selected writings-第38部分

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imitating　his　gestures　and　the　unctuous　inflections　of　his　voice；

in　order；　perhaps；　to　experience　some　new　sensation；　or；　perhaps；

for　the　sake　of　dressing　like　a　woman　who　was　going　to　try　for　a

divorce；　and；　certainly；　the　whole　effect　was　perfect。　She　wore　a

splendid　cloak　embroidered　with　jetwhich　gave　an　almost　serious

effect　to　her　golden　hair；　to　her　small　slightly　turned…up　nose；

with　its　quivering　nostrils；　and　to　her　large　eyes；　full　of

enigma　and　funover　a　dark　stuff　dress；　which　was　fastened　at

the　neck　by　a　sapphire　and　a　diamond　pin。



The　barrister　did　not　interrupt　her；　but　allowed　her　to　get

excited　and　to　chatter；　to　enumerate　her　causes　for　complaint

against　poor　Count　de　Baudemont；　who　certainly　had　no　suspicion

of　his　wife's　escapade；　and　who　would　have　been　very　much

surprised　if　anyone　had　told　him　of　it　at　that　moment；　when　he

was　taking　his　fencing　lesson　at　the　club。



When　she　had　quite　finished；　he　said　coolly；　as　if　he　were

throwing　a　pail　of　water　on　some　burning　straw：



〃But；　Madame；　there　is　not　the　slightest　pretext　for　a　divorce　in

anything　that　you　have　told　me　here。　The　judges　would　ask　me

whether　I　took　the　Law　Courts　for　a　theater；　and　intended　to　make

fun　of　them。〃



And　seeing　how　disheartened　she　was；that　she　looked　like　a

child　whose　favorite　toy　had　been　broken；　that　she　was　so　pretty

that　he　would　have　liked　to　kiss　her　hands　in　his　devotion；　and

as　she　seemed　to　be　witty；　and　very　amusing；　and　as；　moreover；　he

had　no　objection　to　such　visits　being　prolonged；　when　papers　had

to　be　looked　over；　while　sitting　close　together；Maitre

Garrulier　appeared　to　be　considering。　Taking　his　chin　in　his

hand；　he　said：



〃However；　I　will　think　it　over；　there　is　sure　to　be　some　dark

spot　that　can　be　made　out　worse。　Write　to　me；　and　come　and　see　me

again。〃



In　the　course　of　her　visits；　that　black　spot　had　increased　so

much　and　Madame　de　Baudemont　had　followed　her　lawyer's　advice　so

punctually；　and　had　played　on　the　various　strings　so　skillfully

that　a　few　months　later；　after　a　lawsuit；　which　is　still　spoken

of　in　the　Courts　of　Justice；　and　during　the　course　of　which　the

President　had　to　take　off　his　spectacles；　and　to　use　his

pocket…handkerchief　noisily；　the　divorce　was　pronounced　in　favor

of　the　Countess　Marie　Anne　Nicole　Bournet　de　Baudemont；　nee　de

Tanchart　de　Peothus。



The　Count；　who　was　nonplussed　at　such　an　adventure　turning　out　so

seriously；　first　of　all　flew　into　a　terrible　rage；　rushed　off　to

the　lawyer's　office　and　threatened　to　cut　off　his　knavish　ears

for　him。　But　when　his　access　of　fury　was　over；　and　he　thought　of

it；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said：



〃All　the　better　for　her；　if　it　amuses　her！〃



Then　he　bought　Baron　Silberstein's　yacht；　and　with　some　friends；

got　up　a　cruise　to　Ceylon　and　India。



Marie　Anne　began　by　triumphing；　and　felt　as　happy　as　a　schoolgirl

going　home　for　the　holidays；　she　committed　every　possible　folly；

and　soon；　tired；　satiated；　and　disgusted；　began　to　yawn；　cried；

and　found　out　that　she　had　sacrificed　her　happiness；　like　a

millionaire　who　has　gone　mad　and　has　cast　his　banknotes　and

shares　into　the　river；　and　that　she　was　nothing　more　than　a

