the house of the wolf(狼之家)-第32章
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There was something in the plan so devilish； yet so accordant with those
stories I had heard of the Wolf； that I felt no doubt of my insight。 I read
his evil mind； and saw in a moment why he had troubled himself with us。
He hoped to draw Mademoiselle to Cahors by our means。
Of course I said nothing of this to Louis。 I hid my feelings as well as
I could。 But I vowed a great vow that at the eleventh hour we would
baulk the Vidame。 Surely if all else failed we could kill him； and； though
we died ourselves； spare Kit this ordeal。 My tears were dried up as by a
fire。 My heart burned with a great and noble rage： or so it seemed to
me！
I do not think that there was ever any journey so strange as this one of
ours。 We met with the same incidents which had pleased us on the road
to Paris。 But their novelty was gone。 Gone too were the cosy chats
with old rogues of landlords and good…natured dames。 We were
travelling now in such force that our coming was rather a terror to the
innkeeper than a boon。 How much the Lieutenant…Governor of Quercy；
going down to his province； requisitioned in the king's name； and for how
much he paid； we could only judge from the gloomy looks which followed
us as we rode away each morning。 Such looks were not solely due I fear
to the news from Paris； although for some time we were the first bearers of
the tidings。
Presently； on the third day of our journey I think； couriers from the
Court passed us： and henceforth forestalled us。 One of these
messengerswho I learned from the talk about me was bound for Cahors
with letters for the Lieutenant…Governor and the Count…Bishopthe
Vidame interviewed and stopped。 How it was managed I do not know；
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but I fear the Count…Bishop never got his letters； which I fancy would have
given him some joint authority。 Certainly we left the messengera prudent
fellow with a care for his skinin comfortable quarters at Limoges；
whence I do not doubt he presently returned to Paris at his leisure。
The strangeness of the journey however arose from none of these
things； but from the relations of our party to one another。 After the first
day we four rode together； unmolested； so long as we kept near the centre
of the straggling cavalcade。 The Vidame always rode alone； and in front；
brooding with bent head and sombre face over his revenge； as I supposed。
He would ride in this fashion； speaking to no one and giving no orders； for
a day together。 At times I came near to pitying him。 He had loved Kit
in his masterful way； the way of one not wont to be thwarted； and he had
lost herlost her； whatever might happen。 He would get nothing after all
by his revenge。 Nothing but ashes in the mouth。 And so I saw in softer
moments something inexpressibly melancholy in that solitary giant…figure
pacing always alone。
He seldom spoke to us。 More rarely to Louis。 When he did； the
harshness of his voice and his cruel eyes betrayed the gloomy hatred in
which he held him。 At meals he ate at one end of the table： we four at
the other； as three of us had done on that first evening in Paris。 And
sometimes the covert looks； the grim sneer he shot at his rivalhis
prisonermade me shiver even in the sunshine。 Sometimes； on the other
hand； when I took him unawares； I found an expression on his face I could
not read。
I told Croisette； but warily； my suspicions of his purpose。 He heard
me； less astounded to all appearance than I had expected。 Presently I
learned the reason。 He had his own view。 〃Do you not think it possible；
Anne？〃 he suggested timidlywe were of course alone at the time 〃that
he thinks to make Louis resign Mademoiselle？〃
〃Resign her！〃 I exclaimed obtusely。 〃How？〃
〃By giving him a choiceyou understand？〃
I did understand I saw it in a moment。 I had been dull not to see it
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before。 Bezers might put it in this way： let M。 de Pavannes resign his
mistress and live； or die and lose her。
〃I see；〃 I answered。 〃But Louis would not give her up。 Not to
him！〃
〃He would lose her either way；〃 Croisette answered in a low tone。
〃That is not however the worst of it。 Louis is in his power。 Suppose he
thinks to make Kit the arbiter； Anne； and puts Louis up to ransom； setting
Kit for the price？ And gives her the option of accepting himself； and
saving Louis' life； or refusing； and leaving Louis to die？〃
