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diff --git a/3936.txt b/3936.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..749daf7 --- /dev/null +++ b/3936.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2502 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Woodland Queen, by Andre Theuriet, v2 +#23 in our series The French Immortals Crowned by the French Academy +#2 in our series by Andre Theuriet + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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D.W.] + + + + + +A WOODLAND QUEEN +('Reine des Bois') + +By ANDRE THEURIET + + + +BOOK 2. + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE DAWN OF LOVE + +Winter had come, and with it all the inclement accompaniments usual in +this bleak and bitter mountainous country: icy rains, which, mingled with +sleet, washed away whirlpools of withered leaves that the swollen streams +tossed noisily into the ravines; sharp, cutting winds from the north, +bleak frosts hardening the earth and vitrifying the cascades; abundant +falls of snow, lasting sometimes an entire week. The roads had become +impassable. A thick, white crust covered alike the pasture-lands, the +stony levels, and the wooded slopes, where the branches creaked under the +weight of their snowy burdens. A profound silence encircled the village, +which seemed buried under the successive layers of snowdrifts. Only here +and there, occasionally, did a thin line of blue smoke, rising from one +of the white roofs, give evidence of any latent life among the +inhabitants. The Chateau de Buxieres stood in the midst of a vast carpet +of snow on which the sabots of the villagers had outlined a narrow path, +leading from the outer steps to the iron gate. Inside, fires blazed on +all the hearths, which, however, did not modify the frigid atmosphere of +the rudely-built upper rooms. + +Julien de Buxieres was freezing, both physically and morally, in his +abode. His generous conduct toward Claudet had, in truth, gained him the +affection of the 'grand chasserot', made Manette as gentle as a lamb, +and caused a revulsion of feeling in his favor throughout the village; +but, although his material surroundings had become more congenial, he +still felt around him the chill of intellectual solitude. The days also +seemed longer since Claudet had taken upon himself the management of all +details. Julien found that re-reading his favorite books was not +sufficient occupation for the weary hours that dragged slowly along +between the rising and the setting of the sun. The gossipings of +Manette, the hunting stories of Claudet had no interest for young +de Buxieres, and the acquaintances he endeavored to make outside left +only a depressing feeling of ennui and disenchantment. + +His first visit had been made to the cure of Vivey, where he hoped to +meet with some intellectual resources, and a tone of conversation more in +harmony with his tastes. In this expectation, also, he had been +disappointed. The Abbe Pernot was an amiable quinquagenarian, and a +'bon vivant', whose mind inclined more naturally toward the duties of +daily life than toward meditation or contemplative studies. The ideal +did not worry him in the least; and when he had said his mass, read his +breviary, confessed the devout sinners and visited the sick, he gave the +rest of his time to profane but respectable amusements. He was of robust +temperament, with a tendency to corpulency, which he fought against by +taking considerable exercise; his face was round and good-natured, his +calm gray eyes reflected the tranquillity and uprightness of his soul, +and his genial nature was shown in his full smiling mouth, his thick, +wavy, gray hair, and his quick and cordial gestures. + +When Julien was ushered into the presbytery, he found the cure installed +in a small room, which he used for working in, and which was littered up +with articles bearing a very distant connection to his pious calling: +nets for catching larks, hoops and other nets for fishing, stuffed birds, +and a collection of coleopterx. At the other end of the room stood a +dusty bookcase, containing about a hundred volumes, which seemed to have +been seldom consulted. The Abbe, sitting on a low chair in the chimney- +corner, his cassock raised to his knees, was busy melting glue in an old +earthen pot. + +"Aha, good-day! Monsieur de Buxieres," said he in his rich, jovial +voice, "you have caught me in an occupation not very canonical; but what +of it? As Saint James says: 'The bow can not be always bent.' I am +preparing some lime-twigs, which I shall place in the Bois des Ronces as +soon as the snow is melted. I am not only a fisher of souls, but I +endeavor also to catch birds in my net, not so much for the purpose of +varying my diet, as of enriching my collection!" + +"You have a great deal of spare time on your hands, then?" inquired +Julien, with some surprise. + +"Well, yes--yes--quite a good deal. The parish is not very extensive, as +you have doubtless noticed; my parishioners are in the best possible +health, thank God! and they live to be very old. I have barely two or +three marriages in a year, and as many burials, so that, you see, one +must fill up one's time somehow to escape the sin of idleness. Every man +must have a hobby. Mine is ornithology; and yours, Monsieur +de Buxieres?" + +Julien was tempted to reply: "Mine, for the moment, is ennui." He was +just in the mood to unburden himself to the cure as to the mental thirst +that was drying up his faculties, but a certain instinct warned him that +the Abbe was not a man to comprehend the subtle complexities of his +psychological condition, so he contented himself with replying, briefly: + +"I read a great deal. I have, over there in the chateau, a pretty fair +collection of historical and religious works, and they are at your +service, Monsieur le Cure!" + +"A thousand thanks," replied the Abbe Pernot, making a slight grimace; +"I am not much of a reader, and my little stock is sufficient for my +needs. You remember what is said in the Imitation: 'Si scires totam +Bibliam exterius et omnium philosophorum dicta, quid totum prodesset sine +caritate Dei et gratia?' Besides, it gives me a headache to read too +steadily. I require exercise in the open air. Do you hunt or fish, +Monsieur de Buxieres?" + +"Neither the one nor the other." + +"So much the worse for you. You will find the time hang very heavily on +your hands in this country, where there are so few sources of amusement. +But never fear! You can not be always reading, and when the fine weather +comes you will yield to the temptation; all the more likely because you +have Claudet Sejournant with you. A jolly fellow he is; there is not one +like him for killing a snipe or sticking a trout! Our trout here on the +Aubette, Monsieur de Buxieres, are excellent--of the salmon kind, and +very meaty." + +Then came an interval of silence. The Abbe began to suspect that this +conversation was not one of profound interest to his visitor, and he +resumed: + +"Speaking of Claudet, Monsieur, allow me to offer you my congratulations. +You have acted in a most Christian-like and equitable manner, in making +amends for the inconceivable negligence of the deceased Claude de +Buxieres. Then, on the other hand, Claudet deserves what you have done +for him. He is a good fellow, a little too quick-tempered and violent +perhaps, but he has a heart of gold. Ah! it would have been no use for +the deceased to deny it--the blood of de Buxieres runs in his veins!" + +"If public rumor is to be believed," said Julien timidly, rising to go, +"my deceased cousin Claude was very much addicted to profane pleasures." + +"Yes, yes, indeed!" sighed the Abbe, "he was a devil incarnate--but what +a magnificent man! What a wonderful huntsman! Notwithstanding his +backslidings, there was a great deal of good in him, and I am fain to +believe that God has taken him under His protecting mercy." + +Julien took his leave, and returned to the chateau, very much +discouraged. "This priest," thought he to himself, "is a man of +expediency. He allows himself certain indulgences which are to be +regretted, and his mind is becoming clogged by continual association with +carnal-minded men. His thoughts are too much given to earthly things, +and I have no more faith in him than in the rest of them." + +So he shut himself up again in his solitude, with one more illusion +destroyed. He asked himself, and his heart became heavy at the thought, +whether, in course of time, he also would undergo this stultification, +this moral depression, which ends by lowering us to the level of the low- +minded people among whom we live. + +Among all the persons he had met since his arrival at Vivey, only one had +impressed him as being sympathetic and attractive: Reine Vincart--and +even her energy was directed toward matters that Julien looked upon as +secondary. And besides, Reine was a woman, and he was afraid of women. +He believed with Ecclesiastes the preacher, that "they are more bitter +than death . . . and whoso pleaseth God shall escape from them." +He had therefore no other refuge but in his books or his own sullen +reflections, and, consequently, his old enemy, hypochondria, again made +him its prey. + +Toward the beginning of January, the snow in the valley had somewhat +melted, and a light frost made access to the woods possible. As the +hunting season seldom extended beyond the first days of February, the +huntsmen were all eager to take advantage of the few remaining weeks to +enjoy their favorite pastime. Every day the forest resounded with the +shouts of beaters-up and the barking of the hounds. From Auberive, +Praslay and Grancey, rendezvous were made in the woods of Charbonniere or +Maigrefontaine; nothing was thought of but the exploits of certain +marksmen, the number of pieces bagged, and the joyous outdoor breakfasts +which preceded each occasion. One evening, as Julien, more moody than +usual, stood yawning wearily and leaning on the corner of the stove, +Claudet noticed him, and was touched with pity for this young fellow, +who had so little idea how to employ his time, his youth, or his money. +He felt impelled, as a conscientious duty, to draw him out of his +unwholesome state of mind, and initiate him into the pleasures of country +life. + +"You do not enjoy yourself with us, Monsieur Julien," said he, kindly; +"I can't bear to see you so downhearted. You are ruining yourself with +poring all day long over your books, and the worst of it is, they do not +take the frowns out of your face. Take my word for it, you must change +your way of living, or you will be ill. Come, now, if you will trust in +me, I will undertake to cure your ennui before a week is over." + +"And what is your remedy, Claudet?" demanded Julien, with a forced +smile. + +"A very simple one: just let your books go, since they do not succeed in +interesting you, and live the life that every one else leads. The +de Buxieres, your ancestors, followed the same plan, and had no fault +to find with it. You are in a wolf country--well, you must howl with +the wolves!" + +"My dear fellow," replied Julien, shaking his head, "one can not remake +one's self. The wolves themselves would discover that I howled out of +tune, and would send me back to my books." + +"Nonsense! try, at any rate. You can not imagine what pleasure there is +in coursing through the woods, and suddenly, at a sharp turn, catching +sight of a deer in the distance, then galloping to the spot where he must +pass, and holding him with the end of your gun! You have no idea what an +appetite one gets with such exercise, nor how jolly it is to breakfast +afterward, all together, seated round some favorite old beech-tree. +Enjoy your youth while you have it. Time enough to stay in your chimney- +corner and spit in the ashes when rheumatism has got hold of you. +Perhaps you will say you never have followed the hounds, and do not know +how to handle a gun?" + +"That is the exact truth." + +"Possibly, but appetite comes with eating, and when once you have tasted +of the pleasures of the chase, you will want to imitate your companions. +Now, see here: we have organized a party at Charbonniere to-morrow, +for the gentlemen of Auberive; there will be some people you know-- +Destourbet, justice of the Peace, the clerk Seurrot, Maitre Arbillot and +the tax-collector, Boucheseiche. Hutinet went over the ground yesterday, +and has appointed the meeting for ten o'clock at the Belle-Etoile. Come +with us; there will be good eating and merriment, and also some fine +shooting, I pledge you my word!" + +Julien refused at first, but Claudet insisted, and showed him the +necessity of getting more intimately acquainted with the notables of +Auberive--people with whom he would be continually coming in contact as +representing the administration of justice and various affairs in the +canton. He urged so well that young de Buxieres ended by giving his +consent. Manette received immediate instructions to prepare eatables for +Hutinet, the keeper, to take at early dawn to the Belle-Etoile, and it +was decided that the company should start at precisely eight o'clock. + +The next morning, at the hour indicated, the 'grand chasserot' was +already in the courtyard with his two hounds, Charbonneau and Montagnard, +who were leaping and barking sonorously around him. Julien, reminded of +his promise by the unusual early uproar, dressed himself with a bad +grace, and went down to join Claudet, who was bristling with impatience. +They started. There had been a sharp frost during the night; some hail +had fallen, and the roads were thinly coated with a white dust, called by +the country people, in their picturesque language, "a sugarfrost" of +snow. A thick fog hung over the forest, so that they had to guess their +way; but Claudet knew every turn and every sidepath, and thus he and his +companion arrived by the most direct line at the rendezvous. They soon +began to hear the barking of the dogs, to which Montagnard and +Charbonneau replied with emulative alacrity, and finally, through the +mist, they distinguished the group of huntsmen from Auberive. + +The Belle-Etoile was a circular spot, surrounded by ancient ash-trees, +and formed the central point for six diverging alleys which