a woman of thirty-第11部分

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！


　unless　she　adopts　a　certain　course　of　treatment　she　must　die　miserably。　If　I　use　this　language　to　you；　it　is　because　I　am　in　a　manner　justified　in　using　it；　for　I　am　quite　certain　that　I　can　save　Mme。　d'Aiglemont's　life　and　restore　her　to　health　and　happiness。　It　is　odd；　no　doubt；　that　a　man　of　my　rank　should　be　a　physician；　yet　nevertheless　chance　determined　that　I　should　study　medicine。　I　find　life　dull　enough　here；〃　he　continued；　affecting　a　cold　selfishness　to　gain　his　ends；　〃it　makes　no　difference　to　me　whether　I　spend　my　time　and　travel　for　the　benefit　of　a　suffering　fellow…creature；　or　waste　it　in　Paris　on　some　nonsense　or　other。　It　is　very；　very　seldom　that　a　cure　is　completed　in　these　complaints；　for　they　require　constant　care；　time；　and　patience；　and；　above　all　things；　money。　Travel　is　needed；　and　a　punctilious　following　out　of　prescriptions；　by　no　means　unpleasant；　and　varied　daily。　Two　/gentlemen/〃　（laying　a　stress　on　the　word　in　its　English　sense）　〃can　understand　each　other。　I　give　you　warning　that　if　you　accept　my　proposal；　you　shall　be　a　judge　of　my　conduct　at　every　moment。　I　will　do　nothing　without　consulting　you；　without　your　superintendence；　and　I　will　answer　for　the　success　of　my　method　if　you　will　consent　to　follow　it。　Yes；　unless　you　wish　to　be　Mme。　d'Aiglemont's　husband　no　longer；　and　that　before　long；〃　he　added　in　the　Marquis'　ear。

The　Marquis　laughed。　〃One　thing　is　certainthat　only　an　Englishman　could　make　me　such　an　extraordinary　proposal；〃　he　said。　〃Permit　me　to　leave　it　unaccepted　and　unrejected。　I　will　think　it　over；　and　my　wife　must　be　consulted　first　in　any　case。〃

Julie　had　returned　to　the　piano。　This　time　she　sang　a　song　from　/Semiramide；　Son　regina；　son　guerriera/；　and　the　whole　room　applauded；　a　stifled　outburst　of　wellbred　acclamation　which　proved　that　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain　had　been　roused　to　enthusiasm　by　her　singing。

The　evening　was　over。　D'Aiglemont　brought　his　wife　home；　and　Julie　saw　with　uneasy　satisfaction　that　her　first　attempt　had　at　once　been　successful。　Her　husband　had　been　roused　out　of　indifference　by　the　part　which　she　had　played；　and　now　he　meant　to　honor　her　with　such　a　passing　fancy　as　he　might　bestow　upon　some　opera　nymph。　It　amused　Julie　that　she；　a　virtuous　married　woman；　should　be　treated　thus。　She　tried　to　play　with　her　power；　but　at　the　outset　her　kindness　broke　down　once　more；　and　she　received　the　most　terrible　of　all　the　lessons　held　in　store　for　her　by　fate。

Between　two　and　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　Julie　sat　up；　sombre　and　moody；　beside　her　sleeping　husband；　in　the　room　dimly　lighted　by　the　flickering　lamp。　Deep　silence　prevailed。　Her　agony　of　remorse　had　lasted　near　an　hour；　how　bitter　her　tears　had　been　none　perhaps　can　realize　save　women　who　have　known　such　an　experience　as　hers。　Only　such　natures　as　Julie's　can　feel　her　loathing　for　a　calculated　caress；　the　horror　of　a　loveless　kiss；　of　the　heart's　apostasy　followed　by　dolorous　prostitution。　She　despised　herself；　she　cursed　marriage。　She　could　have　longed　for　death；　perhaps　if　it　had　not　been　for　a　cry　from　her　child；　she　would　have　sprung　from　the　window　and　dashed　herself　upon　the　pavement。　M。　d'Aiglemont　slept　on　peacefully　at　her　side；　his　wife's　hot　dropping　tears　did　not　waken　him。

