modeste mignon-第42章

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villa　Mignon；　that's　another；　'tertio；'　Dumay's　property！〃　doubling

down　his　middle　finger。　〃Ha！　little　Modeste　may　count　upon　her　six

hundred　thousand　francs　as　soon　as　the　two　old　soldiers　have　got　their

marching　orders　for　eternity。〃



This　coarse　and　candid　statement；　intermingled　with　a　variety　of

liqueurs；　sobered　Canalis　as　much　as　it　appeared　to　befuddle　Butscha。

To　the　latter；　a　young　provincial；　such　a　fortune　must　of　course　seem

colossal。　He　let　his　head　fall　into　the　palm　of　his　right　hand；　and

putting　his　elbows　majestically　on　the　table；　blinked　his　eyes　and

continued　talking　to　himself：



〃In　twenty　years；　thanks　to　that　Code；　which　pillages　fortunes　under

what　they　call　'Successions；'　an　heiress　worth　a　million　will　be　as

rare　as　generosity　in　a　money…lender。　Suppose　Modeste　does　want　to

spend　all　the　interest　of　her　own　money；well；　she　is　so　pretty；　so

sweet　and　pretty；　why　she'syou　poets　are　always　after　metaphors

she's　a　weasel　as　tricky　as　a　monkey。〃



〃How　came　you　to　tell　me　she　had　six　millions？〃　said　Canalis　to　La

Briere；　in　a　low　voice。



〃My　friend；〃　said　Ernest；　〃I　do　assure　you　that　I　was　bound　to　silence

by　an　oath；　perhaps；　even　now；　I　ought　not　to　say　as　much　as　that。〃



〃Bound！　to　whom？〃



〃To　Monsieur　Mignon。〃



〃Ernest！　you　who　know　how　essential　fortune　is　to　me〃



Butscha　snored。



〃who　know　my　situation；　and　all　that　I　shall　lose　in　the　Duchesse　de

Chaulieu；　by　this　attempt　at　marrying；　YOU　could　coldly　let　me　plunge

into　such　a　thing　as　this？〃　exclaimed　Canalis；　turning　pale。　〃It　was　a

question　of　friendship；　and　ours　was　a　compact　entered　into　long

before　you　ever　saw　that　crafty　Mignon。〃



〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Ernest；　〃I　love　Modeste　too　well　to〃



