the ball at sceaux-第7部分

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

one　of　the　columns　that　supported　the　roof；　his　arms　were　folded；　and

he　leaned　slightly　on　one　side　as　though　he　had　placed　himself　there

to　have　his　portrait　taken　by　a　painter。　His　attitude；　though　full　of

elegance　and　dignity；　was　devoid　of　affectation。　Nothing　suggested

that　he　had　half　turned　his　head；　and　bent　it　a　little　to　the　right

like　Alexander；　or　Lord　Byron；　and　some　other　great　men；　for　the　sole

purpose　of　attracting　attention。　His　fixed　gaze　followed　a　girl　who

was　dancing；　and　betrayed　some　strong　feeling。　His　slender；　easy　frame

recalled　the　noble　proportions　of　the　Apollo。　Fine　black　hair　curled

naturally　over　a　high　forehead。　At　a　glance　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine

observed　that　his　linen　was　fine；　his　gloves　fresh；　and　evidently

bought　of　a　good　maker；　and　his　feet　were　small　and　well　shod　in　boots

of　Irish　kid。　He　had　none　of　the　vulgar　trinkets　displayed　by　the

dandies　of　the　National　Guard　or　the　Lovelaces　of　the　counting…house。

A　black　ribbon；　to　which　an　eye…glass　was　attached；　hung　over　a

waistcoat　of　the　most　fashionable　cut。　Never　had　the　fastidious　Emilie

seen　a　man's　eyes　shaded　by　such　long；　curled　lashes。　Melancholy　and

passion　were　expressed　in　this　face；　and　the　complexion　was　of　a　manly

olive　hue。　His　mouth　seemed　ready　to　smile；　unbending　the　corners　of

eloquent　lips；　but　this；　far　from　hinting　at　gaiety；　revealed　on　the

contrary　a　sort　of　pathetic　grace。　There　was　too　much　promise　in　that

head；　too　much　distinction　in　his　whole　person；　to　allow　of　one's

saying；　〃What　a　handsome　man！〃　or　〃What　a　fine　man！〃　One　wanted　to

know　him。　The　most　clear…sighted　observer；　on　seeing　this　stranger；

could　not　have　helped　taking　him　for　a　clever　man　attracted　to　this

rural　festivity　by　some　powerful　motive。



All　these　observations　cost　Emilie　only　a　minute's　attention；　during

which　the　privileged　gentleman　under　her　severe　scrutiny　became　the

object　of　her　secret　admiration。　She　did　not　say　to　herself；　〃He　must

be　a　peer　of　France！〃　but　〃Oh；　if　only　he　is　noble；　and　he　surely　must

be〃　Without　finishing　her　thought；　she　suddenly　rose；　and　followed

by　her　brother　the　General；　she　made　her　way　towards　the　column；

affecting　to　watch　the　merry　quadrille；　but　by　a　stratagem　of　the　eye；

familiar　to　women；　she　lost　not　a　gesture　of　the　young　man　as　she　went

towards　him。　The　stranger　politely　moved　to　make　way　for　the

newcomers；　and　went　to　lean　against　another　pillar。　Emilie；　as　much

nettled　by　his　politeness　as　she　might　have　been　by　an　impertinence；

began　talking　to　her　brother　in　a　louder　voice　than　good　taste

enjoined；　she　turned　and　tossed　her　head；　gesticulated　eagerly；　and

laughed　for　no　particular　reason；　less　to　amuse　her　brother　than　to

attract　the　attention　of　the　imperturbable　stranger。　None　of　her

little　arts　succeeded。　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　then　followed　the

direction　in　which　his　eyes　were　fixed；　and　discovered　the　cause　of

his　indifference。



In　the　midst　of　the　quadrille；　close　in　front　of　them；　a　pale　girl　was

dancing；　her　face　was　like　one　of　the　divinities　which　Girodet　has

introduced　into　his　immense　composition　of　French　Warriors　received　by

Ossian。　Emilie　fancied　that　she　recognized　her　as　a　distinguished

milady　who　for　some　months　had　been　living　on　a　neighboring　estate。

Her　partner　was　a　lad　of　about　fifteen；　with　red　hands；　and　dressed　in

nankeen　trousers；　a　blue　coat；　and　white　shoes；　which　showed　that　the

damsel's　love　of　dancing　made　her　easy　to　please　in　the　matter　of

partners。　Her　movements　did　not　betray　her　apparent　delicacy；　but　a

faint　flush　already　tinged　her　white　cheeks；　and　her　complexion　was

gaining　color。　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　went　nearer；　to　be　able　to

