paz-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！



Germany；　where　they　spent　the　greater　part　of　two　years。　Returning　to

Paris　in　November；　1837；　the　countess　entered　society　for　the　first

time　as　a　married　woman　during　the　winter　which　had　just　ended；　and

she　then　became　aware　of　the　existence；　half…suppressed　and　wholly

dumb　but　very　useful；　of　a　species　of　factotum　who　was　personally

invisible；　named　Paz；spelt　thus；　but　pronounced　〃Patz。〃



〃Monsieur　le　capitaine　Paz　begs　Madame　la　comtesse　to　excuse　him；〃

said　the　footman；　returning。　〃He　is　at　the　stables；　as　soon　as　he　has

changed　his　dress　Comte　Paz　will　present　himself　to　Madame。〃



〃What　was　he　doing　at　the　stables？〃



〃He　was　showing　them　how　to　groom　Madame's　horse；〃　said　the　man。　〃He

was　not　pleased　with　the　way　Constantin　did　it。〃



The　countess　looked　at　the　footman。　He　was　perfectly　serious　and　did

not　add　to　his　words　the　sort　of　smile　by　which　servants　usually

comment　on　the　actions　of　a　superior　who　seems　to　them　to　derogate

from　his　position。



〃Ah！　he　was　grooming　Cora。〃



〃Madame　la　comtesse　intends　to　ride　out　this　morning？〃　said　the

footman；　leaving　the　room　without　further　answer。



〃Is　Paz　a　Pole？〃　asked　Clementine；　turning　to　her　husband；　who　nodded

by　way　of　affirmation。



Madame　Laginska　was　silent；　examining　Adam。　With　her　feet　extended

upon　a　cushion　and　her　head　poised　like　that　of　a　bird　on　the　edge　of

its　nest　listening　to　the　noises　in　a　grove；　she　would　have　seemed

enchanting　even　to　a　blase　man。　Fair　and　slender；　and　wearing　her　hair

in　curls；　she　was　not　unlike　those　semi…romantic　pictures　in　the

Keepsakes；　especially　when　dressed；　as　she　was　this　morning；　in　a

breakfast　gown　of　Persian　silk；　the　folds　of　which　could　not　disguise

the　beauty　of　her　figure　or　the　slimness　of　her　waist。　The　silk　with

its　brilliant　colors　being　crossed　upon　the　bosom　showed　the　spring　of

the　neck；its　whiteness　contrasting　delightfully　against　the　tones　of

a　guipure　lace　which　lay　upon　her　shoulders。　Her　eyes　and　their　long

black　lashes　added　at　this　moment　to　the　expression　of　curiosity　which

puckered　her　pretty　mouth。　On　the　forehead；　which　was　well　modelled；

an　observer　would　have　noticed　a　roundness　characteristic　of　the　true

Parisian　woman；self…willed；　merry；　well…informed；　but　inaccessible

to　vulgar　seductions。　Her　hands；　which　were　almost　transparent；　were

hanging　down　at　the　end　of　each　arm　of　her　chair；　the　tapering

fingers；　slightly　turned　up　at　their　points；　showed　nails　like

almonds；　which　caught　the　light。　Adam　smiled　at　his　wife's　impatience；

and　looked　at　her　with　a　glance　which　two　years　of　married　life　had

not　yet　chilled。　Already　the　little　countess　had　made　herself　mistress

of　the　situation；　for　she　scarcely　paid　attention　to　her　husband's

admiration。　In　fact；　in　the　look　which　she　occasionally　cast　at　him；

there　seemed　to　be　the　consciousness　of　a　Frenchwoman's　ascendancy

over　the　puny；　volatile；　and　red…haired　Pole。



〃Here　comes　Paz；〃　said　the　count；　hearing　a　step　which　echoed　through

the　gallery。



The　countess　beheld　a　tall　and　handsome　man；　well…made；　and　bearing　on

his　face　the　signs　of　pain　which　come　of　inward　strength　and　secret

endurance　of　sorrow。　He　wore　one　of　those　tight；　frogged　overcoats

which　were　then　called　〃polonaise。〃　Thick；　black　hair；　rather　unkempt；

covered　his　square　head；　and　Clementine　noticed　his　broad　forehead

shining　like　a　block　of　white　marble；　for　Paz　held　his　visored　cap　in

his　hand。　The　hand　itself　was　like　that　of　the　Infant　Hercules。　Robust

health　flourished　on　his　face；　which　was　divided　by　a　large　Roman　nose

and　reminded　Clementine　of　some　handsome　Transteverino。　A　black　silk

cravat　added　to　the　martial　appearance　of　this　six…foot　mystery；　with

eyes　of　jet　and　Italian　fervor。　The　amplitude　of　his　pleated　trousers；

