the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第8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！


When　the　immediate　subject　of　conversation　was　exhausted　the　count
told　his　wife　who　I　was；　and　related　certain　circumstances　connected
with　my　family　that　were　wholly　unknown　to　me。　He　asked　me　my　age。
When　I　told　it；　the　countess　echoed　my　own　exclamation　of　surprise　at
her　daughter's　age。　Perhaps　she　had　thought　me　fifteen。　Later　on；　I
discovered　that　this　was　still　another　tie　which　bound　her　strongly　to
me。　Even　then　I　read　her　soul。　Her　motherhood　quivered　with　a　tardy
ray　of　hope。　Seeing　me　at　over　twenty　years　of　age　so　slight　and
delicate　and　yet　so　nervously　strong；　a　voice　cried　to　her；　〃They　too
will　live！〃　She　looked　at　me　searchingly；　and　in　that　moment　I　felt
the　barriers　of　ice　melting　between　us。　She　seemed　to　have　many
questions　to　ask；　but　uttered　none。

〃If　study　has　made　you　ill；〃　she　said；　〃the　air　of　our　valley　will
soon　restore　you。〃

〃Modern　education　is　fatal　to　children；〃　remarked　the　count。　〃We　stuff
them　with　mathematics　and　ruin　their　health　with　sciences；　and　make
them　old　before　their　time。　You　must　stay　and　rest　here；〃　he　added；
turning　to　me。　〃You　are　crushed　by　the　avalanche　of　ideas　that　have
rolled　down　upon　you。　What　sort　of　future　will　this　universal
education　bring　upon　us　unless　we　prevent　its　evils　by　replacing
public　education　in　the　hands　of　the　religious　bodies？〃

These　words　were　in　harmony　with　a　speech　he　afterwards　made　at　the
elections　when　he　refused　his　support　to　a　man　whose　gifts　would　have
done　good　service　to　the　royalist　cause。　〃I　shall　always　distrust　men
of　talent；〃　he　said。

Presently　the　count　proposed　that　we　should　make　the　tour　of　the
gardens。

〃Monsieur〃　said　his　wife。

〃Well；　what；　my　dear？〃　he　said；　turning　to　her　with　an　arrogant
harshness　which　showed　plainly　enough　how　absolute　he　chose　to　be　in
his　own　home。

〃Monsieur　de　Vandenesse　walked　from　Tours　this　morning　and　Monsieur　de
Chessel；　not　aware　of　it；　has　already　taken　him　on　foot　over
Frapesle。〃

〃Very　imprudent　of　you；〃　the　count　said；　turning　to　me；　〃but　at　your
age〃　and　he　shook　his　head　in　sign　of　regret。

The　conversation　was　resumed。　I　soon　saw　how　intractable　his　royalism
was；　and　how　much　care　was　needed　to　swim　safely　in　his　waters。　The
man…servant；　who　had　now　put　on　his　livery；　announced　dinner。　Monsieur
de　Chessel　gave　his　arm　to　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　and　the　count　gaily
seized　mine　to　lead　me　into　the　dining…room；　which　was　on　the　ground…
floor　facing　the　salon。

This　room；　floored　with　white　tiles　made　in　Touraine；　and　wainscoted
to　the　height　of　three　feet；　was　hung　with　a　varnished　paper　divided
into　wide　panels　by　wreaths　of　flowers　and　fruit；　the　windows　had
cambric　curtains　trimmed　with　red；　the　buffets　were　old　pieces　by
Boulle　himself；　and　the　woodwork　of　the　chairs；　which　were　covered　by
hand…made　tapestry；　was　carved　oak。　The　dinner；　plentifully　supplied；
was　not　luxurious；　family　silver　without　uniformity；　Dresden　china
which　was　not　then　in　fashion；　octagonal　decanters；　knives　with　agate
handles；　and　lacquered　trays　beneath　the　wine…bottles；　were　the　chief
features　of　the　table；　but　flowers　adorned　the　porcelain　vases　and
overhung　the　gilding　of　their　fluted　edges。　I　delighted　in　these
quaint　old　things。　I　thought　the　Reveillon　paper　with　its　flowery
garlands　beautiful。　The　sweet　content　that　filled　my　sails　hindered　me
from　perceiving　the　obstacles　which　a　life　so　uniform；　so　unvarying　in
solitude　of　the　country　placed　between　her　and　me。　I　was　near　her；
sitting　at　her　right　hand；　serving　her　with　wine。　Yes；　unhoped…for
joy！　I　touched　her　dress；　I　ate　her　bread。　At　the　end　of　three　hours
my　life　had　mingled　with　her　life！　That　terrible　kiss　had　bound　us　to
each　other　in　a　secret　which　inspired　us　with　mutual　shame。　A　glorious
self…abasement　took　possession　of　me。　I　studied　to　please　the　count；　I
fondled　the　dogs；　I　would　gladly　have　gratified　every　desire　of　the
children；　I　would　have　brought　them　hoops　and　marbles　and　played　horse
with　them；　I　was　even　provoked　that　they　did　not　already　fasten　upon
me　as　a　thing　of　their　own。　Love　has　intuitions　like　those　of　genius；
and　I　dimly　perceived　that　gloom；　discontent；　hostility　would　destroy
my　footing　in　that　household。

