the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第15章

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assist　in　promoting　a　good　marriage。


These　arrangements　and　this　new　happiness　shed　some　balm　upon　the
count's　sore　mind。　The　presence　of　the　Duchesse　de　Lenoncourt　at
Clochegourde　was　a　great　event　to　the　neighborhood。　I　reflected
gloomily　that　she　was　a　great　lady；　and　the　thought　made　me　conscious
of　the　spirit　of　caste　in　the　daughter　which　the　nobility　of　her
sentiments　had　hitherto　hidden　from　me。　Who　was　Ipoor；
insignificant；　and　with　no　future　but　my　courage　and　my　faculties？　I
did　not　then　think　of　the　consequences　of　the　Restoration　either　for
me　or　for　others。　On　Sunday　morning；　from　the　private　chapel　where　I
sat　with　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Chessel　and　the　Abbe　de　Quelus；　I　cast
an　eager　glance　at　another　lateral　chapel　occupied　by　the　duchess　and
her　daughter；　the　count　and　his　children。　The　large　straw　hat　which
hid　my　idol　from　me　did　not　tremble；　and　this　unconsciousness　of　my
presence　seemed　to　bind　me　to　her　more　than　all　the　past。　This　noble
Henriette　de　Lenoncourt；　my　Henriette；　whose　life　I　longed　to　garland；
was　praying　earnestly；　faith　gave　to　her　figure　an　abandonment；　a
prosternation；　the　attitude　of　some　religious　statue；　which　moved　me
to　the　soul。

According　to　village　custom；　vespers　were　said　soon　after　mass。　Coming
out　of　church　Madame　de　Chessel　naturally　proposed　to　her　neighbors　to
pass　the　intermediate　time　at　Frapesle　instead　of　crossing　the　Indre
and　the　meadows　twice　in　the　great　heat。　The　offer　was　accepted。
Monsieur　de　Chessel　gave　his　arm　to　the　duchess；　Madame　de　Chessel
took　that　of　the　count。　I　offered　mine　to　the　countess；　and　felt；　for
the　first　time；　that　beautiful　arm　against　my　side。　As　we　walked　from
the　church　to　Frapesle　by　the　woods　of　Sache；　where　the　light；
filtering　down　through　the　foliage；　made　those　pretty　patterns　on　the
path　which　seem　like　painted　silk；　such　sensations　of　pride；　such
ideas　took　possession　of　me　that　my　heart　beat　violently。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said；　after　walking　a　little　way　in　a
silence　I　dared　not　break。　〃Your　heart　beats　too　fast〃

〃I　have　heard　of　your　good　fortune；〃　I　replied；　〃and；　like　all　others
who　love　truly；　I　am　beset　with　vague　fears。　Will　your　new　dignities
change　you　and　lessen　your　friendship？〃

〃Change　me！〃　she　said；　〃oh；　fie！　Another　such　idea　and　I　shallnot
despise　you；　but　forget　you　forever。〃

I　looked　at　her　with　an　ecstasy　which　should　have　been　contagious。

〃We　profit　by　the　new　laws　which　we　have　neither　brought　about　nor
demanded；〃　she　said；　〃but　we　are　neither　place…hunters　nor　beggars；
besides；　as　you　know　very　well；　neither　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　nor　I　can
leave　Clochegourde。　By　my　advice　he　has　declined　the　command　to　which
his　rank　entitled　him　at　the　Maison　Rouge。　We　are　quite　content　that
my　father　should　have　the　place。　This　forced　modesty；〃　she　added　with
some　bitterness；　〃has　already　been　of　service　to　our　son。　The　king；　to
whose　household　my　father　is　appointed；　said　very　graciously　that　he
would　show　Jacques　the　favor　we　were　not　willing　to　accept。　Jacques'
education；　which　must　now　be　thought　of；　is　already　being　discussed。
He　will　be　the　representative　of　two　houses；　the　Lenoncourt　and　the
Mortsauf　families。　I　can　have　no　ambition　except　for　him；　and
therefore　my　anxieties　seem　to　have　increased。　Not　only　must　Jacques
live；　but　he　must　be　made　worthy　of　his　name；　two　necessities　which；
as　you　know；　conflict。　And　then；　later；　what　friend　will　keep　him　safe
for　me　in　Paris；　where　all　things　are　pitfalls　for　the　soul　and
dangers　for　the　body？　My　friend；〃　she　said；　in　a　broken　voice；　〃who
could　not　see　upon　your　brow　and　in　your　eyes　that　you　are　one　who
will　inhabit　heights？　Be　some　day　the　guardian　and　sponsor　of　our　boy。
Go　to　Paris；　if　your　father　and　brother　will　not　second　you；　our
family；　above　all　my　mother；　who　has　a　genius　for　the　management　of
life；　will　help　you。　Profit　by　our　influence；　you　will　never　be
without　support　in　whatever　career　you　choose；　put　the　strength　of
your　desires　into　a　noble　ambition〃

