beatrix-第44部分

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francs。　Her　man　of　business　had　since　purchased　for　her　a　charming　new
house　in　the　rue　de　Bourbon　for　seven　hundred　thousand　francs；　one
million　she　intended　to　devote　to　the　recovery　of　the　du　Guenic
estates；　and　the　rest　of　her　fortune　she　desired　to　settle　upon　Sabine
de　Grandlieu。　Felicite　had　long　known　the　plans　of　the　duke　and
duchess　as　to　the　settlement　of　their　five　daughters：　the　youngest　was
to　marry　the　Vicomte　de　Grandlieu；　the　heir　to　their　ducal　title；
Clotilde…Frederique；　the　second　daughter；　desired　to　remain　unmarried；
in　memory　of　a　man　she　had　deeply　loved；　Lucien　de　Rubempre；　while；　at
the　same　time；　she　did　not　wish　to　become　a　nun　like　her　eldest
sister；　two　of　the　remaining　sisters　were　already　married；　and　the
youngest　but　one；　the　pretty　Sabine；　just　twenty　years　old；　was　the
only　disposable　daughter　left。　It　was　Sabine　on　whom　Felicite　resolved
to　lay　the　burden　of　curing　Calyste's　passion　for　Beatrix。

During　the　journey　to　Paris　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　revealed　to　the
baroness　these　arrangements。　The　new　house　in　the　rue　de　Bourbon　was
being　decorated；　and　she　intended　it　for　the　home　of　Sabine　and
Calyste　if　her　plans　succeeded。

The　party　had　been　invited　to　stay　at　the　hotel　de　Grandlieu；　where
the　baroness　was　received　with　all　the　distinction　due　to　her　rank　as
the　wife　of　a　du　Guenic　and　the　daughter　of　a　British　peer。
Mademoiselle　des　Touches　urged　Calyste　to　see　Paris；　while　she　herself
made　the　necessary　inquiries　about　Beatrix　（who　had　disappeared　from
the　world；　and　was　travelling　abroad）；　and　she　took　care　to　throw　him
into　the　midst　of　diversions　and　amusements　of　all　kinds。　The　season
for　balls　and　fetes　was　just　beginning；　and　the　duchess　and　her
daughters　did　the　honors　of　Paris　to　the　young　Breton；　who　was
insensibly　diverted　from　his　own　thoughts　by　the　movement　and　life　of
the　great　city。　He　found　some　resemblance　of　mind　between　Madame　de
Rochefide　and　Sabine　de　Grandlieu；　who　was　certainly　one　of　the
handsomest　and　most　charming　girls　in　Parisian　society；　and　this
fancied　likeness　made　him　give　to　her　coquetries　a　willing　attention
which　no　other　woman　could　possibly　have　obtained　from　him。　Sabine
herself　was　greatly　pleased　with　Calyste；　and　matters　went　so　well
that　during　the　winter　of　1837　the　young　Baron　du　Guenic；　whose　youth
and　health　had　returned　to　him；　listened　without　repugnance　to　his
mother　when　she　reminded　him　of　the　promise　made　to　his　dying　father
and　proposed　to　him　a　marriage　with　Sabine　de　Grandlieu。　Still；　while
agreeing　to　fulfil　his　promise；　he　concealed　within　his　soul　an
indifference　to　all　things；　of　which　the　baroness　alone　was　aware；　but
which　she　trusted　would　be　conquered　by　the　pleasures　of　a　happy　home。

On　the　day　when　the　Grandlieu　family　and　the　baroness；　accompanied　by
her　relations　who　came　from　England　for　this　occasion；　assembled　in
the　grand　salon　of　the　hotel　de　Grandlieu　to　sign　the　marriage
contract；　and　Leopold　Hannequin；　the　family　notary；　explained　the
preliminaries　of　that　contract　before　reading　it；　Calyste；　on　whose
forehead　every　one　present　might　have　noticed　clouds；　suddenly　and
curtly　refused　to　accept　the　benefactions　offered　him　by　Mademoiselle
des　Touches。　Did　he　still　count　on　Felicite's　devotion　to　recover
Beatrix？　In　the　midst　of　the　embarrassment　and　stupefaction　of　the
assembled　families；　Sabine　de　Grandlieu　entered　the　room　and　gave　him
a　letter；　explaining　that　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　had　requested　her
to　give　it　to　him　on　this　occasion。