examine　the　young　lady　at　the　moment　when　she　returned　to　her　place；

while　the　side　couples　in　their　turn　danced　the　figure。　But　the

stranger　went　up　to　the　pretty　dancer；　and　leaning　over；　said　in　a

gentle　but　commanding　tone：



〃Clara；　my　child；　do　not　dance　any　more。〃



Clara　made　a　little　pouting　face；　bent　her　head；　and　finally　smiled。

When　the　dance　was　over；　the　young　man　wrapped　her　in　a　cashmere　shawl

with　a　lover's　care；　and　seated　her　in　a　place　sheltered　from　the

wind。　Very　soon　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine；　seeing　them　rise　and　walk

round　the　place　as　if　preparing　to　leave；　found　means　to　follow　them

under　pretence　of　admiring　the　views　from　the　garden。　Her　brother　lent

himself　with　malicious　good…humor　to　the　divagations　of　her　rather

eccentric　wanderings。　Emilie　then　saw　the　attractive　couple　get　into

an　elegant　tilbury；　by　which　stood　a　mounted　groom　in　livery。　At　the

moment　when；　from　his　high　seat；　the　young　man　was　drawing　the　reins

even；　she　caught　a　glance　from　his　eye　such　as　a　man　casts　aimlessly

at　the　crowd；　and　then　she　enjoyed　the　feeble　satisfaction　of　seeing

him　turn　his　head　to　look　at　her。　The　young　lady　did　the　same。　Was　it

from　jealousy？



〃I　imagine　you　have　now　seen　enough　of　the　garden；〃　said　her　brother。

〃We　may　go　back　to　the　dancing。〃



〃I　am　ready；〃　said　she。　〃Do　you　think　the　girl　can　be　a　relation　of

Lady　Dudley's？〃



〃Lady　Dudley　may　have　some　male　relation　staying　with　her；〃　said　the

Baron　de　Fontaine；　〃but　a　young　girl！No！〃



Next　day　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　expressed　a　wish　to　take　a　ride。

Then　she　gradually　accustomed　her　old　uncle　and　her　brothers　to

escorting　her　in　very　early　rides；　excellent；　she　declared　for　her

health。　She　had　a　particular　fancy　for　the　environs　of　the　hamlet

where　Lady　Dudley　was　living。　Notwithstanding　her　cavalry　manoeuvres；

she　did　not　meet　the　stranger　so　soon　as　the　eager　search　she　pursued

might　have　allowed　her　to　hope。　She　went　several　times　to　the　〃Bal　de

Sceaux〃　without　seeing　the　young　Englishman　who　had　dropped　from　the

skies　to　pervade　and　beautify　her　dreams。　Though　nothing　spurs　on　a

young　girl's　infant　passion　so　effectually　as　an　obstacle；　there　was　a

time　when　Mademoiselle　de　Fontaine　was　on　the　point　of　giving　up　her

strange　and　secret　search；　almost　despairing　of　the　success　of　an

enterprise　whose　singularity　may　give　some　idea　of　the　boldness　of　her

temper。　In　point　of　fact；　she　might　have　wandered　long　about　the

village　of　Chatenay　without　meeting　her　Unknown。　The　fair　Clarasince

that　was　the　name　Emilie　had　overheardwas　not　English；　and　the

stranger　who　escorted　her　did　not　dwell　among　the　flowery　and　fragrant

bowers　of　Chatenay。



One　evening　Emilie；　out　riding　with　her　uncle；　who；　during　the　fine

weather；　had　gained　a　fairly　long　truce　from　the　gout；　met　Lady

Dudley。　The　distinguished　foreigner　had　with　her　in　her　open　carriage

Monsieur　Vandenesse。　Emilie　recognized　the　handsome　couple；　and　her

suppositions　were　at　once　dissipated　like　a　dream。　Annoyed；　as　any

woman　must　be　whose　expectations　are　frustrated；　she　touched　up　her

horse　so　suddenly　that　her　uncle　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in

