the nabob-第41章

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hich　she　clung　as　closely　as　the　young　Elise　to　her　history　of　France。　Even　when　she　talked；　her　fingers　never　remained　unoccupied　for　a　moment。

〃Do　you　never　take　any　rest？〃　said　de　Gery　to　her；　as　she　counted　under　her　breath　the　stitches　of　her　tapestry；　〃three；　four；　five；〃　to　secure　the　right　variation　in　the　shading　of　the　colours。

〃But　this　is　a　rest　from　work；〃　she　answered。　〃You　men　cannot　understand　how　good　needlework　is　for　a　woman's　mind。　It　gives　order　to　the　thoughts；　fixes　by　a　stitch　the　moment　that　passes　what　would　otherwise　pass　with　it。　And　how　many　griefs　are　calmed；　anxieties　forgotten；　thanks　to　this　wholly　physical　act　of　attention；　to　this　repetition　of　an　even　movement；　in　which　one　findsof　necessity　and　very　quicklythe　equilibrium　of　one's　whole　being。　It　does　not　hinder　me　from　following　the　conversation　around　me；　from　listening　to　you　still　better　than　I　should　if　I　were　doing　something。　Three；　four；　five。〃

Oh；　yes；　she　listened。　That　was　apparent　in　the　animation　of　her　face；　in　the　way　in　which　she　would　suddenly　straighten　herself　as　she　sat；　needle　in　air；　the　thread　taut　over　her　raised　little　finger。　Then　she　would　quickly　resume　her　work；　sometimes　after　putting　in　a　thoughtful　word；　which　agreed　generally　with　the　opinions　of　friend　Paul。

An　affinity　of　nature；　responsibilities　and　duties　similar　in　character；　drew　these　two　young　people　together；　interested　each　of　them　in　the　other's　occupations。　She　knew　the　names　of　his　two　brothers　Pierre　and　Louis；　his　plans　for　their　future　when　they　should　have　left　school。　Pierre　wanted　to　be　a　sailor。　〃Oh；　no；　not　a　sailor；〃　Bonne　Maman　would　say；　〃it　will　be　much　better　for　him　to　come　to　Paris　with　you。〃　And　when　he　admitted　that　he　was　afraid　of　Paris　for　them；　she　laughed　at　his　fears；　called　him　provincial；　full　of　affection　for　the　city　in　which　she　had　been　born；　in　which　she　had　grown　to　chaste　young　womanhood；　and　that　gave　her　in　return　those　vivacities；　those　natural　refinements；　that　jesting　good…humour　which　incline　one　to　believe　that　Paris；　with　its　rain；　its　fogs；　its　sky　which　is　no　sky；　is　the　veritable　fatherland　of　woman；　whose　nerves　it　heals　gently　and　whose　qualities　of　intelligence　and　patience　it　develops。

Each　day　Paul　de　Gery　came　to　appreciate　Mlle。　Aline　betterhe　was　the　only　person　in　the　house　who　so　called　herand；　strange　circumstance；　it　was　Felicia　who　completed　the　cementing　of　their　intimacy。　What　relations　could　there　exist　between　the　artist's　daughter；　moving　in　the　highest　spheres；　and　this　little　middle…class　girl　buried　in　the　depths　of　a　suburb？　Relations　of　childhood　and　of　friendship；　common　recollections；　the　great　court…yard　of　the　Institution　Belin；　where　they　had　played　together　for　three　years。　Paris　is　full　of　these　juxtapositions。　A　name　uttered　by　chance　in　the　course　of　a　conversation　brought　out　suddenly　the　bewildered　question：

〃You　know　her　then？〃

〃Do　I　know　Felicia？　Why；　our　desks　were　next　each　other　in　the　first　form。　We　had　the　same　garden。　Such　a　nice　girl；　and　so　handsome　and　clever！〃

And；　observing　the　pleasure　with　which　she　was　listened　to；　Aline　used　to　recall　the　times　which　already　formed　a　past　for　her；　seductive　and　melancholy　like　all　pasts。　She　was　very　much　alone　in　life；　the　little　Felicia。　On　Thursdays；　when　the　visitors'　names　were　called　out　in　the　parlour；　there　was　no　one　for　her；　except　from　time　to　time　a　good　but　rather　absurd　lady；　formerly　a　dancer；　it　was　said；　whom　Felicia　called　the　Fairy。　In　the　same　way　she　used　to　have　pet　names　for　all　the　people　she　cared　for　and　whom　she　transformed　in　her　imaginations。　In　the　holidays　they　used　to　see　each　other。　Mme。　Joyeuse；　while　she　refused　to　allow　Aline　to　visit　the　studio　of　M。　Ruys；　used　to　invite　Felicia　over　for　whole　days；　very　short　days　they　seemed；　minglings　of　study；　music；　dual　dreams；　young　intimate　conversations。　〃Oh；　when　she　used　to　talk　to　me　of　her　art；　with　that　enthusiasm　which　she　put　into　everything；　how　delighted　I　was　to　listen　to　her！　How　many　things　I　have　understood　through　her；　of　which　I　should　never　have　had　any　idea。　Even　now　when　we　go　to　the　Louvre　with　papa；　or　to　the　exhibition　of　the　1st　of　May；　that　special　feeling　I　have　about　a　beautiful　piece　of　sculpture；　a　good　picture；　carries　me　back　immediately　to　Felicia。　In　my　early　girlhood　she　represented　art　to　me；　and　it　corresponded　with　her　beauty。　Her　nature　was　a　little　vague；　but　so　kind；　I　always　felt　she　was　something　superior　to　myself；　that　bore　me　to　great　heights　without　frightening　me。　Suddenly　she　stopped　coming　to　see　me。　I　wrote　to　her；　no　reply。　Later　on；　fame　came　to　her；　to　me　great　sorrows；　absorbing　duties。　And　of　all　that　friendship；　which　was　very　deep；　however；　since　I　cannot　speak　of　it　without'three；　four；　five'nothing　now　remains　except　old　memories　like　dead　ashes。〃

