la mere bauche-第5部分

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he　also　ascended　to　the　grotto。

Marie　had　watched　him　from　the　top；　but　so　that　she　herself　should
not　be　seen。　　He　however　had　not　once　lifted　up　his　head　to　look　for
her；　but　with　eyes　turned　to　the　ground　had　plodded　his　way　up　to　the
cave。　　When　he　entered　she　was　standing　in　the　middle；　with　her　eyes
downcast　and　her　hands　clasped　before　her。　　She　had　retired　some　way
from　the　wall；　so　that　no　eyes　might　possibly　see　her　but　those　of
her　false　lover。　　There　she　stood　when　he　entered；　striving　to　stand
motionless；　but　trembling　like　a　leaf　in　every　limb。

It　was　only　when　he　reached　the　top　step　that　he　made　up　his　mind　how
he　would　behave。　　Perhaps　after　all；　the　capitaine　was　right；　perhaps
she　would　not　mind　it。

〃Marie；〃　said　he；　with　a　voice　that　attempted　to　be　cheerful；　〃this
is　an　odd　place　to　meet　in　after　such　a　long　absence；〃　and　he　held
out　his　hand　to　her。　　But　only　his　hand！　　He　offered　her　no　salute。
He　did　not　even　kiss　her　cheek　as　a　brother　would　have　done！　　Of　the
rules　of　the　outside　world　it　must　be　remembered　that　poor　Marie　knew
but　little。　　He　had　been　a　brother　to　her　before　he　had　become　her
lover。

But　Marie　took　his　hand　saying；　〃Yes；　it　has　been　very　long。〃

〃And　now　that　I　have　come　back；〃　he　went　on　to　say；　〃it　seems　that　we
are　all　in　a　confusion　together。　　I　never　knew　such　a　piece　of　work。
However；　it　is　all　for　the　best；　I　suppose。〃

〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　Marie；　still　trembling　violently；　and　still
looking　upon　the　ground。　　And　then　there　was　silence　between　them　for
a　minute　or　so。

〃I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Marie；〃　said　Adolphe　at　last；　dropping　her
hand　and　making　a　great　effort　to　get　through　the　work　before　him。
〃I　am　afraid　we　two　have　been　very　foolish。　　Don't　you　think　we　have
now？　　It　seems　quite　clear　that　we　can　never　get　ourselves　married。
Don't　you　see　it　in　that　light？〃

Marie's　head　turned　round　and　round　with　her；　but　she　was　not　of　the
fainting　order。　　She　took　three　steps　backwards　and　leant　against　the
wall　of　the　cave。　　She　also　was　trying　to　think　how　she　might　best
fight　her　battle。　　Was　there　no　chance　for　her？　　Could　no　eloquence；
no　love　prevail？　　On　her　own　beauty　she　counted　but　little；　but　might
not　prayers　do　something；　and　a　reference　to　those　old　vows　which　had
been　so　frequent；　so　eager；　so　solemnly　pledged　between　them？

〃Never　get　ourselves　married！〃　she　said；　repeating　his　words。
〃Never；　Adolphe？　　Can　we　never　be　married？〃

〃Upon　my　word；　my　dear　girl；　I　fear　not。　　You　see　my　mother　is　so
dead　against　it。〃

〃But　we　could　wait；　could　we　not？〃

〃Ah；　but　that's　just　it；　Marie。　　We　cannot　wait。　　We　must　decide
now；to…day。　　You　see　I　can　do　nothing　without　money　from　herand
as　for　you；　you　see　she　won't　even　let　you　stay　in　the　house　unless
you　marry　old　Campan　at　once。　　He's　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow
though；　old　as　he　is。　　And　if　you　do　marry　him；　why　you　see　you'll
stay　here；　and　have　it　all　your　own　way　in　everything。　　As　for　me；　I
shall　come　and　see　you　all　from　time　to　time；　and　shall　be　able　to
push　my　way　as　I　ought　to　do。〃

〃Then；　Adolphe；　you　wish　me　to　marry　the　capitaine？〃

〃Upon　my　honour　I　think　it　is　the　best　thing　you　can　do；　I　do
indeed。〃

〃Oh；　Adolphe！〃

〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　you　know？　　Suppose　I　was　to　go　down　to　my
mother　and　tell　her　that　I　had　decided　to　keep　you　myself；　what　would
come　of　it？　　Look　at　it　in　that　light；　Marie。〃

