letters of two brides-第7节

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him　at　Berlin；　where　the　French　Minister　helped　his　return　to　his
native　country。　M。　de　l'Estorade；　the　father；　who　is　a　small　landed
proprietor　in　Provence；　with　an　income　of　about　ten　thousand　livres；
has　not　sufficient　European　fame　to　interest　the　world　in　the
wandering　Knight　de　l'Estorade；　whose　name　smacks　of　his　adventures。

The　accumulated　income　of　twelve　thousand　livres　from　the　property　of
Mme。　de　l'Estorade；　with　the　addition　of　the　father's　savings；
provides　the　poor　guard　of　honor　with　something　like　two　hundred　and
fifty　thousand　livres；　not　counting　house　and　landsquite　a
considerable　fortune　in　Provence。　His　worthy　father　had　bought；　on　the
very　eve　of　the　Chevalier's　return；　a　fine　but　badly…managed　estate；
where　he　designs　to　plant　ten　thousand　mulberry…trees；　raised　in　his
nursery　with　a　special　view　to　this　acquisition。　The　Baron；　having
found　his　long…lost　son；　has　now　but　one　thought；　to　marry　him；　and
marry　him　to　a　girl　of　good　family。

My　father　and　mother　entered　into　their　neighbor's　idea　with　an　eye　to
my　interests　so　soon　as　they　discovered　that　Renee　de　Maucombe　would
be　acceptable　without　a　dowry；　and　that　the　money　the　said　Renee　ought
to　inherit　from　her　parents　would　be　duly　acknowledged　as　hers　in　the
contract。　In　a　similar　way；　my　younger　brother；　Jean　de　Maucombe；　as
soon　as　he　came　of　age；　signed　a　document　stating　that　he　had　received
from　his　parents　an　advance　upon　the　estate　equal　in　amount　to　one…
third　of　whole。　This　is　the　device　by　which　the　nobles　of　Provence
elude　the　infamous　Civil　Code　of　M。　de　Bonaparte；　a　code　which　will
drive　as　many　girls　of　good　family　into　convents　as　it　will　find
husbands　for。　The　French　nobility；　from　the　little　I　have　been　able　to
gather；　seem　to　be　divided　on　these　matters。

The　dinner；　darling；　was　a　first　meeting　between　your　sweetheart　and
the　exile。　The　Comte　de　Maucombe's　servants　donned　their　old　laced
liveries　and　hats；　the　coachman　his　great　top…boots；　we　sat　five　in
the　antiquated　carriage；　and　arrived　in　state　about　two　o'clockthe
dinner　was　for　threeat　the　grange；　which　is　the　dwelling　of　the
Baron　de　l'Estorade。

My　father…in…law　to　be　has；　you　see；　no　castle；　only　a　simple　country
house；　standing　beneath　one　of　our　hills；　at　the　entrance　of　that
noble　valley；　the　pride　of　which　is　undoubtedly　the　Castle　of
Maucombe。　The　building　is　quite　unpretentious：　four　pebble　walls
covered　with　a　yellowish　wash；　and　roofed　with　hollow　tiles　of　a　good
red；　constitute　the　grange。　The　rafters　bend　under　the　weight　of　this
brick…kiln。　The　windows；　inserted　casually；　without　any　attempt　at
symmetry；　have　enormous　shutters；　painted　yellow。　The　garden　in　which
it　stands　is　a　Provencal　garden；　enclosed　by　low　walls；　built　of　big
round　pebbles　set　in　layers；　alternately　sloping　or　upright；　according
to　the　artistic　taste　of　the　mason；　which　finds　here　its　only　outlet。
The　mud　in　which　they　are　set　is　falling　away　in　places。