stretched out +indefinitely into the forest. The monks of Auberive, at the epoch when +they were the lords and owners of the land, had made this place a +rendezvous for huntsmen, and had provided a table and some stone benches, +which, thirty years ago, were still in existence. The enclosure, +which had been chosen for the breakfast on the present occasion, was +irradiated by a huge log-fire; a very respectable display of bottles, +bread, and various eatables covered the stone table, and the dogs, +attached by couples to posts, pulled at their leashes and barked in +chorus, while their masters, grouped around the fire, warmed their +benumbed fingers over the flames, and tapped their heels while waiting +for the last-comers. + +At sight of Julien and Claudet, there was a joyous hurrah of welcome. +Justice Destourbet exchanged a ceremonious hand-shake with the new +proprietor of the chateau. The scant costume and tight gaiters of the +huntsman's attire, displayed more than ever the height and slimness of +the country magistrate. By his side, the registrar Seurrot, his legs +encased in blue linen spatterdashes, his back bent, his hands crossed +comfortably over his "corporation," sat roasting himself at the flame, +while grumbling when the wind blew the smoke in his eyes. Arbillot, the +notary, as agile and restless as a lizard, kept going from one to the +other with an air of mysterious importance. He came up to Claudet, drew +him aside, and showed him a little figure in a case. + +"Look here!" whispered he, "we shall have some fun; as I passed by the +Abbe Pernot's this morning, I stole one of his stuffed squirrels." + +He stooped down, and with an air of great mystery poured into his ear the +rest of the communication, at the close of which his small black eyes +twinkled maliciously, and he passed the end of his tongue over his frozen +moustache. + +"Come with me," continued he; "it will be a good joke on the collector." + +He drew Claudet and Hutinet toward one of the trenches, where the fog hid +them from sight. + +During this colloquy, Boucheseiche the collector, against whom they were +thus plotting, had seized upon Julien de Buxieres, and was putting him +through a course of hunting lore. Justin Boucheseiche was a man of +remarkable ugliness; big, bony, freckled, with red hair, hairy hands, and +a loud, rough voice. + +He wore a perfectly new hunting costume, cap and gaiters of leather, a +havana-colored waistcoat, and had a complete assortment of pockets of all +sizes for the cartridges. He pretended to be a great authority on all +matters relating to the chase, although he was, in fact, the worst shot +in the whole canton; and when he had the good luck to meet with a +newcomer, he launched forth on the recital of his imaginary prowess, +without any pity for the hearer. So that, having once got hold of +Julien, he kept by his side when they sat down to breakfast. + +All these country huntsmen were blessed with healthy appetites. They ate +heartily, and drank in the same fashion, especially the collector +Boucheseiche, who justified his name by pouring out numerous bumpers of +white wine. During the first quarter of an hour nothing could be heard +but the noise of jaws masticating, glasses and forks clinking; but when +the savory pastries, the cold game and the hams had disappeared, and had +been replaced by goblets of hot Burgundy and boiling coffee, then tongues +became loosened. Julien, to his infinite disgust, was forced again to be +present at a conversation similar to the one at the time of the raising +of the seals, the coarseness of which had so astonished and shocked him. +After the anecdotes of the chase were exhausted, the guests began to +relate their experiences among the fair sex, losing nothing of the point +from the effect of the numerous empty bottles around. All the scandalous +cases in the courts of justice, all the coarse jokes and adventures of +the district, were related over again. Each tried to surpass his +neighbor. To hear these men of position boast of their gallantries with +all classes, one would have thought that the entire canton underwent +periodical changes and became one vast Saturnalia, where rustic satyrs +courted their favorite nymphs. But nothing came of it, after all; once +the feast was digested, and they had returned to the conjugal abode, all +these terrible gay Lotharios became once more chaste and worthy fathers +of families. Nevertheless, Julien, who was unaccustomed to such bibulous +festivals and such unbridled license of language, took it all literally, +and reproached himself more than ever with having yielded to Claudet's +entreaties. + +At last the table was deserted, and the marking of the limits of the hunt +began. + +As they were following the course of the trenches, the notary stopped +suddenly at the foot of an ash-tree, and took the arm of the collector, +who was gently humming out of tune. + +"Hush! Collector," he whispered, "do you see that fellow up there, on +the fork of the tree? He seems to be jeering at us." + +At the same time he pointed out a squirrel, sitting perched upon a +branch, about halfway up the tree. The animal's tail stood up behind +like a plume, his ears were upright, and he had his front paws in his +mouth, as if cracking a nut. + +"A squirrel!" cried the impetuous Boucheseiche, immediately falling into +the snare; "let no one touch him, gentlemen--I will settle his account +for him." + +The rest of the hunters had drawn back in a circle, and were exchanging +sly glances. The collector loaded his gun, shouldered it, covered the +squirrel, and then let go. + +"Hit!" exclaimed he, triumphantly, as soon as the smoke had dispersed. + +In fact, the animal had slid down the branch, head first, but, somehow, +he did not fall to the ground. + +"He has caught hold of something," said the notary, facetiously. + +"Ah! you will hold on, you rascal, will you?" shouted Boucheseiche, +beside himself with excitement, and the next moment he sent a second +shot, which sent the hair flying in all directions. + +The creature remained in the same position. Then there was a general +roar. + +"He is quite obstinate!" remarked the clerk, slyly. + +Boucheseiche, astonished, looked attentively at the tree, then at the +laughing crowd, and could not understand the situation. + +"If I were in your place, Collector," said Claudet, in an insinuating +manner, "I should climb up there, to see--" + +But Justin Boucheseiche was not a climber. He called a youngster, who +followed the hunt as beater-up. + +"I will give you ten sous," said he; "to mount that tree and bring me my +squirrel!" + +The young imp did not need to be told twice. In the twinkling of an eye +he threw his arms around the tree, and reached the fork. When there, he +uttered an exclamation. + +"Well?" cried the collector; impatiently, "throw him down!" + +"I can't, Monsieur," replied the boy, "the squirrel is fastened by a +wire." Then the laughter burst forth more boisterously than before. + +"A wire, you young rascal! Are you making fun of me?" shouted +Boucheseiche, "come down this moment!" + +"Here he is, Monsieur," replied the lad, throwing himself down with the +squirrel which he tossed at the collector's feet. + +When Boucheseiche verified the fact that the squirrel was a stuffed +specimen, he gave a resounding oath. + +"In the name of ---! who is the miscreant that has perpetrated this +joke?" + +No one could reply for laughing. Then ironical cheers burst forth from +all sides. + +"Brave Boucheseiche! That's a kind of game one doesn't often get +hold of !" + +"We never shall see any more of that kind!" + +"Let us carry Boucheseiche in triumph!" + +And so they went on, marching around the tree. Arbillot seized a slip of +ivy and crowned Boucheseiche, while all the others clapped their hands +and capered in front of the collector, who, at last, being a good fellow +at heart, joined in the laugh at his own expense. + +Julien de Buxieres alone could not share the general hilarity. The +uproar caused by this simple joke did not even chase the frown from his +brow. He was provoked at not being able to bring himself within the +diapason of this somewhat vulgar gayety: he was aware that his melancholy +countenance, his black clothes, his want of sympathy jarred unpleasantly +on the other jovial guests. He did not intend any longer to play the +part of a killjoy. Without saying anything to Claudet, therefore, he +waited until the huntsmen had scattered in the brushwood, and then, +diving into a trench, in an opposite direction, he gave them all the +slip, and turned in the direction of Planche-au-Vacher. + +As he walked slowly, treading under foot the dry frosty leaves, he +reflected how the monotonous crackling of this foliage, once so full of +life, now withered and rendered brittle by the frost, seemed to represent +his own deterioration of feeling. It was a sad and suitable +accompaniment of his own gloomy thoughts. + +He was deeply mortified at the sorry figure he had presented at the +breakfast-table. He acknowledged sorrowfully to himself that, at twenty- +eight years of age, he was less young and less really alive than all +these country squires, although all, except Claudet, had passed their +fortieth year. Having missed his season of childhood, was he also doomed +to have no youth? Others found delight in the most ordinary amusements, +why, to him, did life seem so insipid and colorless? + +Why was he so unfortunately constituted that all human joys lost their +sweetness as soon as he opened his heart to them? Nothing made any +powerful impression on him; everything that happened seemed to be a +perpetual reiteration, a song sung for the hundredth time, a story a +hundred times related. + +He was like a new vase, cracked before it had served its use, and he felt +thoroughly ashamed of the weakness and infirmity of his inner self. Thus +pondering, he traversed much ground, hardly knowing where he was going. +The fog, which now filled the air and which almost hid the trenches with +its thin bluish veil, made it impossible to discover his bearings. At +last he reached the border of some pastureland, which he crossed, and +then he perceived, not many steps away, some buildings with tiled roofs, +which had something familiar to him in their aspect. After he had gone a +few feet farther he recognized the court and facade of La Thuiliere; and, +as he looked over the outer wall, a sight altogether novel and unexpected +presented itself. + +Standing in the centre of the courtyard, her outline showing in dark +relief against the light "sugar-frosting," stood Reine Vincart, her back +turned to Julien. She held up a corner of her apron with one hand, and +with the other took out handfuls of grain, which she scattered among the +birds fluttering around her. At each moment the little band was +augmented by a new arrival. All these little creatures were of species +which do not emigrate, but pass the winter in the shelter of the wooded +dells. There were blackbirds with yellow bills, who advanced boldly over +the snow up to the very feet of the distributing fairy; robin redbreasts, +nearly as tame, hopping gayly over the stones, bobbing their heads and +puffing out their red breasts; and tomtits, prudently watching awhile +from the tops of neighboring trees, then suddenly taking flight, and with +quick, sharp cries, seizing the grain on the wing. It was charming to +see all these little hungry creatures career around Reine's head, with a +joyous fluttering of wings. When the supply was exhausted, the young +girl shook her apron, turned around, and recognized Julien. + +"Were you there, Monsieur de Buxieres?" she exclaimed; "come inside the +courtyard! Don't be afraid; they have finished their meal. Those are my +boarders," she added, pointing to the birds, which, one by one, were +taking their flight across the fields. "Ever since the first fall of +snow, I have been distributing grain to them once a day. I think they +must tell one another under the trees there, for every day their number +increases. But I don't complain of that. Just think, these are not +birds of passage; they do not leave us at the first cold blast, to find a +warmer climate; the least we can do is to recompense them by feeding them +when the weather is too severe! Several know me already, and are very +tame. There is a blackbird in particular, and a blue tomtit, that are +both extremely saucy!" + +These remarks were of a nature to please Julien. They went straight to +the heart of the young mystic; they recalled to his mind St. Francis of +Assisi, preaching to the fish and conversing with the birds, and he felt +an increase of sympathy for this singular young girl. He would have +liked to find a pretext for remaining longer with her, but his natural +timidity in the presence of women paralyzed his tongue, and, already, +fearing he should be thought intruding, he had raised his hat to take +leave, when Reine addressed him: + +"I do not ask you to come into the house, because I am obliged to go to +the sale of the Ronces woods, in order to speak to the men who are +cultivating the little lot that we have bought. I wager, Monsieur de +Buxieres, that you are not yet acquainted with our woods?" + +"That is true," he replied, smiling. + +"Very well, if you will accompany me, I will show you the canton they are +about to develop. It will not be time lost, for it will be a good thing +for the people who are working for you to know that you are interested in +their labors." + +Julien replied that he should be happy to be under her guidance. + +"In that case," said Reine, "wait for me here. I shall be back in a +moment." + +She reappeared a few minutes later, wearing a white hood with a cape, and +a knitted woolen shawl over her shoulders. + +"This way!" said she, showing a path that led across the pasture-lands. + +They walked along silently at first. The sky was clear, the wind had +freshened. Suddenly, as if by enchantment, the fog, which had hung over +the forest, became converted into needles of ice. Each tree was powdered +over with frozen snow, and on the hillsides overshadowing the valley the +massive tufts of forest were veiled in a bluish-white vapor. + +Never had Julien de Buxieres been so long in tete-a-tete with a young +woman. The extreme solitude, the surrounding silence, rendered this dual +promenade more intimate and also more embarrassing to a young man who was +alarmed at the very thought of a female countenance. His ecclesiastical +education had imbued Julien with very rigorous ideas as to the careful +and reserved behavior which should be maintained between the sexes, and +his intercourse with the world had been too infrequent for the idea to +have been modified in any appreciable degree. It was natural, therefore, +that this walk across the fields in the company of Reine should assume an +exaggerated importance in his eyes. He felt himself troubled and yet +happy in the chance afforded him to become more closely acquainted with +this young girl, toward whom a secret sympathy drew him more and more. +But he did not know how to begin conversation, and the more he cudgelled +his brains to find a way of opening the attack, the more he found himself +at sea. Once more Reine came to his assistance. + +"Well, Monsieur de Buxieres," said she, "do matters go more to your +liking now? You have acted most generously toward Claudet, and he ought +to be pleased." + +"Has he spoken to you, then?" + +"No; not himself, but good news, like bad, flies fast, and all the +villagers are singing your praises." + +"I only did a very simple and just thing," replied Julien. + +"Precisely, but those are the very things that are the hardest to do. +And according as they are done well or ill, so is the person that does +them judged by others." + +"You have thought favorably of me then, Mademoiselle Vincart," he +ventured, with a timid smile. + +"Yes; but my opinion is of little importance. You must be pleased with +yourself--that is more essential. I am sure that it must be pleasanter +now for you to live at Vivey?" + +"Hm!