two poets-第10章

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ix　persons；　who　were　supposed　to　share　her　tastes　for　art　and　letters；　because　this　one　scraped　a　fiddle；　and　that　splashed　sheets　of　white　paper；　more　or　less；　with　sepia；　and　the　other　was　president　of　a　local　agricultural　society；　or　was　gifted　with　a　bass　voice　that　rendered　Se　fiato　in　corpo　like　a　war　whoop　Mme。　de　Bargeton　amid　these　grotesque　figures　was　like　a　famished　actor　set　down　to　a　stage　dinner　of　pasteboard。　No　words；　therefore；　can　describe　her　joy　at　these　tidings。　She　must　see　this　poet；　this　angel！　She　raved　about　him；　went　into　raptures；　talked　of　him　for　whole　hours　together。　Before　two　days　were　out　the　sometime　diplomatic　courier　had　negotiated　（through　the　headmaster）　for　Lucien's　appearance　in　the　Hotel　de　Bargeton。

Poor　helots　of　the　provinces；　for　whom　the　distances　between　class　and　class　are　so　far　greater　than　for　the　Parisian　（for　whom；　indeed；　these　distances　visibly　lessen　day　by　day）；　souls　so　grievously　oppressed　by　the　social　barriers　behind　which　all　sorts　and　conditions　of　men　sit　crying　Raca！　with　mutual　anathemasyou；　and　you　alone；　will　fully　comprehend　the　ferment　in　Lucien's　heart　and　brain；　when　his　awe…inspiring　headmaster　told　him　that　the　great　gates　of　the　Hotel　de　Bargeton　would　shortly　open　and　turn　upon　their　hinges　at　his　fame！　Lucien　and　David；　walking　together　of　an　evening　in　the　Promenade　de　Beaulieu；　had　looked　up　at　the　house　with　the　old…　fashioned　gables；　and　wondered　whether　their　names　would　ever　so　much　as　reach　ears　inexorably　deaf　to　knowledge　that　came　from　a　lowly　origin；　and　now　he　（Lucien）　was　to　be　made　welcome　there！

No　one　except　his　sister　was　in　the　secret。　Eve；　like　the　thrifty　housekeeper　and　divine　magician　that　she　was；　conjured　up　a　few　louis　d'or　from　her　savings　to　buy　thin　shoes　for　Lucien　of　the　best　shoemaker　in　Angouleme；　and　an　entirely　new　suit　of　clothes　from　the　most　renowned　tailor。　She　made　a　frill　for　his　best　shirt；　and　washed　and　pleated　it　with　her　own　hands。　And　how　pleased　she　was　to　see　him　so　dressed！　How　proud　she　felt　of　her　brother；　and　what　quantities　of　advice　she　gave　him！　Her　intuition　foresaw　countless　foolish　fears。　Lucien　had　a　habit　of　resting　his　elbows　on　the　table　when　he　was　in　deep　thought；　he　would　even　go　so　far　as　to　draw　a　table　nearer　to　lean　upon　it；　Eve　told　him　that　he　must　not　forget　himself　in　those　aristocratic　precincts。

She　went　with　him　as　far　as　St。　Peter's　Gate；　and　when　they　were　almost　opposite　the　cathedral　she　stopped；　and　watched　him　pass　down　the　Rue　de　Beaulieu　to　the　Promenade；　where　M。　du　Chatelet　was　waiting　for　him。　And　after　he　was　out　of　sight；　she　still　stood　there；　poor　girl！　in　a　great　tremor　of　emotion；　as　though　some　great　thing　had　happened　to　them。　Lucien　in　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　house！for　Eve　it　meant　the　dawn　of　success。　The　innocent　creature　did　not　suspect　that　where　ambition　begins；　ingenuous　feeling　ends。

Externals　in　the　Rue　du　Minage　gave　Lucien　no　sense　of　surprise。　This　palace；　that　loomed　so　large　in　his　imagination；　was　a　house　built　of　the　soft　stone　of　the　country；　mellowed　by　time。　It　looked　dismal　enough　from　the　street；　and　inside　it　was　extremely　plain；　there　was　the　usual　provincial　courtyardchilly；　prim；　and　neat；　and　the　house　itself　was　sober；　almost　convent…like；　but　in　good　repair。

Lucien　went　up　the　old　staircase　with　the　balustrade　of　chestnut　wood　（the　stone　steps　ceased　after　the　second　floor）；　crossed　a　shabby　antechamber；　and　came　into　the　presence　in　a　little　wainscoted　drawing…room；　beyond　a　dimly…lit　salon。　The　carved　woodwork；　in　the　taste　of　the　eighteenth　century；　had　been　painted　gray。　There　were　monochrome　paintings　on　the　frieze　panels；　and　the　walls　were　adorned　with　crimson　damask　with　a　meagre　border。　The　old…fashioned　furniture　shrank　piteously　from　sight　under　covers　of　a　red…and…white　check　pattern。　On　the　sofa；　covered　with　thin　mattressed　cushions；　sat　Mme。　de　Bargeton；　the　poet　beheld　her　by　the　light　of　two　wax　candles　on　a　sconce　with　a　screen　fitted　to　it；　that　stood　before　her　on　a　round　table　with　a　green　cloth。

