two poets-第11章

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experienced　the　extremes　of　dread；　hope；　and　despair；　the　torture　of　a　first　love；　that　is　beaten　deep　into　the　heart　with　the　hammer　strokes　of　alternate　bliss　and　anguish。　For　two　months　Mme。　de　Bargeton　was　for　him　a　benefactress　who　would　take　a　mother's　interest　in　him；　but　confidences　came　next。　Mme。　de　Bargeton　began　to　address　her　poet　as　〃dear　Lucien；〃　and　then　as　〃dear；〃　without　more　ado。　The　poet　grew　bolder；　and　addressed　the　great　lady　as　Nais；　and　there　followed　a　flash　of　anger　that　captivates　a　boy；　she　reproached　him　for　calling　her　by　a　name　in　everybody's　mouth。　The　haughty　and　high…　born　Negrepelisse　offered　the　fair　angel　youth　that　one　of　her　appellations　which　was　unsoiled　by　use；　for　him　she　would　be　〃Louise。〃　Lucien　was　in　the　third　heaven。

One　evening　when　Lucien　came　in；　he　found　Mme。　de　Bargeton　looking　at　a　portrait；　which　she　promptly　put　away。　He　wished　to　see　it；　and　to　quiet　the　despair　of　a　first　fit　of　jealousy　Louise　showed　him　Cante…　Croix's　picture；　and　told　with　tears　the　piteous　story　of　a　love　so　stainless；　so　cruelly　cut　short。　Was　she　experimenting　with　herself？　Was　she　trying　a　first　unfaithfulness　to　the　memory　of　the　dead？　Or　had　she　taken　it　into　her　head　to　raise　up　a　rival　to　Lucien　in　the　portrait？　Lucien　was　too　much　of　a　boy　to　analyze　his　lady…love；　he　gave　way　to　unfeigned　despair　when　she　opened　the　campaign　by　entrenching　herself　behind　the　more　or　less　skilfully　devised　scruples　which　women　raise　to　have　them　battered　down。　When　a　woman　begins　to　talk　about　her　duty；　regard　for　appearances　or　religion；　the　objections　she　raises　are　so　many　redoubts　which　she　loves　to　have　carried　by　storm。　But　on　the　guileless　Lucien　these　coquetries　were　thrown　away；　he　would　have　advanced　of　his　own　accord。

〃_I_　shall　not　die　for　you；　I　will　live　for　you；〃　he　cried　audaciously　one　evening；　he　meant　to　have　no　more　of　M。　de　Cante…Croix；　and　gave　Louise　a　glance　which　told　plainly　that　a　crisis　was　at　hand。

Startled　at　the　progress　of　this　new　love　in　herself　and　her　poet；　Louise　demanded　some　verses　promised　for　the　first　page　of　her　album；　looking　for　a　pretext　for　a　quarrel　in　his　tardiness。　But　what　became　of　her　when　she　read　the　following　stanzas；　which；　naturally；　she　considered　finer　than　the　finest　work　of　Canalis；　the　poet　of　the　aristocracy？

　　The　magic　brush；　light　flying　flights　of　song　　　To　these；　but　not　to　these　alone；　belong　　　　　My　pages　fair；　　　Often　to　me；　my　mistress'　pencil　steals　　　To　tell　the　secret　gladness　that　she　feels；　　　　　The　hidden　care。

　　And　when　her　fingers；　slowlier　at　the　last；　　　Of　a　rich　Future；　now　become　the　Past；　　　　　Seek　count　of　me；　　　Oh　Love；　when　swift；　thick…coming　memories　rise；　　　　　I　pray　of　Thee。　　　May　they　bring　visions　fair　as　cloudless　skies　　　Of　happy　voyage　o'er　a　summer　sea！

〃Was　it　really　I　who　inspired　those　lines？〃　she　asked。

The　doubt　suggested　by　coquetry　to　a　woman　who　amused　herself　by　playing　with　fire　brought　tears　to　Lucien's　eyes；　but　her　first　kiss　upon　his　forehead　calmed　the　storm。　Decidedly　Lucien　was　a　great　man；　and　she　meant　to　form　him；　she　thought　of　teaching　him　Italian　and　German　and　perfecting　his　manners。　That　would　be　pretext　sufficient　for　having　him　constantly　with　her　under　the　very　eyes　of　her　tiresome　courtiers。　What　an　interest　in　her　life！　She　took　up　music　again　for　her　poet's　sake；　and　revealed　the　world　of　sound　to　him；　playing　grand　fragments　of　Beethoven　till　she　sent　him　into　ecstasy；　and；　happy　in　his　delight；　turned　to　the　half…swooning　poet。

〃Is　not　such　happiness　as　this　enough？〃　she　asked　hypocritically；　and　poor　Lucien　was　stupid　enough　to　answer；　〃Yes。〃

