ferragus-第7章

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With　a　delicacy　that　was　very　natural；　Jules　had　concealed　from　his
wife　the　calumny　and　the　death　of　the　calumniator。　Madame　Jules；
herself；　was　inclined；　through　her　sensitive　and　artistic　nature；　to
desire　luxury。　In　spite　of　the　terrible　lesson　of　the　duel；　some
imprudent　women　whispered　to　each　other　that　Madame　Jules　must
sometimes　be　pressed　for　money。　They　often　found　her　more　elegantly
dressed　in　her　own　home　than　when　she　went　into　society。　She　loved　to
adorn　herself　to　please　her　husband；　wishing　to　show　him　that　to　her
he　was　more　than　any　social　life。　A　true　love；　a　pure　love；　above　all；
a　happy　love！　Jules；　always　a　lover；　and　more　in　love　as　time　went　by；
was　happy　in　all　things　beside　his　wife；　even　in　her　caprices；　in
fact；　he　would　have　been　uneasy　if　she　had　none；　thinking　it　a　symptom
of　some　illness。

Auguste　de　Maulincour　had　the　personal　misfortune　of　running　against
this　passion；　and　falling　in　love　with　the　wife　beyond　recovery。
Nevertheless；　though　he　carried　in　his　heart　so　intense　a　love；　he　was
not　ridiculous；　he　complied　with　all　the　demands　of　society；　and　of
military　manners　and　customs。　And　yet　his　face　wore　constantly；　even
though　he　might　be　drinking　a　glass　of　champagne；　that　dreamy　look；
that　air　of　silently　despising　life；　that　nebulous　expression　which
belongs；　though　for　other　reasons；　to　/blases/　men；men　dissatisfied
with　hollow　lives。　To　love　without　hope；　to　be　disgusted　with　life；
constitute；　in　these　days；　a　social　position。　The　enterprise　of
winning　the　heart　of　a　sovereign　might　give；　perhaps；　more　hope　than　a
love　rashly　conceived　for　a　happy　woman。　Therefore　Maulincour　had
sufficient　reason　to　be　grave　and　gloomy。　A　queen　has　the　vanity　of
her　power；　the　height　of　her　elevation　protects　her。　But　a　pious
/bourgeoise/　is　like　a　hedgehog；　or　an　oyster；　in　its　rough　wrappings。

At　this　moment　the　young　officer　was　beside　his　unconscious　mistress；
who　certainly　was　unaware　that　she　was　doubly　faithless。　Madame　Jules
was　seated；　in　a　naive　attitude；　like　the　least　artful　woman　in
existence；　soft　and　gentle；　full　of　a　majestic　serenity。　What　an　abyss
is　human　nature！　Before　beginning　a　conversation；　the　baron　looked
alternately　at　the　wife　and　at　the　husband。　How　many　were　the
reflections　he　made！　He　recomposed　the　〃Night　Thoughts〃　of　Young　in　a
second。　And　yet　the　music　was　sounding　through　the　salons；　the　light
was　pouring　from　a　thousand　candles。　It　was　a　banker's　ball；one　of
those　insolent　festivals　by　means　of　which　the　world　of　solid　gold
endeavored　to　sneer　at　the　gold…embossed　salons　where　the　faubourg
Saint…Germain　met　and　laughed；　not　foreseeing　the　day　when　the　bank
would　invade　the　Luxembourg　and　take　its　seat　upon　the　throne。　The
conspirators　were　now　dancing；　indifferent　to　coming　bankruptcies；
whether　of　Power　or　of　the　Bank。　The　gilded　salons　of　the　Baron　de
Nucingen　were　gay　with　that　peculiar　animation　that　the　world　of
Paris；　apparently　joyous　at　any　rate；　gives　to　its　fetes。　There；　men
of　talent　communicate　their　wit　to　fools；　and　fools　communicate　that
air　of　enjoyment　that　characterizes　them。　By　means　of　this　exchange
all　is　liveliness。　But　a　ball　in　Paris　always　resembles　fireworks　to　a
certain　extent；　wit；　coquetry；　and　pleasure　sparkle　and　go　out　like
rockets。　The　next　day　all　present　have　forgotten　their　wit；　their
coquetry；　their　pleasure。

〃Ah！〃　thought　Auguste；　by　way　of　conclusion；　〃women　are　what　the
vidame　says　they　are。　Certainly　all　those　dancing　here　are　less
irreproachable　actually　than　Madame　Jules　appears　to　be；　and　yet
Madame　Jules　went　to　the　rue　Soly！〃

The　rue　Soly　was　like　an　illness　to　him；　the　very　word　shrivelled　his
heart。

〃Madame；　do　you　ever　dance？〃　he　said　to　her。

〃This　is　the　third　time　you　have　asked　me　that　question　this　winter；〃
she　answered；　smiling。

〃But　perhaps　you　have　never　answered　it。〃

〃That　is　true。〃

〃I　knew　very　well　that　you　were　false；　like　other　women。〃

Madame　Jules　continued　to　smile。

〃Listen；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　told　you　the　real　reason；　you
would　think　it　ridiculous。　I　do　not　think　it　false　to　abstain　from
telling　things　that　the　world　would　laugh　at。〃

