ferragus-第18章

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something；a　service　to　render；　a　visit；　some　kind　action。　But
nothing　hinders　a　woman　from　telling　her　husband　what　she　does。　Can　we
ever　blush　on　the　breast　of　a　friend？　It　is　not　a　jealous　husband　who
speaks　to　you；　my　Clemence；　it　is　your　lover；　your　friend；　your
brother。〃　He　flung　himself　passionately　at　her　feet。　〃Speak；　not　to
justify　yourself；　but　to　calm　my　horrible　sufferings。　I　know　that　you
went　out。　Wellwhat　did　you　do？　where　did　you　go？〃

〃Yes；　I　went　out；　Jules；〃　she　answered　in　a　strained　voice；　though　her
face　was　calm。　〃But　ask　me　nothing　more。　Wait；　have　confidence；
without　which　you　will　lay　up　for　yourself　terrible　remorse。　Jules；　my
Jules；　trust　is　the　virtue　of　love。　I　owe　to　you　that　I　am　at　this
moment　too　troubled　to　answer　you：　but　I　am　not　a　false　woman；　I　love
you；　and　you　know　it。〃

〃In　the　midst　of　all　that　can　shake　the　faith　of　man　and　rouse　his
jealousy；　for　I　see　I　am　not　first　in　your　heart；　I　am　no　longer　thine
own　selfwell；　Clemence；　even　so；　I　prefer　to　believe　you；　to　believe
that　voice；　to　believe　those　eyes。　If　you　deceive　me；　you　deserve〃

〃Ten　thousand　deaths！〃　she　cried；　interrupting　him。

〃I　have　never　hidden　a　thought　from　you；　but　you〃

〃Hush！〃　she　said；　〃our　happiness　depends　upon　our　mutual　silence。〃

〃Ha！　I　/will/　know　all！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　sudden　violence。

At　that　moment　the　cries　of　a　woman　were　heard；the　yelping　of　a
shrill　little　voice　came　from　the　antechamber。

〃I　tell　you　I　will　go　in！〃　it　cried。　〃Yes；　I　shall　go　in；　I　will　see
her！　I　shall　see　her！〃

Jules　and　Clemence　both　ran　to　the　salon　as　the　door　from　the
antechamber　was　violently　burst　open。　A　young　woman　entered　hastily；
followed　by　two　servants；　who　said　to　their　master：

〃Monsieur；　this　person　would　come　in　in　spite　of　us。　We　told　her　that
madame　was　not　at　home。　She　answered　that　she　knew　very　well　madame
had　been　out；　but　she　saw　her　come　in。　She　threatened　to　stay　at　the
door　of　the　house　till　she　could　speak　to　madame。〃

〃You　can　go；〃　said　Monsieur　Desmarets　to　the　two　men。　〃What　do　you
want；　mademoiselle？〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　strange　woman。

This　〃demoiselle〃　was　the　type　of　a　woman　who　is　never　to　be　met　with
except　in　Paris。　She　is　made　in　Paris；　like　the　mud；　like　the
pavement；　like　the　water　of　the　Seine；　such　as　it　becomes　in　Paris
before　human　industry　filters　it　ten　times　ere　it　enters　the　cut…glass
decanters　and　sparkles　pure　and　bright　from　the　filth　it　has　been。　She
is　therefore　a　being　who　is　truly　original。　Depicted　scores　of　times
by　the　painter's　brush；　the　pencil　of　the　caricaturist；　the　charcoal
of　the　etcher；　she　still　escapes　analysis；　because　she　cannot　be
caught　and　rendered　in　all　her　moods；　like　Nature；　like　this　fantastic
Paris　itself。　She　holds　to　vice　by　one　thread　only；　and　she　breaks
away　from　it　at　a　thousand　other　points　of　the　social　circumference。
Besides；　she　lets　only　one　trait　of　her　character　be　known；　and　that
the　only　one　which　renders　her　blamable；　her　noble　virtues　are　hidden；
she　prefers　to　glory　in　her　naive　libertinism。　Most　incompletely
rendered　in　dramas　and　tales　where　she　is　put　upon　the　scene　with　all
her　poesy；　she　is　nowhere　really　true　but　in　her　garret；　elsewhere　she
is　invariably　calumniated　or　over…praised。　Rich；　she　deteriorates；
poor；　she　is　misunderstood。　She　has　too　many　vices；　and　too　many　good
qualities；　she　is　too　near　to　pathetic　asphyxiation　or　to　a　dissolute
laugh；　too　beautiful　and　too　hideous。　She　personifies　Paris；　to　which；
in　the　long　run；　she　supplies　the　toothless　portresses；　washerwomen；
street…sweepers；　beggars；　occasionally　insolent　countesses；　admired
actresses；　applauded　singers；　she　has　even　given；　in　the　olden　time；
two　quasi…queens　to　the　monarchy。　Who　can　grasp　such　a　Proteus？　She　is
all　woman；　less　than　woman；　more　than　woman。　From　this　vast　portrait
the　painter　of　manners　and　morals　can　take　but　a　feature　here　and
there；　the　/ensemble/　is　infinite。

