modeste mignon-第44章

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well。



〃My　dear　poet；　you　remind　me　of　those　fathers　who　inquire　into　a

girl's　'dot'　before　they　are　willing　to　name　that　of　their　son。　You

are　quarrelling　with　me　without　knowing　whether　you　have　the　slightest

right　to　do　so。　Love　is　not　gained　by　such　dry　arguments　as　yours。　The

poor　duke　on　the　contrary　abandons　himself　to　it　like　my　Uncle　Toby；

with　this　difference；　that　I　am　not　the　Widow　Wadman；though　widow

indeed　of　many　illusions　as　to　poetry　at　the　present　moment。　Ah；　yes；

we　young　girls　will　not　believe　in　anything　that　disturbs　our　world　of

fancy！　I　was　warned　of　all　this　beforehand。　My　dear　poet；　you　are

attempting　to　get　up　a　quarrel　which　is　unworthy　of　you。　I　no　longer

recognize　the　Melchior　of　yesterday。〃



〃Because　Melchior　has　discovered　a　spirit　of　ambition　in　you　which〃



Modeste　looked　at　him　from　head　to　foot　with　an　imperial　eye。



〃But　I　shall　be　peer　of　France　and　ambassador　as　well　as　he；〃　added

Canalis。



〃Do　you　take　me　for　a　bourgeois；〃　she　said；　beginning　to　mount　the

steps　of　the　portico；　but　she　instantly　turned　back　and　added；　〃That

is　less　impertinent　than　to　take　me　for　a　fool。　The　change　in　your

conduct　comes　from　certain　silly　rumors　which　you　have　heard　in　Havre；

and　which　my　maid　Francoise　has　repeated　to　me。〃



〃Ah；　Modeste；　how　can　you　think　it？〃　said　Canalis；　striking　a　dramatic

attitude。　〃Do　you　think　me　capable　of　marrying　you　only　for　your

money？〃



〃If　I　do　you　that　wrong　after　your　edifying　remarks　on　the　banks　of

the　Seine　can　you　easily　undeceive　me；〃　she　said；　annihilating　him

with　her　scorn。



〃Ah！〃　thought　the　poet；　as　he　followed　her　into　the　house；　〃if　you

think；　my　little　girl；　that　I'm　to　be　caught　in　that　net；　you　take　me

to　be　younger　than　I　am。　Dear；　dear；　what　a　fuss　about　an　artful

little　thing　whose　esteem　I　value　about　as　much　as　that　of　the　king　of

Borneo。　But　she　has　given　me　a　good　reason　for　the　rupture　by　accusing

me　of　such　unworthy　sentiments。　Isn't　she　sly？　La　Briere　will　get　a

burden　on　his　backidiot　that　he　is！　And　five　years　hence　it　will　be

a　good　joke　to　see　them　together。〃



The　coldness　which　this　altercation　produced　between　Modeste　and

Canalis　was　visible　to　all　eyes　that　evening。　The　poet　went　off　early；

on　the　ground　of　La　Briere's　illness；　leaving　the　field　to　the　grand

equerry。　About　eleven　o'clock　Butscha；　who　had　come　to　walk　home　with

Madame　Latournelle；　whispered　in　Modeste's　ear；　〃Was　I　right？〃



〃Alas；　yes；〃　she　said。



〃But　I　hope　you　have　left　the　door　half　open；　so　that　he　can　come

back；　we　agreed　upon　that；　you　know。〃



〃Anger　got　the　better　of　me；〃　said　Modeste。　〃Such　meanness　sent　the

blood　to　my　head　and　I　told　him　what　I　thought　of　him。〃



〃Well；　so　much　the　better。　When　you　are　both　so　angry　that　you　can't

speak　civilly　to　each　other　I　engage　to　make　him　desperately　in　love

and　so　pressing　that　you　will　be　deceived　yourself。〃



〃Come；　come；　Butscha；　he　is　a　great　poet；　he　is　a　gentleman；　he　is　a

man　of　intellect。〃



〃Your　father's　eight　millions　are　more　to　him　than　all　that。〃



〃Eight　millions！〃　exclaimed　Modeste。



〃My　master；　who　has　sold　his　practice；　is　going　to　Provence　to　attend

to　the　purchase　of　lands　which　your　father's　agent　has　suggested　to

him。　The　sum　that　is　to　be　paid　for　the　estate　of　La　Bastie　is　four

millions；　your　father　has　agreed　to　it。　You　are　to　have　a　'dot'　of　two

millions　and　another　million　for　an　establishment　in　Paris；　a　hotel

and　furniture。　Now；　count　up。〃



〃Ah！　then　I　can　be　Duchesse　d'Herouville！〃　cried　Modeste；　glancing　at

Butscha。



〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　that　comedian　of　a　Canalis　you　would　have　kept

