a second home-第4部分

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al's　brow。　Madame　Crochard　was　amazed　at　nothing；　approved　of　everything；　followed　her　daughter　and　Monsieur　Roger　into　the　park；　where　the　two　young　people　had　agreed　to　wander　through　the　smiling　meadows　and　fragrant　copses　made　famous　by　the　taste　of　Queen　Hortense。

〃Good　heavens！　how　lovely！〃　exclaimed　Caroline　when　standing　on　the　green　ridge　where　the　forest　of　Montmorency　begins；　she　saw　lying　at　her　feet　the　wide　valley　with　its　combes　sheltering　scattered　villages；　its　horizon　of　blue　hills；　its　church　towers；　its　meadows　and　fields；　whence　a　murmur　came　up；　to　die　on　her　ear　like　the　swell　of　the　ocean。　The　three　wanderers　made　their　way　by　the　bank　of　an　artificial　stream　and　came　to　the　Swiss　valley；　where　stands　a　chalet　that　had　more　than　once　given　shelter　to　Hortense　and　Napoleon。　When　Caroline　had　seated　herself　with　pious　reverence　on　the　mossy　wooden　bench　where　kings　and　princesses　and　the　Emperor　had　rested；　Madame　Crochard　expressed　a　wish　to　have　a　nearer　view　of　a　bridge　that　hung　across　between　two　rocks　at　some　little　distance；　and　bent　her　steps　towards　that　rural　curiosity；　leaving　her　daughter　in　Monsieur　Roger's　care；　though　telling　them　that　she　would　not　go　out　of　sight。

〃What；　poor　child！〃　cried　Roger；　〃have　you　never　longed　for　wealth　and　the　pleasures　of　luxury？　Have　you　never　wished　that　you　might　wear　the　beautiful　dresses　you　embroider？〃

〃It　would　not　be　the　truth；　Monsieur　Roger；　if　I　were　to　tell　you　that　I　never　think　how　happy　people　must　be　who　are　rich。　Oh　yes！　I　often　fancy；　especially　when　I　am　going　to　sleep；　how　glad　I　should　be　to　see　my　poor　mother　no　longer　compelled　to　go　out；　whatever　the　weather；　to　buy　our　little　provisions；　at　her　age。　I　should　like　her　to　have　a　servant　who；　every　morning　before　she　was　up；　would　bring　her　up　her　coffee；　nicely　sweetened　with　white　sugar。　And　she　loves　reading　novels；　poor　dear　soul！　Well；　and　I　would　rather　see　her　wearing　out　her　eyes　over　her　favorite　books　than　over　twisting　her　bobbins　from　morning　till　night。　And　again；　she　ought　to　have　a　little　good　wine。　In　short；　I　should　like　to　see　her　comfortableshe　is　so　good。〃

〃Then　she　has　shown　you　great　kindness？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　the　girl；　in　a　tone　of　conviction。　Then；　after　a　short　pause；　during　which　the　two　young　people　stood　watching　Madame　Crochard；　who　had　got　to　the　middle　of　the　rustic　bridge；　and　was　shaking　her　finger　at　them；　Caroline　went　on：

〃Oh　yes；　she　has　been　so　good　to　me。　What　care　she　took　of　me　when　I　was　little！　She　sold　her　last　silver　forks　to　apprentice　me　to　the　old　maid　who　taught　me　to　embroider。And　my　poor　father！　What　did　she　not　go　through　to　make　him　end　his　days　in　happiness！〃　The　girl　shivered　at　the　remembrance；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　hands。〃Well！　come！　let　us　forget　past　sorrows！〃　she　added；　trying　to　rally　her　high　spirits。　She　blushed　as　she　saw　that　Roger　too　was　moved；　but　she　dared　not　look　at　him。

