honorine-第18章

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not　been　a　duty；　but　the　inevitable；　while　Amelie　would　serenely
pronounce　the　most　solemn　promises　without　knowing　their　purport　or　to
what　they　bound　her。　The　crushed；　the　dead　woman；　so　to　speak；　the
sinner　to　be　reinstated；　seemed　to　me　sublime；　she　incited　the　special
generosities　of　a　man's　nature；　she　demanded　all　the　treasures　of　the
heart；　all　the　resources　of　strength；　she　filled　his　life　and　gave　the
zest　of　a　conflict　to　happiness；　whereas　Amelie；　chaste　and　confiding；
would　settle　down　into　the　sphere　of　peaceful　motherhood；　where　the
commonplace　must　be　its　poetry；　and　where　my　mind　would　find　no
struggle　and　no　victory。

〃Of　the　plains　of　Champagne　and　the　snowy；　storm…beaten　but　sublime
Alps；　what　young　man　would　choose　the　chalky；　monotonous　level？　No；
such　comparisons　are　fatal　and　wrong　on　the　threshold　of　the　Mairie。
Alas！　only　the　experience　of　life　can　teach　us　that　marriage　excludes
passion；　that　a　family　cannot　have　its　foundation　on　the　tempests　of
love。　After　having　dreamed　of　impossible　love；　with　its　infinite
caprices；　after　having　tasted　the　tormenting　delights　of　the　ideal；　I
saw　before　me　modest　reality。　Pity　me；　for　what　could　be　expected！　At
five…and…twenty　I　did　not　trust　myself；　but　I　took　a　manful
resolution。

〃I　went　back　to　the　Count　to　announce　the　arrival　of　his　relations；
and　I　saw　him　grown　young　again　in　the　reflected　light　of　hope。

〃　'What　ails　you；　Maurice？'　said　he；　struck　by　my　changed　expression。

〃　'Monsieur　le　Comte'

〃　'No　longer　Octave？　You；　to　whom　I　shall　owe　my　life；　my
happiness'

〃　'My　dear　Octave；　if　you　should　succeed　in　bringing　the　Countess　back
to　her　duty；　I　have　studied　her　well'（he　looked　at　me　as　Othello
must　have　looked　at　Iago　when　Iago　first　contrived　to　insinuate　a
suspicion　into　the　Moor's　mind）'she　must　never　see　me　again；　she
must　never　know　that　Maurice　was　your　secretary。　Never　mention　my　name
to　her；　or　all　will　be　undone。　。　。　。　You　have　got　me　an　appointment　as
Maitre　des　Requeteswell；　get　me　instead　some　diplomatic　post　abroad；
a　consulship；　and　do　not　think　of　my　marrying　Amelie。Oh！　do　not　be
uneasy；'　I　added；　seeing　him　draw　himself　up；　'I　will　play　my　part　to
the　end。'

〃　'Poor　boy！'　said　he；　taking　my　hand；　which　he　pressed；　while　he　kept
back　the　tears　that　were　starting　to　his　eyes。

〃　'You　gave　me　the　gloves；'　I　said；　laughing；　'but　I　have　not　put　them
on；　that　is　all。'

〃We　then　agreed　as　to　what　I　was　to　do　that　evening　at　Honorine's
house；　whither　I　presently　returned。　It　was　now　August；　the　day　had
been　hot　and　stormy；　but　the　storm　hung　overhead；　the　sky　was　like
copper；　the　scent　of　the　flowers　was　heavy；　I　felt　as　if　I　were　in　an
oven；　and　caught　myself　wishing　that　the　Countess　might　have　set　out
for　the　Indies；　but　she　was　sitting　on　a　wooden　bench　shaped　like　a
sofa；　under　an　arbor；　in　a　loose　dress　of　white　muslin　fastened　with
blue　bows；　her　hair　unadorned　in　waving　bands　over　her　cheeks；　her
feet　on　a　small　wooden　stool；　and　showing　a　little　way　beyond　her
skirt。　She　did　not　rise；　she　showed　me　with　her　hand　to　the　seat　by
her　side；　saying：

〃　'Now；　is　not　life　at　a　deadlock　for　me？'

〃　'Life　as　you　have　made　it；　I　replied。　'But　not　the　life　I　propose　to
make　for　you；　for；　if　you　choose；　you　may　be　very　happy。　。　。　。'

〃　'How？'　said　she；　her　whole　person　was　a　question。

〃　'Your　letter　is　in　the　Count's　hands。'

〃Honorine　started　like　a　frightened　doe；　sprang　to　a　few　paces　off；
walked　down　the　garden；　turned　about；　remained　standing　for　some
minutes；　and　finally　went　in　to　sit　alone　in　the　drawing…room；　where　I
joined　her；　after　giving　her　time　to　get　accustomed　to　the　pain　of
this　poniard　thrust。

〃　'Youa　friend？　Say　rather　a　traitor！　A　spy；　perhaps；　sent　by　my
husband。'

