martin guerre-第6章

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usurping　the　name　and　place　of　another。　　She　feared　punishment　for

him　yet　more　than　disgrace　for　herself；　and　though　resolved　to　no

longer　allow　him　the　rights　purchased　by　crime；　she　yet　trembled　at

the　idea　of　losing　his　love。　　It　was　this　above　all　which　decided　her

to　keep　eternal　silence　about　her　discovery；　one　single　word　which

proved　that　his　imposture　was　known　would　raise　an　insurmountable

barrier　between　them。



To　conceal　her　trouble　entirely　was；　however；　beyond　her　power；　her

eyes　frequently　showed　traces　of　her　secret　tears。　　Martin　several

times　asked　the　cause　of　her　sorrow；　she　tried　to　smile　and　excuse

herself；　only　immediately　sinking　back　into　her　gloomy　thoughts。

Martin　thought　it　mere　caprice；　he　observed　her　loss　of　colour；　her

hollow　cheeks；　and　concluded　that　age　was　impairing　her　beauty；　and

became　less　attentive　to　her。　　His　absences　became　longer　and　more

frequent；　and　he　did　not　conceal　his　impatience　and　annoyance　at

being　watched；　for　her　looks　hung　upon　his；　and　she　observed　his

coldness　and　change　with　much　grief。　　Having　sacrificed　all　in　order

to　retain　his　love；　she　now　saw　it　slowly　slipping　away　from　her。



Another　person　also　observed　attentively。　　Pierre　Guerre　since　his

explanation　with　Bertrande　had　apparently　discovered　no　more

evidence；　and　did　not　dare　to　bring　an　accusation　without　some

positive　proofs。　　Consequently　he　lost　no　chance　of　watching　the

proceedings　of　his　supposed　nephew；　silently　hoping　that　chance　might

put　him　on　the　track　of　a　discovery。　　He　also　concluded　from

Bertrande's　state　of　melancholy　that　she　had　convinced　herself　of　the

fraud；　but　had　resolved　to　conceal　it。



Martin　was　then　endeavoring　to　sell　a　part　of　his　property；　and　this

necessitated　frequent　interviews　with　the　lawyers　of　the　neighbouring

town。　　Twice　in　the　week　he　went　to　Rieux；　and　to　make　the　journey

easier；　used　to　start　horseback　about　seven　in　the　evening；　sleep　at

Rieux；　and　return　the　following　afternoon。　　This　arrangement　did　not

escape　his　enemy's　notice；　who　was　not　long　in　convincing　himself

that　part　of　the　time　ostensibly　spent　on　this　journey　was　otherwise

employed。



Towards　ten　o'clock　on　the　evening　of　a　dark　night；　the　door　of　a

small　house　lying　about　half　a　gunshot　from　the　village　opened　gently

for　the　exit　of　a　man　wrapped　in　a　large　cloak；　followed　by　a　young

woman；　who　accompanied　him　some　distance。　　Arrived　at　the　parting

point；　they　separated　with　a　tender　kiss　and　a　few　murmured　words　of

adieu；　the　lover　took　his　horse；　which　was　fastened　to　a　tree；

mounted；　and　rode　off　towards　Rieux。　　When　the　sounds　died　away；　the

woman　turned　slowly　and　sadly　towards　her　home；　but　as　she　approached

the　door　a　man　suddenly　turned　the　corner　of　the　house　and　barred　her

away。　　Terrified；　she　was　on　the　point　of　crying　for　help；　when　he

seized　her　arm　and　ordered　her　to　be　silent。



〃Rose；〃　he　whispered；　〃I　know　everything：　that　man　is　your　lover。　　In

order　to　receive　him　safely；　you　send　your　old　husband　to　sleep　by

means　of　a　drug　stolen　from　your　father's　shop。　　This　intrigue　has

been　going　on　for　a　month；　twice　a　week；　at　seven　o'clock；　your　door

is　opened　to　this　man；　who　does　not　proceed　on　his　way　to　the　town

until　ten。　　I　know　your　lover：　he　is　my　nephew。〃



Petrified　with　terror；　Rose　fell　on　her　knees　and　implored　mercy。



〃Yes；〃　replied　Pierre；　〃you　may　well　be　frightened：　I　have　your

secret。　　I　have　only　to　publish　it　and　you　are　ruined　for　ever：〃



You　will　not　do　it！　　〃entreated　the　guilty　woman；　clasping　her　hands。



〃I　have　only　to　tell　your　husband；〃　continued　Pierre；　〃that　his　wife

has　dishonoured　him；　and　to　explain　the　reason　of　his　unnaturally

heavy　sleep。〃



〃He　will　kill　me！〃



〃No　doubt：　he　is　jealous；　he　is　an　Italian；　he　will　know　how　to

