a daughter of eve-第22章
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guard his wife。
〃Explain yourself； my dear；〃 said Florine； 〃and don't think I shall
stand this long。 No one can tear Raoul from me； I'll tell you that； I
hold him by habit； and that's even stronger than love。〃
〃In the first place； are you Florine？〃 said the count； speaking in his
natural voice。
〃A pretty question！ if you don't know that； my joking friend； why
should I believe you？〃
〃Go and ask Nathan； who has left you to look for his other mistress；
where he passed the night； three days ago。 He tried to kill himself
without a word to you； my dear；and all for want of money。 That shows
how much you know about the affairs of a man whom you say you love；
and who leaves you without a penny； and kills himself；or； rather；
doesn't kill himself； for his misses it。 Suicides that don't kill are
about as absurd as a duel without a scratch。〃
〃That's a lie；〃 said Florine。 〃He dined with me that very day。 The
poor fellow had the sheriff after him； he was hiding； as well he
might。〃
〃Go and ask at the hotel du Mail； rue du Mail； if he was not taken
there that morning； half dead of the fumes of charcoal； by a handsome
young woman with whom he has been in love over a year。 Her letters are
at this moment under your very nose in your own house。 If you want to
teach Nathan a good lesson； let us all three go there； and I'll show
you； papers in hand； how you can save him from the sheriff and Clichy
if you choose to be the good girl that you are。〃
〃Try that on others than Florine； my little man。 I am certain that
Nathan has never been in love with any one but me。〃
〃On the contrary； he has been in love with a woman in society for over
a year〃
〃A woman in society； he！〃 cried Florine。 〃I don't trouble myself about
such nonsense as that。〃
〃Well； do you want me to make him come and tell you that he will not
take you home from here to…night。〃
〃If you can make him tell me that；〃 said Florine； 〃I'll take YOU home；
and we'll look for those letters； which I shall believe in when I see
them； and not till then。 He must have written them while I slept。〃
〃Stay here；〃 said Felix； 〃and watch。〃
So saying； he took the arm of his wife and moved to a little distance。
Presently； Nathan； who had been hunting up and down the foyer like a
dog looking for its master； returned to the spot where the mask had
addressed him。 Seeing on his face an expression he could not conceal；
Florine placed herself like a post in front of him； and said；
imperiously：
〃I don't wish you to leave me again； I have my reasons for this。〃
The countess then； at the instigation of her husband； went up to Raoul
and said in his ear；
〃Marie。 Who is this woman？ Leave her at once； and meet me at the foot
of the grand staircase。〃
In this difficult extremity Raoul dropped Florine's arm； and though
she caught his own and held it forcibly； she was obliged； after a
moment； to let him go。 Nathan disappeared into the crowd。
〃What did I tell you？〃 said Felix in Florine's astonished ears；
offering her his arm。
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃whoever you are； come。 Have you a carriage here？〃
For all answer； Vandenesse hurried Florine away； followed by his wife。
A few moments later the three masks； driven rapidly by the Vandenesse
coachman； reached Florine's house。 As soon as she had entered her own
apartments the actress unmasked。 Madame de Vandenesse could not
restrain a quiver of surprise at Florine's beauty as she stood there
choking with anger； and superb in her wrath and jealousy。
〃There is； somewhere in these rooms；〃 said Vandenesse； 〃a portfolio；
the key of which you have never had； the letters are probably in it。〃
〃Well； well； for once in my life I am bewildered； you know something
that I have been uneasy about for some days；〃 cried Florine； rushing
into the study in search of the portfolio。
Vandenesse saw that his wife was turning pale beneath her mask。
Florine's apartment revealed more about the intimacy of the actress
and Nathan than any ideal mistress would wish to know。 The eye of a
woman can take in the truth of such things in a second； and the
countess saw vestiges of Nathan which proved to her the certainty of
what Vandenesse had said。 Florine returned with the portfolio。
〃How am I to open it？〃 she said。
The actress rang the bell and sent into the kitchen for the cook's
knife。 When it came she brandished it in the air； crying out in
ironical tones：
〃With this they cut the necks of 'poulets。'〃
The words； which made the countess shiver； explained to her； even
better than her husband had done the night before； the depths of the
abyss into which she had so nearly fallen。
〃What a fool I am！〃 said Florine； 〃his razor will do better。〃
She fetched one of Nathan's razors from his dressing…table； and slit
the leather cover of the portfolio； through which Marie's letters
dropped。 Florine snatched one up hap…hazard； and looked it over。
〃Yes； she must be a well…bred woman。 It looks to me as if there were
no mistakes in spelling here。〃
The count gathered up the letters hastily and gave them to his wife；
who took them to a table as if to see that they were all there。
〃Now；〃 said Vandenesse to Florine； 〃will you let me have those letters
for these？〃 showing her five bank…bills of ten thousand francs each。
