Thank you, — he said. — I can find him on my own.
But when Geneviève saw him, she let out an exclamation. At the same time, he started to leave without saying a word.
Etienne followed him.
— Miss Geneviève! — he said, and his voice expressed all the longing he had felt during the long time of separation. Miss Geneviève, it's Lazare, it's me! Ah, why are you running away?
Geneviève still quickly left without answering. He came to the iron gate, opened it, went into the garden, and went farther and farther into the forest.
But Etienne still followed him. And Geneviève heard the ex-monk's footsteps behind her and a voice saying:
— Miss Geneviève, it is Lazare, Lazare. Be merciful and hear only the blink of an eye.
— So what do you want? — he said, turning quickly and fiercely. — Why have you come here? — Is Mrs. Miralez feeling worse because you want to have fun with someone else? It's not right; that is not the way to reject a woman.
Those harsh words hurt Etienne. After saying them, Geneviève burst into tears, covering her face with her hands.
— Go your way! — he exclaimed — can't you see that I hate you!
He still tried to run away, but when his sobs got louder and louder, he had to sit down on the trunk of a felled tree.
Here Etienne met him, saying:
— I forgive you, because you cannot know how wrong you are doing to me. If you hate me now, you have loved me, Geneviève, and the name of that love I ask you to listen to me for a few blinks. When I have spoken, I will quite obediently go my way, if you still require it; and if you still hate me, I promise never to come in your way. Miss Geneviève, I love you still, and I never loved another woman, I swear my God fell.
Geneviève looked up, fixing her eyes on her former monk.
— If you have not loved Mrs. Miralez, why could she have been your mistress?
— Mrs. Miralez has not been my mistress.
— You are brave! … Did I not see him come into your room myself? Didn't I hear him confess it myself? Didn't her husband shoot her in my presence? Wouldn't he have killed you himself if I hadn't taken the gun from his hand?
— You have all heard and seen that, Miss Geneviève, but if you had heard many other remarkable things besides, you would not trust your eyes or your ears; it's all a lie! It was the result of terrible plots! They wanted to betray you, deprive you of your love and prevent our marriage... Let me speak! I want to tell you everything. You can finally hear the whole truth. Ever since the terrible day of August 15, I have been waiting for the moment when I could meet you, clarify everything and show you that your Lazarene still deserves your rating. What torturous moments I have had to spend in that unhappy house, from which I was not allowed to leave even for a moment and where I am still expected to be shot. But I don't care about that. I was not afraid of my death, but wanted to meet you anywhere. Please forgive me for having to make a confession to regain your trust. Miss Geneviève! Rose-Marie loved me, loved me madly. He had fallen in love with me during the spring. I noticed it in Saint-Kerohic, that Breton village where we spent a few weeks He told me it on an island where we were forced to spend the night. But then her love was pure, and if her husband's illness had not been incurable, she would have soon forgotten me in the big world. But we were forced to move to Sargos, and there Rose-Marie's love only grew. It's the luckiest! He was about to throw himself into the flames one night to save my life. Pity him. Geneviève, don't live too scornfully. I don't think he has ever let you down. She only wanted to get married as soon as she became a widow. He expressed his plans to me and asked if I would marry him. I replied that you, Geneviève, would become my wife and that I would never love any other woman. He went into a rage about this and has been trying to get revenge on me ever since. When he couldn't get me to agree, he tried to influence you indirectly. He tried to make you believe that I would be unfaithful to you, and for that he organized a scene of 15 days throughout August. He went into a rage about this and has been trying to get revenge on me ever since. When he couldn't get me to agree, he tried to influence you indirectly. He tried to make you believe that I would be unfaithful to you, and for that he organized a scene of 15 days throughout August. He went into a rage about this and has been trying to get revenge on me ever since. When he couldn't get me to agree, he tried to influence you indirectly. He tried to make you believe that I would be unfaithful to you, and for that he organized a scene of 15 days throughout August.
— It still sounds like you had quite a good time thinking about all that explanation of yours. Worse, it is not believable; Rose-Marie is not the kind of girl who would have dared to risk her life to prepare unpleasant surprises for me.
— Mr. Miralez, who was not afraid of any danger, was so ill that no one would have believed that he could walk up the stairs. He wasn't out for several days. How he came to spy on his wife, I still don't know. Rose-Marie usually came to me up a small flight of stairs. Apparently, he had seen it once and because of that thought that we were cheating on him. And that's what he still believes until his last moment, even though I tried to convince him of my innocence.
— Why didn't you tell my uncle all that?
— He would be very upset about that, I'm sure.
— Because it's not true.
— No, Geneviève, but because it would have been useless. How could I have said to a dying man: "I don't love your wife, but it's true that she loves me and definitely wants to be my wife after you die!" That would have been very poor consolation.
Geneviève rise.
— You speak intelligently and you would have become a worthy lawyer. But if you still loved me, why didn't you write to me?
— I wrote to you every day.
— Oh, it's not worth the effort to talk like that!
— And you, Geneviève, had completely stopped writing to me!
— After all, that's already too boldly said! I wrote absolutely desperate letters to you!
