sarrasine-第7部分

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have　reason　to　fear　the　effervescence　of　my　passion；　tell　me　that　you
love　me。'

〃　'Why？'　said　she；　'for　what　good　purpose？　You　think　me　pretty。　But
you　are　a　Frenchman；　and　your　fancy　will　pass　away。　Ah！　you　would　not
love　me　as　I　should　like　to　be　loved。'

〃　'How？'

〃　'Purely；　with　no　mingling　of　vulgar　passion。　I　abhor　men　even　more；
perhaps　than　I　hate　women。　I　need　to　take　refuge　in　friendship。　The
world　is　a　desert　to　me。　I　am　an　accursed　creature；　doomed　to
understand　happiness；　to　feel　it；　to　desire　it；　and　like　many；　many
others；　compelled　to　see　it　always　fly　from　me。　Remember；　signor；　that
I　have　not　deceived　you。　I　forbid　you　to　love　me。　I　can　be　a　devoted
friend　to　you；　for　I　admire　your　strength　of　will　and　your　character。
I　need　a　brother；　a　protector。　Be　both　of　these　to　me；　but　nothing
more。'

〃　'And　not　love　you！'　cried　Sarrasine；　'but　you　are　my　life；　my
happiness；　dear　angel！'

〃　'If　I　should　say　a　word；　you　would　spurn　me　with　horror。'

〃　'Coquette！　nothing　can　frighten　me。　Tell　me　that　you　will　cost　me　my
whole　future；　that　I　shall　die　two　months　hence；　that　I　shall　be
damned　for　having　kissed　you　but　once'

〃And　he　kissed　her；　despite　La　Zambinella's　efforts　to　avoid　that
passionate　caress。

〃　'Tell　me　that　you　are　a　demon；　that　I　must　give　you　my　fortune；　my
name；　all　my　renown！　Would　you　have　me　cease　to　be　a　sculptor？　Speak。'

〃　'Suppose　I　were　not　a　woman？'　queried　La　Zambinella；　timidly；　in　a
sweet；　silvery　voice。

〃　'A　merry　jest！'　cried　Sarrasine。　'Think　you　that　you　can　deceive　an
artist's　eye？　Have　I　not；　for　ten　days　past；　admired；　examined；
devoured；　thy　perfections？　None　but　a　woman　can　have　this　soft　and
beautifully　rounded　arm；　these　graceful　outlines。　Ah！　you　seek
compliments！'

〃She　smiled　sadly；　and　murmured：

〃　'Fatal　beauty！'

〃She　raised　her　eyes　to　the　sky。　At　that　moment；　there　was　in　her　eyes
an　indefinable　expression　of　horror；　so　startling；　so　intense；　that
Sarrasine　shuddered。

〃　'Signor　Frenchman；'　she　continued；　'forget　forever　a　moment's
madness。　I　esteem　you；　but　as　for　love；　do　not　ask　me　for　that；　that
sentiment　is　suffocated　in　my　heart。　I　have　no　heart！'　she　cried；
weeping　bitterly。　'The　stage　on　which　you　saw　me；　the　applause；　the
music；　the　renown　to　which　I　am　condemnedthose　are　my　life；　I　have
no　other。　A　few　hours　hence　you　will　no　longer　look　upon　me　with　the
same　eyes；　the　woman　you　love　will　be　dead。'

〃The　sculptor　did　not　reply。　He　was　seized　with　a　dull　rage　which
contracted　his　heart。　He　could　do　nothing　but　gaze　at　that
extraordinary　woman；　with　inflamed；　burning　eyes。　That　feeble　voice；
La　Zambinella's　attitude；　manners；　and　gestures；　instinct　with
dejection；　melancholy；　and　discouragement；　reawakened　in　his　soul　all
the　treasures　of　passion。　Each　word　was　a　spur。　At　that　moment；　they
arrived　at　Frascati。　When　the　artist　held　out　his　arms　to　help　his
mistress　to　alight；　he　felt　that　she　trembled　from　head　to　foot。

〃　'What　is　the　matter？　You　would　kill　me；'　he　cried；　seeing　that　she
turned　pale；　'if　you　should　suffer　the　slightest　pain　of　which　I　am；
even　innocently；　the　cause。'

〃　'A　snake！'　she　said；　pointing　to　a　reptile　which　was　gliding　along
the　edge　of　a　ditch。　'I　am　afraid　of　the　disgusting　creatures。'

