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！
there were male heirs was an excellent provision； whether to hinder
the degeneration of the race； or to make households happier by
abolishing scandalous unions and giving the sole preference to moral
qualities and beauty。
〃 'But then；' he exclaimed； lifting his hand with a gesture of
disgust； 'how are we to perfect legislation in a country which insists
on bringing together seven or eight hundred legislators！After all；
if I am sacrificed；' he added； 'I have a child to succeed me。'
〃 'Setting aside all the religious question；' my uncle said； 'I would
remark to your Excellency that Nature only owes us life； and that it
is society that owes us happiness。 Are you a father？' asked my uncle。
〃 'And Ihave I any children？' said Comte Octave in a hollow voice；
and his tone made such an impression that there was no more talk of
wives or marriage。
〃When coffee had been served； the two Counts and the two priests stole
away； seeing that poor Octave had fallen into a fit of melancholy
which prevented his noticing their disappearance。 My patron was
sitting in an armchair by the fire； in the attitude of a man crushed。
〃 'You now know the secret of my life； said he to me on noticing that
we were alone。 'After three years of married life； one evening when I
came in I found a letter in which the Countess announced her flight。
The letter did not lack dignity； for it is in the nature of women to
preserve some virtues even when committing that horrible sin。The
story is now that my wife went abroad in a ship that was wrecked； she
is supposed to be dead。 I have lived alone for seven years！Enough
for this evening； Maurice。 We will talk of my situation when I have
grown used to the idea of speaking of it to you。 When we suffer from a
chronic disease； it needs time to become accustomed to improvement。
That improvement often seems to be merely another aspect of the
complaint。'
〃I went to bed greatly agitated； for the mystery； far from being
explained； seemed to me more obscure than ever。 I foresaw some strange
drama indeed； for I understood that there could be no vulgar
difference between the woman that Count could choose and such a
character as his。 The events which had driven the Countess to leave a
man so noble； so amiable； so perfect； so loving； so worthy to be
loved； must have been singular； to say the least。 M。 de Grandville's
remark had been like a torch flung into the caverns over which I had
so long been walking； and though the flame lighted them but dimly； my
eyes could perceive their wide extent！ I could imagine the Count's
sufferings without knowing their depths or their bitterness。 That
sallow face； those parched temples； those overwhelming studies； those
moments of absentmindedness； the smallest details of the life of this
married bachelor； all stood out in luminous relief during the hour of
mental questioning； which is； as it were； the twilight before sleep；
and to which any man would have given himself up； as I did。
〃Oh！ how I loved my poor master！ He seemed to me sublime。 I read a
poem of melancholy； I saw perpetual activity in the heart I had
accused of being torpid。 Must not supreme grief always come at last to
stagnation？ Had this judge； who had so much in his power； ever
revenged himself？ Was he feeding himself on her long agony？ Is it not
a remarkable thing in Paris to keep anger always seething for ten
years？ What had Octave done since this great misfortunefor the
separation of husband and wife is a great misfortune in our day； when
domestic life has become a social question； which it never was of old？
〃We allowed a few days to pass on the watch； for great sorrows have a
diffidence of their own； but at last； one evening； the Count said in a
grave voice：
〃 'Stay。'
〃This； as nearly as may be； is his story。
〃 'My father had a ward； rich and lovely； who was sixteen at the time
when I came back from college to live in this old house。 Honorine； who
had been brought up by my mother； was just awakening to life。 Full of
grace and of childish ways； she dreamed of happiness as she would have
dreamed of jewels； perhaps happiness seemed to her the jewel of the
soul。 Her piety was not free from puerile pleasures； for everything；
even religion； was poetry to her ingenuous heart。 She looked to the
future as a perpetual fete。 Innocent and pure； no delirium had
disturbed her dream。 Shame and grief had never tinged her cheek nor
moistened her eye。 She did not even inquire into the secret of her
involuntary emotions on a fine spring day。 And then； she felt that she
