sarrasine-第7章

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more　extravagant　than　the　last。　At　nightfall；　as　he　was　going　out　to
inquire　of　somebody　where　his　mistress　lived；　he　met　one　of　his
fellow…artists　at　the　door。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　he　said；　I　am　sent　by　our　ambassador　to　invite　you
to　come　to　the　embassy　this　evening。　He　gives　a　magnificent　concert；
and　when　I　tell　you　that　La　Zambinella　will　be　there'

〃　'Zambinella！'　cried　Sarrasine；　thrown　into　delirium　by　that　name；　'I
am　mad　with　love　of　her。'

〃　'You　are　like　everybody　else；'　replied　his　comrade。

〃　'But　if　you　are　friends　of　mine；　you　and　Vien　and　Lauterbourg　and
Allegrain；　you　will　lend　me　your　assistance　for　a　/coup　de　main/；
after　the　entertainment；　will　you　not？'　asked　Sarrasine。

〃　'There's　no　cardinal　to　be　killed？　no？'

〃　'No；　no！'　said　Sarrasine；　'I　ask　nothing　of　you　that　men　of　honor
may　not　do。'

〃In　a　few　moments　the　sculptor　laid　all　his　plans　to　assure　the
success　of　his　enterprise。　He　was　one　of　the　last　to　arrive　at　the
ambassador's；　but　he　went　thither　in　a　traveling　carriage　drawn　by
four　stout　horses　and　driven　by　one　of　the　most　skilful　/vetturini/　in
Rome。　The　ambassador's　palace　was　full　of　people；　not　without
difficulty　did　the　sculptor；　whom　nobody　knew；　make　his　way　to　the
salon　where　La　Zambinella　was　singing　at　that　moment。

〃　'It　must　be　in　deference　to　all　the　cardinals；　bishops；　and　/abbes/
who　are　here；'　said　Sarrasine；　'that　/she/　is　dressed　as　a　man；　that
/she/　has　curly　hair　which　/she/　wears　in　a　bag；　and　that　/she/　has　a
sword　at　her　side？'

〃　'She！　what　she？'　rejoined　the　old　nobleman　whom　Sarrasine　addressed。

〃　'La　Zambinella。'

〃　'La　Zambinella！'　echoed　the　Roman　prince。　'Are　you　jesting？　Whence
have　you　come？　Did　a　woman　ever　appear　in　a　Roman　theatre？　And　do　you
not　know　what　sort　of　creatures　play　female　parts　within　the　domains
of　the　Pope？　It　was　I；　monsieur；　who　endowed　Zambinella　with　his
voice。　I　paid　all　the　knave's　expenses；　even　his　teacher　in　singing。
And　he　has　so　little　gratitude　for　the　service　I　have　done　him　that　he
has　never　been　willing　to　step　inside　my　house。　And　yet；　if　he　makes
his　fortune；　he　will　owe　it　all　to　me。'

〃Prince　Chigi　might　have　talked　on　forever；　Sarrasine　did　not　listen
to　him。　A　ghastly　truth　had　found　its　way　into　his　mind。　He　was
stricken　as　if　by　a　thunderbolt。　He　stood　like　a　statue；　his　eyes
fastened　on　the　singer。　His　flaming　glance　exerted　a　sort　of　magnetic
influence　on　Zambinella；　for　he　turned　his　eyes　at　last　in　Sarrasine's
direction；　and　his　divine　voice　faltered。　He　trembled！　An　involuntary
murmur　escaped　the　audience；　which　he　held　fast　as　if　fastened　to　his
lips；　and　that　completely　disconcerted　him；　he　stopped　in　the　middle
of　the　aria　he　was　singing　and　sat　down。　Cardinal　Cicognara；　who　had
watched　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　the　direction　of　his　/protege's/
glance；　saw　the　Frenchman；　he　leaned　toward　one　of　his　ecclesiastical
aides…de…camp；　and　apparently　asked　the　sculptor's　name。　When　he　had
obtained　the　reply　he　desired　he　scrutinized　the　artist　with　great
attention　and　gave　orders　to　an　/abbe/；　who　instantly　disappeared。
Meanwhile　Zambinella；　having　recovered　his　self…possession；　resumed
the　aria　he　had　so　capriciously　broken　off；　but　he　sang　badly；　and
refused；　despite　all　the　persistent　appeals　showered　upon　him；　to　sing
anything　else。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　exhibited　that　humorsome
tyranny；　which；　at　a　later　date；　contributed　no　less　to　his　celebrity
than　his　talent　and　his　vast　fortune；　which　was　said　to　be　due　to　his
beauty　as　much　as　to　his　voice。

