a woman of thirty- 第29部分

〃God　will　repay　you！〃　said　the　stranger；　with　a　deep；　involuntary　sigh。

〃Have　you　weapons？〃　asked　the　General。

For　all　answer　the　stranger　flung　open　his　fur　pelisse；　and　scarcely　gave　the　other　time　for　a　glance　before　he　wrapped　it　about　him　again。　To　all　appearance　he　was　unarmed　and　in　evening　dress。　Swift　as　the　soldier's　scrutiny　had　been；　he　saw　something；　however；　which　made　him　exclaim：

〃Where　the　devil　have　you　been　to　get　yourself　in　such　a　mess　in　such　dry　weather？〃

〃More　questions！〃　said　the　stranger　haughtily。

At　the　words　the　Marquis　caught　sight　of　his　son；　and　his　own　late　homily　on　the　strict　fulfilment　of　a　given　word　came　up　to　his　mind。　In　lively　vexation；　he　exclaimed；　not　without　a　touch　of　anger：

〃What！　little　rogue；　you　here　when　you　ought　to　be　in　bed？〃

〃Because　I　thought　I　might　be　of　some　good　in　danger；〃　answered　Gustave。

〃There；　go　up　to　your　room；〃　said　his　father；　mollified　by　the　reply。　〃And　you〃　（addressing　the　stranger）；　〃come　with　me。〃

The　two　men　grew　as　silent　as　a　pair　of　gamblers　who　watch　each　other's　play　with　mutual　suspicions。　The　General　himself　began　to　be　troubled　with　ugly　presentiments。　The　strange　visit　weighed　upon　his　mind　already　like　a　nightmare；　but　he　had　passed　his　word；　there　was　no　help　for　it　now；　and　he　led　the　way　along　the　passages　and　stairways　till　they　reached　a　large　room　on　the　second　floor　immediately　above　the　salon。　This　was　an　empty　room　where　linen　was　dried　in　the　winter。　It　had　but　the　one　door；　and　for　all　decoration　boasted　one　solitary　shabby　looking…glass　above　the　chimney…piece；　left　by　the　previous　owner；　and　a　great　pier　glass；　placed　provisionally　opposite　the　fireplace　until　such　time　as　a　use　should　be　found　for　it　in　the　rooms　below。　The　four　yellowish　walls　were　bare。　The　floor　had　never　been　swept。　The　huge　attic　was　icy…cold；　and　the　furniture　consisted　of　a　couple　of　rickety　straw…bottomed　chairs；　or　rather　frames　of　chairs。　The　General　set　the　lantern　down　upon　the　chimney…piece。　Then　he　spoke：

〃It　is　necessary　for　your　own　safety　to　hide　you　in　this　comfortless　attic。　And；　as　you　have　my　promise　to　keep　your　secret；　you　will　permit　me　to　lock　you　in。〃

The　other　bent　his　head　in　acquiescence。

〃I　asked　for　nothing　but　a　hiding…place；　secrecy；　and　water；〃　returned　he。

〃I　will　bring　you　some　directly；〃　said　the　Marquis；　shutting　the　door　cautiously。　He　groped　his　way　down　into　the　salon　for　a　lamp　before　going　to　the　kitchen　to　look　for　a　carafe。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　the　Marquise　asked　quickly。

〃Nothing；　dear；〃　he　returned　coolly。

〃But　we　listened；　and　we　certainly　heard　you　go　upstairs　with　somebody。〃

〃Helene；〃　said　the　General；　and　he　looked　at　his　daughter；　who　raised　her　face；　〃bear　in　mind　that　your　father's　honor　depends　upon　your　discretion。　You　must　have　heard　nothing。〃

The　girl　bent　her　head　in　answer。　The　Marquise　was　confused　and　smarting　inwardly　at　the　way　in　which　her　husband　had　thought　fit　to　silence　her。

Meanwhile　the　General　went　for　the　bottle　and　a　tumbler；　and　returned　to　the　room　above。　His　prisoner　was　leaning　against　the　chimney…piece；　his　head　was　bare；　he　had　flung　down　his　hat　on　one　of　the　two　chairs。　Evidently　he　had　not　expected　to　have　so　bright　a　light　turned　upon　him；　and　he　frowned　and　looked　anxious　as　he　met　the　General's　keen　eyes；　but　his　face　softened　and　wore　a　gracious　expression　as　he　thanked　his　protector。　When　the　latter　placed　the　bottle　and　glass　on　the　mantel…shelf；　the　stranger's　eyes　flashed　out　on　him　again；　and　when　he　spoke；　it　was　in　musical　tones　with　no　sign　of　the　previous　guttural　convulsion；　though　his　voice　was　still　unsteady　with　repressed　emotion。

