ferragus-第6部分

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was　seated；　in　a　naive　attitude；　like　the　least　artful　woman　in
existence；　soft　and　gentle；　full　of　a　majestic　serenity。　What　an　abyss
is　human　nature！　Before　beginning　a　conversation；　the　baron　looked
alternately　at　the　wife　and　at　the　husband。　How　many　were　the
reflections　he　made！　He　recomposed　the　〃Night　Thoughts〃　of　Young　in　a
second。　And　yet　the　music　was　sounding　through　the　salons；　the　light
was　pouring　from　a　thousand　candles。　It　was　a　banker's　ball；one　of
those　insolent　festivals　by　means　of　which　the　world　of　solid　gold
endeavored　to　sneer　at　the　gold…embossed　salons　where　the　faubourg
Saint…Germain　met　and　laughed；　not　foreseeing　the　day　when　the　bank
would　invade　the　Luxembourg　and　take　its　seat　upon　the　throne。　The
conspirators　were　now　dancing；　indifferent　to　coming　bankruptcies；
whether　of　Power　or　of　the　Bank。　The　gilded　salons　of　the　Baron　de
Nucingen　were　gay　with　that　peculiar　animation　that　the　world　of
Paris；　apparently　joyous　at　any　rate；　gives　to　its　fetes。　There；　men
of　talent　communicate　their　wit　to　fools；　and　fools　communicate　that
air　of　enjoyment　that　characterizes　them。　By　means　of　this　exchange
all　is　liveliness。　But　a　ball　in　Paris　always　resembles　fireworks　to　a
certain　extent；　wit；　coquetry；　and　pleasure　sparkle　and　go　out　like
rockets。　The　next　day　all　present　have　forgotten　their　wit；　their
coquetry；　their　pleasure。

〃Ah！〃　thought　Auguste；　by　way　of　conclusion；　〃women　are　what　the
vidame　says　they　are。　Certainly　all　those　dancing　here　are　less
irreproachable　actually　than　Madame　Jules　appears　to　be；　and　yet
Madame　Jules　went　to　the　rue　Soly！〃

The　rue　Soly　was　like　an　illness　to　him；　the　very　word　shrivelled　his
heart。

〃Madame；　do　you　ever　dance？〃　he　said　to　her。

〃This　is　the　third　time　you　have　asked　me　that　question　this　winter；〃
she　answered；　smiling。

〃But　perhaps　you　have　never　answered　it。〃

〃That　is　true。〃

〃I　knew　very　well　that　you　were　false；　like　other　women。〃

Madame　Jules　continued　to　smile。

〃Listen；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　told　you　the　real　reason；　you
would　think　it　ridiculous。　I　do　not　think　it　false　to　abstain　from
telling　things　that　the　world　would　laugh　at。〃

〃All　secrets　demand；　in　order　to　be　told；　a　friendship　of　which　I　am
no　doubt　unworthy；　madame。　But　you　cannot　have　any　but　noble　secrets；
do　you　think　me　capable　of　jesting　on　noble　things？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃you；　like　all　the　rest；　laugh　at　our　purest
sentiments；　you　calumniate　them。　Besides；　I　have　no　secrets。　I　have
the　right　to　love　my　husband　in　the　face　of　all　the　world；　and　I　say
so；I　am　proud　of　it；　and　if　you　laugh　at　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I
dance　only　with　him；　I　shall　have　a　bad　opinion　of　your　heart。〃

〃Have　you　never　danced　since　your　marriage　with　any　one　but　your
husband？〃

〃Never。　His　arm　is　the　only　one　on　which　I　have　leaned；　I　have　never
felt　the　touch　of　another　man。〃

〃Has　your　physician　never　felt　your　pulse？〃

〃Now　you　are　laughing　at　me。〃

〃No；　madame；　I　admire　you；　because　I　comprehend　you。　But　you　let　a　man
hear　your　voice；　you　let　yourself　be　seen；　youin　short；　you　permit
our　eyes　to　admire　you〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　interrupting　him；　〃that　is　one　of　my　griefs。　Yes；　I
wish　it　were　possible　for　a　married　woman　to　live　secluded　with　her
husband；　as　a　mistress　lives　with　her　lover；　for　then〃

