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第46章

modeste mignon-第46章

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After a few consoling remarks; dashed with his own satisfaction at

having made a new version of Caesar's phrase; Canalis divulged a

desire to break with the Duchesse de Chaulieu。 La Briere; totally

unable to keep up the conversation; made the beauty of the night an

excuse to be set down; and then rushed like one possessed to the

seashore; where he stayed till past ten; in a half…demented state;

walking hurriedly up and down; talking aloud in broken sentences;

sometimes standing still or sitting down; without noticing the

uneasiness of two custom…house officers who were on the watch。 After

loving Modeste's wit and intellect and her aggressive frankness; he

now joined adoration of her beautythat is to say; love without

reason; love inexplicableto all the other reasons which had drawn

him ten days earlier; to the church in Havre。



He returned to the Chalet; where the Pyrenees hounds barked at him

till he was forced to relinquish the pleasure of gazing at Modeste's

windows。 In love; such things are of no more account to the lover than

the work which is covered by the last layer of color is to an artist;

yet they make up the whole of love; just as the hidden toil is the

whole of art。 Out of them arise the great painter and the true lover

whom the woman and the public end; sometimes too late; by adoring。



〃Well then!〃 he cried aloud; 〃I will stay; I will suffer; I will love

her for myself only; in solitude。 Modeste shall be my sun; my life; I

will breathe with her breath; rejoice in her joys and bear her griefs;

be she even the wife of that egoist; Canalis。〃



〃That's what I call loving; monsieur;〃 said a voice which came from a

shrub by the side of the road。 〃Ha; ha; so all the world is in love

with Mademoiselle de La Bastie?〃



And Butscha suddenly appeared and looked at La Briere。 La Briere

checked his anger when; by the light of the moon; he saw the dwarf;

and he made a few steps without replying。



〃Soldiers who serve in the same company ought to be good comrades;〃

remarked Butscha。 〃You don't love Canalis; neither do I。〃



〃He is my friend;〃 replied Ernest。



〃Ha; you are the little secretary?〃



〃You are to know; monsieur; that I am no man's secretary。 I have the

honor to be of counsel to a supreme court of this kingdom。〃



〃I have the honor to salute Monsieur de La Briere;〃 said Butscha。 〃I

myself have the honor to be head clerk to Latournelle; chief

councillor of Havre; and my position is a better one than yours。 Yes;

I have had the happiness of seeing Mademoiselle Modeste de La Bastie

nearly every evening for the last four years; and I expect to live

near her; as a king's servant lives in the Tuileries。 If they offered

me the throne of Russia I should answer; 'I love the sun too well。'

Isn't that telling you; monsieur; that I care more for her than for

myself? I am looking after her interests with the most honorable

intentions。 Do you believe that the proud Duchesse de Chaulieu would

cast a favorable eye on the happiness of Madame de Canalis if her

waiting…woman; who is in love with Monsieur Germain; not liking that

charming valet's absence in Havre; were to say to her mistress while

brushing her hair〃



〃Who do you know about all this?〃 said La Briere; interrupting

Butscha。



〃In the first place; I am clerk to a notary;〃 answered Butscha。 〃But

haven't you seen my hump? It is full of resources; monsieur。 I have

made myself cousin to Mademoiselle Philoxene Jacmin; born at Honfleur;

where my mother was born; a Jacmin;there are eight branches of the

Jacmins at Honfleur。 So my cousin Philoxene; enticed by the bait of a

highly improbable fortune; has told me a good many things。〃



〃The duchess is vindictive?〃 said La Briere。



〃Vindictive as a queen; Philoxene says; she has never yet forgiven the

duke for being nothing more than her husband;〃 replied Butscha。 〃She

hates as she loves。 I know all about her character; her tastes; her

toilette; her religion; and her manners; for Philoxene stripped her

for me; soul and corset。 I went to the opera expressly to see her; and

I didn't grudge the ten francs it cost meI don't mean the play。 If

my imaginary cousin had not told me the duchess had seen her fifty

summers; I should have thought I was over…generous in giving her

thirty; she has never known a winter; that duchess!〃



〃Yes;〃 said La Briere; 〃she is a cameopreserved because it is stone。

Canalis would be in a bad way if the duchess were to find out what he

is doing here; and I hope; monsieur; that you will go no further in

this business of spying; which is unworthy of an honest man。〃



〃Monsieur;〃 said Butscha; proudly; 〃for me Modeste is my country。 I do

not spy; I foresee; I take precautions。 The duchess will come here if

it is desirable; or she will stay tranquilly where she is; according

to what I judge best。〃



〃You?〃



〃I。〃



〃And how; pray?〃



〃Ha; that's it!〃 said the little hunchback; plucking a blade of grass。

〃See here! this herb believes that men build palaces for it to grow

in; it wedges its way between the closest blocks of marble; and brings

them down; just as the masses forced into the edifice of feudality

have brought it to the ground。 The power of the feeble life that can

creep everywhere is greater than that of the mighty behind their

cannons。 I am one of three who have sworn that Modeste shall be happy;

and we would sell our honor for her。 Adieu; monsieur。 If you truly

love Mademoiselle de La Bastie; forget this conversation and shake

hands with me; for I think you've got a heart。 I longed to see the

Chalet; and I got here just as SHE was putting out her light。 I saw

the dogs rush at you; and I overheard your words; and that is why I

take the liberty of saying we serve in the same regimentthat of

loyal devotion。〃



〃Monsieur;〃 said La Briere; wringing the hunchback's hand; 〃would you

have the friendliness to tell me if Mademoiselle Modeste ever loved

any one WITH LOVE before she wrote to Canalis?〃



〃Oh!〃 exclaimed Butscha in an altered voice; 〃that thought is an

insult。 And even now; who knows if she really loves? does she know

herself? She is enamored of genius; of the soul and intellect of that

seller of verses; that literary quack; but she will study him; we

shall all study him; and I know how to make the man's real character

peep out from under that turtle…shell of fine manners;we'll soon see

the petty little head of his ambition and his vanity!〃 cried Butscha;

rubbing his hands。 〃So; unless mademoiselle is desperately taken with

him〃



〃Oh! she was seized with admiration when she saw him; as if he were

something marvellous;〃 exclaimed La Briere; letting the secret of his

jealousy escape him。



〃If he is a loyal; honest fellow; and loves her; if he is worthy of

her; if he renounces his duchess;〃 said Butscha;〃then I'll manage

the duchess! Here; my dear sir; take this road; and you will get home

in ten minutes。〃



But as they parted; Butscha turned back and hailed poor Ernest; who;

as a true lover; would gladly have stayed there all night talking of

Modeste。



〃Monsieur;〃 said Butscha; 〃I have not yet had the honor of seeing our

great poet。 I am very curious to observe that magnificent phenomenon

in the exercise of his functions。 Do me the favor to bring him to the

Chalet to…morrow evening; and stay as long as possible; for it takes

more than an hour for a man to show himself for what he is。 I shall be

the first to see if he loves; if he can love; or if he ever will love

Mademoiselle Modeste。〃



〃You are very young to〃



〃to be a professor;〃 said Butscha; cutting short La Briere。 〃Ha;

monsieur; deformed folks are born a hundred years old。 And besides; a

sick man who has long been sick; knows more than his doctor; he knows

the disease; and that is more than can be said for the best of

doctors。 Well; so it is with a man who cherishes a woman in his heart

when the woman is forced t

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