the ball at sceaux-第4章

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〃Though　young　and　of　an　ancient　family；　he　must　be　a　peer　of　France；〃

said　she　to　herself。　〃I　could　not　bear　not　to　see　my　coat…of…arms　on

the　panels　of　my　carriage　among　the　folds　of　azure　mantling；　not　to

drive　like　the　princes　down　the　broad　walk　of　the　Champs…Elysees　on

the　days　of　Longchamps　in　Holy　Week。　Besides；　my　father　says　that　it

will　someday　be　the　highest　dignity　in　France。　He　must　be　a　soldier

but　I　reserve　the　right　of　making　him　retire；　and　he　must　bear　an

Order；　that　the　sentries　may　present　arms　to　us。〃



And　these　rare　qualifications　would　count　for　nothing　if　this　creature

of　fancy　had　not　the　most　amiable　temper；　a　fine　figure；　intelligence；

and；　above　all；　if　he　were　not　slender。　To　be　lean；　a　personal　grace

which　is　but　fugitive；　especially　under　a　representative　government；

was　an　indispensable　condition。　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　had　an　ideal

standard　which　was　to　be　the　model。　A　young　man　who　at　the　first

glance　did　not　fulfil　the　requisite　conditions　did　not　even　get　a

second　look。



〃Good　Heavens！　see　how　fat　he　is！〃　was　with　her　the　utmost　expression

of　contempt。



To　hear　her；　people　of　respectable　corpulence　were　incapable　of

sentiment；　bad　husbands；　and　unfit　for　civilized　society。　Though　it　is

esteemed　a　beauty　in　the　East；　to　be　fat　seemed　to　her　a　misfortune

for　a　woman；　but　in　a　man　it　was　a　crime。　These　paradoxical　views　were

amusing；　thanks　to　a　certain　liveliness　of　rhetoric。　The　Count　felt

nevertheless　that　by…and…by　his　daughter's　affections；　of　which　the

absurdity　would　be　evident　to　some　women　who　were　not　less　clear…

sighted　than　merciless；　would　inevitably　become　a　subject　of　constant

ridicule。　He　feared　lest　her　eccentric　notions　should　deviate　into　bad

style。　He　trembled　to　think　that　the　pitiless　world　might　already　be

laughing　at　a　young　woman　who　remained　so　long　on　the　stage　without

arriving　at　any　conclusion　of　the　drama　she　was　playing。　More　than　one

actor　in　it；　disgusted　by　a　refusal；　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　the

