martin guerre- 第4部分

thorns；　and　convinced　himself；　not　without　emotion；　that　the　scar

could　still　be　seen。



Bertrande　was　touched　by　this　display　of　affectionate　recollections；

and　felt　vexed　at　her　own　coldness。　　She　came　up　to　Martin　and　laid

her　hand　in　his。　　He　said　gently



〃My　departure　caused　you　great　grief：　I　now　repent　what　I　did。　　But　I

was　young；　I　was　proud；　and　your　reproaches　were　unjust。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　she；　〃you　have　not　forgotten　the　cause　of　our　quarrel？〃



〃It　was　little　Rose；　our　neighbour；　whom　you　said　I　was　making　love

to；　because　you　found　us　together　at　the　spring　in　the　little　wood。

I　explained　that　we　met　only　by　chance；besides；　she　was　only　a

child；but　you　would　not　listen；　and　in　your　anger〃



〃Ah！　forgive　me；　Martin；　forgive　me！〃　she　interrupted；　in　confusion。



〃In　your　blind　anger　you　took　up；　I　know　not　what；　something　which

lay　handy；　and　flung　it　at　me。　　And　here　is　the　mark；〃　he　continued；

smiling；　〃　this　scar；　which　is　still　to　be　seen。〃



〃Oh；　Martin！　　〃Bertrande　exclaimed；　〃can　you　ever　forgive　me？〃



〃As　you　see；〃　Martin　replied；　kissing　her　tenderly。



Much　moved；　Bertrande　swept　aside　his　hair；　and　looked　at　the　scar

visible　on　his　forehead。



〃But；〃　she　said；　with　surprise　not　free　from　alarm；　〃this　scar　seems

to　me　like　a　fresh　one。〃



〃Ah！〃　Martin　explained；　with　a；　little　embarrassment；　〃it　reopened

lately。　　But　I　had　thought　no　more　about　it。　　Let　us　forget　it；

Bertrande；　I　should　not　like　a　recollection　which　might　make　you

think　yourself　less　dear　to　me　than　you　once　were。〃



And　he　drew　her　upon　his　knee。　　She　repelled　him　gently。



〃Send　the　child　to　bed；〃　said　Martin。　　〃Tomorrow　shall　be　for　him；

to…night　you　have　the　first　place；　Bertrande；　you　only。〃



The　boy　kissed　his　father　and　went。



Bertrande　came　and　knelt　beside　her　husband；　regarding　him

attentively　with　an　uneasy　smile；　which　did　not　appear　to　please　him

by　any　means。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　he。　　〃Why　do　you　examine　me　thus？〃



〃I　do　not　knowforgive　me；　oh！　　forgive　me！　　。　　。　　。　　But　the

happiness　of　seeing　you　was　so　great　and　unexpected；　it　is　all　like　a

dream。　　I　must　try　to　become　accustomed　to　it；　give　me　some　time　to

collect　myself；　let　me　spend　this　night　in　prayer。　　I　ought　to　offer

my　joy　and　my　thanksgiving　to　Almighty　God〃



〃Not　so；〃　interrupted　her　husband；　passing　his　arms　round　her　neck

and　stroking　her　beautiful　hair。　　〃No；　'tis　to　me　that　your　first

thoughts　are　due。　　After　so　much　weariness；　my　rest　is　in　again

beholding　you；　and　my　happiness　after　so　many　trials　will　be　found　in

your　love。　　That　hope　has　supported　me　throughout；　and　I　long　to　be

assured　that　it　is　no　illusion。〃　　So　saying；　he　endeavoured　to　raise

her。



〃Oh；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　pray　you　leave　me。〃



〃What！〃　he　exclaimed　angrily。　　〃　Bertrande；　is　this　your　love？　　Is　it

thus　you　keep　faith　with　me？　You　will　make　me　doubt　the　evidence　of

your　friends；　you　will　make　me　think　that　indifference；　or　even

another　love〃



〃You　insult　me；〃　said　Bertrande；　rising　to　her　feet。



He　caught　her　in　his　arms。　　〃No；　no；　I　think　nothing　which　could

wound　you；　my　queen；　and　I　believe　your　fidelity；　even　as　before；　you

know；　on　that　first　journey；　when　you　wrote　me　these　loving　letters

which　I　have　treasured　ever　since。　　Here　they　are。〃　　And　he　drew

forth　some　papers；　on　which　Bertrande　recognised　her　own　handwriting。

〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　〃I　have　read　and　…re…read　them。。。。　　See；　you