〃All　secrets　demand；　in　order　to　be　told；　a　friendship　of　which　I　am
no　doubt　unworthy；　madame。　But　you　cannot　have　any　but　noble　secrets；
do　you　think　me　capable　of　jesting　on　noble　things？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃you；　like　all　the　rest；　laugh　at　our　purest
sentiments；　you　calumniate　them。　Besides；　I　have　no　secrets。　I　have
the　right　to　love　my　husband　in　the　face　of　all　the　world；　and　I　say
so；I　am　proud　of　it；　and　if　you　laugh　at　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I
dance　only　with　him；　I　shall　have　a　bad　opinion　of　your　heart。〃

〃Have　you　never　danced　since　your　marriage　with　any　one　but　your
husband？〃

〃Never。　His　arm　is　the　only　one　on　which　I　have　leaned；　I　have　never
felt　the　touch　of　another　man。〃

〃Has　your　physician　never　felt　your　pulse？〃

〃Now　you　are　laughing　at　me。〃

〃No；　madame；　I　admire　you；　because　I　comprehend　you。　But　you　let　a　man
hear　your　voice；　you　let　yourself　be　seen；　youin　short；　you　permit
our　eyes　to　admire　you〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃that　is　one　of　my　griefs。　Yes；　I
wish　it　were　possible　for　a　married　woman　to　live　secluded　with　her
husband；　as　a　mistress　lives　with　her　lover；　for　then〃

〃Then　why　were　you；　two　hours　ago；　on　foot；　disguised；　in　the　rue
Soly？〃

〃The　rue　Soly；　where　is　that？〃

And　her　pure　voice　gave　no　sign　of　any　emotion；　no　feature　of　her　face
quivered；　she　did　not　blush；　she　remained　calm。

〃What！　you　did　not　go　up　to　the　second　floor　of　a　house　in　the　rue　des
Vieux…Augustins　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　Soly？　You　did　not　have　a
hackney…coach　waiting　near　by？　You　did　not　return　in　it　to　the　flower…
shop　in　the　rue　Richelieu；　where　you　bought　the　feathers　that　are　now
in　your　hair？〃

〃I　did　not　leave　my　house　this　evening。〃

As　she　uttered　that　lie　she　was　smiling　and　imperturbable；　she　played
with　her　fan；　but　if　any　one　had　passed　a　hand　down　her　back　they
would；　perhaps；　have　found　it　moist。　At　that　instant　Auguste
remembered　the　instructions　of　the　vidame。

〃Then　it　was　some　one　who　strangely　resembled　you；〃　he　said；　with　a
credulous　air。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃if　you　are　capable　of　following　a　woman　and
detecting　her　secrets；　you　will　allow　me　to　say　that　it　is　a　wrong；　a
very　wrong　thing；　and　I　do　you　the　honor　to　say　that　I　disbelieve
you。〃

The　baron　turned　away；　placed　himself　before　the　fireplace　and　seemed
thoughtful。　He　bent　his　head；　but　his　eyes　were　covertly　fixed　on
Madame　Jules；　who；　not　remembering　the　reflections　in　the　mirror；　cast
two　or　three　glances　at　him　that　were　full　of　terror。　Presently　she
made　a　sign　to　her　husband　and　rising　took　his　arm　to　walk　about　the
salon。　As　she　passed　before　Monsieur　de　Maulincour；　who　at　that　moment
was　speaking　to　a　friend；　he　said　in　a　loud　voice；　as　if　in　reply　to　a
remark：　〃That　woman　will　certainly　not　sleep　quietly　this　night。〃
Madame　Jules　stopped；　gave　him　an　imposing　look　which　expressed
contempt；　and　continued　her　way；　unaware　that　another　look；　if
surprised　by　her　husband；　might　endanger　not　only　her　happiness　but
the　lives　of　two　men。　Auguste；　frantic　with　anger；　which　he　tried　to
smother　in　the　depths　of　his　soul；　presently　left　the　house；　swearing
to　penetrate　to　the　heart　of　the　mystery。　Before　leaving；　he　sought
Madame　Jules；　to　look　at　her　again；　but　she　had　disappeared。

What　a　drama　cast　into　that　young　head　so　eminently　romantic；　like　all
who　have　not　known　love　in　the　wide　extent　which　they　give　to　it。　He
adored　Madame　Jules　under　a　new　aspect；　he　loved　her　now　with　the　fury
of　jealousy　and　the　frenzied　anguish　of　hope。　Unfaithful　to　her
husband；　the　woman　became　common。　Auguste　could　now　give　himself　up　to
the　joys　of　successful　love；　and　his　imagination　opened　to　him　a
career　of　pleasures。　Yes；　he　had　lost　the　angel；　but　he　had　found　the
most　delightful　of　demons。　He　went　to　bed；　building　castles　in　the
air；　excusing　Madame　Jules　by　some　romantic　fiction　in　which　he　did
not　believe。　He　resolved　to　devote　himself　wholly；　from　that　day
forth；　to　a　search　for　the　causes；　motives；　and