frances waldeaux-第15部分

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Lisa's　needle　flew　through　the　red　and　yellow　silk。　　It　was　pleasant　work；　she　was　doing　it　skilfully。　　The　fire　warmed　her　thin　blood。　　She　could　hear　the　baby's　regular；　soft　breathing　as　it　slept。　　A　pleasure　that　was　almost　like　health　stole　through　her　lean　body。　　She　leaned　back　in　her　chair　looking　at　Jacques。　　In　three　years　he　could　wear　the　velvet　suit　with　the　cap　and　pompon。　　His　hair　would　be　yellow　and　curly；　like　his　father's。　　But　his　eyes　would　be　like　her　mother's。　　She　pressed　her　hands　together；　laughing；　the　hot　tears　rushing　to　her　eyes。　　〃Ah；　maman！〃　she　said。　　〃Do　you　　know　that　your　little　girl　has　a　baby？　　Can　you　see　him？〃

What　a　superb　〃great　boy〃　he　would　be！　　He　should　go　to　a　military　school。　　Yes！　　She　lay　back　in　her　chair；　watching　him。

George　suddenly　started　up　with　a　cry　of　amazement。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　said　indifferently。

He　did　not　answer；　but　turned　the　letter　and　read　it　over　again。　　Then　he　folded　it　with　shaking　fingers。

〃I　have　news　here。　　Miss　Vance　thinks　it　time　that　I　was　told；　and　I　agree　with　her。　　It　appears　that　I　am　a　pauper；　and　always　have　been。　　My　father　died　penniless。〃

〃Then　Jacques　will　be　poor？〃

〃Jacques！　　You　think　of　nothing　but　that　mewling；　senseless　thing！　　It　is　mothershe　always　has　supported　me。　　We　are　living　now　on　the　money　that　she　earns　from　week　to　week；　while　I　play　that　I　am　an　artist！〃

Lisa　listened　attentively。　　〃It　does　not　seem　strange　that　a　mother　should　work　for　her　son；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃But　she　has　never　told　us！　　That　is　fine！　　I　like　that！　　I　told　you　she　had　very　good　traits。〃

George　stared　at　her。　〃Butme！　　Don't　you　see　what　a　cad　I　am？〃

He　paced　up　and　down；　muttering；　and　then　throwing　on　his　hat　went　out　into　the　night　to　be　alone。

Lisa　sank　back　again　and　watched　Jacques。　　At　military　school；　yes；　and　after　he　had　left　school　he　would　be　a　soldier；　perhaps。　　Such　a　gallant　young　fellow！

She　leaned　over　the　cradle；　holding　out　her　hands。　　Ah；　God！　if　she　could　but　live　to　see　it！　　Surely　it　might　be？　　There　was　no　pain　now。　　Doctors　were　not　infallibleeven　D'Abri　might　be　mistaken；　after　all。

George；　coming　in　an　hour　later；　found　her　sitting　with　her　hands　covering　her　face。

〃Are　you　asleep；　Lisa？〃

〃No。〃

〃There　is　a　telegram　from　Clara。　　My　mother　has　left　Munich　for　Vannes。　　She　will　be　here　in　two　days。〃

She　rose　with　an　effort。　　〃I　am　glad　for　you；　George。〃

〃You　are　ill；　Lisa！〃

〃A　little　tired；　only。　　Colette　will　give　me　my　powder；　and　I　shall　be　quite　well　in　the　morning。　　Will　you　send　her　to　me　now？〃

After　George　was　gone　the　rumbling　of　a　diligence　was　heard　in　the　courtyard；　and　presently　a　woman　was　brought　up　to　the　opposite　chamber。

The　hall　was　dark。　　Looking　across　it；　Frances　Waldeaux　saw　in　the　lighted　room　Lisa　and　her　child。



CHAPTER　XIV

Before　we　come　to　the　dark　story　of　that　night　in　the　inn；　it　is　but　fair　to　Frances　to　say　that　she　came　there　with　no　definite　evil　purpose。　　She　had　been　cheerful　on　her　journey　from　Munich。　　There　was　one　clear　fact　in　her　brain：　　She　was　on　her　way　to　George。

The　countless　toy　farms　of　southern　France；　trimmed　neatly　by　the　inch；　swept　past　her。　　In　Brittany　came　melancholy　stretches　of　brown　heath　and　rain…beaten　hills；　or　great　affluent　estates；　the　Manor　houses　covered　with　thatch；　stagnant　pools　close　to　the　doors；　the　cattle　breaking　through　the　slovenly　wattled　walls。　　　　　Frances；　being　a　farmer；　felt　a　vague　amusement　at　these　things；　but　they　were　all　dim　to　her　as　a　faded　landscape　hanging　on　the　wall。

