a daughter of eve-第12节

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there　was　nothing　except　a　strange；　evidently　Florentine；　ivory

statuette　attributed　to　Michael　Angelo；　representing　Pan　discovering　a

woman　under　the　skin　of　a　young　shepherd；　the　original　of　which　is　in

the　royal　palace　of　Vienna。　On　either　side　were　candelabra　of

Renaissance　design。　A　clock；　by　Boule；　on　a　tortoise…shell　stand；

inlaid　with　brass；　sparkled　in　the　centre　of　one　panel　between　two

statuettes；　undoubtedly　obtained　from　the　demolition　of　some　abbey。　In

the　corners　of　the　room；　on　pedestals；　were　lamps　of　royal

magnificence；　as　to　which　a　manufacturer　had　made　strong　remonstrance

against　adapting　his　lamps　to　Japanese　vases。　On　a　marvellous

sideboard　was　displayed　a　service　of　silver　plate；　the　gift　of　an

English　lord；　also　porcelains　in　high　relief；　in　short；　the　luxury　of

an　actress　who　has　no　other　property　than　her　furniture。



The　bedroom；　all　in　violet；　was　a　dream　that　Florine　had　indulged　from

her　debut；　the　chief　features　of　which　were　curtains　of　violet　velvet

lined　with　white　silk；　and　looped　over　tulle；　a　ceiling　of　white

cashmere　with　violet　satin　rays；　an　ermine　carpet　beside　the　bed；　in

the　bed；　the　curtains　of　which　resembled　a　lily　turned　upside　down　was

a　lantern　by　which　to　read　the　newspaper　plaudits　or　criticisms　before

they　appeared　in　the　morning。　A　yellow　salon；　its　effect　heightened　by

trimmings　of　the　color　of　Florentine　bronze；　was　in　harmony　with　the

rest　of　these　magnificences；　a　further　description　of　which　would　make

our　pages　resemble　the　posters　of　an　auction　sale。　To　find　comparisons

for　all　these　fine　things；　it　would　be　necessary　to　go　to　a　certain

house　that　was　almost　next　door；　belonging　to　a　Rothschild。



Sophie　Grignault；　surnamed　Florine　by　a　form　of　baptism　common　in

theatres；　had　made　her　first　appearances；　in　spite　of　her　beauty；　on

very　inferior　boards。　Her　success　and　her　money　she　owed　to　Raoul

Nathan。　This　association　of　their　two　fates；　usual　enough　in　the

dramatic　and　literary　world；　did　no　harm　to　Raoul；　who　kept　up　the

outward　conventions　of　a　man　of　the　world。　Moreover；　Florine's　actual

means　were　precarious；　her　revenues　came　from　her　salary　and　her

leaves　of　absence；　and　barely　sufficed　for　her　dress　and　her　household

expenses。　Nathan　gave　her　certain　perquisites　which　he　managed　to　levy

as　critic　on　several　of　the　new　enterprises　of　industrial　art。　But

although　he　was　always　gallant　and　protecting　towards　her；　that

protection　had　nothing　regular　or　solid　about　it。



This　uncertainty；　and　this　life　on　a　bough；　as　it　were；　did　not　alarm

Florine；　she　believed　in　her　talent；　and　she　believed　in　her　beauty。

Her　robust　faith　was　somewhat　comical　to　those　who　heard　her　staking

her　future　upon　it；　when　remonstrances　were　made　to　her。



〃I　can　have　income　enough　when　I　please；〃　she　was　wont　to　say；　〃I　have

invested　fifty　francs　on　the　Grand…livre。〃



No　one　could　ever　understand　how　it　happened　that　Florine；　handsome　as

she　was；　had　remained　in　obscurity　for　seven　years；　but　the　fact　is；

Florine　was　enrolled　as　a　supernumerary　at　thirteen　years　of　age；　and

made　her　debut　two　years　later　at　an　obscure　boulevard　theatre。　At

fifteen；　neither　beauty　nor　talent　exist；　a　woman　is　simply　all

promise。



She　was　now　twenty…eight；the　age　at　which　the　beauties　of　a　French

woman　are　in　their　glory。　Painters　particularly　admired　the　lustre　of

her　white　shoulders；　tinted　with　olive　tones　about　the　nape　of　the

neck；　and　wonderfully　firm　and　polished；　so　that　the　light　shimmered

over　them　as　it　does　on　watered　silk。　When　she　turned　her　head；　superb

folds　formed　about　her　neck；　the　admiration　of　sculptors。　She　carried

on　this　triumphant　neck　the　small　head　of　a　Roman　empress；　the

delicate；　round；　and　self…willed　head　of　Pompeia；　with　features　of

elegant　correctness；　and　the　smooth　forehead　of　a　woman　who　drives　all

care　away　and　all　reflection；　who　yields　easily；　but　is　capable　of

balking　like　a　mule；　and　incapable　at　such　times　of　listening　to

reason。　That　forehead；　turned；　as　it　were；　with　one　cut　of　the　chisel；

brought　out　the　beauty　of　the　golden　hair；　which　was　raised　in　front；

after　the　Roman　fashion；　in　two　equal　masses；　and　twisted　up　behind

the　head　to　prolong　the　line　of　the　neck；　and　enhance　that　whiteness

by　its　beautiful　color。　Black　and　delicate　eyebrows；　drawn　by　a

Chinese　brush；　encircled　the　soft　eyelids；　which　were　threaded　with

rosy　fibres。　The　pupils　of　the　eyes；　extremely　bright；　though　striped