〃St。 Croix！〃 I exclaimed fiercely。 〃He would not be so base！〃 And
yet was not even this better than the blind vengeance I had myself
attributed to him？
〃Perhaps not；〃 Croisette answered； while he gazed onwards through
the twilight。 We were at the time the foremost of the party save the
Vidame； and there was nothing to interrupt our view of his gigantic figure
as he moved on alone before us with bowed shoulders。 〃Perhaps not；〃
Croisette repeated thoughtfully。 〃Sometimes I think we do not understand
him； and that after all there may be worse people in the world than
Bezers。〃
I looked hard at the lad； for that was not what I had meant。 〃Worse？〃
I said。 〃I do not think so。 Hardly！〃
〃Yes； worse；〃 he replied； shaking his head。 〃Do you remember lying
under the curtain in the box…bed at Mirepoix's？〃
〃Of course I do！ Do you think I shall ever forget it？〃
〃And Madame d'O coming in？〃
〃With the Coadjutor？〃 I said with a shudder。 〃Yes。〃
〃No； the second time；〃 he answered； 〃when she came back alone。 It
was pretty dark； you remember； and Madame de Pavannes was at the
window； and her sister did not see her？〃
〃Well； well； I remember；〃 I said impatiently。 I knew from the tone of
his voice that he had something to tell me about Madame d'O； and I was
not anxious to hear it。 I shrank； as a wounded man shrinks from the
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cautery； from hearing anything about that woman； herself so beautiful； yet
moving in an atmosphere of suspicion and horror。 Was it shame； or fear；
or some chivalrous feeling having its origin in that moment when I had
fancied myself her knight？ I am not sure； for I had not made up my mind
even now whether I ought to pity or detest her； whether she had made a
tool of me； or I had been false to her。
〃She came up to the bed； you remember； Anne？〃 Croisette went on。
〃You were next to her。 She saw you indistinctly； and took you for her
sister。 And then I sprang from the bed。〃
〃I know you did！〃 I exclaimed sharply。 All this time I had forgotten
that grievance。 〃You nearly frightened her out of her wits； St。 Croix。 I
cannot think what possessed youwhy you did it？〃
〃To save your life； Anne〃 he answered solemnly； 〃and her from a
crime！ an unutterable； an unnatural crime。 She had come back to I can
hardly tell it youto murder her sister。 You start。 You do not believe
me。 It sounds too horrible。 But I could see better than you could。 She
was exactly between you and the light。 I saw the knife raised。 I saw her
wicked face！ If I had not startled her as I did； she would have stabbed
you。 She dropped the knife on the floor； and I picked it up and have it。
See！〃
I looked furtively； and turned away again； shivering。 〃Why；〃 I
muttered； 〃why did she do it？〃
〃She had failed you know to get her sister back to Pavannes' house；
where she would have fallen an easy victim。 Bezers； who knew Madame
d'O； prevented that。 Then that fiend slipped back with her knife； thinking
that in the common butchery the crime would be overlooked； and never
investigated； and that Mirepoix would be silent！〃
I said nothing。 I was stunned。 Yet I believed the story。 When I
went over the facts in my mind I found that a dozen things； overlooked at
the time and almost forgotten in the hurry of events； sprang up to confirm
it。 M。 de Pavannes'the other M。 de Pavannes'suspicions had been well
founded。 Worse than Bezers was she？ Ay！ worse a hundred times。
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As much worse as treachery ever is than violence； as the pitiless fraud of
the serpent is baser than the rage of the wolf。
〃I thought；〃 Croisette added softly； not looking at me； 〃when I
discovered that you had gone off with her； that I should never see you
again； Anne。 I gave you up for lost。 The happiest moment of my life I
think was when I saw you come back。〃 〃Croisette；〃 I whispered
piteously； my cheeks burning； 〃let us never speak of her again。〃
And we never didfor years。 But how strange is life。 She and the
wicked man with whom her fate seemed bound up had just crossed our
lives when their own were at the darkest。 They clashed with us； and；
strangers and boys as we were； we ruined them。 I have often asked
myself what would have happened to me had I met her at some earlier and
less stormy periodin the brilliance of her beauty。 And I find but one
answer。 I should bitterly have rued the day。 Providence was good to me。
Such men and such women； we