She　was　going　to　George。

Sometimes　she　seemed　to　be　in　Lucy's　room　again；　with　the　sweet；　clean　air　of　youth　about　her。　　All　of　that　purity　and　love　might　have　gone　into　George's　lifebefore　it　fell　into　the　slough。

But　she　was　going　now　to　take　it　out　of　the　slough。

There　was　a　merchant　and　his　wife　from　Geneva　in　the　carriage　with　their　little　boy；　a　pretty　child　of　five。　　Frances　played　and　joked　with　him。

〃Has　madam　also　a　son？〃　his　mother　asked　civilly。

She　said　yes；　and　presently　added；　〃My　son　has　now　a　great　trouble；　but　I　am　going　to　relieve　him　of　it。〃

The　woman；　startled；　stared　at　her。

〃Is　it　not　right　for　me　to　rid　him　of　it？〃　she　demanded　loudly。

〃Mais　oui；　certainement〃　said　the　Swiss。　　She　watched　Frances　after　that　furtively。　　Her　eyes；　she　thought；　were　quite　sane。　　But　how　eccentric　all　of　these　Americans　were！

Mrs。　Waldeaux　reached　Vannes　at　nightfall。　　At　last！　　Here　was　the　place　in　this　great　empty　world　where　he　was。

When　the　diligence　entered　the　courtyard；　George　was　so　near　to　the　gate　that　the　smoke　of　his　cigar　was　blown　into　her　face；　but　he　did　not　see　her。　　He　was　lean　and　pale；　and　his　eyes　told　his　misery。　　When　she　saw　them　his　mother　grew　sick　from　head　to　foot　with　a　sudden　nausea。　　This　was　his　wife's　doing。　　She　was　killing　him！　　Frances　hurried　into　the　inn；　her　legs　giving　way　under　her。　　She　could　not　speak　to　him。　　She　must　think　what　to　do。

She　was　taken　to　her　room。　　It　was　dark；　and　across　the　corridor　she　saw　Lisa　in　her　lighted　chamber。　　This　was　good　luck！　　God　had　put　the　creature　at　once　into　her　hands　to　deal　with！

She　was　conscious　of　a　strange　exaltation；　as　if　from　wineas　if　she　would　never　need　to　sleep　nor　eat　again。　　Her　thoughts　came　and　went　like　flashes　of　fire。　　She　watched　Lisa　as　she　would　a　vampire；　a　creeping　deadly　beast。　　Pauline　Felixall　that　was　adulterous　and　vile　in　womenthere　it　was！

Her　mind　too；　as　never　before；　was　full　of　a　haughty　complacency　in　herself。　　She　felt　like　the　member　of　some　petty　sect　who　is　sure　that　God　communes　with　him　inside　of　his　altar　rails；　while　the　man　is　outside　whom　he　believes　that　God　made　only　to　be　damned。

Lisa　began　to　undress。　　Frances　quickly　turned　away；　ashamed　of　peeping　into　her　chamber。　　But　the　one　fact　burned　on　into　her　brain：

The　woman　was　killing　George。

If　God　would　rid　the　world　of　her！　　If　a　storm　should　rise　now；　and　the　lightning　strike　the　house；　and　these　stone　walls　should　fall　on　her；　nownow！

But　the　walls　stood　firm　and　the　moonlight　shone　tranquilly　on　the　world　outside。

She　told　herself　to　be　calmto　be　just。　　But　there　was　no　justice　while　this　woman　went　on　with　her　work！　God　saw。　　He　meant　her　to　be　stopped。　　Frances　prayed　to　him　frantically　that　Lisa　might　soon　be　put　off　of　the　earth。　　Just　as　the　Catholic　used　to　pray　before　he　massacred　the　Huguenot；　or　the　Protestant；　when　he　tied　his　Catholic　brother　to　the　stake。　　If　this　woman　was　mad　for　blood；　it　was　a　madness　that　many　sincere　people　have　shared。

Colette　was　busy　with　her　mistress　for　a　long　time。　　She　was　very　gentle　and　tender；　being　fond　of　Lisa；　as　people　of　her　class　always　were。　　She　raised　her　voice　as　she　made　ready　to　leave　the　room。

〃If　the　pain　returns；　here　is　the　powder　of　morphia；　mixed；　within　madame's　reach；〃　she　said。

