ferragus-第3章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


high；　as　pure　as　the　skies　when　blue；　a　love　without　hope　and　to　which
men　bind　themselves　because　it　can　never　deceive；　a　love　that　is
prodigal　of　unchecked　enjoyment；　especially　at　an　age　when　the　heart
is　ardent；　the　imagination　keen；　and　the　eyes　of　a　man　see　very
clearly。

Strange；　weird；　inconceivable　effects　may　be　met　with　at　night　in
Paris。　Only　those　who　have　amused　themselves　by　watching　those　effects
have　any　idea　how　fantastic　a　woman　may　appear　there　at　dusk。　At　times
the　creature　whom　you　are　following；　by　accident　or　design；　seems　to
you　light　and　slender；　the　stockings；　if　they　are　white；　make　you
fancy　that　the　legs　must　be　slim　and　elegant；　the　figure　though
wrapped　in　a　shawl；　or　concealed　by　a　pelisse；　defines　itself
gracefully　and　seductively　among　the　shadows；　anon；　the　uncertain
gleam　thrown　from　a　shop…window　or　a　street　lamp　bestows　a　fleeting
lustre；　nearly　always　deceptive；　on　the　unknown　woman；　and　fires　the
imagination；　carrying　it　far　beyond　the　truth。　The　senses　then　bestir
themselves；　everything　takes　color　and　animation；　the　woman　appears　in
an　altogether　novel　aspect；　her　person　becomes　beautiful。　Behold！　she
is　not　a　woman；　she　is　a　demon；　a　siren；　who　is　drawing　you　by
magnetic　attraction　to　some　respectable　house；　where　the　worthy
/bourgeoise/；　frightened　by　your　threatening　step　and　the　clack　of
your　boots；　shuts　the　door　in　your　face　without　looking　at　you。

A　vacillating　gleam；　thrown　from　the　shop…window　of　a　shoemaker；
suddenly　illuminated　from　the　waist　down　the　figure　of　the　woman　who
was　before　the　young　man。　Ah！　surely；　/she/　alone　had　that　swaying
figure；　she　alone　knew　the　secret　of　that　chaste　gait　which　innocently
set　into　relief　the　many　beauties　of　that　attractive　form。　Yes；　that
was　the　shawl；　and　that　the　velvet　bonnet　which　she　wore　in　the
mornings。　On　her　gray　silk　stockings　not　a　spot；　on　her　shoes　not　a
splash。　The　shawl　held　tightly　round　the　bust　disclosed；　vaguely；　its
charming　lines；　and　the　young　man；　who　had　often　seen　those　shoulders
at　a　ball；　knew　well　the　treasures　that　the　shawl　concealed。　By　the
way　a　Parisian　woman　wraps　a　shawl　around　her；　and　the　way　she　lifts
her　feet　in　the　street；　a　man　of　intelligence　in　such　studies　can
divine　the　secret　of　her　mysterious　errand。　There　is　something；　I　know
not　what；　of　quivering　buoyancy　in　the　person；　in　the　gait；　the　woman
seems　to　weigh　less；　she　steps；　or　rather；　she　glides　like　a　star；　and
floats　onward　led　by　a　thought　which　exhales　from　the　folds　and　motion
of　her　dress。　The　young　man　hastened　his　step；　passed　the　woman；　and
then　turned　back　to　look　at　her。　Pst！　she　had　disappeared　into　a
passage…way；　the　grated　door　of　which　and　its　bell　still　rattled　and
sounded。　The　young　man　walked　back　to　the　alley　and　saw　the　woman
reach　the　farther　end；　where　she　began　to　mountnot　without　receiving
the　obsequious　bow　of　an　old　portressa　winding　staircase；　the　lower
steps　of　which　were　strongly　lighted；　she　went　up　buoyantly；　eagerly；
as　though　impatient。

〃Impatient　for　what？〃　said　the　young　man　to　himself；　drawing　back　to
lean　against　a　wooden　railing　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。　He
gazed；　unhappy　man；　at　the　different　storeys　of　the　house；　with　the
keen　attention　of　a　detective　searching　for　a　conspirator。

It　was　one　of　those　houses　of　which　there　are　thousands　in　Paris；
ignoble；　vulgar；　narrow；　yellowish　in　tone；　with　four　storeys　and
three　windows　on　each　floor。　The　outer　blinds　of　the　first　floor　were
closed。　Where　was　she　going？　The　young　man　fancied　he　heard　the　tinkle
of　a　bell　on　the　second　floor。　As　if　in　answer　to　it；　a　light　began　to
move　in　a　room　with　two　windows　strongly　illuminated；　which　presently
lit　up　the　third　window；　evidently　that　of　a　first　room；　either　the
salon　or　the　dining…room　of　the　apartment。　Instantly　the　outline　of　a
woman's　bonnet　showed　vaguely　on　the　window；　and　a　door　between　the
two　rooms　must　have　closed；　for　the　first　was　dark　again；　while　the
two　other　windows　resumed　their　ruddy　glow。　At　this　moment　a　voice
said；　〃Hi；　there！〃　and　the　young　man　was　conscious　of　a　blow　on　his
shoulder。

