a woman of thirty-第8部分

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owever；　at　length　when　Julie　flashed　out　before　her　aunt's　astonished　eyes　into　a　complete　forgetfulness　of　her　marriage；　she　recovered　the　wild　spirits　of　careless　girlhood。　Mme。　de　Listomere　then　and　there　made　up　her　mind　to　fathom　the　depths　of　this　soul；　for　its　exceeding　simplicity　was　as　inscrutable　as　dissimulation。

Night　was　falling。　The　two　ladies　were　sitting　by　the　window　which　looked　out　upon　the　street；　and　Julie　was　looking　thoughtful　again；　when　some　one　went　by　on　horseback。

〃There　goes　one　of　your　victims；〃　said　the　Marquise。

Mme。　d'Aiglemont　looked　up；　dismay　and　surprise　blended　in　her　face。

〃He　is　a　young　Englishman；　the　Honorable　Arthur　Ormand；　Lord　Grenville's　eldest　son。　His　history　is　interesting。　His　physician　sent　him　to　Montpellier　in　1802；　it　was　hoped　that　in　that　climate　he　might　recover　from　the　lung　complaint　which　was　gaining　ground。　He　was　detained；　like　all　his　fellow…countrymen；　by　Bonaparte　when　war　broke　out。　That　monster　cannot　live　without　fighting。　The　young　Englishman；　by　way　of　amusing　himself；　took　to　studying　his　own　complaint；　which　was　believed　to　be　incurable。　By　degrees　he　acquired　a　liking　for　anatomy　and　physic；　and　took　quite　a　craze　for　that　kind　of　thing；　a　most　extraordinary　taste　in　a　man　of　quality；　though　the　Regent　certainly　amused　himself　with　chemistry！　In　short；　Monsieur　Arthur　made　astonishing　progress　in　his　studies；　his　health　did　the　same　under　the　faculty　of　Montpellier；　he　consoled　his　captivity；　and　at　the　same　time　his　cure　was　thoroughly　completed。　They　say　that　he　spent　two　whole　years　in　a　cowshed；　living　on　cresses　and　the　milk　of　a　cow　brought　from　Switzerland；　breathing　as　seldom　as　he　could；　and　never　speaking　a　word。　Since　he　come　to　Tours　he　has　lived　quite　alone；　he　is　as　proud　as　a　peacock；　but　you　have　certainly　made　a　conquest　of　him；　for　probably　it　is　not　on　my　account　that　he　has　ridden　under　the　window　twice　every　day　since　you　have　been　here。He　has　certainly　fallen　in　love　with　you。〃

That　last　phrase　roused　the　Countess　like　magic。　Her　involuntary　start　and　smile　took　the　Marquise　by　surprise。　So　far　from　showing　a　sign　of　the　instinctive　satisfaction　felt　by　the　most　strait…laced　of　women　when　she　learns　that　she　has　destroyed　the　peace　of　mind　of　some　male　victim；　there　was　a　hard；　haggard　expression　in　Julie's　facea　look　of　repulsion　amounting　almost　to　loathing。

A　woman　who　loves　will　put　the　whole　world　under　the　ban　of　Love's　empire　for　the　sake　of　the　one　whom　she　loves；　but　such　a　woman　can　laugh　and　jest；　and　Julie　at　that　moment　looked　as　if　the　memory　of　some　recently　escaped　peril　was　too　sharp　and　fresh　not　to　bring　with　it　a　quick　sensation　of　pain。　Her　aunt；　by　this　time　convinced　that　Julie　did　not　love　her　nephew；　was　stupefied　by　the　discovery　that　she　loved　nobody　else。　She　shuddered　lest　a　further　discovery　should　show　her　Julie's　heart　disenchanted；　lest　the　experience　of　a　day；　or　perhaps　of　a　night；　should　have　revealed　to　a　young　wife　the　full　extent　of　Victor's　emptiness。

〃If　she　has　found　him　out；　there　is　an　end　of　it；〃　thought　the　dowager。　〃My　nephew　will　soon　be　made　to　feel　the　inconveniences　of　wedded　life。〃

The　Marquise　now　proposed　to　convert　Julie　to　the　monarchical　doctrines　of　the　times　of　Louis　Quinze；　but　a　few　hours　later　she　discovered；　or；　more　properly　speaking；　guessed；　the　not　uncommon　state　of　affairs；　and　the　real　cause　of　her　niece's　low　spirits。

