albert savarus-第13节

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been　pre…eminently　successful　from　the　earliest　ages　of　the　world；
there　are　in　a　long　chain　points　of　attachment　needed　where　the
cohesion　is　stronger　than　in　the　intermediate　loops　of　rings。　This
recognition　between　Rodolphe　and　Francesca；　at　this　party；　in　the　face
of　the　world；　was　one　of　those　intense　moments　which　join　the　future
to　the　past；　and　rivet　a　real　attachment　more　deeply　in　the　heart。　It
was　perhaps　of　these　incidental　rivets　that　Bossuet　spoke　when　he
compared　to　them　the　rarity　of　happy　moments　in　our　liveshe　who　had
such　a　living　and　secret　experience　of　love。

Next　to　the　pleasure　of　admiring　the　woman　we　love；　comes　that　of
seeing　her　admired　by　every　one　else。　Rodolphe　was　enjoying　both　at
once。　Love　is　a　treasury　of　memories；　and　though　Rodolphe's　was
already　full；　he　added　to　it　pearls　of　great　price；　smiles　shed　aside
for　him　alone；　stolen　glances；　tones　in　her　singing　which　Francesca
addressed　to　him　alone；　but　which　made　Tinti　pale　with　jealousy；　they
were　so　much　applauded。　All　his　strength　of　desire；　the　special
expression　of　his　soul；　was　thrown　over　the　beautiful　Roman；　who
became　unchangeably　the　beginning　and　the　end　of　all　his　thoughts　and
actions。　Rodolphe　loved　as　every　woman　may　dream　of　being　loved；　with
a　force；　a　constancy；　a　tenacity；　which　made　Francesca　the　very
substance　of　his　heart；　he　felt　her　mingling　with　his　blood　as　purer
blood；　with　his　soul　as　a　more　perfect　soul；　she　would　henceforth
underlie　the　least　efforts　of　his　life　as　the　golden　sand　of　the
Mediterranean　lies　beneath　the　waves。　In　short；　Rodolphe's　lightest
aspiration　was　now　a　living　hope。

At　the　end　of　a　few　days；　Francesca　understood　this　boundless　love；
but　it　was　so　natural；　and　so　perfectly　shared　by　her；　that　it　did　not
surprise　her。　She　was　worthy　of　it。

〃What　is　there　that　is　strange？〃　said　she　to　Rodolphe；　as　they　walked
on　the　garden　terrace；　when　he　had　been　betrayed　into　one　of　those
outbursts　of　conceit　which　come　so　naturally　to　Frenchmen　in　the
expression　of　their　feelings〃what　is　extraordinary　in　the　fact　of
your　loving　a　young　and　beautiful　woman；　artist　enough　to　be　able　to
earn　her　living　like　Tinti；　and　of　giving　you　some　of　the　pleasures　of
vanity？　What　lout　but　would　then　become　an　Amadis？　This　is　not　in
question　between　you　and　me。　What　is　needed　is　that　we　both　love
faithfully；　persistently；　at　a　distance　from　each　other　for　years；
with　no　satisfaction　but　that　of　knowing　that　we　are　loved。〃

〃Alas！〃　said　Rodolphe；　〃will　you　not　consider　my　fidelity　as　devoid　of
all　merit　when　you　see　me　absorbed　in　the　efforts　of　devouring
ambition？　Do　you　imagine　that　I　can　wish　to　see　you　one　day　exchange
the　fine　name　of　Gandolphini　for　that　of　a　man　who　is　a　nobody？　I　want
to　become　one　of　the　most　remarkable　men　of　my　country；　to　be　rich；
greatthat　you　may　be　as　proud　of　my　name　as　of　your　own　name　of
Colonna。〃

〃I　should　be　grieved　to　see　you　without　such　sentiments　in　your
heart；〃　she　replied；　with　a　bewitching　smile。　〃But　do　not　wear
yourself　out　too　soon　in　your　ambitious　labors。　Remain　young。　They　say
that　politics　soon　make　a　man　old。〃

