juana-第5章

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to　hell；　you　know；　and　I　am　so　afraid　of　hell　that　I　resign　myself　to

live；　to　get　up　in　the　morning　and　go　to　bed　at　night；　and　work　the

same　hours；　and　do　the　same　things。　I　am　not　so　weary　of　it；　but　I

sufferAnd　yet；　my　father　and　mother　adore　me。　Oh！　I　am　bad；　I　am

bad；　I　say　so　to　my　confessor。〃



〃Do　you　always　live　here　alone；　without　amusement；　without　pleasures？〃



〃Oh！　I　have　not　always　been　like　this。　Till　I　was　fifteen　the

festivals　of　the　church；　the　chants；　the　music　gave　me　pleasure。　I　was

happy；　feeling　myself　like　the　angels　without　sin　and　able　to

communicate　every　weekI　loved　God　then。　But　for　the　last　three

years；　from　day　to　day；　all　things　have　changed。　First；　I　wanted

flowers　hereand　I　have　them；　lovely　flowers！　Then　I　wantedbut　I

want　nothing　now；〃　she　added；　after　a　pause；　smiling　at　Montefiore。

〃Have　you　not　said　that　you　would　love　me　always？〃



〃Yes；　my　Juana；〃　cried　Montefiore；　softly；　taking　her　round　the　waist

and　pressing　her　to　his　heart；　〃yes。　But　let　me　speak　to　you　as　you

speak　to　God。　Are　you　not　as　beautiful　as　Mary　in　heaven？　Listen。　I

swear　to　you；〃　he　continued；　kissing　her　hair；　〃I　swear　to　take　that

forehead　for　my　altar；　to　make　you　my　idol；　to　lay　at　your　feet　all

the　luxuries　of　the　world。　For　you；　my　palace　at　Milan；　for　you　my

horses；　my　jewels；　the　diamonds　of　my　ancient　family；　for　you；　each

day；　fresh　jewels；　a　thousand　pleasures；　and　all　the　joys　of　earth！〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said　reflectively；　〃I　would　like　that；　but　I　feel　within　my

soul　that　I　would　like　better　than　all　the　world　my　husband。　Mio　caro

sposo！〃　she　said；　as　if　it　were　impossible　to　give　in　any　other

language　the　infinite　tenderness；　the　loving　elegance　with　which　the

Italian　tongue　and　accent　clothe　those　delightful　words。　Besides；

Italian　was　Juana's　maternal　language。



〃I　should　find；〃　she　continued；　with　a　glance　at　Montefiore　in　which

shone　the　purity　of　the　cherubim；　〃I　should　find　in　HIM　my　dear

religion；　him　and　GodGod　and　him。　Is　he　to　be　you？〃　she　said。　〃Yes；

surely　it　will　be　you；〃　she　cried；　after　a　pause。　〃Come；　and　see　the

picture　my　father　brought　me　from　Italy。〃



She　took　a　candle；　made　a　sign　to　Montefiore；　and　showed　him　at　the

foot　of　her　bed　a　Saint　Michael　overthrowing　the　demon。



〃Look！〃　she　said；　〃has　he　not　your　eyes？　When　I　saw　you　from　my　window

in　the　street；　our　meeting　seemed　to　me　a　sign　from　heaven。　Every　day

during　my　morning　meditation；　while　waiting　for　my　mother　to　call　me

to　prayer；　I　have　so　gazed　at　that　picture；　that　angel；　that　I　have

ended　by　thinking　him　my　husbandoh！　heavens；　I　speak　to　you　as

though　you　were　myself。　I　must　seem　crazy　to　you；　but　if　you　only　knew

how　a　poor　captive　wants　to　tell　the　thoughts　that　choke　her！　When

alone；　I　talk　to　my　flowers；　to　my　tapestry；　they　can　understand　me

better；　I　think；　than　my　father　and　mother；　who　are　so　grave。〃



〃Juana；〃　said　Montefiore；　taking　her　hands　and　kissing　them　with　the

passion　that　gushed　in　his　eyes；　in　his　gestures；　in　the　tones　of　his

voice；　〃speak　to　me　as　your　husband；　as　yourself。　I　have　suffered　all

that　you　have　suffered。　Between　us　two　few　words　are　needed　to　make　us

comprehend　our　past；　but　there　will　never　be　enough　to　express　our

coming　happiness。　Lay　your　hand　upon　my　heart。　Feel　how　it　beats。　Let

us　promise　before　God；　who　sees　and　hears　us；　to　be　faithful　to　each

other　throughout　our　lives。　Here；　take　my　ringand　give　me　yours。〃



〃Give　you　my　ring！〃　she　said　in　terror。



〃Why　not？〃　asked　Montefiore；　uneasy　at　such　artlessness。



〃But　our　holy　father　the　Pope　has　blessed　it；　it　was　put　upon　my

finger　in　childhood　by　a　beautiful　lady　who　took　care　of　me；　and　who

told　me　never　to　part　with　it。〃



〃Juana；　you　cannot　love　me！〃



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃here　it　is；　take　it。　You；　are　you　not　another