— Then they were stolen, kidnapped on the way, because I never got them!
The young girl looked Etienne sharply in the eyes.
— Ah, how gladly I would believe you! — he exclaimed, a suffering tremor in his voice. — How could I believe it. If only you knew…
He buried his face in his hands and burst into tears.
Etienne took her hand and kissed it softly.
— You believe me, Geneviève, — said he — and I thank you.
He wept even more bitterly after hearing these words.
— Yes, I must believe you, — he said at last — even though you have no proof. Lazare, I trust you with all my heart! … How sweet and tender your voice is… Ah, how weak I am! I shouldn't be satisfied with your explanations, I should investigate the matter — that would be the wisest thing, wouldn't it? But still I trust you; it's so cute!
Tears of joy came to Etienne's eyes and he trembled with the happiness that overwhelmed him.
— If only you knew how much I have had to suffer — continued Geneviève — how terribly long these months have been. And besides, it's been a leap year!
He laughed. A knife-like feature from antiquity was still visible.
— How infinitely I love you! — whispered Lazare and brought his girl's hands to his lips.
— Oh, monk, you are making progress! You take a woman's hand, look her in the eyes and say: »I love you!» What shamelessness! Immediately lower your eyes and be ashamed! Then you can at least — kiss — like this!
And the young girl pressed a kiss to his forehead.
At the same time, her tears began to flood again.
— No, it's more than I can bear! — he exclaimed. — I try to be happy, but it doesn't work. I must weep for all the suffering I have endured. — If her husband didn't manage to kill her, then I'm left behind! — he added.
When his anger had settled, he began:
— Yes, she is beautiful, the Rose of Granada, isn't she? Such eyes, such posture, such body shape! Wasn't it a wise choice, Mr. Trappist?
And when Lazare did not understand his purpose, he added:
— Yes, it was I who had urged him to cut you off!... Naturally, it wasn't meant to go that far! … But still a little so I could find out…
- Is it true?
- It is true. Men are so strange, you can put them to the test!
— You are cruel! You deserved to…
— Oh, no threats. Otherwise, I'm starting another 12-month trial, and this time I'm sending a really ugly woman your way. But let's not count the fun! Allow me to be very happy. I need to take back my damage.
— Eleven months in Bontucq, the memory of your bull alone as my company and consolation... Do you know that I have planted a diatom tree on its grave?
— To Martin's grave?
— Of course. It grows well and becomes a very beautiful tree. We can go see it together sometime. Live laugh! I hold the memory of that bull's mouth sacred, and I think I almost prayed for it... Yes, Lazare, I have something to say to you, too, and what I apologize for when I have to make a confession. It's very serious.
And half joking, half serious, he said:
— I would like to have a wedding right now.
— My beloved!
— Yes, you see, I think the probationary period has been long enough. You could perhaps eventually become unfaithful to me if I waited another year. By the way, I was ready a long time ago in terms of my institutions: in three weeks the announcement can be made and I miss Mrs. Hontarrède's name. Ah, it's not just love anymore, there's also a desire for revenge! I want to tease Rose-Maria, she can burst with anger. Every day we go to the hand claw to say hello to him and then like this... kiss me! … and like that… thank you! I can show my happiness to that terrible woman until she bursts with grief. Yes... it wants to say no... we won't show ourselves to him first... and not to the countries either. Have you seen a hut built on top of a ledge of rock by the side of the road in Luchon? The right special couple could live in it. When only the goats can go up there, the wife has to tie a rope around her husband to let him out of the barn to get food and pull the rope up again... We can move into it, the two of us. Let's inquire if we can rent it! Do you think I'm a jerk? You can forgive that. It's because of the joy of having you back. I can't really see or hear anymore. Dizzy… I think I'm going to die… I love you… me too!
She rested her head against her fiancé's chest. Thus they walked through the sunny forest and came back to the garden through which they had passed half an hour ago, and to his surprise Lazare saw a policeman standing at the gate.
— What is that man doing here, — he asked Geneviève.
— I don't know that — he answered.
And they spotted another policeman who seemed to be hiding behind a fence.
— It's him, — a woman's voice was heard from further on. - It's him. Catch him.
— My aunt! — exclaimed Geneviève, who saw Mrs. Manzanil running to her.
But the police also rushed forward and one of them grabbed Etienne by the collar.
— Are you Mr. Etienne Hontarrède? — he asked, inspecting the young man.
— I am too. What do you want from me?
— The investigating judge can tell you that.
And the policemen went to take away Lazare.
Geneviève shuddered.
— Lord God, what does that mean' — he exclaimed.
— It means that you were here walking with your uncle's murderer. — replied the Spaniard.
— A murderer? I? — exclaimed Lazare.
— My brother died yesterday, — replied Mrs. Manzanil while pointing to Miralez's scribe. — That man has poisoned him; we have proof of that, — he added.
Etienne let out a desperate cry.
— Genevieve! Your aunt has lied! These men don't know what they're doing. I swear by your head that I am innocent. Geneviève, my own Geneviève, believe me!
But the cops took him away. And to prevent him from escaping, one policeman loaded his revolver. Geneviève fell unconscious into her aunt's arms.
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