the duchesse de langeais-第24章

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er　voice；　her　attitude；　which　is　never　seen　in　a　woman　who　loves　when　she　stands　face　to　face　with　him　at　the　mere　sight　of　whom　her　heart　must　needs　begin　to　beat。　　The　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles's　counsels　had　cured　Armand　of　sheepishness；　and　further；　there　came　to　his　aid　that　rapid　power　of　intuition　which　passion　will　develop　at　moments　in　the　least　wise　among　mortals；　while　a　great　man　at　such　a　time　possesses　it　to　the　full。　　He　guessed　the　terrible　truth　revealed　by　the　Duchess's　nonchalance；　and　his　heart　swelled　with　the　storm　like　a　lake　rising　in　flood。

〃If　you　told　me　the　truth　yesterday；　be　mine；　dear　Antoinette；〃　he　cried；　〃you　shall〃

〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　she　composedly；　thrusting　him　back　as　he　came　nearer〃in　the　first　place；　you　are　not　to　compromise　me。　　My　woman　might　overhear　you。　　Respect　me；　I　beg　of　you。　　Your　familiarity　is　all　very　well　in　my　boudoir　in　an　evening；　here　it　is　quite　different。　　Besides；　what　may　your　‘you　shall'　mean？　　‘You　shall。'　　No　one　as　yet　has　ever　used　that　word　to　me。　　It　is　quite　ridiculous；　it　seems　to　me；　absolutely　ridiculous。

〃Will　you　surrender　nothing　to　me　on　this　point？〃

〃Oh！　do　you　call　a　woman's　right　to　dispose　of　herself　a　‘point？'　　A　capital　point　indeed；　you　will　permit　me　to　be　entirely　my　own　mistress　on　that　‘point。'　〃

〃And　how　if；　believing　in　your　promises　to　me；　I　should　absolutely　require　it？〃

〃Oh！　then　you　would　prove　that　I　made　the　greatest　possible　mistake　when　I　made　you　a　promise　of　any　kind；　and　I　should　beg　you　to　leave　me　in　peace。〃　

The　General's　face　grew　white；　he　was　about　to　spring　to　her　side；　when　Mme　de　Langeais　rang　the　bell；　the　maid　appeared；　and；　smiling　with　a　mocking　grace；　the　Duchess　added；　〃Be　so　good　as　to　return　when　I　am　visible。〃

Then　Montriveau　felt　the　hardness　of　a　woman　as　cold　and　keen　as　a　steel　blade；　she　was　crushing　in　her　scorn。　　In　one　moment　she　had　snapped　the　bonds　which　held　firm　only　for　her　lover。　　She　had　read　Armand's　intention　in　his　face；　and　held　that　the　moment　had　come　for　teaching　the　Imperial　soldier　his　lesson。　　He　was　to　be　made　to　feel　that　though　duchesses　may　lend　themselves　to　love；　they　do　not　give　themselves；　and　that　the　conquest　of　one　of　them　would　prove　a　harder　matter　than　the　conquest　of　Europe。

〃Madame；〃　returned　Armand；　〃I　have　not　time　to　wait。　　I　am　a　spoilt　child；　as　you　told　me　yourself。　　When　I　seriously　resolve　to　have　that　of　which　we　have　been　speaking；　I　shall　have　it。〃

〃You　will　have　it？〃　queried　she；　and　there　was　a　trace　of　surprise　in　her　loftiness。

〃I　shall　have　it。〃

〃Oh！　you　would　do　me　a　great　pleasure　by　‘resolving'　to　have　it。

For　curiosity's　sake；　I　should　be　delighted　to　know　how　you　would　set　about　it〃

〃I　am　delighted　to　put　a　new　interest　into　your　life；〃　interrupted　Montriveau；　breaking　into　a　laugh　which　dismayed　the　Duchess。　　〃Will　you　permit　me　to　take　you　to　the　ball　tonight？〃

〃A　thousand　thanks。　　M。　de　Marsay　has　been　beforehand　with　you。　　I　gave　him　my　promise。〃

Montriveau　bowed　gravely　and　went。

〃So　Ronquerolles　was　right；〃　thought　he；　〃and　now　for　a　game　of　chess。〃

Thenceforward　he　hid　his　agitation　by　complete　composure。　　No　man　is　strong　enough　to　bear　such　sudden　alternations　from　the　height　of　happiness　to　the　depths　of　wretchedness。　　So　he　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　happy　life　the　better　to　feel　the　emptiness　of　his　previous　existence？　　There　was　a　terrible　storm　within　him；　but　he　had　learned　to　endure；　and　bore　the　shock　of　tumultuous　thoughts　as　a　granite　cliff　stands　out　against　the　surge　of　an　angry　sea。

〃I　could　say　nothing。　　When　I　am　with　her　my　wits　desert　me。　　She　does　not　know　how　vile　and　contemptible　she　is。　　Nobody　has　ventured　to　bring　her　face　to　face　with　herself。　　She　has　played　with　many　a　man；　no　doubt；　I　will　avenge　them　all。〃

For　the　first　time；　it　may　be；　in　a　man's　heart；　revenge　and　love　were　blended　so　equally　that　Montriveau　himself　could　not　know　whether　love　or　revenge　would　carry　all　before　it。　　That　very　evening　he　went　to　the　ball　at　which　he　was　sure　of　seeing　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais；　and　almost　despaired　of　reaching　her　heart。