--more bearable, certainly." + +The conversation languished again. As they approached the confines of +the farm they heard distant barking, and then the voices of human beings. +Finally two gunshots broke on the air. + +"Ha, ha!" exclaimed Reine, listening, "the Auberive Society is following +the hounds, and Claudet must be one of the party. How is it you were not +with them?" + +"Claudet took me there, and I was at the breakfast--but, Mademoiselle, +I confess that that kind of amusement is not very tempting to me. At the +first opportunity I made my escape, and left the party to themselves." + +"Well, now, to be frank with you, you were wrong. Those gentlemen will +feel aggrieved, for they are very sensitive. You see, when one has to +live with people, one must yield to their customs, and not pooh-pooh +their amusements." + +"You are saying exactly what Claudet said last night." + +"Claudet was right." + +"What am I to do? The chase has no meaning for me. I can not feel any +interest in the butchery of miserable animals that are afterward sent +back to their quarters." + +"I can understand that you do not care for the chase for its own sake; +but the ride in the open air, in the open forest? Our forests are so +beautiful--look there, now! does not that sight appeal to you?" + +From the height they had now gained, they could see all over the valley, +illuminated at intervals by the pale rays of the winter sun. Wherever +its light touched the brushwood, the frosty leaves quivered like +diamonds, while a milky cloud enveloped the parts left in shadow. Now +and then, a slight breeze stirred the branches, causing a shower of +sparkling atoms to rise in the air, like miniature rainbows. The entire +forest seemed clothed in the pure, fairy-like robes of a virgin bride. + +"Yes, that is beautiful," admitted Julien, hesitatingly; "I do not think +I ever saw anything similar: at any rate, it is you who have caused me to +notice it for the first time. But," continued he, "as the sun rises +higher, all this phantasmagoria will melt and vanish. The beauty of +created things lasts only a moment, and serves as a warning for us not to +set our hearts on things that perish." + +Reine gazed at him with astonishment. + +"Do you really think so?" exclaimed she: "that is very sad, and I do not +know enough to give an opinion. All I know is, that if God has created +such beautiful things it is in order that we may enjoy them. And that is +the reason why I worship these woods with all my heart. Ah! if you could +only see them in the month of June, when the foliage is at its fulness. +Flowers everywhere--yellow, blue, crimson! Music also everywhere--the +song of birds, the murmuring of waters, and the balmy scents in the air. +Then there are the lime-trees, the wild cherry, and the hedges red with +strawberries--it is intoxicating. And, whatever you may say, Monsieur de +Buxieres, I assure you that the beauty of the forest is not a thing to be +despised. Every season it is renewed: in autumn, when the wild fruits +and tinted leaves contribute their wealth of color; in winter, with its +vast carpets of snow, from which the tall ash springs to such a stately +height-look, now! up there!" + +They were in the depths of the forest. Before them were colonnades of +slim, graceful trees, rising in one unbroken line toward the skies, their +slender branches forming a dark network overhead, and their lofty +proportions lessening in the distance, until lost in the solemn gloom +beyond. A religious silence prevailed, broken only by the occasional +chirp of the wren, or the soft pattering of some smaller fourfooted race. + +"How beautiful!" exclaimed Reine, with animation; "one might imagine +one's self in a cathedral! Oh! how I love the forest; a feeling of awe +and devotion comes over me, and makes me want to kneel down and pray!" + +Julien looked at her with an uneasy kind of admiration. She was walking +slowly now, grave and thoughtful, as if in church. Her white hood had +fallen on her shoulders, and her hair, slightly stirred by the wind, +floated like a dark aureole around her pale face. Her luminous eyes +gleamed between the double fringes of her eyelids, and her mobile +nostrils quivered with suppressed emotion. As she passed along, the +brambles from the wayside, intermixed with ivy, and other hardy plants, +caught on the hem of her dress and formed a verdant train, giving her the +appearance of the high-priestess of some mysterious temple of Nature. +At this moment, she identified herself so perfectly with her nickname, +"queen of the woods," that Julien, already powerfully affected by her +peculiar and striking style of beauty, began to experience a +superstitious dread of her influence. His Catholic scruples, or the +remembrance of certain pious lectures administered in his childhood, +rendered him distrustful, and he reproached himself for the interest he +took in the conversation of this seductive creature. He recalled the +legends of temptations to which the Evil One used to subject the +anchorites of old, by causing to appear before them the attractive but +illusive forms of the heathen deities. He wondered whether he were not +becoming the sport of the same baleful influence; if, like the Lamias and +Dryads of antiquity, this queen of the woods were not some spirit of the +elements, incarnated in human form and sent to him for the purpose of +dragging his soul down to perdition. + +In this frame of mind he followed in her footsteps, cautiously, and at a +distance, when she suddenly turned, as if waiting for him to rejoin her. +He then perceived that they had reached the end of the copse, and before +them lay an open space, on which the cut lumber lay in cords, forming +dark heaps on the frosty ground. Here and there were allotments of +chosen trees and poles, among which a thin spiral of smoke indicated the +encampment of the cutters. Reine made straight for them, and immediately +presented the new owner of the chateau to the workmen. They made their +awkward obeisances, scrutinizing him in the mistrustful manner customary +with the peasants of mountainous regions when they meet strangers. The +master workman then turned to Reine, replying to her remarks in a +respectful but familiar tone: + +"Make yourself easy, mamselle, we shall do our best and rush things in +order to get through with the work. Besides, if you will come this way +with me, you will see that there is no idling; we are just now going to +fell an oak, and before a quarter of an hour is over it will be lying on +the ground, cut off as neatly as if with a razor." + +They drew near the spot where the first strokes of the axe were already +resounding. The giant tree did not seem affected by them, but remained +haughty and immovable. Then the blows redoubled until the trunk began to +tremble from the base to the summit, like a living thing. The steel had +made the bark, the sapwood, and even the core of the tree, fly in +shivers; but the oak had resumed its impassive attitude, and bore +stoically the assaults of the workmen. Looking upward, as it reared its +proud and stately head, one would have affirmed that it never could fall. +Suddenly the woodsmen fell back; there was a moment of solemn and +terrible suspense; then the enormous trunk heaved and plunged down among +the brushwood with an alarming crash of breaking branches. A sound as of +lamentation rumbled through the icy forest, and then all was still. + +The men, with unconscious emotion, stood contemplating the monarch oak +lying prostrate on the ground. Reine had turned pale; her dark eyes +glistened with tears. + +"Let us go," murmured she to Julien; "this death of a tree affects me as +if it were that of a Christian." + +They took leave of the woodsmen, and reentered the forest. Reine kept +silence and her companion was at a loss to resume the conversation; so +they journeyed along together quietly until they reached a border line, +whence they could perceive the smoke from the roofs of Vivey. + +"You have only to go straight down the hill to reach your home," said +she, briefly; "au revoir, Monsieur de Buxieres." + +Thus they quitted each other, and, looking back, he saw that she +slackened her speed and went dreamily on in the direction of Planche-au- +Vacher. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +LOVE'S INDISCRETION + +In the mountainous region of Langres, spring can hardly be said to appear +before the end of May. Until that time the cold weather holds its own; +the white frosts, and the sharp, sleety April showers, as well as the +sudden windstorms due to the malign influence of the ice-gods, arrest +vegetation, and only a few of the more hardy plants venture to put forth +their trembling shoots until later. But, as June approaches and the +earth becomes warmed through by the sun, a sudden metamorphosis is +effected. Sometimes a single night is sufficient for the floral spring +to burst forth in all its plenitude. The hedges are alive with lilies +and woodruffs; the blue columbines shake their foolscap-like blossoms +along the green side-paths; the milky spikes of the Virgin plant rise +slender and tall among the bizarre and many-colored orchids. Mile after +mile, the forest unwinds its fairy show of changing scenes. Sometimes +one comes upon a spot of perfect verdure; at other times one wanders in +almost complete darkness under the thick interlacing boughs of the +ashtrees, through which occasional gleams of light fall on the dark soil +or on the spreading ferns. Now the wanderer emerges upon an open space +so full of sunshine that the strawberries are already ripening; near them +are stacked the tender young trees, ready for spacing, and the billets of +wood piled up and half covered with thistle and burdock leaves; and a +little farther away, half hidden by tall weeds, teeming with insects, +rises the peaked top of the woodsman's hut. Here one walks beside deep, +grassy trenches, which appear to continue without end, along the forest +level; farther, the wild mint and the centaurea perfume the shady nooks, +the oaks and lime-trees arch their spreading branches, and the +honeysuckle twines itself round the knotty shoots of the hornbeam, whence +the thrush gives forth her joyous, sonorous notes. + +Not only in the forest, but also in the park belonging to the chateau, +and in the village orchards, spring had donned a holiday costume. +Through the open windows, between the massive bunches of lilacs, +hawthorn, and laburnum blossoms, Julien de Buxieres caught glimpses of +rolling meadows and softly tinted vistas. The gentle twittering of the +birds and the mysterious call of the cuckoo, mingled with the perfume of +flowers, stole into his study, and produced a sense of enjoyment as novel +to him as it was delightful. Having until the present time lived a +sedentary life in cities, he had had no opportunity of experiencing this +impression of nature in her awakening and luxuriant aspect; never had he +felt so completely under the seductive influence of the goddess Maia than +at this season when the abundant sap exudes in a white foam from the +trunk of the willow; when between the plant world and ourselves a +magnetic current seems to exist, which seeks to wed their fraternizing +emanations with our own personality. He was oppressed by the vividness +of the verdure, intoxicated with the odor of vegetation, agitated by the +confused music of the birds, and in this May fever of excitement, his +thoughts wandered with secret delight to Reine Vincart, to this queen of +the woods, who was the personification of all the witchery of the forest. +Since their January promenade in the glades of Charbonniere, he had seen +her at a distance, sometimes on Sundays in the little church at Vivey, +sometimes like a fugitive apparition at the turn of a road. They had +also exchanged formal salutations, but had not spoken to each other. +More than once, after the night had fallen, Julien had stopped in front +of the courtyard of La Thuiliere, and watched the lamps being lighted +inside. But he had not ventured to knock at the door of the house; a +foolish timidity had prevented him; so he had returned to the chateau, +dissatisfied and reproaching himself for allowing his awkward shyness to +interpose, as it were, a wall of ice between himself and the only person +whose acquaintance seemed to him desirable. + +At other times he would become alarmed at the large place a woman +occupied in his thoughts, and he congratulated himself on having resisted +the dangerous temptation of seeing Mademoiselle