a woman of thirty-第13部分

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d　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　broke　off；　and　Lord　Grenville　did　not　dare　to　look　at　her。

〃All　this　pleasure　I　owe　to　you；〃　Julie　began　at　last；　after　a　long　silence。　〃Only　the　living　can　feel　the　joy　of　life；　and　until　now　have　I　not　been　dead　to　it　all？　You　have　given　me　more　than　health；　you　have　made　me　feel　all　its　worth〃

Women　have　an　inimitable　talent　for　giving　utterance　to　strong　feelings　in　colorless　words；　a　woman's　eloquence　lies　in　tone　and　gesture；　manner　and　glance。　Lord　Grenville　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　for　his　tears　filled　his　eyes。　This　was　Julie's　first　word　of　thanks　since　they　left　Paris　a　year　ago。

For　a　whole　year　he　had　watched　over　the　Marquise；　putting　his　whole　self　into　the　task。　D'Aiglemont　seconding　him；　he　had　taken　her　first　to　Aix；　then　to　la　Rochelle；　to　be　near　the　sea。　From　moment　to　moment　he　had　watched　the　changes　worked　in　Julie's　shattered　constitution　by　his　wise　and　simple　prescriptions。　He　had　cultivated　her　health　as　an　enthusiastic　gardener　might　cultivate　a　rare　flower。　Yet；　to　all　appearance；　the　Marquise　had　quietly　accepted　Arthur's　skill　and　care　with　the　egoism　of　a　spoiled　Parisienne；　or　like　a　courtesan　who　has　no　idea　of　the　cost　of　things；　nor　of　the　worth　of　a　man；　and　judges　of　both　by　their　comparative　usefulness　to　her。

The　influence　of　places　upon　us　is　a　fact　worth　remarking。　If　melancholy　comes　over　us　by　the　margin　of　a　great　water；　another　indelible　law　of　our　nature　so　orders　it　that　the　mountains　exercise　a　purifying　influence　upon　our　feelings；　and　among　the　hills　passion　gains　in　depth　by　all　that　it　apparently　loses　in　vivacity。　Perhaps　it　was　the　light　of　the　wide　country　by　the　Loire；　the　height　of　the　fair　sloping　hillside　on　which　the　lovers　sat；　that　induced　the　calm　bliss　of　the　moment　when　the　whole　extent　of　the　passion　that　lies　beneath　a　few　insignificant…sounding　words　is　divined　for　the　first　time　with　a　delicious　sense　of　happiness。

Julie　had　scarcely　spoken　the　words　which　had　moved　Lord　Grenville　so　deeply；　when　a　caressing　breeze　ruffled　the　treetops　and　filled　the　air　with　coolness　from　the　river；　a　few　clouds　crossed　the　sky；　and　the　soft　cloud…shadows　brought　out　all　the　beauty　of　the　fair　land　below。

Julie　turned　away　her　head；　lest　Arthur　should　see　the　tears　which　she　succeeded　in　repressing；　his　emotion　had　spread　at　once　to　her。　She　dried　her　eyes；　but　she　dared　not　raise　them　lest　he　should　read　the　excess　of　joy　in　a　glance。　Her　woman's　instinct　told　her　that　during　this　hour　of　danger　she　must　hide　her　love　in　the　depths　of　her　heart。　Yet　silence　might　prove　equally　dangerous；　and　Julie　saw　that　Lord　Grenville　was　unable　to　utter　a　word。　She　went　on；　therefore；　in　a　gentle　voice：

〃You　are　touched　by　what　I　have　said。　Perhaps　such　a　quick　outburst　of　feeling　is　the　way　in　which　a　gracious　and　kind　nature　like　yours　reverses　a　mistaken　judgment。　You　must　have　thought　me　ungrateful　when　I　was　cold　and　reserved；　or　cynical　and　hard；　all　through　the　journey　which；　fortunately；　is　very　near　its　end。　I　should　not　have　been　worthy　of　your　care　if　I　had　been　unable　to　appreciate　it。　I　have　forgotten　nothing。　Alas！　I　shall　forget　nothing；　not　the　anxious　way　in　which　you　watched　over　me　as　a　mother　watches　over　her　child；　nor；　and　above　all　else；　the　noble　confidence　of　our　life　as　brother　and　sister；　the　delicacy　of　your　conductwinning　charms；　against　which　we　women　are　defenceless。　My　lord；　it　is　out　of　my　power　to　make　you　a　return〃

