beatrix-第29部分

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pour　out　tea　（that　mighty　affair　to　Englishwomen）；　had　something
charming　about　them。　The　most　exquisite　luxury　could　never　have
attained　to　the　simple；　modest；　noble　effect　produced　by　this
sentiment　of　joyful　hospitality。

A　few　moments　after　Calyste's　departure　from　Les　Touches；　Beatrix；　who
had　heard　him　go；　returned　to　Camille；　whom　she　found　with　humid　eyes
lying　back　on　her　sofa。

〃What　is　it；　Felicite？〃　asked　the　marquise。

〃I　am　forty　years　old；　and　I　love　him！〃　said　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；
with　dreadful　tones　of　agony　in　her　voice；　her　eyes　becoming　hard　and
brilliant。　〃If　you　knew；　Beatrix；　the　tears　I　have　shed　over　the　lost
years　of　my　youth！　To　be　loved　out　of　pity！　to　know　that　one　owes
one's　happiness　only　to　perpetual　care；　to　the　slyness　of　cats；　to
traps　laid　for　innocence　and　all　the　youthful　virtuesoh；　it　is
infamous！　If　it　were　not　that　one　finds　absolution　in　the　magnitude　of
love；　in　the　power　of　happiness；　in　the　certainty　of　being　forever
above　all　other　women　in　his　memory；　the　first　to　carve　on　that　young
heart　the　ineffaceable　happiness　of　an　absolute　devotion；　I　would
yes；　if　he　asked　it；I　would　fling　myself　into　the　sea。　Sometimes　I
find　myself　wishing　that　he　would　ask　it；　it　would　then　be　an
oblation；　not　a　suicide。　Ah；　Beatrix；　by　coming　here　you　have；
unconsciously；　set　me　a　hard　task。　I　know　it　will　be　difficult　to　keep
him　against　you；　but　you　love　Conti；　you　are　noble　and　generous；　you
will　not　deceive　me；　on　the　contrary；　you　will　help　me　to　retain　my
Calyste's　love。　I　expected　the　impression　you　would　make　upon　him；　but
I　have　not　committed　the　mistake　of　seeming　jealous；　that　would　only
have　added　fuel　to　the　flame。　On　the　contrary；　before　you　came；　I
described　you　in　such　glowing　colors　that　you　hardly　realize　the
portrait；　although　you　are；　it　seems　to　me；　more　beautiful　than　ever。〃

This　vehement　elegy；　in　which　truth　was　mingled　with　deception；
completely　duped　the　marquise。　Claude　Vignon　had　told　Conti　the
reasons　for　his　departure；　and　Beatrix　was；　of　course；　informed　of
them。　She　determined　therefore　to　behave　with　generosity　and　give　the
cold　shoulder　to　Calyste；　but　at　the　same　instant　there　came　into　her
soul　that　quiver　of　joy　which　vibrates　in　the　heart　of　every　woman
when　she　finds　herself　beloved。　The　love　a　woman　inspires　in　any　man's
heart　is　flattery　without　hypocrisy；　and　it　is　impossible　for　some
women　to　forego　it；　but　when　that　man　belongs　to　a　friend；　his　homage
gives　more　than　pleasure；it　gives　delight。　Beatrix　sat　down　beside
her　friend　and　began　to　coax　her　prettily。

〃You　have　not　a　white　hair；〃　she　said；　〃you　haven't　even　a　wrinkle；
your　temples　are　just　as　fresh　as　ever；　whereas　I　know　more　than　one
woman　of　thirty　who　is　obliged　to　cover　hers。　Look；　dear；〃　she　added；
lifting　her　curls；　〃see　what　that　journey　to　Italy　has　cost　me。〃

Her　temples　showed　an　almost　imperceptible　withering　of　the　texture　of
the　delicate　skin。　She　raised　her　sleeves　and　showed　Camille　the　same
slight　withering　of　the　wrists；　where　the　transparent　tissue　suffered
the　blue　network　of　swollen　veins　to　be　visible；　and　three　deep　lines
made　a　bracelet　of　wrinkles。

〃There；　my　dear；　are　two　spots　whichas　a　certain　writer　ferreting
for　the　miseries　of　women；　has　saidnever　lie；〃　she　continued。　〃One
must　needs　have　suffered　to　know　the　truth　of　his　observation。　Happily
for　us；　most　men　know　nothing　about　it；　they　don't　read　us　like　that
dreadful　author。〃

