the muse of the department-第27章
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woman； who has chosen me for her lover； will make a fuss over her
frock！ If she had but put on a foulard skirt； I should be happy。What
is the meaning of these difficulties〃
While Lousteau was wondering whether Dinah had put on a muslin gown on
purpose to protect herself by an insuperable obstacle； Bianchon； with
the help of the coachman； was seeing his luggage piled on the
diligence。 Finally； he came to take leave of Dinah； who was
excessively friendly with him。
〃Go home； Madame la Baronne； leave me hereGatien will be coming；〃 he
added in an undertone。 〃It is getting late；〃 said he aloud。 〃Good…
bye！〃
〃Good…byegreat man！〃 cried Lousteau； shaking hands with Bianchon。
When the journalist and Madame de la Baudraye； side by side in the
rickety old chaise； had recrossed the Loire； they both were unready to
speak。 In these circumstances； the first words that break the silence
are full of terrible meaning。
〃Do you know how much I love you？〃 said the journalist point blank。
Victory might gratify Lousteau； but defeat could cause him no grief。
This indifference was the secret of his audacity。 He took Madame de la
Baudraye's hand as he spoke these decisive words； and pressed it in
both his； but Dinah gently released it。
〃Yes； I am as good as an actress or a /grisette/；〃 she said in a voice
that trembled； though she spoke lightly。 〃But can you suppose that a
woman who； in spite of her absurdities； has some intelligence； will
have reserved the best treasures of her heart for a man who will
regard her merely as a transient pleasure？I am not surprised to hear
from your lips the words which so many men have said to mebut〃
The coachman turned round。
〃Here comes Monsieur Gatien；〃 said he。
〃I love you； I will have you； you shall be mine； for I have never felt
for any woman the passion I have for you！〃 said Lousteau in her ear。
〃In spite of my will； perhaps？〃 said she； with a smile。
〃At least you must seem to have been assaulted to save my honor；〃 said
the Parisian； to whom the fatal immaculateness of clean muslin
suggested a ridiculous notion。
Before Gatien had reached the end of the bridge； the outrageous
journalist had crumpled up Madame de la Baudraye's muslin dress to
such an effect that she was absolutely not presentable。
〃Oh； monsieur！〃 she exclaimed in dignified reproof。
〃You defied me；〃 said the Parisian。
But Gatien now rode up with the vehemence of a duped lover。 To regain
a little of Madame de la Baudraye's esteem； Lousteau did his best to
hide the tumbled dress from Gatien's eyes by leaning out of the chaise
to speak to him from Dinah's side。
〃Go back to our inn；〃 said he； 〃there is still time； the diligence
does not start for half an hour。 The papers are on the table of the
room Bianchon was in； he wants them particularly； for he will be lost
without his notes for the lecture。〃
〃Pray go； Gatien；〃 said Dinah to her young adorer； with an imperious
glance。 And the boy thus commanded turned his horse and was off with a
loose rein。
〃Go quickly to La Baudraye；〃 cried Lousteau to the coachman。 〃Madame
is not wellYour mother only will know the secret of my trick；〃 added
he； taking his seat by Dinah。
〃You call such infamous conduct a trick？〃 cried Madame de la Baudraye；
swallowing down a few tears that dried up with the fire of outraged
pride。
She leaned back in the corner of the chaise； crossed her arms； and
gazed out at the Loire and the landscape； at anything rather than at
Lousteau。 The journalist put on his most ingratiating tone； and talked
till they reached La Baudraye； where Dinah fled indoors； trying not to
be seen by any one。 In her agitation she threw herself on a sofa and
burst into tears。
〃If I am an object of horror to you； of aversion or scorn； I will go；〃
said Lousteau； who had followed her。 And he threw himself at her feet。
It was at this crisis that Madame Piedefer came in； saying to her
daughter：
〃What is the matter？ What has happened？〃
〃Give your daughter another dress at once；〃 said the audacious
