at the sign of the cat and racket-第15章

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taking　fright；　like　you；　at　their　superiority；　they　very　acutely　noted
the　qualities　they　lacked；　and　either　by　possessing　those　qualities；
or　by　feigning　to　possess　them；　they　found　means　of　making　such　a
handsome　display　of　them　in　their　husbands'　eyes　that　in　the　end　they
impressed　them。　Also；　I　must　tell　you；　all　these　souls　which　appear　so
lofty　have　just　a　speck　of　madness　in　them；　which　we　ought　to　know　how
to　take　advantage　of。　By　firmly　resolving　to　have　the　upper　hand　and
never　deviating　from　that　aim；　by　bringing　all　our　actions　to　bear　on
it；　all　our　ideas；　our　cajolery；　we　subjugate　these　eminently
capricious　natures；　which；　by　the　very　mutability　of　their　thoughts；
lend　us　the　means　of　influencing　them。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　the　young　wife　in　dismay。　〃And　this　is　life。　It
is　a　warfare〃

〃In　which　we　must　always　threaten；〃　said　the　Duchess；　laughing。　〃Our
power　is　wholly　factitious。　And　we　must　never　allow　a　man　to　despise
us；　it　is　impossible　to　recover　from　such　a　descent　but　by　odious
manoeuvring。　Come；〃　she　added；　〃I　will　give　you　a　means　of　bringing
your　husband　to　his　senses。〃

She　rose　with　a　smile　to　guide　the　young　and　guileless　apprentice　to
conjugal　arts　through　the　labyrinth　of　her　palace。　They　came　to　a
back…staircase；　which　led　up　to　the　reception　rooms。　As　Madame　de
Carigliano　pressed　the　secret　springlock　of　the　door　she　stopped；
looking　at　Augustine　with　an　inimitable　gleam　of　shrewdness　and　grace。
〃The　Duc　de　Carigliano　adores　me；〃　said　she。　〃Well；　he　dare　not　enter
by　this　door　without　my　leave。　And　he　is　a　man　in　the　habit　of
commanding　thousands　of　soldiers。　He　knows　how　to　face　a　battery；　but
before　me；he　is　afraid！〃

Augustine　sighed。　They　entered　a　sumptuous　gallery；　where　the
painter's　wife　was　led　by　the　Duchess　up　to　the　portrait　painted　by
Theodore　of　Mademoiselle　Guillaume。　On　seeing　it；　Augustine　uttered　a
cry。

〃I　knew　it　was　no　longer　in　my　house；〃　she　said；　〃buthere！〃

〃My　dear　child；　I　asked　for　it　merely　to　see　what　pitch　of　idiocy　a
man　of　genius　may　attain　to。　Sooner　or　later　I　should　have　returned　it
to　you；　for　I　never　expected　the　pleasure　of　seeing　the　original　here
face　to　face　with　the　copy。　While　we　finish　our　conversation　I　will
have　it　carried　down　to　your　carriage。　And　if；　armed　with　such　a
talisman；　you　are　not　your　husband's　mistress　for　a　hundred　years；　you
are　not　a　woman；　and　you　deserve　your　fate。〃

Augustine　kissed　the　Duchess'　hand；　and　the　lady　clasped　her　to　her
heart；　with　all　the　more　tenderness　because　she　would　forget　her　by
the　morrow。　This　scene　might　perhaps　have　destroyed　for　ever　the
candor　and　purity　of　a　less　virtuous　woman　than　Augustine；　for　the
astute　politics　of　the　higher　social　spheres　were　no　more　consonant　to
Augustine　than　the　narrow　reasoning　of　Joseph　Lebas；　or　Madame
Guillaume's　vapid　morality。　Strange　are　the　results　of　the　false
positions　into　which　we　may　be　brought　by　the　slightest　mistake　in　the
conduct　of　life！　Augustine　was　like　an　Alpine　cowherd　surprised　by　an
avalanche；　if　he　hesitates；　if　he　listens　to　the　shouts　of　his
comrades；　he　is　almost　certainly　lost。　In　such　a　crisis　the　heart
steels　itself　or　breaks。

Madame　de　Sommervieux　returned　home　a　prey　to　such　agitation　as　it　is
difficult　to　describe。　Her　conversation　with　the　Duchesse　de
Carigliano　had　roused　in　her　mind　a　crowd　of　contradictory　thoughts。
Like　the　sheep　in　the　fable；　full　of　courage　in　the　wolf's　absence；
she　preached　to　herself；　and　laid　down　admirable　plans　of　conduct；　she
devised　a　thousand　coquettish　stratagems；　she　even　talked　to　her
husband；　finding；　away　from　him；　all　the　springs　of　true　eloquence
which　never　desert　a　woman；　then；　as　she　pictured　to　herself
Theodore's　clear　and　steadfast　gaze；　she　began　to　quake。　When　she
asked　whether　monsieur　were　at　home　her　voice　shook。　On　learning　that
he　would　not　be　in　to　dinner；　she　felt　an　unaccountable　thrill　of　joy。
Like　a　criminal　who　has　appealed　against　sentence　of　death；　a　respite；
however　short；　seemed　to　her　a　lifetime。　She　placed　the　portrait　in
her　room；　and　waited　for　her　husband　in　all　the　agonies　of　hope。　That
this　venture　must　decide　her　future　life；　she　felt　too　keenly　not　to
shiver　at　every　sound；　even　the　low　ticking　of　the　clock；　which　seemed
to　aggravate　her　terrors　by　doling　them　out　to　her。　She　tried　to　cheat
time　by　various　devices。　The　idea　struck　her　of　dressing　in　a　way
which　would　make　her　exactly　like　the　portrait。　Then；　knowing　her
husband's　restless　temper；　she　had　her　room　lighted　up　with　unusual
brightness；　feeling　sure　that　when　he　came　in　curiosity　would　bring
him　there　at　once。　Midnight　had　struck　when；　at　the　call　of　the　groom；
the　street　gate　was　opened；　and　the　artist's　carriage　rumbled　in　over
the　stones　of　the　silent　courtyard。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this　illumination？〃　asked　Theodore　in　glad
tones；　as　he　came　into　her　room。

