the secrets of the princesse de cadignan-第4章

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peasants　into　countesses；　the　more　accomplished　a　woman　was；　the　more

she　lost　her　value　in　their　eyes；　for；　according　to　Michel；　their

imagination　had　the　less　to　do。　In　his　opinion　love；　a　mere　matter　of

the　senses　to　inferior　beings；　was　to　great　souls　the　most　immense　of

all　moral　creations　and　the　most　binding。　To　justify　d'Arthez；　he

instanced　the　example　of　Raffaele　and　the　Fornarina。　He　might　have


offered　himself　as　an　instance　for　this　theory；　he　who　had　seen　an

angel　in　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse。　This　strange　fancy　of　d'Arthez

might；　however；　be　explained　in　other　ways；　perhaps　he　had　despaired

of　meeting　here　below　with　a　woman　who　answered　to　that　delightful

vision　which　all　men　of　intellect　dream　of　and　cherish；　perhaps　his

heart　was　too　sensitive；　too　delicate；　to　yield　itself　to　a　woman　of

society；　perhaps　he　thought　best　to　let　nature　have　her　way；　and　keep

his　illusions　by　cultivating　his　ideal；　perhaps　he　had　laid　aside　love

as　being　incompatible　with　his　work　and　the　regularity　of　a　monastic

life　which　love　would　have　wholly　upset。



For　several　months　past　d'Arthez　had　been　subjected　to　the　jests　and

satire　of　Blondet　and　Rastignac；　who　reproached　him　with　knowing

neither　the　world　nor　women。　According　to　them；　his　authorship　was

sufficiently　advanced；　and　his　works　numerous　enough；　to　allow　him　a

few　distractions；　he　had　a　fine　fortune；　and　here　he　was　living　like　a

student；　he　enjoyed　nothing；neither　his　money　nor　his　fame；　he　was

ignorant　of　the　exquisite　enjoyments　of　the　noble　and　delicate　love

which　well…born　and　well…bred　women　could　inspire　and　feel；　he　knew

nothing　of　the　charming　refinements　of　language；　nothing　of　the　proofs

of　affection　incessantly　given　by　refined　women　to　the　commonest

things。　He　might；　perhaps；　know　woman；　but　he　knew　nothing　of　the

divinity。　Why　not　take　his　rightful　place　in　the　world；　and　taste　the

delights　of　Parisian　society？



〃Why　doesn't　a　man　who　bears　party　per　bend　gules　and　or；　a　bezant　and

crab　counterchanged；〃　cried　Rastignac；　〃display　that　ancient

escutcheon　of　Picardy　on　the　panels　of　a　carriage？　You　have　thirty

thousand　francs　a　year；　and　the　proceeds　of　your　pen；　you　have

justified　your　motto：　Ars　thesaurusque　virtus；　that　punning　device　our

ancestors　were　always　seeking；　and　yet　you　never　appear　in　the　Bois　de

Boulogne！　We　live　in　times　when　virtue　ought　to　show　itself。〃



〃If　you　read　your　works　to　that　species　of　stout　Laforet；　whom　you

seem　to　fancy；　I　would　forgive　you；〃　said　Blondet。　〃But；　my　dear

fellow；　you　are　living　on　dry　bread；　materially　speaking；　in　the

matter　of　intellect　you　haven't　even　bread。〃



This　friendly　little　warfare　had　been　going　on　for　several　months

between　Daniel　and　his　friends；　when　Madame　d'Espard　asked　Rastignac

and　Blondet　to　induce　d'Arthez　to　come　and　dine　with　her；　telling　them

that　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan　had　a　great　desire　to　see　that

celebrated　man。　Such　curiosities　are　to　certain　women　what　magic

lanterns　are　to　children；a　pleasure　to　the　eyes；　but　rather　shallow

and　full　of　disappointments。　The　more　sentiments　a　man　of　talent

excites　at　a　distance；　the　less　he　responds　to　them　on　nearer　view；

the　more　brilliant　fancy　has　pictured　him；　the　duller　he　will　seem　in

reality。　Consequently；　disenchanted　curiosity　is　often　unjust。



Neither　Blondet　nor　Rastignac　could　deceive　d'Arthez；　but　they　told

him；　laughing；　that　they　now　offered　him　a　most　seductive　opportunity

to　polish　up　his　heart　and　know　the　supreme　fascinations　which　love

conferred　on　a　Parisian　great　lady。　The　princess　was　evidently　in　love

with　him；　he　had　nothing　to　fear　but　everything　to　gain　by　accepting

the　interview；　it　was　quite　impossible　he　could　descend　from　the

pedestal　on　which　madame　de　Cadignan　had　placed　him。　Neither　Blondet

nor　Rastignac　saw　any　impropriety　in　attributing　this　love　to　the

princess；　she　whose　past　had　given　rise　to　so　many　anecdotes　could

very　well　stand　that　lesser　calumny。　Together　they　began　to　relate　to

d'Arthez　the　adventures　of　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse：　her　first

