juana-第6部分

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that　I　may　hear　your　voice；　it　fills　my　soul。〃



Montefiore；　clever　enough　to　imagine　the　girl's　life；　was　all　the　more

satisfied　with　himself　for　restraining　his　desires　because　he　saw　that

it　would　lead　to　his　greater　contentment。　He　returned　to　his　room

without　accident。



Ten　days　went　by　without　any　event　occurring　to　trouble　the　peace　and

solitude　of　the　house。　Montefiore　employed　his　Italian　cajolery　on　old

Perez；　on　Dona　Lagounia；　on　the　apprentice；　even　on　the　cook；　and　they

all　liked　him；　but；　in　spite　of　the　confidence　he　now　inspired　in

them；　he　never　asked　to　see　Juana；　or　to　have　the　door　of　her

mysterious　hiding…place　opened　to　him。　The　young　girl；　hungry　to　see

her　lover；　implored　him　to　do　so；　but　he　always　refused　her　from　an

instinct　of　prudence。　Besides；　he　had　used　his　best　powers　and

fascinations　to　lull　the　suspicions　of　the　old　couple；　and　had　now

accustomed　them　to　see　him；　a　soldier；　stay　in　bed　till　midday　on

pretence　that　he　was　ill。　Thus　the　lovers　lived　only　in　the　night…

time；　when　the　rest　of　the　household　were　asleep。　If　Montefiore　had

not　been　one　of　those　libertines　whom　the　habit　of　gallantry　enables

to　retain　their　self…possession　under　all　circumstances；　he　might　have

been　lost　a　dozen　times　during　those　ten　days。　A　young　lover；　in　the

simplicity　of　a　first　love；　would　have　committed　the　enchanting

imprudences　which　are　so　difficult　to　resist。　But　he　did　resist　even

Juana　herself；　Juana　pouting；　Juana　making　her　long　hair　a　chain　which

she　wound　about　his　neck　when　caution　told　him　he　must　go。



The　most　suspicious　of　guardians　would　however　have　been　puzzled　to

detect　the　secret　of　their　nightly　meetings。　It　is　to　be　supposed

that；　sure　of　success；　the　Italian　marquis　gave　himself　the　ineffable

pleasures　of　a　slow　seduction；　step　by　step；　leading　gradually　to　the

fire　which　should　end　the　affair　in　a　conflagration。　On　the　eleventh

day；　at　the　dinner…table；　he　thought　it　wise　to　inform　old　Perez；

under　seal　of　secrecy；　that　the　reason　of　his　separation　from　his

family　was　an　ill…assorted　marriage。　This　false　revelation　was　an

infamous　thing　in　view　of　the　nocturnal　drama　which　was　being　played

under　that　roof。　Montefiore；　an　experienced　rake；　was　preparing　for

the　finale　of　that　drama　which　he　foresaw　and　enjoyed　as　an　artist　who

loves　his　art。　He　expected　to　leave　before　long；　and　without　regret；

the　house　and　his　love。　It　would　happen；　he　thought；　in　this　way：

Juana；　after　waiting　for　him　in　vain　for　several　nights；　would　risk

her　life；　perhaps；　in　asking　Perez　what　had　become　of　his　guest；　and

Perez　would　reply；　not　aware　of　the　importance　of　his　answer；



〃The　Marquis　de　Montefiore　is　reconciled　to　his　family；　who　consent　to

receive　his　wife；　he　has　gone　to　Italy　to　present　her　to　them。〃



And　Juana？The　marquis　never　asked　himself　what　would　become　of

Juana；　but　he　had　studied　her　character；　its　nobility；　candor；　and

strength；　and　he　knew　he　might　be　sure　of　her　silence。



