the works of edgar allan poe-3-第50部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


down　the　street；　sat　the　enchanting　vision　of　the　opera；　accompanied
by　the　younger　lady　who　had　occupied　a　portion　of　her　box。

〃Her　companion　also　wears　remarkably　well；〃　said　the　one　of　my　trio
who　had　spoken　first。

〃Astonishingly；〃　said　the　second；　〃still　quite　a　brilliant　air；　but
art　will　do　wonders。　Upon　my　word；　she　looks　better　than　she　did　at
Paris　five　years　ago。　A　beautiful　woman　still；　　don't　you　think　so；
Froissart？　　Simpson；　I　mean。〃

〃Still！〃　said　I；　〃and　why　shouldn't　she　be？　But　compared　with　her
friend　she　is　as　a　rush　　light　to　the　evening　star　　a　glow　
worm　to　Antares。

〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　　why；　Simpson；　you　have　an　astonishing　tact　at　making
discoveries　　original　ones；　I　mean。〃　And　here　we　separated；　while
one　of　the　trio　began　humming　a　gay　vaudeville；　of　which　I　caught
only　the　lines…

Ninon；　Ninon；　Ninon　a　bas…

A　bas　Ninon　De　L'Enclos！

During　this　little　scene；　however；　one　thing　had　served　greatly　to
console　me；　although　it　fed　the　passion　by　which　I　was　consumed。　As
the　carriage　of　Madame　Lalande　rolled　by　our　group；　I　had　observed
that　she　recognized　me；　and　more　than　this；　she　had　blessed　me；　by
the　most　seraphic　of　all　imaginable　smiles；　with　no　equivocal　mark　of
the　recognition。

As　for　an　introduction；　I　was　obliged　to　abandon　all　hope　of　it　until
such　time　as　Talbot　should　think　proper　to　return　from　the　country。
In　the　meantime　I　perseveringly　frequented　every　reputable　place　of
public　amusement；　and；　at　length；　at　the　theatre；　where　I　first　saw
her；　I　had　the　supreme　bliss　of　meeting　her；　and　of　exchanging
glances　with　her　once　again。　This　did　not　occur；　however；　until　the
lapse　of　a　fortnight。　Every　day；　in　the　interim；　I　had　inquired　for
Talbot　at　his　hotel；　and　every　day　had　been　thrown　into　a　spasm　of
wrath　by　the　everlasting　〃Not　come　home　yet〃　of　his　footman。

Upon　the　evening　in　question；　therefore；　I　was　in　a　condition　little
short　of　madness。　Madame　Lalande；　I　had　been　told；　was　a　Parisian　
had　lately　arrived　from　Paris　　might　she　not　suddenly　return？　
return　before　Talbot　came　back　　and　might　she　not　be　thus　lost　to
me　forever？　The　thought　was　too　terrible　to　bear。　Since　my　future
happiness　was　at　issue；　I　resolved　to　act　with　a　manly　decision。　In　a
word；　upon　the　breaking　up　of　the　play；　I　traced　the　lady　to　her
residence；　noted　the　address；　and　the　next　morning　sent　her　a　full
and　elaborate　letter；　in　which　I　poured　out　my　whole　heart。

I　spoke　boldly；　freely　　in　a　word；　I　spoke　with　passion。　I
concealed　nothing　　nothing　even　of　my　weakness。　I　alluded　to　the
romantic　circumstances　of　our　first　meeting　　even　to　the　glances
which　had　passed　between　us。　I　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　I　felt
assured　of　her　love；　while　I　offered　this　assurance；　and　my　own
intensity　of　devotion；　as　two　excuses　for　my　otherwise　unpardonable
conduct。　As　a　third；　I　spoke　of　my　fear　that　she　might　quit　the　city
before　I　could　have　the　opportunity　of　a　formal　introduction。　I
concluded　the　most　wildly　enthusiastic　epistle　ever　penned；　with　a
frank　declaration　of　my　worldly　circumstances　　of　my　affluence　
and　with　an　offer　of　my　heart　and　of　my　hand。

In　an　agony　of　expectation　I　awaited　the　reply。　After　what　seemed　the
lapse　of　a　century　it　came。

