modeste mignon-第24节
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know； my poor Dumay； what a terrible misfortune overtook us
through the fatal reputation of a large fortune；my daughter's
honor was lost。 I have therefore resolved that the amount of my
present fortune shall not be known。 I shall not disembark at
Havre； but at Marseilles。 I shall sell my indigo； and negotiate
for the purchase of La Bastie through the house of Mongenod in
Paris。 I shall put my funds in the Bank of France and return to
the Chalet giving out that I have a considerable fortune in
merchandise。 My daughters will be supposed to have two or three
hundred thousand francs。 To choose which of my sons…in…law is
worthy to succeed to my title and estates and to live with us； is
now the object of my life； but both of them must be； like you and
me； honest； loyal； and firm men； and absolutely honorable。
My dear old fellow； I have never doubted you for a moment。 We have
gone through wars and commerce together and now we will undertake
agriculture； you shall be my bailiff。 You will like that； will you
not？ And so； old friend； I leave it to your discretion to tell
what you think best to my wife and daughters； I rely upon your
prudence。 In four years great changes may have taken place in
their characters。
Adieu； my old Dumay。 Say to my daughters and to my wife that I
have never failed to kiss them in my thoughts morning and evening
since I left them。 The second check for forty thousand francs
herewith enclosed is for my wife and children。
Till we meet。Your colonel and friend；
Charles Mignon。
〃Your father is coming；〃 said Madame Mignon to her daughter。
〃What makes you think so； mamma？〃 asked Modeste。
〃Nothing else could make Dumay hurry himself。〃
〃Victory！ victory！〃 cried the lieutenant as soon as he reached the
garden gate。 〃Madame； the colonel has not been ill a moment； he is
coming backcoming back on the 'Mignon；' a fine ship of his own；
which together with its cargo is worth； he tells me； eight or nine
hundred thousand francs。 But he requires secrecy from all of us； his
heart is still wrung by the misfortunes of our dear departed girl。〃
〃He has still to learn her death；〃 said Madame Mignon。
〃He attributes her disaster； and I think he is right； to the rapacity
of young men after great fortunes。 My poor colonel expects to find the
lost sheep here。 Let us be happy among ourselves but say nothing to
any one； not even to Latournelle； if that is possible。 Mademoiselle；〃
he whispered in Modeste's ear； 〃write to your father and tell him of
his loss and also the terrible results on your mother's health and
eyesight； prepare him for the shock he has to meet。 I will engage to
get the letter into his hands before he reaches Havre； for he will
have to pass through Paris on his way。 Write him a long letter； you
have plenty of time。 I will take the letter on Monday； Monday I shall
probably go to Paris。〃
Modeste was so afraid that Canalis and Dumay would meet that she
started hastily for the house to write to her poet and put off the
rendezvous。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said Dumay； in a very humble manner and barring
Modeste's way； 〃may your father find his daughter with no other
feelings in her heart than those she had for him and for her mother
before he was obliged to leave her。〃
〃I have sworn to myself； to my sister； and to my mother to be the joy；
the consolation； and the glory of my father； and I SHALL KEEP MY
OATH！〃 replied Modeste with a haughty and disdainful glance at Dumay。
〃Do not trouble my delight in the thought of my father's return with
insulting suspicions。 You cannot prevent a girl's heart from beating
you don't want me to be a mummy； do you？〃 she said。 〃My hand belongs
to my family； but my heart is my own。 If I love any one； my father and
my mother will know it。 Does that satisfy you； monsieur？〃
〃Thank you； mademoiselle； you restore me to life；〃 said Dumay； 〃but
you might still call me Dumay； even when you box my ears！〃
〃Swear to me；〃 said her mother； 〃that you have not engaged a word or a
look with any young man。〃
〃I can swear that； my dear mother；〃 said Modeste； laughing； and
looking at Dumay who was watching her and smiling to himself like a
mischievous girl。
〃She must be false indeed if you are right；〃 cried Dumay； when Modeste
had left them and gone into the house。
