an historical mystery-第30章

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consuming　him；　he　kept　the　secret　of　his　torture；　aware　of　how　little
he　could　hope。　He　tried　to　be　content　with　the　happiness　of　seeing　the
charming　woman　who　during　the　few　months　this　struggle　lasted　shone　in
all　her　brilliancy。　In　one　sense　Laurence　had　become　coquettish；
taking　that　dainty　care　of　her　person　which　women　who　are　loved
delight　in。　She　followed　the　fashions；　and　went　more　than　once　to
Paris　to　deck　her　beauty　with　/chiffons/　or　some　choice　novelty。
Desirous　of　giving　her　cousins　a　sense　of　home　and　its　every
enjoyment；　from　which　they　had　so　long　been　severed；　she　made　her
chateau；　in　spite　of　the　remonstrances　of　her　late　guardian；　the　most
completely　comfortable　house　in　Champagne。

Robert　d'Hauteserre　saw　nothing　of　this　hidden　drama；　he　never　noticed
his　brother's　love　for　Laurence。　As　to　the　girl　herself；　he　liked　to
tease　her　about　her　coquetry；for　he　confounded　that　odious　defect
with　the　natural　desire　to　please；　he　was　always　mistaken　in　matters
of　feeling；　taste；　and　the　higher　ethics。　So；　whenever　this　man　of　the
middle…ages　appeared　on　the　scene；　Laurence　immediately　made　him；
unknown　to　himself；　the　clown　of　the　play；　she　amused　her　cousins　by
arguing　with　Robert；　and　leading　him；　step　by　step；　into　some　bog　of
ignorance　and　stupidity。　She　excelled　in　such　clever　mischief；　which；
to　be　really　successful；　must　leave　the　victim　content　with　himself。
And　yet；　though　his　nature　was　a　coarse　one；　Robert　never；　during
those　delightful　months　（the　only　happy　period　in　the　lives　of　the
three　young　people）　said　one　virile　word　which　might　have　brought
matters　to　a　crisis　between　Laurence　and　her　cousins。　He　was　struck
with　the　sincerity　of　the　brothers；　he　saw　how　the　one　could　be　glad
at　the　happiness　of　the　other　and　yet　suffer　anguish　in　the　depths　of
his　heart；　and　he　did　perceive　how　a　woman　might　shrink　from　showing
tenderness　to　one　which　would　grieve　the　other。　This　perception　on
Robert's　part　was　a　just　one；　it　explains　a　situation　which；　in　times
of　faith；　when　the　sovereign　pontiff　had　power　to　intervene　and　cut
the　Gordian　knot　of　such　phenomena　（allied　to　the　deepest　and　most
impenetrable　mysteries）；　would　have　found　its　solution。　The　Revolution
had　deepened　the　Catholic　faith　in　these　young　hearts；　and　religion
now　rendered　this　crisis　in　their　lives　the　more　severe；　because
nobility　of　character　is　ever　heightened　by　the　grandeur　of
circumstances。　A　sense　of　this　truth　kept　Monsieur　and　Madame
d'Hauteserre　and　the　abbe　from　the　slightest　fear　of　any　unworthy
result　on　the　part　of　the　brothers　or　of　Laurence。

This　private　drama；　secretly　developing　within　the　limits　of　the
family　life　where　each　member　watched　it　silently；　ran　its　course　so
rapidly　and　withal　so　slowly；　it　carried　with　it　so　many　unhoped…for
pleasures；　trifling　jars；　frustrated　fancies；　hopes　reversed；　anxious
waitings；　delayed　explanations　and　mute　avowals　that　the　dwellers　at
Cinq…Cygne　paid　no　attention　to　the　public　drama　of　the　Emperor's
coronation。　At　times　these　passions　made　a　truce　and　sought
distraction　in　the　violent　enjoyment　of　hunting；　when　weariness　of
body　took　from　the　soul　all　occasions　to　wander　in　the　dangerous
meadows　of　reverie。　Neither　Laurence　nor　her　cousins　had　a　thought　now
for　public　affairs；　each　day　brought　its　palpitating　and　absorbing
interests　for　their　hearts。

〃Really；〃　said　Mademoiselle　Goujet　one　evening；　〃I　don't　know　which　of
all　the　lovers　loves　the　most。〃

Adrien；　who　happened　to　be　alone　in　the　salon　with　the　four　card…
players；　raised　his　eyes　and　turned　pale。　For　the　last　few　days　his
only　hold　on　life　had　been　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Laurence　and　of
listening　to　her。

〃I　think；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃that　the　countess；　being　a　woman；　loves
with　the　greater　abandonment　to　love。〃

