the lily of the valley-第8节

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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　silken。

Her　little　ears；　perfect　in　shape；　were；　as　she　said　herself；　the　ears

of　a　mother　and　a　slave。　In　after　days；　when　our　hearts　were　one；　she

would　say　to　me；　〃Here　comes　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf〃；　and　she　was　right；

though　I；　whose　hearing　is　remarkably　acute；　could　hear　nothing。



Her　arms　were　beautiful。　The　curved　fingers　of　the　hand　were　long；　and

the　flesh　projected　at　the　side　beyond　the　finger…nails；　like　those　of

antique　statues。　I　should　displease　you；　I　know；　if　you　were　not

yourself　an　exception　to　my　rule；　when　I　say　that　flat　waists　should

have　the　preference　over　round　ones。　The　round　waist　is　a　sign　of

strength；　but　women　thus　formed　are　imperious；　self…willed；　and　more

voluptuous　than　tender。　On　the　other　hand；　women　with　flat　waists　are

devoted　in　soul；　delicately　perceptive；　inclined　to　sadness；　more

truly　woman　than　the　other　class。　The　flat　waist　is　supple　and

yielding；　the　round　waist　is　inflexible　and　jealous。



You　now　know　how　she　was　made。　She　had　the　foot　of　a　well…bred　woman；

the　foot　that　walks　little；　is　quickly　tired；　and　delights　the　eye

when　it　peeps　beneath　the　dress。　Though　she　was　the　mother　of　two

children；　I　have　never　met　any　woman　so　truly　a　young　girl　as　she。　Her

whole　air　was　one　of　simplicity；　joined　to　a　certain　bashful

dreaminess　which　attracted　others；　just　as　a　painter　arrests　our　steps

before　a　figure　into　which　his　genius　has　conveyed　a　world　of

sentiment。　If　you　recall　the　pure；　wild　fragrance　of　the　heath　we

gathered　on　our　return　from　the　Villa　Diodati；　the　flower　whose　tints

of　black　and　rose　you　praised　so　warmly；　you　can　fancy　how　this　woman

could　be　elegant　though　remote　from　the　social　world；　natural　in

expression；　fastidious　in　all　things　which　became　part　of　herself；in

short；　like　the　heath　of　mingled　colors。　Her　body　had　the　freshness　we

admire　in　the　unfolding　leaf；　her　spirit　the　clear　conciseness　of　the

aboriginal　mind；　she　was　a　child　by　feeling；　grave　through　suffering；

the　mistress　of　a　household；　yet　a　maiden　too。　Therefore　she　charmed

artlessly　and　unconsciously；　by　her　way　of　sitting　down　or　rising；　of

throwing　in　a　word　or　keeping　silence。　Though　habitually　collected；

watchful　as　the　sentinel　on　whom　the　safety　of　others　depends　and　who

looks　for　danger；　there　were　moments　when　smiles　would　wreathe　her

lips　and　betray　the　happy　nature　buried　beneath　the　saddened　bearing

that　was　the　outcome　of　her　life。　Her　gift　of　attraction　was

mysterious。　Instead　of　inspiring　the　gallant　attentions　which　other

women　seek；　she　made　men　dream；　letting　them　see　her　virginal　nature

of　pure　flame；　her　celestial　visions；　as　we　see　the　azure　heavens

through　rifts　in　the　clouds。　This　involuntary　revelation　of　her　being

made　others　thoughtful。　The　rarity　of　her　gestures；　above　all；　the

rarity　of　her　glancesfor；　excepting　her　children；　she　seldom　looked

at　any　onegave　a　strange　solemnity　to　all　she　said　and　did　when　her

words　or　actions　seemed　to　her　to　compromise　her　dignity。



On　this　particular　morning　Madame　de　Mortsauf　wore　a　rose…colored　gown

patterned　in　tiny　stripes；　a　collar　with　a　wide　hem；　a　black　belt；　and

little　boots　of　the　same　hue。　Her　hair　was　simply　twisted　round　her

head；　and　held　in　place　by　a　tortoise…shell　comb。　Such；　my　dear

Natalie；　is　the　imperfect　sketch　I　promised　you。　But　the　constant

emanation　of　her　soul　upon　her　family；　that　nurturing　essence　shed　in

floods　around　her　as　the　sun　emits　its　light；　her　inward　nature；　her

cheerfulness　on　days　serene；　her　resignation　on　stormy　ones；all

those　variations　of　expression　by　which　character　is　displayed　depend；

like　the　effects　in　the　sky；　on　unexpected　and　fugitive　circumstances；

which　have　no　connection　with　each　other　except　the　background　against

which　they　rest；　though　all　are　necessarily　mingled　with　the　events　of

this　history；truly　a　household　epic；　as　great　to　the　eyes　of　a　wise

man　as　a　tragedy　to　the　eyes　of　the　crowd；　an　epic　in　which　you　will

feel　an　interest；　not　only　for　the　part　I　took　in　it；　but　for　the

likeness　that　it　bears　to　the　destinies　of　so　vast　a　number　of　women。



Everything　at　Clochegourde　bore　signs　of　a　truly　English　cleanliness。

The　room　in　which　the　countess　received　us　was　panelled　throughout　and

painted　in　two　shades　of　gray。　The　mantelpiece　was　ornamented　with　a

clock　inserted　in　a　block　of　mahogany　and　surmounted　with　a　tazza；　and

