the deputy of arcis-第30节

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bout　it。

〃I　know；　madame；〃　he　said；　〃all　that　you　can　possibly　tell　me　about　my　unfaithful　friend。　I　do　not　forgive；　but　I　forget　my　wrong。　Things　having　so　come　about　that　I　have　nearly　lost　my　life　for　his　sake；　it　would　certainly　be　very　illogical　to　keep　a　grudge　against　him。　Still；　as　regards　that　mausoleum　at　Ville　d'Avray；　nothing　would　induce　me　to　undertake　it。　I　have　already　mentioned　to　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　one　hindrance　that　is　daily　growing　more　imperative；　but　besides　that；　I　think　it　a　great　pity　that　Marie…Gaston　should　thus　ruminate　on　his　grief；　and　I　have　written　to　tell　him　so。　He　ought　to　be　more　of　a　man；　and　find　in　study　and　in　work　the　consolations　we　can　always　find　there。〃

The　object　of　our　visit　being　thus　disposed　of；　I　saw　no　hope　of　getting　to　the　bottom　of　the　other　mystery　it　had　opened；　so　I　rose　to　take　leave；　and　as　I　did　so　Monsieur　Dorlange　said　to　me：

〃May　I　hope　that　you　will　not　exact　the　injury　I　spoke　of　to　my　statue？〃

〃It　is　for　my　husband　and　not　for　me　to　reply　to　that　question；〃　I　said；　〃however；　we　can　talk　of　it　later；　for　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　hopes　that　you　will　give　us　the　honor　of　a　visit。〃

Monsieur　bowed　in　respectful　acquiescence；　and　we　came　away；I；　in　great　ill…humor；　I　was　angry　with　Nais；　and　also　with　my　husband；　and　felt　much　inclined　to　make　him　a　scene；　which　he　would　certainly　not　have　understood。

Now　what　do　you　think　of　all　this？　Is　the　man　a　clever　swindler；　who　invented　that　fable　for　some　purpose；　or　is　he　really　an　artist；　who　took　me　in　all　simplicity　of　soul　for　the　living　realization　of　his　idea？　That　is　what　I　intend　to　find　out　in　the　course　of　a　few　days；　for　now　I　am　committed　to　your　programme；　and　to…morrow　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　l'Estorade　will　have　the　honor　of　inviting　Monsieur　Dorlange　to　dinner。



VII

THE　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MADAME　OCTAVE　DE　CAMPS

Paris；　March；　1839。

My　dear　friend；Monsieur　Dorlange　dined　with　us　yesterday。　My　intention　was　to　invite　him　alone　to　a　formal　family　dinner；　so　as　to　have　him　more　completely　under　my　eye；　and　put　him　to　the　question　at　my　ease。　But　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　to　whom　I　had　not　explained　my　charitable　motives；　showed　me　that　such　an　invitation　might　wound　the　sensibilities　of　our　guest；　it　might　seem　to　him　that　the　Comte　de　l'Estorade　thought　the　sculptor　Dorlange　unfitted　for　the　society　of　his　friends。

〃We　can't；〃　said　my　husband　gaily；　〃treat　him　like　the　sons　of　our　farmers　who　come　here　with　the　epaulet　of　a　lieutenant　on　their　shoulder；　and　whom　we　invite　with　closed　doors　because　we　can't　send　them　to　the　servants'　hall。〃

We　therefore　invited　to　meet　him　Monsieur　Joseph　Bridau；　the　painter；　the　Chevalier　d'Espard；　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　la　Bastie　（formerly；　you　remember；　Mademoiselle　Modeste　Mignon）　and　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles。　When　my　husband　invited　the　latter；　he　asked　him　if　he　had　any　objection　to　meeting　the　adversary　of　the　Duc　de　Rhetore。

〃So　far　from　objecting；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　〃I　am　glad　of　the　opportunity　to　meet　a　man　of　talent；　who　in　the　affair　you　speak　of　behaved　admirably。〃　And　he　added；　after　my　husband　had　told　him　of　our　great　obligation　to　Monsieur　Dorlange；　〃Then　he　is　a　true　hero；　your　sculptor！　if　he　goes　on　this　way；　we　can't　hold　a　candle　to　him。〃

In　his　studio；　with　a　bare　throat　leaving　his　head；　which　is　rather　too　large　for　his　body；　free；　and　dressed　in　a　sort　of　Oriental　costume；　Monsieur　Dorlange　looked　to　me　a　great　deal　better　than　he　does　in　regular　evening　dress。　Though　I　must　say　that　when　he　grows　animated　in　speaking　his　face　lights　up；　a　sort　of　a　magnetic　essence　flows　from　his　eyes　which　I　had　already　noticed　in　our　preceding　encounters。　Madame　de　la　Bastie　was　as　much　struck　as　I　was　by　this　peculiarity。

I　don't　know　if　I　told　you　that　the　ambition　of　Monsieur　Dorlange　is　to　be　returned　to　the　Chamber　at　the　coming　elections。　This　was　the　reason　he　gave　for　declining　Monsieur　Gaston's　commission。　What　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　and　I　thought；　at　first；　to　be　a　mere　excuse　was　an　actual　reason。　At　table　when　Monsieur　Joseph　Bridau　asked　him　point…blank　what　belief　was　to　be　given　to　the　report　of　his　parliamentary　intentions；　Monsieur　Dorlange　formally　announced　them；　from　that　moment；　throughout　the　dinner；　the　talk　was　exclusively　on　politics。

