the secrets of the princesse de cadignan-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　present　is　a　man　of　intellect　to　fool。　I　have　had　only　partners；

never　adversaries。　Love　was　a　mere　game　instead　of　being　a　battle。〃



〃Dear　princess；　admit　that　I　am　very　generous；　for；　after　all；　you

know！charity　begins　at　home。〃



The　two　women　looked　at　each　other；　laughing；　and　clasped　hands　in　a

friendly　way。　Assuredly　they　both　knew　each　other's　secrets；　and　this

was　not　the　first　man　nor　the　first　service　that　one　had　given　to　the

other；　for　sincere　and　lasting　friendships　between　women　of　the　world

need　to　be　cemented　by　a　few　little　crimes。　When　two　friends　are

liable　to　kill　each　other　reciprocally；　and　see　a　poisoned　dagger　in

each　other's　hand；　they　present　a　touching　spectacle　of　harmony；　which

is　never　troubled；　unless；　by　chance；　one　of　them　is　careless　enough

to　drop　her　weapon。



So；　eight　days　later；　a　little　dinner　such　as　are　given　to　intimates

by　verbal　invitation　only；　during　which　the　doors　are　closed　to　all

other　visitors；　took　place　at　Madame　d'Espard's　house。　Five　persons

were　invited；Emile　Blondet　and　Madame　de　Montcornet；　Daniel

d'Arthez；　Rastignac；　and　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan。　Counting　the

