the girl with the golden eyes-第6章

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that　the　grateful　Henri　de　Marsay　was　hardly　moved　at　aught　in　1814；
except　when　he　looked　at　the　portrait　of　his　beloved　bishop；　the　only
personal　possession　which　the　prelate　had　been　able　to　bequeath　him
（admirable　type　of　the　men　whose　genius　will　preserve　the　Catholic；
Apostolic；　and　Roman　Church；　compromised　for　the　moment　by　the
feebleness　of　its　recruits　and　the　decrepit　age　of　its　pontiffs；　but
if　the　church　likes！）。

The　continental　war　prevented　young　De　Marsay　from　knowing　his　real
father。　It　is　doubtful　whether　he　was　aware　of　his　name。　A　deserted
child；　he　was　equally　ignorant　of　Madame　de　Marsay。　Naturally；　he　had
little　regret　for　his　putative　father。　As　for　Mademoiselle　de　Marsay；
his　only　mother；　he　built　for　her　a　handsome　little　monument　in　Pere
Lachaise　when　she　died。　Monseigneur　de　Maronis　had　guaranteed　to　this
old　lady　one　of　the　best　places　in　the　skies；　so　that　when　he　saw　her
die　happy；　Henri　gave　her　some　egotistical　tears；　he　began　to　weep　on
his　own　account。　Observing　this　grief；　the　abbe　dried　his　pupil's
tears；　bidding　him　observe　that　the　good　woman　took　her　snuff　most
offensively；　and　was　becoming　so　ugly　and　deaf　and　tedious　that　he
ought　to　return　thanks　for　her　death。　The　bishop　had　emancipated　his
pupil　in　1811。　Then；　when　the　mother　of　M。　de　Marsay　remarried；　the
priest　chose；　in　a　family　council；　one　of　those　honest　dullards；
picked　out　by　him　through　the　windows　of　his　confessional；　and　charged
him　with　the　administration　of　the　fortune；　the　revenues　of　which　he
was　willing　to　apply　to　the　needs　of　the　community；　but　of　which　he
wished　to　preserve　the　capital。

Towards　the　end　of　1814；　then；　Henri　de　Marsay　had　no　sentiment　of
obligation　in　the　world；　and　was　as　free　as　an　unmated　bird。　Although
he　had　lived　twenty…two　years　he　appeared　to　be　barely　seventeen。　As　a
rule　the　most　fastidious　of　his　rivals　considered　him　to　be　the
prettiest　youth　in　Paris。　From　his　father；　Lord　Dudley；　he　had　derived
a　pair　of　the　most　amorously　deceiving　blue　eyes；　from　his　mother　the
bushiest　of　black　hair；　from　both　pure　blood；　the　skin　of　a　young
girl；　a　gentle　and　modest　expression；　a　refined　and　aristocratic
figure；　and　beautiful　hands。　For　a　woman；　to　see　him　was　to　lose　her
head　for　him；　do　you　understand？　to　conceive　one　of　those　desires
which　eat　the　heart；　which　are　forgotten　because　of　the　impossibility
of　satisfying　them；　because　women　in　Paris　are　commonly　without
tenacity。　Few　of　them　say　to　themselves；　after　the　fashion　of　men；　the
〃/Je　Maintiendrai/；〃　of　the　House　of　Orange。

Underneath　this　fresh　young　life；　and　in　spite　of　the　limpid　springs
in　his　eyes；　Henri　had　a　lion's　courage；　a　monkey's　agility。　He　could
cut　a　ball　in　half　at　ten　paces　on　the　blade　of　a　knife；　he　rode　his
horse　in　a　way　that　made　you　realize　the　fable　of　the　Centaur；　drove　a
four…in…hand　with　grace；　was　as　light　as　a　cherub　and　quiet　as　a　lamb；
but　knew　how　to　beat　a　townsman　at　the　terrible　game　of　/savate/　or
cudgels；　moreover；　he　played　the　piano　in　a　fashion　which　would　have
enabled　him　to　become　an　artist　should　he　fall　on　calamity；　and　owned
a　voice　which　would　have　been　worth　to　Barbaja　fifty　thousand　francs　a
season。　Alas；　that　all　these　fine　qualities；　these　pretty　faults；　were
tarnished　by　one　abominable　vice：　he　believed　neither　in　man　nor
woman；　God　nor　Devil。　Capricious　nature　had　commenced　by　endowing　him；
a　priest　had　completed　the　work。

