eugene pickering-第9章

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does　it　prove？〃



〃Several　things。　　First　（what　I　was　careful　not　to　tell　my　friend）；

that　Madame　Blumenthal　cared　for　him　a　trifle　more　than　he　supposed；

second；　that　he　cares　for　her　more　than　ever；　third；　that　the

performance　was　a　master…stroke；　and　that　her　allowing　him　to　force

an　interview　upon　her　again　is　only　a　question　of　time。〃



〃And　last？〃　I　asked。



〃This　is　another　anecdote。　　The　other　day；　Unter　den　Linden；　I　saw　on

a　bookseller's　counter　a　little　pink…covered　romance'Sophronia；'　by

Madame　Blumenthal。　　Glancing　through　it；　I　observed　an　extraordinary

abuse　of　asterisks；　every　two　or　three　pages　the　narrative　was

adorned　with　a　portentous　blank；　crossed　with　a　row　of　stars。〃



〃Well；　but　poor　Clorinda？〃　I　objected；　as　Niedermeyer　paused。



〃Sophronia；　my　dear　fellow；　is　simply　Clorinda　renamed　by　the　baptism

of　fire。　　The　fair　author　came　back；　of　course；　and　found　Clorinda

tumbled　upon　the　floor；　a　good　deal　scorched；　but；　on　the　whole；　more

frightened　than　hurt。　　She　picks　her　up；　brushes　her　off；　and　sends

her　to　the　printer。　　Wherever　the　flames　had　burnt　a　hole　she　swings

a　constellation！　　But　if　the　major　is　prepared　to　drop　a　penitent

tear　over　the　ashes　of　Clorinda；　I　shall　not　whisper　to　him　that　the

urn　is　empty。〃



Even　Adelina　Patti's　singing；　for　the　next　half…hour；　but　half

availed　to　divert　me　from　my　quickened　curiosity　to　behold　Madame

Blumenthal　face　to　face。　　As　soon　as　the　curtain　had　fallen　again　I

repaired　to　her　box　and　was　ushered　in　by　Pickering　with　zealous

hospitality。　　His　glowing　smile　seemed　to　say　to　me；　〃Ay；　look　for

yourself；　and　adore！〃　　Nothing　could　have　been　more　gracious　than　the

lady's　greeting；　and　I　found；　somewhat　to　my　surprise；　that　her

prettiness　lost　nothing　on　a　nearer　view。　　Her　eyes　indeed　were　the

finest　I　have　ever　seenthe　softest；　the　deepest；　the　most　intensely

responsive。　　In　spite　of　something　faded　and　jaded　in　her

physiognomy；　her　movements；　her　smile；　and　the　tone　of　her　voice；

especially　when　she　laughed；　had　an　almost　girlish　frankness　and

spontaneity。　　She　looked　at　you　very　hard　with　her　radiant　gray　eyes；

and　she　indulged　while　she　talked　in　a　superabundance　of　restless；

rather　affected　little　gestures；　as　if　to　make　you　take　her　meaning

in　a　certain　very　particular　and　superfine　sense。　　I　wondered　whether

after　a　while　this　might　not　fatigue　one's　attention；　then　meeting

her　charming　eyes；　I　said；　Not　for　a　long　time。　　She　was　very　clever；

and；　as　Pickering　had　said；　she　spoke　English　admirably。　　I　told　her；

as　I　took　my　seat　beside　her；　of　the　fine　things　I　had　heard　about

her　from　my　friend；　and　she　listened；　letting　me　go　on　some　time；　and

exaggerate　a　little；　with　her　fine　eyes　fixed　full　upon　me。

〃Really？〃　she　suddenly　said；　turning　short　round　upon　Pickering；　who

stood　behind　us；　and　looking　at　him　in　the　same　way。　　〃Is　that　the

way　you　talk　about　me？〃



He　blushed　to　his　eyes；　and　I　repented。　　She　suddenly　began　to　laugh；

it　was　then　I　observed　how　sweet　her　voice　was　in　laughter。　　We

talked　after　this　of　various　matters；　and　in　a　little　while　I

complimented　her　on　her　excellent　English；　and　asked　if　she　had

learnt　it　in　England。



〃Heaven　forbid！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　have　never　been　there　and　wish　never

