albert savarus-第13章

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without　having　determined　to　watch　her。　In　some　souls　admiration　is
not　independent　of　a　certain　penetration。　The　young　Frenchman
discerned　in　Francesca　the　imprudence　of　girlhood；　the　true　nature　of
a　woman　as　yet　unbroken；　sometimes　struggling　against　her　love；　and　at
other　moments　yielding　and　carried　away　by　it。　The　old　man　certainly
behaved　to　her　as　a　father　to　his　daughter；　and　Francesca　treated　him
with　a　deeply　felt　gratitude　which　roused　her　instinctive　nobleness。
The　situation　and　the　woman　were　to　Rodolphe　an　impenetrable　enigma；
of　which　the　solution　attracted　him　more　and　more。

These　last　days　were　full　of　secret　joys；　alternating　with　melancholy
moods；　with　tiffs　and　quarrels　even　more　delightful　than　the　hours
when　Rodolphe　and　Francesca　were　of　one　mind。　And　he　was　more　and　more
fascinated　by　this　tenderness　apart　from　wit；　always　and　in　all　things
the　same；　an　affection　that　was　jealous　of　mere　nothingsalready！

〃You　care　very　much　for　luxury？〃　said　he　one　evening　to　Francesca；　who
was　expressing　her　wish　to　get　away　from　Gersau；　where　she　missed　many
things。

〃I！〃　cried　she。　〃I　love　luxury　as　I　love　the　arts；　as　I　love　a　picture
by　Raphael；　a　fine　horse；　a　beautiful　day；　or　the　Bay　of　Naples。
Emilio；〃　she　went　on；　〃have　I　ever　complained　here　during　our　days　of
privation。〃

〃You　would　not　have　been　yourself　if　you　had；〃　replied　the　old　man
gravely。

〃After　all；　is　it　not　in　the　nature　of　plain　folks　to　aspire　to
grandeur？〃　she　asked；　with　a　mischievous　glance　at　Rodolphe　and　at　her
husband。　〃Were　my　feet　made　for　fatigue？〃　she　added；　putting　out　two
pretty　little　feet。　〃My　hands〃and　she　held　one　out　to　Rodolphe
〃were　those　hands　made　to　work？Leave　us；〃　she　said　to　her　husband；
〃I　want　to　speak　to　him。〃

The　old　man　went　into　the　drawing…room　with　sublime　good　faith；　he　was
sure　of　his　wife。

〃I　will　not　have　you　come　with　us　to　Geneva；〃　she　said　to　Rodolphe。
〃It　is　a　gossiping　town。　Though　I　am　far　above　the　nonsense　the　world
talks；　I　do　not　choose　to　be　calumniated；　not　for　my　own　sake；　but　for
his。　I　make　it　my　pride　to　be　the　glory　of　that　old　man；　who　is；　after
all；　my　only　protector。　We　are　leaving；　stay　here　a　few　days。　When　you
come　on　to　Geneva；　call　first　on　my　husband；　and　let　him　introduce　you
to　me。　Let　us　hide　our　great　and　unchangeable　affection　from　the　eyes
of　the　world。　I　love　you；　you　know　it；　but　this　is　how　I　will　prove　it
to　you　you　shall　never　discern　in　my　conduct　anything　whatever　that
may　arouse　your　jealousy。〃

She　drew　him　into　a　corner　of　the　balcony；　kissed　him　on　the　forehead；
and　fled；　leaving　him　in　amazement。

Next　day　Rodolphe　heard　that　the　lodgers　at　the　Bergmanns'　had　left　at
daybreak。　It　then　seemed　to　him　intolerable　to　remain　at　Gersau；　and
he　set　out　for　Vevay　by　the　longest　route；　starting　sooner　than　was
necessary。　Attracted　to　the　waters　of　the　lake　where　the　beautiful
Italian　awaited　him；　he　reached　Geneva　by　the　end　of　October。　To　avoid
the　discomforts　of　the　town　he　took　rooms　in　a　house　at　Eaux…Vives；
outside　the　walls。　As　soon　as　he　was　settled；　his　first　care　was　to
ask　his　landlord；　a　retired　jeweler；　whether　some　Italian　refugees
from　Milan　had　not　lately　come　to　reside　at　Geneva。

〃Not　so　far　as　I　know；〃　replied　the　man。　〃Prince　and　Princess　Colonna
of　Rome　have　taken　Monsieur　Jeanrenaud's　place　for　three　years；　it　is
one　of　the　finest　on　the　lake。　It　is　situated　between　the　Villa
Diodati　and　that　of　Monsieur　Lafin…de…Dieu；　let　to　the　Vicomtesse　de
Beauseant。　Prince　Colonna　has　come　to　see　his　daughter　and　his　son…in…
law　Prince　Gandolphini；　a　Neopolitan；　or　if　you　like；　a　Sicilian；　an
old　adherent　of　King　Murat's；　and　a　victim　of　the　last　revolution。
These　are　the　last　arrivals　at　Geneva；　and　they　are　not　Milanese。
Serious　steps　had　to　be　taken；　and　the　Pope's　interest　in　the　Colonna
family　was　invoked；　to　obtain　permission　from　the　foreign　powers　and
the　King　of　Naples　for　the　Prince　and　Princess　Gandolphini　to　live
here。　Geneva　is　anxious　to　do　nothing　to　displease　the　Holy　Alliance
to　which　it　owes　its　independence。　/Our/　part　is　not　to　ruffle　foreign
courts；　there　are　many　foreigners　here；　Russians　and　English。〃