He　obtained　a　mission　from　one　of　the　generals。　Three　days　later；　on

the　night　preceding　his　intended　departure；　Montefiore；　instead　of

returning　to　his　own　room　after　dinner；　contrived　to　enter　unseen　that

of　Juana；　to　make　that　farewell　night　the　longer。　Juana；　true　Spaniard

and　true　Italian；　was　enchanted　with　such　boldness；　it　argued　ardor！

For　herself　she　did　not　fear　discovery。　To　find　in　the　pure　love　of

marriage　the　excitements　of　intrigue；　to　hide　her　husband　behind　the

curtains　of　her　bed；　and　say　to　her　adopted　father　and　mother；　in　case

of　detection：　〃I　am　the　Marquise　de　Montefiore！〃was　to　an　ignorant

and　romantic　young　girl；　who　for　three　years　past　had　dreamed　of　love

without　dreaming　of　its　dangers；　delightful。　The　door　closed　on　this

last　evening　upon　her　folly；　her　happiness；　like　a　veil；　which　it　is

useless　here　to　raise。



It　was　nine　o'clock；　the　merchant　and　his　wife　were　reading　their

evening　prayers；　suddenly　the　noise　of　a　carriage　drawn　by　several

horses　resounded　in　the　street；　loud　and　hasty　raps　echoed　from　the

shop　where　the　servant　hurried　to　open　the　door；　and　into　that

venerable　salon　rushed　a　woman；　magnificently　dressed　in　spite　of　the

mud　upon　the　wheels　of　her　travelling…carriage；　which　had　just　crossed

Italy；　France；　and　Spain。　It　was；　of　course；　the　Marana；the　Marana

who；　in　spite　of　her　thirty…six　years；　was　still　in　all　the　glory　of

her　ravishing　beauty；　the　Marana　who；　being　at　that　time　the　mistress

of　a　king；　had　left　Naples；　the　fetes；　the　skies　of　Naples；　the　climax

of　her　life　of　luxury；　on　hearing　from　her　royal　lover　of　the　events

in　Spain　and　the　siege　of　Tarragona。



〃Tarragona！　I　must　get　to　Tarragona　before　the　town　is　taken！〃　she

cried。　〃Ten　days　to　reach　Tarragona！〃



Then　without　caring　for　crown　or　court；　she　arrived　in　Tarragona；

furnished　with　an　almost　imperial　safe…conduct；　furnished　too　with

gold　which　enabled　her　to　cross　France　with　the　velocity　of　a　rocket。



〃My　daughter！　my　daughter！〃　cried　the　Marana。



At　this　voice；　and　the　abrupt　invasion　of　their　solitude；　the　prayer…

book　fell　from　the　hands　of　the　old　couple。



〃She　is　there；〃　replied　the　merchant；　calmly；　after　a　pause　during

which　he　recovered　from　the　emotion　caused　by　the　abrupt　entrance；　and

the　look　and　voice　of　the　mother。　〃She　is　there；〃　he　repeated；

pointing　to　the　door　of　the　little　chamber。



〃Yes；　but　has　any　harm　come　to　her；　is　she　still〃



〃Perfectly　well；〃　said　Dona　Lagounia。



〃O　God！　send　me　to　hell　if　it　so　pleases　thee！〃　cried　the　Marana；

dropping；　exhausted　and　half　dead；　into　a　chair。



The　flush　in　her　cheeks；　due　to　anxiety；　paled　suddenly；　she　had

strength　to　endure　suffering；　but　none　to　bear　this　joy。　Joy　was　more

violent　in　her　soul　than　suffering；　for　it　contained　the　echoes　of　her

pain　and　the　agonies　of　its　own　emotion。



〃But；〃　she　said；　〃how　have　you　kept　her　safe？　Tarragona　is　taken。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Perez；　〃but　since　you　see　me　living　why　do　you　ask　that

