original short stories-6-第4部分

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exasperation；　he　turned　round　and　flung　his　chair　against　the　wall；　and
then　went　out　without　another　word；　while　she；　uttering　a　deep　sigh；　as
if　after　a　first　victory；　went　on　in　a　calm　voice：　〃You　must　not　pay　any
attention　to　what　your　father　has　just　said；　my　darlings；　he　was　very
much　upset　a　short　time　ago；　but　he　will　be　all　right　again　in　a　few
days。〃

Then　she　talked　with　the　abbe　and　Miss　Smith　and　had　tender；　pretty　words
for　all　her　children；　those　sweet；　tender　mother's　ways　which　unfold
little　hearts。

When　dinner　was　over　she　went　into　the　drawing…room；　all　her　children
following　her。　　She　made　the　elder　ones　chatter；　and　when　their　bedtime
came　she　kissed　them　for　a　long　time　and　then　went　alone　into　her　room。

She　waited；　for　she　had　no　doubt　that　the　count　would　come；　and　she　made
up　her　mind　then；　as　her　children　were　not　with　her；　to　protect　herself
as　a　woman　of　the　world　as　she　would　protect　her　life；　and　in　the　pocket
of　her　dress　she　put　the　little　loaded　revolver　which　she　had　bought　a
few　days　previously。　　The　hours　went　by；　the　hours　struck；　and　every
sound　was　hushed　in　the　house。　　Only　the　cabs；　continued　to　rumble
through　the　streets；　but　their　noise　was　only　heard　vaguely　through　the
shuttered　and　curtained　windows。

She　waited；　full　of　nervous　energy；　without　any　fear　of　him　now；　ready
for　anything；　and　almost　triumphant；　for　she　had　found　means　of　torturing
him　continually　during　every　moment　of　his　life。

But　the　first　gleam　of　dawn　came　in　through　the　fringe　at　the　bottom　of
her　curtain　without　his　having　come　into　her　room；　and　then　she　awoke　to
the　fact；　with　much　amazement；　that　he　was　not　coming。　　Having　locked　and
bolted　her　door；　for　greater　security；　she　went　to　bed　at　last　and
remained　there；　with　her　eyes　open；　thinking　and　barely　understanding　it
all；　without　being　able　to　guess　what　he　was　going　to　do。

When　her　maid　brought　her　tea　she　at　the　same　time　handed　her　a　letter
from　her　husband。　　He　told　her　that　he　was　going　to　undertake　a　longish
journey　and　in　a　postscript　added　that　his　lawyer　would　provide　her　with
any　sums　of　money　she　might　require　for　all　her　expenses。


III

It　was　at　the　opera；　between　two　acts　of　〃Robert　the　Devil。〃　　In　the
stalls　the　men　were　standing　up；　with　their　hats　on；　their　waistcoats　cut
very　low　so　as　to　show　a　large　amount　of　white　shirt　front；　in　which　gold
and　jewelled　studs　glistened；　and　were　looking　at　the　boxes　full　of
ladies　in　low　dresses　covered　with　diamonds　and　pearls；　who　were
expanding　like　flowers　in　that　illuminated　hothouse；　where　the　beauty　of
their　faces　and　the　whiteness　of　their　shoulders　seemed　to　bloom　in　order
to　be　gazed　at；　amid　the　sound　of　the　music　and　of　human　voices。

Two　friends；　with　their　backs　to　the　orchestra；　were　scanning　those　rows
of　elegance；　that　exhibition　of　real　or　false　charms；　of　jewels；　of
luxury　and　of　pretension　which　displayed　itself　in　all　parts　of　the　Grand
Theatre；　and　one　of　them；　Roger　de　Salnis；　said　to　his　companion；　Bernard
Grandin：

〃Just　look　how　beautiful　the　Comtesse　de　Mascaret　still　is。〃

The　older　man　in　turn　looked　through　his　opera　glasses　at　a　tall　lady　in
a　box　opposite。　　She　appeared　to　be　still　very　young；　and　her　striking
beauty　seemed　to　attract　all　eyes　in　every　corner　of　the　house。　　Her　pale
complexion；　of　an　ivory　tint；　gave　her　the　appearance　of　a　statue；　while
a　small　diamond　coronet　glistened　on　her　black　hair　like　a　streak　of
light。

