modeste mignon-第25章

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Melchior　has　saved　his　money；　or　whether　he　has　some　entanglement　to

shake　off；　they　want　to　find　out　if　he　is　guilty　to　bourgeois　eyes　of

youthful　indiscretions；which　to　the　sun　of　our　love　are　like　the

clouds　of　the　dawn。　Oh！　what　will　come　of　it？　what　will　they　do？　See！

feel　my　hand；　it　burns　with　fever。　Ah！　I　shall　never　survive　it。〃



And　Modeste；　really　taken　with　a　chill；　was　forced　to　go　to　bed；

causing　serious　uneasiness　to　her　mother；　Madame　Latournelle；　and

Madame　Dumay；　who　took　good　care　of　her　during　the　journey　of　the

lieutenant　to　Paris；to　which　city　the　logic　of　events　compels　us　to

transport　our　drama　for　a　moment。



Truly　modest　minds；　like　that　of　Ernest　de　La　Briere；　but　especially

those　who；　knowing　their　own　value；　also　know　that　they　are　neither

loved　nor　appreciated；　can　understand　the　infinite　joy　to　which　the

young　secretary　abandoned　himself　on　reading　Modeste's　letter。　Could

it　be　that　after　thinking　him　lofty　and　witty　in　soul；　his　young；　his

artless；　his　tricksome　mistress　now　thought　him　handsome？　This

flattery　is　the　flattery　supreme。　And　why？　Beauty　is；　undoubtedly；　the

signature　of　the　master　to　the　work　into　which　he　has　put　his　soul；　it

is　the　divine　spirit　manifested。　And　to　see　it　where　it　is　not；　to

create　it　by　the　power　of　an　inward　look；is　not　that　the　highest

reach　of　love？　And　so　the　poor　youth　cried　aloud　with　all　the　rapture

of　an　applauded　author；　〃At　last　I　am　beloved！〃　When　a　woman；　be　she

maid；　wife；　or　widow；　lets　the　charming　words　escape　her；　〃Thou　art

handsome；〃　the　words　may　be　false；　but　the　man　opens　his　thick　skull

to　their　subtle　poison；　and　thenceforth　he　is　attached　by　an

everlasting　tie　to　the　pretty　flatterer；　the　true　or　the　deceived

judge；　she　becomes　his　particular　world；　he　thirsts　for　her　continual

testimony；　and　he　never　wearies　of　it；　even　if　he　is　a　crowned　prince。

Ernest　walked　proudly　up　and　down　his　room；　he　struck　a　three…quarter；

full…face；　and　profile　attitude　before　the　glass；　he　tried　to

criticise　himself；　but　a　voice；　diabolically　persuasive；　whispered　to

him；　〃Modeste　is　right。〃　He　took　up　her　letter　and　re…read　it；　he　saw

his　fairest　of　the　fair；　he　talked　with　her；　then；　in　the　midst　of　his

ecstacy；　a　dreadful　thought　came　to　him：



〃She　thinks　me　Canalis；　and　she　has　a　million　of　money！〃



Down　went　his　happiness；　just　as　a　somnambulist；　having　attained　the

peak　of　a　roof；　hears　a　voice；　awakes；　and　falls　crushed　upon　the

pavement。



〃Without　the　halo　of　fame　I　shall　be　hideous　in　her　eyes；〃　he　cried；

〃what　a　maddening　situation　I　have　put　myself　in！〃



La　Briere　was　too　much　the　man　of　his　letters　which　we　have　read；　his

heart　was　too　noble　and　pure　to　allow　him　to　hesitate　at　the　call　of

honor。　He　at　once　resolved　to　find　Modeste's　father；　if　he　were　in

Paris；　and　confess　all　to　him；　and　to　let　Canalis　know　the　serious

results　of　their　Parisian　jest。　To　a　sensitive　nature　like　his；

Modeste's　large　fortune　was　in　itself　a　determining　reason。　He　could

not　allow　it　to　be　even　suspected　that　the　ardor　of　the

correspondence；　so　sincere　on　his　part；　had　in　view　the　capture　of　a

〃dot。〃　Tears　were　in　his　eyes　as　he　made　his　way　to　the　rue

Chantereine　to　find　the　banker　Mongenod；　whose　fortune　and　business

connections　were　partly　the　work　of　the　minister　to　whom　Ernest　owed

his　start　in　life。



At　the　hour　when　La　Briere　was　inquiring　about　the　father　of　his

beloved　from　the　head　of　the　house　of　Mongenod；　and　getting

