the ball at sceaux-第9节
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〃Nor is it the first time you have looked for him；〃 replied the
admiral with a laugh。
Emilie colored。 Her uncle amused himself for some time with her
embarrassment； then he said： 〃Emilie； you know that I love you as my
own child； precisely because you are the only member of the family who
has the legitimate pride of high birth。 Devil take it； child； who
could have believed that sound principles would become so rare？ Well；
I will be your confidant。 My dear child； I see that his young
gentleman is not indifferent to you。 Hush！ All the family would laugh
at us if we sailed under the wrong flag。 You know what that means。 We
two will keep our secret； and I promise to bring him straight into the
drawing…room。〃
〃When； uncle？〃
〃To…morrow。〃
〃But； my dear uncle； I am not committed to anything？〃
〃Nothing whatever； and you may bombard him； set fire to him； and leave
him to founder like an old hulk if you choose。 He won't be the first；
I fancy？〃
〃You ARE kind； uncle！〃
As soon as the Count got home he put on his glasses； quietly took the
card out of his pocket； and read； 〃Maximilien Longueville； Rue de
Sentier。〃
〃Make yourself happy； my dear niece；〃 he said to Emilie； 〃you may hook
him with any easy conscience； he belongs to one of our historical
families； and if he is not a peer of France； he infallibly will be。〃
〃How do you know so much？〃
〃That is my secret。〃
〃Then do you know his name？〃
The old man bowed his gray head； which was not unlike a gnarled oak…
stump； with a few leaves fluttering about it； withered by autumnal
frosts； and his niece immediately began to try the ever…new power of
her coquettish arts。 Long familiar with the secret of cajoling the old
man； she lavished on him the most childlike caresses； the tenderest
names； she even went so far as to kiss him to induce him to divulge so
important a secret。 The old man； who spent his life in playing off
these scenes on his niece； often paying for them with a present of
jewelry； or by giving her his box at the opera； this time amused
himself with her entreaties； and； above all； her caresses。 But as he
spun out this pleasure too long； Emilie grew angry； passed from
coaxing to sarcasm and sulks； then； urged by curiosity； she recovered
herself。 The diplomatic admiral extracted a solemn promise from his
niece that she would for the future be gentler； less noisy； and less
wilful； that she would spend less； and； above all； tell him
everything。 The treaty being concluded； and signed by a kiss impressed
on Emilie's white brow； he led her into a corner of the room； drew her
on to his knee； held the card under the thumbs so as to hide it； and
then uncovered the letters one by one； spelling the name of
Longueville； but he firmly refused to show her anything more。
This incident added to the intensity of Mademoiselle de Fontaine's
secret sentiment； and during chief part of the night she evolved the
most brilliant pictures from the dreams with which she had fed her
hopes。 At last； thanks to chance； to which she had so often appealed；
Emilie could now see something very unlike a chimera at the fountain…
head of the imaginary wealth with which she gilded her married life。
Ignorant； as all young girls are； of the perils of love and marriage；
she was passionately captivated by the externals of marriage and love。
Is not this as much as to say that her feeling had birth like all the
feelings of extreme youthsweet but cruel mistakes； which exert a
fatal influence on the lives of young girls so inexperienced as to
trust their own judgment to take care of their future happiness？
Next morning； before Emilie was awake； her uncle had hastened to
Chevreuse。 On recognizing； in the courtyard of an elegant little
villa； the young man he had so determinedly insulted the day before；
he went up to him with the pressing politeness of men of the old
court。
〃Why； my dear sir； who could have guessed that I should have a brush；
at the age of seventy…three； with the son； or the grandson； of one of
my best friends。 I am a vice…admiral； monsieur； is not that as much as
to say that I think no more of fighting a duel than of smoking a
cigar？ Why； in my time； no two young men could be intimate till they
had seen the color of their blood！ But 'sdeath； sir； last evening；
sailor…like； I had taken a drop too much grog on board； and I ran you
