MEANS FOR CLASSICAL TRAGEDY
After a moment of silence employed by Milady in observing the young man who listened to her, Milady continued her recital1.
"It was nearly three days since I had eaten or drunk anything. I suffered frightful2 torments3. At times there passed before me clouds which pressed my brow, which veiled my eyes; this was delirium4.
"When the evening came I was so weak that every time I fainted I thanked God, for I thought I was about to die.
"In the midst of one of these swoons I heard the door open. Terror recalled me to myself.
"He entered the apartment followed by a man in a mask. He was masked likewise; but I knew his step, I knew his voice, I knew him by that imposing5 bearing which hell has bestowed6 upon his person for the curse of humanity.
"'Well,' said he to me, 'have you made your mind up to take the oath I requested of you?'
"'You have said Puritans have but one word. Mine you have heard, and that is to pursue you--on earth to the tribunal of men, in heaven to the tribunal of God.'
"'You persist, then?'
"'I swear it before the God who hears me. I will take the whole world as a witness of your crime, and that until I have found an avenger7.'
"'You are a prostitute,' said he, in a voice of thunder, 'and you shall undergo the punishment of prostitutes! Branded in the eyes of the world you invoke8, try to prove to that world that you are neither guilty nor mad!'
"Then, addressing the man who accompanied him, 'Executioner,' said he, 'do your duty.'"
"Oh, his name, his name!" cried Felton. "His name, tell it me!"
"Then in spite of my cries, in spite of my resistance--for I began to comprehend that there was a question of something worse than death--the executioner seized me, threw me on the floor, fastened me with his bonds, and suffocated9 by sobs10, almost without sense, invoking11 God, who did not listen to me, I uttered all at once a frightful cry of pain and shame. A burning fire, a red-hot iron, the iron of the executioner, was imprinted12 on my shoulder."
"Here," said Milady, rising with the majesty14 of a queen, "here, Felton, behold15 the new martyrdom invented for a pure young girl, the victim of the brutality16 of a villain17. Learn to know the heart of men, and henceforth make yourself less easily the instrument of their unjust vengeance18."
Milady, with a rapid gesture, opened her robe, tore the cambric that covered her bosom19, and red with feigned20 anger and simulated shame, showed the young man the ineffaceable impression which dishonored that beautiful shoulder.
"But," cried Felton, "that is a FLEUR-DE-LIS which I see there."
"And therein consisted the infamy," replied Milady. "The brand of England!--it would be necessary to prove what tribunal had imposed it on me, and I could have made a public appeal to all the tribunals of the kingdom; but the brand of France!--oh, by that, by THAT I was branded indeed!"
This was too much for Felton.
Pale, motionless, overwhelmed by this frightful revelation, dazzled by the superhuman beauty of this woman who unveiled herself before him with an immodesty which appeared to him sublime21, he ended by falling on his knees before her as the early Christians22 did before those pure and holy martyrs23 whom the persecution24 of the emperors gave up in the circus to the sanguinary sensuality of the populace. The brand disappeared; the beauty alone remained.
"Pardon! Pardon!" cried Felton, "oh, pardon!"
Milady read in his eyes LOVE! LOVE!
"Pardon for what?" asked she.
"Pardon me for having joined with your persecutors."
Milady held out her hand to him.
"So beautiful! so young!" cried Felton, covering that hand with his kisses.
Milady let one of those looks fall upon him which make a slave of a king.
Felton was a Puritan; he abandoned the hand of this woman to kiss her feet.
He no longer loved her; he adored her.
When this crisis was past, when Milady appeared to have resumed her self-possession, which she had never lost; when Felton had seen her recover with the veil of chastity those treasures of love which were only concealed26 from him to make him desire them the more ardently27, he said, "Ah, now! I have only one thing to ask of you; that is, the name of your true executioner. For to me there is but one; the other was an instrument, that was all."
"What, brother!" cried Milady, "must I name him again? Have you not yet divined who he is?"
