the duchesse de langeais-第37章

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to　dissolve　Sister　Theresa's　vows。　　The　happiness　bought　by　so　much　love　might　yet　bloom　for　the　two　lovers。　　These　thoughts　sent　Montriveau　flying　from　Cadiz　to　Marseilles；　and　from　Marseilles　to　Paris。

A　few　months　after　his　return　to　France；　a　merchant　brig；　fitted　out　and　munitioned　for　active　service；　set　sail　from　the　port　of　Marseilles　for　Spain。　　The　vessel　had　been　chartered　by　several　distinguished　men；　most　of　them　Frenchmen；　who；　smitten　with　a　romantic　passion　for　the　East；　wished　to　make　a　journey　to　those　lands。　　Montriveau's　familiar　knowledge　of　Eastern　customs　made　him　an　invaluable　travelling　companion；　and　at　the　entreaty　of　the　rest　he　had　joined　the　expedition；　the　Minister　of　War　appointed　him　lieutenant…general；　and　put　him　on　the　Artillery　Commission　to　facilitate　his　departure。

Twenty…fours　hours　later　the　brig　lay　to　off　the　north…west　shore　of　an　island　within　sight　of　the　Spanish　coast。　　She　had　been　specially　chosen　for　her　shallow　keel　and　light　mastage；　so　that　she　might　lie　at　anchor　in　safety　half　a　league　away　from　the　reefs　that　secure　the　island　from　approach　in　this　direction。　　If　fishing　vessels　or　the　people　on　the　island　caught　sight　of　the　brig；　they　were　scarcely　likely　to　feel　suspicious　of　her　at　once；　and　besides；　it　was　easy　to　give　a　reason　for　her　presence　without　delay。　　Montriveau　hoisted　the　flag　of　the　United　States　before　they　came　in　sight　of　the　island；　and　the　crew　of　the　vessel　were　all　American　sailors；　who　spoke　nothing　but　English。　　One　of　M。　de　Montriveau's　companions　took　the　men　ashore　in　the　ship's　longboat；　and　made　them　so　drunk　at　an　inn　in　the　little　town　that　they　could　not　talk。　　Then　he　gave　out　that　the　brig　was　manned　by　treasure…seekers；　a　gang　of　men　whose　hobby　was　well　known　in　the　United　States；　indeed；　some　Spanish　writer　had　written　a　history　of　them。　　The　presence　of　the　brig　among　the　reefs　was　now　sufficiently　explained。　　The　owners　of　the　vessel；　according　to　the　self…styled　boatswain's　mate；　were　looking　for　the　wreck　of　a　galleon　which　foundered　thereabouts　in　1778　with　a　cargo　of　treasure　from　Mexico。　　The　people　at　the　inn　and　the　authorities　asked　no　more　questions。

Armand；　and　the　devoted　friends　who　were　helping　him　in　his　difficult　enterprise；　were　all　from　the　first　of　the　opinion　that　there　was　no　hope　of　rescuing　or　carrying　off　Sister　Theresa　by　force　or　stratagem　from　the　side　of　the　little　town。　　Wherefore　these　bold　spirits；　with　one　accord；　determined　to　take　the　bull　by　the　horns。　　They　would　make　a　way　to　the　convent　at　the　most　seemingly　inaccessible　point；　like　General　Lamarque；　at　the　storming　of　Capri；　they　would　conquer　Nature。　　The　cliff　at　the　end　of　the　island；　a　sheer　block　of　granite；　afforded　even　less　hold　than　the　rock　of　Capri。　　So　it　seemed　at　least　to　Montriveau；　who　had　taken　part　in　that　incredible　exploit；　while　the　nuns　in　his　eyes　were　much　more　redoubtable　than　Sir　Hudson　Lowe。　　To　raise　a　hubbub　over　carrying　off　the　Duchess　would　cover　them　with　confusion。　　They　might　as　well　set　siege　to　the　town　and　convent；　like　pirates；　and　leave　not　a　single　soul　to　tell　of　their　victory。　　So　for　them　their　expedition　wore　but　two　aspects。　　There　should　be　a　conflagration　and　a　feat　of　arms　that　should　dismay　all　Europe；　while　the　motives　of　the　crime　remained　unknown；　or；　on　the　other　hand；　a　mysterious；　aerial　descent　which　should　persuade　the　nuns　that　the　Devil　himself　had　paid　them　a　visit。　　They　had　decided　upon　the　latter　course　in　the　secret　council　held　before　they　left　Paris；　and　subsequently　everything　had　been　done　to　insure　the　success　of　an　expedition　which　promised　some　real　excitement　to　jaded　spirits　weary　of　Paris　and　its　pleasures。

