paz-第4章

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

with　it。'　It　was　he　who　found　me　this　house　and　bought　it　for　next　to

nothing。　He　sold　my　Funds　high　and　bought　in　low；　and　we　have　paid　for

this　barrack　with　the　profits。　He　knows　horses；　and　he　manages　to　buy

and　sell　at　such　advantage　that　my　stable　really　costs　very　little；

and　yet　I　have　the　finest　horses　and　the　most　elegant　equipages　in　all

Paris。　Our　servants；　brave　Polish　soldiers　chosen　by　him；　would　go

through　fire　and　water　for　us。　I　seem；　as　you　say；　to　be　ruining

myself；　and　yet　Paz　keeps　the　house　with　such　method　and　economy　that

he　has　even　repaired　some　of　my　foolish　losses　at　play；the

thoughtless　folly　of　a　young　man。　My　dear；　Thaddeus　is　as　shrewd　as

two　Genoese；　as　eager　for　gain　as　a　Polish　Jew；　and　provident　as　a

good　housekeeper。　I　never　could　force　him　to　live　as　I　did　when　I　was

a　bachelor。　Sometimes　I　had　to　use　a　sort　of　friendly　coercion　to　make

him　go　to　the　theatre　with　me　when　I　was　alone；　or　to　the　jovial

little　dinners　I　used　to　give　at　a　tavern。　He　doesn't　like　social

life。〃



〃What　does　he　like；　then？〃　asked　Clementine。



〃Poland；　he　loves　Poland　and　pines　for　it。　His　only　spendings　are　sums

he　gives；　more　in　my　name　than　in　his　own；　to　some　of　our　poor

brother…exiles。〃



〃Well；　I　shall　love　him；　the　fine　fellow！〃　said　the　countess；　〃he

looks　to　me　as　simple…hearted　as　he　is　grand。〃



〃All　these　pretty　things　you　have　about　you；〃　continued　Adam；　who

praised　his　friend　in　the　noblest　sincerity；　〃he　picked　up；　he　bought

them　at　auction；　or　as　bargains　from　the　dealers。　Oh！　he's　keener　than

they　are　themselves。　If　you　see　him　rubbing　his　hands　in　the

courtyard；　you　may　be　sure　he　has　traded　away　one　good　horse　for　a

better。　He　lives　for　me；　his　happiness　is　to　see　me　elegant；　in　a

perfectly　appointed　equipage。　The　duties　he　takes　upon　himself　are　all

accomplished　without　fuss　or　emphasis。　One　evening　I　lost　twenty

thousand　francs　at　whist。　'What　will　Paz　say？'　thought　I　as　I　walked

home。　Paz　paid　them　to　me；　not　without　a　sigh；　but　he　never　reproached

me；　even　by　a　look。　But　that　sigh　of　his　restrained　me　more　than　the

remonstrances　of　uncles；　mothers；　or　wives　could　have　done。　'Do　you

regret　the　money？'　I　said　to　him。　'Not　for　you　or　me；　no；'　he　replied；

'but　I　was　thinking　that　twenty　poor　Poles　could　have　lived　a　year　on

that　sum。'　You　must　understand　that　the　Pazzi　are　fully　the　equal　of

the　Laginski；　so　I　couldn't　regard　my　dear　Paz　as　an　inferior。　I　never

went　out　or　came　in　without　going　first　to　Paz；　as　I　would　to　my

father。　My　fortune　is　his；　and　Thaddeus　knows　that　if　danger

threatened　him　I　would　fling　myself　into　it　and　drag　him　out；　as　I

have　done　before。〃



〃And　that　is　saying　a　good　deal；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　the　countess。

〃Devotion　is　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　Men　devote　themselves　in

battle；　but　they　no　longer　have　the　heart　for　it　in　Paris。〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Adam；　〃I　am　always　ready；　as　in　battle；　to　devote

myself　to　Paz。　Our　two　characters　have　kept　their　natural　asperities

and　defects；　but　the　mutual　comprehension　of　our　souls　has　tightened

the　bond　already　close　between　us。　It　is　quite　possible　to　save　a

man's　life　and　kill　him　afterwards　if　we　find　him　a　bad　fellow；　but

Paz　and　I　know　THAT　of　each　other　which　makes　our　friendship

indissoluble。　There's　a　constant　exchange　of　happy　thoughts　and

impressions　between　us；　and　really；　perhaps；　such　a　friendship　as　ours

is　richer　than　love。〃



A　pretty　hand　closed　the　count's　mouth　so　promptly　that　the　action　was

somewhat　like　a　blow。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃friendship；　my　dear　angel；　knows　nothing　of　bankrupt

