modeste mignon-第70部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



　　ten　years！have　given　me　a　great　contempt　for　marriage。　I　had

　　never　seen　the　thing　so　near。　Ah；　dearest！　what　the　world　calls　a

　　〃false　step〃　brings　two　beings　nearer　together　than　the　lawdoes

　　it　not？



The　concluding　idea　served　as　a　text　for　two　pages　of　reminiscences

and　aspirations　a　little　too　confidential　for　publication。



The　evening　before　the　day　on　which　Canalis　put　the　above　epistle　into

the　post；　Butscha；　under　the　name　of　Jean　Jacmin；　had　received　a

letter　from　his　fictitious　cousin；　Philoxene；　and　had　mailed　his

answer；　which　thus　preceded　the　letter　of　the　poet　by　about　twelve

hours。　Terribly　anxious　for　the　last　two　weeks；　and　wounded　by

Melchior's　silence；　the　duchess　herself　dictated　Philoxene's　letter　to

her　cousin；　and　the　moment　she　had　read　the　answer；　rather　too

explicit　for　her　quinquagenary　vanity；　she　sent　for　the　banker　and

made　close　inquiries　as　to　the　exact　fortune　of　Monsieur　Mignon。

Finding　herself　betrayed　and　abandoned　for　the　millions；　Eleonore　gave

way　to　a　paroxysm　of　anger；　hatred；　and　cold　vindictiveness。　Philoxene

knocked　at　the　door　of　the　sumptuous　room；　and　entering　found　her

mistress　with　her　eyes　full　of　tears；so　unprecedented　a　phenomenon

in　the　fifteen　years　she　had　waited　upon　her　that　the　woman　stopped

short　stupefied。



〃We　expiate　the　happiness　of　ten　years　in　ten　minutes；〃　she　heard　the

duchess　say。



〃A　letter　from　Havre；　madame。〃



Eleonore　read　the　poet's　prose　without　noticing　the　presence　of

Philoxene；　whose　amazement　became　still　greater　when　she　saw　the　dawn

of　fresh　serenity　on　the　duchess's　face　as　she　read　further　and

further　into　the　letter。　Hold　out　a　pole　no　thicker　than　a　walking…

stick　to　a　drowning　man；　and　he　will　think　it　a　high…road　of　safety。

The　happy　Eleonore　believed　in　Canalis's　good　faith　when　she　had　read

through　the　four　pages　in　which　love　and　business；　falsehood　and

truth；　jostled　each　other。　She　who；　a　few　moments　earlier；　had　sent

for　her　husband　to　prevent　Melchior's　appointment　while　there　was

still　time；　was　now　seized　with　a　spirit　of　generosity　that　amounted

almost　to　the　sublime。



〃Poor　fellow！〃　she　thought；　〃he　has　not　had　one　faithless　thought；　he

loves　me　as　he　did　on　the　first　day；　he　tells　me　allPhiloxene！〃　she

cried；　noticing　her　maid；　who　was　standing　near　and　pretending　to

arrange　the　toilet…table。



〃Madame　la　duchesse？〃



〃A　mirror；　child！〃



Eleonore　looked　at　herself；　saw　the　fine　razor…like　lines　traced　on

her　brow；　which　disappeared　at　a　little　distance；　she　sighed；　and　in

that　sigh　she　felt　she　bade　adieu　to　love。　A　brave　thought　came　into

her　mind；　a　manly　thought；　outside　of　all　the　pettiness　of　women；a

thought　which　intoxicates　for　a　moment；　and　which　explains；　perhaps；

the　clemency　of　the　Semiramis　of　Russia　when　she　married　her　young　and

beautiful　rival　to　Momonoff。



〃Since　he　has　not　been　faithless；　he　shall　have　the　girl　and　her

millions；〃　she　thought；〃provided　Mademoiselle　Mignon　is　as　ugly　as

he　says　she　is。〃



Three　raps；　circumspectly　given；　announced　the　duke；　and　his　wife　went

herself　to　the　door　to　let　him　in。



〃Ah！　I　see　you　are　better；　my　dear；〃　he　cried；　with　the　counterfeit

joy　that　courtiers　assume　so　readily；　and　by　which　fools　are　so

readily　taken　in。



〃My　dear　Henri；〃　she　answered；　〃why　is　it　you　have　not　yet　obtained

that　appointment　for　Melchior；you　who　sacrificed　so　much　to　the　king

in　taking　a　ministry　which　you　knew　could　only　last　one　year。〃



The　duke　glanced　at　Philoxene；　who　showed　him　by　an　almost

imperceptible　sign　the　letter　from　Havre　on　the　dressing…table。



〃You　would　be　terribly　bored　at　Baden　and　come　back　at　daggers　drawn

with　Melchior；〃　said　the　duke。



〃Pray　why？〃



〃Why；　you　would　always　be　together；〃　said　the　former　diplomat；　with

comic　good…humor。



〃Oh；　no；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　going　to　marry　him。〃



