modeste mignon-第20章

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which　together　with　its　cargo　is　worth；　he　tells　me；　eight　or　nine

hundred　thousand　francs。　But　he　requires　secrecy　from　all　of　us；　his

heart　is　still　wrung　by　the　misfortunes　of　our　dear　departed　girl。〃



〃He　has　still　to　learn　her　death；〃　said　Madame　Mignon。



〃He　attributes　her　disaster；　and　I　think　he　is　right；　to　the　rapacity

of　young　men　after　great　fortunes。　My　poor　colonel　expects　to　find　the

lost　sheep　here。　Let　us　be　happy　among　ourselves　but　say　nothing　to

any　one；　not　even　to　Latournelle；　if　that　is　possible。　Mademoiselle；〃

he　whispered　in　Modeste's　ear；　〃write　to　your　father　and　tell　him　of

his　loss　and　also　the　terrible　results　on　your　mother's　health　and

eyesight；　prepare　him　for　the　shock　he　has　to　meet。　I　will　engage　to

get　the　letter　into　his　hands　before　he　reaches　Havre；　for　he　will

have　to　pass　through　Paris　on　his　way。　Write　him　a　long　letter；　you

have　plenty　of　time。　I　will　take　the　letter　on　Monday；　Monday　I　shall

probably　go　to　Paris。〃



Modeste　was　so　afraid　that　Canalis　and　Dumay　would　meet　that　she

started　hastily　for　the　house　to　write　to　her　poet　and　put　off　the

rendezvous。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Dumay；　in　a　very　humble　manner　and　barring

