letters of two brides-第7部分

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I　be　a　mother　among　my　children。　The　poetry　of　Nature；　which　nothing
can　destroy；　shall　hedge　us　round；　and　standing　loyally　at　the　post　of
duty；　we　need　fear　no　danger。　My　religious　feelings　are　shared　by　my
father…in…law　and　by　the　Chevalier。

Ah！　darling；　my　life　unrolls　itself　before　my　eyes　like　one　of　the
great　highways　of　France；　level　and　easy；　shaded　with　evergreen　trees。
This　century　will　not　see　another　Bonaparte；　and　my　children；　if　I
have　any；　will　not　be　rent　from　me。　They　will　be　mine　to　train　and
make　men　ofthe　joy　of　my　life。　If　you　also　are　true　to　your　destiny；
you　who　ought　to　find　your　mate　amongst　the　great　ones　of　the　earth；
the　children　of　your　Renee　will　not　lack　a　zealous　protectress。

Farewell；　then；　for　me　at　least；　to　the　romances　and　thrilling
adventures　in　which　we　used　ourselves　to　play　the　part　of　heroine。　The
whole　story　of　my　life　lies　before　me　now；　its　great　crises　will　be
the　teething　and　nutrition　of　the　young　Masters　de　l'Estorade；　and　the
mischief　they　do　to　my　shrubs　and　me。　To　embroider　their　caps；　to　be
loved　and　admired　by　a　sickly　man　at　the　mouth　of　the　Gemenos　valley
there　are　my　pleasures。　Perhaps　some　day　the　country　dame　may　go　and
spend　a　winter　in　Marseilles；　but　danger　does　not　haunt　the　purlieus
of　a　narrow　provincial　stage。　There　will　be　nothing　to　fear；　not　even
an　admiration　such　as　could　only　make　a　woman　proud。　We　shall　take　a
great　deal　of　interest　in　the　silkworms　for　whose　benefit　our
mulberry…leaves　will　be　sold！　We　shall　know　the　strange　vicissitudes
of　life　in　Provence；　and　the　storms　that　may　attack　even　a　peaceful
household。　Quarrels　will　be　impossible；　for　M。　de　l'Estorade　has
formally　announced　that　he　will　leave　the　reins　in　his　wife's　hands；
and　as　I　shall　do　nothing　to　remind　him　of　this　wise　resolve；　it　is
likely　he　may　persevere　in　it。

You；　my　dear　Louise；　will　supply　the　romance　of　my　life。　So　you　must
narrate　to　me　in　full　all　your　adventures；　describe　your　balls　and
parties；　tell　me　what　you　wear；　what　flowers　crown　your　lovely　golden
locks；　and　what　are　the　words　and　manners　of　the　men　you　meet。　Your
other　self　will　be　always　therelistening；　dancing；　feeling　her
finger…tips　pressedwith　you。　If　only　I　could　have　some　fun　in　Paris
now　and　then；　while　you　played　the　house…mother　at　La　Crampade！　such
is　the　name　of　our　grange。　Poor　M。　de　l'Estorade；　who　fancies　he　is
marrying　one　woman！　Will　he　find　out　there　are　two？

I　am　writing　nonsense　now；　and　as　henceforth　I　can　only　be　foolish　by
proxy；　I　had　better　stop。　One　kiss；　then；　on　each　cheekmy　lips　are
still　virginal；　he　has　only　dared　to　take　my　hand。　Oh！　our　deference
and　propriety　are　quite　disquieting；　I　assure　you。　There；　I　am　off
again。　。　。　。　Good…bye；　dear。

/P。　S。/I　have　just　opened　your　third　letter。　My　dear；　I　have　about
one　thousand　livres　to　dispose　of；　spend　them　for　me　on　pretty　things；
such　as　we　can't　find　here；　nor　even　at　Marseilles。　While　speeding　on
your　own　business；　give　a　thought　to　the　recluse　of　La　Crampade。
Remember　that　on　neither　side　have　the　heads　of　the　family　any　people
of　taste　in　Paris　to　make　their　purchases。　I　shall　reply　to　your
letter　later。



