paz-第6部分

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which　had　been　somewhat　upset　by　this　incident。　Diverted　by　her

Parisian　occupations；　Clementine　appeared　to　have　forgotten　Paz。　It

must　not　be　thought　an　easy　matter　to　reign　a　queen　over　fickle　Paris。

Does　any　one　suppose　that　fortunes　alone　are　risked　in　the　great　game？

The　winters　are　to　fashionable　women　what　a　campaign　once　was　to　the

soldiers　of　the　Empire。　What　works　of　art　and　genius　are　expended　on　a

gown　or　a　garland　in　which　to　make　a　sensation！　A　fragile；　delicate

creature　will　wear　her　stiff　and　brilliant　harness　of　flowers　and

diamonds；　silk　and　steel；　from　nine　at　night　till　two　and　often　three

o'clock　in　the　morning。　She　eats　little；　to　attract　remark　to　her

slender　waist；　she　satisfied　her　hunger　with　debilitating　tea；　sugared

cakes；　ices　which　heat　her；　or　slices　of　heavy　pastry。　The　stomach　is

made　to　yield　to　the　orders　of　coquetry。　The　awakening　comes　too　late。

A　fashionable　woman's　whole　life　is　in　contradiction　to　the　laws　of

nature；　and　nature　is　pitiless。　She　has　no　sooner　risen　than　she　makes

an　elaborate　morning　toilet；　and　thinks　of　the　one　which　she　means　to

wear　in　the　afternoon。　The　moment　she　is　dressed　she　has　to　receive

and　make　visits；　and　go　to　the　Bois　either　on　horseback　or　in　a

carriage。　She　must　practise　the　art　of　smiling；　and　must　keep　her　mind

on　the　stretch　to　invent　new　compliments　which　shall　seem　neither

common　nor　far…fetched。　All　women　do　not　succeed　in　this。　It　is　no

surprise；　therefore；　to　find　a　young　woman　who　entered　fashionable

society　fresh　and　healthy；　faded　and　worn　out　at　the　end　of　three

years。　Six　months　spent　in　the　country　will　hardly　heal　the　wounds　of

the　winter。　We　hear　continually；　in　these　days；　of　mysterious

ailments；gastritis；　and　so　forth；ills　unknown　to　women　when　they

busied　themselves　about　their　households。　In　the　olden　time　women　only

appeared　in　the　world　at　intervals；　now　they　are　always　on　the　scene。

Clementine　found　she　had　to　struggle　for　her　supremacy。　She　was　cited；

and　that　alone　brought　jealousies；　and　the　care　and　watchfulness

exacted　by　this　contest　with　her　rivals　left　little　time　even　to　love

her　husband。　Paz　might　well　be　forgotten。　Nevertheless；　in　the　month

of　May；　as　she　drove　home　from　the　Bois；　just　before　she　left　Paris

for　Ronquerolles；　her　uncle's　estate　in　Burgundy；　she　noticed

Thaddeus；　elegantly　dressed；　sauntering　on　one　of　the　side…paths　of

the　Champs…Elysees；　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　delight　at　seeing　his

beautiful　countess　in　her　elegant　carriage　with　its　spirited　horses

and　sparkling　liveries；in　short；　his　beloved　family　the　admired　of

all。



〃There's　the　captain；〃　she　said　to　her　husband。



〃He's　happy！〃　said　Adam。　〃This　is　his　delight。　He　knows　there's　no

equipage　more　elegant　than　ours；　and　he　is　rejoicing　to　think　that

some　people　envy　it。　Have　you　only　just　noticed　him？　I　see　him　there

nearly　every　day。〃



〃I　wonder　what　he　is　thinking　about　now；〃　said　Clementine。



〃He　is　thinking　that　this　winter　has　cost　a　good　deal；　and　that　it　is

time　we　went　to　economize　with　your　old　uncle　Ronquerolles；〃　replied

Adam。



The　countess　stopped　the　carriage　near　Paz；　and　bade　him　take　the　seat

beside　her。　Thaddeus　grew　as　red　as　a　cherry。



〃I　shall　poison　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　smoking。〃



〃Doesn't　Adam　poison　me？〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　but　he　is　Adam；〃　returned　the　captain。



