modeste mignon-第15章

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　　matter　to　what　heights　a　woman　can　rise　by　the　inward　poetry　of

　　her　soul；　she　must　sacrifice　the　outer　signs　of　superiority　on　the

　　altar　of　her　home。　Her　impulse；　her　genius；　her　aspirations　toward

　　Good；　the　whole　poem　of　a　young　girl's　being；　should　belong　to　the

　　man　she　accepts　and　the　children　whom　she　brings　into　the　world。　I

　　think　I　perceive　in　you　a　secret　desire　to　widen　the　narrow　circle

　　of　the　life　to　which　all　women　are　condemned；　and　to　put　love　and

　　passion　into　marriage。　Ah！　it　is　a　lovely　dream！　it　is　not

　　impossible；　it　is　difficult；　but　if　realized；　may　it　not　be　to　the

　　despair　of　soulsforgive　me　the　hackneyed　word〃incompris〃？



　　If　you　seek　a　platonic　friendship　it　will　be　to　your　sorrow　in

　　after　years。　If　your　letter　was　a　jest；　discontinue　it。　Perhaps

　　this　little　romance　is　to　end　hereis　it？　It　has　not　been　without

　　fruit。　My　sense　of　duty　is　aroused；　and　you；　on　your　side；　will

　　have　learned　something　of　Society。　Turn　your　thoughts　to　real

　　life；　throw　the　enthusiasms　you　have　culled　from　literature　into

　　the　virtues　of　your　sex。



　　Adieu；　mademoiselle。　Do　me　the　honor　to　grant　me　your　esteem。

　　Having　seen　you；　or　one　whom　I　believe　to　be　you；　I　have　known

　　that　your　letter　was　simply　natural；　a　flower　so　lovely　turns　to

　　the　sunof　poetry。　Yes；　love　poetry　as　you　love　flowers；　music；

　　the　grandeur　of　the　sea；　the　beauties　of　nature；　love　them　as　an

　　adornment　of　the　soul；　but　remember　what　I　have　had　the　honor　of

　　telling　you　as　to　the　nature　of　poets。　Be　cautious　not　to　marry；

　　as　you　say；　a　dunce；　but　seek　the　partner　whom　God　has　made　for

　　you。　There　are　souls；　believe　me；　who　are　fit　to　appreciate　you；

　　and　to　make　you　happy。　If　I　were　rich；　if　you　were　poor；　I　would

　　lay　my　heart　and　my　fortunes　at　your　feet；　for　I　believe　your　soul

　　to　be　full　of　riches　and　of　loyalty；　to　you　I　could　confide　my

　　life　and　my　honor　in　absolute　security。



　　Once　more；　adieu；　adieu；　fairest　daughter　of　Eve　the　fair。



The　reading　of　this　letter；　swallowed　like　a　drop　of　water　in　the

desert；　lifted　the　mountain　which　weighed　heavily　on　Modeste's　heart：

then　she　saw　the　mistake　she　had　made　in　arranging　her　plan；　and

repaired　it　by　giving　Francoise　some　envelopes　directed　to　herself；　in

which　the　maid　could　put　the　letters　which　came　from　Paris　and　drop

them　again　into　the　box。　Modeste　resolved　to　receive　the　postman

herself　on　the　steps　of　the　Chalet　at　the　hour　when　he　made　his

delivery。



As　to　the　feelings　that　this　reply；　in　which　the　noble　heart　of　poor

La　Briere　beat　beneath　the　brilliant　phantom　of　Canalis；　excited　in

Modeste；　they　were　as　multifarious　and　confused　as　the　waves　which

rushed　to　die　along　the　shore　while　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　wide

ocean　she　gave　herself　up　to　the　joy　of　having　（if　we　dare　say　so）

harpooned　an　angelic　soul　in　the　Parisian　Gulf；　of　having　divined　that

hearts　of　price　might　still　be　found　in　harmony　with　genius；　and；

above　all；　for　having　followed　the　magic　voice　of　intuition。



A　vast　interest　was　now　about　to　animate　her　life。　The　wires　of　her

cage　were　broken：　the　bolts　and　bars　of　the　pretty　Chaletwhere　were

they？　Her　thoughts　took　wings。



〃Oh；　father！〃　she　cried；　looking　out　to　the　horizon。　〃Come　back　and

make　us　rich　and　happy。〃



The　answer　which　Ernest　de　La　Briere　received　some　five　days　later

will　tell　the　reader　more　than　any　elaborate　disquisition　of　ours。







CHAPTER　IX



THE　POWER　OF　THE　UNSEEN



　　To　Monsieur　de　Canalis：



　　My　friend；Suffer　me　to　give　you　that　name；you　have　delighted

　　me；　I　would　not　have　you　other　than　you　are　in　this　letter；　the

　　firstoh；　may　it　not　be　the　last！　Who　but　a　poet　could　have

　　excused　and　understood　a　young　girl　so　delicately？



　　I　wish　to　speak　with　the　sincerity　that　dictated　the　first　lines

　　of　your　letter。　And　first；　let　me　say　that　most　fortunately　you　do

　　not　know　me。　I　can　joyfully　assure　you　than　I　am　neither　that

　　hideous　Mademoiselle　Vilquin　nor　the　very　noble　and　withered

　　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville　who　floats　between　twenty　and　forty

