the lily of the valley-第12节

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betrayal；　she　lived　in　solitude　and　yielded　without　a　murmur　to　his

mistrust。　With　a　woman's　tact　she　made　him　will　to　do　that　which　was

right；　till　he　fancied　the　ideas　were　his　own；　and　thus　enjoyed　in　his

own　person　the　honors　of　a　superiority　that　was　never　his。　After　due

experience　of　married　life；　she　came　to　the　resolution　of　never

leaving　Clochegourde；　for　she　saw　the　hysterical　tendencies　of　the

count's　nature；　and　feared　the　outbreaks　which　might　be　talked　of　in

that　gossipping　and　jealous　neighborhood　to　the　injury　of　her

children。　Thus；　thanks　to　her；　no　one　suspected　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf's

real　incapacity；　for　she　wrapped　his　ruins　in　a　mantle　of　ivy。　The

fickle；　not　merely　discontented　but　embittered　nature　of　the　man　found

rest　and　ease　in　his　wife；　his　secret　anguish　was　lessened　by　the　balm

she　shed　upon　it。



This　brief　history　is　in　part　a　summary　of　that　forced　from　Monsieur

de　Chessel　by　his　inward　vexation。　His　knowledge　of　the　world　enabled

him　to　penetrate　several　of　the　mysteries　of　Clochegourde。　But　the

prescience　of　love　could　not　be　misled　by　the　sublime　attitude　with

which　Madame　de　Mortsauf　deceived　the　world。　When　alone　in　my　little

bedroom；　a　sense　of　the　full　truth　made　me　spring　from　my　bed；　I　could

not　bear　to　stay　at　Frapesle　when　I　saw　the　lighted　windows　of

Clochegourde。　I　dressed；　went　softly　down；　and　left　the　chateau　by　the

door　of　a　tower　at　the　foot　of　a　winding　stairway。　The　coolness　of　the

night　calmed　me。　I　crossed　the　Indre　by　the　bridge　at　the　Red　Mill；

took　the　ever…blessed　punt；　and　rowed　in　front　of　Clochegourde；　where

a　brilliant　light　was　streaming　from　a　window　looking　towards　Azay。



Again　I　plunged　into　my　old　meditations；　but　they　were　now　peaceful；

intermingled　with　the　love…note　of　the　nightingale　and　the　solitary

cry　of　the　sedge…warbler。　Ideas　glided　like　fairies　through　my　mind；

lifting　the　black　veil　which　had　hidden　till　then　the　glorious　future。

Soul　and　senses　were　alike　charmed。　With　what　passion　my　thoughts　rose

to　her！　Again　and　again　I　cried；　with　the　repetition　of　a　madman；

〃Will　she　be　mine？〃　During　the　preceding　days　the　universe　had

enlarged　to　me；　but　now　in　a　single　night　I　found　its　centre。　On　her

my　will　and　my　ambition　henceforth　fastened；　I　desired　to　be　all　in

all　to　her；　that　I　might　heal　and　fill　her　lacerated　heart。



Beautiful　was　that　night　beneath　her　windows；　amid　the　murmur　of

waters　rippling　through　the　sluices；　broken　only　by　a　voice　that　told

the　hours　from　the　clock…tower　of　Sache。　During　those　hours　of

darkness　bathed　in　light；　when　this　sidereal　flower　illumined　my

existence；　I　betrothed　to　her　my　soul　with　the　faith　of　the　poor

Castilian　knight　whom　we　laugh　at　in　the　pages　of　Cervantes；a　faith；

nevertheless；　with　which　all　love　begins。



At　the　first　gleam　of　day；　the　first　note　of　the　waking　birds；　I　fled

back　among　the　trees　of　Frapesle　and　reached　the　house；　no　one　had

seen　me；　no　one　suspected　by　absence；　and　I　slept　soundly　until　the

bell　rang　for　breakfast。　When　the　meal　was　over　I　went　down；　in　spite

of　the　heat；　to　the　meadow…lands　for　another　sight　of　the　Indre　and

its　isles；　the　valley　and　its　slopes；　of　which　I　seemed　so　passionate

an　admirer。　But　once　there；　thanks　to　a　swiftness　of　foot　like　that　of

a　loose　horse；　I　returned　to　my　punt；　the　willows；　and　Clochegourde。

All　was　silent　and　palpitating；　as　a　landscape　is　at　midday　in　summer。

The　still　foliage　lay　sharply　defined　on　the　blue　of　the　sky；　the

insects　that　live　by　light；　the　dragon…flies；　the　cantharides；　were

flying　among　the　reeds　and　the　ash…trees；　cattle　chewed　the　cud　in　the

shade；　the　ruddy　earth　of　the　vineyards　glowed；　the　adders　glided　up

and　down　the　banks。　What　a　change　in　the　sparkling　and　coquettish

landscape　while　I　slept！　I　sprang　suddenly　from　the　boat　and　ran　up

the　road　which　went　round　Clochegourde　for　I　fancied　that　I　saw　the

count　coming　out。　I　was　not　mistaken；　he　was　walking　beside　the　hedge；

evidently　making　for　a　gate　on　the　road　to　Azay　which　followed　the

bank　of　the　river。



〃How　are　you　this　morning；　Monsieur　le　comte？〃



He　looked　at　me　pleasantly；　not　being　used　to　hear　himself　thus

addressed。



〃Quite　well；〃　he　answered。　〃You　must　love　the　country；　to　be　rambling

about　in　this　heat！〃



〃I　was　sent　here　to　live　in　the　open　air。〃



〃Then　what　do　you　say　to　coming　with　me　to　see　them　cut　my　rye？〃



〃Gladly；〃　I　replied。　〃I'll　own　to　you　that　my　ignorance　is　past

