camille-第10部分

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take　on　the　count　when　the　duke　is　dead。　It　isn't　all　fun；〃　continued　Prudence；　〃to　live　like　that。　I　know　very　well　it　wouldn't　suit　me；　and　I　should　soon　send　the　old　man　about　his　business。　He　is　so　dull；　he　calls　her　his　daughter；　looks　after　her　like　a　child；　and　is　always　in　the　way。　I　am　sure　at　this　very　moment　one　of　his　servants　is　prowling　about　in　the　street　to　see　who　comes　out；　and　especially　who　goes　in。〃

〃Ah；　poor　Marguerite！〃　said　Gaston；　sitting　down　to　the　piano　and　playing　a　waltz。　〃I　hadn't　a　notion　of　it；　but　I　did　notice　she　hasn't　been　looking　so　gay　lately。〃

〃Hush；〃　said　Prudence；　listening。　Gaston　stopped。

〃She　is　calling　me；　I　think。〃

We　listened。　A　voice　was　calling；　〃Prudence！〃

〃Come；　now；　you　must　go；〃　said　Mme。　Duvernoy。

〃Ah；　that　is　your　idea　of　hospitality；〃　said　Gaston；　laughing；　〃we　won't　go　till　we　please。〃

〃Why　should　we　go？〃

〃I　am　going　over　to　Marguerite's。〃

〃We　will　wait　here。〃

〃You　can't。〃

〃Then　we　will　go　with　you。〃

〃That　still　less。〃

〃I　know　Marguerite；〃　said　Gaston；　I　can　very　well　pay　her　a　call。〃

〃But　Armand　doesn't　know　her。〃

〃I　will　introduce　him。〃

〃Impossible。〃

We　again　heard　Marguerite's　voice　calling　to　Prudence；　who　rushed　to　her　dressing…room　window。　I　followed　with　Gaston　as　she　opened　the　window。　We　hid　ourselves　so　as　not　to　be　seen　from　outside。

〃I　have　been　calling　you　for　ten　minutes；〃　said　Marguerite　from　her　window；　in　almost　an　imperious　tone　of　voice。

〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　want　you　to　come　over　at　once。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　the　Comte　de　N。　is　still　here；　and　he　is　boring　me　to　death。〃

〃I　can't　now。〃

〃What　is　hindering　you？〃

〃There　are　two　young　fellows　here　who　won't　go。〃

〃Tell　them　that　you　must　go　out。〃

〃I　have　told　them。〃

〃Well；　then；　leave　them　in　the　house。　They　will　soon　go　when　they　see　you　have　gone。〃

〃They　will　turn　everything　upside　down。〃

〃But　what　do　they　want？〃

〃They　want　to　see　you。〃

〃What　are　they　called？〃

〃You　know　one；　M。　Gaston　R。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　I　know　him。　And　the　other？〃

〃M。　Armand　Duval；　and　you　don't　know　him。〃

〃No；　but　bring　them　along。　Anything　is　better　than　the　count。　I　expect　you。　Come　at　once。〃

Marguerite　closed　her　window　and　Prudence　hers。　Marguerite；　who　had　remembered　my　face　for　a　moment；　did　not　remember　my　name。　I　would　rather　have　been　remembered　to　my　disadvantage　than　thus　forgotten。

〃I　knew；〃　said　Gaston；　〃that　she　would　be　delighted　to　see　us。〃

〃Delighted　isn't　the　word；〃　replied　Prudence；　as　she　put　on　her　hat　and　shawl。　〃She　will　see　you　in　order　to　get　rid　of　the　count。　Try　to　be　more　agreeable　than　he　is；　or　（I　know　Marguerite）　she　will　put　it　all　down　to　me。〃

We　followed　Prudence　downstairs。　I　trembled；　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　visit　was　to　have　a　great　influence　on　my　life。　I　was　still　more　agitated　than　on　the　evening　when　I　was　introduced　in　the　box　at　the　Opera　Comique。　As　we　reached　the　door　that　you　know；　my　heart　beat　so　violently　that　I　was　hardly　able　to　think。

We　heard　the　sound　of　a　piano。　Prudence　rang。　The　piano　was　silent。　A　woman　who　looked　more　like　a　companion　than　a　servant　opened　the　door。　We　went　into　the　drawing…room；　and　from　that　to　the　boudoir；　which　was　then　just　as　you　have　seen　it　since。　A　young　man　was　leaning　against　the　mantel…piece。　Marguerite；　seated　at　the　piano；　let　her　fingers　wander　over　the　notes；　beginning　scraps　of　music　without　finishing　them。　The　whole　scene　breathed　boredom；　the　man　embarrassed　by　the　consciousness　of　his　nullity；　the　woman　tired　of　her　dismal　visitor。　At　the　voice　of　Prudence；　Marguerite　rose；　and　coming　toward　us　with　a　look　of　gratitude　to　Mme。　Duvernoy；　said：

