frances waldeaux-第14部分

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〃They　must　seem　queer　to　you；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃but　they　are　inflexible　as　iron。〃

〃But　they　will　bend　for　Miss　Dunbar；　if　she　makes　up　her　mind　to　marry　your　cousin？〃she　asked；　looking　up　into　his　face　like　an　innocent　child。

〃No。　　Hugo　makes　a　serious　sacrifice　in　marrying　a　woman　of　no　birth；〃　he　said。　　〃He　must　give　up　his　place　and　title　as　head　of　the　family。　　She　will　not　be　received　at　court　nor　in　certain　houses；　she　must　always　remain　out…　side　of　much　of　his　social　life。〃

He　led　her　back　to　Miss　Vance。　　She　seemed　to　be　struck　dumb；　and　even　forgot　to　smile　when　he　bowed　low　and　thanked　her　for　the　dance。

〃Let　us　go　home；〃　she　whispered　to　Clara。　　〃The　American　girl　is　a　fool　who　marries　one　of　these　men！〃

When　Miss　Vance's　carriage　reached　her　hotel；　she　found　Prince　Hugo's　coupe　before　the　door。

〃He　has　come　to　see　Lucy；　alone！〃　she　said　indignantly；　as　she　hurried　up　the　steps。　　〃He　has　no　right　to　annoy　her！〃

She　met　him　coming　out　of　the　long　salle。　　The　little　man　walked　nervously；　fingering　his　sword　hilt。　　He　could　not　control　his　voice　when　he　tried　to　speak　naturally。

〃Yes；　gracious　lady；　I　am　guilty。　　It　was　unpardonable　to　come　when　I　knew　the　chaperone　was　gone。　　Butach！　　I　could　not　wait！〃　throwing　out　both　hands　to　her。　　〃I　have　waited　so　long！　　I　knew　when　she　did　not　come　to　meet　my　sisters　to…night　she　had　resolved　against　me；　but　I　could　not　sleep　uncertain。　　So　I　break　all　the　laws；　and　come！〃

〃You　have　seen　her；　then？　　She　has　told　you？〃

He　nodded　without　speaking。　　His　round　face　was　red；　and　something　like　tears　stood　in　his　eyes。

He　waited　irresolute　a　moment；　and　then　threw　up　his　head。

〃Soh！　　It　is　over！　　I　shall　not　whine！　　You　have　been　very　good　to　me；〃　he　said　earnestly；　taking　Clara's　hand。　　〃This　is　the　first　great　trouble　in　my　life。　　I　have　loved　her　very　dearly。　　I　decided　to　make　great　sacrifices　for　her。　　But　I　am　not　to　have　hernever。〃

〃I　am　so　sorry　for　you；　prince。〃　Clara　squeezed　his　hand　energetically。　〃Nor　her　dot。　　That　would　have　been　so　comfortable　for　me；〃　he　said　simply。

Clara　hid　a　smile；　and　bade　him　an　affectionate　good…night。

As　he　passed　into　the　outer　salle　a　childish　figure　in　creamy　lace　rose　before　him；　and　a　soft　hand　was　held　out。　　〃I　know　what　has　happened！〃　she　whispered　passionately。　　〃She　has　treated　you　scandalously！　　She　cannot　appreciate　YOU！〃

Prince　Hugo　stuttered　and　coughed　and　almost　kissed　the　little　hand　which　lay　so　trustingly　in　his。　　He　found　himself　safely　outside　at　last；　and　drove　away；　wretched　to　the　soul。

But　below　his　wretchedness　something　whispered：　　〃SHE　appreciates　me；　and　her　dot　is　quite　as　large。〃


CHAPTER　XIII

George　Waldeaux　hummed　a　tune　gayly　as　he　climbed　the　winding　maze　of　streets　in　Vannes；　one　cloudy　afternoon；　with　Lisa。

〃It　is　impertinent　to　be　modern　Americans　in　this　old　town；〃　he　said。　　〃We　might　play　that　we　were　jongleurs；　and　that　it　was　still　mediaeval　times。　　I　am　sure　the　gray　walls　yonder　and　the　fortress　houses　in　this　street　have　not　changed　in　ages。〃

〃Neither　have　the　smells；　apparently；〃　said　Lisa　grimly。　　〃Wrap　this　scarf　about　your　throat；　George。　　You　coughed　last　night。〃

George　tied　up　his　throat。　　〃Coughed；　did　I？〃　he　said　anxiously。　　He　had　had　a　cold　last　winter；　and　his　wife　with　her　poultices　and　fright　had　convinced　him　that　he　was　a　confirmed　invalid。　　The　coming　of　her　baby　had　given　to　the　woman　a　motherly　feeling　toward　all　of　the　world；　even　to　her　husband。