which　allowed　only　the　tips　of　his　boots　to　be　seen；　revealed　his

faithfulness　to　the　fashions　of　his　own　land。　There　was　something

really　burlesque　to　a　romantic　woman　in　the　striking　contrast　no　one

could　fail　to　remark　between　the　captain　and　the　count；　the　little

Pole　with　his　pinched　face　and　the　stalwart　soldier。



〃Good　morning；　Adam；〃　he　said　familiarly。　Then　he　bowed　courteously　as

he　asked　Clementine　what　he　could　do　for　her。



〃You　are　Laginski's　friend！〃　exclaimed　the　countess。



〃For　life　and　death；〃　answered　Paz；　to　whom　the　count　threw　a　smile　of

affection　as　he　drew　a　last　puff　from　his　perfumed　pipe。



〃Then　why　don't　you　take　your　meals　with　us？　why　did　you　not　accompany

us　to　Italy　and　Switzerland？　why　do　you　hide　yourself　in　such　a　way

that　I　am　unable　to　thank　you　for　the　constant　services　that　you　do

for　us？〃　said　the　countess；　with　much　vivacity　of　manner　but　no

feeling。



In　fact；　she　thought　she　perceived　in　Paz　a　sort　of　voluntary

servitude。　Such　an　idea　carried　with　it　in　her　mind　a　certain　contempt

for　a　social　amphibian；　a　being　half…secretary；　half…bailiff；　and　yet

neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　a　poor　relation；　an　embarrassing

friend。



〃Because；　countess；〃　he　answered　with　perfect　ease　of　manner；　〃there

are　no　thanks　due。　I　am　Adam's　friend；　and　it　gives　me　pleasure　to

take　care　of　his　interests。〃



〃And　you　remain　standing　for　your　pleasure；　too；〃　remarked　Comte　Adam。



Paz　sat　down　on　a　chair　near　the　door。



〃I　remember　seeing　you　about　the　time　I　was　married；　and　afterwards　in

the　courtyard；〃　said　Clementine。　〃But　why　do　you　put　yourself　in　a

position　of　inferiority；you；　Adam's　friend？〃



〃I　am　perfectly　indifferent　to　the　opinion　of　the　Parisians；〃　he

replied。　〃I　live　for　myself；　or；　if　you　like；　for　you　two。〃



〃But　the　opinion　of　the　world　as　to　a　friend　of　my　husband　is　not

indifferent　to　me〃



〃Ah；　madame；　the　world　will　be　satisfied　if　you　tell　them　I　am　'an

original。'〃



After　a　moment's　silence　he　added；　〃Are　you　going　out　to…day？〃



〃Will　you　come　with　us　to　the　Bois？〃



〃Certainly。〃



So　saying；　Paz　bowed　and　withdrew。



〃What　a　good　soul　he　is！〃　said　Adam。　〃He　has　all　the　simplicity　of　a

child。〃



〃Now　tell　me　all　about　your　relations　with　him；〃　said　Clementine。



〃Paz；　my　dear；〃　said　Laginski；　〃belongs　to　a　noble　family　as　old　and

illustrious　as　our　own。　One　of　the　Pazzi　of　Florence；　at　the　time　of

their　disasters；　fled　to　Poland；　where　he　settled　with　some　of　his

property　and　founded　the　Paz　family；　to　which　the　title　of　count　was

granted。　This　family；　which　distinguished　itself　greatly　in　the

glorious　days　of　our　royal　republic；　became　rich。　The　graft　from　the

tree　that　was　felled　in　Italy　flourished　so　vigorously　in　Poland　that

there　are　several　branches　of　the　family　still　there。　I　need　not　tell

you　that　some　are　rich　and　some　are　poor。　Our　Paz　is　the　scion　of　a

poor　branch。　He　was　an　orphan；　without　other　fortune　than　his　sword；

when　he　served　in　the　regiment　of　the　Grand　Duke　Constantine　at　the

time　of　our　revolution。　Joining　the　Polish　cause；　he　fought　like　a

Pole；　like　a　patriot；　like　a　man　who　has　nothing；three　good　reasons

for　fighting　well。　In　his　last　affair；　thinking　he　was　followed　by　his

men；　he　dashed　upon　a　Russian　battery　and　was　taken　prisoner。　I　was

there。　His　brave　act　roused　me。　'Let　us　go　and　get　him！'　I　said　to　my

troop；　and　we　charged　the　battery　like　a　lot　of　foragers。　I　got　PazI

was　the　seventh　man；　we　started　twenty　and　came　back　eight；　counting

Paz。　After　Warsaw　was　sold　we　were　forced　to　escape　those　Russians。　By

a　curious　chance；　Paz　and　I　happened　to　come　together　again；　at　the

same　hour　and　the　same　place；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Vistula。　I　saw

