beatrix-第41部分

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her；　yes；　I　have　got　as　far　as　that。　When　you　come　to　Paris　you　will
see　that　I　have　changed　a　marquise　for　a　queen。〃

Calyste；　whose　candid　face　revealed　his　satisfaction；　admitted　his
love　for　Beatrix；　which　was　all　that　Conti　wanted　to　discover。　There
is　no　man　in　the　world；　however　/blase/　or　depraved　he　may　be；　whose
love　will　not　flame　up　again　the　moment　he　sees　it　threatened　by　a
rival。　He　may　wish　to　leave　a　woman；　but　he　will　never　willingly　let
her　leave　him。　When　a　pair　of　lovers　get　to　this　extremity；　both　the
man　and　the　woman　strive　for　priority　of　action；　so　deep　is　the　wound
to　their　vanity。　Questioned　by　the　composer；　Calyste　related　all　that
had　happened　during　the　last　three　weeks　at　Les　Touches；　delighted　to
find　that　Conti；　who　concealed　his　fury　under　an　appearance　of
charming　good…humor；　took　it　all　in　good　part。

〃Come；　let　us　go　upstairs；〃　said　the　latter。　〃Women　are　so
distrustful；　those　two　will　wonder　how　we　can　sit　here　together
without　tearing　each　other's　hair　out；　they　are　even　capable　of　coming
down　to　listen。　I'll　serve　you　faithfully；　my　dear　boy。　You'll　see　me
rough　and　jealous　with　the　marquise；　I　shall　seem　to　suspect　her；
there's　no　better　way　to　drive　a　woman　to　betray　you。　You　will　be
happy；　and　I　shall　be　free。　Seem　to　pity　that　angel　for　belonging　to　a
man　without　delicacy；　show　her　a　tearfor　you　can　weep；　you　are　still
young。　I；　alas！　can　weep　no　more；　and　that's　a　great　advantage　lost。〃

Calyste　and　Conti　went　up　to　Camille's　salon。　The　composer；　begged　by
his　young　rival　to　sing；　gave　them　that　greatest　of　musical
masterpieces　viewed　as　execution；　the　famous　〃/Pria　che　spunti
l'aurora/；〃　which　Rubini　himself　never　attempted　without　trembling；
and　which　had　often　been　Conti's　triumph。　Never　was　his　singing　more
extraordinary　than　on　this　occasion；　when　so　many　feelings　were
contending　in　his　breast。　Calyste　was　in　ecstasy。　As　Conti　sang　the
first　words　of　the　cavatina；　he　looked　intently　at　the　marquise；
giving　to　those　words　a　cruel　signification　which　was　fully
understood。　Camille；　who　accompanied　him；　guessed　the　order　thus
conveyed；　which　bowed　the　head　of　the　luckless　Beatrix。　She　looked　at
Calyste；　and　felt　sure　that　the　youth　had　fallen　into　some　trap　in
spite　of　her　advice。　This　conviction　became　certainty　when　the
evidently　happy　Breton　came　up　to　bid　Beatrix　good…night；　kissing　her
hand；　and　pressing　it　with　a　little　air　of　happy　confidence。

By　the　time　Calyste　had　reached　Guerande；　the　servants　were　packing
Conti's　travelling…carriage；　and　〃by　dawn；〃　as　the　song　had　said；　the
composer　was　carrying　Beatrix　away　with　Camille's　horses　to　the　first
relay。　The　morning　twilight　enabled　Madame　de　Rochefide　to　see
Guerande；　its　towers；　whitened　by　the　dawn；　shining　out　upon　the　still
dark　sky。　Melancholy　thoughts　possessed　her；　she　was　leaving　there　one
of　the　sweetest　flowers　of　all　her　life；a　pure　love；　such　as　a　young
girl　dreams　of；　the　only　true　love　she　had　ever　known　or　was　ever　to
conceive　of。　The　woman　of　the　world　obeyed　the　laws　of　the　world；　she
sacrificed　love　to　their　demands　just　as　many　women　sacrifice　it　to
religion　or　to　duty。　Sometimes　mere　pride　can　rise　in　acts　as　high　as
virtue。　Read　thus；　this　history　is　that　of　many　women。

