the duchesse de langeais-第25节

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　those　two　tears。　　When　he　turned　round　again　to　help　her　to　rise；　she　was　standing　before　him；　sure　of　love。　　Her　pulses　must　have　throbbed　fast　when　he　spoke　with　the　firmness　she　had　known　so　well　how　to　use　of　old　while　she　played　with　him。

〃I　spare　you；　madame。　　All　that　has　taken　place　shall　be　as　if　it　had　never　been；　you　may　believe　me。　　But　now；　let　us　bid　each　other　goodbye。　　I　like　to　think　that　you　were　sincere　in　your　coquetries　on　your　sofa；　sincere　again　in　this　outpouring　of　your　heart。　　Good…bye。　　I　feel　that　there　is　no　faith　in　you　left　in　me。　　You　would　torment　me　again；　you　would　always　be　the　Duchess；　and　But　there；　good…bye；　we　shall　never　understand　each　other。

〃Now；　what　do　you　wish？〃　he　continued；　taking　the　tone　of　a　master　of　the　ceremonies〃to　return　home；　or　to　go　back　to　Mme　de　Serizy's　ball？　　I　have　done　all　in　my　power　to　prevent　any　scandal。　　Neither　your　servants　nor　anyone　else　can　possibly　know　what　has　passed　between　us　in　the　last　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Your　servants　have　no　idea　that　you　have　left　the　ballroom；　your　carriage　never　left　Mme　de　Serizy's　courtyard；　your　brougham　may　likewise　be　found　in　the　court　of　your　own　hotel。　　Where　do　you　wish　to　be？〃

〃What　do　you　counsel；　Armand？〃

〃There　is　no　Armand　now；　Mme　la　Duchesse。　　We　are　strangers　to　each　other。〃

〃Then　take　me　to　the　ball；〃　she　said；　still　curious　to　put　Armand's　power　to　the　test。　　〃Thrust　a　soul　that　suffered　in　the　world；　and　must　always　suffer　there；　if　there　is　no　happiness　for　her　now；　down　into　hell　again。　　And　yet；　oh　my　friend；　I　love　you　as　your　bourgeoises　love；　I　love　you　so　that　I　could　come　to　you　and　fling　my　arms　about　your　neck　before　all　the　world　if　you　asked　it　off　me。　　The　hateful　world　has　not　corrupted　me。　　I　am　young　at　least；　and　I　have　grown　younger　still。　　I　am　a　child；　yes；　your　child；　your　new　creature。　　Ah！　do　not　drive　me　forth　out　of　my　Eden！〃

Armand　shook　his　head。

〃Ah！　let　me　take　something　with　me；　if　I　go；　some　little　thing　to　wear　tonight　on　my　heart；〃　she　said；　taking　possession　of　Armand's　glove；　which　she　twisted　into　her　handkerchief。

〃No；　I　am　NOT　like　all　those　depraved　women。　　You　do　not　know　the　world；　and　so　you　cannot　know　my　worth。　　You　shall　know　it　now！　　There　are　women　who　sell　themselves　for　money；　there　are　others　to　be　gained　by　gifts；　it　is　a　vile　world！　　Oh；　I　wish　I　were　a　simple　bourgeoise；　a　working　girl；　if　you　would　rather　have　a　woman　beneath　you　than　a　woman　whose　devotion　is　accompanied　by　high　rank；　as　men　count　it。　　Oh；　my　Armand；　there　are　noble；　high；　and　chaste　and　pure　natures　among　us；　and　then　they　are　lovely　indeed。　　I　would　have　all　nobleness　that　I　might　offer　it　all　up　to　you。　　Misfortune　willed　that　I　should　be　a　duchess；　I　would　I　were　a　royal　princess；　that　my　offering　might　be　complete。　　I　would　be　a　grisette　for　you；　and　a　queen　for　everyone　besides。〃

