modeste mignon-第54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！



them；　I　am　even　pleased。　These　ladies　must　feel　that　the　duke's

interests　are　in　great　peril；　when　they　have　recourse　to　such

warfare。〃



Making　the　most　of　the　advantage　Modeste　had　thus　given　him；　Canalis

entered　upon　his　defence　with　such　warmth；　such　eagerness；　and　with　a

passion　so　exquisitely　expressed；　as　he　thanked　her　for　a　confidence

in　which　he　could　venture　to　see　the　dawn　of　love；　that　she　found

herself　suddenly　as　much　compromised　with　the　poet　as　she　feared　to　be

with　the　grand　equerry。　Canalis；　feeling　the　necessity　of　prompt

action；　declared　himself　plainly。　He　uttered　vows　and　protestations　in

which　his　poetry　shone　like　a　moon；　invoked　for　the　occasion；　and

illuminating　his　allusions　to　the　beauty　of　his　mistress　and　the

charms　of　her　evening　dress。　This　counterfeit　enthusiasm；　in　which　the

night；　the　foliage；　the　heavens　and　the　earth；　and　Nature　herself

played　a　part；　carried　the　eager　lover　beyond　all　bounds；　for　he　dwelt

on　his　disinterestedness；　and　revamped　in　his　own　charming　style；

Diderot's　famous　apostrophe　to　〃Sophie　and　fifteen　hundred　francs！〃

and　the　well…worn　〃love　in　a　cottage〃　of　every　lover　who　knows

perfectly　well　the　length　of　the　father…in…law's　purse。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Modeste；　after　listening　with　delight　to　the　melody

of　this　concerto；　〃the　freedom　granted　to　me　by　my　parents　has　allowed

me　to　listen　to　you；　but　it　is　to　them　that　you　must　address

yourself。〃



〃But；〃　exclaimed　Canalis；　〃tell　me　that　if　I　obtain　their　consent；　you

will　ask　nothing　better　than　to　obey　them。〃



〃I　know　beforehand；〃　she　replied；　〃that　my　father　has　certain　fancies

which　may　wound　the　proper　pride　of　an　old　family　like　yours。　He

wishes　to　have　his　own　title　and　name　borne　by　his　grandsons。〃



〃Ah！　dear　Modeste；　what　sacrifices　would　I　not　make　to　commit　my　life

to　the　guardian　care　of　an　angel　like　you。〃



〃You　will　permit　me　not　to　decide　in　a　moment　the　fate　of　my　whole

life；〃　she　said；　turning　to　rejoin　the　demoiselles　d'Herouville。



Those　noble　ladies　were　just　then　engaged　in　flattering　the　vanity　of

little　Latournelle；　intending　to　win　him　over　to　their　interests。

Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；　to　whom　we　shall　in　future　confine　the

family　name；　to　distinguish　her　from　her　niece　Helene；　was　giving　the

notary　to　understand　that　the　post　of　judge　of　the　Supreme　Court　in

Havre；　which　Charles　X。　would　bestow　as　she　desired；　was　an　office

worthy　of　his　legal　talent　and　his　well…known　probity。　Butscha；

meanwhile；　who　had　been　walking　about　with　La　Briere；　was　greatly

alarmed　at　the　progress　Canalis　was　evidently　making；　and　he　waylaid

Modeste　at　the　lower　step　of　the　portico　when　the　whole　party　returned

to　the　house　to　endure　the　torments　of　their　inevitable　whist。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　whisper；　〃I　do　hope　you　don't　call

him　Melchior。〃



〃I'm　very　near　it；　my　Black　Dwarf；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　that　might

have　made　an　angel　swear。



〃Good　God！〃　exclaimed　Butscha；　letting　fall　his　hands；　which　struck

the　marble　steps。



〃Well！　and　isn't　he　worth　more　than　that　spiteful　and　gloomy　secretary

in　whom　you　take　such　an　interest？〃　she　retorted；　assuming；　at　the

mere　thought　of　Ernest；　the　haughty　manner　whose　secret　belongs

exclusively　to　young　girls；as　if　their　virginity　lent　them　wings　to

fly　to　heaven。　〃Pray；　would　your　little　La　Briere　accept　me　without　a

fortune？〃　she　said；　after　a　pause。



〃Ask　your　father；〃　replied　Butscha；　who　walked　a　few　steps　from　the

house；　to　get　Modeste　at　a　safe　distance　from　the　windows。　〃Listen　to

me；　mademoiselle。　You　know　that　he　who　speaks　to　you　is　ready　to　give

not　only　his　life　but　his　honor　for　you；　at　any　moment；　and　at　all

times。　Therefore　you　may　believe　in　him；　you　can　confide　to　him　that

which　you　may　not；　perhaps；　be　willing　to　say　to　your　father。　Tell　me；

has　that　sublime　Canalis　been　making　you　the　disinterested　offer　that

you　now　fling　as　a　reproach　at　poor　Ernest？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Do　you　believe　it？〃



