letters of two brides-第7章

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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　him　my　connection。

I　lodge　in　the　Rue　Hillerin…Bertin　with　a　poor　widow；　who　takes
boarders。　My　room　faces　south　and　looks　out　on　a　little　garden。　It　is
perfectly　quiet；　I　have　green　trees　to　look　upon；　and　spend　the　sum　of
one　piastre　a　day。　I　am　amazed　at　the　amount　of　calm；　pure　pleasure
which　I　enjoy　in　this　life；　after　the　fashion　of　Dionysius　at　Corinth。
From　sunrise　until　ten　o'clock　I　smoke　and　take　my　chocolate；　sitting
at　my　window　and　contemplating　two　Spanish　plants；　a　broom　which　rises
out　of　a　clump　of　jessaminegold　on　a　white　ground；　colors　which　must
send　a　thrill　through　any　scion　of　the　Moors。　At　ten　o'clock　I　start
for　my　lessons；　which　last　till　four；　when　I　return　for　dinner。
Afterwards　I　read　and　smoke　till　I　go　to　bed。

I　can　put　up　for　a　long　time　with　a　life　like　this；　compounded　of　work
and　meditation；　of　solitude　and　society。　Be　happy；　therefore；　Fernand；
my　abdication　has　brought　no　afterthoughts；　I　have　no　regrets　like
Charles　V。；　no　longing　to　try　the　game　again　like　Napoleon。　Five　days
and　nights　have　passed　since　I　wrote　my　will；　to　my　mind　they　might
have　been　five　centuries。　Honor；　titles；　wealth；　are　for　me　as　though
they　had　never　existed。

Now　that　the　conventional　barrier　of　respect　which　hedged　me　round　has
fallen；　I　can　open　my　heart　to　you；　dear　boy。　Though　cased　in　the
armor　of　gravity；　this　heart　is　full　of　tenderness　and　devotion；　which
have　found　no　object；　and　which　no　woman　has　divined；　not　even　she
who；　from　her　cradle；　has　been　my　destined　bride。　In　this　lies　the
secret　of　my　political　enthusiasm。　Spain　has　taken　the　place　of　a
mistress　and　received　the　homage　of　my　heart。　And　now　Spain；　too；　is
gone！　Beggared　of　all；　I　can　gaze　upon　the　ruin　of　what　once　was　me
and　speculate　over　the　mysteries　of　my　being。

Why　did　life　animate　this　carcass；　and　when　will　it　depart？　Why　has
that　race；　pre…eminent　in　chivalry；　breathed　all　its　primitive　virtues
its　tropical　love；　its　fiery　poetryinto　this　its　last　offshoot；　if
the　seed　was　never　to　burst　its　rugged　shell；　if　no　stem　was　to　spring
forth；　no　radiant　flower　scatter　aloft　its　Eastern　perfumes？　Of　what
crime　have　I　been　guilty　before　my　birth　that　I　can　inspire　no　love？
Did　fate　from　my　very　infancy　decree　that　I　should　be　stranded；　a
useless　hulk；　on　some　barren　shore！　I　find　in　my　soul　the　image　of　the
deserts　where　my　fathers　ranged；　illumined　by　a　scorching　sun　which
shrivels　up　all　life。　Proud　remnant　of　a　fallen　race；　vain　force；　love
run　to　waste；　an　old　man　in　the　prime　of　youth；　here　better　than
elsewhere　shall　I　await　the　last　grace　of　death。　Alas！　under　this
murky　sky　no　spark　will　kindle　these　ashes　again　to　flame。　Thus　my
last　words　may　be　those　of　Christ；　/My　God；　Thou　hast　forsaken　me！/
Cry　of　agony　and　terror；　to　the　core　of　which　no　mortal　has　ventured
yet　to　penetrate！

You　can　realize　now；　Fernand；　what　a　joy　it　is　to　me　to　live　afresh　in
you　and　Marie。　I　shall　watch　you　henceforth　with　the　pride　of　a
creator　satisfied　in　his　work。　Love　each　other　well　and　go　on　loving
if　you　would　not　give　me　pain；　any　discord　between　you　would　hurt　me
more　than　it　would　yourselves。

Our　mother　had　a　presentiment　that　events　would　one　day　serve　her
wishes。　It　may　be　that　the　longing　of　a　mother　constitutes　a　pact
between　herself　and　God。　Was　she　not；　moreover；　one　of　those
mysterious　beings　who　can　hold　converse　with　Heaven　and　bring　back
thence　a　vision　of　the　future？　How　often　have　I　not　read　in　the　lines
of　her　forehead　that　she　was　coveting　for　Fernand　the　honors　and　the
wealth　of　Felipe！　When　I　said　so　to　her；　she　would　reply　with　tears；
laying　bare　the　wounds　of　a　heart；　which　of　right　was　the　undivided
property　of　both　her　sons；　but　which　an　irresistible　passion　gave　to
you　alone。

