honorine-第3节

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as　pious　as　though　I　had　to　take　orders。　On　leaving　college；　the　Abbe
Loraux　took　me　into　his　house　and　made　me　study　law。　During　the　four
years　of　study　requisite　for　passing　all　the　examinations；　I　worked
hard；　but　chiefly　at　things　outside　the　arid　fields　of　jurisprudence。
Weaned　from　literature　as　I　had　been　at　college；　where　I　lived　in　the
headmaster's　house；　I　had　a　thirst　to　quench。　As　soon　as　I　had　read　a
few　modern　masterpieces；　the　works　of　all　the　preceding　ages　were
greedily　swallowed。　I　became　crazy　about　the　theatre；　and　for　a　long
time　I　went　every　night　to　the　play；　though　my　uncle　gave　me　only　a
hundred　francs　a　month。　This　parsimony；　to　which　the　good　old　man　was
compelled　by　his　regard　for　the　poor；　had　the　effect　of　keeping　a
young　man's　desires　within　reasonable　limits。

〃When　I　went　to　live　with　Comte　Octave　I　was　not　indeed　an　innocent；
but　I　thought　of　my　rare　escapades　as　crimes。　My　uncle　was　so　truly
angelic；　and　I　was　so　much　afraid　of　grieving　him；　that　in　all　those
four　years　I　had　never　spent　a　night　out。　The　good　man　would　wait　till
I　came　in　to　go　to　bed。　This　maternal　care　had　more　power　to　keep　me
within　bounds　than　the　sermons　and　reproaches　with　which　the　life　of　a
young　man　is　diversified　in　a　puritanical　home。　I　was　a　stranger　to
the　various　circles　which　make　up　the　world　of　Paris　society；　I　only
knew　some　women　of　the　better　sort；　and　none　of　the　inferior　class　but
those　I　saw　as　I　walked　about；　or　in　the　boxes　at　the　play；　and　then
only　from　the　depths　of　the　pit　where　I　sat。　If；　at　that　period；　any
one　had　said　to　me；　'You　will　see　Canalis；　or　Camille　Maupin；'　I
should　have　felt　hot　coals　in　my　head　and　in　my　bowels。　Famous　people
were　to　me　as　gods；　who　neither　spoke；　nor　walked；　nor　ate　like　other
mortals。

〃How　many　tales　of　the　Thousand…and…one　Nights　are　comprehended　in　the
ripening　of　a　youth！　How　many　wonderful　lamps　must　we　have　rubbed
before　we　understand　that　the　True　Wonderful　Lamp　is　either　luck；　or
work；　or　genius。　In　some　men　this　dream　of　the　aroused　spirit　is　but
brief；　mine　has　lasted　until　now！　In　those　days　I　always　went　to　sleep
as　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；as　a　millionaire；as　beloved　by　a
princess；or　famous！　So　to　enter　the　service　of　Comte　Octave；　and
have　a　hundred　louis　a　year；　was　entering　on　independent　life。　I　had
glimpses　of　some　chance　of　getting　into　society；　and　seeking　for　what
my　heart　desired　most；　a　protectress；　who　would　rescue　me　from　the
paths　of　danger；　which　a　young　man　of　two…and…twenty　can　hardly　help
treading；　however　prudent　and　well　brought　up　he　may　be。　I　began　to　be
afraid　of　myself。

