beatrix-第40部分

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to　Beatrix。

The　marquise　could　not　avoid　dropping　Calyste's　arm　and　taking　that　of
Conti。　This　ignoble　transit；　imperiously　demanded；　so　dishonoring　to
the　new　love；　overwhelmed　Calyste　who　threw　himself　on　the　bench
beside　Camille；　after　exchanging　the　coldest　of　salutations　with　his
rival。　He　was　torn　by　conflicting　emotions。　Strong　in　the　thought　that
Beatrix　loved　him；　he　wanted　at　first　to　fling　himself　upon　Conti　and
tell　him　that　Beatrix　was　his；　but　the　violent　trembling　of　the　woman
betraying　how　she　sufferedfor　she　had　really　paid　the　penalty　of　her
faults　in　that　one　momentaffected　him　so　deeply　that　he　was　dumb；
struck　like　her　with　a　sense　of　some　implacable　necessity。

Madame　de　Rochefide　and　Conti　passed　in　front　of　the　seat　where
Calyste　had　dropped　beside　Camille；　and　as　she　passed；　the　marquise
looked　at　Camille；　giving　her　one　of　those　terrible　glances　in　which
women　have　the　art　of　saying　all　things。　She　avoided　the　eyes　of
Calyste　and　turned　her　attention　to　Conti；　who　appeared　to　be　jesting
with　her。

〃What　will　they　say　to　each　other？〃　Calyste　asked　of　Camille。

〃Dear　child；　you　don't　know　as　yet　the　terrible　rights　which　an
extinguished　love　still　gives　to　a　man　over　a　woman。　Beatrix　could　not
refuse　to　take　his　arm。　He　is；　no　doubt；　joking　her　about　her　new
love；　he　must　have　guessed　it　from　your　attitudes　and　the　manner　in
which　you　approached　us。〃

〃Joking　her！〃　cried　the　impetuous　youth；　starting　up。

〃Be　calm；〃　said　Camille；　〃or　you　will　lose　the　last　chances　that
remain　to　you。　If　he　wounds　her　self…love；　she　will　crush　him　like　a
worm　under　her　foot。　But　he　is　too　astute　for　that；　he　will　manage　her
with　greater　cleverness。　He　will　seem　not　even　to　suppose　that　the
proud　Madame　de　Rochefide　could　betray　him；　/she/　could　never　be
guilty　of　such　depravity　as　loving　a　man　for　the　sake　of　his　beauty。
He　will　represent　you　to　her　as　a　child　ambitious　to　have　a　marquise
in　love　with　him；　and　to　make　himself　the　arbiter　of　the　fate　of　two
women。　In　short；　he　will　fire　a　broadside　of　malicious　insinuations。
Beatrix　will　then　be　forced　to　parry　with　false　assertions　and
denials；　which　he　will　simply　make　use　of　to　become　once　more　her
master。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　Calyste；　〃he　does　not　love　her。　I　would　leave　her　free。
True　love　means　a　choice　made　anew　at　every　moment；　confirmed　from　day
to　day。　The　morrow　justifies　the　past；　and　swells　the　treasury　of　our
pleasures。　Ah！　why　did　he　not　stay　away　a　little　longer？　A　few　days
more　and　he　would　not　have　found　her。　What　brought　him　back？〃

〃The　jest　of　a　journalist；〃　replied　Camille。　〃His　opera；　on　the
success　of　which　he　counted；　has　fallen　flat。　Some　journalist；
probably　Claude　Vignon；　remarked　in　the　foyer：　'It　is　hard　to　lose
fame　and　mistress　at　the　same　moment；'　and　the　speech　cut　him　in　all
his　vanities。　Love　based　on　petty　sentiments　is　always　pitiless。　I
have　questioned　him；　but　who　can　fathom　a　nature　so　false　and
deceiving？　He　appeared　to　be　weary　of　his　troubles　and　his　love；in
short；　disgusted　with　life。　He　regrets　having　allied　himself　so
publicly　with　the　marquise；　and　made　me；　in　speaking　of　his　past
happiness；　a　melancholy　poem；　which　was　somewhat　too　clever　to　be
true。　I　think　he　hoped　to　worm　out　of　me　the　secret　of　your　love；　in
the　midst　of　the　joy　he　expected　his　flatteries　to　cause　me。〃

