the duchesse de langeais-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　eyes　would　have　frightened　the　boldest；　something　in　his　face　seemed　to　say　that　he　would　not　die　alone。　　His　guide；　like　a　very　fiend；　gave　him　back　a　cool　glance　like　a　man　that　knows　his　power；　left　him　to　lie　there；　and　kept　at　a　safe　distance　out　of　reach　of　his　desperate　victim。　　At　last　M。　Montriveau　recovered　strength　enough　for　a　last　curse。

The　guide　came　nearer；　silenced　him　with　a　steady　look；　and　said；　〃Was　it　not　your　own　will　to　go　where　I　am　taking　you；　in　spite　of　us　all？　　You　say　that　I　have　lied　to　you。　　If　I　had　not；　you　would　not　be　even　here。　　Do　you　want　the　truth？　　Here　it　is。　　WE　HAVE　STILL　ANOTHER　FIVE　HOURS'　MARCH　BEFORE　US；　AND　WE　CANNOT　GO　BACK。　　Sound　yourself；　if　you　have　not　courage　enough；　here　is　my　dagger。〃

Startled　by　this　dreadful　knowledge　of　pain　and　human　strength；　M。　de　Montriveau　would　not　be　behind　a　savage；　he　drew　a　fresh　stock　of　courage　from　his　pride　as　a　European；　rose　to　his　feet；　and　followed　his　guide。　　The　five　hours　were　at　an　end；　and　still　M。　de　Montriveau　saw　nothing；　he　turned　his　failing　eyes　upon　his　guide；　but　the　Nubian　hoisted　him　on　his　shoulders；　and　showed　him　a　wide　pool　of　water　with　greenness　all　about　it；　and　a　noble　forest　lighted　up　by　the　sunset。　　It　lay　only　a　hundred　paces　away；　a　vast　ledge　of　granite　hid　the　glorious　landscape。　　It　seemed　to　Armand　that　he　had　taken　a　new　lease　of　life。　　His　guide；　that　giant　in　courage　and　intelligence；　finished　his　work　of　devotion　by　carrying　him　across　the　hot；　slippery；　scarcely　discernible　track　on　the　granite。　　Behind　him　lay　the　hell　of　burning　sand；　before　him　the　earthly　paradise　of　the　most　beautiful　oasis　in　the　desert。

The　Duchess；　struck　from　the　first　by　the　appearance　of　this　romantic　figure；　was　even　more　impressed　when　she　learned　that　this　was　that　Marquis　de　Montriveau　of　whom　she　had　dreamed　during　the　night。　　She　had　been　with　him　among　the　hot　desert　sands；　he　had　been　the　companion　of　her　nightmare　wanderings；　for　such　a　woman　was　not　this　a　delightful　presage　of　a　new　interest　in　her　life？　　And　never　was　a　man's　exterior　a　better　exponent　of　his　character；　never　were　curious　glances　so　well　justified。　　The　principal　characteristic　of　his　great；　square…hewn　head　was　the　thick；　luxuriant　black　hair　which　framed　his　face；　and　gave　him　a　strikingly　close　resemblance　to　General　Kleber；　and　the　likeness　still　held　good　in　the　vigorous　forehead；　in　the　outlines　of　his　face；　the　quiet　fearlessness　of　his　eyes；　and　a　kind　of　fiery　vehemence　expressed　by　strongly　marked　features。　　He　was　short；　deep…chested；　and　muscular　as　a　lion。　　There　was　something　of　the　despot　about　him；　and　an　indescribable　suggestion　of　the　security　of　strength　in　his　gait；　bearing；　and　slightest　movements。　　He　seemed　to　know　that　his　will　was　irresistible；　perhaps　because　he　wished　for　nothing　unjust。　　And　yet；　like　all　really　strong　men；　he　was　mild　of　speech；　simple　in　his　manners；　and　kindly　natured；　although　it　seemed　as　if；　in　the　stress　of　a　great　crisis；　all　these　finer　qualities　must　disappear；　and　the　man　would　show　himself　implacable；　unshaken　in　his　resolve；　terrific　in　action。　　There　was　a　certain　drawing　in　of　the　inner　line　of　the　lips　which；　to　a　close　observer；　indicated　an　ironical　bent。

The　Duchesse　de　Langeais；　realising　that　a　fleeting　glory　was　to　be　won　by　such　a　conquest；　made　up　her　mind　to　gain　a　lover　in　Armand　de　Montriveau　during　the　brief　interval　before　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　brought　him　to　be　introduced。　　She　would　prefer　him　above　the　others；　she　would　attach　him　to　herself；　display　all　her　powers　of　coquetry　for　him。　　It　was　a　fancy；　such　a　merest　Duchess's　whim　as　furnished　a　Lope　or　a　Calderon　with　the　plot　of　the　Dog　in　the　Manger。　　She　would　not　suffer　another　woman　to　engross　him；　but　she　had　not　the　remotest　intention　of　being　his。

