the deputy of arcis-第24节

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hat　of　your　other　friends；　at　the　time　of　your　marriage。　I　know　it　may　cost　you　some　pain　to　explain　the　really　exceptional　circumstances　of　your　marriage；　but　after　what　I　have　seen　in　the　mind　of　your　old　friend；　I　think；　if　you　really　wish　for　the　assistance　of　his　great　talent；　you　should　personally　take　some　steps　to　obtain　it。

But　if　you　feel　that　any　such　action　is　more　than　you　have　strength　for；　I　suggest　another　means。　In　all　matters　in　which　my　wife　has　taken　part　I　have　found　her　a　most　able　negotiator；　and　in　this　particular　case　I　should　feel　the　utmost　confidence　in　her　intervention。　She　herself　suffered　from　the　exclusiveness　of　Madame　Marie…Gaston's　love　for　you。　No　one　can　explain　to　him　better　than　she　the　absorbing　conjugal　life　which　drew　its　folds　so　closely　around　you。　And　it　seems　to　me　that　the　magnanimity　and　comprehension　which　she　always　showed　to　her　〃dear　lost　treasure；〃　as　she　calls　her；　might　be　conveyed　by　her　to　your　friend。

You　have　plenty　of　time　to　think　over　this　suggestion；　for　Madame　de　l'Estorade　is；　just　now；　still　suffering　from　a　serious　illness；　brought　on　by　maternal　terror。　A　week　ago　our　little　Nais　came　near　being　crushed　to　death　before　her　eyes；　and　without　the　courageous　assistance　of　a　stranger　who　sprang　to　the　horses'　heads　and　stopped　them　short；　God　knows　what　dreadful　misfortune　would　have　overtaken　us。　This　cruel　emotion　produced　in　Madame　de　l'Estorade　a　nervous　condition　which　seriously　alarmed　us　for　a　time。　Though　she　is　now　much　better；　it　will　be　several　days　before　she　could　see　Monsieur　Dorlange　in　case　her　feminine　mediation　may　seem　to　you　desirable。

But　once　more；　in　closing；　my　dear　Monsieur　Gaston；　would　it　not　be　better　to　abandon　your　idea？　A　vast　expense；　a　painful　quarrel　with　the　Chaulieus；　and；　for　you；　a　renewal　of　your　bitter　sorrowthis　is　what　I　fear。　Nevertheless；　I　am；　at　all　times　and　for　all　things；　entirely　at　your　orders；　as　indeed　my　sentiments　of　esteem　and　gratitude　command。



II

THE　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MADAME　OCTAVE　DE　CAMPS

Paris；　February；　1839。

Dear　Madame　de　Camps；Of　all　the　proofs　of　sympathy　which　the　accident　to　my　dear　child　has　brought　me；　not　one　has　touched　me　so　much　as　your　excellent　letter。

In　reply　to　your　affectionate　solicitude　I　must　tell　you　that　in　that　terrible　moment　Nais　was　marvellously　calm　and　self…possessed。　It　could　not；　I　think；　be　possible　to　see　death　nearer；　yet　neither　before　nor　after　the　accident　did　my　valiant　little　daughter　even　blench；　her　whole　behavior　showed　the　utmost　resolution；　and；　thank　God！　her　health　has　not　suffered　for　a　moment。

As　for　me；　in　consequence　of　such　terror；　I　was　seized　with　convulsive　spasms；　and　for　several　days；　as　I　now　hear；　the　doctors　were　very　uneasy；　and　even　feared　for　my　reason。　But　thanks　to　the　strength　of　my　constitution；　I　am　now　almost　myself　again；　and　nothing　would　remain　of　this　cruel　agitation　if；　by　a　singular　fatality；　it　were　not　connected　with　another　unpleasant　circumstance　which　has　lately　seen　fit　to　fasten　upon　my　life。

Before　receiving　from　your　letter　these　fresh　assurances　of　your　regard；　I　had　thought　of　invoking　the　help　of　your　friendship　and　advice；　and　to…day；　when　you　tell　me　that　it　would　make　you　happy　and　proud　to　take　the　place　of　my　poor　Louise　de　Chaulieu；　the　precious　friend　of　whom　death　has　deprived　me；　can　I　hesitate　for　a　moment？

I　take　you　at　your　word；　and　that　delightful　cleverness　with　which　you　foiled　the　fools　who　commented　on　your　marriage　to　Monsieur　de　Camps　＇see　〃Madame　Firmiani〃＇；　that　singular　tact　with　which　we　saw　you　steer　your　way　through　circumstances　that　were　full　of　embarrassment　and　danger；　in　short　the　wonderful　art　which　enabled　you　to　keep　both　your　secret　and　your　dignity；　I　now　ask　you　to　put　to　the　service　of　assisting　me　in　the　dilemma　I　mentioned　just　now。

Unfortunately　in　consulting　a　physician　we　naturally　want　to　see　him　and　tell　him　our　symptoms　/viva　voce/；　and　it　is　here　that　Monsieur　de　Camps　with　his　industrial　genius　seems　to　me　most　aggravating。　Thanks　to　those　villanous　iron…works　which　he　has　taken　it　into　his　head　to　purchase；　you　are　almost　lost　to　Paris　and　to　society！　Formerly　when　we　had　you　here；　at　hand；　in　ten　minutes　talk；　without　embarrassment；　without　preparation；　I　could　have　told　you　everything；　but　now　I　am　obliged　to　think　over　what　I　have　to　say；　to　gather　myself　together；　and　pass　into　the　solemnity　of　a　written　statement。