Julie　turned　thoughtful　on　a　sudden；　and　went　to　her　room　earlier　than　usual。　When　her　maid　left　her　for　the　night；　she　still　sat　by　the　fire　in　the　yellow　velvet　depths　of　a　great　chair；　an　old…world　piece　of　furniture　as　well　suited　for　sorrow　as　for　happy　people。　Tears　flowed；　followed　by　sighs　and　meditation。　After　a　while　she　drew　a　little　table　to　her；　sought　writing　materials；　and　began　to　write。　The　hours　went　by　swiftly。　Julie's　confidences　made　to　the　sheet　of　paper　seemed　to　cost　her　dear；　every　sentence　set　her　dreaming；　and　at　last　she　suddenly　burst　into　tears。　The　clocks　were　striking　two。　Her　head；　grown　heavy　as　a　dying　woman's；　was　bowed　over　her　breast。　When　she　raised　it；　her　aunt　appeared　before　her　as　suddenly　as　if　she　had　stepped　out　of　the　background　of　tapestry　upon　the　walls。

〃What　can　be　the　matter　with　you；　child？〃　asked　the　Marquise。　〃Why　are　you　sitting　up　so　late？　And　why；　in　the　first　place；　are　you　crying　alone；　at　your　age？〃

Without　further　ceremony　she　sat　down　beside　her　niece；　her　eyes　the　while　devouring　the　unfinished　letter。

〃Were　you　writing　to　your　husband？〃

〃Do　I　know　where　he　is？〃　returned　the　Countess。

Her　aunt　thereupon　took　up　the　sheet　and　proceeded　to　read　it。　She　had　brought　her　spectacles；　the　deed　was　premeditated。　The　innocent　writer　of　the　letter　allowed　her　to　take　it　without　the　slightest　remark。　It　was　neither　lack　of　dignity　nor　consciousness　of　secret　guilt　which　left　her　thus　without　energy。　Her　aunt　had　come　in　upon　her　at　a　crisis。　She　was　helpless；　right　or　wrong；　reticence　and　confidence；　like　all　things　else；　were　matters　of　indifference。　Like　some　young　maid　who　had　heaped　scorn　upon　her　lover；　and　feels　so　lonely　and　sad　when　evening　comes；　that　she　longs　for　him　to　come　back　or　for　a　heart　to　which　she　can　pour　out　her　sorrow；　Julie　allowed　her　aunt　to　violate　the　seal　which　honor　places　upon　an　open　letter；　and　sat　musing　while　the　Marquise　read　on：

　　〃MY　DEAR　LOUISA；Why　do　you　ask　so　often　for　the　fulfilment　of　as　　　rash　a　promise　as　two　young　and　inexperienced　girls　could　make？　　　You　say　that　you　often　ask　yourself　why　I　have　given　no　answer　to　　　your　questions　for　these　six　months。　If　my　silence　told　you　　　nothing；　perhaps　you　will　understand　the　reasons　for　it　to…day；　as　　　you　read　the　secrets　which　I　am　about　to　betray。　I　should　have　　　buried　them　for　ever　in　the　depths　of　my　heart　if　you　had　not　　　announced　your　own　approaching　marriage。　You　are　about　to　be　　　married；　Louisa。　The　thought　makes　me　shiver。　Poor　little　one！　　　marry；　yes；　in　a　few　months'　time　one　of　the　keenest　pangs　of　　　regret　will　be　the　recollection　of　a　self　which　used　to　be；　of　the　　　two　young　girls　who　sat　one　evening　under　one　of　the　tallest　oak…　　　trees　on　the　hillside　at　Ecouen；　and　looked　along　the　fair　valley　　　at　our　feet　in　the　light　of　the　sunset；　which　caught　us　in　its　　　glow。　We　sat　on　a　slab　of　rock　in　ecstasy；　which　sobered　down　into　　　melancholy　of　the　gentlest。　You　were　the　first　to　discover　that　　　the　far…off　sun　spoke　to　us　of　the　future。　How　inquisitive　and　how　　　silly　we　were！　Do　you　remember　all　the　absurd　things　we　said　and　　　did？　We　embraced　each　other；　'like　lovers；'　said　we。　We　solemnly　　　promised　that　the　first　bride　should　faithfully　reveal　to　the　　　other　the　mysteries　of　marriage；　the　joys　which　our　childish　minds　　　imagined　to　be　so　delicious。　That　evening　will　complete　your　　　despair；　Louisa。　In　those　days　you　were　young　and　beautiful　and　　　careless；　if　not　radiantly　happy；　a　few　days　of　marriage；　and　you　　　will　be；　what　I　am　alreadyugly；　wretched；　and　old。　Need　I　tell　　　you　how　proud　I　was　and　how　vain　and　glad　to　be　married　to　Colonel　　　Victor　d'Aiglemont？　And　besides；　how　could　I　tell　you　now？　for　I　　　cannot　remember　that　old　self。　A　f