modeste mignon-第47章

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magnificent　pediment。　The　family　of　Marigny；　to　whom　the　estates　of

this　Cottin　were　brought　in　marriage　by　Mademoiselle　Cottin；　her

father's　sole　heiress；　ordered　a　sunrise　to　be　carved　on　this　pediment

by　Coysevox。　Beneath　it　are　two　angels　unwinding　a　scroll；　on　which　is

cut　this　motto　in　honor　of　the　Grand　Monarch；　〃Sol　nobis　benignus。〃



From　the　portico；　reached　by　two　grand　circular　and　balustraded

flights　of　steps；　the　view　extends　over　an　immense　fish…pond；　as　long

and　wide　as　the　grand　canal　at　Versailles；　beginning　at　the　foot　of　a

grass…plot　which　compares　well　with　the　finest　English　lawns；　and

bordered　with　beds　and　baskets　now　filled　with　the　brilliant　flowers

of　autumn。　On　either　side　of　the　piece　of　water　two　gardens；　laid　out

in　the　French　style；　display　their　squares　and　long　straight　paths；

like　brilliant　pages　written　in　the　ciphers　of　Lenotre。　These　gardens

are　backed　to　their　whole　length　by　a　border　of　nearly　thirty　acres　of

woodland。　From　the　terrace　the　view　is　bounded　by　a　forest　belonging

to　Rosembray　and　contiguous　to　two　other　forests；　one　of　which　belongs

to　the　Crown；　the　other　to　the　State。　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　a

nobler　landscape。







CHAPTER　XXVII



A　GIRL'S　REVENGE



Modeste's　arrival　at　Rosembray　made　a　certain　sensation　in　the　avenue

when　the　carriage　with　the　liveries　of　France　came　in　sight；

accompanied　by　the　grand　equerry；　the　colonel；　Canalis；　and　La　Briere

on　horseback；　preceded　by　an　outrider　in　full　dress；　and　followed　by

six　servants；among　whom　were　the　Negroes　and　the　mulatto；and　the

britzka　of　the　colonel　for　the　two　waiting…women　and　the　luggage。　The

carriage　was　drawn　by　four　horses；　ridden　by　postilions　dressed　with

an　elegance　specially　commanded　by　the　grand　equerry；　who　was　often

better　served　than　the　king　himself。　As　Modeste；　dazzled　by　the

magnificence　of　the　great　lords；　entered　and　beheld　this　lesser

Versailles；　she　suddenly　remembered　her　approaching　interview　with　the

celebrated　duchesses；　and　began　to　fear　that　she　might　seem　awkward；

or　provincial；　or　parvenue；　in　fact；　she　lost　her　self…possession；　and

heartily　repented　having　wished　for　a　hunt。



Fortunately；　however；　as　the　carriage　drew　up；　Modeste　saw　an　old　man；

in　a　blond　wig　frizzed　into　little　curls；　whose　calm；　plump；　smooth

face　wore　a　fatherly　smile　and　an　expression　of　monastic　cheerfulness

which　the　half…veiled　glance　of　the　eye　rendered　almost　noble。　This

was　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　master　of　Rosembray。　The　duchess；　a　woman　of

extreme　piety；　the　only　daughter　of　a　rich　and　deceased　chief…justice；

spare　and　erect；　and　the　mother　of　four　children；　resembled　Madame

Latournelle；if　the　imagination　can　go　so　far　as　to　adorn　the

notary's　wife　with　the　graces　of　a　bearing　that　was　truly　abbatial。



〃Ah；　good　morning；　dear　Hortense！〃　said　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；

kissing　the　duchess　with　the　sympathy　that　united　their　haughty

natures；　〃let　me　present　to　you　and　to　the　dear　duke　our　little　angel；

Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie。〃



〃We　have　heard　so　much　of　you；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that

we　were　in　haste　to　receive　you。〃



〃And　regret　the　time　lost；〃　added　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　with　courteous

admiration。



〃Monsieur　le　Comte　de　La　Bastie；〃　said　the　grand　equerry；　taking　the

colonel　by　the　arm　and　presenting　him　to　the　duke　and　duchess；　with　an

air　of　respect　in　his　tone　and　gesture。



〃I　am　glad　to　welcome　you；　Monsieur　le　comte！〃　said　Monsieur　de

Verneuil。　〃You　possess　more　than　one　treasure；〃　he　added；　looking　at

Modeste。



The　duchess　took　Modeste　under　her　arm　and　led　her　into　an　immense

salon；　where　a　dozen　or　more　women　were　grouped　about　the　fireplace。

The　men　of　the　party　remained　with　the　duke　on　the　terrace；　except

Canalis；　who　respectfully　made　his　way　to　the　superb　Eleonore。　The

Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　seated　at　an　embroidery…frame；　was　showing

