Jeannin was the first to 'break silence.
"You are astonished at my visit, I know, my charming Angelique. But you must excuse my thus appearing so unexpectedly before you. The truth is, I found it impossible to leave Paris without seeing you once more."
"Thank you for your kind remembrance," said she, "but I did not at all expect it."
"Come, come, you are offended with me."
She gave him a glance of mingled19 disdain20 and resentment21; but he went on, in a timid, wistful tone—
"I know that my conduct must have seemed strange to you, and I acknowledge that nothing can justify22 a man for suddenly leaving the woman he loves—I do not dare to say the woman who loves him—without a word of explanation. But, dear Angelique, I was jealous."
"Jealous!" she repeated incredulously.
"I tried my best to overcome the feeling, and I hid my suspicions from you. Twenty times I came to see you bursting with anger and determined23 to overwhelm you with reproaches, but at the sight of your beauty I forgot everything but that I loved you. My suspicions dissolved before a smile; one word from your lips charmed me into happiness. But when I was again alone my terrors revived, I saw my rivals at your feet, and rage possessed me once more. Ah! you never knew how devotedly24 I loved you."
She let him speak without interruption; perhaps the same thought was in her mind as in Quennebert's, who, himself a past master in the art of lying; was thinking—
"The man does not believe a word of what he is saying."
"Does my lord desire that his handmaiden should be blunt? Well, I know that there is no truth in what you say."
"Oh! I can see that you imagine that among the distractions27 of the world I have kept no memory of you, and have found consolation28 in the love of less obdurate29 fair ones. I have not broken in on your retirement30; I have not shadowed your steps; I have not kept watch on your actions; I have not surrounded you with spies who would perhaps have brought me the assurance, 'If she quitted the world which outraged31 her, she was not driven forth32 by an impulse of wounded pride or noble indignation; she did not even seek to punish those who misunderstood her by her absence; she buried herself where she was unknown, that she might indulge in stolen loves.' Such were the thoughts that came to me, and yet I respected your hiding-place; and to-day I am ready to believe you true, if you will merely say, 'I love no one else!'"
Jeannin, who was as fat as a stage financier, paused here to gasp33; for the utterance34 of this string of banalities, this rigmarole of commonplaces, had left him breathless. He was very much dissatisfied with his performance; and ready to curse his barren imagination. He longed to hit upon swelling35 phrases and natural and touching36 gestures, but in vain. He could only look at Mademoiselle de Guerchi with a miserable37, heart-broken air. She remained quietly seated, with the same expression of incredulity on her features.
So there was nothing for it but to go on once more.
"But this one assurance that I ask you will not give. So what I have—been told is true: you have given your love to him."
She could not check a startled movement.
"You see it is only when I speak of him that I can overcome in you the insensibility which is killing38 me. My suspicions were true after all: you deceived me for his sake. Oh! the instinctive39 feeling of jealousy40 was right which forced me to quarrel with that man, to reject the perfidious41 friendship which he tried to force upon me. He has returned to town, and we shall meet! But why do I say 'returned'? Perhaps he only pretended to go away, and safe in this retreat has flouted42 with impunity43, my despair and braved my vengeance44!"
Up to this the lady had played a waiting game, but now she grew quite confused, trying to discover the thread of the treasurer's thoughts. To whom did he refer? The Duc de Vitry? That had been her first impression. But the duke had only been acquainted with her for a few months—since she had—left Court. He could not therefore have excited the jealousy of her whilom lover; and if it were not he, to whom did the words about rejecting "perfidious friendship," and "returned to town," and so on, apply? Jeannin divined her embarrassment45, and was not a little proud of the tactics which would, he was almost sure; force her to expose herself. For there are certain women who can be thrown into cruel perplexity by speaking to them of their love-passages without affixing46 a proper name label to each. They are placed as it were on the edge of an abyss, and forced to feel their way in darkness. To say "You have loved" almost obliges them to ask "Whom?"
Nevertheless, this was not the word uttered by Mademoiselle de Guerchi while she ran through in her head a list of possibilities. Her answer was—
"Your language astonishes me; I don't understand what you mean."
"Have you never seen Commander de Jars since then?"
"Commander de Jars!" exclaimed Angelique.
"Can you swear to me, Angelique, that you love him not?"
"Mon Dieu! What put it into your head that I ever cared for him? It's over four months since I saw him last, and I hadn't an idea whether he was alive or dead. So he has been out of town? That's the first I heard of it."
"My fortune is yours, Angelique! Oh! assure me once again that you do not love him—that you never loved him!" he pleaded in a faltering48 voice, fixing a look of painful anxiety upon her.
He had no intention of putting her out of countenance49 by the course he took; he knew quite well that a woman like Angelique is never more at her ease than when she has a chance of telling an untruth of this nature. Besides, he had prefaced this appeal by the magic words, "My fortune' is yours!" and the hope thus aroused was well worth a perjury50. So she answered boldly and in a steady voice, while she looked straight into his eyes—
"Never!"
"I believe you!" exclaimed Jeannin, going down on his knees and covering with his kisses the hand he still held. "I can taste happiness again. Listen, Angelique. I am leaving Paris; my mother is dead, and I am going back to Spain. Will you follow me thither51?"
"I—-follow you?"
"I hesitated long before finding you out, so much did I fear a repulse52. I set out to-morrow. Quit Paris, leave the world which has slandered53 you, and come with me. In a fortnight we shall be man and wife."
"You are not in earnest!"
"May I expire at your feet if I am not! Do you want me to sign the oath with my blood?"
