beatrix-第61部分

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Lion；〃　said　La　Palferine。

〃I　shall　begin　by　lending　you　twenty　thousand　francs；〃　continued
Maxime。

〃Twenty　thousand　francs！　I　knew　very　well　that　by　dint　of　walking　up
and　down　this　boulevard〃　said　La　Palferine；　in　the　style　of　a
parenthesis。

〃My　dear　fellow；　you　must　put　yourself　on　a　certain　footing；〃　said
Maxime；　laughing。　〃Don't　go　on　your　own　two　feet；　have　six；　do　as　I
do；　I　never　get　out　of　my　tilbury。〃

〃But　you　must　be　going　to　ask　me　for　something　beyond　my　powers。〃

〃No；　it　is　only　to　make　a　woman　love　you　within　a　fortnight。〃

〃Is　it　a　lorette？〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　that's　impossible；　but　if　it　concerns　a　woman；　and　a　well…
bred　one　who　is　also　clever〃

〃She　is　a　very　illustrious　marquise。〃

〃You　want　her　letters？〃　said　the　young　count。

〃Ah！　you　are　after　my　own　heart！〃　cried　Maxime。　〃No；　that's　not　it。〃

〃Then　you　want　me　to　love　her？〃

〃Yes；　in　the　real　sense〃

〃If　I　am　to　abandon　the　aesthetic；　it　is　utterly　impossible；〃　said　La
Palferine。　〃I　have；　don't　you　see；　as　to　women　a　certain　honor；　we　may
play　the　fool　with　them；　but　not〃

〃Ah！　I　was　not　mistaken！〃　cried　Maxime。　〃Do　you　think　I'm　a　man　to
propose　mere　twopenny　infamies　to　you？　No；　you　must　go；　and　dazzle；
and　conquer。　My　good　mate；　I　give　you　twenty　thousand　francs；　and　ten
days　in　which　to　triumph。　Meet　me　to…night　at　Madame　Schontz'。〃

〃I　dine　there。〃

〃Very　good；〃　returned　Maxime。　〃Later；　when　you　have　need　of　me；
Monsieur　le　comte；　you　will　find　me；〃　he　added　in　the　tone　of　a　king
who　binds　himself；　but　promises　nothing。

〃This　poor　woman　must　have　done　you　some　deadly　harm；〃　said　La
Palferine。

〃Don't　try　to　throw　a　plummet…line　into　my　waters；　my　boy；　and　let　me
tell　you　that　in　case　of　success　you　will　obtain　such　powerful
influence　that　you　will　be　able；　like　me；　to　retire　upon　a　fine
marriage　when　you　are　bored　with　your　bohemian　life。〃

〃Comes　there　a　time　when　it　is　a　bore　to　amuse　one's　self；〃　said　La
Palferine；　〃to　be　nothing；　to　live　like　the　birds；　to　hunt　the　fields
of　Paris　like　a　savage；　and　laugh　at　everything？〃

〃All　things　weary；　even　hell；〃　said　de　Trailles；　laughing。　〃Well；　this
evening。〃

The　two　/roues/；　the　old　and　the　young；　rose。　As　Maxime　got　into　his
one…horse　equipage；　he　thought　to　himself：　〃Madame　d'Espard　can't
endure　Beatrix；　she　will　help　me。　Hotel　de　Grandlieu；〃　he　called　out
to　the　coachman；　observing　that　Rastignac　was　just　passing　him。

Find　a　great　man　without　some　weakness！

The　duchess；　Madame　du　Guenic；　and　Clotilde　were　evidently　weeping。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked　the　duchess。

〃Calyste　did　not　come　home；　this　is　the　first　time；　my　poor　daughter
is　in　despair。〃

〃Madame　la　duchesse；〃　said　Maxime；　drawing　the　pious　lady　into　the
embrasure　of　a　window；　〃for　Heaven's　sake　keep　the　utmost　secrecy　as
to　my　efforts；　and　ask　d'Ajuda　to　do　the　same；　for　if　Calyste　ever
hears　of　our　plot　there　will　be　a　duel　between　him　and　me　to　the
death。　When　I　told　you　that　the　affair　would　not　cost　much；　I　meant
that　you　would　not　be　obliged　to　spend　enormous　sums；　but　I　do　want
twenty　thousand　francs；　the　rest　is　my　affair；　there　may　be　important
places　to　be　given；　a　receiver…generalship　possibly。〃

