the works of edgar allan poe-3-第46章

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returned　by　that　footman；　with　the　following　endorsement　in　pencil。
The　scoundrel　had　joined　his　master　in　the　country：

〃Left　S…　　yesterday；　for　parts　unknown　　did　not　say　where　　or
when　be　back　　so　thought　best　to　return　letter；　knowing　your
handwriting；　and　as　how　you　is　always；　more　or　less；　in　a　hurry。

〃Yours　sincerely；

〃STUBBS。〃

After　this；　it　is　needless　to　say；　that　I　devoted　to　the　infernal
deities　both　master　and　valet：　　but　there　was　little　use　in　anger；
and　no　consolation　at　all　in　complaint。

But　I　had　yet　a　resource　left；　in　my　constitutional　audacity。
Hitherto　it　had　served　me　well；　and　I　now　resolved　to　make　it　avail
me　to　the　end。　Besides；　after　the　correspondence　which　had　passed
between　us；　what　act　of　mere　informality　could　I　commit；　within
bounds；　that　ought　to　be　regarded　as　indecorous　by　Madame　Lalande？
Since　the　affair　of　the　letter；　I　had　been　in　the　habit　of　watching
her　house；　and　thus　discovered　that；　about　twilight；　it　was　her
custom　to　promenade；　attended　only　by　a　negro　in　livery；　in　a　public
square　overlooked　by　her　windows。　Here；　amid　the　luxuriant　and
shadowing　groves；　in　the　gray　gloom　of　a　sweet　midsummer　evening；　I
observed　my　opportunity　and　accosted　her。

The　better　to　deceive　the　servant　in　attendance；　I　did　this　with　the
assured　air　of　an　old　and　familiar　acquaintance。　With　a　presence　of
mind　truly　Parisian；　she　took　the　cue　at　once；　and；　to　greet　me；　held
out　the　most　bewitchingly　little　of　hands。　The　valet　at　once　fell
into　the　rear；　and　now；　with　hearts　full　to　overflowing；　we
discoursed　long　and　unreservedly　of　our　love。

As　Madame　Lalande　spoke　English　even　less　fluently　than　she　wrote　it；
our　conversation　was　necessarily　in　French。　In　this　sweet　tongue；　so
adapted　to　passion；　I　gave　loose　to　the　impetuous　enthusiasm　of　my
nature；　and；　with　all　the　eloquence　I　could　command；　besought　her　to
consent　to　an　immediate　marriage。

At　this　impatience　she　smiled。　She　urged　the　old　story　of　decorum…
that　bug…bear　which　deters　so　many　from　bliss　until　the　opportunity
for　bliss　has　forever　gone　by。　I　had　most　imprudently　made　it　known
among　my　friends；　she　observed；　that　I　desired　her　acquaintance…　thus
that　I　did　not　possess　it　　thus；　again；　there　was　no　possibility　of
concealing　the　date　of　our　first　knowledge　of　each　other。　And　then
she　adverted；　with　a　blush；　to　the　extreme　recency　of　this　date。　To
wed　immediately　would　be　improper　　would　be　indecorous　　would　be
outre。　All　this　she　said　with　a　charming　air　of　naivete　which
enraptured　while　it　grieved　and　convinced　me。　She　went　even　so　far　as
to　accuse　me；　laughingly；　of　rashness　　of　imprudence。　She　bade　me
remember　that　I　really　even　know　not　who　she　was　　what　were　her
prospects；　her　connections；　her　standing　in　society。　She　begged　me；
but　with　a　sigh；　to　reconsider　my　proposal；　and　termed　my　love　an
infatuation　　a　will　o'　the　wisp　　a　fancy　or　fantasy　of　the　moment
　a　baseless　and　unstable　creation　rather　of　the　imagination　than　of
the　heart。　These　things　she　uttered　as　the　shadows　of　the　sweet
twilight　gathered　darkly　and　more　darkly　around　us　　and　then；　with
a　gentle　pressure　of　her　fairy…like　hand；　overthrew；　in　a　single
sweet　instant；　all　the　argumentative　fabric　she　had　reared。

I　replied　as　best　I　could　　as　only　a　true　lover　can。　I　spoke　at
length；　and　perseveringly　of　my　devotion；　of　my　passion　　of　her
exceeding　beauty；　and　of　my　own　enthusiastic　admiration。　In
conclusion；　I　dwelt；　with　a　convincing　energy；　upon　the　perils　that
encompass　the　course　of　love　　that　course　of　true　love　that　never
did　run　smooth　　and　thus　deduced　the　manifest　danger　of　rendering
that　course　unnecessarily　long。

