beatrix-第28部分

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kiss　that　was　full　of　friendship。

〃Quite　true；〃　thought　Calyste　to　himself　as　the　carriage　drove　away。
〃I　am　forgetting　her　advicebut　I　shall　always　forget　it；　I'm
afraid。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　（who　had　intrepidly　returned　to　Guerande　on
the　back　of　a　hired　horse）；　the　Vicomtesse　de　Kergarouet；　and
Charlotte　found　dinner　ready；　and　were　treated　with　the　utmost
cordiality；　if　luxury　were　lacking；　by　the　du　Guenics。　Mademoiselle
Zephirine　had　ordered　the　best　wine　to　be　brought　from　the　cellar；　and
Mariotte　had　surpassed　herself　in　her　Breton　dishes。

The　viscountess；　proud　of　her　trip　with　the　illustrious　Camille
Maupin；　endeavored　to　explain　to　the　assembled　company　the　present
condition　of　modern　literature；　and　Camille's　place　in　it。　But　the
literary　topic　met　the　fate　of　whist；　neither　the　du　Guenics；　nor　the
abbe；　nor　the　Chevalier　du　Halga　understood　one　word　of　it。　The　rector
and　the　chevalier　had　arrived　in　time　for　the　liqueurs　at　dessert。

As　soon　as　Mariotte；　assisted　by　Gasselin　and　Madame　de　Kergarouet's
maid；　had　cleared　the　table；　there　was　a　general　and　enthusiastic　cry
for　/mouche/。　Joy　appeared　to　reign　in　the　household。　All　supposed
Calyste　to　be　free　of　his　late　entanglement；　and　almost　as　good　as
married　to　the　little　Charlotte。　The　young　man　alone　kept　silence。　For
the　first　time　in　his　life　he　had　instituted　comparisons　between　his
life…long　friends　and　the　two　elegant　women；　witty；　accomplished；　and
tasteful；　who；　at　the　present　moment；　must　be　laughing　heartily　at　the
provincial　mother　and　daughter；　judging　by　the　look　he　intercepted
between　them。

He　was　seeking　in　vain　for　some　excuse　to　leave　his　family　on　this
occasion；　and　go　up　as　usual　to　Les　Touches；　when　Madame　de　Kergarouet
mentioned　that　she　regretted　not　having　accepted　Mademoiselle　des
Touches'　offer　of　her　carriage　for　the　return　journey　to　Saint…
Nazaire；　which　for　the　sake　of　her　three　other　〃dear　kittens；〃　she
felt　compelled　to　make　on　the　following　day。

Fanny；　who　alone　saw　her　son's　uneasiness；　and　the　little　hold　which
Charlotte's　coquetries　and　her　mother's　attentions　were　gaining　on
him；　came　to　his　aid。

〃Madame；〃　she　said　to　the　viscountess；　〃you　will；　I　think；　be　very
uncomfortable　in　the　carrier's　vehicle；　and　especially　at　having　to
start　so　early　in　the　morning。　You　would　certainly　have　done　better　to
take　the　offer　made　to　you　by　Mademoiselle　des　Touches。　But　it　is　not
too　late　to　do　so　now。　Calyste；　go　up　to　Les　Touches　and　arrange　the
matter；　but　don't　be　long；　return　to　us　soon。〃

〃It　won't　take　me　ten　minutes；〃　cried　Calyste；　kissing　his　mother
violently　as　she　followed　him　to　the　door。



XI

FEMALE　DIPLOMACY

Calyste　ran　with　the　lightness　of　a　young　fawn　to　Les　Touches　and
reached　the　portico　just　as　Camille　and　Beatrix　were　leaving　the　grand
salon　after　their　dinner。　He　had　the　sense　to　offer　his　arm　to
Felicite。

〃So　you　have　abandoned　your　viscountess　and　her　daughter　for　us；〃　she
said；　pressing　his　arm；　〃we　are　able　now　to　understand　the　full　merit
of　that　sacrifice。〃

〃Are　these　Kergarouets　related　to　the　Portendueres；　and　to　old　Admiral
de　Kergarouet；　whose　widow　married　Charles　de　Vandenesse？〃　asked
Madame　de　Rochefide。

