the lily of the valley-第26章

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possessions。　He　had　orders　to　give；　rural　works　to　overlook　which

needed　a　master's　eye；all　of　them　planned　and　decided　on　by　his　wife

and　himself。　We　often　went　to　meet　him；　the　countess　and　I；　with　the

children；　who　amused　themselves　on　the　way　by　running　after　insects；

stag…beetles；　darning…needles；　they　too　making　their　bouquets；　or　to

speak　more　truly；　their　bundles　of　flowers。　To　walk　beside　the　woman

we　love；　to　take　her　on　our　arm；　to　guide　her　steps；these　are

illimitable　joys　that　suffice　a　lifetime。　Confidence　is　then　complete。

We　went　alone；　we　returned　with　the　〃general；〃　a　title　given　to　the

count　when　he　was　good…humored。　These　two　ways　of　taking　the　same　path

gave　light　and　shade　to　our　pleasure；　a　secret　known　only　to　hearts

debarred　from　union。　Our　talk；　so　free　as　we　went；　had　hidden

significations　as　we　returned；　when　either　of　us　gave　an　answer　to

some　furtive　interrogation；　or　continued　a　subject；　already　begun；　in

the　enigmatic　phrases　to　which　our　language　lends　itself；　and　which

women　are　so　ingenious　in　composing。　Who　has　not　known　the　pleasure　of

such　secret　understandings　in　a　sphere　apart　from　those　about　us；　a

sphere　where　spirits　meet　outside　of　social　laws？



One　day　a　wild　hope；　quickly　dispelled；　took　possession　of　me；　when

the　count；　wishing　to　know　what　we　were　talking　of；　put　the　inquiry；

and　Henriette　answered　in　words　that　allowed　another　meaning；　which

satisfied　him。　This　amused　Madeleine；　who　laughed；　after　a　moment　her

mother　blushed　and　gave　me　a　forbidding　look；　as　if　to　say　she　might

still　withdraw　from　me　her　soul　as　she　had　once　withdrawn　her　hand。

But　our　purely　spiritual　union　had　far　too　many　charms；　and　on　the

morrow　it　continued　as　before。



The　hours；　days；　and　weeks　fled　by；　filled　with　renascent　joys。　Grape

harvest；　the　festal　season　in　Touraine；　began。　Toward　the　end　of

September　the　sun；　less　hot　than　during　the　wheat　harvest；　allows　of

our　staying　in　the　vineyards　without　danger　of　becoming　overheated。　It

is　easier　to　gather　grapes　than　to　mow　wheat。　Fruits　of　all　kinds　are

ripe；　harvests　are　garnered；　bread　is　less　dear；　the　sense　of　plenty

makes　the　country　people　happy。　Fears　as　to　the　results　of　rural　toil；

in　which　more　money　than　sweat　is　often　spent；　vanish　before　a　full

granary　and　cellars　about　to　overflow。　The　vintage　is　then　like　a　gay

dessert　after　the　dinner　is　eaten；　the　skies　of　Touraine；　where　the

autumns　are　always　magnificent；　smile　upon　it。　In　this　hospitable　land

the　vintagers　are　fed　and　lodged　in　the　master's　house。　The　meals　are

the　only　ones　throughout　the　year　when　these　poor　people　taste

substantial；　well…cooked　food；　and　they　cling　to　the　custom　as　the

children　of　patriarchal　families　cling　to　anniversaries。　As　the　time

approaches　they　flock　in　crowds　to　those　houses　where　the　masters　are

known　to　treat　the　laborers　liberally。　The　house　is　full　of　people　and

of　provisions。　The　presses　are　open。　The　country　is　alive　with　the

coming　and　going　of　itinerant　coopers；　of　carts　filled　with　laughing

girls　and　joyous　husbandmen；　who　earn　better　wages　than　at　any　other

time　during　the　year；　and　who　sing　as　they　go。　There　is　also　another

cause　of　pleasurable　content：　classes　and　ranks　are　equal；　women；

children；　masters；　and　men；　all　that　little　world；　share　in　the

garnering　of　the　divine　hoard。　These　various　elements　of　satisfaction

explain　the　hilarity　of　the　vintage；　transmitted　from　age　to　age　in

these　last　glorious　days　of　autumn；　the　remembrance　of　which　inspired

Rabelais　with　the　bacchic　form　of　his　great　work。



The　children；　Jacques　and　Madeleine；　had　never　seen　a　vintage；　I　was

like　them；　and　they　were　full　of　infantine　delight　at　finding　a　sharer

of　their　pleasure；　their　mother；　too；　promised　to　accompany　us。　We

went　to　Villaines；　where　baskets　are　manufactured；　in　quest　of　the

prettiest　that　could　be　bought；　for　we　four　were　to　cut　certain　rows

reserved　for　our　scissors；　it　was；　however；　agreed　that　none　of　us

