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！
girls themselves would have preferred a less virtuous and more amiable
mother。 This education bore its natural fruits。 Religion； imposed as a
yoke and presented under its sternest aspect； wearied with formal
practice these innocent young hearts； treated as sinful。 It repressed
their feelings； and was never precious to them； although it struck its
roots deep down into their natures。 Under such training the two Maries
would either have become mere imbeciles； or they must necessarily have
longed for independence。 Thus it came to pass that they looked to
marriage as soon as they saw anything of life and were able to compare
a few ideas。 Of their own tender graces and their personal value they
were absolutely ignorant。 They were ignorant； too； of their own
innocence； how； then； could they know life？ Without weapons to meet
misfortune； without experience to appreciate happiness； they found no
comfort in the maternal jail； all their joys were in each other。 Their
tender confidences at night in whispers； or a few short sentences
exchanged if their mother left them for a moment； contained more ideas
than the words themselves expressed。 Often a glance； concealed from
other eyes； by which they conveyed to each other their emotions； was
like a poem of bitter melancholy。 The sight of a cloudless sky； the
fragrance of flowers； a turn in the garden； arm in arm；these were
their joys。 The finishing of a piece of embroidery was to them a
source of enjoyment。
Their mother's social circle； far from opening resources to their
hearts or stimulating their minds； only darkened their ideas and
depressed them； it was made up of rigid old women； withered and
graceless； whose conversation turned on the differences which
distinguished various preachers and confessors； on their own petty
indispositions； on religious events insignificant even to the
〃Quotidienne〃 or 〃l'Ami de la Religion。〃 As for the men who appeared
in the Comtesse de Granville's salon； they extinguished any possible
torch of love； so cold and sadly resigned were their faces。 They were
all of an age when mankind is sulky and fretful； and natural
sensibilities are chiefly exercised at table and on the things
relating to personal comfort。 Religious egotism had long dried up
those hearts devoted to narrow duties and entrenched behind pious
practices。 Silent games of cards occupied the whole evening； and the
two young girls under the ban of that Sanhedrim enforced by maternal
severity； came to hate the dispiriting personages about them with
their hollow eyes and scowling faces。
On the gloom of this life one sole figure of a man； that of a music…
master； stood vigorously forth。 The confessors had decided that music
was a Christian art； born of the Catholic Church and developed within
her。 The two Maries were therefore permitted to study music。 A
spinster in spectacles； who taught singing and the piano in a
neighboring convent； wearied them with exercises； but when the eldest
girl was ten years old； the Comte de Granville insisted on the
importance of giving her a master。 Madame de Granville gave all the
value of conjugal obedience to this needed concession；it is part of
a devote's character to make a merit of doing her duty。
The master was a Catholic German； one of those men born old； who seem
all their lives fifty years of age； even at eighty。 And yet； his
brown； sunken； wrinkled face still kept something infantile and
artless in its dark creases。 The blue of innocence was in his eyes；
and a gay smile of springtide abode upon his lips。 His iron…gray hair；
falling naturally like that of the Christ in art； added to his
ecstatic air a certain solemnity which was absolutely deceptive as to
his real nature； for he was capable of committing any silliness with
the most exemplary gravity。 His clothes were a necessary envelope； to
which he paid not the slightest attention； for his eyes looked too
high among the clouds to concern themselves with such materialities。
This great unknown artist belonged to the kindly class of the self…
forgetting； who give their time and their soul to others； just as they
leave their gloves on every table and their umbrella at all doors。 His
hands were of the kind that are dirty as soon as washed。 In short； his
old body； badly poised on its knotted old legs； proving to what degree
a man can make it the mere accessory of his soul； belonged to those
strange creations which have been properly depicted only by a German；
by Hoffman； the poet of that which seems not to exist but yet has
life。
Such was Schmucke； formerly chapel…master to the Margrave of Anspach；
a musical genius； who was now examined by a council of devotes； and
asked if he kept the fasts。 The master was much inclined to answer；
〃Look at me！〃 but how could he venture to joke with pious dowagers and
Jansenist confessors？ This apocryphal old fellow held such a place in
the lives of the two Maries； they felt such friendship for the grand
and simple…minded artist； who was happy and contented in the mere
comprehension of his art； that after their marriage； they each gave
him an annuity of three hundred francs a year；a sum which sufficed
to pay for his lodging； beer； pipes； and clothes。 Six hundred francs a
year and his lessons put him in Eden。 Schmucke had never found courage
to confide his poverty and his aspirations to any but these two
adorable young girls； whose hearts were blooming beneath the snow of
maternal rigor and the ice of devotion。 This fact explains Schmucke
and the girlhood of the two Maries。
No one knew then； or later； what abbe or pious spinster had discovered
the old German then vaguely wandering about Paris； but as soon as
mothers of families learned that the Comtesse de Granville had found a
music…master for her daughters； they all inquired for his name and
address。 Before long； Schmucke had thirty pupils in the Marais。 This
tardy success was manifested by steel buckles to his shoes； which were
lined with horse…hair soles； and by a more frequent change of linen。
His artless gaiety； long suppressed by noble and decent poverty；
reappeared。 He gave vent to witty little remarks and flowery speeches
in his German…Gallic patois； very observing and very quaint and said
with an air which disarmed ridicule。 But he was so pleased to bring a
laugh to the lips of his two pupils； whose dismal life his sympathy
had penetrated； that he would gladly have made himself wilfully
ridiculous had he failed in being so by nature。
According to one of the nobler ideas of religious education； the young
girls always accompanied their master respectfully to the door。 There
they would make him a few kind speeches； glad to do anything to give
him pleasure。 Poor things！ all they could do was to show him their
womanhood。 Until their marriage； music was to them another life within
their lives； just as； they say； a Russian peasant takes his dreams for
reality and his actual life for a troubled sleep。 With the instinct of
protecting their souls against the pettiness that threatened to
overwhelm them； against the all…pervading asceticism of their home；
they flung themselves into the difficulties of the musical art； and
spent themselves upon it。 Melody； harmony； and composition； three
daughters of heaven； whose choir was led by an old Catholic faun drunk
with music； were to these poor girls the compensation of their trials；
they made them； as it were； a rampart against their daily lives。
Mozart； Beethoven； Gluck； Paesiello； Cimarosa； Haydn； and certain
secondary geniuses； developed in their souls a passionate emotion
which never passed beyond the chaste enclosure of their breasts；
though it permeated that other creation through which； in spirit； they
winged their flight。 When they had executed some great work in a
manner that their master declared was almost faultless； they embraced
each other in ecstasy and the old man called them his Saint Cecilias。
The two Maries were not taken to a ball until they were sixteen years
of age； and then only four times a year in special houses。 They were
not allowed to leave their mother's side without instructions as to
their behavior with their partners； and so severe were those
instructions that they dared say only yes or no during a dance。 The
eye of the countess never left them； and she seemed to know from the
mere movement of their lips the words they uttered。 Even the ball…
dresses of these poor little things were piously irreproachable； their
muslin gowns came up to their chins with an endless number of thick
ruches； and the sleeves came down to their wrists。 Swathing in this
way their natural charms； this costume gave them a vague resemblance
to Egyptian hermae； though from these blocks of muslin rose enchanting
little heads of tender melancholy。 They felt themselves the objects of
pity； and inwardly resented it。 What woman； however innocent； does not
desire to excite envy？
No