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jest。〃
〃Sincerely！ you poor child！〃 she said； unfastening her habit。
With a lover's vanity I tried to exhibit Henriette's noble character
to this imperious creature。 While her waiting…woman； who did not
understand a word of French； arranged her hair I endeavored to picture
Madame de Mortsauf by sketching her life； I repeated many of the great
thoughts she had uttered at a crisis when nearly all women become
either petty or bad。 Though Arabella appeared to be paying no
attention she did not lose a single word。
〃I am delighted；〃 she said when we were alone； 〃to learn your taste
for pious conversation。 There's an old vicar on one of my estates who
understands writing sermons better than any one I know； the country…
people like him； for he suits his prosing to his hearers。 I'll write
to my father to…morrow and ask him to send the good man here by
steamboat； you can meet him in Paris； and when once you have heard him
you will never wish to listen to any one else；all the more because
his health is perfect。 His moralities won't give you shocks that make
you weep； they flow along without tempests； like a limpid stream； and
will send you to sleep。 Every evening you can if you like satisfy your
passion for sermons by digesting one with your dinner。 English
morality； I do assure you； is as superior to that of Touraine as our
cutlery； our plate； and our horses are to your knives and your turf。
Do me the kindness to listen to my vicar； promise me。 I am only a
woman； my dearest； I can love； I can die for you if you will； but I
have never studied at Eton； or at Oxford； or in Edinburgh。 I am
neither a doctor of laws nor a reverend； I can't preach morality； in
fact； I am altogether unfit for it； I should be awkward if I tried。 I
don't blame your tastes； you might have others more depraved； and I
should still endeavor to conform to them； for I want you to find near
me all you like best；pleasures of love； pleasures of food； pleasures
of piety； good claret； and virtuous Christians。 Shall I wear hair…
cloth to…night？ She is very lucky； that woman； to suit you in
morality。 From what college did she graduate？ Poor I； who can only
give you myself； who can only be your slave〃
〃Then why did you rush away when I wanted to bring you together？〃
〃Are you crazy； Amedee？ I could go from Paris to Rome disguised as a
valet； I would do the most unreasonable thing for your sake； but how
can you expect me to speak to a woman on the public roads who has
never been presented to me；and who； besides； would have preached me
a sermon under three heads？ I speak to peasants； and if I am hungry I
would ask a workman to share his bread with me and pay him in guineas；
that is all proper enough； but to stop a carriage on the highway；
like the gentlemen of the road in England； is not at all within my
code of manners。 You poor child； you know only how to love； you don't
know how to live。 Besides； I am not like you as yet； dear angel； I
don't like morality。 Still； I am capable of great efforts to please
you。 Yes； I will go to work； I will learn how to preach； you shall
have no more kisses without verses of the Bible interlarded。〃
She used her power and abused it as soon as she saw in my eyes the
ardent expression which was always there when she began her sorceries。
She triumphed over everything； and I complacently told myself that the
woman who loses all； sacrifices the future； and makes love her only
virtue； is far above Catholic polemics。
〃So she loves herself better than she loves you？〃 Arabella went on。
〃She sets something that is not you above you。 Is that love？ how can
we women find anything to value in ourselves except that which you
value in us？ No woman； no matter how fine a moralist she may be； is
the equal of a man。 Tread upon us； kill us； never embarrass your lives
on our account。 It is for us to die； for you to live； great and
honored。 For us the dagger in your hand； for you our pardoning love。
Does the sun think of the gnats in his beams； that live by his light？
they stay as long as they can and when he withdraws his face they
die〃
〃Or fly somewhere else；〃 I said interrupting her。
〃Yes； somewhere else；〃 she replied； with an indifference that would
have piqued any man into using the power with which she invested him。
〃Do you really think it is worthy of womanhood to make a man eat his
bread buttered with virtue； and to persuade him that religion is
incompatible with love？ Am I a reprobate？ A woman either gives herself
or she refuses。 But to refuse and moralize is a double wrong； and is
contrary to the rule of the right in all lands。 Here； you will get
