a woman of thirty-第7部分

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Aunt　and　niece　exchanged　a　rapid　glance　of　survey。

〃Good…morning；　dear　aunt；〃　cried　the　Colonel；　giving　the　old　lady　a　hasty　embrace。　〃I　am　bringing　a　young　lady　to　put　under　your　wing。　I　have　come　to　put　my　treasure　in　your　keeping。　My　Julie　is　neither　jealous　nor　a　coquette；　she　is　as　good　as　an　angel。　I　hope　that　she　will　not　be　spoiled　here；〃　he　added；　suddenly　interrupting　himself。

〃Scapegrace！〃　returned　the　Marquise；　with　a　satirical　glance　at　her　nephew。

She　did　not　wait　for　her　niece　to　approach　her；　but　with　a　certain　kindly　graciousness　went　forward　herself　to　kiss　Julie；　who　stood　there　thoughtfully；　to　all　appearance　more　embarrassed　than　curious　concerning　her　new　relation。

〃So　we　are　to　make　each　other's　acquaintance；　are　we；　my　love？〃　the　Marquise　continued。　〃Do　not　be　too　much　alarmed　of　me。　I　always　try　not　to　be　an　old　woman　with　young　people。〃

On　the　way　to　the　drawing…room；　the　Marquise　ordered　breakfast　for　her　guests　in　provincial　fashion；　but　the　Count　checked　his　aunt's　flow　of　words　by　saying　soberly　that　he　could　only　remain　in　the　house　while　the　horses　were　changing。　On　this　the　three　hurried　into　the　drawing…　room。　The　Colonel　had　barely　time　to　tell　the　story　of　the　political　and　military　events　which　had　compelled　him　to　ask　his　aunt　for　a　shelter　for　his　young　wife。　While　he　talked　on　without　interruption；　the　older　lady　looked　from　her　nephew　to　her　niece；　and　took　the　sadness　in　Julie's　white　face　for　grief　at　the　enforced　separation。　〃Eh！　eh！〃　her　looks　seemed　to　say；　〃these　young　things　are　in　love　with　each　other。〃

The　crack　of　the　postilion's　whip　sounded　outside　in　the　silent　old　grass…grown　courtyard。　Victor　embraced　his　aunt　once　more；　and　rushed　out。

〃Good…bye；　dear；〃　he　said；　kissing　his　wife；　who　had　followed　him　down　to　the　carriage。

〃Oh！　Victor；　let　me　come　still　further　with　you；〃　she　pleaded　coaxingly。　〃I　do　not　want　to　leave　you〃

〃Can　you　seriously　mean　it？〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Julie；　〃since　you　wish　it。〃　The　carriage　disappeared。

〃So　you　are　very　fond　of　my　poor　Victor？〃　said　the　Marquise；　interrogating　her　niece　with　one　of　those　sagacious　glances　which　dowagers　give　younger　women。

〃Alas；　madame！〃　said　Julie；　〃must　one　not　love　a　man　well　indeed　to　marry　him？〃

The　words　were　spoken　with　an　artless　accent　which　revealed　either　a　pure　heart　or　inscrutable　depths。　How　could　a　woman；　who　had　been　the　friend　of　Duclos　and　the　Marechal　de　Richelieu；　refrain　from　trying　to　read　the　riddle　of　this　marriage？　Aunt　and　niece　were　standing　on　the　steps；　gazing　after　the　fast　vanishing　caleche。　The　look　in　the　young　Countess'　eyes　did　not　mean　love　as　the　Marquise　understood　it。　The　good　lady　was　a　Provencale；　and　her　passions　had　been　lively。

〃So　you　were　captivated　by　my　good…for…nothing　of　a　nephew？〃　she　asked。

Involuntarily　Julie　shuddered；　something　in　the　experienced　coquette's　look　and　tone　seemed　to　say　that　Mme。　de　Listomere…Landon's　knowledge　of　her　husband's　character　went　perhaps　deeper　than　his　wife's。　Mme。　d'Aiglemont；　in　dismay；　took　refuge　in　this　transparent　dissimulation；　ready　to　her　hand；　the　first　resource　of　an　artless　unhappiness。　Mme。　de　Listomere　appeared　to　be　satisfied　with　Julie's　answers；　but　in　her　secret　heart　she　rejoiced　to　think　that　here　was　a　love　affair　on　hand　to　enliven　her　solitude；　for　that　her　niece　had　some　amusing　flirtation　on　foot　she　was　fully　convinced。

