the deputy of arcis-第35节

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ng　their　time　and　lessening　their　powers　of　creation　by　silly　and　insipid　intrigues。

But　I　have　a　better　reason　still　to　offer　you。　As　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　has　told　you　of　the　really　romantic　incidents　of　my　first　meeting　with　his　wife；　you　know　already　that　a　/memory/　was　the　cause　of　my　studying　her　as　a　model。　Well；　that　memory；　while　it　attracted　me　to　the　beautiful　countess；　is　the　strongest　of　all　reasons　to　keep　me　from　her。　This　appears　to　you；　I　am　sure；　sufficiently　enigmatical　and　far…fetched；　but　wait　till　I　explain　it。

If　you　had　not　thought　proper　to　break　the　thread　of　our　intercourse；　I　should　not　to…day　be　obliged　to　take　up　the　arrears　of　our　confidence；　as　it　is；　my　dear　boy；　you　must　now　take　your　part　in　my　past　history　and　listen　to　me　bravely。

In　1835；　the　last　year　of　my　stay　in　Rome；　I　became　quite　intimate　with　a　comrade　in　the　Academy　named　Desroziers。　He　was　a　musician　and　a　man　of　distinguished　and　very　observing　mind；　who　would　probably　have　gone　far　in　his　art　if　malarial　fever　had　not　put　an　end　to　him　the　following　year。　Suddenly　the　idea　took　possession　of　us　to　go　to　Sicily；　one　of　the　excursions　permitted　by　the　rules　of　the　school；　but　as　we　were　radically　〃dry；〃　as　they　say；　we　walked　about　Rome　for　some　time　endeavoring　to　find　some　means　of　recruiting　our　finances。　On　one　of　these　occasions　we　happened　to　pass　before　the　Palazzo　Braschi。　Its　wide…open　doors　gave　access　to　the　passing　and　repassing　of　a　crowd　of　persons　of　all　sorts。

〃/Parbleu/！〃　exclaimed　Desroziers；　〃here's　the　very　thing　for　us。〃

And　without　explaining　his　words　or　where　he　was　taking　me；　he　made　me　follow　the　crowd　and　enter　the　palace。

After　mounting　a　magnificent　marble　staircase　and　crossing　a　very　long　suite　of　apartments　rather　poorly　furnished；which　is　customary　in　Italian　palaces；　all　their　luxury　being　put　into　ceilings；　statues；　paintings；　and　other　objects　of　art；we　reached　a　room　that　was　wholly　hung　with　black　and　lighted　by　quantities　of　tapers。　It　was；　of　course；　a　/chambre…ardente/。　In　the　middle　of　it　on　a　raised　platform　surmounted　by　a　baldaquin；　lay　a　/thing/；　the　most　hideous　and　grotesque　thing　you　can　possibly　conceive。　Imagine　a　little　old　man　whose　hands　and　face　had　reached　such　a　stage　of　emaciation　that　a　mummy　would　have　seemed　to　you　in　comparison　plump　and　comely。

Clothed　in　black　satin　breeches；　a　violet　velvet　coat　cut　/a　la　Francaise/；　a　white　waistcoat　embroidered　in　gold；　from　which　issued　an　enormous　shirt…frill　of　point　d'Angleterre；　this　skeleton　had　cheeks　covered　with　a　thick　layer　of　rouge　which　heightened　still　further　the　parchment　tones　of　the　rest　of　his　skin。　Upon　his　head　was　a　blond　wig　frizzed　into　innumerable　little　curls；　surmounted　by　an　immense　plumed　hat　jauntily　perched　to　one　side　in　a　manner　which　irresistibly　provoked　the　laughter　of　even　the　most　respectful　visitors。

After　one　glance　given　to　this　ridiculous　and　lamentable　exhibition；　an　obligatory　part　of　all　funerals；　according　to　the　etiquette　of　the　Roman　aristocracy；Desroziers　exclaimed：　〃There's　the　end；　now　come　and　see　the　beginning。〃

