paz-第5章

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supported　by　columns　copied　from　those　of　the　Tuileries；　which

replaced　a　vulgar　zinc　awning　painted　in　stripes　like　cloth。



The　captain；　in　his　dressing…gown　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth；　was

watching　Clementine　as　she　entered　the　vestibule。　The　day　had　been　a

hard　one　for　him。　And　here　is　the　reason　why：　A　great　and　terrible

emotion　had　taken　possession　of　his　heart　on　the　day　when　Adam　made

him　go　to　the　Opera　to　see　and　give　his　opinion　on　Mademoiselle　du

Rouvre；　and　again　when　he　saw　her　on　the　occasion　of　her　marriage；　and

recognized　in　her　the　woman　whom　a　man　is　forced　to　love　exclusively。

For　this　reason　Paz　strongly　advised　and　promoted　the　long　journey　to

Italy　and　elsewhere　after　the　marriage。　At　peace　so　long　as　Clementine

was　away；　his　trial　was　renewed　on　the　return　of　the　happy　household。

As　he　sat　at　his　window　on　this　memorable　night；　smoking　his　latakia

in　a　pipe　of　wild…cherry　wood　six　feet　long；　given　to　him　by　Adam；

these　are　the　thoughts　that　were　passing　through　his　mind：



〃I；　and　God；　who　will　reward　me　for　suffering　in　silence；　alone　know

how　I　love　her！　But　how　shall　I　manage　to　have　neither　her　love　nor

her　dislike？〃



And　his　thoughts　travelled　far　on　this　strange　theme。



It　must　not　be　supposed　that　Thaddeus　was　living　without　pleasure；　in

the　midst　of　his　sufferings。　The　deceptions　of　this　day；　for　instance；

were　a　source　of　inward　joy　to　him。　Since　the　return　of　the　count　and

countess　he　had　daily　felt　ineffable　satisfactions　in　knowing　himself

necessary　to　a　household　which；　without　his　devotion　to　its　interests；

would　infallibly　have　gone　to　ruin。　What　fortune　can　bear　the　strain

of　reckless　prodigality？　Clementine；　brought　up　by　a　spendthrift

father；　knew　nothing　of　the　management　of　a　household　which　the　women

of　the　present　day；　however　rich　or　noble　they　are；　are　often

compelled　to　undertake　themselves。　How　few；　in　these　days；　keep　a

steward。　Adam；　on　the　other　hand；　son　of　one　of　the　great　Polish　lords

who　let　themselves　be　preyed　on　by　the　Jews；　and　are　wholly　incapable

of　managing　even　the　wreck　of　their　vast　fortunes　（for　fortunes　are

vast　in　Poland）；　was　not　of　a　nature　to　check　his　own　fancies　or　those

of　his　wife。　Left　to　himself　he　would　probably　have　been　ruined　before

his　marriage。　Paz　had　prevented　him　from　gambling　at　the　Bourse；　and

that　says　all。



Under　these　circumstances；　Thaddeus；　feeling　that　he　loved　Clementine

in　spite　of　himself；　had　not　the　resource　of　leaving　the　house　and

travelling　in　other　lands　to　forget　his　passion。　Gratitude；　the　key…

note　of　his　life；　held　him　bound　to　that　household　where　he　alone

could　look　after　the　affairs　of　the　heedless　owners。　The　long　absence

of　Adam　and　Clementine　had　given　him　peace。　But　the　countess　had

returned　more　lovely　than　ever；　enjoying　the　freedom　which　marriage

brings　to　a　Parisian　woman；　displaying　the　graces　of　a　young　wife　and

the　nameless　attraction　she　gains　from　the　happiness；　or　the

independence；　bestowed　upon　her　by　a　young　man　as　trustful；　as

chivalric；　and　as　much　in　love　as　Adam。　To　know　that　he　was　the　pivot

on　which　the　splendor　the　household　depended；　to　see　Clementine　when

she　got　out　of　her　carriage　on　returning　from　some　fete；　or　got　into

it　in　the　morning　when　she　took　her　drive；　to　meet　her　on　the

boulevards　in　her　pretty　equipage；　looking　like　a　flower　in　a　whorl　of

leaves；　inspired　poor　Thaddeus　with　mysterious　delights；　which　glowed

in　the　depths　of　his　heart　but　gave　no　signs　upon　his　face。



How　happened　it　that　for　five　whole　months　the　countess　had　never

