the lily of the valley-第7节

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Mortsauf　in　her　husband's　absence；　but　he　told　the　man　to　announce　us。

With　the　eagerness　of　a　child　I　rushed　into　the　long　antechamber　which

crosses　the　whole　house。



〃Come　in；　gentlemen；〃　said　a　golden　voice。



Though　Madame　de　Mortsauf　had　spoken　only　one　word　at　the　ball；　I

recognized　her　voice；　which　entered　my　soul　and　filled　it　as　a　ray　of

sunshine　fills　and　gilds　a　prisoner's　dungeon。　Thinking；　suddenly；

that　she　might　remember　my　face；　my　first　impulse　was　to　fly；　but　it

was　too　late；she　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　our　eyes　met。　I　know

not　which　of　us　blushed　deepest。　Too　much　confused　for　immediate

speech　she　returned　to　her　seat　at　an　embroidery　frame　while　the

servant　placed　two　chairs；　then　she　drew　out　her　needle　and　counted

some　stitches；　as　if　to　explain　her　silence；　after　which　she　raised

her　head；　gently　yet　proudly；　in　the　direction　of　Monsieur　de　Chessel

as　she　asked　to　what　fortunate　circumstance　she　owed　his　visit。　Though

curious　to　know　the　secret　of　my　unexpected　appearance；　she　looked　at

neither　of　us；her　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　river；　and　yet　you　could

have　told　by　the　way　she　listened　that　she　was　able　to　recognize；　as

the　blind　do；　the　agitations　of　a　neighboring　soul　by　the

imperceptible　inflexions　of　the　voice。



Monsieur　de　Chessel　gave　my　name　and　biography。　I　had　lately　arrived

at　Tours；　where　my　parents　had　recalled　me　when　the　armies　threatened

Paris。　A　son　of　Touraine　to　whom　Touraine　was　as　yet　unknown；　she

would　find　me　a　young　man　weakened　by　excessive　study　and　sent　to

Frapesle　to　amuse　himself；　he　had　already　shown　me　his　estate；　which　I

saw　for　the　first　time。　I　had　just　told　him　that　I　had　walked　from

Tours　to　Frapesle；　and　fearing　for　my　healthwhich　was　really

delicatehe　had　stopped　at　Clochegourde　to　ask　her　to　allow　me　to

rest　there。　Monsieur　de　Chessel　told　the　truth；　but　the　accident

seemed　so　forced　that　Madame　de　Mortsauf　distrusted　us。　She　gave　me　a

cold；　severe　glance；　under　which　my　own　eyelids　fell；　as　much　from　a

sense　of　humiliation　as　to　hide　the　tears　that　rose　beneath　them。　She

saw　the　moisture　on　my　forehead；　and　perhaps　she　guessed　the　tears；

for　she　offered　me　the　restoratives　I　needed；　with　a　few　kind　and

consoling　words；　which　gave　me　back　the　power　of　speech。　I　blushed

like　a　young　girl；　and　in　a　voice　as　tremulous　as　that　of　an　old　man　I

thanked　her　and　declined。



〃All　I　ask；〃　I　said；　raising　my　eyes　to　hers；　which　mine　now　met　for

the　second　time　in　a　glance　as　rapid　as　lightning；〃is　to　rest　here。

I　am　so　crippled　with　fatigue　I　really　cannot　walk　farther。〃



〃You　must　not　doubt　the　hospitality　of　our　beautiful　Touraine；〃　she

said；　then；　turning　to　my　companion；　she　added：　〃You　will　give　us　the

pleasure　of　your　dining　at　Clochegourde？〃



I　threw　such　a　look　of　entreaty　at　Monsieur　de　Chessel　that　he　began

the　preliminaries　of　accepting　the　invitation；　though　it　was　given　in

a　manner　that　seemed　to　expect　a　refusal。　As　a　man　of　the　world；　he

recognized　these　shades　of　meaning；　but　I；　a　young　man　without

experience；　believed　so　implicitly　in　the　sincerity　between　word　and

thought　of　this　beautiful　woman　that　I　was　wholly　astonished　when　my

host　said　to　me；　after　we　reached　home　that　evening；　〃I　stayed　because

I　saw　you　were　dying　to　do　so；　but　if　you　do　not　succeed　in　making　it

all　right；　I　may　find　myself　on　bad　terms　with　my　neighbors。〃　That

expression；　〃if　you　do　not　make　it　all　right；〃　made　me　ponder　the

matter　deeply。　In　other　words；　if　I　pleased　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　she

would　not　be　displeased　with　the　man　who　introduced　me　to　her。　He

evidently　thought　I　had　the　power　to　please　her；　this　in　itself　gave

me　that　power；　and　corroborated　my　inward　hope　at　a　moment　when　it

needed　some　outward　succor。



〃I　am　afraid　it　will　be　difficult；〃　he　began；　〃Madame　de　Chessel

expects　us。〃



〃She　has　you　every　day；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃besides；　we　can　send

