modeste mignon- 第50部分

　　You　are　a　child；　Melchior；　and　you　are　playing　tricks　with　us。　It

　　is　not　right。　The　duke　himself　is　quite　indignant　at　your

　　proceedings；　he　thinks　you　less　than　a　gentleman；　which　casts　some

　　reflections　on　your　mother's　honor。



　　Now；　I　intend　to　see　things　for　myself。　I　shall；　I　believe；　have

　　the　honor　of　accompanying　MADAME　to　the　hunt　which　the　Duc

　　d'Herouville　proposes　to　give　for　Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie。　I

　　will　manage　to　have　you　invited　to　Rosembray；　for　the　meet　will

　　probably　take　place　in　Duc　de　Verneuil's　park。



　　Pray　believe；　my　dear　poet；　that　I　am　none　the　less；　for　life；





Your　friend；　　　　　　Eleonore　de　M。





〃There；　Ernest；　just　look　at　that！〃　cried　Canalis；　tossing　the　letter

at　Ernest's　nose　across　the　breakfast…table；　〃that's　the　two

thousandth　love…letter　I　have　had　from　that　woman；　and　there　isn't

even　a　'thou'　in　it。　The　illustrious　Eleonore　has　never　compromised

herself　more　than　she　does　there。　Marry；　and　try　your　luck！　The　worst

marriage　in　the　world　is　better　than　this　sort　of　halter。　Ah；　I　am　the

greatest　Nicodemus　that　ever　tumbled　out　of　the　moon！　Modeste　has

millions；　and　I've　lost　her；　for　we　can't　get　back　from　the　poles；

where　we　are　to…day；　to　the　tropics；　where　we　were　three　days　ago！

Well；　I　am　all　the　more　anxious　for　your　triumph　over　the　grand

equerry；　because　I　told　the　duchess　I　came　here　only　for　your　sake；

and　so　I　shall　do　my　best　for　you。〃



〃Alas；　Melchior；　Modeste　must　needs　have　so　noble；　so　grand；　so　well…

balanced　a　nature　to　resist　the　glories　of　the　Court；　and　all　these

splendors　cleverly　displayed　for　her　honor　and　glory　by　the　duke；　that

I　cannot　believe　in　the　existence　of　such　perfection；and　yet；　if　she

is　still　the　Modeste　of　her　letters；　there　might　be　hope！〃



〃Well；　well；　you　are　a　happy　fellow；　you　young　Boniface；　to　see　the

world　and　your　mistress　through　green　spectacles！〃　cried　Canalis；

marching　off　to　pace　up　and　down　the　garden。



Caught　between　two　lies；　the　poet　was　at　a　loss　what　to　do。



〃Play　by　rule；　and　you　lose！〃　he　cried　presently；　sitting　down　in　the

kiosk。　〃Every　man　of　sense　would　have　acted　as　I　did　four　days　ago；

and　got　himself　out　of　the　net　in　which　I　saw　myself。　At　such　times

people　don't　disentangle　nets；　they　break　through　them！　Come；　let　us

be　calm；　cold；　dignified；　affronted。　Honor　requires　it；　English

stiffness　is　the　only　way　to　win　her　back。　After　all；　if　I　have　to

retire　finally；　I　can　always　fall　back　on　my　old　happiness；　a　fidelity

of　ten　years　can't　go　unrewarded。　Eleonore　will　arrange　me　some　good

marriage。〃







CHAPTER　XXVI



TRUE　LOVE



The　hunt　was　destined　to　be　not　only　a　meet　of　the　hounds；　but　a

meeting　of　all　the　passions　excited　by　the　colonel's　millions　and

Modeste's　beauty；　and　while　it　was　in　prospect　there　was　truce　between

the　adversaries。　During　the　days　required　for　the　arrangement　of　this

forestrial　solemnity；　the　salon　of　the　villa　Mignon　presented　the

tranquil　picture　of　a　united　family。　Canalis；　cut　short　in　his　role　of

injured　love　by　Modeste's　quick　perceptions；　wished　to　appear

courteous；　he　laid　aside　his　pretensions；　gave　no　further　specimens　of

his　oratory；　and　became；　what　all　men　of　intellect　can　be　when　they

renounce　affectation；　perfectly　charming。　He　talked　finances　with

Gobenheim；　and　war　with　the　colonel；　Germany　with　Madame　Mignon；　and

housekeeping　with　Madame　Latournelle；endeavoring　to　bias　them　all　in

favor　of　La　Briere。　The　Duc　d'Herouville　left　the　field　to　his　rivals；

for　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　Rosembray　to　consult　with　the　Duc　de

