a daughter of eve-第17章

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the　expenses；　while　the　subscriptions　were　rapidly　dwindling。　The

great　man　now　grew　anxious　and　gloomy；　but　to　Florine　only；　in　whom　he

confided。　She　advised　him　to　borrow　money　on　unwritten　plays；　and

write　than　at　once；　giving　a　lien　on　his　work。　Nathan　followed　this

advice　and　obtained　thereby　twenty　thousand　francs；　which　reduced　his

debt　to　forty　thousand。



On　the　10th　of　February　the　twenty…five　days　expired。　Du　Tillet；　who

did　not　want　Nathan　as　a　rival　before　the　electoral　college；　where　he

meant　to　appear　himself；　instigated　Gigonnet　to　sue　Nathan　without

compromise。　A　man　locked　up　for　debt　could　not　present　himself　as　a

candidate　for　election。　Florine　was　herself　in　communication　with　the

sheriff　on　the　subject　of　her　personal　debts；　and　no　resource　was　left

to　her　but　the　〃I〃　of　Medea；　for　her　new　furniture　and　belongings　were

now　attached。　The　ambitious　Raoul　heard　the　cracking　in　all　directions

of　his　prosperous　edifice；　built；　alas！　without　foundations。　His　nerve

failed　him；　too　weak　already　to　sustain　so　vast　an　enterprise；　he　felt

himself　incapable　of　attempting　to　build　it　up　again；　he　was　fated　to

perish　in　its　ashes。　Love　for　the　countess　gave　him　still　a　few

thrills　of　life；　his　mask　brightened　for　a　moment；　but　behind　it　hope

was　dead。　He　did　not　suspect　the　hand　of　du　Tillet；　and　laid　the　blame

of　his　misfortune　on　the　usurer。　Rastignac；　Blondet；　Lousteau；　Vernou；

Finot；　and　Massol　took　care　not　to　enlighten　him。　Rastignac；　who

wanted　to　return　to　power；　made　common　cause　with　Nucingen　and　du

Tillet。　The　others　felt　a　satisfaction　in　the　catastrophe　of　an　equal

who　had　attempted　to　make　himself　their　master。　None　of　them；　however；

would　have　said　a　word　to　Florine；　on　the　contrary；　they　praised　Raoul

to　her。



〃Nathan；〃　they　said；　〃has　the　shoulders　of　an　Atlas；　he'll　pull

himself　through；　all　will　come　right。〃



〃There　were　two　new　subscribers　yesterday；〃　said　Blondet；　gravely。

〃Raoul　will　certainly　be　elected　deputy。　As　soon　as　the　budget　is

voted　the　dissolution　is　sure　to　take　place。〃



But　Nathan；　sued；　could　no　longer　obtain　even　usury；　Florine；　with　all

her　personal　property　attached；　could　count　on　nothing　but　inspiring　a

passion　in　some　fool　who　might　not　appear　at　the　right　moment。

Nathan's　friends　were　all　men　without　money　and　without　credit。　An

arrest　for　debt　would　destroy　his　hopes　of　a　political　career；　and

besides　all　this；　he　had　bound　himself　to　do　an　immense　amount　of

dramatic　work　for　which　he　had　already　received　payment。　He　could　see

no　bottom　to　the　gulf　of　misery　that　lay　before　him；　into　which　he　was

about　to　roll。　In　presence　of　such　threatened　evil　his　boldness

deserted　him。　Would　the　Comtesse　de　Vandenesse　stand　by　him？　Would　she

fly　with　him？　Women　are　never　led　into　a　gulf　of　that　kind　except　by

an　absolute　love；　and　the　love　of　Raoul　and　Marie　had　not　bound　them

together　by　the　mysterious　and　inalienable　ties　of　happiness。　But

supposing　that　the　countess　did　follow　him　to　some　foreign　country；

she　would　come　without　fortune；　despoiled　of　everything；　and　then；

alas！　she　would　merely　be　one　more　embarrassment　to　him。　A　mind　of　a

second　order；　and　a　proud　mind　like　that　of　Nathan；　would　be　likely　to

see；　under　these　circumstances；　and　did　see；　in　suicide　the　sword　to

cut　the　Gordian　knots。　The　idea　of　failure　in　the　face　of　the　world

and　that　society　he　had　so　lately　entered　and　meant　to　rule；　of

leaving　the　chariot　of　the　countess　and　becoming　once　more　a　muddied

pedestrian；　was　more　than　he　could　bear。　Madness　began　to　dance　and

whirl　and　shake　her　bells　at　the　gates　of　the　fantastic　palace　in

which　the　poet　had　been　dreaming。　In　this　extremity；　Nathan　waited　for

some　lucky　accident；　determined　not　to　kill　himself　until　the　final

moment。



During　the　last　days　employed　by　the　legal　formalities　required　before

proceeding　to　arrest　for　debt；　Raoul　went　about；　in　spite　of　himself；

with　that　coldly　sullen　and　morose　expression　of　face　which　may　be

noticed　in　persons　who　are　either　fated　to　commit　suicide　or　are

meditating　it。　The　funereal　ideas　they　are　turning　over　in　their　minds

appear　upon　their　foreheads　in　gray　and　cloudy　tints；　their　smile　has

something　fatalistic　in　it；　their　motions　are　solemn。　These　unhappy

beings　seem　to　want　to　suck　the　last　juices　of　the　life　they　mean　to

leave；　their　eyes　see　things　invisible；　their　ears　are　listening　to　a

death…knell；　they　pay　no　attention　to　the　minor　things　about　them。

These　alarming　symptoms　Marie　perceived　one　evening　at　Lady　Dudley's。

Raoul　was　sitting　apart　on　a　sofa　in　the　boudoir；　while　the　rest　of

the　company　were　conversing　in　the　salon。　The　countess　went　to　the

door；　but　he　did　not　raise　his　head；　he　heard　neither　Marie's

breathing　nor　the　rustle　of　her　silk　dress；　he　was　gazing　at　a　flower

in　the　carpet；　with　fixed　eyes；　stupid　with　grief；　he　felt　he　had

rather　die　than　abdicate。　All　the　world　can't　have　the　rock　of　Saint

Helena　for　a　pedestal。　Moreover；　suicide　was　then　the　fashion　in

Paris。　Is　it　not；　in　fact；　the　last　resource　of　all　atheistical

societies？　Raoul；　as　he　sat　there；　had　decided　that　the　moment　had

come　to　die。　Despair　is　in　proportion　to　our　hopes；　that　of　Raoul　had

no　other　issue　than　the　grave。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　cried　Marie；　flying　to　him。



