a prince of bohemia-第3部分

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carriage。　It　was　raining　in　torrents。　La　Palferine　had　thought　of
everything。　He　offered　to　drive　the　official　to　the　next　house　on　his
list；　and　when　the　almoner　came　down　again；　he　found　the　carriage
waiting　for　him　at　the　door。　The　man　in　livery　handed　him　a　note
written　in　pencil：

　　〃　'The　carriage　has　been　engaged　for　three　days。　Count　Rusticoli
　　de　la　Palferine　is　too　happy　to　associate　himself　with　Court
　　charities　by　lending　wings　to　Royal　beneficence。'

〃La　Palferine　now　calls　the　civil　list　the　uncivil　list。

〃He　was　once　passionately　loved　by　a　lady　of　somewhat　light　conduct。
Antonia　lived　in　the　Rue　du　Helder；　she　had　seen　and　been　seen　to　some
extent；　but　at　the　time　of　her　acquaintance　with　La　Palferine　she　had
not　yet　'an　establishment。'　Antonia　was　not　wanting　in　the　insolence
of　old　days；　now　degenerating　into　rudeness　among　women　of　her　class。
After　a　fortnight　of　unmixed　bliss；　she　was　compelled；　in　the　interest
of　her　civil　list；　to　return　to　a　less　exclusive　system；　and　La
Palferine；　discovering　a　certain　lack　of　sincerity　in　her　dealings
with　him；　sent　Madame　Antonia　a　note　which　made　her　famous。

　　〃　'MADAME；Your　conduct　causes　me　much　surprise　and　no　less
　　distress。　Not　content　with　rending　my　heart　with　your　disdain；　you
　　have　been　so　little　thoughtful　as　to　retain　a　toothbrush；　which　my
　　means　will　not　permit　me　to　replace；　my　estates　being　mortgaged
　　beyond　their　value。

　　〃　'Adieu；　too　fair　and　too　ungrateful　friend！　May　we　meet　again　in
　　a　better　world。

〃　'CHARLES　EDWARD。'


〃Assuredly　（to　avail　ourselves　yet　further　of　Sainte…Beuve's
Babylonish　dialect）；　this　far　outpasses　the　raillery　of　Sterne's
/Sentimental　Journey/；　it　might　be　Scarron　without　his　grossness。　Nay；
I　do　not　know　but　that　Moliere　in　his　lighter　mood　would　not　have　said
of　it；　as　of　Cyrano　de　Bergerac's　best'This　is　mine。'　Richelieu
himself　was　not　more　complete　when　he　wrote　to　the　princess　waiting
for　him　in　the　Palais　Royal'Stay　there；　my　queen；　to　charm　the
scullion　lads。'　At　the　same　time；　Charles　Edward's　humor　is　less
biting。　I　am　not　sure　that　this　kind　of　wit　was　known　among　the　Greeks
and　Romans。　Plato；　possibly；　upon　a　closer　inspection　approaches　it；
but　from　the　austere　and　musical　side〃

〃No　more　of　that　jargon；〃　the　Marquise　broke　in；　〃in　print　it　may　be
endurable；　but　to　have　it　grating　upon　my　ears　is　a　punishment　which　I
do　not　in　the　least　deserve。〃

〃He　first　met　Claudine　on　this　wise；〃　continued　Nathan。　〃It　was　one　of
the　unfilled　days；　when　Youth　is　a　burden　to　itself；　days　when　youth；
reduced　by　the　overweening　presumption　of　Age　to　a　condition　of
potential　energy　and　dejection；　emerges　therefrom　（like　Blondet　under
the　Restoration）；　either　to　get　into　mischief　or　to　set　about　some
colossal　piece　of　buffoonery；　half　excused　by　the　very　audacity　of　its
conception。　La　Palferine　was　sauntering；　cane　in　hand；　up　and　down　the
pavement　between　the　Rue　de　Grammont　and　the　Rue　de　Richelieu；　when　in
the　distance　he　descried　a　woman　too　elegantly　dressed；　covered；　as　he
phrased　it；　with　a　great　deal　of　portable　property；　too　expensive　and
too　carelessly　worn　for　its　owner　to　be　other　than　a　princess　of　the
court　or　of　the　stage；　it　was　not　easy　at　first　to　say　which。　But
after　July　1830；　in　his　opinion；　there　is　no　mistaking　the　indications
the　princess　can　only　be　a　princess　of　the　stage。

