modeste mignon-第21章

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

intercepted　glance；　some　sudden　start　or　quiver；　as　when　a　surgeon

lays　his　finger　on　a　hidden　sore。　That　evening　Gobenheim　did　not

appear；　and　Butscha　was　Dumay's　partner　against　Monsieur　and　Madame

Latournelle。　During　the　few　moment's　of　Modeste's　absence；　about　nine

o'clock；　to　prepare　for　her　mother's　bedtime；　Madame　Mignon　and　her

friends　spoke　openly　to　one　another；　but　the　poor　clerk；　depressed　by

the　conviction　of　Modeste's　love；　which　had　now　seized　upon　him　as

upon　the　rest；　seemed　as　remote　from　the　discussion　as　Gobenheim　had

been　the　night　before。



〃Well；　what's　the　matter　with　you；　Butscha？〃　cried　Madame　Latournelle；

〃one　would　really　think　you　hadn't　a　friend　in　the　world。〃



Tears　shone　in　the　eyes　of　the　poor　fellow；　who　was　the　son　of　a

Swedish　sailor；　and　whose　mother　was　dead。



〃I　have　no　one　in　the　world　but　you；〃　he　answered　with　a　troubled

voice；　〃and　your　compassion　is　so　much　a　part　of　your　religion　that　I

can　never　lose　itand　I　will　never　deserve　to　lose　it。〃



This　answer　struck　the　sensitive　chord　of　true　delicacy　in　the　minds

of　all　present。



〃We　love　you；　Monsieur　Butscha；〃　said　Madame　Mignon；　with　much　feeling

in　her　voice。



〃I've　six　hundred　thousand　francs　of　my　own；　this　day；〃　cried　Dumay；

〃and　you　shall　be　a　notary　and　the　successor　of　Latournelle。〃



The　American　wife　took　the　hand　of　the　poor　hunchback　and　pressed　it。



〃What！　you　have　six　hundred　thousand　francs！〃　exclaimed　Latournelle；

pricking　up　his　ears　as　Dumay　let　fall　the　words；　〃and　you　allow　these

ladies　to　live　as　they　do！　Modeste　ought　to　have　a　fine　horse；　and　why

doesn't　she　continue　to　take　lessons　in　music；　and　painting；　and〃



〃Why；　he　has　only　had　the　money　a　few　hours！〃　cried　the　little　wife。



〃Hush！〃　murmured　Madame　Mignon。



While　these　words　were　exchanged；　Butscha's　august　mistress　turned

towards　him；　preparing　to　make　a　speech：



〃My　son；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　so　surrounded　by　true　affection　that　I

