登陆注册
14816900000112

第112章

Following the Marshal's bier came the old Marquis de Montauran, the brother of him who, in the great rising of the Chouans in 1799, had been the foe, the luckless foe, of Hulot. That Marquis, killed by the balls of the "Blues," had confided the interests of his young brother to the Republican soldier. (See /Les Chouans/.) Hulot had so faithfully acted on the noble Royalist's verbal will, that he succeeded in saving the young man's estates, though he himself was at the time an emigre. And so the homage of the old French nobility was not wanting to the leader who, nine years since, had conquered MADAME.

This death, happening just four days before the banns were cried for the last time, came upon Lisbeth like the thunderbolt that burns the garnered harvest with the barn. The peasant of Lorraine, as often happens, had succeeded too well. The Marshal had died of the blows dealt to the family by herself and Madame Marneffe.

The old maid's vindictiveness, which success seemed to have somewhat mollified, was aggravated by this disappointment of her hopes. Lisbeth went, crying with rage, to Madame Marneffe; for she was homeless, the Marshal having agreed that his lease was at any time to terminate with his life. Crevel, to console Valerie's friend, took charge of her savings, added to them considerably, and invested the capital in five per cents, giving her the life interest, and putting the securities into Celestine's name. Thanks to this stroke of business, Lisbeth had an income of about two thousand francs.

When the Marshal's property was examined and valued, a note was found, addressed to his sister-in-law, to his niece Hortense, and to his nephew Victorin, desiring that they would pay among them an annuity of twelve hundred francs to Mademoiselle Lisbeth Fischer, who was to have been his wife.

Adeline, seeing her husband between life and death, succeeded for some days in hiding from him the fact of his brother's death; but Lisbeth came, in mourning, and the terrible truth was told him eleven days after the funeral.

The crushing blow revived the sick man's energies. He got up, found his family collected in the drawing-room, all in black, and suddenly silent as he came in. In a fortnight, Hulot, as lean as a spectre, looked to his family the mere shadow of himself.

"I must decide on something," said he in a husky voice, as he seated himself in an easy-chair, and looked round at the party, of whom Crevel and Steinbock were absent.

"We cannot stay here, the rent is too high," Hortense was saying just as her father came in.

"As to a home," said Victorin, breaking the painful silence, "I can offer my mother----"

As he heard these words, which excluded him, the Baron raised his head, which was sunk on his breast as though he were studying the pattern of the carpet, though he did not even see it, and he gave the young lawyer an appealing look. The rights of a father are so indefeasibly sacred, even when he is a villain and devoid of honor, that Victorin paused.

"To your mother," the Baron repeated. "You are right, my son."

"The rooms over ours in our wing," said Celestine, finishing her husband's sentence.

"I am in your way, my dears?" said the Baron, with the mildness of a man who has judged himself. "But do not be uneasy as to the future; you will have no further cause for complaint of your father; you will not see him till the time when you need no longer blush for him."

He went up to Hortense and kissed her brow. He opened his arms to his son, who rushed into his embrace, guessing his father's purpose. The Baron signed to Lisbeth, who came to him, and he kissed her forehead.

Then he went to his room, whither Adeline followed him in an agony of dread.

"My brother was quite right, Adeline," he said, holding her hand. "I am unworthy of my home life. I dared not bless my children, who have behaved so nobly, but in my heart; tell them that I could only venture to kiss them; for the blessing of a bad man, a father who has been an assassin and the scourge of his family instead of its protector and its glory, might bring evil on them; but assure them that I shall bless them every day.--As to you, God alone, for He is Almighty, can ever reward you according to your merits!--I can only ask your forgiveness!" and he knelt at her feet, taking her hands and wetting them with his tears.

"Hector, Hector! Your sins have been great, but Divine Mercy is infinite, and you may repair all by staying with me.--Rise up in Christian charity, my dear--I am your wife, and not your judge. I am your possession; do what you will with me; take me wherever you go, I feel strong enough comfort you, to make life endurable to you, by the strength of my love, my care, and respect.--Our children are settled in life; they need me no more. Let me try to be an amusement to you, an occupation. Let me share the pain of your banishment and of your poverty, and help to mitigate it. I could always be of some use, if it were only to save the expense of a servant."

"Can you forgive, my dearly-beloved Adeline?"

"Yes, only get up, my dear!"

"Well, with that forgiveness I can live," said he, rising to his feet.

"I came back into this room that my children should not see their father's humiliation. Oh! the sight constantly before their eyes of a father so guilty as I am is a terrible thing; it must undermine parental influence and break every family tie. So I cannot remain among you, and I must go to spare you the odious spectacle of a father bereft of dignity. Do not oppose my departure Adeline. It would only be to load with your own hand the pistol to blow my brains out. Above all, do not seek me in my hiding-place; you would deprive me of the only strong motive remaining in me, that of remorse."

Hector's decisiveness silenced his dejected wife. Adeline, lofty in the midst of all this ruin, had derived her courage from her perfect union with her husband; for she had dreamed of having him for her own, of the beautiful task of comforting him, of leading him back to family life, and reconciling him to himself.