This　latter　argument　seemed　finally　to　soften　the　rigor　of　her
determination。　She　relented；　but　there　was　yet　an　obstacle；　she　said；
which　she　felt　assured　I　had　not　properly　considered。　This　was　a
delicate　point　　for　a　woman　to　urge；　especially　so；　in　mentioning
it；　she　saw　that　she　must　make　a　sacrifice　of　her　feelings；　still；
for　me；　every　sacrifice　should　be　made。　She　alluded　to　the　topic　of
age。　Was　I　aware　　was　I　fully　aware　of　the　discrepancy　between　us？
That　the　age　of　the　husband；　should　surpass　by　a　few　years　　even　by
fifteen　or　twenty　　the　age　of　the　wife；　was　regarded　by　the　world
as　admissible；　and；　indeed；　as　even　proper；　but　she　had　always
entertained　the　belief　that　the　years　of　the　wife　should　never　exceed
in　number　those　of　the　husband。　A　discrepancy　of　this　unnatural　kind
gave　rise；　too　frequently；　alas！　to　a　life　of　unhappiness。　Now　she
was　aware　that　my　own　age　did　not　exceed　two　and　twenty；　and　I；　on
the　contrary；　perhaps；　was　not　aware　that　the　years　of　my　Eugenie
extended　very　considerably　beyond　that　sum。

About　all　this　there　was　a　nobility　of　soul　　a　dignity　of　candor…
which　delighted　　which　enchanted　me　　which　eternally　riveted　my
chains。　I　could　scarcely　restrain　the　excessive　transport　which
possessed　me。

〃My　sweetest　Eugenie；〃　I　cried；　〃what　is　all　this　about　which　you　are
discoursing？　Your　years　surpass　in　some　measure　my　own。　But　what
then？　The　customs　of　the　world　are　so　many　conventional　follies。　To
those　who　love　as　ourselves；　in　what　respect　differs　a　year　from　an
hour？　I　am　twenty…two；　you　say；　granted：　indeed；　you　may　as　well　call
me；　at　once；　twenty…three。　Now　you　yourself；　my　dearest　Eugenie；　can
have　numbered　no　more　than　　can　have　numbered　no　more　than　　no
more　than　　than　　than　　than…〃

Here　I　paused　for　an　instant；　in　the　expectation　that　Madame　Lalande
would　interrupt　me　by　supplying　her　true　age。　But　a　Frenchwoman　is
seldom　direct；　and　has　always；　by　way　of　answer　to　an　embarrassing
query；　some　little　practical　reply　of　her　own。　In　the　present
instance；　Eugenie；　who　for　a　few　moments　past　had　seemed　to　be
searching　for　something　in　her　bosom；　at　length　let　fall　upon　the
grass　a　miniature；　which　I　immediately　picked　up　and　presented　to
her。

〃Keep　it！〃　she　said；　with　one　of　her　most　ravishing　smiles。　〃Keep　it
for　my　sake　　for　the　sake　of　her　whom　it　too　flatteringly
represents。　Besides；　upon　the　back　of　the　trinket　you　may　discover；
perhaps；　the　very　information　you　seem　to　desire。　It　is　now；　to　be
sure；　growing　rather　dark　　but　you　can　examine　it　at　your　leisure
in　the　morning。　In　the　meantime；　you　shall　be　my　escort　home
to…night。　My　friends　are　about　holding　a　little　musical　levee。　I　can
promise　you；　too；　some　good　singing。　We　French　are　not　nearly　so
punctilious　as　you　Americans；　and　I　shall　have　no　difficulty　in
smuggling　you　in；　in　the　character　of　an　old　acquaintance。〃

With　this；　she　took　my　arm；　and　I　attended　her　home。　The　mansion　was
quite　a　fine　one；　and；　I　believe；　furnished　in　good　taste。　Of　this
latter　point；　however；　I　am　scarcely　qualified　to　judge；　for　it　was
just　dark　as　we　arrived；　and　in　American　mansions　of　the　better　sort
lights　seldom；　during　the　heat　of　summer；　make　their　appearance　at
this；　the　most　pleasant　period　of　the　day。　In　about　an　hour　after　my
arrival；　to　be　sure；　a　single　shaded　solar　lamp　was　lit　in　the
principal　drawing…room；　and　this　apartment；　I　could　thus　see；　was
arranged　with　unusual　good　taste　and　even　splendor；　but　two　other
rooms　of　the　suite；　and　in　which　the　company　chiefly　assembled；
remained；　during　the　whole　evening；　in　a　very　agreeable　shadow。　This
is　a　well…conceived　custom；　giving　the　party　at　least　a　choice　of
light　or　shade；　and　one　which　our　friends　over　the　water　could　not　do
better　than　immediately　adopt。

