a woman of thirty-第13部分

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ll　never　be　ourselves　again；　our　life　is　over；　in　short〃

〃Let　us　go　slowly；〃　said　Lord　Grenville；　〃the　carriages　are　still　some　way　off；　and　if　we　may　put　words　into　our　glances；　our　hearts　may　live　a　little　longer。〃

They　went　along　the　footpath　by　the　river　in　the　late　evening　light；　almost　in　silence；　such　vague　words　as　they　uttered；　low　as　the　murmur　of　the　Loire；　stirred　their　souls　to　the　depths。　Just　as　the　sun　sank；　a　last　red　gleam　from　the　sky　fell　over　them；　it　was　like　a　mournful　symbol　of　their　ill…starred　love。

The　General；　much　put　out　because　the　carriage　was　not　at　the　spot　where　they　had　left　it；　followed　and　outstripped　the　pair　without　interrupting　their　converse。　Lord　Grenville's　high　minded　and　delicate　behavior　throughout　the　journey　had　completely　dispelled　the　Marquis'　suspicions。　For　some　time　past　he　had　left　his　wife　in　freedom；　reposing　confidence　in　the　noble　amateur's　Punic　faith。　Arthur　and　Julie　walked　on　together　in　the　close　and　painful　communion　of　two　hearts　laid　waste。

So　short　a　while　ago　as　they　climbed　the　cliffs　at　Montcontour；　there　had　been　a　vague　hope　in　either　mind；　an　uneasy　joy　for　which　they　dared　not　account　to　themselves；　but　now　as　they　came　along　the　pathway　by　the　river；　they　pulled　down　the　frail　structure　of　imaginings；　the　child's　cardcastle；　on　which　neither　of　them　had　dared　to　breathe。　That　hope　was　over。

That　very　evening　Lord　Grenville　left　them。　His　last　look　at　Julie　made　it　miserably　plain　that　since　the　moment　when　sympathy　revealed　the　full　extent　of　a　tyrannous　passion；　he　did　well　to　mistrust　himself。

The　next　morning；　M。　d'Aiglemont　and　his　wife　took　their　places　in　the　carriage　without　their　traveling　companion；　and　were　whirled　swiftly　along　the　road　to　Blois。　The　Marquise　was　constantly　put　in　mind　of　the　journey　made　in　1814；　when　as　yet　she　know　nothing　of　love；　and　had　been　almost　ready　to　curse　it　for　its　persistency。　Countless　forgotten　impressions　were　revived。　The　heart　has　its　own　memory。　A　woman　who　cannot　recollect　the　most　important　great　events　will　recollect　through　a　lifetime　things　which　appealed　to　her　feelings；　and　Julie　d'Aiglemont　found　all　the　most　trifling　details　of　that　journey　laid　up　in　her　mind。　It　was　pleasant　to　her　to　recall　its　little　incidents　as　they　occurred　to　her　one　by　one；　there　were　points　in　the　road　when　she　could　even　remember　the　thoughts　that　passed　through　her　mind　when　she　saw　them　first。

Victor　had　fallen　violently　in　love　with　his　wife　since　she　had　recovered　the　freshness　of　her　youth　and　all　her　beauty；　and　now　he　pressed　close　to　her　side　like　a　lover。　Once　he　tried　to　put　his　arm　round　her；　but　she　gently　disengaged　herself；　finding　some　excuse　or　other　for　evading　the　harmless　caress。　In　a　little　while　she　shrank　from　the　close　contact　with　Victor；　the　sensation　of　warmth　communicated　by　their　position。　She　tried　to　take　the　unoccupied　place　opposite；　but　Victor　gallantly　resigned　the　back　seat　to　her。　For　this　attention　she　thanked　him　with　a　sigh；　whereupon　he　forgot　himself；　and　the　Don　Juan　of　the　garrison　construed　his　wife's　melancholy　to　his　own　advantage；　so　that　at　the　end　of　the　day　she　was　compelled　to　speak　with　a　firmness　which　impressed　him。

