camille (la dame aux camilias)(卡米勒)-第6节
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asked him to allow me to see the list of the things sold and of the buyers'
names。 I saw that this volume had been bought by you； and I decided to
ask you to give it up to me； though the price you had set upon it made me
fear that you might yourself have some souvenir in connection with the
possession of the book。〃
As he spoke； it was evident that he was afraid I had known Marguerite
as he had known her。 I hastened to reassure him。
〃I knew Mlle。 Gautier only by sight；〃 I said； 〃her death made on me
the impression that the death of a pretty woman must always make on a
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young man who had liked seeing her。 I wished to buy something at her
sale； and I bid higher and higher for this book out of mere obstinacy and to
annoy some one else； who was equally keen to obtain it； and who seemed
to defy me to the contest。 I repeat； then； that the book is yours； and once
more I beg you to accept it； do not treat me as if I were an auctioneer； and
let it be the pledge between us of a longer and more intimate
acquaintance。〃
〃Good；〃 said Armand； holding out his hand and pressing mine； 〃I
accept； and I shall be grateful to you all my life。〃
I was very anxious to question Armand on the subject of Marguerite；
for the inscription in the book； the young man's hurried journey； his desire
to possess the volume； piqued my curiosity； but I feared if I questioned my
visitor that I might seem to have refused his money only in order to have
the right to pry into his affairs。
It was as if he guessed my desire； for he said to me：
〃Have you read the volume？〃
〃All through。〃
〃What did you think of the two lines that I wrote in it？〃
〃I realized at once that the woman to whom you had given the volume
must have been quite outside the ordinary category； for I could not take
those two lines as a mere empty compliment。〃
〃You were right。 That woman was an angel。 See； read this letter。〃 And
he handed to me a paper which seemed to have been many times reread。
I opened it； and this is what it contained：
〃MY DEAR ARMAND：I have received your letter。 You are still
good； and I thank God for it。 Yes； my friend； I am ill； and with one of
those diseases that never relent； but the interest you still take in me makes
my suffering less。 I shall not live long enough； I expect； to have the
happiness of pressing the hand which has written the kind letter I have just
received； the words of it would be enough to cure me； if anything could
cure me。 I shall not see you； for I am quite near death； and you are
hundreds of leagues away。 My poor friend！ your Marguerite of old times is
sadly changed。 It is better perhaps for you not to see her again than to see
her as she is。 You ask if I forgive you； oh； with all my heart； friend； for the
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way you hurt me was only a way of proving the love you had for me。 I
have been in bed for a month； and I think so much of your esteem that I
write every day the journal of my life； from the moment we left each other
to the moment when I shall be able to write no longer。 If the interest you
take in me is real； Armand； when you come back go and see Julie Duprat。
She will give you my journal。 You will find in it the reason and the excuse
for what has passed between us。 Julie is very good to me； we often talk of
you together。 She was there when your letter came； and we both cried over
it。
〃If you had not sent me any word； I had told her to give you those
papers when you returned to France。 Do not thank me for it。 This daily
looking back on the only happy moments of my life does me an immense
amount of good； and if you will find in reading it some excuse for the past。
I； for my part； find a continual solace in it。 I should like to leave you
something which would always remind you of me； but everything here has
been seized； and I have nothing of my own。
〃Do you understand； my friend？ I am dying； and from my bed I can
hear a man walking to and fro in the drawing…room； my creditors have put
him there to see that nothing is taken away； and that nothing remains to me
in case I do not die。 I hope they will wait till the end before they begin to
sell。
〃Oh； men have no pity！ or rather； I am wrong； it is God who is just and
inflexible！
〃And now； dear love； you will come to my sale； and you will buy
something； for if I put aside the least thing for you； they might accuse you
of embezzling seized goods。
〃It is a sad life that I am leaving！
〃It would be good of God to let me see you again before I die。
According to all probability； good…bye； my friend。 Pardon me if I do not
write a longer letter； but those who say they are going to cure me wear me
out with bloodletting； and my hand refuses to write any more。
〃MARGUERITE GAUTIER。〃
The last two words were scarcely legible。 I returned the letter to
Armand； who had； no doubt； read it over again in his mind while I was
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reading it on paper； for he said to me as he took it：
〃Who would think that a kept woman could have written that？〃 And；
overcome by recollections； he gazed for some time at the writing of the
letter； which he finally carried to his lips。
〃And when I think；〃 he went on； 〃that she died before I could see her；
and that I shall never see her again； when I think that she did for me what
no sister would ever have done； I can not forgive myself for having left her
to die like that。 Dead！ Dead and thinking of me； writing and repeating my
name； poor dear Marguerite！〃
And Armand； giving free outlet to his thoughts and his tears； held out
his hand to me； and continued：
〃People would think it childish enough if they saw me lament like this
over a dead woman such as she； no one will ever know what I made that
woman suffer； how cruel I have been to her！ how good； how resigned she
was！ I thought it was I who had to forgive her； and to…day I feel unworthy
of the forgiveness which she grants me。 Oh； I would give ten years of my
life to weep at her feet for an hour！〃
It is always difficult to console a sorrow that is unknown to one； and
nevertheless I felt so lively a sympathy for the young man； he made me so
frankly the confidant of his distress； that I believed a word from me would
not be indifferent to him； and I said：
〃Have you no parents； no friends？ Hope。 Go and see them； they will
console you。 As for me； I can only pity you。〃
〃It is true；〃 he said； rising and walking to and fro in the room； 〃I am
wearying you。 Pardon me； I did not reflect how little my sorrow must
mean to you； and that I am intruding upon you something which can not
and ought not to interest you at all。〃
〃You mistake my meaning。 I am entirely at your service； only I regret
my inability to calm your distress。 If my society and that of my friends can
give you any distraction； if； in short； you have need of me； no matter in
what way； I hope you will realize how much pleasure it will give me to do
anything for you。〃
〃Pardon； pardon；〃 said he； 〃sorrow sharpens the sensations。 Let me
stay here for a few minutes longer； long enough to dry my eyes； so that the
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idlers in the street may not look upon it as a curiosity to see a big fellow
like me crying。 You have made me very happy by giving me this book。 I
do not know how I can ever express my gratitude to you。〃
〃By giving me a little of your friendship；〃 said I； 〃and by telling me
the cause of your suffering。 One feels better while telling what one
suffers。〃
〃You are right。 But to…day I have too much need of tears； I can not
very well talk。 One day I will tell you the whole story； and you will see if I
have reason for regretting the poor girl。 And now；〃 he added； rubbing his
eyes for the last time； and looking at himself in the glass； 〃say that you do
not think me too absolutely idiotic； and allow me to come back an
