the girl with the golden eyes-第15部分

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you。　If　you　would　choose　a　retreat　worthy　of　us；　Asia　is　the　only
country　where　love　can　unfold　his　wings。　。　。　。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　answered　Henri。　〃Let　us　go　to　the　Indies；　there　where
spring　is　eternal；　where　the　earth　grows　only　flowers；　where　man　can
display　the　magnificence　of　kings　and　none　shall　say　him　nay；　as　in
the　foolish　lands　where　they　would　realize　the　dull　chimera　of
equality。　Let　us　go　to　the　country　where　one　lives　in　the　midst　of　a
nation　of　slaves；　where　the　sun　shines　ever　on　a　palace　which　is
always　white；　where　the　air　sheds　perfumes；　the　birds　sing　of　love　and
where；　when　one　can　love　no　more；　one　dies。　。　。　。〃

〃And　where　one　dies　together！〃　said　Paquita。　〃But　do　not　let　us　start
to…morrow；　let　us　start　this　moment　。　。　。　take　Cristemio。〃

〃Faith！　pleasure　is　the　fairest　climax　of　life。　Let　us　go　to　Asia；　but
to　start；　my　child；　one　needs　much　gold；　and　to　have　gold　one　must　set
one's　affairs　in　order。〃

She　understood　no　part　of　these　ideas。

〃Gold！　There　is　a　pile　of　it　hereas　high　as　that；〃　she　said　holding
up　her　hand。

〃It　is　not　mine。〃

〃What　does　that　matter？〃　she　went　on；　〃if　we　have　need　of　it　let　us
take　it。〃

〃It　does　not　belong　to　you。〃

〃Belong！〃　she　repeated。　〃Have　you　not　taken　me？　When　we　have　taken　it；
it　will　belong　to　us。〃

He　gave　a　laugh。

〃Poor　innocent！　You　know　nothing　of　the　world。〃

〃Nay；　but　this　is　what　I　know；〃　she　cried；　clasping　Henri　to　her。

At　the　very　moment　when　De　Marsay　was　forgetting　all；　and　conceiving
the　desire　to　appropriate　this　creature　forever；　he　received　in　the
midst　of　his　joy　a　dagger…thrust；　which　Paquita；　who　had　lifted　him
vigorously　in　the　air；　as　though　to　contemplate　him；　exclaimed：　〃Oh；
Margarita！〃

〃Margarita！〃　cried　the　young　man；　with　a　roar；　〃now　I　know　all　that　I
still　tried　to　disbelieve。〃

He　leaped　upon　the　cabinet　in　which　the　long　poniard　was　kept。　Happily
for　Paquita　and　for　himself；　the　cupboard　was　shut。　His　fury　waxed　at
this　impediment；　but　he　recovered　his　tranquillity；　went　and　found　his
cravat；　and　advanced　towards　her　with　an　air　of　such　ferocious　meaning
that；　without　knowing　of　what　crime　she　had　been　guilty；　Paquita
understood；　none　the　less；　that　her　life　was　in　question。　With　one
bound　she　rushed　to　the　other　end　of　the　room　to　escape　the　fatal　knot
which　De　Marsay　tried　to　pass　round　her　neck。　There　was　a　struggle。　On
either　side　there　was　an　equality　of　strength；　agility；　and
suppleness。　To　end　the　combat　Paquita　threw　between　the　legs　of　her
lover　a　cushion　which　made　him　fall；　and　profited　by　the　respite　which
this　advantage　gave　to　her；　to　push　the　button　of　the　spring　which
caused　the　bell　to　ring。　Promptly　the　mulatto　arrived。　In　a　second
Cristemio　leaped　on　De　Marsay　and　held　him　down　with　one　foot　on　his
chest；　his　heel　turned　towards　the　throat。　De　Marsay　realized　that；　if
he　struggled；　at　a　single　sign　from　Paquita　he　would　be　instantly
crushed。

〃Why　did　you　want　to　kill　me；　my　beloved？〃　she　said。　De　Marsay　made　no
reply。

〃In　what　have　I　angered　you？〃　she　asked。　〃Speak；　let　us　understand
each　other。〃

Henri　maintained　the　phlegmatic　attitude　of　a　strong　man　who　feels
himself　vanquished；　his　countenance；　cold；　silent；　entirely　English；
revealed　the　consciousness　of　his　dignity　in　a　momentary　resignation。
Moreover；　he　had　already　thought；　in　spite　of　the　vehemence　of　his
anger；　that　it　was　scarcely　prudent　to　compromise　himself　with　the　law
by　killing　this　girl　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　before　he　had　arranged
the　murder　in　such　a　manner　as　should　insure　his　impunity。

