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！
evening prayers； suddenly the noise of a carriage drawn by several
horses resounded in the street； loud and hasty raps echoed from the
shop where the servant hurried to open the door； and into that
venerable salon rushed a woman； magnificently dressed in spite of the
mud upon the wheels of her travelling…carriage； which had just crossed
Italy； France； and Spain。 It was； of course； the Marana；the Marana
who； in spite of her thirty…six years； was still in all the glory of
her ravishing beauty； the Marana who； being at that time the mistress
of a king； had left Naples； the fetes； the skies of Naples； the climax
of her life of luxury； on hearing from her royal lover of the events
in Spain and the siege of Tarragona。
〃Tarragona！ I must get to Tarragona before the town is taken！〃 she
cried。 〃Ten days to reach Tarragona！〃
Then without caring for crown or court； she arrived in Tarragona；
furnished with an almost imperial safe…conduct； furnished too with
gold which enabled her to cross France with the velocity of a rocket。
〃My daughter！ my daughter！〃 cried the Marana。
At this voice； and the abrupt invasion of their solitude； the prayer…
book fell from the hands of the old couple。
〃She is there；〃 replied the merchant； calmly； after a pause during
which he recovered from the emotion caused by the abrupt entrance； and
the look and voice of the mother。 〃She is there；〃 he repeated；
pointing to the door of the little chamber。
〃Yes； but has any harm come to her； is she still〃
〃Perfectly well；〃 said Dona Lagounia。
〃O God！ send me to hell if it so pleases thee！〃 cried the Marana；
dropping； exhausted and half dead； into a chair。
The flush in her cheeks； due to anxiety； paled suddenly； she had
strength to endure suffering； but none to bear this joy。 Joy was more
violent in her soul than suffering； for it contained the echoes of her
pain and the agonies of its own emotion。
〃But；〃 she said； 〃how have you kept her safe？ Tarragona is taken。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Perez； 〃but since you see me living why do you ask that
question？ Should I not have died before harm could have come to
Juana？〃
At that answer； the Marana seized the calloused hand of the old man；
and kissed it； wetting it with the tears that flowed from her eyes
she who never wept！ those tears were all she had most precious under
heaven。
〃My good Perez！〃 she said at last。 〃But have you had no soldiers
quartered in your house？〃
〃Only one；〃 replied the Spaniard。 〃Fortunately for us the most loyal
of men； a Spaniard by birth； but now an Italian who hates Bonaparte； a
married man。 He is ill； and gets up late and goes to bed early。〃
〃An Italian！ What is his name？〃
〃Montefiore。〃
〃Can it be the Marquis de Montefiore〃
〃Yes； Senora； he himself。〃
〃Has he seen Juana？〃
〃No；〃 said Dona Lagounia。
〃You are mistaken； wife；〃 said Perez。 〃The marquis must have seen her
for a moment； a short moment； it is true； but I think he looked at her
that evening she came in here during supper。〃
〃Ah； let me see my daughter！〃
〃Nothing easier；〃 said Perez； 〃she is now asleep。 If she has left the
key in the lock we must waken her。〃
As he rose to take the duplicate key of Juana's door his eyes fell by
chance on the circular gleam of light upon the black wall of the inner
courtyard。 Within that circle he saw the shadow of a group such as
Canova alone has attempted to render。 The Spaniard turned back。
〃I do not know；〃 he said to the Marana； 〃where to find the key。〃
〃You are very pale；〃 she said。
〃And I will show you why；〃 he cried； seizing his dagger and rapping
its hilt violently on Juana's door as he shouted；
〃Open！ open！ open！ Juana！〃
Juana did not open； for she needed time to conceal Montefiore。 She
knew nothing of what was passing in the salon； the double portieres of
thick tapestry deadened all sounds。
〃Madame； I lied to you in saying I could not find the key。 Here it
is；〃 added Perez； taking it from a sideboard。 〃But it is useless。
Juana's key is in the lock； her door is barricaded。 We have been
deceived； my wife！〃 he added； turning to Dona Lagounia。 〃There is a
man in Juana's room。〃
〃Impossible！ By my eternal salvation I say it is impossible！〃 said his
wife。
〃Do not swear； Dona Lagounia。 Our honor is dead； and this woman〃 He
pointed to the Marana； who had risen and was standing motionless；