〃Fool！　then　take　her；〃　cried　the　poet；　〃and　break　your　oath。〃



〃Will　you　promise　me　on　your　word　of　honor　to　forget　what　I　now　tell

you；　and　to　behave　to　me　as　though　this　confidence　had　never　been

made；　whatever　happens？〃



〃I'll　swear　that；　by　my　mother's　memory。〃



〃Well　then；〃　said　La　Briere；　〃Monsieur　Mignon　told　me　in　Paris　that　he

was　very　far　from　having　the　colossal　fortune　which　the　Mongenods　told

me　about　and　which　I　mentioned　to　you。　The　colonel　intends　to　give　two

hundred　thousand　francs　to　his　daughter。　And　now；　Melchior；　I　ask　you；

was　the　father　really　distrustful　of　us；　as　you　thought；　or　was　he

sincere？　It　is　not　for　me　to　answer　those　questions。　If　Modeste

without　a　fortune　deigns　to　choose　me；　she　will　be　my　wife。〃



〃A　blue…stocking！　educated　till　she　is　a　terror！　a　girl　who　has　read

everything；　who　knows　everything；in　theory；〃　cried　Canalis；　hastily；

noticing　La　Briere's　gesture；　〃a　spoiled　child；　brought　up　in　luxury

in　her　childhood；　and　weaned　of　it　for　five　years。　Ah！　my　poor　friend；

take　care　what　you　are　about。〃



〃Ode　and　Code；〃　said　Butscha；　waking　up；　〃you　do　the　ode　and　I　the

code；　there's　only　a　C's　difference　between　us。　Well；　now；　code　comes

from　'coda；'　a　tail；mark　that　word！　See　here！　a　bit　of　good　advice

is　worth　your　wine　and　your　cream　of　tea。　Father　Mignonhe's　cream；

too；　the　cream　of　honest　menhe　is　going　with　his　daughter　on　this

riding　party；　do　you　go　up　frankly　and　talk　'dot'　to　him。　He'll　answer

plainly；　and　you'll　get　at　the　truth；　just　as　surely　as　I'm　drunk；　and

you're　a　great　poet；but　no　matter　for　that；　we　are　to　leave　Havre

together；　that's　settled；　isn't　it？　I'm　to　be　your　secretary　in　place

of　that　little　fellow　who　sits　there　grinning　at　me　and　thinking　I'm

drunk。　Come；　let's　go；　and　leave　him　to　marry　the　girl。〃



Canalis　rose　to　leave　the　room　to　dress　for　the　excursion。



〃Hush；　not　a　word；he　is　going　to　commit　suicide；〃　whispered　Butscha；

sober　as　a　judge；　to　La　Briere　as　he　made　the　gesture　of　a　street　boy

at　Canalis's　back。　〃Adieu；　my　chief！〃　he　shouted；　in　stentorian　tones；

〃will　you　allow　me　to　take　a　snooze　in　that　kiosk　down　in　the　garden？〃



〃Make　yourself　at　home；〃　answered　the　poet。



Butscha；　pursued　by　the　laughter　of　the　three　servants　of　the

establishment；　gained　the　kiosk　by　walking　over　the　flower…beds　and

round　the　vases　with　the　perverse　grace　of　an　insect　describing　its

interminable　zig…zags　as　it　tries　to　get　out　of　a　closed　window。　When

he　had　clambered　into　the　kiosk；　and　the　servants　had　retired；　he　sat

down　on　a　wooden　bench　and　wallowed　in　the　delights　of　his　triumph。　He

had　completely　fooled　a　great　man；　he　had　not　only　torn　off　his　mask；

but　he　had　made　him　untie　the　strings　himself；　and　he　laughed　like　an

author　over　his　own　play；that　is　to　say；　with　a　true　sense　of　the

immense　value　of　his　〃vis　comica。〃



〃Men　are　tops！〃　he　cried；　〃you've　only　to　find　the　twine　to　wind　'em

up　with。　But　I'm　like　my　fellows；〃　he　added；　presently。　〃I　should

faint　away　if　any　one　came　and　said　to　me　'Mademoiselle　Modeste　has

been　thrown　from　her　horse；　and　has　broken　her　leg。'〃







CHAPTER　XXIV



THE　POET　FEELS　THAT　HE　IS　LOVED　TOO　WELL



An　hour　later；　Modeste；　charmingly　equipped　in　a　bottle…green

cassimere　habit；　a　small　hat　with　a　green　veil；　buckskin　gloves；　and

velvet　boots　which　met　the　lace　frills　of　her　drawers；　and　mounted　on

an　elegantly　caparisoned　little　horse；　was　exhibiting　to　her　father

and　the　Duc　d'Herouville　the　beautiful　present　she　had　just　received；

she　was　evidently　delighted　with　an　attention　of　a　kind　that

particularly　flatters　women。



〃Did　it　come　from　you；　Monsieur　le　duc？〃　she　said；　holding　the

sparkling　handle　toward　him。　〃There　was　a　card　with　it；　saying；　'Guess

if　you　can；'　and　some　asterisks。　Francoise　and　Dumay　credit　Butscha

with　this　charming　surprise；　but　my　dear　Butscha　is　not　rich　enough　to

buy　such　rubies。　And　as　for　papa　（to　whom　I　said；　as　I　remember；　on

Sunday　evening；　that　I　had　no　whip）；　he　sent　to　Rouen　for　this　one；〃

pointing　to　a　whip　in　her　father's　hand；　with　a　top　like　a　cone　of

turquoise；　a　fashion　then　in　vogue　which　has　since　become　vulgar。



〃I　would　give　ten　years　of　my　old　age；　mademoiselle；　to　have　the　right

to　offer　you　that　beautiful　jewel；〃　said　the　duke；　courteously。



〃Ah；　here　comes　the　audacious　giver！〃　cried　Modeste；　as　Canalis　rode

up。　〃It　is　only　a　poet　who　knows　where　to　find　such　choice　things。

Monsieur；〃　she　said　to　Melchior；　〃my　father　will　scold　you；　and　say

that　you　justify　those　who　accuse　you　of　extravagance。〃



〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Canalis；　with　apparent　simplicity；　〃so　that　is　why　La

