camille-第27部分

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come　delirious。

〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃You　are　ill。　I　can　not　leave　you　like　this。　I　will　write　and　tell　my　father　not　to　expect　me。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　cried　hastily；　〃don't　do　that。　Your　father　will　accuse　me　of　hindering　you　again　from　going　to　see　him　when　he　wants　to　see　you；　no；　no；　you　must　go；　you　must！　Besides；　I　am　not　ill。　I　am　quite　well。　I　had　a　bad　dream　and　am　not　yet　fully　awake。〃

From　that　moment　Marguerite　tried　to　seem　more　cheerful。　There　were　no　more　tears。

When　the　hour　came　for　me　to　go；　I　embraced　her　and　asked　her　if　she　would　come　with　me　as　far　as　the　train；　I　hoped　that　the　walk　would　distract　her　and　that　the　air　would　do　her　good。　I　wanted　especially　to　be　with　her　as　long　as　possible。

She　agreed；　put　on　her　cloak　and　took　Nanine　with　her；　so　as　not　to　return　alone。　Twenty　times　I　was　on　the　point　of　not　going。　But　the　hope　of　a　speedy　return；　and　the　fear　of　offending　my　father　still　more；　sustained　me；　and　I　took　my　place　in　the　train。

〃Till　this　evening！〃　I　said　to　Marguerite；　as　I　left　her。　She　did　not　reply。

Once　already　she　had　not　replied　to　the　same　words；　and　the　Comte　de　G。；　you　will　remember；　had　spent　the　night　with　her；　but　that　time　was　so　far　away　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　effaced　from　my　memory；　and　if　I　had　any　fear；　it　was　certainly　not　of　Marguerite　being　unfaithful　to　me。　Reaching　Paris；　I　hastened　off　to　see　Prudence；　intending　to　ask　her　to　go　and　keep　Marguerite　company；　in　the　hope　that　her　mirth　and　liveliness　would　distract　her。　I　entered　without　being　announced；　and　found　Prudence　at　her　toilet。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　anxiously；　〃is　Marguerite　with　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃How　is　she？〃

〃She　is　not　well。〃

〃Is　she　not　coming？〃

〃Did　you　expect　her？〃

Madame　Duvernoy　reddened；　and　replied；　with　a　certain　constraint：

〃I　only　meant　that　since　you　are　at　Paris；　is　she　not　coming　to　join　you？〃

〃No。〃

I　looked　at　Prudence；　she　cast　down　her　eyes；　and　I　read　in　her　face　the　fear　of　seeing　my　visit　prolonged。

〃I　even　came　to　ask　you；　my　dear　Prudence；　if　you　have　nothing　to　do　this　evening；　to　go　and　see　Marguerite；　you　will　be　company　for　her；　and　you　can　stay　the　night。　I　never　saw　her　as　she　was　to…day；　and　I　am　afraid　she　is　going　to　be　ill。〃

〃I　am　dining　in　town；〃　replied　Prudence；　〃and　I　can't　go　and　see　Marguerite　this　evening。　I　will　see　her　tomorrow。〃

I　took　leave　of　Mme。　Duvernoy；　who　seemed　almost　as　preoccupied　as　Marguerite；　and　went　on　to　my　father's；　his　first　glance　seemed　to　study　me　attentively。　He　held　out　his　hand。

〃Your　two　visits　have　given　me　pleasure；　Armand；〃　he　said；　〃they　make　me　hope　that　you　have　thought　over　things　on　your　side　as　I　have　on　mine。〃

〃May　I　ask　you；　father；　what　was　the　result　of　your　reflection？〃

〃The　result；　my　dear　boy；　is　that　I　have　exaggerated　the　importance　of　the　reports　that　had　been　made　to　me；　and　that　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　be　less　severe　with　you。〃

〃What　are　you　saying；　father？〃　I　cried　joyously。

〃I　say；　my　dear　child；　that　every　young　man　must　have　his　mistress；　and　that；　from　the　fresh　information　I　have　had；　I　would　rather　see　you　the　lover　of　Mlle。　Gautier　than　of　any　one　else。〃

〃My　dear　father；　how　happy　you　make　me！〃

We　talked　in　this　manner　for　some　moments；　and　then　sat　down　to　table。　My　father　was　charming　all　dinner　time。

I　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　Bougival　to　tell　Marguerite　about　this　fortunate　change；　and　I　looked　at　the　clock　every　moment。