Not　replying　to　any　of　my　questions；　because　he　was　arranging　a　dramatic　effect；　he　took　me　to　the　Albani　gallery　and　placed　me　before　a　statue　representing　Adonis　stretched　on　a　lion's　skin。

〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　he　said。

〃What？〃　I　replied　at　a　first　glance；　〃why；　it　is　as　fine　as　an　antique。〃

〃Antique　as　much　as　I　am！〃　replied　Desroziers。　〃It　is　a　portrait　in　youth　of　that　wizened　old　being　we　have　just　seen　dead。〃

〃Antique　or　not；　it　is　a　masterpiece；〃　I　said。　〃But　how　is　all　this　beauty；　or　its　hideous　caricature；　to　get　us　to　Sicily？　That　is　the　question。〃

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　replied　Desroziers。　〃I　know　the　family　of　that　old　scarecrow。　His　niece　married　the　Comte　de　Lanty；　and　they　have　long　wanted　to　buy　this　statue　which　the　Albani　museum　won't　give　up　at　any　price。　They　have　tried　to　have　it　copied；　but　they　never　got　anything　satisfactory。　Now；　you　know　the　director　of　the　museum　well。　Get　him　to　let　you　make　a　copy　of　it。　I　give　music…lessons　to　the　Comte　de　Lanty's　daughter；　Mademoiselle　Marianina；　and　I'll　talk　of　your　copy。　If　you　succeed；　as　of　course　you　will；　the　count　will　buy　it　and　pay　you　forty　times　the　cost　of　a　trip　to　Sicily。〃

Two　days　later　I　began　the　work；　and；　as　it　suited　my　taste；　I　worked　so　hotly　at　it　that　by　the　end　of　three　weeks　the　Lanty　family；　escorted　by　Desroziers；　came　to　see　my　copy。　The　count；　who　seemed　to　me　a　good　connoisseur；　declared　himself　satisfied　with　the　work　and　bought　it。　Mademoiselle　Marianina；　who　was　the　heiress　and　favorite　of　her　grand…uncle；　was　particularly　delighted　with　it。　Marianina　was　then　about　twenty…one　years　old；　and　I　shall　not　make　you　her　portrait　because　you　know　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　to　whom　her　likeness　is　extraordinary。　Already　an　accomplished　musician；　this　charming　girl　had　a　remarkable　inclination　for　all　the　arts。　Coming　from　time　to　time　to　my　studio　to　watch　the　completion　of　the　statue；　a　taste　for　sculpture　seized　her；　as　it　did　the　Princesse　Marie　d'Orleans；　and　until　the　departure　of　the　family；　which　took　place　a　few　months　before　I　myself　left　Rome；　Mademoiselle　de　Lanty　took　lessons　from　me　in　modelling。

I　never　dreamed　of　being　another　Saint…Preux　or　Abelard；　but　I　must　own　that　I　found　rare　happiness　in　imparting　my　knowledge。　Marianina　was　so　gay　and　happy；　her　judgment　of　art　so　sound；　her　voice；　when　she　sang；　so　stirred　my　heart；　that　had　it　not　been　for　her　vast　fortune；　which　kept　me　at　a　distance；　I　should　have　run　great　danger　to　my　peace　of　mind。　Admitted　into　the　household　on　the　footing　of　a　certain　familiarity；　I　could　see　that　my　beautiful　pupil　took　pleasure　in　our　intercourse；　and　when　the　family　returned　to　Paris　she　expressed　the　utmost　regret　at　leaving　Rome；　I　even　fancied；　God　forgive　me；　that　I　saw　something　like　a　tear　in　her　eye　when　we　parted。