avenge　himselfeven　as　I　do。〃



〃But　I　never　did　you　any　harm；〃　Rose　cried　in　despair。　　〃Oh！　have

pity；　have　mercy；　and　spare　me！〃



〃On　one　condition。〃



〃What　is　it？〃



〃Come　with　me。〃



Terrified　almost　out　of　her　mind；　Rose　allowed　him　to　lead　her　away。



Bertrande　had　just　finished　her　evening　prayer；　and　was　preparing　for

bed；　when　she　was　startled　by　several　knocks　at　her　door。　　Thinking

that　perhaps　some　neighbour　was　in　need　of　help；　she　opened　it

immediately；　and　to　her　astonishment　beheld　a　dishevelled　woman　whom

Pierre　grasped　by　the　arm。　　He　exclaimed　vehemently



〃Here　is　thy　judge！　　Now；　confess　all　to　Bertrande！〃



Bertrande　did　not　at　once　recognise　the　woman；　who　fell　at　her　feet；

overcome　by　Pierre's　threats。



〃Tell　the　truth　here；〃　he　continued；　〃or　I　go　and　tell　it　to　your

husband；　at　your　own　home！〃　　〃　Ah！　madame；　kill　me；〃　said　the　unhappy

creature；　hiding　her　face；　〃let　me　rather　die　by　your　hand　than　his！〃



Bertrande；　bewildered；　did　not　understand　the　position　in　the　least；

but　she　recognised　Rose



〃But　what　is　the　matter；　madame？　　Why　are　you　here　at　this　hour；　pale

and　weeping？　　Why　has　my　uncle　dragged　you　hither？　　I　am　to　judge

you；　does　he　say？　　Of　what　crime　are　you　guilty？〃



〃Martin　might　answer　that；　if　he　were　here；〃　remarked　Pierre。



A　lightning　flash　of　jealousy　shot　through　Bertrande's　soul　at　these

words；　all　her　former　suspicions　revived。



〃What！〃　she　said；　〃my　husband！　　What　do　you　mean？〃



〃That　he　left　this　woman's　house　only　a　little　while　ago；　that　for　a

month　they　have　been　meeting　secretly。　　You　are　betrayed：　I　have　seen

them　and　she　does　not　dare　to　deny　it。〃



〃Have　mercy！〃　cried　Rose；　still　kneeling。



The　cry　was　a　confession。　　Bertrande　became　pate　as　death。　　〃O　God！〃

she　murmured；　〃deceived；　betrayedand　by　him！〃



〃For　a　month　past；〃　repeated　the　old　man。



〃Oh！　the　wretch；〃　she　continued；　with　increasing　passion；　〃　then　his

whole　life　is　a　lie！　　He　has　abused　my　credulity；　he　now　abuses　my

love！　　He　does　not　know　me！　　He　thinks　he　can　trample　on　meme；　in

whose　power　are　his　fortune；　his　honour；　his　very　life　itself！〃



Then；　turning　to　Rose



〃And　you；　miserable　woman！　by　what　unworthy　artifice　did　you　gain　his

love？　　Was　it　by　witchcraft？　or　some　poisonous　philtre　learned　from

your　worthy　father？〃



〃Alas！　no；　madame；　my　weakness　is　my　only　crime；　and　also　my　only

excuse。　　I　loved　him；　long　ago；　when　I　was　only　a　young　girl；　and

these　memories　have　been　my　ruin。〃



〃Memories？　　What！　did　you　also　think　you　were　loving　the　same　man？

Are　you　also　his　dupe？　　Or　are　you　only　pretending；　in　order　to　find

a　rag　of　excuse　to　cover　your　wickedness？〃



It　was　now　Rose　who　failed　to　understand；　Bertrande　continued；　with

growing　excitement



〃Yes；　it　was　not　enough　to　usurp　the　rights　of　a　husband　and　father；

he　thought　to　play　his　part　still　better　by　deceiving　the　mistress

also　。　　。　　。　　。　　Ah！　it　is　amusing；　is　it　not？　　You　also；　Rose；　you

thought　he　was　your　old　lover！　　Well；　I　at　least　am　excusable；　I　the

wife；　who　only　thought　she　was　faithful　to　her　husband！〃



〃What　does　it　all　mean？〃　asked　the　terrified　Rose。



〃It　means　that　this　man　is　an　impostor　and　that　I　will　unmask　him。

Revenge！　revenge！〃



Pierre　came　forward。　　〃Bertrande；〃　he　said；　〃so　long　as　I　thought　you

were　happy；　when　I　feared　to　disturb　your　peace；　I　was　silent；　I

repressed　my　just　indignation；　and　I　spared　the　usurper　of　the　name

and　rights　of　my　nephew。　　Do　you　now　give　me　leave　to　speak？〃



〃Yes；〃　she　replied　in　a　hollow　voice。



〃You　will　not　contradict　me？〃



By　way　of　answer　she　sat　down　by　the　table　and　wrote　a　few　hasty

lines　with　a　trembling　hand；　then　gave　them　to　Pierre；　whose　eyes

sparkled　with　joy。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃vengeance　for　him；　but　for　her　pity。　　Let　this