But　next　morning　Julie　could　be　gay。　She　made　a　great　effort　to　look　happy；　to　hide；　not　her　melancholy；　as　heretofore；　but　an　insuperable　loathing。　From　that　day　she　no　longer　regarded　herself　as　a　blameless　wife。　Had　she　not　been　false　to　herself？　Why　should　she　not　play　a　double　part　in　the　future；　and　display　astounding　depths　of　cunning　in　deceiving　her　husband？　In　her　there　lay　a　hitherto　undiscovered　latent　depravity；　lacking　only　opportunity；　and　her　marriage　was　the　cause。

Even　now　she　had　asked　herself　why　she　should　struggle　with　love；　when；　with　her　heart　and　her　whole　nature　in　revolt；　she　gave　herself　to　the　husband　whom　she　loved　no　longer。　Perhaps；　who　knows？　some　piece　of　fallacious　reasoning；　some　bit　of　special　pleading；　lies　at　the　root　of　all　sins；　of　all　crimes。　How　shall　society　exist　unless　every　individual　of　which　it　is　composed　will　make　the　necessary　sacrifices　of　inclination　demanded　by　its　laws？　If　you　accept　the　benefits　of　civilized　society；　do　you　not　by　implication　engage　to　observe　the　conditions；　the　conditions　of　its　very　existence？　And　yet；　starving　wretches；　compelled　to　respect　the　laws　of　property；　are　not　less　to　be　pitied　than　women　whose　natural　instincts　and　sensitiveness　are　turned　to　so　many　avenues　of　pain。

A　few　days　after　that　scene　of　which　the　secret　lay　buried　in　the　midnight　couch；　d'Aiglemont　introduced　Lord　Grenville。　Julie　gave　the　guest　a　stiffly　polite　reception；　which　did　credit　to　her　powers　of　dissimulation。　Resolutely　she　silenced　her　heart；　veiled　her　eyes；　steadied　her　voice；　and　she　kept　her　future　in　her　own　hands。　Then；　when　by　these　devices；　this　innate　woman…craft；　as　it　may　be　called；　she　had　discovered　the　full　extent　of　the　love　which　she　inspired；　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　welcomed　the　hope　of　a　speedy　cure；　and　no　longer　opposed　her　husband；　who　pressed　her　to　accept　the　young　doctor's　offer。　Yet　she　declined　to　trust　herself　with　Lord　Grenville　until　after　some　further　study　of　his　words　and　manner；　she　could　feel　certain　that　he　had　sufficient　generosity　to　endure　his　pain　in　silence。　She　had　absolute　power　over　him；　and　she　had　begun　to　abuse　that　power　already。　Was　she　not　a　woman？

Montcontour　is　an　old　manor…house　build　upon　the　sandy　cliffs　above　the　Loire；　not　far　from　the　bridge　where　Julie's　journey　was　interrupted　in　1814。　It　is　a　picturesque；　white　chateau；　with　turrets　covered　with　fine　stone　carving　like　Mechlin　lace；　a　chateau　such　as　you　often　see　in　Touraine；　spick　and　span；　ivy　clad；　standing　among　its　groves　of　mulberry　trees　and　vineyards；　with　its　hollow　walks；　its　stone　balustrades；　and　cellars　mined　in　the　rock　escarpments　mirrored　in　the　Loire。　The　roofs　of　Montcontour　gleam　in　the　sun；　the　whole　land　glows　in　the　burning　heat。　Traces　of　the　romantic　charm　of　Spain　and　the　south　hover　about　the　enchanting　spot。　The　breeze　brings　the　scent　of　bell　flowers　and　golden　broom；　the　air　is　soft；　all　about　you　lies　a　sunny　land；　a　land　which　casts　its　dreamy　spell　over　your　soul；　a　land　of　languor　and　of　soft　desire；　a　fair；　sweet…scented　country；　where　pain　is　lulled　to　sleep　and　passion　wakes。　No　heart　is　cold　for　long　beneath　its　clear　sky；　beside　its　sparkling　waters。　One　ambition　dies　after　another；　and　you　sink　into　serene　content　and　repose；　as　the　sun　sinks　at　the　end　of　the　day　swathed　about　with　purple　and　azure。



