There lie the dead corpses1 of those words on paper; but my art ispowerless to tell you how they were uttered, those words, potent2 asa king's, for they saved a life.
They were a cry of terror and a cry of reproach and a cry of loveunfathomable.
The weapon shook in his hand. He looked at her with growingastonishment and joy; she at him fixedly3 and anxiously, her handsclasped in supplication4.
"As you used to love me?""More, far more. Give me the pistol. I love you, dearest. I loveyou."At these delicious words he lost all power of resistance, she saw;and her soft and supple5 hand stole in and closed upon his, andgently withdrew the weapon, and threw it into the water. "GoodCamille! now give me the other.""How do you know there is another?""I know you are not the man to kill a woman and spare yourself.
Come.""Josephine, have pity on me, do not deceive me; pray do not takethis, my only friend, from me, unless you really love me.""I love you; I adore you," was her reply.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, but with her hand she soughthis, and even as she uttered those loving words she coaxed6 theweapon from his now unresisting grasp.
"There, it is gone; you are saved from death--saved from crime."And with that, the danger was over, she trembled for the first time,and fell to sobbing7 hysterically9.
He threw himself at her knees, and embraced them again and again,and begged her forgiveness in a transport of remorse10 and self-reproach.
She looked down with tender pity on him, and heard his cries ofpenitence and shame.
"Rise, Camille, and go home with me," said she faintly.
"Yes, Josephine."They went slowly and in silence. Camille was too ashamed andpenitent to speak; too full of terror too at the abyss of crime fromwhich he had been saved. The ancients feigned12 that a virgin13 couldsubdue a lion; perhaps they meant that a pure gentle nature cansubdue a nature fierce but generous. Lion-like Camille walked byJosephine's side with his eyes bent14 on the ground, the picture ofhumility and penitence11.
"This is the last walk you and I shall take together," saidJosephine solemnly.
"I know it," said he humbly15. "I have forfeited16 all right to be byyour side.""My poor, lost love," sighed Josephine, "will you never understandme? You never stood higher in my esteem17 than at this moment. It isthe avowal18 you have forced from ME that parts us. The man to whom Ihave said 'I'--must not remain beneath my husband's roof. Does notyour sense of honor agree with mine?""It does," faltered19 he.
"To-morrow you must leave the chateau20.""I will obey you.""What, you do not resist, you do not break my heart by complaints,by reproaches?""No, Josephine, all is changed. I thought you unfeeling: I thoughtyou were going to be HAPPY with him; that was what maddened me.""I pray daily YOU may be happy, no matter how. But you and I arenot alike, dear as we are to one another. Well, do not fear: Ishall never be happy--will that soothe21 you, Camille?""Yes, Josephine, all is changed; the words you have spoken havedriven the fiends out of my heart. I have nothing to do now but toobey, you to command: it is your right. Since you love me a littlestill, dispose of me. Bid me live: bid me die: bid me stay: bid mego. I shall never disobey the angel who loves me, my only friendupon the earth."A single deep sob8 from Josephine was all the answer.
Then he could not help asking her why she had not trusted him?
"Why did you not say to me long ago, 'I love you, but I am a wife;my husband is an honest soldier, absent, and fighting for France: Iam the guardian22 of his honor and my own; be just, be generous, beself-denying; depart and love me only as angels love'? Perhaps thismight have helped me to show you that I too am a man of honor.""Perhaps I was wrong," sighed Josephine. "I think I should havetrusted more to you. But then, who would have thought you couldreally doubt my love? You were ill; I could not bear you to go tillyou were well, quite well. I saw no other way to keep you but this,to treat you with feigned coldness. You saw the coldness, but notwhat it cost me to maintain it. Yes, I was unjust; and inconsiderate,for I had many furtive23 joys to sustain me: I had you in my houseunder my care--that thought was always sweet--I had a hand ineverything that was for your good, for your comfort. I helpedJacintha make your soup and your chocolate every day. I had thedelight of lining24 the dressing-gown you were to wear. I had alwayssome little thing or other to do for you. These kept me up: I forgotin my selfishness that you had none of these supports, and that Iwas driving you to despair. I am a foolish, disingenuous25 woman:
I have been very culpable26. Forgive me!""Forgive you, angel of purity and goodness? I alone am to blame.
