a daughter of eve-第14部分

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each　as　if　some　celestial　dew　had　refreshed　their　hearts；　burned…up

with　expectation。



〃I　have　been　here　for　an　hour　in　purgatory；　but　now　the　heavens　are

opening；〃　said　Raoul's　eyes。



〃I　knew　you　were　waiting；　but　how　could　I　help　it？〃　replied　those　of

the　countess。



Thieves；　spies；　lovers；　diplomats；　and　slaves　of　any　kind　alone　know

the　resources　and　comforts　of　a　glance。　They　alone　know　what　it

contains　of　meaning；　sweetness；　thought；　anger；　villainy；　displayed　by

the　modification　of　that　ray　of　light　which　conveys　the　soul。　Between

the　box　of　the　Comtesse　Felix　de　Vandenesse　and　the　step　on　which

Raoul　had　perched　there　were　barely　thirty　feet；　and　yet　it　was

impossible　to　wipe　out　that　distance。　To　a　fiery　being；　who　had

hitherto　known　no　space　between　his　wishes　and　their　gratification；

this　imaginary　but　insuperable　gulf　inspired　a　mad　desire　to　spring　to

the　countess　with　the　bound　of　a　tiger。　In　a　species　of　rage　he

determined　to　try　the　ground　and　bow　openly　to　the　countess。　She

returned　the　bow　with　one　of　those　slight　inclinations　of　the　head

with　which　women　take　from　their　adorers　all　desire　to　continue　their

attempt。　Comte　Felix　turned　round　to　see　who　had　bowed　to　his　wife；　he

saw　Nathan；　but　did　not　bow；　and　seemed　to　inquire　the　meaning　of　such

audacity；　then　he　turned　back　slowly　and　said　a　few　words　to　his　wife。

Evidently　the　door　of　that　box　was　closed　to　Nathan；　who　cast　a

terrible　look　of　hatred　upon　Felix。



Madame　d'Espard　had　seen　the　whole　thing　from　her　box；　which　was　just

above　where　Raoul　was　standing。　She　raised　her　voice　in　crying　bravo

to　some　singer；　which　caused　Nathan　to　look　up　to　her；　he　bowed　and

received　in　return　a　gracious　smile　which　seemed　to　say：



〃If　they　won't　admit　you　there　come　here　to　me。〃



Raoul　obeyed　the　silent　summons　and　went　to　her　box。　He　felt　the　need

of　showing　himself　in　a　place　which　might　teach　that　little　Vandenesse

that　fame　was　every　whit　as　good　as　nobility；　and　that　all　doors

turned　on　their　hinges　to　admit　him。　The　marquise　made　him　sit　in

front　of　her。　She　wanted　to　question　him。



〃Madame　Felix　de　Vandenesse　is　fascinating　in　that　gown；〃　she　said；

complimenting　the　dress　as　if　it　were　a　book　he　had　published　the　day

before。



〃Yes；〃　said　Raoul；　indifferently；　〃marabouts　are　very　becoming　to　her；

but　she　seems　wedded　to　them；　she　wore　them　on　Saturday；〃　he　added；　in

a　careless　tone；　as　if　to　repudiate　the　intimacy　Madame　d'Espard　was

fastening　upon　him。



〃You　know　the　proverb；〃　she　replied。　〃There　is　no　good　fete　without　a

