vendetta-第4部分

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it　can　be　compared　only　to　that　of　a　miser　discovering　Aladdin's

treasure。　Then　she　sprang　down　hastily　and　returned　to　her　place；

changed　the　position　of　her　picture；　pretended　to　be　still

dissatisfied　with　the　light；　pushed　a　table　close　to　the　partition；　on

which　she　placed　a　chair；　climbed　lightly　to　the　summit　of　this

erection；　and　again　looked　through　the　crevice。　She　cast　but　one

glance　into　the　space　beyond；　which　was　lighted　through　a　skylight；

but　what　she　saw　produced　so　strong　an　effect　upon　her　that　she

tottered。



〃Take　care；　Mademoiselle　Ginevra；　you'll　fall！〃　cried　Laure。



All　the　young　girls　gazed　at　the　imprudent　climber；　and　the　fear　of

their　coming　to　her　gave　her　courage；　she　recovered　her　equilibrium；

and　replied；　as　she　balanced　herself　on　the　shaking　chair：



〃Pooh！　it　is　more　solid　than　a　throne！〃



She　then　secured　the　curtain　and　came　down；　pushed　the　chair　and　table

as　far　as　possible　from　the　partition；　returned　to　her　easel；　and

seemed　to　be　arranging　it　to　suit　the　volume　of　light　she　had　now

thrown　upon　it。　Her　picture；　however；　was　not　in　her　mind；　which　was

wholly　bent　on　getting　as　near　as　possible　to　the　closet；　against　the

door　of　which　she　finally　settled　herself。　Then　she　began　to　prepare

her　palette　in　the　deepest　silence。　Sitting　there；　she　could　hear；

distinctly；　a　sound　which　had　strongly　excited　her　curiosity　the

evening　before；　and　had　whirled　her　young　imagination　across　vast

fields　of　conjecture。　She　recognized　the　firm　and　regular　breathing　of

a　man　whom　she　had　just　seen　asleep。　Her　curiosity　was　satisfied

beyond　her　expectations；　but　at　the　same　time　she　felt　saddled　by　an

immense　responsibility。　Through　the　opening　in　the　wall　she　had　seen

the　Imperial　eagle；　and　upon　the　flock　bed；　faintly　lighted　from

above；　lay　the　form　of　an　officer　of　the　Guard。　She　guessed　all。

Servin　was　hiding　a　proscribed　man！



She　now　trembled　lest　any　of　her　companions　should　come　near　here　to

examine　her　picture；　when　the　regular　breathing　or　some　deeper　breath

might　reveal　to　them；　as　it　had　to　her；　the　presence　of　this　political

victim。　She　resolved　to　keep　her　place　beside　that　door；　trusting　to

her　wits　to　baffle　all　dangerous　chances　that　might　arise。



〃Better　that　I　should　be　here；〃　thought　she；　〃to　prevent　some　luckless

accident；　than　leave　that　poor　man　at　the　mercy　of　a　heedless

betrayal。〃



This　was　the　secret　of　the　indifference　which　Ginevra　had　apparently

shown　to　the　removal　of　her　easel。　She　was　inwardly　enchanted；　because

the　change　had　enabled　her　to　gratify　her　curiosity　in　a　natural

manner；　besides；　at　this　moment；　she　was　too　keenly　preoccupied　to

perceive　the　reason　of　her　removal。



Nothing　is　more　mortifying　to　young　girls；　or；　indeed；　to　all　the

world；　than　to　see　a　piece　of　mischief；　an　insult；　or　a　biting　speech；

miss　its　effect　through　the　contempt　or　the　indifference　of　the

intended　victim。　It　seems　as　if　hatred　to　an　enemy　grows　in　proportion

to　the　height　that　enemy　is　raised　above　us。　Ginevra's　behavior　was　an

enigma　to　all　her　companions；　her　friends　and　enemies　were　equally

surprised；　for　the　former　claimed　for　her　all　good　qualities；　except

that　of　forgiveness　of　injuries。　Though；　of　course；　the　occasions　for

