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the purse-第6章

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girl can affect; and which they constantly play off; as spoilt

children abuse the power they owe to their mother's affection。

Thus all familiarity between the girl and the old Count was soon

put a stop to。 She understood the painter's melancholy; and the

thoughts hidden in the furrows on his brow; from the abrupt tone

of the few words he spoke when the old man unceremoniously kissed

Adelaide's hands or throat。



Mademoiselle Leseigneur; on her part; soon expected her lover to

give a short account of all his actions; she was so unhappy; so

restless when Hippolyte did not come; she scolded him so

effectually for his absence; that the painter had to give up

seeing his other friends; and now went nowhere。 Adelaide allowed

the natural jealousy of women to be perceived when she heard that

sometimes at eleven o'clock; on quitting the house; the painter

still had visits to pay; and was to be seen in the most brilliant

drawing…rooms of Paris。 This mode of life; she assured him; was

bad for his health; then; with the intense conviction to which

the accent; the emphasis and the look of one we love lend so much

weight; she asserted that a man who was obliged to expend his

time and the charms of his wit on several women at once could not

be the object of any very warm affection。 Thus the painter was

led; as much by the tyranny of his passion as by the exactions of

a girl in love; to live exclusively in the little apartment where

everything attracted him。



And never was there a purer or more ardent love。 On both sides

the same trustfulness; the same delicacy; gave their passion

increase without the aid of those sacrifices by which many

persons try to prove their affection。 Between these two there was

such a constant interchange of sweet emotion that they knew not

which gave or received the most。



A spontaneous affinity made the union of their souls a close one。

The progress of this true feeling was so rapid that two months

after the accident to which the painter owed the happiness of

knowing Adelaide; their lives were one life。 From early morning

the young girl; hearing footsteps overhead; could say to herself;

〃He is there。〃 When Hippolyte went home to his mother at the

dinner hour he never failed to look in on his neighbors; and in

the evening he flew there at the accustomed hour with a lover's

punctuality。 Thus the most tyrannical woman or the most ambitious

in the matter of love could not have found the smallest fault

with the young painter。 And Adelaide tasted of unmixed and

unbounded happiness as she saw the fullest realization of the

ideal of which; at her age; it is so natural to dream。



The old gentleman now came more rarely; Hippolyte; who had been

jealous; had taken his place at the green table; and shared his

constant ill…luck at cards。 And sometimes; in the midst of his

happiness; as he considered Madame de Rouville's disastrous

positionfor he had had more than one proof of her extreme

povertyan importunate thought would haunt him。 Several times he

had said to himself as he went home; 〃Strange! twenty francs

every evening?〃 and he dared not confess to himself his odious

suspicions。



He spent two months over the portrait; and when it was finished;

varnished; and framed; he looked upon it as one of his best

works。 Madame la Baronne de Rouville had never spoken of it

again。 Was this from indifference or pride? The painter would not

allow himself to account for this silence。 He joyfully plotted

with Adelaide to hang the picture in its place when Madame de

Rouville should be out。 So one day; during the walk her mother

usually took in the Tuileries; Adelaide for the first time went

up to Hippolyte's studio; on the pretext of seeing the portrait

in the good light in which it had been painted。 She stood

speechless and motionless; but in ecstatic contemplation; in

which all a woman's feelings were merged。 For are they not all

comprehended in boundless admiration for the man she loves? When

the painter; uneasy at her silence; leaned forward to look at

her; she held out her hand; unable to speak a word; but two tears

fell from her eyes。 Hippolyte took her hand and covered it with

kisses; for a minute they looked at each other in silence; both

longing to confess their love; and not daring。 The painter kept

her hand in his; and the same glow; the same throb; told them

that their hearts were both beating wildly。 The young girl; too

greatly agitated; gently drew away from Hippolyte; and said; with

a look of the utmost simplicity:



〃You will make my mother very happy。〃



〃What; only your mother?〃 he asked。



〃Oh; I am too happy。〃



The painter bent his head and remained silent; frightened at the

vehemence of the feelings which her tones stirred in his heart。

Then; both understanding the perils of the situation; they went

downstairs and hung up the picture in its place。 Hippolyte dined

for the first time with the Baroness; who; greatly overcome; and

drowned in tears; must needs embrace him。



In the evening the old emigre; the Baron de Rouville's old

comrade; paid the ladies a visit to announce that he had just

been promoted to the rank of vice…admiral。 His voyages by land

over Germany and Russia had been counted as naval campaigns。 On

seeing the portrait he cordially shook the painter's hand; and

exclaimed; 〃By Gad! though my old hulk does not deserve to be

perpetuated; I would gladly give five hundred pistoles to see

myself as like as that is to my dear old Rouville。〃



At this hint the Baroness looked at her young friend and smiled;

while her face lighted up with an expression of sudden gratitude。

Hippolyte suspected that the old admiral wished to offer him the

price of both portraits while paying for his own。 His pride as an

artist; no less than his jealousy perhaps; took offence at the

thought; and he replied:



〃Monsieur; if I were a portrait…painter I should not have done

this one。〃



The admiral bit his lip; and sat down to cards。



The painter remained near Adelaide; who proposed a dozen hands of

piquet; to which he agreed。 As he played he observed in Madame de

Rouville an excitement over her game which surprised him。 Never

before had the old Baroness manifested so ardent a desire to win;

or so keen a joy in fingering the old gentleman's gold pieces。

During the evening evil suspicions troubled Hippolyte's

happiness; and filled him with distrust。 Could it be that Madame

de Rouville lived by gambling? Was she playing at this moment to

pay off some debt; or under the pressure of necessity? Perhaps

she had not paid her rent。 The old man seemed shrewd enough not

to allow his money to be taken with impunity。 What interest

attracted him to this poverty…stricken house; he who was rich?

Why; when he had formerly been so familiar with Adelaide; had he

given up the rights he had acquired; and which were perhaps his

due?



These involuntary reflections prompted him to watch the old man

and the Baroness; whose meaning looks and certain sidelong

glances cast at Adelaide displeased him。 〃Am I being duped?〃 was

Hippolyte's last ideahorrible; scathing; for he believed it

just enough to be tortured by it。 He determined to stay after the

departure of the two old men; to confirm or dissipate his

suspicions。 He drew out his purse to pay Adelaide; but carried

away by his poignant thoughts; he laid it on the table; falling

into a reverie of brief duration; then; ashamed of his silence;

he rose; answered some commonplace question from Madame de

Rouville; and went close up to her to examine the withered

features while he was talking to her。



He went away; racked by a thousand doubts。 He had gone down but a

few steps when he turned back to fetch the forgotten purse。



〃I left my purse here!〃 he said to the young girl。



〃No;〃 she said; reddening。



〃I thought it was there;〃 and he pointed to the card…table。 Not

finding it; in his shame for Adelaide and the Baroness; he looked

at them with a blank amazement that made them laugh; turned pale;

felt his waistcoat; and said; 〃I must have made a mistake。 I have

it somewhere no doubt。〃 



In one end of the purse there were fifteen louis d'or; and in the

other some small change。 The theft was so flagrant; and denied

with such effrontery; that Hippolyte no longer felt a doubt as to

his neighbors' morals。 He stood still on the stairs; and got down

with some difficulty; his knees shook; he felt dizzy; he was in a

cold sweat; he shivered; and found himself unable to walk;

struggling; as he was; with the agonizing shock caused by the

destruction of all his hopes。 And at this moment he found lurking

in his memory a number of observations; trifling in themselves;

but which corroborated his frightful suspicions; and which; by

proving the certainty of this last incident; opened his eyes as

to the character and life of these two women。



Had they really wa
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