two poets-第20章

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s　through　which；　moreover；　she　learns　the　extent　of　her　power；　but　so　far　Lucien　had　not　met　the　lady's　husband　face　to　face。

M。　de　Bargeton's　intellect　was　of　the　limited　kind；　exactly　poised　on　the　border　line　between　harmless　vacancy；　with　some　glimmerings　of　sense；　and　the　excessive　stupidity　that　can　neither　take　in　nor　give　out　any　idea。　He　was　thoroughly　impressed　with　the　idea　of　doing　his　duty　in　society；　and；　doing　his　utmost　to　be　agreeable；　had　adopted　the　smile　of　an　opera　dancer　as　his　sole　method　of　expression。　Satisfied；　he　smiled；　dissatisfied；　he　smiled　again。　He　smiled　at　good　news　and　evil　tidings；　with　slight　modifications　the　smile　did　duty　on　all　occasions。　If　he　was　positively　obliged　to　express　his　personal　approval；　a　complacent　laugh　reinforced　the　smile；　but　he　never　vouchsafed　a　word　until　driven　to　the　last　extremity。　A　tete…a…tete　put　him　in　the　one　embarrassment　of　his　vegetative　existence；　for　then　he　was　obliged　to　look　for　something　to　say　in　the　vast　blank　of　his　vacant　interior。　He　usually　got　out　of　the　difficulty　by　a　return　to　the　artless　ways　of　childhood；　he　thought　aloud；　took　you　into　his　confidence　concerning　the　smallest　details　of　his　existence；　his　physical　wants；　the　small　sensations　which　did　duty　for　ideas　with　him。　He　never　talked　about　the　weather；　nor　did　he　indulge　in　the　ordinary　commonplaces　of　conversationthe　way　of　escape　provided　for　weak　intellects；　he　plunged　you　into　the　most　intimate　and　personal　topics。

〃I　took　veal　this　morning　to　please　Mme。　de　Bargeton；　who　is　very　fond　of　veal；　and　my　stomach　has　been　very　uneasy　since；〃　he　would　tell　you。　〃I　knew　how　it　would　be；　it　never　suits　me。　How　do　you　explain　it？〃　Or；　very　likely

〃I　am　just　about　to　ring　for　a　glass　of　eau　sucree；　will　you　have　some　at　the　same　time？〃

Or；　〃I　am　going　to　take　a　ride　to…morrow；　I　am　going　over　to　see　my　father…in…law。〃

These　short　observations　did　not　permit　of　discussion；　a　〃Yes〃　or　〃No；〃　extracted　from　his　interlocutor；　the　conversation　dropped　dead。　Then　M。　de　Bargeton　mutely　implored　his　visitor　to　come　to　his　assistance。　Turning　westward　his　old　asthmatic　pug…dog　countenance；　he　gazed　at　you　with　big；　lustreless　eyes；　in　a　way　that　said；　〃You　were　saying？〃

The　people　whom　he　loved　best　were　bores　anxious　to　talk　about　themselves；　he　listened　to　them　with　an　unfeigned　and　delicate　interest　which　so　endeared　him　to　the　species　that　all　the　twaddlers　of　Angouleme　credited　M。　de　Bargeton　with　more　understanding　than　he　chose　to　show；　and　were　of　the　opinion　that　he　was　underrated。　So　it　happened　that　when　these　persons　could　find　nobody　else　to　listen　to　them；　they　went　off　to　give　M。　de　Bargeton　the　benefit　of　the　rest　of　the　story；　argument；　or　what　not；　sure　beforehand　of　his　eulogistic　smile。　Madame　de　Bargeton's　rooms　were　always　crowded；　and　generally　her　husband　felt　quite　at　ease。　He　interested　himself　in　the　smallest　details；　he　watched　those　who　came　in　and　bowed　and　smiled；　and　brought　the　new　arrivals　to　his　wife；　he　lay　in　wait　for　departing　visitors；　and　went　with　them　to　the　door；　taking　leave　of　them　with　that　eternal　smile。　When　conversation　grew　lively；　and　he　saw　that　every　one　was　interested　in　one　thing　or　another；　he　stood；　happy　and　mute；　planted　like　a　swan　on　both　feet；　listening；　to　all　appearance；　to　a　political　discussion；　or　he　looked　over　the　card…players'　hands　without　a　notion　of　what　it　was　all　about；　for　he　could　not　play　at　any　game；　or　he　walked　about　and　took　snuff　to　promote　digestion。　Anais　was　the　bright　side　of　his　life；　she　made　it　unspeakably　pleasant　for　him。　Stretched　out　at　full　length　in　his　armchair；　he　watched　admiringly　while　she　did　her　part　as　hostess；　for　she　talked　for　him。　It　was　a　pleasure；　too；　to　him　to　try　to　see　the　point　in　her　remarks；　and　as　it　was　often　a　good　while　before　he　succeeded；　his　smiles　appeared　after　a　delay；　like　the　explosion　of　a　shell　which　has　entered　the　earth　and　worked　up　again。　His　respect　for　his　wife；　moreover；　almost　amounted　to　adoration。　And　so　long　as　we　can　adore；　is　there　not　happiness　enough　in　life？　Anais'　husband　was　as　docile　as　a　child　who　asks　nothing　better　than　to　be　told　what　to　do；　and；　generous　and　clever　woman　as　she　was；　she　had　taken　no　undue　advantage　of　his　weaknesses。　She　had　taken　care　of　him　as　you　take　care　of　a　cloak；　she　kept　him　brushed；　neat；　and　tidy；　looked　closely　after　him；　and　humored　him；　and　humored；　looked　after；　brushed；　kept　tidy；　and　cared　for；　M。　de　Bargeton　had　come　to　feel　an　almost　dog…like　affection　for　his　wife。　It　is　so　easy　to　give　happiness　that　costs　nothing！　Mme。　de　Bargeton；　knowing　that　her　husband　had　no　pleasure　but　in　good　cheer；　saw　that　he　had　good　dinners；　she　had　pity　upon　him；　she　had　never　uttered　a　word　of　complaint；　indeed；　there　were　people　who　could　not　understand　that　a　woman　might　keep　silence　through　pride；　and　argued　that　M。　de　Bargeton　must　possess　good　qualities　hidden　from　public　view。　Mme。　de　Bargeton　had　drilled　him　into　military　subordination；　he　yielded　a　passive　obedience　to　his　wife。　〃Go　and　call　on　Monsieur　So…and…So　or　Madame　Such…an…One；〃　she　would　say；　and　he　went　forthwith；　like　a　soldier　at　the　word　of　command。　He　stood　at　attention　in　her　presence；　and　waited　motionless　for　his　orders。

