modeste mignon-第49章

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apartments　in　the　chateau　decorated　with　the　same　taste。



〃This　is　what　I　call　a　proper　country…house；〃　said　Modeste。



〃The　Comte　de　La　Bastie　must　build　you　one　like　it；〃　replied　her

father。



〃Here；　monsieur；〃　said　Modeste；　giving　the　bit　of　paper　to　Ernest；

〃carry　it　to　our　friend　and　put　him　out　of　his　misery。〃



The　word　OUR　friend　struck　the　young　man's　heart。　He　looked　at　Modeste

to　see　if　there　was　anything　real　in　the　community　of　interests　which

she　seemed　to　admit；　and　she；　understanding　perfectly　what　his　look

meant；　added；　〃Come；　go　at　once；　your　friend　is　waiting。〃



La　Briere　colored　excessively；　and　left　the　room　in　a　state　of　doubt

and　anxiety　less　endurable　than　despair。　The　path　that　approaches

happiness　is；　to　the　true　lover；　like　the　narrow　way　which　Catholic

poetry　has　called　the　entrance　to　Paradise；expressing　thus　a　dark

and　gloomy　passage；　echoing　with　the　last　cries　of　earthly　anguish。



An　hour　later　this　illustrious　company　were　all　assembled　in　the

salon；　some　were　playing　whist；　others　conversing；　the　women　had　their

embroideries　in　hand；　and　all　were　waiting　the　announcement　of　dinner。

The　Prince　de　Cadignan　was　drawing　Monsieur　Mignon　out　upon　China；　and

his　campaigns　under　the　empire；　and　making　him　talk　about　the

Portendueres；　the　L'Estorades；　and　the　Maucombes；　Provencal　families；

he　blamed　him　for　not　seeking　service；　and　assured　him　that　nothing

would　be　easier　than　to　restore　him　to　his　rank　as　colonel　of　the

Guard。



〃A　man　of　your　birth　and　your　fortune　ought　not　to　belong　to　the

present　Opposition；〃　said　the　prince；　smiling。



This　society　of　distinguished　persons　not　only　pleased　Modeste；　but　it

enabled　her　to　acquire；　during　her　stay；　a　perfection　of　manners　which

without　this　revelation　she　would　have　lacked　all　her　life。　Show　a

clock　to　an　embryo　mechanic；　and　you　reveal　to　him　the　whole

mechanism；　he　thus　develops　the　germs　of　his　faculty　which　lie　dormant

within　him。　In　like　manner　Modeste　had　the　instinct　to　appropriate　the

distinctive　qualities　of　Madame　de　Maufrigneuse　and　Madame　de

Chaulieu。　For　her；　the　sight　of　these　women　was　an　education；　whereas

a　bourgeois　would　merely　have　ridiculed　their　ways　or　made　them　absurd

by　clumsy　imitation。　A　well…born；　well…educated；　and　right…minded

young　woman　like　Modeste　fell　naturally　into　connection　with　these

people；　and　saw　at　once　the　differences　that　separate　the　aristocratic

world　from　the　bourgeois　world；　the　provinces　from　the　faubourg　Saint…

Germain；　she　caught　the　almost　imperceptible　shadings；　in　short；　she

perceived　the　grace　of　the　〃grande　dame〃　without　doubting　that　she

could　herself　acquire　it。　She　noticed　also　that　her　father　and　La

Briere　appeared　infinitely　better　in　this　Olympus　than　Canalis。　The

great　poet；　abdicating　his　real　and　incontestable　power；　that　of　the

mind；　became　nothing　more　than　a　courtier　seeking　a　ministry；

intriguing　for　an　order；　and　forced　to　please　the　whole　galaxy。　Ernest

de　La　Briere；　without　ambitions；　was　able　to　be　himself；　while

Melchior　became；　to　use　a　vulgar　expression；　a　mere　toady；　and　courted

the　Prince　de　Loudon；　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　the　Vicomte　de　Serizy；　or

the　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse；　like　a　man　not　free　to　assert　himself；　as　did

