camille-第16部分

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〃You　have　thought　of　me？〃

〃All　day　long。〃

〃Do　you　know　that　I　am　really　afraid　that　I　shall　get　very　fond　of　you？　Ask　Prudence。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　amazing！〃

〃Now；　you　must　go　back　to　your　seat。　The　count　will　be　coming　back；　and　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　his　finding　you　here。〃

〃Because　you　don't　like　seeing　him。〃

〃No；　only　if　you　had　told　me　that　you　wanted　to　come　to　the　Vaudeville　to…night　I　could　have　got　this　box　for　you　as　well　as　he。〃

〃Unfortunately；　he　got　it　for　me　without　my　asking　him；　and　he　asked　me　to　go　with　him；　you　know　well　enough　that　I　couldn't　refuse。　All　I　could　do　was　to　write　and　tell　you　where　I　was　going；　so　that　you　could　see　me；　and　because　I　wanted　to　see　you　myself；　but　since　this　is　the　way　you　thank　me；　I　shall　profit　by　the　lesson。〃

〃I　was　wrong；　forgive　me。〃

〃Well　and　good；　and　now　go　back　nicely　to　your　place；　and；　above　all；　no　more　jealousy。〃

She　kissed　me　again；　and　I　left　the　box。　In　the　passage　I　met　the　count　coming　back。　I　returned　to　my　seat。

After　all；　the　presence　of　M。　de　G。　in　Marguerite's　box　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。　He　had　been　her　lover；　he　sent　her　a　box；　he　accompanied　her　to　the　theatre；　it　was　all　quite　natural；　and　if　I　was　to　have　a　mistress　like　Marguerite　I　should　have　to　get　used　to　her　ways。

Nonetheless；　I　was　very　unhappy　all　the　rest　of　the　evening；　and　went　away　very　sadly　after　having　seen　Prudence；　the　count；　and　Marguerite　get　into　the　carriage；　which　was　waiting　for　them　at　the　door。

However；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later　I　was　at　Prudence's。　She　had　only　just　got　in。



Chapter　13

〃You　have　come　almost　as　quickly　as　we；〃　said　Prudence。

〃Yes；〃　I　answered　mechanically。　〃Where　is　Marguerite？〃

〃At　home。〃

〃Alone？〃

〃With　M。　de　G。〃

I　walked　to　and　fro　in　the　room。

〃Well；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Do　you　think　it　amuses　me　to　wait　here　till　M。　de　G。　leaves　Marguerite's？〃

〃How　unreasonable　you　are！　Don't　you　see　that　Marguerite　can't　turn　the　count　out　of　doors？　M。　de　G。　has　been　with　her　for　a　long　time；　he　has　always　given　her　a　lot　of　money；　he　still　does。　Marguerite　spends　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year；　she　has　heaps　of　debts。　The　duke　gives　her　all　that　she　asks　for；　but　she　does　not　always　venture　to　ask　him　for　all　that　she　is　in　want　of。　It　would　never　do　for　her　to　quarrel　with　the　count；　who　is　worth　to　her　at　least　ten　thousand　francs　a　year。　Marguerite　is　very　fond　of　you；　my　dear　fellow；　but　your　liaison　with　her；　in　her　interests　and　in　yours；　ought　not　to　be　serious。　You　with　your　seven　or　eight　thousand　francs　a　year；　what　could　you　do　toward　supplying　all　the　luxuries　which　a　girl　like　that　is　in　need　of？　It　would　not　be　enough　to　keep　her　carriage。　Take　Marguerite　for　what　she　is；　for　a　good；　bright；　pretty　girl；　be　her　lover　for　a　month；　two　months；　give　her　flowers；　sweets；　boxes　at　the　theatre；　but　don't　get　any　other　ideas　into　your　head；　and　don't　make　absurd　scenes　of　jealousy。　You　know　whom　you　have　to　do　with；　Marguerite　isn't　a　saint。　She　likes　you；　you　are　very　fond　of　her；　let　the　rest　alone。　You　amaze　me　when　I　see　you　so　touchy；　you　have　the　most　charming　mistress　in　Paris。　She　receives　you　in　the　greatest　style；　she　is　covered　with　diamonds；　she　needn't　cost　you　a　penny；　unless　you　like；　and　you　are　not　satisfied。　My　dear　fellow；　you　ask　too　much！〃

