the deputy of arcis-第83章

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seen　you　incline　to　treat　me　with　gallantry；　had　you　shown　any　sign　of　turning　to　your　profit　the　dangerous　situation　in　which　I　had　placed　myself；　my　heart　would　instantly　have　retired；　you　would　have　seemed　to　me　an　ordinary　man〃

〃So；〃　remarked　Sallenauve；　〃to　love　you　would　have　been　insulting；　not　to　love　you　was　cruel！　What　sort　of　woman　are　you；　that　either　way　you　are　displeased？〃

〃You　ought　not　to　have　loved　me；〃　she　replied；　〃while　the　mud　was　still　on　my　skirts　and　you　scarcely　knew　me；　because　then　your　love　would　have　been　the　love　of　the　eyes　and　not　of　the　soul。　But　when；　after　two　years　passed　beside　you；　you　had　seen　by　my　conduct　that　I　was　an　honorable　woman；　when；　without　ever　accepting　a　pleasure；　I　devoted　myself　to　the　care　of　the　house　and　your　comfort　without　other　relaxation　than　the　study　of　my　art；　and　when；　above　all；　I　sacrificed　to　you　that　modesty　you　had　seen　me　defend　with　such　energy；then　you　were　cruel　not　to　comprehend；　and　never；　never　will　your　imagination　tell　you　what　I　have　suffered；　and　all　the　tears　you　have　made　me　shed。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Luigia；　I　was　your　host；　and　even　had　I　suspected　what　you　now　reveal　to　me；　my　duty　as　an　honorable　man　would　have　commanded　me　to　see　nothing　of　it；　and　to　take　no　advantage　of　you。〃

〃Ah！　that　is　not　the　reason；　it　is　simpler　than　that。　You　saw　nothing　because　your　fancy　turned　elsewhere。〃

〃Well；　and　if　it　were　so？〃

〃It　ought　not　to　be　so；〃　replied　Luigia；　vehemently。　〃That　woman　is　not　free；　she　has　a　husband　and　children；　and　though　you　did　make　a　saint　of　her；　I　presume　to　say；　ridiculous　as　it　may　seem；　that　she　is　not　worth　me！〃

Sallenauve　could　not　help　smiling；　but　he　answered　very　seriously；

〃You　are　totally　mistaken　as　to　your　rival。　Madame　de　l'Estorade　was　never　anything　to　me　but　a　model；　without　other　value　than　the　fact　that　she　resembled　another　woman。　That　one　I　knew　in　Rome　before　I　knew　you。　She　had　beauty；　youth；　and　a　glorious　inclination　for　art。　To…day　she　is　confined　in　a　convent；　like　you；　she　has　paid　her　tribute　to　sorrow；　therefore；　you　see〃

〃What；　three　hearts　devoted　to　you；〃　cried　Luigia；　〃and　not　one　accepted？　A　strange　star　is　yours！　No　doubt　I　suffer　from　its　fatal　influence；　and　therefore　I　must　pardon　you。〃

〃You　are　good　to　be　merciful；　will　you　now　let　me　ask　you　a　question？　Just　now　you　spoke　of　your　future；　and　I　see　it　with　my　own　eyes。　Who　are　the　friends　who　have　suddenly　advanced　you　so　far　and　so　splendidly　in　your　career？　Have　you　made　any　compact　with　the　devil？〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Luigia；　laughing。

〃Don't　laugh；〃　said　Sallenauve；　〃you　chose　to　rush　alone　and　unprotected　into　that　hell　called　Paris；　and　I　dread　lest　you　have　made　some　fatal　acquaintance。　I　know　the　immense　difficulties　and　the　immense　dangers　that　a　woman　placed　as　you　are　now　must　meet。　Who　is　this　lady　that　you　spoke　of？　and　how　did　you　ever　meet　her　while　living　under　my　roof？〃

〃She　is　a　pious　and　charitable　woman；　who　came　to　see　me　during　your　absence　at　Arcis。　She　had　noticed　my　voice　at　Saint…Sulpice；　during　the　services　of　the　Month　of　Mary；　and　she　tried　to　entice　me　away　to　her　own　parish　church　of　Notre…Dame　de　Lorette；it　was　for　that　she　came　to　see　me。〃

〃Tell　me　her　name。〃

〃Madame　de　Saint…Esteve。〃

Though　far　from　penetrating　the　many　mysteries　that　surrounded　Jacqueline　Collin；　Sallenauve　knew　Madame　de　Saint…Esteve　to　be　a　woman　of　doubtful　character　and　a　matrimonial　agent；　having　at　times　heard　Bixiou　tell　tales　of　her。

〃But　that　woman；〃　he　said；　〃has　a　shocking　notoriety　in　Paris。　She　is　an　adventuress　of　the　worst　kind。〃

〃I　suspected　it；〃　said　Luigia。　〃But　what　of　that？〃

〃And　the　man　to　whom　she　introduced　you？〃

〃He　an　adventurer？　No；　I　think　not。　At　any　rate；　he　did　me　a　great　service。〃

〃But　he　may　have　designs　upon　you。〃

〃Yes；　people　may　have　designs　upon　me；〃　replied　Luigia；　with　dignity；　〃but　they　cannot　execute　them：　between　those　designs　and　me；　there　is　myself。〃

