按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
married？〃 he repeated incredulously； dismayed almost。
〃You did not know that？〃
〃But how do you？〃
〃Did I not tell you that we are as brother and sister almost？ I
have his confidence。 He told me； before。。。 before you made it
impossible。〃
He looked away； chin in hand； his glance thoughtful； disturbed；
almost wistful。
〃There is；〃 he said slowly； musingly。 〃a singular fatality at
work between that man and me； bringing us ever each by turns
athwart the other's path。。。 〃
He sighed； then swung to face her again； speaking more briskly：
〃Mademoiselle； until this moment I had no knowledge … no suspicion
of this thing。 But。。。〃 He broke off； considered； and then
shrugged。 〃If I wronged him； I did so unconsciously。 It would be
unjust to blame me； surely。 In all our actions it must be the
intention alone that counts。〃
〃But does it make no difference？〃
〃None that I can discern； mademoiselle。 It gives me no
justification to withdraw from that to which I am irrevocably
committed。 No justification； indeed； could ever be greater than
my concern for the pain it must occasion my good friend； your
uncle； and perhaps yourself； mademoiselle。〃
She rose suddenly； squarely confronting him； desperate now；
driven to play the only card upon which she thought she might
count。
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； 〃you did me the honour to…day to speak in
certain terms； to。。。 to allude to certain hopes with which you
honour me。〃
He looked at her almost in fear。 In silence； not daring to speak；
he waited for her to continue。
〃I。。。 I。。。 Will you please to understand； monsieur； that if you
persist in this matter； if。。。 unless you can break this engagement
of yours to…morrow morning in the Bois； you are not to presume
to mention this subject to me again； or； indeed； ever again to
approach me。〃
To put the matter in this negative way was as far as she could
possibly go。 It was for him to make the positive proposal to
which she had thus thrown wide the door。
〃Mademoiselle； you cannot mean。。。 〃
〃I do； monsieur。。。 irrevocably； please to understand。〃 He looked
at her with eyes of misery； his handsome； manly face as pale as
she had ever seen it。 The hand he had been holding out in protest
began to shake。 He lowered it to his side again； lest she should
perceive its tremor。 Thus a brief second； while the battle was
fought within him； the bitter engagement between his desires and
what he conceived to be the demands of his honour； never perceiving
how far his honour was buttressed by implacable vindictiveness。
Retreat； he conceived； was impossible without shame； and shame was
to him an agony unthinkable。 She asked too much。 She could not
understand what she was asking； else she would never be so
unreasonable； so unjust。 But also he saw that it would be futile
to attempt to make her understand。
It was the end。 Though he kill Andre…Louis Moreau in the morning
as he fiercely hoped he would； yet the victory even in death must
lie with Andre…Louis Moreau。
He bowed profoundly； grave and sorrowful of face as he was grave
and sorrowful of heart。
〃Mademoiselle； my homage；〃 he murmured； and turned to go。
〃But you have not answered me！〃 she called after him in terror。
He checked on the threshold； and turned； and there from the cool
gloom of the hall she saw him a black； graceful silhouette against
the brilliant sunshine beyond … a memory of him that was to cling
as something sinister and menacing in the dread hours that were
to follow。
〃What would you； mademoiselle？ I but spared myself and you the
pain of a refusal。〃
He was gone leaving her crushed and raging。 She sank down again
into the great red chair； and sat there crumpled； her elbows on
the table； her face in her hands … a face that was on fire with
shame and passion。 She had offered herself； and she had been
refused！ The inconceivable had befallen her。 The humiliation of
it seemed to her something that could never be effaced。
Startled； appalled； she stepped back； her hand pressed to her
tortured breast。
CHAPTER X
THE RETURNING CARRIAGE
M。 de Kercadiou wrote a letter。
〃Godson；〃 he began； without any softening adjective； 〃I have learnt
with pain and indignation that you have dishonoured yourself again
by breaking the pledge you gave me to abstain from politics。 With
still greater pain and indignation do I learn that your name has
become in a few short days a byword； that you have discarded the
weapon of false； insidious arguments against my class … the class
to which you owe everything … for the sword of the assassin。 It
has come to my knowledge that you have an assignation to…morrow
with my good friend M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 A gentleman of his
station is under certain obligations imposed upon him by his birth；
which do not permit him to draw back from an engagement。 But you
labour under no such disadvantages。 For a man of your class to
refuse an engagement of honour； or to neglect it when made； entails
no sacrifice。 Your peers will probably be of the opinion that you
display a commendable prudence。 Therefore I beg you； indeed； did
I think that I still exercise over you any such authority as the
favours you have received from me should entitle me to exercise； I
would command you； to allow this matter to go no farther； and to
refrain from rendering yourself to your assignation to…morrow
morning。 Having no such authority； as your past conduct now makes
clear； having no reason to hope that a proper sentiment of gratitude
to me will induce to give heed to this my most earnest request； I
am compelled to add that should you survive to…morrow's encounter；
I can in no circumstances ever again permit myself to be conscious
of your existence。 If any spark survives of the affection that once
you expressed for me； or if you set any value upon the affection；
which； in spite of all that you have done to forfeit it； is the
chief prompter of this letter； you will not refuse to do as I am
asking。〃
It was not a tactful letter。 M。 de Kercadiou was not a tactful man。
Read it as he would； Andre…Louis … when it was delivered to him on
that Sunday afternoon by the groom dispatched with it into Paris
… could read into it only concern for M。 La Tour d'Azyr； M。 de
Kercadiou's good friend； as he called him； and prospective
nephew…in…law。
He kept the groom waiting a full hour while composing his answer。
Brief though it was； it cost him very considerable effort and
several unsuccessful attempts。 In the end this is what he wrote：
Monsieur my godfather … You make refusal singularly hard for me when
you appeal to me upon the ground of affection。 It is a thing of
which all my life I shall hail the opportunity to give you proofs；
and I am therefore desolated beyond anything I could hope to express
that I cannot give you the proof you ask to…day。 There is too much
between M。 de La Tour d'Azyr and me。 Also you do me and my class
… whatever it may be … less than justice when you say that
obligations of honour are not binding upon us。 So binding do I
count them； that； if I would； I could not now draw back。
If hereafter you should persist in the harsh intent