camille-第22部分

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〃But　that　is　not　all；〃　continued　Marguerite。

〃What　else　is　there？〃

〃I　have　been　seeing　about　a　place　for　Armand　to　stay。〃

〃In　the　same　house？〃　asked　Prudence；　laughing。

〃No；　at　Point　du　Jour；　where　we　had　dinner；　the　duke　and　I。　While　he　was　admiring　the　view；　I　asked　Mme。　Arnould　（she　is　called　Mme。　Arnould；　isn't　she？）　if　there　were　any　suitable　rooms；　and　she　showed　me　just　the　very　thing：　salon；　anteroom；　and　bed…room；　at　sixty　francs　a　month；　the　whole　place　furnished　in　a　way　to　divert　a　hypochondriac。　I　took　it。　Was　I　right？〃　I　flung　my　arms　around　her　neck　and　kissed　her。

〃It　will　be　charming；〃　she　continued。　〃You　have　the　key　of　the　little　door；　and　I　have　promised　the　duke　the　key　of　the　front　door；　which　he　will　not　take；　because　he　will　come　during　the　day　when　he　comes。　I　think；　between　ourselves；　that　he　is　enchanted　with　a　caprice　which　will　keep　me　out　of　Paris　for　a　time；　and　so　silence　the　objections　of　his　family。　However；　he　has　asked　me　how　I；　loving　Paris　as　I　do；　could　make　up　my　mind　to　bury　myself　in　the　country。　I　told　him　that　I　was　ill；　and　that　I　wanted　rest。　He　seemed　to　have　some　difficulty　in　believing　me。　The　poor　old　man　is　always　on　the　watch。　We　must　take　every　precaution；　my　dear　Armand；　for　he　will　have　me　watched　while　I　am　there；　and　it　isn't　only　the　question　of　his　taking　a　house　for　me；　but　he　has　my　debts　to　pay；　and　unluckily　I　have　plenty。　Does　all　that　suit　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　trying　to　quiet　the　scruples　which　this　way　of　living　awoke　in　me　from　time　to　time。

〃We　went　all　over　the　house；　and　we　shall　have　everything　perfect。　The　duke　is　going　to　look　after　every　single　thing。　Ah；　my　dear；〃　she　added；　kissing　me；　〃you're　in　luck；　it's　a　millionaire　who　makes　your　bed　for　you。〃

〃And　when　shall　you　move　into　the　house？〃　inquired　Prudence。

〃As　soon　as　possible。〃

〃Will　you　take　your　horses　and　carriage？〃

〃I　shall　take　the　whole　house；　and　you　can　look　after　my　place　while　I　am　away。〃

A　week　later　Marguerite　was　settled　in　her　country　house；　and　I　was　installed　at　Point　du　Jour。

Then　began　an　existence　which　I　shall　have　some　difficulty　in　describing　to　you。　At　first　Marguerite　could　not　break　entirely　with　her　former　habits；　and；　as　the　house　was　always　en　fete；　all　the　women　whom　she　knew　came　to　see　her。　For　a　whole　month　there　was　not　a　day　when　Marguerite　had　not　eight　or　ten　people　to　meals。　Prudence；　on　her　side；　brought　down　all　the　people　she　knew；　and　did　the　honours　of　the　house　as　if　the　house　belonged　to　her。

The　duke's　money　paid　for　all　that；　as　you　may　imagine；　but　from　time　to　time　Prudence　came　to　me；　asking　for　a　note　for　a　thousand　francs；　professedly　on　behalf　of　Marguerite。　You　know　I　had　won　some　money　at　gambling；　I　therefore　immediately　handed　over　to　Prudence　what　she　asked　for　Marguerite；　and　fearing　lest　she　should　require　more　than　I　possessed；　I　borrowed　at　Paris　a　sum　equal　to　that　which　I　had　already　borrowed　and　paid　back。　I　was　then　once　more　in　possession　of　some　ten　thousand　francs；　without　reckoning　my　allowance。　However；　Marguerite's　pleasure　in　seeing　her　friends　was　a　little　moderated　when　she　saw　the　expense　which　that　pleasure　entailed；　and　especially　the　necessity　she　was　sometimes　in　of　asking　me　for　money。　The　duke；　who　had　taken　the　house　in　order　that　Marguerite　might　rest　there；　no　longer　visited　it；　fearing　to　find　himself　in　the　midst　of　a　large　and　merry　company；　by　whom　he　did　not　wish　to　be　seen。　This　came　about　through　his　having　once　arrived　to　dine　tete…a…tete　with　Marguerite；　and　having　fallen　upon　a　party　of　fifteen；　who　were　still　at　lunch　at　an　hour　when　he　was　prepared　to　sit　down　to　dinner。　He　had　unsuspectingly　opened　the　dining…room　door；　and　had　been　greeted　by　a　burst　of　laughter；　and　had　had　to　retire　precipitately　before　the　impertinent　mirth　of　the　women　who　were　assembled　there。

