the girl with the golden eyes-第11章

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colored　ornaments。　The　clock；　the　candelabra；　all　were　in　white　marble
and　gold。　The　only　table　there　had　a　cloth　of　cashmere。　Elegant
flower…pots　held　roses　of　every　kind；　flowers　white　or　red。　In　fine；
the　least　detail　seemed　to　have　been　the　object　of　loving　thought。
Never　had　richness　hidden　itself　more　coquettishly　to　become　elegance；
to　express　grace；　to　inspire　pleasure。　Everything　there　would　have
warmed　the　coldest　of　beings。　The　caresses　of　the　tapestry；　of　which
the　color　changed　according　to　the　direction　of　one's　gaze；　becoming
either　all　white　or　all　rose；　harmonized　with　the　effects　of　the　light
shed　upon　the　diaphanous　tissues　of　the　muslin；　which　produced　an
appearance　of　mistiness。　The　soul　has　I　know　not　what　attraction
towards　white；　love　delights　in　red；　and　the　passions　are　flattered　by
gold；　which　has　the　power　of　realizing　their　caprices。　Thus　all　that
man　possesses　within　him　of　vague　and　mysterious；　all　his　inexplicable
affinities；　were　caressed　in　their　involuntary　sympathies。　There　was
in　this　perfect　harmony　a　concert　of　color　to　which　the　soul　responded
with　vague　and　voluptuous　and　fluctuating　ideas。

It　was　out　of　a　misty　atmosphere；　laden　with　exquisite　perfumes；　that
Paquita；　clad　in　a　white　wrapper；　her　feet　bare；　orange　blossoms　in
her　black　hair；　appeared　to　Henri；　knelt　before　him；　adoring　him　as
the　god　of　this　temple；　whither　he　had　deigned　to　come。　Although　De
Marsay　was　accustomed　to　seeing　the　utmost　efforts　of　Parisian　luxury；
he　was　surprised　at　the　aspect　of　this　shell；　like　that　from　which
Venus　rose　out　of　the　sea。　Whether　from　an　effect　of　contrast　between
the　darkness　from　which　he　issued　and　the　light　which　bathed　his　soul；
whether　from　a　comparison　which　he　swiftly　made　between　this　scene　and
that　of　their　first　interview；　he　experienced　one　of　those　delicate
sensations　which　true　poetry　gives。　Perceiving　in　the　midst　of　this
retreat；　which　had　been　opened　to　him　as　by　a　fairy's　magic　wand；　the
masterpiece　of　creation；　this　girl；　whose　warmly　colored　tints；　whose
soft　skinsoft；　but　slightly　gilded　by　the　shadows；　by　I　know　not
what　vaporous　effusion　of　lovegleamed　as　though　it　reflected　the
rays　of　color　and　light；　his　anger；　his　desire　for　vengeance；　his
wounded　vanity；　all　were　lost。

Like　an　eagle　darting　on　his　prey；　he　took　her　utterly　to　him；　set　her
on　his　knees；　and　felt　with　an　indescribable　intoxication　the
voluptuous　pressure　of　this　girl；　whose　richly　developed　beauties
softly　enveloped　him。

〃Come　to　me；　Paquita！〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Speak；　speak　without　fear！〃　she　said。　〃This　retreat　was　built　for
love。　No　sound　can　escape　from　it；　so　greatly　was　it　desired　to　guard
avariciously　the　accents　and　music　of　the　beloved　voice。　However　loud
should　be　the　cries；　they　would　not　be　heard　without　these　walls。　A
person　might　be　murdered；　and　his　moans　would　be　as　vain　as　if　he　were
in　the　midst　of　the　great　desert。〃

〃Who　has　understood　jealousy　and　its　needs　so　well？〃

〃Never　question　me　as　to　that；〃　she　answered；　untying　with　a　gesture
of　wonderful　sweetness　the　young　man's　scarf；　doubtless　in　order　the
better　to　behold　his　neck。

〃Yes；　there　is　the　neck　I　love　so　well！〃　she　said。　〃Wouldst　thou
please　me？〃

This　interrogation；　rendered　by　the　accent　almost　lascivious；　drew　De
Marsay　from　the　reverie　in　which　he　had　been　plunged　by　Paquita's
authoritative　refusal　to　allow　him　any　research　as　to　the　unknown
being　who　hovered　like　a　shadow　about　them。

〃And　if　I　wished　to　know　who　reigns　here？〃

Paquita　looked　at　him　trembling。

〃It　is　not　I；　then？〃　he　said；　rising　and　freeing　himself　from　the
girl；　whose　head　fell　backwards。　〃Where　I　am；　I　would　be　alone。〃