Colonel　Mignon；　who　was　justly　proud　of　his　campaigns；　and　of　the

confidence　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon。　Modeste　took　note　of　the　strained

efforts　of　the　man　of　real　talent；　seeking　some　witticism　that　should

raise　a　laugh；　some　clever　speech；　some　compliment　with　which　to

flatter　these　grand　personages；　whom　it　was　his　interest　to　please。　In

a　word；　to　Modeste's　eyes　the　peacock　plucked　out　his　tail…feathers。



Toward　the　middle　of　the　evening　the　young　girl　sat　down　with　the

grand　equerry　in　a　corner　of　the　salon。　She　led　him　there　purposely　to

end　a　suit　which　she　could　no　longer　encourage　if　she　wished　to　retain

her　self…respect。



〃Monsieur　le　duc；　if　you　really　knew　me；〃　she　said；　〃you　would

understand　how　deeply　I　am　touched　by　your　attentions。　It　is　because

of　the　profound　respect　I　feel　for　your　character；　and　the　friendship

which　a　soul　like　yours　inspires　in　mine；　that　I　cannot　endure　to

wound　your　self…love。　Before　your　arrival　in　Havre　I　loved　sincerely；

deeply；　and　forever；　one　who　is　worthy　of　being　loved；　and　my

affection　for　whom　is　still　a　secret；　but　I　wish　you　to　knowand　in

saying　this　I　am　more　sincere　than　most　young　girlsthat　had　I　not

already　formed　this　voluntary　attachment；　you　would　have　been　my

choice；　for　I　recognize　your　noble　and　beautiful　qualities。　A　few

words　which　your　aunt　and　sister　have　said　to　me　as　to　your　intentions

lead　me　to　make　this　frank　avowal。　If　you　think　it　desirable；　a　letter

from　my　mother　shall　recall　me；　on　pretence　of　her　illness；　to…morrow

morning　before　the　hunt　begins。　Without　your　consent　I　do　not　choose

to　be　present　at　a　fete　which　I　owe　to　your　kindness；　and　where；　if　my

secret　should　escape　me；　you　might　feel　hurt　and　defrauded。　You　will

ask　me　why　I　have　come　here　at　all。　I　could　not　withstand　the

invitation。　Be　generous　enough　not　to　reproach　me　for　what　was　almost

a　necessary　curiosity。　But　this　is　not　the　chief；　not　the　most

delicate　thing　I　have　to　say　to　you。　You　have　firm　friends　in　my

father　and　myself；more　so　than　perhaps　you　realize；　and　as　my

fortune　was　the　first　cause　that　brought　you　to　me；　I　wish　to　saybut

without　intending　to　use　it　as　a　sedative　to　calm　the　grief　which

gallantry　requires　you　to　testifythat　my　father　has　thought　over　the

affair　of　the　marshes；　his　friend　Dumay　thinks　your　project　feasible；

and　they　have　already　taken　steps　to　form　a　company。　Gobenheim；　Dumay；

and　my　father　have　subscribed　fifteen　hundred　thousand　francs；　and

undertake　to　get　the　rest　from　capitalists；　who　will　feel　it　in　their

interest　to　take　up　the　matter。　If　I　have　not　the　honor　of　becoming

the　Duchesse　d'Herouville；　I　have　almost　the　certainty　of　enabling　you

to　choose　her；　free　from　all　trammels　in　your　choice；　and　in　a　higher

sphere　than　mine。　Oh！　let　me　finish；〃　she　cried；　at　a　gesture　from　the

duke。



〃Judging　by　my　nephew's　emotion；〃　whispered　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville

to　her　niece；　〃it　is　easy　to　see　you　have　a　sister。〃



〃Monsieur　le　duc；　all　this　was　settled　in　my　mind　the　day　of　our　first

ride；　when　I　heard　you　deplore　your　situation。　This　is　what　I　have

wished　to　say　to　you。　That　day　determined　my　future　life。　Though　you

did　not　make　the　conquest　of　a　woman；　you　have　at　least　gained

faithful　friends　at　Ingouvilleif　you　will　deign　to　accord　us　that

title。〃



This　little　discourse；　which　Modeste　had　carefully　thought　over；　was

said　with　so　much　charm　of　soul　that　the　tears　came　to　the　grand

equerry's　eyes；　he　seized　her　hand　and　kissed　it。



〃Stay　during　the　hunt；〃　he　said；　〃my　want　of　merit　has　accustomed　me

to　these　refusals；　but　while　accepting　your　friendship　and　that　of　the

colonel；　you　must　let　me　satisfy　myself　by　the　judgment　of　competent

scientific　men；　that　the　draining　of　those　marshes　will　be　no　risk　to

the　company　you　speak　of；　before　I　agree　to　the　generous　offer　of　your

friends。　You　are　a　noble　girl；　and　though　my　heart　aches　to　think　I

can　only　be　your　friend；　I　will　glory　in　that　title；　and　prove　it　to

you　at　all　times　and　in　all　seasons。〃



〃In　that　case；　Monsieur　le　duc；　let　us　keep　our　secret。　My　choice　will

not　be　known；　at　least　I　think　not；　until　after　my　mother's　complete

recovery。　I　should　like　our　first　blessing　to　come　from　her　eyes。〃







CHAPTER　XXIX



CONCLUSION



〃Ladies；〃　said　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；　as　the　guests　were　about　to

