the deputy of arcis-第20章

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II

THE　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MADAME　OCTAVE　DE　CAMPS

Paris；　February；　1839。

Dear　Madame　de　Camps；Of　all　the　proofs　of　sympathy　which　the　accident　to　my　dear　child　has　brought　me；　not　one　has　touched　me　so　much　as　your　excellent　letter。

In　reply　to　your　affectionate　solicitude　I　must　tell　you　that　in　that　terrible　moment　Nais　was　marvellously　calm　and　self…possessed。　It　could　not；　I　think；　be　possible　to　see　death　nearer；　yet　neither　before　nor　after　the　accident　did　my　valiant　little　daughter　even　blench；　her　whole　behavior　showed　the　utmost　resolution；　and；　thank　God！　her　health　has　not　suffered　for　a　moment。

As　for　me；　in　consequence　of　such　terror；　I　was　seized　with　convulsive　spasms；　and　for　several　days；　as　I　now　hear；　the　doctors　were　very　uneasy；　and　even　feared　for　my　reason。　But　thanks　to　the　strength　of　my　constitution；　I　am　now　almost　myself　again；　and　nothing　would　remain　of　this　cruel　agitation　if；　by　a　singular　fatality；　it　were　not　connected　with　another　unpleasant　circumstance　which　has　lately　seen　fit　to　fasten　upon　my　life。

Before　receiving　from　your　letter　these　fresh　assurances　of　your　regard；　I　had　thought　of　invoking　the　help　of　your　friendship　and　advice；　and　to…day；　when　you　tell　me　that　it　would　make　you　happy　and　proud　to　take　the　place　of　my　poor　Louise　de　Chaulieu；　the　precious　friend　of　whom　death　has　deprived　me；　can　I　hesitate　for　a　moment？

I　take　you　at　your　word；　and　that　delightful　cleverness　with　which　you　foiled　the　fools　who　commented　on　your　marriage　to　Monsieur　de　Camps　＇see　〃Madame　Firmiani〃＇；　that　singular　tact　with　which　we　saw　you　steer　your　way　through　circumstances　that　were　full　of　embarrassment　and　danger；　in　short　the　wonderful　art　which　enabled　you　to　keep　both　your　secret　and　your　dignity；　I　now　ask　you　to　put　to　the　service　of　assisting　me　in　the　dilemma　I　mentioned　just　now。

Unfortunately　in　consulting　a　physician　we　naturally　want　to　see　him　and　tell　him　our　symptoms　/viva　voce/；　and　it　is　here　that　Monsieur　de　Camps　with　his　industrial　genius　seems　to　me　most　aggravating。　Thanks　to　those　villanous　iron…works　which　he　has　taken　it　into　his　head　to　purchase；　you　are　almost　lost　to　Paris　and　to　society！　Formerly　when　we　had　you　here；　at　hand；　in　ten　minutes　talk；　without　embarrassment；　without　preparation；　I　could　have　told　you　everything；　but　now　I　am　obliged　to　think　over　what　I　have　to　say；　to　gather　myself　together；　and　pass　into　the　solemnity　of　a　written　statement。

But　after　all；　perhaps　it　is　better　to　plunge　boldly　in；　and　since；　in　spite　of　circumlocutions　and　preambles；　I　shall　have　sooner　or　later　to　come　to　the　point；　why　not　say　at　once　that　my　trouble　concerns　the　stranger　who　saved　my　daughter's　life。

Stranger！　yes；　a　stranger　to　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　and　to　all　who　have　told　you　about　the　accident；　but　not　a　stranger　to　me；　whom；　for　the　last　three　months；　this　man　has　condescended　to　honor　with　the　most　obstinate　attention。　That　the　mother　of　three　children；　one　of　them　a　big　boy　of　fifteen；　should　at　thirty…three　years　of　age　become　the　object　of　an　ardent　passion　will　seem　to　you；　as　it　does　to　me；　an　impossible　fact；　and　that　is　the　ridiculous　misfortune　about　which　I　want　to　consult　you。

When　I　say　that　this　stranger　is　known　to　me；　I　must　correct　myself；　for　I　know　neither　his　name；　nor　his　abode；　nor　anything　about　him。　I　have　never　met　him　in　society；　and　I　may　add　that；　although　he　wears　the　ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　there　is　nothing　in　his　air　and　mannerwhich　are　totally　devoid　of　eleganceto　make　me　suppose　I　ever　shall　meet　him　in　our　world。

