the duchesse de langeais-第17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！


yrie　if　you　do　not　take　care。〃

Then　Mme　de　Langeais　felt　afraid。　　The　shrewd　old　noble's　words　sounded　like　a　prophecy。　　The　next　day　she　tried　to　turn　love　to　hate。　　She　was　harsh；　exacting；　irritable；　unbearable；　Montriveau　disarmed　her　with　angelic　sweetness。　　She　so　little　knew　the　great　generosity　of　a　large　nature；　that　the　kindly　jests　with　which　her　first　complaints　were　met　went　to　her　heart。　　She　sought　a　quarrel；　and　found　proofs　of　affection。　　She　persisted。

〃When　a　man　idolises　you；　how　can　he　have　vexed　you？〃　asked　Armand。

〃You　do　not　vex　me；〃　she　answered；　suddenly　grown　gentle　and　submissive。　　〃But　why　do　you　wish　to　compromise　me？　　For　me　you　ought　to　be　nothing　but　a　FRIEND。　　Do　you　not　know　it？　　I　wish　I　could　see　that　you　had　the　instincts；　the　delicacy　of　real　friendship；　so　that　I　might　lose　neither　your　respect　nor　the　pleasure　that　your　presence　gives　me。〃

〃Nothing　but　your　FRIEND！〃　he　cried　out。　　The　terrible　word　sent　an　electric　shock　through　his　brain。　　〃On　the　faith　of　these　happy　hours　that　you　grant　me；　I　sleep　and　wake　in　your　heart。　　And　now　today；　for　no　reason；　you　are　pleased　to　destroy　all　the　secret　hopes　by　which　I　live。　　You　have　required　promises　of　such　constancy　in　me；　you　have　said　so　much　of　your　horror　of　women　made　up　of　nothing　but　caprice；　and　now　do　you　wish　me　to　understand　that；　like　other　women　here　in　Paris；　you　have　passions；　and　know　nothing　of　love？　　If　so；　why　did　you　ask　my　life　of　me？　why　did　you　accept　it？〃

〃I　was　wrong；　my　friend。　　Oh；　it　is　wrong　of　a　woman　to　yield　to　such　intoxication　when　she　must　not　and　cannot　make　any　return。〃

〃I　understand。　　You　have　merely　been　coquetting　with　me；　and〃　

〃Coquetting？〃　she　repeated。　　〃I　detest　coquetry。　　A　coquette　Armand；　makes　promises　to　many；　and　gives　herself　to　none；　and　a　woman　who　keeps　such　promises　is　a　libertine。　　This　much　I　believed　I　had　grasped　of　our　code。　　But　to　be　melancholy　with　humorists；　gay　with　the　frivolous；　and　politic　with　ambitious　souls；　to　listen　to　a　babbler　with　every　appearance　of　admiration；　to　talk　of　war　with　a　soldier；　wax　enthusiastic　with　philanthropists　over　the　good　of　the　nation；　and　to　give　to　each　one　his　little　dole　of　flatteryit　seems　to　me　that　this　is　as　much　a　matter　of　necessity　as　dress；　diamonds；　and　gloves；　or　flowers　in　one's　hair。　　Such　talk　is　the　moral　counterpart　of　the　toilette。　　You　take　it　up　and　lay　it　aside　with　the　plumed　head…dress。　　Do　you　call　this　coquetry？　　Why；　I　have　never　treated　you　as　I　treat　everyone　else。　　With　you；　my　friend；　I　am　sincere。　　Have　I　not　always　shared　your　views；　and　when　you　convinced　me　after　a　discussion；　was　I　not　always　perfectly　glad？

In　short；　I　love　you；　but　only　as　a　devout　and　pure　woman　may　love。　　I　have　thought　it　over。　　I　am　a　married　woman；　Armand。　　My　way　of　life　with　M。　de　Langeais　gives　me　liberty　to　bestow　my　heart；　but　law　and　custom　leave　me　no　right　to　dispose　of　my　person。　　If　a　woman　loses　her　honour；　she　is　an　outcast　in　any　rank　of　life；　and　I　have　yet　to　meet　with　a　single　example　of　a　man　that　realises　all　that　our　sacrifices　demand　of　him　in　such　a　case。　　Quite　otherwise。　　Anyone　can　foresee　the　rupture　between　Mme　de　Beauseant　and　M。　d'Ajuda　（for　he　is　going　to　marry　Mlle　de　Rochefide；　it　seems）；　that　affair　made　it　clear　to　my　mind　that　these　very　sacrifices　on　the　woman's　part　are　almost　always　the　cause　of　the　man's　desertion。　　If　you　had　loved　me　sincerely；　you　would　have　kept　away　for　a　time。Now；　I　will　lay　aside　all　vanity　for　you；　is　not　that　something？　　What　will　not　people　say　of　a　woman　to　whom　no　man　attaches　himself？　　Oh；　she　is　heartless；　brainless；　soulless；　and　what　is　more；　devoid　of　charm！　　Coquettes　will　not　spare　me。　　They　will　rob　me　of　the　very　qualities　that　mortify　them。　　So　long　as　my　reputation　is　safe；　what　do　I　care　if　my　rivals　deny　my　merits？　　They　certainly　will　not　inherit　them。　　Come；　my　friend；　give　up　something　for　her　who　sacrifices　so　much　for　you。　　Do　not　come　quite　so　often；　I　shall　love　you　none　the　less。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Armand；　with　the　profound　irony　of　a　wounded　heart　in　his　words　and　tone。　　〃Love；　so　the　scribblers　say；　only　feeds　on　illusions。　　Nothing　could　be　truer；　I　see；　I　am　expected　to　imagine　that　I　am　loved。　　But；　there！there　are　some　thoughts　like　wounds；　from　which　there　is　no　recovery。　　My　belief　in　you　was　one　of　the　last　left　to　me；　and　now　I　see　that　there　is　nothing　left　to　believe　in　this　earth。〃