never　thought　how　my　thoughtless　use　of　that　familiar　phrase　might　be

construed；　but　you　must　thank　me　for　my　little　blunder；　because　it　has

served　to　show　you　what　friends　your　noble　qualities　have　won。〃



〃Then　you　must　have　news　from　Monsieur　Mignon；〃　resumed　the　notary。



〃He　is　on　his　way　home；〃　said　Madame　Mignon；　〃but　let　us　keep　the

secret　to　ourselves。　When　my　husband　learns　how　faithful　Butscha　has

been　to　us；　how　he　has　shown　us　the　warmest　and　the　most　disinterested

friendship　when　others　have　given　us　the　cold　shoulder；　he　will　not

let　you　alone　provide　for　him；　Dumay。　And　so；　my　friend；〃　she　added；

turning　her　blind　face　toward　Butscha；　〃you　can　begin　at　once　to

negotiate　with　Latournelle。〃



〃He's　of　legal　age；　twenty…five　and　a　half　years。　As　for　me；　it　will

be　paying　a　debt；　my　boy；　to　make　the　purchase　easy　for　you；〃　said　the

notary。



Butscha　was　kissing　Madame　Mignon's　hand；　and　his　face　was　wet　with

tears　as　Modeste　opened　the　door　of　the　salon。



〃What　are　you　doing　to　my　Black　Dwarf？〃　she　demanded。　〃Who　is　making

him　unhappy？〃



〃Ah！　Mademoiselle　Mignon；　do　we　luckless　fellows；　cradled　in

misfortune；　ever　weep　for　grief？　They　have　just　shown　me　as　much

affection　as　I　could　feel　for　them　if　they　were　indeed　my　own

relations。　I'm　to　be　a　notary；　I　shall　be　rich。　Ha！　ha！　the　poor

Butscha　may　become　the　rich　Butscha。　You　don't　know　what　audacity

there　is　in　this　abortion；〃　he　cried。



With　that　he　gave　himself　a　resounding　blow　on　the　cavity　of　his　chest

and　took　up　a　position　before　the　fireplace；　after　casting　a　glance　at

Modeste；　which　slipped　like　a　ray　of　light　between　his　heavy

half…closed　eyelids。　He　perceived；　in　this　unexpected　incident；　a

chance　of　interrogating　the　heart　of　his　sovereign。　Dumay　thought　for

a　moment　that　the　clerk　dared　to　aspire　to　Modeste；　and　he　exchanged　a

rapid　glance　with　the　others；　who　understood　him；　and　began　to　eye　the

little　man　with　a　species　of　terror　mingled　with　curiosity。



〃I；　too；　have　my　dreams；〃　said　Butscha；　not　taking　his　eyes　from

Modeste。



The　young　girl　lowered　her　eyelids　with　a　movement　that　was　a

revelation　to　the　young　man。



〃You　love　romance；〃　he　said；　addressing　her。　〃Let　me；　in　this　moment

of　happiness；　tell　you　mine；　and　you　shall　tell　me　in　return　whether

the　conclusion　of　the　tale　I　have　invented　for　my　life　is　possible。　To

me　wealth　would　bring　greater　happiness　than　to　other　men；　for　the

highest　happiness　I　can　imagine　would　be　to　enrich　the　one　I　loved。

You；　mademoiselle；　who　know　so　many　things；　tell　me　if　it　is　possible

for　a　man　to　make　himself　beloved　independently　of　his　person；　be　it

handsome　or　ugly；　and　for　his　spirit　only？〃



Modeste　raised　her　eyes　and　looked　at　Butscha。　It　was　a　piercing　and

questioning　glance；　for　she　shared　Dumay's　suspicion　of　Butscha's

motive。



〃Let　me　be　rich；　and　I　will　seek　some　beautiful　poor　girl；　abandoned

like　myself；　who　has　suffered；　who　knows　what　misery　is。　I　will　write

to　her　and　console　her；　and　be　her　guardian　spirit；　she　shall　read　my

heart；　my　soul；　she　shall　possess　by　double　wealth；　my　two　wealths；

my　gold；　delicately　offered；　and　my　thought　robed　in　all　the　splendor

which　the　accident　of　birth　has　denied　to　my　grotesque　body。　But　I

myself　shall　remain　hidden　like　the　cause　that　science　seeks。　God

himself　may　not　be　glorious　to　the　eye。　Well；　naturally；　the　maiden

will　be　curious；　she　will　wish　to　see　me；　but　I　shall　tell　her　that　I

am　a　monster　of　ugliness；　I　shall　picture　myself　hideous。〃



At　these　words　Modeste　gave　Butscha　a　glance　that　looked　him　through

and　through。　If　she　had　said　aloud；　〃What　do　you　know　of　my　love？〃　she

could　not　have　been　more　explicit。



〃If　I　have　the　honor　of　being　loved　for　the　poem　of　my　heart；　if　some

day　such　love　may　make　a　woman　think　me　only　slightly　deformed；　I　ask

you；　mademoiselle；　shall　I　not　be　happier　than　the　handsomest　of　men；

as　happy　as　a　man　of　genius　beloved　by　some　celestial　being　like

yourself。〃



The　color　which　suffused　the　young　girl's　face　told　the　cripple　nearly

all　he　sought　to　know。



〃Well；　if　that　be　so；〃　he　went　on；　〃if　we　enrich　the　one　we　love；　if

we　please　the　spirit　and　withdraw　the　body；　is　not　that　the　way　to

make　one's　self　beloved？　At　any　rate　it　is　the　dream　of　your　poor

dwarf；a　dream　of　yesterday；　for　to…day　your　mother　gives　me　the　key

to　future　wealth　by　promising　me　the　means　of　buying　a　practice。　But

before　I　become　another　Gobenheim；　I　seek　to　know　whether　this　dream

could　be　really　carried　out。　What　do　you　say；　mademoiselle；　YOU？〃



Modeste　was　so　astonished　that　she　did　not　notice　the　question。　The

trap　of　the　lover　was　much　better　baited　than　that　of　the　soldier；　for

the　poor　girl　was　rendered　speechless。



〃Poor　Butscha！〃　whispered　Madame　Latournelle　to　her　husband。　〃Do　you

think　he　is　going　mad？〃



〃You　want　to　realize　the　story　of　Beauty　and　the　Beast；〃　said　Modeste

at　length；　〃but　you　forget　that　the　Beast　turned　into　Prince

Charming。〃



〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃Now　I　have　always　thought　that