One　of　the　rarest　gifts　in　women　is　a　certain　gaiety　which　does　not
detract　from　tenderness。　This　combination　of　deep　feeling　with　the
lightness　of　youth　added　an　enchanting　grace　at　this　moment　to
Francesca's　charms。　This　is　the　key　to　her　character；　she　laughs　and
she　is　touched；　she　becomes　enthusiastic；　and　returns　to　arch　raillery
with　a　readiness；　a　facility；　which　makes　her　the　charming　and
exquisite　creature　she　is；　and　for　which　her　reputation　is　known
outside　Italy。　Under　the　graces　of　a　woman　she　conceals　vast　learning；
thanks　to　the　excessively　monotonous　and　almost　monastic　life　she　led
in　the　castle　of　the　old　Colonnas。

This　rich　heiress　was　at　first　intended　for　the　cloister；　being　the
fourth　child　of　Prince　and　Princess　Colonna；　but　the　death　of　her　two
brothers；　and　of　her　elder　sister；　suddenly　brought　her　out　of　her
retirement；　and　made　her　one　of　the　most　brilliant　matches　in　the
Papal　States。　Her　elder　sister　had　been　betrothed　to　Prince
Gandolphini；　one　of　the　richest　landowners　in　Sicily；　and　Francesca
was　married　to　him　instead；　so　that　nothing　might　be　changed　in　the
position　of　the　family。　The　Colonnas　and　Gandolphinis　had　always
intermarried。

From　the　age　of　nine　till　she　was　sixteen；　Francesca；　under　the
direction　of　a　Cardinal　of　the　family；　had　read　all　through　the
library　of　the　Colonnas；　to　make　weight　against　her　ardent　imagination
by　studying　science；　art；　and　letters。　But　in　these　studies　she
acquired　the　taste　for　independence　and　liberal　ideas；　which　threw
her；　with　her　husband；　into　the　ranks　of　the　revolution。　Rodolphe　had
not　yet　learned　that；　besides　five　living　languages；　Francesca　knew
Greek；　Latin；　and　Hebrew。　The　charming　creature　perfectly　understood
that；　for　a　woman；　the　first　condition　of　being　learned　is　to　keep　it
deeply　hidden。

Rodolphe　spent　the　whole　winter　at　Geneva。　This　winter　passed　like　a
day。　When　spring　returned；　notwithstanding　the　infinite　delights　of
the　society　of　a　clever　woman；　wonderfully　well　informed；　young　and
lovely；　the　lover　went　through　cruel　sufferings；　endured　indeed　with
courage；　but　which　were　sometimes　legible　in　his　countenance；　and
betrayed　themselves　in　his　manners　or　speech；　perhaps　because　he
believed　that　Francesca　shared　them。　Now　and　again　it　annoyed　him　to
admire　her　calmness。　Like　an　Englishwoman；　she　seemed　to　pride　herself
on　expressing　nothing　in　her　face；　its　serenity　defied　love；　he　longed
to　see　her　agitated；　he　accused　her　of　having　no　feeling；　for　he
believed　in　the　tradition　which　ascribes　to　Italian　women　a　feverish
excitability。

〃I　am　a　Roman！〃　Francesca　gravely　replied　one　day　when　she　took　quite
seriously　some　banter　on　this　subject　from　Rodolphe。

