a prince of bohemia-第7节

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lay　the　secret　of　her　ascendency　over　du　Bruel；　at　any　rate；　he　loved
her　with　the　love　which　use　and　wont　at　length　makes　indispensable　to
life。　Every　day　adds　another　thread　to　the　strong；　irresistible；
intangible　web；　which　enmeshes　the　most　delicate　fancies；　takes
captive　every　most　transient　mood；　and　binding　them　together；　holds　a
man　captive　hand　and　foot；　heart　and　head。

〃Tullia　knew　Cursy　well；　she　knew　every　weak　point　in　his　armor；　knew
also　how　to　heal　his　wounds。

〃A　passion　of　this　kind　is　inscrutable　for　any　observer；　even　for　a
man　who　prides　himself；　as　I　do；　on　a　certain　expertness。　It　is
everywhere　unfathomable；　the　dark　depths　in　it　are　darker　than　in　any
other　mystery；　the　colors　confused　even　in　the　highest　lights。

〃Cursy　was　an　old　playwright；　jaded　by　the　life　of　the　theatrical
world。　He　liked　comfort；　he　liked　a　luxurious；　affluent；　easy
existence；　he　enjoyed　being　a　king　in　his　own　house；　he　liked　to　be
host　to　a　party　of　men　of　letters　in　a　hotel　resplendent　with　royal
luxury；　with　carefully　chosen　works　of　art　shining　in　the　setting。
Tullia　allowed　du　Bruel　to　enthrone　himself　amid　the　tribe；　there　were
plenty　of　journalists　whom　it　was　easy　enough　to　catch　and　ensnare；
and；　thanks　to　her　evening　parties　and　a　well…timed　loan　here　and
there；　Cursy　was　not　attacked　too　seriouslyhis　plays　succeeded。　For
these　reasons　he　would　not　have　separated　from　Tullia　for　an　empire。
If　she　had　been　unfaithful；　he　would　probably　have　passed　it　over；　on
condition　that　none　of　his　accustomed　joys　should　be　retrenched；　yet；
strange　to　say；　Tullia　caused　him　no　twinges　on　this　account。　No　fancy
was　laid　to　her　charge；　if　there　had　been　any；　she　certainly　had　been
very　careful　of　appearances。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　du　Bruel　would　say；　laying　down　the　law　to　us　on
the　boulevard；　'there　is　nothing　like　one　of　these　women　who　have　sown
their　wild　oats　and　got　over　their　passions。　Such　women　as　Claudine
have　lived　their　bachelor　life；　they　have　been　over　head　and　ears　in
pleasure；　and　make　the　most　adorable　wives　that　could　be　wished；　they
have　nothing　to　learn；　they　are　formed；　they　are　not　in　the　least
prudish；　they　are　well　broken　in；　and　indulgent。　So　I　strongly
recommend　everybody　to　take　the　〃remains　of　a　racer。〃　I　am　the　most
fortunate　man　on　earth。'

〃Du　Bruel　said　this　to　me　himself　with　Bixiou　there　to　hear　it。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　said　the　caricaturist；　'perhaps　he　is　right　to　be
in　the　wrong。'

〃About　a　week　afterwards；　du　Bruel　asked　us　to　dine　with　him　one
Tuesday。　That　morning　I　went　to　see　him　on　a　piece　of　theatrical
business；　a　case　submitted　to　us　for　arbitration　by　the　commission　of
dramatic　authors。　We　were　obliged　to　go　out　again；　but　before　we
started　he　went　to　Claudine's　room；　knocked；　as　he　always　does；　and
asked　for　leave　to　enter。

〃　'We　live　in　grand　style；'　said　he；　smiling；　'we　are　free。　Each　is
independent。'

〃We　were　admitted。　Du　Bruel　spoke　to　Claudine。　'I　have　asked　a　few
people　to　dinner　to…day〃

