the duchesse de langeais-第16章

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〃Ah！　you　were　punctual；〃　she　said；　〃that　is　right。　　I　like　punctuality。　　It　is　the　courtesy　of　kings；　His　Majesty　says；　but　to　my　thinking；　from　you　men　it　is　the　most　respectful　flattery　of　all。　　Now；　is　it　not？　　Just　tell　me。〃

Again　she　gave　him　a　side　glance　to　express　her　insidious　friendship；　for　he　was　dumb　with　happiness　sheer　happiness　through　such　nothings　as　these！　　Oh；　the　Duchess　understood　son　metier　de　femmethe　art　and　mystery　of　being　a　womanmost　marvellously　well；　she　knew；　to　admiration；　how　to　raise　a　man　in　his　own　esteem　as　he　humbled　himself　to　her；　how　to　reward　every　step　of　the　descent　to　sentimental　folly　with　hollow　flatteries。

〃You　will　never　forget　to　come　at　nine　o'clock。〃

〃No；　but　are　you　going　to　a　ball　every　night？〃

〃Do　I　know？〃　she　answered；　with　a　little　childlike　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　the　gesture　was　meant　to　say　that　she　was　nothing　if　not　capricious；　and　that　a　lover　must　take　her　as　she　was。〃Besides；〃　she　added；　〃what　is　that　to　you？　　You　shall　be　my　escort。〃

〃That　would　be　difficult　tonight；〃　he　objected；　〃I　am　not　properly　dressed。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　she　returned　loftily；　〃that　if　anyone　has　a　right　to　complain　of　your　costume；　it　is　I。　　Know；　therefore；　monsieur　le　voyageur；　that　if　I　accept　a　man's　arm；　he　is　forthwith　above　the　laws　of　fashion；　nobody　would　venture　to　criticise　him。　　You　do　not　know　the　world；　I　see；　I　like　you　the　better　for　it。〃

And　even　as　she　spoke　she　swept　him　into　the　pettiness　of　that　world　by　the　attempt　to　initiate　him　into　the　vanities　of　a　woman　of　fashion。

〃If　she　chooses　to　do　a　foolish　thing　for　me；　I　should　be　a　simpleton　to　prevent　her；〃　said　Armand　to　himself。　　〃She　has　a　liking　for　me　beyond　a　doubt；　and　as　for　the　world；　she　cannot　despise　it　more　than　I　do。　　So；　now　for　the　ball　if　she　likes。〃

The　Duchess　probably　thought　that　if　the　General　came　with　her　and　appeared　in　a　ballroom　in　boots　and　a　black　tie；　nobody　would　hesitate　to　believe　that　he　was　violently　in　love　with　her。　　And　the　General　was　well　pleased　that　the　queen　of　fashion　should　think　of　compromising　herself　for　him；　hope　gave　him　wit。　　He　had　gained　confidence；　he　brought　out　his　thoughts　and　views；　he　felt　nothing　of　the　restraint　that　weighed　on　his　spirits　yesterday。　　His　talk　was　interesting　and　animated；　and　full　of　those　first　confidences　so　sweet　to　make　and　to　receive。

Was　Mme　de　Langeais　really　carried　away　by　his　talk；　or　had　she　devised　this　charming　piece　of　coquetry？　　At　any　rate；　she　looked　up　mischievously　as　the　clock　struck　twelve。

〃Ah！　you　have　made　me　too　late　for　the　ball！〃　she　exclaimed；　surprised　and　vexed　that　she　had　forgotten　how　time　was　going。

The　next　moment　she　approved　the　exchange　of　pleasures　with　a　smile　that　made　Armand's　heart　give　a　sudden　leap。

〃I　certainly　promised　Mme　de　Beauseant；〃　she　added。　　〃They　are　all　expecting　me。〃

〃Very　wellgo。〃

〃Nogo　on。　　I　will　stay。　　Your　Eastern　adventures　fascinate　me。

Tell　me　the　whole　story　of　your　life。　　I　love　to　share　in　a　brave　man's　hardships；　and　I　feel　them　all；　indeed　I　do！〃

She　was　playing　with　her　scarf；　twisting　it　and　pulling　it　to　pieces；　with　jerky；　impatient　movements　that　seemed　to　tell　of　inward　dissatisfaction　and　deep　reflection。

〃WE　are　fit　for　nothing；〃　she　went　on。　　〃Ah！　we　are　contemptible；　selfish；　frivolous　creatures。　　We　can　bore　ourselves　with　amusements；　and　that　is　all　we　can　do。　　Not　one　of　us　that　understands　that　she　has　a　part　to　play　in　life。　　In　old　days　in　France；　women　were　beneficent　lights；　they　lived　to　comfort　those　that　mourned；　to　encourage　high　virtues；　to　reward　artists　and　stir　new　life　with　noble　thoughts。　　If　the　world　has　grown　so　petty；　ours　is　the　fault。　　You　make　me　loathe　the　ball　and　this　world　in　which　I　live。　　No；　I　am　not　giving　up　much　for　you。〃

She　had　plucked　her　scarf　to　pieces；　as　a　child　plays　with　a　flower；　pulling　away　all　the　petals　one　by　one；　and　now　she　crushed　it　into　a　ball；　and　flung　it　away。　　She　could　show　her　swan's　neck。

