beatrix-第38部分

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there；　and　they　can　climb　on　my　shoulders；　and　you　must　pull　them　up。〃

〃And　you？〃　said　Camille。

The　man　seemed　surprised　that　he　should　be　considered　in　presence　of
the　danger　to　his　young　master。

〃You　must　go　to　Croisic　and　fetch　a　ladder；〃　said　Camille。

Beatrix　asked　in　a　feeble　voice　to　be　laid　down；　and　Calyste　placed
her　on　the　narrow　space　between　the　bush　and　its　background　of　rock。

〃I　saw　you；　Calyste；〃　said　Camille　from　above。　〃Whether　Beatrix　lives
or　dies；　remember　that　this　must　be　an　accident。〃

〃She　will　hate　me；〃　he　said；　with　moistened　eyes。

〃She　will　adore　you；〃　replied　Camille。　〃But　this　puts　an　end　to　our
excursion。　We　must　get　her　back　to　Les　Touches。　Had　she　been　killed；
Calyste；　what　would　have　become　of　you？〃

〃I　should　have　followed　her。〃

〃And　your　mother？〃　Then；　after　a　pause；　she　added；　feebly；　〃and　me？〃

Calyste　was　deadly　pale；　he　stood　with　his　back　against　the　granite
motionless　and　silent。　Gasselin　soon　returned　from　one　of　the　little
farms　scattered　through　the　neighborhood；　bearing　a　ladder　which　he
had　borrowed。　By　this　time　Beatrix　had　recovered　a　little　strength。
The　ladder　being　placed；　she　was　able；　by　the　help　of　Gasselin；　who
lowered　Camille's　red　shawl　till　he　could　grasp　it；　to　reach　the　round
top　of　the　rock；　where　the　Breton　took　her　in　his　arms　and　carried　her
to　the　shore　as　though　she　were　an　infant。

〃I　should　not　have　said　no　to　deathbut　suffering！〃　she　murmured　to
Felicite；　in　a　feeble　voice。

The　weakness；　in　fact　the　complete　prostration；　of　the　marquise
obliged　Camille　to　have　her　taken　to　the　farmhouse　from　which　the
ladder　had　been　borrowed。　Calyste；　Gasselin；　and　Camille　took　off　what
clothes　they　could　spare　and　laid　them　on　the　ladder；　making　a　sort　of
litter　on　which　they　carried　Beatrix。　The　farmers　gave　her　a　bed。
Gasselin　then　went　to　the　place　where　the　carriage　was　awaiting　them；
and；　taking　one　of　the　horses；　rode　to　Croisic　to　obtain　a　doctor；
telling　the　boatman　to　row　to　the　landing…place　that　was　nearest　to
the　farmhouse。

Calyste；　sitting　on　a　stool；　answered　only　by　motions　of　the　head；　and
rare　monosyllables　when　spoken　to；　Camille's　uneasiness；　roused　for
Beatrix；　was　still　further　excited　by　Calyste's　unnatural　condition。
When　the　physician　arrived；　and　Beatrix　was　bled；　she　felt　better；
began　to　talk；　and　consented　to　embark；　so　that　by　five　o'clock　they
reached　the　jetty　at　Guerande；　whence　she　was　carried　to　Les　Touches。
The　news　of　the　accident　had　already　spread　through　that　lonely　and
almost　uninhabited　region　with　incredible　rapidity。

Calyste　passed　the　night　at　Les　Touches；　sitting　at　the　foot　of
Beatrix's　bed；　in　company　with　Camille。　The　doctor　from　Guerande　had
assured　them　that　on　the　following　day　a　little　stiffness　would　be　all
that　remained　of　the　accident。　Across　the　despair　of　Calyste's　heart
there　came　a　gleam　of　joy。　He　was　there；　at　her　feet；　he　could　watch
her　sleeping　or　waking；　he　might　study　her　pallid　face　and　all　its
expressions。　Camille　smiled　bitterly　as　her　keen　mind　recognized　in
Calyste　the　symptoms　of　a　passion　such　as　man　can　feel　but　once；a
passion　which　dyes　his　soul　and　his　faculties　by　mingling　with　the
fountain　of　his　life　at　a　period　when　neither　thoughts　nor　cares
distract　or　oppose　the　inward　working　of　this　emotion。　She　saw　that
Calyste　would　never；　could　never　see　the　real　woman　that　was　in
Beatrix。