But　after　all；　perhaps　it　is　better　to　plunge　boldly　in；　and　since；　in　spite　of　circumlocutions　and　preambles；　I　shall　have　sooner　or　later　to　come　to　the　point；　why　not　say　at　once　that　my　trouble　concerns　the　stranger　who　saved　my　daughter's　life。

Stranger！　yes；　a　stranger　to　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　and　to　all　who　have　told　you　about　the　accident；　but　not　a　stranger　to　me；　whom；　for　the　last　three　months；　this　man　has　condescended　to　honor　with　the　most　obstinate　attention。　That　the　mother　of　three　children；　one　of　them　a　big　boy　of　fifteen；　should　at　thirty…three　years　of　age　become　the　object　of　an　ardent　passion　will　seem　to　you；　as　it　does　to　me；　an　impossible　fact；　and　that　is　the　ridiculous　misfortune　about　which　I　want　to　consult　you。

When　I　say　that　this　stranger　is　known　to　me；　I　must　correct　myself；　for　I　know　neither　his　name；　nor　his　abode；　nor　anything　about　him。　I　have　never　met　him　in　society；　and　I　may　add　that；　although　he　wears　the　ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　there　is　nothing　in　his　air　and　mannerwhich　are　totally　devoid　of　eleganceto　make　me　suppose　I　ever　shall　meet　him　in　our　world。

It　was　at　Saint…Thomas　d'Aquin；　where；　as　you　know；　I　go　to　hear　mass；　that　this　annoying　obsession　began。　I　used　almost　daily　to　take　my　children　to　walk　in　the　Tuileries；　as　the　house　we　have　hired　here　has　no　garden。　This　habit　being　noticed　by　my　persecutor；　I　found　him　repeatedly　there　and　wherever　else　I　might　be　met　outside　of　my　own　home。　Perfectly　discreet；　although　so　audacious；　this　singular　follower　never　accompanied　me　to　my　own　door；　he　kept　at　a　sufficient　distance　to　give　me　the　comfort　of　feeling　that　his　foolish　assiduity　would　not　be　observed　by　others。

Heaven　only　knows　the　sacrifices　and　annoyances　I　have　borne　to　be　rid　of　him。　I　never　go　to　church　now　except　on　Sundays；　I　often　keep　my　dear　children　at　home　to　the　injury　of　their　health；　or　else　I　make　excuses　not　to　accompany　them；　and　against　all　the　principles　of　my　education　and　prudence；　I　leave　them　to　the　care　of　the　servants。　Visits；　shopping　I　do　only　in　a　carriage；　which　did　not　prevent　my　/shadow/　from　being　at　hand　when　the　accident　happened　to　Nais；　and　saving　her　life；　an　act　that　was　brave　and　providential。

But　it　is　precisely　this　great　obligation　I　am　now　under　which　makes　does　it　not；　I　appeal　to　you？a　most　deplorable　complication。

In　the　first　place；　about　thanking　him。　If　I　do　that；　I　encourage　him；　and　he　would　certainly　take　advantage　of　it　to　change　the　character　of　our　present　intercourse。　But　if　I　pass　him　without　noticethink　of　it！　a　mothera　mother　who　owes　him　the　life　of　her　daughter；　to　pretend　not　to　see　him！　to　pass　him　without　a　single　word　of　gratitude！

That；　however；　is　the　intolerable　alternative　in　which　I　find　myself　placed；　and　you　can　now　see　how　much　I　need　the　counsels　of　your　experience。　What　can　I　do　to　break　the　unpleasant　habit　this　man　has　taken　of　being　my　shadow？　How　shall　I　thank　him　without　encouraging　him？　or　not　thank　him　without　incurring　self…reproach？

Those　are　the　problems　submitted　to　your　wisdom。　If　you　will　do　me　the　kindness　to　solve　themand　I　know　no　one　so　capableI　shall　add　gratitude　to　all　the　other　affectionate　sentiments　which；　as　you　know；　I　have　so　long　felt　for　you。



III

THE　COMTE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MONSIEUR　MARIE…GASTON

Paris；　February；　1839。

Perhaps；　my　dear　Monsieur　Gaston；　the　public　journals　will　have　told　you　before　this　letter　can　arrive　of　the　duel　fought　yesterday　between　your　friend　Monsieur　Dorlange　and　the　Duc　de　Rhetore。　But　the　papers；　while　announcing　the　fact　as　a　piece　of　news；　are　debarred　by　custom　and　propriety　from　inferring　the　motives　of　a　quarrel；　and　therefore　they　will　only　excite　your　curiosity　without　satisfying　it。

I　have；　fortunately；　heard　from　a　very　good　source；　all　the　details　of　the　affair；　and　I　hasten　to　transmit　them　to　you；　they　are；　I　think；　of　a　nature　to　interest　you　to　the　highest　degree。

Three　days　ago；　that　is　to　say　on　the　very　evening　of　the　day　when　I　paid　my　visit　to　Monsieur　Dorlange；　the　Duc　de　Rhetore　occupied　a　stall　at　the　Opera…house。　Next　to　him　sat　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　who　has　recently　returned　from　a　diplomatic　mission　which　kept　him　out　of　France　for　several　years。　During　the　entr'acte　these　gentlemen　did　not　leave　their　seats　to　walk　about　the　foyer；　but；　as　is　often　done；　they　stood　up；　with　their　backs　to　the　stage；　facing　the　audience　and　consequently　Monsieur　Dorlange；　who　was　seated　directly　behind　them；　seeming　to　be　absorbed　in　an　evening　newspaper。　There　had　been　that　day　a　very　scandalous；　or　what　is　called　a　very　interesting；　session　of　the　Chamber　of　deputies。

The　conversation　between　the　duke　and　the　marquis　having　naturally　turned　on　the　events　of　Paris