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！
world； we have nothing to boast of there。 A mother； monsieur； can't be
anything else but a good mother； and I've concealed that girl's ways；
and kept her in my bosom； to take the bread out of my mouth and cram
everything into her own。 Well； well！ and now she comes and fondles one
a little； and says； 'How d'ye do； mother？' And that's all the duty she
thinks of paying。 But she'll have children one of these days； and then
she'll find out what it is to have such baggage；which one can't help
loving all the same。〃
〃Do you mean that she does nothing for you？〃
〃Ah； nothing？ No； monsieur； I didn't say that； if she did nothing；
that would be a little too much。 She gives me my rent and thirty…six
francs a month。 But； monsieur； at my age；and I'm fifty…two years
old； with eyes that feel the strain at night；ought I to be working
in this way？ Besides； why won't she have me to live with her？ I should
shame her； should I？ Then let her say so。 Faith； one ought to be
buried out of the way of such dogs of children； who forget you before
they've even shut the door。〃
She pulled her handkerchief from her pocket； and with it a lottery
ticket that dropped on the floor； but she hastily picked it up；
saying； 〃Hi！ that's the receipt for my taxes。〃
Jules at once perceived the reason of the sagacious parsimony of which
the mother complained； and he was the more certain that the widow
Gruget would agree to the proposed bargain。
〃Well； then； madame；〃 he said； 〃accept what I offer you。〃
〃Did you say two thousand francs in ready money； and six hundred
annuity； monsieur？〃
〃Madame； I've changed my mind； I will promise you only three hundred
annuity。 This way seems more to my own interests。 But I will give you
five thousand francs in ready money。 Wouldn't you like that as well？〃
〃Bless me； yes； monsieur！〃
〃You'll get more comfort out of it； and you can go to the Ambigu and
Franconi's at your ease in a coach。〃
〃As for Franconi； I don't like that； for they don't talk there。
Monsieur； if I accept； it is because it will be very advantageous for
my child。 I sha'n't be a drag on her any longer。 Poor little thing！
I'm glad she has her pleasures； after all。 Ah； monsieur； youth must be
amused！ And so； if you assure me that no harm will come to anybody〃
〃Not to anybody；〃 replied Jules。 〃But now； how will you manage it？〃
〃Well； monsieur； if I give Monsieur Ferragus a little tea made of
poppy…heads to…night； he'll sleep sound； the dear man； and he needs
it； too； because of his sufferings； for he does suffer； I can tell
you； and more's the pity。 But I'd like to know what a healthy man like
him wants to burn his back for； just to get rid of a tic douleureux
which troubles him once in two years。 However； to come back to our
business。 I have my neighbor's key； her lodging is just above mine；
and in it there's a room adjoining the one where Monsieur Ferragus is；
with only a partition between them。 My neighbor is away in the country
for ten days。 Therefore； if I make a hole to…night while Monsieur
Ferragus is sound asleep； you can see and hear them to…morrow at your
ease。 I'm on good terms with a locksmith；a very friendly man； who
talks like an angel； and he'll do the work for me and say nothing
about it。〃
〃Then here's a hundred francs for him。 Come to…night to Monsieur
Desmaret's office； he's a notary； and here's his address。 At nine
o'clock the deed will be ready； butsilence！〃
〃Enough； monsieur； as you saysilence！ Au revoir； monsieur。〃
Jules went home； almost calmed by the certainty that he should know
the truth on the morrow。 As he entered the house； the porter gave him
the letter properly resealed。
〃How do you feel now？〃 he said to his wife； in spite of the coldness
that separated them。
〃Pretty well； Jules；〃 she answered in a coaxing voice； 〃do come and
dine beside me。〃
〃Very good；〃 he said； giving her the letter。 〃Here is something
Fouguereau gave me for you。〃
Clemence； who was very pale； colored high when she saw the letter； and
that sudden redness was a fresh blow to her husband。
〃Is that joy；〃 he said； laughing； 〃or the effect of expectation？〃
〃Oh； of many things！〃 she said； examining the seal。
〃I leave you now for a few moments。〃
He went down to his study； and wrote to his brother； giving him
directions about the payment to the widow Gruget。 When he returned； he
found his dinner served on a little table by his wife's bedside； and
Josephine ready to wait on him。
〃If I were up how I should like to serve you myself；〃 said Clemence；
