the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第16章
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〃Then let us go。〃 And withoutstrangest thing of allbestowing a word
or look on her sister； who was weeping bitterly in a chair； she turned to the
door and led the way out； a shrug of her shoulders the last thing I marked。
The poor lady heard her departing step however； and sprang up。 It
dawned upon her that she was being deserted。 〃Diane！ Diane！〃 she
cried distractedlyand I had to put my hand on Croisette to keep him quiet；
there was such fear and pain in her tone〃I will go！ I will not be left
behind in this dreadful place！ Do you hear？ Come back to me； Diane！〃
It made my blood run wildly。 But Diane did not come back。 Strange！
And Bezers too was unmoved。 He stood between the poor woman and
the door； and by a gesture bid Mirepoix and the priest pass out before him。
〃Madame；〃 he saidand his voice； stern and hard as ever； expressed no jot
of compassion for her； rather such an impatient contempt as a puling child
might elicit〃you are safe here。 And here you will stop！ Weep if you
please；〃 he added cynically； 〃you will have fewer tears to shed to…
morrow。〃
His last wordsthey certainly were odd onesarrested her attention。
She checked her sobs； being frightened I think； and looked up at him。
Perhaps he had spoken with this in view； for while she still stood at gaze；
her hands pressed to her bosom； he slipped quickly out and closed the door
behind him。 I heard a muttering for an instant outside； and then the
tramp of feet descending the stairs。 They were gone； and we were still
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undiscovered。
For Madame； she had clean forgotten our presenceof that I am sure
and the chance of escape we might afford。 On finding herself alone she
gazed a short time in alarmed silence at the door； and then ran to the
window and peered out； still trembling； terrified； silent。 So she remained
a while。
She had not noticed that Bezers on going out had omitted to lock the
door behind him。 I had。 But I was unwilling to move hastily。 Some
one might return to see to it before the Vidame left the house。 And
besides the door was not over strong； and if locked would be no obstacle
to the three of us when we had only Mirepoix to deal with。 So I kept the
others where they were by a nudge and a pinch； and held my breath a
moment； straining my ears to catch the closing of the door below。 I did
not hear that。 But I did catch a sound that otherwise might have escaped
me； but which now riveted my eyes to the door of our room。 Some one
in the silence； which followed the trampling on the stairs； had cautiously
laid a hand on the latch。
The light in the room was dim。 Mirepoix had taken one of the
candles with him； and the other wanted snuffing。 I could not see whether
the latch moved； whether or no it was rising。 But watching intently； I
made out that the door was being opened slowly； noiselessly。 I saw
someone entera furtive gliding shadow。
For a moment I felt nervousthen I recognised the dark hooded figure。
It was only Madame d'O。 Brave woman！ She had evaded the Vidame
and slipped back to the rescue。 Ha； ha！ We would defeat the Vidame
yet！ Things were going better！
But then something in her manneras she stood holding the door and
peering into the roomsomething in her bearing startled and frightened me。
As she came forward her movements were so stealthy that her footsteps
made no sound。 Her dark shadow； moving ahead of her across the floor；
was not more silent than she。 An undefined desire to make a noise； to
give the alarm； seized me。
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Half…way across the room she stopped to listen； and looked round；
startled herself； I think； by the silence。 She could not see her sister；
whose figure was blurred by the outlines of the curtain； and no doubt she
was puzzled to think what had become of her。 The suspense which I felt；
but did not understand； was so great that at last I moved； and the bed
creaked。
In a moment her face was turned our way； and she glided forwards； her
features still hidden by the hood of her cloak。 She was close to us now；
bending over us。 She raised her hand to her headto shade her eyes； as
she looked more closely； I supposed； and I was wondering whether she
saw uswhether she took the shapelessness in the shadow of the curtain
for her sister； or could not make it outI was thinking how we could best
apprise her of our presence without alarming herwhen Croisette dashed