question？　Should　I　not　have　died　before　harm　could　have　come　to

Juana？〃



At　that　answer；　the　Marana　seized　the　calloused　hand　of　the　old　man；

and　kissed　it；　wetting　it　with　the　tears　that　flowed　from　her　eyes

she　who　never　wept！　those　tears　were　all　she　had　most　precious　under

heaven。



〃My　good　Perez！〃　she　said　at　last。　〃But　have　you　had　no　soldiers

quartered　in　your　house？〃



〃Only　one；〃　replied　the　Spaniard。　〃Fortunately　for　us　the　most　loyal

of　men；　a　Spaniard　by　birth；　but　now　an　Italian　who　hates　Bonaparte；　a

married　man。　He　is　ill；　and　gets　up　late　and　goes　to　bed　early。〃



〃An　Italian！　What　is　his　name？〃



〃Montefiore。〃



〃Can　it　be　the　Marquis　de　Montefiore〃



〃Yes；　Senora；　he　himself。〃



〃Has　he　seen　Juana？〃



〃No；〃　said　Dona　Lagounia。



〃You　are　mistaken；　wife；〃　said　Perez。　〃The　marquis　must　have　seen　her

for　a　moment；　a　short　moment；　it　is　true；　but　I　think　he　looked　at　her

that　evening　she　came　in　here　during　supper。〃



〃Ah；　let　me　see　my　daughter！〃



〃Nothing　easier；〃　said　Perez；　〃she　is　now　asleep。　If　she　has　left　the

key　in　the　lock　we　must　waken　her。〃



As　he　rose　to　take　the　duplicate　key　of　Juana's　door　his　eyes　fell　by

chance　on　the　circular　gleam　of　light　upon　the　black　wall　of　the　inner

courtyard。　Within　that　circle　he　saw　the　shadow　of　a　group　such　as

Canova　alone　has　attempted　to　render。　The　Spaniard　turned　back。



〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　said　to　the　Marana；　〃where　to　find　the　key。〃



〃You　are　very　pale；〃　she　said。



〃And　I　will　show　you　why；〃　he　cried；　seizing　his　dagger　and　rapping

its　hilt　violently　on　Juana's　door　as　he　shouted；



〃Open！　open！　open！　Juana！〃



Juana　did　not　open；　for　she　needed　time　to　conceal　Montefiore。　She

knew　nothing　of　what　was　passing　in　the　salon；　the　double　portieres　of

thick　tapestry　deadened　all　sounds。



〃Madame；　I　lied　to　you　in　saying　I　could　not　find　the　key。　Here　it

is；〃　added　Perez；　taking　it　from　a　sideboard。　〃But　it　is　useless。

Juana's　key　is　in　the　lock；　her　door　is　barricaded。　We　have　been

deceived；　my　wife！〃　he　added；　turning　to　Dona　Lagounia。　〃There　is　a

man　in　Juana's　room。〃



〃Impossible！　By　my　eternal　salvation　I　say　it　is　impossible！〃　said　his

wife。



〃Do　not　swear；　Dona　Lagounia。　Our　honor　is　dead；　and　this　woman〃　He

pointed　to　the　Marana；　who　had　risen　and　was　standing　motionless；

blasted　by　his　words；　〃this　woman　has　the　right　to　despise　us。　She

saved　our　life；　our　fortune；　and　our　honor；　and　we　have　saved　nothing

for　her　but　her　moneyJuana！〃　he　cried　again；　〃open；　or　I　will　burst

in　your　door。〃



His　voice；　rising　in　violence；　echoed　through　the　garrets　in　the　roof。

He　was　cold　and　calm。　The　life　of　Montefiore　was　in　his　hands；　he

would　wash　away　his　remorse　in　the　blood　of　that　Italian。



〃Out；　out；　out！　out；　all　of　you！〃　cried　the　Marana；　springing　like　a

tigress　on　the　dagger；　which　she　wrenched　from　the　hand　of　the

astonished　Perez。　〃Out；　Perez；〃　she　continued　more　calmly；　〃out；　you

and　your　wife　and　servants！　There　will　be　murder　here。　You　might　be

shot　by　the　French。　Have　nothing　to　do　with　this；　it　is　my　affair；

mine　only。　Between　my　daughter　and　me　there　is　none　but　God。　As　for

the　man；　he　belongs　to　ME。　The　whole　earth　could　not　tear　him　from　my

grasp。　Go；　go！　I　forgive　you。　I　see　plainly　that　the　girl　is　a　Marana。

You；　your　religion；　your　virtue；　were　too　weak　to　fight　against　my

blood。〃



She　gave　a　dreadful　sigh；　turning　her　dry　eyes　on　them。　She　had　lost

all；　but　she　knew　how　to　suffer；a　true　courtesan。



The　door　opened。　The　Marana　forgot　all　else；　and　Perez；　making　a　sign

to　his　wife；　remained　at　his　post。　With　his　old　invincible　Spanish

honor　he　was　determined　to　share　the　vengeance　of　the　betrayed　mother。

Juana；　all　in　white；　and　softly　lighted　by　the　wax　candles；　was

standing　calmly　in　the　centre　of　her　chamber。



〃What　do　you　want　with　me？〃　she　said。



The　Marana　could　not　r