down。 Shake hands； I would rather take a hundred rebuffs from a
Longueville than cause his family the smallest regret。〃
However coldly the young man tried to behave to the Comte de
Kergarouet； he could not resist the frank cordiality of his manner；
and presently gave him his hand。
〃You were going out riding；〃 said the Count。 〃Do not let me detain
you。 But； unless you have other plans； I beg you will come to dinner
to…day at the Villa Planat。 My nephew； the Comte de Fontaine； is a man
it is essential that you should know。 Ah； ha！ And I propose to make up
to you for my clumsiness by introducing you to five of the prettiest
women in Paris。 So； so； young man； your brow is clearing！ I am fond of
young people； and I like to see them happy。 Their happiness reminds me
of the good times of my youth； when adventures were not lacking； any
more than duels。 We were gay dogs then！ Nowadays you think and worry
over everything； as though there had never been a fifteenth and a
sixteenth century。〃
〃But； monsieur； are we not in the right？ The sixteenth century only
gave religious liberty to Europe； and the nineteenth will give it
political lib〃
〃Oh； we will not talk politics。 I am a perfect old womanultra you
see。 But I do not hinder young men from being revolutionary； so long
as they leave the King at liberty to disperse their assemblies。〃
When they had gone a little way； and the Count and his companion were
in the heart of the woods； the old sailor pointed out a slender young
birch sapling； pulled up his horse； took out one of his pistols； and
the bullet was lodged in the heart of the tree； fifteen paces away。
〃You see； my dear fellow； that I am not afraid of a duel；〃 he said
with comical gravity； as he looked at Monsieur Longueville。
〃Nor am I；〃 replied the young man； promptly cocking his pistol； he
aimed at the hole made by the Comte's bullet； and sent his own close
to it。
〃That is what I call a well…educated man；〃 cried the admiral with
enthusiasm。
During this ride with the youth； whom he already regarded as his
nephew； he found endless opportunities of catechizing him on all the
trifles of which a perfect knowledge constituted； according to his
private code； an accomplished gentleman。
〃Have you any debts？〃 he at last asked of his companion； after many
other inquiries。
〃No； monsieur。〃
〃What； you pay for all you have？〃
〃Punctually； otherwise we should lose our credit； and every sort of
respect。〃
〃But at least you have more than one mistress？ Ah； you blush； comrade！
Well； manners have changed。 All these notions of lawful order；
Kantism； and liberty have spoilt the young men。 You have no Guimard
now； no Duthe； no creditorsand you know nothing of heraldry； why； my
dear young friend； you are not fully fledged。 The man who does not sow
his wild oats in the spring sows them in the winter。 If I have but
eighty thousand francs a year at the age of seventy； it is because I
ran through the capital at thirty。 Oh！ with my wifein decency and
honor。 However； your imperfections will not interfere with my
introducing you at the Pavillon Planat。 Remember； you have promised to
come； and I shall expect you。〃
〃What an odd little old man！〃 said Longueville to himself。 〃He is so
jolly and hale； but though he wishes to seem a good fellow； I will not
trust him too far。〃
Next day； at about four o'clock； when the house party were dispersed
in the drawing…rooms and billiard…room； a servant announced to the
inhabitants of the Villa Planat； 〃Monsieur DE Longueville。〃 On hearing
the name of the old admiral's protege； every one； down to the player
who was about to miss his stroke； rushed in； as much to study
Mademoiselle de Fontaine's countenance as to judge of this phoenix of
men； who had earned honorable mention to the detriment of so many
rivals。 A simple but elegant style of dress； an air of perfect ease；
polite manners； a pleasant voice with a ring in it which found a
response in the hearer's heart…strings； won the good…will of the
family for Monsieur Longueville。 He did not seem unaccustomed to the
luxury of the Receiver…General's ostentatious mansion。 Though his
conversation was that of a man of the world； it was easy to discern
that he had had a brilliant education； and that his knowledge was as
thorough as it was extensive。 He knew so well the right thing to say
in a discussion on naval architecture； trivial； it is true； started by
the old admiral； that one of the ladies remarked that h
