a woman of thirty-第7部分

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cost。〃

〃Babyish　nonsense；　and　rubbish；　all　of　it！〃　exclaimed　the　aunt；　and　a　gay　smile；　an　after…glow　of　the　joys　of　her　own　youth；　suddenly　lighted　up　her　withered　face。

〃And　do　you　too　laugh！〃　the　younger　woman　cried　despairingly。

〃It　was　just　my　own　case；〃　the　Marquise　returned　promptly。　〃And　now　Victor　has　left　you；　you　have　become　a　girl　again；　recovering　a　tranquillity　without　pleasure　and　without　pain；　have　you　not？〃

Julie　opened　wide　eyes　of　bewilderment。

〃In　fact；　my　angel；　you　adore　Victor；　do　you　not？　But　still　you　would　rather　be　a　sister　to　him　than　a　wife；　and；　in　short；　your　marriage　is　emphatically　not　a　success？〃

〃Wellno；　aunt。　But　why　do　you　smile？〃

〃Oh！　you　are　right；　poor　child！　There　is　nothing　very　amusing　in　all　this。　Your　future　would　be　big　with　more　than　one　mishap　if　I　had　not　taken　you　under　my　protection；　if　my　old　experience　of　life　had　not　guessed　the　very　innocent　cause　of　your　troubles。　My　nephew　did　not　deserve　his　good　fortune；　the　blockhead！　In　the　reign　of　our　well…　beloved　Louis　Quinze；　a　young　wife　in　your　position　would　very　soon　have　punished　her　husband　for　behaving　like　a　ruffian。　The　selfish　creature！　The　men　who　serve　under　this　Imperial　tyrant　are　all　of　them　ignorant　boors。　They　take　brutality　for　gallantry；　they　know　no　more　of　women　than　they　know　of　love；　and　imagine　that　because　they　go　out　to　face　death　on　the　morrow；　they　may　dispense　to…day　with　all　consideration　and　attentions　for　us。　The　time　was　when　a　man　could　love　and　die　too　at　the　proper　time。　My　niece；　I　will　form　you。　I　will　put　an　end　to　this　unhappy　divergence　between　you；　a　natural　thing　enough；　but　it　would　end　in　mutual　hatred　and　desire　for　a　divorce；　always　supposing　that　you　did　not　die　on　the　way　to　despair。〃

Julie's　amazement　equaled　her　surprise　as　she　listened　to　her　aunt。　She　was　surprised　by　her　language；　dimly　divining　rather　than　appreciating　the　wisdom　of　the　words　she　heard；　and　very　much　dismayed　to　find　what　this　relative；　out　of　great　experience；　passed　judgment　upon　Victor　as　her　father　had　done；　though　in　somewhat　milder　terms。　Perhaps　some　quick　prevision　of　the　future　crossed　her　mind；　doubtless；　at　any　rate；　she　felt　the　heavy　weight　of　the　burden　which　must　inevitably　overwhelm　her；　for　she　burst　into　tears；　and　sprang　to　the　old　lady's　arms。　〃Be　my　mother；〃　she　sobbed。

The　aunt　shed　no　tears。　The　Revolution　had　left　old　ladies　of　the　Monarchy　but　few　tears　to　shed。　Love；　in　bygone　days；　and　the　Terror　at　a　later　time；　had　familiarized　them　with　extremes　of　joy　and　anguish　in　such　a　sort　that；　amid　the　perils　of　life；　they　preserved　their　dignity　and　coolness；　a　capacity　for　sincere　but　undemonstrative　affection　which　never　disturbed　their　well…bred　self…possession；　and　a　dignity　of　demeanor　which　a　younger　generation　has　done　very　ill　to　discard。

The　dowager　took　Julie　in　her　arms；　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead　with　a　tenderness　and　pity　more　often　found　in　women's　ways　and　manner　than　in　their　hearts。　Then　she　coaxed　her　niece　with　kind；　soothing　words；　assured　her　of　a　happy　future；　lulled　her　with　promises　of　love；　and　put　her　to　bed　as　if　she　had　been　not　a　niece；　but　a　daughter；　a　much…beloved　daughter　whose　hopes　and　cares　she　had　made　her　own。　Perhaps　the　old　Marquise　had　found　her　own　youth　and　inexperience　and　beauty　again　in　this　nephew's　wife。　And　the　Countess　fell　asleep；　happy　to　have　found　a　friend；　nay　a　mother；　to　whom　she　could　tell　everything　freely。

