rs.undertheandes-第2部分

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　There　I　had　a　friend。
　A　woman　not　beautiful；　but　eminently　satisfying；　not　loose；　but　liberal；　with　a　character　and　a　heart。　In　more　ways　than　one　she　was　remarkable；　she　had　an　affection　for　me；　indeed；　some　years　previously　I　had　been　in　a　way　to　play　Albert　Savaron　to　her　Francesca　Colonna；　an　arrangement　prevented　only　by　my　constitutional　dislike　for　any　prolonged　or　sustained　effort　in　a　world　the　slave　of　vanity　and　folly。
　It　was　from　the　lips　of　this　friend　that　I　first　heard　the　name　of　Desiree　Le　Mire。
　It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　on　the　fashionable　drive。　Long；　broad；　and　shady；　though　scarcely　cool；　it　was　here　that　we　took　our　daily　carriage　exercise；　anything　more　strenuous　is　regarded　with　horror　by　the　ladies　of　Spain。
　There　was　a　shout；　and　a　sudden　hush；　all　carriages　were　halted　and　their　occupants　uncovered；　for　royalty　was　passing。
　The　coach；　a　magnificent　though　cumbersome　affair；　passed　slowly　and　gravely　by。　On　the　rear　seat　were　the　princess　and　her　little　English　cousin；　while　opposite　them　sat　the　great　duke　himself
　By　his　side　was　a　young　man　of　five　and　twenty　with　a　white　face　and　weak　chin；　and　glassy；　meaningless　eyes。　I　turned　to　my　panion　and　asked　in　a　low　tone　who　he　was。　Her　whispered　answer　caused　me　to　start　with　surprise；　and　I　turned　to　her　with　a　question。
　〃But　why　is　he　in　Madrid？〃
　〃Oh；　as　to　that；〃　said　my　friend；　smiling；　〃you　must　ask　Desiree。〃
　〃And　who　is　Desiree？〃
　〃What！　You　do　not　know　Desiree！　Impossible！〃　she　exclaimed。
　〃My　dear；〃　said　I；　〃you　must　remember　that　for　the　past　year　and　a　half　I　have　been　buried　in　the　land　of　pork　and　gold。　The　gossip　there　is　neither　of　the　poet　nor　the　court。　I　am　ignorant　of　everything。〃
　〃You　would　not　have　been　so　much　longer；〃　said　my　friend；　〃for　Desiree　is　soon　going　to　America。　Who　is　she？　No　one　knows。〃
　What　is　she？　Well；　she　is　all　things　to　some　men；　and　some　things　to　all　men。　She　is　a　courtesan　among　queens　and　a　queen　among　courtesans。
　〃She　dances　and　loves；　and；　I　presume；　eats　and　sleeps。　For　the　past　two　years　she　has　bewitched　him〃…she　pointed　down　the　drive　to　where　the　royal　coach　was　disappearing　in　the　distance　…〃and　he　has　given　her　everything。
　〃It　was　for　her　that　the　Duke　of　Bellarmine　built　the　magnificent　chalet　of　which　I　was　telling　you　on　Lake　Lucerne。
　You　remember　that　Prince　Dolansky　shot　himself　'for　political　reasons'　in　his　Parisian　palace？　But　for　Desiree　he　would　be　alive　today。
　She　is　a　witch　and　a　she…devil；　and　the　most　pletely　fascinating　woman　in　the　world。〃
　I　smiled。
　〃What　a　reputation！　And　you　say　she　is　going　to　America？〃
　〃Yes。　It　is　to　be　supposed　that　she　has　heard　that　every　American　is　a　king；　and　it　is　no　wonder　if　she　is　tired　of　only　one　royal　lover　at　a　time。　And　listen；　Paul…〃
　〃Well？〃
　〃You…you　must　not　meet　her。　Oh；　but　you　do　not　know　her　power！〃
　I　laughed　and　pressed　her　hand；　assuring　her　that　I　had　no　intention　of　allowing　myself　to　be　bewitched　by　a　she…devil；　but　as　our　carriage　turned　and　started　back　down　the　long　drive　toward　the　hotel　I　found　myself　haunted　by　the　white　face　and　staring　eyes　of　the　young　man　in　the　royal　coach。
