the ball at sceaux-第13章

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vagueness　pleases　youthful　minds。　Just　because　each　had　postponed

speaking　too　long；　they　seemed　to　be　playing　a　cruel　game　of　suspense。

He　was　trying　to　discover　whether　he　was　beloved；　by　the　effort　any

confession　would　cost　his　haughty　mistress；　she　every　minute　hoped

that　he　would　break　a　too　respectful　silence。



Emilie；　seated　on　a　rustic　bench；　was　reflecting　on　all　that　had

happened　in　these　three　months　full　of　enchantment。　Her　father's

suspicions　were　the　last　that　could　appeal　to　her；　she　even　disposed

of　them　at　once　by　two　or　three　of　those　reflections　natural　to　an

inexperienced　girl；　which；　to　her；　seemed　conclusive。　Above　all；　she

was　convinced　that　it　was　impossible　that　she　should　deceive　herself。

All　the　summer　through　she　had　not　been　able　to　detect　in　Maximilien　a

single　gesture；　or　a　single　word；　which　could　indicate　a　vulgar　origin

or　vulgar　occupations；　nay　more；　his　manner　of　discussing　things

revealed　a　man　devoted　to　the　highest　interests　of　the　nation。

〃Besides；〃　she　reflected；　〃an　office　clerk；　a　banker；　or　a　merchant；

would　not　be　at　leisure　to　spend　a　whole　season　in　paying　his

addresses　to　me　in　the　midst　of　woods　and　fields；　wasting　his　time　as

freely　as　a　nobleman　who　has　life　before　him　free　of　all　care。〃



She　had　given　herself　up　to　meditations　far　more　interesting　to　her

than　these　preliminary　thoughts；　when　a　slight　rustling　in　the　leaves

announced　to　her　than　Maximilien　had　been　watching　her　for　a　minute；

not　probably　without　admiration。



〃Do　you　know　that　it　is　very　wrong　to　take　a　young　girl　thus

unawares？〃　she　asked　him；　smiling。



〃Especially　when　they　are　busy　with　their　secrets；〃　replied　Maximilien

archly。



〃Why　should　I　not　have　my　secrets？　You　certainly　have　yours。〃



〃Then　you　really　were　thinking　of　your　secrets？〃　he　went　on；　laughing。



〃No；　I　was　thinking　of　yours。　My　own；　I　know。〃



〃But　perhaps　my　secrets　are　yours；　and　yours　mine；〃　cried　the　young

man；　softly　seizing　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine's　hand　and　drawing　it

through　his　arm。



After　walking　a　few　steps　they　found　themselves　under　a　clump　of　trees

which　the　hues　of　the　sinking　sun　wrapped　in　a　haze　of　red　and　brown。

This　touch　of　natural　magic　lent　a　certain　solemnity　to　the　moment。

The　young　man's　free　and　eager　action；　and；　above　all；　the　throbbing

of　his　surging　heart；　whose　hurried　beating　spoke　to　Emilie's　arm；

stirred　her　to　an　emotion　that　was　all　the　more　disturbing　because　it

was　produced　by　the　simplest　and　most　innocent　circumstances。　The

restraint　under　which　the　young　girls　of　the　upper　class　live　gives

incredible　force　to　any　explosion　of　feeling；　and　to　meet　an

impassioned　lover　is　one　of　the　greatest　dangers　they　can　encounter。

Never　had　Emilie　and　Maximilien　allowed　their　eyes　to　say　so　much　that

they　dared　never　speak。　Carried　a　way　by　this　intoxication；　they

easily　forgot　the　petty　stipulations　of　pride；　and　the　cold

hesitancies　of　suspicion。　At　first；　indeed；　they　could　only　express

themselves　by　a　pressure　of　hands　which　interpreted　their　happy

thoughts。



After　slowing　pacing　a　few　steps　in　long　silence；　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine　spoke。　〃Monsieur；　I　have　a　question　to　ask　you；〃　she　said

trembling；　and　in　an　agitated　voice。　〃But；　remember；　I　beg；　that　it　is

in　a　manner　compulsory　on　me；　from　the　rather　singular　position　I　am

in　with　regard　to　my　family。〃



A　pause；　terrible　to　Emilie；　followed　these　sentences；　which　she　had

almost　stammered　out。　During　the　minute　while　it　lasted；　the　girl；

haughty　as　she　was；　dared　not　meet　the　flashing　eye　of　the　man　she

loved；　for　she　was　secretly　conscious　of　the　meanness　of　the　next

words　she　added：　〃Are　you　of　noble　birth？〃



As　soon　as　the　words　were　spoken　she　wished　herself　at　the　bottom　of　a

lake。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　Longueville　gravely　replied；　and　his　face　assumed　a

sort　of　stern　dignity；　〃I　promise　to　answer　you　truly　as　soon　as　you

shall　have　answered　in　all　sincerity　a　question　I　will　put　to　you！〃

He　released　her　arm；　and　the　girl　suddenly　felt　alone　in　the　world；　as

he　said：　〃What　is　your　object　in　questioning　me　as　to　my　birth？〃



She　stood　motionless；　cold；　and　speechless。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　Maximilien　went　on；　〃let　us　go　no　further　if　we　do　not