〃The　Count　came　up　and　walked　by　her　side　as　if　she　had　given　him　an
assignation。　He　followed　her　with　a　courteous　persistence；　a
persistence　in　good　taste；　giving　the　lady　from　time　to　time；　and
always　at　the　right　moment；　an　authoritative　glance；　which　compelled
her　to　submit　to　his　escort。　Anybody　but　La　Palferine　would　have　been
frozen　by　his　reception；　and　disconcerted　by　the　lady's　first　efforts
to　rid　herself　of　her　cavalier；　by　her　chilly　air；　her　curt　speeches；
but　no　gravity；　with　all　the　will　in　the　world；　could　hold　out　long
against　La　Palferine's　jesting　replies。　The　fair　stranger　went　into
her　milliner's　shop。　Charles　Edward　followed；　took　a　seat；　and　gave
his　opinions　and　advice　like　a　man　that　meant　to　pay。　This　coolness
disturbed　the　lady。　She　went　out。

〃On　the　stairs　she　spoke　to　her　persecutor。

〃　'Monsieur；　I　am　about　to　call　upon　one　of　my　husband's　relatives；　an
elderly　lady；　Mme。　de　Bonfalot'

〃　'Ah！　Mme。　de　Bonfalot；　charmed；　I　am　sure。　I　am　going　there。'

〃The　pair　accordingly　went。　Charles　Edward　came　in　with　the　lady；
every　one　believed　that　she　had　brought　him　with　her。　He　took　part　in
the　conversation；　was　lavish　of　his　polished　and　brilliant　wit。　The
visit　lengthened　out。　That　was　not　what　he　wanted。

〃　'Madame；'　he　said；　addressing　the　fair　stranger；　'do　not　forget　that
your　husband　is　waiting　for　us；　and　only　allowed　us　a　quarter　of　an
hour。'

〃Taken　aback　by　such　boldness　（which；　as　you　know；　is　never
displeasing　to　you　women）；　led　captive　by　the　conqueror's　glance；　by
the　astute　yet　candid　air　which　Charles　Edward　can　assume　when　he
chooses；　the　lady　rose；　took　the　arm　of　her　self…constituted　escort；
and　went　downstairs；　but　on　the　threshold　she　stopped　to　speak　to　him。

〃　'Monsieur；　I　like　a　joke'

〃　'And　so　do　I。'

〃She　laughed。

〃　'But　this　may　turn　to　earnest；'　he　added；　'it　only　rests　with　you。　I
am　the　Comte　de　la　Palferine；　and　I　am　delighted　that　it　is　in　my
power　to　lay　my　heart　and　my　fortune　at　your　feet。'

〃La　Palferine　was　at　that　time　twenty…two　years　old。　（This　happened　in
1834。）　Luckily　for　him；　he　was　fashionably　dressed。　I　can　paint　his
portrait　for　you　in　a　few　words。　He　was　the　living　image　of　Louis
XIII。；　with　the　same　white　forehead　and　gracious　outline　of　the
temples；　the　same　olive　skin　（that　Italian　olive　tint　which　turns
white　where　the　light　falls　on　it）；　the　brown　hair　worn　rather　long；
the　black　'royale；'　the　grave　and　melancholy　expression；　for　La
Palferine's　character　and　exterior　were　amazingly　at　variance。

〃At　the　sound　of　the　name；　and　the　sight　of　its　owner；　something　like
a　quiver　thrilled　through　Claudine。　La　Palferine　saw　the　vibration；
and　shot　a　glance　at　her　out　of　the　dark　depths　of　almond…shaped　eyes
with　purpled　lids；　and　those　faint　lines　about　them　which　tell　of
pleasures　as　costly　as　painful　fatigue。　With　those　eyes　upon　her；　she
said'Your　address？'

〃　'What　want　of　address！'

〃　'Oh；　pshaw！'　she　said；　smiling。　'A　bird　on　the　bough？'

〃　'Good…bye；　madame；　you　are　such　a　woman　as　I　seek；　but　my　fortune　is
far　from　equaling　my　desire'

〃He　bowed；　and　there　and　then　left　her。　Two　days　later；　by　one　of　the
strange　chances　that　can　only　happen　in　Paris；　he　had　betaken　himself
to　a　money…lending　wardrobe　dealer　to　sell　such　of　his　clothing　as　he
could　spare。　He　was　just　receiving　the　price　with　an　uneasy　air；　after
long　chaffering；　when　the　stranger　lady　passed　and　recognized　him。