Modeste's　way；　〃may　your　father　find　his　daughter　with　no　other

feelings　in　her　heart　than　those　she　had　for　him　and　for　her　mother

before　he　was　obliged　to　leave　her。〃



〃I　have　sworn　to　myself；　to　my　sister；　and　to　my　mother　to　be　the　joy；

the　consolation；　and　the　glory　of　my　father；　and　I　SHALL　KEEP　MY

OATH！〃　replied　Modeste　with　a　haughty　and　disdainful　glance　at　Dumay。

〃Do　not　trouble　my　delight　in　the　thought　of　my　father's　return　with

insulting　suspicions。　You　cannot　prevent　a　girl's　heart　from　beating

you　don't　want　me　to　be　a　mummy；　do　you？〃　she　said。　〃My　hand　belongs

to　my　family；　but　my　heart　is　my　own。　If　I　love　any　one；　my　father　and

my　mother　will　know　it。　Does　that　satisfy　you；　monsieur？〃



〃Thank　you；　mademoiselle；　you　restore　me　to　life；〃　said　Dumay；　〃but

you　might　still　call　me　Dumay；　even　when　you　box　my　ears！〃



〃Swear　to　me；〃　said　her　mother；　〃that　you　have　not　engaged　a　word　or　a

look　with　any　young　man。〃



〃I　can　swear　that；　my　dear　mother；〃　said　Modeste；　laughing；　and

looking　at　Dumay　who　was　watching　her　and　smiling　to　himself　like　a

mischievous　girl。



〃She　must　be　false　indeed　if　you　are　right；〃　cried　Dumay；　when　Modeste

had　left　them　and　gone　into　the　house。



〃My　daughter　Modeste　may　have　faults；〃　said　her　mother；　〃but　falsehood

is　not　one　of　them；　she　is　incapable　of　saying　what　is　not　true。〃



〃Well！　then　let　us　feel　easy；〃　continued　Dumay；　〃and　believe　that

misfortune　has　closed　his　account　with　us。〃



〃God　grant　it！〃　answered　Madame　Mignon。　〃You　will　see　HIM；　Dumay；　but

I　shall　only　hear　him。　There　is　much　of　sadness　in　my　joy。〃







CHAPTER　XII



A　DECLARATION　OF　LOVE；SET　TO　MUSIC



At　this　moment　Modeste；　happy　as　she　was　in　the　return　of　her　father；

was；　nevertheless；　pacing　her　room　disconsolate　as　Perrette　on　seeing

her　eggs　broken。　She　had　hoped　her　father　would　bring　back　a　much

larger　fortune　than　Dumay　had　mentioned。　Nothing　could　satisfy　her

new…found　ambition　on　behalf　of　her　poet　less　than　at　least　half　the

six　millions　she　had　talked　of　in　her　second　letter。　Trebly　agitated

by　her　two　joys　and　the　grief　caused　by　her　comparative　poverty；　she

seated　herself　at　the　piano；　that　confidant　of　so　many　young　girls；

who　tell　out　their　wishes　and　provocations　on　the　keys；　expressing

them　by　the　notes　and　tones　of　their　music。　Dumay　was　talking　with　his

wife　in　the　garden　under　the　windows；　telling　her　the　secret　of　their

own　wealth；　and　questioning　her　as　to　her　desires　and　her　intentions。

Madame　Dumay　had；　like　her　husband；　no　other　family　than　the　Mignons。

Husband　and　wife　agreed；　therefore；　to　go　and　live　in　Provence；　if　the

Comte　de　La　Bastie　really　meant　to　live　in　Provence；　and　to　leave

their　money　to　whichever　of　Modeste's　children　might　need　it　most。



〃Listen　to　Modeste；〃　said　Madame　Mignon；　addressing　them。　〃None　but　a

girl　in　love　can　compose　such　airs　without　having　studied　music。〃



Houses　may　burn；　fortunes　be　engulfed；　fathers　return　from　distant

lands；　empires　may　crumble　away；　the　cholera　may　ravage　cities；　but　a

maiden's　love　wings　its　way　as　nature　pursues　hers；　or　that　alarming

acid　which　chemistry　has　lately　discovered；　and　which　will　presently

eat　through　the　globe；　if　nothing　stops　it。



Modeste；　under　the　inspiration　of　her　present　situation；　was　putting

to　music　certain　stanzas　which　we　are　compelled　to　quote　herealbeit

they　are　printed　in　the　second　volume　of　the　edition　Dauriat　had

mentionedbecause；　in　order　to　adapt　them　to　her　music；　which　had　the

inexpressible　charm　of　sentiment　so　admired　in　great　singers；　Modeste

had　taken　liberties　with　the　lines　in　a　manner　that　may　astonish　the

admirers　of　a　poet　so　famous　for　the　correctness；　sometimes　too

precise；　of　his　measures。



　　THE　MAIDEN'S　SONG



　　Hear；　arise！　the　lark　is　shaking

　　　　Sunlit　wings　that　heavenward　rise；

　　Sleep　no　more；　the　violet；　waking；

　　　　Wafts　her　incense　to　the　skies。



　　Flowers　revived；　their　eyes　unclosing；

　　　　See　themselves　in　drops　of　dew

　　In　each　calyx…cup　reposing；

　　　　Pearls　of　a　day　their　mirror　true。



　　Breeze　divine；　the　god　of　roses；

　　　　Passed　by　night　to　bless　their　bloom；

　　See！　for　him　each　bud　uncloses；

　　　　Glows；　and　yields　its　rich　perfume。



　　Then　arise！　the　lark　is　shaking

　　　　Sunlit　wings　that　heavenward　rise；

　　Nought　is　sleepingHeart；　awaking；

　　　　Lift　thine　incense　to　the　skies。



〃It　is　very　pretty；〃　said　Madame　Dumay。　〃Modeste　is　a　musician；　and

that's　the　whole　of　it。〃



〃The　devil　is　in　her！〃　cried　the　cashier；　into　whose　heart　the

suspicion　of　the　mother　forced　its　way　and　made　him　shiver。



〃She　loves；〃　persisted　Madame　Mignon。



By　succeeding；　through　the　undeniable　testimony　of　the　song；　in　making

the　cashier　a　sharer　in　her　belief　as　to　the　state　of　Modeste's　heart；

Madame　Mignon　destroyed　the　happiness　the　return　and　the　prosperity　of

his　master　had　brought　him。　The　poor　Breton　went　down　the　hill　to

Havre　and　to　his　desk　in　Gobenheim's　counting…room　with　a　heavy　heart；

then；　before　returning　to　dinner；　he　went　to　see　Latournelle；　to　tell

his　fears；　and　beg　once　more　for　the　notary's　advice　and　assistance。



〃Yes；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Dumay；　when　they　parted　on　the　steps　of

