a daughter of eve-第4章
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At this terrible confession the countess caught her sister's hand and
kissed it； weeping。
〃How； then； can I help you；〃 said Eugenie； in a low voice。 〃He would
be suspicious at once if he surprised us here； and would insist on
knowing all that you have been saying to me。 I should be forced to
tell a lie； which is difficult indeed with so sly and treacherous a
man； he would lay traps for me。 But enough of my own miseries； let us
think of yours。 The forty thousand francs you want would be； of
course； a mere nothing to Ferdinand； who handles millions with that
fat banker； Baron de Nucingen。 Sometimes； at dinner； in my presence；
they say things to each other which make me shudder。 Du Tillet knows
my discretion； and they often talk freely before me； being sure of my
silence。 Well； robbery and murder on the high…road seem to me merciful
compared to some of their financial schemes。 Nucingen and he no more
mind destroying a man than if he were an animal。 Often I am told to
receive poor dupes whose fate I have heard them talk of the night
before；men who rush into some business where they are certain to
lose their all。 I am tempted； like Leonardo in the brigand's cave； to
cry out； 'Beware！' But if I did； what would become of me？ So I keep
silence。 This splendid house is a cut…throat's den！ But Ferdinand and
Nucingen will lavish millions for their own caprices。 Ferdinand is now
buying from the other du Tillet family the site of their old castle；
he intends to rebuild it and add a forest with large domains to the
estate； and make his son a count； he declares that by the third
generation the family will be noble。 Nucingen； who is tired of his
house in the rue Saint…Lazare； is building a palace。 His wife is a
friend of mineAh！〃 she cried； interrupting herself； 〃she might help
us； she is very bold with her husband； her fortune is in her own
right。 Yes； she could save you。〃
〃Dear heart； I have but a few hours left； let us go to her this
evening； now； instantly；〃 said Madame de Vandenesse； throwing herself
into Madame du Tillet's arms with a burst of tears。
〃I can't go out at eleven o'clock at night；〃 replied her sister。
〃My carriage is here。〃
〃What are you two plotting together？〃 said du Tillet； pushing open the
door of the boudoir。
He came in showing a torpid face lighted now by a speciously amiable
expression。 The carpets had dulled his steps and the preoccupation of
the two sisters had kept them from noticing the noise of his carriage…
wheels on entering the court…yard。 The countess； in whom the habits of
social life and the freedom in which her husband had left her had
developed both wit and shrewdness；qualities repressed in her sister
by marital despotism； which simply continued that of their mother；
saw that Eugenie's terror was on the point of betraying them； and she
evaded that danger by a frank answer。
〃I thought my sister richer than she is；〃 she replied； looking
straight at her brother…in…law。 〃Women are sometimes embarrassed for
money； and do not wish to tell their husbands； like Josephine with
Napoleon。 I came here to ask Eugenie to do me a service。〃
〃She can easily do that； madame。 Eugenie is very rich；〃 replied du
Tillet； with concealed sarcasm。
〃Is she？〃 replied the countess； smiling bitterly。
〃How much do you want？〃 asked du Tillet； who was not sorry to get his
sister…in…law into his meshes。
〃Ah； monsieur！ but I have told you already we do not wish to let our
husbands into this affair；〃 said Madame de Vandenesse； cautiously；
aware that if she took his money； she would put herself at the mercy
of the man whose portrait Eugenie had fortunately drawn for her not
ten minutes earlier。 〃I will come to…morrow and talk with Eugenie。〃
〃To…morrow？〃 said the banker。 〃No； Madame du Tillet dines to…morrow
with a future peer of France； the Baron de Nucingen； who is to leave
me his place in the Chamber of Deputies。〃
〃Then permit her to join me in my box at the Opera；〃 said the
countess； without even glancing at her sister； so much did she fear
that Eugenie's candor would betray them。
〃She has her own box； madame；〃 said du Tillet； nettled。
〃Very good； then I will go to hers；〃 replied the countess。
〃It will be the first time you have done us that honor；〃 said du
Tillet。
The countess felt the sting of that reproach； and began to laugh。
〃Well； never mind； you shall not be made to pay anything this time。
Adieu； my darling。〃
〃She is an insolent woman；〃 said du Tillet； picking up the flowers
that had fallen on the carpet。 〃You ought；〃 he said to his wife； 〃to
study Madame de Vandenesse。 I'd like to see you before the world as
insolent and overbearing as your sister has just been here。 You have a
silly； bourgeois air which I detest。〃
Eugenie raised her eyes to heaven as her only answer。
〃Ah ca； madame！ what have you both been talking of？〃 said the banker；
after a pause； pointing to the flowers。 〃What has happened to make
your sister so anxious all of a sudden to go to your opera…box？〃
The poor helot endeavored to escape questioning on the score of
sleepiness； and turned to go into her dressing…room to prepare for the
night； but du Tillet took her by the arm and brought her back under
the full light of the wax…candles which were burning in two silver…
gilt sconces between fragrant nosegays。 He plunged his light eyes into