〃But　your　reputation？〃

〃That　was　lost　before　I　left　your　house。　I　was　said　to　be　your　mistress；　you　had　yourself　to　contradict　that　charge　before　the　electoral　college；　you　contradicted　it；　but　you　could　not　stop　it。〃

〃And　my　esteem；　for　which　you　profess　to　care？〃

〃I　no　longer　want　it。　You　did　not　love　me　when　I　wished　for　it；　you　shall　not　love　me　now　that　I　no　longer　wish　it。〃

〃Who　knows？〃　exclaimed　Sallenauve。

〃There　are　two　reasons　why　it　cannot　be；〃　said　the　singer。　〃In　the　first　place；　it　is　too　late；　and　in　the　second；　we　are　no　longer　on　the　same　path。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　am　an　artist　and　you　have　ceased　to　be　one。　I　rise；　you　fall。〃

〃Do　you　call　it　falling　to　rise；　perhaps；　to　the　highest　dignities　of　the　State？〃

〃To　whatever　height　you　rise；〃　said　Luigia；　passionately；　〃you　will　ever　be　below　your　past　and　the　noble　future　that　was　once　before　you　Ah！　stay；　I　think　that　I　have　lied　to　you；　had　you　remained　a　sculptor；　I　believe　I　should　have　borne　still　longer　your　coldness　and　your　disdain；　I　should　have　waited　until　I　entered　my　vocation；　until　the　halo　round　a　singer's　head　might　have　shown　you；　at　last；　that　I　was　there　beside　you。　But　on　the　day　that　you　apostatized　I　would　no　longer　continue　my　humiliating　sacrifice。　There　is　no　future　possible　between　us。〃

〃Do　you　mean；〃　said　Sallenauve；　holding　out　his　hand；　which　she　did　not　take；　〃that　we　cannot　even　be　friends？〃

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃all　is　overpast　and　gone。　We　shall　hear　of　each　other；　and　from　afar；　as　we　pass　in　life；　we　can　wave　our　hands　in　recognition；　but　nothing　further。〃

〃So；〃　said　Sallenauve；　sadly；　〃this　is　how　it　all　ends！〃

La　Luigia　looked　at　him　a　moment；　her　eyes　shining　with　tears。

〃Listen；〃　she　said　in　a　resolute　and　sincere　tone：　〃this　is　possible。　I　have　loved　you；　and　after　you；　no　one　can　enter　the　heart　you　have　despised。　You　will　hear　that　I　have　lovers；　believe　it　not；　you　will　not　believe　it；　remembering　the　woman　that　I　am。　But　who　knows？　Later　your　life　may　be　swept　clean　of　the　other　sentiments　that　have　stood　in　my　way；　the　freedom；　the　strangeness　of　the　avowal　I　have　just　made　to　you　will　remain　in　your　memory；　and　then　it　is　not　impossible　that　after　this　long　rejection　you　may　end　by　desiring　me。　If　that　should　happen；if　at　the　end　of　many　sad　deceptions　you　should　return；　in　sheer　remorse；　to　the　religion　of　art；then；　then；　supposing　that　long　years　have　not　made　love　ridiculous　between　us；　remember　this　evening。　Now；　let　us　part；　it　is　already　too　late　for　a　/tete…a…　tete/。〃

So　saying；　she　took　a　light　and　passed　into　an　inner　room；　leaving　Sallenauve　in　a　state　of　mind　we　can　readily　imagine　after　the　various　shocks　and　surprises　of　this　interview。

On　returning　to　his　hotel　he　found　Jacques　Bricheteau　awaiting　him。

〃Where　the　devil　have　you　been？〃　cried　the　organist；　impatiently。　〃It　is　too　late　now　to　take　the　steamboat。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Sallenauve；　carelessly；　〃then　I　shall　have　a　few　hours　longer　to　play　truant。〃

〃But　during　that　time　your　enemies　are　tunnelling　their　mine。〃

〃I　don't　care。　In　that　cave　called　political　life　one　has　to　be　ready　for　anything。〃

〃I　thought　as　much！〃　exclaimed　Bricheteau。　〃You　have　been　to　see　Luigia；　her　success　has　turned　your　head；　and　the　deputy　is　thinking　of　his　statues。〃

〃How　often　have　I　heard　you　say　yourself　that　Art　alone　is　great？〃

〃But　an　orator；〃　replied　Bricheteau；　〃is　also　an　artist；　and　the　greatest　of　all。　Others　speak　to　the　heart　and　the　mind；　but　he　to　the　conscience　and　the　will　of　others。　At　any　rate；　this　is　no　time　to　look　back；　you　are　engaged　in　a　duel　with　your　adversaries。　Are　you　an　honest　man；　or　a　scoundrel　who　has　stolen　a　name？　There　is　the　question　which　may；　in　consequence　of　your　absence；　be　answered　against　you　in　the　Chamber。〃

〃I　begin　to　feel　that　you　have　led　me　into　a　mistaken　path；　I　had　in　my　hands　a　treasure；　and　I　have　flung　it　away！〃

〃Happily；〃　said　the　organist；　〃that's　only　an　evening　mist　which　the　night　will　dissipate。　To…morrow　you　will　remember　the　engagement　you　are　under　to　your　father；　and　the　great　future　which　is　before　you。〃



IX

IN　THE　CHAMBER

The　king　had　opened　the　Chamber；　but　Sallenauve　was　not　present；　an