In　the　previous　week　things　had　reached　such　a　point；　that　Louise　had　judged　it　expedient　to　ask　Lucien　to　dine　with　M。　de　Bargeton　as　a　third。　But　in　spite　of　this　precaution；　the　whole　town　knew　the　state　of　affairs；　and　so　extraordinary　did　it　appear；　that　no　one　would　believe　the　truth。　The　outcry　was　terrific。　Some　were　of　the　opinion　that　society　was　on　the　eve　of　cataclysm。　〃See　what　comes　of　Liberal　doctrines！〃　cried　others。

Then　it　was　that　the　jealous　du　Chatelet　discovered　that　Madame　Charlotte；　the　monthly　nurse；　was　no　other　than　Mme。　Chardon；　〃the　mother　of　the　Chateaubriand　of　L'Houmeau；〃　as　he　put　it。　The　remark　passed　muster　as　a　joke。　Mme。　de　Chandour　was　the　first　to　hurry　to　Mme。　de　Bargeton。

〃Nais；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　know　what　everybody　is　talking　about　in　Angouleme？　This　little　rhymster's　mother　is　the　Madame　Charlotte　who　nursed　my　sister…in…law　through　her　confinement　two　months　ago。〃

〃What　is　there　extraordinary　in　that；　my　dear？〃　asked　Mme。　de　Bargeton　with　her　most　regal　air。　〃She　is　a　druggist's　widow；　is　she　not？　A　poor　fate　for　a　Rubempre。　Suppose　that　you　and　I　had　not　a　penny　in　the　world；　what　should　either　of　us　do　for　a　living？　How　would　you　support　your　children？〃

Mme。　de　Bargeton's　presence　of　mind　put　an　end　to　the　jeremiads　of　the　noblesse。　Great　natures　are　prone　to　make　a　virtue　of　misfortune；　and　there　is　something　irresistibly　attractive　about　well…doing　when　persisted　in　through　evil　report；　innocence　has　the　piquancy　of　the　forbidden。

Mme。　de　Bargeton's　rooms　were　crowded　that　evening　with　friends　who　came　to　remonstrate　with　her。　She　brought　her　most　caustic　wit　into　play。　She　said　that　as　noble　families　could　not　produce　a　Moliere；　a　Racine；　a　Rousseau；　a　Voltaire；　a　Massillon；　a　Beaumarchais；　or　a　Diderot；　people　must　make　up　their　minds　to　it；　and　accept　the　fact　that　great　men　had　upholsterers　and　clockmakers　and　cutlers　for　their　fathers。　She　said　that　genius　was　always　noble。　She　railed　at　boorish　squires　for　understanding　their　real　interests　so　imperfectly。　In　short；　she　talked　a　good　deal　of　nonsense；　which　would　have　let　the　light　into　heads　less　dense；　but　left　her　audience　agape　at　her　eccentricity。　And　in　these　ways　she　conjured　away　the　storm　with　her　heavy　artillery。

When　Lucien；　obedient　to　her　request；　appeared　for　the　first　time　in　the　faded　great　drawing…room；　where　the　whist…tables　were　set　out；　she　welcomed　him　graciously；　and　brought　him　forward；　like　a　queen　who　means　to　be　obeyed。　She　addressed　the　controller　of　excise　as　〃M。　Chatelet；〃　and　left　that　gentleman　thunderstruck　by　the　discovery　that　she　knew　about　the　illegal　superfetation　of　the　particle。　Lucien　was　forced　upon　her　circle；　and　was　received　as　a　poisonous　element；　which　every　person　in　it　vowed　to　expel　with　the　antidote　of　insolence。

Nais　had　won　a　victory；　but　she　had　lost　her　supremacy　of　empire。　There　was　a　rumor　of　insurrection。　Amelie；　otherwise　Mme。　de　Chandour；　harkening　to　〃M。　Chatelet's〃　counsels；　determined　to　erect　a　rival　altar　by　receiving　on　Wednesdays。　Now　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　salon　was　open　every　evening；　and　those　who　frequented　it　were　so　wedded　to　their　ways；　so　accustomed　to　meet　about　the　same　tables；　to　play　the　familiar　game　of　backgammon；　to　see　the　same　faces　and　the　same　candle　sconces　night　after　night；　and　afterwards　to　cloak　and　shawl；　and　put　on　overshoes　and　hats　in　the　old　corridor；　that　they　were　quite　as　much　attached　to　the　steps　of　the　staircase　as　to　the　mistress　of　the　house。

〃All　resigned　themselves　to　endure　the　songster〃　（chardonneret）　〃of　the　sacred　grove；〃　said　Alexandre　de　Brebian；　which　was　witticism　number　two。　Finally；　the　president　of　the　agricultural　society　put　an　end　to　the　sedition　by　remarking　judicially　that　〃before　the　Revolution　the　greatest　nobles　admitted　men　like　Dulcos　and　Grimm　and　Crebillon　to　their　societymen　who　were　nobodies；　like　this　little　poet　of　L'Houmeau；　but　one　thing　they　never　did；　they　never　received　tax…collectors；　and；　after　all；　Chatelet　is　only　a　tax…collector。〃