when Josephine had left them。 〃Oh； yes； on my knees！〃 she added；
passing her white hands through her husband's hair。 〃Dear； noble
heart； you were very kind and gracious to me just now。 You did me more
good by showing me such confidence than all the doctors on earth could
do me with their prescriptions。 That feminine delicacy of yoursfor
you do know how to love like a womanwell； it has shed a balm into my
heart which has almost cured me。 There's truce between us； Jules；
lower your head； that I may kiss it。〃
Jules could not deny himself the pleasure of that embrace。 But it was
not without a feeling of remorse in his heart； he felt himself small
before this woman whom he was still tempted to think innocent。 A sort
of melancholy joy possessed him。 A tender hope shone on her features
in spite of their grieved expression。 They both were equally unhappy
in deceiving each other； another caress； and； unable to resist their
suffering； all would then have been avowed。
〃To…morrow evening； Clemence。〃
〃No； no； to…morrow morning； by twelve o'clock； you will know all； and
you'll kneel down before your wifeOh； no！ you shall not be
humiliated； you are all forgiven now； you have done no wrong。 Listen；
Jules； yesterday you did crush meharshly； but perhaps my life would
not have been complete without that agony； it may be a shadow that
will make our coming days celestial。〃
〃You lay a spell upon me；〃 cried Jules； 〃you fill me with remorse。〃
〃Poor love！ destiny is stronger than we； and I am not the accomplice
of mine。 I shall go out to…morrow。〃
〃At what hour？〃 asked Jules。
〃At half…past nine。〃
〃Clemence；〃 he said； 〃take every precaution； consult Doctor Desplein
and old Haudry。〃
〃I shall consult nothing but my heart and my courage。〃
〃I shall leave you free； you will not see me till twelve o'clock。〃
〃Won't you keep me company this evening？ I feel so much better。〃
After attending to some business； Jules returned to his wife；
recalled by her invincible attraction。 His passion was stronger than
his anguish。
The next day； at nine o'clock Jules left home； hurried to the rue des
Enfants…Rouges； went upstairs； and rang the bell of the widow Gruget's
lodgings。
〃Ah！ you've kept your word； as true as the dawn。 Come in； monsieur；〃
said the old woman when she saw him。 〃I've made you a cup of coffee
with cream；〃 she added； when the door was closed。 〃Oh！ real cream； I
saw it milked myself at the dairy we have in this very street。〃
〃Thank you； no； madame； nothing。 Take me at once〃
〃Very good； monsieur。 Follow me； this way。〃
She led him up into the room above her own； where she showed him；
triumphantly； an opening about the size of a two…franc piece； made
during the night； in a place； which； in each room； was above a
wardrobe。 In order to look through it； Jules was forced to maintain
himself in rather a fatiguing attitude； by standing on a step…ladder
which the widow had been careful to place there。
〃There's a gentleman with him；〃 she whispered； as she retired。
Jules then beheld a man employed in dressing a number of wounds on the
shoulders of Ferragus； whose head he recognized from the description
given to him by Monsieur de Maulincour。
〃When do you think those wounds will heal？〃 asked Ferragus。
〃I don't know；〃 said the other man。 〃The doctors say those wounds will
require seven or eight more dressings。〃
〃Well； then； good…bye until to…night；〃 said Ferragus； holding out his
hand to the man； who had just replaced the bandage。
〃Yes； to…night；〃 said the other； pressing his hand cordially。 〃I wish
I could see you past your sufferings。〃
〃To…morrow Monsieur de Funcal's papers will be delivered to us； and
Henri Bourignard will be dead forever；〃 said Ferragus。 〃Those fatal
marks which have cost us so dear no longer exist。 I shall become once
more a social being； a man among men； and more of a man than the
sailor whom the fishes are eating。 God knows it is not for my own sake
I have made myself a Portuguese count！〃
〃Poor Gratien！you； the wisest of us all； our beloved brother； the
Benjamin of the band； as you very well know。〃
〃Adieu； keep an eye on Maulincour。〃
〃You can rest easy on that score。〃
〃Ho！ stay； marquis；〃 cried the convict。
〃What is it？〃
〃Ida is capable of everything after the scene of last night。 If she
should throw herself into the river； I would not fish her out。 She
knows the secret of my name； and she'll keep it better there。 But
still； look after her； for she is； in her way； a good girl。〃
〃Very well。〃
The stranger departed。 Ten minutes later Jules heard； with a feverish
shudder； the rustle of a silk gown； and almost recognized by t