The　next　morning　Calyste　went　to　Les　Touches　about　mid…day。　When　he
reached　the　spot　from　which；　the　day　before；　he　had　seen　Beatrix
watching　for　him　at　the　window；　he　saw　Camille；　who　instantly　ran　down
to　him。　She　met　him　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase　and　told　the　cruel
truth　in　one　word；

〃Gone！〃

〃Beatrix？〃　asked　Calyste；　thunderstruck。

〃You　have　been　duped　by　Conti；　you　told　me　nothing；　and　I　could　do
nothing　for　you。〃

She　led　the　poor　fellow　to　her　little　salon；　where　he　flung　himself　on
the　divan　where　he　had　so　often　seen　the　marquise；　and　burst　into
tears。　Felicite　smoked　her　hookah　and　said　nothing；　knowing　well　that
no　words　or　thoughts　are　capable　of　arresting　the　first　anguish　of
such　pain；　which　is　always　deaf　and　dumb。　Calyste；　unable　even　to
think；　much　less　to　choose　a　course；　sat　there　all　day　in　a　state　of
complete　torpidity。　Just　before　dinner　was　served；　Camille　tried　to
say　a　few　words；　after　begging　him；　very　earnestly；　to　listen　to　her。

〃Friend；〃　she　said；　〃you　caused　me　the　bitterest　suffering；　and　I　had
not；　like　you；　a　beautiful　young　life　before　me　in　which　to　heal
myself。　For　me；　life　has　no　longer　any　spring；　nor　my　soul　a　love。　So；
to　find　consolation；　I　have　had　to　look　above。　Here；　in　this　room；　the
day　before　Beatrix　came　here；　I　drew　you　her　portrait；　I　did　not　do
her　injustice；　or　you　might　have　thought　me　jealous。　I　wanted　you　to
know　her　as　she　is；　for　that　would　have　kept　you　safe。　Listen　now　to
the　full　truth。　Madame　de　Rochefide　is　wholly　unworthy　of　you。　The
scandal　of　her　fall　was　not　necessary；　she　did　the　thing　deliberately
in　order　to　play　a　part　in　the　eyes　of　society。　She　is　one　of　those
women　who　prefer　the　celebrity　of　a　scandal　to　tranquil　happiness；
they　fly　in　the　face　of　society　to　obtain　the　fatal　alms　of　a　rebuke；
they　desire　to　be　talked　about　at　any　cost。　Beatrix　was　eaten　up　with
vanity。　Her　fortune　and　her　wit　had　not　given　her　the　feminine　royalty
that　she　craved；　they　had　not　enabled　her　to　reign　supreme　over　a
salon。　She　then　bethought　herself　of　seeking　the　celebrity　of　the
Duchesse　de　Langeais　and　the　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant。　But　the　world；
after　all；　is　just；　it　gives　the　homage　of　its　interest　to　real
feelings　only。　Beatrix　playing　comedy　was　judged　to　be　a　second…rate
actress。　There　was　no　reason　whatever　for　her　flight；　the　sword　of
Damocles　was　not　suspended　over　her　head；　she　is　neither　sincere；　nor
loving；　nor　tender；　if　she　were；　would　she　have　gone　away　with　Conti
this　morning？〃

Camille　talked　long　and　eloquently；　but　this　last　effort　to　open
Calyste's　eyes　was　useless；　and　she　said　no　more　when　he　expressed　to
her　by　a　gesture　his　absolute　belief　in　Beatrix。

She　forced　him　to　come　down　into　the　dining…room　and　sit　there　while
she　dined；　though　he　himself　was　unable　to　swallow　food。　It　is　only
during　extreme　youth　that　these　contractions　of　the　bodily　functions
occur。　Later；　the　organs　have　acquired；　as　it　were；　fixed　habits；　and
are　hardened。　The　reaction　of　the　mental　and　moral　system　upon　the
physical　is　not　enough　to　produce　a　mortal　illness　unless　the　physical
system　retains　its　primitive　purity。　A　man　resists　the　violent　grief
that　kills　a　youth；　less　by　the　greater　weakness　of　his　affection　than
by　the　greater　strength　of　his　organs。

Therefore　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　was　greatly　alarmed　by　the　calm；
resigned　attitude　which　Calyste　took　after　his　burst　of　tears　had
subsided。　Before　he　left　her；　he　asked　permission　to　go　into　Beatrix's
bedroom；　where　he　had　seen　her　on　the　night　of　her　illness；　and　there
he　laid　his　head　on　the　pillow　where　hers　had　lain。