She　was　a　grisette　of　Paris；　a　grisette　in　all　her　glory；　a　grisette
in　a　hackney…coach；happy；　young；　handsome；　fresh；　but　a　grisette；　a
grisette　with　claws；　scissors；　impudent　as　a　Spanish　woman；　snarling
as　a　prudish　English　woman　proclaiming　her　conjugal　rights；　coquettish
as　a　great　lady；　though　more　frank；　and　ready　for　everything；　a
perfect　/lionne/　in　her　way；　issuing　from　the　little　apartment　of
which　she　had　dreamed　so　often；　with　its　red…calico　curtains；　its
Utrecht　velvet　furniture；　its　tea…table；　the　cabinet　of　china　with
painted　designs；　the　sofa；　the　little　moquette　carpet；　the　alabaster
clock　and　candlesticks　（under　glass　cases）；　the　yellow　bedroom；　the
eider…down　quilt；in　short；　all　the　domestic　joys　of　a　grisette's
life；　and　in　addition；　the　woman…of…all…work　（a　former　grisette
herself；　now　the　owner　of　a　moustache）；　theatre…parties；　unlimited
bonbons；　silk　dresses；　bonnets　to　spoil；in　fact；　all　the　felicities
coveted　by　the　grisette　heart　except　a　carriage；　which　only　enters　her
imagination　as　a　marshal's　baton　into　the　dreams　of　a　soldier。　Yes；
this　grisette　had　all　these　things　in　return　for　a　true　affection；　or
in　spite　of　a　true　affection；　as　some　others　obtain　it　for　an　hour　a
day；a　sort　of　tax　carelessly　paid　under　the　claws　of　an　old　man。

The　young　woman　who　now　entered　the　presence　of　Monsieur　and　Madame
Jules　had　a　pair　of　feet　so　little　covered　by　her　shoes　that　only　a
slim　black　line　was　visible　between　the　carpet　and　her　white
stockings。　This　peculiar　foot…gear；　which　Parisian　caricaturists　have
well…rendered；　is　a　special　attribute　of　the　grisette　of　Paris；　but
she　is　even　more　distinctive　to　the　eyes　of　an　observer　by　the　care
with　which　her　garments　are　made　to　adhere　to　her　form；　which　they
clearly　define。　On　this　occasion　she　was　trigly　dressed　in　a　green
gown；　with　a　white　chemisette；　which　allowed　the　beauty　of　her　bust　to
be　seen；　her　shawl；　of　Ternaux　cashmere；　had　fallen　from　her
shoulders；　and　was　held　by　its　two　corners；　which　were　twisted　round
her　wrists。　She　had　a　delicate　face；　rosy　cheeks；　a　white　skin；
sparkling　gray　eyes；　a　round；　very　promising　forehead；　hair　carefully
smoothed　beneath　her　little　bonnet；　and　heavy　curls　upon　her　neck。

〃My　name　is　Ida；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　that's　Madame　Jules　to　whom　I　have
the　advantage　of　speaking；　I've　come　to　tell　her　all　I　have　in　my
heart　against　her。　It　is　very　wrong；　when　a　woman　is　set　up　and　in　her
furniture；　as　you　are　here；　to　come　and　take　from　a　poor　girl　a　man
with　whom　I'm　as　good　as　married；　morally；　and　who　did　talk　of　making
it　right　by　marrying　me　before　the　municipality。　There's　plenty　of
handsome　young　men　in　the　worldain't　there；　monsieur？to　take　your
fancy；　without　going　after　a　man　of　middle　age；　who　makes　my
happiness。　Yah！　I　haven't　got　a　fine　hotel　like　this；　but　I've　got　my
love；　I　have。　I　hate　handsome　men　and　money；　I'm　all　heart；　and〃

Madame　Jules　turned　to　her　husband。

〃You　will　allow　me；　monsieur；　to　hear　no　more　of　all　this；〃　she　said；
retreating　to　her　bedroom。

〃If　the　lady　lives　with　you；　I've　made　a　mess　of　it；　but　I　can't　help
that；〃　resumed　Ida。　〃Why　does　she　come　after　Monsieur　Ferragus　every
day？〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Jules；　stupefied；　〃my　wife　is
incapable〃

〃Ha！　so　you're　married；　you　two；〃　said　the　grisette　showing　some
surprise。　〃Then　it's　very　wrong；　monsieur；isn't　it？for　a　woman　who
has　the　happiness　of　being　married　in　legal　marriage　to　have　relations
with　a　man　like　Henri〃

〃Henri！　who　is　Henri？〃　said　Jules；　taking　Ida　by　the　arm　and　pulling
her　into　an　adjoining　room　that　his　wife　might　hear　no　more。

〃Why；　Monsieur　Ferragus。〃

〃But　he　is　dead；〃　said　Jules。

〃Nonsense；　I　went　to　Franconi's　with　him　last　night；　and　he　brought　me
homeas　he　ought。　Besides；　your　wife　can　tell　you　about　him；　didn't
she　go　there　this　very　afternoon　at　three　o'clock？　I　know　she　did；　for
I　waited　in　the　street；　and　saw　her；all　because　that　good…natured
fellow；　Monsieur　Justin；　whom　you　know　perhaps；a　little　old　man　with
jewelry　who　wears　corsets；told　me　that　Madame　Jules　was　my　rival。
That　name；　monsieur；　sounds　mighty　like　a　feigned　one；　but　if　it　is
yours；　excuse　me。　But　this　I　say；　if　Madame　Jules　wa