〃And　why　can't　Thaddeus　have　the　same　privileges？〃　asked　the　countess；

smiling。



That　divine　smile　had　a　power　which　triumphed　over　the　heroic

resolutions　of　poor　Paz；　he　looked　at　Clementine　with　all　the　fire　of

his　soul　in　his　eyes；　though；　even　so；　its　flame　was　tempered　by　the

angelic　gratitude　of　the　man　whose　life　was　based　upon　that　virtue。

The　countess　folded　her　arms　in　her　shawl；　lay　back　pensively　on　her

cushions；　ruffling　the　feathers　of　her　pretty　bonnet；　and　looked　at

the　people　who　passed　her。　That　flash　of　a　great　and　hitherto　resigned

soul　reached　her　sensibilities。　What　was　Adam's　merit　in　her　eyes？　It

was　natural　enough　to　have　courage　and　generosity。　But　Thaddeus

surely　Thaddeus　possessed；　or　seemed　to　possess；　some　great

superiority　over　Adam。　They　were　dangerous　thoughts　which　took

possession　of　the　countess's　mind　as　she　again　noticed　the　contrast　of

the　fine　presence　that　distinguished　Thaddeus；　and　the　puny　frame　in

which　Adam　showed　the　degenerating　effects　of　intermarriage　among　the

Polish　aristocratic　families。　The　devil　alone　knew　the　thoughts　that

were　in　Clementine's　head；　for　she　sat　still；　with　thoughtful；　dreamy

eyes；　and　without　saying　a　word　until　they　reached　home。



〃You　will　dine　with　us；　I　shall　be　angry　if　you　disobey　me；〃　she　said

as　the　carriage　turned　in。　〃You　are　Thaddeus　to　me；　as　you　are　to

Adam。　I　know　your　obligations　to　him；　but　I　also　know　those　we　are

under　to　you。　Both　generosities　are　naturalbut　you　are　generous

every　day　and　all　day。　My　father　dines　here　to…day；　also　my　uncle

Ronquerolles　and　my　aunt　Madame　de　Serizy。　Dress　yourself　therefore；〃

she　said；　taking　the　hand　he　offered　to　assist　her　from　the　carriage。



Thaddeus　went　to　his　own　room　to　dress　with　a　joyful　heart；　though

shaken　by　an　inward　dread。　He　went　down　at　the　last　moment　and　behaved

through　dinner　as　he　had　done　on　the　first　occasion；　that　is；　like　a

soldier　fit　only　for　his　duties　as　a　steward。　But　this　time　Clementine

was　not　his　dupe；　his　glance　had　enlightened　her。　The　Marquis　de

Ronquerolles；　one　of　the　ablest　diplomates　after　Talleyrand；　who　had

served　with　de　Marsay　during　his　short　ministry；　had　been　informed　by

his　niece　of　the　real　worth　and　character　of　Comte　Paz；　and　knew　how

modestly　he　made　himself　the　steward　of　his　friend　Laginski。



〃And　why　is　this　the　first　time　I　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Comte

Paz？〃　asked　the　marquis。



〃Because　he　is　so　shy　and　retiring；〃　replied　Clementine　with　a　look　at

Paz　telling　him　to　change　his　behavior。



Alas！　that　we　should　have　to　avow　it；　at　the　risk　of　rendering　the

captain　less　interesting；　but　Paz；　though　superior　to　his　friend　Adam；

was　not　a　man　of　parts。　His　apparent　superiority　was　due　to　his

misfortunes。　In　his　lonely　and　poverty…stricken　life　in　Warsaw　he　had

read　and　taught　himself　a　good　deal；　he　had　compared　and　meditated。

But　the　gift　of　original　thought　which　makes　a　great　man　he　did　not

possess；　and　it　can　never　be　acquired。　Paz；　great　in　heart　only；

approached　in　heart　to　the　sublime；　but　in　the　sphere　of　sentiments；

being　more　a　man　of　action　than　of　thought；　he　kept　his　thoughts　to

himself；　and　they　only　served　therefore　to　eat　his　heart　out。　What；

after　all；　is　a　thought　unexpressed？



After　Clementine's　little　speech；　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　and　his

