juana-第7部分

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〃What　do　you　want　with　me？〃　she　said。



The　Marana　could　not　repress　a　passing　shudder。



〃Perez；〃　she　asked；　〃has　this　room　another　issue？〃



Perez　made　a　negative　gesture；　confiding　in　that　gesture；　the　mother

entered　the　room。



〃Juana；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　your　mother；　your　judge；　you　have　placed

yourself　in　the　only　situation　in　which　I　could　reveal　myself　to　you。

You　have　come　down　to　me；　you；　whom　I　thought　in　heaven。　Ah！　you　have

fallen　low　indeed。　You　have　a　lover　in　this　room。〃



〃Madame；　there　is　and　can　be　no　one　but　my　husband；〃　answered　the

girl。　〃I　am　the　Marquise　de　Montefiore。〃



〃Then　there　are　two；〃　said　Perez；　in　a　grave　voice。　〃He　told　me　he　was

married。〃



〃Montefiore；　my　love！〃　cried　the　girl；　tearing　aside　the　curtain　and

revealing　the　officer。　〃Come！　they　are　slandering　you。〃



The　Italian　appeared；　pale　and　speechless；　he　saw　the　dagger　in　the

Marana's　hand；　and　he　knew　her　well。　With　one　bound　he　sprang　from　the

room；　crying　out　in　a　thundering　voice；



〃Help！　help！　they　are　murdering　a　Frenchman。　Soldiers　of　the　6th　of

the　line；　rush　for　Captain　Diard！　Help；　help！〃



Perez　had　gripped　the　man　and　was　trying　to　gag　him　with　his　large

hand；　but　the　Marana　stopped　him；　saying；



〃Bind　him　fast；　but　let　him　shout。　Open　the　doors；　leave　them　open；

and　go；　go；　as　I　told　you；　go；　all　of　you。As　for　you；〃　she　said；

addressing　Montefiore；　〃shout；　call　for　help　if　you　choose；　by　the

time　your　soldiers　get　here　this　blade　will　be　in　your　heart。　Are　you

married？　Answer。〃



Montefiore；　who　had　fallen　on　the　threshold　of　the　door；　scarcely　a

step　from　Juana；　saw　nothing　but　the　blade　of　the　dagger；　the　gleam　of

which　blinded　him。



〃Has　he　deceived　me？〃　said　Juana；　slowly。　〃He　told　me　he　was　free。〃



〃He　told　me　that　he　was　married；〃　repeated　Perez；　in　his　solemn　voice。




〃Holy　Virgin！〃　murmured　Dona　Lagounia。



〃Answer；　soul　of　corruption；〃　said　the　Marana；　in　a　low　voice；　bending

to　the　ear　of　the　marquis。



〃Your　daughter〃　began　Montefiore。



〃The　daughter　that　was　mine　is　dead　or　dying；〃　interrupted　the　Marana。

〃I　have　no　daughter；　do　not　utter　that　word。　Answer；　are　you　married？〃



〃No；　madame；〃　said　Montefiore；　at　last；　striving　to　gain　time；　〃I

desire　to　marry　your　daughter。〃



〃My　noble　Montefiore！〃　said　Juana；　drawing　a　deep　breath。



〃Then　why　did　you　attempt　to　fly　and　cry　for　help？〃　asked　Perez。



Terrible；　revealing　light！



Juana　said　nothing；　but　she　wrung　her　hands　and　went　to　her　arm…chair

and　sat　down。



At　that　moment　a　tumult　rose　in　the　street　which　was　plainly　heard　in

the　silence　of　the　room。　A　soldier　of　the　6th；　hearing　Montefiore's

cry　for　help；　had　summoned　Diard。　The　quartermaster；　who　was

fortunately　in　his　bivouac；　came；　accompanied　by　friends。



〃Why　did　I　fly？〃　said　Montefiore；　hearing　the　voice　of　his　friend。

〃Because　I　told　you　the　truth；　I　am　marriedDiard！　Diard！〃　he　shouted

in　a　piercing　voice。



But；　at　a　word　from　Perez；　the　apprentice　closed　and　bolted　the　doors；

so　that　the　soldiers　were　delayed　by　battering　them　in。　Before　they

could　enter；　the　Marana　had　time　to　strike　her　dagger　into　the　guilty

man；　but　anger　hindered　her　aim；　the　blade　slipped　upon　the　Italian's