〃Look　at　these　women；〃　he　said；　going　on　with　his　fancy　presently。　　〃I　am　sure　that　they　were　here　wearing　these　black　gowns　and　huge　red　aprons　in　the　twelfth　century。　　What　is　this？〃　he　said；　stopping　abruptly；　to　a　boy　of　six　who　was　digging　mud　at　the　foot　of　an　ancient　ivy…covered　tower。

〃C'est　le　tour　du　Connetable；〃　the　child　lisped。　　〃Et　v'la；　monsieur！〃　pointing　to　a　filthy　pen　with　a　gate　of　black　oak；　〃v'la　le　donjon　de　Clisson！〃　〃Who　was　Clisson？〃　said　Lisa　impatiently。

〃A　live　man　to　Froissartand　to　this　boy；〃　said　George；　laughing。　　〃I　told　you　that　we　had　gone　back　seven　centuries。　　This　fog　comes　in　from　the　Morbihan　sea　where　Arthur　and　his　knights　went　sailing　to　find　the　Holy　Greal。　　They　have　not　come　back。　　And　south　yonder　is　the　country　of　the　Druids。　　I　will　take　you　to…morrow　and　show　you　twenty　thousand　of　their　menhirs；　and　then　we　will　sail　away　to　an　island　where　there　is　an　altar　that　the　serpent　worshippers　built　ages　before　Christ。〃


Lisa　laughed。　　He　was　not　often　in　this　playful　mood。　　She　panted　as　she　toiled　up　the　dark　little　street；　a　step　behind　him；　but　he　did　not　think　of　giving　her　his　arm。　　He　had　grown　accustomed　to　regard　himself　as　the　invalid　now；　and　the　one　who　needed　care。

〃I　am　going　for　letters；〃　he　called　back；　diving　into　a　dingy　alley。　　The　baby　and　its　bonne　were　near　Lisa。　　The　child　never　was　out　of　her　sight　for；　a　moment。　　She　waited；　standing　a　little　apart　from　Colette　to　watch　whether　the　passers…by　would　notice　the　baby。　　When　one　or　two　of　the　gloomy　and　stolid　women　who　hurried　past　in　their　wooden　sabots　clicked　their　fingers　to　it；　she　could　not　help　smiling　gayly　and　bidding　them　good…day。

The　fog　was　stifling。　　As　she　waited　she　gave　a　tired　gasp。　　Colette　ran　to　her。　〃Madame　is　going　to　be　ill！〃

〃No；　no！　　Don't　frighten　monsieur。〃

George　came　out　of　the　gate　at　the　moment。

〃Going　to　faint　again；　Lisa？〃　he　said；　with　an　annoyed　glance　around　the　street。　　〃Your　attacks　do　choose　the　most　malapropos　times〃

〃Oh；　dear　no；　George！　　I　am　quite　well　quite。〃　　She　walked　beside　him　with　an　airy　step；　laughing　gayly　now　and　then；　but　George's　frown　deepened。

〃I　don't　understand　these　seizures　at　all；〃　he　said。　　〃You　seem　to　be　in　sound　physical　condition。〃

〃Oh；　all　women　have　queer　turns；　George。〃

〃Did　you　consult　D'Abri；　as　I　told　you　to　do；　in　Paris？〃

〃Yes；　yes！　　Now　let　us　talk　no　more　about　it。　　I　have　had　thesesymptoms　since　I　was　a　child。〃

〃You　never　told　me　of　them　before　we　were　married；〃　he　muttered。

Lisa　scowled　darkly　at　him；　but　she　glanced　at　the　baby　and　her　mouth　closed。　　Little　Jacques　should　never　hear　her　rage　nor　swear。

From　an　overhanging　gable　at　the　street　corner　looked　down　a　roughly　hewn　stone　Madonna。　　The　arms　of　the　Holy　Child　were　outstretched　to　bless。　　Lisa　paused　before　it；　crossing　herself。　　A　strange　joy　filled　her　heart。

〃I　too　am　a　mother！　　I　too！〃　she　said。　　She　hurried　after　George　and　clung　to　his　arm　as　they　went　home。

〃Was　there　any　letter？〃　she　asked。

〃Only　one　from　MunichMiss　Vance。　　I　haven't　opened　it。〃

〃I　thought　your　mother　would　write。　　She　must　have　heard　about　the　boy！〃

George's　face　grew　dark。　　〃No；　she'll　not　write。　　Nor　come。〃

〃You　wish　for　her　every　day；　George？〃　　She　looked　at　him　wistfully。

〃Yes；　I　do。　　She　and　I　were　comrades　to　a　queer　degree。　　I　long　for　something　hearty　and　homelike　again。　　See　here；　Lisa。　　I'm　going　home　before　my　boy　begins　to　talk。　　I　mean　he　shall　grow　up　under　wholesome　American　influencesnot　foreign。〃

