
another。　It　is　bad　enough　to　have　attracted　only　your
indifference　and　I　would　not　like　to　have　this　replaced　by
dislike　by　wearying　you　with　endless　protestations　of　unwelcome
devotion。〃

The　Duc　d'Anjou　who　was　genuinely　touched　by　love　and　sadness；
was　hardly　able　to　complete　this　speech；　and　although　he　had
begun　in　a　spirit　of　spite　and　vengeance；　he　was　so　overcome　when
he　thought　of　the　Princess's　beauty　and　of　what　he　was　losing　by
giving　up　all　hope　of　being　her　lover。　that　without　waiting　for
her　reply　he　left　the　ball；　saying　that　he　felt　unwell；　and　went
home　to　nurse　his　grief。

The　Princess　de　Montpensier　stayed　there；　upset　and　worried　as
one　might　imagine。　To　see　her　reputation　and　her　secret　in　the
hands　of　a　suitor　whom　she　had　rejected　and　to　learn　from　him
that　she　was　being　deceived　by　her　lover　were　not　things　which
would　put　her　in　the　right　frame　of　mind　for　a　place　dedicated　to
enjoyment；　she　had；　however；　to　remain　where　she　was　and　later　go
to　supper　in　the　company　of　the　Duchess　de　Montpensier；　her
mother…in…law。

The　Duc　de　Guise　who　had　followed　them　to　his　sister's　house；　was
dying　to　tell　her　what　the　Duc　d'Anjou　had　said　the　day　before；
but　to　his　astonishment　when　he　did　have　the　opportunity　to　speak
to　her；　he　was　overwhelmed　by　reproaches　which　were　tumbled　out
in　such　angry　profusion　that　all　he　could　gather　was　that　he　was
accused　of　infidelity　and　treachery。　Dismayed　at　finding　himself
in　this　unhappy　situation　when　he　had　hoped　for　consolation；　and
being　so　much　in　love　with　the　Princess　that　he　could　not　bear　to
be　unsure　if　he　was　loved　in　return；　he　took　a　sudden　decision。
〃I　shall　lay　your　doubts　at　rest；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　going　to　do
what　all　the　royal　power　could　not　make　me　do。　It　will　cost　me　my
fortune　but　that　is　of　little　account　if　it　makes　you　happy。〃

He　went　straight　from　his　sister's　house　to　that　of　his　uncle；
the　cardinal。　He　convinced　him　that　having　fallen　into　the　King's
disfavour；　it　was　essential　that　it　should　be　made　quite　clear
that　he　would　not　marry　Madame；　so　he　asked　for　his　marriage　to
be　arranged　with　the　Princess　de　Portien；　a　matter　which　had
previously　been　discussed。　The　news　of　this　was　soon　all　over
Paris　and　　gave　rise　to　much　surprise。　The　princess　de
Montpensier　was　both　happy　and　sad。　Glad　to　see　the　power　she　had
over　the　Duc；　and　sorry　that　she　had　caused　him　to　abandon
something　so　advantageous　as　marriage　to　Madame。　The　Duc　who
hoped　that　love　would　compensate　him　for　his　material　loss；
pressed　the　Princess　to　give　him　a　private　audience　so　that　he
could　clear　up　the　unjust　accusations　which　she　had　made。　He
obtained　this　when　she　found　herself　at　his　sister's　house　at　a
time　when　his　sister　was　not　there　and　she　was　able　to　speak　to
him　alone。　The　Duc　took　the　opportunity　to　throw　himself　at　her
feet　and　describe　all　that　he　had　suffered　because　of　her
suspicions；　and　though　the　Princess　was　unable　to　forget　what　the
Duc　d'Anjou　had　said　to　her；　the　behaviour　of　the　Duc　de　Guise
did　much　to　reassure　her。　She　told　him　exactly　why　she　believed
he　had　betrayed　her　which　was　because　the　Duc　d'Anjou　knew　what
he　could　only　have　learned　from　him。　The　Duc　did　not　how　to
defend　himself　and　was　as　puzzled　as　she　to　guess　what　could　have
given　away　their　secret：　at　last；　while　the　Princess　was
remonstrating　with　him　for　giving　up　the　idea　of　the　advantageous
marriage　with　Madame　and　rushing　into　that　with　the　Princess　de
Portien；　she　said　to　him　that　he　could　have　been　certain　that　she
would　not　be　jealous　since　on　the　day　of　the　ball　she　herself　had
told　him　to　have　eyes　only　for　Madame。　The　Duc　said　that　she
might　have　intended　to　do　so　but　that　she　certainly　had　not。　She
maintained　that　she　had；　and　in　the　end　they　reached　the　correct
conclusion　that　she　herself；　deceived　by　the　resemblance　of　the
costumes；　had　told　the　Duc　d'Anjou　what　she　accused　the　Duc　de
Guise　of　telling　him。　The　Duc　de　Guise　who　had　almost　entirely
returned　to　favour；　did　so　completely　as　a　result　of　this
conversation。　The　Princess　could　not　refuse　her　heart　to　a　man
who　had　possessed　it　in　the　past　and　had　just　made　such　a
sacrifice　to　please　her。　She　consented　to　accept　his　declaration
and　permitted　him　to　believe　that　she　was　not　unmoved　by　his
passion。　The　arrival　of　the　Duchess；　her　mother…in…law；　put　an
end　to　this　tete…a…tete；　and　prevented　the　Duc　from　demonstrating
his　transports　of　joy。

