letters of two brides-第36章

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Wednesdayfor　receiving。　I　have　entered　the　lists　with　Mmes。　d'Espard
and　de　Maufrigneuse；　and　with　the　old　Duchesse　de　Lenoncourt；　and　my
house　has　the　reputation　of　being　a　very　lively　one。　I　allowed　myself
to　become　the　fashion；　because　I　saw　how　much　pleasure　my　success　gave
Felipe。　My　mornings　are　his；　from　four　in　the　afternoon　till　two　in
the　morning　I　belong　to　Paris。　Macumer　makes　an　admirable　host；　witty
and　dignified；　perfect　in　courtesy；　and　with　an　air　of　real
distinction。　No　woman　could　help　loving　such　a　husband　even　if　she　had
chosen　him　without　consulting　her　heart。

My　father　and　mother　have　left　for　Madrid。　Louis　XVIII。　being　out　of
the　way；　the　Duchess　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　from　our　good…
natured　Charles　X。　the　appointment　of　her　fascinating　poet；　so　he　is
carried　off　in　the　capacity　of　attache。

My　brother；　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　deigns　to　recognize　me　as　a　person　of
mark。　As　for　my　younger　brother；　The　Comte　de　Chaulieu；　this　buckram
warrior　owes　me　everlasting　gratitude。　Before　my　father　left；　he　spent
my　fortune　in　acquiring　for　the　Count　an　estate　of　forty　thousand
francs　a　year；　entailed　on　the　title；　and　his　marriage　with　Mlle。　de
Mortsauf；　an　heiress　from　Touraine；　is　definitely　arranged。　The　King；
in　order　to　preserve　the　name　and　titles　of　the　de　Lenoncourt　and　de
Givry　families　from　extinction；　is　to　confer　these；　together　with　the
armorial　bearings；　by　patent　on　my　brother。　Certainly　it　would　never
have　done　to　allow　these　two　fine　names　and　their　splendid　motto；
/Faciem　semper　monstramus/；　to　perish。　Mlle。　de　Mortsauf；　who　is
granddaughter　and　sole　heiress　of　the　Duc　de　Lenoncourt…Givry；　will；
it　is　said；　inherit　altogether　more　than　one　hundred　thousand　livres　a
year。　The　only　stipulation　my　father　has　made　is　that　the　de　Chaulieu
arms　should　appear　in　the　centre　of　the　de　Lenoncourt　escutcheon。　Thus
my　brother　will　be　Duc　de　Lenoncourt。　The　young　de　Mortsauf；　to　whom
everything　would　otherwise　go；　is　in　the　last　stage　of　consumption；
his　death　is　looked　for　every　day。　The　marriage　will　take　place　next
winter　when　the　family　are　out　of　mourning。　I　am　told　that　I　shall
have　a　charming　sister…in…law　in　Mlle。　de　Mortsauf。

So　you　see　that　my　father's　reasoning　is　justified。　The　outcome　of　it
all　has　won　me　many　compliments；　and　my　marriage　is　explained　to
everybody's　satisfaction。　To　complete　our　success；　the　Prince　de
Talleyrand；　out　of　affection　for　my　grandmother；　is　showing　himself　a
warm　friend　to　Macumer。　Society；　which　began　by　criticising　me；　has
now　passed　to　cordial　admiration。

In　short；　I　now　reign　a　queen　where；　barely　two　years　ago；　I　was　an
insignificant　item。　Macumer　finds　himself　the　object　of　universal
envy；　as　the　husband　of　〃the　most　charming　woman　in　Paris。〃　At　least　a
score　of　women；　as　you　know；　are　always　in　that　proud　position。　Men
murmur　sweet　things　in　my　ear；　or　content　themselves　with　greedy
glances。　This　chorus　of　longing　and　admiration　is　so　soothing　to　one's
vanity；　that　I　confess　I　begin　to　understand　the　unconscionable　price
women　are　ready　to　pay　for　such　frail　and　precarious　privileges。　A
triumph　of　this　kind　is　like　strong　wine　to　vanity；　self…love；　and　all
the　self…regarding　feelings。　To　pose　perpetually　as　a　divinity　is　a
draught　so　potent　in　its　intoxicating　effects；　that　I　am　no　longer
surprised　to　see　women　grow　selfish；　callous；　and　frivolous　in　the
heart　of　this　adoration。　The　fumes　of　society　mount　to　the　head。　You
lavish　the　wealth　of　your　soul　and　spirit；　the　treasures　of　your　time；
the　noblest　efforts　of　your　will；　upon　a　crowd　of　people　who　repay　you
in　smiles　and　jealousy。　The　false　coin　of　their　pretty　speeches；
compliments；　and　flattery　is　the　only　return　they　give　for　the　solid
gold　of　your　courage　and　sacrifices；　and　all　the　thought　that　must　go
to　keep　up　without　flagging　the　standard　of　beauty；　dress；　sparkling
talk；　and　general　affability。　You　are　perfectly　aware　how　much　it
costs；　and　that　the　whole　thing　is　a　fraud；　but　you　cannot　keep　out　of
the　vortex。

