vendetta-第3章

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illuminating　the　studio；　and　two　rays　striking　athwart　it　lengthwise；

traced　diaphanous　gold　lines　in　which　the　dust　was　shimmering。　A　dozen

easels　raised　their　sharp　points　like　masts　in　a　port。　Several　young

girls　were　animating　the　scene　by　the　variety　of　their　expressions；

their　attitudes；　and　the　differences　in　their　toilets。　The　strong

shadows　cast　by　the　green　serge　curtains；　arranged　according　to　the

needs　of　each　easel；　produced　a　multitude　of　contrasts；　and　the

piquant　effects　of　light　and　shade。　This　group　was　the　prettiest　of

all　the　pictures　in　the　studio。



A　fair　young　girl；　very　simply　dressed；　sat　at　some　distance　from　her

companions；　working　bravely　and　seeming　to　be　in　dread　of　some　mishap。

No　one　looked　at　her；　or　spoke　to　her；　she　was　much　the　prettiest；　the

most　modest；　and；　apparently；　the　least　rich　among　them。　Two　principal

groups；　distinctly　separated　from　each　other；　showed　the　presence　of

two　sets　or　cliques；　two　minds　even　here；　in　this　studio；　where　one

might　suppose　that　rank　and　fortune　would　be　forgotten。



But；　however　that　might　be；　these　young　girls；　sitting　or　standing；　in

the　midst　of　their　color…boxes；　playing　with　their　brushes　or

preparing　them；　handling　their　dazzling　palettes；　painting；　laughing；

talking；　singing；　absolutely　natural；　and　exhibiting　their　real

selves；　composed　a　spectacle　unknown　to　man。　One　of　them；　proud；

haughty；　capricious；　with　black　hair　and　beautiful　hands；　was　casting

the　flame　of　her　glance　here　and　there　at　random；　another；　light…

hearted　and　gay；　a　smile　upon　her　lips；　with　chestnut　hair　and

delicate　white　hands；　was　a　typical　French　virgin；　thoughtless；　and

without　hidden　thoughts；　living　her　natural　real　life；　a　third　was

dreamy；　melancholy；　pale；　bending　her　head　like　a　drooping　flower；　her

neighbor；　on　the　contrary；　tall；　indolent；　with　Asiatic　habits；　long

eyes；　moist　and　black；　said　but　little；　and　reflected；　glancing

covertly　at　the　head　of　Antinous。



Among　them；　like　the　〃jocoso〃　of　a　Spanish　play；　full　of　wit　and

epigrammatic　sallies；　another　girl　was　watching　the　rest　with　a

comprehensive　glance；　making　them　laugh；　and　tossing　up　her　head；　too

lively　and　arch　not　to　be　pretty。　She　appeared　to　rule　the　first　group

of　girls；　who　were　the　daughters　of　bankers；　notaries；　and　merchants；

all　rich；　but　aware　of　the　imperceptible　though　cutting　slights

which　another　group　belonging　to　the　aristocracy　put　upon　them。　The

latter　were　led　by　the　daughter　of　one　of　the　King's　ushers；　a　little

creature；　as　silly　as　she　was　vain；　proud　of　being　the　daughter　of　a

man　with　〃an　office　at　court。〃　She　was　a　girl　who　always　pretended　to

understand　the　remarks　of　the　master　at　the　first　word；　and　seemed　to

do　her　work　as　a　favor　to　him。　She　used　an　eyeglass；　came　very　much

dressed；　and　always　late；　and　entreated　her　companions　to　speak　low。



In　this　second　group　were　several　girls　with　exquisite　figures　and

distinguished　features；　but　there　was　little　in　their　glance　or

expression　that　was　simple　and　candid。　Though　their　attitudes　were

elegant　and　their　movements　graceful；　their　faces　lacked　frankness；　it

was　easy　to　see　that　they　belonged　to　a　world　where　polite　manners

form　the　character　from　early　youth；　and　the　abuse　of　social　pleasures

destroys　sentiment　and　develops　egotism。



But　when　the　whole　class　was　here　assembled；　childlike　heads　were　seen

among　this　bevy　of　young　girls；　ravishingly　pure　and　virgin；　faces

with　lips　half…opened；　through　which　shone　spotless　teeth；　and　on

which　a　virgin　smile　was　flickering。　The　studio　then　resembled　not　a

studio；　but　a　group　of　angels　seated　on　a　cloud　in　ether。



By　mid…day；　on　this　occasion；　Servin　had　not　appeared。　For　some　days

past　he　had　spent　most　of　his　time　in　a　studio　which　he　kept

elsewhere；　where　he　was　giving　the　last　touches　to　a　picture　for　the

Exposition。　All　of　a　sudden　Mademoiselle　Amelie　Thirion；　the　leader　of

