"Corentin," she said, with a sort of gayety, "I hope you are going to let me make my toilet?""Marie," he said,--"yes, permit me to call you so,--you don't yet know me.Listen; a much less sagacious man than I would see your love for the Marquis de Montauran.I have several times offered you my heart and hand.You have never thought me worthy of you; and perhaps you are right.But however much you may feel yourself too high, too beautiful, too superior for me, I can compel you to come down to my level.My ambition and my maxims have given you a low opinion of me; frankly, you are mistaken.Men are not worth even what I rate them at, and that is next to nothing.I shall certainly attain a position which will gratify your pride.Who will ever love you better, or make you more absolutely mistress of yourself and of him, than the man who has loved you now for five years? Though I run the risk of exciting your suspicions,--for you cannot conceive that any one should renounce an idolized woman out of excessive love,--I will now prove to you the unselfishness of my passion.If the marquis loves you, marry him; but before you do so, make sure of his sincerity.I could not endure to see you deceived, for I do prefer your happiness to my own.My resolution may surprise you; lay it to the prudence of a man who is not so great a fool as to wish to possess a woman against her will.Iblame myself, not you, for the failure of my efforts to win you.Ihoped to do so by submission and devotion, for I have long, as you well know, tried to make you happy according to my lights; but you have never in any way rewarded me.""I have suffered you to be near me," she said, haughtily.
"Add that you regret it."
"After involving me in this infamous enterprise, do you think that Ihave any thanks to give you?"
"When I proposed to you an enterprise which was not exempt from blame to timid minds," he replied, audaciously, "I had only your own prosperity in view.As for me, whether I succeed or fail, I can make all results further my ends.If you marry Montauran, I shall be delighted to serve the Bourbons in Paris, where I am already a member of the Clichy club.Now, if circumstances were to put me in correspondence with the princes I should abandon the interests of the Republic, which is already on its last legs.General Bonaparte is much too able a man not to know that he can't be in England and in Italy at the same time, and that is how the Republic is about to fall.I have no doubt he made the 18th Brumaire to obtain greater advantages over the Bourbons when it came to treating with them.He is a long-headed fellow, and very keen; but the politicians will get the better of him on their own ground.The betrayal of France is another scruple which men of superiority leave to fools.I won't conceal from you that Ihave come here with the necessary authority to open negotiations with the Chouans, /or/ to further their destruction, as the case may be;for Fouche, my patron, is deep; he has always played a double part;during the Terror he was as much for Robespierre as for Danton--""Whom you basely abandoned," she said.
"Nonsense; he is dead,--forget him," replied Corentin."Come, speak honestly to me; I have set you the example.Old Hulot is deeper than he looks; if you want to escape his vigilance, I can help you.
Remember that he holds all the valleys and will instantly detect a rendezvous.If you make one in Fougeres, under his very eyes, you are at the mercy of his patrols.See how quickly he knew that this Chouan had entered your house.His military sagacity will show him that your movements betray those of the Gars--if Montauran loves you."Mademoiselle de Verneuil had never listened to a more affectionate voice; Corentin certainly seemed sincere, and spoke confidingly.The poor girl's heart was so open to generous impressions that she was on the point of betraying her secret to the serpent who had her in his folds, when it occurred to her that she had no proof beyond his own words of his sincerity, and she felt no scruple in blinding him.
"Yes," she said, "you are right, Corentin.I do love the marquis, but he does not love me--at least, I fear so; I can't help fearing that the appointment he wishes me to make with him is a trap.""But you said yesterday that he came as far as Fougeres with you,"returned Corentin."If he had meant to do you bodily harm you wouldn't be here now.""You've a cold heart, Corentin.You can draw shrewd conclusions as to the ordinary events of human life, but not on those of passion.
Perhaps that is why you inspire me with such repulsion.As you are so clear-sighted, you may be able to tell me why a man from whom Iseparated myself violently two days ago now wishes me to meet him in a house at Florigny on the road to Mayenne."At this avowal, which seemed to escape her with a recklessness that was not unnatural in so passionate a creature, Corentin flushed, for he was still young; but he gave her a sidelong penetrating look, trying to search her soul.The girl's artlessness was so well played, however, that she deceived the spy, and he answered with crafty good-humor, "Shall I accompany you at a distance? I can take a few solders with me, and be ready to help and obey you.""Very good," she said; "but promise me, on your honor,--no, I don't believe in it; by your salvation,--but you don't believe in God; by your soul,--but I don't suppose you have any! what pledge /can/ you give me of your fidelity? and yet you expect me to trust you, and put more than my life--my love, my vengeance--into your hands?"The slight smile which crossed the pallid lips of the spy showed Mademoiselle de Verneuil the danger she had just escaped.The man, whose nostrils contracted instead of dilating, took the hand of his victim, kissed it with every mark of the deepest respect, and left the room with a bow that was not devoid of grace.