disabled　waif　and　stray。　Consequently；　she　now　married　again；　as

the　solitude　of　her　home　made　her　morose　from　morning　till　night；

and　then；　besides；　she　found　a　woman　requires　a　mansion　when　she

goes　into　society；　to　race　meetings；　or　to　the　theater。



And　so；　while　she　became　a　marchioness；　and　pronounced　her　second

〃Yes；〃　before　a　very　few　friends；　at　the　office　of　the　mayor　of

the　English　urban　district；　malicious　people　in　the　Faubourg　were

making　fun　of　the　whole　affair；　and　affirming　this　and　that；

whether　rightly　or　wrongly；　and　comparing　the　present　husband　to

the　former　one；　even　declaring　that　he　had　partially　been　the

cause　of　the　former　divorce。　Meanwhile　Monsieur　de　Baudemont　was

wandering　over　the　four　quarters　of　the　globe　trying　to　overcome

his　homesickness；　and　to　deaden　his　longing　for　love；　which　had

taken　possession　of　his　heart　and　of　his　body；　like　a　slow

poison。



He　traveled　through　the　most　out…of…the…way　places；　and　the　most

lovely　countries；　and　spent　months　and　months　at　sea；　and　plunged

into　every　kind　of　dissipation　and　debauchery。　But　neither　the

supple　forms　nor　the　luxurious　gestures　of　the　bayaderes；　nor　the

large　passive　eyes　of　the　Creoles；　nor　flirtations　with　English

girls　with　hair　the　color　of　new　cider；　nor　nights　of　waking

dreams；　when　he　saw　new　constellations　in　the　sky；　nor　dangers

during　which　a　man　thinks　it　is　all　over　with　him；　and　mutters　a

few　words　of　prayer　in　spite　of　himself；　when　the　waves　are　high；

and　the　sky　black；　nothing　was　able　to　make　him　forget　that

little　Parisian　woman　who　smelled　so　sweet　that　she　might　have

been　taken　for　a　bouquet　of　rare　flowers；　who　was　so　coaxing；　so

curious；　so　funny；　who　never　had　the　same　caprice；　the　same

smile；　or　the　same　look　twice；　and　who；　at　bottom；　was　worth　more

than　many　others；　either　saints　or　sinners。



He　thought　of　her　constantly；　during　long　hours　of　sleeplessness。

He　carried　her　portrait　about　with　him　in　the　breast　pocket　of

his　pea…jacketa　charming　portrait　in　which　she　was　smiling；　and

showing　her　white　teeth　between　her　half…open　lips。　Her　gentle

eyes　with　their　magnetic　look　had　a　happy；　frank　expression；　and

from　the　mere　arrangement　of　her　hair；　one　could　see　that　she　was

fair　among　the　fair。



He　used　to　kiss　that　portrait　of　the　woman　who　had　been　his　wife

as　if　he　wished　to　efface　it；　would　look　at　it　for　hours；　and

then　throw　himself　down　on　the　netting　and　sob　like　a　child　as　he

looked　at　the　infinite　expanse　before　him；　seeming　to　see　their

lost　happiness；　the　joys　of　their　perished　affections；　and　the

divine　remembrance　of　their　love；　in　the　monotonous　waste　of

green　waters。　And　he　tried　to　accuse　himself　for　all　that　had

occurred；　and　not　to　be　angry　with　her；　to　think　that　his

grievances　were　imaginary；　and　to　adore　her　in　spite　of

everything　and　always。



And　so　he　roamed　about　the　world；　tossed　to　and　fro；　suffering

and　hoping　he　knew　not　what。　He　ventured　into　the　greatest

dangers；　and　sought　for　death　just　as　a　man　seeks　for　his

mistress；　and　death　passed　close　to　him　without　touching　him；

perhaps　amused　at　his　grief　and　misery。



For　he　was　as　wretched　as　a　stone…breaker；　as　one　of　those　poor

devils　who　work　and　nearly　break　their　backs　over　the　hard　flints

the　whole　day　long；　under　the　scorching　sun　or　the　cold　rain；　and

