vendetta- 第4部分

accompanied　to　and　from　the　studio。　The　only　defect　of　this　truly

poetic　creature　came　from　the　very　power　of　a　beauty　so　fully

developed；　she　looked　a　woman。　Marriage　she　had　refused　out　of　love　to

her　father　and　mother；　feeling　herself　necessary　to　the　comfort　of

their　old　age。　Her　taste　for　painting　took　the　place　of　the　passions

and　interests　which　usually　absorb　her　sex。



〃You　are　very　silent　to…day；　mesdemoiselles；〃　she　said；　after

advancing　a　little　way　among　her　companions。　〃Good…morning；　my　little

Laure；〃　she　added；　in　a　soft；　caressing　voice；　approaching　the　young

girl　who　was　painting　apart　from　the　rest。　〃That　head　is　strong；the

flesh　tints　a　little　too　rosy；　but　the　drawing　is　excellent。〃



Laure　raised　her　head　and　looked　tenderly　at　Ginevra；　their　faces

beamed　with　the　expression　of　a　mutual　affection。　A　faint　smile

brightened　the　lips　of　the　young　Italian；　who　seemed　thoughtful；　and

walked　slowly　to　her　easel；　glancing　carelessly　at　the　drawings　and

paintings　on　her　way；　and　bidding　good…morning　to　each　of　the　young

girls　of　the　first　group；　not　observing　the　unusual　curiosity　excited

by　her　presence。　She　was　like　a　queen　in　the　midst　of　her　court；　she

paid　no　attention　to　the　profound　silence　that　reigned　among　the

patricians；　and　passed　before　their　camp　without　pronouncing　a　single

word。　Her　absorption　seemed　so　great　that　she　sat　down　before　her

easel；　opened　her　color…box；　took　up　her　brushes；　drew　on　her　brown

sleeves；　arranged　her　apron；　looked　at　her　picture；　examined　her

palette；　without；　apparently；　thinking　of　what　she　was　doing。　All

heads　in　the　group　of　the　bourgeoises　were　turned　toward　her。　If　the

young　ladies　in　the　Thirion　camp　did　not　show　their　impatience　with

the　same　frankness；　their　sidelong　glances　were　none　the　less　directed

on　Ginevra。



〃She　hasn't　noticed　it！〃　said　Mademoiselle　Roguin。



At　this　instant　Ginevra　abandoned　the　meditative　attitude　in　which　she

had　been　contemplating　her　canvas；　and　turned　her　head　toward　the

group　of　aristocrats。　She　measured；　at　a　glance；　the　distance　that　now

separated　her　from　them；　but　she　said　nothing。



〃It　hasn't　occurred　to　her　that　they　meant　to　insult　her；〃　said

Matilde；　〃she　neither　colored　nor　turned　pale。　How　vexed　these　girls

will　be　if　she　likes　her　new　place　as　well　as　the　old！　You　are　out　of

bounds；　mademoiselle；〃　she　added；　aloud；　addressing　Ginevra。



The　Italian　pretended　not　to　hear；　perhaps　she　really　did　not　hear。

She　rose　abruptly；　walked　with　a　certain　deliberation　along　the　side

of　the　partition　which　separated　the　adjoining　closet　from　the　studio；

and　seemed　to　be　examining　the　sash　through　which　her　light　came；

giving　so　much　importance　to　it　that　she　mounted　a　chair　to　raise　the

green　serge；　which　intercepted　the　light；　much　higher。　Reaching　that

height；　her　eye　was　on　a　level　with　a　slight　opening　in　the　partition；

the　real　object　of　her　efforts；　for　the　glance　that　she　cast　through

it　can　be　compared　only　to　that　of　a　miser　discovering　Aladdin's

treasure。　Then　she　sprang　down　hastily　and　returned　to　her　place；

changed　the　position　of　her　picture；　pretended　to　be　still

dissatisfied　with　the　light；　pushed　a　table　close　to　the　partition；　on

which　she　placed　a　chair；　climbed　lightly　to　the　summit　of　this

erection；　and　again　looked　through　the　crevice。　She　cast　but　one

glance　into　the　space　beyond；　which　was　lighted　through　a　skylight；

but　what　she　saw　produced　so　strong　an　effect　upon　her　that　she

tottered。



〃Take　care；　Mademoiselle　Ginevra；　you'll　fall！〃　cried　Laure。



All　the　young　girls　gazed　at　the　imprudent　climber；　and　the　fear　of

their　coming　to　her　gave　her　courage；　she　recovered　her　equilibrium；

and　replied；　as　she　balanced　herself　on　the　shaking　chair：



〃Pooh！　it　is　more　solid　than　a　throne！〃



She　then　secured　the　curtain　and　came　down；　pushed　the　chair　and　table

as　far　as　possible　from　the　partition；　returned　to　her　easel；　and

seemed　to　be　arranging　it　to　suit　the　volume　of　light　she　had　now

thrown　upon　it。　Her　picture；　however；　was　not　in　her　mind；　which　was

wholly　bent　on　getting　as　near　as　possible　to　the　closet；　against　the

door　of　which　she　finally　settled　herself。　Then　she　began　to　prepare

her　palette　in　the　deepest　silence。　Sitting　there；　she　could　hear；

distinctly；　a　sound　which　had　strongly　excited　her　curiosity　the

evening　before；　and　had　whirled　her　young　imagination　across　vast

fields　of　conjecture。　She　recognized　the　firm　and　regular　breathing　of

