the works of edgar allan poe-3-第45章

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doing。　Presently　I　saw　the　head　slowly　and　slightly　change　its
position；　and　soon　I　became　convinced　that　the　lady；　while　pretending
to　look　at　the　stage　was；　in　fact；　attentively　regarding　myself。　It
is　needless　to　say　what　effect　this　conduct；　on　the　part　of　so
fascinating　a　woman；　had　upon　my　excitable　mind。

Having　thus　scrutinized　me　for　perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　fair
object　of　my　passion　addressed　the　gentleman　who　attended　her；　and
while　she　spoke；　I　saw　distinctly；　by　the　glances　of　both；　that　the
conversation　had　reference　to　myself。

Upon　its　conclusion；　Madame　Lalande　again　turned　toward　the　stage；
and；　for　a　few　minutes；　seemed　absorbed　in　the　performance。　At　the
expiration　of　this　period；　however；　I　was　thrown　into　an　extremity　of
agitation　by　seeing　her　unfold；　for　the　second　time；　the　eye…glass
which　hung　at　her　side；　fully　confront　me　as　before；　and；
disregarding　the　renewed　buzz　of　the　audience；　survey　me；　from　head
to　foot；　with　the　same　miraculous　composure　which　had　previously　so
delighted　and　confounded　my　soul。

This　extraordinary　behavior；　by　throwing　me　into　a　perfect　fever　of
excitement　　into　an　absolute　delirium　of　love…served　rather　to
embolden　than　to　disconcert　me。　In　the　mad　intensity　of　my　devotion；
I　forgot　everything　but　the　presence　and　the　majestic　loveliness　of
the　vision　which　confronted　my　gaze。　Watching　my　opportunity；　when　I
thought　the　audience　were　fully　engaged　with　the　opera；　I　at　length
caught　the　eyes　of　Madame　Lalande；　and；　upon　the　instant；　made　a
slight　but　unmistakable　bow。

She　blushed　very　deeply　　then　averted　her　eyes　　then　slowly　and
cautiously　looked　around；　apparently　to　see　if　my　rash　action　had
been　noticed　　then　leaned　over　toward　the　gentleman　who　sat　by　her
side。

I　now　felt　a　burning　sense　of　the　impropriety　I　had　committed；　and
expected　nothing　less　than　instant　exposure；　while　a　vision　of
pistols　upon　the　morrow　floated　rapidly　and　uncomfortably　through　my
brain。　I　was　greatly　and　immediately　relieved；　however；　when　I　saw
the　lady　merely　hand　the　gentleman　a　play…bill；　without　speaking；　but
the　reader　may　form　some　feeble　conception　of　my　astonishment　　of
my　profound　amazement　　my　delirious　bewilderment　of　heart　and　soul
　when；　instantly　afterward；　having　again　glanced　furtively　around；
she　allowed　her　bright　eyes　to　set　fully　and　steadily　upon　my　own；
and　then；　with　a　faint　smile；　disclosing　a　bright　line　of　her　pearly
teeth；　made　two　distinct；　pointed；　and　unequivocal　affirmative
inclinations　of　the　head。

It　is　useless；　of　course；　to　dwell　upon　my　joy　　upon　my　transport…
upon　my　illimitable　ecstasy　of　heart。　If　ever　man　was　mad　with　excess
of　happiness；　it　was　myself　at　that　moment。　I　loved。　This　was　my
first　love　　so　I　felt　it　to　be。　It　was　love　supreme…indescribable。
It　was　〃love　at　first　sight；〃　and　at　first　sight；　too；　it　had　been
appreciated　and　returned。

Yes；　returned。　How　and　why　should　I　doubt　it　for　an　instant。　What
other　construction　could　I　possibly　put　upon　such　conduct；　on　the
part　of　a　lady　so　beautiful　　so　wealthy　　evidently　so
accomplished　　of　so　high　breeding　　of　so　lofty　a　position　in
society　　in　every　regard　so　entirely　respectable　as　I　felt　assured
was　Madame　Lalande？　Yes；　she　loved　me　　she　returned　the　enthusiasm
of　my　love；　with　an　enthusiasm　as　blind　　as　uncompromising　　as
uncalculating　　as　abandoned　　and　as　utterly　unbounded　as　my　own！
These　delicious　fancies　and　reflections；　however；　were　now
interrupted　by　the　falling　of　the　drop…curtain。　The　audience　arose；
and　the　usual　tumult　immediately　supervened。　Quitting　Talbot
abruptly；　I　made　every　effort　to　force　my　way　into　closer　proximity
with　Madame　Lalande。　Having　failed　in　this；　on　account　of　the　crowd；
I　at　length　gave　up　the　chase；　and　bent　my　steps　homeward；　consoling
myself　for　my　disappointment　in　not　having　been　able　to　touch　even
the　hem　of　her　robe；　by　the　reflection　that　I　should　be　introduced　by
Talbot；　in　due　form；　upon　the　morrow。

