the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第21章

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years　oldMy　God！　can　I　have　mistaken　him？　I　thought　two　months
sufficed　to　know　some　souls。〃

〃What　hope　have　you？〃　I　cried；　with　fire　in　my　eyes。

〃My　friend；　accept　our　help；　rise　in　life；　make　your　way　and　your
fortune　and　you　shall　know　my　hope。　And；〃　she　added；　as　if　she　were
whispering　a　secret；　〃never　release　the　hand　you　are　holding　at　this
moment。〃

She　bent　to　my　ear　as　she　said　these　words　which　proved　her　deep
solicitude　for　my　future。

〃Madeleine！〃　I　exclaimed　〃never！〃

We　were　close　to　a　wooden　gate　which　opened　into　the　park　of　Frapesle；
I　still　seem　to　see　its　ruined　posts　overgrown　with　climbing　plants
and　briers　and　mosses。　Suddenly　an　idea；　that　of　the　count's　death；
flashed　through　my　brain；　and　I　said；　〃I　understand　you。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　it；〃　she　answered　in　a　tone　which　made　me　know　I　had
supposed　her　capable　of　a　thought　that　could　never　be　hers。

Her　purity　drew　tears　of　admiration　from　my　eyes　which　the　selfishness
of　passion　made　bitter　indeed。　My　mind　reacted　and　I　felt　that　she　did
not　love　me　enough　even　to　wish　for　liberty。　So　long　as　love　recoils
from　a　crime　it　seems　to　have　its　limits；　and　love　should　be　infinite。
A　spasm　shook　my　heart。

〃She　does　not　love　me；〃　I　thought。

To　hide　what　was　in　my　soul　I　stooped　over　Madeleine　and　kissed　her
hair。

〃I　am　afraid　of　your　mother；〃　I　said　to　the　countess　presently；　to
renew　the　conversation。

〃So　am　I；〃　she　answered　with　a　gesture　full　of　childlike　gaiety。
〃Don't　forget　to　call　her　Madame　la　duchesse；　and　to　speak　to　her　in
the　third　person。　The　young　people　of　the　present　day　have　lost　these
polite　manners；　you　must　learn　them；　do　that　for　my　sake。　Besides；　it
is　such　good　taste　to　respect　women；　no　matter　what　their　age　may　be；
and　to　recognize　social　distinctions　without　disputing　them。　The
respect　shown　to　established　superiority　is　guarantee　for　that　which
is　due　to　you。　Solidarity　is　the　basis　of　society。　Cardinal　Della
Rovere　and　Raffaelle　were　two　powers　equally　revered。　You　have　sucked
the　milk　of　the　Revolution　in　your　academy　and　your　political　ideas
may　be　influenced　by　it；　but　as　you　advance　in　life　you　will　find　that
crude　and　ill…defined　principles　of　liberty　are　powerless　to　create
the　happiness　of　the　people。　Before　considering；　as　a　Lenoncourt；　what
an　aristocracy　ought　to　be；　my　common…sense　as　a　woman　of　the　people
tells　me　that　societies　can　exist　only　through　a　hierarchy。　You　are
now　at　a　turning…point　in　your　life；　when　you　must　choose　wisely。　Be
on　our　side；especially　now；〃　she　added；　laughing；　〃when　it
triumphs。〃

I　was　keenly　touched　by　these　words；　in　which　the　depth　of　her
political　feeling　mingled　with　the　warmth　of　affection；a　combination
which　gives　to　women　so　great　a　power　of　persuasion；　they　know　how　to
give　to　the　keenest　arguments　a　tone　of　feeling。　In　her　desire　to
justify　all　her　husband's　actions　Henriette　had　foreseen　the
criticisms　that　would　rise　in　my　mind　as　soon　as　I　saw　the　servile
effects　of　a　courtier's　life　upon　him。　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；　king　in
his　own　castle　and　surrounded　by　an　historic　halo；　had；　to　my　eyes；　a
certain　grandiose　dignity。　I　was　therefore　greatly　astonished　at　the
distance　he　placed　between　the　duchess　and　himself　by　manners　that
were　nothing　less　than　obsequious。　A　slave　has　his　pride　and　will　only
serve　the　greatest　despots。　I　confess　I　was　humiliated　at　the
degradation　of　one　before　whom　I　trembled　as　the　power　that　ruled　my
love。　This　inward　repulsion　made　me　understand　the　martyrdom　of　women
of　generous　souls　yoked　to　men　whose　meannesses　they　bury　daily。
Respect　is　a　safeguard　which　protects　both　great　and　small　alike；　each
side　can　hold　its　own。　I　was　respectful　to　the　duchess　because　of　my
youth；　but　where　others　saw　only　a　duchess　I　saw　the　mother　of　my
Henriette；　and　that　gave　sanctity　to　my　homage。

