beatrix-第21部分

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　　by　water。　This　idea　came　to　me　on　finding　that　there　is　a　little
　　Danish　vessel　now　here；　laden　with　marble；　which　is　to　touch　at
　　Croisic　for　a　cargo　of　salt　on　its　way　back　to　the　Baltic。　I　shall
　　thus　escape　the　fatigue　and　the　cost　of　the　land　journey。　Dear
　　Felicite；　you　are　the　only　person　with　whom　I　could　be　alone
　　without　Conti。　Will　it　not　be　some　pleasure　to　have　a　woman　with
　　you　who　understands　your　heart　as　fully　as　you　do　hers？

　　Adieu；　/a　bientot/。　The　wind　is　favorable；　and　I　set　sail；　wafting
　　you　a　kiss。

Beatrix。


〃Ah！　she　loves；　too！〃　thought　Calyste；　folding　the　letter　sadly。

That　sadness　flowed　to　the　heart　of　the　mother　as　if　some　gleam　had
lighted　up　a　gulf　to　her。　The　baron　had　gone　out；　Fanny　went　to　the
door　of　the　tower　and　pushed　the　bolt；　then　she　returned；　and　leaned
upon　the　back　of　her　boy's　chair；　like　the　sister　of　Dido　in　Guerin's
picture；　and　said；

〃What　is　it；　my　Calyste？　what　makes　you　so　sad？　You　promised　to
explain　to　me　these　visits　to　Les　Touches；　I　am　to　bless　its　mistress；
at　least；　you　said　so。〃

〃Yes；　indeed　you　will；　dear　mother；〃　he　replied。　〃She　has　shown　me　the
insufficiency　of　my　education　at　an　epoch　when　the　nobles　ought　to
possess　a　personal　value　in　order　to　give　life　to　their　rank。　I　was　as
far　from　the　age　we　live　in　as　Guerande　is　from　Paris。　She　has　been；
as　it　were；　the　mother　of　my　intellect。〃

〃I　cannot　bless　her　for　that；〃　said　the　baroness；　with　tears　in　her
eyes。

〃Mamma！〃　cried　Calyste；　on　whose　forehead　those　hot　tears　fell；　two
pearls　of　sorrowful　motherhood；　〃mamma；　don't　weep！　Just　now；　when　I
wanted　to　do　her　a　service；　and　search　the　country　round；　she　said；
'It　will　make　your　mother　so　uneasy。'〃

〃Did　she　say　that？　Then　I　can　forgive　her　many　things；〃　replied　Fanny。

〃Felicite　thinks　only　of　my　good；〃　continued　Calyste。　〃She　often
checks　the　lively；　venturesome　language　of　artists　so　as　not　to　shake
me　in　a　faith　which　is；　though　she　knows　it　not；　unshakable。　She　has
told　me　of　the　life　in　Paris　of　several　young　men　of　the　highest
nobility　coming　from　their　provinces；　as　I　might　do；leaving　families
without　fortune；　but　obtaining　in　Paris；　by　the　power　of　their　will
and　their　intellect；　a　great　career。　I　can　do　what　the　Baron　de
Rastignac；　now　a　minister　of　State；　has　done。　Felicite　has　taught　me；
I　read　with　her；　she　gives　me　lessons　on　the　piano；　she　is　teaching　me
Italian；　she　has　initiated　me　into　a　thousand　social　secrets；　about
which　no　one　in　Guerande　knows　anything　at　all。　She　could　not　give　me
the　treasures　of　her　love；　but　she　has　given　me　those　of　her　vast
intellect；　her　mind；　her　genius。　She　does　not　want　to　be　a　pleasure；
but　a　light　to　me；　she　lessens　not　one　of　my　faiths；　she　herself　has
faith　in　the　nobility；　she　loves　Brittany；　she〃

〃She　has　changed　our　Calyste；〃　said　his　blind　old　aunt；　interrupting
him。　〃I　do　not　understand　one　word　he　has　been　saying。　You　have　a
solid　roof　over　your　head；　my　good　nephew；　you　have　parents　and
relations　who　adore　you；　and　faithful　servants；　you　can　marry　some
good　little　Breton　girl；　religious　and　accomplished；　who　will　make　you
happy。　Reserve　your　ambitions　for　your　eldest　son；　who　may　be　four
times　as　rich　as　you；　if　you　choose　to　live　tranquilly；　thriftily；　in
obscurity；but　in　the　peace　of　God；in　order　to　release　the　burdens
on　your　estate。　It　is　all　as　simple　as　a　Breton　heart。　You　will　be；
not　so　rapidly　perhaps；　but　more　solidly；　a　rich　nobleman。〃