What right had I to doubt your heart? I knew the whole story ofyour marriage; I saw your sweet pale face; but I was not pure enoughto comprehend angelic virtue27 and unselfishness. Well, I am broughtto my senses. There is but one thing for me to do--you bade meleave you to-morrow.""I was very cruel.""No! not cruel, wise. But I will be wiser. I shall go to-night.""To-night, Camille?" said Josephine, turning pale.
"Ay! for to-night I am strong; to-morrow I may be weak. To-nighteverything thrusts me on the right path. To-morrow everything willdraw me from it. Do not cry, beloved one; you and I have a hardfight. We must be true allies; whenever one is weak, then is thetime for the other to be strong. I have been weaker than you, to myshame be it said; but this is my hour of strength. A light fromheaven shows me my path. I am full of passion, but like you I havehonor. You are Raynal's wife, and--Raynal saved my life.""Ah! is it possible? When? where? may Heaven bless him for it!""Ask HIM; and say I told you of it--I have not strength to tell ityou, but I will go to-night."Then Josephine, who had resisted till all her strength was gone,whispered with a blush that it was too late to get a conveyance28.
"I need none to carry my sword, my epaulets, and my love for you. Ishall go on foot."Josephine said nothing, but she began to walk slower and slower.
And so the unfortunate pair came along creeping slowly with droopingheads towards the gate of the Pleasaunce. There their last walk inthis world must end. Many a man and woman have gone to the scaffoldwith hearts less heavy and more hopeful than theirs.
"Dry your eyes, Josephine," said Camille with a deep sigh. "Theyare all out on the Pleasaunce.""No, I will not dry my eyes," cried Josephine, almost violently. "Icare for nothing now."The baroness29, the doctor, and Rose, were all in the Pleasaunce: andas the pair came in, lo! every eye was bent on Josephine.
She felt this, and her eyes sought the ground: benumbed as she waswith despondency, she began now to dread30 some fresh stroke or other.
Camille felt doubly guilty and confused. How they all look at us,he thought. Do they know what a villain31 I have been? He determinedto slip away, and pack up, and begone. However, nobody took anynotice of him. The baroness drew Josephine apart. And Rosefollowed her mother and sister with eyes bent on the ground.
There was a strange solemnity about them all.
Aubertin remained behind. But even he took no notice of Camille,but walked up and down with his hands behind him, and a sad andtroubled face. Camille felt his utter desolation. He was nothingto any of them. He resolved to go at once, and charge Aubertin withhis last adieus to the family. It was a wise and manly32 resolve. Hestopped Aubertin in the middle of his walk, and said in a faintvoice of the deepest dejection,--"Doctor, the time is come that I must once more thank you for allyour goodness to me, and bid you all farewell.""What, going before your strength is re-established?" said thedoctor politely, but not warmly.
"I am out of all danger, thanks to your skill.""Colonel, at another time I should insist upon your staying a day ortwo longer; but now I think it would be unadvisable to press you tostay. Ah, colonel, you came to a happy house, but you leave a sadone. Poor Madame Raynal!""Sir!""You saw the baroness draw her aside.""Y-yes.""By this time she knows it.""In Heaven's name what do you mean?" asked Camille.
"I forgot; you are not aware of the calamity33 that has fallen uponour beloved Josephine; on the darling of the house."Camille turned cold with vague apprehension34. But he contrived35 tostammer out, "No; tell me! for Heaven's sake tell me."The doctor thus pressed revealed all in a very few words. "My poorfriend," said he solemnly, "her husband--is dead."
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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supplication
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| n.恳求，祈愿，哀求 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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coaxed
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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hysterically
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| ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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penitence
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| n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过 | |
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feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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disingenuous
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| adj.不诚恳的，虚伪的 | |
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culpable
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| adj.有罪的，该受谴责的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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baroness
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| n.男爵夫人，女男爵 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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