the purse-第4章

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tapers　in　the　tall　candlesticks　were　yellow　with　smoke；　and　at

each　corner　of　the　shelf　stood　a　porcelain　vase　crowned　with

artificial　flowers　full　of　dust　and　stuck　into　moss。



In　the　middle　of　the　room　Hippolyte　remarked　a　card…table　ready

for　play；　with　new　packs　of　cards。　For　an　observer　there　was

something　heartrending　in　the　sight　of　this　misery　painted　up

like　an　old　woman　who　wants　to　falsify　her　face。　At　such　a　sight

every　man　of　sense　must　at　once　have　stated　to　himself　this

obvious　dilemmaeither　these　two　women　are　honesty　itself；　or

they　live　by　intrigue　and　gambling。　But　on　looking　at　Adelaide；　a

man　so　pure…minded　as　Schinner　could　not　but　believe　in　her

perfect　innocence；　and　ascribe　the　incoherence　of　the　furniture

to　honorable　causes。



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　old　lady　to　the　young　one；　〃I　am　cold；　make　a

little　fire；　and　give　me　my　shawl。〃



Adelaide　went　into　a　room　next　the　drawing…room；　where　she　no

doubt　slept；　and　returned　bringing　her　mother　a　cashmere　shawl；

which　when　new　must　have　been　very　costly；　the　pattern　was

Indian；　but　it　was　old；　faded　and　full　of　darns；　and　matched　the

furniture。　Madame　Leseigneur　wrapped　herself　in　it　very

artistically；　and　with　the　readiness　of　an　old　woman　who　wishes

to　make　her　words　seem　truth。　The　young　girl　ran　lightly　off　to

the　lumber…room　and　reappeared　with　a　bundle　of　small　wood；　which

she　gallantly　threw　on　the　fire　to　revive　it。



It　would　be　rather　difficult　to　reproduce　the　conversation　which

followed　among　these　three　persons。　Hippolyte；　guided　by　the　tact

which　is　almost　always　the　outcome　of　misfortune　suffered　in

early　youth；　dared　not　allow　himself　to　make　the　least　remark　as

to　his　neighbors'　situation；　as　he　saw　all　about　him　the　signs　of

ill…disguised　poverty。　The　simplest　question　would　have　been　an

indiscretion；　and　could　only　be　ventured　on　by　old　friendship。

The　painter　was　nevertheless　absorbed　in　the　thought　of　this

concealed　penury；　it　pained　his　generous　soul；　but　knowing　how

offensive　every　kind　of　pity　may　be；　even　the　friendliest；　the

disparity　between　his　thoughts　and　his　words　made　him　feel

uncomfortable。



The　two　ladies　at　first　talked　of　painting；　for　women　easily

guess　the　secret　embarrassment　of　a　first　call；　they　themselves

feel　it　perhaps；　and　the　nature　of　their　mind　supplies　them　with

a　thousand　devices　to　put　an　end　to　it。　By　questioning　the　young

man　as　to　the　material　exercise　of　his　art；　and　as　to　his

studies；　Adelaide　and　her　mother　emboldened　him　to　talk。　The

indefinable　nothings　of　their　chat；　animated　by　kind　feeling；

naturally　led　Hippolyte　to　flash　forth　remarks　or　reflections

which　showed　the　character　of　his　habits　and　of　his　mind。　Trouble

had　prematurely　faded　the　old　lady's　face；　formerly　handsome；　no

doubt；　nothing　was　left　but　the　more　prominent　features；　the

outline；　in　a　word；　the　skeleton　of　a　countenance　of　which　the

whole　effect　indicated　great　shrewdness　with　much　grace　in　the

play　of　the　eyes；　in　which　could　be　discerned　the　expression

peculiar　to　women　of　the　old　Court；　an　expression　that　cannot　be

defined　in　words。　Those　fine　and　mobile　features　might　quite　as

well　indicate　bad　feelings；　and　suggest　astuteness　and　womanly

artifice　carried　to　a　high　pitch　of　wickedness；　as　reveal　the

refined　delicacy　of　a　beautiful　soul。　



Indeed；　the　face　of　a　woman　has　this　element　of　mystery　to　puzzle

the　ordinary　observer；　that　the　difference　between　frankness　and

duplicity；　the　genius　for　intrigue　and　the　genius　of　the　heart；

is　there　inscrutable。　A　man　gifted　with　the　penetrating　eye　can

read　the　intangible　shade　of　difference　produced　by　a　more　or

less　curved　line；　a　more　or　less　deep　dimple；　a　more　or　less

prominent　feature。　The　appreciation　of　these　indications　lies

entirely　in　the　domain　of　intuition；　this　alone　can　lead　to　the

discovery　of　what　everyone　is　interested　in　concealing。　The　old

