modeste mignon-第40章

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

give　to　that　word；　but　what　I　do　give　you　is　eternal　and　can　know　no

change。〃



〃Then；〃　said　Butscha；　stooping　to　pick　up　a　pebble　that　he　might　kiss

the　hem　of　her　garment；　〃suffer　me　to　watch　over　you　as　a　dragon

guards　a　treasure。　The　poet　was　covering　you　just　now　with　the　lace…

work　of　his　precious　phrases；　the　tinsel　of　his　promises；　he　chanted

his　love　on　the　best　strings　of　his　lyre；　I　know　he　did。　If；　as　soon

as　this　noble　lover　finds　out　how　small　your　fortune　is；　he　makes　a

sudden　change　in　his　behavior；　and　is　cold　and　embarrassed；　will　you

still　marry　him？　shall　you　still　esteem　him？〃



〃He　would　be　another　Francisque　Althor；〃　she　said；　with　a　gesture　of

bitter　disgust。



〃Let　me　have　the　pleasure　of　producing　that　change　of　scene；〃　said

Butscha。　〃Not　only　shall　it　be　sudden；　but　I　believe　I　can　change　it

back　and　make　your　poet　as　loving　as　before；nay；　it　is　possible　to

make　him　blow　alternately　hot　and　cold　upon　your　heart；　just　as

gracefully　as　he　has　talked　on　both　sides　of　an　argument　in　one

evening　without　ever　finding　it　out。〃



〃If　you　are　right；〃　she　said；　〃who　can　be　trusted？〃



〃One　who　truly　loves　you。〃



〃The　little　duke？〃



Butscha　looked　at　Modeste。　The　pair　walked　some　distance　in　silence；

the　girl　was　impenetrable　and　not　an　eyelash　quivered。



〃Mademoiselle；　permit　me　to　be　the　exponent　of　the　thoughts　that　are

lying　at　the　bottom　of　your　heart　like　sea…mosses　under　the　waves；　and

which　you　do　not　choose　to　gather　up。〃



〃Eh！〃　said　Modeste；　〃so　my　intimate　friend　and　counsellor　thinks

himself　a　mirror；　does　he？〃



〃No；　an　echo；〃　he　answered；　with　a　gesture　of　sublime　humility。　〃The

duke　loves　you；　but　he　loves　you　too　much。　If　I；　a　dwarf；　have

understood　the　infinite　delicacy　of　your　heart；　it　would　be　repugnant

to　you　to　be　worshipped　like　a　saint　in　her　shrine。　You　are　eminently

a　woman；　you　neither　want　a　man　perpetually　at　your　feet　of　whom　you

are　eternally　sure；　nor　a　selfish　egoist　like　Canalis；　who　will　always

prefer　himself　to　you。　Why？　ah；　that　I　don't　know。　But　I　will　make

myself　a　woman；　an　old　woman；　and　find　out　the　meaning　of　the　plan

which　I　have　read　in　your　eyes；　and　which　perhaps　is　in　the　heart　of

every　girl。　Nevertheless；　in　your　great　soul　you　feel　the　need　of

worshipping。　When　a　man　is　at　your　knees；　you　cannot　put　yourself　at

his。　You　can't　advance　in　that　way；　as　Voltaire　might　say。　The　little

duke　has　too　many　genuflections　in　his　moral　being　and　the　poet　has

too　few；indeed；　I　might　say；　none　at　all。　Ha；　I　have　guessed　the

mischief　in　your　smiles　when　you　talk　to　the　grand　equerry；　and　when

he　talks　to　you　and　you　answer　him。　You　would　never　be　unhappy　with

the　duke；　and　everybody　will　approve　your　choice；　if　you　do　choose

him；　but　you　will　never　love　him。　The　ice　of　egotism；　and　the　burning

heat　of　ecstasy　both　produce　indifference　in　the　heart　of　every　woman。

It　is　evident　to　my　mind　that　no　such　perpetual　worship　will　give　you

the　infinite　delights　which　you　are　dreaming　of　in　marriage；in　some

marriage　where　obedience　will　be　your　pride；　where　noble　little

sacrifices　can　be　made　and　hidden；　where　the　heart　is　full　of

anxieties　without　a　cause；　and　successes　are　awaited　with　eager　hope；

where　each　new　chance　for　magnanimity　is　hailed　with　joy；　where　souls

are　comprehended　to　their　inmost　recesses；　and　where　the　woman

protects　with　her　love　the　man　who　protects　her。〃



〃You　are　a　sorcerer！〃　exclaimed　Modeste。



〃Neither　will　you　find　that　sweet　equality　of　feeling；　that　continual

sharing　of　each　other's　life；　that　certainty　of　pleasing　which　makes

