the ball at sceaux-第6部分

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Count's　second　daughter；　〃you　do　not　like　lawyers　either；　so　that　if

you　refuse　men　of　wealth　who　have　not　titles；　I　do　not　quite　see　in

what　class　you　are　to　choose　a　husband。〃



〃Especially；　Emilie；　with　your　standard　of　slimness；〃　added　the

Lieutenant…General。



〃I　know　what　I　want；〃　replied　the　young　lady。



〃My　sister　wants　a　fine　name；　a　fine　young　man；　fine　prospects；　and　a

hundred　thousand　francs　a　year；〃　said　the　Baronne　de　Fontaine。

〃Monsieur　de　Marsay；　for　instance。〃



〃I　know；　my　dear；〃　retorted　Emilie；　〃that　I　do　not　mean　to　make　such　a

foolish　marriage　as　some　I　have　seen。　Moreover；　to　put　an　end　to　these

matrimonial　discussions；　I　hereby　declare　that　I　shall　look　on　anyone

who　talks　to　me　of　marriage　as　a　foe　to　my　peace　of　mind。〃



An　uncle　of　Emilie's；　a　vice…admiral；　whose　fortune　had　just　been

increased　by　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year　in　consequence　of　the　Act

of　Indemnity；　and　a　man　of　seventy；　feeling　himself　privileged　to　say

hard　things　to　his　grand…niece；　on　whom　he　doted；　in　order　to　mollify

the　bitter　tone　of　the　discussion　now　exclaimed：



〃Do　not　tease　my　poor　little　Emilie；　don't　you　see　she　is　waiting　till

the　Duc　de　Bordeaux　comes　of　age！〃



The　old　man's　pleasantry　was　received　with　general　laughter。



〃Take　care　I　don't　marry　you；　old　fool！〃　replied　the　young　girl；　whose

last　words　were　happily　drowned　in　the　noise。



〃My　dear　children；〃　said　Madame　de　Fontaine；　to　soften　this　saucy

retort；　〃Emilie；　like　you；　will　take　no　advice　but　her　mother's。〃



〃Bless　me！　I　shall　take　no　advice　but　my　own　in　a　matter　which

concerns　no　one　but　myself；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　very

distinctly。



At　this　all　eyes　were　turned　to　the　head　of　the　family。　Every　one

seemed　anxious　as　to　what　he　would　do　to　assert　his　dignity。　The

venerable　gentleman　enjoyed　much　consideration；　not　only　in　the　world；

happier　than　many　fathers；　he　was　also　appreciated　by　his　family；　all

its　members　having　a　just　esteem　for　the　solid　qualities　by　which　he

had　been　able　to　make　their　fortunes。　Hence　he　was　treated　with　the

deep　respect　which　is　shown　by　English　families；　and　some　aristocratic

houses　on　the　continent；　to　the　living　representatives　of　an　ancient

pedigree。　Deep　silence　had　fallen；　and　the　guests　looked　alternately

from　the　spoilt　girl's　proud　and　sulky　pout　to　the　severe　faces　of

Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Fontaine。



〃I　have　made　my　daughter　Emilie　mistress　of　her　own　fate；〃　was　the

reply　spoken　by　the　Count　in　a　deep　voice。



Relations　and　guests　gazed　at　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　with　mingled

