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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3937.txt b/3937.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5df9cda --- /dev/null +++ b/3937.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2696 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Woodland Queen, by Andre Theuriet, v3 +#24 in our series The French Immortals Crowned by the French Academy +#3 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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As +soon as he had informed the grand chasserot of the success of his +undertaking, he became aware that his own burden was considerably +heavier. Certainly it had been easier for him to bear uncertainty than +the boisterous rapture evinced by his fortunate rival. His jealousy rose +against it, and that was all. Now that he had torn from Reine the avowal +of her love for Claudet, he was more than ever oppressed by his hopeless +passion, and plunged into a condition of complete moral and physical +disintegration. It mingled with his blood, his nerves, his thoughts, and +possessed him altogether, dwelling within him like an adored and +tyrannical mistress. Reine appeared constantly before him as he had +contemplated her on the outside steps of the farmhouse, in her never-to- +be-forgotten negligee of the short skirt and the half-open bodice. He +again beheld the silken treasure of her tresses, gliding playfully around +her shoulders, the clear, honest look of her limpid eyes, the expressive +smile of her enchanting lips, and with a sudden revulsion of feeling he +reflected that perhaps before a month was over, all these charms would +belong to Claudct. Then, almost at the same moment, like a swallow, +which, with one rapid turn of its wing, changes its course, his thoughts +went in the opposite direction, and he began to imagine what would have +happened if, instead of replying in the affirmative, Reine had objected +to marrying Claudet. He could picture himself kneeling before her as +before the Madonna, and in a low voice confessing his love. He would +have taken her hands so respectfully, and pleaded so eloquently, that she +would have allowed herself to be convinced. The little, hands would have +remained prisoners in his own; he would have lifted her tenderly, +devotedly, in his arms, and under the influence of this feverish dream, +he fancied he could feel the beating heart of the young girl against his +own bosom. Suddenly he would wake up out of his illusions, and bite his +lips with rage on finding himself in the dull reality of his own +dwelling. + +One day he heard footsteps on the gravel; a sonorous and jovial voice met +his ear. It was Claudet, starting for La Thuiliere. Julien bent forward +to see him, and ground his teeth as he watched his joyous departure. The +sharp sting of jealousy entered his soul, and he rebelled against the +evident injustice of Fate. How had he deserved that life should present +so dismal and forbidding an aspect to him? He had had none of the joys +of infancy; his youth had been spent wearily under the peevish discipline +of a cloister; he had entered on his young manhood with all the +awkwardness and timidity of a night-bird that is made to fly in the day. +Up to the age of twenty-seven years, he had known neither love nor +friendship; his time had been given entirely to earning his daily bread, +and to the cultivation of religious exercises, which consoled him in some +measure for his apparently useless way of living. Latterly, it is true, +Fortune had seemed to smile upon him, by giving him a little more money +and liberty, but this smile was a mere mockery, and a snare more hurtful +than the pettinesses and privations of his past life. The fickle +goddess, continuing her part of mystifier, had opened to his enraptured +sight a magic window through which she had shown him a charming vision of +possible happiness; but while he was still gazing, she had closed it +abruptly in his face, laughing scornfully at his discomfiture. What +sense was there in this perversion of justice, this perpetual mockery of +Fate? At times the influence of his early education would resume its +sway, and he would ask himself whether all this apparent contradiction +were not a secret admonition from on high, warning him that he had not +been created to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of this world, and ought, +therefore, to turn his attention toward things eternal, and renounce the +perishable delights of the flesh? + +"If so," thought he, irreverently, "the warning comes rather late, and it +would have answered the purpose better had I been allowed to continue in +the narrow way of obscure poverty!" Now that the enervating influence of +a more prosperous atmosphere had weakened his courage, and cooled the +ardor of his piety, his faith began to totter like an old wall. His +religious beliefs seemed to have been wrecked by the same storm which had +destroyed his passionate hopes of love, and left him stranded and forlorn +without either haven or pilot, blown hither and thither solely by the +violence of his passion. + +By degrees he took an aversion to his home, and would spend entire days +in the woods. Their secluded haunts, already colored by the breath of +autumn, became more attractive to him as other refuge failed him. They +were his consolation; his doubts, weakness, and amorous regrets, found +sympathy and indulgence under their silent shelter. He felt less lonely, +less humiliated, less prosaic among these great forest depths, these +lofty ash-trees, raising their verdant branches to heaven. He found he +could more easily evoke the seductive image of Reine Vincart in these +calm solitudes, where the recollections of the previous springtime +mingled with the phantoms of his heated imagination and clothed +themselves with almost living forms. He seemed to see the young girl +rising from the mists of the distant valleys. The least fluttering of +the leaves heralded her fancied approach. At times the hallucination was +so complete that he could see, in the interlacing of the branches, the +undulations of her supple form, and the graceful outlines of her profile. +Then he would be seized by an insane desire to reach the fugitive and +speak to her once more, and would go tearing along the brushwood for that +purpose. Now and then, in the half light formed by the hanging boughs, +he would see rays of golden light, coming straight down to the ground, +and resting there lightly like diaphanous apparitions. Sometimes the +rustling of birds taking flight, would sound in his ears like the timid +frou-frou of a skirt, and Julien, fascinated by the mysterious charm of +these indefinite objects, and following the impulse of their mystical +suggestions, would fling himself impetuously into the jungle, repeating +to him self the words of the "Canticle of Canticles": "I hear the voice +of my beloved; behold! she cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping +upon the hills." He would continue to press forward in pursuit of the +intangible apparition, until he sank with exhaustion near some stream or +fountain. Under the influence of the fever, which was consuming his +brain, he would imagine the trickling water to be the song of a feminine +voice. He would wind his arms around the young saplings, he would tear +the berries from the bushes, pressing them against his thirsty lips, and +imagining their odoriferous sweetness to be a fond caress from the loved +one. + +He would return from these expeditions exhausted but not appeased. +Sometimes he would come across Claudet, also returning home from paying +his court to Reine Vincart; and the unhappy Julien would scrutinize his +rival's countenance, seeking eagerly for some trace of the impressions he +had received during the loving interview. His curiosity was nearly +always baffled; for Claudet seemed to have left all his gayety and +conversational powers at La Thuiliere. During their tete-a-tete meals, +he hardly spoke at all, maintaining a reserved attitude and a taciturn +countenance. Julien, provoked at this unexpected sobriety, privately +accused his cousin of dissimulation, and of trying to conceal his +happiness. His jealousy so blinded him that he considered the silence of +Claudet as pure hypocrisy not recognizing that it was assumed for the +purpose of concealing some unpleasantness rather than satisfaction. + +The fact was that Claudet, although rejoicing at the turn matters had +taken, was verifying the poet's saying: "Never is perfect happiness our +lot." When Julien brought him the good news, and he had flown so +joyfully to La Thuiliere, he had certainly been cordially received by +Reine, but, nevertheless, he had noticed with surprise an absent and +dreamy look in her eyes, which did not agree with his idea of a first +interview of lovers. When he wished to express his affection in the +vivacious and significant manner ordinarily employed among the peasantry, +that is to say, by vigorous embracing and resounding kisses, he met with +unexpected resistance. + +"Keep quiet!" was the order, "and let us talk rationally!" + +He obeyed, although not agreeing in her view of the reserve to be +maintained between lovers; but, he made up his mind to return to the +charge and triumph over her bashful scruples. In fact, he began again +the very next day, and his impetuous ardor encountered the same refusal +in the same firm, though affectionate manner. He ventured to complain, +telling Reine that she did not love him as she ought. + +"If I did not feel friendly toward you," replied the young girl, +laconically, "should I have allowed you to talk to me of marriage?" + +Then, seeing that he looked vexed and worried, and realizing that she was +perhaps treating him too roughly, she continued, more gently: + +"Remember, Claudet, that I am living all alone at the farm. That obliges +me to have more reserve than a girl whose mother is with her. So you +must not be offended if I do not behave exactly as others might, and rest +assured that it will not prevent me from being a good wife to you, when +we are married." + +"Well, now," thought Claudet, as he was returning despondently to Vivey: +"I can't help thinking that a little caress now and then wouldn't hurt +any one!" + +Under these conditions it is not to be supposed he was in a mood to +relate any of the details of such meagre lovemaking. His self-love was +wounded by Reine's coldness. Having always been "cock-of-the-walk," he +could not understand why he had such poor success with the only one about +whom he was in earnest. He kept quiet, therefore, hiding his anxiety +under the mask of careless indifference. Moreover, a certain primitive +instinct of prudence made him circumspect. In his innermost soul, he +still entertained doubts of Julien's sincerity. Sometimes he doubted +whether his cousin's conduct had not been dictated by the bitterness of +rejected love, rather than a generous impulse of affection, and he did +not care to reveal Reine's repulse to one whom he vaguely suspected of +being a former lover. His simple, ardent nature could not put up with +opposition, and he thought only of hastening the day when Reine would +belong to him altogether. But, when he broached this subject, he had the +mortification to find that she was less impatient than himself. + +"There is no hurry," she replied, "our affairs are not in order, our +harvests are not housed, and it would be better to wait till the dull +season." + +In his first moments of joy and effervescence, Claudet had evinced the +desire to announce immediately the betrothal throughout the village. +This Reine had opposed; she thought they should avoid awakening public +curiosity so long beforehand, and she extracted from Claudet a promise to +say nothing until the date of the marriage should be settled. He had +unwillingly consented, and thus, during the last month, the matter had +been dragging on indefinitely: + +With Julien de Buxieres, this interminable delay, these incessant comings +and goings from the chateau to the farm, as well as the mysterious +conduct of the bridegroom-elect, became a subject of serious irritation, +amounting almost to obsession. He would have wished the affair hurried +up, and the sacrifice consummated without hindrance. He believed that +when once the newly-married pair had taken up their quarters at La +Thuiliere, the very certainty that Reine belonged in future to another +would suffice to effect a radical cure in him, and chase away the +deceptive phantoms by which he was pursued. + +One evening, as Claudet was returning home, more out of humor and silent +than usual, Julien asked him, abruptly: + +"Well! how are you getting along? When is the wedding?" + +"Nothing is decided yet," replied Claudet, "we have time enough!" + +"You think so?" exclaimed de Buxieres, sarcastically; "you have +considerable patience for a lover!" + +The remark and the tone provoked Claudet. + +"The delay is not of my making," returned he. + +"Ah!" replied the other, quickly, "then it comes from Mademoiselle +Vincart?" And a sudden gleam came into his eyes, as if Claudet's +assertion had kindled a spark of hope in his breast. The latter noticed +the momentary brightness in his cousin's usually stormy countenance, and +hastened to reply: + +"Nay, nay; we both think it better to postpone the wedding until the +harvest is in." + +"You are wrong. A wedding should not be postponed. Besides, this +prolonged love-making, these daily visits to the farm--all that is not +very proper. It is compromising for Mademoiselle Vincart!" + +Julien shot out these remarks with a degree of fierceness and violence +that astonished Claudet. + +"You think, then," said he, "that we ought to rush matters, and have the +wedding before winter?" + +"Undoubtedly!" + +The next day, at La Thuiliere, the grand chasserot, as he stood in the +orchard, watching Reine spread linen on the grass, entered bravely on the +subject. + +"Reine," said he, coaxingly, "I think we shall have to decide upon a day +for our wedding." + +She set down the watering-pot with which she was wetting the linen, and +looked anxiously at her betrothed. + +"I thought we had agreed to wait until the later season. Why do you wish +to change that arrangement?" + +"That is true; I promised not to hurry you, Reine, but it is beyond me to +wait--you must not be vexed with me if I find the time long. Besides, +they know nothing, around the village, of our intentions, and my coming +here every day might cause gossip and make it unpleasant for you. At any +rate, that is the opinion of Monsieur de Buxieres, with whom I was +conferring only yesterday evening." + +At the name of Julien, Reine frowned and bit her lip. + +"Aha!" said she, "it is he who has been advising you?" + +"Yes; he says the sooner we are married, the better it will be." + +"Why does he interfere in what does not concern him?" said she, angrily, +turning her head away. She stood a moment in thought, absently pushing +forward the roll of linen with her foot. Then, shrugging her shoulders +and raising her head, she said slowly, while still avoiding Claudet's +eyes: + +"Perhaps you are right--both of you. Well, let it be so! I authorize +you to go to Monsieur le Cure and arrange the day with him." + +"Oh, thanks, Reine!" exclaimed Claudet, rapturously; "you make me very +happy!" + +He pressed her hands in his, but though absorbed in his own joyful +feelings, he could not help remarking that the young girl was trembling +in his grasp. He even fancied that there was a suspicious, tearful +glitter in her brilliant eyes. + +He left her, however, and repaired at once to the cure's house, which +stood near the chateau, a little behind the church. + +The servant showed him into a small garden separated by a low wall from +the cemetery. He found the Abbe Pernot seated on a stone bench, +sheltered by a trellised vine. He was occupied in cutting up pieces of +hazel-nuts to make traps for small birds. + +"Good-evening, Claudet!" said the cure, without moving from his work; +"you find me busy preparing my nets; if you will permit me, I will +continue, for I should like to have my two hundred traps finished by this +evening. The season is advancing, you know! The birds will begin their +migrations, and I should be greatly provoked if I were not equipped in +time for the opportune moment. And how is Monsieur de Buxieres? I trust +he will not be less good-natured than his deceased cousin, and that he +will allow me to spread my snares on the border hedge of his woods. +But," added he, as he noticed the flurried, impatient countenance of his +visitor, "I forgot to ask you, my dear young fellow, to what happy chance +I owe your visit? Excuse my neglect!" + +"Don't mention it, Monsieur le Cure. You have guessed rightly. It is a +very happy circumstance which brings me. I am about to marry." + +"Aha!" laughed the Abbe, "I congratulate you, my dear young friend. +This is really delightful news. It is not good for man to be alone, and +I am glad to know you must give up the perilous life of a bachelor. +Well, tell me quickly the name of your betrothed. Do I know her?" + +"Of course you do, Monsieur le Cure; there are few you know so well. It +is Mademoiselle Vincart." + +"Reine?" + +The Abbe flung away the pruning-knife and branch that he was cutting, and +gazed at Claudet with a stupefied air. At the same time, his jovial face +became shadowed, and his mouth assumed an expression of consternation. + +"Yes, indeed, Reine Vincart," repeated Claudet, somewhat vexed at the +startled manner of his reverence; "are you surprised at my choice?" + +"Excuse me-and-is it all settled?" stammered the Abbe, with +bewilderment, "and--and do you really love each other?" + +"Certainly; we agree on that point; and I have come here to arrange with +you about having the banns published." + +"What! already?" murmured the cure, buttoning and unbuttoning the top +of his coat in his agitation, "you seem to be in a great hurry to go to +work. The union of the man and the woman--ahem--is a serious matter, +which ought not to be undertaken without due consideration. That is the +reason why the Church has instituted the sacrament of marriage. Hast +thou well considered, my son?" + +"Why, certainly, I have reflected," exclaimed Claudet with some +irritation, "and my mind is quite made up. Once more, I ask you, +Monsieur le Cure, are you displeased with my choice, or have you anything +to say against Mademoiselle Vincart?" + +"I? no, absolutely nothing. Reine is an exceedingly good girl." + +"Well, then?" + +"Well, my friend, I will go over to-morrow and see your fiancee, and we +will talk matters over. I shall act for the best, in the interests of +both of you, be assured of that. In the meantime, you will both be +united this evening in my prayers; but, for to-day, we shall have to stop +where we are. Good-evening, Claudet! I will see you again." + +With these enigmatic words, he dismissed the young lover, who returned to +the chateau, vexed and disturbed by his strange reception. + +The moment the door of the presbytery had closed behind Claudet, the Abbe +Pernot, flinging to one side all his preparations, began to pace +nervously up and down the principal garden-walk. He appeared completely +unhinged. His features were drawn, through an unusual tension of ideas +forced upon him. He had hurriedly caught his skullcap from his head, as +if he feared the heat of his meditation might cause a rush of blood to +the head. He quickened his steps, then stopped suddenly, folded his arms +with great energy, then opened them again abruptly to thrust his hands +into the pockets of his gown, searching through them with feverish +anxiety, as if he expected to find something which might solve obscure +and embarrassing questions. + +"Good Lord! Good Lord! What a dreadful piece of business; and right in +the bird season, too! But I can say nothing to Claudet. It is a secret +that does not belong to me. How can I get out of it? Tutt! tutt! tutt!" + +These monosyllabic ejaculations broke forth like the vexed clucking of a +frightened blackbird; after which relief, the Abbe resumed his fitful +striding up and down the box-bordered alley. This lasted until the hour +of twilight, when Augustine, the servant, as soon as the Angelus had +sounded, went to inform her master that they were waiting prayers for him +in the church. He obeyed the summons, although in a somewhat absent +mood, and hurried over the services in a manner which did not contribute +to the edification of the assistants. As soon as he got home, he ate his +Supper without appetite, mumbled his prayers, and shut himself up in the +room he used as a study and workshop. He remained there until the night +was far advanced, searching through his scanty library to find two dusty +volumes treating of "cases of conscience," which he looked eagerly over +by the feeble light of his study lamp. During this laborious search he +emitted frequent sighs, and only left off reading occasionally in order +to dose himself plentifully with snuff. At last, as he felt that his +eyes were becoming inflamed, his ideas conflicting in his brain, and as +his lamp was getting low, he decided to go to bed. But he slept badly, +turned over at least twenty times, and was up with the first streak of +day to say his mass in the chapel. He officiated with more dignity and +piety than was his wont; and after reading the second gospel he remained +for a long while kneeling on one of the steps of the altar. After he had +returned to the sacristy, he divested himself quickly of his sacerdotal +robes, reached his room by a passage of communication, breakfasted +hurriedly, and putting on his three-cornered hat, and seizing his knotty, +cherry-wood cane, he shot out of doors as if he had been summoned to a +fire. + +Augustine, amazed at his precipitate departure, went up to the attic, +and, from behind the shelter of the skylight, perceived her master +striding rapidly along the road to Planche-au-Vacher. There she lost +sight of him--the underwood was too thick. But, after a few minutes, the +gaze of the inquisitive woman was rewarded by the appearance of a dark +object emerging from the copse, and defining itself on the bright pasture +land beyond. "Monsieur le Cure is going to La Thuiliere," thought she, +and with this half-satisfaction she descended to her daily occupations. + +It was true, the Abbe Pernot was walking, as fast as he could, to the +Vincart farm, as unmindful of the dew that tarnished his shoe-buckles as +of the thorns which attacked his calves. He had that within him which +spurred him on, and rendered him unconscious of the accidents on his +path. Never, during his twenty-five years of priestly office, had a more +difficult question embarrassed his conscience. The case was a grave one, +and moreover, so urgent that the Abbe was quite at a loss how to proceed. +How was it that he never had foreseen that such a combination of +circumstances might occur? A priest of a more fervent spirit, who had +the salvation of his flock more at heart, could not have been taken so +unprepared. Yes; that was surely the cause! The profane occupations in +which he had allowed himself to take so much enjoyment, had distracted +his watchfulness and obscured his perspicacity. Providence was now +punishing him for his lukewarmness, by interposing across his path this +stumbling-block, which was probably sent to him as a salutary warning, +but which he saw no way of getting over. + +While he was thus meditating and reproaching himself, the thrushes were +calling to one another from the branches of their favorite trees; whole +flights of yellowhammers burst forth from the hedges red with haws; but +he took no heed of them and did not even give a single thought to his +neglected nests and snares. + +He went straight on, stumbling over the juniper bushes, and wondering +what he should say when he reached the farm, and how he should begin. +Sometimes he addressed himself, thus: "Have I the right to speak? What a +revelation! And to a young girl! Oh, Lord, lead me in the straight way +of thy truth, and instruct me in the right path!" + +As he continued piously repeating this verse of the Psalmist, in order to +gain spiritual strength, the gray roofs of La Thuiliere rose before him; +he could hear the crowing of the cocks and the lowing of the cows in the +stable. Five minutes after, he had pushed open the door of the kitchen +where La Guite was arranging the bowls for breakfast. + +"Good-morning, Guitiote," said he, in a choking voice; "is Mademoiselle +Vincart up?" + +"Holy Virgin! Monsieur le Cure! Why, certainly Mademoiselle is up. +She was on foot before any of us, and now she is trotting around the +orchard. I will go fetch her." + +"No, do not stir. I know the way, and I will go and find her myself." + +She was in the orchard, was she? The Abbe preferred it should be so; he +thought the interview would be less painful, and that the surrounding +trees would give him ideas. He walked across the kitchen, descended the +steps leading from the ground floor to the garden, and ascended the slope +in search of Reine, whom he soon perceived in the midst of a bower formed +by clustering filbert-trees. + +At sight of the cure, Reine turned pale; he had doubtless come to tell +her the result of his interview with Claudet, and what day had been +definitely chosen for the nuptial celebration. She had been troubled all +night by the reflection that her fate would soon be irrevocably scaled; +she had wept, and her eyes betrayed it. Only the day before, she had +looked upon this project of marriage, which she had entertained in a +moment of anger and injured feeling, as a vague thing, a vaporous +eventuality of which the realization was doubtful; now, all was arranged, +settled, cruelly certain; there was no way of escaping from a promise +which Claudet, alas! was bound to consider a serious one. These +thoughts traversed her mind, while the cure was slowly approaching the +filbert-trees; she felt her heart throb, and her eyes again filled with +tears. Yet her pride would not allow that the Abbe should witness her +irresolution and weeping; she made an effort, overcame the momentary +weakness, and addressed the priest in an almost cheerful voice: + +"Monsieur le Cure, I am sorry that they have made you come up this hill +to find me. Let us go back to the farm, and I will offer you a cup of +coffee." + +"No, my child," replied the Abbe, motioning with his hand that she should +stay where she was, "no, thank you! I will not take anything. Remain +where you are. + +"I wish to talk to you, and we shall be less liable to be disturbed here." + +There were two rustic seats under the nut-trees; the cure took one and +asked Reine to take the other, opposite to him. There they were, under +the thick, verdant branches, hidden from indiscreet passers-by, +surrounded by silence, installed as in a confessional. + +The morning quiet, the solitude, the half light, all invited meditation +and confidence; nevertheless the young girl and the priest sat +motionless; both agitated and embarrassed and watching each other without +uttering a sound. It was Reine who first broke the silence. + +"You have seen Claudet, Monsieur le Cure?" + +"Yes, yes!" replied the Abbe, sighing deeply. + +"He--spoke to you of our-plans," continued the young girl, in a quavering +voice, "and you fixed the day?" + +"No, my child, we settled nothing. I wanted to see you first, and +converse with you about something very important." + +The Abbe hesitated, rubbed a spot of mud off his soutane, raised his +shoulders like a man lifting a heavy burden, then gave a deep cough. + +"My dear child," continued he at length, prudently dropping his voice a +tone lower, "I will begin by repeating to you what I said yesterday to +Claudet Sejournant: the marriage, that is to say, the indissoluble union, +of man and woman before God, is one of the most solemn and serious acts +of life. The Church has constituted it a sacrament, which she +administers only on certain formal conditions. Before entering into this +bond, one ought, as we are taught by Holy Writ, to sound the heart, +subject the very inmost of the soul to searching examinations. I beg of +you, therefore, answer my questions freely, without false shame, just as +if you were at the tribunal of repentance. Do you love Claudet?" + +Reine trembled. This appeal to her sincerity renewed all her +perplexities and scruples. She raised her full, glistening eyes to the +cure, and replied, after a slight hesitation: + +"I have a sincere affection for Claudet-and-much esteem." + +"I understand that," replied the priest, compressing his lips, "but-- +excuse me if I press the matter--has the engagement you have made with +him been determined simply by considerations of affection and +suitableness, or by more interior and deeper feelings?" + +"Pardon, Monsieur le Cure," returned Reine, coloring, "it seems to me +that a sentiment of friendship, joined to a firm determination to prove a +faithful and devoted wife, should be, in your eyes as they are in mine, a +sufficient assurance that--" + +"Certainly, certainly, my dear child; and many husbands would be +contented with less. However, it is not only a question of Claudet's +happiness, but of yours also. Come now! let me ask you: is your +affection for young Sejournant so powerful that in the event of any +unforeseen circumstance happening, to break off the marriage, you would +be forever unhappy?" + +"Ah!" replied Reine, more embarrassed than ever, "you ask too grave a +question, Monsieur le Cure! If it were broken off without my having to +reproach myself for it, it is probable that I should find consolation in +time." + +"Very good! Consequently, you do not love Claudet, if I may take the +word love in the sense understood by people of the world. You only like, +you do not love him? Tell me. Answer frankly." + +"Frankly, Monsieur le Cure, no!" + +"Thanks be to God! We are saved!" exclaimed the Abbe, drawing a long +breath, while Reine, amazed, gazed at him with wondering eves. + +"I do not understand you," faltered she; "what is it?" + +"It is this: the marriage can not take place." + +"Can not? why?" + +"It is impossible, both in the eyes of the Church and in those of the +world." + +The