a daughter of eve-第13章
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that fame was every whit as good as nobility； and that all doors
turned on their hinges to admit him。 The marquise made him sit in
front of her。 She wanted to question him。
〃Madame Felix de Vandenesse is fascinating in that gown；〃 she said；
complimenting the dress as if it were a book he had published the day
before。
〃Yes；〃 said Raoul； indifferently； 〃marabouts are very becoming to her；
but she seems wedded to them； she wore them on Saturday；〃 he added； in
a careless tone； as if to repudiate the intimacy Madame d'Espard was
fastening upon him。
〃You know the proverb；〃 she replied。 〃There is no good fete without a
morrow。〃
In the matter of repartees literary celebrities are often not as quick
as women。 Raoul pretended dulness； a last resort for clever men。
〃That proverb is true in my case；〃 he said； looking gallantly at the
marquise。
〃My dear friend； your speech comes too late； I can't accept it；〃 she
said； laughing。 〃Don't be so prudish！ Come； I know how it was； you
complimented Madame de Vandenesse at the ball on her marabouts and she
has put them on again for your sake。 She likes you； and you adore her；
it may be a little rapid； but it is all very natural。 If I were
mistaken you wouldn't be twisting your gloves like a man who is
furious at having to sit here with me instead of flying to the box of
his idol。 She has obtained；〃 continued Madame d'Espard； glancing at
his person impertinently； 〃certain sacrifices which you refused to
make to society。 She ought to be delighted with her success；in fact；
I have no doubt she is vain of it； I should be so in her place
immensely。 She was never a woman of any mind； but she may now pass for
one of genius。 I am sure you will describe her in one of those
delightful novels you write。 And pray don't forget Vandenesse； put him
in to please me。 Really； his self…sufficiency is too much。 I can't
stand that Jupiter Olympian air of his；the only mythological
character exempt； they say； from ill…luck。〃
〃Madame；〃 cried Raoul； 〃you rate my soul very low if you think me
capable of trafficking with my feelings； my affections。 Rather than
commit such literary baseness； I would do as they do in England；put
a rope round a woman's neck and sell her in the market。〃
〃But I know Marie； she would like you to do it。〃
〃She is incapable of liking it；〃 said Raoul； vehemently。
〃Oh！ then you do know her well？〃
Nathan laughed； he； the maker of scenes； to be trapped into playing
one himself！
〃Comedy is no longer there；〃 he said； nodding at the stage； 〃it is
here； in you。〃
He took his opera…glass and looked about the theatre to recover
countenance。
〃You are not angry with me； I hope？〃 said the marquise； giving him a
sidelong glance。 〃I should have had your secret somehow。 Let us make
peace。 Come and see me； I receive every Wednesday； and I am sure the
dear countess will never miss an evening if I let her know you will be
there。 So I shall be the gainer。 Sometimes she comes between four and
five o'clock； and I'll be kind and add you to the little set of
favorites I admit at that hour。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Raoul； 〃how the world judges； it calls you unkind。〃
〃So I am when I need to be；〃 she replied。 〃We must defend ourselves。
But your countess I adore； you will be contented with her； she is
charming。 Your name will be the first engraved upon her heart with
that infantine joy that makes a lad cut the initials of his love on
the barks of trees。〃
Raoul was aware of the danger of such conversations； in which a
Parisian woman excels； he feared the marquise would extract some
admission from him which she would instantly turn into ridicule among
her friends。 He therefore withdrew； prudently； as Lady Dudley entered。
〃Well？〃 said the Englishwoman to the marquise； 〃how far have they
got？〃
〃They are madly in love； he has just told me so。〃
〃I wish he were uglier；〃 said Lady Dudley； with a viperish look at
Comte Felix。 〃In other respects he is just what I want him： the son of
a Jew broker who died a bankrupt soon after his marriage； but the
mother was a Catholic； and I am sorry to say she made a Christian of
the boy。〃
This origin； which Nathan thought carefully concealed； Lady Dudley had
just discovered； and she enjoyed by anticipation the pleasure she
should have in launching some terrible epigram against Vandenesse。
〃Heavens！ I have just invited him to my house！〃 cried Madame d'Espard。
〃Didn't I receive him at my ball？〃 replied Lady Dudley。 〃Some
pleasures； my dear love； are costly。〃
The news of the mutual attachment between Raoul and Madame de
Vandenesse circulated in the world after this； but not without
exciting denials and incredulity。 The countess； however； was defended
by her friends； Lady Dudley； and Mesdames d'Espard and de Manerville；
with an unnecessary warmth that gave a certain color to the calumny。
On the following Wednesday evening Raoul went to Madame d'Espard's；
and was able to exchange a few sentences with Marie； more expressive
by their tones than their ideas。 In the midst of the elegant assembly
both found pleasure in those enjoyable sensations given by the voice；
the gestures； the attitude of one beloved。 The soul then fastens upon
absolute nothings。 No longer do ideas or even language speak； but
things； and these so loudly； that often a man lets another pay the
