the ball at sceaux-第9章

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stranger　went　up　to　the　pretty　dancer；　and　leaning　over；　said　in　a

gentle　but　commanding　tone：



〃Clara；　my　child；　do　not　dance　any　more。〃



Clara　made　a　little　pouting　face；　bent　her　head；　and　finally　smiled。

When　the　dance　was　over；　the　young　man　wrapped　her　in　a　cashmere　shawl

with　a　lover's　care；　and　seated　her　in　a　place　sheltered　from　the

wind。　Very　soon　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine；　seeing　them　rise　and　walk

round　the　place　as　if　preparing　to　leave；　found　means　to　follow　them

under　pretence　of　admiring　the　views　from　the　garden。　Her　brother　lent

himself　with　malicious　good…humor　to　the　divagations　of　her　rather

eccentric　wanderings。　Emilie　then　saw　the　attractive　couple　get　into

an　elegant　tilbury；　by　which　stood　a　mounted　groom　in　livery。　At　the

moment　when；　from　his　high　seat；　the　young　man　was　drawing　the　reins

even；　she　caught　a　glance　from　his　eye　such　as　a　man　casts　aimlessly

at　the　crowd；　and　then　she　enjoyed　the　feeble　satisfaction　of　seeing

him　turn　his　head　to　look　at　her。　The　young　lady　did　the　same。　Was　it

from　jealousy？



〃I　imagine　you　have　now　seen　enough　of　the　garden；〃　said　her　brother。

〃We　may　go　back　to　the　dancing。〃



〃I　am　ready；〃　said　she。　〃Do　you　think　the　girl　can　be　a　relation　of

Lady　Dudley's？〃



〃Lady　Dudley　may　have　some　male　relation　staying　with　her；〃　said　the

Baron　de　Fontaine；　〃but　a　young　girl！No！〃



Next　day　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　expressed　a　wish　to　take　a　ride。

Then　she　gradually　accustomed　her　old　uncle　and　her　brothers　to

escorting　her　in　very　early　rides；　excellent；　she　declared　for　her

health。　She　had　a　particular　fancy　for　the　environs　of　the　hamlet

where　Lady　Dudley　was　living。　Notwithstanding　her　cavalry　manoeuvres；

she　did　not　meet　the　stranger　so　soon　as　the　eager　search　she　pursued

might　have　allowed　her　to　hope。　She　went　several　times　to　the　〃Bal　de

Sceaux〃　without　seeing　the　young　Englishman　who　had　dropped　from　the

skies　to　pervade　and　beautify　her　dreams。　Though　nothing　spurs　on　a

young　girl's　infant　passion　so　effectually　as　an　obstacle；　there　was　a

time　when　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　was　on　the　point　of　giving　up　her

strange　and　secret　search；　almost　despairing　of　the　success　of　an

enterprise　whose　singularity　may　give　some　idea　of　the　boldness　of　her

temper。　In　point　of　fact；　she　might　have　wandered　long　about　the

village　of　Chatenay　without　meeting　her　Unknown。　The　fair　Clarasince

that　was　the　name　Emilie　had　overheardwas　not　English；　and　the

stranger　who　escorted　her　did　not　dwell　among　the　flowery　and　fragrant

bowers　of　Chatenay。



One　evening　Emilie；　out　riding　with　her　uncle；　who；　during　the　fine

weather；　had　gained　a　fairly　long　truce　from　the　gout；　met　Lady

Dudley。　The　distinguished　foreigner　had　with　her　in　her　open　carriage

Monsieur　Vandenesse。　Emilie　recognized　the　handsome　couple；　and　her

suppositions　were　at　once　dissipated　like　a　dream。　Annoyed；　as　any

woman　must　be　whose　expectations　are　frustrated；　she　touched　up　her

horse　so　suddenly　that　her　uncle　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in

