the ball at sceaux-第7章

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young　girl's　infant　passion　so　effectually　as　an　obstacle；　there　was　a

time　when　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　was　on　the　point　of　giving　up　her

strange　and　secret　search；　almost　despairing　of　the　success　of　an

enterprise　whose　singularity　may　give　some　idea　of　the　boldness　of　her

temper。　In　point　of　fact；　she　might　have　wandered　long　about　the

village　of　Chatenay　without　meeting　her　Unknown。　The　fair　Clarasince

that　was　the　name　Emilie　had　overheardwas　not　English；　and　the

stranger　who　escorted　her　did　not　dwell　among　the　flowery　and　fragrant

bowers　of　Chatenay。



One　evening　Emilie；　out　riding　with　her　uncle；　who；　during　the　fine

weather；　had　gained　a　fairly　long　truce　from　the　gout；　met　Lady

Dudley。　The　distinguished　foreigner　had　with　her　in　her　open　carriage

Monsieur　Vandenesse。　Emilie　recognized　the　handsome　couple；　and　her

suppositions　were　at　once　dissipated　like　a　dream。　Annoyed；　as　any

woman　must　be　whose　expectations　are　frustrated；　she　touched　up　her

horse　so　suddenly　that　her　uncle　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in

following　her；　she　had　set　off　at　such　a　pace。



〃I　am　too　old；　it　would　seem；　to　understand　these　youthful　spirits；〃

said　the　old　sailor　to　himself　as　he　put　his　horse　to　a　canter；　〃or

perhaps　young　people　are　not　what　they　used　to　be。　But　what　ails　my

niece？　Now　she　is　walking　at　a　foot…pace　like　a　gendarme　on　patrol　in

the　Paris　streets。　One　might　fancy　she　wanted　to　outflank　that　worthy

man；　who　looks　to　me　like　an　author　dreaming　over　his　poetry；　for　he

has；　I　think；　a　notebook　in　his　hand。　My　word；　I　am　a　great　simpleton！

Is　not　that　the　very　young　man　we　are　in　search　of！〃



At　this　idea　the　old　admiral　moderated　his　horse's　pace　so　as　to

follow　his　niece　without　making　any　noise。　He　had　played　too　many

pranks　in　the　years　1771　and　soon　after；　a　time　of　our　history　when

gallantry　was　held　in　honor；　not　to　guess　at　once　that　by　the　merest

chance　Emilie　had　met　the　Unknown　of　the　Sceaux　gardens。　In　spite　of

the　film　which　age　had　drawn　over　his　gray　eyes；　the　Comte　de

Kergarouet　could　recognize　the　signs　of　extreme　agitation　in　his

niece；　under　the　unmoved　expression　she　tried　to　give　to　her　features。

The　girl's　piercing　eyes　were　fixed　in　a　sort　of　dull　amazement　on　the

stranger；　who　quietly　walked　on　in　front　of　her。



〃Ay；　that's　it；〃　thought　the　sailor。　〃She　is　following　him　as　a　pirate

follows　a　merchantman。　Then；　when　she　has　lost　sight　of　him；　she　will

be　in　despair　at　not　knowing　who　it　is　she　is　in　love　with；　and

whether　he　is　a　marquis　or　a　shopkeeper。　Really　these　young　heads　need

an　old　fogy　like　me　always　by　their　side　。　。　。〃



He　unexpectedly　spurred　his　horse　in　such　a　way　as　to　make　his　niece's

bolt；　and　rode　so　hastily　between　her　and　the　young　man　on　foot　that

he　obliged　him　to　fall　back　on　to　the　grassy　bank　which　rose　from　the

roadside。　Then；　abruptly　drawing　up；　the　Count　exclaimed：



〃Couldn't　you　get　out　of　the　way？〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　monsieur。　But　I　did　not　know　that　it　lay　with　me

