letters of two brides-第6部分

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love；　they　ought　to　give　up　writing；　otherwise　their　love　is　not　the
real　thing。　The　lady　of　their　heart　does　not　come　first　in　all　their
thoughts。　I　seemed　to　read　all　this　in　the　bearing　of　the　man　I　speak
of。　I　am　told　he　is　a　professor；　orator；　and　author；　whose　ambition
makes　him　the　slave　of　every　bigwig。

My　mind　was　made　up　on　the　spot。　It　was　unworthy　of　me；　I　determined；
to　quarrel　with　society　for　not　being　impressed　by　my　merits；　and　I
gave　myself　up　to　the　simple　pleasure　of　dancing；　which　I　thoroughly
enjoyed。　I　heard　a　great　deal　of　inept　gossip　about　people　of　whom　I
know　nothing；　but　perhaps　it　is　my　ignorance　on　many　subjects　which
prevents　me　from　appreciating　it；　as　I　saw　that　most　men　and　women
took　a　lively　pleasure　in　certain　remarks；　whether　falling　from　their
own　lips　or　those　of　others。　Society　bristles　with　enigmas　which　look
hard　to　solve。　It　is　a　perfect　maze　of　intrigue。　Yet　I　am　fairly　quick
of　sight　and　hearing；　and　as　to　my　wits；　Mlle。　de　Maucombe　does　not
need　to　be　told！

I　returned　home　tired　with　a　pleasant　sort　of　tiredness；　and　in　all
innocence　began　describing　my　sensations　to　my　mother；　who　was　with
me。　She　checked　me　with　the　warning　that　I　must　never　say　such　things
to　any　one　but　her。

〃My　dear　child；〃　she　added；　〃it　needs　as　much　tact　to　know　when　to　be
silent　as　when　to　speak。〃

This　advice　brought　home　to　me　the　nature　of　the　sensations　which
ought　to　be　concealed　from　every　one；　not　excepting　perhaps　even　a
mother。　At　a　glance　I　measured　the　vast　field　of　feminine　duplicity。　I
can　assure　you；　sweetheart；　that　we；　in　our　unabashed　simplicity；
would　pass　for　two　very　wide…awake　little　scandal…mongers。　What
lessons　may　be　conveyed　in　a　finger　on　the　lips；　in　a　word；　a　look！
All　in　a　moment　I　was　seized　with　excessive　shyness。　What！　may　I　never
again　speak　of　the　natural　pleasure　I　feel　in　the　exercise　of　dancing？
〃How　then；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃about　the　deeper　feelings？〃

I　went　to　bed　sorrowful；　and　I　still　suffer　from　the　shock　produced　by
this　first　collision　of　my　frank；　joyous　nature　with　the　harsh　laws　of
society。　Already　the　highway　hedges　are　flecked　with　my　white　wool！
Farewell；　beloved。



V

RENEE　DE　MAUCOMBE　TO　LOUISE　DE　CHAULIEU
October。

How　deeply　your　letter　moved　me；　above　all；　when　I　compare　our　widely
different　destinies！　How　brilliant　is　the　world　you　are　entering；　how
peaceful　the　retreat　where　I　shall　end　my　modest　career！

In　the　Castle　of　Maucombe；　which　is　so　well　known　to　you　by
description　that　I　shall　say　no　more　of　it；　I　found　my　room　almost
exactly　as　I　left　it；　only　now　I　can　enjoy　the　splendid　view　it　gives
of　the　Gemenos　valley；　which　my　childish　eyes　used　to　see　without
comprehending。　A　fortnight　after　my　arrival；　my　father　and　mother　took
me；　along　with　my　two　brothers；　to　dine　with　one　of　our　neighbors；　M。
de　l'Estorade；　an　old　gentleman　of　good　family；　who　has　made　himself
rich；　after　the　provincial　fashion；　by　scraping　and　paring。

