a prince of bohemia-第3节

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section　of　mischievous　youthyouth　strong　enough；　be　it　said；　to
laugh　at　the　position　in　which　it　is　put　by　those　in　power；　shrewd
enough　to　do　no　work；　since　work　profiteth　nothing；　yet　so　full　of
life　that　it　fastens　upon　pleasurethe　one　thing　that　cannot　be　taken
away。　And　meanwhile　a　bourgeois；　mercantile；　and　bigoted　policy
continues　to　cut　off　all　the　sluices　through　which　so　much　aptitude
and　ability　would　find　an　outlet。　Poets　and　men　of　science　are　not
wanted。

〃To　give　you　an　idea　of　the　stupidity　of　the　new　court；　I　will　tell
you　of　something　which　happened　to　La　Palferine。　There　is　a　sort　of
relieving　officer　on　the　civil　list。　This　functionary　one　day
discovered　that　La　Palferine　was　in　dire　distress；　drew　up　a　report；
no　doubt；　and　brought　the　descendant　of　the　Rusticolis　fifty　francs　by
way　of　alms。　La　Palferine　received　the　visitor　with　perfect　courtesy；
and　talked　of　various　persons　at　court。

〃　'Is　it　true；'　he　asked；　'that　Mlle。　d'Orleans　contributes　such　and
such　a　sum　to　this　benevolent　scheme　started　by　her　nephew？　If　so；　it
is　very　gracious　of　her。'

〃Now　La　Palferine　had　a　servant；　a　little　Savoyard；　aged　ten；　who
waited　on　him　without　wages。　La　Palferine　called　him　Father　Anchises；
and　used　to　say；　'I　have　never　seen　such　a　mixture　of　besotted
foolishness　with　great　intelligence；　he　would　go　through　fire　and
water　for　me；　he　understands　everythingand　yet　he　cannot　grasp　the
fact　that　I　can　do　nothing　for　him。'

〃Anchises　was　despatched　to　a　livery　stable　with　instructions　to　hire
a　handsome　brougham　with　a　man　in　livery　behind　it。　By　the　time　the
carriage　arrived　below；　La　Palferine　had　skilfully　piloted　the
conversation　to　the　subject　of　the　functions　of　his　visitor；　whom　he
has　since　called　'the　unmitigated　misery　man；'　and　learned　the　nature
of　his　duties　and　his　stipend。

〃　'Do　they　allow　you　a　carriage　to　go　about　the　town　in　this　way？'

〃　'Oh！　no。'

〃At　that　La　Palferine　and　a　friend　who　happened　to　be　with　him　went
downstairs　with　the　poor　soul；　and　insisted　on　putting　him　into　the
carriage。　It　was　raining　in　torrents。　La　Palferine　had　thought　of
everything。　He　offered　to　drive　the　official　to　the　next　house　on　his
list；　and　when　the　almoner　came　down　again；　he　found　the　carriage
waiting　for　him　at　the　door。　The　man　in　livery　handed　him　a　note
written　in　pencil：

　　〃　'The　carriage　has　been　engaged　for　three　days。　Count　Rusticoli
　　de　la　Palferine　is　too　happy　to　associate　himself　with　Court
　　charities　by　lending　wings　to　Royal　beneficence。'

〃La　Palferine　now　calls　the　civil　list　the　uncivil　list。

〃He　was　once　passionately　loved　by　a　lady　of　somewhat　light　conduct。
Antonia　lived　in　the　Rue　du　Helder；　she　had　seen　and　been　seen　to　some
extent；　but　at　the　time　of　her　acquaintance　with　La　Palferine　she　had
not　yet　'an　establishment。'　Antonia　was　not　wanting　in　the　insolence
of　old　days；　now　degenerating　into　rudeness　among　women　of　her　class。
After　a　fortnight　of　unmixed　bliss；　she　was　compelled；　in　the　interest
of　her　civil　list；　to　return　to　a　less　exclusive　system；　and　La
Palferine；　discovering　a　certain　lack　of　sincerity　in　her　dealings
with　him；　sent　Madame　Antonia　a　note　which　made　her　famous。