　　years　of　age；　unable　to　decide　on　a　satisfactory　date。　The

　　Cardinal　d'Herouville　flourished　in　the　history　of　the　Church　at

　　least　a　century　before　the　cardinal　of　whom　we　boast　as　our　only

　　family　glory；for　I　take　no　account　of　lieutenant…generals；　and

　　abbes　who　write　trumpery　little　verses。



　　Moreover；　I　do　not　live　in　the　magnificent　villa　Vilquin；　there　is

　　not　in　my　veins；　thank　God；　the　ten…millionth　of　a　drop　of　that

　　chilly　blood　which　flows　behind　a　counter。　I　come　on　one　side　from

　　Germany；　on　the　other　from　the　south　of　France；　my　mind　has　a

　　Teutonic　love　of　reverie；　my　blood　the　vivacity　of　Provence。　I　am

　　noble　on　my　father's　and　on　my　mother's　side。　On　my　mother's　I

　　derive　from　every　page　of　the　Almanach　de　Gotha。　In　short；　my

　　precautions　are　well　taken。　It　is　not　in　any　man's　power；　nor　even

　　in　the　power　of　the　law；　to　unmask　my　incognito。　I　shall　remain

　　veiled；　unknown。



　　As　to　my　person　and　as　to　my　〃belongings；〃　as　the　Normans　say；

　　make　yourself　easy。　I　am　at　least　as　handsome　as　the　little　girl

　　（ignorantly　happy）　on　whom　your　eyes　chanced　to　light　during　your

　　visit　to　Havre；　and　I　do　not　call　myself　poverty…stricken；

　　although　ten　sons　of　peers　may　not　accompany　me　on　my　walks。　I

　　have　seen　the　humiliating　comedy　of　the　heiress　sought　for　her

　　millions　played　on　my　account。　In　short；　make　no　attempt；　even　on

　　a　wager；　to　reach　me。　Alas！　though　free　as　air；　I　am　watched　and

　　guarded；by　myself；　in　the　first　place；　and　secondly；　by　people

　　of　nerve　and　courage　who　would　not　hesitate　to　put　a　knife　in　your

　　heart　if　you　tried　to　penetrate　my　retreat。　I　do　not　say　this　to

　　excite　your　courage　or　stimulate　your　curiosity；　I　believe　I　have

　　no　need　of　such　incentives　to　interest　you　and　attach　you　to　me。



　　I　will　now　reply　to　the　second　edition；　considerably　enlarged；　of

　　your　first　sermon。



　　Will　you　have　a　confession？　I　said　to　myself　when　I　saw　you　so

　　distrustful；　and　mistaking　me　for　Corinne　（whose　improvisations

　　bore　me　dreadfully）；　that　in　all　probability　dozes　of　Muses　had

　　already　led　you；　rashly　curious；　into　their　valleys；　and　begged

　　you　to　taste　the　fruits　of　their　boarding…school　Parnassus。　Oh！

　　you　are　perfectly　safe　with　me；　my　friend；　I　may　love　poetry；　but

　　I　have　no　little　verses　in　my　pocket…book；　and　my　stockings　are；

　　and　will　remain；　immaculately　white。　You　shall　not　be　pestered

　　with　the　〃Flowers　of　my　Heart〃　in　one　or　more　volumes。　And；

　　finally；　should　it　ever　happen　that　I　say　to　you　the　word　〃Come！〃

　　you　will　not　findyou　know　it　nowan　old　maid；　no；　nor　a　poor

　　and　ugly　one。



　　Ah！　my　friend；　if　you　only　knew　how　I　regret　that　you　came　to

　　Havre！　You　have　lowered　the　charm　of　what　you　call　my　romance。　God

　　alone　knew　the　treasure　I　was　reserving　for　the　man　noble　enough；

　　and　trusting　enough；　and　perspicacious　enough　to　comehaving

　　faith　in　my　letters；　having　penetrated　step　by　step　into　the

　　depths　of　my　heartto　come　to　our　first　meeting　with　the

　　simplicity　of　a　child：　for　that　was　what　I　dreamed　to　be　the

　　innocence　of　a　man　of　genius。　And　now　you　have　spoiled　my

　　treasure！　But　I　forgive　you；　you　live　in　Paris　and；　as　you　say；

　　there　is　always　a　man　within　a　poet。



　　Because　I　tell　you　this　will　you　think　me　some　little　girl　who

　　cultivates　a　garden…full　of　illusions？　You；　who　are　witty　and