separate　for　the　night；　〃I　know　that　several　of　you　propose　to　follow

the　hounds　with　us　to…morrow；　and　it　becomes　my　duty　to　tell　you　that

if　you　will　be　Dianas　you　must　rise；　like　Diana；　with　the　dawn。　The

meet　is　for　half…past　eight　o'clock。　I　have　in　the　course　of　my　life

seen　many　women　display　greater　courage　than　men；　but　for　a　few

seconds　only；　and　you　will　need　a　strong　dose　of　resolution　to　keep

you　on　horseback　the　whole　day；　barring　a　halt　for　breakfast；　which　we

shall　take；　like　true　hunters　and　huntresses；　on　the　nail。　Are　you

still　determined　to　show　yourselves　trained　horse…women？〃



〃Prince；　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　do　so；〃　said　Modeste；　adroitly。



〃I　answer　for　myself；〃　said　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu。



〃And　I　for　my　daughter　Diane；　she　is　worthy　of　her　name；〃　added　the

prince。　〃So；　then；　you　all　persist　in　your　intentions？　However；　I

shall　arrange；　for　the　sake　of　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　and

others　of　the　party　who　stay　at　home；　to　drive　the　stag　to　the　further

end　of　the　pond。〃



〃Make　yourself　quite　easy；　mesdames；〃　said　the　Prince　de　Loudon；　when

the　Royal　Huntsman　had　left　the　room；　〃that　breakfast　'on　the　nail'

will　take　place　under　a　comfortable　tent。〃



The　next　day；　at　dawn；　all　signs　gave　promise　of　a　glorious　day。　The

skies；　veiled　by　a　slight　gray　vapor；　showed　spaces　of　purest　blue；

and　would　surely　be　swept　clear　before　mid…day　by　the　northwest　wind；

which　was　already　playing　with　the　fleecy　cloudlets。　As　the　hunting

party　left　the　chateau；　the　Master　of　the　Hunt；　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；

and　the　Prince　de　Loudon；　who　had　no　ladies　to　escort；　rode　in　the

advance；　noticing　the　white　masses　of　the　chateau；　with　its　rising

chimneys　relieved　against　the　brilliant　red…brown　foliage　which　the

trees　in　Normandy　put　on　at　the　close　of　a　fine　autumn。



〃The　ladies　are　fortunate　in　their　weather；〃　remarked　the　Duc　de

Rhetore。



〃Oh；　in　spite　of　all　their　boasting；〃　replied　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；

〃I　think　they　will　let　us　hunt　without　them！〃



〃So　they　might；　if　each　had　not　a　squire；〃　said　the　duke。



At　this　moment　the　attention　of　these　determined　huntsmenfor　the

Prince　de　Loudon　and　the　Duc　de　Rhetore　are　of　the　race　of　Nimrod；　and

the　best　shots　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germainwas　attracted　by　a　loud

altercation；　and　they　spurred　their　horses　to　an　open　space　at　the

entrance　to　the　forest　of　Rosembray；　famous　for　its　mossy　turf；　which

was　appointed　for　the　meet。　The　cause　of　the　quarrel　was　soon

apparent。　The　Prince　de　Loudon；　afflicted　with　anglomania；　had　brought

out　his　own　hunting　establishment；　which　was　exclusively　Britannic；

and　placed　it　under　orders　of　the　Master　of　the　Hunt。　Now；　one　of　his

men；　a　little　Englishman；fair；　pale；　insolent；　and　phlegmatic；

scarcely　able　to　speak　a　word　of　French；　and　dressed　with　a　neatness

which　distinguishes　all　Britons；　even　those　of　the　lower　classes；had

posted　himself　on　one　side　of　this　open　space。　John　Barry　wore　a　short

frock…coat；　buttoned　tightly　at　the　waist；　made　of　scarlet　cloth；　with

buttons　bearing　the　De　Verneuil　arms；　white　leather　breeches；　top…

boots；　a　striped　waistcoat；　and　a　collar　and　cape　of　black　velvet。　He

held　in　his　hand　a　small　hunting…whip；　and　hanging　to　his　wrist　by　a

silken　cord　was　a　brass　horn。