He　inclined　to　think　that　there　was　something　diabolical　about　this　woman；　who　was　gracious　to　him　and　radiant　with　charming　smiles；　probably　because　she　had　no　wish　to　allow　the　world　to　think　that　she　had　compromised　herself　with　M。　de　Montriveau。　　Coolness　on　both　sides　is　a　sign　of　love；　but　so　long　as　the　Duchess　was　the　same　as　ever；　while　the　Marquis　looked　sullen　and　morose；　was　it　not　plain　that　she　had　conceded　nothing？　　Onlookers　know　the　rejected　lover　by　various　signs　and　tokens；　they　never　mistake　the　genuine　symptoms　for　a　coolness　such　as　some　women　command　their　adorers　to　feign；　in　the　hope　of　concealing　their　love。　　Everyone　laughed　at　Montriveau；　and　he；　having　omitted　to　consult　his　cornac；　was　abstracted　and　ill　at　ease。　　M。　de　Ronquerolles　would　very　likely　have　bidden　him　compromise　the　Duchess　by　responding　to　her　show　of　friendliness　by　passionate　demonstrations；　but　as　it　was；　Armand　de　Montriveau　came　away　from　the　ball；　loathing　human　nature；　and　even　then　scarcely　ready　to　believe　in　such　complete　depravity。

〃If　there　is　no　executioner　for　such　crimes；〃　he　said；　as　he　looked　up　at　the　lighted　windows　of　the　ballroom　where　the　most　enchanting　women　in　Paris　were　dancing；　laughing；　and　chatting；　〃I　will　take　you　by　the　nape　of　the　neck；　Mme　la　Duchesse；　and　make　you　feel　something　that　bites　more　deeply　than　the　knife　in　the　Place　de　la　Greve。　　Steel　against　steel；　we　shall　see　which　heart　will　leave　the　deeper　mark。〃

For　a　week　or　so　Mme　de　Langeais　hoped　to　see　the　Marquis　de　Montriveau　again；　but　he　contented　himself　with　sending　his　card　every　morning　to　the　Hotel　de　Langeais。　　The　Duchess　could　not　help　shuddering　each　time　that　the　card　was　brought　in；　and　a　dim　foreboding　crossed　her　mind；　but　the　thought　was　vague　as　a　presentiment　of　disaster。　　When　her　eyes　fell　on　the　name；　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　felt　the　touch　of　the　implacable　man's　strong　hand　in　her　hair；　sometimes　the　words　seemed　like　a　prognostication　of　a　vengeance　which　her　lively　intellect　invented　in　the　most　shocking　forms。　　She　had　studied　him　too　well　not　to　dread　him。　　Would　he　murder　her；　she　wondered？　　Would　that　bull…necked　man　dash　out　her　vitals　by　flinging　her　over　his　head？　　Would　he　trample　her　body　under　his　feet？　　When；　where；　and　how　would　he　get　her　into　his　power？　　Would　he　make　her　suffer　very　much；　and　what　kind　of　pain　would　he　inflict？　　She　repented　of　her　conduct。　　There　were　hours　when；　if　he　had　come；　she　would　have　gone　to　his　arms　in　complete　self…surrender。

Every　night　before　she　slept　she　saw　Montriveau's　face；　every　night　it　wore　a　different　aspect。　　Sometimes　she　saw　his　bitter　smile；　sometimes　the　Jovelike　knitting　of　the　brows；　or　his　leonine　look；　or　some　disdainful　movement　of　the　shoulders　made　him　terrible　for　her。　　Next　day　the　card　seemed　stained　with　blood。　　The　name　of　Montriveau　stirred　her　now　as　the　presence　of　the　fiery；　stubborn；　exacting　lover　had　never　done。　　Her　apprehensions　gathered　strength　in　the　silence。　　She　was　forced；　without　aid　from　without；　to　face　the　thought　of　a　hideous　duel　of　which　she　could　not　speak。　　Her　proud　hard　nature　was　more　responsive　to　thrills　of　hate　than　it　had　ever　been　to　the　caresses　of　love。　　Ah！　if　the　General　could　but　have　seen　her；　as　she　sat　with　her　forehead　drawn　into　folds　between　her　brows；　immersed　in　bitter　thoughts　in　that　boudoir　where　he　had　enjoyed　such　happy　moments；　he　might　perhaps　have　conceived　high　hopes。　　Of　all　human　passions；　is　not　pride　alone　incapable　of　engendering　anything　base？　　Mme　de　Langeais　kept　her　thoughts　to　herself；　but　is　it　not　permissible　to　suppose　that　M。　de　Montriveau　was　no　longer　indifferent　to　her？　　And　has　not　a　man　gained　ground　immensely　when　a　woman　thinks　about　him？　　He　is　bound　to　make　progress　with　her　either　one　way　or　the　other　afterwards。

Put　any　feminine　creature　under　the　feet　of　a　furious　horse　or　other　fearsome　beast；　she　will　certainly　drop　on　her　knees　and　look　for　death；　but　if　the　brute　shows　a　milder　mood　and　does　not　utterly　slay　her；　she　will　love　the　horse；　lion；　bull；　or　what