the muse of the department-第44章

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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
finer　than　the　manoeuvres　undertaken　for　the　rehabilitation　of　Madame
de　la　Baudraye。〃



In　the　early　spring；　which；　by　some　whim　of　our　planets；　smiled　on
Paris　in　the　first　week　of　March　in　1843；　making　the　Champs…Elysees
green　and　leafy　before　Longchamp；　Fanny　Beaupre's　attache　had　seen
Madame　de　la　Baudraye　several　times　without　being　seen　by　her。　More
than　once　he　was　stung　to　the　heart　by　one　of　those　promptings　of
jealousy　and　envy　familiar　to　those　who　are　born　and　bred　provincials；
when　he　beheld　his　former　mistress　comfortably　ensconced　in　a　handsome
carriage；　well　dressed；　with　dreamy　eyes；　and　his　two　little　boys；　one
at　each　window。　He　accused　himself　with　all　the　more　virulence　because
he　was　waging　war　with　the　sharpest　poverty　of　allpoverty
unconfessed。　Like　all　essentially　light　and　frivolous　natures；　he
cherished　the　singular　point　of　honor　which　consists　in　never
derogating　in　the　eyes　of　one's　own　little　public；　which　makes　men　on
the　Bourse　commit　crimes　to　escape　expulsion　from　the　temple　of　the
goddess　Per…cent；　and　has　given　some　criminals　courage　enough　to
perform　acts　of　virtue。

Lousteau　dined　and　breakfasted　and　smoked　as　if　he　were　a　rich　man。
Not　for　an　inheritance　would　he　have　bought　any　but　the　dearest
cigars；　for　himself　as　well　as　for　the　playwright　or　author　with　whom
he　went　into　the　shop。　The　journalist　took　his　walks　abroad　in　patent
leather　boots；　but　he　was　constantly　afraid　of　an　execution　on　goods
which；　to　use　the　bailiff's　slang；　had　already　received　the　last
sacrament。　Fanny　Beaupre　had　nothing　left　to　pawn；　and　her　salary　was
pledged　to　pay　her　debts。　After　exhausting　every　possible　advance　of
pay　from　newspapers；　magazines；　and　publishers；　Etienne　knew　not　of
what　ink　he　could　churn　gold。　Gambling…houses；　so　ruthlessly
suppressed；　could　no　longer；　as　of　old；　cash　I　O　U's　drawn　over　the
green　table　by　beggary　in　despair。　In　short；　the　journalist　was
reduced　to　such　extremity　that　he　had　just　borrowed　a　hundred　francs
of　the　poorest　of　his　friends；　Bixiou；　from　whom　he　had　never　yet
asked　for　a　franc。　What　distressed　Lousteau　was　not　the　fact　of　owing
five　thousand　francs；　but　seeing　himself　bereft　of　his　elegance；　and
of　the　furniture　purchased　at　the　cost　of　so　many　privations；　and
added　to　by　Madame　de　la　Baudraye。

On　April　the　3rd；　a　yellow　poster；　torn　down　by　the　porter　after　being
displayed　on　the　wall；　announced　the　sale　of　a　handsome　suite　of
furniture　on　the　following　Saturday；　the　day　fixed　for　sales　under
legal　authority。　Lousteau　was　taking　a　walk；　smoking　cigars；　and
seeking　ideasfor；　in　Paris；　ideas　are　in　the　air；　they　smile　on　you
from　a　street　corner；　they　splash　up　with　a　spurt　of　mud　from　under
the　wheels　of　a　cab！　Thus　loafing；　he　had　been　seeking　ideas　for
articles；　and　subjects　for　novels　for　a　month　past；　and　had　found
nothing　but　friends　who　carried　him　off　to　dinner　or　to　the　play；　and
who　intoxicated　his　woes；　telling　him　that　champagne　would　inspire
him。

〃Beware；〃　said　the　virulent　Bixiou　one　night；　the　man　who　would　at　the
same　moment　give　a　comrade　a　hundred　francs　and　stab　him　to　the　heart
with　a　sarcasm；　〃if　you　go　to　sleep　drunk　every　night；　one　day　you
will　wake　up　mad。〃

On　the　day　before；　the　Friday；　the　unhappy　wretch；　although　he　was
accustomed　to　poverty；　felt　like　a　man　condemned　to　death。　Of　old　he
would　have　said：

〃Well；　the　furniture　is　very　old！　I　will　buy　new。〃

But　he　was　incapable　now　of　literary　legerdemain。　Publishers；
undermined　by　piracy；　paid　badly；　the　newspapers　made　close　bargains
with　hard…driven　writers；　as　the　Opera　managers　did　with　tenors　that
sang　flat。

He　walked　on；　his　eye　on　the　crowd；　though　seeing　nothing；　a　cigar　in
his　mouth；　and　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　every　feature　of　his　face
twitching；　and　an　affected　smile　on　his　lips。　Then　he　saw　Madame　de　la
Baudraye　go　by　in　a　carriage；　she　was　going　to　the　Boulevard　by　the
Rue　de　la　Chaussee　d'Antin　to　drive　in　the　Bois。

〃There　is　nothing　else　left！〃　said　he　to　himself；　and　he　went　home　to
smarten　himself　up。