〃　'Once　for　all；'　cried　he　to　the　bewildered　wardrobe　dealer；　'I　tell
you　I　am　not　going　to　take　your　trumpet！'

〃He　pointed　to　a　huge；　much…dinted　musical　instrument；　hanging　up
outside　against　a　background　of　uniforms；　civil　and　military。　Then；
proudly　and　impetuously；　he　followed　the　lady。

〃From　that　great　day　of　the　trumpet　these　two　understood　one　another
to　admiration。　Charles　Edward's　ideas　on　the　subject　of　love　are　as
sound　as　possible。　According　to　him；　a　man　cannot　love　twice；　there　is
but　one　love　in　his　lifetime；　but　that　love　is　a　deep　and　shoreless
sea。　It　may　break　in　upon　him　at　any　time；　as　the　grace　of　God　found
St。　Paul；　and　a　man　may　live　sixty　years　and　never　know　love。　Perhaps；
to　quote　Heine's　superb　phrase；　it　is　'the　secret　malady　of　the　heart'
a　sense　of　the　Infinite　that　there　is　within　us；　together　with　the
revelation　of　the　ideal　Beauty　in　its　visible　form。　This　love；　in
short；　comprehends　both　the　creature　and　creation。　But　so　long　as
there　is　no　question　of　this　great　poetical　conception；　the　loves　that
cannot　last　can　only　be　taken　lightly；　as　if　they　were　in　a　manner
snatches　of　song　compared　with　Love　the　epic。

〃To　Charles　Edward　the　adventure　brought　neither　the　thunderbolt
signal　of　love's　coming；　nor　yet　that　gradual　revelation　of　an　inward
fairness　which　draws　two　natures　by　degrees　more　and　more　strongly
each　to　each。　For　there　are　but　two　ways　of　lovelove　at　first　sight；
doubtless　akin　to　the　Highland　'second…sight；'　and　that　slow　fusion　of
two　natures　which　realizes　Plato's　'man…woman。'　But　if　Charles　Edward
did　not　love；　he　was　loved　to　distraction。　Claudine　found　love　made
complete；　body　and　soul；　in　her；　in　short；　La　Palferine　awakened　the
one　passion　of　her　life；　while　for　him　Claudine　was　only　a　most
charming　mistress。　The　Devil　himself；　a　most　potent　magician
certainly；　with　all　hell　at　his　back；　could　never　have　changed　the
natures　of　these　two　unequal　fires。　I　dare　affirm　that　Claudine　not
unfrequently　bored　Charles　Edward。

〃　'Stale　fish　and　the　woman　you　do　not　love　are　only　fit　to　fling　out
of　the　window　after　three　days；'　he　used　to　say。

〃In　Bohemia　there　is　little　secrecy　observed　over　these　affairs。　La
Palferine　used　to　talk　a　good　deal　of　Claudine；　but；　at　the　same　time；
none　of　us　saw　her；　nor　so　much　as　knew　her　name。　For　us　Claudine　was
almost　a　mythical　personage。　All　of　us　acted　in　the　same　way；
reconciling　the　requirements　of　our　common　life　with　the　rules　of　good
taste。　Claudine；　Hortense；　the　Baroness；　the　Bourgeoise；　the　Empress；
the　Spaniard；　the　Lioness；these　were　cryptic　titles　which　permitted
us　to　pour　out　our　joys；　our　cares；　vexations；　and　hopes；　and　to
communicate　our　discoveries。　Further；　none　of　us　went。　It　has　been
shown；　in　Bohemia；　that　chance　discovered　the　identity　of　the　fair
unknown；　and　at　once；　as　by　tacit　convention；　not　one　of　us　spoke　of
her　again。　This　fact　may　show　how　far　youth　possesses　a　sense　of　true
delicacy。　How　admirably　certain　natures　of　a　finer　clay　know　the　limit
line　where　jest　must　end；　and　all　that　host　of　things　French　covered
by　the　slang　word　/blague/；　a　word　which　will　shortly　be　cast　out　of
the　language　（let　us　hope）；　and　yet　it　is　the　only　one　which　conveys
an　idea　of　the　spirit　of　Bohemia。

〃So　we　often　used　to　joke　about　Claudine　and　the　Count'/Toujours
Claudine？/'　sung　to　the　air