〃Your　letter　told　me　all；〃　replied　Camille；　〃happiness　ignores
everything　but　itself。　You　boasted　too　much　of　yours　to　be　really
happy。　Truth　is　deaf；　dumb；　and　blind　where　love　really　is。
Consequently；　seeing　very　plainly　that　you　have　your　reasons　for
abandoning　Conti；　I　have　feared　to　have　you　here。　My　dear；　Calyste　is
an　angel；　he　is　as　good　as　he　is　beautiful；　his　innocent　heart　will
not　resist　your　eyes；　already　he　admires　you　too　much　not　to　love　you
at　the　first　encouragement；　your　coldness　can　alone　preserve　him　to
me。　I　confess　to　you；　with　the　cowardice　of　true　passion；　that　if　he
were　taken　from　me　I　should　die。　That　dreadful　book　of　Benjamin
Constant；　'Adolphe；'　tells　us　only　of　Adolphe's　sorrows；　but　what
about　those　of　the　woman；　hey？　The　man　did　not　observe　them　enough　to
describe　them；　and　what　woman　would　have　dared　to　reveal　them？　They
would　dishonor　her　sex；　humiliate　its　virtues；　and　pass　into　vice。　Ah！
I　measure　the　abyss　before　me　by　my　fears；　by　these　sufferings　that
are　those　of　hell。　But；　Beatrix；　I　will　tell　you　this：　in　case　I　am
abandoned；　my　choice　is　made。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Beatrix；　with　an　eagerness　that　made　Camille
shudder。

The　two　friends　looked　at　each　other　with　the　keen　attention　of
Venetian　inquisitors；　their　souls　clashed　in　that　rapid　glance；　and
struck　fire　like　flints。　The　marquise　lowered　her　eyes。

〃After　man；　there　is　nought　but　God；〃　said　the　celebrated　woman。　〃God
is　the　Unknown。　I　shall　fling　myself　into　that　as　into　some　vast
abyss。　Calyste　has　sworn　to　me　that　he　admires　you　only　as　he　would　a
picture；　but　alas！　you　are　but　twenty…eight；　in　the　full　magnificence
of　your　beauty。　The　struggle　thus　begins　between　him　and　me　by
falsehood。　But　I　have　one　support；　happily　I　know　a　means　to　keep　him
true　to　me；　and　I　shall　triumph。〃

〃What　means？〃

〃That　is　my　secret；　dear。　Let　me　have　the　benefits　of　my　age。　If
Claude　Vignon；　as　Conti　has　doubtless　told　you；　flings　me　back　into
the　gulf；　I；　who　had　climbed　to　a　rock　which　I　thought　inaccessible；
I　will　at　least　gather　the　pale　and　fragile；　but　delightful　flowers
that　grow　in　its　depths。〃

Madame　de　Rochefide　was　moulded　like　wax　in　those　able　hands。　Camille
felt　an　almost　savage　pleasure　in　thus　entrapping　her　rival　in　her
toils。　She　sent　her　to　bed　that　night　piqued　by　curiosity；　floating
between　jealousy　and　generosity；　but　most　assuredly　with　her　mind　full
of　the　beautiful　Calyste。

〃She　will　be　enchanted　to　deceive　me；〃　thought　Camille；　as　she　kissed
her　good…night。

Then；　when　she　was　alone；　the　author；　the　constructor　of　dramas；　gave
place　to　the　woman；　and　she　burst　into　tears。　Filling　her　hookah　with
tobacco　soaked　in　opium；　she　spent　the　greater　part　of　the　night　in
smoking；　dulling　thus　the　sufferings　of　her　soul；　and　seeing　through
the　clouds　about　her　the　beautiful　young　head　of　her　late　lover。

〃What　a　glorious　book　to　write；　if　I　were　only　to　express　my　pain！〃
she　said　to　herself。　〃But　it　is　written　already；　Sappho　lived　before
me。　And　Sappho　was　young。　A　fine　and　touching　heroine　truly；　a　woman
of　forty！　Ah！　my　poor　Camille；　smoke　your　hookah；　you　haven't　even　the
resource　of　making　a　poem　of　your　miserythat's　the　last　drop　of
anguish　in　your　cup！〃