〃　'It's　a　woman；'　said　Sarrasine；　thinking　that　no　one　could　overhear
him。　'There's　some　secret　intrigue　beneath　all　this。　Cardinal
Cicognara　is　hoodwinking　the　Pope　and　the　whole　city　of　Rome！'

〃The　sculptor　at　once　left　the　salon；　assembled　his　friends；　and　lay
in　wait　in　the　courtyard　of　the　palace。　When　Zambinella　was　assured　of
Sarrasine's　departure　he　seemed　to　recover　his　tranquillity　in　some
measure。　About　midnight　after　wandering　through　the　salons　like　a　man
looking　for　an　enemy；　the　/musico/　left　the　party。　As　he　passed
through　the　palace　gate　he　was　seized　by　men　who　deftly　gagged　him
with　a　handkerchief　and　placed　him　in　the　carriage　hired　by　Sarrasine。
Frozen　with　terror；　Zambinella　lay　back　in　a　corner；　not　daring　to
move　a　muscle。　He　saw　before　him　the　terrible　face　of　the　artist；　who
maintained　a　deathlike　silence。　The　journey　was　a　short　one。
Zambinella；　kidnaped　by　Sarrasine；　soon　found　himself　in　a　dark；　bare
studio。　He　sat；　half　dead；　upon　a　chair；　hardly　daring　to　glance　at　a
statue　of　a　woman；　in　which　he　recognized　his　own　features。　He　did　not
utter　a　word；　but　his　teeth　were　chattering；　he　was　paralyzed　with
fear。　Sarrasine　was　striding　up　and　down　the　studio。　Suddenly　he
halted　in　front　of　Zambinella。

〃　'Tell　me　the　truth；'　he　said；　in　a　changed　and　hollow　voice。　'Are
you　not　a　woman？　Cardinal　Cicognara'

〃Zambinella　fell　on　his　knees；　and　replied　only　by　hanging　his　head。

〃　'Ah！　you　are　a　woman！'　cried　the　artist　in　a　frenzy；　'for　even　a'

〃He　did　not　finish　the　sentence。

〃　'No；'　he　continued；　'even　/he/　could　not　be　so　utterly　base。'

〃　'Oh；　do　not　kill　me！'　cried　Zambinella；　bursting　into　tears。　'I
consented　to　deceive　you　only　to　gratify　my　comrades；　who　wanted　an
opportunity　to　laugh。'

〃　'Laugh！'　echoed　the　sculptor；　in　a　voice　in　which　there　was　a　ring
of　infernal　ferocity。　'Laugh！　laugh！　You　dared　to　make　sport　of　a
man's　passionyou？'

〃　'Oh；　mercy！'　cried　Zambinella。

〃　'I　ought　to　kill　you！'　shouted　Sarrasine；　drawing　his　sword　in　an
outburst　of　rage。　'But；'　he　continued；　with　cold　disdain；　'if　I
searched　your　whole　being　with　this　blade；　should　I　find　there　any
sentiment　to　blot　out；　anything　with　which　to　satisfy　my　thirst　for
vengeance？　You　are　nothing！　If　you　were　a　man　or　a　woman；　I　would　kill
you；　but'

〃Sarrasine　made　a　gesture　of　disgust；　and　turned　his　face　away；
thereupon　he　noticed　the　statue。

〃　'And　that　is　a　delusion！'　he　cried。

〃Then；　turning　to　Zambinella　once　more；　he　continued：

〃　'A　woman's　heart　was　to　me　a　place　of　refuge；　a　fatherland。　Have　you
sisters　who　resemble　you？　No。　Then　die！　But　no；　you　shall　live。　To
leave　you　your　life　is　to　doom　you　to　a　fate　worse　than　death。　I
regret　neither　my　blood　nor　my　life；　but　my　future　and　the　fortune　of
my　heart。　Your　weak　hand　has　overturned　my　happiness。　What　hope　can　I
extort　from　you　in　place　of　all　those　you　have　destroyed？　You　have
brought　me　down　to　your　level。　/To　love；　to　be　loved！/　are　henceforth
meaningless　words　to　me；　as　to　you。　I　shall　never　cease　to　think　of
that　imaginary　woman　when　I　see　a　real　woman。'

