“Pascal was right!” she cried, vehemently. “You are a profligate and a drunkard. You are here alone in this dangerous wood, and you brutalise yourself to the point of imbecility, rendering yourself wholly incapable of defending your sister and yourself in case we are attacked by bandits.”
Julien stood as if stupefied. His condition was due largely to the quantity of brandy which he had drunk, for there was but little in the bottle when his sister took it from him; but, despite his besotted condition, he was really astounded at his sister’s words, for she had never spoken in that way to him before. As Julien did not reply, Vivienne thought she had influenced him at last, and she followed up her presumed advantage:
“Oh, Julien, my best beloved brother, come, come home with me!” As she said this, she took his arm. “I cannot leave you here alone. Hear the thunder! See, it lightens! I will sell some of my jewels, as I have many times before. You shall have money. Oh, come! The rain will soon be upon us.”
Julien did not answer this impassioned appeal, but withdrew his arm from her loving clasp, took up his lantern, and started off in the direction which led to the cabaret. Vivienne lost command of herself. Never before had he so stubbornly resisted her loving entreaties. She would sting him into speech!
“Stop, Julien!” she cried. “I have one word more to say to you.”
He looked back.
“Julien Batistelli,” cried Vivienne, “hear the last word that I have to say to you. Rimbecco! Rimbecco!”
Julien put down his lantern and rushed angrily towards her.
“I hurl the base lie back in your teeth!” he cried. “Dear God, that I should live to see this hour! The red stain of Rimbecco stamped upon the brow of a brave son of a noble father. You dare not repeat that word!”
Vivienne looked at him with flashing eyes: “I am a daughter of the noble father whose name you have dishonoured. Rimbecco! Do you hear? I have repeated it! Every man, woman, and child in Corsica repeats it, and you, a strong man, the son of your father, are wasting your precious time in drinking and gambling—time that should be spent in seeking out the man in whose veins runs the vile blood of the ruthless Della Coscia. Rimbecco!”