the lily of the valley-第28章

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effect　as　the　sufferings　of　the　early　Christians；　which　strengthened

their　faith　and　made　God　visible　to　them。　In　hearts　that　abound　in

love　are　there　not　incessant　longings　for　a　desired　object；　to　which

the　glowing　fire　of　our　dreams　gives　higher　value　and　a　deeper　tint？

Are　we　not　conscious　of　instigations　which　give　to　the　beloved

features　the　beauty　of　the　ideal　by　inspiring　them　with　thought？　The

past；　dwelt　on　in　all　its　details　becomes　magnified；　the　future　teems

with　hope。　When　two　hearts　filled　with　these　electric　clouds　meet　each

other；　their　interview　is　like　the　welcome　storm　which　revives　the

earth　and　stimulates　it　with　the　swift　lightnings　of　the　thunderbolt。

How　many　tender　pleasures　came　to　me　when　I　found　these　thoughts　and

these　sensations　reciprocal！　With　what　glad　eyes　I　followed　the

development　of　happiness　in　Henriette！　A　woman　who　renews　her　life

from　that　of　her　beloved　gives；　perhaps；　a　greater　proof　of　feeling

than　she　who　dies　killed　by　a　doubt；　withered　on　her　stock　for　want　of

sap；　I　know　not　which　of　the　two　is　the　more　touching。



The　revival　of　Madame　de　Mortsauf　was　wholly　natural；　like　the　effects

of　the　month　of　May　upon　the　meadows；　or　those　of　the　sun　and　of　the

brook　upon　the　drooping　flowers。　Henriette；　like　our　dear　valley　of

love；　had　had　her　winter；　she　revived　like　the　valley　in　the

springtime。　Before　dinner　we　went　down　to　the　beloved　terrace。　There；

with　one　hand　stroking　the　head　of　her　son；　who　walked　feebly　beside

her；　silent；　as　though　he　were　breeding　an　illness；　she　told　me　of　her

nights　beside　his　pillow。



For　three　months；　she　said；　she　had　lived　wholly　within　herself；

inhabiting；　as　it　were；　a　dark　palace；　afraid　to　enter　sumptuous　rooms

where　the　light　shone；　where　festivals　were　given；　to　her　denied；　at

the　door　of　which　she　stood；　one　glance　turned　upon　her　child；　another

to　a　dim　and　distant　figure；　one　ear　listening　for　moans；　another　for

a　voice。　She　told　me　poems；　born　of　solitude；　such　as　no　poet　ever

sang；　but　all　ingenuously；　without　one　vestige　of　love；　one　trace　of

voluptuous　thought；　one　echo　of　a　poesy　orientally　soothing　as　the

rose　of　Frangistan。　When　the　count　joined　us　she　continued　in　the　same

tone；　like　a　woman　secure　within　herself；　able　to　look　proudly　at　her

husband　and　kiss　the　forehead　of　her　son　without　a　blush。　She　had

prayed　much；　she　had　clasped　her　hands　for　nights　together　over　her

child；　refusing　to　let　him　die。



〃I　went；〃　she　said；　〃to　the　gate　of　the　sanctuary　and　asked　his　life

of　God。〃



She　had　had　visions；　and　she　told　them　to　me；　but　when　she　said；　in

that　angelic　voice　of　hers；　these　exquisite　words；　〃While　I　slept　my

heart　watched；〃　the　count　harshly　interrupted　her。



〃That　is　to　say；　you　were　half　crazy；〃　he　cried。



She　was　silent；　as　deeply　hurt　as　though　it　were　a　first　wound；

forgetting　that　for　thirteen　years　this　man　had　lost　no　chance　to

shoot　his　arrows　into　her　heart。　Like　a　soaring　bird　struck　on　the

wing　by　vulgar　shot；　she　sank　into　a　dull　depression；　then　she　roused

herself。



〃How　is　it；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃that　no　word　of　mine　ever　finds

