camille-第7部分

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〃What　is　it？〃

〃Your　cab　is　below？〃

〃Yes。

〃Well；　will　you　take　my　passport　and　ask　if　there　are　any　letters　for　me　at　the　poste　restante？　My　father　and　sister　must　have　written　to　me　at　Paris；　and　I　went　away　in　such　haste　that　I　did　not　go　and　see　before　leaving。　When　you　come　back　we　will　go　together　to　the　inspector　of　police；　and　arrange　for　to…morrow's　ceremony。〃

Armand　handed　me　his　passport；　and　I　went　to　Rue　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau。　There　were　two　letters　addressed　to　Duval。　I　took　them　and　returned。　When　I　re…entered　the　room　Armand　was　dressed　and　ready　to　go　out。

〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　taking　the　letters。　〃Yes；〃　he　added；　after　glancing　at　the　addresses；　〃they　are　from　my　father　and　sister。　They　must　have　been　quite　at　a　loss　to　understand　my　silence。〃

He　opened　the　letters；　guessed　at　rather　than　read　them；　for　each　was　of　four　pages；　and　a　moment　after　folded　them　up。　〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　answer　tomorrow。〃

We　went　to　the　police　station；　and　Armand　handed　in　the　permission　signed　by　Marguerite's　sister。　He　received　in　return　a　letter　to　the　keeper　of　the　cemetery；　and　it　was　settled　that　the　disinterment　was　to　take　place　next　day；　at　ten　o'clock；　that　I　should　call　for　him　an　hour　before；　and　that　we　should　go　to　the　cemetery　together。

I　confess　that　I　was　curious　to　be　present；　and　I　did　not　sleep　all　night。　judging　from　the　thoughts　which　filled　my　brain；　it　must　have　been　a　long　night　for　Armand。　When　I　entered　his　room　at　nine　on　the　following　morning　he　was　frightfully　pale；　but　seemed　calm。　He　smiled　and　held　out　his　hand。　His　candles　were　burned　out；　and　before　leaving　he　took　a　very　heavy　letter　addressed　to　his　father；　and　no　doubt　containing　an　account　of　that　night's　impressions。

Half　an　hour　later　we　were　at　Montmartre。　The　police　inspector　was　there　already。　We　walked　slowly　in　the　direction　of　Marguerite's　grave。　The　inspector　went　in　front；　Armand　and　I　followed　a　few　steps　behind。

From　time　to　time　I　felt　my　companion's　arm　tremble　convulsively；　as　if　he　shivered　from　head　to　feet。　I　looked　at　him。　He　understood　the　look；　and　smiled　at　me；　we　had　not　exchanged　a　word　since　leaving　the　house。

Just　before　we　reached　the　grave；　Armand　stopped　to　wipe　his　face；　which　was　covered　with　great　drops　of　sweat。　I　took　advantage　of　the　pause　to　draw　in　a　long　breath；　for　I；　too；　felt　as　if　I　had　a　weight　on　my　chest。

What　is　the　origin　of　that　mournful　pleasure　which　we　find　in　sights　of　this　kind？　When　we　reached　the　grave　the　gardener　had　removed　all　the　flower…pots；　the　iron　railing　had　been　taken　away；　and　two　men　were　turning　up　the　soil。

Armand　leaned　against　a　tree　and　watched。　All　his　life　seemed　to　pass　before　his　eyes。　Suddenly　one　of　the　two　pickaxes　struck　against　a　stone。　At　the　sound　Armand　recoiled；　as　at　an　electric　shock；　and　seized　my　hand　with　such　force　as　to　give　me　pain。

One　of　the　grave…diggers　took　a　shovel　and　began　emptying　out　the　earth；　then；　when　only　the　stones　covering　the　coffin　were　left；　he　threw　them　out　one　by　one。

I　scrutinized　Armand；　for　every　moment　I　was　afraid　lest　the　emotions　which　he　was　visibly　repressing　should　prove　too　much　for　him；　but　he　still　watched；　his　eyes　fixed　and　wide　open；　like　the　eyes　of　a　madman；　and　a　slight　trembling　of　the　cheeks　and　lips　were　the　only　signs　of　the　violent　nervous　crisis　under　which　he　was　suffering。