〃My daughter Modeste may have faults；〃 said her mother； 〃but falsehood
is not one of them； she is incapable of saying what is not true。〃
〃Well！ then let us feel easy；〃 continued Dumay； 〃and believe that
misfortune has closed his account with us。〃
〃God grant it！〃 answered Madame Mignon。 〃You will see HIM； Dumay； but
I shall only hear him。 There is much of sadness in my joy。〃
CHAPTER XII
A DECLARATION OF LOVE；SET TO MUSIC
At this moment Modeste； happy as she was in the return of her father；
was； nevertheless； pacing her room disconsolate as Perrette on seeing
her eggs broken。 She had hoped her father would bring back a much
larger fortune than Dumay had mentioned。 Nothing could satisfy her
new…found ambition on behalf of her poet less than at least half the
six millions she had talked of in her second letter。 Trebly agitated
by her two joys and the grief caused by her comparative poverty； she
seated herself at the piano； that confidant of so many young girls；
who tell out their wishes and provocations on the keys； expressing
them by the notes and tones of their music。 Dumay was talking with his
wife in the garden under the windows； telling her the secret of their
own wealth； and questioning her as to her desires and her intentions。
Madame Dumay had； like her husband； no other family than the Mignons。
Husband and wife agreed； therefore； to go and live in Provence； if the
Comte de La Bastie really meant to live in Provence； and to leave
their money to whichever of Modeste's children might need it most。
〃Listen to Modeste；〃 said Madame Mignon； addressing them。 〃None but a
girl in love can compose such airs without having studied music。〃
Houses may burn； fortunes be engulfed； fathers return from distant
lands； empires may crumble away； the cholera may ravage cities； but a
maiden's love wings its way as nature pursues hers； or that alarming
acid which chemistry has lately discovered； and which will presently
eat through the globe； if nothing stops it。
Modeste； under the inspiration of her present situation； was putting
to music certain stanzas which we are compelled to quote herealbeit
they are printed in the second volume of the edition Dauriat had
mentionedbecause； in order to adapt them to her music； which had the
inexpressible charm of sentiment so admired in great singers； Modeste
had taken liberties with the lines in a manner that may astonish the
admirers of a poet so famous for the correctness； sometimes too
precise； of his measures。
THE MAIDEN'S SONG
Hear； arise！ the lark is shaking
Sunlit wings that heavenward rise；
Sleep no more； the violet； waking；
Wafts her incense to the skies。
Flowers revived； their eyes unclosing；
See themselves in drops of dew
In each calyx…cup reposing；
Pearls of a day their mirror true。
Breeze divine； the god of roses；
Passed by night to bless their bloom；
See！ for him each bud uncloses；
Glows； and yields its rich perfume。
Then arise！ the lark is shaking
Sunlit wings that heavenward rise；
Nought is sleepingHeart； awaking；
Lift thine incense to the skies。
〃It is very pretty；〃 said Madame Dumay。 〃Modeste is a musician； and
that's the whole of it。〃
〃The devil is in her！〃 cried the cashier； into whose heart the
suspicion of the mother forced its way and made him shiver。
〃She loves；〃 persisted Madame Mignon。
By succeeding； through the undeniable testimony of the song； in making
the cashier a sharer in her belief as to the state of Modeste's heart；
Madame Mignon destroyed the happiness the return and the prosperity of
his master had brought him。 The poor Breton went down the hill to
Havre and to his desk in Gobenheim's counting…room with a heavy heart；
then； before returning to dinner； he went to see Latournelle； to tell
his fears； and beg once more for the notary's advice and assistance。
〃Yes； my dear friend；〃 said Dumay； when they parted on the steps of
the notary's door； 〃I now agree with madame； she loves；yes； I am
sure of it； and the devil knows the rest。 I am dishonored。〃
〃Don't make yourself unhappy； Dumay；〃 answered the little notary。
〃Among us all we can surely get the better of the little puss； sooner
or later； every girl in love betrays herself；you may be sure of
that。 But we will talk about it this evening。〃
Thus it happened that all those devoted to the Mignon family were
fully as disquieted and uncertain as they were before the old soldier
tried t
