a prince of bohemia-第4部分

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an　idea　of　the　spirit　of　Bohemia。

〃So　we　often　used　to　joke　about　Claudine　and　the　Count'/Toujours
Claudine？/'　sung　to　the　air　of　/Toujours　Gessle/。'What　are　you
making　of　Claudine？''How　is　Claudine？'

〃　'I　wish　you　all　such　a　mistress；　for　all　the　harm　I　wish　you；'　La
Palferine　began　one　day。　'No　greyhound；　no　basset…dog；　no　poodle　can
match　her　in　gentleness；　submissiveness；　and　complete　tenderness。
There　are　times　when　I　reproach　myself；　when　I　take　myself　to　task　for
my　hard　heart。　Claudine　obeys　with　saintly　sweetness。　She　comes　to　me；
I　tell　her　to　go；　she　goes；　she　does　not　even　cry　till　she　is　out　in
the　courtyard。　I　refuse　to　see　her　for　a　whole　week　at　a　time。　I　tell
her　to　come　at　such　an　hour　on　Tuesday；　and　be　it　midnight　or　six
o'clock　in　the　morning；　ten　o'clock；　five　o'clock；　breakfast　time；
dinner　time；　bed　time；　any　particularly　inconvenient　hour　in　the　day
she　will　come；　punctual　to　the　minute；　beautiful；　beautifully　dressed；
and　enchanting。　And　she　is　a　married　woman；　with　all　the　complications
and　duties　of　a　household。　The　fibs　that　she　must　invent；　the　reasons
she　must　find　for　conforming　to　my　whims　would　tax　the　ingenuity　of
some　of　us！　。　。　。　Claudine　never　wearies；　you　can　always　count　upon
her。　It　is　not　love；　I　tell　her；　it　is　infatuation。　She　writes　to　me
every　day；　I　do　not　read　her　letters；　she　found　that　out；　but　still
she　writes。　See　here；　there　are　two　hundred　letters　in　this　casket。
She　begs　me　to　wipe　my　razors　on　one　of　her　letters　every　day；　and　I
punctually　do　so。　She　thinks；　and　rightly；　that　the　sight　of　her
handwriting　will　put　me　in　mind　of　her。'

〃La　Palferine　was　dressing　as　he　told　us　this。　I　took　up　the　letter
which　he　was　about　to　put　to　this　use；　read　it；　and　kept　it；　as　he　did
not　ask　to　have　it　back。　Here　it　is。　I　looked　for　it；　and　found　it　as
I　promised。


〃/Monday　（Midnight）。/

　　〃　'Well；　my　dear；　are　you　satisfied　with　me？　I　did　not　even　ask
　　for　your　hand；　yet　you　might　easily　have　given　it　to　me；　and　I
　　longed　so　much　to　hold　it　to　my　heart；　to　my　lips。　No；　I　did　not
　　ask；　I　am　so　afraid　of　displeasing　you。　Do　you　know　one　thing？
　　Though　I　am　cruelly　sure　that　anything　I　do　is　a　matter　of　perfect
　　indifference　to　you；　I　am　none　the　less　extremely　timid　in　my
　　conduct：　the　woman　that　belongs　to　you；　whatever　her　title　to　call
　　herself　yours；　must　not　incur　so　much　as　the　shadow　of　blame。　In
　　so　far　as　love　comes　from　the　angels　in　heaven；　from　whom　are　no
　　secrets　hid；　my　love　is　as　pure　as　the　purest；　wherever　I　am　I
　　feel　that　I　am　in　your　presence；　and　I　try　to　do　you　honor。

　　〃　'All　that　you　said　about　my　manner　of　dress　impressed　me　very
　　much；　I　began　to　understand　how　far　above　others　are　those　that
　　come　of　a　noble　race。　There　was　still　something　of　the　opera　girl
　　in　my　gowns；　in　my　way　of　dressing　my　hair。　In　a　moment　I　saw　the
　　distance　between　me　and　good　taste。　Next　time　you　will　receive　a
　　duchess；　you　shall　not　know　me　again！　Ah！　how　good　you　have　been
　　to　your　Claudine！　How　many　and　many　a　time　I　have　thanked　you　for
　　telling　me　those　things！　What　interest　lay　in　those　few　words！　You
　　have　taken　thought　for　that　thing　belonging　to　you　called
　　Claudine？　/This/　imbecile　would　never　have　opened　my　eyes；　he
　　thinks　that　everything　I　do　is　right；　and　besides；　he　is　much　too
　　humdrum；　too　matter…of…fact　to　have　any　feeling　for　the　beautiful。

