albert savarus-第14部分

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by　the　worship　of　the　proprieties。　The　lover　replied。　Thus　began；
never　to　cease；　a　regular　correspondence　between　Rodolphe　and
Francesca；　the　only　indulgence　they　allowed　themselves。

Rodolphe；　possessed　by　an　ambition　sanctified　by　his　love；　set　to
work。　First　he　longed　to　make　his　fortune；　and　risked　his　all　in　an
undertaking　to　which　he　devoted　all　his　faculties　as　well　as　his
capital；　but　he；　an　inexperienced　youth；　had　to　contend　against
duplicity；　which　won　the　day。　Thus　three　years　were　lost　in　a　vast
enterprise；　three　years　of　struggling　and　courage。

The　Villele　ministry　fell　just　when　Rodolphe　was　ruined。　The　valiant
lover　thought　he　would　seek　in　politics　what　commercial　industry　had
refused　him；　but　before　braving　the　storms　of　this　career；　he　went；
all　wounded　and　sick　at　heart；　to　have　his　bruises　healed　and　his
courage　revived　at　Naples；　where　the　Prince　and　Princess　had　been
reinstated　in　their　place　and　rights　on　the　King's　accession。　This；　in
the　midst　of　his　warfare；　was　a　respite　full　of　delights；　he　spent
three　months　at　the　Villa　Gandolphini；　rocked　in　hope。

Rodolphe　then　began　again　to　construct　his　fortune。　His　talents　were
already　known；　he　was　about　to　attain　the　desires　of　his　ambition；　a
high　position　was　promised　him　as　the　reward　of　his　zeal；　his
devotion；　and　his　past　services；　when　the　storm　of　July　1830　broke；
and　again　his　bark　was　swamped。

She；　and　God！　These　are　the　only　witnesses　of　the　brave　efforts；　the
daring　attempts　of　a　young　man　gifted　with　fine　qualities；　but　to
whom；　so　far；　the　protection　of　luckthe　god　of　foolshas　been
denied。　And　this　indefatigable　wrestler；　upheld　by　love；　comes　back　to
fresh　struggles；　lighted　on　his　way　by　an　always　friendly　eye；　an　ever
faithful　heart。

Lovers！　Pray　for　him！

*****

As　she　finished　this　narrative；　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville's　cheeks
were　on　fire；　there　was　a　fever　in　her　blood。　She　was　cryingbut　with
rage。　This　little　novel；　inspired　by　the　literary　style　then　in
fashion；　was　the　first　reading　of　the　kind　that　Rosalie　had　ever　had
the　chance　of　devouring。　Love　was　depicted　in　it；　if　not　by　a　master…
hand；　at　any　rate　by　a　man　who　seemed　to　give　his　own　impressions；　and
truth；　even　if　unskilled；　could　not　fail　to　touch　a　virgin　soul。　Here
lay　the　secret　of　Rosalie's　terrible　agitation；　of　her　fever　and　her
tears；　she　was　jealous　of　Francesca　Colonna。

She　never　for　an　instant　doubted　the　sincerity　of　this　poetical
flight；　Albert　had　taken　pleasure　in　telling　the　story　of　his　passion；
while　changing　the　names　of　persons　and　perhaps　of　places。　Rosalie　was
possessed　by　infernal　curiosity。　What　woman　but　would；　like　her；　have
wanted　to　know　her　rival's　namefor　she　too　loved！　As　she　read　these
pages；　to　her　really　contagious；　she　had　said　solemnly　to　herself；　〃I
love　him！〃She　loved　Albert；　and　felt　in　her　heart　a　gnawing　desire
to　fight　for　him；　to　snatch　him　from　this　unknown　rival。　She　reflected
that　she　knew　nothing　of　music；　and　that　she　was　not　beautiful。

〃He　will　never　love　me！〃　thought　she。

This　conclusion　aggravated　her　anxiety　to　know　whether　she　might　not
be　mistaken；　whether　Albert　really　loved　an　Italian　Princess；　and　was
loved　by　her。　In　the　course　of　this　fateful　night；　the　power　of　swift
decision；　which　had　characterized　the　famous　Watteville；　was　fully
developed　in　his　descendant。　She　devised　those　whimsical　schemes；
round　which　hovers　the　imagination　of　most　young　girls　when；　in　the
solitude　to　which　some　injudicious　mothers　confine　them；　they　are
roused　by　some　tremendous　event　which　the　system　of　repression　to
which　they　are　subjected　could　neither　foresee　nor　prevent。　She
dreamed　of　descending　by　a　ladder　from　the　kiosk　into　the　garden　of
the　house　occupied　by　Albert；　of　taking　advantage　of　the　lawyer's
being　asleep　to　look　through　the　window　into　his　private　room。　She
thought　of　writing　to　him；　or　of　bursting　the　fetters　of　Besancon
society　by　introducing　Albert　to　the　drawing…room　of　the　Hotel　de
Rupt。　This　enterprise；　which　to　the　Abbe　de　Grancey　even　would　have
seemed　the　climax　of　the　impossible；　was　a　mere　passing　thought。

〃Ah！〃　said　she　to　herself；　〃my　father　has　a　dispute　pending　as　to　his
land　at　les　Rouxey。　I　will　go　there！　If　there　is　no　lawsuit；　I　will
manage　to　make　one；　and　/he/　shall　come　into　our　drawing…room！〃　she
cried；　as　she　sprang　out　of　bed　and　to　the　window　to　look　at　the
fascinating　gleam　which　shone　through　Albert's　nights。　The　clock
struck　one；　he　was　still　asleep。