〃You　are　watching　the　time；〃　said　my　father；　〃and　you　are　impatient　to　leave　me。　O　young　people；　how　you　always　sacrifice　sincere　to　doubtful　affections！〃

〃Do　not　say　that；　father；　Marguerite　loves　me；　I　am　sure　of　it。〃

My　father　did　not　answer；　he　seemed　to　say　neither　yes　nor　no。

He　was　very　insistent　that　I　should　spend　the　whole　evening　with　him　and　not　go　till　the　morning；　but　Marguerite　had　not　been　well　when　I　left　her。　I　told　him　of　it；　and　begged　his　permission　to　go　back　to　her　early；　promising　to　come　again　on　the　morrow。

The　weather　was　fine；　he　walked　with　me　as　far　as　the　station。　Never　had　I　been　so　happy。　The　future　appeared　as　I　had　long　desired　to　see　it。　I　had　never　loved　my　father　as　I　loved　him　at　that　moment。

Just　as　I　was　leaving　him；　he　once　more　begged　me　to　stay。　I　refused。

〃You　are　really　very　much　in　love　with　her？〃　he　asked。

〃Madly。〃

〃Go；　then；〃　and　he　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead　as　if　to　chase　a　thought；　then　opened　his　mouth　as　if　to　say　something；　but　he　only　pressed　my　hand；　and　left　me　hurriedly；　saying：

〃Till　to…morrow；　then！〃



Chapter　22

It　seemed　to　me　as　if　the　train　did　not　move。　I　reached　Bougival　at　eleven。

Not　a　window　in　the　house　was　lighted　up；　and　when　I　rang　no　one　answered　the　bell。　It　was　the　first　time　that　such　a　thing　had　occurred　to　me。　At　last　the　gardener　came。　I　entered。　Nanine　met　me　with　a　light。　I　went　to　Marguerite's　room。

〃Where　is　madame？〃

〃Gone　to　Paris；〃　replied　Nanine。

〃To　Paris！〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃When？〃

〃An　hour　after　you。〃

〃She　left　no　word　for　me？〃

〃Nothing。〃

Nanine　left　me。

Perhaps　she　had　some　suspicion　or　other；　I　thought；　and　went　to　Paris　to　make　sure　that　my　visit　to　my　father　was　not　an　excuse　for　a　day　off。　Perhaps　Prudence　wrote　to　her　about　something　important。　I　said　to　myself　when　I　was　alone；　but　I　saw　Prudence；　she　said　nothing　to　make　me　suppose　that　she　had　written　to　Marguerite。

All　at　once　I　remembered　Mme。　Duvernoy's　question；　〃Isn't　she　coming　to…day？〃　when　I　had　said　that　Marguerite　was　ill。　I　remembered　at　the　same　time　how　embarrassed　Prudence　had　appeared　when　I　looked　at　her　after　this　remark；　which　seemed　to　indicate　an　appointment。　I　remembered；　too；　Marguerite's　tears　all　day　long；　which　my　father's　kind　reception　had　rather　put　out　of　my　mind。　From　this　moment　all　the　incidents　grouped　themselves　about　my　first　suspicion；　and　fixed　it　so　firmly　in　my　mind　that　everything　served　to　confirm　it；　even　my　father's　kindness。

Marguerite　had　almost　insisted　on　my　going　to　Paris；　she　had　pretended　to　be　calmer　when　I　had　proposed　staying　with　her。　Had　I　fallen　into　some　trap？　Was　Marguerite　deceiving　me？　Had　she　counted　on　being　back　in　time　for　me　not　to　perceive　her　absence；　and　had　she　been　detained　by　chance？　Why　had　she　said　nothing　to　Nanine；　or　why　had　she　not　written？　What　was　the　meaning　of　those　tears；　this　absence；　this　mystery？

That　is　what　I　asked　myself　in　affright；　as　I　stood　in　the　vacant　room；　gazing　at　the　clock；　which　pointed　to　midnight；　and　seemed　to　say　to　me　that　it　was　too　late　to　hope　for　my　mistress's　return。　Yet；　after　all　the　arrangements　we　had　just　made；　after　the　sacrifices　that　had　been　offered　and　accepted；　was　it　likely　that　she　was　deceiving　me？　No。　I　tried　to　get　rid　of　my　first　supposition。

