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！
occasions when； on the point of starting； he changed his mind； and
sent for a hackney cab to take himWhere？that was the mystery。 By
the welcome I met with I could judge of the Count's feelings towards
me； and the earnestness of his recommendations。 He supplied all my
wants with the thoughtfulness of a father； and with all the greater
liberality because my modesty left it to him always to think of me。
Towards the end of January 1827； at the house of the Comtesse de
Serizy； I had such persistent ill…luck at play that I lost two
thousand francs； and I would not draw them out of my savings。 Next
morning I asked myself； 'Had I better ask my uncle for the money； or
put my confidence in the Count？'
〃I decided on the second alternative。
〃 'Yesterday；' said I； when he was at breakfast； 'I lost persistently
at play； I was provoked； and went on； I owe two thousand francs。 Will
you allow me to draw the sum on account of my year's salary？'
〃 'No；' said he； with the sweetest smile； 'when a man plays in
society； he must have a gambling purse。 Draw six thousand francs； pay
your debts。 Henceforth we must go halves； for since you are my
representative on most occasions； your self…respect must not be made
to suffer for it。'
〃I made no speech of thanks。 Thanks would have been superfluous
between us。 This shade shows the character of our relations。 And yet
we had not yet unlimited confidence in each other； he did not open to
me the vast subterranean chambers which I had detected in his secret
life； and I； for my part； never said to him； 'What ails you？ From what
are you suffering？'
〃What could he be doing during those long evenings？ He would often
come in on foot or in a hackney cab when I returned in a carriageI；
his secretary！ Was so pious a man a prey to vices hidden under
hypocrisy？ Did he expend all the powers of his mind to satisfy a
jealousy more dexterous than Othello's？ Did he live with some woman
unworthy of him？ One morning； on returning from I have forgotten what
shop； where I had just paid a bill； between the Church of Saint…Paul
and the Hotel de Ville； I came across Comte Octave in such eager
conversation with an old woman that he did not see me。 The appearance
of this hag filled me with strange suspicions； suspicions that were
all the better founded because I never found that the Count invested
his savings。 Is it not shocking to think of？ I was constituting myself
my patron's censor。 At that time I knew that he had more than six
hundred thousand francs to invest； and if he had bought securities of
any kind； his confidence in me was so complete in all that concerned
his pecuniary interests； that I certainly should have known it。
〃Sometimes； in the morning； the Count took exercise in his garden； to
and fro； like a man to whom a walk is the hippogryph ridden by dreamy
melancholy。 He walked and walked！ And he rubbed his hands enough to
rub the skin off。 And then； if I met him unexpectedly as he came to
the angle of a path； I saw his face beaming。 His eyes； instead of the
hardness of a turquoise； had that velvety softness of the blue
periwinkle； which had so much struck me on the occasion of my first
visit； by reason of the astonishing contrast in the two different
looks； the look of a happy man； and the look of an unhappy man。 Two or
three times at such a moment he had taken me by the arm and led me on；
then he had said； 'What have you come to ask？' instead of pouring out
his joy into my heart that opened to him。 But more often； especially
since I could do his work for him and write his reports； the unhappy
man would sit for hours staring at the goldfish that swarmed in a
handsome marble basin in the middle of the garden； round which grew an
amphitheatre of the finest flowers。 He； an accomplished statesman；
seemed to have succeeded in making a passion of the mechanical
amusement of crumbling bread to fishes。
〃This is how the drama was disclosed of this second inner life； so
deeply ravaged and storm…tossed； where； in a circle overlooked by
Dante in his /Inferno/； horrible joys had their birth。〃
The Consul…General paused。
〃On a certain Monday；〃 he resumed； 〃as chance would have it； M。 le
President de Grandville and M。 de Serizy （at that time Vice…President
of the Council of State） had come to hold a meeting at Comte Octave's
house。 They formed a committee of three； of which I was the secretary。
The Count had already got me the appointment of Auditor to the Council
of State。 All the documents requisite for their inquiry into the
political matter privately submitted to these three gentlemen were
laid out on one of the long tables in the library。 MM。 de Grandville
and de Serizy had trusted to the Count to make the preliminary
examination of the papers relating to the matter。 To avoid the
necessity for carrying all the papers to M。 de Serizy； as president of
the commission； it was decided that they should meet first in the Rue
Payenne。 The Cabinet at the Tuileries attached great importance to
this piece of work； of which the chief burden fell on meand to which
I owed my appointment； in the course of that year； to be Master of
Appeals。
〃Though the Comtes de Grandville and de Serizy； whose habits were much
the same as my patron's； never dined away from home； we were still
discussing the matter at a late hour； when we were startled by the
man…servant calling me aside to say； 'MM。 the Cures of Saint…Paul and
of the White Friars have been waiting in the drawing…room for two
hours。'
〃It was nine o'clock。
〃 'Well； gentlemen； you find yourselves compelled to dine with
priests；' said Comte Octave to his colleagues。 'I do not know whether
Grandville can overcome his horror of a priest's gown'
〃 'It depends on the priest。'
〃 'One of them is my uncle； and the other is the Abbe Gaudron；' said
I。 'Do not be alarmed； the Abbe Fontanon is no longer second priest at
Saint…Paul'
〃 'Well； let us dine；' replied the President de Grandville。 'A bigot
frightens me； but there is no one so cheerful as a truly pious man。'
〃We went into the drawing…room。 The dinner was delightful。 Men of real
information； politicians to whom business gives both consummate
experience and the practice of speech； are admirable story…tellers；
when they tell stories。 With them there is no medium； they are either
heavy； or they are sublime。 In this delightful sport Prince Metternich
is as good as Charles Nodier。 The fun of a statesman； cut in facets
like a diamond； is sharp； sparkling； and full of sense。 Being sure
that the proprieties would be observed by these three superior men； my
uncle allowed his wit full play； a refined wit； gentle； penetrating；
and elegant； like that of all men who are accustomed to conceal their
thoughts under the black robe。 And you may rely upon it； there was
nothing vulgar nor idle in this light talk； which I would compare； for
its effect on the soul； to Rossini's music。
〃The Abbe Gaudron was； as M。 de Grandville said； a Saint Peter rather
than a Saint Paul； a peasant full of faith； as square on his feet as
he was tall； a sacerdotal of whose ignorance in matters of the world
and of literature enlivened the conversation