a daughter of eve-第17章

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charming　things　in　which　so　many　Parisian　women　spend　their　lives；　and

which　give　such　significance　to　all　that　we　see　about　them；　and　in

them；　and　on　them。　Few　women　go　to　milliners　and　dressmakers　for　their

own　pleasure　and　interest。　When　old　they　never　think　of　adornment。　The

next　time　you　meet　in　the　street　a　young　woman　stopping　for　a　moment

to　look　into　a　shop…window；　examine　her　face　carefully。　〃Will　he　think

I　look　better　in　that？〃　are　the　words　written　on　that　fair　brow；　in

the　eyes　sparkling　with　hope；　in　the　smile　that　flickers　on　the　lips。



Lady　Dudley's　ball　took　place　on　a　Saturday　night。　On　the　following

Monday　the　countess　went　to　the　Opera；　feeling　certain　of　seeing

Raoul；　who　was；　in　fact；　watching　for　her　on　one　of　the　stairways

leading　down　to　the　stalls。　With　what　delight　did　she　observe　the

unwonted　care　he　had　bestowed　upon　his　clothes。　This　despiser　of　the

laws　of　elegance　had　brushed　and　perfumed　his　hair；　his　waistcoat

followed　the　fashion；　his　cravat　was　well　tied；　the　bosom　of　his　shirt

was　irreproachably　smooth。　Raoul　was　standing　with　his　arms　crossed　as

if　posed　for　his　portrait；　magnificently　indifferent　to　the　rest　of

the　audience　and　full　of　repressed　impatience。　Though　lowered；　his

eyes　were　turned　to　the　red　velvet　cushion　on　which　lay　Marie's　arm。

Felix；　seated　in　the　opposite　corner　of　the　box；　had　his　back　to

Nathan。



So；　in　a　moment；　as　it　were；　Marie　had　compelled　this　remarkable　man

to　abjure　his　cynicism　in　the　line　of　clothes。　All　women；　high　or　low；

are　filled　with　delight　on　seeing　a　first　proof　of　their　power　in　one

of　these　sudden　metamorphoses。　Such　changes　are　an　admission　of

serfdom。



〃Those　women　were　right；　there　is　a　great　pleasure　in　being

understood；〃　she　said　to　herself；　thinking　of　her　treacherous　friends。



When　the　two　lovers　had　gazed　around　the　theatre　with　that　glance　that

takes　in　everything；　they　exchanged　a　look　of　intelligence。　It　was　for

each　as　if　some　celestial　dew　had　refreshed　their　hearts；　burned…up

with　expectation。



〃I　have　been　here　for　an　hour　in　purgatory；　but　now　the　heavens　are

opening；〃　said　Raoul's　eyes。



〃I　knew　you　were　waiting；　but　how　could　I　help　it？〃　replied　those　of

the　countess。



Thieves；　spies；　lovers；　diplomats；　and　slaves　of　any　kind　alone　know

the　resources　and　comforts　of　a　glance。　They　alone　know　what　it

contains　of　meaning；　sweetness；　thought；　anger；　villainy；　displayed　by

the　modification　of　that　ray　of　light　which　conveys　the　soul。　Between

the　box　of　the　Comtesse　Felix　de　Vandenesse　and　the　step　on　which

Raoul　had　perched　there　were　barely　thirty　feet；　and　yet　it　was

impossible　to　wipe　out　that　distance。　To　a　fiery　being；　who　had

hitherto　known　no　space　between　his　wishes　and　their　gratification；

this　imaginary　but　insuperable　gulf　inspired　a　mad　desire　to　spring　to

the　countess　with　the　bound　of　a　tiger。　In　a　species　of　rage　he

determined　to　try　the　ground　and　bow　openly　to　the　countess。　She

returned　the　bow　with　one　of　those　slight　inclinations　of　the　head

with　which　women　take　from　their　adorers　all　desire　to　continue　their

attempt。　Comte　Felix　turned　round　to　see　who　had　bowed　to　his　wife；　he

saw　Nathan；　but　did　not　bow；　and　seemed　to　inquire　the　meaning　of　such

audacity；　then　he　turned　back　slowly　and　said　a　few　words　to　his　wife。

Evidently　the　door　of　that　box　was　closed　to　Nathan；　who　cast　a

terrible　look　of　hatred　upon　Felix。



Madame　d'Espard　had　seen　the　whole　thing　from　her　box；　which　was　just

above　where　Raoul　was　standing。　She　raised　her　voice　in　crying　bravo

to　some　singer；　which　caused　Nathan　to　look　up　to　her；　he　bowed　and

received　in　return　a　gracious　smile　which　seemed　to　say：



〃If　they　won't　admit　you　there　come　here　to　me。〃



Raoul　obeyed　the　silent　summons　and　went　to　her　box。　He　felt　the　need

of　showing　himself　in　a　place　which　might　teach　that　little　Vandenesse

that　fame　was　every　whit　as　good　as　nobility；　and　that　all　doors

