beatrix-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


kitchen　doesn't　nourish　him。〃

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

〃Come；　come；　old　gray…beard；　you've　forgotten　to　put　in　your　stake！〃
cried　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel。　〃When　you　begin　to　think　of　your　young
days　you　forget　everything。〃

〃Come　to　breakfast　to…morrow；〃　said　old　Zephirine　to　her　friend
Jacqueline；　〃my　brother　will　have　had　a　talk　with　his　son；　and　we　can
settle　the　matter　finally。　One　nail；　you　know；　drives　out　another。〃

〃Not　among　Bretons；〃　said　the　chevalier。

The　next　day　Calyste　saw　Charlotte；　as　she　arrived　dressed　with
unusual　care；　just　after　the　baron　had　given　him；　in　the　dining…room；
a　discourse　on　matrimony；　to　which　he　could　make　no　answer。　He　now
knew　the　ignorance　of　his　father　and　mother　and　all　their　friends；　he
had　gathered　the　fruits　of　the　tree　of　knowledge；　and　knew　himself　to
be　as　much　isolated　as　if　he　did　not　speak　the　family　language。　He
merely　requested　his　father　to　give　him　a　few　days'　grace。　The　old
baron　rubbed　his　hands　with　joy；　and　gave　fresh　life　to　the　baroness
by　whispering　in　her　ear　what　he　called　the　good　news。

Breakfast　was　gay；　Charlotte；　to　whom　the　baron　had　given　a　hint；　was
sparkling。　After　the　meal　was　over；　Calyste　went　out　upon　the　portico
leading　to　the　garden；　followed　by　Charlotte；　he　gave　her　his　arm　and
led　her　to　the　grotto。　Their　parents　and　friends　were　at　the　window；
looking　at　them　with　a　species　of　tenderness。　Presently　Charlotte；
uneasy　at　her　suitor's　silence；　looked　back　and　saw　them；　which　gave
her　an　opportunity　of　beginning　the　conversation　by　saying　to
Calyste；

〃They　are　watching　us。〃

〃They　cannot　hear　us；〃　he　replied。

〃True；　but　they　see　us。〃

〃Let　us　sit　down；　Charlotte；〃　replied　Calyste；　gently　taking　her　hand。

〃Is　it　true　that　your　banner　used　formerly　to　float　from　that　twisted
column？〃　asked　Charlotte；　with　a　sense　that　the　house　was　already
hers；　how　comfortable　she　should　be　there！　what　a　happy　sort　of　life！
〃You　will　make　some　changes　inside　the　house；　won't　you；　Calyste？〃　she
said。

〃I　shall　not　have　time；　my　dear　Charlotte；〃　said　the　young　man；　taking
her　hands　and　kissing　them。　〃I　am　going　now　to　tell　you　my　secret。　I
love　too　well　a　person　whom　you　have　seen；　and　who　loves　me；　to　be
able　to　make　the　happiness　of　any　other　woman；　though　I　know　that　from
our　childhood　you　and　I　have　been　destined　for　each　other　by　our
friends。〃

〃But　she　is　married；　Calyste。〃

〃I　shall　wait；〃　replied　the　young　man。

〃And　I；　too；〃　said　Charlotte；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears。　〃You　cannot
long　love　a　woman　like　that；　who；　they　say；　has　gone　off　with　a
singer〃

〃Marry；　my　dear　Charlotte；〃　said　Calyste；　interrupting　her。　〃With　the
fortune　your　aunt　intends　to　give　you；　which　is　enormous　for　Brittany；
you　can　choose　some　better　man　than　I。　You　could　marry　a　titled　man。　I
have　brought　you　here；　not　to　tell　you　what　you　already　knew；　but　to
entreat　you；　in　the　name　of　our　childish　friendship；　to　take　this
rupture　upon　yourself；　and　say　that　you　have　rejected　me。　Say　that　you
do　not　wish　to　marry　a　man　whose　heart　is　not　free；　and　thus　I　shall
be　spared　at　least　the　sense　that　I　have　done　you　public　wrong。　You　do
not　know；　Charlotte；　how　heavy　a　burden　life　now　is　to　me。　I　cannot
bear　the　slightest　struggle；　I　am　weakened　like　a　man　whose　vital
spark　is　gone；　whose　soul　has　left　him。　If　it　were　not　for　the　grief　I
should　cause　my　mother；　I　would　have　flung　myself　before　now　into　the
sea；　I　have　not　returned　to　the　rocks　at　Croisic　since　the　day　that
temptation　became　almost　irresistible。　Do　not　speak　of　this　to　any
one。　Good…bye；　Charlotte。〃

