按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
an admirer。 But once there； thanks to a swiftness of foot like that of
a loose horse； I returned to my punt； the willows； and Clochegourde。
All was silent and palpitating； as a landscape is at midday in summer。
The still foliage lay sharply defined on the blue of the sky； the
insects that live by light； the dragon…flies； the cantharides； were
flying among the reeds and the ash…trees； cattle chewed the cud in the
shade； the ruddy earth of the vineyards glowed； the adders glided up
and down the banks。 What a change in the sparkling and coquettish
landscape while I slept！ I sprang suddenly from the boat and ran up
the road which went round Clochegourde for I fancied that I saw the
count coming out。 I was not mistaken； he was walking beside the hedge；
evidently making for a gate on the road to Azay which followed the
bank of the river。
〃How are you this morning； Monsieur le comte？〃
He looked at me pleasantly； not being used to hear himself thus
addressed。
〃Quite well；〃 he answered。 〃You must love the country； to be rambling
about in this heat！〃
〃I was sent here to live in the open air。〃
〃Then what do you say to coming with me to see them cut my rye？〃
〃Gladly；〃 I replied。 〃I'll own to you that my ignorance is past
belief； I don't know rye from wheat； nor a poplar from an aspen； I
know nothing of farming； nor of the various methods of cultivating the
soil。〃
〃Well； come and learn；〃 he cried gaily； returning upon his steps。
〃Come in by the little gate above。〃
The count walked back along the hedge； he being within it and I
without。
〃You will learn nothing from Monsieur de Chessel；〃 he remarked； 〃he is
altogether too fine a gentleman to do more than receive the reports of
his bailiff。〃
The count then showed me his yards and the farm buildings； the
pleasure…grounds； orchards； vineyards； and kitchen garden； until we
finally came to the long alley of acacias and ailanthus beside the
river； at the end of which I saw Madame de Mortsauf sitting on a
bench； with her children。 A woman is very lovely under the light and
quivering shade of such foliage。 Surprised； perhaps； at my prompt
visit； she did not move； knowing very well that we should go to her。
The count made me admire the view of the valley； which at this point
is totally different from that seen from the heights above。 Here I
might have thought myself in a corner of Switzerland。 The meadows；
furrowed with little brooks which flow into the Indre； can be seen to
their full extent till lost in the misty distance。 Towards Montbazon
the eye ranges over a vast green plain； in all other directions it is
stopped by hills； by masses of trees； and rocks。 We quickened our
steps as we approached Madame de Mortsauf； who suddenly dropped the
book in which Madeleine was reading to her and took Jacques upon her
knees； in the paroxysms of a violent cough。
〃What's the matter？〃 cried the count； turning livid。
〃A sore throat；〃 answered the mother； who seemed not to see me； 〃but
it is nothing serious。〃
She was holding the child by the head and body； and her eyes seemed to
shed two rays of life into the poor frail creature。
〃You are so extraordinarily imprudent；〃 said the count； sharply； 〃you
expose him to the river damps and let him sit on a stone bench。〃
〃Why； papa； the stone is burning hot；〃 cried Madeleine。
〃They were suffocating higher up；〃 said the countess。
〃Women always want to prove they are right；〃 said the count； turning
to me。
To avoid agreeing or disagreeing with him by word or look I watched
Jacques； who complained of his throat。 His mother carried him away；
but as she did so she heard her husband say：
〃When they have brought such sickly children into the world they ought
to learn how to take care of them。〃
Words that were cruelly unjust； but his self…love drove him to defend
himself at the expense of his wife。 The countess hurried up the steps
and across the portico； and I saw her disappear through the glass
door。 Monsieur de Mortsauf seated himself on the bench； his head bowed
in gloomy silence。 My position became annoying； he neither spoke nor
looked at me。 Farewell to the walk he had proposed； in the course of
which I had hoped to fathom him。 I hardly remember a more unpleasant
moment。 Ought I to go away； or should I not go？ How many painful
thoughts must have arisen in his mind； to make him forget to follow
Jacques and learn how he was！ At last however he rose abruptly and
came towards me。 We both turned and looked at the smiling valley。
〃We will put off our walk to another day； Monsieur le comte；〃 I said