There　was　some　talk　about　this　time　of　nominating　the　mute　gentleman　for　a　deputy。　Lucien　as　yet　had　not　lifted　the　veil　which　hid　such　an　unimaginable　character；　indeed；　he　had　scarcely　frequented　the　house　long　enough。　M。　de　Bargeton；　spread　at　full　length　in　his　great　chair；　appeared　to　see　and　understand　all　that　was　going　on；　his　silence　added　to　his　dignity；　and　his　figure　inspired　Lucien　with　a　prodigious　awe。　It　is　the　wont　of　imaginative　natures　to　magnify　everything；　or　to　find　a　soul　to　inhabit　every　shape；　and　Lucien　took　this　gentleman；　not　for　a　granite　guard…post；　but　for　a　formidable　sphinx；　and　thought　it　necessary　to　conciliate　him。

〃I　am　the　first　comer；〃　he　said；　bowing　with　more　respect　than　people　usually　showed　the　worthy　man。

〃That　is　natural　enough；〃　said　M。　de　Bargeton。

Lucien　took　the　remark　for　an　epigram；　the　lady's　husband　was　jealous；　he　thought；　he　reddened　under　it；　looked　in　the　glass　and　tried　to　give　himself　a　countenance。

〃You　live　in　L'Houmeau；〃　said　M。　de　Bargeton；　〃and　people　who　live　a　long　way　off　always　come　earlier　than　those　who　live　near　by。〃

〃What　is　the　reason　of　that？〃　asked　Lucien　politely。

〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　M。　de　Bargeton；　relapsing　into　immobility。

〃You　have　not　cared　to　find　out；〃　Lucien　began　again；　〃any　one　who　could　make　an　observation　could　discover　the　cause。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　M。　de　Bargeton；　〃final　causes！　Eh！　eh！　。　。　。〃

The　conversation　came　to　a　dead　stop；　Lucien　racked　his　brains　to　resuscitate　it。

〃Mme。　de　Bargeton　is　dressing；　no　doubt；〃　he　began；　shuddering　at　the　silliness　of　the　question。

〃Yes；　she　is　dressing；〃　her　husband　naturally　answered。

Lucien　looked　up　at　the　ceiling　and　vainly　tried　to　think　of　something　else　to　say。　As　his　eyes　wandered　over　the　gray　painted　joists　and　the　spaces　of　plaster　between；　he　saw；　not　without　qualms；　that　the　little　chandelier　with　the　old…fashioned　cut…glass　pendants　had　been　stripped　of　its　gauze　covering　and　filled　with　wax　candles。　All　the　covers　had　been　removed　from　the　furniture；　and　the　faded　flowered　silk　damask　had　come　to　light。　These　preparations　meant　something　extraordinary。　The　poet　looked　at　his　boots；　and　misgivings　about　his　costume　arose　in　his　mind。　Grown　stupid　with　dismay；　he　turned　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　a　Japanese　jar　standing　on　a　begarlanded　console　table　of　the　time　of　Louis　Quinze；　then；　recollecting　that　he　must　conciliate　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　husband；　he　tried　to　find　out　if　the　good　gentleman　had　a　hobby　of　any　sort　in　which　he　might　be　humored。

〃You　seldom　leave　the　city；　monsieur？〃　he　began；　returning　to　M。　de　Bargeton。

〃Very　seldom。〃

Silence　again。　M。　de　Bargeton　watched　Lucien's　slightest　movements　like　a　suspicious　cat；　the　young　man's　presence　disturbed　him。　Each　was　afraid　of　the　other。

〃Can　he　feel　suspicious　of　my　attentions？〃　thought　Lucien；　〃he　seems　to　be　anything　but　friendly。〃

Lucien　was　not　a　little　embarrassed　by　the　uneasy