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！
secretly loved。 Nevertheless； he wanted still to doubt。 She went to
the hackney…coach； and got into it。
〃The house will always be there and I can search it later；〃 thought
the young man； following the carriage at a run； to solve his last
doubts； and soon he did so。
The carriage stopped in the rue de Richelieu before a shop for
artificial flowers； close to the rue de Menars。 The lady got out；
entered the shop； sent out the money to pay the coachman； and
presently left the shop herself； on foot； after buying a bunch of
marabouts。 Marabouts for her black hair！ The officer beheld her；
through the window…panes； placing the feathers to her head to see the
effect； and he fancied he could hear the conversation between herself
and the shop…woman。
〃Oh！ madame； nothing is more suitable for brunettes： brunettes have
something a little too strongly marked in their lines； and marabouts
give them just that /flow/ which they lack。 Madame la Duchesse de
Langeais says they give a woman something vague； Ossianic； and very
high…bred。〃
〃Very good； send them to me at once。〃
Then the lady turned quickly toward the rue de Menars； and entered her
own house。 When the door closed on her； the young lover； having lost
his hopes； and worse； far worse； his dearest beliefs； walked through
the streets like a drunken man； and presently found himself in his own
room without knowing how he came there。 He flung himself into an arm…
chair； put his head in his hands and his feet on the andirons； drying
his boots until he burned them。 It was an awful moment；one of those
moments in human life when the character is moulded； and the future
conduct of the best of men depends on the good or evil fortune of his
first action。 Providence or fatality？choose which you will。
This young man belonged to a good family； whose nobility was not very
ancient； but there are so few really old families in these days； that
all men of rank are ancient without dispute。 His grandfather had
bought the office of counsellor to the Parliament of Paris； where he
afterwards became president。 His sons； each provided with a handsome
fortune； entered the army； and through their marriages became attached
to the court。 The Revolution swept the family away； but one old
dowager； too obstinate to emigrate； was left； she was put in prison；
threatened with death； but was saved by the 9th Thermidor and
recovered her property。 When the proper time came； about the year
1804； she recalled her grandson to France。 Auguste de Maulincour； the
only scion of the Carbonnon de Maulincour； was brought up by the good
dowager with the triple care of a mother； a woman of rank； and an
obstinate dowager。 When the Restoration came； the young man； then
eighteen years of age； entered the Maison…Rouge； followed the princes
to Ghent； was made an officer in the body…guard； left it to serve in
the line； but was recalled later to the Royal Guard； where； at twenty…
three years of age； he found himself major of a cavalry regiment；a
splendid position； due to his grandmother； who had played her cards
well to obtain it； in spite of his youth。 This double biography is a
compendium of the general and special history； barring variations； of
all the noble families who emigrated having debts and property；
dowagers and tact。
Madame la Baronne de Maulincour had a friend in the old Vidame de
Pamiers； formerly a commander of the Knights of Malta。 This was one of
those undying friendships founded on sexagenary ties which nothing can
weaken； because at the bottom of such intimacies there are certain
secrets of the human heart； delightful to guess at when we have the
time； insipid to explain in twenty words； and which might make the
text of a work in four volumes as amusing as the Doyen de Killerine；
a work about which young men talk and judge without having read it。
Auguste de Maulincour belonged therefore to the faubourg Saint…Germain
through his grandmother and the vidame； and it sufficed him to date
back two centuries to take the tone and opinions of those who assume
to go back to Clovis。 This young man； pale； slender； and delicate in
appearance； a man of honor and true courage； who would fight a duel
for a yes or a no； had never yet fought upon a battle…field； though he
wore in his button…hole the cross of the Legion of honor。 He was； as
you perceive； one of the blunders of the Restoration； perhaps the most
excusable of them。 The youth of those days was the youth of no epoch。
It came between the memories of the Empire and those of the
Emigration； between the old traditions of the court and the
