beatrix-第16部分

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entrance　of　which　the　traveller　comes　upon　a　mud…hut；　where　the
custom…house　officials　lie　in　wait　for　him。　This　house　without　land
（for　the　bulk　of　the　estate　is　really　in　Guerande）　derives　an　income
from　the　marshes　and　a　few　outlying　farms　of　over　ten　thousand　francs
a　year。　Such　is　the　fief　of　Les　Touches；　from　which　the　Revolution
lopped　its　feudal　rights。　The　/paludiers/；　however；　continue　to　call
it　〃the　chateau；〃　and　they　would　still　say　〃seigneur〃　if　the　fief　were
not　now　in　the　female　line。　When　Felicite　set　about　restoring　Les
Touches；　she　was　careful；　artist　that　she　is；　not　to　change　the
desolate　exterior　which　gives　the　look　of　a　prison　to　the　isolated
structure。　The　sole　change　was　at　the　gate；　which　she　enlivened　by　two
brick　columns　supporting　an　arch；　beneath　which　carriages　pass　into
the　court…yard　where　she　planted　trees。

The　arrangement　of　the　ground…floor　is　that　of　nearly　all　country
houses　built　a　hundred　years　ago。　It　was；　evidently；　erected　on　the
ruins　of　some　old　castle　formerly　perched　there。　A　large　panelled
entrance…hall　has　been　turned　by　Felicite　into　a　billiard…room；　from
it　opens　an　immense　salon　with　six　windows；　and　the　dining…room。　The
kitchen　communicates　with　the　dining…room　through　an　office。　Camille
has　displayed　a　noble　simplicity　in　the　arrangement　of　this　floor；
carefully　avoiding　all　splendid　decoration。　The　salon；　painted　gray；
is　furnished　in　old　mahogany　with　green　silk　coverings。　The　furniture
of　the　dining…room　comprises　four　great　buffets；　also　of　mahogany；
chairs　covered　with　horsehair；　and　superb　engravings　by　Audran　in
mahogany　frames。　The　old　staircase；　of　wood　with　heavy　balusters；　is
covered　all　over　with　a　green　carpet。

On　the　floor　above　are　two　suites　of　rooms　separated　by　the　staircase。
Mademoiselle　des　Touches　has　taken　for　herself　the　one　that　looks
toward　the　sea　and　the　marshes；　and　arranged　it　with　a　small　salon；　a
large　chamber；　and　two　cabinets；　one　for　a　dressing…room；　the　other
for　a　study　and　writing…room。　The　other　suite；　she　has　made　into　two
separate　apartments　for　guests；　each　with　a　bedroom；　an　antechamber；
and　a　cabinet。　The　servants　have　rooms　in　the　attic。　The　rooms　for
guests　are　furnished　with　what　is　strictly　necessary；　and　no　more。　A
certain　fantastic　luxury　has　been　reserved　for　her　own　apartment。　In
that　sombre　and　melancholy　habitation；　looking　out　upon　the　sombre　and
melancholy　landscape；　she　wanted　the　most　fantastic　creations　of　art
that　she　could　find。　The　little　salon　is　hung　with　Gobelin　tapestry；
framed　in　marvellously　carved　oak。　The　windows　are　draped　with　the
heavy　silken　hangings　of　a　past　age；　a　brocade　shot　with　crimson　and
gold　against　green　and　yellow；　gathered　into　mighty　pleats　and　trimmed
with　fringes　and　cords　and　tassels　worthy　of　a　church。　This　salon
contains　a　chest　or　cabinet　worth　in　these　days　seven　or　eight
thousand　francs；　a　carved　ebony　table；　a　secretary　with　many　drawers；
inlaid　with　arabesques　of　ivory　and　bought　in　Venice；　with　other　noble
Gothic　furniture。　Here　too　are　pictures　and　articles　of　choice
workmanship　bought　in　1818；　at　a　time　when　no　one　suspected　the
ultimate　value　of　such　treasures。　Her　bedroom　is　of　the　period　of
Louis　XV。　and　strictly　exact　to　it。　Here　we　see　the　carved　wooden
bedstead　painted　white；　with　the　arched　head…board　surmounted　by
Cupids　scattering　flowers；　and　the　canopy　above　it　adorned　with
plumes；　the　hangings　of　blue　silk；　the　Pompadour　dressing…table　with
its　laces　and　mirror；　together　with　bits　of　furniture　of　singular
shape；a　〃duchesse；〃　a　chaise…longue；　a　stiff　little　sofa；with
window…curtains　of　silk；　like　that　of　the　furniture；　lined　with　pink
satin；　and　caught　back　with　silken　ropes；　and　a　carpet　of　Savonnerie；
in　short；　we　find　here　all　those　elegant；　rich；　sumptuous；　and　dainty
things　in　the　midst　of　which　the　women　of　the　eighteenth　century　lived
and　made　love。