turned　on　their　hinges　to　admit　him。　The　marquise　made　him　sit　in

front　of　her。　She　wanted　to　question　him。



〃Madame　Felix　de　Vandenesse　is　fascinating　in　that　gown；〃　she　said；

complimenting　the　dress　as　if　it　were　a　book　he　had　published　the　day

before。



〃Yes；〃　said　Raoul；　indifferently；　〃marabouts　are　very　becoming　to　her；

but　she　seems　wedded　to　them；　she　wore　them　on　Saturday；〃　he　added；　in

a　careless　tone；　as　if　to　repudiate　the　intimacy　Madame　d'Espard　was

fastening　upon　him。



〃You　know　the　proverb；〃　she　replied。　〃There　is　no　good　fete　without　a

morrow。〃



In　the　matter　of　repartees　literary　celebrities　are　often　not　as　quick

as　women。　Raoul　pretended　dulness；　a　last　resort　for　clever　men。



〃That　proverb　is　true　in　my　case；〃　he　said；　looking　gallantly　at　the

marquise。



〃My　dear　friend；　your　speech　comes　too　late；　I　can't　accept　it；〃　she

said；　laughing。　〃Don't　be　so　prudish！　Come；　I　know　how　it　was；　you

complimented　Madame　de　Vandenesse　at　the　ball　on　her　marabouts　and　she

has　put　them　on　again　for　your　sake。　She　likes　you；　and　you　adore　her；

it　may　be　a　little　rapid；　but　it　is　all　very　natural。　If　I　were

mistaken　you　wouldn't　be　twisting　your　gloves　like　a　man　who　is

furious　at　having　to　sit　here　with　me　instead　of　flying　to　the　box　of

his　idol。　She　has　obtained；〃　continued　Madame　d'Espard；　glancing　at

his　person　impertinently；　〃certain　sacrifices　which　you　refused　to

make　to　society。　She　ought　to　be　delighted　with　her　success；in　fact；

I　have　no　doubt　she　is　vain　of　it；　I　should　be　so　in　her　place

immensely。　She　was　never　a　woman　of　any　mind；　but　she　may　now　pass　for

one　of　genius。　I　am　sure　you　will　describe　her　in　one　of　those

delightful　novels　you　write。　And　pray　don't　forget　Vandenesse；　put　him

in　to　please　me。　Really；　his　self…sufficiency　is　too　much。　I　can't

stand　that　Jupiter　Olympian　air　of　his；the　only　mythological

character　exempt；　they　say；　from　ill…luck。〃



〃Madame；〃　cried　Raoul；　〃you　rate　my　soul　very　low　if　you　think　me

capable　of　trafficking　with　my　feelings；　my　affections。　Rather　than

commit　such　literary　baseness；　I　would　do　as　they　do　in　England；put

a　rope　round　a　woman's　neck　and　sell　her　in　the　market。〃



〃But　I　know　Marie；　she　would　like　you　to　do　it。〃



〃She　is　incapable　of　liking　it；〃　said　Raoul；　vehemently。



〃Oh！　then　you　do　know　her　well？〃



Nathan　laughed；　he；　the　maker　of　scenes；　to　be　trapped　into　playing

one　himself！



〃Comedy　is　no　longer　there；〃　he　said；　nodding　at　the　stage；　〃it　is

here；　in　you。〃



He　took　his　opera…glass　and　looked　about　the　theatre　to　recover

countenance。



〃You　are　not　angry　with　me；　I　hope？〃　said　the　marquise；　giving　him　a

sidelong　glance。　〃I　should　have　had　your　secret　somehow。　Let　us　make

peace。　Come　and　see　me；　I　receive　every　Wednesday；　and　I　am　sure　the

dear　countess　will　never　miss　an　evening　if　I　let　her　know　you　will　be

there。　So　I　shall　be　the　gainer。　Sometimes　she　comes　between　four　and

five　o'clock；　and　I'll　be　kind　and　add　you　to　the　little　set　of

favorites　I　admit　at　that　hour。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　Raoul；　〃how　the　world　judges；　it　calls　you　unkind。〃



〃So　I　am　when　I　need　to　be；〃　she　replied。　〃We　must　defend　ourselves。

But　your　countess　I　adore；　you　will　be　contented　with　her；　she　is

charming。　Your　name　will　be　the　first　engraved　upon　her　heart　with

that　infantine　joy　that　makes　a　lad　cut　the　initials　of　his　love　on

the　barks　of　trees。〃



Raoul　was　aware　of　the　danger　of　such　conversations；　in　which　a

Parisian　woman　excels；　he　feared　the　marquise　would　extract　some

admission　from　him　which　she　would　instantly　turn　into　ridicule　among

her　friends。　He　therefore　withdrew；　prudently；　as　Lady　Dudley　entered。



〃Well？〃　said　the　Englishwoman　to　the　marquise；　〃how　far　have　they

got？〃



〃They　are　madly　in　love；　he　has　just　told　me　so。〃



〃I　wish　he　were　uglier；〃　said　Lady　Dudley；　with　a　viperish　look　at

Comte　Felix。　〃In　other　respects　he　is　just　what　I　want　him：　the　son　of

a　Jew　broker