the duchesse de langeais-第33章
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The Duke flung up his hands； struck them together in despair； and folded his arms。
〃Then； cannot you see what will come of this mad freak？〃 he asked at last。
But the aged Princess had suddenly risen； and stood looking steadily at the Duchess； the younger woman flushed； and her eyes fell。 Mme de Chauvry gently drew her closer； and said； 〃My little angel； let me kiss you！〃
She kissed her niece very affectionately on the forehead； and continued smiling； while she held her hand in a tight clasp。
〃We are not under the Valois now； dear child。 You have compromised your husband and your position。 Still； we will arrange to make everything right。〃
〃But； dear aunt； I do not wish to make it right at all。 It is my wish that all Paris should say that I was with M。 de Montriveau this morning。 If you destroy that belief； however ill grounded it may be； you will do me a singular disservice。〃
〃Do you really wish to ruin yourself； child； and to grieve your family？〃
〃My family； father； unintentionally condemned me to irreparable misfortune when they sacrificed me to family considerations。 You may； perhaps； blame me for seeking alleviations； but you will certainly feel for me。〃
〃After all the endless pains you take to settle your daughters suitably！〃 muttered M。 de Navarreins； addressing the Vidame。
The Princess shook a stray grain of snuff from her skirts。 〃My dear little girl；〃 she said； 〃be happy； if you can。 We are not talking of troubling your felicity； but of reconciling it with social usages。 We all of us here assembled know that marriage is a defective institution tempered by love。 But when you take a lover； is there any need to make your bed in the Place du Carrousel？ See now； just be a bit reasonable； and hear what we have to say。〃
〃I am listening。〃
〃Mme la Duchesse；〃 began the Duc de Grandlieu； 〃if it were any part of an uncle's duty to look after his nieces； he ought to have a position； society would owe him honours and rewards and a salary； exactly as if he were in the King's service。 So I am not here to talk about my nephew； but of your own interests。 Let us look ahead a little。 If you persist in making a scandalI have seen the animal before； and I own that I have no great liking for himLangeais is stingy enough； and he does not care a rap for anyone but himself； he will have a separation； he will stick to your money； and leave you poor； and consequently you will be a nobody。 The income of a hundred thousand livres that you have just inherited from your maternal great…aunt will go to pay for his mistresses' amusements。 You will be bound and gagged by the law； you will have to say Amen to all these arrangements。 Suppose M。 de Montriveau leaves youdear me！ do not let us put ourselves in a passion； my dear niece； a man does not leave a woman while she is young and pretty； still； we have seen so many pretty women left disconsolate； even among princesses； that you will permit the supposition； an all but impossible supposition I quite wish to believe。Well； suppose that he goes； what will become of you without a husband？ Keep well with your husband as you take care of your beauty； for beauty； after all； is a woman's parachute； and a husband also stands between you and worse。 I am supposing that you are happy and loved to the end； and I am leaving unpleasant or unfortunate events altogether out of the reckoning。 This being so； fortunately or unfortunately； you may have children。 What are they to be？ Montriveaus？ Very well； they certainly will not succeed to their father's whole fortune。 You will want to give them all that you have； he will wish to do the same。 Nothing more natural； dear me！ And you will find the law against you。 How many times have we seen heirs…at…law bringing a law…suit to recover the property from illegitimate children？ Every court of law rings with such actions all over the world。 You will create a fidei commissum perhaps； and if the trustee betrays your confidence； your children have no remedy against him； and they are ruined。 So choose carefully。 You see the perplexities of the position。 In every possible way your children will be sacrificed of necessity to the fancies of your heart； they will have no recognised status。 While they are little they will be charming； but； Lord！ some day they will reproach you for thinking of no one but your two selves。 We old gentlemen know all about it。 Little boys grow up into men； and men are ungrateful beings。 When I was in Germany； did I not hear young de Horn say； after supper； ‘If my mother had been an honest woman； I should be prince…regnant！' ‘IF？' We have spent our lives in hearing plebeians say IF。 IF brought about the Revolution。 When a man cannot lay the blame on his father or mother； he holds God responsible for his hard lot。 In short； dear child； we are here to open your eyes。 I will say all I have to say in a few words； on which you had better meditate： A woman ought never to put her husband in the right。〃
〃Uncle； so long as I cared for nobody； I could calculate； I looked at interests then； as you do； now； I can only feel。〃
〃But； my dear little girl；〃 remonstrated the Vidame； 〃life is simply a complication of interests and feelings； to be happy； more particularly in your position； one must try to reconcile one's feelings with one's interests。 A grisette may love according to her fancy； that is intelligible enough； but you have a pretty fortune； a family； a name and a place at Court； and you ought not to fling them out of the window。 And what have we been asking you to do to keep them all？To manoeuvre carefully instead of falling foul of social conventions。 Lord！ I shall very soon be eighty years old； and I cannot recollect； under any regime； a love worth the price that you are willing to pay for the love of this lucky young man。〃
The Duchess silenced the Vidame with a look； if Montriveau could have seen that glance； he would have forgiven all。
〃It would be very effective on the stage；〃 remarked the Duc de Grandlieu； 〃but it all amounts to nothing when your jointure and position and independence is concerned。 You are not grateful； my dear niece。 You will not find many families where the relatives have courage enough to teach the wisdom gained by experience； and to make rash young heads listen to reason。 Renounce your salvation in two minutes； if it pleases you to damn yourself； well and good； but reflect well beforehand when it comes to renouncing your income。 I know of no confessor who remits the pains of poverty。 I have a right； I think； to speak in this way to you； for if you are ruined； I am the one person who can offer you a refuge。 I am almost an uncle to Langeais； and I alone have a right to put him in the wrong。〃
The Duc de Navarreins roused himself from painful reflections。
〃Since you speak of feeling； my child；〃 he said； 〃let me remind you that a woman who bears your name ought to be moved by sentiments which do not touch ordinary people。 Can you wish to give an advantage to the Liberals； to those Jesuits of Robespierre's that are doing all they can to vilify the noblesse？
Some things a Navarreins cannot do without failing in duty to his house。 You would not be alone in your dishonour〃
〃Come； come！〃 said the Princess。 〃Dishonour？ Do not make such a fuss about the journey of an empty carriage； children； and leave me alone with Antoinette。 Ail three of you come and dine with me。 I will undertake to arrange matters suitably。 You men understand nothing； you are beginning to talk sourly already； and I have no wish to see a quarrel between you and my dear child。 Do me the pleasure to go。〃
The three gentlemen probably guessed the Princess's intentions； they took their leave。 M。 de Navarreins kissed his daughter on the forehead with； 〃Come； be good； dear child。 It is not too late yet if you choose。〃
〃Couldn't we find some good fellow in the family to pick a quarrel with this Montriveau？〃 said the Vidame； as they went downstairs。
When the two women were alone； the Princess beckoned her niece to a little low chair by her side。
〃My pearl；〃 said she； 〃in this world below； I know nothing worse calumniated than God and the eighteenth century； for as I
