the ball at sceaux-第9章

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unconfessed　adorer。　Though　they　had　not　uttered　a　word　of　passion；　she

knew　that　she　was　loved；　and　with　what　art　did　she　not　lead　the

stranger　to　unlock　the　stores　of　his　information；　which　proved　to　be

varied！　She　perceived　that　she；　too；　was　being　studied；　and　that　made

her　endeavor　to　remedy　the　defects　her　education　had　encouraged。　Was

not　this　her　first　homage　to　love；　and　a　bitter　reproach　to　herself？

She　desired　to　please；　and　she　was　enchanting；　she　loved；　and　she　was

idolized。　Her　family；　knowing　that　her　pride　would　sufficiently

protect　her；　gave　her　enough　freedom　to　enjoy　the　little　childish

delights　which　give　to　first　love　its　charm　and　its　violence。　More

than　once　the　young　man　and　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　walked；　tete…a…

tete；　in　the　avenues　of　the　garden；　where　nature　was　dressed　like　a

woman　going　to　a　ball。　More　than　once　they　had　those　conversations；

aimless　and　meaningless；　in　which　the　emptiest　phrases　are　those　which

cover　the　deepest　feelings。　They　often　admired　together　the　setting

sun　and　its　gorgeous　coloring。　They　gathered　daisies　to　pull　the

petals　off；　and　sang　the　most　impassioned　duets；　using　the　notes　set

down　by　Pergolesi　or　Rossini　as　faithful　interpreters　to　express　their

secrets。



The　day　of　the　dance　came。　Clara　Longueville　and　her　brother；　whom　the

servants　persisted　in　honoring　with　the　noble　DE；　were　the　principle

guests。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　felt

pleasure　in　a　young　girl's　triumph。　She　lavished　on　Clara　in　all

sincerity　the　gracious　petting　and　little　attentions　which　women

generally　give　each　other　only　to　excite　the　jealousy　of　men。　Emilie；

had；　indeed；　an　object　in　view；　she　wanted　to　discover　some　secrets。

But；　being　a　girl；　Mademoiselle　Longueville　showed　even　more　mother…

wit　than　her　brother；　for　she　did　not　even　look　as　if　she　were　hiding

a　secret；　and　kept　the　conversation　to　subjects　unconnected　with

personal　interests；　while；　at　the　same　time；　she　gave　it　so　much　charm

that　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　was　almost　envious；　and　called　her　〃the

Siren。〃　Though　Emilie　had　intended　to　make　Clara　talk；　it　was　Clara；

in　fact；　who　questioned　Emilie；　she　had　meant　to　judge　her；　and　she

was　judged　by　her；　she　was　constantly　provoked　to　find　that　she　had

betrayed　her　own　character　in　some　reply　which　Clara　had　extracted

from　her；　while　her　modest　and　candid　manner　prohibited　any　suspicion

of　perfidy。　There　was　a　moment　when　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　seemed

sorry　for　an　ill…judged　sally　against　the　commonalty　to　which　Clara

had　led　her。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　sweet　child；　〃I　have　heard　so　much　of　you

from　Maximilien　that　I　had　the　keenest　desire　to　know　you；　out　of

affection　for　him；　but　is　not　a　wish　to　know　you　a　wish　to　love　you？〃



〃My　dear　Clara；　I　feared　I　might　have　displeased　you　by　speaking　thus

of　people　who　are　not　of　noble　birth。〃



〃Oh；　be　quite　easy。　That　sort　of　discussion　is　pointless　in　these

days。　As　for　me；　it　does　not　affect　me。　I　am　beside　the　question。〃



Ambitious　as　the　answer　might　seem；　it　filled　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine

with　the　deepest　joy；　for；　like　all　infatuated　people；　she　explained

it；　as　oracles　are　explained；　in　the　sense　that　harmonized　with　her

wishes；　she　began　dancing　again　in　higher　spirits　than　ever；　as　she

watched　Longueville；　whose　figure　and　grace　almost　surpassed　those　of

her　imaginary　ideal。　She　felt　added　satisfaction　in　believing　him　to

be　well　born；　her　black　eyes　sparkled；　and　she　danced　with　all　the

pleasure　that　comes　of　dancing　in　the　presence　of　the　being　we　love。

The　couple　had　never　understood　each　other　as　well　as　at　this　moment；

more　than　once　they　felt　their　finger　tips　thrill　and　tremble　as　they

were　married　in　the　figures　of　the　dance。



The　early　autumn　had　come　to　the　handsome　pair；　in　the　midst　of

country　festivities　and　pleasures；　they　had　abandoned　themselves

softly　to　the　tide　of　the　sweetest　sentiment　in　life；　strengthening　it

by　a　thousand　little　incidents　which　any　one　can　imagine；　for　love　is

in　some　respects　always　the　same。　They　studied　each　other　through　it

all；　as　much　as　lovers　can。



〃Well；　well；　a　flirtation　never　turned　so　quickly　into　a　love　match；〃

said　the　old　uncle；　who　kept　an　eye　on　the　two　young　people　as　a

naturalist　watches　an　insect　in　the　microscope。



The　speech　alarmed　Monsieur　and　Madame　Fontaine。　The　old　Vendeen　had

ceased　to　be　so　indifferent　to　his　daughter's　prospects　as　he　had

promised　to　be。　He　went　to　Paris　to　seek　information；　and　found　none。

Uneasy　at　this　mystery；　and　not　yet　knowing　what　might　be　the　outcome

of　the　inquiry　which　he　had　begged　a　Paris　friend　to　institute　with

reference　to　the　family　of　Longueville；　he　thought　it　his　duty　to　warn

his　daughter　to　behave　prudently。　The　fatherly　admonition　was　received

with　mock　submission　spiced　with　irony。



〃At　least；　my　dear　Emilie；　if　you　love　him；　do　not　own　it　to　him。〃



〃My　dear　father；　I　certainly　do　love　him；　but　I　will　await　your

permission　before　I　tell　him　so。〃



〃But　remember；　Emilie；　you　know　nothing　of　his　family　or　his

pursuits。〃



〃I　may　be　ignorant；　but　I　am　content　to　be。　But；　father；　you　wished　to

see　me　married；　you　left　me　at　liberty　to　make　my　choice；　my　choice　is

irrevocably　madewhat　more　is　needful？〃



〃It　is　needful　to　ascertain；　my　dear；　whether　the　man　of　your　choice

is　the　son　of　a　peer　of　France；〃　the　venerable　gentleman　retorted

sarcastically。



Emilie　was　silent　for　a　moment。　She　presently　raised　her　head；　looked

at　her　father；　and　said　somewhat　anxiously；　〃Are　not　the

Longuevilles？〃



〃They　became　extinct　in　the　person　of　the　old　Duc　de　Rostein…Limbourg；

who　perished　on　the　scaffold　in　1793。　He　was　the　last　representative

of　the　last　and　younger　branch。〃



〃But；　papa；　there　are　some　very　good　families　descended　from　bastards。

The　history　of　France　swarms　with　princes　bearing　the　bar　sinister　on

their　shields。〃



〃Your　ideas　are　much　changed；〃　said　the　old　man；　with　a　smile。



The　following　day　was　the　last　that　the　Fontaine　family　were　to　spend

at　the　Pavillon　Planat。　Emilie；　greatly　disturbed　by　her　father's

warning；　awaited　with　extreme　impatience　the　hour　at　which　young

Longueville　was　in　the　habit　of　coming；　to　wring　some　explanation　from

him。　She　went　out　after　dinner；　and　walked　alone　across　the　shrubbery

towards　an　arbor　fit　for　lovers；　where　she　knew　that　the　eager　youth

would　seek　her；　and　as　she　hastened　thither　she　considered　of　the　best

way　to　discover　so　important　a　matter　without　compromising　herselfa

rather　difficult　thing！　Hitherto　no　direct　avowal　had　sanctioned　the

feelings　which　bound　her　to　this　stranger。　Like　Maximilien；　she　had

secretly　enjoyed　the　sweetness　of　first　love；　but　both　were　equally

proud；　and　each　feared　to　confess　that　love。



Maximilien　Longueville；　to　whom　Clara　had　communicated　her　not

unfounded　suspicions　as　to　Emilie's　character；　was　by　turns　carried

away　by　the　violence　of　a　young　man's　passion；　and　held　back　by　a　wish

to　know　and　test　the　woman　to　whom　he　would　be　entrusting　his

happiness。　His　love　had　not　hindered　him　from　perceiving　in　Emilie　the

prejudices　which　marred　her　young　nature；　but　before　attempting　to

counteract　them；　he　wished　to　be　sure　that　she　loved　him；　for　he　would

no　sooner　risk　the　fate　of　his　love　than　of　his　life。　He　had；

therefore；　persistently　kept　a　silence　to　which　his　looks；　his

behavior；　and　his　smallest　actions　gave　the　lie。



On　her　side；　the　self…respect　natural　to　a　young　girl；　augmented　in

Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　by　the　monstrous　vanity　founded　on　her　birth

