the deputy of arcis- 第51部分

〃This　morning；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade　as　soon　as　Nais　had　shut　the　door；　〃Monsieur　Gaston　and　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　were　to　start　together　for　Ville　d'Avray；　and　meet　us　there；　as　agreed　upon。　But　last　night　they　had　a　visit　from　that　organist　who　took　such　an　active　part　in　the　election。　He　came　to　hear　the　Italian　housekeeper　sing　and　judge　if　she　were　ready　to　go　upon　the　stage。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃of　course　Sallenauve　wants　to　get　rid　of　her　now　that　he　has　ceased　to　make　statues。〃

〃Just　so；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　slight　tone　of　asperity。　〃In　order　to　put　a　stop　to　all　calumny　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　wishes　her　to　carry　out　her　idea　of　going　on　the　stage；　but　he　wanted；　in　the　first　place；　an　opinion　he　could　trust。　Monsieur　Gaston　and　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　accompanied　the　organist　to　Saint…　Sulpice；　where；　during　the　services　of　the　Month　of　Mary；　the　Italian　woman　sings　every　evening。　After　hearing　her；　the　organist　said　she　had　a　fine　contralto　that　was　worth；　at　the　lowest；　sixty　thousand　francs　a　year。〃

〃Just　the　revenue　of　my　iron…works；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　Camps。

〃That　evening；〃　continued　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　told　his　housekeeper　the　opinion　given　of　her　talent；　and　with　great　kindness　and　delicacy　let　her　know　that　she　must　now　carry　out　her　intention　of　supporting　herself　in　that　way。　'Yes；'　she　replied；　'I　think　the　time　has　come。　We　will　talk　of　it　later'；　and　she　stopped　the　conversation。　This　morning　when　the　breakfast　hour　came；　there　was　no　sign　of　her。　Thinking　she　must　be　ill；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　sent　an　old　charwoman　who　does　the　rough　work　of　the　house　to　her　room。　No　answer。　Much　disturbed；　Monsieur　Gaston　and　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　went　themselves　to　see　what　it　meant。　After　knocking　and　calling　in　vain；　they　determined　to　open　the　door；　the　key　of　which　was　outside。　In　the　room　no　housekeeper！　but　in　place　of　her　a　letter　addressed　to　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　in　which　she　said　that　finding　herself　an　embarrassment　to　him；　she　had　retired　to　the　house　of　one　of　her　friends；　thanking　him　for　all　his　goodness　to　her。〃

〃The　bird　has　found　its　wings；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃and　takes　flight。〃

〃That　is　not　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve's　idea；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃he　does　not　believe　in　such　ingratitude。　He　is　confident　that；　feeling　herself　a　burden　to　him　and　yielding　to　the　desperation　which　is　natural　to　her；　she　felt　obliged　to　leave　his　house　without　giving　him　a　chance　in　any　manner　to　provide　for　her　future。〃

〃A　good　riddance！〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。

〃Neither　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　nor　Monsieur　Gaston　takes　that　stoical　view　of　it。　In　view　of　the　headstrong　nature　of　the　woman；　they　fear　some　violence　to　herself；　which；　as　we　know；　she　once　attempted。　Or　else　they　dread　some　evil　adviser。　The　charwoman　states　that　two　or　three　visits　have　been　lately　made　at　the　house　by　a　lady　of　middle　age；　richly　dressed；　in　a　carriage；　whose　manner　was　singular；　and　who　seemed　to　desire　secrecy　in　speaking　with　Luigia。〃

〃Some　charitable　woman；　of　course；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃the　runaway　is　given　to　piety。〃

〃At　any　rate　the　truth　must　be　discovered；　and　it　was　that　which　kept　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　from　accompanying　Monsieur　Gaston　to　Ville　d'Avray。〃

〃Well；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃in　spite　of　their　respective　virtue；　it　is　my　opinion　he　holds　by　her。〃

〃In　any　case；〃　returned　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　emphasizing　the　word；　〃she　does　not　/hold/　by　him。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃to　avoid　a　man　is　often　the　greatest　proof　of　love。〃

