paz-第8部分

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went　into　Malaga's　boudoir　nor　into　her　bedroom；　in　spite　of　the

clever　manoeuvring　of　the　Chapuzots　and　Malaga　to　get　him　there。　The

count　would　ask　questions　as　to　the　small　events　of　Marguerite's　life；

and　each　time　that　he　came　he　left　two　gold　pieces　of　forty　francs

each　on　the　mantel…piece。



〃He　looks　as　if　he　didn't　care　to　be　here；〃　said　Madame　Chapuzot。



〃Yes；〃　said　Malaga；　〃the　man's　as　cold　as　an　icicle。〃



〃But　he's　a　good　fellow　all　the　same；〃　cried　Chapuzot；　who　was　happy

in　a　new　suit　of　clothes　made　of　blue　cloth；　in　which　he　looked　like

the　servant　of　some　minister。



The　sum　which　Paz　deposited　weekly　on　the　mantel…piece；　joined　to

Malaga's　meagre　salary；　gave　her　the　means　of　sumptuous　living

compared　with　her　former　poverty。　Wonderful　stories　went　the　rounds　of

the　Circus　about　Malaga's　good…luck。　Her　vanity　increased　the　six

thousand　francs　which　Paz　had　spent　on　her　furniture　to　sixty

thousand。　According　to　the　clowns　and　the　supers；　Malaga　was

squandering　money；　and　she　now　appeared　at　the　Circus　wearing　burnous

and　shawls　and　elegant　scarfs。　The　Pole；　it　was　agreed　on　all　sides；

was　the　best　sort　of　man　a　circus…rider　had　ever　encountered；　not

fault…finding　nor　jealous；　and　willing　to　let　Malaga　do　just　what　she

liked。



〃Some　women　have　the　luck　of　it；〃　said　Malaga's　rival；　〃and　I'm　not

one　of　them；though　I　do　draw　a　third　of　the　receipts。〃



Malaga　wore　pretty　things；　and　occasionally　〃showed　her　head〃　（a　term

in　the　lexicon　of　such　characters）　in　the　Bois；　where　the　fashionable

young　men　of　the　day　began　to　remark　her。　In　fact；　before　long　Malaga

was　very　much　talked　about　in　the　questionable　world　of　equivocal

women；　who　presently　attacked　her　good　fortune　by　calumnies。　They　said

she　was　a　somnambulist；　and　the　Pole　was　a　magnetizer　who　was　using

her　to　discover　the　philosopher's　stone。　Some　even　more　envenomed

scandals　drove　her　to　a　curiosity　that　was　greater　than　Psyche's。　She

reported　them　in　tears　to　Paz。



〃When　I　want　to　injure　a　woman；〃　she　said　in　conclusion；　〃I　don't

calumniate　her；　I　don't　declare　that　some　one　magnetizes　her　to　get

stones　out　of　her；　but　I　say　plainly　that　she　is　humpbacked；　and　I

prove　it。　Why　do　you　compromise　me　in　this　way？〃



Paz　maintained　a　cruel　silence。　Madame　Chapuzot　was　not　long　in

discovering　the　name　and　title　of　Comte　Paz；　then　she　heard　certain

positive　facts　at　the　hotel　Laginski：　for　instance；　that　Paz　was　a

bachelor；　and　had　never　been　known　to　have　a　daughter；　alive　or　dead；

in　Poland　or　in　France。　After　that　Malaga　could　not　control　a　feeling

of　terror。



〃My　dear　child；〃　Madame　Chapuzot　would　say；　〃that　monster〃　（a　man

who　contented　himself　with　only　looking；　in　a　sly　way；not　daring　to

come　out　and　say　things；and　such　a　beautiful　creature　too；　as

Malaga；of　course　such　a　man　was　a　monster；　according　to　Madame

Chapuzot's　ideas）　〃that　monster　is　trying　to　get　a　hold　upon　you；

and　make　you　do　something　illegal　and　criminal。　Holy　Father；　if　you

should　get　into　the　police…courts！　it　makes　me　tremble　from　head　to

foot；　suppose　they　should　put　you　in　the　newspapers！　I'll　tell　you

what　I　should　do　in　your　place；　I'd　warn　the　police。〃



One　particular　day；　after　many　foolish　notions　had　fermented　for　some

