a prince of bohemia-第5部分

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Edward。　Charles　Edward　heard　him　with　much　seriousness。　The　doctor　had
explained　the　case　at　length；　and　showed　that　it　was　absolutely
necessary　to　sacrifice　the　hair　to　insure　the　success　of　the
operation。

〃　'Cut　off　Claudine's　hair！'　cried　he　in　peremptory　tones。　'No。　I
would　sooner　lose　her。'

〃Even　now；　after　a　lapse　of　four　years；　Bianchon　still　quotes　that
speech；　we　have　laughed　over　it　for　half　an　hour　together。　Claudine；
informed　of　the　verdict；　saw　in　it　a　proof　of　affections；　she　felt
sure　that　she　was　loved。　In　the　face　of　her　weeping　family；　with　her
husband　on　his　knees；　she　was　inexorable。　She　kept　the　hair。　The
strength　that　came　with　the　belief　that　she　was　loved　came　to　her　aid；
the　operation　succeeded　perfectly。　There　are　stirrings　of　the　inner
life　which　throw　all　the　calculations　of　surgery　into　disorder　and
baffle　the　laws　of　medical　science。

〃Claudine　wrote　a　delicious　letter　to　La　Palferine；　a　letter　in　which
the　orthography　was　doubtful　and　the　punctuation　all　to　seek；　to　tell
him　of　the　happy　result　of　the　operation；　and　to　add　that　Love　was
wiser　than　all　the　sciences。

〃　'Now；'　said　La　Palferine　one　day；　'what　am　I　to　do　to　get　rid　of
Claudine？'

〃　'Why；　she　is　not　at　all　troublesome；　she　leaves　you　master　of　your
actions；'　objected　we。

〃　'That　is　true；'　returned　La　Palferine；　'but　I　do　not　choose　that
anything　shall　slip　into　my　life　without　my　consent。'

〃From　that　day　he　set　himself　to　torment　Claudine。　It　seemed　that　he
held　the　bourgeoise；　the　nobody；　in　utter　horror；　nothing　would
satisfy　him　but　a　woman　with　a　title。　Claudine；　it　was　true；　had　made
progress；　she　had　learned　to　dress　as　well　as　the　best…dressed　woman
of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　she　had　freed　her　bearing　of　the
unhallowed　traces；　she　walked　with　a　chastened；　inimitable　grace；　but
this　was　not　enough。　This　praise　of　her　enabled　Claudine　to　swallow
down　the　rest。

〃But　one　day　La　Palferine　said；　'If　you　wish　to　be　the　mistress　of　one
La　Palferine；　poor；　penniless；　and　without　prospects　as　he　is；　you
ought　at　least　to　represent　him　worthily。　You　should　have　a　carriage
and　liveried　servants　and　a　title。　Give　me　all　the　gratifications　of
vanity　that　will　never　be　mine　in　my　own　person。　The　woman　whom　I
honor　with　my　regard　ought　never　to　go　on　foot；　if　she　is　bespattered
with　mud；　I　suffer。　That　is　how　I　am　made。　If　she　is　mine；　she　must　be
admired　of　all　Paris。　All　Paris　shall　envy　me　my　good　fortune。　If　some
little　whipper…snapper　seeing　a　brilliant　countess　pass　in　her
brilliant　carriage　shall　say　to　himself；　〃Who　can　call　such　a　divinity
his？〃　and　grow　thoughtfulwhy；　it　will　double　my　pleasure。'

〃La　Palferine　owned　to　us　that　he　flung　this　programme　at　Claudine's
head　simply　to　rid　himself　of　her。　As　a　result　he　was　stupefied　with
astonishment　for　the　first　and　probably　the　only　time　in　his　life。

〃　'Dear；'　she　said；　and　there　was　a　ring　in　her　voice　that　betrayed
the　great　agitation　which　shook　her　whole　being；　'it　is　well。　All　this
shall　be　done；　or　I　will　die。'

〃She　let　fall　a　few　happy　tears　on　his　hand　as　she　kissed　it。

〃　'You　have　told　me　what　I　must　do　to　be　your　mistress　still；'　she
added；　'I　am　glad。'

〃　'And　then'　（La　Palferine　told　us）　'she　went　out　with　a　little
coquettish　gesture　like　a　woman　that　has　had　her　way。　As　she　stood　in
my　garrett　doorway；　tall　and　proud；　she　seemed　to　reach　the　stature　of
an　antique　sibyl。'

