albert savarus-第25部分

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doctor。　The　fright　had　produced　serious　effusion　on　the　brain；　and　the
shock　to　the　digestion　was　helping　to　kill　the　poor　man。

This　death；　which　would　never　have　happened；　said　Madame　de
Watteville；　if　her　husband　had　stayed　at　Besancon；　was　ascribed　by　her
to　her　daughter's　obstinacy。　She　took　an　aversion　for　Rosalie；
abandoning　herself　to　grief　and　regrets　that　were　evidently
exaggerated。　She　spoke　of　the　Baron　as　〃her　dear　lamb！〃

The　last　of　the　Wattevilles　was　buried　on　an　island　in　the　lake　at　les
Rouxey；　where　the　Baroness　had　a　little　Gothic　monument　erected　of
white　marble；　like　that　called　the　tomb　of　Heloise　at　Pere…Lachaise。

A　month　after　this　catastrophe　the　mother　and　daughter　had　settled　in
the　Hotel　de　Rupt；　where　they　lived　in　savage　silence。　Rosalie　was
suffering　from　real　sorrow；　which　had　no　visible　outlet；　she　accused
herself　of　her　father's　death；　and　she　feared　another　disaster；　much
greater　in　her　eyes；　and　very　certainly　her　own　work；　neither　Girardet
the　attorney　nor　the　Abbe　de　Grancey　could　obtain　any　information
concerning　Albert。　This　silence　was　appalling。　In　a　paroxysm　of
repentance　she　felt　that　she　must　confess　to　the　Vicar…General　the
horrible　machinations　by　which　she　had　separated　Francesca　and　Albert。
They　had　been　simple；　but　formidable。　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　had
intercepted　Albert's　letters　to　the　Duchess　as　well　as　that　in　which
Francesca　announced　her　husband's　illness；　warning　her　lover　that　she
could　write　to　him　no　more　during　the　time　while　she　was　devoted；　as
was　her　duty；　to　the　care　of　the　dying　man。　Thus；　while　Albert　was
wholly　occupied　with　election　matters；　the　Duchess　had　written　him
only　two　letters；　one　in　which　she　told　him　that　the　Duc　d'Argaiolo
was　in　danger；　and　one　announcing　her　widowhoodtwo　noble　and
beautiful　letters　which　Rosalie　kept　back。

After　several　nights'　labor　she　succeeded　in　imitating　Albert's
writing　very　perfectly。　She　had　substituted　three　letters　of　her　own
writing　for　three　of　Albert's；　and　the　rough　copies　which　she　showed
to　the　old　priest　made　him　shudderthe　genius　of　evil　was　revealed　in
them　to　such　perfection。　Rosalie；　writing　in　Albert's　name；　had
prepared　the　Duchess　for　a　change　in　the　Frenchman's　feelings；　falsely
representing　him　as　faithless；　and　she　had　answered　the　news　of　the
Duc　d'Argaiolo's　death　by　announcing　the　marriage　ere　long　of　Albert
and　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville。　The　two　letters；　intended　to　cross　on
the　road；　had；　in　fact；　done　so。　The　infernal　cleverness　with　which
the　letters　were　written　so　much　astonished　the　Vicar…General　that　he
read　them　a　second　time。　Francesca；　stabbed　to　the　heart　by　a　girl　who
wanted　to　kill　love　in　her　rival；　had　answered　the　last　in　these　four
words：　〃You　are　free。　Farewell。〃

〃Purely　moral　crimes；　which　give　no　hold　to　human　justice；　are　the
most　atrocious　and　detestable；〃　said　the　Abbe　severely。　〃God　often
punishes　them　on　earth；　herein　lies　the　reason　of　the　terrible
catastrophes　which　to　us　seem　inexplicable。　Of　all　secret　crimes
buried　in　the　mystery　of　private　life；　the　most　disgraceful　is　that　of
breaking　the　seal　of　a　letter；　or　of　reading　it　surreptitiously。　Every
one；　whoever　it　may　be；　and　urged　by　whatever　reason；　who　is　guilty　of
such　an　act　has　stained　his　honor　beyond　retrieving。

