the ball at sceaux-第7节

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has　ordained　that　every　woman　who　has　any　self…respect　must　leave

Paris　in　the　summer。　The　green　seclusion　of　Sceaux　answered　to

perfection　the　requirements　of　good　style　and　of　the　duties　of　an

official　position。



As　it　is　extremely　doubtful　that　the　fame　of　the　〃Bal　de　Sceaux〃

should　ever　have　extended　beyond　the　borders　of　the　Department　of　the

Seine；　it　will　be　necessary　to　give　some　account　of　this　weekly

festivity；　which　at　that　time　was　important　enough　to　threaten　to

become　an　institution。　The　environs　of　the　little　town　of　Sceaux　enjoy

a　reputation　due　to　the　scenery；　which　is　considered　enchanting。

Perhaps　it　is　quite　ordinary；　and　owes　its　fame　only　to　the　stupidity

of　the　Paris　townsfolk；　who；　emerging　from　the　stony　abyss　in　which

they　are　buried；　would　find　something　to　admire　in　the　flats　of　La

Beauce。　However；　as　the　poetic　shades　of　Aulnay；　the　hillsides　of

Antony；　and　the　valley　of　the　Bieve　are　peopled　with　artists　who　have

traveled　far；　by　foreigners　who　are　very　hard　to　please；　and　by　a

great　many　pretty　women　not　devoid　of　taste；　it　is　to　be　supposed　that

the　Parisians　are　right。　But　Sceaux　possesses　another　attraction　not

less　powerful　to　the　Parisian。　In　the　midst　of　a　garden　whence　there

are　delightful　views；　stands　a　large　rotunda　open　on　all　sides；　with　a

light；　spreading　roof　supported　on　elegant　pillars。　This　rural

baldachino　shelters　a　dancing…floor。　The　most　stuck…up　landowners　of

the　neighborhood　rarely　fail　to　make　an　excursion　thither　once　or

twice　during　the　season；　arriving　at　this　rustic　palace　of　Terpsichore

either　in　dashing　parties　on　horseback；　or　in　the　light　and　elegant

carriages　which　powder　the　philosophical　pedestrian　with　dust。　The

hope　of　meeting　some　women　of　fashion；　and　of　being　seen　by　themand

the　hope；　less　often　disappointed；　of　seeing　young　peasant　girls；　as

wily　as　judgescrowds　the　ballroom　at　Sceaux　with　numerous　swarms　of

lawyers'　clerks；　of　the　disciples　of　Aesculapius；　and　other　youths

whose　complexions　are　kept　pale　and　moist　by　the　damp　atmosphere　of

Paris　back…shops。　And　a　good　many　bourgeois　marriages　have　had　their

beginning　to　the　sound　of　the　band　occupying　the　centre　of　this

circular　ballroom。　If　that　roof　could　speak；　what　love…stories　could

it　not　tell！



This　interesting　medley　gave　the　Sceaux　balls　at　that　time　a　spice　of

more　amusement　than　those　of　two　or　three　places　of　the　same　kind　near

Paris；　and　it　had　incontestable　advantages　in　its　rotunda；　and　the

beauty　of　its　situation　and　its　gardens。　Emilie　was　the　first　to

express　a　wish　to　play　at　being　COMMON　FOLK　at　this　gleeful　suburban

entertainment；　and　promised　herself　immense　pleasure　in　mingling　with

the　crowd。　Everybody　wondered　at　her　desire　to　wander　through　such　a

mob；　but　is　there　not　a　keen　pleasure　to　grand　people　in　an　incognito？

Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　amused　herself　with　imagining　all　these　town…

bred　figures；　she　fancied　herself　leaving　the　memory　of　a　bewitching

glance　and　smile　stamped　on　more　than　one　shopkeeper's　heart；　laughed

beforehand　at　the　damsels'　airs；　and　sharpened　her　pencils　for　the

scenes　she　proposed　to　sketch　in　her　satirical　album。　Sunday　could　not

come　soon　enough　to　satisfy　her　impatience。



The　party　from　the　Villa　Planat　set　out　on　foot；　so　as　not　to　betray

the　rank　of　the　personages　who　were　about　to　honor　the　ball　with　their

presence。　They　dined　early。　And　the　month　of　May　humored　this

aristocratic　escapade　by　one　of　its　finest　evenings。　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine　was　quite　surprised　to　find　in　the　rotunda　some　quadrilles

made　up　of　persons　who　seemed　to　belong　to　the　upper　classes。　Here　and

there；　indeed；　were　some　young　men　who　look　as　though　they　must　have

saved　for　a　month　to　shine　for　a　day；　and　she　perceived　several

couples　whose　too　hearty　glee　suggested　nothing　conjugal；　still；　she

could　only　glean　instead　of　gathering　a　harvest。　She　was　amused　to　see

that　pleasure　in　a　cotton　dress　was　so　very　like　pleasure　robed　in

satin；　and　that　the　girls　of　the　middle　class　danced　quite　as　well　as

ladiesnay；　sometimes　better。　Most　of　the　women　were　simply　and

suitably　dressed。　Those　who　in　this　assembly　represented　the　ruling

power；　that　is　to　say；　the　country…folk；　kept　apart　with　wonderful

politeness。　In　fact；　Mademoiselle　Emilie　had　to　study　the　various

elements　that　composed　the　mixture　before　she　could　find　any　subject

for　pleasantry。　But　she　had　not　time　to　give　herself　up　to　malicious

criticism；　or　opportunity　for　hearing　many　of　the　startling　speeches

which　caricaturists　so　gladly　pick　up。　The　haughty　young　lady　suddenly

found　a　flower　in　this　wide　fieldthe　metaphor　is　reasonablewhose

splendor　and　coloring　worked　on　her　imagination　with　all　the

fascination　of　novelty。　It　often　happens　that　we　look　at　a　dress；　a

hanging；　a　blank　sheet　of　paper；　with　so　little　heed　that　we　do　not　at

first　detect　a　stain　or　a　bright　spot　which　afterwards　strikes　the　eye

as　though　it　had　come　there　at　the　very　instant　when　we　see　it；　and　by

a　sort　of　moral　phenomenon　somewhat　resembling　this；　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine　discovered　in　a　young　man　the　external　perfection　of　which