Vincart again. He +acknowledged that this singular girl had for him an attraction against +which he ought to be on his guard. Reine might be said to live alone at +La Thuiliere, for her father could hardly be regarded seriously as a +protector. Julien's visits might have compromised her, and the young +man's severe principles of rectitude forbade him to cause scandal which +he could not repair. He was not thinking of marriage, and even had his +thoughts inclined that way, the proprieties and usages of society which +he had always in some degree respected, would not allow him to wed a +peasant girl. It was evident, therefore, that both prudence and +uprightness would enjoin him to carry on any future relations with +Mademoiselle Vincart with the greatest possible reserve. + +Nevertheless, and in spite of these sage reflections, the enchanting +image of Reine haunted him more than was at all reasonable. Often, +during his hours of watchfulness, he would see her threading the avenues +of the forest, her dark hair half floating in the breeze, and wearing her +white hood and her skirt bordered with ivy. Since the spring had +returned, she had become associated in his mind with all the magical +effects of nature's renewal. He discovered the liquid light of her dark +eyes in the rippling darkness of the streams; the lilies recalled the +faintly tinted paleness of her cheeks; the silene roses, scattered +throughout the hedges, called forth the remembrance of the young maiden's +rosy lips, and the vernal odor of the leaves appeared to him like an +emanation of her graceful and wholesome nature. + +This state of feeling began to act like an obsession, a sort of +witchcraft, which alarmed him. What was she really, this strange +creature? A peasant indeed, apparently; but there was also something +more refined and cultivated about her, due, doubtless, to her having +received her education in a city school. She both felt and expressed +herself differently from ordinary country girls, although retaining the +frankness and untutored charm of rustic natures. She exercised an uneasy +fascination over Julien, and at times he returned to the superstitious +impression made upon him by Reine's behavior and discourse in the forest. +He again questioned with himself whether this female form, in its untamed +beauty, did not enfold some spirit of temptation, some insidious fairy, +similar to the Melusine, who appeared to Count Raymond in the forest of +Poitiers. + +Most of the time he would himself laugh at this extravagant supposition, +but, while endeavoring to make light of his own cowardice, the idea still +haunted and tormented him. Sometimes, in the effort to rid himself of +the persistence of his own imagination, he would try to exorcise the +demon who had got hold of him, and this exorcism consisted in despoiling +the image of his temptress of the veil of virginal purity with which his +admiration had first invested her. Who could assure him, after all, that +this girl, with her independent ways, living alone at her farm, running +through the woods at all hours, was as irreproachable as he had imagined? +In the village, certainly, she was respected by all; but people were very +tolerant--very easy, in fact--on the question of morals in this district, +where the gallantries of Claude de Buxieres were thought quite natural, +where the illegitimacy of Claudet offended no one's sense of the +proprieties, and where the after-dinner conversations, among the class +considered respectable, were such as Julien had listened to with +repugnance. Nevertheless, even in his most suspicious moods, Julien had +never dared broach the subject to Claudet. + +Every time that the name of Reine Vincart had come to his lips, a feeling +of bashfulness, in addition to his ordinary timidity, had prevented him +from interrogating Claudet concerning the character of this mysterious +queen of the woods. Like all novices in love-affairs Julien dreaded that +his feelings should be divined, at the mere mention of the young girl's +name. He preferred to remain isolated, concentrating in himself his +desires, his trouble and his doubts. + +Yet, whatever efforts he made, and however firmly he adhered to his +resolution of silence, the hypochondria from which he suffered could not +escape the notice of the 'grand chasserot'. He was not clear-sighted +enough to discern the causes, but he could observe the effects. It +provoked him to find that all his efforts to enliven his cousin had +proved futile. He had cudgelled his brains to comprehend whence came +these fits of terrible melancholy, and, judging Julien by himself, came +to the conclusion that his ennui proceeded from an excess of strictness +and good behavior. + +"Monsieur de Buxieres," said he, one evening when they were walking +silently, side by side, in the avenues of the park, which resounded with +the song of the nightingales, "there is one thing that troubles me, and +that is that you do not confide in me." + +"What makes you think so, Claudet?" demanded Julien, with surprise. + +"Paybleu! the way you act. You are, if I may say so, too secretive. +When you wanted to make amends for Claude de Buxieres's negligence, and +proposed that I should live here with you, I accepted without any +ceremony. I hoped that in giving me a place at your fire and your table, +you would also give me one in your affections, and that you would allow +me to share your sorrows, like a true brother comrade--" + +"I assure you, my dear fellow, that you are mistaken. If I had any +serious trouble on my mind, you should be the first to know it." + +"Oh! that's all very well to say; but you are unhappy all the same--one +can see it in your mien, and shall I tell you the reason? It is that you +are too sedate, Monsieur de Buxieres; you have need of a sweetheart to +brighten up your days." + +"Ho, ho!" replied Julien, coloring, "do you wish to have me married, +Claudet?" + +"Ah! that's another affair. No; but still I should like to see you take +some interest in a woman--some gay young person who would rouse you up +and make you have a good time. There is no lack of such in the district, +and you would only have the trouble of choosing." + +M. de Buxieres's color deepened, and he was visibly annoyed. + +"That is a singular proposition," exclaimed he, after awhile; "do you +take me for a libertine?" + +"Don't get on your high horse, Monsieur de Buxieres! There would be no +one hurt. The girls I allude to are not so difficult to approach." + +"That has nothing to do with it, Claudet; I do not enjoy that kind of +amusement." + +"It is the kind that young men of our age indulge in, all the same. +Perhaps you think there would be difficulties in the way. They would not +be insurmountable, I can assure you; those matters go smoothly enough +here. You slip your arm round her waist, give her a good, sounding +salute, and the acquaintance is begun. You have only to improve it!" + +"Enough of this," interrupted Julien, harshly, "we never can agree on +such topics!" + +"As you please, Monsieur de Buxieres; since you do not like the subject, +we will not bring it up again. If I mentioned it at all, it was that I +saw you were not interested in either hunting or fishing, and thought you +might prefer some other kind of game. I do wish I knew what to propose +that would give you a little pleasure," continued Claudet, who was +profoundly mortified at the ill-success of his overtures. "Now! I have +it. Will you come with me to-morrow, to the Ronces woods? The charcoal- +dealers who are constructing their furnaces for the sale, will complete +their dwellings this evening and expect to celebrate in the morning. +They call it watering the bouquet, and it is the occasion of a little +festival, to which we, as well at the presiding officials of the cutting, +are invited. Naturally, the guests pay their share in bottles of wine. +You can hardly be excused from showing yourself among these good people. +It is one of the customs of the country. I have promised to be there, +and it is certain that Reine Vincart, who has bought the Ronces property, +will not fail to be present at the ceremony." + +Julien had already the words on his lips for declining Claudet's offer, +when the name of Reine Vincart produced an immediate change in his +resolution. It just crossed his mind that perhaps Claudet had thrown out +her name as a bait and an argument in favor of his theories on the +facility of love-affairs in the country. However that might be, the +allusion to the probable presence of Mademoiselle Vincart at the coming +fete, rendered young Buxieres more tractable, and he made no further +difficulties about accompanying his cousin. + +The next morning, after partaking hastily of breakfast, they started on +their way toward the cutting. The charcoal-dealers had located +themselves on the border of the forest, not far from the spot where, +in the month of January, Reine and Julien had visited the wood cutters. +Under the sheltering branches of a great ash tree, the newly erected but +raised its peaked roof covered with clods of turf, and two furnaces, just +completed, occupied the ground lately prepared. One of them, ready for +use, was covered with the black earth called 'frazil', which is extracted +from the site of old charcoal works; the other, in course of +construction, showed the successive layers of logs ranged in circles +inside, ready for the fire. The workmen moved around, going and coming; +first, the head-man or patron, a man of middle age, of hairy chest, +embrowned visage, and small beady eyes under bushy eyebrows; his wife, a +little, shrivelled, elderly woman; their daughter, a thin awkward girl of +seventeen, with fluffy hair and a cunning, hard expression; and finally, +their three boys, robust young fellows, serving their apprenticeship at +the trade. This party was reenforced by one or two more single men, and +some of the daughters of the woodchoppers, attracted by the prospect of a +day of dancing and joyous feasting. + +These persons were sauntering in and out under the trees, waiting for the +dinner, which was to be furnished mainly by the guests, the contribution +of the charcoal-men being limited to a huge pot of potatoes which the +patroness was cooking over the fire, kindled in front of the hut. + +The arrival of Julien and Claudet, attended by the small cowboy, puffing +and blowing under a load of provisions, was hailed with exclamations of +gladness and welcome. While one of the assistants was carefully +unrolling the big loaves of white bread, the enormous meat pastry, and +the bottles encased in straw, Reine Vincart appeared suddenly on the +scene, accompanied by one of the farm-hands, who was also tottering under +the weight of a huge basket, from the corners of which peeped the ends of +bottles, and the brown knuckle of a smoked ham. At sight of the young +proprietress of La Thuiliere, the hurrahs burst forth again, with +redoubled and more sustained energy. As she stood there smiling, under +the greenish shadow cast by the ashtrees, Reine appeared to Julien even +more seductive than among the frosty surroundings of the previous +occasion. Her simple and rustic spring costume was marvellously +becoming: a short blue-and-yellow striped skirt, a tight jacket of light- +colored material, fitted closely to the waist, a flat linen collar tied +with a narrow blue ribbon, and a bouquet of woodruff at her bosom. She +wore stout leather boots, and a large straw hat, which she threw +carelessly down on entering the hut. Among so many faces of a different +type, all somewhat disfigured by hardships of exposure, this lovely face +with its olive complexion, lustrous black eyes, and smiling red lips, +framed in dark, soft, wavy hair resting on her plump shoulders, seemed to +spread a sunshiny glow over the scene. It was a veritable portrayal of +the "queen of the woods," appearing triumphant among her rustic subjects. +As an emblem of her royal prerogative, she held in her hand an enormous +bouquet of flowers she had gathered on her way: honeysuckles, columbine, +all sorts of grasses with shivering spikelets, black alder blossoms with +their white centres, and a profusion of scarlet poppies. Each of these +exhaled its own salubrious springlike perfume, and a light cloud of +pollen, which covered the eyelashes and hair of the young girl with a +delicate white powder. + +"Here, Pere Theotime," said she, handing her collection over to the +master charcoal-dealer, "I gathered these for you to ornament the roof of +your dwelling." + +She then drew near to Claudet; gave him her hand in comrade fashion, and +saluted Julien: + +"Good-morning, Monsieur de Buxieres, I am very glad to see you here. +Was it Claudet who brought you, or did you come of your own accord?" + +While Julien, dazed and bewildered, was seeking a reply, she passed +quickly to the next group, going from one to another, and watching with +interest the placing of the bouquet on the summit of the hut. One of the +men brought a ladder and fastened the flowers to a spike. When they were +securely attached and began to nod in the air, he waved his hat and +shouted: "Hou, houp!" This was the signal for going to table. + +The food had been spread on the tablecloth under the shade of the ash- +trees, and all the guests sat around on sacks of charcoal; for Reine and +Julien alone they had reserved two stools, made by the master, and thus +they found themselves seated side by side. Soon a profound, almost +religious, silence indicated that the attack was about to begin; after +which, and when the first fury of their appetites had been appeased, the +tongues began to be loosened: jokes and anecdotes, seasoned with loud +bursts of laughter, were bandied to and fro under the spreading branches, +and presently the wine lent its aid to raise the spirits of the company +to an exuberant pitch. But there was a certain degree of restraint +observed by these country folk. Was it owing to Reine's presence? +Julien noticed that the remarks of the working-people were in a very much +better tone than those of the Auberive gentry, with whom he had +breakfasted; the gayety of these children of the woods, although of a +common kind, was always kept within decent limits, and he never once had +occasion to feel ashamed. He felt more at ease among them