modeste mignon- 第51部分

to　deceive　me　now。〃



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

pitiless！〃



〃Will　you　be　frank？〃



〃You　have　the　right　to　ask　me　that　degrading　question；〃　he　said；　in　a

voice　weakened　by　the　violent　palpitation　of　his　heart。



〃Well；　then；　did　you　read　my　letters　to　Monsieur　de　Canalis？〃



〃No；　mademoiselle；　and　I　allowed　your　father　to　read　them　it　was　to

justify　my　love　by　showing　him　how　it　was　born；　and　how　sincere　my

efforts　were　to　cure　you　of　your　fancy。〃



〃But　how　came　the　idea　of　that　unworthy　masquerade　ever　to　arise？〃　she

said；　with　a　sort　of　impatience。



La　Briere　related　truthfully　the　scene　in　the　poet's　study　which

Modeste's　first　letter　had　occasioned；　and　the　sort　of　challenge　that

resulted　from　his　expressing　a　favorable　opinion　of　a　young　girl　thus

led　toward　a　poet's　fame；　as　a　plant　seeks　its　share　of　the　sun。



〃You　have　said　enough；〃　said　Modeste；　restraining　some　emotion。　〃If

you　have　not　my　heart；　monsieur；　you　have　at　least　my　esteem。〃



These　simple　words　gave　the　young　man　a　violent　shock；　feeling　himself

stagger；　he　leaned　against　a　tree；　like　a　man　deprived　for　a　moment　of

reason。　Modest；　who　had　left　him；　turned　her　head　and　came　hastily

back。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked；　taking　his　hand　to　prevent　him　from

falling。



〃Forgive　meI　thought　you　despised　me。〃



〃But；〃　she　answered；　with　a　distant　and　disdainful　manner；　〃I　did　not

say　that　I　loved　you。〃



And　she　left　him　again。　But　this　time；　in　spite　of　her　harshness；　La

Briere　thought　he　walked　on　air；　the　earth　softened　under　his　feet；

the　trees　bore　flowers；　the　skies　were　rosy；　the　air　cerulean；　as　they

are　in　the　temples　of　Hymen　in　those　fairy　pantomimes　which　finish

happily。　In　such　situations　every　woman　is　a　Janus；　and　sees　behind

her　without　turning　round；　and　thus　Modeste　perceived　on　the　face　of

her　lover　the　indubitable　symptoms　of　a　love　like　Butscha's；surely

the　〃ne　plus　ultra〃　of　a　woman's　hope。　Moreover；　the　great　value　which

La　Briere　attached　to　her　opinion　filled　Modeste　with　an　emotion　that

was　inestimably　sweet。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Canalis；　leaving　the　colonel　and　waylaying

Modeste；　〃in　spite　of　the　little　value　you　attach　to　my　sentiments；　my

honor　is　concerned　in　effacing　a　stain　under　which　I　have　suffered　too

long。　Here　is　a　letter　which　I　received　from　the　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu

five　days　after　my　arrival　in　Havre。〃



He　let　Modeste　read　the　first　lines　of　the　letter　we　have　seen；　which

the　duchess　began　by　saying　that　she　had　seen　Mongenod；　and　now　wished

to　marry　her　poet　to　Modeste；　then　he　tore　that　passage　from　the　body

of　the　letter；　and　placed　the　fragment　in　her　hand。



〃I　cannot　let　you　read　the　rest；〃　he　said；　putting　the　paper　in　his

pocket；　〃but　I　confide　these　few　lines　to　your　discretion；　so　that　you

may　verify　the　writing。　A　young　girl　who　could　accuse　me　of　ignoble

sentiments　is　quite　capable　of　suspecting　some　collusion；　some

trickery。　Ah；　Modeste；〃　he　said；　with　tears　in　his　voice；　〃your　poet；

the　poet　of　Madame　de　Chaulieu；　has　no　less　poetry　in　his　heart　than

in　his　mind。　You　are　about　to　see　the　duchess；　suspend　your　judgment

of　me　till　then。〃



He　left　Modeste　half　bewildered。



〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃it　seems　they　are　all　angelsand