Madame　de　l'Estorade　looked　at　her　friend　with　a　vexed　air；　and　a　slight　tinge　of　color　came　into　her　cheeks。　But　no　one　took　notice　of　it；　for　at　this　moment　the　servant　threw　open　the　door　and　announced　dinner。

After　dinner；　the　theatre　was　proposed；　that　is　one　of　the　amusements　that　Parisians　miss　the　most　in　the　provinces。　Monsieur　Octave　de　Camps；　coming　from　his　〃villanous　iron…works；〃　as　Madame　de　l'Estorade　called　them；　had　arrived　in　Paris　eager　for　this　pleasure；　which　his　wife；　more　serious　and　sober；　did　not　enjoy　to　the　same　extent。　Therefore；　when　Monsieur　de　Camps　proposed　going　to　the　Porte…Saint…　Martin　to　see　a　fairy　piece　then　much　in　vogue；　Madame　Octave　replied：

〃Neither　Madame　de　l'Estorade　nor　I　have　the　least　desire　to　go　out　this　evening；　we　are　very　tired　with　our　expedition。　Take　Rene　and　Nais；　they　will　enjoy　the　fairies　far　more　than　we。〃

The　two　children　awaited　in　deep　anxiety　the　permission　which　Madame　de　l'Estorade　finally　granted；　and　a　few　moments　later　the　two　friends；　left　to　themselves；　prepared　for　an　evening　of　comfortable　talk。

〃I　am　not　at　home　to　any　one；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade　to　Lucas；　as　soon　as　her　family　had　departed。

〃Now　that　we　are　alone；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃I　shall　proceed　to　blows；　I　have　not　travelled　two　hundred　miles　to　wrap　up　in　cotton…　wool　the　truth　I　have　come　to　tell　you。〃

〃Ready　to　hear　it；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　laughing。

〃Your　last　letter；　my　dear；　simply　frightened　me。〃

〃Why？　Because　I　told　you　I　was　trying　to　keep　a　man　at　a　distance？〃

〃Yes。　Why　keep　him　at　a　distance？　If　Monsieur　de　Camps　or　Monsieur　Gaston　or　Monsieur　de　Rastignac　were　to　make　a　practice　of　coming　here　habitually；　would　you　trouble　yourself　about　them？〃

〃No；　but　they　have　not　the　same　claim　upon　me：　it　is　that　I　fear。〃

〃Tell　me；　do　you　think　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　loves　you？〃

〃No；　I　am　now　quite　sure　to　the　contrary；　and　I　also　think　that　on　my　side〃

〃We'll　talk　about　that　presently；　now　I　want　to　ask　if　you　desire　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　to　love　you？〃

〃Heaven　forbid！〃

〃Well；　then；　the　best　possible　way　to　make　him　do　so　is　to　wound　his　self…love；　and　show　yourself　unjust　and　ungrateful　to　him；　you　will　only　force　him　to　think　the　more　of　you。〃

〃But；　my　dear　friend；　isn't　that　a　very　far…fetched　observation？〃

〃Did　you　never　observe　that　men　are　more　taken　by　our　snubs　than　by　our　caresses？　Severity　fixes　their　attention　upon　us。〃

〃If　that　were　so；　all　the　men　we　disdain　and　never　think　of　would　sigh　for　us。〃

〃Oh！　my　dear；　don't　make　me　talk　such　nonsense。　To　take　fire；　a　man　must　have　some　degree　of　combustibility；　and　if　that　/other/　person　is　lost　to　him　forever；　why　shouldn't　he；　as　you　said　yourself；　ricochet　upon　you？〃

〃That　other　person　is　not　lost　to　him；　he　expects；　more　than　ever；　to　find　her　by　the　help　of　a　very　clever　seeker；　the　mother…superior　of　a　convent　at　Arcis。〃

〃Very　good；　then　why　employ　the　delay　in　holding　him　at　arm's…　length；a　proceeding　which　will　only　draw　him　towards　you？〃

〃My　dear　moralist；　I　don't　admit　your　theory　in　the　least。　As　for　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　he　will　be　much　too　busy　with　his　duties　in　the　Chamber　to　think　of　me。　Besides；　he　is　a　man　who　is　full　of　self…　respect；　he　will　be　mortified　by　my　manner；　which　will　seem　to　him　both　ungrateful　and　unjust。　If　I　try　to　put　two　feet　of　distance　between　us；　he　will　put　four；　you　may　rely　on　that。〃