As　for　me；　all　I　can　say　is　that　I　regretted　having　come。

When　the　coffin　was　uncovered　the　inspector　said　to　the　grave…digger：　〃Open　it。〃　They　obeyed；　as　if　it　were　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。

The　coffin　was　of　oak；　and　they　began　to　unscrew　the　lid。　The　humidity　of　the　earth　had　rusted　the　screws；　and　it　was　not　without　some　difficulty　that　the　coffin　was　opened。　A　painful　odour　arose　in　spite　of　the　aromatic　plants　with　which　it　was　covered。

〃O　my　God；　my　God！〃　murmured　Armand；　and　turned　paler　than　before。

Even　the　grave…digger　drew　back。

A　great　white　shroud　covered　the　corpse；　closely　outlining　some　of　its　contours。　This　shroud　was　almost　completely　eaten　away　at　one　end；　and　left　one　of　the　feet　visible。

I　was　nearly　fainting；　and　at　the　moment　of　writing　these　lines　I　see　the　whole　scene　over　again　in　all　its　imposing　reality。

〃Quick；〃　said　the　inspector。　Thereupon　one　of　the　men　put　out　his　hand；　began　to　unsew　the　shroud；　and　taking　hold　of　it　by　one　end　suddenly　laid　bare　the　face　of　Marguerite。

It　was　terrible　to　see；　it　is　horrible　to　relate。　The　eyes　were　nothing　but　two　holes；　the　lips　had　disappeared；　vanished；　and　the　white　teeth　were　tightly　set。　The　black　hair；　long　and　dry；　was　pressed　tightly　about　the　forehead；　and　half　veiled　the　green　hollows　of　the　cheeks；　and　yet　I　recognised　in　this　face　the　joyous　white　and　rose　face　that　I　had　seen　so　often。

Armand；　unable　to　turn　away　his　eyes；　had　put　the　handkerchief　to　his　mouth　and　bit　it。

For　my　part；　it　was　as　if　a　circle　of　iron　tightened　about　my　head；　a　veil　covered　my　eyes；　a　rumbling　filled　my　ears；　and　all　I　could　do　was　to　unstop　a　smelling　bottle　which　I　happened　to　have　with　me；　and　to　draw　in　long　breaths　of　it。

Through　this　bewilderment　I　heard　the　inspector　say　to　Duval；　〃Do　you　identify？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　young　man　in　a　dull　voice。

〃Then　fasten　it　up　and　take　it　away；〃　said　the　inspector。

The　grave…diggers　put　back　the　shroud　over　the　face　of　the　corpse；　fastened　up　the　coffin；　took　hold　of　each　end　of　it；　and　began　to　carry　it　toward　the　place　where　they　had　been　told　to　take　it。

Armand　did　not　move。　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　empty　grave；　he　was　as　white　as　the　corpse　which　we　had　just　seen。　He　looked　as　if　he　had　been　turned　to　stone。

I　saw　what　was　coming　as　soon　as　the　pain　caused　by　the　spectacle　should　have　abated　and　thus　ceased　to　sustain　him。　I　went　up　to　the　inspector。　〃Is　this　gentleman's　presence　still　necessary？〃　I　said；　pointing　to　Armand。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃and　I　should　advise　you　to　take　him　away。　He　looks　ill。〃

〃Come；〃　I　said　to　Armand；　taking　him　by　the　arm。

〃What？〃　he　said；　looking　at　me　as　if　he　did　not　recognise　me。

〃It　is　all　over；〃　I　added。　〃You　must　come；　my　friend；　you　are　quite　white；　you　are　cold。　These　emotions　will　be　too　much　for　you。〃

〃You　are　right。　Let　us　go；〃　he　answered　mechanically；　but　without　moving　a　step。

I　took　him　by　the　arm　and　led　him　along。　He　let　himself　be　guided　like　a　child；　only　from　time　to　time　murmuring；　〃Did　you　see　her　eyes？〃　and　he　turned　as　if　the　vision　had　recalled　her。

Nevertheless；　his　steps　became　more　irregular；　he　seemed　to　walk　by　a　series　of　jerks；　his　teeth　chattered；　his　hands　were　cold；　a　violent　agitation　ran　through　his　body。　I　spoke　to　him；　he　did　not　answer。　He　was　just　able　to　let　himself　be　led　along。　A　cab　was　waiting　at　the　gate。　It　was　only　just　in　time。　Scarcely　had　he　seated　himself；　when　the　shivering　became　more　violent；　and　he　had　an　actual　attack　of　nerves；　in　the　midst　of　which　his　fear　of　frightening　me　made　him　press　my　hand　and　whisper：　〃It　is　nothing；　nothing。　I　want　to　weep。〃

