beatrix-第59部分

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rule　it；　he　obeyed　it。　He　made　his　debut　in　Bohemia；　a　region　in　the
moral　topography　of　Paris　where　he　was　known　as　〃The　Heir〃　by　reason
of　certain　premeditated　prodigalities。　Du　Ronceret　had　profited　by
Couture's　follies　for　the　pretty　Madame　Cadine；　for　whom；　during　his
ephemeral　opulence；　he　had　arranged　a　delightful　ground…floor
apartment　with　a　garden　in　the　rue　Blanche。　The　Norman；　who　wanted　his
luxury　ready…made；　bought　Couture's　furniture　and　all　the　improvements
he　was　forced　to　leave　behind　him；a　kiosk　in　the　garden；　where　he
smoked；　a　gallery　in　rustic　wood；　with　India　mattings　and　adorned　with
potteries；　through　which　to　reach　the　kiosk　if　it　rained。　When　the
Heir　was　complimented　on　his　apartment；　he　called　it　his　/den/。　The
provincial　took　care　not　to　say　that　Grindot；　the　architect；　had
bestowed　his　best　capacity　upon　it；　as　did　Stidmann　on　the　carvings；
and　Leon　de　Lora　on　the　paintings；　for　Fabien's　crowning　defect　was
the　vanity　which　condescends　to　lie　for　the　sake　of　magnifying　the
individual　self。

The　Heir　complimented　these　magnificences　by　a　greenhouse　which　he
built　along　a　wall　with　a　southern　exposure；not　that　he　loved
flowers；　but　he　meant　to　attack　through　horticulture　the　public　notice
he　wanted　to　excite。　At　the　present　moment　he　had　all　but　attained　his
end。　Elected　vice…president　of　some　sort　of　floral　society　presided
over　by　the　Duc　de　Vissembourg；　brother　of　the　Prince　de　Chiavari；
youngest　son　of　the　late　Marechal　Vernon；　he　adorned　his　coat　with　the
ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　honor　on　the　occasion　of　an　exhibition　of
products；　the　opening　speech　at　which；　delivered　by　him；　and　bought　of
Lousteau　for　five　hundred　francs；　was　boldly　pronounced　to　be　his　own
brew。　He　also　made　himself　talked　about　by　a　flower；　given　to　him　by
old　Blondet　of　Alencon；　father　of　Emile　Blondet；　which　he　presented　to
the　horticultural　world　as　the　product　of　his　own　greenhouse。

But　this　success　was　nothing。　The　Heir；　who　wished　to　be　accepted　as　a
wit；　had　formed　a　plan　of　consorting　with　clever　celebrities　and　so
reflecting　their　fame；a　plan　somewhat　hard　to　execute　on　a　basis　of
an　exchequer　limited　to　eight　thousand　francs　a　year。　With　this　end　in
view；　Fabien　du　Ronceret　had　addressed　himself　again　and　again；
without　success；　to　Bixiou；　Stidmann；　and　Leon　de　Lora；　asking　them　to
present　him　to　Madame　Schontz；　and　allow　him　to　take　part　in　that
menageria　of　lions　of　all　kinds。　Failing　in　those　directions　he
applied　to　Couture；　for　whose　dinners　he　had　so　often　paid　that　the
late　speculator　felt　obliged　to　prove　categorically　to　Madame　Schontz
that　she　ought　to　acquire　such　an　original；　if　it　was　only　to　make　him
one　of　those　elegant　footmen　without　wages　whom　the　mistresses　of
households　employ　to　do　errands；　when　servants　are　lacking。

In　the　course　of　three　evenings　Madame　Schontz　read　Fabien　like　a　book
and　said　to　herself；

〃If　Couture　does　not　suit　me；　I　am　certain　of　saddling　that　one。　My
future　can　go　on　two　legs　now。〃