〃You　have　all　but　killed　me；　dear；　once　already；　as　you　know；〃　said　she。　〃If　I　were　still　an　inexperienced　girl；　I　might　begin　to　sacrifice　myself　afresh；　but　I　am　a　mother；　I　have　a　daughter　to　bring　up；　and　I　owe　as　much　to　her　as　to　you。　Let　us　resign　ourselves　to　a　misfortune　which　affects　us　both　alike。　You　are　the　less　to　be　pitied。　Have　you　not；　as　it　is；　found　consolations　which　duty　and　the　honor　of　both；　and　（stronger　still）　which　Nature　forbids　to　me？　Stay；〃　she　added；　〃you　carelessly　left　three　letters　from　Mme。　de　Serizy　in　a　drawer；　here　they　are。　My　silence　about　this　matter　should　make　it　plain　to　you　that　in　me　you　have　a　wife　who　has　plenty　of　indulgence　and　does　not　exact　from　you　the　sacrifices　prescribed　by　the　law。　But　I　have　thought　enough　to　see　that　the　roles　of　husband　and　wife　are　quite　different；　and　that　the　wife　alone　is　predestined　to　misfortune。　My　virtue　is　based　upon　firmly　fixed　and　definite　principles。　I　shall　live　blamelessly；　but　let　me　live。〃

The　Marquis　was　taken　aback　by　a　logic　which　women　grasp　with　the　clear　insight　of　love；　and　overawed　by　a　certain　dignity　natural　to　them　at　such　crises。　Julie's　instinctive　repugnance　for　all　that　jarred　upon　her　love　and　the　instincts　of　her　heart　is　one　of　the　fairest　qualities　of　woman；　and　springs　perhaps　from　a　natural　virtue　which　neither　laws　nor　civilization　can　silence。　And　who　shall　dare　to　blame　women？　If　a　woman　can　silence　the　exclusive　sentiment　which　bids　her　〃forsake　all　other〃　for　the　man　whom　she　loves；　what　is　she　but　a　priest　who　has　lost　his　faith？　If　a　rigid　mind　here　and　there　condemns　Julie　for　a　sort　of　compromise　between　love　and　wifely　duty；　impassioned　souls　will　lay　it　to　her　charge　as　a　crime。　To　be　thus　blamed　by　both　sides　shows　one　of　two　things　very　clearlythat　misery　necessarily　follows　in　the　train　of　broken　laws；　or　else　that　there　are　deplorable　flaws　in　the　institutions　upon　which　society　in　Europe　is　based。



Two　years　went　by。　M。　and　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　went　their　separate　ways；　leading　their　life　in　the　world；　meeting　each　other　more　frequently　abroad　than　at　home；　a　refinement　upon　divorce；　in　which　many　a　marriage　in　the　great　world　is　apt　to　end。

One　evening；　strange　to　say；　found　husband　and　wife　in　their　own　drawing…room。　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　had　been　dining　at　home　with　a　friend；　and　the　General；　who　almost　invariably　dined　in　town；　had　not　gone　out　for　once。

〃There　is　a　pleasant　time　in　store　for　you；　/Madame　la　Marquise/；〃　said　M。　d'Aiglemont；　setting　his　coffee　cup　down　upon　the　table。　He　looked　at　the　guest；　Mme。　de　Wimphen；　and　half…pettishly；　half…　mischievously　added；　〃I　am　starting　off　for　several　days'　sport　with　the　Master　of　the　Hounds。　For　a　whole　week；　at　any　rate；　you　will　be　a　widow　in　good　earnest；　just　what　you　wish　for；　I　suppose。Guillaume；〃　he　said　to　the　servant　who　entered；　〃tell　them　to　put　the　horses　in。〃

Mme。　de　Wimphen　was　the　friend　to　whom　Julie　had　begun　the　letter　upon　her　marriage。　The　glances　exchanged　by　the　two　women　said　plainly　that　in　her　Julie　had　found　an　intimate　friend；　an　indulgent　and　invaluable　confidante。　Mme。　de　Wimphen's　marriage　had　been　a　very　happy　one。　Perhaps　it　was　her　own　happiness　which　secured　her　devotion　to　Julie's　unhappy　life；　for　under　such　circumstances；　dissimilarity　of　destiny　is　nearly　always　a　strong　bond　of　union。

〃Is　the　hunting　season　not　over　yet？〃　asked　Julie；　with　an　indifferent　glance　at　her　husband。

〃The　Master　of　the　Hounds　comes　when　and　where　he　pleases；　madame。　We　are　going　boar…hunting　in　the　Royal　Forest。〃

〃Take　care　that　no　accident　happens　to　you。〃

〃Accidents　are　usually　unforeseen；〃　he　said；　smiling。

〃The　carriage　is　ready；　my　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　the　servant。

