camille-第31章

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p　pictures　of　her　new　flat　in　all　its　simplicity；　and　began　to　consult　me　as　to　its　position　and　arrangement。　I　saw　how　happy　and　proud　she　was　of　this　resolution；　which　seemed　as　if　it　would　bring　us　into　closer　and　closer　relationship；　and　I　resolved　to　do　my　own　share。　In　an　instant　I　decided　the　whole　course　of　my　life。　I　put　my　affairs　in　order；　and　made　over　to　Marguerite　the　income　which　had　come　to　me　from　my　mother；　and　which　seemed　little　enough　in　return　for　the　sacrifice　which　I　was　accepting。　There　remained　the　five　thousand　francs　a　year　from　my　father；　and；　whatever　happened；　I　had　always　enough　to　live　on。　I　did　not　tell　Marguerite　what　I　had　done；　certain　as　I　was　that　she　would　refuse　the　gift。　This　income　came　from　a　mortgage　of　sixty　thousand　francs　on　a　house　that　I　had　never　even　seen。　All　that　I　knew　was　that　every　three　months　my　father's　solicitor；　an　old　friend　of　the　family；　handed　over　to　me　seven　hundred　and　fifty　francs　in　return　for　my　receipt。

The　day　when　Marguerite　and　I　came　to　Paris　to　look　for　a　flat；　I　went　to　this　solicitor　and　asked　him　what　had　to　be　done　in　order　to　make　over　this　income　to　another　person。　The　good　man　imagined　I　was　ruined；　and　questioned　me　as　to　the　cause　of　my　decision。　As　I　knew　that　I　should　be　obliged；　sooner　or　later；　to　say　in　whose　favour　I　made　this　transfer；　I　thought　it　best　to　tell　him　the　truth　at　once。　He　made　none　of　the　objections　that　his　position　as　friend　and　solicitor　authorized　him　to　make；　and　assured　me　that　he　would　arrange　the　whole　affair　in　the　best　way　possible。　Naturally；　I　begged　him　to　employ　the　greatest　discretion　in　regard　to　my　father；　and　on　leaving　him　I　rejoined　Marguerite；　who　was　waiting　for　me　at　Julie　Duprat's；　where　she　had　gone　in　preference　to　going　to　listen　to　the　moralizings　of　Prudence。

We　began　to　look　out　for　flats。　All　those　that　we　saw　seemed　to　Marguerite　too　dear；　and　to　me　too　simple。　However；　we　finally　found；　in　one　of　the　quietest　parts　of　Paris；　a　little　house；　isolated　from　the　main　part　of　the　building。　Behind　this　little　house　was　a　charming　garden；　surrounded　by　walls　high　enough　to　screen　us　from　our　neighbours；　and　low　enough　not　to　shut　off　our　own　view。　It　was　better　than　our　expectations。

While　I　went　to　give　notice　at　my　own　flat；　Marguerite　went　to　see　a　business　agent；　who；　she　told　me；　had　already　done　for　one　of　her　friends　exactly　what　she　wanted　him　to　do　for　her。　She　came　on　to　the　Rue　de　Provence　in　a　state　of　great　delight。　The　man　had　promised　to　pay　all　her　debts；　to　give　her　a　receipt　for　the　amount；　and　to　hand　over　to　her　twenty　thousand　francs；　in　return　for　the　whole　of　her　furniture。　You　have　seen　by　the　amount　taken　at　the　sale　that　this　honest　man　would　have　gained　thirty　thousand　francs　out　of　his　client。

We　went　back　joyously　to　Bougival；　talking　over　our　projects　for　the　future；　which；　thanks　to　our　heedlessness；　and　especially　to　our　love；　we　saw　in　the　rosiest　light。

A　week　later；　as　we　were　having　lunch；　Nanine　came　to　tell　us　that　my　servant　was　asking　for　me。　〃Let　him　come　in；〃　I　said。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃your　father　has　arrived　in　Paris；　and　begs　you　to　return　at　once　to　your　rooms；　where　he　is　waiting　for　you。〃

This　piece　of　news　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world；　yet；　as　we　heard　it；　Marguerite　and　I　looked　at　one　another。　We　foresaw　trouble。　Before　she　had　spoken　a　word；　I　replied　to　her　thought；　and；　taking　her　hand；　I　said；　〃Fear　nothing。〃

〃Come　back　as　soon　as　possible；〃　whispered　Marguerite；　embracing　me；　〃I　will　wait　for　you　at　the　window。〃

I　sent　on　Joseph　to　tell　my　father　that　I　was　on　my　way。　Two　hours　later　I　was　at　the　Rue　de　Provence。



Chapter　20

My　father　was　seated　in　my　room　in　his　dressing…gown；　he　was　writing；　and　I　saw　at　once；　by　the　way　in　which　he　raised　his　eyes　to　me　when　I　came　in；　that　there　was　going　to　be　a　serious　discussion。　I　went　up　to　him；　all　the　same；　as　if　I　had　seen　nothing　in　his　face；　embraced　him；　and　said：

〃When　did　you　come；　father？〃

〃Last　night。〃

〃Did　you　come　straight　here；　as　usual？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　not　to　have　been　here　to　receive　you。〃