〃Instinct　in　women　is　as　strong　as　the　perspicacity　of　great　men。

〃　'You　wanted　an　answer　to　your　letter；　did　you　not？　And　there　was　but
one　man　in　the　world　who　could　write　it。　You　must　read　the　reply；　my
dear　Countess；　and　if　after　reading　it　you　still　find　that　your　life
is　a　deadlock；　the　spy　will　prove　himself　a　friend；　I　will　place　you
in　a　convent　whence　the　Count's　power　cannot　drag　you。　But；　before
going　there；　let　us　consider　the　other　side　of　the　question。　There　is
a　law；　alike　divine　and　human；　which　even　hatred　affects　to　obey；　and
which　commands　us　not　to　condemn　the　accused　without　hearing　his
defence。　Till　now　you　have　passed　condemnation；　as　children　do；　with
your　ears　stopped。　The　devotion　of　seven　years　has　its　claims。　So　you
must　read　the　answer　your　husband　will　send　you。　I　have　forwarded　to
him；　through　my　uncle；　a　copy　of　your　letter；　and　my　uncle　asked　him
what　his　reply　would　be　if　his　wife　wrote　him　a　letter　in　such　terms。
Thus　you　are　not　compromised。　He　will　himself　bring　the　Count's
answer。　In　the　presence　of　that　saintly　man；　and　in　mine；　out　of
respect　for　your　own　dignity；　you　must　read　it；　or　you　will　be　no
better　than　a　wilful；　passionate　child。　You　must　make　this　sacrifice
to　the　world；　to　the　law；　and　to　God。'

〃As　she　saw　in　this　concession　no　attack　on　her　womanly　resolve；　she
consented。　All　the　labor　or　four　or　five　months　had　been　building　up
to　this　moment。　But　do　not　the　Pyramids　end　in　a　point　on　which　a　bird
may　perch？　The　Count　had　set　all　his　hopes　on　this　supreme　instant；
and　he　had　reached　it。

〃In　all　my　life　I　remember　nothing　more　formidable　than　my　uncle's
entrance　into　that　little　Pompadour　drawing…room；　at　ten　that　evening。
The　fine　head；　with　its　silver　hair　thrown　into　relief　by　the　entirely
black　dress；　and　the　divinely　calm　face；　had　a　magical　effect　on　the
Comtesse　Honorine；　she　had　the　feeling　of　cool　balm　on　her　wounds；　and
beamed　in　the　reflection　of　that　virtue　which　gave　light　without
knowing　it。

〃　'Monsieur　the　Cure　of　the　White　Friars；'　said　old　Gobain。

〃　'Are　you　come；　uncle；　with　a　message　of　happiness　and　peace？'　said
I。

〃　'Happiness　and　peace　are　always　to　be　found　in　obedience　to　the
precepts　of　the　Church；'　replied　my　uncle；　and　he　handed　the　Countess
the　following　letter：

〃　'MY　DEAR　HONORINE；

〃　'If　you　had　but　done　me　the　favor　of　trusting　me；　if　you　had　read
the　letter　I　wrote　to　you　five　years　since；　you　would　have　spared
yourself　five　years　of　useless　labor；　and　of　privations　which　have
grieved　me　deeply。　In　it　I　proposed　an　arrangement　of　which　the
stipulations　will　relieve　all　your　fears；　and　make　our　domestic　life
possible。　I　have　much　to　reproach　myself　with；　and　in　seven　years　of
sorrow　I　have　discovered　all　my　errors。　I　misunderstood　marriage。　I
failed　to　scent　danger　when　it　threatened　you。　An　angel　was　in　the
house。　The　Lord　bid　me　guard　it　well！　The　Lord　has　punished　me　for　my
audacious　confidence。

〃　'You　cannot　give　yourself　a　single　lash　without　striking　me。　Have
mercy　on　me；　my　dear　Honorine。　I　so　fully　appreciated　your
susceptibilities　that　I　would　not　bring　you　back　to　the　old　house　in
the　Rue　Payenne；　where　I　can　live　without　you；　but　which　I　could　not
bear　to　see　again　with　you。　I　am　decorating；　with　great　pleasure；
another　house；　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；　to　which；　in　hope；　I
conduct　not　a　wife　whom　I　owe　to　her　ignorance　of　life；　and　secured　to
me　by　law；　but　a　sister　who　will　allow　me　to　press　on　her　brow　such　a
kiss　as　a　father　gives　the　daughter　he　blesses　every　day。

〃　'Will　you　bereave　me　of　the　right　I　have　conquered　from　your　despair
that　of　watching　more　closely　over　your　needs；　your　pleasures；　your
life　even？　Women　have　one　heart　always　on　their　side；　always　abounding
in　excusestheir　mother's；　you　never　knew　any　mother　but　my　mother；
who　would　have　brought　you　back　to　me。　But　how　is　it　that　you　never
guessed　that　I　had　for　you　the　heart　of　a　mother；　both　of　my　mother
and　of　your　own？　Yes；　dear；　my　affection　is　neither　mean　nor　grasping；
it　is　one　of　those　which　will　never　let　any　annoyance　last　long　enough
to　pucker　the　brow　of　the　child　it　worships。　What　can　you　think　of　the
companion　of　your　childhood；　Honorine；　if　you　believe　him　capable　of
accepting　kisses　given　in　trembling；　of　living　between　delight　and
anxiety？　Do　not　fear　that　you　will　be　exposed　to　the　laments　of　a
suppliant　passion；　I　would　n