displaying　that　vice　of　nature　were　seldom　afforded　to　Ginevra　in　the

life　of　a　studio；　still；　the　specimens　she　had　now　and　then　given　of

her　vindictive　disposition　had　left　a　strong　impression　on　the　minds

of　her　companions。



After　many　conjectures；　Mademoiselle　Roguin　came　to　the　conclusion

that　the　Italian's　silence　showed　a　grandeur　of　soul　beyond　all

praise；　and　the　banking　circle；　inspired　by　her；　formed　a　project　to

humiliate　the　aristocracy。　They　succeeded　in　that　aim　by　a　fire　of

sarcasms　which　presently　brought　down　the　pride　of　the　Right　coterie。



Madame　Servin's　arrival　put　a　stop　to　the　struggle。　With　the

shrewdness　that　usually　accompanies　malice；　Amelie　Thirion　had

noticed；　analyzed；　and　mentally　commented　on　the　extreme　preoccupation

of　Ginevra's　mind；　which　prevented　her　from　even　hearing　the　bitterly

polite　war　of　words　of　which　she　was　the　object。　The　vengeance

Mademoiselle　Roguin　and　her　companions　were　inflicting　on　Mademoiselle

Thirion　and　her　group　had；　therefore；　the　fatal　effect　of　driving　the

young　ULTRAS　to　search　for　the　cause　of　the　silence　so　obstinately

maintained　by　Ginevra　di　Piombo。　The　beautiful　Italian　became　the

centre　of　all　glances；　and　she　was　henceforth　watched　by　friends　and

foes　alike。



It　is　very　difficult　to　hide　even　a　slight　emotion　or　sentiment　from

fifteen　inquisitive　and　unoccupied　young　girls；　whose　wits　and

mischief　ask　for　nothing　better　than　secrets　to　guess；　schemes　to

create　or　baffle；　and　who　know　how　to　find　too　many　interpretations

for　each　gesture；　glance；　and　word；　to　fail　in　discovering　the　right

one。



At　this　moment；　however；　the　presence　of　Madame　Servin　produced　an

interlude　in　the　drama　thus　played　below　the　surface　in　these　various

young　hearts；　the　sentiments；　ideas；　and　progress　of　which　were

expressed　by　phrases　that　were　almost　allegorical；　by　mischievous

glances；　by　gestures；　by　silence　even；　more　intelligible　than　words。

As　soon　as　Madame　Servin　entered　the　studio；　her　eyes　turned　to　the

door　near　which　Ginevra　was　seated。　Under　present　circumstances　the

fact　of　this　glance　was　not　lost。　Though　at　first　none　of　the　pupils

took　notice　of　it；　Mademoiselle　Thirion　recollected　it　later；　and　it

explained　to　her　the　doubt；　fear；　and　mystery　which　now　gave　something

wild　and　frightened　to　Madame　Servin's　eyes。



〃Mesdemoiselles；〃　she　said；　〃Monsieur　Servin　cannot　come　to…day。〃



Then　she　went　round　complimenting　each　young　girl；　receiving　in　return

a　volume　of　those　feminine　caresses　which　are　given　as　much　by　the

tones　of　the　voice　and　by　looks　as　by　gestures。　She　presently　reached

Ginevra；　under　the　influence　of　an　uneasiness　she　tried　in　vain　to

disguise。　They　nodded　to　each　other　in　a　friendly　way；　but　said

nothing；　one　painted；　the　other　stood　looking　at　the　painting。　The

breathing　of　the　soldier　in　the　closet　could　be　distinctly　heard；　but

Madame　Servin　appeared　not　to　notice　it；　her　feigned　ignorance　was　so

obvious　that　Ginevra　recognized　it　at　once　for　wilful　deafness。

Presently　the　unknown　man　turned　on　his　pallet。



The　Italian　then　looked　fixedly　at　Madame　Servin；　who　said；　without

the　slightest　change　of　face：



〃Your　copy　is　as　fine　as　the　original；　if　I　had　to　choose　between　the

two　I　should　be　puzzled。〃



〃Monsieur　Servin　has　not　taken　his　wife　into　his　confidence　as　to　this

