letters of two brides-第25节

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My　father　meantime　was　talking　to　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse。

〃I　should　think　so！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃The　gossip　which　gets　about　is
scandalous。　No　sooner　has　a　girl　come　out　than　everyone　is　keen　to
marry　her；　and　the　ridiculous　stories　that　are　invented！　I　shall　never
force　Armande　to　marry　against　her　will。　I　am　going　to　take　a　turn　in
the　promenade；　otherwise　people　will　be　saying　that　I　allowed　the
rumor　to　spread　in　order　to　suggest　the　marriage　to　the　ambassador；
and　Caesar's　daughter　ought　to　be　above　suspicion；　even　more　than　his
wifeif　that　were　possible。〃

The　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　and　Mme。　d'Espard　shot　glances　first　at
my　mother；　then　at　the　Baron；　brimming　over　with　sly　intelligence　and
repressed　curiosity。　With　their　serpent's　cunning　they　had　at　last　got
an　inkling　of　something　going　on。　Of　all　mysteries　in　life；　love　is
the　least　mysterious！　It　exhales　from　women；　I　believe；　like　a
perfume；　and　she　who　can　conceal　it　is　a　very　monster！　Our　eyes
prattle　even　more　than　our　tongues。

Having　enjoyed　the　delightful　sensation　of　finding　Felipe　rise　to　the
occasion；　as　I　had　wished；　it　was　only　in　nature　I　should　hunger　for
more。　So　I　made　the　signal　agreed　on　for　telling　him　that　he　might
come　to　my　window　by　the　dangerous　road　you　know　of。　A　few　hours　later
I　found　him；　upright　as　a　statue；　glued　to　the　wall；　his　hand　resting
on　the　balcony　of　my　window；　studying　the　reflections　of　the　light　in
my　room。

〃My　dear　Felipe；〃　I　said；　〃You　have　acquitted　yourself　well　to…night；
you　behaved　exactly　as　I　should　have　done　had　I　been　told　that　you
were　on　the　point　of　marrying。〃

〃I　thought；〃　he　replied；　〃that　you　would　hardly　have　told　others
before　me。〃

〃And　what　right　have　you　to　this　privilege？〃

〃The　right　of　one　who　is　your　devoted　slave。〃

〃In　very　truth？〃

〃I　am；　and　shall　ever　remain　so。〃

〃But　suppose　this　marriage　was　inevitable；　suppose　that　I　had
agreed　。　。　。〃

Two　flashing　glances　lit　up　the　moonlightone　directed　to　me；　the
other　to　the　precipice　which　the　wall　made　for　us。　He　seemed　to
calculate　whether　a　fall　together　would　mean　death；　but　the　thought
merely　passed　like　lightning　over　his　face　and　sparkled　in　his　eyes。　A
power；　stronger　than　passion；　checked　the　impulse。

〃An　Arab　cannot　take　back　his　word；〃　he　said　in　a　husky　voice。　〃I　am
your　slave　to　do　with　as　you　will；　my　life　is　not　mine　to　destroy。〃

The　hand　on　the　balcony　seemed　as　though　its　hold　were　relaxing。　I
placed　mine　on　it　as　I　said：

〃Felipe；　my　beloved；　from　this　moment　I　am　your　wife　in　thought　and
will。　Go　in　the　morning　to　ask　my　father　for　my　hand。　He　wishes　to
retain　my　fortune；　but　if　you　promise　to　acknowledge　receipt　of　it　in
the　contract；　his　consent　will　no　doubt　be　given。　I　am　no　longer
Armande　de　Chaulieu。　Leave　me　at　once；　no　breath　of　scandal　must　touch
Louise　de　Macumer。〃

He　listened　with　blanched　face　and　trembling　limbs；　then；　like　a
flash；　had　cleared　the　ten　feet　to　the　ground　in　safety。　It　was　a
moment　of　agony；　but　he　waved　his　hand　to　me　and　disappeared。