One　warm　August　evening　in　1821　two　people　were　climbing　the　paths　cut　in　the　crags　above　the　chateau；　doubtless　for　the　sake　of　the　view　from　the　heights　above。　The　two　were　Julie　and　Lord　Grenville；　but　this　Julie　seemed　to　be　a　new　creature。　The　unmistakable　color　of　health　glowed　in　her　face。　Overflowing　vitality　had　brought　a　light　into　her　eyes；　which　sparkled　through　a　moist　film　with　that　liquid　brightness　which　gives　such　irresistible　charm　to　the　eyes　of　children。　She　was　radiant　with　smiles；　she　felt　the　joy　of　living　and　all　the　possibilities　of　life。　From　the　very　way　in　which　she　lifted　her　little　feet；　it　was　easy　to　see　that　no　suffering　trammeled　her　lightest　movements；　there　was　no　heaviness　nor　languor　in　her　eyes；　her　voice；　as　heretofore。　Under　the　white　silk　sunshade　which　screened　her　from　the　hot　sunlight；　she　looked　like　some　young　bride　beneath　her　veil；　or　a　maiden　waiting　to　yield　to　the　magical　enchantments　of　Love。

Arthur　led　her　with　a　lover's　care；　helping　her　up　the　pathway　as　if　she　had　been　a　child；　finding　the　smoothest　ways；　avoiding　the　stones　for　her；　bidding　her　see　glimpses　of　distance；　or　some　flower　beside　the　path；　always　with　the　unfailing　goodness；　the　same　delicate　design　in　all　that　he　did；　the　intuitive　sense　of　this　woman's　wellbeing　seemed　to　be　innate　in　him；　and　as　much；　nay；　perhaps　more；　a　part　of　his　being　as　the　pulse　of　his　own　life。

The　patient　and　her　doctor　went　step　for　step。　There　was　nothing　strange　for　them　in　a　sympathy　which　seemed　to　have　existed　since　the　day　when　they　first　walked　together。　One　will　swayed　them　both；　they　stopped　as　their　senses　received　the　same　impression；　every　word　and　every　glance　told　of　the　same　thought　in　either　mind。　They　had　climbed　up　through　the　vineyards；　and　now　they　turned　to　sit　on　one　of　the　long　white　stones；　quarried　out　of　the　caves　in　the　hillside；　but　Julie　stood　awhile　gazing　out　over　the　landscape。

〃What　a　beautiful　country！〃　she　cried。　〃Let　us　put　up　a　tent　and　live　here。　Victor；　Victor；　do　come　up　here！〃

M。　d'Aiglemont　answered　by　a　halloo　from　below。　He　did　not；　however；　hurry　himself；　merely　giving　his　wife　a　glance　from　time　to　time　when　the　windings　of　the　path　gave　him　a　glimpse　of　her。　Julie　breathed　the　air　with　delight。　She　looked　up　at　Arthur；　giving　him　one　of　those　subtle　glances　in　which　a　clever　woman　can　put　the　whole　of　her　thought。

〃Ah；　I　should　like　to　live　here　always；〃　she　said。　〃Would　it　be　possible　to　tire　of　this　beautiful　valley？What　is　the　picturesque　river　called；　do　you　know？〃

〃That　is　the　Cise。〃

〃The　Cise；〃　she　repeated。　〃And　all　this　country　below；　before　us？〃

〃Those　are　the　low　hills　above　the　Cher。〃

〃And　away　to　the　right？　Ah；　that　is　Tours。　Only　see　how　fine　the　cathedral　towers　look　in　the　distance。〃

She　was　silent；　and　let　fall　the　hand　which　she　had　stretched　out　towards　the　view　upon　Arthur's。　Both　admired　the　wide　landscape　made　up　of　so　much　blended　beauty。　Neither　of　them　spoke。　The　murmuring　voice　of　the　river；　the　pure　air；　and　the　cloudless　heaven　were　all　in　tune　with　their　thronging　thoughts　and　their　youth　and　the　love　in　their　hearts。

〃Oh！　/mon　Dieu/；　how　I　love　this　country！〃　Julie　continued；　with　growing　and　ingenuous　enthusiasm。　〃You　lived　here　for　a　long　while；　did　you　not？〃　she　added　after　a　pause。

A　thrill　ran　through　Lord　Grenville　at　her　words。

〃It　was　down　there；〃　he　said；　in　a　melancholy　voice；　indicating　as　he　spoke　a　cluster　of　walnut　trees　by　the　roadside；　〃that　I；　a　prisoner；　saw　you　for　the　first　time。〃

〃Yes；　but　even　at　that　time　I　felt　very　sad。　This　country　looked　wild　to　me　then；　but　now〃　She