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！
suffered？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； breathing forth the syllable like the most
mellifluous note that Tulou's flute had ever sighed。
Then she fell into a revery； and her eyes were veiled。 Daniel remained
in a state of anxious expectation； impressed with the solemnity of the
occasion。 His poetic imagination made him see； as it were； clouds
slowly dispersing and disclosing to him the sanctuary where the
wounded lamb was kneeling at the divine feet。
〃Well？〃 he said； in a soft； still voice。
Diane looked at the tender petitioner； then she lowered her eyes
slowly； dropping their lids with a movement of noble modesty。 None but
a monster would have been capable of imagining hypocrisy in the
graceful undulation of the neck with which the princess again lifted
her charming head； to look once more into the eager eyes of that great
man。
〃Can I？ ought I？〃 she murmured； with a gesture of hesitation； gazing
at d'Arthez with a sublime expression of dreamy tenderness。 〃Men have
so little faith in things of this kind； they think themselves so
little bound to be discreet！〃
〃Ah！ if you distrust me； why am I here？〃 cried d'Arthez。
〃Oh； friend！〃 she said； giving to the exclamation the grace of an
involuntary avowal； 〃when a woman attaches herself for life； think you
she calculates？ It is not question of refusal （how could I refuse you
anything？）； but the idea of what you may think of me if I speak。 I
would willingly confide to you the strange position in which I am at
my age； but what would you think of a woman who could reveal the
secret wounds of her married life？ Turenne kept his word to robbers；
do I not owe to my torturers the honor of a Turenne？〃
〃Have you passed your word to say nothing？〃
〃Monsieur de Cadignan did not think it necessary to bind me to
secrecy You are asking more than my soul！ Tyrant！ you want me to
bury my honor itself in your breast；〃 she said； casting upon d'Arthez
a look； by which she gave more value to her coming confidence than to
her personal self。
〃You must think me a very ordinary man； if you fear any evil； no
matter what； from me；〃 he said； with ill…concealed bitterness。
〃Forgive me； friend；〃 she replied； taking his hand in hers
caressingly； and letting her fingers wander gently over it。 〃I know
your worth。 You have related to me your whole life； it is noble； it is
beautiful； it is sublime； and worthy of your name； perhaps； in return；
I owe you mine。 But I fear to lower myself in your eyes by relating
secrets which are not wholly mine。 How can you believeyou； a man of
solitude and poesythe horrors of social life？ Ah！ you little think
when you invent your dramas that they are far surpassed by those that
are played in families apparently united。 You are wholly ignorant of
certain gilded sorrows。〃
〃I know all！〃 he cried。
〃No； you know nothing。〃
D'Arthez felt like a man lost on the Alps of a dark night； who sees；
at the first gleam of dawn； a precipice at his feet。 He looked at the
princess with a bewildered air； and felt a cold chill running down his
back。 Diane thought for a moment that her man of genius was a
weakling； but a flash from his eyes reassured her。
〃You have become to me almost my judge；〃 she said； with a desperate
air。 〃I must speak now； in virtue of the right that all calumniated
beings have to show their innocence。 I have been； I am still （if a
poor recluse forced by the world to renounce the world is still
remembered） accused of such light conduct； and so many evil things；
that it may be allowed me to find in one strong heart a haven from
which I cannot be driven。 Hitherto I have always considered self…
justification an insult to innocence； and that is why I have disdained
to defend myself。 Besides； to whom could I appeal？ Such cruel things
can be confided to none but God or to one who seems to us very near
Hima priest； or another self。 Well！ I do know this； if my secrets
are not as safe there；〃 she said； laying her hand on d'Arthez's heart；
〃as they are here〃 （pressing the upper end of her busk beneath her
fingers）； 〃then you are not the grand d'Arthez I think youI shall
have been deceived。〃
A tear moistened d'Arthez's eyes； and Diane drank it in with a side
look； which； however； gave no motion either to the pupils or the lids
of her eyes。 It was quick and neat； like the action of a cat pouncing
on a mouse。
D'Arthez； for the first time； after sixty days of protocols； ventured
