camille-第13章

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I　was　sorry　for　him；　for　he　seemed；　like　myself；　to　be　in　love；　and　the　bitter　frankness　of　Marguerite　must　have　made　him　very　unhappy；　especially　in　the　presence　of　two　strangers。

〃You　were　playing　the　piano　when　we　came　in；〃　I　said；　in　order　to　change　the　conversation。　〃Won't　you　be　so　good　as　to　treat　me　as　an　old　acquaintance　and　go　on？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　she；　flinging　herself　on　the　sofa　and　motioning　to　us　to　sit　down；　〃Gaston　knows　what　my　music　is　like。　It　is　all　very　well　when　I　am　alone　with　the　count；　but　I　won't　inflict　such　a　punishment　on　you。〃

〃You　show　me　that　preference？〃　said　M。　de　N。；　with　a　smile　which　he　tried　to　render　delicately　ironical。

〃Don't　reproach　me　for　it。　It　is　the　only　one。〃　It　was　fated　that　the　poor　man　was　not　to　say　a　single　word。　He　cast　a　really　supplicating　glance　at　Marguerite。

〃Well；　Prudence；〃　she　went　on；　〃have　you　done　what　I　asked　you　to　do？〃

〃Yes。

〃All　right。　You　will　tell　me　about　it　later。　We　must　talk　over　it；　don't　go　before　I　can　speak　with　you。〃

〃We　are　doubtless　intruders；〃　I　said；　〃and　now　that　we；　or　rather　I；　have　had　a　second　introduction；　to　blot　out　the　first；　it　is　time　for　Gaston　and　me　to　be　going。〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　I　didn't　mean　that　for　you。　I　want　you　to　stay。〃

The　count　took　a　very　elegant　watch　out　of　his　pocket　and　looked　at　the　time。　〃I　must　be　going　to　my　club；〃　he　said。　Marguerite　did　not　answer。　The　count　thereupon　left　his　position　by　the　fireplace　and　going　up　to　her；　said：　〃Adieu；　madame。〃

Marguerite　rose。　〃Adieu；　my　dear　count。　Are　you　going　already？〃

〃Yes；　I　fear　I　am　boring　you。〃

〃You　are　not　boring　me　to…day　more　than　any　other　day。　When　shall　I　be　seeing　you？〃

〃When　you　permit　me。〃

〃Good…bye；　then。〃

It　was　cruel；　you　will　admit。　Fortunately；　the　count　had　excellent　manners　and　was　very　good…tempered。　He　merely　kissed　Marguerite's　hand；　which　she　held　out　to　him　carelessly　enough；　and；　bowing　to　us；　went　out。

As　he　crossed　the　threshold；　he　cast　a　glance　at　Prudence。　She　shrugged　her　shoulders；　as　much　as　to　say：

〃What　do　you　expect？　I　have　done　all　I　could。〃

〃Nanine！〃　cried　Marguerite。　〃Light　M。　le　Comte　to　the　door。〃

We　heard　the　door　open　and　shut。

〃At　last；〃　cried　Marguerite；　coming　back；　〃he　has　gone！　That　man　gets　frightfully　on　my　nerves！〃

〃My　dear　child；〃　said　Prudence；　〃you　really　treat　him　too　badly；　and　he　is　so　good　and　kind　to　you。　Look　at　this　watch　on　the　mantel…piece；　that　he　gave　you：　it　must　have　cost　him　at　least　three　thousand　francs；　I　am　sure。〃

And　Mme。　Duvernoy　began　to　turn　it　over；　as　it　lay　on　the　mantel…piece；　looking　at　it　with　covetous　eyes。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Marguerite；　sitting　down　to　the　piano；　〃when　I　put　on　one　side　what　he　gives　me　and　on　the　other　what　he　says　to　me；　it　seems　to　me　that　he　buys　his　visits　very　cheap。〃

〃The　poor　fellow　is　in　love　with　you。〃

〃If　I　had　to　listen　to　everybody　who　was　in　love　with　me；　I　shouldn't　have　time　for　my　dinner。〃

And　she　began　to　run　her　fingers　over　the　piano；　and　then；　turning　to　us；　she　said：

〃What　will　you　take？　I　think　I　should　like　a　little　punch。〃

〃And　I　could　eat　a　little　chicken；〃　said　Prudence。　〃Suppose　we　have　supper？〃

〃That's　it；　let's　go　and　have　supper；〃　said　Gaston。

〃No；　we　will　have　supper　here。〃

She　rang；　and　Nanine　appeared。

〃Send　for　some　supper。〃

〃What　must　I　get？〃

〃Whatever　you　like；　but　at　once；　at　once。〃

Nanine　went　out。

〃That's　it；〃　said　Marguerite；　jumping　like　a　child；　〃we'll　have　supper。　How　tiresome　that　idiot　of　a　count　is！〃

The　more　I　saw　her；　the　more　she　enchanted　me。　She　was　exquisitely　beautiful。　Her　slenderness　was　a　charm。　I　was　lost　in　contemplation。

What　was　passing　in　my　mind　I　should　have　some　difficulty　in　explaining。　I　was　full　of　indulgence　for　her　life；　full　of　admiration　for　her　beauty。　The　proof　of　disinterestedness　that　she　gave　in　not　accepting　a　rich　and　fashionable　young　man；　ready　to　waste　all　his　money　upon　her；　excused　her　in　my　eyes　for　all　her　faults　in　the　past。

