at the sign of the cat and racket-第5节

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fond；　and　explained　its　purpose。　Madame　Roguin's　gossip　naturally
inspired　Augustine　with　a　wish　to　see　the　pictures；　and　with　courage
enough　to　ask　her　cousin　secretly　to　take　her　to　the　Louvre。　Her
cousin　succeeded　in　the　negotiations　she　opened　with　Madame　Guillaume
for　permission　to　release　the　young　girl　for　two　hours　from　her　dull
labors。　Augustine　was　thus　able　to　make　her　way　through　the　crowd　to
see　the　crowned　work。　A　fit　of　trembling　shook　her　like　an　aspen　leaf
as　she　recognized　herself。　She　was　terrified；　and　looked　about　her　to
find　Madame　Roguin；　from　whom　she　had　been　separated　by　a　tide　of
people。　At　that　moment　her　frightened　eyes　fell　on　the　impassioned
face　of　the　young　painter。　She　at　once　recalled　the　figure　of　a
loiterer　whom；　being　curious；　she　had　frequently　observed；　believing
him　to　be　a　new　neighbor。

〃You　see　how　love　has　inspired　me；〃　said　the　artist　in　the　timid
creature's　ear；　and　she　stood　in　dismay　at　the　words。

She　found　supernatural　courage　to　enable　her　to　push　through　the　crowd
and　join　her　cousin；　who　was　still　struggling　with　the　mass　of　people
that　hindered　her　from　getting　to　the　picture。

〃You　will　be　stifled！〃　cried　Augustine。　〃Let　us　go。〃

But　there　are　moments；　at　the　Salon；　when　two　women　are　not　always
free　to　direct　their　steps　through　the　galleries。　By　the　irregular
course　to　which　they　were　compelled　by　the　press；　Mademoiselle
Guillaume　and　her　cousin　were　pushed　to　within　a　few　steps　of　the
second　picture。　Chance　thus　brought　them；　both　together；　to　where　they
could　easily　see　the　canvas　made　famous　by　fashion；　for　once　in
agreement　with　talent。　Madame　Roguin's　exclamation　of　surprise　was
lost　in　the　hubbub　and　buzz　of　the　crowd；　Augustine　involuntarily　shed
tears　at　the　sight　of　this　wonderful　study。　Then；　by　an　almost
unaccountable　impulse；　she　laid　her　finger　on　her　lips；　as　she
perceived　quite　near　her　the　ecstatic　face　of　the　young　painter。　The
stranger　replied　by　a　nod；　and　pointed　to　Madame　Roguin；　as　a　spoil…
sport；　to　show　Augustine　that　he　had　understood。　This　pantomime　struck
the　young　girl　like　hot　coals　on　her　flesh；　she　felt　quite　guilty　as
she　perceived　that　there　was　a　compact　between　herself　and　the　artist。
The　suffocating　heat；　the　dazzling　sight　of　beautiful　dresses；　the
bewilderment　produced　in　Augustine's　brain　by　the　truth　of　coloring；
the　multitude　of　living　or　painted　figures；　the　profusion　of　gilt
frames；　gave　her　a　sense　of　intoxication　which　doubled　her　alarms。　She
would　perhaps　have　fainted　if　an　unknown　rapture　had　not　surged　up　in
her　heart　to　vivify　her　whole　being；　in　spite　of　this　chaos　of
sensations。　She　nevertheless　believed　herself　to　be　under　the　power　of
the　Devil；　of　whose　awful　snares　she　had　been　warned　of　by　the
thundering　words　of　preachers。　This　moment　was　to　her　like　a　moment　of
madness。　She　found　herself　accompanied　to　her　cousin's　carriage　by　the
young　man；　radiant　with　joy　and　love。　Augustine；　a　prey　to　an
agitation　new　to　her　experience；　an　intoxication　which　seemed　to
abandon　her　to　nature；　listened　to　the　eloquent　voice　of　her　heart；
and　looked　again　and　again　at　the　young　painter；　betraying　the　emotion
that　came　over　her。　Never　had　the　bright　rose　of　her　cheeks　shown　in
stronger　contrast　with　the　whiteness　of　her　skin。　The　artist　saw　her
beauty　in　all　its　bloom；　her　maiden　modesty　in　all　its　glory。　She
herself　felt　a　sort　of　rapture　mingled　with　terror　at　thinking　that
her　presence　had　brought　happiness　to　him　whose　name　was　on　every　lip；
and　whose　talent　lent　immortality　to　transient　scenes。　She　was　loved！
It　was　impossible　to　doubt　it。　When　she　no　longer　saw　the　artist；
these　simple　words　still　echoed　in　her　ear；　〃You　see　how　love　has
inspired　me！〃　And　the　throbs　of　her　heart；　as　they　grew　deeper；　seemed
a　pain；　her　heated　blood　revealed　so　many　unknown　forces　in　her　being。
She　affected　a　severe　headache　to　avoid　replying　to　her　cousin's
questions　concerning　the　pictures；　but　on　their　return　Madame　Roguin
could　not　forbear　from　speaking　to　Madame　Guillaume　of　the　fame　that
had　fallen　on　the　house　of　the　Cat　and　Racket；　and　Augustine　quaked　in
every　limb　as　she　heard　her　mother　say　that　she　should　go　to　the　Salon
to　see　her　house　there。　The　young　girl　again　declared　herself
suffering；　and　obtained　leave　to　go　to　bed。

〃That　is　what　comes　of　sight…seeing；〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Guillaume〃a
headache。　And　is　it　so　very　amusing　to　see　in　a　picture　what　you　can
see　any　day　in　your　own　street？　Don't　talk　to　me　of　your　artists！　Like
writers；　they　are　a　starveling　crew。　Why　the　devil　need　they　choose　my
house　to　flout　it　in　their　pictures？〃

