the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第28章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


prayers。　The　dear　child　said　them　in　her　childish　voice；　the　ingenuous
tones　of　which　rose　clear　in　the　harmonious　silence　of　the　country；
and　gave　to　the　words　the　candor　of　holy　innocence；　the　grace　of
angels。　It　was　the　most　affecting　prayer　I　ever　heard。　Nature　replied
to　the　child's　voice　with　the　myriad　murmurs　of　the　coming　night；　like
the　low　accompaniment　of　an　organ　lightly　touched；　Madeleine　was　on
the　right　of　the　countess；　Jacques　on　her　left。　The　graceful　curly
heads；　between　which　rose　the　smooth　braids　of　the　mother；　and　above
all　three　the　perfectly　white　hair　and　yellow　cranium　of　the　father；
made　a　picture　which　repeated；　in　some　sort；　the　ideas　aroused　by　the
melody　of　the　prayer。　As　if　to　fulfil　all　conditions　of　the　unity
which　marks　the　sublime；　this　calm　and　collected　group　were　bathed　in
the　fading　light　of　the　setting　sun；　its　red　tints　coloring　the　room；
impelling　the　soulbe　it　poetic　or　superstitiousto　believe　that　the
fires　of　heaven　were　visiting　these　faithful　servants　of　God　as　they
knelt　there　without　distinction　of　rank；　in　the　equality　which　heaven
demands。　Thinking　back　to　the　days　of　the　patriarchs　my　mind　still
further　magnified　this　scene；　so　grand　in　its　simplicity。

The　children　said　good…night；　the　servants　bowed；　the　countess　went
away　holding　a　child　by　each　hand；　and　I　returned　to　the　salon　with
the　count。

〃We　provide　you　with　salvation　there；　and　hell　here；〃　he　said；
pointing　to　the　backgammon…board。

The　countess　returned　in　half　an　hour；　and　brought　her　frame　near　the
table。

〃This　is　for　you；〃　she　said；　unrolling　the　canvas；　〃but　for　the　last
three　months　it　has　languished。　Between　that　rose　and　this　heartsease
my　poor　child　was　ill。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；　〃don't　talk　of　that　any　more。
Sixfive；　emissary　of　the　king！〃

When　alone　in　my　room　I　hushed　my　breathing　that　I　might　hear　her
passing　to　and　fro　in　hers。　She　was　calm　and　pure；　but　I　was　lashed
with　maddening　ideas。　〃Why　should　she　not　be　mine？〃　I　thought；
〃perhaps　she　is；　like　me；　in　this　whirlwind　of　agitation。〃　At　one
o'clock；　I　went　down；　walking　noiselessly；　and　lay　before　her　door。
With　my　ear　pressed　to　a　chink　I　could　hear　her　equable；　gentle
breathing；　like　that　of　a　child。　When　chilled　to　the　bone　I　went　back
to　bed　and　slept　tranquilly　till　morning。　I　know　not　what　prenatal
influence；　what　nature　within　me；　causes　the　delight　I　take　in　going
to　the　brink　of　precipices；　sounding　the　gulf　of　evil；　seeking　to　know
its　depths；　feeling　its　icy　chill；　and　retreating　in　deep　emotion。
That　hour　of　night　passed　on　the　threshold　of　her　door　where　I　wept
with　rage；though　she　never　knew　that　on　the　morrow　her　foot　had　trod
upon　my　tears　and　kisses；　on　her　virtue　first　destroyed　and　then
respected；　cursed　and　adored；that　hour；　foolish　in　the　eyes　of　many；
was　nevertheless　an　inspiration　of　the　same　mysterious　impulse　which
impels　the　soldier。　Many　have　told　me　they　have　played　their　lives
upon　it；　flinging　themselves　before　a　battery　to　know　if　they　could
escape　the　shot；　happy　in　thus　galloping　into　the　abyss　of
probabilities；　and　smoking　like　Jean　Bart　upon　the　gunpowder。

The　next　day　I　went　to　gather　flowers　and　made　two　bouquets。　The　count
admired　them；　though　generally　nothing　of　the　kind　appealed　to　him。
The　clever　saying　of　Champcenetz；　〃He　builds　dungeons　in　Spain；〃
seemed　to　have　been　made　for　him。

