modeste mignon-第59章

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Modeste　threw　a　piercing　glance　at　Canalis；　which　he　was　unable　to

sustain；　she　was　conscious　of　a　ringing　in　her　ears；　darkness　seemed

to　spread　before　her；　and　then　she　suddenly　exclaimed　in　icy　tones：



〃Ah！　it　is　Wednesday！〃



〃I　do　not　say　this　to　flatter　your　passing　caprice；　mademoiselle；〃

said　the　duke；　to　whom　the　little　scene；　so　tragical　for　Modeste；　had

left　time　for　thought；　〃but　I　declare　I　am　so　profoundly　disgusted

with　the　world　and　the　Court　and　Paris　that　had　I　a　Duchesse

d'Herouville；　gifted　with　the　wit　and　graces　of　mademoiselle；　I　would

gladly　bind　myself　to　live　like　a　philosopher　at　my　chateau；　doing

good　around　me；　draining　my　marshes；　educating　my　children〃



〃That；　Monsieur　le　duc；　will　be　set　to　the　account　of　your　great

goodness；〃　said　Modeste；　letting　her　eyes　rest　steadily　on　the　noble

gentleman。　〃You　flatter　me　in　not　thinking　me　frivolous；　and　in

believing　that　I　have　enough　resources　within　myself　to　be　able　to

live　in　solitude。　It　is　perhaps　my　lot；〃　she　added；　glancing　at

Canalis；　with　an　expression　of　pity。



〃It　is　the　lot　of　all　insignificant　fortunes；〃　said　the　poet。　〃Paris

demands　Babylonian　splendor。　Sometimes　I　ask　myself　how　I　have　ever

managed　to　keep　it　up。〃



〃The　king　does　that　for　both　of　us；〃　said　the　duke；　candidly；　〃we　live

on　his　Majesty's　bounty。　If　my　family　had　not　been　allowed；　after　the

death　of　Monsieur　le　Grand；　as　they　call　Cinq…Mars；　to　keep　his　office

among　us；　we　should　have　been　obliged　to　sell　Herouville　to　the　Black

Brethren。　Ah；　believe　me；　mademoiselle；　it　is　a　bitter　humiliation　to

me　to　have　to　think　of　money　in　marrying。〃



The　simple　honesty　of　this　confession　came　from　his　heart；　and　the

regret　was　so　sincere　that　it　touched　Modeste。



〃In　these　days；〃　said　the　poet；　〃no　man　in　France；　Monsieur　le　duc；　is

rich　enough　to　marry　a　woman　for　herself；　her　personal　worth；　her

grace；　or　her　beauty〃



The　colonel　looked　at　Canalis　with　a　curious　eye；　after　first　watching

Modeste；　whose　face　no　longer　expressed　the　slightest　astonishment。



〃For　persons　of　high　honor；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃it　is　a　noble　employment