〃What　else？〃　said　Calyste；　watching　Beatrix　and　Conti；　who　were　now
coming　towards　them；　but　he　listened　no　longer　to　Camille's　words。

In　talking　with　Conti；　Camille　had　held　herself　prudently　on　the
defensive；　she　had　betrayed　neither　Calyste's　secret　nor　that　of
Beatrix。　The　great　artist　was　capable　of　treachery　to　every　one；　and
Mademoiselle　des　Touches　warned　Calyste　to　distrust　him。

〃My　dear　friend；〃　she　said；　〃this　is　by　far　the　most　critical　moment
for　you。　You　need　caution　and　a　sort　of　cleverness　you　do　not　possess；
I　am　afraid　you　will　let　yourself　be　tricked　by　the　most　wily　man　I
have　ever　known；　and　I　can　do　nothing　to　help　you。〃

The　bell　announced　dinner。　Conti　offered　his　arm　to　Camille；　Calyste
gave　his　to　Beatrix。　Camille　drew　back　to　let　the　marquise　pass；　but
the　latter　had　found　a　moment　in　which　to　look　at　Calyste；　and　impress
upon　him；　by　putting　her　finger　on　her　lips；　the　absolute　necessity　of
discretion。

Conti　was　extremely　gay　during　the　dinner；　perhaps　this　was　only　one
way　of　probing　Madame　de　Rochefide；　who　played　her　part　extremely　ill。
If　her　conduct　had　been　mere　coquetry；　she　might　have　deceived　even
Conti；　but　her　new　love　was　real；　and　it　betrayed　her。　The　wily
musician；　far　from　adding　to　her　embarrassment；　pretended　not　to　have
perceived　it。　At　dessert；　he　brought　the　conversation　round　to　women；
and　lauded　the　nobility　of　their　sentiments。　Many　a　woman；　he　said；
who　might　have　been　willing　to　abandon　a　man　in　prosperity；　would
sacrifice　all　to　him　in　misfortune。　Women　had　the　advantage　over　men
in　constancy；　nothing　ever　detached　them　from　their　first　lover；　to
whom　they　clung　as　a　matter　of　honor；　unless　he　wounded　them；　they
felt　that　a　second　love　was　unworthy　of　them；　and　so　forth。　His　ethics
were　of　the　highest　order；　shedding　incense　on　the　altar　where　he　knew
that　one　heart　at　least；　pierced　by　many　a　blow；　was　bleeding。　Camille
and　Beatrix　alone　understood　the　bitterness　of　the　sarcasms　shot　forth
in　the　guise　of　eulogy。　At　times　they　both　flushed　scarlet；　but　they
were　forced　to　control　themselves。　When　dinner　was　over；　they　took
each　other　by　the　arm　to　return　to　Camille's　salon；　and；　as　if　by
mutual　consent；　they　turned　aside　into　the　great　salon；　where　they
could　be　alone　for　an　instant　in　the　darkness。

〃It　is　dreadful　to　let　Conti　ride　over　me　roughshod；　and　yet　I　can't
defend　myself；〃　said　Beatrix；　in　a　low　voice。　〃The　galley…slave　is
always　a　slave　to　his　chain…companion。　I　am　lost；　I　must　needs　return
to　my　galleys！　And　it　is　you；　Camille；　who　have　cast　me　there！　Ah！　you
brought　him　back　a　day　too　soon；　or　a　day　too　late。　I　recognize　your
infernal　talent　as　author。　Well；　your　revenge　is　complete；　the　finale
perfect！〃

〃I　may　have　told　you　that　I　would　write　to　Conti；　but　to　do　it　was
another　matter；〃　cried　Camille。　〃I　am　incapable　of　such　baseness。　But
you　are　unhappy；　and　I　will　forgive　the　suspicion。〃

〃What　will　become　of　Calyste？〃　said　the　marquise；　with　naive　self…
conceit。

〃Then　Conti　carries　you　off；　does　he？〃　asked　Camille。

〃Ah！　you　think　you　triumph！〃　cried　Beatrix。

Anger　distorted　her　handsome　face　as　she　said　those　bitter　words　to
Camille；　who　was　trying　to　hide　her　satisfaction　under　a　false
expression　of　sympathy。　Unfortunately；　the　sparkle　in　her　eyes　belied
the　sadness　of　her　face；　and　Beatrix　was　learned　in　such　deceptions。
When；　a　few　moments　later；　the　two　women　were　seated　under　a　strong
light　on　that　divan　where　the　first　three　weeks　so　many　comedies　had
been　played；　and　where　the　secret　tragedy　of　many　thwarted　passions
had　begun；　they　examined　each　other　for　the　last　time；　and　felt　they
were　forever　parted　by　an　undying　hatred。

