sarrasine-第4章

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looked　toward　us；　and　their　glances　were　like　lightning　flashes。　The
young　woman　wished　that　she　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　Seine。　She　took
my　arm　and　pulled　me　away　toward　a　boudoir。　Everybody；　men　and　women；
made　room　for　us　to　pass。　Having　reached　the　further　end　of　the　suite
of　reception…rooms；　we　entered　a　small　semi…circular　cabinet。　My
companion　threw　herself　on　a　divan；　breathing　fast　with　terror；　not
knowing　where　she　was。

〃You　are　mad；　madame；〃　I　said　to　her。

〃But；〃　she　rejoined；　after　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　I　gazed　at
her　in　admiration；　〃is　it　my　fault？　Why　does　Madame　de　Lanty　allow
ghosts　to　wander　round　her　house？〃

〃Nonsense；〃　I　replied；　〃you　are　doing　just　what　fools　do。　You　mistake
a　little　old　man　for　a　spectre。〃

〃Hush；〃　she　retorted；　with　the　imposing；　yet　mocking；　air　which　all
women　are　so　well　able　to　assume　when　they　are　determined　to　put
themselves　in　the　right。　〃Oh！　what　a　sweet　boudoir！〃　she　cried；
looking　about　her。　〃Blue　satin　hangings　always　produce　an　admirable
effect。　How　cool　it　is！　Ah！　the　lovely　picture！〃　she　added；　rising　and
standing　in　front　of　a　magnificently　framed　painting。

We　stood　for　a　moment　gazing　at　that　marvel　of　art；　which　seemed　the
work　of　some　supernatural　brush。　The　picture　represented　Adonis
stretched　out　on　a　lion's　skin。　The　lamp；　in　an　alabaster　vase；
hanging　in　the　centre　of　the　boudoir；　cast　upon　the　canvas　a　soft
light　which　enabled　us　to　grasp　all　the　beauties　of　the　picture。

〃Does　such　a　perfect　creature　exist？〃　she　asked　me；　after　examining
attentively；　and　not　without　a　sweet　smile　of　satisfaction；　the
exquisite　grace　of　the　outlines；　the　attitude；　the　color；　the　hair；　in
fact　everything。

〃He　is　too　beautiful　for　a　man；〃　she　added；　after　such　a　scrutiny　as
she　would　have　bestowed　upon　a　rival。

Ah！　how　sharply　I　felt　at　that　moment　those　pangs　of　jealousy　in　which
a　poet　had　tried　in　vain　to　make　me　believe！　the　jealousy　of
engravings；　of　pictures；　of　statues；　wherein　artists　exaggerate　human
beauty；　as　a　result　of　the　doctrine　which　leads　them　to　idealize
everything。

〃It　is　a　portrait；〃　I　replied。　〃It　is　a　product　of　Vien's　genius。　But
that　great　painter　never　saw　the　original；　and　your　admiration　will　be
modified　somewhat　perhaps；　when　I　tell　you　that　this　study　was　made
from　a　statue　of　a　woman。〃

〃But　who　is　it？〃

I　hesitated。

〃I　insist　upon　knowing；〃　she　added　earnestly。

〃I　believe；〃　I　said；　〃that　this　/Adonis/　represents　aa　relative　of
Madame　de　Lanty。〃

I　had　the　chagrin　of　seeing　that　she　was　lost　in　contemplation　of　that
figure。　She　sat　down　in　silence；　and　I　seated　myself　beside　her　and
took　her　hand　without　her　noticing　it。　Forgotten　for　a　portrait！　At
that　moment　we　heard　in　the　silence　a　woman's　footstep　and　the　faint
rustling　of　a　dress。　We　saw　the　youthful　Marianina　enter　the　boudoir；
even　more　resplendent　by　reason　of　her　grace　and　her　fresh　costume；
she　was　walking　slowly　and　leading　with　motherly　care；　with　a
daughter's　solicitude；　the　spectre　in　human　attire；　who　had　driven　us
from　the　music…room；　as　she　led　him；　she　watched　with　some　anxiety　the
slow　movement　of　his　feeble　feet。　They　walked　painfully　across　the
boudoir　to　a　door　hidden　in　the　hangings。　Marianina　knocked　softly。
Instantly　a　tall；　thin　man；　a　sort　of　familiar　spirit；　appeared　as　if
by　magic。　Before　entrusting　the　old　man　to　this　mysterious　guardian；
the　lovely　child；　with　deep　veneration；　kissed　the　ambulatory　corpse；
and　her　chaste　caress　was　not　without　a　touch　of　that　graceful
playfulness；　the　secret　of　which　only　a　few　privileged　women　possess。

〃/Addio；　addio！/〃　she　said；　with　the　sweetest　inflection　of　her　young
voice。

She　added　to　the　last　syllable　a　wonderfully　executed　trill；　in　a　very
low　tone；　as　if　to　depict　the　overflowing　affection　of　her　heart　by　a
poetic　expression。　The　old　man；　suddenly　arrested　by　some　memory；
remained　on　the　threshold　of　that　secret　retreat。　In　the　profound
silence　we　heard　the　sigh　that　came　forth　form　his　breast；　he　removed
the　most　beautiful　of　the　rings　with　which　his　skeleton　fingers　were
laden；　and　placed　it　in　Marianina's　bosom。　The　young　madcap　laughed；
plucked　out　the　ring；　slipped　it　on　one　of　her　fingers　over　her　glove；
and　ran　hastily　back　toward　the　salon；　where　the　orchestra　were；　at
that　moment；　beginning　the　prelude　of　a　contra…dance。

