第70章

"And thou, holy mother of God, suffer thy unworthy servant to summon thee to keep thy promise.Let thy august power at last be made manifest.At the sight of thy frowning brows let there be accomplished a mystery of terror and tears in hardened hearts.Let the neck of the proud be broken, and let his haughty head, bent down by the breath of thy lips, as by the wind of a tempest, bow to the very earth and its hair sweep the dust of this pavement."Just then they heard a voice calling:

"Father Alexis, Father Alexis, where are you?"The priest turned pale and trembled.He tried in vain to rise, his knees seemed nailed to the ground.

"Ah! my child, did you not hear a divine voice answer me?"But helping him to his feet, Gilbert said with a sad smile:

"There is nothing divine in that voice.It has a strongly-marked Provencal accent, and if I am not mistaken, it belongs to Jasmin the cook, who is there in the court with a lantern in his hand, and is calling you.""Perhaps you are right," answered the good father, shaking his head and passing his hand over his forehead, which was bathed in perspiration."Let us see what this good Jasmin wants.Perhaps he brings my dinner.I had notified him, however, that I proposed to fast to-day."Jasmin no sooner saw them come out of the chapel than he ran towards them and said to the priest:

"I don't know, father, what has happened to Ivan, but when I went into his room to carry him his dinner, I found him stretched on his bed.I called him and shook him, but couldn't wake him up."A shudder ran through Gilbert's whole body.Seizing the lantern from Jasmin he darted off on a run; in two seconds he was with Ivan.Jasmin had told the truth; the serf slept heavily and profoundly.By dint of pulling him by the arm, Gilbert succeeded in making him open his eyes; but he soon closed them again, turned towards the wall, and slept on.

"Someone must have given him a narcotic," said Gilbert, whispering to Father Alexis who had just joined him.

And addressing Jasmin, who had followed the priest.

"Has anyone been here this afternoon?"

"I ask your pardon," said the cook."Doctor Vladimir returned from his walk at about five o'clock.This surprised me very much, as Count Kostia told me before he left, that M.Stephane would dine here alone to-day.""The doctor is at the table then, now."

"Pardon, pardon! He didn't wish any dinner.He told me in a joking way, that he would shortly go to a grand dinner in the other world.""But where is he then? In his study?"

"Two hours afterwards, he went out with M.Stephane.""Which way did they go?" cried Gilbert, shaking him violently by the arm.

"Ah! pardon, sir, take care, you'll put my arm out of joint,"answered the huge Provencal.

"Jasmin, my good Jasmin, answer me: which way did they go?""Ah! I remember now, they took the road to the woods."Gilbert darted off instantly.Father Alexis cried after him in vain:

"Wait for me, my child, I will accompany you.I am a man of good judgment." As if carried by the wind, Gilbert was already in the woods.His head bare, pale, out of breath, he ran at the top of his speed.Night had come, and the moon began to silver over the foliage which quivered at every breath of wind.Gilbert was blind to the moon's brightness, deaf to the sighing of the wind.He heard nothing but the diminishing sound of steps in the distance, he saw nothing but a cloud of blood which floated before his eyes and indicated the path; the sole thought which shed any light upon his mind, filled with gloomiest apprehensions, was this:

"I did not understand this man! It was an offensive alliance which he proposed to me yesterday.I refused to avenge him: he is going to revenge himself, and a Russian serf seeking vengeance is capable of anything."On he ran with unabated speed, and would have run to the end of the world if, in an elbow of the road, some steps before him, he had not suddenly perceived Stephane.Standing in the moonlight erect and motionless, Gilbert stopped, held out his arms, and uttered a cry.She trembled, turned, and running to him, cried:

"Gilbert, do you love me?"

He answered only by pressing her to his heart; and then perceiving Doctor Vladimir, who was sitting on the edge of a ditch, his head in his hands, he stammered:

"This man here with you!"

"I do not know," said she in a trembling voice, "whether he is a mad man or a villain; but it is certain that he is going to die, for he has poisoned himself.""What have you to say?" said Gilbert, looking wildly at the dejected face of the doctor, upon which the moon was shining full.

"Explain I beg of you."

"What do I know?" said she; "I think I have been dreaming since yesterday evening.It seems to me, however, that this man came to my room for me.He had taken the precaution to drug Ivan.I was dying with melancholy.He persuaded me that you, my Gilbert, were waiting for me in one of the paths of this forest, to fly with me to a distant country.'Let us go, let us go,' I cried; but on the way I began to think, I grew suspicious, and at this turning of the road I said to my gloomy companion: 'Bring my Gilbert to me here;