〃I　am　loved　then；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃as　never　woman　was　before。〃　And
I　fell　asleep　in　the　calm　content　of　a　child；　my　destiny　for　ever
fixed。

About　two　o'clock　next　day　my　father　summoned　me　to　his　private　room；
where　I　found　the　Duchess　and　Macumer。　There　was　an　interchange　of
civilities。　I　replied　quite　simply　that　if　my　father　and　M。　Henarez
were　of　one　mind；　I　had　no　reason　to　oppose　their　wishes。　Thereupon　my
mother　invited　the　Baron　to　dinner；　and　after　dinner；　we　all　four　went
for　a　drive　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　where　I　had　the　pleasure　of
smiling　ironically　to　M。　de　Marsay　as　he　passed　on　horseback　and
caught　sight　of　Macumer　sitting　opposite　to　us　beside　my　father。

My　bewitching　Felipe　has　had　his　cards　reprinted　as　follows：

HENAREZ

（Baron　de　Macumer；　formerly　Duc　de　Soria。）

Every　morning　he　brings　me　with　his　own　hands　a　splendid　bouquet；
hidden　in　which　I　never　fail　to　find　a　letter；　containing　a　Spanish
sonnet　in　my　honor；　which　he　has　composed　during　the　night。

Not　to　make　this　letter　inordinately　large；　I　send　you　as　specimens
only　the　first　and　last　of　these　sonnets；　which　I　have　translated　for
your　benefit；　word　for　word；　and　line　for　line：

FIRST　SONNET

　　Many　a　time　I've　stood；　clad　in　thin　silken　vest；
　　Drawn　sword　in　hand；　with　steady　pulse；
　　Waiting　the　charge　of　a　raging　bull；
　　And　the　thrust　of　his　horn；　sharper…pointed　than　Phoebe's　crescent。

　　I've　scaled；　on　my　lips　the　lilt　of　an　Andalusian　dance；
　　The　steep　redoubt　under　a　rain　of　fire；
　　I've　staked　my　life　upon　a　hazard　of　the　dice
　　Careless；　as　though　it　were　a　gold　doubloon。

　　My　hand　would　seek　the　ball　out　of　the　cannon's　mouth；
　　But　now　meseems　I　grow　more　timid　than　a　crouching　hair；
　　Or　a　child　spying　some　ghost　in　the　curtain's　folds。

　　For　when　your　sweet　eye　rests　on　me；
　　Any　icy　sweat　covers　my　brow；　my　knees　give　way；
　　I　tremble；　shrink；　my　courage　gone。

SECOND　SONNET

　　Last　night　I　fain　would　sleep　to　dream　of　thee；
　　But　jealous　sleep　fled　my　eyelids；
　　I　sought　the　balcony　and　looked　towards　heaven；
　　Always　my　glance　flies　upward　when　I　think　of　thee。

　　Strange　sight！　whose　meaning　love　alone　can　tell；
　　The　sky　had　lost　its　sapphire　hue；
　　The　stars；　dulled　diamonds　in　their　golden　mount；
　　Twinkled　no　more　nor　shed　their　warmth。

　　The　moon；　washed　of　her　silver　radiance　lily…white；
　　Hung　mourning　over　the　gloomy　plain；　for　thou　hast　robbed
　　The　heavens　of　all　that　made　them　bright。

　　The　snowy　sparkle　of　the　moon　is　on　thy　lovely　brow；
　　Heaven's　azure　centres　in　thine　eyes；
　　Thy　lashes　fall　like　starry　rays。

What　more　gracious　way　of　saying　to　a　young　girl　that　she　fills　your
life？　Tell　me　what　you　think　of　this　love；　which　expends　itself　in
lavishing　the　treasures　alike　of　the　earth　and　of　the　soul。　Only
within　the　last　ten　days　have　I　grasped　the　meaning　of　that　Spanish
gallantry；　so　famous　in　old　days。

