the chouans-第66节

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；　Marie。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　awoke；　reflected；　looked　at　the　child　whose　hand　she　held；　remembered　all；　and　replied　to　the　girl：　〃Shut　up　that　boy；　if　you　wish　me　to　live　do　not　let　him　escape　you。〃

As　she　slowly　said　the　words　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　door　of　her　bedroom；　and　there　they　continued　fastened　with　so　dreadful　a　fixedness　that　it　seemed　as　if　she　saw　her　victim　through　the　wooden　panels。　Then　she　gently　opened　it；　passed　through　and　closed　it　behind　her　without　turning　round；　for　she　saw　the　marquis　standing　before　the　fireplace。　His　dress；　without　being　too　choice；　had　the　look　of　careful　arrangement　which　adds　so　much　to　the　admiration　which　a　woman　feels　for　her　lover。　All　her　self…possession　came　back　to　her　at　the　sight　of　him。　Her　lips；　rigid；　although　half…open；　showed　the　enamel　of　her　white　teeth　and　formed　a　smile　that　was　fixed　and　terrible　rather　than　voluptuous。　She　walked　with　slow　steps　toward　the　young　man　and　pointed　with　her　finger　to　the　clock。

〃A　man　who　is　worthy　of　love　is　worth　waiting　for；〃　she　said　with　deceptive　gaiety。

Then；　overcome　with　the　violence　of　her　emotions；　she　dropped　upon　the　sofa　which　was　near　the　fireplace。

〃Dear　Marie；　you　are　so　charming　when　you　are　angry；〃　said　the　marquis；　sitting　down　beside　her　and　taking　her　hand；　which　she　let　him　take；　and　entreating　a　look；　which　she　refused　him。　〃I　hope；〃　he　continued；　in　a　tender；　caressing　voice；　〃that　my　wife　will　not　long　refuse　a　glance　to　her　loving　husband。〃

Hearing　the　words　she　turned　abruptly　and　looked　into　his　eyes。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　that　dreadful　look？〃　he　said；　laughing。　〃But　your　hand　is　burning！　oh；　my　love；　what　is　it？〃

〃Your　love！〃　she　repeated；　in　a　dull；　changed　voice。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　throwing　himself　on　his　knees　beside　her　and　taking　her　two　hands　which　he　covered　with　kisses。　〃Yes；　my　loveI　am　thine　for　life。〃

She　pushed　him　violently　away　from　her　and　rose。　Her　features　contracted；　she　laughed　as　mad　people　laugh；　and　then　she　said　to　him：　〃You　do　not　mean　one　word　of　all　you　are　saying；　base　manbaser　than　the　lowest　villain。〃　She　sprang　to　the　dagger　which　was　lying　beside　a　flower…vase；　and　let　it　sparkle　before　the　eyes　of　the　amazed　young　marquis。　〃Bah！〃　she　said；　flinging　it　away　from　her；　〃I　do　not　respect　you　enough　to　kill　you。　Your　blood　is　even　too　vile　to　be　shed　by　soldiers；　I　see　nothing　fit　for　you　but　the　executioner。〃

The　words　were　painfully　uttered　in　a　low　voice；　and　she　moved　her　feet　like　a　spoilt　child；　impatiently。　The　marquis　went　to　her　and　tried　to　clasp　her。

〃Don't　touch　me！〃　she　cried；　recoiling　from　him　with　a　look　of　horror。

〃She　is　mad！〃　said　the　marquis　in　despair。

〃Mad；　yes！〃　she　repeated；　〃but　not　mad　enough　to　be　your　dupe。　What　would　I　not　forgive　to　passion？　but　to　seek　to　possess　me　without　love；　and　to　write　to　that　woman〃

〃To　whom　have　I　written？〃　he　said；　with　an　astonishment　which　was　certainly　not　feigned。

