letters of two brides-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


extraordinarily　beautiful；　the　nails　catch　the　light　in　their　perfect
polish；　the　thumb　is　like　ivory；　the　little　finger　stands　just　a
little　apart　from　the　rest；　and　the　foot　matches　the　hand；　it　is　the
Spanish　foot　of　Mlle。　de　Vandenesse。　If　she　is　like　this　at　forty；　at
sixty　she　will　still　be　a　beautiful　woman。

I　replied；　sweetheart；　like　a　good　little　girl。　I　was　as　nice　to　her
as　she　to　me；　nay；　nicer。　Her　beauty　completely　vanquished　me；　it
seemed　only　natural　that　such　a　woman　should　be　absorbed　in　her　regal
part。　I　told　her　this　as　simply　as　though　I　had　been　talking　to　you。　I
daresay　it　was　a　surprise　to　her　to　hear　words　of　affection　from　her
daughter's　mouth；　and　the　unfeigned　homage　of　my　admiration　evidently
touched　her　deeply。　Her　manner　changed　and　became　even　more　engaging；
she　dropped　all　formality　as　she　said：

〃I　am　much　pleased　with　you；　and　I　hope　we　shall　remain　good　friends。〃

The　words　struck　me　as　charmingly　naive；　but　I　did　not　let　this
appear；　for　I　saw　at　once　that　the　prudent　course　was　to　allow　her　to
believe　herself　much　deeper　and　cleverer　than　her　daughter。　So　I　only
stared　vacantly　and　she　was　delighted。　I　kissed　her　hands　repeatedly；
telling　her　how　happy　it　made　me　to　be　so　treated　and　to　feel　at　my
ease　with　her。　I　even　confided　to　her　my　previous　tremors。　She　smiled；
put　her　arm　round　my　neck；　and　drawing　me　towards　her；　kissed　me　on
the　forehead　most　affectionately。

〃Dear　child；〃　she　said；　〃we　have　people　coming　to　dinner　to…day。
Perhaps　you　will　agree　with　me　that　it　is　better　for　you　not　to　make
your　first　appearance　in　society　till　you　have　been　in　the
dressmaker's　hands；　so；　after　you　have　seen　your　father　and　brother；
you　can　go　upstairs　again。〃

I　assented　most　heartily。　My　mother's　exquisite　dress　was　the　first
revelation　to　me　of　the　world　which　our　dreams　had　pictured；　but　I　did
not　feel　the　slightest　desire　to　rival　her。

My　father　now　entered；　and　the　Duchess　presented　me　to　him。

He　became　all　at　once　most　affectionate；　and　played　the　father's　part
so　well；　that　I　could　not　but　believe　his　heart　to　be　in　it。　Taking　my
two　hands　in　his；　and　kissing　them；　with　more　of　the　lover　than　the
father　in　his　manner；　he　said：

〃So　this　is　my　rebel　daughter！〃

And　he　drew　me　towards　him；　with　his　arm　passed　tenderly　round　my
waist；　while　he　kissed　me　on　the　cheeks　and　forehead。

〃The　pleasure　with　which　we　shall　watch　your　success　in　society　will
atone　for　the　disappointment　we　felt　at　your　change　of　vocation；〃　he
said。　Then；　turning　to　my　mother；　〃Do　you　know　that　she　is　going　to
turn　out　very　pretty；　and　you　will　be　proud　of　her　some　day？Here　is
your　brother；　Rhetore。Alphonse；〃　he　said　to　a　fine　young　man　who
came　in；　〃here　is　your　convent…bred　sister；　who　threatens　to　send　her
nun's　frock　to　the　deuce。〃

My　brother　came　up　in　a　leisurely　way　and　took　my　hand；　which　he
pressed。

〃Come；　come；　you　may　kiss　her；〃　said　my　father。

And　he　kissed　me　on　both　cheeks。

〃I　am　delighted　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　take　your　side　against　my
father。〃

I　thanked　him；　but　could　not　help　thinking　he　might　have　come　to　Blois
when　he　was　at　Orleans　visiting　our　Marquis　brother　in　his　quarters。

Fearing　the　arrival　of　strangers；　I　now　withdrew。　I　tidied　up　my
rooms；　and　laid　out　on　the　scarlet　velvet　of　my　lovely　table　all　the
materials　necessary　for　writing　to　you；　meditating　all　the　while　on　my
new　situation。

This；　my　fair　sweetheart；　is　a　true　and　veracious　account　of　the
return　of　a　girl　of　eighteen；　after　an　absence　of　nine　years；　to　the
bosom　of　one　of　the　noblest　families　in　the　kingdom。　I　was　tired　by
the　journey　as　well　as　by　all　the　emotions　I　had　been　through；　so　I
went　to　bed　in　convent　fashion；　at　eight　o'clock　after　supper。　They
have　preserved　even　a　little　Saxe　service　which　the　dear　Princess　used
when　she　had　a　fancy　for　taking　her　meals　alone。



