the deputy of arcis-第56章

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ed　nothing　for　the　police；　we　not　only　endured　but　we　encouraged　his　visits；which　was　not　hard　to　do　in　view　of　his　passion　for　/poncio　spongato/　and　/spuma　di　latte/。

On　his　entrance　one　evening；　a　member　of　our　party　asked　him　who　was　the　woman　with　whom　he　had　met　him　that　morning。

〃My　wife；　signore；〃　answered　the　Italian。

〃Yours；　Benedetto！you　the　husband　of　such　a　beauty！〃

〃Si；　signore。〃

〃Nonsense！　you　are　ugly　and　drunken；　and　people　say　you　are　police　spy；　but　she；　on　the　contrary；　is　as　handsome　as　Diana　the　huntress。〃

〃I　charmed　her　with　my　talent；　she　adores　me。〃

〃Well；　if　she　is　your　wife；　make　her　pose　to　our　friend　here；　Dorlange；　who　wants　a　model　for　his　Pandora。　He　can't　get　a　finer　one。〃

〃That　can　be　managed；〃　replied　the　Italian。

The　next　day　I　was　in　my　studio　in　company　with　several　young　painters　and　sculptors　when　Benedetto　came　in　accompanied　by　a　woman　of　rare　beauty；　whom　I　need　not　describe；　for　you　have　seen　her；　madame；　at　my　house。　A　joyous　hurrah　greeted　the　Italian；　who　said　to　me；

〃/Ecco　la　Pandora/！　Hey！　what　do　you　think　of　her？〃

〃Marvellously　beautiful；　but　would　she　pose？〃

〃Pooh！〃　exclaimed　Benedetto；　with　an　air　which　seemed　to　say：　〃I'd　like　to　see　her　refuse。〃

〃But；〃　I　remarked；　〃she　would　cost　too　much；　a　model　of　her　beauty。〃

〃No；　you　need　only　make　my　bustjust　a　plaster　castand　give　it　to　her。〃

〃Very　good；〃　I　said。　Then　I　told　my　friends　to　go　and　leave　us　alone　together。

Nobody　minded　me。　Judging　the　wife　by　the　husband；　the　eager　young　fellows　pressed　round　her；　while　she；　wounded　and　angered　by　the　audacity　of　their　eyes；　looked　like　a　caged　panther　irritated　by　peasants　at　a　fair。

Going　up　to　her　and　pulling　her　aside；　Benedetto　told　her　in　Italian　that　I　wanted　to　copy　her　from　head　to　foot；　and　she　must　then　and　there　take　off　her　clothes。　The　woman　gave　him　one　withering　look；　and　made　for　the　door。　Benedetto　rushed　forward　to　prevent　her；　while　my　comrades；　for　the　honor　of　the　studio；　endeavored　to　bar　his　way。

Then　began　an　argument　between　the　wife　and　the　husband；　but；　as　I　saw　that　Benedetto　sustained　his　part　of　it　with　great　brutality；　I　was　angry；　and；　having　a　pretty　vigorous　arm；　I　pushed　him　aside；　and　took　the　wife；　who　was　trembling　all　over；　to　the　door。　She　said；　in　Italian；　a　few　words　of　thanks；　and　disappeared　instantly。

Returning　to　Benedetto；　who　was　gesticulating　furiously；　I　told　him　to　leave　the　studio；　that　his　conduct　was　infamous；　and　if　I　heard　of　his　ill…treating　his　wife　I　would　have　him　punished。

〃/Debole/！〃　（idiot！）　he　replied；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　and　departing　amid　derisive　cheers。

Several　days　passed；　and　no　signs　of　Benedetto。　By　the　end　of　a　week　he　was　forgotten。　Three　days　before　my　departure　from　Rome　his　wife　entered　my　studio。

〃You　are　leaving　Rome；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　want　you　to　take　me　with　you。〃

〃Take　you　with　me！but　your　husband？〃

〃Dead；〃　she　answered　tranquilly。

A　thought　crossed　my　mind。

〃Did　you　kill　him？〃　I　said。

She　made　an　affirmative　sign；　adding；　〃But　I　meant　to　die　too。〃

〃How　was　it？〃　I　asked。

〃After　he　offered　me　that　affront；〃　she　replied；　〃he　came　home　and　beat　me；　as　he　often　did；　then　he　went　out　and　was　gone　all　day。　At　night　he　returned　with　a　pistol　and　threatened　to　shoot　me；　but　I　got　the　pistol　away　from　him；　for　he　was　drunk。　I　threw　himthe　/briccone/！on　his　bed；　and　he　fell　asleep。　Then　I　stuffed　up　the　doors　and　windows；　and　lighted　the　charcoal　brazier。　My　head　ached　horribly；　and　I　knew　nothing　more　till　the　next　day；　when　I　woke　up　in　the　hands　of　my　neighbors。　They　had　smelt　the　charcoal；　and　burst　in　the　door；but　he　was　dead。〃

〃And　the　law？〃

〃I　told　the　judge　everything。　Besides；　/he/　had　tried　to　sell　me　to　an　Englishman；that's　why　he　wanted　to　disgrace　me　here　with　you；　he　thought　I　would　resist　less。　The　judge　told　me　I　might　go；　I　had　done　right；　then　I　confessed　to　a　priest；　and　he　gave　me　absolution。〃

