beatrix-第45部分

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

Clotilde；　leaning　on　the　youngest　sister　Athenais；　who　was　smiling　to
the　Vicomte　de　Grandlieu；　cast　a　reflecting　look　through　her　tears　at
the　bride；　and　followed　the　carriage　with　her　eyes　as　it　disappeared
to　the　clacking　of　four　whips；　more　noisy　than　the　shots　of　a　pistol
gallery。　In　a　few　minutes　the　gay　convoy　had　reached　the　esplanade　of
the　Invalides；　the　barrier　of　Passy　by　the　quay　of　the　Pont　d'Iena；
and　were　fairly　on　the　high…road　to　Brittany。

Is　it　not　a　singular　thing　that　the　artisans　of　Switzerland　and
Germany；　and　the　great　families　of　France　and　England　should；　one　and
all；　follow　the　custom　of　setting　out　on　a　journey　after　the　marriage
ceremony？　The　great　people　shut　themselves　in　a　box　which　rolls　along；
the　little　people　gaily　tramp　the　roads；　sitting　down　in　the　woods；
banqueting　at　the　inns；　as　long　as　their　joy；　or　rather　their　money
lasts。　A　moralist　is　puzzled　to　decide　on　which　side　is　the　finer
sense　of　modesty；that　which　hides　from　the　public　eye　and
inaugurates　the　domestic　hearth　and　bed　in　private；　as　to　the　worthy
burghers　of　all　lands；　or　that　which　withdraws　from　the　family　and
exhibits　itself　publicly　on　the　high…roads　and　in　face　of　strangers。
One　would　think　that　delicate　souls　might　desire　solitude　and　seek　to
escape　both　the　world　and　their　family。　The　love　which　begins　a
marriage　is　a　pearl；　a　diamond；　a　jewel　cut　by　the　choicest　of　arts；　a
treasure　to　bury　in　the　depths　of　the　soul。

Who　can　relate　a　honeymoon；　unless　it　be　the　bride？　How　many　women
reading　this　history　will　admit　to　themselves　that　this　period　of
uncertain　duration　is　the　forecast　of　conjugal　life？　The　first　three
letters　of　Sabine　to　her　mother　will　depict　a　situation　not　surprising
to　some　young　brides　and　to　many　old　women。　All　those　who　find
themselves　the　sick…nurses；　so　to　speak；　of　a　husband's　heart；　do　not；
as　Sabine　did；　discover　this　at　once。　But　young　girls　of　the　faubourg
Saint…Germain；　if　intelligent；　are　women　in　mind。　Before　marriage；
they　have　received　from　their　mothers　and　the　world　they　live　in　the
baptism　of　good　manners；　though　women　of　rank；　anxious　to　hand　down
their　traditions；　do　not　always　see　the　bearing　of　their　own　lessons
when　they　say　to　their　daughters：　〃That　is　a　motion　that　must　not　be
made；〃　〃Never　laugh　at　such　things；〃　〃No　lady　ever　flings　herself　on　a
sofa；　she　sits　down　quietly；〃　〃Pray　give　up　such　detestable　ways；〃　〃My
dear；　that　is　a　thing　which　is　never　done；〃　etc。

Many　bourgeois　critics　unjustly　deny　the　innocence　and　virtue　of　young
girls　who；　like　Sabine；　are　truly　virgin　at　heart；　improved　by　the
training　of　their　minds；　by　the　habit　of　noble　bearing；　by　natural
good　taste；　while；　from　the　age　of　sixteen；　they　have　learned　how　to
use　their　opera…glasses。　Sabine　was　a　girl　of　this　school；　which　was
also　that　of　Mademoiselle　de　Chaulieu。　This　inborn　sense　of　the
fitness　of　things；　these　gifts　of　race　made　Sabine　de　Grandlieu　as
interesting　a　young　woman　as　the　heroine　of　the　〃Memoirs　of　two　young
Married　Women。〃　Her　letters　to　her　mother　during　the　honeymoon；　of
which　we　here　give　three　or　four；　will　show　the　qualities　of　her　mind
and　temperament。