〃Strike；　strike！　。　。　。〃　said　the　poor　slave；　a　prey　to　terror。

〃For　what　do　you　take　me；　then？　。　。　。　Will　you　answer？〃

Paquita　got　up　gently；　her　eyes　full　of　tears；　took　a　poniard　from　one
of　the　two　ebony　pieces　of　furniture；　and　presented　it　to　Henri　with　a
gesture　of　submission　which　would　have　moved　a　tiger。

〃Give　me　a　feast　such　as　men　give　when　they　love；〃　she　said；　〃and
whilst　I　sleep；　slay　me；　for　I　know　not　how　to　answer　thee。　Hearken！　I
am　bound　like　some　poor　beast　to　a　stake；　I　am　amazed　that　I　have　been
able　to　throw　a　bridge　over　the　abyss　which　divides　us。　Intoxicate　me；
then　kill　me！　Ah；　no；　no！〃　she　cried；　joining　her　hands；　〃do　not　kill
me！　I　love　life！　Life　is　fair　to　me！　If　I　am　a　slave；　I　am　a　queen
too。　I　could　beguile　you　with　words；　tell　you　that　I　love　you　alone；
prove　it　to　you；　profit　by　my　momentary　empire　to　say　to　you：　'Take　me
as　one　tastes　the　perfume　of　a　flower　when　one　passes　it　in　a　king's
garden。'　Then；　after　having　used　the　cunning　eloquence　of　woman　and
soared　on　the　wings　of　pleasure；　after　having　quenched　my　thirst；　I
could　have　you　cast　into　a　pit；　where　none　could　find　you；　which　has
been　made　to　gratify　vengeance　without　having　to　fear　that　of　the　law；
a　pit　full　of　lime　which　would　kindle　and　consume　you；　until　no
particle　of　you　were　left。　You　would　stay　in　my　heart；　mine　forever。〃

Henri　looked　at　the　girl　without　trembling；　and　this　fearless　gaze
filled　her　with　joy。

〃No；　I　shall　not　do　it！　You　have　fallen　into　no　trap　here；　but　upon
the　heart　of　a　woman　who　adores　you；　and　it　is　I　who　will　be　cast　into
the　pit。〃

〃All　this　appears　to　me　prodigiously　strange；〃　said　De　Marsay；
considering　her。　〃But　you　seem　to　me　a　good　girl；　a　strange　nature；
you　are；　upon　my　word　of　honor；　a　living　riddle；　the　answer　to　which
is　very　difficult　to　find。〃

Paquita　understood　nothing　of　what　the　young　man　said；　she　looked　at
him　gently；　opening　wide　eyes　which　could　never　be　stupid；　so　much　was
pleasure　written　in　them。

〃Come；　then；　my　love；〃　she　said；　returning　to　her　first　idea；　〃wouldst
thou　please　me？〃

〃I　would　do　all　that　thou　wouldst；　and　even　that　thou　wouldst　not；〃
answered　De　Marsay；　with　a　laugh。　He　had　recovered　his　foppish　ease；
as　he　took　the　resolve　to　let　himself　go　to　the　climax　of　his　good
fortune；　looking　neither　before　nor　after。　Perhaps　he　counted；
moreover；　on　his　power　and　his　capacity　of　a　man　used　to　adventures；
to　dominate　this　girl　a　few　hours　later　and　learn　all　her　secrets。

〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃let　me　arrange　you　as　I　would　like。〃

Paquita　went　joyously　and　took　from　one　of　the　two　chests　a　robe　of
red　velvet；　in　which　she　dressed　De　Marsay；　then　adorned　his　head　with
a　woman's　bonnet　and　wrapped　a　shawl　round　him。　Abandoning　herself　to
these　follies　with　a　child's　innocence；　she　laughed　a　convulsive
laugh；　and　resembled　some　bird　flapping　its　wings；　but　he　saw　nothing
beyond。

If　it　be　impossible　to　paint　the　unheard…of　delights　which　these　two
creaturesmade　by　heaven　in　a　joyous　momentfound；　it　is　perhaps
necessary　to　translate　metaphysically　the　extraordinary　and　almost
fantastic　impressions　of　the　young　man。　That　which　persons　in　the
social　position　of　De　Marsay；　living　as　he　lived；　are　best　able　to
recognize　is　a　girl's　innocence。　But；　strange　phenomenon！　The　girl　of
the　golden　eyes　might　be　virgin；　but　innocent　she　was　certainly　not。
The　fantastic　union　of　the　mysterious　and　the　real；　of　darkness　and
light；　horror　and　beauty；　pleasure　and　danger；　paradise　and　hell；
which　had　already　been　met　with　in　this　adventure；　was　resumed　in　the
capricious　and　sublime　being　with　which　De　Marsay　dallied。　All　the
utmost　science　or　the　most　refined　pleasure；　all　that　Henri　could　know
of　that　poetry　of　the　senses　which　is　called　love；　was　excelled　by　the
treasures　poured　forth　by　this　girl；　whose　radiant　eyes　gave　the　lie
to　none　of　the　promises　which　they　made。