morrow。〃



In　the　matter　of　repartees　literary　celebrities　are　often　not　as　quick

as　women。　Raoul　pretended　dulness；　a　last　resort　for　clever　men。



〃That　proverb　is　true　in　my　case；〃　he　said；　looking　gallantly　at　the

marquise。



〃My　dear　friend；　your　speech　comes　too　late；　I　can't　accept　it；〃　she

said；　laughing。　〃Don't　be　so　prudish！　Come；　I　know　how　it　was；　you

complimented　Madame　de　Vandenesse　at　the　ball　on　her　marabouts　and　she

has　put　them　on　again　for　your　sake。　She　likes　you；　and　you　adore　her；

it　may　be　a　little　rapid；　but　it　is　all　very　natural。　If　I　were

mistaken　you　wouldn't　be　twisting　your　gloves　like　a　man　who　is

furious　at　having　to　sit　here　with　me　instead　of　flying　to　the　box　of

his　idol。　She　has　obtained；〃　continued　Madame　d'Espard；　glancing　at

his　person　impertinently；　〃certain　sacrifices　which　you　refused　to

make　to　society。　She　ought　to　be　delighted　with　her　success；in　fact；

I　have　no　doubt　she　is　vain　of　it；　I　should　be　so　in　her　place

immensely。　She　was　never　a　woman　of　any　mind；　but　she　may　now　pass　for

one　of　genius。　I　am　sure　you　will　describe　her　in　one　of　those

delightful　novels　you　write。　And　pray　don't　forget　Vandenesse；　put　him

in　to　please　me。　Really；　his　self…sufficiency　is　too　much。　I　can't

stand　that　Jupiter　Olympian　air　of　his；the　only　mythological

character　exempt；　they　say；　from　ill…luck。〃



〃Madame；〃　cried　Raoul；　〃you　rate　my　soul　very　low　if　you　think　me

capable　of　trafficking　with　my　feelings；　my　affections。　Rather　than

commit　such　literary　baseness；　I　would　do　as　they　do　in　England；put

a　rope　round　a　woman's　neck　and　sell　her　in　the　market。〃



〃But　I　know　Marie；　she　would　like　you　to　do　it。〃



〃She　is　incapable　of　liking　it；〃　said　Raoul；　vehemently。



〃Oh！　then　you　do　know　her　well？〃



Nathan　laughed；　he；　the　maker　of　scenes；　to　be　trapped　into　playing

one　himself！



〃Comedy　is　no　longer　there；〃　he　said；　nodding　at　the　stage；　〃it　is

here；　in　you。〃



He　took　his　opera…glass　and　looked　about　the　theatre　to　recover

countenance。



〃You　are　not　angry　with　me；　I　hope？〃　said　the　marquise；　giving　him　a

sidelong　glance。　〃I　should　have　had　your　secret　somehow。　Let　us　make

peace。　Come　and　see　me；　I　receive　every　Wednesday；　and　I　am　sure　the

dear　countess　will　never　miss　an　evening　if　I　let　her　know　you　will　be

there。　So　I　shall　be　the　gainer。　Sometimes　she　comes　between　four　and

five　o'clock；　and　I'll　be　kind　and　add　you　to　the　little　set　of

favorites　I　admit　at　that　hour。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　Raoul；　〃how　the　world　judges；　it　calls　you　unkind。〃