Calyste　turned　away　from　the　company　to　the　embrasure　of　a　window　and
read　as　follows：

　　Camille　Maupin　to　Calyste。

　　Calyste；　before　I　enter　my　convent　cell　I　am　permitted　to　cast　a
　　look　upon　the　world　I　am　now　to　leave　for　a　life　of　prayer　and
　　solitude。　That　look　is　to　you；　who　have　been　the　whole　world　to　me
　　in　these　last　months。　My　voice　will　reach　you；　if　my　calculations
　　do　not　miscarry；　at　the　moment　of　a　ceremony　I　am　unable　to　take
　　part　in。

　　On　the　day　when　you　stand　before　the　altar　giving　your　hand　and
　　name　to　a　young　and　charming　girl　who　can　love　you　openly　before
　　earth　and　heaven；　I　shall　be　before　another　altar　in　a　convent　at
　　Nantes　betrothed　forever　to　Him　who　will　neither　fail　nor　betray
　　me。　But　I　do　not　write　to　sadden　you；only　to　entreat　you　not　to
　　hinder　by　false　delicacy　the　service　I　have　wished　to　do　you　since
　　we　first　met。　Do　not　contest　my　rights　so　dearly　bought。

　　If　love　is　suffering；　ah！　I　have　loved　you　indeed；　my　Calyste。　But
　　feel　no　remorse；　the　only　happiness　I　have　known　in　life　I　owe　to
　　you；　the　pangs　were　caused　by　my　own　self。　Make　me　compensation；
　　then；　for　all　those　pangs；　those　sorrows；　by　causing　me　an
　　everlasting　joy。　Let　the　poor　Camille；　who　/is/　no　longer；　still
　　be　something　in　the　material　comfort　you　enjoy。　Dear；　let　me　be
　　like　the　fragrance　of　flowers　in　your　life；　mingling　myself　with
　　it　unseen　and　not　importunate。

　　To　you；　Calyste；　I　shall　owe　my　eternal　happiness；　will　you　not
　　accept　a　few　paltry　and　fleeting　benefits　from　me？　Surely　you　will
　　not　be　wanting　in　generosity？　Do　you　not　see　in　this　the　last
　　message　of　a　renounced　love？　Calyste；　the　world　without　you　had
　　nothing　more　for　me；　you　made　it　the　most　awful　of　solitudes；　and
　　you　have　thus　brought　Camille　Maupin；　the　unbeliever；　the　writer
　　of　books；　which　I　am　soon　to　repudiate　solemnlyyou　have　cast
　　her；　daring　and　perverted；　bound　hand　and　foot；　before　God。

　　I　am　to…day　what　I　might　have　been；　what　I　was　born　to　be；
　　innocent；　and　a　child。　I　have　washed　my　robes　in　the　tears　of
　　repentance；　I　can　come　before　the　altar　whither　my　guardian　angel；
　　my　beloved　Calyste；　has　led　me。　With　what　tender　comfort　I　give
　　you　that　name；　which　the　step　I　now　take　sanctifies。　I　love　you
　　without　self…seeking；　as　a　mother　loves　her　son；　as　the　Church
　　loves　her　children。　I　can　pray　for　you　and　for　yours　without　one
　　thought　or　wish　except　for　your　happiness。　Ah！　if　you　only　knew
　　the　sublime　tranquillity　in　which　I　live；　now　that　I　have　risen　in
　　thought　above　all　petty　earthly　interests；　and　how　precious　is　the
　　thought　of　DOING　（as　your　noble　motto　days）　our　duty；　you　would
　　enter　your　beautiful　new　life　with　unfaltering　step　and　never　a
　　glance　behind　you　or　about　you。　Above　all；　my　earnest　prayer　to
　　you　is　that　you　be　faithful　to　yourself　and　to　those　belonging　to
　　you。　Dear；　society；　in　which　you　are　to　live；　cannot　exist　without
　　the　religion　of　duty；　and　you　will　terribly　mistake　it；　as　I
　　mistook　it；　if　you　allow　yourself　to　yield　to　passion　and　to
　　fancy；　as　I　did。　Woman　is　the　equal　of　man　only　in　making　her　life
　　a　continual　offering；　as　that　of　man　is　a　perpetual　action；　my
　　life　has　been；　on　the　contrary；　one　long　egotism。　If　may　be　that
　　God　placed　you；　toward　evening；　by　the　door　of　my　house；　as　a
　　messenger　from　Himself；　bearing　my　punishment　and　my　pardon。