I　expected　that　the　sermon　which　my　father's　cold　face　threatened　would　begin　at　once；　but　he　said　nothing；　sealed　the　letter　which　he　had　just　written；　and　gave　it　to　Joseph　to　post。

When　we　were　alone；　my　father　rose；　and　leaning　against　the　mantel…piece；　said　to　me：

〃My　dear　Armand；　we　have　serious　matters　to　discuss。〃

〃I　am　listening；　father。〃

〃You　promise　me　to　be　frank？〃

〃Am　I　not　accustomed　to　be　so？〃

〃Is　it　not　true　that　you　are　living　with　a　woman　called　Marguerite　Gautier？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　this　woman　was？〃

〃A　kept　woman。〃

〃And　it　is　for　her　that　you　have　forgotten　to　come　and　see　your　sister　and　me　this　year？〃

〃Yes；　father；　I　admit　it。〃

〃You　are　very　much　in　love　with　this　woman？〃

〃You　see　it；　father；　since　she　has　made　me　fail　in　duty　toward　you；　for　which　I　humbly　ask　your　forgiveness　to…day。〃

My　father；　no　doubt；　was　not　expecting　such　categorical　answers；　for　he　seemed　to　reflect　a　moment；　and　then　said　to　me：

〃You　have；　of　course；　realized　that　you　can　not　always　live　like　that？〃

〃I　fear　so；　father；　but　I　have　not　realized　it。〃

〃But　you　must　realize；〃　continued　my　father；　in　a　dryer　tone；　〃that　I；　at　all　events；　should　not　permit　it。〃

〃I　have　said　to　myself　that　as　long　as　I　did　nothing　contrary　to　the　respect　which　I　owe　to　the　traditional　probity　of　the　family　I　could　live　as　I　am　living；　and　this　has　reassured　me　somewhat　in　regard　to　the　fears　I　have　had。〃

Passions　are　formidable　enemies　to　sentiment。　I　was　prepared　for　every　struggle；　even　with　my　father；　in　order　that　I　might　keep　Marguerite。

〃Then；　the　moment　is　come　when　you　must　live　otherwise。〃

〃Why；　father？〃

〃Because　you　are　doing　things　which　outrage　the　respect　that　you　imagine　you　have　for　your　family。〃

〃I　don't　follow　your　meaning。〃

〃I　will　explain　it　to　you。　Have　a　mistress　if　you　will；　pay　her　as　a　man　of　honour　is　bound　to　pay　the　woman　whom　he　keeps；　by　all　means；　but　that　you　should　come　to　forget　the　most　sacred　things　for　her；　that　you　should　let　the　report　of　your　scandalous　life　reach　my　quiet　countryside；　and　set　a　blot　on　the　honourable　name　that　I　have　given　you；　it　can　not；　it　shall　not　be。〃

〃Permit　me　to　tell　you；　father；　that　those　who　have　given　you　information　about　me　have　been　ill…informed。　I　am　the　lover　of　Mlle。　Gautier；　I　live　with　her；　it　is　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　I　do　not　give　Mlle。　Gautier　the　name　you　have　given　me；　I　spend　on　her　account　what　my　means　allow　me　to　spend；　I　have　no　debts；　and；　in　short；　I　am　not　in　a　position　which　authorizes　a　father　to　say　to　his　son　what　you　have　just　said　to　me。〃

〃A　father　is　always　authorized　to　rescue　his　son　out　of　evil　paths。　You　have　not　done　any　harm　yet；　but　you　will　do　it。〃　

〃Father！〃

〃Sir；　I　know　more　of　life　than　you　do。　There　are　no　entirely　pure　sentiments　except　in　perfectly　chaste　women。　Every　Manon　can　have　her　own　Des　Grieux；　and　times　are　changed。　It　would　be　useless　for　the　world　to　grow　older　if　it　did　not　correct　its　ways。　You　will　leave　your　mistress。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　disobey　you；　father；　but　it　is　impossible。〃　

〃I　will　compel　you　to　do　so。〃

〃Unfortunately；　father；　there　no　longer　exists　a　Sainte　Marguerite　to　which　courtesans　can　be　sent；　and；　even　if　there　were；　I　would　follow　Mlle。　Gautier　if　you　succeeded　in　having　her　sent　there。　What　would　you　have？　Perhaps　am　in　the　wrong；　but　I　can　only　be　happy　as　long　as　I　am　the　lover　of　this　woman。〃

〃Come；　Armand；　open　your　eyes。　Recognise　that　it　is　your　father　who　speaks　to　you；　your　father　who　has　always　loved　you；　and　who　only　desires　your　happiness。　Is　it　honourable　for　you　to　live　like　husband　and　wife　with　a　woman　whom　everybody　has　had？〃

〃What　does　it　matter；　father；　if　no　one　will　any　more？　What　does　it　matter；　if　this　woman　loves　me；　if　her　whole　life　is　changed　through　the　love　which　she　has　for　me　and　the　love　which　I　have　for　her？　What　does　it　matter；　if　she　has　become　a　different　woman？〃

〃Do　you　think；　then；　sir；　that　the　mission　of　a　man　of　honour　is　to　go　about　converting　lost　women？　Do