〃I　am　committing　follies；〃　he　said；　grasping　Camille's　hand；　and
bidding　her　good…night　in　deep　dejection。

He　returned　home；　found　the　usual　company　at　/mouche/；　and　passed　the
remainder　of　the　evening　sitting　beside　his　mother。　The　rector；　the
Chevalier　du　Halga；　and　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　all　knew　of　Madame　de
Rochefide's　departure；　and　were　rejoicing　in　it。　Calyste　would　now
return　to　them；　and　all　three　watched　him　cautiously。　No　one　in　that
old　manor…house　was　capable　of　imagining　the　result　of　a　first　love；
the　love　of　youth　in　a　heart　so　simple　and　so　true　as　that　of　Calyste。



XVI

SICKNESS　UNTO　DEATH

For　several　days　Calyste　went　regularly　to　Les　Touches。　He　paced　round
and　round　the　lawn；　where　he　had　sometimes　walked　with　Beatrix　on　his
arm。　He　often　went　to　Croisic　to　stand　upon　that　fateful　rock；　or　lie
for　hours　in　the　bush　of　box；　for；　by　studying　the　footholds　on　the
sides　of　the　fissure；　he　had　found　a　means　of　getting　up　and　down。

These　solitary　trips；　his　silence；　his　gravity；　made　his　mother　very
anxious。　After　about　two　weeks；　during　which　time　this　conduct；　like
that　of　a　caged　animal；　lasted；　this　poor　lover；　caged　in　his　despair；
ceased　to　cross　the　bay；　he　had　scarcely　strength　to　drag　himself
along　the　road　from　Guerande　to　the　spot　where　he　had　seen　Beatrix
watching　from　her　window。　The　family；　delighted　at　the　departure　of
〃those　Parisians；〃　to　use　a　term　of　the　provinces；　saw　nothing　fatal
or　diseased　about　the　lad。　The　two　old　maids　and　the　rector；　pursuing
their　scheme；　had　kept　Charlotte　de　Kergarouet；　who　nightly　played　off
her　little　coquetries　on　Calyste；　obtaining　in　return　nothing　better
than　advice　in　playing　/mouche/。　During　these　long　evenings；　Calyste
sat　between　his　mother　and　the　little　Breton　girl；　observed　by　the
rector　and　Charlotte's　aunt；　who　discussed　his　greater　or　less
depression　as　they　walked　home　together。　Their　simple　minds　mistook
the　lethargic　indifference　of　the　hapless　youth　for　submission　to
their　plans。　One　evening　when　Calyste；　wearied　out；　went　off　suddenly
to　bed；　the　players　dropped　their　cards　upon　the　table　and　looked　at
each　other　as　the　young　man　closed　the　door　of　his　chamber。　One　and
all　had　listened　to　the　sound　of　his　receding　steps　with　anxiety。

〃Something　is　the　matter　with　Calyste；〃　said　the　baroness；　wiping　her
eyes。

〃Nothing　is　the　matter；〃　replied　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　〃but　you
should　marry　him　at　once。〃

〃Do　you　believe　that　marriage　would　divert　his　mind？〃　asked　the
chevalier。

Charlotte　looked　reprovingly　at　Monsieur　du　Halga；　whom　she　now　began
to　think　ill…mannered；　depraved；　immoral；　without　religion；　and　very
ridiculous　about　his　dog；opinions　which　her　aunt；　defending　the　old
sailor；　combated。

〃I　shall　lecture　Calyste　to…morrow　morning；〃　said　the　baron；　whom　the
others　had　thought　asleep。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　go　out　of　this　world
without　seeing　my　grandson；　a　little　pink　and　white　Guenic　with　a
Breton　cap　on　his　head。〃

〃Calyste　doesn't　say　a　word；〃　said　old　Zephirine；　〃and　there's　no
making　out　what's　the　matter　with　him。　He　doesn't　eat；　I　don't　see
what　he　lives　on。　If　he　gets　his　meals　at　Les　Touches；　the　devil's
kitchen　doesn't　nourish　him。〃

〃He　is　in　love；〃　said　the　chevalier；　risking　that　opinion　very
timidly。

〃Come；　come；　old