young girl looked at him with increasing amazement. + +"You alarm me!" cried she. "What has happened? What reasons hinder me +from marrying Claudet?" + +"Very powerful reasons, my dear child. I do not feel at liberty to +reveal them to you, but you must know that I am not speaking without +authority, and that you may rely on the statement I have made." + +Reine remained thoughtful, her brows knit, her countenance troubled. + +"I have every confidence in you, Monsieur le Cure, but--" + +"But you hesitate about believing me," interrupted the Abbe, piqued at +not finding in one of his flock the blind obedience on which he had +reckoned. "You must know, nevertheless, that your pastor has no interest +in deceiving you, and that when he seeks to influence you, he has in view +only your well-being in this world and in the next." + +"I do not doubt your good intentions," replied Reine, with firmness, "but +a promise can not be annulled without sufficient cause. I have given my +word to Claudet, and I am too loyal at heart to break faith with him +without letting him know the reason." + +"You will find some pretext." + +"And supposing that Claudet would be content with such a pretext, my own +conscience would not be," objected the young girl, raising her clear, +honest glance toward the priest; "your words have entered my soul, they +are troubling me now, and it will be worse when I begin to think this +matter over again. I can not bear uncertainty. I must see my way +clearly before me. I entreat you then, Monsieur le Cure, not to do +things by halves. You have thought it your duty to tell me I can not wed +with Claudet; now tell me why not?" + +"Why not? why not?" repeated the Abbe, angrily. "I distress myself in +telling you that I am not authorized to satisfy your unwise curiosity! +You must humble your intelligence and believe without arguing." + +"In matters of faith, that may be possible," urged Reine, obstinately, +"but my marriage has nothing to do with discussing the truths of our holy +religion. I therefore respectfully ask to be enlightened, Monsieur le +Cure; otherwise--" + +"Otherwise?" repeated the Abby Pernot, inquiringly, rolling his eyes +uneasily. + +"Otherwise, I shall keep my word respectably, and I shall marry Claudet." + +"You will not do that?" said he, imploringly, joining his hands as if in +supplication; "after being openly warned by me, you dare not burden your +soul with such a terrible responsibility. Come, my child, does not the +possibility of committing a mortal sin alarm your conscience as a +Christian?" + +"I can not sin if I am in ignorance, and as to my conscience, Monsieur le +Cure, do you think it is acting like a Christian to alarm without +enlightening?" + +"Is that your last word?" inquired the Abbe, completely aghast. + +"It is my last word," she replied, vehemently, moved both by a feeling of +self-respect, and a desire to force the hand of her interlocutor. + +"You are a proud, obstinate girl!" exclaimed the Abbe, rising abruptly, +"you wish to compel me to reveal this secret! Well, have your way! +I will tell you. May the harm which may result from it fall lightly upon +you, and do not hereafter reproach me for the pain I am about to inflict +upon you." + +He checked himself for a moment, again joined his hands, and raising his +eyes toward heaven ejaculated fervently, as if repeating his devotions in +the oratory: "O Lord, thou knowest I would have spared her this bitter +cup, but, between two evils, I have avoided the greater. If I forfeit my +solemn promise, consider, O Lord, I pray thee, that I do it to avoid +disgrace and exposure for her, and deign to forgive thy servant!" + +He seated himself again, placed one of his hands before his eyes, and +began, in a hollow voice, Reine, all the while gazing nervously at him: + +"My child, you are forcing me to violate a secret which has been solemnly +confided to me. It concerns a matter not usually talked about before +young girls, but you are, I believe, already a woman in heart and +understanding, and you will hear resignedly what I have to tell you, +however much the recital may trouble you. I have already informed you +that your marriage with Claudet is impossible. I now declare that it +would be criminal, for the reason that incest is an abomination." + +"Incest!" repeated Reine, pale and trembling, "what do you mean?" + +"I mean," sighed the cure, "that you are Claudet's sister, not having the +same mother, but the same father: Claude-Odouart de Buxieres." + +"Oh! you are mistaken! that cannot be!" + +"I am stating facts. It grieves me to the heart, my dear child, that in +speaking of your deceased mother, I should have to reveal an error over +which she lamented, like David, with tears of blood. She confessed her +sin, not to the priest, but to a friend, a few days before her death. +In justice to her memory, I ought to add that, like most of the +unfortunates seduced by this untamable de Buxieres, she succumbed to his +wily misrepresentations. She was a victim rather than an accomplice. +The man himself acknowledged as much in a note entrusted to my care, +which I have here." + +And the Abbe' drew from his pocket an old, worn letter, the writing +yellow with age, and placed it before Reine. In this letter, written in +Claude de Buxieres's coarse, sprawling hand, doubtless in reply to a +reproachful appeal from his mistress, he endeavored to offer some kind of +honorable amends for the violence he had used, and to calm Madame +Vincart's remorse by promising, as was his custom, to watch over the +future of the child which should be born to her. + +"That child was yourself, my poor girl," continued the Abbe, picking up +the letter which Reine had thrown down, after reading it, with a gesture +of sickened disgust. + +She appeared not to hear him. She had buried her face in her hands, to +hide the flushing of her cheeks, and sat motionless, altogether crushed +beneath the shameful revelation; convulsive sobs and tremblings +occasionally agitating her frame. + +"You can now understand," continued the priest, "how the announcement of +this projected marriage stunned and terrified me. I could not confide to +Claudet the reason for my stupefaction, and I should have been thankful +if you could have understood so that I could have spared you this cruel +mortification, but you would not take any intimation from me. And now, +forgive me for inflicting this cross upon you, and bear it with courage, +with Christian fortitude." + +"You have acted as was your duty," murmured Reine, sadly, "and I thank +you, Monsieur le Cure!" + +"And will you promise me to dismiss Claudet at once--today?" + +"I promise you." + +The Abbe Pernot advanced to take her hand, and administer some words of +consolation; but she evaded, with a stern gesture, the good man's pious +sympathy, and escaped toward the dwelling. + +The spacious kitchen was empty when she entered. The shutters had been +closed against the sun, and it had become cool and pleasant. Here and +there, among the copper utensils, and wherever a chance ray made a gleam +of light, the magpie was hopping about, uttering short, piercing cries. +In the recess of the niche containing the colored prints, sat the old man +Vincart, dozing, in his usual supine attitude, his hands spread out, his +eyelids drooping, his mouth half open. At the sound of the door, his +eyes opened wide. He rather guessed at, than saw, the entrance of the +young girl, and his pallid lips began their accustomed refrain: "Reine! +Rei-eine!" + +Reine flew impetuously toward the paralytic old man, threw herself on her +knees before him, sobbing bitterly, and covered his hands with kisses. +Her caresses were given in a more respectful, humble, contrite manner +than ever before. + +"Oh! father--father!" faltered she; "I loved you always, I shall love +you now with all my heart and soul!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +LOVE'S SAD ENDING + +The kitchen was bright with sunshine, and the industrious bees were +buzzing around the flowers on the window-sills, while Reine was +listlessly attending to culinary duties, and preparing her father's meal. +The humiliating disclosures made by the Abbe Pernot weighed heavily upon +her mind. She foresaw that Claudet would shortly be at La Thuiliere in +order to hear the result of the cure's visit; but she did not feel +sufficiently mistress of herself to have a decisive interview with him at +such short notice, and resolved to gain at least one day by absenting +herself from the farm. It seemed to her necessary that she should have +that length of time to arrange her ideas, and evolve some way of +separating Claudet and herself without his suspecting the real motive of +rupture. So, telling La Guite to say that unexpected business had called +her away, she set out for the woods of Maigrefontaine. + +Whenever she had felt the need of taking counsel with herself before +deciding on any important matter, the forest had been her refuge and her +inspiration. The refreshing solitude of the valleys, watered by living +streams, acted as a strengthening balm to her irresolute will; her soul +inhaled the profound peace of these leafy retreats. By the time she had +reached the inmost shade of the forest her mind had become calmer, and +better able to unravel the confusion of thoughts that surged like +troubled waters through her brain. The dominant idea was, that her self- +respect had been wounded; the shock to her maidenly modesty, and the +shame attendant upon the fact, affected her physically, as if she had +been belittled and degraded by a personal stain; and this downfall caused +her deep humiliation. By slow degrees, however, and notwithstanding this +state of abject despair, she felt, cropping up somewhere in her heart, a +faint germ of gladness, and, by close examination, discovered its origin: +she was now loosed from her obligations toward Claudet, and the prospect +of being once more free afforded her immediate consolation. + +She had so much regretted, during the last few weeks, the feeling of +outraged pride which had incited her to consent to this marriage; her +loyal, sincere nature had revolted at the constraint she had imposed upon +herself; her nerves had been so severely taxed by having to receive her +fiance with sufficient warmth to satisfy his expectations, and yet not +afford any encouragement to his demonstrative tendencies, that the +certainty of her newly acquired freedom created a sensation of relief and +well-being. But, hardly had she analyzed and acknowledged this sensation +when she reproached herself for harboring it when she was about to cause +Claudet such affliction. + +Poor Claudet! what a cruel blow was in store for him! He was so +guilelessly in love, and had such unbounded confidence in the success of +his projects! Reine was overcome by tender reminiscences. She had +always experienced, as if divining by instinct the natural bonds which +united them, a sisterly affection for Claudet. Since their earliest +infancy, at the age when they learned their catechism under the church +porch, they had been united in a bond of friendly fellowship. With +Reine, this tender feeling had always remained one of friendship, but, +with Claudet, it had ripened into love; and now, after allowing the poor +young fellow to believe that his love was reciprocated, she was forced to +disabuse him. It was useless for her to try to find some way of +softening the blow; there was none. Claudet was too much in love to +remain satisfied with empty words; he would require solid reasons; and +the only conclusive one which would convince him, without wounding his +self-love, was exactly the one which the young girl could not give him. +She was, therefore, doomed to send Claudet away with the impression that +he had been jilted by a heartless and unprincipled coquette. And yet +something must be done. The grand chasserot had been too long already in +the toils; there was something barbarously cruel in not freeing him from +his illusions. + +In this troubled state of mind, Reine gazed appealingly at the silent +witnesses of her distress. She heard a voice within her saying to the +tall, vaulted ash, "Inspire me!" to the little rose-colored centaurea of +the wayside, "Teach me a charm to cure the harm I have done!" But the +woods, which in former days had been her advisers and instructors, +remained deaf to her invocation. For the first time, she felt herself +isolated and abandoned to her own resources, even in the midst of her +beloved forest. + +It is when we experience these violent mental crises, that we become +suddenly conscious of Nature's cold indifference to our sufferings. She +really is nothing more than the reflex of our own sensations, and can +only give us back what we lend her. Beautiful but selfish, she allows +herself to be courted by novices, but presents a freezing, emotionless +aspect to those who have outlived their illusions. + +Reine did not reach home until the day had begun to wane. La Guite +informed her that Claudet had waited for her during part of the +afternoon, and that he would come again the next day at nine o'clock. +Notwithstanding her bodily fatigue, she slept uneasily, and her sleep was +troubled by feverish dreams. Every time she closed her eyes, she fancied +herself conversing with Claudet, and woke with a start at the sound of +his angry voice. + +She arose at dawn, descended at once to the lower floor, to get through +her morning tasks, and as soon as the big kitchen clock struck nine, she +left the house and took the path by which Claudet would come. A feeling +of delicate consideration toward her lover had impelled her to choose for +her explanation any other place than the one where she had first received +his declaration of love, and consented to the marriage. Very soon he +came in sight, his stalwart figure outlined against the gray landscape. +He was walking rapidly; her heart smote her, her hands became like ice, +but she summoned all her fortitude, and went bravely forward to meet him. + +When he came within forty or fifty feet, he recognized Reine, and took a +short cut across the stubble studded with cobwebs glistening with dew. + +"Aha! my Reine, my queen, good-morning!" cried he, joyously, "it is +sweet of you to come to meet me!" + +"Good-morning, Claudet. I came to meet you because I wish to speak with +you on matters of importance, and I preferred not to have the +conversation take place in our house. Shall we walk as far as the +Planche-au-Vacher?" + +He stopped short, astonished at the proposal and also at the sad and +resolute attitude of his betrothed. He examined her more closely, +noticed her deep-set eyes, her cheeks, whiter than usual. + +"Why, what is the matter, Reine?" he inquired; "you are not yourself; do +you not feel well?" + +"Yes, and no. I have passed a bad night, thinking over matters that are +troubling me, and I think that has produced some fever." + +"What matters? Any that concern us?" + +"Yes;" replied she, laconically. + +Claudet opened his eyes. The young girl's continued gravity began to +alarm him; but, seeing that she walked quickly forward, with an absent +air, her face