modeste mignon-第75部分

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controlling　and　vitalizing　the　development　of　flesh。　There　is　no　other

way　to　explain　the　lightness　of　her　step；　and　the　incomparable

nobility　of　her　bearing。　None　but　the　women　whose　quarterings　begin

with　Noah　know；　as　Eleonore　did；　how　to　be　majestic　in　spite　of　a

buxom　tendency。　A　philosopher　might　have　pitied　Philoxene；　while

admiring　the　graceful　lines　of　the　bust　and　the　minute　care　bestowed

upon　a　morning　dress；　which　was　worn　with　the　elegance　of　a　queen　and

the　easy　grace　of　a　young　girl。　Her　abundant　hair；　still　undyed；　was

simply　wound　about　her　head　in　plaits；　she　bared　her　snowy　throat　and

shoulders；　exquisitely　modelled；　and　her　celebrated　hand　and　arm；　with

pardonable　pride。　Modeste；　together　with　all　other　antagonists　of　the

duchess；　recognized　in　her　a　woman　of　whom　they　were　forced　to　say；

〃She　eclipses　us。〃　In　fact；　Eleonore　was　one　of　the　〃grandes　dames〃

now　so　rare。　To　endeavor　to　explain　what　august　quality　there　was　in

the　carriage　of　the　head；　what　refinement　and　delicacy　in　the　curve　of

the　throat；　what　harmony　in　her　movements；　and　nobility　in　her

bearing；　what　grandeur　in　the　perfect　accord　of　details　with　the　whole

being；　and　in　the　arts；　now　a　second　nature；　which　render　a　woman

grand　and　even　sacred；to　explain　all　these　things　would　simply　be　to

attempt　to　analyze　the　sublime。　People　enjoy　such　poetry　as　they　enjoy

that　of　Paganini；　they　do　not　explain　to　themselves　the　medium；　they

know　the　cause　is　in　the　spirit　that　remains　invisible。



Madame　de　Chaulieu　bowed　her　head　in　salutation　of　Helene　and　her

aunt；　then；　saying　to　Diane；　in　a　pure　and　equable　tone　of　voice；

without　a　trace　of　emotion；　〃Is　it　not　time　to　dress；　duchess？〃　she

made　her　exit；　accompanied　by　her　daughter…in…law　and　Mademoiselle

d'Herouville。　As　she　left　the　room　she　spoke　in　an　undertone　to　the

old　maid；　who　pressed　her　arm；　saying；　〃You　are　charming；〃which

meant；　〃I　am　all　gratitude　for　the　service　you　have　just　done　us。〃

After　that；　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville　returned　to　the　salon　to　play

her　part　of　spy；　and　her　first　glance　apprised　Canalis　that　the

duchess　had　made　him　no　empty　threat。　That　apprentice　in　diplomacy

became　aware　that　his　science　was　not　sufficient　for　a　struggle　of

this　kind；　and　his　wit　served　him　to　take　a　more　honest　position；　if

not　a　worthier　one。　When　Ernest　returned；　bringing　Modeste's

handkerchief；　the　poet　seized　his　arm　and　took　him　out　on　the　terrace。



〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　only　the　most　unfortunate　man　in

