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！
headlong course of what in England are called RAILWAYS； where speed is
attained only at the price of safety。〃
La Peyrade paid but little attention to Phellion's phraseology。 〃Where
can she have gone？〃round that idea he dug and delved in every
direction； an occupation that would have made him indifferent to a far
more interesting topic。 However； once started； like the locomotive he
objected to； the great citizen went on：
〃I made that journey at the period of Madame Phellion's last
confinement。 She was in Perche； with her mother； when I learned that
serious complications were feared from the milk…fever。 Overcome with
terror at the danger which threatened my wife； I went instantly to the
post…office to obtain a seat in the mail…coach； but all were taken； I
found they had been engaged for more than a week。 Upon that； I came to
a decision； I went to the rue Pigalle； and； for a very large sum in
gold a post…chaise and three horses were placed at my disposal； when
unfortunately the formality of a passport； with which I had neglected
to supply myself； and without which； in virtue of the decrees of the
consulate of 17 Nivose； year VII。； the post agents were not permitted
to deliver horses to travellers〃
The last few words were like a flash of light to la Peyrade； and
without waiting for the end of the postal odyssey of the great
citizen； he darted away in the direction of the rue Pigalle； before
Phellion； in the middle of his sentence； perceived his departure。
Reaching the Royal postal establishment； la Peyrade was puzzled as to
whom to address himself in order to obtain the information he wanted。
He began by explaining to the porter that he had a letter to send to a
lady of his acquaintance that morning by post； neglecting； very
thoughtlessly； to send him her address； and that he thought he might
discover it by means of the passport which she must have presented in
order to obtain horses。
〃Was it a lady accompanied by a maid whom I took up on the boulevard
de la Madeleine？〃 asked a postilion sitting in the corner of the room
where la Peyrade was making his preliminary inquiry。
〃Exactly；〃 said la Peyrade； going eagerly up to the providential
being； and slipping a five…franc piece into his hand。
〃Ah！ well； she's a queer traveller！〃 said the man； 〃she told me to
take her to the Bois de Boulogne； and there she made me drive round
and round for an hour。 After that； we came back to the Barriere de
l'Etoile； where she gave me a good 'pourboire' and got into a hackney
coach； telling me to take the travelling carriage back to the man who
lets such carriages in the Cour des Coches； Faubourg Saint…Honore。〃
〃Give me the name of that man？〃 said la Peyrade； eagerly。
〃Simonin；〃 replied the postilion。
Furnished with that information la Peyrade resumed his course； and
fifteen minutes later he was questioning the livery…stable keeper； but
that individual knew only that a lady residing on the Boulevard de la
Madeleine had hired； without horses； a travelling…carriage for half a
day； that he had sent out the said carriage at nine that morning； and
it was brought back at twelve by a postilion of the Royal Post house。
〃Never mind；〃 thought la Peyrade； 〃I am certain now she has not left
Paris； and is not avoiding me。 Most probably； she wants to break
utterly with the Thuilliers； and so has invented this journey。 Fool
that I am！ no doubt there's a letter waiting for me at home；
explaining the whole thing。〃
Worn out with emotion and fatigue； and in order to verify as quickly
as possible this new supposition； la Peyrade flung himself into a
street cab； and in less than a quarter of an hour； having promised the
driver a good pourboire； he was deposited at the house in the rue
Saint…Dominique d'Enfer。 There he was compelled to endure still longer
the tortures of waiting。 Since Brigitte's departure； the duty of the
porter； Coffinet； had been very negligently performed； and when la
Peyrade rushed to the lodge to inquire for his letter； which he
thought he saw in the case that belonged to him； the porter and his
wife were both absent and their door was locked。 The wife was doing
some household work in the building； and Coffinet himself； taking
advantage of that circumstance； had allowed a friend to entice him
into a neighboring wine…shop； where； between two glasses； he was
supporting； against a republican who was talking disrespectfully
against it； the cause of the owners of property。
It was twenty minutes before the worthy porter； remembering the
