English
M.D’Avrignysoonrestoredthemagistratetoconsciousness,whohadlookedlikeasecondcorpseinthatchamberofdeath.“Oh,deathisinmyhouse!”criedVillefort.
“Say,rather,crime!”repliedthedoctor.
“M.d’Avrigny,”criedVillefort,“IcannottellyouallIfeelatthismoment,—terror,grief,madness.”
“Yes,”saidM.d’Avrigny,withanimposingcalmness,“butIthinkitisnowtimetoact.
Ithinkitistimetostopthistorrentofmortality.
Icannolongerbeartobeinpossessionofthesesecretswithoutthehopeofseeingthevictimsandsocietygenerallyrevenged.”
Villefortcastagloomylookaroundhim.
“Inmyhouse,”murmuredhe,“inmyhouse!”
“Come,magistrate,”saidM.d’Avrigny,“showyourselfaman;asaninterpreterofthelaw,dohonortoyourprofessionbysacrificingyourselfishintereststoit.”
“Youmakemeshudder,doctor.Doyoutalkofasacrifice?”
“Ido.”
“Doyouthensuspectanyone?”
“Isuspectnoone;deathrapsatyourdoor—itenters—itgoes,notblindfolded,butcircumspectly,fromroomtoroom.
Well,Ifollowitscourse,Itrackitspassage;Iadoptthewisdomoftheancients,andfeelmyway,formyfriendshipforyourfamilyandmyrespectforyouareasatwofoldbandageovermyeyes;well”—
“Oh,speak,speak,doctor;Ishallhavecourage.”
“Well,sir,youhaveinyourestablishment,orinyourfamily,perhaps,oneofthefrightfulmonstrositiesofwhicheachcenturyproducesonlyone.
LocustaandAgrippina,livingatthesametime,wereanexception,andprovedthedeterminationofprovidencetoeffecttheentireruinoftheRomanempire,sulliedbysomanycrimes.
BrunehildeandFredegondeweretheresultsofthepainfulstruggleofcivilizationinitsinfancy,whenmanwaslearningtocontrolmind,wereitevenbyanemissaryfromtherealmsofdarkness.
Allthesewomenhadbeen,orwere,beautiful.
Thesameflowerofinnocencehadflourished,orwasstillflourishing,ontheirbrow,thatisseenonthebrowoftheculpritinyourhouse.”
Villefortshrieked,claspedhishands,andlookedatthedoctorwithasupplicatingair.Butthelatterwentonwithoutpity:—
”’Seekwhomthecrimewillprofit,’saysanaxiomofjurisprudence.”
“Doctor,”criedVillefort,“alas,doctor,howoftenhasman’sjusticebeendeceivedbythosefatalwords.Iknownotwhy,butIfeelthatthiscrime”—
“Youacknowledge,then,theexistenceofthecrime?”
“Yes,Iseetooplainlythatitdoesexist.Butitseemsthatitisintendedtoaffectmepersonally.Ifearanattackmyself,afterallthesedisasters.”
“Oh,man,”murmuredd’Avrigny,“themostselfishofallanimals,themostpersonalofallcreatures,whobelievestheearthturns,thesunshines,anddeathstrikesforhimalone,—anantcursingGodfromthetopofabladeofgrass!
Andhavethosewhohavelosttheirliveslostnothing?
—M.deSaint–Meran,MadamedeSaint–Meran,M.Noirtier”—
“How?M.Noirtier?”
“Yes;thinkyouitwasthepoorservant’slifewascoveted?
No,no;likeShakespeare’s‘Polonius,’hediedforanother.
ItwasNoirtierthelemonadewasintendedfor—itisNoirtier,logicallyspeaking,whodrankit.
Theotherdrankitonlybyaccident,and,althoughBarroisisdead,itwasNoirtierwhosedeathwaswishedfor.”
“Butwhydiditnotkillmyfather?”
“ItoldyouoneeveninginthegardenafterMadamedeSaint–Meran’sdeath—becausehissystemisaccustomedtothatverypoison,andthedosewastriflingtohim,whichwouldbefataltoanother;becausenooneknows,noteventheassassin,that,forthelasttwelvemonths,IhavegivenM.Noirtierbrucineforhisparalyticaffection,whiletheassassinisnotignorant,forhehasprovedthatbrucineisaviolentpoison.”