The　evening　thus　spent　was　unquestionably　the　most　delicious　of　my
life。　Madame　Lalande　had　not　overrated　the　musical　abilities　of　her
friends；　and　the　singing　I　here　heard　I　had　never　heard　excelled　in
any　private　circle　out　of　Vienna。　The　instrumental　performers　were
many　and　of　superior　talents。　The　vocalists　were　chiefly　ladies；　and
no　individual　sang　less　than　well。　At　length；　upon　a　peremptory　call
for　〃Madame　Lalande；〃　she　arose　at　once；　without　affectation　or
demur；　from　the　chaise　longue　upon　which　she　had　sat　by　my　side；　and；
accompanied　by　one　or　two　gentlemen　and　her　female　friend　of　the
opera；　repaired　to　the　piano　in　the　main　drawing…room。　I　would　have
escorted　her　myself；　but　felt　that；　under　the　circumstances　of　my
introduction　to　the　house；　I　had　better　remain　unobserved　where　I
was。　I　was　thus　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　seeing；　although　not　of
hearing；　her　sing。

The　impression　she　produced　upon　the　company　seemed　electrical　but
the　effect　upon　myself　was　something　even　more。　I　know　not　how
adequately　to　describe　it。　It　arose　in　part；　no　doubt；　from　the
sentiment　of　love　with　which　I　was　imbued；　but　chiefly　from　my
conviction　of　the　extreme　sensibility　of　the　singer。　It　is　beyond　the
reach　of　art　to　endow　either　air　or　recitative　with　more　impassioned
expression　than　was　hers。　Her　utterance　of　the　romance　in　Otello　
the　tone　with　which　she　gave　the　words　〃Sul　mio　sasso；〃　in　the
Capuletti　　is　ringing　in　my　memory　yet。　Her　lower　tones　were
absolutely　miraculous。　Her　voice　embraced　three　complete　octaves；
extending　from　the　contralto　D　to　the　D　upper　soprano；　and；　though
sufficiently　powerful　to　have　filled　the　San　Carlos；　executed；　with
the　minutest　precision；　every　difficulty　of　vocal
composition…ascending　and　descending　scales；　cadences；　or　fiorituri。
In　the　final　of　the　Somnambula；　she　brought　about　a　most　remarkable
effect　at　the　words：

Ah！　non　guinge　uman　pensiero

Al　contento　ond　'io　son　piena。

Here；　in　imitation　of　Malibran；　she　modified　the　original　phrase　of
Bellini；　so　as　to　let　her　voice　descend　to　the　tenor　G；　when；　by　a
rapid　transition；　she　struck　the　G　above　the　treble　stave；　springing
over　an　interval　of　two　octaves。

Upon　rising　from　the　piano　after　these　miracles　of　vocal　execution；
she　resumed　her　seat　by　my　side；　when　I　expressed　to　her；　in　terms　of
the　deepest　enthusiasm；　my　delight　at　her　performance。　Of　my　surprise
I　said　nothing；　and　yet　was　I　most　unfeignedly　surprised；　for　a
certain　feebleness；　or　rather　a　certain　tremulous　indecision　of　voice
in　ordinary　conversation；　had　prepared　me　to　anticipate　that；　in
singing；　she　would　not　acquit　herself　with　any　remarkable　ability。

Our　conversation　was　now　long；　earnest；　uninterrupted；　and　totally
unreserved。　She　made　me　relate　many　of　the　earlier　passages　of　my
life；　and　listened　with　breathless　attention　to　every　word　of　the
narrative。　I　concealed　nothing　　felt　that　I　had　a　right　to　conceal
nothing　　from　her　confiding　affection。　Encouraged　by　her　candor
upon　the　delicate　point　of　her　age；　I　entered；　with　perfect
frankness；　not　only　into　a　detail　of　my　many　minor　vices；　but　made
full　confession　of　those　moral　and　even　of　those　physical
infirmities；　the　disclosure　of　which；　in　demanding　so　much　higher　a
degree　of　courage；　is　so　much　surer　an　evidence　of　love。　I　touched
upon　my　college　indiscretions　　upon　my　extravagances　　upon　my
carousals…　upon　my　debts　　upon　my　flirtations。　I　even　went　so　far
as　to　speak　of　a　slightly　hectic　cough　with　which；　at　one　time；　I　had
been　troubled　　of　a　chronic　rheumatism　　of　a　twinge　of　hereditary
gout…　and；　in　conclusion；　of　the　disagreeable　and　inconvenient；　but
hitherto　carefully　concealed；　weakness　of　my　eyes。

〃Upon　this　latter　point；〃　sai