It　was　at　Saint…Thomas　d'Aquin；　where；　as　you　know；　I　go　to　hear　mass；　that　this　annoying　obsession　began。　I　used　almost　daily　to　take　my　children　to　walk　in　the　Tuileries；　as　the　house　we　have　hired　here　has　no　garden。　This　habit　being　noticed　by　my　persecutor；　I　found　him　repeatedly　there　and　wherever　else　I　might　be　met　outside　of　my　own　home。　Perfectly　discreet；　although　so　audacious；　this　singular　follower　never　accompanied　me　to　my　own　door；　he　kept　at　a　sufficient　distance　to　give　me　the　comfort　of　feeling　that　his　foolish　assiduity　would　not　be　observed　by　others。

Heaven　only　knows　the　sacrifices　and　annoyances　I　have　borne　to　be　rid　of　him。　I　never　go　to　church　now　except　on　Sundays；　I　often　keep　my　dear　children　at　home　to　the　injury　of　their　health；　or　else　I　make　excuses　not　to　accompany　them；　and　against　all　the　principles　of　my　education　and　prudence；　I　leave　them　to　the　care　of　the　servants。　Visits；　shopping　I　do　only　in　a　carriage；　which　did　not　prevent　my　/shadow/　from　being　at　hand　when　the　accident　happened　to　Nais；　and　saving　her　life；　an　act　that　was　brave　and　providential。

But　it　is　precisely　this　great　obligation　I　am　now　under　which　makes　does　it　not；　I　appeal　to　you？a　most　deplorable　complication。

In　the　first　place；　about　thanking　him。　If　I　do　that；　I　encourage　him；　and　he　would　certainly　take　advantage　of　it　to　change　the　character　of　our　present　intercourse。　But　if　I　pass　him　without　noticethink　of　it！　a　mothera　mother　who　owes　him　the　life　of　her　daughter；　to　pretend　not　to　see　him！　to　pass　him　without　a　single　word　of　gratitude！

That；　however；　is　the　intolerable　alternative　in　which　I　find　myself　placed；　and　you　can　now　see　how　much　I　need　the　counsels　of　your　experience。　What　can　I　do　to　break　the　unpleasant　habit　this　man　has　taken　of　being　my　shadow？　How　shall　I　thank　him　without　encouraging　him？　or　not　thank　him　without　incurring　self…reproach？

Those　are　the　problems　submitted　to　your　wisdom。　If　you　will　do　me　the　kindness　to　solve　themand　I　know　no　one　so　capableI　shall　add　gratitude　to　all　the　other　affectionate　sentiments　which；　as　you　know；　I　have　so　long　felt　for　you。



III

THE　COMTE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MONSIEUR　MARIE…GASTON

Paris；　February；　1839。

Perhaps；　my　dear　Monsieur　Gaston；　the　public　journals　will　have　told　you　before　this　letter　can　arrive　of　the　duel　fought　yesterday　between　your　friend　Monsieur　Dorlange　and　the　Duc　de　Rhetore。　But　the　papers；　while　announcing　the　fact　as　a　piece　of　news；　are　debarred　by　custom　and　propriety　from　inferring　the　motives　of　a　quarrel；　and　therefore　they　will　only　excite　your　curiosity　without　satisfying　it。

I　have；　fortunately；　heard　from　a　very　good　source；　all　the　details　of　the　affair；　and　I　hasten　to　transmit　them　to　you；　they　are；　I　think；　of　a　nature　to　interest　you　to　the　highest　degree。

Three　days　ago；　that　is　to　say　on　the　very　evening　of　the　day　when　I　paid　my　visit　to　Monsieur　Dorlange；　the　Duc　de　Rhetore　occupied　a　stall　at　the　Opera…house。　Next　to　him　sat　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　who　has　recently　returned　from　a　diplomatic　mission　which　kept　him　out　of　France　for　several　years。　During　the　entr'acte　these　gentlemen　did　not　leave　their　seats　to　walk　about　the　foyer；　but；　as　is　often　done；　they　stood　up；　with　their　backs　to　the　stage；　facing　the　audience　and　consequently　Monsieur　Dorlange；　who　was　seated　directly　behind　them；　seeming　to　be　absorbed　in　an　evening　newspaper。　There　had　been　that　day　a　very　scandalous；　or　what　is　called　a　very　interesting；　session　of　the　Chamber　of　deputies。

The　conversation　between　the　duke　and　the　marquis　having　naturally　turned　on　the　events　of　Parisian　society　which　had　taken　place　during　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles'　absence；　the　latter　made　the　following　remark　which　was　of　a　nature　to　rouse　the　attention　of　Monsieur　Dorlange。

〃Your　poor　sister　Madame　de　Macumer！　what　a　sad　end；　after　her　singular　marriage！〃