lowered, her brows bent, her mouth compressed, he lost +courage and refrained from asking her any questions. They walked on thus +in silence, until they came to the open level covered with juniper- +bushes, from which solitary place, surrounded by hawthorn hedges, they +could trace the narrow defile leading to Vivey, and the faint mist +beyond. + +"Let us stop here," said Reine, seating herself on a flat, mossy stone, +"we can talk here without fear of being disturbed." + +"No fear of that," remarked Claudet, with a forced smile, "with the +exception of the shepherd of Vivey, who comes here sometimes with his +cattle, we shall not see many passers-by. It must be a secret that you +have to tell me, Reine?" he added. + +"No;" she returned, "but I foresee that my words will give you pain, my +poor Claudet, and I prefer you should hear them without being annoyed by +the farm-people passing to and fro." + +"Explain yourself!" he exclaimed, impetuously. "For heaven's sake, +don't keep me in suspense!" + +"Listen, Claudet. When you asked my hand in marriage, I answered yes, +without taking time to reflect. But, since I have been thinking over our +plans, I have had scruples. My father is becoming every day more of an +invalid, and in his present state I really have no right to live for any +one but him. One would think he was aware of our intentions, for since +you have been visiting at the farm, he is more agitated and suffers more. +I think that any change in his way of living would bring on a stroke, and +I never should forgive myself if I thought I had shortened his life. +That is the reason why, as long as I have him with me, I do not see that +it will be possible for me to dispose of myself. On the other hand, I do +not wish to abuse your patience. I therefore ask you to take back your +liberty and give me back my promise." + +"That is to say, you won't have me!" he exclaimed. + +"No; my poor friend, it means only that I shall not marry so long as my +father is living, and that I can not ask you to wait until I am perfectly +free. Forgive me for having entered into the engagement too carelessly, +and do not on that account take your friendship from me." + +"Reine," interrupted Claudet, angrily, "don't turn your brain inside out +to make me believe that night is broad day. I am not a child, and I see +very well that your father's health is only a pretext. You don't want +me, that's all, and, with all due respect, you have changed your mind +very quickly! Only the day before yesterday you authorized me to arrange +about the day for the ceremony with the Abbe Pernot. Now that you have +had a visit from the cure, you want to put the affair off until the week +when two Sundays come together! I am a little curious to know what that +confounded old abbe has been babbling about me, to turn you inside out +like a glove in such a short time." + +Claudet's conscience reminded him of several rare frolics, chance love- +affairs, meetings in the woods, and so on, and he feared the priest might +have told Reine some unfavorable stories about him. "Ah!" he continued, +clenching his fists, "if this old poacher in a cassock has done me an ill +turn with you, he will not have much of a chance for paradise!" + +"Undeceive yourself," said Reine, quickly, "Monsieur le Cure is your +friend, like myself; he esteems you highly, and never has said anything +but good of you." + +"Oh, indeed!" sneered the young man, "as you are both so fond of me, how +does it happen that you have given me my dismissal the very day after +your interview with the cure?" + +Reine, knowing Claudet's violent disposition, and wishing to avoid +trouble for the cure, thought it advisable to have recourse to evasion. + +"Monsieur le Cure," said she, "has had no part in my decision. He has +not spoken against you, and deserves no reproaches from you." + +"In that case, why do you send me away?" + +"I repeat again, the comfort and peace of my father are paramount with +me, and I do not intend to marry so long as he may have need of me." + +"Well," said Claudet, persistently, "I love you, and I will wait." + +"It can not be." + +"Why?" + +"Because," replied she, sharply, "because it would be kind neither to +you, nor to my father, nor to me. Because marriages that drag along in +that way are never good for anything!" + +"Those are bad reasons!" he muttered, gloomily. + +"Good or bad," replied the young girl, "they appear valid to me, and I +hold to them." + +"Reine," said he, drawing near to her and looking straight into her eyes, +"can you swear, by the head of your father, that you have given me the +true reason for your rejecting me?" + +She became embarrassed, and remained silent. + +"See!" he exclaimed, "you dare not take the oath!" + +"My word should suffice," she faltered. + +"No; it does not suffice. But your silence says a great deal, I tell +you! You are too frank, Reine, and you don't know how to lie. I read it +in your eyes, I do. The true reason is that you do not love me." + +She shrugged her shoulders and turned away her head. + +"No, you do not love me. If you had any love for me, instead of +discouraging me, you would hold out some hope to me, and advise me to +have patience. You never have loved me, confess now!" + +By dint of this persistence, Reine by degrees lost her self-confidence. +She could realize how much Claudet was suffering, and she reproached +herself for the torture she was inflicting upon him. Driven into a +corner, and recognizing that the avowal he was asking for was the only +one that would drive him away, she hesitated no longer. + +"Alas!" she murmured, lowering her eyes, "since you force me to tell you +some truths that I would rather have kept from you, I confess you have +guessed. I have a sincere friendship for you, but that is all. I have +concluded that to marry a person one ought to love him differently, more +than everything else in the world, and I feel that my heart is not turned +altogether toward you." + +"No," said Claudet, bitterly, "it is turned elsewhere." + +"What do you mean? I do not understand you." + +"I mean that you love some one else." + +"That is not true," she protested. + +"You are blushing--a proof that I have hit the nail!" + +"Enough of this!" cried she, imperiously. + +"You are right. Now that you have said you don't want me any longer, I +have no right to ask anything further. Adieu!" + +He turned quickly on his heel. Reine was conscious of having been too +hard with him, and not wishing him to go away with such a grief in his +heart, she sought to retain him by placing her hand upon his arm. + +"Come, Claudet," said she, entreatingly, "do not let us part in anger. +It pains me to see you suffer, and I am sorry if I have said anything +unkind to you. Give me your hand in good fellowship, will you?" + +But Claudet drew back with a fierce gesture, and glancing angrily at +Reine, he replied, rudely: + +"Thanks for your regrets and your pity; I have no use for them." She +understood that he was deeply hurt; gave up entreating, and turned away +with eyes full of tears. + +He remained motionless, his arms crossed, in the middle of the road. +After some minutes, he turned his head. Reine was already nothing more +than a dark speck against the gray of the increasing fog. Then he went +off, haphazard, across the pasture-lands. The fog was rising slowly, and +the sun, shorn of its beams, showed its pale face faintly through it. To +the right and the left, the woods were half hidden by moving white +billows, and Claudet walked between fluid walls of vapor. This hidden +sky, these veiled surroundings, harmonized with his mental condition. It +was easier for him to hide his chagrin. "Some one else! Yes; that's it. +She loves some other fellow! how was it I did not find that out the very +first day?" Then he recalled how Reine shrank from him when he solicited +a caress; how she insisted on their betrothal being kept secret, and how +many times she had postponed the date of the wedding. It was evident +that she had received him only in self-defence, and on the pleading of +Julien de Buxieres. Julien! the name threw a gleam of light across his +brain, hitherto as foggy as the country around him. Might not Julien be +the fortunate rival on whom Reine's affections were so obstinately set? +Still, if she had always loved Monsieur de Buxieres, in what spirit of +perversity or thoughtlessness had she suffered the advances of another +suitor? + +Reine was no coquette, and such a course of action would be repugnant to +her frank, open nature. It was a profound enigma, which Claudet, who had +plenty of good common sense, but not much insight, was unable to solve. +But grief has, among its other advantages, the power of rendering our +perceptions more acute; and by dint of revolving the question in his +mind, Claudet at last became enlightened. Had not Reine simply followed +the impulse of her wounded feelings? She was very proud, and when the +man whom she secretly loved had come coolly forward to plead the cause of +one who was indifferent to her, would not her self-respect be lowered, +and would she not, in a spirit of bravado, accept the proposition, in +order that he might never guess the sufferings of her spurned affections? +There was no doubt, that, later, recognizing that the task was beyond her +strength, she had felt ashamed of deceiving Claudet any longer, and, +acting on the advice of the Abbe Pernot, had made up her mind to break +off a union that was repugnant to her. + +"Yes;" he repeated, mournfully to himself, "that must have been the way +it happened." And with this kind of explanation of Reine's actions, his +irritation seemed to lessen. Not that his grief was less poignant, but +the first burst of rage had spent itself like a great wind-storm, which +becomes lulled after a heavy fall of rain; the bitterness was toned down, +and he was enabled to reason more clearly. + +Julien--well, what was the part of Julien in all this disturbance? "If +what I imagine is true," thought he, "Monsieur de Buxieres knows that +Reine loves him, but has he any reciprocal feeling for her? With a man +as mysterious as my cousin, it is not easy to find out what is going on +in his heart. Anyhow, I have no right to complain of him; as soon as he +discovered my love for Reine, did he not, besides ignoring his own claim, +offer spontaneously to take my message? Still, there is something queer +at the bottom of it all, and whatever it costs me, I am going to find it +out." + +At this moment, through the misty air, he heard faintly the village clock +strike eleven. "Already so late! how the time flies, even when one is +suffering!" He bent his course toward the chateau, and, breathless and +excited, without replying to Manette's inquiries, he burst into the hall +where his cousin was pacing up and down, waiting for breakfast. At this +sudden intrusion Julien started, and noted Claudet's quick breathing and +disordered state. + +"Ho, ho!" exclaimed he, in his usual, sarcastic tone, "what a hurry you +are in! I suppose you have come to say the wedding-day is fixed at +last?" + +"No!" replied Claudet, briefly, "there will be no wedding." + +Julien tottered, and turned to face his cousin. + +"What's that? Are you joking?" + +"I am in no mood for joking. Reine will not have me; she has taken back +her promise." + +While pronouncing these words, he scrutinized attentively his cousin's +countenance, full in the light from the opposite window. He saw his +features relax, and his eyes glow with the same expression which he had +noticed a few days previous, when he had referred to the fact that Reine +had again postponed the marriage. + +"Whence comes this singular change?" stammered de Buxieres, visibly +agitated; "what reasons does Mademoiselle Vincart give in explanation?" + +"Idle words: her father's health, disinclination to leave him. You may +suppose I take such excuses for what they are worth. The real cause of +her refusal is more serious and more mortifying." + +"You know it, then?" exclaimed Julien, eagerly. + +"I know it, because I forced Reine to confess it." + +"And the reason is?" + +"That she does not love me." + +"Reine--does not love you!" + +Again a gleam of light irradiated the young man's large, blue eyes. +Claudet was leaning against the table, in front of his cousin; he +continued slowly, looking him steadily in the face: + +"That is not all. Not only does Reine not love me, but she loves some +one else." + +Julien changed color; the blood coursed over his cheeks, his forehead, +his ears; he drooped his head. + +"Did she tell you so?" he murmured, at last, feebly. + +"She did not, but I guessed it. Her heart is won, and I think I know by +whom." + +Claudet had uttered these last words slowly and with a painful effort, at +the same time studying Julien's countenance with renewed inquiry. The +latter became more and more troubled, and his physiognomy expressed both +anxiety and embarrassment. + +"Whom do you suspect?" he stammered. + +"Oh!" replied Claudet, employing a simple artifice to sound the obscure +depth of his cousin's heart, "it is useless to name the person; you do +not know him." + +"A stranger?" + +Julien's countenance had again changed. His hands were twitching +nervously, his lips compressed, and his dilated pupils were blazing with +anger, instead of triumph, as before. + +"Yes; a stranger, a clerk in the iron-works at Grancey, I think." + +"You think!