following　her；　she　had　set　off　at　such　a　pace。



〃I　am　too　old；　it　would　seem；　to　understand　these　youthful　spirits；〃

said　the　old　sailor　to　himself　as　he　put　his　horse　to　a　canter；　〃or

perhaps　young　people　are　not　what　they　used　to　be。　But　what　ails　my

niece？　Now　she　is　walking　at　a　foot…pace　like　a　gendarme　on　patrol　in

the　Paris　streets。　One　might　fancy　she　wanted　to　outflank　that　worthy

man；　who　looks　to　me　like　an　author　dreaming　over　his　poetry；　for　he

has；　I　think；　a　notebook　in　his　hand。　My　word；　I　am　a　great　simpleton！

Is　not　that　the　very　young　man　we　are　in　search　of！〃



At　this　idea　the　old　admiral　moderated　his　horse's　pace　so　as　to

follow　his　niece　without　making　any　noise。　He　had　played　too　many

pranks　in　the　years　1771　and　soon　after；　a　time　of　our　history　when

gallantry　was　held　in　honor；　not　to　guess　at　once　that　by　the　merest

chance　Emilie　had　met　the　Unknown　of　the　Sceaux　gardens。　In　spite　of

the　film　which　age　had　drawn　over　his　gray　eyes；　the　Comte　de

Kergarouet　could　recognize　the　signs　of　extreme　agitation　in　his

niece；　under　the　unmoved　expression　she　tried　to　give　to　her　features。

The　girl's　piercing　eyes　were　fixed　in　a　sort　of　dull　amazement　on　the

stranger；　who　quietly　walked　on　in　front　of　her。



〃Ay；　that's　it；〃　thought　the　sailor。　〃She　is　following　him　as　a　pirate

follows　a　merchantman。　Then；　when　she　has　lost　sight　of　him；　she　will

be　in　despair　at　not　knowing　who　it　is　she　is　in　love　with；　and

whether　he　is　a　marquis　or　a　shopkeeper。　Really　these　young　heads　need

an　old　fogy　like　me　always　by　their　side　。　。　。〃



He　unexpectedly　spurred　his　horse　in　such　a　way　as　to　make　his　niece's

bolt；　and　rode　so　hastily　between　her　and　the　young　man　on　foot　that

he　obliged　him　to　fall　back　on　to　the　grassy　bank　which　rose　from　the

roadside。　Then；　abruptly　drawing　up；　the　Count　exclaimed：



〃Couldn't　you　get　out　of　the　way？〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　monsieur。　But　I　did　not　know　that　it　lay　with　me

to　apologize　to　you　because　you　almost　rode　me　down。〃



〃There；　enough　of　that；　my　good　fellow！〃　replied　the　sailor　harshly；

in　a　sneering　tone　that　was　nothing　less　than　insulting。　At　the　same

time　the　Count　raised　his　hunting…crop　as　if　to　strike　his　horse；　and

touched　the　young　fellow's　shoulder；　saying；　〃A　liberal　citizen　is　a

reasoner；　every　reasoner　should　be　prudent。〃



The　young　man　went　up　the　bankside　as　he　heard　the　sarcasm；　then　he

crossed　his　arms；　and　said　in　an　excited　tone　of　voice；　〃I　cannot

suppose；　monsieur；　as　I　look　at　your　white　hairs；　that　you　still　amuse

yourself　by　provoking　duels〃



〃White　hairs！〃　cried　the　sailor；　interrupting　him。　〃You　lie　in　your

throat。　They　are　only　gray。〃



A　quarrel　thus　begun　had　in　a　few　seconds　become　so　fierce　that　the

younger　man　forgot　the　moderation　he　had　tried　to　preserve。　Just　as

the　Comte　de　Kergarouet　saw　his　niece　coming　back　to　them　with　every

sign　of　the　greatest　uneasiness；　he　told　his　antagonist　his　name；

bidding　him　keep　silence　before　the　young　lady　entrusted　to　his　care。

The　stranger　could　not　help　smiling　as　he　gave　a　visiting　card　to　the

old　man；　desiring　him　to　observe　that　he　was　living　at　a　country…house

at　Chevreuse；　and；　after　pointing　this　out　to　him；　he　hurried　away。



〃You　very　nearly　damaged　that　poor　young　counter…jumper；　my　dear；〃

said　the　Count；　advancing　hastily　to　meet　Emilie。　〃Do　you　not　know　how

to　hold　your　horse　in？And　there　you　leave　me　to　compromise　my

dignity　in　order　to　screen　your　folly；　whereas　if　you　had　but　stopped；

one　of　your　looks；　or　one　of　your　pretty　speechesone　of　those　you

can　make　so　prettily　when　you　are　not　pertwould　have　set　everything

right；　even　if　you　had　broken　his　arm。〃



〃But；　my　dear　uncle；　it　was　your　horse；　not　mine；　that　caused　the

accident。　I　really　think　you　can　no　longer　ride；　you　are　not　so　good　a

horseman　as　you　were　last　year。But　instead　of　talking　nonsense〃



〃Nonsense；　by　Gad！　Is　it　nothing　to　be　so　impertinent　to　your　uncle？〃



〃Ought　we　not　to　go　on　and　inquire　if　the　young　man　is　hurt？　He　is

limping；　uncle；　only　look！〃



〃No；　he　is　running；　I　rated　him　soundly。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　uncle；　I　know　you　there！〃



〃Stop；〃　said　the　Count；　pulling　Emilie's　horse　by　the　bridle；　〃I　do

not　see　the　necessity　of　making　advances　to　some　shopkeeper　who　is

only　too　lucky　to　have　been　thrown　down　by　a　charming　young　lady；　or

the　commander　of　La　Belle…Poule。〃



〃Why　do　you　think　he　is　anything　so　common；　my　dear　uncle？　He　seems　to

me　to　have　very　fine　manners。〃



〃Every　one　has　manners　nowadays；　my　dear。〃



〃No；　uncle；　not　every　one　has　the　air　and　style　which　come　of　the

habit　of　frequenting　drawing…rooms；　and　I　am　ready　to　lay　a　bet　with

you　that　the　young　man　is　of　noble　birth。〃



〃You　had　not　long　to　study　him。〃



〃No；　but　it　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　seen　him。〃



〃Nor　is　it　the　first　time　you　have　looked　for　him；〃　replied　the

admiral　w