letters of two brides-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


expressed　no　surprise　at　my　departure。

〃You　are　going　to　the　convent；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃and　will　see　your
aunt　there；　who　is　an　excellent　woman。　I　shall　take　care；　though；　that
they　don't　make　a　victim　of　you；　you　shall　be　independent；　and　able　to
marry　whom　you　please。〃

Six　months　later　she　died。　Her　will　had　been　given　into　the　keeping　of
the　Prince　de　Talleyrand；　the　most　devoted　of　all　her　old　friends。　He
contrived；　while　paying　a　visit　to　Mlle。　de　Chargeboeuf；　to　intimate
to　me；　through　her；　that　my　grandmother　forbade　me　to　take　the　vows。　I
hope；　sooner　or　later；　to　meet　the　Prince；　and　then　I　shall　doubtless
learn　more　from　him。

Thus；　sweetheart；　if　I　have　found　no　one　in　flesh　and　blood　to　meet
me；　I　have　comforted　myself　with　the　shade　of　the　dear　Princess；　and
have　prepared　myself　for　carrying　out　one　of　our　pledges；　which　was；
as　you　know；　to　keep　each　other　informed　of　the　smallest　details　in
our　homes　and　occupations。　It　makes　such　a　difference　to　know　where
and　how　the　life　of　one　we　love　is　passed。　Send　me　a　faithful　picture
of　the　veriest　trifles　around　you；　omitting　nothing；　not　even　the
sunset　lights　among　the　tall　trees。

October　19th。

It　was　three　in　the　afternoon　when　I　arrived。　About　half…past　five；
Rose　came　and　told　me　that　my　mother　had　returned；　so　I　went
downstairs　to　pay　my　respects　to　her。

My　mother　lives　in　a　suite　on　the　ground　floor；　exactly　corresponding
to　mine；　and　in　the　same　block。　I　am　just　over　her　head；　and　the　same
secret　staircase　serves　for　both。　My　father's　rooms　are　in　the　block
opposite；　but　are　larger　by　the　whole　of　the　space　occupied　by　the
grand　staircase　on　our　side　of　the　building。　These　ancestral　mansions
are　so　spacious；　that　my　father　and　mother　continue　to　occupy　the
ground…floor　rooms；　in　spite　of　the　social　duties　which　have　once　more
devolved　on　them　with　the　return　of　the　Bourbons；　and　are　even　able　to
receive　in　them。

I　found　my　mother；　dressed　for　the　evening；　in　her　drawing…room；　where
nothing　is　changed。　I　came　slowly　down　the　stairs；　speculating　with
every　step　how　I　should　be　met　by　this　mother　who　had　shown　herself　so
little　of　a　mother　to　me；　and　from　whom；　during　eight　years；　I　had
heard　nothing　beyond　the　two　letters　of　which　you　know。　Judging　it
unworthy　to　simulate　an　affection　I　could　not　possibly　feel；　I　put　on
the　air　of　a　pious　imbecile；　and　entered　the　room　with　many　inward
qualms；　which　however　soon　disappeared。　My　mother's　tack　was　equal　to
the　occasion。　She　made　no　pretence　of　emotion；　she　neither　held　me　at
arm's…length　nor　hugged　me　to　her　bosom　like　a　beloved　daughter；　but
greeted　me　as　though　we　had　parted　the　evening　before。　Her　manner　was
that　of　the　kindliest　and　most　sincere　friend；　as　she　addressed　me
like　a　grown　person；　first　kissing　me　on　the　forehead。

