the purse-第5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！



feelings　and　Adelaide's　underwent　the　slow　and　delightful

transformations　which　bring　two　souls　to　a　perfect　understanding。

Every　day　the　look　with　which　the　girl　welcomed　her　friend　grew

more　intimate；　more　confiding；　gayer；　and　more　open；　her　voice

and　manner　became　more　eager　and　more　familiar。　They　laughed　and

talked　together；　telling　each　other　their　thoughts；　speaking　of

themselves　with　the　simplicity　of　two　children　who　have　made

friends　in　a　day；　as　much　as　if　they　had　met　constantly　for　three

years。　Schinner　wished　to　be　taught　piquet。　Being　ignorant　and　a

novice；　he；　of　course；　made　blunder　after　blunder；　and　like　the

old　man；　he　lost　almost　every　game。　Without　having　spoken　a　word

of　love　the　lovers　knew　that　they　were　all　in　all　to　one　another。

Hippolyte　enjoyed　exerting　his　power　over　his　gentle　little

friend；　and　many　concessions　were　made　to　him　by　Adelaide；　who；

timid　and　devoted　to　him；　was　quite　deceived　by　the　assumed　fits

of　temper；　such　as　the　least　skilled　lover　and　the　most　guileless

girl　can　affect；　and　which　they　constantly　play　off；　as　spoilt

children　abuse　the　power　they　owe　to　their　mother's　affection。

Thus　all　familiarity　between　the　girl　and　the　old　Count　was　soon

put　a　stop　to。　She　understood　the　painter's　melancholy；　and　the

thoughts　hidden　in　the　furrows　on　his　brow；　from　the　abrupt　tone

of　the　few　words　he　spoke　when　the　old　man　unceremoniously　kissed

Adelaide's　hands　or　throat。



Mademoiselle　Leseigneur；　on　her　part；　soon　expected　her　lover　to

give　a　short　account　of　all　his　actions；　she　was　so　unhappy；　so

restless　when　Hippolyte　did　not　come；　she　scolded　him　so

effectually　for　his　absence；　that　the　painter　had　to　give　up

seeing　his　other　friends；　and　now　went　nowhere。　Adelaide　allowed

the　natural　jealousy　of　women　to　be　perceived　when　she　heard　that

sometimes　at　eleven　o'clock；　on　quitting　the　house；　the　painter

still　had　visits　to　pay；　and　was　to　be　seen　in　the　most　brilliant

drawing…rooms　of　Paris。　This　mode　of　life；　she　assured　him；　was

bad　for　his　health；　then；　with　the　intense　conviction　to　which

the　accent；　the　emphasis　and　the　look　of　one　we　love　lend　so　much

weight；　she　asserted　that　a　man　who　was　obliged　to　expend　his

time　and　the　charms　of　his　wit　on　several　women　at　once　could　not

be　the　object　of　any　very　warm　affection。　Thus　the　painter　was

led；　as　much　by　the　tyranny　of　his　passion　as　by　the　exactions　of

a　girl　in　love；　to　live　exclusively　in　the　little　apartment　where

everything　attracted　him。



And　never　was　there　a　purer　or　more　ardent　love。　On　both　sides

the　same　trustfulness；　the　same　delicacy；　gave　their　passion

increase　without　the　aid　of　those　sacrifices　by　which　many

persons　try　to　prove　their　affection。　Between　these　two　there　was

such　a　constant　interchange　of　sweet　emotion　that　they　knew　not

which　gave　or　received　the　most。



A　spontaneous　affinity　made　the　union　of　their　souls　a　close　one。

The　progress　of　this　true　feeling　was　so　rapid　that　two　months

after　the　accident　to　which　the　painter　owed　the　happiness　of

knowing　Adelaide；　their　lives　were　one　life。　From　early　morning

the　young　girl；　hearing　footsteps　overhead；　could　say　to　herself；

〃He　is　there。〃　When　Hippolyte　went　home　to　his　mother　at　the

dinner　hour　he　never　failed　to　look　in　on　his　neighbors；　and　in

the　evening　he　flew　there　at　the　accustomed　hour　with　a　lover's

punctuality。　Thus　the　most　tyrannical　woman　or　the　most　ambitious

in　the　matter　of　love　could　not　have　found　the　smallest　fault

with　the　young　painter。　And　Adelaide　tasted　of　unmixed　and

