a woman of thirty-第44部分

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r　loss。　It　can　hardly　be　the　moral　perfection　of　this　stranger　that　attracts　you　to　him？　Can　it　be　the　kind　of　power　that　commits　crime？　I　have　too　good　an　opinion　of　you　to　suppose　that〃

〃Oh；　suppose　everything；　madame；〃　Helene　said　coldly。

But　though　her　force　of　character　sustained　this　ordeal；　her　flashing　eyes　could　scarcely　hold　the　tears　that　filled　them。　The　stranger；　watching　her；　guessed　the　mother's　language　from　the　girl's　tears；　and　turned　his　eagle　glance　upon　the　Marquise。　An　irresistible　power　constrained　her　to　look　at　this　terrible　seducer；　but　as　her　eyes　met　his　bright；　glittering　gaze；　she　felt　a　shiver　run　through　her　frame；　such　a　shock　as　we　feel　at　the　sight　of　a　reptile　or　the　contact　of　a　Leyden　jar。

〃Dear！〃　she　cried；　turning　to　her　husband；　〃this　is　the　Fiend　himself。　He　can　divine　everything！〃

The　General　rose　to　his　feet　and　went　to　the　bell。

〃He　means　ruin　for　you；〃　Helene　said　to　the　murderer。

The　stranger　smiled；　took　one　forward　stride；　grasped　the　General's　arm；　and　compelled　him　to　endure　a　steady　gaze　which　benumbed　the　soldier's　brain　and　left　him　powerless。

〃I　will　repay　you　now　for　your　hospitality；〃　he　said；　〃and　then　we　shall　be　quits。　I　will　spare　you　the　shame　by　giving　myself　up。　After　all；　what　should　I　do　now　with　my　life？〃

〃You　could　repent；〃　answered　Helene；　and　her　glance　conveyed　such　hope　as　only　glows　in　a　young　girl's　eyes。

〃/I　shall　never　repent/；〃　said　the　murderer　in　a　sonorous　voice；　as　he　raised　his　head　proudly。

〃His　hands　are　stained　with　blood；〃　the　father　said。

〃I　will　wipe　it　away；〃　she　answered。

〃But　do　you　so　much　as　know　whether　he　cares　for　you？〃　said　her　father；　not　daring　now　to　look　at　the　stranger。

The　murderer　came　up　a　little　nearer。　Some　light　within　seemed　to　glow　through　Helene's　beauty；　grave　and　maidenly　though　it　was；　coloring　and　bringing　into　relief；　as　it　were；　the　least　details；　the　most　delicate　lines　in　her　face。　The　stranger；　with　that　terrible　face　still　blazing　in　his　eyes；　gave　one　tender　glance　to　her　enchanting　loveliness；　then　he　spoke；　his　tones　revealing　how　deeply　he　had　been　moved。

〃And　if　I　refuse　to　allow　this　sacrifice　of　yourself；　and　so　discharge　my　debt　of　two　hours　of　existence　to　your　father；　is　not　this　love；　love　for　yourself　alone？〃

〃Then　do　you　too　reject　me？〃　Helene's　cry　rang　painfully　through　the　hearts　of　all　who　heard　her。　〃Farewell；　then；　to　you　all；　I　will　die。〃

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　asked　the　father　and　mother。

Helene　gave　her　mother　an　eloquent　glance　and　lowered　her　eyes。

Since　the　first　attempt　made　by　the　General　and　his　wife　to　contest　by　word　or　action　the　intruder's　strange　presumption　to　the　right　of　staying　in　their　midst；　from　their　first　experience　of　the　power　of　those　glittering　eyes；　a　mysterious　torpor　had　crept　over　them；　and　their　benumbed　faculties　struggled　in　vain　with　the　preternatural　influence。　The　air　seemed　to　have　suddenly　grown　so　heavy；　that　they　could　scarcely　breathe；　yet；　while　they　could　not　find　the　reason　of　this　feeling　of　oppression；　a　voice　within　told　them　that　this　magnetic　presence　was　the　real　cause　of　their　helplessness。　In　this　moral　agony；　it　flashed　across　the　General　that　he　must　make　every　effort　to　overcome　this　influence　on　his　daughter's　reeling　brain；　he　caught　her　by　the　waist　and　drew　her　into　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　as　far　as　possible　from　the　murderer。