VI

DON　FELIPE　HENAREZ　TO　DON　FERNAND
PARIS；　September。

The　address　of　this　letter；　my　brother；　will　show　you　that　the　head　of
your　house　is　out　of　reach　of　danger。　If　the　massacre　of　our　ancestors
in　the　Court　of　Lions　made　Spaniards　and　Christians　of　us　against　our
will；　it　left　us　a　legacy　of　Arab　cunning；　and　it　may　be　that　I　owe　my
safety　to　the　blood　of　the　Abencerrages　still　flowing　in　my　veins。

Fear　made　Ferdinand's　acting　so　good；　that　Valdez　actually　believed　in
his　protestations。　But　for　me　the　poor　Admiral　would　have　been　done
for。　Nothing；　it　seems；　will　teach　the　Liberals　what　a　king　is。　This
particular　Bourbon　has　been　long　known　to　me；　and　the　more　His　Majesty
assured　me　of　his　protection；　the　stronger　grew　my　suspicions。　A　true
Spaniard　has　no　need　to　repeat　a　promise。　A　flow　of　words　is　a　sure
sign　of　duplicity。

Valdez　took　ship　on　an　English　vessel。　For　myself；　no　sooner　did　I　see
the　cause　of　my　beloved　Spain　wrecked　in　Andalusia；　than　I　wrote　to
the　steward　of　my　Sardinian　estate　to　make　arrangements　for　my　escape。
Some　hardy　coral　fishers　were　despatched　to　wait　for　me　at　a　point　on
the　coast；　and　when　Ferdinand　urged　the　French　to　secure　my　person；　I
was　already　in　my　barony　of　Macumer；　amidst　brigands　who　defy　all　law
and　all　avengers。

The　last　Hispano…Moorish　family　of　Granada　has　found　once　more　the
shelter　of　an　African　desert；　and　even　a　Saracen　horse；　in　an　estate
which　comes　to　it　from　Saracens。　How　the　eyes　of　these　brigandswho
but　yesterday　had　dreaded　my　authoritysparkled　with　savage　joy　and
pride　when　they　found　they　were　protecting　against　the　King　of　Spain's
vendetta　the　Duc　de　Soria；　their　master　and　a　Henarezthe　first　who
had　come　to　visit　them　since　the　time　when　the　island　belonged　to　the
Moors。　More　than　a　score　of　rifles　were　ready　to　point　at　Ferdinand　of
Bourbon；　son　of　a　race　which　was　still　unknown　when　the　Abencerrages
arrived　as　conquerors　on　the　banks　of　the　Loire。

My　idea　had　been　to　live　on　the　income　of　these　huge　estates；　which；
unfortunately；　we　have　so　greatly　neglected；　but　my　stay　there
convinced　me　that　this　was　impossible；　and　that　Queverdo's　reports
were　only　too　correct。　The　poor　man　had　twenty…two　lives　at　my
disposal；　and　not　a　single　/real/；　prairies　of　twenty　thousand　acres；
and　not　a　house；　virgin　forests；　and　not　a　stick　of　furniture！　A
million　piastres　and　a　resident　master　for　half　a　century　would　be
necessary　to　make　these　magnificent　lands　pay。　I　must　see　to　this。

The　conquered　have　time　during　their　flight　to　ponder　their　own　case
and　that　of　their　vanquished　party。　At　the　spectacle　of　my　noble
country；　a　corpse　for　monks　to　prey　on；　my　eyes　filled　with　tears；　I
read　in　it　the　presage　of　Spain's　gloomy　future。

At　Marseilles　I　heard　of　Riego's　end。　Painfully　did　it　come　home　to　me
that　my　life　also　would　henceforth　be　a　martyrdom；　but　a　martyrdom
protracted　and　unnoticed。　Is　existence　worthy　the　name；　when　a　man　can
no　longer　die　for　his　country　or　live　for　a　woman？　To　love；　to
conquer；　this　twofold　form　of　the　same　thought；　is　the　law　graven　on
our　sabres；　emblazoned　on　the　vaulted　roofs　of　our　palaces；
ceaselessly　whispered　by　the　water；　which　rises　and　falls　in　our
marble　fountains。　But　in　vain　does　it　nerve　my　heart；　the　sabre　is
broken；　the　palace　in　ashes；　the　living　spring　sucked　up　by　the　barren
sand。

