the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第10章

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secret　part。　When　their　cause　was　lost　by　the　elevation　of　Napoleon；
he　took　refuge　in　the　quietude　of　the　country　and　domestic　life；
accepting　the　unmerited　accusations　that　followed　him　as　the
inevitable　reward　of　those　who　risk　all　to　win　all；　and　who　succumb
after　serving　as　pivot　to　the　political　machine。　Knowing　nothing　of
the　fortunes；　nor　of　the　past；　nor　of　the　future　of　my　family；　I　was
unaware　of　this　devoted　service　which　the　Comte　de　Mortsauf　well
remembered。　Moreover；　the　antiquity　of　our　name；　the　most　precious
quality　of　a　man　in　his　eyes；　added　to　the　warmth　of　his　greeting。　I
knew　nothing　of　these　reasons　until　later；　for　the　time　being　the
sudden　transition　to　cordiality　put　me　at　my　ease。　When　the　two
children　saw　that　we　were　all　three　fairly　engaged　in　conversation；
Madeleine　slipped　her　head　from　her　father's　hand；　glanced　at　the　open
door；　and　glided　away　like　an　eel；　Jacques　following　her。　They
rejoined　their　mother；　and　I　heard　their　voices　and　their　movements；
sounding　in　the　distance　like　the　murmur　of　bees　about　a　hive。

I　watched　the　count；　trying　to　guess　his　character；　but　I　became　so
interested　in　certain　leading　traits　that　I　got　no　further　than　a
superficial　examination　of　his　personality。　Though　he　was　only　forty…
five　years　old；　he　seemed　nearer　sixty；　so　much　had　the　great
shipwreck　at　the　close　of　the　eighteenth　century　aged　him。　The
crescent　of　hair　which　monastically　fringed　the　back　of　his　head；
otherwise　completely　bald；　ended　at　the　ears　in　little　tufts　of　gray
mingled　with　black。　His　face　bore　a　vague　resemblance　to　that　of　a
white　wolf　with　blood　about　its　muzzle；　for　his　nose　was　inflamed　and
gave　signs　of　a　life　poisoned　at　its　springs　and　vitiated　by　diseases
of　long　standing。　His　flat　forehead；　too　broad　for　the　face　beneath
it；　which　ended　in　a　point；　and　transversely　wrinkled　in　crooked
lines；　gave　signs　of　a　life　in　the　open　air；　but　not　of　any　mental
activity；　it　also　showed　the　burden　of　constant　misfortunes；　but　not
of　any　efforts　made　to　surmount　them。　His　cheekbones；　which　were　brown
and　prominent　amid　the　general　pallor　of　his　skin；　showed　a　physical
structure　which　was　likely　to　ensure　him　a　long　life。　His　hard；　light…
yellow　eye　fell　upon　mine　like　a　ray　of　wintry　sun；　bright　without
warmth；　anxious　without　thought；　distrustful　without　conscious　cause。
His　mouth　was　violent　and　domineering；　his　chin　flat　and　long。　Thin
and　very　tall；　he　had　the　bearing　of　a　gentleman　who　relies　upon　the
conventional　value　of　his　caste；　who　knows　himself　above　others　by
right；　and　beneath　them　in　fact。　The　carelessness　of　country　life　had
made　him　neglect　his　external　appearance。　His　dress　was　that　of　a
country…man　whom　peasants　and　neighbors　no　longer　considered　except
for　his　territorial　worth。　His　brown　and　wiry　hands　showed　that　he
wore　no　gloves　unless　he　mounted　a　horse；　or　went　to　church；　and　his
shoes　were　thick　and　common。

Though　ten　years　of　emigration　and　ten　years　more　of　farm…life　had
changed　his　physical　condition；　he　still　retained　certain　vestiges　of
nobility。　The　bitterest　liberal　（a　term　not　then　in　circulation）　would
readily　have　admitted　his　chivalric　loyalty　and　the　imperishable
convictions　of　one　who　puts　his　faith　to　the　〃Quotidienne〃；　he　would
have　felt　respect　for　the　man　religiously　devoted　to　a　cause；　honest
in　his　political　antipathies；　incapable　of　serving　his　party　but　very
capable　of　injuring　it；　and　without　the　slightest　real　knowledge　of
the　affairs　of　France。　The　count　was　in　fact　one　of　those　upright　men
who　are　available　for　nothing；　but　stand　obstinately　in　the　way　of
all；　ready　to　die　under　arms　at　the　post　assigned　to　them；　but
preferring　to　give　their　life　rather　than　to　give　their　money。

