paz-第8章

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〃Poor　Thaddeus！〃　said　Adam；　as　Paz　disappeared；　〃what　a　misfortune　for

a　man　of　his　distinction　to　be　the　plaything　of　the　lowest　kind　of

circus…rider。　He　will　lose　everything；　and　get　lower　and　lower；　and

won't　be　recognizable　before　long。　Here；　read　that；〃　added　the　count；

giving　Malaga's　letter　to　his　wife。



Clementine　read　the　letter；　which　smelt　of　tobacco；　and　threw　it　from

her　with　a　look　of　disgust。



〃Thick　as　the　bandage　is　over　his　eyes；〃　continued　Adam；　〃he　must　have

found　out　something；　Malaga　tricked　him；　no　doubt。〃



〃But　he　goes　back　to　her；〃　said　Clementine；　〃and　he　will　forgive　her！

It　is　for　such　horrible　women　as　that　that　you　men　have　indulgence。〃



〃Well；　they　need　it；〃　said　Adam。



〃Thaddeus　used　to　show　some　decencyin　living　apart　from　us；〃　she

remarked。　〃He　had　better　go　altogether。〃



〃Oh；　my　dear　angel；　that's　going　too　far；〃　said　the　count；　who　did　not

want　the　death　of　the　sinner。



Paz；　who　knew　Adam　thoroughly；　had　enjoined　him　to　secrecy；　pretending

to　excuse　his　dissipations；　and　had　asked　his　friend　to　lend　him　a　few

thousand　francs　for　Malaga。



〃He　is　a　very　firm　fellow；〃　said　Adam。



〃How　so？〃　asked　Clementine。



〃Why；　for　having　spent　no　more　than　ten　thousand　francs　on　her；　and

letting　her　send　him　that　letter　before　he　would　ask　me　for　enough　to

pay　her　debts。　For　a　Pole；　I　call　that　firm。〃



〃He　will　ruin　you；〃　said　Clementine；　in　the　sharp　tone　of　a　Parisian

woman；　when　she　shows　her　feline　distrusts。



〃Oh；　I　know　him；〃　said　Adam；　〃he　will　sacrifice　Malaga；　if　I　ask　him。〃



〃We　shall　see；〃　remarked　the　countess。



〃If　it　is　best　for　his　own　happiness；　I　sha'n't　hesitate　to　ask　him　to

leave　her。　Constantin　says　that　since　Paz　has　been　with　her　he；　sober

as　he　is；　has　sometimes　come　home　quite　excited。　If　he　takes　to

intoxication　I　shall　be　just　as　grieved　as　if　he　were　my　own　son。〃



〃Don't　tell　me　anything　more　about　it；〃　cried　the　countess；　with　a

gesture　of　disgust。



Two　days　later　the　captain　perceived　in　the　manner；　the　tones　of

voice；　but；　above　all；　in　the　eyes　of　the　countess；　the　terrible

results　of　Adam's　confidences。　Contempt　had　opened　a　gulf　between　the

beloved　woman　and　himself。　He　was　suddenly　plunged　into　the　deepest

distress　of　mind；　for　the　thought　gnawed　him；　〃I　have　myself　made　her

despise　me！〃　His　own　folly　stared　him　in　the　face。　Life　then　became　a

burden　to　him；　the　very　sun　turned　gray。　And　yet；　amid　all　these

bitter　thoughts；　he　found　again　some　moments　of　pure　joy。　There　were

times　when　he　could　give　himself　up　wholly　to　his　admiration　for　his

mistress；　who　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　him。　Hanging　about