〃Madame；　if　I　should　fall　a　victim　to　the　boar〃　he　continued；　with　a　suppliant　air。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　inquired　Mme。　de　Wimphen。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Mme。　d'Aiglemont；　turning　to　her　husband；　smiling　at　her　friend　as　if　to　say；　〃You　will　soon　see。〃

Julie　held　up　her　head；　but　as　her　husband　came　close　to　her；　she　swerved　at　the　last；　so　that　his　kiss　fell　not　on　her　throat；　but　on　the　broad　frill　about　it。

〃You　will　be　my　witness　before　heaven　now　that　I　need　a　firman　to　obtain　this　little　grace　of　her；〃　said　the　Marquis；　addressing　Mme。　de　Wimphen。　〃This　is　how　this　wife　of　mine　understands　love。　She　has　brought　me　to　this　pass；　by　what　trickery　I　am　at　a　loss　to　know。　。　。　。　A　pleasant　time　to　you！〃　and　he　went。

〃But　your　poor　husband　is　really　very　good…natured；〃　cried　Louisa　de　Wimphen；　when　the　two　women　were　alone　together。　〃He　loves　you。〃

〃Oh！　not　another　syllable　after　that　last　word。　The　name　I　bear　makes　me　shudder〃

〃Yes；　but　Victor　obeys　you　implicitly；〃　said　Louisa。

〃His　obedience　is　founded　in　part　upon　the　great　esteem　which　I　have　inspired　in　him。　As　far　as　outward　things　go；　I　am　a　model　wife。　I　make　his　house　pleasant　to　him；　I　shut　my　eyes　to　his　intrigues；　I　touch　not　a　penny　of　his　fortune。　He　is　free　to　squander　the　interest　exactly　as　he　pleases；　I　only　stipulate　that　he　shall　not　touch　the　principal。　At　this　price　I　have　peace。　He　neither　explains　nor　attempts　to　explain　my　life。　But　though　my　husband　is　guided　by　me；　that　does　not　say　that　I　have　nothing　to　fear　from　his　character。　I　am　a　bear　leader　who　daily　trembles　lest　the　muzzle　should　give　way　at　last。　If　Victor　once　took　it　into　his　head　that　I　had　forfeited　my　right　to　his　esteem；　what　would　happen　next　I　dare　not　think；　for　he　is　violent；　full　of　personal　pride；　and　vain　above　all　things。　While　his　wits　are　not　keen　enough　to　enable　him　to　behave　discreetly　at　a　delicate　crisis　when　his　lowest　passions　are　involved；　his　character　is　weak；　and　he　would　very　likely　kill　me　provisionally　even　if　he　died　of　remorse　next　day。　But　there　is　no　fear　of　that　fatal　good　fortune。〃

A　brief　pause　followed。　Both　women　were　thinking　of　the　real　cause　of　this　state　of　affairs。　Julie　gave　Louisa　a　glance　which　revealed　her　thoughts。

〃I　have　been　cruelly　obeyed；〃　she　cried。　〃Yet　I　never　forbade　him　to　write　to　me。　Oh！　/he/　has　forgotten　me；　and　he　is　right。　If　his　life　had　been　spoiled；　it　would　have　been　too　tragical；　one　life　is　enough；　is　it　not？　Would　you　believe　it；　dear；　I　read　English　newspapers　simply　to　see　his　name　in　print。　But　he　has　not　yet　taken　his　seat　in　the　House　of　Lords。〃

〃So　you　know　English。〃

〃Did　I　not　tell　you？Yes；　I　learned。〃

〃Poor　little　one！〃　cried　Louisa；　grasping　Julie's　hand　in　hers。　〃How　can　you　still　live？〃

〃That　is　the　secret；〃　said　the　Marquise；　with　an　involuntary　gesture　almost　childlike　in　its　simplicity。　〃Listen；　I　take　laudanum。　That　duchess　in　London　suggested　the　idea；　you　know　the　story；　Maturin　made　use　of　it　in　one　of　his　novels。　My　drops　are　very　weak；　but　I　sleep；　I　am　only　awake　for　seven　hours　in　the　day；　and　those　house　I　spend　with　my　child。〃

Louisa　gazed　into　the　fire。　The　full　extent　of　her　friend's　misery　was　opening　out　before　her　for　the　first　time；　and　she　dared　not　look　into　her　face。

〃