beatrix-第25部分

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Beatrix？　He　saw　no　solution　to　these　difficulties。

Insensibly　to　him　silence　now　reigned　in　the　house；　he　heard；　but
without　noticing；　the　opening　and　shutting　of　doors。　Then　suddenly
midnight　sounded　on　the　clock　of　the　adjoining　bedroom；　and　the　voices
of　Claude　and　Camille　roused　him　fully　from　his　torpid　contemplation
of　the　future。　Before　he　could　rise　and　show　himself；　he　heard　the
following　terrible　words　in　the　voice　of　Claude　Vignon。

〃You　came　to　Paris　last　year　desperately　in　love　with　Calyste；〃　Claude
was　saying　to　Felicite；　〃but　you　were　horrified　at　the　thought　of　the
consequences　of　such　a　passion　at　your　age；　it　would　lead　you　to　a
gulf；　to　hell；　to　suicide　perhaps。　Love　cannot　exist　unless　it　thinks
itself　eternal；　and　you　saw　not　far　before　you　a　horrible　parting；　old
age　you　knew　would　end　the　glorious　poem　soon。　You　thought　of
'Adolphe；'　that　dreadful　finale　of　the　loves　of　Madame　de　Stael　and
Benjamin　Constant；　who；　however；　were　nearer　of　an　age　than　you　and
Calyste。　Then　you　took　me；　as　soldiers　use　fascines　to　build
entrenchments　between　the　enemy　and　themselves。　You　brought　me　to　Les
Touches　to　mask　your　real　feelings　and　leave　you　safe　to　follow　your
own　secret　adoration。　The　scheme　was　grand　and　ignoble　both；　but　to
carry　it　out　you　should　have　chosen　either　a　common　man　or　one　so
preoccupied　by　noble　thoughts　that　you　could　easily　deceive　him。　You
thought　me　simple　and　easy　to　mislead　as　a　man　of　genius。　I　am　not　a
man　of　genius；　I　am　a　man　of　talent；　and　as　such　I　have　divined　you。
When　I　made　that　eulogy　yesterday　on　women　of　your　age；　explaining　to
you　why　Calyste　had　loved　you；　do　you　suppose　I　took　to　myself　your
ravished；　fascinated；　fazzling　glance？　Had　I　not　read　into　your　soul？
The　eyes　were　turned　on　me；　but　the　heart　was　throbbing　for　Calyste。
You　have　never　been　loved；　my　poor　Maupin；　and　you　never　will　be　after
rejecting　the　beautiful　fruit　which　chance　has　offered　to　you　at　the
portals　of　that　hell　of　woman；　the　lock　of　which　is　the　numeral　50！〃

〃Why　has　love　fled　me？〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃Tell　me；　you　who
know　all。〃

〃Because　you　are　not　lovable；〃　he　answered。　〃You　do　not　bend　to　love；
love　must　bend　to　you。　You　may　perhaps　have　yielded　to　some　follies　of
youth；　but　there　was　no　youth　in　your　heart；　your　mind　has　too　much
depth；　you　have　never　been　naive　and　artless；　and　you　cannot　begin　to
be　so　now。　Your　charm　comes　from　mystery；　it　is　abstract；　not　active。
Your　strength　repulses　men　of　strength　who　fear　a　struggle。　Your　power
may　please　young　souls；　like　that　of　Calyste；　which　like　to　be
protected；　though；　even　them　it　wearies　in　the　long　run。　You　are
grand；　and　you　are　sublime；　bear　with　the　consequence　of　those　two
qualitiesthey　fatigue。〃

〃What　a　sentence！〃　cried　Camille。　〃Am　I　not　a　woman？　Do　you　think　me
an　anomaly？〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Claude。

