gobseck-第4节

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boulevard；　then；　just　as　it　struck　twelve；　I　went　through　the

Countess'　ante…chamber。



〃　'　〃Madame　has　just　this　minute　rung　for　me；〃　said　the　maid；　〃I　don't

think　she　can　see　you　yet。〃



〃　'　〃I　will　wait；〃　said　I；　and　sat　down　in　an　easy…chair。



〃　'Venetian　shutters　were　opened；　and　presently　the　maid　came　hurrying

back。



〃　'　〃Come　in；　sir。〃



〃　'From　the　sweet　tone　of　the　girl's　voice；　I　knew　that　the　mistress

could　not　be　ready　to　pay。　What　a　handsome　woman　it　was　that　I　saw　in

another　moment！　She　had　flung　an　Indian　shawl　hastily　over　her　bare

shoulders；　covering　herself　with　it　completely；　while　it　revealed　the

bare　outlines　of　the　form　beneath。　She　wore　a　loose　gown　trimmed　with

snowy　ruffles；　which　told　plainly　that　her　laundress'　bills　amounted

to　something　like　two　thousand　francs　in　the　course　of　a　year。　Her

dark　curls　escaped　from　beneath　a　bright　Indian　handkerchief；　knotted

carelessly　about　her　head　after　the　fashion　of　Creole　women。　The　bed

lay　in　disorder　that　told　of　broken　slumber。　A　painter　would　have　paid

money　to　stay　a　while　to　see　the　scene　that　I　saw。　Under　the　luxurious

hanging　draperies；　the　pillow；　crushed　into　the　depths　of　an　eider…

down　quilt；　its　lace　border　standing　out　in　contrast　against　the

background　of　blue　silk；　bore　a　vague　impress　that　kindled　the

imagination。　A　pair　of　satin　slippers　gleamed　from　the　great　bear…skin

rug　spread　by　the　carved　mahogany　lions　at　the　bed…foot；　where　she　had

flung　them　off　in　her　weariness　after　the　ball。　A　crumpled　gown　hung

over　a　chair；　the　sleeves　touching　the　floor；　stockings　which　a　breath

would　have　blown　away　were　twisted　about　the　leg　of　an　easy…chair；

while　ribbon　garters　straggled　over　a　settee。　A　fan　of　price；　half

unfolded；　glittered　on　the　chimney…piece。　Drawers　stood　open；　flowers；

diamonds；　gloves；　a　bouquet；　a　girdle；　were　littered　about。　The　room

was　full　of　vague　sweet　perfume。　Andbeneath　all　the　luxury　and

disorder；　beauty　and　incongruity；　I　saw　Misery　crouching　in　wait　for

her　or　for　her　adorer；　Misery　rearing　its　head；　for　the　Countess　had

begun　to　feel　the　edge　of　those　fangs。　Her　tired　face　was　an　epitome

of　the　room　strewn　with　relics　of　past　festival。　The　scattered

gewgaws；　pitiable　this　morning；　when　gathered　together　and　coherent；

had　turned　heads　the　night　before。



〃　'What　efforts　to　drink　of　the　Tantalus　cup　of　bliss　I　could　read　in

these　traces　of　love　stricken　by　the　thunderbolt　remorsein　this

visible　presentment　of　a　life　of　luxury；　extravagance；　and　riot。　There

were　faint　red　marks　on　her　young　face；　signs　of　the　fineness　of　the

skin；　but　her　features　were　coarsened；　as　it　were；　and　the　circles

about　her　eyes　were　unwontedly　dark。　Nature　nevertheless　was　so

vigorous　in　her；　that　these　traces　of　past　folly　did　not　spoil　her

beauty。　Her　eyes　glittered。　She　looked　like　some　Herodias　of　da

Vinci's　（I　have　dealt　in　pictures）；　so　magnificently　full　of　life　and

energy　was　she；　there　was　nothing　starved　nor　stinted　in　feature　or

outline；　she　awakened　desire；　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　some

