beatrix-第51部分

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restrained　joy。　〃I　will　send　it　by　a　messenger。〃

〃And　now；〃　cried　Calyste；　rising　like　a　happy　man。

〃Ah！　I　have　kept；　I　believe；　my　freedom　of　action；〃　she　said；　turning
away　from　him　and　going　to　the　fireplace；　where　she　rang　the　bell。
〃Here；　Antoine；〃　she　said；　when　the　old　footman　entered；　〃send　this
note　to　its　address。　Monsieur　dines　here。〃



XIX

THE　FIRST　LIE　OF　A　PIOUS　DUCHESS

Calyste　returned　to　his　own　house　about　two　in　the　morning。　After
waiting　for　him　till　half…past　twelve；　Sabine　had　gone　to　bed
overwhelmed　with　fatigue。　She　slept；　although　she　was　keenly
distressed　by　the　laconic　wording　of　her　husband's　note。　Still；　she
explained　it。　The　true　love　of　a　woman　invariably　begins　by　explaining
all　things　to　the　advantage　of　the　man　beloved。　Calyste　was　pressed
for　time；　she　said。

The　next　morning　the　child　was　better；　the　mother's　uneasiness
subsided；　and　Sabine　came　with　a　smiling　face；　and　little　Calyste　on
her　arm；　to　present　him　to　his　father　before　breakfast　with　the　pretty
fooleries　and　senseless　words　which　gay　young　mothers　do　and　say。　This
little　scene　gave　Calyste　the　chance　to　maintain　a　countenance。　He　was
charming　to　his　wife；　thinking　in　his　heart　that　he　was　a　monster；　and
he　played　like　a　child　with　Monsieur　le　chevalier；　in　fact　he　played
too　well；he　overdid　the　part；　but　Sabine　had　not　reached　the　stage
at　which　a　woman　recognizes　so　delicate　a　distinction。

At　breakfast；　however；　she　asked　him　suddenly：

〃What　did　you　do　yesterday？〃

〃Portenduere　kept　me　to　dinner；〃　he　replied；　〃and　after　that　we　went
to　the　club　to　play　whist。〃

〃That's　a　foolish　life；　my　Calyste；〃　said　Sabine。　〃Young　noblemen　in
these　days　ought　to　busy　themselves　about　recovering　in　the　eyes　of
the　country　the　ground　lost　by　their　fathers。　It　isn't　by　smoking
cigars；　playing　whist；　idling　away　their　leisure；　and　saying　insolent
things　of　parvenus　who　have　driven　them　from　their　positions；　not　yet
by　separating　themselves　from　the　masses　whose　soul　and　intellect　and
providence　they　ought　to　be；　that　the　nobility　will　exist。　Instead　of
being　a　party；　you　will　soon　be　a　mere　opinion；　as　de　Marsay　said。　Ah！
if　you　only　knew　how　my　ideas　on　this　subject　have　enlarged　since　I
have　nursed　and　cradled　your　child！　I'd　like　to　see　that　grand　old
name　of　Guenic　become　once　more　historical！〃　Then　suddenly　plunging
her　eyes　into　those　of　Calyste；　who　was　listening　to　her　with　a
pensive　air；　she　added：　〃Admit　that　the　first　note　you　ever　wrote　me
was　rather　stiff。〃

〃I　did　not　think　of　sending　you　word　till　I　got　to　the　club。〃

〃But　you　wrote　on　a　woman's　note…paper；　it　had　a　perfume　of　feminine
elegance。〃

〃Those　club　directors　are　such　dandies！〃

The　Vicomte　de　Portenduere　and　his　wife；　formerly　Mademoiselle
Mirouet；　had　become　of　late　very　intimate　with　the　du　Guenics；　so
intimate　that　they　shared　their　box　at　the　Opera　by　equal　payments。
The　two　young　women；　Ursula　and　Sabine；　had　been　won　to　this
friendship　by　the　delightful　interchange　of　counsels；　cares；　and
confidences　apropos　of　their　first　infants。

While　Calyste；　a　novice　in　falsehood；　was　saying　to　himself；　〃I　must
warn　Savinien；〃　Sabine　was　thinking；　〃I　am　sure　that　paper　bore　a
coronet。〃　This　reflection　passed　through　her　mind　like　a　flash；　and
Sabine　scolded　herself　for　having　made　it。　Nevertheless；　she　resolved
to　find　the　paper；　which　in　the　midst　of　her　terrors　of　the　night
before　she　had　flung　into　her　letter…box。