〃My　dear　little　one；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　were　to　die　at　the　convent；　it
is　much　better　to　live　with　your　family。　You　frustrate　your　father's
plans　and　mine；　but　the　age　of　blind　obedience　to　parents　is　past。　M。
de　Chaulieu's　intention；　and　in　this　I　am　quite　at　one　with　him；　is　to
lose　no　opportunity　of　making　your　life　pleasant　and　of　letting　you
see　the　world。　At　your　age　I　should　have　thought　as　you　do；　therefore
I　am　not　vexed　with　you；　it　is　impossible　you　should　understand　what
we　expected　from　you。　You　will　not　find　any　absurd　severity　in　me；　and
if　you　have　ever　thought　me　heartless；　you　will　soon　find　out　your
mistake。　Still；　though　I　wish　you　to　feel　perfectly　free；　I　think
that；　to　begin　with；　you　would　do　well　to　follow　the　counsels　of　a
mother；　who　wishes　to　be　a　sister　to　you。〃

I　was　quite　charmed　by　the　Duchess；　who　talked　in　a　gentle　voice；
straightening　my　convent　tippet　as　she　spoke。　At　the　age　of　thirty…
eight　she　is　still　exquisitely　beautiful。　She　has　dark…blue　eyes；　with
silken　lashes；　a　smooth　forehead；　and　a　complexion　so　pink　and　white
that　you　might　think　she　paints。　Her　bust　and　shoulders　are　marvelous；
and　her　waist　is　as　slender　as　yours。　Her　hand　is　milk…white　and
extraordinarily　beautiful；　the　nails　catch　the　light　in　their　perfect
polish；　the　thumb　is　like　ivory；　the　little　finger　stands　just　a
little　apart　from　the　rest；　and　the　foot　matches　the　hand；　it　is　the
Spanish　foot　of　Mlle。　de　Vandenesse。　If　she　is　like　this　at　forty；　at
sixty　she　will　still　be　a　beautiful　woman。

I　replied；　sweetheart；　like　a　good　little　girl。　I　was　as　nice　to　her
as　she　to　me；　nay；　nicer。　Her　beauty　completely　vanquished　me；　it
seemed　only　natural　that　such　a　woman　should　be　absorbed　in　her　regal
part。　I　told　her　this　as　simply　as　though　I　had　been　talking　to　you。　I
daresay　it　was　a　surprise　to　her　to　hear　words　of　affection　from　her
daughter's　mouth；　and　the　unfeigned　homage　of　my　admiration　evidently
touched　her　deeply。　Her　manner　changed　and　became　even　more　engaging；
she　dropped　all　formality　as　she　said：

〃I　am　much　pleased　with　you；　and　I　hope　we　shall　remain　good　friends。〃

The　words　struck　me　as　charmingly　naive；　but　I　did　not　let　this
appear；　for　I　saw　at　once　that　the　prudent　course　was　to　allow　her　to
believe　herself　much　deeper　and　cleverer　than　her　daughter。　So　I　only
stared　vacantly　and　she　was　delighted。　I　kissed　her　hands　repeatedly；
telling　her　how　happy　it　made　me　to　be　so　treated　and　to　feel　at　my
ease　with　her。　I　even　confided　to　her　my　previous　tremors。　She　smiled；
put　her　arm　round　my　neck；　and　drawing　me　towards　her；　kissed　me　on
the　forehead　most　affectionately。

〃Dear　child；〃　she　said；　〃we　have　people　coming　to　dinner　to…day。
Perhaps　you　will　agree　with　me　that　it　is　better　for　you　not　to　make
your　first　appearance　in　society　till　you　have　been　in　the
dressmaker's　hands；　so；　after　you　have　seen　your　father　and　brother；
you　can　go　upstairs　again。〃

I　assented　most　heartily。　My　mother's　exquisite　dress　was　the　first
revelation　to　me　of　the　world　which　our　dreams　had　pictured；　but　I　did
not　feel　the　slightest　desire　to　rival　her。

My　father　now　entered；　and　the　Duchess　presented　me　to　him。

He　became　all　at　once　most　affectionate；　and　played　the　father's　part
so　well；　that　I　could　not　but　believe　his　heart　to　be　in　it。　Taking　my
two　hands　in　his；　and　kissing　them；　with　more　of　the　lover　than　the
father　in　his　manner；　he　said：