She　rang　the　bell。　　〃I　shall　not　go　out　tonight；〃　she　told　the　footman。　　Her　long；　blue　eyes　turned　timidly　to　Armand；　and　by　the　look　of　misgiving　in　them；　he　knew　that　he　was　meant　to　take　the　order　for　a　confession；　for　a　first　and　great　favour。　　There　was　a　pause；　filled　with　many　thoughts；　before　she　spoke　with　that　tenderness　which　is　often　in　women's　voices；　and　not　so　often　in　their　hearts。　〃You　have　had　a　hard　life；〃　she　said。

〃No；〃　returned　Armand。　　〃Until　today　I　did　not　know　what　happiness　was。〃

〃Then　you　know　it　now？〃　she　asked；　looking　at　him　with　a　demure；　keen　glance。

〃What　is　happiness　for　me　henceforth　but　thisto　see　you；　to　hear　you？　。　。　。　　Until　now　I　have　only　known　privation；　now　I　know　that　I　can　be　unhappy〃

〃That　will　do；　that　will　do；〃　she　said。　　〃You　must　go；　it　is　past　midnight。　　Let　us　regard　appearances。　　People　must　not　talk　about　us。　　I　do　not　know　quite　what　I　shall　say；　but　the　headache　is　a　good…natured　friend；　and　tells　no　tales。〃

〃Is　there　to　be　a　ball　tomorrow　night？〃

〃You　would　grow　accustomed　to　the　life；　I　think。　　Very　well。　　Yes；　we　will　go　again　tomorrow　night。〃

There　was　not　a　happier　man　in　the　world　than　Armand　when　he　went　out　from　her。　　Every　evening　he　came　to　Mme　de　Langeais's　at　the　hour　kept　for　him　by　a　tacit　understanding。

It　would　be　tedious；　and；　for　the　many　young　men　who　carry　a　redundance　of　such　sweet　memories　in　their　hearts；　it　were　superfluous　to　follow　the　story　step　by　stepthe　progress　of　a　romance　growing　in　those　hours　spent　together；　a　romance　controlled　entirely　by　a　woman's　will。　　If　sentiment　went　too　fast；　she　would　raise　a　quarrel　over　a　word；　or　when　words　flagged　behind　her　thoughts；　she　appealed　to　the　feelings。　　Perhaps　the　only　way　of　following　such　Penelope's　progress　is　by　marking　its　outward　and　visible　signs。

As；　for　instance；　within　a　few　days　of　their　first　meeting；　the　assiduous　General　had　won　and　kept　the　right　to　kiss　his　lady's　insatiable　hands。　　Wherever　Mme　de　Langeais　went；　M。　de　Montriveau　was　certain　to　be　seen；　till　people　jokingly　called　him　〃Her　Grace's　orderly。〃　　And　already　he　had　made　enemies；　others　were　jealous；　and　envied　him　his　position。　　Mme　de　Langeais　had　attained　her　end。　　The　Marquis　de　Montriveau　was　among　her　numerous　train　of　adorers；　and　a　means　of　humiliating　those　who　boasted　of　their　progress　in　her　good　graces；　for　she　publicly　gave　him　preference　over　them　all。

〃Decidedly；　M。　de　Montriveau　is　the　man　for　whom　the　Duchess　shows　a　preference；〃　pronounced　Mme　de　Serizy。

And　who　in　Paris　does　not　know　what　it　means　when　a　woman　〃shows　a　preference？〃　　All　went　on　therefore　according　to　prescribed　rule。　　The　anecdotes　which　people　were　pleased　to　circulate　concerning　the　General　put　that　warrior　in　so　formidable　a　light；　that　the　more　adroit　quietly　dropped　their　pretensions　to　the　Duchess；　and　remained　in　her　train　merely　to　turn　the　position　to　account；　and　to　use　her　name　and　personality　to　make　better　terms　for　themselves　with　certain　stars　of　the　second　magnitude。　　And　those　lesser　powers　were　delighted　to　take　a　lover　away　from　Mme　de　Langeais。　　The　Duchess　was　keen…sighted　enough　to　see　these　desertions　and　treaties　with　the　enemy；　and　her　pride　would　not　suffer　her　to　be　the　dupe　of　them。　　As　M。　de　Talleyrand；　one　of　her　great　admirers；　said；　she　knew　how　to　take　a　second　edition　of　revenge；　laying　the　two…edged　blade　of　a　sarcasm　between　the　pairs　in　these　〃morganatic〃　unions。　　Her　mocking　disdain　contributed　not　a　little　to　increase　her　reputation　as　an　extremely　clever　woman　and　a　person　to　be　feared。　　Her　character　for　virtue　was　consolidated　while　she　amused　herself　with　other　people's　secrets；　and　kept　her　own　to　herself。　　Yet；　after　two　months　of　assiduities；　she　saw　with　a　vague　dread　in　the　depths　of　her　soul　that　M。　de　Montriveau　understood　nothing　of　the　subtleties　of　flirtation　after　the　manner　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　he　was　taking　a　Parisienne's　coquetry　in　earnest。

〃You　will　not　tame　HIM；　dear　Duchess；〃　the　old　Vidame　de　Pamiers　had　said。　　〃　'Tis　a　first　cousin　to　the　eagle；　he　will　carry　you　off　to　his　eyrie　if　you　do　not　take　care。〃

Then　Mme　de　Langeais　felt　afraid。　　The　shrewd　old　nob