Marguerite　rose　from　table；　and　joined　the　duke　in　the　next　room；　where　she　tried；　as　far　as　possible；　to　induce　him　to　forget　the　incident；　but　the　old　man；　wounded　in　his　dignity；　bore　her　a　grudge　for　it；　and　could　not　forgive　her。　He　said　to　her；　somewhat　cruelly；　that　he　was　tired　of　paying　for　the　follies　of　a　woman　who　could　not　even　have　him　treated　with　respect　under　his　own　roof；　and　he　went　away　in　great　indignation。

Since　that　day　he　had　never　been　heard　of。

In　vain　Marguerite　dismissed　her　guests；　changed　her　way　of　life；　the　duke　was　not　to　be　heard　of。　I　was　the　gainer　in　so；　far　that　my　mistress　now　belonged　to　me　more　completely；　and　my　dream　was　at　length　realized。　Marguerite　could　not　be　without　me。　Not　caring　what　the　result　might　be；　she　publicly　proclaimed　our　liaison；　and　I　had　come　to　live　entirely　at　her　house。　The　servants　addressed　me　officially　as　their　master。

Prudence　had　strictly　sermonized　Marguerite　in　regard　to　her　new　manner　of　life；　but　she　had　replied　that　she　loved　me；　that　she　could　not　live　without　me；　and　that；　happen　what　might；　she　would　not　sacrifice　the　pleasure　of　having　me　constantly　with　her；　adding　that　those　who　were　not　satisfied　with　this　arrangement　were　free　to　stay　away。　So　much　I　had　heard　one　day　when　Prudence　had　said　to　Marguerite　that　she　had　something　very　important　to　tell　her；　and　I　had　listened　at　the　door　of　the　room　into　which　they　had　shut　themselves。

Not　long　after；　Prudence　returned　again。　I　was　at　the　other　end　of　the　garden　when　she　arrived；　and　she　did　not　see　me。　I　had　no　doubt；　from　the　way　in　which　Marguerite　came　to　meet　her；　that　another　similar　conversation　was　going　to　take　place；　and　I　was　anxious　to　hear　what　it　was　about。　The　two　women　shut　themselves　into　a　boudoir；　and　I　put　myself　within　hearing。

〃Well？〃　said　Marguerite。

〃Well；　I　have　seen　the　duke。〃

〃What　did　he　say？〃

〃That　he　would　gladly　forgive　you　in　regard　to　the　scene　which　took　place；　but　that　he　has　learned　that　you　are　publicly　living　with　M。　Armand　Duval；　and　that　he　will　never　forgive　that。　'Let　Marguerite　leave　the　young　man；'　he　said　to　me；　'and；　as　in　the　past；　I　will　give　her　all　that　she　requires；　if　not；　let　her　ask　nothing　more　from　me。'〃

〃And　you　replied？〃

〃That　I　would　report　his　decision　to　you；　and　I　promised　him　that　I　would　bring　you　into　a　more　reasonable　frame　of　mind。　Only　think；　my　dear　child；　of　the　position　that　you　are　losing；　and　that　Armand　can　never　give　you。　He　loves　you　with　all　his　soul；　but　he　has　no　fortune　capable　of　supplying　your　needs；　and　he　will　be　bound　to　leave　you　one　day；　when　it　will　be　too　late　and　when　the　duke　will　refuse　to　do　any　more　for　you。　Would　you　like　me　to　speak　to　Armand？〃