〃So　I　am　when　I　need　to　be；〃　she　replied。　〃We　must　defend　ourselves。

But　your　countess　I　adore；　you　will　be　contented　with　her；　she　is

charming。　Your　name　will　be　the　first　engraved　upon　her　heart　with

that　infantine　joy　that　makes　a　lad　cut　the　initials　of　his　love　on

the　barks　of　trees。〃



Raoul　was　aware　of　the　danger　of　such　conversations；　in　which　a

Parisian　woman　excels；　he　feared　the　marquise　would　extract　some

admission　from　him　which　she　would　instantly　turn　into　ridicule　among

her　friends。　He　therefore　withdrew；　prudently；　as　Lady　Dudley　entered。



〃Well？〃　said　the　Englishwoman　to　the　marquise；　〃how　far　have　they

got？〃



〃They　are　madly　in　love；　he　has　just　told　me　so。〃



〃I　wish　he　were　uglier；〃　said　Lady　Dudley；　with　a　viperish　look　at

Comte　Felix。　〃In　other　respects　he　is　just　what　I　want　him：　the　son　of

a　Jew　broker　who　died　a　bankrupt　soon　after　his　marriage；　but　the

mother　was　a　Catholic；　and　I　am　sorry　to　say　she　made　a　Christian　of

the　boy。〃



This　origin；　which　Nathan　thought　carefully　concealed；　Lady　Dudley　had

just　discovered；　and　she　enjoyed　by　anticipation　the　pleasure　she

should　have　in　launching　some　terrible　epigram　against　Vandenesse。



〃Heavens！　I　have　just　invited　him　to　my　house！〃　cried　Madame　d'Espard。



〃Didn't　I　receive　him　at　my　ball？〃　replied　Lady　Dudley。　〃Some

pleasures；　my　dear　love；　are　costly。〃



The　news　of　the　mutual　attachment　between　Raoul　and　Madame　de

Vandenesse　circulated　in　the　world　after　this；　but　not　without

exciting　denials　and　incredulity。　The　countess；　however；　was　defended

by　her　friends；　Lady　Dudley；　and　Mesdames　d'Espard　and　de　Manerville；

with　an　unnecessary　warmth　that　gave　a　certain　color　to　the　calumny。



On　the　following　Wednesday　evening　Raoul　went　to　Madame　d'Espard's；

and　was　able　to　exchange　a　few　sentences　with　Marie；　more　expressive

by　their　tones　than　their　ideas。　In　the　midst　of　the　elegant　assembly

both　found　pleasure　in　those　enjoyable　sensations　given　by　the　voice；

the　gestures；　the　attitude　of　one　beloved。　The　soul　then　fastens　upon

absolute　nothings。　No　longer　do　ideas　or　even　language　speak；　but

things；　and　these　so　loudly；　that　often　a　man　lets　another　pay　the

small　attentionsbring　a　cup　of　tea；　or　the　sugar　to　sweeten　it

demanded　by　the　woman　he　loves；　fearful　of　betraying　his　emotion　to

eyes　that　seem　to　see　nothing　and　yet　see　all。　Raoul；　however；　a　man

indifferent　to　the　eyes　of　the　world；　betrayed　his　passion　in　his

speech　and　was　brilliantly　witty。　The　company　listened　to　the　roar　of

a　discourse　inspired　by　the　restraint　put　upon　him；　restraint　being

that　which　artists　cannot　endure。　This　Rolandic　fury；　this　wit　which

slashed　down　all　things；　using　epigram　as　its　weapon；　intoxicated

Marie　and　amused　the　circle　around　them；　as　the　sight　of　a　bull　goaded

with　banderols　amuses　the　company　in　a　Spanish　circus。



〃You　may　kick　as　you　please；　but　you　can't　make　a　solitude　about　you；〃

whispered　Blondet。



The　words　brought　Raoul　to　his　senses；　and　he　ceased　to　exhibit　his

irritation　to　the　company。　Madame　d'Espard　came　up　to　offer　him　a　cup

of　tea；　and　said　loud　enough　for　Madame　de　Vandenesse　to　hear：



〃You　are　certainly　very　amusing；　come　and　see　me　sometimes　at　four

o'clock。〃



The　word　〃amusing〃　offended　Raoul；　though　it　was　used　as　the　ground　of

an　invitation。　Blondet　took　pity　on　him。



〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　said；　taking　him　aside　into　a　corner；　〃you　are

behaving　in　society　as　if　you　were　at　Florine's。　Here　no　one　shows

annoyance；　or　spouts　long　articles；　they　say　a　few　words　now　and　then；

they　look　their　calmest　when　most　desirous　of　flinging　others　out　of

the　window；　they　sneer　softly；　they　pretend　not　to　think　of　the　woman

they　adore；　and　they　are　careful　not　to　roll　like　a　donkey　on　the

high…road。　In　society；　my　good　Raoul；　conventions　rule　love。　Either

carry　off　Madame　de　Vandenesse；　or　show　yourself　a　gentleman。　As　it

is；　you　are　playing　the　lover　in　one　of　your　own　books。〃



Nathan　listened　with　his　head　lowered；　he　was　like　a　lion　caught　in　a

toil。



〃I'll　never　set　foot　in　this　house　again；〃　he　cried。　〃That　papier…

mache　marquise　sells　her　tea　too　dear。　She　thinks　me　amusing！　I

understand　now　why　Saint…Just　wanted　to　guillotine　this　whole　class　of

people。〃



〃You'll　be　back　here　to…morrow。〃



Blondet　was　right。　Passions　are　as　mean　as　they　are　cruel。　The　next

day　after　long　hesitation　between　〃I'll　goI'll　not　go；〃　Raoul　left

his　new　partners　in　the　midst　of　an　important　discussion　and　rushed　to

Madame　d'Espard's　house　in　the　faubourg　Saint…Honore。　Beholding

Rastignac's　elegant　cabriolet　enter　the　court…yard　while　he　was　paying

his　cab　at　the　gate；　Nathan's　vanity　was　stung；　he　resolved　to　have　a

cabriolet　himself；　and　its　accompanying　tig