The　study；　entirely　of　the　present　day；　presents；　in　contrast　with　the
Louis　XV。　gallantries；　a　charming　collection　of　mahogany　furniture；　it
resembles　a　boudoir；　the　bookshelves　are　full；　but　the　fascinating
trivialities　of　a　woman's　existence　encumber　it；　in　the　midst　of　which
an　inquisitive　eye　perceives　with　uneasy　surprise　pistols；　a　narghile；
a　riding…whip；　a　hammock；　a　rifle；　a　man's　blouse；　tobacco；　pipes；　a
knapsack；a　bizarre　combination　which　paints　Felicite。

Every　great　soul；　entering　that　room；　would　be　struck　with　the
peculiar　beauty　of　the　landscape　which　spreads　its　broad　savanna
beyond　the　park；　the　last　vegetation　on　the　continent。　The　melancholy
squares　of　water；　divided　by　little　paths　of　white　salt　crust；　along
which　the　salt…makers　pass　（dressed　in　white）　to　rake　up　and　gather
the　salt　into　/mulons/；　a　space　which　the　saline　exhalations　prevent
all　birds　from　crossing；　stifling　thus　the　efforts　of　botanic　nature；
those　sands　where　the　eye　is　soothed　only　by　one　little　hardy
persistent　plant　bearing　rosy　flowers　and　the　Chartreux　pansy；　that
lake　of　salt　water；　the　sandy　dunes；　the　view　of　Croisic；　a　miniature
town　afloat　like　Venice　on　the　sea；　and；　finally　the　mighty　ocean
tossing　its　foaming　fringe　upon　the　granite　rocks　as　if　the　better　to
bring　out　their　weird　formationsthat　sight　uplifts　the　mind　although
it　saddens　it；　an　effect　produced　at　last　by　all　that　is　sublime；
creating　a　regretful　yearning　for　things　unknown　and　yet　perceived　by
the　soul　on　far…off　heights。　These　wild　and　savage　harmonies　are　for
great　spirits　and　great　sorrows　only。

This　desert　scene；　where　at　times　the　sun　rays；　reflected　by　the
water；　by　the　sands；　whitened　the　village　of　Batz　and　rippled　on　the
roofs　of　Croisic　with　pitiless　brilliancy；　filled　Camille's　dreaming
mind　for　days　together。　She　seldom　looked　to　the　cool；　refreshing
scenes；　the　groves；　the　flowery　meadows　around　Guerande。　Her　soul　was
struggling　to　endure　a　horrible　inward　anguish。

No　sooner　did　Calyste　see　the　vanes　of　the　two　gables　shooting　up
beyond　the　furze　of　the　roadside　and　the　distorted　heads　of　the　pines；
than　the　air　seemed　lighter；　Guerande　was　a　prison　to　him；　his　life
was　at　Les　Touches。　Who　will　not　understand　the　attraction　it
presented　to　a　youth　in　his　position。　A　love　like　that　of　Cherubin；
had　flung　him　at　the　feet　of　a　person　who　was　a　great　and　grand　thing
to　him　before　he　thought　of　her　as　a　woman；　and　it　had　survived　the
repeated　and　inexplicable　refusals　of　Felicite。　This　sentiment；　which
was　more　the　need　of　loving　than　love　itself；　had　not　escaped　the
terrible　power　of　Camille　for　analysis；　hence；　possibly；　her
rejection；a　generosity　unperceived；　of　course；　by　Calyste。