humiliation　be　her　only　punishment。　　I　promised　silence　in　return　for

confession；　will　you　grant　it？〃



Bertrande　assented　with　a　contemptuous　gesture。



〃Go；　fear　not；〃　said　the　old　man；　and　Rose　went　out。　　Pierre　also

left　the　house。



Left　to　herself；　Bertrande　felt　utterly　worn　out　by　so　much　emotion；

indignation　gave　way　to　depression。　　She　began　to　realise　what　she

had　done；　and　the　scandal　which　would　fall　on　her　own　head。　　Just

then　her　baby　awoke；　and　held　out　its　arms；　smiling；　and　calling　for

its　father。　　Its　father；　was　he　not　a　criminal？　　Yes！　but　was　it　for

her　to　ruin　him；　to　invoke　the　law；　to　send　him　to　death；　after

having　taken　him　to　her　heart；　to　deliver　him　to　infamy　which　would

recoil　on　her　own　head　and　her　child's　and　on　the　infant　which　was

yet　unborn？　　If　he　had　sinned　before　God；　was　it　not　for　God　to

punish　him？　　If　against　herself；　ought　she　not　rather　to　overwhelm

him　with　contempt？　　But　to　invoke　the　help；　of　strangers　to　expiate

this　offence；　to　lay　bare　the　troubles　of　her　life；　to　unveil　the

sanctuary　of　the　nuptial　couchin　short；　to　summon　the　whole　world

to　behold　this　fatal　scandal；　was　not　that　what　in　her　imprudent

anger　she　had　really　done？　　She　repented　bitterly　of　her　haste；　she

sought　to　avert　the　consequences；　and　notwithstanding　the　night　and

the　bad　weather；　she　hurried　at　once　to　Pierre's　dwelling；　hoping　at

all　costs　to　withdraw　her　denunciation。　　He　was　not　there：　he　had　at

once　taken　a　horse　and　started　for　Rieux。　　Her　accusation　was　already

on　its　way　to　the　magistrates！



At　break　of　day　the　house　where　Martin　Guerre　lodged　when　at　Rieux

was　surrounded　by　soldiers。　　He　came　forward　with　confidence　and

inquired　what　was　wanted。　　On　hearing　the　accusation；　he　changed

colour　slightly；　then　collected　himself；　and　made　no　resistance。

When　he　came　before　the　judge；　Bertrande's　petition　was　read　to　him；

declaring　him　to　be　〃an　impostor；　who　falsely；　audaciously；　and

treacherously　had　deceived　her　by　taking　the　name　and　assuming　the

person　of　Martin　Guerre；〃　and　demanding　that　he　should　be　required　to

entreat　pardon　from　God；　the　king；　and　herself。



The　prisoner　listened　calmly　to　the　charge；　and　met　it　courageously；

only　evincing　profound　surprise　at　such　a　step　being　taken　by　a　wife

who　had　lived　with　him　for　two　years　since　his　return；　and　who　only

now　thought　of　disputing　the　rights　he　had　so　long　enjoyed。　　As　he

was　ignorant　both　of　Bertrande's　suspicions　and　their　confirmation；

and　also　of　the　jealousy　which　had　inspired　her　accusation；　his

astonishment　was　perfectly　natural；　and　did　not　at　all　appear　to　be

assumed。　　He　attributed　the　whole　charge　to　the　machinations　of　his

uncle；　Pierre　Guerre；　an　old　man；　he　said；　who；　being　governed

entirely　by　avarice　and　the　desire　of　revenge；　now　disputed　his　name

arid　rights；　in　order　the　better　to　deprive　him　of　his　property；

which　might　be　worth　from　sixteen　to　eighteen　hundred　livres。　　In

order　to　attain　his　end；　this　wicked　man　had　not　hesitated　to　pervert

his　wife's　mind；　and　at　the　risk　of　her　own　dishonour　had　instigated

this　calumnious　chargea　horrible　and　unheard…of　thing　in　the　mouth

of　a　lawful　wife。　　〃Ah！　I　do　not　blame　her；〃　he　cr