There　was　a　kind　of　candour　in　this　woman。　You　could　see　she　was　still　in　the　virginity　of　vice。　Her　firm　walk；　her　supple　figure；　her　rosy；　open　nostrils；　her　large　eyes；　slightly　tinged　with　blue；　indicated　one　of　those　ardent　natures　which　sbed　around　them　a　sort　of　voluptuous　perfume；　like　Eastern　vials；　which；　close　them　as　tightly　as　you　will；　still　let　some　of　their　perfume　escape。　Finally；　whether　it　was　simple　nature　or　a　breath　of　fever；　there　passed　from　time　to　time　in　the　eyes　of　this　woman　a　glimmer　of　desire；　giving　promise　of　a　very　heaven　for　one　whom　she　should　love。　But　those　who　had　loved　Marguerite　were　not　to　be　counted；　nor　those　whom　she　had　loved。

In　this　girl　there　was　at　once　the　virgin　whom　a　mere　nothing　had　turned　into　a　courtesan；　and　the　courtesan　whom　a　mere　nothing　would　have　turned　into　the　most　loving　and　the　purest　of　virgins。　Marguerite　had　still　pride　and　independence；　two　sentiments　which；　if　they　are　wounded；　can　be　the　equivalent　of　a　sense　of　shame。　I　did　not　speak　a　word；　my　soul　seemed　to　have　passed　into　my　heart　and　my　heart　into　my　eyes。

〃So；〃　said　she　all　at　once；　〃it　was　you　who　came　to　inquire　after　me　when　I　was　ill？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　know；　it　was　quite　splendid　of　you！　How　can　I　thank　you　for　it？〃

〃By　allowing　me　to　come　and　see　you　from　time　to　time。〃

〃As　often　as　you　like；　from　five　to　six；　and　from　eleven　to　twelve。　Now；　Gaston；　play　the　Invitation　A　la　Valse。〃

〃Why？〃

〃To　please　me；　first　of　all；　and　then　because　I　never　can　manage　to　play　it　myself。〃

〃What　part　do　you　find　difficult？〃

〃The　third　part；　the　part　in　sharps。〃

Gaston　rose　and　went　to　the　piano；　and　began　to　play　the　wonderful　melody　of　Weber；　the　music　of　which　stood　open　before　him。

Marguerite；　resting　one　hand　on　the　piano；　followed　every　note　on　the　music；　accompanying　it　in　a　low　voice；　and　when　Gaston　had　come　to　the　passage　which　she　had　mentioned　to　him；　she　sang　out；　running　her　fingers　along　the　top　of　the　piano：

〃Do；　re；　mi；　do；　re；　fa；　mi；　re；　that　is　what　I　can　not　do。　Over　again。〃

Gaston　began　over　again；　after　which　Marguerite　said：

〃Now；　let　me　try。〃

She　took　her　place　and　began　to　play；　but　her　rebellious　fingers　always　came　to　grief　over　one　of　the　notes。

〃Isn't　it　incredible；〃　she　said；　exactly　like　a　child；　〃that　I　can　not　succeed　in　playing　that　passage？　Would　you　believe　that　I　sometimes　spend　two　hours　of　the　morning　over　it？　And　when　I　think　that　that　idiot　of　a　count　plays　it　without　his　music；　and　beautifully；　I　really　believe　it　is　that　that　makes　me　so　furious　with　him。〃　And　she　began　again；　always　with　the　same　result。

〃The　devil　take　Weber；　music；　and　pianos！〃　she　cried；　throwing　the　music　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　〃How　can　I　play　eight　sharps　one　after　another？〃　She　folded　her　arms　and　looked　at　us；　stamping　her　foot。　The　blood　flew　to　her　cheeks；　and　her　lips　half　opened　in　a　slight　cough。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Prudence；　who　had　taken　off　her　hat　and　was　smoothing　her　hair　before　the　glass；　〃you　will　work　yourself　into　a　rage　and　do　yourself　harm。　Better　come　and　have　supper；　for　my　part；　I　am　dying　of　hunger。〃

Marguerite　rang　the　bell；　sat　down　to　the　piano　again；　and　began　to　hum　over　a　very　risky　song；　which　she　accompanied　without　difficulty。　Gaston　knew　the　song；　and　they　gave　a　sort　of　duet。

〃Don't　sing　those　beastly　things；〃　I　said　to　Marguerite；　imploringly。

〃Oh；　how　proper　you　are！〃　she　said；　smiling　and　giving　me　her　hand。　〃It　is　not　for　myself；　but　for　you。〃

Marguerite　made　a　gesture　as　if　to　say；　〃Oh；　it　is　long　since　that　I　have　done　with　propriety！〃　At　that　moment　Nanine　appeared。

〃Is　supper　ready？〃　asked　Marguerite。　〃Yes；　madame；　in　one　moment。〃

〃Apropos；〃　said　Prudence　to　me；　〃you　have　not　looked　round；　come；　and　I　will　show　you。〃　As　you　know；　the　drawing…room　was　a　marvel。

Marguerite　went　with　us　for　a　moment；　then　she　called　Gaston　and　went　into　the　dining…room　with　him　to　see　if　supper　was　ready。

〃Ah；〃　said　Prudence；　catching　sight　of　a　little　Saxe　figure　on　a　side…table；　〃I　never　knew　you　had　this　little　gentleman。〃　

〃Which？〃

〃A　little　shepherd　holding　a　bird…cage。〃

〃Take　it；　if　you　like　it。〃

　　　　〃I