Ah　me！　dear；　what　is　going　on　now　at　La　Crampade？　How　often　do　I　take
a　stroll　there；　inspecting　the　growth　of　our　crops！　Have　you　no　news
to　give　of　our　mulberry　trees；　our　last　winter's　plantations？　Does
everything　prosper　as　you　wish？　And　while　the　buds　are　opening　on　our
shrubsI　will　not　venture　to　speak　of　the　bedding…out　plantshave
they　also　blossomed　in　the　bosom　of　the　wife？　Does　Louis　continue　his
policy　of　madrigals？　Do　you　enter　into　each　other's　thoughts？　I　wonder
whether　your　little　runlet　of　wedding　peace　is　better　than　the　raging
torrent　of　my　love！　Has　my　sweet　lady　professor　taken　offence？　I
cannot　believe　it；　and　if　it　were　so；　I　should　send　Felipe　off　at
once；　post…haste；　to　fling　himself　at　her　knees　and　bring　back　to　me
my　pardon　or　her　head。　Sweet　love；　my　life　here　is　a　splendid　success；
and　I　want　to　know　how　it　fares　with　life　in　Provence。　We　have　just
increased　our　family　by　the　addition　of　a　Spaniard　with　the　complexion
of　a　Havana　cigar；　and　your　congratulations　still　tarry。

Seriously；　my　sweet　Renee；　I　am　anxious。　I　am　afraid　lest　you　should
be　eating　your　heart　out　in　silence；　for　fear　of　casting　a　gloom　over
my　sunshine。　Write　to　me　at　once；　naughty　child！　and　tell　me　your　life
in　its　every　minutest　detail；　tell　me　whether　you　still　hold　back；
whether　your　〃independence〃　still　stands　erect；　or　has　fallen　on　its
knees；　or　is　sitting　down　comfortably；　which　would　indeed　be　serious。
Can　you　suppose　that　the　incidents　of　your　married　life　are　without
interest　for　me？　I　muse　at　times　over　all　that　you　have　said　to　me。
Often　when；　at　the　Opera；　I　seem　absorbed　in　watching　the　pirouetting
dancers；　I　am　saying　to　myself；　〃It　is　half…past　nine；　perhaps　she　is
in　bed。　What　is　she　about？　Is　she　happy？　Is　she　alone　with　her
independence？　or　has　her　independence　gone　the　way　of　other　dead　and
castoff　independences？〃

A　thousand　loves。



XXV

RENEE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　LOUISE　DE　CHAULIEU

Saucy　girl！　Why　should　I　write？　What　could　I　say？　Whilst　your　life　is
varied　by　social　festivities；　as　well　as　by　the　anguish；　the　tempers；
and　the　flowers　of　loveall　of　which　you　describe　so　graphically；
that　I　might　be　watching　some　first…rate　acting　at　the　theatremine
is　as　monotonous　and　regular　as　though　it　were　passed　in　a　convent。

We　always　go　to　bed　at　nine　and　get　up　with　daybreak。　Our　meals　are
served　with　a　maddening　punctuality。　Nothing　ever　happens。　I　have
accustomed　myself　without　much　difficulty　to　this　mapping　out　of　the
day；　which　perhaps　is；　after　all；　in　the　nature　of　things。　Where　would
the　life　of　the　universe　be　but　for　that　subjection　to　fixed　laws
which；　according　to　the　astronomers；　so　Louis　tells　me；　rule　the
spheres！　It　is　not　order　of　which　we　weary。

Then　I　have　laid　upon　myself　certain　rules　of　dress；　and　these　occupy
my　time　in　the　mornings。　I　hold　it　part　of　my　duty　as　a　wife　to　look
as　charming　as　possible。　I　feel　a　certain　satisfaction　in　it；　and　it
causes　lively　pleasure　to　the　good　old　man　and　to　Louis。　After　lunch；
we　walk。　When　the　newspapers　arrive；　I　disappear　to　look　after　my
household　affairs　or　to　readfor　I　read　a　great　dealor　to　write　to
you。　I　come　back　to　the　others　an　hour　before　dinner；　and　after　dinner
we