camille-第26章

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For　the　rest；　chance　was　on　my　side。　I　made　no　debts；　and　I　spent　three　times　as　much　money　as　when　I　did　not　gamble。　It　was　impossible　to　resist　an　existence　which　gave　me　an　easy　means　of　satisfying　the　thousand　caprices　of　Marguerite。　As　for　her；　she　continued　to　love　me　as　much；　or　even　more　than　ever。

As　I　told　you；　I　began　by　being　allowed　to　stay　only　from　midnight　to　six　o'clock；　then　I　was　asked　sometimes　to　a　box　in　the　theatre；　then　she　sometimes　came　to　dine　with　me。　One　morning　I　did　not　go　till　eight；　and　there　came　a　day　when　I　did　not　go　till　twelve。

But；　sooner　than　the　moral　metamorphosis；　a　physical　metamorphosis　came　about　in　Marguerite。　I　had　taken　her　cure　in　hand；　and　the　poor　girl；　seeing　my　aim；　obeyed　me　in　order　to　prove　her　gratitude。　I　had　succeeded　without　effort　or　trouble　in　almost　isolating　her　from　her　former　habits。　My　doctor；　whom　I　had　made　her　meet；　had　told　me　that　only　rest　and　calm　could　preserve　her　health；　so　that　in　place　of　supper　and　sleepless　nights；　I　succeeded　in　substituting　a　hygienic　regime　and　regular　sleep。　In　spite　of　herself；　Marguerite　got　accustomed　to　this　new　existence；　whose　salutary　effects　she　already　realized。　She　began　to　spend　some　of　her　evenings　at　home；　or；　if　the　weather　was　fine；　she　wrapped　herself　in　a　shawl；　put　on　a　veil；　and　we　went　on　foot；　like　two　children；　in　the　dim　alleys　of　the　Champs…Elysees。　She　would　come　in　tired；　take　a　light　supper；　and　go　to　bed　after　a　little　music　or　reading；　which　she　had　never　been　used　to　do。　The　cough；　which　every　time　that　I　heard　it　seemed　to　go　through　my　chest；　had　almost　completely　disappeared。

At　the　end　of　six　weeks　the　count　was　entirely　given　up；　and　only　the　duke　obliged　me　to　conceal　my　liaison　with　Marguerite；　and　even　he　was　sent　away　when　I　was　there；　under　the　pretext　that　she　was　asleep　and　had　given　orders　that　she　was　not　to　be　awakened。

The　habit　or　the　need　of　seeing　me　which　Marguerite　had　now　contracted　had　this　good　result：　that　it　forced　me　to　leave　the　gaming…table　just　at　the　moment　when　an　adroit　gambler　would　have　left　it。　Settling　one　thing　against　another；　I　found　myself　in　possession　of　some　ten　thousand　francs；　which　seemed　to　me　an　inexhaustible　capital。

The　time　of　the　year　when　I　was　accustomed　to　join　my　father　and　sister　had　now　arrived；　and　I　did　not　go；　both　of　them　wrote　to　me　frequently；　begging　me　to　come。　To　these　letters　I　replied　as　best　I　could；　always　repeating　that　I　was　quite　well　and　that　I　was　not　in　need　of　money；　two　things　which；　I　thought；　would　console　my　father　for　my　delay　in　paying　him　my　annual　visit。

Just　then；　one　fine　day　in　summer；　Marguerite　was　awakened　by　the　sunlight　pouring　into　her　room；　and；　jumping　out　of　bed；　asked　me　if　I　would　take　her　into　the　country　for　the　whole　day。

We　sent　for　Prudence；　and　all　three　set　off；　after　Marguerite　had　given　Nanine　orders　to　tell　the　duke　that　she　had　taken　advantage　of　the　fine　day　to　go　into　the　country　with　Mme。　Duvernoy。

Besides　the　presence　of　Mme。　Duvernoy　being　needful　on　account　of　the　old　duke；　Prudence　was　one　of　those　women　who　seem　made　on　purpose　for　days　in　the　country。　With　her　unchanging　good…humour　and　her　eternal　appetite；　she　never　left　a　dull　moment　to　those　whom　she　was　with；　and　was　perfectly　happy　in　ordering　eggs；　cherries；　milk；　stewed　rabbit；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　traditional　lunch　in　the　country。

We　had　now　only　to　decide　where　we　should　go。　It　was　once　more　Prudence　who　settled　the　difficulty。

〃Do　you　want　to　go　to　the　real　country？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　let　us　go　to　Bougival；　at　the　Point　du　Jour；　at　Widow　Arnould's。　Armand；　order　an　open　carriage。〃