At　Les　Touches　were　displayed　to　the　ravished　eyes　of　the　ignorant
young　countryman；　the　riches　of　a　new　world；　he　heard；　as　it　were；
another　language；　hitherto　unknown　to　him　and　sonorous。　He　listened　to
the　poetic　sounds　of　the　finest　music；　that　surpassing　music　of　the
nineteenth　century；　in　which　melody　and　harmony　blend　or　struggle　on
equal　terms；a　music　in　which　song　and　instrumentation　have　reached　a
hitherto　unknown　perfection。　He　saw　before　his　eyes　the　works　of
modern　painters；　those　of　the　French　school；　to…day　the　heir　of　Italy；
Spain；　and　Flanders；　in　which　talent　has　become　so　common　that　hearts；
weary　of　talent；　are　calling　aloud　for　genius。　He　read　there　those
works　of　imagination；　those　amazing　creations　of　modern　literature
which　produced　their　full　effect　upon　his　unused　heart。　In　short；　the
great　Nineteenth　Century　appeared　to　him；　in　all　its　collective
magnificence；　its　criticising　spirit；　its　desires　for　renovation　in
all　directions；　and　its　vast　efforts；　nearly　all　of　them　on　the　scale
of　the　giant　who　cradled　the　infancy　of　the　century　in　his　banners　and
sang　to　it　hymns　with　the　lullaby　of　cannon。

Initiated　by　Felicite　into　the　grandeur　of　all　these　things；　which
may；　perhaps；　escape　the　eyes　of　those　who　work　them；　Calyste
gratified　at　Les　Touches　the　taste　for　the　glorious；　powerful　at　his
age；　and　that　artless　admiration；　the　first　love　of　adolescence；　which
is　always　irritated　by　criticism。　It　is　so　natural　that　flame　should
rise！　He　listened　to　that　charming　Parisian　raillery；　that　graceful
satire　which　revealed　to　him　French　wit　and　the　qualities　of　the
French　mind；　and　awakened　in　him　a　thousand　ideas；　which　might　have
slumbered　forever　in　the　soft　torpor　of　his　family　life。　For　him；
Mademoiselle　des　Touches　was　the　mother　of　his　intellect。　She　was　so
kind　to　him；　a　woman　is　always　adorable　to　a　man　in　whom　she　inspires
love；　even　when　she　seems　not　to　share　it。

At　the　present　time　Felicite　was　giving　him　music…lessons。　To　him　the
grand　apartments　on　the　lower　floor；　and　her　private　rooms　above；　so
coquettish；　so　artistic；　were　vivified；　were　animated　by　a　light；　a
spirit；　a　supernatural　atmosphere；　strange　and　undefinable。　The　modern
world　with　its　poesy　was　sharply　contrasted　with　the　dull　and
patriarchal　world　of　Guerande；　in　the　two　systems　brought　face　to　face
before　him。　On　one　side　all　the　thousand　developments　of　Art；　on　the
other　the　sameness　of　uncivilized　Brittany。　No　one　will　therefore　ask
why　the　poor　lad；　bored　like　his　mother　with　the　pleasures　of
/mouche/；　quivered　as　he　approached　the　house；　and　rang　the　bell；　and
crossed　the　court…yard。　Such　emotions；　we　may　remark；　do　not　assail　a
mature　man；　trained　to　the　ups　and　downs　of　life；　whom　nothing
surprises；　being　prepared　for　all。

As　the　door　opened；　Calyste；　hearing　the　sound　of　the　piano；　supposed
that　Camille　was　in　the　salon；　but　when　he　entered　the　billiard…hall
he　no　longer　heard　it。　Camille；　he　thought；　must　be　playing　on　a　small
upright　piano　brought　by　Conti　from　England　and　placed　by　her　in　her
own　little　salon。　He　began　to　run　up　the　stairs；　where　the　thick
carpet　smothered　the　sound　of　his　steps；　but　he　went　more　slowly　as　he
neared　the　top；　perceiving　something　unusual　and　extraordinary　about
the　music。　Felicite　was　playing　for　herself　only；　she　was　communing
with　her　own　being。

Instead　of　entering　the　room；　the　young　man　sat　down　upon　a　Gothic
seat　covered　with　green　velvet；　which　stood　on　the　landing　beneath　a
window　artistically　framed　in　carved　woods　stained　and　varnished。
Nothing　wa