The　duchess　and　Maxime　left　the　room。　When　Madame　de　Grandlieu
returned　to　her　daughter；　she　again　listened　to　Sabine's　dithyrambics
inlaid　with　family　facts　even　more　cruel　than　those　which　had　already
crushed　the　young　wife's　happiness。

〃Don't　be　so　troubled；　my　darling；〃　said　the　duchess。　〃Beatrix　will
pay　dear　for　your　tears　and　sufferings；　the　hand　of　Satan　is　upon　her；
she　will　meet　with　ten　humiliations　for　every　one　she　has　inflicted
upon　you。〃

Madame　Schontz　had　invited　Claude　Vignon；　who；　on　several　occasions；
had　expressed　a　wish　to　know　Maxime　de　Trailles　personally。　She　also
invited　Couture；　Fabien；　Bixiou；　Leon　de　Lora；　La　Palferine；　and
Nathan。　The　latter　was　asked　by　Rochefide　on　account　of　Maxime。
Aurelie　thus　expected　nine　guests；　all　men　of　the　first　ability；　with
the　exception　of　du　Ronceret；　but　the　Norman　vanity　and　the　brutal
ambition　of　the　Heir　were　fully　on　a　par　with　Claude　Vignon's　literary
power；　Nathan's　poetic　gift；　La　Palferine's　/finesse/；　Couture's
financial　eye；　Bixiou's　wit；　Finot's　shrewdness；　Maxime's　profound
diplomacy；　and　Leon　de　Lora's　genius。

Madame　Schontz；　anxious　to　appear　both　young　and　beautiful；　armed
herself　with　a　toilet　which　that　sort　of　woman　has　the　art　of　making。
She　wore　a　guipure　pelerine　of　spidery　texture；　a　gown　of　blue　velvet；
the　graceful　corsage　of　which　was　buttoned　with　opals；　and　her　hair　in
bands　as　smooth　and　shining　as　ebony。　Madame　Schontz　owed　her
celebrity　as　a　pretty　woman　to　the　brilliancy　and　freshness　of　a
complexion　as　white　and　warm　as　that　of　Creoles；　to　a　face　full　of
spirited　details；　the　features　of　which　were　clearly　and　firmly　drawn；
a　type　long　presented　in　perennial　youth　by　the　Comtesse　Merlin；　and
which　is　perhaps　peculiar　to　Southern　races。　Unhappily；　little　Madame
Schontz　had　tended　towards　ebonpoint　ever　since　her　life　had　become　so
happy　and　calm。　Her　neck；　of　exquisite　roundness；　was　beginning　to
take　on　flesh　about　the　shoulders；　but　in　France　the　heads　of　women
are　principally　treasured；　so　that　fine　heads　will　often　keep　an　ill…
formed　body　unobserved。

〃My　dear　child；〃　said　Maxime；　coming　in　and　kissing　Madame　Schontz　on
the　forehead；　〃Rochefide　wanted　me　to　see　your　establishment；　why；　it
is　almost　in　keeping　with　his　four　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year。
Well；　well；　he　would　never　have　had　them　if　he　hadn't　known　you。　In
less　than　five　years　you　have　made　him　save　what　othersAntonia；
Malaga；　Cadine；　or　Florentinewould　have　made　him　lose。〃

〃I　am　not　a　lorette；　I　am　an　artist；〃　said　Madame　Schontz；　with　a　sort
of　dignity；　〃I　hope　to　end；　as　they　say　on　the　stage；　as　the
progenitrix　of　honest　men。〃

〃It　is　dreadful；　but　we　are　all　marrying；〃　returned　Maxime；　throwing
himself　into　an　armchair　beside　the　fire。　〃Here　am　I；　on　the　point　of
making　a　Comtesse　Maxime。〃

〃Oh；　how　I　should　like　to　see　her！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Schontz。　〃But
permit　me　to　present　to　you　Monsieur　Claude　VignonMonsieur　Claude
Vignon；　Monsieur　de　Trailles。〃

〃Ah；　so　you　are　the　man　who　allowed　Camille　Maupin；　the　innkeeper　of
literature；　to　go　into　a　convent？〃　cried　Maxime。　〃After　you；　God。　I
never　received　such　an　honor。　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　treated　you；
monsieur；　as　though　you　were　Louis　XIV。〃

〃That　is　how　history　is　written！〃　replied　Claude　Vignon。　〃Don't　you
know　that　her　fortune　was　used　to　free　the　Baron　du　Guenic's　estates？
Ah！　if　she　only　knew　that　Calyste　now　belongs　to　her　ex…friend；〃
（Maxime　pushed　the　critic's　foot；　motioning　to　Rochefide）；　〃she　would
issue　from　her　convent；　I　do　believe；　to　tear　him　from　her。〃