II

THE　SAME　TO　THE　SAME
November　25th。

Next　day　I　found　my　rooms　done　out　and　dusted；　and　even　flowers　put　in
the　vases；　by　old　Philippe。　I　began　to　feel　at　home。　Only　it　didn't
occur　to　anybody　that　a　Carmelite　schoolgirl　has　an　early　appetite；
and　Rose　had　no　end　of　trouble　in　getting　breakfast　for　me。

〃Mlle。　goes　to　bed　at　dinner…time；〃　she　said　to　me；　〃and　gets　up　when
the　Duke　is　just　returning　home。〃

I　began　to　write。　About　one　o'clock　my　father　knocked　at　the　door　of
the　small　drawing…room　and　asked　if　he　might　come　in。　I　opened　the
door；　he　came　in；　and　found　me　writing　to　you。

〃My　dear；〃　he　began；　〃you　will　have　to　get　yourself　clothes；　and　to
make　these　rooms　comfortable。　In　this　purse　you　will　find　twelve
thousand　francs；　which　is　the　yearly　income　I　purpose　allowing　you　for
your　expenses。　You　will　make　arrangements　with　your　mother　as　to　some
governess　whom　you　may　like；　in　case　Miss　Griffith　doesn't　please　you；
for　Mme。　de　Chaulieu　will　not　have　time　to　go　out　with　you　in　the
mornings。　A　carriage　and　man…servant　shall　be　at　your　disposal。〃

〃Let　me　keep　Philippe；〃　I　said。

〃So　be　it；〃　he　replied。　〃But　don't　be　uneasy；　you　have　money　enough　of
your　own　to　be　no　burden　either　to　your　mother　or　me。〃

〃May　I　ask　how　much　I　have？〃

〃Certainly；　my　child；〃　he　said。　〃Your　grandmother　left　you　five
hundred　thousand　francs；　this　was　the　amount　of　her　savings；　for　she
would　not　alienate　a　foot　of　land　from　the　family。　This　sum　has　been
placed　in　Government　stock；　and；　with　the　accumulated　interest；　now
brings　in　about　forty　thousand　francs　a　year。　With　this　I　had　purposed
making　an　independence　for　your　second　brother；　and　it　is　here　that
you　have　upset　my　plans。　Later；　however；　it　is　possible　that　you　may
fall　in　with　them。　It　shall　rest　with　yourself；　for　I　have　confidence
in　your　good　sense　far　more　than　I　had　expected。

〃I　do　not　need　to　tell　you　how　a　daughter　of　the　Chaulieus　ought　to
behave。　The　pride　so　plainly　written　in　your　features　is　my　best
guarantee。　Safeguards；　such　as　common　folk　surround　their　daughters
with；　would　be　an　insult　in　our　family。　A　slander　reflecting　on　your
name　might　cost　the　life　of　the　man　bold　enough　to　utter　it；　or　the
life　of　one　of　your　brothers；　if　by　chance　the　right　should　not
prevail。　No　more　on　this　subject。　Good…bye；　little　one。〃

He　kissed　me　on　the　forehead　and　went　out。　I　cannot　understand　the
relinquishment　of　this　plan　after　nine　years'　persistence　in　it。　My
father's　frankness　is　what　I　like。　There　is　no　ambiguity　about　his
words。　My　money　ought　to　belong　to　his　Marquis　son。　Who；　then；　has　had
bowels　of　mercy？　My　mother？　My　father？　Or　could　it　be　my　brother？

I　remained　sitting　on　my　grandmother's　sofa；　staring　at　the　purse
which　my　father　had　left　on　the　mantelpiece；　at　once　pleased　and　vexed
that　I　could　not　withdraw　my　mind　from　the　money。　It　is　true；　further
speculation　was　useless。　My　doubts　had　been　cleared　up　and　there　was
something　fine　in　the　way　my　pride　was　spared。

Philippe　has　spent　the　morning　rushing　about　among　the　various　shops
and　workpeople　who　are　to　undertake　the　task　of　my　metamorphosis。　A
famous　dressmaker；　by　name　Victorine；　has　come；　as　well　as　a　woman　for
underclothing；　and　a　shoemaker。　I　am　as　impatient　as　a　child　to　know
what　I　shall　be　like　when　I　emerge　from　the　sack　which　constituted　the
conventual　uniform；　but　all　these　tradespeople　take　a　long　time；　the
corset…maker　requires　a　whole　week　if　my　figure　is　not　to　be　spoilt。
You　see；　I　have　a　figure；　dear；　this　becomes　serious。　Janssen；　the
Operatic　shoemaker；　solemnly　assures　me　that　I　have　my　mother's　foot。
The　whole　morning　has　gone　in　these　weighty　occupations。　Even　a
glovemaker　has　come　to　take　the　measure　of　my　hand。　The　underclothing
woman　has　got　my　orders。