〃To　that　chaste　woman　who　sought　to　kill　me。〃

The　marquis　turned　pale　with　anger　and　said；　grasping　the　back　of　a　chair　until　he　broke　it；　〃If　Madame　du　Gua　has　committed　some　dastardly　wrong〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　looked　for　the　letter；　not　finding　it　she　called　to　Francine。

〃Where　is　that　letter？〃　she　asked。

〃Monsieur　Corentin　took　it。〃

〃Corentin！　ah！　I　understand　it　all；　he　wrote　the　letter；　he　has　deceived　me　with　diabolical　artas　he　alone　can　deceive。〃

With　a　piercing　cry　she　flung　herself　on　the　sofa；　tears　rushing　from　her　eyes。　Doubt　and　confidence　were　equally　dreadful　now。　The　marquis　knelt　beside　her　and　clasped　her　to　his　breast；　saying；　again　and　again；　the　only　words　he　was　able　to　utter：

〃Why　do　you　weep；　my　darling？　there　is　no　harm　done；　your　reproaches　were　all　love；　do　not　weep；　I　love　youI　shall　always　love　you。〃

Suddenly　he　felt　her　press　him　with　almost　supernatural　force。　〃Do　you　still　love　me？〃　she　said；　amid　her　sobs。

〃Can　you　doubt　it？〃　he　replied　in　a　tone　that　was　almost　melancholy。

She　abruptly　disengaged　herself　from　his　arms；　and　fled；　as　if　frightened　and　confused；　to　a　little　distance。

〃Do　I　doubt　it？〃　she　exclaimed；　but　a　smile　of　gentle　meaning　was　on　her　lover's　face；　and　the　words　died　away　upon　her　lips；　she　let　him　take　her　by　the　hand　and　lead　her　to　the　salon。　There　an　altar　had　been　hastily　arranged　during　her　absence。　The　priest　was　robed　in　his　officiating　vestments。　The　lighted　tapers　shed　upon　the　ceiling　a　glow　as　soft　as　hope　itself。　She　now　recognized　the　two　men　who　had　bowed　to　her；　the　Comte　de　Bauvan　and　the　Baron　du　Guenic；　the　witnesses　chosen　by　Montauran。

〃You　will　not　still　refuse？〃　said　the　marquis。

But　at　the　sight　she　stopped；　stepped　backward　into　her　chamber　and　fell　on　her　knees；　raising　her　hands　towards　the　marquis　she　cried　out：　〃Pardon！　pardon！　pardon！〃

Her　voice　died　away；　her　head　fell　back；　her　eyes　closed；　and　she　lay　in　the　arms　of　her　lover　and　Francine　as　if　dead。　When　she　opened　her　eyes　they　met　those　of　the　young　man　full　of　loving　tenderness。

〃Marie！　patience！　this　is　your　last　trial；〃　he　said。

〃The　last！〃　she　exclaimed；　bitterly。

Francine　and　the　marquis　looked　at　each　other　in　surprise；　but　she　silenced　them　by　a　gesture。

〃Call　the　priest；〃　she　said；　〃and　leave　me　alone　with　him。〃

They　did　so；　and　withdrew。

〃My　father；〃　she　said　to　the　priest　so　suddenly　called　to　her；　〃in　my　childhood　an　old　man；　white…haired　like　yourself；　used　to　tell　me　that　God　would　grant　all　things　to　those　who　had　faith。　Is　that　true？〃

〃It　is　true；〃　replied　the　priest；　〃all　things　are　possible　to　Him　who　created　all。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　threw　herself　on　her　knees　before　him　with　incredible　enthusiasm。

〃Oh；　my　God！〃　she　cried　in　ecstasy；　〃my　faith　in　thee　is　equal　to　my　love　for　him；　inspire　me！　do　here　a　miracle；　or　take　my　life！〃