passion　in　her　yet　stronger　than　love。　I　was　taken　with　her。　It　was　a

long　while　since　my　heart　had　throbbed；　so　I　was　paid　then　and　there

for　I　would　give　a　thousand　francs　for　a　sensation　that　should　bring

me　back　memories　of　youth。



〃　'　〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　finding　a　chair　for　me；　〃will　you　be　so　good

as　to　wait？〃



〃　'　〃Until　this　time　to…morrow；　madame；〃　I　said；　folding　up　the　bill

again。　〃I　cannot　legally　protest　this　bill　any　sooner。〃　And　within

myself　I　said〃Pay　the　price　of　your　luxury；　pay　for　your　name；　pay

for　your　ease；　pay　for　the　monopoly　which　you　enjoy！　The　rich　have

invented　judges　and　courts　of　law　to　secure　their　goods；　and　the

guillotinethat　candle　in　which　so　many　lie　in　silk；　under　silken

coverlets；　there　is　remorse；　and　grinding　of　teeth　beneath　a　smile；

and　those　fantastical　lions'　jaws　are　gaping　to　set　their　fangs　in

your　heart。〃



〃　'　〃Protest　the　bill！　Can　you　mean　it？〃　she　cried；　with　her　eyes　upon

me；　〃could　you　have　so　little　consideration　for　me？〃



〃　'　〃If　the　King　himself　owed　money　to　me；　madame；　and　did　not　pay　it；

I　should　summons　him　even　sooner　than　any　other　debtor。〃



〃　'While　we　were　speaking；　somebody　tapped　gently　at　the　door。



〃　'　〃I　cannot　see　any　one；〃　she　cried　imperiously。



〃　'　〃But；　Anastasie；　I　particularly　wish　to　speak　to　you。〃



〃　'　〃Not　just　now；　dear；〃　she　answered　in　a　milder　tone；　but　with　no

sign　of　relenting。



〃　'　〃What　nonsense！　You　are　talking　to　some　one；〃　said　the　voice；　and

in　came　a　man　who　could　only　be　the　Count。



〃　'The　Countess　gave　me　a　glance。　I　saw　how　it　was。　She　was　thoroughly

in　my　power。　There　was　a　time；　when　I　was　young；　and　might　perhaps

have　been　stupid　enough　not　to　protest　the　bill。　At　Pondicherry；　in

1763；　I　let　a　woman　off；　and　nicely　she　paid　me　out　afterwards。　I

deserved　it；　what　call　was　there　for　me　to　trust　her？



〃　'　〃What　does　this　gentleman　want？〃　asked　the　Count。



〃　'I　could　see　that　the　Countess　was　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　the

white　satin　skin　of　her　throat　was　rough；　〃turned　to　goose　flesh；〃　to

use　the　familiar　expression。　As　for　me；　I　laughed　in　myself　without

moving　a　muscle。



〃　'　〃This　gentleman　is　one　of　my　tradesmen；〃　she　said。



〃　'The　Count　turned　his　back　on　me；　I　drew　the　bill　half　out　of　my

pocket。　After　that　inexorable　movement；　she　came　over　to　me　and　put　a

diamond　into　my　hands。　〃Take　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　be　gone。〃



