the secrets of the princesse de cadignan-第6部分

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were　calculated　to　reach　the　heart；　and　they　did　reach　that　of

d'Arthez。　There　was　no　question　of　himself　in　the　matter；　this　woman

was　seeking　to　rehabilitate　herself　in　favor　of　the　dead。　She　had　been

calumniated；　and　she　evidently　wanted　to　know　if　anything　had

tarnished　her　in　the　eyes　of　him　who　had　loved　her；　had　he　died　with

all　his　illusions？



〃Michel；〃　replied　d'Arthez；　〃was　one　of　those　men　who　love　absolutely；

and　who；　if　they　choose　ill；　can　suffer　without　renouncing　the　woman

they　have　once　elected。〃



〃Was　I　loved　thus？〃　she　said；　with　an　air　of　exalted　beatitude。



〃Yes；　madame。〃



〃I　made　his　happiness？〃



〃For　four　years。〃



〃A　woman　never　hears　of　such　a　thing　without　a　sentiment　of　proud

satisfaction；〃　she　said；　turning　her　sweet　and　noble　face　to　d'Arthez

with　a　movement　full　of　modest　confusion。



One　of　the　most　skilful　manoeuvres　of　these　actresses　is　to　veil　their

manner　when　words　are　too　expressive；　and　speak　with　their　eyes　when

language　is　restrained。　These　clever　discords；　slipped　into　the　music

of　their　love；　be　it　false　or　true；　produce　irresistible　attractions。



〃Is　it　not；〃　she　said；　lowering　her　voice　and　her　eyes；　after　feeling

well　assured　they　had　produced　her　effect；〃is　it　not　fulfilling

one's　destiny　to　have　rendered　a　great　man　happy？〃



〃Did　he　not　write　that　to　you？〃



〃Yes；　but　I　wanted　to　be　sure；　quite　sure；　for；　believe　me；　monsieur；

in　putting　me　so　high　he　was　not　mistaken。〃



Women　know　how　to　give　a　peculiar　sacredness　to　their　words；　they

communicate　something　vibrant　to　them；　which　extends　the　meaning　of

their　ideas；　and　gives　them　depth；　though　later　their　fascinated

listener　may　not　remember　precisely　what　they　said；　their　end　has　been

completely　attained；which　is　the　object　of　all　eloquence。　The

princess　might　at　that　moment　have　been　wearing　the　diadem　of　France；

and　her　brow　could　not　have　seemed　more　imposing　than　it　was　beneath

that　crown　of　golden　hair；　braided　like　a　coronet；　and　adorned　with

heather。　She　was　simple　and　calm；　nothing　betrayed　a　sense　of　any

necessity　to　appear　so；　nor　any　desire　to　seem　grand　or　loving。

D'Arthez；　the　solitary　toiler；　to　whom　the　ways　of　the　world　were

unknown；　whom　study　had　wrapped　in　its　protecting　veils；　was　the　dupe

of　her　tones　and　words。　He　was　under　the　spell　of　those　exquisite

manners；　he　admired　that　perfect　beauty；　ripened　by　misfortune；　placid

in　retirement；　he　adored　the　union　of　so　rare　a　mind　and　so　noble　a

soul；　and　he　longed　to　become；　himself；　the　heir　of　Michel　Chrestien。



The　beginning　of　this　passion　was；　as　in　the　case　of　almost　all　deep

thinkers；　an　idea。　Looking　at　the　princess；　studying　the　shape　of　her

head；　the　arrangement　of　those　sweet　features；　her　figure；　her　hand；

so　finely　modelled；　closer　than　when　he　accompanied　his　friend　in

their　wild　rush　through　the　streets；　he　was　struck　by　the　surprising

phenomenon　of　the　moral　second…sight　which　a　man　exalted　by　love

invariably　finds　within　him。　With　what　lucidity　had　Michel　Chrestien

read　into　that　soul；　that　heart；　illumined　by　the　fires　of　love！　Thus

the　princess　acquired；　in　d'Arthez's　eyes；　another　charm；　a　halo　of

poesy　surrounded　her。



As　the　dinner　proceeded；　Daniel　called　to　mind　the　various　confidences

of　his　friend；　his　despair；　his　hopes；　the　noble　poems　of　a　true

