the collection of antiquities-第16部分

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house　undergoing　a　five　years'　imprisonment　for　debt。　So　in　a　few　days'　time　nothing　remained　to　him　but　his　practice；　the　sums　that　were　due　to　him；　and　the　house　in　which　he　lived。　Chesnel；　stripped　of　all　his　lands；　paced　to　and　fro　in　his　private　office；　paneled　with　dark　oak；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　beveled　edges　of　the　chestnut　cross…　beams　of　the　ceiling；　or　on　the　trellised　vines　in　the　garden　outside。　He　was　not　thinking　of　his　farms　now；　or　of　Le　Jard；　his　dear　house　in　the　country；　not　he。

〃What　will　become　of　him？　He　ought　to　come　back；　they　must　marry　him　to　some　rich　heiress；〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　his　eyes　were　dim；　his　head　heavy。

How　to　approach　Mlle。　Armande；　and　in　what　words　to　break　the　news　to　her；　he　did　not　know。　The　man　who　had　just　paid　the　debts　of　the　family　quaked　at　the　thought　of　confessing　these　things。　He　went　from　the　Rue　du　Bercail　to　the　Hotel　d'Esgrignon　with　pulses　throbbing　like　some　girl's　heart　when　she　leaves　her　father's　roof　by　stealth；　not　to　return　again　till　she　is　a　mother　and　her　heart　is　broken。

Mlle。　Armande　had　just　received　a　charming　letter；　charming　in　its　hypocrisy。　Her　nephew　was　the　happiest　man　under　the　sun。　He　had　been　to　the　baths；　he　had　been　traveling　in　Italy　with　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse；　and　now　sent　his　journal　to　his　aunt。　Every　sentence　was　instinct　with　love。　There　were　enchanting　descriptions　of　Venice；　and　fascinating　appreciations　of　the　great　works　of　Venetian　art；　there　were　most　wonderful　pages　full　of　the　Duomo　at　Milan；　and　again　of　Florence；　he　described　the　Apennines；　and　how　they　differed　from　the　Alps；　and　how　in　some　village　like　Chiavari　happiness　lay　all　around　you；　ready　made。

The　poor　aunt　was　under　the　spell。　She　saw　the　far…off　country　of　love；　she　saw；　hovering　above　the　land；　the　angel　whose　tenderness　gave　to　all　that　beauty　a　burning　glow。　She　was　drinking　in　the　letter　at　long　draughts；　how　should　it　have　been　otherwise？　The　girl　who　had　put　love　from　her　was　now　a　woman　ripened　by　repressed　and　pent…up　passion；　by　all　the　longings　continually　and　gladly　offered　up　as　a　sacrifice　on　the　altar　of　the　hearth。　Mlle。　Armande　was　not　like　the　Duchess。　She　did　not　look　like　an　angel。　She　was　rather　like　the　little；　straight；　slim　and　slender；　ivory…tinted　statues；　which　those　wonderful　sculptors；　the　builders　of　cathedrals；　placed　here　and　there　about　the　buildings。　Wild　plants　sometimes　find　a　hold　in　the　damp　niches；　and　weave　a　crown　of　beautiful　bluebell　flowers　about　the　carved　stone。　At　this　moment　the　blue　buds　were　unfolding　in　the　fair　saint's　eyes。　Mlle。　Armande　loved　the　charming　couple　as　if　they　stood　apart　from　real　life；　she　saw　nothing　wrong　in　a　married　woman's　love　for　Victurnien；　any　other　woman　she　would　have　judged　harshly；　but　in　this　case；　not　to　have　loved　her　nephew　would　have　been　the　unpardonable　sin。　Aunts；　mothers；　and　sisters　have　a　code　of　their　own　for　nephews　and　sons　and　brothers。

Mlle。　Armande　was　in　Venice；　she　saw　the　lines　of　fairy　palaces　that　stand　on　either　side　of　the　Grand　Canal；　she　was　sitting　in　Victurnien's　gondola；　he　was　telling　her　what　happiness　it　had　been　to　feel　that　the　Duchess'　beautiful　hand　lay　in　his　own；　to　know　that　she　loved　him　as　they　floated　together　on　the　breast　of　the　amorous　Queen　of　Italian　seas。　But　even　in　that　moment　of　bliss；　such　as　angels　know；　some　one　appeared　in　the　garden　walk。　It　was　Chesnel！　Alas！　the　sound　of　his　tread　on　the　gravel　might　have　been　the　sound　of　the　sands　running　from　Death's　hour…glass　to　be　trodden　under　his　unshod　feet。　The　sound；　the　sight　of　a　dreadful　hopelessness　in　Chesnel's　face；　gave　her　that　painful　shock　which　follows　a　sudden　recall　of　the　senses　when　the　soul　has　sent　them　forth　into　the　world　of　dreams。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　cried；　as　if　some　stab　had　pierced　to　her　heart。