two　large　vases　of　white　porcelain　with　gold　lines；　which　held　bunches

of　Cape　heather。　A　lamp　was　on　a　pier…table；　and　a　backgammon　board　on

legs　before　the　fireplace。　Two　wide　bands　of　cotton　held　back　the

white　cambric　curtains；　which　had　no　fringe。　The　furniture　was　covered

with　gray　cotton　bound　with　a　green　braid；　and　the　tapestry　on　the

countess's　frame　told　why　the　upholstery　was　thus　covered。　Such

simplicity　rose　to　grandeur。　No　apartment；　among　all　that　I　have　seen

since；　has　given　me　such　fertile；　such　teeming　impressions　as　those

that　filled　my　mind　in　that　salon　of　Clochegourde；　calm　and　composed

as　the　life　of　its　mistress；　where　the　conventual　regularity　of　her

occupations　made　itself　felt。　The　greater　part　of　my　ideas　in　science

or　politics；　even　the　boldest　of　them；　were　born　in　that　room；　as

perfumes　emanate　from　flowers；　there　grew　the　mysterious　plant　that

cast　upon　my　soul　its　fructifying　pollen；　there　glowed　the　solar

warmth　which　developed　my　good　and　shrivelled　my　evil　qualities。

Through　the　windows　the　eye　took　in　the　valley　from　the　heights　of

Pont…de…Ruan　to　the　chateau　d'Azay；　following　the　windings　of　the

further　shore；　picturesquely　varied　by　the　towers　of　Frapesle；　the

church；　the　village；　and　the　old　manor…house　of　Sache；　whose　venerable

pile　looked　down　upon　the　meadows。



In　harmony　with　this　reposeful　life；　and　without　other　excitements　to

emotion　than　those　arising　in　the　family；　this　scene　conveyed　to　the

soul　its　own　serenity。　If　I　had　met　her　there　for　the　first　time；

between　the　count　and　her　two　children；　instead　of　seeing　her

resplendent　in　a　ball　dress；　I　should　not　have　ravished　that　delirious

kiss；　which　now　filled　me　with　remorse　and　with　the　fear　of　having

lost　the　future　of　my　love。　No；　in　the　gloom　of　my　unhappy　life　I

should　have　bent　my　knee　and　kissed　the　hem　of　her　garment；　wetting　it

with　tears；　and　then　I　might　have　flung　myself　into　the　Indre。　But

having　breathed　the　jasmine　perfume　of　her　skin　and　drunk　the　milk　of

that　cup　of　love；　my　soul　had　acquired　the　knowledge　and　the　hope　of

human　joys；　I　would　live　and　await　the　coming　of　happiness　as　the

savage　awaits　his　hour　of　vengeance；　I　longed　to　climb　those　trees；　to

creep　among　the　vines；　to　float　in　the　river；　I　wanted　the

companionship　of　night　and　its　silence；　I　needed　lassitude　of　body；　I

craved　the　heat　of　the　sun　to　make　the　eating　of　the　delicious　apple

into　which　I　had　bitten　perfect。　Had　she　asked　of　me　the　singing

flower；　the　riches　buried　by　the　comrades　of　Morgan　the　destroyer；　I

would　have　sought　them；　to　obtain　those　other　riches　and　that　mute

flower　for　which　I　longed。



When　my　dream；　the　dream　into　which　this　first　contemplation　of　my

idol　plunged　me；　came　to　an　end　and　I　heard　her　speaking　of　Monsieur

de　Mortsauf；　the　thought　came　that　a　woman　must　belong　to　her　husband；

and　a　raging　curiosity　possessed　me　to　see　the　owner　of　this　treasure。

Two　emotions　filled　my　mind；　hatred　and　fear；hatred　which　allowed　of

no　obstacles　and　measured　all　without　shrinking；　and　a　vague；　but　real

fear　of　the　struggle；　of　its　issue；　and　above　all　of　HER。



〃Here　is　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；〃　she　said。



I　sprang　to　my　feet　like　a　startled　horse。　Though　the　movement　was

seen　by　Monsieur　de　Chessel　and　the　countess；　neither　made　any

observation；　for　a　diversion　was　effected　at　this　moment　by　the

entrance　of　a　little　girl；　whom　I　took　to　be　about　six　years　old；　who

came　in　exclaiming；　〃Here's　papa！〃



〃Madeleine？〃　said　her　mother；　gently。



The　child　at　once　held　out　her　hand　to　Monsieur　de　Chessel；　and　looked

attentively　at　me　after　making　a　little　bow　with　an　air　of

astonishment。



〃Are　you　more　satisfied　about　her　health？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　Chessel。



〃She　is　better；〃　replied　the　countess；　caressing　the　little　head　which

was　already　nestling　in　her　lap。



The　next　question　of　Monsieur　de　Chessel　let　me　know　that　Madeleine

was　nine　years　old；　I　showed　great　surprise；　and　immediately　the

clouds　gathered　on　the　mother's　brow。　My　companion　threw　me　a

significant　look；one　of　those　which　form　the　education　of　men　of　the

world。　I　had　stumbled　no　doubt　upon　some　maternal　wound　the　covering

of　which　should　have　been　respected。　The　sickly　child；　whose　eyes　were

pallid　and　whose　skin　was　white　as　a　porcelain　vase　with　a　light

within　it；　would　probably　not　have　lived　in　the　atmosphere　of　a　city。

Country　air　and　her　mother's