　I　stayed　two　weeks　longer　in　Madrid。　At　the　end　of　that　time；　finding　myself　pletely　bored　（for　no　woman　can　possibly　be　amusing　for　more　than　a　month　at　a　time）；　I　bade　my　friend　au　revoir　and　departed　for　the　East。　But　I　found　myself　just　too　late　for　an　archeological　expedition　into　the　heart　of　Egypt；　and　after　a　tiresome　week　or　so　in　Cairo　and　Constantinople　I　again　turned　my　face　toward　the　west。
　At　Rome　I　met　an　old　friend；　one　Pierre　Janvour；　in　the　French　diplomatic　service；　and　since　I　had　nothing　better　to　do　I　accepted　his　urgent　invitation　to　join　him　on　a　vacation　trip　to　Paris。
　But　the　joys　of　Paris　are　absurd　to　a　man　of　thirty…two　who　has　seen　the　world　and　tasted　it　and　judged　it。　Still　I　found　some　amusement；　Janvour　had　a　pretty　wife　and　a　daughter　eight　years　old；　daintily　beautiful；　and　I　allowed　myself　to　bee　soaked　in　domestic　sentiment。
　I　really　found　myself　on　the　point　of　envying　him；　Mme。
　Janvour　was　a　most　excellent　housekeeper　and　manager。　Little　Eugenie　and　I　would　often　walk　together　in　the　public　gardens；　and　now　and　then　her　mother　would　join　us；　and；　as　I　say；　I　found　myself　on　the　point　of　envying　my　friend　Janvour。
　This　diversion　would　have　ended　soon　in　any　event；　but　it　was　brought　to　an　abrupt　termination　by　a　cablegram　from　my　New　York　lawyers；　asking　me　to　return　to　America　at　once。　Some　rascality　it　was；　on　the　part　of　the　agent　of　my　estate；　which　had　alarmed　them；　the　cablegram　was　bare　of　detail。　At　any　rate；　I　could　not　afford　to　disregard　it；　and　arranged　passage　on　a　liner　sailing　from　Cherbourg　the　following　day。
　My　hostess　gave　me　a　farewell　dinner；　which　heightened　my　regret　at　being　forced　to　leave；　and　little　Eugenie　seemed　really　grieved　at　my　departure。　It　is　pleasant　to　leave　a　wele　behind　you；　that　is　really　the　only　necessary　axiom　of　the　traveler。
　Janvour　took　me　to　the　railroad　station；　and　even　offered　to　acpany　me　to　Cherbourg；　but　I　refused　to　tear　him　away　from　his　little　paradise。
　We　stood　on　the　platform　arguing　the　matter；　when　I　suddenly　became　aware　of　that　indistinct　flutter　and　bustle　seen　in　public　places　at　some　unusual　happening　or　the　unexpected　arrival　of　a　great　personage。
　I　turned　and　saw　that　which　was　worthy　of　the　interest　it　had　excited。
　In　the　first　place；　the　daintiest　little　electric　brougham　in　the　world；　fragile　and　delicate　as　a　toy…a　fairy's　chariot。
　Then　the　fairy　herself　descended。　She　cannot　be　described　in　detail。
　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　glorious　golden　hair；　softly　massive；　gray…blue　eyes　shot　with　lightning；　restless；　devouring；　implacable；　indescribably　beautiful；　a　skin　wondrously　fine；　with　the　purity　of　marble　and　the　warmth　of　velvet；　nose　and　mouth　rather　too　large；　but　perfectly　formed　and　breathing　the　fire　and　power　of　love。　Really　it　was　rather　later　that　I　saw　all　this；　at　the　time　there　was　but　a　confused　impression　of　elegance　and　beauty　and　terrible　power。
　She　passed　from　the　brougham　to　her　railway　carriage　supremely　unconscious　of　the　hundreds　of　eyes　turned　on　her；　and　a　general　sigh　of　satisfaction　and　appreciation　came　from　the　throng　as　she　disappeared　within　her　partment。　I　turned　to　Janvour。
　〃Who　is　she？〃
　〃What？〃　he　exclaimed　in　surprise。　〃But　my　dear　Lamar；　not　to　know　her　argues　one　a　barbarian。〃
　〃Nevertheless；　I　do　not　know　her。〃
　〃Well；　you　will　have　an　opportunity。　She　is　going　to　America；　and；　since　she　is　on　this　train；　she　will；　of　course；　take　the　same　boat　as　yourself。　But；　my　friend；　beware！〃
　〃But　who　is　she？〃
　〃Desiree　Le　Mire。〃
　
　
　Chapter　II。
　BEGINNING　THE　DANCE。
　
