an historical mystery-第26部分

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absorbing　desire　for　affection。　She　now　put　forth　all　her　graces　of
her　mind　and　was　charming；　she　revealed　the　hidden　beauties　of　her
tender　heart　with　the　simple　candor　of　a　child。　For　the　last　thirteen
years　she　had　been　a　woman　only　through　suffering；　she　longed　to
obtain　amends　for　it；　and　she　showed　herself　as　loving　and　winning　as
she　had　been；　up　to　this　time；　strong　and　great。

The　four　elders；　who　were　the　last　to　leave　the　salon　that　night；
admitted　to　each　other　that　they　felt　uneasy　at　the　new　position　of
this　charming　girl。　What　power　might　not　passion　have　on　a　young　woman
of　her　character　and　with　her　nobility　of　soul？　The　twin　brothers
loved　her　with　one　and　the　same　love　and　a　blind　devotion；　which　of
the　two　would　Laurence　choose？　To　choose　one　was　to　kill　the　other。
Countess　in　her　own　right；　she　could　bring　her　husband　a　title　and
certain　prerogatives；　together　with　a　long　lineage。　Perhaps　in
thinking　of　these　advantages　the　elder　of　the　twins；　the　Marquis　de
Simeuse；　would　sacrifice　himself　to　give　Laurence　to　his　brother；　who；
according　to　the　old　laws；　was　poor　and　without　a　title。　But　would　the
younger　brother　deprive　the　elder　of　the　happiness　of　having　Laurence
for　a　wife？　At　a　distance；　this　strife　of　love　and　generosity　might　do
no　harm；in　fact；　so　long　as　the　brothers　were　facing　danger　the
chances　of　war　might　end　the　difficulty；　but　what　would　be　the　result
of　this　reunion？　When　Marie…Paul　and　Paul…Marie　reached　the　age　when
passions　rise　to　their　greatest　height　could　they　share；　as　now；　the
looks　and　words　and　attentions　of　their　cousin？　must　there　not
inevitably　arise　a　jealousy　between　them　the　consequences　of　which
might　be　horrible？　What　would　then　become　of　the　unity　of　those
beautiful　lives；　one　in　heart　though　twain　in　body？　To　these
questionings；　passed　from　one　to　another　as　they　finished　their　game；
Madame　d'Hauteserre　replied　that　in　her　opinion　Laurence　would　not
marry　either　of　her　cousins。　The　poor　lady　had　experienced　that
evening　one　of　those　inexplicable　presentiments　which　are　secrets
between　the　mother's　heart　and　God。

Laurence；　in　her　inward　consciousness；　was　not　less　alarmed　at　finding
herself　tete…a…tete　with　her　cousins。　To　the　active　drama　of
conspiracy；　to　the　dangers　which　the　brothers　had　incurred；　to　the
pain　and　penalties　of　their　exile；　was　now　succeeding　another　sort　of
drama；　of　which　she　had　never　thought。　This　noble　girl　could　not
resort　to　the　violent　means　of　refusing　to　marry　either　of　the　twins；
and　she　was　too　honest　a　woman　to　marry　one　and　keep　an　irresistible
passion　for　the　other　in　her　heart。　To　remain　unmarried；　to　weary　her
cousins'　love　by　no　decision；　and　then　to　take　the　one　who　was
faithful　to　her　in　spite　of　her　caprices；　was　a　solution　of　the
difficulty　not　so　much　sought　for　by　her　as　vaguely　admitted。　As　she
fell　asleep　that　night　she　told　herself　the　wisest　course　to　follow
was　to　let　things　take　their　chance。　Chance　is；　in　love；　the
providence　of　women。

The　next　morning　Michu　went　to　Paris；　whence　he　returned　a　few　days
later　with　four　fine　horses　for　his　new　masters。　In　six　weeks'　time
the　hunting　would　begin；　and　the　young　countess　sagely　reflected　that
the　violent　excitements　of　that　exercise　would　be　a　help　against　the
tete…a…tetes　of　the　chateau。　At　first；　however；　an　unexpected　result
surprised　the　spectators　of　these　strange　loves　and　roused　their
admiration。　Without　any　premeditated　agreement　the　brothers　rivalled
each　other　in　attentions　to　Laurence；　with　a　sense　of　pleasure　in　so
doing　which　appeared　to　suffice　them。　The　relation　between　themselves
and　Laurence　was　just　as　fraternal　as　that　between　themselves。　What
could　be　more　natural？　After　so　long　an　absence　they　felt　the
necessity　of　studying　her；　of　knowing　her　well　and　letting　her　know
them；　leaving　to　her　the　right　of　choice。　They　were　sustained　in　this
first　trial　by　the　mutual　affection　which　made　their　double　life　one
and　the　same　life。

