the muse of the department-第38节
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you all you have lost by me？ Be quite easy；〃 said Madame de la
Baudraye； astounded by this attack。 〃Your Ellenore is not dying； and
if God gives her life； if you amend your ways； if you give up
courtesans and actresses； we will find you a better match than a
Felicie Cardot。〃
The two lovers were sullen。 Lousteau affected dejection； he aimed at
appearing hard and cold； while Dinah； really distressed； listened to
the reproaches of her heart。
〃Why；〃 said Lousteau presently； 〃why not end as we ought to have begun
hide our love from all eyes； and see each other in secret？〃
〃Never！〃 cried the new…made Countess； with an icy look。 〃Do you not
comprehend that we are； after all； but finite creatures？ Our feelings
seem infinite by reason of our anticipation of heaven； but here on
earth they are limited by the strength of our physical being。 There
are some feeble； mean natures which may receive an endless number of
wounds and live on； but there are some more highly…tempered souls
which snap at last under repeated blows。 You have〃
〃Oh！ enough！〃 cried he。 〃No more copy！ Your dissertation is
unnecessary； since you can justify yourself by merely saying'I have
ceased to love！' 〃
〃What！〃 she exclaimed in bewilderment。 〃Is it I who have ceased to
love？〃
〃Certainly。 You have calculated that I gave you more trouble； more
vexation than pleasure； and you desert your partner〃
〃I desert！〃 cried she； clasping her hands。
〃Have not you yourself just said 'Never'？〃
〃Well； then； yes！ /Never/；〃 she repeated vehemently。
This final /Never/； spoken in the fear of falling once more under
Lousteau's influence； was interpreted by him as the death…warrant of
his power； since Dinah remained insensible to his sarcastic scorn。
The journalist could not suppress a tear。 He was losing a sincere and
unbounded affection。 He had found in Dinah the gentlest La Valliere；
the most delightful Pompadour that any egoist short of a king could
hope for； and； like a boy who has discovered that by dint of
tormenting a cockchafer he has killed it； Lousteau shed a tear。
Madame de la Baudraye rushed out of the private room where they had
been dining； paid the bill； and fled home to the Rue de l'Arcade；
scolding herself and thinking herself a brute。
Dinah； who had made her house a model of comfort； now metamorphosed
herself。 This double metamorphosis cost thirty thousand francs more
than her husband had anticipated。
The fatal accident which in 1842 deprived the House of Orleans of the
heir…presumptive having necessitated a meeting of the Chambers in
August of that year； little La Baudraye came to present his titles to
the Upper House sooner than he had expected； and then saw what his
wife had done。 He was so much delighted； that he paid the thirty
thousand francs without a word； just as he had formerly paid eight
thousand for decorating La Baudraye。
On his return from the Luxembourg； where he had been presented
according to custom by two of his peersthe Baron de Nucingen and the
Marquis de Montriveauthe new Count met the old Duc de Chaulieu； a
former creditor； walking along； umbrella in hand； while he himself sat
perched in a low chaise on which his coat…of…arms was resplendent；
with the motto； /Deo sic patet fides et hominibus/。 This contrast
filled his heart with a large draught of the balm on which the middle
class has been getting drunk ever since 1840。
Madame de la Baudraye was shocked to see her husband improved and
looking better than on the day of his marriage。 The little dwarf； full
of rapturous delight； at sixty…four triumphed in the life which had so
long been denied him； in the family； which his handsome cousin Milaud
of Nevers had declared he would never have； and in his wifewho had
asked Monsieur and Madame de Clagny to dinner to meet the cure of the
parish and his two sponsors to the Chamber of Peers。 He petted the
children with fatuous delight。
The handsome display on the table met with his approval。
〃These are the fleeces of the Berry sheep；〃 said he； showing Monsieur
de Nucingen the dish…covers surmounted by his newly…won coronet。 〃They
are of silver； you see！〃
Though consumed by melancholy； which she concealed with the
determination of a really superior woman； Dinah was charming； witty；
and above all； young again in her court mourning。
〃You might declare；〃 cried La Baudraye to Monsieur de Nucingen with a
wave of his hand to his wife； 〃that the Countess was not yet thirty。〃
〃Ah； ha！ Matame is a voman of dirty！〃 replied the baron； who was prone