unbounded　happiness　as　she　saw　the　fullest　realization　of　the

ideal　of　which；　at　her　age；　it　is　so　natural　to　dream。



The　old　gentleman　now　came　more　rarely；　Hippolyte；　who　had　been

jealous；　had　taken　his　place　at　the　green　table；　and　shared　his

constant　ill…luck　at　cards。　And　sometimes；　in　the　midst　of　his

happiness；　as　he　considered　Madame　de　Rouville's　disastrous

positionfor　he　had　had　more　than　one　proof　of　her　extreme

povertyan　importunate　thought　would　haunt　him。　Several　times　he

had　said　to　himself　as　he　went　home；　〃Strange！　twenty　francs

every　evening？〃　and　he　dared　not　confess　to　himself　his　odious

suspicions。



He　spent　two　months　over　the　portrait；　and　when　it　was　finished；

varnished；　and　framed；　he　looked　upon　it　as　one　of　his　best

works。　Madame　la　Baronne　de　Rouville　had　never　spoken　of　it

again。　Was　this　from　indifference　or　pride？　The　painter　would　not

allow　himself　to　account　for　this　silence。　He　joyfully　plotted

with　Adelaide　to　hang　the　picture　in　its　place　when　Madame　de

Rouville　should　be　out。　So　one　day；　during　the　walk　her　mother

usually　took　in　the　Tuileries；　Adelaide　for　the　first　time　went

up　to　Hippolyte's　studio；　on　the　pretext　of　seeing　the　portrait

in　the　good　light　in　which　it　had　been　painted。　She　stood

speechless　and　motionless；　but　in　ecstatic　contemplation；　in

which　all　a　woman's　feelings　were　merged。　For　are　they　not　all

comprehended　in　boundless　admiration　for　the　man　she　loves？　When

the　painter；　uneasy　at　her　silence；　leaned　forward　to　look　at

her；　she　held　out　her　hand；　unable　to　speak　a　word；　but　two　tears

fell　from　her　eyes。　Hippolyte　took　her　hand　and　covered　it　with

kisses；　for　a　minute　they　looked　at　each　other　in　silence；　both

longing　to　confess　their　love；　and　not　daring。　The　painter　kept

her　hand　in　his；　and　the　same　glow；　the　same　throb；　told　them

that　their　hearts　were　both　beating　wildly。　The　young　girl；　too

greatly　agitated；　gently　drew　away　from　Hippolyte；　and　said；　with

a　look　of　the　utmost　simplicity：



〃You　will　make　my　mother　very　happy。〃



〃What；　only　your　mother？〃　he　asked。



〃Oh；　I　am　too　happy。〃



The　painter　bent　his　head　and　remained　silent；　frightened　at　the

vehemence　of　the　feelings　which　her　tones　stirred　in　his　heart。

Then；　both　understanding　the　perils　of　the　situation；　they　went

downstairs　and　hung　up　the　picture　in　its　place。　Hippolyte　dined

for　the　first　time　with　the　Baroness；　who；　greatly　overcome；　and

drowned　in　tears；　must　needs　embrace　him。



In　the　evening　the　old　emigre；　the　Baron　de　Rouville's　old

comrade；　paid　the　ladies　a　visit　to　announce　that　he　had　just

been　promoted　to　the　rank　of　vice…admiral。　His　voyages　by　land

over　Germany　and　Russia　had　been　counted　as　naval　campaigns。　On

seeing　the　portrait　he　cordially　shook　the　painter's　hand；　and

exclaimed；　〃By　Gad！　though　my　old　hulk　does　not　deserve　to　be

perpetuated；　I　would　gladly　give　five　hundred　pistoles　to　see

myself　as　like　as　that　is　to　my　dear　old　Rouville。〃



At　this　hint　the　Baroness　looked　at　her　young　friend　and　smiled；

while　her　face　lighted　up　with　an　expression　of　sudden　gratitude。

Hippolyte　suspected　that　the　old　admiral　wished　to　offer　him　the

price　of　both　portraits　while　paying　for　his　own。　His　pride　as　an

artist；　no　less　than　his　jealousy　perhaps；　took　offence　at　the

thought；　and　he　replied：



〃Monsieur；　if　I　were　a　portrait…painter　I　should　not　have　done

this　one。〃



The　admiral　bit　his　lip；　and　sat　down　to　cards。



The　painter　remained　near　Adelaide；　who　proposed　a　dozen　hands　of

piquet；　to　which　he　agreed。　As　he　played　he　observed　in　Madame　de

Rouville　an　excitement　over　her　game　which　surprised　him。　Never

