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第25节

a daughter of eve-第25节

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longer influenced by the thought of an imminent danger in that

direction。 But she remembered the vehement energy with which the

countess had declared that she would fly with Nathan if that would

save him。 She saw that the man might determine her sister in some

paroxysm of gratitude and love to take a step which was nothing short

of madness。 There were recent examples in the highest society of just

such flights which paid for doubtful pleasures by lasting remorse and

the disrepute of a false position。 Du Tillet's speech brought her

fears to a point; she dreaded lest all should be discovered; she knew

her sister's signature was in Nucingen's hands; and she resolved to

entreat Marie to save herself by confessing all to Felix。



She drove to her sister's house; but Marie was not at home。 Felix was

there。 A voice within her cried aloud to Eugenie to save her sister;

the morrow might be too late。 She took a vast responsibility upon

herself; but she resolved to tell all to the count。 Surely he would be

indulgent when he knew that his honor was still safe。 The countess was

deluded rather than sinful。 Eugenie feared to be treacherous and base

in revealing secrets that society (agreeing on this point) holds to be

inviolable; butshe saw her sister's future; she trembled lest she

should some day be deserted; ruined by Nathan; poor; suffering;

disgraced; wretched; and she hesitated no longer; she sent in her name

and asked to see the count。



Felix; astonished at the visit; had a long conversation with his

sister…in…law; in which he seemed so calm; so completely master of

himself; that she feared he might have taken some terrible resolution。



〃Do not be uneasy;〃 he said; seeing her anxiety。 〃I will act in a

manner which shall make your sister bless you。 However much you may

dislike to keep the fact that you have spoken to me from her

knowledge; I must entreat you to do so。 I need a few days to search

into mysteries which you don't perceive; and; above all; I must act

cautiously。 Perhaps I can learn all in a day。 I; alone; my dear

sister; am the guilty person。 All lovers play their game; and it is

not every woman who is able; unassisted; to see life as it is。〃



Madame du Tillet returned home comforted。 Felix de Vandenesse drew

forty thousand francs from the Bank of France; and went direct to

Madame de Nucingen He found her at home; thanked her for the

confidence she had placed in his wife; and returned the money;

explaining that the countess had obtained this mysterious loan for her

charities; which were so profuse that he was trying to put a limit to

them。



〃Give me no explanations; monsieur; since Madame de Vandenesse has

told you all;〃 said the Baronne de Nucingen。



〃She knows the truth;〃 thought Vandenesse。



Madame de Nucingen returned to him Marie's letter of guarantee; and

sent to the bank for the four notes。 Vandenesse; during the short time

that these arrangements kept him waiting; watched the baroness with

the eye of a statesman; and he thought the moment propitious for

further negotiation。



〃We live in an age; madame; when nothing is sure;〃 he said。 〃Even

thrones rise and fall in France with fearful rapidity。 Fifteen years

have wreaked their will on a great empire; a monarchy; and a

revolution。 No one can now dare to count upon the future。 You know my

attachment to the cause of legitimacy。 Suppose some catastrophe; would

you not be glad to have a friend in the conquering party?〃



〃Undoubtedly;〃 she said; smiling。



〃Very good; then; will you have in me; secretly; an obliged friend who

could be of use to Monsieur de Nucingen in such a case; by supporting

his claim to the peerage he is seeking?〃



〃What do you want of me?〃 she asked。



〃Very little;〃 he replied。 〃All that you know about Nathan's affairs。〃



The baroness repeated to him her conversation with Rastignac; and

said; as she gave him the four notes; which the cashier had meantime

brought to her:



〃Don't forget your promise。〃



So little did Vandenesse forget this illusive promise that he used it

again on Baron Eugene de Rastignac to obtain from him certain other

information。 Leaving Rastignac's apartments; he dictated to a street

amanuensis the following note to Florine。



  〃If Mademoiselle Florine wishes to know of a part she may play she

  is requested to come to the masked opera at the Opera next Sunday

  night; accompanied by Monsieur Nathan。〃



To this ball he determined to take his wife and let her own eyes

enlighten her as to the relations between Nathan and Florine。 He knew

the jealous pride of the countess; he wanted to make her renounce her

love of her own will; without causing her to blush before him; and

then to return to her her own letters; sold by Florine; from whom he

expected to be able to buy them。 This judicious plan; rapidly

conceived and partly executed; might fail through some trick of chance

which meddles with all things here below。



After dinner that evening; Felix brought the conversation round to the

masked balls of the Opera; remarking that Marie had never been to one;

and proposing that she should accompany him the following evening。



〃I'll find you some one to 'intriguer;'〃 he said。



〃Ah! I wish you would;〃 she replied。



〃To do the thing well; a woman ought to fasten upon some good prey; a

celebrity; a man of enough wit to give and take。 There's Nathan; will

you have him? I know; through a friend of Florine; certain secrets of

his which would drive him crazy。〃



〃Florine?〃 said the countess。 〃Do you mean the actress?〃



Marie had already heard that name from the lips of the watchman

Quillet; it now shot like a flash of lightning through her soul。



〃Yes; his mistress;〃 replied the count。 〃What is there so surprising

in that?〃



〃I thought Monsieur Nathan too busy to have a mistress。 Do authors

have time to make love?〃



〃I don't say they love; my dear; but they are forced to LODGE

somewhere; like other men; and when they haven't a home of their own

they LODGE with their mistresses; which may seem to you rather loose;

but it is far more agreeable than lodging in a prison。〃



Fire was less red than Marie's cheeks。



〃Will you have him for a victim? I can help you to terrify him;〃

continued the count; not looking at his wife's face。 〃I'll put you in

the way of proving to him that he is being tricked like a child by

your brother…in…law du Tillet。 That wretch is trying to put Nathan in

prison so as to make him ineligible to stand against him in the

electoral college。 I know; through a friend of Florine; the exact sum

derived from the sale of her furniture; which she gave to Nathan to

found his newspaper; I know; too; what she sent him out of her

summer's harvest in the departments and in Belgium;money which has

really gone to the profit of du Tillet; Nucingen; and Massol。 All

three of them; unknown to Nathan; have privately sold the paper to the

new ministry; so sure are they of ejecting him。〃



〃Monsieur Nathan is incapable of accepting money from an actress。〃



〃You don't know that class of people; my dear;〃 said the count。 〃He

would not deny the fact if you asked him。〃



〃I will certainly go to the ball;〃 said the countess。



〃You will be very much amused;〃 replied Vandenesse。 〃With such weapons

in hand you can cut Nathan's complacency to the quick; and you will

also do him a great service。 You will put him in a fury; he'll try to

be calm; though inwardly fuming; but; all the same; you will enlighten

a man of talent as to the peril in which he really stands; and you

will also have the satisfaction of laming the horses of the 'juste…

milieu' in their stalls But you are not listening to me; my dear。〃



〃On the contrary; I am listening intently;〃 she said。 〃I will tell you

later why I feel desirous to know the truth of all this。〃



〃You shall know it;〃 said Vandenesse。 〃If you stay masked I will take

you to supper with Nathan and Florine; it would be rather amusing for

a woman of your rank to fool an actress after bewildering the wits of

a clever man about these important facts; you can harness them both to

the same hoax。 I'll make some inquiries about Nathan's infidelities;

and if I discover any of his recent adventures you shall enjoy the

sight of a courtesan's fury; it is magnificent。 Florine will boil and

foam like an Alpine torrent; she adores Nathan; he is everything to

her; she clings to him like flesh to the bones or a lioness to her

cubs。 I remember seeing; in my youth; a celebrated actress (who wrote

like a scullion) when she came to a friend of mine to demand her

letters。 I have never seen such a sight again; such calm fury; such

insolent majesty; such savage self…control Are you ill; Marie?〃



〃No; they have made too much fire。〃 The countess turned away and threw

herself on a sofa。 Suddenly; with an unforeseen movement; impelled by

the horrible anguish o

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