〃The　viscountess　is　the　admiral's　great…niece；〃　replied　Camille。

〃Well；　she's　a　charming　girl；〃　said　Beatrix；　placing　herself
gracefully　in　a　Gothic　chair。　〃She　will　just　do　for　you；　Monsieur　du
Guenic。〃

〃The　marriage　will　never　take　place；〃　said　Camille　hastily。

Mortified　by　the　cold；　calm　air　with　which　the　marquise　seemed　to
consider　the　Breton　girl　as　the　only　creature　fit　to　mate　him；　Calyste
remained　speechless　and　even　mindless。

〃Why　so；　Camille？〃　asked　Madame　de　Rochefide。

〃Really；　my　dear；〃　said　Camille；　seeing　Calyste's　despair；　〃you　are
not　generous；　did　I　advise　Conti　to　marry？〃

Beatrix　looked　at　her　friend　with　a　surprise　that　was　mingled　with
indefinable　suspicions。

Calyste；　unable　to　understand　Camille's　motive；　but　feeling　that　she
came　to　his　assistance　and　seeing　in　her　cheeks　that　faint　spot　of
color　which　he　knew　to　mean　the　presence　of　some　violent　emotion；　went
up　to　her　rather　awkwardly　and　took　her　hand。　But　she　left　him　and
seated　herself　carelessly　at　the　piano；　like　a　woman　so　sure　of　her
friend　and　lover　that　she　can　afford　to　leave　him　with　another　woman。
She　played　variations；　improvising　them　as　she　played；　on　certain
themes　chosen；　unconsciously　to　herself；　by　the　impulse　of　her　mind；
they　were　melancholy　in　the　extreme。

Beatrix　seemed　to　listen　to　the　music；　but　she　was　really　observing
Calyste；　who；　much　too　young　and　artless　for　the　part　which　Camille
was　intending　him　to　play；　remained　in　rapt　adoration　before　his　real
idol。

After　about　an　hour；　during　which　time　Camille　continued　to　play；
Beatrix　rose　and　retired　to　her　apartments。　Camille　at　once　took
Calyste　into　her　chamber　and　closed　the　door；　fearing　to　be　overheard；
for　women　have　an　amazing　instinct　of　distrust。

〃My　child；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　want　to　succeed　with　Beatrix；　you　must
seem　to　love　me　still；　or　you　will　fail。　You　are　a　child；　you　know
nothing　of　women；　all　you　know　is　how　to　love。　Now　loving　and　making
one's　self　beloved　are　two　very　different　things。　If　you　go　your　own
way　you　will　fall　into　horrible　suffering；　and　I　wish　to　see　you
happy。　If　you　rouse；　not　the　pride；　but　the　self…will；　the　obstinacy
which　is　a　strong　feature　in　her　character；　she　is　capable　of　going
off　at　any　moment　to　Paris　and　rejoining　Conti；　and　what　will　you　do
then？〃

〃I　shall　love　her。〃

〃You　won't　see　her　again。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　I　shall；〃　he　said。

〃How？〃

〃I　shall　follow　her。〃

〃Why；　you　are　as　poor　as　Job；　my　dear　boy。〃

〃My　father；　Gasselin；　and　I　lived　for　three　months　in　Vendee　on　one
hundred　and　fifty　francs；　marching　night　and　day。〃

〃Calyste；〃　said　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　〃now　listen　to　me。　I　know
that　you　have　too　much　candor　to　play　a　part；　too　much　honesty　to
deceive；　and　I　don't　want　to　corrupt　such　a　nature　as　yours。　Yet
deception　is　the　only　way　by　which　you　can　win　Beatrix；　I　take　it
therefore　upon　myself。　In　a　week　from　now　she　shall　love　you。〃

〃Is　it　possible？〃　he　said　clasping　his　hands。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Camille；　〃but　it　will　be　necessary　to　overcome　certain
pledges　which　she　has　made　to　herself。　I　will　do　that　for　you。　You
must　not　interfere　in　the　rather　arduous　task　I　shall　undertake。　The
marquise　has　a　true　aristocratic　delicacy　of　perception；　she　is　keenly
distrustful；　no　hunter　could　meet　with　game　more　wary　or　more
difficult　to　capture。　You　are　wholly　unable　to　cope　with　her；　will　you
promise　me　a　blind　obedience？〃