of　wealth　to　repair　the　ravages　of　time　and　destiny；　and　restore　the

old　historic　families。〃



〃Yes；　papa；〃　said　Modeste；　gravely。



The　colonel　invited　the　duke　and　Canalis　to　dine　with　him　sociably　in

their　riding…dress；　promising　them　to　make　no　change　himself。　When

Modeste　went　to　her　room　to　make　her　toilette；　she　looked　at　the

jewelled　whip　she　had　disdained　in　the　morning。



〃What　workmanship　they　put　into　such　things　nowadays！〃　she　said　to

Francoise　Cochet；　who　had　become　her　waiting…maid。



〃That　poor　young　man；　mademoiselle；　who　has　got　a　fever〃



〃Who　told　you　that？〃



〃Monsieur　Butscha。　He　came　here　this　afternoon　and　asked　me　to　say　to

you　that　he　hoped　you　would　notice　he　had　kept　his　word　on　the

appointed　day。〃



Modeste　came　down　into　the　salon　dressed　with　royal　simplicity。



〃My　dear　father；〃　she　said　aloud；　taking　the　colonel　by　the　arm；

〃please　go　and　ask　after　Monsieur　de　La　Briere's　health；　and　take　him

back　his　present。　You　can　say　that　my　small　means；　as　well　as　my

natural　tastes；　forbid　my　wearing　ornaments　which　are　only　fit　for

queens　or　courtesans。　Besides；　I　can　only　accept　gifts　from　a

bridegroom。　Beg　him　to　keep　the　whip　until　you　know　whether　you　are

rich　enough　to　buy　it　back。〃



〃My　little　girl　has　plenty　of　good　sense；〃　said　the　colonel；　kissing

his　daughter　on　the　forehead。



Canalis　took　advantage　of　a　conversation　which　began　between　the　duke

and　Madame　Mignon　to　escape　to　the　terrace；　where　Modeste　joined　him；

influenced　by　curiosity；　though　the　poet　believed　her　desire　to　become

Madame　de　Canalis　had　brought　her　there。　Rather　alarmed　at　the

indecency　with　which　he　had　just　executed　what　soldiers　call　a　〃volte…

face；〃　and　which；　according　to　the　laws　of　ambition；　every　man　in　his

position　would　have　executed　quite　as　brutally；　he　now　endeavored；　as

the　unfortunate　Modeste　approached　him；　to　find　plausible　excuses　for

his　conduct。



〃Dear　Modeste；〃　he　began；　in　a　coaxing　tone；　〃considering　the　terms　on

which　we　stand　to　each　other；　shall　I　displease　you　if　I　say　that　your

replies　to　the　Duc　d'Herouville　were　very　painful　to　a　man　in　love；

above　all；　to　a　poet　whose　soul　is　feminine；　nervous；　full　of　the

jealousies　of　true　passion。　I　should　make　a　poor　diplomatist　indeed　if

I　had　not　perceived　that　your　first　coquetries；　your　little

premeditated　inconsistencies；　were　only　assumed　for　the　purpose　of

studying　our　characters〃



Modeste　raised　her　head　with　the　rapid；　intelligent；　half…coquettish

motion　of　a　wild　animal；　in　whom　instinct　produces　such　miracles　of

grace。



〃and　therefore　when　I　returned　home　and　thought　them　over；　they

never　misled　me。　I　only　marvelled　at　a　cleverness　so　in　harmony　with

your　character　and　your　countenance。　Do　not　be　uneasy；　I　never　doubted

that　your　assumed　duplicity　covered　an　angelic　candor。　No；　your　mind；

your　education；　have　in　no　way　lessened　the　precious　innocence　which

we　demand　in　a　wife。　You　are　indeed　a　wife　for　a　poet；　a　diplomatist；

a　thinker；　a　man　destined　to　endure　the　chances　and　changes　of　life；

and　my　admiration　is　equalled　only　by　the　attachment　I　feel　to　you。　I

now　entreat　youif　yesterday　you　were　not　playing　a　little　comedy

when　you　accepted　the　love　of　a　man　whose　vanity　will　change　to　pride

if　you　accept　him；　one　whose　defects　will　become　virtues　under　your

divine　influenceI　entreat　you　do　not　excite　a　passion　which；　in　him；

amounts　to　vice。　Jealousy　is　a　noxious　element　in　my　soul；　and　you

have　revealed　to　me　its　strength；　it　is　awful；　it　destroys　everything

Oh！　I　do　not　mean　the　jealousy　of　an　Othello；〃　he　continued；

noticing　Modeste's　gesture。　〃No；　no；　my　thoughts　were　of　myself：　I

have　been　so　indulged　on　that　point。　You　know　the　affection　to　which　I

owe　all　the　happiness　I　have　ever　enjoyed；very　little　at　the　best〃

（he　sadly　shook　his　head）。　〃Love　is　symbolized　among　all　nations　as　a

child；　because　it　fancies　the　world　belongs　to　it；　and　it　cannot

conceive　otherwise。　Well；　Nature　herself　set　the　limit　to　that

sentiment。　It　was　still…born。　A　tender；　maternal　soul　guessed　and

calmed　the　painful　constriction　of　my　heart；for　a　woman　who　feels；

who　knows；　that　she　is　past　the　joys　of　love　becomes　angelic　in　her

treatment　of　others。　The　duchess　has　never　made　me　suffer　in　my

sensibilities。　For　ten　years　not　a　word；　not　a　look；　that　could　wound

me！　I　attach　more　value　to　words；　to　thoughts；　to　looks；　than　ordinary

men。　If　a　look　is　to　me　a　treasure　beyond　all　price；　the　slightest

doubt　is　deadly　poison；　it　acts　instantaneously；　my　love　dies。　I

believecontrary　to　the　mass　of　men；　who　delight　in　trembling；

hoping；　expectingthat　love　can　only　exist　in　perfect；　infantile；　and

infinite　security。　The　exquisite　purgatory；　where　women　delight　to

send　us　by　their　coquetry；　is　a　base　happiness　to　which　I　will　not

submit：　to　me；　love　is　either　heaven　or　hell。　If　it　is　hell；　I　will

have　none　of　it。　I　feel　an　affinity　with　the　azure　skies　of　Paradise

within　my　soul。　I　can　give　myself　without　reserve；　without　secrets；

doubts　or　deceptions；　in　the　life　to　come；　and　I　demand　reciprocity。

Perhaps　I　offend　you　by　these　doubts。　Remember；　however；　that　I　am

only　talking　of　myself〃



〃a　good　deal；　but　never　too　much；〃　said　Modeste；　offended　in　every

hole　and　corner　of　her　pride　by　this　discourse；　in　which　the　Duchesse

de　Chaulieu　served　as　a　dagger。　〃I　am　so　accustomed　to　admire　you；　my

dear　poet。〃



〃Well；　then；　can　you　promise　me　the　same　canine　fidelity　which　I　offer

to　you？　Is　it　not　beautiful？　Is　it　not　just　what　you　have　longed　for？〃



〃But　why；　dear　poet；　do　you　not　marry　a　deaf…mute；　and　one　who　is　also

something　of　an　idiot？　I　ask　nothing　better　than　to　please　my　husband。

But　you　threaten　to　take　away　from　a　girl　the　very　happiness　you　so

kindly　arrange　for　her；　yo