modeste mignon-第66章

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After　that；　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville　returned　to　the　salon　to　play

her　part　of　spy；　and　her　first　glance　apprised　Canalis　that　the

duchess　had　made　him　no　empty　threat。　That　apprentice　in　diplomacy

became　aware　that　his　science　was　not　sufficient　for　a　struggle　of

this　kind；　and　his　wit　served　him　to　take　a　more　honest　position；　if

not　a　worthier　one。　When　Ernest　returned；　bringing　Modeste's

handkerchief；　the　poet　seized　his　arm　and　took　him　out　on　the　terrace。



〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　only　the　most　unfortunate　man　in

the　world；　but　I　am　also　the　most　ridiculous；　and　I　come　to　you　to　get

me　out　of　the　hornet's　nest　into　which　I　have　run　myself。　Modeste　is　a

demon；　she　sees　my　difficulty　and　she　laughs　at　it；　she　has　just

spoken　to　me　of　a　fragment　of　a　letter　of　Madame　de　Chaulieu；　which　I

had　the　folly　to　give　her；　if　she　shows　it　I　can　never　make　my　peace

with　Eleonore。　Therefore；　will　you　at　once　ask　Modeste　to　send　me　back

that　paper；　and　tell　her；　from　me；　that　I　make　no　pretensions　to　her

hand。　Say　I　count　upon　her　delicacy；　upon　her　propriety　as　a　young

girl；　to　behave　to　me　as　if　we　had　never　known　each　other。　I　beg　her

not　to　speak　to　me；　I　implore　her　to　treat　me　harshly；though　I

hardly　dare　ask　her　to　feign　a　jealous　anger；　which　would　help　my

interests　amazingly。　Go；　I　will　wait　here　for　an　answer。〃







CHAPTER　XXVIII



MODESTE　BEHAVES　WITH　DIGNITY



On　re…entering　the　salon　Ernest　de　La　Briere　found　a　young　officer　of

the　company　of　the　guard　d'Havre；　the　Vicomte　de　Serizy；　who　had　just

arrived　from　Rosny　to　announce　that　MADAME　was　obliged　to　be　present

at　the　opening　of　the　Chambers。　We　know　the　importance　then　attached

to　this　constitutional　solemnity；　at　which　Charles　X。　delivered　his

speech；　surrounded　by　the　royal　family；Madame　la　Dauphine　and　MADAME

being　present　in　their　gallery。　The　choice　of　the　emissary　charged

with　the　duty　of　expressing　the　princess's　regrets　was　an　attention　to

Diane；　who　was　then　an　object　of　adoration　to　this　charming　young　man；

son　of　a　minister　of　state；　gentleman　in　ordinary　of　the　chamber；　only

son　and　heir　to　an　immense　fortune。　The　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse

permitted　his　attentions　solely　for　the　purpose　of　attracting　notice

to　the　age　of　his　mother；　Madame　de　Serizy；　who　was　said；　in　those

chronicles　that　are　whispered　behind　the　fans；　to　have　deprived　her　of

the　heart　of　the　handsome　Lucien　de　Rubempre。



〃You　will　do　us　the　pleasure；　I　hope；　to　remain　at　Rosembray；〃　said

the　severe　duchess　to　the　young　officer。



While　giving　ear　to　every　scandal；　the　devout　lady　shut　her　eyes　to

the　derelictions　of　her　guests　who　had　been　carefully　selected　by　the

duke；　indeed；　it　is　surprising　how　much　these　excellent　women　will

tolerate　under　pretence　of　bringing　the　lost　sheep　back　to　the　fold　by

their　indulgence。



〃We　reckoned　without　our　constitutional　government；〃　said　the　grand

equerry；　〃and　Rosembray；　Madame　la　duchesse；　will　lose　a　great　honor。〃



〃We　shall　be　more　at　our　ease；〃　said　a　tall　thin　old　man；　about

seventy…five　years　of　age；　dressed　in　blue　cloth；　and　wearing　his

hunting…cap　by　permission　of　the　ladies。　This　personage；　who　closely

resembled　the　Duc　de　Bourbon；　was　no　less　than　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；

Master　of　the　Hunt；　and　one　of　the　last　of　the　great　French　lords。

Just　as　La　Briere　was　endeavoring　to　slip　behind　the　sofa　and　obtain　a

moment's　intercourse　with　Modeste；　a　man　of　thirty…eight；　short；　fat；

and　very　common　in　appearance；　entered　the　room。



〃My　son；　the　Prince　de　Loudon；〃　said　the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil　to

