juana-第10章

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of　withdrawing　from　his　wife　the　management　of　their　income；　and　the

day　came　when　he　took　from　her　all　she　had　hitherto　freely　disposed　of

for　the　household　benefit；　giving　her　instead　a　monthly　stipend。　The

conversation　they　had　on　this　subject　was　the　last　of　their　married

intercourse。　The　silence　that　fell　between　them　was　a　true　divorce；

Juana　comprehended　that　from　henceforth　she　was　only　a　mother；　and　she

was　glad；　not　seeking　for　the　causes　of　this　evil。　For　such　an　event

is　a　great　evil。　Children　are　conjointly　one　with　husband　and　wife　in

the　home；　and　the　life　of　her　husband　could　not　be　a　source　of　grief

and　injury　to　Juana　only。



As　for　Diard；　now　emancipated；　he　speedily　grew　accustomed　to　win　and

lose　enormous　sums。　A　fine　player　and　a　heavy　player；　he　soon　became

celebrated　for　his　style　of　playing。　The　social　consideration　he　had

been　unable　to　win　under　the　Empire；　he　acquired　under　the　Restoration

by　the　rolling　of　his　gold　on　the　green　cloth　and　by　his　talent　for

all　games　that　were　in　vogue。　Ambassadors；　bankers；　persons　with

newly…acquired　large　fortunes；　and　all　those　men　who；　having　sucked

life　to　the　dregs；　turn　to　gambling　for　its　feverish　joys；　admired

Diard　at　their　clubs；seldom　in　their　own　houses；and　they　all

gambled　with　him。　He　became　the　fashion。　Two　or　three　times　during　the

winter　he　gave　a　fete　as　a　matter　of　social　pride　in　return　for　the

civilities　he　received。　At　such　times　Juana　once　more　caught　a　glimpse

of　the　world　of　balls；　festivities；　luxury；　and　lights；　but　for　her　it

was　a　sort　of　tax　imposed　upon　the　comfort　of　her　solitude。　She；　the

queen　of　these　solemnities；　appeared　like　a　being　fallen　from　some

other　planet。　Her　simplicity；　which　nothing　had　corrupted；　her

beautiful　virginity　of　soul；　which　her　peaceful　life　restored　to　her；

her　beauty　and　her　true　modesty；　won　her　sincere　homage。　But　observing

how　few　women　ever　entered　her　salons；　she　came　to　understand　that

though　her　husband　was　following；　without　communicating　its　nature　to

her；　a　new　line　of　conduct；　he　had　gained　nothing　actually　in　the

world's　esteem。



Diard　was　not　always　lucky；　far　from　it。　In　three　years　he　had

dissipated　three　fourths　of　his　fortune；　but　his　passion　for　play　gave

him　the　energy　to　continue　it。　He　was　intimate　with　a　number　of　men；

more　particularly　with　the　roues　of　the　Bourse；　men　who；　since　the

revolution；　have　set　up　the　principle　that　robbery　done　on　a　large

scale　is　only　a　SMIRCH　to　the　reputation；transferring　thus　to

financial　matters　the　loose　principles　of　love　in　the　eighteenth

century。　Diard　now　became　a　sort　of　business　man；　and　concerned

himself　in　several　of　those　affairs　which　are　called　SHADY　in　the

slang　of　the　law…courts。　He　practised　the　decent　thievery　by　which　so

many　men；　cleverly　masked；　or　hidden　in　the　recesses　of　the　political

world；　make　their　fortunes；thievery　which；　if　done　in　the　streets　by

the　light　of　an　oil　lamp；　would　see　a　poor　devil　to　the　galleys；　but；

under　gilded　ceilings　and　by　the　light　of　candelabra；　is　sanctioned。

Diard　brought　up；　monopolized；　and　sold　sugars；　he　sold　offices；　he

had　the　glory　of　inventing　the　〃man　of　straw〃　for　lucrative　posts

which　it　was　necessary　to　keep　in　his　own　hands　for　a　short　time；　he

bought　votes；　receiving；　on　one　occasion；　so　much　per　cent　on　the

purchase　of　fifteen　parliamentary　votes　which　all　passed　on　one

division　from　the　benches　of　the　Left　to　the　benches　of　the　Right。

Such　actions　are　no　longer　crimes　or　thefts；they　are　called

governing；　developing　industry；　becoming　a　financial　power。　Diard　was