〃We　will　see！〃　said　the　woman；　stung　to　the　quick。

〃Farewell；　my　dear　Camille；　I　leave　to…morrow。　I　am　not　angry　with
you；　my　dear；　I　think　you　the　greatest　of　women；　but　if　I　continued　to
serve　you　as　a　screen；　or　a　shield；〃　said　Claude；　with　two　significant
inflections　of　his　voice；　〃you　would　despise　me。　We　can　part　now
without　pain　or　remorse；　we　have　neither　happiness　to　regret　nor　hopes
betrayed。　To　you；　as　with　some　few　but　rare　men　of　genius；　love　is　not
what　Nature　made　it；an　imperious　need；　to　the　satisfaction　of　which
she　attaches　great　and　passing　joys；　which　die。　You　see　love　such　as
Christianity　has　created　it；an　ideal　kingdom；　full　of　noble
sentiments；　of　grand　weaknesses；　poesies；　spiritual　sensations；
devotions　of　moral　fragrance；　entrancing　harmonies；　placed　high　above
all　vulgar　coarseness；　to　which　two　creatures　as　one　angel　fly　on　the
wings　of　pleasure。　This　is　what　I　hoped　to　share；　I　thought　I　held　in
you　a　key　to　that　door；　closed　to　so　many；　by　which　we　may　advance
toward　the　infinite。　You　were　there　already。　In　this　you　have　misled
me。　I　return　to　my　misery；to　my　vast　prison　of　Paris。　Such　a
deception　as　this；　had　it　come　to　me　earlier　in　life；　would　have　made
me　flee　from　existence；　to…day　it　puts　into　my　soul　a　disenchantment
which　will　plunge　me　forever　into　an　awful　solitude。　I　am　without　the
faith　which　helped　the　Fathers　to　people　theirs　with　sacred　images。　It
is　to　this；　my　dear　Camille；　to　this　that　the　superiority　of　our　mind
has　brought　us；　we　may；　both　of　us；　sing　that　dreadful　hymn　which　a
poet　has　put　into　the　mouth　of　Moses　speaking　to　the　Almighty：　'Lord
God；　Thou　hast　made　me　powerful　and　solitary。'〃

At　this　moment　Calyste　appeared。

〃I　ought　not　to　leave　you　ignorant　that　I　am　here；〃　he　said。

Mademoiselle　des　Touches　showed　the　utmost　fear；　a　sudden　flush
colored　her　impassible　face　with　tints　of　fire。　During　this　strange
scene　she　was　more　beautiful　than　at　any　other　moment　of　her　life。

〃We　thought　you　gone；　Calyste；〃　said　Claude。　〃But　this　involuntary
discretion　on　both　sides　will　do　no　harm；　perhaps；　indeed；　you　may　be
more　at　your　ease　at　Les　Touches　by　knowing　Felicite　as　she　is。　Her
silence　shows　me　I　am　not　mistaken　as　to　the　part　she　meant　me　to
play。　As　I　told　you　before；　she　loves　you；　but　it　is　for　yourself；　not
for　herself；a　sentiment　that　few　women　are　able　to　conceive　and
practise；　few　among　them　know　the　voluptuous　pleasure　of　sufferings
born　of　longing；that　is　one　of　the　magnificent　passions　reserved　for
man。　But　she　is　in　some　sense　a　man；〃　he　added；　sardonically。　〃Your
love　for　Beatrix　will　make　her　suffer　and　make　her　happy　too。〃

Tears　were　in　the　eyes　of　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　who　was　unable　to
look　either　at　the　terrible　Vignon　or　the　ingenuous　Calyste。　She　was
frightened　at　being　understood；　she　had　supposed　to　impossible　for　a
man；　however　keen　his　perception；　to　perceive　a　delicacy　so　self…
immolating；　a　heroism　so　lofty　as　her　own。　Her　evident　humiliation　at
this　unveiling　of　her　grandeur　made　Calyste　share　the　emotion　of　the
woman　he　had　held　so　high；　and　now　beheld　so　stricken　down。　He　threw
himself；　from　an　irresistible　impulse；　at　her　feet；　and　kissed　her
hands；　laying　his　face；　covered　with　tears；　upon　them。

〃Claude；〃　she　said；　〃do　not　abandon　me；　or　what　will　become　of　me？〃

〃What　have　you　to　fear？〃　replied　the　critic。　〃Calyste　has　fallen　in
love　at　first　sight　with　the　marquise；　you　cannot　find　a　better
barrier　between　you　than　that。　This　passion　of　his　is　worth　more　to
you　than　I。　Yesterday　there　might　have　been　some　danger　for　you　and
for　him；　to…day　you　can　take　a　maternal　interest　in　him；〃　he　said；
with　a　mocking　smile；　〃and　be　proud　of　his　triumphs。〃

Mademoiselle　des　Touches　looked　at　Calyste；　who　had　raised　his　head
abruptly　at　these　words。　Claude　Vignon　enjoyed；　for　his　sole
vengeance；　the　sight　of　their　confusion。

