modeste mignon-第29部分

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　　with　ambition　to　kill　the　rivals　of　the　past；　to　conjure　away　all

　　outside　griefs　by　a　wife's　gentleness；　by　her　proud　abnegation；　to

　　take　a　lifelong　care　of　the　nest；such　as　birds　can　only　take　for

　　a　few　weeks。



　　Tell　me；　do　you　now　think　me　to　blame　for　my　first　letter？　The

　　mysterious　wind　of　will　drove　me　to　you；　as　the　tempest　brings　the

　　little　rose…tree　to　the　pollard　window。　In　your　letter；　which　I

　　hold　here　upon　my　heart；　you　cried　out；　like　your　ancestor　when　he

　　departed　for　the　Crusades；　〃God　wills　it。〃



　　Ah！　but　you　will　cry　out；　〃What　a　chatterbox！〃　All　the　people

　　round　me　say；　on　the　contrary；　〃Mademoiselle　is　very　taciturn。〃



O。　d'Este　M。







CHAPTER　XI



WHAT　COMES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE



The　foregoing　letters　seemed　very　original　to　the　persons　from　whom

the　author　of　the　〃Comedy　of　Human　Life〃　obtained　them；　but　their

interest　in　this　duel；　this　crossing　of　pens　between　two　minds；　may

not　be　shared。　For　every　hundred　readers；　eighty　might　weary　of　the

battle。　The　respect　due　to　the　majority　in　every　nation　under　a

constitutional　government；　leads　us；　therefore；　to　suppress　eleven

other　letters　exchanged　between　Ernest　and　Modeste　during　the　month　of

September。　If；　later　on；　some　flattering　majority　should　arise　to

claim　them；　let　us　hope　that　we　can　then　find　means　to　insert　them　in

their　proper　place。



Urged　by　a　mind　that　seemed　as　aggressive　as　the　heart　was　lovable；

the　truly　chivalrous　feelings　of　the　poor　secretary　gave　themselves

free　play　in　these　suppressed　letters；　which　seem；　perhaps；　more

beautiful　than　they　really　are；　because　the　imagination　is　charmed　by

a　sense　of　the　communion　of　two　free　souls。　Ernest's　whole　life　was

now　wrapped　up　in　these　sweet　scraps　of　paper；　they　were　to　him　what

banknotes　are　to　a　miser；　while　in　Modeste's　soul　a　deep　love　took　the

place　of　her　delight　in　agitating　a　glorious　life；　and　being；　in　spite

of　distance；　its　mainspring。　Ernest's　heart　was　the　complement　of

Canalis's　glory。　Alas！　it　often　takes　two　men　to　make　a　perfect　lover；

just　as　in　literature　we　compose　a　type　by　collecting　the

peculiarities　of　several　similar　characters。　How　many　a　time　a　woman

has　been　heard　to　say　in　her　own　salon　after　close　and　intimate

conversations：



〃Such　a　one　is　my　ideal　as　to　soul；　and　I　love　the　other　who　is　only　a

dream　of　the　senses。〃



The　last　letter　written　by　Modeste；　which　here　follows；　gives　us　a

glimpse　of　the　enchanted　isle　to　which　the　meanderings　of　this

correspondence　had　led　the　two　lovers。



　　To　Monsieur　de　Canalis；Be　at　Havre　next　Sunday；　go　to　church；

　　after　the　morning　service；　walk　once　or　twice　round　the　nave；　and

　　go　out　without　speaking　to　any　one；　but　wear　a　white　rose　in　your

　　button…hole。　Then　return　to　Paris；　where　you　shall　receive　an

　　answer。　I　warn　you　that　this　answer　will　not　be　what　you　wish；

　　for；　as　I　told　you；　the　future　is　not　yet　mine。　But　should　I　not

　　indeed　be　mad　and　foolish　to　say　yes　without　having　seen　you？　When

　　I　have　seen　you　I　can　say　no　without　wounding　you；　I　can　make　sure

　　that　you　shall　not　see　me。



This　letter　had　been　sent　off　the　evening　before　the　day　when　the

abortive　struggle　between　Dumay　and　Modeste　had　taken　place。　The　happy

girl　was　impatiently　awaiting　Sunday；　when　her　eyes　were　to　vindicate

or　condemn　her　heart　and　her　actions；a　solemn　moment　in　the　life　of