in　corners　at　her　parties　and　receptions；　silent；　all　heart　and　eyes；

he　never　lost　one　of　her　attitudes；　nor　a　tone　of　her　voice　when　she

sang。　He　lived　in　her　life；　he　groomed　the　horse　which　SHE　rode；　he

studied　the　ways　and　means　of　that　splendid　establishment；　to　the

interests　of　which　he　was　now　more　devoted　than　ever。　These　silent

pleasures　were　buried　in　his　heart　like　those　of　a　mother；　whose　heart

a　child　never　knows；　for　is　it　knowing　anything　unless　we　know　it　all？

His　love　was　more　perfect　than　the　love　of　Petrarch　for　Laura；　which

found　its　ultimate　reward　in　the　treasures　of　fame；　the　triumph　of　the

poem　which　she　had　inspired。　Surely　the　emotion　that　the　Chevalier

d'Assas　felt　in　dying　must　have　been　to　him　a　lifetime　of　joy。　Such

emotions　as　these　Paz　enjoyed　daily；without　dying；　but　also　without

the　guerdon　of　immortality。



But　what　is　Love；　that；　in　spite　of　all　these　ineffable　delights；　Paz

should　still　have　been　unhappy？　The　Catholic　religion　has　so　magnified

Love　that　she　has　wedded　it　indissolubly　to　respect　and　nobility　of

spirit。　Love　is　therefore　attended　by　those　sentiments　and　qualities

of　which　mankind　is　proud；　it　is　rare　to　find　true　Love　existing　where

contempt　is　felt。　Thaddeus　was　suffering　from　the　wounds　his　own　hand

had　given　him。　The　trial　of　his　former　life；　when　he　lived　beside　his

mistress；　unknown；　unappreciated；　but　generously　working　for　her；　was

better　than　this。　Yes；　he　wanted　the　reward　of　his　virtue；　her

respect；　and　he　had　lost　it。　He　grew　thin　and　yellow；　and　so　ill　with

constant　low　fever　that　during　the　month　of　January　he　was　obliged　to

keep　his　bed；　though　he　refused　to　see　a　doctor。　Comte　Adam　became

very　uneasy　about　him；　but　the　countess　had　the　cruelty　to　remark：

〃Let　him　alone；　don't　you　see　it　is　only　some　Olympian　trouble？〃　This

remark；　being　repeated　to　Thaddeus；　gave　him　the　courage　of　despair；

he　left　his　bed；　went　out；　tried　a　few　amusements；　and　recovered　his

health。



About　the　end　of　February　Adam　lost　a　large　sum　of　money　at　the

Jockey…Club；　and　as　he　was　afraid　of　his　wife；　he　begged　Thaddeus　to

let　the　sum　appear　in　the　accounts　as　if　he　had　spent　it　on　Malaga。



〃There's　nothing　surprising　in　your　spending　that　sum　on　the　girl；　but

if　the　countess　finds　out　that　I　have　lost　it　at　cards　I　shall　be

lowered　in　her　opinion；　and　she　will　always　be　suspicious　in　future。〃



〃Ha！　this；　too！〃　exclaimed　Thaddeus；　with　a　sigh。



〃Now；　Thaddeus；　if　you　will　do　me　this　service　we　shall　be　forever

quits；though；　indeed；　I　am　your　debtor　now。〃



〃Adam；　you　will　have　children；　don't　gamble　any　more；〃　said　Paz。



〃So　Malaga　has　cost　us　another　twenty　thousand　francs；〃　cried　the

countess；　some　time　later；　when　she　discovered　this　new　generosity　to

Paz。　〃First；　ten　thousand；　now　twenty　more；thirty　thousand！　the

income　of　which　is　fifteen　hundred！　the　cost　of　my　box　at　the　Opera；

and　the　whole　fortune　of　many　a　bourgeois。　Oh；　you　Poles！〃　she　said；

gathering　some　flowers　in　her　greenhouse；　〃you　are　really

incomprehensible。　Why　are　you　not　furious　with　him？〃



〃Poor　Paz　is〃



〃Poor　Paz；　poor　Paz；　indeed！〃　she　cried；　interrupting　him；　〃what　good

does　he　do　us？　I　shall　take　the　management　of　the　household　myself。

You　can　give　him　the　allowance　he　refused；　and　let　him　settle　it　as　he

likes　with　his　Circus。〃



〃He　is　very　useful　to　us；　Clementine。　He　has　certainly　saved　over

forty　thousand　francs　this　last　year。　And　besides；　my　dear　angel；　he

has　managed　to　put　a　hundred　thousand　with　Nucingen；　which　a　steward

would　have　pocketed。〃



Clementine　softened　down；　but　she　was　none　the　less　hard　in　her

feelings　to　Thaddeus。　A　few　days　later；　she　requested　him　to　come　to

that　boudoir　where；　one　year　earlier；　she　had　been　surprised　into

comparing　him　with　her　husband。　This　time　she　received　him　alone；

without　perceiving　the　slightest　danger　in　so　doing。



〃My　dear　Paz；〃　she　said；　with　the　condescending　familiarity　of　the

great　to　their　inferiors；　〃if　you　love　Adam　as　you　say　you　do；　you

will　do　a　thing　which　he　will　not　ask　of　you；　but　which　I；　his　wife；

do　not　hesitate　to　exact。〃



〃About　Malaga？〃　said　Thaddeus；　with　bitterness　in　his　heart。



〃Well；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　wish　to　end　your　days　in　this　house　and