affair　with　de　Marsay；　her　second　with　d'Ajuda；　whom　she　had；　they

said；　distracted　from　his　wife；　thus　avenging　Madame　de　Beausant；　also

her　later　connection　with　young　d'Esgrignon；　who　had　travelled　with

her　in　Italy；　and　had　horribly　compromised　himself　on　her　account；

after　that　they　told　him　how　unhappy　she　had　been　with　a　certain

celebrated　ambassador；　how　happy　with　a　Russian　general；　besides

becoming　the　Egeria　of　two　ministers　of　Foreign　affairs；　and　various

other　anecdotes。　D'Arthez　replied　that　he　knew　a　great　deal　more　than

they　could　tell　him　about　her　through　their　poor　friend；　Michel

Chrestien；　who　adored　her　secretly　for　four　years；　and　had　well…nigh

gone　mad　about　her。



〃I　have　often　accompanied　him；〃　said　Daniel；　〃to　the　opera。　He　would

make　me　run　through　the　streets　as　far　as　her　horses　that　he　might　see

the　princess　through　the　window　of　her　coupe。〃



〃Well；　there　you　have　a　topic　all　ready　for　you；〃　said　Blondet；

smiling。　〃This　is　the　very　woman　you　need；　she'll　initiate　you　most

gracefully　into　the　mysteries　of　elegance；　but　take　care！　she　has

wasted　many　fortunes。　The　beautiful　Diane　is　one　of　those　spendthrifts

who　don't　cost　a　penny；　but　for　whom　a　man　spends　millions。　Give

yourself　up　to　her；　body　and　soul；　if　you　choose；　but　keep　your　money

in　your　hand；　like　the　old　fellow　in　Girodet's　'Deluge。'〃



From　the　tenor　of　these　remarks　it　was　to　be　inferred　that　the

princess　had　the　depth　of　a　precipice；　the　grace　of　a　queen；　the

corruption　of　diplomatists；　the　mystery　of　a　first　initiation；　and　the

dangerous　qualities　of　a　siren。　The　two　clever　men　of　the　world；

incapable　of　foreseeing　the　denouement　of　their　joke；　succeeded　in

presenting　Diane　d'Uxelles　as　a　consummate　specimen　of　the　Parisian

woman；　the　cleverest　of　coquettes；　the　most　enchanting　mistress　in　the

world。　Right　or　wrong；　the　woman　whom　they　thus　treated　so　lightly　was

sacred　to　d'Arthez；　his　desire　to　meet　her　needed　no　spur；　he

consented　to　do　so　at　the　first　word；　which　was　all　the　two　friends

wanted　of　him。



Madame　d'Espard　went　to　see　the　princess　as　soon　as　she　had　received

this　answer。



〃My　dear；　do　you　feel　yourself　in　full　beauty　and　coquetry？〃　she　said。

〃If　so；　come　and　dine　with　me　a　few　days　hence；　and　I'll　serve　up

d'Arthez。　Our　man　of　genius　is　by　nature；　it　seems；　a　savage；　he　fears

women；　and　has　never　loved！　Make　your　plans　on　that。　He　is　all

intellect；　and　so　simple　that　he'll　mislead　you　into　feeling　no

distrust。　But　his　penetration；　which　is　wholly　retrospective；　acts

later；　and　frustrates　calculation。　You　may　hoodwink　him　to…day；　but

to…morrow　nothing　can　dupe　him。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　princess；　〃if　I　were　only　thirty　years　old　what

