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！
him into the fire？ Can any one put his hand into a brazier without
burning it？'
〃 'You are a foolish boy；' replied the Count。 'I will send you well
gloved。 It is no secretary of mine that will be lodged in the Rue
Saint…Maur in the little garden…house which I have at his disposal。 It
is my distant cousin； Baron de l'Hostal； a lawyer high in
office 。 。 。〃
〃After a moment of silent surprise； I heard the gate bell ring； and a
carriage came into the courtyard。 Presently the footman announced
Madame de Courteville and her daughter。 The Count had a large family
connection on his mother's side。 Madame de Courteville； his cousin；
was the widow of a judge on the bench of the Seine division； who had
left her a daughter and no fortune whatever。 What could a woman of
nine…and…twenty be in comparison with a young girl of twenty； as
lovely as imagination could wish for an ideal mistress？
〃 'Baron； and Master of Appeals； till you get something better； and
this old house settled on her；would not you have enough good reasons
for not falling in love with the Countess？' he said to me in a
whisper； as he took me by the hand and introduced me to Madame de
Courteville and her daughter。
〃I was dazzled； not so much by these advantages of which I had never
dreamed； but by Amelie de Courteville； whose beauty was thrown into
relief by one of those well…chosen toilets which a mother can achieve
for a daughter when she wants to see her married。
〃But I will not talk of myself；〃 said the Consul after a pause。
〃Three weeks later I went to live in the gardener's cottage； which had
been cleaned； repaired； and furnished with the celerity which is
explained by three words： Paris； French workmen； money！ I was as much
in love as the Count could possibly desire as a security。 Would the
prudence of a young man of five…and…twenty be equal to the part I was
undertaking； involving a friend's happiness？ To settle that matter； I
may confess that I counted very much on my uncle's advice； for I had
been authorized by the Count to take him into confidence in any case
where I deemed his interference necessary。 I engaged a garden； I
devoted myself to horticulture； I worked frantically； like a man whom
nothing can divert； turning up the soil of the market…garden； and
appropriating the ground to the culture of flowers。 Like the maniacs
of England； or of Holland； I gave it out that I was devoted to one
kind of flower； and especially grew dahlias； collecting every variety。
You will understand that my conduct； even in the smallest details； was
laid down for me by the Count； whose whole intellectual powers were
directed to the most trifling incidents of the tragi…comedy enacted in
the Rue Saint…Maur。 As soon as the Countess had gone to bed； at about
eleven at night； Octave； Madame Gobain； and I sat in council。 I heard
the old woman's report to the Count of his wife's least proceedings
during the day。 He inquired into everything： her meals； her
occupations； her frame of mind； her plans for the morrow； the flowers
she proposed to imitate。 I understood what love in despair may be when
it is the threefold passion of the heart； the mind； and the senses。
Octave lived only for that hour。
〃During two months； while my work in the garden lasted； I never set
eyes on the little house where my fair neighbor dwelt。 I had not even
inquired whether I had a neighbor； though the Countess' garden was
divided from mine by a paling； along which she had planted cypress
trees already four feet high。 One fine morning Madame Gobain announced
to her mistress； as a disastrous piece of news； the intention；
expressed by an eccentric creature who had become her neighbor； of
building a wall between the two gardens； at the end of the year。 I
will say nothing of the curiosity which consumed me to see the
Countess！ The wish almost extinguished my budding love for Amelie de
Courteville。 My scheme for building a wall was indeed a dangerous
threat。 There would be no more fresh air for Honorine； whose garden
would then be a sort of narrow alley shut in between my wall and her
own little house。 This dwelling； formerly a summer villa； was like a
house of cards； it was not more than thirty feet deep； and about a
hundred feet long。 The garden front； painted in the German fashion；
imitated a trellis with flowers up to the second floor； and was really
a charming example of the Pompadour style； so well called rococo。 A
long avenue of limes led up to it。 The gardens of the pavilion and my
plot of ground were in the shape of a hatchet； of which this avenue
was the handle。 My wall would cut away three…quarters of the hatchet。
〃The Countess was in despair。
〃 'My good Gobain；' said she； 'what sort of man is this florist？'
〃 'On my word；' said the housekeeper； 'I do not know whether it will
be possible to tame him。 He seems to have a horror of women。 He is the
nephew of a Paris cure。 I have seen the uncle but once； a fine old man
of sixty； very ugly； but very amiable。 It is quite possible that this
priest encourages his nephew； as they say in the neighborhood； in his
love of flowers； that nothing worse may happen'
〃 'Whywhat？'
〃 'Well； your neighbor is a little cracked！' said Gobain； tapping her
head！
〃Now a harmless lunatic is the only man whom no woman ever distrusts
in the matter of sentiment。 You will see how wise the Count had been
in choosing this disguise for me。
〃 'What ails him then？' asked the Countess。
〃 'He has studied too hard；' replied Gobain； 'he has turned
misanthropic。 And he has his reasons for disliking womenwell； if you
want to know all that is said about him'
〃 'Well；' said Honorine； 'madmen frighten me less than sane folks； I
will speak to him myself！ Tell him that I beg him to come here。 If I
do not succeed； I will send for the cure。；'
〃The day after this conversation； as I was walking along my graveled
path； I caught sight of the half…opened curtains on the first floor of
the little house； and of a woman's face curiously peeping out。 Madame
Gobain called me。 I hastily glanced at the Countess' house； and by a
rude shrug expressed； 'What do I care for your mistress！'
〃 〃Madame；' said Gobain； called upon to give an account of her errand；
'the madman bid me leave him in peace； saying that even a charcoal
seller is master in his own premises； especially when he has no wife。'
〃 'He is perfectly right；' said the Countess。
〃 'Yes； but he ended by saying； 〃I will go；〃 when I told him that he
would greatly distress a lady living in retirement； who found her
greatest solace in growing flowers。'
〃Next day a signal from Gobain informed me that I was expected。 After
the Countess' breakfast； when she was walking to and fro in front of
her house； I broke out some palings and went towards her。 I had
dressed myself like a countryman； in an old pair of gray flannel
trousers； heavy wooden shoes； and shabby shooting coat； a peaked cap
on my head； a ragged bandana round my neck； hands soiled with mould；
and a dibble in my hand。
〃 'Madame；' said the housekeeper； 'this good man is your neighbor。'
〃The Countess was not alarmed。 I saw at last the woman whom her own
conduct and her husband's confidences had made me so curious to meet。
It was in the early days of May。 The air was pure； the weather serene；
the verdure of the first foliage； the fragrance of spring formed a
setting for this creature of sorrow。 As I then saw Honorine I
understood Octave's passion and the truthfulness of his description；
'A heavenly flower！'
〃Her pallor was what first struck me by its peculiar tone of white
for there are as many tones of white as of red or blue。 On looking at
the Countess； the eye seemed to feel that tender skin； where the blood
flowed in the blue veins。 At the slightest emotion the blood mounted
under the surface in rosy flushes like a cloud。 When we met； the
sunshine； filtering through the light foliage of the acacias； shed on
Honorine the pale gold； ambient glory in which Raphael and Titian；
alone of all painters； have been able to enwrap the Virgin。 Her brown
eyes expressed both tenderness and vivacity； their brightness seemed
reflected in her face through the long downca