small attentionsbring a cup of tea； or the sugar to sweeten it
demanded by the woman he loves； fearful of betraying his emotion to
eyes that seem to see nothing and yet see all。 Raoul； however； a man
indifferent to the eyes of the world； betrayed his passion in his
speech and was brilliantly witty。 The company listened to the roar of
a discourse inspired by the restraint put upon him； restraint being
that which artists cannot endure。 This Rolandic fury； this wit which
slashed down all things； using epigram as its weapon； intoxicated
Marie and amused the circle around them； as the sight of a bull goaded
with banderols amuses the company in a Spanish circus。
〃You may kick as you please； but you can't make a solitude about you；〃
whispered Blondet。
The words brought Raoul to his senses； and he ceased to exhibit his
irritation to the company。 Madame d'Espard came up to offer him a cup
of tea； and said loud enough for Madame de Vandenesse to hear：
〃You are certainly very amusing； come and see me sometimes at four
o'clock。〃
The word 〃amusing〃 offended Raoul； though it was used as the ground of
an invitation。 Blondet took pity on him。
〃My dear fellow；〃 he said； taking him aside into a corner； 〃you are
behaving in society as if you were at Florine's。 Here no one shows
annoyance； or spouts long articles； they say a few words now and then；
they look their calmest when most desirous of flinging others out of
the window； they sneer softly； they pretend not to think of the woman
they adore； and they are careful not to roll like a donkey on the
high…road。 In society； my good Raoul； conventions rule love。 Either
carry off Madame de Vandenesse； or show yourself a gentleman。 As it
is； you are playing the lover in one of your own books。〃
Nathan listened with his head lowered； he was like a lion caught in a
toil。
〃I'll never set foot in this house again；〃 he cried。 〃That papier…
mache marquise sells her tea too dear。 She thinks me amusing！ I
understand now why Saint…Just wanted to guillotine this whole class of
people。〃
〃You'll be back here to…morrow。〃
Blondet was right。 Passions are as mean as they are cruel。 The next
day after long hesitation between 〃I'll goI'll not go；〃 Raoul left
his new partners in the midst of an important discussion and rushed to
Madame d'Espard's house in the faubourg Saint…Honore。 Beholding
Rastignac's elegant cabriolet enter the court…yard while he was paying
his cab at the gate； Nathan's vanity was stung； he resolved to have a
cabriolet himself； and its accompanying tiger； too。 The carriage of
the countess was in the court…yard； and the sight of it swelled
Raoul's heart with joy。 Marie was advancing under the pressure of her
desires with the regularity of the hands of a clock obeying the
mainspring。 He found her sitting at the corner of the fireplace in the
little salon。 Instead of looking at Nathan when he was announced； she
looked at his reflection in a mirror。
〃Monsieur le ministre；〃 said Madame d'Espard； addressing Nathan； and
presenting him to de Marsay by a glance； 〃was maintaining； when you
came in； that the royalists and the republicans have a secret
understanding。 You ought to know something about it； is it so？〃
〃If it were so；〃 said Raoul； 〃where's the harm？ We hate the same
thing； we agree as to our hatreds； we differ only in our love。 That's
the whole of it。〃
〃The alliance is odd enough；〃 said de Marsay； giving a comprehensively
meaning glance at the Comtesse Felix and Nathan。
〃It won't last；〃 said Rastignac； thinking； perhaps； wholly of
politics。
〃What do you think； my dear？〃 asked Madame d'Espard； addressing Marie。
〃I know nothing of public affairs；〃 replied the countess。
〃But you soon will； madame；〃 said de Marsay； 〃and then you will be
doubly our enemy。〃
So saying he left the room with Rastignac； and Madame d'Espard
accompanied them to the door of the first salon。 The lovers had the
room to themselves for a few moments。 Marie held out her ungloved hand
to Raoul； who took and kissed it as though he were eighteen years old。
The eyes of the countess expressed so noble a tenderness that the
tears which men of nervous temperament can always find at their
service came into Raoul's eyes。
〃Where can I see you？ where can I speak with you？〃 he said。 〃It is
death to be forced to disguise my voice； my look； my heart； my love〃
Moved by that tear Marie promised to drive daily in the Bois； unless
the weather were extremely bad。 This promise gave Raoul more pleasure
than he had found in Florine for the last five years。
〃I have so many things to say to you！ I suffer from the silence to
which we are condemned〃
The countess looked at him eagerly without replying； and at that
moment Madame d'Espard returned to the room。
〃Why didn't you answer de Marsay？〃 she said as she entered。
〃We ought to respect the dead；〃 replied Raoul。 〃Don't you see that he
is dying？ Rastignac is his nurse；hoping to be put in the will。〃
The countess pretended to have other visits to pay； and left the
house。
For this quarter of an hour Raoul had sacrificed important interests
and most precious time。 Marie was perfectly ignorant of the life of
such men； involved in complicated affairs and burdened with exacting
toil。 Women of society are still under the influence of the traditions
of the eighteenth century； in which all positions were definite and
assured。 Few women know the harassment