Parisian in the prim old lady's ear。
Hearing the mad gallop of Gatien's horse； Madame de la Baudraye fled
to her bedroom； followed by her mother。
〃There are no papers at the inn；〃 said Gatien to Lousteau； who went
out to meet him。
〃And you found none at the Chateau d'Anzy either？〃 replied Lousteau。
〃You have been making a fool of me；〃 said Gatien； in a cold； set
voice。
〃Quite so；〃 replied Lousteau。 〃Madame de la Baudraye was greatly
annoyed by your choosing to follow her without being invited。 Believe
me； to bore a woman is a bad way of courting her。 Dinah has played you
a trick； and you have given her a laugh； it is more than any of you
has done in these thirteen years past。 You owe that success to
Bianchon； for your cousin was the author of the Farce of the
'Manuscript。'Will the horse get over it？〃 asked Lousteau with a
laugh； while Gatien was wondering whether to be angry or not。
〃The horse！〃 said Gatien。
At this moment Madame de la Baudraye came in； dressed in a velvet
gown； and accompanied by her mother； who shot angry flashes at
Lousteau。 It would have been too rash for Dinah to seem cold or severe
to Lousteau in Gatien's presence； and Etienne； taking advantage of
this； offered his arm to the supposed Lucretia； however； she declined
it。
〃Do you mean to cast off a man who has vowed to live for you？〃 said
he； walking close beside her。 〃I shall stop at Sancerre and go home
to…morrow。〃
〃Are you coming； mamma？〃 said Madame de la Baudraye to Madame
Piedefer； thus avoiding a reply to the direct challenge by which
Lousteau was forcing her to a decision。
Lousteau handed the mother into the chaise； he helped Madame de la
Baudraye by gently taking her arm； and he and Gatien took the front
seat； leaving the saddle horse at La Baudraye。
〃You have changed your gown；〃 said Gatien； blunderingly； to Dinah。
〃Madame la Baronne was chilled by the cool air off the river；〃 replied
Lousteau。 〃Bianchon advised her to put on a warm dress。〃
Dinah turned as red as a poppy； and Madame Piedefer assumed a stern
expression。
〃Poor Bianchon！ he is on the road to Paris。 A noble soul！〃 said
Lousteau。
〃Oh； yes！〃 cried Madame de la Baudraye； 〃he is high…minded； full of
delicate feeling〃
〃We were in such good spirits when we set out；〃 said Lousteau； 〃now
you are overdone； and you speak to me so bitterlywhy？ Are you not
accustomed to being told how handsome and how clever you are？ For my
part； I say boldly； before Gatien； I give up Paris； I mean to stay at
Sancerre and swell the number of your /cavalieri serventi/。 I feel so
young again in my native district； I have quite forgotten Paris and
all its wickedness； and its bores； and its wearisome pleasures。Yes；
my life seems in a way purified。〃
Dinah allowed Lousteau to talk without even looking at him； but at
last there was a moment when this serpent's rhodomontade was really so
inspired by the effort he made to affect passion in phrases and ideas
of which the meaning； though hidden from Gatien； found a loud response
in Dinah's heart； that she raised her eyes to his。 This look seemed to
crown Lousteau's joy； his wit flowed more freely； and at last he made
Madame de la Baudraye laugh。 When； under circumstances which so
seriously compromise her pride； a woman has been made to laugh； she is
finally committed。
As they drove in by the spacious graveled forecourt； with its lawn in
the middle； and the large vases filled with flowers which so well set
off the facade of Anzy； the journalist was saying：
〃When women love； they forgive everything； even our crimes； when they
do not love； they cannot forgive anythingnot even our virtues。Do
you forgive me；〃 he added in Madame de la Baudraye's ear； and pressing
her arm to his heart with tender emphasis。 And Dinah could not help
smiling。
All through dinner； and for the rest of the evening； Etienne was in
the most delightful spirits； inexhaustibly cheerful； but while thus
giving vent to his intoxication； he now and then fell into the dreamy
abstraction of a man who seems rapt in his own happiness。
After coffee had been served； Madame de la Baudraye and her mother
