the girl with the golden eyes-第6部分

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the　first　believe　they　know　something；　know　nothing　and　understand
everything；　lend　all　to　those　who　need　nothing　and　offer　nothing　to
those　who　are　in　need；　the　latter　study　secretly　others'　thoughts　and
place　out　their　money；　like　their　follies；　at　big　interest。　The　one
class　have　no　more　faithful　impressions；　because　their　soul；　like　a
mirror；　worn　from　use；　no　longer　reflects　any　image；　the　others
economize　their　senses　and　life；　even　while　they　seem；　like　the　first；
to　be　flinging　them　away　broadcast。　The　first；　on　the　faith　of　a　hope；
devote　themselves　without　conviction　to　a　system　which　has　wind　and
tide　against　it；　but　they　leap　upon　another　political　craft　when　the
first　goes　adrift；　the　second　take　the　measure　of　the　future；　sound
it；　and　see　in　political　fidelity　what　the　English　see　in　commercial
integrity；　an　element　of　success。　Where　the　young　man　of　possessions
makes　a　pun　or　an　epigram　upon　the　restoration　of　the　throne；　he　who
has　nothing　makes　a　public　calculation　or　a　secret　reservation；　and
obtains　everything　by　giving　a　handshake　to　his　friends。　The　one　deny
every　faculty　to　others；　look　upon　all　their　ideas　as　new；　as　though
the　world　had　been　made　yesterday；　they　have　unlimited　confidence　in
themselves；　and　no　crueler　enemy　than　those　same　selves。　But　the
others　are　armed　with　an　incessant　distrust　of　men；　whom　they　estimate
at　their　value；　and　are　sufficiently　profound　to　have　one　thought
beyond　their　friends；　whom　they　exploit；　then　of　evenings；　when　they
lay　their　heads　on　their　pillows；　they　weigh　men　as　a　miser　weighs　his
gold　pieces。　The　one　are　vexed　at　an　aimless　impertinence；　and　allow
themselves　to　be　ridiculed　by　the　diplomatic；　who　make　them　dance　for
them　by　pulling　what　is　the　main　string　of　these　puppetstheir
vanity。　Thus；　a　day　comes　when　those　who　had　nothing　have　something；
and　those　who　had　something　have　nothing。　The　latter　look　at　their
comrades　who　have　achieved　positions　as　cunning　fellows；　their　hearts
may　be　bad；　but　their　heads　are　strong。　〃He　is　very　strong！〃　is　the
supreme　praise　accorded　to　those　who　have　attained　/quibuscumque
viis/；　political　rank；　a　woman；　or　a　fortune。　Amongst　them　are　to　be
found　certain　young　men　who　play　this　/role/　by　commencing　with　having
debts。　Naturally；　these　are　more　dangerous　than　those　who　play　it
without　a　farthing。

The　young　man　who　called　himself　a　friend　of　Henri　de　Marsay　was　a
rattle…head　who　had　come　from　the　provinces；　and　whom　the　young　men
then　in　fashion　were　teaching　the　art　of　running　through　an
inheritance；　but　he　had　one　last　leg　to　stand　on　in　his　province；　in
the　shape　of　a　secure　establishment。　He　was　simply　an　heir　who　had
passed　without　any　transition　from　his　pittance　of　a　hundred　francs　a
month　to　the　entire　paternal　fortune；　and　who；　if　he　had　not　wit
enough　to　perceive　that　he　was　laughed　at；　was　sufficiently　cautious
to　stop　short　at　two…thirds　of　his　capital。　He　had　learned　at　Paris；
for　a　consideration　of　some　thousands　of　francs；　the　exact　value　of
harness；　the　art　of　not　being　too　respectful　to　his　gloves；　learned　to
make　skilful　meditations　upon　the　right　wages　to　give　people；　and　to
seek　out　what　bargain　was　the　best　to　close　with　them。　He　set　store　on
his　capacity　to　speak　in　good　terms　of　his　horses；　of　his　Pyrenean
hound；　to　tell　by　her　dress；　her　walk；　her　shoes；　to　what　class　a
woman　belonged；　to　study　/ecarte/；　remember　a　few　fashionable
catchwords；　and　win　by　his　sojourn　in　Parisian　society　the　necessary
authority　to　import　later　into　his　province　a　taste　for　tea　and　silver
of　an　English　fashion；　and　to　obtain　the　right　of　despising　everything
around　him　for　the　rest　of　his　days。