Du　Chatelet　suffered　for　Chardon。　Every　one　turned　the　cold　shoulder　upon　him；　and　Chatelet　was　conscious　that　he　was　attacked。　When　Mme。　de　Bargeton　called　him　〃M。　Chatelet；〃　he　swore　to　himself　that　he　would　possess　her；　and　now　he　entered　into　the　views　of　the　mistress　of　the　house；　came　to　the　support　of　the　young　poet；　and　declared　himself　Lucien's　friend。　The　great　diplomatist；　overlooked　by　the　shortsighted　Emperor；　made　much　of　Lucien；　and　declared　himself　his　friend！　To　launch　the　poet　into　society；　he　gave　a　dinner；　and　asked　all　the　authorities　to　meet　himthe　prefect；　the　receiver…general；　the　colonel　in　command　of　the　garrison；　the　head　of　the　Naval　School；　the　president　of　the　Court；　and　so　forth。　The　poet；　poor　fellow；　was　feted　so　magnificently；　and　so　belauded；　that　anybody　but　a　young　man　of　two…and…twenty　would　have　shrewdly　suspected　a　hoax。　After　dinner；　Chatelet　drew　his　rival　on　to　recite　The　Dying　Sardanapalus；　the　masterpiece　of　the　hour；　and　the　headmaster　of　the　school；　a　man　of　a　phlegmatic　temperament；　applauded　with　both　hands；　and　vowed　that　Jean…Baptiste　Rousseau　had　done　nothing　finer。　Sixte；　Baron　du　Chatelet；　thought　in　his　heart　that　this　slip　of　a　rhymster　would　wither　incontinently　in　a　hothouse　of　adulation；　perhaps　he　hoped　that　when　the　poet's　head　was　turned　with　brilliant　dreams；　he　would　indulge　in　some　impertinence　that　would　promptly　consign　him　to　the　obscurity　from　which　he　had　emerged。　Pending　the　decease　of　genius；　Chatelet　appeared　to　offer　up　his　hopes　as　a　sacrifice　at　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　feet；　but　with　the　ingenuity　of　a　rake；　he　kept　his　own　plan　in　abeyance；　watching　the　lovers'　movements　with　keenly　critical　eyes；　and　waiting　for　the　opportunity　of　ruining　Lucien。

From　this　time　forward；　vague　rumors　reported　the　existence　of　a　great　man　in　Angoumois。　Mme。　de　Bargeton　was　praised　on　all　sides　for　the　interest　which　she　took　in　this　young　eagle。　No　sooner　was　her　conduct　approved　than　she　tried　to　win　a　general　sanction。　She　announced　a　soiree；　with　ices；　tea；　and　cakes；　a　great　innovation　in　a　city　where　tea；　as　yet；　was　sold　only　by　druggists　as　a　remedy　for　indigestion。　The　flower　of　Angoumoisin　aristocracy　was　summoned　to　hear　Lucien　read　his　great　work。　Louise　had　hidden　all　the　difficulties　from　her　friend；　but　she　let　fall　a　few　words　touching　the　social　cabal　formed　against　him；　she　would　not　have　him　ignorant　of　the　perils　besetting　his　career　as　a　man　of　genius；　nor　of　the　obstacles　insurmountable　to　weaklings。　She　drew　a　lesson　from　the　recent　victory。　Her　white　hands　pointed　him　to　glory　that　lay　beyond　a　prolonged　martyrdom；　she　spoke　of　stakes　and　flaming　pyres；　she　spread　the　adjectives　thickly　on　her　finest　tartines；　and　decorated　them　with　a　variety　of　her　most　pompous　epithets。　It　was　an　infringement　of　the　copyright　of　the　passages　of　declamation　that　disfigure　Corinne；　but　Louise　grew　so　much　the　greater　in　her　own　eyes　as　she　talked；　that　she　loved　the　Benjamin　who　inspired　her　eloquence　the　more　for　it。　She　counseled　him　to　take　a　bold　step　and　renounce　his　patronymic　for　the　noble　name　of　Rubempre；　he　need　not　mind　the　little　tittle…tattle　over　a　change　which　the　King；　for　that　matter；　would　authorize。　Mme。　de　Bargeton　undertook　to　procure　this　favor；　she　was　related　to　the　Marquise　d'Espard；　who　was　a　Blamont…Chauvry　before　her　marriage；　and　a　persona　grata　at　Court。　The　words　〃King；〃　〃Marquise　d'Espard；〃　and　〃the　Court〃　dazzled　Lucien　like　a　blaze　of　fireworks；　and　the　necessity　of　the　baptism　was　plain　to　him。

〃Dear　child；〃　said　Louise；　with　tender　moc