There　was　a　depth　of　tone　in　her　reply　which　gave　it　the　appearance　of
scathing　irony；　and　which　set　Rodolphe's　pulses　throbbing。　The　month
of　May　spread　before　them　the　treasures　of　her　fresh　verdure；　the　sun
was　sometimes　as　powerful　as　at　midsummer。　The　two　lovers　happened　to
be　at　a　part　of　the　terrace　where　the　rock　arises　abruptly　from　the
lake；　and　were　leaning　over　the　stone　parapet　that　crowns　the　wall
above　a　flight　of　steps　leading　down　to　a　landing…stage。　From　the
neighboring　villa；　where　there　is　a　similar　stairway；　a　boat　presently
shot　out　like　a　swan；　its　flag　flaming；　its　crimson　awning　spread　over
a　lovely　woman　comfortably　reclining　on　red　cushions；　her　hair
wreathed　with　real　flowers；　the　boatman　was　a　young　man　dressed　like　a
sailor；　and　rowing　with　all　the　more　grace　because　he　was　under　the
lady's　eye。

〃They　are　happy！〃　exclaimed　Rodolphe；　with　bitter　emphasis。　〃Claire　de
Bourgogne；　the　last　survivor　of　the　only　house　which　can　ever　vie　with
the　royal　family　of　France〃

〃Oh！　of　a　bastard　branch；　and　that　a　female　line。〃

〃At　any　rate；　she　is　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant；　and　she　did　not〃

〃Did　not　hesitate；　you　would　say；　to　bury　herself　here　with　Monsieur
Gaston　de　Nueil；　you　would　say；〃　replied　the　daughter　of　the　Colonnas。
〃She　is　only　a　Frenchwoman；　I　am　an　Italian；　my　dear　sir！〃

Francesca　turned　away　from　the　parapet；　leaving　Rodolphe；　and　went　to
the　further　end　of　the　terrace；　whence　there　is　a　wide　prospect　of　the
lake。　Watching　her　as　she　slowly　walked　away；　Rodolphe　suspected　that
he　had　wounded　her　soul；　at　once　so　simple　and　so　wise；　so　proud　and
so　humble。　It　turned　him　cold；　he　followed　Francesca；　who　signed　to
him　to　leave　her　to　herself。　But　he　did　not　heed　the　warning；　and
detected　her　wiping　away　her　tears。　Tears！　in　so　strong　a　nature。

〃Francesca；〃　said　he；　taking　her　hand；　〃is　there　a　single　regret　in
your　heart？〃

She　was　silent；　disengaged　her　hand　which　held　her　embroidered
handkerchief；　and　again　dried　her　eyes。

〃Forgive　me！〃　he　said。　And　with　a　rush；　he　kissed　her　eyes　to　wipe
away　the　tears。

Francesca　did　not　seem　aware　of　his　passionate　impulse；　she　was　so
violently　agitated。　Rodolphe；　thinking　she　consented；　grew　bolder；　he
put　his　arm　round　her；　clasped　her　to　his　heart；　and　snatched　a　kiss。
But　she　freed　herself　by　a　dignified　movement　of　offended　modesty；
and；　standing　a　yard　off；　she　looked　at　him　without　anger；　but　with
firm　determination。

〃Go　this　evening；〃　she　said。　〃We　meet　no　more　till　we　meet　at　Naples。〃

This　order　was　stern；　but　it　was　obeyed；　for　it　was　Francesca's　will。



On　his　return　to　Paris　Rodolphe　found　in　his　rooms　a　portrait　of
Princess　Gandolphini　painted　by　Schinner；　as　Schinner　can　paint。　The
artist　had　passed　through　Geneva　on　his　way　to　Italy。　As　he　had
positively　refused　to　paint　the　portraits　of　several　women；　Rodolphe
did　not　believe　that　the　Prince；　anxious　as　he　was　for　a　portrait　of
his　wife；　would　be　able　to　conquer　the　great　painter's　objections；　but
Francesca；　no　doubt；　had　bewitched　him；　and　obtained　from　himwhich
was　almost　a　miraclean　original　portrait　for　Rodolphe；　and　a
duplicate　for　Emilio。　She　told　him　this　in　a　charming　and　delightful
letter；　in　which　the　mind　indemnified　itself　for　the　reserve　required
by　the　worship　of　the　proprieties。　The　lover　replied。　Thus　be