--you think!" cried Julien, fiercely, "why don't you have +more definite information before you accuse Mademoiselle Vincart of such +treachery?" + +He resumed pacing the hall, while his interlocutor, motionless, remained +silent, and kept his eyes steadily upon him. + +"It is not possible," resumed Julien, "Reine can not have played us such +a trick! When I spoke to her for you, it was so easy to say she was +already betrothed!" + +"Perhaps," objected Claudet, shaking his head, "she had reasons for not +letting you know all that was in her mind." + +"What reasons?" + +"She doubtless believed at that time that the man she preferred did not +care for her. There are some people who, when they are vexed, act in +direct contradiction to their own wishes. I have the idea that Reine +accepted me only for want of some one better, and afterward, being too +openhearted to dissimulate for any length of time, she thought better of +it, and sent me about my business." + +"And you," interrupted Julien, sarcastically, "you, who had been accepted +as her betrothed, did not know better how to defend your rights than to +suffer yourself to be ejected by a rival, whose intentions, even, you +have not clearly ascertained!" + +"By Jove! how could I help it? A fellow that takes an unwilling bride +is playing for too high stakes. The moment I found there was another she +preferred, I had but one course before me--to take myself off." + +"And you call that loving!" shouted de Buxieres, "you call that losing +your heart! God in heaven! if I had been in your place, how differently +I should have acted! Instead of leaving, with piteous protestations, +I should have stayed near Reine, I should have surrounded her with +tenderness. I should have expressed my passion with so much force that +its flame should pass from my burning soul to hers, and she would have +been forced to love me! Ah! If I had only thought! if I had dared! +how different it would have been!" + +He jerked out his sentences with unrestrained frenzy. He seemed hardly +to know what he was saying, or that he had a listener. Claudet stood +contemplating him in sullen silence: "Aha!" thought he, with bitter +resignation; "I have sounded you at last. I know what is in the bottom +of your heart." + +Manette, bringing in the breakfast, interrupted their colloquy, and both +assumed an air of indifference, according to a tacit understanding that a +prudent amount of caution should be observed in her presence. They ate +hurriedly, and as soon as the cloth was removed, and they were again +alone, Julien, glancing with an indefinable expression at Claudet, +muttered savagely: + +"Well! what do you decide?" + +"I will tell you later," responded the other, briefly. + +He quitted the room abruptly, told Manette that he would not be home +until late, and strode out across the fields, his dog following. He had +taken his gun as a blind, but it was useless for Montagnard to raise his +bark; Claudet allowed the hares to scamper away with out sending a single +shot after them. He was busy inwardly recalling the details of the +conversation he had had with his cousin. The situation now was +simplified Julien was in love with Reine, and was vainly combating his +overpowering passion. What reason had he for concealing his love? What +motive or reasoning had induced him, when he was already secretly +enamored of the girl, to push Claudet in front and interfere to procure +her acceptance of him as a fiance? This point alone remained obscure. +Was Julien carrying out certain theories of the respect due his position +in society, and did he fear to contract a misalliance by marrying a mere +farmer's daughter? Or did he, with his usual timidity and distrust of +himself, dread being refused by Reine, and, half through pride, half +through backward ness, keep away for fear of a humiliating rejection? +With de Buxieres's proud and suspicious nature, each of these +suppositions was equally likely. The conclusion most undeniable was, +that notwithstanding his set ideas and his moral cowardice, Julien had an +ardent and over powering love for Mademoiselle Vincart. As to Reine +herself, Claudet was more than ever convinced that she had a secret +inclination toward somebody, although she had denied the charge. But for +whom was her preference? Claudet knew the neighborhood too well to +believe the existence of any rival worth talking about, other than his +cousin de Buxieres. None of the boys of the village or the surrounding +towns had ever come courting old Father Vincart's daughter, and de +Buxieres himself possessed sufficient qualities to attract Reine. +Certainly, if he were a girl, he never should fix upon Julien for a +lover; but women often have tastes that men can not comprehend, and +Julien's refinement of nature, his bashfulness, and even his reserve, +might easily have fascinated a girl of such strong will and somewhat +peculiar notions. It was probable, therefore, that she liked him, +and perhaps had done so for a long time; but, being clear-sighted and +impartial, she could see that he never would marry her, because her +condition in life was not equal to his own. Afterward, when the man she +loved had flaunted his indifference so far as to plead the cause of +another, her pride had revolted, and in the blind agony of her wounded +feelings, she had thrown herself into the arms of the first comer, as if +to punish herself for entertaining loving thoughts of a man who could so +disdain her affection. + +So, by means of that lucid intuition which the heart alone can furnish, +Claudet at last succeeded in evolving the naked truth. But the fatiguing +labor of so much thinking, to which his brain was little accustomed, +and the sadness which continued to oppress him, overcame him to such an +extent that he was obliged to sit down and rest on a clump of brushwood. +He gazed over the woods and the clearings, which he had so often +traversed light of heart and of foot, and felt mortally unhappy. These +sheltering lanes and growing thickets, where he had so frequently +encountered Reine, the beautiful hunting-grounds in which he had taken +such delight, only awakened painful sensations, and he felt as if he +should grow to hate them all if he were obliged to pass the rest of his +days in their midst. As the day waned, the sinuosities of the forest +became more blended; the depth of the valleys was lost in thick vapors. +The wind had risen. The first falling leaves of the season rose and fell +like wounded birds; heavy clouds gathered in the sky, and the night was +coming on apace. Claudet was grateful for the sudden darkness, which +would blot out a view now so distasteful to him. Shortly, on the +Auberive side, along the winding Aubette, feeble lights became visible, +as if inviting the young man to profit by their guidance. He arose, +took the path indicated, and went to supper, or rather, to a pretence of +supper, in the same inn where he had breakfasted with Julien, whence the +latter had gone on his mission to Reine. This remembrance alone would +have sufficed to destroy his appetite. + +He did not remain long at table; he could not, in fact, stay many minutes +in one place, and so, notwithstanding the urgent insistence of the +hostess, he started on the way back to Vivey, feeling his way through the +profound darkness. When he reached the chateau, every one was in bed. +Noiselessly, his dog creeping after him, he slipped into his room, and, +overcome with fatigue, fell into a heavy slumber. + +The next morning his first visit was to Julien. He found him in a +nervous and feverish condition, having passed a sleepless night. +Claudet's revelations had entirely upset his intentions, and planted +fresh thorns of jealousy in his heart. On first hearing that the +marriage was broken off, his heart had leaped for joy, and hope had +revived within him; but the subsequent information that Mademoiselle +Vincart was probably interested in some lover, as yet unknown, had +grievously sobered him. He was indignant at Reine's duplicity, and +Claudet's cowardly resignation. The agony caused by Claudet's betrothal +was a matter of course, but this love-for-a-stranger episode was an +unexpected and mortal wound. He was seized with violent fits of rage; he +was sometimes tempted to go and reproach the young girl with what he +called her breach of faith, and then go and throw himself at her feet and +avow his own passion. + +But the mistrust he had of himself, and his incurable bashfulness, +invariably prevented these heroic resolutions from being carried out. +He had so long cultivated a habit of minute, fatiguing criticism upon +every inward emotion that he had almost incapacitated himself for +vigorous action. + +He was in this condition when Claudet came in upon him. At the noise of +the opening door, Julien raised his head, and looked dolefully at his +cousin. + +"Well?" said he, languidly. + +"Well!" retorted Claudet, bravely, "on thinking over what has been +happening during the last month, I have made sure of one thing of which I +was doubtful." + +"Of what were you doubtful?" returned de Buxieres, quite ready to take +offence at the answer. + +"I am about to tell you. Do you remember the first conversation we had +together concerning Reine? You spoke of her with so much earnestness +that I then suspected you of being in love with her." + +"I--I--hardly remember," faltered Julien, coloring. + +"In that case, my memory is better than yours, Monsieur de Buxieres. +To-day, my suspicions have become certainties. You are in love with +Reine Vincart!" + +"I?" faintly protested his cousin. + +"Don't deny it, but rather, give me your confidence; you will not be +sorry for it. You love Reine, and have loved her for a long while. +You have succeeded in hiding it from me because it is hard for you to +unbosom yourself; but, yesterday, I saw it quite plainly. You dare not +affirm the contrary!" + +Julien, greatly agitated, had hidden his face in his hands. After a +moment's silence, he replied, defiantly: "Well, and supposing it is so? +What is the use of talking about it, since Reine's affections are placed +elsewhere?" + +"Oh! that's another matter. Reine has declined to have me, and I really +think she has some other affair in her head. Yet, to confess the truth, +the clerk at the iron-works was a lover of my own imagining; she never +thought of him." + +"Then why did you tell such a lie?" cried Julien, impetuously. + +"Because I thought I would plead the lie to get at the truth. Forgive +me for having made use of this old trick to put you on the right track. +It wasn't such a bad idea, for I succeeded in finding out what you took +so much pains to hide from me." + +"To hide from you? Yes, I did wish to hide it from you. Wasn't that +right, since I was convinced that Reine loved you?" exclaimed Julien, in +an almost stifled voice, as if the avowal were choking him. "I have +always thought it idle to parade one's feelings before those who do not +care about them." + +"You were wrong," returned poor Claudet, sighing deeply, "if you had +spoken for yourself, I have an idea you would have been better received, +and you would have spared me a terrible heart-breaking." + +He said it with such profound sadness that Julien, notwithstanding the +absorbing nature of his own thoughts, was quite overcome, and almost on +the point of confessing, openly, the intensity of his feeling toward +Reine Vincart. But, accustomed as he was, by long habit, to concentrate +every emotion within himself, he found it impossible to become, all at +once, communicative; he felt an invincible and almost maidenly +bashfulness at the idea of revealing the secret sentiments of his soul, +and contented himself with saying, in a low voice: + +"Do you not love her any more, then?" + +"I? oh, yes, indeed! But to be refused by the only girl I ever wished to +marry takes all the spirit out of me. I am so discouraged, I feel like +leaving the country. If I were to go, it would perhaps be doing you a +service, and that would comfort me a little. You have treated me as a +friend, and that is a thing one doesn't forget. I have not the means to +pay you back for your kindness, but I think I should be less sorry to go +if my departure would leave the way more free for you to return to La +Thuiliere." + +"You surely would not leave on my account?" exclaimed Julien, in alarm. + +"Not solely on your account, rest assured. If Reine had loved me, it +never would have entered my head to make such a sacrifice for you, but +she will not have me. I am good for nothing here. I am only in your +way." + +"But that is a wild idea! Where would you go?" + +"Oh! there would be no difficulty about that. One plan would be to go +as a soldier. Why not? I am hardy, a good walker, a good shot, can +stand fatigue; I have everything needed for military life. It is an +occupation that I should like, and I could earn my epaulets as well as my +neighbor. So that perhaps, Monsieur de Buxieres, matters might in that +way be arranged to suit everybody." + +"Claudet!" stammered Julien, his voice thick with sobs, "you are a better +man than I! Yes; you are a better man than I!" + +And, for the first time, yielding to an imperious longing for expansion, +he sprang toward the grand chasserot, clasped him in his arms, and +embraced him fraternally. + +"I will not let you expatriate yourself on my account," he continued; +"do not act rashly, I entreat!" + +"Don't worry," replied Claudet, laconically, "if I so decide, it will not +be without deliberation." + +In fact, during the whole of the ensuing week, he debated in his mind +this question of going away. Each day his position at Vivey seemed more +unbearable. Without informing any one, he had been to Langres and +consulted an officer of his acquaintance on the subject of the +formalities required previous to enrolment. + +At last, one morning he resolved to go over to the military division and +sign his engagement. But he was not willing to consummate this sacrifice +without seeing Reine Vincart for the last time. He was nursing, down in +the bottom of his heart, a vague hope, which, frail and slender as the +filament of a plant, was yet strong enough to keep him on his native +soil. Instead of taking the path to Vivey, he made a turn in the +direction of La Thuiliere, and soon reached the open elevation whence the +roofs of the farm-buildings and the turrets of the chateau could both +alike be seen. There he faltered, with a piteous sinking of the heart. +Only a few steps between himself and the house, yet he hesitated about +entering; not that he feared a want of welcome, but because he dreaded +lest the reawakening of his tenderness should cause him to lose a portion +of the courage he should need to enable him to leave. He leaned against +the trunk of an old pear-tree and surveyed the forest site on which the +farm was built. + +The landscape retained its usual placidity. In the distance, over the +waste lands, the shepherd Tringuesse was following his flock of sheep, +which occasionally scattered over the fields, and then, under the dog's +harassing watchfulness, reformed in a compact group, previous to +descending the narrow hill-slope. One thing struck Claudet: the pastures +and the woods bore exactly the same aspect, presented the same play of +light and shade as on that afternoon of the preceding year, when he had +met Reine in the Ronces woods, a few days before the arrival of Julien. +The same bright yet tender tint reddened the crab-apple and the wild- +cherry; the tomtits and the robins chirped as before, among the bushes, +and, as in the previous year, one heard the sound of the beechnuts and +acorns dropping on the rocky paths. Autumn went through her tranquil +rites and familiar operations, always with the same punctual regularity; +and all this would go on just the same when Claudet was no longer there. +There would only be one lad the less in the village streets, one hunter +failing to answer the call when they were surrounding the woods of +Charbonniere. This dim perception of how small a space man occupies on +the earth, and of the ease with which he is forgotten, aided Claudet +unconsciously in his effort to be resigned, and he determined to enter +the house. As he opened the gate of the courtyard, he found himself face +to face with Reine, who was coming out. + +The young girl immediately supposed he had come to make a last assault, +in the hope of inducing her to yield to his wishes. She feared a renewal +of the painful scene which had closed their last interview, and her first +impulse was to put herself on her guard. Her countenance darkened, and +she fixed a cold, questioning gaze upon Claudet, as if to keep him at a +distance. But, when she noted the sadness of her young relative's +expression, she was seized with pity. Making an effort, however, to +disguise her emotion, she pretended to accost him with the calm and +cordial friendship