Verneuil；　and　see　that　the　orders　of　the　Royal　Huntsman；　the　Prince　de

Cadignan；　were　carried　out。　And　yet　the　comic　element　was　not

altogether　wanting。　Modeste　found　herself　between　the　depreciatory

hints　of　Canalis　as　to　the　gallantry　of　the　grand　equerry；　and　the

exaggerations　of　the　two　Mesdemoiselles　d'Herouville；　who　passed　every

evening　at　the　villa。　Canalis　made　Modeste　take　notice　that；　instead

of　being　the　heroine　of　the　hunt；　she　would　be　scarcely　noticed。

MADAME　would　be　attended　by　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse；　daughter…in…

law　of　the　Prince　de　Cadignan；　by　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　and　other

great　ladies　of　the　Court；　among　whom　she　could　produce　no　sensation；

no　doubt　the　officers　in　garrison　at　Rouen　would　be　invited；　etc。

Helene；　on　the　other　hand；　was　incessantly　telling　her　new　friend；

whom　she　already　looked　upon　as　a　sister…in…law；　that　she　was　to　be

presented　to　MADAME；　undoubtedly　the　Duc　de　Verneuil　would　invite　her

father　and　herself　to　stay　at　Rosembray；　if　the　colonel　wished　to

obtain　a　favor　of　the　king；a　peerage；　for　instance；the　opportunity

was　unique；　for　there　was　hope　of　the　king　himself　being　present　on

the　third　day；　she　would　be　delighted　with　the　charming　welcome　with

which　the　beauties　of　the　Court；　the　Duchesses　de　Chaulieu；　de

Maufrigneuse；　de　Lenoncourt…Chaulieu；　and　other　ladies；　were　prepared

to　meet　her。　It　was　in　fact　an　excessively　amusing　little　warfare；

with　its　marches　and　countermarches　and　stratagems；all　of　which　were

keenly　enjoyed　by　the　Dumays；　the　Latournelles；　Gobenheim；　and

Butscha；　who；　in　conclave　assembled；　said　horrible　things　of　these

noble　personages；　cruelly　noting　and　intelligently　studying　all　their

little　meannesses。



The　promises　on　the　d'Herouville　side　were；　however；　confirmed　by　the

arrival　of　an　invitation；　couched　in　flattering　terms；　from　the　Duc　de

Verneuil　and　the　Master　of　the　Hunt　to　Monsieur　le　Comte　de　La　Bastie

and　his　daughter；　to　stay　at　Rosembray　and　be　present　at　a　grand　hunt

on　the　seventh；　eighth；　ninth；　and　tenth；　of　November　following。



La　Briere；　full　of　dark　presentiments；　craved　the　presence　of　Modeste

with　an　eagerness　whose　bitter　joys　are　known　only　to　lovers　who　feel

that　they　are　parted；　and　parted　fatally　from　those　they　love。　Flashes

of　joy　came　to　him　intermingled　with　melancholy　meditations　on　the　one

theme；　〃I　have　lost　her；〃　and　made　him　all　the　more　interesting　to

those　who　watched　him；　because　his　face　and　his　whole　person　were　in

keeping　with　his　profound　feeling。　There　is　nothing　more　poetic　than　a

living　elegy；　animated　by　a　pair　of　eyes；　walking　about；　and　sighing

without　rhymes。



The　Duc　d'Herouville　arrived　at　last　to　arrange　for　Modeste's

departure；　after　crossing　the　Seine　she　was　to　be　conveyed　in　the

duke's　caleche；　accompanied　by　the　Demoiselles　d'Herouville。　The　duke

was　charmingly　courteous；　he　begged　Canalis　and　La　Briere　to　be　of　the

party；　assuring　them；　as　he　did　the　colonel；　that　he　had　taken

particular　care　that　hunters　should　be　provided　for　them。　The　colonel

invited　the　three　lovers　to　breakfast　on　the　morning　of　the　start。

