CHAPTER XXXVIII.
It is very rarely, indeed, I believe, that human beings become, evenby long habit, so hardened in evil as to commit crimes deliberately,without some shrinking reluctance, without some moments of hesitationand dismay. The voice of conscience may be reduced to a whisper; butstill, if an interval of silence occurs in the tumult of the passions,that whisper is heard. If unattended to for reformation of purpose, itdoes, indeed, but serve to irritate the guilty mind to more culpableexcess; for conscience, by those who are resolute in wickedness, issoon ranked amongst their enemies, as one of those to be overcome bythe more vehement opposition; and in its defiance they go beyond eventhe point they at first desired, as a fierce and hard-mouthed horseleaps much farther than is necessary to clear an opposing fence.
As Madame de Chazeul walked to her room with her brother, a momentaryglimpse, a vision as in a dream, a picture like the scene of a play,presented itself to her all at once, of the complicated intrigue inwhich she had involved herself, the difficulties which awaited herwhichever way she turned, the consequences of the deceits she hadpractised, their ultimate exposure, and the contempt and suspicionwhich might follow her after-life, from the discovery of all thefalsehoods she had told, and all the arts she had had recourse to.
For a single instant the question shot across her mind, like a flashof lightning, "If men will so judge me, how will judge me, God?" Butthat gleam of awful light she crushed out, in an instant, like a dyingspark in a mass of tinder; and to all the rest she had a ready, and toher convincing, answer, "I shall have triumphed! That is enough!Success is justification!"
Hers was the philosophy of a great modern usurper, applied to domesticlife; and the springs which moved her in many of her proceedings, werenot very different from his own.
The next consideration was the government of her brother; and step bystep, through the hall and up the stairs, the incredible rapidity ofthought brought her to new conclusions; not a footfall but had itsthousand questions and replies in her own breast, its examination ofplans and results, its calculations of character, its meditation ofweakness, and its application of the means to the end. Half a lifetimewas spent between the court and her own apartments--I mean thoughtsthat would have filled half a lifetime better disposed; but when shereached her own door, her mind was calm and clear; and she enteredwith the full assurance of overruling all opposition, extinguishingall suspicion, working out her own schemes, in despite of everycombination of circumstances against her, ay! and of taking revenge,and closing the tomb over one of the chief sources of doubt andanxiety for the future.
The large ante-room in which her maids slept was vacant, for they wereengaged with their mistress's dress in the chamber beyond; and with asmiling countenance, as if all memory of the ceremony just past, hadleft her on the staircase, she invited her brother with somewhatformal courtesy to be seated, closed the door, and then began, withoutwaiting to be questioned.
"Well, Anthony," she said; "I thought _I_ knew every turn and wile ofa woman's heart.--I have a good right to know; for I do not thinkthere are many women who have dealt more in matters of policy, publicand private, than I have done;" she added these words in a tone of gaycandor, which she knew would not be without its effect. "But yet Ihave found one to go beyond me: and, for a time, to overpower me--tillI discovered the truth. When I went from you to Rose d'Albret, I foundher in a high and haughty mood, ready to treat remonstrance withcontempt, and evidently wishing to be pressed, if not forced, so thatshe might cast any blame in point of haste on us, and justify herself.Her conduct and her tone provoked me,--foolishly I will allow, and Idid,--sillily enough--what I ought not to have done. I told her of thediscovery we have made, of Chazeul's visit to her chamber--which Ishould have studiously avoided; but I was off my guard--"
"I do not see that," said Monsieur de Liancourt: "why should you haveavoided it? I should tell her the first thing, as the motive whichmade me urge the marriage upon her."
"Ay! that is very well for you, brother," replied Madame de Chazeul,"but you stood in a different position. You have a right, not only tospeak such truths, but to command the only conduct which can take awaythe sting from them. I should have remembered that, for me to show Iknew the fact, would but irritate her to resistance and denial, and toefforts for her exculpation, even to resistance, of the only remedyfor the evil situation in which she has placed herself; just as madpeople deny they are insane, and refuse the medicines which mightsoothe their brains. In an instant, she had a story ready. She had notslept in that room, she said; and gave me to understand that she hadpassed the night in the adjoining chamber. Seeing the error I hadcommitted, I replied, that it might be so, but that the injury to herreputation was the same, and that the only remedy for that was herimmediate marriage with my son."
"In which chamber did she say she slept?" demanded the Count.
But Madame de Chazeul did not wish to be brought to the point, andreplied, "I do not well know; there is one on the right, and one onthe left, you know. However, I told her that you took the same viewthat I did; and that you had sworn, in the most solemn manner, sheshould be Chazeul's wife before noon to-day."
"Did I swear?" asked Monsieur de Liancourt, in a low voice.
"As solemnly as ever man swore," replied the Marchioness; "you calledheaven to witness; you vowed a vow to God; and that seemed to move hermore than anything; indeed, it appeared that she was just going tosay, when she found you were so resolute, that she was prepared toobey, when the door opened, and in walked,--who think you?"
"Nay, I cannot divine," said Monsieur de Liancourt; "not De Montigni?"
"No! no!" answered Madame de Chazeul; "it would take longer for aghost to travel post from Chartres; and he is dead beyond all doubtNo,--who but Helen de la Tremblade."
"Ah! poor little Helen! I shall be, glad to see her," cried the Count;"she has not been here for three months or more; nay, it was inOctober, well nigh six months, upon my life."