of former times. + +"Why, good-morning, Claudet," said she, "you come just in time. +A quarter of an hour later you would not have found me. Will you come +in and rest a moment?" + +"Thanks, Reine," said he, "I will not hinder you in your work. But I +wanted to say, I am sorry I got angry the other day; you were right, we +must not leave each other with ill-feeling, and, as I am going away for a +long time, I desire first to take your hand in friendship." + +"You are going away?" + +"Yes; I am going now to Langres to enroll myself as a soldier. And true +it is, one knows when one goes away, but it is hard to know when one will +come back. That is why I wanted to say good-by to you, and make peace, +so as not to go away with too great a load on my heart." + +All Reine's coldness melted away. This young fellow, who was leaving his +country on her account, was the companion of her infancy, more than that, +her nearest relative. Her throat swelled, her eyes filled with tears. +She turned away her head, that he might not perceive her emotion, and +opened the kitchen-door. + +"Come in, Claudet," said she, "we shall be more comfortable in the +dining-room. We can talk there, and you will have some refreshment +before you go, will you not?" + +He obeyed, and followed her into the house. She went herself into the +cellar, to seek a bottle of old wine, brought two glasses, and filled +them with a trembling hand. + +"Shall you remain long in the service?" asked she. + +"I shall engage for seven years." + +"It is a hard life that you are choosing." + +"What am I to do?" replied he, "I could not stay here doing nothing." + +Reine went in and out of the room in a bewildered fashion. Claudet, too +much excited to perceive that the young girl's impassiveness was only on +the surface, said to himself: "It is all over; she accepts my departure +as an event perfectly natural; she treats me as she would Theotime, the +coal-dealer, or the tax-collector Boucheseiche. A glass of wine, two or +three unimportant questions, and then, good-by-a pleasant journey, and +take care of yourself!" + +Then he made a show of taking an airy, insouciant tone. + +"Oh, well!" he exclaimed, "I've always been drawn toward that kind of +life. A musket will be a little heavier than a gun, that's all; then I +shall see different countries, and that will change my ideas." He tried +to appear facetious, poking around the kitchen, and teasing the magpie, +which was following his footsteps with inquisitive anxiety. Finally, he +went up to the old man Vincart, who was lying stretched out in his +picture-lined niche. He took the flabby hand of the paralytic old man, +pressed it gently and endeavored to get up a little conversation with +him, but he had it all to himself, the invalid staring at him all the +time with uneasy, wide-open eyes. Returning to Reine, he lifted his +glass. + +"To your health, Reine!" said he, with forced gayety, "next time we +clink glasses together, I shall be an experienced soldier--you'll see!" + +But, when he put the glass to his lips, several big tears fell in, and he +had to swallow them with his wine. + +"Well!" he sighed, turning away while he passed the back of his hand +across his eyes, "it must be time to go." + +She accompanied him to the threshold. + +"Adieu, Reine!" + +"Adieu!" she murmured, faintly. + +She stretched out both hands, overcome with pity and remorse. He +perceived her emotion, and thinking that she perhaps still loved him a +little, and repented having rejected him, threw his arms impetuously +around her. He pressed her against his bosom, and imprinted kisses, wet +with tears, upon her cheek. He could not leave her, and redoubled his +caresses with passionate ardor, with the ecstasy of a lover who suddenly +meets with a burst of tenderness on the part of the woman he has tenderly +loved, and whom he expects never to fold again in his arms. He +completely lost his self-control. His embrace became so ardent that +Reine, alarmed at the sudden outburst, was overcome with shame and +terror, notwithstanding the thought that the man, who was clasping her in +his arms with such passion, was her own brother. + +She tore herself away from him and pushed him violently back. + +"Adieu!" she cried, retreating to the kitchen, of which she hastily shut +the door. + +Claudet stood one moment, dumfounded, before the door so pitilessly shut +in his face, then, falling suddenly from his happy state of illusion to +the dead level of reality, departed precipitately down the road. + +When he turned to give a parting glance, the farm buildings were no +longer visible, and the waste lands of the forest border, gray, stony, +and barren, stretched their mute expanse before him. + +"No!" exclaimed he, between his set teeth, "she never loved me. She +thinks only of the other man! I have nothing more to do but go away and +never return!" + + + +CHAPTER IX + +LOVE HEALS THE BROKEN HEART + +In arriving at Langres, Claudet enrolled in the seventeenth battalion of +light infantry. Five days later, paying no attention to the lamentations +of Manette, he left Vivey, going, by way of Lyon, to the camp at +Lathonay, where his battalion was stationed. Julien was thus left alone +at the chateau to recover as best he might from the dazed feeling caused +by the startling events of the last few weeks. After Claudet's +departure, he felt an uneasy sensation of discomfort, and as if he +himself had lessened in value. He had never before realized how little +space he occupied in his own dwelling, and how much living heat Claudet +had infused into the house which was now so cold and empty. He felt poor +and diminished in spirit, and was ashamed of being so useless to himself +and to others. He had before him a prospect of new duties, which +frightened him. The management of the district, which Claudet had +undertaken for him, would now fall entirely on his shoulders, and just at +the time of the timber sales and the renewal of the fences. Besides all +this, he had Manette on his conscience, thinking he ought to try to +soften her grief at her son's unexpected departure. The ancient +housekeeper was like Rachel, she refused to be comforted, and her temper +was not improved by her recent trials. She filled the air with +lamentations, and seemed to consider Julien responsible for her troubles. +The latter treated her with wonderful patience and indulgence, and +exhausted his ingenuity to make her time pass more pleasantly. This was +the first real effort he had made to subdue his dislikes and his passive +tendencies, and it had the good effect of preparing him, by degrees, to +face more serious trials, and to take the initiative in matters of +greater importance. He discovered that the energy he expended in +conquering a first difficulty gave him more ability to conquer the +second, and from that result he decided that the will is like a muscle, +which shrivels in inaction and is developed by exercise; and he made up +his mind to attack courageously the work before him, although it had +formerly appeared beyond his capabilities. + +He now rose always at daybreak. Gaitered like a huntsman, and escorted +by Montagnard, who had taken a great liking to him, he would proceed to +the forest, visit the cuttings, hire fresh workmen, familiarize himself +with the woodsmen, interest himself in their labors, their joys and their +sorrows; then, when evening came, he was quite astonished to find himself +less weary, less isolated, and eating with considerable appetite the +supper prepared for him by Manette. Since he had been traversing the +forest, not as a stranger or a person of leisure, but with the +predetermination to accomplish some useful work, he had learned to +appreciate its beauties. The charms of nature and the living creatures +around no longer inspired him with the defiant scorn which he had imbibed +from his early solitary life and his priestly education; he now viewed +them with pleasure and interest. In proportion, as his sympathies +expanded and his mind became more virile, the exterior world presented a +more attractive appearance to him. + +While this work of transformation was going on within him, he was aided +and sustained by the ever dear and ever present image of Reine Vincart. +The trenches, filled with dead leaves, the rows of beech-trees, stripped +of their foliage by the rude breath of winter, the odor peculiar to +underwood during the dead season, all recalled to his mind the +impressions he had received while in company with the woodland queen. +Now that, he could better understand the young girl's adoration of the +marvellous forest world, he sought out, with loving interest, the sites +where she had gone into ecstasy, the details of the landscape which she +had pointed out to him the year before, and had made him admire. +The beauty of the scene was associated in his thoughts with Reine's love, +and he could not think of either separately. But, notwithstanding the +steadfastness and force of his love, he had not yet made any effort to +see Mademoiselle Vincart. At first, the increase of occupation caused by +Claudet's departure, the new duties devolving upon him, together with his +inexperience, had prevented Julien from entertaining the possibility of +renewing relations that had been so violently sundered. Little by +little, however; as he reviewed the situation of affairs, which his +cousin's generous sacrifice had engendered, he began to consider how +he could benefit thereby. Claudet's departure had left the field free, +but Julien felt no more confidence in himself than before. The fact that +Reine had so unaccountably refused to marry the grand chasserot did not +seem to him sufficient encouragement. Her motive was a secret, and +therefore, of doubtful interpretation. Besides, even if she were +entirely heart-whole, was that a reason why she should give Julien a +favorable reception? Could she forget the cruel insult to which he had +subjected her? And immediately after that outrageous behavior of his, +he had had the stupidity to make a proposal for Claudet. That was the +kind of affront, thought he, that a woman does not easily forgive, +and the very idea of presenting himself before her made his heart sink. +He had seen her only at a distance, at the Sunday mass, and every time +he had endeavored to catch her eye she had turned away her head. She +also avoided, in every way, any intercourse with the chateau. Whenever a +question arose, such as the apportionment of lands, or the allotment of +cuttings, which would necessitate her having recourse to M. de Buxieres, +she would abstain from writing herself, and correspond only through the +notary, Arbillot. Claudet's heroic departure, therefore, had really +accomplished nothing; everything was exactly at the same point as the day +after Julien's unlucky visit to La Thuiliere, and the same futile doubts +and fears agitated him now as then. It also occurred to him, that while +he was thus debating and keeping silence, days, weeks, and months were +slipping away; that Reine would soon reach her twenty-third year, and +that she would be thinking of marriage. It was well known that she had +some fortune, and suitors were not lacking. Even allowing that she had +no afterthought in renouncing Claudet, she could not always live alone at +the farm, and some day she would be compelled to accept a marriage of +convenience, if not of love. + +"And to think," he would say to himself, "that she is there, only a few +steps away, that I am consumed with longing, that I have only to traverse +those pastures, to throw myself at her feet, and that I positively dare +not! Miserable wretch that I am, it was last spring, while we were in +that but together, that I should have spoken of my love, instead of +terrifying her with my brutal caresses! Now it is too late! I have +wounded and humiliated her; I have driven away Claudet, who would at any +rate have made her a stalwart lover, and I have made two beings unhappy, +without counting myself. So much for my miserable shufflings and +evasion! Ah! if one could only begin life over again!" + +While thus lamenting his fate, the march of time went steadily on, with +its pitiless dropping out of seconds, minutes, and hours. The worst part +of winter was over; the March gales had dried up the forests; April was +tingeing the woods with its tender green; the song of the cuckoo was +already heard in the tufted bowers, and the festival of St. George had +passed. + +Taking advantage of an unusually clear day, Julien went to visit a farm, +belonging to him, in the plain of Anjeures, on the border of the forest +of Maigrefontaine. After breakfasting with the farmer, he took the way +home through the woods, so that he might enjoy the first varied effects +of the season. + +The forest of Maigrefontaine, situated on the slope of a hill, was full +of rocky, broken ground, interspersed with deep ravines, along which +narrow but rapid streams ran to swell the fishpond of La Thuiliere. +Julien had wandered away from the road, into the thick of the forest +where the budding vegetation was at its height, where the lilies multiply +and the early spring flowers disclose their umbelshaped clusters, full of +tiny, white stars. The sight of these blossoms, which had such a tender +meaning for him, since he had identified the name with that of Reine, +brought vividly before him the beloved image of the young girl. +He walked slowly and languidly on, heated by his feverish recollections +and desires, tormented by useless self-reproach, and physically +intoxicated by the balmy atmosphere and the odor of the flowering shrubs +at his feet. Arriving at the edge of a somewhat deep pit, he tried to +leap across with a single bound, but, whether he made a false start, or +that he was weakened and dizzy with the conflicting emotions with which +he had been battling, he missed his footing and fell, twisting his ankle, +on the side of the embankment. He rose with an effort and put his foot +to the ground, but a sharp pain obliged him to lean against the trunk of +a neighboring ash-tree. His foot felt as heavy as lead, and every time +he tried to straighten it his sufferings were intolerable. All he could +do was to drag himself along from one tree to another until he reached +the path. + +Exhausted by this effort; he sat down on the grass, unbuttoned his +gaiter, and carefully unlaced his boot. His foot had swollen +considerably. He began to fear he had sprained it badly, and wondered +how he could get back to Vivey. Should he have to wait on this lonely +road until some woodcutter passed, who would take him home? Montagnard, +his faithful companion, had seated himself in front of him, and +contemplated him with moist, troubled eyes, at the same time emitting +short, sharp whines, which seemed to say: + +"What is the matter?" and, "How are we going to get out of this?" + +Suddenly he heard footsteps approaching. He perceived a flutter of white +skirts behind the copse, and just at the moment he was blessing the lucky +chance that had sent some one in that direction, his eyes were gladdened +with a sight of the fair visage of Reine. + +She was accompanied by a little