After　breakfast　Calyste　went　out；　saying　to　his　wife　that　he　should
soon　return。　Then　he　jumped　into　one　of　those　little　low　carriages
with　one　horse　which　were　just　beginning　to　supersede　the　inconvenient
cabriolet　of　our　ancestors。　He　drove　in　a　few　minutes　to　the　vicomte's
house　and　begged　him　to　do　him　the　service；　with　rights　of　return；　of
fibbing　in　case　Sabine　should　question　the　vicomtesse。　Thence　Calyste；
urging　his　coachman　to　speed；　rushed　to　the　rue　de　Chartres　in　order
to　know　how　Beatrix　had　passed　the　rest　of　the　night。　He　found　that
unfortunate　just　from　her　bath；　fresh；　embellished；　and　breakfasting
with　a　very　good　appetite。　He　admired　the　grace　with　which　his　angel
ate　her　boiled　eggs；　and　he　marvelled　at　the　beauty　of　the　gold
service；　a　present　from　a　monomaniac　lord；　for　whom　Conti　had　composed
a　few　ballads　on　/ideas/　of　the　lord；　who　afterwards　published　them　as
his　own！

Calyste　listened　entranced　to　the　witty　speeches　of　his　idol；　whose
great　object　was　to　amuse　him；　until　she　grew　angry　and　wept　when　he
rose　to　leave　her。　He　thought　he　had　been　there　only　half　an　hour；　but
it　was　past　three　before　he　reached　home。　His　handsome　English　horse；
a　present　from　the　Vicomtesse　de　Grandlieu；　was　so　bathed　in　sweat
that　it　looked　as　though　it　had　been　driven　through　the　sea。　By　one　of
those　chances　which　all　jealous　women　prepare　for　themselves；　Sabine
was　at　a　window　which　looked　on　the　court…yard；　impatient　at　Calyste's
non…return；　uneasy　without　knowing　why。　The　condition　of　the　horse
with　its　foaming　mouth　surprised　her。

〃Where　can　he　have　come　from？〃

The　question　was　whispered　in　her　ear　by　that　power　which　is　not
exactly　consciousness；　nor　devil；　nor　angel；　which　sees；　forebodes；
shows　us　the　unseen；　and　creates　belief　in　mental　beings；　creatures
born　of　our　brains；　going　and　coming　and　living　in　the　world　invisible
of　ideas。

〃Where　do　you　come　from；　dear　angel？〃　Sabine　said　to　Calyste；　meeting
him　on　the　first　landing　of　the　staircase。　〃Abd…el…Kader　is　nearly
foundered。　You　told　me　you　would　be　gone　but　a　moment；　and　I　have　been
waiting　for　you　these　three　hours。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　thought　Calyste；　who　was　making　progress　in
dissimulation；　〃I　must　get　out　of　it　by　a　presentDear　little
mother；〃　he　said　aloud；　taking　her　round　the　waist　with　more　cajolery
than　he　would　have　used　if　he　had　not　been　conscious　of　guilt；　〃I　see
that　it　is　quite　impossible　to　keep　a　secret；　however　innocent；　from
the　woman　who　loves　us〃

〃Well；　don't　tell　secrets　on　the　staircase；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃Come
in。〃

In　the　middle　of　a　salon　which　adjoined　their　bedroom；　she　caught
sight　in　a　mirror　of　Calyste's　face；　on　which；　not　aware　that　it　could
be　seen；　he　allowed　his　real　feelings　and　his　weariness　to　appear。

〃Now　for　your　secret？〃　she　said；　turning　round。

〃You　have　shown　such　heroism　as　a　nurse；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　heir
presumptive　of　the　Guenics　is　dearer　to　me　than　ever；　and　I　wanted　to
give　you　a　surprise；　precisely　like　any　bourgeois　of　the　rue　Saint
Denis。　They　are　finishing　for　you　at　this　moment　a　dressing…table　at
which　true　artists　have　worked；　and　my　mother　and　aunt　Zephirine　have
contributed。〃