On　my　return　to　Paris；　some　months　later；　my　first　visit　was　to　the　hotel　de　Lanty。　Marianina　was　too　well　bred　and　too　kind　at　heart　to　be　discourteous　to　any　one；　but　I　felt　at　once　that　a　cold　restrained　manner　was　substituted　for　the　gracious　friendliness　of　the　past。　It　seemed　to　me　probable　that　her　evident　liking；　I　will　not　say　for　me　personally；　but　for　my　conversation　and　acquirements；　had　been　noticed　by　her　parents；　who　had　doubtless　taught　her　a　lesson；　in　fact；　the　stiff　and　forbidding　manner　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Lanty　left　me　no　other　supposition。

Naturally；　I　did　not　call　again；　but　a　few　months　later；　when　I　exhibited　my　Pandora　in　the　salon　of　1837；　I　one　day　saw　the　whole　Lanty　family　approach　it。　The　mother　was　on　the　arm　of　Comte　Maxime　de　Trailles；　a　well…known　lion。　/Nil　admirari/　is　the　natural　instinct　of　all　men　of　the　world；　so；　after　a　very　cursory　glance　at　my　work；　Monsieur　de　Trailles　began　to　find　shocking　faults　in　it；　and　in　so　high　and　clear　a　voice　that　not　a　word　was　lost　within　a　certain　range。　Marianina　shrugged　her　shoulders　as　she　listened　to　this　profound　discourse；　and　when　it　was　ended　she　said；

〃How　fortunate　you　came　with　us！　Without　your　enlightened　knowledge　I　might；　with　the　rest　of　the　good　public；　have　thought　this　statue　admirable。　It　is　a　pity　the　sculptor　is　not　here　to　learn　his　business　from　you。〃

〃He　/is/　here；　behind　you；〃　said　a　stout　woman；　who　had　once　been　my　landlady；　and　was　standing　near；　laughing　heartily。　Involuntarily　Marianina　turned；　when　she　saw　me　a　vivid　color　came　into　her　cheeks；　and　I　slipped　away　into　the　crowd。　A　girl　who　took　my　part　so　warmly；　and　then　showed　such　emotion　on　being　detected　in　doing　so；　could　not　be　absolutely　indifferent　to　me；　and　as　on　my　first　visit　I　had　only；　after　all；　been　coldly　received；　I　decided；　after　my　great　success　at　the　Exhibition；　in　consequence　of　which　I　was　made　a　chevalier　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　to　call　again　upon　the　Lantys；　perhaps　my　new　distinctions　would　procure　me　a　better　reception。

Monsieur　de　Lanty　received　me　without　rising；　and　with　the　following　astounding　apostrophe：

〃I　think　you　very　courageous；　monsieur；　to　venture　to　present　yourself　here。〃

〃I　have　never　been　received　in　a　manner　that　seemed　to　require　courage　on　my　part。〃

〃You　have　come；　no　doubt；〃　continued　Monsieur　de　Lanty；　〃in　search　of　your　property　which　you　were　careless　enough　to　leave　in　our　hands。　I　shall　return　you　that　article　of　gallantry。〃

So　saying；　he　rose　and　took　from　a　drawer　in　his　secretary　an　elegant　little　portfolio；　which　he　gave　to　me。

As　I　looked　at　it　in　a　sort　of　stupefaction；　he　added：

〃Yes；　I　know　the　letters　are　not　there；　I　presume　you　will　allow　me　to　keep　them。〃

〃This　portfolio；　the　letters　you　mentionall　this　is　an　enigma　to　me；　monsieur。〃

At　this　moment　Madame　de　Lanty　entered　the　room。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　her　husband；　roughly。

〃I　knew　monsieur　was　here；　and　as　I　feared　some　painful　explanation；　I　came　to　do　my　duty　as　a　woman；　and　interpose。〃

〃You　need　fear　nothing；　madame；〃　I　said；　〃evidently　what　is　taking　place　is　the　result　of　some　misunderstanding。〃

〃Ah！　this　is　too　much！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Lanty；　reopening　the　drawer　from　which　he　had　taken　the　portfolio；　and　taking　out　a　packet　of　lette