〃Do　you　not　feel　all　that　is　touching；　that　is　heavenly　in　the　story
of　the　youthful　page；　falsely　accused；　and　carrying　the　letter
containing　the　order　for　his　execution；　who　sets　out　without　a　thought
of　ill；　and　whom　Providence　protects　and　savesmiraculously；　we　say！
But　do　you　know　wherein　the　miracle　lies？　Virtue　has　a　glory　as　potent
as　that　of　innocent　childhood。

〃I　say　these　things　not　meaning　to　admonish　you；〃　said　the　old　priest；
with　deep　grief。　〃I；　alas！　am　not　your　spiritual　director；　you　are　not
kneeling　at　the　feet　of　God；　I　am　your　friend；　appalled　by　dread　of
what　your　punishment　may　be。　What　has　become　of　that　unhappy　Albert？
Has　he；　perhaps；　killed　himself？　There　was　tremendous　passion　under
his　assumption　of　calm。　I　understand　now　that　old　Prince　Soderini；　the
father　of　the　Duchess　d'Argaiolo；　came　here　to　take　back　his
daughter's　letters　and　portraits。　This　was　the　thunderbolt　that　fell
on　Albert's　head；　and　he　went　off；　no　doubt；　to　try　to　justify
himself。　But　how　is　it　that　in　fourteen　months　he　has　given　us　no　news
of　himself？〃

〃Oh！　if　I　marry　him；　he　will　be　so　happy！〃

〃Happy？He　does　not　love　you。　Besides；　you　have　no　great　fortune　to
give　him。　Your　mother　detests　you；　you　made　her　a　fierce　reply　which
rankles；　and　which　will　be　your　ruin。　When　she　told　you　yesterday　that
obedience　was　the　only　way　to　repair　your　errors；　and　reminded　you　of
the　need　for　marrying；　mentioning　Amedee'If　you　are　so　fond　of　him；
marry　him　yourself；　mother！'Did　you；　or　did　you　not；　fling　these
words　in　her　teeth？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Rosalie。

〃Well；　I　know　her；〃　Monsieur　de　Grancey　went　on。　〃In　a　few　months　she
will　be　Comtesse　de　Soulas！　She　will　be　sure　to　have　children；　she
will　give　Monsieur　de　Soulas　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　she　will
benefit　him　in　other　ways；　and　reduce　your　share　of　her　fortune　as
much　as　possible。　You　will　be　poor　as　long　as　she　lives；　and　she　is
but　eight…and…thirty！　Your　whole　estate　will　be　the　land　of　les
Rouxey；　and　the　small　share　left　to　you　after　your　father's　legal
debts　are　settled；　if；　indeed；　your　mother　should　consent　to　forego
her　claims　on　les　Rouxey。　From　the　point　of　view　of　material
advantages；　you　have　done　badly　for　yourself；　from　the　point　of　view
of　feeling；　I　imagine　you　have　wrecked　your　life。　Instead　of　going　to
your　mother〃　Rosalie　shook　her　head　fiercely。

〃To　your　mother；〃　the　priest　went　on；　〃and　to　religion；　where　you
would；　at　the　first　impulse　of　your　heart；　have　found　enlightenment；
counsel；　and　guidance；　you　chose　to　act　in　your　own　way；　knowing
nothing　of　life；　and　listening　only　to　passion！〃

These　words　of　wisdom　terrified　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville。

〃And　what　ought　I　to　do　now？〃　she　asked　after　a　pause。

〃To　repair　your　wrong…doing；　you　must　ascertain　its　extent；〃　said　the
Abbe。

〃Well；　I　will　write　to　the　only　man　who　can　know　anything　of　Albert's
fate；　Monsieur　Leopold　Hannequin；　a　notary　in　Paris；　his　friend　since
childhood。〃