I　spent　several　days　at　Clochegourde；　going　but　seldom　to　Frapesle；
where；　however；　I　dined　three　times。　The　French　army　now　occupied
Tours。　Though　my　presence　was　health　and　strength　to　Madame　de
Mortsauf；　she　implored　me　to　make　my　way　to　Chateauroux；　and　so　round
by　Issoudun　and　Orleans　to　Paris　with　what　haste　I　could。　I　tried　to
resist；　but　she　commanded　me；　saying　that　my　guardian　angel　spoke。　I
obeyed。　Our　farewell　was；　this　time；　dim　with　tears；　she　feared　the
allurements　of　the　life　I　was　about　to　live。　Is　it　not　a　serious　thing
to　enter　the　maelstrom　of　interests；　passions；　and　pleasures　which
make　Paris　a　dangerous　ocean　for　chaste　love　and　purity　of　conscience？
I　promised　to　write　to　her　every　night；　relating　the　events　and
thoughts　of　the　day；　even　the　most　trivial。　When　I　gave　the　promise
she　laid　her　head　on　my　shoulder　and　said：　〃Leave　nothing　out；
everything　will　interest　me。〃

She　gave　me　letters　for　the　duke　and　duchess；　which　I　delivered　the
second　day　after　my　return。

〃You　are　in　luck；〃　said　the　duke；　〃dine　here　to…day；　and　go　with　me
this　evening　to　the　Chateau；　your　fortune　is　made。　The　king　spoke　of
you　this　morning；　and　said；　'He　is　young；　capable；　and　trustworthy。'
His　Majesty　added　that　he　wished　he　knew　whether　you　were　living　or
dead；　and　in　what　part　of　France　events　had　thrown　you　after　you　had
executed　your　mission　so　ably。〃

That　night　I　was　appointed　master　of　petitions　to　the　council　of
State；　and　I　also　received　a　private　and　permanent　place　in　the
employment　of　Louis　XVIII。　himself；a　confidential　position；　not
highly　distinguished；　but　without　any　risks；　a　position　which　put　me
at　the　very　heart　of　the　government　and　has　been　the　source　of　all　my
subsequent　prosperity。　Madame　de　Mortsauf　had　judged　rightly。　I　now
owed　everything　to　her；　power　and　wealth；　happiness　and　knowledge；　she
guided　and　encouraged　me；　purified　my　heart；　and　gave　to　my　will　that
unity　of　purpose　without　which　the　powers　of　youth　are　wasted。　Later　I
had　a　colleague；　we　each　served　six　months。　We　were　allowed　to　supply
each　other's　place　if　necessary；　we　had　rooms　at　the　Chateau；　a
carriage；　and　large　allowances　for　travelling　when　absent　on　missions。
Strange　position！　We　were　the　secret　disciples　of　a　monarch　in　a
policy　to　which　even　his　enemies　have　since　done　signal　justice；　alone
with　us　he　gave　judgment　on　all　things；　foreign　and　domestic；　yet　we
had　no　legitimate　influence；　often　we　were　consulted　like　Laforet　by
Moliere；　and　made　to　feel　that　the　hesitations　of　long　experience　were
confirmed　or　removed　by　the　vigorous　perceptions　of　youth。

In　other　respects　my　future　was　secured　in　a　manner　to　satisfy
ambition。　Beside　my　salary　as　master　of　petitions；　paid　by　the　budget
of　the　council　of　State；　the　king　gave　me　a　thousand　francs　a　month
from　his　privy　purse；　and　often　himself　added　more　to　it。　Though　the
king　knew　well　that　no　young　man　of　twenty…three　could　long　bear　up
under　the　labors　with　which　he　loaded　me；　my　colleague；　now　a　peer　of
France；　was　not　appointed　till　August；　1817。　The　choice　was　a
difficult　one；　our　functions　demanded　so　many　capabilities　that　the
king　was　long　in　coming　to　a　decision。　He　did　me　the　honor　to　ask
which　of　the　young　men　among　whom　he　was　hesitating　I　should　like　for
an　associate。　Among　them　was　one　who　had　been　my　school…fellow　at
Lepitre's；　I　did　not　select　him。　His　Majesty　asked　why。

〃The　king；〃　I　replied；　〃chooses　men　who　are　equally　faithful；　but
whose　capabilities　differ。　I　choose　the　one　whom　I　think　the　most
able；　certain　that　I　shall　always　be　able　to　get　on　with　him。〃

My　judgment　coincided　with　that　of　the　king；　who　was　pleased　with　the
sacrifice　I　had　made。　He　said　on　this　occasion；　〃You　are　to　be　the
chief〃；　and　he　related　these　circumstances　to　my　colleague；　who
became；　in　return　for　the　service　I　had　done　him；　my　good　friend。　The
consideration　shown　to　me　by　the　Duc　de　Lenoncourt　set　the　tone　of
that　which　I　met　with　in　society。　To　have　it　said；　〃The　king　takes　an
interest　in　the　young　man；　that　young　man　has　a　future；　the　king　likes
him；〃　would　have　served　me　in　place　of　talents；　and　it　now　gave　to　the
kindly　welcome　accorded　to　youth　a　certain　respect　that　is　only　given
to　power。　In　the　salon　of　the　Duchesse　de　Lenoncourt　and　also　at　the
house　of　my　sister　who　had　just　married　the　Marquis　de　Listomere；　son
of　the　old　lady　in　the　Ile　St。　Louis；　I　gradually　came　to　know　the
influential　personages　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Germain。