〃What　was　your　father？〃　he　asked。

〃He　was　an　opera…dancer　before　the　Revolution；〃　said　she；　with　an　air　of　perfect　simplicity；　〃and　my　mother　sang　in　the　chorus。　My　father；　who　was　leader　of　the　figures　on　the　stage；　happened　to　be　present　at　the　siege　of　the　Bastille。　He　was　recognized　by　some　of　the　assailants；　who　asked　him　whether　he　could　not　lead　a　real　attack；　since　he　was　used　to　leading　such　enterprises　on　the　boards。　My　father　was　brave；　he　accepted　the　post；　led　the　insurgents；　and　was　rewarded　by　the　nomination　to　the　rank　of　captain　in　the　army　of　Sambre…et…　Meuse；　where　he　distinguished　himself　so　far　as　to　rise　rapidly　to　be　a　colonel。　But　at　Lutzen　he　was　so　badly　wounded　that；　after　a　year's　sufferings；　he　died　in　Paris。The　Bourbons　returned；　my　mother　could　obtain　no　pension；　and　we　fell　into　such　abject　misery　that　we　were　compelled　to　work　for　our　living。　For　some　time　past　she　has　been　ailing；　poor　dear；　and　I　have　never　known　her　so　little　resigned；　she　complains　a　good　deal；　and；　indeed；　I　cannot　wonder；　for　she　has　known　the　pleasures　of　an　easy　life。　For　my　part；　I　cannot　pine　for　delights　I　have　never　known；　I　have　but　one　thing　to　wish　for。〃

〃And　that　is？〃　said　Roger　eagerly；　as　if　roused　from　a　dream。

〃That　women　may　continue　to　wear　embroidered　net　dresses；　so　that　I　may　never　lack　work。〃

The　frankness　of　this　confession　interested　the　young　man；　who　looked　with　less　hostile　eyes　on　Madame　Crochard　as　she　slowly　made　her　way　back　to　them。

〃Well；　children；　have　you　had　a　long　talk？〃　said　she；　with　a　half…　laughing；　half…indulgent　air。　〃When　I　think；　Monsieur　Roger；　that　the　'little　Corporal'　has　sat　where　you　are　sitting；〃　she　went　on　after　a　pause。　〃Poor　man！　how　my　husband　worshiped　him！　Ah！　Crochard　did　well　to　die；　for　he　could　not　have　borne　to　think　of　him　where　/they/　have　sent　him！〃

Roger　put　his　finger　to　his　lips；　and　the　good　woman　went　on　very　gravely；　with　a　shake　of　her　head：

〃All　right；　mouth　shut　and　tongue　still！　But；〃　added　she；　unhooking　a　bit　of　her　bodice；　and　showing　a　ribbon　and　cross　tied　round　her　neck　by　a　piece　of　black　ribbon；　〃they　shall　never　hinder　me　from　wearing　what　/he/　gave　to　my　poor　Crochard；　and　I　will　have　it　buried　with　me。〃

On　hearing　this　speech；　which　at　that　time　was　regarded　as　seditious；　Roger　interrupted　the　old　lady　by　rising　suddenly；　and　they　returned　to　the　village　through　the　park　walks。　The　young　man　left　them　for　a　few　minutes　while　he　went　to　order　a　meal　at　the　best　eating…house　in　Taverny；　then；　returning　to　fetch　them；　he　led　the　way　through　the　alleys　cut　in　the　forest。

The　dinner　was　cheerful。　Roger　was　no　longer　the　melancholy　shade　that　was　wont　to　pass　along　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet；　he　was　not　the　〃Black　Gentleman；〃　but　rather　a　confiding　young　man　ready　to　take　life　as　it　came；　like　the　two　hard…working　women　who；　on　the　morrow；　might　lack　bread；　he　seemed　alive　to　all　the　joys　of　youth；　his　smile　was　quite　affectionate　and　childlike。

When；　at　five　o'clock；　this　happy　meal　was　ended　with　a　few　glasses　of　champagne；　Roger　was　the　first　to　propose　that　they　should　join　the　village　ball　under　the　chestnuts；　where　he　and　Caroline　danced　together。　Their　hands　met　with　sympathetic　pressure；　their　hearts　beat　with　the　same　hopes；　and　under　the　blue　sky　and　the　slanting；　rosy　beams　of　sunset；　their　eyes　sparkled　with　fires　which；　to　them；　made　the　glory　of　the　heavens　pale。　How　strange　is　the　power　of　an　idea；　of　a　desire！　To　these　two　nothing　seemed　impossible。　In　such　magic　moments；　when　enjoyment　sheds　its　reflections　on　the　future；　the　soul　foresees　nothing　but　happiness。　This　sweet　day　had　created　memories　for　these　two　to　which　nothing　could　be　compared　in　all　their　past　existence。　Would　the　source　prove　to　be　more　beautiful　than　the　river；　the　desire　more　enchanting　than　its　gratification；　the　thing　hoped　for　more　delightful　than　the　thing　possessed？