〃Nothing；〃　he　answered。



There　is　one　way　of　saying　that　word　〃nothing〃　between　lovers　which

signifies　its　exact　contrary。　Marie　shrugged　her　shoulders。



〃You　are　a　child；〃　she　said。　〃Some　misfortune　has　happened　to　you。〃



〃No；　not　to　me；〃　he　replied。　〃But　you　will　know　all　soon　enough；

Marie；〃　he　added；　affectionately。



〃What　were　you　thinking　of　when　I　came　in？〃　she　asked；　in　a　tone　of

authority。



〃Do　you　want　to　know　the　truth？〃　She　nodded。　〃I　was　thinking　of　you；　I

was　saying　to　myself　that　most　men　in　my　place　would　have　wanted　to　be

loved　without　reserve。　I　am　loved；　am　I　not？〃



〃Yes；〃　she　answered。



〃And　yet；〃　he　said；　taking　her　round　the　waist　and　kissing　her

forehead　at　the　risk　of　being　seen；　〃I　leave　you　pure　and　without

remorse。　I　could　have　dragged　you　into　an　abyss；　but　you　remain　in　all

your　glory　on　its　brink　without　a　stain。　Yet　one　thought　troubles

me〃



〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked。



〃You　will　despise　me。〃　She　smiled　superbly。　〃Yes；　you　will　never

believe　that　I　have　sacredly　loved　you；　I　shall　be　disgraced；　I　know

that。　Women　never　imagine　that　from　the　depths　of　our　mire　we　raise

our　eyes　to　heaven　and　truly　adore　a　Marie。　They　assail　that　sacred

love　with　miserable　doubts；　they　cannot　believe　that　men　of　intellect

and　poesy　can　so　detach　their　soul　from　earthly　enjoyment　as　to　lay　it

pure　upon　some　cherished　altar。　And　yet；　Marie；　the　worship　of　the

ideal　is　more　fervent　in　men　then　in　women；　we　find　it　in　women；　who

do　not　even　look　for　it　in　us。〃



〃Why　are　you　making　me　that　article？〃　she　said；　jestingly。



〃I　am　leaving　France；　and　you　will　hear　to…morrow；　how　and　why；　from　a

letter　my　valet　will　bring　you。　Adieu；　Marie。〃



Raoul　left　the　house　after　again　straining　the　countess　to　his　heart

with　dreadful　pressure；　leaving　her　stupefied　and　distressed。



〃What　is　the　matter；　my　dear？〃　said　Madame　d'Espard；　coming　to　look

for　her。　〃What　has　Monsieur　Nathan　been　saying　to　you？　He　has　just

left　us　in　a　most　melodramatic　way。　Perhaps　you　are　too　reasonable　or

too　unreasonable　with　him。〃



The　countess　got　into　a　hackney…coach　and　was　driven　rapidly　to　the

newspaper　office。　At　that　hour　the　huge　apartments　which　they　occupied

in　an　old　mansion　in　the　rue　Feydeau　were　deserted；　not　a　soul　was

there　but　the　watchman；　who　was　greatly　surprised　to　see　a　young　and

pretty　woman　hurrying　through　the　rooms　in　evident　distress。　She　asked

him　to　tell　her　where　was　Monsieur　Nathan。



〃At　Mademoiselle　Florine's；　probably；〃　replied　the　man；　taking　Marie

for　a　rival　who　intended　to　make　a　scene。



〃Where　does　he　work？〃



〃In　his　office；　the　key　of　which　he　carries　in　his　pocket。〃



〃I　wish　to　go　there。〃



The　man　took　her　to　a　dark　little　room　looking　out　on　a　rear　court…

