the muse of the department-第25章

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where　he　had　taken　the　lorette's　farewell　kiss；　and　that　of　the
drawing…room；　where　the　Muse　was　reclining；　bewildered　by　such　a
succession　of　shocks；　Lousteau　had　remembered　little　De　la　Baudraye's
precarious　health；　his　fine　fortune；　and　Bianchon's　remark　about
Dinah；　〃She　will　be　a　rich　widow！〃　and　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　would　a
hundred　times　rather　have　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　for　a　wife　than
Felicie！〃

His　plan　of　action　was　quickly　decided　on；　he　determined　to　play　the
farce　of　passion　once　more；　and　to　perfection。　His　mean　self…
interestedness　and　his　false　vehemence　of　passion　had　disastrous
results。　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　when　she　set　out　from　Sancerre　for
Paris；　had　intended　to　live　in　rooms　of　her　own　quite　near　to
Lousteau；　but　the　proofs　of　devotion　her　lover　had　given　her　by　giving
up　such　brilliant　prospects；　and　yet　more　the　perfect　happiness　of　the
first　days　of　their　illicit　union；　kept　her　from　mentioning　such　a
parting。　The　second　day　was　to　beand　indeed　wasa　high　festival；　in
which　such　a　suggestion　proposed　to　〃her　angel〃　would　have　been　a
discordant　note。

Lousteau；　on　his　part；　anxious　to　make　Dinah　feel　herself　dependent　on
him；　kept　her　in　a　state　of　constant　intoxication　by　incessant
amusement。　These　circumstances　hindered　two　persons　so　clever　as　these
were　from　avoiding　the　slough　into　which　they　fellthat　of　a　life　in
common；　a　piece　of　folly　of　which；　unfortunately；　many　instances　may
be　seen　in　Paris　in　literary　circles。

And　thus　was　the　whole　programme　played　out　of　a　provincial　amour；　so
satirically　described　by　Lousteau　to　Madame　de　la　Baudrayea　fact
which　neither　he　nor　she　remembered。　Passion　is　born　a　deaf…mute。



This　winter　in　Paris　was　to　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　all　that　the　month
of　October　had　been　at　Sancerre。　Etienne；　to　initiate　〃his　wife〃　into
Paris　life；　varied　this　honeymoon　by　evenings　at　the　play；　where　Dinah
would　only　go　to　the　stage　box。　At　first　Madame　de　la　Baudraye
preserved　some　remnants　of　her　countrified　modesty；　she　was　afraid　of
being　seen；　she　hid　her　happiness。　She　would　say：

〃Monsieur　de　Clagny　or　Monsieur　Gravier　may　have　followed　me　to
Paris。〃　She　was　afraid　on　Sancerre　even　in　Paris。

Lousteau；　who　was　excessively　vain；　educated　Dinah；　took　her　to　the
best　dressmakers；　and　pointed　out　to　her　the　most　fashionable　women；
advising　her　to　take　them　as　models　for　imitation。　And　Madame　de　la
Baudraye's　provincial　appearance　was　soon　a　thing　of　the　past。
Lousteau；　when　his　friends　met　him；　was　congratulated　on　his　conquest。

All　through　that　season　Etienne　wrote　little　and　got　very　much　into
debt；　though　Dinah；　who　was　proud；　bought　all　her　clothes　out　of　her
savings；　and　fancied　she　had　not　been　the　smallest　expense　to　her
beloved。　By　the　end　of　three　months　Dinah　was　acclimatized；　she　had
reveled　in　the　music　at　the　Italian　opera；　she　knew　the　pieces　〃on〃　at
all　theatres；　and　the　actors　and　jests　of　the　day；　she　had　become
inured　to　this　life　of　perpetual　excitement；　this　rapid　torrent　in
which　everything　is　forgotten。　She　no　longer　craned　her　neck　or　stood
with　her　nose　in　the　air；　like　an　image　of　Amazement；　at　the　constant
surprises　that　Paris　has　for　a　stranger。　She　had　learned　to　breathe
that　witty；　vitalizing；　teeming　atmosphere　where　clever　people　feel
themselves　in　their　element；　and　which　they　can　no　longer　bear　to
quit。

One　morning；　as　she　read　the　papers；　for　Lousteau　had　them　all；　two
lines　carried　her　back　to　Sancerre　and　the　past；　two　lines　that　seemed
not　unfamiliaras　follows：

〃Monsieur　le　Baron　de　Clagny；　Public　Prosecutor　to　the　Criminal　Court
at　Sancerre；　has　been　appointed　Deputy　Public　Prosecutor　to　the
Supreme　Court　in　Paris。〃