〃Come　in；　and　welcome。〃



Chapter　9

〃Good…evening；　my　dear　Gaston；〃　said　Marguerite　to　my　companion。　〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you。　Why　didn't　you　come　to　see　me　in　my　box　at　the　Varietes？〃

〃I　was　afraid　it　would　be　indiscreet。〃

〃Friends；〃　and　Marguerite　lingered　over　the　word；　as　if　to　intimate　to　those　who　were　present　that　in　spite　of　the　familiar　way　in　which　she　greeted　him；　Gaston　was　not　and　never　had　been　anything　more　than　a　friend；　〃friends　are　always　welcome。〃

〃Then；　will　you　permit　me　to　introduce　M。　Armand　Duval？〃

〃I　had　already　authorized　Prudence　to　do　so。〃

〃As　far　as　that　goes；　madame；〃　I　said；　bowing；　and　succeeding　in　getting　more　or　less　intelligible　sounds　out　of　my　throat；　〃I　have　already　had　the　honour　of　being　introduced　to　you。〃

Marguerite's　beautiful　eyes　seemed　to　be　looking　back　in　memory；　but　she　could　not；　or　seemed　not　to；　remember。

〃Madame；〃　I　continued；　〃I　am　grateful　to　you　for　having　forgotten　the　occasion　of　my　first　introduction；　for　I　was　very　absurd　and　must　have　seemed　to　you　very　tiresome。　It　was　at　the　Opera　Comique；　two　years　ago；　I　was　with　Ernest　de　。〃

〃Ah；　I　remember；〃　said　Marguerite；　with　a　smile。　〃It　was　not　you　who　were　absurd；　it　was　I　who　was　mischievous；　as　I　still　am；　but　somewhat　less。　You　have　forgiven　me？〃

And　she　held　out　her　hand；　which　I　kissed。

〃It　is　true；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　know　I　have　the　bad　habit　of　trying　to　embarrass　people　the　first　time　I　meet　them。　It　is　very　stupid。　My　doctor　says　it　is　because　I　am　nervous　and　always　ill；　believe　my　doctor。〃

〃But　you　seem　quite　well。〃

〃Oh！　I　have　been　very　ill。〃

〃I　know。〃

〃Who　told　you？〃

〃Every　one　knew　it；　I　often　came　to　inquire　after　you；　and　I　was　happy　to　hear　of　your　convalescence。〃

〃They　never　gave　me　your　card。〃

〃I　did　not　leave　it。〃

〃Was　it　you；　then；　who　called　every　day　while　I　was　ill；　and　would　never　leave　your　name？〃

〃Yes；　it　was　I。〃

〃Then　you　are　more　than　indulgent；　you　are　generous。　You；　count；　wouldn't　have　done　that；〃　said　she；　turning　toward　M。　de　N。；　after　giving　me　one　of　those　looks　in　which　women　sum　up　their　opinion　of　a　man。

〃I　have　only　known　you　for　two　months；〃　replied　the　count。

〃And　this　gentleman　only　for　five　minutes。　You　always　say　something　ridiculous。〃

Women　are　pitiless　toward　those　whom　they　do　not　care　for。　The　count　reddened　and　bit　his　lips。

I　was　sorry　for　him；　for　he　seemed；　like　myself；　to　be　in　love；　and　the　bitter　frankness　of　Marguerite　must　have　made　him　very　unhappy；　especially　in　the　presence　of　two　strangers。

〃You　were　playing　the　piano　when　we　came　in；〃　I　said；　in　order　to　change　the　conversation。　〃Won't　you　be　so　good　as　to　treat　me　as　an　old　acquaintance　and　go　on？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　she；　flinging　herself　on　the　sofa　and　motioning　to　us　to　sit　down；　〃Gaston　knows　what　my　music　is　like。　It　is　all　very　well　when　I　am　alone　with　the　count；　but　I　won't　inflict　such　a　punishment　on　you。〃

〃You　show　me　that　preference？〃　said　M。　de　N。；　with　a　smile　which　he　tried　to　render　delicately　ironical。

〃Don't　reproach　me　for　it。　It　is　the　only　one。〃　It　was　fated　that　the　poor　man　was　not　to　say　a　single　word。　He　cast　a　really　supplicating　glance　at　Marguerite。

