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！
terror。
〃Clemence； our love is in danger of perishing； we stand outside of the
ordinary rules of life； let us lay aside all petty considerations in
presence of this great peril。 Explain to me why you went out this
morning。 Women think they have the right to tell us little falsehoods。
Sometimes they like to hide a pleasure they are preparing for us。 Just
now you said a word to me； by mistake； no doubt； a no for a yes。〃
He went into the dressing…room and brought out the bonnet。
〃See；〃 he said； 〃your bonnet has betrayed you； these spots are
raindrops。 You must； therefore； have gone out in a street cab； and
these drops fell upon it as you went to find one； or as you entered or
left the house where you went。 But a woman can leave her own home for
many innocent purposes； even after she has told her husband that she
did not mean to go out。 There are so many reasons for changing our
plans！ Caprices； whims； are they not your right？ Women are not
required to be consistent with themselves。 You had forgotten
something；a service to render； a visit； some kind action。 But
nothing hinders a woman from telling her husband what she does。 Can we
ever blush on the breast of a friend？ It is not a jealous husband who
speaks to you； my Clemence； it is your lover； your friend； your
brother。〃 He flung himself passionately at her feet。 〃Speak； not to
justify yourself； but to calm my horrible sufferings。 I know that you
went out。 Wellwhat did you do？ where did you go？〃
〃Yes； I went out； Jules；〃 she answered in a strained voice； though her
face was calm。 〃But ask me nothing more。 Wait； have confidence；
without which you will lay up for yourself terrible remorse。 Jules； my
Jules； trust is the virtue of love。 I owe to you that I am at this
moment too troubled to answer you： but I am not a false woman； I love
you； and you know it。〃
〃In the midst of all that can shake the faith of man and rouse his
jealousy； for I see I am not first in your heart； I am no longer thine
own selfwell； Clemence； even so； I prefer to believe you； to believe
that voice； to believe those eyes。 If you deceive me； you deserve〃
〃Ten thousand deaths！〃 she cried； interrupting him。
〃I have never hidden a thought from you； but you〃
〃Hush！〃 she said； 〃our happiness depends upon our mutual silence。〃
〃Ha！ I /will/ know all！〃 he exclaimed； with sudden violence。
At that moment the cries of a woman were heard；the yelping of a
shrill little voice came from the antechamber。
〃I tell you I will go in！〃 it cried。 〃Yes； I shall go in； I will see
her！ I shall see her！〃
Jules and Clemence both ran to the salon as the door from the
antechamber was violently burst open。 A young woman entered hastily；
followed by two servants； who said to their master：
〃Monsieur； this person would come in in spite of us。 We told her that
madame was not at home。 She answered that she knew very well madame
had been out； but she saw her come in。 She threatened to stay at the
door of the house till she could speak to madame。〃
〃You can go；〃 said Monsieur Desmarets to the two men。 〃What do you
want； mademoiselle？〃 he added； turning to the strange woman。
This 〃demoiselle〃 was the type of a woman who is never to be met with
except in Paris。 She is made in Paris； like the mud； like the
pavement； like the water of the Seine； such as it becomes in Paris
before human industry filters it ten times ere it enters the cut…glass
decanters and sparkles pure and bright from the filth it has been。 She
is therefore a being who is truly original。 Depicted scores of times
by the painter's brush； the pencil of the caricaturist； the charcoal
of the etcher； she still escapes analysis； because she cannot be
caught and rendered in all her moods； like Nature； like this fantastic
Paris itself。 She holds to vice by one thread only； and she breaks
away from it at a thousand other points of the social circumference。
Besides； she lets only one trait of her character be known； and that
the only one which renders her blamable； her noble virtues are hidden；
she prefers to glory in her naive libertinism。 Most incompletely
rendered in dramas and tales where she is put upon the scene with all
her poesy； she is nowhere really true but in her garret； elsewhere she
is invariably calumniated or over…praised。 Rich； she deteriorates；
poor； she is misunderstood。 She has too many vices； and too many good
qualities； she is too near to pathetic asphyxiation or to a dissolute
laugh； too beautiful and too hideous。 She personifies Paris； to which；
in the long run； she supplies the toothless portresses； washerwomen；