He　took　the　young　girl's　head　and　kissed　her　hair；　then　he　left　the
garden　by　the　postern…gate　and　fled　to　Les　Touches；　where　he　stayed
near　Camille　till　past　midnight。　On　returning　home；　at　one　in　the
morning；　he　found　his　mother　awaiting　him　with　her　worsted…work。　He
entered　softly；　clasped　her　hand　in　his；　and　said；

〃Is　Charlotte　gone？〃

〃She　goes　to…morrow；　with　her　aunt；　in　despair；　both　of　them；〃
answered　the　baroness。　〃Come　to　Ireland　with　me；　my　Calyste。〃

〃Many　a　time　I　have　thought　of　flying　there〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　baroness。

〃With　Beatrix；〃　he　added。

Some　days　after　Charlotte's　departure；　Calyste　joined　the　Chevalier　du
Halga　in　his　daily　promenade　on　the　mall　with　his　little　dog。　They　sat
down　in　the　sunshine　on　a　bench；　where　the　young　man's　eyes　could
wander　from　the　vanes　of　Les　Touches　to　the　rocks　of　Croisic；　against
which　the　waves　were　playing　and　dashing　their　white　foam。　Calyste　was
thin　and　pale；　his　strength　was　diminishing；　and　he　was　conscious　at
times　of　little　shudders　at　regular　intervals；　denoting　fever。　His
eyes；　surrounded　by　dark　circles；　had　that　singular　brilliancy　which　a
fixed　idea　gives　to　the　eyes　of　hermits　and　solitary　souls；　or　the
ardor　of　contest　to　those　of　the　strong　fighters　of　our　present
civilization。　The　chevalier　was　the　only　person　with　whom　he　could
exchange　a　few　ideas。　He　had　divined　in　that　old　man　an　apostle　of　his
own　religion；　he　recognized　in　his　soul　the　vestiges　of　an　eternal
love。

〃Have　you　loved　many　women　in　your　life？〃　he　asked　him　on　the　second
occasion；　when；　as　seamen　say；　they　sailed　in　company　along　the　mall。

〃Only　one；〃　replied　Du　Halga。

〃Was　she　free？〃

〃No；〃　exclaimed　the　chevalier。　〃Ah！　how　I　suffered！　She　was　the　wife
of　my　best　friend；　my　protector；　my　chiefbut　we　loved　each　other
so！〃

〃Did　she　love　you？〃　said　Calyste。

〃Passionately；〃　replied　the　chevalier；　with　a　fervency　not　usual　with
him。

〃You　were　happy？〃

〃Until　her　death；　she　died　at　the　age　of　forty…nine；　during　the
emigration；　at　St。　Petersburg；　the　climate　of　which　killed　her。　She
must　be　very　cold　in　her　coffin。　I　have　often　thought　of　going　there
to　fetch　her；　and　lay　her　in　our　dear　Brittany；　near　to　me！　But　she
lies　in　my　heart。〃

The　chevalier　brushed　away　his　tears。　Calyste　took　his　hand　and
pressed　it。

〃I　care　for　this　little　dog　more　than　for　life　itself；〃　said　the　old
man；　pointing　to　Thisbe。　〃The　little　darling　is　precisely　like　the　one
she　held　on　her　knees　and　stroked　with　her　beautiful　hands。　I　never
look　at　Thisbe　but　what　I　see　the　hands　of　Madame　l'Amirale。〃

〃Did　you　see　Madame　de　Rochefide？〃　asked　Calyste。

〃No；〃　replied　the　chevalier。　〃It　is　sixty…eight　years　since　I　have
looked　at　any　woman　with　attentionexcept　your　mother；　who　has
something　of　Madame　l'Amirale's　complexion。〃

Three　days　later；　the　chevalier　said　to　Calyste；　on　the　mall；

〃My　child；　I　have　a　hundred　and　forty　/louis/　laid　by。　When　you　know
where　Madame　de　Rochefide　is；　come　and　get　them　and　follow　her。〃

