the chouans-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。　They　recognized　in　each　other　qualities　which　promised　to　heighten　all　the　pleasures　to　be　derived　from　either　their　contest　or　their　union。　Perhaps　both　of　them；　living　a　life　of　adventure；　had　reached　the　singular　moral　condition　in　which；　either　from　weariness　or　in　defiance　of　fate；　the　mind　rejects　serious　reflection　and　flings　itself　on　chance　in　pursuing　an　enterprise　precisely　because　the　issues　of　chance　are　unknown；　and　the　interest　of　expecting　them　vivid。　The　moral　nature；　like　the　physical　nature；　has　its　abysses　into　which　strong　souls　love　to　plunge；　risking　their　future　as　gamblers　risk　their　fortune。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and　the　young　marquis　had　obtained　a　revelation　of　each　other's　minds　as　a　consequence　of　this　interview；　and　their　intercourse　thus　took　rapid　strides；　for　the　sympathy　of　their　souls　succeeded　to　that　of　their　senses。　Besides；　the　more　they　felt　fatally　drawn　to　each　other；　the　more　eager　they　were　to　study　the　secret　action　of　their　minds。　The　so…called　Vicomte　de　Bauvan；　surprised　at　the　seriousness　of　the　strange　girl's　ideas；　asked　himself　how　she　could　possibly　combine　such　acquired　knowledge　of　life　with　so　much　youth　and　freshness。　He　thought　he　discovered　an　extreme　desire　to　appear　chaste　in　the　modesty　and　reserve　of　her　attitudes。　He　suspected　her　of　playing　a　part；　he　questioned　the　nature　of　his　own　pleasure；　and　ended　by　choosing　to　consider　her　a　clever　actress。　He　was　right；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　like　other　women　of　the　world；　grew　the　more　reserved　the　more　she　felt　the　warmth　of　her　own　feelings；　assuming　with　perfect　naturalness　the　appearance　of　prudery；　beneath　which　such　women　veil　their　desires。　They　all　wish　to　offer　themselves　as　virgins　on　love's　altar；　and　if　they　are　not　so；　the　deception　they　seek　to　practise　is　at　least　a　homage　which　they　pay　to　their　lovers。　These　thoughts　passed　rapidly　through　the　mind　of　the　young　man　and　gratified　him。　In　fact；　for　both；　this　mutual　examination　was　an　advance　in　their　intercourse；　and　the　lover　soon　came　to　that　phase　of　passion　in　which　a　man　finds　in　the　defects　of　his　mistress　a　reason　for　loving　her　the　more。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　thoughtful。　Perhaps　her　imagination　led　her　over　a　greater　extent　of　the　future　than　that　of　the　young　/emigre/；　who　was　merely　following　one　of　the　many　impulses　of　his　life　as　a　man；　whereas　Marie　was　considering　a　lifetime；　thinking　to　make　it　beautiful；　and　to　fill　it　with　happiness　and　with　grand　and　noble　sentiments。　Happy　in　such　thoughts；　more　in　love　with　her　ideal　than　with　the　actual　reality；　with　the　future　rather　than　with　the　present；　she　desired　now　to　return　upon　her　steps　so　as　to　better　establish　her　power。　In　this　she　acted　instinctively；　as　all　women　act。　Having　agreed　with　her　soul　that　she　would　give　herself　wholly　up；　she　wishedif　we　may　so　express　itto　dispute　every　fragment　of　the　gift；　she　longed　to　take　back　from　the　past　all　her　words　and　looks　and　acts　and　make　them　more　in　harmony　with　the　dignity　of　a　woman　beloved。　Her　eyes　at　times　expressed　a　sort　of　terror　as　she　thought　of　the　interview　just　over；　in　which　she　had　shown　herself　aggressive。　But　as　she　watched　the　face　before　her；　instinct　with　power；　and　felt　that　a　being　so　strong　must　also　be　generous；　she　glowed　at　the　thought　that　her　part　in　life　would　be　nobler　than　that　of　most　women；　inasmuch　as　her　lover　was　a　man　of　character；　a　man　condemned　to　death；　who　had　come　to　risk　his　life　in　making　war　against　the　Republic。　The　thought　of　occupying　such　a　soul　to　the　exclusion　of　all　rivals　gave　a　new　aspect　to　many　matters。　Between　the　moment；　only　five　hours　earlier；　when　she　composed　her　face　and　toned　her　voice　to　allure　the　young　man；　and　the　present　moment；　when　she　was　able　to　convulse　him　with　a　look；　there　was　all　the　difference　to　her　between　a　dead　world　and　a　living　one。

In　the　condition　of　soul　in　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　now　existed　external　life　seemed　to　her　a　species　of　phantasmagoria。　The　carriage　passed　through　villages　and　valleys　and　mounted　hills　which　left　no　impressions　on　her　mind。　They　reached　Mayenne；　the　soldiers　of　the　escort　were　changed；　Merle　spoke　to　her；　she　replied；　they　crossed　the　whole　town　and　were　again　in　the　open　country；　but　the　faces；　houses；　streets；　landscape；　men；　swept　past　her　like　the　figments　of　a　dream。　Night　came；　and　Marie　was　travelling　beneath　a　diamond　sky；　wrapped　in　soft　light；　and　yet　she　was　not　aware　that　darkness　had　succeeded　day；　that　Mayenne　was　passed；　that　Fougeres　was　near；　she　knew　not　even　where　she　was　going。　That　she　should　part　in　a　few　hours　from　the　man　she　had　chosen；　and　who；　she　believed；　had　chosen　her；　was　not　for　her　a　possibility。　Love　is　the　only　passion　which　looks　to　neither　past　nor　future。　Occasionally　her　thoughts　escaped　in　broken　words；　in　phrases　devoid　of　meaning；　though　to　her　lover's　ears　they　sounded　like　promises　of　love。　To　the　two　witnesses　of　this　birth　of　passion　she　seemed　to　be　rushing　onward　with　fearful　rapidity。　Francine　knew　Marie　as　well　as　Madame　du　Gua　knew　the　marquis；　and　their　experience　of　the　past　made　them　await　in　silence　some　terrible　finale。　It　was；　indeed；　not　long　before　the　end　came　to　the　drama　which　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　had　called；　without　perhaps　imagining　the　truth　of　her　words；　a　tragedy。

