the lily of the valley-第7章

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at　any　onegave　a　strange　solemnity　to　all　she　said　and　did　when　her

words　or　actions　seemed　to　her　to　compromise　her　dignity。



On　this　particular　morning　Madame　de　Mortsauf　wore　a　rose…colored　gown

patterned　in　tiny　stripes；　a　collar　with　a　wide　hem；　a　black　belt；　and

little　boots　of　the　same　hue。　Her　hair　was　simply　twisted　round　her

head；　and　held　in　place　by　a　tortoise…shell　comb。　Such；　my　dear

Natalie；　is　the　imperfect　sketch　I　promised　you。　But　the　constant

emanation　of　her　soul　upon　her　family；　that　nurturing　essence　shed　in

floods　around　her　as　the　sun　emits　its　light；　her　inward　nature；　her

cheerfulness　on　days　serene；　her　resignation　on　stormy　ones；all

those　variations　of　expression　by　which　character　is　displayed　depend；

like　the　effects　in　the　sky；　on　unexpected　and　fugitive　circumstances；

which　have　no　connection　with　each　other　except　the　background　against

which　they　rest；　though　all　are　necessarily　mingled　with　the　events　of

this　history；truly　a　household　epic；　as　great　to　the　eyes　of　a　wise

man　as　a　tragedy　to　the　eyes　of　the　crowd；　an　epic　in　which　you　will

feel　an　interest；　not　only　for　the　part　I　took　in　it；　but　for　the

likeness　that　it　bears　to　the　destinies　of　so　vast　a　number　of　women。



Everything　at　Clochegourde　bore　signs　of　a　truly　English　cleanliness。

The　room　in　which　the　countess　received　us　was　panelled　throughout　and

painted　in　two　shades　of　gray。　The　mantelpiece　was　ornamented　with　a

clock　inserted　in　a　block　of　mahogany　and　surmounted　with　a　tazza；　and

two　large　vases　of　white　porcelain　with　gold　lines；　which　held　bunches

of　Cape　heather。　A　lamp　was　on　a　pier…table；　and　a　backgammon　board　on

legs　before　the　fireplace。　Two　wide　bands　of　cotton　held　back　the

white　cambric　curtains；　which　had　no　fringe。　The　furniture　was　covered

with　gray　cotton　bound　with　a　green　braid；　and　the　tapestry　on　the

countess's　frame　told　why　the　upholstery　was　thus　covered。　Such

simplicity　rose　to　grandeur。　No　apartment；　among　all　that　I　have　seen

since；　has　given　me　such　fertile；　such　teeming　impressions　as　those

that　filled　my　mind　in　that　salon　of　Clochegourde；　calm　and　composed

as　the　life　of　its　mistress；　where　the　conventual　regularity　of　her

occupations　made　itself　felt。　The　greater　part　of　my　ideas　in　science

or　politics；　even　the　boldest　of　them；　were　born　in　that　room；　as

perfumes　emanate　from　flowers；　there　grew　the　mysterious　plant　that

cast　upon　my　soul　its　fructifying　pollen；　there　glowed　the　solar

warmth　which　developed　my　good　and　shrivelled　my　evil　qualities。

Through　the　windows　the　eye　took　in　the　valley　from　the　heights　of

Pont…de…Ruan　to　the　chateau　d'Azay；　following　the　windings　of　the

further　shore；　picturesquely　varied　by　the　towers　of　Frapesle；　the

church；　the　village；　and　the　old　manor…house　of　Sache；　whose　venerable

pile　looked　down　upon　the　meadows。



In　harmony　with　this　reposeful　life；　and　without　other　excitements　to

emotion　than　those　arising　in　the　family；　this　scene　conveyed　to　the

soul　its　own　serenity。　If　I　had　met　her　there　for　the　first　time；

between　the　count　and　her　two　children；　instead　of　seeing　her

resplendent　in　a　ball　dress；　I　should　not　have　ravished　that　delirious

kiss；　which　now　filled　me　with　remorse　and　with　the　fear　of　having

lost　the　future　of　my　love。　No；　in　the　gloom　of　my　unhappy　life　I

should　have　bent　my　knee　and　kissed　the　hem　of　her　garment；　wetting　it

with　tears；　and　then　I　might　have　flung　myself　into　the　Indre。　But

having　breathed　the　jasmine　perfume　of　her　skin　and　drunk　the　milk　of

that　cup　of　love；　my　soul　had　acquired　the　knowledge　and　the　hope　of