mistress　of　the　house；　there　were　as　many　men　as　women。



Chance　never　exerted　itself　to　make　wiser　preparations　than　those

which　opened　the　way　to　a　meeting　between　d'Arthez　and　Madame　de

Cadignan。　The　princess　is　still　considered　one　of　the　chief

authorities　on　dress；　which；　to　women；　is　the　first　of　arts。　On　this

occasion　she　wore　a　gown　of　blue　velvet　with　flowing　white　sleeves；

and　a　tulle　guimpe；　slightly　frilled　and　edged　with　blue；　covering　the

shoulders；　and　rising　nearly　to　the　throat；　as　we　see　in　several　of

Raffaele's　portraits。　Her　maid　had　dressed　her　hair　with　white

heather；　adroitly　placed　among　its　blond　cascades；　which　were　one　of

the　great　beauties　to　which　she　owed　her　celebrity。



Certainly　Diane　did　not　look　to　be　more　than　twenty…five　years　old。

Four　years　of　solitude　and　repose　had　restored　the　freshness　of　her

complexion。　Besides；　there　are　moments　when　the　desire　to　please　gives

an　increase　of　beauty　to　women。　The　will　is　not　without　influence　on

the　variations　of　the　face。　If　violent　emotions　have　the　power　to

yellow　the　white　tones　of　persons　of　bilious　and　melancholy

temperament；　and　to　green　lymphatic　faces；　shall　we　not　grant　to

desire；　hope；　and　joy；　the　faculty　of　clearing　the　skin；　giving

brilliancy　to　the　eye；　and　brightening　the　glow　of　beauty　with　a　light

as　jocund　as　that　of　a　lovely　morning？　The　celebrated　faintness　of　the

princess　had　taken　on　a　ripeness　which　now　made　her　seem　more　august。

At　this　moment　of　her　life；　impressed　by　her　many　vicissitudes　and　by

serious　reflections；　her　noble；　dreamy　brow　harmonized　delightfully

with　the　slow；　majestic　glance　of　her　blue　eyes。　It　was　impossible　for

the　ablest　physiognomist　to　imagine　calculation　or　self…will　beneath

that　unspeakable　delicacy　of　feature。　There　were　faces　of　women　which

deceive　knowledge；　and　mislead　observation　by　their　calmness　and

delicacy；　it　is　necessary　to　examine　such　faces　when　passions　speak；

and　that　is　difficult；　or　after　they　have　spoken；　which　is　no　longer

of　any　use；　for　then　the　woman　is　old　and　has　ceased　to　dissimulate。



The　princess　is　one　of　those　impenetrable　women；　she　can　make　herself

what　she　pleases　to　be：　playful；　childlike；　distractingly　innocent；　or

reflective；　serious；　and　profound　enough　to　excite　anxiety。　She　came

to　Madame　d'Espard's　dinner　with　the　intention　of　being　a　gentle；

simple　woman；　to　whom　life　was　known　only　through　its　deceptions：　a

woman　full　of　soul；　and　calumniated；　but　resigned；in　short；　a

wounded　angel。



She　arrived　early；　so　as　to　pose　on　a　sofa　near　the　fire　beside　Madame

d'Espard；　as　she　wished　to　be　first　seen：　that　is；　in　one　of　those

attitudes　in　which　science　is　concealed　beneath　an　exquisite

naturalness；　a　studied　attitude；　putting　in　relief　the　beautiful

serpentine　outline　which；　starting　from　the　foot；　rises　gracefully　to

the　hip；　and　continues　with　adorable　curves　to　the　shoulder；

presenting；　in　fact；　a　profile　of　the　whole　body。　With　a　subtlety

which　few　women　would　have　dreamed　of；　Diane；　to　the　great　amazement

of　the　marquise；　had　brought　her　son　with　her。　After　a　moment's

reflection；　Madame　d'Espard　pressed　the　princess's　hand；　with　a　look

of　intelligence　that　seemed　to　say：



〃I　understand　you！　By　making　d'Arthez　accept　all　the　difficulties　at

once　you　will　not　have　to　conquer　them　later。〃



Rastignac　brought　d'Arthez。　The　princess　made　none　of　those

compliments　to　the　celebrated　author　with　which　vulgar　persons

overwhelmed　him；　but　she　treated　him　with　a　kindness　full　of　graceful

respect；　which；　with　her；　was　the　utmost　extent　of　her　concessions。

Her　manner　was　doubtless　the　same　with　the　King　of　France　and　the

royal　princes。　She　seemed　happy　to　see　this　great　man；　and　glad　that

she　had　sought　him。　Persons　of　taste；　like　the　princess；　are

especially　distinguished　for　their　manner　of　listening；　for　an

affability　without　superciliousness；　which　is　to　politeness　what

practice　is　to　virtue。　When　the　celebrated　man　spoke；　she　took　an

attentive　attitude；　a　thousand　times　more　flattering　than　the　best…

seasoned　compliments。　The　mutual　presentation　was　made　quietly；

without　emphasis；　and　in　perfectly　good　taste；　by　the　marquise。



At　dinner　d'Arthez　was　placed　beside　the　princess；　who；　far　from

imitating　the　eccentricities　of　diet　which　many　affected　women

display；　ate　her　dinner　with　a　very　good　appetite；　making　it　a　point

of　honor　to　seem　a　natural　woman；　without　strange　ways　or　fancies。

Between　two　courses　she　took　advantage　of　the　conversation　becoming

general　to　say　to　d'Arthez；　in　a　sort　of　aside：



〃The　secret　of　the　pleasure　I　take　in　finding　myself　beside　you；　is

the　desire　I　feel　to　learn　something　of　an　unfortunate　friend　of

yours；　monsieur。　He　died　for　another　cause　greater　than　ours；　but　I

was　under　the　greatest　obligations　to　him；　although　unable　to

acknowledge　or　thank　him　for　them。　I　know　that　you　were　one　of　his

best　friends。　Your　mutual　friendship；　pure　and　unalterable；　is　a　claim

upon　me。　You　will　not；　I　am　sure；　think　it　extraordinary；　that　I　have

wished　to　know　all　you　could　tell　me　of　a　man　so　dear　to　you。　Though　I

am　attached　to　the　exiled　family；　and　bound；　of　course；　to　hold

monarchical　opinions；　I　am　not　among　those　who　think　it　is　impossible

to　be　both　republican　and　noble　in　heart。　Monarchy　and　the　republic

are　two　forms　of　government　which　do　not　stifle　noble　sentiments。〃



〃Michel　Chrestien　was　an　angel；　madame；〃　replied　Daniel；　in　a　voice　of

emotion。　〃I　don't　know　among　the　heroes　of　antiquity　a　greater　than

he。　Be　careful　not　to　think　him　one　of　those　narrow…minded　republicans

who　would　like　to　restore　the　Convention　and　the　amenities　of　the

Committee　of　Public　Safety。　No；　Michel　dreamed　of　the　Swiss　federation

applied　to　all　Europe。　Let　us　own；　between　ourselves；　that　AFTER　the

glorious　government　of　one　man　only；　which；　as　I　think；　is

particularly　suited　to　our　nation；　Michel's　system　would　lead　to　the

suppression　of　war　in　this　old　world；　and　its　reconstruction　on　bases

other　than　those　of　conquest；　which　formerly　feudalized　it。　From　this

point　of　view　the　republicans　came　nearest　to　his　idea。　That　is　why　he

lent　them　his　arm　in　July；　and　was　killed　at　Saint…Merri。　Though

completely　apart　in　opinion；　he　and　I　were　closely　bound　together　as

friends。〃



〃That　is　noble　praise　for　both　natures；〃　said　Madame　de　Cadignan；

timidly。



〃During　the　last　four　years　of　his　life；〃　continued　Daniel；　〃he　made

to　me　alone　a　confidence　of　his　love　for　you；　and　this　confidence

knitted　closer　than　ever　the　already　strong　ties　of　brotherly

affection。　He　alone；　madame；　can　have　loved　you　as　you　ought　to　be

loved。　Many　a　time　I　have　been　pelted　with　rain　as　we　accompanied　your

carriage　at　the　pace　of　the　horses；　to　keep　at　a　parallel　distance；

and　see　yo