sentiment　sung　to　his　ear　alone；　in　honor　of　this　woman。　It　is　rare

that　a　man　passes　without　remorse　from　the　position　of　confidant　to

that　of　rival；　and　d'Arthez　was　free　to　do　so　without　dishonor。　He　had

suddenly；　in　a　moment；　perceived　the　enormous　differences　existing

between　a　well…bred　woman；　that　flower　of　the　great　world；　and　common

women；　though　of　the　latter　he　did　not　know　beyond　one　specimen。　He

was　thus　captured　on　the　most　accessible　and　sensitive　sides　of　his

soul　and　of　his　genius。　Impelled　by　his　simplicity；　and　by　the

impetuosity　of　his　ideas；　to　lay　immediate　claim　to　this　woman；　he

found　himself　restrained　by　society；　also　by　the　barrier　which　the

manners　and；　let　us　say　the　word；　the　majesty　of　the　princess　placed

between　them。　The　conversation；　which　remained　upon　the　topic　of

Michel　Chrestien　until　the　dessert；　was　an　excellent　pretext　for　both

to　speak　in　a　low　voice：　love；　sympathy；　comprehension！　she　could　pose

as　a　maligned　and　misunderstood　woman；　he　could　slip　his　feet　into　the

shoes　of　the　dead　republican。　Perhaps　his　candid　mind　detected　itself

in　regretting　his　dead　friend　less。　The　princess；　at　the　moment　when

the　dessert　appeared　upon　the　table；　and　the　guests　were　separated　by

a　brilliant　hedge　of　fruits　and　sweetmeats；　thought　best　to　put　an　end

to　this　flow　of　confidences　by　a　charming　little　speech；　in　which　she

delicately　expressed　the　idea　that　Daniel　and　Michel　were　twin　souls。



After　this　d'Arthez　threw　himself　into　the　general　conversation　with

the　gayety　of　a　child；　and　a　self…conceited　air　that　was　worthy　of　a

schoolboy。　When　they　left　the　dining…room；　the　princess　took

d'Arthez's　arm；　in　the　simplest　manner；　to　return　to　Madame　d'Espard's

little　salon。　As　they　crossed　the　grand　salon　she　walked　slowly；　and

when　sufficiently　separated　from　the　marquise；　who　was　on　Blondet's

arm；　she　stopped。



〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　inaccessible　to　the　friend　of　that　poor　man；〃　she

said　to　d'Arthez；　〃and　though　I　have　made　it　a　rule　to　receive　no

visitors；　you　will　always　be　welcome　in　my　house。　Do　not　think　this　a

favor。　A　favor　is　only　for　strangers；　and　to　my　mind　you　and　I　seem

old　friends；　I　see　in　you　the　brother　of　Michel。〃



D'Arthez　could　only　press　her　arm；　unable　to　make　other　reply。



After　coffee　was　served；　Diane　de　Cadignan　wrapped　herself；　with

coquettish　motions；　in　a　large　shawl；　and　rose。　Blondet　and　Rastignac

were　too　much　men　of　the　world；　and　too　polite　to　make　the　least

remonstrance；　or　try　to　detain　her；　but　Madame　d'Espard　compelled　her

friend　to　sit　down　again；　whispering　in　her　ear：



〃Wait　till　the　servants　have　had　their　dinner；　the　carriage　is　not

ready　yet。〃



So　saying；　the　marquise　made　a　sign　to　the　footman；　who　was　taking

away　the　coffee…tray。　Madame　de　Montcornet　perceived　that　the　princess

and　Madame　d'Espard　had　a　word　to　say　to　each　other；　and　she　drew

around　her　d'Arthez；　Rastignac；　and　Blondet；　amusing　them　with　one　of

those　clever　paradoxical　attacks　which　Parisian　women　understand　so

thoroughly。



〃Well；〃　said　the　marquise　to　Diane；　〃what　do　you　think　of　him？〃



〃He　is　an　adorable　child；　just　out　of　swaddling…clothes！　This　time；

like　all　other　times；　it　will　only　be　a　triumph　without　a　struggle。〃



〃Well；　it　is　disappointing；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard。　〃But　we　might　evade