　　〃　'Tuesday　is　very　slow　of　coming　for　my　impatient　mind！　On
　　Tuesday　I　shall　be　with　you　for　several　hours。　Ah！　when　it　comes　I
　　will　try　to　think　that　the　hours　are　months；　that　it　will　be　so
　　always。　I　am　living　in　hope　of　that　morning　now；　as　I　shall　live
　　upon　the　memory　of　it　afterwards。　Hope　is　memory　that　craves；　and
　　recollection；　memory　sated。　What　a　beautiful　life　within　life
　　thought　makes　for　us　in　this　way！

　　〃　'Sometimes　I　dream　of　inventing　new　ways　of　tenderness　all　my
　　own；　a　secret　which　no　other　woman　shall　guess。　A　cold　sweat
　　breaks　out　over　me　at　the　thought　that　something　may　happen　to
　　prevent　this　morning。　Oh；　I　would　break　with　/him/　for　good；　if
　　need　was；　but　nothing　here　could　possibly　interfere；　it　would　be
　　from　your　side。　Perhaps　you　may　decide　to　go　out；　perhaps　to　go　to
　　see　some　other　woman。　Oh！　spare　me　this　Tuesday　for　pity's　sake。
　　If　you　take　it　from　me；　Charles；　you　do　not　know　what　/he/　will
　　suffer；　I　should　drive　him　wild。　But　even　if　you　do　not　want　me；
　　or　you　are　going　out；　let　me　come；　all　the　same；　to　be　with　you
　　while　you　dress；　only　to　see　you；　I　ask　no　more　than　that；　only　to
　　show　you　that　I　love　you　without　a　thought　of　self。

　　〃　'Since　you　gave　me　leave　to　love　you；　for　you　gave　me　leave；
　　since　I　am　yours；　since　that　day　I　loved　and　love　you　with　the
　　whole　strength　of　my　soul；　and　I　shall　love　you　for　ever；　for　once
　　having　loved　/you/；　no　one　could；　no　one　ought　to　love　another。
　　And；　you　see；　when　those　eyes　that　ask　nothing　but　to　see　you　are
　　upon　you；　you　will　feel　that　in　your　Claudine　there　is　a　something
　　divine；　called　into　existence　by　you。

　　〃　'Alas！　with　you　I　can　never　play　the　coquette。　I　am　like　a
　　mother　with　her　child；　I　endure　anything　from　you；　I；　that　was
　　once　so　imperious　and　proud。　I　have　made　dukes　and　princes　fetch
　　and　carry　for　me；　aides…de…camp；　worth　more　than　all　the　court　of
　　Charles　X。　put　together；　have　done　my　errands；　yet　I　am　treating
　　you　as　my　spoilt　child。　But　where　is　the　use　of　coquetry？　It　would
　　be　pure　waste。　And　yet；　monsieur；　for　want　of　coquetry　I　shall
　　never　inspire　love　in　you。　I　know　it；　I　feel　it；　yet　I　do　as
　　before；　feeling　a　power　that　I　cannot　withstand；　thinking　that
　　this　utter　self…surrender　will　win　me　the　sentiment　innate　in　all
　　men　（so　/he/　tells　me）　for　the　thing　that　belongs　to　them。


〃/Wednesday/。

　　〃　'Ah！　how　darkly　sadness　entered　my　heart　yesterday　when　I　found
　　that　I　must　give　up　the　joy　of　seeing　you。　One　single　thought　held
　　me　back　from　the　arms　of　Death！It　was　thy　will！　To　stay　away　was
　　to　do　thy　will；　to　obey　an　order　from　thee。　Oh！　Charles；　I　was　so
　　pretty；　I　looked　a　lovelier　woman　for　you　than　that　beautiful
　　German　princess　whom　you　gave　me　for　an　example；　whom　I　have
　　studied　at　the　Opera。　And　yetyou　might　have　thought　that　I　had
　　overstepped　the　limits　of　my　nature。　You　have　left　me　no
　　confidence　in　myself；　perhaps　I　am　plain　after　all。　Oh！　I　loathe
　　myself；　I　dream　of　my　radiant　Charles　Edward；　and　my　brain　turns。
　　I　shall　go　mad；　I　know　I　shall。　Do　not　laugh；　do　not　talk　to　me　of
　　the　fickleness　of　women。　If　we　are　inconstant；　/you/　are　strangely
　　capricious。　You　take　away　the　hours　of　love　that　made　a　poor
　　creature's　happiness　for　ten　whole　days；　the　hours　on　which　she
　　drew　to　be　charming　and　kind　to　all　that　came　to　see　her！　After
　　all；　you　were　the　source　of　my　kindness　to　/him/；　you　do　not　know
　　what　pain　you　give　him。　I　wonder　what　I　must　do　to　keep　you；　or
　　simply　to　keep　the　right　to　be　yours　sometimes。　。　。　。　When　I　think
　　that　you　never　would　come　here　to　me！　。　。　。　With　what　delicious
　　emotion　I　would　wait　upon　you！There　are　other　women　more　favored
　　than　I。　There　are　women　to　whom　you　say；　'I　love　you。'　To　me　you
　　have　never　said　more　than　'You　are　a　good　girl。'　Certain　speeches
　　of　yours；　though　you　do　not　know　it；　gnaw　at　my　heart。　Clever　men
　　sometimes　ask　me　what　I　am　thinking。　。　。　。　I　am　thinking　of　my
　　self…abasementthe　prostration　of　the　poorest　outcast　in　the
　　presence　of　the　Saviour。

