第39章

"Two of my friends at this very moment are heating another cross, made on this pattern, red-hot.We are going to stamp it upon your forehead, here between the eyes, so that there will be no possibility of hiding the mark with diamonds, and so avoiding people's questions.In short, you shall bear on your forehead the brand of infamy which your brothers the convicts wear on their shoulders.The pain is a mere trifle, but I feared a nervous crisis of some kind, of resistance----""Resistance?" she cried, clapping her hands for joy."Oh no, no! I would have the whole world here to see.Ah, my Armand, brand her quickly, this creature of yours; brand her with your mark as a poor little trifle belonging to you.You asked for pledges of my love; here they are all in one.Ah! for me there is nothing but mercy and forgiveness and eternal happiness in this revenge of yours.When you have marked this woman with your mark, when you set your crimson brand on her, your slave in soul, you can never afterwards abandon her, you will be mine for evermore? When you cut me off from my kind, you make yourself responsible for my happiness, or you prove yourself base; and Iknow that you are noble and great! Why, when a woman loves, the brand of love is burnt into her soul by her own will.--Come in, gentlemen! come in and brand her, this Duchesse de Langeais.She is M.de Montriveau's forever! Ah! come quickly, all of you, my forehead burns hotter than your fire!"Armand turned his head sharply away lest he should see the Duchess kneeling, quivering with the throbbings of her heart.He said some word, and his three friends vanished.

The women of Paris salons know how one mirror reflects another.

The Duchess, with every motive for reading the depths of Armand's heart, was all eyes; and Armand, all unsuspicious of the mirror, brushed away two tears as they fell.Her whole future lay in those two tears.When he turned round again to help her to rise, she was standing before him, sure of love.Her pulses must have throbbed fast when he spoke with the firmness she had known so well how to use of old while she played with him.

"I spare you, madame.All that has taken place shall be as if it had never been, you may believe me.But now, let us bid each other goodbye.I like to think that you were sincere in your coquetries on your sofa, sincere again in this outpouring of your heart.Good-bye.I feel that there is no faith in you left in me.You would torment me again; you would always be the Duchess, and---- But there, good-bye, we shall never understand each other.

"Now, what do you wish?" he continued, taking the tone of a master of the ceremonies--"to return home, or to go back to Mme de Serizy's ball? I have done all in my power to prevent any scandal.Neither your servants nor anyone else can possibly know what has passed between us in the last quarter of an hour.Your servants have no idea that you have left the ballroom; your carriage never left Mme de Serizy's courtyard; your brougham may likewise be found in the court of your own hotel.Where do you wish to be?""What do you counsel, Armand?"

"There is no Armand now, Mme la Duchesse.We are strangers to each other.""Then take me to the ball," she said, still curious to put Armand's power to the test."Thrust a soul that suffered in the world, and must always suffer there, if there is no happiness for her now, down into hell again.And yet, oh my friend, I love you as your bourgeoises love; I love you so that I could come to you and fling my arms about your neck before all the world if you asked it off me.The hateful world has not corrupted me.I am young at least, and I have grown younger still.I am a child, yes, your child, your new creature.Ah! do not drive me forth out of my Eden!"Armand shook his head.

"Ah! let me take something with me, if I go, some little thing to wear tonight on my heart," she said, taking possession of Armand's glove, which she twisted into her handkerchief.

"No, I am NOT like all those depraved women.You do not know the world, and so you cannot know my worth.You shall know it now! There are women who sell themselves for money; there are others to be gained by gifts, it is a vile world! Oh, I wish Iwere a simple bourgeoise, a working girl, if you would rather have a woman beneath you than a woman whose devotion is accompanied by high rank, as men count it.Oh, my Armand, there are noble, high, and chaste and pure natures among us; and then they are lovely indeed.I would have all nobleness that I might offer it all up to you.Misfortune willed that I should be a duchess; I would I were a royal princess, that my offering might be complete.I would be a grisette for you, and a queen for everyone besides."He listened, damping his cigars with his lips.

"You will let me know when you wish to go," he said.

"But I should like to stay----"

"That is another matter!"

"Stay, that was badly rolled," she cried, seizing on a cigar and devouring all that Armand's lips had touched.

"Do you smoke?"

"Oh, what would I not do to please you?"

"Very well.Go, madame."

"I will obey you," she answered, with tears in her eyes.

"You must be blindfolded; you must not see a glimpse of the way.""I am ready, Armand," she said, bandaging her eyes.

"Can you see?"

"No."

Noiselessly he knelt before her.

"Ah! I can hear you!" she cried, with a little fond gesture, thinking that the pretence of harshness was over.

He made as if he would kiss her lips; she held up her face.

"You can see, madame."

"I am just a little bit curious."

"So you always deceive me?"

"Ah! take off this handkerchief, sir," she cried out, with the passion of a great generosity repelled with scorn, "lead me; Iwill not open my eyes."