〃Your　aunt　is　right；　my　darling；　she　plans　for　your　happiness　with　as
much　anxiety　as　I　do　myself。　If　I　do　not　succeed　in　marrying　you　to　my
niece；　Margaret；　the　daughter　of　your　uncle；　Lord　Fitzwilliam；　it　is
almost　certain　that　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　will　leave　her　fortune　to
whichever　of　her　nieces　you　may　choose。〃

〃And　besides；　there's　a　little　gold　to　be　found　here；〃　added　the　old
aunt　in　a　low　voice；　with　a　mysterious　glance　about　her。

〃Marry！　at　my　age！〃　he　said；　casting　on　his　mother　one　of　those　looks
which　melt　the　arguments　of　mothers。　〃Am　I　to　live　without　my
beautiful　fond　loves？　Must　I　never　tremble　or　throb　or　fear　or　gasp；
or　lie　beneath　implacable　looks　and　soften　them？　Am　I　never　to　know
beauty　in　its　freedom；　the　fantasy　of　the　soul；　the　clouds　that　course
through　the　azure　of　happiness；　which　the　breath　of　pleasure
dissipates？　Ah！　shall　I　never　wander　in　those　sweet　by…paths　moist
with　dew；　never　stand　beneath　the　drenching　of　a　gutter　and　not　know
it　rains；　like　those　lovers　seen　by　Diderot；　never　take；　like　the　Duc
de　Lorraine；　a　live　coal　in　my　hand？　Are　there　no　silken　ladders　for
me；　no　rotten　trellises　to　cling　to　and　not　fall？　Shall　I　know　nothing
of　woman　but　conjugal　submission；　nothing　of　love　but　the　flame　of　its
lamp…wick？　Are　my　longings　to　be　satisfied　before　they　are　roused？
Must　I　live　out　my　days　deprived　of　that　madness　of　the　heart　that
makes　a　man　and　his　power？　Would　you　make　me　a　married　monk？　No！　I
have　eaten　of　the　fruit　of　Parisian　civilization。　Do　you　not　see　that
you　have；　by　the　ignorant　morals　of　this　family；　prepared　the　fire
that　consumes　me；　that　/will/　consume　me　utterly；　unless　I　can　adore
the　divineness　I　see　everywhere；in　those　sands　gleaming　in　the　sun；
in　the　green　foliage；　in　all　the　women；　beautiful；　noble；　elegant；
pictured　in　the　books　and　in　the　poems　I　have　read　with　Camille？　Alas！
there　is　but　one　such　woman　in　Guerande；　and　it　is　you；　my　mother！　The
birds　of　my　beautiful　dream；　they　come　from　Paris；　they　fly　from　the
pages　of　Scott；　of　Byron；Parisina；　Effie；　Minna！　yes；　and　that　royal
duchess；　whom　I　saw　on　the　moors　among　the　furze　and　the　ferns；　whose
very　aspect　sent　the　blood　to　my　heart。〃

The　baroness　saw　these　thoughts　flaming　in　the　eyes　of　her　son；
clearer；　more　beautiful；　more　living　than　art　can　tell　to　those　who
read　them。　She　grasped　them　rapidly；　flung　to　her　as　they　were　in
glances　like　arrows　from　an　upset　quiver。　Without　having　read
Beaumarchais；　she　felt；　as　other　women　would　have　felt；　that　it　would
be　a　crime　to　marry　Calyste。

〃Oh！　my　child！〃　she　said；　taking　him　in　her　arms；　and　kissing　the
beautiful　hair　that　was　still　hers；　〃marry　whom　you　will；　and　when　you
will；　but　be　happy！　My　part　in　life　is　not　to　hamper　you。〃

Mariotte　came　to　lay　the　table。　Gasselin　was　out　exercising　Calyste's
horse；　which　the　youth　had　not　mounted　for　two　months。　The　three
women；　mother；　aunt；　and　Mariotte；　shared　in　the　tender　feminine
wiliness；　which　taught　them　to　make　much　of　Calyste　when　he　dined　at
home。　Breton　plainness　fought　against　Parisian　luxury；　now　brought　to
the　very　doors　of　Guerande。　Mariotte　endeavored　to　wean　her　young
master　from　the　accomplished　service　of　Camille　Maupin's　kitchen；　just
as　his　mother　and　aunt　strove　to　hold　him　in　the　net　of　their
tenderness　and　render　all　comparison　impossible。

