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第5节

the marriage contract-第5节

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was as much of a Creole and a great lady as her mother。 Where they

themselves; remarked the marriageable men; would have been ruined; the

Comte de Manerville; rich as he was; could evade disaster。 In short;

the marriage was made。 Persons in the highest royalist circles said a

few engaging words to Paul which flattered his vanity:



〃Every one gives you Mademoiselle Evangelista。 If you marry her you

will do well。 You could not find; even in Paris; a more delightful

girl。 She is beautiful; graceful; elegant; and takes after the Casa…

Reales through her mother。 You will make a charming couple; you have

the same tastes; the same desires in life; and you will certainly have

the most agreeable house in Bordeaux。 Your wife need only bring her

night…cap; all is ready for her。 You are fortunate indeed in such a

mother…in…law。 A woman of intelligence; and very adroit; she will be a

great help to you in public life; to which you ought to aspire。

Besides; she has sacrificed everything to her daughter; whom she

adores; and Natalie will; no doubt; prove a good wife; for she loves

her mother。 You must soon bring the matter to a conclusion。〃



〃That is all very well;〃 replied Paul; who; in spite of his love; was

desirous of keeping his freedom of action; 〃but I must be sure that

the conclusion shall be a happy one。〃



He now went frequently to Madame Evangelista's; partly to occupy his

vacant hours; which were harder for him to employ than for most men。

There alone he breathed the atmosphere of grandeur and luxury to which

he was accustomed。



At forty years of age; Madame Evangelista was beautiful; with the

beauty of those glorious summer sunsets which crown a cloudless day。

Her spotless reputation had given an endless topic of conversation to

the Bordeaux cliques; the curiosity of the women was all the more

lively because the widow gave signs of the temperament which makes a

Spanish woman and a Creole particularly noted。 She had black eyes and

hair; the feet and form of a Spanish woman;that swaying form the

movements of which have a name in Spain。 Her face; still beautiful;

was particularly seductive for its Creole complexion; the vividness of

which can be described only by comparing it to muslin overlying

crimson; so equally is the whiteness suffused with color。 Her figure;

which was full and rounded; attracted the eye by a grace which united

nonchalance with vivacity; strength with ease。 She attracted and she

imposed; she seduced; but promised nothing。 She was tall; which gave

her at times the air and carriage of a queen。 Men were taken by her

conversation like birds in a snare; for she had by nature that genius

which necessity bestows on schemes; she advanced from concession to

concession; strengthening herself with what she gained to ask for

more; knowing well how to retreat with rapid steps when concessions

were demanded in return。 Though ignorant of facts; she had known the

courts of Spain and Naples; the celebrated men of the two Americas;

many illustrious families of England and the continent; all of which

gave her so extensive an education superficially that it seemed

immense。 She received her society with the grace and dignity which are

never learned; but which come to certain naturally fine spirits like a

second nature; assimilating choice things wherever they are met。 If

her reputation for virtue was unexplained; it gave at any rate much

authority to her actions; her conversation; and her character。



Mother and daughter had a true friendship for each other; beyond the

filial and maternal sentiment。 They suited one another; and their

perpetual contact had never produced the slightest jar。 Consequently

many persons explained Madame Evangelista's actions by maternal love。

But although Natalie consoled her mother's persistent widowhood; she

may not have been the only motive for it。 Madame Evangelista had been;

it was said; in love with a man who recovered his titles and property

under the Restoration。 This man; desirous of marrying her in 1814 had

discreetly severed the connection in 1816。 Madame Evangelista; to all

appearance the best…hearted woman in the world; had; in the depths of

her nature; a fearful quality; explainable only by Catherine de

Medici's device: 〃Odiate e aspettate〃〃Hate and wait。〃 Accustomed to

rule; having always been obeyed; she was like other royalties;

amiable; gentle; easy and pleasant in ordinary life; but terrible;

implacable; if the pride of the woman; the Spaniard; and the Casa…

Reale was touched。 She never forgave。 This woman believed in the power

of her hatred; she made an evil fate of it and bade it hover above her

enemy。 This fatal power she employed against the man who had jilted

her。 Events which seemed to prove the influence of her 〃jettatura〃

the casting of an evil eyeconfirmed her superstitious faith in

herself。 Though a minister and peer of France; this man began to ruin

himself; and soon came to total ruin。 His property; his personal and

public honor were doomed to perish。 At this crisis Madame Evangelista

in her brilliant equipage passed her faithless lover walking on foot

in the Champes Elysees; and crushed him with a look which flamed with

triumph。 This misadventure; which occupied her mind for two years; was

the original cause of her not remarrying。 Later; her pride had drawn

comparisons between the suitors who presented themselves and the

husband who had loved her so sincerely and so well。



She had thus reached; through mistaken calculations and disappointed

hopes; that period of life when women have no other part to take in

life than that of mother; a part which involves the sacrifice of

themselves to their children; the placing of their interests outside

of self upon another household;the last refuge of human affections。



Madame Evangelista divined Paul's nature intuitively; and hid her own

from his perception。 Paul was the very man she desired for a son…in…

law; for the responsible editor of her future power。 He belonged;

through his mother; to the family of Maulincour; and the old Baronne

de Maulincour; the friend of the Vidame de Pamiers; was then living in

the centre of the faubourg Saint…Germain。 The grandson of the

baroness; Auguste de Maulincour; held a fine position in the army。

Paul would therefore be an excellent introducer for the Evangelistas

into Parisian society。 The widow had known something of the Paris of

the Empire; she now desired to shine in the Paris of the Restoration。

There alone were the elements of political fortune; the only business

in which women of the world could decently co…operate。 Madame

Evangelista; compelled by her husband's affairs to reside in Bordeaux;

disliked the place。 She desired a wider field; as gamblers rush to

higher stakes。 For her own personal ends; therefore; she looked to

Paul as a means of destiny; she proposed to employ the resources of

her own talent and knowledge of life to advance her son…in…law; in

order to enjoy through him the delights of power。 Many men are thus

made the screens of secret feminine ambitions。 Madame Evangelista had;

however; more than one interest; as we shall see; in laying hold of

her daughter's husband。



Paul was naturally captivated by this woman; who charmed him all the

more because she seemed to seek no influence over him。 In reality she

was using her ascendancy to magnify herself; her daughter; and all her

surroundings in his eyes; for the purpose of ruling from the start the

man in whom she saw a means of gratifying her social longings。 Paul;

on the other hand; began to value himself more highly when he felt

himself appreciated by the mother and daughter。 He thought himself

much cleverer than he really was when he found his reflections and

sayings accepted and understood by Mademoiselle Nataliewho raised

her head and smiled in response to themand by the mother; whose

flattery always seemed involuntary。 The two women were so kind and

friendly to him; he was so sure of pleasing them; they ruled him so

delightfully by holding the thread of his self…love; that he soon

passed all his time at the hotel Evangelista。



A year after his return to Bordeaux; Comte Paul; without having

declared himself; was so attentive to Natalie that the world

considered him as courting her。 Neither mother nor daughter appeared

to be thinking of marriage。 Mademoiselle Evangelista preserved towards

Paul the reserve of a great lady who can make herself charming and

converse agreeably without permitting a single step into intimacy。

This reserve; so little customary among provincials; pleased Paul

immensely。 Timid men are shy; sudden proposals alarm them。 They

retreat from happiness when it comes with a rush; and accept

misfortune if it presents itself mildly with gentle shadows。 Paul

therefore committed himself in his own mind all the more because he

saw no effort on Madame Evangelista's part to bind him。 She fairly

seduced him one

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