placed　by　public　opinion　on　the　bench　of　infamy　where　many　an　able　man

was　already　seated。　On　that　bench　is　the　aristocracy　of　evil。　It　is

the　upper　Chamber　of　scoundrels　of　high　life。　Diard　was；　therefore；

not　a　mere　commonplace　gambler　who　is　seen　to　be　a　blackguard；　and

ends　by　begging。　That　style　of　gambler　is　no　longer　seen　in　society　of

a　certain　topographical　height。　In　these　days　bold　scoundrels　die

brilliantly　in　the　chariot　of　vice　with　the　trappings　of　luxury。

Diard；　at　least；　did　not　buy　his　remorse　at　a　low　price；　he　made

himself　one　of　these　privileged　men。　Having　studied　the　machinery　of

government　and　learned　all　the　secrets　and　the　passions　of　the　men　in

power；　he　was　able　to　maintain　himself　in　the　fiery　furnace　into　which

he　had　sprung。



Madame　Diard　knew　nothing　of　her　husband's　infernal　life。　Glad　of　his

abandonment；　she　felt　no　curiosity　about　him；　and　all　her　hours　were

occupied。　She　devoted　what　money　she　had　to　the　education　of　her

children；　wishing　to　make　men　of　them；　and　giving　them　straight…

forward　reasons；　without；　however；　taking　the　bloom　from　their　young

imaginations。　Through　them　alone　came　her　interests　and　her　emotions；

consequently；　she　suffered　no　longer　from　her　blemished　life。　Her

children　were　to　her　what　they　are　to　many　mothers　for　a　long　period

of　time；a　sort　of　renewal　of　their　own　existence。　Diard　was　now　an

accidental　circumstance；　not　a　participator　in　her　life；　and　since　he

had　ceased　to　be　the　father　and　the　head　of　the　family；　Juana　felt

bound　to　him　by　no　tie　other　than　that　imposed　by　conventional　laws。

Nevertheless；　she　brought　up　her　children　to　the　highest　respect　for

paternal　authority；　however　imaginary　it　was　for　them。　In　this　she　was

greatly　seconded　by　her　husband's　continual　absence。　If　he　had　been

much　in　the　home　Diard　would　have　neutralized　his　wife's　efforts。　The

boys　had　too　much　intelligence　and　shrewdness　not　to　have　judged　their

father；　and　to　judge　a　father　is　moral　parricide。



In　the　long　run；　however；　Juana's　indifference　to　her　husband　wore

itself　away；　it　even　changed　to　a　species　of　fear。　She　understood　at

last　how　the　conduct　of　a　father　might　long　weigh　on　the　future　of　her

children；　and　her　motherly　solicitude　brought　her　many；　though

incomplete；　revelations　of　the　truth。　From　day　to　day　the　dread　of

some　unknown　but　inevitable　evil　in　the　shadow　of　which　she　lived

became　more　and　more　keen　and　terrible。　Therefore；　during　the　rare

moments　when　Diard　and　Juana　met　she　would　cast　upon　his　hollow　face；

wan　from　nights　of　gambling　and　furrowed　by　emotions；　a　piercing　look；

the　penetration　of　which　made　Diard　shudder。　At　such　times　the　assumed

gaiety　of　her　husband　alarmed　Juana　more　than　his　gloomiest

expressions　of　anxiety　when；　by　chance；　he　forgot　that　assumption　of

joy。　Diard　feared　his　wife　as　a　criminal　fears　the　executioner。　In

him；　Juana　saw　her　children's　shame；　and　in　her　Diard　dreaded　a　calm

vengeance；　the　judgment　of　that　serene　brow；　an　arm　raised；　a　weapon

ready。



After　fifteen　years　of　marriage　Diard　found　himself　without　resources。

He　owed　three　hundred　thousand　francs　and　he　could　scarcely　muster　one

hundred　thousand。　The　house；　his　only　visible　possession；　was

mortgaged　to　its　fullest　selling　value。　A　few　days　more；　and　the　sort

of　prestige　with　which　opulence　had　invested　him　would　vanish。　Not　a

hand　would　be　offered；　not　a　purse　would　be　open　to　him。　Unless　some

favorable　event　occurred　he　would　fall　into　a　slough　of　contempt；

deeper　perhaps　than　he　deserved；　precisely　because　he　had　mounted　to　a

height　he　could　not　maintain。　At　this　juncture　he　happened　to　hear

