two poets-第17章

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Mme。　and　Mlle。　du　Brossard　were　not　the　least　interesting　persons　in　the　clique；　but　their　story　may　be　told　in　a　single　phrasethey　were　as　poor　as　they　were　noble。　In　their　dress　there　was　just　that　tinge　of　pretension　which　betrayed　carefully　hidden　penury。　The　daughter；　a　big；　heavy　young　woman　of　seven…and…twenty；　was　supposed　to　be　a　good　performer　on　the　piano；　and　her　mother　praised　her　in　season　and　out　of　season　in　the　clumsiest　way。　No　eligible　man　had　any　taste　which　Camille　did　not　share　on　her　mother's　authoritative　statement。　Mme。　du　Brossard；　in　her　anxiety　to　establish　her　child；　was　capable　of　saying　that　her　dear　Camille　liked　nothing　so　much　as　a　roving　life　from　one　garrison　to　another；　and　before　the　evening　was　out；　that　she　was　sure　her　dear　Camille　liked　a　quiet　country　farmhouse　existence　of　all　things。　Mother　and　daughter　had　the　pinched　sub…acid　dignity　characteristic　of　those　who　have　learned　by　experience　the　exact　value　of　expressions　of　sympathy；　they　belonged　to　a　class　which　the　world　delights　to　pity；　they　had　been　the　objects　of　the　benevolent　interest　of　egoism；　they　had　sounded　the　empty　void　beneath　the　consoling　formulas　with　which　the　world　ministers　to　the　necessities　of　the　unfortunate。

M。　de　Severac　was　fifty…nine　years　old；　and　a　childless　widower。　Mother　and　daughter　listened；　therefore；　with　devout　admiration　to　all　that　he　told　them　about　his　silkworm　nurseries。

〃My　daughter　has　always　been　fond　of　animals；〃　said　the　mother。　〃And　as　women　are　especially　interested　in　the　silk　which　the　little　creatures　produce；　I　shall　ask　permission　to　go　over　to　Severac；　so　that　my　Camille　may　see　how　the　silk　is　spun。　My　Camille　is　so　intelligent；　she　will　grasp　anything　that　you　tell　her　in　a　moment。　Did　she　not　understand　one　day　the　inverse　ratio　of　the　squares　of　distances！〃

This　was　the　remark　that　brought　the　conversation　between　Mme。　du　Brossard　and　M。　de　Severac　to　a　glorious　close　after　Lucien's　reading　that　night。

A　few　habitues　slipped　in　familiarly　among　the　rest；　so　did　one　or　two　eldest　sons；　shy；　mute　young　men　tricked　out　in　gorgeous　jewelry；　and　highly　honored　by　an　invitation　to　this　literary　solemnity；　the　boldest　men　among　them　so　far　shook　off　the　weight　of　awe　as　to　chatter　a　good　deal　with　Mlle。　de　la　Haye。　The　women　solemnly　arranged　themselves　in　a　circle；　and　the　men　stood　behind　them。　It　was　a　quaint　assemblage　of　wrinkled　countenances　and　heterogeneous　costumes；　but　none　the　less　it　seemed　very　alarming　to　Lucien；　and　his　heart　beat　fast　when　he　felt　that　every　one　was　looking　at　him。　His　assurance　bore　the　ordeal　with　some　difficulty　in　spite　of　the　encouraging　example　of　Mme。　de　Bargeton；　who　welcomed　the　most　illustrious　personages　of　Angouleme　with　ostentatious　courtesy　and　elaborate　graciousness；　and　the　uncomfortable　feeling　that　oppressed　him　was　aggravated　by　a　trifling　matter　which　any　one　might　have　foreseen；　though　it　was　bound　to　come　as　an　unpleasant　shock　to　a　young　man　with　so　little　experience　of　the　world。　Lucien；　all　eyes　and　ears；　noticed　that　no　one　except　Louise；　M。　de　Bargeton；　the　Bishop；　and　some　few　who　wished　to　please　the　mistress　of　the　house；　spoke　of　him　as　M。　de　Rubempre；　for　his　formidable　audience　he　was　M。　Chardon。　Lucien's　courage　sank　under　their　inquisitive　eyes。　He　could　read　his　plebeian　name　in　the　mere　movements　of　their　lips；　and　hear　the　anticipatory　criticisms　made　in　the　blunt；　provincial　fashion　that　too　often　borders　on　rudeness。　He　had　not　expected　this　prolonged　ordeal　of　pin…　pricks；　it　put　him　still　more　out　of　humor　with　himself。　He　grew　impatient　to　begin　the　reading；　for　then　he　could　assume　an　attitude　which　should　put　an　end　to　his　mental　torments；　but　Jacques　was　giving　Mme。　de　Pimentel　the　history　of　his　last　day's　sport；　Adrien　was　holding　forth　to　Mlle。　Laure　de　Rastignac　on　Rossini；　the　newly…risen　music　star；　and　Astolphe；　who　had　got　by　heart　a　newspaper　paragraph　on　a　patent　plow；　was　giving　the　Baron　the　benefit　of　the　description。　Lucien；　luckless　poet　that　he　was；　did　not　know　that　there　was　scarce　a　soul　in　the　room　besides　Mme。　de　Bargeton　who　could　understand　poetry。　The　whole　matter…of…fact　assembly　was　there　by　a　misapprehension；　nor　did　they；　for　the　most　part；　know　what　they　had　come　out　for　to　see。　There　are　some　words　that　draw　a　public　as　unfailingly　as　the　clash　of　cymbals；　the　trumpet；　or　the　mountebank's　big　drum；　〃beauty；〃　〃glory；〃　〃poetry；〃　are　words　that　bewitch　the　coarsest　intellect。