“Oh,havepity—havepity!”murmuredVillefort,wringinghishands.
“Followtheculprit’ssteps;hefirstkillsM.deSaint–Meran”—
“Odoctor!”
“Iwouldsweartoit;whatIheardofhissymptomsagreestoowellwithwhatIhaveseenintheothercases.”
Villefortceasedtocontend;heonlygroaned.
“HefirstkillsM.deSaint–Meran,”repeatedthedoctor,“thenMadamedeSaint–Meran,—adoublefortunetoinherit.”
Villefortwipedtheperspirationfromhisforehead.“Listenattentively.”
“Alas,”stammeredVillefort,“Idonotloseasingleword.”
“M.Noirtier,”resumedM.d’Avrignyinthesamepitilesstone,—”M.Noirtierhadoncemadeawillagainstyou—againstyourfamily—infavorofthepoor,infact;M.Noirtierisspared,becausenothingisexpectedfromhim.
Buthehasnosoonerdestroyedhisfirstwillandmadeasecond,than,forfearheshouldmakeathird,heisstruckdown.
Thewillwasmadethedaybeforeyesterday,Ibelieve;youseetherehasbeennotimelost.”
“Oh,mercy,M.d’Avrigny!”
“Nomercy,sir!Thephysicianhasasacredmissiononearth;andtofulfilithebeginsatthesourceoflife,andgoesdowntothemysteriousdarknessofthetomb.
Whencrimehasbeencommitted,andGod,doubtlessinanger,turnsawayhisface,itisforthephysiciantobringtheculprittojustice.”
“Havemercyonmychild,sir,”murmuredVillefort.
“Youseeitisyourselfwhohavefirstnamedher—you,herfather.”
“HavepityonValentine!Listen—itisimpossible!Iwouldaswillinglyaccusemyself!Valentine,whoseheartispureasadiamondoralily.”
“Nopity,procureur;thecrimeisfragrant.
MademoiselleherselfpackedallthemedicineswhichweresenttoM.deSaint–Meran;andM.deSaint–Meranisdead.
MademoiselledeVillefortpreparedallthecoolingdraughtswhichMadamedeSaint–Merantook,andMadamedeSaint–Meranisdead.
MademoiselledeVilleforttookfromthehandsofBarrois,whowassentout,thelemonadewhichM.Noirtierhadeverymorning,andhehasescapedbyamiracle.
MademoiselledeVillefortistheculprit—sheisthepoisoner!
Toyou,astheking’sattorney,IdenounceMademoiselledeVillefort,doyourduty.”
“Doctor,Iresistnolonger—Icannolongerdefendmyself—Ibelieveyou;but,forpity’ssake,sparemylife,myhonor!”
“M.deVillefort,”repliedthedoctor,withincreasedvehemence,“thereareoccasionswhenIdispensewithallfoolishhumancircumspection.
Ifyourdaughterhadcommittedonlyonecrime,andIsawhermeditatinganother,Iwouldsay‘Warnher,punishher,letherpasstheremainderofherlifeinaconvent,weepingandpraying.’
Ifshehadcommittedtwocrimes,Iwouldsay,‘Here,M.deVillefort,isapoisonthattheprisonerisnotacquaintedwith,—onethathasnoknownantidote,quickasthought,rapidaslightning,mortalasthethunderbolt;giveherthatpoison,recommendinghersoultoGod,andsaveyourhonorandyourlife,foritisyourssheaimsat;andIcanpictureherapproachingyourpillowwithherhypocriticalsmilesandhersweetexhortations.
Woetoyou,M.deVillefort,ifyoudonotstrikefirst!’
ThisiswhatIwouldsayhadsheonlykilledtwopersonsbutshehasseenthreedeaths,—hascontemplatedthreemurderedpersons,—haskneltbythreecorpses!
Tothescaffoldwiththepoisoner—tothescaffold!Doyoutalkofyourhonor?
DowhatItellyou,andimmortalityawaitsyou!”
Villefortfellonhisknees.“Listen,”saidhe;“Ihavenotthestrengthofmindyouhave,orratherthatwhichyouwouldnothave,ifinsteadofmydaughterValentineyourdaughterMadeleinewereconcerned.”Thedoctorturnedpale.
“Doctor,everysonofwomanisborntosufferandtodie;Iamcontenttosufferandtoawaitdeath.”
