the countess of saint geran- 第2部分

〃Stay；〃　replied　the　girl；　grasping　his　arm；　〃at　the　left…hand　corner

of　the　yard　there　is　a　large　heap　of　straw；　the　gallery　hangs　just

over　it〃



〃Bravo！　　I　shall　make　less　noise；　and　do　myself　less　mischief。〃　　He

made　a　step　towards　the　door；　tie　girl；　hardly　knowing　what　she　was

doing；　tried　to　detain　him；　but　he　got　loose　from　her　and　opened　it。

The　moon　was　shining　brightly　into　the　yard；　he　heard　no　sound。　　He

proceeded　to　the　end　of　the　wooden　rail；　and　perceived　the　dungheap；

which　rose　to　a　good　height：　the　girl　made　the　sign　of　the　cross。

The　marquis　listened　once　again；　heard　nothing；　and　mounted　the　rail。

He　was　about　to　jump　down；　when　by　wonderful　luck　he　heard　murmurings

from　a　deep　voice。　　This　proceeded　from　one　of　two　horsemen；　who　were

recommencing　their　conversation　and　passing　between　them　a　pint　of

wine。　　The　marquis　crept　back　to　his　door；　holding　his　breath：　the

girl　was　awaiting　him　on　the　threshold。



〃I　told　you　it　was　not　yet　time；〃　said　she。



〃Have　you　never　a　knife；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃to　cut　those　rascals'