When　every　one　had　arrived；　when　the　buzz　of　talk　ceased　after　repeated　efforts　on　the　part　of　M。　de　Bargeton；　who；　obedient　to　his　wife；　went　round　the　room　much　as　the　beadle　makes　the　circle　of　the　church；　tapping　the　pavement　with　his　wand；　when　silence；　in　fact；　was　at　last　secured；　Lucien　went　to　the　round　table　near　Mme。　de　Bargeton。　A　fierce　thrill　of　excitement　ran　through　him　as　he　did　so。　He　announced　in　an　uncertain　voice　that；　to　prevent　disappointment；　he　was　about　to　read　the　masterpieces　of　a　great　poet；　discovered　only　recently　（for　although　Andre　de　Chenier's　poems　appeared　in　1819；　no　one　in　Angouleme　had　so　much　as　heard　of　him）。　Everybody　interpreted　this　announcement　in　one　wayit　was　a　shift　of　Mme。　de　Bargeton's；　meant　to　save　the　poet's　self…love　and　to　put　the　audience　at　ease。

Lucien　began　with　Le　Malade；　and　the　poem　was　received　with　a　murmur　of　applause；　but　he　followed　it　with　L'Aveugle；　which　proved　too　great　a　strain　upon　the　average　intellect。　None　but　artists　or　those　endowed　with　the　artistic　temperament　can　understand　and　sympathize　with　him　in　the　diabolical　torture　of　that　reading。　If　poetry　is　to　be　rendered　by　the　voice；　and　if　the　listener　is　to　grasp　all　that　it　means；　the　most　devout　attention　is　essential；　there　should　be　an　intimate　alliance　between　the　reader　and　his　audience；　or　swift　and　subtle　communication　of　the　poet's　thought　and　feeling　becomes　impossible。　Here　this　close　sympathy　was　lacking；　and　Lucien　in　consequence　was　in　the　position　of　an　angel　who　should　endeavor　to　sing　of　heaven　amid　the　chucklings　of　hell。　An　intelligent　man　in　the　sphere　most　stimulating　to　his　faculties　can　see　in　every　direction；　like　a　snail；　he　has　the　keen　scent　of　a　dog；　the　ears　of　a　mole；　he　can　hear；　and　feel；　and　see　all　that　is　going　on　around　him。　A　musician　or　a　poet　knows　at　once　whether　his　audience　is　listening　in　admiration　or　fails　to　follow　him；　and　feels　it　as　the　plant　that　revives　or　droops　under　favorable　or　unfavorable　conditions。　The　men　who　had　come　with　their　wives　had　fallen　to　discussing　their　own　affairs；　by　the　acoustic　law　before　mentioned；　every　murmur　rang　in　Lucien's　ear；　he　saw　all　the　gaps　caused　by　the　spasmodic　workings　of　jaws　sympathetically　affected；　the　teeth　that　seemed　to　grin　defiance　at　him。

When；　like　the　dove　in　the　deluge；　he　looked　round　for　any　spot　on　which　his　eyes　might　rest；　he　saw　nothing　but　rows　of　impatient　faces。　Their　owners　clearly　were　waiting　for　him　to　make　an　end；　they　had　come　together　to　discuss　questions　of　practical　interest。　With　the　exceptions　of　Laure　de　Rastignac；　the　Bishop；　and　two　or　three　of　the　young　men；　they　one　and　all　looked　bored。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　those　who　understand　poetry　strive　to　develop　the　germs　of　another　poetry；　quickened　within　them　by　the　poet's　poetry；　but　this　glacial　audience；　so　far　from　attaining　to　the　spirit　of　the　poet；　did　not　even　listen　to　the　letter。

Lucien　felt　profoundly　discouraged；　he　was　damp　with　chilly　perspiration；　a　glowing　glance　from　Louise；　to　whom　he　turned；　gave　him　courage　to　persevere　to　the　end；　but　this　poet's　heart　was　bleeding　from　countless　wounds。

