The secret which approaching death had wrestled1 from Marie-Anne in the fortification at the Croix d’Arcy, Mme. d’Escorval was ignorant of when she joined her entreaties2 to those of her son to induce the unfortunate girl to remain.
But the fact occasioned Maurice scarcely an uneasiness.
His faith in his mother was complete, absolute; he was sure that she would forgive when she learned the truth.
Loving and chaste3 wives and mothers are always most indulgent to those who have been led astray by the voice of passion.
Such noble women can, with impunity4, despise and brave the prejudices of hypocrites.
These reflections made Maurice feel more tranquil5 in regard to Marie-Anne’s future, and he now thought only of his father.
Day was breaking; he declared that he would assume some disguise and go to Montaignac at once.
On hearing these words, Mme. d’Escorval turned and hid her face in the sofa-cushions to stifle6 her sobs7.
She was trembling for her husband’s life, and now her son must precipitate8 himself into danger. Perhaps before the sun sank to rest, she would have neither husband nor son.
And yet she did not say “no.” She felt that Maurice was only fulfilling a sacred duty. She would have loved him less had she supposed him capable of cowardly hesitation9. She would have dried her tears, if necessary, to bid him “go.”
Moreover, what was not preferable to the agony of suspense10 which they had been enduring for hours?
Maurice had reached the door when the abbe stopped him.
“You must go to Montaignac,” said he, “but it would be folly11 to disguise yourself. You would certainly be recognized, and the saying: ‘He who conceals12 himself is guilty,’ will assuredly be applied14 to you. You must go openly, with head erect15, and you must even exaggerate the assurance of innocence16. Go straight to the Duc de Sairmeuse and the Marquis de Courtornieu. I will accompany you; we will go in the carriage.”
Maurice seemed undecided.
“Obey these counsels, my son,” said Mme. d’Escorval; “the abbe knows much better than we do what is best.”
“I will obey, mother.”
The cure had not waited for this assent17 to go and give an order for harnessing the horses. Mme. d’Escorval left the room to write a few lines to a lady friend, whose husband exerted considerable influence in Montaignac. Maurice and Marie-Anne were left alone.
It was the first moment of freedom and solitude18 which they had found since Marie-Anne’s confession19.
They stood for a moment, silent and motionless, then Maurice advanced, and clasping her in his arms, he whispered:
“Marie-Anne, my darling, my beloved, I did not know that one could love more fondly than I loved you yesterday; but now — And you — you wish for death when another precious life depends upon yours.”
She shook her head sadly.
“I was terrified,” she faltered20. “The future of shame that I saw — that I still — alas21! see before me, appalled22 me. Now I am resigned. I will uncomplainingly endure the punishment for my horrible fault — I will submit to the insults and disgrace that await me!”
“Insults, to you! Ah! woe23 to who dares! But will you not now be my wife in the sight of men, as you are in the sight of God? The failure of your father’s scheme sets you free!”
“No, no, Maurice, I am not free! Ah! it is you who are pitiless! I see only too well that you curse me, that you curse the day when we met for the first time! Confess it! Say it!”
Marie-Anne lifted her streaming eyes to his.
“Ah! I should lie if I said that. My cowardly heart has not that much courage! I suffer — I am disgraced and humiliated24, but ——”
He could not finish; he drew her to him, and their lips and their tears met in one long kiss.
“You love me,” exclaimed Maurice, “you love me in spite of all! We shall succeed. I will save your father, and mine — I will save your brother!”
The horses were neighing and stamping in the courtyard. The abbe cried: “Come, let us start.” Mme. d’Escorval entered with a letter, which she handed to Maurice.
She clasped in a long and convulsive embrace the son whom she feared she should never see again; then, summoning all her courage, she pushed him away, uttering only the single word:
“Go!”
He departed; and when the sound of the carriage-wheels had died away in the distance, Mme. d’Escorval and Marie-Anne fell upon their knees, imploring25 the mercy and aid of a just God.
They could only pray. The cure and Maurice could act.
Abbe Midon’s plan, which he explained to young d’Escorval, as the horses dashed along, was as simple as the situation was terrible.
“If, by confessing your own guilt13, you could save your father, I should tell you to deliver yourself up, and to confess the whole truth. Such would be your duty. But this sacrifice would be not only useless, but dangerous. Your confession of guilt would only implicate26 your father still more. You would be arrested, but they would not release him, and you would both be tried and convicted. Let us, then, allow — I will not say justice, for that would be blasphemy27 — but these blood-thirsty men, who call themselves judges, to pursue their course, and attribute all that you have done to your father. When the trial comes, you will prove his innocence, and produce alibis28 so incontestable, that they will be forced to acquit29 him. And I understand the people of our country so well, that I am sure not one of them will reveal our stratagem30.”
“And if we should not succeed,” asked Maurice, gloomily, “what could I do then?”
The question was so terrible that the priest dared not respond to it. He and Maurice were silent during the remainder of the drive.