to　apologize　to　you　because　you　almost　rode　me　down。〃



〃There；　enough　of　that；　my　good　fellow！〃　replied　the　sailor　harshly；

in　a　sneering　tone　that　was　nothing　less　than　insulting。　At　the　same

time　the　Count　raised　his　hunting…crop　as　if　to　strike　his　horse；　and

touched　the　young　fellow's　shoulder；　saying；　〃A　liberal　citizen　is　a

reasoner；　every　reasoner　should　be　prudent。〃



The　young　man　went　up　the　bankside　as　he　heard　the　sarcasm；　then　he

crossed　his　arms；　and　said　in　an　excited　tone　of　voice；　〃I　cannot

suppose；　monsieur；　as　I　look　at　your　white　hairs；　that　you　still　amuse

yourself　by　provoking　duels〃



〃White　hairs！〃　cried　the　sailor；　interrupting　him。　〃You　lie　in　your

throat。　They　are　only　gray。〃



A　quarrel　thus　begun　had　in　a　few　seconds　become　so　fierce　that　the

younger　man　forgot　the　moderation　he　had　tried　to　preserve。　Just　as

the　Comte　de　Kergarouet　saw　his　niece　coming　back　to　them　with　every

sign　of　the　greatest　uneasiness；　he　told　his　antagonist　his　name；

bidding　him　keep　silence　before　the　young　lady　entrusted　to　his　care。

The　stranger　could　not　help　smiling　as　he　gave　a　visiting　card　to　the

old　man；　desiring　him　to　observe　that　he　was　living　at　a　country…house

at　Chevreuse；　and；　after　pointing　this　out　to　him；　he　hurried　away。



〃You　very　nearly　damaged　that　poor　young　counter…jumper；　my　dear；〃

said　the　Count；　advancing　hastily　to　meet　Emilie。　〃Do　you　not　know　how

to　hold　your　horse　in？And　there　you　leave　me　to　compromise　my

dignity　in　order　to　screen　your　folly；　whereas　if　you　had　but　stopped；

one　of　your　looks；　or　one　of　your　pretty　speechesone　of　those　you

can　make　so　prettily　when　you　are　not　pertwould　have　set　everything

right；　even　if　you　had　broken　his　arm。〃



〃But；　my　dear　uncle；　it　was　your　horse；　not　mine；　that　caused　the

accident。　I　really　think　you　can　no　longer　ride；　you　are　not　so　good　a

horseman　as　you　were　last　year。But　instead　of　talking　nonsense〃



〃Nonsense；　by　Gad！　Is　it　nothing　to　be　so　impertinent　to　your　uncle？〃



〃Ought　we　not　to　go　on　and　inquire　if　the　young　man　is　hurt？　He　is

limping；　uncle；　only　look！〃



〃No；　he　is　running；　I　rated　him　soundly。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　uncle；　I　know　you　there！〃