Yes；　actually　came。　Romantic　as　all　this　may　appear；　I　really
received　a　letter　from　Madame　Lalande　　the　beautiful；　the　wealthy；
the　idolized　Madame　Lalande。　Her　eyes　　her　magnificent　eyes；　had
not　belied　her　noble　heart。　Like　a　true　Frenchwoman　as　she　was　she
had　obeyed　the　frank　dictates　of　her　reason　　the　generous　impulses
of　her　nature　　despising　the　conventional　pruderies　of　the　world。
She　had　not　scorned　my　proposals。　She　had　not　sheltered　herself　in
silence。　She　had　not　returned　my　letter　unopened。　She　had　even　sent
me；　in　reply；　one　penned　by　her　own　exquisite　fingers。　It　ran　thus：

〃Monsieur　Simpson　vill　pardonne　me　for　not　compose　de　butefulle　tong
of　his　contree　so　vell　as　might。　It　is　only　de　late　dat　I　am　arrive；
and　not　yet　ave　do　opportunite　for　to　　l'etudier。

〃Vid　dis　apologie　for　the　maniere；　I　vill　now　say　dat；　helas！…
Monsieur　Simpson　ave　guess　but　de　too　true。　Need　I　say　de　more？
Helas！　am　I　not　ready　speak　de　too　moshe？

〃EUGENIE　LALAND。〃

This　noble　　spirited　note　I　kissed　a　million　times；　and　committed；
no　doubt；　on　its　account；　a　thousand　other　extravagances　that　have
now　escaped　my　memory。　Still　Talbot　would　not　return。　Alas！　could　he
have　formed　even　the　vaguest　idea　of　the　suffering　his　absence　had
occasioned　his　friend；　would　not　his　sympathizing　nature　have　flown
immediately　to　my　relief？　Still；　however；　he　came　not。　I　wrote。　He
replied。　He　was　detained　by　urgent　business　　but　would　shortly
return。　He　begged　me　not　to　be　impatient　　to　moderate　my　transports
　to　read　soothing　books　　to　drink　nothing　stronger　than　Hock　
and　to　bring　the　consolations　of　philosophy　to　my　aid。　The　fool！　if
he　could　not　come　himself；　why；　in　the　name　of　every　thing　rational；
could　he　not　have　enclosed　me　a　letter　of　presentation？　I　wrote　him
again；　entreating　him　to　forward　one　forthwith。　My　letter　was
returned　by　that　footman；　with　the　following　endorsement　in　pencil。
The　scoundrel　had　joined　his　master　in　the　country：

〃Left　S…　　yesterday；　for　parts　unknown　　did　not　say　where　　or
when　be　back　　so　thought　best　to　return　letter；　knowing　your
handwriting；　and　as　how　you　is　always；　more　or　less；　in　a　hurry。

〃Yours　sincerely；

〃STUBBS。〃

After　this；　it　is　needless　to　say；　that　I　devoted　to　the　infernal
deities　both　master　and　valet：　　but　there　was　little　use　in　anger；
and　no　consolation　at　all　in　complaint。

But　I　had　yet　a　resource　left；　in　my　constitutional　audacity。
Hitherto　it　had　served　me　well；　and　I　now　resolved　to　make　it　avail
me　to　the　end。　Besides；　after　the　correspondence　which　had　passed
between　us；　what　act　of　mere　informality　could　I　commit；　within
bounds；　that　ought　to　be　regarded　as　indecorous　by　Madame　Lalande？
Since　the　affair　of　the　letter；　I　had　been　in　the　habit　of　watching
her　house；　and　thus　discovered　that；　about　twilight；　it　was　her
custom　to　promenade；　attended　only　by　a　negro　in　livery；　in　a　public
square　overlooked　by　her　windows。　Here；　amid　the　luxuriant　and
shadowing　groves；　in　the　gray　gloom　of　a　sweet　midsummer　evening；　I
observed　my　opportunity　and　accosted　her。

The　better　to　deceive　the　servant　in　attendance；　I　did　this　with　the
assured　air　of　an　old　and　familiar　acquaintance。　With　a　presence　of
mind　truly　Parisian；　she　took　the　cue　at　once；　and；　to　greet　me；　held
out　the　most　bewitchingly　little　of　hands。　The　valet　at　once　fell
into　the　rear；　and　now；　with　hearts　full　to　overflowing；　we
discoursed　long　and　unreservedly　of　our　love。