Frances　came　close　to　the　door。

〃And　if　it　continues？〃　asked　Lisa。

〃Let　monsieur　call　me。　　I　would　not　trust　him　to　measure　a　powder；〃　Colette　said；　laughing。　　〃It　is　too　dangerous。　　He　is　not　used　to　itlike　me。〃

Mrs。　Waldeaux　saw　her　lay　a　paper　package　on　a　shelf。

〃I　will　pray　that　the　pain　will　not　return；〃　the　girl　said。　　〃But　if　it　does；　let　monsieur　knock　at　my　door。　　Here　is　the　tisane　when　you　are　thirsty。〃　　She　placed　a　goblet　of　milky　liquid　near　the　bed。

What　more　she　said　Frances　did　not　hear。

It　was　to　be！　　There　was　the　morphia；　and　yonder　the　night　drink　within　her　reach。　　It　was　God's　will。

Colette　turned　out　the　lamp；　hesitated；　and　sat　down　by　the　fire。　　Presently　she　rose　softly；　bent　over　her　mistress；　and；　finding　her　asleep；　left　the　room　noiselessly。　　Her　door　closed　far　down　the　corridor。

Mrs。　Waldeaux　was　quite　alone；　now。

It　was　but　a　step　across　the　hall。　　So　easy　to　doeasy。　　It　must　be　done　at　once。

But　her　feet　were　like　lead；　she　could　not　move；　her　tongue　lay　icy　cold　in　her　mouth。　　Her　soul　was　willing；　but　her　body　rebelled。

What　folly　was　this？　　It　was　the　work　of　a　moment。　　George　would　be　free。　　She　would　have　freed　him。

In　God's　name　then

She　crossed　the　hall　softly。　　Into　the　hell　of　her　thoughts　flashed　a　little　womanish　shame；　that　she；　Frances　Waldeaux；　should　be　walking　on　tiptoe；　like　a　thief。

She　took　down　the　package；　and　leaning　over　the　table　at　the　side　of　the　bed；　shook　the　white　powder　into　the　glass。　　Then　she　went　back　to　her　room　and　shut　the　door。

The　casement　was　open　and　the　moonlight　was　white　outside。　　She　was　conscious　that　the　glare　hurt　her　eyes；　and　that　there　was　a　strange　stricture　about　her　jaws　and　the　base　of　her　brain；　like　an　iron　hand。

It　seemed　to　her　but　a　minute　that　she　stood　there；　but　the　dawn　was　breaking　when　there　was　a　sudden　confusion　in　the　opposite　room。　　She　heard　Colette's　voice；　and　then　George's；　calling　Lisa。

There　was　no　answer。

Frances　stood　up；　to　listen。　　〃Will　she　not　speak？〃　she　cried。　　〃Make　her　speak！〃

But　in　reality　she　said　nothing。　　Even　her　breath　had　stopped　to　listen。

There　was　no　answer。

Frances　was　awake　now；　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　　She　knew　what　she　had　done。

〃Why；　George；〃　she　said；　〃she　cannot　speak。　　She　is　dead。　　I　did　it。〃

She　stood　in　the　room　a　minute；　looking　from　side　to　side；　and　then　went　with　measured　steps　out　of　it；　down　the　corridor　and　into　the　street。

〃I　did　it；〃　she　said　to　herself　again　and　again；　as　she　walked　slowly　on。

The　old　cathedral　is　opposite　to　the　inn。　　Her　eyes；　as　she　passed；　rested　on　the　gargoyles；　and　she　thought　how　fine　they　were。　　One　was　a　ridiculous　head　with　lolling　tongue。

A　priest's　voice　inside　was　chanting　mass。　　A　dozen　Breton　women　in　their　huge　white　winged　caps　and　wooden　shoes　hurried　up　to　the　door；　through　the　gray　fog。　　They　met　Mrs。　Waldeaux　and　saw　her　face。　　They　huddled　to　one　side；　crossing　themselves；　and　when　she　passed；　stood　still；　forgetting　the　mass　and　looking；　frightened；　up　the　steep　street　behind　her　to　find　what　horror　had　pursued　her。

〃They　know　what　I　have　done；〃　she　said　aloud。

Once　when　she　was　a　child　she　had　accidentally　seen　a　bloated　wretch；　a　murderer；　on　his　way　to　the　gallows。

〃I　am　he；〃　she　thought。　　〃I_I_；　Frances。〃

Then　the　gargoyle　came　into　her