〃There's　a　salmon…trout　for　dinner；　Monsieur　Calyste；　and　snipe；　and
pancakes　such　as　I　know　you　can't　get　anywhere　but　here；〃　said
Mariotte；　with　a　sly；　triumphant　look　as　she　smoothed　the　cloth；　a
cascade　of　snow。

After　dinner；　when　the　old　aunt　had　taken　up　her　knitting；　and　the
rector　and　Monsieur　du　Halga　had　arrived；　allured　by　their　precious
/mouche/；　Calyste　went　back　to　Les　Touches　on　the　pretext　of　returning
the　letter。

Claude　Vignon　and　Felicite　were　still　at　table。　The　great　critic　was
something　of　a　gourmand；　and　Felicite　pampered　the　vice；　knowing　how
indispensable　a　woman　makes　herself　by　such　compliance。　The　dinner…
table　presented　that　rich　and　brilliant　aspect　which　modern　luxury；
aided　by　the　perfecting　of　handicrafts；　now　gives　to　its　service。　The
poor　and　noble　house　of　Guenic　little　knew　with　what　an　adversary　it
was　attempting　to　compete；　or　what　amount　of　fortune　was　necessary　to
enter　the　lists　against　the　silverware；　the　delicate　porcelain；　the
beautiful　linen；　the　silver…gilt　service　brought　from　Paris　by
Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　and　the　science　of　her　cook。　Calyste
declined　the　liqueurs　contained　in　one　of　those　superb　cases　of
precious　woods；　which　are　something　like　tabernacles。

〃Here's　the　letter；〃　he　said；　with　innocent　ostentation；　looking　at
Claude；　who　was　slowly　sipping　a　glass　of　/liqueur…des…iles/。

〃Well；　what　did　you　think　of　it？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；
throwing　the　letter　across　the　table　to　Vignon；　who　began　to　read　it；
taking　up　and　putting　down　at　intervals　his　little　glass。

〃I　thoughtwell；　that　Parisian　women　were　very　fortunate　to　have　men
of　genius　to　adore　who　adore　them。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　still　in　your　village；〃　said　Felicite；　laughing。　〃What！
did　you　not　see　that　she　loves　him　less；　and〃

〃That　is　evident；〃　said　Claude　Vignon；　who　had　only　read　the　first
page。　〃Do　people　reason　on　their　situation　when　they　really　love；　are
they　as　shrewd　as　the　marquise；　as　observing；　as　discriminating？　Your
dear　Beatrix　is　held　to　Conti　now　by　pride　only；　she　is　condemned　to
love　him　/quand　meme/。〃

〃Poor　woman！〃　said　Camille。

Calyste's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　table；　he　saw　nothing　about　him。　The
beautiful　woman　in　the　fanciful　dress　described　that　morning　by
Felicite　appeared　to　him　crowned　with　light；　she　smiled　to　him；　she
waved　her　fan；　the　other　hand；　issuing　from　its　ruffle　of　lace；　fell
white　and　pure　on　the　heavy　folds　of　her　crimson　velvet　robe。

〃She　is　just　the　thing　for　you；〃　said　Claude　Vignon；　smiling
sardonically　at　Calyste。

The　young　man　was　deeply　wounded　by　the　words；　and　by　the　manner　in
which　they　were　said。

〃Don't　put　such　ideas　into　Calyste's　mind；　you　don't　know　how
dangerous　such　jokes　may　prove　to　be；〃　said　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；
hastily。　〃I　know　Beatrix；　and　there　is　something　too　grandiose　in　her
nature　to　allow　her　to　change。　Besides；　Conti　will　be　here。〃

〃Ha！〃　said　Claude　Vignon；　satirically；　〃a　slight　touch　of　jealousy；
eh？〃

〃Can　you　really　think　so？〃　said　Camille；　haughtily。

〃You　are　more　perspicacious　than　a　mother；〃　replied　Claude　Vignon；
still　sarcastically。

〃But　it　would　be　impossible；〃　said　Camille；　looking　at　Calyste。

〃They　are　very　well　matched；〃　remarked　Vignon。　〃She　is　ten　years　older
than　he；　and　it　is　he　who　appears　to　be　the　girl〃

〃A　girl；　monsieur；〃　said　Calyste；　waking　from　his