To　render　this　adventure　comprehensible；　it　is　necessary　to　add　here
that　Lord　Dudley　naturally　found　many　women　disposed　to　reproduce
samples　of　such　a　delicious　pattern。　His　second　masterpiece　of　this
kind　was　a　young　girl　named　Euphemie；　born　of　a　Spanish　lady；　reared
in　Havana；　and　brought　to　Madrid　with　a　young　Creole　woman　of　the
Antilles；　and　with　all　the　ruinous　tastes　of　the　Colonies；　but
fortunately　married　to　an　old　and　extremely　rich　Spanish　noble；　Don
Hijos；　Marquis　de　San…Real；　who；　since　the　occupation　of　Spain　by
French　troops；　had　taken　up　his　abode　in　Paris；　and　lived　in　the　Rue
St。　Lazare。　As　much　from　indifference　as　from　any　respect　for　the
innocence　of　youth；　Lord　Dudley　was　not　in　the　habit　of　keeping　his
children　informed　of　the　relations　he　created　for　them　in　all　parts。
That　is　a　slightly　inconvenient　form　of　civilization；　it　has　so　many
advantages　that　we　must　overlook　its　drawbacks　in　consideration　of　its
benefits。　Lord　Dudley；　to　make　no　more　words　of　it；　came　to　Paris　in
1816　to　take　refuge　from　the　pursuit　of　English　justice；　which
protects　nothing　Oriental　except　commerce。　The　exiled　lord；　when　he
saw　Henri；　asked　who　that　handsome　young　man　might　be。　Then；　upon
hearing　the　name；　〃Ah；　it　is　my　son。　。　。　。　What　a　pity！〃　he　said。

Such　was　the　story　of　the　young　man　who；　about　the　middle　of　the　month
of　April；　1815；　was　walking　indolently　up　the　broad　avenue　of　the
Tuileries；　after　the　fashion　of　all　those　animals　who；　knowing　their
strength；　pass　along　in　majesty　and　peace。　Middle…class　matrons　turned
back　naively　to　look　at　him　again；　other　women；　without　turning　round；
waited　for　him　to　pass　again；　and　engraved　him　in　their　minds　that
they　might　remember　in　due　season　that　fragrant　face；　which　would　not
have　disadorned　the　body　of　the　fairest　among　themselves。

〃What　are　you　doing　here　on　Sunday？〃　said　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles
to　Henri；　as　he　passed。

〃There's　a　fish　in　the　net；〃　answered　the　young　man。

This　exchange　of　thoughts　was　accomplished　by　means　of　two　significant
glances；　without　it　appearing　that　either　De　Ronquerolles　or　De　Marsay
had　any　knowledge　of　the　other。　The　young　man　was　taking　note　of　the
passers…by　with　that　promptitude　of　eye　and　ear　which　is　peculiar　to
the　Parisian　who　seems；　at　first；　to　see　and　hear　nothing；　but　who
sees　and　hears　all。

At　that　moment　a　young　man　came　up　to　him　and　took　him　familiarly　by
the　arm；　saying　to　him：　〃How　are　you；　my　dear　De　Marsay？〃

〃Extremely　well；〃　De　Marsay　answered；　with　that　air　of　apparent
affection　which　amongst　the　young　men　of　Paris　proves　nothing；　either
for　the　present　or　the　future。

In　effect；　the　youth　of　Paris　resemble　the　youth　of　no　other　town。
They　may　be　divided　into　two　classes：　the　young　man　who　has　something；
and　the　young　man　who　has　nothing；　or　the　young　man　who　thinks　and　he
who　spends。　But；　be　it　well　understood　this　applies　only　to　those
natives　of　the　soil　who　maintain　in　Paris　the　delicious　course　of　the
elegant　life。　There　exist；　as　well；　plenty　of　other　young　men；　but
they　are　children　who　are　late　in　conceiving　Parisian　life；　and　who
remain　its　dupes。　They　do　not　speculate；　they　study；　they　/fag/；　as
the　others　say。　Finally　there　are　to　be　found；　besides；　certain　young
people；　rich　or　poor；　who　embrace　careers　and　follow　them　with　a
single　heart；　they　are　somewhat　like　the　Emile　of　Rousseau；　of　the
flesh　of　citizens；　and　they　never　appear　in　society。　The　diplomatic
impolitely　dub　them　fools。　Be　they　that　or　no；　they　augment　the　number
of　those　mediocrities　beneath　the　yoke　of　which　France　is　bowed　down。
They　are　always　there；　always　ready　to　bungle　public　or　private
concerns　with　the　dull　trowel　of　their　mediocrity；　bragging　of　their
impotence；　which　they　count　for　conduct　and　integrity。　This　sort　of
social　/prizemen/　infests　the　administration；　the　army；　the
magistracy；　the　chambers；　the　courts。　They　diminish　and　level　down　the
country　and　constitute；　in　some　manner；　in　the　body　politic；　a　lymph
which　infects　it　and　renders　it　flabby。　These　honest　folk　call　men　of
talent　immoral　or　rogues。　If　such　rogues　require　to　be　paid　for　their
services；　at　least　their　services　are　there；　whereas　the　other　sort　do
harm　and　are　respected　by　the　mob；　but；　happily　for　France；　elegant
youth　stigmatizes　them　ceaselessly　under　the　name　of　louts。

At　the　first　glance；　then；　it　is　natural　to　consider　as　very　distinct
the　two　sorts　of　young　men　who　lead　the　life　of　elegance；　the　amiable
corporation　to　which　Henri　de　Marsay　belonged。　But　the　observer；　who
goes　beyond　the　superficial　aspect　of　things；　is　soon　convinced　that
the　difference　is　purely　moral；　and　that　nothing　is　so　deceptive　as
this　pretty　outside。　Nevertheless；　all　alike　take