That　evening；　at　seven；　he　arrived　in　a　hackney　cab　at　Madame　de　la
Baudraye's　door；　and　begged　the　porter　to　send　a　note　up　to　the
Countessa　few　lines；　as　follows：

〃Would　Madame　la　Comtesse　do　Monsieur　Lousteau　the　favor　of　receiving
him　for　a　moment；　and　at　once？〃

This　note　was　sealed　with　a　seal　which　as　lovers　they　had　both　used。
Madame　de　la　Baudraye　had　had　the　word　/Parce　que/　engraved　on　a
genuine　Oriental　carneliana　potent　worda　woman's　wordthe　word
that　accounts　for　everything；　even　for　the　Creation。

The　Countess　had　just　finished　dressing　to　go　to　the　Opera；　Friday　was
her　night　in　turn　for　her　box。　At　the　sight　of　this　seal　she　turned
pale。

〃I　will　come；〃　she　said；　tucking　the　note　into　her　dress。

She　was　firm　enough　to　conceal　her　agitation；　and　begged　her　mother　to
see　the　children　put　to　bed。　She　then　sent　for　Lousteau；　and　received
him　in　a　boudoir；　next　to　the　great　drawing…room；　with　open　doors。　She
was　going　to　a　ball　after　the　Opera；　and　was　wearing　a　beautiful　dress
of　brocade　in　stripes　alternately　plain　and　flowered　with　pale　blue。
Her　gloves；　trimmed　with　tassels；　showed　off　her　beautiful　white　arms。
She　was　shimmering　with　lace　and　all　the　dainty　trifles　required　by
fashion。　Her　hair；　dressed　/a　la　Sevigne/；　gave　her　a　look　of
elegance；　a　necklace　of　pearls　lay　on　her　bosom　like　bubbles　on　snow。

〃What　is　the　matter；　monsieur？〃　said　the　Countess；　putting　out　her
foot　from　below　her　skirt　to　rest　it　on　a　velvet　cushion。　〃I　thought；
I　hoped；　I　was　quite　forgotten。〃

〃If　I　should　reply　/Never/；　you　would　refuse　to　believe　me；〃　said
Lousteau；　who　remained　standing；　or　walked　about　the　room；　chewing　the
flowers　he　plucked　from　the　flower…stands　full　of　plants　that　scented
the　room。

For　a　moment　silence　reigned。　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　studying
Lousteau；　saw　that　he　was　dressed　as　the　most　fastidious　dandy　might
have　been。

〃You　are　the　only　person　in　the　world　who　can　help　me；　or　hold　out　a
plank　to　mefor　I　am　drowning；　and　have　already　swallowed　more　than
one　mouthful〃　said　he；　standing　still　in　front　of　Dinah；　and
seeming　to　yield　to　an　overpowering　impulse。　〃Since　you　see　me　here；
it　is　because　my　affairs　are　going　to　the　devil。〃

〃That　is　enough；〃　said　she；　〃I　understand。〃

There　was　another　pause；　during　which　Lousteau　turned　away；　took　out
his　handkerchief；　and　seemed　to　wipe　away　a　tear。

〃How　much　do　you　want；　Etienne；〃　she　went　on　in　motherly　tones。　〃We
are　at　this　moment　old　comrades；　speak　to　me　as　you　would　toto
Bixiou。〃

〃To　save　my　furniture　from　vanishing　into　thin　air　to…morrow　morning
at　the　auction　mart；　eighteen　hundred　francs！　To　repay　my　friends；　as
much　again！　Three　quarters'　rent　to　the　landlord　whom　you　know。My
'uncle'　wants　five　hundred　francs〃

〃And　you！to　live　on？〃

〃Oh！　I　have　my　pen〃

〃It　is　heavier　to　lift　than　any　one　could　believe　who　reads　your
articles；〃　said　she；　with　a　subtle　smile。〃I　have　not　such　a　sum　as
you　need；　but　come　to…morrow　at　eight；　the　bailiff　will　surely　wait
till　nine；　especially　if　you　bring　him　away　to　pay　him。〃

She　must；　she　felt；　dismiss　Lousteau；　who　affected　to　be　unable　to
look　at　her；　she　herself　felt　such　pity　as　might　cut　every　social
Gordian　knot。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　added；　rising　and　offering　her　hand　to　Lousteau。
〃Your　confidence　has　done　me　good！　It　is　long　indeed　since　my　heart
has　known　such　joy〃

Lousteau　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it　tenderly　to　his　heart。

〃A　drop　of　water　in　the　desertand　sent　by　the　hand　of　an　angel！　God
always　does　things　handsomely！〃

He　spoke　half　in　jest　and　half　pathetically；　but；　believe　me；　as　a
piece　of　acting　it　was　as　fine　as　Talma's　in　his　famous　part　of
/Leicester/；　which　was　played　throughout　with　touches　of　this　kind。
Dinah　felt　his　heart　beating　through　his　coat；　it　was　throbbing　with
satisfaction；　for　the　journalist　had　had　a　narrow　escape　from　the
hulks　of　justice；　but　it　also　beat　with　a　very　natural　fire　at　seeing
Dinah　rejuvenescent　and　restor