favor　in　your　sight？　Have　you　no　indulgence　for　my　weakness；no

comprehension　of　me　as　a　woman？〃



She　stopped　short。　Already　she　regretted　the　murmur；　and　measured　the

future　by　the　past；　how　could　she　expect　comprehension？　Had　she　not

drawn　upon　herself　some　virulent　attack？　The　blue　veins　of　her　temples

throbbed；　she　shed　no　tears；　but　the　color　of　her　eyes　faded。　Then　she

looked　down；　that　she　might　not　see　her　pain　reflected　on　my　face；　her

feelings　guessed；　her　soul　wooed　by　my　soul；　above　all；　not　see　the

sympathy　of　young　love；　ready　like　a　faithful　dog　to　spring　at　the

throat　of　whoever　threatened　his　mistress；　without　regard　to　the

assailant's　strength　or　quality。　At　such　cruel　moments　the　count's　air

of　superiority　was　supreme。　He　thought　he　had　triumphed　over　his　wife；

and　he　pursued　her　with　a　hail　of　phrases　which　repeated　the　one　idea；

and　were　like　the　blows　of　an　axe　which　fell　with　unvarying　sound。



〃Always　the　same？〃　I　said；　when　the　count　left　us　to　follow　the

huntsman　who　came　to　speak　to　him。



〃Always；〃　answered　Jacques。



〃Always　excellent；　my　son；〃　she　said；　endeavoring　to　withdraw　Monsieur

de　Mortsauf　from　the　judgment　of　his　children。　〃You　see　only　the

present；　you　know　nothing　of　the　past；　therefore　you　cannot　criticise

your　father　without　doing　him　injustice。　But　even　if　you　had　the　pain

of　seeing　that　your　father　was　to　blame；　family　honor　requires　you　to

bury　such　secrets　in　silence。〃



〃How　have　the　changes　at　the　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere　answered？〃　I

asked；　to　divert　her　mind　from　bitter　thoughts。



〃Beyond　my　expectations；〃　she　replied。　〃As　soon　as　the　buildings　were

finished　we　found　two　excellent　farmers　ready　to　hire　them；　one　at

four　thousand　five　hundred　francs；　taxes　paid；　the　other　at　five

thousand；　both　leases　for　fifteen　years。　We　have　already　planted　three

thousand　young　trees　on　the　new　farms。　Manette's　cousin　is　delighted

to　get　the　Rabelaye；　Martineau　has　taken　the　Baude。　All　OUR　efforts

have　been　crowned　with　success。　Clochegourde；　without　the　reserved

land　which　we　call　the　home…farm；　and　without　the　timber　and

vineyards；　brings　in　nineteen　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　the

plantations　are　becoming　valuable。　I　am　battling　to　let　the　home…farm

to　Martineau；　the　keeper；　whose　eldest　son　can　now　take　his　place。　He

offers　three　thousand　francs　if　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　will　build　him　a

