beatrix-第24部分

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motioned　to　Claude；　〃on　one　side；　and　poesy　the　other。〃

At　these　words　Conti　turned　and　gave　Calyste　a　look　that　was　full　of
flattery。

By　artificial　light；　Beatrix　seemed　more　beautiful　than　before。　The
white　gleam　of　the　candles　laid　a　satiny　lustre　on　her　forehead；
lighted　the　spangles　of　her　eyes；　and　ran　through　her　swaying　curls；
touching　them　here　and　there　into　gold。　She　threw　back　the　thin　gauze
scarf　she　was　wearing　and　disclosed　her　neck。　Calyste　then　saw　its
beautiful　nape；　white　as　milk；　and　hollowed　near　the　head；　until　its
lines　were　lost　toward　the　shoulders　with　soft　and　flowing　symmetry。
This　neck；　so　dissimilar　to　that　of　Camille；　was　the　sign　of　a　totally
different　character　in　Beatrix。

Calyste　found　much　trouble　in　pretending　to　eat；　nervous　motions
within　him　deprived　him　of　appetite。　Like　other　young　men；　his　nature
was　in　the　throes　and　convulsions　which　precede　love；　and　carve　it
indelibly　on　the　soul。　At　his　age；　the　ardor　of　the　heart；　restrained
by　moral　ardor；　leads　to　an　inward　conflict；　which　explains　the　long
and　respectful　hesitations；　the　tender　debatings；　the　absence　of　all
calculation；　characteristic　of　young　men　whose　hearts　and　lives　are
pure。　Studying；　though　furtively；　so　as　not　to　attract　the　notice　of
Conti；　the　various　details　which　made　the　marquise　so　purely
beautiful；　Calyste　became；　before　long；　oppressed　by　a　sense　of　her
majesty；　he　felt　himself　dwarfed　by　the　hauteur　of　certain　of　her
glances；　by　the　imposing　expression　of　a　face　that　was　wholly
aristocratic；　by　a　sort　of　pride　which　women　know　how　to　express　in
slight　motions；　turns　of　the　head；　and　slow　gestures；　effects　less
plastic　and　less　studied　than　we　think。　The　false　situation　in　which
Beatrix　had　placed　herself　compelled　her　to　watch　her　own　behavior；
and　to　keep　herself　imposing　without　being　ridiculously　so。　Women　of
the　great　world　know　how　to　succeed　in　this；　which　proves　a　fatal　reef
to　vulgar　women。

The　expression　of　Felicite's　eyes　made　Beatrix　aware　of　the　inward
adoration　she　inspired　in　the　youth　beside　her；　and　also　that　it　would
be　most　unworthy　on　her　part　to　encourage　it。　She　therefore　took
occasion　now　and　then　to　give　him　a　few　repressive　glances；　which　fell
upon　his　heart　like　an　avalanche　of　snow。　The　unfortunate　young　fellow
turned　on　Felicite　a　look　in　which　she　could　read　the　tears　he　was
suppressing　by　superhuman　efforts。　She　asked　him　in　a　friendly　tone
why　he　was　eating　nothing。　The　question　piqued　him；　and　he　began　to
force　himself　to　eat　and　to　take　part　in　the　conversation。

But　whatever　he　did；　Madame　de　Rochefide　paid　little　attention　to　him。
Mademoiselle　des　Touches　having　started　the　topic　of　her　journey　to
Italy　she　related；　very　wittily；　many　of　its　incidents；　which　made
Claude　Vignon；　Conti；　and　Felicite　laugh。

〃Ah！〃　thought　Calyste；　〃how　far　such　a　woman　is　from　me！　Will　she　ever
deign　to　notice　me？〃

Mademoiselle　des　Touches　was　struck　with　the　expression　she　now　saw　on
Calyste's　face；　and　tried　to　console　him　with　a　look　of　sympathy。
Claude　Vignon　intercepted　that　look。　From　that　moment　the　great　critic
expanded　into　gaiety　that　overflowed　in　sarcasm。　He　maintained　to
Beatrix　that　love　existed　only　by　desire；　that　most　women　deceived
themselves　in　loving；　that　they　loved　for　reasons　unknown　to　men　and
to　themselves；　that　they　wanted　to　deceive　themselves；　and　that　the
best　among　them　were　artful。

