modeste mignon-第31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！



received　a　violent　blow　on　her　heart　when　her　eyes　rested　on　this

poetic　figure；　illuminated　by　the　full　light　of　day　as　it　streamed

through　the　open　door。　She　could　not　be　mistaken；　a　small　white　rose

nearly　hid　the　ribbon　of　the　Legion。　Would　he　recognize　his　unknown

mistress　muffled　in　an　old　bonnet　with　a　double　veil？　Modeste　was　so

in　fear　of　love's　clairvoyance　that　she　began　to　stoop　in　her　walk

like　an　old　woman。



〃Wife；〃　said　little　Latournelle　as　they　took　their　seats；　〃that

gentleman　does　not　belong　to　Havre。〃



〃So　many　strangers　come　here；〃　answered　his　wife。



〃But；〃　said　the　notary；　〃strangers　never　come　to　look　at　a　church　like

ours；　which　is　less　than　two　centuries　old。〃



Ernest　remained　in　the　porch　throughout　the　service　without　seeing　any

woman　who　realized　his　hopes。　Modeste；　on　her　part；　could　not　control

the　trembling　of　her　limbs　until　Mass　was　nearly　over。　She　was　in　the

grasp　of　a　joy　that　none　but　she　herself　could　depict。　At　last　she

heard　the　foot…fall　of　a　gentleman　on　the　pavement　of　the　aisle。　The

service　over；　La　Briere　was　making　a　circuit　of　the　church；　where　no

one　now　remained　but　the　punctiliously　pious；　whom　he　proceeded　to

subject　to　a　shrewd　and　keen　analysis。　Ernest　noticed　that　a　prayer…

book　shook　violently　in　the　hands　of　a　veiled　woman　as　he　passed　her；

as　she　alone　kept　her　face　hidden　his　suspicions　were　aroused；　and

then　confirmed　by　Modeste's　dress；　which　the　lover's　eye　now　scanned

and　noted。　He　left　the　church　with　the　Latournelles　and　followed　them

at　a　distance　to　the　rue　Royale；　where　he　saw　them　enter　a　house

accompanied　by　Modeste；　whose　custom　it　was　to　stay　with　her　friends

till　the　hour　of　vespers。　After　examining　the　little　house；　which　was

ornamented　with　scutcheons；　he　asked　the　name　of　the　owner；　and　was

told　that　he　was　Monsieur　Latournelle；　the　chief　notary　in　Havre。　As

Ernest　lounged　along　the　rue　Royale　hoping　for　a　glimpse　into　the

house；　Modeste　caught　sight　of　him；　and　thereupon　declared　herself　too

ill　to　go　to　vespers。　Poor　Ernest　thus　had　his　trouble　for　his　pains。

He　dared　not　wander　about　Ingouville；　moreover；　he　made　it　a　point　of

honor　to　obey　orders；　and　he　therefore　went　back　to　Paris；　previously

writing　a　letter　which　Francoise　Cochet　duly　delivered　on　the　morrow

with　the　Havre　postmark。



It　was　the　custom　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Latournelle　to　dine　at　the