Love；　like　their　own　mother；　was　unable　to　distinguish　between　the
brothers。　Laurence　was　obliged　（in　order　to　know　them　apart　and　make
no　mistakes）　to　give　them　different　cravatsto　the　elder　a　white　one；
to　the　younger　black。　Without　this　perfect　resemblance；　this　identity
of　life；　which　misled　all　about　them；　such　a　situation　would　be　justly
thought　impossible。　It　can；　indeed；　be　explained　only　by　the　fact
itself；　which　is　one　of　those　which　men　do　not　believe　in　unless　they
see　them；　and　then　the　mind　is　more　bewildered　by　having　to　explain
them　than　by　the　actual　sight　which　caused　belief。　If　Laurence　spoke；
her　voice　echoed　in　two　hearts　equally　faithful　and　loving　with　one
tone。　Did　she　give　utterance　to　an　intelligent；　or　witty；　or　noble
thought；　her　glance　encountered　the　delight　expressed　in　two　glances
which　followed　her　every　movement；　interpreted　her　slightest　wish；　and
beamed　upon　her　ever　with　a　new　expression；　gaiety　in　the　one；　tender
melancholy　in　the　other。　In　any　matter　that　concerned　their　mistress
the　brothers　showed　an　admirable　quick…wittedness　of　heart　coupled
with　instant　action　which　（to　use　the　abbe's　own　expression）
approached　the　sublime。　Often；　if　something　had　to　be　fetched；　if　it
was　a　question　of　some　little　attention　which　men　delight　to　pay　to　a
beloved　woman；　the　elder　would　leave　that　pleasure　to　the　younger　with
a　look　at　Laurence　that　was　proud　and　tender。　The　younger；　on　the
other　hand；　put　all　his　own　pride　into　paying　such　debts。　This　rivalry
of　noble　natures　in　a　feeling　which　leads　men　often　to　the　jealous
ferocity　of　the　beasts　amazed　the　old　people　who　were　watching　it；　and
bewildered　their　ideas。

Such　little　details　often　drew　tears　to　the　eyes　of　the　countess。　A
single　sensation；　which　is　perhaps　all…powerful　in　some　rare
organizations；　will　give　an　idea　of　Laurence's　emotions；　it　may　be
perceived　by　recalling　the　perfect　unison　of　two　fine　voices　（like
those　of　Malibran　and　Sontag）　in　some　harmonious　/duo/；　or　the
blending　of　two　instruments　touched　by　the　hand　of　genius；　their
melodious　tones　entering　the　soul　like　the　passionate　sighing　of　one
heart。　Sometimes；　seeing　the　Marquis　de　Simeuse　buried　in　an　arm…chair
and　glancing　from　time　to　time　with　deepest　melancholy　at　his　brother
and　Laurence　who　were　talking　and　laughing；　the　abbe　believed　him
capable　of　making　the　great　sacrifice；　presently；　however；　the　priest
would　see　in　the　young　man's　eyes　the　flash　of　an　unconquerable
passion。　Whenever　either　of　the　brothers　found　himself　alone　with
Laurence　he　might　reasonably　suppose　himself　the　one　preferred。

〃I　fancy　then　that　there　is　but　one　of　them；〃　explained　the　countess
to　the　abbe　when　he　questioned　her。　That　answer　showed　the　priest　her
total　want　of　coquetry。　Laurence　did　not　conceive　that　she　was　loved
by　two　men。

〃But；　my　dear　child；〃　said　Madame　d'Hauteserre　one　evening　（her　own
son　silently　dying　of　love　for　Laurence）；　〃you　must　choose！〃

〃Oh；　let　us　be　happy；〃　she　replied；　〃God　will　save　us　from　ourselves。〃

Adrien　d'Hauteserre　buried　within　his　breast　the　jealousy　that　was
consuming　him；　he　kept　the　secret　of　his　torture；　aware　of　how　little
he　could　hope。　He　tried　to　be　content　with　the　happiness　of　seeing　the
charming　woman　who　during　the　few　months　this　struggle　lasted　shone　in
all　her　brilliancy。　In　one　sense　Laurence　had　become　coquettish；
taking　that　dainty　care　of　her　person　which　women　who　are　loved
delight　in。　She　followed　the　fashions；　and　went　more　than　once　to
Paris　to　deck　her　beauty　with　/chiffons/　or　some　choice　novelty。
Desirous　of　giving　her　cousins　a　sense　of　home　and　its　every
enjoyment；　from　which　they　had　so　long　been　severed；　she　made　her
chateau；　in　spite　of　the　remonstrances　of　her　late　guardian；　the　most
completely　comfortable　house　in　Champagne。

Robert　d'Hauteserre　saw　nothing　of　this　hidden　drama；　he　never　noticed
his　brother's　love　for　Laurence。　As　to　the　girl　herself；　he　liked　to
tease　her　about　her　coquetry；for　he　confounded　that　odious　defect
with　the　natural　desire　to　please；　he　was　always　mistaken　in　matters
of　feeling；　taste；　and　the　higher　ethics。　So；　whenever　this　man　of　the
middle…ages　appeared　on　the　scene；　Laurence　immediately　made　him；
unknown　to　himself；　the　clown　of　the　play；　she　amused　her　cousins　by
arguing　with　Robert；　and　leading　him；　step　by　step；　into　some　bog　of
ignorance　and　stupidity。　She　excelled　in　such　clever　mischief；　which；
to　be　really　successful；　must　leave　the　victim　content　with　himself。
And　yet；　though　his　nature　was　a　coarse　one；　Robert　never；　during
those　delightful　months　（the　only　happy　period　in　the　lives　of　the
three　young　people）　said　one　virile　word　which　might　have　brought
matters　to　a　crisis　between　Laurence　and　her　cousins。　He　was　struck
with　the　sincerity　of　the　brothers；　he　saw　how　the　one　could　be　glad
at　the　happiness　of　the　other　and　yet　suffer　anguish　in　the　depths　of
his　heart；　and　he　did　perceive　how　a　woman　might　shrink　from　showing
tenderness　to　one　which　would　grieve　the　other。　This　perception　on
Robert's　part　was　a　just　one；　it　explains　a　situation　which；　in　times
of　faith；　when　the　sovereign　pontiff　had　power　to　intervene　and　cut
the　Gordian　knot　o