In　the　great　drawing…room；　hung　with　tapestry　framed　in　strips　of　gilding；　young　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　sat　before　a　blazing　fire；　behind　a　Chinese　screen　placed　to　shut　out　the　cold　draughts　from　the　window；　and　her　heavy　mood　scarcely　lightened。　Among　the　old　eighteenth…　century　furniture；　under　the　old　paneled　ceiling；　it　was　not　very　easy　to　be　gay。　Yet　the　young　Parisienne　took　a　sort　of　pleasure　in　this　entrance　upon　a　life　of　complete　solitude　and　in　the　solemn　silence　of　the　old　provincial　house。　She　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　aunt；　a　stranger；　to　whom　she　had　written　a　bride's　letter　on　her　marriage；　and　then　sat　as　silent　as　if　she　had　been　listening　to　an　opera。　Not　until　two　hours　had　been　spent　in　an　atmosphere　of　quiet　befitting　la　Trappe；　did　she　suddenly　awaken　to　a　sense　of　uncourteous　behavior；　and　bethink　herself　of　the　short　answers　which　she　had　given　her　aunt。　Mme。　de　Listomere；　with　the　gracious　tact　characteristic　of　a　bygone　age；　had　respected　her　niece's　mood。　When　Mme。　d'Aiglemont　became　conscious　of　her　shortcomings；　the　dowager　sat　knitting；　though　as　a　matter　of　fact　she　had　several　times　left　the　room　to　superintend　preparations　in　the　Green　Chamber；　whither　the　Countess'　luggage　had　been　transported；　now；　however；　she　had　returned　to　her　great　armchair；　and　stole　a　glance　from　time　to　time　at　this　young　relative。　Julie　felt　ashamed　of　giving　way　to　irresistible　broodings；　and　tried　to　earn　her　pardon　by　laughing　at　herself。

〃My　dear　child；　/we/　know　the　sorrows　of　widowhood；〃　returned　her　aunt。　But　only　the　eyes　of　forty　years　could　have　distinguished　the　irony　hovering　about　the　old　lady's　mouth。

Next　morning　the　Countess　improved。　She　talked。　Mme。　de　Listomere　no　longer　despaired　of　fathoming　the　new…made　wife；　whom　yesterday　she　had　set　down　as　a　dull；　unsociable　creature；　and　discoursed　on　the　delights　of　the　country；　of　dances；　of　houses　where　they　could　visit。　All　that　day　the　Marquise's　questions　were　so　many　snares；　it　was　the　old　habit　of　the　old　Court；　she　could　not　help　setting　traps　to　discover　her　niece's　character。　For　several　days　Julie；　plied　with　temptations；　steadfastly　declined　to　seek　amusement　abroad；　and　much　as　the　old　lady's　pride　longed　to　exhibit　her　pretty　niece；　she　was　fain　to　renounce　all　hope　of　taking　her　into　society；　for　the　young　Countess　was　still　in　morning　for　her　father；　and　found　in　her　loss　and　her　mourning　dress　a　pretext　for　her　sadness　and　desire　for　seclusion。

By　the　end　of　the　week　the　dowager　admired　Julie's　angelic　sweetness　of　disposition；　her　diffident　charm；　her　indulgent　temper；　and　thenceforward　began　to　take　a　prodigious　interest　in　the　mysterious　sadness　gnawing　at　this　young　heart。　The　Countess　was　one　of　those　women　who　seem　born　to　be　loved　and　to　bring　happiness　with　them。　Mme。　de　Listomere　found　her　niece's　society　grown　so　sweet　and　precious；　that　she　doted　upon　Julie；　and　could　no　longer　think　of　parting　with　her。　A　month　sufficed　to　establish　an　eternal　friendship　between　the　two　ladies。　The　dowager　noticed；　not　without　surprise；　the　changes　that　took　place　in　Mme。　d'Aiglemont；　gradually　her　bright　color　died　away；　and　her　face　became　dead　white。　Yet；　Julie's　spirits　rose　as　the　bloom　faded　from　her　cheeks。　Sometimes　the　dowager's　sallies　provoked　outbursts　of　merriment　or　peals　of　laughter；　promptly　repressed；　however；　by　some　clamorous　thought。

Mme。　de　Listomere　had　guessed　by　this　time　that　it　was　neither　Victor's　absence　nor　a　father's　death　which　threw　a　shadow　over　her　niece's　life；　but　her　mind　was　so　full　of　dark　suspicions；　that　she　found　it　difficult　to　lay　a　finger　upon　the　real　cause　of　the　mischief。　Possibly　truth　is　only　discoverable　by　chance。　A　day　came；　however；　at　length　when　Julie　flashed　out　before　her　aunt's　astonished　eyes　in