Chalet　every　Sunday　when　they　brought　back　Modeste　after　vespers。　So；

as　soon　as　the　invalid　felt　a　little　better；　they　started　for

Ingouville；　accompanied　by　Butscha。　Once　at　home；　the　happy　Modeste

forgot　her　pretended　illness　and　her　disguise；　and　dressed　herself

charmingly；　humming　as　she　came　down　to　dinner；



　　〃Nought　is　sleepingHeart！　awaking；

　　Lift　thine　incense　to　the　skies。〃



Butscha　shuddered　slightly　when　he　caught　sight　of　her；　so　changed　did

she　seem　to　him。　The　wings　of　love　were　fastened　to　her　shoulders；　she

had　the　air　of　a　nymph；　a　Psyche；　her　cheeks　glowed　with　the　divine

color　of　happiness。



〃Who　wrote　the　words　to　which　you　have　put　that　pretty　music？〃　asked

her　mother。



〃Canalis；　mamma；〃　she　answered；　flushing　rosy　red　from　her　throat　to

her　forehead。



〃Canalis！〃　cried　the　dwarf；　to　whom　the　inflections　of　the　girl's

voice　and　her　blush　told　the　only　thing　of　which　he　was　still

ignorant。　〃He；　that　great　poet；　does　he　write　songs？〃



〃They　are　only　simple　verses；〃　she　said；　〃which　I　have　ventured　to　set

to　German　airs。〃



〃No；　no；〃　interrupted　Madame　Mignon；　〃the　music　is　your　own；　my

daughter。〃



Modeste；　feeling　that　she　grew　more　and　more　crimson；　went　off　into

the　garden；　calling　Butscha　after　her。



〃You　can　do　me　a　great　service；〃　she　said。　〃Dumay　is　keeping　a　secret

from　my　mother　and　me　as　to　the　fortune　which　my　father　is　bringing

back　with　him；　and　I　want　to　know　what　it　is。　Did　not　Dumay　send　papa

when　he　first　went　away　over　five　hundred　thousand　francs？　Yes。　Well；

papa　is　not　the　kind　of　man　to　stay　away　four　years　and　only　double

his　capital。　It　seems　he　is　coming　back　on　a　ship　of　his　own；　and

Dumay's　share　amounts　to　almost　six　hundred　thousand　francs。〃



〃There　is　no　need　to　question　Dumay；〃　said　Butscha。　〃Your　father　lost；

as　you　know；　about　four　millions　when　he　went　away；　and　he　has

doubtless　recovered　them。　He　would　of　course　give　Dumay　ten　per　cent

of　his　profits；　the　worthy　man　admitted　the　other　day　how　much　it　was；

and　my　master　and　I　think　that　in　that　case　the　colonel's　fortune　must

amount　to　six　or　seven　millions〃



〃Oh；　papa！〃　cried　Modeste；　crossing　her　hands　on　her　breast　and

looking　up　to　heaven；　〃twice　you　have　given　me　life！〃



〃Ah；　mademoiselle！〃　said　Butscha；　〃you　love　a　poet。　That　kind　of　man

is　more　or　less　of　a　Narcissus。　Will　he　know　how　to　love　you？　A

phrase…maker；　always　busy　in　fitting　words　together；　must　be　a　bore。

Mademoiselle；　a　poet　is　no　more　poetry　than　a　seed　is　a　flower。〃



〃Butscha；　I　never　saw　so　handsome　a　man。〃



〃Beauty　is　a　veil　which　often　serves　to　hide　imperfections。〃



〃He　has　the　most　angelic　heart　of　heaven〃



〃I　pray　God　you　may　be　right；〃　said　the　dwarf；　clasping　his　hands；

〃and　happy！　That　man　shall　have；　as　you　have；　a　servant　in　Jean

Butscha。　I　will　not　be　notary；　I　shall　give　that　up；　I　shall　study　the

sciences。〃



〃Why？〃



〃Ah；　mademoiselle；　to　train　up　your　children；　if　you　will　deign　to

make　me　their　tutor。　But；　oh！　if　you　would　only　listen　to　some　advice。

Let　me　take　up　this　matter；　let　me　look　into　the　life　and　habits　of

this　man；find　out　if　he　is　kind；　or　bad…tempered；　or　gentle；　if　he

commands　the　respect　which　you　merit　in　a　husband；　if　he　is　able　to

love　utterly；　preferring　you　to　everything；　even　his　own　talent〃



〃What　does　that　signify　if　I　love　him？〃



〃Ah；　true！〃　cried　the　dwarf。



At　that　instant　Madame　Mignon　was　saying　to　her　friends；



〃My　daughter　saw　the　man　she　loves　this　morning。〃



〃Then　it　must　have　been　that　sulphur　waistcoat　which　puzzled　you　so；

Latournelle；〃　said　his　wife。　〃The　young　man　had　a　pretty　white　rose　in

his　buttonhole。〃



〃Ah！〃　sighed　the　mother；　〃the　sign　of　recognition。〃



〃And　he　also　wore　the　ribbon　of　an　officer　of　the　Legion　of　honor。　He

is　a　charming　young　man。　But　we　are　all　deceiving　ourselves；　Modeste

never　raised　her　veil；　and　her　clothes　were　huddled　on　like　a　beggar…

woman's〃



〃And　she　said　she　was　ill；〃　cried　the　notary；　〃but　she　has　taken　off

her　mufflings　and　is　just　as　well　as　she　ever　was。〃



〃It　is　incomprehensible！〃　said　Dumay。



〃Not　at　all；〃　said　the　notary；　〃it　is　now　as　clear　as　day。〃



〃My　child；〃　said　Madame　Mignon　to　Modeste；　as　she　came　into　the　room；

followed　by　Butscha；　〃did　you　see　a　well…dressed　young　man　at　church

this　morning；　with　a　white　rose　in　his　button…hole？〃



〃I　saw　him；〃　said　Butscha　quickly；　perceiving　by　everybody's　strained

attention　that　Modeste　was　likely　to　fall　into　a　trap。　〃It　was

Grindot；　the　famous　architect；　with　whom　the　town　is　in　treaty　for　the

restoration　of　the　church。　He　has　just　come　from　Paris；　and　I　met　him

this　morning　examining　the　exterior　as　I　was　on　my　way　to　Sainte…

Adresse。〃



〃Oh；　an　architect；　was　he？　he　puzzled　me；〃　said　Modeste；　for　whom

Butscha　had　thus　gained　time　to　recover　herself。



Dumay　looked　askance　at　Butscha。　Modeste；　fully　warned；　recovered　her

impenetrable　composure。　Dumay's　distrust　was　now　thoroughly　aroused；

and　he　resolved　to　go　the　mayor's　office　early　in　the　morning　and

ascertain　if　the　architect　had　really　been　in　Havre　the　previous　day。

Butscha；　on　the　other　hand；　was　equally　determined　to　go　to　Paris　and

find　out　something　about　Canalis。



Gobenheim　came　to　play　whist；　and　by　his　presence　subdued　and

compressed　all　this　fermentation　of　feelings。　Modeste　awaited　her

mother's　bedtime　with　impatience。　She　intended　to　write；　but　never　did

so　except　at　night。　Here　is　the　letter　which　love　dictated　to　her

while　all