He　listened；　damping　his　cigars　with　his　lips。

〃You　will　let　me　know　when　you　wish　to　go；〃　he　said。

〃But　I　should　like　to　stay〃

〃That　is　another　matter！〃

〃Stay；　that　was　badly　rolled；〃　she　cried；　seizing　on　a　cigar　and　devouring　all　that　Armand's　lips　had　touched。

〃Do　you　smoke？〃

〃Oh；　what　would　I　not　do　to　please　you？〃

〃Very　well。　　Go；　madame。〃

〃I　will　obey　you；〃　she　answered；　with　tears　in　her　eyes。

〃You　must　be　blindfolded；　you　must　not　see　a　glimpse　of　the　way。〃

〃I　am　ready；　Armand；〃　she　said；　bandaging　her　eyes。

〃Can　you　see？〃

〃No。〃

Noiselessly　he　knelt　before　her。

〃Ah！　　I　can　hear　you！〃　she　cried；　with　a　little　fond　gesture；　thinking　that　the　pretence　of　harshness　was　over。

He　made　as　if　he　would　kiss　her　lips；　she　held　up　her　face。

〃You　can　see；　madame。〃

〃I　am　just　a　little　bit　curious。〃

〃So　you　always　deceive　me？〃

〃Ah！　take　off　this　handkerchief；　sir；〃　she　cried　out；　with　the　passion　of　a　great　generosity　repelled　with　scorn；　〃lead　me；　I　will　not　open　my　eyes。〃

Armand　felt　sure　of　her　after　that　cry。　　He　led　the　way；　the　Duchess　nobly　true　to　her　word；　was　blind。　　But　while　Montriveau　held　her　hand　as　a　father　might；　and　led　her　up　and　down　flights　of　stairs；　he　was　studying　the　throbbing　pulses　of　this　woman's　heart　so　suddenly　invaded　by　Love。　　Mme　de　Langeais；　rejoicing　in　this　power　of　speech；　was　glad　to　let　him　know　all；　but　he　was　inflexible；　his　hand　was　passive　in　reply　to　the　questionings　of　her　hand。

At　length；　after　some　journey　made　together；　Armand　bade　her　go　forward；　the　opening　was　doubtless　narrow；　for　as　she　went　she　felt　that　his　hand　protected　her　dress。　　His　care　touched　her；　it　was　a　revelation　surely　that　there　was　a　little　love　still　left；　yet　it　was　in　some　sort　a　farewell；　for　Montriveau　left　her　without　a　word。　　The　air　was　warm；　the　Duchess；　feeling　the　heat；　opened　her　eyes；　and　found　herself　standing　by　the　fire　in　the　Comtesse　de　Serizy's　boudoir。

She　was　alone。　　Her　first　thought　was　for　her　disordered　toilette；　in　a　moment　she　had　adjusted　her　dress　and　restored　her　picturesque　coiffure。

〃Well；　dear　Antoinette；　we　have　been　looking　for　you　everywhere。〃　　It　was　the　Comtesse　de　Serizy　who　spoke　as　she　opened　the　door。

〃I　came　here　to　breathe；〃　said　the　Duchess；　〃it　is　unbearably　hot　in　the　rooms。〃

〃People　thought　that　you　had　gone；　but　my　brother　Ronquerolles　told　me　that　your　servants　were　waiting　for　you。〃

〃I　am　tired　out；　dear；　let　me　stay　and　rest　here　for　a　minute；〃　and　the　Duchess　sat　down　on　the　sofa。

〃Why；　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　　You　are　shaking　from　head　to　foot！〃

The　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　came　in。

〃Mme　la　Duchesse；　I　was　afraid　that　something　might　have　happened。　　I　have　just　come　across　your　coachman；　the　man　is　as　tipsy　as　all　the　Swiss　in　Switzerland。〃

The　Duchess　made　no　answer；　she　was　looking　round　the　room；　at　the　chimney…piece　and　the　tall　mirrors；　seeking　the　trace　of　an　opening。　　Then　with　an　extraordinary　sensation　she　recollected　that　she　was　again　in　the　midst　of　the　gaiety　of　the　ballroom　after　that　terrific　scene　which　had　changed　the　whole　course　of　her　life。　　She　began　to　shiver　violently。

