the nabob-第98章

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horter　and　less　frequent　on　account　of　the　tyranny　of　Jenkins；　could　tell　where　he　was；　and　wait　for　him　or　rejoin　him　easily。　The　two　had　not　ceased　to　love　each　other　deeply；　tenderly；　in　spite　of　the　cruelty　of　life　which　forced　into　the　relations　of　mother　and　son　the　clandestine　precautions　of　an　intrigue。

〃I　am　at　my　rehearsal；〃　said　the　note　to…day；　〃I　shall　be　back　at　seven。〃

This　attention　of　the　son；　whom　she　had　not　seen　for　three　weeks；　yet　who　persisted　in　expecting　her　all　the　same；　brought　to　the　mother's　eyes　the　flood　of　tears　which　was　suffocating　her。　She　felt　as　if　she　had　just　entered　a　new　world。　This　little　room　was　so　pure；　so　quiet；　so　elevated。　It　kept　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun　on　its　windows；　and　seemed；　with　its　bare　walls；　hewn　from　a　corner　of　the　sky。　It　was　adorned　only　with　one　great　portrait；　hers；　nothing　but　hers；　smiling　in　the　place　of　honour；　and　again；　down　there；　on　the　table　in　a　gilt　frame。　This　humble　little　lodging；　so　light　when　all　Paris　was　becoming　dark；　made　an　extraordinary　impression　on　her；　in　spite　of　the　poverty　of　its　sparse　furniture；　scattered　in　two　rooms；　its　common　chintz；　and　its　chimney　garnished　with　two　great　bunches　of　hyacinthsthose　flowers　which　are　hawked　round　the　streets　in　barrowsful。　What　a　good　and　worthy　life　she　could　have　led　by　the　side　of　her　Andre！　And　in　her　mind's　eye　she　had　arranged　her　bed　in　one　corner；　her　piano　in　another；　she　saw　herself　giving　lessons；　and　caring　for　the　home　to　which　she　was　adding　her　share　of　ease　and　courageous　gaiety。　How　was　it　that　she　had　not　seen　that　her　duty；　the　pride　of　her　widowhood；　was　there？　By　what　blindness；　what　unworthy　weakness？

It　was　a　great　fault；　no　doubt；　but　one　for　which　many　excuses　might　be　found　in　her　easy　and　tender　disposition；　and　the　clever　knavery　of　her　accomplice；　always　talking　of　marriage；　hiding　from　her　that　he　himself　was　no　longer　free；　and　when　at　last　obliged　to　confess　it；　painting　such　a　picture　of　his　dull　life；　of　his　despair；　of　his　love；　that　the　poor　creature；　so　deeply　compromised　already；　and　incapable　of　one　of　those　heroic　efforts　which　raise　the　sufferer　above　the　false　situations；　had　given　way　at　last；　had　accepted　this　double　existence；　so　brilliant　and　so　miserable；　built　on　a　lie　which　had　lasted　ten　years。　Ten　years　of　intoxicating　success　and　unspeakable　unhappinessten　years　of　singing；　with　the　fear　of　exposure　between　each　versewhere　the　least　remark　on　irregular　unions　wounded　her　like　an　allusionwhere　the　expression　of　her　face　had　softened　to　the　air　of　mild　humility；　of　a　guilty　woman　begging　for　pardon。　Then　the　certainty　that　she　would　be　deserted　had　come　to　spoil　even　these　borrowed　joys；　had　tarnished　her　luxury；　and　what　misery；　what　sufferings　borne　in　silence；　what　incessant　humiliations；　even　to　this　last；　the　most　terrible　of　all！

While　she　is　thus　sadly　reviewing　her　life　in　the　cool　of　the　evening　and　the　calm　of　the　deserted　house；　a　gust　of　happy　laughter　rose　from　the　rooms　beneath；　and　recalling　the　confidences　of　Andre；　his　last　letter　telling　the　great　news；　she　tried　to　distinguish　among　all　these　fresh　and　limpid　voices　that　of　her　daughter　Elise；　her　son's　betrothed；　whom　she　did　not　know；　whom　she　would　never　know。　This　reflection　added　to　the　misery　of　her　last　moments；　and　loaded　them　with　so　much　remorse　and　regret　that；　in　spite　of　her　will　to　be　brave；　she　wept。

Night　comes　on　little　by　little。　Large　shadows　cover　the　sloping　windows；　where　the　immense　depth　of　the　sky　seems　to　lose　its　colour；　and　to　deepen　into　obscurity。　The　roofs　seem　to　draw　close　together　for　the　night；　like　soldiers　preparing　for　the　attack。　The　bells　count　the　hours　gravely；　while　the　martins　fly　round　their　hidden　nests；　and　the　wind　makes　its　accustomed　invasion　of　the　rubbish　of　the　old　wood…　yard。　To…night　it　sighs　with　the　sound　of　the　river；　a　shiver　of　the　fog；　it　sighs　of　the　river；　to　remind　the　unfortunate　woman　that　it　is　there　she　must　go。　She　shivers　beforehand　in　her　lace　mantle。　Why　did　she　come　here　to　reawaken　her　desire　for　a　life　impossible　after　the　avowal　she　was　forced　to　make？　Hasty　steps　shake　the　staircase；　the　door　opens　precipitately；　it　is　Andre。　He　is　singing；　happy；　in　a　great　hurry；　for　they　are　waiting　dinner　for　him　below。　But；　as　he　is　striking　the　match；　he　feels　that　someone　is　in　the　rooma　moving　shadow　among　the　shadows　at　rest。

