vendetta- 第12部分

Then　he　was　silent；　crossed　his　arms；　bowed　his　head　on　his　breast；

and　said　not　another　word　during　the　whole　evening。



After　once　giving　utterance　to　her　will；　Ginevra　affected

inconceivable　coolness。　She　opened　the　piano　and　sang；　played　charming

nocturnes　and　scherzos　with　a　grace　and　sentiment　which　displayed　a

perfect　freedom　of　mind；　thus　triumphing　over　her　father；　whose

darkling　face　showed　no　softening。　The　old　man　was　cruelly　hurt　by

this　tacit　insult；　he　gathered　in　this　one　moment　the　bitter　fruits　of

the　training　he　had　given　to　his　daughter。　Respect　is　a　barrier　which

protects　parents　as　it　does　children；　sparing　grief　to　the　former；

remorse　to　the　latter。



The　next　day；　when　Ginevra　sought　to　leave　the　house　at　the　hour　when

she　usually　went　to　the　studio；　she　found　the　gates　of　the　mansion

closed　to　her。　She　said　nothing；　but　soon　found　means　to　inform　Luigi

Porta　of　her　father's　severity。　A　chambermaid；　who　could　neither　read

nor　write；　was　able　to　carry　letters　between　the　lovers。　For　five　days

they　corresponded　thus；　thanks　to　the　inventive　shrewdness　of　the

youth。



The　father　and　daughter　seldom　spoke　to　each　other。　Both　were　nursing

in　the　depths　of　their　heart　a　sentiment　of　hatred；　they　suffered；　but

they　suffered　proudly；　and　in　silence。　Recognizing　how　strong　were　the

ties　of　love　which　bound　them　to　each　other；　they　each　tried　to　break

them；　but　without　success。　No　gentle　thought　came；　as　formerly；　to

brighten　the　stern　features　of　Piombo　when　he　contemplated　his

Ginevra。　The　girl　had　something　savage　in　her　eye　when　she　looked　at

her　father；　reproach　sat　enthroned　on　that　innocent　brow；　she　gave

herself　up；　it　is　true；　to　happy　thoughts；　and　yet；　at　times；　remorse

seemed　to　dull　her　eyes。　It　was　not　difficult　to　believe　that　she

could　never　enjoy；　peacefully；　any　happiness　which　caused　sorrow　to

her　parents。



With　Bartolomeo；　as　with　his　daughter；　the　hesitations　of　this　period

caused　by　the　native　goodness　of　their　souls　were；　nevertheless；

compelled　to　give　way　before　their　pride　and　the　rancor　of　their

Corsican　nature。　They　encouraged　each　other　in　their　anger；　and　closed

their　eyes　to　the　future。　Perhaps　they　mutually　flattered　themselves

that　the　one　would　yield　to　the　other。



At　last；　on　Ginevra's　birthday；　her　mother；　in　despair　at　the

estrangement　which；　day　by　day；　assumed　a　more　serious　character；

meditated　an　attempt　to　reconcile　the　father　and　daughter；　by　help　of

the　memories　of　this　family　anniversary。　They　were　all　three　sitting

in　Bartolomeo's　study。　Ginevra　guessed　her　mother's　intention　by　the

timid　hesitation　on　her　face；　and　she　smiled　sadly。



At　this　moment　a　servant　announced　two　notaries；　accompanied　by

witnesses。　Bartolomeo　looked　fixedly　at　these　persons；　whose　cold　and

formal　faces　were　grating　to　souls　so　passionately　strained　as　those

of　the　three　chief　actors　in　this　scene。　The　old　man　turned　to　his

daughter　and　looked　at　her　uneasily。　He　saw　upon　her　face　a　smile　of

triumph　which　made　him　expect　some　shock；　but；　after　the　manner　of

savages；　he　affected　to　maintain　a　deceitful　indifference　as　he　gazed

at　the　notaries　with　an　assumed　air　of　calm　curiosity。　The　strangers

sat　down；　after　being　invited　to　do　so　by　a　gesture　of　the　old　man。



〃Monsieur　is；　no　doubt；　M。　le　Baron　di　Piombo？〃　began　the　oldest　of

the　notaries。



Bartolomeo　bowed。　The　notary　made　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head；

looked　at　Ginevra　with　a　sly　expression；　took　out　his　snuff…box；

opened　it；　and　slowly　inhaled　a　pinch；　as　if　seeking　for　the　words

with　which　to　open　his　errand；　then；　while　uttering　them；　he　made

continual　pauses　（an　oratorical　manoeuvre　very　imperfectly　represented

by　the　printer's　dash）。



〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　Monsieur　Roguin；　your　daughter's　notary；