Canalis　then　began　to　put　into　execution　a　plan　that　he　had　been

maturing　in　his　own　mind　for　the　last　few　days；　namely；　to　quietly

reconquer　Modeste；　and　throw　over　the　duchess；　La　Briere；　and　the

duke。　A　graduate　of　diplomacy　could　hardly　remain　stuck　in　the

position　in　which　he　found　himself。　On　the　other　hand　La　Briere　had

come　to　the　resolution　of　bidding　Modeste　an　eternal　farewell。　Each

suitor　was　therefore　on　the　watch　to　slip　in　a　last　word；　like　the

defendant's　counsel　to　the　court　before　judgment　is　pronounced；　for

all　felt　that　the　three　weeks'　struggle　was　approaching　its

conclusion。　After　dinner　on　the　evening　before　the　start　was　to　be

made；　the　colonel　had　taken　his　daughter　by　the　arm　and　made　her　feel

the　necessity　of　deciding。



〃Our　position　with　the　d'Herouville　family　will　be　quite　intolerable

at　Rosembray；〃　he　said　to　her。　〃Do　you　mean　to　be　a　duchess？〃



〃No；　father；〃　she　answered。



〃Then　do　you　love　Canalis？〃



〃No；　papa；　a　thousand　times　no！〃　she　exclaimed　with　the　impatience　of

a　child。



The　colonel　looked　at　her　with　a　sort　of　joy。



〃Ah；　I　have　not　influenced　you；〃　cried　the　true　father；　〃and　I　will

now　confess　that　I　chose　my　son…in…law　in　Paris　when；　having　made　him

believe　that　I　had　but　little　fortune；　he　grasped　my　hand　and　told　me

I　took　a　weight　from　his　mind〃



〃Who　is　it　you　mean？〃　asked　Modeste；　coloring。



〃THE　MAN　OF　FIXED　PRINCIPLES　AND　SOUND　MORALITIES；〃　said　her　father；

slyly；　repeating　the　words　which　had　dissolved　poor　Modeste's　dream　on

the　day　after　his　return。



〃I　was　not　even　thinking　of　him；　papa。　Please　leave　me　at　liberty　to

refuse　the　duke　myself；　I　understand　him；　and　I　know　how　to　soothe

him。〃



〃Then　your　choice　is　not　made？〃



〃Not　yet；　there　is　another　syllable　or　two　in　the　charade　of　my

destiny　still　to　be　guessed；　but　after　I　have　had　a　glimpse　of　court

life　at　Rosembray　I　will　tell　you　my　secret。〃



〃Ah！　Monsieur　de　La　Briere；〃　cried　the　colonel；　as　the　young　man

approached　them　along　the　garden　path　in　which　they　were　walking；　〃I

hope　you　are　going　to　this　hunt？〃



〃No；　colonel；〃　answered　Ernest。　〃I　have　come　to　take　leave　of　you　and

of　mademoiselle；　I　return　to　Paris〃



〃You　have　no　curiosity；〃　said　Modeste；　interrupting；　and　looking　at

him。



〃A　wishthat　I　cannot　expectwould　suffice　to　keep　me；〃　he　replied。



〃If　that　is　all；　you　must　stay　to　please　me；　I　wish　it；〃　said　the

colonel；　going　forward　to　meet　Canalis；　and　leaving　his　daughter　and

La　Briere　together　for　a　moment。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　young　man；　raising　his　eyes　to　hers　with　the

boldness　of　a　man　without　hope；　〃I　have　an　entreaty　to　make　to　you。〃



〃To　me？〃



〃Let　me　carry　away　with　me　your　forgiveness。　My　life　can　never　be

happy；　it　must　be　full　of　remorse　for　having　lost　my　happinessno

doubt　by　my　own　fault；　but；　at　least；〃



〃Before　we　part　forever；〃　said　Modeste；　interrupting　a　la　Canalis；　and

speaking　in　a　voice　of　some　emotion；　〃I　wish　to　ask　you　one　thing；　and

though　you　once　disguised　yourself；　I　think　you　cannot　be　so　base　as

to　deceive　me　now。〃



The　taunt　made　him　turn　pale；　and　he　cried　out；　〃Oh；　you　are

pitiless！〃