the secrets of the princesse de cadignan-第2章

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ever　have　believed　so　frivolous　a　woman　was　capable　of　such　persistent

resolution！　Our　good　archbishop　has；　consequently；　greatly　encouraged

her；　he　is　most　kind　to　her；　and　has　just　induced　the　old　Comtesse　de

Cinq…Cygne　to　pay　her　a　visit。〃



Let　us　admit　a　truth！　One　must　be　a　queen　to　know　how　to　abdicate；　and

to　descend　with　dignity　from　a　lofty　position　which　is　never　wholly

lost。　Those　only　who　have　an　inner　consciousness　of　being　nothing　in

themselves；　show　regrets　in　falling；　or　struggle；　murmuring；　to　return

to　a　past　which　can　never　return；a　fact　of　which　they　themselves　are

well　aware。　Compelled　to　do　without　the　choice　exotics　in　the　midst　of

which　she　had　lived；　and　which　set　off　so　charmingly　her　whole　being

（for　it　is　impossible　not　to　compare　her　to　a　flower）；　the　princess

had　wisely　chosen　a　ground…floor　apartment；　there　she　enjoyed　a　pretty

little　garden　which　belonged　to　it；a　garden　full　of　shrubs；　and　an

always　verdant　turf；　which　brightened　her　peaceful　retreat。　She　had

about　twelve　thousand　francs　a　year；　but　that　modest　income　was　partly

made　up　of　an　annual　stipend　sent　her　by　the　old　Duchesse　de

Navarreins；　paternal　aunt　of　the　young　duke；　and　another　stipend　given

by　her　mother；　the　Duchesse　d'Uxelles；　who　was　living　on　her　estate　in

the　country；　where　she　economized　as　old　duchesses　alone　know　how　to

economize；　for　Harpagon　is　a　mere　novice　compared　to　them。　The

princess　still　retained　some　of　her　past　relations　with　the　exiled

royal　family；　and　it　was　in　her　house　that　the　marshal　to　whom　we　owe

the　conquest　of　Africa　had　conferences；　at　the　time　of　〃Madame's〃

attempt　in　La　Vendee；　with　the　principal　leaders　of　legitimist

opinion；so　great　was　the　obscurity　in　which　the　princess　lived；　and

so　little　distrust　did　the　government　feel　for　her　in　her　present

distress。



Beholding　the　approach　of　that　terrible　fortieth　year；　the　bankruptcy

of　love；　beyond　which　there　is　so　little　for　a　woman　as　woman；　the

princess　had　flung　herself　into　the　kingdom　of　philosophy。　She　took　to

reading；　she　who　for　sixteen　years　had　felt　a　cordial　horror　for

serious　things。　Literature　and　politics　are　to…day　what　piety　and

devotion　once　were　to　her　sex；the　last　refuge　of　their　feminine

pretensions。　In　her　late　social　circle　it　was　said　that　Diane　was

writing　a　book。　Since　her　transformation　from　a　queen　and　beauty　to　a

woman　of　intellect；　the　princess　had　contrived　to　make　a　reception　in

her　little　house　a　great　honor　which　distinguished　the　favored　person。

Sheltered　by　her　supposed　occupation；　she　was　able　to　deceive　one　of

her　former　adorers；　de　Marsay；　the　most　influential　personage　of　the

political　bourgeoisie　brought　to　the　fore　in　July　1830。　She　received

him　sometimes　in　the　evenings；　and；　occupied　his　attention　while　the

marshal　and　a　few　legitimists　were　talking；　in　a　low　voice；　in　her

bedroom；　about　the　recovery　of　power；　which　could　be　attained　only　by

a　general　co…operation　of　ideas；the　one　element　of　success　which　all

conspirators　overlook。　It　was　the　clever　vengeance　of　the　pretty

woman；　who　thus　inveigled　the　prime　minister；　and　made　him　act　as

screen　for　a　conspiracy　against　his　own　government。



This　adventure；　worthy　of　the　finest　days　of　the　Fronde；　was　the　text

of　a　very　witty　letter；　in　which　the　princess　rendered　to　〃Madame〃　an

account　of　the　negotiations。　The　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse　went　to　La