〃Calyste　remains　to　you；〃　said　Beatrix；　looking　into　Camille's　eyes；
〃but　I　am　fixed　in　his　heart；　and　no　woman　can　ever　drive　me　out　of
it。〃

Camille　replied；　with　an　inimitable　tone　of　irony　that　struck　the
marquise　to　the　heart；　in　the　famous　words　of　Mazarin's　niece　to　Louis
XIV。；

〃You　reign；　you　love；　and　you　depart！〃

Neither　Camille　nor　Beatrix　was　conscious　during　this　sharp　and　bitter
scene　of　the　absence　of　Conti　and　Calyste。　The　composer　had　remained
at　table　with　his　rival；　begging　him　to　keep　him　company　in　finishing
a　bottle　of　champagne。

〃We　have　something　to　say　to　each　other；〃　added　Conti；　to　prevent　all
refusal　on　the　part　of　Calyste。

Placed　as　they　both　were；　it　was　impossible　for　the　young　Breton　to
refuse　this　challenge。

〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　composer；　in　his　most　caressing　voice；　as
soon　as　the　poor　lad　had　drunk　a　couple　of　glasses　of　champagne；　〃we
are　both　good　fellows；　and　we　can　speak　to　each　other　frankly。　I　have
not　come　here　suspiciously。　Beatrix　loves　me；〃this　with　a　gesture　of
the　utmost　self…conceit〃but　the　truth　is；　I　have　ceased　to　love　her。
I　am　not　here　to　carry　her　away　with　me；　but　to　break　off　our
relations；　and　to　leave　her　the　honors　of　the　rupture。　You　are　young；
you　don't　yet　know　how　useful　it　is　to　appear　to　be　the　victim　when
you　are　really　the　executioner。　Young　men　spit　fire　and　flame；　they
leave　a　woman　with　noise　and　fury；　they　often　despise　her；　and　they
make　her　hate　them。　But　wise　men　do　as　I　am　doing；　they　get　themselves
dismissed；　assuming　a　mortified　air；　which　leaves　regret　in　the
woman's　heart　and　also　a　sense　of　her　superiority。　You　don't　yet　know；
luckily　for　you；　how　hampered　men　often　are　in　their　careers　by　the
rash　promises　which　women　are　silly　enough　to　accept　when　gallantry
obliges　us　to　make　nooses　to　catch　our　happiness。　We　swear　eternal
faithfulness；　and　declare　that　we　desire　to　pass　our　lives　with　them；
and　seem　to　await　a　husband's　death　impatiently。　Let　him　die；　and
there　are　some　provincial　women　obtuse　or　silly　or　malicious　enough　to
say：　'Here　am　I；　free　at　last。'　The　spent　ball　suddenly　comes　to　life
again；　and　falls　plumb　in　the　midst　of　our　finest　triumphs　or　our　most
carefully　planned　happiness。　I　have　seen　that　you　love　Beatrix。　I
leave　her　therefore　in　a　position　where　she　loses　nothing　of　her
precious　majesty；　she　will　certainly　coquet　with　you；　if　only　to　tease
and　annoy　that　angel　of　a　Camille　Maupin。　Well；　my　dear　fellow；　take
her；　love　her；　you'll　do　me　a　great　service；　I　want　her　to　turn
against　me。　I　have　been　afraid　of　her　pride　and　her　virtue。　Perhaps；
in　spite　of　my　approval　of　the　matter；　it　may　take　some　time　to　effect
this　/chassez…croissez/。　On　such　occasions　the　wisest　plan　is　to　take
no　step　at　all。　I　did；　just　now；　as　we　walked　about　the　lawn；　attempt
to　let　her　see　that　I　knew　all；　and　was　ready　to　congratulate　her　on
her　new　happiness。　Well；　she　was　furious！　At　this　moment　I　am
desperately　in　love　with　the　youngest　and　handsomest　of　our　prima…
donnas；　Mademoiselle　Falcon　of　the　Grand　Opera。　I　think　of　marrying
her；　yes；　I　have　got　as　far　as　that。　When　you　come　to　Paris　you　wil