When　he　had　looked　at　her　for　some　time；　Bernard　Grandin　replied　with　a
jocular　accent　of　sincere　conviction：　〃You　may　well　call　her　beautiful！〃

〃How　old　do　you　think　she　is？〃

〃Wait　a　moment。　　I　can　tell　you　exactly；　for　I　have　known　her　since　she
was　a　child　and　I　saw　her　make　her　debut　into　society　when　she　was　quite
a　girl。　　She　isshe　isthirtythirty…six。〃

〃Impossible！〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃She　looks　twenty…five。〃

〃She　has　had　seven　children。〃

〃It　is　incredible。〃

〃And　what　is　more；　they　are　all　seven　alive；　as　she　is　a　very　good
mother。　　I　occasionally　go　to　the　house；　which　is　a　very　quiet　and
pleasant　one；　where　one　may　see　the　phenomenon　of　the　family　in　the　midst
of　society。〃

〃How　very　strange！　　And　have　there　never　been　any　reports　about　her？〃

〃Never。〃

〃But　what　about　her　husband？　　He　is　peculiar；　is　he　not？〃

〃Yes　and　no。　　Very　likely　there　has　been　a　little　drama　between　them；　one
of　those　little　domestic　dramas　which　one　suspects；　never　finds　out
exactly；　but　guesses　at　pretty　closely。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　do　not　know　anything　about　it。　　Mascaret　leads　a　very　fast　life　now；
after　being　a　model　husband。　　As　long　as　he　remained　a　good　spouse　he　had
a　shocking　temper；　was　crabbed　and　easily　took　offence；　but　since　he　has
been　leading　his　present　wild　life　he　has　become　quite　different；　But　one
might　surmise　that　he　has　some　trouble；　a　worm　gnawing　somewhere；　for　he
has　aged　very　much。〃

Thereupon　the　two　friends　talked　philosophically　for　some　minutes　about
the　secret；　unknowable　troubles　which　differences　of　character　or　perhaps
physical　antipathies；　which　were　not　perceived　at　first；　give　rise　to　in
families；　and　then　Roger　de　Salnis；　who　was　still　looking　at　Madame　de
Mascaret　through　his　opera　glasses；　said：　〃It　is　almost　incredible　that
that　woman　can　have　had　seven　children！〃

〃Yes；　in　eleven　years；　after　which；　when　she　was　thirty；　she　refused　to
have　any　more；　in　order　to　take　her　place　in　society；　which　she　seems
likely　to　do　for　many　years。〃

〃Poor　women！〃

〃Why　do　you　pity　them？〃

〃Why？　　Ah！　my　dear　fellow；　just　consider！　　Eleven　years　in　a　condition　of
motherhood　for　such　a　woman！　　What　a　hell！　　All　her　youth；　all　her
beauty；　every　hope　of　success；　every　poetical　ideal　of　a　brilliant　life
sacrificed　to　that　abominable　law　of　reproduction　which　turns　the　normal
woman　into　a　mere　machine　for　bringing　children　into　the　world。〃