　　〃　'MADAME；Your　conduct　causes　me　much　surprise　and　no　less
　　distress。　Not　content　with　rending　my　heart　with　your　disdain；　you
　　have　been　so　little　thoughtful　as　to　retain　a　toothbrush；　which　my
　　means　will　not　permit　me　to　replace；　my　estates　being　mortgaged
　　beyond　their　value。

　　〃　'Adieu；　too　fair　and　too　ungrateful　friend！　May　we　meet　again　in
　　a　better　world。

〃　'CHARLES　EDWARD。'


〃Assuredly　（to　avail　ourselves　yet　further　of　Sainte…Beuve's
Babylonish　dialect）；　this　far　outpasses　the　raillery　of　Sterne's
/Sentimental　Journey/；　it　might　be　Scarron　without　his　grossness。　Nay；
I　do　not　know　but　that　Moliere　in　his　lighter　mood　would　not　have　said
of　it；　as　of　Cyrano　de　Bergerac's　best'This　is　mine。'　Richelieu
himself　was　not　more　complete　when　he　wrote　to　the　princess　waiting
for　him　in　the　Palais　Royal'Stay　there；　my　queen；　to　charm　the
scullion　lads。'　At　the　same　time；　Charles　Edward's　humor　is　less
biting。　I　am　not　sure　that　this　kind　of　wit　was　known　among　the　Greeks
and　Romans。　Plato；　possibly；　upon　a　closer　inspection　approaches　it；
but　from　the　austere　and　musical　side〃

〃No　more　of　that　jargon；〃　the　Marquise　broke　in；　〃in　print　it　may　be
endurable；　but　to　have　it　grating　upon　my　ears　is　a　punishment　which　I
do　not　in　the　least　deserve。〃

〃He　first　met　Claudine　on　this　wise；〃　continued　Nathan。　〃It　was　one　of
the　unfilled　days；　when　Youth　is　a　burden　to　itself；　days　when　youth；
reduced　by　the　overweening　presumption　of　Age　to　a　condition　of
potential　energy　and　dejection；　emerges　therefrom　（like　Blondet　under
the　Restoration）；　either　to　get　into　mischief　or　to　set　about　some
colossal　piece　of　buffoonery；　half　excused　by　the　very　audacity　of　its
conception。　La　Palferine　was　sauntering；　cane　in　hand；　up　and　down　the
pavement　between　the　Rue　de　Grammont　and　the　Rue　de　Richelieu；　when　in
the　distance　he　descried　a　woman　too　elegantly　dressed；　covered；　as　he
phrased　it；　with　a　great　deal　of　portable　property；　too　expensive　and
too　carelessly　worn　for　its　owner　to　be　other　than　a　princess　of　the
court　or　of　the　stage；　it　was　not　easy　at　first　to　say　which。　But
after　July　1830；　in　his　opinion；　there　is　no　mistaking　the　indications
the　princess　can　only　be　a　princess　of　the　stage。

〃The　Count　came　up　and　walked　by　her　side　as　if　she　had　given　him　an
assignation。　He　followed　her　with　a　courteous　persistence；　a
persistence　in　good　taste；　giving　the　lady　from　time　to　time；　and
always　at　the　right　moment；　an　authoritative　glance；　which　compelled
her　to　submit　to　his　escort。　Anybody　but　La　Palferine　would　have　been
frozen　by　his　reception；　and　disconcerted　by　the　lady's　first　efforts
to　rid　herself　of　her　cavalier；　by　her　chilly　air；　her　curt　speeches；
but　no　gravity；　with　all　the　will　in　the　world；　could　hold　out　long
against　La　Palferine's　jesting　replies。　The　fair　stranger　went　into
her　milliner's　shop。　Charles　Edward　followed；　took　a　seat；　and　gave
his　opinions　and　advice　like　a　man　that　meant　to　pay。　This　coolness
disturbed　the　lady。　She　went　out。

