the lily of the valley-第7部分

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voice；　that　I　might　breathe　the　air　of　her　soul　as　it　left　her　lips；

and　strain　to　my　soul　that　spoken　light　as　I　would　fain　have　strained

the　speaker　to　my　breast。　A　swallow's　song　of　joy　it　was　when　she　was

gay！but　when　she　spoke　of　her　griefs；　a　swan's　voice　calling　to　its

mates！



Madame　de　Mortsauf's　inattention　to　my　presence　enabled　me　to　examine

her。　My　eyes　rejoiced　as　they　glided　over　the　sweet　speaker；　they

kissed　her　feet；　they　clasped　her　waist；　they　played　with　the　ringlets

of　her　hair。　And　yet　I　was　a　prey　to　terror；　as　all　who；　once　in　their

lives；　have　experienced　the　illimitable　joys　of　a　true　passion　will

understand。　I　feared　she　would　detect　me　if　I　let　my　eyes　rest　upon

the　shoulder　I　had　kissed；　and　the　fear　sharpened　the　temptation。　I

yielded；　I　looked；　my　eyes　tore　away　the　covering；　I　saw　the　mole

which　lay　where　the　pretty　line　between　the　shoulders　started；　and

which；　ever　since　the　ball；　had　sparkled　in　that　twilight　which　seems

the　region　of　the　sleep　of　youths　whose　imagination　is　ardent　and

whose　life　is　chaste。



I　can　sketch　for　you　the　leading　features　which　all　eyes　saw　in　Madame

de　Mortsauf；　but　no　drawing；　however　correct；　no　color；　however　warm；

can　represent　her　to　you。　Her　face　was　of　those　that　require　the

unattainable　artist；　whose　hand　can　paint　the　reflection　of　inward

fires　and　render　that　luminous　vapor　which　defies　science　and　is　not

revealable　by　languagebut　which　a　lover　sees。　Her　soft；　fair　hair

often　caused　her　much　suffering；　no　doubt　through　sudden　rushes　of

blood　to　the　head。　Her　brow；　round　and　prominent　like　that　of　Joconda；

teemed　with　unuttered　thoughts；　restrained　feelingsflowers　drowning

in　bitter　waters。　The　eyes；　of　a　green　tinge　flecked　with　brown；　were

always　wan；　but　if　her　children　were　in　question；　or　if　some　keen

condition　of　joy　or　suffering　（rare　in　the　lives　of　all　resigned

women）　seized　her；　those　eyes　sent　forth　a　subtile　gleam　as　if　from

fires　that　were　consuming　her；the　gleam　that　wrung　the　tears　from

mine　when　she　covered　me　with　her　contempt；　and　which　sufficed　to

lower　the　boldest　eyelid。　A　Grecian　nose；　designed　it　might　be　by

Phidias；　and　united　by　its　double　arch　to　lips　that　were　gracefully

curved；　spiritualized　the　face；　which　was　oval　with　a　skin　of　the

texture　of　a　white　camellia　colored　with　soft　rose…tints　upon　the

cheeks。　Her　plumpness　did　not　detract　from　the　grace　of　her　figure　nor

from　the　rounded　outlines　which　made　her　shape　beautiful　though　well

developed。　You　will　understand　the　character　of　this　perfection　when　I

say　that　where　the　dazzling　treasures　which　had　so　fascinated　me

joined　the　arm　there　was　no　crease　or　wrinkle。　No　hollow　disfigured

the　base　of　her　head；　like　those　which　make　the　necks　of　some　women

resemble　trunks　of　trees；　her　muscles　were　not　harshly　defined；　and

everywhere　the　lines　were　rounded　into　curves　as　fugitive　to　the　eye

as　to　the　pencil。　A　soft　down　faintly　showed　upon　her　cheeks　and　on

the　outline　of　her　throat；　catching　the　light　which　made　it　silken。

Her　little　ears；　perfect　in　shape；　were；　as　she　said　herself；　the　ears

of　a　mother　and　a　slave。　In　after　days；　when　our　hearts　were　one；　she

would　say　to　me；　〃Here　comes　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf〃；　and　she　was　right；