They reached the city at last, and Maurice saw how wise the abbe had been in preventing him from assuming a disguise.
Armed with the most absolute power, the Duc de Sairmeuse and the Marquis de Courtornieu had closed all the gates of Montaignac save one.
Through this gate all who desired to leave or enter the city were obliged to pass, and two officers were stationed there to examine all comers and goers, to question them, and to take their name and residence.
At the name “d’Escorval,” the two officers evinced such surprise that Maurice noticed it at once.
“Ah! you know what has become of my father!” he exclaimed.
“The Baron31 d’Escorval is a prisoner, Monsieur,” replied one of the officers.
Although Maurice had expected this response, he turned pale.
“Is he wounded?” he asked, eagerly.
“He has not a scratch. But enter, sir, and pass on.”
From the anxious looks of these officers one might have supposed that they feared they should compromise themselves by conversing32 with the son of so great a criminal.
The carriage rolled beneath the gate-way; but it had not traversed two hundred yards of the Grand Rue33 before the abbe and Maurice had remarked several posters and notices affixed34 to the walls.
“We must see what this is,” they said, in a breath.
They stopped near one of these notices, before which a reader had already stationed himself; they descended35 from the carriage, and read the following order:
“article I.— The inmates36 of the house in which the elder Lacheneur
shall be found will be handed over to a military commission for
trial.
“article II.— Whoever shall deliver the body of the elder
Lacheneur, dead or alive, will receive a reward of twenty thousand
francs.”
This was signed Duc de Sairmeuse.
“God be praised!” exclaimed Maurice, “Marie-Anne’s father has escaped! He had a good horse, and in two hours ——”
A glance and a nudge of the elbow from the abbe checked him.
The abbe drew his attention to the man standing37 near them. This man was none other than Chupin.
The old scoundrel had also recognized them, for he took off his hat to the cure, and with an expression of intense covetousness38 in his eyes, he said: “Twenty thousand francs! what a sum! A man could live comfortably all his life on the interest of it.”
The abbe and Maurice shuddered39 as they re-entered their carriage.
“Lacheneur is lost if this man discovers his retreat,” murmured the priest.
“Fortunately, he must have crossed the frontier before this,” replied Maurice. “A hundred to one he is beyond reach.”
“And if you should be mistaken. What, if wounded and faint from loss of blood, Lacheneur has had only strength to drag himself to the nearest house and ask the hospitality of its inmates?”
“Oh! even in that case he is safe; I know our peasants. There is not one who is capable of selling the life of a proscribed40 man.”
The noble enthusiasm of youth drew a sad smile from the priest.
“You forget the dangers to be incurred41 by those who shelter him. Many a man who would not soil his hands with the price of blood might deliver up a fugitive42 from fear.”
They were passing through the principal street, and they were struck with the mournful aspect of the place — the little city which was ordinarily so bustling43 and gay — fear and consternation44 evidently reigned45 there. The shops were closed; the shutters46 of the houses had not been opened. A lugubrious47 silence pervaded48 the town. One might have supposed that there was general mourning, and that each family had lost one of its members.
The manner of the few persons seen upon the thoroughfare was anxious and singular. They hurried on, casting suspicious glances on every side.
Two or three who were acquaintances of the Baron d’Escorval averted49 their heads, on seeing his carriage, to avoid the necessity of bowing.
The abbe and Maurice found an explanation of this evident terror on reaching the hotel to which they had ordered the coachman to take them.
They had designated the Hotel de France, where the baron always stopped when he visited Montaignac, and whose proprietor50 was none other than Laugeron, that friend of Lacheneur, who had been the first to warn him of the arrival of the Duc de Sairmeuse.
This worthy51 man, on hearing what guests had arrived, went to the court-yard to meet them, with his white cap in his hand.
On such a day politeness was heroism52. Was he connected with the conspiracy53? It has always been supposed so.
He invited Maurice and the abbe to take some refreshments54 in a way that made them understand he was anxious to speak with them, and he conducted them to a retired55 room where he knew they would be secure from observation.
Thanks to one of the Duc de Sairmeuse’s valets de chambre who frequented the house, the host knew as much as the authorities; he knew even more, since he had also received information from the rebels who had escaped capture.
From him the abbe and Maurice received their first positive information.
In the first place, nothing had been heard of Lacheneur, or of his son Jean; thus far they had escaped the most rigorous pursuit.
In the second place, there were, at this moment, two hundred prisoners in the citadel56, and among them the Baron d’Escorval and Chanlouineau.
And lastly, since morning there had been at least sixty arrests in Montaignac.
It was generally supposed that these arrests were the work of some traitor57, and all the inhabitants were trembling with fear.
But M. Laugeron knew the real cause. It had been confided58 to him under pledge of secrecy59 by his guest, the duke’s valet de chambre.
“It is certainly an incredible story, gentlemen,” he said; “nevertheless, it is true. Two officers belonging to the Montaignac militia60, on returning from their expedition this morning at daybreak, on passing the Croix d’Arcy, found a man, clad in the uniform of the Emperor’s body-guard, lying dead in the fosse.”