Thanks　to　an　iron　railing　at　the　entrance　facing　the　road；　this　simple
farm　has　a　certain　air　of　being　a　country…seat。　The　railing；　long
sought　with　tears；　is　so　emaciated　that　it　recalled　Sister　Angelique
to　me。　A　flight　of　stone　steps　leads　to　the　door；　which　is　protected
by　a　pent…house　roof；　such　as　no　peasant　on　the　Loire　would　tolerate
for　his　coquettish　white　stone　house；　with　its　blue　roof；　glittering
in　the　sun。　The　garden　and　surrounding　walks　are　horribly　dusty；　and
the　trees　seem　burnt　up。　It　is　easy　to　see　that　for　years　the　Baron's
life　has　been　a　mere　rising　up　and　going　to　bed　again；　day　after　day；
without　a　thought　beyond　that　of　piling　up　coppers。　He　eats　the　same
food　as　his　two　servants；　a　Provencal　lad　and　the　old　woman　who　used
to　wait　on　his　wife。　The　rooms　are　scantily　furnished。

Nevertheless；　the　house　of　l'Estorade　had　done　its　best；　the　cupboards
had　been　ransacked；　and　its　last　man　beaten　up　for　the　dinner；　which
was　served　to　us　on　old　silver　dishes；　blackened　and　battered。　The
exile；　my　darling　pet；　is　like　the　railing；　emaciated！　He　is　pale　and
silent；　and　bears　traces　of　suffering。　At　thirty…seven　he　might　be
fifty。　The　once　beautiful　ebon　locks　of　youth　are　streaked　with　white
like　a　lark's　wing。　His　fine　blue　eyes　are　cavernous；　he　is　a　little
deaf；　which　suggests　the　Knight　of　the　Sorrowful　Countenance。

Spite　of　all　this；　I　have　graciously　consented　to　become　Mme。　de
l'Estorade　and　to　receive　a　dowry　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand
livres；　but　only　on　the　express　condition　of　being　allowed　to　work　my
will　upon　the　grange　and　make　a　park　there。　I　have　demanded　from　my
father；　in　set　terms；　a　grant　of　water；　which　can　be　brought　thither
from　Maucombe。　In　a　month　I　shall　be　Mme。　de　l'Estorade；　for；　dear；　I
have　made　a　good　impression。　After　the　snows　of　Siberia　a　man　is　ready
enough　to　see　merit　in　those　black　eyes；　which　according　to　you；　used
to　ripen　fruit　with　a　look。　Louis　de　l'Estorade　seems　well　content　to
marry　the　/fair　Renee　de　Maucombe/such　is　your　friend's　splendid
title。

Whilst　you　are　preparing　to　reap　the　joys　of　that　many…sided　existence
which　awaits　a　young　lady　of　the　Chaulieu　family；　and　to　queen　it　in
Paris；　your　poor　little　sweetheart；　Renee；　that　child　of　the　desert；
has　fallen　from　the　empyrean；　whither　together　we　had　soared；　into　the
vulgar　realities　of　a　life　as　homely　as　a　daisy's。　I　have　vowed　to
myself　to　comfort　this　young　man；　who　has　never　known　youth；　but
passed　straight　from　his　mother's　arms　to　the　embrace　of　war；　and　from
the　joys　of　his　country　home　to　the　frosts　and　forced　labor　of
Siberia。

Humble　country　pleasures　will　enliven　the　monotony　of　my　future。　It
shall　be　my　ambition　to　enlarge　the　oasis　round　my　house；　and　to　give
it　the　lordly　shade　of　fine　trees。　My　turf；　though　Provencal；　shall　be
always　green。　I　shall　carry　my　park　up　the　hillside　and　plant　on　the
highest　point　some　pretty　kiosque；　whence；　perhaps；　my　eyes　may　catch
the　shimmer　of　the　Mediterranean。　Orange　and　lemon　trees；　and　all
choicest　things　that　grow；　shall　embellish　my　retreat；　and　there　will
I　be　a　mother　among　my　children。　The　poetry　of　Nature；　which　nothing
can　destroy；　shall　hedge　us　round；　and　standing　loyally　at　the　post　of
duty；　we　need　fear　no　danger。　My　religious　feelings　are　shared　by　my
father…in…law　and　by　the　Chevalier。

