paz-第6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！



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

she　said；　taking　the　hand　he　offered　to　assist　her　from　the　carriage。



Thaddeus　went　to　his　own　room　to　dress　with　a　joyful　heart；　though

shaken　by　an　inward　dread。　He　went　down　at　the　last　moment　and　behaved

through　dinner　as　he　had　done　on　the　first　occasion；　that　is；　like　a

soldier　fit　only　for　his　duties　as　a　steward。　But　this　time　Clementine

was　not　his　dupe；　his　glance　had　enlightened　her。　The　Marquis　de

Ronquerolles；　one　of　the　ablest　diplomates　after　Talleyrand；　who　had

served　with　de　Marsay　during　his　short　ministry；　had　been　informed　by

his　niece　of　the　real　worth　and　character　of　Comte　Paz；　and　knew　how

modestly　he　made　himself　the　steward　of　his　friend　Laginski。



〃And　why　is　this　the　first　time　I　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Comte

Paz？〃　asked　the　marquis。



〃Because　he　is　so　shy　and　retiring；〃　replied　Clementine　with　a　look　at

Paz　telling　him　to　change　his　behavior。



Alas！　that　we　should　have　to　avow　it；　at　the　risk　of　rendering　the

captain　less　interesting；　but　Paz；　though　superior　to　his　friend　Adam；

was　not　a　man　of　parts。　His　apparent　superiority　was　due　to　his

misfortunes。　In　his　lonely　and　poverty…stricken　life　in　Warsaw　he　had

read　and　taught　himself　a　good　deal；　he　had　compared　and　meditated。

But　the　gift　of　original　thought　which　makes　a　great　man　he　did　not

possess；　and　it　can　never　be　acquired。　Paz；　great　in　heart　only；

approached　in　heart　to　the　sublime；　but　in　the　sphere　of　sentiments；

being　more　a　man　of　action　than　of　thought；　he　kept　his　thoughts　to

himself；　and　they　only　served　therefore　to　eat　his　heart　out。　What；

after　all；　is　a　thought　unexpressed？



After　Clementine's　little　speech；　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　and　his

sister　exchanged　a　singular　glance；　embracing　their　niece；　Comte　Adam；

and　Paz。　It　was　one　of　those　rapid　scenes　which　take　place　only　in

France　and　Italy；the　two　regions　of　the　world　（all　courts　excepted）

where　eyes　can　say　everything。　To　communicate　to　the　eye　the　full

power　of　the　soul；　to　give　it　the　value　of　speech；　needs　either　the

pressure　of　extreme　servitude；　or　complete　liberty。　Adam；　the　Marquis

du　Rouvre；　and　Clementine　did　not　observe　this　luminous　by…play　of　the

old　coquette　and　the　old　diplomatist；　but　Paz；　the　faithful　watchdog；

understood　its　meaning。　It　was；　we　must　remark；　an　affair　of　two

seconds；　but　to　describe　the　tempest　it　roused　in　the　captain's　soul

would　take　far　too　much　space　in　this　brief　history。



〃What！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃do　the　aunt　and　uncle　think　I　might　be

loved？　Then　my　happiness　only　depends　on　my　own　audacity！　But　Adam〃



Ideal　love　and　desire　clashed　with　gratitude　and　friendship；　all

equally　powerful；　and；　for　a　moment；　love　prevailed。　The　lover　would

have　his　day。　Paz　became　brilliant；　he　tried　to　please；　he　told　the

story　of　the　Polish　insurrection　in　noble　words；　being　questioned

about　it　by　the　diplomatist。　By　the　end　of　dinner　Paz　saw　Clementine

hanging　upon　his　lips　and　regarding　him　as　a　hero；　forgetting　that

Adam　too；　after　sacrificing　a　third　of　his　vast　fortune；　had　been　an

exile。　At　nine　o'clock；　after　coffee　had　been　served；　Madame　de　Serizy

kissed　her　niece　on　the　forehead；　pressed　her　hand；　and　went　away；

taking　Adam　with　her　and　leaving　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　and　the

Marquis　du　Rouvre；　who　soon　followed。　Paz　and　Clementine　were　alone

together。



〃I　will　leave　you　now；　madame；〃　said　Thaddeus。　〃You　will　of　course

rejoin　them　at　the　Opera？〃



〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃I　don't　like　dancing；　and　they　give　an　odious

ballet　to…night　'La　Revolte　au　Serail。'〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence。