Sabine　clasped　him　in　her　arms；　and　held　him　tightly　to　her　breast
with　her　head　on　his　neck；　faint　with　the　weight　of　happiness；　not　for
the　piece　of　furniture；　but　for　the　dispersion　of　her　first　dark
doubt。　It　was　one　of　those　magnificent　transports　which　can　be
counted；　and　which　no　love；　however　excessive；　can　prodigally　spend；
or　life　would　be　too　soon　burned　out。　Then；　indeed；　men　should　fall　at
the　feet　of　women　to　adore　them；　for　such　moments　are　sublime；　moments
when　the　forces　of　the　heart　and　intellect　gush　forth　like　the　waters
of　sculptured　nymphs　from　their　inclining　urns。　Sabine　burst　into
tears。

Suddenly　as　if　bitten　by　a　viper；　she　left　Calyste；　threw　herself　on　a
sofa　and　fainted　away；　for　the　reaction　of　a　chill　to　her　glowing
heart　came　near　to　killing　her。　As　she　held　Calyste　in　her　arms；　her
nose　at　his　cravat；　abandoned　to　her　joy；　she　smelt　the　perfume　of
that　letter　paper！　Another　woman's　head　had　lain　there；　whose　hair　and
face　had　left　that　adulterous　odor！　She　had　just　kissed　the　spot　where
the　kisses　of　her　rival　were　still　warm。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Calyste；　after　he　had　brought　Sabine　back
to　consciousness　by　passing　a　damp　cloth　over　her　face　and　making　her
smell　salts。

〃Fetch　the　doctor　and　my　nurse；　both！　Yes；　my　milk　has　turned；　I　feel
it。　They　won't　come　at　once　unless　you　fetch　them　yourselfgo！〃

Calyste；　alarmed；　rushed　out。　The　moment　Sabine　heard　the　closing　of
the　porte…cochere　she　started　up　like　a　frightened　doe；　and　walked
about　the　salon　as　if　beside　herself；　crying　out；　〃My　God！　my　God！　my
God！〃

Those　two　words　took　the　place　of　all　ideas。　The　crisis　she　had　seized
upon　as　a　pretext　in　reality　took　place。　The　hairs　of　her　head　were
like　so　many　red…hot　needles　heated　in　the　fire　of　a　nervous　fever。
Her　boiling　blood　seemed　to　her　to　mingle　with　her　nerves　and　yet　try
to　issue　from　all　her　pores。　She　was　blind　for　a　few　moments；　and
cried　aloud；　〃I　am　dying！〃

At　that　terrible　cry　of　the　injured　wife　and　mother　her　maid　ran　in。
After　she　was　laid　upon　her　bed　and　recovered　both　sight　and　mind；　the
first　act　of　her　intelligence　was　to　send　the　maid　to　her　friend；
Madame　de　Portenduere。　Sabine　felt　that　her　ideas　were　whirling　in　her
brain　like　straws　at　the　will　of　a　waterspout。　〃I　saw；〃　she　said
later；　〃myriads　all　at　once。〃

She　rang　for　the　footman　and　in　the　transport　of　her　fever　she　found
strength　to　write　the　following　letter；　for　she　was　mastered　by　one
mad　desireto　have　certainty：

　　To　Madame　la　Baronne　du　Guenic：

　　Dear　Mamma；When　you　come　to　Paris；　as　you　allow　us　to　hope　you
　　will；　I　shall　thank　you　in　person　for　the　beautiful　present　by
　　which　you　and　my　aunt　Zephirine　and　Calyste　wish　to　reward　me　for
　　doing　my　duty。　I　was　already　well　repaid　by　my　own　happiness　in
　　doing　it。　I　can　never　express　the　pleasure　you　have　given　me　in
　　that　beautiful　dressing…table；　but　when　you　are　with　me　I　shall
　　try　to　do　so。　Believe　me；　when　I　array　myself　before　that
　　treasure；　I　shall　think；　like　the　Roman　matron；　that　my　noblest
　　jewel　is　our　little　angel；　etc。

She　directed　the　letter　to　Guerande　and　gave　it　to　the　footman　to
post。

When　the　Vicomtesse　de　Portenduere　came；　the　shuddering　chill　of
reaction　had　succeeded　in　poor　Sabine　this　first　paroxysm　of　madness。

〃Ursula；　I　think　I　am　going　to　die；〃　she　said。

〃What　is　the　matter；　dear？〃

〃Where　did　Savinien　and　Calyste　go　after　they　dined　with　you
yesterday？〃

〃Dined　with　me？〃　said　Ursula；　to　whom　her　husband　had　said　nothing；
not　ex