perceived　the　captain？　Because　he　hid　himself　from　her　knowledge；　and

carefully　concealed　the　pains　he　took　to　avoid　her。　Nothing　so

resembles　the　Divine　love　as　hopeless　human　love。　A　man　must　have

great　depth　of　heart　to　devote　himself　in　silence　and　obscurity　to　a

woman。　In　such　a　heart　is　the　worship　of　love　for　love's　sake　only

sublime　avarice；　sublime　because　ever　generous　and　founded　on　the

mysterious　existence　of　the　principles　of　creation。　EFFECT　is　nature；

and　nature　is　enchanting；　it　belongs　to　man；　to　the　poet；　the　painter；

the　lover。　But　CAUSE；　to　a　few　privileged　souls　and　to　certain　mighty

thinkers；　is　superior　to　nature。　Cause　is　God。　In　the　sphere　of　causes

live　the　Newtons　and　all　such　thinkers　as　Laplace；　Kepler；　Descartes；

Malebranche；　Spinoza；　Buffon；　also　the　true　poets　and　solitarys　of　the

second　Christian　century；　and　the　Saint　Teresas　of　Spain；　and　such

sublime　ecstatics。　All　human　sentiments　bear　analogy　to　these

conditions　whenever　the　mind　abandons　Effect　for　Cause。　Thaddeus　had

reached　this　height；　at　which　all　things　change　their　relative　aspect。

Filled　with　the　joys　unutterable　of　a　creator　he　had　attained　in　his

love　to　all　that　genius　has　revealed　to　us　of　grandeur。



〃No；〃　he　was　thinking　to　himself　as　he　watched　the　curling　smoke　of

his　pipe；　〃she　was　not　entirely　deceived。　She　might　break　up　my

friendship　with　Adam　if　she　took　a　dislike　to　me；　but　if　she　coquetted

with　me　to　amuse　herself；　what　would　become　of　me？〃



The　conceit　of　this　last　supposition　was　so　foreign　to　the　modest

nature　and　Teutonic　timidity　of　the　captain　that　he　scolded　himself

for　admitting　it；　and　went　to　bed；　resolved　to　await　events　before

deciding　on　a　course。



The　next　day　Clementine　breakfasted　very　contentedly　without　Paz；　and

without　even　noticing　his　disobedience　to　her　orders。　It　happened　to

be　her　reception　day；　when　the　house　was　thrown　open　with　a　splendor

that　was　semi…royal。　She　paid　no　attention　to　the　absence　of　Comte

Paz；　on　whom　all　the　burden　of　these　parade　days　fell。



〃Good！〃　thought　he；　as　he　heard　the　last　carriages　driving　away　at　two

in　the　morning；　〃it　was　only　the　caprice　or　the　curiosity　of　a

Parisian　woman　that　made　her　want　to　see　me。〃



After　that　the　captain　went　back　to　his　ordinary　habits　and　ways；

which　had　been　somewhat　upset　by　this　incident。　Diverted　by　her

Parisian　occupations；　Clementine　appeared　to　have　forgotten　Paz。　It

must　not　be　thought　an　easy　matter　to　reign　a　queen　over　fickle　Paris。

Does　any　one　suppose　that　fortunes　alone　are　risked　in　the　great　game？

The　winters　are　to　fashionable　women　what　a　campaign　once　was　to　the

soldiers　of　the　Empire。　What　works　of　art　and　genius　are　expended　on　a

gown　or　a　garland　in　which　to　make　a　sensation！　A　fragile；　delicate

creature　will　wear　her　stiff　and　brilliant　harness　of　flowers　and

diamonds；　silk　and　steel；　from　nine　at　night　till　two　and　often　three

o'clock　in　the　morning。　She　eats　little；　to　attract　remark　to　her

slender　waist；　she　satisfied　her　hunger　with　debilitating　tea；　sugared

cakes；　ices　which　heat　her；　or　slices　of　heavy　pastry。　The　stomach　is

made　to　yield　to　the　orders　of　coquetry。　The　awakening　comes　too　late。

A　fashionable　woman's　whole　life　is　in　contradiction　to　the　laws　of

nature；　and　nature　is　pitiless。　She　has　no　sooner　risen　than　she　makes

an　elaborate　morning　toilet；　and　thinks　of　the　one　which　she　means　to

wear　in　the　afternoon。　The　moment　she　is　dressed　she　has　to　receive

and　make　visits；　and　go　to　the　Bois　either　on　horseback　or　in　a

carriage。　She　must　practise　the　art　of　smiling；　and　must　keep　her　mind

on　the　stretch　to　invent　new　compliments　which　shall　seem　neither

common　nor　far…fetched。　All　women　do　not　succeed　in　this。　It　is　no

