paz-第7章

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sublime　avarice；　sublime　because　ever　generous　and　founded　on　the

mysterious　existence　of　the　principles　of　creation。　EFFECT　is　nature；

and　nature　is　enchanting；　it　belongs　to　man；　to　the　poet；　the　painter；

the　lover。　But　CAUSE；　to　a　few　privileged　souls　and　to　certain　mighty

thinkers；　is　superior　to　nature。　Cause　is　God。　In　the　sphere　of　causes

live　the　Newtons　and　all　such　thinkers　as　Laplace；　Kepler；　Descartes；

Malebranche；　Spinoza；　Buffon；　also　the　true　poets　and　solitarys　of　the

second　Christian　century；　and　the　Saint　Teresas　of　Spain；　and　such

sublime　ecstatics。　All　human　sentiments　bear　analogy　to　these

conditions　whenever　the　mind　abandons　Effect　for　Cause。　Thaddeus　had

reached　this　height；　at　which　all　things　change　their　relative　aspect。

Filled　with　the　joys　unutterable　of　a　creator　he　had　attained　in　his

love　to　all　that　genius　has　revealed　to　us　of　grandeur。



〃No；〃　he　was　thinking　to　himself　as　he　watched　the　curling　smoke　of

his　pipe；　〃she　was　not　entirely　deceived。　She　might　break　up　my

friendship　with　Adam　if　she　took　a　dislike　to　me；　but　if　she　coquetted

with　me　to　amuse　herself；　what　would　become　of　me？〃



The　conceit　of　this　last　supposition　was　so　foreign　to　the　modest

nature　and　Teutonic　timidity　of　the　captain　that　he　scolded　himself

for　admitting　it；　and　went　to　bed；　resolved　to　await　events　before

deciding　on　a　course。



The　next　day　Clementine　breakfasted　very　contentedly　without　Paz；　and

without　even　noticing　his　disobedience　to　her　orders。　It　happened　to

be　her　reception　day；　when　the　house　was　thrown　open　with　a　splendor

that　was　semi…royal。　She　paid　no　attention　to　the　absence　of　Comte

Paz；　on　whom　all　the　burden　of　these　parade　days　fell。



〃Good！〃　thought　he；　as　he　heard　the　last　carriages　driving　away　at　two

in　the　morning；　〃it　was　only　the　caprice　or　the　curiosity　of　a

Parisian　woman　that　made　her　want　to　see　me。〃



After　that　the　captain　went　back　to　his　ordinary　habits　and　ways；

which　had　been　somewhat　upset　by　this　incident。　Diverted　by　her

Parisian　occupations；　Clementine　appeared　to　have　forgotten　Paz。　It

must　not　be　thought　an　easy　matter　to　reign　a　queen　over　fickle　Paris。

Does　any　one　suppose　that　fortunes　alone　are　risked　in　the　great　game？

The　winters　are　to　fashionable　women　what　a　campaign　once　was　to　the

soldiers　of　the　Empire。　What　works　of　art　and　genius　are　expended　on　a

gown　or　a　garland　in　which　to　make　a　sensation！　A　fragile；　delicate

creature　will　wear　her　stiff　and　brilliant　harness　of　flowers　and

diamonds；　silk　and　steel；　from　nine　at　night　till　two　and　often　three

o'clock　in　the　morning。　She　eats　little；　to　attract　remark　to　her

slender　waist；　she　satisfied　her　hunger　with　debilitating　tea；　sugared

cakes；　ices　which　heat　her；　or　slices　of　heavy　pastry。　The　stomach　is

made　to　yield　to　the　orders　of　coquetry。　The　awakening　comes　too　late。

A　fashionable　woman's　whole　life　is　in　contradiction　to　the　laws　of

nature；　and　nature　is　pitiless。　She　has　no　sooner　risen　than　she　makes

an　elaborate　morning　toilet；　and　thinks　of　the　one　which　she　means　to

wear　in　the　afternoon。　The　moment　she　is　dressed　she　has　to　receive

and　make　visits；　and　go　to　the　Bois　either　on　horseback　or　in　a

carriage。　She　must　practise　the　art　of　smiling；　and　must　keep　her　mind

on　the　stretch　to　invent　new　compliments　which　shall　seem　neither

common　nor　far…fetched。　All　women　do　not　succeed　in　this。　It　is　no

surprise；　therefore；　to　find　a　young　woman　who　entered　fashionable

society　fresh　and　healthy；　faded　and　worn　out　at　the　end　of　three

years。　Six　months　spent　in　the　country　will　hardly　heal　the　wounds　of

the　winter。　We　hear　continually；　in　these　days；　of　mysterious

ailments；gastritis；　and　so　forth；ills　unknown　to　women　when　they

busied　themselves　about　their　households。　In　the　olden　time　women　only

appeared　in　the　world　at　intervals；　now　they　are　always　on　the　scene。

Clementine　found　she　had　to　struggle　for　her　supremacy。　She　was　cited；

and　that　alone　brought　jealousies；　and　the　care　and　watchfulness

exacted　by　this　contest　with　her　rivals　left　little　time　even　to　love

her　husband。　Paz　might　well　be　forgotten。　Nevertheless；　in　the　month

of　May；　as　she　drove　home　from　the　Bois；　just　before　she　left　Paris

for　Ronquerolles；　her　uncle's　estate　in　Burgundy；　she　noticed

Thaddeus；　elegantly　dressed；　sauntering　on　one　of　the　side…paths　of

the　Champs…Elysees；　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　delight　at　seeing　his

