the deputy of arcis- 第52部分

〃My　practical　conclusion；here　it　is；〃　replied　Madame　Octave。　〃If　you　will　not　persist　in　the　folly　of　swimming　against　the　current；　I　see　no　danger　whatever　in　your　being　submerged。　You　are　strong；　you　have　principles　and　religion；　you　adore　your　children；　you　love　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　their　father；　in　them。　With　all　that　ballast　you　cannot　sink。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　interrogatively。

〃Well；　there　is　no　need　to　have　recourse　to　violent　measures；　the　success　of　which　is　very　problematical。　Remain　as　you　are；　build　no　barricades　when　no　one　attacks　you。　Don't　excite　tempests　of　heart　and　conscience　merely　to　pacify　your　conscience　and　quiet　your　heart；　now　ruffled　only　by　a　tiny　breeze。　No　doubt　between　a　man　and　a　woman　the　sentiment　of　friendship　does　take　something　of　the　character　ordinarily　given　to　love；　but　such　friendship　is　neither　an　impossible　illusion　nor　is　it　a　yawning　gulf。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　thoughtful　air；　〃do　you　wish　me　to　make　a　friend　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve？〃

〃Yes；　dear；　in　order　not　to　make　him　a　fixed　idea；　a　regret；　a　struggle；three　things　which　poison　life。〃

〃But　my　husband；　who　has　already　had　a　touch　of　jealousy？〃

〃As　for　your　husband；　I　find　him　somewhat　changed；　and　not　for　the　better。　I　miss　that　deference　he　always　showed　to　you　personally；　to　your　ideas　and　impressions；a　deference　which　honored　him　more　than　he　thought；　because　there　is　true　greatness　in　the　power　to　admire。　I　may　be　mistaken；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　public　life　is　spoiling　him　a　little。　As　you　cannot　be　with　him　in　the　Chamber　of　peers；　he　is　beginning　to　suspect　that　he　can　have　a　life　without　you。　If　I　were　you；　I　should　watch　these　symptoms　of　independence；　and　not　let　the　work　of　your　lifetime　come　to　nought。〃

〃Do　you　know；　my　dear；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　laughing；　〃that　you　are　giving　me　advice　that　may　end　in　fire　and　slaughter？〃

〃Not　at　all。　I　am　a　woman　forty…five　years　of　age；　who　has　always　seen　things　on　their　practical　side。　I　did　not　marry　my　husband；　whom　I　loved；　until　I　had　convinced　myself；　by　putting　him　to　the　test；　that　he　was　worthy　of　my　esteem。　I　don't　make　life；　I　take　it　as　it　comes；　trying　to　put　order　and　/possibility/　into　all　the　occurrences　it　brings　to　me。　I　an　neither　the　frenzied　passion　of　Louise　de　Chaulieu；　nor　the　insensible　reason　of　Renee　de　Maucombe。　I　am　a　Jesuit　in　petticoats；　persuaded　that　rather　wide　sleeves　are　better　than　sleeves　that　are　tight　to　the　wrist；　and　I　have　never　gone　in　search　of　the　philosopher's　stone〃

At　this　instant　Lucas　opened　the　door　of　the　salon　and　announced；

〃Monsieur　le　Comte　de　Sallenauve。〃

His　mistress　gave　him　a　look　inquiring　why　he　had　disobeyed　her　orders；　to　which　Lucas　replied　by　a　sign　implying　that　he　did　not　suppose　the　prohibition　applied　in　this　instance。

Madame　de　Camps；　who　had　never　yet　seen　the　new　deputy；　now　gave　her　closest　attention　to　a　study　of　him。

Sallenauve　explained　his　visit　by　his　great　desire　to　know　how　matters　had　gone　at　Ville　d'Avray；　and　whether　Marie…Gaston　had　been　deeply　affected　by　his　return　there。　As　for　the　business　which　detained　him　in　Paris；　he　said　he　had　so　far　met　with　no　success。　He　had　seen　the　prefect　of　police；　who　had　given　him　a　letter　to　Monsieur　de　Saint…　Esteve；　the　chief　of　the　detective　police。　Aware　of　the　antecedents　of　that　man；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　expressed　himself　as　much　surprised　to　find　a　functionary　with　extremely　good　manners　and　bearing；　but　he　held　out　faint　hope　of　success。　〃A　woman　hiding　in　Paris；〃　he　said；　〃is　an　eel　in　its　safest　hole。〃　He　（Sallenauve）　should　continue　the　search　the　next　day　with　the　help　of　Jacques　Bricheteau；　but　if　nothing　came　of　it；　he　should　go　in　the　evening　to　Ville　d'Avray；　for　he　did　not；　he　said；　share　Madame　de　l'Estorade's　security　as　to　Gaston's　state　of　mind。