Her　spirit；　therefore；　will　hover　joyfully　above　your　heads　as　you　bow
them　at　the　altar。　My　mother；　have　you　not　a　caress　for　your　Felipe
now　that　he　has　yielded　to　your　favorite　even　the　girl　whom　you
regretfully　thrust　into　his　arms？　What　I　have　done　is　pleasing　to　our
womankind；　to　the　dead；　and　to　the　King；　it　is　the　will　of　God。　Make
no　difficulty　then；　Fernand；　obey；　and　be　silent。

/P。　S。/　Tell　Urraca　to　be　sure　and　call　me　nothing　but　M。　Henarez。
Don't　say　a　word　about　me　to　Marie。　You　must　be　the　one　living　soul　to
know　the　secrets　of　the　last　Christianized　Moor；　in　whose　veins　runs
the　blood　of　a　great　family；　which　took　its　rise　in　the　desert　and　is
now　about　to　die　out　in　the　person　of　a　solitary　exile。

Farewell。



VII

LOUISE　DE　CHAULIEU　TO　RENEE　DE　MAUCOMBE

WHAT！　To　be　married　so　soon。　But　this　is　unheard　of。　At　the　end　of　a
month　you　become　engaged　to　a　man　who　is　a　stranger　to　you；　and　about
whom　you　know　nothing。　The　man　may　be　deafthere　are　so　many　kinds　of
deafness！he　may　be　sickly；　tiresome；　insufferable！

Don't　you　see；　Renee；　what　they　want　with　you？　You　are　needful　for
carrying　on　the　glorious　stock　of　the　l'Estorades；　that　is　all。　You
will　be　buried　in　the　provinces。　Are　these　the　promises　we　made　each
other？　Were　I　you；　I　would　sooner　set　off　to　the　Hyeres　islands　in　a
caique；　on　the　chance　of　being　captured　by　an　Algerian　corsair　and
sold　to　the　Grand　Turk。　Then　I　should　be　a　Sultana　some　day；　and
wouldn't　I　make　a　stir　in　the　harem　while　I　was　youngyes；　and
afterwards　too！

You　are　leaving　one　convent　to　enter　another。　I　know　you；　you　are　a
coward；　and　you　will　submit　to　the　yoke　of　family　life　with　a　lamblike
docility。　But　I　am　here　to　direct　you；　you　must　come　to　Paris。　There
we　shall　drive　the　men　wild　and　hold　a　court　like　queens。　Your
husband；　sweetheart；　in　three　years　from　now　may　become　a　member　of
the　Chamber。　I　know　all　about　members　now；　and　I　will　explain　it　to
you。　You　will　work　that　machine　very　well；　you　can　live　in　Paris；　and
become　there　what　my　mother　calls　a　woman　of　fashion。　Oh！　you　needn't
suppose　I　will　leave　you　in　your　grange！

Monday。

For　a　whole　fortnight　now；　my　dear；　I　have　been　living　the　life　of
society；　one　evening　at　the　Italiens；　another　at　the　Grand　Opera；　and
always　a　ball　afterwards。　Ah！　society　is　a　witching　world。　The　music
of　the　Opera　enchants　me；　and　whilst　my　soul　is　plunged　in　divine
pleasure；　I　am　the　centre　of　admiration　and　the　focus　of　all　the
opera…glasses。　But　a　single　glance　will　make　the　boldest　youth　drop
his　eyes。

I　have　seen　some　charming　young　men　there；　all　the　same；　I　don't　care
for　any　of　them；　not　one　has　roused　in　me　the　emotion　which　I　feel
when　I　listen　to　Garcia　in　his　splendid　duet　with　Pellegrini　in
/Otello/。　Heavens！　how　jealous　Rossini　must　have　been　to　express
jealousy　so　well！　What　a　cry　in　〃Il　mio　cor　si　divide！〃　I'm　speaking
Greek　to　you；　for　you　never　heard　Garcia；　but　then　you　know　how
jealous　I　am！

What　a　wretched　dramatist　Shakespeare　is！　Othello　is　in　love　with
glory；　he　wins　battles；　he　gives　orders；　he　struts　about　and　is　all
over　the　place　while　Desdemona　sits　at　home；　and　Desdemona；　who　sees
herself　neglected　for　the　silly　fuss　of　public　life；　is　quite　meek　all
the　time。　Such　a　sheep　deserves　to　be　slaughtered。　Let　t