the lily of the valley-第25节

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them　as　they　played　about　her　with　a　sense　of　contentment　which

renewed　her　strength　and　refreshed　her　heart；　the　poor　woman　was

called　upon　to　bear　the　sharp　sarcasms　and　attacks　of　an　angry

opposition。　The　count；　alarmed　at　the　plans　she　proposed；　denied　with

stolid　obstinacy　the　advantages　of　all　she　had　done　and　the

possibility　of　doing　more。　He　replied　to　conclusive　reasoning　with　the

folly　of　a　child　who　denies　the　influence　of　the　sun　in　summer。　The

countess；　however；　carried　the　day。　The　victory　of　commonsense　over

insanity　so　healed　her　wounds　that　she　forgot　the　battle。　That　day　we

all　went　to　the　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere；　to　decide　upon　the

buildings。　The　count　walked　alone　in　front；　the　children　went　next；

and　we　ourselves　followed　slowly；　for　she　was　speaking　in　a　low；

gentle　tone；　which　made　her　words　like　the　murmur　of　the　sea　as　it

ripples　on　a　smooth　beach。



She　was；　she　said；　certain　of　success。　A　new　line　of　communication

between　Tours　and　Chinon　was　to　be　opened　by　an　active　man；　a　carrier；

a　cousin　of　Manette's；　who　wanted　a　large　farm　on　the　route。　His

family　was　numerous；　the　eldest　son　would　drive　the　carts；　the　second

could　attend　to　the　business；　the　father　living　half…way　along　the

road；　at　Rabelaye；　one　of　the　farms　then　to　let；　would　look　after　the

relays　and　enrich　his　land　with　the　manure　of　the　stables。　As　to　the

other　farm；　la　Baude；　the　nearest　to　Clochegourde；　one　of　their　own

people；　a　worthy；　intelligent；　and　industrious　man；　who　saw　the

advantages　of　the　new　system　of　agriculture；　was　ready　to　take　a　lease

on　it。　The　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere　need　give　no　anxiety；　their　soil

