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！
toilette； her religion； and her manners； for Philoxene stripped her
for me； soul and corset。 I went to the opera expressly to see her； and
I didn't grudge the ten francs it cost meI don't mean the play。 If
my imaginary cousin had not told me the duchess had seen her fifty
summers； I should have thought I was over…generous in giving her
thirty； she has never known a winter； that duchess！〃
〃Yes；〃 said La Briere； 〃she is a cameopreserved because it is stone。
Canalis would be in a bad way if the duchess were to find out what he
is doing here； and I hope； monsieur； that you will go no further in
this business of spying； which is unworthy of an honest man。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Butscha； proudly； 〃for me Modeste is my country。 I do
not spy； I foresee； I take precautions。 The duchess will come here if
it is desirable； or she will stay tranquilly where she is； according
to what I judge best。〃
〃You？〃
〃I。〃
〃And how； pray？〃
〃Ha； that's it！〃 said the little hunchback； plucking a blade of grass。
〃See here！ this herb believes that men build palaces for it to grow
in； it wedges its way between the closest blocks of marble； and brings
them down； just as the masses forced into the edifice of feudality
have brought it to the ground。 The power of the feeble life that can
creep everywhere is greater than that of the mighty behind their
cannons。 I am one of three who have sworn that Modeste shall be happy；
and we would sell our honor for her。 Adieu； monsieur。 If you truly
love Mademoiselle de La Bastie； forget this conversation and shake
hands with me； for I think you've got a heart。 I longed to see the
Chalet； and I got here just as SHE was putting out her light。 I saw
the dogs rush at you； and I overheard your words； and that is why I
take the liberty of saying we serve in the same regimentthat of
loyal devotion。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said La Briere； wringing the hunchback's hand； 〃would you
have the friendliness to tell me if Mademoiselle Modeste ever loved
any one WITH LOVE before she wrote to Canalis？〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Butscha in an altered voice； 〃that thought is an
insult。 And even now； who knows if she really loves？ does she know
herself？ She is enamored of genius； of the soul and intellect of that
seller of verses； that literary quack； but she will study him； we
shall all study him； and I know how to make the man's real character
peep out from under that turtle…shell of fine manners；we'll soon see
the petty little head of his ambition and his vanity！〃 cried Butscha；
rubbing his hands。 〃So； unless mademoiselle is desperately taken with
him〃
〃Oh！ she was seized with admiration when she saw him； as if he were
something marvellous；〃 exclaimed La Briere； letting the secret of his
jealousy escape him。
〃If he is a loyal； honest fellow； and loves her； if he is worthy of
her； if he renounces his duchess；〃 said Butscha；〃then I'll manage
the duchess！ Here； my dear sir； take this road； and you will get home
in ten minutes。〃
But as they parted； Butscha turned back and hailed poor Ernest； who；
as a true lover； would gladly have stayed there all night talking of
Modeste。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Butscha； 〃I have not yet had the honor of seeing our
great poet。 I am very curious to observe that magnificent phenomenon
in the exercise of his functions。 Do me the favor to bring him to the
Chalet to…morrow evening； and stay as long as possible； for it takes
more than an hour for a man to show himself for what he is。 I shall be
the first to see if he loves； if he can love； or if he ever will love
Mademoiselle Modeste。〃
〃You are very young to〃
〃to be a professor；〃 said Butscha； cutting short La Briere。 〃Ha；
monsieur； deformed folks are born a hundred years old。 And besides； a
sick man who has long been sick； knows more than his doctor； he knows
the disease； and that is more than can be said for the best of
doctors。 Well； so it is with a man who cherishes a woman in his heart
when the woman is forced to disdain him for his ugliness or his
deformity； he ends by knowing so much of love that he becomes
seductive； just as the sick man recovers his health； stupidity alone
is incurable。 I have had neither father nor mother since I was six
years old； I am now twenty…five。 Public charity has been my mother；
the procureur du roi my father。 Oh！ don't be troubled；〃 he added；
seeing Ernest's gesture； 〃I am much more lively than my situation。
Well； for the last six years； ever since a woman's eye first told me I
had no right to love； I do love； and I study women。 I began with the
ugly ones； for it is best to take the bull by the horns。 So I took my
master's wife； who has certainly been an angel to me； for my first
study。 Perhaps I did wrong； but I couldn't help it。 I passed her
through my alembic and what did I find？ this thought； crouching at the
bottom of her heart； 'I am not so ugly as they think me'； and if a man
were to work upon that thought he could bring her to the edge of the
abyss； pious as she is。〃
〃And have you studied Modeste？〃
〃I thought I told you；〃 replied Butscha； 〃that my life belongs to her；
just as France belongs to the king。 Do you now understand what you
called my spying in Paris？ No one but me really knows what nobility；
what pride； what devotion； what mysterious grace； what unwearying
kindness； what true religion； gaiety； wit； delicacy； knowledge； and
courtesy there are in the soul and in the heart of that adorable
creature！〃
Butscha drew out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes； and La Briere
pressed his hand for a long time。
〃I live in the sunbeam of her existence； it comes from her； it is
absorbed in me； that is how we are united；as nature is to God； by
the Light and by the Word。 Adieu； monsieur； never in my life have I
talked in this way； but seeing you beneath her windows； I felt in my
heart that you loved her as I love her。〃
Without waiting for an answer Butscha quitted the poor lover； into
whose heart his words had put an inexpressible balm。 Ernest resolved
to make a friend of him； not suspecting that the chief object of the
clerk's loquacity was to gain communication with some one connected
with Canalis。 Ernest was rocked to sleep that night by the ebb and
flow of thoughts and resolutions and plans for his future conduct；
whereas Canalis slept the sleep of the conqueror； which is the
sweetest of slumbers after that of the just。
At breakfast next morning； the friends agreed to spend the evening of
the following day at the Chalet and initiate themselves into the
delights of provincial whist。 To get rid of the day they ordered their
horses； purchased by Germain at a large price； and started on a voyage
of discovery round the country； which was quite as unknown to them as
China； for the most foreign thing to Frenchmen in France is France
itself。
By dint of reflecting on his position as an unfortunate and despised
lover； Ernest went through something of the s