any　woman；　and　which　three　months　of　close　communion　of　souls　now

rendered　as　romantic　as　the　most　imaginative　maiden　could　have　wished。

Every　one；　except　the　mother；　had　taken　this　torpor　of　expectation　for

the　calm　of　innocence。　No　matter　how　firmly　family　laws　and　religious

precepts　may　bind；　there　will　always　be　the　Clarissas　and　the　Julies；

whose　souls　like　flowing　cups　o'erlap　the　brim　under　some　spiritual

pressure。　Modeste　was　glorious　in　the　savage　energy　with　which　she

repressed　her　exuberant　youthful　happiness　and　remained　demurely

quiet。　Let　us　say　frankly　that　the　memory　of　her　sister　was　more

potent　upon　her　than　any　social　conventions；　her　will　was　iron　in　the

resolve　to　bring　no　grief　upon　her　father　and　her　mother。　But　what

tumultuous　heavings　were　within　her　breast！　no　wonder　that　a　mother

guessed　them。



On　the　following　day　Modeste　and　Madame　Dumay　took　Madame　Mignon　about

mid…day　to　a　seat　in　the　sun　among　the　flowers。　The　blind　woman　turned

her　wan　and　blighted　face　toward　the　ocean；　she　inhaled　the　odors　of

the　sea　and　took　the　hand　of　her　daughter　who　remained　beside　her。　The

mother　hesitated　between　forgiveness　and　remonstrance　ere　she　put　the

important　question；　for　she　comprehended　the　girl's　love　and

recognized；　as　the　pretended　Canalis　had　done；　that　Modeste　was

exceptional　in　nature。



〃God　grant　that　your　father　return　in　time！　If　he　delays　much　longer

he　will　find　none　but　you　to　love　him。　Modeste；　promise　me　once　more

never　to　leave　him；〃　she　said　in　a　fond　maternal　tone。



Modeste　lifted　her　mother's　hands　to　her　lips　and　kissed　them　gently；

replying：　〃Need　I　say　it　again？〃



〃Ah；　my　child！　I　did　this　thing　myself。　I　left　my　father　to　follow　my

husband；　and　yet　my　father　was　all　alone；　I　was　all　the　child　he　had。

Is　that　why　God　has　so　punished　me？　What　I　ask　of　you　is　to　marry　as

your　father　wishes；　to　cherish　him　in　your　heart；　not　to　sacrifice　him

to　your　own　happiness；　but　to　make　him　the　centre　of　your　home。　Before

losing　my　sight；　I　wrote　him　all　my　wishes；　and　I　know　he　will　execute

them。　I　enjoined　him　to　keep　his　property　intact　and　in　his　own　hands；

not　that　I　distrust　you；　my　Modeste；　for　a　moment；　but　who　can　be　sure

of　a　son…in…law？　Ah！　my　daughter；　look　at　me；　was　I　reasonable？　One

glance　of　the　eye　decided　my　life。　Beauty；　so　often　deceitful；　in　my

case　spoke　true；　but　even　were　it　the　same　with　you；　my　poor　child；

swear　to　me　that　you　will　let　your　father　inquire　into　the　character；

the　habits；　the　heart；　and　the　previous　life　of　the　man　you

distinguish　with　your　loveif；　by　chance；　there　is　such　a　man。〃



〃I　will　never　marry　without　the　consent　of　my　father；〃　answered

Modeste。



〃You　see；　my　darling；〃　said　Madame　Mignon　after　a　long　pause；　〃that　if

I　am　dying　by　inches　through　Bettina's　wrong…doing；　your　father　would

not　survive　yours；　no；　not　for　a　moment。　I　know　him；　he　would　put　a

pistol　to　his　head；there　could　be　no　life；　no　happiness　on　earth　for

him。〃



Modeste　walked　a　few　steps　away　from　her　mother；　but　immediately　came

back。



〃Why　did　you　leave　me？〃　demanded　Madame　Mignon。



〃You　made　me　cry；　mamma；〃　answered　Modeste。



〃Ah；　my　little　darling；　kiss　me。　You　love　no　one　here？　you　have　no

lover；　have　you？〃　she　asked；　holding　Modeste　on　her　lap；　heart　to

heart。



〃No；　my　dear　mamma；〃　said　the　little　Jesuit。



〃Can　you　swear　it？〃



〃Oh；　yes！〃　cried　Modeste。



Madame　Mignon　said　no　more；　but　she　still　doubted。



〃At　least；　if　you　do　choose　your　husband；　you　will　tell　your　father？〃

she　r