modeste mignon-第58节
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exclaimed Mademoiselle d'Herouville。
〃Why did not Madame de Chaulieu come to Havre？〃 asked Modeste of
Helene； innocently。
〃My dear；〃 said the Duchesse de Verneuil； 〃she would let herself be
cut in little pieces without saying a word。 Look at her；she is
regal； her head would smile； like Mary Stuart's； after it was cut off；
in fact； she has some of that blood in her veins。〃
〃Did she not write to him？〃 asked Modeste。
〃Diane tells me；〃 answered the duchess； prompted by a nudge from
Mademoiselle d'Herouville； 〃that in answer to Canalis's first letter
she made a cutting reply a few days ago。〃
This explanation made Modeste blush with shame for the man before her；
she longed； not to crush him under her feet； but to revenge herself by
one of those malicious acts that are sharper than a dagger's thrust。
She looked haughtily at the Duchesse de Chaulieu
〃Monsieur Melchior！〃 she said。
All the women snuffed the air and looked alternately at the duchess；
who was talking in an undertone to Canalis over the embroidery…frame；
and then at the young girl so ill brought up as to disturb a lovers'
meeting；a think not permissible in any society。 Diane de
Maufrigneuse nodded； however； as much as to say； 〃The child is in the
right of it。〃 All the women ended by smiling at each other； they were
enraged with a woman who was fifty…six years old and still handsome
enough to put her fingers into the treasury and steal the dues of
youth。 Melchior looked at Modeste with feverish impatience； and made
the gesture of a master to a valet； while the duchess lowered her head
with the movement of a lioness disturbed at a meal； her eyes； fastened
on the canvas； emitted red flames in the direction of the poet； which
stabbed like epigrams； for each word revealed to her a triple insult。
〃Monsieur Melchior！〃 said Modeste again in a voice that asserted its
right to be heard。
〃What； mademoiselle？〃 demanded the poet。
Forced to rise； he remained standing half…way between the embroidery
frame； which was near a window； and the fireplace where Modeste was
seated with the Duchesse de Verneuil on a sofa。 What bitter
reflections came into his ambitious mind； as he caught a glance from
Eleonore。 If he obeyed Modeste all was over； and forever； between
himself and his protectress。 Not to obey her was to avow his slavery；
to lose the chances of his twenty…five days of base manoeuvring； and
to disregard the plainest laws of decency and civility。 The greater
the folly； the more imperatively the duchess exacted it。 Modeste's
beauty and money thus pitted against Eleonore's rights and influence
made this hesitation between the man and his honor as terrible to
witness as the peril of a matador in the arena。 A man seldom feels
such palpitations as those which now came near causing Canalis an
aneurism； except； perhaps； before the green table； where his fortune
or his ruin is about to be decided。
〃Mademoiselle d'Herouville hurried me from the carriage； and I left
behind me；〃 said Modeste to Canalis； 〃my handkerchief〃
Canalis shrugged his shoulders significantly。
〃And；〃 continued Modeste； taking no notice of his gesture； 〃I had tied
into one corner of it the key of a desk which contains the fragment of
an important letter； have the kindness； Monsieur Melchior； to get it
for me。〃
Between an angel and a tiger equally enraged Canalis； who had turned
livid； no longer hesitated；the tiger seemed to him the least
dangerous of the two； and he was about to do as he was told； and
commit himself irretrievably； when La Briere appeared at the door of
the salon； seeming to his anguished mind like the archangel Gabriel
tumbling from heaven。
〃Ernest； here； Mademoiselle de La Bastie wants you；〃 said the poet；
hastily returning to his chair by the embroidery frame。
Ernest rushed to Modeste without bowing to any one； he saw only her；
took his commission with undisguised joy； and darted from the room；
with the secret approbation of every woman present。
〃What an occupation for a poet！〃 said Modeste to Helene d'Herouville；
glancing toward the embroidery at which the duchess was now working
savagely。
〃If you speak to her； if you ever look at her； all is over between
us；〃 said the duchess to the poet in a low voice； not at all satisfied
with the very doubtful termination which Ernest's arrival had put to
the scene； 〃and remember； if I am not present； I leave behind me eyes