And　with　what　guileless　innocence　the　young　Breton　allowed　his
thoughts　to　be　read！　When　he　saw　the　beautiful　green　eyes　of　the　sick
woman　turned　to　him；　expressing　a　mixture　of　love；　confusion；　and　even
mischief；　he　colored；　and　turned　away　his　head。

〃Did　I　not　say　truly；　Calyste；　that　you　men　promised　happiness；　and
ended　by　flinging　us　down　a　precipice？〃

When　he　heard　this　little　jest；　said　in　sweet；　caressing　tones　which
betrayed　a　change　of　heart　in　Beatrix；　Calyste　knelt　down；　took　her
moist　hand　which　she　yielded　to　him；　and　kissed　it　humbly。

〃You　have　the　right　to　reject　my　love　forever；〃　he　said；　〃and　I；　I
have　no　right　to　say　one　word　to　you。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　Camille；　seeing　the　expression　on　Beatrix's　face　and
comparing　it　with　that　obtained　by　her　diplomacy；　〃love　has　a　wit　of
its　own；　wiser　than　that　of　all　the　world！　Take　your　composing…
draught；　my　dear　friend；　and　go　to　sleep。〃

That　night；　spent　by　Calyste　beside　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　who　read
a　book　of　theological　mysticism　while　Calyste　read　〃Indiana；〃the
first　work　of　Camille's　celebrated　rival；　in　which　is　the　captivating
image　of　a　young　man　loving　with　idolatry　and　devotion；　with
mysterious　tranquillity　and　for　all　his　life；　a　woman　placed　in　the
same　false　position　as　Beatrix　（a　book　which　had　a　fatal　influence
upon　him）；that　night　left　ineffaceable　marks　upon　the　heart　of　the
poor　young　fellow；　whom　Felicite　soothed　with　the　assurance　that
unless　a　woman　were　a　monster　she　must　be　flattered　in　all　her
vanities　by　being　the　object　of　such　a　crime。

〃You　would　never　have　flung　/me/　into　the　water；〃　said　Camille；
brushing　away　a　tear。

Toward　morning；　Calyste；　worn…out　with　emotion；　fell　asleep　in　his
arm…chair；　and　the　marquise　in　her　turn；　watched　his　charming　face；
paled　by　his　feelings　and　his　vigil　of　love。　She　heard　him　murmur　her
name　as　he　slept。

〃He　loves　while　sleeping；〃　she　said　to　Camille。

〃We　must　send　him　home；〃　said　Felicite；　waking　him。

No　one　was　anxious　at　the　hotel　du　Guenic；　for　Mademoiselle　des
Touches　had　written　a　line　to　the　baroness　telling　her　of　the
accident。

Calyste　returned　to　dinner　at　Les　Touches　and　found　Beatrix　up　and
dressed；　but　pale；　feeble；　and　languid。　No　longer　was　there　any
harshness　in　her　words　or　any　coldness　in　her　looks。　After　this
evening；　filled　with　music　by　Camille；　who　went　to　her　piano　to　leave
Calyste　free　to　take　and　press　the　hands　of　Beatrix　（though　both　were
unable　to　speak）；　no　storms　occurred　at　Les　Touches。　Felicite
completely　effaced　herself。

Cold；　fragile；　thin；　hard　women　like　Madame　de　Rochefide；　women　whose
necks　turn　in　a　manner　to　give　them　a　vague　resemblance　to　the　feline
race；　have　souls　of　the　same　pale　tint　as　their　light　eyes；　green　or
gray；　and　to　melt　them；　to　fuse　those　blocks　of　stone　it　needs　a
thunderbolt。　To　Beatrix；　Calyste's　fury　of　love　and　his　mad　action
came　as　the　thunderbolt　that　nought　resists；　which　changes　all
natures；　even　the　most　stubborn。　She　felt　herself　inwardly　humbled；　a
true；　pure　love　bathed　her　heart　with　its　soft　and　limpid　warmth。　She
breathed　a　sweet　and　genial　atmosphere　of　feelings　hitherto　unknown　to
her；　by　which　she　felt　herself　magnified；　elevated；　in　fact；　she　rose
into　that　heaven　where　Bretons　throughout　all　time　have　placed　the
Woman。　She　relished　with　delight　the　respectful　adoration　of　the
youth；　whose　happiness　cost　her　little；　for　a　gesture；　a　look；　a　word
was　enough　to　satisfy　him。　The　value　which　Calyste's　heart　gave　to
these　trifles　touched　her　exceedingly；　to　hold　her　gloved　hand　was
more　to　that　young　angel　than　the　possession　of　her　whole　person　to
the　man　who　ought　to　have　been　faithful　to　her。　What　a　contrast
between　them！