During　dinner　I　detected；　in　the　hanging　of　his　flaccid　cheeks　and　the
covert　glances　he　cast　now　and　then　upon　his　children；　the　traces　of
some　wearing　thought　which　showed　for　a　moment　upon　the　surface。
Watching　him；　who　could　fail　to　understand　him？　Who　would　not　have
seen　that　he　had　fatally　transmitted　to　his　children　those　weakly
bodies　in　which　the　principle　of　life　was　lacking。　But　if　he　blamed
himself　he　denied　to　others　the　right　to　judge　him。　Harsh　as　one　who
knows　himself　in　fault；　yet　without　greatness　of　soul　or　charm　to
compensate　for　the　weight　of　misery　he　had　thrown　into　the　balance；
his　private　life　was　no　doubt　the　scene　of　irascibilities　that　were
plainly　revealed　in　his　angular　features　and　by　the　incessant
restlessness　of　his　eye。　When　his　wife　returned；　followed　by　the
children　who　seemed　fastened　to　her　side；　I　felt　the　presence　of
unhappiness；　just　as　in　walking　over　the　roof　of　a　vault　the　feet
become　in　some　way　conscious　of　the　depths　below。　Seeing　these　four
human　beings　together；　holding　them　all　as　it　were　in　one　glance；
letting　my　eye　pass　from　one　to　the　other；　studying　their　countenances
and　their　respective　attitudes；　thoughts　steeped　in　sadness　fell　upon
my　heart　as　a　fine　gray　rain　dims　a　charming　landscape　after　the　sun
has　risen　clear。

When　the　immediate　subject　of　conversation　was　exhausted　the　count
told　his　wife　who　I　was；　and　related　certain　circumstances　connected
with　my　family　that　were　wholly　unknown　to　me。　He　asked　me　my　age。
When　I　told　it；　the　countess　echoed　my　own　exclamation　of　surprise　at
her　daughter's　age。　Perhaps　she　had　thought　me　fifteen。　Later　on；　I
discovered　that　this　was　still　another　tie　which　bound　her　strongly　to
me。　Even　then　I　read　her　soul。　Her　motherhood　quivered　with　a　tardy
ray　of　hope。　Seeing　me　at　over　twenty　years　of　age　so　slight　and
delicate　and　yet　so　nervously　strong；　a　voice　cried　to　her；　〃They　too
will　live！〃　She　looked　at　me　searchingly；　and　in　that　moment　I　felt
the　barriers　of　ice　melting　between　us。　She　seemed　to　have　many
questions　to　ask；　but　uttered　none。

〃If　study　has　made　you　ill；〃　she　said；　〃the　air　of　our　valley　will
soon　restore　you。〃

〃Modern　education　is　fatal　to　children；〃　remarked　the　count。　〃We　stuff
them　with　mathematics　and　ruin　their　health　with　sciences；　and　make
them　old　before　their　time。　You　must　stay　and　rest　here；〃　he　added；
turning　to　me。　〃You　are　crushed　by　the　avalanche　of　ideas　that　have
rolled　down　upon　you。　What　sort　of　future　will　this　universal
education　bring　upon　us　unless　we　prevent　its　evils　by　replacing
public　education　in　the　hands　of　the　religious　bodies？〃

These　words　were　in　harmony　with　a　speech　he　afterwards　made　at　the
elections　when　he　refused　his　support　to　a　man　whose　gifts　would　have
done　good　service　to　the　royalist　cause。　〃I　shall　always　distrust　men
of　talent；〃　he　said。

Presently　the　count　proposed　that　we　should　make　the　tour　of　the
gardens。

〃Monsieur〃　said　his　wife。

〃Well；　what；　my　dear？〃　he　said；　turning　to　her　with　an　arrogant
harshness　which　showed　plainly　enough　how　absolute　he　chose　to　be　in
his　own　home。

〃Monsieur　de　Vandenesse　walked　from　Tours　this　morning　and　Monsieur　de
Chessel；　not　aware　of　it；　has　already　taken　him　on　foot　over
Frapesle。〃

〃Very　imprudent　of　you；〃　the　count　said；　turning　to　me；　〃but　at　your
age〃　and　he　shook　his　head　in　sign　of　regret。

The　conversation　was　resumed。　I　soon　saw　how　intractable　his　royalism
was；　and　how　much　care　was　needed　to　swim　safely　in　his　waters。　The
man…servant；　who　had　now　put　on　his　livery；　announced　dinner。　Monsieur
de　Chessel　gave　his　arm　to　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　and　the　count　gaily
seized　mine　to　lead　me　into　the　dining…room；　which　was　on　the　ground…
floor　facing　the　salon。

This　room；　floored　with　white　tiles　made　in　Touraine；　and　wainscoted
to　the　height　of　three　feet；　was　hung　with　a　varnished　paper　divided
into　wide　panels　by　wreaths　of　flowers　and　fruit；　the　windows　had
cambric　curtains　trimmed　with　red；　the　buffets　were　old　pieces　by
Boulle　himself；　and　the　woodwork　of　the　chairs；　which　were　covered　by
hand…made　tapestry；　was　carved　oak。　The　dinner；　plentifully　supplied；
was　not　luxurious；　family　silver　without　uniformity；　Dresden　china
which　was　not　then　in　fashion；　octagonal　decanters；　knives　with　agate
handles；　and　lacquered　trays　beneath　the　wine…bottles；　were　the　chief
features　of　the　table；　but　flowers　adorned　the　porcelai