girl of the village, carrying a basket +full of primroses and freshly gathered ground ivy. Reine was quite +familiar with all the medicinal herbs of the country, and gathered them +in their season, in order to administer them as required to the people of +the farm. When she was within a few feet of Julien, she recognized him, +and her brow clouded over; but almost immediately she noticed his altered +features and that one of his feet was shoeless, and divined that +something unusual had happened. Going straight up to him, she said: + +"You seem to be suffering, Monsieur de Buxieres. What is the matter?" + +"A--a foolish accident," replied he, putting on a careless manner. "I +fell and sprained my ankle." + +The young girl knit her brows with an anxious expression; then, after a +moment's hesitation; she said: + +"Will you let me see your foot? My mother understood about bone-setting, +and I have been told that I inherit her gift of curing sprains." + +She drew from the basket an empty bottle and a handkerchief. + +"Zelie," said she to the little damsel, who was standing astonished at +the colloquy, "go quickly down to the stream, and fill this bottle." + +While she was speaking, Julien, greatly embarrassed, obeyed her +suggestions, and uncovered his foot. Reine, without any prudery or +nonsense, raised the wounded limb, and felt around cautiously. + +"I think," said she at last, "that the muscles are somewhat injured." + +Without another word, she tore the handkerchief into narrow strips, and +poured the contents of the bottle, which Zelie had filled, slowly over +the injure member, holding her hand high for that purpose. Then, with a +soft yet firm touch, she pressed the injured muscles into their places, +while Julien bit his lips and did his very utmost to prevent her seeing +how much he was suffering. After this massage treatment, the young girl +bandaged the ankle tightly with the linen bands, and fastened them +securely with pins. + +"There," said she, "now try to put on your shoe and stocking; they will +give support to the muscles. Now you, Zelie, run, fit to break your +neck, to the farm, make them harness the wagon, and tell them to bring it +here, as close to the path as possible." + +The girl picked up her basket and started on a trot. + +"Monsieur de Buxieres;" said Reine, "do you think you can walk as far as +the carriage road, by leaning on my arm?" + +"Yes;" he replied, with a grateful glance which greatly embarrassed +Mademoiselle Vincart, "you have relieved me as if by a miracle. I feel +much better and as if I could go anywhere you might lead, while leaning +on your arm!" + +She helped him to rise, and he took a few steps with her aid. + +"Why, it feels really better," sighed he. + +He was so happy in feeling himself thus tenderly supported by Reine, that +he altogether forgot his pain. + +"Let us walk slowly," continued she, "and do not be afraid to lean on me. +All you have to think of is reaching the carriage." + +"How good you are," stammered he, "and how ashamed I am!" + +"Ashamed of what?" returned Reine, hastily. "I have done nothing +extraordinary; anyone else would have acted in the same manner." + +"I entreat you," replied he, earnestly, "not to spoil my happiness. +I know very well that the first person who happened to pass would have +rendered me some charitable assistance; but the thought that it is you-- +you alone--who have helped me, fills me with delight, at: the same time +that it increases my remorse. I so little deserve that you should +interest yourself in my behalf!" + +He waited, hoping perhaps that she would ask for an explanation, but, +seeing that she did not appear to understand, he added: + +"I have offended you. I have misunderstood you, and I have been cruelly +punished for my mistake. But what avails my tardy regret in healing the +injuries I have inflicted! Ah! if one could only go backward, and +efface, with a single stroke, the hours in which one has been blind +and headstrong!" + +"Let us not speak of that!" replied she, shortly, but in a singularly +softened tone. + +In spite of herself, she was touched by this expression of repentance, +so naively acknowledged in broken, disconnected sentences, vibrating with +the ring of true sincerity. In proportion as he abased himself, her +anger diminished, and she recognized that she loved him just the same, +notwithstanding his defects, his weakness, and his want of tact and +polish. She was also profoundly touched by his revealing to her, for the +first time, a portion of his hidden feelings. + +They had become silent again, but they felt nearer to each other than +ever before; their secret thoughts seemed to be transmitted to each +other; a mute understanding was established between them. She lent him +the support of her arm with more freedom, and the young man seemed to +experience fresh delight in her firm and sympathetic assistance. + +Progressing slowly, although more quickly than they would have chosen +themselves, they reached the foot of the path, and perceived the wagon +waiting on the beaten road. Julien mounted therein with the aid of Reine +and the driver. When he was stretched on the straw, which had been +spread for him on the bottom of the wagon, he leaned forward on the side, +and his eyes met those of Reine. For a few moments their gaze seemed +riveted upon each other, and their mutual understanding was complete. +These few, brief moments contained a whole confession of love; avowals +mingled with repentance, promises of pardon, tender reconciliation! + +"Thanks!" he sighed at last, "will you give me your hand?" + +She gave it, and while he held it in his own, Reine turned toward the +driver on the seat. + +"Felix," said she, warningly, "drive slowly and avoid the ruts. Good- +night, Monsieur de Buxieres, send for the doctor as soon as you get in, +and all will be well. I will send to inquire how you are getting along." + +She turned and went pensively down the road to La Thuiliere, while the +carriage followed slowly the direction to Vivey. + +The doctor, being sent for immediately on Julien's arrival, pronounced it +a simple sprain, and declared that the preliminary treatment had been +very skilfully applied, that the patient had now only to keep perfectly +still. Two days later came La Guite from Reine, to inquire after M. de +Buxieres's health. She brought a large bunch of lilies which +Mademoiselle Vincart had sent to the patient, to console him for not +being able to go in the woods, which Julien kept for several days close +by his side. + +This accident, happening at Maigrefontaine, and providentially attended +to by Reine Vincart, the return to the chateau in the vehicle belonging +to La Thuiliere, the sending of the lilies, were all a source of great +mystification to Manette. She suspected some amorous mystery in all +these events, commented somewhat uncharitably on every minor detail, and +took care to carry her comments all over the village. Very soon the +entire parish, from the most insignificant woodchopper to the Abbe Pernot +himself, were made aware that there was something going on between M. de +Buxieres and the daughter of old M. Vincart. + +In the mean time, Julien, quite unconscious that his love for Reine was +providing conversation for all the gossips of the country, was cursing +the untoward event that kept him stretched in his invalid-chair. At +last, one day, he discovered he could put his foot down and walk a little +with the assistance of his cane; a few days after, the doctor gave him +permission to go out of doors. His first visit was to La Thuiliere. + +He went there in the afternoon and found Reine in the kitchen, seated by +the side of her paralytic father, who was asleep. She was reading a +newspaper, which she retained in her hand, while rising to receive her +visitor. After she had congratulated him on his recovery, and he had +expressed his cordial thanks for her timely aid, she showed him the +paper. + +"You find me in a state of disturbance," said she, with a slight degree +of embarrassment, "it seems that we are going to have war and that our +troops have entered Italy. Have you any news of Claudet?" + +Julien started. This was the last remark he could have expected. +Claudet's name had not been once mentioned in their interview at +Maigrefontaine, and he had nursed the hope that Reine thought no longer +about him. + +All his mistrust returned in a moment on hearing this name come from the +young girl's lips the moment he entered the house, and seeing the emotion +which the news in the paper had caused her. + +"He wrote me a few days ago," replied he. + +"Where is he?" + +"In Italy, with his battalion, which is a part of the first army corps. +His last letter is dated from Alexandria." + +Reine's eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she gazed absently at the +distant wooded horizon. + +"Poor Claudet!" murmured she, sighing, "what is he doing just now, I +wonder?" + +"Ah!" thought Julien, his visage darkening, "perhaps she loves him +still!" + +Poor Claudet! At the very time they are thus talking about him at the +farm, he is camping with his battalion near Voghera, on the banks of one +of the obscure tributaries of the river Po, in a country rich in waving +corn, interspersed with bounteous orchards and hardy vines climbing up to +the very tops of the mulberry-trees. His battalion forms the extreme end +of the advance guard, and at the approach of night, Claudet is on duty on +the banks of the stream. It is a lovely May night, irradiated by +millions of stars, which, under the limpid Italian sky, appear larger and +nearer to the watcher than they appeared in the vaporous atmosphere of +the Haute-Marne. + +Nightingales are calling to one another among the trees of the orchard, +and the entire landscape seems imbued with their amorous music. What +ecstasy to listen to them! What serenity their liquid harmonies spread +over the smiling landscape, faintly revealing its beauties in the mild +starlight. + +Who would think that preparations for deadly combat were going on through +the serenity of such a night? Occasionally a sharp exchange of musketry +with the advanced post of the enemy bursts upon the ear, and all the +nightingales keep silence. Then, when quiet is restored in the upper +air, the chorus of spring songsters begins again. Claudet leans on his +gun, and remembers that at this same hour the nightingales in the park at +Vivey, and in the garden of La Thuiliere, are pouring forth the same +melodies. He recalls the bright vision of Reine: he sees her leaning at +her window, listening to the same amorous song issuing from the coppice +woods of Maigrefontaine. His heart swells within him, and an over- +powering homesickness takes possession of him. But the next moment he is +ashamed of his weakness, he remembers his responsibility, primes his ear, +and begins investigating the dark hollows and rising hillocks where an +enemy might hide. + +The next morning, May 20th, he is awakened by a general hubbub and noise +of fighting. The battalion to which he belongs has made an attack upon +Montebello, and is sending its sharpshooters among the cornfields and +vineyards. Some of the regiments invade the rice-fields, climb the walls +of the vineyards, and charge the enemy's column-ranks. The sullen roar +of the cannon alternates with the sharp report of guns, and whole showers +of grape-shot beat the air with their piercing whistle. All through the +uproar of guns and thunder of the artillery, you can distinguish the +guttural hurrahs of the Austrians, and the broken oaths of the French +troopers. The trenches are piled with dead bodies, the trumpets sound +the attack, the survivors, obeying an irresistible impulse, spring to the +front. The ridges are crested with human masses swaying to and fro, and +the first red uniform is seen in the streets of Montebello, in relief +against the chalky facades bristling with Austrian guns, pouring forth +their ammunition on the enemy below. The soldiers burst into the houses, +the courtyards, the enclosures; every instant you hear the breaking open +of doors, the crashing of windows, and the scuffling of the terrified +inmates. The white uniforms retire in disorder. The village belongs to +the French! Not just yet, though. From the last houses on the street, +to the entrance of the cemetery, is rising ground, and just behind stands +a small hillock. The enemy has retrenched itself there, and, from its +cannons ranged in battery, is raining a terrible shower on the village +just evacuated. + +The assailants hesitate, and draw back before this hailstorm of iron; +suddenly a general appears from under the walls of a building already +crumbling under the continuous fire, spurs his horse forward, and shouts: +"Come, boys, let us carry the fort!" + +Among the first to rally to this call, one rifleman in particular, a +fine, broad-shouldered active fellow, with a brown moustache and olive +complexion, darts forward to the point indicated. It is Claudet. +Others are behind him, and soon more than a hundred men, with their +bayonets, are hurling themselves along the cemetery road; the grand +chasserot leaps across the fields, as he used formerly in pursuit of the +game in the Charbonniere forest. The soldiers are falling right and left +of him, but he hardly sees them; he continues pressing forward, +breathless, excited, scarcely stopping to think. As he is crossing one +of the meadows, however, he notices the profusion of scarlet gladiolus +and also observes that the rye and barley grow somewhat sturdier here +than in his country; these are the only definite ideas that detach +themselves clearly from his seething brain. The wall of the cemetery is +scaled; they are fighting now in the ditches, killing one another on the +side of the hill; at last, the fort is taken and they begin routing the +enemy. But, at this moment, Claudet stoops to pick up a cartridge, a +ball strikes him in the forehead, and, without a sound, he drops to the +ground, among the noisome fennels which flourish in graveyards--he drops, +thinking of the clock of his native village. + + ...................... + +"I have sad news for you," said Julien to Reine, as he entered the garden +of La Thuiliere, one June afternoon. + +He had received official notice the evening before, through the mayor, of +the decease of "Germain-Claudet Sejournant, volunteer in the seventeenth +battalion of light infantry, killed in an engagement with the enemy, May +20, 1859." + +Reine was standing between two hedges of large peasant-roses. At the +first words that fell from M. de Buxieres's lips, she felt a presentiment +of misfortune. + +"Claudet?" murmured she. + +"He is dead," replied Julien, almost inaudibly, "he fought bravely and +was killed at Montebello." + +The young girl remained motionless, and for a moment de Buxieres thought +she would be able to bear, with some degree of composure, this +announcement of the death in a foreign country of a man whom she had +refused as a husband. Suddenly she turned aside, took two or three +steps, then leaning her head and folded arms on the trunk of an adjacent +tree, she burst into a passion of tears. The