〃　'Just　like　you！'　cried　she。　'You　ask　people　without　speaking　to　me；
I　count　for　nothing　here。Now'　（taking　me　as　arbitrator　by　a　glance）
'I　ask　you　yourself。　When　a　man　has　been　so　foolish　as　to　live　with　a
woman　of　my　sort；　for；　after　all；　I　was　an　opera　danceryes；　I　ought
always　to　remember　that；　if　other　people　are　to　forget　itwell；　under
those　circumstances；　a　clever　man　seeking　to　raise　his　wife　in　public
opinion　would　do　his　best　to　impose　her　upon　the　world　as　a　remarkable
woman；　to　justify　the　step　he　had　taken　by　acknowledging　that　in　some
ways　she　was　something　more　than　ordinary　women。　The　best　way　of
compelling　respect　from　others　is　to　pay　respect　to　her　at　home；　and
to　leave　her　absolute　mistress　of　the　house。　Well；　and　yet　it　is
enough　to　awaken　one's　vanity　to　see　how　frightened　he　is　of　seeming
to　listen　to　me。　I　must　be　in　the　right　ten　times　over　if　he　concedes
a　single　point。'

〃（Emphatic　negative　gestures　from　du　Bruel　at　every　other　word。）

〃　'Oh；　yes；　yes；'　she　continued　quickly；　in　answer　to　this　mute
dissent。　'I　know　all　about　it；　du　Bruel；　my　dear；　I　that　have　been
like　a　queen　in　my　house　all　my　life　till　I　married　you。　My　wishes
were　guessed；　fulfilled；　and　more　than　fulfilled。　After　all；　I　am
thirty…five；　and　at　five…and…thirty　a　woman　cannot　expect　to　be　loved。
Ah；　if　I　were　a　girl　of　sixteen；　if　I　had　not　lost　something　that　is
dearly　bought　at　the　Opera；　what　attention　you　would　pay　me；　M。　du
Bruel！　I　feel　the　most　supreme　contempt　for　men　who　boast　that　they
can　love　and　grow　careless　and　neglectful　in　little　things　as　time
grows　on。　You　are　short　and　insignificant；　you　see；　du　Bruel；　you　love
to　torment　a　woman；　it　is　your　only　way　of　showing　your　strength。　A
Napoleon　is　ready　to　be　swayed　by　the　woman　he　loves；　he　loses　nothing
by　it；　but　as　for　such　as　you；　you　believe　that　you　are　nothing
apparently；　you　do　not　wish　to　be　ruled。Five…and…thirty；　my　dear
boy；'　she　continued；　turning　to　me；　'that　is　the　clue　to　the　riddle。
〃No；〃　does　he　say　again？You　know　quite　well　that　I　am　thirty…seven。
I　am　very　sorry；　but　just　ask　your　friends　to　dine　at　the　/Rocher　de
Cancale/。　I　/could/　have　them　here；　but　I　will　not；　they　shall　not
come。　And　then　perhaps　my　poor　little　monologue　may　engrave　that
salutary　maxim；　〃Each　is　master　at　home；〃　upon　your　memory。　That　is
our　character；'　she　added；　laughing；　with　a　return　of　the　opera　girl's
giddiness　and　caprice。

〃　'Well；　well；　my　dear　little　puss；　there；　there；　never　mind。　We　can
manage　to　get　on　together；'　said　du　Bruel；　and　he　kissed　her　hands；
and　we　came　away。　But　he　was　very　wroth。

〃The　whole　way　from　the　Rue　de　la　Victoire　to　the　boulevard　a　perfect
torrent　of　venomous　words　poured　from　his　mouth　like　a　waterfall　in
flood；　but　as　the　shocking　language　which　he　used　on　occasion　was
quite　unfit　to　print；　the　report　is　necessarily　inadequate。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；　I　will　leave　that　vile；　shameless　opera　dancer；　a
worn…out　jade　that　has　been　set　spinning　like　a　top　to　every　operatic
air；　a　foul　hussy；　an　organ…grinder's　monkey！　Oh；　my　dear　boy；　you
have　taken　up　with　an　actress；　may　the　notion　of　marrying　your
mistress　never　get　a　hold　on　you。　It　is　a　torment　omitted　from　the
hell　of　Dante；　you　see。　Look　here！　I　will　beat　her；　I　will　give　her　a
thrashing；　I　will　give　it　to　her！　Poison　of　my　life；　she　sent　me　off
like　a　running　footman。'