Here；　then；　is　my　last　will　and　testament。

Don　Fernand；　you　will　understand　now　why　I　put　a　check　upon　your　ardor
and　ordered　you　to　remain　faithful　to　the　/rey　netto/。　As　your　brother
and　friend；　I　implore　you　to　obey　me；　as　your　master；　I　command。　You
will　go　to　the　King　and　will　ask　from　him　the　grant　of　my　dignities
and　property；　my　office　and　titles。　He　will　perhaps　hesitate；　and　may
treat　you　to　some　regal　scowls；　but　you　must　tell　him　that　you　are
loved　by　Marie　Heredia；　and　that　Marie　can　marry　none　but　a　Duc　de
Soria。　This　will　make　the　King　radiant。　It　is　the　immense　fortune　of
the　Heredia　family　which　alone　has　stood　between　him　and　the
accomplishment　of　my　ruin。　Your　proposal　will　seem　to　him；　therefore；
to　deprive　me　of　a　last　resource；　and　he　will　gladly　hand　over　to　you
my　spoils。

You　will　then　marry　Marie。　The　secret　of　the　mutual　love　against　which
you　fought　was　no　secret　to　me；　and　I　have　prepared　the　old　Count　to
see　you　take　my　place。　Marie　and　I　were　merely　doing　what　was　expected
of　us　in　our　position　and　carrying　out　the　wishes　of　our　fathers；
everything　else　is　in　your　favor。　You　are　beautiful　as　a　child　of
love；　and　are　possessed　of　Marie's　heart。　I　am　an　ill…favored　Spanish
grandee；　for　whom　she　feels　an　aversion　to　which　she　will　not　confess。
Some　slight　reluctance　there　may　be　on　the　part　of　the　noble　Spanish
girl　on　account　of　my　misfortunes；　but　this　you　will　soon　overcome。

Duc　de　Soria；　your　predecessor　would　neither　cost　you　a　regret　nor　rob
you　of　a　maravedi。　My　mother's　diamonds；　which　will　suffice　to　make　me
independent；　I　will　keep；　because　the　gap　caused　by　them　in　the　family
estate　can　be　filled　by　Marie's　jewels。　You　can　send　them；　therefore；
by　my　nurse；　old　Urraca；　the　only　one　of　my　servants　whom　I　wish　to
retain。　No　one　can　prepare　my　chocolate　as　she　does。

During　our　brief　revolution；　my　life　of　unremitting　toil　was　reduced
to　the　barest　necessaries；　and　these　my　salary　was　sufficient　to
provide。　You　will　therefore　find　the　income　of　the　last　two　years　in
the　hands　of　your　steward。　This　sum　is　mine；　but　a　Duc　de　Soria　cannot
marry　without　a　large　expenditure　of　money；　therefore　we　will　divide
it。　You　will　not　refuse　this　wedding…present　from　your　brigand
brother。　Besides；　I　mean　to　have　it　so。

The　barony　of　Macumer；　not　being　Spanish　territory；　remains　to　me。
Thus　I　have　still　a　country　and　a　name；　should　I　wish　to　take　up　a
position　in　the　world　again。

Thank　Heaven；　this　finishes　our　business；　and　the　house　of　Soria　is
saved！

At　the　very　moment　when　I　drop　into　simple　Baron　de　Macumer；　the
French　cannon　announce　the　arrival　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme。　You　will
understand　why　I　break　off。　。　。　。

October。

When　I　arrived　here　I　had　not　ten　doubloons　in　my　pocket。　He　would
indeed　be　a　poor　sort　of　leader　who；　in　the　midst　of　calamities　he　has
not　been　able　to　avert；　has　found　means　to　feather　his　own　nest。　For
the　vanquished　Moor　there　remains　a　horse　and　the　desert；　for　the
Christian　foiled　of　his　hopes；　the　cloister　and　a　few　gold　pieces。

But　my　present　resignation　is　mere　weariness。　I　am　not　yet　so　near　the
monastery　as　to　have　abandoned　all　thoughts　of　life。　Ozalga　had　given
me　several　letters　of　introduction　to　meet　all　emergencies；　amongst
these　one　to　a　bookseller；　who　takes　with　our　fellow…countrymen　the
place　which　Galignani　holds　with　the　English　in　Paris。　This　man　has
found　eight　pupils　for　me　at　three　francs　a　lesson。　I　go　to　my　pupils
every　alternate　day；　so　that　I　have　four　lessons　a　day　and　earn　twelve
francs；　which　is　more　than　I　require。　When　Urraca　comes　I　shall　make
some　Spanish　exile　happy　by　passing　on　to　h