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第9节

paz-第9节

小说: paz 字数: 每页4000字

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reported them in tears to Paz。



〃When I want to injure a woman;〃 she said in conclusion; 〃I don't

calumniate her; I don't declare that some one magnetizes her to get

stones out of her; but I say plainly that she is humpbacked; and I

prove it。 Why do you compromise me in this way?〃



Paz maintained a cruel silence。 Madame Chapuzot was not long in

discovering the name and title of Comte Paz; then she heard certain

positive facts at the hotel Laginski: for instance; that Paz was a

bachelor; and had never been known to have a daughter; alive or dead;

in Poland or in France。 After that Malaga could not control a feeling

of terror。



〃My dear child;〃 Madame Chapuzot would say; 〃that monster〃 (a man

who contented himself with only looking; in a sly way;not daring to

come out and say things;and such a beautiful creature too; as

Malaga;of course such a man was a monster; according to Madame

Chapuzot's ideas) 〃that monster is trying to get a hold upon you;

and make you do something illegal and criminal。 Holy Father; if you

should get into the police…courts! it makes me tremble from head to

foot; suppose they should put you in the newspapers! I'll tell you

what I should do in your place; I'd warn the police。〃



One particular day; after many foolish notions had fermented for some

time in Malaga's mind; Paz having laid his money as usual on the

mantel…piece; she seized the bits of gold and flung them in his face;

crying out; 〃I don't want stolen money!〃



The captain gave the gold to Chapuzot; went away without a word; and

did not return。



Clementine was at this time at her uncle's place in Burgundy。



When the Circus troop discovered that Malaga had lost her Polish

count; much excitement was produced among them。 Malaga's display of

honor was considered folly by some; and shrewdness by others。 The

conduct of the Pole; however; even when discussed by the cleverest of

women; seemed inexplicable。 Thaddeus received in the course of the

next week thirty…seven letters from women of their kind。 Happily for

him; his astonishing reserve did not excite the curiosity of the

fashionable world; and was only discussed in the demi…mondaine

regions。



Two weeks later the handsome circus…rider; crippled by debt; wrote the

following letter to Comte Paz; which; having fallen into the hands of

Comte Adam; was read by several of the dandies of the day; who

pronounced it a masterpiece:



  〃You; whom I still dare to call my friend; will you not pity me

  after all that has passed;which you have so ill understood? My

  heart disavows whatever may have wounded your feelings。 If I was

  fortunate enough to charm you and keep you beside me in the past;

  return to me; otherwise; I shall fall into despair。 Poverty has

  overtaken me; and you do not know what HORRID THINGS it brings

  with it。 Yesterday I lived on a herring at two sous; and one sou

  of bread。 Is that a breakfast for the woman you loved? The

  Chapuzots have left me; though they seemed so devoted。 Your

  desertion has caused me to see to the bottom of all human

  attachments。 The dog we feed does not leave us; but the Chapuzots

  have gone。 A sheriff has seized everything on behalf of the

  landlord; who has no heart; and the jeweller; who refused to wait

  even ten days;for when we lose the confidence of such as you;

  credit goes too。 What a position for women who have nothing to

  reproach themselves with but the happiness they have given! My

  friend; I have taken all I have of any value to MY UNCLE'S; I have

  nothing but the memory of you left; and here is the winter coming

  on。 I shall be fireless when it turns cold; for the boulevards are

  to play only melodramas; in which I have nothing but little bits

  of parts which don't POSE a woman。 How could you misunderstand the

  nobleness of my feelings for you?for there are two ways of

  expressing gratitude。 You who seemed so happy in seeing me well…

  off; how can you leave me in poverty? Oh; my sole friend on earth;

  before I go back to the country fairs with Bouthor's circus; where

  I can at least make a living; forgive me if I wish to know whether

  I have lost you forever。 If I were to let myself think of you when

  I jump through the hoops; I should be sure to break my legs by

  losing A TIME。 Whatever may be the result; I am yours for life。



〃Marguerite Turquet。〃





〃That letter;〃 thought Thaddeus; shouting with laughter; 〃is worth the

ten thousand francs I have spent upon her。〃







III



Clementine came home the next day; and the day after that Paz beheld

her again; more beautiful and graceful than ever。 After dinner; during

which the countess treated Paz with an air of perfect indifference; a

little scene took place in the salon between the count and his wife

when Thaddeus had left them。 On pretence of asking Adam's advice;

