the deputy of arcis-第82章

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〃By　all　means　go；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃It　may　be　a　long　time　before　I　could　allow　you　to　see　the　patient；　therefore　you　can　leave　without　the　slightest　self…reproach。　In　fact；　you　can　really　do　nothing　here　at　present。　Trust　him　to　Lord　Lewin　and　me；　I　assure　you　that　I　shall　make　his　recovery；　of　which　I　have　no　doubt；　a　matter　of　personal　pride　and　self…love。〃

Sallenauve　pressed　the　doctor's　hand　gratefully；　and　started　for　London　without　delay。　Arriving　there　at　five　o'clock；　the　travellers　were　unable　to　leave　before　midnight；　meantime　their　eyes　were　struck　at　every　turn　by　those　enormous　posters　which　English　/puffism/　alone　is　able　to　produce；　announcing　the　second　appearance　in　Her　Majesty's　theatre　of　the　Signora　Luigia。　The　name　alone　was　enough　to　attract　the　attention　of　both　travellers；　but　the　newspapers　to　which　they　had　recourse　for　further　information　furnished；　as　is　customary　in　England；　so　many　circumstantial　details　about　the　prima　donna　that　Sallenauve　could　no　longer　doubt　the　transformation　of　his　late　housekeeper　into　an　operatic　star　of　the　first　magnitude。

Going　to　the　box…office；　which　he　found　closed；　every　seat　having　been　sold　before　mid…day；　Sallenauve　considered　himself　lucky　to　obtain　two　seats　from　a　speculator；　at　the　enormous　cost　of　five　pounds　apiece。　The　opera　was　〃La　Pazza　d'Amore〃　of　Paesiello。　When　the　curtain　rose；　Sallenauve；　who　had　spent　the　last　two　weeks　at　Hanwell；　among　the　insane；　could　all　the　more　appreciate　the　remarkable　dramatic　talent　his　late　housekeeper　displayed　in　the　part　of　Nina。　Even　Bricheteau；　though　annoyed　at　Sallenauve's　determination　to　be　present；　was　so　carried　away　by　the　power　of　the　singer　that　he　said　to　his　companion　rather　imprudently；

〃Politics　have　no　triumphs　as　that。　Art　alone　is　deity〃

〃And　Luigia　is　its　prophet！〃　added　Sallenauve。

Never；　perhaps；　had　the　Italian　opera…house　in　London　presented　a　more　brilliant　sight；　the　whole　audience　was　in　a　transport　of　enthusiasm；　and　bouquets　fairly　rained　upon　the　stage。

As　they　left　the　theatre；　Bricheteau　looked　at　his　watch；　it　was　a　quarter　to　eleven；　they　had　thus　ample　time　to　take　the　steamer　leaving；　as　the　tide　served；　at　midnight。　But　when　the　organist　turned　to　make　this　remark　to　Sallenauve；　who　was　behind　him；　he　saw　nothing　of　his　man；　the　deputy　had　vanished！

Ten　minutes　later　the　maid　of　the　Signora　Luigia　entered　her　mistress's　dressing…room；　which　was　filled　with　distinguished　Englishmen　presented　by　Sir　Francis　Drake　to　the　new　star；　and　gave　her　a　card。　On　reading　the　name　the　prima　donna　turned　pale　and　whispered　a　few　words　to　the　waiting…woman；　then　she　seemed　so　anxious　to　be　rid　of　the　crowd　who　were　pressing　round　her　that　her　budding　adorers　were　inclined　to　be　angry。　But　a　great　singer　has　rare　privileges；　and　the　fatigue　of　the　part　into　which　the　/diva/　had　just　put　so　much　soul　seemed　so　good　an　excuse　for　her　sulkiness　that　her　court　dispersed　without　much　murmuring。

Left　alone；　the　signora　rapidly　resumed　her　usual　dress；　and　the　directors'　carriage　took　her　back　to　the　hotel　where　she　had　stayed　since　arriving　in　London。　On　entering　her　salon　she　found　Sallenauve；　who　had　preceded　her。

〃You　in　London；　monsieur！〃　she　said；　〃it　is　like　a　dream！〃

〃Especially　to　me；〃　replied　Sallenauve；　〃who　find　you　here；　after　searching　hopelessly　for　you　in　Paris〃

〃Did　you　take　that　pains？why？〃

〃You　left　me　in　so　strange　a　manner；　and　your　nature　is　so　rash；　you　knew　so　little　of　Paris；　and　so　many　dangers　might　threaten　your　inexperience；　that　I　feared　for　you。〃

〃Suppose　harm　did　happen　to　me；　I　was　neither　your　wife；　nor　your　sister；　nor　your　mistress；　I　was　only　your〃

〃I　thought；〃　said　Sallenauve；　hastily；　〃that　you　were　my　friend。〃

〃I　wasunder　obligation　to　you；〃　she　replied。　〃I　saw　that　I　was　becoming　an　embarrassment　in　your　new　situation。　What　else　could　I　do　but　release　you　from　it？〃

〃Who　told　you　that　you　were　an　embarrassment　to　me？　Have　I　ever　said　or　intimated　anything　of　the　kind？　Could　I　not　speak　to　you；　as　I　did；　about　your　professional　life　without　wounding　so　deeply　your　sensibility？〃