"What?" cried Felton, "he--again he--always he? What--the truly guilty?"
"The truly guilty," said Milady, "is the ravager28 of England, the persecutor25 of true believers, the base ravisher of the honor of so many women--he who, to satisfy a caprice of his corrupt29 heart, is about to make England shed so much blood, who protects the Protestants today and will betray them tomorrow--"
"Buckingham! It is, then, Buckingham!" cried Felton, in a high state of excitement.
Milady concealed her face in her hands, as if she could not endure the shame which this name recalled to her.
"Buckingham, the executioner of this angelic creature!" cried Felton. "And thou hast not hurled30 thy thunder at him, my God! And thou hast left him noble, honored, powerful, for the ruin of us all!"
"God abandons him who abandons himself," said Milady.
"But he will draw upon his head the punishment reserved for the damned!" said Felton, with increasing exultation31. "He wills that human vengeance should precede celestial32 justice."
"Men fear him and spare him."
"I," said Felton, "I do not fear him, nor will I spare him."
The soul of Milady was bathed in an infernal joy.
"But how can Lord de Winter, my protector, my father," asked Felton, "possibly be mixed up with all this?"
"Listen, Felton," resumed Milady, "for by the side of base and contemptible33 men there are often found great and generous natures. I had an affianced husband, a man whom I loved, and who loved me--a heart like yours, Felton, a man like you. I went to him and told him all; he knew me, that man did, and did not doubt an instant. He was a nobleman, a man equal to Buckingham in every respect. He said nothing; he only girded on his sword, wrapped himself in his cloak, and went straight to Buckingham Palace.
"Yes, yes," said Felton; "I understand how he would act. But with such men it is not the sword that should be employed; it is the poniard."
"Buckingham had left England the day before, sent as ambassador to Spain, to demand the hand of the Infanta for King Charles I, who was then only Prince of Wales. My affianced husband returned.
"'Hear me,' said he; 'this man has gone, and for the moment has consequently escaped my vengeance; but let us be united, as we were to have been, and then leave it to Lord de Winter to maintain his own honor and that of his wife.'"
"Lord de Winter!" cried Felton.
"Yes," said Milady, "Lord de Winter; and now you can understand it all, can you not? Buckingham remained nearly a year absent. A week before his return Lord de Winter died, leaving me his sole heir. Whence came the blow? God who knows all, knows without doubt; but as for me, I accuse nobody."
"Oh, what an abyss; what an abyss!" cried Felton.
"Lord de Winter died without revealing anything to his brother. The terrible secret was to be concealed till it burst, like a clap of thunder, over the head of the guilty. Your protector had seen with pain this marriage of his elder brother with a portionless girl. I was sensible that I could look for no support from a man disappointed in his hopes of an inheritance. I went to France, with a determination to remain there for the rest of my life. But all my fortune is in England. Communication being closed by the war, I was in want of everything. I was then obliged to come back again. Six days ago, I landed at Portsmouth."
"Well?" said Felton.
"Well; Buckingham heard by some means, no doubt, of my return. He spoke34 of me to Lord de Winter, already prejudiced against me, and told him that his sister-in-law was a prostitute, a branded woman. The noble and pure voice of my husband was no longer here to defend me. Lord de Winter believed all that was told him with so much the more ease that it was his interest to believe it. He caused me to be arrested, had me conducted hither, and placed me under your guard. You know the rest. The day after tomorrow he banishes35 me, he transports me; the day after tomorrow he exiles me among the infamous36. Oh, the train is well laid; the plot is clever. My honor will not survive it! You see, then, Felton, I can do nothing but die. Felton, give me that knife!"
And at these words, as if all her strength was exhausted37, Milady sank, weak and languishing38, into the arms of the young officer, who, intoxicated39 with love, anger, and voluptuous40 sensations hitherto unknown, received her with transport, pressed her against his heart, all trembling at the breath from that charming mouth, bewildered by the contact with that palpitating bosom.