were　to　eat　too　many　grapes。　To　eat　the　fat　bunches　of　Touraine　in　a

vineyard　seemed　so　delicious　that　we　all　refused　the　finest　grapes　on

the　dinner…table。　Jacques　made　me　swear　I　would　go　to　no　other

vineyard；　but　stay　closely　at　Clochegourde。　Never　were　these　frail

little　beings；　usually　pallid　and　smiling；　so　fresh　and　rosy　and

active　as　they　were　this　morning。　They　chattered　for　chatter's　sake；

and　trotted　about　without　apparent　object；　they　suddenly　seemed；　like

other　children；　to　have　more　life　than　they　needed；　neither　Monsieur

nor　Madame　de　Mortsauf　had　ever　seen　them　so　before。　I　became　a　child

again　with　them；　more　of　a　child　than　either　of　them；　perhaps；　I；　too；

was　hoping　for　my　harvest。　It　was　glorious　weather　when　we　went　to　the

vineyard；　and　we　stayed　there　half　the　day。　How　we　disputed　as　to　who

had　the　finest　grapes　and　who　could　fill　his　basket　quickest！　The

little　human　shoots　ran　to　and　fro　from　the　vines　to　their　mother；　not

a　bunch　could　be　cut　without　showing　it　to　her。　She　laughed　with　the

good；　gay　laugh　of　her　girlhood　when　I；　running　up　with　my　basket

after　Madeleine；　cried　out；　〃Mine　too！　See　mine；　mamma！〃　To　which　she

answered：　〃Don't　get　overheated；　dear　child。〃　Then　passing　her　hand

round　my　neck　and　through　my　hair；　she　added；　giving　me　a　little　tap

on　the　cheek；　〃You　are　melting　away。〃　It　was　the　only　caress　she　ever

gave　me。　I　looked　at　the　pretty　line　of　purple　clusters；　the　hedges

full　of　haws　and　blackberries；　I　heard　the　voices　of　the　children；　I

watched　the　trooping　girls；　the　cart　loaded　with　barrels；　the　men　with

the　panniers。　Ah；　it　is　all　engraved　on　my　memory；　even　to　the　almond…

tree　beside　which　she　stood；　girlish；　rosy；　smiling；　beneath　the

sunshade　held　open　in　her　hand。　Then　I　busied　myself　in　cutting　the

bunches　and　filling　my　basket；　going　forward　to　empty　it　in　the　vat；

silently；　with　measured　bodily　movement　and　slow　steps　that　left　my

spirit　free。　I　discovered　then　the　ineffable　pleasure　of　an　external

labor　which　carries　life　along；　and　thus　regulates　the　rush　of

passion；　often　so　near；　but　for　this　mechanical　motion；　to　kindle　into

flame。　I　learned　how　much　wisdom　is　contained　in　uniform　labor；　I

understood　monastic　discipline。



For　the　first　time　in　many　days　the　count　was　neither　surly　nor　cruel。

His　son　was　so　well；　the　future　Duc　de　Lenoncourt…Mortsauf；　fair　and

rosy　and　stained　with　grape…juice；　rejoiced　his　heart。　This　day　being

the　last　of　the　vintage；　he　had　promised　a　dance　in　front　of

Clochegourde　in　honor　of　the　return　of　the　Bourbons；　so　that　our

festival　gratified　everybody。　As　we　returned　to　the　house；　the

countess　took　my　arm　and　leaned　upon　it；　as　if　to　let　my　heart　feel

the　weight　of　hers；the　instinctive　movement　of　a　mother　who　seeks　to

convey　her　joy。　Then　she　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃You　bring　us

happiness。〃



Ah；　to　me；　who　knew　her　sleepless　nights；　her　cares；　her　fears；　her

former　existence；　in　which；　although　the　hand　of　God　sustained　her；

all　was　barren　and　wearisome；　those　words　uttered　by　that　rich　voice

brought　pleasures　no　other　woman　in　the　world　could　give　me。



〃The　terrible　monotony　of　my　life　is　broken；　all　things　are　radiant

with　hope；〃　she　said　after　a　pause。　〃Oh；　never　leave　me！　Do　not

despise　my　harmless　superstitions；　be　the　elder　son；　the　protector　of

the　younger。〃



In　this；　Natalie；　there　is　nothing　romantic。　To　know　the　infinite　of

our　deepest　feelings；　we　must　in　youth　cast　our　lead　into　those　great

lakes　upon　whose　shores　we　live。　Though　to　many　souls　passions　are

lava　torrents　flowing　among　arid　rocks；　other　souls　there　be　in　whom

passion；　restrained　by　insurmountable　obstacles；　fills　with　purest

water　the　crater　of　the　volcano。



We　had　still　another　fete。　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　wishing　to　accustom　her

children　to　the　practical　things　of　life；　and　to　give　them　some

experience　of　the　toil　by　which　men　earn　their　living；　had　provided

each　of　them　with　a　source　of　income；　depending　o