〃What　must　I　do？〃　replied　the　youth。

〃Very　little；〃　said　Camille。　〃Come　here　every　day　and　devote　yourself
to　me。　Come　to　my　rooms；　avoid　Beatrix　if　you　meet　her。　We　will　stay
together　till　four　o'clock；　you　shall　employ　the　time　in　study；　and　I
in　smoking。　It　will　be　hard　for　you　not　to　see　her；　but　I　will　find
you　a　number　of　interesting　books。　You　have　read　nothing　as　yet　of
George　Sand。　I　will　send　one　of　my　people　this　very　evening　to　Nantes
to　buy　her　works　and　those　of　other　authors　whom　you　ought　to　know。
The　evenings　we　will　spend　together；　and　I　permit　you　to　make　love　to
me　if　you　canit　will　be　for　the　best。〃

〃I　know；　Camille；　that　your　affection　for　me　is　great　and　so　rare　that
it　makes　me　wish　I　had　never　met　Beatrix；〃　he　replied　with　simple　good
faith；　〃but　I　don't　see　what　you　hope　from　all　this。〃

〃I　hope　to　make　her　love　you。〃

〃Good　heavens！　it　cannot　be　possible！〃　he　cried；　again　clasping　his
hands　toward　Camille；　who　was　greatly　moved　on　seeing　the　joy　that　she
gave　him　at　her　own　expense。

〃Now　listen　to　me　carefully；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　break　the　agreement
between　us；　if　you　havenot　a　long　conversationbut　a　mere　exchange
of　words　with　the　marquise　in　private；　if　you　let　her　question　you；　if
you　fail　in　the　silent　part　I　ask　you　to　play；　which　is　certainly　not
a　very　difficult　one；　I　do　assure　you；〃　she　said　in　a　serious　tone；
〃you　will　lose　her　forever。〃

〃I　don't　understand　the　meaning　of　what　you　are　saying　to　me；〃　cried
Calyste；　looking　at　Camille　with　adorable　naivete。

〃If　you　did　understand　it；　you　wouldn't　be　the　noble　and　beautiful
Calyste　that　you　are；〃　she　replied；　taking　his　hand　and　kissing　it。

Calyste　then　did　what　he　had　never　before　done；　he　took　Camille　round
the　waist　and　kissed　her　gently；　not　with　love　but　with　tenderness；　as
he　kissed　his　mother。　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　did　not　restrain　her
tears。

〃Go　now；〃　she　said；　〃my　child；　and　tell　your　viscountess　that　my
carriage　is　at　her　command。〃

Calyste　wanted　to　stay　longer；　but　he　was　forced　to　obey　her　imperious
and　imperative　gesture。

He　went　home　gaily；　he　believed　that　in　a　week　the　beautiful　Beatrix
would　love　him。　The　players　at　/mouche/　found　him　once　more　the
Calyste　they　had　missed　for　the　last　two　months。　Charlotte　attributed
this　change　to　herself。　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　was　charming　to　him。
The　Abbe　Grimont　endeavored　to　make　out　what　was　passing　in　the
mother's　mind。　The　Chevalier　du　Halga　rubbed　his　hands。　The　two　old
maids　were　as　lively　as　lizards。　The　viscountess　lost　one　hundred　sous
by　accumulated　/mouches/；　which　so　excited　the　cupidity　of　Zephirine
that　she　regretted　not　being　able　to　see　the　cards；　and　even　spoke
sharply　to　her　sister…in…law；　who　acted　as　the　proxy　of　her　eyes。

The　party　lasted　till　eleven　o'clock。　There　were　two　defections；　the
baron　and　the　chevalier；　who　went　to　sleep　in　their　respective　chairs。
Mariotte　had　made　galettes　of　buckwheat；　the　baroness　produced　a　tea…
caddy。　The　illustrious　house　of　du　Guenic　served　a　little　supper
before　the　departure　of　its　guests；　consisting　of　fresh　butter；
fruits；　and　cream；　in　addition　to　Mariotte's　cakes；　for　which　festal
event　issued　from　their　wrappings　a　silver　teapot　and　some　beautiful
old　English　china　sent　to　the　baroness　by　her　aunts。　This　appearance
of　modern　splendor　in　the　ancient　hall；　together　with　the　exquisite
grace　of　its　mistress；　brought　up　like　a　true　Irish　lady　to　make　and
pour　out　tea　（that　mighty　affair　to　Englishwomen）；　had　something
charming　about　them。　The　most　exqu