the muse of the department-第43章

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Marquis　de　Montriveauthe　new　Count　met　the　old　Duc　de　Chaulieu；　a
former　creditor；　walking　along；　umbrella　in　hand；　while　he　himself　sat
perched　in　a　low　chaise　on　which　his　coat…of…arms　was　resplendent；
with　the　motto；　/Deo　sic　patet　fides　et　hominibus/。　This　contrast
filled　his　heart　with　a　large　draught　of　the　balm　on　which　the　middle
class　has　been　getting　drunk　ever　since　1840。

Madame　de　la　Baudraye　was　shocked　to　see　her　husband　improved　and
looking　better　than　on　the　day　of　his　marriage。　The　little　dwarf；　full
of　rapturous　delight；　at　sixty…four　triumphed　in　the　life　which　had　so
long　been　denied　him；　in　the　family；　which　his　handsome　cousin　Milaud
of　Nevers　had　declared　he　would　never　have；　and　in　his　wifewho　had
asked　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Clagny　to　dinner　to　meet　the　cure　of　the
parish　and　his　two　sponsors　to　the　Chamber　of　Peers。　He　petted　the
children　with　fatuous　delight。

The　handsome　display　on　the　table　met　with　his　approval。

〃These　are　the　fleeces　of　the　Berry　sheep；〃　said　he；　showing　Monsieur
de　Nucingen　the　dish…covers　surmounted　by　his　newly…won　coronet。　〃They
are　of　silver；　you　see！〃

Though　consumed　by　melancholy；　which　she　concealed　with　the
determination　of　a　really　superior　woman；　Dinah　was　charming；　witty；
and　above　all；　young　again　in　her　court　mourning。

〃You　might　declare；〃　cried　La　Baudraye　to　Monsieur　de　Nucingen　with　a
wave　of　his　hand　to　his　wife；　〃that　the　Countess　was　not　yet　thirty。〃

〃Ah；　ha！　Matame　is　a　voman　of　dirty！〃　replied　the　baron；　who　was　prone
to　time…honored　remarks；　which　he　took　to　be　the　small　change　of
conversation。

〃In　every　sense　of　the　words；〃　replied　the　Countess。　〃I　am；　in　fact；
five…and…thirty；　and　mean　to　set　up　a　little　passion〃

〃Oh；　yes；　my　wife　ruins　me　in　curiosities　and　china　images〃

〃She　started　that　mania　at　an　early　age；〃　said　the　Marquis　de
Montriveau　with　a　smile。

〃Yes；〃　said　La　Baudraye；　with　a　cold　stare　at　the　Marquis；　whom　he　had
known　at　Bourges；　〃you　know　that　in　'25；　'26；　and　'27；　she　picked　a
million　francs'　worth　of　treasures。　Anzy　is　a　perfect　museum。〃

〃What　a　cool　hand！〃　thought　Monsieur　de　Clagny；　as　he　saw　this　little
country　miser　quite　on　the　level　of　his　new　position。

But　misers　have　savings　of　all　kinds　ready　for　use。

On　the　day　after　the　vote　on　the　Regency　had　passed　the　Chambers；　the
little　Count　went　back　to　Sancerre　for　the　vintage　and　resumed　his　old
habits。

In　the　course　of　that　winter；　the　Comtesse　de　la　Baudraye；　with　the
support　of　the　Attorney…General　to　the　Court　of　Appeals；　tried　to　form
a　little　circle。　Of　course；　she　had　an　〃at　home〃　day；　she　made　a
selection　among　men　of　mark；　receiving　none　but　those　of　serious
purpose　and　ripe　years。　She　tried　to　amuse　herself　by　going　to　the
Opera；　French　and　Italian。　Twice　a　week　she　appeared　there　with　her
mother　and　Madame　de　Clagny；　who　was　made　by　her　husband　to　visit
Dinah。　Still；　in　spite　of　her　cleverness；　her　charming　manners；　her
fashionable　stylishness；　she　was　never　really　happy　but　with　her
children；　on　whom　she　lavished　all　her　disappointed　affection。

Worthy　Monsieur　de　Clagny　tried　to　recruit　women　for　the　Countess'
circle；　and　he　succeeded；　but　he　was　more　successful　among　the
advocates　of　piety　than　the　women　of　fashion。

〃And　they　bore　her！〃　said　he　to　himself　with　horror；　as　he　saw　his
idol　matured　by　grief；　pale　from　remorse；　and　then；　in　all　the
splendor　of　recovered　beauty；　restored　by　a　life　of　luxury　and　care
for　her　boys。　This　devoted　friend；　encouraged　in　his　efforts　by　her
mother　and　by　the　cure　was　full　of　expedient。　Every　Wednesday　he
introduced　some　celebrity　from　Germany；　England；　Italy；　or　Prussia　to
his　dear　Countess；　he　spoke　of　her　as　a　quite　exceptional　woman　to
people　to　whom　she　hardly　addressed　two　words；　but　she　listened　to
them　with　such　deep　attention　that　they　went　away　fully　convinced　of
her　superiority。　In　Paris；　Dinah　conquered　by　silence；　as　at　Sancerre
she　had　conquered　by　loquacity。　Now　and　then；　some　smart　saying　about
affairs；　or　sarcasm　on　an　absurdity；　betrayed　a　woman　accustomed　to
deal　with　ideasthe　woman　who；　four　years　since；　had　given　new　life
to　Lousteau's　articles。