〃Then　why　were　you；　two　hours　ago；　on　foot；　disguised；　in　the　rue
Soly？〃

〃The　rue　Soly；　where　is　that？〃

And　her　pure　voice　gave　no　sign　of　any　emotion；　no　feature　of　her　face
quivered；　she　did　not　blush；　she　remained　calm。

〃What！　you　did　not　go　up　to　the　second　floor　of　a　house　in　the　rue　des
Vieux…Augustins　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　Soly？　You　did　not　have　a
hackney…coach　waiting　near　by？　You　did　not　return　in　it　to　the　flower…
shop　in　the　rue　Richelieu；　where　you　bought　the　feathers　that　are　now
in　your　hair？〃

〃I　did　not　leave　my　house　this　evening。〃

As　she　uttered　that　lie　she　was　smiling　and　imperturbable；　she　played
with　her　fan；　but　if　any　one　had　passed　a　hand　down　her　back　they
would；　perhaps；　have　found　it　moist。　At　that　instant　Auguste
remembered　the　instructions　of　the　vidame。

〃Then　it　was　some　one　who　strangely　resembled　you；〃　he　said；　with　a
credulous　air。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃if　you　are　capable　of　following　a　woman　and
detecting　her　secrets；　you　will　allow　me　to　say　that　it　is　a　wrong；　a
very　wrong　thing；　and　I　do　you　the　honor　to　say　that　I　disbelieve
you。〃

The　baron　turned　away；　placed　himself　before　the　fireplace　and　seemed
thoughtful。　He　bent　his　head；　but　his　eyes　were　covertly　fixed　on
Madame　Jules；　who；　not　remembering　the　reflections　in　the　mirror；　cast
two　or　three　glances　at　him　that　were　full　of　terror。　Presently　she
made　a　sign　to　her　husband　and　rising　took　his　arm　to　walk　about　the
salon。　As　she　passed　before　Monsieur　de　Maulincour；　who　at　that　moment
was　speaking　to　a　friend；　he　said　in　a　loud　voice；　as　if　in　reply　to　a
remark：　〃That　woman　will　certainly　not　sleep　quietly　this　night。〃
Madame　Jules　stopped；　gave　him　an　imposing　look　which　expressed
contempt；　and　continued　her　way；　unaware　that　another　look；　if
surprised　by　her　husband；　might　endanger　not　only　her　happiness　but
the　lives　of　two　men。　Auguste；　frantic　with　anger；　which　he　tried　to
smother　in　the　depths　of　his　soul；　presently　left　the　house；　swearing
to　penetrate　to　the　heart　of　the　mystery。　Before　leaving；　he　sought
Madame　Jules；　to　look　at　her　again；　but　she　had　disappeared。

What　a　drama　cast　into　that　young　head　so　eminently　romantic；　like　all
who　have　not　known　love　in　the　wide　extent　which　they　give　to　it。　He
adored　Madame　Jules　under　a　new　aspect；　he　loved　her　now　with　the　fury
of　jealousy　and　the　frenzied　anguish　of　hope。　Unfaithful　to　her
husband；　the　woman　became　common。　Auguste　could　now　give　himself　up　to
the　joys　of　successful　love；　and　his　imagination　opened　to　him　a
career　of　pleasures。　Yes；　he　had　lost　the　angel；　but　he　had　found　the
most　delightful　of　demons。　He　went　to　bed；　building　castles　in　the
air；　excusing　Madame　Jules　by　some　romantic　fiction　in　which　he　did
not　believe。　He　resolved　to　devote　himself　wholly；　from　that　day
forth；　to　a　search　for　the　causes；　motives；　and　keynote　of　this
mystery。　It　was　a　tale　to　read；　or　better　still；　a　drama　to　be　played；
in　which　he　had　a　part。