sentiments　and　collapsed　joys。　Love；　after　giving　more　than　it　has；

ends　by　giving　less　than　it　receives。〃



〃One　side　as　well　as　the　other；〃　remarked　Clementine　laughing。



〃Yes；〃　continued　Adam；　〃whereas　friendship　only　increases。　You　need

not　pucker　up　your　lips　at　that；　for　we　are；　you　and　I；　as　much

friends　as　lovers；　we　have；　at　least　I　hope　so；　combined　the　two

sentiments　in　our　happy　marriage。〃



〃I'll　explain　to　you　what　it　is　that　has　made　you　and　Thaddeus　such

good　friends；〃　said　Clementine。　〃The　difference　in　the　lives　you　lead

comes　from　your　tastes　and　from　necessity；　from　your　likings；　not　your

positions。　As　far　as　one　can　judge　from　merely　seeing　a　man　once；　and

also　from　what　you　tell　me；　there　are　times　when　the　subaltern　might

become　the　superior。〃



〃Oh；　Paz　is　truly　my　superior；〃　said　Adam；　naively；　〃I　have　no

advantage　over　him　except　mere　luck。〃



His　wife　kissed　him　for　the　generosity　of　those　words。



〃The　extreme　care　with　which　he　hides　the　grandeur　of　his　feelings　is

one　form　of　his　superiority；〃　continued　the　count。　〃I　said　to　him

once：　'You　are　a　sly　one；　you　have　in　your　heart　a　vast　domain　within

which　you　live　and　think。'　He　has　a　right　to　the　title　of　count；　but

in　Paris　he　won't　be　called　anything　but　captain。〃



〃The　fact　is　that　the　Florentine　of　the　middle…ages　has　reappeared　in

our　century；〃　said　the　countess。　〃Dante　and　Michael　Angelo　are　in

him。〃



〃That's　the　very　truth；〃　cried　Adam。　〃He　is　a　poet　in　soul。〃



〃So　here　I　am；　married　to　two　Poles；〃　said　the　young　countess；　with　a

gesture　worthy　of　some　genius　of　the　stage。



〃Dear　child！〃　said　Adam；　pressing　her　to　him；　〃it　would　have　made　me

very　unhappy　if　my　friend　did　not　please　you。　We　were　both　rather

afraid　of　it；　he　and　I；　though　he　was　delighted　at　my　marriage。　You

will　make　him　very　happy　if　you　tell　him　that　you　love　him；yes；　as

an　old　friend。〃



〃I'll　go　and　dress；　the　day　is　so　fine；　and　we　will　all　three　ride

together；〃　said　Clementine；　ringing　for　her　maid。







II



Paz　was　leading　so　subterranean　a　life　that　the　fashionable　world　of

Paris　asked　who　he　was　when　the　Comtesse　Laginska　was　seen　in　the　Bois

de　Boulogne　riding　between　her　husband　and　a　stranger。　During　the　ride

Clementine　insisted　that　Thaddeus　should　dine　with　them。　This　caprice

of　the　sovereign　lady　compelled　Paz　to　make　an　evening　toilet。

Clementine　dressed　for　the　occasion　with　a　certain　coquetry；　in　a

style　that　impressed　even　Adam　himself　when　she　entered　the　salon

where　the　two　friends　awaited　her。



〃Comte　Paz；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　go　with　us　to　the　Opera。〃