Guerande；　April；　1838。

　　To　Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Grandlieu：

　　Dear　Mamma；You　will　understand　why　I　did　not　write　to　you　during
　　the　journey；our　wits　are　then　like　wheels。　Here　I　am；　for　the
　　last　two　days；　in　the　depths　of　Brittany；　at　the　hotel　du　Guenic；
　　a　house　as　covered　with　carving　as　a　sandal…wood　box。　In　spite
　　of　the　affectionate　devotion　of　Calyste's　family；　I　feel　a　keen
　　desire　to　fly　to　you；　to　tell　you　many　things　which　can　only　be
　　trusted　to　a　mother。

　　Calyste　married；　dear　mamma；　with　a　great　sorrow　in　his　heart。　We
　　all　knew　that；　and　you　did　not　hide　from　me　the　difficulties　of　my
　　position；　but　alas！　they　are　greater　than　you　thought。　Ah！　my　dear
　　mother；　what　experience　we　acquire　in　the　short　space　of　a　few
　　daysI　might　even　say　a　few　hours！　All　your　counsels　have　proved
　　fruitless；　you　will　see　why　from　one　sentence：　I　love　Calyste　as
　　if　he　were　not　my　husband；that　is　to　say；　if　I　were　married　to
　　another；　and　were　travelling　with　Calyste；　I　should　love　Calyste
　　and　hate　my　husband。

　　Now　think　of　a　man　beloved　so　completely；　involuntarily；
　　absolutely；　and　all　the　other　adverbs　you　may　choose　to　employ；
　　and　you　will　see　that　my　servitude　is　established　in　spite　of　your
　　good　advice。　You　told　me　to　be　grand；　noble；　dignified；　and　self…
　　respecting　in　order　to　obtain　from　Calyste　the　feelings　that　are
　　never　subject　to　the　chances　and　changes　of　life；esteem；　honor；
　　and　the　consideration　which　sanctifies　a　woman　in　the　bosom　of　her
　　family。　I　remember　how　you　blamed；　I　dare　say　justly；　the　young
　　women　of　the　present　day；　who；　under　pretext　of　living　happily
　　with　their　husbands；　begin　by　compliance；　flattery；　familiarity；
　　an　abandonment；　you　called　it；　a　little　too　wanton　（a　word　I　did
　　not　fully　understand）；　all　of　which；　if　I　must　believe　you；　are
　　relays　that　lead　rapidly　to　indifference　and　possibly　to　contempt。
　　〃Remember　that　you　are　a　Grandlieu！〃　yes；　I　remember　that　you　told
　　me　all　that

　　But　oh！　that　advice；　filled　with　the　maternal　eloquence　of　a
　　female　Daedelus　has　had　the　fate　of　all　things　mythological。　Dear；
　　beloved　mother；　could　you　ever　have　supposed　it　possible　that　I
　　should　begin　by　the　catastrophe　which；　according　to　you；　ends　the
　　honeymoon　of　the　young　women　of　the　present　day？

　　When　Calyste　and　I　were　fairly　alone　in　the　travelling　carriage；
　　we　felt　rather　foolish　in　each　other's　company；　understanding　the
　　importance　of　the　first　word；　the　first　look；　and　we　both；
　　bewildered　by　the　solemnity；　looked　out　of　our　respective　windows。
　　It　became　so　ridiculous　that　when　we　reached　the　barrier　monsieur
　　began；　in　a　rather　troubled　tone　of　voice；　a　set　discourse；
　　prepared；　no　doubt；　like　other　improvisations；　to　which　I　listened
　　with　a　beating　heart；　and　which　I　take　the　liberty　of　here
　　abridging。

　　〃My　dear　Sabine；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　you　to　be　happy；　and；　above
　　all；　do　I　wish　you　to　be　happy　in　your　own　way。　Therefore；　in　the
　　situation　in　which　we　are；　instead　of　deceiving　ourselves　mutually
　　about　our　characters　and　our　feelings　by　noble　compliances；　let　us
　　endeavor　to　be　to　each　other　at　once　what　we　should　be　years
　　hence。　Think　always　that　you　have　a　friend　and　a　brother　in　me；　as
　　I　shall　feel　I　have　a　sister　and　a　friend　in　you。〃

　　Though　it　was　all　said　with　the　utmost　delicacy；　I　found　nothing
　　in　this　first　conjugal　love…speech　which　responded　to　the　feelings
　　in　my　soul；　and　I　remained　pensive　after　replying　that　I　was
　　animated　by　the　same　sentiments。　After　this　declaration　of　our
　　rights　to　mutual　coldness；　we　talked　of　weather；　relays；　and
　　scenery　in　the　most　charming　manner；I　with　rather　a　forced
　　little　laugh；　he　absent…mindedly。