surprise；　therefore；　to　find　a　young　woman　who　entered　fashionable

society　fresh　and　healthy；　faded　and　worn　out　at　the　end　of　three

years。　Six　months　spent　in　the　country　will　hardly　heal　the　wounds　of

the　winter。　We　hear　continually；　in　these　days；　of　mysterious

ailments；gastritis；　and　so　forth；ills　unknown　to　women　when　they

busied　themselves　about　their　households。　In　the　olden　time　women　only

appeared　in　the　world　at　intervals；　now　they　are　always　on　the　scene。

Clementine　found　she　had　to　struggle　for　her　supremacy。　She　was　cited；

and　that　alone　brought　jealousies；　and　the　care　and　watchfulness

exacted　by　this　contest　with　her　rivals　left　little　time　even　to　love

her　husband。　Paz　might　well　be　forgotten。　Nevertheless；　in　the　month

of　May；　as　she　drove　home　from　the　Bois；　just　before　she　left　Paris

for　Ronquerolles；　her　uncle's　estate　in　Burgundy；　she　noticed

Thaddeus；　elegantly　dressed；　sauntering　on　one　of　the　side…paths　of

the　Champs…Elysees；　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　delight　at　seeing　his

beautiful　countess　in　her　elegant　carriage　with　its　spirited　horses

and　sparkling　liveries；in　short；　his　beloved　family　the　admired　of

all。



〃There's　the　captain；〃　she　said　to　her　husband。



〃He's　happy！〃　said　Adam。　〃This　is　his　delight。　He　knows　there's　no

equipage　more　elegant　than　ours；　and　he　is　rejoicing　to　think　that

some　people　envy　it。　Have　you　only　just　noticed　him？　I　see　him　there

nearly　every　day。〃



〃I　wonder　what　he　is　thinking　about　now；〃　said　Clementine。



〃He　is　thinking　that　this　winter　has　cost　a　good　deal；　and　that　it　is

time　we　went　to　economize　with　your　old　uncle　Ronquerolles；〃　replied

Adam。



The　countess　stopped　the　carriage　near　Paz；　and　bade　him　take　the　seat

beside　her。　Thaddeus　grew　as　red　as　a　cherry。



〃I　shall　poison　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　smoking。〃



〃Doesn't　Adam　poison　me？〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　but　he　is　Adam；〃　returned　the　captain。



〃And　why　can't　Thaddeus　have　the　same　privileges？〃　asked　the　countess；

smiling。



That　divine　smile　had　a　power　which　triumphed　over　the　heroic

resolutions　of　poor　Paz；　he　looked　at　Clementine　with　all　the　fire　of

his　soul　in　his　eyes；　though；　even　so；　its　flame　was　tempered　by　the

angelic　gratitude　of　the　man　whose　life　was　based　upon　that　virtue。

The　countess　folded　her　arms　in　her　shawl；　lay　back　pensively　on　her

cushions；　ruffling　the　feathers　of　her　pretty　bonnet；　and　looked　at

the　people　who　passed　her。　That　flash　of　a　great　and　hitherto　resigned

soul　reached　her　sensibilities。　What　was　Adam's　merit　in　her　eyes？　It

was　natural　enough　to　have　courage　and　generosity。　But　Thaddeus

surely　Thaddeus　possessed；　or　seemed　to　possess；　some　great

superiority　over　Adam。　They　were　dangerous　thoughts　which　took

possession　of　the　countess's　mind　as　she　again　noticed　the　contrast　of

the　fine　presence　that　distinguished　Thaddeus；　and　the　puny　frame　in

which　Adam　showed　the　degenerating　effects　of　intermarriage　among　the

Polish　aristocratic　families。　The　devil　alone　knew　the　thoughts　that

were　in　Clementine's　head；　for　she　sat　still；　with　thoughtful；　dreamy

eyes；　and　without　saying　a　word　until　they　reached　home。



〃You　will　dine　with　us；　I　shall　be　angry　if　you　disobey　me；〃　she　said

as　the　carriage　turned　in。　〃You　are　Thaddeus　to　me；　as　you　are　to

Adam。　I　know　your　obligations　to　him；　but　I　also　know　those　we　are

under　to　you。　Both　generosities　are　naturalbut　you　are　generous

every　day　and　all　day。　My　father　dines　here　to…day；　also　my　uncle

Ronquerolles　and　my　aunt　Madame　de　Serizy。　Dress　yourself　therefore；〃

she　said；　taking　the　han