〃You　are　right；　but　I　can't　help　it；　the　idea　that　that　man　is　her　lover　hurts　me　horribly。〃

〃In　the　first　place；〃　replied　Prudence；　〃is　he　still　her　lover？　He　is　a　man　who　is　useful　to　her；　nothing　more。　She　has　closed　her　doors　to　him　for　two　days；　he　came　this　morningshe　could　not　but　accept　the　box　and　let　him　accompany　her。　He　saw　her　home；　he　has　gone　in　for　a　moment；　he　is　not　staying；　because　you　are　waiting　here。　All　that；　it　seems　to　me；　is　quite　natural。　Besides；　you　don't　mind　the　duke。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　is　an　old　man；　and　I　am　sure　that　Marguerite　is　not　his　mistress。　Then；　it　is　all　very　well　to　accept　one　liaison；　but　not　two。　Such　easiness　in　the　matter　is　very　like　calculation；　and　puts　the　man　who　consents　to　it；　even　out　of　love；　very　much　in　the　category　of　those　who；　in　a　lower　stage　of　society；　make　a　trade　of　their　connivance；　and　a　profit　of　their　trade。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　fellow；　how　old…fashioned　you　are！　How　many　of　the　richest　and　most　fashionable　men　of　the　best　families　I　have　seen　quite　ready　to　do　what　I　advise　you　to　do；　and　without　an　effort；　without　shame；　without　remorse；　Why；　one　sees　it　every　day。　How　do　you　suppose　the　kept　women　in　Paris　could　live　in　the　style　they　do；　if　they　had　not　three　or　four　lovers　at　once？　No　single　fortune；　however　large；　could　suffice　for　the　expenses　of　a　woman　like　Marguerite。　A　fortune　of　five　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　is；　in　France；　an　enormous　fortune；　well；　my　dear　friend；　five　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　would　still　be　too　little；　and　for　this　reason：　a　man　with　such　an　income　has　a　large　house；　horses；　servants；　carriages；　he　shoots；　has　friends；　often　he　is　married；　he　has　children；　he　races；　gambles；　travels；　and　what　not。　All　these　habits　are　so　much　a　part　of　his　position　that　he　can　not　forego　them　without　appearing　to　have　lost　all　his　money；　and　without　causing　scandal。　Taking　it　all　round；　with　five　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　he　can　not　give　a　woman　more　than　forty　or　fifty　thousand　francs　in　the　year；　and　that　is　already　a　good　deal。　Well；　other　lovers　make　up　for　the　rest　of　her　expenses。　With　Marguerite；　it　is　still　more　convenient；　she　has　chanced　by　a　miracle　on　an　old　man　worth　ten　millions；　whose　wife　and　daughter　are　dead；　who　has　only　some　nephews；　themselves　rich；　and　who　gives　her　all　she　wants　without　asking　anything　in　return。　But　she　can　not　ask　him　for　more　than　seventy　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　I　am　sure　that　if　she　did　ask　for　more；　despite　his　health　and　the　affection　he　has　for　her　he　would　not　give　it　to　her。

〃All　the　young　men　of　twenty　or　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year　at　Paris；　that　is　to　say；　men　who　have　only　just　enough　to　live　on　in　the　society　in　which　they　mix；　know　perfectly　well；　when　they　are　the　lovers　of　a　woman　like　Marguerite；　that　she　could　not　so　much　as　pay　for　the　rooms　she　lives　in　and　the　servants　who　wait　upon　her　with　what　they　give　her。　They　do　not　say　to　her　that　they　know　it；　they　pretend　not　to　see　anything；　and　when　they　have　had　enough　of　it　they　go　their　way。　If　they　have　the　vanity　to　wish　to　pay　for　everything　they　get　ruined；　like　the　fools　they　are；　and　go　and　get　killed　in　Africa；　after　leaving　a　hundred　thousand　francs　of　debt　in　Paris。　Do　you　think　a　woman　is　grateful　to　them　for　it？　Far　from　it。　She　declares　that　she　has　sacrificed　her　position　for　them；　and　that　while　she　was　with　them　she　was　losing　money。　These　details　seem　to　you　shocking？　Well；　they　are　true。　You　are　a　very　nice　fellow；　I　like　you　very　much。　I　have　lived　with　these　women　for　twenty　years；　I　know　what　they　are　worth；　and　I　don't　want　to　see　you　take　the　caprice　that　a　pretty　girl　has　for　you　too　seriously。

