'Heaven forbid!'I said;and on that she held the door open that I might enter.But I was not half-way across the room before she had passed me,and was again between me and the wretched makeshift pallet.Nay,when I stood and looked down at him,as he moaned and rolled in senseless agony,with livid face and distorted features (which the cold grey light of that miserable room rendered doubly appalling),she hung over him and fenced him from me:so that looking on him and her,and remembering how he had treated her,and why he came to be in this place,I felt unmanly tears rise to my eyes.The room was still a prison,a prison with broken mortar covering the floor and loopholes for windows;but the captive was held by other chains than those of force.When she might have gone free,her woman's love surviving all that he had done to kill it,chained her to his side with fetters which old wrongs and present danger were powerless to break.
It was impossible that I could view a scene so strange without feelings of admiration as well as pity;or without forgetting for a while,in my respect for Madame de Bruhl's devotion,the risk which had seemed so great to me on the stairs.I had come simply for a purpose of my own,and with no thought of aiding him who lay here.But so great,as I have noticed on other occasions,is the power of a noble example,that,before I knew it,I found myself wondering what I could do to help this man,and how Icould relieve madame,in the discharge of offices which her husband had as little right to expect at her hands as at mine.
At the mere sound of the word Plague I knew she would be deserted in this wilderness by all,or nearly all;a reflection which suggested to me that I should first remove mademoiselle to a distance,and then consider what help I could afford here.
I was about to tell her the purpose with which I had come when a paroxysm more than ordinarily violent,and induced perhaps by the excitement of my presence--though he seemed beside himself--seized him,and threatened to tax her powers to the utmost.Icould not look on and see her spend herself in vain;and almost before I knew what I was doing I had laid my hands on him and after a brief struggle thrust him back exhausted on the couch.
She looked at me so strangely after that that in the half-light which the loopholes afforded I tried in vain to read her meaning.
'Why did you come?'she cried at length,breathing quickly.
'You,of all men?Why did you come?He was no friend of yours,Heaven knows!'
'No,madame,nor I of his,'I answered bitterly,with a sudden revulsion of feeling.
'Then why are you here?'she retorted.
'I could not send one of my men,'I answered.'And I want the key of the room above.'
At the mention of that the room above--she flinched as if I had struck her,and looked as strangely at Bruhl as she had before looked at me.No doubt the reference to Mademoiselle de la Vire recalled to her mind her husband's wild passion for the girl,which for the moment she had forgotten.Nevertheless she did not speak,though her face turned very pale.She stooped over the couch,such as it was,and searching his clothes,presently stood up,and held out the key to me.'Take it,and let her out,'she said with a forced smile.'Take it up yourself,and do it.You have done so much for her it is right that you should do this.'
I took the key,thanking her with more haste than thought,and turned towards the door,intending to go straight up to the floor above and release mademoiselle.My hand was already on the door,which madame,I found,had left ajar in the excitement of my entrance,when I heard her step behind me.The next instant she touched me on the shoulder.'You fool!'she exclaimed,her eyes flashing,'would you kill her?'Would you go from him to her,and take the plague to her?God forgive me,it was in my mind to send you.And men are such puppets you would have gone!'
I trembled with horror,as much at my stupidity as at her craft.
For she was right:in another moment I should have gone,and comprehension and remorse would have come too late.As it was,in my longing at once to reproach her for her wickedness and to thank her for her timely repentance,I found no words;but Iturned away in silence and went out with a full heart.