As　he　was　taking　leave；　Madame　de　l'Estorade　said　to　him；

〃Do　not　forget　Nais'　ball　which　takes　place　the　day　after　to…morrow。　You　will　affront　her　mortally　if　you　fail　to　be　present。　Try　to　bring　Monsieur　Gaston　with　you。　It　might　divert　his　mind　a　little。〃



V

CHILDREN

On　his　return　from　the　theatre　Monsieur　Octave　de　Camps　declared　that　it　would　be　long　before　they　caught　him　at　a　/fairy/　piece　again。　But　Nais；　on　the　contrary；　still　under　the　spell　of　its　marvels　gave　a　lively　recital　of　the　scene；　which　showed　how　much　her　imagination　was　capable　of　being　stirred。

As　Madame　de　Camps　and　her　husband　walked　away　together；　the　former　remarked；

〃That　child　is　really　very　disquieting。　Madame　de　l'Estorade　develops　her　too　much；　I　should　not　be　surprised　if　she　gave　her　a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　future　years。〃

It　would　be　difficult　to　mark　the　precise　moment　in　our　contemporary　habits　and　customs　when　a　new　species　of　religion；　which　might　be　called　child…idolatry；　appeared。　Nor　shall　we　find　it　easier　to　discover　by　what　species　of　influence　this　worship　has　reached　its　present　enormous　development　among　us。　But；　although　unexplained；　the　fact　exists　and　ought　to　be　recorded　by　every　faithful　historian　of　the　great　and　the　little　movements　of　society。　In　the　family　of　to…day　children　have　taken　the　place　of　the　household　gods　of　the　ancients；　and　whoever　does　not　share　this　worship　is　not　a　morose　and　sour　spirit；　nor　a　captious　and　annoying　reasoner；he　is　simply　an　atheist。

Try　to　amuse　one　of　these　beloved　adored　ones；　all　puffed　up；　as　they　naturally　are；　by　a　sense　of　their　importance；　with　dolls　and　toys　and　Punch…and…Judys；　as　in　the　days　of　our　unsophisticated　innocence！　Nonsense！　Boys　must　have　ponies　and　cigarettes；　and　the　reading　of　novelettes；　and　girls；　the　delight　of　playing　hostess；　giving　afternoon　dances；　and　evening　parties　at　which　the　real　Guignol　of　the　Champs　Elysees　and　Robert　Houdin　appear；the　entertainment　being　announced　on　the　invitation　cards。　Sometimes；　as　now　in　the　case　of　Nais　de　l'Estorade；　these　little　sovereigns　obtain　permission　to　give　a　ball　in　/grown…up/　style；so　much　so；　that　policemen　are　stationed　about　the　doors；　and　Delisle；　Nattier；　and　Prevost　provide　the　toilets　and　the　decorations。

With　the　character　we　have　already　seen　in　Nais；　it　may　be　said　that　no　one　was　better　fitted　than　she　for　the　duties　that　devolved　upon　her　by　the　abdication　of　her　mother。　This　abdication　took　place　before　the　evening　of　the　ball　itself；　for　it　was　Mademoiselle　Nais　de　l'Estorade　who；　in　her　own　name；　invited　her　guests　to　do　her　the　honor　to　pass　the　evening　/chez　elle/；　and　as　Madame　de　l'Estorade　would　not　allow　the　parody　to　go　as　far　as　printed　cards；　Nais　spent　several　days　writing　her　notes　of　invitation；　taking　care　to　put　in　the　corner；　in　conspicuous　letters；　the　sacramental　word；　〃Dancing。〃