She　began　to　smile。

〃Yes；〃　Montriveau　went　on　in　an　unsteady　voice；　〃this　Catholic　faith　to　which　you　wish　to　convert　me　is　a　lie　that　men　make　for　themselves；　hope　is　a　lie　at　the　expense　of　the　future；　pride；　a　lie　between　us　and　our　fellows；　and　pity；　and　prudence；　and　terror　are　cunning　lies。　　And　now　my　happiness　is　to　be　one　more　lying　delusion；　I　am　expected　to　delude　myself；　to　be　willing　to　give　gold　coin　for　silver　to　the　end。　　If　you　can　so　easily　dispense　with　my　visits；　if　you　can　confess　me　neither　as　your　friend　nor　your　lover；　you　do　not　care　for　me！　　And　I；　poor　fool　that　I　am；　tell　myself　this；　and　know　it；　and　love　you！〃

〃But；　dear　me；　poor　Armand；　you　are　flying　into　a　passion！〃

〃I　flying　into　a　passion？〃

〃Yes。　　You　think　that　the　whole　question　is　opened　because　I　ask　you　to　be　careful。〃

In　her　heart　of　hearts　she　was　delighted　with　the　anger　that　leapt　out　in　her　lover's　eyes。　　Even　as　she　tortured　him；　she　was　criticising　him；　watching　every　slightest　change　that　passed　over　his　face。　　If　the　General　had　been　so　unluckily　inspired　as　to　show　himself　generous　without　discussion　（as　happens　occasionally　with　some　artless　souls）；　he　would　have　been　a　banished　man　forever；　accused　and　convicted　of　not　knowing　how　to　love。　　Most　women　are　not　displeased　to　have　their　code　of　right　and　wrong　broken　through。　　Do　they　not　flatter　themselves　that　they　never　yield　except　to　force？　　But　Armand　was　not　learned　enough　in　this　kind　of　lore　to　see　the　snare　ingeniously　spread　for　him　by　the　Duchess。　　So　much　of　the　child　was　there　in　the　strong　man　in　love。

〃If　all　you　want　is　to　preserve　appearances；〃　he　began　in　his　simplicity；　〃I　am　willing　to〃

〃Simply　to　preserve　appearances！〃　the　lady　broke　in；　〃why；　what　idea　can　you　have　of　me？　　Have　I　given　you　the　slightest　reason　to　suppose　that　I　can　be　yours？〃

〃Why；　what　else　are　we　talking　about？〃　demanded　Montriveau。

〃Monsieur；　you　frighten　me　！　。　。　。　　No；　pardon　me。　　Thank　you；〃　she　added；　coldly；　〃thank　you；　Armand。　　You　have　given　me　timely　warning　of　imprudence；　committed　quite　unconsciously；　believe　it；　my　friend。　　You　know　how　to　endure；　you　say。　　I　also　know　how　to　endure。　　We　will　not　see　each　other　for　a　time；　and　then；　when　both　of　us　have　contrived　to　recover　calmness　to　some　extent；　we　will　think　about　arrangements　for　a　happiness　sanctioned　by　the　world。　　I　am　young；　Armand；　a　man　with　no　delicacy　might　tempt　a　woman　of　four…and…twenty　to　do　many　foolish；　wild　things　for　his　sake。　　But　YOU！　　You　will　be　my　friend；　promise　me　that　you　will？〃

〃The　woman　of　four…and…twenty；〃　returned　he；　〃knows　what　she　is　about。〃

He　sat　down　on　the　sofa　in　the　boudoir；　and　leant　his　head　on　his　hands。

〃Do　you　love　me；　madame？〃　he　asked　at　length；　raising　his　head；　and　turning　a　face　full　of　resolution　upon　her。　　〃Say　it　straight　out；　Yes　or　No！〃

His　direct　question　dismayed　the　Duchess　more　than　a　threat　of　suicide　could　have　done；　indeed；　the　woman　of　the　nineteenth　century　is　not　to　be　frightened　by　that　stale　stratagem；　the　sword　has　ceased　to　be　part　of　the　masculine　costume。　　But　in　the　effect　of　eyelids　and　lashes；　in　the　contraction　of　the　gaze；　in　the　twitching　of　the　lips；　is　there　not　some　influence　that　communicates　the　terror　which　they　express　with　such　vivid　magnetic　power？

〃Ah；　if　I　were　free；　if〃

〃Oh！　is　it　only　your　husband　that　stands　in　the　way？〃　the　General　exclaimed　joyfully；　as　he　strode　to　and　fro　in　the　boudoir。　　〃Dear　Antoinette；　I　wield　a　more　absolute　power　than　the　Autocrat　of　all　the　Russias。　　I　have　a　compact　with　Fate；　I　can　advance　or　retard　destiny；　so　far　as　men　are　concerned；　at　my　fancy；　as　you　alter　the　hands　of　a　watch。　　If　you　can　direct　the　course　of　fate　in　our　political　machinery；　it　simply　means　（does　it