Vendee；　and　was　able　to　return　secretly　without　being　compromised；　but

not　without　taking　part　in　〃Madame's〃　perils；　the　latter；　however；

sent　him　home　the　moment　she　saw　that　her　cause　was　lost。　Perhaps；　had

he　remained；　the　eager　vigilance　of　the　young　man　might　have　foiled

that　treachery。　However　great　the　faults　of　the　Duchesse　de

Maufrigneuse　may　have　seemed　in　the　eyes　of　the　bourgeoisie；　the

behavior　of　her　son　on　this　occasion　certainly　effaced　them　in　the

eyes　of　the　aristocracy。　There　was　great　nobility　and　grandeur　in　thus

risking　her　only　son；　and　the　heir　of　an　historic　name。　Some　persons

are　said　to　intentionally　cover　the　faults　of　their　private　life　by

public　services；　and　vice　versa；　but　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan　made　no

such　calculation。　Possibly　those　who　apparently　so　conduct　themselves

make　none。　Events　count　for　much　in　such　cases。



On　one　of　the　first　fine　days　in　the　month　of　May；　1833；　the　Marquise

d'Espard　and　the　princess　were　turning　aboutone　could　hardly　call　it

walkingin　the　single　path　which　wound　round　the　grass…plat　in　the

garden；　about　half…past　two　in　the　afternoon；　just　as　the　sun　was

leaving　it。　The　rays　reflected　on　the　walls　gave　a　warm　atmosphere　to

the　little　space；　which　was　fragrant　with　flowers；　the　gift　of　the

marquise。



〃We　shall　soon　lose　de　Marsay；〃　said　the　marquise；　〃and　with　him　will

disappear　your　last　hope　of　fortune　for　your　son。　Ever　since　you

played　him　that　clever　trick；　he　has　returned　to　his　affection　for

you。〃



〃My　son　will　never　capitulate　to　the　younger　branch；〃　returned　the

princess；　〃if　he　has　to　die　of　hunger；　or　I　have　to　work　with　my　hands

to　feed　him。　Besides；　Berthe　de　Cinq…Cygne　has　no　aversion　to　him。〃



〃Children　don't　bind　themselves　to　their　parents'　principles；〃　said

Madame　d'Espard。



〃Don't　let　us　talk　about　it；〃　said　the　princess。　〃If　I　can't　coax　over

the　Marquise　de　Cinq…Cygne；　I　shall　marry　Georges　to　the　daughter　of

some　iron…founderer；　as　that　little　d'Esgrignon　did。〃



〃Did　you　love　Victurnien？〃　asked　the　marquise。



〃No；〃　replied　the　princess；　gravely；　〃d'Esgrignon's　simplicity　was

really　only　a　sort　of　provincial　silliness；　which　I　perceived　rather

too　lateor；　if　you　choose；　too　soon。〃



〃And　de　Marsay？〃



〃De　Marsay　played　with　me　as　if　I　were　a　doll。　I　was　so　young　at　the

time！　We　never　love　men　who　pretend　to　teach　us；　they　rub　up　all　our

little　vanities。〃



〃And　that　wretched　boy　who　hanged　himself？〃



〃Lucien？　An　Antinous　and　a　great　poet。　I　worshiped　him　in　all

conscience；　and　I　might　have　been　happy。　But　he　was　in　love　with　a

girl　of　the　town；　and　I　gave　him　up　to　Madame。　de　Serizy。　。　。　。　If　he

had　cared　to　love　me；　should　I　have　given　him　up？〃



〃What　an　odd　thing；　that　you　should　come　into　collision　with　an　Esther！〃



〃She　was　handsomer　than　I；〃　said　the　Princess。〃Very　soon　it　shall　be

three　years　that　I　have　lived　in　solitude；〃　she　resumed；　after　a

pause；　〃and　this　tranquillity　has　nothing　painful　to　me　about　it。　To

you　alone　can　I　dare　to　say　that　I　feel　I　am　happy。　I　was　surfeited

with　adoration；　weary　of　pleasure；　emotional　on　the　surface　of　things；

but　conscious　that　emotion　itself　never　reached　my　heart。　I　have　found

all　the　men　whom　I　have　known　petty；　paltry；　superficial；　none　of　them

ever　caused　me　a　surprise；　they　had　no　innocence；　no　grandeur；　no

delicacy。　I　wish　I　could　have　met　with　one　man　able　to　inspire　me　with

respect。〃



〃Then　are　you　like　me；　my　dear？〃　asked　the　marquise；　〃have　you　never

felt　the　emotion　of　love　while　trying　to　love？〃



〃Never；〃　replied　the　princess；　laying　her　hand　on　the　arm　of　her

friend。



They　turned　and　seated　themselves　on　a　rustic　bench　beneath　a　jasmine

then　coming　into　flower。　Each　had　uttered　one　of　those　sayings　that