Probably　she　had　found　a　purchaser　for　her　furniture；　and　she　had　gone　to　Paris　to　conclude　the　bargain。　She　did　not　wish　to　tell　me　beforehand；　for　she　knew　that；　though　I　had　consented　to　it；　the　sale；　so　necessary　to　our　future　happiness；　was　painful　to　me；　and　she　feared　to　wound　my　self…respect　in　speaking　to　me　about　it。　She　would　rather　not　see　me　till　the　whole　thing　was　done；　and　that　was　evidently　why　Prudence　was　expecting　her　when　she　let　out　the　secret。　Marguerite　could　not　finish　the　whole　business　to…day；　and　was　staying　the　night　with　Prudence；　or　perhaps　she　would　come　even　now；　for　she　must　know　bow　anxious　I　should　be；　and　would　not　wish　to　leave　me　in　that　condition。　But；　if　so；　why　those　tears？　No　doubt；　despite　her　love　for　me；　the　poor　girl　could　not　make　up　her　mind　to　give　up　all　the　luxury　in　which　she　had　lived　until　now；　and　for　which　she　had　been　so　envied；　without　crying　over　it。　I　was　quite　ready　to　forgive　her　for　such　regrets。　I　waited　for　her　impatiently；　that　I　might　say　to　her；　as　I　covered　her　with　kisses；　that　I　had　guessed　the　reason　of　her　mysterious　absence。

Nevertheless；　the　night　went　on；　and　Marguerite　did　not　return。

My　anxiety　tightened　its　circle　little　by　little；　and　began　to　oppress　my　head　and　heart。　Perhaps　something　had　happened　to　her。　Perhaps　she　was　injured；　ill；　dead。　Perhaps　a　messenger　would　arrive　with　the　news　of　some　dreadful　accident。　Perhaps　the　daylight　would　find　me　with　the　same　uncertainty　and　with　the　same　fears。

The　idea　that　Marguerite　was　perhaps　unfaithful　to　me　at　the　very　moment　when　I　waited　for　her　in　terror　at　her　absence　did　not　return　to　my　mind。　There　must　be　some　cause；　independent　of　her　will；　to　keep　her　away　from　me；　and　the　more　I　thought；　the　more　convinced　I　was　that　this　cause　could　only　be　some　mishap　or　other。　O　vanity　of　man；　coming　back　to　us　in　every　form！

One　o'clock　struck。　I　said　to　myself　that　I　would　wait　another　hour；　but　that　at　two　o'clock；　if　Marguerite　had　not　returned；　I　would　set　out　for　Paris。　Meanwhile　I　looked　about　for　a　book；　for　I　dared　not　think。　Manon　Lescaut　was　open　on　the　table。　It　seemed　to　me　that　here　and　there　the　pages　were　wet　as　if　with　tears。　I　turned　the　leaves　over　and　then　closed　the　book；　for　the　letters　seemed　to　me　void　of　meaning　through　the　veil　of　my　doubts。

Time　went　slowly。　The　sky　was　covered　with　clouds。　An　autumn　rain　lashed　the　windows。　The　empty　bed　seemed　at　moments　to　assume　the　aspect　of　a　tomb。　I　was　afraid。

I　opened　the　door。　I　listened；　and　heard　nothing　but　the　voice　of　the　wind　in　the　trees。　Not　a　vehicle　was　to　be　seen　on　the　road。　The　half　hour　sounded　sadly　from　the　church　tower。

I　began　to　fear　lest　some　one　should　enter。　It　seemed　to　me　that　only　a　disaster　could　come　at　that　hour　and　under　that　sombre　sky。

Two　o'clock　struck。　I　still　waited　a　little。　Only　the　sound　of　the　bell　troubled　the　silence　with　its　monotonous　and　rhythmical　stroke。

At　last　I　left　the　room；　where　every　object　had　assumed　that　melancholy　aspect　which　the　restless　solitude　of　the　heart　gives　to　all　its　surroundings。

In　the　next　room　I　found　Nanine　sleeping　over　her　work。　At　the　sound　of　the　door；　she　awoke　and　asked　if　her　mistress　had　come　in。

〃No；　but　if　she　comes　in；　tell　her　that　I　was　so　anxious　that　I　had　to　go　to　Paris。〃

〃At　this　hour？〃

〃Yes。

〃But　how？　You　won't　find　a　carriage。〃

〃I　will　walk。〃

〃But　it　is　raining。〃

〃No　matter。〃

〃But　madame　will　be　comi