〃How　well　that　worthy　lawyer　loves　you！〃　said　the　journalist；　smiling。

〃Poor　man！　said　she。　〃What　did　I　tell　you？　He　is　following　me。〃

Etienne　and　Dinah　were　just　then　at　the　most　dazzling　and　fervid　stage
of　a　passion　when　each　is　perfectly　accustomed　to　the　other；　and　yet
love　has　not　lost　its　freshness　and　relish。　The　lovers　know　each　other
well；　but　all　is　not　yet　understood；　they　have　not　been　a　second　time
to　the　same　secret　haunts　of　the　soul；　they　have　not　studied　each
other　till　they　know；　as　they　must　later；　the　very　thought；　word；　and
gesture　that　responds　to　every　event；　the　greatest　and　the　smallest。
Enchantment　reigns；　there　are　no　collisions；　no　differences　of
opinion；　no　cold　looks。　Their　two　souls　are　always　on　the　same　side。
And　Dinah　would　speak　the　magical　words；　emphasized　by　the　yet　more
magical　expression　and　looks　which　every　woman　can　use　under　such
circumstances。

〃When　you　cease　to　love　me；　kill　me。If　you　should　cease　to　love　me；
I　believe　I　could　kill　you　first　and　myself　after。〃

To　this　sweet　exaggeration；　Lousteau　would　reply：

〃All　I　ask　of　God　is　to　see　you　as　constant　as　I　shall　be。　It　is　you
who　will　desert　me！〃

〃My　love　is　supreme。〃

〃Supreme；〃　echoed　Lousteau。　〃Come；　now？　Suppose　I　am　dragged　away　to　a
bachelor　party；　and　find　there　one　of　my　former　mistresses；　and　she
makes　fun　of　me；　I；　out　of　vanity；　behave　as　if　I　were　free；　and　do
not　come　in　here　till　next　morningwould　you　still　love　me？〃

〃A　woman　is　only　sure　of　being　loved　when　she　is　preferred；　and　if　you
came　back　to　me；　ifOh！　you　make　me　understand　what　the　happiness
would　be　of　forgiving　the　man　I　adore。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　am　truly　loved　for　the　first　time　in　my　life！〃　cried
Lousteau。

〃At　last　you　understand　that！〃　said　she。

Lousteau　proposed　that　they　should　each　write　a　letter　setting　forth
the　reasons　which　would　compel　them　to　end　by　suicide。　Once　in
possession　of　such　a　document；　each　might　kill　the　other　without
danger　in　case　of　infidelity。　But　in　spite　of　mutual　promises；　neither
wrote　the　letter。

The　journalist；　happy　for　the　moment；　promised　himself　that　he　would
deceive　Dinah　when　he　should　be　tired　of　her；　and　would　sacrifice
everything　to　the　requirements　of　that　deception。　To　him　Madame　de　la
Baudraye　was　a　fortune　in　herself。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　the　yoke。

Dinah；　by　consenting　to　this　union；　showed　a　generous　mind　and　the
power　derived　from　self…respect。　In　this　absolute　intimacy；　in　which
both　lovers　put　off　their　masks；　the　young　woman　never　abdicated　her
modesty；　her　masculine　rectitude；　and　the　strength　peculiar　to
ambitious　souls；　which　formed　the　basis　of　her　character。　Lousteau
involuntarily　held　her　in　high　esteem。　As　a　Parisian；　Dinah　was
superior　to　the　most　fascinating　courtesan；　she　could　be　as　amusing
and　as　witty　as　Malaga；　but　her　extensive　information；　her　habits　of
mind；　her　vast　reading　enabled　her　to　generalize　her　wit；　while　the
Florines　and　the　Schontzes　exerted　theirs　over　a　very　narrow　circle。

〃There　is　in　Dinah；〃　said　Etienne　to　Bixiou；　〃the　stuff　to　make　both　a
Ninon　and　a　De　Stael。〃

〃A　woman　who　combines　an　encyclopaedia　and　a　seraglio　is　very
dangerous；〃　replied　the　mocking　spirit。

When　the　expected　infant　became　a　visible　fact；　Madame　de　la　Baudraye
would　be　seen　no　more；　but　before　shutting　herself　up；　never　to　go　out
unless　into　the　country；　she　was　bent　on　being　present　at　the　first
performance　of　a　play　by　Nathan。　This　literary　solemnity　occupied　the
minds　of　the　two　thousand　persons　who　regard　themselves　as
constituting　〃all　Paris。〃　Dinah；　who　had　never　been　at　a　first　night's
performance；　was　very　full　of　natural　curiosity。　She　had　by　this　time
arrived　at　such　a　pitch　of　affection　for　Lousteau　that　she　gloried　in
her　misconduct；　she　exerted　a　sort　of　savage　strength　to　defy　the
world；　she　was　determined　to　look　it　in　the　face　without　turning　her
head　aside。