〃There　are　still　three　more　pages；　you　see。　La　Palferine　allowed　me　to
take　the　letter；　with　the　traces　of　tears　that　still　seemed　hot　upon
it！　Here　was　proof　of　the　truth　of　his　story。　Marcas；　a　shy　man　enough
with　women；　was　in　ecstacies　over　a　second　which　he　read　in　his　corner
before　lighting　his　pipe　with　it。

〃　'Why；　any　woman　in　love　will　write　that　sort　of　thing！'　cried　La
Palferine。　'Love　gives　all　women　intelligence　and　style；　which　proves
that　here　in　France　style　proceeds　from　the　matter　and　not　from　the
words。　See　now　how　well　this　is　thought　out；　how　clear…headed
sentiment　is'and　with　that　he　reads　us　another　letter；　far　superior
to　the　artificial　and　labored　productions　which　we　novelists　write。

〃One　day　poor　Claudine　heard　that　La　Palferine　was　in　a　critical
position；　it　was　a　question　of　meeting　a　bill　of　exchange。　An　unlucky
idea　occurred　to　her；　she　put　a　tolerably　large　sum　in　gold　into　an
exquisitely　embroidered　purse　and　went　to　him。

〃　'Who　has　taught　you　as　to　be　so　bold　as　to　meddle　with　my　household
affairs？'　La　Palferine　cried　angrily。　'Mend　my　socks　and　work　slippers
for　me；　if　it　amuses　you。　So！you　will　play　the　duchess；　and　you　turn
the　story　of　Danae　against　the　aristocracy。'

〃He　emptied　the　purse　into　his　hand　as　he　spoke；　and　made　as　though　he
would　fling　the　money　in　her　face。　Claudine；　in　her　terror；　did　not
guess　that　he　was　joking；　she　shrank　back；　stumbled　over　a　chair；　and
fell　with　her　head　against　the　corner　of　the　marble　chimney…piece。　She
thought　she　should　have　died。　When　she　could　speak；　poor　woman；　as　she
lay　on　the　bed；　all　that　she　said　was；　'I　deserved　it；　Charles！'

〃For　a　moment　La　Palferine　was　in　despair；　his　anguish　revived
Claudine。　She　rejoiced　in　the　mishap；　she　took　advantage　of　her
suffering　to　compel　La　Palferine　to　take　the　money　and　release　him
from　an　awkward　position。　Then　followed　a　variation　on　La　Fontaine's
fable；　in　which　a　man　blesses　the　thieves　that　brought　him　a　sudden
impulse　of　tenderness　from　his　wife。　And　while　we　are　upon　this
subject；　another　saying　will　paint　the　man　for　you。

〃Claudine　went　home　again；　made　up　some　kind　of　tale　as　best　she　could
to　account　for　her　bruised　forehead；　and　fell　dangerously　ill。　An
abscess　formed　in　the　head。　The　doctorBianchon；　I　believeyes；　it
was　Bianchonwanted　to　cut　off　her　hair。　The　Duchesse　de　Berri's　hair
is　not　more　beautiful　than　Claudine's；　she　would　not　hear　of　it；　she
told　Bianchon　in　confidence　that　she　could　not　allow　it　to　be　cut
without　leave　from　the　Comte　de　Palferine。　Bianchon　went　to　Charles
Edward。　Charles　Edward　heard　him　with　much　seriousness。　The　doctor　had
explained　the　case　at　length；　and　showed　that　i