not　marriageable；　the　duke　is　the　only　one　that　belongs　to　humanity。〃



〃Mademoiselle　Modeste；〃　said　Butscha；　appearing　with　a　parcel　under

his　arm；　〃this　hunt　makes　me　very　uneasy。　I　dreamed　your　horse　ran

away　with　you；　and　I　have　been　to　Rouen　to　see　if　I　could　get　a

Spanish　bit　which；　they　tell　me；　a　horse　can't　take　between　his　teeth。

I　entreat　you　to　use　it。　I　have　shown　it　to　the　colonel；　and　he　has

thanked　me　more　than　there　is　any　occasion　for。〃



〃Poor；　dear　Butscha！〃　cried　Modeste；　moved　to　tears　by　this　maternal

care。



Butscha　went　skipping　off　like　a　man　who　has　just　heard　of　the　death

of　a　rich　uncle。



〃My　dear　father；〃　said　Modeste；　returning　to　the　salon；　〃I　should　like

to　have　that　beautiful　whip；suppose　you　were　to　ask　Monsieur　de　La

Briere　to　exchange　it　for　your　picture　by　Van　Ostade。〃



Modeste　looked　furtively　at　Ernest；　while　the　colonel　made　him　this

proposition；　standing　before　the　picture　which　was　the　sole　thing　he

possessed　in　memory　of　his　campaigns；　having　bought　it　of　a　burgher　at

Rabiston；　and　she　said　to　herself　as　La　Briere　left　the　room

precipitately；　〃He　will　be　at　the　hunt。〃



A　curious　thing　happened。　Modeste's　three　lovers　each　and　all　went　to

Rosembray　with　their　hearts　full　of　hope；　and　captivated　by　her　many

perfections。



Rosembray；an　estate　lately　purchased　by　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　with

the　money　which　fell　to　him　as　his　share　of　the　thousand　millions

voted　as　indemnity　for　the　sale　of　the　lands　of　the　emigres；is

remarkable　for　its　chateau；　whose　magnificence　compares　only　with　that

of　Mesniere　or　of　Balleroy。　This　imposing　and　noble　edifice　is

approached　by　a　wide　avenue　of　four　rows　of　venerable　elms；　from　which

the　visitor　enters　an　immense　rising　court…yard；　like　that　at

Versailles；　with　magnificent　iron　railings　and　two　lodges；　and　adorned

with　rows　of　large　orange…trees　in　their　tubs。　Facing　this　court…yard；

the　chateau　presents；　between　two　fronts　of　the　main　building　which

retreat　on　either　side　of　this　projection；　a　double　row　of　nineteen

tall　windows；　with　carved　arches　and　diamond　panes；　divided　from　each

other　by　a　series　of　fluted　pilasters　surmounted　by　an　entablature

which　hides　an　Italian　roof；　from　which　rise　several　stone　chimneys

masked　by　carved　trophies　of　arms。　Rosembray　was　built；　under　Louis

XIV。；　by　a　〃fermier…general〃　named　Cottin。　The　facade　toward　the　park

differs　from　that　on　the　court…yard　by　having　a　narrower　projection　in

the　centre；　with　columns　between　five　windows；　above　which　rises　a

magnificent　pediment。　The　family　of　Marigny；　to　whom　the　estates　of

this　Cottin　were　brought　in　marriage　by　Mademoiselle　Cottin；　her

father's　sole　heiress；　ordered　a　sunrise　to　be　carved　on　this　pediment

by　Coysevox。　Beneath　it　are　two　angels　unwinding　a　scroll；　on　which　is

cut　this　motto　in　honor　of　the　Grand　Monarch；　〃Sol　nobis　benignus。〃



From　the　portico；　reached　by　two　grand　circular　and　balustraded

flights　of　steps；　the　view　extends　over　an　immense　fish…pond；　as　long

and　wide　as　the　grand　canal　at　Versailles；　beginning　at　the　foot　of　a

grass…plot　which　compares　well　with　the　finest　English　lawns；　and

bordered　with　beds　and　baskets　now　filled　with　the　brilliant　flowers

of　autumn。　On　either　side　of　the　piece　of　water　two　gardens；　laid　out

in　the　French　style；　display　their　squares　and　long　straight　paths；

like　brilliant　pages　written　in　the　ciphers　of　Lenotre。　These　gardens

are　backed　to　their　whole　length　by　a　border　of　nearly　thirty　acres　of

woodland。　From　the　terrace　the　view　is　bounded　by　a　forest　belonging

to　Rosembray　and　contiguous　to　two　other　forests；　one　of　which　belongs

to　the　Crown；　the　other　to　the　State。　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　a