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　how　to　shade　a　flower。



If　Modeste　had　run　a　needle　through　her　finger　when　handling　a　pin…

cushion　she　could　not　have　felt　a　sharper　prick　than　she　received　from

the　cold　and　haughty　and　contemptuous　stare　with　which　Madame　de

Chaulieu　favored　her。　For　an　instant　she　saw　nothing　but　that　one

woman；　and　she　saw　through　her。　To　understand　the　depths　of　cruelty　to

which　these　charming　creatures；　whom　our　passions　deify；　can　go；　we

must　see　women　with　each　other。　Modeste　would　have　disarmed　almost　any

other　than　Eleonore　by　the　perfectly　stupid　and　involuntary　admiration

which　her　face　betrayed。　Had　she　not　known　the　duchess's　age　she　would

have　thought　her　a　woman　of　thirty…six；　but　other　and　greater

astonishments　awaited　her。



The　poet　had　run　plump　against　a　great　lady's　anger。　Such　anger　is　the

worst　of　sphinxes；　the　face　is　radiant；　all　the　rest　menacing。　Kings

themselves　cannot　make　the　exquisite　politeness　of　a　mistress's　cold

anger　capitulate　when　she　guards　it　with　steel　armor。　Canalis　tried　to

cling　to　the　steel；　but　his　fingers　slipped　on　the　polished　surface；

like　his　words　on　the　heart；　and　the　gracious　face；　the　gracious

words；　the　gracious　bearing　of　the　duchess　hid　the　steel　of　her　wrath；

now　fallen　to　twenty…five　below　zero；　from　all　observers。　The

appearance　of　Modeste　in　her　sublime　beauty；　and　dressed　as　well　as

Diane　de　Maufrigneuse　herself；　had　fired　the　train　of　gunpowder　which

reflection　had　been　laying　in　Eleonore's　mind。



All　the　women　had　gone　to　the　windows　to　see　the　new　wonder　get　out　of

the　royal　carriage；　attended　by　her　three　suitors。



〃Do　not　let　us　seem　so　curious；〃　Madame　de　Chaulieu　had　said；　cut　to

the　heart　by　Diane's　exclamation；〃She　is　divine！　where　in　the　world

does　she　come　from？〃and　with　that　the　bevy　flew　back　to　their　seats；

resuming　their　composure；　though　Eleonore's　heart　was　full　of　hungry

vipers　all　clamorous　for　a　meal。



Mademoiselle　d'Herouville　said　in　a　low　voice　and　with　much　meaning　to

the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil；　〃Eleonore　receives　her　Melchior　very

ungraciously。〃



〃The　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　thinks　there　is　a　coolness　between

them；〃　said　Laure　de　Verneuil；　with　simplicity。



Charming　phrase！　so　often　used　in　the　world　of　society；how　the　north

wind　blows　through　it。



〃Why　so？〃　asked　Modeste　of　the　pretty　young　girl　who　had　lately　left

the　Sacre…Coeur。



〃The　great　poet；〃　said　the　pious　duchessmaking　a　sign　to　her

daughter　to　be　silent〃left　Madame　de　Chaulieu　without　a　letter　for

more　than　two　weeks　after　he　went　to　Havre；　having　told　her　that　he

went　there　for　his　health〃



Modeste　made　a　hasty　movement；　which　caught　the　attention　of　Laure；

Helene；　and　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville。



〃and　during　that　time；〃　continued　the　devout　duchess；　〃she　was

endeavoring　to　have　him　appointed　commander　of　the　Legion　of　honor；

and　minister　at　Baden。〃



〃Oh；　that　was　shameful　in　Canalis；　he　owes　everything　to　her；〃

exclaimed　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville。



〃Why　did　not　Madame　de　Chaulieu　come　to　Havre？〃　asked　Modeste　of

Helene；　innocently。



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil；　〃she　would　let　herself　be

cut　in　little　pieces　without　saying　a　word。　Look　at　her；she　is

regal；　her　head　would　smile；　like　Mary　Stuart's；　after　it　was　cut　off；

in　fact；　she　has　some　of　that　blood　in　her　veins。〃



〃Did　she　not　write　to　him？〃　asked　Modeste。



〃Diane　tells　me；〃　answered　the　duchess；　prompted　by　a　nudge　from

Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　〃that　in　answer　to　Canalis's　first　letter