Ah！　my　sweetheart；　how　one　craves　for　a　real　friend！　How　precious　to
me　are　the　love　and　devotion　of　Felipe；　and　how　my　heart　goes　out　to
you！　Joyfully　indeed　are　we　preparing　for　our　move　to　Chantepleurs；
where　we　can　rest　from　the　comedy　of　the　Rue　de　Bac　and　of　the　Paris
drawing…rooms。　Having　just　read　your　letter　again；　I　feel　that　I
cannot　better　describe　this　demoniac　paradise　than　by　saying　that　no
woman　of　fashion　in　Paris　can　possibly　be　a　good　mother。

Good…bye；　then；　for　a　short　time；　dear　one。　We　shall　stay　at
Chantepleurs　only　a　week　at　most；　and　shall　be　with　you　about　May
10th。　So　we　are　actually　to　meet　again　after　more　than　two　years！　What
changes　since　then！　Here　we　are；　both　matrons；　both　in　our　promised
landI　of　love；　you　of　motherhood。

If　I　have　not　written；　my　sweetest；　it　is　not　because　I　have　forgotten
you。　And　what　of　the　monkey　godson？　Is　he　still　pretty　and　a　credit　to
me？　He　must　be　more　than　nine　months'　old　now。　I　should　dearly　like　to
be　present　when　he　makes　his　first　steps　upon　this　earth；　but　Macumer
tells　me　that　even　precocious　infants　hardly　walk　at　ten　months。

We　shall　have　some　good　gossips　there；　and　〃cut　pinafores；〃　as　the
Blois　folk　say。　I　shall　see　whether　a　child；　as　the　saying　goes；
spoils　the　pattern。

P。　S。If　you　deign　to　reply　from　your　maternal　heights；　address　to
Chantepleurs。　I　am　just　off。



XXXIII

MME。　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MME。　DE　MACUMER

My　child；If　ever　you　become　a　mother；　you　will　find　out　that　it　is
impossible　to　write　letters　during　the　first　two　months　of　your
nursing。　Mary；　my　English　nurse；　and　I　are　both　quite　knocked　up。　It
is　true　I　had　not　told　you　that　I　was　determined　to　do　everything
myself。　Before　the　event　I　had　with　my　own　fingers　sewn　the　baby
clothes　and　embroidered　and　edged　with　lace　the　little　caps。　I　am　a
slave；　my　pet；　a　slave　day　and　night。

To　begin　with；　Master　Armand…Louis　takes　his　meals　when　it　pleases
him；　and　that　is　always；　then　he　has　often　to　be　changed；　washed；　and
dressed。　His　mother　is　so　fond　of　watching　him　sleep；　of　singing　songs
to　him；　of　walking　him　about　in　her　arms　on　a　fine　day；　that　she　has
little　time　left　to　attend　to　herself。　In　short；　what　society　has　been
to　you；　my　childour　childhas　been　to　me！

I　cannot　tell　you　how　full　and　rich　my　life　has　become；　and　I　long　for
your　coming　that　you　may　see　for　yourself。　The　only　thing　is；　I　am
afraid　he　will　soon　be　teething；　and　that　you　will　find　a　peevish；
crying　baby。　So　far　he　has　not　cried　much；　for　I　am　always　at　hand。
Babies　only　cry　when　their　wants　are　not　understood；　and　I　am
constantly　on　the　lookout　for　his。　Oh！　my　sweet；　my　heart　has　opened
up　so　wide；　while　you　allow　yours　to　shrink　and　shrivel　at　the　bidding
of　society！　I　look　for　your　coming　with　all　a　hermit's　longing。　I　want
so　much　to　know　what　you　think　of　l'Estorade；　just　as　you　no　doubt　are
curious　for　my　opinion　of　Macumer。

Write　to　me　from　your　last　resting…place。　The　gentlemen　want　to　go　and
meet　our　distinguished　guests。　Come；　Queen　of　Paris；　come　to　our
humble　grange；　where　love　at　least　will　greet　you！



XXXIV

MME。　DE　MACUMER　TO　THE　VICOMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE
April　1826。

The　name　on　this　address　will　tell　you；　dear；　that　my　petition　has
been　granted。　Your　father…in…law　is　now　Comte　de　l'Estorade。　I　would
not　leave　Paris　till　I　had　obtained　the　gratification　of　your　wishes；
and　I　am　writing　in　the　presence　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　who　has
come　to　tell　me　that　the　patent　is　signed。

Good…bye　for　a　short　time！



XXXV

THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME
MARSEILLES；　July。

I　am　ashamed　to　think　how　my　sudden　flight　will　have　taken　you　by
surprise。　But　since　I　am　above　all　honest；　and　since　I　love　you　not
one　bit　the　less；　I　shall　tell　you　the　truth　in　four　words：　I　am
horribly　jealous！

Felipe's　eyes　were　too　often　on　you。　You　used　to　have　little　talks
together　at　the　foot　of　your　rock；　which　were　a　torture　to　me；　and　I
was　fast　becoming　irritable　and　unlike　myself。　Your　truly　Spanish
beauty　could　not　fail　to　recall　to　him　his　native　land；　and　along　with
it　Marie　Heredia；　and　I　can　be　jealous　of　the　past　too。　Your
magnifi