Next　morning；　when　the　two　women　kissed　each　other　with　heartfelt　kindness；　and　that　look　of　intelligence　which　marks　a　real　advance　in　friendship；　a　closer　intimacy　between　two　souls；　they　heard　the　sound　of　horsehoofs；　and；　turning　both　together；　saw　the　young　Englishman　ride　slowly　past　the　window；　after　his　wont。　Apparently　he　had　made　a　certain　study　of　the　life　led　by　the　two　lonely　women；　for　he　never　failed　to　ride　by　as　they　sat　at　breakfast；　and　again　at　dinner。　His　horse　slackened　pace　of　its　own　accord；　and　for　the　space　of　time　required　to　pass　the　two　windows　in　the　room；　its　rider　turned　a　melancholy　look　upon　the　Countess；　who　seldom　deigned　to　take　the　slightest　notion　of　him。　Not　so　the　Marquise。　Minds　not　necessarily　little　find　it　difficult　to　resist　the　little　curiosity　which　fastens　upon　the　most　trifling　event　that　enlivens　provincial　life；　and　the　Englishman's　mute　way　of　expressing　his　timid；　earnest　love　tickled　Mme。　de　Listomere。　For　her　the　periodically　recurrent　glance　became　a　part　of　the　day's　routine；　hailed　daily　with　new　jests。　As　the　two　women　sat　down　to　table；　both　of　them　looked　out　at　the　same　moment。　This　time　Julie's　eyes　met　Arthur's　with　such　a　precision　of　sympathy　that　the　color　rose　to　her　face。　The　stranger　immediately　urged　his　horse　into　a　gallop　and　went。

〃What　is　to　be　done；　madame？〃　asked　Julie。　〃People　see　this　Englishman　go　past　the　house；　and　they　will　take　it　for　granted　that　I〃

〃Yes；〃　interrupted　her　aunt。

〃Well；　then；　could　I　not　tell　him　to　discontinue　his　promenades？〃

〃Would　not　that　be　a　way　of　telling　him　that　he　was　dangerous？　You　might　put　that　notion　into　his　head。　And　besides；　can　you　prevent　a　man　from　coming　and　going　as　he　pleases？　Our　meals　shall　be　served　in　another　room　to…morrow；　and　when　this　young　gentleman　sees　us　no　longer；　there　will　be　an　end　of　making　love　to　you　through　the　window。　There；　dear　child；　that　is　how　a　woman　of　the　world　does。〃

But　the　measure　of　Julie's　misfortune　was　to　be　filled　up。　The　two　women　had　scarcely　risen　from　table　when　Victor's　man　arrived　in　hot　haste　from　Bourges　with　a　letter　for　the　Countess　from　her　husband。　The　servant　had　ridden　by　unfrequented　ways。

Victor　sent　his　wife　news　of　the　downfall　of　the　Empire　and　the　capitulation　of　Paris。　He　himself　had　gone　over　to　the　Bourbons；　and　all　France　was　welcoming　them　back　with　transports　of　enthusiasm。　He　could　not　go　so　far　as　Tours；　but　he　begged　her　to　come　at　once　to　join　him　at　Orleans；　where　he　hoped　to　be　in　readiness　with　passports　for　her。　His　servant；　an　old　soldier；　would　be　her　escort　so　far　as　Orleans；　he　（Victor）　believed　that　the　road　was　still　open。

〃You　have　not　a　moment　to　lose；　madame；〃　said　the　man。　〃The　Prussians；　Austrians；　and　English　are　about　to　effect　a　junction　either　at　Blois　or　at　Orleans。〃

A　few　hours　later；　Julie's　preparations　were　made；　and　she　started　out　upon　her　journey　in　an　old　traveling　carriage　lent　by　her　aunt。

〃Why　should　you　not　come　with　us　to　Paris？〃　she　asked；　as　she　put　her　arms　about　the　Marquise。　〃Now　that　the　Bourbons　have　come　back　you　would　be〃

〃Even　if　there　had　not　been　this　unhoped…for　return；　I　should　still　have　gone　to　Paris；　my　poor　child；　for　my　advice　is　only　too　necessary　to　both　you　and　Victor。　So　I　shall　make　all　my　preparations　for　rejoining　you　there。〃