throats　with？〃



〃Wait；　I　entreat　you；　one　hour；　one　hour　only；〃　murmured　the　young

girl；　〃in　an　hour　they　will　all　be　asleep。〃



The　girl's　voice　was　so　sweet；　the　arms　which　she　stretched　towards

him　were　full　of　such　gentle　entreaty；　that　the　marquis　waited；　and

at　the　end　of　an　hour　it　was　the　young　girl's　turn　to　tell　him　to

start。



The　marquis　for　the　last　time　pressed　with　his　mouth　those　lips　but

lately　so　innocent；　then　he　half　opened　the　door；　and　heard　nothing

this　time　but　dogs　barking　far　away　in　an　otherwise　silent　country。

He　leaned　over　the　balustrade；　and　saw：　very　plainly　a　soldier　lying

prone　on　the　straw。



〃If　they　were　to　awake？〃　murmured　the　young　girl　in　accents　of

anguish。



〃They　will　not　take　me　alive；　be　assured；〃　said　the　marquis。



〃Adieu；　then；〃　replied　she；　sobbing；　〃may　Heaven　preserve　you！〃



He　bestrode　the　balustrade；　spread　himself　out　upon　it；　and　fell

heavily　on　the　dungheap。　　The　young　girl　saw　him　run　to　the　shed；

hastily　detach　a　horse；　pass　behind　the　stable　wall；　spur　his　horse

in　both　flanks；　tear　across　the　kitchen　garden；　drive　his　horse

against　the　hurdle；　knock　it　down；　clear　it；　and　reach　the　highroad

across　the　fields。



The　poor　girl　remained　at　the　end　of　the　gallery；　fixing　her　eyes　on

the　sleeping　sentry；　and　ready　to　disappear　at　the　slightest

movement。　　The　noise　made　by　spurs　on　the　pavement　and　by　the　horse

at　the　end　of　the　courtyard　had　half　awakened　him。　　He　rose；　and

suspecting　some　surprise；　ran　to　the　shed。　　His　horse　was　no　longer

there；　the　marquis；　in　his　haste　to　escape；　had　taken　the　first　which

came　to　hand；　and　this　was　the　soldier's。　　Then　the　soldier　gave　the

alarm；　his　comrades　woke　up。　　They　ran　to　the　prisoner's　room；　and

found　it　empty。　　The　provost　came　from　his　bed　in　a　dazed　condition。

The　prisoner　had　escaped。



Then　the　young　girl；　pretending　to　have　been　roused　by　the　noise；

hindered　the　preparations　by　mislaying　the　saddlery；　impeding　the

horsemen　instead　of　helping　them；　nevertheless；　after　a　quarter　of　an

hour；　all　the　party　were　galloping　along　the　road。　　The　provost　swore

like　a　pagan。　　The　best　horses　led　the　way；　and　the　sentinel；　who

rode　the　marquis's；　and　who　had　a　greater　interest　in　catching　the

prisoner；　far　outstripped　his　companions；　he　was　followed　by　the

sergeant；　equally　well　mounted；　and　as　the　broken　fence　showed　the

line　he　had　taken；　after　some　minutes　they　were　in　view　of　him；　but

at　a　great　distance。　　However；　the　marquis　was　losing　ground；　the

horse　he　had　taken　was　the　worst　in　the　troop；　and　he　had　pressed　it

as　hard　as　it　could　go。　　Turning　in　the　saddle；　he　saw　the　soldiers

half　a　musket…shot　off；　he　urged　his　horse　more　and　more；　tearing　his

sides　with　his　spurs；　but　shortly　the　beast；　completely　winded。

foundered；　the　marquis　rolled　with　it　in　the　dust；　but　when　rolling

over　he　caught　hold　of　the　holsters；　which　he　found　to　contain

pistols；　he　lay　flat　by　the　side　of　the　horse；　as　if　he　had　fainted；

with　a　pistol　at　full　cock　in　his　hand。　　The　sentinel；　mounted　on　a

valuable　horse；　and　more　than　two　hundred　yards　ahead　of　his

serafile；　came　up　to　him。　　In　a　moment　the　marquis；　jumping　up　before

he　had　tune　to　resist　him；　shot　him　through　the　head；　the　horseman

fell；　the　marquis　jumped　up　in　his　place　without　even　setting　foot　in

the　stirrup；　started　off　at　a　gallop；　and　went　away　like　the　wind；

leaving　fifty　yards　behind　him　the　non…commissioned　officer；

dumbfounded　with　what　had　just　passed　before　his　eyes。



The　main　body　of　the　escort　galloped　up；　thinking　that　he　was　taken；

and　the　provost　shouted　till　he　was　hoarse；　〃Do　not　kill　him！〃　But

they　found　only　the　sergeant；　trying　to　restore　life　to　his　man；

whose　skull　was　shattered；　and　who　lay　dead　on　the　spot。



As　for　the　marquis；　he　was　out　of　sight；　for；　fearing　a　fresh

pursuit；　he　had　plunged　into　the　cross　roads；　along　which　he　rode　a

good　hour　longer　at　full　gallop。　　When　he　felt　pretty　sure　of　having

shaken　the　police　off　his　track；　and　that　their　bad　horses　could　not

overtake　him；　he　determined　to　slacken　to　recruit　his　horse；　he　was

walking　him　along　a　hollow　lane；　when　he　saw　a　peasant　approaching；

he　asked　him　the　road　to　the　Bourbonnais；　and　flung　him　a　crown。　　The

man　took　the　crown　and　pointed　out　the　road；　but　he　seemed　hardly　to

know　what　he　was　saying；　and　stared　at　the　marquis　in　a　strange

