letters of two brides-第39章

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If　you　write；　address　your　letters　to　Florence。　I　have　not　time　now　to
go　into　any　details；　but　I　will　tell　you　the　story　of　our　travels
whenever　you　come　to　Paris。　We　only　remain　here　a　week；　and　then　go　on
to　Florence；　taking　Leghorn　on　the　way。　We　shall　stay　a　month　in
Tuscany　and　a　month　at　Naples；　so　as　to　reach　Rome　in　November。　Thence
we　return　home　by　Venice；　where　we　shall　spend　the　first　fortnight　of
December；　and　arrive　in　Paris；　/via/　Milan　and　Turin；　for　January。

Our　journey　is　a　perfect　honeymoon；　the　sight　of　new　places　gives
fresh　life　to　our　passion。　Macumer　did　not　know　Italy　at　all；　and　we
have　begun　with　that　splendid　Cornice　road；　which　might　be　the　work　of
fairy　architects。

Good…bye；　darling。　Don't　be　angry　if　I　don't　write。　It　is　impossible
to　get　a　minute　to　oneself　in　traveling；　my　whole　time　is　taken　up
with　seeing；　admiring；　and　realizing　my　impressions。　But　not　a　word　to
you　of　these　till　memory　has　given　them　their　proper　atmosphere。



XXXVIII

THE　VICOMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　THE　BARONNE　DE　MACUMER
September。

My　dear；There　is　lying　for　you　at　Chantepleurs　a　full　reply　to　the
letter　you　wrote　me　from　Marseilles。　This　honeymoon　journey；　so　far
from　diminishing　the　fears　I　there　expressed；　makes　me　beg　of　you　to
get　my　letter　sent　on　from　Nivernais。

The　Government；　it　is　said；　are　resolved　on　dissolution。　This　is
unlucky　for　the　Crown；　since　the　last　session　of　this　loyal　Parliament
would　have　been　devoted　to　the　passing　of　laws；　essential　to　the
consolidation　of　its　power；　and　it　is　not　less　so　for　us；　as　Louis
will　not　be　forty　till　the　end　of　1827。　Fortunately；　however；　my
father　has　agreed　to　stand；　and　he　will　resign　his　seat　when　the　right
moment　arrives。

Your　godson　has　found　out　how　to　walk　without　his　godmother's　help。　He
is　altogether　delicious；　and　begins　to　make　the　prettiest　little　signs
to　me；　which　bring　home　to　one　that　here　is　really　a　thinking　being；
not　a　mere　animal　or　sucking　machine。　His　smiles　are　full　of　meaning。
I　have　been　so　successful　in　my　profession　of　nurse　that　I　shall　wean
Armand　in　December。　A　year　at　the　breast　is　quite　enough；　children　who
are　suckled　longer　are　said　to　grow　stupid；　and　I　am　all　for　popular
sayings。

You　must　make　a　tremendous　sensation　in　Italy；　my　fair　one　with　the
golden　locks。　A　thousand　loves。



XXXIX

THE　BARONNE　DE　MACUMER　TO　THE　VICOMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE

Your　atrocious　letter　has　reached　me　here；　the　steward　having
forwarded　it　by　my　orders。　Oh！　Renee　。　。　。　but　I　will　spare　you　the
outburst　of　my　wounded　feelings；　and　simply　tell　you　the　effect　your
letter　produced。

We　had　just　returned　from　a　delightful　reception　given　in　our　honor　by
the　ambassador；　where　I　appeared　in　all　my　glory；　and　Macumer　was
completely　carried　away　in　a　frenzy　of　love　which　I　could　not
describe。　Then　I　read　him　your　horrible　answer　to　my　letter；　and　I
read　it　sobbing；　at　the　risk　of　making　a　fright　of　myself。　My　dear
Arab　fell　at　my　feet；　declaring　that　you　raved。　Then　he　carried　me　off
to　the　balcony　of　the　palace　where　we　are　staying；　from　which　we　have
a　view　over　part　of　the　city；　there　he　spoke　to　me　words　worthy　of　the
magnificent　moonlight　scene　which　lay　stretched　before　us。　We　both
speak　Italian　now；　and　his　love；　told　in　that　voluptuous　tongue；　so
admirably　adapted　to　the　expression　of　passion；　sounded　in　my　ears
like　the　most　exquisite　poetry。　He　swore　that；　even　were　you　right　in
your　predictions；　he　would　not　exchange　for　a　lifetime　a　single　one　of
our　blessed　nights　or　charming　mornings。　At　this　reckoning　he　has
already　lived　a　thousand　years。　He　is　content　to　have　me　for　his
mistress；　and　would　claim　no　other　title　than　that　of　lover。　So　proud
and　pleased　is　he　to　see　himself　every　day　the　chosen　of　my　heart；
that　were　Heaven　to　offer　him　the　alternative　between　living　as　you
would　have　us　to　for　another　thirty　years　with　five　children；　and　five
years　spent　amid　the　dear　roses　of　our　love；　he　would　not　hesitate。　He
would　take　my　love；　such　as　it　is；　and　death。