amusement　I　might　have　with　him！　The　one　enjoyment　I　have　lacked　up　to

the　present　is　a　man　of　intellect　to　fool。　I　have　had　only　partners；

never　adversaries。　Love　was　a　mere　game　instead　of　being　a　battle。〃



〃Dear　princess；　admit　that　I　am　very　generous；　for；　after　all；　you

know！charity　begins　at　home。〃



The　two　women　looked　at　each　other；　laughing；　and　clasped　hands　in　a

friendly　way。　Assuredly　they　both　knew　each　other's　secrets；　and　this

was　not　the　first　man　nor　the　first　service　that　one　had　given　to　the

other；　for　sincere　and　lasting　friendships　between　women　of　the　world

need　to　be　cemented　by　a　few　little　crimes。　When　two　friends　are

liable　to　kill　each　other　reciprocally；　and　see　a　poisoned　dagger　in

each　other's　hand；　they　present　a　touching　spectacle　of　harmony；　which

is　never　troubled；　unless；　by　chance；　one　of　them　is　careless　enough

to　drop　her　weapon。



So；　eight　days　later；　a　little　dinner　such　as　are　given　to　intimates

by　verbal　invitation　only；　during　which　the　doors　are　closed　to　all

other　visitors；　took　place　at　Madame　d'Espard's　house。　Five　persons

were　invited；Emile　Blondet　and　Madame　de　Montcornet；　Daniel

d'Arthez；　Rastignac；　and　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan。　Counting　the

mistress　of　the　house；　there　were　as　many　men　as　women。



Chance　never　exerted　itself　to　make　wiser　preparations　than　those

which　opened　the　way　to　a　meeting　between　d'Arthez　and　Madame　de

Cadignan。　The　princess　is　still　considered　one　of　the　chief

authorities　on　dress；　which；　to　women；　is　the　first　of　arts。　On　this

occasion　she　wore　a　gown　of　blue　velvet　with　flowing　white　sleeves；

and　a　tulle　guimpe；　slightly　frilled　and　edged　with　blue；　covering　the

shoulders；　and　rising　nearly　to　the　throat；　as　we　see　in　several　of

Raffaele's　portraits。　Her　maid　had　dressed　her　hair　with　white

heather；　adroitly　placed　among　its　blond　cascades；　which　were　one　of

the　great　beauties　to　which　she　owed　her　celebrity。



Certainly　Diane　did　not　look　to　be　more　than　twenty…five　years　old。

Four　years　of　solitude　and　repose　had　restored　the　freshness　of　her

complexion。　Besides；　there　are　moments　when　the　desire　to　please　gives

an　increase　of　beauty　to　women。　The　will　is　not　without　influence　on

the　variations　of　the　face。　If　violent　emotions　have　the　power　to

yellow　the　white　tones　of　persons　of　bilious　and　melancholy

temperament；　and　to　green　lymphatic　faces；　shall　we　not　grant　to

desire；　hope；　and　joy；　the　faculty　of　clearing　the　skin；　giving

brilliancy　to　the　eye；　and　brightening　the　glow　of　beauty　with　a　light

as　jocund　as　that　of　a　lovely　morning？　The　celebrated　faintness　of　the

princess　had　taken　on　a　ripeness　which　now　made　her　seem　more　august。

At　this　moment　of　her　life；　impressed　by　her　many　vicissitudes　and　by

serious　reflections；　her　noble；　dreamy　brow　harmonized　delightfully

with　the　slow；　majestic　glance　of　her　blue　eyes。　It　was　impossible　for

the　ablest　physiognomist　to　imagine　calculation　or　self…will　beneath

that　unspeakable　delicacy　of　feature。　There　were　faces　of　women　which

deceive　knowledge；　and　mislead　observation　by　their　calmness　and

delicacy；　it　is　necessary　to　examine　such　faces　when　passions　speak；

and　that　is　difficult；　or　after　they　have　spoken；　which　is　no　longer

of　any　use；　for　then　the　woman　is　old　and　has　ceased　to　dissimulate。



The　princess　is　one　of　those　impenetrable　women；　she　can　make　herself

what　she　pleases　to　be：　playful；　childlike；　distractingly　innocent；　or

reflective；　serious；　and　profound　enough　to　excite　anxiety。　She　came

to　Madame　d'Espard's　dinner　with　the　intention　of　being　a　gentle；

simple　woman；　to　whom　life　was　known　only　through　its　deceptions：　a

woman　full　of　soul；　and　calumniated；　but　resigned；in　short；　a

wounded　angel。



She　arrived　early；　so　as　to　pose　on　a　sofa　near　the　fire　beside　Madame

d'Espard；　as　she　wished　to　be　first　seen：　that　is；　in　one　of　those

attitudes　in　which　science　is　concealed　beneath　an　exquisite

naturalness；　a　studied　attitude；　putting　in　relief　the　beautiful

serpentine　outline　which；　starting　from　the　foot；　rises　gracefully　to

the　hip；　and　continues　with　adorable