〃Well；　Prudence；〃　she　went　on；　〃have　you　done　what　I　asked　you　to　do？〃

〃Yes。

〃All　right。　You　will　tell　me　about　it　later。　We　must　talk　over　it；　don't　go　before　I　can　speak　with　you。〃

〃We　are　doubtless　intruders；〃　I　said；　〃and　now　that　we；　or　rather　I；　have　had　a　second　introduction；　to　blot　out　the　first；　it　is　time　for　Gaston　and　me　to　be　going。〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　I　didn't　mean　that　for　you。　I　want　you　to　stay。〃

The　count　took　a　very　elegant　watch　out　of　his　pocket　and　looked　at　the　time。　〃I　must　be　going　to　my　club；〃　he　said。　Marguerite　did　not　answer。　The　count　thereupon　left　his　position　by　the　fireplace　and　going　up　to　her；　said：　〃Adieu；　madame。〃

Marguerite　rose。　〃Adieu；　my　dear　count。　Are　you　going　already？〃

〃Yes；　I　fear　I　am　boring　you。〃

〃You　are　not　boring　me　to…day　more　than　any　other　day。　When　shall　I　be　seeing　you？〃

〃When　you　permit　me。〃

〃Good…bye；　then。〃

It　was　cruel；　you　will　admit。　Fortunately；　the　count　had　excellent　manners　and　was　very　good…tempered。　He　merely　kissed　Marguerite's　hand；　which　she　held　out　to　him　carelessly　enough；　and；　bowing　to　us；　went　out。

As　he　crossed　the　threshold；　he　cast　a　glance　at　Prudence。　She　shrugged　her　shoulders；　as　much　as　to　say：

〃What　do　you　expect？　I　have　done　all　I　could。〃

〃Nanine！〃　cried　Marguerite。　〃Light　M。　le　Comte　to　the　door。〃

We　heard　the　door　open　and　shut。

〃At　last；〃　cried　Marguerite；　coming　back；　〃he　has　gone！　That　man　gets　frightfully　on　my　nerves！〃

〃My　dear　child；〃　said　Prudence；　〃you　really　treat　him　too　badly；　and　he　is　so　good　and　kind　to　you。　Look　at　this　watch　on　the　mantel…piece；　that　he　gave　you：　it　must　have　cost　him　at　least　three　thousand　francs；　I　am　sure。〃

And　Mme。　Duvernoy　began　to　turn　it　over；　as　it　lay　on　the　mantel…piece；　looking　at　it　with　covetous　eyes。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Marguerite；　sitting　down　to　the　piano；　〃when　I　put　on　one　side　what　he　gives　me　and　on　the　other　what　he　says　to　me；　it　seems　to　me　that　he　buys　his　visits　very　cheap。〃

〃The　poor　fellow　is　in　love　with　you。〃

〃If　I　had　to　listen　to　everybody　who　was　in　love　with　me；　I　shouldn't　have　time　for　my　dinner。〃

And　she　began　to　run　her　fingers　over　the　piano；　and　then；　turning　to　us；　she　said：

〃What　will　you　take？　I　think　I　should　like　a　little　punch。〃

〃And　I　could　eat　a　little　chicken；〃　said　Prudence。　〃Suppose　we　have　supper？〃

〃That's　it；　let's　go　and　have　supper；〃　said　Gaston。

〃No；　we　will　have　supper　here。〃

She　rang；　and　Nanine　appeared。

〃Send　for　some　supper。〃

〃What　must　I　get？〃

〃Whatever　you　like；　but　at　once；　at　once。〃

Nanine　went　out。

〃That's　it；〃　said　Marguerite；　jumping　like　a　child；　〃we'll　have　supper。　How　tiresome　that　idiot　of　a　count　is！〃

The　more　I　saw　her；　the　more　she　enchanted　me。　She　was　exquisitely　beautiful。　Her　slenderness　was　a　charm。　I　was　lost　in　contemplation。

What　was　passing　in　my　mind　I　should　have　some　difficulty　in　explaining。　I　was　full　of　indulgence　for　her　life；　full　of　admiration　for　her　beauty。　The　proof　of　disinterestedness　that　she　gave　in　not　accepting　a　rich　and　fashionable　young　man；　ready　to　waste　all　his　money　upon　her；　excused　her　in　my　eyes　for　all　her　faults　in　the　past。

There　was　a　kind　of　candour　in　this　woman。　You　could　see　she　was　still　in　the　virginity　of　vice。　Her　firm　walk；　her　supple　figure；　her　rosy；　open　nostrils；　her　large　ey