〃Do　you　find　this　very　amusing；　Fifine？〃　inquired　the　wizened　Lili；　who　perhaps　had　expected　some　kind　of　gymnastics。

〃Don't　ask　me　what　I　think；　dear；　I　cannot　keep　my　eyes　open　when　any　one　begins　to　read　aloud。〃

〃I　hope　that　Nais　will　not　give　us　poetry　often　in　the　evenings；〃　said　Francis。　〃If　I　am　obliged　to　attend　while　somebody　reads　aloud　after　dinner；　it　upsets　my　digestion。〃

〃Poor　dearie；〃　whispered　Zephirine；　〃take　a　glass　of　eau　sucree。〃

〃It　was　very　well　declaimed；〃　said　Alexandre；　〃but　I　like　whist　better　myself。〃

After　this　dictum；　which　passed　muster　as　a　joke　from　the　play　on　the　word　〃whist；〃　several　card…players　were　of　the　opinion　that　the　reader's　voice　needed　a　rest；　and　on　this　pretext　one　or　two　couples　slipped　away　into　the　card…room。　But　Louise；　and　the　Bishop；　and　pretty　Laure　de　Rastignac　besought　Lucien　to　continue；　and　this　time　he　caught　the　attention　of　his　audience　with　Chenier's　spirited　reactionary　Iambes。　Several　persons；　carried　away　by　his　impassioned　delivery；　applauded　the　reading　without　understanding　the　sense。　People　of　this　sort　are　impressed　by　vociferation；　as　a　coarse　palate　is　ticked　by　strong　spirits。

During　the　interval；　as　they　partook　of　ices；　Zephirine　despatched　Francis　to　examine　the　volume；　and　informed　her　neighbor　Amelie　that　the　poetry　was　in　print。

Amelie　brightened　visibly。

〃Why；　that　is　easily　explained；〃　said　she。　〃M。　de　Rubempre　works　for　a　printer。　It　is　as　if　a　pretty　woman　should　make　her　own　dresses；〃　she　added；　looking　at　Lolotte。

〃He　printed　his　poetry　himself！〃　said　the　women　among　themselves。

〃Then；　why　does　he　call　himself　M。　de　Rubempre？〃　inquired　Jacques。　〃If　a　noble　takes　a　handicraft；　he　ought　to　lay　his　name　aside。〃

〃So　he　did　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　said　Zizine；　〃but　his　name　was　plebeian；　and　he　took　his　mother's　name；　which　is　noble。〃

〃Well；　if　his　verses　are　printed；　we　can　read　them　for　ourselves；〃　said　Astolphe。

This　piece　of　stupidity　complicated　the　question；　until　Sixte　du　Chatelet　condescended　to　inform　these　unlettered　folk　that　the　prefatory　announcement　was　no　oratorical　flourish；　but　a　statement　of　fact；　and　added　that　the　poems　had　been　written　by　a　Royalist　brother　of　Marie…Joseph　Chenier；　the　Revolutionary　leader。　All　Angouleme；　except　Mme。　de　Rastignac　and　her　two　daughters　and　the　Bishop；　who　had　really　felt　the　grandeur　of　the　poetry；　were　mystified；　and　took　offence　at　the　hoax。　There　was　a　smothered　murmur；　but　Lucien　did　not　heed　it。　The　intoxication　of　the　poetry　was　upon　him；　he　was　far　away　from　the　hateful　world；　striving　to　render　in　speech　the　music　that　filled　his　soul；　seeing　the　faces　about　him　through　a　cloudy　haze。　He　read　the　sombre　Elegy　on　the　Suicide；　lines　in　the　taste　of　a　by…gone　day；　pervaded　by　sublime　melancholy；　then　he　turned　to　the　page　where　the　line　occurs；　〃Thy　songs　are　sweet；　I　love　to　say　them　over；〃　and　ended　with　the　delicate　idyll　Neere。

Mme。　de　Bargeton　sat　with　one　hand　buried　in　her　curls；　heedless　of　the　havoc　she　wrought　among　them；　gazing　before　her　with　unseeing　eyes；　alone　in　her　drawing…room；　lost　in　delicious　dreaming；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　had　been　transported　to　the　sphere　which　was　hers　by　right　of　nature。　Judge；　therefore；　how　unpleasantly　she　was　disturbed　by　Amelie；　who　took　it　upon　herself　to　express　the　general　wish。

〃Nais；〃　this　voice　broke　in；　〃we　came　to　hear　M。　Chardon's　poetry；　and　you　are　giving　us　poetry　out　of　a　book。　The　extracts　are　very　nice；　but　the　ladies　feel　a　patriotic　preference　for　the　wine　of　the　country；　they　would　rather　have　it。〃

〃The　French　language　does　not　len