〃property〃 entrusted to his charge； decided to return to his post。 It
is easy to imagine the reproaches with which la Peyrade overwhelmed
him。 He excused himself by saying that he had gone to do a commission
for Mademoiselle； and that he couldn't be at the door and where his
masters chose to send him at the same time。 At last； however； he gave
the lawyer a letter bearing the Paris postmark。
With his heart rather than his eyes la Peyrade recognized the
handwriting； and； turning over the missive； the arms and motto
confirmed the hope that he had reached the end of the cruellest
emotion he had ever in his life experienced。 To read that letter
before that odious porter seemed to him a profanation。 With a
refinement of feeling which all lovers will understand； he gave
himself the pleasure of pausing before his happiness； he would not
even unseal that blissful note until the moment when； with closed
doors and no interruptions to distract him； he could enjoy at his ease
the delicious sensation of which his heart had a foretaste。
Rushing up the staircase two steps at a time； the now joyous lover
committed the childish absurdity of locking himself in； then； having
settled himself at his ease before his desk； and having broken the
seal with religious care； he was forced to press his hand on his
heart； which seemed to burst from his bosom； before he could summon
calmness to read the following letter：
Dear Monsieur；I disappear forever； because my play is played
out。 I thank you for having made it both attractive and easy。 By
setting against you the Thuilliers and Collevilles （who are fully
informed of your sentiments towards them）； and by relating in a
manner most mortifying to their bourgeois self…love the true
reason of your sudden and pitiless rupture with them； I am proud
and happy to believe that I have done you a signal service。 The
girl does not love you； and you love nothing but the eyes of her
〃dot〃； I have therefore saved you both from a species of hell。
But； in exchange for the bride you have so curtly rejected；
another charming girl is proposed to you； she is richer and more
beautiful than Mademoiselle Colleville； andto speak of myself
more at liberty than
Your unworthy servant；
Torna 〃Comtesse de Godollo。〃
P。S。 For further information apply； without delay； to Monsieur du
Portail； householder； rue Honore…Chevalier； near the rue de la
Cassette； quartier Saint…Sulpice； by whom you are expected。
When he had read this letter the advocate of the poor took his head in
his hands； he saw nothing； heard nothing； thought nothing； he was
annihilated。
Several days were necessary to la Peyrade before he could even begin
to recover from the crushing blow which had struck him down。 The shock
was terrible。 Coming out of that golden dream which had shown him a
perspective of the future in so smiling an aspect； he found himself
fooled under conditions most cruel to his self…love； and to his
pretensions to depth and cleverness； irrevocably parted from the
Thuilliers； saddled with a hopeless debt of twenty…five thousand
francs to Madame Lambert； together with another of ten thousand to
Brigitte； which his dignity required him to pay with the least delay
possible； and； worst of all；to complete his humiliation and his
sense of failure；he felt that he was not cured of the passionate
emotion he had felt for this woman； the author of his great disaster；
and the instrument of his ruin。
Either this Delilah was a very great lady； sufficiently high in
station to allow herself such compromising caprices；but even so； she
would scarcely have cared to play the role of a coquette in a
vaudeville where he himself played the part of ninny；OR she was some
noted adventuress who was in the pay of this du Portail and the agent
of his singular matrimonial designs。 Evil life or evil heart； these
were the only two verdicts to be pronounced on this dangerous siren；
and in either case； it would seem； she was not very deserving of the
regrets of her victim； nevertheless； he was conscious of feeling them。
We must put ourselves in the place of this son of Provence； this
region of hot blood and ardent heads； who； for the first time in his
life finding himself face to face with jewelled love in laces；
believed he was to drink that passion from a wrought…gold cup。 Just as
our minds on waking keep the impression of a vivid dream and continue
in love with what we know was but a shadow； la Peyrade had need of all
his mental energy to drive away the memory of that treacherous
countess。 We might go further and say that he never ceased to long for
her； though he was careful t