〃I　shall　see　him　when　he　gets　up；　perhaps　he　will　come　to　his　window。〃

At　this　instant　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　was　witness　to　an　incident
which　promised　to　place　in　her　power　the　means　of　knowing　Albert's
secrets。　By　the　light　of　the　moon　she　saw　a　pair　of　arms　stretched　out
from　the　kiosk　to　help　Jerome；　Albert's　servant；　to　get　across　the
coping　of　the　wall　and　step　into　the　little　building。　In　Jerome's
accomplice　Rosalie　at　once　recognized　Mariette　the　lady's…maid。

〃Mariette　and　Jerome！〃　said　she　to　herself。　〃Mariette；　such　an　ugly
girl！　Certainly　they　must　be　ashamed　of　themselves。〃

Though　Mariette　was　horribly　ugly　and　six…and…thirty；　she　had
inherited　several　plots　of　land。　She　had　been　seventeen　years　with
Madame　de　Watteville；　who　valued　her　highly　for　her　bigotry；　her
honesty；　and　long　service；　and　she　had　no　doubt　saved　money　and
invested　her　wages　and　perquisites。　Hence；　earning　about　ten　louis　a
year；　she　probably　had　by　this　time；　including　compound　interest　and
her　little　inheritance；　not　less　than　ten　thousand　francs。

In　Jerome's　eyes　ten　thousand　francs　could　alter　the　laws　of　optics；
he　saw　in　Mariette　a　neat　figure；　he　did　not　perceive　the　pits　and
seams　which　virulent　smallpox　had　left　on　her　flat；　parched　face；　to
him　the　crooked　mouth　was　straight；　and　ever　since　Savaron；　by　taking
him　into　his　service；　had　brought　him　so　near　to　the　Wattevilles'
house；　he　had　laid　siege　systematically　to　the　maid；　who　was　as　prim
and　sanctimonious　as　her　mistress；　and　who；　like　every　ugly　old　maid；
was　far　more　exacting　than　the　handsomest。

If　the　night…scene　in　the　kiosk　is　thus　fully　accounted　for　to　all
perspicacious　readers；　it　was　not　so　to　Rosalie；　though　she　derived
from　it　the　most　dangerous　lesson　that　can　be　given；　that　of　a　bad
example。　A　mother　brings　her　daughter　up　strictly；　keeps　her　under　her
wing　for　seventeen　years；　and　then；　in　one　hour；　a　servant　girl
destroys　the　long　and　painful　work；　sometimes　by　a　word；　often　indeed
by　a　gesture！　Rosalie　got　into　bed　again；　not　without　considering　how
she　might　take　advantage　of　her　discovery。

Next　morning；　as　she　went　to　Mass　accompanied　by　Marietteher　mother
was　not　wellRosalie　took　the　maid's　arm；　which　surprised　the　country
wench　not　a　little。

〃Mariette；〃　said　she；　〃is　Jerome　in　his　master's　confidence？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　mademoiselle。〃

〃Do　not　play　the　innocent　with　me；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville
drily。　〃You　let　him　kiss　you　last　night　under　the　kiosk；　I　no　longer
wonder　that　you　so　warmly　approved　of　my　mother's　ideas　for　the
improvements　she　planned。〃

Rosalie　could　feel　how　Mariette　was　trembling　by　the　shaking　of　her
arm。

〃I　wish　you　no　ill；〃　Rosalie　went　on。　〃Be　quite　easy；　I　shall　not　say
a　word　to　my　mother；　and　you　can　meet　Jerome　as　often　as　you　please。〃

〃But；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Mariette；　〃it　is　perfectly　respectable；
Jerome　honestly　means　to　marry　me〃

〃But　then；〃　said　Rosalie；　〃why　meet　at　night？〃

Mariette　was　dumfounded；　and　could　make　no　reply。

〃Listen；　Mariette；　I　am　in　love　too！　In　secret　and　without　any　return。
I　am；　after　all；　my　father's　and　mother's　only　child。　You　have　more　to
hope　for　from　me　than　from　any　one　else　in　the　world〃

〃Certainly；　mademoiselle；　and　you　may　count　on　us　for　life　or　death；〃
exclaimed　Mariette；　rejoiced　at　the　unexpected　turn　of　affairs。

〃In　the　first　place；　silence　for　silence；〃　said　Rosalie。　〃I　will　not
marry　Monsieur　de　Soulas；　but　one　thing　I　will　have；　and　must　have；　my
help　and　favor　are　yours　on　one　condition　only。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃I　must　see　the　letters　which　Monsieur　Savaron　sends　to　the　post　by
Jerome。〃

〃But　what　for？〃　said　Mariette　in　alarm。

〃Oh！　merely　to　read　them；　and　you　yourself　shall　post　them　afterwards。
It　will　cause　a　little　delay；　that　is　all。〃

At　this　moment　they　went　into　church；　and　each　of　them；　instead　of
reading　the　order　of　Mass；　fell　into　her　own　train　of　thought。

〃Dear；　dear；　how　many　sins　are　there　in　all　that？〃　thought　Mariette。

Rosalie；　whose　soul；　brain；　and　heart　were　completely　upset　by　reading
the　story；　by　this　time　regarded　it　as　history；　written　for　her　rival。
By　dint　of　thinking　of　nothing　else；　like　a　child；　she　ended　by
believing　that　the　/Eastern　Review/　was　no　doubt　forwarded　to　Albert's
lady…love。

〃Oh！〃　said　she　to　herself；　her　head　buried　in　her　hands　in　the
attitude　of　a　person　lost　in　prayer；　〃oh！　how　can　I　get　my　father　to
look　through　the　list　of　people　to　whom　the　/Review/　is　sent？〃

After　breakfast　she　took　a　turn　in　the　garden　with　her　father；　coaxing
and　cajoling　him；　and　brought　him　to　the　kiosk。

〃Do　you　suppose；　my　dear　little　papa；　that　our　/Review/　is　ever　read
a