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！
handsomest bed in Paris without knowing how the actress would reward
his passion。 Well； one of the coldest of lawyers； a man who is
supposed to be the gravest adviser of the Crown； was stirred to the
depths of his heart by that anecdote。 The orator of the Legislative
Chamber can understand the poet who fed his ideal on material
possibilities。 Three days before the arrival of Maria Louisa； Napoleon
flung himself on his wedding bed at Compiegne。 All stupendous passions
have the same impulses。 I love as a poetas an emperor！'
〃As I heard the last words； I believed that Count Octave's fears were
realized； he had risen； and was walking up and down； and
gesticulating； but he stopped as if shocked by the vehemence of his
own words。
〃 'I am very ridiculous；' he added； after a long pause； looking at me；
as if craving a glance of pity。
〃 'No； monsieur； you are very unhappy。'
〃 'Ah yes！' said he； taking up the thread of his confidences。 'From
the violence of my speech you may； you must believe in the intensity
of a physical passion which for nine years has absorbed all my
faculties； but that is nothing in comparison with the worship I feel
for the soul； the mind； the heart； all in that woman； the enchanting
divinities in the train of Love； with whom we pass our life； and who
form the daily poem of a fugitive delight。 By a phenomenon of
retrospection I see now the graces of Honorine's mind and heart； to
which I paid little heed in the time of my happinesslike all who are
happy。 From day to day I have appreciated the extent of my loss；
discovering the exquisite gifts of that capricious and refractory
young creature who has grown so strong and so proud under the heavy
hand of poverty and the shock of the most cowardly desertion。 And that
heavenly blossom is fading in solitude and hiding！Ah！ The law of
which we were speaking；' he went on with bitter irony； 'the law is a
squad of gendarmesmy wife seized and dragged away by force！ Would
not that be to triumph over a corpse？ Religion has no hold on her； she
craves its poetry； she prays； but she does not listen to the
commandments of the Church。 I； for my part； have exhausted everything
in the way of mercy； of kindness； of love； I am at my wits' end。 Only
one chance of victory is left to me； the cunning and patience with
which bird…catchers at last entrap the wariest birds； the swiftest；
the most capricious； and the rarest。 Hence； Maurice； when M。 de
Grandville's indiscretion betrayed to you the secret of my life； I
ended by regarding this incident as one of the decrees of fate； one of
the utterances for which gamblers listen and pray in the midst of
their most impassioned play。 。 。 。 Have you enough affection for me to
show me romantic devotion？'
〃 'I see what you are coming to； Monsieur le Comte；' said I；
interrupting him； 'I guess your purpose。 Your first secretary tried to
open your deed box。 I know the heart of your secondhe might fall in
love with your wife。 And can you devote him to destruction by sending
him into the fire？ Can any one put his hand into a brazier without
burning it？'
〃 'You are a foolish boy；' replied the Count。 'I will send you well
gloved。 It is no secretary of mine that will be lodged in the Rue
Saint…Maur in the little garden…house which I have at his disposal。 It
is my distant cousin； Baron de l'Hostal； a lawyer high in
office 。 。 。〃
〃After a moment of silent surprise； I heard the gate bell ring； and a
carriage came into the courtyard。 Presently the footman announced
Madame de Courteville and her daughter。 The Count had a large family
connection on his mother's side。 Madame de Courteville； his cousin；
was the widow of a judge on the bench of the Seine division； who had
left her a daughter and no fortune whatever。 What could a woman of
nine…and…twenty be in comparison with a young girl of twenty； as
lovely as imagination could wish for an ideal mistress？
〃 'Baron； and Master of Appeals； till you get something better； and
this old house settled on her；would not you have enough good reasons
for not falling in love with the Countess？' he said to me in a
whisper； as he took me by the hand and introduced me to Madame de
Courteville and her daughter。
〃I was dazzled； not so much by these advantages of which I had never
dreamed； but by Amelie de Courteville； whose beauty was thrown into
relief by one of those well…chosen toilets which a mother can achieve
for a daughter when she wants to see her married。
〃But I will not talk of myself；〃 said the Consul after a pause。
〃Three weeks later I went to live in the gardener's cottage； which had
been cleaned； repaired； and furnished with the celerity which is
explained by three words： Paris； French workmen； money！ I was as much
in love as the Count could possibly desire as a security。 Would the
prudence of a young man of five…and…twenty be equal to the part I was
undertaking； involving a friend's happiness？ To settle that matter； I
may confess that I counted very much on my uncle's advice； for I had
been authorized by the Count to take him into confidence in any case
where I deemed his interference necessary。 I engaged a garden； I
devoted myself to horticulture； I worked frantically； like a man whom
nothing can divert； turning up the soil of the market…garden； and
appropriating the ground to the culture of flowers。 Like the maniacs
of England； or of Holland； I gave it out that I was devoted to one
kind of flower； and especially grew dahlias； collecting every variety。
You will understand that my conduct； even in the smallest details； was
laid down for me by the Count； whose whole intellectual powers were
directed to the most trifling incidents of the tragi…comedy enacted in
the Rue Saint…Maur。 As soon as the Countess had gone to bed； at about
eleven at night； Octave； Madame Gobain； and I sat in council。 I heard
the old woman's report to the Count of his wife's least proceedings
during the day。 He inquired into everything： her meals； her
occupations； her frame of mind； her plans for the morrow； the flowers
she proposed to imitate。 I understood what love in despair may be when
it is the threefold passion of the heart； the mind； and the senses。
Octave lived only for that hour。
〃During two months； while my work in the garden lasted； I never set
eyes on the little house where my fair neighbor dwelt。 I had not even
inquired whether I had a neighbor； though the Countess' garden was
divided from mine by a paling； along which she had planted cypress
trees already four feet high。 One fine morning Madame Gobain announced
to her mistress； as a disastrous piece of news； the intention；
expressed by an eccentric creature who had become her neighbor； of
building a wall between the two gardens； at the end of the year。 I
will say nothing of the curiosity which consumed me to see the
Countess！ The wish almost extinguished my budding love for Amelie de
Courteville。 My scheme for building a wall was indeed a dangerous
threat。 There would be no more fresh air for Honorine； whose garden
would then be a sort of narrow alley shut in between my wall and her
own little house。 This dwelling； formerly a summer villa； was like a
house of