HIS　whip；　thinking　it　came　from　me；〃　said　the　dwarf；　indirectly

pleading　La　Briere's　cause。



〃Monsieur　Butscha；　may　I　ask　if　I　am　to　marry　to　please　you？〃　said

Modeste；　laughing。



〃That　fine　fellow　loves　you　as　well　as　I　do；and　you　loved　him　for

eight　days；〃　retorted　Butscha；　〃and　HE　has　got　a　heart。〃



〃Can　he　compete；　pray；　with　an　office　under　the　Crown？　There　are　but

six；　grand　almoner；　chancellor；　grand　chamberlain；　grand　master；　high

constable；　grand　admiral；but　they　don't　appoint　high　constables　any

longer。〃



〃In　six　months；　mademoiselle；　the　masseswho　are　made　up　of　wicked

Butschascould　send　all　those　grand　dignities　to　the　winds。　Besides；

what　signifies　nobility　in　these　days？　There　are　not　a　thousand　real

noblemen　in　France。　The　d'Herouvilles　are　descended　from　a　tipstaff　in

the　time　of　Robert　of　Normandy。　You　will　have　to　put　up　with　many　a

vexation　from　the　old　aunt　with　the　furrowed　face。　Look　here；as　you

are　so　anxious　for　the　title　of　duchess；you　belong　to　the　Comtat；

and　the　Pope　will　certainly　think　as　much　of　you　as　he　does　of　all

those　merchants　down　there；　he'll　sell　you　a　duchy　with　some　name

ending　in　'ia'　or　'agno。'　Don't　play　away　your　happiness　for　an　office

under　the　Crown。〃







CHAPTER　XXV



A　DIPLOMATIC　LETTER



The　poet's　reflections　during　the　night　were　thoroughly　matter…of

fact。　He　sincerely　saw　nothing　worse　in　life　than　the　situation　of　a

married　man　without　money。　Still　trembling　at　the　danger　he　had　been

led　into　by　his　vanity；　his　desire　to　get　the　better　of　the　duke；　and

his　belief　in　the　Mignon　millions；　he　began　to　ask　himself　what　the

duchess　must　be　thinking　of　his　stay　in　Havre；　aggravated　by　the　fact

that　he　had　not　written　to　her　for　fourteen　days；　whereas　in　Paris

they　exchanged　four　or　five　letters　a　week。



〃And　that　poor　woman　is　working　hard　to　get　me　appointed　commander　of

the　Legion　and　ambassador　to　the　Court　of　Baden！〃　he　cried。



Thereupon；　with　that　promptitude　of　decision　which　resultsin　poets

as　well　as　in　speculatorsfrom　a　lively　intuition　of　the　future；　he

sat　down　and　composed　the　following　letter：



　　To　Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu：



　　My　dear　Eleonore；You　have　doubtless　been　surprised　at　not

　　hearing　from　me；　but　the　stay　I　am　making　in　this　place　is　not

　　altogether　on　account　of　my　health。　I　have　been　trying　to　do　a

　　good　turn　to　our　little　friend　La　Briere。　The　poor　fellow　has

　　fallen　in　love　with　a　certain　Mademoiselle　Modeste　de　La　Bastie；　a

　　rather　pale；　insignificant；　and　thread…papery　little　thing；　who；

　　by　the　way；　has　the　vice　of　liking　literature；　and　calls　herself　a

　　poet　to　excuse　the　caprices　and　humors　of　a　rather　sullen　nature。

　　You　know　Ernest；he　is　so　easy　to　catch　that　I　have　been　afraid

　　to　leave　him　to　himself。　Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie　was　inclined　to

