the ball at sceaux-第10章

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hesitancies　of　suspicion。　At　first；　indeed；　they　could　only　express

themselves　by　a　pressure　of　hands　which　interpreted　their　happy

thoughts。



After　slowing　pacing　a　few　steps　in　long　silence；　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine　spoke。　〃Monsieur；　I　have　a　question　to　ask　you；〃　she　said

trembling；　and　in　an　agitated　voice。　〃But；　remember；　I　beg；　that　it　is

in　a　manner　compulsory　on　me；　from　the　rather　singular　position　I　am

in　with　regard　to　my　family。〃



A　pause；　terrible　to　Emilie；　followed　these　sentences；　which　she　had

almost　stammered　out。　During　the　minute　while　it　lasted；　the　girl；

haughty　as　she　was；　dared　not　meet　the　flashing　eye　of　the　man　she

loved；　for　she　was　secretly　conscious　of　the　meanness　of　the　next

words　she　added：　〃Are　you　of　noble　birth？〃



As　soon　as　the　words　were　spoken　she　wished　herself　at　the　bottom　of　a

lake。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　Longueville　gravely　replied；　and　his　face　assumed　a

sort　of　stern　dignity；　〃I　promise　to　answer　you　truly　as　soon　as　you

shall　have　answered　in　all　sincerity　a　question　I　will　put　to　you！〃

He　released　her　arm；　and　the　girl　suddenly　felt　alone　in　the　world；　as

he　said：　〃What　is　your　object　in　questioning　me　as　to　my　birth？〃



She　stood　motionless；　cold；　and　speechless。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　Maximilien　went　on；　〃let　us　go　no　further　if　we　do　not

understand　each　other。　I　love　you；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　of　deep

emotion。　〃Well；　then；〃　he　added；　as　he　heard　the　joyful　exclamation

she　could　not　suppress；　〃why　ask　me　if　I　am　of　noble　birth？〃



〃Could　he　speak　so　if　he　were　not？〃　cried　a　voice　within　her；　which

Emilie　believed　came　from　the　depths　of　her　heart。　She　gracefully

raised　her　head；　seemed　to　find　new　life　in　the　young　man's　gaze；　and

held　out　her　hand　as　if　to　renew　the　alliance。



〃You　thought　I　cared　very　much　for　dignities？〃　said　she　with　keen

archness。



〃I　have　no　titles　to　offer　my　wife；〃　he　replied；　in　a　half…sportive；

half…serious　tone。　〃But　if　I　choose　one　of　high　rank；　and　among　women

whom　a　wealthy　home　has　accustomed　to　the　luxury　and　pleasures　of　a

fine　fortune；　I　know　what　such　a　choice　requires　of　me。　Love　gives

everything；〃　he　added　lightly；　〃but　only　to　lovers。　Once　married；　they

need　something　more　than　the　vault　of　heaven　and　the　carpet　of　a

meadow。〃



〃He　is　rich；〃　she　reflected。　〃As　to　titles；　perhaps　he　only　wants　to

try　me。　He　has　been　told　that　I　am　mad　about　titles；　and　bent　on

marrying　none　but　a　peer's　son。　My　priggish　sisters　have　played　me

that　trick。〃〃I　assure　you；　monsieur；〃　she　said　aloud；　〃that　I　have

had　very　extravagant　ideas　about　life　and　the　world；　but　now；〃　she

added　pointedly；　looking　at　him　in　a　perfectly　distracting　way；　〃I

know　where　true　riches　are　to　be　found　for　a　wife。〃



〃I　must　believe　that　you　are　speaking　from　the　depths　of　your　heart；〃

he　said；　with　gentle　gravity。　〃But　this　winter；　my　dear　Emilie；　in

less　than　two　months　perhaps；　I　may　be　proud　of　what　I　shall　have　to

offer　you　if　you　care　for　the　pleasures　of　wealth。　This　is　the　only

secret　I　shall　keep　locked　here；〃　and　he　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；

〃for　on　its　success　my　happiness　depends。　I　dare　not　say　ours。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　ours！〃