conscientious education of the /bourgeoisie/； between religion and
fancy…balls； between two political faiths； between Louis XVIII。； who
saw only the present； and Charles X。； who looked too far into the
future； it was moreover bound to accept the will of the king； though
the king was deceiving and tricking it。 This unfortunate youth； blind
and yet clear…sighted； was counted as nothing by old men jealously
keeping the reins of the State in their feeble hands； while the
monarchy could have been saved by their retirement and the accession
of this Young France； which the old doctrinaires； the /emigres/ of the
Restoration； still speak of slightingly。 Auguste de Maulincour was a
victim to the ideas which weighed in those days upon French youth； and
we must here explain why。
The Vidame de Pamiers was still； at sixty…seven years of age； a very
brilliant man； having seen much and lived much； a good talker； a man
of honor and a gallant man； but who held as to women the most
detestable opinions； he loved them； and he despised them。 /Their/
honor！ /their/ feelings！ Ta…ra…ra； rubbish and shams！ When he was with
them； he believed in them； the ci…devant 〃monstre〃； he never
contradicted them； and he made them shine。 But among his male friends；
when the topic of the sex came up； he laid down the principle that to
deceive women； and to carry on several intrigues at once； should be
the occupation of those young men who were so misguided as to wish to
meddle in the affairs of the State。 It is sad to have to sketch so
hackneyed a portrait； for has it not figured everywhere and become；
literally； as threadbare as that of a grenadier of the Empire？ But the
vidame had an influence on Monsieur de Maulincour's destiny which
obliges us to preserve his portrait； he lectured the young man after
his fashion； and did his best to convert him to the doctrines of the
great age of gallantry。
The dowager； a tender…hearted； pious woman； sitting between God and
her vidame； a model of grace and sweetness； but gifted with that
well…bred persistency which triumphs in the long run； had longed to
preserve for her grandson the beautiful illusions of life； and had
therefore brought him up in the highest principles； she instilled into
him her own delicacy of feeling and made him； to outward appearance； a
timid man； if not a fool。 The sensibilities of the young fellow；
preserved pure； were not worn by contact without； he remained so
chaste； so scrupulous； that he was keenly offended by actions and
maxims to which the world attached no consequence。 Ashamed of this
susceptibility； he forced himself to conceal it under a false
hardihood； but he suffered in secret； all the while scoffing with
others at the things he reverenced。
It came to pass that he was deceived； because； in accordance with a
not uncommon whim of destiny； he； a man of gentle melancholy； and
spiritual in love； encountered in the object of his first passion a
woman who held in horror all German sentimentalism。 The young man； in
consequence； distrusted himself； became dreamy； absorbed in his
griefs； complaining of not being understood。 Then； as we desire all
the more violently the things we find difficult to obtain； he
continued to adore women with that ingenuous tenderness and feline
delicacy the secret of which belongs to women themselves； who may；
perhaps； prefer to keep the monopoly of it。 In point of fact； though
women of the world complain of the way men love them； they have little
liking themselves for those whose soul is half feminine。 Their own
superiority consists in making men believe they are their inferiors in
love； therefore they will readily leave a lover if he is inexperienced
enough to rob them of those fears with which they seek to deck
themselves； those delightful tortures of feigned jealousy； those
troubles of hope betrayed； those futile expectations；in short； the
whole procession of their feminine miseries。 They hold Sir Charles
Grandison in horror。 What can be more contrary to their nature than a
tranquil； perfect love？ They want emotions； happiness without storms
is not happiness to them。 Women with souls that are strong enough to
bring infinitude into love are angelic exceptions； they are among
women what noble geniuses are among men。 Their great passions are rare
as masterpieces。 Below the level of such love come compromises；
conventions； passing and contemptible irritations； as in all things
petty and perishable。
Amid the hidden disasters of his heart； and while he was still seeking
the woman who could comprehend him （a search which； let us remark in
passing； is o