Some　time　later；　the　Court　having　gone　to　Blois；　the　marriage
between　the　King　of　Navarre　and　Madame　was　celebrated。　The　Duc　de
Guise　who　wanted　nothing　more　than　the　love　of　the　Princess　de
Montpensier；　enjoyed　a　ceremony　which　in　other　circumstances
would　have　overwhelmed　him　with　disappointment。

The　Duc　was　not　able　to　conceal　his　love　so　well　that　the　Prince
de　Montpensier　did　not　suspect　that　something　was　going　on；　and
being　consumed　by　jealousy　he　ordered　his　wife　to　go　to
Champigny。　This　order　was　a　great　shock　to　her；　but　she　had　to
obey：　she　found　a　way　to　say　goodbye　to　the　Duc　de　Guise
privately　but　she　found　herself　in　great　difficulty　when　it　came
to　a　means　of　providing　a　method　whereby　he　could　write　to　her。
After　much　thought　she　decided　to　make　use　of　the　Comte　de
Chabannes；　whom　she　always　looked　on　as　a　friend　without
considering　that　he　was　in　love　with　her。　The　Duc　de　Guise；　who
knew　of　the　close　friendship　between　the　Comte　and　the　Prince　de
Montpensier；　was　at　first　amazed　at　her　choice　of　the　Comte　as　a
go…between；　but　she　assured　him　of　the　Comte's　fidelity　with　such
conviction　that　he　was　eventually　satisfied。　He　parted　from　her
with　all　the　unhappiness　which　such　a　separation　can　cause。

The　Comte　de　Chabannes；　who　had　been　ill　in　Paris　while　the
Princess　was　at　Blois；　learning　that　she　was　going　to　Champigny
arranged　to　meet　her　on　the　road　and　go　with　her。　She　greeted　him
with　a　thousand　expressions　of　friendship　and　displayed　an
extraordinary　impatience　to　talk　to　him　in　private；　which　at
first　delighted　him。　Judge　his　dismay　when　he　found　that　this
impatience　was　only　to　tell　him　that　she　was　loved　passionately
by　the　Duc　de　Guise；　a　love　which　she　returned。　He　was　so
distressed　that　he　was　unable　to　reply。　The　Princess；　who　was
engrossed　by　her　infatuation；　took　no　notice　of　his　silence。　She
began　to　tell　him　all　the　least　details　of　the　events；　and　how
she　and　the　Duc　had　agreed　that　he　should　be　the　means　by　which
they　could　exchange　letters。　The　thought　that　the　woman　he　loved
expected　him　to　be　of　assistance　to　his　rival；　and　made　the
proposal　as　if　it　was　a　thing　he　would　find　agreeable　was
bitterly　hurtful；　but　he　was　so　much　in　control　of　himself　that
he　hid　all　his　feelings　from　her　and　expressed　only　surprise　at
the　change　in　her　attitude。　He　hoped　that　this　change　which
removed　even　the　faintest　hope　from　him　would　at　the　same　time
change　his　feelings；　but　he　found　the　Princess　so　charming；　her
natural　beauty　having　been　enhanced　by　a　certain　grace　which　she
had　acquired　at　Court　that　he　felt　that　he　loved　her　more　than
ever。　This　remarkable　devotion　produced　a　remarkable　effect。　He
agreed　to　carry　his　rival's　letters　to　his　beloved。