Few　women　could　resist　such　constant　deification。　Beatrix　felt　herself
sure　of　being　obeyed　and　understood。　She　might　have　asked　Calyste　to
risk　his　life　for　the　slightest　of　her　caprices；　and　he　would　never
have　reflected　for　a　moment。　This　consciousness　gave　her　a　certain
noble　and　imposing　air。　She　saw　love　on　the　side　of　its　grandeur；　and
her　heart　sought　for　some　foothold　on　which　she　might　remain　forever
the　loftiest　of　women　in　the　eyes　of　her　young　lover；　over　whom　she
now　wished　her　power　to　be　eternal。

Her　coquetries　became　the　more　persistent　because　she　felt　within
herself　a　certain　weakness。　She　played　the　invalid　for　a　whole　week
with　charming　hypocrisy。　Again　and　again　she　walked　about　the　velvet
turf　which　lay　between　the　house　and　garden　leaning　on　Calyste's　arm
in　languid　dependence。

〃Ah！　my　dear；　you　are　taking　him　a　long　journey　in　a　small　space；〃
said　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　one　day。

Before　the　excursion　to　Croisic；　the　two　women　were　discoursing　one
evening　about　love；　and　laughing　at　the　different　ways　that　men
adopted　to　declare　it；　admitting　to　themselves　that　the　cleverest　men；
and　naturally　the　least　loving；　did　not　like　to　wander　in　the
labyrinths　of　sentimentality　and　went　straight　to　the　point；in　which
perhaps　they　were　right；　for　the　result　was　that　those　who　loved　most
deeply　and　reservedly　were；　for　a　time　at　least；　ill…treated。

〃They　go　to　work　like　La　Fontaine；　when　he　wanted　to　enter　the
Academy；〃　said　Camille。

Madame　de　Rochefide　had　unbounded　power　to　restrain　Calyste　within　the
limits　where　she　meant　to　keep　him；　it　sufficed　her　to　remind　him　by　a
look　or　gesture　of　his　horrible　violence　on　the　rocks。　The　eyes　of　her
poor　victim　would　fill　with　tears；　he　was　silent；　swallowing　down　his
prayers；　his　arguments；　his　sufferings　with　a　heroism　that　would
certainly　have　touched　any　other　woman。　She　finally　brought　him　by　her
infernal　coquetry　to　such　a　pass　that　he　went　one　day　to　Camille
imploring　her　advice。

Beatrix；　armed　with　Calyste's　own　letter；　quoted　the　passage　in　which
he　said　that　to　love　was　the　first　happiness；　that　of　being　loved　came
later；　and　she　used　that　axiom　to　restrain　his　passion　to　the　limits
of　respectful　idolatry；　which　pleased　her　well。　She　liked　to　feel　her
soul　caressed　by　those　sweet　hymns　of　praise　and　adoration　which
nature　suggests　to　youth；　in　them　is　so　much　artless　art；　such
innocent　seduction　is　in　their　cries；　their　prayers；　their
exclamations；　their　pledges　of　themselves　in　the　promissory　notes
which　they　offer　on　the　future；　to　all　of　which　Beatrix　was　very
careful　to　give　no　definite　answer。　Yes；　she　heard　him；　but　she
doubted！　Love　was　not　yet　the　question；　what　he　asked　of　her　was
permission　to　love。　In　fact；　that　was　all　the　poor　lad　really　asked
for；　his　mind　still　clung　to　the　strongest　side　of　love；　the　spiritual
side。　But　the　woman　who　is　firmest　in　words　is　often　the　feeblest　in
action。　It　is　strange　that　Calyste；　having　seen　the　progress　his　suit
had　made　by　pushing　Beatrix　into　the　sea；　did　not　continue　to　urge　it
vi