my thoughts to the winds！ Croisette； with a tremendous whoop and a
crash； bounded over me on to the floor！
She uttered a gasping crya cry of intense； awful fear。 I have the
sound in my ears even now。 With that she staggered back； clutching the
air。 I heard the metallic clang and ring of something falling on the floor。
I heard an answering cry of alarm from the window； and then Madame de
Pavannes ran forward and caught her in her arms。
It was strange to find the room lately so silent become at once alive
with whispering forms； as we came hastily to light。 I cursed Croisette for
his folly； and was immeasurably angry with him； but I had no time to
waste words on him then。 I hurried to the door to guard it。 I opened it a
hand's breadth and listened。 All was quiet below； the house still。 I took
the key out of the lock and put it in my pocket and went back。 Marie and
Croisette were standing a little apart from Madame de Pavannes； who；
hanging over her sister； was by turns bathing her face and explaining our
presence。
In a very few minutes Madame d'O seemed to recover； and sat up。 The
first shock of deadly terror had passed； but she was still pale。 She still
trembled； and shrank from meeting our eyes； though I saw her； when our
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attention was apparently directed elsewhere； glance at one and another of
us with a strange intentness； a shuddering curiosity。 No wonder； I
thought。 She must have had a terrible frightone that might have killed a
more timid woman！
〃What on earth did you do that for！〃 I asked Croisette presently； my
anger certainly not decreasing the more I looked at her beautiful face。
〃You might have killed her！〃
In charity I supposed his nerves had failed him； for he could not even
now give me a straightforward answer。 His only reply was； 〃Let us get
away！ Let us get away from this horrible house！〃 and this he kept
repeating with a shudder as he moved restlessly to and fro。
〃With all my heart！〃 I answered； looking at him with some contempt。
〃That is exactly what we are going to do！〃
But all the same his words reminded me of something which in the
excitement of the scene I had momentarily forgotten； and that was our
duty。 Pavannes must still be saved； though not for Kit； rather to answer
to us for his sins。 But he must be saved！ And now that the road was
open； every minute lost was reproach to us。 〃Yes；〃 I added roughly； my
thoughts turned into a more rugged channel； 〃you are right。 This is no
time for nursing。 We must be going。 Madame de Pavannes；〃 I went on；
addressing myself to her； 〃you know the way home from hereto your
house！〃 〃Oh； yes；〃 she cried。
〃That is well；〃 I answered。 〃Then we will start。 Your sister is
sufficiently recovered now； I think。 And we will not risk any further
delay。〃
I did not tell her of her husband's danger； or that we suspected him of
wronging her； and being in fact the cause of her detention。 I wanted her
services as a guide。 That was the main point； though I was glad to be
able to put her in a place of safety at the same time that we fulfilled our
own mission。
She rose eagerly。 〃You are sure that we can get out？〃 she said。
〃Sure；〃 I replied with a brevity worthy of Bezers himself。
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And I was right。 We trooped down stairs； making as little noise as
possible； with the result that Mirepoix only took the alarm； and came upon
us when we were at the outer door； bungling with the lock。 Then I made
short work of him； checking his scared words of remonstrance by flashing
my dagger before his eyes。 I induced him in the same fashionhe was
fairly taken by surprise to undo the fastenings himself； and so； bidding
him follow us at his peril； we slipped out one by one。 We softly closed
the door behind us。 And lo！ we were at last freefree and in the streets
of Paris； with the cool night air fanning our brows。 A church hard by
tolled the hour of two； and the strokes were echoed； before we had gone
many steps along the ill…paved way； by the solemn tones of the bell of
Notre Dame。
We were free and in the streets； with a guide who knew the way。 If
Bezers had not gone straight from us to his vengeance； we might thwart
him yet。 I strode along quickly； Madame d'O by my side the others a
little way in front。 Here and there an oil… lamp； swinging from a pulley
in the middle of the road； enabled us to avoid some obstacle more foul
than usual； or to leap over a pool which had formed in the kennel。 Even
in my excit
