juana-第11章

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！



Bordeaux；　where　I　have　left　my　wife。〃



Diard　had　the　money　in　bank…bills　in　his　pocket；　but　with　the　self…

possession　and　rapid　bird's…eye　view　of　a　man　accustomed　to　catch　at

all　resources；　he　still　hoped　to　recover　himself　by　some　one　of　the

endless　caprices　of　play。　Montefiore　had　already　mentioned　his

intention　of　visiting　Bordeaux。　Had　he　paid　his　debt　on　the　spot；

Diard　would　have　been　left　without　the　power　to　take　his　revenge；　a

revenge　at　cards　often　exceeds　the　amount　of　all　preceding　losses。　But

these　burning　expectations　depended　on　the　marquis's　reply。



〃Wait；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Montefiore；　〃and　we　will　go　together　to

Bordeaux。　In　all　conscience；　I　am　rich　enough　to…day　not　to　wish　to

take　the　money　of　an　old　comrade。〃



Three　days　later　Diard　and　Montefiore　were　in　Bordeaux　at　a　gambling

table。　Diard；　having　won　enough　to　pay　his　hundred　thousand　francs；

went　on　until　he　had　lost　two　hundred　thousand　more　on　his　word。　He

was　gay　as　a　man　who　swam　in　gold。　Eleven　o'clock　sounded；　the　night

was　superb。　Montefiore　may　have　felt；　like　Diard；　a　desire　to　breathe

the　open　air　and　recover　from　such　emotions　in　a　walk。　The　latter

proposed　to　the　marquis　to　come　home　with　him　to　take　a　cup　of　tea　and

get　his　money。



〃But　Madame　Diard？〃　said　Montefiore。



〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　the　husband。



They　went　down…stairs；　but　before　taking　his　hat　Diard　entered　the

dining…room　of　the　establishment　and　asked　for　a　glass　of　water。　While

it　was　being　brought；　he　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　and　was　able；