〃My　beloved；〃　went　on　Paquita；　〃speak　to　me；　do　not　leave　me　without
one　loving　farewell！　I　would　not　keep　in　my　heart　the　terror　which　you
have　just　inspired　in　it。　。　。　。　Will　you　speak？〃　she　said；　stamping
her　foot　with　anger。

De　Marsay；　for　all　reply；　gave　her　a　glance；　which　signified　so
plainly；　〃/You　must　die！/〃　that　Paquita　threw　herself　upon　him。

〃Ah；　well；　you　want　to　kill　me！　。　。　。　If　my　death　can　give　you　any
pleasurekill　me！〃

She　made　a　sign　to　Cristemio；　who　withdrew　his　foot　from　the　body　of
the　young　man；　and　retired　without　letting　his　face　show　that　he　had
formed　any　opinion；　good　or　bad；　with　regard　to　Paquita。

〃That　is　a　man；〃　said　De　Marsay；　pointing　to　the　mulatto；　with　a
sombre　gesture。　〃There　is　no　devotion　like　the　devotion　which　obeys　in
friendship；　and　does　not　stop　to　weigh　motives。　In　that　man　you
possess　a　true　friend。〃

〃I　will　give　him　you；　if　you　like；〃　she　answered；　〃he　will　serve　you
with　the　same　devotion　that　he　has　for　me；　if　I　so　instruct　him。〃

She　waited　for　a　word　of　recognition；　and　went　on　with　an　accent
replete　with　tenderness：

〃Adolphe；　give　me　then　one　kind　word！　。　。　。　It　is　nearly　day。〃

Henri　did　not　answer。　The　young　man　had　one　sorry　quality；　for　one
considers　as　something　great　everything　which　resembles　strength；　and
often　men　invent　extravagances。　Henri　knew　not　how　to　pardon。　That
/returning　upon　itself/　which　is　one　of　the　soul's　graces；　was　a　non…
existent　sense　for　him。　The　ferocity　of　the　Northern　man；　with　which
the　English　blood　is　deeply　tainted；　had　been　transmitted　to　him　by
his　father。　He　was　inexorable　both　in　his　good　and　evil　impulses。
Paquita's　exclamation　had　been　all　the　more　horrible　to　him；　in　that
it　had　dethroned　him　from　the　sweetest　triumph　which　had　ever
flattered　his　man's　vanity。　Hope；　love；　and　every　emotion　had　been
exalted　with　him；　all　had　lit　up　within　his　heart　and　his
intelligence；　then　these　torches　illuminating　his　life　had　been
extinguished　by　a　cold　wind。　Paquita；　in　her　stupefaction　of　grief；
had　only　strength　enough　to　give　the　signal　for　departure。

〃What　is　the　use　of　that！〃　she　said；　throwing　away　the　bandage。　〃If　he
does　not　love　me；　if　he　hates　me；　it　is　all　over。〃

She　waited　for　one　look；　did　not　obtain　it；　and　fell；　half　dead。　The
mulatto　cast　a　glance　at　Henri；　so　horribly　significant；　that；　for　the
first　time　in　his　life；　the　young　man；　to　whom　no　one　denied　the　gift
of　rare　courage；　trembled。　〃/If　you　do　not　love　her　well；　if　you　give
her　the　least　pain；　I　will　kill　you/。〃　such　was　the　sense　of　that
brief　gaze。　De　Marsay　was　escorted；　with　a　care　almost　obsequious；
along　the　dimly　lit　corridor；　at　the　end　of　which　he　issued　by　a
secret　door　into　the　garden　of　the　Hotel　San…Real。　The　mulatto　made
him　walk　cautiously　through　an　avenue　of　lime　trees；　which　led　to　a
little　gate　opening　upon　a　street　which　was　at　that　hour　deserted。　De
Marsay　took　a　keen　notice　of　everything。　The　carriage　awaited　him。
This　time　the　mulatto　did　not　accompany　him；　and　at　the　moment　when
Henri　put　his　head　out　of　the　window　to　look　once　more　at　the　gardens
of　the　hotel；　he　encountered　the　white　eyes　of　Cristemio；　with　whom　he
exchanged　a　glance。　On　either　side　there　was　a　provocation；　a
challenge；　the　declaration　of　a　savage　war；　of　a　duel　in　which
ordinary　laws　were　invalid；　where　treason　and　treachery　were　admitted
means。　Cristemio　knew　that　Henri　had　sworn　Paquita's　death。　Henri　knew
that　Cristemio　would　like　to　kill　him　before　he　killed　Paquita。　Both
understood　each　other　to　perfection。