〃By　this　time　we　had　reached　the　boulevard；　and　he　had　worked　himself
up　to　such　a　pitch　of　fury　that　the　words　stuck　in　his　throat。

〃　'I　will　kick　the　stuffing　out　of　her！'

〃　'And　why？'

〃　'My　dear　fellow；　you　will　never　know　the　thousand…and…one　fancies
that　slut　takes　into　her　head。　When　I　want　to　stay　at　home；　she；
forsooth；　must　go　out；　when　I　want　to　go　out；　she　wants　me　to　stop　at
home；　and　she　spouts　out　arguments　and　accusations　and　reasoning　and
talks　and　talks　till　she　drives　you　crazy。　Right　means　any　whim　that
they　happen　to　take　into　their　heads；　and　wrong　means　our　notion。
Overwhelm　them　with　something　that　cuts　their　arguments　to　pieces
they　hold　their　tongues　and　look　at　you　as　if　you　were　a　dead　dog。　My
happiness　indeed！　I　lead　the　life　of　a　yard…dog；　I　am　a　perfect　slave。
The　little　happiness　that　I　have　with　her　costs　me　dear。　Confound　it
all。　I　will　leave　her　everything　and　take　myself　off　to　a　garret。　Yes；
a　garret　and　liberty。　I　have　not　dared　to　have　my　own　way　once　in
these　five　years。'

〃But　instead　of　going　to　his　guests；　Cursy　strode　up　and　down　the
boulevard　between　the　Rue　de　Richelieu　and　the　Rue　du　Mont　Blanc；
indulging　in　the　most　fearful　imprecations；　his　unbounded　language　was
most　comical　to　hear。　His　paroxysm　of　fury　in　the　street　contrasted
oddly　with　his　peaceable　demeanor　in　the　house。　Exercise　assisted　him
to　work　off　his　nervous　agitation　and　inward　tempest。　About　two
o'clock；　on　a　sudden　frantic　impulse；　he　exclaimed：

〃　'These　damned　females　never　know　what　they　want。　I　will　wager　my
head　now　that　if　I　go　home　and　tell　her　that　I　have　sent　to　ask　my
friends　to　dine　with　me　at　the　/Rocher　de　Cancale/；　she　will　not　be
satisfied　though　she　made　the　arrangement　herself。But　she　will　have
gone　off　somewhere　or　other。　I　wonder　whether　there　is　something　at
the　bottom　of　all　this；　an　assignation　with　some　goat？　No。　In　the
bottom　of　her　heart　she　loves　me！'　〃

The　Marquise　could　not　help　smiling。

〃Ah；　madame；〃　said　Nathan；　looking　keenly　at　her；　〃only　women　and
prophets　know　how　to　turn　faith　to　account。Du　Bruel　would　have　me　go
home　with　him；〃　he　continued；　〃and　we　went　slowly　back。　It　was　three
o'clock。　Before　he　appeared；　he　heard　a　stir　in　the　kitchen；　saw
preparations　going　forward；　and　glanced　at　me　as　he　asked　the　cook　the
reason　of　this。

〃　'Madame　ordered　dinner；'　said　the　woman。　'Madame　dressed　and　ordered
a　cab；　and　then　she　changed　her　mind　and　ordered　it　again　for　the
theatre　this　evening。'

〃　'Good；'　exclaimed　du　Bruel；　'what　did　I　tell　you？'

〃We　entered　the　house　stealthily。　No　one　was　there。　We　went　from　room
to　room　until　we　reached　a　little　boudoir；　and　came　upon　Tullia　in
tears。　She　dried　her　eyes　without　affectation；　and　spoke　to　du　Bruel。

〃　'Send　a　note　to　the　/Rocher　de　Can