She　spied　us。

〃Ah！　were　you　here？〃　she　said；　blushing。

After　a　searching　glance　at　us　as　if　to　question　us；　she　ran　away　to
her　partner　with　the　careless　petulance　of　her　years。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　queried　my　young　partner。　〃Is　he　her　husband？　I
believe　I　am　dreaming。　Where　am　I？〃

〃You！〃　I　retorted；　〃you；　madame；　who　are　easily　excited；　and　who；
understanding　so　well　the　most　imperceptible　emotions；　are　able　to
cultivate　in　a　man's　heart　the　most　delicate　of　sentiments；　without
crushing　it；　without　shattering　it　at　the　very　outset；　you　who　have
compassion　for　the　tortures　of　the　heart；　and　who；　with　the　wit　of　the
Parisian；　combine　a　passionate　temperament　worthy　of　Spain　or
Italy〃

She　realized　that　my　words　were　heavily　charged　with　bitter　irony；
and；　thereupon；　without　seeming　to　notice　it；　she　interrupted　me　to
say：

〃Oh！　you　describe　me　to　suit　your　own　taste。　A　strange　kind　of
tyranny！　You　wish　me　not　to　be　/myself/！〃

〃Oh！　I　wish　nothing；〃　I　cried；　alarmed　by　the　severity　of　her　manner。
〃At　all　events；　it　is　true；　is　it　not；　that　you　like　to　hear　stories
of　the　fierce　passions；　kindled　in　our　heart　by　the　enchanting　women
of　the　South？〃

〃Yes。　And　then？〃

〃Why；　I　will　come　to　your　house　about　nine　o'clock　to…morrow　evening；
and　elucidate　this　mystery　for　you。〃

〃No；〃　she　replied；　with　a　pout；　〃I　wish　it　done　now。〃

〃You　have　not　yet　given　me　the　right　to　obey　you　when　you　say；　'I　wish
it。'　〃

〃At　this　moment；〃　she　said；　with　an　exhibition　of　coquetry　of　the　sort
that　drives　men　to　despair；　〃I　have　a　most　violent　desire　to　know　this
secret。　To…morrow　it　may　be　that　I　will　not　listen　to　you。〃

She　smiled　and　we　parted；　she　still　as　proud　and　as　cruel；　I　as
ridiculous；　as　ever。　She　had　the　audacity　to　waltz　with　a　young　aide…
de…camp；　and　I　was　by　turns　angry；　sulky；　admiring；　loving；　and
jealous。

〃Until　to…morrow；〃　she　said　to　me；　as　she　left　the　ball　about　two
o'clock　in　the　morning。

〃I　won't　go；〃　I　thought。　〃I　give　up。　You　are　a　thousand　times　more
capricious；　more　fanciful；　thanmy　imagination。〃

The　next　evening　we　were　seated　in　front　of　a　bright　fire　in　a　dainty
little　salon；　she　on　a　couch；　I　on　cushions　almost　at　her　feet；
looking　up　into　her　face。　The　street　was　silent。　The　lamp　shed　a　soft
light。　It　was　one　of　those　evenings　which　delight　the　soul；　one　of
those　moments　which　are　never　forgotten；　one　of　those　hours　passed　in
peace　and　longing；　whose　charm　is　always　in　later　years　a　source　of
regret；　even　when　we　are　happier。　What　can　efface　the　deep　imprint　of
the　first　solicitations　of　love？

〃Go　on；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　listening。〃

〃But　I　dare　not　begin。　There　are　passages　in　the　story　which　are
dangerous　to　the　narrator。　If　I　become　excited；　you　will　make　me　hold
my　peace。〃

〃Speak。〃

〃I　obey。

〃Ernest…Jean　Sarrasine　was　the　only　son　of　a　prosecuting　attorney　of
Franche…Comte；〃　I　began　after　a　pause。　〃His　father　had；　by　faithful
work；　amassed　a　fortune　which　yielded　an　income　of　six　to　eight
thousand　francs；　then　considered　a　colossal　fortune　for　an　attorney　in
the　provinces。　Old　Maitre　Sarrasine；　having　but　one　child；　determined
to　give　him　a　thorough　education；　he　hoped　to　make　a　magistrate　of
him；　and　to　live　long　enough　to　see；　in　his　old　age；　the　grandson　of
Mathieu　Sarrasine；　a　ploughman　in　the　Saint…Die　country；　seated　on　the
lilies；　and　dozing　through　the　sessions　for　the　greater　glory　of　the
Parliament；　but　Heaven　had　not　that　joy　in　store　for　the　attorney。
Young　Sarrasine；　entrusted　to　the　care　of　the　Jesuits　at　an　early　age；
gave　indications　of　an　extraordinarily　unruly　disposition。　His　was　the
childhood　of　a　man　of　talent。　He　would　not　study　except　as　his
inclination　led　him；　often　rebelled；　and　sometimes　remained　for　whole
hours　at　a　time　buried　in　tangled　meditations；　engaged　no