white lies-第9节

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　the　groupstarted；　made　a　slight　apology；　and　was　mooning　off；　lost　in　his　book　again。　　Then　the　baroness；　who　had　eyed　him　with　grim　suspicion　all　the　time；　said　with　well…affected　nonchalance；　〃Doctor；　you　dropped　your　purse；　we　have　just　picked　it　up。〃　　And　she　handed　it　to　him。　　〃Thank　you；　madame；〃　said　he；　and　took　it　quietly　without　looking　at　it；　put　it　in　his　pocket；　and　retired；　with　his　soul　in　his　book。　　They　stared　comically　at　one　another；　and　at　this　cool　hand。　　〃It's　no　more　his　than　it's　mine；〃　said　Jacintha；　bluntly。　Rose　darted　after　the　absorbed　student；　and　took　him　captive。　　〃Now；　doctor；〃　she　cried；　〃be　pleased　to　come　out　of　the　clouds。〃　　And　with　the　word　she　whipped　the　purse　out　of　his　coat　pocket；　and　holding　it　right　up　before　his　eye；　insisted　on　his　telling　her　whether　that　was　his　purse　or　not；　money　and　all。　　Thus　adjured；　he　disowned　the　property　mighty　coolly；　for　a　retired　physician；　who　had　just　pocketed　it。

〃No；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　〃and；　now　I　think　of　it；　I　have　not　carried　a　purse　this　twenty　years。〃

The　baroness；　as　a　last　resource；　appealed　to　his　honor　whether　he　had　not　left　a　purse　and　paper　on　the　knights'　bough。　　The　question　had　to　be　explained　by　Josephine；　and　then　the　doctor　surprised　them　all　by　being　rather　affrontedfor　once　in　his　life。

〃Baroness；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　your　friend　and　pensioner　nearly　twenty　years；　if　by　some　strange　chance　money　were　to　come　into　my　hands；　I　should　not　play　you　a　childish　trick　like　this。　　What！　have　I　not　the　right　to　come　to　you；　and　say；　'My　old　friend；　here　I　bring　you　back　a　very　small　part　of　all　I　owe　you？'〃

〃What　geese　we　are；〃　remarked　Rose。　　〃Dear　doctor；　YOU　tell　us　who　it　is。〃

Dr。　Aubertin　reflected　a　single　moment；　then　said　he　could　make　a　shrewd　guess。

〃Who？　who？　who？〃　cried　the　whole　party。

〃Perrin　the　notary。〃

It　was　the　baroness's　turn　to　be　surprised；　for　there　was　nothing　romantic　about　Perrin　the　notary。　　Aubertin；　however；　let　her　know　that　he　was　in　private　communication　with　the　said　Perrin；　and　this　was　not　the　first　friendly　act　the　good　notary　had　done　her　in　secret。

While　he　was　converting　the　baroness　to　his　view；　Josephine　and　Rose　exchanged　a　signal；　and　slipped　away　round　an　angle　of　the　chateau。

〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Rose。

〃It　is　some　one　who　has　a　delicate　mind。〃

〃Clearly；　and　therefore　not　a　notary。〃

〃Rose；　dear；　might　it　not　be　some　person　who　has　done　us　some　wrong；　and　is　perhaps　penitent？〃

〃Certainly；　one　of　our　tenants；　or　creditors；　you　mean；　but　then；　the　paper　says　'a　friend。'　　Stay；　it　says　a　debtor。　　Why　a　debtor？　Down　with　enigmas！〃

〃Rose；　love；〃　said　Josephine；　coaxingly；　〃think　of　some　one　that　mightsince　it　is　not　the　doctor；　nor　Monsieur　Perrin；　might　it　not　befor　after　all；　he　would　naturally　be　ashamed　to　appear　before　me。〃

〃Before　you？　　Who　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Rose　nervously；　catching　a　glimpse　now。

〃He　who　once　pretended　to　love　me。〃

〃Josephine；　you　love　that　man　still。〃

〃No；　no。　　Spare　me！〃

〃You　love　him　just　the　same　as　ever。　　Oh；　it　is　wonderful；　it　is　terrible；　the　power　he　has　over　you；　over　your　judgment　as　well　as　your　heart。〃