　　Heed　this　confession　of　a　woman　to　whom　fame　has　been　like　a
　　pharos；　warning　her　of　the　only　true　path。　Be　wise；　be　noble；
　　sacrifice　your　fancy　to　your　duties；　as　head　of　your　race；　as
　　husband；　as　father。　Raise　the　fallen　standard　of　the　old　du
　　Guenics；　show　to　this　century　of　irreligion　and　want　of　principle
　　what　a　gentleman　is　in　all　his　grandeur　and　his　honor。　Dear　child
　　of　my　soul；　let　me　play　the　part　of　a　mother　to　you；　your　own
　　mother　will　not　be　jealous　of　this　voice　from　a　tomb；　these　hands
　　uplifted　to　heaven；　imploring　blessings　on　you。　To…day；　more　than
　　ever；　does　rank　and　nobility　need　fortune。　Calyste；　accept　a　part
　　of　mine；　and　make　a　worthy　use　of　it。　It　is　not　a　gift；　it　is　a
　　trust　I　place　in　your　hands。　I　have　thought　more　of　your　children
　　and　of　your　old　Breton　house　than　of　you　in　offering　you　the
　　profits　which　time　has　brought　to　my　property　in　Paris。

〃Let　us　now　sign　the　contract；〃　said　the　young　baron；　returning　to　the
assembled　company。

The　Abbe　Grimont；　to　whom　the　honor　of　the　conversion　of　this
celebrated　woman　was　attributed；　became；　soon　after；　vicar…general　of
the　diocese。

The　following　week；　after　the　marriage　ceremony；　which；　according　to
the　custom　of　many　families　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain；　was
celebrated　at　seven　in　the　morning　at　the　church　of　Saint　Thomas
d'Aquin；　Calyste　and　Sabine　got　into　their　pretty　travelling…carriage；
amid　the　tears；　embraces；　and　congratulations　of　a　score　of　friends；
collected　under　the　awning　of　the　hotel　de　Grandlieu。　The
congratulations　came　from　the　four　witnesses；　and　the　men　present；　the
tears　were　in　the　eyes　of　the　Duchesse　de　Grandlieu　and　her　daughter
Clotilde；　who　both　trembled　under　the　weight　of　the　same　thought；

〃She　is　launched　upon　the　sea　of　life！　Poor　Sabine！　at　the　mercy　of　a
man　who　does　not　marry　entirely　of　his　own　free　will。〃

Marriage　is　not　wholly　made　up　of　pleasures；as　fugitive　in　that
relation　as　in　all　others；　it　involves　compatibility　of　temper；
physical　sympathies；　harmonies　of　character；　which　make　of　that　social
necessity　an　eternal　problem。　Marriageable　daughters；　as　well　as
mothers；　know　the　terms　as　well　as　the　dangers　of　this　lottery；　and
that　is　why　women　weep　at　a　wedding　while　men　smile；　men　believe　that
they　risk　nothing；　while　women　know；　or　very　nearly　know；　what　they
risk。

In　another　carriage；　which　preceded　the　married　pair；　was　the　Baronne
du　Guenic；　to　whom　the　duchess　had　said　at　parting；

〃You　are　a　mother；　though　you　have　only　had　one　son；　try　to　take　my
place　to　my　dear　Sabine。〃

On　the　box　of　the　bridal　carriage　sat　a　/chasseur/；　who　acted　as
courier；　and　in　the　rumble　were　two　waiting…maids。　The　four　postilions
dressed　in　their　finest　uniforms；　for　each　carriage　was　drawn　by　four
horses；　appeared　with　bouquets　on　their　breasts　and　ribbons　on　their
hats；　which　the　Duc　de　Grandlieu　had　the　utmost　difficulty　in　making
them　relinquish；　even　by　bribing　them　with　money。　The　French　postilion
is　eminently　intelligent；　but　he　likes　his　fun。　These　fellows　took
their　bribes　and　replaced　their　ribbons　at　the　barrier。

〃Well；　good…bye；　Sabine；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃remember　your　promise；
write　to　me　often。　Calyste；　I　say　nothing　more　to　you；　bu