epaulet；　though　she　struck　her　blow　with　such　force　that　he　fell　at

the　very　feet　of　Juana；　who　took　no　notice　of　him。　The　Marana　sprang

upon　him；　and　this　time；　resolved　not　to　miss　her　prey；　she　caught　him

by　the　throat。



〃I　am　free　and　I　will　marry　her！　I　swear　it；　by　God；　by　my　mother；　by

all　there　is　most　sacred　in　the　world；　I　am　a　bachelor；　I　will　marry

her；　on　my　honor！〃



And　he　bit　the　arm　of　the　courtesan。



〃Mother；〃　said　Juana；　〃kill　him。　He　is　so　base　that　I　will　not　have

him　for　my　husband；　were　he　ten　times　as　beautiful。〃



〃Ah！　I　recognize　my　daughter！〃　cried　the　mother。



〃What　is　all　this？〃　demanded　the　quartermaster；　entering　the　room。



〃They　are　murdering　me；〃　cried　Montefiore；　〃on　account　of　this　girl；

she　says　I　am　her　lover。　She　inveigled　me　into　a　trap；　and　they　are

forcing　me　to　marry　her〃



〃And　you　reject　her？〃　cried　Diard；　struck　with　the　splendid　beauty

which　contempt；　hatred；　and　indignation　had　given　to　the　girl；　already

so　beautiful。　〃Then　you　are　hard　to　please。　If　she　wants　a　husband　I

am　ready　to　marry　her。　Put　up　your　weapons；　there　is　no　trouble　here。〃



The　Marana　pulled　the　Italian　to　the　side　of　her　daughter's　bed　and

said　to　him；　in　a　low　voice；



〃If　I　spare　you；　give　thanks　for　the　rest　of　your　life；　but；　remember

this；　if　your　tongue　ever　injures　my　daughter　you　will　see　me　again。

Go！How　much　'dot'　do　you　give　her？〃　she　continued；　going　up　to

Perez。



〃She　has　two　hundred　thousand　gold　piastres；〃　replied　the　Spaniard。



〃And　that　is　not　all；　monsieur；〃　said　the　Marana；　turning　to　Diard。

〃Who　are　you？Go！〃　she　repeated　to　Montefiore。



The　marquis；　hearing　this　statement　of　gold　piastres；　came　forward

once　more；　saying；



〃I　am　really　free〃



A　glance　from　Juana　silenced　him。



〃You　are　really　free　to　go；〃　she　said。



And　he　went　immediately。



〃Alas！　monsieur；〃　said　the　girl；　turning　to　Diard；　〃I　thank　you　with

admiration。　But　my　husband　is　in　heaven。　To…morrow　I　shall　enter　a

convent〃



〃Juana；　my　Juana；　hush！〃　cried　the　mother；　clasping　her　in　her　arms。

Then　she　whispered　in　the　girl's　ear。　〃You　MUST　have　another　husband。〃



Juana　turned　pale。　She　freed　herself　from　her　mother　and　sat　down　once

more　in　her　arm…chair。



〃Who　are　you；　monsieur？〃　repeated　the　Marana；　addressing　Diard。



〃Madame；　I　am　at　present　only　the　quartermaster　of　the　6th　of　the

line。　But　for　such　a　wife　I　have　the　heart　to　make　myself　a　marshal　of

France。　My　name　is　Pierre…Francois　Diard。　My　father　was　provost　of

merchants。　I　am　not〃



〃But；　at　least；　you　are　an　honest　man；　are　you　not？〃　cried　the　Marana；

interrupting　him。　〃If　you　please　the　Signorina　Juana　di　Mancini；　you

can　marry　her　and　be　happy　together。Juana；〃　she　continued　in　a　grave

tone；　〃in　becoming　the　wife　of　a　brave　and　worthy　man　remember　that

you　will　also　be　a　mother。　I　have　sworn　that　you　shall　kiss　your

children　without　a　blush　upon　your　face〃　（her　voice　faltered

slightly）。　〃I　have　sworn　that　you　shall　live　a　virtuous　life；　expect；

therefore；　many　troubles。　But；　whatever　happens；　continue　pure；　and　be

faithful　to　your　husband。　Sacrifice　all　things　to　him；　for　he　will　be

the　father　of　your　childrenthe　father　of　your　children！　If　you　take

a　lover；　I；　your　mother；　will　stand　between　you　and　him。　Do　you　see