M。　de　l'Estorade　was　unable　to　save　his　only　son　from　the　clutches　of
Bonaparte；　after　successfully　eluding　the　conscription；　he　was　forced
to　send　him　to　the　army　in　1813；　to　join　the　Emperor's　bodyguard。
After　Leipsic　no　more　was　heard　of　him。　M。　de　Montriveau；　whom　the
father　interviewed　in　1814；　declared　that　he　had　seen　him　taken　by　the
Russians。　Mme。　de　l'Estorade　died　of　grief　whilst　a　vain　search　was
being　made　in　Russia。　The　Baron；　a　very　pious　old　man；　practised　that
fine　theological　virtue　which　we　used　to　cultivate　at　BloisHope！
Hope　made　him　see　his　son　in　dreams。　He　hoarded　his　income　for　him；
and　guarded　carefully　the　portion　of　inheritance　which　fell　to　him
from　the　family　of　the　late　Mme。　de　l'Estorade；　no　one　venturing　to
ridicule　the　old　man。

At　last　it　dawned　upon　me　that　the　unexpected　return　of　this　son　was
the　cause　of　my　own。　Who　could　have　imagined；　whilst　fancy　was　leading
us　a　giddy　dance；　that　my　destined　husband　was　slowly　traveling　on
foot　through　Russia；　Poland；　and　Germany？　His　bad　luck　only　forsook
him　at　Berlin；　where　the　French　Minister　helped　his　return　to　his
native　country。　M。　de　l'Estorade；　the　father；　who　is　a　small　landed
proprietor　in　Provence；　with　an　income　of　about　ten　thousand　livres；
has　not　sufficient　European　fame　to　interest　the　world　in　the
wandering　Knight　de　l'Estorade；　whose　name　smacks　of　his　adventures。

The　accumulated　income　of　twelve　thousand　livres　from　the　property　of
Mme。　de　l'Estorade；　with　the　addition　of　the　father's　savings；
provides　the　poor　guard　of　honor　with　something　like　two　hundred　and
fifty　thousand　livres；　not　counting　house　and　landsquite　a
considerable　fortune　in　Provence。　His　worthy　father　had　bought；　on　the
very　eve　of　the　Chevalier's　return；　a　fine　but　badly…managed　estate；
where　he　designs　to　plant　ten　thousand　mulberry…trees；　raised　in　his
nursery　with　a　special　view　to　this　acquisition。　The　Baron；　having
found　his　long…lost　son；　has　now　but　one　thought；　to　marry　him；　and
marry　him　to　a　girl　of　good　family。

My　father　and　mother　entered　into　their　neighbor's　idea　with　an　eye　to
my　interests　so　soon　as　they　discovered　that　Renee　de　Maucombe　would
be　acceptable　without　a　dowry；　and　that　the　money　the　said　Renee　ought
to　inherit　from　her　parents　would　be　duly　acknowledged　as　hers　in　the
contract。　In　a　similar　way；　my　younger　brother；　Jean　de　Maucombe；　as
soon　as　he　came　of　age；　signed　a　document　stating　that　he　had　received
from　his　parents　an　advance　upon　the　estate　equal　in　amount　to　one…
third　of　whole。　This　is　the　device　by　which　the　nobles　of　Provence
elude　the　infamous　Civil　Code　of　M。　de　Bonaparte；　a　code　which　will
drive　as　many　girls　of　good　family　into　convents　as　it　will　find
husbands　for。　The　French　nobility；　from　the　little　I　have　been　able　to
gather；　seem　to　be　divided　on　these　matters。

The　dinner；　darling；　was　a　first　meeting　between　your　sweetheart　and
the　exile。　The　Comte　de　Maucombe's　servants　donned　their　old　laced
liveries　and　hats；　the　coachman　his　great　top…boots；　we　sat　five　in
the　antiquated　carriage；　and　arrived　in　state　about　two　o'clockthe
dinner　was　for　threeat　the　grange；　which　is　the　dwelling　of　the
Baron　de　l'Estorade。

My　father…in…law　to　be　has；　you　see；　no　castle；　only　a　simple　country
house；　standing　beneath　one　of　our　hills；　at　the　entrance　of　that
noble　valley；　the　pride　of　which　is　undoubtedly　the　Castle　of
Maucombe。　The　building　is　quite　unpretentious：　four　pebble　walls
covered　with　a　yellowish　wash；　and　roofed　with　hollow　tiles　of　a　good
red；　constitute　the　grange。　The　rafters　bend　under　the　weight　of　this
brick…kiln。　The　windows；　inserted　casually；　without　any　attempt　at
symmetry；　have　enormous　shutters；　painted　yellow。　The　garden　in　which
it　stands　is　a　Provencal　garden；　enclosed　by　low　walls；　built　of　big
round　pebbles　set　in　layers；　alternately　sloping　or　upright；　according
to　the　artistic　taste　of　the　mason；　which　finds　here　its　only　outlet。
The　mud　in　which　they　are　set　is　falling　away　in　places。