This　queer　fellow　whom　everybody　laughed　at　was　really　the　chosen　one；
chosen；　however；　with　an　intention　which　made　such　preference
insulting。　The　choice　escaped　all　public　suspicion　by　its　very
improbability。　Madame　Schontz　intoxicated　Fabien　with　smiles　given
secretly；　with　little　scenes　played　on　the　threshold　when　she　bade　him
good…night；　if　Monsieur　de　Rochefide　stayed　behind。　She　often　made
Fabien　a　third　with　Arthur　in　her　opera…box　and　at　first
representations；　this　she　excused　by　saying　he　had　done　her　such　or
such　a　service　and　she　did　not　know　how　else　to　repay　him。　Men　have　a
natural　conceit　as　common　to　them　as　to　women；that　of　being　loved
exclusively。　Now　of　all　flattering　passions　there　is　none　more　prized
than　that　of　a　Madame　Schontz；　for　the　man　she　makes　the　object　of　a
love　she　calls　〃from　the　heart；〃　in　distinction　from　another　sort　of
love。　A　woman　like　Madame　Schontz；　who　plays　the　great　lady；　and　whose
intrinsic　value　is　real；　was　sure　to　be　an　object　of　pride　to　Fabien；
who　fell　in　love　with　her　to　the　point　of　never　presenting　himself
before　her　eyes　except　in　full　dress；　varnished　boots；　lemon…kid
gloves；　embroidered　shirt　and　frill；　waistcoat　more　or　less
variegated；in　short；　with　all　the　external　symptoms　of　profound
worship。

A　month　before　the　conference　of　the　duchess　and　her　confessor；　Madame
Schontz　had　confided　the　secret　of　her　birth　and　her　real　name　to
Fabien；　who　did　not　in　the　least　understand　the　motive　of　the
confidence。　A　fortnight　later；　Madame　Schontz；　surprised　at　this　want
of　intelligence；　suddenly　exclaimed　to　herself：

〃Heavens！　how　stupid　I　am！　he　expects　me　to　love　him　for　himself。〃

Accordingly　the　next　day　she　took　the　Heir　in　her　/caleche/　to　the
Bois；　for　she　now　had　two　little　carriages；　drawn　by　two　horses。　In
the　course　of　this　public　/tete…a…tete/　she　opened　the　question　of　her
future；　and　declared　that　she　wished　to　marry。

〃I　have　seven　hundred　thousand　francs；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　admit　to　you
that　if　I　could　find　a　man　full　of　ambition；　who　knew　how　to
understand　my　character；　I　would　change　my　position；　for　do　you　know
what　is　the　dream　of　my　life？　To　become　a　true　bourgeoise；　enter　an
honorable　family；　and　make　my　husband　and　children　truly　happy。〃

The　Norman　would　fain　be　〃distinguished〃　by　Madame　Schontz；　but　as　for
marrying　her；　that　folly　seemed　debatable　to　a　bachelor　of　thirty…
eight　whom　the　revolution　of　July　had　made　a　judge。　Seeing　his
hesitation；　Madame　Schontz　made　the　Heir　the　butt　of　her　wit；　her
jests；　and　her　disdain；　and　turned　to　Couture。　Within　a　week；　the
latter；　whom　she　put　upon　the　scent　of　her　fortune；　had　offered　his
hand；　and　heart；　and　future；three　things　of　about　the　same　value。

The　manoeuvres　of　Madame　Schontz　had　reached　this　stage　of　proceeding；
when　Madame　de　Grandlieu　began　her　inquiries　into　the　life　and　habits
of　the　Beatrix　of　the　Place　Saint…Georges。



XXIV

THE　INFLUENCE　OF　SOCIAL　RELATIONS　AND　POSITION

In　accordance　with　the　advice　of　the　Abbe　Brossette　the　Duchesse　de
Grandlieu　asked　the　Marquis　d'Ajuda　to　bring　her　that　king　of
political　cut…throats；　the　celebrated　Comte　Maxime　de　Trailles；
archduke　of　Bohemia；　the　youngest　of　young　men；　though　he　was　now
fully　fifty　years　of　age。　Monsieur　d'Ajuda　arranged　to　dine　with
Maxime　at　the　club　in　the　rue　de　Beuane；　and　proposed　to　him　after
dinner　to　go　and　play　dummy　whist　with　the　Duc　de　Grandlieu；　who　had
an　attack　of　gout　and　was　all　alone。

Though　the　son…in…law　of　the　duke　and　the　cousin　of　the　duchess　had
every　right　to　present　him　in　a　salon　where　he　had　never　yet　set　foot；
Maxime　de　Trailles　did　not　deceive　himself　as　to　the　meaning　of　an
invitation　thus　given。　He　felt　certain　that　the　duke　or　the　duchess
had　some　need　of　him。　Club　life　where　men　play　cards　with　other　men
whom　they　do　not　receive　in　their　own　houses　is　by　no　means　one　of　the
most　trifling　signs　of　the　present　age。