〃　'We　exchanged　values；　and　I　made　my　bow　and　went。　The　diamond　was

quite　worth　twelve　hundred　francs　to　me。　Out　in　the　courtyard　I　saw　a

swarm　of　flunkeys；　brushing　out　their　liveries；　waxing　their　boots；

and　cleaning　sumptuous　equipages。



〃　'　〃This　is　what　brings　these　people　to　me！〃　said　I　to　myself。　〃It　is

to　keep　up　this　kind　of　thing　that　they　steal　millions　with　all　due

formalities；　and　betray　their　country。　The　great　lord；　and　the　little

man　who　apes　the　great　lord；　bathes　in　mud　once　for　all　to　save

himself　a　splash　or　two　when　he　goes　afoot　through　the　streets。〃



〃　'Just　then　the　great　gates　were　opened　to　admit　a　cabriolet。　It　was

the　same　young　fellow　who　had　brought　the　bill　to　me。



〃　'　〃Sir；〃　I　said；　as　he　alighted；　〃here　are　two　hundred　francs；　which

I　beg　you　to　return　to　Mme。　la　Comtesse；　and　have　the　goodness　to　tell

her　that　I　hold　the　pledge　which　she　deposited　with　me　this　morning　at

her　disposition　for　a　week。〃



〃　'He　took　the　two　hundred　francs；　and　an　ironical　smile　stole　over

his　face；　it　was　as　if　he　had　said；　〃Aha！　so　she　has　paid　it；　has　she？

。　。　。　Faith；　so　much　the　better！〃　I　read　the　Countess'　future　in　his

face。　That　good…looking；　fair…haired　young　gentleman　is　a　heartless

gambler；　he　will　ruin　himself；　ruin　her；　ruin　her　husband；　ruin　the

children；　eat　up　their　portions；　and　work　more　havoc　in　Parisian

salons　than　a　whole　battery　of　howitzers　in　a　regiment。



〃　'I　went　back　to　see　Mlle。　Fanny　in　the　Rue　Montmartre；　climbed　a

very　steep；　narrow　staircase；　and　reached　a　two…roomed　dwelling　on　the

fifth　floor。　Everything　was　as　neat　as　a　new　ducat。　I　did　not　see　a

speck　of　dust　on　the　furniture　in　the　first　room；　where　Mlle。　Fanny

was　sitting。　Mlle。　Fanny　herself　was　a　young　Parisian　girl；　quietly

dressed；　with　a　delicate　fresh　face；　and　a　winning　look。　The

arrangement　of　her　neatly　brushed　chestnut　hair　in　a　double　curve　on

her　forehead　lent　a　refined　expression　to　blue　eyes；　clear　as　crystal。

The　broad　daylight　streaming　in　through　the　short　curtains　against　the

window　pane　fell　with　softened　light　on　her　girlish　face。　A　pile　of

shaped　pieces　of　linen　told　me　that　she　was　a　sempstress。　She　looked

like　a　spirit　of　solitude。　When　I　held　out　the　bill；　I　remarked　that

she　had　not　been　at　home　when　I　called　in　the　morning。



〃　'　〃But　the　money　was　left　with　the　porter's　wife；〃　said　she。



〃　'I　pretended　not　to　understand。



〃　'　〃You　go　out　early；　mademoiselle；　it　seems。〃



〃　'　〃I　very　seldom　leave　my　room；　but　when　you　work　all　night；　you　are

obliged　to　take　a　bath　sometimes。〃



〃　'I　looked　at　her。　A　glance　told　me　all　about　her　life。　Here　was　a

girl　condemned　by　misfortune　to　toil；　a　girl　who　came　of　honest　farmer

folk；　for　she　had　still　a　freckle　or　two　that　told　of　country　birth。

There　was　an　indefinable　atmosphere　of　goodness　about　her；　I　felt　as

if　I　were　breathing　sincerity　and　frank　innocence。　It　was　refreshing

to　my　lungs。　Poor　innocent　child；　she　had　faith　in　something；　there

was　a　crucifix　and　a　sprig　or　two　of　green　box　above　her　poor　little

painted　wooden　bedstead；　I　felt　touched；　or　somewhat　inclined　that

way。　I　felt　ready　to　offer　to　charge　no　more　than　twelve　per　cent；　and

so　give　something　towards　establishing　her　in　a　good　way　of　business。



〃　'　〃But　maybe　she　has　a　little　youngster　of　a　cousin；〃　I　said　to

myself；　〃who　would　raise　money　on　her　signature　and　sponge　on　the　poor

girl。〃



〃　'So　I