time　in　Malaga's　mind；　Paz　having　laid　his　money　as　usual　on　the

mantel…piece；　she　seized　the　bits　of　gold　and　flung　them　in　his　face；

crying　out；　〃I　don't　want　stolen　money！〃



The　captain　gave　the　gold　to　Chapuzot；　went　away　without　a　word；　and

did　not　return。



Clementine　was　at　this　time　at　her　uncle's　place　in　Burgundy。



When　the　Circus　troop　discovered　that　Malaga　had　lost　her　Polish

count；　much　excitement　was　produced　among　them。　Malaga's　display　of

honor　was　considered　folly　by　some；　and　shrewdness　by　others。　The

conduct　of　the　Pole；　however；　even　when　discussed　by　the　cleverest　of

women；　seemed　inexplicable。　Thaddeus　received　in　the　course　of　the

next　week　thirty…seven　letters　from　women　of　their　kind。　Happily　for

him；　his　astonishing　reserve　did　not　excite　the　curiosity　of　the

fashionable　world；　and　was　only　discussed　in　the　demi…mondaine

regions。



Two　weeks　later　the　handsome　circus…rider；　crippled　by　debt；　wrote　the

following　letter　to　Comte　Paz；　which；　having　fallen　into　the　hands　of

Comte　Adam；　was　read　by　several　of　the　dandies　of　the　day；　who

pronounced　it　a　masterpiece：



　　〃You；　whom　I　still　dare　to　call　my　friend；　will　you　not　pity　me

　　after　all　that　has　passed；which　you　have　so　ill　understood？　My

　　heart　disavows　whatever　may　have　wounded　your　feelings。　If　I　was

　　fortunate　enough　to　charm　you　and　keep　you　beside　me　in　the　past；

　　return　to　me；　otherwise；　I　shall　fall　into　despair。　Poverty　has

　　overtaken　me；　and　you　do　not　know　what　HORRID　THINGS　it　brings

　　with　it。　Yesterday　I　lived　on　a　herring　at　two　sous；　and　one　sou

　　of　bread。　Is　that　a　breakfast　for　the　woman　you　loved？　The

　　Chapuzots　have　left　me；　though　they　seemed　so　devoted。　Your

　　desertion　has　caused　me　to　see　to　the　bottom　of　all　human

　　attachments。　The　dog　we　feed　does　not　leave　us；　but　the　Chapuzots

　　have　gone。　A　sheriff　has　seized　everything　on　behalf　of　the

　　landlord；　who　has　no　heart；　and　the　jeweller；　who　refused　to　wait

　　even　ten　days；for　when　we　lose　the　confidence　of　such　as　you；

　　credit　goes　too。　What　a　position　for　women　who　have　nothing　to

　　reproach　themselves　with　but　the　happiness　they　have　given！　My

　　friend；　I　have　taken　all　I　have　of　any　value　to　MY　UNCLE'S；　I　have

　　nothing　but　the　memory　of　you　left；　and　here　is　the　winter　coming

　　on。　I　shall　be　fireless　when　it　turns　cold；　for　the　boulevards　are

　　to　play　only　melodramas；　in　which　I　have　nothing　but　little　bits

　　of　parts　which　don't　POSE　a　woman。　How　could　you　misunderstand　the

　　nobleness　of　my　feelings　for　you？for　there　are　two　ways　of

　　expressing　gratitude。　You　who　seemed　so　happy　in　seeing　me　well…

　　off；　how　can　you　leave　me　in　poverty？　Oh；　my　sole　friend　on　earth；

　　before　I　go　back　to　the　country　fairs　with　Bouthor's　circus；　where

　　I　can　at　least　make　a　living；　forgive　me　if　I　wish　to　know　whether

　　I　have　lost　you　forever。　If　I　were　to　let　myself　think　of　you　when

　　I　jump　through　the　hoops；　I　should　be　sure　to　break　my　legs　by

　　losing　A　TIME。　Whatever　may　be　the　result；　I　am　yours　for　life。



〃Marguerite　Turquet。〃





〃That　letter；〃　thought　Thaddeus；　shouting　with　laughter；　〃is　worth　the

ten　thousand　francs　I　have　spent　upon　her。〃







III



Clementine　came　home　the　next　day；　and　the　day　after　that　Paz　beheld