Marie　Anne　herself　was　not　happy；　for　she　was　pining　for　the　past

and　remembered　their　former　love。



At　last；　however；　he　returned　to　France；　changed；　tanned　by

exposure；　sun；　and　rain；　and　transformed　as　if　by　some　witch's

philter。



Nobody　would　have　recognized　the　elegant　and　effeminate　clubman；

in　this　corsair　with　broad　shoulders；　a　skin　the　color　of　tan；

with　very　red　lips；　who　rolled　a　little　in　his　walk；　who　seemed

to　be　stifled　in　his　black　dress…coat；　but　who　still　retained　the

distinguished　manners　and　bearing　of　a　nobleman　of　the　last

century；　one　of　those　who；　when　he　was　ruined；　fitted　out　a

privateer；　and　fell　upon　the　English　wherever　he　met　them；　from

St。　Malo　to　Calcutta。　And　wherever　he　showed　himself　his　friends

exclaimed：



〃Why！　Is　that　you？　I　should　never　have　known　you　again！〃



He　was　very　nearly　starting　off　again　immediately；　he　even

telegraphed　orders　to　Havre　to　get　the　steam…yacht　ready　for　sea

directly；　when　he　heard　that　Marie　Anne　had　married　again。



He　saw　her　in　the　distance；　at　the　Theatre　Francais　one　Tuesday；

and　when　he　noticed　how　pretty；　how　fair；　how　desirable　she

was；looking　so　melancholy；　with　all　the　appearance　of　an

unhappy　soul　that　regrets　something；his　determination　grew

weaker；　and　he　delayed　his　departure　from　week　to　week；　and

waited；　without　knowing　why；　until；　at　last；　worn　out　with　the

struggle；　watching　her　wherever　she　went；　more　in　love　with　her

than　he　had　ever　been　before；　he　wrote　her　long；　mad；　ardent

letters　in　which　his　passion　overflowed　like　a　stream　of　lava。



He　altered　his　handwriting；　as　he　remembered　her　restless　brain；

and　her　many　whims。　He　sent　her　the　flowers　which　he　knew　she

liked　best；　and　told　her　that　she　was　his　life；　that　he　was　dying

of　waiting　for　her；　of　longing　for　her；　for　her　his　idol。



At　last；　very　much　puzzled　and　surprised；　guessingwho

knows？from　the　instinctive　beating　of　her　heart；　and　her

general　emotion；　that　it　must　be　he　this　time；　he　whose　soul　she

had　tortured　with　such　cold　cruelty；　and　knowing　that　she　could

make　amends　for　the　past　and　bring　back　their　former　love；　she

replied　to　him；　and　granted　him　the　meeting　that　he　asked　for。

She　fell　into　his　arms；　and　they　both　sobbed　with　joy　and

ecstasy。　Their　kisses　were　those　which　lips　give　only　when　they

have　lost　each　other　and　found　each　other　again　at　last；　when

they　meet　and　exhaust　themselves　in　each　other's　looks；　thirsting

for　tenderness；　love；　and　enjoyment。



　*　*　*　*　*　*　*



Last　week　Count　de　Baudemont　carried　off　Marie　Anne　quietly　and

coolly；　just　like　one　resumes　possession　of　one's　house　on

returning　from　a　journey；　and　drives　out　the　intruders。　And　when

Maitre　Garrulier　was　told　of　this　unheard　of　scandal；　he　rubbed

his　handsthe　long；　delicate　hands　of　a　sensual　prelateand

exclaimed：



〃That　is　absolutely　logical；　and　I　should　like　to　be　in　their

place。〃







THE　MAD　WOMAN



〃I　can　tell　you　a　terrible　story　about　the　Franco…Prussian　war；〃

Monsieur　d'Endolin　said　to　some　friends　assembled　in　the

smoking…room　of　Baron　de　Ravot's　chateau。　〃You　know　my　house　in

the　Faubourg　de　Cormeil；　I　was　living　there　when　the　Prussians

came；　and　I　had　for　a　neighbor　a　kind　of　mad　woman；　who　had　lost

her　senses　in　consequence　of　a　series　of　misfortunes。　At　the　age

of　seven　and　twenty