同类推荐
  • 海岛算经

    海岛算经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 寄从兄璞

    寄从兄璞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Jeremy

    Jeremy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 书法纶贯

    书法纶贯

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 夷坚志全集

    夷坚志全集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 校花夜夜香

    校花夜夜香

    佣兵之王许意被自家老头子威逼利诱之下,无奈跑去做了校花的贴身保镖,奈何每当夜晚校花的闺房总是传来一阵诱人的香味,终于有一天,许意按耐不住,推门而入......
  • 天价妻至:总裁绕道而行

    天价妻至:总裁绕道而行

    一觉醒来,身边躺了个男人……哦不,这个放大版的宝贝是谁?黑道八年抗战结束,女主回归伟大祖国。卸了百度而天天找自己麻烦的萌宝报告:“妈咪,我看见大街上那男的和一女的抱在一起!大街上抱在一起!”“你告诉我干嘛?要我去送防护?”“可是……可是……那女的香水味熏死我了,还让我听到了非礼言论!”女主一拍手:“好办,叫上哥哥,找你爹地要精神损失!”萌宝撇嘴:“妈咪,你不是一直说我是你星际穿越路过火星捡来的吗?”
  • 一夜钟情:总裁好好爱

    一夜钟情:总裁好好爱

    这是一个疯狂的夜,苏暖和方允来到夜市“恋恋不忘”参加什么神秘晚会,进去的人都得带上面具,第一次来这的苏暖有些不适应,紧张的一直拉着方允的手………………
  • 斩仙纪

    斩仙纪

    修炼一途,在于筑根基,夺天地,塑万象,凝元神,渡天劫,遨游于三界五行之外……为了逍遥长生,历三灾九劫,纵死无悔!人挡杀人,仙挡斩仙!PS:本书主角不会万般奇遇,剧情必定会历经千百磨难,让你看的跌宕起伏;美丽的女主角也会有的,而且戏份也不会少,喜欢YY一下的朋友也可以一观哦~不求月票,有推荐票的朋友请推荐!没有推荐票的朋友请收藏,收藏是不需要钱的,只要有一个起点帐号就行了!收藏“不”=把网址加入亲电脑浏览器的收藏夹收藏=小说首页封面下面的:加入书架收藏=阅读小说某一章节的右上方的:加入书架书签这个对西豆真的很重要,亲的支持,是西豆的无限动力!衷心的谢谢大家!
  • 【街舞公主】:栀子纯恋(完结)

    【街舞公主】:栀子纯恋(完结)

    本文原名:震撼视觉【街舞公主】筱筱处女作~~喜欢的亲可以加群三:21441032。验证写;栀子。前后转折有点大,但其实我很喜欢这个故事。它是我成长的标志!希望亲们能够包容它!!
  • 至尊小魔妃

    至尊小魔妃

    16岁的菜鸟杀手,一朝魂穿。坐拥万人瞩目的青苹剑,身怀绝世玲珑宝塔,培灵草,植灵树,建万人势力,她不在是人人都能欺之的废物。拥有契兽术,天下魔兽求契约,阵法现,天下阵法大师求拜师。逆天回归,遇神杀神,遇魔封魔,可是,这魔咋回事,怎么封也封不住呢!他,魔之子,从小被送往人间历练,成为人类之子,人前,冷血嗜杀,在她面前,温柔似水。“娘子,爱是什么。”某男一脸单蠢的问道;“滚。”某女一脸羞红,怒吼一声。“这我会,走,滚地毯去。”说完,某男把某女一扑,然后之……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 罂粟纪

    罂粟纪

    那夜,天犬食日之时,朝廷皇族斩杀身为奴隶的楚牧,本命渺小的他,要躲过这一劫。举世皆敌,可他只是一个奴隶,他究竟该何去何从。………………………………愿一切都好吧!
  • 神秘占星术

    神秘占星术

    从诞生的那一刻起,占星术就因其“预言”的超强功能而引起人们的兴趣。无论是古代巴比伦、希腊一罗马还是中国,许多占星家以及他们的“预言”都曾产生过巨大的社会影响。更重要的是,不管我们愿不愿意承认,在某些特殊时期,占星术还深深介入到国家的政治生活中,并在相当程度上决定了历史的发展。所有这一切,都给占星术蒙上了一层神秘的面纱。而千百年来留下来的各种传奇故事,也长久地吸引着人们的目光。作为一本有关占星术的科普读物.
  • 异世之归心

    异世之归心

    一把祖传的古剑,带起了一段风雨,远古的荣誉是否能被找回,而他又是否能回到家人的身边,归心,归的是远在异乡的游子。不知道,什么时候才能踏上回家的道路,而在这条路上,又会有什么样的坎坷在等着他。秦沙,用一生,来创造一个辉煌。
  • 天骄月明

    天骄月明

    勇救小女孩的李伟,被劫匪的一颗子弹击穿心脏,来到另一个完全不同的冷兵器时代。父亲是大将军,外公是当朝太师,听说随时都有推翻当今皇帝,然后取而代之的实力。看来在前世匆匆谢幕的李伟,怎么说都要在这个世界打下一片大大的江山才算没白穿。可这刚出场就元气尽失,父亲仓促起兵被贬为庶民。(简介再多也没用,内容精彩最重要,还等什么,赶紧点进来啊!)