with　brown　rays；　gave　to　her　glance　the　cruel　fixity　of　a　beast　of

prey；　and　betrayed　the　cold　maliciousness　of　the　courtesan。　The　eyes

were　gray；　fringed　with　black　lashes；a　charming　contrast；　which　made

their　expression　of　calm　and　contemplative　voluptuousness　the　more

observable；　the　circle　round　the　eyes　showed　marks　of　fatigue；　but　the

artistic　manner　in　which　she　could　turn　her　eyeballs；　right　and　left；

or　up　and　down；　to　observe；　or　seem　to　mediate；　the　way　in　which　she

could　hold　them　fixed；　casting　out　their　vivid　fire　without　moving　her

head；　without　taking　from　her　face　its　absolute　immovability　（a

manoeuvre　learned　upon　the　stage）；　and　the　vivacity　of　their　glance；

as　she　looked　about　a　theatre　in　search　of　a　friend；　made　her　eyes　the

most　terrible；　also　the　softest；　in　short；　the　most　extraordinary　eyes

in　the　world。　Rouge　had　destroyed　by　this　time　the　diaphanous　tints　of

her　cheeks；　the　flesh　of　which　was　still　delicate；　but　although　she

could　no　longer　blush　or　turn　pale；　she　had　a　thin　nose　with　rosy；

passionate　nostrils；　made　to　express　irony；the　mocking　irony　of

Moliere's　women…servants。　Her　sensual　mouth；　expressive　of　sarcasm　and

love　of　dissipation；　was　adorned　with　a　deep　furrow　that　united　the

upper　lip　with　the　nose。　Her　chin；　white　and　rather　fat；　betrayed　the

violence　of　passion。　Her　hands　and　arms　were　worthy　of　a　sovereign。



But　she　had　one　ineradicable　sign　of　low　birth；her　foot　was　short

and　fat。　No　inherited　quality　ever　caused　greater　distress。　Florine

had　tried　everything；　short　of　amputation；　to　get　rid　of　it。　The　feet

were　obstinate；　like　the　Breton　race　from　which　she　came；　they

resisted　all　treatment。　Florine　now　wore　long　boots　stuffed　with

cotton；　to　give　length；　and　the　semblance　of　an　instep。　Her　figure　was

of　medium　height；　threatened　with　corpulence；　but　still　well…balanced；

and　well…made。



Morally；　she　was　an　adept　in　all　the　attitudinizing；　quarrelling；

alluring；　and　cajoling　of　her　business；　and　she　gave　to　those　actions

a　savor　of　their　own　by　playing　childlike　innocence；　and　slipping　in

among　her　artless　speeches　philosophical　malignities。　Apparently

ignorant　and　giddy；　she　was　very　strong　on　money…matters　and

commercial　law；for　the　reason　that　she　had　gone　through　so　much

misery　before　attaining　to　her　present　precarious　success。　She　had

come　down；　story　by　story；　from　the　garret　to　the　first　floor；　through

so　many　vicissitudes！　She　knew　life；　from　that　which　begins　in　Brie

cheese　and　ends　at　pineapples；　from　that　which　cooks　and　washes　in　the

corner　of　a　garret　on　an　earthenware　stove；　to　that　which　convokes　the

tribes　of　pot…bellied　chefs　and　saucemakers。　She　had　lived　on　credit

and　not　killed　it；　she　was　ignorant　of　nothing　that　honest　women

ignore；　she　spoke　all　languages：　she　was　one　of　the　populace　by

experience；　she　was　noble　by　beauty　and　physical　distinction。

Suspicious　as　a　spy；　or　a　judge；　or　an　old　statesman；　she　was

difficult　to　impose　upon；　and　therefore　the　more　able　to　see　clearly

into　most　matters。　She　knew　the　ways　of　managing　tradespeople；　and　how

to　evade　their　snares；　and　she　was　quite　as　well　versed　in　the　prices

of　things　as　a　public　appraiser。　To　see　her　lying　on　her　sofa；　like　a

young　bride；　fresh　and　white；　holding　her　part　in　her　hand　and

learning　it；　you　would　have　thought　her　a　child　of　sixteen；　ingenuous；

ignorant；　and　weak；　with　no　other　artifice　about　her　but　her

innocence。　Let　a　creditor　contrive　to　enter；　and　she　was　up　like　a

startled　fawn；　and　swearing　a　good　round　oath。



〃Hey！　my　good　fellow；　your　insolence　is　too　dear　an　interest　on　the

money　I　owe　you；〃　she　would　say。　〃I　am　sick　of　seeing　you。　Send　the

sheriff　here；　I'd　prefer　him　to　your　silly　face。〃



Florine　gave　charming　dinners；　concerts；　and　well…attended　soirees；

where　play　ran　high。　Her　female　friends　were　all　handsome；　no　old

woman　had　ever　appeared　within　her　precincts。　She　was　not　jealous；　in

fact；　she　would　have　thought　jealousy　an　admission　of　inferiority。　She

had　known　Coralie　and　La　Torpille　in　their　lifetimes；　and　now　knew

Tullia；　Euphrasie；　Aquilina；　Madame　du　Val…Noble；　Mariette；those

women　who　pass　through　Paris　like　gossamer　through　the　atmosphere；

without　our　knowing　where　they　go　nor　whence　they　came；　to…day　queens；

to…morrow　slaves。　She　also　knew　the　actresses；　her　rivals；　and　all　the

prima…donnas；　in　short；　that　whole　exceptional　feminine　society；　so

kindly；　so　graceful　in　its　easy　〃sans…souci；〃　which　absorbs