camille-第14章

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〃Which？〃

〃A　little　shepherd　holding　a　bird…cage。〃

〃Take　it；　if　you　like　it。〃

　　　　〃I　won't　deprive　you　of　it。〃

〃I　was　going　to　give　it　to　my　maid。　I　think　it　hideous；　but　if　you　like　it；　take　it。〃

Prudence　only　saw　the　present；　not　the　way　in　which　it　was　given。　She　put　the　little　figure　on　one　side；　and　took　me　into　the　dressing…room；　where　she　showed　me　two　miniatures　hanging　side　by　side；　and　said：

〃That　is　the　Comte　de　G。；　who　was　very　much　in　love　with　Marguerite；　it　was　he　who　brought　her　out。　Do　you　know　him？〃

〃No。　And　this　one？〃　I　inquired；　pointing　to　the　other　miniature。

〃That　is　the　little　Vicomte　de　L。　He　was　obliged　to　disappear。〃　

〃Why？〃

〃Because　he　was　all　but　ruined。　That's　one；　if　you　like；　who　loved　Marguerite。〃

〃And　she　loved　him；　too；　no　doubt？〃

〃She　is　such　a　queer　girl；　one　never　knows。　The　night　he　went　away　she　went　to　the　theatre　as　usual；　and　yet　she　had　cried　when　he　said　good…bye　to　her。〃

Just　then　Nanine　appeared；　to　tell　us　that　supper　was　served。

When　we　entered　the　dining…room；　Marguerite　was　leaning　against　the　wall；　and　Gaston；　holding　her　hands；　was　speaking　to　her　in　a　low　voice。

〃You　are　mad；〃　replied　Marguerite。　〃You　know　quite　well　that　I　don't　want　you。　It　is　no　good　at　the　end　of　two　years　to　make　love　to　a　woman　like　me。　With　us；　it　is　at　once；　or　never。　Come；　gentlemen；　supper！〃

And；　slipping　away　from　Gaston；　Marguerite　made　him　sit　on　her　right　at　table；　me　on　her　left；　then　called　to　Nanine：

〃Before　you　sit　down；　tell　them　in　the　kitchen　not　to　open　to　anybody　if　there　is　a　ring。〃

This　order　was　given　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。

We　laughed；　drank；　and　ate　freely　at　this　supper。　In　a　short　while　mirth　had　reached　its　last　limit；　and　the　words　that　seem　funny　to　a　certain　class　of　people；　words　that　degrade　the　mouth　that　utters　them；　were　heard　from　time　to　time；　amidst　the　applause　of　Nanine；　of　Prudence；　and　of　Marguerite。　Gaston　was　thoroughly　amused；　he　was　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow；　but　somewhat　spoiled　by　the　habits　of　his　youth。　For　a　moment　I　tried　to　forget　myself；　to　force　my　heart　and　my　thoughts　to　become　indifferent　to　the　sight　before　me；　and　to　take　my　share　of　that　gaiety　which　seemed　like　one　of　the　courses　of　the　meal。　But　little　by　little　I　withdrew　from　the　noise；　my　glass　remained　full；　and　I　felt　almost　sad　as　I　saw　this　beautiful　creature　of　twenty　drinking；　talking　like　a　porter；　and　laughing　the　more　loudly　the　more　scandalous　was　the　joke。

Nevertheless；　this　hilarity；　this　way　of　talking　and　drinking；　which　seemed　to　me　in　the　others　the　mere　results　of　bad　company　or　of　bad　habits；　seemed　in　Marguerite　a　necessity　of　forgetting；　a　fever；　a　nervous　irritability。　At　every　glass　of　champagne　her　cheeks　would　flush　with　a　feverish　colour；　and　a　cough；　hardly　perceptible　at　the　beginning　of　supper；　became　at　last　so　violent　that　she　was　obliged　to　lean　her　head　on　the　back　of　her　chair　and　hold　her　chest　in　her　hands　every　time　that　she　coughed。　I　suffered　at　the　thought　of　the　injury　to　so　frail　a　constitution　which　must　come　from　daily　excesses　like　this。　At　length；　something　which　I　had　feared　and　foreseen　happened。　Toward　the　end　of　supper　Marguerite　was　seized　by　a　more　violent　fit　of　coughing　than　any　she　had　had　while　I　was　there。　It　seemed　as　if　her　chest　were　being　torn　in　two。　The　poor　girl　turned　crimson；　closed　her　eyes　under　the　pain；　and　put　her　napkin　to　her　lips。　It　was　stained　with　a　drop　of　blood。　She　rose　and　ran　into　her　dressing…room。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　Marguerite？〃　asked　Gaston。

〃She　has　been　laughing　too　much；　and　she　is　spitting　blood。　Oh；　it　is　nothing；　it　happens　to　her　every　day。　She　will　be　back　in　a　minute。　Leave　her　alone。　She　prefers　it。〃

I　could　not　stay　still；　and；　to　the　consternation　of　Prudence　and　Nanine；　who　called　to　me　to　come　back；　I　followed　Marguerite。〃



Chapter　10

The　room　to　which　she　had　fled　was　lit　only　by　a　single　candle。　She　lay　back　on　a　great　sofa；　her　dress　undone；　holding　one　hand　on　her　heart；　and　letting　the　other　hang　by　her　side。　On　the　table　was　a　basin　half　full　of　water；　and　the　water　was　stained　with　streaks　of　blood。