This　morrow　at　last　came；　that　is　to　say；　a　day　finally　dawned　upon　a
long　and　weary　night　of　impatience；　and　then　the　hours　until　〃one〃
were　snail…paced；　dreary；　and　innumerable。　But　even　Stamboul；　it　is
said；　shall　have　an　end；　and　there　came　an　end　to　this　long　delay。
The　clock　struck。　As　the　last　echo　ceased；　I　stepped　into　B's　and
inquired　for　Talbot。

〃Out；〃　said　the　footman　　Talbot's　own。

〃Out！〃　I　replied；　staggering　back　half　a　dozen　paces　　〃let　me　tell
you；　my　fine　fellow；　that　this　thing　is　thoroughly　impossible　and
impracticable；　Mr。　Talbot　is　not　out。　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Nothing；　sir；　only　Mr。　Talbot　is　not　in；　that's　all。　He　rode　over　to
S；　immediately　after　breakfast；　and　left　word　that　he　would　not　be
in　town　again　for　a　week。〃

I　stood　petrified　with　horror　and　rage。　I　endeavored　to　reply；　but　my
tongue　refused　its　office。　At　length　I　turned　on　my　heel；　livid　with
wrath；　and　inwardly　consigning　the　whole　tribe　of　the　Talbots　to　the
innermost　regions　of　Erebus。　It　was　evident　that　my　considerate
friend；　il　fanatico；　had　quite　forgotten　his　appointment　with　myself
　had　forgotten　it　as　soon　as　it　was　made。　At　no　time　was　he　a　very
scrupulous　man　of　his　word。　There　was　no　help　for　it；　so　smothering
my　vexation　as　well　as　I　could；　I　strolled　moodily　up　the　street；
propounding　futile　inquiries　about　Madame　Lalande　to　every　male
acquaintance　I　met。　By　report　she　was　known；　I　found；　to　all…　to　many
by　sight　　but　she　had　been　in　town　only　a　few　weeks；　and　there　were
very　few；　therefore；　who　claimed　her　personal　acquaintance。　These
few；　being　still　comparatively　strangers；　could　not；　or　would　not；
take　the　liberty　of　introducing　me　through　the　formality　of　a　morning
call。　While　I　stood　thus　in　despair；　conversing　with　a　trio　of
friends　upon　the　all　absorbing　subject　of　my　heart；　it　so　happened
that　the　subject　itself　passed　by。

〃As　I　live；　there　she　is！〃　cried　one。

〃Surprisingly　beautiful！〃　exclaimed　a　second。

〃An　angel　upon　earth！〃　ejaculated　a　third。

I　looked；　and　in　an　open　carriage　which　approached　us；　passing　slowly
down　the　street；　sat　the　enchanting　vision　of　the　opera；　accompanied
by　the　younger　lady　who　had　occupied　a　portion　of　her　box。

〃Her　companion　also　wears　remarkably　well；〃　said　the　one　of　my　trio
who　had　spoken　first。

〃Astonishingly；〃　said　the　second；　〃still　quite　a　brilliant　air；　but
art　will　do　wonders。　Upon　my　word；　she　looks　better　than　she　did　at
Paris　five　years　ago。　A　beautiful　woman　still；　　don't　you　think　so；
Froissart？　　Simpson；　I　mean。〃

〃Still！〃　said　I；　〃and　why　shouldn't　she　be？　But　compared　with　her
friend　she　is　as　a　rush　　light　to　the　evening　star　　a　glow　
worm　to　Antares。

〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　　why；　Simpson；　you　have　an　astonishing　tact　at　making
discoveries　　original　ones；　I　mean。〃　And　here　we　separated；　while
one　of　the　trio　began　humming　a　gay　vaudeville；　of　which　I　caught
only　the　lines…

Ninon；　Ninon；　Ninon　a　bas…

A　bas　Ninon　De　L'Enclos！

During　this　little　scene；　however；　one　thing　had　served　greatly　to
console　me；　although　it　fed　the　passion　by　which　I　was　consumed。　As
the　carriage　of　Madame　Lalande　rolled　by　our　group；　I　had　observed
that　she　recognized　me；　and　more　than　this；　she　had　blessed　me；　by
the　most　seraphic　of　all　imaginable　smiles；　with　no　equivocal　mark　of
the　recognition。