〃The　adventure　is　growing　complicated　in　a　most　interesting　way；〃　said
Henri。

〃Where　is　the　gentleman　going　to？〃　asked　the　coachman。

De　Marsay　was　driven　to　the　house　of　Paul　de　Manerville。　For　more　than
a　week　Henri　was　away　from　home；　and　no　one　could　discover　either　what
he　did　during　this　period；　nor　where　he　stayed。　This　retreat　saved　him
from　the　fury　of　the　mulatto　and　caused　the　ruin　of　the　charming
creature　who　had　placed　all　her　hope　in　him　whom　she　loved　as　never
human　heart　had　loved　on　this　earth　before。　On　the　last　day　of　the
week；　about　eleven　o'clock　at　night；　Henri　drove　up　in　a　carriage　to
the　little　gate　in　the　garden　of　the　Hotel　San…Real。　Four　men
accompanied　him。　The　driver　was　evidently　one　of　his　friends；　for　he
stood　up　on　his　box；　like　a　man　who　was　to　listen；　an　attentive
sentinel；　for　the　least　sound。　One　of　the　other　three　took　his　stand
outside　the　gate　in　the　street；　the　second　waited　in　the　garden；
leaning　against　the　wall；　the　last；　who　carried　in　his　hand　a　bunch　of
keys；　accompanied　De　Marsay。

〃Henri；〃　said　his　companion　to　him；　〃we　are　betrayed。〃

〃By　whom；　my　good　Ferragus？〃

〃They　are　not　all　asleep；〃　replied　the　chief　of　the　Devourers；　〃it　is
absolutely　certain　that　some　one　in　the　house　has　neither　eaten　nor
drunk。　。　。　。　Look！　see　that　light！〃

〃We　have　a　plan　of　the　house；　from　where　does　it　come？〃

〃I　need　no　plan　to　know；〃　replied　Ferragus；　〃it　comes　from　the　room　of
the　Marquise。〃

〃Ah；〃　cried　De　Marsay；　〃no　doubt　she　arrived　from　London　to…day。　The
woman　has　robbed　me　even　of　my　revenge！　But　if　she　has　anticipated　me；
my　good　Gratien；　we　will　give　her　up　to　the　law。〃

〃Listen；　listen！　。　。　。　The　thing　is　settled；〃　said　Ferragus　to　Henri。

The　two　friends　listened　intently；　and　heard　some　feeble　cries　which
might　have　aroused　pity　in　the　breast　of　a　tiger。

〃Your　marquise　did　not　think　the　sound　would　escape　by　the　chimney；〃
said　the　chief　of　the　Devourers；　with　the　laugh　of　a　critic；　enchanted
to　detect　a　fault　in　a　work　of　merit。

〃We　alone；　we　know　how　to　provide　for　every　contingency；〃　said　Henri。
〃Wait　for　me。　I　want　to　see　what　is　going　on　upstairsI　want　to　know
how　their　domestic　quarrels　are　managed。　By　God！　I　believe　she　is
roasting　her　at　a　slow　fire。〃

De　Marsay　lightly　scaled　the　stairs；　with　which　he　was　familiar；　and
recognized　the　passage　leading　to　the　boudoir。　When　he　opened　the　door
he　experienced　the　involuntary　shudder　which　the　sight　of　bloodshed
gives　to　the　most　determined　of　men。　The　spectacle　which　was　offered
to　his　view　was；　moreover；　in　more　than　one　respect　astonishing　to
him。　The　Marquise　was　a　woman；　she　had　calculated　her　vengeance　with
that　perfection　of　perfidy　which　distinguishes　the　weaker　animals。　She
had　dissimulated　her　anger　in　order　to　assure　herself　of　the　crime
before　she　punished　it。

〃Too　late；　my　beloved！〃　said　Paquita；　in　her　death　agony；　casting　her
pale　eyes　upon　De　Marsay。

The　girl　of　the　golden　eyes　expired　in　a　bath　of　blood。　The　great
illumination　of　candles；　a　delicate　perfume　which　was　p