CHAPTER XX.
These were not words; they were electric shocks.
The two arms that gripped Rose's arms were paralyzed, and dropped offthem; and there was silence.
Then first the thought of all she had done with those three wordsbegan to rise and grow and surge over her. She stood, her eyes turneddownwards, yet inwards, and dilating with horror.
Silence.
Now a mist began to spread over her eyes, and in it she saw indistinctlythe figure of Raynal darting to her sister's side, and raising her head.
She dared not look round on the other side. She heard feet stagger onthe floor. She heard a groan, too; but not a word.
Horrible silence.
With nerves strung to frenzy, and quivering ears, that magnified everysound, she waited for a reproach, a curse; either would have been somelittle relief. But no! a silence far more terrible.
Then a step wavered across the room. Her soul was in her ear. She couldhear and feel the step totter, and it shook her as it went. All soundswere trebled to her. Then it struck on the stone step of the staircase,not like a step, but a knell; another step, another and another; down tothe very bottom. Each slow step made her head ring and her heart freeze.
At last she heard no more. Then a scream of anguish and recall roseto her lips. She fought it down, for Josephine and Raynal. Edouardwas gone. She had but her sister now, the sister she loved better thanherself; the sister to save whose life and honor she had this momentsacrificed her own, and all a woman lives for.
She turned, with a wild cry of love and pity, to that sister's side tohelp her; and when she kneeled down beside her, an iron arm was promptlythrust out between the beloved one and her.
"This is my care, madame," said Raynal, coldly.
There was no mistaking his manner. The stained one was not to touch hiswife.
She looked at him in piteous amazement at his ingratitude. "It is well,"said she. "It is just. I deserve this from you."
She said no more, but drooped gently down beside the cradle, and hid herforehead in the clothes beside the child that had brought all this woe,and sobbed bitterly.
Then honest Raynal began to be sorry for her, in spite of himself. Butthere was no time for this. Josephine stirred; and, at the same moment,a violent knocking came at the door of the apartment, and the newservant's voice, crying, "Ladies, for Heaven's sake, what is the matter?The baroness heard a fall--she is getting up--she will be here. Whatshall I tell her is the matter?"
Raynal was going to answer, but Rose, who had started up at theknocking, put her hand in a moment right before his mouth, and ran tothe door. "There is nothing the matter; tell mamma I am coming down toher directly." She flew back to Raynal in an excitement little short offrenzy. "Help me carry her into her own room," cried she imperiously.Raynal obeyed by instinct; for the fiery girl spoke like a general,giving the word of command, with the enemy in front. He carried the trueculprit in his arms, and laid her gently on her bed.
"Now put IT out of sight--take this, quick, man! quick!" cried Rose.
Raynal went to the cradle. "Ah! my poor girl," said he, as he lifted itin his arms, "this is a sorry business; to have to hide your own childfrom your own mother!"
"Colonel Raynal," said Rose, "do not insult a poor, despairing girl.C'est lache."
"I am silent, young woman," said Raynal, sternly. "What is to be done?"
"Take it down the steps, and give it to Jacintha. Stay, here is acandle; I go to tell mamma you are come; and, Colonel Raynal, I neverinjured YOU: if you tell my mother you will stab her to the heart, andme, and may the curse of cowards light on you!--may"--
"Enough!" said Raynal, sternly. "Do you take me for a babbling girl? Ilove your mother better than you do, or this brat of yours would not behere. I shall not bring her gray hairs down with sorrow to the grave. Ishall speak of this villany to but one person; and to him I shall talkwith this, and not with the idle tongue." And he tapped his sword-hiltwith a sombre look of terrible significance.
He carried out the cradle. The child slept sweetly through it all.
Rose darted into Josephine's room, took the key from the inside to theoutside, locked the door, put the key in her pocket, and ran down to hermother's room; her knees trembled under her as she went.
Meantime, Jacintha, sleeping tranquilly, suddenly felt her throatgriped, and heard a loud voice ring in her ear; then she was lifted, andwrenched, and dropped. She found herself lying clear of the steps in themoonlight; her head was where her feet had been, and her candle out.
