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第11节

paz-第11节

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added hastily; 〃There is not a woman in society; with her mincing

airs; that is worth the honest nature of that young animal。〃



〃At any rate; I wish nothing of the animal about me;〃 said the

countess; with a glance like that of an angry viper。



After that evening Comte Paz showed Clementine the exact state of her

affairs; he made himself her tutor; taught her the methods and

difficulties of the management of property; the proper prices to pay

for things; and how to avoid being cheated by her servants。 He told

her she could rely on Constantin and make him her major…domo。 Thaddeus

had trained the man thoroughly。 By the end of May he thought the

countess fully competent to carry on her affairs alone; for Clementine

was one of those far…sighted women; full of instinct; who have an

innate genius as mistress of a household。



This position of affairs; which Thaddeus had led up to naturally; did

not end without further cruel trials; his sufferings were fated not to

be as sweet and tender as he was trying to make them。 The poor lover

forgot to reckon on the hazard of events。 Adam fell seriously ill; and

Thaddeus; instead of leaving the house; stayed to nurse his friend。

His devotion was unwearied。 A woman who had any interest in employing

her perspicacity might have seen in this devotion a sort of punishment

imposed by a noble soul to repress an involuntary evil thought; but

women see all; or see nothing; according to the condition of their

soulslove is their sole illuminator。



During forty…five days Paz watched and tended Adam without appearing

to think of Malaga; for the very good reason that he never did think of

her。 Clementine; feeling that Adam was at the point of death though he

did not die; sent for all the leading doctors of Paris in

consultation。



〃If he comes safely out of this;〃 said the most distinguished of them

all; 〃it will only be by an effort of nature。 It is for those who

nurse him to watch for the moment when they must second nature。 The

count's life is in the hands of his nurses。〃



Thaddeus went to find Clementine and tell her this result of the

consultation。 He found her sitting in the Chinese pavilion; as much

for a little rest as to leave the field to the doctors and not

embarrass them。 As he walked along the winding gravelled path which

led to the pavilion; Thaddeus seemed to himself in the depths of an

abyss described by Dante。 The unfortunate man had never dreamed that

the possibility might arise of becoming Clementine's husband; and now

he had drowned himself in a ditch of mud。 His face was convulsed; when

he reached the kiosk; with an agony of grief; his head; like Medusa's;

conveyed despair。



〃Is he dead?〃 said Clementine。



〃They have given him up; that is; they leave him to nature。 Do not go

in; they are still there; and Bianchon is changing the dressings。〃



〃Poor Adam! I ask myself if I have not sometimes pained him;〃 she

said。



〃You have made him very happy;〃 said Thaddeus; 〃you ought to be easy

on that score; for you have shown every indulgence for him。〃



〃My loss would be irreparable。〃



〃But; dear; you judged him justly。〃



〃I was never blind to his faults;〃 she said; 〃but I loved him as a

wife should love her husband。〃



〃Then you ought; in case you lose him;〃 said Thaddeus; in a voice

which Clementine had never heard him use; 〃to grieve for him less than

if you lost a man who was your pride; your love; and all your life;

as some men are to you women。 Surely you can be frank at this moment

with a friend like me。 I shall grieve; too; long before your marriage

I had made him my child; I had sacrificed my life to him。 If he dies I

shall be without an interest on earth; but life is still beautiful to

a widow of twenty…four。〃



〃Ah! but you know that I love no one;〃 she said; with the impatience

of grief。



〃You don't yet know what it is to love;〃 said Thaddeus。



〃Oh; as husbands are; I have sense enough to prefer a child like my

poor Adam to a superior man。 It is now over a month that we have been

saying to each other; 'Will he live?' and these alternations have

prepared me; as they have you; for this loss。 I can be frank with you。

Well; I would give my life to save Adam。 What is a woman's

independence in Paris? the freedom to let herself be taken in by

ruined or dissipated men who pretend to love her。 I pray to God to

leave me this husband who is so kind; so obliging; so little fault…

finding; and who is beginning to stand in awe of me。〃



〃You are honest; and I love you the better for it;〃 said Thaddeus;

