the deputy of arcis-第41章

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ear　to　her　husband。　I　am　requested　by　her　to　thank　you　for　your　connivancepassive；　of　coursein　this　pious　falsehood。　She　felt　that　she　could　only　show　her　profound　gratitude　by　telling　you　the　whole　truth　and　relying　upon　your　discretion。〃

〃Where　is　Mademoiselle　Marianina？〃

〃As　Monsieur　de　Lanty　told　you；　in　a　convent　in　Italy。　To　avoid　scandal；　it　was　thought　best　to　send　her　to　some　safe　retreat。　Her　own　conduct　will　decide　her　future。〃

Now　what　do　you　think　of　that　history？　Does　it　not　seem　to　you　very　improbable？　Here　are　two　explanations　which　have　each　come　into　my　mind　with　the　force　of　a　conviction。　First；　Marianina's　brother　has　just　married　into　a　grand…ducal　family　of　Germany。　Immense　sacrifices　must　have　been　required　of　the　de　Lanty　family　to　make　such　an　alliance。　Was　Marianina's　/dot/；　and　the　fortune　she　inherited　from　that　old　grand…uncle；　required　to　pay　the　costs　of　that　princely　union？　Secondly；　did　Marianina　really　feel　an　attachment　for　me？　And　did　she；　in　a　girlish　way；　express　it　on　those　letters　which　she　never　sent？　To　punish　her；　had　her　parents　sent　her　to　a　convent？　And　to　disgust　me；　and　throw　me　off　the　track；　had　the　mother　invented　this　history　of　another　love　in　which　she　seemed　to　make　me　play　so　mortifying　a　part？

I　may　add　that　the　intervention　of　the　Abbe　Fontanon　authorizes　such　an　interpretation。　I　have　made　inquiries　about　him；　and　I　find　he　is　one　of　those　mischievous　priests　who　worm　themselves　into　the　confidence　of　families　for　their　own　ends；　he　has　already　destroyed　the　harmony　of　one　home；that　of　Monsieur　de　Granville；　attorney…　general　of　the　royal　court　of　Paris　under　the　Restoration。

As　to　the　truth　or　falsehood　of　these　suppositions　I　know　nothing；　and；　in　all　probability；　shall　continue　to　know　nothing。　But；　as　you　can　easily　understand；　the　thought　of　Marianina　is　a　luminous　point　to　which　my　eye　is　forever　attached。　Shall　I　love　her？　Shall　I　hate　her　and　despise　her？　That　is　the　question　perpetually　in　my　mind。　Uncertainty　of　that　kind　is　far　more　certain　to　fix　a　woman　in　a　man's　soul　than　to　dislodge　her。

Well；　to　sum　up　in　two　brief　sentences　my　reply　to　your　warnings：　As　for　the　opinion　of　Monsieur　Bixiou；　I　care　as　little　for　it　as　for　last　year's　roses；　and　as　for　that　other　danger　which　you　fear；　I　cannot　tell　you　whether　I　love　Marianina　or　not；　but　this　I　know；　I　do　/not/　love　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　That；　I　think；　is　giving　you　a　plain　and　honest　answer。　And　now；　let　us　leave　our　master　the　Future　to　do　what　he　likes。



XI

THE　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MADAME　OCTAVE　DE　CAMPS

Paris；　May；　1839。

Monsieur　Dorlange　came　last　evening　to　take　leave　of　us。　He　starts　to…day　for　Arcis…sur…Aube；　where　the　ceremony　of　inaugurating　/his/　statue　takes　place。　That　is　also　the　place　selected　by　the　Opposition　journals　for　his　candidacy。　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　declares　that　the　locality　could　not　have　been　worse　chosen；　and　that　it　leaves　his　election　without　a　chance。

Monsieur　Dorlange　paid　his　visit　early。　I　was　alone。　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　was　dining　with　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　and　the　children　were　in　bed。　The　conversation　interrupted　by　Madame　de　la　Bastie　could　now　be　renewed；　as　I　was　about　to　ask　him　to　continue　the　history；　of　which　he　had　only　told　me　the　last　words；　when　our　old　Lucas　brought　me　a　letter。　It　was　from　my　Armand；　to　let　me　know　that　he　had　been　ill　since　morning；　and　was　then　in　the　infirmary。

〃Order　the　carriage；〃　I　said　to　Lucas；　in　a　state　of　agitation　you　can　easily　conceive。

〃But；　madame；〃　replied　Lucas；　〃monsieur　has　ordered　the　carriage　to　fetch　him　at　half…past　nine　o'clock；　and　Tony　has　already　started。〃

〃Then　send　for　a　cab。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　can　find　one；〃　said　our　old　servant；　who　is　a　man　of　difficulties；　〃it　is　beginning　to　rain。〃

Without　noticing　that　remark　and　without　thinking　of　Monsieur　Dorlange；　I　went　hastily　to　my　room　to　put　on　my　bonnet　and　shawl。　That　done；　I　returned　to　the　salon；　where　my　visitor　still　remained。

〃You　must　excuse　me；　monsieur；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃for　leaving　you　so　abruptly。　I　must　hasten　to　the　Henri　IV。　College。　I　could　not　possibly　pass　a　night　in　the　dreadful　anxiety　my　son's　letter　has　caused　me；　he　tells　me　he　has　been　ill　since　morning　in　the　infirmary。〃