〃And　/you/；　my　dear？〃　asked　Madame　de　Camps。

〃How　do　you　mean？I？〃

〃You　who　are　not　busy；　who　have　no　Chamber　to　occupy　your　mind；　you　who　have；　I　will　agree；　a　great　deal　of　self…respect；　but　who　know　as　little　about　the　things　of　the　heart　as　the　veriest　school…girl；what　will　become　of　you　under　the　dangerous　system　you　are　imposing　upon　yourself？〃

〃If　I　don't　love　him　when　near；　I　shall　certainly　love　him　still　less　at　a　distance。〃

〃So　that　when　you　see　him　take　his　ostracism　coolly；　your　self…love　as　a　woman　will　not　be　piqued。〃

〃Certainly　not；　that　is　precisely　the　result　I　desire。〃

〃And　if　you　find；　on　the　contrary；　that　he　complains　of　you；　or　if　he　does　not　complain；　that　he　suffers　from　your　treatment；　will　your　conscience　tell　you　absolutely　nothing？〃

〃It　will　tell　me　that　I　am　doing　right；　and　that　I　could　not　do　otherwise。〃

〃And　if　success　attends　him　and　fame　with　its　hundred　voices　talks　of　him；　how　will　you　think　of　him？〃

〃As　I　think　of　Monsieur　Thiers　and　Monsieur　Berryer。〃

〃And　Nais；　who　adores　him　and　will　probably　say；　the　first　time　he　dines　with　you；　'Ah！　mamma；　how　well　he　talks！'〃

〃If　you　are　going　to　argue　on　the　chatter　of　a　child〃

〃And　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　who　already　irritates　you？　He　is　beginning　to…day　to　sacrifice　him　to　the　spirit　of　party；　shall　you　silence　him　every　time　he　makes　some　malevolent　insinuation　about　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　and　denies　his　honor　and　his　talent？you　know　the　judgment　people　make　on　those　who　do　not　think　as　we　do。〃

〃In　short；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃you　are　trying　to　make　me　admit　that　the　surest　way　to　think　of　a　person　is　to　put　him　out　of　sight。〃

〃Listen　to　me；　my　dear；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　with　a　slight　touch　of　gravity。　〃I　have　read　and　re…read　your　letters。　You　were　there　your　own　self；　more　natural　and　less　quibbling　than　you　are　now；　and　an　impression　has　remained　upon　my　mind：　it　is　that　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　has　touched　your　heart；　though　he　may　not　have　entered　it。〃

Madame　de　l'Estorade　made　a　gesture　of　denial；　but　the　confessor　went　on：

〃I　know　that　idea　provokes　you；　you　can't　very　well　admit　to　me　what　you　have　studiously　denied　to　yourself。　But　what　is；　is。　We　don't　say　of　a　man；　'A　sort　of　magnetism　issues　from　him；　one　feels　his　eye　without　meeting　it'；　we　don't　cry　out；　'I　am　invulnerable　on　the　side　of　love；'　without　having　had　some　prickings　of　it。〃

〃But　so　many　things　have　happened　since　I　wrote　that　nonsense。〃

〃True；　he　was　only　a　sculptor　then；　and　before　long　he　may　be　a　minister；not　like　Monsieur　de　Rastignac；　but　like　our　great　poet；　Canalis。〃

〃I　like　sermons　with　definite　deductions；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　touch　of　impatience。

〃That　is　what　Vergniaud　said　to　Robespierre　on　the　31st　of　May；　and　I　reply；　with　Robespierre；　Yes；　I'll　draw　my　conclusion；　and　it　is　against　your　self…confidence　as　a　woman；　who；　having　reached　the　age　of　thirty…two　without　a　suspicion　of　what　love　is；　cannot　admit　that　at　this　late　date　she　may　be　subjected　to　the　common　law。〃

〃But　what　I　want　is　a　practical　conclusion；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　tapping　her　foot。

〃My　practical　conclusion；here　it