camille-第12章

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I　went　back　to　Gaston　and　told　him　of　the　arrangement　I　had　made　for　him　and　for　me。　He　agreed；　and　we　left　our　stalls　to　go　round　to　Mme。　Duvernoy's　box。　We　had　scarcely　opened　the　door　leading　into　the　stalls　when　we　had　to　stand　aside　to　allow　Marguerite　and　the　duke　to　pass。　I　would　have　given　ten　years　of　my　life　to　have　been　in　the　old　man's　place。

When　they　were　on　the　street　he　handed　her　into　a　phaeton；　which　he　drove　himself；　and　they　were　whirled　away　by　two　superb　horses。

We　returned　to　Prudence's　box；　and　when　the　play　was　over　we　took　a　cab　and　drove　to　7；　Rue　d'Antin。　At　the　door；　Prudence　asked　us　to　come　up　and　see　her　showrooms；　which　we　had　never　seen；　and　of　which　she　seemed　very　proud。　You　can　imagine　how　eagerly　I　accepted。　It　seemed　to　me　as　if　I　was　coming　nearer　and　nearer　to　Marguerite。　I　soon　turned　the　conversation　in　her　direction。

〃The　old　duke　is　at　your　neighbours；〃　I　said　to　Prudence。

〃Oh；　no；　she　is　probably　alone。〃

〃But　she　must　be　dreadfully　bored；〃　said　Gaston。

〃We　spend　most　of　our　evening　together；　or　she　calls　to　me　when　she　comes　in。　She　never　goes　to　bed　before　two　in　the　morning。　She　can't　sleep　before　that。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　she　suffers　in　the　chest；　and　is　almost　always　feverish。〃

〃Hasn't　she　any　lovers？〃　I　asked。

〃I　never　see　any　one　remain　after　I　leave；　I　don't　say　no　one　ever　comes　when　I　am　gone。　Often　in　the　evening　I　meet　there　a　certain　Comte　de　N。；　who　thinks　he　is　making　some　headway　by　calling　on　her　at　eleven　in　the　evening；　and　by　sending　her　jewels　to　any　extent；　but　she　can't　stand　him。　She　makes　a　mistake；　he　is　very　rich。　It　is　　in　vain　that　I　say　to　her　from　time　to　time；　'My　dear　child；　there's　the　man　for　you。'　She；　who　generally　listens　to　me；　turns　her　back　and　replies　that　he　is　too　stupid。　Stupid；　indeed；　he　is；　but　it　would　be　a　position　for　her；　while　this　old　duke　might　die　any　day。　Old　men　are　egoists；　his　family　are　always　reproaching　him　for　his　affection　for　Marguerite；　there　are　two　reasons　why　he　is　likely　to　leave　her　nothing。　I　give　her　good　advice；　and　she　only　says　it　will　be　plenty　of　time　to　take　on　the　count　when　the　duke　is　dead。　It　isn't　all　fun；〃　continued　Prudence；　〃to　live　like　that。　I　know　very　well　it　wouldn't　suit　me；　and　I　should　soon　send　the　old　man　about　his　business。　He　is　so　dull；　he　calls　her　his　daughter；　looks　after　her　like　a　child；　and　is　always　in　the　way。　I　am　sure　at　this　very　moment　one　of　his　servants　is　prowling　about　in　the　street　to　see　who　comes　out；　and　especially　who　goes　in。〃

〃Ah；　poor　Marguerite！〃　said　Gaston；　sitting　down　to　the　piano　and　playing　a　waltz。　〃I　hadn't　a　notion　of　it；　but　I　did　notice　she　hasn't　been　looking　so　gay　lately。〃

〃Hush；〃　said　Prudence；　listening。　Gaston　stopped。

〃She　is　calling　me；　I　think。〃

We　listened。　A　voice　was　calling；　〃Prudence！〃

〃Come；　now；　you　must　go；〃　said　Mme。　Duvernoy。

〃Ah；　that　is　your　idea　of　hospitality；〃　said　Gaston；　laughing；　〃we　won't　go　till　we　please。〃

〃Why　should　we　go？〃

〃I　am　going　over　to　Marguerite's。〃

〃We　will　wait　here。〃

〃You　can't。〃

〃Then　we　will　go　with　you。〃

〃That　still　less。〃

〃I　know　Marguerite；〃　said　Gaston；　I　can　very　well　pay　her　a　call。〃

〃But　Armand　doesn't　know　her。〃

〃I　will　introduce　him。〃

〃Impossible。〃

We　again　heard　Marguerite's　voice　calling　to　Prudence；　who　rushed　to　her　dressing…room　window。　I　followed　with　Gaston　as　she　opened　the　window。　We　hid　ourselves　so　as　not　to　be　seen　from　outside。

〃I　have　been　calling　you　for　ten　minutes；〃　said　Marguerite　from　her　window；　in　almost　an　imperious　tone　of　voice。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　want　you　to　come　over　at　once。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　the　Comte　de　N。　is　still　here；　and　he　is　boring　me　to　death。〃

〃I　can't　now。〃

〃What　is　hindering　you？〃

〃There　are　two　young　fellows　here　who　won't　go。〃

〃Tell　them　that　you　must　go　out。〃

〃I　have　told　them。〃

〃Well；　then；　leave　them　in　the　house。　They　will　soon　go　when　they　see　you　have　gone。〃