We　reached　the　great　court…yard　of　Frapesle；　where　we　found　the
others。　The　Comte　de　Mortsauf　presented　me　very　gracefully　to　the
duchess；　who　examined　me　with　a　cold　and　reserved　air。　Madame　de
Lenoncourt　was　then　a　woman　fifty…six　years　of　age；　wonderfully　well
preserved　and　with　grand　manners。　When　I　saw　the　hard　blue　eyes；　the
hollow　temples；　the　thin　emaciated　face；　the　erect；　imposing　figure
slow　of　movement；　and　the　yellow　whiteness　of　the　skin　（reproduced
with　such　brilliancy　in　the　daughter）；　I　recognized　the　cold　type　to
which　my　own　mother　belonged；　as　quickly　as　a　mineralogist　recognizes
Swedish　iron。　Her　language　was　that　of　the　old　court；　she　pronounced
the　〃oit〃　like　〃ait；〃　and　said　〃frait〃　for　〃froid；〃　〃porteux〃　for
〃porteurs。〃　I　was　not　a　courtier；　neither　was　I　stiff…backed　in　my
manner　to　her；　in　fact　I　behaved　so　well　that　as　I　passed　the　countess
she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃You　are　perfect。〃

The　count　came　to　me　and　took　my　hand；　saying：　〃You　are　not　angry　with
me；　Felix；　are　you？　If　I　was　hasty　you　will　pardon　an　old　soldier？　We
shall　probably　stay　here　to　dinner；　and　I　invite　you　to　dine　with　us
on　Thursday；　the　evening　before　the　duchess　leaves。　I　must　go　to　Tours
to…morrow　to　settle　some　business。　Don't　neglect　Clochegourde。　My
mother…in…law　is　an　acquaintance　I　advise　you　to　cultivate。　Her　salon
will　set　the　tone　for　the　faubourg　St。　Germain。　She　has　all　the
traditions　of　the　great　world；　and　possesses　an　immense　amount　of
social　knowledge；　she　knows　the　blazon　of　the　oldest　as　well　as　the
newest　family　in　Europe。〃

The　count's　good　taste；　or　perhaps　the　advice　of　his　domestic　genius；
appeared　under　his　altered　circumstances。　He　was　neither　arrogant　nor
offensively　polite；　nor　pompous　in　any　way；　and　the　duchess　was　not
patronizing。　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Chessel　gratefully　accepted　the
invitation　to　dinner　on　the　following　Thursday。　I　pleased　the　duchess；
and　by　her　glance　I　knew　she　was　examining　a　man　of　whom　her　daughter
had　spoken　to　her。　As　we　returned　from　vespers　she　questioned　me　about
my　family；　and　asked　if　the　Vandenesse　now　in　diplomacy　was　my
relative。　〃He　is　my　brother；〃　I　replied。　On　that　she　became　almost
affectionate。　She　told　me　that　my　great…aunt；　the　old　Marquise　de
Listomere；　was　a　Grandlieu。　Her　manners　were　as　cordial　as　those　of
Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　the　day　he　saw　me　for　the　first　time；　the　haughty
glance　with　which　these　sovereigns　of　the　earth　make　you　measure　the
distance　that　lies　between　you　and　them　disappeared。　I　knew　almost
nothing　of　my　family。　The　duchess　told　me　that　my　great…uncle；　an　old
abbe　whose　very　name　I　did　not　know；　was　to　be　member　of　the　privy
council；　that　my　brother　was　already　promoted；　and　also　that　by　a
provision　of　the　Charter；　of　which　I　had　not　yet　heard；　my　father
became　once　more　Marquis　de　Vandenesse。

〃I　am　but　one　thing；　the　serf　of　Clochegourde；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice
to　the　countess。

The　transformation　scene　of　the　Restoration　was　carried　through　with　a
rapidity　which　bewildered　the　generation　brought　up　under　the　imperial
regime。　To　me　this　revolution　meant　nothing。　The　least　word　or　gesture
from　Madame　de　Mortsauf　were　the　sole　events　to　which　I　attached
importance。　I　was　ignorant　of　what　the　privy　council　was；　and　knew　as
little　of　politics　as　of　social　life；　my　sole　ambition　was　to　love
Henriette　better　than　Petrarch　loved　Laura。　This　indifference　made　the
duchess　take　me　for　a　child。　A　large　company　assembled　at　Frapesle　and
we　were　thirty　at　table。　What　intoxication　it　is　for　a　young　man
unused　to　the　world　to　see　the　woman　he　loves　more　beautiful　than　all
others　around　her；　the　centre　of　admiring　looks；　to　know　that　for　him
alone　is　reserved　the　chaste　fire　of　those　eyes；　that　none　but　he　can
discern　in　the　tones　of　that　voice；　in　the　words　it　utters；　however
gay　or　jesting　they　may　be；　the　proofs　of　unremitting　thought。　The
count；　delighted　with　the　attentions　paid　to　him；　seemed　almost　young；
his　wife　looked　hopeful　of　a　change；　I　amused　myself　with　Madeleine；
who；　like　all　children　with　bodies　weaker　than　their　minds；　made
others　laugh　with　her　clever　observations；　full　of　sarcasm；　though
never　malicious；　and　which　spared　no　one。　It　was　a　happy　day。　A　word；
a　hope　awakened　in　the　morning　illumined　nature。　Seeing　me　so　joyous；
Henriette　was　joyful