〃He　pointed　to　the　statue　with　a　gesture　of　despair。

〃　'I　shall　always　have　in　my　memory　a　divine　harpy　who　will　bury　her
talons　in　all　my　manly　sentiments；　and　who　will　stamp　all　other　women
with　a　seal　of　imperfection。　Monster！　you；　who　can　give　life　to
nothing；　have　swept　all　women　off　the　face　of　the　earth。'

〃Sarrasine　seated　himself　in　front　of　the　terrified　singer。　Two　great
tears　came　from　his　dry　eyes；　rolled　down　his　swarthy　cheeks；　and　fell
to　the　floortwo　tears　of　rage；　two　scalding；　burning　tears。

〃　'An　end　of　love！　I　am　dead　to　all　pleasure；　to　all　human　emotions！'

〃As　he　spoke；　he　seized　a　hammer　and　hurled　it　at　the　statue　with　such
excessive　force　that　he　missed　it。　He　thought　that　he　had　destroyed
that　monument　of　his　madness；　and　thereupon　he　drew　his　sword　again；
and　raised　it　to　kill　the　singer。　Zambinella　uttered　shriek　after
shriek。　Three　men　burst　into　the　studio　at　that　moment；　and　the
sculptor　fell；　pieced　by　three　daggers。

〃　'From　Cardinal　Cicognara；'　said　one　of　the　men。

〃　'A　benefaction　worthy　of　a　Christian；'　retorted　the　Frenchman；　as　he
breathed　his　last。

〃These　ominous　emissaries　told　Zambinella　of　the　anxiety　of　his
patron；　who　was　waiting　at　the　door　in　a　closed　carriage　in　order　to
take　him　away　as　soon　as　he　was　set　at　liberty。〃

〃But；〃　said　Madame　de　Rochefide；　〃what　connection　is　there　between
this　story　and　the　little　old　man　we　saw　at　the　Lantys'？〃

〃Madame；　Cardinal　Cicognara　took　possession　of　Zambinella's　statue　and
had　it　reproduced　in　marble；　it　is　in　the　Albani　Museum　to…day。　In
1794　the　Lanty　family　discovered　it　there；　and　asked　Vien　to　copy　it。
The　portrait　which　showed　you　Zambinella　at　twenty；　a　moment　after　you
had　seen　him　as　a　centenarian；　afterward　figured　in　Girodet's
/Endymion/；　you　yourself　recognized　the　type　in　/Adonis/。〃

〃But　this　Zambinella；　male　or　female〃

〃Must　be；　madame；　Marianina's　maternal　great　uncle。　You　can　conceive
now　Madame　de　Lanty's　interest　in　concealing　the　source　of　a　fortune
which　comes〃

〃Enough！〃　said　she；　with　an　imperious　gesture。

We　remained　for　a　moment　in　the　most　profound　silence。

〃Well？〃　I　said　at　last。

〃Ah！〃　she　cried；　rising　and　pacing　the　floor。

She　came　and　looked　me　in　the　face；　and　said　in　an　altered　voice：

〃You　have　disgusted　me　with　life　and　passion　for　a　long　time　to　come。
Leaving　monstrosities　aside；　are　not　all　human　sentiments　dissolved
thus；　by　ghastly　disillusionment？　Children　torture　mothers　by　their
bad　conduct；　or　their　lack　of　affection。　Wives　are　betrayed。
Mistresses　are　cast　aside；　abandoned。　Talk　of　friendship！　Is　there
such　a　thing！　I　would　turn　pious　to…morrow　if　I　did　not　know　that　I
can　remain　like　the　inaccessible　summit　of　a　cliff　amid　the　tempests
of　life。　If　the　future　of　the　Christian　is　an　illusion　too；　at　all
events　it　is　not　destroyed　until　after　death。　Leave　me　to　myself。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　I；　〃you　know　how　to　punish。〃

〃Am　I　in　the　wrong？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　with　a　sort　of　desperate　courage。　〃By　finishing　this
story；　which　is　well　known　in　Italy；　I　can　give　you　an　excellent　idea
of　the　progress　made　by　the　civilization　of　the　present　day。　There　are
none　of　those　wretched　creatures　now。〃

〃Paris；〃　said　she；　〃is　an　exceedingly　hospitable　place；　it　welcomes
one　and　all；　fortunes　stained　with　shame；　and　fortunes　stained　with
blood。　Crime　and　infamy　have　a　right　of　asylum　here；　virtue　alone　is
without　altars。　But　pure　hearts　have　a　fatherland　in　heaven！　No　one
will　have　known　me！　I　am　proud　of　it。〃

And　the　marchioness　was　lost　in　thought。








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