honorine-第2章

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seemed　to　wish　to　marry。　Nevertheless；　after　living　in　the　town　for
two　years；　and　after　certain　steps　taken　by　the　Ambassador　during　his
visits　to　the　Genoese　Court；　the　marriage　was　decided　on。　The　young
man　withdrew　his　former　refusal；　less　on　account　of　the　touching
affection　of　Onorina　Petrotti　than　by　reason　of　an　unknown　incident；
one　of　those　crises　of　private　life　which　are　so　instantly　buried
under　the　daily　tide　of　interests　that；　at　a　subsequent　date；　the　most
natural　actions　seem　inexplicable。

This　involution　of　causes　sometimes　affects　the　most　serious　events　of
history。　This；　at　any　rate；　was　the　opinion　of　the　town　of　Genoa；
where；　to　some　women；　the　extreme　reserve；　the　melancholy　of　the
French　Consul　could　be　explained　only　by　the　word　passion。　It　may　be
remarked；　in　passing；　that　women　never　complain　of　being　the　victims
of　a　preference；　they　are　very　ready　to　immolate　themselves　for　the
common　weal。　Onorina　Pedrotti；　who　might　have　hated　the　Consul　if　she
had　been　altogether　scorned；　loved　her　/sposo/　no　less；　and　perhaps
more；　when　she　know　that　he　had　loved。　Women　allow　precedence　in　love
affairs。　All　is　well　if　other　women　are　in　question。

A　man　is　not　a　diplomate　with　impunity：　the　/sposo/　was　as　secret　as
the　graveso　secret　that　the　merchants　of　Genoa　chose　to　regard　the
young　Consul's　attitude　as　premeditated；　and　the　heiress　might　perhaps
have　slipped　through　his　fingers　if　he　had　not　played　his　part　of　a
love…sick　/malade　imaginaire/。　If　it　was　real；　the　women　thought　it
too　degrading　to　be　believed。

Pedrotti's　daughter　gave　him　her　love　as　a　consolation；　she　lulled
these　unknown　griefs　in　a　cradle　of　tenderness　and　Italian　caresses。

Il　Signor　Pedrotti　had　indeed　no　reason　to　complain　of　the　choice　to
which　he　was　driven　by　his　beloved　child。　Powerful　protectors　in　Paris
watched　over　the　young　diplomate's　fortunes。　In　accordance　with　a
promise　made　by　the　Ambassador　to　the　Consul…General's　father…in…law；
the　young　man　was　created　Baron　and　Commander　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。
Signor　Pedrotti　himself　was　made　a　Count　by　the　King　of　Sardinia。
Onorina's　dower　was　a　million　of　francs。　As　to　the　fortune　of　the　Casa
Pedrotti；　estimated　at　two　millions；　made　in　the　corn　trade；　the　young
couple　came　into　it　within　six　months　of　their　marriage；　for　the　first
and　last　Count　Pedrotti　died　in　January　183l。

Onorina　Pedrotti　is　one　of　those　beautiful　Genoese　women　who；　when
they　are　beautiful；　are　the　most　magnificent　creatures　in　Italy。
Michael　Angelo　took　his　models　in　Genoa　for　the　tomb　of　Giuliano。
Hence　the　fulness　and　singular　placing　of　the　breast　in　the　figures　of
Day　and　Night；　which　so　many　critics　have　thought　exaggerated；　but
which　is　peculiar　to　the　women　of　Liguria。　A　Genoese　beauty　is　no
longer　to　be　found　excepting　under　the　mezzaro；　as　at　Venice　it　is　met
with　only　under　the　/fazzioli/。　This　phenomenon　is　observed　among　all
fallen　nations。　The　noble　type　survives　only　among　the　populace；　as
after　the　burning　of　a　town　coins　are　found　hidden　in　the　ashes。　And
Onorina；　an　exception　as　regards　her　fortune；　is　no　less　an
exceptional　patrician　beauty。　Recall　to　mind　the　figure　of　Night　which
Michael　Angelo　has　placed　at　the　feet　of　the　/Pensieroso/；　dress　her
in　modern　garb；　twist　that　long　hair　round　the　magnificent　head；　a
little　dark　in　complexion；　set　a　spark　of　fire　in　those　dreamy　eyes；
throw　a　scarf　about　the　massive　bosom；　see　the　long　dress；　white；
embroidered　with　flowers；　imagine　the　statue　sitting　upright；　with　her
arms　folded　like　those　of　Mademoiselle　Georges；　and　you　will　see
before　you　the　Consul's　wife；　with　a　boy　of　six；　as　handsome　as　a
mother's　desire；　and　a　little　girl　of　four　on　her　knees；　as　beautiful
as　the　type　of　childhood　so　laboriously　sought　out　by　the　sculptor
David　to　grace　a　tomb。

This　beautiful　family　was　the　object　of　Camille's　secret　study。　It
struck　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　that　the　Consul　looked　rather　too
absent…minded　for　a　perfectly　happy　man。