　　wise；　have　you　not　guessed　that　when　Mademoiselle　d'Este　received

　　your　pedantic　lesson　she　said　to　herself：　〃No；　dear　poet；　my　first

　　letter　was　not　the　pebble　which　a　vagabond　child　flings　about　the

　　highway　to　frighten　the　owner　of　the　adjacent　fruit…trees；　but　a

　　net　carefully　and　prudently　thrown　by　a　fisherman　seated　on　a　rock

　　above　the　sea；　hoping　and　expecting　a　miraculous　draught。〃



　　All　that　you　say　so　beautifully　about　the　family　has　my　approval。

　　The　man　who　is　able　to　please　me；　and　of　whom　I　believe　myself

　　worthy；　will　have　my　heart　and　my　life；with　the　consent　of　my

　　parents；　for　I　will　neither　grieve　them；　nor　take　them　unawares：

　　happily；　I　am　certain　of　reigning　over　them；　and；　besides；　they

　　are　wholly　without　prejudice。　Indeed；　in　every　way；　I　feel　myself

　　protected　against　any　delusions　in　my　dream。　I　have　built　the

　　fortress　with　my　own　hands；　and　I　have　let　it　be　fortified　by　the

　　boundless　devotion　of　those　who　watch　over　me　as　if　I　were　a

　　treasure；not　that　I　am　unable　to　defend　myself　in　the　open；　if

　　need　be；　for；　let　me　say；　circumstances　have　furnished　me　with

　　armor　of　proof　on　which　is　engraved　the　word　〃Disdain。〃　I　have　the

　　deepest　horror　of　all　that　is　calculating；of　all　that　is　not

　　pure；　disinterested；　and　wholly　noble。　I　worship　the　beautiful；

　　the　ideal；　without　being　romantic；　though　I　HAVE　been；　in　my　heart

　　of　hearts；　in　my　dreams。　But　I　recognize　the　truth　of　the　various

　　things；　just　even　to　vulgarity；　which　you　have　written　me　about

　　Society　and　social　life。



　　For　the　time　being　we　are；　and　we　can　only　be；　two　friends。　Why

　　seek　an　unseen　friend？　you　ask。　Your　person　may　be　unknown　to　me；

　　but　your　mind；　your　heart　I　KNOW；　they　please　me；　and　I　feel　an

　　infinitude　of　thoughts　within　my　soul　which　need　a　man　of　genius

　　for　their　confidant。　I　do　not　wish　the　poem　of　my　heart　to　be

　　wasted；　I　would　have　it　known　to　you　as　it　is　to　God。　What　a

　　precious　thing　is　a　true　comrade；　one　to　whom　we　can　tell　all！　You

　　will　surely　not　reject　the　unpublished　leaflets　of　a　young　girl's

　　thoughts　when　they　fly　to　you　like　the　pretty　insects　fluttering

　　to　the　sun？　I　am　sure　you　have　never　before　met　with　this　good

　　fortune　of　the　soul；the　honest　confidences　of　an　honest　girl。

　　Listen　to　her　prattle；　accept　the　music　that　she　sings　to　you　in

　　her　own　heart。　Later；　if　our　souls　are　sisters；　if　our　characters

　　warrant　the　attempt；　a　white…haired　old　serving…man　shall　await

　　you　by　the　wayside　and　lead　you　to　the　cottage；　the　villa；　the

　　castle；　the　palaceI　don't　know　yet　what　sort　of　bower　it　will

　　be；　nor　what　its　color；　nor　whether　this　conclusion　will　ever　be

　　possible；　but　you　will　admit；　will　you　not？　that　it　is　poetic；　and

　　that　Mademoiselle　d'Este　has　a　complying　disposition。　Has　she　not

　　left　you　free？　Has　she　gone　with　jealous　feet　to　watch　you　in　the

　　salons　of　Paris？　Has　she　imposed　upon　you　the　labors　of　some　high

　　emprise；　such　as　paladins　sought　voluntarily　in　the　olden　time？

　　No；　she　asks　a　perfectly　spiritual　and　mystic　alliance。　Come　to　me

　　when　you　are　unhappy；　wounded；　weary。　Tell　me　all；　hide　nothing；　I

　　have　balms　for　all　your　ills。　I　am　twenty　years　of　age；　dear

　　friend；　but　I　have　the　sense　of　fifty；　and　unfortunately　I　have

　　known　through　the　experience　of　another　all　the　horrors　and　the

　　delights　of　love。　I　know