De　Marsay　had　admitted　him　to　his　society　in　order　to　make　use　of　him
in　the　world；　just　as　a　bold　speculator　employs　a　confidential　clerk。
The　friendship；　real　or　feigned；　of　De　Marsay　was　a　social　position
for　Paul　de　Manerville；　who；　on　his　side；　thought　himself　astute　in
exploiting；　after　his　fashion；　his　intimate　friend。　He　lived　in　the
reflecting　lustre　of　his　friend；　walked　constantly　under　his　umbrella；
wore　his　boots；　gilded　himself　with　his　rays。　When　he　posed　in　Henri's
company　or　walked　at　his　side；　he　had　the　air　of　saying：　〃Don't　insult
us；　we　are　real　dogs。〃　He　often　permitted　himself　to　remark　fatuously：
〃If　I　were　to　ask　Henri　for　such　and　such　a　thing；　he　is　a　good　enough
friend　of　mine　to　do　it。〃　But　he　was　careful　never　to　ask　anything　of
him。　He　feared　him；　and　his　fear；　although　imperceptible；　reacted　upon
the　others；　and　was　of　use　to　De　Marsay。

〃De　Marsay　is　a　man　of　a　thousand；〃　said　Paul。　〃Ah；　you　will　see；　he
will　be　what　he　likes。　I　should　not　be　surprised　to　find　him　one　of
these　days　Minister　of　Foreign　Affairs。　Nothing　can　withstand　him。〃

He　made　of　De　Marsay　what　Corporal　Trim　made　of　his　cap；　a　perpetual
instance。

〃Ask　De　Marsay　and　you　will　see！〃

Or　again：

〃The　other　day　we　were　hunting；　De　Marsay　and　I；　He　would　not　believe
me；　but　I　jumped　a　hedge　without　moving　on　my　horse！〃

Or　again：

〃We　were　with　some　women；　De　Marsay　and　I；　and　upon　my　word　of　honor；
I　was〃　etc。

Thus　Paul　de　Manerville　could　not　be　classed　amongst　the　great；
illustrious；　and　powerful　family　of　fools　who　succeed。　He　would　one
day　be　a　deputy。　For　the　time　he　was　not　even　a　young　man。　His　friend；
De　Marsay；　defined　him　thus：　〃You　ask　me　what　is　Paul？　Paul？　Why；　Paul
de　Manerville！〃

〃I　am　surprised；　my　dear　fellow；〃　he　said　to　De　Marsay；　〃to　see　you
here　on　a　Sunday。〃

〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　the　same　question。〃

〃Is　it　an　intrigue？〃

〃An　intrigue。〃

〃Bah！〃

〃I　can　mention　it　to　you　without　compromising　my　passion。　Besides；　a
woman　who　comes　to　the　Tuileries　on　Sundays　is　of　no　account；
aristocratically　speaking。〃

〃Ah！　ah！〃

〃Hold　your　tongue　then；　or　I　shall　tell　you　nothing。　Your　laugh　is　too
loud；　you　will　make　people　think　that　we　have　lunched　too　well。　Last
Thursday；　here　on　the　Terrasse　des　Feuillants；　I　was　walking　along；
thinking　of　nothing　at　all；　but　when　I　got　to　the　gate　of　the　Rue　de
Castiglione；　by　which　I　intended　to　leave；　I　came　face　to　face　with　a
woman；　or　rather　a　young　girl；　who；　if　she　did　not　throw　herself　at　my
head；　stopped　short；　less　I　think；　from　human　respect；　than　from　one
of　those　movements　of　profound　surprise　which　affect　the　limbs；　creep
down　the　length　of　the　spine；　and　cease　only　in　the　sole　of　the　feet；
to　nail　you　to　the　ground。　I　have　often　produced　effects　of　this
nature；　a　sort　of　animal　magnetism　which　becomes　enormously　powerful
when　the　relations　are　reciprocally　precise。　But；　my　dear　fellow；　this
was　not　stupefaction；　nor　was　she　a　common　girl。　Morally　speaking；　her
face　seemed　to　say：　'What；　is　it　you；　my　ideal！　The　creation　of　my
thoughts；　of　my　morning　and　evening　dreams！　What；　are　you　there？　Why
this　morning？　Why　not　yesterday？　Take　me；　I　am　thine；　/et　cetera/！'
Good；　I　said　to　myself；　another　one！　Then　I　scrutinize　her。　Ah；　my
dear　fellow；　speaking　physically；　my　incognita　is　the　most　adorable
feminine　person　whom　I　ever　met。　She　belongs　to　that　feminine　variety
which　the　Romans　call　/fulva；　flava/the　woman　of　fire。　And　in　chief；
what　struck　me　the　most；　what　I　am　still　taken　with；　are　her　two
yellow　eyes；　like　a　tiger's；　a　golden　yellow　that　gleams；　living　gold；
gold　which　thinks；　gold　which　loves；　and　is　determined　to　take　refuge
in　your　pocket。〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　we　are　full　of　her！〃　cried　Paul。　〃She　comes　here
sometimes/the　girl　with　the　golden　eyes/！　That　is　the　name　we　have
given　her。　She　is　a　young　creaturenot　more　than　twenty…two；　and　I
have　seen　her　here　in　the　time　of　the　Bourbons；　but　with　a　woman　who
was　worth　a　hundred　thousand　of　her。〃