〃That　question；　my　manikin；〃　she　replied；　giving　him　one　of　the　ten　or

a　dozen　nicknames　she　had　invented　for　him；　〃strikes　me　as

undervaluing　the　strength　of　my　self…love。〃



〃Ah；　you　are　laughing；　my　dear　Mademoiselle　Modeste；　then　there's　no

danger：　I　hope　you　are　only　making　a　fool　of　him。〃



〃Pray　what　would　you　think　of　me；　Monsieur　Butscha；　if　I　allowed

myself　to　make　fun　of　those　who　do　me　the　honor　to　wish　to　marry　me？

You　ought　to　know；　master　Jean；　that　even　if　a　girl　affects　to　despise

the　most　despicable　attentions；　she　is　flattered　by　them。〃



〃Then　I　flatter　you？〃　said　the　young　man；　looking　up　at　her　with　a

face　that　was　illuminated　like　a　city　for　a　festival。



〃You？〃　she　said；　〃you　give　me　the　most　precious　of　all　friendships；a

feeling　as　disinterested　as　that　of　a　mother　for　her　child。　Compare

yourself　to　no　one；　for　even　my　father　is　obliged　to　be　devoted　to

me。〃　She　paused。　〃I　cannot　say　that　I　love　you；　in　the　sense　which　men

give　to　that　word；　but　what　I　do　give　you　is　eternal　and　can　know　no

change。〃



〃Then；〃　said　Butscha；　stooping　to　pick　up　a　pebble　that　he　might　kiss

the　hem　of　her　garment；　〃suffer　me　to　watch　over　you　as　a　dragon

guards　a　treasure。　The　poet　was　covering　you　just　now　with　the　lace…

work　of　his　precious　phrases；　the　tinsel　of　his　promises；　he　chanted

his　love　on　the　best　strings　of　his　lyre；　I　know　he　did。　If；　as　soon

as　this　noble　lover　finds　out　how　small　your　fortune　is；　he　makes　a

sudden　change　in　his　behavior；　and　is　cold　and　embarrassed；　will　you

still　marry　him？　shall　you　still　esteem　him？〃



〃He　would　be　another　Francisque　Althor；〃　she　said；　with　a　gesture　of

bitter　disgust。



〃Let　me　have　the　pleasure　of　producing　that　change　of　scene；〃　said

Butscha。　〃Not　only　shall　it　be　sudden；　but　I　believe　I　can　change　it

back　and　make　your　poet　as　loving　as　before；nay；　it　is　possible　to

make　him　blow　alternately　hot　and　cold　upon　your　heart；　just　as

gracefully　as　he　has　talked　on　both　sides　of　an　argument　in　one

evening　without　ever　finding　it　out。〃



〃If　you　are　right；〃　she　said；　〃who　can　be　trusted？〃



〃One　who　truly　loves　you。〃



〃The　little　duke？〃



Butscha　looked　at　Modeste。　The　pair　walked　some　distance　in　silence；

the　girl　was　impenetrable　and　not　an　eyelash　quivered。



〃Mademoiselle；　permit　me　to　be　the　exponent　of　the　thoughts　that　are

lying　at　the　bottom　of　your　heart　like　sea…mosses　under　the　waves；　and

which　you　do　not　choose　to　gather　up。〃



〃Eh！〃　said　Modeste；　〃so　my　intimate　friend　and　counsellor　thinks

himself　a　mirror；　does　he？〃



〃No；　an　echo；〃　he　answered；　with　a　gesture　of　sublime　humility。　〃The

duke　loves　you；　but　he　loves　you　too　much。　If　I；　a　dwarf；　have

understood　the　infinite　delicacy　of　your　heart；　it　would　be　repugnant

to　you　to　be　worshipped　like　a　saint　in　her　shrine。　You　are　eminently

a　woman；　you　neither　want　a　man　perpetually　at　your　feet　of　whom　you

are　eternally　sure；　nor　a　selfish　egoist　like　Canalis；　who　will　always

prefer　himself　to　you。　Why？　ah；　that　I　don't　know。　But　I　will　make

myself　a　woman；　an　old　woman；　and　find　out　the　meaning　of　the　plan

which　I　have　read　in　your　eyes；　and　which　perhaps　is　in　the　heart　of

every　girl。　Nevertheless；　in　your　great　soul　you　feel　the　need　of

worshipping。　When　a　man　is　at　your　knees；　you　cannot　put　yourself　at

his。　You　can't　advance　in　that　way；　as　Voltaire　might　say。　The　little

duke　has　too　many　genuflections　in　his　moral　being　and　the　poet　has

too　few；indeed；　I　might　say；　none　at　all。　Ha；　I　have　guessed　the

mischief　in　your　smiles　when　you　talk　to　the　grand　equerry；　and　when

he　talks　to　you　and　you　answer　him。　You　would　never　be　unhappy　with

the　duke；　and　everybody　will　approve　your　choice；　if　you　do　choose

him；　but　you　will　never　love　him。　The　ice　of　egotism；　and　the　burning

heat　of　ecstasy　both　produce　indifference　in　the　heart　of　every　woman。

It　is　evident　to　my　mind　that　no　such　perpetual　worship　will　give　you