the secrets of the princesse de cadignan-第14章

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sleeve。



When　d'Arthez　was　in　the　street；　he　asked　himself　whether　he　might　not

have　been　rather　less　respectful。　He　went　over　in　memory　those　strange

confidenceswhich　have；　naturally；　been　much　abridged　here；　for　they

needed　a　volume　to　convey　their　mellifluous　abundance　and　the　graces

which　accompanied　them。　The　retrospective　perspicacity　of　this　man；　so

natural；　so　profound；　was　baffled　by　the　candor　of　that　tale　and　its

poignancy；　and　by　the　tones　of　the　princess。



〃It　is　true；〃　he　said　to　himself；　being　unable　to　sleep；　〃there　are

such　dramas　as　that　in　society。　Society　covers　great　horrors　with　the

flowers　of　its　elegance；　the　embroidery　of　its　gossip；　the　wit　of　its

lies。　We　writers　invent　no　more　than　the　truth。　Poor　Diane！　Michel　had

penetrated　that　enigma；　he　said　that　beneath　her　covering　of　ice　there

lay　volcanoes！　Bianchon　and　Rastignac　were　right；　when　a　man　can　join

the　grandeurs　of　the　ideal　and　the　enjoyments　of　human　passion　in

loving　a　woman　of　perfect　manners；　of　intellect；　of　delicacy；　it　must

be　happiness　beyond　words。〃



So　thinking；　he　sounded　the　love　that　was　in　him　and　found　it

infinite。







CHAPTER　V



A　TRIAL　OF　FAITH



The　next　day；　about　two　in　the　afternoon；　Madame　d'Espard；　who　had

seen　and　heard　nothing　of　the　princess　for　more　than　a　month；　went　to

see　her　under　the　impulse　of　extreme　curiosity。　Nothing　was　ever　more

amusing　of　its　kind　than　the　conversation　of　these　two　crafty　adders

during　the　first　half…hour　of　this　visit。



Diane　d'Uxelles　cautiously　avoided；　as　she　would　the　wearing　of　a

yellow　gown；　all　mention　of　d'Arthez。　The　marquise　circled　round　and

round　that　topic　like　a　Bedouin　round　a　caravan。　Diane　amused　herself；

the　marquise　fumed。　Diane　waited；　she　intended　to　utilize　her　friend

and　use　her　in　the　chase。　Of　these　two　women；　both　so　celebrated　in

the　social　world；　one　was　far　stronger　than　the　other。　The　princess

rose　by　a　head　above　the　marquise；　and　the　marquise　was　inwardly

conscious　of　that　superiority。　In　this；　perhaps；　lay　the　secret　of

their　intimacy。　The　weaker　of　the　two　crouched　low　in　her　false

attachment；　watching　for　the　hour；　long　awaited　by　feeble　beings；　of

springing　at　the　throat　of　the　stronger　and　leaving　the　mark　of　a

joyful　bite。　Diane　saw　clear；　but　the　world　was　the　dupe　of　the　wile

caresses　of　the　two　friends。



The　instant　that　the　princess　perceived　a　direct　question　on　the　lips

of　her　friend；　she　said：



〃Ah！　dearest；　I　owe　you　a　most　complete；　immense；　infinite；　celestial

happiness。〃



〃What　can　you　mean？〃



〃Have　you　forgotten　what　we　ruminated　three　months　ago　in　the　little

garden；　sitting　on　a　bench　in　the　sun；　under　the　jasmine？　Ah！　there

are　none　but　men　of　genius　who　know　how　to　love！　I　apply　to　my　grand

Daniel　d'Arthez　the　Duke　of　Alba's　saying　to　Catherine　de'　Medici：

'The　head　of　a　single　salmon　is　worth　all　the　frogs　in　the　world。'〃



〃I　am　not　surprised　that　I　no　longer　see　you；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard。



〃Promise　me；　if　you　meet　him；　not　to　say　to　him　one　word　about　me；　my

angel；〃　said　the　princess；　taking　her　friend's　hand。　〃I　am　happy；　oh！

happy　beyond　all　expression；　but　you　know　that　in　society　a　word；　a

mere　jest　can　do　much　harm。　One　speech　can　kill；　for　they　put　such

venom　into　a　single　sentence！　Ah！　if　you　knew　how　I　long　that　you

might　meet　with　a　love　like　this！　Yes；　it　is　a　sweet；　a　precious

triumph　for　women　like　ourselves　to　end　our　woman's　life　in　this　way；

to　rest　in　an　ardent；　pure；　devoted；　complete　and　absolute　love；　above

all；　when　we　have　sought　it　long。〃



〃Why　do　you　ask　me　to　be　faithful　to　my　dearest　friend？〃　said　Madame

d'Espard。　〃Do　you　think　me　capable　of　playing　you　some　villainous

trick？〃



〃When　a　woman　possesses　such　a　treasure　the　fear　of　losing　it　is　so

strong　that　it　naturally　inspires　a　feeling　of　terror。　I　am　absurd；　I

know；　forgive　me；　dear。〃



A　few　moments　later　the　marquise　departed；　as　she　watched　her　go　the

princess　said　to　herself：



〃How　she　will　pluck　me！　But　to　save　her　the　trouble　of　trying　to　get

Daniel　away　from　here　I'll　send　him　to　her。〃



At　three　o'clock；　or　a　few　moments　after；　d'Arthez　arrived。　In　the

midst　of　some　interesting　topic　on　which　he　was　discoursing

eloquently；　the　princess　suddenly　cut　him　short　by　laying　her　hand　on

his　arm。



〃Pardon　me；　my　dear　friend；〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃but　I　fear　I