yard。　The　office　was　at　right　angles。　Opening　the　window　of　the　room

she　was　in；　the　countess　could　look　through　into　the　window　of　the

office；　and　she　saw　Nathan　sitting　there　in　the　editorial　arm…chair。



〃Break　in　the　door；　and　be　silent　about　all　this；　I'll　pay　you　well；〃

she　said。　〃Don't　you　see　that　Monsieur　Nathan　is　dying？〃



The　man　got　an　iron　bar　from　the　press…room；　with　which　he　burst　in

the　door。　Raoul　had　actually　smothered　himself；　like　any　poor　work…

girl；　with　a　pan　of　charcoal。　He　had　written　a　letter　to　Blondet；

which　lay　on　the　table；　in　which　he　asked　him　to　ascribe　his　death　to

apoplexy。　The　countess；　however；　had　arrived　in　time；　she　had　Raoul

carried　to　her　coach；　and　then；　not　knowing　where　else　to　care　for

him；　she　took　him　to　a　hotel；　engaged　a　room；　and　sent　for　a　doctor。

In　a　few　hours　Raoul　was　out　of　danger；　but　the　countess　did　not　leave

him　until　she　had　obtained　a　general　confession　of　the　causes　of　his

act。　When　he　had　poured　into　her　heart　the　dreadful　elegy　of　his　woes；

she　said；　in　order　to　make　him　willing　to　live：



〃I　can　arrange　all　that。〃



But；　nevertheless；　she　returned　home　with　a　heart　oppressed　with　the

same　anxieties　and　ideas　that　had　darkened　Nathan's　brow　the　night

before。



〃Well；　what　was　the　matter　with　your　sister？〃　said　Felix；　when　his

wife　returned。　〃You　look　distressed。〃



〃It　is　a　dreadful　history　about　which　I　am　bound　to　secrecy；〃　she

said；　summoning　all　her　nerve　to　appear　calm　before　him。



In　order　to　be　alone　and　to　think　at　her　ease；　she　went　to　the　Opera

in　the　evening；　after　which　she　resolved　to　go　（as　we　have　seen）　and

discharge　her　heart　into　that　of　her　sister；　Madame　du　Tillet；

relating　to　her　the　horrible　scene　of　the　morning；　and　begging　her

advice　and　assistance。　Neither　the　one　nor　the　other　could　then　know

that　du　Tillet　himself　had　lighted　the　charcoal　of　the　vulgar　brazier；

the　sight　of　which　had　so　justly　terrified　the　countess。



〃He　has　but　me　in　all　the　world；〃　said　Marie　to　her　sister；　〃and　I

will　not　fail　him。〃



That　speech　contains　the　secret　motive　of　most　women；　they　can　be

heroic　when　they　are　certain　of　being　all　in　all　to　a　grand　and

irreproachable　being。







CHAPTER　VIII



A　LOVER　SAVED　AND　LOST



Du　Tillet　had　heard　some　talk　even　in　financial　circles　of　the　more　or

less　possible　adoration　of　his　sister…in…law　for　Nathan；　but　he　was

one　of　those　who　denied　it；　thinking　it　incompatible　with　Raoul's

known　relations　with　Florine。　The　actress　would　certainly　drive　off

the　countess；　or　vice　versa。　But　when；　on　coming　home　that　evening；　he

found　his　sister…in…law　with　a　perturbed　face；　in　consultation　with

his　wife　about　money；　it　occurred　to　him　that　Raoul　had；　in　all

probability；　confided　to　her　his　situation。