　　coquet　with　your　Melchior；　and　was　only　too　ready　to　become　your

　　rival；　though　her　arms　are　thin；　and　she　has　no　more　bust　than

　　most　girls；　moreover；　her　hair　is　as　dead　and　colorless　as　that　of

　　Madame　de　Rochefide；　and　her　eyes　small；　gray；　and　very

　　suspicious。　I　put　a　stopperhaps　rather　brutallyto　the

　　attentions　of　Mademoiselle　Immodeste；　but　love；　such　as　mine　for

　　you；　demanded　it。　What　care　I　for　all　the　women　on　earth；

　　compared　to　you；　what　are　they？



　　The　people　with　whom　I　pass　my　time；　and　who　form　the　circle　round

　　the　heiress；　are　so　thoroughly　bourgeois　that　they　almost　turn　my

　　stomach。　Pity　me；　imagine！　I　pass　my　evenings　with　notaries；

　　notaresses；　cashiers；　provincial　money…lendersah！　what　a　change

　　from　my　evenings　in　the　rue　de　Grenelle。　The　alleged　fortune　of

　　the　father；　lately　returned　from　China；　has　brought　to　Havre　that

　　indefatigable　suitor；　the　grand　equerry；　hungry　after　the

　　millions；　which　he　wants；　they　say；　to　drain　his　marshes。　The　king

　　does　not　know　what　a　fatal　present　he　made　the　duke　in　those　waste

　　lands。　His　Grace；　who　has　not　yet　found　out　that　the　lady　had　only

　　a　small　fortune；　is　jealous　of　ME；　for　La　Briere　is　quietly　making

　　progress　with　his　idol　under　cover　of　his　friend；　who　serves　as　a

　　blind。



　　Notwithstanding　Ernest's　romantic　ecstasies；　I　myself；　a　poet；

　　think　chiefly　of　the　essential　thing；　and　I　have　been　making　some

　　inquiries　which　darken　the　prospects　of　our　friend。　If　my　angel

　　would　like　absolution　for　some　of　our　little　sins；　she　will　try　to

　　find　out　the　facts　of　the　case　by　sending　for　Mongenod；　the

　　banker；　and　questioning　him；　with　the　dexterity　that　characterizes

　　her；　as　to　the　father's　fortune？　Monsieur　Mignon；　formerly　colonel

　　of　cavalry　in　the　Imperial　guard；　has　been　for　the　last　seven

　　years　a　correspondent　of　the　Mongenods。　It　is　said　that　he　gives

　　his　daughter　a　〃dot〃　of　two　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　before　I

　　make　the　offer　on　Ernest's　behalf　I　am　anxious　to　get　the　rights

　　of　the　story。　As　soon　as　the　affair　is　arranged　I　shall　return　to

　　Paris。　I　know　a　way　to　settle　everything　to　the　advantage　of　our

　　young　lover；simply　by　the　transmission　of　the　father…in…law's

　　title；　and　no　one；　I　think；　can　more　readily　obtain　that　favor

　　than　Ernest；　both　on　account　of　his　own　services　and　the　influence

　　which　you　and　I　and　the　duke　can　exert　for　him。　With　his　tastes；

　　Ernest；　who　of　course　will　step　into　my　office　when　I　go　to　Baden；

　　will　be　perfectly　happy　in　Paris　with　twenty…five　thousand　francs

　　a　year；　a　permanent　place；　and　a　wifeluckless　fellow！



　　Ah；　dearest；　how　I　long　for　the　rue　de　Grenelle！　Fifteen　days　of

　　absence！　when　they　do　not　kill　love；　they　revive　all　the　ardor　of

　　its　earlier　days；　and　you　know；　better　than　I；　perhaps；　the

　　reasons　that　make　my　love　eternal；my　bones　will　love　thee　in　the

　　grave！　Ah！　I　cannot　bear　this　separation。　If　I　am　forced　to　stay

　　here　another　ten　days；　I　shall　make　a　flying　visit　of　a　few　hours

　　to　Paris。



　　Has　the　duke　obtained　for　me　the　thing　we　wanted；　and　shall　you；

　　my　dearest　life；　be　ordered　to　drink　the　Baden　waters　next　year？

　　The　billing　and　cooing　of　the　〃handsome　disconsolate；〃　compared

　　with　the　accents　of　our　happy　loveso　true　and　changeless　for　now

　　ten　years！have　given　me　a　great　contempt　for　marriage。　I　had

　　never　seen　the　thing　so　near。　Ah；　dearest！　what　the　world　calls　a

　　〃false　step〃　brings　two　beings　nearer　together　than　the　lawdoes

　　it　not？



The　concluding　idea　served　as　a　text　for　two　pages　of　reminiscences

and　aspirations　a　little　too　confidential　for　publication。



The　evening　before　the　day　on　which　Canalis　put　the　above　epistle　into

the　post；　Butscha；　under　the　name　of　Jean　Jacmin；　had　received　a

letter　from　his　fictitious　cousin；　Philoxene；　and　had　mailed　his

answer；　which　thus　preceded　the　letter　of　the　poet　by　about　twelve

hours。　Terribly　anxious　for　the　last　two　weeks；　and　wounded　by

Melchior's　silence；　the　duchess　herself　dictated　Philoxene's　letter　to

her　cousin；　and　the　moment　she　had　read　the　answer；　rather　too

explicit　for　her　quinquagenary　vanity；　she　sent　for　the　banker　and

made　close　inquiries　as　to　the　exact　fortune　of　Monsieur　Mignon。

Finding　herself　betrayed　and　abandoned　for　the　millions；　Eleonore　gave

way　to　a　paroxysm　of　anger；　hatred；　and　cold　vin