than among the +notables of the borough, and he did not regret having accepted Claudet's +invitation. + +"I am glad I came," murmured he in Reine's ear, "and I never have eaten +with so much enjoyment!" + +"Ah! I am glad of it," replied the young girl, gayly, "perhaps now you +will begin to like our woods." + +When nothing was left on the table but bones and empty bottles, Pere +Theotime took a bottle of sealed wine, drew the cork, and filled the +glasses. + +"Now," said he, "before christening our bouquet, we will drink to +Monsieur de Buxieres, who has brought us his good wine, and to our sweet +lady, Mademoiselle Vincart." + +The glasses clinked, and the toasts were drunk with fervor. + +"Mamselle Reine," resumed Pere Theotime, with a certain amount of +solemnity, "you can see, the hut is built; it will be occupied to-night, +and I trust good work will be done. You can perceive from here our first +furnace, all decorated and ready to be set alight. But, in order that +good luck shall attend us, you yourself must set light to the fire. I +ask you, therefore, to ascend to the top of the chimney and throw in the +first embers; may I ask this of your good-nature?" + +"Why, certainly!" replied Reine, "come, Monsieur de Buxieres, you must +see how we light a charcoal furnace." + +All the guests jumped from their seats; one of the men took the ladder +and leaned it against the sloping side of the furnace. Meanwhile, Pere +Theotime was bringing an earthen vase full of burning embers. Reine +skipped lightly up the steps, and when she reached the top, stood erect +near the orifice of the furnace. + +Her graceful outline came out in strong relief against the clear sky; one +by one, she took the embers handed her by the charcoal-dealer, and threw +them into the opening in the middle of the furnace. Soon there was a +crackling inside, followed by a dull rumbling; the chips and rubbish +collected at the bottom had caught fire, and the air-holes left at the +base of the structure facilitated the passage of the current, and +hastened the kindling of the wood. + +"Bravo; we've got it!" exclaimed Pere Theotime. + +"Bravo!" repeated the young people, as much exhilarated with the open +air as with the two or three glasses of white wine they had drunk. Lads +and lasses joined hands and leaped impetuously around the furnace. + +"A song, Reine! Sing us a song!" cried the young girls. + +She stood at the foot of the ladder, and, without further solicitation, +intoned, in her clear and sympathetic voice, a popular song, with a +rhythmical refrain: + + My father bid me + Go sell my wheat. + To the market we drove + "Good-morrow, my sweet! + How much, can you say, + Will its value prove?" + + The embroidered rose + Lies on my glove. + + + "A hundred francs + Will its value prove." + "When you sell your wheat, + Do you sell your love?" + + The embroidered rose + Lies on my glove! + + + "My heart, Monsieur, + Will never rove, + I have promised it + To my own true love." + + The embroidered rose + Lies on my glove. + + + "For me he braves + The wind and the rain; + For me he weaves + A silver chain." + + On my 'broidered glove. + Lies the rose again. + + +Repeating the refrain in chorus, boys and girls danced and leaped in the +sunlight. Julien leaned against the trunk of a tree, listening to the +sonorous voice of Reine, and could not take his eyes off the singer. +When she had ended her song, Reine turned in another direction; but the +dancers had got into the spirit of it and could not stand still; one of +the men came forward, and started another popular air, which all the rest +repeated in unison: + + Up in the woods + Sleeps the fairy to-day: + The king, her lover, + Has strolled that way! + Will those who are young + Be married or nay? + Yea, yea! + + +Carried away by the rhythm, and the pleasure of treading the soft grass +under their feet, the dancers quickened their pace. The chain of young +folks disconnected for a moment, was reformed, and twisted in and out +among the trees; sometimes in light, sometimes in shadow, until they +disappeared, singing, into the very heart of the forest. With the +exception of Pere Theotime and his wife, who had gone to superintend the +furnace, all the guests, including Claudet, had joined the gay throng. +Reine and Julien, the only ones remaining behind, stood in the shade near +the borderline of the forest. It was high noon, and the sun's rays, +shooting perpendicularly down, made the shade desirable. Reine proposed +to her companion to enter the hut and rest, while waiting for the return +of the dancers. Julien accepted readily; but not without being surprised +that the young girl should be the first to suggest a tete-a-tete in the +obscurity of a remote hut. Although more than ever fascinated by the +unusual beauty of Mademoiselle Vincart, he was astonished, and +occasionally shocked, by the audacity and openness of her action toward +him. Once more the spirit of doubt took possession of him, and he +questioned whether this freedom of manners was to be attributed to +innocence or effrontery. After the pleasant friendliness of the midday +repast, and the enlivening effect of the dance round the furnace, he was +both glad and troubled to find himself alone with Reine. He longed to +let her know what tender admiration she excited in his mind; but he did +not know how to set about it, nor in what style to address a girl of so +strange and unusual a disposition. So he contented himself with fixing +an enamored gaze upon her, while she stood leaning against one of the +inner posts, and twisted mechanically between her fingers a branch of +wild honeysuckle. Annoyed at his taciturnity, she at last broke the +silence: + +"You are not saying anything, Monsieur de Buxieres; do you regret having +come to this fete?" + +"Regret it, Mademoiselle?" returned he; "it is a long time since I have +had so pleasant a day, and I thank you, for it is to you I owe it." + +"To me? You are joking. It is the good-humor of the people, the spring +sunshine, and the pure air of the forest that you must thank. I have no +part in it." + +"You are everything in it, on the contrary," said he, tenderly. "Before +I knew you, I had met with country people, seen the sun and trees, and so +on, and nothing made any impression on me. But, just now, when you were +singing over there, I felt gladdened and inspired; I felt the beauty of +the woods, I sympathized with these good people, and these grand trees, +all these things among which you live so happily. It is you who have +worked this miracle. Ah! you are well named. You are truly the fairy of +the feast, the queen of the woods!" + +Astonished at the enthusiasm of her companion, Reine looked at him +sidewise, half closing her eyes, and perceived that he was altogether +transformed. He appeared to have suddenly thawed. He was no longer the +awkward, sickly youth, whose every movement was paralyzed by timidity, +and whose words froze on his tongue; his slender frame had become supple, +his blue eyes enlarged and illuminated; his delicate features expressed +refinement, tenderness, and passion. The young girl was moved and won by +so much emotion, the first that Julien had ever manifested toward her. +Far from being offended at this species of declaration, she replied, +gayly: + +"As to the queen of the woods working miracles, I know none so powerful +as these flowers." + +She unfastened the bouquet of white starry woodruff from her corsage, and +handed them over to him in their envelope of green leaves. + +"Do you know them?" said she; "see how sweet they smell! And the odor +increases as they wither." + +Julien had carried the bouquet to his lips, and was inhaling slowly the +delicate perfume. + +"Our woodsmen," she continued, "make with this plant a broth which cures +from ill effects of either cold or heat as if by enchantment; they also +infuse it into white wine, and convert it into a beverage which they call +May wine, and which is very intoxicating." + +Julien was no longer listening to these details. He kept his eyes +steadily fixed on Mademoiselle Vincart, and continued to inhale +rapturously the bouquet, and to experience a kind of intoxication. + +"Let me keep these flowers," he implored, in a choking voice. + +"Certainly," replied she, gayly; "keep them, if it will give you +pleasure." + +"Thank you," he murmured, hiding them in his bosom. + +Reine was surprised at his attaching such exaggerated importance to so +slight a favor, and a sudden flush overspread her cheeks. She almost +repented having given him the flowers when she saw what a tender +reception he had given them, so she replied, suggestively: + +"Do not thank me; the gift is not significant. Thousands of similar +flowers grow in the forest, and one has only to stoop and gather them." + +He dared not reply that this bouquet, having been worn by her, was worth +much more to him than any other, but he thought it, and the thought +aroused in his mind a series of new ideas. As Reine had so readily +granted this first favor, was she not tacitly encouraging him to ask for +others? Was he dealing with a simple, innocent girl, or a village +coquette, accustomed to be courted? And on this last supposition should +he not pass for a simpleton in the eyes of this experienced girl, if he +kept himself at too great a distance. He remembered the advice of +Claudet concerning the method of conducting love-affairs smoothly with +certain women of the country. Whether she was a coquette or not, Reine +had bewitched him. The charm had worked more powerfully still since he +had been alone with her in this obscure hut, where the cooing of the wild +pigeons faintly reached their ears, and the penetrating odors of the +forest pervaded their nostrils. Julien's gaze rested lovingly on Reine's +wavy locks, falling heavily over her neck, on her half-covered eyes with +their luminous pupils full of golden specks of light, on her red lips, +on the two little brown moles spotting her somewhat decollete neck. +He thought her adorable, and was dying to tell her so; but when he +endeavored to formulate his declaration, the words stuck fast in his +throat, his veins swelled, his throat became dry, his head swam. In this +disorder of his faculties he brought to mind the recommendation of +Claudet: "One arm round the waist, two sounding kisses, and the thing is +done." He rose abruptly, and went up to the young girl: + +"Since you have given me these flowers," he began, in a husky voice, +"will you also, in sign of friendship, give me your hand, as you gave it +to Claudet?" + +After a moment's hesitation, she held out her hand; but, hardly had he +touched it when he completely lost control of himself, and slipping the +arm which remained free around Reine's waist, he drew her toward him and +lightly touched with his lips her neck, the beauty of which had so +magnetized him. + +The young girl was stronger than he; in the twinkling of an eye she tore +herself from his audacious clasp, threw him violently backward, and with +one bound reached the door of the hut. She stood there a moment, pale, +indignant, her eyes blazing, and then exclaimed, in a hollow voice: + +"If you come a step nearer, I will call the charcoalmen!" + +But Julien had no desire to renew the attack; already sobered, cowed, and +repentant, he had retreated to the most obscure corner of the dwelling. + +"Are you mad?" she continued, with vehemence, "or has the wine got into +your head? It is rather early for you to be adopting the ways of your +deceased cousin! I give you notice that they will not succeed with me! +"And, at the same moment, tears of humiliation filled her eyes. "I did +not expect this of you, Monsieur de Buxieres!" + +"Forgive me!" faltered Julien, whose heart smote him at the sight of her +tears; "I have behaved like a miserable sinner and a brute! It was a +moment of madness--forget it and forgive me!" + +"Nobody ever treated me with disrespect before," returned the young girl, +in a suffocated voice; "I was wrong to allow you any familiarity, that is +all. It shall not happen to me again!" + +Julien remained mute, overpowered with shame and remorse. Suddenly, in +the stillness around, rose the voices of the dancers returning and +singing the refrain of the rondelay: + + I had a rose-- + On my heart it lay + Will those who are young + Be married, or nay? + Yea, yea! + +"There are our people," said Reine, softly, "I am going to them; adieu-- +do not follow me!" She left the but and hastened toward the furnace, +while Julien, stunned with the rapidity with which this unfortunate scene +had been enacted, sat down on one of the benches, a prey to confused +feelings of shame and angry mortification. No, certainly, he did not +intend to follow her! He had no desire to show himself in public with +this young girl whom he had so stupidly insulted, and in whose face he +never should be able to look again. Decidedly, he did not understand +women, since he could not even tell a virtuous girl from a frivolous +coquette! Why had he not been able to see that the good-natured, simple +familiarity of Reine Vincart had nothing in common with the enticing +allurements of those who, to use Claudet's words, had "thrown their caps +over the wall." How was it that he had not read, in those eyes, pure as +the fountain's source, the candor and uprightness of a maiden heart which +had nothing to conceal. This cruel evidence of his inability to conduct +himself properly in the affairs of life exasperated and humiliated him, +and at the same time that he felt his self-love most deeply wounded, +he was conscious of being more hopelessly enamored of Reine Vincart. +Never had she appeared so beautiful as during the indignant movement +which had separated her from him. Her look of mingled anger and sadness, +the expression of her firm, set lips, the quivering nostrils, the heaving +of her bosom, he recalled it all, and the image of her proud beauty +redoubled his grief and despair. + +He remained a long time concealed in the shadow of the hut. Finally, +when he heard the voices dying away in different directions, and was +satisfied that the charcoal-men were attending to their furnace work, +he made up his mind to come out. But, as he did not wish to meet any +one, instead of crossing through the cutting he plunged into the