Maurice shuddered.
The unfortunate man, he could not doubt, was the brave old soldier who had spoken to Lacheneur.
“Naturally,” pursued M. Laugeron, “the two officers examined the body of the dead man. Between his lips they found a paper, which they opened and read. It was a list of all the conspirators61 in the village. The brave man, knowing he was mortally wounded, endeavored to destroy this fatal list; but the agonies of death prevented him from swallowing it ——”
But the abbe and Maurice had not time to listen to the commentaries with which the hotel proprietor accompanied his recital62.
They despatched a messenger to Mme. d’Escorval and to Marie-Anne, in order to reassure63 them, and, without losing a moment, and fully64 determined65 to brave all, they went to the house occupied by the Duc de Sairmeuse.
A crowd had gathered about the door. At least a hundred persons were standing there; men with anxious faces, women in tears, soliciting66, imploring an audience.
They were the friends and relatives of the unfortunate men who had been arrested.
Two footmen, in gorgeous livery and pompous67 in bearing, had all they could do to keep back the struggling throng68.
The abbe, hoping that his priestly dress would win him a hearing, approached and gave his name. But he was repulsed69 like the others.
“Monsieur le Duc is busy, and can receive no one,” said the servant. “Monsieur le Duc is preparing his report for His Majesty70.”
And in support of this assertion, he pointed71 to the horses, standing saddled in the court-yard, and the couriers who were to bear the despatches.
The priest sadly rejoined his companions.
“We must wait!” said he.
Intentionally72 or not, the servants were deceiving these poor people. The duke, just then, was not troubling himself about despatches. A violent altercation73 was going on between the Marquis de Courtornieu and himself.
Each of these noble personages aspired74 to the leading role — the one which would be most generously rewarded, undoubtedly75. It was a conflict of ambitions and of wills.
It had begun by the exchange of a few recriminations, and it quickly reached stinging words, bitter allusions76, and at last, even threats.
The marquis declared it necessary to inflict77 the most frightful78 — he said the most salutary punishment upon the offender79; the duke, on the contrary, was inclined to be indulgent.
The marquis declared that since Lacheneur, the prime mover, and his son, had both eluded80 pursuit, it was an urgent necessity to arrest Marie-Anne.
The other declared that the arrest and imprisonment81 of this young girl would be impolitic, that such a course would render the authorities odious82, and the rebels more zealous83.
As each was firmly wedded84 to his own opinion, the discussion was heated, but they failed to convince each other.
“These rebels must be put down with a strong hand!” urged M. de Courtornieu.
“I do not wish to exasperate85 the populace,” replied the duke.
“Bah! what does public sentiment matter?”
“It matters a great deal when you cannot depend upon your soldiers. Do you know what happened last night? There was powder enough burned to win a battle; there were only fifteen peasants wounded. Our men fired in the air. You forget that the Montaignac militia is composed, for the most part, at least of men who formerly86 fought under Bonaparte, and who are burning to turn their weapons against us.”
But neither the one nor the other dared to tell the real cause of his obstinacy87.
Mlle. Blanche had been at Montaignac that morning. She had confided her anxiety and her sufferings to her father; and she made him swear that he would profit by this opportunity to rid her of Marie-Anne.
On his side, the duke, persuaded that Marie-Anne was his son’s mistress, wished, at any cost, to prevent her appearance before the tribunal. At last the marquis yielded.
The duke had said to him: “Very well! let us end this dispute,” at the same time glancing so meaningly at a pair of pistols that the worthy marquis felt a disagreeable chilliness88 creep up his spine89.
They then went together to examine the prisoners, preceded by a detachment of soldiery who drove back the crowd, which gathered again to await the duke’s return. So all day Maurice watched the aerial telegraph established upon the citadel, and whose black arms were moving incessantly90.
“What orders are travelling through space?” he said to the abbe; “is it life or is it death?”
收听单词发音 |
1
wrestled
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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stifle
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| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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conceals
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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13
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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14
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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16
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，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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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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implicate
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| vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌 | |
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blasphemy
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| n.亵渎，渎神 | |
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28
alibis
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| 某人在别处的证据( alibi的名词复数 )； 不在犯罪现场的证人； 借口； 托辞 | |
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acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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covetousness
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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proscribed
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| v.正式宣布（某事物）有危险或被禁止( proscribe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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lugubrious
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| adj.悲哀的，忧郁的 | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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50
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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51
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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52
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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53
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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54
refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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55
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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56
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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57
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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58
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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61
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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soliciting
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| v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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repulsed
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| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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intentionally
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| ad.故意地，有意地 | |
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altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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aspired
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| v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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eluded
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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81
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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84
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85
exasperate
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| v.激怒，使（疾病）加剧，使恶化 | |
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86
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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87
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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88
chilliness
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| n.寒冷，寒意，严寒 | |
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89
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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90
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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