modeste mignon-第39章

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passes　off　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；　and　never　returns。　It　would

seem　as　though　fame；　like　the　sun；　hot　and　luminous　at　a　distance；　is

cold　as　the　summit　of　an　alp　when　you　approach　it。　Perhaps　man　is　only

really　great　to　his　peers；　perhaps　the　defects　inherent　in　his

constitution　disappear　sooner　to　the　eyes　of　his　equals　than　to　those

of　vulgar　admirers。　A　poet；　if　he　would　please　in　ordinary　life；　must

put　on　the　fictitious　graces　of　those　who　are　able　to　make　their

insignificances　forgotten　by　charming　manners　and　complying　speeches。

The　poet　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain；　who　did　not　choose　to　bow

before　this　social　dictum；　was　made　before　long　to　feel　that　an

insulting　provincial　indifference　had　succeeded　to　the　dazed

fascination　of　the　earlier　evenings。　The　prodigality　of　his　wit　and

wisdom　had　produced　upon　these　worthy　souls　somewhat　the　effect　which

a　shopful　of　glass…ware　produces　on　the　eye；　in　other　words；　the　fire

and　brilliancy　of　Canalis's　eloquence　soon　wearied　people　who；　to　use

their　own　words；　〃cared　more　for　the　solid。〃



Forced　after　a　while　to　behave　like　an　ordinary　man；　the　poet　found　an

unexpected　stumbling…block　on　ground　where　La　Briere　had　already　won

the　suffrage　of　the　worthy　people　who　at　first　had　thought　him　sulky。

They　felt　the　need　of　compensating　themselves　for　Canalis's　reputation

by　preferring　his　friend。　The　best　of　men　are　influenced　by　such

feelings　as　these。　The　simple　and　straightforward　young　fellow　jarred

no　one's　self…love；　coming　to　know　him　better　they　discovered　his

heart；　his　modesty；　his　silent　and　sure　discretion；　and　his　excellent

bearing。　The　Duc　d'Herouville　considered　him；　as　a　political　element；

far　above　Canalis。　The　poet；　ill…balanced；　ambitious；　and　restless　as

Tasso；　loved　luxury；　grandeur；　and　ran　into　debt；　while　the　young

lawyer；　whose　character　was　equable　and　well…balanced；　lived　soberly；

was　useful　without　proclaiming　it；　awaited　rewards　without　begging　for

them；　and　laid　by　his　money。



Canalis　had　moreover　laid　himself　open　in　a　special　way　to　the

bourgeois　eyes　that　were　watching　him。　For　two　or　three　days　he　had

shown　signs　of　impatience；　he　had　given　way　to　depression；　to　states

of　melancholy　without　apparent　reason；　to　those　capricious　changes　of

temper　which　are　the　natural　results　of　the　nervous　temperament　of

poets。　These　originalities　（we　use　the　provincial　word）　came　from　the

uneasiness　that　his　conduct　toward　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu　which　grew

daily　less　explainable；　caused　him。　He　knew　he　ought　to　write　to　her；

but　could　not　resolve　on　doing　so。　All　these　fluctuations　were

carefully　remarked　and　commented　on　by　the　gentle　American；　and　the

excellent　Madame　Latournelle；　and　they　formed　the　topic　of　many　a

discussion　between　these　two　ladies　and　Madame　Mignon。　Canalis　felt

the　effects　of　these　discussions　without　being　able　to　explain　them。

The　attention　paid　to　him　was　not　the　same；　the　faces　surrounding　him

no　longer　wore　the　entranced　look　of　the　earlier　days；　while　at　the

same　time　Ernest　was　evidently　gaining　ground。



For　the　last　two　days　the　poet　had　endeavored　to　fascinate　Modeste

only；　and　he　took　advantage　of　every　moment　when　he　found　himself

alone　with　her；　to　weave　the　web　of　passionate　language　around　his

love。　Modeste's　blush；　as　she　listened　to　him　on　the　occasion　we　have

just　mentioned；　showed　the　demoiselles　d'Herouville　the　pleasure　with

which　she　was　listening　to　sweet　conceits　that　were　sweetly　said；　and

they；　horribly　uneasy　at　the　sight；　had　immediate　recourse　to　the

〃ultima　ratio〃　of　women　in　such　cases；　namely；　those　calumnies　which

seldom　miss　their　object。　Accordingly；　when　the　party　met　at　the

dinner…table　the　poet　saw　a　cloud　on　the　brow　of　his　idol；　he　knew

that　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville's　malignity　allowed　him　to　lose　no