spoke　then　of　your　love　and　the　sorrows　of　absence。　　But　why　all　this

trouble　and　terror？　　You　tremble；　just　as　you　did　when　I　first

received　you　from　your　father's　hands。。。。　　It　was　here；　in　this　very

room。。。。　　You　begged　me　then　to　leave　you；　to　let　you　spend　the　night

in　prayer；　but　I　insisted；　do　you　remember？　and　pressed　you　to　my

heart；　as　I　do　now。〃



〃Oh；〃　she　murmured　weakly；　〃have　pity！〃



But　the　words　were　intercepted　by　a　kiss；　and　the　remembrance　of　the

past；　the　happiness　of　the　present；　resumed　their　sway；　the　imaginary

terrors　were　forgotten；　and　the　curtains　closed　around　the　marriage…

bed。



The　next　day　was　a　festival　in　the　village　of　Artigues。　　Martin

returned　the　visits　of　all　who　had　come　to　welcome　him　the　previous

night；　and　there　were　endless　recognitions　and　embracings。　　The　young

men　remembered　that　he　had　played　with　them　when　they　were　little；

the　old　men；　that　they　had　been　at　his　wedding　when　he　was　only

twelve。



The　women　remembered　having　envied　Bertrande；　especially　the　pretty

Rose；　daughter　of　Marcel；　the　apothecary；　she　who　had　roused　the

demon　of　jealousy　in；　the　poor　wife's　heart。　　And　Rose　knew　quite

well　that　the　jealousy　was　not　without　some　cause；　for　Martin　had

indeed　shown　her　attention；　and　she　was　unable　to　see　him　again

without　emotion。　　She　was　now　the　wife　of　a　rich　peasant；　ugly；　old；

and　jealous；　and　she　compared；　sighing；　her　unhappy　lot　with　that　of

her　more　fortunate　neighbour。　　Martin's　sisters　detained　him　amongst

them；　and　spoke　of　their　childish　games　and　of　their　parents；　both

dead　in　Biscay。　　Martin　dried　the　tears　which　flowed　at　these

recollections　of　the　past；　and　turned　their　thoughts　to　rejoicing。

Banquets　were　given　and　received。　　Martin　invited　all　his　relations

and　former　friends；　an　easy　gaiety　prevailed。　　It　was　remarked　that

the　hero　of　the　feast　refrained　from　wine；　he　was　thereupon

reproached；　but　answered　that　on　account　of　the　wounds　he　had

received　he　was　obliged　to　avoid　excess。　　The　excuse　was　admitted；

the　result　of　Martin's　precautions　being　that　he　kept　a　clear　head　on

his　shoulders；　while　all　the　rest　had　their　tongues　loosed　by

drunkenness。



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　guests；　who　had　studied　a　little　medicine；

