two poets- 第25部分

〃Just　as　much　as　my　mother　had。〃

The　old　vinegrower　very　nearly　said；　〃Then　she　has　only　ten　thousand　francs！〃　but　he　recollected　just　in　time　that　he　had　declined　to　give　an　account　of　her　fortune　to　her　son；　and　exclaimed；　〃She　has　nothing！〃

〃My　mother's　fortune　was　her　beauty　and　intelligence；〃　said　David。

〃You　just　go　into　the　market　and　see　what　you　can　get　for　it！　Bless　my　buttons！　what　bad　luck　parents　have　with　their　children。　David；　when　I　married；　I　had　a　paper　cap　on　my　head　for　my　whole　fortune；　and　a　pair　of　arms；　I　was　a　poor　pressman；　but　with　the　fine　printing…house　that　I　gave　you；　with　your　industry；　and　your　education；　you　might　marry　a　burgess'　daughter；　a　woman　with　thirty　or　forty　thousand　francs。　Give　up　your　fancy；　and　I　will　find　you　a　wife　myself。　There　is　some　one　about　three　miles　away；　a　miller's　widow；　thirty…two　years　old；　with　a　hundred　thousand　francs　in　land。　There　is　your　chance！　You　can　add　her　property　to　Marsac；　for　they　touch。　Ah！　what　a　fine　property　we　should　have；　and　how　I　would　look　after　it！　They　say　she　is　going　to　marry　her　foreman　Courtois；　but　you　are　the　better　man　of　the　two。　I　would　look　after　the　mill；　and　she　should　live　like　a　lady　up　in　Angouleme。〃

〃I　am　engaged；　father。〃

〃David；　you　know　nothing　of　business；　you　will　ruin　yourself；　I　see。　Yes；　if　you　marry　this　girl　out　of　L'Houmeau；　I　shall　square　accounts　and　summons　you　for　the　rent；　for　I　see　that　no　good　will　come　of　this。　Oh！　my　presses；　my　poor　presses！　it　took　some　money　to　grease　you　and　keep　you　going。　Nothing　but　a　good　year　can　comfort　me　after　this。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；　father；　that　until　now　I　have　given　you　very　little　trouble〃

〃And　paid　mighty　little　rent；〃　put　in　his　parent。

〃I　came　to　ask　you　something　else　besides。　Will　you　build　a　second　floor　to　your　house；　and　some　rooms　above　the　shed？〃

〃Deuce　a　bit　of　it；　I　have　not　the　cash；　and　that　you　know　right　well。　Besides；　it　would　be　money　thrown　clean　away；　for　what　would　it　bring　in？　Oh！　you　get　up　early　of　a　morning　to　come　and　ask　me　to　build　you　a　place　that　would　ruin　a　king；　do　you？　Your　name　may　be　David；　but　I　have　not　got　Solomon's　treasury。　Why；　you　are　mad！　or　they　changed　my　child　at　nurse。　There　is　one　for　you　that　will　have　grapes　on　it；〃　he　said；　interrupting　himself　to　point　out　a　shoot。　〃Offspring　of　this　sort　don't　disappoint　their　parents；　you　dung　the　vines；　and　they　repay　you　for　it。　I　sent　you　to　school；　I　spent　any　amount　of　money　to　make　a　scholar　of　you；　I　sent　you　to　the　Didots　to　learn　your　business；　and　all　this　fancy　education　ends　in　a　daughter…in…law　out　of　L'Houmeau　without　a　penny　to　her　name。　If　you　had　not　studied　books；　if　I　had　kept　you　under　my　eye；　you　would　have　done　as　I　pleased；　and　you　would　be　marrying　a　miller's　widow　this　day　with　a　hundred　thousand　francs　in　hand；　to　say　nothing　of　the　mill。　Oh！　your　cleverness　leads　you　to　imagine　that　I　am　going　to　reward　this　fine　sentiment　by　building　palaces　for　you；　does　it？　。　。　。　Really；　anybody　might　think　that　the　house　that　has　been　a　house　these　two　hundred　years　was　nothing　but　a　pigsty；　not　fit　for　the　girl　out　of　L'Houmeau　to　sleep　in！　What　next！　She　is　the　Queen　of　France；　I　suppose。〃

〃Very　well；　father；　I　will　build　the　second　floor　myself；　the　son　will　improve　his　father's　property。　It　is　not　the　usual　way；　but　it　happens　so　sometimes。〃