Calyste　thanked　the　old　man；　whose　existence　he　envied。　But　now；　from
day　to　day；　he　grew　morose；　he　seemed　to　love　no　one；　all　things　hurt
him；　he　was　gentle　and　kind　to　his　mother　only。　The　baroness　watched
with　ever　increasing　anxiety　the　progress　of　his　madness；　she　alone
was　able；　by　force　of　prayer　and　entreaty；　to　make　him　swallow　food。
Toward　the　end　of　October　the　sick　lad　ceased　to　go　even　to　the　mall
in　search　of　the　chevalier；　who　now　came　vainly　to　the　house　to　tempt
him　out　with　the　coaxing　wisdom　of　an　old　man。

〃We　can　talk　of　Madame　de　Rochefide；〃　he　would　say。　〃I'll　tell　you　my
first　adventure。〃

〃Your　son　is　ill；〃　he　said　privately　to　the　baroness；　on　the　day　he
became　convinced　that　all　such　efforts　were　useless。

Calyste　replied　to　questions　about　his　health　that　he　was　perfectly
well；　but　like　all　young　victims　of　melancholy；　he　took　pleasure　in
the　thought　of　death。　He　no　longer　left　the　house；　but　sat　in　the
garden　on　a　bench；　warming　himself　in　the　pale　and　tepid　sunshine；
alone　with　his　one　thought；　and　avoiding　all　companionship。

Soon　after　the　day　when　Calyste　ceased　to　go　even　to　Les　Touches；
Felicite　requested　the　rector　of　Guerande　to　come　and　see　her。　The
assiduity　with　which　the　Abbe　Grimont　called　every　morning　at　Les
Touches；　and　sometimes　dined　there；　became　the　great　topic　of　the
town；　it　was　talked　of　all　over　the　region；　and　even　reached　Nantes。
Nevertheless；　the　rector　never　missed　a　single　evening　at　the　hotel　du
Guenic；　where　desolation　reigned。　Masters　and　servants　were　all
afflicted　at　Calyste's　increasing　weakness；　though　none　of　them
thought　him　in　danger；　how　could　it　ever　enter　the　minds　of　these　good
people　that　youth　might　die　of　love？　Even　the　chevalier　had　no　example
of　such　a　death　among　his　memories　of　life　and　travel。　They　attributed
Calyste's　thinness　to　want　of　food。　His　mother　implored　him　to　eat。
Calyste　endeavored　to　conquer　his　repugnance　in　order　to　comfort　her；
but　nourishment　taken　against　his　will　served　only　to　increase　the
slow　fever　which　was　now　consuming　the　beautiful　young　life。

During　the　last　days　of　October　the　cherished　child　of　the　house　could
no　longer　mount　the　stairs　to　his　chamber；　and　his　bed　was　placed　in
the　lower　hall；　where　he　was　surrounded　at　all　hours　by　his　family。
They　sent　at　last　for　the　Guerande　physician；　who　broke　the　fever　with
quinine　and　reduced　it　in　a　few　days；　ordering　Calyste　to　take
exercise；　and　find　something　to　amuse　him。　The　baron；　on　this；　came
out　of　his　apathy　and　recovered　a　little　of　his　old　strength；　he　grew
younger　as　his　son　seemed　to　age。　With　Calyste；　Gasselin；　and　his　two
fine　dogs；　he　started　for　the　forest；　and　for　some　days　all　three
hunted。　Calyste　obeyed　his　father　and　went　where　he　was　told；　from
forest　to　forest；　visiting　friends　and　acquaintances　in　the
neighboring　chateaus。　But　the　youth　had　no　spirit　or　gaiety；　nothing
brought　a　smile　to　his　face；　his　livid　and　contracted　features
betrayed　an　utterly　passive　being。　The　baron；　worn　out　at　last　by
fatigue　consequent　on　this　spasm　of　exertion；　was　forced　to　return
home；　bringing　Calyste　in　a　state　of　exhaustion　almost　equal　to　his
own。　For　several　days　after　their　return　both　father　and　son　were　so
dangerously　ill　that　the　family　were　forced　to　send；　at　the　request　of
the　Guerande　physician　himself；　for　two　of　the　best　doctors　in　Nantes。

The　baron　had　received　a　fatal　shock　on　realizing　the　change　now　so
visible　in　Calyste。　With　that　lucidity　of　mind　which　nature　gives　to
the　dying；　h