She uttered shriek upon shriek, and was too frightened to get up. Shethought it was supernatural; some old De Beaurepaire had served her thusfor sleeping on her post. A struggle took place between her fidelity andher superstitious fears. Fidelity conquered. Quaking in every limb, shegroped up the staircase for her candle.
It was gone.
Then a still more sickening fear came over her.
What if this was no spirit's work, but a human arm--a strong one--someman's arm?
Her first impulse was to dart up the stairs, and make sure that nocalamity had befallen through her mistimed drowsiness. But, when shecame to try, her dread of the supernatural revived. She could notventure without a light up those stairs, thronged perhaps with angryspirits. She ran to the kitchen. She found the tinderbox, and withtrembling hands struck a light. She came back shading it with her shakyhands; and, committing her soul to the care of Heaven, she crept quakingup the stairs. Then she heard voices above, and that restored her more;she mounted more steadily. Presently she stopped, for a heavy step wascoming down. It did not sound like a woman's step. It came further down;she turned to fly.
"Jacintha!" said a deep voice, that in this stone cylinder rang likethunder from a tomb.
"Oh! saints and angels save me!" yelled Jacintha; and fell on her knees,and hid her head for security; and down went her candlestick clatteringon the stone.
"Don't be a fool!" said the iron voice. "Get up and take this."
She raised her head by slow degrees, shuddering. A man was holding out acradle to her; the candle he carried lighted up his face; it was ColonelRaynal.
She stared at him stupidly, but never moved from her knees, and thecandle began to shake violently in her hand, as she herself trembledfrom head to foot.
Then Raynal concluded she was in the plot; but, scorning to reproach aservant, he merely said, "Well, what do you kneel there for, gaping atme like that? Take this, I tell you, and carry it out of the house."
He shoved the cradle roughly down into her hands, then turned on hisheel without a word.
Jacintha collapsed on the stairs, and the cradle beside her, for allthe power was driven out of her body; she could hardly support her ownweight, much less the cradle.
She rocked herself, and moaned out, "Oh, what's this? oh, what's this?"
A cold perspiration came over her whole frame.
"What could this mean? What on earth had happened?"
She took up the candle, for it was lying burning and guttering on thestairs; scraped up the grease with the snuffers, and by force of habittried to polish it clean with a bit of paper that shook between herfingers; she did not know what she was doing. When she recovered herwits, she took the child out of the cradle, and wrapped it carefully inher shawl; then went slowly down the stairs; and holding him close toher bosom, with a furtive eye, and brain confused, and a heart likelead, stole away to the tenantless cottage, where Madame Jouvenelawaited her.
Meantime, Rose, with quaking heart, had encountered the baroness. Shefound her pale and agitated, and her first question was, "What is thematter? what have you been all doing over my head?"
"Darling mother," replied Rose, evasively, "something has happened thatwill rejoice your heart. Somebody has come home."
"My son? eh, no! impossible! We cannot be so happy."
"He will be with you directly."
The old lady now trembled with joyful agitation.
"In five minutes I w
ill bring him to you. Shall you be dressed? I willring for the girl to help you."
"But, Rose, the scream, and that terrible fall. Ah! where is Josephine?"
"Can't you guess, mamma? Oh, the fall was only the screen; they stumbledover it in the dark."
"They! who?"
"Colonel Raynal, and--and Edouard. I will tell you, mamma, but don't beangry, or even mention it; they wanted to surprise us. They saw a lightburning, and they crept on tiptoe up to the tapestried room, whereJosephine and I were, and they did give us a great fright."
"What madness!" cried the baroness, angrily; "and in Josephine's weakstate! Such a surprise might have driven her into a fit."
"Yes, it was foolish, but let it pass, mamma. Don't speak of it, for heis so sorry about it."
Then Rose slipped out, ordered a fire in the salon, and not in thetapestried room, and the next minute was at her sister's door. There shefound Raynal knocking, and asking Josephine how she was.
"Pray leave her to me a moment," said she. "I will bring her down toyou. Mamma is waiting for you in the salon."
Raynal went down. Rose unlocked the bedroom-door, went in, and, to herhorror, found Josephine lying on the floor. She dashed water in herface, and applied every remedy; and at last she came back to life, andits terrors.