〃If　we　can　believe　d'Herouville；　our　dear　Canalis　stands　in　no　need　of

your　help　in　that　direction；〃　said　the　duke；　smiling。　〃Yesterday

Grandlieu　read　me　some　passages　from　a　letter　the　grand　equerry　had

written　him。　No　doubt　they　were　dictated　by　the　aunt　for　the　express

purpose　of　their　reaching　you；　for　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　always

on　the　scent　of　a　'dot；'　knows　that　Grandlieu　and　I　play　whist　nearly

every　evening。　That　good　little　d'Herouville　wants　the　Prince　de

Cadignan　to　go　down　and　give　a　royal　hunt　in　Normandy；　and　endeavor　to

persuade　the　king　to　be　present；　so　as　to　turn　the　head　of　the　damozel

when　she　sees　herself　the　object　of　such　a　grand　affair。　In　short；　two

words　from　Charles　X。　would　settle　the　matter。　D'Herouville　says　the

girl　has　incomparable　beauty〃



〃Henri；　let　us　go　to　Havre！〃　cried　the　duchess；　interrupting　him。



〃Under　what　pretext？〃　said　her　husband；　gravely；　he　was　one　of　the

confidants　of　Louis　XVIII。



〃I　never　saw　a　hunt。〃



〃It　would　be　all　very　well　if　the　king　went；　but　it　is　a　terrible　bore

to　go　so　far；　and　he　will　not　do　it；　I　have　just　been　speaking　with

him　about　it。〃



〃Perhaps　MADAME　would　go？〃



〃That　would　be　better；〃　returned　the　duke；　〃I　dare　say　the　Duchesse　de

Maufrigneuse　would　help　you　to　persuade　her　from　Rosny。　If　she　goes

the　king　will　not　be　displeased　at　the　use　of　his　hunting　equipage。

Don't　go　to　Havre；　my　dear；〃　added　the　duke；　paternally；　〃that　would

be　giving　yourself　away。　Come；　here's　a　better　plan；　I　think。

Gaspard's　chateau　of　Rosembray　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　forest　of

Brotonne；　why　not　give　him　a　hint　to　invite　the　whole　party？〃



〃He　invite　them？〃　said　Eleonore。



〃I　mean；　of　course；　the　duchess；　she　is　always　engaged　in　pious　works

with　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　give　that　old　maid　a　hint；　and　get　her

to　speak　to　Gaspard。〃



〃You　are　a　love　of　a　man；〃　cried　Eleonore；　〃I'll　write　to　the　old　maid

and　to　Diane　at　once；　for　we　must　get　hunting　things　made；a　riding

hat　is　so　becoming。　Did　you　win　last　night　at　the　English　embassy？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　duke；　〃I　cleared　myself。〃



〃Henri；　above　all　things；　stop　proceedings　about　Melchior's　two

appointments。〃



After　writing　half　a　dozen　lines　to　the　beautiful　Diane　de

Maufrigneuse；　and　a　short　hint　to　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　Eleonore

sent　the　following　answer　like　the　lash　of　a　whip　through　the　poet's

lies。



　　To　Monsieur　le　Baron　de　Canalis：



　　My　dear　poet；Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie　is　very　beautiful；

　　Mongenod　has　proved　to　me　that　her　father　has　millions。　I　did

　　think　of　marrying　you　to　her；　I　am　therefore　much　displeased　at

　　your　want　of　confidence。　If　you　had　any　intention　of　marrying　La

　　Briere　when　you　went　to　Havre　it　is　surprising　that　you　said

　　nothing　to　me　about　it　before　you　started。　And　why　have　you

　　omitted　writing　to　a　friend　who　is　so　easily　made　anxious　as　I？

　　Your　letter　arrived　a　trifle　late；　I　had　already　seen　the　banker。

　　You　are　a　child；　Melchior；　and　you　are　playing　tricks　with　us。　It

　　is　not　right。　The　duke　h