Nothing　could　be　more　curious；　or；　as　Madame　de　Camps　might　have　said；　more　alarming；　than　the　self…possession　of　this　little　girl　of　fourteen；　behaving　precisely　as　she　had　seen　her　mother　do　on　like　occasions；　stationed；　to　receive　her　company；　at　the　door　of　the　salon；　and　marking　by　her　manner　the　proper　grades　of　welcome；　from　eager　cordiality　to　a　coldness　that　verged　on　disdain。　To　her　best　friends　she　gave　her　hand　in　truly　English　style；　for　the　rest　she　had　smiles；　apportioned　to　the　degrees　of　intimacy；simple　inclination　of　the　head　for　unknown　guests　or　those　of　less　account；　with　little　speeches　now　and　then；　and　delicious　mamma…like　airs　for　the　tiny　children　whom　it　is　necessary　to　ask　to　these　juvenile　routs；　however　dangerous　and　difficult　to　manage　that　element　may　be。

With　the　fathers　and　mothers　of　her　guests；　as　the　ball　was　not　given　for　them；　Nais　as　a　general　thing　reversed　the　nature　of　the　Gospel　invocation；　/Sinite　parvulos　venire　ad　me/；　and　was　careful　not　to　pass　the　limit　of　cold　though　respectful　politeness。　But　when　Lucas；　following　the　instructions　he　had　received；　reversed　the　natural　order　of　things　and　announced；　〃Mesdemoiselles　de　la　Roche…Hugon；　Madame　la　Baronne　de　la　Roche…Hugon；　and　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Rastignac；　the　little　strategist　laid　aside　her　reserve；　and；　running　up　to　the　wife　of　the　minister；　she　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips　with　charming　grace。

After　the　dancing　began；　Nais　was　unable　to　accept　all　the　invitations　which　the　elegant　young　lions　vied　with　one　another　in　pressing　upon　her；　in　fact；　she　grew　sadly　confused　as　to　the　number　and　order　of　her　engagements；a　circumstance　which　very　nearly　led；　in　spite　of　the　/entente　cordiale/；　to　an　open　rupture　between　France　and　perfidious　Albion。　A　quadrille　doubly　promised；　to　a　young　English　peer　aged　ten　and　a　pupil　in　the　Naval　School　of　about　the　same　years；　came　very　near　producing　unpleasant　complications；　inasmuch　as　the　young　British　scion　of　nobility　had　assumed　a　boxing　attitude。　That　fray　pacified；　another　annoying　episode　occurred。　A　small　boy；　seeing　a　servant　with　a　tray　of　refreshments　and　being　unable　to　reach　up　to　the　objects　of　his　greed；　had　the　deplorable　idea　of　putting　his　hand　on　the　edge　of　the　tray　and　bending　it　down　to　him。　Result：　a　cascade　of　mingled　orgeat；　negus；　and　syrups；　and　happy　would　it　have　been　had　the　young　author　of　this　mischief　been　the　only　sufferer　from　the　sugary　torrent；　but；　alas！　nearly　a　dozen　innocent　victims　were　splashed　and　spattered　by　the　disastrous　accident；among　them　four　or　five　bacchantes；　who　were　furious　at　seeing　their　toilets　injured；　and　would　fain　have　made　an　Orpheus　of　the　clumsy　infant。　While　he　was　being　rescued　with　great　difficulty　from　their　clutches　by　the　German　governess；　a　voice　was　heard　amid　the　hubbub；that　of　a　pretty　little　blonde；　saying　to　a　small　Scottish　youth　with　whom　she　had　danced　the　whole　evening；

〃How　odd　of　Nais　to　invite　little　boys　of　that　age！〃

〃That's　easily　explained；〃　said　the　Scottish　youth；　〃he's　a　boy　of　the　Treasury　department。　Nais　had　to　ask　him　on　account　of　her　parents；a　matter　of　policy；　you　know。〃

Then；　taking　the　arm　of　one　of　his　friends；　the　same　youth　continued：

〃Hey；　Ernest；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　like　a　cigar；　suppose　we　find　a　quiet　corner；　out　of　the　way　of　all　this　racket？〃

〃I　can't；　my　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Ernest；　in　a　whisper；　〃you　know　Leontine　always　makes　me　a　scene　when　she　smells　I've　been　smoking；　and　she　is　cha