information　that　might　be　useful　to　him　in　his　strange　position；　a

scene　was　taking　place　in　Canalis's　study　which　the　ex…lieutenant's

hasty　departure　from　Havre　may　have　led　the　reader　to　foresee。



Like　a　true　soldier　of　the　imperial　school；　Dumay；　whose　Breton　blood

had　boiled　all　the　way　to　Paris；　considered　a　poet　to　be　a　poor　stick

of　a　fellow；　of　no　consequence　whatever；a　buffoon　addicted　to

choruses；　living　in　a　garret；　dressed　in　black　clothes　that　were　white

at　every　seam；　wearing　boots　that　were　occasionally　without　soles；　and

linen　that　was　unmentionable；　and　whose　fingers　knew　more　about　ink

than　soap；　in　short；　one　who　looked　always　as　if　he　had　tumbled　from

the　moon；　except　when　scribbling　at　a　desk；　like　Butscha。　But　the

seething　of　the　Breton's　heart　and　brain　received　a　violent

application　of　cold　water　when　he　entered　the　courtyard　of　the　pretty

house　occupied　by　the　poet　and　saw　a　groom　washing　a　carriage；　and

also；　through　the　windows　of　a　handsome　dining…room；　a　valet　dressed

like　a　banker；　to　whom　the　groom　referred　him；　and　who　answered；

looking　the　stranger　over　from　head　to　foot；　that　Monsieur　le　baron

was　not　visible。　〃There　is；〃　added　the　man；　〃a　meeting　of　the　council

of　state　to…day；　at　which　Monsieur　le　baron　is　obliged　to　be　present。〃



〃Is　this　really　the　house　of　Monsieur　Canalis；〃　said　Dumay；　〃a　writer

of　poetry？〃



〃Monsieur　le　baron　de　Canalis；〃　replied　the　valet；　〃is　the　great　poet

of　whom　you　speak；　but　he　is　also　the　president　of　the　court　of　Claims

attached　to　the　ministry　of　foreign　affairs。〃



Dumay；　who　had　come　to　box　the　ears　of　a　scribbling　nobody；　found

himself　confronted　by　a　high　functionary　of　the　state。　The　salon　where

he　was　told　to　wait　offered；　as　a　topic　for　his　meditations；　the

insignia　of　the　Legion　of　honor　glittering　on　a　black　coat　which　the

valet　had　left　upon　a　chair。　Presently　his　eyes　were　attracted　by　the

beauty　and　brilliancy　of　a　silver…gilt　cup　bearing　the　words　〃Given　by

MADAME。〃　Then　he　beheld　before　him；　on　a　pedestal；　a　Sevres　vase　on

which　was　engraved；　〃The　gift　of　Madame　la　DAUPHINE。〃



These　mute　admonitions　brought　Dumay　to　his　senses　while　the　valet

went　to　ask　his　master　if　he　would　receive　a　person　who　had　come　from

Havre　expressly　to　see　him；a　stranger　named　Dumay。



〃What　sort　of　a　man？〃　asked　Canalis。



〃He　is　well…dressed；　and　wears　the　ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　honor。〃



Canalis　made　a　sign　of　assent；　and　the　valet　retreated；　and　then

returned　and　announced；　〃Monsieur　Dumay。〃



When　he　heard　himself　announced；　when　he　was　actually　in　presence　of

Canalis；　in　a　study　as　gorgeous　as　it　was　elegant；　with　his　feet　on　a

carpet　far　handsomer　than　any　in　the　house　of　Mignon；　and　when　he　met

the　studied　glance　of　the　poet　who　was　playing　with　the　tassels　of　a

sumptuous　dressing…gown；　Dumay　was　so　completely　taken　aback　that　he

allowed　the　great　poet　to　have　the　first　word。



〃To　what　do　I　owe　the　honor　of　your　visit；　monsieur？〃



〃Monsieur；〃　began　Dumay；　who　remained　standing。



〃If　you　have　a　good　deal　to　say；〃　interrupted　Canalis；　〃I　must　ask　you

to　be　seated。〃



And　Canalis　himself　plunged　into　an　armchair　a　la　Voltaire；　crossed

his　legs；　raised　the　upper　one　to　the　level　of　his　eye　and　looked

fixedly　at　Dumay；　who　became；　to　use　his　own　martial　slang；

〃bayonetted。〃



〃I　am　listening；　monsieur；〃　said　the　poet；　〃my　time　is　precious；the

ministers　are　expecting　me。〃



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Dumay；　〃I　shall　be　brief。　You　have　seducedhow；　I　do