curiosity　and　pity。　The　words　seemed　to　declare　that　fatherly

affection　was　weary　of　the　contest　with　a　character　that　the　whole

family　knew　to　be　incorrigible。　The　sons…in…law　muttered；　and　the

brothers　glanced　at　their　wives　with　mocking　smiles。　From　that　moment

every　one　ceased　to　take　any　interest　in　the　haughty　girl's　prospects

of　marriage。　Her　old　uncle　was　the　only　person　who；　as　an　old　sailor；

ventured　to　stand　on　her　tack；　and　take　her　broadsides；　without　ever

troubling　himself　to　return　her　fire。



When　the　fine　weather　was　settled；　and　after　the　budget　was　voted；　the

whole　familya　perfect　example　of　the　parliamentary　families　on　the

northern　side　of　the　Channel　who　have　a　footing　in　every　government

department；　and　ten　votes　in　the　House　of　Commonsflew　away　like　a

brood　of　young　birds　to　the　charming　neighborhoods　of　Aulnay；　Antony；

and　Chatenay。　The　wealthy　Receiver…General　had　lately　purchased　in

this　part　of　the　world　a　country…house　for　his　wife；　who　remained　in

Paris　only　during　the　session。　Though　the　fair　Emilie　despised　the

commonalty；　her　feeling　was　not　carried　so　far　as　to　scorn　the

advantages　of　a　fortune　acquired　in　a　profession；　so　she　accompanied

her　sister　to　the　sumptuous　villa；　less　out　of　affection　for　the

members　of　her　family　who　were　visiting　there；　than　because　fashion

has　ordained　that　every　woman　who　has　any　self…respect　must　leave

Paris　in　the　summer。　The　green　seclusion　of　Sceaux　answered　to

perfection　the　requirements　of　good　style　and　of　the　duties　of　an

official　position。



As　it　is　extremely　doubtful　that　the　fame　of　the　〃Bal　de　Sceaux〃

should　ever　have　extended　beyond　the　borders　of　the　Department　of　the

Seine；　it　will　be　necessary　to　give　some　account　of　this　weekly

festivity；　which　at　that　time　was　important　enough　to　threaten　to

become　an　institution。　The　environs　of　the　little　town　of　Sceaux　enjoy

a　reputation　due　to　the　scenery；　which　is　considered　enchanting。

Perhaps　it　is　quite　ordinary；　and　owes　its　fame　only　to　the　stupidity

of　the　Paris　townsfolk；　who；　emerging　from　the　stony　abyss　in　which

they　are　buried；　would　find　something　to　admire　in　the　flats　of　La

Beauce。　However；　as　the　poetic　shades　of　Aulnay；　the　hillsides　of

Antony；　and　the　valley　of　the　Bieve　are　peopled　with　artists　who　have

traveled　far；　by　foreigners　who　are　very　hard　to　please；　and　by　a

great　many　pretty　women　not　devoid　of　taste；　it　is　to　be　supposed　that

the　Parisians　are　right。　But　Sceaux　possesses　another　attraction　not

less　powerful　to　the　Parisian。　In　the　midst　of　a　garden　whence　there

are　delightful　views；　stands　a　large　rotunda　open　on　all　sides；　with　a

light；　spreading　roof　supported　on　elegant　pillars。　This　rural

baldachino　shelters　a　dancing…floor。　The　most　stuck…up　landowners　of

the　neighborhood　rarely　fail　to　make　an　excursion　thither　once　or

twice　during　the　season；　arriving　at　this　rustic　palace　of　Terpsichore

either　in　dashing　parties　on　horseback；　or　in　the　light　and　elegant

carriages　which　powder　the　philosophical　pedestrian　with　dust。　The

hope　of　meeting　some　women　of　fashion；　and　of　being　seen　by　themand

the　hope；　less　often　disappointed；　of　seeing　young　peasant　girls；　as

wily　as　judgescrowds　the　ballroom　at　Sceaux　with　numerous　swarms　of

lawyers'　clerks；　of　the　disciples　of　Aesculapius；　and　other　youths

whose　complexions　are　kept　pale　and　moist　by　the　damp　atmosphere　of

Paris　back…shops。　And　a　good　many　bourgeois　marriages　have　had　their

beginning　to　the　sound　of　the　band　occupying　the　centre　of　this

circular　ballroom。　If　that　roof　could　speak；　what　love…stories　could

it　not　tell！



This　interesting　medley　gave　the　Sceaux　balls　at　that　time　a　spice　of

more　amusement　than　those　of　two　or　three　places　of　the　same　kind　near

Paris；　and　it　had　incontestable　advantages　in　its　rotunda；　and　the

beauty　of　its　situation　and　its　gardens。　Emilie　was　the　first　to

express　a　wish　to　play　at　being　COMMON　FOLK　at　this　gleeful　suburban

entertainment；　and　promised　herself　immense　pleasure　in　mingling　with

the　crowd。　Everybody　wondered　at　her　desire　to　wander　through　such　a

mob；　but　is　there　not　a　keen　pleasure　to　grand　people　in　an　incognito？

Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　amused　herself　with　imagining　all　these　town…