Very　pale；　her　mouth　half　open；　Marguerite　tried　to　recover　breath。　Now　and　again　her　bosom　was　raised　by　a　long　sigh；　which　seemed　to　relieve　her　a　little；　and　for　a　few　seconds　she　would　seem　to　be　quite　comfortable。

I　went　up　to　her；　she　made　no　movement；　and　I　sat　down　and　took　the　hand　which　was　lying　on　the　sofa。

〃Ah！　it　is　you；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile。

I　must　have　looked　greatly　agitated；　for　she　added：

〃Are　you　unwell；　too？〃

〃No；　but　you：　do　you　still　suffer？〃

〃Very　little；〃　and　she　wiped　off　with　her　handkerchief　the　tears　which　the　coughing　had　brought　to　her　eyes；　〃I　am　used　to　it　now。〃

〃You　are　killing　yourself；　madame；〃　I　said　to　her　in　a　moved　voice。　〃I　wish　I　were　a　friend；　a　relation　of　yours；　that　I　might　keep　you　from　doing　yourself　harm　like　this。〃

〃Ah！　it　is　really　not　worth　your　while　to　alarm　yourself；〃　she　replied　in　a　somewhat　bitter　tone；　〃see　how　much　notice　the　others　take　of　me！　They　know　too　well　that　there　is　nothing　to　be　done。〃

Thereupon　she　got　up；　and；　taking　the　candle；　put　it　on　the　mantel…piece　and　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass。

〃How　pale　I　am！〃　she　said；　as　she　fastened　her　dress　and　passed　her　fingers　over　her　loosened　hair。　〃Come；　let　us　go　back　to　supper。　Are　you　coming？〃

I　sat　still　and　did　not　move。

She　saw　how　deeply　I　had　been　affected　by　the　whole　scene；　and；　coming　up　to　me；　held　out　her　hand；　saying：

〃Come　now；　let　us　go。〃

I　took　her　hand；　raised　it　to　my　lips；　and　in　spite　of　myself　two　tears　fell　upon　it。

〃Why；　what　a　child　you　are！〃　she　said；　sitting　down　by　my　side　again。　〃You　are　crying！　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃I　must　seem　very　silly　to　you；　but　I　am　frightfully　troubled　by　what　I　have　just　seen。〃

〃You　are　very　good！　What　would　you　have　of　me？　I　can　not　sleep。　I　must　amuse　myself　a　little。　And　then；　girls　like　me；　what　does　it　matter；　one　more　or　less？　The　doctors　tell　me　that　the　blood　I　spit　up　comes　from　my　throat；　I　pretend　to　believe　them；　it　is　all　I　can　do　for　them。〃

〃Listen；　Marguerite；〃　I　said；　unable　to　contain　myself　any　longer；　〃I　do　not　know　what　influence　you　are　going　to　have　over　my　life；　but　at　this　present　moment　there　is　no　one；　not　even　my　sister；　in　whom　I　feel　the　interest　which　I　feel　in　you。　It　has　been　just　the　same　ever　since　I　saw　you。　Well；　for　Heaven's　sake；　take　care　of　yourself；　and　do　not　live　as　you　are　living　now。〃

〃If　I　took　care　of　myself　I　should　die。　All　that　supports　me　is　the　feverish　life　I　lead。　Then；　as　for　taking　care　of　oneself；　that　is　all　very　well　for　women　with　families　and　friends；　as　for　us；　from　the　moment　we　can　no　longer　serve　the　vanity　or　the　pleasure　of　our　lovers；　they　leave　us；　and　long　nights　follow　long　days。　I　know　it。　I　was　in　bed　for　two　months；　and　after　three　weeks　no　one　came　to　see　me。〃

〃It　is　true　I　am　nothing　to　you；〃　I　went　on；　〃but　if　you　will　let　me；　I　will　look　after　you　like　a　brother；　I　will　never　leave　your　side；　and　I　will　cure　you。　Then；　when　you　are　strong　again；　you　can　go　back　to　the　life　you　are　leading；　if　you　choose；　but　I　am　sure　you　will　come　to　prefer　a　quiet　life；　which　will　make　you　happier　and　keep　your　beauty　unspoiled。〃

〃You　think　like　that　to…night　because　the　wine　has　made　you　sad；　but　you　would　never　have　the　patience　that　you　pretend　to。〃

〃Permit　me　to　say；　Marguerite；　that　you　were　ill　for　two　months；　and　that　for　two　months　I　came　to　ask　after　you　every　day。〃

〃It　is　true；　but　why　did　you　not　come　up？〃

〃Because　I　did　not　know　you　then。〃

〃Need　you　have　been　so　particular　with　a　girl　like　me？〃

〃One　must　always　be　particular　with　a　woman；　it　is　what　I　feel；　at　least。〃

〃So　you　would　look　after　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　would　stay　by　me　all　day？〃

〃Yes。

〃And　even　all　night？〃

〃As　long　as　I　did　not　weary　you。〃

〃And　what　do　you　call　that？〃

〃Devotion。〃

〃And　what　does　this　devotion　come　from？〃

〃The　irresistible　sympathy　which　I　have　for　you。〃

〃So　you　are　in　love　with　me？　Say　it　straight　out；　it　is　much　more　simple。〃

〃It　is　possible；　but　if　I　am　to　say　it　to　you　one