not　knowa　young　lady　in　Havre；　young；　beautiful；　and　rich；　the　last

and　only　hope　of　two　noble　families；　and　I　have　come　to　ask　your

intentions。〃



Canalis；　who　had　been　busy　during　the　last　three　months　with　serious

matters　of　his　own；　and　was　trying　to　get　himself　made　commander　of

the　Legion　of　honor　and　minister　to　a　German　court；　had　completely

forgotten　Modeste's　letter。〃



〃I！〃　he　exclaimed。



〃You！〃　repeated　Dumay。



〃Monsieur；〃　answered　Canalis；　smiling；　〃I　know　no　more　of　what　you　are

talking　about　than　if　you　had　said　it　in　Hebrew。　I　seduce　a　young

girl！　I；　who〃　and　a　superb　smile　crossed　his　features。　〃Come；　come；

monsieur；　I'm　not　such　a　child　as　to　steal　fruit　over　the　hedges　when

I　have　orchards　and　gardens　of　my　own　where　the　finest　peaches　ripen。

All　Paris　knows　where　my　affections　are　set。　Very　likely　there　may　be

some　young　girl　in　Havre　full　of　enthusiasm　for　my　verses；of　which

they　are　not　worthy；　that　would　not　surprise　me　at　all；　nothing　is

more　common。　See！　look　at　that　lovely　coffer　of　ebony　inlaid　with

mother…of…pearl；　and　edged　with　that　iron…work　as　fine　as　lace。　That

coffer　belonged　to　Pope　Leo　X。；　and　was　given　to　me　by　the　Duchesse　de

Chaulieu；　who　received　it　from　the　king　of　Spain。　I　use　it　to　hold　the

letters　I　receive　from　ladies　and　young　girls　living　in　every　quarter

of　Europe。　Oh！　I　assure　you　I　feel　the　utmost　respect　for　these

flowers　of　the　soul；　cut　and　sent　in　moments　of　enthusiasm　that　are

worthy　of　all　reverence。　Yes；　to　me　the　impulse　of　a　heart　is　a　noble

and　sublime　thing！　Othersscofferslight　their　cigars　with　such

letters；　or　give　them　to　their　wives　for　curl…papers；　but　I；　who　am　a

bachelor；　monsieur；　I　have　too　much　delicacy　not　to　preserve　these

artless　offeringsso　fresh；　so　disinterestedin　a　tabernacle　of

their　own。　In　fact；　I　guard　them　with　a　species　of　veneration；　and　at

my　death　they　will　be　burned　before　my　eyes。　People　may　call　that

ridiculous；　but　I　do　not　care。　I　am　grateful；　these　proofs　of　devotion

enable　me　to　bear　the　criticisms　and　annoyances　of　a　literary　life。

When　I　receive　a　shot　in　the　back　from　some　enemy　lurking　under　cover

of　a　daily　paper；　I　look　at　that　casket　and　think；here　and　there　in

this　wide　world　there　are　hearts　whose　wounds　have　been　healed；　or

soothed；　or　dressed　by　me！〃



This　bit　of　poetry；　declaimed　with　all　the　talent　of　a　great　actor；

petrified　the　lieutenant；　whose　eyes　opened　to　their　utmost　extent；

and　whose　astonishment　delighted　the　poet。



〃I　will　permit　you；〃　continued　the　peacock；　spreading　his　tail；　〃out

of　respect　for　your　position；　which　I　fully　appreciate；　to　open　that

coffer　and　look　for　the　letter　of　your　young　lady。　Though　I　know　I　am

right；　I　remember　names；　and　I　assure　you　you　are　mistaken　in

thinking〃



〃And　this　is　what　a　poor　child　comes　to　in　this　gulf　of　Paris！〃　cried

Dumay；〃the　darling　of　her　parents；　the　joy　of　her　friends；　the　hope

of　all；　petted　by　all；　the　pride　of　a　family；　who　has　six　persons　so

devoted　to　her　that　they　would　willingly　make　a　rampart　of　their　lives

and　fortunes　between　her　and　sorrow。　Monsieur；〃　Dumay　remarked　after　a

pause；　〃you　are　a　great　poet；　and　I　am　only　a　poor　soldier。　For

fifteen　years　I　served　my　country　in　the　ranks；　I　have　had　the　wind　of

many　a　bullet　in　my　face；　I　have　crossed　Siberia　and　been　a　prisoner

there；　the　Russians　flung　me　on　a　kibitka；　and　God　knows　what　I

suffered。　I　have　seen　thousands　of　my　comrades　die；but　you；　you　have

given　me　a　chill　to　the　marrow　of　my　bones；　such　as　I　never　felt

before。〃



Dumay　fancied　that　his　words　moved　the　poet；　but　in　fact　they　only

flattered　him；a　thing　which　at　this　period　of　his　life　had　become

almost　an　impossibility；　for　his　ambitious　mind　had　long　forgotten　the

first　perfumed　phial　that　praise　had　broken　over　his　head。



〃Ah；　my　soldier！〃　he　said　solemnly；　laying　his　hand　on　Dumay's

sho