she　had　so　long　dreamed。



Seated　on　one　of　the　clumsy　chairs　which　marked　the　boundary　line　of

the　circular　floor；　she　had　placed　herself　at　the　end　of　the　row

formed　by　the　family　party；　so　as　to　be　able　to　stand　up　or　push

forward　as　her　fancy　moved　her；　treating　the　living　pictures　and

groups　in　the　hall　as　if　she　were　in　a　picture　gallery；　impertinently

turning　her　eye…glass　on　persons　not　two　yards　away；　and　making　her

remarks　as　though　she　were　criticising　or　praising　a　study　of　a　head；

a　painting　of　genre。　Her　eyes；　after　wandering　over　the　vast　moving

picture；　were　suddenly　caught　by　this　figure；　which　seemed　to　have

been　placed　on　purpose　in　one　corner　of　the　canvas；　and　in　the　best

light；　like　a　person　out　of　all　proportion　with　the　rest。



The　stranger；　alone　and　absorbed　in　thought；　leaned　lightly　against

one　of　the　columns　that　supported　the　roof；　his　arms　were　folded；　and

he　leaned　slightly　on　one　side　as　though　he　had　placed　himself　there

to　have　his　portrait　taken　by　a　painter。　His　attitude；　though　full　of

elegance　and　dignity；　was　devoid　of　affectation。　Nothing　suggested

that　he　had　half　turned　his　head；　and　bent　it　a　little　to　the　right

like　Alexander；　or　Lord　Byron；　and　some　other　great　men；　for　the　sole

purpose　of　attracting　attention。　His　fixed　gaze　followed　a　girl　who

was　dancing；　and　betrayed　some　strong　feeling。　His　slender；　easy　frame

recalled　the　noble　proportions　of　the　Apollo。　Fine　black　hair　curled

naturally　over　a　high　forehead。　At　a　glance　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine

observed　that　his　linen　was　fine；　his　gloves　fresh；　and　evidently

bought　of　a　good　maker；　and　his　feet　were　small　and　well　shod　in　boots

of　Irish　kid。　He　had　none　of　the　vulgar　trinkets　displayed　by　the

dandies　of　the　National　Guard　or　the　Lovelaces　of　the　counting…house。

A　black　ribbon；　to　which　an　eye…glass　was　attached；　hung　over　a

waistcoat　of　the　most　fashionable　cut。　Never　had　the　fastidious　Emilie

seen　a　man's　eyes　shaded　by　such　long；　curled　lashes。　Melancholy　and

passion　were　expressed　in　this　face；　and　the　complexion　was　of　a　manly

olive　hue。　His　mouth　seemed　ready　to　smile；　unbending　the　corners　of

eloquent　lips；　but　this；　far　from　hinting　at　gaiety；　revealed　on　the

contrary　a　sort　of　pathetic　grace。　There　was　too　much　promise　in　that

head；　too　much　distinction　in　his　whole　person；　to　allow　of　one's

saying；　〃What　a　handsome　man！〃　or　〃What　a　fine　man！〃　One　wanted　to

know　him。　The　most　clear…sighted　observer；　on　seeing　this　stranger；

could　not　have　helped　taking　him　for　a　clever　man　attracted　to　this

rural　festivity　by　some　powerful　motive。



All　these　observations　cost　Emilie　only　a　minute's　attention；　during

which　the　privileged　gentleman　under　her　severe　scrutiny　became　the

object　of　her　secret　admiration。　She　did　not　say　to　herself；　〃He　must

be　a　peer　of　France！〃　but　〃Oh；　if　only　he　is　noble；　and　he　surely　must

be〃　Without　finishing　her　thought；　she　suddenly　rose；　and　followed

by　her　brother　the　General；　she　made　her　way　towards　the　column；

affecting　to　watch　the　merry　quadrille；　but　by　a　stratagem　of　the　eye；

familiar　to　women；　she　lost　not　a　gesture　of　the　young　man　as　she　went

towards　him。　The　stranger　politely　moved　to　make　way　for　the

newcomers；　and　went　to　lean　against　another　pillar。　Emilie；　as　much

nettled　by　his　politeness　as　she　might　have　been　by　an　impertinence；

began　talking　to　her　brother　in　a　louder　voice　than　good　taste

enjoined；　she　turned　and　tossed　her　head；　gesticulated　eagerly；　and

laughed　for　no　particular　reason；　less　to　amuse　her　brother　than　to

attract　the　attention　of　the　imperturbable　stranger。　None　of　her

little　arts　succeeded。　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　then　followed　the

direction　in　which　his　eyes　were　fixed；　and　discovered　the　cause　of

his　indifference。



In　the　midst　of　the　quad