camille-第11部分

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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　eyes；　slightly　tinged　with　blue；　indicated　one　of　those　ardent　natures　which　sbed　around　them　a　sort　of　voluptuous　perfume；　like　Eastern　vials；　which；　close　them　as　tightly　as　you　will；　still　let　some　of　their　perfume　escape。　Finally；　whether　it　was　simple　nature　or　a　breath　of　fever；　there　passed　from　time　to　time　in　the　eyes　of　this　woman　a　glimmer　of　desire；　giving　promise　of　a　very　heaven　for　one　whom　she　should　love。　But　those　who　had　loved　Marguerite　were　not　to　be　counted；　nor　those　whom　she　had　loved。

In　this　girl　there　was　at　once　the　virgin　whom　a　mere　nothing　had　turned　into　a　courtesan；　and　the　courtesan　whom　a　mere　nothing　would　have　turned　into　the　most　loving　and　the　purest　of　virgins。　Marguerite　had　still　pride　and　independence；　two　sentiments　which；　if　they　are　wounded；　can　be　the　equivalent　of　a　sense　of　shame。　I　did　not　speak　a　word；　my　soul　seemed　to　have　passed　into　my　heart　and　my　heart　into　my　eyes。

〃So；〃　said　she　all　at　once；　〃it　was　you　who　came　to　inquire　after　me　when　I　was　ill？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Do　you　know；　it　was　quite　splendid　of　you！　How　can　I　thank　you　for　it？〃

〃By　allowing　me　to　come　and　see　you　from　time　to　time。〃

〃As　often　as　you　like；　from　five　to　six；　and　from　eleven　to　twelve。　Now；　Gaston；　play　the　Invitation　A　la　Valse。〃

〃Why？〃

〃To　please　me；　first　of　all；　and　then　because　I　never　can　manage　to　play　it　myself。〃

〃What　part　do　you　find　difficult？〃

〃The　third　part；　the　part　in　sharps。〃

Gaston　rose　and　went　to　the　piano；　and　began　to　play　the　wonderful　melody　of　Weber；　the　music　of　which　stood　open　before　him。

Marguerite；　resting　one　hand　on　the　piano；　followed　every　note　on　the　music；　accompanying　it　in　a　low　voice；　and　when　Gaston　had　come　to　the　passage　which　she　had　mentioned　to　him；　she　sang　out；　running　her　fingers　along　the　top　of　the　piano：

〃Do；　re；　mi；　do；　re；　fa；　mi；　re；　that　is　what　I　can　not　do。　Over　again。〃

Gaston　began　over　again；　after　which　Marguerite　said：

〃Now；　let　me　try。〃

She　took　her　place　and　began　to　play；　but　her　rebellious　fingers　always　came　to　grief　over　one　of　the　notes。

〃Isn't　it　incredible；〃　she　said；　exactly　like　a　child；　〃that　I　can　not　succeed　in　playing　that　passage？　Would　you　believe　that　I　sometimes　spend　two　hours　of　the　morning　over　it？　And　when　I　think　that　that　idiot　of　a　count　plays　it　without　his　music；　and　beautifully；　I　really　believe　it　is　that　that　makes　me　so　furious　with　him。〃　And　she　began　again；　always　with　the　same　result。

〃The　devil　take　Weber；　music；　and　pianos！〃　she　cried；　throwing　the　music　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　〃How　can　I　play　eight　sharps　one　after　another？〃　She　folded　her　arms　and　looked　at　us；　stamping　her　foot。　The　blood　flew　to　her　cheeks；　and　her　lips　half　opened　in　a　slight　cough。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Prudence；　who　had　taken　off　her　hat　and　was　smoothing　her　hair　before　the　glass；　〃you　will　work　yourself　into　a　rage　and　do　yourself　harm。　Better　come　and　have　supper；　for　my　part；　I　am　dying　of　hunger。〃

Marguerite　rang　the　bell；　sat　down　to　the　piano　again；　and　began　to　hum　over　a　very　risky　song；　which　she　accompanied　without　difficulty。　Gaston　knew　the　song；　and　they　gave　a　sort　of　duet。

〃Don't　sing　those　beastly　things；〃　I　said　to　Marguerite；　imploringly。

〃Oh；　how　proper　you　are！〃　she　said；　smiling　and　giving　me　her　hand。　〃It　is　not　for　myself；　but　for　you。〃