Modeste；　who　could　not　restrain　the　expression　of　amazement　that

overspread　her　young　face　on　seeing　the　man　who　bore　the　historical

name　that　the　hero　of　La　Vendee　had　rendered　famous　by　his　bravery　and

the　martyrdom　of　his　death。



〃Gaspard；〃　said　the　duchess；　calling　her　son　to　her。　The　young　prince

came　at　once；　and　his　mother　continued；　motioning　to　Modeste；

〃Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie；　my　friend。〃



The　heir　presumptive；　whose　marriage　with　Desplein's　only　daughter　had

lately　been　arranged；　bowed　to　the　young　girl　without　seeming　struck；

as　his　father　had　been；　with　her　beauty。　Modeste　was　thus　enabled　to

compare　the　youth　of　to…day　with　the　old　age　of　a　past　epoch；　for　the

old　Prince　de　Cadignan　had　already　said　a　few　words　which　made　her

feel　that　he　rendered　as　true　a　homage　to　womanhood　as　to　royalty。　The

Duc　de　Rhetore；　the　eldest　son　of　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　chiefly

remarkable　for　manners　that　were　equally　impertinent　and　free　and

easy；　bowed　to　Modeste　rather　cavalierly。　The　reason　of　this　contrast

between　the　fathers　and　the　sons　is　to　be　found；　probably；　in　the　fact

that　young　men　no　longer　feel　themselves　great　beings；　as　their

forefathers　did；　and　they　dispense　with　the　duties　of　greatness；

knowing　well　that　they　are　now　but　the　shadow　of　it。　The　fathers

retain　the　inherent　politeness　of　their　vanished　grandeur；　like　the

mountain…tops　still　gilded　by　the　sun　when　all　is　twilight　in　the

valley。



Ernest　was　at　last　able　to　slip　a　word　into　Modeste's　ear；　and　she

rose　immediately。



〃My　dear；〃　said　the　duchesse；　thinking　she　was　going　to　dress；　and

pulling　a　bell…rope；　〃they　shall　show　you　your　apartment。〃



Ernest　accompanied　Modeste　to　the　foot　of　the　grand　staircase；

presenting　the　request　of　the　luckless　poet；　and　endeavoring　to　touch

her　feelings　by　describing　Melchior's　agony。



〃You　see；　he　loveshe　is　a　captive　who　thought　he　could　break　his

chain。〃



〃Love　in　such　a　rapid　seeker　after　fortune！〃　retorted　Modeste。



〃Mademoiselle；　you　are　at　the　entrance　of　life；　you　do　not　know　its

defiles。　The　inconsistencies　of　a　man　who　falls　under　the　dominion　of

a　woman　much　older　than　himself　should　be　forgiven；　for　he　is　really

not　accountable。　Think　how　many　sacrifices　Canalis　has　made　to　her。　He

has　sown　too　much　seed　of　that　kind　to　resign　the　harvest；　the　duchess

represents　to　him　ten　years　of　devotion　and　happiness。　You　made　him

forget　all　that；　and　unfortunately；　he　has　more　vanity　than　pride；　he

did　not　reflect　on　what　he　was　losing　until　he　met　Madame　Chaulieu

here　to…day。　If　you　really　understood　him；　you　would　help　him。　He　is　a

child；　always　mismanaging　his　life。　You　call　him　a　seeker　after

fortune；　but　he　seeks　very　badly；　like　all　poets；　he　is　a　victim　of

sensations；　he　is　childish；　easily　dazzled　like　a　child　by　anything

that　shines；　and　pursuing　its　glitter。　He　used　to　love　horses　and

pictures；　and　he　craved　fame；well；　he　sold　his　pictures　to　buy　armor

and　old　furniture　of　the　Renaissance　and　Louis　XV。；　just　now　he　is

seeking　political　power。　Admit　that　his　hobbies　are　noble　things。〃



〃You　have　said　enough；〃　replied　Modeste；　〃come；〃　she　added；　seeing　her

father；　whom　she　called　with　a　motion　of　her　head　to　give　her　his　arm；

〃come　with　me；　and　I　will　give　you　that　scrap　of　paper；　you　shall

carry　it　to　the　great　man　and　assure　him　of　my　condescension　to　his

wishes；　but　on　one　condition；you　must　thank　him　in　my　name　for　the

pleasure　I　have　taken　in　seeing　one　of　the　finest　of　the　German　plays

performed　in　my　honor。　I　have　learned　that　Goethe's　masterpiece　is

neither　Faust　nor　Egmont〃　and　then；　as　Ernest　looked　at　the

malicious　girl　with　a　puzzled　air；　she　added：　〃It　is　Torquato　Tasso！

Tell　Monsieur　de　Canalis　to　re…read　it；〃　she　added　smiling；　〃I

particularly　desire　that　you　will　repeat　to　your　friend　word　for　word

what　I　say；　for　it　is　not　an　epigram；　it　is　the　justification　of　his

conduct；with　this　trifling　difference；　that　he　will；　I　trust；　become

more　and　more　reasonable；　thanks　to　the　folly　of　his　Eleonore。〃



The　duchess's　head…woman　conducted　Modeste　and　her　father　to　their

apartment；　where　Francoise　Cochet　had　already　put　everything　in　order；

and　the　choice　elegance　of　which　astounded　the　colonel；　more

especially　after　he　heard　from　Francoise　that　there　were　thirty　other

apartments　in　the　chateau　decorated　wi