〃Stop；〃　said　the　Count；　pulling　Emilie's　horse　by　the　bridle；　〃I　do

not　see　the　necessity　of　making　advances　to　some　shopkeeper　who　is

only　too　lucky　to　have　been　thrown　down　by　a　charming　young　lady；　or

the　commander　of　La　Belle…Poule。〃



〃Why　do　you　think　he　is　anything　so　common；　my　dear　uncle？　He　seems　to

me　to　have　very　fine　manners。〃



〃Every　one　has　manners　nowadays；　my　dear。〃



〃No；　uncle；　not　every　one　has　the　air　and　style　which　come　of　the

habit　of　frequenting　drawing…rooms；　and　I　am　ready　to　lay　a　bet　with

you　that　the　young　man　is　of　noble　birth。〃



〃You　had　not　long　to　study　him。〃



〃No；　but　it　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　seen　him。〃



〃Nor　is　it　the　first　time　you　have　looked　for　him；〃　replied　the

admiral　with　a　laugh。



Emilie　colored。　Her　uncle　amused　himself　for　some　time　with　her

embarrassment；　then　he　said：　〃Emilie；　you　know　that　I　love　you　as　my

own　child；　precisely　because　you　are　the　only　member　of　the　family　who

has　the　legitimate　pride　of　high　birth。　Devil　take　it；　child；　who

could　have　believed　that　sound　principles　would　become　so　rare？　Well；

I　will　be　your　confidant。　My　dear　child；　I　see　that　his　young

gentleman　is　not　indifferent　to　you。　Hush！　All　the　family　would　laugh

at　us　if　we　sailed　under　the　wrong　flag。　You　know　what　that　means。　We

two　will　keep　our　secret；　and　I　promise　to　bring　him　straight　into　the

drawing…room。〃



〃When；　uncle？〃



〃To…morrow。〃



〃But；　my　dear　uncle；　I　am　not　committed　to　anything？〃



〃Nothing　whatever；　and　you　may　bombard　him；　set　fire　to　him；　and　leave

him　to　founder　like　an　old　hulk　if　you　choose。　He　won't　be　the　first；

I　fancy？〃



〃You　ARE　kind；　uncle！〃



As　soon　as　the　Count　got　home　he　put　on　his　glasses；　quietly　took　the

card　out　of　his　pocket；　and　read；　〃Maximilien　Longueville；　Rue　de

Sentier。〃



〃Make　yourself　happy；　my　dear　niece；〃　he　said　to　Emilie；　〃you　may　hook

him　with　any　easy　conscience；　he　belongs　to　one　of　our　historical

families；　and　if　he　is　not　a　peer　of　France；　he　infallibly　will　be。〃



〃How　do　you　know　so　much？〃



〃That　is　my　secret。〃



〃Then　do　you　know　his　name？〃



The　old　man　bowed　his　gray　head；　which　was　not　unlike　a　gnarled　oak…

stump；　with　a　few　leaves　fluttering　about　it；　withered　by　autumnal

frosts；　and　his　niece　immediately　began　to　try　the　ever…new　power　of

her　coquettish　arts。　Long　familiar　with　the　secret　of　cajoling　the　old

man；　she　lavished　on　him　the　most　childlike　caresses；　the　tenderest

names；　she　even　went　so　far　as　to　kiss　him　to　induce　him　to　divulge　so

important　a　secret。　The　old　man；　who　spent　his　life　in　playing　off

these　scenes　on　his　niece；　often　paying　for　them　with　a　present　of

jewelry；　or　by　giving　her　his　box　at　the　opera；　this　time　amused

himself　with　her　entreaties；　and；　above　all；　her　caresses。　But　as　he

spun　out　this　pleasure　too　long；　Emilie　grew　angry；　passed　from

coaxing　to　sarcasm　and　sulks；　then；　urged　by　curiosity；　she　recovered

herself。　The　diplomatic　admiral　extracted　a　solemn　promise　from　his

niece　that　she　would　for　the　future　be　gentler；　less　noisy；　and　less

wilful；　that　she　would　spend　less；　and；　above　all；　tell　him

everything。　The　treaty　being　concluded；　and　signed　by　a　kiss　impressed

on　Emilie's　white　brow；　he　led　her　into　a　corner　of　the　room；　drew　her

on　to　his　knee；　held　the　card　under　the　thumbs　so　as　to　hide　it；　and

then　uncovered　the　letters　one　by　one；　spelling　the　name　of

Longueville；　but　he　firmly　refused　to　show　her　anything　more。



This　incident　added　to　the　intensity　of　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine's

secret　sentiment；　and　during　chief　part　of　the　night　she　evolved　the

most　brilliant　pictures　from　the　dreams　with　which　she　had　fed　her

hopes。　At　last；　thanks　to　chance；　to　which　she　had　so　often　appealed；

Emilie　could　now　see　something　very　unlike　a　chimera　at　the　fountain…

head　of　the　imaginary　wealth　with　which　she　gilded　her　married　life。

Ignorant；　as　all　young　girls　are；　of　the　perils　of　love　and　marriage；

she　was　passionately　captivated　by　the　externals　of　marriage　and　love。

Is　not　this　as　much　as　to　say　that　her　feeling　had　birth　like　all　the

feelings　of　extreme　youthsweet　but　cruel　mistakes；　which　exert　a

fatal　influence　on　the　lives　of　young　girls　so　inexperienced　as　to

trust　their　own　judgment　to　take　care　of　their　future　happiness？



Next　morning；　before　Emilie　was　awake；　her　uncle　had　hastened　to

Chevreuse。　On　recognizing；　in　the　courtyard　of　an　elegant　little

villa；　the　young　man　he　had　so　determinedly　insulted　the　day　before；

he　went　up　to　him　with　the　pressing　politeness　of　men　of　the　old

court。



〃Why；　my　dear　sir；　who　could　have　guessed　that　I　should　have　a　brush；

at　the　age　of　seventy…three；　with　the　son；　or　the　grandson；　of　one　of

my　best　friends。　I　am　a　vice…admiral；　monsieur；　is　not　that　as　much　as

to　say　that　I　think　no　more　of　fighting　a　duel　than　of　smoking　a

cigar？　Why；　in　my　time；　no　two　young　men　could　be　intimate　till　they

had　seen　the　color　of　their　blood！　But　'sdeath；　sir；　last　evening；

sailor…like；　I　had　taken　a　drop　too　much　grog　on　board；　and　I　ran　you

down。　Shake　hands；　I　would　rather　take　a　hundred　rebuffs　from　a

Longueville　than　cause　his　family　the　smallest　regret。〃



However　coldly　the　young　man　tried　to　behave　to　the　Comte　de

Kergarouet；　he　could　not　resist　the　frank　cordiality　of　his　manner；

and　presently　gave　him　his　hand。



〃You　were　going　out　riding；〃　said　the　Count。　〃Do　not　let　me　detain

you。　But；　unless　you　have　other　plans；　I　beg　you　will　come　to　dinner

to…day　at　the　Villa　Planat。　My　nephew；　the　Comte　de　Fontaine；　is　a　man

it　is　essential　that　you　should　know。　Ah；　ha！　And　I　propose　to　make　up

to　you　for　my　clumsiness　by　introdu