Laurence；　the　twins；　and　Robert　entered　the　room　soon　after。　The
newspapers　had　just　arrived。　England；　seeing　the　failure　of　all
conspiracies　attempted　within　the　borders　of　France；　was　now　arming
all　Europe　against　their　common　enemy。　The　disaster　at　Trafalgar　had
overthrown　one　of　the　most　amazing　plans　which　human　genius　ever
conceived；　by　which；　if　it　had　succeeded；　the　Emperor　would　have　paid
the　nation　for　his　election　by　the　ruin　of　the　British　power。　The　camp
at　Boulogne　had　just　been　raised。　Napoleon；　whose　solders　were；　as
always；　inferior　in　numbers　to　the　enemy；　was　about　to　carry　the　war
into　parts　of　Europe　where　he　had　not　before　waged　it。　The　whole　world
was　breathless；　awaiting　the　results　of　the　campaign。

〃He'll　surely　be　defeated　this　time；〃　said　Robert；　laying　down　the
paper。

〃The　armies　of　Austria　and　of　Russia　are　before　him；〃　said　Marie…Paul。

〃He　has　never　fought　in　Germany；〃　added　Paul…Marie。

〃Of　whom　are　you　speaking？〃　asked　Laurence。

〃The　Emperor；〃　answered　the　three　gentlemen。

The　jealous　girl　threw　a　disdainful　look　at　her　twin　lovers；　which
humiliated　them　while　it　rejoiced　the　heart　of　Adrien；　who　made　a
gesture　of　admiration　and　gave　her　one　proud　look；　which　said　plainly
that　/he/　thought　only　of　her；of　Laurence。

〃I　told　you；〃　said　the　abbe　in　a　low　voice；　〃that　love　would　some　day
cause　her　to　forget　her　animosity。〃

It　was　the　first；　last；　and　only　reproach　the　brothers　ever　received
from　her；　but　certainly　at　that　moment　their　love；　which　could　still
be　distracted　by　national　events；　was　inferior　to　that　of　Laurence；
which；　absorbed　her　mind　so　completely　that　she　only　knew　of　the
amazing　triumph　at　Austerlitz　by　overhearing　a　discussion　between
Monsieur　d'Hauteserre　and　his　sons。

Faithful　to　his　ideas　of　submission；　the　old　man　wished　both　Robert
and　Adrien　to　re…enter　the　French　army　and　apply　for　service；　they
could；　he　thought；　be　reinstated　in　their　rank　and　soon　find　an
opening　to　military　honors。　But　royalist　opinions　were　now　all…
powerful　at　Cinq…Cygne。　The　four　young　men　and　Laurence　laughed　at
their　prudent　elder；　who　seemed　to　foresee　a　coming　evil。　Possibly；
prudence　is　less　virtue　than　the　exercise　of　some　instinct；　or　/sense/
of　the　mind　（if　it　is　allowable　to　couple　those　two　words）。　A　day　will
come；　no　doubt；　when　physiologists　and　philosophers　will　both　admit
that　the　senses　are；　in　some　way；　the　sheath　or　vehicle　of　a　keen　and
penetrative　active　power　which　issues　from　the　mind。



CHAPTER　XI

WISE　COUNSEL

After　peace　was　concluded　between　France　and　Austria；　towards　the　end
of　the　month　of　February；　1806；　a　relative；　whose　influence　had　been
employed　for　the　reinstatement　of　the　Simeuse　brothers；　and　who　was
destined　later　to　give　them　signal　proofs　of　family　attachment；　the
ci…devant　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　whose　estates　extended　from　the
department　of　the　Seine…et…Marne　to　that　of　the　Aube；　arrived　one
morning　at　Cinq…Cygne　in　a　species　of　caleche　which　was　then　named　in
derision　a　/berlingot/。　When　this　shabby　carriage　was　driven　past　the
windows　the　inhabitants　of　the　chateau；　who　were　at　breakfast；　were
convulsed　with　laughter；　but　when　the　bald　head　of　the　old　man　was
seen　issuing　from　behind　the　leather　curtain　of　the　vehicle　Monsieur
d'Hauteserre　told　his　name；　and　all　present　rose　instantly　to　receive
and　do　honor　to　the　head　of　the　house　of　Chargeboeuf。

〃We　have　done　wrong　to　let　him　come　to　us；〃　said　the　Marquis　de
Simeuse　to　his　brother　and　the　d'Hauteserres；　〃we　ought　to　have　gone
to　him　and　made　our　acknowledgements。〃

A　servant；　dressed　as　a　peasant；　who　drove　the　horses　from　a　seat　on　a
level　with　the　body　of　the　carriage；　slipped　his　cartman's　whip　into　a
coarse　leather　socket；　and　got　down　from　the　box　to　assist　the　marquis
from　the　carriage；　but　Adrien　and　the　younger　de　Simeuse　prevented
him；　unbuttoned　the　leather　apron；　and　helped　the　old　man　out　in　spite
of　his　protestations。　This　gentleman　of　the　old　school　chose　to
consider　his　yellow　/berlingot/　with　its　leather　curtains　a　most
convenient　and　excellent　equipage。　The　servant；　assisted　by　Gothard；
unharnessed　the　stout　horses　with　shining　flanks；　accustomed　no　doubt
to　do　as　much　duty　at　the　plough　as　in　a　carriage。

〃In　spite　of　this　cold　weather！　Why；　you　are　a　knight　of　the　olden
time；〃　said　Laurence；　to　her　visitor；　taking　his　ar