are　solemn　to　women　who　have　reached　their　age。



〃Like　you；〃　resumed　the　princess；　〃I　have　received　more　love　than　most

women；　but　through　all　my　many　adventures；　I　have　never　found

happiness。　I　committed　great　follies；　but　they　had　an　object；　and　that

object　retreated　as　fast　as　I　approached　it。　I　feel　to…day　in　my

heart；　old　as　it　is；　an　innocence　which　has　never　been　touched。　Yes；

under　all　my　experience；　lies　a　first　love　intact；just　as　I　myself；

in　spite　of　all　my　losses　and　fatigues；　feel　young　and　beautiful。　We

may　love　and　not　be　happy；　we　may　be　happy　and　never　love；　but　to　love

and　be　happy；　to　unite　those　two　immense　human　experiences；　is　a

miracle。　That　miracle　has　not　taken　place　for　me。〃



〃Nor　for　me；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard。



〃I　own　I　am　pursued　in　this　retreat　by　dreadful　regret：　I　have　amused

myself　all　through　life；　but　I　have　never　loved。〃



〃What　an　incredible　secret！〃　cried　the　marquise。



〃Ah！　my　dear；〃　replied　the　princess；　〃such　secrets　we　can　tell　to

ourselves；　you　and　I；　but　nobody　in　Paris　would　believe　us。〃



〃And；〃　said　the　marquise；　〃if　we　were　not　both　over　thirty…six　years

of　age；　perhaps　we　would　not　tell　them　to　each　other。〃



〃Yes；　when　women　are　young　they　have　so　many　stupid　conceits；〃　replied

the　princess。　〃We　are　like　those　poor　young　men　who　play　with　a

toothpick　to　pretend　they　have　dined。〃



〃Well；　at　any　rate；　here　we　are！〃　said　Madame　d'Espard；　with

coquettish　grace；　and　a　charming　gesture　of　well…informed　innocence；

〃and；　it　seems　to　me；　sufficiently　alive　to　think　of　taking　our

revenge。〃



〃When　you　told　me；　the　other　day；　that　Beatrix　had　gone　off　with

Conti；　I　thought　of　it　all　night　long；〃　said　the　princess；　after　a

pause。　〃I　suppose　there　was　happiness　in　sacrificing　her　position；　her

future；　and　renouncing　society　forever。〃



〃She　was　a　little　fool；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard；　gravely。　〃Mademoiselle

des　Touches　was　delighted　to　get　rid　of　Conti。　Beatrix　never　perceived

how　that　surrender；　made　by　a　superior　woman　who　never　for　a　moment

defended　her　claims；　proved　Conti's　nothingness。〃



〃Then　you　think　she　will　be　unhappy？〃



〃She　is　so　now；〃　replied　Madame　d'Espard。　〃Why　did　she　leave　her

husband？　What　an　acknowledgment　of　weakness！〃



〃Then　you　think　that　Madame　de　Rochefide　was　not　influenced　by　the

desire　to　enjoy　a　true　love　in　peace？〃　asked　the　princess。



〃No；　she　was　simply　imitating　Madame　de　Beausant　and　Madame　de

Langeais；　who；　be　it　said；　between　you　and　me；　would　have　been；　in　a

less　vulgar　period　than　ours；　the　La　Villiere；　the　Diane　de　Poitiers；

the　Gabrielle　d'Estrees　of　history。〃



〃Less　the　king；　my　dear。　Ah！　I　wish　I　could　evoke　the　shades　of　those

women；　and　ask　them〃



〃But；〃　said　the　marquise；　interrupting　the　princess；　〃why　ask　the

dead？　We　know　living　women　who　have　been　happy。　I　have　talked　on　this

very　subject　a　score　of　times　with　Madame　de　Montcornet　since　she

married　that　little　Emile　Blondet；　who　makes　her　the　happiest　woman　in

the　world；　not　an　infidelity；　not　a　thought　that　turns　aside　from　her；

they　are　as　happy　as　they　were　the　first　day。　These　long　attachments；

like　that　of　Rastignac　and　Madame　de　Nucingen；　and　your　cousin；　Madame

de　Camps；　for　her　Octave；　have　a　secret；　and　that　secret　you　and　I

don't　know；　my　dear。　The　world　has　paid　us　the　extreme　compliment　of

thinking　we　are　two　rakes　worthy　of　the　court　of　the　regent；　whereas

we　are；　in　truth；　as　innocent　as　a　couple　of　school…girls。〃



〃I　should　like　that　sort　of　innocence；〃　cried　the　princess；　laughing；

〃but　ours　is　worse；　and　it　is　very　humiliating。　Well；　it　is　a

mortification　we　offer　up　in　expiation　of　our　fruitless　search；　yes；

my　dear；　fruitless；　for　it　isn't