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第5章

the purse-第5章

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



In response to this remark from Adelaide; the Baronne Leseigneur

bowed; and was silent。



〃Monsieur;〃 said the young girl to Hippolyte; 〃I had supposed

that a painter's work was generally fairly quiet?〃



At this question Schinner colored; remembering the noise he had

made。 Adelaide said no more; and spared him a falsehood by rising

at the sound of a carriage stopping at the door。 She went into

her own room; and returned carrying a pair of tall gilt

candlesticks with partly burnt wax candles; which she quickly

lighted; and without waiting for the bell to ring; she opened the

door of the outer room; where she set the lamp down。 The sound of

a kiss given and received found an echo in Hippolyte's heart。 The

young man's impatience to see the man who treated Adelaide with

so much familiarity was not immediately gratified; the newcomers

had a conversation; which he thought very long; in an undertone;

with the young girl。



At last Mademoiselle de Rouville returned; followed by two men;

whose costume; countenance; and appearance are a long story。



The first; a man of about sixty; wore one of the coats invented;

I believe; for Louis XVIII。; then on the throne; in which the

most difficult problem of the sartorial art had been solved by a

tailor who ought to be immortal。 That artist certainly understood

the art of compromise; which was the moving genius of that period

of shifting politics。 Is it not a rare merit to be able to take

the measure of the time? This coat; which the young men of the

present day may conceive to be fabulous; was neither civil nor

military; and might pass for civil or military by turns。 Fleurs…

de…lis were embroidered on the lapels of the back skirts。 The

gilt buttons also bore fleurs…de…lis; on the shoulders a pair of

straps cried out for useless epaulettes; these military

appendages were there like a petition without a recommendation。

This old gentleman's coat was of dark blue cloth; and the

buttonhole had blossomed into many colored ribbons。 He; no doubt;

always carried his hat in his handa three cornered cocked hat;

with a gold cordfor the snowy wings of his powdered hair showed

not a trace of its pressure。 He might have been taken for not

more than fifty years of age; and seemed to enjoy robust health。

While wearing the frank and loyal expression of the old emigres;

his countenance also hinted at the easy habits of a libertine; at

the light and reckless passions of the Musketeers formerly so

famous in the annals of gallantry。 His gestures; his attitude;

and his manner proclaimed that he had no intention of correcting

himself of his royalism; of his religion; or of his love affairs。



A really fantastic figure came in behind this specimen of 〃Louis

XIV。's light infantry〃a nickname given by the Bonapartists to

these venerable survivors of the Monarchy。 To do it justice it

ought to be made the principal object in the picture; and it is

but an accessory。 Imagine a lean; dry man; dressed like the

former; but seeming to be only his reflection; or his shadow; if

you will。 The coat; new on the first; on the second was old; the

powder in his hair looked less white; the gold of the fleurs…de…

lis less bright; the shoulder straps more hopeless and dog's

eared; his intellect seemed more feeble; his life nearer the

fatal term than in the former。 In short; he realized Rivarol's

witticism on Champcenetz; 〃He is the moonlight of me。〃 He was

simply his double; a paler and poorer double; for there was

between them all the difference that lies between the first and

last impressions of a lithograph。



This speechless old man was a mystery to the painter; and always

remained a mystery。 The Chevalier; for he was a Chevalier; did

not speak; nobody spoke to him。 Was he a friend; a poor relation;

a man who followed at the old gallant's heels as a lady companion

does at an old lady's? Did he fill a place midway between a dog;

a parrot; and a friend? Had he saved his patron's fortune; or

only his life? Was he the Trim to another Captain Toby?

Elsewhere; as at the Baronne de Rouville's; he always piqued

curiosity without satisfying it。 Who; after the Restoration;

could remember the attachment which; before the Revolution; had

bound this man to his friend's wife; dead now these twenty year?



The leader; who appeared the least dilapidated of these wrecks;

came gallantly up to Madame de Rouville; kissed her hand; and sat

down by her。 The other bowed and placed himself not far from his

model; at a distance represented by two chairs。 Adelaide came

behind the old gentleman's armchair and leaned her elbows on the

back; unconsciously imitating the attitude given to Dido's sister

by Guerin in his famous picture。



Though the gentleman's familiarity was that of a father; his

freedom seemed at the moment to annoy the young girl。



〃What; are you sulky with me?〃 he said。



Then he shot at Schinner one of those side…looks full of

shrewdness and cunning; diplomatic looks; whose expression

betrays the discreet uneasiness; the polite curiosity of well…

bred people; and seems to ask; when they see a stranger; 〃Is he

one of us?〃



〃This is our neighbor;〃 said the old lady; pointing to Hippolyte。

〃Monsieur is a celebrated painter; whose name must be known to you

in spite of your indifference to the arts。〃



The old man saw his friend's mischievous intent in suppressing

the name; and bowed to the young man。



〃Certainly;〃 said he。 〃I heard a great deal about his pictures at

the last Salon。 Talent has immense privileges。〃 he added;

observing the artist's red ribbon。 〃That distinction; which we

must earn at the cost of our blood and long service; you win in

your youth; but all glory is of the same kindred;〃 he said;

laying his hand on his Cross of Saint…Louis。



Hippolyte murmured a few words of acknowledgment; and was silent

again; satisfied to admire with growing enthusiasm the beautiful

girl's head that charmed him so much。 He was soon lost in

contemplation; completely forgetting the extreme misery of the

dwelling。 To him Adelaide's face stood out against a luminous

atmosphere。 He replied briefly to the questions addressed to him;

which; by good luck; he heard; thanks to a singular faculty of

the soul which sometimes seems to have a double consciousness。

Who has not known what it is to sit lost in sad or delicious

meditation; listening to its voice within; while attending to a

conversation or to reading? An admirable duality which often

helps us to tolerate a bore! Hope; prolific and smiling; poured

out before him a thousand visions of happiness; and he refused to

consider what was going on around him。 As confiding as a child;

it seemed to him base to analyze a pleasure。



After a short lapse of time he perceived that the old lady and

her daughter were playing cards with the old gentleman。 As to the

satellite; faithful to his function as a shadow; he stood behind

his friend's chair watching his game; and answering the player's

mute inquiries by little approving nods; repeating the

questioning gestures of the other countenance。



〃Du Halga; I always lose;〃 said the gentleman。



〃You discard badly;〃 replied the Baronne de Rouville。



〃For three months now I have never won a single game;〃 said he。



〃Have you the aces?〃 asked the old lady。



〃Yes; one more to mark;〃 said he。



〃Shall I come and advise you?〃 said Adelaide。



〃No; no。 Stay where I can see you。 By Gad; it would be losing too

much not to have you to look at!〃



At last the game was over。 The gentleman pulled out his purse;

and; throwing two louis d'or on the table; not without temper



〃Forty francs;〃 he exclaimed; 〃the exact sum。Deuce take it! It

is eleven o'clock。〃



〃It is eleven o'clock;〃 repeated the silent figure; looking at

the painter。



The young man; hearing these words rather more distinctly th

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