slightest　turn　of　ill…luck　to　take　his　revenge。　The　indifferent；　the

lookers…on　were　beginning　to　weary　of　it；　admiration　is　always

exhausting　to　human　beings。　The　old　Vendeen　knew　better　than　any　one

that　if　there　is　an　art　in　choosing　the　right　moment　for　coming

forward　on　the　boards　of　the　world；　on　those　of　the　Court；　in　a

drawing…room　or　on　the　stage；　it　is　still　more　difficult　to　quit　them

in　the　nick　of　time。　So　during　the　first　winter　after　the　accession　of

Charles　X。；　he　redoubled　his　efforts；　seconded　by　his　three　sons　and

his　sons…in…law；　to　assemble　in　the　rooms　of　his　official　residence

the　best　matches　which　Paris　and　the　various　deputations　from

departments　could　offer。　The　splendor　of　his　entertainments；　the

luxury　of　his　dining…room；　and　his　dinners；　fragrant　with　truffles；

rivaled　the　famous　banquets　by　which　the　ministers　of　that　time

secured　the　vote　of　their　parliamentary　recruits。



The　Honorable　Deputy　was　consequently　pointed　at　as　a　most　influential

corrupter　of　the　legislative　honesty　of　the　illustrious　Chamber　that

was　dying　as　it　would　seem　of　indigestion。　A　whimsical　result！　his

efforts　to　get　his　daughter　married　secured　him　a　splendid　popularity。

He　perhaps　found　some　covert　advantage　in　selling　his　truffles　twice

over。　This　accusation；　started　by　certain　mocking　Liberals；　who　made

up　by　their　flow　of　words　for　their　small　following　in　the　Chamber；

was　not　a　success。　The　Poitevin　gentleman　had　always　been　so　noble　and

so　honorable；　that　he　was　not　once　the　object　of　those　epigrams　which

the　malicious　journalism　of　the　day　hurled　at　the　three　hundred　votes

of　the　centre；　at　the　Ministers；　the　cooks；　the　Directors…General；　the

princely　Amphitryons；　and　the　official　supporters　of　the　Villele

Ministry。



At　the　close　of　this　campaign；　during　which　Monsieur　de　Fontaine　had

on　several　occasions　brought　out　all　his　forces；　he　believed　that　this

time　the　procession　of　suitors　would　not　be　a　mere　dissolving　view　in

his　daughter's　eyes；　that　it　was　time　she　should　make　up　her　mind。　He

felt　a　certain　inward　satisfaction　at　having　well　fulfilled　his　duty

as　a　father。　And　having　left　no　stone　unturned；　he　hoped　that；　among

so　many　hearts　laid　at　Emilie's　feet；　there　might　be　one　to　which　her

caprice　might　give　a　preference。　Incapable　of　repeating　such　an

effort；　and　tired；　too；　of　his　daughter's　conduct；　one　morning；

towards　the　end　of　Lent；　when　the　business　at　the　Chamber　did　not

demand　his　vote；　he　determined　to　ask　what　her　views　were。　While　his

valet　was　artistically　decorating　his　bald　yellow　head　with　the　delta

of　powder　which；　with　the　hanging　〃ailes　de　pigeon；〃　completed　his

venerable　style　of　hairdressing；　Emilie's　father；　not　without　some

secret　misgivings；　told　his　old　servant　to　go　and　desire　the　haughty

damsel　to　appear　in　the　presence　of　the　head　of　the　family。



〃Joseph；〃　he　added；　when　his　hair　was　dressed；　〃take　away　that　towel；

draw　back　the　curtains；　put　those　chairs　square；　shake　the　rug；　and

lay　it　quite　straight。　Dust　everything。Now；　air　the　room　a　little　by

opening　the　window。〃



The　Count　multiplied　his　orders；　putting　Joseph　out　of　breath；　and　the

old　servant；　understanding　his　master's　intentions；　aired　and　tidied

the　room；　of　course　the　least　cared　for　of　any　in　the　house；　and

succeeded　in　giving　a　look　of　harmony　to　the　files　of　bills；　the

letter…boxes；　the　books　and　furniture　of　this　sanctum；　where　the

interests　of　the　royal　demesnes　were　debated　over。　When　Joseph　had

reduced　this　chaos　to　some　sort　of　order；　and　brought　to　the　front

such　things　as　might　be　most　pleasing　to　the　eye；　as　if　it　were　a　shop

front；　or　such　as　by　their　color　might　give　the　effect　of　a　kind　of

official　poetry；　he　stood　for　a　minute　in　the　midst　of　the　labyrinth

of　papers　piled　in　some　places　even　on　the　floor；　admired　his

handiwork；　jerked　his　head；　and　went。



The　anxious　sinecure…holder　did　not　share　his　retainer's　favorable

opinion。　Before　seating　himself　in　his　deep　chair；　whose　rounded　back

screened　him　from　draughts；　he　looked　round　him　doubtfully；　examined

his　dressing…gown　with　a　hostile　expression；　shook　off　a　few　grains　of

snuff；　carefully　wiped　his　nose；　arranged　the　tongs　and　shovel；　made

the　fire；　pulled　up　the　heels　of　his　slippers；　pulled　out　his　little

queue　of　hair　which　had　lodged　horizontally　between　the　collar　of　his

waistcoat　and　that　of　his　dressing…gown　restoring　it　to　its

perpendicular　position；　then　he　swept　up　the　ashes　of　the　hearth；

which　bore　witness　to　a　persistent　catarrh。　Finally；　the　old　man　did

not　settle　himself　till　he　had　once　more　looked　all　over　the　room；

hoping　that　nothing　could　give　occasion　to　the　saucy　and　impertinent

remarks　with　which　his　daughter　was　apt　to　answer　his　good　advice。　On

this　occasion　he　was　anxious　not　to　compromise　his　dignity　as　a

father。　He　daintily　took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　cleared　his　throat　two　or

three　times；　as　if　he　were　about　to　demand　a　count　out　of　the　House；

then　he　heard　his　daughter's　light　step；　and　she　came　in　humming　an

air　from　Il　Barbiere。



〃Good…morning；　papa。　What　do　you　want　with　me　so　early？〃　Having　sung

these　words；　as　though　they　were　the　refrain　of　the　melody；　she　kissed

the　Count；　not　with　the　familiar　tenderness　which　makes　a　daughter's

love　so　sweet　a　thing；　but　with　the　light　carelessness　of　a　mistress

confident　of　pleasing；　whatever　she　may　do。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Fontaine；　gravely；　〃I　sent　for　you

