camille-第17章

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vined　rather　than　recognised　it。　As　it　was　turning　the　corner　of　the　Champs…Elysees　it　stopped；　and　a　tall　young　man　left　a　group　of　people　with　whom　he　was　talking　and　came　up　to　her。　They　talked　for　a　few　moments；　the　young　man　returned　to　his　friends；　the　horses　set　out　again；　and　as　I　came　near　the　group　I　recognised　the　one　who　had　spoken　to　Marguerite　as　the　Comte　de　G。；　whose　portrait　I　had　seen　and　whom　Prudence　had　indicated　to　me　as　the　man　to　whom　Marguerite　owed　her　position。　It　was　to　him　that　she　had　closed　her　doors　the　night　before；　I　imagined　that　she　had　stopped　her　carriage　in　order　to　explain　to　him　why　she　had　done　so；　and　I　hoped　that　at　the　same　time　she　had　found　some　new　pretext　for　not　receiving　him　on　the　following　night。

How　I　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　I　do　not　know；　I　walked；　smoked；　talked；　but　what　I　said；　whom　I　met；　I　had　utterly　forgotten　by　ten　o'clock　in　the　evening。

All　I　remember　is　that　when　I　returned　home；　I　spent　three　hours　over　my　toilet；　and　I　looked　at　my　watch　and　my　clock　a　hundred　times；　which　unfortunately　both　pointed　to　the　same　hour。

When　it　struck　half　past　ten；　I　said　to　myself　that　it　was　time　to　go。

I　lived　at　that　time　in　the　Rue　de　Provence；　I　followed　the　Rue　du　Mont…Blanc；　crossed　the　Boulevard；　went　up　the　Rue　Louis…le…Grand；　the　Rue　de　Port…Mahon；　and　the　Rue　d'Antin。　I　looked　up　at　Marguerite's　windows。　There　was　a　light。　I　rang。　I　asked　the　porter　if　Mlle。　Gautier　was　at　home。　He　replied　that　she　never　came　in　before　eleven　or　a　quarter　past　eleven。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　I　intended　to　come　quite　slowly；　and　I　had　come　in　five　minutes　from　the　Rue　de　Provence　to　the　Rue　d'Antin。

I　walked　to　and　fro　in　the　street；　there　are　no　shops；　and　at　that　hour　it　is　quite　deserted。　In　half　an　hour's　time

Marguerite　arrived。　She　looked　around　her　as　she　got　down　from　her　coupe'；　as　if　she　were　looking　for　some　one。　The　carriage　drove　off；　the　stables　were　not　at　the　house。　Just　as　Marguerite　was　going　to　ring；　I　went　up　to　her　and　said；　〃Good…evening。〃

〃Ah；　it　is　you；〃　she　said；　in　a　tone　that　by　no　means　reassured　me　as　to　her　pleasure　in　seeing　me。

〃Did　you　not　promise　me　that　I　might　come　and　see　you　to…day？〃

〃Quite　right。　I　had　forgotten。〃

This　word　upset　all　the　reflections　I　had　had　during　the　day。　Nevertheless；　I　was　beginning　to　get　used　to　her　ways；　and　I　did　not　leave　her；　as　I　should　certainly　have　done　once。　We　entered。　Nanine　had　already　opened　the　door。

〃Has　Prudence　come？〃　said　Marguerite。

〃No；　madame。〃

〃Say　that　she　is　to　be　admitted　as　soon　as　she　comes。　But　first　put　out　the　lamp　in　the　drawing…room；　and　if　any　one　comes；　say　that　I　have　not　come　back　and　shall　not　be　coming　back。〃

She　was　like　a　woman　who　is　preoccupied　with　something；　and　perhaps　annoyed　by　an　unwelcome　guest。　I　did　not　know　what　to　do　or　say。　Marguerite　went　toward　her　bedroom；　I　remained　where　I　was。

〃Come；〃　she　said。

She　took　off　her　hat　and　her　velvet　cloak　and　threw　them　on　the　bed；　then　let　herself　drop　into　a　great　armchair　beside　the　fire；　which　she　kept　till　the　very　beginning　of　summer；　and　said　to　me　as　she　fingered　her　watch…chain：

〃Well；　what　news　have　you　got　for　me？〃

〃None；　except　that　I　ought　not　to　have　come　to…night。〃

〃Why？〃　

〃Because　you　seem　vexed；　and　no　doubt　I　am　boring　you。〃

〃You　are　not　boring　me；　only　I　am　not　well；　I　have　been　suffering　all　day。　I　could　not　sleep；　and　I　have　a　frightful　headache。〃

〃Shall　I　go　away　and　let　you　go　to　bed？〃

〃Oh；　you　can　stay。　If　I　want　to　go　to　bed　I　don't　mind　your　being　here。〃

At　that　moment　there　was　a　ring。

〃Who　is　coming　now？〃　she　said；　with　an　impatient　movement。

A　few　minutes　after　there　was　another　ring。

〃Isn't　there　any　one　to　go　to　the　door？　I　shall　have　to　go。〃　She　got　up　and　said　to　me；　〃Wait　here。〃

She　went　through　the　rooms；　and　I　heard　her　open　the　outer　door。　I　listened。

The　person　whom　she　had　admitted　did　not　come　farther　than　the　dining…room。　At　the　first　word　I　recognised　the　voice　of　the　young　Comte　de　N。