lady's　face　was　like　the　room　she　inhabited；　it　seemed　as

difficult　to　detect　whether　this　squalor　covered　vice　or　the

highest　virtue；　as　to　decide　whether　Adelaide's　mother　was　an　old

coquette　accustomed　to　weigh；　to　calculate；　to　sell　everything；

or　a　loving　woman；　full　of　noble　feeling　and　amiable　qualities。

But　at　Schinner's　age　the　first　impulse　of　the　heart　is　to

believe　in　goodness。　And　indeed；　as　he　studied　Adelaide's　noble

and　almost　haughty　brow；　as　he　looked　into　her　eyes　full　of　soul

and　thought；　he　breathed；　so　to　speak；　the　sweet　and　modest

fragrance　of　virtue。　In　the　course　of　the　conversation　he　seized

an　opportunity　of　discussing　portraits　in　general；　to　give

himself　a　pretext　for　examining　the　frightful　pastel；　of　which

the　color　had　flown；　and　the　chalk　in　many　places　fallen　away。



〃You　are　attached　to　that　picture　for　the　sake　of　the　likeness；

no　doubt；　mesdames；　for　the　drawing　is　dreadful？〃　he　said；

looking　at　Adelaide。



〃It　was　done　at　Calcutta；　in　great　haste；〃　replied　the　mother　in

an　agitated　voice。



She　gazed　at　the　formless　sketch　with　the　deep　absorption　which

memories　of　happiness　produce　when　they　are　roused　and　fall　on

the　heart　like　a　beneficent　dew　to　whose　refreshing　touch　we　love

to　yield　ourselves　up；　but　in　the　expression　of　the　old　lady's

face　there　were　traces　too　of　perennial　regret。　At　least；　it　was

thus　that　the　painter　chose　to　interpret　her　attitude　and

countenance；　and　he　presently　sat　down　again　by　her　side。



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃in　a　very　short　time　the　colors　of　that

pastel　will　have　disappeared。　The　portrait　will　only　survive　in

your　memory。　Where　you　will　still　see　the　face　that　is　dear　to

you；　others　will　see　nothing　at　all。　Will　you　allow　me　to

reproduce　the　likeness　on　canvas？　It　will　be　more　permanently

recorded　then　than　on　that　sheet　of　paper。　Grant　me；　I　beg；　as　a

neighborly　favor；　the　pleasure　of　doing　you　this　service。　There

are　times　when　an　artist　is　glad　of　a　respite　from　his　greater

undertakings　by　doing　work　of　less　lofty　pretensions；　so　it　will

be　a　recreation　for　me　to　paint　that　head。〃



The　old　lady　flushed　as　she　heard　the　painter's　words；　and

Adelaide　shot　one　of　those　glances　of　deep　feeling　which　seem　to

flash　from　the　soul。　Hippolyte　wanted　to　feel　some　tie　linking

him　with　his　two　neighbors；　to　conquer　a　right　to　mingle　in　their

life。　His　offer；　appealing　as　it　did　to　the　liveliest　affections

of　the　heart；　was　the　only　one　he　could　possibly　make；　it

gratified　his　pride　as　an　artist；　and　could　not　hurt　the　feelings

of　the　ladies。　Madame　Leseigneur　accepted；　without　eagerness　or

reluctance；　but　with　the　self…possession　of　a　noble　soul；　fully

aware　of　the　character　of　bonds　formed　by　such　an　obligation；

while；　at　the　same　time；　they　are　its　highest　glory　as　a　proof　of

esteem。



〃I　fancy；〃　said　the　painter；　〃that　the　uniform　is　that　of　a　naval

officer。〃



Yes；〃　she　said；　〃that　of　a　captain　in　command　of　a　vessel。

Monsieur　de　Rouvillemy　husbanddied　at　Batavia　in　consequence

of　a　wound　received　in　a　fight　with　an　English　ship　they　fell　in

with　off　the　Asiatic　coast。　He　commanded　a　frigate　of　fifty…six

guns　and　the　Revenge　carried　ninety…six。　The　struggle　was　very

unequal；　but　he　defended　his　ship　so　bravely　that　he　held　out

till　nightfall　and　got　away。　When　I　came　back　to　France　Bonaparte

was　not　yet　in　power；　and　I　was　refused　a　pension。　When　I　applied

again　for　it；　quite　lately；　I　was　sternly　informed　that　if　the

Baron　de　Rouville　had　emigrated　I　should　not　have　lost　him；　that

by　this　time　he　would　have　been　a　rear…admiral；　finally；　his

Excellency　quoted　I　know　not　what　degree　of　forfeiture。　I　took

this　step；　to　which　I　was　urged　by　my　friends；　only　for　the　sake

of　my　poor　Adelaide。　I　have　always　hated　the　idea　of　holding　out

my　hand　as　a　beggar　in　the　name　of　a　grief　which　deprives　a　woman

of　voice　and　strength。　I　do　not　like　this　money　valuation　for

blood　irreparably　spilt〃



〃Dear　mother；　this　subject　always　does　you　harm。〃



In　response　to　this