Thanks　to　an　iron　railing　at　the　entrance　facing　the　road；　this　simple
farm　has　a　certain　air　of　being　a　country…seat。　The　railing；　long
sought　with　tears；　is　so　emaciated　that　it　recalled　Sister　Angelique
to　me。　A　flight　of　stone　steps　leads　to　the　door；　which　is　protected
by　a　pent…house　roof；　such　as　no　peasant　on　the　Loire　would　tolerate
for　his　coquettish　white　stone　house；　with　its　blue　roof；　glittering
in　the　sun。　The　garden　and　surrounding　walks　are　horribly　dusty；　and
the　trees　seem　burnt　up。　It　is　easy　to　see　that　for　years　the　Baron's
life　has　been　a　mere　rising　up　and　going　to　bed　again；　day　after　day；
without　a　thought　beyond　that　of　piling　up　coppers。　He　eats　the　same
food　as　his　two　servants；　a　Provencal　lad　and　the　old　woman　who　used
to　wait　on　his　wife。　The　rooms　are　scantily　furnished。

Nevertheless；　the　house　of　l'Estorade　had　done　its　best；　the　cupboards
had　been　ransacked；　and　its　last　man　beaten　up　for　the　dinner；　which
was　served　to　us　on　old　silver　dishes；　blackened　and　battered。　The
exile；　my　darling　pet；　is　like　the　railing；　emaciated！　He　is　pale　and
silent；　and　bears　traces　of　suffering。　At　thirty…seven　he　might　be
fifty。　The　once　beautiful　ebon　locks　of　youth　are　streaked　with　white
like　a　lark's　wing。　His　fine　blue　eyes　are　cavernous；　he　is　a　little
deaf；　which　suggests　the　Knight　of　the　Sorrowful　Countenance。

Spite　of　all　this；　I　have　graciously　consented　to　become　Mme。　de
l'Estorade　and　to　receive　a　dowry　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand
livres；　but　only　on　the　express　condition　of　being　allowed　to　work　my
will　upon　the　grange　and　make　a　park　there。　I　have　demanded　from　my
father；　in　set　terms；　a　grant　of　water；　which　can　be　brought　thither
from　Maucombe。　In　a　month　I　shall　be　Mme。　de　l'Estorade；　for；　dear；　I
have　made　a　good　impression。　After　the　snows　of　Siberia　a　man　is　ready
enough　to　see　merit　in　those　black　eyes；　which　according　to　you；　used
to　ripen　fruit　with　a　look。　Louis　de　l'Estorade　seems　well　content　to
marry　the　/fair　Renee　de　Maucombe/such　is　your　friend's　splendid
title。

Whilst　you　are　preparing　to　reap　the　joys　of　that　many…sided　existence
which　awaits　a　young　lady　of　the　Chaulieu　family；　and　to　queen　it　in
Paris；　your　poor　little　sweetheart；　Renee；　that　child　of　the　desert；
has　fallen　from　the　empyrean；　whither　together　we　had　soared；　into　the
vulgar　realities　of　a　life　as　homely　as　a　daisy's。　I　have　vowed　to
myself　to　comfort　this　young　man；　who　has　never　known　youth；　but
passed　straight　from　his　mother's　arms　to　the　embrace　of　war；　and　from
the　joys　of　his　country　home　to　the　frosts　and　forced　labor　of
Siberia。

Humble　country　pleasures　will　enliven　the　monotony　of　my　future。　It
shall　be　my　ambition　to　enlarge　the　oasis　round　my　house；　and　to　give
it　the　lordly　shade　of　fine　trees。　My　turf；　though　Provencal；　shall　be
always　green。　I　shall　carry　my　park　up　the　hillside　and　plant　on　the
highest　point　some　pretty　kiosque；　whence；　perhaps；　my　eyes　may　catch
the　shimmer　of　the　Mediterranean。　Orange　and　lemon　trees；　and　all
choicest　things　that　grow；　shall　embellish　my　retreat；　and　there　will
I　be　a　mother　among　my　children。　The　poetry　of　Nature；　which　nothing
can　destroy；　shall　hedge　us　roun