letters of two brides-第47章

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same　night　to　our　bower。　The　road　is　a　good　one；　and　passes　under　the
shade　of　our　green　dividing　wall。

My　servantscook；　coachman；　groom；　and　gardeners；　in　addition　to　my
maidare　all　very　respectable　people；　whom　I　have　spent　the　last　six
months　in　picking　up；　and　they　will　be　superintended　by　my　old
Philippe。　Although　confident　of　their　loyalty　and　good　faith；　I　have
not　neglected　to　cultivate　self…interest；　their　wages　are　small；　but
will　receive　an　annual　addition　in　the　shape　of　a　New　Year's　Day
present。　They　are　all　aware　that　the　slightest　fault；　or　a　mere
suspicion　of　gossiping；　might　lose　them　a　capital　place。　Lovers　are
never　troublesome　to　their　servants；　they　are　indulgent　by
disposition；　and　therefore　I　feel　that　I　can　reckon　on　my　household。

All　that　is　choice；　pretty；　or　decorative　in　my　house　in　the　Rue　du
Bac　has　been　transported　to　the　chalet。　The　Rembrandt　hangs　on　the
staircase；　as　though　it　were　a　mere　daub；　the　Hobbema　faces　the　Rubens
in　/his/　study；　the　Titian；　which　my　sister…in…law　Mary　sent　me　from
Madrid；　adorns　the　boudoir。　The　beautiful　furniture　picked　up　by
Felipe　looks　very　well　in　the　parlor；　which　the　architect　has
decorated　most　tastefully。　Everything　at　the　chalet　is　charmingly
simple；　with　the　simplicity　which　can't　be　got　under　a　hundred
thousand　francs。　Our　ground…floor　rests　on　cellars；　which　are　built　of
millstone　and　embedded　in　concrete；　it　is　almost　completely　buried　in
flowers　and　shrubs；　and　is　deliciously　cool　without　a　vestige　of　damp。
To　complete　the　picture；　a　fleet　of　white　swans　sail　over　my　lake！

Oh！　Renee；　the　silence　which　reigns　in　this　valley　would　bring　joy　to
the　dead！　One　is　awakened　by　the　birds　singing　or　the　breeze　rustling
in　the　poplars。　A　little　spring；　discovered　by　the　architect　in
digging　the　foundations　of　the　wall；　trickles　down　the　hillside　over
silvery　sand　to　the　lake；　between　two　banks　of　water…cress；　hugging
the　edge　of　the　woods。　I　know　nothing　that　money　can　buy　to　equal　it。

May　not　Gaston　come　to　loathe　this　too　perfect　bliss？　I　shudder　to
think　how　complete　it　is；　for　the　ripest　fruits　harbor　the　worms；　the
most　gorgeous　flowers　attract　the　insects。　Is　it　not　ever　the　monarch
of　the　forest　which　is　eaten　away　by　the　fatal　brown　grub；　greedy　as
death？　I　have　learned　before　now　that　an　unseen　and　jealous　power
attacks　happiness　which　has　reached　perfection。　Besides；　this　is　the
moral　of　all　your　preaching；　and　you　have　been　proved　a　prophet。

When　I　went；　the　day　before　yesterday；　to　see　whether　my　last　whim　had
been　carried　out；　tears　rose　to　my　eyes；　and；　to　the　great　surprise　of
my　architect；　I　at　once　passed　his　account　for　payment。

〃But；　madame；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃your　man　of　business　will　refuse　to　pay
this；　it　is　a　matter　of　three　hundred　thousand　francs。〃　My　only　reply
was　to　add　the　words；　〃To　be　paid　without　question；〃　with　the　bearing
of　a　seventeenth…century　Chaulieu。

〃But；〃　I　said；　〃there　is　one　condition　to　my　gratitude。　No　human　being
must　hear　from　you　of　the　park　and　buildings。　Promise　me；　on　your
honor；　to　observe　this　article　in　our　contractnot　to　breathe　to　a
soul　the　proprietor's　name。〃

Now；　can　you　understand　the　meaning　of　my　sudden　journeys；　my
mysterious　comings　and　goings？　Now；　do　you　know　whither　those
beautiful　things；　which　the　world　supposes　to　be　sold；　have　flown？　Do
you　perceive　the　ultimate　motive　of　my　change　of　investment？　Love；　my
dear；　is　a　vast　business；　and　they　who　would　succeed　in　it　should　have
no　other。　Henceforth　I　shall　have　no　more　trouble　from　money　matters；
I　have　taken　all　the　thorns　out　of　my　life；　and　done　my　housekeeping
work　once　for　all　with　a　vengeance；　so　as　never　to　be　troubled　with　it
again；　except　during　the　daily　ten　minutes　which　I　shall　devote　to　my
old　major…domo　Philippe。　I　have　made　a　study　of　life　and　its　sharp
curves；　there　came　a　day　when　death　also　gave　me　harsh　lessons。　Now　I
want　to　turn　all　this　to　account。　My　one　occupation　will　be　to　please
/him/　and　love　/him/；　to　brighten　with　variety　what　to　common　mortals
is　monotonously　dull。

