the deputy of arcis-第40章

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　one；　but　I　felt　at　once　that　a　cold　restrained　manner　was　substituted　for　the　gracious　friendliness　of　the　past。　It　seemed　to　me　probable　that　her　evident　liking；　I　will　not　say　for　me　personally；　but　for　my　conversation　and　acquirements；　had　been　noticed　by　her　parents；　who　had　doubtless　taught　her　a　lesson；　in　fact；　the　stiff　and　forbidding　manner　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Lanty　left　me　no　other　supposition。

Naturally；　I　did　not　call　again；　but　a　few　months　later；　when　I　exhibited　my　Pandora　in　the　salon　of　1837；　I　one　day　saw　the　whole　Lanty　family　approach　it。　The　mother　was　on　the　arm　of　Comte　Maxime　de　Trailles；　a　well…known　lion。　/Nil　admirari/　is　the　natural　instinct　of　all　men　of　the　world；　so；　after　a　very　cursory　glance　at　my　work；　Monsieur　de　Trailles　began　to　find　shocking　faults　in　it；　and　in　so　high　and　clear　a　voice　that　not　a　word　was　lost　within　a　certain　range。　Marianina　shrugged　her　shoulders　as　she　listened　to　this　profound　discourse；　and　when　it　was　ended　she　said；

〃How　fortunate　you　came　with　us！　Without　your　enlightened　knowledge　I　might；　with　the　rest　of　the　good　public；　have　thought　this　statue　admirable。　It　is　a　pity　the　sculptor　is　not　here　to　learn　his　business　from　you。〃

〃He　/is/　here；　behind　you；〃　said　a　stout　woman；　who　had　once　been　my　landlady；　and　was　standing　near；　laughing　heartily。　Involuntarily　Marianina　turned；　when　she　saw　me　a　vivid　color　came　into　her　cheeks；　and　I　slipped　away　into　the　crowd。　A　girl　who　took　my　part　so　warmly；　and　then　showed　such　emotion　on　being　detected　in　doing　so；　could　not　be　absolutely　indifferent　to　me；　and　as　on　my　first　visit　I　had　only；　after　all；　been　coldly　received；　I　decided；　after　my　great　success　at　the　Exhibition；　in　consequence　of　which　I　was　made　a　chevalier　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　to　call　again　upon　the　Lantys；　perhaps　my　new　distinctions　would　procure　me　a　better　reception。

Monsieur　de　Lanty　received　me　without　rising；　and　with　the　following　astounding　apostrophe：

〃I　think　you　very　courageous；　monsieur；　to　venture　to　present　yourself　here。〃

〃I　have　never　been　received　in　a　manner　that　seemed　to　require　courage　on　my　part。〃

〃You　have　come；　no　doubt；〃　continued　Monsieur　de　Lanty；　〃in　search　of　your　property　which　you　were　careless　enough　to　leave　in　our　hands。　I　shall　return　you　that　article　of　gallantry。〃

So　saying；　he　rose　and　took　from　a　drawer　in　his　secretary　an　elegant　little　portfolio；　which　he　gave　to　me。

As　I　looked　at　it　in　a　sort　of　stupefaction；　he　added：

〃Yes；　I　know　the　letters　are　not　there；　I　presume　you　will　allow　me　to　keep　them。〃

〃This　portfolio；　the　letters　you　mentionall　this　is　an　enigma　to　me；　monsieur。〃

At　this　moment　Madame　de　Lanty　entered　the　room。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　her　husband；　roughly。

〃I　knew　monsieur　was　here；　and　as　I　feared　some　painful　explanation；　I　came　to　do　my　duty　as　a　woman；　and　interpose。〃

〃You　need　fear　nothing；　madame；〃　I　said；　〃evidently　what　is　taking　place　is　the　result　of　some　misunderstanding。〃

〃Ah！　this　is　too　much！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Lanty；　reopening　the　drawer　from　which　he　had　taken　the　portfolio；　and　taking　out　a　packet　of　letters　tied　with　a　rose…colored　ribbon。　〃I　think　these　will　put　an　end　to　your　/misunderstanding/。〃

I　looked　at　the　letters；　they　were　not　postmarked；　and　simply　bore　my　name；　Monsieur　Dorlange；　in　a　woman's　handwriting；　which　was　unknown　to　me。

〃Monsieur；〃　I　said；　〃you　know　more　than　I　do；　you　have　in　your　possession　letters　that　seem　to　belong　to　me；　but　which　I　have　never　received。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Lanty；　〃you　are　an　admirable　comedian；　I　never　saw　innocence　better　played。〃

〃But；　monsieur；〃　I　said；　〃who　wrote　those　letters；　and　why　are　they　addressed　to　me？〃

〃It　is　useless　to　deny　them；　monsieur；〃　said　Madame　de　Lanty；　〃Marianina　has　confessed　all。〃

〃Mademoiselle　Marianina！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Then　the　matter　is　very　simple；　have　the　goodness　to　bring　us　together；　let　me　hear　from　her　lips　the　explanation　of　this　singular　affair。〃