Exchanging　such　sweet　nothings；　they　slowly　made　their　way　back　to

rejoin　the　company。　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　had　never　found　her　lover

more　amiable　or　wittier：　his　light　figure；　his　engaging　manners；

seemed　to　her　more　charming　than　ever；　since　the　conversation　which

had　made　her　to　some　extent　the　possessor　of　a　heart　worthy　to　be　the

envy　of　every　woman。　They　sang　an　Italian　duet　with　so　much　expression

that　the　audience　applauded　enthusiastically。　Their　adieux　were　in　a

conventional　tone；　which　concealed　their　happiness。　In　short；　this　day

had　been　to　Emilie　like　a　chain　binding　her　more　closely　than　ever　to

the　Stranger's　fate。　The　strength　and　dignity　he　had　displayed　in　the

scene　when　they　had　confessed　their　feelings　had　perhaps　impressed

Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　with　the　respect　without　which　there　is　no

true　love。



When　she　was　left　alone　in　the　drawing…room　with　her　father；　the　old

man　went　up　to　her　affectionately；　held　her　hands；　and　asked　her

whether　she　had　gained　any　light　at　to　Monsieur　Longueville's　family

and　fortune。



〃Yes；　my　dear　father；〃　she　replied；　〃and　I　am　happier　than　I　could

have　hoped。　In　short；　Monsieur　de　Longueville　is　the　only　man　I　could

ever　marry。〃



〃Very　well；　Emilie；〃　said　the　Count；　〃then　I　know　what　remains　for　me

to　do。〃



〃Do　you　know　of　any　impediment？〃　she　asked；　in　sincere　alarm。



〃My　dear　child；　the　young　man　is　totally　unknown　to　me；　but　unless　he

is　not　a　man　of　honor；　so　long　as　you　love　him；　he　is　as　dear　to　me　as

a　son。〃



〃Not　a　man　of　honor！〃　exclaimed　Emilie。　〃As　to　that；　I　am　quite　easy。

My　uncle；　who　introduced　him　to　us；　will　answer　for　him。　Say；　my　dear

uncle；　has　he　been　a　filibuster；　an　outlaw；　a　pirate？〃



〃I　knew　I　should　find　myself　in　this　fix！〃　cried　the　old　sailor；

waking　up。　He　looked　round　the　room；　but　his　niece　had　vanished　〃like

Saint…Elmo's　fires；〃　to　use　his　favorite　expression。



〃Well；　uncle；〃　Monsieur　de　Fontaine　went　on；　〃how　could　you　hide　from

us　all　you　knew　about　this　young　man？　You　must　have　seen　how　anxious

we　have　been。　Is　Monsieur　de　Longueville　a　man　of　family？〃



〃I　don't　know　him　from　Adam　or　Eve；〃　said　the　Comte　de　Kergarouet。

〃Trusting　to　that　crazy　child's　tact；　I　got　him　here　by　a　method　of　my

own。　I　know　that　the　boy　shoots　with　a　pistol　to　admiration；　hunts

well；　plays　wonderfully　at　billiards；　at　chess；　and　at　backgammon；　he

handles　the　foils；　and　rides　a　horse　like　the　late　Chevalier　de　Saint…

Georges。　He　has　a　thorough　knowledge　of　all　our　vintages。　He　is　as

good　an　arithmetician　as　Bareme；　draws；　dances；　and　sings　well。　The

devil's　in　it！　what　more　do　you　want？　If　that　is　not　a　perfect

gentleman；　find　me　a　bourgeois　who　knows　all　this；　or　any　man　who

lives　more　nobly　than　he　does。　Does　he　do　anything；　I　ask　you？　Does　he

compromise　his　dignity　by　hanging　about　an　office；　bowing　down　before

the　upstarts　you　call　Directors…General？　He　walks　upright。　He　is　a

man。However；　I　have　just　found　in　my　waistcoat　pocket　the　card　he

gave　me　when　he　fancied　I　wanted　to　cut　his　throat；　poor　innocent。

Young　men　are　very　simple…minded　nowadays！　Here　it　is。〃



〃Rue　du　Sentier；　No。　5；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　trying　to　recall

among　all　the　information　he　had　received；　something　which　might

concern　the　stranger。　〃What　the　devil　can　it　mean？　Messrs。　Palma；

Werbrust　&　Co。；　wholesale　dealers　in　muslins；　calicoes；　and　printed

cotton　goods；　live　there。Stay；　I　have　it：　Longueville　the　deputy　has

an　interest　in　their　house。　Well；　but　so　far　as　I　know；　Longueville

has　but　one　son　of　two…and…thirty；　who　is　not　at　all　like　our　man；　and

to　whom　he　gave　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year　that　he　might　marry　a

minister's　daughter；　he　wants　to　be　made　a　peer　like　the　rest　of　'em。

I　never　heard　him　mention　this　Maximilien。　Has　he　a　daughter？　What

is　this　girl　Clara？　Besides；　it　is　open　to　any　adventurer　to　call

himself　Longueville。　But　is　not　the　house　of　Palma；　Werbrust　&　Co。

half　ruined　by　some　speculation　in　Mexico　or　the　Indies？　I　will　clear

all　this　up。〃



〃You　speak　a　soliloquy　as　if　you　were　on　the　stage；　and　seem　to

account　me　a　cipher；〃　said　the　old　admiral　suddenly。　〃Don't　you　know

that　if　he　is　a　gentleman；　I　have　more　than　one　bag　in　my　hold　that

will　stop　any　leak　in　his　fortune？〃



〃As　to　that；　if　he　is　a　son　of　Longueville's；　he　will　want　nothing；

but；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　shaking　his　head　from　side　to　side；