she　made　a　cutting　reply　a　few　days　ago。〃



This　explanation　made　Modeste　blush　with　shame　for　the　man　before　her；

she　longed；　not　to　crush　him　under　her　feet；　but　to　revenge　herself　by

one　of　those　malicious　acts　that　are　sharper　than　a　dagger's　thrust。

She　looked　haughtily　at　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu



〃Monsieur　Melchior！〃　she　said。



All　the　women　snuffed　the　air　and　looked　alternately　at　the　duchess；

who　was　talking　in　an　undertone　to　Canalis　over　the　embroidery…frame；

and　then　at　the　young　girl　so　ill　brought　up　as　to　disturb　a　lovers'

meeting；a　think　not　permissible　in　any　society。　Diane　de

Maufrigneuse　nodded；　however；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃The　child　is　in　the

right　of　it。〃　All　the　women　ended　by　smiling　at　each　other；　they　were

enraged　with　a　woman　who　was　fifty…six　years　old　and　still　handsome

enough　to　put　her　fingers　into　the　treasury　and　steal　the　dues　of

youth。　Melchior　looked　at　Modeste　with　feverish　impatience；　and　made

the　gesture　of　a　master　to　a　valet；　while　the　duchess　lowered　her　head

with　the　movement　of　a　lioness　disturbed　at　a　meal；　her　eyes；　fastened

on　the　canvas；　emitted　red　flames　in　the　direction　of　the　poet；　which

stabbed　like　epigrams；　for　each　word　revealed　to　her　a　triple　insult。



〃Monsieur　Melchior！〃　said　Modeste　again　in　a　voice　that　asserted　its

right　to　be　heard。



〃What；　mademoiselle？〃　demanded　the　poet。



Forced　to　rise；　he　remained　standing　half…way　between　the　embroidery

frame；　which　was　near　a　window；　and　the　fireplace　where　Modeste　was

seated　with　the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil　on　a　sofa。　What　bitter

reflections　came　into　his　ambitious　mind；　as　he　caught　a　glance　from

Eleonore。　If　he　obeyed　Modeste　all　was　over；　and　forever；　between

himself　and　his　protectress。　Not　to　obey　her　was　to　avow　his　slavery；

to　lose　the　chances　of　his　twenty…five　days　of　base　manoeuvring；　and

to　disregard　the　plainest　laws　of　decency　and　civility。　The　greater

the　folly；　the　more　imperatively　the　duchess　exacted　it。　Modeste's

beauty　and　money　thus　pitted　against　Eleonore's　rights　and　influence

made　this　hesitation　between　the　man　and　his　honor　as　terrible　to

witness　as　the　peril　of　a　matador　in　the　arena。　A　man　seldom　feels

such　palpitations　as　those　which　now　came　near　causing　Canalis　an

aneurism；　except；　perhaps；　before　the　green　table；　where　his　fortune

or　his　ruin　is　about　to　be　decided。



〃Mademoiselle　d'Herouville　hurried　me　from　the　carriage；　and　I　left

behind　me；〃　said　Modeste　to　Canalis；　〃my　handkerchief〃



Canalis　shrugged　his　shoulders　significantly。



〃And；〃　continued　Modeste；　taking　no　notice　of　his　gesture；　〃I　had　tied

into　one　corner　of　it　the　key　of　a　desk　which　contains　the　fragment　of

an　important　letter；　have　the　kindness；　Monsieur　Melchior；　to　get　it

for　me。〃



Between　an　angel　and　a　tiger　equally　enraged　Canalis；　who　had　turned

livid；　no　longer　hesitated；the　tiger　seemed　to　him　the　least

dangerous　of　the　two；　and　he　was　about　to　do　as　he　was　told；　and

commit　himself　irretrievably；　when　La　Briere　appeared　at　the　door　of

the　salon；　seeming　to　his　anguished　mind　like　the　archangel　Gabriel

tumbling　from　heaven。



〃Ernest；　here；　Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie　wants　you；〃　said　the　poet；

hastily　returning　to　his　chair　by　the　embroidery　frame。



Ernest　rushed　to　Modeste　without　bowing　to　any　one；　he　saw　only　her；

took　his　commission　with　undisguised　joy；　and　darted　from　the　room；

with　the　secret　approbation　of　every　woman　pr