〃The　evasion　is　clever；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Lanty；　〃but　my　daughter　is　no　longer　here：　she　is　in　a　convent；　forever　sheltered　from　your　intrigues　and　the　dangers　of　her　own　ridiculous　passion。　If　that　is　what　you　came　to　know；　all　is　said。　Let　us　part；　for　my　patience　and　moderation　have　a　limit；　if　your　insolence　has　none。〃

〃Monsieur！〃　I　began；　angrily；　but　Madame　de　Lanty；　who　was　standing　behind　her　husband；　made　me　a　gesture　as　if　she　would　fall　upon　her　knees；　and　reflecting　that　perhaps　Marianina's　future　depended　on　the　attitude　I　now　took；　I　controlled　myself　and　left　the　room　without　further　words。

The　next　morning；　before　I　was　out　of　bed；　the　Abbe　Fontanon　was　announced　to　me。　When　he　entered　he　proved　to　be　a　tall　old　man　with　a　bilious　skin　and　a　sombre；　stern　expression；　which　he　tried　to　soften　by　a　specious　manner　and　a　show　of　gentle　but　icy　obsequiousness。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Lanty；　whose　confessor　I　have　the　honor　to　be；　requests　me　to　give　you　a　few　explanations；　to　which　you　have　an　incontestable　right；　as　to　the　scene　that　took　place　last　evening　between　her　husband　and　yourself。〃

〃I　am　ready　to　listen　to　you；　monsieur；〃　I　replied。

〃Monsieur　de　Lanty；〃　continued　the　abbe；　〃is　a　bad　sleeper；　and　one　night　last　summer　he　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of　cautious　steps。　He　opened　his　door；　and　called　out　to　know　who　was　there。　He　was　not　mistaken；　some　one　was　there；　but　did　not　answer；　and　disappeared　before　Monsieur　de　Lanty　could　obtain　a　light。　At　first　it　was　thought　to　be　an　attempt　at　robbery；　but　on　further　inquiry　it　appeared　that　a　/gentleman/　had　taken　a　room　in　the　neighborhood；　and　had　frequently　been　seen　in　company　with　Mademoiselle　Marianina；in　short；　the　matter　concerned　a　love　affair　and　not　a　robbery。　Monsieur　de　Lanty　has　long　watched　his　daughter；　whose　ardent　inclinations　have　given　him　much　anxiety；　you　yourself；　monsieur；　caused　him　some　uneasiness　in　Rome〃

〃Very　needless；　Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　I　said；　interrupting　him。

〃Yes。　I　know　that　your　relations　to　Mademoiselle　de　Lanty　have　always　been　perfectly　proper　and　becoming。　But　since　their　return　to　Paris　another　individual　has　occupied　her　mind；a　bold　and　enterprising　man；　capable　of　risking　everything　to　compromise　and　thus　win　an　heiress。　Being　taxed　with　having　encouraged　this　man　and　allowed　these　nocturnal　interviews；　Mademoiselle　de　Lanty　at　first　denied　everything。　Then；　evidently　fearing　that　her　father；　a　violent　man；　would　take　some　steps　against　her　lover；　she　threw　herself　at　his　feet　and　admitted　the　visits；　but　denied　that　the　visitor　was　the　man　her　father　named　to　her。　At　first　she　refused　obstinately　to　substitute　another　name　for　the　one　she　disavowed。　After　some　days　passed　in　this　struggle；　she　finally　confessed　to　her　mother；　under　a　pledge　of　secrecy；　that　her　father　was　right　in　his　suspicions；　but　she　dreaded　the　results　to　the　family　if　she　acknowledged　the　truth　to　him。　The　man　in　question　was　a　noted　duellist；　and　her　father　and　brother　would　surely　bring　him　to　account　for　his　conduct。　It　was　then；　monsieur；　that　the　idea　occurred　to　this　imprudent　girl　to　substitute　another　name　for　that　of　her　real　lover。〃

〃Ah！　I　understand；〃　I　said；　〃the　name　of　a　nobody；　an　artist；　a　sculptor；　or　some　insignificant　individual　of　that　kind。〃

〃You　do　Mademoiselle　de　Lanty　injustice　by　that　remark；〃　replied　the　abbe。　〃What　decided　her　to　make　your　name　a　refuge　against　the　dangers　she　foresaw　was　the　fact　that　Monsieur　de　Lanty　had　formerly　had　suspicions　about　you；　and　she　thought　that　circumstance　gave　color　to　her　statement。〃

〃But；　Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　I　said；　〃how　do　you　explain　those　letters；　that　portfolio；　which　her　father　produced　yesterday？〃

〃That　again　was　an　invention　of　Marianina；　and　I　may　add　that　this　duplicity　assures　me　that　had　she　remained　in　the　world　her　future　might　have　been　terrible。〃

〃Am　I　to　suppose　that　this　tale　has　been　told　you　by　Madame　de　Lanty？〃

〃Confided　to　me；　monsieur；　yes。　You　yourself　saw　Madame　de　Lanty's　desire　to　stop　your　explanations　yesterday；　lest　the　truth　might　appear　to　her　husband。　I　am　requested　by　her　to　thank　you　for　your　connivancepassive；　of　coursein　this