The　dinner　passed　with　inward　happiness　on　my　part。　Feeling　that　I　was
there；　under　her　roof；　I　gave　no　heed　to　her　obvious　coldness；　nor　to
the　count's　indifference　masked　by　his　politeness。　Love；　like　life；
has　an　adolescence　during　which　period　it　suffices　unto　itself。　I　made
several　stupid　replies　induced　by　the　tumults　of　passion；　but　no　one
perceived　their　cause；　not　even　SHE；　who　knew　nothing　of　love。　The
rest　of　my　visit　was　a　dream；　a　dream　which　did　not　cease　until　by
moonlight　on　that　warm　and　balmy　night　I　recrossed　the　Indre；　watching
the　white　visions　that　embellished　meadows；　shores；　and　hills；　and
listening　to　the　clear　song；　the　matchless　note；　full　of　deep
melancholy　and　uttered　only　in　still　weather；　of　a　tree…frog　whose
scientific　name　is　unknown　to　me。　Since　that　solemn　evening　I　have
never　heard　it　without　infinite　delight。　A　sense　came　to　me　then　of
the　marble　wall　against　which　my　feelings　had　hitherto　dashed
themselves。　Would　it　be　always　so？　I　fancied　myself　under　some　fatal
spell；　the　unhappy　events　of　my　past　life　rose　up　and　struggled　with
the　purely　personal　pleasure　I　had　just　enjoyed。　Before　reaching
Frapesle　I　turned　to　look　at　Clochegourde　and　saw　beneath　its　windows
a　little　boat；　called　in　Touraine　a　punt；　fastened　to　an　ash…tree　and
swaying　on　the　water。　This　punt　belonged　to　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；　who
used　it　for　fishing。

〃Well；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Chessel；　when　we　were　out　of　ear…shot。　〃I
needn't　ask　if　you　found　those　shoulders；　I　must；　however；
congratulate　you　on　the　reception　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　gave　you。　The
devil！　you　stepped　into　his　heart　at　once。〃

These　words　followed　by　those　I　have　already　quoted　to　you　raised　my
spirits。　I　had　not　as　yet　said　a　word；　and　Monsieur　de　Chessel　may
have　attributed　my　silence　to　happiness。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。

〃He　never；　to　my　knowledge；　received　any　one　so　well。〃

〃I　will　admit　that　I　am　rather　surprised　myself；〃　I　said；　conscious　of
a　certain　bitterness　underlying　my　companion's　speech。

Though　I　was　too　inexpert　in　social　matters　to　understand　its　cause；　I
was　much　struck　by　the　feeling　Monsieur　de　Chessel　betrayed。　His　real
name　was　Durand；　but　he　had　had　the　weakness　to　discard　the　name　of　a
worthy　father；　a　merchant　who　had　made　a　large　fortune　under　the
Revolution。　His　wife　was　sole　heiress　of　the　Chessels；　an　old
parliamentary　family　under　Henry　IV。；　belonging　to　the　middle　classes；
as　did　most　of　the　Parisian　magistrates。　Ambitious　of　higher　flights
Monsieur　de　Chessel　endeavored　to　smother　the　original　Durand。　He
first　called　himself　Durand　de　Chessel；　then　D。　de　Chessel；　and　that
made　him　Monsieur　de　Chessel。　Under　the　Restoration　he　entailed　an
estate　with　the　title　of　count　in　virtue　of　letters…patent　from　Louis
XVIII。　His　children　reaped　the　fruits　of　his　audacity　without　knowing
what　it　cost　him　in　sarcastic　comments。　Parvenus　are　like　monkeys；
whose　cleverness　they　possess；　we　watch　them　climbing；　we　admire　their
agility；　but　once　at　the　summit　we　see　only　their　absurd　and
contemptible　parts。　The　reverse　side　of　my　host's　character　was　made
up　of　pettiness　with　the　addition　of　envy。　The　peerage　and　he　were　on
diverging　lines。　To　have　an　ambition　and　gratify　it　shows　merely　the
insolence　of　strength；　but　to　live　below　one's　avowed　ambition　is　a
constant　source　of　ridicule　to　petty　minds。　Monsieur　de　Chessel　did
not　advance　with　the　straightforward　step　of　a　strong　man。　Twice
elected　deputy；　twice　defeated；　yesterday　director…general；　to…day
nothing　at　all；　not　even　prefect；　his　successes　and　his　defeats　had
injured　his　nature；　and　given　him　the　sourness　of　invalided　ambition。
Though　a　brave　man　and　a　witty　one　and　capable　of　great　things；　envy；
which　is　the　root　of　existence　in　Touraine；　the　inhabitants　of　which
employ　their　native　genius　in　jealousy　of　all　things；　injured　him　in
upper　social　circles；　where　a　dissatisfied　man；　frowning　at　the
success　of　others；　slow　at　compliments　and　ready　at　epigram；　seldom
succeeds。　Had　he　sought　less　he　might　perhaps　have　obtained　more；　but
unhappily　he　had　enough　genuine　superiority　to　make　him　wish　to
advance　in　his　own　way。