At　these　words　Julie　hastily　moved　further　away；　and　Lord　Grenville　made　no　attempt　to　detain　her。　She　went　to　a　rock　not　far　away；　and　there　sat　motionless。　What　either　felt　remained　a　secret　known　to　each　alone；　doubtless　they　wept　in　silence。　The　singing　of　the　birds　about　them；　so　blithe；　so　overflowing　with　tenderness　at　sunset　time；　could　only　increase　the　storm　of　passion　which　had　driven　them　apart。　Nature　took　up　their　story　for　them；　and　found　a　language　for　the　love　of　which　they　did　not　dare　to　speak。

〃And　now；　my　lord；〃　said　Julie；　and　she　came　and　stood　before　Arthur　with　a　great　dignity；　which　allowed　her　to　take　his　hand　in　hers。　〃I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　hallow　and　purify　the　life　which　you　have　given　back　to　me。　Here；　we　will　part。　I　know；〃　she　added；　as　she　saw　how　white　his　face　grew；　〃I　know　that　I　am　repaying　you　for　your　devotion　by　requiring　of　you　a　sacrifice　even　greater　than　any　which　you　have　hitherto　made　for　me；　sacrifices　so　great　that　they　should　receive　some　better　recompense　than　this。　。　。　。　But　it　must　be。　。　。　You　must　not　stay　in　France。　By　laying　this　command　upon　you；　do　I　not　give　you　rights　which　shall　be　held　sacred？〃　she　added；　holding　his　hand　against　her　beating　heart。

〃Yes；〃　said　Arthur；　and　he　rose。

He　looked　in　the　direction　of　d'Aiglemont；　who　appeared　on　the　opposite　side　of　one　of　the　hollow　walks　with　the　child　in　his　arms。　He　had　scrambled　up　on　the　balustrade　by　the　chateau　that　little　Helene　might　jump　down。

〃Julie；　I　will　not　say　a　word　of　my　love；　we　understand　each　other　too　well。　Deeply　and　carefully　though　I　have　hidden　the　pleasures　of　my　heart；　you　have　shared　them　all；　I　feel　it；　I　know　it；　I　see　it。　And　now；　at　this　moment；　as　I　receive　this　delicious　proof　of　the　constant　sympathy　of　our　hearts；　I　must　go。　。　。　。　Cunning　schemes　for　getting　rid　of　him　have　crossed　my　mind　too　often；　the　temptation　might　be　irresistible　if　I　stayed　with　you。〃

〃I　had　the　same　thought；〃　she　said；　a　look　of　pained　surprise　in　her　troubled　face。

Yet　in　her　tone　and　involuntary　shudder　there　was　such　virtue；　such　certainty　of　herself；　won　in　many　a　hard…fought　battle　with　a　love　that　spoke　in　Julie's　tones　and　involuntary　gestures；　that　Lord　Grenville　stood　thrilled　with　admiration　of　her。　The　mere　shadow　of　a　crime　had　been　dispelled　from　that　clear　conscience。　The　religious　sentiment　enthroned　on　the　fair　forehead　could　not　but　drive　away　the　evil　thoughts　that　arise　unbidden；　engendered　by　our　imperfect　nature；　thoughts　which　make　us　aware　of　the　grandeur　and　the　perils　of　human　destiny。

〃And　then；〃　she　said；　〃I　should　have　drawn　down　your　scorn　upon　me；　andI　should　have　been　saved；〃　she　added；　and　her　eyes　fell。　〃To　be　lowered　in　your　eyes；　what　is　that　but　death？〃

For　a　moment　the　two　heroic　lovers　were　silent；　choking　down　their　sorrow。　Good　or　ill；　it　seemed　that　their　thoughts　were　loyally　one；　and　the　joys　in　the　depths　of　their　heart　were　no　more　experiences　apart　than　the　pain　which　they　strove　most　anxiously　to　hide。

〃I　have　no　right　to　complain；〃　she　said　after　a　while；　〃my　misery　is　of　my　own　making；〃　and　she　raised　her　tear…filled　eyes　to　the　sky。

〃Perhaps　you　don't　remember　it；　but　that　is　the　place　where　we　met　each　other　for　the　first　time；〃　shouted　the　General　from　below；　and　he　waved　his　hand　towards　the　distance。　〃There；　down　yonder；　near　those　poplars！〃

The　Englishman　nodded　abruptly　by　way　of　answer。

〃So　I　was　bound　to　die　young　and　to　know　no　happiness；〃　Julie　continued。　〃Yes；　do　not　think　that　I　live。　Sorrow　is　just　as　fatal　as　the　dreadful　disease　which　you　have　cured。　I　do　not　think　that　I　am　to　blame。　No。　My　love　is　s