Bending　over　her　work；　the　brave　girl　made　haste　to　count　her　stitches；　to　imprison　her　regret　in　the　capricious　designs　of　her　tapestry；　while　de　Gery；　moved　as　he　heard　the　testimony　of　those　pure　lips　against　the　calumnies　of　rejected　young　dandies　or　of　jealous　comrades；　felt　himself　raised；　restored　to　the　proud　dignity　of　his　love。　This　sensation　was　so　sweet　to　him　that　he　returned　in　search　of　it　very　often；　not　only　on　the　evenings　of　the　lessons；　but　on　other　evenings；　too；　and　almost　forgot　to　go　to　see　Felicia　for　the　pleasure　of　hearing　Aline　talk　about　her。

One　evening；　as　he　was　leaving　the　Joyeuses'　home；　Paul　met　the　neighbour；　M。　Andre；　on　the　landing；　who　was　waiting　for　him　and　took　his　arm　feverishly。

〃Monsieur　de　Gery；〃　he　said　in　a　trembling　voice；　with　eyes　that　glittered　behind　their　spectacles；　the　one　feature　of　his　face　that　was　visible　in　the　darkness。　〃I　have　an　explanation　to　ask　from　you。　Will　you　come　up　to　my　rooms　for　a　moment？〃

There　had　only　been　between　this　young　man　and　himself　the　banal　relations　of　two　persons　accustomed　to　frequent　the　same　house；　whom　no　tie　unites；　who　seem　ever　separated　by　a　certain　antipathy　of　nature；　of　manner　of　life。　What　explanation　could　there　be　called　for　between　them？　He　followed　him　with　much　perplexed　curiosity。

The　aspect　of　the　little　studio；　chilly　under　its　top…light；　the　empty　fireplace；　the　wind　blowing　as　though　they　were　out　of　doors　and　making　the　candle　flicker；　the　solitary　light　on　the　scene　of　the　night's　labour　of　a　poor　and　lonely　man；　reflected　on　sheets　of　paper　scribbled　over　and　scattered　about；　in　short；　this　atmosphere　of　habitations　wherein　the　soul　of　the　inhabitants　lives　on　its　own　aspirations；　caused　de　Gery　to　understand　the　visionary　air　of　Andre　Maranne；　his　long　hair　thrown　back　and　streaming　loose；　that　somewhat　excessive　appearance；　very　excusable　when　it　is　paid　for　by　a　life　of　sufferings　and　privations；　and　his　sympathy　immediately　went　out　to　this　courageous　fellow　whose　intrepidity　of　spirit　he　guessed　at　a　glance。　But　the　other　was　too　deeply　moved　by　emotion　to　notice　the　progress　of　these　reflections。　As　soon　as　the　door　was　closed　upon　them；　he　said；　with　the　accent　of　a　stage　hero　addressing　the　perfidious　seducer；　〃M。　de　Gery；　I　am　not　yet　a　Cassandra。〃

And　seeing　the　stupefaction　of　de　Gery：

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　went　on；　〃we　understand　each　other。　I　have　known　perfectly　well　what　it　is　that　draws　you　to　M。　Joyeuse's　house；　and　the　eager　welcome　with　which　you　are　received　there　has　not　escaped　my　notice　either。　You　are　rich；　you　are　of　noble　birth；　there　can　be　no　hesitation　between　you　and　the　poor　poet　who　follows　a　ridiculous　trade　in　order　to　give　himself　full　time　to　reach　a　success　which　perhaps　will　never　come。　But　I　shall　not　allow　my　happiness　to　be　stolen　from　me。　We　must　fight；　monsieur；　we　must　fight；〃　he　repeated；　excited　by　the　peaceful　calm　of　his　rival。　〃For　long　I　have　loved　Mlle。　Joyeuse。　That　love　is　the　end；　the　joy；　and　the　strength　of　an　existence　which　is　very　hard；　in　many　respects　painful。　I　have　only　it　in　the　world；　and　I　would　rather　die　than　give　it　up。〃

Strangeness　of　the　human　soul！　Paul　did　not　love　the　charming　Aline。　His　whole　heart　belonged　to　the　other。　He　thought　of　her　simply　as　a　friend；　the　most　adorable　of　friends。　But　the　idea　that　Maranne　was　interes