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第29章

modeste mignon-第29章

小说: modeste mignon 字数: 每页4000字

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little man with a species of terror mingled with curiosity。



〃I; too; have my dreams;〃 said Butscha; not taking his eyes from

Modeste。



The young girl lowered her eyelids with a movement that was a

revelation to the young man。



〃You love romance;〃 he said; addressing her。 〃Let me; in this moment

of happiness; tell you mine; and you shall tell me in return whether

the conclusion of the tale I have invented for my life is possible。 To

me wealth would bring greater happiness than to other men; for the

highest happiness I can imagine would be to enrich the one I loved。

You; mademoiselle; who know so many things; tell me if it is possible

for a man to make himself beloved independently of his person; be it

handsome or ugly; and for his spirit only?〃



Modeste raised her eyes and looked at Butscha。 It was a piercing and

questioning glance; for she shared Dumay's suspicion of Butscha's

motive。



〃Let me be rich; and I will seek some beautiful poor girl; abandoned

like myself; who has suffered; who knows what misery is。 I will write

to her and console her; and be her guardian spirit; she shall read my

heart; my soul; she shall possess by double wealth; my two wealths;

my gold; delicately offered; and my thought robed in all the splendor

which the accident of birth has denied to my grotesque body。 But I

myself shall remain hidden like the cause that science seeks。 God

himself may not be glorious to the eye。 Well; naturally; the maiden

will be curious; she will wish to see me; but I shall tell her that I

am a monster of ugliness; I shall picture myself hideous。〃



At these words Modeste gave Butscha a glance that looked him through

and through。 If she had said aloud; 〃What do you know of my love?〃 she

could not have been more explicit。



〃If I have the honor of being loved for the poem of my heart; if some

day such love may make a woman think me only slightly deformed; I ask

you; mademoiselle; shall I not be happier than the handsomest of men;

as happy as a man of genius beloved by some celestial being like

yourself。〃



The color which suffused the young girl's face told the cripple nearly

all he sought to know。



〃Well; if that be so;〃 he went on; 〃if we enrich the one we love; if

we please the spirit and withdraw the body; is not that the way to

make one's self beloved? At any rate it is the dream of your poor

dwarf;a dream of yesterday; for to…day your mother gives me the key

to future wealth by promising me the means of buying a practice。 But

before I become another Gobenheim; I seek to know whether this dream

could be really carried out。 What do you say; mademoiselle; YOU?〃



Modeste was so astonished that she did not notice the question。 The

trap of the lover was much better baited than that of the soldier; for

the poor girl was rendered speechless。



〃Poor Butscha!〃 whispered Madame Latournelle to her husband。 〃Do you

think he is going mad?〃



〃You want to realize the story of Beauty and the Beast;〃 said Modeste

at length; 〃but you forget that the Beast turned into Prince

Charming。〃



〃Do you think so?〃 said the dwarf。 〃Now I have always thought that

that transformation meant the phenomenon of the soul made visible;

obliterating the form under the light of the spirit。 If I were not

loved I should stay hidden; that is all。 You and yours; madame;〃 he

continued; addressing his mistress; 〃instead of having a dwarf at your

service; will now have a life and a fortune。〃



So saying; Butscha resumed his seat; remarking to the three whist…

players with an assumption of calmness; 〃Whose deal is it?〃 but within

his soul he whispered sadly to himself: 〃She wants to be loved for

herself; she corresponds with some pretended great man; how far has it

gone?〃



〃Dear mamma; it is nearly ten o'clock;〃 said Modeste。



Madame Mignon said good…night to her friends; and went to bed。



They who wish to love in secret may have Pyrenean hounds; mothers;

Dumays; and Latournelles to spy upon them; and yet not be in any

danger; but when it comes to a lover!ah! that is diamond cut

diamond; flame against flame; mind to mind; an equation whose terms

are mutual。



On Sunday morning Butscha arrived at the Chalet before Madame

Latournelle; who always came to take Modeste to church; and he

proceeded to blockade the house in expectation of the postman。



〃Have you a letter for Mademoiselle Mignon?〃 he said to that humble

functionary when he appeared。



〃No; monsieur; none。〃



〃This house has been a good customer to the post of late;〃 remarked

the clerk。



〃You may well say that;〃 replied the man。



Modeste both heard and saw the little colloquy from her chamber

window; where she always posted herself behind the blinds at this

particular hour to watch for the postman。 She ran downstairs; went

into the little garden; and called in an imperative voice:



〃Monsieur Butscha!〃



〃Here am I; mademoiselle;〃 said the cripple; reaching the gate as

Modeste herself opened it。



〃Will you be good enough to tell me whether among your various titles

to a woman's affection you count that of the shameless spying in which

you are now engaged?〃 demanded the girl; endeavoring to crush her

slave with the glance and gesture of a queen。



〃Yes; mademoiselle;〃 he answered proudly。 〃Ah! I never expected;〃 he

continued in a low tone; 〃that the grub could be of service to a star;

but so it is。 Would you rather that your mother and Monsieur Dumay

and Madame Latournelle had guessed your secret than one; excluded as

it were from life; who seeks to be to you one of those flowers that

you cut and wear for a moment? They all know you love; but I; I alone;

KNOW HOW。 Use me as you would a vigilant watch…dog; I will obey you;

protect you; and never bark; neither will I condemn you。 I ask only to

be of service to you。 Your father has made Dumay keeper of the hen…

roost; take Butscha to watch outside;poor Butscha; who doesn't ask

for anything; not so much as a bone。〃



〃Well; I've give you a trial;〃 said Modeste; whose strongest desire

was to get rid of so clever a watcher。 〃Please go at once to all the

hotels in Graville and in Havre; and ask if a gentleman has arrived

from England named Monsieur Arthur〃



〃Listen to me; mademoiselle;〃 said Butscha; interrupting Modeste

respectfully。 〃I will go and take a walk on the seashore; for you

don't want me to go to church to…day; that's what it is。〃



Modeste looked at her dwarf with a perfectly stupid astonishment。



〃Mademoiselle; you have wrapped your face in cotton…wool and a silk

handkerchief; but there's nothing the matter with you; and you have

put that thick veil on your bonnet to see some one yourself without

being seen。〃



〃Where did you acquire all that perspicacity?〃 cried Modeste;

blushing。



〃Moreover; mademoiselle; you have not put on your corset; a cold in

the head wouldn't oblige you to disfigure your waist and wear half a

dozen petticoats; nor hide your hands in these old gloves; and your

pretty feet in those hideous shoes; nor dress yourself like a beggar…

woman; nor〃



〃That's enough;〃 she said。 〃How am I to be certain that you will obey

me?〃



〃My master is obliged to go to Sainte…Adresse。 He does not like it;

but he is so truly good he won't deprive me of my Sunday; I will offer

to go for him。〃



〃Go; and I will trust you。〃



〃You are sure I can do nothing for you in Havre?〃



〃Nothing。 Hear me; mysterious dwarf;look;〃 she continued; pointing

to the cloudless sky; 〃can you see a single trace of that bird that

flew by just now? No; well then; my actions are pure as the air is

pure; and leave no stain behind them。 You may reassure Dumay and the

Latournelles; and my mother。 That hand;〃 she said; holding up a pretty

delicate hand; with the points of the rosy fingers; through which the

light shone; slightly turning back; 〃will never be given; it will

never even be kissed by what 

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