〃What　would　you　have？　　It　is　only　Nature！〃

〃Yes；　but　I　say　that　Nature　is　our　enemy；　that　we　must　always　fight
against　Nature；　for　she　is　continually　bringing　us　back　to　an　animal
state。　　You　may　be　sure　that　God　has　not　put　anything　on　this　earth　that
is　clean；　pretty；　elegant　or　accessory　to　our　ideal；　the　human　brain　has
done　it。　　It　is　man　who　has　introduced　a　little　grace；　beauty；　unknown
charm　and　mystery　into　creation　by　singing　about　it；　interpreting　it；　by
admiring　it　as　a　poet；　idealizing　it　as　an　artist　and　by　explaining　it
through　science；　doubtless　making　mistakes；　but　finding　ingenious
reasons；　hidden　grace　and　beauty；　unknown　charm　and　mystery　in　the
various　phenomena　of　Nature。　　God　created　only　coarse　beings；　full　of　the
germs　of　disease；　who；　after　a　few　years　of　bestial　enjoyment；　grow　old
and　infirm；　with　all　the　ugliness　and　all　the　want　of　power　of　human
decrepitude。　　He　seems　to　have　made　them　only　in　order　that　they　may
reproduce　their　species　in　an　ignoble　manner　and　then　die　like　ephemeral
insects。　　I　said　reproduce　their　species　in　an　ignoble　manner　and　I
adhere　to　that　expression。　　What　is　there　as　a　matter　of　fact　more
ignoble　and　more　repugnant　than　that　act　of　reproduction　of　living
beings；　against　which　all　delicate　minds　always　have　revolted　and　always
will　revolt？　　Since　all　the　organs　which　have　been　invented　by　this
economical　and　malicious　Creator　serve　two　purposes；　why　did　He　not
choose　another　method　of　performing　that　sacred　mission；　which　is　the
noblest　and　the　most　exalted　of　all　human　functions？　　The　mouth；　which
nourishes　the　body　by　means　of　material　food；　also　diffuses　abroad　speech
and　thought。　　Our　flesh　renews　itself　of　its　own　accord；　while　we　are
thinking　about　it。　　The　olfactory　organs；　through　which　the　vital　air
reaches　the　lungs；　communicate　all　the　perfumes　of　the　world　to　the
brain：　the　smell　of　flowers；　of　woods；　of　trees；　of　the　sea。　　The　ear；
which　enables　us　to　communicate　with　our　fellow　men；　has　also　allowed　us
to　invent　music；　to　create　dreams；　happiness；　infinite　and　even　physical
pleasure　by　means　of　sound！　　But　one　might　say　that　the　cynical　and
cunning　Creator　wished　to　prohibit　man　from　ever　ennobling　and　idealizing
his　intercourse　with　women。　　Nevertheless　man　has　found　love；　which　is
not　a　bad　reply　to　that　sly　Deity；　and　he　has　adorned　it　with　so　much
poetry　that　woman　often　forgets　the　sensual　part　of　it。　　Those　among　us
who　are　unable　to　deceive　themselves　have　invented　vice　and　refined
debauchery；　which　is　another　way　of　laughing　at　God　and　paying　homage；
immodest　homage；　to　beauty。

〃But　the　normal　man　begets　children　just　like　an　animal　coupled　with
another　by　law。

〃Look　at　that　woman！　　Is　it　not　abominable　to　think　that　such　a　jewel；
such　a　pearl；　born　to　be　beautiful；　admired；　feted　and　adored；　has　spent
eleven　years　of　her　life　in　providing　heirs　for　the　Comte　de　Mascaret？〃

Bernard　Grandin　replied　with　a　laugh：　〃There　is　a　great　deal　of　truth　in
all　that；　but　very　few　people　would　understand　you。〃

Salnis　became　more　and　more　animated。　　〃Do　you　know　how　I　picture　God
myself？〃　he　said。　　〃As　an　enormous；　creative　organ　beyond　our　ken；　who
scatters　millions　of　worlds　into　space；　just　as　one　single　fish　would
deposit　its　spawn　in　the　sea。　　He　creates　because　it　is　His　function　as
God　to　do　so；　but　He　does　not　know　what　He　is　doing　and　is　stupidly
prolific　in　His　work　and　is　ignorant　of　the　combinations　of　all　kinds
which　are　produced　by　His　scattered　germs。　　The　human　mind　is　a　lucky
little　local；　passing　accident　which　was　totally　unforeseen；　and
condemned　to　disappear　with　this　earth　and　to　recommence　perhaps　here　or
elsewhere　the　same　or　different　with　fresh　combinations　of　eternally　new
beginnings。　　We　owe　it　to　this　little　lapse　of　intelligence　on　His　part
that　we　are　very　uncomfortable　in　this　world　which　was　not　made　for　us；
which　had　not　been　prepared　to　receive　us；　to　lodge　and　feed　us　or　to
satisfy　reflecting　beings；　and　we　owe　it　to　Him　also　that　we　have　to
struggle　without　ceasing　against　what　are　still　called　the　designs　of
Providence；　when　we　are　really　refined　and　civilized　beings。〃

Grandin；　who　was　listening　to　him　attentively　as　he　had　long　known　the
surprising　outbursts　of　his　imagination；　asked　him：　〃Then　you　beli