His　chest　laboured；　his　eyes　were　injected　with　blood；　but　no　tears　came。　I　made　him　smell　the　salts　which　I　had　with　me；　and　when　we　reached　his　house　only　the　shivering　remained。

With　the　help　of　his　servant　I　put　him　to　bed；　lit　a　big　fire　in　his　room；　and　hurried　off　to　my　doctor；　to　whom　I　told　all　that　had　happened。　He　hastened　with　me。

Armand　was　flushed　and　delirious；　he　stammered　out　disconnected　words；　in　which　only　the　name　of　Marguerite　could　be　distinctly　heard。

〃Well？〃　I　said　to　the　doctor　when　he　had　examined　the　patient。

〃Well；　he　has　neither　more　nor　less　than　brain　fever；　and　very　lucky　it　is　for　him；　for　I　firmly　believe　（God　forgive　me！）　that　he　would　have　gone　out　of　his　mind。　Fortunately；　the　physical　malady　will　kill　the　mental　one；　and　in　a　month's　time　he　will　be　free　from　the　one　and　perhaps　from　the　other。〃



Chapter　7

Illnesses　like　Armand's　have　one　fortunate　thing　about　them：　they　either　kill　outright　or　are　very　soon　overcome。　A　fortnight　after　the　events　which　I　have　just　related　Armand　was　convalescent；　and　we　had　already　become　great　friends。　During　the　whole　course　of　his　illness　I　had　hardly　left　his　side。

Spring　was　profuse　in　its　flowers；　its　leaves；　its　birds；　its　songs；　and　my　friend's　window　opened　gaily　upon　his　garden；　from　which　a　reviving　breath　of　health　seemed　to　come　to　him。　The　doctor　had　allowed　him　to　get　up；　and　we　often　sat　talking　at　the　open　window；　at　the　hour　when　the　sun　is　at　its　height；　from　twelve　to　two。　I　was　careful　not　to　refer　to　Marguerite；　fearing　lest　the　name　should　awaken　sad　recollections　hidden　under　the　apparent　calm　of　the　invalid；　but　Armand；　on　the　contrary；　seemed　to　delight　in　speaking　of　her；　not　as　formerly；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　but　with　a　sweet　smile　which　reassured　me　as　to　the　state　of　his　mind。

I　had　noticed　that　ever　since　his　last　visit　to　the　cemetery；　and　the　sight　which　had　brought　on　so　violent　a　crisis；　sorrow　seemed　to　have　been　overcome　by　sickness；　and　Marguerite's　death　no　longer　appeared　to　him　under　its　former　aspect。　A　kind　of　consolation　had　sprung　from　the　certainty　of　which　he　was　now　fully　persuaded；　and　in　order　to　banish　the　sombre　picture　which　often　presented　itself　to　him；　he　returned　upon　the　happy　recollections　of　his　liaison　with　Marguerite；　and　seemed　resolved　to　think　of　nothing　else。

The　body　was　too　much　weakened　by　the　attack　of　fever；　and　even　by　the　process　of　its　cure；　to　permit　him　any　violent　emotions；　and　the　universal　joy　of　spring　which　wrapped　him　round　carried　his　thoughts　instinctively　to　images　of　joy。　He　had　always　obstinately　refused　to　tell　his　family　of　the　danger　which　he　had　been　in；　and　when　he　was　well　again　his　father　did　not　even　know　that　he　had　been　ill。

One　evening　we　had　sat　at　the　window　later　than　usual；　the　weather　had　been　superb；　and　the　sun　sank　to　sleep　in　a　twilight　dazzling　with　gold　and　azure。　Though　we　were　in　Paris；　the　verdure　which　surrounded　us　seemed　to　shut　us　off　from　the　world；　and　our　conversation　was　only　now　and　again　disturbed　by　the　sound　of　a　passing　vehicle。

〃It　was　about　this　time　of　the　year；　on　the　evening　of　a　day　like　this；　that　I　first　met　Marguerite；〃　said　Armand　to