and　we　have　comemy　colleague　and　Ito　fulfil　the　intentions　of　the

law　andput　an　end　to　the　divisions　whichappearto　existbetween

yourself　and　Mademoiselle；　your　daughter；on　the　subjectofher

marriage　with　Monsieur　Luigi　Porta。〃



This　speech；　pedantically　delivered；　probably　seemed　to　Monsieur

Roguin　so　fine　that　his　hearer　could　not　at　once　understand　it。　He

paused；　and　looked　at　Bartolomeo　with　that　peculiar　expression　of　the

mere　business　lawyer；　a　mixture　of　servility　with　familiarity。

Accustomed　to　feign　much　interest　in　the　persons　with　whom　they　deal；

notaries　have　at　last　produced　upon　their　features　a　grimace　of　their

own；　which　they　take　on　and　off　as　an　official　〃pallium。〃　This　mask　of

benevolence；　the　mechanism　of　which　is　so　easy　to　perceive；　irritated

Bartolomeo　to　such　an　extent　that　he　was　forced　to　collect　all　the

powers　of　his　reason　to　prevent　him　from　throwing　Monsieur　Roguin

through　the　window。　An　expression　of　anger　ran　through　his　wrinkles；

which　caused　the　notary　to　think　to　himself：　〃I've　produced　an

effect。〃



〃But；〃　he　continued；　in　a　honeyed　tone；　〃Monsieur　le　baron；　on　such

occasions　our　duties　are　preceded　byefforts　atconciliationDeign；

therefore；　to　have　the　goodness　to　listen　to　meIt　is　in　evidence

that　Mademoiselle　Ginevra　di　Piomboattains　this　very　daythe　age　at

which　the　law　allows　a　respectful　summons　before　proceeding　to　the

celebration　of　a　marriagein　spite　of　the　non…consent　of　the　parents。

Nowit　is　usual　in　familieswho　enjoy　a　certain　considerationwho

belong　to　societywho　preserve　some　dignityto　whom；　in　short；　it　is

desirable　not　to　let　the　public　into　the　secret　of　their　differences

and　who；　moreover；　do　not　wish　to　injure　themselves　by　blasting　with

reprobation　the　future　of　a　young　couple　（forthat　is　injuring

themselves）；　it　is　usual；　I　sayamong　these　honorable　familiesnot

to　allow　these　summonsesto　take　placeor　remaina　monument　to

divisions　which　should　endby　ceasingWhenever；　monsieur；　a　young

lady　has　recourse　to　respectful　summons；　she　exhibits　a　determination

too　marked　to　allow　of　a　fatherof　a　mother；〃　here　he　turned　to　the

baroness；　〃hoping　or　expecting　that　she　will　follow　their　wishes

Paternal　resistance　being　nullby　reason　of　this　factin　the　first

placeand　also　from　its　being　nullified　by　law；　it　is　customaryfor

every　sensible　manafter　making　a　final　remonstrance　to　his　child

and　before　she　proceeds　to　the　respectful　summonsto　leave　her　at

liberty　to〃



Monsieur　Roguin　stopped；　perceiving　that　he　might　talk　on　for　two

hours　without　obtaining　any　answer；　he　felt；　moreover；　a　singular

emotion　at　the　aspect　of　the　man　he　was　attempting　to　convert。　An

extraordinary　revolution　had　taken　place　on　Piombo's　face；　his

wrinkles；　contracting　into　narrow　lines；　gave　him　a　look　of

indescribable　cruelty；　and　he　cast　upon　the　notary　the　glance　of　a

tiger。　The　baroness　was　mute　and　passive。　Ginevra；　calm　and　resolute；

waited　silently；　she　knew　that　the　notary's　voice　was　more　potent　than

hers；　and　she　seemed　to　have　decided　to　say　nothing。　At　the　moment

when　Roguin　ceased　speaking；　the　scene　had　become　so　terrifying　that

the　men　who　were　there　as　witnesses　trembled；　never；　perhaps；　had　they

known　so　awful　a　silence。　The　notaries　looked　at　each　other；　as　if　in

consultation；　and　finally　rose　and　walked　to　the　window。



〃Did　you　ever　meet　people　born　into　the　world　like　that？〃　asked　Roguin

of　his　brother　notary。



〃You　can't　get　anything　out　of　him；〃　replied　the　younger　man。　〃In　your

place；　I　should　simply　read　the　summons。　That　old　fellow　isn't　a

comfortable　person；　he　is　furious；　and　you'll　gain　nothing　whatever　by

arguing　with　him。〃



Monsieur　Roguin　then　read　a　stamped　paper；　containing　the　〃respectful

summons；〃　prepared　for　the　occasion；　after　which　he　proceeded　to　ask

Bartolomeo　what　answer　he　made　to　it。



〃Are　there　laws　in　France　which　destroy　paternal　authority？〃

demanded　the　Corsican。



〃Monsieur〃　said　Roguin；　in　his　honeyed　tones。



〃Which　tear　a　daughter　from　her　father？〃



〃Monsieur〃



〃Which　deprive　an　old　man　of　his　last　consolation？〃



〃Monsieur；　your　daughter　only　belongs　to　you　if〃



〃And　kill　him？〃



〃Monsieur；　permit　me〃



There　is　nothing　more　horrible　than　the　coolness　and　precise　reasoning

of　notaries　amid　the　many　passionate　scenes　in　which　they　are

accustomed　to　take　part。



The　forms　that　Piombo　saw　about　him　seemed；　to　his　eyes；　escaped　from

hell；　his　repressed　and　concentrated　rage　knew　no　longer　any　bounds　as

the　calm　and　fluted　voice　of　the　little　notary　uttered　the　words：

〃permit　me。〃　By　a　sudden　movement　he　sprang　to　a　dagger　that　was

hanging　to　a　nail　above　the　fireplace；　and　rushed　toward　his　daughter。

The　younger　of　the　two　notaries　and　one　of　the　witnesses　threw

themselves　before　Ginevra；　but　Piombo　knocked　them　violently　down；　his

face　on　fire；　and　his　eyes　casting　flames　more　terrifying　than　the

glitter　of　the　dagger。　When　Ginevra　saw　him　approach　her　she　looked　at

him　with　an　air　of　triumph；　and　advancing　slowly；　knelt　down。　〃No；　no！

I　cannot！〃　he　cried；　flinging　away　the　weapon；　which　buried