though　I；　whose　hearing　is　remarkably　acute；　could　hear　nothing。



Her　arms　were　beautiful。　The　curved　fingers　of　the　hand　were　long；　and

the　flesh　projected　at　the　side　beyond　the　finger…nails；　like　those　of

antique　statues。　I　should　displease　you；　I　know；　if　you　were　not

yourself　an　exception　to　my　rule；　when　I　say　that　flat　waists　should

have　the　preference　over　round　ones。　The　round　waist　is　a　sign　of

strength；　but　women　thus　formed　are　imperious；　self…willed；　and　more

voluptuous　than　tender。　On　the　other　hand；　women　with　flat　waists　are

devoted　in　soul；　delicately　perceptive；　inclined　to　sadness；　more

truly　woman　than　the　other　class。　The　flat　waist　is　supple　and

yielding；　the　round　waist　is　inflexible　and　jealous。



You　now　know　how　she　was　made。　She　had　the　foot　of　a　well…bred　woman；

the　foot　that　walks　little；　is　quickly　tired；　and　delights　the　eye

when　it　peeps　beneath　the　dress。　Though　she　was　the　mother　of　two

children；　I　have　never　met　any　woman　so　truly　a　young　girl　as　she。　Her

whole　air　was　one　of　simplicity；　joined　to　a　certain　bashful

dreaminess　which　attracted　others；　just　as　a　painter　arrests　our　steps

before　a　figure　into　which　his　genius　has　conveyed　a　world　of

sentiment。　If　you　recall　the　pure；　wild　fragrance　of　the　heath　we

gathered　on　our　return　from　the　Villa　Diodati；　the　flower　whose　tints

of　black　and　rose　you　praised　so　warmly；　you　can　fancy　how　this　woman

could　be　elegant　though　remote　from　the　social　world；　natural　in

expression；　fastidious　in　all　things　which　became　part　of　herself；in

short；　like　the　heath　of　mingled　colors。　Her　body　had　the　freshness　we

admire　in　the　unfolding　leaf；　her　spirit　the　clear　conciseness　of　the

aboriginal　mind；　she　was　a　child　by　feeling；　grave　through　suffering；

the　mistress　of　a　household；　yet　a　maiden　too。　Therefore　she　charmed

artlessly　and　unconsciously；　by　her　way　of　sitting　down　or　rising；　of

throwing　in　a　word　or　keeping　silence。　Though　habitually　collected；

watchful　as　the　sentinel　on　whom　the　safety　of　others　depends　and　who

looks　for　danger；　there　were　moments　when　smiles　would　wreathe　her

lips　and　betray　the　happy　nature　buried　beneath　the　saddened　bearing

that　was　the　outcome　of　her　life。　Her　gift　of　attraction　was

mysterious。　Instead　of　inspiring　the　gallant　attentions　which　other

women　seek；　she　made　men　dream；　letting　them　see　her　virginal　nature

of　pure　flame；　her　celestial　visions；　as　we　see　the　azure　heavens

through　rifts　in　the　clouds。　This　involuntary　revelation　of　her　being

made　others　thoughtful。　The　rarity　of　her　gestures；　above　all；　the

rarity　of　her　glancesfor；　excepting　her　children；　she　seldom　looked

at　any　onegave　a　strange　solemnity　to　all　she　said　and　did　when　her

words　or　actions　seemed　to　her　to　compromise　her　dignity。



On　this　particular　morning　Madame　de　Mortsauf　wore　a　rose…colored　gown

patterned　in　tiny　stripes；　a　collar　with　a　wide　hem；　a　black　belt；　and

little　boots　of　the　same　hue。　Her　hair　was　simply　twisted　round　her

head；　and　held　in　place　by　a　tortoise…shell　comb。　Such；　my　dear

Natalie；　is　the　imperfect　sketch　I　promised　you。　But　the　constant

emanation　of　her　soul　upon　her　family；　that　nurturing　essence　shed　in

floods　around　her　as　the　sun　emits　its　light；　her　inward　nature；　her

cheerfulness　on　days　serene；　her　resignation　on　stormy　ones；all

