honorine-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃　'Oh！　I　know　what　you　are　about　to　say；'　cried　the　Count；　seeing　a
question　in　my　eyes　and　on　my　lips。　'Yes；　yes；　I　have　made　the
attempt。　My　wife　was　formerly　living　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Antoine。
One　day　when；　from　what　Gobain　told　me；　I　believed　in　some　chance　of　a
reconciliation；　I　wrote　by　post　a　letter；　in　which　I　tried　to
propitiate　my　wifea　letter　written　and　re…written　twenty　times！　I
will　not　describe　my　agonies。　I　went　from　the　Rue　Payenne　to　the　Rue
de　Reuilly　like　a　condemned　wretch　going　from　the　Palais　de　Justice　to
his　execution；　but　he　goes　on　a　cart；　and　I　was　on　foot。　It　was　dark
there　was　a　fog；　I　went　to　meet　Madame　Gobain；　who　was　to　come　and
tell　me　what　my　wife　had　done。　Honorine；　on　recognizing　my　writing；
had　thrown　the　letter　into　the　fire　without　reading　it。〃Madame
Gobain；〃　she　had　exclaimed；　〃I　leave　this　to…morrow。〃

〃　'What　a　dagger…stroke　was　this　to　a　man　who　found　inexhaustible
pleasure　in　the　trickery　by　which　he　gets　the　finest　Lyons　velvet　at
twelve　francs　a　yard；　a　pheasant；　a　fish；　a　dish　of　fruit；　for　a　tenth
of　their　value；　for　a　woman　so　ignorant　as　to　believe　that　she　is
paying　ample　wages　with　two　hundred　and　fifty　francs　to　Madame　Gobain；
a　cook　fit　for　a　bishop。

〃　'You　have　sometimes　found　me　rubbing　my　hands　in　the　enjoyment　of　a
sort　of　happiness。　Well；　I　had　just　succeeded　in　some　ruse　worthy　of
the　stage。　I　had　just　deceived　my　wifeI　had　sent　her　by　a　purchaser
of　wardrobes　an　Indian　shawl；　to　be　offered　to　her　as　the　property　of
an　actress　who　had　hardly　worn　it；　but　in　which　Ithe　solemn　lawyer
whom　you　knowhad　wrapped　myself　for　a　night！　In　short；　my　life　at
this　day　may　be　summed　up　in　the　two　words　which　express　the　extremes
of　tormentI　love；　and　I　wait！　I　have　in　Madame　Gobain　a　faithful　spy
on　the　heart　I　worship。　I　go　every　evening　to　chat　with　the　old　woman；
to　hear　from　her　all　that　Honorine　has　done　during　the　day；　the
lightest　word　she　has　spoken；　for　a　single　exclamation　might　betray　to
me　the　secrets　of　that　soul　which　is　wilfully　deaf　and　dumb。　Honorine
is　pious；　she　attends　the　Church　services　and　prays；　but　she　has　never
been　to　confession　or　taken　the　Communion；　she　foresees　what　a　priest
would　tell　her。　She　will　not　listen　to　the　advice；　to　the　injunction；
that　she　should　return　to　me。　This　horror　of　me　overwhelms　me；　dismays
me；　for　I　have　never　done　her　the　smallest　harm。　I　have　always　been
kind　to　her。　Granting　even　that　I　may　have　been　a　little　hasty　when
teaching　her；　that　my　man's　irony　may　have　hurt　her　legitimate　girlish
pride；　is　that　a　reason　for　persisting　in　a　determination　which　only
the　most　implacable　hatred　could　have　inspired？　Honorine　has　never
told　Madame　Gobain　who　she　is；　she　keeps　absolute　silence　as　to　her
marriage；　so　that　the　worthy　and　respectable　woman　can　never　speak　a
word　in　my　favor；　for　she　is　the　only　person　in　the　house　who　knows　my
secret。　The　others　know　nothing；　they　live　under　the　awe　caused　by　the
name　of　the　Prefect　of　Police；　and　their　respect　for　the　power　of　a
Minister。　Hence　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　penetrate　that　heart；　the
citadel　is　mine；　but　I　cannot　get　into　it。　I　have　not　a　single　means
of　action。　An　act　of　violence　would　ruin　me　for　ever。