hers and said； coldly：
〃Your sister came here to borrow forty thousand francs for a man in
whom she takes an interest； who'll be locked up within three days in a
debtor's prison。〃
The poor woman was seized with a nervous trembling； which she
endeavored to repress。
〃You alarm me；〃 she said。 〃But my sister is far too well brought up；
and she loves her husband too much to be interested in any man to that
extent。〃
〃Quite the contrary；〃 he said； dryly。 〃Girls brought up as you two
were； in the constraints and practice of piety； have a thirst for
liberty； they desire happiness； and the happiness they get in marriage
is never as fine as that they dreamt of。 Such girls make bad wives。〃
〃Speak for me；〃 said poor Eugenie； in a tone of bitter feeling； 〃but
respect my sister。 The Comtesse de Vandenesse is happy； her husband
gives her too much freedom not to make her truly attached to him。
Besides； if your supposition were true； she would never have told me
of such a matter。〃
〃It is true；〃 he said； 〃and I forbid you to have anything to do with
the affair。 My interests demand that the man shall go to prison。
Remember my orders。〃
Madame du Tillet left the room。
〃She will disobey me； of course； and I shall find out all the facts by
watching her；〃 thought du Tillet； when alone in the boudoir。 〃These
poor fools always think they can do battle against us。〃
He shrugged his shoulders and rejoined his wife； or to speak the
truth； his slave。
The confidence made to Madame du Tillet by Madame Felix de Vandenesse
is connected with so many points of the latter's history for the last
six years； that it would be unintelligible without a succinct account
of the principal events of her life。
CHAPTER III
THE HISTORY OF A FORTUNATE WOMAN
Among the remarkable men who owed their destiny to the Restoration；
but whom； unfortunately； the restored monarchy kept； with Martignac；
aloof from the concerns of government； was Felix de Vandenesse；
removed； with several others； to the Chamber of peers during the last
days of Charles X。 This misfortune； though； as he supposed； temporary；
made him think of marriage； towards which he was also led； as so many
men are； by a sort of disgust for the emotions of gallantry； those
fairy flowers of the soul。 There comes a vital moment to most of us
when social life appears in all its soberness。
Felix de Vandenesse had been in turn happy and unhappy； oftener
unhappy than happy； like men who； at their start in life； have met
with Love in its most perfect form。 Such privileged beings can never
subsequently be satisfied； but； after fully experiencing life； and
comparing characters； they attain to a certain contentment； taking
refuge in a spirit of general indulgence。 No one deceives them； for
they delude themselves no longer； but their resignation； their
disillusionment is always graceful； they expect what comes； and
therefor they suffer less。 Felix might still rank among the handsomest
and most agreeable men in Paris。 He was originally commended to many
women by one of the noblest creatures of our epoch； Madame de
Mortsauf； who had died； it was said； out of love and grief for him；
but he was specially trained for social life by the handsome and well…
known Lady Dudley。
In the eyes of many Parisian women； Felix； a sort of hero of romance；
owed much of his success to the evil that was said of him。 Madame de
Manerville had closed the list of his amorous adventures； and perhaps
her dismissal had something to do with his frame of mind。 At any rate；
without being in any way a Don Juan； he had gathered in the world of
love as many disenchantments as he had met with in the world of
politics。 That ideal of womanhood and of passion； the type of which
perhaps to his sorrowhad lighted and governed his dawn of life； he
despaired of ever finding again。
At thirty years of age； Comte Felix determined to put an end to the
burden of his various felicities by marriage。 On that point his ideas
were extremely fixed； he wanted a young girl brought up in the
strictest tenets of Catholicism。 It was enough for him to know how the
Comtesse de Granville had trained her daughters to make him； after he
had once resolved on marriage； request the hand of the eldest。 He
himself had suffered under the despotism of a mother； he still
remembered his unhappy childhood too well not to recognize； beneath
the reserves of feminine shyness； the state to which such a yoke must
have brought the heart of a young girl； whether that heart was soured；
embittered； or rebellious； or whether it was still peaceful； lovable；
and ready to unclose to noble sentiments。 Tyranny produces two
opposite effects； the symbols of which exist in two grand figures of
ancient slavery； Epictetus and Spartacus；hatred and evil feelings on
the one hand； resignation and tenderness； on the other。
The Comte de Vandenesse recognized himself in Marie…Angelique de
Granville。 In choosing for his wife an artless； innocent； and pure
young girl； this young old man determined to mingle a paternal feeling
with the conjugal feeling。 He knew his own heart was withered by the
world and by politics； and he felt that he was giving in exchange for
a dawning life the remains of a worn…out existence。 Beside those
springtide flowers he was putting the ice of winter； hoary experience
with young and innocent ignorance。 After soberly judging the position；
he took up his conjug