gently。
〃No； let us go；〃 he replied。 〃Unfortunately； I am accustomed to such
scenesI； who would give my life without the slightest regret to save
that of the child。〃
〃Jacques is better； my dear； he has gone to sleep；〃 said a golden
voice。 Madame de Mortsauf suddenly appeared at the end of the path。
She came forward； without bitterness or ill…will； and bowed to me。
〃I am glad to see that you like Clochegourde；〃 she said。
〃My dear； should you like me to ride over and fetch Monsieur
Deslandes？〃 said the count； as if wishing her to forgive his
injustice。
〃Don't be worried；〃 she said。 〃Jacques did not sleep last night；
that's all。 The child is very nervous； he had a bad dream； and I told
him stories all night to keep him quiet。 His cough is purely nervous；
I have stilled it with a lozenge； and he has gone to sleep。〃
〃Poor woman！〃 said her husband； taking her hand in his and giving her
a tearful look； 〃I knew nothing of it。〃
〃Why should you be troubled when there is no occasion？〃 she replied。
〃Now go and attend to the rye。 You know if you are not there the men
will let the gleaners of the other villages get into the field before
the sheaves are carried away。〃
〃I am going to take a first lesson in agriculture； madame；〃 I said to
her。
〃You have a very good master；〃 she replied； motioning towards the
count； whose mouth screwed itself into that smile of satisfaction
which is vulgarly termed a 〃bouche en coeur。〃
Two months later I learned she had passed that night in great anxiety；
fearing that her son had the croup； while I was in the boat； rocked by
thoughts of love； imagined that she might see me from her window
adoring the gleam of the candle which was then lighting a forehead
furrowed by fears！ The croup prevailed at Tours； and was often fatal。
When we were outside the gate； the count said in a voice of emotion；
〃Madame de Mortsauf is an angel！〃 The words staggered me。 As yet I
knew but little of the family； and the natural conscience of a young
soul made me exclaim inwardly： 〃What right have I to trouble this
perfect peace？〃
Glad to find a listener in a young man over whom he could lord it so
easily； the count talked to me of the future which the return of the
Bourbons would secure to France。 We had a desultory conversation； in
which I listened to much childish nonsense which positively amazed me。
He was ignorant of facts susceptible of proof that might be called
geometric； he feared persons of education； he rejected superiority；
and scoffed； perhaps with some reason； at progress。 I discovered in
his nature a number of sensitive fibres which it required the utmost
caution not to wound； so that a conversation with him of any length
was a positive strain upon the mind。 When I had； as it were； felt of
his defects； I conformed to them with the same suppleness that his
wife showed in soothing him。 Later in life I should certainly have
made him angry； but now； humble as a child； supposing that I knew
nothing and believing that men in their prime knew all； I was
genuinely amazed at the results obtained at Clochegourde by this
patient agriculturist。 I listened admiringly to his plans； and with an
involuntary flattery which won his good…will； I envied him the estate
and its outlooka terrestrial paradise； I called it； far superior to
Frapesle。
〃Frapesle；〃 I said； 〃is a massive piece of plate； but Clochegourde is
a jewel…case of gems；〃a speech which he often quoted； giving credit
to its author。
〃Before we came here；〃 he said； 〃it was desolation itself。〃
I was all ears when he told of his seed…fields and nurseries。 New to
country life； I besieged him with questions about prices； means of
preparing and working the soil； etc。； and he seemed glad to answer all
in detail。
〃What in the world do they teach you in your colleges？〃 he exclaimed
at last in astonishment。
On this first day the count said to his wife when he reached home；
〃Monsieur Felix is a charming young man。〃
That evening I wrote to my mother and asked her to send my clothes and
linen； saying that I should remain at Frapesle。 Ignorant of the great
revolution which was just taking place； and not perceiving the
influence it was to have upon my fate； I expected to return to Paris
to resume my legal studies。 The Law School did not open till the first
week in November； meantime I had two months and a half before me。
The first part of my stay； while I studied to understand the count；
was a period of painful impressions to me。 I found him a man of
extreme irascibility without adequate cause； hasty in action in
hazardous cases to a degree t