〃But；　/cara　mia/；　what　can　you　do　in　France？　Better　stay　in　Italy；　besides；　I　am　not　rich。〃

She　smiled　disdainfully。

〃I　shall　not　cost　you　much；〃　she　said；　〃on　the　contrary；　I　can　save　you　money。〃

〃How　so？〃

〃I　can　be　the　model　for　your　statues　if　I　choose。　Besides　which；　I　am　a　capital　housekeeper。　If　Benedetto　had　behaved　properly；　we　should　have　had　a　good　home；/per　che/；　I　know　how　to　make　one；　and　I've　another　great　talent　too！〃

She　ran　to　a　guitar；　which　was　hanging　on　the　wall；　and　began　to　sing　a　bravura　air；　accompanying　herself　with　singular　energy。

〃In　France；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　finished；　〃I　could　take　lessons　and　go　upon　the　stage；　where　I　know　I　should　succeed；　that　was　Benedetto's　idea。〃

〃But　why　not　do　that　in　Italy？〃

〃I　am　hiding　from　that　Englishman；〃　she　replied；　〃he　wants　to　carry　me　off。　I　am　determined　to　go　to　France；　I　have　learned　to　speak　French。　If　I　stay　here；　I　shall　throw　myself　into　the　Tiber。〃

By　abandoning　such　a　nature；　more　terrible　than　seductive；　to　itself；　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　will；　I　think；　agree　that　I　was　likely　to　cause　some　misfortune。　I　consented；　therefore；　that　Signora　Luigia　should　accompany　me　to　Paris。　Since　then　she　has　managed　my　household　with　discretion　and　economy。　She　even　offered　to　pose　for　my　Pandora；　but　the　memory　of　that　scene　with　her　husband　has；　as　you　may　well　believe；　kept　me　from　accepting　her　offer。　I　have　given　her　a　singing…　master；　and　she　is　now　almost　prepared　to　make　her　appearance　on　the　stage。　But　in　spite　of　her　theatrical　projects；　she；　pious　like　all　Italians；　has　joined　the　sisterhood　of　the　Virgin　in　Saint…Sulpice；　my　parish　church；　and　during　the　month　of　May；　which　began　a　few　days　ago；　the　letter　of　chairs　counts　on　her　beautiful　voice　for　part　of　her　receipts。　She　is　assiduous　at　the　services；　confesses；　and　takes　the　sacrament　regularly。　Her　confessor；　a　most　respectable　old　man；　came　to　see　me　lately　to　request　that　she　might　not　be　required　to　pose　for　any　more　of　my　statues；　saying　that　she　would　not　listen　to　him　on　that　point；　believing　herself　bound　in　honor　to　me。

My　own　intention；　if　I　am　elected；　which　now　seems　probable；　is　to　separate　from　this　woman。　In　a　position　which　will　place　me　more　before　the　public；　she　would　become　an　object　of　remark　as　injurious　to　her　reputation　and　future　prospects　as　to　mine。　I　have　talked　with　Marie…Gaston　about　the　difficulty　I　foresee　in　making　this　separation。　Until　now；　my　house　has　been　the　whole　of　Paris　to　this　poor　woman；　and　the　thought　of　flinging　her　alone　into　the　gulf；　of　which　she　knows　nothing；　horrifies　me。

Marie…Gaston　thinks　that　the　help　and　advice　of　a　person　of　her　own　sex；　with　a　high　reputation　for　virtue　and　good　judgment；　would　be　in　such　a　case　most　efficacious；　and　he　declares　that　he　and　I　both　know　a　lady　who；　at　our　earnest　entreaty；　might　take　this　duty　upon　herself。　The　person　to　whom　Marie…Gaston　makes　allusion　is　but　a　recent　acquaintance　of　mine；　and　I　could　hardly　ask　even　an　old　friend　to　take　such　a　care　upon　her　shoulders。　I　know；　however；　that　you　once　did　me　the　honor　to　say　that　〃certain　relations　ripen　rapidly。〃　Marie…　Gaston　insists　that　this　lady；　being　kind　and　pious　and　most　charitable；　will　be　attracted　by　the　idea　of　helping　and　advising　a　poor　lonely　woman。　On　our　return　to　Paris；　madame；　we　shall　venture　to　consult　you；　and　you　will　tell　us　whether　we　may　ask　for　this　precious　assistance。

In　any　case；　I　will　ask　you　to　be　my　intermediary　with　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　tell　him　the　facts　I　have　now　told　you；　and　say　that　I　hope　the　little　cloud　between　us　may　be　effectually　removed。　If　I　am　elected；　we　shall　be；　I　know；　in　opposite　camps；　but　as　my　intention　is　not　to　take　a　tone　of　systematic　opposition　in　all　the　questions　which　may　arise　between　our　parties；　I　do　not　think　there　/need/　be　any　break　between　us。

By　this　time　to…morrow；　madame；　I　may　have　received　a　checkmate　which　will　send　me　back　forever　to　my　studio；　or　I　shall　have　a　foot　in　a　new　career。　Shall　I　tell　you　that　the　thought　of　the　latter　result　distresses　me？doubtless　from　a　fear　of　the　Unknown。

I　was　almost　forgetting　to　give　you　another　piece　of　news。　I　have　consulted　Mother　Marie…des…Anges　（whose　history　Marie…Gaston　tel