the purse-第5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！



does　at　an　old　lady's？　Did　he　fill　a　place　midway　between　a　dog；

a　parrot；　and　a　friend？　Had　he　saved　his　patron's　fortune；　or

only　his　life？　Was　he　the　Trim　to　another　Captain　Toby？

Elsewhere；　as　at　the　Baronne　de　Rouville's；　he　always　piqued

curiosity　without　satisfying　it。　Who；　after　the　Restoration；

could　remember　the　attachment　which；　before　the　Revolution；　had

bound　this　man　to　his　friend's　wife；　dead　now　these　twenty　year？



The　leader；　who　appeared　the　least　dilapidated　of　these　wrecks；

came　gallantly　up　to　Madame　de　Rouville；　kissed　her　hand；　and　sat

down　by　her。　The　other　bowed　and　placed　himself　not　far　from　his

model；　at　a　distance　represented　by　two　chairs。　Adelaide　came

behind　the　old　gentleman's　armchair　and　leaned　her　elbows　on　the

back；　unconsciously　imitating　the　attitude　given　to　Dido's　sister

by　Guerin　in　his　famous　picture。



Though　the　gentleman's　familiarity　was　that　of　a　father；　his

freedom　seemed　at　the　moment　to　annoy　the　young　girl。



〃What；　are　you　sulky　with　me？〃　he　said。



Then　he　shot　at　Schinner　one　of　those　side…looks　full　of

shrewdness　and　cunning；　diplomatic　looks；　whose　expression

betrays　the　discreet　uneasiness；　the　polite　curiosity　of　well…

bred　people；　and　seems　to　ask；　when　they　see　a　stranger；　〃Is　he

one　of　us？〃



〃This　is　our　neighbor；〃　said　the　old　lady；　pointing　to　Hippolyte。

〃Monsieur　is　a　celebrated　painter；　whose　name　must　be　known　to　you

in　spite　of　your　indifference　to　the　arts。〃



The　old　man　saw　his　friend's　mischievous　intent　in　suppressing

the　name；　and　bowed　to　the　young　man。



〃Certainly；〃　said　he。　〃I　heard　a　great　deal　about　his　pictures　at

the　last　Salon。　Talent　has　immense　privileges。〃　he　added；

observing　the　artist's　red　ribbon。　〃That　distinction；　which　we

must　earn　at　the　cost　of　our　blood　and　long　service；　you　win　in

your　youth；　but　all　glory　is　of　the　same　kindred；〃　he　said；

laying　his　hand　on　his　Cross　of　Saint…Louis。



Hippolyte　murmured　a　few　words　of　acknowledgment；　and　was　silent

again；　satisfied　to　admire　with　growing　enthusiasm　the　beautiful

girl's　head　that　charmed　him　so　much。　He　was　soon　lost　in

contemplation；　completely　forgetting　the　extreme　misery　of　the

dwelling。　To　him　Adelaide's　face　stood　out　against　a　luminous

atmosphere。　He　replied　briefly　to　the　questions　addressed　to　him；

which；　by　good　luck；　he　heard；　thanks　to　a　singular　faculty　of

the　soul　which　sometimes　seems　to　have　a　double　consciousness。

Who　has　not　known　what　it　is　to　sit　lost　in　sad　or　delicious

meditation；　listening　to　its　voice　within；　while　attending　to　a

conversation　or　to　reading？　An　admirable　duality　which　often

helps　us　to　tolerate　a　bore！　Hope；　prolific　and　smiling；　poured

out　before　him　a　thousand　visions　of　happiness；　and　he　refused　to

consider　what　was　going　on　around　him。　As　confiding　as　a　child；

it　seemed　to　him　base　to　analyze　a　pleasure。



After　a　short　lapse　of　time　he　perceived　that　the　old　lady　and

her　daughter　were　playing　cards　with　the　old　gentleman。　As　to　the

satellite；　faithful　to　his　function　as　a　shadow；　he　stood　behind

his　friend's　chair　watching　his　game；　and　answering　the　player's

mute　inquiries　by　little　approving　nods；　repeating　the

questioning　gestures　of　the　other　countenance。



〃Du　Halga；　I　always　lose；〃　said　the　gentleman。



〃You　discard　badly；〃　replied　the　Baronne　de　Rouville。



〃For　three　months　now　I　have　never　won　a　single　game；〃　said　he。



〃Have　you　the　aces？〃　asked　the　old　lady。



〃Yes；　one　more　to　mark；〃　said　he。



〃Shall　I　come　and　advise　you？〃　said　Adelaide。



〃No；　no。　Stay　where　I　can　see　you。　By　Gad；　it　would　be　losing　too

much　not　to　have　you　to　look　at！〃



At　last　the　game　was　over。　The　gentleman　pulled　out　his　purse；

and；　throwing　two　louis　d'or　on　the　table；　not　without　temper



〃Forty　francs；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　exact　sum。Deuce　take　it！　It