her　again；　more　beautiful　and　graceful　than　ever。　After　dinner；　during

which　the　countess　treated　Paz　with　an　air　of　perfect　indifference；　a

little　scene　took　place　in　the　salon　between　the　count　and　his　wife

when　Thaddeus　had　left　them。　On　pretence　of　asking　Adam's　advice；

Thaddeus　had　left　Malaga's　letter　with　him；　as　if　by　mistake。



〃Poor　Thaddeus！〃　said　Adam；　as　Paz　disappeared；　〃what　a　misfortune　for

a　man　of　his　distinction　to　be　the　plaything　of　the　lowest　kind　of

circus…rider。　He　will　lose　everything；　and　get　lower　and　lower；　and

won't　be　recognizable　before　long。　Here；　read　that；〃　added　the　count；

giving　Malaga's　letter　to　his　wife。



Clementine　read　the　letter；　which　smelt　of　tobacco；　and　threw　it　from

her　with　a　look　of　disgust。



〃Thick　as　the　bandage　is　over　his　eyes；〃　continued　Adam；　〃he　must　have

found　out　something；　Malaga　tricked　him；　no　doubt。〃



〃But　he　goes　back　to　her；〃　said　Clementine；　〃and　he　will　forgive　her！

It　is　for　such　horrible　women　as　that　that　you　men　have　indulgence。〃



〃Well；　they　need　it；〃　said　Adam。



〃Thaddeus　used　to　show　some　decencyin　living　apart　from　us；〃　she

remarked。　〃He　had　better　go　altogether。〃



〃Oh；　my　dear　angel；　that's　going　too　far；〃　said　the　count；　who　did　not

want　the　death　of　the　sinner。



Paz；　who　knew　Adam　thoroughly；　had　enjoined　him　to　secrecy；　pretending

to　excuse　his　dissipations；　and　had　asked　his　friend　to　lend　him　a　few

thousand　francs　for　Malaga。



〃He　is　a　very　firm　fellow；〃　said　Adam。



〃How　so？〃　asked　Clementine。



〃Why；　for　having　spent　no　more　than　ten　thousand　francs　on　her；　and

letting　her　send　him　that　letter　before　he　would　ask　me　for　enough　to

pay　her　debts。　For　a　Pole；　I　call　that　firm。〃



〃He　will　ruin　you；〃　said　Clementine；　in　the　sharp　tone　of　a　Parisian

woman；　when　she　shows　her　feline　distrusts。



〃Oh；　I　know　him；〃　said　Adam；　〃he　will　sacrifice　Malaga；　if　I　ask　him。〃



〃We　shall　see；〃　remarked　the　countess。



〃If　it　is　best　for　his　own　happiness；　I　sha'n't　hesitate　to　ask　him　to

leave　her。　Constantin　says　that　since　Paz　has　been　with　her　he；　sober

as　he　is；　has　sometimes　come　home　quite　excited。　If　he　takes　to

intoxication　I　shall　be　just　as　grieved　as　if　he　were　my　own　son。〃



〃Don't　tell　me　anything　more　about　it；〃　cried　the　countess；　with　a

gesture　of　disgust。



Two　days　later　the　captain　perceived　in　the　manner；　the　tones　of

voice；　but；　above　all；　in　the　eyes　of　the　countess；　the　terrible

results　of　Adam's　confidences。　Contempt　had　opened　a　gulf　between　the

beloved　woman　and　himself。　He　was　suddenly　plunged　into　the　deepest

distress　of　mind；　for　the　thought　gnawed　him；　〃I　have　myself　made　her

despise　me！〃　His　own　folly　stared　him　in　the　face。　Life　then　became　a

burden　to　him；　the　very　sun　turned　gray。　And　yet；　amid　all　these

bitter　thoughts；　he　found　again　some　moments　of　pure　joy。　There　were

times　when　he　could　give　himself　up　wholly　to　his　admiration　for　his

mistress；　who　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　him。　Hanging　about

in　corners　at　her　parties　and　receptions；　silent；　all　heart　and　eyes；

he　never　lost　one　of　her　attitudes；　nor　a　tone　of　her　voice　when　she

sang。　He　lived　in　her　life；　he　groomed　the　horse　which　SHE　rode；　he

studied　the　ways　and　means　of　that　splendid　establishment；　to　the

interests　of　which　he　was　now　more　devoted　than　ever。　These　silen