〃Sarrasine　crushed　the　snake's　head　with　a　blow　of　his　foot。

〃　'How　could　you　dare　to　do　it？'　said　La　Zambinella；　gazing　at　the
dead　reptile　with　visible　terror。

〃　'Aha！'　said　the　artist；　with　a　smile；　'would　you　venture　to　say　now
that　you　are　not　a　woman？'

〃They　joined　their　companions　and　walked　through　the　woods　of　Villa
Ludovisi；　which　at　that　time　belonged　to　Cardinal　Cicognara。　The
morning　passed　all　too　swiftly　for　the　amorous　sculptor；　but　it　was
crowded　with　incidents　which　laid　bare　to　him　the　coquetry；　the
weakness；　the　daintiness；　of　that　pliant；　inert　soul。　She　was　a　true
woman　with　her　sudden　terrors；　her　unreasoning　caprices；　her
instinctive　worries；　her　causeless　audacity；　her　bravado；　and　her
fascinating　delicacy　of　feeling。　At　one　time；　as　the　merry　little
party　of　singers　ventured　out　into　the　open　country；　they　saw　at　some
distance　a　number　of　men　armed　to　the　teeth；　whose　costume　was　by　no
means　reassuring。　At　the　words；　'Those　are　brigands！'　they　all
quickened　their　pace　in　order　to　reach　the　shelter　of　the　wall
enclosing　the　cardinal's　villa。　At　that　critical　moment　Sarrasine　saw
from　La　Zambinella's　manner　that　she　no　longer　had　strength　to　walk；
he　took　her　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　for　some　distance；　running。
When　he　was　within　call　of　a　vineyard　near　by；　he　set　his　mistress
down。

〃　'Tell　me；'　he　said；　'why　it　is　that　this　extreme　weakness　which　in
another　woman　would　be　hideous；　would　disgust　me；　so　that　the
slightest　indication　of　it　would　be　enough　to　destroy　my　love；why　is
it　that　in　you　it　pleases　me；　fascinates　me？　Oh；　how　I　love　you！'　he
continued。　'All　your　faults；　your　frights；　your　petty　foibles；　add　an
indescribable　charm　to　your　character。　I　feel　that　I　should　detest　a
Sappho；　a　strong；　courageous　woman；　overflowing　with　energy　and
passion。　O　sweet　and　fragile　creature！　how　couldst　thou　be　otherwise？
That　angel's　voice；　that　refined　voice；　would　have　been　an　anachronism
coming　from　any　other　breast　than　thine。'

〃　'I　can　give　you　no　hope；'　she　said。　'Cease　to　speak　thus　to　me；　for
people　would　make　sport　of　you。　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　shut　the
door　of　the　theatre　to　you；　but　if　you　love　me；　or　if　you　are　wise；
you　will　come　there　no　more。　Listen　to　me；　monsieur；'　she　continued　in
a　grave　voice。

〃　'Oh；　hush！'　said　the　excited　artist。　'Obstacles　inflame　the　love　in
my　heart。'

〃La　Zambinella　maintained　a　graceful　and　modest　attitude；　but　she　held
her　peace；　as　if　a　terrible　thought　had　suddenly　revealed　some
catastrophe。　When　it　was　time　to　return　to　Rome　she　entered　a　berlin
with　four　seats；　bidding　the　sculptor；　with　a　cruelly　imperious　air；
to　return　alone　in　the　phaeton。　On　the　road；　Sarrasine　determined　to
carry　off　La　Zambinella。　He　passed　the　whole　day　forming　plans；　each
more　extravagant　than　the　last。　At　nightfall；　as　he　was　going　out　to
inquire　of　somebody　where　his　mistress　lived；　he　met　one　of　his
fellow…artists　at　the　door。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　he　said；　I　am　sent　by　our　ambassador　to　invite　you
to　come　to　the　embassy　this　evening。　He　gives　a　magnificent　concert；
and　when　I　tell　you　that　La　Zambinella　will　be　there'

〃　'Zambinella！'　cried　Sarrasine；　thrown　into　delirium　by　that　name；　'I
am　mad　with　love　of　her。'

〃　'You　are　like　everybody　else；'　replied　his　comrade。

〃　'But　if　you　are　friends　of　mine；　you　and　Vien　and　Lauterbourg　and
Allegrain；　you　will　lend　me　your　assistance　for　a　/coup　de　main/；
after　the　entertainment；　will　you　not？'　asked　Sarrasine。

