sarrasine-第9章

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party　of　singers　ventured　out　into　the　open　country；　they　saw　at　some
distance　a　number　of　men　armed　to　the　teeth；　whose　costume　was　by　no
means　reassuring。　At　the　words；　'Those　are　brigands！'　they　all
quickened　their　pace　in　order　to　reach　the　shelter　of　the　wall
enclosing　the　cardinal's　villa。　At　that　critical　moment　Sarrasine　saw
from　La　Zambinella's　manner　that　she　no　longer　had　strength　to　walk；
he　took　her　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　for　some　distance；　running。
When　he　was　within　call　of　a　vineyard　near　by；　he　set　his　mistress
down。

〃　'Tell　me；'　he　said；　'why　it　is　that　this　extreme　weakness　which　in
another　woman　would　be　hideous；　would　disgust　me；　so　that　the
slightest　indication　of　it　would　be　enough　to　destroy　my　love；why　is
it　that　in　you　it　pleases　me；　fascinates　me？　Oh；　how　I　love　you！'　he
continued。　'All　your　faults；　your　frights；　your　petty　foibles；　add　an
indescribable　charm　to　your　character。　I　feel　that　I　should　detest　a
Sappho；　a　strong；　courageous　woman；　overflowing　with　energy　and
passion。　O　sweet　and　fragile　creature！　how　couldst　thou　be　otherwise？
That　angel's　voice；　that　refined　voice；　would　have　been　an　anachronism
coming　from　any　other　breast　than　thine。'

〃　'I　can　give　you　no　hope；'　she　said。　'Cease　to　speak　thus　to　me；　for
people　would　make　sport　of　you。　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　shut　the
door　of　the　theatre　to　you；　but　if　you　love　me；　or　if　you　are　wise；
you　will　come　there　no　more。　Listen　to　me；　monsieur；'　she　continued　in
a　grave　voice。

〃　'Oh；　hush！'　said　the　excited　artist。　'Obstacles　inflame　the　love　in
my　heart。'

〃La　Zambinella　maintained　a　graceful　and　modest　attitude；　but　she　held
her　peace；　as　if　a　terrible　thought　had　suddenly　revealed　some
catastrophe。　When　it　was　time　to　return　to　Rome　she　entered　a　berlin
with　four　seats；　bidding　the　sculptor；　with　a　cruelly　imperious　air；
to　return　alone　in　the　phaeton。　On　the　road；　Sarrasine　determined　to
carry　off　La　Zambinella。　He　passed　the　whole　day　forming　plans；　each
more　extravagant　than　the　last。　At　nightfall；　as　he　was　going　out　to
inquire　of　somebody　where　his　mistress　lived；　he　met　one　of　his
fellow…artists　at　the　door。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　he　said；　I　am　sent　by　our　ambassador　to　invite　you
to　come　to　the　embassy　this　evening。　He　gives　a　magnificent　concert；
and　when　I　tell　you　that　La　Zambinella　will　be　there'

〃　'Zambinella！'　cried　Sarrasine；　thrown　into　delirium　by　that　name；　'I
am　mad　with　love　of　her。'

〃　'You　are　like　everybody　else；'　replied　his　comrade。

〃　'But　if　you　are　friends　of　mine；　you　and　Vien　and　Lauterbourg　and
Allegrain；　you　will　lend　me　your　assistance　for　a　/coup　de　main/；
after　the　entertainment；　will　you　not？'　asked　Sarrasine。

〃　'There's　no　cardinal　to　be　killed？　no？'

〃　'No；　no！'　said　Sarrasine；　'I　ask　nothing　of　you　that　men　of　honor
may　not　do。'

〃In　a　few　moments　the　sculptor　laid　all　his　plans　to　assure　the
success　of　his　enterprise。　He　was　one　of　the　last　to　arrive　at　the
ambassador's；　but　he　went　thither　in　a　traveling　carriage　drawn　by
four　stout　horses　and　driven　by　one　of　the　most　skilful　/vetturini/　in
Rome。　The　ambassador's　palace　was　full　of　people；　not　without
difficulty　did　the　sculptor；　whom　nobody　knew；　make　his　way　to　the
salon　where　La　Zambinella　was　singing　at　that　moment。

〃　'It　must　be　in　deference　to　all　the　cardinals；　bishops；　and　/abbes/
who　are　here；'　said　Sarrasine；　'that　/she/　is　dressed　as　a　man；　that
/she/　has　curly　hair　which　/she/　wears　in　a　bag；　and　that　/she/　has　a
sword　at　her　side？'

〃　'She！　what　she？'　rejoined　the　old　nobleman　whom　Sarrasine　addressed。

〃　'La　Zambinella。'

〃　'La　Zambinella！'　echoed　the　Roman　prince。　'Are　you　jesting？　Whence
have　you　come？　Did　a　woman　ever　appear　in　a　Roman　theatre？　And　do　you
not　know　what　sort　of　creatures　play　female　parts　within　the　domains
of　the　Pope？　It　was　I；　monsieur；　who　endowed　Zambinella　with　his
voice。　I　paid　all　the　knave's　expenses；　even　his　teacher　in　singing。
And　he　has　so　little　gratitude　for　the　service　I　have　done　him　that　he
has　never　been　willing　to　step　inside　my　house。　And　yet；　if　he　makes
his　fortune；　he　will　owe　it　all　to　me。'

