the purse-第8节

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so　charmed　him；　did　not　deserve　at　least　an　inquiry；　were　not

worthy　of　some　justification。　Ashamed　of　having　resisted　the

promptings　of　his　heart　for　a　whole　week；　and　feeling　himself

almost　a　criminal　in　this　mental　struggle；　he　called　the　same

evening　on　Madame　de　Rouville。



All　his　suspicions；　all　his　evil　thoughts　vanished　at　the　sight

of　the　young　girl；　who　had　grown　pale　and　thin。



〃Good　heavens！　what　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked　her；　after　greeting

the　Baroness。



Adelaide　made　no　reply；　but　she　gave　him　a　look　of　deep

melancholy；　a　sad；　dejected　look；　which　pained　him。



〃You　have；　no　doubt；　been　working　hard；〃　said　the　old　lady。　〃You

are　altered。　We　are　the　cause　of　your　seclusion。　That　portrait

had　delayed　some　pictures　essential　to　your　reputation。〃



Hippolyte　was　glad　to　find　so　good　an　excuse　for　his　rudeness。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　very　busy；　but　I　have　been

suffering〃



At　these　words　Adelaide　raised　her　head；　looked　at　her　lover；　and

her　anxious　eyes　had　now　no　hint　of　reproach。



〃You　must　have　thought　us　quite　indifferent　to　any　good　or　ill

that　may　befall　you？〃　said　the　old　lady。



〃I　was　wrong；〃　he　replied。　〃Still；　there　are　forms　of　pain　which

we　know　not　how　to　confide　to　any　one；　even　to　a　friendship　of

older　date　than　that　with　which　you　honor　me。〃



〃The　sincerity　and　strength　of　friendship　are　not　to　be　measured

by　time。　I　have　seen　old　friends　who　had　not　a　tear　to　bestow　on

misfortune；〃　said　the　Baroness；　nodding　sadly。



〃But　youwhat　ails　you？〃　the　young　man　asked　Adelaide。



〃Oh；　nothing；〃　replied　the　Baroness。　〃Adelaide　has　sat　up　late

for　some　nights　to　finish　some　little　piece　of　woman's　work；　and

would　not　listen　to　me　when　I　told　her　that　a　day　more　or　less

did　not　matter〃



Hippolyte　was　not　listening。　As　he　looked　at　these　two　noble；

calm　faces；　he　blushed　for　his　suspicions；　and　ascribed　the　loss

of　his　purse　to　some　unknown　accident。



This　was　a　delicious　evening　to　him；　and　perhaps　to　her　too。

There　are　some　secrets　which　young　souls　understand　so　well。

Adelaide　could　read　Hippolyte's　thoughts。　Though　he　could　not

confess　his　misdeeds；　the　painter　knew　them；　and　he　had　come　back

to　his　mistress　more　in　love；　and　more　affectionate；　trying　thus

to　purchase　her　tacit　forgiveness。　Adelaide　was　enjoying　such

perfect；　such　sweet　happiness；　that　she　did　not　think　she　had

paid　too　dear　for　it　with　all　the　grief　that　had　so　cruelly

crushed　her　soul。　And　yet；　this　true　concord　of　hearts；　this

understanding　so　full　of　magic　charm；　was　disturbed　by　a　little

speech　of　Madame　de　Rouville's。



〃Let　us　have　our　little　game；〃　she　said；　〃for　my　old　friend

Kergarouet　will　not　let　me　off。〃



These　words　revived　all　the　young　painter's　fears；　he　colored　as

he　looked　at　Adelaide's　mother；　but　he　saw　nothing　in　her

countenance　but　the　expression　of　the　frankest　good…nature；　no

double　meaning　marred　its　charm；　its　keenness　was　not

perifidious；　its　humor　seemed　kindly；　and　no　trace　of　remorse

disturbed　its　equanimity。



He　sat　down　to　the　card…table。　Adelaide　took　side　with　the

painter；　saying　that　he　did　not　know　piquet；　and　needed　a

partner。



All　through　the　game　Madame　de　Rouville　and　her　daughter

exchanged　looks　of　intelligence；　which　alarmed　Hippolyte　all　the

more　because　he　was　winning；　but　at　last　a　final　hand　left　the

lovers　in　the　old　lady's　debt。



To　feel　for　some　money　in　his　pocket　the　painter　took　his　hands

off　the　table；　and　he　then　saw　before　him　a　purse　which　Adelaide

had　slipped　in　front　of　him　without　his　noticing　it；　the　poor

child　had　the　old　one　in　her　hand；　and；　to　keep　her　countenance；

was　looking　into　it　for　the　money　to　pay　her　mother。　The　blood

rushed　to　Hippolyte's　heart　with　such　force　that　he　was　near

fainting。



The　new　purse；　substituted　for　his　own；　and　which　contained　his

fifteen　gold　louis；　was　worked　with　gilt　beads。　The　rings　and

tassels　bore　witness　to　Adelaide's　good　taste；　and　she　had　no

doubt　spent　all　her　little　hoard　in　ornamenting　this　pretty　piece

of　work。　It　was　impossible　to　say　with　greater　delicacy　that　the

painter's　gift　could　only　be　repaid　by　some　proof　of　affection。



Hippolyte；　overcome　with　happiness；　turned　to　look　at　Adelaide

and　her　mother；　and　saw　that　they　were　tremulous　with　pleasure

and　delight　at　their　little　trick。　He　felt　himself　mean；　sordid；

a　fool；　he　longed　to　punish　himself；　to　rend　his　heart。　A　few

tears　rose　to　his　eyes；　by　an　irresistible　impulse　he　sprang　up；

clasped　Adelaide　in　his　arms；　pressed　her　to　his　heart；　and　stole

a　kiss；　then　with　the　simple　heartiness　of　an　artist；　〃I　ask　for

her　for　my　wife！〃　he　exclaimed；　looking　at　the　Baroness。



Adelaide　looked　at　him　with　half…wrathful　eyes；　and　Madame　de

Rouville；　somewhat　astonished；　was　considering　her　reply；　when

the　scene　was　interrupted　by　a　ring　at　the　bell。　The　old　vice…

admiral　came　in；　followed　by　his　shadow；　and　Madame　Schinner。

Having　guessed　the　cause　of　the　grief　her　son　vainly　endeavored

to　conceal；　Hippolyte's　mother　had　made　inquiries　among　her

friends　concerning　Adelaide。　Very　justly　alarmed　by　the　calumnies

which　weighed　on　the　young　girl；　unknown　to　the　Comte　de

Kergarouet；　whose　name　she　learned　from　the　porter's　wife；　she

went　to　report　them　to　the　vice…admiral；　and　he；　in　his　rage；

declared　〃he　would　crop　all　the　scoundrels'　ears　for　them。〃



Then；　prompted　by　his　wrath；　he　went　on　to　explain　to　Madame

Schinner　the　secret　of　his　losing　intentionally　at　cards；　because

the　Baronne's　pride　left　him　none　but　these　ingenious　means　of

assisting　her。



When　Madame　Schinner　had　paid　her　respects　to　Madame　de　Rouville；

the　Baroness　looked　at　the　Comte　de　Kergarouet；　at　the　Chevalier

du　Halgathe　friend　of　the　departed　Comtesse　de　Kergarouetat

Hippolyte；　and　Adelaide；　and　said；　with　the　grace　that　comes　from

the　heart；　〃So　we　are　a　family　party　this　evening。〃







PARIS；　May　1832











End