those　variations　of　expression　by　which　character　is　displayed　depend；

like　the　effects　in　the　sky；　on　unexpected　and　fugitive　circumstances；

which　have　no　connection　with　each　other　except　the　background　against

which　they　rest；　though　all　are　necessarily　mingled　with　the　events　of

this　history；truly　a　household　epic；　as　great　to　the　eyes　of　a　wise

man　as　a　tragedy　to　the　eyes　of　the　crowd；　an　epic　in　which　you　will

feel　an　interest；　not　only　for　the　part　I　took　in　it；　but　for　the

likeness　that　it　bears　to　the　destinies　of　so　vast　a　number　of　women。



Everything　at　Clochegourde　bore　signs　of　a　truly　English　cleanliness。

The　room　in　which　the　countess　received　us　was　panelled　throughout　and

painted　in　two　shades　of　gray。　The　mantelpiece　was　ornamented　with　a

clock　inserted　in　a　block　of　mahogany　and　surmounted　with　a　tazza；　and

two　large　vases　of　white　porcelain　with　gold　lines；　which　held　bunches

of　Cape　heather。　A　lamp　was　on　a　pier…table；　and　a　backgammon　board　on

legs　before　the　fireplace。　Two　wide　bands　of　cotton　held　back　the

white　cambric　curtains；　which　had　no　fringe。　The　furniture　was　covered

with　gray　cotton　bound　with　a　green　braid；　and　the　tapestry　on　the

countess's　frame　told　why　the　upholstery　was　thus　covered。　Such

simplicity　rose　to　grandeur。　No　apartment；　among　all　that　I　have　seen

since；　has　given　me　such　fertile；　such　teeming　impressions　as　those

that　filled　my　mind　in　that　salon　of　Clochegourde；　calm　and　composed

as　the　life　of　its　mistress；　where　the　conventual　regularity　of　her

occupations　made　itself　felt。　The　greater　part　of　my　ideas　in　science

or　politics；　even　the　boldest　of　them；　were　born　in　that　room；　as

perfumes　emanate　from　flowers；　there　grew　the　mysterious　plant　that

cast　upon　my　soul　its　fructifying　pollen；　there　glowed　the　solar

warmth　which　developed　my　good　and　shrivelled　my　evil　qualities。

Through　the　windows　the　eye　took　in　the　valley　from　the　heights　of

Pont…de…Ruan　to　the　chateau　d'Azay；　following　the　windings　of　the

further　shore；　picturesquely　varied　by　the　towers　of　Frapesle；　the

church；　the　village；　and　the　old　manor…house　of　Sache；　whose　venerable

pile　looked　down　upon　the　meadows。



In　harmony　with　this　reposeful　life；　and　without　other　excitements　to

emotion　than　those　arising　in　the　family；　this　scene　conveyed　to　the

soul　its　own　serenity。　If　I　had　met　her　there　for　the　first　time；

between　the　count　and　her　two　children；　instead　of　seeing　her

resplendent　in　a　ball　dress；　I　should　not　have　ravished　that　delirious

kiss；　which　now　filled　me　with　remorse　and　with　the　fear　of　having

lost　the　future　of　my　love。　No；　in　the　gloom　of　my　unhappy　life　I

should　have　bent　my　knee　and　kissed　the　hem　of　her　garment；　wetting　it

with　tears；　and　then　I　might　have　flung　myself　into　the　Indre。　But

having　breathed　the　jasmine　perfume　of　her　skin　and　drunk　the　milk　of

that　cup　of　love；　my　soul　had　acquired　the　knowledge　and　the　hope　of

human　joys；　I　would　live　and　await　the　coming　of　happiness　as　the

savage　awaits　his　hour　of　vengeance；　I　longed　to　climb　those　trees；　to

creep　among　the　vines；　to　float　in　the　river；　I　wanted　the

companionship　of　night　and　its　silence；　I　needed　lassitude　of　body；　I

craved　the　heat　of　the　sun　to　make　the　eating　of　the　delicious　apple

into　which　I　had　bitten　perfect。　Had　she　asked　of　me　the　singing

flower；　the　riches　buried