　It　developed；　luckily　for　me；　that　my　lawyers　had　allowed　themselves　to　bee　unduly　excited　over　a　trifle。　A　discrepancy　had　been　discovered　in　my　agent's　accounts；　it　was　clearly　established　that　he　had　been　speculating；　but　the　fellow's　excessive　modesty　and　moderation　had　saved　me　from　any　serious　inconvenience　or　loss。
　Some　twenty　thousand　or　so　was　the　amount；　and　I　did　not　even　put　myself　to　the　trouble　of　recovering　it。　I　placed　a　friend　of　mine；　a　plodder　and　one　of　those　chaps　who　are　honest　on　account　of　lack　of　imagination；　in　the　position　thus　vacated　and　sighed　with　mild　relief。
　My　experiment　with　Harry　had　proved　a　plete　success。　Left　to　the　management　of　his　own　affairs；　he　had　shown　a　wisdom　and　restraint　none　the　less　wele　because　unexpected。　He　was　glad　to　see　me；　and　I　was　no　less　glad　to　see　him。
　There　was　little　new　in　town。
　Bob　Garforth；　having　gambled　away　his　entire　patrimony；　had　shot　and　killed　himself　on　the　street；　Mrs。　Ludworth　had　publicly　defied　gossip　and　smiled　with　favor　on　young　Driscoll；　the　new　director　of　the　Metropolitan　Museum　had　announced　himself　an　enemy　to　tradition　and　a　friend　of　progress；　and　Desiree　Le　Mire　had　consented　to　a　two　weeks'　engagement　at　the　Stuyvesant。
　The　French　dancer　was　the　favorite　topic　of　discussion　in　all　circles。
　The　newspapers　were　full　of　her　and　filled　entire　columns　with　lists　of　the　kings；　princes；　and　dukes　who　had　been　at　her　feet。
　Bets　were　made　on　her　nationality；　the　color　of　her　eyes；　the　value　of　her　pearls；　the　number　of　suicides　she　had　caused…corresponding；　in　some　sort；　to　the　notches　on　the　gun　of　a　Western　bad　man。　Gowns　and　hats　were　named　for　her　by　the　enterprising　department　stores。
　It　was　announced　that　her　engagement　at　the　Stuyvesant　would　open　in　ten　days；　and　when　the　box…office　opened　for　the　advance　sale　every　seat　for　every　performance　was　sold　within　a　few　hours。
　In　the　mean　time　the　great　Le　Mire　kept　herself　secluded　in　her　hotel。　She　had　appeared　but　once　in　the　public　dining…room；　and　on　that　occasion　had　nearly　caused　a　riot；　whereupon　she　had　discreetly　withdrawn。　She　remained　unseen　while　the　town　shouted　itself　hoarse。
　I　had　not　mentioned　her　name　to　Harry；　nor　had　I　heard　him　speak　of　her；　until　one　evening　about　two　weeks　after　my　return。
　We　were　at　dinner　and　had　been　discussing　some　monplace　subject；　from　which；　by　one　of　the　freaks　of　association；　the　conversation　veered　and　touched　on　classical　dancing。
　〃The　Russians　are　preeminent；〃　said　I；　〃because　they　possess　both　the　inspiration…the　fire…and　the　training。　In　no　other　nation　or　school　are　the　two　so　perfectly　joined。　In　the　Turkish　dancers　there　is　perfect　grace　and　freedom；　but　no　life。　In　Desiree　Le　Mire；　for　example；　there　is　indeed　life；　but　she　has　not　had　the　necessary　training。〃
　〃What？　Le　Mire！　Have　you　seen　her？〃　cried　Harry。
　〃Not　on　the　stage；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　crossed　on　the　same　ship　with　her；　and　she　was　kind　enough　to　give　me　a　great　deal　of　her　time。　She　seems　to　understand　perfectly　her　own　artistic　limitations；　and　I　am　taking　her　word　for　it。〃
　But　Harry　was　no　longer　interested　in　the　subject　of　dancing。
　I　was　besieged　on　the　instant　with　a　thousand　questions。
　Had　I　known　Le　Mire　long？　What　was　she　like？　Was　it　true　that　Prince　Dolansky　had　shot　himself　in　despair　at　losing　her？
　Was　she　beautiful？　How　well　did　I　know　her？　Would　I　take　him　to　see　her？
　And　within　half　an　hour　the　last　question　was　repeate