〃You　yourself　have　driven　him　to　Madame　de　Rochefide；〃　continued
Claude；　〃and　he　is　now　under　the　spell。　You　have　dug　your　own　grave。
Had　you　confided　in　me；　you　would　have　escaped　the　sufferings　that
await　you。〃

〃Sufferings！〃　cried　Camille　Maupin；　taking　Calyste's　head　in　her
hands；　and　kissing　his　hair；　on　which　her　tears　fell　plentifully。　〃No；
Calyste；　forget　what　you　have　heard；　I　count　for　nothing　in　all　this。〃

She　rose　and　stood　erect　before　the　two　men；　subduing　both　with　the
lightning　of　her　eyes；　from　which　her　soul　shone　out。

〃While　Claude　was　speaking；〃　she　said；　〃I　conceived　the　beauty　and　the
grandeur　of　love　without　hope；　it　is　the　sentiment　that　brings　us
nearest　God。　Do　not　love　me；　Calyste；　but　I　will　love　you　as　no　woman
will！〃

It　was　the　cry　of　a　wounded　eagle　seeking　its　eyrie。　Claude　himself
knelt　down；　took　Camille's　hand；　and　kissed　it。

〃Leave　us　now；　Calyste；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　late；　and　your　mother　will
be　uneasy。〃

Calyste　returned　to　Guerande　with　lagging　steps；　turning　again　and
again；　to　see　the　light　from　the　windows　of　the　room　in　which　was
Beatrix。　He　was　surprised　himself　to　find　how　little　pity　he　felt　for
Camille。　But　presently　he　felt　once　more　the　agitations　of　that　scene；
the　tears　she　had　left　upon　his　hair；　he　suffered　with　her　suffering；
he　fancied　he　heard　the　moans　of　that　noble　woman；　so　beloved；　so
desired　but　a　few　short　days　before。

When　he　opened　the　door　of　his　paternal　home；　where　total　silence
reigned；　he　saw　his　mother　through　the　window；　as　she　sat　sewing　by
the　light　of　the　curiously　constructed　lamp　while　she　awaited　him。
Tears　moistened　the　lad's　eyes　as　he　looked　at　her。

〃What　has　happened？〃　cried　Fanny；　seeing　his　emotion；　which　filled　her
with　horrible　anxiety。

For　all　answer；　Calyste　took　his　mother　in　his　arms；　and　kissed　her　on
her　cheeks；　her　forehead　and　hair；　with　one　of　those　passionate
effusions　of　feeling　that　comfort　mothers；　and　fill　them　with　the
subtle　flames　of　the　life　they　have　given。

〃It　is　you　I　love；　you！〃　cried　Calyste；〃you；　who　live　for　me；　you；
whom　I　long　to　render　happy！〃

〃But　you　are　not　yourself；　my　child；〃　said　the　baroness；　looking　at
him　attentively。　〃What　has　happened　to　you？〃

〃Camille　loves　me；　but　I　love　her　no　longer；〃　he　answered。

The　next　day；　Calyste　told　Gasselin　to　watch　the　road　to　Saint…
Nazaire；　and　let　him　know　if　the　carriage　of　Mademoiselle　des　Touches
passed　over　it。　Gasselin　brought　word　that　the　carriage　had　passed。

〃How　many　persons　were　in　it？〃　asked　Calyste。

〃Four；two　ladies　and　two　gentlemen。〃

〃Then　saddle　my　horse　and　my　father's。〃

Gasselin　departed。

〃My；　nephew；　what　mischief　is　in　you　now？〃　said　his　Aunt　Zephirine。

〃Let　the　boy　amuse　himself；　sister；〃　cried　the　baron。　〃Yesterday　he
was　dull　as　an　owl；　to…day　he　is　gay　as　a　lark。〃

〃Did　you　tell　him　that　our　dear　Charlotte　was　to　arrive　to…day？〃　said
Zephirine；　turning　to　her　sister…in…law。

〃No；〃　replied　the　baroness。

〃I　thought　perhaps　he　was　going　to　meet　her；〃　said　Mademoiselle　du
Guenic；　slyly。

〃If　Charlotte　is　to　stay　three　months　with　her　aunt；　he　will　have
plenty　of　opportunities　to　see　her；〃　said　his　mother。

〃Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　wants　me　to　marry　Charlotte；　to　save　me　from
perdition；〃　said　Calyste；　laughing。　〃I　was　on　the　mall　when　she　and
the　Chevalier　du　Halga　were　talking　about　it。　She　can't　see　that　it
would　be　greater　perdition　for　me　to　marry　at