〃No！　for　I　believe　he　has　forgotten　my　very　name；　don't　you　think　so？〃

〃Dear　Josephine；　can　you　doubt　it？　　Come；　you　do　doubt　it。〃

〃Sometimes。〃

〃But　why？　for　what　reason？〃

〃Because　of　what　he　said　to　me　as　we　parted　at　that　gate；　the　words　and　the　voice　seem　still　to　ring　like　truth　across　the　weary　years。　He　said；　'I　am　to　join　the　army　of　the　Pyrenees；　so　fatal　to　our　troops；　but　say　to　me　what　you　never　yet　have　said；　Camille；　I　love　you：　and　I　swear　I　will　come　back　alive。'　　So　then　I　said　to　him；　'I　love　you；'and　he　never　came　back。〃

〃How　could　he　come　here？　a　deserter；　a　traitor！〃

〃It　is　not　true；　it　is　not　in　his　nature；　inconstancy　may　be。　　Tell　me　that　he　never　really　loved　me；　and　I　will　believe　you；　but　not　that　he　is　a　traitor。　　Let　me　weep　over　my　past　love；　not　blush　for　it。〃

〃Past？　　You　love　him　to…day　as　you　did　three　years　ago。〃

〃No；〃　said　Josephine；　〃no；　I　love　no　one。　　I　never　shall　love　any　one　again。〃

〃But　him。　　It　is　that　love　which　turns　your　heart　against　others。　Oh；　yes；　you　love　him；　dearest；　or　why　should　you　fancy　our　secret　benefactor　COULD　be　that　Camille？〃

〃Why？　　Because　I　was　mad：　because　it　is　impossible；　but　I　see　my　folly。　　I　am　going　in。〃

〃What！　don't　you　care　to　know　who　I　think　it　was；　perhaps？〃

〃No；〃　said　Josephine　sadly　and　doggedly；　she　added　with　cold　nonchalance；　〃I　dare　say　time　will　show。〃　　And　she　went　slowly　in；　her　hand　to　her　head。

〃Her　birthday！〃　sighed　Rose。

The　donor；　whoever　he　was；　little　knew　the　pain　he　was　inflicting　on　this　distressed　but　proud　family；　or　the　hard　battle　that　ensued　between　their　necessities　and　their　delicacy。　　The　ten　gold　pieces　were　a　perpetual　temptation：　a　daily　conflict。　　The　words　that　accompanied　the　donation　offered　a　bait。　　Their　pride　and　dignity　declined　it；　but　these　bright　bits　of　gold　cost　them　many　a　sharp　pang。　　You　must　know　that　Josephine　and　Rose　had　worn　out　their　mourning　by　this　time；　and　were　obliged　to　have　recourse　to　gayer　materials　that　lay　in　their　great　wardrobes；　and　were　older；　but　less　worn。　　A　few　of　these　gold　pieces　would　have　enabled　the　poor　girls　to　be　neat；　and　yet　to　mourn　their　father　openly。　　And　it　went　through　and　through　those　tender；　simple　hearts；　to　think　that　they　must　be　disunited；　even　in　so　small　a　thing　as　dress；　that　while　their　mother　remained　in　her　weeds；　they　must　seem　no　longer　to　share　her　woe。

The　baroness　knew　their　feeling；　and　felt　its　piety；　and　yet　could　not　bow　her　dignity　to　say；　〃Take　five　of　these　bits　of　gold；　and　let　us　all　look　what　we　areone。〃　　Yet　in　this；　as　in　everything　else；　they　supported　each　other。　　They　resisted；　they　struggled；　and　with　a　wrench　they　conquered　day　by　day。　　At　last；　by　general　consent；　Josephine　locked　up　the　tempter；　and　they　looked　at　it　no　more。　　But　the　little　bit　of　paper　met　a　kinder　fate。　　Rose　made　a　little　frame　for　it；　and　it　was　kept　in　a　drawer；　in　the　salon：　and　often　looked　at　and　blessed。　　Just　when　they　despaired　of　human　friendship；　this　paper　with　the　sacred　word　〃friend〃　written　on　it；　had　fallen　all　in　a　moment　on　their　aching　hearts。