Briere　rode　at　full　gallop　from　Havre　to　Paris？〃



〃Does　your　secretary　take　such　liberties？〃　said　Modeste；　turning　pale；

and　throwing　the　whip　to　Francoise　with　an　impetuosity　that　expressed

scorn。　〃Give　me　your　whip；　papa。〃



〃Poor　Ernest；　who　lies　there　on　his　bed　half…dead　with　fatigue！〃　said

Canalis；　overtaking　the　girl；　who　had　already　started　at　a　gallop。

〃You　are　pitiless；　mademoiselle。　'I　have'　（the　poor　fellow　said　to　me）

'only　this　one　chance　to　remain　in　her　memory。'〃



〃And　should　you　think　well　of　a　woman　who　could　take　presents　from

half　the　parish？〃　said　Modeste。



She　was　surprised　to　receive　no　answer　to　this　inquiry；　and　attributed

the　poet's　inattention　to　the　noise　of　the　horse's　feet。



〃How　you　delight　in　tormenting　those　who　love　you；〃　said　the　duke。

〃Your　nobility　of　soul　and　your　pride　are　so　inconsistent　with　your

faults　that　I　begin　to　suspect　you　calumniate　yourself；　and　do　those

naughty　things　on　purpose。〃



〃Ah！　have　you　only　just　found　that　out；　Monsieur　le　duc？〃　she

exclaimed；　laughing。　〃You　have　the　sagacity　of　a　husband。〃



They　rode　half　a　mile　in　silence。　Modeste　was　a　good　deal　astonished

not　to　receive　the　fire　of　the　poet's　eyes。　The　evening　before；　as　she

was　pointing　out　to　him　an　admirable　effect　of　setting　sunlight　across

the　water；　she　had　said；　remarking　his　inattention；　〃Well；　don't　you

see　it？〃to　which　he　replied；　〃I　can　see　only　your　hand〃；　but　now　his

admiration　for　the　beauties　of　nature　seemed　a　little　too　intense　to

be　natural。



〃Does　Monsieur　de　La　Briere　know　how　to　ride？〃　she　asked；　for　the

purpose　of　teasing　him。



〃Not　very　well；　but　he　gets　along；〃　answered　the　poet；　cold　as

Gobenheim　before　the　colonel's　return。



At　a　cross…road；　which　Monsieur　Mignon　made　them　take　through　a　lovely

valley　to　reach　a　height　overlooking　the　Seine；　Canalis　let　Modeste

and　the　duke　pass　him；　and　then　reined　up　to　join　the　colonel。



〃Monsieur　le　comte；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　an　open…hearted　soldier；　and　I

know　you　will　regard　my　frankness　as　a　title　to　your　esteem。　When

proposals　of　marriage；　with　all　their　brutal；or；　if　you　please；　too

civilizeddiscussions；　are　carried　on　by　third　parties；　it　is　an

injury　to　all。　We　are　both　gentlemen；　and　both　discreet；　and　you；　like

myself；　have　passed　beyond　the　age　of　surprises。　Let　us　therefore

speak　as　intimates。　I　will　set　you　the　example。　I　am　twenty…nine　years

old；　without　landed　estates；　and　full　of　ambition。　Mademoiselle

Modeste；　as　you　must　have　perceived；　pleases　me　extremely。　Now；　in

spite　of　the　little　defects　which　your　dear　girl　likes　to　assume〃



〃not　counting　those　she　really　possesses；〃　said　the　colonel；

smiling；



〃I　should　gladly　make　her　my　wife；　and　I　believe　I　could　render　her

happy。　The　question　of　money　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　my　future；

which　hangs　to…day　in　the　balance。　All　young　girls　expect　to　be　loved

WHETHER　OR　NOfortune　or　no　fortune。　But　you　are　not　the　man　to　marry

your　dear　Modeste　without　a　'dot；'　and　my　situation　does　not　allow　me

to　make　a　marriage　of　what　is　called　love　unless　with　a　woman　who　has

a　fortune　at　least　equal　to　mine。　I　have；　from　my　emoluments　and

sinecures；　from　the　Academy　and　from　my　works；　about　thirty　thousand

francs　a　year；　a　large　income　for　a　bachelor。　If　my　wife　brought　me　as

much　more；　I　should　still　be　in　about　the　same　condition　that　I　am

now。　Shall　you　give　Mademoiselle　a　million？〃



〃Ah；　monsieur；　we　have　not　reached　that　point　as　yet；〃　said　the

colonel；　Jesuitically。



〃Then　suppose；〃　said　Canalis；　quickly；　〃that　we　go　no　further；　we　will

let　the　matter　drop。　You　shall　have　no　cause　to　complain　of　me；

Monsieur　le　comte；　the　world　shall　consider　me　among　the　unfortunate

suitors　of　your　charming　daughter。　Give　me　your　word　of　honor　to　say

nothing　on　the　subject　to　any　one；　not　even　to　Mademoiselle　Modeste；

because；〃　he　added；　throwing　a　word　of　promise　to　the　ear；　〃my

circumstances　may　so　change　that　I　can　ask　you　for　her　without　'dot。'〃



〃I　promise　you　that；〃　said　the　colonel。　〃You　know；　monsieur；　with　what

assurance　the　public；　both　in　Paris　and　the　provinces；　talk　of

fortunes　that　they　make　and　unmake。　People　exaggerate　both　happiness

and　unhappiness；　we　are　never　so　fortunate　nor　so　unfortunate　as

people　say　we　are。　There　is　nothing　sure　and　certain　in　business

except　investments　in　land。　I　am　awaiting　the　accounts　of　my　agents

with　very　great　impatience。　The　sale　of　my　merchandise　and　my　ship