〃So　this　is　my　rebel　daughter！〃

And　he　drew　me　towards　him；　with　his　arm　passed　tenderly　round　my
waist；　while　he　kissed　me　on　the　cheeks　and　forehead。

〃The　pleasure　with　which　we　shall　watch　your　success　in　society　will
atone　for　the　disappointment　we　felt　at　your　change　of　vocation；〃　he
said。　Then；　turning　to　my　mother；　〃Do　you　know　that　she　is　going　to
turn　out　very　pretty；　and　you　will　be　proud　of　her　some　day？Here　is
your　brother；　Rhetore。Alphonse；〃　he　said　to　a　fine　young　man　who
came　in；　〃here　is　your　convent…bred　sister；　who　threatens　to　send　her
nun's　frock　to　the　deuce。〃

My　brother　came　up　in　a　leisurely　way　and　took　my　hand；　which　he
pressed。

〃Come；　come；　you　may　kiss　her；〃　said　my　father。

And　he　kissed　me　on　both　cheeks。

〃I　am　delighted　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　take　your　side　against　my
father。〃

I　thanked　him；　but　could　not　help　thinking　he　might　have　come　to　Blois
when　he　was　at　Orleans　visiting　our　Marquis　brother　in　his　quarters。

Fearing　the　arrival　of　strangers；　I　now　withdrew。　I　tidied　up　my
rooms；　and　laid　out　on　the　scarlet　velvet　of　my　lovely　table　all　the
materials　necessary　for　writing　to　you；　meditating　all　the　while　on　my
new　situation。

This；　my　fair　sweetheart；　is　a　true　and　veracious　account　of　the
return　of　a　girl　of　eighteen；　after　an　absence　of　nine　years；　to　the
bosom　of　one　of　the　noblest　families　in　the　kingdom。　I　was　tired　by
the　journey　as　well　as　by　all　the　emotions　I　had　been　through；　so　I
went　to　bed　in　convent　fashion；　at　eight　o'clock　after　supper。　They
have　preserved　even　a　little　Saxe　service　which　the　dear　Princess　used
when　she　had　a　fancy　for　taking　her　meals　alone。



II

THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME
November　25th。

Next　day　I　found　my　rooms　done　out　and　dusted；　and　even　flowers　put　in
the　vases；　by　old　Philippe。　I　began　to　feel　at　home。　Only　it　didn't
occur　to　anybody　that　a　Carmelite　schoolgirl　has　an　early　appetite；
and　Rose　had　no　end　of　trouble　in　getting　breakfast　for　me。

〃Mlle。　goes　to　bed　at　dinner…time；〃　she　said　to　me；　〃and　gets　up　when
the　Duke　is　just　returning　home。〃

I　began　to　write。　About　one　o'clock　my　father　knocked　at　the　door　of
the　small　drawing…room　and　asked　if　he　might　come　in。　I　opened　the
door；　he　came　in；　and　found　me　writing　to　you。

〃My　dear；〃　he　began；　〃you　will　have　to　get　yourself　clothes；　and　to
make　these　rooms　comfortable。　In　this　purse　you　will　find　twelve
thousand　francs；　which　is　the　yearly　income　I　purpose　allowing　you　for
your　expenses。　You　will　make　arrangements　with　your　mother　as　to　some
governess　whom　you　may　like；　in　case　Miss　Griffith　doesn't　please　you；
for　Mme。　de　Chaulieu　will　not　have　time　to　go　out　with　you　in　the
mornings。　A　carriage　and　man…servant　shall　be　at　your　disposal。〃

〃Let　me　keep　Philippe；〃　I　said。

〃So　be　it；〃　he　replied。　〃But　don't　be　uneasy；　you　have　money　enough　of
your　own　to　be　no　burden　either　to　your　mother　or　me。〃

〃May　I　ask　how　much　I