Julie　set　out。　She　took　her　maid　with　her；　and　the　old　soldier　galloped　beside　the　carriage　as　escort。　At　nightfall；　as　they　changed　horses　for　the　last　stage　before　Blois；　Julie　grew　uneasy。　All　the　way　from　Amboise　she　had　heard　the　sound　of　wheels　behind　them；　a　carriage　following　hers　had　kept　at　the　same　distance。　She　stood　on　the　step　and　looked　out　to　see　who　her　traveling　companions　might　be；　and　in　the　moonlight　saw　Arthur　standing　three　paces　away；　gazing　fixedly　at　the　chaise　which　contained　her。　Again　their　eyes　met。　The　Countess　hastily　flung　herself　back　in　her　seat；　but　a　feeling　of　dread　set　her　pulses　throbbing。　It　seemed　to　her；　as　to　most　innocent　and　inexperienced　young　wives；　that　she　was　herself　to　blame　for　this　love　which　she　had　all　unwittingly　inspired。　With　this　thought　came　an　instinctive　terror；　perhaps　a　sense　of　her　own　helplessness　before　aggressive　audacity。　One　of　a　man's　strongest　weapons　is　the　terrible　power　of　compelling　a　woman　to　think　of　him　when　her　naturally　lively　imagination　takes　alarm　or　offence　at　the　thought　that　she　is　followed。

The　Countess　bethought　herself　of　her　aunt's　advice；　and　made　up　her　mind　that　she　would　not　stir　from　her　place　during　the　rest　of　the　journey；　but　every　time　the　horses　were　changed　she　heard　the　Englishman　pacing　round　the　two　carriages；　and　again　upon　the　road　heard　the　importunate　sound　of　the　wheels　of　his　caleche。　Julie　soon　began　to　think　that；　when　once　reunited　to　her　husband；　Victor　would　know　how　to　defend　her　against　this　singular　persecution。

〃Yet　suppose　that　in　spite　of　everything；　this　young　man　does　not　love　me？〃　This　was　the　thought　that　came　last　of　all。

No　sooner　did　she　reach　Orleans　than　the　Prussians　stopped　the　chaise。　It　was　wheeled　into　an　inn…yard　and　put　under　a　guard　of　soldiers。　Resistance　was　out　of　the　question。　The　foreign　soldiers　made　the　three　travelers　understand　by　signs　that　they　were　obeying　orders；　and　that　no　one　could　be　allowed　to　leave　the　carriage。　For　about　two　hours　the　Countess　sat　in　tears；　a　prisoner　surrounded　by　the　guard；　who　smoked；　laughed；　and　occasionally　stared　at　her　with　insolent　curiosity。　At　last；　however；　she　saw　her　captors　fall　away　from　the　carriage　with　a　sort　of　respect；　and　heard　at　the　same　time　the　sound　of　horses　entering　the　yard。　Another　moment；　and　a　little　group　of　foreign　officers；　with　an　Austrian　general　at　their　head；　gathered　about　the　door　of　the　traveling　carriage。

〃Madame；〃　said　the　General；　〃pray　accept　our　apologies。　A　mistake　has　been　made。　You　may　continue　your　journey　without　fear；　and　here　is　a　passport　which　will　spare　you　all　further　annoyance　of　any　kind。〃

Trembling　the　Countess　took　the　paper；　and　faltered　out　some　vague　words　of　thanks。　She　saw　Arthur；　now　wearing　an　English　uniform；　standing　beside　the　General；　and　could　not　doubt　that　this　prompt　deliverance　was　due　to　him。　The　young　Englishman　himself　looked　half　glad；　half　melancholy；　his　face　was　turned　away；　and　he　only　dared　to　steal　an　occasional　glance　at　Julie's　face。

Thanks　to　the　passport；　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　reached　Paris　without　further　misadventure；　and　there　she　found　her　husband。　Victor　d'Aiglemont；　released　from　his　oath　of　allegiance　to　the　Emperor；　had　met　with　a　most　flattering　reception　from　the　Comte　d'Artois；　recently　appointed　Lieutenant…General　of　the　kingdom　by　his　brother　Louis　XVIII。　D'Aiglemont　received　a　commission　in　the　Life　Guards；　equiva