〃Martin　is　quite　right　to　be　afraid　of　drink。　　Wounds　which　have

thoroughly　healed　may　be　reopened　and　inflamed　by　intemperance；　and

wine　in　the　case　of　recent　wounds　is　deadly　poison。　　Men　have　died　on

the　field　of　battle　in　an　hour　or　two　merely　because　they　had

swallowed　a　little　brandy。〃



Martin　Guerre　grew　pale；　and　began　a　conversation　with　the　pretty

Rose；　his　neighbour。　　Bertrande　observed　this；　but　without

uneasiness；　she　had　suffered　too　much　from　her　former　suspicions；

besides　her　husband　showed　her　so　much　affection　that　she　was　now

quite　happy。



When　the　first　few　days　were　over；　Martin　began　to　look　into　his

affairs。　　His　property　had　suffered　by　his　long　absence；　and　he　was

obliged　to　go　to　Biscay　to　claim　his　little　estate　there；　the　law

having　already　laid　hands　upon　it。　　It　was　several　months　before；　by

dint　of　making　judicious　sacrifices；　he　could　regain　possession　of

the　house　and　fields　which　had　belonged　to　his　father。　　This　at　last

accomplished；　he　returned　to　Artigues；　in　order　to　resume　the

management　of　his　wife's　property；　and　with　this　end　in　view；　about

eleven　months　after　his　return；　he　paid　a　visit　to　his　uncle　Pierre。



Pierre　was　expecting　him；　he　was　extremely　polite；　desired　Martin　；

to　sit　down；　overwhelmed　him　with　compliments；　knitting　his　brows　as

he　discovered　that　his　nephew　decidedly　meant　business。　　Martin　broke

silence。



〃Uncle；〃　he　said；　〃I　come　to　thank　you　for　the　care　you　have　taken　of

my　wife's　property；　she　could　never　have　managed　it　alone。　　You　have

received　the　income　in　the　family　interest：　as　a　good　guardian；　I

expected　no　less　from　your　affection。　　But　now　that　I　have　returned；

and　am　free　from　other　cares；　we　will　go　over　the　accounts；　if　you

please。〃



His　uncle　coughed　and　cleared　his　voice　before　replying；　then　said

slowly；　as　if　counting　his　words



〃It　is　all　accounted　for；　my　dear　nephew；　Heaven　be　praised！　　I　don't

owe　you　anything。〃



〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　astonished　Martin；　〃but　the　whole　income？〃



〃Was　well　and　properly　employed　in　the　maintenance　of　your　wife　and

child。〃



〃What！　　a　thousand　livres　for　that？　　And　Bertrande　lived　alone；　so

quietly　and　simply！　　Nonsense！　it　is　impossible。〃



〃Any　surplus；〃　resumed　the　old　man；　quite　unmoved；〃　any　surplus

went　to　pay　the　expenses　of　seed…time　and　harvest。〃



〃What！　at　a　time　when　labour　costs　next　to　nothing？〃



〃Here　is　the　account；〃　said　Pierre。



〃Then　the　account　is　a　false　one；〃　returned　his　nephew。



Pierre　thought　it　advisable　to　appear　extremely　offended　and　angry；

and　Martin；　exasperated　at　his　evident　dishonesty；　took　still　higher

ground；　and　threatened　to　bring　an　action　against　him。　　Pierre

ordered　him　to　leave　the　house；　and　suiting　actions　to　words；　took

hold　of　his　arm　to　enforce　his　departure。　　Martin；　furious；　turned

and　raised　his　fist　to　strike。



〃What！　strike　your　uncle；　wretched　boy！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man。



Martin's　hand　dropped；　but　he　left　the　house　uttering　reproaches　and

insults；　among　which　Pierre　distinguished



〃Cheat　that　you　are！〃



〃That　is　a　word　I　shall　remember；〃　cried　the　angry　old　man；　slamming

his　door　violently。



Martin　brought　an　action　before　the　judge　at　Rieux；　and　in　course　of

time　obtained　a　decree；　which；　reviewing　the　accounts　presented　by

Pierre；　disallowed　them；　and　condemned　the　dishonest　guardian　to　pay

his　nephew　four　hundred　livres　for　each　year　of　his　administration。

The　day　on　which　this　sum　had　to　be　disbursed　from　his　strong　box　the

old　usurer　vowed　vengeance；　but　until　he　could　gratify　his　hatred　he

was　forced　to　conceal　it；　and　to　receive　attempts　at　reconciliation

with　a　friendly　smile。　　It　was　not　until　six　months　later；　on　the

occasion　of　a　joyous　festivity；　that　Martin　again　set　foot　in　his

uncle's　house。　　The　bells　were　ringing　for　the　birth　of　a　child；

there　was　great　gaiety　at　Bertrande's　house；　where　all　the　guests

were　waiting　on　the　threshold　for　the　godfather　in　order　to　take　the

infant　to　church；　and　when　Martin　appeared；　escorting　his　uncle；　who

was　adorned　with　a　huge　bouquet　for　the　occasion；　and　who　now　came

forward　and　took　the　hand　of　Rose；