While　he　was　whispering　this　in　my　ear；　his　arm　round　me；　my　head
resting　on　his　shoulder；　the　cries　of　a　bat；　surprised　by　an　owl；
disturbed　us。　This　death…cry　struck　me　with　such　terror　that　Felipe
carried　me　half…fainting　to　my　bed。　But　don't　be　alarmed！　Though　this
augury　of　evil　still　resounds　in　my　soul；　I　am　quite　myself　this
morning。　As　soon　as　I　was　up；　I　went　to　Felipe；　and；　kneeling　before
him；　my　eyes　fixed　on　his；　his　hands　clasped　in　mine；　I　said　to　him：

〃My　love；　I　am　a　child；　and　Renee　may　be　right　after　all。　It　may　be
only　your　love　that　I　love　in　you；　but　at　least　I　can　assure　you　that
this　is　the　one　feeling　of　my　heart；　and　that　I　love　you　as　it　is
given　me　to　love。　But　if　there　be　aught　in　me；　in　my　lightest　thought
or　deed；　which　jars　on　your　wishes　or　conception　of　me；　I　implore　you
to　tell　me；　to　say　what　it　is。　It　will　be　a　joy　to　me　to　hear　you　and
to　take　your　eyes　as　the　guiding…stars　of　my　life。　Renee　has
frightened　me；　for　she　is　a　true　friend。〃

Macumer　could　not　find　voice　to　reply；　tears　choked　him。

I　can　thank　you　now；　Renee。　But　for　your　letter　I　should　not　have
known　the　depths　of　love　in　my　noble；　kingly　Macumer。　Rome　is　the　city
of　love；　it　is　there　that　passion　should　celebrate　its　feast；　with　art
and　religion　as　confederates。

At　Venice　we　shall　find　the　Duc　and　Duchesse　de　Soria。　If　you　write；
address　now　to　Paris；　for　we　shall　leave　Rome　in　three　days。　The
ambassador's　was　a　farewell　party。

P。　S。Dear；　silly　child；　your　letter　only　shows　that　you　knew　nothing
of　love；　except　theoretically。　Learn　then　that　love　is　a　quickening
force　which　may　produce　fruits　so　diverse　that　no　theory　can　embrace
or　co…ordinate　them。　A　word　this　for　my　little　Professor　with　her
armor　of　stays。



XL

THE　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　THE　BARONNE　DE　MACUMER
January　1827。

My　father　has　been　elected　to　the　Chamber；　my　father…in…law　is　dead；
and　I　am　on　the　point　of　my　second　confinement；　these　are　the　chief
events　marking　the　end　of　the　year　for　us。　I　mention　them　at　once；
lest　the　sight　of　the　black　seal　should　frighten　you。

My　dear；　your　letter　from　Rome　made　my　flesh　creep。　You　are　nothing
but　a　pair　of　children。　Felipe　is　either　a　dissembling　diplomat　or
else　his　love　for　you　is　the　love　a　man　might　have　for　a　courtesan；　on
whom　he　squanders　his　all；　knowing　all　the　time　that　she　is　false　to
him。　Enough　of　this。　You　say　I　rave；　so　I　had　better　hold　my　tongue。
Only　this　would　I　say；　from　the　comparison　of　our　two　very　different
destinies　I　draw　this　harsh　moralLove　not　if　you　would　be　loved。

My　dear；　when　Louis　was　elected　to　the　provincial　Council；　he　received
the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　That　is　now　nearly　three　years　ago；
and　as　my　fatherwhom　you　will　no　doubt　see　in　Paris　during　the
course　of　the　sessionhas　asked　the　rank　of　Officer　of　the　Legion　for
his　son…in…law；　I　want　to　know　if　you　will　do　me　the　kindness　to　take
in　hand　the　bigwig；　whoever　he　may　be；　to　whom　this　patronage　belongs；
and　to　keep　an　eye　upon　the　little　affair。　But；　whatever　you　do；　don't
get　entangled　in　the　concerns　of　my　honored　father。　The　Comte　de
Maucombe　is　fishing　for　the　title　of　Marquis　for　himself；　but　keep
your　good　services　for　me；　please。　When　Louis　is　a　deputynext　winter
that　iswe　shall　come　to　Paris；　and　then　we　will　move　heaven　and
earth　to　get　some　Government　appointment　for　him；　so　that　we　may　be
able　to　save　our　income　by　living　on　his　salary。　My　father　sits
between　the　centre　and　the　right；　a　title　will　content　him。　Our　family
was　distinguished　even　in　the　days　of　King　Rene；　and　Charles　X。　will
hardly　say　no　to　a　Maucombe；　but　what　I　fear　is　that　my　father　may
take　it　into　his　head　to　ask　some　favor　for　my　younger　brother。　Now；
if　the　marquisate　is　dangled　out　of　his　reach；　he　will　have　no
thoughts　to　spare　from　himself。

January　15th。

Ah！　Louise；　I　have　been　in　hell。　If　I　can　bear　to　tell　you　of　my
anguish；　it　is　because　you　are　another　self；　even　so；　I　don't　know
whether　I　shall　ever　be　able　to　live　again　in　thought　those　five
ghastly　days。　The　mere　word　〃convulsions〃　makes　my　very　heart　sick。
Five　days！　to