〃Not　foreign；〃　she　repeated　gravely。　　She　was　silent　a　while。　　〃I　have　thought　much　of　it　all　lately；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃It　will　be　wholesome　for　Jacques　on　your　farm。　　Horsesdogs　　Your　mother　will　love　him。　　She　can't　help　it。　　SheI　acted　like　a　beast　to　that　woman；　George。　　I'll　say　that。　　She　hit　me　hard。　　But　she　has　good　traits。　　She　is　not　unlike　my　own　mother。〃

George　said　nothing。　　God　forbid　that　he　should　tell　her；　even　by　a　look；　that　she　and　her　mother　were　of　a　caste　different　from　his　own。

But　he　was　bored　to　the　soul　by　the　difference；　he　was　tired　of　her　ignorances；　which　she　showed　every　minute；　of　her　ghastly；　unclean　knowledgeswhich　she　never　showed。

They　came　into　the　courtyard　of　the　Chateau　de　la　Motte；　the　ancient　castle　of　the　Breton　dukes；　which　is　now　an　inn。　　The　red　sunset　flamed　up　behind　the　sad　little　town　and　its　gray　old　houses　and　spires　massed　on　the　hill；　and　the　black　river　creeping　by。　　George's　eyes　kindled　at　the　sombre　picture。

〃In　this　very　court；〃　he　said；　〃Constance　stood　when　she　summoned　the　States　of　Brittany　to　save　her　boy　Arthur　from　King　John。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　have　read　of　it　to　me　in　your　Shakespeare。　　It　is　one　of　his　unpleasant　stories。　　Come；　Bebe。　　It　grows　damp。〃

As　she　climbed　the　stone　stairway　with　the　child；　Colette　lingered　to　gossip　with　the　portier。　　〃Poor　lady！　　You　will　adore　her！　　She　is　one　of　us。　　But　she　makes　of　that　bete　Anglais　and　the　ugly　child；　saints　and　gods！〃

When　George　presently　came　up　to　their　bare　little　room；　Lisa　was　singing　softly；　as　she　rocked　Jacques　to　sleep。

〃Can't　you　sing　the　boy　something　a　bit　more　cheerful？〃　he　said。　　〃You　used　to　know　some　jolly　catches　from　the　music　halls。〃

〃Catches　for　HIM？〃　with　a　frightened　look　at　the　child's　shut　eyes。

〃The　‘Adeste　Fideles'　is　moral；　but　it　is　not　a　merry　air。　　You　sing　it　morning；　noon；　and　night；〃　he　grumbled。

〃Yes；〃　she　whispered；　laying　the　child　in　its　crib。　　〃One　never　knows　how　much　HE　understands；　and　he　may　remember；　I　thought。　　Some　day　when　he　is　a　great　boy；　he　may　hear　it　and　he'll　think；　‘My　mother　sang　that　hymn。　　She　must　have　been　a　good　woman！'〃

〃Nonsense；　Lisa；〃　said　George　kindly。　　〃You'll　teach　him　every　day；　while　he　is　growing　to　be　a　great　boy；　that　you　are　a　good　woman。〃

She　said　nothing；　but　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　crib　looking　at　him。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　said　George　uneasily。　〃You　look　at　me　as　if　somebody　were　dragging　you　away　from　me。〃

She　laughed。　　〃What　ridiculous　fancies　you　have！〃　　She　came　behind　him　and；　drawing　his　head　back；　kissed　him　on　the　forehead。　　〃Oh；　you　poor；　foolish　boy！〃　she　said。

Lisa　sat　down　to　her　work；　which　was　the　making　of　garments　for　Jacques　out　of　her　own　gowns。　　She　was　an　expert　needlewoman；　and　had　already　a　pile　of　fantastic　kilts　of　cloth　and　velvet。

〃Enough　to　last　until　he　is　ten　years　old；〃　George　said　contemptuously。　　〃And　you　will　not　leave　a　gown　for　yourself。〃

〃There　will　be　all　I　shall　need；〃　she　said。

He　turned　up　the　lamp　and　opened　Clara's　letter。

Lisa's　needle　flew　through　the　red　and　yellow　silk。　　It　was　pleasant　work；　she　was　doing　it　skilfully。　　The　fire　warmed　her　thin　blood。　　She　could　hea