“Beware,”saidM.d’Avrigny,“itmaycomeslowly;youwillseeitapproachafterhavingstruckyourfather,yourwife,perhapsyourson.”
Villefort,suffocating,pressedthedoctor’sarm.“Listen,”criedhe;“pityme—helpme!No,mydaughterisnotguilty.
IfyoudragusbothbeforeatribunalIwillstillsay,‘No,mydaughterisnotguilty;—thereisnocrimeinmyhouse.
Iwillnotacknowledgeacrimeinmyhouse;forwhencrimeentersadwelling,itislikedeath—itdoesnotcomealone.’Listen.
WhatdoesitsignifytoyouifIammurdered?Areyoumyfriend?Areyouaman?Haveyouaheart?No,youareaphysician!
Well,ItellyouIwillnotdragmydaughterbeforeatribunal,andgiveheruptotheexecutioner!
Thebareideawouldkillme—woulddrivemelikeamadmantodigmyheartoutwithmyfinger–nails!
Andifyouweremistaken,doctor—ifitwerenotmydaughter—ifIshouldcomeoneday,paleasaspectre,andsaytoyou,‘Assassin,youhavekilledmychild!’
—hold—ifthatshouldhappen,althoughIamaChristian,M.d’Avrigny,Ishouldkillmyself.”
“Well,”saidthedoctor,afteramoment’ssilence,“Iwillwait.”
Villefortlookedathimasifhehaddoubtedhiswords.
“Only,”continuedM.d’Avrigny,withaslowandsolemntone,“ifanyonefallsillinyourhouse,ifyoufeelyourselfattacked,donotsendforme,forIwillcomenomore.
Iwillconsenttosharethisdreadfulsecretwithyou,butIwillnotallowshameandremorsetogrowandincreaseinmyconscience,ascrimeandmiserywillinyourhouse.”
“Thenyouabandonme,doctor?”
“Yes,forIcanfollowyounofarther,andIonlystopatthefootofthescaffold.Somefurtherdiscoverywillbemade,whichwillbringthisdreadfultragedytoaclose.Adieu.”
“Ientreatyou,doctor!”
“Allthehorrorsthatdisturbmythoughtsmakeyourhouseodiousandfatal.Adieu,sir.”
“Oneword—onesinglewordmore,doctor!Yougo,leavingmeinallthehorrorofmysituation,afterincreasingitbywhatyouhaverevealedtome.
Butwhatwillbereportedofthesuddendeathofthepooroldservant?”
“True,”saidM.d’Avrigny;“wewillreturn.”
Thedoctorwentoutfirst,followedbyM.deVillefort.
Theterrifiedservantswereonthestairsandinthepassagewherethedoctorwouldpass.
“Sir,”saidd’AvrignytoVillefort,soloudthatallmighthear,“poorBarroishasledtoosedentaryalifeoflate;accustomedformerlytorideonhorseback,orinthecarriage,tothefourcornersofEurope,themonotonouswalkaroundthatarm–chairhaskilledhim—hisbloodhasthickened.
Hewasstout,hadashort,thickneck;hewasattackedwithapoplexy,andIwascalledintoolate.
Bytheway,”addedheinalowtone,“takecaretothrowawaythatcupofsyrupofvioletsintheashes.”
Thedoctor,withoutshakinghandswithVillefort,withoutaddingawordtowhathehadsaid,wentout,amidthetearsandlamentationsofthewholehousehold.
ThesameeveningallVillefort’sservants,whohadassembledinthekitchen,andhadalongconsultation,cametotellMadamedeVillefortthattheywishedtoleave.
Noentreaty,nopropositionofincreasedwages,couldinducethemtoremain;toeveryargumenttheyreplied,“Wemustgo,fordeathisinthishouse.”
Theyallleft,inspiteofprayersandentreaties,testifyingtheirregretatleavingsogoodamasterandmistress,andespeciallyMademoiselleValentine,sogood,sokind,andsogentle.
VillefortlookedatValentineastheysaidthis.
Shewasintears,and,strangeasitwas,inspiteoftheemotionshefeltatthesightofthesetears,helookedalsoatMadamedeVillefort,anditappearedtohimasifaslightgloomysmilehadpassedoverherthinlips,likeameteorseenpassinginauspiciouslybetweentwocloudsinastormysky.
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