〃I　shall　seem　to　you　to　be　a　strange　being；　sir；　but　you　must　pardon　the　caprices　of　necessity。　If　you　propose　to　remain　in　the　room；　I　beg　that　you　will　not　look　at　me　while　I　am　drinking。〃

Vexed　at　this　continual　obedience　to　a　man　whom　he　disliked；　the　General　sharply　turned　his　back　upon　him。　The　stranger　thereupon　drew　a　white　handkerchief　from　his　pocket　and　wound　it　about　his　right　hand。　Then　he　seized　the　carafe　and　emptied　it　at　a　draught。　The　Marquis；　staring　vacantly　into　the　tall　mirror　across　the　room；　without　a　thought　of　breaking　his　implicit　promise；　saw　the　stranger's　figure　distinctly　reflected　by　the　opposite　looking…glass；　and　saw；　too；　a　red　stain　suddenly　appear　through　the　folds　of　the　white　bandage。　The　man's　hands　were　steeped　in　blood。

〃Ah！　you　saw　me！〃　cried　the　other。　He　had　drunk　off　the　water　and　wrapped　himself　again　in　his　cloak；　and　now　scrutinized　the　General　suspiciously。　〃It　is　all　over　with　me！　Here　they　come！〃

〃I　don't　hear　anything；〃　said　the　Marquis。

〃You　have　not　the　same　interest　that　I　have　in　listening　for　sounds　in　the　air。〃

〃You　have　been　fighting　a　duel；　I　suppose；　to　be　in　such　a　state？〃　queried　the　General；　not　a　little　disturbed　by　the　color　of　those　broad；　dark　patches　staining　his　visitor's　cloak。

〃Yes；　a　duel；　you　have　it；〃　said　the　other；　and　a　bitter　smile　flitted　over　his　lips。

As　he　spoke　a　sound　rang　along　the　distant　road；　a　sound　of　galloping　horses；　but　so　faint　as　yet；　that　it　was　the　merest　dawn　of　a　sound。　The　General's　trained　ear　recognized　the　advance　of　a　troop　of　regulars。

〃That　is　the　gendarmerie；〃　said　he。

He　glanced　at　his　prisoner　to　reassure　him　after　his　own　involuntary　indiscretion；　took　the　lamp；　and　went　down　to　the　salon。　He　had　scarcely　laid　the　key　of　the　room　above　upon　the　chimney…piece　when　the　hoof　beats　sounded　louder　and　came　swiftly　nearer　and　nearer　the　house。　The　General　felt　a　shiver　of　excitement；　and　indeed　the　horses　stopped　at　the　house　door；　a　few　words　were　exchanged　among　the　men；　and　one　of　them　dismounted　and　knocked　loudly。　There　was　no　help　for　it；　the　General　went　to　open　the　door。　He　could　scarcely　conceal　his　inward　perturbation　at　the　sight　of　half　a　dozen　gendarmes　outside；　the　metal　rims　of　their　caps　gleaming　like　silver　in　the　moonlight。

〃My　lord；〃　said　the　corporal；　〃have　you　heard　a　man　run　past　towards　the　barrier　within　the　last　few　minutes？〃

〃Towards　the　barrier？　No。〃

〃Have　you　opened　the　door　to　any　one？〃

〃Now；　am　I　in　the　habit　of　answering　the　door　myself〃

〃I　ask　your　pardon；　General；　but　just　now　it　seems　to　me　that〃

〃Really！〃　cried　the　Marquis　wrathfully。　〃Have　you　a　mind　to　try　joking　with　me？　What　right　have　you？〃

〃None　at　all；　none　at　all；　my　lord；〃　cried　the　corporal；　hastily　putting　in　a　soft　answer。　〃You　will　excuse　our　zeal。　We　know；　of　course；　that　a　peer　of　France　is　not　likely　to　harbor　a　murderer　at　this　time　of　night；　but　as　we　want　any　information　we　can　get〃