mystery；〃　thought　Ginevra；　who；　after　replying　to　the　young　wife's

speech　with　a　gentle　smile　of　incredulity；　began　to　hum　a　Corsican

〃canzonetta〃　to　cover　the　noise　that　was　made　by　the　prisoner。



It　was　so　unusual　a　thing　to　hear　the　studious　Italian　sing；　that　all

the　other　young　girls　looked　up　at　her　in　surprise。　Later；　this

circumstance　served　as　proof　to　the　charitable　suppositions　of

jealousy。



Madame　Servin　soon　went　away；　and　the　session　ended　without　further

events；　Ginevra　allowed　her　companions　to　depart；　and　seemed　to　intend

to　work　later。　But；　unconsciously　to　herself；　she　betrayed　her　desire

to　be　left　alone　by　impatient　glances；　ill…disguised；　at　the　pupils

who　were　slow　in　leaving。　Mademoiselle　Thirion；　a　cruel　enemy　to　the

girl　who　excelled　her　in　everything；　guessed　by　the　instinct　of

jealousy　that　her　rival's　industry　hid　some　purpose。　By　dint　of

watching　her　she　was　struck　by　the　attentive　air　with　which　Ginevra

seemed　to　be　listening　to　sounds　that　no　one　else　had　heard。　The

expression　of　impatience　she　now　detected　in　her　companion's　eyes　was

like　a　flash　of　light　to　her。



Amelie　was　the　last　of　the　pupils　to　leave　the　studio；　from　there　she

went　down　to　Madame　Servin's　apartment　and　talked　with　her　for　a

moment；　then　she　pretended　to　have　left　her　bag；　ran　softly　back　to

the　studio；　and　found　Ginevra　once　more　mounted　on　her　frail

scaffolding；　and　so　absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　an　unknown　object

that　she　did　not　hear　the　slight　noise　of　her　companion's　footsteps。

It　is　true　that；　to　use　an　expression　of　Walter　Scott；　Amelie　stepped

as　if　on　eggs。　She　hastily　withdrew　outside　the　door　and　coughed。

Ginevra　quivered；　turned　her　head；　saw　her　enemy；　blushed；　hastened　to

alter　the　shade　to　give　meaning　to　her　position；　and　came　down　from

her　perch　leisurely。　She　soon　after　left　the　studio；　bearing　with　her；

in　her　memory；　the　image　of　a　man's　head；　as　beauteous　as　that　of　the

Endymion；　a　masterpiece　of　Girodet's　which　she　had　lately　copied。



〃To　banish　so　young　a　man！　Who　can　he　be？　for　he　is　not　Marshal　Ney〃



These　two　sentences　are　the　simplest　expression　of　the　many　ideas　that

Ginevra　turned　over　in　her　mind　for　two　days。　On　the　third　day；　in

spite　of　her　haste　to　be　first　at　the　studio；　she　found　Mademoiselle

Thirion　already　there；　having　come　in　a　carriage。



Ginevra　and　her　enemy　observed　each　other　for　a　long　time；　but　they

made　their　faces　impenetrable。　Amelie　had　seen　the　handsome　head　of

the　mysterious　man；　but；　fortunately；　and　unfortunately　also；　the

Imperial　eagles　and　uniform　were　so　placed　that　she　did　not　see　them

through　the　crevice　in　the　partition。　She　was　lost　in　conjectures。

Suddenly　Servin　came　in；　much　earlier　than　usual。



〃Mademoiselle　Ginevra；〃　he　said；　after　glancing　round　the　studio；　〃why

have　you　placed　yourself　there？　The　light　is　bad。　Come　nearer　to　the

rest　of　the　young　ladies　and　pull　down　that　curtain　a　little。〃



Then　he　sat　down　near　Laure；　whose　work　deserved　his　most　cordial

attention。



〃Well；　well！〃　he　cried；　〃here；　indeed；　is　a　head　extremely　well　done。

You'll　be　another　Ginevra。〃



The　master　then　went　from　easel　to　easel；　scolding；　flattering；

jesting；　and　making；　as　usual；　his　jests　more　dreaded　than　his

reprimands。　Ginevra　had　not　ob