to time…honored remarks； which he took to be the small change of
conversation。
〃In every sense of the words；〃 replied the Countess。 〃I am； in fact；
five…and…thirty； and mean to set up a little passion〃
〃Oh； yes； my wife ruins me in curiosities and china images〃
〃She started that mania at an early age；〃 said the Marquis de
Montriveau with a smile。
〃Yes；〃 said La Baudraye； with a cold stare at the Marquis； whom he had
known at Bourges； 〃you know that in '25； '26； and '27； she picked a
million francs' worth of treasures。 Anzy is a perfect museum。〃
〃What a cool hand！〃 thought Monsieur de Clagny； as he saw this little
country miser quite on the level of his new position。
But misers have savings of all kinds ready for use。
On the day after the vote on the Regency had passed the Chambers； the
little Count went back to Sancerre for the vintage and resumed his old
habits。
In the course of that winter； the Comtesse de la Baudraye； with the
support of the Attorney…General to the Court of Appeals； tried to form
a little circle。 Of course； she had an 〃at home〃 day； she made a
selection among men of mark； receiving none but those of serious
purpose and ripe years。 She tried to amuse herself by going to the
Opera； French and Italian。 Twice a week she appeared there with her
mother and Madame de Clagny； who was made by her husband to visit
Dinah。 Still； in spite of her cleverness； her charming manners； her
fashionable stylishness； she was never really happy but with her
children； on whom she lavished all her disappointed affection。
Worthy Monsieur de Clagny tried to recruit women for the Countess'
circle； and he succeeded； but he was more successful among the
advocates of piety than the women of fashion。
〃And they bore her！〃 said he to himself with horror； as he saw his
idol matured by grief； pale from remorse； and then； in all the
splendor of recovered beauty； restored by a life of luxury and care
for her boys。 This devoted friend； encouraged in his efforts by her
mother and by the cure was full of expedient。 Every Wednesday he
introduced some celebrity from Germany； England； Italy； or Prussia to
his dear Countess； he spoke of her as a quite exceptional woman to
people to whom she hardly addressed two words； but she listened to
them with such deep attention that they went away fully convinced of
her superiority。 In Paris； Dinah conquered by silence； as at Sancerre
she had conquered by loquacity。 Now and then； some smart saying about
affairs； or sarcasm on an absurdity； betrayed a woman accustomed to
deal with ideasthe woman who； four years since； had given new life
to Lousteau's articles。
This phase was to the poor lawyer's hapless passion like the late
season known as the Indian summer after a sunless year。 He affected to
be older than he was； to have the right to befriend Dinah without
doing her an injury； and kept himself at a distance as though he were
young； handsome； and compromising； like a man who has happiness to
conceal。 He tried to keep his little attentions a profound secret； and
the trifling gifts which Dinah showed to every one； he endeavored to
suggest a dangerous meaning for his little services。
〃He plays at passion；〃 said the Countess； laughing。 She made fun of
Monsieur de Clagny to his face； and the lawyer said； 〃She notices me。〃
〃I impress that poor man so deeply；〃 said she to her mother； laughing；
〃that if I would say Yes； I believe he would say No。〃
One evening Monsieur de Clagny and his wife were taking his dear
Countess home from the theatre； and she was deeply pensive。 They had
been to the first performance of Leon Gozlan's first play； /La Main
Droite et la Main Gauche/ （The Right Hand and the Left）。
〃What are you thinking about？〃 asked the lawyer； alarmed at his idol's
dejection。
This deep and persistent melancholy； though disguised by the Countess；
was a perilous malady for which Monsieur de Clagny knew no remedy； for
true love is often clumsy； especially when it is not reciprocated。
True love takes its expression from the character。 Now； this good man
loved after the fashion of Alceste； when Madame de la Baudraye wanted
to be loved after the manner of Philinte。 The meaner side of love can
never get on with the Misanthrope's loyalty。 Thus； Dinah had taken
care never to open her heart to this man。 How could she confess to him
that she sometimes regretted the slough she had left？
She felt a void in this fashionable life； she had no one for whom to
dress； or whom to tell of her successes and triumphs。 Sometimes the
memory of her wretchedness came to her； mingled with memories of
consuming joys。 She would hate Lo