and　beauty；　kept　her　from　meeting　the　declaration　half…way；　which　her

growing　passion　sometimes　urged　her　to　invite。　Thus　the　lovers　had

instinctively　understood　the　situation　without　explaining　to　each

other　their　secret　motives。　There　are　times　in　life　when　such

vagueness　pleases　youthful　minds。　Just　because　each　had　postponed

speaking　too　long；　they　seemed　to　be　playing　a　cruel　game　of　suspense。

He　was　trying　to　discover　whether　he　was　beloved；　by　the　effort　any

confession　would　cost　his　haughty　mistress；　she　every　minute　hoped

that　he　would　break　a　too　respectful　silence。



Emilie；　seated　on　a　rustic　bench；　was　reflecting　on　all　that　had

happened　in　these　three　months　full　of　enchantment。　Her　father's

suspicions　were　the　last　that　could　appeal　to　her；　she　even　disposed

of　them　at　once　by　two　or　three　of　those　reflections　natural　to　an

inexperienced　girl；　which；　to　her；　seemed　conclusive。　Above　all；　she

was　convinced　that　it　was　impossible　that　she　should　deceive　herself。

All　the　summer　through　she　had　not　been　able　to　detect　in　Maximilien　a

single　gesture；　or　a　single　word；　which　could　indicate　a　vulgar　origin

or　vulgar　occupations；　nay　more；　his　manner　of　discussing　things

revealed　a　man　devoted　to　the　highest　interests　of　the　nation。

〃Besides；〃　she　reflected；　〃an　office　clerk；　a　banker；　or　a　merchant；

would　not　be　at　leisure　to　spend　a　whole　season　in　paying　his

addresses　to　me　in　the　midst　of　woods　and　fields；　wasting　his　time　as

freely　as　a　nobleman　who　has　life　before　him　free　of　all　care。〃



She　had　given　herself　up　to　meditations　far　more　interesting　to　her

than　these　preliminary　thoughts；　when　a　slight　rustling　in　the　leaves

announced　to　her　than　Maximilien　had　been　watching　her　for　a　minute；

not　probably　without　admiration。



〃Do　you　know　that　it　is　very　wrong　to　take　a　young　girl　thus

unawares？〃　she　asked　him；　smiling。



〃Especially　when　they　are　busy　with　their　secrets；〃　replied　Maximilien

archly。



〃Why　should　I　not　have　my　secrets？　You　certainly　have　yours。〃



〃Then　you　really　were　thinking　of　your　secrets？〃　he　went　on；　laughing。



〃No；　I　was　thinking　of　yours。　My　own；　I　know。〃



〃But　perhaps　my　secrets　are　yours；　and　yours　mine；〃　cried　the　young

man；　softly　seizing　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine's　hand　and　drawing　it

through　his　arm。



After　walking　a　few　steps　they　found　themselves　under　a　clump　of　trees

which　the　hues　of　the　sinking　sun　wrapped　in　a　haze　of　red　and　brown。

This　touch　of　natural　magic　lent　a　certain　solemnity　to　the　moment。

The　young　man's　free　and　eager　action；　and；　above　all；　the　throbbing

of　his　surging　heart；　whose　hurried　beating　spoke　to　Emilie's　arm；

stirred　her　to　an　emotion　that　was　all　the　more　disturbing　because　it

was　produced　by　the　simplest　and　most　innocent　circumstances。　The

restraint　under　which　the　young　girls　of　the　upper　class　live　gives

incredible　force　to　any　explosion　of　feeling；　and　to　meet　an

impassioned　lover　is　one　of　the　greatest　dangers　they　can　encounter。

Never　had　Emilie　and　Maximilien　allowed　their　eyes　to　say　so　much　that

they　dared　never　speak。　Carried　a　way　by　this　intoxication；　they

easily　forgot　the　petty　stipulations　of　pride；　and　the　cold

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

themselves　by　a　pressure　of　han