the　poor　captain　arrested　by　some　Prussians；　who　made　themselves　the

blood…hounds　of　the　Russians。　When　we　have　fished　a　man　out　of　the

Styx　we　cling　to　him。　This　new　danger　for　poor　Paz　made　me　so　unhappy

that　I　let　myself　be　taken　too；　thinking　I　could　help　him。　Two　men　can

get　away　where　one　will　perish。　Thanks　to　my　name　and　some　family

connections　in　Prussia；　the　authorities　shut　their　eyes　to　my　escape。

I　got　my　dear　captain　through　as　a　man　of　no　consequence；　a　family

servant；　and　we　reached　Dantzic。　There　we　got　on　board　a　Dutch　vessel

and　went　to　London。　It　took　us　two　months　to　get　there。　My　mother　was

ill　in　England；　and　expecting　me。　Paz　and　I　took　care　of　her　till　her

death；　which　the　Polish　troubles　hastened。　Then　we　left　London　and

came　to　France。　Men　who　go　through　such　adversities　become　like

brothers。　When　I　reached　Paris；　at　twenty…two　years　of　age；　and　found

I　had　an　income　of　over　sixty　thousand　francs　a　year；　without　counting

the　proceeds　of　the　diamonds　and　the　pictures　sold　by　my　mother；　I

wanted　to　secure　the　future　of　my　dear　Paz　before　I　launched　into

dissipation。　I　had　often　noticed　the　sadness　in　his　eyessometimes

tears　were　in　them。　I　had　had　good　reason　to　understand　his　soul；

which　is　noble；　grand；　and　generous　to　the　core。　I　thought　he　might

not　like　to　be　bound　by　benefits　to　a　friend　who　was　six　years　younger

than　himself；　unless　he　could　repay　them。　I　was　careless　and

frivolous；　just　as　a　young　fellow　is；　and　I　knew　I　was　certain　to　ruin

myself　at　play；　or　get　inveigled　by　some　woman；　and　Paz　and　I　might

then　be　parted；　and　though　I　had　every　intention　of　always　looking　out

for　him；　I　knew　I　might　sometime　or　other　forget　to　provide　for　him。

In　short；　my　dear　angel；　I　wanted　to　spare　him　the　pain　and

mortification　of　having　to　ask　me　for　money；　or　of　having　to　hunt　me

up　if　he　got　into　distress。　SO；　one　morning；　after　breakfast；　when　we

were　sitting　with　our　feet　on　the　andirons　smoking　pipes；　I　produced；

with　the　utmost　precaution；　for　I　saw　him　look　at　me　uneasily；a

certificate　of　the　Funds　payable　to　bearer　for　a　certain　sum　of　money

a　year。〃



Clementine　jumped　up　and　went　and　seated　herself　on　Adam's　knee；　put

her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　kissed　him。　〃Dear　treasure！〃　she　said；

〃how　handsome　he　is！　Well；　what　did　Paz　do？〃



〃Thaddeus　turned　pale；〃　said　the　count；　〃but　he　didn't　say　a　word。〃



〃Oh！　his　name　is　Thaddeus；　is　it？〃



〃Yes；　Thaddeus　folded　the　paper　and　gave　it　back　to　me；　and　then　he

said：　'I　thought；　Adam；　that　we　were　one　for　life　or　death；　and　that

we　should　never　part。　Do　you　want　to　be　rid　of　me？'　'Oh！'　I　said；　'if

you　take　it　that　way；　Thaddeus；　don't　let　us　say　another　word　about

it。　If　I　ruin　myself　you　shall　be　ruined　too。'　'You　haven't　fortune

enough　to　live　as　a　Laginski　should；'　he　said；　'and　you　need　a　friend

who　will　take　care　of　your　affairs；　and　be　a　father　and　a　brother　and

a　trusty　confidant。'　My　dear　child；　as　Paz　said　that　he　had　in　his

look　and　voice；　calm　as　they　were；　a　maternal　emotion；　and　also　the

gratitude　of　an　Arab；　the　fidelity　of　a　dog；　the　friendship　of　a

savage；not　displayed；　but　ever　ready。　Faith！　I　seized　him；　as　we

Poles　do；　with　a　hand　on　each　shoulder；　and　I　kissed　him　on　the　lips。

'For　life　and　death；　then！　all　that　I　have　is　yoursdo　what　you　will

with　it。'　It　was　he　who　found　me　this