〃They　will　turn　everything　upside　down。〃

〃But　what　do　they　want？〃

〃They　want　to　see　you。〃

〃What　are　they　called？〃

〃You　know　one；　M。　Gaston　R。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　I　know　him。　And　the　other？〃

〃M。　Armand　Duval；　and　you　don't　know　him。〃

〃No；　but　bring　them　along。　Anything　is　better　than　the　count。　I　expect　you。　Come　at　once。〃

Marguerite　closed　her　window　and　Prudence　hers。　Marguerite；　who　had　remembered　my　face　for　a　moment；　did　not　remember　my　name。　I　would　rather　have　been　remembered　to　my　disadvantage　than　thus　forgotten。

〃I　knew；〃　said　Gaston；　〃that　she　would　be　delighted　to　see　us。〃

〃Delighted　isn't　the　word；〃　replied　Prudence；　as　she　put　on　her　hat　and　shawl。　〃She　will　see　you　in　order　to　get　rid　of　the　count。　Try　to　be　more　agreeable　than　he　is；　or　（I　know　Marguerite）　she　will　put　it　all　down　to　me。〃

We　followed　Prudence　downstairs。　I　trembled；　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　visit　was　to　have　a　great　influence　on　my　life。　I　was　still　more　agitated　than　on　the　evening　when　I　was　introduced　in　the　box　at　the　Opera　Comique。　As　we　reached　the　door　that　you　know；　my　heart　beat　so　violently　that　I　was　hardly　able　to　think。

We　heard　the　sound　of　a　piano。　Prudence　rang。　The　piano　was　silent。　A　woman　who　looked　more　like　a　companion　than　a　servant　opened　the　door。　We　went　into　the　drawing…room；　and　from　that　to　the　boudoir；　which　was　then　just　as　you　have　seen　it　since。　A　young　man　was　leaning　against　the　mantel…piece。　Marguerite；　seated　at　the　piano；　let　her　fingers　wander　over　the　notes；　beginning　scraps　of　music　without　finishing　them。　The　whole　scene　breathed　boredom；　the　man　embarrassed　by　the　consciousness　of　his　nullity；　the　woman　tired　of　her　dismal　visitor。　At　the　voice　of　Prudence；　Marguerite　rose；　and　coming　toward　us　with　a　look　of　gratitude　to　Mme。　Duvernoy；　said：

〃Come　in；　and　welcome。〃



Chapter　9

〃Good…evening；　my　dear　Gaston；〃　said　Marguerite　to　my　companion。　〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you。　Why　didn't　you　come　to　see　me　in　my　box　at　the　Varietes？〃

〃I　was　afraid　it　would　be　indiscreet。〃

〃Friends；〃　and　Marguerite　lingered　over　the　word；　as　if　to　intimate　to　those　who　were　present　that　in　spite　of　the　familiar　way　in　which　she　greeted　him；　Gaston　was　not　and　never　had　been　anything　more　than　a　friend；　〃friends　are　always　welcome。〃

〃Then；　will　you　permit　me　to　introduce　M。　Armand　Duval？〃

〃I　had　already　authorized　Prudence　to　do　so。〃

〃As　far　as　that　goes；　madame；〃　I　said；　bowing；　and　succeeding　in　getting　more　or　less　intelligible　sounds　out　of　my　throat；　〃I　have　already　had　the　honour　of　being　introduced　to　you。〃

Marguerite's　beautiful　eyes　seemed　to　be　looking　back　in　memory；　but　she　could　not；　or　seemed　not　to；　remember。

〃Madame；〃　I　continued；　〃I　am　grateful　to　you　for　having　forgotten　the　occasion　of　my　first　introduction；　for　I　was　very　absurd　and　must　have　seemed　to　you　very　tiresome。　It　was　at　the　Opera　Comique；　two　years　ago；　I　was　with　Ernest　de　。〃

〃Ah；　I　remember；〃　said　Marguerite；　with　a　smile。　〃It　was　not　you　who　were　absurd；　it　was　I　who　was　mischievous；　as　I　still　am；　but　somewhat　less。　You　have　forgiven　me？〃

And　she　held　out　her　hand；　which　I　kissed。

〃It　is　true；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　know　I　have　the　bad　habit　of　trying　to　embarrass　people　the　first　time　I　meet　them。　It　is　very　stupid。　My　doctor　says　it　is　because　I　am　nervous　and　always　ill；　believe　my　doctor。〃

〃But　you　seem　quite　well。〃

〃Oh！　I　have　been　very　ill。〃

〃I　know。〃

〃Who　told　you？〃

〃Every　one　knew　it；　I　often　came　to　inquire　after　you；　and　I　was　happy　to　hear　of　your　convalescence。〃

〃They　never　gave　me　your　card。〃

〃I　did　not　leave　it。〃

〃Was　it　you；　then；　who　called　every　day　while　I　was　ill；　and　would　never　leave　your　name？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　I。〃

〃Then　you　are　more　than　indulgent；　you　are　generous。　You；　count；　wouldn't　have　done　that；〃　said　she；　turning　toward　M。　de　N。；　after　giving　me　one　of　those　looks　in　which　women　sum　up　their　opinion　of　a　man。

〃I　have　only　known　you　for　two　months；〃　replied　the　count。

〃And　this　gentleman　only　for　five　minutes。　You　always　say　something　ridiculous。〃

Women　are　pitiless　toward　those　whom　they　do　not　care　for。　The　count　reddened　and　bit　his　lips。

I　was　sorry　for　him；　for　he　seeme