street…sweepers； beggars； occasionally insolent countesses； admired
actresses； applauded singers； she has even given； in the olden time；
two quasi…queens to the monarchy。 Who can grasp such a Proteus？ She is
all woman； less than woman； more than woman。 From this vast portrait
the painter of manners and morals can take but a feature here and
there； the /ensemble/ is infinite。
She was a grisette of Paris； a grisette in all her glory； a grisette
in a hackney…coach；happy； young； handsome； fresh； but a grisette； a
grisette with claws； scissors； impudent as a Spanish woman； snarling
as a prudish English woman proclaiming her conjugal rights； coquettish
as a great lady； though more frank； and ready for everything； a
perfect /lionne/ in her way； issuing from the little apartment of
which she had dreamed so often； with its red…calico curtains； its
Utrecht velvet furniture； its tea…table； the cabinet of china with
painted designs； the sofa； the little moquette carpet； the alabaster
clock and candlesticks （under glass cases）； the yellow bedroom； the
eider…down quilt；in short； all the domestic joys of a grisette's
life； and in addition； the woman…of…all…work （a former grisette
herself； now the owner of a moustache）； theatre…parties； unlimited
bonbons； silk dresses； bonnets to spoil；in fact； all the felicities
coveted by the grisette heart except a carriage； which only enters her
imagination as a marshal's baton into the dreams of a soldier。 Yes；
this grisette had all these things in return for a true affection； or
in spite of a true affection； as some others obtain it for an hour a
day；a sort of tax carelessly paid under the claws of an old man。
The young woman who now entered the presence of Monsieur and Madame
Jules had a pair of feet so little covered by her shoes that only a
slim black line was visible between the carpet and her white
stockings。 This peculiar foot…gear； which Parisian caricaturists have
well…rendered； is a special attribute of the grisette of Paris； but
she is even more distinctive to the eyes of an observer by the care
with which her garments are made to adhere to her form； which they
clearly define。 On this occasion she was trigly dressed in a green
gown； with a white chemisette； which allowed the beauty of her bust to
be seen； her shawl； of Ternaux cashmere； had fallen from her
shoulders； and was held by its two corners； which were twisted round
her wrists。 She had a delicate face； rosy cheeks； a white skin；
sparkling gray eyes； a round； very promising forehead； hair carefully
smoothed beneath her little bonnet； and heavy curls upon her neck。
〃My name is Ida；〃 she said； 〃and if that's Madame Jules to whom I have
the advantage of speaking； I've come to tell her all I have in my
heart against her。 It is very wrong； when a woman is set up and in her
furniture； as you are here； to come and take from a poor girl a man
with whom I'm as good as married； morally； and who did talk of making
it right by marrying me before the municipality。 There's plenty of
handsome young men in the worldain't there； monsieur？to take your
fancy； without going after a man of middle age； who makes my
happiness。 Yah！ I haven't got a fine hotel like this； but I've got my
love； I have。 I hate handsome men and money； I'm all heart； and〃
Madame Jules turned to her husband。
〃You will allow me； monsieur； to hear no more of all this；〃 she said；
retreating to her bedroom。
〃If the lady lives with you； I've made a mess of it； but I can't help
that；〃 resumed Ida。 〃Why does she come after Monsieur Ferragus every
day？〃
〃You are mistaken； mademoiselle；〃 said Jules； stupefied； 〃my wife is
incapable〃
〃Ha！ so you're married； you two；〃 said the grisette showing some
surprise。 〃Then it's very wrong； monsieur；isn't it？for a woman who
has the happiness of being married in legal marriage to have relations
with a man like Henri〃
〃Henri！ who is Henri？〃 said Jules； taking Ida by the arm and pulling
her into an adjoining room that his wife might hear no more。
〃Why； Monsieur Ferragus。〃
〃But he is dead；〃 said Jules。
〃Nonsense； I went to Franconi's with him last night； and he brought me
homeas he ought。 Besides； your wife can tell you about him； didn't
she go there this very afternoon at three o'clock？ I know she did； for
I waited in the street； and saw her；all because that good…natured
fellow； Monsieur Justin； whom you know perhaps；a little old man with
jewelry who wears corsets；told me that Madame Jules was my rival。
That name； monsieur； sounds mighty like a feigned one； but if it is
yours； excuse me。 But this I say； if Madam