may　forget　a　thing　which　seems　a　mere　trifle　but　may　be　of　great

importance。　You　have　not　set　foot　in　Madame　d'Espard's　salon　since　the

ever…blessed　day　when　I　met　you　there。　Pray　go　at　once；　not　for　your

sake；　nor　by　way　of　politeness；　but　for　me。　You　may　already　have　made

her　an　enemy　of　mine；　if　by　chance　she　has　discovered　that　since　her

dinner　you　have　scarcely　left　my　house。　Besides；　my　friend；　I　don't

like　to　see　you　dropping　your　connection　with　society；　and　neglecting

your　occupations　and　your　work。　I　should　again　be　strangely

calumniated。　What　would　the　world　say？　That　I　held　you　in　leading…

strings；　absorbed　you；　feared　comparisons；　and　clung　to　my　conquest

knowing　it　to　be　my　last！　Who　will　know　that　you　are　my　friend；　my

only　friend？　If　you　love　me　indeed；　as　you　say　you　love　me；　you　will

make　the　world　believe　that　we　are　purely　and　simply　brother　and

sister　Go　on　with　what　you　were　saying。〃



In　his　armor　of　tenderness；　riveted　by　the　knowledge　of　so　many

splendid　virtues；　d'Arthez　obeyed　this　behest　on　the　following　day　and

went　to　see　Madame　d'Espard；　who　received　him　with　charming　coquetry。

The　marquise　took　very　good　care　not　to　say　a　single　word　to　him　about

the　princess；　but　she　asked　him　to　dinner　on　a　coming　day。



On　this　occasion　d'Arthez　found　a　numerous　company。　The　marquise　had

invited　Rastignac；　Blondet；　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda…Pinto；　Maxime　de

Trailles；　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon；　the　two　brothers　Vandenesse；　du

Tillet；　one　of　the　richest　bankers　in　Paris；　the　Baron　de　Nucingen；

Raoul　Nathan；　Lady　Dudley；　two　very　treacherous　secretaries　of

embassies　and　the　Chevalier　d'Espard；　the　wiliest　person　in　this

assemblage　and　the　chief　instigator　of　his　sister…in…law's　policy。



When　dinner　was　well　under　way；　Maxime　de　Trailles　turned　to　d'Arthez

and　said　smiling：



〃You　see　a　great　deal；　don't　you；　of　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan？〃



To　this　question　d'Arthez　responded　by　curtly　nodding　his　head。　Maxime

de　Trailles　was　a　〃bravo〃　of　the　social　order；　without　faith　or　law；

capable　of　everything；　ruining　the　women　who　trusted　him；　compelling

them　to　pawn　their　diamonds　to　give　him　money；　but　covering　this

conduct　with　a　brilliant　varnish；　a　man　of　charming　manners　and

satanic　mind。　He　inspired　all　who　knew　him　with　equal　contempt　and

fear；　but　as　no　one　was　bold　enough　to　show　him　any　sentiments　but

those　of　the　utmost　courtesy　he　saw　nothing　of　this　public　opinion；　or

else　he　accepted　and　shared　the　general　dissimulation。　He　owed　to　the

Comte　de　Marsay　the　greatest　degree　of　elevation　to　which　he　could

attain。　De　Marsay；　whose　knowledge　of　Maxime　was　of　long…standing；

judged　him　capable　of　fulfilling　certain　secret　and　diplomatic

functions　which　he　confided　to　him　and　of　which　de　Trailles　acquitted

himself　admirably。　D'Arthez　had　for　some　time　past　mingled

sufficiently　in　political　matters　to　know　the　man　for　what　he　was；　and

he　alone　had　sufficient　strength　and　height　of　character　to　express

aloud　what　others　thought　or　said　in　a　whisper。



〃Is　it　for　her　that　you　neglect　the　Chamber？〃　asked　Baron　de　Nucingen

in　his　German　accent。



〃Ah！　the　princess　is　one　of　the　most　dangerous　women　a　man　can　have

anything　to　do　with。　I　owe　to　her　the　miseries　of　my　marriage；〃

exclaimed　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon。



〃Dangerous？〃　said　Madame　d'Espard。　〃Don't　speak　so　of　my　nearest

friend。　I　have　never　seen　or　known　anything　in　the　princess　that　did

not　seem　to　come　from　the　noblest　sentiments。〃



〃Let　the　marquis　say　what　he　thinks；〃　cried　Rastignac。