that　dagger？　It　is　in　your　'dot；'〃　she　continued；　throwing　the　weapon

on　Juana's　bed。　〃I　leave　it　there　as　the　guarantee　of　your　honor　so

long　as　my　eyes　are　open　and　my　arm　free。　Farewell；〃　she　said；

restraining　her　tears。　〃God　grant　that　we　may　never　meet　again。〃



At　that　idea；　her　tears　began　to　flow。



〃Poor　child！〃　she　added；　〃you　have　been　happier　than　you　knew　in　this

dull　home。Do　not　allow　her　to　regret　it；〃　she　said；　turning　to

Diard。



The　foregoing　rapid　narrative　is　not　the　principal　subject　of　this

Study；　for　the　understanding　of　which　it　was　necessary　to　explain　how

it　happened　that　the　quartermaster　Diard　married　Juana　di　Mancini；

that　Montefiore　and　Diard　were　intimately　known　to　each　other；　and　to

show　plainly　what　blood　and　what　passions　were　in　Madame　Diard。







CHAPTER　III



THE　HISTORY　OF　MADAME　DIARD



By　the　time　that　the　quartermaster　had　fulfilled　all　the　long　and

dilatory　formalities　without　which　no　French　soldier　can　be　married；

he　was　passionately　in　love　with　Juana　di　Mancini；　and　Juana　had　had

time　to　think　of　her　coming　destiny。



An　awful　destiny！　Juana；　who　felt　neither　esteem　nor　love　for　Diard；

was　bound　to　him　forever；　by　a　rash　but　necessary　promise。　The　man　was

neither　handsome　nor　well…made。　His　manners；　devoid　of　all

distinction；　were　a　mixture　of　the　worst　army　tone；　the　habits　of　his

province；　and　his　own　insufficient　education。　How　could　she　love

Diard；　she；　a　young　girl　all　grace　and　elegance；　born　with　an

invincible　instinct　for　luxury　and　good　taste；　her　very　nature　tending

toward　the　sphere　of　the　higher　social　classes？　As　for　esteeming　him；

she　rejected　the　very　thought　precisely　because　he　had　married　her。

This　repulsion　was　natural。　Woman　is　a　saintly　and　noble　creature；　but

almost　always　misunderstood；　and　nearly　always　misjudged　because　she

is　misunderstood。　If　Juana　had　loved　Diard　she　would　have　esteemed

him。　Love　creates　in　a　wife　a　new　woman；　the　woman　of　the　day　before

no　longer　exists　on　the　morrow。　Putting　on　the　nuptial　robe　of　a

passion　in　which　life　itself　is　concerned；　the　woman　wraps　herself　in

purity　and　whiteness。　Reborn　into　virtue　and　chastity；　there　is　no

past　for　her；　she　is　all　future；　and　should　forget　the　things　behind

her　to　relearn　life。　In　this　sense　the　famous　words　which　a　modern

poet　has　put　into　the　lips　of　Marion　Delorme　is　infused　with　truth；



〃And　Love　remade　me　virgin。〃



That　line　seems　like　a　reminiscence　of　a　tragedy　of　Corneille；　so

truly　does　it　recall　the　energetic　diction　of　the　father　of　our　modern

theatre。　Yet　the　poet　was　forced　to　sacrifice　it　to　the　essentially

vaudevillist　spirit　of　the　pit。



So　Juana　loveless　was　doomed　to　be　Juana　humiliated；　degraded；

hopeless。　She　could　not　honor　the　man　who　took　her　thus。　She　felt；　in

all　the　conscientious　purity　of　her　youth；　that　distinction；　subtle　in

appearance　but　sacredly　true；　legal　with　the　heart's　legality；　which

women　apply　instinctively　to　all　their　feelings；　even　the　least

reflective。　Juana　became　profoundly　sad　as　she　saw　the　nature　and　the

extent　of　the　life　before　her。　Often　she　turned　her　eyes；　brimming

with　tears　proudly　repressed；　upon　Perez　and　Dona　Lagounia；　who　fully

comprehended；　both　of　them；　the　bitter　thoughts　those　tears　contained。

But　they　were　silent：　of　what　good　were　r