〃　'How　can　I　argue　against　reasons　of　which　I　know　nothing？　Should　I
write　a　letter；　and　have　it　copied　by　a　public　writer；　and　laid　before
Honorine？　But　that　would　be　to　run　the　risk　of　a　third　removal。　The
last　cost　me　fifty　thousand　francs。　The　purchase　was　made　in　the　first
instance　in　the　name　of　the　secretary　whom　you　succeeded。　The　unhappy
man；　who　did　not　know　how　lightly　I　sleep；　was　detected　by　me　in　the
act　of　opening　a　box　in　which　I　had　put　the　private　agreement；　I
coughed；　and　he　was　seized　with　a　panic；　next　day　I　compelled　him　to
sell　the　house　to　the　man　in　whose　name　it　now　stands；　and　I　turned
him　out。

〃　'If　it　were　not　that　I　feel　all　my　noblest　faculties　as　a　man
satisfied；　happy；　expansive；　if　the　part　I　am　playing　were　not　that　of
divine　fatherhood；　if　I　did　not　drink　in　delight　by　every　pore；　there
are　moments　when　I　should　believe　that　I　was　a　monomaniac。　Sometimes
at　night　I　hear　the　jingling　bells　of　madness。　I　dread　the　violent
transitions　from　a　feeble　hope；　which　sometimes　shines　and　flashes　up；
to　complete　despair；　falling　as　low　as　man　can　fall。　A　few　days　since
I　was　seriously　considering　the　horrible　end　of　the　story　of　Lovelace
and　Clarissa　Harlowe；　and　saying　to　myself；　if　Honorine　were　the
mother　of　a　child　of　mine；　must　she　not　necessarily　return　under　her
husband's　roof？

〃　'And　I　have　such　complete　faith　in　a　happy　future；　that　ten　months
ago　I　bought　and　paid　for　one　of　the　handsomest　houses　in　the　Faubourg
Saint…Honore。　If　I　win　back　Honorine；　I　will　not　allow　her　to　see　this
house　again；　nor　the　room　from　which　she　fled。　I　mean　to　place　my　idol
in　a　new　temple；　where　she　may　feel　that　life　is　altogether　new。　That
house　is　being　made　a　marvel　of　elegance　and　taste。　I　have　been　told
of　a　poet　who；　being　almost　mad　with　love　for　an　actress；　bought　the
handsomest　bed　in　Paris　without　knowing　how　the　actress　would　reward
his　passion。　Well；　one　of　the　coldest　of　lawyers；　a　man　who　is
supposed　to　be　the　gravest　adviser　of　the　Crown；　was　stirred　to　the
depths　of　his　heart　by　that　anecdote。　The　orator　of　the　Legislative
Chamber　can　understand　the　poet　who　fed　his　ideal　on　material
possibilities。　Three　days　before　the　arrival　of　Maria　Louisa；　Napoleon
flung　himself　on　his　wedding　bed　at　Compiegne。　All　stupendous　passions
have　the　same　impulses。　I　love　as　a　poetas　an　emperor！'

〃As　I　heard　the　last　words；　I　believed　that　Count　Octave's　fears　were
realized；　he　had　risen；　and　was　walking　up　and　down；　and
gesticulating；　but　he　stopped　as　if　shocked　by　the　vehemence　of　his
own　words。

〃　'I　am　very　ridiculous；'　he　added；　after　a　long　pause；　looking　at　me；
as　if　craving　a　glance　of　pity。

〃　'No；　monsieur；　you　are　very　unhappy。'