human　joys；　I　would　live　and　await　the　coming　of　happiness　as　the

savage　awaits　his　hour　of　vengeance；　I　longed　to　climb　those　trees；　to

creep　among　the　vines；　to　float　in　the　river；　I　wanted　the

companionship　of　night　and　its　silence；　I　needed　lassitude　of　body；　I

craved　the　heat　of　the　sun　to　make　the　eating　of　the　delicious　apple

into　which　I　had　bitten　perfect。　Had　she　asked　of　me　the　singing

flower；　the　riches　buried　by　the　comrades　of　Morgan　the　destroyer；　I

would　have　sought　them；　to　obtain　those　other　riches　and　that　mute

flower　for　which　I　longed。



When　my　dream；　the　dream　into　which　this　first　contemplation　of　my

idol　plunged　me；　came　to　an　end　and　I　heard　her　speaking　of　Monsieur

de　Mortsauf；　the　thought　came　that　a　woman　must　belong　to　her　husband；

and　a　raging　curiosity　possessed　me　to　see　the　owner　of　this　treasure。

Two　emotions　filled　my　mind；　hatred　and　fear；hatred　which　allowed　of

no　obstacles　and　measured　all　without　shrinking；　and　a　vague；　but　real

fear　of　the　struggle；　of　its　issue；　and　above　all　of　HER。



〃Here　is　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；〃　she　said。



I　sprang　to　my　feet　like　a　startled　horse。　Though　the　movement　was

seen　by　Monsieur　de　Chessel　and　the　countess；　neither　made　any

observation；　for　a　diversion　was　effected　at　this　moment　by　the

entrance　of　a　little　girl；　whom　I　took　to　be　about　six　years　old；　who

came　in　exclaiming；　〃Here's　papa！〃



〃Madeleine？〃　said　her　mother；　gently。



The　child　at　once　held　out　her　hand　to　Monsieur　de　Chessel；　and　looked

attentively　at　me　after　making　a　little　bow　with　an　air　of

astonishment。



〃Are　you　more　satisfied　about　her　health？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　Chessel。



〃She　is　better；〃　replied　the　countess；　caressing　the　little　head　which

was　already　nestling　in　her　lap。



The　next　question　of　Monsieur　de　Chessel　let　me　know　that　Madeleine

was　nine　years　old；　I　showed　great　surprise；　and　immediately　the

clouds　gathered　on　the　mother's　brow。　My　companion　threw　me　a

significant　look；one　of　those　which　form　the　education　of　men　of　the

world。　I　had　stumbled　no　doubt　upon　some　maternal　wound　the　covering

of　which　should　have　been　respected。　The　sickly　child；　whose　eyes　were

pallid　and　whose　skin　was　white　as　a　porcelain　vase　with　a　light

within　it；　would　probably　not　have　lived　in　the　atmosphere　of　a　city。

Country　air　and　her　mother's　brooding　care　had　kept　the　life　in　that

frail　body；　delicate　as　a　hot…house　plant　growing　in　a　harsh　and

foreign　climate。　Though　in　nothing　did　she　remind　me　of　her　mother；

Madeleine　seemed　to　have　her　soul；　and　that　soul　held　her　up。　Her　hair

was　scanty　and　black；　her　eyes　and　cheeks　hollow；　her　arms　thin；　her

chest　narrow；　showing　a　battle　between　life　and　death；　a　duel　without

truce　in　which　the　mother　had　so　far　been　victorious。　The　child　willed

to　live；perhaps　to　spare　her　mother；　for　at　times；　when　not

observed；　she　fell　into　the　attitude　of　a　weeping…willow。　You　might

have　thought　her　a　little　gypsy　dying　of　hunger；　begging　her　way；

exhausted　but　always　brave　and　dressed　up　to　play　her　part。



〃Where　have　you　left　Jacques？〃　asked　the　countess；　kissing　the　white

line　which　parted　the　child's　hair　into　two　bands　that　looked　like　a

crow's　wings。



〃He　is　coming　with　papa。〃



Just　then　the　count　entered；　holding　his　son　by　the　hand。　Jacques；　the

image　of　his　sister；　showed　the　same　signs　of　weakness。　Seeing　these

sickly　children　beside　a　mother　so　magnificently　healthy　it　was

impossible　not　to　guess　at　the　causes　of　the　grief　which　clouded　her

brow　and　kept　her　silent　on　a　subject　she　could　take　to　God　only。　As

he　bowed；　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　gave　me　a　glance　that　was　less