〃his　father　has　not　even　washed　off　the　stains　of　his　origin。　Before

the　Revolution　he　was　an　attorney；　and　the　DE　he　has　since　assumed　no

more　belongs　to　him　than　half　of　his　fortune。〃



〃Pooh！　pooh！　happy　those　whose　fathers　were　hanged！〃　cried　the　admiral

gaily。







Three　or　four　days　after　this　memorable　day；　on　one　of　those　fine

mornings　in　the　month　of　November；　which　show　the　boulevards　cleaned

by　the　sharp　cold　of　an　early　frost；　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine；　wrapped

in　a　new　style　of　fur　cape；　of　which　she　wished　to　set　the　fashion；

went　out　with　two　of　her　sisters…in…law；　on　whom　she　had　been　wont　to

discharge　her　most　cutting　remarks。　The　three　women　were　tempted　to

the　drive；　less　by　their　desire　to　try　a　very　elegant　carriage；　and

wear　gowns　which　were　to　set　the　fashion　for　the　winter；　than　by　their

wish　to　see　a　cape　which　a　friend　had　observed　in　a　handsome　lace　and

linen　shop　at　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　la　Paix。　As　soon　as　they　were

in　the　shop　the　Baronne　de　Fontaine　pulled　Emilie　by　the　sleeve；　and

pointed　out　to　her　Maximilien　Longueville　seated　behind　the　desk；　and

engaged　in　paying　out　the　change　for　a　gold　piece　to　one　of　the

workwomen　with　whom　he　seemed　to　be　in　consultation。　The　〃handsome

stranger〃　held　in　his　hand　a　parcel　of　patterns；　which　left　no　doubt

as　to　his　honorable　profession。



Emilie　felt　an　icy　shudder；　though　no　one　perceived　it。　Thanks　to　the

good　breeding　of　the　best　society；　she　completely　concealed　the　rage

in　her　heart；　and　answered　her　sister…in…law　with　the　words；　〃I　knew

it；〃　with　a　fulness　of　intonation　and　inimitable　decision　which　the

most　famous　actress　of　the　time　might　have　envied　her。　She　went

straight　up　to　the　desk。　Longueville　looked　up；　put　the　patterns　in

his　pocket　with　distracting　coolness；　bowed　to　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine；　and　came　forward；　looking　at　her　keenly。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said　to　the　shopgirl；　who　followed　him；　looking

very　much　disturbed；　〃I　will　send　to　settle　that　account；　my　house

deals　in　that　way。　But　here；〃　he　whispered　into　her　ear；　as　he　gave

her　a　thousand…franc　note；　〃take　thisit　is　between　ourselves。You

will　forgive　me；　I　trust；　mademoiselle；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Emilie。

〃You　will　kindly　excuse　the　tyranny　of　business　matters。〃



〃Indeed；　monsieur；　it　seems　to　me　that　it　is　no　concern　of　mine；〃

replied　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine；　looking　at　him　with　a　bold

expression　of　sarcastic　indifference　which　might　have　made　any　one

believe　that　she　now　saw　him　for　the　first　time。



〃Do　you　really　mean　it？〃　asked　Maximilien　in　a　broken　voice。



Emilie　turned　her　back　upon　him　with　amazing　insolence。　These　words；

spoken　in　an　undertone；　had　escaped　the　ears　of　her　two　sisters…in…

law。　When；　after　buying　the　cape；　the　three　ladies　got　into　the

carriage　again；　Emilie；　seated　with　her　back　to　the　horses；　could　not

resist　one　last　comprehensive　glance　into　the　depths　of　the　odious

shop；　where　she　saw　Maximilien　standing　with　his　arms　folded；　in　the

attitude　of　a　man　superior　to　the　disaster　that　has　so　suddenly　fallen

on　him。　Their　eyes　met　and　flashed　implacable　looks。　Each　hoped　to

inflict　a　cruel　wound　on　the　heart　of　a　lover。　In　one　instant　they

were　as　far　apart　as　if　one　had　been　in　China　and　the　other　in

Greenland。



Does　not　th