Marguerite　made　a　gesture　as　if　to　say；　〃Oh；　it　is　long　since　that　I　have　done　with　propriety！〃　At　that　moment　Nanine　appeared。

〃Is　supper　ready？〃　asked　Marguerite。　〃Yes；　madame；　in　one　moment。〃

〃Apropos；〃　said　Prudence　to　me；　〃you　have　not　looked　round；　come；　and　I　will　show　you。〃　As　you　know；　the　drawing…room　was　a　marvel。

Marguerite　went　with　us　for　a　moment；　then　she　called　Gaston　and　went　into　the　dining…room　with　him　to　see　if　supper　was　ready。

〃Ah；〃　said　Prudence；　catching　sight　of　a　little　Saxe　figure　on　a　side…table；　〃I　never　knew　you　had　this　little　gentleman。〃　

〃Which？〃

〃A　little　shepherd　holding　a　bird…cage。〃

〃Take　it；　if　you　like　it。〃

　　　　〃I　won't　deprive　you　of　it。〃

〃I　was　going　to　give　it　to　my　maid。　I　think　it　hideous；　but　if　you　like　it；　take　it。〃

Prudence　only　saw　the　present；　not　the　way　in　which　it　was　given。　She　put　the　little　figure　on　one　side；　and　took　me　into　the　dressing…room；　where　she　showed　me　two　miniatures　hanging　side　by　side；　and　said：

〃That　is　the　Comte　de　G。；　who　was　very　much　in　love　with　Marguerite；　it　was　he　who　brought　her　out。　Do　you　know　him？〃

〃No。　And　this　one？〃　I　inquired；　pointing　to　the　other　miniature。

〃That　is　the　little　Vicomte　de　L。　He　was　obliged　to　disappear。〃　

〃Why？〃

〃Because　he　was　all　but　ruined。　That's　one；　if　you　like；　who　loved　Marguerite。〃

〃And　she　loved　him；　too；　no　doubt？〃

〃She　is　such　a　queer　girl；　one　never　knows。　The　night　he　went　away　she　went　to　the　theatre　as　usual；　and　yet　she　had　cried　when　he　said　good…bye　to　her。〃

Just　then　Nanine　appeared；　to　tell　us　that　supper　was　served。

When　we　entered　the　dining…room；　Marguerite　was　leaning　against　the　wall；　and　Gaston；　holding　her　hands；　was　speaking　to　her　in　a　low　voice。

〃You　are　mad；〃　replied　Marguerite。　〃You　know　quite　well　that　I　don't　want　you。　It　is　no　good　at　the　end　of　two　years　to　make　love　to　a　woman　like　me。　With　us；　it　is　at　once；　or　never。　Come；　gentlemen；　supper！〃

And；　slipping　away　from　Gaston；　Marguerite　made　him　sit　on　her　right　at　table；　me　on　her　left；　then　called　to　Nanine：

〃Before　you　sit　down；　tell　them　in　the　kitchen　not　to　open　to　anybody　if　there　is　a　ring。〃

This　order　was　given　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。

We　laughed；　drank；　and　ate　freely　at　this　supper。　In　a　short　while　mirth　had　reached　its　last　limit；　and　the　words　that　seem　funny　to　a　certain　class　of　people；　words　that　degrade　the　mouth　that　utters　them；　were　heard　from　time　to　time；　amidst　the　applause　of　Nanine；　of　Prudence；　and　of　Marguerite。　Gaston　was　thoroughly　amused；　he　was　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow；　but　somewhat　spoiled　by　the　habits　of　his　youth。　For　a　moment　I　tried　to　forget　myself；　to　force　my　heart　and　my　thoughts　to　become　indifferent　to　the　sight　before　me；　and　to　take　my　share　of　that　gaiety　which　seemed　like　one　of　the　courses　of　the　meal。　But　little　by　little　I　withdrew　from　the　noise；　my　glass　remained　full；　and　I　felt　almost　sad　as　I　saw　this　beautiful　creature　of　twenty　drinking；　talking　like　a　porter；　and　laughing　the　more　loudly　the　more　scandalous　was　the　joke。