〃But；〃　replied　Monsieur　Dorlange；　〃surely　you　are　not　going　alone　in　a　hired　carriage　to　that　lonely　quarter？〃

〃Lucas　will　go　with　me。〃

At　that　moment　Lucas　returned；　his　prediction　was　realized；　there　was　not　a　coach　on　the　stand；　it　was　raining　in　torrents。　Time　was　passing；　already　it　was　almost　too　late　to　enter　the　school；　where　masters　and　pupils　go　to　bed　at　nine　o'clock。

〃Put　on　thick　shoes；〃　I　said　to　Lucas；　〃and　come　with　me　on　foot。〃

Instantly　I　saw　his　face　lengthen。　He　is　no　longer　young　and　loves　his　ease；　moreover；　he　complains　every　winter　of　rheumatism。　He　made　various　objections；that　it　was　very　late；　that　we　should　〃revolutionize〃　the　school；　I　should　take　cold；　Monsieur　Armand　could　not　be　very　ill　if　he　wrote　himself；　in　short；　it　was　clear　that　my　plan　of　campaign　did　not　suit　my　old　retainer。

Monsieur　Dorlange　very　obligingly　offered　to　go　himself　in　my　place　and　bring　me　word　about　Armand；　but　that　did　not　suit　me　at　all；　I　felt　that　I　/must/　see　for　myself。　Having　thanked　him；　I　said　to　Lucas　in　a　tone　of　authority：

〃Get　ready　at　once；　for　one　thing　is　true　in　your　remarks：　it　is　getting　late。〃

Seeing　himself　driven　into　a　corner；　Lucas　raised　the　standard　of　revolt。

〃It　is　not　possible　that　madame　should　go　out　in　such　weather；　and　I　don't　want　monsieur　to　scold　me　for　giving　in　to　such　a　singular　idea。〃

〃Then　you　do　not　intend　to　obey　me？〃

〃Madame　knows　very　well　that　for　anything　reasonable　I　would　do　what　she　told　me　if　I　had　to　go　through　fire　to　obey　her。〃

〃Heat　is　good　for　rheumatism；　but　rain　is　not；〃　I　said；　then；　turning　to　Monsieur　Dorlange；　I　added：　〃As　you　were　so　kind　as　to　offer　to　do　this　errand　alone；　may　I　ask　you　to　give　me　your　arm　and　come　with　me？〃

〃I　am　like　Lucas；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　think　this　excursion　absolutely　necessary；　but　as　I　am　not　afraid　of　being　scolded　by　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　I　shall　have　the　honor　to　accompany　you。〃

We　started。　The　weather　was　frightful；　we　had　hardly　gone　fifty　steps　before　we　were　soaked　in　spite　of　Lucas's　huge　umbrella；　with　which　Monsieur　Dorlange　sheltered　me　at　his　own　expense。　Luckily　a　coach　happened　to　pass；　Monsieur　Dorlange　hailed　the　driver；　it　was　empty。　Of　course　I　could　not　tell　my　companion　that　he　was　not　to　get　in；　such　distrust　was　extremely　unbecoming　and　not　for　me　to　show。　But　you　know；　my　dear　friend；　that　showers　of　rain　have　helped　lovers　from　the　days　of　Dido　down。　However；　Monsieur　Dorlange　said　nothing：　he　saw　my　anxiety　and　he　had　the　good　taste　not　to　attempt　conversation；　breaking　the　silence　only　from　time　to　time　with　casual　remarks。　When　we　reached　the　school；　after　getting　out　of　the　carriage　to　give　me　his　hand　he　saw　for　himself　that　he　must　not　enter　the　house　and　he　therefore　got　back　into　the　carriage　to　await　my　return。

Well；　I　found　Monsieur　Armand　had　hoaxed　me。　His　illness　reduced　itself　to　a　headache；　which　departed　soon　after　he　had　written　me。　The　doctor；　for　the　sake　of　ordering　something；　had　told　him　to　take　an　infusion　of　linden…leaves；　telling　him　that　the　next　day　he　could　go　back　to　his　studies。　I　had　taken　a　club　to　kill　a　flea；　and　committed　all　sorts　of　enormities　to　get　there　at　an　hour　when　the　entire　establishment　were　going　to　bed；　only　to　find　my　young　gentleman　perfectly　well　and　playing　chess　with　one　of　the　nurses。

On　leaving　the　school　I　found　the　rain　had　ceased　and　the　moon　was　shining　brightly。　My　heart　was　full；　the　reaction　from　my　great　anxiety　had　set　in　and　I　felt　a　need　of　breathing　the　fresh　air。　I　therefore　proposed　to　Monsieur　Dorlange　to　dismiss　the　coach　and　return　on　foot。

Here　was　an　opportunity　for　him　to　make　me　that　long…delayed　explanation；　but　Monsieur　Dorlange　seemed　so　little　inclined　to　take　advantage　of　it　that；　using　Monsieur　Armand's　freak　as　a　text；　he　read　me　a　lecture　on　the　danger　of　spoiling　children：　a　subject　which　was　not　at　all　agreeable　to　me；　as　he　must　have　perceived　f