the　world；　but　I　am　also　the　most　ridiculous；　and　I　come　to　you　to　get

me　out　of　the　hornet's　nest　into　which　I　have　run　myself。　Modeste　is　a

demon；　she　sees　my　difficulty　and　she　laughs　at　it；　she　has　just

spoken　to　me　of　a　fragment　of　a　letter　of　Madame　de　Chaulieu；　which　I

had　the　folly　to　give　her；　if　she　shows　it　I　can　never　make　my　peace

with　Eleonore。　Therefore；　will　you　at　once　ask　Modeste　to　send　me　back

that　paper；　and　tell　her；　from　me；　that　I　make　no　pretensions　to　her

hand。　Say　I　count　upon　her　delicacy；　upon　her　propriety　as　a　young

girl；　to　behave　to　me　as　if　we　had　never　known　each　other。　I　beg　her

not　to　speak　to　me；　I　implore　her　to　treat　me　harshly；though　I

hardly　dare　ask　her　to　feign　a　jealous　anger；　which　would　help　my

interests　amazingly。　Go；　I　will　wait　here　for　an　answer。〃







CHAPTER　XXVIII



MODESTE　BEHAVES　WITH　DIGNITY



On　re…entering　the　salon　Ernest　de　La　Briere　found　a　young　officer　of

the　company　of　the　guard　d'Havre；　the　Vicomte　de　Serizy；　who　had　just

arrived　from　Rosny　to　announce　that　MADAME　was　obliged　to　be　present

at　the　opening　of　the　Chambers。　We　know　the　importance　then　attached

to　this　constitutional　solemnity；　at　which　Charles　X。　delivered　his

speech；　surrounded　by　the　royal　family；Madame　la　Dauphine　and　MADAME

being　present　in　their　gallery。　The　choice　of　the　emissary　charged

with　the　duty　of　expressing　the　princess's　regrets　was　an　attention　to

Diane；　who　was　then　an　object　of　adoration　to　this　charming　young　man；

son　of　a　minister　of　state；　gentleman　in　ordinary　of　the　chamber；　only

son　and　heir　to　an　immense　fortune。　The　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse

permitted　his　attentions　solely　for　the　purpose　of　attracting　notice

to　the　age　of　his　mother；　Madame　de　Serizy；　who　was　said；　in　those

chronicles　that　are　whispered　behind　the　fans；　to　have　deprived　her　of

the　heart　of　the　handsome　Lucien　de　Rubempre。



〃You　will　do　us　the　pleasure；　I　hope；　to　remain　at　Rosembray；〃　said

the　severe　duchess　to　the　young　officer。



While　giving　ear　to　every　scandal；　the　devout　lady　shut　her　eyes　to

the　derelictions　of　her　guests　who　had　been　carefully　selected　by　the

duke；　indeed；　it　is　surprising　how　much　these　excellent　women　will

tolerate　under　pretence　of　bringing　the　lost　sheep　back　to　the　fold　by

their　indulgence。



〃We　reckoned　without　our　constitutional　government；〃　said　the　grand

equerry；　〃and　Rosembray；　Madame　la　duchesse；　will　lose　a　great　honor。〃



〃We　shall　be　more　at　our　ease；〃　said　a　tall　thin　old　man；　about

seventy…five　years　of　age；　dressed　in　blue　cloth；　and　wearing　his

hunting…cap　by　permission　of　the　ladies。　This　personage；　who　closely

resembled　the　Duc　de　Bourbon；　was　no　less　than　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；

Master　of　the　Hunt；　and　one　of　the　last　of　the　great　French　lords。

Just　as　La　Briere　was　endeavoring　to　slip　behind　the　sofa　and　obtain　a

moment's　intercourse　with　Modeste；　a　man　of　thirty…eight；　short；　fat；

and　very　common　in　appearance；　entered　the　room。



〃My　son；　the　Prince　de　Loudon；〃　said　the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil　to

Modeste；　who　could　not　restrain　the　expression　of　amazement　that

overspread　her　young　face　on　seeing　the　man　who　bore　the　historical

name　that　the　hero　of　La　Vendee　had　rendered　famous　by　his　bravery　and

the　martyrdom　of　his　death。



〃Gaspard；〃　said　the　duchess；　calling　her　son　to　her。　The　young　prince

came　at　once；　and　his　mother　continued；　motioning　to　Modeste；

〃Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie；　my　friend。〃



The　heir　presumptive；　whose　marriage　with　Desplein's　only　daughter　had

lately　been　arranged；　bowed　to　the　young　girl　without　seeming　struck；

as　his　father　had　been；　with　her　beauty。　Modeste　was　thus　enabled　to

compare　the　youth　of　to…day　with　the　old　age　of　a　past　epoch；　for　the

old　Prince　de　Cadignan　had　already　said　a　few　words　which　made　her

feel　that　he　rendered　as　true　a　homage　to　womanhood　as　to　royalty。　The

Duc　de　Rhetore；　the　eldest　son　of　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　chiefly

remarkable　for　manners　that　were　equally　impertinent　and　free　and

easy；　bowed　to　Modeste　rather　cavalierly。　The　reason　of　this　contrast

between　the　fathers　and　the　sons　is　to　be　found；　probably；　in　the　fact

that　young　men　no　longer　feel　themselves　great　beings；　as　their

forefathers　did；　and　they　dispense　with　the　duties　of　greatness；

knowing　well　that　they　are　now　but　the　shadow　of　it。　The　fathers

retain　the　inherent　politeness　of　their　vanished　grandeur；　like　the

mountain…tops　still　gilded　by　the　sun　wh