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！
years oldMy God！ can I have mistaken him？ I thought two months
sufficed to know some souls。〃
〃What hope have you？〃 I cried； with fire in my eyes。
〃My friend； accept our help； rise in life； make your way and your
fortune and you shall know my hope。 And；〃 she added； as if she were
whispering a secret； 〃never release the hand you are holding at this
moment。〃
She bent to my ear as she said these words which proved her deep
solicitude for my future。
〃Madeleine！〃 I exclaimed 〃never！〃
We were close to a wooden gate which opened into the park of Frapesle；
I still seem to see its ruined posts overgrown with climbing plants
and briers and mosses。 Suddenly an idea； that of the count's death；
flashed through my brain； and I said； 〃I understand you。〃
〃I am glad of it；〃 she answered in a tone which made me know I had
supposed her capable of a thought that could never be hers。
Her purity drew tears of admiration from my eyes which the selfishness
of passion made bitter indeed。 My mind reacted and I felt that she did
not love me enough even to wish for liberty。 So long as love recoils
from a crime it seems to have its limits； and love should be infinite。
A spasm shook my heart。
〃She does not love me；〃 I thought。
To hide what was in my soul I stooped over Madeleine and kissed her
hair。
〃I am afraid of your mother；〃 I said to the countess presently； to
renew the conversation。
〃So am I；〃 she answered with a gesture full of childlike gaiety。
〃Don't forget to call her Madame la duchesse； and to speak to her in
the third person。 The young people of the present day have lost these
polite manners； you must learn them； do that for my sake。 Besides； it
is such good taste to respect women； no matter what their age may be；
and to recognize social distinctions without disputing them。 The
respect shown to established superiority is guarantee for that which
is due to you。 Solidarity is the basis of society。 Cardinal Della
Rovere and Raffaelle were two powers equally revered。 You have sucked
the milk of the Revolution in your academy and your political ideas
may be influenced by it； but as you advance in life you will find that
crude and ill…defined principles of liberty are powerless to create
the happiness of the people。 Before considering； as a Lenoncourt； what
an aristocracy ought to be； my common…sense as a woman of the people
tells me that societies can exist only through a hierarchy。 You are
now at a turning…point in your life； when you must choose wisely。 Be
on our side；especially now；〃 she added； laughing； 〃when it
triumphs。〃
I was keenly touched by these words； in which the depth of her
political feeling mingled with the warmth of affection；a combination
which gives to women so great a power of persuasion； they know how to
give to the keenest arguments a tone of feeling。 In her desire to
justify all her husband's actions Henriette had foreseen the
criticisms that would rise in my mind as soon as I saw the servile
effects of a courtier's life upon him。 Monsieur de Mortsauf； king in
his own castle and surrounded by an historic halo； had； to my eyes； a
certain grandiose dignity。 I was therefore greatly astonished at the
distance he placed between the duchess and himself by manners that
were nothing less than obsequious。 A slave has his pride and will only
serve the greatest despots。 I confess I was humiliated at the
degradation of one before whom I trembled as the power that ruled my
love。 This inward repulsion made me understand the martyrdom of women
of generous souls yoked to men whose meannesses they bury daily。
Respect is a safeguard which protects both great and small alike； each
side can hold its own。 I was respectful to the duchess because of my
youth； but where others saw only a duchess I saw the mother of my
Henriette； and that gave sanctity to my homage。
We reached the great court…yard of Frapesle； where we found the
others。 The Comte de Mortsauf presented me very gracefully to the
duchess； who examined me with a cold and reserved air。 Madame de
Lenoncourt was then a woman fifty…six years of age； wonderfully well
preserved and with grand manners。 When I saw the hard blue eyes； the
hollow temples； the thin emaciated face； the erect； imposing figure
slow of movement； and the yellow whiteness of the skin （reproduced
with such brilliancy in the daughter）； I recognized the cold type to
which my own mother belonged； as quickly as a mineralogist recognizes
Swedish iron。 Her language was that of the old court； she pronounced
the 〃oit〃 like 〃ait；〃 and said 〃frait〃 for 〃froid；〃 〃porteux〃 for
〃porteurs。〃 I was not a courtier； neither was I stiff…backed in my
manner to her； in fact I behaved so well that as I passed the countess
she said in a low voice； 〃You are perfect。〃
The count came to me and took my hand； saying： 〃You are not angry with
me； Felix； are you？ If I was hasty you will pardon an old soldier？ We
shall probably stay here to dinner； and I invite you to dine with us
on Thursday； the evening before the duchess leaves。 I must go to Tours
to…morrow to settle some business。 Don't neglect Clochegourde。 My
mother…in…law is an acquaintance I advise you to cultivate。 Her salon
will set the tone for the faubourg St。 Germain。 She has all the
traditions of the great world； and possesses an immense amount of
social knowledge； she knows the blazon of the oldest as well as the
newest family in Europe。〃
The count's good taste； or perhaps the advice of his domestic genius；
appeared under his altered circumstances。 He was neither arrogant nor
offensively polite； nor pompous in any way； and the duchess was not
patronizing。 Monsieur and Madame de Chessel gratefully accepted the
invitation to dinner on the following Thursday。 I pleased the duchess；
and by her glance I knew she was examining a man of whom her daughter
had spoken to her。 As we returned from vespers she questioned me about
my family； and asked if the Vandenesse now in diplomacy was my
relative。 〃He is my brother；〃 I replied。 On that she became almost
affectionate。 She told me that my great…aunt； the old Marquise de
Listomere； was a Grandlieu。 Her manners were as cordial as those of
Monsieur de Mortsauf the day he saw me for the first time； the haughty
glance with which these sovereigns of the earth make you measure the
distance that lies between you and them disappeared。 I knew almost
nothing of my family。 The duchess told me that my great…uncle； an old
abbe whose very name I did not know； was to be member of the privy
council； that my brother was already promoted； and also that by a
provision of the Charter； of which I had not yet heard； my father
became once more Marquis de Vandenesse。
〃I am but one thing； the serf of Clochegourde；〃 I said in a low voice
to the countess。
The transformation scene of the Restoration was carried through with a
rapidity which bewildered the generation brought up under the imperial
regime。 To me this revolution meant nothing。 The least word or gesture
from Madame de Mortsauf were the sole events to which I attached
importance。 I was ignorant of what the privy council was； and knew as
little of politics as of social life； my sole ambition was to love
Henriette better than Petrarch loved Laura。 This indifference made the
duchess take me for a child。 A large company assembled at Frapesle and
we were thirty at table。 What intoxication it is for a young man
unused to the world to see the woman he loves more beautiful than all
others around her； the centre of admiring looks； to know that for him
alone is reserved the chaste fire of those eyes； that none but he can
discern in the tones of that voice； in the words it utters； however
gay or jesting they may be； the proofs of unremitting thought。 The
count； delighted with the attentions paid to him； seemed almost young；
his wife looked hopeful of a change； I amused myself with Madeleine；
who； like all children with bodies weaker than their minds； made
others laugh with her clever observations； full of sarcasm； though
never malicious； and which spared no one。 It was a happy day。 A word；
a hope awakened in the morning illumined nature。 Seeing me so joyous；
Henriette was joyful