〃I　understand　you；〃　I　said；　interrupting　her；　〃ambition　is　to　be　my
mistress。　I　have　no　need　of　that　to　be　wholly　yours。　No；　I　will　not　be
rewarded　for　my　obedience　here　by　receiving　favors　there。　I　will　go；　I
will　make　my　own　way；　I　will　rise　alone。　From　you　I　would　accept
everything；　from　others　nothing。〃

〃Child！〃　she　murmured；　ill…concealing　a　smile　of　pleasure。

〃Besides；　I　have　taken　my　vows；〃　I　went　on。　〃Thinking　over　our
situation　I　am　resolved　to　bind　myself　to　you　by　ties　that　never　can
be　broken。〃

She　trembled　slightly　and　stopped　short　to　look　at　me。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked；　letting　the　couples　who　preceded　us
walk　on；　and　keeping　the　children　at　her　side。

〃This；〃　I　said；　〃but　first　tell　me　frankly　how　you　wish　me　to　love
you。〃

〃Love　me　as　my　aunt　loved　me；　I　gave　you　her　rights　when　I　permitted
you　to　call　me　by　the　name　which　she　chose　for　her　own　among　my
others。〃

〃Then　I　am　to　love　without　hope　and　with　an　absolute　devotion。　Well；
yes；　I　will　do　for　you　what　some　men　do　for　God。　I　shall　feel　that　you
have　asked　it。　I　will　enter　a　seminary　and　make　myself　a　priest；　and
then　I　will　educate　your　son。　Jacques　shall　be　myself　in　his　own　form；
political　conceptions；　thoughts；　energy；　patience；　I　will　give　him
all。　In　that　way　I　shall　live　near　to　you；　and　my　love；　enclosed　in
religion　as　a　silver　image　in　a　crystal　shrine；　can　never　be　suspected
of　evil。　You　will　not　have　to　fear　the　undisciplined　passions　which
grasp　a　man　and　by　which　already　I　have　allowed　myself　to　be
vanquished。　I　will　consume　my　own　being　in　the　flame；　and　I　will　love
you　with　a　purified　love。〃

She　turned　pale　and　said；　hurrying　her　words：　〃Felix；　do　not　put
yourself　in　bonds　that　might　prove　an　obstacle　to　our　happiness。　I
should　die　of　grief　for　having　caused　a　suicide　like　that。　Child；　do
you　think　despairing　love　a　life's　vocation？　Wait　for　life's　trials
before　you　judge　of　life；　I　command　it。　Marry　neither　the　Church　nor　a
woman；　marry　not　at　all；I　forbid　it。　Remain　free。　You　are　twenty…one
years　oldMy　God！　can　I　have　mistaken　him？　I　thought　two　months
sufficed　to　know　some　souls。〃

〃What　hope　have　you？〃　I　cried；　with　fire　in　my　eyes。

〃My　friend；　accept　our　help；　rise　in　life；　make　your　way　and　your
fortune　and　you　shall　know　my　hope。　And；〃　she　added；　as　if　she　were
whispering　a　secret；　〃never　release　the　hand　you　are　holding　at　this
moment。〃

She　bent　to　my　ear　as　she　said　these　words　which　proved　her　deep
solicitude　for　my　future。

〃Madeleine！〃　I　exclaimed　〃never！〃

We　were　close　to　a　wooden　gate　which　opened　into　the　park　of　Frapesle；
I　still　seem　to　see　its　ruined　posts　overgrown　with　climbing　plants
and　briers　and　mosses。　Suddenly　an　idea；　that　of　the　count's　death；
flashed　through　my　brain；　and　I　said；　〃I　understand　you。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　it；〃　she　answered　in　a　tone　which　made　me　know　I　had
supposed　her　capable　of　a　thought　that　could　never　be　hers。

Her　purity　drew　tears　of　admiration　from　my　eyes　which　the　selfishness
of　passion　made　bitter　indeed。　My　mind　reacted　and　I　felt　that　she　did
not　love　me　enough　even　to　wish　for　liberty。　So　long　as　love　recoils
from　a　crime　it　seems　to　have　its　limits；　and　love　should　be　infinite。
A　spasm　shook　my　heart。

〃She　does　not　love　me；〃　I　thought。

To　hide　what　was　in　my　soul　I　stooped　over　Madeleine　and　kissed　her
hair。

〃I　am　afraid　of　your　mother；〃　I　said　to　the　countess　presently；　to
renew　the　conversation。