〃　'Ah　yes！'　said　he；　taking　up　the　thread　of　his　confidences。　'From
the　violence　of　my　speech　you　may；　you　must　believe　in　the　intensity
of　a　physical　passion　which　for　nine　years　has　absorbed　all　my
faculties；　but　that　is　nothing　in　comparison　with　the　worship　I　feel
for　the　soul；　the　mind；　the　heart；　all　in　that　woman；　the　enchanting
divinities　in　the　train　of　Love；　with　whom　we　pass　our　life；　and　who
form　the　daily　poem　of　a　fugitive　delight。　By　a　phenomenon　of
retrospection　I　see　now　the　graces　of　Honorine's　mind　and　heart；　to
which　I　paid　little　heed　in　the　time　of　my　happinesslike　all　who　are
happy。　From　day　to　day　I　have　appreciated　the　extent　of　my　loss；
discovering　the　exquisite　gifts　of　that　capricious　and　refractory
young　creature　who　has　grown　so　strong　and　so　proud　under　the　heavy
hand　of　poverty　and　the　shock　of　the　most　cowardly　desertion。　And　that
heavenly　blossom　is　fading　in　solitude　and　hiding！Ah！　The　law　of
which　we　were　speaking；'　he　went　on　with　bitter　irony；　'the　law　is　a
squad　of　gendarmesmy　wife　seized　and　dragged　away　by　force！　Would
not　that　be　to　triumph　over　a　corpse？　Religion　has　no　hold　on　her；　she
craves　its　poetry；　she　prays；　but　she　does　not　listen　to　the
commandments　of　the　Church。　I；　for　my　part；　have　exhausted　everything
in　the　way　of　mercy；　of　kindness；　of　love；　I　am　at　my　wits'　end。　Only
one　chance　of　victory　is　left　to　me；　the　cunning　and　patience　with
which　bird…catchers　at　last　entrap　the　wariest　birds；　the　swiftest；
the　most　capricious；　and　the　rarest。　Hence；　Maurice；　when　M。　de
Grandville's　indiscretion　betrayed　to　you　the　secret　of　my　life；　I
ended　by　regarding　this　incident　as　one　of　the　decrees　of　fate；　one　of
the　utterances　for　which　gamblers　listen　and　pray　in　the　midst　of
their　most　impassioned　play。　。　。　。　Have　you　enough　affection　for　me　to
show　me　romantic　devotion？'

〃　'I　see　what　you　are　coming　to；　Monsieur　le　Comte；'　said　I；
interrupting　him；　'I　guess　your　purpose。　Your　first　secretary　tried　to
open　your　deed　box。　I　know　the　heart　of　your　secondhe　might　fall　in
love　with　your　wife。　And　can　you　devote　him　to　destruction　by　sending
him　into　the　fire？　Can　any　one　put　his　hand　into　a　brazier　without
burning　it？'

〃　'You　are　a　foolish　boy；'　replied　the　Count。　'I　will　send　you　well
gloved。　It　is　no　secretary　of　mine　that　will　be　lodged　in　the　Rue
Saint…Maur　in　the　little　garden…house　which　I　have　at　his　disposal。　It
is　my　distant　cousin；　Baron　de　l'Hostal；　a　lawyer　high　in
office　。　。　。〃

〃After　a　moment　of　silent　surprise；　I　heard　the　gate　bell　ring；　and　a
carriage　came　into　the　courtyard。　Presently　the　footman　announced
Madame　de　Courteville　and　her　daughter。　The　Count　had　a　large　family
connection　on　his　mother's　side。　Madame　de　Courteville；　his　cousin；
was　the　widow　of　a　judge　on　the　bench　of　the　Seine　division；　who　had
left　her　a　daughter　and　no　fortune　whatever。　What　could　a　woman　of
nine…and…twenty　be　in　comparison　with　a　young　girl　of　twenty；　as
lovely　as　imagination　could　wish　for　an　ideal　mistress？

〃　'Baron；　and　Master　of　Appeals；　till　you　get　something　better；　and
this　old　house　settled　on　her；would　not　you　have　enough　good　reasons
for　not　falling　in　love　with　the　Countess？'　he　said　to　me　in　a
whisper；　as　he　took　me　by