selected writings-第40部分

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Whether　it　was　an　accident；　or　whether　he　responded　to　the

interest　which　the　young　woman　felt　for　him；　at　any　rate　she

constantly　met　him　whereever　she　went；　whether　taking　a　walk；　or

on　the　lake　or　looking　at　the　newspapers　in　the　reading…room。　At

last　she　was　obliged　to　confess　to　herself　that　he　was　the

handsomest　man　she　had　ever　seen。　Tall　slim；　and　yet　muscular；

the　young；　beardless　Brazilian　had　a　head　which　any　woman　might

envy；　features　not　only　beautiful　and　noble；　but　also　extremely

delicate；　dark　eyes　which　possessed　a　wonderful　charm；　and　thick；

auburn；　curly　hair；　which　completed　the　attractiveness　and　the

strangeness　of　his　appearance。



They　soon　became　acquainted；　through　a　Prussian　officer　whom　the

Brazilian　had　asked　for　an　introduction　to　the　beautiful　Polish

ladyfor　Frau　von　Chabert　was　taken　for　one　in　Vevey。　She；　cold

and　designing　as　she　was；　blushed　slightly　when　he　stood　before

her　for　the　first　time；　and　when　he　gave　her　his　arm；　he　could

feel　her　hand　tremble　slightly　on　it。　The　same　evening　they　went

out　riding　together；　the　next　he　was　lying　at　her　feet；　and　on

the　third　she　was　his。　For　four　weeks　the　lovely　Wanda　and　the

Brazilian　lived　together　as　if　they　had　been　in　Paradise；　but　he

could　not　deceive　her　searching　eyes　any　longer。



Her　sharp　and　practiced　eye　had　already　discovered　in　him　that

indefinable　something　which　makes　a　man　appear　a　suspicious

character。　Any　other　woman　would　have　been　pained　and　horrified

at　such　a　discovery；　but　she　found　the　strange　consolation　in　it

that　her　handsome　adorer　promised　also　to　become　a　very

interesting　object　for　pursuit；　and　so　she　began　systematically

to　watch　the　man　who　lay　unsuspectingly　at　her　feet。



She　soon　found　out　that　he　was　no　conspirator；　but　she　asked

herself　in　vain　whether　she　was　to　look　for　a　common　swindler；　an

impudent　adventurer；　or　perhaps　even　a　criminal　in　him。　The　day

that　she　had　foreseen　soon　came；　the　Brazilian's　banker

〃unaccountably〃　had　omitted　to　send　him　any　money；　and　so　he

borrowed　some　of　her。　〃So　he　is　a　male　courtesan；〃　she　said　to

herself。　The　handsome　man　soon　required　money　again；　and　she　lent

it　to　him　again。　Then　at　last　he　left　suddenly　and　nobody　knew

where　he　had　gone　to；　only　this　much；　that　he　had　left　Vevey　as

the　companion　of　an　old　but　wealthy　Wallachian　lady。　So　this　time

clever　Wanda　was　duped。



A　year　afterward　she　met　the　Brazilian　unexpectedly　at　Lucca；

with　an　insipid…looking；　light…haired；　thin　Englishwoman　on　his

arm。　Wanda　stood　still　and　looked　at　him　steadily；　but　he　glanced

at　her　quite　indifferently；　he　did　not　choose　to　know　her　again。



The　next　morning；　however；　his　valet　brought　her　a　letter　from

him；　which　contained　the　amount　of　his　debt　in　Italian

hundred…lire　notes；　accompanied　by　a　very　cool　excuse。　Wanda　was

satisfied；　but　she　wished　to　find　out　who　the　lady　was；　in　whose

company　she　constantly　saw　Don　Escovedo。