〃A　murderer！〃　cried　the　General。　〃Who　can　have　been〃

〃M。　le　Baron　de　Mauny　has　just　been　murdered。　It　was　a　blow　from　an　axe；　and　we　are　in　hot　pursuit　of　the　criminal。　We　know　for　certain　that　he　is　somewhere　in　this　neighborhood；　and　we　shall　hunt　him　down。　By　your　leave；　General；〃　and　the　man　swung　himself　into　the　saddle　as　he　spoke。　It　was　well　that　he　did　so；　for　a　corporal　of　gendarmerie　trained　to　alert　observation　and　quick　surmise　would　have　had　his　suspicions　at　once　if　he　had　caught　sight　of　the　General's　face。　Everything　that　passed　through　the　soldier's　mind　was　faithfully　revealed　in　his　frank　countenance。

〃Is　it　known　who　the　murderer　is？〃　asked　he。

〃No；〃　said　the　other；　now　in　the　saddle。　〃He　left　the　bureau　full　of　banknotes　and　gold　untouched。〃

〃It　was　revenge；　then；〃　said　the　Marquis。

〃On　an　old　man？　pshaw！　No；　no；　the　fellow　hadn't　time　to　take　it；　that　was　all；〃　and　the　corporal　galloped　after　his　comrades；　who　were　almost　out　of　sight　by　this　time。

For　a　few　minutes　the　General　stood；　a　victim　to　perplexities　which　need　no　explanation；　but　in　a　moment　he　heard　the　servants　returning　home；　their　voices　were　raised　in　some　sort　of　dispute　at　the　cross…　roads　of　Montreuil。　When　they　came　in；　he　gave　vent　to　his　feelings　in　an　explosion　of　rage；　his　wrath　fell　upon　them　like　a　thunderbolt；　and　all　the　echoes　of　the　house　trembled　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。　In　the　midst　of　the　storm　his　own　man；　the　boldest　and　cleverest　of　the　party；　brought　out　an　excuse；　they　had　been　stopped；　he　said；　by　the　gendarmerie　at　the　gate　of　Montreuil；　a　murder　had　been　committed；　and　the　police　were　in　pursuit。　In　a　moment　the　General's　anger　vanished；　he　said　not　another　word；　then；　bethinking　himself　of　his　own　singular　position；　drily　ordered　them　all　off　to　bed　at　once；　and　left　them　amazed　at　his　readiness　to　accept　their　fellow　servant's　lying　excuse。

While　these　incidents　took　place　in　the　yard；　an　apparently　trifling　occurrence　had　changed　the　relative　positions　of　three　characters　in　this　story。　The　Marquis　had　scarcely　left　the　room　before　his　wife　looked　first　towards　the　key　on　the　mantel…shelf；　and　then　at　Helene；　and；　after　some　wavering；　bent　towards　her　daughter　and　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Helene　your　father　has　left　the　key　on　the　chimney…piece。〃

The　girl　looked　up　in　surprise　and　glanced　timidly　at　her　mother。　The　Marquise's　eyes　sparkled　with　curiosity。

〃Well；　mamma？〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　had　a　troubled　ring。

〃I　should　like　to　know　what　is　going　on　upstairs。　If　there　is　anybody　up　there；　he　has　not　stirred　yet。　Just　go　up〃

〃/I/？〃　cried　the　girl；　with　something　like　horror　in　her　tones。

〃Are　you　afraid？〃

〃No；　mamma；　but　I　thought　I　heard　a　man's　footsteps。〃

〃If　I　could　go　myself；　I　should　not　have　asked　you　to　go；　Helene；〃　said　her　mother　with　cold　dignity。　〃If　your　father　were　to　come　back　and　did　not　see　me；　he　would　go　to　look　for　me　perhaps；　but　he　would　not　notice　your　absence。〃

〃Madame；　if　you　bid　me　go；　I　will　go；〃　said　Helene；　〃but　I　shall　lose　my　father's　good　opinion〃

〃What　is　this！〃　cried　the　Marquise　in　a　sarcastic　tone。　〃But　since　you　take　a　thing　that　was　said　in　joke　in　earnest；　I　now　/order/　you　to　go　upstairs　and　see　who　is　in　the　room　above。　Here　is　the　key；　child。　When　your　father　told　you　to　say　nothing　about　this　thing　that　happened；　he　did　not　forbid　you　to　go　up　to　the　room。　Go　at　onceand　learn　that　a　daughter　ought　never　to　judge　her　mother。〃

The　last　words　were　spoken　with　all　the　severity　of　a　justly　offended　mother。　The　Marquise　took　the　key　and　handed　it　to　Helen