only excellent sandwiches prepared by the hand of your servant
Arabella； whose sole morality is to imagine caresses no man has yet
felt and which the angels inspire。〃
I know nothing more destructive than the wit of an Englishwoman； she
gives it the eloquent gravity； the tone of pompous conviction with
which the British hide the absurdities of their life of prejudice。
French wit and humor； on the other hand； is like a lace with which our
women adorn the joys they give and the quarrels they invent； it is a
mental jewelry； as charming as their pretty dresses。 English wit is an
acid which corrodes all those on whom it falls until it bares their
bones； which it scrapes and polishes。 The tongue of a clever
Englishwoman is like that of a tiger tearing the flesh from the bone
when he is only in play。 All…powerful weapon of a sneering devil；
English satire leaves a deadly poison in the wound it makes。 Arabella
chose to show her power like the sultan who； to prove his dexterity；
cut off the heads of unoffending beings with his own scimitar。
〃My angel；〃 she said； 〃I can talk morality too if I choose。 I have
asked myself whether I commit a crime in loving you； whether I violate
the divine laws； and I find that my love for you is both natural and
pious。 Why did God create some beings handsomer than others if not to
show us that we ought to adore them？ The crime would be in not loving
you。 This lady insults you by confounding you with other men； the laws
of morality are not applicable to you； for God has created you above
them。 Am I not drawing nearer to divine love in loving you？ will God
punish a poor woman for seeking the divine？ Your great and luminous
heart so resembles the heavens that I am like the gnats which flutter
about the torches of a fete and burn themselves； are they to be
punished for their error？ besides； is it an error？ may it not be pure
worship of the light？ They perish of too much piety；if you call it
perishing to fling one's self on the breast of him we love。 I have the
weakness to love you； whereas that woman has the strength to remain in
her Catholic shrine。 Now； don't frown。 You think I wish her ill。 No； I
do not。 I adore the morality which has led her to leave you free； and
enables me to win you and hold you foreverfor you are mine forever；
are you not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Forever and ever？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ah！ I have found favor in my lord！ I alone have understood his worth！
She knows how to cultivate her estate； you say。 Well； I leave that to
farmers； I cultivate your heart。〃
I try to recall this intoxicating babble； that I may picture to you
the woman as she is； confirm all I have said of her； and let you into
the secret of what happened later。 But how shall I describe the
accompaniment of the words？ She sought to annihilate by the passion of
her impetuous love the impressions left in my heart by the chaste and
dignified love of my Henriette。 Lady Dudley had seen the countess as
plainly as the countess had seen her； each had judged the other。 The
force of Arabella's attack revealed to me the extent of her fear； and
her secret admiration for her rival。 In the morning I found her with
tearful eyes； complaining that she had not slept。
〃What troubles you？〃 I said。
〃I fear that my excessive love will ruin me；〃 she answered； 〃I have
given all。 Wiser than I； that woman possesses something that you still
desire。 If you prefer her； forget me； I will not trouble you with my
sorrows； my remorse； my sufferings； no； I will go far away and die；
like a plant deprived of the life…giving sun。〃
She was able to wring protestations of love from my reluctant lips；
which filled her with joy。
〃Ah！〃 she exclaimed； drying her eyes； 〃I am happy。 Go back to her； I
do not choose to owe you to the force of my love； but to the action of
your own will。 If you return here I shall know that you love me as
much as I love you； the possibility of which I have always doubted。〃
She persuaded me to return to Clochegourde。 The false position in
which I thus placed myself did not strike me while still under the
influence of her wiles。 Yet； had I refused to return I should have
given Lady Dudley a triumph over Henriette。 Arabella would then have
taken me to Paris。 To go now to Clochegourde was an open insult to
Madame de Mortsauf； in that case Arabella was sure of me。 Did any
woman ever pardon such crimes against love？ Unless she were an angel
descended from the skies； instead of a purified spirit ascending to
them； a loving woman would rather see her lover die than know him
happy with another