Henriette　herself　put　me　at　the　heart　of　the　circle　then　called　〃le
Petit　Chateau〃　by　the　help　of　her　great…aunt；　the　Princesse　de
Blamont…Chauvry；　to　whom　she　wrote　so　warmly　in　my　behalf　that　the
princess　immediately　sent　for　me。　I　cultivated　her　and　contrived　to
please　her；　and　she　became；　not　my　protectress　but　a　friend；　in　whose
kindness　there　was　something　maternal。　The　old　lady　took　pains　to　make
me　intimate　with　her　daughter　Madame　d'Espard；　with　the　Duchesse　de
Langeais；　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant；　and　the　Duchesse　de
Maufrigneuse；　women　who　held　the　sceptre　of　fashion；　and　who　were　all
the　more　gracious　to　me　because　I　made　no　pretensions　and　was　always
ready　to　be　useful　and　agreeable　to　them。　My　brother　Charles；　far　from
avoiding　me；　now　began　to　lean　upon　me；　but　my　rapid　success　roused　a
secret　jealousy　in　his　mind　which　in　after　years　caused　me　great
vexation。　My　father　and　mother；　surprised　by　a　triumph　so　unexpected；
felt　their　vanity　flattered；　and　received　me　at　last　as　a　son。　But
their　feeling　was　too　artificial；　I　might　say　false；　to　let　their
present　treatment　have　much　influence　upon　a　sore　heart。　Affectations
stained　with　selfishness　win　little　sympathy；　the　heart　abhors
calculations　and　profits　of　all　kinds。

I　wrote　regularly　to　Henriette；　who　answered　by　two　letters　a　month。
Her　spirit　hovered　over　me；　her　thoughts　traversed　space　and　made　the
atmosphere　around　me　pure。　No　woman　could　captivate　me。　The　king
noticed　my　reserve；　and　as；　in　this　respect；　he　belonged　to　the　school
of　Louis　XV。；　he　called　me；　in　jest；　Mademoiselle　de　Vandenesse；　but
my　conduct　pleased　him。　I　am　convinced　that　the　habit　of　patience　I
acquired　in　my　childhood　and　practised　at　Clochegourde　had　much　to　do
in　my　winning　the　favor　of　the　king；　who　was　always　most　kind　to　me。
He　no　doubt　took　a　fancy　to　read　my　letters；　for　he　soon　gave　up　his
notion　of　my　life　as　that　of　a　young　girl。　One　day　when　the　duke　was
on　duty；　and　I　was　writing　at　the　king's　dictation；　the　latter
suddenly　remarked；　in　that　fine；　silvery　voice　of　his；　to　which　he
could　give；　when　he　chose；　the　biting　tone　of　epigram：

〃So　that　poor　devil　of　a　Mortsauf　persists　in　living？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　duke。

〃Madame　de　Mortsauf　is　an　angel；　whom　I　should　like　to　see　at　my
court；〃　continued　the　king；　〃but　if　I　cannot　manage　it；　my　chancellor
here；〃　turning　to　me；　〃may　be　more　fortunate。　You　are　to　have　six
months'　leave；　I　have　decided　on　giving　you　the　young　man　we　spoke　of
yesterday　as　colleague。　Amuse　yourself　at　Clochegourde；　friend　Cato！〃
and　he　laughed　as　he　had　himself　wheeled　out　of　the　room。

I　flew　like　a　swallow　to　Touraine。　For　the　first　time　I　was　to　show
myself　to　my　beloved；　not　merely　a　little　less　insignificant；　but
actually　in　the　guise　of　an　elegant　young　man；　whose　manners　had　been
formed　in　the　best　salons；　his　education　finished　by　gracious　women；
who　had　found　at　last　a　compensation　for　all　his　sufferings；　and　had
put　to　use　the　experience　given　to　him　by　the　purest　angel　to　whom
heaven　had　ever　committed　the　care　of　a　child。　You　know　how　my　mother
had　equipped　me　for　my　three　months'　visit　at　Frapesle。　When　I　reached
Clochegourde　after　fulfilling　my　mission　in　Vendee；　I　was　dressed　like
a　huntsman；　I　wore　a　jacket　with　white　and　red　buttons；　striped
trouser