the girl with the golden eyes-第8节

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of　those　police　officers　who　seek　a　good　disguise；　and　bought　up　cast…
off　clothes　of　an　Auvergnat；　the　appearance　of　whom　he　sought　to
imitate。　When　the　postman；　who　went　the　round　of　the　Rue　Saint　Lazare
that　morning；　passed　by；　Laurent　feigned　to　be　a　porter　unable　to
remember　the　name　of　a　person　to　whom　he　had　to　deliver　a　parcel；　and
consulted　the　postman。　Deceived　at　first　by　appearances；　this
personage；　so　picturesque　in　the　midst　of　Parisian　civilization；
informed　him　that　the　house　in　which　the　girl　with　the　golden　eyes
dwelt　belonged　to　Don　Hijos；　Marquis　de　San…Real；　grandee　of　Spain。
Naturally；　it　was　not　with　the　Marquis　that　the　Auvergnat　was
concerned。

〃My　parcel；〃　he　said；　〃is　for　the　marquise。〃

〃She　is　away；〃　replied　the　postman。　〃Her　letters　are　forwarded　to
London。〃

〃Then　the　marquise　is　not　a　young　girl　who　。　。　。　？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　postman；　interrupting　the　/valet　de　chambre/　and
observing　him　attentively；　〃you　are　as　much　a　porter　as　I'm　。　。　。〃

Laurent　chinked　some　pieces　of　gold　before　the　functionary；　who　began
to　smile。

〃Come；　here's　the　name　of　your　quarry；〃　he　said；　taking　from　his
leather　wallet　a　letter　bearing　a　London　stamp；　upon　which　the
address；　〃To　Mademoiselle　Paquita　Valdes；　Rue　Saint　Lazare；　Hotel　San…
Real；　Paris；〃　was　written　in　long；　fine　characters；　which　spoke　of　a
woman's　hand。

〃Could　you　tap　a　bottle　of　Chablis；　with　a　few　dozen　oysters；　and　a
/filet　saute/　with　mushrooms　to　follow　it？〃　said　Laurent；　who　wished
to　win　the　postman's　valuable　friendship。

〃At　half…past　nine；　when　my　round　is　finished　Where？〃

〃At　the　corner　of　the　Rue　de　la　Chaussee…d'Antin　and　the　Rue　Neuve…
des…Mathurins；　at　the　/Puits　sans　Vin/；〃　said　Laurent。

〃Hark　ye；　my　friend；〃　said　the　postman；　when　he　rejoined　the　valet　an
hour　after　this　encounter；　〃if　your　master　is　in　love　with　the　girl；
he　is　in　for　a　famous　task。　I　doubt　you'll　not　succeed　in　seeing　her。
In　the　ten　years　that　I've　been　postman　in　Paris；　I　have　seen　plenty
of　different　kinds　of　doors！　But　I　can　tell　you；　and　no　fear　of　being
called　a　liar　by　any　of　my　comrades；　there　never　was　a　door　so
mysterious　as　M。　de　San…Real's。　No　one　can　get　into　the　house　without
the　Lord　knows　what　counter…word；　and；　notice；　it　has　been　selected　on
purpose　between　a　courtyard　and　a　garden　to　avoid　any　communication
with　other　houses。　The　porter　is　an　old　Spaniard；　who　never　speaks　a
word　of　French；　but　peers　at　people　as　Vidocq　might；　to　see　if　they
are　not　thieves。　If　a　lover；　a　thief；　or　youI　make　no　comparisons
could　get　the　better　of　this　first　wicket；　well；　in　the　first　hall；
which　is　shut　by　a　glazed　door；　you　would　run　across　a　butler
surrounded　by　lackeys；　an　old　joker　more　savage　and　surly　even　than
the　porter。　If　any　one　gets　past　the　porter's　lodge；　my　butler　comes
out；　waits　for　you　at　the　entrance；　and　puts　you　through　a　cross…
examination　like　a　criminal。　That　has　happened　to　me；　a　mere　postman。
He　took　me　for　an　eavesdropper　in　disguise；　he　said；　laughing　at　his
nonsense。　As　for　the　servants；　don't　hope　to　get　aught　out　of　them；　I
think　they　are　mutes；　no　one　in　the　neighborhood　knows　the　color　of
their　speech；　I　don't　know　what　wages　they　can　pay　them　to　keep　them
from　talk　and　drink；　the　fact　is；　they　are　not　to　be　got　at；　whether
because　they　are　afraid　of　being　shot；　or　that　they　have　some　enormous
sum　to　lose　in　the　case　of　an　indiscretion。　If　your　master　is　fond
enough　of　Mademoiselle　Paquita　Valdes　to　surmount　all　these　obstacles；
he　certainly　won't　triumph　over　Dona　Concha　Marialva；　the　duenna　who
accompanies　her　and　would　put　her　under　her　petticoats　sooner　than
leave　her。　The　two　women　look　as　if　they　were　sewn　to　one　another。〃