"And in those six months, what events have happened," exclaimed Madamede Chazeul, "to blast all our regard for her, to show her theveriest--but I will not give her the name she deserves. Suffice it, mydear brother, that not long ere I came hither, I found, by letters Idiscovered, that I had been nourishing a serpent in my house. I foundher base, unworthy--impure, ambitious, scheming.--Sickened andindignant, I gave way, as I am too apt, to the fierce burst ofpassion; for I can never conceal what I feel; and drove her out tocarry her schemes and vices elsewhere. But I speedily repented; andsent out to seek her, intending to treat her kindly, and, if I couldnot forgive her faults, to put her in the way of repentance andatonement: but she had gone off at once; and has since come hither,when, or how long ago, I know not. She has evidently been here insecret, however, for some time, prompting Rose to all this resistance,prejudicing her mind against Chazeul, whom the vain girl thought towed herself, and inspiring her with continual schemes for thwartingour purposes. She had clearly heard all that had passed between me andMademoiselle d'Albret; and when she found Rose was beginning to yield,as I showed her how resolute you are, forth she came to dare me,thinking that she could frighten me by her influence over her uncle,and her threats.--I believe she would have struck me had she dared;but I taught her, I was not to be intimidated, laughed her menaces toscorn, and gave her to understand that I would now expose all to you,though I had hitherto carefully concealed her guilt and folly from allears--even from her uncle's. It was wonderful to see how the girl'sdaring spirit was cowed before a little firmness, how she shrunk andquailed. She would have fled, indeed, perhaps to brew new mischief;but I resolved that should not be; and, like one of the men who tamethe Lions at the Louvre, I assumed a commanding tone, and ordered herto retire into her uncle's chamber, fully resolved not to let herforth till the marriage is over. It was then that she tried to runpast me; but I called loudly for my people, and finding it in vain toresist, she obeyed, though sullenly and gloomily."
"To the priest's chamber!" said Monsieur de Liancourt. "W
ill not allthis rouse good father Walter? Why, there was noise enough to wake thedead."
"Oh! no!" replied the Marchioness, who had foreseen that such aquestion might be put, and was prepared with an answer. "It would haveroused him, certainly, if he had been in his own chamber; but he wasso faint and ill, with long watching, doubtless, fasting and prayer,that the people who were with him took him first into the sacristy,and then to a room on the ground floor, rather than carry him upstairs. There he sleeps quietly, and, doubtless, will awake quiterefreshed and well. I only dread having to tell him this story of hisniece, for I do not think he knows it yet. She looks very ill, poorwretch; and I should not wonder if her violent temper killed her; but,if possible, I will still keep the matter secret from all but heruncle."
"Do, do," replied the Count; "her violent temper! Why, she was themost gentle and timid of creatures, Jacqueline."
"Ay, so she seemed," replied Madame de Chazeul; "but vice and ambitionhave brought forth the natural character: and, if you had seen herjust now, you would not have said that she was gentle. I thought shewould have stabbed either me or herself; and yet, it made me laugh towitness her impotent rage.--But, to return to Rose. She now knows herfate fully: for, as soon as I told her you had sworn, it was easy tosee, that her knowledge of your firmness, showed her that your wordwas quite irrevocable."
The Count looked gloomily down upon the ground; for he would fain haveshrunk from the task she put upon him; and yet, like all weak people,endeavoured to assume the qualities that were imputed to him.
"Yes," he said; "having sworn it, I must do it; and it is certainlynecessary for her own reputation, after what you have told me, andwhat the other people saw, that she should marry him at once. It mustbe done--that is clear."
"Ay!" answered Madame de Chazeul; "whether she slept in her ownchamber or another. It is known, unfortunately, to so many people thatChazeul, like a rash and foolish boy, passed a great part of the nightin her usual room that, for both their sakes, there must be no delay:and, besides, your word must be kept, as it always is."
"Certainly," replied the Count, working himself up to the pitchrequired; "and it shall be kept, by all I hold sacred."
The repetition of the oath was very pleasant to Madame de Chazeul, forshe knew that her brother would not now shrink from its execution; andthat, in order to guard against his own vacillation, he would assumean air of violence and sternness, calculated to intimidate allremonstrance, and overbear all opposition.
"Well, then, Anthony," she said, "as we have now but little time tospare, I will go and make some change in my apparel; and, sending forRose's maid, Blanchette, give her orders for dressing her mistress insomething like bridal costume."
"Do you think I ought to go and formally inform her of my resolution?"asked the Count.
"As you please," answered Madame de Chazeul; "and yet, perhaps, youhad better not. I have told her already; and, if she have no furtherinducement to display a headstrong spirit, we shall find her lessobstinate at the time of the marriage. We shall have some affectationof reluctance, beyond doubt: but it will be soon got over when shefinds you firm; and if you then go and bring her from her chamber, itwill be enough. You will thus have only one disagreeable scene insteadof two."
"The fewer the better," replied the Count. "But, where isChazeul?--has he returned yet?"
"No," answered the Marchioness, "I fancy he is afraid to meet you: butI will send down to the village, and tell him to come up, if you willpromise not to be too angry."
"I must reproach him," said the Count, putting on a firm and dignifiedair. "You must admit, Jacqueline, that he has been very much in thewrong."
"Well, I know he has," answered the Marchioness. "But, however, hisfault will all be done away with by the marriage, and so there is nouse of saying too much about it."
"Ay, but I must say something," answered Monsieur de Liancourt."However, go and make your preparations, for it is now past ten; and,immediately after the marriage, I will see Helen de la Tremblademyself, and inquire into the whole case, that I may break the tidingsto poor father Walter.--'Tis very odd that she should become such asyou represent, for she was as sweet and gentle a girl as ever I saw."
Madame de Chazeul left him without reply and entered her bed-room,while the Count retired by the other door. But, ere she reached thedressing-table, she paused twice; and at length, after a few moments'meditation, murmured to herself, "No, that must be prevented."