manner。　　The　marquis　shouted　to　him　to　get　out　of　the　way；　but　the

peasant　remained　planted　on　the　roadside　without　stirring　an　inch。

The　marquis　advanced　with　threatening　looks；　and　asked　how　he　dared

to　stare　at　him　like　that。



〃The　reason　is；〃　said　the　peasant；　〃that　you　have〃；　and　he

pointed　to　his　shoulder　and　his　ruff。



The　marquis　glanced　at　his　dress；　and　saw　that　his　coat　was　dabbled

in　blood；　which；　added　to　the　disorder　of　his　clothes　and　the　dust

with　which　he　was　covered；　gave　him　a　most　suspicious　aspect。



〃I　know；〃　said　he。　　〃I　and　my　servant　have　been　separated　in　a

scuffle　with　some　drunken　Germans；　it's　only　a　tipsy　spree；　and

whether　I　have　got　scratched；　or　whether　in　collaring　one　of　these

fellows　I　have　drawn　some　of　his　blood；　it　all　arises　from　the　row。

I　don't　think　I　am　hurt　a　bit。〃　　So　saying；　he　pretended　to　feel　all

over　his　body。



〃All　the　same；〃　he　continued；　〃I　should　not　be　sorry　to　have　a　wash；

besides；　I　am　dying　with　thirst　and　heat；　and　my　horse　is　in　no

better　case。　　Do　you　know　where　I　can　rest　and　refresh　myself？〃



The　peasant　offered　to　guide　him　to　his　own　house；　only　a　few　yards

off。　　His　wife　and　children；　who　were　working；　respectfully　stood

aside；　and　went　to　collect　what　was　wantedwine；　water；　fruit；　and　a

large　piece　of　black　bread。　　The　marquis　sponged　his　coat；　drank　a

glass　of　wine；　and　called　the　people　of　the　house；　whom　he　questioned

in　an　indifferent　manner。　　He　once　more　informed　himself　of　the

different　roads　leading　into　the　Bourbonnais　province；　where　he　was

going　to　visit　a　relative；　of　the　villages；　cross　roads；　distances；

and　finally　he　spoke　of　the　country；　the　harvest；　and　asked　what　news

there　was。



The　peasant　replied；　with　regard　to　this；　that　it　was　surprising　to

hear　of　disturbances　on　the　highway　at　this　moment；　when　it　was

patrolled　by　detachments　of　mounted　police；　who　had　just　made　an

important　capture。



〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　the　marquis。



〃Oh；〃　said　the　peasant；　〃a　nobleman　who　has　done　a　lot　of　mischief　in

the　country。〃



〃What！　a　nobleman　in　the　hands　of　justice？〃



〃Just　so；　and　he　stands　a　good　chance　of　losing　his　head。〃



〃Do　they　say　what　he　has　done？〃



〃Shocking　things；　horrid　things；　everything　he　shouldn't　do。　　All　the

province　is　exasperated　with　him。〃



〃Do　you　know　him？〃



〃No；　but　we　all　have　his　description。〃



As　this　news　was　not　encouraging；　the　marquis；　after　a　few　more

questions；　saw　to　his　horse；　patted　him；　threw　some　more　money　to　the

peasant；　and　disappeared　in　the　direction　pointed　out。



The　provost　proceeded　half　a　league　farther　along　the　road；　but

coming　to　the　conclusion　that　pursuit　was　useless；　he　sent　one　of　his

men　to　headquarters；　to　warn　all　the　points　of　exit　from　the

province；　and　himself　returned　with　his　troop　to　the　place　whence　he

had　started　in　the　morning。　　The　marquis　had　relatives　in　the

neighbourhood；　and　it　was　quite　possible　that　he　might　seek　shelter

with　some　of　them。　　All　the　village　ran　to　meet　the　horsemen；　who

were　obliged　to　confess　that　they　had　been　duped　by　the　handsome

prisoner。　　Different　views　were　expressed　on　the　event；　which　gave

rise　to　much　talking。　　The　provost　entered　the　inn；　banging　his　fist

on　the　furniture；　and　blaming　everybody　for　the　misfortune　which　had

happened　to　him。　　The　daughter　of　the　house；　at　first　a　prey　to　the

most　grievous　anxiety；　had　great　difficulty　in　concealing　her　joy。



The　provost　spread　his　papers　over　the　table；　as　if　to　nurse　his

ill…temper。



〃The　biggest　rascal　in　the　world！〃　he　cried；　〃I　ought　to　have

suspected　him。〃



〃What　a　handsome　man　he　was！〃　said　the　hostess。



〃A　consummate　rascal！　　Do　you　know　who　he　is？　　He　is　the　Marquis　de

Saint…Maixent！〃



〃The　Marquis　de　Saint…Maixent！〃all　cried　with　horror。



〃Yes；　the　very　man；〃　replied　the　provost；　〃the　Marquis　de

Saint…Maixent；　accused；　and　indeed　convicted；　of　coining　and　magic。〃



〃Ah！〃



〃Convicted　of　incest。〃



〃O　my　God！〃



〃Convicted　of　having　strangled　his　wife　to　marry　another；　whose

husband　he　had　first　stabbed。〃



〃Heaven　help　us！〃　All　crossed　themselves。



〃Yes；　good　people；〃　continued　the　furious　provost；　〃this　is　the　nice

boy　who　has　just　escaped　the　king's　justice！〃



The　host's　daughter　left　the　room；　for　she　felt　she　was　going　to

faint。



〃But；〃　said　the　host；　〃is　there　no　hope　of　catching　him　again？〃



〃Not　t