This　was　said　in　the　tone　which；　coming　from　a　woman　means：　〃If　you

refuse　we　shall　quarrel。〃



〃Willingly；　madame；〃　replied　the　captain。　〃But　as　I　have　not　the

fortune　of　a　count；　have　the　kindness　to　call　me　captain。〃



〃Very　good；　captain；　give　me　your　arm；〃　she　said；taking　it　and

leading　the　way　to　the　dining…room　with　the　flattering　familiarity

which　enchants　all　lovers。



The　countess　placed　the　captain　beside　her；　his　behavior　was　that　of　a

poor　sub…lieutenant　dining　at　his　general's　table。　He　let　Clementine

talk；　listened　deferentially　as　to　a　superior；　did　not　differ　with　her

in　anything；　and　waited　to　be　questioned　before　he　spoke　at　all。　He

seemed　actually　stupid　to　the　countess；　whose　coquettish　little　ways

missed　their　mark　in　presence　of　such　frigid　gravity　and　conventional

respect。　In　vain　Adam　kept　saying：　〃Do　be　lively；　Thaddeus；　one　would

really　suppose　you　were　not　at　home。　You　must　have　made　a　wager　to

disconcert　Clementine。〃　Thaddeus　continued　heavy　and　half　asleep。　When

the　servants　left　the　room　at　the　end　of　the　dessert　the　captain

explained　that　his　habits　were　diametrically　opposite　to　those　of

society；he　went　to　bed　at　eight　o'clock　and　got　up　very　early　in　the

morning；　and　he　excused　his　dulness　on　the　ground　of　being　sleepy。



〃My　intention　in　taking　you　to　the　Opera　was　to　amuse　you；　captain；

but　do　as　you　prefer；〃　said　Clementine；　rather　piqued。



〃I　will　go；〃　said　Paz。



〃Duprez　sings　'Guillaume　Tell；'〃　remarked　Adam。　〃But　perhaps　you　would

rather　go　to　the　'Varietes'？〃



The　captain　smiled　and　rang　the　bell。　〃Tell　Constantin；〃　he　said　to

the　footman；　〃to　put　the　horses　to　the　carriage　instead　of　the　coupe。

We　should　be　rather　squeezed　otherwise；〃　he　said　to　the　count。



〃A　Frenchman　would　have　forgotten　that；〃　remarked　Clementine；　smiling。



〃Ah！　but　we　are　Florentines　transplanted　to　the　North；〃　answered

Thaddeus　with　a　refinement　of　accent　and　a　look　in　his　eyes　which　made

his　conduct　at　table　seem　assumed　for　the　occasion。　There　was　too

evident　a　contrast　between　his　involuntary　self…revelation　in　this

speech　and　his　behavior　during　dinner。　Clementine　examined　the　captain

with　a　few　of　those　covert　glances　which　show　a　woman's　surprise　and

also　her　capacity　for　observation。



It　resulted　from　this　little　incident　that　silence　reigned　in　the

salon　while　the　three　took　their　coffee；　a　silence　rather　annoying　to

Adam；　who　was　incapable　of　imagining　the　cause　of　it。　Clementine　no

longer　tried　to　draw　out　Thaddeus。　The　captain；　on　the　other　hand；

retreated　within　his　military　stiffness　and　came　out　of　it　no　more；

neither　on　the　way　to　the　Opera　nor　in　the　box；　where　he　seemed　to　be

asleep。



〃You　see；　madame；　that　I　am　a　very　stupid　man；〃　he　said　during　the

dance　in　the　last　act　of　〃Guillaume　Tell。〃　〃Am　I　not　right　to　keep；　as

the　saying　is；　to　my　own　specialty？〃



〃In　truth；　my　dear　captain；　you　are　neither　a　talker　nor　a　man　of　the

world；　but　you　are　perhaps　Polish。〃



〃Therefore　leave　me　to　look　after　your　pleasures；　your　property；　your

householdit　is　all　I　am　good　for。〃



〃Tartufe！　pooh！〃　cried　Adam；　laughing。　〃My　dear；　he　is　full　of　ardor；

he　is　thoroughly　educated；　he　can；　if　he　chooses；　hold　his　own　in　any

salon。　Clementine；　don't　believe　his　modesty。〃



〃Adieu；　comtesse；　I　have　obeyed　your　wishes　so　far；　and　now　I　will

take　the　carriage　and　go　home　to　bed　and　send　it　back　for　you。〃



Clementine　bowed　her　head　and　let　him　go　without　replying。



〃What　a　bear！〃　she　said　to　the　count。　〃You　are　a　great　deal　nicer。〃



Adam　pressed　her　hand　when　no　one　was　looking。



〃Poor；　dear　Thaddeus；〃　he　said；　〃he　is　trying　to　make　himself

disagreeable　where　most　men　would　try　to　seem　more　amiable　than　I。〃



〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃I　am　not　sure　but　what　there　is　some　CALCULATION　in

his　behavior；　he　would　have　taken　in　an　ordinary　woman。〃



Half　an　hour　later；　when　the　chasseur；　Boleslas；　called　out　〃Gate！〃

and　the　carriage　was　waiting　for　it　to　swing　back；　Clementine　said　to

her　husband；　〃Where　does　the　captain　perch？〃



〃Why；　there！〃　replied　Adam；　pointing　to　a　floor　above　the　porte…

cochere　which　had　one　window　looking　on　the　street。　〃His　apartments

are　over　the　coachhouse。〃



〃Who　lives　on　the　other　side？〃　asked　the　countess。



〃No　one　as　yet；〃　said　Adam；　〃I　mean　that　apartment　for　our　children

and　their　instructors。〃



〃He　didn't　go　to　bed；〃　said　the　countess；　observing　lights　in

Thaddeus's　rooms　when　the　carriage　had　passed　under　the　portico

supported　by　columns　copied　from　those　of　the　Tuileries；　which

replaced