to take that warm and perfumed hand； and press it to his lips with a
long…drawn kiss； extending from the wrist to the tip of the fingers；
which made the princess augur well of literature。 She thought to
herself that men of genius must know how to love with more perfection
than conceited fops； men of the world； diplomatists； and even
soldiers； although such beings have nothing else to do。 She was a
connoisseur； and knew very well that the capacity for love reveals
itself chiefly in mere nothings。 A woman well informed in such matters
can read her future in a simple gesture； just as Cuvier could say from
the fragment of a bone： This belonged to an animal of such or such
dimensions； with or without horns； carnivorous； herbivorous；
amphibious； etc。； age； so many thousand years。 Sure now of finding in
d'Arthez as much imagination in love as there was in his written
style； she thought it wise to bring him up at once to the highest
pitch of passion and belief。
She withdrew her hand hastily； with a magnificent movement full of
varied emotions。 If she had said in words： 〃Stop； or I shall die；〃 she
could not have spoken more plainly。 She remained for a moment with her
eyes in d'Arthez's eyes； expressing in that one glance happiness；
prudery； fear； confidence； languor； a vague longing； and virgin
modesty。 She was twenty years old！ but remember； she had prepared for
this hour of comic falsehood by the choicest art of dress； she was
there in her armchair like a flower； ready to blossom at the first
kiss of sunshine。 True or false； she intoxicated Daniel。
It if is permissible to risk a personal opinion we must avow that it
would be delightful to be thus deceived for a good long time。
Certainly Talma on the stage was often above and beyond nature； but
the Princesse de Cadignan is the greatest true comedian of our day。
Nothing was wanting to this woman but an attentive audience。
Unfortunately； at epochs perturbed by political storms； women
disappear like water…lilies which need a cloudless sky and balmy
zephyrs to spread their bloom to our enraptured eyes。
The hour had come； Diane was now to entangle that great man in the
inextricable meshes of a romance carefully prepared； to which he was
fated to listen as the neophyte of early Christian times listened to
the epistles of an apostle。
〃My friend；〃 began Diane； 〃my mother； who still lives at Uxelles；
married me in 1814； when I was seventeen years old （you see how old I
am now！） to Monsieur de Maufrigneuse； not out of affection for me； but
out of regard for him。 She discharged her debt to the only man she had
ever loved； for the happiness she had once received from him。 Oh！ you
need not be astonished at so horrible a conspiracy； it frequently
takes place。 Many women are more lovers than mothers； though the
majority are more mothers than wives。 The two sentiments； love and
motherhood； developed as they are by our manners and customs； often
struggle together in the hearts of women； one or other must succumb
when they are not of equal strength； when they are； they produce some
exceptional women； the glory of our sex。 A man of your genius must
surely comprehend many things that bewilder fools but are none the
less true； indeed I may go further and call them justifiable through
difference of characters； temperaments； attachments； situations。 I；
for example； at this moment； after twenty years of misfortunes； of
deceptions； of calumnies endured； and weary days and hollow pleasures；
is it not natural that I should incline to fall at the feet of a man
who would love me sincerely and forever？ And yet； the world would
condemn me。 But twenty years of suffering might well excuse a few
brief years which may still remain to me of youth given to a sacred
and real love。 This will not happen。 I am not so rash as to sacrifice
my hopes of heaven。 I have borne the burden and heat of the day； I
shall finish my course and win my recompense。〃
〃Angel！〃 thought d'Arthez。
〃After all； I have never blamed my mother； she knew little of me。
Mothers who lead a life like that of the Duchesse d'Uxelles keep their
children at a distance。 I saw and knew nothing of the world until my
marriage。 You can judge of my innocence！ I knew nothing； I was
incapable of understanding the causes of my marriage。 I had a fine
fortune； sixty thousand francs a year in forests； which the Revolution
overlooked （or had not been able to sell） in the Nivernais； with the