"Save me, Rose! save me--he is coming to kill me--I heard him at thedoor," and she clung trembling piteously to Rose.
Then Rose, seeing her terror, was almost glad at the suicidal falsehoodshe had told. She comforted and encouraged Josephine and--deceived her.(This was the climax.)
"All is well, my poor coward," she cried; "your fears are all imaginary;another has owned the child, and the story is believed."
"Another! impossible! He would not believe it."
"He does believe it--he shall believe it."
Rose then, feeling by no means sure that Josephine, terrified as shewas, would consent to let her sister come to shame to screen her, toldher boldly that Jacintha had owned herself the mother of the child, andthat Raynal's only feeling towards HER was pity, and regret at havingso foolishly frightened her, weakened as she was by illness. "I told himyou had been ill, dear. But how came you on the ground?"
"I had come to myself; I was on my knees praying. He tapped. I heard hisvoice. I remember no more. I must have fainted again directly."
Rose had hard work to make her believe that her guilt, as she calledit, was not known; and even then she could not prevail on her to comedown-stairs, until she said, "If you don't, he will come to you." Onthat Josephine consented eagerly, and with trembling fingers began toadjust her hair and her dress for the interview.
All this terrible night Rose fought for her sister. She took herdown-stairs to the salon; she put her on the sofa; she sat by her andpressed her hand constantly to give her courage. She told the story ofthe surprise her own way, before the whole party, including the doctor,to prevent Raynal from being called on to tell it his way. She laughedat Josephine's absurdity, but excused it on account of her feeblehealth. In short, she threw more and more dust in all their eyes.
But by the time when the rising sun came faintly in and lighted thehaggard party, where the deceived were happy, the deceivers wretched,the supernatural strength this young girl had shown was almostexhausted. She felt an hysterical impulse to scream and weep: eachminute it became more and more ungovernable. Then came an unexpectedturn. Raynal after a long and tiring talk with his mother, as he calledher, looked at his watch, and in a characteristic way coolly announcedhis immediate departure, this being the first hint he had given themthat he was not come back for good.
The baroness was thunderstruck.
Rose and Josephine pressed one another's hands, and had much ado not toutter a loud cry of joy.
Raynal explained that he was the bearer of despatches. "I must be off:not an hour to lose. Don't fret, mother, I shall soon be back again, ifI am not knocked on the head."
Raynal took leave of them all. When it came to Rose's turn, he drew heraside and whispered into her ear, "Who is the man?"
She started, and seemed dumfounded.
"Tell me, or I ask my wife."
"She has promised me not to betray me: I made her swear. Spare me now,brother; I will tell you all when you come back."
"That is a bargain: now hear ME swear: he shall marry you, or he shalldie by my hand."
He confirmed this by a tremendous oath.
Rose shuddered, but said nothing, only she thought to herself, "I amforewarned. Never shall you know who is the father of that child."
He was no sooner gone than the baroness insisted on knowing what thisprivate communication between him and Rose was about.
"Oh," said Rose, "he was only telling me to keep up your courage andJosephine's till he comes back."
This was the last lie the poor entangled wretch had to tell thatmorning. The next minute the sisters, exhausted by their terriblestruggle, went feebly, with downcast eyes, along the corridor and up thestaircase to Josephine's room.
They went hand in hand. They sank down, dressed as they were, onJosephine's bed, and clung to one another and trembled together, tilltheir exhausted natures sank into uneasy slumbers, from which each inturn would wake ever and anon with a convulsive start, and clasp hersister tighter to her breast.
Theirs was a marvellous love. Even a course of deceit had not yetprevailed to separate or chill their sister bosoms. But still in thisdeep and wonderful love there were degrees: one went a shade deeper thanthe other now--ay, since last night. Which? why, she who had sacrificedherself for the other, and dared not tell her, lest the sacrifice shouldbe refused.
It was the gray of the morning, and foggy, when Raynal, after takingleave, went to the stable for his horse. At the stable-door he came upona man sitting doubled up on the very stones of the yard, with his headon his knees. The figure lifted his head, and showed him the face ofEdouard Riviere, white and ghastly: his hair lank with the mist, histeeth chattering with cold and misery. The poor wretch had walkedfrantically all night round and round the chateau, waiting till Raynalshould come out. He told him so.