belief；　I　don't　know　rye　from　wheat；　nor　a　poplar　from　an　aspen；　I

know　nothing　of　farming；　nor　of　the　various　methods　of　cultivating　the

soil。〃



〃Well；　come　and　learn；〃　he　cried　gaily；　returning　upon　his　steps。

〃Come　in　by　the　little　gate　above。〃



The　count　walked　back　along　the　hedge；　he　being　within　it　and　I

without。



〃You　will　learn　nothing　from　Monsieur　de　Chessel；〃　he　remarked；　〃he　is

altogether　too　fine　a　gentleman　to　do　more　than　receive　the　reports　of

his　bailiff。〃



The　count　then　showed　me　his　yards　and　the　farm　buildings；　the

pleasure…grounds；　orchards；　vineyards；　and　kitchen　garden；　until　we

finally　came　to　the　long　alley　of　acacias　and　ailanthus　beside　the

river；　at　the　end　of　which　I　saw　Madame　de　Mortsauf　sitting　on　a

bench；　with　her　children。　A　woman　is　very　lovely　under　the　light　and

quivering　shade　of　such　foliage。　Surprised；　perhaps；　at　my　prompt

visit；　she　did　not　move；　knowing　very　well　that　we　should　go　to　her。

The　count　made　me　admire　the　view　of　the　valley；　which　at　this　point

is　totally　different　from　that　seen　from　the　heights　above。　Here　I

might　have　thought　myself　in　a　corner　of　Switzerland。　The　meadows；

furrowed　with　little　brooks　which　flow　into　the　Indre；　can　be　seen　to

their　full　extent　till　lost　in　the　misty　distance。　Towards　Montbazon

the　eye　ranges　over　a　vast　green　plain；　in　all　other　directions　it　is

stopped　by　hills；　by　masses　of　trees；　and　rocks。　We　quickened　our

steps　as　we　approached　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　who　suddenly　dropped　the

book　in　which　Madeleine　was　reading　to　her　and　took　Jacques　upon　her

knees；　in　the　paroxysms　of　a　violent　cough。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　cried　the　count；　turning　livid。



〃A　sore　throat；〃　answered　the　mother；　who　seemed　not　to　see　me；　〃but

it　is　nothing　serious。〃



She　was　holding　the　child　by　the　head　and　body；　and　her　eyes　seemed　to

shed　two　rays　of　life　into　the　poor　frail　creature。



〃You　are　so　extraordinarily　imprudent；〃　said　the　count；　sharply；　〃you

expose　him　to　the　river　damps　and　let　him　sit　on　a　stone　bench。〃



〃Why；　papa；　the　stone　is　burning　hot；〃　cried　Madeleine。



〃They　were　suffocating　higher　up；〃　said　the　countess。



〃Women　always　want　to　prove　they　are　right；〃　said　the　count；　turning

to　me。



To　avoid　agreeing　or　disagreeing　with　him　by　word　or　look　I　watched

Jacques；　who　complained　of　his　throat。　His　mother　carried　him　away；

but　as　she　did　so　she　heard　her　husband　say：



〃When　they　have　brought　such　sickly　children　into　the　world　they　ought

to　learn　how　to　take　care　of　them。〃



Words　that　were　cruelly　unjust；　but　his　self…love　drove　him　to　defend

himself　at　the　expense　of　his　wife。　The　countess　hurried　up　the　steps

and　across　the　portico；　and　I　saw　her　disappear　through　the　glass

door。　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　seated　himself　on　the　bench；　his　head　bowed

in　gloomy　silence。　My　position　became　annoying；　he　neither　spoke　nor

looked　at　me。　Farewell　to　the　walk　he　had　proposed；　in　the　course　of

which　I　had　hoped　to　fathom　him。　I　hardly　remember　a　more　unpleasant

moment。　Ought　I　to　go　away；　or　should　I　not　go？　How　many　painful

thoughts　must　have　arisen　in　his　mind；　to　make　him　forget　to　follow

Jacques　and　learn　how　he　was！　At　last　however　he　rose　abruptly　and

came　towards　me。　We　both　turned　and　looked　at　the　smiling　valley。



〃We　will　put　off　our　walk　to　another　day；　Monsieur　le　comte；〃　I　said

gently。



〃No；　let　us　go；〃　he　replied。　〃Unfortunately；　I　am　accustomed　to　such

scenesI；　who　would　give　my　life　without　the　slightest　regret　to　save

that　of　the　child。〃



〃Jacques　is　better；　my　dear；　he　has　gone　to　sleep；〃　said　a　golden

voice。　Madame　de　Mortsauf　suddenly　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　path。

She　came　forward；　without　bitterness　or　ill…will；　and　bowed　to　me。



〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　like　Clochegourde；〃　she　said。



〃My　dear；　should　you　like　me　to　ride　over　and　fetch　Monsieur

Deslandes？〃　said　the　count；　as　if　wishing　her　to　forgive　his

injustice。



〃Don't　be　worried；〃　she　said。　〃Jacques　did　not　sleep　last　night；

that's　all。　The　child　is　very　nervous；　he　had　a　bad　dream；　and　I　told

him　stories　all　night　to　keep　him　quiet。　His　cough　is　purely　nervous；

I　have　stilled　it　with　a　lozenge；　and　he　has　gone　to　sleep。〃



〃Poor　woman！〃　said　her　husband；　taking　her　hand　in　his　and　giving　her

a　tearful　look；　〃I　knew　nothing　of　it。〃



〃Why　should　you　be　troubled　when　there　is　no　occasion？〃　she　replied。

〃Now　go　and　attend　to　the　rye。　You　know　if