before　had　the　old　Baroness　manifested　so　ardent　a　desire　to　win；

or　so　keen　a　joy　in　fingering　the　old　gentleman's　gold　pieces。

During　the　evening　evil　suspicions　troubled　Hippolyte's

happiness；　and　filled　him　with　distrust。　Could　it　be　that　Madame

de　Rouville　lived　by　gambling？　Was　she　playing　at　this　moment　to

pay　off　some　debt；　or　under　the　pressure　of　necessity？　Perhaps

she　had　not　paid　her　rent。　The　old　man　seemed　shrewd　enough　not

to　allow　his　money　to　be　taken　with　impunity。　What　interest

attracted　him　to　this　poverty…stricken　house；　he　who　was　rich？

Why；　when　he　had　formerly　been　so　familiar　with　Adelaide；　had　he

given　up　the　rights　he　had　acquired；　and　which　were　perhaps　his

due？



These　involuntary　reflections　prompted　him　to　watch　the　old　man

and　the　Baroness；　whose　meaning　looks　and　certain　sidelong

glances　cast　at　Adelaide　displeased　him。　〃Am　I　being　duped？〃　was

Hippolyte's　last　ideahorrible；　scathing；　for　he　believed　it

just　enough　to　be　tortured　by　it。　He　determined　to　stay　after　the

departure　of　the　two　old　men；　to　confirm　or　dissipate　his

suspicions。　He　drew　out　his　purse　to　pay　Adelaide；　but　carried

away　by　his　poignant　thoughts；　he　laid　it　on　the　table；　falling

into　a　reverie　of　brief　duration；　then；　ashamed　of　his　silence；

he　rose；　answered　some　commonplace　question　from　Madame　de

Rouville；　and　went　close　up　to　her　to　examine　the　withered

features　while　he　was　talking　to　her。



He　went　away；　racked　by　a　thousand　doubts。　He　had　gone　down　but　a

few　steps　when　he　turned　back　to　fetch　the　forgotten　purse。



〃I　left　my　purse　here！〃　he　said　to　the　young　girl。



〃No；〃　she　said；　reddening。



〃I　thought　it　was　there；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　card…table。　Not

finding　it；　in　his　shame　for　Adelaide　and　the　Baroness；　he　looked

at　them　with　a　blank　amazement　that　made　them　laugh；　turned　pale；

felt　his　waistcoat；　and　said；　〃I　must　have　made　a　mistake。　I　have

it　somewhere　no　doubt。〃　



In　one　end　of　the　purse　there　were　fifteen　louis　d'or；　and　in　the

other　some　small　change。　The　theft　was　so　flagrant；　and　denied

with　such　effrontery；　that　Hippolyte　no　longer　felt　a　doubt　as　to

his　neighbors'　morals。　He　stood　still　on　the　stairs；　and　got　down

with　some　difficulty；　his　knees　shook；　he　felt　dizzy；　he　was　in　a

cold　sweat；　he　shivered；　and　found　himself　unable　to　walk；

struggling；　as　he　was；　with　the　agonizing　shock　caused　by　the

destruction　of　all　his　hopes。　And　at　this　moment　he　found　lurking

in　his　memory　a　number　of　observations；　trifling　in　themselves；

but　which　corroborated　his　frightful　suspicions；　and　which；　by

proving　the　certainty　of　this　last　incident；　opened　his　eyes　as

to　the　character　and　life　of　these　two　women。



Had　they　really　waited　till　the　portrait　was　given　them　before

robbing　him　of　his　purse？　In　such　a　combination　the　theft　was

even　more　odious。　The　painter　recollected　that　for　the　last　two

or　three　evenings　Adelaide；　while　seeming　to　examine　with　a

girl's　curiosity　the　particular　stitch　of　the　worn　silk　netting；

was　probably　counting　the　coins　in　the　purse；　while　making　some

light　jests；　quite　innocent　in　appearance；　but　no　doubt　with　the

object　of　watching　for　a　moment　when　the　sum　was　worth　stealing。



〃The　old　admiral　has　perhaps　good　reasons　for　not　marrying

Adelaide；　and　so　the　Baroness　has　tried〃



But　at　this　hypothesis　he　checked　himself；　not　finishing　his

thought；　which　was　contradicted　by　a　very　just　reflection；　〃If

the　Baroness　hopes　to　get　me　to　marry　her　daughter；〃　thought　he；

〃they　would　not　have　robbed　me。〃



Then；　clinging　to　his　illusions；　to　the　love　that　already　had

taken　such　deep　root；　he　tried　to　find　a　justif