〃What；　my　lad！　you　can　find　money　for　building；　can　you；　though　you　can't　find　money　to　pay　the　rent；　eh！　You　sly　dog；　to　come　round　your　father。〃

The　question　thus　raised　was　hard　to　lay；　for　the　old　man　was　only　too　delighted　to　seize　an　opportunity　of　posing　as　a　good　father　without　disbursing　a　penny；　and　all　that　David　could　obtain　was　his　bare　consent　to　the　marriage　and　free　leave　to　do　what　he　liked　in　the　houseat　his　own　expense；　the　old　〃bear；〃　that　pattern　of　a　thrifty　parent；　kindly　consenting　not　to　demand　the　rent　and　drain　the　savings　to　which　David　imprudently　owned。　David　went　back　again　in　low　spirits。　He　saw　that　he　could　not　reckon　on　his　father's　help　in　misfortune。



In　Angouleme　that　day　people　talked　of　nothing　but　the　Bishop's　epigram　and　Mme。　de　Bargeton's　reply。　Every　least　thing　that　happened　that　evening　was　so　much　exaggerated　and　embellished　and　twisted　out　of　all　knowledge；　that　the　poet　became　the　hero　of　the　hour。　While　this　storm　in　a　teacup　raged　on　high；　a　few　drops　fell　among　the　bourgeoisie；　young　men　looked　enviously　after　Lucien　as　he　passed　on　his　way　through　Beaulieu；　and　he　overheard　chance　phrases　that　filled　him　with　conceit。

〃There　is　a　lucky　young　fellow！〃　said　an　attorney's　clerk；　named　Petit…Claud；　a　plain…featured　youth　who　had　been　at　school　with　Lucien；　and　treated　him　with　small；　patronizing　airs。

〃Yes；　he　certainly　is；〃　answered　one　of　the　young　men　who　had　been　present　on　the　occasion　of　the　reading；　〃he　is　a　good…looking　fellow；　he　has　some　brains；　and　Mme。　de　Bargeton　is　quite　wild　about　him。〃

Lucien　had　waited　impatiently　until　he　could　be　sure　of　finding　Louise　alone。　He　had　to　break　the　tidings　of　his　sister's　marriage　to　the　arbitress　of　his　destinies。　Perhaps　after　yesterday's　soiree；　Louise　would　be　kinder　than　usual；　and　her　kindness　might　lead　to　a　moment　of　happiness。　So　he　thought；　and　he　was　not　mistaken；　Mme。　de　Bargeton　met　him　with　a　vehemence　of　sentiment　that　seemed　like　a　touching　progress　of　passion　to　the　novice　in　love。　She　abandoned　her　hands；　her　beautiful　golden　hair；　to　the　burning　kisses　of　the　poet　who　had　passed　through　such　an　ordeal。

〃If　only　you　could　have　seen　your　face　whilst　you　were　reading；〃　cried　Louise；　using　the　familiar　tu；　the　caress　of　speech；　since　yesterday；　while　her　white　hands　wiped　the　pearls　of　sweat　from　the　brows　on　which　she　set　a　poet's　crown。　〃There　were　sparks　of　fire　in　those　beautiful　eyes！　From　your　lips；　as　I　watched　them；　there　fell　the　golden　chains　that　suspend　the　hearts　of　men　upon　the　poet's　mouth。　You　shall　read　Chenier　through　to　me　from　beginning　to　end；　he　is　the　lover's　poet。　You　shall　not　be　unhappy　any　longer；　I　will　not　have　it。　Yes；　dear　angel；　I　will　make　an　oasis　for　you；　there　you　shall　live　your　poet's　life；　sometimes　busy；　sometimes　languid；　indolent；　full　of　work；　and　musing　by　turns；　but　never　forget　that　you　owe　your　laurels　to　me；　let　that　thought　be　my　noble　guerdon　for　the　sufferings　which　I　must　endure。　Poor　love！　the　world　will　not　spare　me　any　more　than　it　has　spared　you；　the　world　is　avenged　on　all　happiness　in　which　it　has　no　share。　Yes；　I　shall　always　be　a　mark　for　envydid　you　not　see　that　last　night？　The　bloodthirsty　insects　are　quick　enough　to　drain　every　wound　that　they　pierce。　But　I　was　happy；　I　lived。　It　is　so　long　since　all　my　heartstrings　vibrated。〃