that will watch you。〃
So saying； the duchess； a woman of medium height； but a little too
stout； like all women over fifty who retain their beauty； rose and
walked toward the group which surrounded Diane de Maufrigneuse；
stepping daintily on little feet that were as slender and nervous as a
deer's。 Beneath her plumpness could be seen the exquisite delicacy of
such women； which comes from the vigor of their nervous systems
controlling and vitalizing the development of flesh。 There is no other
way to explain the lightness of her step； and the incomparable
nobility of her bearing。 None but the women whose quarterings begin
with Noah know； as Eleonore did； how to be majestic in spite of a
buxom tendency。 A philosopher might have pitied Philoxene； while
admiring the graceful lines of the bust and the minute care bestowed
upon a morning dress； which was worn with the elegance of a queen and
the easy grace of a young girl。 Her abundant hair； still undyed； was
simply wound about her head in plaits； she bared her snowy throat and
shoulders； exquisitely modelled； and her celebrated hand and arm； with
pardonable pride。 Modeste； together with all other antagonists of the
duchess； recognized in her a woman of whom they were forced to say；
〃She eclipses us。〃 In fact； Eleonore was one of the 〃grandes dames〃
now so rare。 To endeavor to explain what august quality there was in
the carriage of the head； what refinement and delicacy in the curve of
the throat； what harmony in her movements； and nobility in her
bearing； what grandeur in the perfect accord of details with the whole
being； and in the arts； now a second nature； which render a woman
grand and even sacred；to explain all these things would simply be to
attempt to analyze the sublime。 People enjoy such poetry as they enjoy
that of Paganini； they do not explain to themselves the medium； they
know the cause is in the spirit that remains invisible。
Madame de Chaulieu bowed her head in salutation of Helene and her
aunt； then； saying to Diane； in a pure and equable tone of voice；
without a trace of emotion； 〃Is it not time to dress； duchess？〃 she
made her exit； accompanied by her daughter…in…law and Mademoiselle
d'Herouville。 As she left the room she spoke in an undertone to the
old maid； who pressed her arm； saying； 〃You are charming；〃which
meant； 〃I am all gratitude for the service you have just done us。〃
After that； Mademoiselle d'Herouville returned to the salon to play
her part of spy； and her first glance apprised Canalis that the
duchess had made him no empty threat。 That apprentice in diplomacy
became aware that his science was not sufficient for a struggle of
this kind； and his wit served him to take a more honest position； if
not a worthier one。 When Ernest returned； bringing Modeste's
handkerchief； the poet seized his arm and took him out on the terrace。
〃My dear friend；〃 he said； 〃I am not only the most unfortunate man in
the world； but I am also the most ridiculous； and I come to you to get
me out of the hornet's nest into which I have run myself。 Modeste is a
demon； she sees my difficulty and she laughs at it； she has just
spoken to me of a fragment of a letter of Madame de Chaulieu； which I
had the folly to give her； if she shows it I can never make my peace
with Eleonore。 Therefore； will you at once ask Modeste to send me back
that paper； and tell her； from me； that I make no pretensions to her
hand。 Say I count upon her delicacy； upon her propriety as a young
girl； to behave to me as if we had never known each other。 I beg her
not to speak to me； I implore her to treat me harshly；though I
hardly dare ask her to feign a jealous anger； which would help my
interests amazingly。 Go； I will wait here for an answer。〃
CHAPTER XXVIII
MODESTE BEHAVES WITH DIGNITY
On re…entering the salon Ernest de La Briere found a young officer of
the company of the guard d'Havre； the Vicomte de Serizy； who had just
arrived from Rosny to announce that MADAME was obliged to be present
at the opening of the Chambers。 We know the importance then attached
to this constitutional solemnity； at which Charles X。 delivered his
speech； surrounded by the royal family；Madame la Dauphine and MADAME
being present in their gallery。 The choice of the emissary charged
with the duty of expressing the princess's regrets was an attention to
Diane； who was then an object of adoration to this charming young man；
son of a minister of state； gen