　　At　last；　as　we　were　leaving　Versailles；　I　turned　to　Calystewhom
　　I　called　my　dear　Calyste；　and　he　called　me　my　dear　Sabineand
　　asked　him　plainly　to　tell　me　the　events　which　had　led　him　to　the
　　point　of　death；　and　to　which　I　was　aware　that　I　owed　the　happiness
　　of　being　his　wife。　He　hesitated　long。　In　fact；　my　request　gave
　　rise　to　a　little　argument　between　us；　which　lasted　through　three
　　relays；I　endeavoring　to　maintain　the　part　of　an　obstinate　girl；
　　and　trying　to　sulk；　he　debating　within　himself　the　question　which
　　the　newspapers　used　to　put　to　Charles　X。：　〃Must　the　king　yield　or
　　not？〃　At　last；　after　passing　Verneuil；　and　exchanging　oaths　enough
　　to　satisfy　three　dynasties　never　to　reproach　him　for　his　folly；
　　and　never　to　treat　him　coldly；　etc。；　etc。；　he　related　to　me　his
　　love　for　Madame　de　Rochefide。

　　〃I　do　not　wish；〃　he　said；　in　conclusion；　〃to　have　any　secrets
　　between　us。〃

　　Poor；　dear　Calyste；　it　seems；　was　ignorant　that　his　friend；
　　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　and　you　had　thought　it　right　to　tell　me
　　the　truth。　Well；　mother；for　I　can　tell　all　to　a　mother　as　tender
　　as　you；I　was　deeply　hurt　by　perceiving　that　he　had　yielded　less
　　to　my　request　than　to　his　own　desire　to　talk　of　that　strange
　　passion。　Do　you　blame　me；　darling　mother；　for　having　wished　to
　　reconnoitre　the　extent　of　the　grief；　the　open　wound　of　the　heart
　　of　which　you　warned　me？

　　So；　eight　hours　after　receiving　the　rector's　blessing　at　Saint…
　　Thomas　d'Aquin；　your　Sabine　was　in　the　rather　false　position　of　a
　　young　wife　listening　to　a　confidence；　from　the　very　lips　of　her
　　husband；　of　his　misplaced　love　for　an　unworthy　rival。　Yes；　there　I
　　was；　in　the　drama　of　a　young　woman　learning；　officially；　as　it
　　were；　that　she　owed　her　marriage　to　the　disdainful　rejection　of　an
　　old　and　faded　beauty！

　　Still；　I　gained　what　I　sought。　〃What　was　that？〃　you　will　ask。　Ah！
　　mother　dear；　I　have　seen　too　much　of　love　going　on　around　me　not
　　to　know　how　to　put　a　little　of　it　into　practice。　Well；　Calyste
　　ended　the　poem　of　his　miseries　with　the　warmest　protestations　of
　　an　absolute　forgetting　of　what　he　called　his　madness。　All　kinds　of
　　affirmations　have　to　be　signed；　you　know。　The　happy　unhappy　one
　　took　my　hand；　carried　it　to　his　lips；　and；　after　that；　he　kept　it
　　for　a　long　time　clasped　in　his　own。　A　declaration　followed。　/That
　　one/　seemed　to　me　more　conformable　than　the　first　to　the　demands
　　of　our　new　condition；　though　our　lips　never　said　a　word。　Perhaps　I
　　owed　it　to　the　vigorous　indignation　I　felt　and　showed　at　the　bad
　　taste　of　a　woman　foolish　enough　not　to　love　my　beautiful；　my
　　glorious　Calyste。

　　They　are　calling　me　to　play　a　game　of　cards；　which　I　do　not　yet
　　understand。　I　will　finish　my　letter　to…morrow。　To　leave　you　at
　　this　moment　to　make　a　fifth　at　/mouche/　（that　is　the　name　of　the
　　game）　can　only　be　done　in　the　depths　of　BrittanyAdieu。

Your　Sabine。


Guerande；　May；　1838。

　　I　take　up　my　Odyssey。　On　the　third　day　your　children　no　longer
　　used　the　ceremonious　〃you；〃　they　thee'd　and　thou'd　each　other　like
　　lovers。　My　mother…in…law；　encha