The　queen　did　not　attempt　to　rise；　but　she　twisted　very　gracefully　on　her　seat；　smiling　on　the　poet；　who　was　not　a　little　fluttered　by　the　serpentine　quiverings；　her　manner　was　distinguished；　he　thought。　For　Mme。　de　Bargeton；　she　was　impressed　with　Lucien's　extreme　beauty；　with　his　diffidence；　with　everything　about　him；　for　her　the　poet　already　was　poetry　incarnate。　Lucien　scrutinized　his　hostess　with　discreet　side　glances；　she　disappointed　none　of　his　expectations　of　a　great　lady。

Mme。　de　Bargeton；　following　a　new　fashion；　wore　a　coif　of　slashed　black　velvet；　a　head…dress　that　recalls　memories　of　mediaeval　legend　to　a　young　imagination；　to　amplify；　as　it　were；　the　dignity　of　womanhood。　Her　red…gold　hair；　escaping　from　under　her　cap；　hung　loose；　bright　golden　color　in　the　light；　red　in　the　rounded　shadow　of　the　curls　that　only　partially　hid　her　neck。　Beneath　a　massive　white　brow；　clean　cut　and　strongly　outlined；　shone　a　pair　of　bright　gray　eyes　encircled　by　a　margin　of　mother…of…pearl；　two　blue　veins　on　each　side　of　the　nose　bringing　out　the　whiteness　of　that　delicate　setting。　The　Bourbon　curve　of　the　nose　added　to　the　ardent　expression　of　an　oval　face；　it　was　as　if　the　royal　temper　of　the　House　of　Conde　shone　conspicuous　in　this　feature。　The　careless　cross…folds　of　the　bodice　left　a　white　throat　bare；　and　half　revealed　the　outlines　of　a　still　youthful　figure　and　shapely；　well　placed　contours　beneath。

With　fingers　tapering　and　well…kept；　though　somewhat　too　thin；　Mme。　de　Bargeton　amiably　pointed　to　a　seat　by　her　side；　M。　du　Chatelet　ensconced　himself　in　an　easy…chair；　and　Lucien　then　became　aware　that　there　was　no　one　else　in　the　room。

Mme。　de　Bargeton's　words　intoxicated　the　young　poet　from　L'Houmeau。　For　Lucien　those　three　hours　spent　in　her　presence　went　by　like　a　dream　that　we　would　fain　have　last　forever。　She　was　not　thin；　he　thought；　she　was　slender；　in　love　with　love；　and　loverless；　and　delicate　in　spite　of　her　strength。　Her　foibles；　exaggerated　by　her　manner；　took　his　fancy；　for　youth　sets　out　with　a　love　of　hyperbole；　that　infirmity　of　noble　souls。　He　did　not　so　much　as　see　that　her　cheeks　were　faded；　that　the　patches　of　color　on　the　cheek…bone　were　faded　and　hardened　to　a　brick…red　by　listless　days　and　a　certain　amount　of　ailing　health。　His　imagination　fastened　at　once　on　the　glowing　eyes；　on　the　dainty　curls　rippling　with　light；　on　the　dazzling　fairness　of　her　skin；　and　hovered　about　those　bright　points　as　the　moth　hovers　about　the　candle　flame。　For　her　spirit　made　such　appeal　to　his　that　he　could　no　longer　see　the　woman　as　she　was。　Her　feminine　exaltation　had　carried　him　away；　the　energy　of　her　expressions；　a　little　staled　in　truth　by　pretty　hard　and　constant　wear；　but　new　to　Lucien；　fascinated　him　so　much　the　more　easily　because　he　was　determined　to　be　pleased。　He　had　brought　none　of　his　own　verses　to　read；　but　nothing　was　said　of　them；　he　had　purposely　left　them　behind　because　he　meant　to　return；　and　Mme。　de　Bargeton　did　not　ask　for　them；　because　she　meant　that　he　should　come　back　some　future　day　to　read　them　to　her。　Was　not　this　a　beginning　of　an　understanding？