continue　good　friends　with　us；　you　must　give　her　up。　How　an　old

soldier〃



〃I　am　only　thirty…five；　and　haven't　a　white　hair。〃



〃You　look　old；〃　she　said；　〃and　that's　the　same　thing。　How　so　careful　a

manager；　so　distinguished　a〃



The　horrible　part　of　all　this　was　her　evident　intention　to　rouse　a

sense　of　honor　in　his　soul　which　she　thought　extinct。



〃so　distinguished　a　man　as　you　are；　Thaddeus；〃　she　resumed　after　a

momentary　pause　which　a　gesture　of　his　hand　had　led　her　to　make；　〃can

allow　yourself　to　be　caught　like　a　boy！　Your　proceedings　have　made

that　woman　celebrated。　My　uncle　wanted　to　see　her；　and　he　did　see　her。

My　uncle　is　not　the　only　one；　Malaga　receives　a　great　many　gentlemen。

I　did　think　you　such　a　noble　soul。　For　shame！　Will　she　be　such　a　loss

that　you　can't　replace　her？〃



〃Madame；　if　I　knew　any　sacrifice　I　could　make　to　recover　your　esteem　I

would　make　it；　but　to　give　up　Malaga　is　not　one〃



〃In　your　position；　that　is　what　I　should　say　myself；　if　I　were　a　man；〃

replied　Clementine。　〃Well；　if　I　accept　it　as　a　great　sacrifice　there

can　be　no　ill…will　between　us。〃



Paz　left　the　room；　fearing　he　might　commit　some　great　folly；　and

feeling　that　wild　ideas　were　getting　the　better　of　him。　He　went　to

walk　in　the　open　air；　lightly　dressed　in　spite　of　the　cold；　but

without　being　able　to　cool　the　fire　in　his　cheeks　or　on　his　brow。



〃I　thought　you　had　a　noble　soul；〃the　words　still　rang　in　his　ears。



〃A　year　ago；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃she　thought　me　a　hero　who　could

fight　the　Russians　single…handed！〃



He　thought　of　leaving　the　hotel　Laginski；　and　taking　service　with　the

spahis　and　getting　killed　in　Africa；　but　the　same　great　fear　checked

him。　〃Without　me；〃　he　thought；　〃what　would　become　of　them？　they　would

soon　be　ruined。　Poor　countess！　what　a　horrible　life　it　would　be　for

her　if　she　were　reduced　to　even　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year。　No；

since　all　is　lost　for　me　in　this　world；courage！　I　will　keep　on　as　I

am。〃



Every　one　knows　that　since　1830　the　carnival　in　Paris　has　undergone　a

transformation　which　has　made　it　European；　and　far　more　burlesque　and

otherwise　lively　than　the　late　Carnival　of　Venice。　Is　it　that　the

diminishing　fortunes　of　the　present　time　have　led　Parisians　to　invent

a　way　of　amusing　themselves　collectively；　as　for　instance　at　their

clubs；　where　they　hold　salons　without　hostesses　and　without　manners；

but　very　cheaply？　However　this　may　be；　the　month　of　March　was　prodigal

of　balls；　at　which　dancing；　joking；　coarse　fun；　excitement；　grotesque

figures；　and　the　sharp　satire　of　Parisian　wit；　produced　extravagant

effects。　These　carnival　follies　had　their　special　Pandemonium　in　the

rue　Saint…Honore　and　their　Napoleon　in　Musard；　a　small　man　born

expressly　to　lead　an　orchestra　as　noisy　as　the　disorderly　audience；

and　to　set　the　time　for　the　galop；　that　witches'　dance；　which　was　one

of　Auber's　triumphs；　for　it　did　not　really　take　form　or　poesy　till　the

grand　galop　in　〃Gustave〃　was　given　to　the　world。　That　tremendous

finale　might　serve　as　the　symbol　of　an　epoch　in　which　for　the　last

fifty　years　all　things　have　hurried　by　with　the　rapidity　of　a　dream。



Now；　it　happened　that　the　grave　Thaddeus；　with　one　divine　and

immaculate　image　in　his　heart；　proposed　to　Malaga；　the　queen　of　the

carnival　dances；　to　spend　an　evening　at　the　Musard　ball；　because　he

knew　the　countess；　disguised　to　the　teeth；　intended　to　come　there　with

two　friends；　all　three　accompanied　by　their　husbands；　and　look　on　at

the　curious　spectacle　of　one　of　these　crowded　balls。



On　Shrove　Tuesday；　of　the　year　1838；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；

the　countess；　wrapped　in　a　black　domino　and　sitting　on　the　lower　step

of　the　platform　in　the　Babylonian　hall；　where　Valentino　has　since　then

given　his　concerts；　beheld　Thaddeus；　as　Robert　Macaire；　threading　the

galop　with　Malaga　in　the　dress　of　a　savage；　her　head　garnished　with

plumes　like　the　horse　of　a　hearse；　and　bo