They　could　not　tell　whence　it　came；　this　blessed　word。

But　men　dispute　whence　comes　the　dew？

Then　let　us　go　with　the　poets；　who　say　it　comes　from　heaven。

And　even　so　that　sweet　word；　friend；　dropped　like　the　dew　from　heaven　on　these　afflicted　ones。

So　they　locked　the　potent　gold　away　from　themselves；　and　took　the　kind　slip　of　paper　to　their　hearts。

The　others　left　off　guessing：　Aubertin　had　it　all　his　own　way：　he　upheld　Perrin　as　their　silent　benefactor；　and　bade　them　all　observe　that　the　worthy　notary　had　never　visited　the　chateau　openly　since　the　day　the　purse　was　left　there。　　〃Guilty　conscience；〃　said　Aubertin　dryly。

One　day　in　his　walks　he　met　a　gaunt　figure　ambling　on　a　fat　pony：　he　stopped　him；　and；　holding　up　his　finger；　said　abruptly；　〃We　have　found　you　out；　Maitre　Perrin。〃

The　notary　changed　color。

〃Oh；　never　be　ashamed；〃　said　Aubertin；　〃a　good　action　done　slyly　is　none　the　less　a　good　action。〃

The　notary　wore　a　puzzled　air。

Aubertin　admired　his　histrionic　powers　in　calling　up　this　look。

〃Come；　come；　don't　overdo　it；〃　said　he。　　〃Well；　well；　they　cannot　profit　by　your　liberality；　but　you　will　be　rewarded　in　a　better　world；　take　my　word　for　that。〃

The　notary　muttered　indistinctly。　　He　was　a　man　of　moderate　desires；　would　have　been　quite　content　if　there　had　been　no　other　world　in　perspective。　　He　had　studied　this　one；　and　made　it　pay：　did　not　desire　a　better；　sometimes　feared　a　worse。

〃Ah！〃　said　Aubertin；　〃I　see　how　it　is；　we　do　not　like　to　hear　ourselves　praised；　do　we？　　When　shall　we　see　you　at　the　chateau？〃

〃I　propose　to　call　on　the　baroness　the　moment　I　have　good　news　to　bring；〃　replied　Perrin；　and　to　avoid　any　more　compliments　spurred　the　dun　pony　suddenly；　and　he　waddled　away。

Now　this　Perrin　was　at　that　moment　on　the　way　to　dine　with　a　character　who　plays　a　considerable　part　in　the　taleCommandant　Raynal。　　Perrin　had　made　himself　useful　to　the　commandant；　and　had　become　his　legal　adviser。　　And；　this　very　day　after　dinner；　the　commandant　having　done　a　good　day's　work　permitted　himself　a　little　sentiment　over　the　bottle；　and　to　a　man　he　thought　his　friend。　　He　let　out　that　he　had　a　heap　of　money　he　did　not　know　what　to　do　with；　and　almost　hated　it　now　his　mother　was　gone　and　could　not　share　it。

The　man　of　law　consoled　him　with　oleaginous　phrases：　told　him　he　very　much　underrated　the　power　of　money。　　His　hoard；　directed　by　a　judicious　adviser；　would　make　him　a　landed　proprietor；　and　the　husband　of　some　young　lady；　all　beauty；　virtue；　and　accomplishment；　whose　soothing　influence　would　soon　heal　the　sorrow　caused　by　an　excess　of　filial　sentiment。

〃Halt！〃　shouted　Raynal：　〃say　that　again　in　half　the　words。〃

Perrin　was　nettled；　for　he　prided　himself　on　his　colloquial　style。

〃You　can　buy　a　fine　estate　and　a　chaste　wife　with　the　money；〃　snapped　this　smooth　personage；　substituting　curt　brutality　for　honeyed　prolixity。

The　soldier　was　struck　by　the　propositions　the　moment　they　fle