〃Then；　besides　that；〃　continued　Prudence；　〃admit　that　Marguerite　loves　you　enough　to　give　up　the　count　or　the　duke；　in　case　one　of　them　were　to　discover　your　liaison　and　to　tell　her　to　choose　between　him　and　you；　the　sacrifice　that　she　would　make　for　you　would　be　enormous；　you　can　not　deny　it。　What　equal　sacrifice　could　you　make　for　her；　on　your　part；　and　when　you　had　got　tired　of　her；　what　could　you　do　to　make　up　for　what　you　had　taken　from　her？　Nothing。　You　would　have　cut　her　off　from　the　world　in　which　her　fortune　and　her　future　were　to　be　found；　she　would　have　given　you　her　best　years；　and　she　would　be　forgotten。　Either　you　would　be　an　ordinary　man；　and；　casting　her　past　in　her　teeth；　you　would　leave　her；　telling　her　that　you　were　only　doing　like　her　other　lovers；　and　you　would　abandon　her　to　certain　misery；　or　you　would　be　an　honest　man；　and；　feeling　bound　to　keep　her　by　you；　you　would　bring　inevitable　trouble　upon　yourself；　for　a　liaison　which　is　excusable　in　a　young　man；　is　no　longer　excusable　in　a　man　of　middle　age。　It　becomes　an　obstacle　to　every　thing；　it　allows　neither　family　nor　ambition；　man's　second　and　last　loves。　Believe　me；　then；　my　friend；　take　things　for　what　they　are　worth；　and　do　not　give　a　kept　woman　the　right　to　call　herself　your　creditor；　no　matter　in　what。〃

It　was　well　argued；　with　a　logic　of　which　I　should　have　thought　Prudence　incapable。　I　had　nothing　to　reply；　except　that　she　was　right；　I　took　her　hand　and　thanked　her　for　her　counsels。

〃Come；　come；〃　said　she；　〃put　these　foolish　theories　to　flight；　and　laugh　over　them。　Life　is　pleasant；　my　dear　fellow；　it　all　depends　on　the　colour　of　the　glass　through　which　one　sees　it。　Ask　your　friend　Gaston；　there's　a　man　who　seems　to　me　to　understand　love　as　I　understand　it。　All　that　you　need　think　of；　unless　you　are　quite　a　fool；　is　that　close　by　there　is　a　beautiful　girl　who　is　waiting　impatiently　for　the　man　who　is　with　her　to　go；　thinking　of　you；　keeping　the　whole　night　for　you；　and　who　loves　you；　I　am　certain。　Now；　come　to　the　window　with　me；　and　let　us　watch　for　the　count　to　go；　he　won't　be　long　in　leaving　the　coast　clear。〃

Prudence　opened　the　window；　and　we　leaned　side　by　side　over　the　balcony。　She　watched　the　few　passers；　I　reflected。　All　that　she　had　said　buzzed　in　my　head；　and　I　could　not　help　feeling　that　she　was　right；　but　the　genuine　love　which　I　had　for　Marguerite　had　some　difficulty　in　accommodating　itself　to　such　a　belief。　I　sighed　from　time　to　time；　at　which　Prudence　turned；　and　shrugged　her　shoulders　like　a　physician　who　has　given　up　his　patient。

〃How　one　realizes　the　shortness　of　life；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃by　the　rapidity　of　sensations！　I　have　only　known　Marguerite　for　two　days；　she　has　only　been　my　mistress　since　yesterday；　and　she　has　already　so　completely　absorbed　my　thoughts；　my　heart；　and　my　life　that　the　visit　of　the　Comte　de　G。　is　a　misfortune　for　me。〃

At　last　the　count　came　out；　got　into　his　carriage　and　disappeared。　Prudence　closed　the　window。　At　the　same　instant　Marguerite　called　to　us：

〃Come　at　once；〃　she　said；　〃they　are　laying　the　table；　and　we'll　have　supper。〃

When　I　entered；　Marguerite　ran　to　me；　threw　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　kissed　me　with　all　her　migh