was　the　very　best　in　the　neighborhood；　the　farm…houses　once　built；　and

the　ground　brought　into　cultivation；　it　would　be　quite　enough　to

advertise　them　at　Tours；　tenants　would　soon　apply　for　them。　In　two

years'　time　Clochegourde　would　be　worth　at　least　twenty…four　thousand

francs　a　year。　Gravelotte；　the　farm　in　Maine；　which　Monsieur　de

Mortsauf　had　recovered　after　the　emigration；　was　rented　for　seven

thousand　francs　a　year　for　nine　years；　his　pension　was　four　thousand。

This　income　might　not　be　a　fortune；　but　it　was　certainly　a　competence。

Later；　other　additions　to　it　might　enable　her　to　go　to　Paris　and

attend　to　Jacques'　education；　in　two　years；　she　thought；　his　health

would　be　established。



With　what　feeling　she　uttered　the　word　〃Paris！〃　I　knew　her　thought；

she　wished　to　be　as　little　separated　as　possible　from　her　friend。　On

that　I　broke　forth；　I　told　her　that　she　did　not　know　me；　that　without

talking　of　it；　I　had　resolved　to　finish　my　education　by　working　day

and　night　so　as　to　fit　myself　to　be　Jacques'　tutor。　She　looked　grave。



〃No；　Felix；〃　she　said；　〃that　cannot　be；　any　more　than　your　priesthood。

I　thank　you　from　my　heart　as　a　mother；　but　as　a　woman　who　loves　you

sincerely　I　can　never　allow　you　to　be　the　victim　of　your　attachment　to

me。　Such　a　position　would　be　a　social　discredit　to　you；　and　I　could

not　allow　it。　No！　I　cannot　be　an　injury　to　you　in　any　way。　You；

Vicomte　de　Vandenesse；　a　tutor！　You；　whose　motto　is　'Ne　se　vend！'　Were

you　Richelieu　himself　it　would　bar　your　way　in　life；　it　would　give　the

utmost　pain　to　your　family。　My　friend；　you　do　not　know　what　insult

women　of　the　world；　like　my　mother；　can　put　into　a　patronizing　glance；

what　degradation　into　a　word；　what　contempt　into　a　bow。〃



〃But　if　you　love　me；　what　is　the　world　to　me？〃



She　pretended　not　to　hear；　and　went　on：



〃Though　my　father　is　most　kind　and　desirous　of　doing　all　I　ask；　he

would　never　forgive　your　taking　so　humble　a　position；　he　would　refuse

you　his　protection。　I　could　not　consent　to　your　becoming　tutor　to　the

Dauphin　even。　You　must　accept　society　as　it　is；　never　commit　the　fault

of　flying　in　the　face　of　it。　My　friend；　this　rash　proposal　of〃



〃Love；〃　I　whispered。



〃No；　charity；〃　she　said；　controlling　her　tears；　〃this　wild　idea

enlightens　me　as　to　your　character；　your　heart　will　be　your　bane。　I

shall　claim　from　this　moment　the　right　to　teach　you　certain　things。

Let　my　woman's　eye　see　for　you　sometimes。　Yes；　from　the　solitudes　of

Clochegourde　I　mean　to　share；　silently；　contentedly；　in　your

successes。　As　to　a　tutor；　do　not　fear；　we　shall　find　some　good　old

abbe；　some　learned　Jesuit；　and　my　father　will　gladly　devote　a　handsome

sum　to　the　education　of　the　boy　who　is　to　bear　his　name。　Jacques　is　my

pride。　He　is；　however；　eleven　years　old；〃　she　added　after　a　pause。

〃But　it　is　with　him　as　with　you；　when　I　first　saw　you　I　took　you　to　be

about　thirteen。〃



We　now　reached　the　Cassine；　where　Jacques；　Madeleine；　and　I　followed

her　about　as　children　follow　a　mother；　but　we　were　in　her　way；　I　left

her　presently　and　went　into　the　orchard　where　Martineau　the　elder；

keeper　of　the　place；　was　discussing　with　Martineau　the　younger；　the

bailiff；　whether　certain　trees　ought　or　ought　not　to　be　taken　down；

they　were　arguing　the　matter　as　if　it　concerned　their　own　property。　I

then　saw　how　much　the　countess　was　beloved。　I　spoke　of　it　to　a　poor

laborer；　who；　with　one　foot　on　his　spade　and　an　elbow　on　its　handle；

stood　listening　to　the　two　doctors　of　pomology。



〃Ah；　yes；　monsieur；〃　he　answered；　〃she　is　a　good　woman；　and　not

haughty　like　those　hussies　at　Azay；　who　would　see　us　die　like　dogs

sooner　than　yield　us　one　penny　of　the　price　of　a　grave！　The　day　when

that　woman　leaves　these　parts　the　Blessed　Virgin　will　weep；　and　we

too。　She　knows　what　is　due　to　her；　but　she　knows　our　hardships；　too；

and　she　puts　them　into　the　account。〃



With　what　pleasure　I　gave　that　man　all　the　money　I　had。



A　few　days　later　a　pony　arrived　for　Jacques；　his　father；　an　excellent

horseman；　wishing　to　accustom　the　child　by　degrees　to　the　fatigues　of

such　exercise。　The　boy　had　a　pretty　riding…dress；　bought　with　the

product　of　the　nuts。　The　morning　when　he　took　his　first　lesson

accompanied　by　his　father　and　by　Madeleine；　who　jumped　and　shouted

about　the　lawn　round　which　Jacques　was　riding；　was　a　great　maternal

festival　for　the　countess。　The　boy　wore　a　blue　collar　embroidered　by

her；　a　little　sky…blue　overcoat　fastened　by　a　polished　leather　belt；　a

pair　of　white　trousers　pleated　at　the　waist；　and　a　Scotch　cap；　from

which　his　fair　hair　flowed　in　heavy　locks。　He　was　charming　to　behold。

All　the　servants　clustered　round　to　share　the　domestic　joy。　The　little

heir　smiled　at　his　mother　as　he　passed　her；　sitting　erect；　and　quite

fearless。　This　first　manly　act　of　a　child　to　whom　death　had　often

seemed　so　near；　the　promise　of　a　sound　future　warranted　by　this　ride

which　showed　him　so　handsome；　so　fresh；　so　rosy；what　a　reward　for

all　her　cares！　Then　too　the　joy　of　the　father；　who　seemed　to　renew　his

youth；　and　who　smiled　for　the　first　time　in　many　long　months；　the

pleasure　shown　on　all　faces；　the　shout　of　an　old　huntsman　of　the

Lenoncourts；　who　had　just　arrived　from　Tours；　and　who；　seeing　how　the

boy　held　the　reins；　shouted　to　him；　〃Bravo；　monsieur　le　vicomte！〃all

this　was　too　much　for　the　poor　mother；　and　she　burst　into　tears；　she；

so　calm　in　her　griefs；　was　too　weak　to　bear　the　joy　of　admiring　her

boy　as　he　bounded　over　the　gravel；　where　so　often　she　had　led　him　in

the　sunshine　inwardly　weeping　his　expected　death。　She　leaned　upon　my

arm　unreservedly；　and　said：　〃I　think　I　have　never　suffered。　Do　not

leave　us　to…day。〃



The　lesson　over；　Jacques　jumped　into　his　mother's　arms；　she　caught　him

and　held　him　tightly　to　her；　kissing　him　passionately。　I　went　with

Madeleine　to　arrange　two　magnificent　bouquets　for　the　dinner…table　in

honor　of　the　young　equestrian。　When　we　returned　to　the　salon　the

countess　said：　〃The　fifteenth　of　October　is　certainly　a　great　day　with

me。　Jacques　has　taken　his　first　riding　lesson；　and　I　have　just　set　the

last　stitch　in　my　furniture　cover。〃



〃Then；　Blanche；〃　said　the　count；　laughing；　〃I　must　pay　you　for　it。〃



He　offered　her　his　arm　and　took　her　to　the　first　courtyard；　where

stood　an　open　carriage　which　her　father　had　sent　her；　and　for　which

the　count　had　purchased　two　English　horses。　The　old　huntsman　had

prepared　the　surprise　while　Jacques　was　taking　his　lesson。　We　got　into

the　carriage；　and　went　to　see　where　the　new　avenue　entered　the　main

road　towards　Chinon。　As　we　returned；　the　countess　said　to　me　in　an

anxious　tone；　〃I　am　too　happy；　to　me　happiness　is　like　an　illness；it

overwhelms　me；　I　fear　it　may　vanish　like　a　dream。〃



I　loved　her　too　passionately　not　to　feel　jealous；I　who　could　give

her　nothing！　In　my　rage　against　myself　I　longed　for　some　means　of

dying　for　her。　She　asked　me　to　tell　her　the　thoughts　that　filled　my

eyes；　and　I　told　her　honestly。　She　was　more　touched　than　by　all　her

presents；　then　taking　me　to　the　portico；　she　poured　comfort　into　my

heart。　〃Love　me　as　my　aunt　loved　me；〃　she　said；　〃and　that　will　be

giving　me　your　life；　and　if　I　take　it；　must　I　not　ever　be　grateful　to

you？



〃It　was　time　I　finished　my　tapestry；〃　she　added　as　we　re…e