modeste mignon-第55章
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It is evident to my mind that no such perpetual worship will give you
the infinite delights which you are dreaming of in marriage;in some
marriage where obedience will be your pride; where noble little
sacrifices can be made and hidden; where the heart is full of
anxieties without a cause; and successes are awaited with eager hope;
where each new chance for magnanimity is hailed with joy; where souls
are comprehended to their inmost recesses; and where the woman
protects with her love the man who protects her。〃
〃You are a sorcerer!〃 exclaimed Modeste。
〃Neither will you find that sweet equality of feeling; that continual
sharing of each other's life; that certainty of pleasing which makes
marriage tolerable; if you take Canalis;a man who thinks of himself
only; whose 'I' is the one string to his lute; whose mind is so fixed
on himself that he has hitherto taken no notice of your father or the
duke;a man of second…rate ambitions; to whom your dignity and your
devotion will matter nothing; who will make you a mere appendage to
his household; and who already insults you by his indifference to your
behavior; yes; if you permitted yourself to go so far as to box your
mother's ears Canalis would shut his eyes to it; and deny your crime
even to himself; because he thirsts for your money。 And so;
mademoiselle; when I spoke of the man who truly loves you I was not
thinking of the great poet who is nothing but a little comedian; nor
of the duke; who might be a good marriage for you; but never a
husband〃
〃Butscha; my heart is a blank page on which you are yourself writing
all that you read there;〃 cried Modeste; interrupting him。 〃You are
carried away by your provincial hatred for everything that obliges you
to look higher than your own head。 You can't forgive a poet for being
a statesman; for possessing the gift of speech; for having a noble
future before him;and you calumniate his intentions。〃
〃His!mademoiselle; he will turn his back upon you with the baseness
of an Althor。〃
〃Make him play that pretty little comedy; and〃
〃That I will! he shall play it through and through within three days;
on Wednesday;recollect; Wednesday! Until then; mademoiselle; amuse
yourself by listening to the little tunes of the lyre; so that the
discords and the false notes may come out all the more distinctly。〃
Modeste ran gaily back to the salon; where La Briere; who was sitting
by the window; where he had doubtless been watching his idol; rose to
his feet as if a groom of the chambers had suddenly announced; 〃The
Queen。〃 It was a movement of spontaneous respect; full of that living
eloquence that lies in gesture even more than in speech。 Spoken love
cannot compare with acts of love; and every young girl of twenty has
the wisdom of fifty in applying the axiom。 In it lies the great secret
of attraction。 Instead of looking Modeste in the face; as Canalis who
paid her public homage would have done; the neglected lover followed
her with a furtive look between his eyelids; humble after the manner
of Butscha; and almost timid。 The young heiress observed it; as she
took her place by Canalis; to whose game she proceeded to pay
attention。 During a conversation which ensued; La Briere heard Modeste
say to her father that she should ride out for the first time on the
following Wednesday; and she also reminded him that she had no whip in
keeping with her new equipments。 The young man flung a lightning
glance at the dwarf; and a few minutes later the two were pacing the
terrace。
〃It is nine o'clock;〃 cried Ernest。 〃I shall start for Paris at full
gallop; I can get there to…morrow morning by ten。 My dear Butscha;
from you she will accept anything; for she is attached to you; let me
give her a riding…whip in your name。 If you will do me this immense
kindness; you shall have not only my friendship but my devotion。〃
〃Ah; you are very happy;〃 said Butscha; ruefully; 〃you have money;
you!〃
〃Tell Canalis not to expect me; and that he must find some pretext to
account for my absence。〃
An hour later Ernest had ridden out of Havre。 He reached Paris in
twelve hours; where his first act was to secure a place in the mail…
coach for Havre on the following evening。 Then he went to three of the
chief jewellers in Paris and compared all the whip…handles that they
could offer; he was in search of some artistic treasure that was
regally superb。 He found one at last; made by Stidmann for a Russian;
who was unable to pay for it when finished;a fox…head in gold; with
a ruby of exorbitant value; all his savings went into the purchase;
the cost of which was seven thousand francs。 Ernest gave a drawing of
the arms of La Bastie; and allowed the shop…people twenty hours to
engrave them。 The handle; a masterpiece of delicate workmanship; was
fitted to an india…rubber whip and put into a morocco case lined with
velvet; on which two M。's interlaced were stamped in gold。
La Briere got back to Havre by the mail…coach Wednesday morning in
time to breakfast with Canalis。 The poet had concealed his secretary's
absence by declaring that he was busy with some work sent from Paris。
Butscha; who met La Briere at the coach…door; took the box containing
the precious work of art to Francoise Cochet; with instructions to
place it on Modeste's dressing…table。
〃Of course you will accompany Mademoiselle Modeste on her ride
to…day?〃 said Butscha; who went to Canalis's house to let La Briere
know by a wink that the whip had gone to its destination。
〃I?〃 answered Ernest; 〃no; I am going to bed。〃
〃Bah!〃 exclaimed Canalis; looking at him。 〃I don't know what to make
of you。〃
Breakfast was then served; and the poet naturally invited their
visitor to stay and take it。 Butscha complied; having seen in the
expression of the valet's face the success of a trick in which we
shall see the first fruits of his promise to Modeste。
〃Monsieur is very right to detain the clerk of Monsieur Latournelle;〃
whispered Germain in his master's ear。
Canalis and Germain went into the salon on a sign that passed between
them。
〃I went out this morning to see the men fish; monsieur;〃 said the
valet;〃an excursion proposed to me by the captain of a smack; whose
acquaintance I have made。〃
Germain did not acknowledge that he had the bad taste to play
billiards in a cafe;a fact of which Butscha had taken advantage to
surround him with friends of his own and manage him as he pleased。
〃Well?〃 said Canalis; 〃to the point;quick!〃
〃Monsieur le baron; I heard a conversation about Monsieur Mignon;
which I encouraged as far as I could; for no one; of course; knew that
I belong to you。 Ah! monsieur; judging by the talk of the quays; you
are running your head into a noose。 The fortune of Mademoiselle de La
Bastie is; like her name; modest。 The vessel on which the father
returned does not belong to him; but to rich China merchants to whom
he renders an account。 They even say things that are not at all
flattering to Monsieur Mignon's honor。 Having heard that you and
Monsieur le duc were rivals for Mademoiselle de La Bastie's hand; I
have taken the liberty to warn you; of the two; wouldn't it be better
that his lordship should gobble her? As I came home I walked round the
quays; and into that theatre…hall where the merchants meet; I slipped
boldly in and out among them。 Seeing a well…dressed stranger; those
worthy fellows began to talk to me of Havre; and I got them; little by
little; to speak of Colonel Mignon。 What they said only confirms the
stories the fishermen told me; and I feel that I should fail in my
duty if I keep silence。 That is why I did not get home in time to
dress monsieur this morning。〃
〃What am I to do?〃 cried Canalis; who remembered his proposals to
Modeste the night before; and did not see how he could get out of
them。
〃Monsieur knows my attachment to him;〃 said Germain; perceiving that