〃So　the　day　is　already　at　an　end！〃　On　hearing　this　exclamation　from　her　unknown　friend　when　the　dance　was　over；　Caroline　looked　at　him　compassionately；　as　his　face　assumed　once　more　a　faint　shade　of　sadness。

〃Why　should　you　not　be　as　happy　in　Paris　as　you　are　here？〃　she　asked。　〃Is　happiness　to　be　found　only　at　Saint…Leu？　It　seems　to　me　that　I　can　henceforth　never　be　unhappy　anywhere。〃

Roger　was　struck　by　these　words；　spoken　with　the　glad　unrestraint　that　always　carries　a　woman　further　than　she　intended；　just　as　prudery　often　lends　her　greater　cruelty　than　she　feels。　For　the　first　time　since　that　glance；　which　had；　in　a　way；　been　the　beginning　of　their　friendship；　Caroline　and　Roger　had　the　same　idea；　though　they　did　not　express　it；　they　felt　it　at　the　same　instant；　as　a　result　of　a　common　impression　like　that　of　a　comforting　fire　cheering　both　under　the　frost　of　winter；　then；　as　if　frightened　by　each　other's　silence；　they　made　their　way　to　the　spot　where　the　carriage　was　waiting。　But　before　getting　into　it；　they　playfully　took　hands　and　ran　together　down　the　dark　avenue　in　front　of　Madame　Crochard。　When　they　could　no　longer　see　the　white　net　cap；　which　showed　as　a　speck　through　the　leaves　where　the　old　woman　was〃Caroline！〃　said　Roger　in　a　tremulous　voice；　and　with　a　beating　heart。

The　girl　was　startled；　and　drew　back　a　few　steps；　understanding　the　invitation　this　question　conveyed；　however；　she　held　out　her　hand；　which　was　passionately　kissed；　but　which　she　hastily　withdrew；　for　by　standing　on　tiptoe　she　could　see　her　mother。

Madame　Crochard　affected　blindness；　as　if；　with　a　reminiscence　of　her　old　parts；　she　was　only　required　to　figure　as　a　supernumerary。



The　adventures　of　these　two　young　people　were　not　continued　in　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet。　To　see　Roger　and　Caroline　once　more；　we　must　leap　into　the　heart　of　modern　Paris；　where；　in　some　of　the　newly…built　houses；　there　are　apartments　that　seem　made　on　purpose　for　newly…married　couples　to　spend　their　honeymoon　in。　There　the　paper　and　paint　are　as　fresh　as　the　bride　and　bridegroom；　and　the　decorations　are　in　blossom　like　their　love；　everything　is　in　harmony　with　youthful　notions　and　ardent　wishes。

Half…way　down　the　Rue　Taitbout；　in　a　house　whose　stone　walls　were　still　white；　where　the　columns　of　the　hall　and　the　doorway　were　as　yet　spotless；　and　the　inner　walls　shone　with　the　neat　painting　which　our　recent　intimacy　with　English　ways　had　brought　into　fashion；　there　was；　on　the　second　floor；　a　small　set　of　rooms　fitted　by　the　architect　as　though　he　had　known　what　their　use　would　be。　A　simple　airy　ante…room；　with　a　stucco　dado；　formed　an　entrance　into　a　drawing…room　and　dining…　room。　Out　of　the　drawing…room　opened　a　pretty　bedroom；　with　a　bathroom　beyond。　Every　chimney…shelf　had　over　it　a　fine　mirror　elegantly　framed。　The　doors　were　crowded　with　arabesques　in　good　taste；　and　the　cornices　were　in　the　best　style。　Any　amateur　would　have　discerned　there　the　sense　of　distinction　and　decorative　fitness　which　mark　the　work　of　modern　French　architects。

For　above　a　month　Caroline　had　been　at　home　in　this　apartment；　furnished　by　an　upholsterer　who　submitted　to　an　artist's　guidance。　A　short　description　of　the　principal　room　will　suffice　to　give　us　an　idea　of　the　wonders　it　offered　to　Caroline's　delighted　eyes　when　Roger　installed　her　there。　Hangings　of　gray　stuff　trimmed　with　green　silk　adorned　the　walls　of　her　bedroom；　t