〃Write　no　more；　unless　to　do　honor　to　truth；〃　said　the　Vicar…General。
〃Place　the　real　and　the　false　letters　in　my　hands；　confess　everything
in　detail　as　though　I　were　the　keeper　of　your　conscience；　asking　me
how　you　may　expiate　your　sins；　and　doing　as　I　bid　you。　I　shall　see
for；　above　all　things；　restore　this　unfortunate　man　to　his　innocence
in　the　eyes　of　the　woman　he　had　made　his　divinity　on　earth。　Though　he
has　lost　his　happiness；　Albert　must　still　hope　for　justification。〃

Rosalie　promised　to　obey　the　Abbe；　hoping　that　the　steps　he　might　take
would　perhaps　end　in　bringing　Albert　back　to　her。

Not　long　after　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville's　confession　a　clerk　came　to
Besancon　from　Monsieur　Leopold　Hannequin；　armed　with　a　power　of
attorney　from　Albert；　he　called　first　on　Monsieur　Girardet；　begging
his　assistance　in　selling　the　house　belonging　to　Monsieur　Savaron。　The
attorney　undertook　to　do　this　out　of　friendship　for　Albert。　The　clerk
from　Paris　sold　the　furniture；　and　with　the　proceeds　could　repay　some
money　owed　by　Savaron　to　Girardet；　who　on　the　occasion　of　his
inexplicable　departure　had　lent　him　five　thousand　francs　while
undertaking　to　collect　his　assets。　When　Girardet　asked　what　had　become
of　the　handsome　and　noble　pleader；　to　whom　he　had　been　so　much
attached；　the　clerk　replied　that　no　one　knew　but　his　master；　and　that
the　notary　had　seemed　greatly　distressed　by　the　contents　of　the　last
letter　he　had　received　from　Monsieur　Albert　de　Savarus。

On　hearing　this；　the　Vicar…General　wrote　to　Leopold。　This　was　the
worthy　notary's　reply：

　　〃To　Monsieur　l'Abbe　de　Grancey；
　　　　Vicar…General　of　the　Diocese　of　Besancon。


〃PARIS。

　　〃Alas；　monsieur；　it　is　in　nobody's　power　to　restore　Albert　to　the
　　life　of　the　world；　he　has　renounced　it。　He　is　a　novice　in　the
　　monastery　of　the　Grand　Chartreuse　near　Grenoble。　You　know；　better
　　than　I　who　have　but　just　learned　it；　that　on　the　threshold　of　that
　　cloister　everything　dies。　Albert；　foreseeing　that　I　should　go　to
　　him；　placed　the　General　of　the　Order　between　my　utmost　efforts　and
　　himself。　I　know　his　noble　soul　well　enough　to　be　sure　that　he　is
　　the　victim　of　some　odious　plot　unknown　to　us；　but　everything　is　at
　　an　end。　The　Duchesse　d'Argaiolo；　now　Duchesse　de　Rhetore；　seems　to
　　me　to　have　carried　severity　to　an　extreme。　At　Belgirate；　which　she
　　had　left　when　Albert　flew　thither；　she　had　left　instructions
　　leading　him　to　believe　that　she　was　living　in　London。　From　London
　　Albert　went　in　search　of　her　to　Naples；　and　from　Naples　to　Rome；
　　where　she　was　now　engaged　to　the　Duc　de　Rhetore。　When　Albert
　　succeeded　in　seeing　Madame　d'Argaiolo；　at　Florence；　it　was　at　the
　　ceremony　of　her　marriage。

　　〃Our　poor　friend　swooned　in　the　church；　and　even　when　he　was　in
　　danger　of　death　he　could　never　obtain　any　explanation　from　this
　　woman；　who　must　have　had　I　know　not　what　in　her　heart。　For　seven
　　mon