〃It　may　help　to　sell　a　few　ells　more　of　cloth；〃　said　Joseph　Lebas。

This　remark　did　not　protect　art　and　thought　from　being　condemned　once
again　before　the　judgment…seat　of　trade。　As　may　be　supposed；　these
speeches　did　not　infuse　much　hope　into　Augustine；　who；　during　the
night；　gave　herself　up　to　the　first　meditations　of　love。　The　events　of
the　day　were　like　a　dream；　which　it　was　a　joy　to　recall　to　her　mind。
She　was　initiated　into　the　fears；　the　hopes；　the　remorse；　all　the　ebb
and　flow　of　feeling　which　could　not　fail　to　toss　a　heart　so　simple　and
timid　as　hers。　What　a　void　she　perceived　in　this　gloomy　house！　What　a
treasure　she　found　in　her　soul！　To　be　the　wife　of　a　genius；　to　share
his　glory！　What　ravages　must　such　a　vision　make　in　the　heart　of　a　girl
brought　up　among　such　a　family！　What　hopes　must　it　raise　in　a　young
creature　who；　in　the　midst　of　sordid　elements；　had　pined　for　a　life　of
elegance！　A　sunbeam　had　fallen　into　the　prison。　Augustine　was　suddenly
in　love。　So　many　of　her　feelings　were　soothed　that　she　succumbed
without　reflection。　At　eighteen　does　not　love　hold　a　prism　between　the
world　and　the　eyes　of　a　young　girl？　She　was　incapable　of　suspecting
the　hard　facts　which　result　from　the　union　of　a　loving　woman　with　a
man　of　imagination；　and　she　believed　herself　called　to　make　him　happy；
not　seeing　any　disparity　between　herself　and　him。　To　her　the　future
would　be　as　the　present。　When；　next　day；　her　father　and　mother
returned　from　the　Salon；　their　dejected　faces　proclaimed　some
disappointment。　In　the　first　place；　the　painter　had　removed　the　two
pictures；　and　then　Madame　Guillaume　had　lost　her　cashmere　shawl。　But
the　news　that　the　pictures　had　disappeared　from　the　walls　since　her
visit　revealed　to　Augustine　a　delicacy　of　sentiment　which　a　woman　can
always　appreciate；　even　by　instinct。

On　the　morning　when；　on　his　way　home　from　a　ball；　Theodore　de
Sommervieuxfor　this　was　the　name　which　fame　had　stamped　on
Augustine's　hearthad　been　squirted　on　by　the　apprentices　while
awaiting　the　appearance　of　his　artless　little　friend；　who　certainly
did　not　know　that　he　was　there；　the　lovers　had　seen　each　other　for　the
fourth　time　only　since　their　meeting　at　the　Salon。　The　difficulties
which　the　rule　of　the　house　placed　in　the　way　of　the　painter's　ardent
nature　gave　added　violence　to　his　passion　for　Augustine。

How　could　he　get　near　to　a　young　girl　seated　in　a　counting…house
between　two　such　women　as　Mademoiselle　Virginie　and　Madame　Guillaume？
How　could　he　correspond　with　her　when　her　mother　never　left　her　side？
Ingenious；　as　lovers　are；　to　imagine　woes；　Theodore　saw　a　rival　in　one
of　the　assistants；　to　whose　interests　he　supposed　the　others　to　be
devoted。　If　he　should　evade　these　sons　of　Argus；　he　would　yet　be
wrecked　under　the　stern　eye　of　the　old　draper　or　of　Madame　Guillaume。
The　very　vehemence　of　his　passion　hindered　the　young　painter　from
hitting　on　the　ingenious　expedients　which；　in　prisoners　and　in　lovers；
seem　to　be　the　last　effort　of　intelligence　spurred　by　a　wild　craving
for　liberty；　or　by　the　fire　of　love。　Theodore　wandered　about　the
neighborhood　with　the　restlessness　of　a　madman；　as　though　movement
might　inspire　him　with　some　device。　After　racking　his　imagination；　it
occurred　to　him　to　bribe　the　blowsy　waiting…maid　with　gold。　Thus　a　few
notes　were　exchanged　at　long　intervals　during　the　fortnight　following
the　ill…starred　morning　when　Monsieur　Guillaume　and　Theodore　had　so
scrutinized　one　another。　At　the　present　moment　the　young　couple　had
agreed　to　see　each　other　at　a　certain　hour　of　the　day；　and　on　Sunday；
at　Saint…Leu；　during　Mass　and　vespers。　Augustine　had　sent　her　dear
Theodore　a　list　of　the　relations　and　friends　of　the　family；　to　whom
the　young　painter　tried　to　get　access；　in　the　hope　of　interesting；　if
it　were　possible；　in　his　love　affairs；　one　of　these　souls　absorbed　in
money　and　trade；　to　whom　a　genuine　passion　must　appear　a　quite
monstrous　speculation；　a　thing　unheard…of。　Nothing　meanwhile；　was
altered　at　the　sign　of　the　Cat　and　Racket。　If　Augustine　was　absent…
minded；　if；　against　all　obedience　to　the　domestic　code；　she　stole　up
to　her　room　to　make　signals　by　means　of　a　jar　of　flowers；　if　she
sighed；　if　she　were　lost　in　thought；　no　one　observed　it；　not　even　her
mother。　This　will　cause　some　surprise　to　those　who　have　entered　into
the　spirit　of　the　household；　where　an　idea　tainted　with　poetry　would
be　in　startling　contrast　to　persons　and　things；　where　no　one　could
venture　on　a　gesture　or　a　look　which　would　not　be　seen　and　analyzed。
Nothing；　however；　could　be