Thaddeus had left Malaga's letter with him; as if by mistake。



〃Poor Thaddeus!〃 said Adam; as Paz disappeared; 〃what a misfortune for

a man of his distinction to be the plaything of the lowest kind of

circus…rider。 He will lose everything; and get lower and lower; and

won't be recognizable before long。 Here; read that;〃 added the count;

giving Malaga's letter to his wife。



Clementine read the letter; which smelt of tobacco; and threw it from

her with a look of disgust。



〃Thick as the bandage is over his eyes;〃 continued Adam; 〃he must have

found out something; Malaga tricked him; no doubt。〃



〃But he goes back to her;〃 said Clementine; 〃and he will forgive her!

It is for such horrible women as that that you men have indulgence。〃



〃Well; they need it;〃 said Adam。



〃Thaddeus used to show some decencyin living apart from us;〃 she

remarked。 〃He had better go altogether。〃



〃Oh; my dear angel; that's going too far;〃 said the count; who did not

want the death of the sinner。



Paz; who knew Adam thoroughly; had enjoined him to secrecy; pretending

to excuse his dissipations; and had asked his friend to lend him a few

thousand francs for Malaga。



〃He is a very firm fellow;〃 said Adam。



〃How so?〃 asked Clementine。



〃Why; for having spent no more than ten thousand francs on her; and

letting her send him that letter before he would ask me for enough to

pay her debts。 For a Pole; I call that firm。〃



〃He will ruin you;〃 said Clementine; in the sharp tone of a Parisian

woman; when she shows her feline distrusts。



〃Oh; I know him;〃 said Adam; 〃he will sacrifice Malaga; if I ask him。〃



〃We shall see;〃 remarked the countess。



〃If it is best for his own happiness; I sha'n't hesitate to ask him to

leave her。 Constantin says that since Paz has been with her he; sober

as he is; has sometimes come home quite excited。 If he takes to

intoxication I shall be just as grieved as if he were my own son。〃



〃Don't tell me anything more about it;〃 cried the countess; with a

gesture of disgust。



Two days later the captain perceived in the manner; the tones of

voice; but; above all; in the eyes of the countess; the terrible

results of Adam's confidences。 Contempt had opened a gulf between the

beloved woman and himself。 He was suddenly plunged into the deepest

distress of mind; for the thought gnawed him; 〃I have myself made her

despise me!〃 His own folly stared him in the face。 Life then became a

burden to him; the very sun turned gray。 And yet; amid all these

bitter thoughts; he found again some moments of pure joy。 There were

times when he could give himself up wholly to his admiration for his

mistress; who paid not the slightest attention to him。 Hanging about

in corners at her parties and receptions; silent; all heart and eyes;

he never lost one of her attitudes; nor a tone of her voice when she

sang。 He lived in her life; he groomed the horse which SHE rode; he

studied the ways and means of that splendid establishment; to the

interests of which he was now more devoted than ever。 These silent

pleasures were buried in his heart like those of a mother; whose heart

a child never knows; for is it knowing anything unless we know it all?

His love was more perfect than the love of Petrarch for Laura; which

found its ultimate reward in the treasures of fame; the triumph of the

poem which she had inspired。 Surely the emotion that the Chevalier

d'Assas felt in dying must have been to him a lifetime of joy。 Such

emotions as these Paz enjoyed daily;without dying; but also without

the guerdon of immortality。



But what is Love; that; in spite of all these ineffable delights; Paz

should still have been unhappy? The Catholic religion has so magnified

Love that she has wedded it indissolubly to respect and nobility of

spirit。 Love is therefore attended by those sentiments and qualities

of which mankind is proud; it is rare to find true Love existing where

contempt is felt。 Thaddeus was suffering from the wounds his own hand

had given him。 The trial of his former li

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