modeste mignon-第26章

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quiet。　Let　us　say　frankly　that　the　memory　of　her　sister　was　more

potent　upon　her　than　any　social　conventions；　her　will　was　iron　in　the

resolve　to　bring　no　grief　upon　her　father　and　her　mother。　But　what

tumultuous　heavings　were　within　her　breast！　no　wonder　that　a　mother

guessed　them。



On　the　following　day　Modeste　and　Madame　Dumay　took　Madame　Mignon　about

mid…day　to　a　seat　in　the　sun　among　the　flowers。　The　blind　woman　turned

her　wan　and　blighted　face　toward　the　ocean；　she　inhaled　the　odors　of

the　sea　and　took　the　hand　of　her　daughter　who　remained　beside　her。　The

mother　hesitated　between　forgiveness　and　remonstrance　ere　she　put　the

important　question；　for　she　comprehended　the　girl's　love　and

recognized；　as　the　pretended　Canalis　had　done；　that　Modeste　was

exceptional　in　nature。



〃God　grant　that　your　father　return　in　time！　If　he　delays　much　longer

he　will　find　none　but　you　to　love　him。　Modeste；　promise　me　once　more

never　to　leave　him；〃　she　said　in　a　fond　maternal　tone。



Modeste　lifted　her　mother's　hands　to　her　lips　and　kissed　them　gently；

replying：　〃Need　I　say　it　again？〃



〃Ah；　my　child！　I　did　this　thing　myself。　I　left　my　father　to　follow　my

husband；　and　yet　my　father　was　all　alone；　I　was　all　the　child　he　had。

Is　that　why　God　has　so　punished　me？　What　I　ask　of　you　is　to　marry　as

your　father　wishes；　to　cherish　him　in　your　heart；　not　to　sacrifice　him

to　your　own　happiness；　but　to　make　him　the　centre　of　your　home。　Before

losing　my　sight；　I　wrote　him　all　my　wishes；　and　I　know　he　will　execute

them。　I　enjoined　him　to　keep　his　property　intact　and　in　his　own　hands；

not　that　I　distrust　you；　my　Modeste；　for　a　moment；　but　who　can　be　sure

of　a　son…in…law？　Ah！　my　daughter；　look　at　me；　was　I　reasonable？　One

glance　of　the　eye　decided　my　life。　Beauty；　so　often　deceitful；　in　my

case　spoke　true；　but　even　were　it　the　same　with　you；　my　poor　child；

swear　to　me　that　you　will　let　your　father　inquire　into　the　character；

the　habits；　the　heart；　and　the　previous　life　of　the　man　you

distinguish　with　your　loveif；　by　chance；　there　is　such　a　man。〃



〃I　will　never　marry　without　the　consent　of　my　father；〃　answered

Modeste。



〃You　see；　my　darling；〃　said　Madame　Mignon　after　a　long　pause；　〃that　if

I　am　dying　by　inches　through　Bettina's　wrong…doing；　your　father　would

not　survive　yours；　no；　not　for　a　moment。　I　know　him；　he　would　put　a

pistol　to　his　head；there　could　be　no　life；　no　happiness　on　earth　for

him。〃



Modeste　walked　a　few　steps　away　from　her　mother；　but　immediately　came

back。



〃Why　did　you　leave　me？〃　demanded　Madame　Mignon。



〃You　made　me　cry；　mamma；〃　answered　Modeste。



〃Ah；　my　little　darling；　kiss　me。　You　love　no　one　here？　you　have　no

lover；　have　you？〃　she　asked；　holding　Modeste　on　her　lap；　heart　to

heart。



〃No；　my　dear　mamma；〃　said　the　little　Jesuit。



〃Can　you　swear　it？〃



〃Oh；　yes！〃　cried　Modeste。



Madame　Mignon　said　no　more；　but　she　still　doubted。



〃At　least；　if　you　do　choose　your　husband；　you　will　tell　your　father？〃

she　resumed。



〃I　promised　that　to　my　sister；　and　to　you；　mother。　What　evil　do　you

think　I　could　commit　while　I　wear　that　ring　upon　my　finger　and　read

those　words：　'Think　of　Bettina？'　Poor　sister！〃



At　these　words　a　truce　of　silence　came　between　the　pair；　the　mother's

blighted　eyes　rained　tears　which　Modeste　could　not　check；　though　she

threw　herself　upon　her　knees；　and　cried：　〃Forgive　me！　oh；　forgive　me；

mother！〃



At　this　instant　the　excellent　Dumay　was　coming　up　the　hill　of

Ingouville　on　the　double…quick；a　fact　quite　abnormal　in　the　present

life　of　the　cashier。



Three　letters　had　brought　ruin　to　the　Mignons；　a　single　letter　now

restored　their　fortunes。　Dumay　had　received　from　a　sea…captain　just

arrived　from　the　China　Seas　the　following　letter　containing　the　first

news　of　his　patron　and　friend；　Charles　Mignon：



　　To　Monsieur　Jean　Dumay：



　　My　Dear　Dumay；I　shall　quickly　follow；　barring　the　chances　of　the