〃Upon　my　word；　Rochefide；　if　I　were　you；〃　said　Maxime；　finding　that
his　warning　did　not　stop　Vignon；　〃I　should　give　back　my　wife's
fortune；　so　that　the　world　couldn't　say　she　attached　herself　to
Calyste　from　necessity。〃

〃Maxime　is　right；〃　remarked　Madame　Schontz；　looking　at　Arthur；　who
colored　high。　〃If　I　have　helped　you　to　gain　several　thousand　francs　a
year；　you　couldn't　better　employ　them。　I　shall　have　made　the　happiness
of　husband　/and/　wife；　what　a　feather　in　my　cap！〃

〃I　never　thought　of　it；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃but　a　man　should　be　a
gentleman　before　he's　a　husband。〃

〃Let　me　tell　you　when　is　the　time　to　be　generous；〃　said　Maxime。

〃Arthur；〃　said　Aurelie；　〃Maxime　is　right。　Don't　you　see；　old　fellow；
that　generous　actions　are　like　Couture's　investments？you　should　make
them　in　the　nick　of　time。〃

At　that　moment　Couture；　followed　by　Finot；　came　in；　and；　soon　after；
all　the　guests　were　assembled　in　the　beautiful　blue　and　gold　salon　of
the　hotel　Schontz；　a　title　which　the　various　artists　had　given　to
their　inn　after　Rochefide　purchased　it　for　his　Ninon　II。　When　Maxime
saw　La　Palferine；　the　last　to　arrive；　enter；　he　walked　up　to　his
lieutenant；　and　taking　him　aside　into　the　recess　of　a　window；　gave　him
notes　for　twenty　thousand　francs。

〃Remember；　my　boy；　you　needn't　economize　them；〃　he　said；　with　the
particular　grace　of　a　true　scamp。

〃There's　none　but　you　who　can　double　the　value　of　what　you　seem　to
give；〃　replied　La　Palferine。

〃Have　you　decided？〃

〃Surely；　inasmuch　as　I　take　the　money；〃　said　the　count；　with　a　mixture
of　haughtiness　and　jest。

〃Well；　then；　Nathan；　who　is　here　to…night；　will　present　you　two　days
hence　at　the　house　of　Madame　la　Marquise　de　Rochefide。〃

La　Palferine　started　when　he　heard　the　name。

〃You　are　to　be　madly　in　love　with　her；　and；　not　to　rouse　suspicion；
drink　heavily；　wines；　liqueurs！　I'll　tell　Aurelie　to　place　you　beside
Nathan　at　dinner。　One　thing　more；　my　boy：　you　and　I　must　meet　every
night；　on　the　boulevard　de　la　Madeleine　at　one　in　the　morning；you　to
give　me　an　account　of　progress；　I　to　give　you　instructions。〃

〃I　shall　be　there；　my　master；〃　said　the　young　count；　bowing。

〃Why　do　you　make　us　dine　with　that　queer　fellow　dressed　like　the　head…
waiter　of　a　restaurant？〃　whispered　Maxime　to　Madame　Schontz；　with　a
sign　toward　Fabien　du　Ronceret。

〃Have　you　never　met　the　Heir？　Du　Ronceret　of　Alencon。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Maxime　to　Fabien；　〃I　think　you　must　know　my　friend
d'Esgrignon？〃

〃Victurnien　has　ceased　to　know　me　for　some　time；〃　replied　Fabien；　〃but
we　used　to　be　very　intimate　in　our　youth。〃

The　dinner　was　one　of　those　which　are　given　nowhere　but　in　Paris　by
these　great　female　spendthrifts；　for　the　choiceness　of　their
preparations　often　surprise　the　most　fastidious　of　guests。　It　was　at
just　such　a　supper；　at　the　house　of　a　courtesan　as　handsome　and　rich
as　Madame　Schontz；　that　Paganini　declared　he　had　never　eaten　such　fare
at　the　table　of　any　sovereign；　nor　drunk　such　wines　with　any　prince；
nor　heard　such　witty　conversation；　nor　seen　the　glitter　of　such
coquettish　luxury。

Maxime　and　Madame　Schontz　were　the　first　to　re…enter　the　salon；　about
ten　o'clock；　leaving　the　other　guests；　who　had　ceased　to　tell
anecdotes　and　were　now　boasting　of　their　various　good　qualities；　with
their　viscous　lips　glued　to　the　glasses　which　they　could　not　drain。

〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　Maxime；　〃you　are　not　mistaken