〃She　could　not　turn　you　outyou　her　own　son！〃

〃But　she　would　turn　you　out；　and　deuced　quick；　too；　I　can　assure　you
of　that；　I　can；　upon　my　honour。〃

〃I　should　not　care　that；〃　and　she　made　a　motion　with　her　hand　to　show
how　indifferent　she　would　be　to　such　treatment　as　regarded　herself。
〃Not　that；　if　I　still　had　the　promise　of　your　love。〃

〃But　what　would　you　do？〃

〃I　would　work。　　There　are　other　houses　beside　that　one；〃　and　she
pointed　to　the　slate　roof　of　the　Bauche　establishment。

〃And　for　meI　should　not　have　a　penny　in　the　world；〃　said　the　young
man。

She　came　up　to　him　and　took　his　right　hand　between　both　of　hers　and
pressed　it　warmly；　oh；　so　warmly。　　〃You　would　have　my　love；〃　said
she；　〃my　deepest；　warmest　best　heart's　love　should　want　nothing　more；
nothing　on　earth；　if　I　could　still　have　yours。〃　　And　she　leaned
against　his　shoulder　and　looked　with　all　her　eyes　into　his　face。

〃But；　Marie；　that's　nonsense；　you　know。〃

〃No；　Adolphe；　it　is　not　nonsense。　　Do　not　let　them　teach　you　so。
What　does　love　mean；　if　it　does　not　mean　that？　　Oh；　Adolphe；　you　do
love　me；　you　do　love　me；　you　do　love　me？〃

〃Yes；I　love　you；〃　he　said　slowly；as　though　he　would　not　have　said
it；　if　he　could　have　helped　it。　　And　then　his　arm　crept　slowly　round
her　waist；　as　though　in　that　also　he　could　not　help　himself。

〃And　do　not　I　love　you？〃　said　the　passionate　girl。　　〃Oh；　I　do；　so
dearly；　with　all　my　heart；　with　all　my　soul。　　Adolphe；　I　so　love　you；
that　I　cannot　give　you　up。　　Have　I　not　sworn　to　be　yours；　sworn；
sworn　a　thousand　times？　　How　can　I　marry　that　man！　　Oh　Adolphe　how
can　you　wish　that　I　should　marry　him？〃　　And　she　clung　to　him；　and
looked　at　him；　and　besought　him　with　her　eyes。

〃I　shouldn't　wish　it；only〃　and　then　he　paused。　　It　was　hard　to
tell　her　that　he　was　willing　to　sacrifice　her　to　the　old　man　because
he　wanted　money　from　his　mother。

　〃Only　what！　　But　Adolphe；　do　not　wish　it　at　all！　　Have　you　not　sworn
that　I　should　be　your　wife？　　Look　here；　look　at　this；〃　and　she
brought　out　from　her　bosom　a　little　charm　that　he　had　given　her　in
return　for　that　cross。　　〃Did　you　not　kiss　that　when　you　swore　before
the　figure　of　the　Virgin　that　I　should　be　your　wife？　　And　do　you　not
remember　that　I　feared　to　swear　too；　because　your　mother　was　so
angry；　and　then　you　made　me？　　After　that；　Adolphe！　　Oh；　Adolphe！
Tell　me　that　I　may　have　some　hope。　　I　will　wait；　oh；　I　will　wait　so
patiently。〃

He　turned　himself　away　from　her　and　walked　backwards　and　forwards
uneasily　through　the　grotto。　　He　did　love　her；love　her　as　such　men
do　love　sweet；　pretty　girls。　　The　warmth　of　her　hand；　the　affection
of　her　touch；　the　pure　bright　passion　of　her　tear…laden　eye　had　re…
awakened　what　power　of　love　there　was　within　him。　　But　what　was　he　to
do？　　Even　if　he　were　willing　to　give　up　the　immediate　golden　hopes
which　his　mother　held　out　to　him；　how　was　he　to　begin；　and　then　how
carry　out　this　work　of　self…devotion？　　Marie　would　be　turned　away；
and　he　would　be　left　a　victim　in　the　hands　of　his　mother；　and　of　that
stiff；　wooden…legged　militaire；a　penniless　victim；　left　to　mope
about　the　place　without　a　grain　of　influence　or　a　morsel　of　pleasure。

〃But　what　can　we　do？〃　he　exclaimed　again；　as　he　once　more　met　Marie's
searching　eye。