　　voyage；　the　vessel　which　carries　this　letter。　In　fact；　I　should

　　have　taken　it；　but　I　did　not　wish　to　leave　my　own　ship　to　which　I

　　am　accustomed。



　　I　told　you　that　no　new　was　to　be　good　news。　But　the　first　words　of

　　this　letter　ought　to　make　you　a　happy　man。　I　have　made　seven

　　millions　at　the　least。　I　am　bringing　back　a　large　part　of　it　in

　　indigo；　one　third　in　safe　London　securities；　and　another　third　in

　　good　solid　gold。　Your　remittances　helped　me　to　make　the　sum　I　had

　　settled　in　my　own　mind　much　sooner　than　I　expected。　I　wanted　two

　　millions　for　my　daughters　and　a　competence　for　myself。



　　I　have　been　engaged　in　the　opium　trade　with　the　largest　houses　in

　　Canton；　all　ten　times　richer　than　ever　I　was。　You　have　no　idea；　in

　　Europe；　what　these　rich　East　India　merchants　are。　I　went　to　Asia

　　Minor　and　purchased　opium　at　low　prices；　and　from　thence　to　Canton

　　where　I　delivered　my　cargoes　to　the　companies　who　control　the

　　trade。　My　last　expedition　was　to　the　Philippine　Islands　where　I

　　exchanged　opium　for　indigo　of　the　first　quality。　In　fact；　I　may

　　have　half　a　million　more　than　I　stated；　for　I　reckoned　the　indigo

　　at　what　it　cost　me。　I　have　always　been　well　in　health；　not　the

　　slightest　illness。　That　is　the　result　of　working　for　one's

　　children。　Since　the　second　year　I　have　owned　a　pretty　little　brig

　　of　seven　hundred　tons；　called　the　〃Mignon。〃　She　is　built　of　oak；

　　double…planked；　and　copper…fastened；　and　all　the　interior　fittings

　　were　done　to　suit　me。　She　is；　in　fact；　an　additional　piece　of

　　property。



　　A　sea…life　and　the　active　habits　required　by　my　business　have　kept

　　me　in　good　health。　To　tell　you　all　this　is　the　same　as　telling　it

　　to　my　two　daughters　and　my　dear　wife。　I　trust　that　the　wretched

　　man　who　took　away　my　Bettina　deserted　her　when　he　heard　of　my

　　ruin；　and　that　I　shall　find　the　poor　lost　lamb　at　the　Chalet。　My

　　three　dear　women　and　my　Dumay！　All　four　of　you　have　been　ever

　　present　in　my　thoughts　for　the　last　three　years。　You　are　a　rich

　　man；　now；　Dumay。　Your　share；　outside　of　my　own　fortune；　amounts　to

　　five　hundred　and　sixty　thousand　francs；　for　which　I　send　you

　　herewith　a　check；　which　can　only　be　paid　to　you　in　person　by　the

　　Mongenods；　who　have　been　duly　advised　from　New　York。



　　A　few　short　months；　and　I　shall　see　you　all　again；　and　all　well；　I

　　trust。　My　dear　Dumay；　if　I　write　this　letter　to　you　it　is　because

　　I　am　anxious　to　keep　my　fortune　a　secret　for　the　present。　I

　　therefore　leave　to　you　the　happiness　of　preparing　my　dear　angels

　　for　my　return。　I　have　had　enough　of　commerce；　and　I　am　resolved　to

　　leave　Havre。　My　intention　is　to　buy　back　the　estate　of　La　Bastie；

　　and　to　entail　it；　so　as　to　establish　an　estate　yielding　at　least　a

　　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　then　to　ask　the　king　to　grant

　　that　one　of　my　sons…in…law　may　succeed　to　my　name　and　title。　You

　　know；　my　poor　Dumay；　what　a　terrible　misfortune　overtook　us

　　through　the　fatal　reputation　of　a　large　fortune；my　daughter's

　　honor　was　lost。　I　have　therefore　resolved　that　the　amount　of　my

　　present　fortune　shall　not　be　known。　I　shall　not　disembark　at

　　Havre；　but　at　Marseilles。　I　shall　sell　my　indigo；　and　negotiate

　　for　the　purchase　of　La　Bastie　through　the　house　of　Mongenod　in

　　Paris。　I　shall　put　my　funds　in　the　Bank　of　France　and　return　to

　　the　Chalet　giving　out　that　I　have　a　considerable　fortune　in

　　merchandise。　My　daughters　will　be　supposed　to　have　two　or　three

　　hundred　thousand　francs。　To　choose　which　of　my　sons…in…law　is

　　worthy　to　succeed　to　my　title　and　estates　and　to　live　with　us；　is

　　now　the　object　of　my　life；　but　both　of　them　must　be；　like　you　and

　　me；　honest；　loyal；　and　firm　men；　and　absolutely　honorable。



　　My　dear　old　fellow；　I　have　never　doubted　you　for　a　moment。　We　have

　　gone　through　wars　and　commerce　together　and　now　we　will　undertake

　　agriculture；　you　shall　be　my　bailiff。　You　will　like　that；　will　you

　　not？　And　so；　old　friend；　I　leave　it　to　your