myself？〃



She　held　out　the　ring　with　a　trembling　hand；　holding　it　tightly　as　she

looked　at　Montefiore　with　a　clear　and　penetrating　eye　that　questioned

him。　That　ring！　all　of　herself　was　in　it；　but　she　gave　it　to　him。



〃Oh；　my　Juana！〃　said　Montefiore；　again　pressing　her　in　his　arms。　〃I

should　be　a　monster　indeed　if　I　deceived　you。　I　will　love　you

forever。〃



Juana　was　thoughtful。　Montefiore；　reflecting　that　in　this　first

interview　he　ought　to　venture　upon　nothing　that　might　frighten　a　young

girl　so　ignorantly　pure；　so　imprudent　by　virtue　rather　than　from

desire；　postponed　all　further　action　to　the　future；　relying　on　his

beauty；　of　which　he　knew　the　power；　and　on　this　innocent　ring…

marriage；　the　hymen　of　the　heart；　the　lightest；　yet　the　strongest　of

all　ceremonies。　For　the　rest　of　that　night；　and　throughout　the　next

day；　Juana's　imagination　was　the　accomplice　of　her　passion。



On　this　first　evening　Montefiore　forced　himself　to　be　as　respectful　as

he　was　tender。　With　that　intention；　in　the　interests　of　his　passion

and　the　desires　with　which　Juana　inspired　him；　he　was　caressing　and

unctuous　in　language；　he　launched　the　young　creature　into　plans　for　a

new　existence；　described　to　her　the　world　under　glowing　colors；　talked

to　her　of　household　details　always　attractive　to　the　mind　of　girls；

giving　her　a　sense　of　the　rights　and　realities　of　love。　Then；　having

agreed　upon　the　hour　for　their　future　nocturnal　interviews；　he　left

her　happy；　but　changed；　the　pure　and　pious　Juana　existed　no　longer；　in

the　last　glance　she　gave　him；　in　the　pretty　movement　by　which　she

brought　her　forehead　to　his　lips；　there　was　already　more　of　passion

than　a　girl　should　feel。　Solitude；　weariness　of　employments　contrary

to　her　nature　had　brought　this　about。　To　make　the　daughter　of　the

Maranas　truly　virtuous；　she　ought　to　have　been　habituated；　little　by

little；　to　the　world；　or　else　to　have　been　wholly　withdrawn　from　it。



〃The　day；　to…morrow；　will　seem　very　long　to　me；〃　she　said；　receiving

his　kisses　on　her　forehead。　〃But　stay　in　the　salon；　and　speak　loud；

that　I　may　hear　your　voice；　it　fills　my　soul。〃



Montefiore；　clever　enough　to　imagine　the　girl's　life；　was　all　the　more

satisfied　with　himself　for　restraining　his　desires　because　he　saw　that

it　would　lead　to　his　greater　contentment。　He　returned　to　his　room

without　accident。



Ten　days　went　by　without　any　event　occurring　to　trouble　the　peace　and

solitude　of　the　house。　Montefiore　employed　his　Italian　cajolery　on　old

Perez；　on　Dona　Lagounia；　on　the　apprentice；　even　on　the　cook；　and　they

all　liked　him；　but；　in　spite　of　the　confidence　he　now　inspired　in

them；　he　never　asked　to　see　Juana；　or　to　have　the　door　of　her

mysterious　hiding…place　opened　to　him。　The　young　girl；　hungry　to　see

her　lover；　implored　him　to　do　so；　but　he　always　refused　her　from　an

instinct　of　prudence。　Besides；　he　had　used　his　best　powers　and

fascinations　to　lull　the　suspicions　of　the　old　couple；　and　had　now

accustomed　them　to　see　him；　a　soldier；　stay　in　bed　till　midday　on

pretence　that　he　was　ill。　Thus　the　lovers　lived　only　in　the　night…

time；　when　the　rest　of　the　household　were　asleep。　If　Montefiore　had

not　been　one　of　those　libertines　whom　the　habit　of　gallantry　enables

to　retain　their　self…possession　under　all　circumstances；　he　might　have

been　lost　a　dozen　times　during　those　ten　days。　A　young　lover；　in　the

simplicity　of　a　first　love；　would　have　committed　the　enchanting

imprudences　which　are　so　difficult　to　resist。　But　he　did　resist　even