CHAPTER　II

FERRAGUS

A　fine　thing　is　the　task　of　a　spy；　when　performed　for　one's　own
benefit　and　in　the　interests　of　a　passion。　Is　it　not　giving　ourselves
the　pleasure　of　a　thief　and　a　rascal　while　continuing　honest　men？　But
there　is　another　side　to　it；　we　must　resign　ourselves　to　boil　with
anger；　to　roar　with　impatience；　to　freeze　our　feet　in　the　mud；　to　be
numbed；　and　roasted；　and　torn　by　false　hopes。　We　must　go；　on　the　faith
of　a　mere　indication；　to　a　vague　object；　miss　our　end；　curse　our　luck；
improvise　to　ourselves　elegies；　dithyrambics；　exclaim　idiotically
before　inoffensive　pedestrians　who　observe　us；　knock　over　old　apple…
women　and　their　baskets；　run　hither　and　thither；　stand　on　guard
beneath　a　window；　make　a　thousand　suppositions。　But；　after　all；　it　is
a　chase；　a　hunt；　a　hunt　in　Paris；　a　hunt　with　all　its　chances；　minus
dogs　and　guns　and　the　tally…ho！　Nothing　compares　with　it　but　the　life
of　gamblers。　But　it　needs　a　heart　big　with　love　and　vengeance　to
ambush　itself　in　Paris；　like　a　tiger　waiting　to　spring　upon　its　prey；
and　to　enjoy　the　chances　and　contingencies　of　Paris；　by　adding　one
special　interest　to　the　many　that　abound　there。　But　for　this　we　need　a
many…sided　soulfor　must　we　not　live　in　a　thousand　passions；　a
thousand　sentiments？

Auguste　de　Maulincour　flung　himself　into　this　ardent　existence
passionately；　for　he　felt　all　its　pleasures　and　all　its　misery。　He
went　disguised　about　Paris；　watching　at　the　corners　of　the　rue　Pagevin
and　the　rue　des　Vieux…Augustins。　He　hurried　like　a　hunter　from　the　rue
de　Menars　to　the　rue　Soly；　and　back　from　the　rue　Soly　to　the　rue　de
Menars；　without　obtaining　either　the　vengeance　or　the　knowledge　which
would　punish　or　reward　such　cares；　such　efforts；　such　wiles。　But　he
had　not　yet　reached　that　impatience　which　wrings　our　very　entrails　and
makes　us　sweat；　he　roamed　in　hope；　believing　that　Madame　Jules　would
only　refrain　for　a　few　days　from　revisiting　the　place　where　she　knew
she　had　been　detected。　He　devoted　the　first　days　therefore；　to　a
careful　study　of　the　secrets　of　the　street。　A　novice　at　such　work；　he
dared　not　question　either　the　porter　or　the　shoemaker　of　the　house　to
which　Madame　Jules　had　gone；　but　he　managed　to　obtain　a　post　of
observation　in　a　house　directly　opposite　to　the　mysterious　apartment。
He　studied　the　ground；　trying　to　reconcile　the　conflicting　demands　of
prudence；　impatience；　love；　and　secrecy。

Early　in　the　month　of　March；　while　busy　with　plans　by　which　he
expected　to　strike　a　decisive　blow；　he　left　his　post　about　four　in　the
afternoon；　after　one　of　those　patient　watches　from　which　he　had
learned　nothing。　He　was　on　his　way　to　his　own　house　whither　a　matter
relating　to　his　military　service　called　him；　when　he　was　overtaken　in
the　rue　Coquilliere　by　one　of　those　heavy　showers　which　instantly
flood　the　gutters；　while　each　drop　of　rain　rings　loudly　in　the　puddles
of　the　roadway。　A　pedestrian　under　these　circumstances　is　forced　to
stop　short　and　take　refuge　in　a　shop　or　cafe　if　he　is　rich　enough　to
pay　for　the　forced　hospitality；　or；　if　in　poorer　circumstances；　under
a　/porte…cochere/；　that　haven　of　paupers　or　shabbily　dressed　persons。
Why　have　none　of　our　painters　ever　attempted　to　reproduce　the
physiognomies　of　a　swarm　of　Parisians；　grouped；　under　stress　of
weather；　in　the　damp　/porte…cochere/　of　a　building？　First；　there's　the
musing　philosophical　pedestrian；　who　observes　with　interest　all　he
sees；whether　it　be　the　stripes　made　by　the　rain　on　the　gray
background　of　the　atmosphere　（a　species　of　chasing　not　unlike　the
capricious　threads　of　spun　glass）；　or　the　whirl　of　white　water　which
the　wind　is　driving　like　a　luminous　dust　along　the　roofs；　or　the
fitful　disgorgements　of　the　gutter…pipes；　sparkling　and　foaming；　in
short；　the　thousand　nothings　to　be　admired　and　studied　with　delight　by
loungers；　in　spite　of　the　porter's　broom　which　pretends　to　be　sweepin