〃The　persistent　study　of　other　people's　rights　into　which　I　had
plunged　was　not　always　enough　to　repress　painful　imaginings。　Yes；
sometimes　in　fancy　I　threw　myself　into　theatrical　life；　I　thought　I
could　be　a　great　actor；　I　dreamed　of　endless　triumphs　and　loves；
knowing　nothing　of　the　disillusion　hidden　behind　the　curtain；　as
everywhere　elsefor　every　stage　has　its　reverse　behind　the　scenes。　I
have　gone　out　sometimes；　my　heart　boiling；　carried　away　by　an　impulse
to　rush　hunting　through　Paris；　to　attach　myself　to　some　handsome　woman
I　might　meet；　to　follow　her　to　her　door；　watch　her；　write　to　her；
throw　myself　on　her　mercy；　and　conquer　her　by　sheer　force　of　passion。
My　poor　uncle；　a　heart　consumed　by　charity；　a　child　of　seventy　years；
as　clear…sighted　as　God；　as　guileless　as　a　man　of　genius；　no　doubt
read　the　tumult　of　my　soul；　for　when　he　felt　the　tether　by　which　he
held　me　strained　too　tightly　and　ready　to　break；　he　would　never　fail
to　say；　'Here；　Maurice；　you　too　are　poor！　Here　are　twenty　francs；　go
and　amuse　yourself；　you　are　not　a　priest！'　And　if　you　could　have　seen
the　dancing　light　that　gilded　his　gray　eyes；　the　smile　that　relaxed
his　fine　lips；　puckering　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　the　adorable
expression　of　that　august　face；　whose　native　ugliness　was　redeemed　by
the　spirit　of　an　apostle；　you　would　understand　the　feeling　which　made
me　answer　the　Cure　of　White　Friars　only　with　a　kiss；　as　if　he　had　been
my　mother。

〃　'In　Comte　Octave　you　will　find　not　a　master；　but　a　friend；'　said　my
uncle　on　the　way　to　the　Rue　Payenne。　'But　he　is　distrustful；　or　to　be
more　exact；　he　is　cautious。　The　statesman's　friendship　can　be　won　only
with　time；　for　in　spite　of　his　deep　insight　and　his　habit　of　gauging
men；　he　was　deceived　by　the　man　you　are　succeeding；　and　nearly　became
a　victim　to　his　abuse　of　confidence。　This　is　enough　to　guide　you　in
your　behavior　to　him。'

〃When　we　knocked　at　the　enormous　outer　door　of　a　house　as　large　as　the
Hotel　Carnavalet；　with　a　courtyard　in　front　and　a　garden　behind；　the
sound　rang　as　in　a　desert。　While　my　uncle　inquired　of　an　old　porter　in
livery　if　the　Count　were　at　home；　I　cast　my　eyes；　seeing　everything　at
once；　over　the　courtyard　where　the　cobblestones　were　hidden　in　the
grass；　the　blackened　walls　where　little　gardens　were　flourishing　above
the　decorations　of　the　elegant　architecture；　and　on　the　roof；　as　high
as　that　of　the　Tuileries。　The　balustrade　of　the　upper　balconies　was
eaten　away。　Through　a　magnificent　colonnade　I　could　see　a　second　court
on　one　side；　where　were　the　offices；　the　door　was　rotting。　An　old
coachman　was　there　cleaning　an　old　carriage。　The　indifferent　air　of
this　servant　allowed　me　to　assume　that　the　handsome　stables；　where　of
old　so　many　horses　had　whinnied；　now　sheltered　two　at　most。　The
handsome　facade　of　the　house　seemed　to　me　gloomy；　like　that　of　a
mansion　belonging　to　the　State　or　the　Crown；　and　given　up　to　some
public　office。　A　bell　rang　as　we　walked　across；　my　uncle　and　I；　from
the　porter's　lodge/Inquire　of　the　Porter/　was　still　written　over　the
doortowards　the　outside　steps；　where　a　footman　came　out　in　a　livery
like　that　of　Labranche　at　the　Theatre　Francais　in　the　old　stock　plays。
A　visitor　was　so　rare　that　the　servant　was　putting　his　coat　on　when　he
opened　a　glass　door　with　small　panes；　on　each　side　of　which　the　smoke
of　a　lamp　had　traced　patterns　on　the　walls。