〃Don　Escovedo。〃



An　Austrian　count；　who　had　a　loud　and　silly　laugh；　said：



〃Who　has　saddled　you　with　that　yarn？　The　lady　is　Lady

Nitingsdale；　and　his　name　is　Romanesco。〃



〃Romanesco？〃



〃Yes；　he　is　a　rich　Boyar　from　Moldavia；　where　he　has　extensive

estates。〃



Romanesco　ran　a　faro　bank　in　his　apartments；　and　certainly

cheated；　for　he　nearly　always　won；　it　was　not　long；　therefore；

before　other　people　in　good　society　at　Lucca　shared　Madame　von

Chabert's　suspicions；　and；　consequently；　Romanesco　thought　it

advisable　to　vanish　as　suddenly　from　Lucca　as　Escovedo　had　done

from　Vevey；　and　without　leaving　any　more　traces　behind　him。



Some　time　afterward；　Madame　von　Chabert　was　on　the　Island　of

Heligoland；　for　the　sea…bathing；　and　one　day　she　saw

Escovedo…Romanesco　sitting　opposite　to　her　at　the　table　d'hote；

in　very　animated　conversation　with　a　Russian　lady；　only　his　hair

had　turned　black　since　she　had　seen　him　last。　Evidently　his　light

hair　had　become　too　compromising　for　him。



〃The　sea…water　seems　to　have　a　very　remarkable　effect　upon　your

hair；〃　Wanda　said　to　him　spitefully；　in　a　whisper。



〃Do　you　think　so？〃　he　replied；　condescendingly。



〃I　fancy　that　at　one　time　your　hair　was　fair。〃



〃You　are　mistaking　me　for　somebody　else；〃　the　Brazilian　replied；

quietly。



〃I　am　not。〃



〃For　whom　do　you　take　me；　pray？〃　he　said　with　an　insolent　smile。



〃For　Don　Escovedo。〃



〃I　am　Count　Dembizki　from　Valkynia；〃　the　former　Brazilian　said

with　a　bow；　〃perhaps　you　would　like　to　see　my　passport。〃



〃Well；　perhaps〃



And　he　had　the　impudence　to　show　her　his　false　passport。



A　year　afterward　Wanda　met　Count　Dembizki　in　Baden；　near　Vienna。

His　hair　was　still　black；　but　he　had　a　magnificent；　full；　black

beard；　he　had　become　a　Greek　prince；　and　his　name　was　Anastasio

Maurokordatos。　She　met　him　once　in　one　of　the　side　walks　in　the

park；　where　he　could　not　avoid　her。　〃If　it　goes　on　like　this；〃

she　called　out　to　him　in　a　mocking　voice；　〃the　next　time　I　see

you；　you　will　be　king；　of　some　negro　tribe　or　other。〃



That　time；　however；　the　Brazilian　did　not　deny　his　identity；　on

the　contrary；　he　surrendered　at　discretion；　and　implored　her　not

to　betray　him。　As　she　was　not　revengeful　she　pardoned　him；　after

enjoying　his　terror　for　a　time；　and　promised　him　that　she　would

hold　her　tongue；　as　long　as　he　did　nothing　contrary　to　the　laws。



〃First　of　all；　I　must　beg　you　not　to　gamble。〃



〃You　have　only　to　command；　and　we　do　not　know　each　other　in　the

future〃



〃I　must　certainly　insist　on　that；〃　she　said　maliciously。



The　〃Exotic　Prince〃　had；　however；　made　a　conquest　of　the　charming

daughter　of　a　wealthy　Austrian　count；　and　had　cut　out　an

excellent　young　officer；　who　was　wooing　her。　The　latter；　in　his

despair；　began　to　make　love　to　Frau　von　Chabert；　and　at　last　told

her　he　loved　her。　But　she　only　laughed　at　him。



〃You　are　very　cruel；〃　he　stammered　in　confusion。



〃I？　What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　Wanda　replied；　still　smiling；