〃So　am　I；〃　she　answered　with　a　gesture　full　of　childlike　gaiety。
〃Don't　forget　to　call　her　Madame　la　duchesse；　and　to　speak　to　her　in
the　third　person。　The　young　people　of　the　present　day　have　lost　these
polite　manners；　you　must　learn　them；　do　that　for　my　sake。　Besides；　it
is　such　good　taste　to　respect　women；　no　matter　what　their　age　may　be；
and　to　recognize　social　distinctions　without　disputing　them。　The
respect　shown　to　established　superiority　is　guarantee　for　that　which
is　due　to　you。　Solidarity　is　the　basis　of　society。　Cardinal　Della
Rovere　and　Raffaelle　were　two　powers　equally　revered。　You　have　sucked
the　milk　of　the　Revolution　in　your　academy　and　your　political　ideas
may　be　influenced　by　it；　but　as　you　advance　in　life　you　will　find　that
crude　and　ill…defined　principles　of　liberty　are　powerless　to　create
the　happiness　of　the　people。　Before　considering；　as　a　Lenoncourt；　what
an　aristocracy　ought　to　be；　my　common…sense　as　a　woman　of　the　people
tells　me　that　societies　can　exist　only　through　a　hierarchy。　You　are
now　at　a　turning…point　in　your　life；　when　you　must　choose　wisely。　Be
on　our　side；especially　now；〃　she　added；　laughing；　〃when　it
triumphs。〃

I　was　keenly　touched　by　these　words；　in　which　the　depth　of　her
political　feeling　mingled　with　the　warmth　of　affection；a　combination
which　gives　to　women　so　great　a　power　of　persuasion；　they　know　how　to
give　to　the　keenest　arguments　a　tone　of　feeling。　In　her　desire　to
justify　all　her　husband's　actions　Henriette　had　foreseen　the
criticisms　that　would　rise　in　my　mind　as　soon　as　I　saw　the　servile
effects　of　a　courtier's　life　upon　him。　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；　king　in
his　own　castle　and　surrounded　by　an　historic　halo；　had；　to　my　eyes；　a
certain　grandiose　dignity。　I　was　therefore　greatly　astonished　at　the
distance　he　placed　between　the　duchess　and　himself　by　manners　that
were　nothing　less　than　obsequious。　A　slave　has　his　pride　and　will　only
serve　the　greatest　despots。　I　confess　I　was　humiliated　at　the
degradation　of　one　before　whom　I　trembled　as　the　power　that　ruled　my
love。　This　inward　repulsion　made　me　understand　the　martyrdom　of　women
of　generous　souls　yoked　to　men　whose　meannesses　they　bury　daily。
Respect　is　a　safeguard　which　protects　both　great　and　small　alike；　each
side　can　hold　its　own。　I　was　respectful　to　the　duchess　because　of　my
youth；　but　where　others　saw　only　a　duchess　I　saw　the　mother　of　my
Henriette；　and　that　gave　sanctity　to　my　homage。

We　reached　the　great　court…yard　of　Frapesle；　where　we　found　the
others。　The　Comte　de　Mortsauf　presented　me　very　gracefully　to　the
duchess；　who　examined　me　with　a　cold　and　reserved　air。　Madame　de
Lenoncourt　was　then　a　woman　fifty…six　years　of　age；　wonderfully　well
preserved　and　with　grand　manners。　When　I　saw　the　hard　blue　eyes；　the
hollow　temples；　the　thin　emaciated　face；　the　erect；　imposing　figure
slow　of　movement；　and　the　yellow　whiteness　of　the　skin　（reproduced
with　such　brilliancy　in　the　daughter）；　I　recognized　the　cold　type　to
which　my　own　mother　belonged；　as　quickly　as　a　mineralogist　recognizes
Swedish　iron。　Her　language　was　that　of　the　old　court；　she　pronounced
the　〃oit〃　like　〃ait；〃　and　said　〃frait〃　for　〃froid；〃　〃porteux〃　for
〃porteurs。〃　I　was　not　a　courtier；　neither　was　I　stiff…backed　in　my
manner　to　her；　in　fact　I　behaved　so　well　that　as　I　passed　the　countess
she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃You　are　perfect。〃

The　count　came　to　me　and　took　my　hand；　saying：　〃You　are　not　angry　with
me；　Felix；　are　you？　If　I　was　hasty　you　will　pardon　an　old　soldier？　We
shall　probably　stay　here　to　dinner；　and　I　invite　you　to　dine　with　us
on　Thursday；　the　evening　before　the　duchess　leaves。　I　must　go　to　Tours
to…morrow　to　settle　some　business。　Don't　neglect　Clochegourde。　My
mother…in…law　is　an