marriage　tolerable；　if　you　take　Canalis；a　man　who　thinks　of　himself

only；　whose　'I'　is　the　one　string　to　his　lute；　whose　mind　is　so　fixed

on　himself　that　he　has　hitherto　taken　no　notice　of　your　father　or　the

duke；a　man　of　second…rate　ambitions；　to　whom　your　dignity　and　your

devotion　will　matter　nothing；　who　will　make　you　a　mere　appendage　to

his　household；　and　who　already　insults　you　by　his　indifference　to　your

behavior；　yes；　if　you　permitted　yourself　to　go　so　far　as　to　box　your

mother's　ears　Canalis　would　shut　his　eyes　to　it；　and　deny　your　crime

even　to　himself；　because　he　thirsts　for　your　money。　And　so；

mademoiselle；　when　I　spoke　of　the　man　who　truly　loves　you　I　was　not

thinking　of　the　great　poet　who　is　nothing　but　a　little　comedian；　nor

of　the　duke；　who　might　be　a　good　marriage　for　you；　but　never　a

husband〃



〃Butscha；　my　heart　is　a　blank　page　on　which　you　are　yourself　writing

all　that　you　read　there；〃　cried　Modeste；　interrupting　him。　〃You　are

carried　away　by　your　provincial　hatred　for　everything　that　obliges　you

to　look　higher　than　your　own　head。　You　can't　forgive　a　poet　for　being

a　statesman；　for　possessing　the　gift　of　speech；　for　having　a　noble

future　before　him；and　you　calumniate　his　intentions。〃



〃His！mademoiselle；　he　will　turn　his　back　upon　you　with　the　baseness

of　an　Althor。〃



〃Make　him　play　that　pretty　little　comedy；　and〃



〃That　I　will！　he　shall　play　it　through　and　through　within　three　days；

on　Wednesday；recollect；　Wednesday！　Until　then；　mademoiselle；　amuse

yourself　by　listening　to　the　little　tunes　of　the　lyre；　so　that　the

discords　and　the　false　notes　may　come　out　all　the　more　distinctly。〃



Modeste　ran　gaily　back　to　the　salon；　where　La　Briere；　who　was　sitting

by　the　window；　where　he　had　doubtless　been　watching　his　idol；　rose　to

his　feet　as　if　a　groom　of　the　chambers　had　suddenly　announced；　〃The

Queen。〃　It　was　a　movement　of　spontaneous　respect；　full　of　that　living

eloquence　that　lies　in　gesture　even　more　than　in　speech。　Spoken　love

cannot　compare　with　acts　of　love；　and　every　young　girl　of　twenty　has

the　wisdom　of　fifty　in　applying　the　axiom。　In　it　lies　the　great　secret

of　attraction。　Instead　of　looking　Modeste　in　the　face；　as　Canalis　who

paid　her　public　homage　would　have　done；　the　neglected　lover　followed

her　with　a　furtive　look　between　his　eyelids；　humble　after　the　manner

of　Butscha；　and　almost　timid。　The　young　heiress　observed　it；　as　she

took　her　place　by　Canalis；　to　whose　game　she　proceeded　to　pay

attention。　During　a　conversation　which　ensued；　La　Briere　heard　Modeste

say　to　her　father　that　she　should　ride　out　for　the　first　time　on　the

following　Wednesday；　and　she　also　reminded　him　that　she　had　no　whip　in

keeping　with　her　new　equipments。　The　young　man　flung　a　lightning

glance　at　the　dwarf；　and　a　few　minutes　later　the　two　were　pacing　the

terrace。



〃It　is　nine　o'clock；〃　cried　Ernest。　〃I　shall　start　for　Paris　at　full

gallop；　I　can　get　there　to…morrow　morning　by　ten。　My　dear　Butscha；

from　you　she　will　accept　anything；　for　she　is　attached　to　you；　let　me

give　her　a　riding…whip　in　your　name。　If　you　will　do　me　this　immense

kindness；　you　shall　have　not　only　my　friendship　but　my　devotion。〃



〃Ah；　you　are　very　happy；〃　said　Butscha；　ruefully；　〃you　have　money；

you！〃



〃Tell　Canalis　not　to　expect　me；　and　that　he　must　find　some　pretext　to

account　for　my　absence。〃



An　hour　later　Ernest　had　ridden　out　of　Havre。　He　reached　Paris　in

twelve　hours；　where　his　first　act　was　to　secure　a　place　in　the　mail…

coach　for　Havre　on　the　following　evening。　Then　he　went　to　three　of　the

chief　jewellers　in　Paris　and　compared　all　the　whip…handles　that　they