wood, +taking no heed in what direction he went, and being desirous of walking +alone as long as possible, without meeting a single human visage. + +As he wandered aimlessly through the deepening shadows of the forest, +crossed here and there by golden bars of light from the slanting rays of +the setting sun, he pondered over the probable results of his unfortunate +behavior. Reine would certainly keep silence on the affront she had +received, but would she be indulgent enough to forget or forgive the +insult? The most evident result of the affair would be that henceforth +all friendly relations between them must cease. She certainly would +maintain a severe attitude toward the person who had so grossly insulted +her, but would she be altogether pitiless in her anger? All through his +dismal feelings of self-reproach, a faint hope of reconciliation kept him +from utter despair. As he reviewed the details of the shameful +occurrence, he remembered that the expression of her countenance had been +one more of sorrow than of anger. The tone of melancholy reproach in +which she had uttered the words: "I did not expect this from you, +Monsieur de Buxieres!" seemed to convey the hope that he might, one day, +be forgiven. At the same time, the poignancy of his regret showed him +how much hold the young girl had taken upon his affections, and how +cheerless and insipid his life would be if he were obliged to continue on +unfriendly terms with the woodland queen. + +He had come to this conclusion in his melancholy reflections, when he +reached the outskirts of the forest. + +He stood above the calm, narrow valley of Vivey; on the right, over the +tall ash-trees, peeped the pointed turrets of the chateau; on the left, +and a little farther behind, was visible a whitish line, contrasting with +the surrounding verdure, the winding path to La Thuiliere, through the +meadow-land of Planche-au-Vacher. Suddenly, the sound of voices reached +his ears, and, looking more closely, he perceived Reine and Claudet +walking side by side down the narrow path. The evening air softened the +resonance of the voices, so that the words themselves were not audible, +but the intonation of the alternate speakers, and their confidential and +friendly gestures, evinced a very animated, if not tender, exchange of +sentiments. At times the conversation was enlivened by Claudet's bursts +of laughter, or an amicable gesture from Reine. At one moment, Julien +saw the young girl lay her hand familiarly on the shoulder of the 'grand +chssserot', and immediately a pang of intense jealousy shot through his +heart. At last the young pair arrived at the banks of a stream, which +traversed the path and had become swollen by the recent heavy rains. +Claudet took Reine by the waist and lifted her in his vigorous arms, +while he picked his way across the stream; then they resumed their way +toward the bottom of the pass, and the tall brushwood hid their +retreating forms from Julien's eager gaze, although it was long before +the vibrations of their sonorous voices ceased echoing in his ears. + +"Ah!" thought he, quite overcome by this new development, "she stands +less on ceremony with him than with me! How close they kept to each +other in that lonely path! With what animation they conversed! with +what abandon she allowed herself to be carried in his arms! All that +indicates an intimacy of long standing, and explains a good many things!" + +He recalled Reine's visit to the chateau, and how cleverly she had +managed to inform him of the parentage existing between Claudet and the +deceased Claude de Buxieres; how she had by her conversation raised a +feeling of pity in his mind for Claudet; and a desire to repair the +negligence of the deceased. + +"How could I be so blind!" thought Julien, with secret scorn of himself; +"I did not see anything, I comprehended none of their artifices! They +love each other, that is sure, and I have been playing throughout the +part of a dupe. I do not blame him. He was in love, and allowed himself +to be persuaded. But she! whom I thought so open, so true, so loyal! +Ah! she is no better than others of her class, and she was coquetting +with me in order to insure her lover a position! Well! one more +illusion is destroyed. Ecclesiastes was right. 'Inveni amarivrem morte +mulierem', 'woman is more bitter than death'!" + +Twilight had come, and it was already dark in the forest. Slowly and +reluctantly, Julien descended the slope leading to the chateau, and the +gloom of the woods entered his heart. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +LOVE BY PROXY + +Jealousy is a maleficent deity of the harpy tribe; she embitters +everything she touches. + +Ever since the evening that Julien had witnessed the crossing of the +brook by Reine and Claudet, a secret poison had run through his veins, +and embittered every moment of his life. Neither the glowing sun of +June, nor the glorious development of the woods had any charm for him. +In vain did the fields display their golden treasures of ripening corn; +in vain did the pale barley and the silvery oats wave their luxuriant +growth against the dark background of the woods; all these fairylike +effects of summer suggested only prosaic and misanthropic reflections in +Julien's mind. He thought of the tricks, the envy and hatred that the +possession of these little squares of ground brought forth among their +rapacious owners. The prolific exuberance of forest vegetation was an +exemplification of the fierce and destructive activity of the blind +forces of Nature. All the earth was a hateful theatre for the continual +enactment of bloody and monotonous dramas; the worm consuming the plant; +the bird mangling the insect, the deer fighting among themselves, +and man, in his turn, pursuing all kinds of game. He identified nature +with woman, both possessing in his eyes an equally deceiving appearance, +the same beguiling beauty, and the same spirit of ambuscade and perfidy. +The people around him inspired him only with mistrust and suspicion. +In every peasant he met he recognized an enemy, prepared to cheat him +with wheedling words and hypocritical lamentations. Although during the +few months he had experienced the delightful influence of Reine Vincart, +he had been drawn out of his former prejudices, and had imagined he was +rising above the littleness of every-day worries; he now fell back into +hard reality; his feet were again embedded in the muddy ground of village +politics, and consequently village life was a burden to him. + +He never went out, fearing to meet Reine Vincart. He fancied that the +sight of her might aggravate the malady from which he suffered and for +which he eagerly sought a remedy. + +But, notwithstanding the cloistered retirement to which he had condemned +himself, his wound remained open. Instead of solitude having a healing +effect, it seemed to make his sufferings greater. When, in the evening, +as he sat moodily at his window, he would hear Claudet whistle to his +dog, and hurry off in the direction of La Thuiliere, he would say to +himself: "He is going to keep an appointment with Reine." Then a feeling +of blind rage would overpower him; he felt tempted to leave his room and +follow his rival secretly--a moment afterward he would be ashamed of his +meanness. Was it not enough that he had once, although involuntarily, +played the degrading part of a spy! What satisfaction could he derive +from such a course? Would he be much benefited when he returned home +with rage in his heart and senses, after watching a love-scene between +the young pair? This consideration kept him in his seat, but his +imagination ran riot instead; it went galloping at the heels of Claudet, +and accompanied him down the winding paths, moistened by the evening dew. +As the moon rose above the trees, illuminating the foliage with her mild +bluish rays, he pictured to himself the meeting of the two lovers on the +flowery turf bathed in the silvery light. His brain seemed on fire. +He saw Reine in white advancing like a moonbeam, and Claudet passing his +arm around the yielding waist of the maiden. He tried to substitute +himself in idea, and to imagine the delight of the first words of +welcome, and the ecstasy of the prolonged embrace. A shiver ran through +his whole body; a sharp pain transfixed his heart; his throat closed +convulsively; half fainting, he leaned against the window-frame, his eyes +closed, his ears stopped, to shut out all sights or sounds, longing only +for oblivion and complete torpor of body and mind. + +He did not realize his longing. The enchanting image of the woodland +queen, as he had beheld her in the dusky light of the charcoal-man's hut, +was ever before him. He put his hands over his eyes. She was there +still, with her deep, dark eyes and her enticing cherry lips. Even the +odor of the honeysuckle arising from the garden assisted the reality of +the vision, by recalling the sprig of the same flower which Reine was +twisting round her fingers at their last interview. This sweet breath +of flowers in the night seemed like an emanation from the young girl +herself, and was as fleeting and intangible as the remembrance of +vanished happiness. Again and again did his morbid nature return to past +events, and make his present position more unbearable. + +"Why," thought he, "did I ever entertain so wild a hope? This wood- +nymph, with her robust yet graceful figure, her clear-headedness, her +energy and will-power, could she ever have loved a being so weak and +unstable as myself? No, indeed; she needs a lover full of life and +vigor; a huntsman, with a strong arm, able to protect her. What figure +should I cut by the side of so hearty and well-balanced a fellow?" + +In these fits of jealousy, he was not so angry with Claudet for being +loved by Reine as for having so carefully concealed his feelings. And +yet, while inwardly blaming him for this want of frankness, he did not +realize that he himself was open to a similar accusation, by hiding from +Claudet what was troubling him so grievously. + +Since the evening of the inauguration festival, he had become sullen and +taciturn. Like all timid persons, he took refuge in a moody silence, +which could not but irritate his cousin. They met every day at the same +table; to all appearance their intimacy was as great as ever, but, in +reality, there was no mutual exchange of feeling. Julien's continued +ill-humor was a source of anxiety to Claudet, who turned his brain almost +inside out in endeavoring to discover its cause. He knew he had done +nothing to provoke any coolness; on the contrary, he had set his wits to +work to show his gratitude by all sorts of kindly offices. + +By dint of thinking the matter over, Claudet came to the conclusion that +perhaps Julien was beginning to repent of his generosity, and that +possibly this coolness was a roundabout way of manifesting his change of +feeling. This seemed to be the only plausible solution of his cousin's +behavior. "He is probably tired," thought he, "of keeping us here at the +chateau, my mother and myself." + +Claudet's pride and self-respect revolted at this idea. He did not +intend to be an incumbrance on any one, and became offended in his turn +at the mute reproach which he imagined he could read in his cousin's +troubled countenance. This misconception, confirmed by the obstinate +silence of both parties, and aggravated by its own continuance, at last +produced a crisis. + +It happened one night, after they had taken supper together, and Julien's +ill-humor had been more evident than usual. Provoked at his persistent +taciturnity, and more than ever convinced that it was his presence that +young de Buxieres objected to, Claudet resolved to force an explanation. +Instead, therefore, of quitting the dining-room after dessert, and +whistling to his dog to accompany him in his habitual promenade, the +'grand chasserot' remained seated, poured out a small glass of brandy, +and slowly filled his pipe. Surprised to see that he was remaining at +home, Julien rose and began to pace the floor, wondering what could be +the reason of this unexpected change. As suspicious people are usually +prone to attribute complicated motives for the most simple actions, +he imagined that Claudet, becoming aware of the jealous feeling he had +excited, had given up his promenade solely to mislead and avert +suspicion. This idea irritated him still more, and halting suddenly in +his walk, he went up to Claudet and said, brusquely: + +"You are not going out, then?" + +"No;" replied Claudet, "if you will permit me, I will stay and keep you +company. Shall I annoy you?" + +"Not in the least; only, as you are accustomed to walk every evening, I +should not wish you to inconvenience yourself on my account. I am not +afraid of being alone, and I am not selfish enough to deprive you of +society more agreeable than mine." + +"What do you mean by that?" cried Claudet, pricking up his ears. + +"Nothing," muttered Julien, between his set teeth, "except that your +fancied obligation of keeping me company ought not to prevent you missing +a pleasant engagement, or keeping a rendezvous." + +"A rendezvous," replied his interlocutor, with a forced laugh, "so you +think, when I go out after supper, I go to seek amusement. A rendezvous! +And with whom, if you please?" + +"With your mistress, of course," replied Julien, sarcastically, "from +what you said to me, there is no scarcity here of girls inclined to be +good-natured, and you have only the trouble of choosing among them. +I supposed you were courting some woodman's young daughter, or some +pretty farmer girl, like--like Reine Vincart." + +"Refine Vincart!" repeated Claudet, sternly, "what business have you to +mix up her name with those creatures to whom you refer? Mademoiselle +Vincart," added he, "has nothing in common with that class, and you have +no right, Monsieur de Buxieres, to use her name so lightly!" + +The allusion to Reine Vincart had agitated Claudet to such a degree that +he did not notice that Julien, as he pronounced her name, was as much +moved as himself. + +The vehemence with which Claudet resented the insinuation increased young +de Buxieres's irritation. + +"Ha, ha!" said he, laughing scornfully, "Reine Vincart is an exceedingly +pretty girl!" + +"She