〃　'There's　no　cardinal　to　be　killed？　no？'

〃　'No；　no！'　said　Sarrasine；　'I　ask　nothing　of　you　that　men　of　honor
may　not　do。'

〃In　a　few　moments　the　sculptor　laid　all　his　plans　to　assure　the
success　of　his　enterprise。　He　was　one　of　the　last　to　arrive　at　the
ambassador's；　but　he　went　thither　in　a　traveling　carriage　drawn　by
four　stout　horses　and　driven　by　one　of　the　most　skilful　/vetturini/　in
Rome。　The　ambassador's　palace　was　full　of　people；　not　without
difficulty　did　the　sculptor；　whom　nobody　knew；　make　his　way　to　the
salon　where　La　Zambinella　was　singing　at　that　moment。

〃　'It　must　be　in　deference　to　all　the　cardinals；　bishops；　and　/abbes/
who　are　here；'　said　Sarrasine；　'that　/she/　is　dressed　as　a　man；　that
/she/　has　curly　hair　which　/she/　wears　in　a　bag；　and　that　/she/　has　a
sword　at　her　side？'

〃　'She！　what　she？'　rejoined　the　old　nobleman　whom　Sarrasine　addressed。

〃　'La　Zambinella。'

〃　'La　Zambinella！'　echoed　the　Roman　prince。　'Are　you　jesting？　Whence
have　you　come？　Did　a　woman　ever　appear　in　a　Roman　theatre？　And　do　you
not　know　what　sort　of　creatures　play　female　parts　within　the　domains
of　the　Pope？　It　was　I；　monsieur；　who　endowed　Zambinella　with　his
voice。　I　paid　all　the　knave's　expenses；　even　his　teacher　in　singing。
And　he　has　so　little　gratitude　for　the　service　I　have　done　him　that　he
has　never　been　willing　to　step　inside　my　house。　And　yet；　if　he　makes
his　fortune；　he　will　owe　it　all　to　me。'

〃Prince　Chigi　might　have　talked　on　forever；　Sarrasine　did　not　listen
to　him。　A　ghastly　truth　had　found　its　way　into　his　mind。　He　was
stricken　as　if　by　a　thunderbolt。　He　stood　like　a　statue；　his　eyes
fastened　on　the　singer。　His　flaming　glance　exerted　a　sort　of　magnetic
influence　on　Zambinella；　for　he　turned　his　eyes　at　last　in　Sarrasine's
direction；　and　his　divine　voice　faltered。　He　trembled！　An　involuntary
murmur　escaped　the　audience；　which　he　held　fast　as　if　fastened　to　his
lips；　and　that　completely　disconcerted　him；　he　stopped　in　the　middle
of　the　aria　he　was　singing　and　sat　down。　Cardinal　Cicognara；　who　had
watched　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　the　direction　of　his　/protege's/
glance；　saw　the　Frenchman；　he　leaned　toward　one　of　his　ecclesiastical
aides…de…camp；　and　apparently　asked　the　sculptor's　name。　When　he　had
obtained　the　reply　he　desired　he　scrutinized　the　artist　with　great
attention　and　gave　orders　to　an　/abbe/；　who　instantly　disappeared。
Meanwhile　Zambinella；　having　recovered　his　self…possession；　resumed
the　aria　he　had　so　capriciously　broken　off；　but　he　sang　badly；　and
refused；　despite　all　the　persistent　appeals　showered　upon　him；　to　sing
anything　else。　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　exhibited　that　humorsome
tyranny；　which；　at　a　later　date；　contributed　no　less　to　his　celebrity
than　his　talent　and　his　vast　fortune；　which　was　said　to　be　due　to　his
beauty　as　much　as　to　his　voice。

〃　'It's　a　woman；'　said　Sarrasine；　thinking　that　no　one　could　overhear
him。　'There's　some　secret　intrigue　beneath　all　this。　Cardinal
Cicognara　is　hoodwinking　the　Pope　and　the　whole　city　of　Rome！'

〃The　sculptor　at　once　left　the　salon；　assembled　his　friends；　and　lay
in　wait　in　the　courtyard　of　the　palace。　When　Zambinella　was　assured　of
Sarrasine's　departure　he　seemed　to　recover　his　tranquillity　in　some
measure。　About　midnight　after　wandering　through　the　salons　like　a　man
looking　for　an　enemy；　the　/musico/　left　the　party。　As　he　passed
through　the　palace　gate　he　was　seized　by　men　who