〃Ah！　you　know；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Rhetore；　in　that　high…pitched　tone　of　his；　〃my　sister　had　too　much　imagination　not　to　be　romantic　and　visionary。　She　loved　her　first　husband；　Monsieur　de　Macumer；　passionately；　but　after　a　time　one　gets　tired　of　everything；　even　widowhood。　This　Marie…Gaston　crossed　her　path。　He　is　agreeable　in　person；　my　sister　was　rich；　he　was　deeply　in　debt　and　behaved　with　corresponding　eagerness　and　devotion。　The　result　was　that　the　scoundrel　not　only　succeeded　Monsieur　de　Macumer　and　killed　his　wife　with　jealousy；　but　he　got　out　of　her　every　penny　the　law　allowed　the　poor　foolish　woman　to　dispose　of。　My　sister's　property　amounted　to　at　least　twelve　hundred　thousand　francs；　not　counting　a　delightful　villa　splendidly　furnished　which　she　built　at　Ville　d'Avray。　Half　of　this　that　man　obtained；　the　other　half　went　to　the　Duc　and　Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　my　father　and　mother；　who　were　entitled　to　it　by　law　as　heirs　ascendant。　As　for　my　brother　Lenoncourt　and　myself；　we　were　simply　disinherited。〃

As　soon　as　your　name；　my　dear　Monsieur　Gaston；　was　uttered；　Monsieur　Dorlange　laid　aside　his　newspaper；　and　then；　as　Monsieur　de　Rhetore　ended　his　remarks；　he　rose　and　said：

〃Pardon　me；　Monsieur　le　duc；　if　I　venture　to　correct　your　statement；　but；　as　a　matter　of　conscience；　I　ought　to　inform　you　that　you　are　totally　misinformed。〃

〃What　is　that　you　say？〃　returned　the　duke；　blinking　his　eyes　and　speaking　in　that　contemptuous　tone　we　can　all　imagine。

〃I　say；　Monsieur　le　duc；　that　Marie…Gaston　is　my　friend　from　childhood；　he　has　never　been　thought　a　/scoundrel/；　on　the　contrary；　the　world　knows　him　as　a　man　of　honor　and　talent。　So　far　from　killing　his　wife　with　jealousy；　he　made　her　perfectly　happy　during　the　three　years　their　marriage　lasted。　As　for　the　property〃

〃Have　you　considered；　monsieur；〃　said　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　interrupting　him；　〃the　result　of　such　language？〃

〃Thoroughly；　monsieur；　and　I　repeat　that　the　property　left　to　Marie…　Gaston　by　the　will　of　his　wife　is　so　little　desired　by　him　that；　to　my　knowledge；　he　is　about　to　spend　a　sum　of　two　or　three　hundred　thousand　francs　in　building　a　mausoleum　for　a　wife　whom　he　has　never　ceased　to　mourn。〃

〃After　all；　monsieur；　who　are　you？〃　said　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　again　interrupting　him　with　ill…restrained　impatience。

〃Presently；〃　replied　Monsieur　Dorlange；　〃I　shall　have　the　honor　to　tell　you；　you　must　now　permit　me　to　add　that　the　property　of　which　you　say　you　have　been　disinherited　Madame　Marie…Gaston　had　the　right　to　dispose　of　without　any　remorse　of　conscience。　It　came　from　her　first　husband；　the　Baron　de　Macumer；　and　she　had；　previously　to　that　marriage；　given　up　her　own　property　in　order　to　constitute　a　fortune　for　your　brother；　the　Duc　de　Lenoncourt…Givry；　who；　as　younger　son；　had　not；　like　you；　Monsieur　le　Duc；　the　advantages　of　an　entail。〃

So　saying；　Monsieur　Dorlange　felt　in　his　pocket　for　his　card…case。

〃I　have　no　cards　with　me；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃but　my　name　is　Dorlange；　a　theatrical　name；　easy　to　remember；　and　I　live　at　No。　42　rue　de　l'Ouest。〃

〃Not　a　very　central　quarter；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　Rhetore；　ironically。　Then　turning　to　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　whom　he　thus　constituted　one　of　his　seconds；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　dear　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　voyage　of　discovery　you　will　have　to　undertake　for　me　to…morrow　morning。〃　And　then　almost　immediately　he　added：　〃Come　to　the　foyer；　we　can　talk　there　with　greater　/safety/。〃

By　his　manner　of　accenting　the　last　word　it　was　impossible　to　mistake　the　insulting　meaning　he　intended　to　attach　to　it。

The　two　gentlemen　having　left　their　seats；　without　this　scene　attracting　any　notice；　in　consequence　of　the　stalls　being　empty　for　the　most　part　during　the　entr'acte；　Monsieur　Do