blasted by his words； 〃this woman has the right to despise us。 She
saved our life； our fortune； and our honor； and we have saved nothing
for her but her moneyJuana！〃 he cried again； 〃open； or I will burst
in your door。〃
His voice； rising in violence； echoed through the garrets in the roof。
He was cold and calm。 The life of Montefiore was in his hands； he
would wash away his remorse in the blood of that Italian。
〃Out； out； out！ out； all of you！〃 cried the Marana； springing like a
tigress on the dagger； which she wrenched from the hand of the
astonished Perez。 〃Out； Perez；〃 she continued more calmly； 〃out； you
and your wife and servants！ There will be murder here。 You might be
shot by the French。 Have nothing to do with this； it is my affair；
mine only。 Between my daughter and me there is none but God。 As for
the man； he belongs to ME。 The whole earth could not tear him from my
grasp。 Go； go！ I forgive you。 I see plainly that the girl is a Marana。
You； your religion； your virtue； were too weak to fight against my
blood。〃
She gave a dreadful sigh； turning her dry eyes on them。 She had lost
all； but she knew how to suffer；a true courtesan。
The door opened。 The Marana forgot all else； and Perez； making a sign
to his wife； remained at his post。 With his old invincible Spanish
honor he was determined to share the vengeance of the betrayed mother。
Juana； all in white； and softly lighted by the wax candles； was
standing calmly in the centre of her chamber。
〃What do you want with me？〃 she said。
The Marana could not repress a passing shudder。
〃Perez；〃 she asked； 〃has this room another issue？〃
Perez made a negative gesture； confiding in that gesture； the mother
entered the room。
〃Juana；〃 she said； 〃I am your mother； your judge； you have placed
yourself in the only situation in which I could reveal myself to you。
You have come down to me； you； whom I thought in heaven。 Ah！ you have
fallen low indeed。 You have a lover in this room。〃
〃Madame； there is and can be no one but my husband；〃 answered the
girl。 〃I am the Marquise de Montefiore。〃
〃Then there are two；〃 said Perez； in a grave voice。 〃He told me he was
married。〃
〃Montefiore； my love！〃 cried the girl； tearing aside the curtain and
revealing the officer。 〃Come！ they are slandering you。〃
The Italian appeared； pale and speechless； he saw the dagger in the
Marana's hand； and he knew her well。 With one bound he sprang from the
room； crying out in a thundering voice；
〃Help！ help！ they are murdering a Frenchman。 Soldiers of the 6th of
the line； rush for Captain Diard！ Help； help！〃
Perez had gripped the man and was trying to gag him with his large
hand； but the Marana stopped him； saying；
〃Bind him fast； but let him shout。 Open the doors； leave them open；
and go； go； as I told you； go； all of you。As for you；〃 she said；
addressing Montefiore； 〃shout； call for help if you choose； by the
time your soldiers get here this blade will be in your heart。 Are you
married？ Answer。〃
Montefiore； who had fallen on the threshold of the door； scarcely a
step from Juana； saw nothing but the blade of the dagger； the gleam of
which blinded him。
〃Has he deceived me？〃 said Juana； slowly。 〃He told me he was free。〃
〃He told me that he was married；〃 repeated Perez； in his solemn voice。
〃Holy Virgin！〃 murmured Dona Lagounia。
〃Answer； soul of corruption；〃 said the Marana； in a low voice； bending
to the ear of the marquis。
〃Your daughter〃 began Montefiore。
〃The daughter that was mine is dead or dying；〃 interrupted the Marana。
〃I have no daughter； do not utter that word。 Answer； are you married？〃
〃No； madame；〃 said Montefiore； at last； striving to gain time； 〃I
desire to marry your daughter。〃
〃My noble Montefiore！〃 said Juana； drawing a deep breath。
〃Then why did you attempt to fly and cry for help？〃 asked Perez。
Terrible； revealing light！
Juana said nothing； but she wrung her hands and went to her arm…chair
and sat down。
At that moment a tumult rose in the street which was plainly heard in
the silence of the room。 A soldier of the 6th； hearing Montefiore's
cry for help； had summoned Diard。 The quartermaster； who was
fortunately in his bivouac； came； accompanied by friends。
〃Why did I fly？〃 said Montefiore； hearing the voice of his friend。
〃Because I told you the truth； I am marriedDiard！ Diard！〃 he shouted
in a piercing voice。
But； at a word from