This　phase　was　to　the　poor　lawyer's　hapless　passion　like　the　late
season　known　as　the　Indian　summer　after　a　sunless　year。　He　affected　to
be　older　than　he　was；　to　have　the　right　to　befriend　Dinah　without
doing　her　an　injury；　and　kept　himself　at　a　distance　as　though　he　were
young；　handsome；　and　compromising；　like　a　man　who　has　happiness　to
conceal。　He　tried　to　keep　his　little　attentions　a　profound　secret；　and
the　trifling　gifts　which　Dinah　showed　to　every　one；　he　endeavored　to
suggest　a　dangerous　meaning　for　his　little　services。

〃He　plays　at　passion；〃　said　the　Countess；　laughing。　She　made　fun　of
Monsieur　de　Clagny　to　his　face；　and　the　lawyer　said；　〃She　notices　me。〃

〃I　impress　that　poor　man　so　deeply；〃　said　she　to　her　mother；　laughing；
〃that　if　I　would　say　Yes；　I　believe　he　would　say　No。〃

One　evening　Monsieur　de　Clagny　and　his　wife　were　taking　his　dear
Countess　home　from　the　theatre；　and　she　was　deeply　pensive。　They　had
been　to　the　first　performance　of　Leon　Gozlan's　first　play；　/La　Main
Droite　et　la　Main　Gauche/　（The　Right　Hand　and　the　Left）。

〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　asked　the　lawyer；　alarmed　at　his　idol's
dejection。

This　deep　and　persistent　melancholy；　though　disguised　by　the　Countess；
was　a　perilous　malady　for　which　Monsieur　de　Clagny　knew　no　remedy；　for
true　love　is　often　clumsy；　especially　when　it　is　not　reciprocated。
True　love　takes　its　expression　from　the　character。　Now；　this　good　man
loved　after　the　fashion　of　Alceste；　when　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　wanted
to　be　loved　after　the　manner　of　Philinte。　The　meaner　side　of　love　can
never　get　on　with　the　Misanthrope's　loyalty。　Thus；　Dinah　had　taken
care　never　to　open　her　heart　to　this　man。　How　could　she　confess　to　him
that　she　sometimes　regretted　the　slough　she　had　left？

She　felt　a　void　in　this　fashionable　life；　she　had　no　one　for　whom　to
dress；　or　whom　to　tell　of　her　successes　and　triumphs。　Sometimes　the
memory　of　her　wretchedness　came　to　her；　mingled　with　memories　of
consuming　joys。　She　would　hate　Lousteau　for　not　taking　any　pains　to
follow　her；　she　would　have　liked　to　get　tender　or　furious　letters　from
him。

Dinah　made　no　reply；　so　Monsieur　de　Clagny　repeated　the　question；
taking　the　Countess'　hand　and　pressing　it　between　his　own　with　devout
respect。

〃Will　you　have　the　right　hand　or　the　left？〃　said　she；　smiling。

〃The　left；〃　said　he；　〃for　I　suppose　you　mean　the　truth　or　a　fib。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　saw　him；〃　she　said；　speaking　into　the　lawyer's　ear。
〃And　as　I　saw　him　looking　so　sad；　so　out　of　heart；　I　said　to　myself；
Has　he　a　cigar？　Has　he　any　money？〃

〃If　you　wish　for　the　truth；　I　can　tell　it　you；〃　said　the　lawyer。　〃He
is　living　as　a　husband　with　Fanny　Beaupre。　You　have　forced　me　to　tell
you　this　secret；　I　should　never　have　told　you；　for　you　might　have
suspected　me　perhaps　of　an　ungenerous　motive。〃

Madame　de　la　Baudraye　grasped　his　hand。

〃Your　husband；〃　said　she　to　her　chaperon；　〃is　one　of　the　rarest　souls！
Ah！　Why〃

She　shrank　into　her　corner；　looking　out　of　the　window；　but　she　did　not
finish　her　sentence；　of　which　the　lawyer　could　guess　the　end：　〃Why　had
not　Lousteau　a　little　of　your　husband's　generosity　of　heart？〃

This　information　served；　however；　to　cure　Dinah　of　her　melancholy；　she
threw　herself　into　the　whirl　of　fashion。　She　wished　for　success；　and
she　achieved　it；　still；　she　did　not　make　much　way　with　women；　and
found　it　difficult　to　get　introductions。

In　the　month　of　March；　Madame　Piedefer's　friends　the　priests　and
Monsieur　de　Clagny　made　a　fine　stroke　by　getting　Madame　de　la　Baudraye
appointed　receiver　of　subscriptions　for　the　great　charitable　work
founded　by　Madame　de　Carcado。　Then　she　was　commissioned　to　collect
from　the　Royal　Family　their　donations　for　the　benefit　of　the　sufferers
from　the　earthquake　at　Guadeloupe。　The　Marquise　d'Espard；　to　whom
Monsieur　de　Canalis　read　the　list　of　ladies　thus　appointed；　one
evening　at　the　Opera；　said；　on　hearing　that　of　the　Countess：

〃I　have　lived　a　long　time　in　the　world；　and　I　can　remember　nothing