to　go。　　I　should　never　get　on　with　the〃　I　wondered　what　she　was

going　to　say；　the　fogs；　the　smoke；　or　whist　with　sixpenny　stakes？〃I

should　never　get　on；〃　she　said；　〃with　the　aristocracy！　　I　am　a　fierce

democratI　am　not　ashamed　of　it。　　I　hold　opinions　which　would　make

my　ancestors　turn　in　their　graves。　　I　was　born　in　the　lap　of

feudalism。　　I　am　a　daughter　of　the　crusaders。　　But　I　am　a

revolutionist！　　I　have　a　passion　for　freedommy　idea　of　happiness　is

to　die　on　a　great　barricade！　　It's　to　your　great　country　I　should

like　to　go。　　I　should　like　to　see　the　wonderful　spectacle　of　a　great

people　free　to　do　everything　it　chooses；　and　yet　never　doing　anything

wrong！〃



I　replied；　modestly；　that；　after　all；　both　our　freedom　and　our　good

conduct　had　their　limits；　and　she　turned　quickly　about　and　shook　her

fan　with　a　dramatic　gesture　at　Pickering。　　〃No　matter；　no　matter！〃

she　cried；　〃I　should　like　to　see　the　country　which　produced　that

wonderful　young　man。　　I　think　of　it　as　a　sort　of　Arcadiaa　land　of

the　golden　age。　　He's　so　delightfully　innocent！　　In　this　stupid　old

Germany；　if　a　young　man　is　innocent　he's　a　fool；　he　has　no　brains；

he's　not　a　bit　interesting。　　But　Mr。　Pickering　says　the　freshest

things；　and　after　I　have　laughed　five　minutes　at　their　freshness　it

suddenly　occurs　to　me　that　they　are　very　wise；　and　I　think　them　over

for　a　week。　　〃True！〃　she　went　on；　nodding　at　him。　　〃I　call　them

inspired　solecisms；　and　I　treasure　them　up。　　Remember　that　when　I

next　laugh　at　you！〃



Glancing　at　Pickering；　I　was　prompted　to　believe　that　he　was　in　a

state　of　beatific　exaltation　which　weighed　Madame　Blumenthal's　smiles

and　frowns　in　an　equal　balance。　　They　were　equally　hers；　they　were

links　alike　in　the　golden　chain。　　He　looked　at　me　with　eyes　that

seemed　to　say；　〃Did　you　ever　hear　such　wit？　　Did　you　ever　see　such

grace？〃　　It　seemed　to　me　that　he　was　but　vaguely　conscious　of　the

meaning　of　her　words；　her　gestures；　her　voice　and　glance；　made　an

absorbing　harmony。　　There　is　something　painful　in　the　spectacle　of

absolute　enthralment；　even　to　an　excellent　cause。　　I　gave　no　response

to　Pickering's　challenge；　but　made　some　remark　upon　the　charm　of

Adelina　Patti's　singing。　　Madame　Blumenthal；　as　became　a

〃revolutionist；〃　was　obliged　to　confess　that　she　could　see　no　charm

in　it；　it　was　meagre；　it　was　trivial；　it　lacked　soul。　　〃You　must　know

that　in　music；　too；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　for　myself！〃　　And　she　began

with　a　great　many　flourishes　of　her　fan　to　explain　what　it　was　she

thought。　　Remarkable　things；　doubtless；　but　I　cannot　answer　for　it；

for　in　the　midst　of　the　explanation　the　curtain　rose　again。　　〃You

can't　be　a　great　artist　without　a　great　passion！〃　　Madame　Blumenthal

was　affirming。　　Before　I　had　time　to　assent　Madame　Patti's　voice　rose

wheeling　like　a　skylark；　and　rained　down　its　silver　notes。　　〃Ah；　give

me　that　art；〃　I　whispered；　〃and　I　will　leave　you　your　passion！〃　　And

I　departed　for　my　own　place　in　the　orchestra。　　I　wondered　afterwards

whether　the　speech　had　seemed　rude；　and　inferred　that　it　had　not　on

receiving　a　friendly　nod　from　the　lady；　in　the　lobby；　as　the　theatre

was　emptying　itself。　　She　was　on　Pickering's　arm；　and　he　was　taking

her　to　her　carriage。　　Distances　are　short　in　Homburg；　but　the　night

was　rainy；　and　Madame　Blumenthal　exhibited　a　very　pretty　satin…shod

foot　as　a　reason　why；　though　but　a　penniless　widow；　she　should　not

walk　home。　　Pickering　left　us　together　a　moment　while　he　went　to　hail

the　vehicle；　and　my　companion　seized　the　opportunity；　as　she　said；　to

beg　me　to　be　so　very　kind　as　to　come　and　see　her。　　It　was　for　a

particular　reason！　　It　was　reason　enough　for　me；　of　course；　I

answered；　that　she　had　given　me　leave。　　She　looked　at　me　a　moment

with　that　extraordinary　gaze　of　hers　which　seemed　so　absolutely

audacious　in　its　candour；　and　rejoined　that　I　paid　more　compliments

than　our　young　friend　there；　but　that　she　was　sure　I　was　not　half　so

sincere。　　〃But　it's　about　him　I　want　to　talk；〃　she　said。　　〃I　want　to

ask　you　many　things；　I　want　you　to　tell　me　all　about　him。　　He

interests　me；　but　you　see　my　sympathies　are　so　intense；　my

imagination　is　so　lively；　that　I　don't　trust　my　own　impressions。

They　have　misled　me　more　than　once！〃　　And　she　gave　a　little　tragic

shudder。



I　promised　to　come　and　compare　notes　with　her；　and　we　bade　her

farewell　at　her　carriage　door。　　Pickering　and　I　remained　a　while；

walking　up　and　down　the　long　glazed　gallery　of　the　Kursaal。　　I　had

not　taken　many　steps　before　I　became　aware　that　I　was　beside　a　man　in

the　very　extremity　of　love。　　〃Isn't　she　wonderful？〃　he　asked；　with　an

implicit　confidence　in　my　sympathy　which　it　cost　me　some　ingenuity　to