〃All　that　you　say；　worthy　postman；〃　went　on　Laurent；　after　having
drunk　off　his　wine；　〃confirms　me　in　what　I　have　learned　before。　Upon
my　word；　I　thought　they　were　making　fun　of　me！　The　fruiterer　opposite
told　me　that　of　nights　they　let　loose　dogs　whose　food　is　hung　up　on
stakes　just　out　of　their　reach。　These　cursed　animals　think；　therefore；
that　any　one　likely　to　come　in　has　designs　on　their　victuals；　and
would　tear　one　to　pieces。　You　will　tell　me　one　might　throw　them　down
pieces；　but　it　seems　they　have　been　trained　to　touch　nothing　except
from　the　hand　of　the　porter。〃

〃The　porter　of　the　Baron　de　Nucingen；　whose　garden　joins　at　the　top
that　of　the　Hotel　San…Real；　told　me　the　same　thing；〃　replied　the
postman。

〃Good！　my　master　knows　him；〃　said　Laurent；　to　himself。　〃Do　you　know；〃
he　went　on；　leering　at　the　postman；　〃I　serve　a　master　who　is　a　rare
man；　and　if　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　kiss　the　sole　of　the　foot　of
an　empress；　she　would　have　to　give　in　to　him。　If　he　had　need　of　you；
which　is　what　I　wish　for　you；　for　he　is　generous；　could　one　count　on
you？〃

〃Lord；　Monsieur　Laurent；　my　name　is　Moinot。　My　name　is　written　exactly
like　/Moineau/；　magpie：　M…o…i…n…o…t；　Moinot。〃

〃Exactly；〃　said　Laurent。

〃I　live　at　No。　11；　Rue　des　Trois　Freres；　on　the　fifth　floor；〃　went　on
Moinot；　〃I　have　a　wife　and　four　children。　If　what　you　want　of　me
doesn't　transgress　the　limits　of　my　conscience　and　my　official　duties；
you　understand！　I　am　your　man。〃

〃You　are　an　honest　fellow；〃　said　Laurent；　shaking　his　hand。　。　。　。

〃Paquita　Valdes　is；　no　doubt；　the　mistress　of　the　Marquis　de　San…Real；
the　friend　of　King　Ferdinand。　Only　an　old　Spanish　mummy　of　eighty
years　is　capable　of　taking　such　precautions；〃　said　Henri；　when　his
/valet　de　chambre/　had　related　the　result　of　his　researches。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Laurent；　〃unless　he　takes　a　balloon　no　one　can　get
into　that　hotel。〃

〃You　are　a　fool！　Is　it　necessary　to　get　into　the　hotel　to　have
Paquita；　when　Paquita　can　get　out　of　it？〃

〃But；　sir；　the　duenna？〃

〃We　will　shut　her　up　for　a　day　or　two；　your　duenna。〃

〃So；　we　shall　have　Paquita！〃　said　Laurent；　rubbing　his　hands。

〃Rascal！〃　answered　Henri；　〃I　shall　condemn　you　to　the　Concha；　if　you
carry　your　impudence　so　far　as　to　speak　so　of　a　woman　before　she　has
become　mine。　。　。　。　Turn　your　thoughts　to　dressing　me；　I　am　going　out。〃