without　being　noticed；　to　pick　up　one　of　those　small　sharp…pointed

steel　knives　with　pearl　handles　which　are　used　for　cutting　fruit　at

dessert。



〃Where　do　you　live？〃　said　Montefiore；　in　the　courtyard；　〃for　I　want　to

send　a　carriage　there　to　fetch　me。〃



Diard　told　him　the　exact　address。



〃You　see；〃　said　Montefiore；　in　a　low　voice；　taking　Diard's　arm；　〃that

as　long　as　I　am　with　you　I　have　nothing　to　fear；　but　if　I　came　home

alone　and　a　scoundrel　were　to　follow　me；　I　should　be　profitable　to

kill。〃



〃Have　you　much　with　you？〃



〃No；　not　much；〃　said　the　wary　Italian；　〃only　my　winnings。　But　they

would　make　a　pretty　fortune　for　a　beggar　and　turn　him　into　an　honest

man　for　the　rest　of　his　life。〃



Diard　led　the　marquis　along　a　lonely　street　where　he　remembered　to

have　seen　a　house；　the　door　of　which　was　at　the　end　of　an　avenue　of

trees　with　high　and　gloomy　walls　on　either　side　of　it。　When　they

reached　this　spot　he　coolly　invited　the　marquis　to　precede　him；　but　as

if　the　latter　understood　him　he　preferred　to　keep　at　his　side。　Then；

no　sooner　were　they　fairly　in　the　avenue；　then　Diard；　with　the　agility

of　a　tiger；　tripped　up　the　marquis　with　a　kick　behind　the　knees；　and

putting　a　foot　on　his　neck　stabbed　him　again　and　again　to　the　heart

till　the　blade　of　the　knife　broke　in　it。　Then　he　searched　Montefiore's

pockets；　took　his　wallet；　money；　everything。　But　though　he　had　taken

the　Italian　unawares；　and　had　done　the　deed　with　lucid　mind　and　the

quickness　of　a　pickpocket；　Montefiore　had　time　to　cry　〃Murder！　Help！〃

in　a　shrill　and　piercing　voice　which　was　fit　to　rouse　every　sleeper　in

the　neighborhood。　His　last　sighs　were　given　in　those　horrible　shrieks。



Diard　was　not　aware　that　at　the　moment　when　they　entered　the　avenue　a

crowd　just　issuing　from　a　theatre　was　passing　at　the　upper　end　of　the

street。　The　cries　of　the　dying　man　reached　them；　though　Diard　did　his

best　to　stifle　the　noise　by　setting　his　foot　firmly　on　Montefiore's

neck。　The　crowd　began　to　run　towards　the　avenue；　the　high　walls　of

which　appeared　to　echo　back　the　cries；　directing　them　to　the　very　spot

where　the　crime　was　committed。　The　sound　of　their　coming　steps　seemed

to　beat　on　Diard's　brain。　But　not　losing　his　head　as　yet；　the　murderer

left　the　avenue　and　came　boldly　into　the　street；　walking　very　gently；

like　a　spectator　who　sees　the　inutility　of　trying　to　give　help。　He

even　turned　round　once　or　twice　to　judge　of　the　distance　between

himself　and　the　crowd；　and　he　saw　them　rushing　up　the　avenue；　with　the

exception　of　one　man；　who；　with　a　natural　sense　of　caution；　began　to

watch　Diard。



〃There　he　is！　there　he　is！〃　cried　the　people；　who　had　entered　the

avenue　as　soon　as　they　saw　Montefiore　stretched　out　near　the　door　of

the　empty　house。



As　soon　as　that　clamor　rose；　Diard；　feeling　himself　well　in　the

advance；　began　to　run　or　rather　to　fly；　with　the　vigor　of　a　lion　and

the　bounds　of　a　deer。　At　the　other　end　of　the　street　he　saw；　or

fancied　he　saw；　a　mass　of　persons；　and　he　dashed　down　a　cross　street

to　avoid　them。　But　already　every　window　was　open；　and　heads　were

thrust　forth　right　and　left；　while　from　every　door　came　shouts　and

gleams　of　light。　Diard　kept　on；　going　straight　before　him；　through　the

lights　and　the　noise；　and　his　legs　were　so　actively　agile　that　he　soon

left　the　tumult　behind　him；　though　without　being　able　to　escape　some

eyes　which　took　in　the　extent　of　his　course　more　rapidly　than　he　could

cover　it。　Inhabitants；　soldiers；　gendarmes；　every　one；　seemed　afoot　in

the　twinkling　of　an　eye。　Some　men　awoke　the　commissaries　of　police；

others　stayed　by　the　body　to　guard　it。　The　pursuit　kept　on　in　the

direction　of　the　fugitive；　who　dragged　it　after　him　like　the　flame　of

a　conflagration。



Diard；　as　he　ran；　had　all　the　sensations　of　a　dream　when　he　heard　a

whole　city　howling；　running；　panting　after　him。　Nevertheless；　he　kept

his　ideas　and　his　presence　of　mind。　Presently　he　reached　the　wall　of

the　garden　of　his　house。　The　place　was　perfectly　silent；　and　he

thought　he　had　foiled　his　pursuers；　though　a　distant　murmur　of　the

tumult　came　to　his　ears　like　the　roaring　of　the　sea。　He　dipped　some

water　from　a　brook　and　drank　it。　Then；　observing　a　pile　of　stones　on

the　road；　he　hid　his　treasure　in　it；　obeying　one　of　those　vague

thoughts　which　come　to　criminals　at　a　moment　when　the　faculty　to　judge

their　actions　under　all　bearings　deserts　them；　and　they　think　to

establish　their　innocence　by　want　of　proof　of　their　guilt。



That　done；　he　endeavored　to　assume　a　placid　countenance；　he　even　tried

to　smile　as　he　rapped　softly　on　the　door　of　his　house；　hoping　that　no