〃Prince　Chigi　might　have　talked　on　forever；　Sarrasine　did　not　listen
to　him。　A　ghastly　truth　had　found　its　way　into　his　mind。　He　was
stricken　as　if　by　a　thunderbolt。　He　stood　like　a　statue；　his　eyes
fastened　on　the　singer。　His　flaming　glance　exerted　a　sort　of　magnetic
influence　on　Zambinella；　for　he　turned　his　eyes　at　last　in　Sarrasine's
direction；　and　his　divine　voice　faltered。　He　trembled！　An　involuntary
murmur　escaped　the　audience；　which　he　held　fast　as　if　fastened　to　his
lips；　and　that　completely　disconcerted　him；　he　stopped　in　the　middle
of　the　aria　he　was　singing　and　sat　down。　Cardinal　Cicognara；　who　had
watched　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　the　direction　of　his　/protege's/
glance；　saw　the　Frenchman；　he　leaned　toward　one　of　his　ecclesiastical
aides…de…camp；　and　apparently　asked　the　sculptor's　name。　When　he　had
obtained　the　reply　he　desired　he　scrutinized　the　artist　with　great
attention　and　gave　orders　to　an　/abbe/；　who　instantly　disappeared。
Meanwhile　Zambinella；　having　recovered　his　self…possession；　resumed
the　aria　he　had　so　capriciously　broken　off；　but　he　sang　badly；　and
refused；　despite　all　the　persistent　appeals　showered　upon　him；　to　sing
anything　else。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　exhibited　that　humorsome
tyranny；　which；　at　a　later　date；　contributed　no　less　to　his　celebrity
than　his　talent　and　his　vast　fortune；　which　was　said　to　be　due　to　his
beauty　as　much　as　to　his　voice。

〃　'It's　a　woman；'　said　Sarrasine；　thinking　that　no　one　could　overhear
him。　'There's　some　secret　intrigue　beneath　all　this。　Cardinal
Cicognara　is　hoodwinking　the　Pope　and　the　whole　city　of　Rome！'

〃The　sculptor　at　once　left　the　salon；　assembled　his　friends；　and　lay
in　wait　in　the　courtyard　of　the　palace。　When　Zambinella　was　assured　of
Sarrasine's　departure　he　seemed　to　recover　his　tranquillity　in　some
measure。　About　midnight　after　wandering　through　the　salons　like　a　man
looking　for　an　enemy；　the　/musico/　left　the　party。　As　he　passed
through　the　palace　gate　he　was　seized　by　men　who　deftly　gagged　him
with　a　handkerchief　and　placed　him　in　the　carriage　hired　by　Sarrasine。
Frozen　with　terror；　Zambinella　lay　back　in　a　corner；　not　daring　to
move　a　muscle。　He　saw　before　him　the　terrible　face　of　the　artist；　who
maintained　a　deathlike　silence。　The　journey　was　a　short　one。
Zambinella；　kidnaped　by　Sarrasine；　soon　found　himself　in　a　dark；　bare
studio。　He　sat；　half　dead；　upon　a　chair；　hardly　daring　to　glance　at　a
statue　of　a　woman；　in　which　he　recognized　his　own　features。　He　did　not
utter　a　word；　but　his　teeth　were　chattering；　he　was　paralyzed　with
fear。　Sarrasine　was　striding　up　and　down　the　studio。　Suddenly　he
halted　in　front　of　Zambinella。

〃　'Tell　me　the　truth；'　he　said；　in　a　changed　and　hollow　voice。　'Are
you　not　a　woman？　Cardinal　Cicognara'

〃Zambinella　fell　on　his　knees；　and　replied　only　by　hanging　his　head。

〃　'Ah！　you　are　a　woman！'　cried　the　artist　in　a　frenzy；　'for　even　a'

〃He　did　not　finish　the　sentence。

〃　'No；'　he　continued；　'even　/he/　could　not　be　so　utterly　base。'

〃　'Oh；　do　not　kill　me！'　cried　Zambinella；　bursting　into　tears。　'I
consented　to　deceive　you　only　to　gratify　my　comrades；　who　wanted　an
opportunity　to　laugh。'

〃　'Laugh！'　echoed　the　sculptor；　in　a　voice　in　which　there　was　a　ring
of　infernal　ferocity。　'Laugh！　laugh！　You　dared　to　make　sport　of　a
man's　passionyou？'

〃　'Oh；　mercy！'　cried　Zambinella。

〃　'I　ought　to　kill　you！'　shouted　Sarrasine；　drawing　his　sword　in　an
outburst　of　rage。　'But；'　he　continued；　with　cold　disdain；　'if　I
searched　your　whole　being　with　this　blade；　should　I　find　there　any
sentiment　to　blot　out；　anything　with　which　to　satisfy　my　thirst　for
vengeance？　You　are　nothing！　If　you　were　a　man　or　a　woman；　I　would　kill
you；　but'

〃Sarrasine　made　a　gesture　of　disgust；　and　turned　his　face　away；
thereupon　he　noticed　the　statue。

〃　'And　that　is　a　delusion！'　he　cried。

〃Then；　turning　to　Zambinella　once　more；　he　continued：

〃　'A　woman's　heart　was　to　me　a　place　of　refuge；　a　fatherland。　Have　you
sisters　who　resemble　you？　No。　Then　die！　But　no；　you　shall