a daughter of eve-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


all　bribery　he　refused　to　take　advantage　of　certain　profitable

enterprises　which　were　started　by　means　of　his　paper；he！　who　had　no

reluctance　in　compromising　friends　or　in　behaving　with　little　decency

to　mechanics　under　certain　circumstances。　Such　meannesses；　the　result

of　vanity　and　of　ambition；　are　found　in　many　lives　like　his。　The

mantle　must　be　splendid　before　the　eyes　of　the　world；　and　we　steal　our

friend's　or　a　poor　man's　cloth　to　patch　it。



Nevertheless；　two　months　after　the　departure　of　the　countess；　Raoul

had　a　certain　Rabelaisian　〃quart　d'heure〃　which　caused　him　some

anxiety　in　the　midst　of　these　triumphs。　Du　Tillet　had　advanced　a

hundred　thousand　francs；　Florine's　money　had　gone　in　the　costs　of　the

first　establishment　of　the　paper；　which　were　enormous。　It　was

necessary　to　provide　for　the　future。　The　banker　agreed　to　let　the

editor　have　fifty　thousand　francs　on　notes　for　four　months。　Du　Tillet

thus　held　Raoul　by　the　halter　of　an　IOU。　By　means　of　this　relief　the

funds　of　the　paper　were　secured　for　six　months。　In　the　eyes　of　some

writers　six　months　is　an　eternity。　Besides；　by　dint　of　advertising　and

by　offering　illusory　advantages　to　subscribers　two　thousand　had　been

secured；　an　influx　of　travellers　added　to　this　semi…success；　which　was

enough；　perhaps；　to　excuse　the　throwing　of　more　bank…bills　after　the

rest。　A　little　more　display　of　talent；　a　timely　political　trial　or

crisis；　an　apparent　persecution；　and　Raoul　felt　certain　of　becoming

one　of　those　modern　〃condottieri〃　whose　ink　is　worth　more　than　powder

and　shot　of　the　olden　time。



This　loan　from　du　Tillet　was　already　made　when　Florine　returned　with

fifty　thousand　francs。　Instead　of　creating　a　savings　fund　with　that

sum；　Raoul；　certain　of　success　（simply　because　he　felt　it　was

necessary）；　and　already　humiliated　at　having　accepted　the　actress's

money；　deceived　Florine　as　to　his　actual　position；　and　persuaded　her

to　employ　the　money　in　refurnishing　her　house。　The　actress；　who　did

not　need　persuasion；　not　only　spent　the　sum　in　hand；　but　she　burdened

herself　with　a　debt　of　thirty　thousand　francs；　with　which　she　obtained

a　charming　little　house　all　to　herself　in　the　rue　Pigale；　whither　her

old　society　resorted。　Raoul　had　reserved　the　production　of　his　great

piece；　in　which　was　a　part　especially　suited　to　Florine；　until　her

return。　This　comedy…vaudeville　was　to　be　Raoul's　farewell　to　the

stage。　The　newspapers；　with　that　good　nature　which　costs　nothing；

prepared　the　way　for　such　an　ovation　to　Florine　that　even　the　Theatre…

Francais　talked　of　engaging　her。　The　feuilletons　proclaimed　her　the

heiress　of　Mars。



This　triumph　was　sufficiently　dazzling　to　prevent　Florine　from

carefully　studying　the　ground　on　which　Nathan　was　advancing；　she

lived；　for　the　time　being；　in　a　round　of　festivities　and　glory。

According　to　those　about　her；　he　was　now　a　great　political　character；

he　was　justified　in　his　enterprise；　he　would　certainly　be　a　deputy；

probably　a　minister　in　course　of　time；　like　so　many　others。　As　for

Nathan　himself；　he　firmly　believed　that　in　the　next　session　of　the

Chamber　he　should　find　himself　in　government　with　two　other

journalists；　one　of　whom；　already　a　minister；　was　anxious　to　associate

some　of　his　own　craft　with　himself；　and　so　consolidate　his　power。

After　a　separation　of　six　months；　Nathan　met　Florine　again　with

pleasure；　and　returned　easily　to　his　old　way　of　life。　All　his　comforts

came　from　the　actress；　but　he　embroidered　the　heavy　tissue　of　his　life

with　the　flowers　of　ideal　passion；　his　letters　to　Marie　were

masterpieces　of　grace　and　style。　Nathan　made　her　the　light　of　his

life；　he　undertook　nothing　without　consulting　his　〃guardian　angel。〃　In

despair　at　being　on　the　popular　side；　he　talked　of　going　over　to　that

of　the　aristocracy；　but；　in　spite　of　his　habitual　agility；　even　he　saw

the　absolute　impossibility　of　such　a　jump；　it　was　easier　to　become　a

minister。　Marie's　precious　replies　were　deposited　in　one　of　those

portfolios　with　patent　locks　made　by　Huret　or　Fichet；　two　mechanics

who　were　then　waging　war　in　advertisements　and　posters　all　over　Paris；

as　to　which　could　make　the　safest　and　most　impenetrable　locks。



This　portfolio　was　left　about　in　Florine's　new　boudoir；　where　Nathan

did　much　of　his　work。　No　one　is　easier　to　deceive　than　a　woman　to　whom

a　man　is　in　the　habit　of　telling　everything；　she　has　no　suspicions；

she　thinks　she　sees　and　hears　and　knows　all。　Besides；　since　her