〃Why　don't　you　pay　attention？〃　said　the　rough　voice　of　a　workman；
carrying　a　plank　on　his　shoulder。　The　man　passed　on。　He　was　the　voice
of　Providence　saying　to　the　watcher：　〃What　are　you　meddling　with？
Think　of　your　own　duty；　and　leave　these　Parisians　to　their　own
affairs。〃

The　young　man　crossed　his　arms；　then；　as　no　one　beheld　him；　he
suffered　tears　of　rage　to　flow　down　his　cheeks　unchecked。　At　last　the
sight　of　the　shadows　moving　behind　the　lighted　windows　gave　him　such
pain　that　he　looked　elsewhere　and　noticed　a　hackney…coach；　standing
against　a　wall　in　the　upper　part　of　the　rue　des　Vieux…Augustins；　at　a
place　where　there　was　neither　the　door　of　a　house；　nor　the　light　of　a
shop…window。

Was　it　she？　Was　it　not　she？　Life　or　death　to　a　lover！　This　lover
waited。　He　stood　there　during　a　century　of　twenty　minutes。　After　that
the　woman　came　down；　and　he　then　recognized　her　as　the　one　whom　he
secretly　loved。　Nevertheless；　he　wanted　still　to　doubt。　She　went　to
the　hackney…coach；　and　got　into　it。

〃The　house　will　always　be　there　and　I　can　search　it　later；〃　thought
the　young　man；　following　the　carriage　at　a　run；　to　solve　his　last
doubts；　and　soon　he　did　so。

The　carriage　stopped　in　the　rue　de　Richelieu　before　a　shop　for
artificial　flowers；　close　to　the　rue　de　Menars。　The　lady　got　out；
entered　the　shop；　sent　out　the　money　to　pay　the　coachman；　and
presently　left　the　shop　herself；　on　foot；　after　buying　a　bunch　of
marabouts。　Marabouts　for　her　black　hair！　The　officer　beheld　her；
through　the　window…panes；　placing　the　feathers　to　her　head　to　see　the
effect；　and　he　fancied　he　could　hear　the　conversation　between　herself
and　the　shop…woman。

〃Oh！　madame；　nothing　is　more　suitable　for　brunettes：　brunettes　have
something　a　little　too　strongly　marked　in　their　lines；　and　marabouts
give　them　just　that　/flow/　which　they　lack。　Madame　la　Duchesse　de
Langeais　says　they　give　a　woman　something　vague；　Ossianic；　and　very
high…bred。〃

〃Very　good；　send　them　to　me　at　once。〃

Then　the　lady　turned　quickly　toward　the　rue　de　Menars；　and　entered　her
own　house。　When　the　door　closed　on　her；　the　young　lover；　having　lost
his　hopes；　and　worse；　far　worse；　his　dearest　beliefs；　walked　through
the　streets　like　a　drunken　man；　and　presently　found　himself　in　his　own
room　without　knowing　how　he　came　there。　He　flung　himself　into　an　arm…
chair；　put　his　head　in　his　hands　and　his　feet　on　the　andirons；　drying
his　boots　until　he　burned　them。　It　was　an　awful　moment；one　of　those
moments　in　human　life　when　the　character　is　moulded；　and　the　future
conduct　of　the　best　of　men　depends　on　the　good　or　evil　fortune　of　his
first　action。　Providence　or　fatality？choose　which　you　will。