The　tears　flowed　fast；　and　for　all　answer　Lucien　took　Louise's　hand　and　gave　it　a　lingering　kiss。　Every　one　about　him　soothed　and　caressed　the　poet's　vanity；　his　mother　and　his　sister　and　David　and　Louise　now　did　the　same。　Every　one　helped　to　raise　the　imaginary　pedestal　on　which　he　had　set　himself。　His　friends's　kindness　and　the　fury　of　his　enemies　combined　to　establish　him　more　firmly　in　an　ureal　world。　A　young　imagination　readily　falls　in　with　the　flattering　estimates　of　others；　a　handsome　young　fellow　so　full　of　promise　finds　others　eager　to　help　him　on　every　side；　and　only　after　one　or　two　sharp　and　bitter　lessons　does　he　begin　to　see　himself　as　an　ordinary　mortal。

〃My　beautiful　Louise；　do　you　mean　in　very　truth　to　be　my　Beatrice；　a　Beatrice　who　condescends　to　be　loved？〃

Louise　raised　the　fine　eyes；　hitherto　down…dropped。

〃If　you　show　yourself　worthysome　day！〃　she　said；　with　an　angelic　smile　which　belied　her　words。　〃Are　you　not　happy？　To　be　the　sole　possessor　of　a　heart；　to　speak　freely　at　all　times；　with　the　certainty　of　being　understood；　is　not　this　happiness？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　with　a　lover's　pout　of　vexation。

〃Child！〃　she　exclaimed；　laughing　at　him。　〃Come；　you　have　something　to　tell　me；　have　you　not？　You　came　in　absorbed　in　thought；　my　Lucien。〃

Lucien；　in　fear　and　trembling；　confided　to　his　beloved　that　David　was　in　love　with　his　sister　Eve；　and　that　his　sister　Eve　was　in　love　with　David；　and　that　the　two　were　to　be　married　shortly。

〃Poor　Lucien！〃　said　Louise；　〃he　was　afraid　he　should　be　beaten　and　scolded；　as　if　it　was　he　himself　that　was　going　to　be　married！　Why；　where　is　the　harm？〃　she　continued；　her　fingers　toying　with　Lucien's　hair。　〃What　is　your　family　to　me　when　you　are　an　exception？　Suppose　that　my　father　were　to　marry　his　cook；　would　that　trouble　you　much？　Dear　boy；　lovers　are　for　each　other　their　whole　family。　Have　I　a　greater　interest　than　my　Lucien　in　the　world？　Be　great；　find　the　way　to　win　fame；　that　is　our　affair！〃

This　selfish　answer　made　Lucien　the　happiest　of　mortals。　But　in　the　middle　of　the　fantastic　reasonings；　with　which　Louise　convinced　him　that　they　two　were　alone　in　the　world；　in　came　M。　de　Bargeton。　Lucien　frowned　and　seemed　to　be　taken　aback；　but　Louise　made　him　a　sign；　and　asked　him　to　stay　to　dinner　and　to　read　Andre　de　Chenier　aloud　to　them　until　people　arrived　for　their　evening　game　at　cards。

〃You　will　give　her　pleasure；〃　said　M。　de　Bargeton；　〃and　me　also。　Nothing　suits　me　better　than　listening　to　reading　aloud　after　dinner。〃

Cajoled　by　M。　de　Bargeton；　cajoled　by　Louise；　waited　upon　with　the　respect　which　servants　show　to　a　favored　guest　of　the　house；　Lucien　remained　in　the　Hotel　de　Bargeton；　and　began　to　think　of　the　luxuries　which　he　enjoyed　for　the　time　being　as　the　rightful　accessories　of　Lucien　de　Rubempre。　He　felt　his　position　so　strong　through　Louise's　love　and　M。　de　Bargeton's　weakness；　that　as　the　rooms　filled；　he　assumed　a　lordly　air；　which　that　fair　lady　encouraged。　He　tasted　the　delights　of　despotic　sway　which　Nais　had　acquired　by　right　of　conquest；　and　liked　to　share　with　him；　and；　in　short；　that　evening　he　tried　to　act　up　to　the　part　of　the　lion　of　the　little　town。　A　few　of　those　who　marked　these　airs　drew　their　own　conclusions　from　them；　and　thought　that；　according　to　the　old　expression；　he　had　come　to　the　last　term　with　the　lady。　Amelie；　who　had　come　with　M。　du　Chatelet；　was　sure　of　the　deplorable　fact；　in　a　corner　of　the　drawing…room；　where　the　jealous　and　envious　gathered　together。

〃Do　not　think　of