the brotherhood of consolation-第37节

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invalid's　morning。　This　supposition　was　further　strengthened　by　the
portable　mirror　which　lay　on　the　bed。

No　modern　arrangement　for　comfort　was　lacking。　Even　a　few　knick…
knacks；　which　amused　poor　Vanda；　proved　that　the　father's　love　was
almost　fanatical。

The　old　man　rose　from　an　elegant　Louis　XV。　sofa　in　white　and　cold；
covered　with　tapestry；　and　advanced　to　Godefroid；　who　would　certainly
not　have　recognized　him　elsewhere；　for　that　cold；　stern　face　now　wore
the　gay　expression　peculiar　to　old　men　of　the　world；　who　retain　the
manners　and　apparent　frivolity　of　the　nobility　about　a　court。　His
wadded　violet　gown　was　in　keeping　with　this　luxury；　and　he　took　snuff
from　a　gold　box　studded　with　diamonds。

〃Here；　my　dear　daughter；〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard；　taking　Godefroid　by
the　hand；　〃is　the　neighbor　of　whom　I　told　you。〃

He　signed　to　his　grandson　to　draw　up　one　of　two　armchairs；　similar　in
style　to　the　sofa；　which　stood　beside　the　fireplace。

〃Monsieur's　name　is　Godefroid；　and　he　is　full　of　friendly　kindness　for
us。〃

Vanda　made　a　motion　with　her　head　in　answer　to　Godefroid's　low　bow；　by
the　very　way　in　which　her　neck　bent　and　then　recovered　itself；
Godefroid　saw　that　the　whole　physical　life　of　the　invalid　was　in　her
head。　The　thin　arms　and　flaccid　hands　lay　on　the　fine；　white　linen　of
the　sheets；　like　things　not　connected　with　the　body；　which；　indeed；
seemed　to　fill　no　place　at　all　in　the　bed。　The　articles　necessary　for
a　sick　person　were　on　shelves　standing　behind　the　bedstead；　and　were
concealed　by　a　drawn　curtain。

〃You　are　the　first　person；　monsieur；except　my　doctors；　who　are　not
men　to　me；whom　I　have　seen　for　six　years；　therefore　you　cannot　doubt
the　interest　you　have　excited　in　my　mind；　since　my　father　told　me　this
morning　that　you　were　to　pay　me　a　visitinterest！　no；　it　was　an
unconquerable　curiosity；　like　that　of　our　mother　Eve。　My　father；　who
is　so　good　to　me；　and　my　son；　whom　I　love　so　much；　do　certainly
suffice　to　fill　the　desert　of　a　soul　which　is　almost　without　a　body；
but　after　all；　that　soul　is　still　a　woman's；　I　feel　it　in　the　childish
joy　the　thought　of　your　visit　has　brought　me。　You　will　do　me　the
pleasure　to　take　a　cup　of　tea　with　us；　I　hope？〃

〃Monsieur　has　promised　to　pass　the　evening　here；〃　said　the　old　man；
with　the　air　of　a　millionnaire　receiving　a　guest。

Auguste；　sitting　on　a　tapestried　chair　at　a　marquetry　table　with　brass
trimmings；　was　reading　a　book　by　the　light　of　the　candelabra　on　the
chimney　piece。

〃Auguste；　my　dear；〃　said　his　mother；　〃tell　Jean　to　serve　tea　in　an
hour。　Would　you　believe　it　monsieur；〃　she　added；　〃that　for　six　years　I
have　been　waited　upon　wholly　by　my　father　and　son；　and　now；　I　really
think；　I　could　bear　no　other　attendance。　If　they　were　to　fail　me　I
should　die。　My　father　will　not　even　allow　Jean；　a　poor　Norman　who　has
served　us　for　thirty　years；　to　come　into　my　room。〃

〃I　should　think　not！〃　said　the　old　man；　quickly；　〃monsieur　knows　him；
he　chops　wood　and　brings　it　in；　and　cooks；　he　wears　dirty　aprons；　and
would　soon　spoil　all　this　elegance　in　which　you　take　such　pleasure
this　room　is　really　the　whole　of　life　to　my　poor　daughter；　monsieur。〃