〃People　feel　things　as　they　feel　them；〃　replied　Luigia。　〃I　had　the　inward　consciousness　that　you　would　rather　I　were　out　of　your　house　than　in　it。　My　future　you　had　already　given　me　the　means　to　secure；　you　see　for　yourself　it　is　opening　in　a　manner　that　ought　to　reassure　you。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　so　brilliant　that　I　hope　you　will　not　think　me　indiscreet　if　I　ask　whose　hand；　more　fortunate　than　mine；　has　produced　this　happy　result。〃

〃That　of　a　great　Swedish　nobleman；〃　replied　Luigia；　without　hesitation。　〃Or　rather；　I　should　say；　as　the　friend　of　a　lady　who　took　an　interest　in　me；　he　procured　me　an　engagement　at　Her　Majesty's　Theatre；　the　kind　encouragement　of　the　public　has　done　the　rest。〃

〃Say；　rather；　your　own　talent；　I　was　present　at　the　performance　this　evening。〃

Making　him　a　coquettish　courtesy；　Luigia　said；

〃I　hope　you　were　satisfied　with　your　humble　servant。〃

〃Your　musical　powers　did　not　surprise　me；　for　those　I　knew　already；　but　those　transports　of　dramatic　passion；　your　powerful　acting；　so　sure　of　itself；　did　certainly　astonish　me。〃

〃It　comes　from　having　suffered　much；〃　replied　Luigia；　〃suffering　is　a　great　teacher。〃

〃Suffered？　Yes；　I　know　you　did；　in　Italy。　But　I　have　liked　to　feel　that　after　your　arrival　in　France〃

〃Always；　I　have　always　suffered；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　of　emotion。　〃I　was　not　born　under　a　happy　star。〃

〃That　'always'　seems　like　a　reproach　to　me；〃　said　Sallenauve；　〃and　yet　I　do　not　know　what　wrong　I　can　have　done　you。〃

〃You　have　done　me　no　wrong；　the　harm　was　there！〃　she　cried；　striking　her　breast；〃within　me！〃

〃Probably　some　foolish　fancy；　such　as　that　of　leaving　my　house　suddenly；　because　your　mistaken　sense　of　honor　made　you　think　yourself　in　my　way。〃

〃Not　mistaken；〃　she　replied。　〃I　know　what　was　in　your　thoughts。　If　only　on　account　of　what　you　had　done　for　me；　I　knew　I　could　never　aspire　to　your　esteem。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Luigia；　I　call　such　ideas　absurd。　Have　I　ever　shown　you　any　want　of　consideration？　How　could　I？　Your　conduct　has　always　been　exemplary。〃

〃Yes；　I　tried　to　do　everything　that　would　give　you　a　good　opinion　of　me；　but　I　was　none　the　less　the　widow　of　Benedetto。〃

〃What！　can　you　suppose　that　that　misfortune；　the　result　of　a　just　vengeance〃

〃Ah！　no；　it　is　not　the　death　of　that　man　that　lowered　me　in　your　eyes；　on　the　contrary。　But　I　had　been　the　wife　of　a　buffoon；　of　a　police…　spy；　of　a　base　man；　ready　to　sell　me　to　any　one　who　would　give　him　money。〃

〃As　long　as　that　situation　lasted；　I　thought　you　deeply　to　be　pitied；　but　despised；　never！〃

〃And；〃　continued　the　Italian；　more　excitedly；　〃we　had　lived　two　years　under　the　same　roof；　you　and　I　alone。〃

〃Yes；　and　I　found　my　comfort　in　it。〃

〃Did　you　think　me　ugly？〃

〃You　know　better　than　that；　for　I　made　my　finest　statue　from　you。〃

〃Foolish？〃

〃No　one　was　ever　foolish　who　could　act　such　a　part　as　you　did　to…night。〃

〃Then　you　must　see　that　you　despised　me。〃

Sallenauve　seemed　wholly　surprised　by　this　deduction；　he　thought　himself　very　clever　in　replying；

〃It　seems　to　me　that　if　I　had　behaved　to　you　in　any　other　manner　you　would　have　the　right　to　say　that　I　despised　you。〃

But　he　had　to　do　with　a　woman　who　in　everything；　in　her　friendships；　her　hatreds；　her　actions；　as　in　her　words；　went　straight　to　her　point。　As　if　she　feared　not　to　be　fully　understood；　she　went　on：

〃To…day；　monsieur；　I　can　tell　you　all；　for　I　speak　of　the　past；　the　future　has　opened　before　me；　as　you　see。　From　the　day　you　were　good　to　me　and　by　your　generous　protection　I　escaped　an　infamous　outrage；　my　heart　has　been　wholly　yours。〃

Sallenauve；　who　had　never　suspected　that　feeling；　and；　above　all；　was　unable　to　understand　how　so　artlessly　crude　an　avowal　of　it　could　be　made；　knew　not　what　to　answer。

〃I　am　not　ignorant；〃　continued　the　strange　woman；　〃that　I　should　have　difficulty　in　rising　from　the　degradation　in　which　I　appeared　to　you　at　our　first　meeting。　If；　at　the　time　you　consented　to　take　me　with　you　to　Paris；　I　had　seen　you　incline　to　treat　me　with　gallantry；　had　you　shown　any　sign　of　turning　to　your　profit　the　da