the muse of the department-第9章
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traveling chaise loaded with Paris milliners' boxes； and she had with
her a lady's maid； whose airs quite frightened Dinah。 All the
difference between a woman of Paris and a provincial was at once
evident to Dinah's intelligent eye； she saw herself as her friend saw
herand Anna found her altered beyond recognition。 Anna spent six
thousand francs a year on herself alone； as much as kept the whole
household at La Baudraye。
In twenty…four hours the friends had exchanged many confidences； and
the Parisian； seeing herself so far superior to the phoenix of
Mademoiselle Chamarolles' school； showed her provincial friend such
kindness； such attentions； while giving her certain explanations； as
were so many stabs to Dinah； though she perfectly understood that
Anna's advantages all lay on the surface； while her own were for ever
buried。
When Anna had left； Madame de la Baudraye； by this time two…and…
twenty； fell into the depths of despair。
〃What is it that ails you？〃 asked Monsieur de Clagny； seeing her so
dejected。
〃Anna；〃 said she； 〃has learned to live； while I have been learning to
endure。〃
A tragi…comedy was； in fact； being enacted in Madame de la Baudraye's
house； in harmony with her struggles over money matters and her
successive transformationsa drama to which no one but Monsieur de
Clagny and the Abbe Duret ever knew the clue； when Dinah in sheer
idleness； or perhaps sheer vanity； revealed the secret of her
anonymous fame。
Though a mixture of verse and prose is a monstrous anomaly in French
literature； there must be exceptions to the rule。 This tale will be
one of the two instances in these Studies of violation of the laws of
narrative； for to give a just idea of the unconfessed struggle which
may excuse； though it cannot absolve Dinah； it is necessary to give an
analysis of a poem which was the outcome of her deep despair。
Her patience and her resignation alike broken by the departure of the
Vicomte de Chargeboeuf； Dinah took the worthy Abbe's advice to exhale
her evil thoughts in versea proceeding which perhaps accounts for
some poets。
〃You will find such relief as those who write epitaphs or elegies over
those whom they have lost。 Pain is soothed in the heart as lines surge
up in the brain。〃
This strange production caused a great ferment in the departments of
the Allier； the Nievre； and the Cher； proud to possess a poet capable
of rivalry with the glories of Paris。 /Paquita la Sevillane/； by /Jan
Diaz/； was published in the /Echo du Morvan/； a review which for
eighteen months maintained its existence in spite of provincial
indifference。 Some knowing persons at Nevers declared that Jan Diaz
was making fun of the new school； just then bringing out its eccentric
verse； full of vitality and imagery； and of brilliant effects produced
by defying the Muse under pretext of adapting German； English； and
Romanesque mannerisms。
The poem began with this ballad：
Ah！ if you knew the fragrant plain；
The air； the sky； of golden Spain；
Its fervid noons； its balmy spring；
Sad daughters of the northern gloom；
Of love； of heav'n； of native home；
You never would presume to sing！
For men are there of other mould
Than those who live in this dull cold。
And there to music low and sweet
Sevillian maids； from eve till dawn；
Dance lightly on the moonlit lawn
In satin shoes； on dainty feet。
Ah； you would be the first to blush
Over your dancers' romp and rush；
And your too hideous carnival；
That turns your cheeks all chill and blue；
And skips the mud in hob…nail'd shoe
A truly dismal festival。
To pale…faced girls； and in a squalid room；
Paquita sang； the murky town beneath
Was Rouen whence the slender spires rise
To chew the storm with teeth。
Rouen so hideous； noisy； full of rage
And here followed a magnificent description of Rouenwhere Dinah had
never beenwritten with the affected brutality which； a little later；
inspired so many imitations of Juvenal； a contrast drawn between the
life of a manufacturing town and the careless life of Spain； between
the love of Heaven and of human beauty； and the worship of machinery；
in short； between poetry and sordid money…making。
Then Jan Diaz accounted for Paquita's horror of Normandy by saying：
Seville； you see； had been her native home；
Seville； where skies are blue and evening sweet。
She； at thirteen； the sovereign of the town；
Had lovers at her feet。
For her three Toreadors had gone to death
Or victory； the prize to be a kiss
One kiss from those red lips of sweetest breath
A longed…for touch of bliss！
The features of the Spanish girl's portrait have served so often as
those of the courtesan in so many self…styled /poems/； that it would
be tiresome to quote here the hundred lines of description。 To judge
of the lengths to which audacity had carried Dinah； it will be enough
to give the conclusion。 According to Madame de la Baudraye's ardent
pen； Paquita was so entirely created for love that she can hardly have
met with a knight worthy of her； for
。 。 。 。 In her passionate fire
Every man would have swooned from the heat；
When she at love's feast； in her fervid desire；
As yet had but taken her seat。
〃And yet she could quit the joys of Seville； its woods and fields of
orange…trees； for a Norman soldier who won her love and carried her
away to his hearth and home。 She did not weep for her Andalusia； the
Soldier was her whole joy。 。 。 。 But the day came when he was
compelled to start for Russia in the footsteps of the great Emperor。〃
Nothing could be more dainty than the description of the parting
between the Spanish girl and the Normandy Captain of Artillery； who；
in the delirium of passion expressed with feeling worthy of Byron；
exacted from Paquita a vow of absolute fidelity； in the Cathedral at
Rouen in front of the alter of the Blessed Virgin； who
Though a Maid is a woman； and never forgives
When lovers are false to their vows。
A large part of the poem was devoted to describing Paquita's
sufferings when alone in Rouen waiting till the campaign was over； she
stood writhing at the window bars as she watched happy couples go by；
she suppressed her passion in her heart with a determination that
consumed her； she lived on narcotics； and exhausted herself in dreams。
Almost she died； but still her heart was true；
And when at last her soldier came again；
He found her beauty ever fresh and new
He had not loved in vain！
〃But he； pale and frozen by the cold of Russia； chilled to the very
marrow； met his yearning fair one with a melancholy smile。〃
The whole poem was written up to this situation； which was worked out
with such vigor and boldness as too entirely justified the Abbe Duret。
Paquita； on reaching the limits set to real love； did not； like Julie
and Heloise； throw herself into the ideal； no； she rushed into the
paths of vice； which is； no doubt； shockingly natural； but she did it
without any touch of magnificence； for lack of means； as it would be
difficult to find in Rouen men impassioned enough to place Paquita in
a suitable setting of luxury and splendor。 This horrible realism；
emphasized by gloomy poetic feeling； had inspired some passages such
as modern poetry is too free with； rather too like the flayed
anatomical figures known to artists as /ecorches/。 Then； by a highly
philosophical revulsion； after describing the house of ill…fame where
the Andalusian ended her days； the writer came back to the ballad at
the opening：
Paquita now is faded； shrunk； and old；
But she it was who sang：
〃If you but knew the fragrant plain；
The air； the sky； of golden Spain；〃 etc。
The gloomy vigor of this poem； running to about six hundred lines； and
serving as a powerful foil； to use a painter's word； to the two
/seguidillas/ at the beginning and end； the masculine utterance of
inexpressible grief； alarmed the woman who found herself admired by
three departments； under the black cloak of the anonymous。 While she
fully enjoyed the intoxicating delights of success； Dinah dreaded the
malignity of provincial society； where more than o