〃A　hall　so　magnificent　as　to　be　worthy　of　Versailles　ended　in　a
staircase　such　as　will　never　again　be　built　in　France；　taking　up　as
much　space　as　the　whole　of　a　modern　house。　As　we　went　up　the　marble
steps；　as　cold　as　tombstones；　and　wide　enough　for　eight　persons　to
walk　abreast；　our　tread　echoed　under　sonorous　vaulting。　The　banister
charmed　the　eye　by　its　miraculous　workmanshipgoldsmith's　work　in
ironwrought　by　the　fancy　of　an　artist　of　the　time　of　Henri　III。
Chilled　as　by　an　icy　mantle　that　fell　on　our　shoulders；　we　went
through　ante…rooms；　drawing…rooms　opening　one　out　of　the　other；　with
carpetless　parquet　floors；　and　furnished　with　such　splendid
antiquities　as　from　thence　would　find　their　way　to　the　curiosity
dealers。　At　last　we　reached　a　large　study　in　a　cross　wing；　with　all
the　windows　looking　into　an　immense　garden。

〃　'Monsieur　le　Cure　of　the　White　Friars；　and　his　nephew；　Monsieur　de
l'Hostal；'　said　Labranche；　to　whose　care　the　other　theatrical　servant
had　consigned　us　in　the　first　ante…chamber。

〃Comte　Octave；　dressed　in　long　trousers　and　a　gray　flannel　morning
coat；　rose　from　his　seat　by　a　huge　writing…table；　came　to　the
fireplace；　and　signed　to　me　to　sit　down；　while　he　went　forward　to　take
my　uncle's　hands；　which　he　pressed。

〃　'Though　I　am　in　the　parish　of　Saint…Paul；'　said　he；　'I　could
scarcely　have　failed　to　hear　of　the　Cure　of　the　White　Friars；　and　I　am
happy　to　make　his　acquaintance。'

〃　'Your　Excellency　is　most　kind；'　replied　my　uncle。　'I　have　brought　to
you　my　only　remaining　relation。　While　I　believe　that　I　am　offering　a
good　gift　to　your　Excellency；　I　hope　at　the　same　time　to　give　my
nephew　a　second　father。'

〃　'As　to　that；　I　can　only　reply；　Monsieur　l'Abbe；　when　we　shall　have
tried　each　other；'　said　Comte　Octave。　'Your　name？'　he　added　to　me。

〃　'Maurice。'

〃　'He　has　taken　his　doctor's　degree　in　law；'　my　uncle　observed。

〃　'Very　good；　very　good！'　said　the　Count；　looking　at　me　from　head　to
foot。　'Monsieur　l'Abbe；　I　hope　that　for　your　nephew's　sake　in　the
first　instance；　and　then　for　mine；　you　will　do　me　the　honor　of　dining
here　every　Monday。　That　will　be　our　family　dinner；　our　family　party。'

〃My　uncle　and　the　Count　then　began　to　talk　of　religion　from　the
political　point　of　view；　of　charitable　institutes；　the　repression　of
crime；　and　I　could　at　my　leisure　study　the　man　on　whom　my　fate　would
henceforth　depend。　The　Count　was　of　middle　height；　it　was　impossible
to　judge　of　his　build　on　account　of　his　dress；　but　he　seemed　to　me　to
be　lean　and　spare。　His　face　was　harsh　and　hollow；　the　features　were
refined。　His　mouth；　which　was　rather　large；　expressed　both　irony　and
kindliness。　His　forehead　perhaps　too　spacious；　was　as　intimidating　as
that　of　a　madman；　all　the　more　so　from　the　contrast　of　the　lower　part
of　the　face；　which　ended　squarely　in　a　short　chin　very　near　the　lower
lip。　Small　eyes；　of　turquoise　blue；　were　as　keen　and　bright　as　those
of　the　Prince　de　Talleyrandwhich　I　admired　at　a　later　timeand
endowed；　like　the　Prince's；　with　the　faculty　of　becoming
expressionless　to　the　verge　of　gloom；　and　they　added　to　the
singularity　of　a　face　that　was　not　pale　but　yellow。　This　complexion
seemed　to　bespeak　a