The　Princess　was　very　despondent　at　the　absence　of　the　Duc　de
Guise；　and　could　hope　for　solace　only　from　his　letters。　She
continually　tormented　the　Comte　de　Chabannes　to　know　if　he　had
received　any　and　almost　blamed　him　for　not　having　delivered　one
sooner。　At　last　some　arrived；　brought　by　a　gentleman　in　the　Duc's
service；　which　he　took　to　her　immediately　so　as　not　to　delay　her
pleasure　for　a　moment　longer　than　necessary。　The　Princess　was
delighted　to　have　them　and　tortured　the　poor　Comte　by　reading
them　to　him；　as　well　as　her　tender　and　loving　reply。　He　took　this
reply　to　the　waiting　courier　even　more　sadly　than　he　had　made　the
delivery。　He　consoled　himself　a　little　by　the　reflection　that　the
Princess　would　realise　what　h　was　doing　for　her　and　would　show
some　recognition。　Finding；　however；　that　she　daily　treated　him
with　less　consideration；　owing　to　the　anxieties　which　preoccupied
her；　he　took　the　liberty　of　begging　her　to　think　a　little　of　the
suffering　she　was　causing　him。　The　Princess　who　had　nothing　in
her　head　but　the　Duc　de　Guise；　was　so　irritated　by　this　approach
that　she　treated　the　Comte　much　worse　than　she　had　done　on　the
first　occasion　when　he　had　declared　his　love　for　her。　Although
his　devotion　and　patience　had　stood　so　many　trials；　this　was　too
much。　He　left　the　Princess　and　went　to　live　with　a　friend　who　had
a　house　in　the　neighbourhood；　from　where　he　wrote　to　her　with　all
the　bitterness　that　her　behaviour　had　provoked　and　bid　her　an
eternal　adieu。

The　Princess　began　to　repent　having　dealt　so　harshly　with　a　man
over　whom　she　had　so　much　influence；　and　being　unwilling　to　lose
him；　not　only　on　account　of　their　past　friendship；　but　also
because　of　his　vital　role　in　the　conduct　of　her　affair；　she　sent
a　message　to　him　to　say　that　she　wished　to　speak　to　him　one　more
time　and　that　afterwards　she　would　leave　him　free　to　do　as　he
pleased。　One　is　very　vulnerable　when　one　is　in　love。　The　Comte
came　back；　and　in　less　than　an　hour　the　beauty　of　the　Princess；
her　charm　and　a　few　kind　words　made　him　more　submissive　than
ever；　and　he　even　gave　her　some　letters　from　the　Duc　de　Guise
which　he　had　just　received。

At　this　time　there　was　a　scheme　afoot　in　the　Court　to　attract
there　all　the　leaders　of　the　Huguenots；　with　the　secret　aim　of
including　them　in　the　horrible　massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew's　day。
As　part　of　this　attempt　to　lull　them　into　a　false　sense　of
security；　the　King　dismissed　from　his　presence　all　the　princes　of
the　houses　of　Bourbon　and　de　Guise。　The　Prince　de　Montpensier
returned　to　Champigney；　to　the　utter　dismay　of　his　wife；　the　Duc
de　Guise　went　to　the　home　of　his　uncle；　the　Cardinal　de　Lorraine。