a　man　whom　she　had　just　seen　asleep。　Her　curiosity　was　satisfied

beyond　her　expectations；　but　at　the　same　time　she　felt　saddled　by　an

immense　responsibility。　Through　the　opening　in　the　wall　she　had　seen

the　Imperial　eagle；　and　upon　the　flock　bed；　faintly　lighted　from

above；　lay　the　form　of　an　officer　of　the　Guard。　She　guessed　all。

Servin　was　hiding　a　proscribed　man！



She　now　trembled　lest　any　of　her　companions　should　come　near　here　to

examine　her　picture；　when　the　regular　breathing　or　some　deeper　breath

might　reveal　to　them；　as　it　had　to　her；　the　presence　of　this　political

victim。　She　resolved　to　keep　her　place　beside　that　door；　trusting　to

her　wits　to　baffle　all　dangerous　chances　that　might　arise。



〃Better　that　I　should　be　here；〃　thought　she；　〃to　prevent　some　luckless

accident；　than　leave　that　poor　man　at　the　mercy　of　a　heedless

betrayal。〃



This　was　the　secret　of　the　indifference　which　Ginevra　had　apparently

shown　to　the　removal　of　her　easel。　She　was　inwardly　enchanted；　because

the　change　had　enabled　her　to　gratify　her　curiosity　in　a　natural

manner；　besides；　at　this　moment；　she　was　too　keenly　preoccupied　to

perceive　the　reason　of　her　removal。



Nothing　is　more　mortifying　to　young　girls；　or；　indeed；　to　all　the

world；　than　to　see　a　piece　of　mischief；　an　insult；　or　a　biting　speech；

miss　its　effect　through　the　contempt　or　the　indifference　of　the

intended　victim。　It　seems　as　if　hatred　to　an　enemy　grows　in　proportion

to　the　height　that　enemy　is　raised　above　us。　Ginevra's　behavior　was　an

enigma　to　all　her　companions；　her　friends　and　enemies　were　equally

surprised；　for　the　former　claimed　for　her　all　good　qualities；　except

that　of　forgiveness　of　injuries。　Though；　of　course；　the　occasions　for

displaying　that　vice　of　nature　were　seldom　afforded　to　Ginevra　in　the

life　of　a　studio；　still；　the　specimens　she　had　now　and　then　given　of

her　vindictive　disposition　had　left　a　strong　impression　on　the　minds

of　her　companions。



After　many　conjectures；　Mademoiselle　Roguin　came　to　the　conclusion

that　the　Italian's　silence　showed　a　grandeur　of　soul　beyond　all

praise；　and　the　banking　circle；　inspired　by　her；　formed　a　project　to

humiliate　the　aristocracy。　They　succeeded　in　that　aim　by　a　fire　of

sarcasms　which　presently　brought　down　the　pride　of　the　Right　coterie。



Madame　Servin's　arrival　put　a　stop　to　the　struggle。　With　the

shrewdness　that　usually　accompanies　malice；　Amelie　Thirion　had

noticed；　analyzed；　and　mentally　commented　on　the　extreme　preoccupation

of　Ginevra's　mind；　which　prevented　her　from　even　hearing　the　bitterly

polite　war　of　words　of　which　she　was　the　object。　The　vengeance

Mademoiselle　Roguin　and　her　companions　were　inflicting　on　Mademoiselle

Thirion　and　her　group　had；　therefore；　the　fatal　effect　of　driving　the

young　ULTRAS　to　search　for　the　cause　of　the　silence　so　obstinately

maintained　by　Ginevra　di　Piombo。　The　beautiful　Italian　became　the

centre　of　all　glances；　and　she　was　henceforth　watched　by　friends　and

foes　alike。



It　is　very　difficult　to　hide　even　a　slight　emotion　or　sentiment　from

fifteen　inquisitive　and　unoccupied　young　girls；　whose　wits　and

mischief　ask　for　nothing　better　than　secrets　to　guess；　schemes　to

create　or　baffle；　and　who　know　how　to　find　too　many　interpretations

for　each　gesture；　glance；　and　word；　to　fail　in　discovering　the　right

one。



At　this　moment；　however；　the　presence　of　Madame　Servin　produced　an

interlude　in　the　drama　thus　played　below　the　surface　in　these　various

young　hearts；　the　sentiments；　ideas；　and　progress　of　which　were

expressed　by　phrases　that　were　almost　allegorical；　by　mischievous

glances；　by　gestures；　by　silence　even；　more　intelligible　than　words。

As　soon　as　Madame　Servin　entered　the　studio；　her　eyes　turned　to　the

door　near　which　Ginevra　was　seated。　Under　present　circumstances　the

fact　of　this　glance　was　not　lost。　Though　at　first　none　of　the　pupils

took　notice　of　it；　Mademoiselle　Thirion　recollected　it　later；　and　it

explained　to　her　the　doubt；　fear；　and　mystery　which　now　gave　something

wild　and　frightened　to　Madame　Servin's　eyes。



〃Mesdemoiselles；〃　she　said；　〃Monsieur　Servin　cannot　come　to…day。〃



Then　she　went　round　complimenting　each　young　girl；　receiving　in　return

a　volume　of　those　feminine　caresses　which　are　given　as　much　by　the

tones　of　the　voice　and　by　looks　as　by　gestures。　She　presently　reached

Ginevra；　under　the　influence　of　an　uneasiness　she　tried　in　vain　to

disguise。　They　nodded