farm…house　at　the　Commanderie。　We　might　then　clear　the　approach　to

Clochegourde；　finish　the　proposed　avenue　to　the　main　road；　and　have

only　the　woodland　and　the　vineyards　to　take　care　of　ourselves。　If　the

king　returns；　OUR　pension　will　be　restored；　WE　shall　consent　after

clashing　a　little　with　OUR　wife's　common…sense。　Jacques'　fortune　will

then　be　permanently　secured。　That　result　obtained；　I　shall　leave

monsieur　to　lay　by　as　much　as　he　likes　for　Madeleine；　though　the　king

will　of　course　dower　her；　according　to　custom。　My　conscience　is　easy；

I　have　all　but　accomplished　my　task。　And　you？〃　she　said。



I　explained　to　her　the　mission　on　which　the　king　had　sent　me；　and

showed　her　how　her　wise　counsel　had　borne　fruit。　Was　she　endowed　with

second　sight　thus　to　foretell　events？



〃Did　I　not　write　it　to　you？〃　she　answered。　〃For　you　and　for　my

children　alone　I　possess　a　remarkable　faculty；　of　which　I　have　spoken

only　to　my　confessor；　Monsieur　de　la　Berge；　he　explains　it　by　divine

intervention。　Often；　after　deep　meditation　induced　by　fears　about　the

health　of　my　children；　my　eyes　close　to　the　things　of　earth　and　see

into　another　region；　if　Jacques　and　Madeleine　there　appear　to　me　as

two　luminous　figures　they　are　sure　to　have　good　health　for　a　certain

period　of　time；　if　wrapped　in　mist　they　are　equally　sure　to　fall　ill

soon　after。　As　for　you；　I　not　only　see　you　brilliantly　illuminated；

but　I　hear　a　voice　which　explains　to　me　without　words；　by　some　mental

communication；　what　you　ought　to　do。　Does　any　law　forbid　me　to　use

this　wonderful　gift　for　my　children　and　for　you？〃　she　asked；　falling

into　a　reverie。　Then；　after　a　pause；　she　added；　〃Perhaps　God　wills　to

take　the　place　of　their　father。〃



〃Let　me　believe　that　my　obedience　is　due　to　none　but　you；〃　I　cried。



She　gave　me　one　of　her　exquisitely　gracious　smiles；　which　so　exalted

my　heart　that　I　should　not　have　felt　a　death…blow　if　given　at　that

moment。



〃As　soon　as　the　king　returns　to　Paris；　go　there；　leave　Clochegourde；〃

she　said。　〃It　may　be　degrading　to　beg　for　places　and　favors；　but　it

would　be　ridiculous　to　be　out　of　the　way　of　receiving　them。　Great

changes　will　soon　take　place。　The　king　needs　capable　and　trustworthy

men；　don't　fail　him。　It　is　well　for　you　to　enter　young　into　the

affairs　of　the　nation　and　learn　your　way；　for　statesmen；　like　actors；

have　a　routine　business　to　acquire；　which　genius　does　not　reveal；　it

must　be　learnt。　My　father　heard　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　say　this。　Think　of

me；〃　she　said；　after　a　pause；　〃let　me　enjoy　the　pleasures　of

superiority　in　a　soul　that　is　all　my　own；　for　are　you　not　my　son？〃



〃Your　son？〃　I　said；　sullenly。



〃Yes；　my　son！〃　she　cried；　mocking　me；　〃is　not　that　a　good　place　in　my

heart？〃



The　bell　rang　for　dinner；　she　took　my　arm　and　leaned　contentedly　upon

it。



〃You　have　grown；〃　she　said；　as　we　went　up　the　steps。　When　we　reached

the　portico　she　shook　my　arm　a　little；　as　if　my　looks　were

importunate；　for　though　her　eyes　were　lowered　she　knew　that　I　saw　only

her。　Then　she　said；　with　a　charming　air　of　pretended　impatience；　full

of　grace　and　coquetry；　〃Come；　why　don't　you　look　at　our　dear　valley？〃



She　turned；　held　her　white　silk　sun…shade　over　our　heads　and　drew

Jacques　closely　to　her　side。　The　motion　of　her　head　as　she　looked

towards　the　Indre；　the　punt；　the　meadows；　showed　me　that　in　my　absence

she　had　come　to　many　an　understanding　with　those　misty　horizons　and

their　vaporous　outline。　Nature　was　a　mantle　which　sheltered　her

thoughts。　She　now　knew　what　the　nightingale　was　sighing　the　livelong

night；　what　the　songster　of　the　sedges　hymned　with　his　plaintive　note。



At　eight　o'clock　that　evening　I　was　witness　of　a　scene　which　touched

me　deeply；　and　which　I　had　never　yet　witnessed；　for　in　my　former

visits　I　had　played　backgammon　with　the　count　while　his　wife　took　the

children　into　the　dining…room　before　their　bedtime。　The　bell　rang

twice；　and　all　the　servants　of　the　household　entered　the　room。



〃You　are　now　our　guest　and　must　submit　to　convent　rule；〃　said　the

countess；　leading　me　by　the　hand　with　that　air　of　innocent　gaiety

which　distinguishes　women　who　are　naturally　pious。



The　count　followed。　Masters；　children；　and　servants　knelt　down；　all

taking　their　regular　places。　It　was　Madeleine's　turn　to　read　the

prayers。　The　dear　child　said　them　in　her　childish　voice；　the　ingenuous

tones　of　which　rose　clear　in　the　harmonious　silence　of　the　country；

and　gave　to　the　words　the　candor　of　holy　innocence；　the　grace　of

angels。　It　was　the　most　affecting　prayer　I　ever　heard。　Nature　replied

to　the　child's　voice　with　the　myriad　murmurs　of　the　coming　night；　like

the　low　accompaniment　of　an　organ　lightly　touched；　Madeleine　was　on

the　right　of　the　countess；　Jacques　on　her　left。　The　graceful　curly

heads；　between　which　rose　the　smooth　braids　of　the　mother；　and　above

all　three　the　perfectly　white　hair　and　yellow　cranium　of　the　father；

made　a　picture　which　repeated；　in　some　sort；　the　ideas　aroused　by　the

melody　of　the　prayer。　As　if　to　fulfil　all　conditions　of　the　unity

which　marks　the　sublime；　this　calm　and　collected　group　were　bathed　in

the　fading　light　of　the　setting　sun；　its　red　tints　coloring　the　room；

impelling　the　soulbe　it　poetic　or　superstitiousto　believe　that　the

fires　of　heaven　were　visiting　these　faithful　servants　of　God　as　they

knelt　there　without　distinction　of　ra