Chance has justified me! A wandering Spaniard, an old soldier, who spent a night in the village here, was also present at the battle of St.Quentin, and saw Martin Guerre receive a terrible gunshot wound in the leg.After the battle, being wounded, he betook himself to the neighbouring village, and distinctly heard a surgeon in the next room say that a wounded man must have his leg amputated, and would very likely not survive the operation.The door opened, he saw the sufferer, and knew him for Martin Guerre.So much the Spaniard told me.Acting on this information, I went on pretence of business to the village he named, I questioned the inhabitants, and this is what I learned.""Well?" said Bertrande, pale, and gasping with emotion.
"I learned that the wounded man had his leg taken off, and, as the surgeon predicted, he must have died in a few hours, for he was never seen again."Bertrande remained a few moments as if annihilated by this appalling revelation; then, endeavoring to repel the horrible thought--"No," she cried, "no, it is impossible! It is a lie intended to ruin him-to ruin us all.""What! you do not believe me?"
"No, never, never!"
"Say rather you pretend to disbelieve me: the truth has pierced your heart, but you wish to deny it.Think, however, of the danger to your immortal soul.""Silence, wretched man!...No, God would not send me so terrible a trial.What proof can you show of the truth of your words?""The witnesses I have mentioned."
"Nothing more?"
"No, not as yet."
"Fine proofs indeed! The story of a vagabond who flattered your hatred in hope of a reward, the gossip of a distant village, the recollections of ten years back, and finally, your own word, the word of a man who seeks only revenge, the word of a man who swore to make Martin pay dearly for the results of his own avarice, a man of furious passions such as yours! No, Pierre, no, I do not believe you, and I never will!""Other people may perhaps be less incredulous, and if I accuse him publicly----""Then I shall contradict you publicly! "And coming quickly forward, her eyes shining with virtuous anger--"Leave this house, go," she said; "it is you yourself who are the impostor--go!""I shall yet know how to convince everyone, and will make you acknowledge it," cried the furious old man.
He went out, and Bertrande sank exhausted into a chair.All the strength which had supported her against Pierre vanished as soon as she was alone, and in spite of her resistance to suspicion, the terrible light of doubt penetrated her heart, and extinguished the pure torch of trustfulness which had guided her hitherto--a doubt, alas! which attacked at once her honour and her love, for she loved with all a woman's tender affection.Just as actual poison gradually penetrates and circulates through the whole system, corrupting the blood and affecting the very sources of life until it causes the destruction of the whole body, so does that mental poison, suspicion, extend its ravages in the soul which has received it.Bertrande remembered with terror her first feelings at the sight of the returned Martin Guerre, her involuntary repugnance, her astonishment at not feeling more in touch with the husband whom she had so sincerely regretted.She remembered also, as if she saw it for the first time, that Martin, formerly quick, lively, and hasty tempered, now seemed thoughtful, and fully master of himself.
This change of character she had supposed due to the natural development of age, she now trembled at the idea of another possible cause.Some other little details began to occur to her mind--the forgetfulness or abstraction of her husband as to a few insignificant things; thus it sometimes happened that he did not answer to his name of Martin, also that he mistook the road to a hermitage, formerly well known to them both, and again that he could not answer when addressed in Basque, although he him self had taught her the little she knew of this language.Besides, since his return, he would never write in her presence, did he fear that she would notice some difference? She had paid little or no attention to these trifles;now, pieced together, they assumed an alarming importance.An appalling terror seized Bertrande: was she to remain in this uncertainty, or should she seek an explanation which might prove her destruction? And how discover the truth--by questioning the guilty man, by noting his confusion, his change of colour, by forcing a confession from him? But she had lived with him for two years, he was the father of her child, she could not ruin him without ruining herself, and, an explanation once sought, she could neither punish him and escape disgrace, nor pardon him without sharing his guilt.
To reproach him with his conduct and then keep silence would destroy her peace for ever; to cause a scandal by denouncing him would bring dishonour upon herself and her child.Night found her involved in these hideous perplexities, too weak to surmount them; an icy chill came over her, she went to bed, and awoke in a high fever.For several days she hovered between life and death, and Martin Guerre bestowed the most tender care upon her.She was greatly moved thereby, having one of those impressionable minds which recognise kindness fully as much as injury.When she was a little recovered and her mental power began to return, she had only a vague recollection of what had occurred, and thought she had had a frightful dream.She asked if Pierre Guerre had been to see her, and found he had not been near the house.This could only be explained by the scene which had taken place, and she then recollected all the accusation Pierre had made, her own observations which had confirmed it, all her grief and trouble.She inquired about the village news.