that　a　number　of　strangers　of　distinction；　diplomats　and　others；　were

assembled　at　the　watering…places　in　the　Pyrenees；　where　they　gambled

for　enormous　sums；　and　were　doubtless　well　supplied　with　money。



He　determined　to　go　at　once　to　the　Pyrenees；　but　he　would　not　leave

his　wife　in　Paris；　lest　some　importunate　creditor　might　reveal　to　her

the　secret　of　his　horrible　position。　He　therefore　took　her　and　the　two

children　with　him；　refusing　to　allow　her　to　take　the　tutor　and

scarcely　permitting　her　to　take　a　maid。　His　tone　was　curt　and

imperious；　he　seemed　to　have　recovered　some　energy。　This　sudden

journey；　the　cause　of　which　escaped　her　penetration；　alarmed　Juana

secretly。　Her　husband　made　it　gaily。　Obliged　to　occupy　the　same

carriage；　he　showed　himself　day　by　day　more　attentive　to　the　children

and　more　amiable　to　their　mother。　Nevertheless；　each　day　brought　Juana

dark　presentiments；　the　presentiments　of　mothers　who　tremble　without

apparent　reason；　but　who　are　seldom　mistaken　when　they　tremble　thus。

For　them　the　veil　of　the　future　seems　thinner　than　for　others。



At　Bordeaux；　Diard　hired　in　a　quiet　street　a　quiet　little　house；

neatly　furnished；　and　in　it　he　established　his　wife。　The　house　was　at

the　corner　of　two　streets；　and　had　a　garden。　Joined　to　the　neighboring

house　on　one　side　only；　it　was　open　to　view　and　accessible　on　the

other　three　sides。　Diard　paid　the　rent　in　advance；　and　left　Juana

barely　enough　money　for　the　necessary　expenses　of　three　months；　a　sum

not　exceeding　a　thousand　francs。　Madame　Diard　made　no　observation　on

this　unusual　meanness。　When　her　husband　told　her　that　he　was　going　to

the　watering…places　and　that　she　would　stay　at　Bordeaux；　Juana　offered

no　difficulty；　and　at　once　formed　a　plan　to　teach　the　children　Spanish

and　Italian；　and　to　make　them　read　the　two　masterpieces　of　the　two

languages。　She　was　glad　to　lead　a　retired　life；　simply　and　naturally

economical。　To　spare　herself　the　troubles　of　material　life；　she

arranged　with　a　〃traiteur〃　the　day　after　Diard's　departure　to　send　in

their　meals。　Her　maid　then　sufficed　for　the　service　of　the　house；　and

she　thus　found　herself　without　money；　but　her　wants　all　provided　for

until　her　husband's　return。　Her　pleasures　consisted　in　taking　walks

with　the　children。　She　was　then　thirty…three　years　old。　Her　beauty；

greatly　developed；　was　in　all　its　lustre。　Therefore　as　soon　as　she

appeared；　much　talk　was　made　in　Bordeaux　about　the　beautiful　Spanish

stranger。　At　the　first　advances　made　to　her　Juana　ceased　to　walk

abroad；　and　confined　herself　wholly　to　her　own　large　garden。



Diard　at　first　made　a　fortune　at　the　baths。　In　two　months　he　won　three

hundred　thousand　dollars；　but　it　never　occurred　to　him　to　send　any

money　to　his　wife；　he　kept　it　all；　expecting　to　make　some　great　stroke

of　fortune　on　a　vast　stake。　Towards　the　end　of　the　second　month　the

Marquis　de　Montefiore　appeared　at　the　same　baths。　The　marquis　was　at

this　time　celebrated　for　his　wealth；　his　handsome　face；　his　fortunate

marriage　with　an　Englishwoman；　and　more　especially　for　his　love　of

play。　Diard；　his　former　companion；　encountered　him；　and　desired　to　add

his　spoils　to　those　of　others。　A　gambler　with　four　hundred　thousand

francs　in　hand　is　always　in　a　position　to　do　as　he　pleases。　Diard；

confident　in　his　luck；　renewed　acquaintance　with　Montefiore。　The

latter　received　him　very　coldly；　but　nevertheless　they　played

together；　and　Diard　lost　every　penny　that　he　possessed；　and　more。



〃My　dear　Montefiore；〃　said　the　ex…quartermaster；　after　making　a　tour

of　the　salon；　〃I　owe　you　a　hundred　thousand　francs；　but　my　money　is　in

Bordeaux；　where　I　have　left　my　wife。〃



Diard　had　the