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！
our last year's bills〃
〃I shall never find out anything in this way；〃 thought Jules。 〃I am
not taking the best course。〃
At this moment Jules' own valet entered the room with a letter for his
master； who opened it indifferently； but as soon as his eyes had
lighted on the signature he read it eagerly。 The letter was as
follows：
Monsieur；For the sake of your peace of mind as well as ours； I
take the course of writing you this letter without possessing the
advantage of being known to you； but my position； my age； and the
fear of some misfortune compel me to entreat you to show
indulgence in the trying circumstances under which our afflicted
family is placed。 Monsieur Auguste de Maulincour has for the last
few days shown signs of mental derangement； and we fear that he
may trouble your happiness by fancies which he confided to
Monsieur le Vidame de Pamiers and myself during his first attack
of frenzy。 We think it right； therefore； to warn you of his
malady； which is； we hope； curable； but it will have such serious
and important effects on the honor of our family and the career of
my grandson that we must rely； monsieur； on your entire
discretion。
If Monsieur le Vidame or I could have gone to see you we would not
have written。 But I make no doubt that you will regard this prayer
of a mother； who begs you to destroy this letter。
Accept the assurance of my perfect consideration。
Baronne de Maulincour； /nee/ de Rieux。
〃Oh！ what torture！〃 cried Jules。
〃What is it？ what is in your mind？〃 asked his wife； exhibiting the
deepest anxiety。
〃I have come；〃 he answered； slowly； as he threw her the letter； 〃to
ask myself whether it can be you who have sent me that to avert my
suspicions。 Judge； therefore； what I suffer。〃
〃Unhappy man！〃 said Madame Jules； letting fall the paper。 〃I pity him；
though he has done me great harm。〃
〃Are you aware that he has spoken to me？〃
〃Oh！ have you been to see him； in spite of your promise？〃 she cried in
terror。
〃Clemence； our love is in danger of perishing； we stand outside of the
ordinary rules of life； let us lay aside all petty considerations in
presence of this great peril。 Explain to me why you went out this
morning。 Women think they have the right to tell us little falsehoods。
Sometimes they like to hide a pleasure they are preparing for us。 Just
now you said a word to me； by mistake； no doubt； a no for a yes。〃
He went into the dressing…room and brought out the bonnet。
〃See；〃 he said； 〃your bonnet has betrayed you； these spots are
raindrops。 You must； therefore； have gone out in a street cab； and
these drops fell upon it as you went to find one； or as you entered or
left the house where you went。 But a woman can leave her own home for
many innocent purposes； even after she has told her husband that she
did not mean to go out。 There are so many reasons for changing our
plans！ Caprices； whims； are they not your right？ Women are not
required to be consistent with themselves。 You had forgotten
something；a service to render； a visit； some kind action。 But
nothing hinders a woman from telling her husband what she does。 Can we
ever blush on the breast of a friend？ It is not a jealous husband who
speaks to you； my Clemence； it is your lover； your friend； your
brother。〃 He flung himself passionately at her feet。 〃Speak； not to
justify yourself； but to calm my horrible sufferings。 I know that you
went out。 Wellwhat did you do？ where did you go？〃
〃Yes； I went out； Jules；〃 she answered in a strained voice； though her
face was calm。 〃But ask me nothing more。 Wait； have confidence；
without which you will lay up for yourself terrible remorse。 Jules； my
Jules； trust is the virtue of love。 I owe to you that I am at this
moment too troubled to answer you： but I am not a false woman； I love
you； and you know it。〃
〃In the midst of all that can shake the faith of man and rouse his
jealousy； for I see I am not first in your heart； I am no longer thine
own selfwell； Clemence； even so； I prefer to believe you； to believe
that voice； to believe those eyes。 If you deceive me； you deserve〃
〃Ten thousand deaths！〃 she cried； interrupting him。
〃I have never hidden a thought from you； but you〃
〃Hush！〃 she said； 〃our happiness depends upon our mutual silence。〃
〃Ha！ I /will/ know all！〃 he exclaimed； with sudden violence。
At that moment the cries of a woman were heard；the yelping of a
shrill little voice came from the antechamber。
〃I tell you I will go in！〃 it cried。 〃Yes； I shall go in； I will see
her！ I shall see her！〃
Jules and Clemence both ran to the salon as the door from the
antechamber was violently burst open。 A young woman entered hastily；
followed by two servants； who said to their master：
〃Monsieur； this person would come in in spite of us。 We told her that
madame was not at home。 She answered that she knew very well madame
had been out； but she saw her come in。 She threatened to stay at the
door of the house till she could speak to madame。〃
〃You can go；〃 said Monsieur Desmarets to the two men。 〃What do you
want； mademoiselle？〃 he added； turning to the strange woman。
This 〃demoiselle〃 was the type of a woman who is never to be met with
except in Paris。 She is made in Paris； like the mud； like the
pavement； like the water of the Seine； such as it becomes in Paris
before human industry filters it ten times ere it enters the cut…glass
decanters and sparkles pure and bright from the filth it has been。 She
is therefore a being who is truly original。 Depicted scores of times
by the painter's brush； the pencil of the caricaturist； the charcoal
of the etcher； she still escapes analysis； because she cannot be
caught and rendered in all her moods； like Nature； like this fantastic
Paris itself。 She holds to vice by one thread only； and she breaks
away from it at a thousand other points of the social circumference。
Besides； she lets only one trait of her character be known； and that
the only one which renders her blamable； her noble virtues are hidden；
she prefers to glory in her naive libertinism。 Most incompletely
rendered in dramas and tales where she is put upon the scene with all
her poesy； she is nowhere really true but in her garret； elsewhere she
is invariably calumniated or over…praised。 Rich； she deteriorates；
poor； she is misunderstood。 She has too many vices； and too many good
qualities； she is too near to pathetic asphyxiation or to a dissolute
laugh； too beautiful and too hideous。 She personifies Paris； to which；
in the long run； she supplies the toothless portresses； washerwomen；
street…sweepers； beggars； occasionally insolent countesses； admired
actresses； applauded singers； she has even given； in the olden time；
two quasi…queens to the monarchy。 Who can grasp such a Proteus？ She is
all woman； less than woman； more than woman。 From this vast portrait
the painter of manners and morals can take but a feature here and
there； the /ensemble/ is infinite。
She was a grisette of Paris； a grisette in all her glory； a grisette
in a hackney…coach；happy； young； handsome； fresh； but a grisette； a
grisette with claws； scissors； impudent a