An　hour　and　a　half　later　we　were　at　Widow　Arnould's。

Perhaps　you　know　the　inn；　which　is　a　hotel　on　week　days　and　a　tea　garden　on　Sundays。　There　is　a　magnificent　view　from　the　garden；　which　is　at　the　height　of　an　ordinary　first　floor。　On　the　left　the　Aqueduct　of　Marly　closes　in　the　horizon；　on　the　right　one　looks　across　bill　after　hill；　the　river；　almost　without　current　at　that　spot；　unrolls　itself　like　a　large　white　watered　ribbon　between　the　plain　of　the　Gabillons　and　the　island　of　Croissy；　lulled　eternally　by　the　trembling　of　its　high　poplars　and　the　murmur　of　its　willows。　Beyond；　distinct　in　the　sunlight；　rise　little　white　houses；　with　red　roofs；　and　manufactories；　which；　at　that　distance；　put　an　admirable　finish　to　the　landscape。　Beyond　that；　Paris　in　the　mist！　As　Prudence　had　told　us；　it　was　the　real　country；　and；　I　must　add；　it　was　a　real　lunch。

It　is　not　only　out　of　gratitude　for　the　happiness　I　owe　it；　but　Bougival；　in　spite　of　its　horrible　name；　is　one　of　the　prettiest　places　that　it　is　possible　to　imagine。　I　have　travelled　a　good　deal；　and　seen　much　grander　things；　but　none　more　charming　than　this　little　village　gaily　seated　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　which　protects　it。

Mme。　Arnould　asked　us　if　we　would　take　a　boat；　and　Marguerite　and　Prudence　accepted　joyously。

People　have　always　associated　the　country　with　love；　and　they　have　done　well；　nothing　affords　so　fine　a　frame　for　the　woman　whom　one　loves　as　the　blue　sky；　the　odours；　the　flowers；　the　breeze；　the　shining　solitude　of　fields；　or　woods。　However　much　one　loves　a　woman；　whatever　confidence　one　may　have　in　her；　whatever　certainty　her　past　may　offer　us　as　to　her　future；　one　is　always　more　or　less　jealous。　If　you　have　been　in　love；　you　must　have　felt　the　need　of　isolating　from　this　world　the　being　in　whom　you　would　live　wholly。　It　seems　as　if；　however　indifferent　she　may　be　to　her　surroundings；　the　woman　whom　one　loves　loses　something　of　her　perfume　and　of　her　unity　at　the　contact　of　men　and　things。　As　for　me；　I　experienced　that　more　than　most。　Mine　was　not　an　ordinary　love；　I　was　as　much　in　love　as　an　ordinary　creature　could　be；　but　with　Marguerite　Gautier；　that　is　to　say；　that　at　Paris；　at　every　step；　I　might　elbow　the　man　who　had　already　been　her　lover　or　who　was　about　to；　while　in　the　country；　surrounded　by　people　whom　we　had　never　seen　and　who　had　no　concern　with　us；　alone　with　nature　in　the　spring…time　of　the　year；　that　annual　pardon；　and　shut　off　from　the　noise　of　the　city；　I　could　hide　my　love；　and　love　without　shame　or　fear。

The　courtesan　disappeared　little　by　little。　I　had　by　me　a　young　and　beautiful　woman；　whom　I　loved；　and　who　loved　me；　and　who　was　called　Marguerite；　the　past　had　no　more　reality　and　the　future　no　more　clouds。　The　sun　shone　upon　my　mistress　as　it　might　have　shone　upon　the　purest　bride。　We　walked　together　in　those　charming　spots　which　seemed　to　have　been　made　on　purpose　to　recall　the　verses　of　Lamartine　or　to　sing　the　melodies　of　Scudo。　Marguerite　was　dressed　in　white；　she　leaned　on　my　arm；　saying　over　to　me　again　under　the　starry　sky　the　words　she　had　said　to　me　the　day　before；　and　far　off　the　world　went　on　its　way；　without　darkening　with　its　shadow　the　radiant　picture　of　our　youth　and　love。

That　was　the　dream　that　the　hot　sun　brought　to　me　that　day　through　the　leaves　of　the　trees；　as；　lying　on　the　grass　of　the　island　on　which　we　had　landed；　I　let　my　thought　wander；　free　from　the　human　links　that　had　bound　it；　gathering　to　itself　every　hope　that　came　in　its　way。

Add　to　this　that　from　the　place　where　I　was　I　could　see　on　the　shore　a　charming　little　house　of　two　stories；　with　a　semicircular　railing；　through　the　railing；　in　front　of　the　house；　a　green　lawn；　smooth　as　velvet；　and　behind　the　house　a　little　wood　full　of　mysterious　retreats；　where　the　moss　must　efface　each　morning　the　pathway　that　had　been　made　the　day　before。　Climbing　flowers　clung　about　the　doorway　of　this　uninhabited　house；　mounting　as　high　as　the　first　story。

I　looked　at　the　house　so　long　that　I　began　by　thinking　of　it　as　mine；　so　perfectly　did　it　embody　the　dream　that　I　was　dreaming；　I　saw　Marguerite　and　myself　there；　by　day　in　the　little　wood　that　covered　the　hillside；　in　the　evening　seated　on　the　grass；　and　I　asked　myself　if　earthly　creatures　had　ever　been　so　happy　as　we　should　be。

〃What　a　pretty　house！〃　Marguerite　said　to　me；　as　she　followed　the　direction　of　my　gaze　and　perhaps　of　my　thought。

〃Where？〃　asked　Prudence。

〃Yonder；〃　and　Marguerite　pointed　to　the　house　in　question。

〃Ah；　delicious！〃　replied　Prudence。