the　notary's　door；　〃I　now　agree　with　madame；　she　loves；yes；　I　am

sure　of　it；　and　the　devil　knows　the　rest。　I　am　dishonored。〃



〃Don't　make　yourself　unhappy；　Dumay；〃　answered　the　little　notary。

〃Among　us　all　we　can　surely　get　the　better　of　the　little　puss；　sooner

or　later；　every　girl　in　love　betrays　herself；you　may　be　sure　of

that。　But　we　will　talk　about　it　this　evening。〃



Thus　it　happened　that　all　those　devoted　to　the　Mignon　family　were

fully　as　disquieted　and　uncertain　as　they　were　before　the　old　soldier

tried　the　experiment　which　he　expected　would　be　so　decisive。　The　ill…

success　of　his　past　efforts　so　stimulated　Dumay's　sense　of　duty；　that

he　determined　not　to　go　to　Paris　to　see　after　his　own　fortune　as

announced　by　his　patron；　until　he　had　guessed　the　riddle　of　Modeste's

heart。　These　friends；　to　whom　feelings　were　more　precious　than

interests；　well　knew　that　unless　the　daughter　were　pure　and　innocent；

the　father　would　die　of　grief　when　he　came　to　know　the　death　of

Bettina　and　the　blindness　of　his　wife。　The　distress　of　poor　Dumay　made

such　an　impression　on　the　Latournelles　that　they　even　forgot　their

parting　with　Exupere；　whom　they　had　sent　off　that　morning　to　Paris。

During　dinner；　while　the　three　were　alone；　Monsieur　and　Madame

Latournelle　and　Butscha　turned　the　problem　over　and　over　in　their

minds；　and　discussed　every　aspect　of　it。



〃If　Modeste　loved　any　one　in　Havre　she　would　have　shown　some　fear

yesterday；〃　said　Madame　Latournelle；　〃her　lover；　therefore；　lives

somewhere　else。〃



〃She　swore　to　her　mother　this　morning；〃　said　the　notary；　〃in　presence

of　Dumay；　that　she　had　not　exchanged　a　look　or　a　word　with　any　living

soul。〃



〃Then　she　loves　after　my　fashion！〃　exclaimed　Butscha。



〃And　how　is　that；　my　poor　lad？〃　asked　Madame　Latournelle。



〃Madame；〃　said　the　little　cripple；　〃I　love　alone　and　afaroh！　as　far

as　from　here　to　the　stars。〃



〃How　do　you　manage　it；　you　silly　fellow？〃　said　Madame　Latournelle；

laughing。



〃Ah；　madame！〃　said　Butscha；　〃what　you　call　my　hump　is　the　socket　of　my

wings。〃



〃So　that　is　the　explanation　of　your　seal；　is　it？〃　cried　the　notary。



Butscha's　seal　was　a　star；　and　under　it　the　words　〃Fulgens；　sequar；〃

〃Shining　One；　I　follow　thee；〃the　motto　of　the　house　of

Chastillonest。



〃A　beautiful　woman　may　feel　as　distrustful　as　the　ugliest；〃　said

Butscha；　as　if　speaking　to　himself；　〃Modeste　is　clever　enough　to　fear

she　may　be　loved　only　for　her　beauty。〃



Hunchbacks　are　extraordinary　creations；　due　entirely　to　society　for；

according　to　Nature's　plan；　feeble　or　aborted　beings　ought　to　perish。

The　curvature　or　distortion　of　the　spinal　column　creates　in　these

outwardly　deformed　subjects　as　it　were　a　storage…battery；　where　the

nerve　currents　accumulate　more　abundantly　than　under　normal

conditions；where　they　develop；　and　whence　they　are　emitted；　so　to

say；　in　lightning　flashes；　to　energize　the　interior　being。　From　this；

forces　result　which　are　sometimes　brought　to　light　by　magnetism；

though　they　are　far　more　frequently　lost　in　the　vague　spaces　of　the

spiritual　world。　It　is　rare　to　find　a　deformed　person　who　is　not

gifted　with　some　special　faculty；a　whimsical　or　sparkling　gaiety

perhaps；　an　utter　malignity；　or　an　almost　sublime　goodness。　Like

instruments　which　the　hand　of　art　can　never　fully　waken；　these　beings；

highly　privileged　though　they　know　it　not；　live　within　themselves；　as

Butscha　lived；　provided　their　natural　forces　so　magnificently

concentrated　have　not　been　spent　in　the　struggle　they　have　been　forced

to　maintain；　against　tremendous　odds；　to　keep　alive。　This　explains

many　superstitions；　the　popular　legends　of　gnomes；　frightful　dwarfs；

deformed　fairies；all　that　race　of　bottles；　as　Rabelais　called　them；

containing　elixirs　and　precious　balms。



Butscha；　therefore；　had　very　nearly　found　the　key　to　the　puzzle。　With

all　the　anxious　solicitude　of　a　hopeless　lover；　a　vassal　ever　ready　to

die；like　the　soldiers　alone　and　abandoned　in　the　snows　of　Russia；

who　still　cried　out；　〃Long　live　the　Emperor；〃he　meditated　how　to

capture　Modeste's　secret　for　his　own　private　knowledge。　So　thinking；

he　followed　his　patrons　to　the　Chalet　that　evening；　with　a　cloud　of

care　upon　his　brow：　for　he　knew　it　was　most　important　to　hide　from　all

these　watchful　eyes　and　ears　the　net；　whatever　it　might　be；　in　which

he　should　entrap　his　lady。　It　would　have　to　be；　he　thought；　by　some

intercepted　glance；　some　sudden　start　or　quiver；