The　Duc　de　Grandlieu　did　Maxime　the　honor　of　appearing　to　suffer　from
his　gout。　After　several　games　of　whist　he　went　to　bed；　leaving　his
wife　/tete…a…tete/　with　Maxime　and　d'Ajuda。　The　duchess；　seconded　by
the　marquis；　communicated　her　project　to　Monsieur　de　Trailles；　and
asked　his　assistance；　while　ostensibly　asking　only　for　his　advice。
Maxime　listened　to　the　end　without　committing　himself；　and　waited　till
the　duchess　should　ask　point…blank　for　his　co…operation　before
replying。

〃Madame；　I　fully　understand　you；〃　he　then　said；　casting　on　her　and　the
marquis　one　of　those　shrewd；　penetrating；　astute；　comprehensive
glances　by　which　such　great　scamps　compromise　their　interlocutors。
〃D'Ajuda　will　tell　you　that　if　any　one　in　Paris　can　conduct　that
difficult　negotiation；　it　is　I；of　course　without　mixing　you　up　in
it；　without　its　being　even　known　that　I　have　come　here　this　evening。
Only；　before　anything　is　done；　we　must　settle　preliminaries。　How　much
are　you　willing　to　sacrifice？〃

〃All　that　is　necessary。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　Madame　la　duchesse。　As　the　price　of　my　efforts　you
must　do　me　the　honor　to　receive　in　your　house　and　seriously　protect
Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Trailles。〃

〃What！　are　you　married？〃　cried　d'Ajuda。

〃I　shall　be　married　within　a　fortnight　to　the　heiress　of　a　rich　but
extremely　bourgeois　family；a　sacrifice　to　opinion！　I　imbibe　the　very
spirit　of　my　government；　and　start　upon　a　new　career。　Consequently；
Madame　la　duchesse　will　understand　how　important　it　is　to　me　to　have
my　wife　adopted　by　her　and　by　her　family。　I　am　certain　of　being　made
deputy　by　the　resignation　of　my　father…in…law；　and　I　am　promised　a
diplomatic　post　in　keeping　with　my　new　fortune。　I　do　not　see　why　my
wife　should　not　be　as　well　received　as　Madame　de　Portenduere　in　that
society　of　young　women　which　includes　Mesdames　de　la　Bastie；　Georges
de　Maufrigneuse；　de　L'Estorade；　du　Guenic；　d'Ajuda；　de　Restaud；　de
Rastignac；　de　Vandenesse。　My　wife　is　pretty；　and　I　will　undertake　to
/un…cotton…night…cap/　her。　Will　this　suit　you；　Madame　la　duchesse？　You
are　religious；　and　if　you　say　yes；　your　promise；　which　I　know　to　be
sacred；　will　greatly　aid　in　my　change　of　life。　It　will　be　one　more
good　action　to　your　account。　Alas！　I　have　long　been　the　king　of
/mauvais　sujets/；　and　I　want　to　make　an　end　of　it。　After　all；　we　bear；
azure；　a　wivern　or；　darting　fire；　ongle　gules；　and　scaled　vert；　a
chief　ermine；　from　the　time　of　Francois　I。；　who　thought　proper　to
ennoble　the　valet　of　Louis　XI。；　and　we　have　been　counts　since
Catherine　de'　Medici。〃

〃I　will　receive　and　protect　your　wife；〃　said　the　duchess；　solemnly；
〃and　my　family　will　not　turn　its　back　upon　her；　I　give　you　my　word。〃

〃Ah！　Madame　la　duchesse；〃　cried　Maxime；　visibly　touched；　〃if　Monsieur
le　duc　would　also　deign　to　treat　me　with　some　kindness；　I　promise　you
to　make　your　plan　succeed　without　its　costing　you　very　much。　But；〃　he
continued　after　a　pause；　〃you　must　take　upon　yourself　to　follow　my
instructions。　This　is　the　last　intrigue　of　my　bachelor　life；　it　must
be　all　the　better　managed　because　it　concerns　a　good　action；〃　he
added；　smiling。

〃Follow　your　instructions！〃　said　the　duchess。　〃Then　I　must　appear　in
all　this。〃

〃Ah！　madame；　I　will　not　compromise　you；〃　cried　Maxime。　〃I