a woman of thirty-第15部分

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ll　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。

〃Keep　my　secret；　Louisa；〃　said　Julie；　after　a　moment's　silence。

Just　as　she　spoke　the　footman　brought　in　a　letter　for　the　Marquise。

〃Ah！〃　she　cried；　and　her　face　grew　white。

〃I　need　not　ask　from　whom　it　comes；〃　said　Mme。　de　Wimphen；　but　the　Marquise　was　reading　the　letter；　and　heeded　nothing　else。

Mme。　de　Wimphen；　watching　her　friend；　saw　strong　feeling　wrought　to　the　highest　pitch；　ecstasy　of　the　most　dangerous　kind　painted　on　Julie's　face　in　swift　changing　white　and　red。　At　length　Julie　flung　the　sheet　into　the　fire。

〃It　burns　like　fire；〃　she　said。　〃Oh！　my　heart　beats　till　I　cannot　breathe。〃

She　rose　to　her　feet　and　walked　up　and　down。　Her　eyes　were　blazing。

〃He　did　not　leave　Paris！〃　she　cried。

Mme。　de　Wimphen　did　not　dare　to　interrupt　the　words　that　followed；　jerked…out　sentences；　measured　by　dreadful　pauses　in　between。　After　every　break　the　deep　notes　of　her　voice　sank　lower　and　lower。　There　was　something　awful　about　the　last　words。

〃He　has　seen　me；　constantly；　and　I　have　not　known　it。A　look；　taken　by　stealth；　every　day；　helps　him　to　live。Louisa；　you　do　not　know！　He　is　dying。He　wants　to　say　good…bye　to　me。　He　knows　that　my　husband　has　gone　away　for　several　days。　He　will　be　here　in　a　moment。　Oh！　I　shall　die：　I　am　lost。Listen；　Louisa；　stay　with　me！/I　am　afraid！/〃

〃But　my　husband　knows　that　I　have　been　dining　with　you；　he　is　sure　to　come　for　me；〃　said　Mme。　de　Wimphen。

〃Well；　then；　before　you　go　I　will　send　/him/　away。　I　will　play　the　executioner　for　us　both。　Oh　me！　he　will　think　that　I　do　not　love　him　any　moreAnd　that　letter　of　his！　Dear；　I　can　see　those　words　in　letters　of　fire。〃

A　carriage　rolled　in　under　the　archway。

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　Marquise；　with　something　like　joy　in　her　voice；　〃he　is　coming　openly。　He　makes　no　mystery　of　it。〃

〃Lord　Grenville；〃　announced　the　servant。

The　Marquise　stood　up　rigid　and　motionless；　but　at　the　sight　of　Arthur's　white　face；　so　thin　and　haggard；　how　was　it　possible　to　keep　up　the　show　of　severity？　Lord　Grenville　saw　that　Julie　was　not　alone；　but　he　controlled　his　fierce　annoyance；　and　looked　cool　and　unperturbed。　Yet　for　the　two　women　who　knew　his　secret；　his　face；　his　tones；　the　look　in　his　eyes　had　something　of　the　power　attributed　to　the　torpedo。　Their　faculties　were　benumbed　by　the　sharp　shock　of　contact　with　his　horrible　pain。　The　sound　of　his　voice　set　Julie's　heart　beating　so　cruelly　that　she　could　not　trust　herself　to　speak；　she　was　afraid　that　he　would　see　the　full　extent　of　his　power　over　her。　Lord　Grenville　did　not　dare　to　look　at　Julie；　and　Mme。　de　Wimphen　was　left　to　sustain　a　conversation　to　which　no　one　listened。　Julie　glanced　at　her　friend　with　touching　gratefulness　in　her　eyes　to　thank　her　for　coming　to　her　aid。

By　this　time　the　lovers　had　quelled　emotion　into　silence；　and　could　preserve　the　limits　laid　down　by　duty　and　convention。　But　M。　de　Wimphen　was　announced；　and　as　he　came　in　the　two　friends　exchanged　glances。　Both　felt　the　difficulties　of　this　fresh　complication。　It　was　impossible　to　enter　into　explanations　with　M。　de　Wimphen；　and　Louisa　could　not　think　of　any　sufficient　pretext　for　asking　to　be　left。

Julie　went　to　her；　ostensibly　to　wrap　her　up　in　her　shawl。　〃I　will　be　brave；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。　〃He　came　here　in　the　face　of　all　the　world；　so　what　have　I　to　fear？　Yet　but　for　you；　in　that　first　moment；　when　I　saw　how　changed　he　looked；　I　should　have　fallen　at　his　feet。〃

〃Well；　Arthur；　you　have　broken　your　promise　to　me；〃　she　said；　in　a　faltering　voice；　when　she　returned。　Lord　Grenville　did　not　venture　to　take　the　seat　upon　the　sofa　by　her　side。

〃I　could　not　resist　the　pleasure　of　hearing　your　voice；　of　being　near　you。　The　thought　of　it　came　to　be　a　sort　of　madness；　a　delirious　frenzy。　I　am　no　longer　master　of　myself。　I　have　taken　myself　to　task；　it　is　no　use；　I　am　too　weak；　I　ought　to　die。　But　to　die　without　seeing　you；　without　having　heard　the　rustle　of　your　dress；　or　felt　your　tears。　What　a　death！〃

He　moved　further　away　from　her；　but　in　his　hasty　uprising　a　pistol　fell　out　of　his　pocket。　The　Marquise　looked　down　blankly　at　the　weapon；　all　passion；　all　expression　had　died　out　of　her　eyes。　Lord　Grenville　stooped　for　the　thing；　raging　inwardly　over　an　accident　which　seemed　like　a　piece　of　lovesick　strategy。

〃/Arthur！/〃

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　looking　down；　〃I　came　here　in　utter　desperation；　I　meant〃　he　broke　off。

〃You　meant　to　die　by　your　own　hand　here　in　my　house！〃

〃Not　alone！〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。

〃Not　alone！　My　husband；　perhaps？〃

〃No；　no；〃　he　cried　in　a　choking　voice。　〃Reassure　yourself；〃　he　continued；　〃I　have　quite　given　up　my　deadly　purpose。　As　soon　as　I　came　in；　as　soon　as　I　saw　you；　I　felt　that　I　was　strong　enough　to　suffer　in　silence；　and　to　die　alone。〃

Julie　sprang　up；　and　flung　herself　into　his　arms。　Through　her　sobbing　he　caught　a　few　passionate　words；　〃To　know　happiness；　and　then　to　die。　Yes；　let　it　be　so。〃

All　Julie's　story　was　summed　up　in　that　cry　from　the　depths；　it　was　the　summons　of　nature　and　of　love　at　which　women　without　a　religion　surrender。　With　the　fierce　energy