〃Silence；　Paul！　It　is　impossible　for　any　woman　to　surpass　this　girl；
she　is　like　the　cat　who　rubs　herself　against　your　legs；　a　white　girl
with　ash…colored　hair；　delicate　in　appearance；　but　who　must　have　downy
threads　on　the　third　phalanx　of　her　fingers；　and　all　along　her　cheeks
a　white　down　whose　line；　luminous　on　fine　days；　begins　at　her　ears　and
loses　itself　on　her　neck。〃

〃Ah；　the　other；　my　dear　De　Marsay！　She　has　black　eyes　which　have　never
wept；　but　which　burn；　black　eyebrows　which　meet　and　give　her　an　air　of
hardness　contradicted　by　the　compact　curve　of　her　lips；　on　which　the
kisses　do　not　stay；　lips　burning　and　fresh；　a　Moorish　color　that　warms
a　man　like　the　sun。　Butupon　my　word　of　honor；　she　is　like　you！〃

〃You　flatter　her！〃

〃A　firm　figure；　the　tapering　figure　of　a　corvette　built　for　speed；
which　rushes　down　upon　the　merchant　vessel　with　French　impetuosity；
which　grapples　with　her　and　sinks　her　at　the　same　time。〃

〃After　all；　my　dear　fellow；〃　answered　De　Marsay；　〃what　has　that　got　to
do　with　me；　since　I　have　never　seen　her？　Ever　since　I　have　studied
women；　my　incognita　is　the　only　one　whose　virginal　bosom；　whose　ardent
and　voluptuous　forms；　have　realized　for　me　the　only　woman　of　my　dreams
of　my　dreams！　She　is　the　original　of　that　ravishing　picture　called
/La　Femme　Caressant　sa　Chimere/；　the　warmest；　the　most　infernal
inspiration　of　the　genius　of　antiquity；　a　holy　poem　prostituted　by
those　who　have　copied　it　for　frescoes　and　mosiacs；　for　a　heap　of
bourgeois　who　see　in　this　gem　nothing　more　than　a　gew…gaw　and　hang　it
on　their　watch…chainswhereas；　it　is　the　whole　woman；　an　abyss　of
pleasure　into　which　one　plunges　and　finds　no　end；　whereas；　it　is　the
ideal　woman；　to　be　seen　sometimes　in　reality　in　Spain　or　Italy；　almost
never　in　France。　Well；　I　have　again　seen　this　girl　of　the　gold　eyes；
this　woman　caressing　her　chimera。　I　saw　her　on　Friday。　I　had　a
presentiment　that　on　the　following　day　she　would　be　here　at　the　same
hour；　I　was　not　mistaken。　I　have　taken　a　pleasure　in　following　her
without　being　observed；　in　studying　her　indolent　walk；　the　walk　of　the
woman　without　occupation；　but　in　the　movements　of　which　one　devines
all　the　pleasure　that　lies　asleep。　Well；　she　turned　back　again；　she
saw　me；　once　more　she　adored　me；　once　more　trembled；　shivered。　It　was
then　I　noticed　the　genuine　Spanish　duenna　who　looked　after　her；　a
hyena　upon　whom　some　jealous　man　has　put　a　dress；　a　she…devil　well
paid；　no　doubt；　to　guard　this　delicious　creature。　。　。　。　Ah；　then