could　offer；　he　was　in　search　of　some　artistic　treasure　that　was

regally　superb。　He　found　one　at　last；　made　by　Stidmann　for　a　Russian；

who　was　unable　to　pay　for　it　when　finished；a　fox…head　in　gold；　with

a　ruby　of　exorbitant　value；　all　his　savings　went　into　the　purchase；

the　cost　of　which　was　seven　thousand　francs。　Ernest　gave　a　drawing　of

the　arms　of　La　Bastie；　and　allowed　the　shop…people　twenty　hours　to

engrave　them。　The　handle；　a　masterpiece　of　delicate　workmanship；　was

fitted　to　an　india…rubber　whip　and　put　into　a　morocco　case　lined　with

velvet；　on　which　two　M。's　interlaced　were　stamped　in　gold。



La　Briere　got　back　to　Havre　by　the　mail…coach　Wednesday　morning　in

time　to　breakfast　with　Canalis。　The　poet　had　concealed　his　secretary's

absence　by　declaring　that　he　was　busy　with　some　work　sent　from　Paris。

Butscha；　who　met　La　Briere　at　the　coach…door；　took　the　box　containing

the　precious　work　of　art　to　Francoise　Cochet；　with　instructions　to

place　it　on　Modeste's　dressing…table。



〃Of　course　you　will　accompany　Mademoiselle　Modeste　on　her　ride

to…day？〃　said　Butscha；　who　went　to　Canalis's　house　to　let　La　Briere

know　by　a　wink　that　the　whip　had　gone　to　its　destination。



〃I？〃　answered　Ernest；　〃no；　I　am　going　to　bed。〃



〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　Canalis；　looking　at　him。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　make

of　you。〃



Breakfast　was　then　served；　and　the　poet　naturally　invited　their

visitor　to　stay　and　take　it。　Butscha　complied；　having　seen　in　the

expression　of　the　valet's　face　the　success　of　a　trick　in　which　we

shall　see　the　first　fruits　of　his　promise　to　Modeste。



〃Monsieur　is　very　right　to　detain　the　clerk　of　Monsieur　Latournelle；〃

whispered　Germain　in　his　master's　ear。



Canalis　and　Germain　went　into　the　salon　on　a　sign　that　passed　between

them。



〃I　went　out　this　morning　to　see　the　men　fish；　monsieur；〃　said　the

valet；〃an　excursion　proposed　to　me　by　the　captain　of　a　smack；　whose

acquaintance　I　have　made。〃



Germain　did　not　acknowledge　that　he　had　the　bad　taste　to　play

billiards　in　a　cafe；a　fact　of　which　Butscha　had　taken　advantage　to

surround　him　with　friends　of　his　own　and　manage　him　as　he　pleased。



〃Well？〃　said　Canalis；　〃to　the　point；quick！〃



〃Monsieur　le　baron；　I　heard　a　conversation　about　Monsieur　Mignon；

which　I　encouraged　as　far　as　I　could；　for　no　one；　of　course；　knew　that

I　belong　to　you。　Ah！　monsieur；　judging　by　the　talk　of　the　quays；　you

are　running　your　head　into　a　noose。　The　fortune　of　Mademoiselle　de　La

Bastie　is；　like　her　name；　modest。　The　vessel　on　which　the　father

returned　does　not　belong　to　him；　but　to　rich　China　merchants　to　whom

he　renders　an　account。　They　even　say　things　that　are　not　at　all

flattering　to　Monsieur　Mignon's　honor。　Having　heard　that　you　and

Monsieur　le　duc　were　rivals　for　Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie's　hand；　I

have　taken　the　liberty　to　warn　you；　of　the　two；　wouldn't　it　be　better

that　his　lordship　should　gobble　her？　As　I　came　home　I　walked　round　the

quays；　and　into　that　theatre…hall　where　the　merchants　meet；　I　slipped

boldly　in　and　out　among　them。　Seeing　a　well…dressed　stranger；　those

worthy　fellows　began　to　talk　to　me　of　Havre；　and　I　got　them；　little　by

little；　to　speak　of　Colonel　Mignon。　What　they　said　only　confirms　the

stories　the　fishermen　told　me；　and　I　feel　that　I　should　fail　in　my

duty　if　I　keep　silence。　That　is　why　I　did　not　get　home　in　time　to

dress　monsieur　this　morning。〃



〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　cried　Canalis；　who　remembered　his　proposals　to

Modeste　the　night　before；　and　did　not　see　how　he　could　get　out　of

them。



〃Monsieur　knows　my　attachment　to　him；〃　s