the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第15章
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THE HOUSE OF THE WOLF
CHAPTER VI。
MADAME'S FRIGHT。
And we breathed again。 The agony of suspense； which Bezers' pause
had created； passed away。 But the night already seemed to us as a week
of nights。 An age of experience； an aeon of adventures cut us offas we
lay shaking behind the curtainfrom Caylus and its life。 Paris had
proved itself more treacherous than we had even expected to find it。
Everything and everyone shifted； and wore one face one minute； and one
another。 We had come to save Pavannes' life at the risk of our own； we
found him to be a villain！ Here was Mirepoix owning himself a
treacherous wretch； a conspirator against a woman； we sympathised with
him。 The priest had come upon a work of charity and rescue； we loathed
the sound of his voice； and shrank from him； we knew not why； seeming
only to read a dark secret； a gloomy threat in each doubtful word he
uttered。 He was the strangest enigma of all。 Why did we fear him？
Why did Madame de Pavannes； who apparently had known him before；
shudder at the touch of his hand？ Why did his shadow come even
between her and her sister； and estrange them？ so that from the moment
Pavannes' wife saw him standing by Diane's side； she forgot that the latter
had come to save； and looked on her in doubt and sorrow； almost with
repugnance。
We left the Vidame going back to the fireplace。 He stooped to set
down the candle by the hearth。 〃They are not here；〃 he said； as he
straightened himself again； and looked curiously at his companions。 He
had apparently been too much taken up with the pursuit to notice them
before。 〃That is certain； so I have the less time to lose；〃 he continued。
〃But I wouldyes； my dear Coadjutor； I certainly would like to know
before I go； what you are doing here。 MirepoixMirepoix is an honest
man。 I did not expect to find you in HIS house。 And two ladies？ Two！
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Fie； Coadjutor。 Ha！ Madame d'O； is it？ My dear lady；〃 he continued；
addressing her in a whimsical tone； 〃do not start at the sound of your own
name！ It would take a hundred hoods to hide your eyes； or bleach your
lips to the common colour； I should have known you at once； had I looked
at you。 And your companion？ Pheugh！〃
He broke off； whistling softly。 It was clear that he recognised
Madame de Pavannes； and recognised her with astonishment。 The bed
creaked as I craned my neck to see what would follow。 Even the priest
seemed to think that some explanation was necessary； for he did not wait
to be questioned。
〃Madame de Pavannes；〃 he said in a dry； husky voice； and without
looking up； 〃was spirited hither yesterday； and detained against her will by
this good man； who will have to answer for it。 Madame d'O discovered her
whereabouts； and asked me to escort her here without loss of time to
enforce her sister's release。〃
〃And her restoration to her distracted husband？〃
〃Just so；〃 the priest assented； acquiring confidence； I thought。
〃And Madame desires to go？〃
〃Surely！ Why not？〃
〃Well；〃 the Vidame drawled； his manner such as to bring the blood to
Madame de Pavannes' cheek； 〃it depends on the person whoto use your
phrase； M。 le Coadjuteurspirited her hither。〃
〃And that；〃 Madame herself retorted； raising her head； while her voice
quivered with indignation and anger； 〃was the Abbess of the Ursulines。
Your suspicions are base； worthy of you and unworthy of me； M。 le
Vidame！ Diane！〃 she continued sharply； taking her sister's arm； and
casting a disdainful glance at Bezers； 〃let us go。 I want to be with； my
husband。 I am stifled in this room。〃
〃We are going； little one；〃 Diane murmured reassuringly。 But I
noticed that the speaker's animation； which had been as a soul to her
beauty when she entered the room； was gone。 A strange stillness was it
fear of the Vidame？ had taken its place。
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〃The Abbess of the Ursulines？〃 Bezers continued thoughtfully。 〃SHE
brought you here； did she？〃 There was surprise； genuine surprise； in his
voice。 〃A good soul； and； I think I have heard； a friend of yours。
Umph！〃
〃A very dear friend；〃 Madame answered stiffly。 〃Now； Diane！〃
〃A dear friend！ And she spirited you hither yesterday！〃 commented
the Vidame； with the air of one solving an anagram。 〃And Mirepoix