〃They'll replace the sums you have paid for him。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Florine； 〃didn't I kill myself body and soul in the
provinces to get him money；I； who'd have cut my hand off to serve
him？ But that's men！ damn your soul for them and they'll march over
you rough…shod！ He shall pay me for this！〃
Madame de Vandenesse was disappearing with the letters。
〃Hi！ stop； stop； my fine mask！〃 cried Florine； 〃leave me one to
confound him with。〃
〃Not possible；〃 said Vandenesse。
〃Why not？〃
〃That mask is your ex…rival； but you needn't fear her now。〃
〃Well； she might have had the grace to say thank you；〃 cried Florine。
〃But you have the fifty thousand francs instead；〃 said Vandenesse；
bowing to her。
It is extremely rare for young men； when driven to suicide； to attempt
it a second time if the first fails。 When it doesn't cure life； it
cures all desire for voluntary death。 Raoul felt no disposition to try
it again when he found himself in a more painful position than that
from which he had just been rescued。 He tried to see the countess and
explain to her the nature of his love； which now shone more vividly in
his soul than ever。 But the first time they met in society； Madame de
Vandenesse gave him that fixed and contemptuous look which at once and
forever puts an impassable gulf between a man and a woman。 In spite of
his natural assurance； Nathan never dared； during the rest of the
winter； either to speak to the countess or even approach her。
But he opened his heart to Blondet； to him he talked of his Laura and
his Beatrice； apropos of Madame de Vandenesse。 He even made a
paraphrase of the following beautiful passage from the pen of
Theophile Gautier； one of the most remarkable poets of our day：
〃'Ideala； flower of heaven's own blue； with heart of gold； whose
fibrous roots； softer； a thousandfold； than fairy tresses； strike to
our souls and drink their purest essence； flower most sweet and
bitter！ thou canst not be torn away without the heart's blood flowing；
without thy bruised stems sweating with scarlet tears。 Ah！ cursed
flower； why didst thou grow within my soul？'〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 said Blondet； 〃you are raving。 I'll grant it was a
pretty flower； but it wasn't a bit ideal； and instead of singing like
a blind man before an empty niche； you had much better wash your hands
and make submission to the powers。 You are too much of an artist ever
to be a good politician； you have been fooled by men of not one…half
your value。 Think about being fooled againbut elsewhere。〃
〃Marie cannot prevent my loving her；〃 said Nathan； 〃she shall be my
Beatrice。〃
〃Beatrice； my good Raoul； was a little girl twelve years of age when
Dante last saw her； otherwise； she would not have been Beatrice。 To
make a divinity； it won't do to see her one day wrapped in a mantle；
and the next with a low dress； and the third on the boulevard；
cheapening toys for her last baby。 When a man has Florine； who is in
turn duchess； bourgeoise； Negress； marquise； colonel； Swiss peasant；
virgin of the sun in Peru （only way she can play the part）； I don't
see why he should go rambling after fashionable women。〃
Du Tillet； to use a Bourse term； EXECUTED Nathan； who； for lack of
money； gave up his place on the newspaper； and the celebrated man
received but five votes in the electoral college where the banker was
elected。
When； after a long and happy journey in Italy； the Comtesse de
Vandenesse returned to Paris late in the following winter； all her
husband's predictions about Nathan were justified。 He had taken
Blondet's advice and negotiated with the government； which employed
his pen。 His personal affairs were in such disorder that one day； on
the Champs…Elysees； Marie saw her former adorer on foot； in shabby
clothes； giving his arm to Florine。 When a man becomes indifferent to
the heart of a woman who has once loved him； he often seems to her
very ugly； even horrible； especially when he resembles Nathan。 Madame
de Vandenesse had a sense of personal humiliation in the thought that
she had once cared for him。 If she had not already been cured of all
extra…conjugal passion； the contrast then presented by the count to
this man； grown less and less worthy of public favor； would have
sufficed her。
To…day the ambitious Nathan； rich in ink and poor in will； has ended
by capitulating entirely； and has settled down into a sinecure； like
any other commonplace man。 After lending his pen to all disorganizing
efforts； he now lives in peace under the protecting shade of a
ministerial organ。 The cross of the Legion of honor； formerly the
fruitful text of his satire； adorns his button…hole。 〃Peace at any
price；〃 ridicule of which was the stock…in…trade of his revolutionary
editorship； is now the topic of his laudatory articles。 Heredity；
attacked by him in Saint…Simonian phrases； he now defends with solid
arguments。 This illogical conduct has its origin and its explanation
in the change of front performed by many men besides Raoul during our
recent political evolutions。
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Bidault （known as Gigonnet）
The Government Clerks
Gobseck
The Vendetta
Cesar Birotteau
The Firm of Nucingen
Blondet； Emile
Jealousies of a Country Town
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Modeste Mignon
Another Study of Woman
The Secrets of a Princess
The Firm of Nuc