〃all　I　mean　is　that　you　have　directed　your　love　to　the　wrong

address；　for　Countess〃



〃Do　not　speak　of　her；　she　is　engaged　to　another　man。〃



〃As　long　as　I　choose　to　permit　it；〃　she　said；　〃but　what　will　you

do　if　I　bring　her　back　to　your　arms？　Will　you　still　call　me

cruel？〃



〃Can　you　do　this？〃　the　young　officer　asked；　in　great　excitement。



〃Well；　supposing　I　can　do　it；　what　shall　I　be　then？〃



〃An　angel；　whom　I　shall　thank　on　my　knees。〃



A　few　days　later；　the　rivals　met　at　a　coffee…house；　the　Greek

prince　began　to　lie　and　boast；　and　the　Austrian　officer　gave　him

the　lie　direct。　In　consequence；　it　was　arranged　that　they　should

fight　a　duel　with　pistols　next　morning　in　a　wood　close　to　Baden。

But　as　the　officer　was　leaving　the　house　with　his　seconds　the

next　morning；　a　Police　Commissary　came　up　to　him　and　begged　him

not　to　trouble　himself　any　further　about　the　matter；　but　another

time　to　be　more　careful　before　accepting　a　challenge。



〃What　does　it　mean？〃　the　officer　asked；　in　some　surprise。



〃It　means　that　this　Maurokordatos　is　a　dangerous　swindler　and

adventurer；　whom　we　have　just　taken　into　custody。〃



〃He　is　not　a　prince？〃



〃No；　a　circus　rider。〃



An　hour　later；　the　officer　received　a　letter　from　the　charming

Countess；　in　which　she　humbly　begged　for　pardon。　The　happy　lover

set　off　to　go　and　see　her　immediately；　but　on　the　way　a　sudden

thought　struck　him；　and　so　he　turned　back　in　order　to　thank

beautiful　Wanda；　as　he　had　promised；　on　his　knees。







THE　FALSE　GEMS



M。　Lantin　had　met　the　young　woman　at　a　soiree；　at　the　home　of　the

assistant　chief　of　his　bureau；　and　at　first　sight　had　fallen

madly　in　love　with　her。



She　was　the　daughter　of　a　country　physician　who　had　died　some

months　previously。　She　had　come　to　live　in　Paris；　with　her

mother；　who　visited　much　among　her　acquaintances；　in　the　hope　of

making　a　favorable　marriage　for　her　daughter。　They　were　poor　and

honest；　quiet　and　unaffected。



The　young　girl　was　a　perfect　type　of　the　virtuous　woman　whom

every　sensible　young　man　dreams　of　one　day　winning　for　life。　Her

simple　beauty　had　the　charm　of　angelic　modesty；　and　the

imperceptible　smile　which　constantly　hovered　about　her　lips

seemed　to　be　the　reflection　of　a　pure　and　lovely　soul。　Her

praises　resounded　on　every　side。　People　were　never　tired　of

saying：　〃Happy　the　man　who　wins　her　love！　He　could　not　find　a

better　wife。〃



Now　M。　Lantin　enjoyed　a　snug　little　income　of　700；　and；　thinking

he　could　safely　assume　the　responsibilities　of　matrimony；

proposed　to　this　model　young　girl　and　was　accepted。



He　was　unspeakably　happy　with　her；　she　governed　his　household　so

cleverly　and　economically　that　they　seemed　to　live　in　luxury。　She

lavished　the　most　delicate　attentions　on　her　husband；　coaxed　and

fondled　him；　and　the　charm　of　her　presence　was　so　great　that　six

years　after　their　marriage　M。　Lantin　discovered　that　he　loved　his

wife　even　more　than　during　the　first　days　of　their　honeymoon。



He　only　felt　inclined　to　blame　her　for　two　things：　her　love　of

the　theater；　and　a　taste　for　false　jewelry。　Her　friends　（she　was

acquainted　with　some　officers'　wives）　frequently　procured　for　her

a　box　at　the　theater；　often　for　the　first　representations　of　the

new　plays；　and　her　husband　was　obliged　to　accompany　her；　whether

he　willed　or　not；　to　these　amusements；　though　they　bored　him

excessively　after　a　day's　labor　at　the　office。



After　a　time；　M。　Lantin　begged　his　wife　to　get　some　lady　of　her

acquaintance　to　accompany　her。　She　was　at　first　opposed　to　such

an　arrangement；　but；　after　much　persuasion　on　his　part；　she

finally　consentedto　the　infinite　delight　of　her　husband。



Now；　with　her　love　for　the　theater　came　also　the　desire　to　adorn

her　person。　True；　her　costumes　remained　as　before；　simple；　and　in

the　most　correct　taste；　but　she　soon　began　to　ornament　her　ears

with　huge　rhinestones　which　glittered　and