When　the　travellers　were　about　three　miles　beyond　Mayenne　they　heard　a　horseman　riding　after　them　with　great　rapidity。　When　he　reached　the　carriage　he　leaned　towards　it　to　look　at　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　who　recognized　Corentin。　That　offensive　personage　made　her　a　sign　of　intelligence；　the　familiarity　of　which　was　deeply　mortifying；　then　he　turned　away；　after　chilling　her　to　the　bone　with　a　look　full　of　some　base　meaning。　The　young　/emigre/　seemed　painfully　affected　by　this　circumstance；　which　did　not　escape　the　notice　of　his　pretended　mother；　but　Marie　softly　touched　him；　seeming　by　her　eyes　to　take　refuge　in　his　heart　as　thought　it　were　her　only　haven。　His　brow　cleared　at　this　proof　of　the　full　extent　of　his　mistress's　attachment；　coming　to　him　as　it　were　by　accident。　An　inexplicable　fear　seemed　to　have　overcome　her　coyness；　and　her　love　was　visible　for　a　moment　without　a　veil。　Unfortunately　for　both　of　them；　Madame　du　Gua　saw　it　all；　like　a　miser　who　gives　a　feast；　she　seemed　to　count　the　morsels　and　begrudge　the　wine。

Absorbed　in　their　happiness　the　lovers　arrived；　without　any　consciousness　of　the　distance　they　had　traversed；　at　that　part　of　the　road　which　passed　through　the　valley　of　Ernee。　There　Francine　noticed　and　showed　to　her　companions　a　number　of　strange　forms　which　seemed　to　move　like　shadows　among　the　trees　and　gorse　that　surrounded　the　fields。　When　the　carriage　came　within　range　of　these　shadows　a　volley　of　musketry；　the　balls　of　which　whistled　above　their　heads；　warned　the　travellers　that　the　shadows　were　realities。　The　escort　had　fallen　into　a　trap。

Captain　Merle　now　keenly　regretted　having　adopted　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　idea　that　a　rapid　journey　by　night　would　be　a　safe　one；an　error　which　had　led　him　to　reduce　his　escort　from　Mayenne　to　sixty　men。　He　at　once；　under　Gerard's　orders；　divided　his　little　troop　into　two　columns；　one　on　each　side　of　the　road；　which　the　two　officers　marched　at　a　quick　step　among　the　gorse　hedges；　eager　to　meet　the　assailants；　though　ignorant　of　their　number。　The　Blues　beat　the　thick　bushes　right　and　left　with　rash　intrepidity；　and　replied　to　the　Chouans　with　a　steady　fire。

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil's　first　impulse　was　to　jump　from　the　carriage　and　run　back　along　the　road　until　she　was　out　of　sight　of　the　battle；　but　ashamed　of　her　fears；　and　moved　by　the　feeling　which　impels　us　all　to　act　nobly　under　the　eyes　of　those　we　love；　she　presently　stood　still；　endeavoring　to　watch　the　combat　coolly。

The　marquis　followed　her；　took　her　hand；　and　placed　it　on　his　breast。

〃I　was　afraid；〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃but　now〃

Just　then　her　terrified　maid　cried　out：　〃Marie；　take　care！〃

But　as　she　said　the　words；　Francine；　who　was　springing　from　the　carriage；　felt　herself　grasped　by　a　strong　hand。　The　sudden　weight　of　that　enormous　hand　made　her　shriek　violently；　she　turned；　and　was　instantly　silenced　on　recognizing　Marche…a…Terre。

〃Twice　I　owe　to　chance；〃　said　the　marquis　to　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil；　〃the　revelation　of　the　sweetest　secrets　of　the　heart。　Thanks　to　Francine　I　now　know　you　bear　the　gracious　name　of　Marie；Marie；　the　name　I　have　invoked　in　my　distresses；Marie；　a　name　I　shall　henceforth　speak　in　joy；　and　never　without　sacrifice；　mingling　religion　and　love。　There　can　be　no　wrong　where　prayer　and　love　go　together。〃

They　clasped　hands；　looked　silently　into　each　other's　eyes；　and　the　excess　of　their　emotion　took　away　from　them　the　power　to　express　it。

〃There's　no　danger　for　/the　rest　of　you/；〃　Marche…a…Terre　was　saying　roughly　to　Francine；　giving　to　his　hoarse　and　guttural　voice　a　reproachful　tone；　and　emphasizing　his　last　words　in　a　way　to　stupefy　the　innocent　peasant…girl。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　saw　ferocity　in　that　face。　The　moonlight　seemed　to　heighten　the　effect　of　it。　The　savage　Breton；　holding　his　cap　in　one　hand　and　his　heavy　carbine　in　the　other；　dumpy　and　thickset　as　a　gnome；　and　bathed