“No, of course not! You couldn’t even see it for yourself!” He had
seized me by the arm, and was shaking me furiously. His voice between
his clenched teeth hissed and trembled.
“Abel, I implore you,” I said after a moment’s silence, and in a voice
which trembled too, while he strode along at random, dragging me with
him. “Instead of being so angry, try to tell me what has happened. I
know nothing.”
He stopped suddenly and scrutinised my face by the dim light of a
street lamp; then, drawing me quickly to him, he put his head upon my
shoulder and murmured with a sob:
“Forgive me! I’m an idiot too, and I didn’t understand any better than
you, my poor brother!”
His tears seemed to calm him a little; he raised his head, started
walking again, and went on:
“What happened? What’s the use of going over it again? I had talked
to Juliette in the morning, as I told you. She was extraordinarily
beautiful and animated; I thought it was because of me, but it was
simply because we were talking of you.”
“Didn’t you realise it at the time?”
“No, not exactly; but now the smallest detail becomes clear.”
“Are you sure you are not making a mistake?”
“A mistake! My dear fellow, you must be blind not to see that she’s in
love with you.”
“Then Alissa ...”
“Then Alissa is sacrificing herself. She had found out her sister’s
secret and wanted to give you up to her. Really, old boy, it’s not very
difficult to understand! I wanted to speak to Juliette again; at my
first words, or rather, as soon as she began to understand me, she got
up from the sofa where she was sitting and repeated several times over,
‘I was sure of it,’ in the tone of voice of a person who was anything
but sure.”
“Oh! don’t joke about it.”
“Why not? I consider it a highly comic affair. She rushed into her
sister’s room; I overheard their voices raised excitedly in a way that
alarmed me. I hoped to see Juliette again, but after a moment it was
Alissa who came out. She had her hat on, seemed embarrassed at seeing
me, said ‘How do you do?’ to me quickly as she went out--and that’s
all.”
“Didn’t you see Juliette again?”
Abel hesitated for a little.
“Yes. After Alissa had gone, I pushed open the door of the room.
Juliette was there motionless, standing in front of the chimney-piece,
her elbows on the marble, her chin in her hands; she was staring at
herself in the glass. When she heard me she didn’t turn round, but
stamped her foot, crying, ‘Oh, leave me alone!’ so harshly that I went
away again without asking for more. That’s all.”
“And now?”
“Oh! talking to you has done me good ... And now? Well! you had better
try and cure Juliette of her love; for, either I don’t know Alissa, or
else she won’t have you before you do.”
We walked on for some time silently.
“Let’s go back,” said he at last. “The guests must have gone by now.
I’m afraid my father will be waiting for me.”
* * * * *
We went in. The drawing-room was, in fact, empty; and in the hall round
the tree, whose branches had been stripped and whose lights had been
nearly all extinguished, there remained only my aunt and two of her
children, Uncle Bucolin, Miss Ashburton, the pastor, my cousins, and a
rather ridiculous-looking individual, whom I had noticed talking for a
long time to my aunt, but whom I only at that moment recognised as the
suitor Juliette had spoken to me about. Taller, stronger, more highly
coloured than any of us, almost bald, of a different class, a different
world, a different race, he seemed to realise that he was a stranger
among us; he wore an immense moustache and a grizzled imperial, which
he was nervously twisting and tugging.
The entrance hall, the doors of which had been left open, was not
lighted; we had come in noiselessly, and no one noticed our presence. A
frightful foreboding shot through me.
“Stop!” said Abel, seizing me by the arm.
Then we saw the stranger draw near Juliette, and take the hand which
she abandoned to him without resistance, without giving him a glance.
Night shut down upon my heart.
“Oh, Abel! What is happening?” I whispered, as if I did not understand
yet, or hoped I did not understand aright.
“By Jove! the young one is going one better,” he said in a hissing
voice. “She doesn’t want to be outdone by her sister. The angels are
applauding in Heaven, and no mistake!”
My uncle went up to embrace Juliette, whom Miss Ashburton and my aunt
were pressing round. Pasteur Vautier drew near. I took a step forward.
Alissa caught sight of me, ran up to me in a quiver of emotion.
“Oh, Jerome! It mustn’t be. She doesn’t love him! Why, she told me so
only this very morning! Try to prevent it, Jerome! Oh! what will become
of her?”
She hung upon my shoulder with desperate entreaty. I would have given
my life to lessen her anguish.
Suddenly there came a cry from near the tree, a confused stir. We
rushed up. Juliette had fallen unconscious into my aunt’s arms. They
were all crowding round, hanging over her, so that I could hardly see
her; her face, which had turned frightfully pale, looked as though it
were being dragged backwards by the weight of her loosened hair. It
seemed, from the convulsive movements of her body, that this was no
ordinary faint.
“No, no!” said my aunt aloud, in order to reassure Uncle Bucolin, who
was getting agitated, and whom Pasteur Vautier was already consoling,
with his fore-finger pointed Heavenwards. “No, it’s nothing. The effect
of emotion. Just a nervous attack. Monsieur Teissières, please help me,
you’re so strong. We will carry her up to my room, on to my bed, on
to my bed.” Then she stooped towards the elder of her sons, whispered
something in his ear, and I saw him go off at once, no doubt to fetch a
doctor.
My aunt and the stranger were supporting Juliette’s shoulders, as she
lay, half reclining, in their arms. Alissa raised her sister’s feet and
embraced them tenderly. Abel held up her head, which would have fallen
backwards, and I saw him bend down and cover with kisses her floating
hair, as he gathered it together.
* * * * *
Outside the door of the room I stopped. Juliette was laid on the bed;
Alissa said a few words to M. Teissières and to Abel, which I could
not hear; she accompanied them to the door and begged us to leave her
sister to rest; she wished to remain alone with her, with no one else
but Aunt Plantier. Abel caught hold of my arm and dragged me out of
doors, into the night, and there we walked on and on for a long time,
without purpose, without courage, without reflection.
V
I seemed to have no other reason for living than my love, and to that I
clung, expecting nothing, and with my mind made up to expect nothing,
but what should come to me from Alissa.
The next morning, as I was getting ready to go and see her, my aunt
handed me the following letter which she had just received:--
“... Juliette’s extreme restlessness did not yield to the doctor’s
prescriptions till towards morning. I beg Jerome not to come and
see us for some days. Juliette might recognise his footstep or his
voice, and she is in need of the greatest quiet.
“I am afraid Juliette’s condition will keep me here. If I do not
manage to see Jerome before he leaves, please tell him, dear Aunt,
that I will write to him....”
The Bucolins’ door was shut only against me. My aunt, or anyone else
that chose, was free to knock at it; and, indeed, my aunt was going
there that very morning. I might make a noise! What a feeble excuse! No
matter.
“Very well,” said I, “I won’t go.”
It cost me a great deal not to see Alissa again at once, and yet I was
afraid of seeing her; I was afraid she might hold me responsible for
her sister’s condition, and it was easier to bear not seeing her again
than seeing her vexed.
At any rate, I determined I would see Abel.