〃Two　years　ago　Adam　would　not　have　gone　to　the　Opera　without　me；〃　said

Clementine；　not　looking　at　Paz。



〃He　loves　you　madly；〃　replied　Thaddeus。



〃Yes；　and　because　he　loves　me　madly　he　is　all　the　more　likely　not　to

love　me　to…morrow；〃　said　the　countess。



〃How　inexplicable　Parisian　women　are！〃　exclaimed　Thaddeus。　〃When　they

are　loved　to　madness　they　want　to　be　loved　reasonably：　and　when　they

are　loved　reasonably　they　reproach　a　man　for　not　loving　them　at　all。〃



〃And　they　are　quite　right。　Thaddeus；〃　she　went　on；　smiling；　〃I　know

Adam　well；　I　am　not　angry　with　him；　he　is　volatile　and　above　all　grand

seigneur。　He　will　always　be　content　to　have　me　as　his　wife　and　he　will

never　oppose　any　of　my　tastes；　but〃



〃Where　is　the　marriage　in　which　there　are　no　'buts'？〃　said　Thaddeus；

gently；　trying　to　give　another　direction　to　Clementine's　mind。



The　least　presuming　of　men　might　well　have　had　the　thought　which　came

near　rendering　this　poor　lover　beside　himself；　it　was　this：　〃If　I　do

not　tell　her　now　that　I　love　her　I　am　a　fool；〃　he　kept　saying　to

himself。



Neither　spoke；　and　there　came　between　the　pair　one　of　those　deep

silences　that　are　crowded　with　thoughts。　The　countess　examined　Paz

covertly；　and　Paz　observed　her　in　a　mirror。　Buried　in　an　armchair　like

a　man　digesting　his　dinner；　the　image　of　a　husband　or　an　indifferent

old　man；　Paz　crossed　his　hands　upon　his　stomach　and　twirled　his　thumbs

mechanically；　looking　stupidly　at　them。



〃Why　don't　you　tell　me　something　good　of　Adam？〃　cried　Clementine

suddenly。　〃Tell　me　that　he　is　not　volatile；　you　who　know　him　so　well。〃



The　cry　was　fine。



〃Now　is　the　time；〃　thought　poor　Paz；　〃to　put　an　insurmountable　barrier

between　us。　Tell　you　good　of　Adam？〃　he　said　aloud。　〃I　love　him；　you

would　not　believe　me；　and　I　am　incapable　of　telling　you　harm。　My

position　is　very　difficult　between　you。〃



Clementine　lowered　her　head　and　looked　down　at　the　tips　of　his

varnished　boots。



〃You　Northern　men　have　nothing　but　physical　courage；〃　she　said

complainingly；　〃you　have　no　constancy　in　your　opinions。〃



〃How　will　you　amuse　yourself　alone；　madame？〃　said　Paz；　assuming　a

careless　air。



〃Are　not　you　going　to　keep　me　company？〃



〃Excuse　me　for　leaving　you。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？　Where　are　you　going？〃



The　thought　of　a　heroic　falsehood　had　come　into　his　head。



〃II　am　going　to　the　Circus　in　the　Champs　Elysees；　it　opens　to…night；

and　I　can't　miss　it。〃



〃Why　not？〃　said　Clementine；　questioning　him　by　a　look　that　was　half…

anger。



〃Must　I　tell　you　why？〃　he　said；　coloring；　〃must　I　confide　to　you　what

I　hide　from　Adam；　who　thinks　my　only　love　is　Poland。〃



〃Ah！　a　secret　in　our　noble　captain？〃



〃A　disgraceful　onewhich　you　will　perhaps　understand；　and　pity。〃



〃You；　disgraced？〃



〃Yes；　I；　Comte　Paz；　I　am　madly　in　love　with　a　girl　who　travels　all

over　France　with　the　Bouthor　family；people　who　have　the　rival　circus

to　Franconi；　but　they　play　only　at　fairs。　I　have　made　the　director　at

the　Cirque…Olympique　engage　her。〃



〃Is　she　handsome？〃



〃To　my　thinking；〃　said　Paz；　in　a　melancholy　tone。　〃Malaga　（that's　her

stage　name）　is　strong；　active；　and　supple。　Why　do　I　prefer　her　to　all

other　women　in　the　world？well；　I　can't　tell　you。　When　I　look　at　her；

with　her　black　hair　tied　with　a　blue　satin　ribbon；　floating　on　her

bare　and　olive…colored　shoulders；　and　when　she　is　dressed　in　a　white

tunic　with　a　gold　edge；　and　a　knitted　silk　bodice　that　makes　her　look

like　a　living　Greek　statue；　and　when　I　see　her　carrying　those　flags　in

her　hand　to　the　sound　of　martial　music；　and　jumping　through　the　paper

hoops　which　tear　as　she　goes　through；　and　lighting　so　gracefully　on

the　galloping　horse　to　such　applause；no　hired　clapping；well；　all

that　moves　me。〃



〃More　than　a　handsome　woman　in　a　ballroom？〃　asked　Clementine；　with

amazement　and　curiosity。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Paz；　in　a　choking　voice。　〃Such　agility；　such　grace