"Rise," she said in a broken voice. "Have I at last found a man to love me and compensate54 me for all the abuse that has been showered on my head? A thousand times I thank you, not for what you are doing for me, but for the balm you pour on my wounded spirit. Even if you were to say to me now, 'After all, I am obliged to give you up' the pleasure of knowing you esteem55 me would make up for all the rest. It would be another happy memory to treasure along with my memory of our love, which was ineffaceable, although you so ungratefully suspected me of having deceived you."
The treasurer appeared fairly intoxicated56 with joy. He indulged in a thousand ridiculous extravagances and exaggerations, and declared himself the happiest of men. Mademoiselle de Guerchi, who was desirous of being prepared for every peril57, asked him in a coaxing58 tone—
"Who can have put it into your head to be jealous of the commander? Has he been base enough to boast that I ever gave him my love?"
"No, he never said anything about you; but someway I was afraid."
She renewed her assurances. The conversation continued some time in a sentimental59 tone. A thousand oaths, a thousand protestations of love were, exchanged. Jeannin feared that the suddenness of their journey would inconvenience his mistress, and offered to put it off for some days; but to this she would not consent, and it was arranged that the next day at noon a carriage should call at the house and take Angelique out of town to an appointed place at which the treasurer was to join her.
Maitre Quennebert, eye and ear on the alert, had not lost a word of this conversation, and the last proposition of the treasurer changed his ideas.
"Pardieu!" he said to himself, "it looks as if this good man were really going to let himself be taken in and done for. It is singular how very clear-sighted we can be about things that don't touch us. This poor fly is going to let himself be caught by a very clever spider, or I'm much mistaken. Very likely my widow is quite of my opinion, and yet in what concerns herself she will remain stone-blind. Well, such is life! We have only two parts to choose between: we must be either knave60 or fool. What's Madame Rapally doing, I wonder?"
At this moment he heard a stifled61 whisper from the opposite corner of the room, but, protected by the distance and the darkness, he let the widow murmur62 on, and applied63 his eye once more to his peephole. What he saw confirmed his opinion. The damsel was springing up and down, laughing, gesticulating, and congratulating herself on her unexpected good fortune.
"Just imagine! He loves me like that!" she was saying to herself. "Poor Jeannin! When I remember how I used to hesitate. How fortunate that Commander de Jars, one of the most vain and indiscreet of men, never babbled64 about me! Yes, we must leave town to-morrow without fail. I must not give him time to be enlightened by a chance word. But the Duc de Vitry? I am really sorry for him. However, why did he go away, and send no word? And then, he's a married man. Ah! if I could only get back again to court some day!... Who would ever have expected such a thing? Good God! I must keep talking to myself, to be sure I'm not dreaming. Yes, he was there, just now, at my feet, saying to me, 'Angelique, you are going to become my wife.' One thing is sure, he may safely entrust65 his honour to my care. It would be infamous66 to betray a man who loves me as he does, who will give me his name. Never, no, never will I give him cause to reproach me! I would rather——"
A loud and confused noise on the stairs interrupted this soliloquy. At one moment bursts of laughter were heard, and the next angry voices. Then a loud exclamation67, followed by a short silence. Being alarmed at this disturbance68 in a house which was usually so quiet, Mademoiselle de Guerchi approached the door of her room, intending either to call for protection or to lock herself in, when suddenly it was violently pushed open. She recoiled69 with fright, exclaiming—
"Commander de Jars!"
"On my word!" said Quennebert behind the arras, "'tis as amusing as a play! Is the commander also going to offer to make an honest woman of her? But what do I see?"
He had just caught sight of the young man on whom de Jars had bestowed70 the title and name of Chevalier de Moranges, and whose acquaintance the reader has already made at the tavern71 in the rue1 Saint-Andre-des-Arts. His appearance had as great an effect on the notary72 as a thunderbolt. He stood motionless, trembling, breathless; his knees ready to give way beneath him; everything black before his eyes. However, he soon pulled himself together, and succeeded in overcoming the effects of his surprise and terror. He looked once more through the hole in the partition, and became so absorbed that no one in the whole world could have got a word from him just then; the devil himself might have shrieked73 into his ears unheeded, and a naked sword suspended over his head would not have induced him to change his place.
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1
rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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5
profligate
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| adj.行为不检的；n.放荡的人，浪子，肆意挥霍者 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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7
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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8
effrontery
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| n.厚颜无耻 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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10
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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11
disorders
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| n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调 | |
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12
sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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13
lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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14
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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15
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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16
temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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17
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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18
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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19
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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20
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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21
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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22
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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23
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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24
devotedly
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| 专心地； 恩爱地； 忠实地； 一心一意地 | |
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treasurer
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| n.司库，财务主管 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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27
distractions
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| n.使人分心的事[人]( distraction的名词复数 )；娱乐，消遣；心烦意乱；精神错乱 | |
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28
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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31
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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32
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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33
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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34
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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35
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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36
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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37
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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38
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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39
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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40
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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41
perfidious
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| adj.不忠的，背信弃义的 | |
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42
flouted
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| v.藐视，轻视( flout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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44
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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45
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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46
affixing
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| v.附加( affix的现在分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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47
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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48
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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49
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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50
perjury
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| n.伪证；伪证罪 | |
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51
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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52
repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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53
slandered
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| 造谣中伤( slander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
compensate
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| vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消 | |
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55
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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56
intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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57
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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58
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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59
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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60
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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61
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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62
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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63
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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64
babbled
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| v.喋喋不休( babble的过去式和过去分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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65
entrust
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| v.信赖，信托，交托 | |
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66
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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67
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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68
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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69
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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70
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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72
notary
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| n.公证人，公证员 | |
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73
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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