to　talk　to　you　very　seriously　about　your　future　prospects。　You　are　at

this　moment　under　the　necessity　of　making　such　a　choice　of　a　husband

as　may　secure　your　durable　happiness〃



〃My　good　father；〃　replied　Emilie；　assuming　her　most　coaxing　tone　of

voice　to　interrupt　him；　〃it　strikes　me　that　the　armistice　on　which　we

agreed　as　to　my　suitors　is　not　yet　expired。〃



〃Emilie；　we　must　to…day　forbear　from　jesting　on　so　important　a　matter。

For　some　time　past　the　efforts　of　those　who　most　truly　love　you；　my

dear　child；　have　been　concentrated　on　the　endeavor　to　settle　you

suitably；　and　you　would　be　guilty　of　ingratitude　in　meeting　with

levity　those　proofs　of　kindness　which　I　am　not　alone　in　lavishing　on

you。〃



As　she　heard　these　words；　after　flashing　a　mischievously　inquisitive

look　at　the　furniture　of　her　father's　study；　the　young　girl　brought

forward　the　armchair　which　looked　as　if　it　had　been　least　used　by

petitioners；　set　it　at　the　side　of　the　fireplace　so　as　to　sit　facing

her　father；　and　settled　herself　in　so　solemn　an　attitude　that　it　was

impossible　not　to　read　in　it　a　mocking　intention；　crossing　her　arms

over　the　dainty　trimmings　of　a　pelerine　a　la　neige；　and　ruthlessly

crushing　its　endless　frills　of　white　tulle。　After　a　laughing　side

glance　at　her　old　father's　troubled　face；　she　broke　silence。



〃I　never　heard　you　say；　my　dear　father；　that　the　Government　issued　its

instructions　in　its　dressing…gown。　However；〃　and　she　smiled；　〃that

does　not　matter；　the　mob　are　probably　not　particular。　Now；　what　are

your　proposals　for　legislation；　and　your　official　introductions？〃



〃I　shall　not　always　be　able　to　make　them；　headstrong　girl！Listen；

Emilie。　It　is　my　intention　no　longer　to　compromise　my　reputation；

which　is　part　of　my　children's　fortune；　by　recruiting　the　regiment　of

dancers　which；　spring　after　spring；　you　put　to　rout。　You　have　already

been　the　cause　of　many　dangerous　misunderstandings　with　certain

families。　I　hope　to　make　you　perceive　more　truly　the　difficulties　of

your　position　and　of　ours。　You　are　two…and…twenty；　my　dear　child；　and

you　ought　to　have　been　married　nearly　three　years　since。　Your　brothers

and　your　two　sisters　are　richly　and　happily　provided　for。　But；　my

dear；　the　expenses　occasioned　by　these　marriages；　and　the　style　of

housekeeping　you　require　of　your　mother；　have　made　such　inroads　on　our

income　that　I　can　hardly　promise　you　a　hundred　thousand　francs　as　a

marriage　portion。　From　this　day　forth　I　shall　think　only　of　providing

for　your　mother；　who　must　not　be　sacrificed　to　her　children。　Emilie；

if　I　were　to　be　taken　from　my　family　Madame　de　Fontaine　could　not　be

left　at　anybody's　mercy；　and　ought　to　enjoy　the　affluence　which　I　have

given　her　too　late　as　the　reward　of　her　devotion　in　my　misfortunes。

You　see；　my　child；　that　the　amount　of　your　fortune　bears　no　relation

to　your　notions　of　grandeur。　Even　that　would　be　such　a　sacrifice　as　I

have　not　hitherto　made　for　either　of　my　children；　but　they　have

generously　agreed　not　to　expect　in　the　future　any　compensation　for　the

advantage　thus　given　to　a　too　favored　child。〃



〃In　their　position！〃　said　Emilie；　with　an　ironical　toss　of　her　head。



〃My　dear；　do　not　so　depreciate　those　who　love　you。　Only　the　poor　are

generous　as　a　rule；　the　rich　have　always　excellent　reasons　for　not

handing　over　twenty　thousand　francs　to　a　relation。　Come；　my　child；　do

not　pout；　let　us　talk　rationally。Among　the　yo