Henri　remained　for　a　moment　plunged　in　joyous　reflections。　Let　us　say
it　to　the　praise　of　women；　he　obtained　all　those　whom　he　deigned　to
desire。　And　what　could　one　think　of　a　woman；　having　no　lover；　who
should　have　known　how　to　resist　a　young　man　armed　with　beauty　which　is
the　intelligence　of　the　body；　with　intelligence　which　is　a　grace　of
the　soul；　armed　with　moral　force　and　fortune；　which　are　the　only　two
real　powers？　Yet；　in　triumphing　with　such　ease；　De　Marsay　was　bound　to
grow　weary　of　his　triumphs；　thus；　for　about　two　years　he　had　grown
very　weary　indeed。　And　diving　deep　into　the　sea　of　pleasures　he
brought　back　more　grit　than　pearls。　Thus　had　he　come；　like　potentates；
to　implore　of　Chance　some　obstacle　to　surmount；　some　enterprise　which
should　ask　the　employment　of　his　dormant　moral　and　physical　strength。
Although　Paquita　Valdes　presented　him　with　a　marvelous　concentration
of　perfections　which　he　had　only　yet　enjoyed　in　detail；　the　attraction
of　passion　was　almost　/nil/　with　him。　Constant　satiety　had　weakened　in
his　heart　the　sentiment　of　love。　Like　old　men　and　people
disillusioned；　he　had　no　longer　anything　but　extravagant　caprices；
ruinous　tastes；　fantasies；　which；　once　satisfied；　left　no　pleasant
memory　in　his　heart。　Amongst　young　people　love　is　the　finest　of　the
emotions；　it　makes　the　life　of　the　soul　blossom；　it　nourishes　by　its
solar　power　the　finest　inspirations　and　their　great　thoughts；　the
first　fruits　in　all　things　have　a　delicious　savor。　Amongst　men　love
becomes　a　passion；　strength　leads　to　abuse。　Amongst　old　men　it　turns
to　vice；　impotence　tends　to　extremes。　Henri　was　at　once　an　old　man；　a
man；　and　a　youth。　To　afford　him　the　feelings　of　a　real　love；　he　needed
like　Lovelace；　a　Clarissa　Harlowe。　Without　the　magic　lustre　of　that
unattainable　pearl　he　could　only　have　either　passions　rendered　acute
by　some　Parisian　vanity；　or　set　determinations　with　himself　to　bring
such　and　such　a　woman　to　such　and　such　a　point　of　corruption；　or　else
adventures　which　stimulated　his　curiosity。

The　report　of　Laurent；　his　/valet　de　chambre/　had　just　given　an
enormous　value　to　the　girl　with　the　golden　eyes。　It　was　a　question　of
doing　battle　with　some　secret　enemy　who　seemed　as　dangerous　as　he　was
cunning；　and　to　carry　off　the　victory；　all　the　forces　which　Henri
could　dispose　of　would　be　useful。　He　was　about　to　play　in　that　eternal
old　comedy　which　will　be　always　fresh；　and　the　characters　in　which　are
an　old　man；　a　young　girl；　and　a　lover：　Don　Hijos；　Paquita；　De　Marsay。
If　Laurent　was　the　equal　of　Figaro；　the　duenna　seemed　incorruptible。
Thus；　the　living　play　was　supplied　by　Chance　with　a　stronger　plot　than
it　had　ever　been　by　dramatic　author！　But　then　is　not　Chance　too；　a　man
of　genius？

〃It　must　be　a　cautious　game；〃　said　Henri；　to　himself。

〃Well；〃　said　Paul　de　Manerville；　as　he　entered　the　room。　〃How　are　we
getting　on？　I　have　come　to　breakfast　with　you。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　Henri。　〃You　won't　be　shocked　if　I　make　my　toilette
before　you？〃

〃How　absurd！〃

〃We　take　so　many　things　from　the　English　just　now　that　we　might　well
become　as　great　prudes　and　hypocrites　a