beautiful　countess　in　her　elegant　carriage　with　its　spirited　horses

and　sparkling　liveries；in　short；　his　beloved　family　the　admired　of

all。



〃There's　the　captain；〃　she　said　to　her　husband。



〃He's　happy！〃　said　Adam。　〃This　is　his　delight。　He　knows　there's　no

equipage　more　elegant　than　ours；　and　he　is　rejoicing　to　think　that

some　people　envy　it。　Have　you　only　just　noticed　him？　I　see　him　there

nearly　every　day。〃



〃I　wonder　what　he　is　thinking　about　now；〃　said　Clementine。



〃He　is　thinking　that　this　winter　has　cost　a　good　deal；　and　that　it　is

time　we　went　to　economize　with　your　old　uncle　Ronquerolles；〃　replied

Adam。



The　countess　stopped　the　carriage　near　Paz；　and　bade　him　take　the　seat

beside　her。　Thaddeus　grew　as　red　as　a　cherry。



〃I　shall　poison　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　smoking。〃



〃Doesn't　Adam　poison　me？〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　but　he　is　Adam；〃　returned　the　captain。



〃And　why　can't　Thaddeus　have　the　same　privileges？〃　asked　the　countess；

smiling。



That　divine　smile　had　a　power　which　triumphed　over　the　heroic

resolutions　of　poor　Paz；　he　looked　at　Clementine　with　all　the　fire　of

his　soul　in　his　eyes；　though；　even　so；　its　flame　was　tempered　by　the

angelic　gratitude　of　the　man　whose　life　was　based　upon　that　virtue。

The　countess　folded　her　arms　in　her　shawl；　lay　back　pensively　on　her

cushions；　ruffling　the　feathers　of　her　pretty　bonnet；　and　looked　at

the　people　who　passed　her。　That　flash　of　a　great　and　hitherto　resigned

soul　reached　her　sensibilities。　What　was　Adam's　merit　in　her　eyes？　It

was　natural　enough　to　have　courage　and　generosity。　But　Thaddeus

surely　Thaddeus　possessed；　or　seemed　to　possess；　some　great

superiority　over　Adam。　They　were　dangerous　thoughts　which　took

possession　of　the　countess's　mind　as　she　again　noticed　the　contrast　of

the　fine　presence　that　distinguished　Thaddeus；　and　the　puny　frame　in

which　Adam　showed　the　degenerating　effects　of　intermarriage　among　the

Polish　aristocratic　families。　The　devil　alone　knew　the　thoughts　that

were　in　Clementine's　head；　for　she　sat　still；　with　thoughtful；　dreamy

eyes；　and　without　saying　a　word　until　they　reached　home。



〃You　will　dine　with　us；　I　shall　be　angry　if　you　disobey　me；〃　she　said

as　the　carriage　turned　in。　〃You　are　Thaddeus　to　me；　as　you　are　to

Adam。　I　know　your　obligations　to　him；　but　I　also　know　those　we　are

under　to　you。　Both　generosities　are　naturalbut　you　are　generous

every　day　and　all　day。　My　father　dines　here　to…day；　also　my　uncle

Ronquerolles　and　my　aunt　Madame　de　Serizy。　Dress　yourself　therefore；〃

she　said；　taking　the　hand　he　offered　to　assist　her　from　the　carriage。



Thaddeus　went　to　his　own　room　to　dress　with　a　joyful　heart；　though

shaken　by　an　inward　dread。　He　went　down　at　the　last　moment　and　behaved

through　dinner　as　he　had　done　on　the　first　occasion；　that　is；　like　a

soldier　fit　only　for　his　duties　as　a　steward。　But　this　time　Clementine

was　not　his　dupe；　his　glance　had　enlightened　her。　The　Marquis　de

Ronquerolles；　one　of　the　ablest　diplomates　after　Talleyrand；　who　had

served　with　de　Marsay　during　his　short　ministry；　had　been　informed　by

his　niece　of　the　real　worth　and　character　of　Comte　Paz；　and　knew　how

modestly　he　made　himself　the　steward　of　his　friend　Laginski。



〃And　why　is　this　the　first　time　I　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Comte

Paz？〃　asked　the　marquis。



〃Because　he　is　so　shy　and　retiring；〃　replied　Clementine　with　a　look　at

Paz　telling　him　to　change　his　behavior。



Alas！　that　we　should　have　to　avow　it；　at　the　risk　of　rendering　the

captain　le