〃Who　is　there？〃

Something　answers　him　like　a　stifled　laugh　or　a　sob。　He　believes　that　it　is　one　of　his　little　neighbours；　a　plot　of　the　children　to　amuse　themselves。　He　draws　near。　Two　hands；　two　arms；　seize　and　surround　him。

〃It　is　I。〃

And　with　a　feverish　voice；　hurrying　as　if　to　assure　herself；　she　tells　him　that　she　is　setting　out　on　a　long　journey；　and　that　before　going

〃A　journey！　And　where　are　you　going？〃

〃Oh；　I　do　not　know。　We　are　going　over　there；　a　long　way；　on　business　in　his　own　part　of　the　world。〃

〃What！　You　will　not　be　here　for　my　play？　It　is　in　three　days。　And　then；　immediately　after；　my　marriage。　Come　now；　he　cannot　hinder　you　from　coming　to　my　marriage？〃

She　makes　excuses；　imagines　reasons；　but　her　hands　burning　between　her　son's；　and　her　altered　voice；　tell　Andre　that　she　is　not　speaking　the　truth。　He　is　going　to　strike　a　light；　she　prevents　him。

〃No；　no；　it　is　useless。　We　are　better　without　it。　Besides；　I　have　so　much　to　get　ready　still。　I　must　go　away。〃

They　are　both　standing　up；　ready　for　the　separation；　but　Andre　will　not　let　her　go　without　telling　him　what　is　the　matter；　what　tragic　care　is　hollowing　that　fair　face　where　the　eyeswas　it　an　effect　of　the　dusk？shone　with　a　strange　light。

〃Nothing；　no；　nothing；　I　assure　you。　Only　the　idea　of　not　being　able　to　take　part　in　your　happiness；　your　triumph。　At　any　rate；　you　know　I　love　you；　you　don't　mistrust　your　mother；　do　you？　I　have　never　been　a　day　without　thinking　of　you：　do　the　samekeep　me　in　your　heart。　And　now　kiss　me　and　let　me　go　quickly。　I　have　waited　too　long。〃

Another　minute　and　she　would　have　the　strength　for　what　she　had　to　do。　She　darts　forward。

〃No；　you　shall　not　go。　I　feel　that　something　extraordinary　is　happening　in　your　life　which　you　do　not　want　to　tell。　You　are　in　some　great　trouble；　I　am　sure。　This　man　has　done　some　infamous　thing。〃

〃No；　no。　Let　me　go！　Let　me　go！〃

But　he　held　her　fast。

〃Tell　me；　what　is　it？　Tell　me。〃

Then；　whispering　in　her　ear；　with　a　voice　tender　and　low　as　a　kiss：

〃He　has　left　you；　hasn't　he？〃

The　wretched　woman　shivers；　hesitates。

〃Ask　me　nothing。　I　will　say　nothing。　Adieu！〃

He　pressed　her　to　his　heart：

〃What　could　you　tell　me　that　I　do　not　know　already；　poor　mother？　You　did　not　guess；　then；　why　I　left　six　months　ago？〃

〃You　know？〃

〃I　know　everything。　And　what　has　happened　to　you　to…day　I　have　foreseen　for　long；　and　hoped　for。〃

〃Oh；　wretch；　wretch　that　I　am；　why　did　I　come？〃

〃Because　it　is　your　home；　because　you　owe　me　ten　years　of　my　mother。　You　see　now　that　I　must　keep　you。〃

He　said　all　this　on　his　knees；　before　the　sofa　on　which　she　had　let　herself　fall；　in　a　flood　of　tears；　and　the　last　painful　sobs　of　her　wounded　pride。　She　wept　thus　for　long；　her　child　at　her　feet。　And　now　the　Joyeuse　family；　anxious　because　Andre　did　not　come　down；　hurried　up　in　a　troop　to　look　for　him。　It　was　an　invasion　of　innocent　faces；　transparent　gaiety；　floating　curls；　modest　dress；　and　over　all　the　group　shone　the　big　lamp；　the　good　old　lamp　with　the　vast　shade　which　M。　Joyeuse　solemnly　carried；　as　high；　as　straight　as　he　could；　with　the　gesture　of　a　caryatid。　Suddenly　they　stopped　before　this　pale　and　sad　lady；　who　looked；　touched　to　the　depths；　at　all　this　smiling　grace；　above　all　at　Elise；　a　little　behind　the　others；　whose　conscious　air　in　this　indiscreet　visit　points　her　out　as　the　/fiancee/。

〃Elise；　embrace　our　mother　and　thank　her。　She　has　come　to　live　with　her　children。〃

There　she　is；　caught　in　all　these　caressing　arms；　pressed　against　four　little　feminine　hearts　which　have　missed　the　shelter　of　a　mother's　love　for　so　long；　there　she　is　introduced；　and　so　gently；　into　the　luminous　circle　of　the　family　lamp；　widened　to　allow　her　to　take　her　place　there；　to　dry　her　eyes；　to　warm　and　brighten　her　s