At　this　particular　time　Monsieur　de　Chessel's　ambition　had　a　second
dawn。　Royalty　smiled　upon　him；　and　he　was　now　affecting　the　grand
manner。　Still　he　was；　I　must　say；　most　kind　to　me；　and　he　pleased　me
for　the　very　simple　reason　that　with　him　I　had　found　peace　and　rest
for　the　first　time。　The　interest；　possibly　very　slight；　which　he
showed　in　my　affairs；　seemed　to　me；　lonely　and　rejected　as　I　was；　an
image　of　paternal　love。　His　hospitable　care　contrasted　so　strongly
with　the　neglect　to　which　I　was　accustomed；　that　I　felt　a　childlike
gratitude　to　the　home　where　no　fetters　bound　me　and　where　I　was
welcomed　and　even　courted。

The　owners　of　Frapesle　are　so　associated　with　the　dawn　of　my　life's
happiness　that　I　mingle　them　in　all　those　memories　I　love　to　revive。
Later；　and　more　especially　in　connection　with　his　letters…patent；　I
had　the　pleasure　of　doing　my　host　some　service。　Monsieur　de　Chessel
enjoyed　his　wealth　with　an　ostentation　that　gave　umbrage　to　certain　of
his　neighbors。　He　was　able　to　vary　and　renew　his　fine　horses　and
elegant　equipages；　his　wife　dressed　exquisitely；　he　received　on　a
grand　scale；　his　servants　were　more　numerous　than　his　neighbors
approved；　for　all　of　which　he　was　said　to　be　aping　princes。　The
Frapesle　estate　is　immense。　Before　such　luxury　as　this　the　Comte　de
Mortsauf；　with　one　family　cariole；which　in　Touraine　is　something
between　a　coach　without　springs　and　a　post…chaise；forced　by　limited
means　to　let　or　farm　Clochegourde；　was　Tourangean　up　to　the　time　when
royal　favor　restored　the　family　to　a　distinction　possibly　unlooked
for。　His　greeting　to　me；　the　younger　son　of　a　ruined　family　whose
escutcheon　dated　back　to　the　Crusades；　was　intended　to　show　contempt
for　the　large　fortune　and　to　belittle　the　possessions；　the　woods；　the
arable　lands；　the　meadows；　of　a　neighbor　who　was　not　of　noble　birth。
Monsieur　de　Chessel　fully　understood　this。　They　always　met　politely；
but　there　was　none　of　that　daily　intercourse　or　that　agreeable
intimacy　which　ought　to　have　existed　between　Clochegourde　and
Frapesle；　two　estates　separated　only　by　the　Indre；　and　whose
mistresses　could　have　beckoned　to　each　other　from　their　windows。

Jealousy；　however；　was　not　the　sole　reason　for　the　solitude　in　which
the　Count　de　Mortsauf　lived。　His　early　education　was　that　of　the
children　of　great　families；an　incomplete　and　superficial　instruction
as　to　knowledge；　but　supplemented　by　the　training　of　society；　the
habits　of　a　court　life；　and　the　exercise　of　important　duties　under　the
crown　or　in　eminent　offices。　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　had　emigrated　at　the
very　moment　when　the　second　stage　of　his　education　was　about　to　begin；
and　accordingly　that　training　was　lacking　to　him。　He　was　one　of　those
who　believed　in　the　immediate　restoration　of　the　monarchy；　with　that
conviction　in　his　mind；　his　exile　was　a　long