This　young　man　belonged　to　a　good　family；　whose　nobility　was　not　very
ancient；　but　there　are　so　few　really　old　families　in　these　days；　that
all　men　of　rank　are　ancient　without　dispute。　His　grandfather　had
bought　the　office　of　counsellor　to　the　Parliament　of　Paris；　where　he
afterwards　became　president。　His　sons；　each　provided　with　a　handsome
fortune；　entered　the　army；　and　through　their　marriages　became　attached
to　the　court。　The　Revolution　swept　the　family　away；　but　one　old
dowager；　too　obstinate　to　emigrate；　was　left；　she　was　put　in　prison；
threatened　with　death；　but　was　saved　by　the　9th　Thermidor　and
recovered　her　property。　When　the　proper　time　came；　about　the　year
1804；　she　recalled　her　grandson　to　France。　Auguste　de　Maulincour；　the
only　scion　of　the　Carbonnon　de　Maulincour；　was　brought　up　by　the　good
dowager　with　the　triple　care　of　a　mother；　a　woman　of　rank；　and　an
obstinate　dowager。　When　the　Restoration　came；　the　young　man；　then
eighteen　years　of　age；　entered　the　Maison…Rouge；　followed　the　princes
to　Ghent；　was　made　an　officer　in　the　body…guard；　left　it　to　serve　in
the　line；　but　was　recalled　later　to　the　Royal　Guard；　where；　at　twenty…
three　years　of　age；　he　found　himself　major　of　a　cavalry　regiment；a
splendid　position；　due　to　his　grandmother；　who　had　played　her　cards
well　to　obtain　it；　in　spite　of　his　youth。　This　double　biography　is　a
compendium　of　the　general　and　special　history；　barring　variations；　of
all　the　noble　families　who　emigrated　having　debts　and　property；
dowagers　and　tact。

Madame　la　Baronne　de　Maulincour　had　a　friend　in　the　old　Vidame　de
Pamiers；　formerly　a　commander　of　the　Knights　of　Malta。　This　was　one　of
those　undying　friendships　founded　on　sexagenary　ties　which　nothing　can
weaken；　because　at　the　bottom　of　such　intimacies　there　are　certain
secrets　of　the　human　heart；　delightful　to　guess　at　when　we　have　the
time；　insipid　to　explain　in　twenty　words；　and　which　might　make　the
text　of　a　work　in　four　volumes　as　amusing　as　the　Doyen　de　Killerine；
a　work　about　which　young　men　talk　and　judge　without　having　read　it。

Auguste　de　Maulincour　belonged　therefore　to　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain
through　his　grandmother　and　the　vidame；　and　it　sufficed　him　to　date
back　two　centuries　to　take　the　tone　and　opinions　of　those　who　assume
to　go　back　to　Clovis。　This　young　man；　pale；　slender；　and　delicate　in
appearance；　a　man　of　honor　and　true　courage；　who　would　fight　a　duel
for　a　yes　or　a　no；　had　never　yet　fought　upon　a　battle…field；　though　he
wore　in　his　button…hole　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor。　He　was；　as
you　perceive；　one　of　the　blunders　of　the　Restoration；　perhaps　the　most
excusable　of　them。　The　youth　of　those　days　was　the　youth　of　no　epoch。
It　came　between　the　memories　of　the　Empire　and　those　of　the
Emigration；　between　the　old　traditions　of　the　court　and　the
conscientious　education　of　the　/bourgeoisie/；　between　religion　and
fancy…balls；　between　two　political　faiths；　between　Louis　XVIII。；　who
saw　only　the　present；　and　Charles　X。；　who　looked　too　far　into　the
future；　it　was　moreover　bound　to　accept　the　will　of　the　king；　though
the　king　was　deceiving　and　tricking　it。　This　unfortunate　youth；　blind
and　yet　clear…sighted；　was　counted　as　nothing　by　old　men　jealously
keeping　the　reins　of　the　State　in　their　feeble　hands；　while　the
monarchy　could　have　been　saved　by　their　retirement　and　the　accession
of　this　Young　France；　which　the　old　doctrinaires；　the　/emigres/　of　the
Restoration；　still　speak　of　slightingly。　Auguste　de　Maulincour　was　a
victim　to　the　ideas　which　weighed　in　those　days　upon　French　youth；　and
we　must　here　explain　why。

The　Vidame　de　Pamiers　was　still；　at　sixty…seven　years　of　age；　a　very
brilliant　man；　having　seen　much　and　lived　much；　a　good　talker；　a　man
of　honor　and　a　gallant　man；　but　who　held　as　to　women　the　most
detestable　opinions；　he　loved　them；　and　he　despised　them。　/Their/
honor！　/their/　feelings！　Ta…ra…ra；　rubbish　and　shams！　When　he　was　with
them；　he　believed　in　them；　the　ci…devant　〃monstre〃；　he　never
contradicted　them；　and　he　made　them　shine。　But　among　his　male　friends；
when　the　topic　of　the　sex　came　up；　he　laid　down　the　principle　that　to
deceive　women；　and　to　carry　on　several　intrigues　at　once；　should　be
the　occupation　of　those　young　men　who　were　so　misguided　as　to　wish　to
meddle　in　the　affairs　of　the　State。　It　is　sad　to　have　to　sketch　so
hackneyed　a　portrait；　for　has　it　not　figured　everywhere　and　become