At　the　meal　which　I　call　dinner；　and　the　others　lunch；　my　mother　told
me　that　we　were　going　together　to　the　milliner's　to　see　some　hats；　so
that　my　taste　should　be　formed；　and　I　might　be　in　a　position　to　order
my　own。

This　burst　of　independence　dazzles　me。　I　am　like　a　blind　man　who　has
just　recovered　his　sight。　Now　I　begin　to　understand　the　vast　interval
which　separates　a　Carmelite　sister　from　a　girl　in　society。　Of
ourselves　we　could　never　have　conceived　it。

During　this　lunch　my　father　seemed　absent…minded；　and　we　left　him　to
his　thoughts；　he　is　deep　in　the　King's　confidence。　I　was　entirely
forgotten；　but；　from　what　I　have　seen；　I　have　no　doubt　he　will
remember　me　when　he　has　need　of　me。　He　is　a　very　attractive　man　in
spite　of　his　fifty　years。　His　figure　is　youthful；　he　is　well　made；
fair；　and　extremely　graceful　in　his　movements。　He　has　a　diplomatic
face；　at　once　dumb　and　expressive；　his　nose　is　long　and　slender；　and
he　has　brown　eyes。

What　a　handsome　pair！　Strange　thoughts　assail　me　as　it　becomes　plain
to　me　that　these　two；　so　perfectly　matched　in　birth；　wealth；　and
mental　superiority；　live　entirely　apart；　and　have　nothing　in　common
but　their　name。　The　show　of　unity　is　only　for　the　world。

The　cream　of　the　Court　and　diplomatic　circles　were　here　last　night。
Very　soon　I　am　going　to　a　ball　given　by　the　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse；
and　I　shall　be　presented　to　the　society　I　am　so　eager　to　know。　A
dancing…master　is　coming　every　morning　to　give　me　lessons；　for　I　must
be　able　to　dance　in　a　month；　or　I　can't　go　to　the　ball。

Before　dinner；　my　mother　came　to　talk　about　the　governess　with　me。　I
have　decided　to　keep　Miss　Griffith；　who　was　recommended　by　the　English
ambassador。　Miss　Griffith　is　the　daughter　of　a　clergyman；　her　mother
was　of　good　family；　and　she　is　perfectly　well　bred。　She　is　thirty…six；
and　will　teach　me　English。　The　good　soul　is　quite　handsome　enough　to
have　ambitions；　she　is　Scotchpoor　and　proudand　will　act　as　my
chaperon。　She　is　to　sleep　in　Rose's　room。　Rose　will　be　under　her
orders。　I　saw　at　a　glance　that　my　governess　would　be　governed　by　me。
In　the　six　days　we　have　been　together；　she　has　made　very　sure　that　I
am　the　only　person　likely　to　take　an　interest　in　her；　while；　for　my
part；　I　have　ascertained　that；　for　all　her　statuesque　features；　she
will　prove　accommodating。　She　seems　to　me　a　kindly　soul；　but　cautious。
I　have　not　been　able　to　extract　a　word　of　what　passed　between　her　and
my　mother。

Another　trifling　piece　of　news！　My　father　has　this　morning　refused　the
appointment　as　Minister　of　State　which　was　offered　him。　This　accounts
for　his　preoccupied　manner　last　night。　He　says　he　would　prefer　an
embassy　to　the　worries　of　public　debate。　Spain　in　especial　attracts
him。

This　news　was　told　me　at　lunch；　the　one　moment　of　the　day　when　my
father；　mother；　and　brother　see　each　other　in　an　easy　way。　The
servants　then　only　come　when　they　are　rung　for。　The　rest　of　the　day　my
brother；　as　well　as　my　father；　spends　out　of　the　house。　My　mother　has
her　toilet　to　make；　between　two　and　four　she　is　never　visible；　at　four
o'clock　she　goes　out　for　an　hour's　drive；　when　she　is　not　dining　out；
she　receives　from　six　to　seven；　and　the　evening　is　given　to
entertainments　of　various　kindstheatres；　balls；　concerts；　at　homes。
In　short；　her　life　is　so　full；　that　I　don't　believe　she　ever　has　a
quarter　of　an　hour　to　herself。　She　must　spend　a　considerable　time
dressing　in　the　morning；　for　at　lunch；　which　takes　place　between
eleven　and　twelve；　she　is　exquisite。　The　meaning