Augustine　skilfully　seized　the　auspicious　moment；　she　threw　herself
into　her　husband's　arms；　and　pointed　to　the　portrait。　The　artist　stood
rigid　as　a　rock；　and　his　eyes　turned　alternately　on　Augustine；　on　the
accusing　dress。　The　frightened　wife；　half…dead；　as　she　watched　her
husband's　changeful　browthat　terrible　browsaw　the　expressive
furrows　gathering　like　clouds；　then　she　felt　her　blood　curdling　in　her
veins　when；　with　a　glaring　look；　and　in　a　deep　hollow　voice；　he　began
to　question　her：

〃Where　did　you　find　that　picture？〃

〃The　Duchess　de　Carigliano　returned　it　to　me。〃

〃You　asked　her　for　it？〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　she　had　it。〃

The　gentleness；　or　rather　the　exquisite　sweetness　of　this　angel's
voice；　might　have　touched　a　cannibal；　but　not　an　artist　in　the
clutches　of　wounded　vanity。

〃It　is　worthy　of　her！〃　exclaimed　the　painter　in　a　voice　of　thunder。　〃I
will　be　avenged！〃　he　cried；　striding　up　and　down　the　room。　〃She　shall
die　of　shame；　I　will　paint　her！　Yes；　I　will　paint　her　as　Messalina
stealing　out　at　night　from　the　palace　of　Claudius。〃

〃Theodore！〃　said　a　faint　voice。

〃I　will　kill　her！〃

〃My　dear〃

〃She　is　in　love　with　that　little　cavalry　colonel；　because　he　rides
well〃

〃Theodore！〃

〃Let　me　be！〃　said　the　painter　in　a　tone　almost　like　a　roar。

It　would　be　odious　to　describe　the　whole　scene。　In　the　end　the　frenzy
of　passion　prompted　the　artist　to　acts　and　words　which　any　woman　not
so　young　as　Augustine　would　have　ascribed　to　madness。

At　eight　o'clock　next　morning　Madame　Guillaume；　surprising　her
daughter；　found　her　pale；　with　red　eyes；　her　hair　in　disorder；　holding
a　handkerchief　soaked　with　tears；　while　she　gazed　at　the　floor　strewn
with　the　torn　fragments　of　a　dress　and　the　broken　fragments　of　a　large
gilt　picture…frame。　Augustine；　almost　senseless　with　grief；　pointed　to
the　wreck　with　a　gesture　of　deep　despair。

〃I　don't　know　that　the　loss　is　very　great！〃　cried　the　old　mistress　of
the　Cat　and　Racket。　〃It　was　like　you；　no　doubt；　but　I　am　told　that
there　is　a　man　on　the　boulevard　who　paints　lovely　portraits　for　fifty
crowns。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃

〃Poor　child；　you　are　quite　right；〃　replied　Madame　Guillaume；　who
misinterpreted　the　expression　of　her　daughter's　glance　at　her。　〃True；
my　child；　no　one　ever　can　love　you　as　fondly　as　a　mother。　My　darling；
I　guess　it　all；　but　confide　your　sorrows　to　me；　and　I　will　comfort
you。　Did　I　not　tell　you　long　ago　that　the　man　was　mad！　Your　maid　has
told　me　pretty　stories。　Why；　he　must　be　a　perfect　monster！〃

Augustine　laid　a　finger　on　her　white　lips；　as　if　to　implore　a　moment's
silence。　During　this　dreadful　night　misery　had　led　her　to　that　patient
resignation　which　in　mothers　and　loving　wives　transcends　in　its
effects　all　human　energy；　and　perhaps　reveals　in　the　heart　of　women
the　existence　of　certain　chords　which　God　has　withheld　from　men。



An　inscription　engraved　on　a　broken　column　in　the　cemetery　at
Montmartre　states　that　Madame　de　Sommervieux　died　at　the　age　of
twenty…seven。　In　the　simple　words　of　this　epitaph　one　of　the　timid
creature's　friends　can　read　the　last　scene　of　a　tragedy。　Every　year；
on　the　second　of　November；　the　solemn　day　of　the　dead；　he　never　passes
this　youthful　monument　without　wondering　whether　it　does　not　need　a
stronger　woman　tha