convulsive movement of her +shoulders and stifled sobs denoted the violence of her emotion. M. de +Buxieres, alarmed at this outbreak, which he thought exaggerated, felt a +return of his old misgivings. He was jealous now of the dead man whom +she was so openly lamenting. Her continued weeping annoyed him; he tried +to arrest her tears by addressing some consolatory remarks to her; but, +at the very first word, she turned away, mounted precipitately the +kitchen-stairs, and disappeared, closing the door behind her. Some +minutes after, La Guite brought a message to de Buxieres that Reine +wished to be alone, and begged him to excuse her. + +He took his departure, disconcerted, downhearted, and ready to weep +himself, over the crumbling of his hopes. As he was nearing the first +outlying houses of the village, he came across the Abbe Pernot, who was +striding along at a great rate, toward the chateau. + +"Ah!" exclaimed the priest, "how are you, Monsieur de Buxieres, I was +just going over to see you. Is it true that you have received bad news?" + +Julien nodded his head affirmatively, and informed the cure of the sad +notice he had received. The Abbe's countenance lengthened, his mouth +took on a saddened expression, and during the next few minutes he +maintained an attitude of condolence. + +"Poor fellow!" he sighed, with a slight nasal intonation, "he did not +have a fair chance! To have to leave us at twenty-six years of age, and +in full health, it is very hard. And such a jolly companion; such a +clever shot!" + +Finally, not being naturally of a melancholy turn of mind, nor able to +remain long in a mournful mood, he consoled himself with one of the pious +commonplaces which he was in the habit of using for the benefit of +others: "The Lord is just in all His dealings, and holy in all His works; +He reckons the hairs of our heads, and our destinies are in His hands. +We shall celebrate a fine high mass for the repose of Claudet's soul." + +He coughed, and raised his eyes toward Julien. + +"I wished," continued he, "to see you for two reasons, Monsieur de +Buxieres: first of all, to hear about Claudet, and secondly, to speak to +you on a matter--a very delicate matter--which concerns you, but which +also affects the safety of another person and the dignity of the parish." + +Julien was gazing at him with a bewildered air. The cure pushed open the +little park gate, and passing through, added: + +"Let us go into your place; we shall be better able to talk over the +matter." + +When they were underneath the trees, the Abbe resumed: + +"Monsieur de Buxieres, do you know that you are at this present time +giving occasion for the tongues of my parishioners to wag more than is at +all reasonable? Oh!" continued he, replying to a remonstrating gesture +of his companion, "it is unpremeditated on your part, I am sure, but, all +the same, they talk about you--and about Reine." + +"About Mademoiselle Vincart?" exclaimed Julien, indignantly, "what can +they say about her?" + +"A great many things which are displeasing to me. They speak of your +having sprained your ankle while in the company of Reine Vincart; of your +return home in her wagon; of your frequent visits to La Thuiliere, and I +don't know what besides. And as mankind, especially the female portion, +is more disposed to discover evil than good, they say you are +compromising this young person. Now, Reine is living, as one may say, +alone and unprotected. It behooves me, therefore, as her pastor, +to defend her against her own weakness. That is the reason why I have +taken upon myself to beg you to be more circumspect, and not trifle with +her reputation." + +"Her reputation?" repeated Julien, with irritation. "I do not +understand you, Monsieur le Cure!" + +"You don't, hey! Why, I explain my meaning pretty clearly. Human beings +are weak; it is easy to injure a girl's reputation, when you try to make +yourself agreeable, knowing you can not marry her." + +"And why could I not marry her?" inquired Julien, coloring deeply. + +"Because she is not in your own class, and you would not love her enough +to overlook the disparity, if marriage became necessary." + +"What do you know about it?" returned Julien, with violence. "I have no +such foolish prejudices, and the obstacles would not come from my side. +But, rest easy, Monsieur," continued he, bitterly, "the danger exists +only in the imagination of your parishioners. Reine has never cared for +me! It was Claudet she loved!" + +"Hm, hm!" interjected the cure, dubiously. + +"You would not doubt it," insisted de Buxieres, provoked at the Abbe's +incredulous movements of his head, "if you had seen her, as I saw her, +melt into tears when I told her of Sejournant's death. She did not even +wait until I had turned my back before she broke out in her lamentations. +My presence was of very small account. Ah! she has but too cruelly made +me feel how little she cares for me!" + +"You love her very much, then?" demanded the Abbe, slyly, an almost +imperceptible smile curving his lips. + +"Oh, yes! I love her," exclaimed he, impetuously; then coloring and +drooping his head. "But it is very foolish of me to betray myself, +since Reine cares nothing at all for me!" + +There was a moment of silence, during which the curb took a pinch of +snuff from a tiny box of cherry wood. + +"Monsieur de Buxieres;" said he, With a particularly oracular air, +"Claudet is dead, and the dead, like the absent, are always in the wrong. +But who is to say whether you are not mistaken concerning the nature of +Reine's unhappiness? I will have that cleared up this very day. Good- +night; keep quiet and behave properly." + +Thereupon he took his departure, but, instead of returning to the +parsonage, he directed his steps hurriedly toward La Thuiliere. +Notwithstanding a vigorous opposition from La Guite, he made use of his +pastoral authority to penetrate into Reine's apartment, where he shut +himself up with her. What he said to her never was divulged outside the +small chamber where the interview took place. He must, however, have +found words sufficiently eloquent to soften her grief, for when he had +gone away the young girl descended to the garden with a soothed although +still melancholy mien. She remained a long time in meditation in the +thicket of roses, but her meditations had evidently no bitterness in +them, and a miraculous serenity seemed to have spread itself over her +heart like a beneficent balm. + +A few days afterward, during the unpleasant coolness of one of those +mornings, white with dew, which are the peculiar privilege of the +mountain-gorges in Langres, the bells of Vivey tolled for the dead, +announcing the celebration of a mass in memory of Claudet. The grand +chasserot having been a universal favorite with every one in the +neighborhood, the church was crowded. The steep descent from the high +plain overlooked the village. They came thronging in through the wooded +glens of Praslay; by the Auberive road and the forests of Charbonniere; +companions in hunting and social amusements, foresters and wearers of +sabots, campers in the woods, inmates of the farms embedded in the +forests--none failed to answer the call. The rustic, white-walled nave +was too narrow to contain them all, and the surplus flowed into the +street. Arbeltier, the village carpenter, had erected a rudimentary +catafalque, which was draped in black and bordered with wax tapers, and +placed in front of the altar steps. On the pall, embroidered with silver +tears, were arranged large bunches of wild flowers, sent from La +Thuiliere, and spreading an aromatic odor of fresh verdure around. The +Abbe Pernot, wearing his insignia of mourning, officiated. Through the +side windows were seen portions of the blue sky; the barking of the dogs +and singing of birds were heard in the distance; and even while listening +to the 'Dies irae', the curb could not help thinking of the robust and +bright young fellow who, only the year previous, had been so joyously +traversing the woods, escorted by Charbonneau and Montagnard, and who was +now lying in a foreign land, in the common pit of the little cemetery of +Montebello. + +As each verse of the funeral service was intoned, Manette Sejournant, +prostrate on her prie-dieu, interrupted the monotonous chant with +tumultuous sobs. Her grief was noisy and unrestrained, but those present +sympathized more with the quiet though profound sorrow of Reine Vincart. +The black dress of the young girl contrasted painfully with the dead +pallor of her complexion. She emitted no sighs, but, now and then, a +contraction of the lips, a trembling of the hands testified to the inward +struggle, and a single tear rolled slowly down her cheek. + +From the corner where he had chosen to stand alone, Julien de Buxieres +observed, with pain, the mute eloquence of her profound grief, and became +once more a prey to the fiercest jealousy. He could not help envying the +fate of this deceased, who was mourned in so tender a fashion. Again the +mystery of an attachment so evident and so tenacious, followed by so +strange a rupture, tormented his uneasy soul. "She must have loved +Claudet, since she is in mourning for him," he kept repeating to himself, +"and if she loved him, why this rupture, which she herself provoked, and +which drove the unhappy man to despair?" + +At the close of the absolution, all the assistants defiled close beside +Julien, who was now standing in front of the catafalque. When it came to +Reine Vincart's turn, she reached out her hand to M. de Buxieres; at the +same time, she gazed at him with such friendly sadness, and infused into +the clasp of her hand something so cordial and intimate that the young +man's ideas were again completely upset. He seemed to feel as if it were +an encouragement to speak. When the men and women had dispersed, and a +surging of the crowd brought him nearer to Reine, he resolved to follow +her, without regard to the question of what people would say, or the +curious eyes that might be watching him. + +A happy chance came in his way. Reine Vincart had gone home by the path +along the outskirts of the wood and the park enclosure. Julien went +hastily back to the chateau, crossed the gardens, and followed an +interior avenue, parallel to the exterior one, from which he was +separated only by a curtain of linden and nut trees. He could just +distinguish, between the leafy branches, Reine's black gown, as she +walked rapidly along under the ashtrees. At the end of the enclosure, +he pushed open a little gate, and came abruptly out on the forest path. + +On beholding him standing in advance of her, the young girl appeared more +surprised than displeased. After a momentary hesitation, she walked +quietly toward him. + +"Mademoiselle Reine," said he then, gently, "will you allow me to +accompany you as far as La Thuiliere?" + +"Certainly," she replied, briefly. + +She felt a presentiment that something decisive was about to take place +between her and Julien, and her voice trembled as she replied. Profiting +by the tacit permission, de Buxieres walked beside Reine; the path was so +narrow that their garments rustled against each other, yet he did not +seem in haste to speak, and the silence was interrupted only by the +occasional flight of a bird, or the crackling of some falling branches. + +"Reine," said Julien, suddenly, "you have so often and so kindly extended +to me the hand of friendship, that I have decided to speak frankly, +and open my heart to you. I love you, Reine, and have loved you for a +long time. But I have been so accustomed to hide what I think, I know so +little how to conduct myself in the varying circumstances of life, and I +have so much mistrust of myself, that I never have dared to tell you +before now. This will explain to you my stupid behavior. I am suffering +the penalty to-day, for while I was hesitating, another took my place; +although he is dead, his shadow stands between us, and I know that you +love him still." + +She listened to him with bent head and half-closed eyes, and her heart +began to beat violently. + +"I never have loved him in the way you suppose," she replied, simply. + +A gleam of light shot through Julien's melancholy blue eyes. Both +remained silent. The green pasture-lands, bathed in the full noonday +sun, were lying before them. The grasshoppers were chirping in the +bushes, and the skylarks were soaring aloft with their joyous songs. +Julien was endeavoring to extract the exact meaning from the reply he had +just heard. He was partly reassured, but some points had still to be +cleared up. + +"But still," said he, "you are lamenting his loss." + +A melancholy smile flitted for an instant over Reine's pure, rosy lips. + +"Are you jealous of my tears?" said she, softly. + +"Oh, yes!" he exclaimed, with sudden exultation, "I love you so entirely +that I can not help envying Claudet his share in your affections! If his +death causes you such poignant regret, he must have been nearer and +dearer to you than those that survive." + +"You might reasonably suppose otherwise," replied she, almost in a +whisper, "since I refused to marry him." + +He shook his head, seemingly unable to accept that positive statement. + +Then Reine began to reflect that a man of his distrustful and despondent +temperament would, unless the whole truth were revealed to him, +be forevermore tormented by morbid and injurious misgivings. She knew he +loved her, and she wished him to love her in entire faith and security. +She recalled the last injunctions she had received from the Abbe Pernot, +and, leaning toward Julien, with tearful eyes and cheeks burning with +shame, she whispered in his ear the secret of her close relationship to +Claudet. + +This painful and agitating confidence was made in so low a voice as to be +scarcely distinguished from the soft humming of the insects, or the +gentle twittering of the birds. + +The sun was shining everywhere; the woods were as full of verdure and +blossoms as on the day when the young man had manifested his passion with +such savage violence. Hardly had the last words of her avowal expired on +Reine's lips, when Julien de Buxieres threw his arms around her and +fondly kissed away the tears from her eyes. + +This time he was not repelled. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Accustomed to hide what I think +Consoled himself with one of the pious commonplaces +How small a space man occupies on the earth +More disposed to discover evil than good +Nature's cold indifference to our sufferings +Never is perfect happiness our lot +Plead the lie to get at the truth +The ease with which he is forgotten +Those who have outlived their illusions +Timidity of a night-bird that is made to fly in the day +Vexed, act in direct contradiction to their own wishes +You have considerable patience for a lover + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of A Woodland Queen, v3 +by Andre Theuriet + diff --git a/3937.zip b/3937.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e86cddc --- /dev/null +++ b/3937.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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