"But why didn't you?--Ah! I see. No! you could not go into the houseafter that. My poor fellow, there is but one thing for you to do. Turnyour back on her, and forget she ever lived; she is dead to you."
"There is something to be done besides that," said Edouard, gloomily.
"What?"
"Vengeance."
"That is my affair, young man. When I come back from the Rhine, she willtell me who her seducer is. She has promised."
"And don't you see through that?" said Edouard, gnashing his teeth;"that is only to gain time: she will never tell you. She is young inyears, but old in treachery."
He groaned and was silent a moment, then laying his hand on Raynal's armsaid grimly, "Thank Heaven, we don't depend on her for information! Iknow the villain."
Raynal's eyes flashed: "Ah! then tell me this moment."
"It is that scoundrel Dujardin."
"Dujardin! What do you mean?"
"I mean that, while you were fighting for France, your house was turnedinto a hospital for wounded soldiers."
"And pray, sir, to what more honorable use could they put it?"
"Well, this Dujardin was housed by you, was nursed by your wife and allthe family; and in return has seduced your sister, my affianced."
"I can hardly believe that. Camille Dujardin was always a man of honor,and a good soldier."
"Colonel, there has been no man near the place but this Dujardin. I tellyou it is he. Don't make me tear my bleeding heart out: must I tell youhow often I caught them together, how I suspected, and how she gulledme? blind fool that I was, to believe a woman's words before my owneyes. I swear to you he is the villain; the only question is, which ofus two is to kill him."
"Where is the man?"
"In the army of the Rhine."
"Ah! all the better."
"Covered with glory and honor. Curse him! oh, curse him! curse him!"
"I am in luck. I am going to the Rhine."
"I know it. That is why I waited here all through this night of misery.Yes, you are in luck. But you will send me a line when you have killedhim; will you not? Then I shall know joy again. Should he escape you, heshall not escape me."
"Young man," said Raynal, with dignity, "this rage is unmanly. Besides,we have not heard his side of the story. He is a good soldier; perhapshe is not all to blame: or perhaps passion has betrayed him into a sinthat his conscience and honor disapprove: if so, he must not die. Youthink only of your wrong: it is natural: but I am the girl's brother;guardian of her honor and my own. His life is precious as gold. I shallmake him marry her."
"What! reward him for his villany?" cried Edouard, frantically.
"A mighty reward," replied Raynal, with a sneer.
"You leave one thing out of the calculation, monsieur," said Edouard,trembling with anger, "that I will kill your brother-in-law at thealtar, before her eyes."
"YOU leave one thing out of the calculation: that you will first have tocross swords, at the altar, with me."
"So be it. I will not draw on my old commandant. I could not; but besure I will catch him and her alone some day, and the bride shall be awidow in her honeymoon."
"As you please," said Raynal, coolly. "That is all fair, as you havebeen wronged. I shall make her an honest wife, and then you may makeher an honest widow. (This is what they call LOVE, and sneer at me forkeeping clear of it.) But neither he nor you shall keep MY SISTER whatshe is now, a ----," and he used a word out of camp.
Edouard winced and groaned. "Oh! don't call her by such a name. Thereis some mystery. She loved me once. There must have been some strangeseduction."
"Now you deceive yourself," said Raynal. "I never saw a girl that couldtake her own part better than she can; she is not like her sister atall in character. Not that I excuse him; it was a dishonorable act, anungrateful act to my wife and my mother."
"And to you."
"Now listen to me: in four days I shall stand before him. I shall notgo into a pet like you; I am in earnest. I shall just say to him,'Dujardin, I know all!' Then if he is guilty his face will show itdirectly. Then I shall say, 'Comrade, you must marry her whom you havedishonored.'"
"He will not. He is a libertine, a rascal."
"You are speaking of a man you don't know. He WILL marry her and repairthe wrong he has done."
"Suppose he refuses?"
"Why should he refuse? The girl is not ugly nor old, and if she has donea folly, he was her partner in it."
"But SUPPOSE he refuses?"
Raynal ground his teeth. "Refuse? If he does, I'll run my sword throughhis carcass then and there, and the hussy shall go into a convent."
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