her　word。　Is　she　alone？〃



〃No；　the　Abbe　de　Quelus　is　there。〃



〃Well；　then；〃　she　said；　rising　to　ring　the　bell；　〃you　really　must　dine

with　us。〃



This　time　Monsieur　de　Chessel　thought　her　in　earnest；　and　gave　me　a

congratulatory　look。　As　soon　as　I　was　sure　of　passing　a　whole　evening

under　that　roof　I　seemed　to　have　eternity　before　me。　For　many

miserable　beings　to…morrow　is　a　word　without　meaning；　and　I　was　of　the

number　who　had　no　faith　in　it；　when　I　was　certain　of　a　few　hours　of

happiness　I　made　them　contain　a　whole　lifetime　of　delight。



Madame　de　Mortsauf　talked　about　local　affairs；　the　harvest；　the

vintage；　and　other　matters　to　which　I　was　a　total　stranger。　This

usually　argues　either　a　want　of　breeding　or　great　contempt　for　the

stranger　present　who　is　thus　shut　out　from　the　conversation；　but　in

this　case　it　was　embarrassment。　Though　at　first　I　thought　she　treated

me　as　a　child　and　I　envied　the　man　of　thirty　to　whom　she　talked　of

serious　matters　which　I　could　not　comprehend；　I　came；　a　few　months

later；　to　understand　how　significant　a　woman's　silence　often　is；　and

how　many　thoughts　a　voluble　conversation　masks。　At　first　I　attempted

to　be　at　my　ease　and　take　part　in　it；　then　I　perceived　the　advantages

of　my　situation　and　gave　myself　up　to　the　charm　of　listening　to　Madame

de　Mortsauf's　voice。　The　breath　of　her　soul　rose　and　fell　among　the

syllables　as　sound　is　divided　by　the　notes　of　a　flute；　it　died　away　to

the　ear　as　it　quickened　the　pulsation　of　the　blood。　Her　way　of

uttering　the　terminations　in　〃i〃　was　like　a　bird's　song；　the　〃ch〃　as

she　said　it　was　a　kiss；　but　the　〃t's〃　were　an　echo　of　her　heart's

despotism。　She　thus　extended；　without　herself　knowing　that　she　did　so；

the　meaning　of　her　words；　leading　the　soul　of　the　listener　into

regions　above　this　earth。　Many　a　time　I　have　continued　a　discussion　I

could　easily　have　ended；　many　a　time　I　have　allowed　myself　to　be

unjustly　scolded　that　I　might　listen　to　those　harmonies　of　the　human

voice；　that　I　might　breathe　the　air　of　her　soul　as　it　left　her　lips；

and　strain　to　my　soul　that　spoken　light　as　I　would　fain　have　strained

the　speaker　to　my　breast。　A　swallow's　song　of　joy　it　was　when　she　was

gay！but　when　she　spoke　of　her　griefs；　a　swan's　voice　calling　to　its

mates！



Madame　de　Mortsauf's　inattention　to　my　presence　enabled　me　to　examine

her。　My　eyes　rejoiced　as　they　glided　over　the　sweet　speaker；　they

kissed　her　feet；　they　clasped　her　waist；　they　played　with　the　ringlets

of　her　hair。　And　yet　I　was　a　prey　to　terror；　as　all　who；　once　in　their

lives；　have　experienced　the　illimitable　joys　of　a　true　passion　will

understand。　I　feared　she　would　detect　me　if　I　let　my　eyes　rest　upon

the　shoulder　I　had　kissed；　and　the　fear　sharpened　the　temptation。　I

yielded；　I　looked；　my　eyes　tore　away　the　covering；　I　saw　the　mole

which　lay　where　the　pretty　line　between　the　shoulders　started；　and

which；　ever　since　the　ball；　had　sparkled　in　that　twilight　which　seems

the　region　of　the　sleep　of　youths　whose　imagination　is　ardent　and

whose　life　is　chaste。



I　can　sketch　for　you　the　leading　features　which　all　eyes　saw　in　Madame

de　Mortsauf；　but　no　drawing；　however　correct；　no　color；　however　warm；

can　represent　her　to　you。　Her　face　was　of　those　that　require　the

unattainable　artist；　whose　hand　can　paint　the　reflection　of　inward

fires　and　render　that　luminous　vapor　which　defies　science　and　is　not

revealable　by　languagebut　which　a　lover　sees。　Her　soft；　fair　hair

often　caused　her　much　suffering；　no　doubt　through　sudden　rushes　of

blood　to　the　head。　Her　brow；　round　and　prominent　like　that　of　Joconda；

teemed　with　unuttered　thoughts；　restrained　feelingsflowers　drowning

in　bitter　waters。　The　eyes；　of　a　green　tinge　flecked　with　brown；　were

always　wan；　but　if　her　children　were　in　question；　or　if　some　keen

condition　of　joy　or　suffering　（rare　in　the　lives　of　all　resigned

women）　seized　her；　those　eyes　sent　forth　a　subtile　gleam　as　if　from

fires　that　were　consuming　her；the　gleam　that　wrung　the　tears　from

mine　when　she　covered　me　with　her　contempt；　and　which　sufficed　to

lower　the　boldest　eyelid。　A　Grecian　nose；　designed　it　might　be　by

Phidias；　and　united　by　its　double　arch　to　lips　that　were　gracefully

curved；　spiritualized　the　face；　which　was　oval　with　a　skin　of　the

texture　of　a　white　camellia　colored　with　soft　rose…tints　upon　the

cheeks。　Her　plumpness　did　not　detract　from　the　grace　of　her　figure　nor

from　the　rounded　outlines　which　made　her　shape　beautiful　though　well

developed。　You　will　understand　the　character　of　this　perfection　when　I

say　that　where　the　dazzling　treasures　which　had　so　fascinated　me

joined　the　arm　there　was　no　crease　or　wrinkle。　No　hollow　disfigured

the　base　of　her　head；　like　those　which　make　the　necks　of　some　women

resemble　trunks　of　trees；　her　muscles　were　not　harshly　defined；　and

everywhere　the　lines　were　rounded　into　curves　as　fugitive　to　the　eye

as　to　the　pencil。　A　soft　down　faintly　showed　upon　her　cheeks　and　on

the　outline　of　her　throat；　catching　the　light　which　made　it