time；　and　he　resolved　to　offer　himself　as　a　husband　at　the　first

moment　when　he　could　find　himself　alone　with　Modeste。



Overhearing　a　few　acid　though　polite　remarks　exchanged　between　the

poet　and　the　two　noble　ladies；　Gobenheim　nudged　Butscha　with　his

elbow；　and　said　in　an　undertone；　motioning　towards　the　poet　and　the

grand　equerry；



〃They'll　demolish　one　another！〃



〃Canalis　has　genius　enough　to　demolish　himself　all　alone；〃　answered

the　dwarf。







CHAPTER　XXII



A　RIDDLE　GUESSED



During　the　dinner；　which　was　magnificent　and　admirably　well　served；

the　duke　obtained　a　signal　advantage　over　Canalis。　Modeste；　who　had

received　her　habit　and　other　equestrian　equipments　the　night　before；

spoke　of　taking　rides　about　the　country。　A　turn　of　the　conversation

led　her　to　express　the　wish　to　see　a　hunt　with　hounds；　a　pleasure　she

had　never　yet　enjoyed。　The　duke　at　once　proposed　to　arrange　a　hunt　in

one　of　the　crown　forests；　which　lay　a　few　leagues　from　Havre。　Thanks

to　his　intimacy　with　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；　Master　of　the　Hunt；　he

saw　his　chance　of　displaying　an　almost　regal　pomp　before　Modeste's

eyes；　and　alluring　her　with　a　glimpse　of　court　fascinations；　to　which

she　could　be　introduced　by　marriage。　Glances　were　exchanged　between

the　duke　and　the　two　demoiselles　d'Herouville；　which　plainly　said；

〃The　heiress　is　ours！〃　and　the　poet；　who　detected　them；　and　who　had

nothing　but　his　personal　splendors　to　depend　on；　determined　all　the

more　firmly　to　obtain　some　pledge　of　affection　at　once。　Modeste；　on

the　other　hand；　half…frightened　at　being　thus　pushed　beyond　her

intentions　by　the　d'Herouvilles；　walked　rather　markedly　apart　with

Melchior；　when　the　company　adjourned　to　the　park　after　dinner。　With

the　pardonable　curiosity　of　a　young　girl；　she　let　him　suspect　the

calumnies　which　Helene　had　poured　into　her　ears；　but　on　Canalis's

exclamation　of　anger；　she　begged　him　to　keep　silence　about　them；　which

he　promised。



〃These　stabs　of　the　tongue；〃　he　said；　〃are　considered　fair　in　the

great　world。　They　shock　your　upright　nature；　but　as　for　me；　I　laugh　at

them；　I　am　even　pleased。　These　ladies　must　feel　that　the　duke's

interests　are　in　great　peril；　when　they　have　recourse　to　such

warfare。〃



Making　the　most　of　the　advantage　Modeste　had　thus　given　him；　Canalis

entered　upon　his　defence　with　such　warmth；　such　eagerness；　and　with　a

passion　so　exquisitely　expressed；　as　he　thanked　her　for　a　confidence

in　which　he　could　venture　to　see　the　dawn　of　love；　that　she　found

herself　suddenly　as　much　compromised　with　the　poet　as　she　feared　to　be

with　the　grand　equerry。　Canalis；　feeling　the　necessity　of　prompt

action；　declared　himself　plainly。　He　uttered　vows　and　protestations　in

which　his　poetry　shone　like　a　moon；　invoked　for　the　occasion；　and

illuminating　his　allusions　to　the　beauty　of　his　mistress　and　the

charms　of　her　evening　dress。　This　counterfeit　enthusiasm；　in　which　the

night；　the　foliage；　the　heavens　and　the　earth；　and　Nature　herself

played　a　part；　carried　the　eager　lover　beyond　all　bounds；　for　he　dwelt

on　his　disinterestedness；　and　revamped　in　his　own　charming　style；

Diderot's　famous　apostrophe　to　〃Sophie　and　fifteen　hundred　francs！〃

and　the　well…worn　〃love　in　a　cottage〃　of　every　lover　who　knows

perfectly　well　the　length　of　the　father…in…law's　purse。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Modeste；　after　listening　with　delight　to　the　melody

