ferragus-第6节

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for　her　fortune；　that　was　small　indeed。　Jules　Desmarets　was　a　happy
man　on　hearing　these　particulars。　If　Clemence　had　belonged　to　an
opulent　family；　he　might　have　despaired　of　obtaining　her；　but　she　was
only　the　poor　child　of　love；　the　fruit　of　some　terrible　adulterous
passion；　and　they　were　married。　Then　began　for　Jules　Desmarets　a
series　of　fortunate　events。　Every　one　envied　his　happiness；　and
henceforth　talked　only　of　his　luck；　without　recalling　either　his
virtues　or　his　courage。

Some　days　after　their　marriage；　the　mother　of　Clemence；　who　passed　in
society　for　her　godmother；　told　Jules　Desmarets　to　buy　the　office　and
good…will　of　a　broker；　promising　to　provide　him　with　the　necessary
capital。　In　those　days；　such　offices　could　still　be　bought　at　a　modest
price。　That　evening；　in　the　salon　as　it　happened　of　his　patron；　a
wealthy　capitalist　proposed；　on　the　recommendation　of　the　mother；　a
very　advantageous　transaction　for　Jules　Desmarets；　and　the　next　day
the　happy　clerk　was　able　to　buy　out　his　patron。　In　four　years
Desmarets　became　one　of　the　most　prosperous　men　in　his　business；　new
clients　increased　the　number　his　predecessor　had　left　to　him；　he
inspired　confidence　in　all；　and　it　was　impossible　for　him　not　to　feel；
by　the　way　business　came　to　him；　that　some　hidden　influence；　due　to
his　mother…in…law；　or　to　Providence；　was　secretly　protecting　him。

At　the　end　of　the　third　year　Clemence　lost　her　godmother。　By　that　time
Monsieur　Jules　（so　called　to　distinguish　him　from　an　elder　brother；
whom　he　had　set　up　as　a　notary　in　Paris）　possessed　an　income　from
invested　property　of　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　There　was　not　in　all
Paris　another　instance　of　the　domestic　happiness　enjoyed　by　this
couple。　For　five　years　their　exceptional　love　had　been　troubled　by
only　one　event；a　calumny　for　which　Monsieur　Jules　exacted　vengeance。
One　of　his　former　comrades　attributed　to　Madame　Jules　the　fortune　of
her　husband；　explaining　that　it　came　from　a　high　protection　dearly
paid　for。　The　man　who　uttered　the　calumny　was　killed　in　the　duel　that
followed　it。

The　profound　passion　of　this　couple；　which　survived　marriage；　obtained
a　great　success　in　society；　though　some　women　were　annoyed　by　it。　The
charming　household　was　respected；　everybody　feted　it。　Monsieur　and
Madame　Jules　were　sincerely　liked；　perhaps　because　there　is　nothing
more　delightful　to　see　than　happy　people；　but　they　never　stayed　long
at　any　festivity。　They　slipped　away　early；　as　impatient　to　regain
their　nest　as　wandering　pigeons。　This　nest　was　a　large　and　beautiful
mansion　in　the　rue　de　Menars；　where　a　true　feeling　for　art　tempered
the　luxury　which　the　financial　world　continues；　traditionally；　to
display。　Here　the　happy　pair　received　their　society　magnificently；
although　the　obligations　of　social　life　suited　them　but　little。

Nevertheless；　Jules　submitted　to　the　demands　of　the　world；　knowing
that；　sooner　or　later；　a　family　has　need　of　it；　but　he　and　his　wife
felt　themselves；　in　its　midst；　like　green…house　plants　in　a　tempest。
With　a　delicacy　that　was　very　natural；　Jules　had　concealed　from　his
wife　the　calumny　and　the　death　of　the　calumniator。　Madame　Jules；
herself；　was　inclined；　through　her　sensitive　and　artistic　nature；　to
desire　luxury。　In　spite　of　the　terrible　lesson　of　the　duel；　some
imprudent　women　whispered　to　each　other　that　Madame　Jules　must
sometimes　be　pressed　for　money。　They　often　found　her　more　elegantly
dressed　in　her　own　home　than　when　she　went　into　society。　She　loved　to
adorn　herself　to　please　her　husband；　wishing　to　show　him　that　to　her
he　was　more　than　any　social　life。　A　true　love；　a　pure　love；　above　all；
a　happy　love！　Jules；　always　a　lover；　and　more　in　love　as　time　went　by；
was　happy　in　all　things　beside　his　wife；　even　in　her　caprices；　in
fact；　he　would　have　been　uneasy　if　she　had　none；　thinking　it　a　symptom
of　some　illness。

Auguste　de　Maulincour　had　the　personal　misfortune　of　running　against
this　passion；　and　falling　in　love　with　the　wife　beyond　recovery。
Nevertheless；　though　he　carried　in　his　heart　so　intense　a　love；　he　was
not　ridiculous；　he　complied　with　all　the　demands　of　society；　and　of
military　manners　and　customs。　And　yet　his　face　wore　constantly；　even
though　he　might　be　drinking　a　glass　of　champagne；　that　dreamy　look；
that　air　of　silently　despising　life；　that　nebulous　expression　which
belongs；　though　for　other　reasons；　to　/blases/　men；men　dissatisfied
with　hollow　lives。　To　love　without　hope；　to　be　disgusted　with　life；
constitute；　in　these　days；　a　social　position。　The　enterprise　of
winning　the　heart　of　a　sovereign　might　give；　perhaps；　more　hope　than　a
love　rashly　conceived　for　a　happy　woman。　Therefore　Maulincour　had
sufficient　reason　to　be　grave　and　gloomy。　A　queen　has　the　vanity　of
her　power；　the　height　of　her　elevation　protects　her。　But　a　pious
/bourgeoise/　is　like　a　hedgehog；　or　an　oyster；　in　its　rough　wrappings。