the　aristocrats；　began　to　speak　in　a　low　voice；　and　very　earnestly；　to

her　neighbor。　A　great　silence　fell　on　the　group　of　patricians；　and　the

commercial　party；　surprised；　were　equally　silent；　trying　to　discover

the　subject　of　this　earnest　conference。　The　secret　of　the　young　ULTRAS

was　soon　revealed。



Amelie　rose；　took　an　easel　which　stood　near　hers；　carried　it　to　a

distance　from　the　noble　group；　and　placed　it　close　to　a　board

partition　which　separated　the　studio　from　the　extreme　end　of　the

attic；　where　all　broken　casts；　defaced　canvases　and　the　winter　supply

of　wood　were　kept。　Amelie's　action　caused　a　murmur　of　surprise；　which

did　not　prevent　her　from　accomplishing　the　change　by　rolling　hastily

to　the　side　of　the　easel　the　stool；　the　box　of　colors；　and　even　the

picture　by　Prudhon；　which　the　absent　pupil　was　copying。　After　this

coup　d'etat　the　Right　began　to　work　in　silence；　but　the　Left

discoursed　at　length。



〃What　will　Mademoiselle　Piombo　say　to　that？〃　asked　a　young　girl　of

Mademoiselle　Matilde　Roguin；　the　lively　oracle　of　the　banking　group。



〃She's　not　a　girl　to　say　anything；〃　was　the　reply；　〃but　fifty　years

hence　she'll　remember　the　insult　as　if　it　were　done　to　her　the　night

before；　and　revenge　it　cruelly。　She　is　a　person　that　I；　for　one；　don't

want　to　be　at　war　with。〃



〃The　slight　these　young　ladies　mean　to　put　upon　her　is　all　the　more

unkind；〃　said　another　young　girl；　〃because　yesterday；　Mademoiselle

Ginevra　was　very　sad。　Her　father；　they　say；　has　just　resigned。　They

ought　not　to　add　to　her　trouble；　for　she　was　very　considerate　of　them

during　the　Hundred　Days。　Never　did　she　say　a　word　to　wound　them。　On

the　contrary；　she　avoided　politics。　But　I　think　our　ULTRAS　are　acting

more　from　jealousy　than　from　party　spite。〃



〃I　have　a　great　mind　to　go　and　get　Mademoiselle　Piombo's　easel　and

place　it　next　to　mine；〃　said　Matilde　Roguin。　She　rose；　but　second

thoughts　made　her　sit　down　again。



〃With　a　character　like　hers；〃　she　said；　〃one　can't　tell　how　she　would

take　a　civility；　better　wait　events。〃



〃Ecco　la；〃　said　the　young　girl　with　the　black　eyes；　languidly。



The　steps　of　a　person　coming　up　the　narrow　stairway　sounded　through

the　studio。　The　words：　〃Here　she　comes！〃　passed　from　mouth　to　mouth；

and　then　the　most　absolute　silence　reigned。



To　understand　the　importance　of　the　ostracism　imposed　by　the　act　of

Amelie　Thirion；　it　is　necessary　to　add　that　this　scene　took　place

toward　the　end　of　the　month　of　July；　1815。　The　second　return　of　the

Bourbons　had　shaken　many　friendships　which　had　held　firm　under　the

first　Restoration。　At　this　moment　families；　almost　all　divided　in

opinion；　were　renewing　many　of　the　deplorable　scenes　which　stain　the

history　of　all　countries　in　times　of　civil　or　religious　wars。

Children；　young　girls；　old　men　shared　the　monarchial　fever　to　which

the　country　was　then　a　victim。　Discord　glided　beneath　all　roofs；

distrust　dyed　with　its　gloomy　colors　the　words　and　the　actions　of　the

most　intimate　friends。



Ginevra　Piombo　loved　Napoleon　to　idolatry；　how；　then；　could　she　hate

him？　The　emperor　was　her　compatriot　and　the　benefactor　of　her　father。

The　Baron　di　Piombo　was　among　those　of　Napoleon's　devoted　servants　who

had　co…operated　most　effectually　in　the　return　from　Elba。　Incapable　of

denying　his　political　faith；　anxious　even　to　confess　it；　the　old　baron

remained　in　Paris　in　the　midst　of　his　enemies。　Ginevra　Piombo　was　all

the　more　open　to　condemnation　because　she　made　no　secret　of　the　grief

which　the　second　Restoration　caused　to　her　family。　The　only　tears　she

had　so　far　shed　in　life　were　drawn　from　her　by　the　twofold　news　of

Napoleon's　captivity　on　the　〃Bellerophon；〃　and　Labedoyere's　arrest。



The　girls　of　the　aristocratic　group　of　pupils　belonged　to　the　most

devoted　royalist　families　in　Paris。　It　would　be　difficult　to　give　an

idea　of　the　exaggerations　prevalent　at　this　epoch；　and　of　the　horror

inspired　by　the　Bonapartists。　However　insignificant　and　petty　Amelie's

action　may　now　seem　to　be；　it　was　at　tha