〃All　is　lost！〃　said　Chesnel。　〃M。　le　Comte　will　bring　dishonor　upon　the　house　if　we　do　not　set　it　in　order。〃　He　held　out　the　bills；　and　described　the　agony　of　the　last　few　days　in　a　few　simple　but　vigorous　and　touching　words。

〃He　is　deceiving　us！　The　miserable　boy！〃　cried　Mlle。　Armande；　her　heart　swelling　as　the　blood　surged　back　to　it　in　heavy　throbs。

〃Let　us　both　say　mea　culpa；　mademoiselle；〃　the　old　lawyer　said　stoutly；　〃we　have　always　allowed　him　to　have　his　own　way；　he　needed　stern　guidance；　he　could　not　have　it　from　you　with　your　inexperience　of　life；　nor　from　me；　for　he　would　not　listen　to　me。　He　has　had　no　mother。〃

〃Fate　sometimes　deals　terribly　with　a　noble　house　in　decay；〃　said　Mlle。　Armande；　with　tears　in　her　eyes。

The　Marquis　came　up　as　she　spoke。　He　had　been　walking　up　and　down　the　garden　while　he　read　the　letter　sent　by　his　son　after　his　return。　Victurnien　gave　his　itinerary　from　an　aristocrat's　point　of　view；　telling　how　he　had　been　welcomed　by　the　greatest　Italian　families　of　Genoa；　Turin；　Milan；　Florence；　Venice；　Rome；　and　Naples。　This　flattering　reception　he　owed　to　his　name；　he　said；　and　partly；　perhaps；　to　the　Duchess　as　well。　In　short；　he　had　made　his　appearance　magnificently；　and　as　befitted　a　d'Esgrignon。

〃Have　you　been　at　your　old　tricks；　Chesnel？〃　asked　the　Marquis。

Mlle。　Armande　made　Chesnel　an　eager　sign；　dreadful　to　see。　They　understood　each　other。　The　poor　father；　the　flower　of　feudal　honor；　must　die　with　all　his　illusions。　A　compact　of　silence　and　devotion　was　ratified　between　the　two　noble　hearts　by　a　simple　inclination　of　the　head。

〃Ah！　Chesnel；　it　was　not　exactly　in　this　way　that　the　d'Esgrignons　went　into　Italy　at　the　end　of　the　fourteenth　century；　when　Marshal　Trivulzio；　in　the　service　of　the　King　of　France；　served　under　a　d'Esgrignon；　who　had　a　Bayard　too　under　his　orders。　Other　times；　other　pleasures。　And；　for　that　matter；　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　is　at　least　the　equal　of　a　Marchesa　di　Spinola。〃

And；　on　the　strength　of　his　genealogical　tree；　the　old　man　swung　himself　off　with　a　coxcomb's　air；　as　if　he　himself　had　once　made　a　conquest　of　the　Marchesa　di　Spinola；　and　still　possessed　the　Duchess　of　to…day。

The　two　companions　in　unhappiness　were　left　together　on　the　garden　bench；　with　the　same　thought　for　a　bond　of　union。　They　sat　for　a　long　time；　saying　little　save　vague；　unmeaning　words；　watching　the　father　walk　away　in　his　happiness；　gesticulating　as　if　he　were　talking　to　himself。

〃What　will　become　of　him　now？〃　Mlle。　Armande　asked　after　a　while。

〃Du　Croisier　has　sent　instructions　to　the　MM。　Keller；　he　is　not　to　be　allowed　to　draw　any　more　without　authorization。〃

〃And　there　are　debts；〃　continued　Mlle。　Armande。

〃I　am　afraid　so。〃

〃If　he　is　left　without　resources；　what　will　he　do？〃

〃I　dare　not　answer　that　question　to　myself。〃

〃But　he　must　be　drawn　out　of　that　life；　he　must　come　back　to　us；　or　he　will　have　nothing　left。〃