under　constant　danger　seems　to　me　the　height　of　triumph　for　a　woman。

Yes；　madame；　Cinti　and　Malibran；　Grisi　and　Taglioni；　Pasta　and

Ellsler；　all　who　reign　or　have　reigned　on　the　stage；　can't　be

compared；　to　my　mind；　with　Malaga；　who　can　jump　on　or　off　a　horse　at

full　gallop；　or　stand　on　the　point　of　one　foot　and　fall　easily　into

the　saddle；　and　knit　stockings；　break　eggs；　and　make　an　omelette　with

the　horse　at　full　speed；　to　the　admiration　of　the　people；the　real

people；　peasants　and　soldiers。　Malaga；　madame；　is　dexterity

personified；　her　little　wrist　or　her　little　foot　can　rid　her　of　three

or　four　men。　She　is　the　goddess　of　gymnastics。〃



〃She　must　be　stupid〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Paz；　〃I　find　her　as　amusing　as　the　heroine　of　'Peveril

of　the　Peak。'　Thoughtless　as　a　Bohemian；　she　says　everything　that

comes　into　her　head；　she　thinks　no　more　about　the　future　than　you　do

of　the　sous　you　fling　to　the　poor。　She　says　grand　things　sometimes。

You　couldn't　make　her　believe　that　an　old　diplomatist　was　a　handsome

young　man；　not　if　you　offered　her　a　million　of　francs。　Such　love　as

hers　is　perpetual　flattery　to　a　man。　Her　health　is　positively

insolent；　and　she　has　thirty…two　oriental　pearls　in　lips　of　coral。　Her

muzzlethat's　what　she　calls　the　lower　part　of　her　facehas；　as

Shakespeare　expresses　it；　the　savor　of　a　heifer's　nose。　She　can　make　a

man　unhappy。　She　likes　handsome　men；　strong　men；　Alexanders；　gymnasts；

clowns。　Her　trainer；　a　horrible　brute；　used　to　beat　her　to　make　her

supple；　and　graceful；　and　intrepid〃



〃You　are　positively　intoxicated　with　Malaga。〃



〃Oh；　she　is　called　Malaga　only　on　the　posters；〃　said　Paz；　with　a

piqued　air。　〃She　lives　in　the　rue　Saint…Lazare；　in　a　pretty　apartment

on　the　third　story；　all　velvet　and　silk；　like　a　princess。　She　has　two

lives；　her　circus　life　and　the　life　of　a　pretty　woman。〃



〃Does　she　love　you？〃



〃She　loves　menow　you　will　laughsolely　because　I'm　a　Pole。　She　saw

an　engraving　of　Poles　rushing　with　Poniatowski　into　the　Elster；for

all　France　persists　in　thinking　that　the　Elster；　where　it　is

impossible　to　get　drowned；　is　an　impetuous　flood；　in　which　Poniatowski

and　his　followers　were　engulfed。　But　in　the　midst　of　all　this　I　am

very　unhappy；　madame。〃



A　tear　of　rage　fell　from　his　eyes　and　affected　the　countess。



〃You　men　have　such　a　passion　for　singularity。〃



〃And　you？〃　said　Thaddeus。



〃I　know　Adam　so　well　that　I　am　certain　he　could　forget　me　for　some

mountebank　like　your　Malaga。　Where　did　you　first　see　her？〃



〃At　Saint…Cloud；　last　September；　on　the　fete…day。　She　was　at　a　corner

of　a　booth　covered　with　flags；　where　the　shows　are　given。　Her

comrades；　all　in　Polish　costumes；　were　making　a　horrible　racket。　I

watched　her　standing　there；　silent　and　dumb；　and　I　thought　I　saw　a

melancholy　expression　in　her　face；　in　truth　there　was　enough　about　her

to　sadden　a　girl　of　twenty。　That　touched　me。〃



The　countess　was　sitting　in　a　delicious　attitude；　pensive　and　rather

melancholy。



〃Poor；　poor　Thaddeus！〃　she　exclaimed。　Then；　with　the　kindliness　of　a

true　great　lady　she　added；　not　without　a　malicious　smile；　〃Well　go；　go

to　your　Circus。〃



Thaddeus　took　her　hand；　kissed　it；　leaving　a　hot　tear　upon　it；　and

went　out。



Having　invented　this　passion