Nature　had　given　the　Duchess　every　qualification　for　the　part　of　coquette；　and　education　had　perfected　her。　　Women　envied　her；　and　men　fell　in　love　with　her；　not　without　reason。　　Nothing　that　can　inspire　love；　justify　it；　and　give　it　lasting　empire　was　wanting　in　her。　　Her　style　of　beauty；　her　manner；　her　voice；　her　bearing；　all　combined　to　give　her　that　instinctive　coquetry　which　seems　to　be　the　consciousness　of　power。　　Her　shape　was　graceful；　perhaps　there　was　a　trace　of　self…consciousness　in　her　changes　of　movement；　the　one　affectation　that　could　be　laid　to　her　charge；　but　everything　about　her　was　a　part　of　her　personality；　from　her　least　little　gesture　to　the　peculiar　turn　of　her　phrases；　the　demure　glance　of　her　eyes。　　Her　great　lady's　grace；　her　most　striking　characteristic；　had　not　destroyed　the　very　French　quick　mobility　of　her　person。　　There　was　an　extraordinary　fascination　in　her　swift；　incessant　changes　of　attitude。　　She　seemed　as　if　she　surely　would　be　a　most　delicious　mistress　when　her　corset　and　the　encumbering　costume　of　her　part　were　laid　aside。　　All　the　rapture　of　love　surely　was　latent　in　the　freedom　of　her　expressive　glances；　in　her　caressing　tones；　in　the　charm　of　her　words。　　She　gave　glimpses　of　the　high…born　courtesan　within　her；　vainly　protesting　against　the　creeds　of　the　duchess。

You　might　sit　near　her　through　an　evening；　she　would　be　gay　and　melancholy　in　turn；　and　her　gaiety；　like　her　sadness；　seemed　spontaneous。　　She　could　be　gracious；　disdainful；　insolent；　or　confiding　at　will。　　Her　apparent　good　nature　was　real；　she　had　no　temptation　to　descend　to　malignity。　　But　at　each　moment　her　mood　changed；　she　was　full　of　confidence　or　craft；　her　moving　tenderness　would　give　place　to　a　heart…breaking　hardness　and　insensibility。　　Yet　how　paint　her　as　she　was；　without　bringing　together　all　the　extremes　of　feminine　nature？　　In　a　word；　the　Duchess　was　anything　that　she　wished　to　be　or　to　seem。　　Her　face　was　slightly　too　long。　There　was　a　grace　in　it；　and　a　certain　thinness　and　fineness　that　recalled　the　portraits　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　Her　skin　was　white；　with　a　faint　rose　tint。　　Everything　about　her　erred；　as　it　were；　by　an　excess　of　delicacy。

M。　de　Montriveau　willingly　consented　to　be　introduced　to　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais；　and　she；　after　the　manner　of　persons　whose　sensitive　taste　leads　them　to　avoid　banalities；　refrained　from　overwhelming　him　with　questions　and　compliments。　　She　received　him　with　a　gracious　deference　which　could　not　fail　to　flatter　a　man　of　more　than　ordinary　powers；　for　the　fact　that　a　man　rises　above　the　ordinary　level　implies　that　he　possesses　something　of　that　tact　which　makes　women　quick　to　read　feeling。　　If　the　Duchess　showed　any　curiosity；　it　was　by　her　glances；　her　compliments　were　conveyed　in　her　manner；　there　was　a　winning　grace　displayed　in　her　words；　a　subtle　suggestion　of　a　desire　to　please　which　she　of　all　women　knew　the　art　of　manifesting。　　Yet　her　whole　conversation　was　but；　in　a　manner；　the　body　of　the　letter；　the　postscript　with　the　principal　thought　in　it　was　still　to　come。　　After　half　an　hour　spent　in　ordinary　talk；　in　which　the　words　gained　all　their　value　from　her　tone　and　smiles；　M。　de　Montriveau　was　about　to　retire　discreetly；　when　the　Duchess　stopped　him　with　an　expressive　gesture。

〃I　do　not　know；　monsieur；　whether　these　few　minutes　during　which　I　have　had　the　pleasure　of　talking　to　you　proved　so　sufficiently　attractive；　that　I　may　venture　to　ask　you　to　call　upon　me；　I　am　afraid　that　it　may　be　very　selfish　of　me　to　wish　to　have　you　all　to　myself。　　If　I　should　be　so　fortunate　as　to　find　that　my　house　is　agreeable　to　you；　you　will　always　find　me　at　home　in　the　evening　until　ten　o'clock。〃

The　invitation　was　given　with　such　irresistible　grace；　that　M。　de　Montriveau　could　not　refuse　to　accept　it。　　When　he　fell　back　again　among　the　groups　of　men　gathered　at　a　distance　from　the　women；　his　friends　congratulated　him；　half　laughingly；　half　in　earnest；　on　the　extraordinary　reception　vouchsafed　him　by　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais。　　The　difficult　and　brilliant　conquest　had　been　made　beyond　a　doubt；　and　the　glory　of　it　was　reserved　for　the　Artillery　of　the　Guard。　　It　is　easy　to　imagine　the　jests；　good　and　bad；　when　this　topic　had　once　been　started；　the　world　of　Paris　salons　is　so　eager　for　amusement；　and　a　joke　lasts　for　such　a　short　time；　that　everyone　is　eager　to　make　the　most　of　it　while　it　is