An　extremely　light　pirogue；　made　at　Marseilles　on　a　Malayan　model；　enabled　them　to　cross　the　reef；　until　the　rocks　rose　from　out　of　the　water。　　Then　two　cables　of　iron　wire　were　fastened　several　feet　apart　between　one　rock　and　another。　　These　wire　ropes　slanted　upwards　and　downwards　in　opposite　directions；　so　that　baskets　of　iron　wire　could　travel　to　and　fro　along　them；　and　in　this　manner　the　rocks　were　covered　with　a　system　of　baskets　and　wire…cables；　not　unlike　the　filaments　which　a　certain　species　of　spider　weaves　about　a　tree。　　The　Chinese；　an　essentially　imitative　people；　were　the　first　to　take　a　lesson　from　the　work　of　instinct。　　Fragile　as　these　bridges　were；　they　were　always　ready　for　use；　high　waves　and　the　caprices　of　the　sea　could　not　throw　them　out　of　working　order；　the　ropes　hung　just　sufficiently　slack；　so　as　to　present　to　the　breakers　that　particular　curve　discovered　by　Cachin；　the　immortal　creator　of　the　harbour　at　Cherbourg。　　Against　this　cunningly　devised　line　the　angry　surge　is　powerless；　the　law　of　that　curve　was　a　secret　wrested　from　Nature　by　that　faculty　of　observation　in　which　nearly　all　human　genius　consists。

M。　de　Montriveau's　companions　were　alone　on　board　the　vessel；　and　out　of　sight　of　every　human　eye。　　No　one　from　the　deck　of　a　passing　vessel　could　have　discovered　either　the　brig　hidden　among　the　reefs；　or　the　men　at　work　among　the　rocks；　they　lay　below　the　ordinary　range　of　the　most　powerful　telescope。　　Eleven　days　were　spent　in　preparation；　before　the　Thirteen；　with　all　their　infernal　power；　could　reach　the　foot　of　the　cliffs。　　The　body　of　the　rock　rose　up　straight　from　the　sea　to　a　height　of　thirty　fathoms。　　Any　attempt　to　climb　the　sheer　wall　of　granite　seemed　impossible；　a　mouse　might　as　well　try　to　creep　up　the　slippery　sides　of　a　plain　china　vase。　　Still　there　was　a　cleft；　a　straight　line　of　fissure　so　fortunately　placed　that　large　blocks　of　wood　could　be　wedged　firmly　into　it　at　a　distance　of　about　a　foot　apart。　　Into　these　blocks　the　daring　workers　drove　iron　cramps；　specially　made　for　the　purpose；　with　a　broad　iron　bracket　at　the　outer　end；　through　which　a　hole　had　been　drilled。　　Each　bracket　carried　a　light　deal　board　which　corresponded　with　a　notch　made　in　a　pole　that　reached　to　the　top　of　the　cliffs；　and　was　firmly　planted　in　the　beach　at　their　feet。　　With　ingenuity　worthy　of　these　men　who　found　nothing　impossible；　one　of　their　number；　a　skilled　mathematician；　had　calculated　the　angle　from　which　the　steps　must　start；　so　that　from　the　middle　they　rose　gradually；　like　the　sticks　of　a　fan；　to　the　top　of　the　cliff；　and　descended　in　the　same　fashion　to　its　base。　　That　miraculously　light；　yet　perfectly　firm；　staircase　cost　them　twenty…two　days　of　toil。　　A　little　tinder　and　the　surf　of　the　sea　would　destroy　all　trace　of　it　forever　in　a　single　night。　　A　betrayal　of　the　secret　was　impossible；　and　all　search　for　the　violators　of　the　convent　was　doomed　to　failure。

At　the　top　of　the　rock　there　was　a　platform　with　sheer　precipice　on　all　sides。　　The　Thirteen；　reconnoitring　the　ground　with　their　glasses　from　the　masthead；　made　certain　that　though　the　ascent　was　steep　and　rough；　there　would　be　no　difficulty　in　gaining　the　convent　garden；　where　the　trees　were　thick　enough　for　a　hiding…place。　　After　such　great　efforts　they　would　not　risk　the　success　of　their　enterprise；　and　were　compelled　to　wait　till　the　moon　passed　out　of　her　last　quarter。

For　two　nights　Montriveau；　wrapped　in　his　cloak；　lay　out　on　the　rock　platform。　　The　singing　at　vespers　and　matins　filled　him　with　unutterable　joy。　　He　stood　under　the　wall　to　hear　the　music　of　the　organ；　listening　intently　for　one　voice　among　the　rest。　　But　in　spite　of　the　silence；　the　confused　effect　of　music　was　all　that　reached　his　ears。　　In　those　sweet　harmonies　defects　of　execution　are　lost；　the　pure　spirit　of　art　comes　into　direct　communication　with　the　spirit　of　the　hearer；　making　no　demand　on　the　attention；　no　strain　on　the　power　of　listening。　　Intolerable　memories　awoke。　　All　the　love　within　him　seemed　to　break　into　blossom　again　at　the　breath　of　that　music；　he　tried　to　find　auguries　of　happiness　in　the　air。　　During　the　last　night　he　sat　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　an　ungrated　window；　for　bars　were　not　needed　on　the　side　of　the　precipice。　　A　light　shone　there　all　through　the　hours；　and　that　instinct　of　the　heart；　which　is　sometimes　true；　and　as　often　false；　cried　within　him；　〃She　is　there！〃

〃She　is　certainly　there！　　Tomorrow　she　will　be　mine；〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　joy　blended　with