She　dressed　herself　to　perfection；　in　a　style　suited　to　her　delicate
looks　and　the　sickly　whiteness　of　her　face。　Her　pallid　complexion　gave
her　an　expression　of　refinement；　and　her　black　hair　in　smooth　bands
enhanced　her　pallor。　Her　brilliant　gray　eyes　looked　finer　than　ever；
set　in　dark　rings。　But　a　terribly　distressing　incident　awaited　her。　By
a　very　simple　chance；　the　box　given　to　the　journalist；　on　the　first
tier；　was　next　to　that　which　Anna　Grossetete　had　taken。　The　two
intimate　friends　did　not　even　bow；　neither　chose　to　acknowledge　the
other。　At　the　end　of　the　first　act　Lousteau　left　his　seat；　abandoning
Dinah　to　the　fire　of　eyes；　the　glare　of　opera…glasses；　while　the
Baronne　de　Fontaine　and　the　Comtesse　Marie　de　Vandenesse；　who
accompanied　her；　received　some　of　the　most　distinguished　men　of
fashion。

Dinah's　solitude　was　all　the　more　distressing　because　she　had　not　the
art　of　putting　a　good　face　to　the　matter　by　examining　the　company
through　her　opera…glass。　In　vain　did　she　try　to　assume　a　dignified　and
thoughtful　attitude；　and　fix　her　eyes　on　vacancy；　she　was
overpoweringly　conscious　of　being　the　object　of　general　attention；　she
could　not　disguise　her　discomfort；　and　lapsed　a　little　into
provincialism；　displaying　her　handkerchief　and　making　involuntary
movements　of　which　she　had　almost　cured　herself。　At　last；　between　the
second　and　third　acts；　a　man　had　himself　admitted　to　Dinah's　box！　It
was　Monsieur　de　Clagny。

〃I　am　happy　to　see　you；　to　tell　you　how　much　I　am　pleased　by　your
promotion；〃　said　she。

〃Oh！　Madame；　for　whom　should　I　come　to　Paris？〃

〃What！〃　said　she。　〃Have　I　anything　to　do　with　your　appointment？〃

〃Everything；〃　said　he。　〃Since　you　left　Sancerre；　it　had　become
intolerable　to　me；　I　was　dying〃

〃Your　sincere　friendship　does　me　good；〃　replied　she；　holding　out　her
hand。　〃I　am　in　a　position　to　make　much　of　my　true　friends；　I　now　know
their　value。I　feared　I　must　have　lost　your　esteem；　but　the　proof　you
have　given　me　by　this　visit　touches　me　more　deeply　than　your　ten
years'　attachment。〃

〃You　are　an　object　of　curiosity　to　the　whole　house；〃　said　the　lawyer。
〃Oh！　my　dear；　is　this　a　part　for　you　to　be　playing？　Could　you　not　be
happy　and　yet　remain　honored？I　have　just　heard　that　you　are　Monsieur
Etienne　Lousteau's　mistress；　that　you　live　together　as　man　and　wife！
You　have　broken　for　ever　with　society；　even　if　you　should　some　day
marry　your　lover；　the　time　will　come　when　you　will　feel　the　want　of
the　respectability　you　now　despise。　Ought　you　not　to　be　in　a　home　of
your　own　with　your　mother；　who　loves　you　well　enough　to　protect　you
with　her　aegis？Appearances　at　least　would　be　saved。〃

〃I　am　in　the　wrong　to　have　come　here；〃　replied　she；　〃that　is　all。I
have　bid　farewell　to　all　the　advantages　which　the　world　confers　on
women　who　know　how　to　reconcile　happiness　and　the　proprieties。　My
abnegation　is　so　complete　that　I　only　wish　I　could　clear　a　vast　space
about　me　to　make　a　desert　of　my　love；　full　of　God；　of　/him/；　and　of
myself。We　have　made　too　many　sacrifices　on　both　sides　not　to　be
unitedunited　by　disgrace　if　you　will；　but　indissolubly　one。　I　am
happy；　so　happy　that　I　can　love　freely；　my　friend；　and　confide　in　you
more　than　of　oldfor　I　need　a　friend。〃

The　lawyer　was　magnanimous；　nay；　truly　great。　To　this　declaration；　in
which　Dinah's　soul　thrilled；　he　replied　in　heartrending　tones：

〃I　wanted　to　go　to　see　you；　to　be　sure　that　you　were　loved：　I　shall
now　be　easy　and　no　longer　alarmed　as　to　your　future。But　will　your
lover　appreciate　the　magnitude　of　your　sacrifice；　is　there　any
gratitude　in　his　affection？〃