"No, no," said he. "No, you shall live honored and pure; you shall live to triumph over your enemies."
Milady put him from her slowly with her hand, while drawing him nearer with her look; but Felton, in his turn, embraced her more closely, imploring41 her like a divinity.
"Oh, death, death!" said she, lowering her voice and her eyelids42, "oh, death, rather than shame! Felton, my brother, my friend, I conjure43 you!"
"No," cried Felton, "no; you shall live and you shall be avenged44."
"Felton, I bring misfortune to all who surround me! Felton, abandon me! Felton, let me die!"
"Well, then, we will live and die together!" cried he, pressing his lips to those of the prisoner.
Several strokes resounded45 on the door; this time Milady really pushed him away from her.
"Hark," said she, "we have been overheard! Someone is coming! All is over! We are lost!"
"No," said Felton; it is only the sentinel warning me that they are about to change the guard."
"Then run to the door, and open it yourself."
Felton obeyed; this woman was now his whole thought, his whole soul.
He found himself face to face with a sergeant46 commanding a watch- patrol.
"Well, what is the matter?" asked the young lieutenant47.
"You told me to open the door if I heard anyone cry out," said the soldier; "but you forgot to leave me the key. I heard you cry out, without understanding what you said. I tried to open the door, but it was locked inside; then I called the sergeant."
"And here I am," said the sergeant.
Felton, quite bewildered, almost mad, stood speechless.
Milady plainly perceived that it was now her turn to take part in the scene. She ran to the table, and seizing the knife which Felton had laid down, exclaimed, "And by what right will you prevent me from dying?"
"Great God!" exclaimed Felton, on seeing the knife glitter in her hand.
At that moment a burst of ironical48 laughter resounded through the corridor. The baron49, attracted by the noise, in his chamber50 gown, his sword under his arm, stood in the doorway51.
"Ah," said he, "here we are, at the last act of the tragedy. You see, Felton, the drama has gone through all the phases I named; but be easy, no blood will flow."
Milady perceived that all was lost unless she gave Felton an immediate52 and terrible proof of her courage.
"You are mistaken, my Lord, blood will flow; and may that blood fall back on those who cause it to flow!"
Felton uttered a cry, and rushed toward her. He was too late; Milady had stabbed herself.
But the knife had fortunately, we ought to say skillfully, come in contact with the steel busk, which at that period, like a cuirass, defended the chests of women. It had glided53 down it, tearing the robe, and had penetrated54 slantingly between the flesh and the ribs55. Milady's robe was not the less stained with blood in a second.
Milady fell down, and seemed to be in a swoon.
Felton snatched away the knife.
"See, my Lord," said he, in a deep, gloomy tone, "here is a woman who was under my guard, and who has killed herself!"
"Be at ease, Felton," said Lord de Winter. "She is not dead; demons56 do not die so easily. Be tranquil57, and go wait for me in my chamber."
"But, my Lord--"
"Go, sir, I command you!"
At this injunction from his superior, Felton obeyed; but in going out, he put the knife into his bosom.
As to Lord de Winter, he contented58 himself with calling the woman who waited on Milady, and when she was come, he recommended the prisoner, who was still fainting, to her care, and left them alone.
Meanwhile, all things considered and notwithstanding his suspicions, as the wound might be serious, he immediately sent off a mounted man to find a physician.
收听单词发音 |
1
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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avenger
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| n. 复仇者 | |
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invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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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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invoking
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| v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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12
imprinted
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| v.盖印（imprint的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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14
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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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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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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persecutor
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| n. 迫害者 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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ravager
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| 破坏者 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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30
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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31
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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34
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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35
banishes
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的第三人称单数 ) | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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languishing
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| a. 衰弱下去的 | |
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intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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40
voluptuous
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| adj.肉欲的，骄奢淫逸的 | |
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41
imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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42
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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43
conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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44
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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45
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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46
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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47
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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48
ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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49
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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50
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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51
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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52
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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53
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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54
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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55
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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56
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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57
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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58
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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