it。〃



〃How？〃



〃Let　me　be　your　rival。〃



〃Just　as　you　please；〃　replied　the　princess。　〃I've　decided　on　my

course。　Genius　is　a　condition　of　the　brain；　I　don't　know　what　the

heart　gets　out　of　it；　we'll　talk　about　that　later。〃



Hearing　the　last　few　words；　which　were　wholly　incomprehensible　to　her；

Madame　d'Espard　returned　to　the　general　conversation；　showing　neither

offence　at　that　indifferent　〃As　you　please；〃　nor　curiosity　as　to　the

outcome　of　the　interview。　The　princess　stayed　an　hour　longer；　seated

on　the　sofa　near　the　fire；　in　the　careless；　nonchalant　attitude　of

Guerin's　Dido；　listening　with　the　attention　of　an　absorbed　mind；　and

looking　at　Daniel　now　and　then；　without　disguising　her　admiration；

which　never　went；　however；　beyond　due　limits。　She　slipped　away　when

the　carriage　was　announced；　with　a　pressure　of　the　hand　to　the

marquise；　and　an　inclination　of　the　head　to　Madame　de　Montcornet。



The　evening　concluded　without　any　allusion　to　the　princess。　The　other

guests　profited　by　the　sort　of　exaltation　which　d'Arthez　had　reached；

for　he　put　forth　the　treasures　of　his　mind。　In　Blondet　and　Rastignac

he　certainly　had　two　acolytes　of　the　first　quality　to　bring　forth　the

delicacy　of　his　wit　and　the　breadth　of　his　intellect。　As　for　the　two

women；　they　had　long　been　counted　among　the　cleverest　in　society。　This

evening　was　like　a　halt　in　the　oasis　of　a　desert；a　rare　enjoyment；

and　well　appreciated　by　these　four　persons；　habitually　victimized　to

the　endless　caution　entailed　by　the　world　of　salons　and　politics。

There　are　beings　who　have　the　privilege　of　passing　among　men　like

beneficent　stars；　whose　light　illumines　the　mind；　while　its　rays　send

a　glow　to　the　heart。　D'Arthez　was　one　of　those　beings。　A　writer　who

rises　to　his　level；　accustoms　himself　to　free　thought；　and　forgets

that　in　society　all　things　cannot　be　said；　it　is　impossible　for　such　a

man　to　observe　the　restraint　of　persons　who　live　in　the　world

perpetually；　but　as　his　eccentricities　of　thought　bore　the　mark　of

originality；　no　one　felt　inclined　to　complain。　This　zest；　this

piquancy；　rare　in　mere　talent；　this　youthfulness　and　simplicity　of

soul　which　made　d'Arthez　so　nobly　original；　gave　a　delightful　charm　to

this　evening。　He　left　the　house　with　Rastignac；　who；　as　they　drove

home；　asked　him　how　he　liked　the　princess。



〃Michel　did　well　to　love　her；〃　replied　d'Arthez；　〃she　is；　indeed；　an

extraordinary　woman。〃



〃Very　extraordinary；〃　replied　Rastignac；　dryly。　〃By　the　tone　of　your

voice　I　should　judge　you　were　in　love　with　her　already。　You　will　be　in

her　house　within　three　days；　and　I　am　too　old　a　denizen　of　Paris　not

to　know　what　will　be　the　upshot　of　that。　Well；　my　dear　Daniel；　I　do

entreat　you　not　to　allow　yourself　to　be　drawn　into　any　confusion　of

interests；　so　to　speak。　Love　the　princess　if　you　feel　any　love　for　her

in　your　heart；　but　keep　an　eye　on　your　fortune。　She　has　never　taken　or

asked　a　penny　from　any　man　on　earth；　she　is　far　too　much　of　a

d'Uxelles　and　a　Cadignan　for　that；　but；　to　my　knowledge；　she　has　not

only　spent　her　own　fortune；　which　was　very　considerable；　but　she　has

made　others　waste　millions。　How？　why？　by　what　means？　No　one　knows；　she

doesn't　know　herself。　I　myself　saw　her　swallow