paz-第9章
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muzzlethat's what she calls the lower part of her facehas； as
Shakespeare expresses it； the savor of a heifer's nose。 She can make a
man unhappy。 She likes handsome men； strong men； Alexanders； gymnasts；
clowns。 Her trainer； a horrible brute； used to beat her to make her
supple； and graceful； and intrepid〃
〃You are positively intoxicated with Malaga。〃
〃Oh； she is called Malaga only on the posters；〃 said Paz； with a
piqued air。 〃She lives in the rue Saint…Lazare； in a pretty apartment
on the third story； all velvet and silk； like a princess。 She has two
lives； her circus life and the life of a pretty woman。〃
〃Does she love you？〃
〃She loves menow you will laughsolely because I'm a Pole。 She saw
an engraving of Poles rushing with Poniatowski into the Elster；for
all France persists in thinking that the Elster； where it is
impossible to get drowned； is an impetuous flood； in which Poniatowski
and his followers were engulfed。 But in the midst of all this I am
very unhappy； madame。〃
A tear of rage fell from his eyes and affected the countess。
〃You men have such a passion for singularity。〃
〃And you？〃 said Thaddeus。
〃I know Adam so well that I am certain he could forget me for some
mountebank like your Malaga。 Where did you first see her？〃
〃At Saint…Cloud； last September； on the fete…day。 She was at a corner
of a booth covered with flags； where the shows are given。 Her
comrades； all in Polish costumes； were making a horrible racket。 I
watched her standing there； silent and dumb； and I thought I saw a
melancholy expression in her face； in truth there was enough about her
to sadden a girl of twenty。 That touched me。〃
The countess was sitting in a delicious attitude； pensive and rather
melancholy。
〃Poor； poor Thaddeus！〃 she exclaimed。 Then； with the kindliness of a
true great lady she added； not without a malicious smile； 〃Well go； go
to your Circus。〃
Thaddeus took her hand； kissed it； leaving a hot tear upon it； and
went out。
Having invented this passion for a circus…rider； he bethought him that
he must give it some reality。 The only truth in his tale was the
momentary attention he had given to Malaga at Saint…Cloud； and he had
since seen her name on the posters of the Circus； where the clown； for
a tip of five francs； had told him that the girl was a foundling；
stolen perhaps。 Thaddeus now went to the Circus and saw her again。 For
ten francs one of the grooms （who take the place in circuses of the
dressers at a theatre） informed him that Malaga was named Marguerite
Turquet； and lived on the fifth story of a house in the rue des
Fosses…du…Temple。
The following day Paz went to the faubourg du Temple； found the house；
and asked to see Mademoiselle Turquet； who during the summer was
substituting for the leading horsewoman at the Cirque…Olympique； and a
supernumerary at a boulevard theatre in winter。
〃Malaga！〃 cried the portress； rushing into the attic； 〃there's a fine
gentleman wanting you。 He is getting information from Chapuzot； who is
playing him off to give me time to tell you。〃
〃Thank you； M'ame Chapuzot； but what will he think of me if he finds
me ironing my gown？〃
〃Pooh！ when a man's in love he loves everything about us。〃
〃Is he an Englishman？ they are fond of horses。〃
〃No； he looks to me Spanish。〃
〃That's a pity； they say Spaniards are always poor。 Stay here with me；
M'ame Chapuzot； I don't want him to think I'm deserted。〃
〃Who is it you are looking for； monsieur？〃 asked Madame Chapuzot；
opening the door for Thaddeus； who had now come upstairs。
〃Mademoiselle Turquet。〃
〃My dear；〃 said the portress； with an air of importance； 〃here is some
one to see you。〃
A line on which the clothes were drying caught the captain's hat and
knocked it off。
〃What is it you wish； monsieur？〃 said Malaga； picking up the hat and
giving it to him。
〃I saw you at the Circus；〃 said Thaddeus； 〃and you reminded me of a
daughter whom I have lost； mademoiselle； and out of affection for my
Heloise； whom you resemble in a most striking manner； I should like to
be of some service to you； if you will permit me。〃
〃Why； certainly； pray sit down； general；〃 said Madame Chapuzot；
〃nothing could be more straightforward； more gallant。〃
〃But I am not gallant； my good lady；〃 exclaimed Paz。 〃I am an
unfortunate father who tries to deceive himself by a resemblance。〃
〃Then am I to pass for your daughter？〃 said Malaga； slyly； and not in
the least suspecting the perfect sincerity of his proposal。
〃Yes；〃 said Paz； 〃and I'll come and see you sometimes。 But you shall
be lodged in better rooms； comfortably furnished。〃
〃I shall have furniture！〃 cried Malaga； looking at Madame Chapuzot。
〃And servants；〃 said Paz； 〃and all you want。〃
Malaga looked at the stranger suspiciously。
〃What countryman is monsieur？〃
〃I am a Pole。〃
〃Oh！ then I accept；〃 she said。
Paz departed； promising to return。
〃Well； that's a stiff one！〃 said Marguerite Turquet； looking at Madame
Chapuzot； 〃I'm half afraid he is wheedling me； to carry out some fancy
of his ownPooh！ I'll risk it。〃
A month after this eccentric interview the circus…rider was living in
a comfortable apartment furnished by Comte Adam's own upholsterer； Paz
having judged it desirable to have his folly talked about at the hotel
Laginski。 Malaga； to whom this adventure was like a leaf out of the
Arabian Nights； was served by Monsieur and Madame Chapuzot in the
double capacity of friends and servants。 The Chapuzots and Marguerite
were constantly expecting some result of all this； but at the end of
three months none of them were able to make out the meaning of the
Polish count's caprice。 Paz arrived duly and passed about an hour
there once a week； during which time he sat in the salon； and never
went into Malaga's boudoir nor into her bedroom； in spite of the
clever manoeuvring of the Chapuzots and Malaga to get him there。 The
count would ask questions as to the small events of Marguerite's life；
and each time that he came he left two gold pieces of forty francs
each on the mantel…piece。
〃He looks as if he didn't care to be here；〃 said Madame Chapuzot。
〃Yes；〃 said Malaga； 〃the man's as cold as an icicle。〃
〃But he's a good fellow all the same；〃 cried Chapuzot； who was happy
in a new suit of clothes made of blue cloth； in which he looked like
the servant of some minister。
The sum which Paz deposited weekly on the mantel…piece； joined to
Malaga's meagre salary； gave her the means of sumptuous living
compared with her former poverty。 Wonderful stories went the rounds of
the Circus about Malaga's good…luck。 Her vanity increased the six
thousand francs which Paz had spent on her furniture to sixty
thousand。 According to the clowns and the supers； Malaga was
squandering money； and she now appeared at the Circus wearing burnous
and shawls and elegant scarfs。 The Pole； it was agreed on all sides；
was the best sort of man a circus…rider had ever encountered； not
fault…finding nor jealous； and willing to let Malaga do just what she
liked。
〃Some women have the luck of it；〃 said Malaga's rival； 〃and I'm not
one of them；though I do draw a third of the receipts。〃
Malaga wore pretty things； and occasionally 〃showed her head〃 （a term
in the lexicon of such characters） in the Bois； where the fashionable
young men of the day began to remark her。 In fact； before long Malaga
was very much talked about in the questionable world of equivocal
women； who presently attacked her good fortune by calumnies。 They said
she was a somnambulist； and the Pole was a magnetizer who was using
her to discover the philosopher's stone。 Some even more envenomed
scandals drove her to a curiosity that was greater than Psyche's。 She
reported them in tears to Paz。
〃When I want to injure a woman；〃 she said in conclusion； 〃I don't
calumn