Although；　throughout　the　day；　the　husband　and　wife　had　offered　her　the
pleasing　spectacle　of　complete　happiness；　Camille　wondered　why　one　of
the　most　superior　men　she　had　ever　met；　and　whom　she　had　seen　too　in
Paris　drawing…rooms；　remained　as　Consul…General　at　Genoa　when　he
possessed　a　fortune　of　a　hundred　odd　thousand　francs　a　year。　But；　at
the　same　time；　she　had　discerned；　by　many　of　the　little　nothings　which
women　perceive　with　the　intelligence　of　the　Arab　sage　in　/Zadig/；　that
the　husband　was　faithfully　devoted。　These　two　handsome　creatures　would
no　doubt　love　each　other　without　a　misunderstanding　till　the　end　of
their　days。　So　Camille　said　to　herself　alternately；　〃What　is　wrong？
Nothing　is　wrong；〃　following　the　misleading　symptoms　of　the　Consul's
demeanor；　and　he；　it　may　be　said；　had　the　absolute　calmness　of
Englishmen；　of　savages；　of　Orientals；　and　of　consummate　diplomatists。

In　discussing　literature；　they　spoke　of　the　perennial　stock…in…trade
of　the　republic　of　letterswoman's　sin。　And　they　presently　found
themselves　confronted　by　two　opinions：　When　a　woman　sins；　is　the　man
or　the　woman　to　blame？　The　three　women　presentthe　Ambassadress；　the
Consul's　wife；　and　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　women；　of　course；　of
blameless　reputationswere　without　pity　for　the　woman。　The　men　tried
to　convince　these　fair　flowers　of　their　sex　that　some　virtues　might
remain　in　a　woman　after　she　had　fallen。

〃How　long　are　we　going　to　play　at　hide…and…seek　in　this　way？〃　said
Leon　de　Lora。

〃/Cara　vita/；　go　and　put　your　children　to　bed；　and　send　me　by　Gina　the
little　black　pocket…book　that　lies　on　my　Boule　cabinet；〃　said　the
Consul　to　his　wife。

She　rose　without　a　reply；　which　shows　that　she　loved　her　husband　very
truly；　for　she　already　knew　French　enough　to　understand　that　her
husband　was　getting　rid　of　her。

〃I　will　tell　you　a　story　in　which　I　played　a　part；　and　after　that　we
can　discuss　it；　for　it　seems　to　me　childish　to　practise　with　the
scalpel　on　an　imaginary　body。　Begin　by　dissecting　a　corpse。〃

Every　one　prepared　to　listen；　with　all　the　greater　readiness　because
they　had　all　talked　enough；　and　this　is　the　moment　to　be　chosen　for
telling　a　story。　This；　then；　is　the　Consul…General's　tale：

〃When　I　was　two…and…twenty；　and　had　taken　my　degree　in　law；　my　old
uncle；　the　Abbe　Loraux；　then　seventy…two　years　old；　felt　it　necessary
to　provide　me　with　a　protector；　and　to　start　me　in　some　career。　This
excellent　man；　if　not　indeed　a　saint；　regarded　each　year　of　his　life
as　a　fresh　gift　from　God。　I　need　not　tell　you　that　the　father
confessor　of　a　Royal　Highness　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　a　place　for
a　young　man　brought　up　by　himself；　his　sister's　only　child。　So　one
day；　towards　the　end　of　the　year　1824；　this　venerable　old　man；　who　for
five　years　had　been　Cure　of　the　White　Friars　at　Paris；　came　up　to　the
room　I　had　in　his　house；　and　said：

〃　'Get　yourself　dressed；　my　dear　boy；　I　am　going　to　introduce　you　to
some　one　who　is　willing　to　engage　you　as　secretary。　If　I　am　not
mistaken；　he　may　fill　my　place　in　the　event　of　God's　taking　me　to
Himself。　I　shall　have　finished　mass　at　nine　o'clock；　you　have　three…
quarters　of　an　hour　before　you。　Be　ready。'

〃　'What；　uncle！　must　I　say　good…bye　to　this　room；　where　for　four　years
I　have　been　so　happy？'

〃　'I　have　no　fortune　to　leave　you；'　said　he。

〃　'Have　you　not　the　reputation　of　your　name　to　leave　me；　the　memory　of
your　good　works？'

〃　'We　need　say　nothing　of　that　inheritance；'　he　replied；　smiling。　'You
do　not　yet　know　enough　of　the　world　to　be　aware　that　a　legacy　of　that
kind　is　hardly　likely　to　be　paid；　whereas　by　taking　you　this　morning
to　M。　le　Comte'Allow　me；〃　said　the　Consul；　interrupting　himself；　〃to
speak　of　my　protector　by　his　Christian　name　only；　and　to　call　him
Comte　Octave。'By　taking　you　this　morning　to　M。　le　Comte　Octave；　I
hope　to　secure　you　his　patronage；　which；　if　you　are　so　fortunate　as　to
please　that　virtuous　statesmanas　I　make　no　doubt　you　canwill　be
worth；　at　least；　as　much　as　the　fortune　I　might　have　accumulated　for
you；　if　my　brother…in…law's　ruin　and　my　sister's　death　had　not　fallen
on　me　like　a　thunder…bolt　from　a　clear　sky。'

〃　'Are　you　the　Count's