〃Keep　to　books；　and　don't　criticise　our　lives；〃　said　Camille；　glancing
at　him　imperiously。

The　dinner　ceased　to　be　gay。　Claude　Vignon's　sarcasm　had　made　the　two
women　pensive。　Calyste　was　conscious　of　pain　in　the　midst　of　the
happiness　he　found　in　looking　at　Beatrix。　Conti　looked　into　the　eyes
of　the　marquise　to　guess　her　thoughts。　When　dinner　was　over
Mademoiselle　des　Touches　took　Calyste's　arm；　gave　the　other　two　men　to
the　marquise；　and　let　them　pass　before　her；　that　she　might　be　alone
with　the　young　Breton　for　a　moment。

〃My　dear　Calyste；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　acting　in　a　manner　that
embarrasses　the　marquise；　she　may　be　delighted　with　your　admiration；
but　she　cannot　accept　it。　Pray　control　yourself。〃

〃She　was　hard　to　me；　she　will　never　care　for　me；〃　said　Calyste；　〃and
if　she　does　not　I　shall　die。〃

〃Die！　you！　My　dear　Calyste；　you　are　a　child。　Would　you　have　died　for
me？〃

〃You　have　made　yourself　my　friend；〃　he　answered。

After　the　talk　that　follows　coffee；　Vignon　asked　Conti　to　sing
something。　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　sat　down　to　the　piano。　Together
she　and　Gennaro　sang　the　/Dunque　il　mio　bene　tu　mia　sarai/；　the　last
duet　of　Zingarelli's　〃Romeo　e　Giulietta；〃　one　of　the　most　pathetic
pages　of　modern　music。　The　passage　/Di　tanti　palpiti/　expresses　love
in　all　its　grandeur。　Calyste；　sitting　in　the　same　arm…chair　in　which
Felicite　had　told　him　the　history　of　the　marquise；　listened　in　rapt
devotion。　Beatrix　and　Vignon　were　on　either　side　of　the　piano。　Conti's
sublime　voice　knew　well　how　to　blend　with　that　of　Felicite。　Both　had
often　sung　this　piece；　they　knew　its　resources；　and　they　put　their
whole　marvellous　gift　into　bringing　them　out。　The　music　was　at　this
moment　what　its　creator　intended；　a　poem　of　divine　melancholy；　the
farewell　of　two　swans　to　life。　When　it　was　over；　all　present　were
under　the　influence　of　feelings　such　as　cannot　express　themselves　by
vulgar　applause。

〃Ah！　music　is　the　first　of　arts！〃　exclaimed　the　marquise。

〃Camille　thinks　youth　and　beauty　the　first　of　poesies；〃　said　Claude
Vignon。

Mademoiselle　des　Touches　looked　at　Claude　with　vague　uneasiness。
Beatrix；　not　seeing　Calyste；　turned　her　head　as　if　to　know　what　effect
the　music　had　produced　upon　him；　less　by　way　of　interest　in　him　than
for　the　gratification　of　Conti；　she　saw　a　white　face　bathed　in　tears。
At　the　sight；　and　as　if　some　sudden　pain　had　seized　her；　she　turned
back　quickly　and　looked　at　Gennaro。　Not　only　had　Music　arisen　before
the　eyes　of　Calyste；　touching　him　with　her　divine　wand　until　he　stood
in　presence　of　Creation　from　which　she　rent　the　veil；　but　he　was
dumfounded　by　Conti's　genius。　In　spite　of　what　Camille　had　told　him　of
the　musician's　character；　he　now　believed　in　the　beauty　of　the　soul；
in　the　heart　that　expressed　such　love。　How　could　he；　Calyste；　rival
such　as　an　artist？　What　woman　could　ever　cease　to　adore　such　genius？
That　voice　entered　the　soul　like　another　soul。　The　poor　lad　was
overwhelmed　by　poesy；　and　his　own　despair。　He　felt　himself　of　no
account。　This　ingenuous　admission　of　his　nothingness　could　be　read
upon　his　face　mingled　with　his　admiration。　He　did　not　observe　the
gesture　with　which　Beatrix；　attracted　to　Calyste　by　the　contagion　of　a
true　feeling；　called　Felicite's　attention　to　him。

〃Oh！　the　adorable　heart！〃　cried　Camille。　〃Conti；　you　will　never　obtain
applause　of　one…half　the　value　of　that　child's　homage。　Let　us　sing　this
trio。　Beatrix；　my　dear；　come。〃