〃Darling；〃　he　murmured；　〃if　some　wild　love　has　been　suddenly　born　in　your　heart；　I　cannot　believe　that　you　have　not　the　strength　of　soul　to　quell　the　mad　impulse；　your　innocent　life；　your　pure　and　dutiful　soul；　has　given　me　too　many　proofs　of　your　character。　There　must　be　something　behind　all　this。　Well；　this　heart　of　mine　is　full　of　indulgence；　you　can　tell　everything　to　me；　even　if　it　breaks；　dear　child；　I　can　be　silent　about　my　grief；　and　keep　your　confession　a　secret。　What　is　it？　Are　you　jealous　of　our　love　for　your　brothers　or　your　little　sister？　Is　it　some　love　trouble？　Are　you　unhappy　here　at　home？　Tell　me　about　it；　tell　me　the　reasons　that　urge　you　to　leave　your　home；　to　rob　it　of　its　greatest　charm；　to　leave　your　mother　and　brothers　and　your　little　sister？〃

〃I　am　in　love　with　no　one；　father；　and　jealous　of　no　one；　not　even　of　your　friend　the　diplomatist；　M。　de　Vandenesse。〃

The　Marquise　turned　pale；　her　daughter　saw　this；　and　stopped　short。

〃Sooner　or　later　I　must　live　under　some　man's　protection；　must　I　not？〃

〃That　is　true。〃

〃Do　we　ever　know；〃　she　went　on；　〃the　human　being　to　whom　we　link　our　destinies？　Now；　I　believe　in　this　man。〃

〃Oh；　child；〃　said　the　General；　raising　his　voice；　〃you　have　no　idea　of　all　the　misery　that　lies　in　store　for　you。〃

〃I　am　thinking　of　/his/。〃

〃What　a　life！〃　groaned　the　father。

〃A　woman's　life；〃　the　girl　murmured。

〃You　have　a　great　knowledge　of　life！〃　exclaimed　the　Marquise；　finding　speech　at　last。

〃Madame；　my　answers　are　shaped　by　the　questions；　but　if　you　desire　it；　I　will　speak　more　clearly。〃

〃Speak　out；　my　child　。　。　。　I　am　a　mother。〃

Mother　and　daughter　looked　each　other　in　the　face；　and　the　Marquise　said　no　more。　At　last　she　said：

〃Helene；　if　you　have　any　reproaches　to　make；　I　would　rather　bear　them　than　see　you　go　away　with　a　man　from　whom　the　whole　world　shrinks　in　horror。〃

〃Then　you　see　yourself；　madame；　that　but　for　me　he　would　be　quite　alone。〃

〃That　will　do；　madame；〃　the　General　cried；　〃we　have　but　one　daughter　left　to　us　now；〃　and　he　looked　at　Moina；　who　slept　on。　〃As　for　you；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Helene；　〃I　will　put　you　in　a　convent。〃

〃So　be　it；　father；〃　she　said；　in　calm　despair；　〃I　shall　die　there。　You　are　answerable　to　God　alone　for　my　life　and　for　/his/　soul。〃

A　deep　sullen　silence　fell　after　these　words。　The　on…lookers　during　this　strange　scene；　so　utterly　at　variance　with　all　the　sentiments　of　ordinary　life；　shunned　each　other's　eyes。

Suddenly　the　Marquis　happened　to　glance　at　his　pistols。　He　caught　up　one　of　them；　cocked　the　weapon；　and　pointed　it　at　the　intruder。　At　the　click　of　firearms　the　other　turned　his　piercing　gaze　full　upon　the　General；　the　soldier's　arm　slackened　indescribably　and　fell　heavily　to　his　side。　The　pistol　dropped　to　the　floor。

〃Girl；　you　are　free；〃　said　he；　exhausted　by　this　ghastly　struggle。　〃Kiss　your　mother；　if　she　will　let　you　kiss　her。　For　my　own　part；　I　wish　never　to　see　nor　to　hear　of　you　again。〃

〃Helene；〃　the　mother　began；　〃only　think　of　the　wretched　life　before　you。〃

A　sort　of　rattling　sound　came　from　the　intruder's　deep　chest；　all　eyes　were　turned　to　him。　Disdain　was　plainly　visible　in　his　face。

The　General　rose　to　his　feet。　〃My　hospitality　has　cost　me　dear；〃　he　cried。　〃Before　you　came　you　had　taken　an　old　man's　life；　now　your　are　dealing　a　deadly　blow　at　a　whole　family。　Whatever　happens；　there　must　be　unhappiness　in　this　house。〃

〃And　if　your　daughter　is　happy？〃　asked　the　other；　gazing　steadily　at　the　General。

The　father　made　a　superhuman　effort　for　self…control。　〃If　she　is　happy　with　you；〃　he　said；　〃she　is　not　worth　regretting。〃

Helene　knelt　timidly　before　her　father。

〃Father；　I　love　and　revere　you；〃　she　said；　〃whether　you　lavish　all　the　treasures　of　your　kindness　upon　me；　or　make　me　fe