Gaston　is　still　in　complete　ignorance。　At　my　request　he　has；　like
myself；　taken　up　his　quarters　at　Ville　d'Avray；　to…morrow　we　start　for
the　chalet。　Our　life　there　will　cost　but　little；　but　if　I　told　you　the
sum　I　am　setting　aside　for　my　toilet；　you　would　exclaim　at　my　madness；
and　with　reason。　I　intend　to　take　as　much　trouble　to　make　myself
beautiful　for　him　every　day　as　other　women　do　for　society。　My　dress　in
the　country；　year　in；　year　out；　will　cost　twenty…four　thousand　francs；
and　the　larger　portion　of　this　will　not　go　in　day　costumes。　As　for
him；　he　can　wear　a　blouse　if　he　pleases！　Don't　suppose　that　I　am　going
to　turn　our　life　into　an　amorous　duel　and　wear　myself　out　in　devices
for　feeding　passion；　all　that　I　want　is　to　have　a　conscience　free　from
reproach。　Thirteen　years　still　lie　before　me　as　a　pretty　woman；　and　I
am　determined　to　be　loved　on　the　last　day　of　the　thirteenth　even　more
fondly　than　on　the　morrow　of　our　mysterious　nuptials。　This　time　no
cutting　words　shall　mar　my　lowly；　grateful　content。　I　will　take　the
part　of　servant；　since　that　of　mistress　throve　so　ill　with　me　before。

Ah！　Renee；　if　Gaston　has　sounded；　as　I　have；　the　heights　and　depths　of
love；　my　happiness　is　assured！　Nature　at　the　chalet　wears　her　fairest
face。　The　woods　are　charming；　each　step　opens　up　to　you　some　fresh
vista　of　cool　greenery；　which　delights　the　soul　by　the　sweet　thoughts
it　wakens。　They　breathe　of　love。　If　only　this　be　not　the　gorgeous
theatre　dressed　by　my　hand　for　my　own　martyrdom！

In　two　days　from　now　I　shall　be　Mme。　Gaston。　My　God！　is　it　fitting　a
Christian　so　to　love　mortal　man？

〃Well；　at　least　you　have　the　law　with　you；〃　was　the　comment　of　my　man
of　business；　who　is　to　be　one　of　my　witnesses；　and　who　exclaimed；　on
discovering　why　my　property　was　to　be　realized；　〃I　am　losing　a
client！〃

And　you；　my　sweetheart　（whom　I　dare　no　longer　call　my　loved　one）；　may
you　not　cry；　〃I　am　losing　a　sister？〃

My　sweet；　address　when　you　write　in　future　to　Mme。　Gaston；　Poste
Restante；　Versailles。　We　shall　send　there　every　day　for　letters。　I
don't　want　to　be　known　to　the　country　people；　and　we　shall　get　our
provisions　from　Paris。　In　this　way　I　hope　we　may　guard　the　secret　of
our　lives。　Nobody　has　been　seen　in　the　place　during　the　years　spent　in
preparing　our　retreat；　and　the　purchase　was　made　in　the　troubled
period　which　followed　the　revolution　of　July。　The　only　person　who　has
shown　himself　here　is　the　architect；　he　alone　is　known；　and　he　will
not　return。

Farewell。　As　I　write　this　word；　I　know　not　whether　my　heart　is　fuller
of　grief　or　joy。　That　proves；　does　it　not；　that　the　pain　of　losing　you
equals　my　love　for　Gaston？



XLIX

MARIE　GASTON　TO　DANIEL　D'ARTHEZ
October　1833。

My　Dear　Daniel；I　need　two　witnesses　for　my　marriage。　I　beg　of　you　to
come　to…morrow　evening　for　this　purpose；　bringing　with　you　our　worthy
and　honored　friend；　Joseph　Bridau。　She　who　is　to　be　my　wife；　with　an
instinctive　divination　of　my　dearest　wishes；　has　declared　her
intention　of　living　far　from　the　world　in　complete　retirement。　You；
who　have　done　so　much　to　lighten　my　penury；　have　been　left　in
ignorance　of　my　love；　but　you　will　understand　that　absolute　secrecy
was　essential。

This　will　explain　to　you　why　it　is　that；　for　the　last　year；　we　have
seen　so　little　of　each　other。　On　the　morrow　of　my　wedding　we　shall　be
parted　for　a　long　time；　but；　Daniel；　you　are　of　stuff　to　understand
me。　Friendship　can　subsist　in　the　absence　of　the　friend。　There　may　be
times　when　I　shall　want　you　badly；　but　I　shall　not　see　you；　at　least
not　in　my　own　house。　Here　again　/she/　has　forestalled　our　wishes。　She
has　sacrificed　to　me　her　intimacy　with　a　friend　of　her　childhood；　who
has　been　a　sister　to　her。　For　her　sake；　then；　I　also　must　relinquish
my　comrade！

From　this　fact　alone　you　will　divine　that　ours　is　no　mere　passing
fancy；　but　love；　absolute；　perfect；　godlike；　love　based　upon　the
fullest　knowledge　that　can　bind　two　hearts　in　sympathy。　To　me　it　is　a
perpetual　spring　of　purest　delight。

Yet　nature　allows　of　no　happiness　without　alloy；　and　deep　down；　in　the
innermost　rece