As　Madame　Lalande　spoke　English　even　less　fluently　than　she　wrote　it；
our　conversation　was　necessarily　in　French。　In　this　sweet　tongue；　so
adapted　to　passion；　I　gave　loose　to　the　impetuous　enthusiasm　of　my
nature；　and；　with　all　the　eloquence　I　could　command；　besought　her　to
consent　to　an　immediate　marriage。

At　this　impatience　she　smiled。　She　urged　the　old　story　of　decorum…
that　bug…bear　which　deters　so　many　from　bliss　until　the　opportunity
for　bliss　has　forever　gone　by。　I　had　most　imprudently　made　it　known
among　my　friends；　she　observed；　that　I　desired　her　acquaintance…　thus
that　I　did　not　possess　it　　thus；　again；　there　was　no　possibility　of
concealing　the　date　of　our　first　knowledge　of　each　other。　And　then
she　adverted；　with　a　blush；　to　the　extreme　recency　of　this　date。　To
wed　immediately　would　be　improper　　would　be　indecorous　　would　be
outre。　All　this　she　said　with　a　charming　air　of　naivete　which
enraptured　while　it　grieved　and　convinced　me。　She　went　even　so　far　as
to　accuse　me；　laughingly；　of　rashness　　of　imprudence。　She　bade　me
remember　that　I　really　even　know　not　who　she　was　　what　were　her
prospects；　her　connections；　her　standing　in　society。　She　begged　me；
but　with　a　sigh；　to　reconsider　my　proposal；　and　termed　my　love　an
infatuation　　a　will　o'　the　wisp　　a　fancy　or　fantasy　of　the　moment
　a　baseless　and　unstable　creation　rather　of　the　imagination　than　of
the　heart。　These　things　she　uttered　as　the　shadows　of　the　sweet
twilight　gathered　darkly　and　more　darkly　around　us　　and　then；　with
a　gentle　pressure　of　her　fairy…like　hand；　overthrew；　in　a　single
sweet　instant；　all　the　argumentative　fabric　she　had　reared。

I　replied　as　best　I　could　　as　only　a　true　lover　can。　I　spoke　at
length；　and　perseveringly　of　my　devotion；　of　my　passion　　of　her
exceeding　beauty；　and　of　my　own　enthusiastic　admiration。　In
conclusion；　I　dwelt；　with　a　convincing　energy；　upon　the　perils　that
encompass　the　course　of　love　　that　course　of　true　love　that　never
did　run　smooth　　and　thus　deduced　the　manifest　danger　of　rendering
that　course　unnecessarily　long。

This　latter　argument　seemed　finally　to　soften　the　rigor　of　her
determination。　She　relented；　but　there　was　yet　an　obstacle；　she　said；
which　she　felt　assured　I　had　not　properly　considered。　This　was　a
delicate　point　　for　a　woman　to　urge；　especially　so；　in　mentioning
it；　she　saw　that　she　must　make　a　sacrifice　of　her　feelings；　still；
for　me；　every　sacrifice　should　be　made。　She　alluded　to　the　topic　of
age。　Was　I　aware　　was　I　fully　aware　of　the　discrepancy　between　us？
That　the　age　of　the　husband；　should　surpass　by　a　few　years　　even　by
fifteen　or　twenty　　the　age　of　the　wife；　was　regarded　by　the　world
as　admissible；　and；　indeed；　as　even　proper；　but　she　had　always
entertained　the　belief　that　the　years　of　the　wife　should　never　exceed
in　number　those　of　the　husband。　A　discrepancy　of　this　unnatural　kind
gave　rise；　too　frequently；　alas！　to　a　life　of　unhappiness。　Now　she
was　aware　that　my　own　age　did　not　exceed　two　and　twenty；　and　I；　on
the　contrary；　perhaps；　was　not　aware　that　the　years　of　my　Eugenie
extended　very　considerably　beyond　that　sum。

About　all　this　there　was　a　nobility　of　soul　　a　dignity　of　candor…
which　delighted　　which　enchanted　me　　which　eternally　riveted　my
chains。　I　could　scarcely　restrain　the　excessive　transport　which
possessed　me。

〃My　sweetest　Eugenie；〃　I　cried；　〃what　is　all　this　about　which　you　are
discoursing？　Your　years　surpass　in　some　measure　my　own。　But　what
then？　The　customs　of　the　world　are　so　many