When　the　marquise；　Camille；　and　Conti　had　arranged　themselves　at　the
piano；　Calyste　rose　softly；　without　attracting　their　attention；　and
flung　himself　on　one　of　the　sofas　in　the　bedroom；　the　door　of　which
stood　open；　where　he　sat　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　plunged　in
meditation。



X

DRAMA

〃What　is　it；　my　child？〃　said　Claude　Vignon；　who　had　slipped　silently
into　the　bedroom　after　Calyste；　and　now　took　him　by　the　hand。　〃You
love；　you　think　you　are　disdained；　but　it　is　not　so。　The　field　will　be
free　to　you　in　a　few　days　and　you　will　reignbeloved　by　more　than
one。〃

〃Loved！〃　cried　Calyste；　springing　up；　and　beckoning　Claude　into　the
library；　〃Who　loves　me　here？〃

〃Camille；〃　replied　Claude。

〃Camille　loves　me？　And　you！what　of　you？〃

〃I？〃　answered　Claude；　〃I〃　He　stopped；　sat　down　on　a　sofa　and　rested
his　head　with　weary　sadness　on　a　cushion。　〃I　am　tired　of　life；　but　I
have　not　the　courage　to　quit　it；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　short　silence。
〃I　wish　I　were　mistaken　in　what　I　have　just　told　you；　but　for　the　last
few　days　more　than　one　vivid　light　has　come　into　my　mind。　I　did　not
wander　about　the　marshes　for　my　pleasure；　no；　upon　my　soul　I　did　not！
The　bitterness　of　my　words　when　I　returned　and　found　you　with　Camille
were　the　result　of　wounded　feeling。　I　intend　to　have　an　explanation
with　her　soon。　Two　minds　as　clear…sighted　as　hers　and　mine　cannot
deceive　each　other。　Between　two　such　professional　duellists　the　combat
cannot　last　long。　Therefore　I　may　as　well　tell　you　now　that　I　shall
leave　Les　Touches；　yes；　to…morrow　perhaps；　with　Conti。　After　we　are
gone　strange　things　will　happen　here。　I　shall　regret　not　witnessing
conflicts　of　passion　of　a　kind　so　rare　in　France；　and　so　dramatic。　You
are　very　young　to　enter　such　dangerous　lists；　you　interest　me；　were　it
not　for　the　profound　disgust　I　feel　for　women；　I　would　stay　and　help
you　play　this　game。　It　is　difficult；　you　may　lose　it；　you　have　to　do
with　two　extraordinary　women；　and　you　feel　too　much　for　one　to　use　the
other　judiciously。　Beatrix　is　dogged　by　nature；　Camille　has　grandeur。
Probably　you　will　be　wrecked　between　those　reefs；　drawn　upon　them　by
the　waves　of　passion。　Beware！〃

Calyste's　stupefaction　on　hearing　these　words　enabled　Claude　to　say
them　without　interruption　and　leave　the　young　Breton；　who　remained
like　a　traveller　among　the　Alps　to　whom　a　guide　has　shown　the　depth　of
some　abyss　by　flinging　a　stone　into　it。　To　hear　from　the　lips　of
Claude　himself　that　Camille　loved　him；　at　the　very　moment　when　he　felt
that　he　loved　Beatrix　for　life；　was　a　weight　too　heavy　for　his　untried
soul　to　bear。　Goaded　by　an　immense　regret　which　now　filled　all　the
past；　overwhelmed　with　a　sight　of　his　position　between　Beatrix　whom　he
loved　and　Camille　whom　he　had　ceased　to　love；　the　poor　boy　sat
despairing　and　undecided；　lost　in　thought。　He　sought　in　vain　for　the
reasons　which　had　made　Felicite　reject　his　love　and　bring　Claude
Vignon　from　Paris　to　oppose　it。　Every　now　and　then　the　voice　of
Beatrix　came　fresh　and　pure　to　his　ears　from　the　little　salon；　a
savage　desire　to　rush　in　and　carry　her　off　seized　him　at　such　moments。
What　would　become　of　him？　What　must　he　do？　Could　he　come　to　Les
Touches？　If　Camille　loved　him　how　could　he　come　there　to　adore
Beatrix？　He　saw　no　solution　to　these　difficulties。

Insensibly　to　him　silence