bred　figures；　she　fancied　herself　leaving　the　memory　of　a　bewitching

glance　and　smile　stamped　on　more　than　one　shopkeeper's　heart；　laughed

beforehand　at　the　damsels'　airs；　and　sharpened　her　pencils　for　the

scenes　she　proposed　to　sketch　in　her　satirical　album。　Sunday　could　not

come　soon　enough　to　satisfy　her　impatience。



The　party　from　the　Villa　Planat　set　out　on　foot；　so　as　not　to　betray

the　rank　of　the　personages　who　were　about　to　honor　the　ball　with　their

presence。　They　dined　early。　And　the　month　of　May　humored　this

aristocratic　escapade　by　one　of　its　finest　evenings。　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine　was　quite　surprised　to　find　in　the　rotunda　some　quadrilles

made　up　of　persons　who　seemed　to　belong　to　the　upper　classes。　Here　and

there；　indeed；　were　some　young　men　who　look　as　though　they　must　have

saved　for　a　month　to　shine　for　a　day；　and　she　perceived　several

couples　whose　too　hearty　glee　suggested　nothing　conjugal；　still；　she

could　only　glean　instead　of　gathering　a　harvest。　She　was　amused　to　see

that　pleasure　in　a　cotton　dress　was　so　very　like　pleasure　robed　in

satin；　and　that　the　girls　of　the　middle　class　danced　quite　as　well　as

ladiesnay；　sometimes　better。　Most　of　the　women　were　simply　and

suitably　dressed。　Those　who　in　this　assembly　represented　the　ruling

power；　that　is　to　say；　the　country…folk；　kept　apart　with　wonderful

politeness。　In　fact；　Mademoiselle　Emilie　had　to　study　the　various

elements　that　composed　the　mixture　before　she　could　find　any　subject

for　pleasantry。　But　she　had　not　time　to　give　herself　up　to　malicious

criticism；　or　opportunity　for　hearing　many　of　the　startling　speeches

which　caricaturists　so　gladly　pick　up。　The　haughty　young　lady　suddenly

found　a　flower　in　this　wide　fieldthe　metaphor　is　reasonablewhose

splendor　and　coloring　worked　on　her　imagination　with　all　the

fascination　of　novelty。　It　often　happens　that　we　look　at　a　dress；　a

hanging；　a　blank　sheet　of　paper；　with　so　little　heed　that　we　do　not　at

first　detect　a　stain　or　a　bright　spot　which　afterwards　strikes　the　eye

as　though　it　had　come　there　at　the　very　instant　when　we　see　it；　and　by

a　sort　of　moral　phenomenon　somewhat　resembling　this；　Mademoiselle　de

Fontaine　discovered　in　a　young　man　the　external　perfection　of　which

she　had　so　long　dreamed。



Seated　on　one　of　the　clumsy　chairs　which　marked　the　boundary　line　of

the　circular　floor；　she　had　placed　herself　at　the　end　of　the　row

formed　by　the　family　party；　so　as　to　be　able　to　stand　up　or　push

forward　as　her　fancy　moved　her；　treating　the　living　pictures　and

groups　in　the　hall　as　if　she　were　in　a　picture　gallery；　impertinently

turning　her　eye…glass　on　persons　not　two　yards　away；　and　making　her

remarks　as　though　she　were　criticising　or　praising　a　study　of　a　head；

a　painting　of　genre。　Her　eyes；　after　wandering　over　the　vast　moving

picture；　were　suddenly　caught　by　this　figure；　which　seemed　to　have

been　placed　on　purpose　in　one　corner　of　the　canvas；　and　in　the　best

light；　like　a　person　out　of　all　proportion　with　the　rest。



The　stranger；　alone　and　absorbed　in　thought；　leaned　lightly　against

one　of　the　columns　that