Ah！　darling；　my　life　unrolls　itself　before　my　eyes　like　one　of　the
great　highways　of　France；　level　and　easy；　shaded　with　evergreen　trees。
This　century　will　not　see　another　Bonaparte；　and　my　children；　if　I
have　any；　will　not　be　rent　from　me。　They　will　be　mine　to　train　and
make　men　ofthe　joy　of　my　life。　If　you　also　are　true　to　your　destiny；
you　who　ought　to　find　your　mate　amongst　the　great　ones　of　the　earth；
the　children　of　your　Renee　will　not　lack　a　zealous　protectress。

Farewell；　then；　for　me　at　least；　to　the　romances　and　thrilling
adventures　in　which　we　used　ourselves　to　play　the　part　of　heroine。　The
whole　story　of　my　life　lies　before　me　now；　its　great　crises　will　be
the　teething　and　nutrition　of　the　young　Masters　de　l'Estorade；　and　the
mischief　they　do　to　my　shrubs　and　me。　To　embroider　their　caps；　to　be
loved　and　admired　by　a　sickly　man　at　the　mouth　of　the　Gemenos　valley
there　are　my　pleasures。　Perhaps　some　day　the　country　dame　may　go　and
spend　a　winter　in　Marseilles；　but　danger　does　not　haunt　the　purlieus
of　a　narrow　provincial　stage。　There　will　be　nothing　to　fear；　not　even
an　admiration　such　as　could　only　make　a　woman　proud。　We　shall　take　a
great　deal　of　interest　in　the　silkworms　for　whose　benefit　our
mulberry…leaves　will　be　sold！　We　shall　know　the　strange　vicissitudes
of　life　in　Provence；　and　the　storms　that　may　attack　even　a　peaceful
household。　Quarrels　will　be　impossible；　for　M。　de　l'Estorade　has
formally　announced　that　he　will　leave　the　reins　in　his　wife's　hands；
and　as　I　shall　do　nothing　to　remind　him　of　this　wise　resolve；　it　is
likely　he　may　persevere　in　it。

You；　my　dear　Louise；　will　supply　the　romance　of　my　life。　So　you　must
narrate　to　me　in　full　all　your　adventures；　describe　your　balls　and
parties；　tell　me　what　you　wear；　what　flowers　crown　your　lovely　golden
locks；　and　what　are　the　words　and　manners　of　the　men　you　meet。　Your
other　self　will　be　always　therelistening；　dancing；　feeling　her
finger…tips　pressedwith　you。　If　only　I　could　have　some　fun　in　Paris
now　and　then；　while　you　played　the　house…mother　at　La　Crampade！　such
is　the　name　of　our　grange。　Poor　M。　de　l'Estorade；　who　fancies　he　is
marrying　one　woman！　Will　he　find　out　there　are　two？

I　am　writing　nonsense　now；　and　as　henceforth　I　can　only　be　foolish　by
proxy；　I　had　better　stop。　One　kiss；　then；　on　each　cheekmy　lips　are
still　virginal；　he　has　only　dared　to　take　my　hand。　Oh！　our　deference
and　propriety　are　quite　disquieting；　I　assure　you。　There；　I　am　off
again。　。　。　。　Good…bye；　dear。

/P。　S。/I　have　just　opened　your　third　letter。　My　dear；　I　have　about
one　thousand　livres　to　dispose　of；　spend　them　for　me　on　pretty　things；
such　as　we　can't　find　here；　nor　even　at　Marseilles。　While　speeding　on
your　own　business；　give　a　thought　to　the　recluse　of　La　Crampade。
Remember　that　on　neither　side　have　the　heads　of　the　family　any　people
of　taste　in　Paris　to　make　their　purc