was weak and destined to obedience； and she awaited marriage without
wishing for it。 Her smiling imagination knew nothing of the corruption
necessary perhapswhich literature imparts by depicting the
passions； she knew nothing of the world； and was ignorant of all the
dangers of society。 The dear child had suffered so little that she had
not even developed her courage。 In short； her guilelessness would have
led her to walk fearless among serpents； like the ideal figure of
Innocence a painter once created。 We lived together like two brothers。
〃 'At the end of a year I said to her one day； in the garden of this
house； by the basin； as we stood throwing crumbs to the fish：
〃 ' 〃Would you like that we should be married？ With me you could do
whatever you please； while another man would make you unhappy。〃
〃 ' 〃Mamma；〃 said she to my mother； who came out to join us； 〃Octave
and I have agreed to be married〃
〃 ' 〃What！ at seventeen？〃 said my mother。 〃No； you must wait eighteen
months； and if eighteen months hence you like each other； well； your
birth and fortunes are equal； you can make a marriage which is
suitable； as well as being a love match。〃
〃 'When I was six…and…twenty； and Honorine nineteen； we were married。
Our respect for my father and mother； old folks of the Bourbon Court；
hindered us from making this house fashionable； or renewing the
furniture； we lived on； as we had done in the past； as children。
However； I went into society； I initiated my wife into the world of
fashion； and I regarded it as one of my duties to instruct her。
〃 'I recognized afterwards that marriages contracted under such
circumstances as ours bear in themselves a rock against which many
affections are wrecked； many prudent calculations； many lives。 The
husband becomes a pedagogue； or； if you like； a professor； and love
perishes under the rod which； sooner or later； gives pain； for a young
and handsome wife； at once discreet and laughter…loving； will not
accept any superiority above that with which she is endowed by nature。
Perhaps I was in the wrong？ During the difficult beginnings of a
household I； perhaps； assumed a magisterial tone？ On the other hand； I
may have made the mistake of trusting too entirely to that artless
nature； I kept no watch over the Countess； in whom revolt seemed to me
impossible？ Alas！ neither in politics nor in domestic life has it yet
been ascertained whether empires and happiness are wrecked by too much
confidence or too much severity！ Perhaps again； the husband failed to
realize Honorine's girlish dreams？ Who can tell； while happy days
last； what precepts he has neglected？'
〃I remember only the broad outlines of the reproaches the Count
addressed to himself； with all the good faith of an anatomist seeking
the cause of a disease which might be overlooked by his brethren； but
his merciful indulgence struck me then as really worthy of that of
Jesus Christ when He rescued the woman taken in adultery。
〃 'It was eighteen months after my father's deathmy mother followed
him to the tomb in a few monthswhen the fearful night came which
surprised me by Honorine's farewell letter。 What poetic delusion had
seduced my wife？ Was it through her senses？ Was it the magnetism of
misfortune or of genius？ Which of these powers had taken her by storm
or misled her？I would not know。 The blow was so terrible； that for a
month I remained stunned。 Afterwards； reflection counseled me to
continue in ignorance； and Honorine's misfortunes have since taught me
too much about all these things。So far； Maurice； the story is
commonplace enough； but one word will change it all： I love Honorine；
I have never ceased to worship her。 From the day when she left me I
have lived on memory； one by one I recall the pleasures for which
Honorine no doubt had no taste。
〃 'Oh！' said he； seeing the amazement in my eyes； 'do not make a hero
of me； do not think me such a fool； as the Colonel of the Empire would
say； as to have sought no diversion。 Alas； my boy！ I was either too
young or too much in love； I have not in the whole world met with
another woman。 After frightful struggles with myself； I tried to
forget； money in hand； I stood on the very threshold of infidelity；
but there the memory of Honorine rose before me like a white statue。
As I recalled the infinite delicacy of that exquisite skin； through
which the blood might be seen coursing and the nerves quivering； as I
saw in fancy that ingenuous face； as guileless on the eve of my
sorrows as on the day when I said to her； 〃Shall we marry？〃 as I
remembered a heavenly fragrance； the very odor of virtue； and the
lig