When　it　comes　to　topics　foreign　to　his　studies；　I　expected　to　find　our　artist；　if　not　a　novice；　at　least　very　slightly　informed。　Not　at　all。　On　men；　on　things；　on　the　past　as　on　the　future　of　parties；　he　had　very　clear　and　really　novel　views；　which　were　evidently　not　borrowed　from　the　newspapers；　and　he　put　them　forth　in　lively；　easy；　and　elegant　language；　so　that　after　his　departure　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　and　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　declared　themselves　positively　surprised　at　the　strong　and　powerful　political　attitude　he　had　taken。　This　admission　was　all　the　more　remarkable　because；　as　you　know；　the　two　gentlemen　are　zealous　conservatives；　whereas　Monsieur　Dorlange　inclines　in　a　marked　degree　to　democratic　principles。

This　unexpected　superiority　in　my　problematical　follower　reassured　me　not　a　little；　still；　I　was　resolved　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　the　situation；　and　therefore；　after　dinner　I　drew　him　into　one　of　those　tete…a…tetes　which　the　mistress　of　a　house　can　always　bring　about。

After　talking　awhile　about　Monsieur　Marie…Gaston；　our　mutual　friend；　the　enthusiasms　of　my　dear　Louise　and　my　efforts　to　moderate　them；　I　asked　him　how　soon　he　intended　to　send　his　Saint…Ursula　to　her　destination。

〃Everything　is　ready　for　her　departure；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　want　your　/exeat/；　madame；　will　you　kindly　tell　me　if　you　desire　me　to　change　her　expression？〃

〃One　question　in　the　first　place；〃　I　replied：　〃Will　your　work　suffer　by　such　a　change；　supposing　that　I　desire　it？〃

〃Probably。　If　you　cut　the　wings　of　a　bird　you　hinder　its　flight。〃

〃Another　question：　Is　it　I；　or　the　/other　person/　whom　the　statue　best　represents？〃

〃You；　madame；　that　goes　without　saying；　for　you　are　the　present；　she　the　past。〃

〃But；　to　desert　the　past　for　the　present　is　a　bad　thing　and　goes　by　a　bad　name；　monsieur；　and　yet　you　proclaim　it　with　a　very　easy　air。〃

〃True；〃　said　Monsieur　Dorlange；　laughing；　〃but　art　is　ferocious；　wherever　it　sees　material　for　its　creations；　it　pounces　upon　it　desperately。〃

〃Art；〃　I　replied；　〃is　a　great　word　under　which　a　multitude　of　things　shelter　themselves。　The　other　day　you　told　me　that　circumstances；　too　long　to　relate　at　that　moment；　had　contributed　to　fix　the　image　of　which　I　was　the　reflection　in　your　mind；　where　it　has　left　a　vivid　memory；　was　not　that　enough　to　excite　my　curiosity？〃

〃It　was　true；　madame；　that　time　did　not　allow　of　my　making　an　explanation　of　those　circumstances；　but；　in　any　case；　having　the　honor　of　speaking　to　you　for　the　first　time；　it　would　have　been　strange；　would　it　not；　had　I　ventured　to　make　you　any　confidences？〃

〃Well；　but　now？〃　I　said；　boldly。

〃Now；　unless　I　receive　more　express　encouragement；　I　am　still　unable　to　suppose　that　anything　in　my　past　can　interest　you。〃

〃Why　not？　Some　acquaintances　ripen　fast。　Your　devotion　to　my　Nais　has　advanced　our　friendship　rapidly。　Besides；〃　I　added；　with　affected　levity；　〃I　am　passionately　fond　of　stories。〃

〃But　mine　has　no　conclusion　to　it；　it　is　an　enigma　even　to　myself。〃

〃All　the　better；　perhaps　between　us　we　might　find　the　key　to　it。〃

Monsieur　Dorlange　appeared　to　take　counsel　with　himself；　then；　after　a　short　pause　he　said：

〃It　is　true　that　women　are　admirably　fitted　to　seize　the　lighter　shades　of　meaning　in　acts　and　sentiments　which　we　men　are　unable　to　decipher。　But　this　confidence　does　not　concern　myself　alone；　I　should　have　to　request　that　it　remain　absolutely　between　ourselves；　not　even　excepting　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　from　this　restriction。　A　secret　is　never　safe　beyond　the　person　who　confides　it；　and　the　person　who　hears　it。〃

I　was　much　puzzled；　as　you　can　well　suppose；　about　what　might　follow；　still；　continuing　my　explorations；　I　replied：

〃Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　is　so　little　in　the　habit　of　hearing　everything　from　me；　that　he　never　even　read　a　line　of　my　correspondence　with　Madame　Marie…Gaston。〃

Until　then；　Monsieur　Dorlange　had　stood　before　the　fireplace；　at　one　corner　of　which　I　was　seated；　but　he　now　took　a　chair　beside　me　and　said；　by　way　of　preamble：

〃I　mentioned　to　you；　madame；　the　family　of　Lanty〃

At　that　instantprovoking　as　rain　in　the　midst　of　a　picnicMadame　de　la　Bastie　came　up　to　ask　me　if　I　had　been　to　see　Nathan's　last　drama。　Monsieur　Dorlange　was　forced　to　give　up　his　seat　beside　me；　and　no　further　opportunity　for　renewing　the　conversation　occurred　during　the　evening。

I　have　really；　as　you　see　now；　no　light　upon　the　matter；　and　yet　when　I　recall　the　whole　manner　and　behavior　of　Monsieur　Dorlange；　whom　I　studied　carefully；　my　opinion　inclines　to　his　perfect　innocence。　Nothing　proves　that　the　love　I　suspected　plays　any　part　in　this　curious　affair；　and　I　will　allow　you　to　think　that　I　and　my　terrors；　with　which　I　tormented　you；　were　terribly　absurd；in　short；　that　I　have　played　the　part　of　Belise　in　the　/Femmes　Savantes/；　who　fancies　that　every　man　she　sees　is　fatally　in　love　with　her。

I　therefor