one　saw　him。　He　raised　his　eyes；　and　through　the　outer　blinds　of　one

window　came　a　gleam　of　light　from　his　wife's　room。　Then；　in　the　midst

of　his　trouble；　visions　of　her　gentle　life；　spent　with　her　children；

beat　upon　his　brain　with　the　force　of　a　hammer。　The　maid　opened　the

door；　which　Diard　hastily　closed　behind　him　with　a　kick。　For　a　moment

he　breathed　freely；　then；　noticing　that　he　was　bathed　in　perspiration；

he　sent　the　servant　back　to　Juana　and　stayed　in　the　darkness　of　the

passage；　where　he　wiped　his　face　with　his　handkerchief　and　put　his

clothes　in　order；　like　a　dandy　about　to　pay　a　visit　to　a　pretty　woman。

After　that　he　walked　into　a　track　of　the　moonlight　to　examine　his

hands。　A　quiver　of　joy　passed　over　him　as　he　saw　that　no　blood　stains

were　on　them；　the　hemorrhage　from　his　victim's　body　was　no　doubt

inward。



But　all　this　took　time。　When　at　last　he　mounted　the　stairs　to　Juana's

room　he　was　calm　and　collected；　and　able　to　reflect　on　his　position；

which　resolved　itself　into　two　ideas：　to　leave　the　house；　and　get　to

the　wharves。　He　did　not　THINK　these　ideas；　he　SAW　them　written　in

fiery　letters　on　the　darkness。　Once　at　the　wharves　he　could　hide　all

day；　return　at　night　for　his　treasure；　then　conceal　himself；　like　a

rat；　in　the　hold　of　some　vessel　and　escape　without　any　one　suspecting

his　whereabouts。　But　to　do　all　this；　money；　gold；　was　his　first

necessity；and　he　did　not　possess　one　penny。



The　maid　brought　a　light　to　show　him　up。



〃Felicie；〃　he　said；　〃don't　you　hear　a　noise　in　the　street；　shouts；

cries？　Go　and　see　what　it　means；　and　come　and　tell　me。〃



His　wife；　in　her　white　dressing…gown；　was　sitting　at　a　table；　reading

aloud　to　Francisque　and　Juan　from　a　Spanish　Cervantes；　while　the　boys

followed　her　pronunciation　of　the　words　from　the　text。　They　all　three

stopped　and　looked　at　Diard；　who　stood　in　the　doorway　with　his　hands

in　his　pockets；　overcome；　perhaps；　by　finding　himself　in　this　calm

scene；　so　softly　lighted；　so　beautiful　with　the　faces　of　his　wife　and

children。　It　was　a　living　picture　of　the　Virgin　between　her　son　and

John。



〃Juana；　I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃



〃What　has　happened？〃　she　asked；　instantly　perceiving　from　the　livid

paleness　of　her　husband　that　the　misfortune　she　had　daily　expected　was

upon　them。



〃Oh；　nothing；　but　I　want　to　speak　to　youto　you；　alone。〃



And　he　glanced　at　his　sons。



〃My　dears；　go　to　your　room；　and　go　to　bed；〃　said　Juana；　〃say　your

prayers　without　me。〃



The　boys　left　the　room　in　silence；　with　the　incurious　obedience　of

well…trained　children。



〃My　dear　Juana；〃　said　Diard；　in　a　coaxing　voice；　〃I　left　you　with　very

little　money；　and　I　regret　it　now。　Listen　to　me；　since　I　relieved　you

of　the　care　of　our　income　by　giving　you　an　allowance；　have　you　not；

like　other　women；　laid　something　by？〃



〃No；〃　replied　Juana；　〃I　have　nothing。　In　making　that　allowance　you　did

not　reckon　the　costs　of　the　children's　education。　I　don't　say　that　to

reproach　you；　my　friend；　only　to　explain　my　want　of　money。　All　that

you　gave　me　went　to　pay　masters　and〃



〃Enough！〃　cried　Diard；　violently。　〃Thunder　of　heaven！　every　instant　is

precious！　Where　are　your　jewels？〃



〃You　know　very　well　I　have　never　worn　any。〃



〃Then　there's　not　a　sou　to　be　had　here！〃　cried　Diard；　frantically。



〃Why　do　you　shout　in　that　way？〃　she　asked。



〃Juana；〃　he　replied；　〃I　have　killed　a　man。〃



Juana　sprang　to　the　door　of　her　children's　room　and　closed　it；　then

she　returned。



〃Your　sons　must　hear　nothing；〃　she　said。　〃With　whom　have　you　fought？〃



〃Montefiore；〃　he　replied。



〃Ah！〃　she　said　with　a　sigh；　〃the　only　man　you　had　the　right　to　kill。〃



〃There　were　many　reasons　why　he　should　die　by　my　hand。　But　I　can't

lose　timeMoney；　money！　for　God's　sake；　money！　I　may　be　pursued。　We

did　not　fight。　II　killed　him。〃



〃Killed　him！〃　she　cried；　〃how？〃



〃Why；　as　one　kills　anything。　He　stole　my　whole　fortune　and　I　took　it

back；　that's　all。　Juana；　now　that　everything　is　quiet　you　must　go　down

to　that　heap　of　stonesyou　know　the　heap　by　the　garden　walland　get

that　money；　since　you　haven't　any　in　the　house。〃



〃The　money　that　you　stole？〃　said　Juana。



〃What　does　that　matter　to　you？　Have　you　any　money　to　give　me？　I　tell

you　I　must　get　away。　They　are　on　my　traces。〃



〃Who？〃



〃The　people；　the　police。〃



Juana　left　the　room；　but　returned　immediately。



〃Here；〃　she　said；　holding　out　to　him　at　arm's　length　a　jewel；　〃that　is

Dona　Lagounia's　cross。　There　are　four　rubies　in　it；　of　great　value；　I

have　been　told。　Take　it　and　gogo！〃



〃Felicie　hasn't　come　back；〃　he　cried；　with　a　sudden　thought。　〃Can　she

have　been　arrested？〃



Juana　laid　the　cross　on