Nevertheless；　this　hilarity；　this　way　of　talking　and　drinking；　which　seemed　to　me　in　the　others　the　mere　results　of　bad　company　or　of　bad　habits；　seemed　in　Marguerite　a　necessity　of　forgetting；　a　fever；　a　nervous　irritability。　At　every　glass　of　champagne　her　cheeks　would　flush　with　a　feverish　colour；　and　a　cough；　hardly　perceptible　at　the　beginning　of　supper；　became　at　last　so　violent　that　she　was　obliged　to　lean　her　head　on　the　back　of　her　chair　and　hold　her　chest　in　her　hands　every　time　that　she　coughed。　I　suffered　at　the　thought　of　the　injury　to　so　frail　a　constitution　which　must　come　from　daily　excesses　like　this。　At　length；　something　which　I　had　feared　and　foreseen　happened。　Toward　the　end　of　supper　Marguerite　was　seized　by　a　more　violent　fit　of　coughing　than　any　she　had　had　while　I　was　there。　It　seemed　as　if　her　chest　were　being　torn　in　two。　The　poor　girl　turned　crimson；　closed　her　eyes　under　the　pain；　and　put　her　napkin　to　her　lips。　It　was　stained　with　a　drop　of　blood。　She　rose　and　ran　into　her　dressing…room。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　Marguerite？〃　asked　Gaston。

〃She　has　been　laughing　too　much；　and　she　is　spitting　blood。　Oh；　it　is　nothing；　it　happens　to　her　every　day。　She　will　be　back　in　a　minute。　Leave　her　alone。　She　prefers　it。〃

I　could　not　stay　still；　and；　to　the　consternation　of　Prudence　and　Nanine；　who　called　to　me　to　come　back；　I　followed　Marguerite。〃



Chapter　10

The　room　to　which　she　had　fled　was　lit　only　by　a　single　candle。　She　lay　back　on　a　great　sofa；　her　dress　undone；　holding　one　hand　on　her　heart；　and　letting　the　other　hang　by　her　side。　On　the　table　was　a　basin　half　full　of　water；　and　the　water　was　stained　with　streaks　of　blood。

Very　pale；　her　mouth　half　open；　Marguerite　tried　to　recover　breath。　Now　and　again　her　bosom　was　raised　by　a　long　sigh；　which　seemed　to　relieve　her　a　little；　and　for　a　few　seconds　she　would　seem　to　be　quite　comfortable。

I　went　up　to　her；　she　made　no　movement；　and　I　sat　down　and　took　the　hand　which　was　lying　on　the　sofa。

〃Ah！　it　is　you；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile。

I　must　have　looked　greatly　agitated；　for　she　added：

〃Are　you　unwell；　too？〃

〃No；　but　you：　do　you　still　suffer？〃

〃Very　little；〃　and　she　wiped　off　with　her　handkerchief　the　tears　which　the　coughing　had　brought　to　her　eyes；　〃I　am　used　to　it　now。〃

〃You　are　killing　yourself；　madame；〃　I　said　to　her　in　a　moved　voice。　〃I　wish　I　were　a　friend；　a　relation　of　yours；　that　I　might　keep　you　from　doing　yourself　harm　like　this。〃

〃Ah！　it　is　really　not　worth　your　while　to　alarm　yourself；〃　she　replied　in　a　somewhat　bitter　tone；　〃see　how　much　notice　the　others　take　of　me！　They　know　too　well　that　there　is　nothing　to　be　done。〃

Thereupon　she　got　up；　and；　taking　the　candle；　put　it　on　the　mantel…piece　and　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass。

〃How　pale　I　am！〃　she　said；　as　she　fastened　her　dress　and　passed　her　fingers　over　her　loosened　hair。　〃Come；　let　us　go　back　to　supper。　Are　you　coming？〃

I　sat　still　and　did　not　move。

She　saw　how　deeply　I　had　been　affected　by　the　whole　scene；　and；　coming　up　to　me；　held　out　her　hand；　saying：

〃Come　now；　let　us　go。〃

I　took　her　hand；　raised　it　to　my　lips；　and　in　spite　of　myself　two　tears　fell　upon　it。

〃Why；　what　a　child　you　are！〃　she　said；　sitting　down　by　my　side　again。　〃You　are　crying！　What　is　the　matter？〃

〃I　must　seem　very　silly　to　you；　but　I　am　frightfully　troubled　by　what　I　have　just　seen。〃

〃You　are　very　good！　What　would　you　have　of　me？　I　can　not　sleep。　I　must　amuse　myself　a　little。　And　then；　girls　like　me；　what　does　it　matter；　one　more　or　less？　The　doctors　tell　me　that　the　blood　I　spit　up　comes　from　my　throat；　I　pretend　to　believe　them；　it　i