Juana　herself；　Juana　pouting；　Juana　making　her　long　hair　a　chain　which

she　wound　about　his　neck　when　caution　told　him　he　must　go。



The　most　suspicious　of　guardians　would　however　have　been　puzzled　to

detect　the　secret　of　their　nightly　meetings。　It　is　to　be　supposed

that；　sure　of　success；　the　Italian　marquis　gave　himself　the　ineffable

pleasures　of　a　slow　seduction；　step　by　step；　leading　gradually　to　the

fire　which　should　end　the　affair　in　a　conflagration。　On　the　eleventh

day；　at　the　dinner…table；　he　thought　it　wise　to　inform　old　Perez；

under　seal　of　secrecy；　that　the　reason　of　his　separation　from　his

family　was　an　ill…assorted　marriage。　This　false　revelation　was　an

infamous　thing　in　view　of　the　nocturnal　drama　which　was　being　played

under　that　roof。　Montefiore；　an　experienced　rake；　was　preparing　for

the　finale　of　that　drama　which　he　foresaw　and　enjoyed　as　an　artist　who

loves　his　art。　He　expected　to　leave　before　long；　and　without　regret；

the　house　and　his　love。　It　would　happen；　he　thought；　in　this　way：

Juana；　after　waiting　for　him　in　vain　for　several　nights；　would　risk

her　life；　perhaps；　in　asking　Perez　what　had　become　of　his　guest；　and

Perez　would　reply；　not　aware　of　the　importance　of　his　answer；



〃The　Marquis　de　Montefiore　is　reconciled　to　his　family；　who　consent　to

receive　his　wife；　he　has　gone　to　Italy　to　present　her　to　them。〃



And　Juana？The　marquis　never　asked　himself　what　would　become　of

Juana；　but　he　had　studied　her　character；　its　nobility；　candor；　and

strength；　and　he　knew　he　might　be　sure　of　her　silence。



He　obtained　a　mission　from　one　of　the　generals。　Three　days　later；　on

the　night　preceding　his　intended　departure；　Montefiore；　instead　of

returning　to　his　own　room　after　dinner；　contrived　to　enter　unseen　that

of　Juana；　to　make　that　farewell　night　the　longer。　Juana；　true　Spaniard

and　true　Italian；　was　enchanted　with　such　boldness；　it　argued　ardor！

For　herself　she　did　not　fear　discovery。　To　find　in　the　pure　love　of

marriage　the　excitements　of　intrigue；　to　hide　her　husband　behind　the

curtains　of　her　bed；　and　say　to　her　adopted　father　and　mother；　in　case

of　detection：　〃I　am　the　Marquise　de　Montefiore！〃was　to　an　ignorant

and　romantic　young　girl；　who　for　three　years　past　had　dreamed　of　love

without　dreaming　of　its　dangers；　delightful。　The　door　closed　on　this

last　evening　upon　her　folly；　her　happiness；　like　a　veil；　which　it　is

useless　here　to　raise。



It　was　nine　o'clock；　the　merchant　and　his　wife　were　reading　their

evening　prayers；　suddenly　the　noise　of　a　carriage　drawn　by　several

horses　resounded　in　the　street；　loud　and　hasty　raps　echoed　from　the

shop　where　the　servant　hurried　to　open　the　door；　and　into　that

venerable　salon　rushed　a　woman；　magnificently　dressed　in　spite　of　the

mud　upon　the　wheels　of　her　travelling…carriage；　which　had　just　crossed

Italy；　France；　and　Spain。　It　was；　of　course；　the　Marana；the　Marana

who；　in　spite　of　her　thirty…six　years；　was　still　in　all　the　glory　of

her　ravishing　beauty；　the　Marana　who；　being　at　that　time　the　mistress

of　a　king；　had　left　Naples；　the　fetes；　the　skies　of　Naples；　the　climax

of　her　life　of　luxury；　on　hearing　from　her　royal　lover　of　the　events

in　Spain　and　the　siege　of　Tarragona。



〃Tarragona！　I　must　get　to　Tarragona　before　the　town　is　taken！〃　she

cried。　〃Ten　days　to　reach　Tarragona！〃



Then　without　caring　for　crown　or　court；　she　arrived　in　Tarragona；

furnished　with　an　almost　imperial　safe…conduct；　furnished　too　with

gold　which　enabled　her　to　cross　France　with　the　velocity　of　a　rocket。



〃My　daughter！　my　daughter！〃　cried　the