Marguerite　seemed　to　be　thinking；　for　she　answered　nothing。　My　heart　beat　violently　while　I　waited　for　her　reply。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃I　will　not　leave　Armand；　and　I　will　not　conceal　the　fact　that　I　am　living　with　him。　It　is　folly　no　doubt；　but　I　love　him。　What　would　you　have　me　do？　And　then；　now　that　he　has　got　accustomed　to　be　always　with　me；　he　would　suffer　too　cruelly　if　he　had　to　leave　me　so　much　as　an　hour　a　day。　Besides；　I　have　not　such　a　long　time　to　live　that　I　need　make　myself　miserable　in　order　to　please　an　old　man　whose　very　sight　makes　me　feel　old。　Let　him　keep　his　money；　I　will　do　without　it。〃

〃But　what　will　you　do？〃

〃I　don't　in　the　least　know。〃

Prudence　was　no　doubt　going　to　make　some　reply；　but　I　entered　suddenly　and　flung　myself　at　Marguerite's　feet；　covering　her　hands　with　tears　in　my　joy　at　being　thus　loved。

〃My　life　is　yours；　Marguerite；　you　need　this　man　no　longer。　Am　I　not　here？　Shall　I　ever　leave　you；　and　can　I　ever　repay　you　for　the　happiness　that　you　give　me？　No　more　barriers；　my　Marguerite；　we　love；　what　matters　all　the　rest？〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　love　you；　my　Armand；〃　she　murmured；　putting　her　two　arms　around　my　neck。　〃I　love　you　as　I　never　thought　I　should　ever　love。　We　will　be　happy；　we　will　live　quietly；　and　I　will　say　good…bye　forever　to　the　life　for　which　I　now　blush。　You　won't　ever　reproach　me　for　the　past？　Tell　me！〃

Tears　choked　my　voice。　I　could　only　reply　by　clasping　Marguerite　to　my　heart。

〃Well；〃　said　she；　turning　to　Prudence；　and　speaking　in　a　broken　voice；　〃you　can　report　this　scene　to　the　duke；　and　you　can　add　that　we　have　no　longer　need　of　him。〃

From　that　day　forth　the　duke　was　never　referred　to。　Marguerite　was　no　longer　the　same　woman　that　I　had　known。　She　avoided　everything　that　might　recall　to　me　the　life　which　she　had　been　leading　when　I　first　met　her。　Never　did　wife　or　sister　surround　husband　or　brother　with　such　loving　care　as　she　had　for　me。　Her　nature　was　morbidly　open　to　all　impressions　and　accessible　to　all　sentiments。　She　had　broken　equally　with　her　friends　and　with　her　ways；　with　her　words　and　with　her　extravagances。　Any　one　who　had　seen　us　leaving　the　house　to　go　on　the　river　in　the　charming　little　boat　which　I　had　bought　would　never　have　believed　that　the　woman　dressed　in　white；　wearing　a　straw　hat；　and　carrying　on　her　arm　a　little　silk　pelisse　to　protect　her　against　the　damp　of　the　river；　was　that　Marguerite　Gautier　who；　only　four　months　ago；　had　been　the　talk　of　the　town　for　the　luxury　and　scandal　of　her　existence。

Alas；　we　made　haste　to　be　happy；　as　if　we　knew　that　we　were　not　to　be　happy　long。

For　two　months　we　had　not　even　been　to　Paris。　No　one　came　to　see　us；　except　Prudence　and　Julie　Duprat；　of　whom　I　have　spoken　to　you；　and　to　whom　Marguerite　was　afterward　to　give　the　touching　narrative　that　I　have　there。

I　passed　whole　days　at　the　feet　of　my　mistress。　We　opened　the　windows　upon　the　garden；　and；　as　we　watched　the　summer　ripening　in　its　flowers　and　under　the　shadow　of　the　trees；　we　breathed　together　that　true　life　which　neither　Marguerite　nor　I　had　ever　known　before。

Her　delight　in　the　smallest　things　was　like　that　of　a　child。　　There　were　days　when　she　ran　in　the　garden；　like　a　child　of　ten；　after　a　butterfly　or　a　dragon…fly。　This　courtesan　who　had　cost　more　money　in　bouquets　than　would　have　kept　a　whole　family　in　comfort；　would　sometimes　sit　on　the　grass　for　an　hour；　examining　the　simple　flower　whose　name　she　bore。

It　was　at　this　time　that　she　read　Manon　Lescaut；　over　and　over　again。　I　found　her　several　times　making　notes　in　the　book；　and　she　always　declared　that　when　a　woman　loves；　she　can　not　do　as　Manon　did。