〃M。　de　Montriveau's　prophecy　has　shaken　my　nerves；〃　she　said。　　〃It　was　a　joke；　but　still　I　will　see　whether　his　axe　from　London　will　haunt　me　even　in　my　sleep。　　So　good…bye；　dear。Good…bye；　M。　le　Marquis。〃

As　she　went　through　the　rooms　she　was　beset　with　enquiries　and　regrets。　　Her　world　seemed　to　have　dwindled　now　that　she；　its　queen；　had　fallen　so　low；　was　so　diminished。　　And　what；　moreover；　were　these　men　compared　with　him　whom　she　loved　with　all　her　heart；　with　the　man　grown　great　by　all　that　she　had　lost　in　stature？　　The　giant　had　regained　the　height　that　he　had　lost　for　a　while；　and　she　exaggerated　it　perhaps　beyond　measure。　　She　looked；　in　spite　of　herself；　at　the　servant　who　had　attended　her　to　the　ball。　　He　was　fast　asleep。

〃Have　you　been　here　all　the　time？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　madame。〃

As　she　took　her　seat　in　her　carriage　she　saw；　in　fact；　that　her　coachman　was　drunkso　drunk；　that　at　any　other　time　she　would　have　been　afraid；　but　after　a　great　crisis　in　life；　fear　loses　its　appetite　for　common　food。　　She　reached　home；　at　any　rate；　without　accident；　but　even　there　she　felt　a　change　in　herself；　a　new　feeling　that　she　could　not　shake　off。　　For　her；　there　was　now　but　one　man　in　the　world；　which　is　to　say　that　henceforth　she　cared　to　shine　for　his　sake　alone。

While　the　physiologist　can　define　love　promptly　by　following　out　natural　laws；　the　moralist　finds　a　far　more　perplexing　problem　before　him　if　he　attempts　to　consider　love　in　all　its　developments　due　to　social　conditions。　　Still；　in　spite　of　the　heresies　of　the　endless　sects　that　divide　the　church　of　Love；　there　is　one　broad　and　trenchant　line　of　difference　in　doctrine；　a　line　that　all　the　discussion　in　the　world　can　never　deflect。　　A　rigid　application　of　this　line　explains　the　nature　of　the　crisis　through　which　the　Duchess；　like　most　women；　was　to　pass。　　Passion　she　knew；　but　she　did　not　love　as　yet。

Love　and　passion　are　two　different　conditions　which　poets　and　men　of　the　world；　philosophers　and　fools；　alike　continually　confound。

Love　implies　a　give　and　take；　a　certainty　of　bliss　that　nothing　can　change；　it　means　so　close　a　clinging　of　the　heart；　and　an　exchange　of　happiness　so　constant；　that　there　is　no　room　left　for　jealousy。　　Then　possession　is　a　means　and　not　an　end；　unfaithfulness　may　give　pain；　but　the　bond　is　not　less　close；　the　soul　is　neither　more　nor　less　ardent　or　troubled；　but　happy　at　every　moment；　in　short；　the　divine　breath　of　desire　spreading　from　end　to　end　of　the　immensity　of　Time　steeps　it　all　for　us　in　the　selfsame　hue；　life　takes　the　tint　of　the　unclouded　heaven。　　But　Passion　is　the　foreshadowing　of　Love；　and　of　that　Infinite　to　which　all　suffering　souls　aspire。　　Passion　is　a　hope　that　may　be　cheated。　　Passion　means　both　suffering　and　transition。　　Passion　dies　out　when　hope　is　dead。　　Men　and　women　may　pass　through　this　experience　many　times　without　dishonour；　for　it　is　so　natural　to　spring　towards　happiness；　but　there　is　only　one　love　in　a　lifetime。　　All　discussions　of　sentiment　ever　conducted　on　paper　or　by　word　of　mouth　may　therefore　be　resumed　by　two　questions〃Is　it　passion？　　Is　it　love？〃　　So；　since　love　comes　into　existence　only　throu