taking her hand which she yielded to him; and kissing it。 〃In solemn

moments like these there is unspeakable satisfaction in finding a

woman without hypocrisy。 It is possible to converse with you。 Let us

look to the future。 Suppose that God does not grant your prayer;and

no one cries to him more than I do; 'Leave me my friend!' Yes; these

fifty nights have not weakened me; if thirty more days and nights are

needed I can give them while you sleep;yes; I will tear him from

death if; as the doctors say; nursing can save him。 But suppose that

in spite of you and me; the count dies;well; then; if you were

loved; oh; adored; by a man of a heart and soul that are worthy of

you〃



〃I may have wished for such love; foolishly; but I have never met with

it。〃



〃Perhaps you are mistaken〃



Clementine looked fixedly at Thaddeus; imagining that there was less

of love than of cupidity in his thoughts; her eyes measured him from

head to foot and poured contempt upon him; then she crushed him with

the words; 〃Poor Malaga!〃 uttered in tones which a great lady alone

can find to give expression to her disdain。 She rose; leaving Thaddeus

half unconscious behind her; slowly re…entered her boudoir; and went

back to Adam's chamber。



An hour later Paz returned to the sick…room; and began anew; with

death in his heart; his care of the count。 From that moment he said

nothing。 He was forced to struggle with the patient; whom he managed

in a way that excited the admiration of the doctors。 At all hours his

watchful eyes were like lamps always lighted。 He showed no resentment

to Clementine; and listened to her thanks without accepting them; he

seemed both dumb and deaf。 To himself he was saying; 〃She shall owe

his life to me;〃 and he wrote the thought as it were in letters of

fire on the walls of Adam's room。 On the fifteenth day Clementine was

forced to give up the nursing; lest she should utterly break down。 Paz

was unwearied。 At last; towards the end of August; Bianchon; the

family physician; told Clementine that Adam was out of danger。



〃Ah; madame; you are under no obligation to me;〃 he said; 〃without his

friend; Comte Paz; we could not have saved him。〃



The day after the meeting of Paz and Clementine in the kiosk; the

Marquis de Ronquerolles came to see his nephew。 He was on the eve of

starting for Russia on a secret diplomatic mission。 Paz took occasion

to say a few words to him。 The first day that Adam was able to drive

out with his wife and Thaddeus; a gentleman entered the courtyard as

the carriage was about to leave it; and asked for Comte Paz。 Thaddeus;

who was sitting on the front seat of the caleche; turned to take a

letter which bore the stamp of the ministry of Foreign affairs。 Having

read it; he put it into his pocket in a manner which prevented

Clementine or Adam from speaking of it。 Nevertheless; by the time they

reached the porte Maillot; Adam; full of curiosity; used the privilege

of a sick man whose caprices are to be gratified; and said to

Thaddeus: 〃There's no indiscretion between brothers who love each

other;tell me what there is in that despatch; I'm in a fever of

curiosity。〃



Clementine glanced at Thaddeus with a vexed air; and remarked to her

husband: 〃He has been so sulky with me for the last two months that I

shall never ask him anything again。〃



〃Oh; as for that;〃 replied Paz; 〃I can't keep it out of the

newspapers; so I may as well tell you at once。 The Emperor Nicholas

has had the grace to appoint me captain in a regiment which is to take

part in the expedition to Khiva。〃



〃You are not going?〃 cried Adam。



〃Yes; I shall go; my dear fellow。 Captain I came; and captain I

return。 We shall dine together to…morrow for the last time。 If I don't

start at once for St。 Petersburg I shall have to make the journey by

land; and I am not rich; and I must leave Malaga a little

independence。 I ought to think of the only woman who has been able to

understand me; she thinks me grand; superior。 I dare say she is

faithless; but she would jump〃



〃Through the hoop; for your sake and come down safely on the back of

her horse;〃 said Clementine sharply。



〃Oh; you don't know Malaga;〃 said the captain; bitterly; with a

sarcastic look in his eyes which made Clementine thoughtful and

uneasy。



〃Good…by to the young trees of this be

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