sister　exchanged　a　singular　glance；　embracing　their　niece；　Comte　Adam；

and　Paz。　It　was　one　of　those　rapid　scenes　which　take　place　only　in

France　and　Italy；the　two　regions　of　the　world　（all　courts　excepted）

where　eyes　can　say　everything。　To　communicate　to　the　eye　the　full

power　of　the　soul；　to　give　it　the　value　of　speech；　needs　either　the

pressure　of　extreme　servitude；　or　complete　liberty。　Adam；　the　Marquis

du　Rouvre；　and　Clementine　did　not　observe　this　luminous　by…play　of　the

old　coquette　and　the　old　diplomatist；　but　Paz；　the　faithful　watchdog；

understood　its　meaning。　It　was；　we　must　remark；　an　affair　of　two

seconds；　but　to　describe　the　tempest　it　roused　in　the　captain's　soul

would　take　far　too　much　space　in　this　brief　history。



〃What！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃do　the　aunt　and　uncle　think　I　might　be

loved？　Then　my　happiness　only　depends　on　my　own　audacity！　But　Adam〃



Ideal　love　and　desire　clashed　with　gratitude　and　friendship；　all

equally　powerful；　and；　for　a　moment；　love　prevailed。　The　lover　would

have　his　day。　Paz　became　brilliant；　he　tried　to　please；　he　told　the

story　of　the　Polish　insurrection　in　noble　words；　being　questioned

about　it　by　the　diplomatist。　By　the　end　of　dinner　Paz　saw　Clementine

hanging　upon　his　lips　and　regarding　him　as　a　hero；　forgetting　that

Adam　too；　after　sacrificing　a　third　of　his　vast　fortune；　had　been　an

exile。　At　nine　o'clock；　after　coffee　had　been　served；　Madame　de　Serizy

kissed　her　niece　on　the　forehead；　pressed　her　hand；　and　went　away；

taking　Adam　with　her　and　leaving　the　Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　and　the

Marquis　du　Rouvre；　who　soon　followed。　Paz　and　Clementine　were　alone

together。



〃I　will　leave　you　now；　madame；〃　said　Thaddeus。　〃You　will　of　course

rejoin　them　at　the　Opera？〃



〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃I　don't　like　dancing；　and　they　give　an　odious

ballet　to…night　'La　Revolte　au　Serail。'〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence。



〃Two　years　ago　Adam　would　not　have　gone　to　the　Opera　without　me；〃　said

Clementine；　not　looking　at　Paz。



〃He　loves　you　madly；〃　replied　Thaddeus。



〃Yes；　and　because　he　loves　me　madly　he　is　all　the　more　likely　not　to

love　me　to…morrow；〃　said　the　countess。



〃How　inexplicable　Parisian　women　are！〃　exclaimed　Thaddeus。　〃When　they

are　loved　to　madness　they　want　to　be　loved　reasonably：　and　when　they

are　loved　reasonably　they　reproach　a　man　for　not　loving　them　at　all。〃



〃And　they　are　quite　right。　Thaddeus；〃　she　went　on；　smiling；　〃I　know

Adam　well；　I　am　not　angry　with　him；　he　is　volatile　and　above　all　grand

seigneur。　He　will　always　be　content　to　have　me　as　his　wife　and　he　will

never　oppose　any　of　my　tastes；　but〃



〃Where　is　the　marriage　in　which　there　are　no　'buts'？〃　said　Thaddeus；

gently；　trying　to　give　another　direction　to　Clementine's　mind。



The　least　presuming　of　men　might　well　have　had　the　thought　which　came

near　rendering　this　poor　lover　beside　himself；　it　was　this：　〃If　I　do

not　tell　her　now　that　I　love　her　I　am　a　fool；〃　he　kept　saying　to

himself。



Neither　spoke；　and　there　came　between　the　pair　one　of　those　deep

silences　that　are　crowded　with　thoughts。　The　countess　examined　Paz

covertly；　and　Paz　observed　her　in　a　mirror。　Buried　in　an　armchair　like

a　man　digesting　his　dinner；