of　this　concerto；　〃the　freedom　granted　to　me　by　my　parents　has　allowed

me　to　listen　to　you；　but　it　is　to　them　that　you　must　address

yourself。〃



〃But；〃　exclaimed　Canalis；　〃tell　me　that　if　I　obtain　their　consent；　you

will　ask　nothing　better　than　to　obey　them。〃



〃I　know　beforehand；〃　she　replied；　〃that　my　father　has　certain　fancies

which　may　wound　the　proper　pride　of　an　old　family　like　yours。　He

wishes　to　have　his　own　title　and　name　borne　by　his　grandsons。〃



〃Ah！　dear　Modeste；　what　sacrifices　would　I　not　make　to　commit　my　life

to　the　guardian　care　of　an　angel　like　you。〃



〃You　will　permit　me　not　to　decide　in　a　moment　the　fate　of　my　whole

life；〃　she　said；　turning　to　rejoin　the　demoiselles　d'Herouville。



Those　noble　ladies　were　just　then　engaged　in　flattering　the　vanity　of

little　Latournelle；　intending　to　win　him　over　to　their　interests。

Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　to　whom　we　shall　in　future　confine　the

family　name；　to　distinguish　her　from　her　niece　Helene；　was　giving　the

notary　to　understand　that　the　post　of　judge　of　the　Supreme　Court　in

Havre；　which　Charles　X。　would　bestow　as　she　desired；　was　an　office

worthy　of　his　legal　talent　and　his　well…known　probity。　Butscha；

meanwhile；　who　had　been　walking　about　with　La　Briere；　was　greatly

alarmed　at　the　progress　Canalis　was　evidently　making；　and　he　waylaid

Modeste　at　the　lower　step　of　the　portico　when　the　whole　party　returned

to　the　house　to　endure　the　torments　of　their　inevitable　whist。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　whisper；　〃I　do　hope　you　don't　call

him　Melchior。〃



〃I'm　very　near　it；　my　Black　Dwarf；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　that　might

have　made　an　angel　swear。



〃Good　God！〃　exclaimed　Butscha；　letting　fall　his　hands；　which　struck

the　marble　steps。



〃Well！　and　isn't　he　worth　more　than　that　spiteful　and　gloomy　secretary

in　whom　you　take　such　an　interest？〃　she　retorted；　assuming；　at　the

mere　thought　of　Ernest；　the　haughty　manner　whose　secret　belongs

exclusively　to　young　girls；as　if　their　virginity　lent　them　wings　to

fly　to　heaven。　〃Pray；　would　your　little　La　Briere　accept　me　without　a

fortune？〃　she　said；　after　a　pause。



〃Ask　your　father；〃　replied　Butscha；　who　walked　a　few　steps　from　the

house；　to　get　Modeste　at　a　safe　distance　from　the　windows。　〃Listen　to

me；　mademoiselle。　You　know　that　he　who　speaks　to　you　is　ready　to　give

not　only　his　life　but　his　honor　for　you；　at　any　moment；　and　at　all

times。　Therefore　you　may　believe　in　him；　you　can　confide　to　him　that

which　you　may　not；　perhaps；　be　willing　to　say　to　your　father。　Tell　me；

has　that　sublime　Canalis　been　making　you　the　disinterested　offer　that

you　now　fling　as　a　reproach　at　poor　Ernest？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Do　you　believe　it？〃



〃That　question；　my　manikin；〃　she　replied；　giving　him　one　of　the　ten　or

a　dozen　nicknames　she　had　invented　for　him；　〃strikes　me　as

undervaluing　the　strength　of　my　self…love。〃



〃Ah；　you　are　laughing；　my　dear　Mademoiselle　Modeste；　then　there's　no

danger：　I　hope　you　are　only　making　a　fool　of　him。〃



〃Pray　what　would　you　think　of　me；　Monsieur　Butscha；　if　I　allowed

myself　to　make　fun　of　those　who　do　me　the　honor　to　wish　to　marry　me？

You　ought　to　know；　master　Jean；　that　even　if　a　girl　affects　to　despise

the　most　despicable　attentions；　she　is　flattered　by　them。〃



〃Then　I　flatter　you？〃　said　the　young　man；　looking　up　at　her　with　a

face　that　was　illuminated　like　a　city　for　a　festival。



〃You？〃　she　said；　〃you　give　me　the　most　precious　of　all　friendships；a

feeling　as　disinterested　as　that　of　a　mother　for　her　child。　Compare

yourself　to　no　one；　for　even　my　father　is　obliged　to　be　devoted　to

me。〃　She　paused。　〃I　cannot　say　that　I　love　you；　in　the　sense　which　m