letters of two brides-第28章
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My father meantime was talking to Mme。 de Maufrigneuse。
〃I should think so！〃 he exclaimed。 〃The gossip which gets about is
scandalous。 No sooner has a girl come out than everyone is keen to
marry her； and the ridiculous stories that are invented！ I shall never
force Armande to marry against her will。 I am going to take a turn in
the promenade； otherwise people will be saying that I allowed the
rumor to spread in order to suggest the marriage to the ambassador；
and Caesar's daughter ought to be above suspicion； even more than his
wifeif that were possible。〃
The Duchesse de Maufrigneuse and Mme。 d'Espard shot glances first at
my mother； then at the Baron； brimming over with sly intelligence and
repressed curiosity。 With their serpent's cunning they had at last got
an inkling of something going on。 Of all mysteries in life； love is
the least mysterious！ It exhales from women； I believe； like a
perfume； and she who can conceal it is a very monster！ Our eyes
prattle even more than our tongues。
Having enjoyed the delightful sensation of finding Felipe rise to the
occasion； as I had wished； it was only in nature I should hunger for
more。 So I made the signal agreed on for telling him that he might
come to my window by the dangerous road you know of。 A few hours later
I found him； upright as a statue； glued to the wall； his hand resting
on the balcony of my window； studying the reflections of the light in
my room。
〃My dear Felipe；〃 I said； 〃You have acquitted yourself well to…night；
you behaved exactly as I should have done had I been told that you
were on the point of marrying。〃
〃I thought；〃 he replied； 〃that you would hardly have told others
before me。〃
〃And what right have you to this privilege？〃
〃The right of one who is your devoted slave。〃
〃In very truth？〃
〃I am； and shall ever remain so。〃
〃But suppose this marriage was inevitable； suppose that I had
agreed 。 。 。〃
Two flashing glances lit up the moonlightone directed to me； the
other to the precipice which the wall made for us。 He seemed to
calculate whether a fall together would mean death； but the thought
merely passed like lightning over his face and sparkled in his eyes。 A
power； stronger than passion； checked the impulse。
〃An Arab cannot take back his word；〃 he said in a husky voice。 〃I am
your slave to do with as you will； my life is not mine to destroy。〃
The hand on the balcony seemed as though its hold were relaxing。 I
placed mine on it as I said：
〃Felipe； my beloved； from this moment I am your wife in thought and
will。 Go in the morning to ask my father for my hand。 He wishes to
retain my fortune； but if you promise to acknowledge receipt of it in
the contract； his consent will no doubt be given。 I am no longer
Armande de Chaulieu。 Leave me at once； no breath of scandal must touch
Louise de Macumer。〃
He listened with blanched face and trembling limbs； then； like a
flash； had cleared the ten feet to the ground in safety。 It was a
moment of agony； but he waved his hand to me and disappeared。
〃I am loved then；〃 I said to myself； 〃as never woman was before。〃 And
I fell asleep in the calm content of a child； my destiny for ever
fixed。
About two o'clock next day my father summoned me to his private room；
where I found the Duchess and Macumer。 There was an interchange of
civilities。 I replied quite simply that if my father and M。 Henarez
were of one mind； I had no reason to oppose their wishes。 Thereupon my
mother invited the Baron to dinner； and after dinner； we all four went
for a drive in the Bois de Boulogne； where I had the pleasure of
smiling ironically to M。 de Marsay as he passed on horseback and
caught sight of Macumer sitting opposite to us beside my father。
My bewitching Felipe has had his cards reprinted as follows：
HENAREZ
（Baron de Macumer； formerly Duc de Soria。）
Every morning he brings me with his own hands a splendid bouquet；
hidden in which I never fail to find a letter； containing a Spanish
sonnet in my honor； which he has composed during the night。
Not to make this letter inordinately large； I send you as specimens
only the first and last of these sonnets； which I have translated for
your benefit； word for word； and line for line：
FIRST SONNET
Many a time I've stood； clad in thin silken vest；
Drawn sword in hand； with steady pulse；
Waiting the charge of a raging bull；
And the thrust of his horn； sharper…pointed than Phoebe's crescent。
I've scaled； on my lips the lilt of an Andalusian dance；
The steep redoubt under a rain of fire；
I've staked my life upon a hazard of the dice
Careless； as though it were a gold doubloon。
My hand would seek the ball out of the cannon's mouth；
But now meseems I grow more timid than a crouching hair；
Or a child spying some ghost in the curtain's folds。
For when your sweet eye rests on me；
Any icy sweat covers my brow； my knees give way；
I tremble； shrink； my courage gone。
SECOND SONNET
Last night I fain would sleep to dream of thee；
But jealous sleep fled my eyelids；
I sought the balcony and looked towards heaven；
Always my glance flies upward when I think of thee。
Strange sight！ whose meaning love alone can tell；
The sky had lost its sapphire hue；
The stars； dulled diamonds in their golden mount；
Twinkled no more nor shed their warmth。
The moon； washed of her silver radiance lily…white；
Hung mourning over the gloomy plain； for thou hast robbed
The heavens of all that made them bright。
The snowy sparkle of the moon is on thy lovely brow；
Heaven's azure centres in thine eyes；
Thy lashes fall like starry rays。
What more gracious way of saying to a young girl that she fills your
life？ Tell me what you think of this love； which expends itself in
lavishing the treasures alike of the earth and of the soul。 Only
within the last ten days have I grasped the meaning of that Spanish
gallantry； so famous in old days。
Ah me！ dear； what is going on now at La Crampade？ How often do I take
a stroll there； inspecting the growth of our crops！ Have you no news
to give of our mulberry trees； our last winter's plantations？ Does
everything prosper as you wish？ And while the buds are opening on our
shrubsI will not venture to speak of the bedding…out plantshave
they also blossomed in the bosom of the wife？ Does Louis continue his
policy of madrigals？ Do you enter into each other's thoughts？ I wonder
whether your little runlet of wedding peace is better than the raging
torrent of my love！ Has my sweet lady professor taken offence？ I
cannot believe it； and if it were so； I should send Felipe off at
once； post…haste； to fling himself at her knees and bring back to me
my pardon or her head。 Sweet love； my life here is a splendid success；
and I want to know how it fares with life in Provence。 We have just
increased our family by the addition of a Spaniard with the complexion
of a Havana cigar； and your congratulations still tarry。
Seriously； my sweet Renee； I am anxious。 I am afraid lest you should
be eating your heart out in silence； for fear of casting a gloom over
my sunshine。 Write to me at once； naughty child！ and tell me your life
in its every minutest detail； tell me whether you still hold back；
whether your 〃independence〃 still stands erect； or has fallen on its
knees； or is sitting down comfortably； which would indeed be serious。
Can you suppose that the incidents of your married life are without
interest for me？ I muse at times over all that you have said to me。
Often when； at the Opera； I seem absorbed in watching the pirouetting
dancers； I am saying to myself； 〃It is half…past nine； perhaps she is
in bed。 What is she about？ Is she happy？ Is she alone with her
independence？ or has her independence gone the way of other dead and
castoff independences？〃
A thousand loves。
XXV
RENEE DE L'ESTORADE TO LOUISE DE CHAULIEU
Saucy girl！ Why should I write？ What could I say？ Whilst your life is
varied by social festivities； as well as by the anguish； the tempers；
and the flowers of loveall of which you describe so graphically；
that I might be watching some first…rate acting at the theatremi
