at the sign of the cat and racket-第10节

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reprisals　from　his　friends。　Still；　nothing　could　seem　a　trifle　to　a
spirit　so　open　as　Theodore's　to　impressions　from　without。　A　coldness
insensibly　crept　over　him；　and　inevitably　spread。　To　attain　conjugal
happiness　we　must　climb　a　hill　whose　summit　is　a　narrow　ridge；　close
to　a　steep　and　slippery　descent：　the　painter's　love　was　falling　down
it。　He　regarded　his　wife　as　incapable　of　appreciating　the　moral
considerations　which　justified　him　in　his　own　eyes　for　his　singular
behavior　to　her；　and　believed　himself　quite　innocent　in　hiding　from
her　thoughts　she　could　not　enter　into；　and　peccadilloes　outside　the
jurisdiction　of　a　/bourgeois/　conscience。　Augustine　wrapped　herself　in
sullen　and　silent　grief。　These　unconfessed　feelings　placed　a　shroud
between　the　husband　and　wife　which　could　not　fail　to　grow　thicker　day
by　day。　Though　her　husband　never　failed　in　consideration　for　her；
Augustine　could　not　help　trembling　as　she　saw　that　he　kept　for　the
outer　world　those　treasures　of　wit　and　grace　that　he　formerly　would
lay　at　her　feet。　She　soon　began　to　find　sinister　meaning　in　the
jocular　speeches　that　are　current　in　the　world　as　to　the　inconstancy
of　men。　She　made　no　complaints；　but　her　demeanor　conveyed　reproach。

Three　years　after　her　marriage　this　pretty　young　woman；　who　dashed
past　in　her　handsome　carriage；　and　lived　in　a　sphere　of　glory　and
riches　to　the　envy　of　heedless　folk　incapable　of　taking　a　just　view　of
the　situations　of　life；　was　a　prey　to　intense　grief。　She　lost　her
color；　she　reflected；　she　made　comparisons；　then　sorrow　unfolded　to
her　the　first　lessons　of　experience。　She　determined　to　restrict
herself　bravely　within　the　round　of　duty；　hoping　that　by　this　generous
conduct　she　might　sooner　or　later　win　back　her　husband's　love。　But　it
was　not　so。　When　Sommervieux；　fired　with　work；　came　in　from　his
studio；　Augustine　did　not　put　away　her　work　so　quickly　but　that　the
painter　might　find　his　wife　mending　the　household　linen；　and　his　own；
with　all　the　care　of　a　good　housewife。　She　supplied　generously　and
without　a　murmur　the　money　needed　for　his　lavishness；　but　in　her
anxiety　to　husband　her　dear　Theodore's　fortune；　she　was　strictly
economical　for　herself　and　in　certain　details　of　domestic　management。
Such　conduct　is　incompatible　with　the　easy…going　habits　of　artists；
who；　at　the　end　of　their　life；　have　enjoyed　it　so　keenly　that　they
never　inquire　into　the　causes　of　their　ruin。

It　is　useless　to　note　every　tint　of　shadow　by　which　the　brilliant　hues
of　their　honeymoon　were　overcast　till　they　were　lost　in　utter
blackness。　One　evening　poor　Augustine；　who　had　for　some　time　heard　her
husband　speak　with　enthusiasm　of　the　Duchesse　de　Carigliano；　received
from　a　friend　certain　malignantly　charitable　warnings　as　to　the　nature
of　the　attachment　which　Sommervieux　had　formed　for　this　celebrated
flirt　of　the　Imperial　Court。　At　one…and…twenty；　in　all　the　splendor　of
youth　and　beauty；　Augustine　saw　herself　deserted　for　a　woman　of
six…and…thirty。　Feeling　herself　so　wretched　in　the　midst　of　a　world　of
festivity　which　to　her　was　a　blank；　the　poor　little　thing　could　no
longer　understand　the　admiration　she　excited；　or　the　envy　of　which　she
was　the　object。　Her　face　assumed　a　different　expression。　Melancholy；
tinged　her　features　with　the　sweetness　of　resignation　and　the　pallor
of　scorned　love。　Ere　long　she　too　was　courted　by　the　most　fascinating
men；　but　she　remained　lonely　and　virtuous。　Some　contemptuous　words
which　escaped　her　husband　filled　her　with　incredible　despair。　A
sinister　flash　showed　her　the　breaches　which；　as　a　result　of　her
sordid　education；　hindered　the　perfect　union　of　her　soul　with
Theodore's；　she　loved　him　well　enough　to　absolve　him　and　condemn
herself。　She　shed　tears　of　blood；　and　perceived；　too　late；　that　there
are　/mesalliances/　of　the　spirit　as　well　as　of　rank　and　habits。　As　she
recalled　the　early　raptures　of　their　union；　she　understood　the　full
extent　of　that　lost　happiness；　and　accepted　the　conclusion　that　so
rich　a　harvest　of　love　was　in　itself　a　whole　life；　which　only　sorrow
could　pay　for。　At　the　same　time；　she　loved　too　truly　to　lose　all　hope。
At　one…and…twenty　she　dared　undertake　to　educate　herself；　and　make　her
imagination；　at　least；　worthy　of　that　she　admired。　〃If　I　am　not　a
poet；〃　thought　she；　〃at　any　rate；　I　will　understand　poetry。〃