〃How　are　you　this　evening？〃　he　said。

〃Not　well；〃　replied　Marguerite　drily。

〃Am　I　disturbing　you？〃

〃Perhaps。

〃How　you　receive　me！　What　have　I　done；　my　dear　Marguerite？〃

〃My　dear　friend；　you　have　done　nothing。　I　am　ill；　I　must　go　to　bed；　so　you　will　be　good　enough　to　go。　It　is　sickening　not　to　be　able　to　return　at　night　without　your　making　your　appearance　five　minutes　afterward。　What　is　it　you　want？　For　me　to　be　your　mistress？　Well；　I　have　already　told　you　a　hundred　times；　No；　you　simply　worry　me；　and　you　might　as　well　go　somewhere　else。　I　repeat　to　you　to…day；　for　the　last　time；　I　don't　want　to　have　anything　to　do　with　you；　that's　settled。　Good…bye。　Here's　Nanine　coming　in；　she　can　light　you　to　the　door。　Good…night。〃

Without　adding　another　word；　or　listening　to　what　the　young　man　stammered　out；　Marguerite　returned　to　the　room　and　slammed　the　door。　Nanine　entered　a　moment　after。

〃Now　understand；〃　said　Marguerite；　〃you　are　always　to　say　to　that　idiot　that　I　am　not　in；　or　that　I　will　not　see　him。　I　am　tired　out　with　seeing　people　who　always　want　the　same　thing；　who　pay　me　for　it；　and　then　think　they　are　quit　of　me。　If　those　who　are　going　to　go　in　for　our　hateful　business　only　knew　what　it　really　was　they　would　sooner　be　chambermaids。　But　no；　vanity；　the　desire　of　having　dresses　and　carriages　and　diamonds　carries　us　away；　one　believes　what　one　hears；　for　here；　as　elsewhere；　there　is　such　a　thing　as　belief；　and　one　uses　up　one's　heart；　one's　body；　one's　beauty；　little　by　little；　one　is　feared　like　a　beast　of　prey；　scorned　like　a　pariah；　surrounded　by　people　who　always　take　more　than　they　give；　and　one　fine　day　one　dies　like　a　dog　in　a　ditch；　after　having　ruined　others　and　ruined　one's　self。〃

〃Come；　come；　madame；　be　calm；〃　said　Nanine；　〃your　nerves　are　a　bit　upset　to…night。〃

〃This　dress　worries　me；〃　continued　Marguerite；　unhooking　her　bodice；　〃give　me　a　dressing…gown。　Well；　and　Prudence？〃

〃She　has　not　come　yet；　but　I　will　send　her　to　you；　madame；　the　moment　she　comes。〃

〃There's　one；　now；〃　Marguerite　went　on；　as　she　took　off　her　dress　and　put　on　a　white　dressing…gown；　〃there's　one　who　knows　very　well　how　to　find　me　when　she　is　in　want　of　me；　and　yet　she　can't　do　me　a　service　decently。　She　knows　I　am　waiting　for　an　answer。　She　knows　how　anxious　I　am；　and　I　am　sure　she　is　going　about　on　her　own　account；　without　giving　a　thought　to　me。〃

〃Perhaps　she　had　to　wait。〃

〃Let　us　have　some　punch。〃

〃It　will　do　you　no　good；　madame；〃　said　Nanine。

〃So　much　the　better。　Bring　some　fruit；　too；　and　a　pate　or　a　wing　of　chicken；　something　or　other；　at　once。　I　am　hungry。〃

Need　I　tell　you　the　impression　which　this　scene　made　upon　me；　or　can　you　not　imagine　it？

〃You　are　going　to　have　supper　with　me；〃　she　said　to　me；　〃meanwhile；　take　a　book。　I　am　going　into　my　dressing…room　for　a　moment。〃

She　lit　the　candles　of　a　candelabra；　opened　a　door　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　disappeared。

I　began　to　think　over　this　poor　girl's　life；　and　my　love　for　her　was　mingled　with　a　great　pity。　I　walked　to　and　fro　in　the　room；　thinking　over　things；　when　Prudence　entered。

〃Ah；　you　here？〃'　she　said；　〃where　is　Marguerite？〃

〃In　her　dressing…room。〃

〃I　will　wait。　By　the　way；　do　you　know　she　thinks　you　charming？〃

〃No。〃

〃She　hasn't　told　you？〃

〃Not　at　all。〃

〃How　are　you　here？〃

〃I　have　come　to　pay　her　a　visit。〃

〃At　midnight？〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Farceur！〃

〃She　has　received　me；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　very　badly。〃

〃She　will　receive　you　better　by　and　bye。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃

〃I　have　some　good　news　for　her。〃

〃No　harm　in　that。　So　she　has　spoken　to　you　about　me？〃

〃Last　night；　or　rather　to…night；　when　you　and　your　friend　went。　By　the　way；　what　is　your　friend　called？　Gaston　R。；　his　name　is；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　not　without　smiling；　as　I　thought　of　what　Gaston　had　confided　to　me；　and　saw　that　Prudence　scarcely　even　knew　his　name。

〃He　is　quite　nice；　that　fellow；　what　does　he　do？〃

〃He　has　twenty…five　thousand　francs　a　year。〃

〃Ah；　indeed！　Well；　to　return　to　you。　Marguerite　asked　me　all　about　you：　who　you　were；　what　you　did；　what　mistresses　you　had　had；　in　short；　everything　that　one　could　ask　ab