understand　each　other。　I　love　you；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　of　deep

emotion。　〃Well；　then；〃　he　added；　as　he　heard　the　joyful　exclamation

she　could　not　suppress；　〃why　ask　me　if　I　am　of　noble　birth？〃



〃Could　he　speak　so　if　he　were　not？〃　cried　a　voice　within　her；　which

Emilie　believed　came　from　the　depths　of　her　heart。　She　gracefully

raised　her　head；　seemed　to　find　new　life　in　the　young　man's　gaze；　and

held　out　her　hand　as　if　to　renew　the　alliance。



〃You　thought　I　cared　very　much　for　dignities？〃　said　she　with　keen

archness。



〃I　have　no　titles　to　offer　my　wife；〃　he　replied；　in　a　half…sportive；

half…serious　tone。　〃But　if　I　choose　one　of　high　rank；　and　among　women

whom　a　wealthy　home　has　accustomed　to　the　luxury　and　pleasures　of　a

fine　fortune；　I　know　what　such　a　choice　requires　of　me。　Love　gives

everything；〃　he　added　lightly；　〃but　only　to　lovers。　Once　married；　they

need　something　more　than　the　vault　of　heaven　and　the　carpet　of　a

meadow。〃



〃He　is　rich；〃　she　reflected。　〃As　to　titles；　perhaps　he　only　wants　to

try　me。　He　has　been　told　that　I　am　mad　about　titles；　and　bent　on

marrying　none　but　a　peer's　son。　My　priggish　sisters　have　played　me

that　trick。〃〃I　assure　you；　monsieur；〃　she　said　aloud；　〃that　I　have

had　very　extravagant　ideas　about　life　and　the　world；　but　now；〃　she

added　pointedly；　looking　at　him　in　a　perfectly　distracting　way；　〃I

know　where　true　riches　are　to　be　found　for　a　wife。〃



〃I　must　believe　that　you　are　speaking　from　the　depths　of　your　heart；〃

he　said；　with　gentle　gravity。　〃But　this　winter；　my　dear　Emilie；　in

less　than　two　months　perhaps；　I　may　be　proud　of　what　I　shall　have　to

offer　you　if　you　care　for　the　pleasures　of　wealth。　This　is　the　only

secret　I　shall　keep　locked　here；〃　and　he　laid　his　hand　on　his　heart；

〃for　on　its　success　my　happiness　depends。　I　dare　not　say　ours。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　ours！〃



Exchanging　such　sweet　nothings；　they　slowly　made　their　way　back　to

rejoin　the　company。　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　had　never　found　her　lover

more　amiable　or　wittier：　his　light　figure；　his　engaging　manners；

seemed　to　her　more　charming　than　ever；　since　the　conversation　which

had　made　her　to　some　extent　the　possessor　of　a　heart　worthy　to　be　the

envy　of　every　woman。　They　sang　an　Italian　duet　with　so　much　expression

that　the　audience　applauded　enthusiastically。　Their　adieux　were　in　a

conventional　tone；　which　concealed　their　happiness。　In　short；　this　day

had　been　to　Emilie　like　a　chain　binding　her　more　closely　than　ever　to

the　Stranger's　fate。　The　strength　and　dignity　he　had　displayed　in　the

scene　when　they　had　confessed　their　feelings　had　perhaps　impressed

Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　with　the　respect　without　which　there　is　no

true　love。



When　she　was　left　alone　in　the　drawing…room　with　her　father；　the　old

man　went　up　to　her　affectionately；　held　her　hands；　and　asked　her

whether　she　had　gained　any　light　at　to　Monsieur　Longueville's　family

and　fortune。



〃Yes；　my　dear　father；〃　she　replied；　〃and　I　am　happier　than　I　could

have　hoped。　In　short；　Monsieur　de　Longueville　is　the　only　man　I　could

ever　marry。〃



〃Very　well；　Emilie；〃　said　the　Count；　〃then　I　know　what　remains　for　me

to　do。〃



〃Do　you　know　of　any　impediment？〃　she　asked；　in　sincere　alarm。



〃My　dear　child；　the　young　man　is　totally　unknown　to　me；　but　unless　he

is　not　a　man　of　honor；　so　long　as　you　love　him；　he　is　as　dear　to　me　as

a　son。〃



〃Not　a　man　of　honor！〃　exclaimed　Emilie。　〃As　to　that；　I　am　quite　easy。

My　uncle；　who　introduced　him　to　us；　will　answer　for　him。　Say；　my　dear

uncle；　has　he　been　a　filibuster；　an　outlaw；　a　pirate？〃



〃I　knew　I　should　find　myself　in　this　fix！〃　cried　the　old　sailor；

waking　up。　He　looked　round　the　room；　but　his　niec