As　for　M。　Sixte　du　Chatelet；　he　was　not　over　well　pleased　with　all　this。　He　perceived　rather　too　late　in　the　day　that　he　had　a　rival　in　this　handsome　young　fellow。　He　went　with　him　as　far　as　the　first　flight　of　steps　below　Beaulieu　to　try　the　effect　of　a　little　diplomacy；　and　Lucien　was　not　a　little　astonished　when　he　heard　　the　controller　of　excise　pluming　himself　on　having　effected　the　introduction；　and　proceeding　in　this　character　to　give　him　（Lucien）　the　benefit　of　his　advice。

〃Heaven　send　that　Lucien　might　meet　with　better　treatment　than　he　had　done；〃　such　was　the　matter　of　M。　du　Chatelet's　discourse。　〃The　Court　was　less　insolent　that　this　pack　of　dolts　in　Angouleme。　You　were　expected　to　endure　deadly　insults；　the　superciliousness　you　had　to　put　up　with　was　something　abominable。　If　this　kind　of　folk　did　not　alter　their　behavior；　there　would　be　another　Revolution　of　'89。　As　for　himself；　if　he　continued　to　go　to　the　house；　it　was　because　he　had　found　Mme。　de　Bargeton　to　his　taste；　she　was　the　only　woman　worth　troubling　about　in　Angouleme；　he　had　been　paying　court　to　her　for　want　of　anything　better　to　do；　and　now　he　was　desperately　in　love　with　her。　She　would　be　his　before　very　long；　she　loved　him；　everything　pointed　that　way。　The　conquest　of　this　haughty　queen　of　the　society　would　be　his　one　revenge　on　the　whole　houseful　of　booby　clodpates。〃

Chatelet　talked　of　his　passion　in　the　tone　of　a　man　who　would　have　a　rival's　life　if　he　crossed　his　path。　The　elderly　butterfly　of　the　Empire　came　down　with　his　whole　weight　on　the　poor　poet；　and　tried　to　frighten　and　crush　him　by　his　self…importance。　He　grew　taller　as　he　gave　an　embellished　account　of　his　perilous　wanderings；　but　while　he　impressed　the　poet's　imagination；　the　lover　was　by　no　means　afraid　of　him。

In　spite　of　the　elderly　coxcomb；　and　regardless　of　his　threats　and　airs　of　a　bourgeois　bravo；　Lucien　went　back　again　and　again　to　the　housenot　too　often　at　first；　as　became　a　man　of　L'Houmeau；　but　before　very　long　he　grew　accustomed　to　the　vast　condescension；　as　it　had　seemed　to　him　at　the　outset；　and　came　more　and　more　frequently。　The　druggist's　son　was　a　completely　insignificant　being。　If　any　of　the　noblesse；　men　or　women；　calling　upon　Nais；　found　Lucien　in　the　room；　they　met　him　with　the　overwhelming　graciousness　that　well…bred　people　use　towards　their　inferiors。　Lucien　thought　them　very　kind　for　a　time；　and　later　found　out　the　real　reason　for　their　specious　amiability。　It　was　not　long　before　he　detected　a　patronizing　tone　that　stirred　his　gall　and　confirmed　him　in　his　bitter　Republicanism；　a　phase　of　opinion　through　which　many　a　would…be　patrician　passes　by　way　of　prelude　to　his　introduction　to　polite　society。

But　was　there　anything　that　he　would　not　have　endured　for　Nais？for　so　he　heard　her　named　by　the　clan。　Like　Spanish　grandees　and　the　old　Austrian　nobility　at　Vienna；　these　folk；　men　and　women　alike；　called　each　other　by　their　Christian　names；　a　final　shade　of　distinction　in　the　inmost　ring　of　Angoumoisin　aristocracy。

Lucien　loved　Nais　as　a　young　man　loves　the　first　woman　who　flatters　him；　for　Nais　prophesied　great　things　and　boundless　fame　for　Lucien。　She　used　all　her　skill　to　secure　her　hold　upon　her　poet；　not　merely　did　she　exalt　him　beyond　measure；　but　she　represented　him　to　himself　as　a　child　without　fortune　whom　she　meant　to　start　in　life；　she　treated　him　like　a　child；　to　keep　him　near　her；　she　made　him　her　reader；　her　secretary；　and　cared　more　for　him　than　she　would　have　thought　possible　after　the　dreadful　calamity　that　had　befallen　her。

She　was　very　cruel　to　herself　in　those　days；　telling　herself　that　it　would　be　folly　to　love　a　young　man　of　twenty；　so　far　apart　from　her　socially　in　the　first　place；　and　her　behavior　to　him　was　a　bewildering　mixture　of　familiarity　and　capricious　fits　of　pride　arising　from　her　fears　and　scruples。　She　was　sometimes　a　lofty　patroness；　sometimes　she　was　tender　and　flattered　him。　At　first；　while　he　was　overawed　by　her　rank；　Lucien　experienced　the　extremes　of　dread；　hope；　and　despair；　the　torture　of　a　first　love；　that　is　beaten　de