〃On　the　stairs　she　spoke　to　her　persecutor。

〃　'Monsieur；　I　am　about　to　call　upon　one　of　my　husband's　relatives；　an
elderly　lady；　Mme。　de　Bonfalot'

〃　'Ah！　Mme。　de　Bonfalot；　charmed；　I　am　sure。　I　am　going　there。'

〃The　pair　accordingly　went。　Charles　Edward　came　in　with　the　lady；
every　one　believed　that　she　had　brought　him　with　her。　He　took　part　in
the　conversation；　was　lavish　of　his　polished　and　brilliant　wit。　The
visit　lengthened　out。　That　was　not　what　he　wanted。

〃　'Madame；'　he　said；　addressing　the　fair　stranger；　'do　not　forget　that
your　husband　is　waiting　for　us；　and　only　allowed　us　a　quarter　of　an
hour。'

〃Taken　aback　by　such　boldness　（which；　as　you　know；　is　never
displeasing　to　you　women）；　led　captive　by　the　conqueror's　glance；　by
the　astute　yet　candid　air　which　Charles　Edward　can　assume　when　he
chooses；　the　lady　rose；　took　the　arm　of　her　self…constituted　escort；
and　went　downstairs；　but　on　the　threshold　she　stopped　to　speak　to　him。

〃　'Monsieur；　I　like　a　joke'

〃　'And　so　do　I。'

〃She　laughed。

〃　'But　this　may　turn　to　earnest；'　he　added；　'it　only　rests　with　you。　I
am　the　Comte　de　la　Palferine；　and　I　am　delighted　that　it　is　in　my
power　to　lay　my　heart　and　my　fortune　at　your　feet。'

〃La　Palferine　was　at　that　time　twenty…two　years　old。　（This　happened　in
1834。）　Luckily　for　him；　he　was　fashionably　dressed。　I　can　paint　his
portrait　for　you　in　a　few　words。　He　was　the　living　image　of　Louis
XIII。；　with　the　same　white　forehead　and　gracious　outline　of　the
temples；　the　same　olive　skin　（that　Italian　olive　tint　which　turns
white　where　the　light　falls　on　it）；　the　brown　hair　worn　rather　long；
the　black　'royale；'　the　grave　and　melancholy　expression；　for　La
Palferine's　character　and　exterior　were　amazingly　at　variance。

〃At　the　sound　of　the　name；　and　the　sight　of　its　owner；　something　like
a　quiver　thrilled　through　Claudine。　La　Palferine　saw　the　vibration；
and　shot　a　glance　at　her　out　of　the　dark　depths　of　almond…shaped　eyes
with　purpled　lids；　and　those　faint　lines　about　them　which　tell　of
pleasures　as　costly　as　painful　fatigue。　With　those　eyes　upon　her；　she
said'Your　address？'

〃　'What　want　of　address！'

〃　'Oh；　pshaw！'　she　said；　smiling。　'A　bird　on　the　bough？'

〃　'Good…bye；　madame；　you　are　such　a　woman　as　I　seek；　but　my　fortune　is
far　from　equaling　my　desire'

〃He　bowed；　and　there　and　then　left　her。　Two　days　later；　by　one　of　the
strange　chances　that　can　only　happen　in　Paris；　he　had　betaken　himself
to　a　money…lending　wardrobe　dealer　to　sell　such　of　his　clothing　as　he
could　spare。　He　was　just　receiving　the　price　with　an　uneasy　air；　after
long　chaffering；　when　the　stranger　lady　passed　and　recognized　him。

〃　'Once　for　all；'　cried　he　to　the　bewildered　wardrobe　dealer；　'I　tell
you　I　am　not　going　to　take　your　trumpet！'

〃He　pointed　to　a　huge；　much…dinted　musical　instrument；　hanging　up
outside　against　a　background　of　uniforms；　civil　and　military。　Then；
proudly　and　impetuously；　he　followed　the　lady。