that　transformation　meant　the　phenomenon　of　the　soul　made　visible；

obliterating　the　form　under　the　light　of　the　spirit。　If　I　were　not

loved　I　should　stay　hidden；　that　is　all。　You　and　yours；　madame；〃　he

continued；　addressing　his　mistress；　〃instead　of　having　a　dwarf　at　your

service；　will　now　have　a　life　and　a　fortune。〃



So　saying；　Butscha　resumed　his　seat；　remarking　to　the　three　whist…

players　with　an　assumption　of　calmness；　〃Whose　deal　is　it？〃　but　within

his　soul　he　whispered　sadly　to　himself：　〃She　wants　to　be　loved　for

herself；　she　corresponds　with　some　pretended　great　man；　how　far　has　it

gone？〃



〃Dear　mamma；　it　is　nearly　ten　o'clock；〃　said　Modeste。



Madame　Mignon　said　good…night　to　her　friends；　and　went　to　bed。



They　who　wish　to　love　in　secret　may　have　Pyrenean　hounds；　mothers；

Dumays；　and　Latournelles　to　spy　upon　them；　and　yet　not　be　in　any

danger；　but　when　it　comes　to　a　lover！ah！　that　is　diamond　cut

diamond；　flame　against　flame；　mind　to　mind；　an　equation　whose　terms

are　mutual。



On　Sunday　morning　Butscha　arrived　at　the　Chalet　before　Madame

Latournelle；　who　always　came　to　take　Modeste　to　church；　and　he

proceeded　to　blockade　the　house　in　expectation　of　the　postman。



〃Have　you　a　letter　for　Mademoiselle　Mignon？〃　he　said　to　that　humble

functionary　when　he　appeared。



〃No；　monsieur；　none。〃



〃This　house　has　been　a　good　customer　to　the　post　of　late；〃　remarked

the　clerk。



〃You　may　well　say　that；〃　replied　the　man。



Modeste　both　heard　and　saw　the　little　colloquy　from　her　chamber

window；　where　she　always　posted　herself　behind　the　blinds　at　this

particular　hour　to　watch　for　the　postman。　She　ran　downstairs；　went

into　the　little　garden；　and　called　in　an　imperative　voice：



〃Monsieur　Butscha！〃



〃Here　am　I；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　cripple；　reaching　the　gate　as

Modeste　herself　opened　it。



〃Will　you　be　good　enough　to　tell　me　whether　among　your　various　titles

to　a　woman's　affection　you　count　that　of　the　shameless　spying　in　which

you　are　now　engaged？〃　demanded　the　girl；　endeavoring　to　crush　her

slave　with　the　glance　and　gesture　of　a　queen。



〃Yes；　mademoiselle；〃　he　answered　proudly。　〃Ah！　I　never　expected；〃　he

continued　in　a　low　tone；　〃that　the　grub　could　be　of　service　to　a　star；

but　so　it　is。　Would　you　rather　that　your　mother　and　Monsieur　Dumay

and　Madame　Latournelle　had　guessed　your　secret　than　one；　excluded　as

it　were　from　life；　who　seeks　to　be　to　you　one　of　those　flowers　that

you　cut　and　wear　for　a　moment？　They　all　know　you　love；　but　I；　I　alone；

KNOW　HOW。　Use　me　as　you　would　a　vigilant　watch…dog；　I　will　obey　you；

protect　you；　and　never　bark；　neither　will　I　condemn　you。　I　ask　only　to

be　of　service　to　you。　Your　father　has　made　Dumay　keeper　of　the　hen…

roost；　take　Butscha　to　watch　outside；poor　Butscha；　who　doesn't　ask

for　anything；　not　so　much　as　a　bone。〃



〃Well；　I've　give　you　a　trial；〃　said　Modeste；　whose　strongest　desire

was　to　get　rid　of　so　clever　a　watcher。　〃Please　go　at　once　to　all　the

hotels　in　Graville　and　in　Havre；　and　ask　if　a　gentleman　has　arrived

from　England　named　Monsieur　Arthur〃



〃Listen　to　me；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Butscha；　interrupting　Modeste

respectfully。　〃I　will　go　and　take　a　walk　on　the　seashore；　for　you

don't　want　me　to　go　to　church　to…day；　that's　what　it　is。〃



Modeste　looked　at　her　dwarf　with　a　perfectly　stupid　astonishment。



〃Mademoiselle；　you　have　wrapped　your　face　in　cotton…wool　and　a　silk

handkerchief；　but　there's　nothing　the　matter　with　you；　and　you　have

put　that　thick　veil　on　your　bonnet　to　see　some　one　yourself　without

being　seen。〃



〃Where　did　you　acquire　all　that　perspicacity？〃　cried　Modeste；

blushing。



〃Moreover；　mademoiselle；　you　have　not　put　on　your　corset；　a　cold　in

the　head　wouldn't　oblige　you