〃Ah！　madame；　your　father　is　quite　right。〃

〃But　why？〃　she　said；　〃if　Jean　did　any　damage　to　my　room　my　father
would　restore　it。〃

〃Yes；　my　child；　but　remember　you　could　not　leave　it；　you　don't　know
what　Parisian　tradesmen　are；　they　would　take　three　months　to　renovate
your　room。　Let　Jean　take　care　of　it？　no；　indeed！　how　can　you　think　of
it？　Auguste　and　I　take　such　precautions　that　we　allow　no　dust；　and　so
avoid　all　sweeping。〃

〃It　is　a　matter　of　health；　not　economy；〃　said　Godefroid；　〃your　father
is　right。〃

〃I　am　not　complaining；〃　said　Vanda；　in　a　caressing　voice。

That　voice　was　a　concert　of　delightful　sounds。　Soul；　motion；　life
itself　were　concentrated　in　the　glance　and　in　the　voice　of　this　woman；
for　Vanda　had　succeeded　by　study；　for　which　time　was　certainly　not
lacking　to　her；　in　conquering　the　difficulty　produced　by　the　loss　of
her　teeth。

〃I　have　much　to　make　me　happy　in　the　midst　of　my　sufferings；
monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃and　certainly　ample　means　are　a　great　help　in
bearing　trouble。　If　we　had　been　poor　I　should　have　died　eighteen　years
ago；　but　I　still　live。　Oh；　yes；　I　have　many　enjoyments；　and　they　are
all　the　greater　because　they　are　perpetually　won　from　death。　I　am
afraid　you　will　think　me　quite　garrulous；〃　she　added；　smiling。

〃Madame；　I　should　like　to　listen　to　you　forever；〃　replied　Godefroid；
〃I　have　never　heard　a　voice　that　was　comparable　to　yours；　it　is　music；
Rubini　is　not　more　enchanting。〃

〃Don't　speak　of　Rubini　or　the　opera；〃　said　the　old　man；　sadly。　〃That
is　a　pleasure　that；　rich　as　I　am；　I　cannot　give　to　my　daughter。　She
was　once　a　great　musician；　and　the　opera　was　her　greatest　pleasure。〃

〃Forgive　me；〃　said　Godefroid。

〃You　will　soon　get　accustomed　to　us；〃　said　the　old　man。

〃Yes；　and　this　is　the　process；〃　said　the　sick　woman；　laughing；　〃when
they've　cried　'puss；　puss；　puss；'　often　enough　you'll　learn　the　puss…
in…the…corner　of　our　conversations。〃

Godefroid　gave　a　rapid　glance　at　Monsieur　Bernard；　who；　seeing　the
tears　in　the　eyes　of　his　new　neighbor；　seemed　to　be　making　him　a　sign
not　to　undo　the　results　of　the　self…command　he　and　his　grandson　had
practised　for　so　many　years。

This　sublime　and　perpetual　imposture；　proved　by　the　complete　illusion
of　the　sick　woman；　produced　on　Godefroid's　mind　the　impression　of　an
Alpine　precipice　down　which　two　chamois　hunters　picked　their　way。　The
magnificent　gold　snuff…box　enriched　with　diamonds　with　which　the　old
man　carelessly　toyed　as　he　sat　by　his　daughter's　bedside　was　like　the
stroke　of　genius　which　in　the　work　of　a　great　man　elicits　a　cry　of
admiration。　Godefroid　looked　at　that　snuff…box；　wondering　it　had　not
been　sold　or　found　its　way　to　the　mont…de…piete。

〃This　evening；　Monsieur　Godefroid；　my　daughter　received　the
announcement　of　your　visit　with　such　excitement　that　all　the　curious
symptoms　of　her　malady　which　have　troubled　us　very　much　for　the　last
twelve　days　have　entirely　disappeared。　You　can　fancy　how　grateful　I　am
to　you。〃