detained you； respectable Mirepoix； who is said to have a well…filled
stocking under his pallet； and stands well with the bourgeoisie。 He is in
the plot。 Then at a very late hour； your affectionate sister； and my good
friend the Coadjutor； enter to save you。 From what？〃
No one spoke。 The priest looked down； his cheek。 livid with anger。
〃From what？〃 Bezers continued with grim playfulness。 〃There is
the mystery。 From the clutches of this profligate Mirepoix； I suppose。
From the dangerous Mirepoix。 Upon my honour；〃 with a sudden ring of
resolution in his tone； 〃I think you are safer here； I think you had better
stay where you are； Madame； until morning！ And risk Mirepoix！〃
〃Oh； no！ no！〃 Madame cried vehemently。
〃Oh； yes！ yes！〃 he replied。 〃What do you say； Coadjutor？ Do
you not think so？〃
The priest looked down sullenly。 His voice shook as he murmured in
answer； 〃Madame will please herself。 She has a character； M。 le Vidame。
But if she prefer to stay herewell！〃
〃Oh； she has a character； has she？〃 rejoined the giant； his eyes
twinkling with evil mirth； 〃and she should go home with you； and my old
friend Madame d'O； to save it！ That is it； is it？ No； no；〃 he continued
when he had had his silent laugh out； 〃Madame de Pavannes will do very
well herevery well here until morning。 We have work to do。 Come。
Let us go and do it。〃
〃Do you mean it？〃 said the priest； starting and looking up with a
subtle challengealmost a threatin his tone。
〃Yes； I do。〃
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Their eyes met： and seeing their looks； I chuckled； nudging Croisette。
No fear of their discovering us now。 I recalled the old proverb which
says that when thieves fall out； honest men come by their own； and
speculated on the chance of the priest freeing us once for all from M。 de
Bezers。
But the two were ill…matched。 The Vidame could have taken up the
other with one hand and dashed his head on the floor。 And it did not end
there。 I doubt if in craft the priest was his equal。 Behind a frank brutality
Bezersunless his reputation belied himconcealed an Italian intellect。
Under a cynical recklessness he veiled a rare cunning and a constant
suspicion； enjoying in that respect a combination of apparently opposite
qualities； which I have known no other man to possess in an equal degree；
unless it might be his late majesty； Henry the Great。 A child would have
suspected the priest； a veteran might have been taken in by the Vidame。
And indeed the priest's eyes presently sank。 〃Our bargain is to go for
nothing？〃 he muttered sullenly。
〃I know of no bargain；〃 quoth the Vidame。 〃And I have no time to
lose； splitting hairs here。 Set it down to what you like。 Say it is a whim
of mine； a fad； a caprice。 Only understand that Madame de Pavannes
stays。 We go。 And〃 he added this； as a sudden thought seemed to
strike him； 〃though I would not willingly use compulsion to a lady； I think
Madame d'O had better come too。〃
〃You speak masterfully；〃 the priest said with a sneer； forgetting the
tone he had himself used a few minutes before to Mirepoix。
〃Just so。 I have forty horsemen over the way；〃 was the dry answer。
〃for the moment； I am master of the legions； Coadjutor。〃
〃That is true；〃 Madame d'O said； so softly that I started。 She had
scarcely spoken since Bezers' entrance。 As she spoke now； she shook
back the hood from her face and disclosed the chestnut hair clinging about
her templesdeep blots of colour on the abnormal whiteness of her skin；
〃That is true； M。 de Bezers；〃 she said。 〃You have the legions。 You have
the power。 But you will not use it； I think； against an old friend。 You
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will not do us this hurt when IBut listen。〃
He would not。 In the very middle of her appeal he cut her short
brute that he was！ 〃No Madame！〃 he burst out violently； disregarding
the beautiful face； the supplicating glance； that might have moved a stone；
〃that is just what I will not do。 I will not listen！ We know one another。
Is not that enough？〃
She looked at him fixedly。 He returned her gaze； not smiling now；
but eyeing her with a curious watchfulness。
And after a long pause she turned from him。 〃Very well；〃 she said
softly； and drew a deep； quivering breath； the sound of which reached us。
〃Then let us go。〃 And withoutstrangest thing of allbestowing a word
or look on her sister