〃And　nothing　else　left　to　him；〃　Chesnel　said　gloomily。　But　Mlle。　Armande　as　yet　did　not　and　could　not　understand　the　full　force　of　those　words。

〃Is　there　any　hope　of　getting　him　away　from　that　woman；　that　Duchess？　Perhaps　she　leads　him　on。〃

〃He　would　not　stick　at　a　crime　to　be　with　her；〃　said　Chesnel；　trying　to　pave　the　way　to　an　intolerable　thought　by　others　less　intolerable。

〃Crime；〃　repeated　Mlle。　Armande。　〃Oh；　Chesnel；　no　one　but　you　would　think　of　such　a　thing！〃　she　added；　with　a　withering　look；　before　such　a　look　from　a　woman's　eyes　no　mortal　can　stand。　〃There　is　but　one　crime　that　a　noble　can　committhe　crime　of　high　treason；　and　when　he　is　beheaded；　the　block　is　covered　with　a　black　cloth；　as　it　is　for　kings。〃

〃The　times　have　changed　very　much；〃　said　Chesnel；　shaking　his　head。　Victurnien　had　thinned　his　last　thin；　white　hairs。　〃Our　Martyr…King　did　not　die　like　the　English　King　Charles。〃

That　thought　soothed　Mlle。　Armande's　splendid　indignation；　a　shudder　ran　through　her；　but　still　she　did　not　realize　what　Chesnel　meant。

〃To…morrow　we　will　decide　what　we　must　do；〃　she　said；　〃it　needs　thought。　At　the　worst；　we　have　our　lands。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Chesnel。　〃You　and　M。　le　Marquis　own　the　estate　conjointly；　but　the　larger　part　of　it　is　yours。　You　can　raise　money　upon　it　without　saying　a　word　to　him。〃

The　players　at　whist；　reversis；　boston；　and　backgammon　noticed　that　evening　that　Mlle。　Armande's　features；　usually　so　serene　and　pure；　showed　signs　of　agitation。

〃That　poor　heroic　child！〃　said　the　old　Marquise　de　Casteran；　〃she　must　be　suffering　still。　A　woman　never　knows　what　her　sacrifices　to　her　family　may　cost　her。〃

Next　day　it　was　arranged　with　Chesnel　that　Mlle。　Armande　should　go　to　Paris　to　snatch　her　nephew　from　perdition。　If　any　one　could　carry　off　Victurnien；　was　it　not　the　woman　whose　motherly　heart　yearned　over　him？　Mlle。　Armande　made　up　her　mind　that　she　would　go　to　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　and　tell　her　all。　Still；　some　sort　of　pretext　was　necessary　to　explain　the　journey　to　the　Marquis　and　the　whole　town。　At　some　cost　to　her　maidenly　delicacy；　Mlle。　Armande　allowed　it　to　be　thought　that　she　was　suffering　from　a　complaint　which　called　for　a　consultation　of　skilled　and　celebrated　physicians。　Goodness　knows　whether　the　town　talked　of　this　or　no！　But　Mlle。　Armande　saw　that　something　far　more　than　her　own　reputation　was　at　stake。　She　set　out。　Chesnel　brought　her　his　last　bag　of　louis；　she　took　it；　without　paying　any　attention　to　it；　as　she　took　her　white　capuchine　and　thread　mittens。

〃Generous　girl！　What　grace！〃　he　said；　as　he　put　her　into　the　carriage　with　her　maid；　a　woman　who　looked　like　a　gray　sister。

Du　Croisier　had　thought　out　his　revenge；　as　provincials　think　out　everything。　For　studying　out　a　question　in　all　its　bearings；　there　are　no　folk　in　this　world　like　savages；　peasants；　and　provincials；　and　this　is　how；　when　they　proceed　from　thought　to　action；　you　find　every　contingency　provided　for　from　beginning　to　end。　Diplomatists　are　children　compared　with　these　classes　of　mammals；　they　have　time　before　them；　an　element　which　is　lacking　to　those　people　who　are　obliged　to　think　about　a　great　many　things；　to　superintend　the　progress　of　all　kinds　of　schemes；　to　look　forward　for　all　sorts　of　contingencies　in　the　wider　interests　of　human　affairs。　Had　de　Croisier　sounded　poor　Victurnien's　nature　so　well；　that　he　foresaw　how　easily　the　young　Count　would　lend　himself　to　his　schemes　of　revenge？　Or　was　he　merely　profiting　by　an　o