observing　than　awkwardly　uneasy；the　glance　of　a　man　whose　distrust

grows　out　of　his　inability　to　analyze。　After　explaining　the

circumstances　of　our　visit；　and　naming　me　to　him；　the　countess　gave

him　her　place　and　left　the　room。　The　children；　whose　eyes　were　on

those　of　their　mother　as　if　they　drew　the　light　of　theirs　from　hers；

tried　to　follow　her；　but　she　said；　with　a　finger　on　her　lips；　〃Stay

dears！〃　and　they　obeyed；　but　their　eyes　filled。　Ah！　to　hear　that　one

word　〃dears〃　what　tasks　they　would　have　undertaken！




Like　the　children；　I　felt　less　warm　when　she　had　left　us。　My　name

seemed　to　change　the　count's　feeling　toward　me。　Cold　and　supercilious

in　his　first　glance；　he　became　at　once；　if　not　affectionate；　at　least

politely　attentive；　showing　me　every　consideration　and　seeming　pleased

to　receive　me　as　a　guest。　My　father　had　formerly　done　devoted　service

to　the　Bourbons；　and　had　played　an　important　and　perilous；　though

secret　part。　When　their　cause　was　lost　by　the　elevation　of　Napoleon；

he　took　refuge　in　the　quietude　of　the　country　and　domestic　life；

accepting　the　unmerited　accusations　that　followed　him　as　the

inevitable　reward　of　those　who　risk　all　to　win　all；　and　who　succumb

after　serving　as　pivot　to　the　political　machine。　Knowing　nothing　of

the　fortunes；　nor　of　the　past；　nor　of　the　future　of　my　family；　I　was

unaware　of　this　devoted　service　which　the　Comte　de　Mortsauf　well

remembered。　Moreover；　the　antiquity　of　our　name；　the　most　precious

quality　of　a　man　in　his　eyes；　added　to　the　warmth　of　his　greeting。　I

knew　nothing　of　these　reasons　until　later；　for　the　time　being　the

sudden　transition　to　cordiality　put　me　at　my　ease。　When　the　two

children　saw　that　we　were　all　three　fairly　engaged　in　conversation；

Madeleine　slipped　her　head　from　her　father's　hand；　glanced　at　the　open

door；　and　glided　away　like　an　eel；　Jacques　following　her。　They

rejoined　their　mother；　and　I　heard　their　voices　and　their　movements；

sounding　in　the　distance　like　the　murmur　of　bees　about　a　hive。



I　watched　the　count；　trying　to　guess　his　character；　but　I　became　so

interested　in　certain　leading　traits　that　I　got　no　further　than　a

superficial　examination　of　his　personality。　Though　he　was　only　forty…

five　years　old；　he　seemed　nearer　sixty；　so　much　had　the　great

shipwreck　at　the　close　of　the　eighteenth　century　aged　him。　The

crescent　of　hair　which　monastically　fringed　the　back　of　his　head；

otherwise　completely　bald；　ended　at　the　ears　in　little　tufts　of　gray

mingled　with　black。　His　face　bore　a　vague　resemblance　to　that　of　a

white　wolf　with　blood　about　its　muzzle；　for　his　nose　was　inflamed　and

gave　signs　of　a　life　poisoned　at　its　springs　and　vitiated　by　diseases

of　long　standing。　His　flat　forehead；　too　broad　for　the　face　beneath

it；　which　ended　in　a　point；　and　transversely　wrinkled　in　crooked

lines；　gave　signs　of　a　life　in　the　open　air；　but　not　of　any　mental

activity；　it　also　showed　the　burden　of　constant　misfortunes；　but　not

of　any　efforts　made　to　surmount　them。　His　cheekbones；　which　were　brown

and　prominent　amid　the　general　pallor　of　his　skin；　showed　a　physical

structure　which　was　likely　to　ensure　him　a　long　life。　His　hard；　light…

yellow　eye　fell　upon　mine　like　a　ray　of　wintry　sun；　bright　without

warmth；　anxious　without　thought；　distrustful　without　conscious　cause。

His　mouth　was　violent　and　domineering；　his　chin　flat　and　long。　Thin

and　very　tall；　he　had　the　bearing　of　a　gentleman　who　relies　upon　the

conventional　value　of　his　caste；　who　knows　himself　above　others　by

right；　and　beneath　them　in　fact。　The　carelessness　of　country　life　had

made　him　neglect　his　external　appearance。　His　dress　was　that　of　a

co