Then；　with　all　the　strength　of　will；　all　the　energy　which　every　woman
can　display　when　she　loves；　Madame　de　Sommervieux　tried　to　alter　her
character；　her　manners；　and　her　habits；　but　by　dint　of　devouring　books
and　learning　undauntedly；　she　only　succeeded　in　becoming　less
ignorant。　Lightness　of　wit　and　the　graces　of　conversation　are　a　gift
of　nature；　or　the　fruit　of　education　begun　in　the　cradle。　She　could
appreciate　music　and　enjoy　it；　but　she　could　not　sing　with　taste。　She
understood　literature　and　the　beauties　of　poetry；　but　it　was　too　late
to　cultivate　her　refractory　memory。　She　listened　with　pleasure　to
social　conversation；　but　she　could　contribute　nothing　brilliant。　Her
religious　notions　and　home…grown　prejudices　were　antagonistic　to　the
complete　emancipation　of　her　intelligence。　Finally；　a　foregone
conclusion　against　her　had　stolen　into　Theodore's　mind；　and　this　she
could　not　conquer。　The　artist　would　laugh；　at　those　who　flattered　him
about　his　wife；　and　his　irony　had　some　foundation；　he　so　overawed　the
pathetic　young　creature　that；　in　his　presence；　or　alone　with　him；　she
trembled。　Hampered　by　her　too　eager　desire　to　please；　her　wits　and　her
knowledge　vanished　in　one　absorbing　feeling。　Even　her　fidelity　vexed
the　unfaithful　husband；　who　seemed　to　bid　her　do　wrong　by　stigmatizing
her　virtue　as　insensibility。　Augustine　tried　in　vain　to　abdicate　her
reason；　to　yield　to　her　husband's　caprices　and　whims；　to　devote
herself　to　the　selfishness　of　his　vanity。　Her　sacrifices　bore　no
fruit。　Perhaps　they　had　both　let　the　moment　slip　when　souls　may　meet
in　comprehension。　One　day　the　young　wife's　too　sensitive　heart
received　one　of　those　blows　which　so　strain　the　bonds　of　feeling　that
they　seem　to　be　broken。　She　withdrew　into　solitude。　But　before　long　a
fatal　idea　suggested　to　her　to　seek　counsel　and　comfort　in　the　bosom
of　her　family。

So　one　morning　she　made　her　way　towards　the　grotesque　facade　of　the
humble；　silent　home　where　she　had　spent　her　childhood。　She　sighed　as
she　looked　up　at　the　sash…window；　whence　one　day　she　had　sent　her
first　kiss　to　him　who　now　shed　as　much　sorrow　as　glory　on　her　life。
Nothing　was　changed　in　the　cavern；　where　the　drapery　business　had；
however；　started　on　a　new　life。　Augustine's　sister　filled　her　mother's
old　place　at　the　desk。　The　unhappy　young　woman　met　her　brother…in…law
with　his　pen　behind　his　ear；　he　hardly　listened　to　her；　he　was　so　full
of　business。　The　formidable　symptoms　of　stock…taking　were　visible　all
round　him；　he　begged　her　to　excuse　him。　She　was　received　coldly　enough
by　her　sister；　who　owed　her　a　grudge。　In　fact；　Augustine；　in　her
finery；　and　stepping　out　of　a　handsome　carriage；　had　never　been　to　see
her　but　when　passing　by。　The　wife　of　the　prudent　Lebas；　imagining　that
want　of　money　was　the　prime　cause　of　this　early　call；　tried　to　keep　up
a　tone　of　reserve　which　more　than　once　made　Augustine　smile。　The
painter's　wife　perceived　that；　apart　from　the　cap　and　lappets；　her
mother　had　found　in　Virginie　a　successor　who　could　uphold　the　ancient
honor　of　the　Cat　and　Racket。　At　breakfast　she　observed　certain　changes
in　the　management　of　the　house　which　did　honor　to　Lebas'　good　sense；
the　assistants　did　not　rise　before　dessert；　they　were　allowed　to　talk；
and　the　abundant　meal　spoke　of　ease　without　luxury。　The　fashionable
woman　found　some　tickets　for　a　box　at　the　Francais；　where　she
remembered　having　seen　her　sister　from　time　to　time。　Madame　Lebas　had
a　cashmere　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　of　which　the　value　bore　witness
to　her　husband's　generosity　to　her。　In　short；　the　couple　were　keeping
pace　with　the　times。　During　the　two…thirds　of　the　day　she　spent　there；
Augustine　was　touched　to　the　heart　by　the　equable　happiness；　devoid；
to　be　sure；　of　all　emotion；　but　equally　free　from　storms；　enjoyed　by
this　well…matched　couple。　They　had　accepted　life　as　a　commercial
enterprise；　in　which；　above　all；　they　must　do　credit　to　the　business。
Not　finding　any　great　love　in　her　husband；　Virginie　had　set　to　work　to
create　it。　Having　by　degrees　learned　to　esteem　and　care　for　his　wife；
the　time　that　his　happiness　had　taken　to　germinate　was　to　Joseph　Lebas
a　guarantee　of　its　durability。　Hence；　when　Augustine　plaintively　set
forth　her　painful　position；　she　had　to　face　the　deluge　of　commonplace
morality　which　the　traditions　of　the　Rue　Saint…Denis　furnished　to　her
sister。

〃The　mischief　is　done；　wife；〃　said　Joseph　Lebas；　〃we　must　try　to　give
our　sister　good　advice。〃　Then　the　clever　tradesman　ponderously
analyzed　the　resources　which　law　and　custom　might　offer　Augustine　as　a
means　of　escape　at　this　crisis；　he　ticketed　every　argument；　so　to
speak；　and　arranged　them　in　their　degrees　of　weight　under　various
categories；　as　though　they　were　articles　of　merchandise　of　different
qualities；　then　he　put　them　in　the　scale；　weighed　them；　and　ended　by
showing　the　necessity　for