〃Your　prayer　will　be　granted；〃　said　the　priest。

Marie　returned　to　the　salon　leaning　on　the　arm　of　the　venerable　old　man。　A　deep　and　secret　emotion　brought　her　to　the　arms　of　her　lover　more　brilliant　than　on　any　of　her　past　days；　for　a　serenity　like　that　which　painters　give　to　the　martyrs　added　to　her　face　an　imposing　dignity。　She　held　out　her　hand　to　the　marquis　and　together　they　advanced　to　the　altar　and　knelt　down。　The　marriage　was　about　to　be　celebrated　beside　the　nuptial　bed；　the　altar　hastily　raised；　the　cross；　the　vessels；　the　chalice；　secretly　brought　thither　by　the　priest；　the　fumes　of　incense　rising　to　the　ceiling；　the　priest　himself；　who　wore　a　stole　above　his　cassock；　the　tapers　on　an　altar　in　a　salon；all　these　things　combined　to　form　a　strange　and　touching　scene；　which　typified　those　times　of　saddest　memory；　when　civil　discord　overthrew　all　sacred　institutions。　Religious　ceremonies　then　had　the　savor　of　the　mysteries。　Children　were　baptized　in　the　chambers　where　the　mothers　were　still　groaning　from　their　labor。　As　in　the　olden　time；　the　Saviour　went；　poor　and　lowly；　to　console　the　dying。　Young　girls　received　their　first　communion　in　the　home　where　they　had　played　since　infancy。　The　marriage　of　the　marquis　and　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　now　solemnized；　like　many　other　unions；　by　a　service　contrary　to　the　recent　legal　enactments。　In　after　years　these　marriages；　mostly　celebrated　at　the　foot　of　oaks；　were　scrupulously　recognized　and　considered　legal。　The　priest　who　thus　preserved　the　ancient　usages　was　one　of　those　men　who　hold　to　their　principles　in　the　height　of　the　storm。　His　voice；　which　never　made　the　oath　exacted　by　the　Republic；　uttered　no　word　throughout　the　tempest　that　did　not　make　for　peace。　He　never　incited；　like　the　Abbe　Gudin；　to　fire　and　sword；　but　like　many　others；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　still　more　dangerous　mission　of　performing　his　priestly　functions　for　the　souls　of　faithful　Catholics。　To　accomplish　this　perilous　ministry　he　used　all　the　pious　deceptions　necessitated　by　persecution；　and　the　marquis；　when　he　sought　his　services　on　this　occasion；　had　found　him　in　one　of　those　excavated　caverns　which　are　known；　even　to　the　present　day；　by　the　name　of　〃the　priest's　hiding…place。〃　The　mere　sight　of　that　pale　and　suffering　face　was　enough　to　give　this　worldly　room　a　holy　aspect。

All　was　now　ready　for　the　act　of　misery　and　of　joy。　Before　beginning　the　ceremony　the　priest　asked；　in　the　dead　silence；　the　names　of　the　bride。

〃Marie…Nathalie；　daughter　of　Mademoiselle　Blanche　de　Casteran；　abbess；　deceased；　of　Notre…Dame　de　Seez；　and　Victor…Amedee；　Duc　de　Verneuil。〃

〃Where　born？〃

〃At　La　Chasterie；　near　Alencon。〃

〃I　never　supposed；〃　said　the　baron　in　a　low　voice　to　the　count；　〃that　Montauran　would　have　the　folly　to　marry　her。　The　natural　daughter　of　a　duke！horrid！〃

〃If　it　were　of　the　king；　well　and　good；〃　replied　the　Comte　de　Bauvan；　smiling。　〃However；　it　is　not　for　me　to　blame　him；　I　like　Charette's　mistress　full　as　well；　and　I　shall　transfer　the　war　to　herthough　she's　not　one　to　bill　and　coo。〃

The　names　of　the　marquis　had　been　filled　in　previously；　and　the　two　lovers　now　signed　the　document　with　their　witnesses。　The　ceremony　then　began。　At　that　instant　Marie；　and　she　alone；　heard　the　sound　of　muskets　and　the　heavy　tread　of　soldiers；no　doubt　relieving　the　guard　in　the　church　which　she　had　herself　demanded。