is　eleven　o'clock。〃



〃It　is　eleven　o'clock；〃　repeated　the　silent　figure；　looking　at

the　painter。



The　young　man；　hearing　these　words　rather　more　distinctly　than

all　the　others；　thought　it　time　to　retire。　Coming　back　to　the

world　of　ordinary　ideas；　he　found　a　few　commonplace　remarks　to

make；　took　leave　of　the　Baroness；　her　daughter；　and　the　two

strangers；　and　went　away；　wholly　possessed　by　the　first　raptures

of　true　love；　without　attempting　to　analyze　the　little　incidents

of　the　evening。　



On　the　morrow　the　young　painter　felt　the　most　ardent　desire　to

see　Adelaide　once　more。　If　he　had　followed　the　call　of　his

passion；　he　would　have　gone　to　his　neighbor's　door　at　six　in　the

morning；　when　he　went　to　his　studio。　However；　he　still　was

reasonable　enough　to　wait　till　the　afternoon。　But　as　soon　as　he

thought　he　could　present　himself　to　Madame　de　Rouville；　he　went

downstairs；　rang；　blushing　like　a　girl；　shyly　asked　Mademoiselle

Leseigneur；　who　came　to　let　him　in；　to　let　him　have　the　portrait

of　the　Baron。



〃But　come　in；〃　said　Adelaide；　who　had　no　doubt　heard　him　come

down　from　the　studio。



The　painter　followed；　bashful　and　out　of　countenance；　not　knowing

what　to　say；　happiness　had　so　dulled　his　wit。　To　see　Adelaide；　to

hear　the　rustle　of　her　skirt；　after　longing　for　a　whole　morning

to　be　near　her；　after　starting　up　a　hundred　time〃I　will　go　down

now〃and　not　to　have　gone；　this　was　to　him　life　so　rich　that

such　sensations；　too　greatly　prolonged；　would　have　worn　out　his

spirit。　The　heart　has　the　singular　power　of　giving　extraordinary

value　to　mere　nothings。　What　joy　it　is　to　a　traveler　to　treasure

a　blade　of　grass；　an　unfamiliar　leaf；　if　he　has　risked　his　life

to　pluck　it！　It　is　the　same　with　the　trifles　of　love。



The　old　lady　was　not　in　the　drawing…room。　When　the　young　girl

found　herself　there；　alone　with　the　painter；　she　brought　a　chair

to　stand　on；　to　take　down　the　picture；　but　perceiving　that　she

could　not　unhook　it　without　setting　her　foot　on　the　chest　of

drawers；　she　turned　to　Hippolyte；　and　said　with　a　blush：



〃I　am　not　tall　enough。　Will　you　get　it　down？〃



A　feeling　of　modesty；　betrayed　in　the　expression　of　her　face　and

the　tones　of　her　voice；　was　the　real　motive　of　her　request；　and

the　young　man；　understanding　this；　gave　her　one　of　those　glances

of　intelligence　which　are　the　sweetest　language　of　love。　Seeing

that　the　painter　had　read　her　soul；　Adelaide　cast　down　her　eyes

with　the　instinct　of　reserve　which　is　the　secret　of　a　maiden's

heart。　Hippolyte；　finding　nothing　to　say；　and　feeling　almost

timid；　took　down　the　picture；　examined　it　gravely；　carrying　it　to

the　light　of　the　window；　and　then　went　away；　without　saying　a

word　to　Mademoiselle　Leseigneur　but；　〃I　will　return　it　soon。〃



During　this　brief　moment　they　both　went　through　one　of　those

storms　of　agitation　of　which　the　effects　in　the　soul　may　be

compared　to　those　of　a　stone　flung　into　a　deep　lake。　The　most

delightful　waves　of　thought　rise　and　follow　each　other；

indescribable；　repeated；　and　aimless；　tossing　the　heart　like　the

circular　ripples；　which　for　a　long　time　fret　the　waters；　starting

from　the　point　where　the　stone　fell。



Hippolyte　returned　to　the　studio　bearing　the　portrait。　His　easel

was　ready　with　a　fresh　canvas；　and　his　palette　set；　his　brushes

cleaned；　the　spot　and　the　light　carefully　chosen。　And　till　the

dinner　hour　he　worked　at　the　painting　with　the　ardor　artists

throw　into　their　whims。　He　went　again　that　evening　to　the　Baronne

de　Rouville's；　and　remained　from　nine　till　eleven。　Excepting　the

different　topics　of　conversation；　this　evening　was　exactly　like

the　last。　The　two　old　men　arrived　at　the　same　hour；　the　same　game

of　piquet　was　played；　the　same　speeches　made　by　the　players；　the

sum　lost　by　Adelaide's　friend　was　not　less　considerable　than　on

the　previous　evening；　only　Hippolyte；　a　little　bolder；　ventured

to　chat　with　the　young　girl。



A　week　passed　thus；　and　in　the　course　of　it　the　painter's

feelings　and　Adelaide's　underwent　the　slow　and　delightful

transformations　which　bring　two　souls　to　a　perfect　understanding。

Every　day　the　look　with　which　the　girl　welcomed　her　friend　grew

more　intimate；　more　confiding；　gayer；　and　more　open；　her　voice

and　manner　became　more　eager　and　more　familiar。　They　laughed　and

talked　together；　telling　each　other　their　thoughts；　speaking　of

themselves　with　the　simplicity　of　two　children　who　have　made

friends　in　a　day；　as　much　as　if　they　had　met　constantly　for　three

years。　Schinner　wished　to　be　taught　piquet。　Being　ignorant　and　a

novice；　he；　of　course；　made　blunder　after　blunder；　and　like　the

old　man；　he　lost　almost　every　game。　Without　having　spoken　a　word

of　love　the　lovers　knew　that　they　were　all　in　all　to　one　another。

Hippolyte　enjoyed　exerting　his　power　over　his　gentle　little

friend；　and　many　concessions　were　made　to　him　by　Adelaide；　who；

timid　and　devoted　to　him；　was　quite　deceived　by　the　assumed　fits

of　temper；　such　as　the　least　skilled　lover　and　the　most　guileless

girl　can　affect；　and　which　they　constantly　play　off；