As　for　an　introduction；　I　was　obliged　to　abandon　all　hope　of　it　until
such　time　as　Talbot　should　think　proper　to　return　from　the　country。
In　the　meantime　I　perseveringly　frequented　every　reputable　place　of
public　amusement；　and；　at　length；　at　the　theatre；　where　I　first　saw
her；　I　had　the　supreme　bliss　of　meeting　her；　and　of　exchanging
glances　with　her　once　again。　This　did　not　occur；　however；　until　the
lapse　of　a　fortnight。　Every　day；　in　the　interim；　I　had　inquired　for
Talbot　at　his　hotel；　and　every　day　had　been　thrown　into　a　spasm　of
wrath　by　the　everlasting　〃Not　come　home　yet〃　of　his　footman。

Upon　the　evening　in　question；　therefore；　I　was　in　a　condition　little
short　of　madness。　Madame　Lalande；　I　had　been　told；　was　a　Parisian　
had　lately　arrived　from　Paris　　might　she　not　suddenly　return？　
return　before　Talbot　came　back　　and　might　she　not　be　thus　lost　to
me　forever？　The　thought　was　too　terrible　to　bear。　Since　my　future
happiness　was　at　issue；　I　resolved　to　act　with　a　manly　decision。　In　a
word；　upon　the　breaking　up　of　the　play；　I　traced　the　lady　to　her
residence；　noted　the　address；　and　the　next　morning　sent　her　a　full
and　elaborate　letter；　in　which　I　poured　out　my　whole　heart。

I　spoke　boldly；　freely　　in　a　word；　I　spoke　with　passion。　I
concealed　nothing　　nothing　even　of　my　weakness。　I　alluded　to　the
romantic　circumstances　of　our　first　meeting　　even　to　the　glances
which　had　passed　between　us。　I　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　I　felt
assured　of　her　love；　while　I　offered　this　assurance；　and　my　own
intensity　of　devotion；　as　two　excuses　for　my　otherwise　unpardonable
conduct。　As　a　third；　I　spoke　of　my　fear　that　she　might　quit　the　city
before　I　could　have　the　opportunity　of　a　formal　introduction。　I
concluded　the　most　wildly　enthusiastic　epistle　ever　penned；　with　a
frank　declaration　of　my　worldly　circumstances　　of　my　affluence　
and　with　an　offer　of　my　heart　and　of　my　hand。

In　an　agony　of　expectation　I　awaited　the　reply。　After　what　seemed　the
lapse　of　a　century　it　came。

Yes；　actually　came。　Romantic　as　all　this　may　appear；　I　really
received　a　letter　from　Madame　Lalande　　the　beautiful；　the　wealthy；
the　idolized　Madame　Lalande。　Her　eyes　　her　magnificent　eyes；　had
not　belied　her　noble　heart。　Like　a　true　Frenchwoman　as　she　was　she
had　obeyed　the　frank　dictates　of　her　reason　　the　generous　impulses
of　her　nature　　despising　the　conventional　pruderies　of　the　world。
She　had　not　scorned　my　proposals。　She　had　not　sheltered　herself　in
silence。　She　had　not　returned　my　letter　unopened。　She　had　even　sent
me；　in　reply；　one　penned　by　her　own　exquisite　fingers。　It　ran　thus：

〃Monsieur　Simpson　vill　pardonne　me　for　not　compose　de　butefulle　tong
of　his　contree　so　vell　as　might。　It　is　only　de　late　dat　I　am　arrive；
and　not　yet　ave　do　opportunite　for　to　　l'etudier。

〃Vid　dis　apologie　for　the　maniere；　I　vill　now　say　dat；　helas！…
Monsieur　Simpson　ave　guess　but　de　too　true。　Need　I　say　de　more？
Helas！　am　I　not　ready　speak　de　too　moshe？

〃EUGENIE　LALAND。〃

This　noble　　spirited　note　I　kissed　a　million　times；　and　committed；
no　doubt；　on　its　account；　a　thousand　other　extravagances　that　have
now　escaped　my　memory。　Still　Talbot　would　not　return。　Alas！　could　he
have　formed　even　the　vaguest　idea　of　the　suffering　his　absence　had
occasioned　his　friend；　would　not　his　sympathizing　nature　have　flown
immediately　to　my　relief？　Still；　however；　he　came　not。　I　wrote。　He
replied。　He　was　detained　by　urgent　business　　but　would　shortly
return。　He　begged　me　not　to　be　impatient　　to　moderate　my　transports
　to　read　soothing　books　　to　drink　nothing　stronger　than　Hock　
and　to　bring　the　consolations　of　philosophy　to　my　aid。　The　fool！　if
he　could　not　come　himself；　why；　in　the　name　of　every　thing　rational；
could　he　not　have　enclosed　me　a　letter　of　presentation？　I　wrote　him
again；　entreating　him　to　forward　one　forthwith。　My　letter　was
returned　by　that　footman；　with　the　following　endorsement