following　her；　she　had　set　off　at　such　a　pace。



〃I　am　too　old；　it　would　seem；　to　understand　these　youthful　spirits；〃

said　the　old　sailor　to　himself　as　he　put　his　horse　to　a　canter；　〃or

perhaps　young　people　are　not　what　they　used　to　be。　But　what　ails　my

niece？　Now　she　is　walking　at　a　foot…pace　like　a　gendarme　on　patrol　in

the　Paris　streets。　One　might　fancy　she　wanted　to　outflank　that　worthy

man；　who　looks　to　me　like　an　author　dreaming　over　his　poetry；　for　he

has；　I　think；　a　notebook　in　his　hand。　My　word；　I　am　a　great　simpleton！

Is　not　that　the　very　young　man　we　are　in　search　of！〃



At　this　idea　the　old　admiral　moderated　his　horse's　pace　so　as　to

follow　his　niece　without　making　any　noise。　He　had　played　too　many

pranks　in　the　years　1771　and　soon　after；　a　time　of　our　history　when

gallantry　was　held　in　honor；　not　to　guess　at　once　that　by　the　merest

chance　Emilie　had　met　the　Unknown　of　the　Sceaux　gardens。　In　spite　of

the　film　which　age　had　drawn　over　his　gray　eyes；　the　Comte　de

Kergarouet　could　recognize　the　signs　of　extreme　agitation　in　his

niece；　under　the　unmoved　expression　she　tried　to　give　to　her　features。

The　girl's　piercing　eyes　were　fixed　in　a　sort　of　dull　amazement　on　the

stranger；　who　quietly　walked　on　in　front　of　her。



〃Ay；　that's　it；〃　thought　the　sailor。　〃She　is　following　him　as　a　pirate

follows　a　merchantman。　Then；　when　she　has　lost　sight　of　him；　she　will

be　in　despair　at　not　knowing　who　it　is　she　is　in　love　with；　and

whether　he　is　a　marquis　or　a　shopkeeper。　Really　these　young　heads　need

an　old　fogy　like　me　always　by　their　side　。　。　。〃



He　unexpectedly　spurred　his　horse　in　such　a　way　as　to　make　his　niece's

bolt；　and　rode　so　hastily　between　her　and　the　young　man　on　foot　that

he　obliged　him　to　fall　back　on　to　the　grassy　bank　which　rose　from　the

roadside。　Then；　abruptly　drawing　up；　the　Count　exclaimed：



〃Couldn't　you　get　out　of　the　way？〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　monsieur。　But　I　did　not　know　that　it　lay　with　me

to　apologize　to　you　because　you　almost　rode　me　down。〃



〃There；　enough　of　that；　my　good　fellow！〃　replied　the　sailor　harshly；

in　a　sneering　tone　that　was　nothing　less　than　insulting。　At　the　same

time　the　Count　raised　his　hunting…crop　as　if　to　strike　his　horse；　and

touched　the　young　fellow's　shoulder；　saying；　〃A　liberal　citizen　is　a

reasoner；　every　reasoner　should　be　prudent。〃



The　young　man　went　up　the　bankside　as　he　heard　the　sarcasm；　then　he

crossed　his　arms；　and　said　in　an　excited　tone　of　voice；　〃I　cannot

suppose；　monsieur；　as　I　look　at　your　white　hairs；　that　you　still　amuse

yourself　by　provoking　duels〃



〃White　hairs！〃　cried　the　sailor；　interrupting　him。　〃You　lie　in　your

throat。　They　are　only　gray。〃



A　quarrel　thus　begun　had　in　a　few　seconds　become　so　fierce　that　the

younger　man　forgot　the　moderation　he　had　tried　to　preserve。　Just　as

the　Comte　de　Kergarouet　saw　his　niece　coming　back　to　them　with　every

sign　of　the　greatest　uneasiness；　he　told　his　antagonist　his　name；

bidding　him　keep　sil