〃Even　some　Gevenese？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　our　lake　is　so　fine！　Lord　Byron　lived　here　about　seven
years　at　the　Villa　Diodati；　which　every　one　goes　to　see　now；　like
Coppet　and　Ferney。〃

〃You　cannot　tell　me　whether　within　a　week　or　so　a　bookseller　from
Milan　has　come　with　his　wifenamed　Lamporani；　one　of　the　leaders　of
the　last　revolution？〃

〃I　could　easily　find　out　by　going　to　the　Foreigners'　Club；〃　said　the
jeweler。

Rodolphe's　first　walk　was　very　naturally　to　the　Villa　Diodati；　the
residence　of　Lord　Byron；　whose　recent　death　added　to　its
attractiveness：　for　is　not　death　the　consecration　of　genius？

The　road　to　Eaux…Vives　follows　the　shore　of　the　lake；　and；　like　all
the　roads　in　Switzerland；　is　very　narrow；　in　some　spots；　in
consequence　of　the　configuration　of　the　hilly　ground；　there　is
scarcely　space　for　two　carriages　to　pass　each　other。

At　a　few　yards　from　the　Jeanrenauds'　house；　which　he　was　approaching
without　knowing　it；　Rodolphe　heard　the　sound　of　a　carriage　behind　him；
and；　finding　himself　in　a　sunk　road；　he　climbed　to　the　top　of　a　rock
to　leave　the　road　free。　Of　course　he　looked　at　the　approaching
carriagean　elegant　English　phaeton；　with　a　splendid　pair　of　English
horses。　He　felt　quite　dizzy　as　he　beheld　in　this　carriage　Francesca；
beautifully　dressed；　by　the　side　of　an　old　lady　as　hard　as　a　cameo。　A
servant　blazing　with　gold　lace　stood　behind。　Francesca　recognized
Rodolphe；　and　smiled　at　seeing　him　like　a　statue　on　a　pedestal。　The
carriage；　which　the　lover　followed　with　his　eyes　as　he　climbed　the
hill；　turned　in　at　the　gate　of　a　country　house；　towards　which　he　ran。

〃Who　lives　here？〃　he　asked　the　gardener。

〃Prince　and　Princess　Colonna；　and　Prince　and　Princess　Gandolphini。〃

〃Have　they　not　just　driven　in？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

In　that　instant　a　veil　fell　from　Rodolphe's　eyes；　he　saw　clearly　the
meaning　of　the　past。

〃If　only　this　is　her　last　piece　of　trickery！〃　thought　the　thunder…
struck　lover　to　himself。

He　trembled　lest　he　should　have　been　the　plaything　of　a　whim；　for　he
had　heard　what　a　/capriccio/　might　mean　in　an　Italian。　But　what　a
crime　had　he　committed　in　the　eyes　of　a　womanin　accepting　a　born
princess　as　a　citizen's　wife！　in　believing　that　a　daughter　of　one　of
the　most　illustrious　houses　of　the　Middle　Ages　was　the　wife　of　a
bookseller！　The　consciousness　of　his　blunders　increased　Rodolphe's
desire　to　know　whether　he　would　be　ignored　and　repelled。　He　asked　for
Prince　Gandolphini；　sending　in　his　card；　and　was　immediately　received
by　the　false　Lamparini；　who　came　forward　to　meet　him；　welcomed　him
with　the　best　possible　grace；　and　took　him　to　walk　on　a　terrace　whence
there　was　a　view　of　Geneva；　the　Jura；　the　hills　covered　with　villas；
and　below　them　a　wide　expanse　of　the　lake。

〃My　wife　is　faithful　to　the　lakes；　you　see；〃　he　remarked；　after
pointing　out　the　details　to　his　visitor。　〃We　have　a　sort　of　concert
this　evening；〃　he　added；　as　they　returned　to　the　splendid　Villa
Jeanrenaud。　〃I　hope　you　will　do　me　and　the　Princess　the　pleasure　of
seeing　you。　Two　months　of　poverty　endured　in　intimacy　are　equal　to
years　of　friendship。〃

Though　he　was　consumed　by　curiosity；　Rodolphe　dared　not　ask　to　see　the
Princess；　he　slowly　made　his　way　back　to　Eaux…Vives；　looking　forward
to　the　evening。　In　a　few　hours　his　passion；　great　as　it　had　already
been；　was　augmented　by　his　anxiety　and　by　suspense　as　to　future
events。　He　now　understood　the　necessity　for　making　himself　famous；
that　he　might　some　day　find　himself；　socially　speaking；　on　a　level
with　his　idol。　In　his　eyes　Francesca　was　made　really　great　by　the
simplicity　and　ease　of　her　conduct　at　Gersau。　Princess　Colonna's
haughtiness；　so　evidently　natural　to　her；　alarmed　Rodolphe；　who　would
find　enemies　in　Francesca's　father　and　motherat　least　so　he　might
expect；　and　the　secrecy　which　Princess　Gandolphini　had　so　strictly
enjoined　on　him　now　struck　him　as　a　wonderful　proof　of　affection。　By
not　choosing　to　compromise　the　future；　had　she　not　confessed　that　she
lo