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brought me here to make himself understood by you。〃
The mulatto drew from his pocket the letter which Henri had written to
Paquita and handed it to him。 Henri threw it in the fire。
〃Ahsothe game is beginning；〃 said Henri to himself。 〃Paul； leave
us alone for a moment。〃
〃I translated this letter for him；〃 went on the interpreter； when they
were alone。 〃When it was translated； he was in some place which I
don't remember。 Then he came back to look for me； and promised me two
/louis/ to fetch him here。〃
〃What have you to say to me； nigger？〃 asked Henri。
〃I did not translate /nigger/；〃 said the interpreter； waiting for the
mulatto's reply。 。 。 。
〃He said； sir；〃 went on the interpreter； after having listened to the
unknown； 〃that you must be at half…past ten to…morrow night on the
boulevard Montmartre； near the cafe。 You will see a carriage there； in
which you must take your place； saying to the man； who will wait to
open the door for you； the word /cortejo/a Spanish word； which means
/lover/；〃 added Poincet； casting a glance of congratulation upon
Henri。
〃Good。〃
The mulatto was about to bestow the two /louis/； but De Marsay would
not permit it； and himself rewarded the interpreter。 As he was paying
him； the mulatto began to speak。
〃What is he saying？〃
〃He is warning me；〃 replied the unfortunate； 〃that if I commit a
single indiscretion he will strangle me。 He speaks fair and he looks
remarkably as if he were capable of carrying out his threat。〃
〃I am sure of it；〃 answered Henri； 〃he would keep his word。〃
〃He says； as well；〃 replied the interpreter； 〃that the person from
whom he is sent implores you； for your sake and for hers； to act with
the greatest prudence； because the daggers which are raised above your
head would strike your heart before any human power could save you
from them。〃
〃He said that？ So much the better； it will be more amusing。 You can
come in now； Paul；〃 he cried to his friend。
The mulatto； who had not ceased to gaze at the lover of Paquita Valdes
with magnetic attention； went away； followed by the interpreter。
〃Well； at last I have an adventure which is entirely romantic；〃 said
Henri； when Paul returned。 〃After having shared in a certain number I
have finished by finding in Paris an intrigue accompanied by serious
accidents； by grave perils。 The deuce！ what courage danger gives a
woman！ To torment a woman； to try and contradict herdoesn't it give
her the right and the courage to scale in one moment obstacles which
it would take her years to surmount of herself？ Pretty creature； jump
then！ To die？ Poor child！ Daggers？ Oh； imagination of women！ They
cannot help trying to find authority for their little jests。 Besides；
can one think of it； Paquita？ Can one think of it； my child？ The devil
take me； now that I know this beautiful girl； this masterpiece of
nature； is mine； the adventure has lost its charm。〃
For all his light words； the youth in Henri had reappeared。 In order
to live until the morrow without too much pain； he had recourse to
exorbitant pleasure； he played； dined； supped with his friends； he
drank like a fish； ate like a German； and won ten or twelve thousand
francs。 He left the Rocher de Cancale at two o'clock in the morning；
slept like a child； awoke the next morning fresh and rosy； and dressed
to go to the Tuileries； with the intention of taking a ride； after
having seen Paquita； in order to get himself an appetite and dine the
better； and so kill the time。
At the hour mentioned Henri was on the boulevard； saw the carriage；
and gave the counter…word to a man who looked to him like the mulatto。
Hearing the word； the man opened the door and quickly let down the
step。 Henri was so rapidly carried through Paris； and his thoughts
left him so little capacity to pay attention to the streets through
which he passed； that he did not know where the carriage stopped。 The
mulatto let him into a house； the staircase of which was quite close
to the entrance。 This staircase was dark； as was also the landing upon
which Henri was obliged to wait while the mulatto was opening the door
of a damp apartment； fetid and unlit； the chambers of which； barely
illuminated by the candle which his guide found in the ante…chamber；
seemed to him empty and ill furnished； like those of a house the
inhabitants of which are away。 He recognized the sensation which he
had experienced from the perusal of one of those romances of Anne
Radcliffe； in which the hero traverses the cold； sombre； and
uninhabited saloons of some sad and desert spot。
At last the mulatto opened the door of a /salon/。 The condition of the
old furniture and the dilapidated curtains with which the room was
adorned gave it the air of the reception…room of a house of ill fame。
There was the same pretension to elegance； and the same collection of
things in bad taste； of dust and dirt。 Upon a sofa covered with red
Utrecht velvet； by the side of a smoking hearth； the fire of which was
buried in ashes； sat an old； poorly dressed woman； her head capped by
one of those turbans which English women of a certain age have
invented and which would have a mighty success in China； where the
artist's ideal is the monstrous。
The room； the old woman； the cold hearth； all would have chilled love
to death had not Paquita been there； upon an ottoman； in a loose
voluptuous wrapper； free to scatter her gaze of gold and flame； free
to show her arched foot； free of her luminous movements。 This first
interview was what every /rendezvous/ must be between persons of
passionate disposition； who have stepped over a wide distance quickly；
who desire each other ardently； and who； nevertheless； do not know
each other。 It is impossible that at first there should not occur
certain discordant notes in the situation； which is embarrassing until
the moment when two souls find themselves in unison。
If desire gives a man boldness and disposes him to lay restraint
aside； the mistress； under pain of ceasing to be woman； however great
may be her love； is afraid of arriving at the end so promptly； and
face to face with the necessity of giving herself； which to many women
is equivalent to a fall into an abyss； at the bottom of which they
know not what they shall find。 The involuntary coldness of the woman
contrasts with her confessed passion； and necessarily reacts upon the
most passionate lover。 Thus ideas； which often float around souls like
vapors； determine in them a sort of temporary malady。 In the sweet
journey which two beings undertake through the fair domains of love；
this moment is like a waste land to be traversed； a land without a
tree； alternatively damp and warm； full of scorching sand； traversed
by marshes； which leads to smiling groves clad with roses； where Love
and his retinue of pleasures disport themselves on carpets of soft
verdure。 Often the witty man finds himself afflicted with a foolish
laugh which is his only answer to everything； his wit is； as it were；
suffocated beneath the icy pressure of his desires。 It would not be
impossible for two beings of equal beauty； intelligence； and passion
to utter at first nothing but the most silly commonpla