〃And　I；　too；〃　said　the　invalid　in　her　caressing　tones；　drooping　her
head　with　a　motion　full　of　coquetry。　〃Monsieur　is　to　me　a　deputy　from
the　world。　Since　I　was　twenty　years　old；　monsieur；　I　have　not　seen　a
salon；　or　a　party；　or　a　ball。　And　I　must　tell　you　that　I　love　dancing；
and　adore　the　theatre；　especially　the　opera。　I　imagine　everything　by
thought！　I　read　a　great　deal；　and　then　my　father；　who　goes　into
society；　tells　me　about　social　events。〃

Godefroid　made　an　involuntary　movement　as　if　to　kneel　at　the　old　man's
feet。

〃Yes；　when　he　goes　to　the　opera；　and　he　often　goes；　he　describes　to　me
the　singing　and　tells　me　about　the　dresses　of　the　ladies。　Oh！　I　would
I　were　cured　for　the　sake　of　my　father；　who　lives　solely　for　me　as　I
live　by　him　and　for　him；　and　then　for　my　son；　to　whom　I　would　fain　be
a　real　mother。　Ah！　monsieur；　what　blessed　beings　my　old　father　and　my
good　son　are！　I　should　also　like　to　recover　so　as　to　hear　Lablache；
Rubini；　Tamburini；　Grisi；　and　'I　Puritani。'　But〃

〃Come；　come；　my　child；　be　calm！　If　we　talk　music　we　are　lost！〃　said
the　old　man；　smiling。

That　smile；　which　rejuvenated　his　face；　was　evidently　a　perpetual
deception　to　the　sick　woman。

〃Yes；　yes；　I'll　be　good；〃　said　Vanda；　with　a　petulant　little　air；　〃but
when　will　you　give　me　an　accordion？〃

The　portable　instrument　then　called　by　that　name　had　just　been
invented。　It　could；　if　desired；　be　placed　at　the　edge　of　a　bedstead；
and　only　needed　the　pressure　of　a　foot　to　give　out　the　sounds　of　an
organ。　This　instrument；　in　its　highest　development；　was　equal　to　a
piano；　but　the　cost　of　it　was　three　hundred　francs。　Vanda；　who　read
the　newspapers　and　reviews；　knew　of　the　existence　of　the　instrument；
and　had　wished　for　one　for　the　last　two　months。

〃Yes；　madame；　you　shall　have　one；〃　said　Godefroid；　after　exchanging　a
look　with　the　old　man。　〃A　friend　of　mine　who　is　just　starting　for
Algiers　has　a　fine　instrument　and　I　will　borrow　it　of　him。　Before
buying；　you　had　better　try　one。　It　is　possible　that　the　powerful；
vibrating　tones　may　be　too　much　for　you。〃

〃Can　I　have　it　to…morrow？〃　she　said；　with　the　wilfulness　of　a　creole。

〃To…morrow？〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard；　〃that　is　soon；　besides；　to…morrow
is　Sunday。〃

〃Ah〃　she　exclaimed；　looking　at　Godefroid；　who　fancied　he　could　see　a
soul　hovering　in　the　air　as　he　admired　the　ubiquity　of　Vanda's
glances。

Until　then；　Godefroid　had　never　known　the　power　of　voice　and　eyes　when
the　whole　of　life　is　put　into　them。　The　glance　was　no　longer　a　glance；
a　look；　it　was　a　flame；　or　rather；　a　divine　incandescence；　a　radiance；
communicating　life　and　mind；it　was　thought　made　visible。　The　voice；
with　its　thousand　intonations；　took　the　place　of　motions；　gestures；
attitudes。　The　variations　of　the　complexion；　changing　color　like　the
famous　chameleon；　made　the　illusion；　perhaps　we　should　say　the　mirage；
complete。　That　suffering　head　lying　on　the　white　pillow　edged　with
laces　was　a　whole　person　in　itself。

Never　in　his　life　had　Godefroid　seen　so　wonderful　a　sight；　he　could
scarcely　control　his