nobler　landscape。







CHAPTER　XXVII



A　GIRL'S　REVENGE



Modeste's　arrival　at　Rosembray　made　a　certain　sensation　in　the　avenue

when　the　carriage　with　the　liveries　of　France　came　in　sight；

accompanied　by　the　grand　equerry；　the　colonel；　Canalis；　and　La　Briere

on　horseback；　preceded　by　an　outrider　in　full　dress；　and　followed　by

six　servants；among　whom　were　the　Negroes　and　the　mulatto；and　the

britzka　of　the　colonel　for　the　two　waiting…women　and　the　luggage。　The

carriage　was　drawn　by　four　horses；　ridden　by　postilions　dressed　with

an　elegance　specially　commanded　by　the　grand　equerry；　who　was　often

better　served　than　the　king　himself。　As　Modeste；　dazzled　by　the

magnificence　of　the　great　lords；　entered　and　beheld　this　lesser

Versailles；　she　suddenly　remembered　her　approaching　interview　with　the

celebrated　duchesses；　and　began　to　fear　that　she　might　seem　awkward；

or　provincial；　or　parvenue；　in　fact；　she　lost　her　self…possession；　and

heartily　repented　having　wished　for　a　hunt。



Fortunately；　however；　as　the　carriage　drew　up；　Modeste　saw　an　old　man；

in　a　blond　wig　frizzed　into　little　curls；　whose　calm；　plump；　smooth

face　wore　a　fatherly　smile　and　an　expression　of　monastic　cheerfulness

which　the　half…veiled　glance　of　the　eye　rendered　almost　noble。　This

was　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　master　of　Rosembray。　The　duchess；　a　woman　of

extreme　piety；　the　only　daughter　of　a　rich　and　deceased　chief…justice；

spare　and　erect；　and　the　mother　of　four　children；　resembled　Madame

Latournelle；if　the　imagination　can　go　so　far　as　to　adorn　the

notary's　wife　with　the　graces　of　a　bearing　that　was　truly　abbatial。



〃Ah；　good　morning；　dear　Hortense！〃　said　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；

kissing　the　duchess　with　the　sympathy　that　united　their　haughty

natures；　〃let　me　present　to　you　and　to　the　dear　duke　our　little　angel；

Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie。〃



〃We　have　heard　so　much　of　you；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that

we　were　in　haste　to　receive　you。〃



〃And　regret　the　time　lost；〃　added　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　with　courteous

admiration。



〃Monsieur　le　Comte　de　La　Bastie；〃　said　the　grand　equerry；　taking　the

colonel　by　the　arm　and　presenting　him　to　the　duke　and　duchess；　with　an

air　of　respect　in　his　tone　and　gesture。



〃I　am　glad　to　welcome　you；　Monsieur　le　comte！〃　said　Monsieur　de

Verneuil。　〃You　possess　more　than　one　treasure；〃　he　added；　looking　at

Modeste。



The　duchess　took　Modeste　under　her　arm　and　led　her　into　an　immense

salon；　where　a　dozen　or　more　women　were　grouped　about　the　fireplace。

The　men　of　the　party　remained　with　the　duke　on　the　terrace；　except

Canalis；　who　respectfully　made　his　way　to　the　superb　Eleonore。　The

Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　seated　at　an　embroidery…frame；　was　showing

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　how　to　shade　a　flower。



If　Modeste　had　run　a　needle　through　her　finger　when　handling　a　pin…

cushion　she　could　not　have　felt　a　shar