is not only pretty, she is good and virtuous, and deserves to be +respected." + +"How you uphold her! One can see that you are interested in her." + +"I uphold her because you are unjust toward her. But I wish you to +understand that she has no need of any one standing up for her--her good +name is sufficient to protect her. Ask any one in the village--there is +but one voice on that question." + +"Come," said Julien, huskily, "confess that you are in love with her." + +"Well! suppose I am," said Claudet, angrily, "yes, I love her! There, +are you satisfied now?" + +Although de Buxieres knew what he had to expect, he was not the less +affected by so open an avowal thrust at him, as it were. He stood for a +moment, silent; then, with a fresh burst of rage: + +"You love her, do you? Why did you not tell me before? Why were you not +more frank with me?" + +As he spoke, gesticulating furiously, in front of the open window, the +deep red glow of the setting sun, piercing through the boughs of the ash- +trees, threw its bright reflections on his blazing eyeballs and convulsed +features. His interlocutor, leaning against the opposite corner of the +window-frame, noticed, with some anxiety, the extreme agitation of his +behavior, and wondered what could be the cause of such emotion. + +"I? Not frank with you! Ah, that is a good joke, Monsieur de Buxieres! +Naturally, I should not go proclaiming on the housetops that I have a +tender feeling for Mademoiselle Vincart, but, all the same, I should have +told you had you asked me sooner. I am not reserved; but, you must +excuse my saying it, you are walled in like a subterranean passage. One +can not get at the color of your thoughts. I never for a moment imagined +that you were interested in Reine, and you never have made me +sufficiently at home to entertain the idea of confiding in you on that +subject." + +Julien remained silent. He had reseated himself at the table, where, +leaning his head in his hands, he pondered over what Claudet had said. +He placed his hand so as to screen his eyes, and bit his lips as if a +painful struggle was going on within him. The splendors of the setting +sun had merged into the dusky twilight, and the last piping notes of the +birds sounded faintly among the sombre trees. A fresh breeze had sprung +up, and filled the darkening room with the odor of honeysuckle. + +Under the soothing influence of the falling night, Julien slowly raised +his head, and addressing Claudet in a low and measured voice like a +father confessor interrogating a penitent, said: + +"Does Reine know that you love her?" + +"I think she must suspect it," replied Claudet, "although I never have +ventured to declare myself squarely. But girls are very quick, Reine +especially. They soon begin to suspect there is some love at bottom, +when a young man begins to hang around them too frequently." + +"You see her often, then?" + +"Not as often as I should like. But, you know, when one lives in the +same district, one has opportunities of meeting--at the beech harvest, +in the woods, at the church door. And when you meet, you talk but +little, making the most of your time. Still, you must not suppose, +as I think you did, that we have rendezvous in the evening. Reine +respects herself too much to go about at night with a young man as +escort, and besides, she has other fish to fry. She has a great deal to +do at the farm, since her father has become an invalid." + +"Well, do you think she loves you?" said Julien, with a movement of +nervous irritation. + +"I can not tell," replied Claudet shrugging his shoulders, "she has +confidence in me, and shows me some marks of friendship, but I never have +ventured to ask her whether she feels anything more than friendship for +me. Look here, now. I have good reasons for keeping back; she is rich +and I am poor. You can understand that I would not, for any +consideration, allow her to think that I am courting her for her money--" + +"Still, you desire to marry her, and you hope that she will not say no-- +you acknowledge that!" cried Julien, vociferously. + +Claudet, struck with the violence and bitterness of tone of his +companion, came up to him. + +"How angrily you say that, Monsieur de Buxieres!" exclaimed he in his +turn; "upon my word, one might suppose the affair is very displeasing to +you. Will you let me tell you frankly an idea that has already entered +my head several times these last two or three days, and which has come +again now, while I have been listening to you? It is that perhaps you, +yourself, are also in love with Reine?" + +"I!" protested Julien. He felt humiliated at Claudet's perspicacity; +but he had too much pride and selfrespect to let his preferred rival know +of his unfortunate passion. He waited a moment to swallow something in +his throat that seemed to be choking him, and then, trying in vain to +steady his voice, he added: + +"You know that I have an aversion for women; and for that matter, I think +they return it with interest. But, at all events, I am not foolish +enough to expose myself to their rebuffs. Rest assured, I shall not +follow at your heels!" + +Claudet shook his head incredulously. + +"You doubt it," continued de Buxieres; "well, I will prove it to you. +You can not declare your wishes because Reine is rich and you are poor? +I will take charge of the whole matter." + +"I--I do not understand you," faltered Claudet, bewildered at the strange +turn the conversation was taking. + +"You will understand-soon," asserted Julien, with a gesture of both +decision and resignation. + +The truth was, he had made one of those resolutions which seem illogical +and foolish at first sight, but are natural to minds at once timid and +exalted. The suffering caused by Claudet's revelations had become so +acute that he was alarmed. He recognized with dismay the disastrous +effects of this hopeless love, and determined to employ a heroic remedy +to arrest its further ravages. This was nothing less than killing his +love, by immediately getting Claudet married to Reine Vincart. +Sacrifices like this are easier to souls that have been subjected since +their infancy to Christian discipline, and accustomed to consider the +renunciation of mundane joys as a means of securing eternal salvation. +As soon as this idea had developed in Julien's brain, he seized upon it +with the precipitation of a drowning man, who distractedly lays hold of +the first object that seems to offer him a means of safety, whether it be +a dead branch or a reed. + +"Listen," he resumed; "at the very first explanation that we had +together, I told you I did not intend to deprive you of your right to a +portion of your natural father's inheritance. Until now, you have taken +my word for it, and we have lived at the chateau like two brothers. +But now that a miserable question of money alone prevents you from +marrying the woman you love, it is important that you should be legally +provided for. We will go to-morrow to Monsieur Arbillot, and ask him to +draw up the deed, making over to you from me one half of the fortune of +Claude de Buxieres. You will then be, by law, and in the eyes of all, +one of the desirable matches of the canton, and you can demand the hand +of Mademoiselle Vincart, without any fear of being thought presumptuous +or mercenary." + +Claudet, to whom this conclusion was wholly unexpected, was +thunderstruck. His emotion was so great that it prevented him from +speaking. In the obscurity of the room his deep-set eyes seemed larger, +and shone with the tears he could not repress. + +"Monsieur Julien," said he, falteringly, "I can not find words to thank +you. I am like an idiot. And to think that only a little while ago I +suspected you of being tired of me, and regretting your benefits toward +me! What an animal I am! I measure others by myself. Well! can you +forgive me? If I do not express myself well, I feel deeply, and all I +can say is that you have made me very happy!" He sighed heavily. +"The question is now," continued he, "whether Reine will have me! You +may not believe me, Monsieur de Buxieres, but though I may seem very bold +and resolute, I feel like a wet hen when I get near her. I have a +dreadful panic that she will send me away as I came. I don't know +whether I can ever find courage to ask her." + +"Why should she refuse you?" said Julien, sadly, "she knows that you +love her. Do you suppose she loves any one else?" + +"That I don't know. Although Reine is very frank, she does not let every +one know what is passing in her mind, and with these young girls, I tell +you, one is never sure of anything. That is just what I fear may be +possible." + +"If you fear the ordeal," said de Buxieres, with a visible effort, "would +you like me to present the matter for you?" + +"I should be very glad. It would be doing me a great service. It would +be adding one more kindness to those I have already received, and some +day I hope to make it all up to you." + +The next morning, according to agreement, Julien accompanied Claudet to +Auberive, where Maitre Arbillot drew up the deed of gift, and had it at +once signed and recorded. Afterward the young men adjourned to breakfast +at the inn. The meal was brief and silent. Neither seemed to have any +appetite. As soon as they had drunk their coffee, they turned back on +the Vivey road; but, when they had got as far as the great limetree, +standing at the entrance to the forest, Julien touched Claudet lightly on +the shoulder. + +"Here," said he, "we must part company. You will return to Vivey, and I +shall go across the fields to La Thuiliere. I shall return as soon as I +have had an interview with Mademoiselle Vincart. Wait for me at the +chateau." + +"The time will seem dreadfully long to me," sighed Claudet; "I shall not +know how to dispose of my body until you return." + +"Your affair will be all settled within two or three hours from now. +Stay near the window of my room, and you will catch first sight of me +coming along in the distance. If I wave my hat, it will be a sign that I +bring a favorable answer." + +Claudet pressed his hand; they separated, and Julien descended the newly +mown meadow, along which he walked under the shade of trees scattered +along the border line of the forest. + +The heat of the midday sun was tempered by a breeze from the east, which +threw across the fields and woods the shadows of the white fleecy clouds. +The young man, pale and agitated, strode with feverish haste over the +short-cropped grass, while the little brooklet at his side seemed to +murmur a flute-like, soothing accompaniment to the tumultuous beatings of +his heart. He was both elated and depressed at the prospect of +submitting his already torn and lacerated feelings to so severe a trial. +The thought of beholding Reine again, and of sounding her feelings, gave +him a certain amount of cruel enjoyment. He would speak to her of love-- +love for another, certainly--but he would throw into the declaration he +was making, in behalf of another, some of his own tenderness; he would +have the supreme and torturing satisfaction of watching her countenance, +of anticipating her blushes, of gathering the faltering avowal from her +lips. He would once more drink of the intoxication of her beauty, and +then he would go and shut himself up at Vivey, after burying at La +Thuiliere all his dreams and profane desires. But, even while the +courage of this immolation of his youthful love was strong within him, +he could not prevent a dim feeling of hope from crossing his mind. +Claudet was not certain that he was beloved; and possibly Reine's answer +would be a refusal. Then he should have a free field. + +By a very human, but very illogical impulse, Julien de Buxieres had +hardly concluded the arrangement with Claudet which was to strike the +fatal blow to his own happiness when he began to forestall the +possibilities which the future might have in store for him. The odor of +the wild mint and meadow-sweet, dotting the banks of the stream, again +awoke vague, happy anticipations. Longing to reach Reine Vincart's +presence, he hastened his steps, then stopped suddenly, seized with an +overpowering panic. He had not seen her since the painful episode in the +hut, and it must have left with her a very sorry impression. What could +he do, if she refused to receive him or listen to him? + +While revolting these conflicting thoughts in his mind, he came to the +fields leading directly to La Thuiliere, and just beyond, across a waving +mass of oats and rye, the shining tops of the farm-buildings came in +sight. A few minutes later, he pushed aside a gate and entered the yard. + +The shutters were closed, the outer gate was closed inside, and the house +seemed deserted. Julien began to think that the young girl he was +seeking had gone into the fields with the farm-hands, and stood uncertain +and disappointed in the middle of the courtyard. At this sudden +intrusion into their domain, a brood of chickens, who had been clucking +sedately around, and picking up nourishment at the same time, scattered +screaming in every direction, heads down, feet sprawling, until by +unanimous consent they made a beeline for a half-open door, leading to +the orchard. Through this manoeuvre, the young man's attention was +brought to the fact that through this opening he could reach the rear +facade of the building. He therefore entered a grassy lane, winding +round a group of stones draped with ivy; and leaving the orchard on his +left, he pushed on toward the garden itself--a real country garden with +square beds bordered by mossy clumps alternating with currant-bushes, +rows of raspberry-trees, lettuce and cabbage beds, beans and runners +climbing up their slender supports, and, here and there, bunches of red +carnations and peasant roses. + +Suddenly, at the end of a long avenue, he discovered Reine Vincart, +seated on the steps before an arched door, communicating with the +kitchen. A plum-tree, loaded with its violet fruit, spread its light +shadow over the young girl's head, as she sat shelling fresh-gathered +peas and piling the faint green heaps of color around her. The sound of +approaching steps on the grassy soil caused her to raise her head, but +she did not stir. In his intense emotion, Julien thought the alley never +would come