return；　Nathan　had　led　the　most　regular　of　lives　under　her　very　nose。

Never　did　she　imagine　that　that　portfolio；　which　she　hardly　glanced　at

as　it　lay　there　unconcealed；　contained　the　letters　of　a　rival；

treasures　of　admiring　love　which　the　countess　addressed；　at　Raoul's

request；　to　the　office　of　his　newspaper。



Nathan's　situation　was；　therefore；　to　all　appearance；　extremely

brilliant。　He　had　many　friends。　The　two　plays　lately　produced　had

succeeded　well；　and　their　proceeds　supplied　his　personal　wants　and

relieved　him　of　all　care　for　the　future。　His　debt　to　du　Tillet；　〃his

friend；〃　did　not　make　him　in　the　least　uneasy。



〃Why　distrust　a　friend？〃　he　said　to　Blondet；　who　from　time　to　time

would　cast　a　doubt　on　his　position；　led　to　do　so　by　his　general　habit

of　analyzing。



〃But　we　don't　need　to　distrust　our　enemies；〃　remarked　Florine。



Nathan　defended　du　Tillet；　he　was　the　best；　the　most　upright　of　men。



This　existence；　which　was　really　that　of　a　dancer　on　the　tight　rope

without　his　balance…pole；　would　have　alarmed　any　one；　even　the　most

indifferent；　had　it　been　seen　as　it　really　was。　Du　Tillet　watched　it

with　the　cool　eye　and　the　cynicism　of　a　parvenu。　Through　the　friendly

good　humor　of　his　intercourse　with　Raoul　there　flashed　now　and　then　a

malignant　jeer。　One　day；　after　pressing　his　hand　in　Florine's　boudoir

and　watching　him　as　he　got　into　his　carriage；　du　Tillet　remarked　to

Lousteau　（envier　par　excellence）：



〃That　fellow　is　off　to　the　Bois　in　fine　style　to…day；　but　he　is　just

as　likely；　six　months　hence；　to　be　in　a　debtor's　prison。〃



〃He？　never！〃　cried　Lousteau。　〃He　has　Florine。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that　he'll　keep　her？　As　for　you；　who　are　worth　a

dozen　of　him；　I　predict　that　you　will　be　our　editor…in…chief　within

six　months。〃



In　October　Nathan's　notes　to　du　Tillet　fell　due；　and　the　banker

graciously　renewed　them；　but　for　two　months　only；　with　the　discount

added　and　a　fresh　loan。　Sure　of　victory；　Raoul　was　not　afraid　of

continuing　to　put　his　hand　in　the　bag。　Madame　Felix　de　Vandenesse　was

to　return　in　a　few　days；　a　month　earlier　than　usual；　brought　back；　of

course；　by　her　unconquerable　desire　to　see　Nathan；　who　felt　that　he

could　not　be　short　of　money　at　a　time　when　he　renewed　that　assiduous

life。



Correspondence；　in　which　the　pen　is　always　bolder　than　speech；　and

thought；　wreathing　itself　with　flowers；　allows　itself　to　be　seen

without　disguise；　and　brought　the　countess　to　the　highest　pitch　of

enthusiasm。　She　believed　she　saw　in　Raoul　one　of　the　noblest　spirits

of　the　epoch；　a　delicate　but　misjudged　heart　without　a　stain　and

worthy　of　adoration；　she　saw　him　advancing　with　a　brave　hand　to　grasp

the　sceptre　of　power。　Soon　that　speech　so　beautiful　in　love　would　echo

from　the　tribune。　Marie　now　lived　only　in　this　life　of　a　world　outside

her　own。　Her　taste　was　lost　for　the　tranquil　joys　of　home；　and　she

gave　herself　up　to　the　agitations　of　this　whirlwind　life　communicated

by　a　clever　and　adoring　pen。　She　kissed　Raoul's　letters；　written　in

the　midst　of　the　ceaseless　battles　of　the　press；　with　time　taken　from

necessary　studies；　she　felt　their　value；　she　was　certain　of　being

loved；　and　loved　only；　with　no　rival　but　the　fame　and　ambition　he

adored。　She　found　enough　in　her　country　solitude　to　fill　her　soul　and

employ　her　faculties；happy；　indeed；　to　have　been　so　chosen　by　such　a

man；　who　to　her　was　an　angel。



During　the　last　days　of　autumn　Marie　and　Raoul　again　met　and　renewed

their　walks　in　the　Bois；　where　alone　they　could　see　each　other　until

the　salons　reopened。　But　when　the　winter　fairly　began；　Raoul　appeared

in　social　life　at　his　apogee。　He　was　almost　a　personage。　Rastignac；

now　out　of　power　with　the　ministry；　which　went　to　pieces　on　the　death

of　de　Marsay；　leaned　upon　Nathan；　and　gave　him　in　return　the　warmest

praise。　Madame　de　Vandenesse；　feeling　this　change　in　public　opinion；

was　desirous　of　knowing　if　her　husband's　judgment　had　altered　also。

She　questioned　him　again；　perhaps　with　the　hope　of　obtaining　one　of

those　brilliant　revenges　which　please　all　women；　even　the　noblest　and

least　worldly；for　may　we　not　believe　that　even　the　angels　retain

some　portion　of　their　self…love　as　they　gather　in　serried　ranks　before

the　Holy　of　Holies？



〃Nothing　was　wanting　to　Raoul　Nathan　but　to　be　the　dupe　he　now　is　to　a

parcel　of　intriguing　sharpers；〃　replied　the　count。



Felix；　whose　knowledge　of　the　world　and　politics　enabled　him　to　judge

clearly；　had　seen　Nathan's　true