〃We　can　be　true　and　honest；　and　we　can　wait；〃　she　said；　coming　close
up　to　him　and　taking　hold　of　his　arm。　　〃I　do　not　fear　it；　and　she　is
not　my　mother；　Adolphe。　　You　need　not　fear　your　own　mother。〃

〃Fear！　no；　of　course　I　don't　fear。　　But　I　don't　see　how　the　very
devil　we　can　manage　it。〃

〃Will　you　let　me　tell　her　that　I　will　not　marry　the　capitaine；　that　I
will　not　give　up　your　promises；　and　then　I　am　ready　to　leave　the
house？〃

〃It　would　do　no　good。〃

〃It　would　do　every　good；　Adolphe；　if　I　had　your　promised　word　once
more；　if　I　could　hear　from　your　own　voice　one　more　tone　of　love。　　Do
you　not　remember　this　place？　　It　was　here　that　you　forced　me　to　say
that　I　loved　you。　　It　is　here　also　that　you　will　tell　me　that　I　have
been　deceived。〃

〃It　is　not　I　that　would　deceive　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wonder　that　you
should　be　so　hard　upon　me。　　God　knows　that　I　have　trouble　enough。〃

〃Well；　if　I　am　a　trouble　to　you；　be　it　so。　　Be　it　as　you　wish；〃　and
she　leaned　back　against　the　wall　of　the　rock；　and　crossing　her　arms
upon　her　breast　looked　away　from　him　and　fixed　her　eyes　upon　the
sharp　granite　peaks　of　Canigou。

He　again　betook　himself　to　walk　backwards　and　forwards　through　the
cave。　　He　had　quite　enough　of　love　for　her　to　make　him　wish　to　marry
her；　quite　enough　now；　at　this　moment；　to　make　the　idea　of　her
marriage　with　the　capitaine　very　distasteful　to　him；　enough　probably
to　make　him　become　a　decently　good　husband　to　her；　should　fate　enable
him　to　marry　her；　but　not　enough　to　enable　him　to　support　all　the
punishment　which　would　be　the　sure　effects　of　his　mother's
displeasure。　　Besides；　he　had　promised　his　mother　that　he　would　give
up　Marie；had　entirely　given　in　his　adhesion　to　that　plan　of　the
marriage　with　the　capitaine。　　He　had　owned　that　the　path　of　life　as
marked　out　for　him　by　his　mother　was　the　one　which　it　behoved　him；　as
a　man；　to　follow。　　It　was　this　view　of　his　duties　as　a　man　which　had
I　been　specially　urged　on　him　with　all　the　capitaine's　eloquence。
And　old　Campan　had　entirely　succeeded。　　It　is　so　easy　to　get　the
assent　of　such　young　men；　so　weak　in　mind　and　so　weak　in　pocket；　when
the　arguments　are　backed　by　a　promise　of　two　thousand　francs　a　year。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；〃　at　last　he　said。　　〃I'll　get　my　mother
by　herself；　and　will　ask　her　to　let　the　matter　remain　as　it　is　for
the　present。〃

〃Not　if　it　be　a　trouble；　M。　Adolphe；〃　and　the　proud　girl　still　held
her　hands　upon　her　bosom；　and　still　looked　towards　the　mountain。

〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Marie。　　You　can　understand　how　she　and　the
capitaine　are　worrying　me。〃

〃But　tell　me；　Adolphe；　do　you　love　me？〃

〃You　know　I　love　you；　only。〃

〃And　you　will　not　give　me　up？〃

〃I　will　ask　my　mother。　　I　will　try　and　make　her　yield。〃

Marie　could　not　feel　that　she　received　much　confidence　from　her
lover's　promise；　but　still；　even　that；　weak　and　unsteady　as　it　was；
even　that　was　better　than　absolute　fixed　rejection。　　So　she　thanked
him；　promised　him　with　tears　in　her　eyes　that　she　would　always；
always　be　faithful　to　him；　and　then　bade　him　go　down　to　the　house。
She　would　follow；　she　said；　as　soon　as　his　passing　had　ceased　to　be
observed。

Then　she　looked　at　him　as　though　she　expected　some　sign　of　renewed
love。　　But　no　such　sign　was　vouchsafed　to　her。　　Now　that　she　thirsted
for　the　touch　of　his　lip　upon　her　check；　it　was　denied　to　her。　　He
did　as　she　bade　him；　he　went　down；　slowly　loitering；　by　himself；　and
in　about　half　an　hour　she　followed　him；　and　unobserved　crept　to　her
chamber。

Again　we　wi