to an end. He would fain have cleared it with a single bound, +so as to be at once in the presence of Mademoiselle Vincart, whose +immovable attitude rendered his approach still more difficult. +Nevertheless, he had to get over the ground somehow at a reasonable pace, +under penalty of making himself ridiculous, and he therefore found plenty +of time to examine Reine, who continued her work with imperturbable +gravity, throwing the peas as she shelled them into an ash-wood pail at +her feet. + +She was bareheaded, and wore a striped skirt and a white jacket fitted to +her waist. The checkered shadows cast by the tree made spots of light +and darkness over her face and her uncovered neck, the top button of her +camisole being unfastened on account of the heat. De Buxieres had been +perfectly well recognized by her, but an emotion, at least equal to that +experienced by the young man, had transfixed her to the spot, and a +subtle feminine instinct had urged her to continue her employment, in +order to hide the sudden trembling of her fingers. During the last +month, ever since the adventure in the hut, she had thought often of +Julien; and the remembrance of the audacious kiss which the young de +Buxieres had so impetuously stolen from her neck, invariably brought the +flush of shame to her brow. But, although she was very indignant at the +fiery nature of his caress, as implying a want of respect little in +harmony with Julien's habitual reserve, she was astonished at herself for +not being still more angry. At first, the affront put upon her had +roused a feeling of indignation, but now, when she thought of it, +she felt only a gentle embarrassment, and a soft beating of the heart. +She began to reflect that to have thus broken loose from all restraint +before her, this timid youth must have been carried away by an +irresistible burst of passion, and any woman, however high-minded she may +be, will forgive such violent homage rendered to the sovereign power of +her beauty. Besides his feeding of her vanity, another independent and +more powerful motive predisposed her to indulgence: she felt a tender and +secret attraction toward Monsieur de Buxieres. This healthy and +energetic girl had been fascinated by the delicate charm of a nature so +unlike her own in its sensitiveness and disposition to self-blame. +Julien's melancholy blue eyes had, unknown to himself, exerted a magnetic +influence on Reine's dark, liquid orbs, and, without endeavoring to +analyze the sympathy that drew her toward a nature refined and tender +even to weakness, without asking herself where this unreflecting instinct +might lead her, she was conscious of a growing sentiment toward him, +which was not very much unlike love itself. + +Julien de Buxieres's mood was not sufficiently calm to observe anything, +or he would immediately have perceived the impression that his sudden +appearance had produced upon Reine Vincart. As soon as he found himself +within a few steps of the young girl, he saluted her awkwardly, and she +returned his bow with marked coldness. Extremely disconcerted at this +reception, he endeavored to excuse himself for having invaded her +dwelling in so unceremonious a manner. + +"I am all the more troubled," added he, humbly, "that after what has +happened, my visit must appear to you indiscreet, if not improper." + +Reine, who had more quickly recovered her self-possession, pretended not +to understand the unwise allusion that had escaped the lips of her +visitor. She rose, pushed away with her foot the stalks and pods, which +encumbered the passage, and replied, very shortly: + +"You are excused, Monsieur. There is no need of an introduction to enter +La Thuiliere. Besides, I suppose that the motive which has brought you +here can only be a proper one." + +While thus speaking, she shook her skirt down, and without any +affectation buttoned up her camisole. + +"Certainly, Mademoiselle," faltered Julien, "it is a most serious and +respectable motive that causes me to wish for an interview, and--if--I do +not disturb you--" + +"Not in the least, Monsieur; but, if you wish to speak with me, it is +unnecessary for you to remain standing. Allow me to fetch you a chair." + +She went into the house, leaving the young man overwhelmed with the +coolness of his reception; a few minutes later she reappeared, bringing a +chair, which she placed under the tree. "Sit here, you will be in the +shade." + +She seated herself on the same step as before, leaning her back against +the wall, and her head on her hand. + +"I am ready to listen to you," she said. + +Julien, much less under his own control than she, discovered that his +mission was more difficult than he had imagined it would be; he +experienced a singular amount of embarrassment in unfolding his subject; +and was obliged to have recourse to prolonged inquiries concerning the +health of Monsieur Vincart. + +"He is still in the same condition," said Reine, "neither better nor +worse, and, with the illness which afflicts him, the best I can hope for +is that he may remain in that condition. But," continued she, with a +slight inflection of irony; "doubtless it is not for the purpose of +inquiring after my father's health that you have come all the way from +Vivey?" + +"That is true, Mademoiselle," replied he, coloring. "What I have to +speak to you about is a very delicate matter. You will excuse me, +therefore, if I am somewhat embarrassed. I beg of you, Mademoiselle, to +listen to me with indulgence." + +"What can he be coming to?" thought Reine, wondering why he made so many +preambles before beginning. And, at the same time, her heart began to +beat violently. + +Julien took the course taken by all timid people after meditating for a +long while on the best way to prepare the young girl for the +communication he had taken upon himself to make--he lost his head and +inquired abruptly: + +"Mademoiselle Reine, do you not intend to marry?" + +Reine started, and gazed at him with a frightened air. + +"I!" exclaimed she, "Oh, I have time enough and I am not in a hurry." +Then, dropping her eyes: "Why do you ask that?" + +"Because I know of some one who loves you and who would be glad to marry +you." + +She became very pale, took up one of the empty pods, twisted it nervously +around her finger without speaking. + +"Some one belonging to our neighborhood?" she faltered, after a few +moments' silence. + +"Yes; some one whom you know, and who is not a recent arrival here. +Some one who possesses, I believe, sterling qualities sufficient to make +a good husband, and means enough to do credit to the woman who will wed +him. Doubtless you have already guessed to whom I refer?" + +She sat motionless, her lips tightly closed, her features rigid, but the +nervous twitching of her fingers as she bent the green stem back and +forth, betrayed her inward agitation. + +"No; I can not tell," she replied at last, in an almost inaudible voice. + +"Truly?" he exclaimed, with an expression of astonishment, in which was +a certain amount of secret satisfaction; "you can not tell whom I mean? +You have never thought of the person of whom I am speaking in that +light?" + +"No; who is that person?" + +She had raised her eyes toward his, and they shone with a deep, +mysterious light. + +"It is Claudet Sejournant," replied Julien, very gently; and in an +altered tone. + +The glow that had illumined the dark orbs of the young girl faded away, +her eyelids dropped, and her countenance became as rigid as before; but +Julien did not notice anything. The words he had just uttered had cost +him too much agony, and he dared not look at his companion, lest he +should behold her joyful surprise, and thereby aggravate his suffering. + +"Ah!" said Reine, coldly, "in that case, why did not Claudet come +himself and state his own case?" + +"His courage failed him at the last moment--and so--" + +"And so," continued she, with sarcastic bitterness of tone, "you took +upon yourself to speak for him?" + +"Yes; I promised him I would plead his cause. I was sure, moreover, that +I should not have much difficulty in gaining the suit. Claudet has loved +you for a long time. He is good-hearted, and a fine fellow to look at. +And as to worldly advantages, his position is now equal to your own. +I have made over to him, by legal contract, the half of his father's +estate. What answer am I to take back?" + +He spoke with difficulty in broken sentences, without turning his eyes +toward Mademoiselle Vincart. The silence that followed his last question +seemed to him unbearable, and the contrasting chirping of the noisy +grasshoppers, and the buzzing of the flies in the quiet sunny garden, +resounded unpleasantly in his ears. + +Reine remained speechless. She was disconcerted and well-nigh +overpowered by the unexpected announcement, and her brain seemed unable +to bear the crowd of tumultuous and conflicting emotions which presented +themselves. Certainly, she had already suspected that Claudet had a +secret liking for her, but she never had thought of encouraging the +feeling. The avowal of his hopes neither surprised nor hurt her; that +which pained her was the intervention of Julien, who had taken in hand +the cause of his relative. Was it possible that this same M. de +Buxieres, who had made so audacious a display of his tender feeling in +the hut, could now come forward as Claudet's advocate, as if it were the +most natural thing in the world for him to do? In that case, his +astonishing behavior at the fete, which had caused her so much pain, +and which she had endeavored to excuse in her own mind as the untutored +outbreak of his pentup love, that fiery caress, was only the insulting +manifestation of a brutal caprice? The transgressor thought so little of +her, she was of such small importance in his eyes, that he had no +hesitation in proposing that she marry Claudet? She beheld herself +scorned, humiliated, insulted by the only man in whom she ever had felt +interested. In the excess of her indignation she felt herself becoming +hardhearted and violent; a profound discouragement, a stony indifference +to all things, impelled her to extreme measures, and, not being able at +the moment to find any one on whom she could put them in operation, she +was almost tempted to lay violent hands on herself. + +"What shall I say to Claudet?" repeated Julien, endeavoring to conceal +the suffering which was devouring his heart by an assumption of outward +frigidity. + +She turned slowly round, fixed her searching eyes, which had become as +dark as waters reflecting a stormy sky, upon his face, and demanded, in +icy tones: + +"What do you advise me to say?" + +Now, if Julien had been less of a novice, he would have understood that a +girl who loves never addresses such a question; but the feminine heart +was a book in which he was a very poor speller. He imagined that Reine +was only asking him as a matter of form, and that it was from a feeling +of maidenly reserve that she adopted this passive method of escaping from +openly declaring her wishes. She no doubt desired his friendly aid in +the matter, and he felt as if he ought to grant her that satisfaction. + +"I have the conviction," stammered he, "that Claudet will make a good +husband, and you will do well to accept him." + +Reine bit her lip, and her paleness increased so as to set off still more +the fervid lustre of her eyes. The two little brown moles stood out more +visibly on her white neck, and added to her attractions. + +"So be it!" exclaimed she, "tell Claudet that I consent, and that he +will be welcome at La Thuiliere." + +"I will tell him immediately." He bent gravely and sadly before Reine, +who remained standing and motionless against the door. "Adieu, +Mademoiselle!" + +He turned away abruptly; plunged into the first avenue he came to, lost +his way twice and finally reached the courtyard, and thence escaped at +breakneck speed across the fields. + +Reine maintained her statue-like pose as long as the young man's +footsteps resounded on the stony paths; but when they died gradually away +in the distance, when nothing could be heard save the monotonous trill of +the grasshoppers basking in the sun, she threw herself down on the green +heap of rubbish; she covered her face with her hands and gave way to a +passionate outburst of tears and sobs. + +In the meanwhile, Julien de Buxieres, angry with himself, irritated by +the speedy success of his mission, was losing his way among the +pasturages, and getting entangled in the thickets. All the details of +the interview presented themselves before his mind with remorseless +clearness. He seemed more lonely, more unfortunate, more disgusted with +himself and with all else than he ever had been before. Ashamed of the +wretched part he had just been enacting, he felt almost childish +repugnance to returning to Vivey, and tried to pick out the paths that +would take him there by the longest way. But he was not sufficiently +accustomed to laying out a route for himself, and when he thought he had +a league farther to go, and had just leaped over an intervening hedge, +the pointed roofs of the chateau appeared before him at a distance of not +more than a hundred feet, and at one of the windows on the first floor he +could distinguish Claudet, leaning for ward, as if to interrogate him. + +He remembered then the promise he had made the young huntsman; and +faithful to his word, although with rage and bitterness in his heart, +he raised his hat, and with effort, waved it three times above his head. +At this signal, the forerunner of good news, Claudet replied by a +triumphant shout, and disappeared from the window. A moment later, +Julien heard the noise of furious galloping down the enclosures of the +park. It was the lover, hastening to learn the particulars of the +interview. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +I measure others by myself +Like all timid persons, he took refuge in a moody silence +Others found delight in the most ordinary amusements +Sensitiveness and disposition to self-blame +Women: they are more bitter than death +Yield to their customs, and not pooh-pooh their amusements +You must be pleased with yourself--that is more essential + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of A Woodland Queen, v2 +by Andre Theuriet + |