The　next　morning　Calyste　came　before　mid…day　and　slipped　upstairs；　as
he　was　told；　into　Camille's　own　room；　where　he　found　the　books。
Felicite　sat　before　the　window；　smoking；　contemplating　in　turn　the
marshes；　the　sea；　and　Calyste；　to　whom　she　now　and　then　said　a　few
words　about　Beatrix。　At　one　time；　seeing　the　marquise　strolling　about
the　garden；　she　raised　a　curtain　in　a　way　to　attract　her　attention；
and　also　to　throw　a　band　of　light　across　Calyste's　book。

〃To…day；　my　child；　I　shall　ask　you　to　stay　to　dinner；　but　you　must
refuse；　with　a　glance　at　the　marquise；　which　will　show　her　how　much
you　regret　not　staying。〃

When　the　three　actors　met　in　the　salon；　and　this　comedy　was　played；
Calyste　felt　for　a　moment　his　equivocal　position；　and　the　glance　that
he　cast　on　Beatrix　was　far　more　expressive　than　Felicite　expected。
Beatrix　had　dressed　herself　charmingly。

〃What　a　bewitching　toilet；　my　dearest！〃　said　Camille；　when　Calyste　had
departed。

These　manoeuvres　lasted　six　days；　during　which　time　many　conversations；
into　which　Camille　Maupin　put　all　her　ability；　took　place；　unknown　to
Calyste；　between　herself　and　the　marquise。　They　were　like　the
preliminaries　of　a　duel　between　two　women；a　duel　without　truce；　in
which　the　assault　was　made　on　both　sides　with　snares；　feints；　false
generosities；　deceitful　confessions；　crafty　confidences；　by　which　one
hid　and　the　other　bared　her　love；　and　in　which　the　sharp　steel　of
Camille's　treacherous　words　entered　the　heart　of　her　friend；　and　left
its　poison　there。　Beatrix　at　last　took　offence　at　what　she　thought
Camille's　distrust；　she　considered　it　out　of　place　between　them。　At
the　same　time　she　was　enchanted　to　find　the　great　writer　a　victim　to
the　pettiness　of　her　sex；　and　she　resolved　to　enjoy　the　pleasure　of
showing　her　where　her　greatness　ended；　and　how　even　she　could　be
humiliated。

〃My　dear；　what　is　to　be　the　excuse　to…day　for　Monsieur　du　Guenic's　not
dining　with　us？〃　she　asked；　looking　maliciously　at　her　friend。　〃Monday
you　said　we　had　engagements；　Tuesday　the　dinner　was　poor；　Wednesday
you　were　afraid　his　mother　would　be　angry；　Thursday　you　wanted　to　take
a　walk　with　me；　and　yesterday　you　simply　dismissed　him　without　a
reason。　To…day　I　shall　have　my　way；　and　I　mean　that　he　shall　stay。〃

〃Already；　my　dear！〃　said　Camille；　with　cutting　irony。　The　marquise
blushed。　〃Stay；　Monsieur　du　Guenic；〃　said　Camille；　in　the　tone　of　a
queen。

Beatrix　became　cold　and　hard；　contradictory　in　tone；　epigrammatic；　and
almost　rude　to　Calyste；　whom　Felicite　sent　home　to　play　/mouche/　with
Charlotte　de　Kergarouet。

〃/She/　is　not　dangerous　at　any　rate；〃　said　Beatrix；　sarcastically。

Young　lovers　are　like　hungry　men；　kitchen　odors　will　not　appease　their
hunger；　they　think　too　much　of　what　is　coming　to　care　for　the　means
that　bring　it。　As　Calyste　walked　back　to　Guerande；　his　soul　was　full
of　Beatrix；　he　paid　no　heed　to　the　profound　feminine　cleverness　which
Felicite　was　displaying　on　his　behalf。　During　this　week　the　marquise
had　only　written　once　to　Conti；　a　symptom　of　indifference　which　had
not　escaped　the　watchful　eyes　of　Camille；　who　imparted　it　to　Calyste。
All　Calyste's　life　was　concentrated　in　the　short　moment　of　the　day
during　which　he　was　allowed　to　see　the　marquise。　This　drop　of　water；
far　from　allaying　his　thirst；　only　redoubled　it。　The　magic　promise；
〃Beatrix　shall　love　you；〃　made　by　Camille；　was　the　talisman　with　which
he　strove　to　restrain　the　fiery　ardor　of　his　passion。　But　he　knew　not
h