At　this　moment　the　young　officer　was　beside　his　unconscious　mistress；
who　certainly　was　unaware　that　she　was　doubly　faithless。　Madame　Jules
was　seated；　in　a　naive　attitude；　like　the　least　artful　woman　in
existence；　soft　and　gentle；　full　of　a　majestic　serenity。　What　an　abyss
is　human　nature！　Before　beginning　a　conversation；　the　baron　looked
alternately　at　the　wife　and　at　the　husband。　How　many　were　the
reflections　he　made！　He　recomposed　the　〃Night　Thoughts〃　of　Young　in　a
second。　And　yet　the　music　was　sounding　through　the　salons；　the　light
was　pouring　from　a　thousand　candles。　It　was　a　banker's　ball；one　of
those　insolent　festivals　by　means　of　which　the　world　of　solid　gold
endeavored　to　sneer　at　the　gold…embossed　salons　where　the　faubourg
Saint…Germain　met　and　laughed；　not　foreseeing　the　day　when　the　bank
would　invade　the　Luxembourg　and　take　its　seat　upon　the　throne。　The
conspirators　were　now　dancing；　indifferent　to　coming　bankruptcies；
whether　of　Power　or　of　the　Bank。　The　gilded　salons　of　the　Baron　de
Nucingen　were　gay　with　that　peculiar　animation　that　the　world　of
Paris；　apparently　joyous　at　any　rate；　gives　to　its　fetes。　There；　men
of　talent　communicate　their　wit　to　fools；　and　fools　communicate　that
air　of　enjoyment　that　characterizes　them。　By　means　of　this　exchange
all　is　liveliness。　But　a　ball　in　Paris　always　resembles　fireworks　to　a
certain　extent；　wit；　coquetry；　and　pleasure　sparkle　and　go　out　like
rockets。　The　next　day　all　present　have　forgotten　their　wit；　their
coquetry；　their　pleasure。

〃Ah！〃　thought　Auguste；　by　way　of　conclusion；　〃women　are　what　the
vidame　says　they　are。　Certainly　all　those　dancing　here　are　less
irreproachable　actually　than　Madame　Jules　appears　to　be；　and　yet
Madame　Jules　went　to　the　rue　Soly！〃

The　rue　Soly　was　like　an　illness　to　him；　the　very　word　shrivelled　his
heart。

〃Madame；　do　you　ever　dance？〃　he　said　to　her。

〃This　is　the　third　time　you　have　asked　me　that　question　this　winter；〃
she　answered；　smiling。

〃But　perhaps　you　have　never　answered　it。〃

〃That　is　true。〃

〃I　knew　very　well　that　you　were　false；　like　other　women。〃

Madame　Jules　continued　to　smile。

〃Listen；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　told　you　the　real　reason；　you
would　think　it　ridiculous。　I　do　not　think　it　false　to　abstain　from
telling　things　that　the　world　would　laugh　at。〃

〃All　secrets　demand；　in　order　to　be　told；　a　friendship　of　which　I　am
no　doubt　unworthy；　madame。　But　you　cannot　have　any　but　noble　secrets；
do　you　think　me　capable　of　jesting　on　noble　things？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃you；　like　all　the　rest；　laugh　at　our　purest
sentiments；　you　calumniate　them。　Besides；　I　have　no　secrets。　I　have
the　right　to　love　my　husband　in　the　face　of　all　the　world；　and　I　say
so；I　am　proud　of　it；　and　if　you　laugh　at　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I
dance　only　with　him；　I　shall　have　a　bad　opinion　of　your　heart。〃

〃Have　you　never　danced　since　your　marriage　with　any　one　but　your
husband？〃

〃Never。　His　arm　is　the　only　one　on　which　I　have　leaned；　I　have　never
felt　the　touch　of　another　man。〃

〃Has　your　physician　never　felt　your　pulse？〃

〃Now　you　are　laughing　at　me。〃

〃No；　madame；　I　admire　you；　because　I　comprehend　you。　But　you　let　a　man
hear　your　voice；　you　let　yourself　be　seen；　youin　short；　you　permit
our　eyes　to　admire　you〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃that　is　one　of　my　griefs。　Yes；　I
wish　it　were　possible　for　a　married　woman　to　live　secluded　with　her
husband；　as　a　mistress　lives　with　her　lover；　for　then〃

〃Then　why　were　you；　two　hours　ago；　on　foot；　disguised；　in　the　rue
Soly？〃

〃The　rue　Soly；　where　is　that？〃

And　her　pure　voice　gave　no　sign　of　any　emotion；　no　feature　of　her　face
quivered；　she　did　not　blush；　she　remained　calm。

〃What！　you　did　not　go　up　to　the　second　floor　of　a　house　in　the　rue　des
Vieux…Augustins　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　Soly？　You　did　not　have　a
hackney…coach　waiting　near　by？　You　did　not　return　in　it　to　the　flower…
shop　in　the　rue　Richelieu；　where　you　bought　the　feathers　that　are　now
in　your　hair？〃

〃I　did　not　leave　my　house　this　evening。〃

As　she　uttered　that　lie　she　was　smiling　and　imperturbable；　she　played
with　her　fan；　but　if　any　one　had　passed　a　hand　down　her　back　they
would；　perhaps；　have　found　it　moist。　At　that　instant　Auguste
remembered　the　instructions　of　the　vidame。

〃Then　it　was　some　one　who　stran