She　was　an　Oriental　poem；　in　which　shone　the　sun　that　Saadi；　that
Hafiz；　have　set　in　their　pulsing　strophes。　Only；　neither　the　rhythm　of
Saadi；　nor　that　of　Pindar；　could　have　expressed　the　ecstasyfull　of
confusion　and　stupefactionwhich　seized　the　delicious　girl　when　the
error　in　which　an　iron　hand　had　caused　her　to　live　was　at　an　end。

〃Dead！〃　she　said；　〃I　am　dead；　Adolphe！　Take　me　away　to　the　world's
end；　to　an　island　where　no　one　knows　us。　Let　there　be　no　traces　of　our
flight！　We　should　be　followed　to　the　gates　of　hell。　God！　here　is　the
day！　Escape！　Shall　I　ever　see　you　again？　Yes；　to…morrow　I　will　see
you；　if　I　have　to　deal　death　to　all　my　warders　to　have　that　joy。　Till
to…morrow。〃

She　pressed　him　in　her　arms　with　an　embrace　in　which　the　terror　of
death　mingled。　Then　she　touched　a　spring；　which　must　have　been　in
connection　with　a　bell；　and　implored　De　Marsay　to　permit　his　eyes　to
be　bandaged。

〃And　if　I　would　notand　if　I　wished　to　stay　here？〃

〃You　would　be　the　death　of　me　more　speedily；〃　she　said；　〃for　now　I
know　I　am　certain　to　die　on　your　account。〃

Henri　submitted。　In　the　man　who　had　just　gorged　himself　with　pleasure
there　occurs　a　propensity　to　forgetfulness；　I　know　not　what
ingratitude；　a　desire　for　liberty；　a　whim　to　go　elsewhere；　a　tinge　of
contempt　and；　perhaps；　of　disgust　for　his　idol；　in　fine；　indescribable
sentiments　which　render　him　ignoble　and　ashamed。　The　certainty　of　this
confused；　but　real；　feeling　in　souls　who　are　not　illuminated　by　that
celestial　light；　nor　perfumed　with　that　holy　essence　from　which　the
performance　of　sentiment　springs；　doubtless　suggested　to　Rousseau　the
adventures　of　Lord　Edward；　which　conclude　the　letters　of　the　/Nouvelle
Heloise/。　If　Rousseau　is　obviously　inspired　by　the　work　of　Richardson；
he　departs　from　it　in　a　thousand　details；　which　leave　his　achievement
magnificently　original；　he　has　recommended　it　to　posterity　by　great
ideas　which　it　is　difficult　to　liberate　by　analysis；　when；　in　one's
youth；　one　reads　this　work　with　the　object　of　finding　in　it　the　lurid
representation　of　the　most　physical　of　our　feelings；　whereas　serious
and　philosophical　writers　never　employ　its　images　except　as　the
consequence　or　the　corollary　of　a　vast　thought；　and　the　adventures　of
Lord　Edward　are　one　of　the　most　Europeanly　delicate　ideas　of　the　whole
work。

Henri；　therefore；　found　himself　beneath　the　domination　of　that
confused　sentiment　which　is　unknown　to　true　love。　There　was　needful；
in　some　sort；　the　persuasive　grip　of　comparisons；　and　the　irresistible
attraction　of　memories　to　lead　him　back　to　a　woman。　True　love　rules
above　all　through　recollection。　A　woman　who　is　not　engraven　upon　the
soul　by　excess　of　pleasure　or　by　strength　of　emotion；　how　can　she　ever
be　loved？　In　Henri's　case；　Paquita　had　established　herself　by　both　of
these　reasons。　But　at　this　moment；　seized　as　he　was　by　the　satiety　of
his　happiness；　that　delicious　melancholy　of　the　body；　he　could　hardly
analyze　his　heart；　even　by　recalling　to　his　lips　the　taste　of　the
liveliest　gratifications　that　he　had　ever　grasped。

He　found　himself　on　the　Boulevard　Montmartre　at　the　break　of　day；
gazed　stupidly　at　the　retreating　carriage；　produced　two　cigars　from
his　pocket；　lit　one　from　the　lantern　of　a　good　woman　who　sold　brandy
and　coffee　to　workmen　and　street　arabs　and　chestnut　vendersto　all
the　Parisian　populace　which　begins　its　work　before　daybreak；　then　he
went　off；　smoking　his　cigar；　and　putting　his　hands　in　his　trousers'
pockets　with　a　devil…may…care　air　which　did　him　small　honor。

〃What　a　good　thing　a　cigar　is！　That's　one　thing　a　man