〃All　this　should　sufficiently　explain　the　manners　and　customs　of　the
Bohemia　in　which　the　young　/condottiere/　is　one　of　the　most　brilliant
figures；〃　Nathan　continued　after　a　pause。　〃Now　it　so　happened　that　I
discovered　Claudine's　identity；　and　could　understand　the　appalling
truth　of　one　line　which　you　perhaps　overlooked　in　that　letter　of　hers。
It　was　on　this　wise。〃

The　Marquise；　too　thoughtful　now　for　laughter；　bade　Nathan　〃Go　on；〃　in
a　tone　that　told　him　plainly　how　deeply　she　had　been　impressed　by
these　strange　things；　and　even　more　plainly　how　much　she　was
interested　in　La　Palferine。

〃In　1829；　one　of　the　most　influential；　steady；　and　clever　of　dramatic
writers　was　du　Bruel。　His　real　name　is　unknown　to　the　public；　on　the
play…bills　he　is　de　Cursy。　Under　the　Restoration　he　had　a　place　in　the
Civil　Service；　and　being　really　attached　to　the　elder　branch；　he　sent
in　his　resignation　bravely　in　1830；　and　ever　since　has　written　twice
as　many　plays　to　fill　the　deficit　in　his　budget　made　by　his　noble
conduct。　At　that　time　du　Bruel　was　forty　years　old；　you　know　the　story
of　his　life。　Like　many　of　his　brethren；　he　bore　a　stage　dancer　an
affection　hard　to　explain；　but　well　known　in　the　whole　world　of
letters。　The　woman；　as　you　know；　was　Tullia；　one　of　the　/premiers
sujets/　of　the　Academie　Royale　de　Musique。　Tullia　is　merely　a
pseudonym　like　du　Bruel's　name　of　de　Cursy。

〃For　the　ten　years　between　1817　and　1827　Tullia　was　in　her　glory　on
the　heights　of　the　stage　of　the　Opera。　With　more　beauty　than
education；　a　mediocre　dancer　with　rather　more　sense　than　most　of　her
class；　she　took　no　part　in　the　virtuous　reforms　which　ruined　the　corps
de　ballet；　she　continued　the　Guimard　dynasty。　She　owed　her　ascendency；
moreover；　to　various　well…known　protectors；　to　the　Duc　de　Rhetore　（the
Due　de　Chaulieu's　eldest　son）；　to　the　influence　of　a　famous
Superintendent　of　Fine　Arts；　and　sundry　diplomatists　and　rich
foreigners。　During　her　apogee　she　had　a　neat　little　house　in　the　Rue
Chauchat；　and　lived　as　Opera　nymphs　used　to　live　in　the　old　days。　Du
Bruel　was　smitten　with　her　about　the　time　when　the　Duke's　fancy　came
to　an　end　in　1823。　Being　a　mere　subordinate　in　the　Civil　Service；　du
Bruel　tolerated　the　Superintendent　of　Fine　Arts；　believing　that　he
himself　was　really　preferred。　After　six　years　this　connection　was
almost　a　marriage。　Tullia　has　always　been　very　careful　to　say　nothing
of　her　family；　we　have　a　vague　idea　that　she　comes　from　Nanterre。　One
of　her　uncles；　formerly　a　simple　bricklayer　or　carpenter；　is　now；　it
is　said；　a　very　rich　contractor；　thanks　to　her　influence　and　generous
loans。　This　fact　leaked　out　through　du　Bruel。　He　happened　to　say　that
Tullia　would　inherit　a　fine　fortune　sooner　or　later。　The　contractor
was　a　bachelor；　he　had　a　weakness　for　the　niece　to　whom　he　is
indebted。

〃　'He　is　not　clever　enough　to　be　ungrateful；'　said　she。

〃In　1829　Tullia　retired　from　the　stage　of　her　own　accord。　At　the　age
of　thirty　she　saw　that　she　was　growing　somewhat　stouter；　and　she　had
tried　pantomime　without　success。　Her　whole　art　consisted　in　the　trick
of　raising　her　skirts；　after　Noblet's　manner；　in　a　pirouette　which
inflated　them　balloon…fashion　and　exhibited　the　smallest　possible
quantity　of　clothing　to　the　pit。　The　aged　Vestris　had　told　her　at　the
very　beginning　that　this　/temps/；　well　executed　by　a　fine　woman；　is
worth　all　the　art　imaginable。　It　is　the　chest…note　C　of　dancing。　For
which　reason；　he　said；　the　very　greatest　dancersCamargo；　Guimard；
and　Taglioni；　all　of　them　thin；　brown；　and　plaincould　only　redeem
their　physical　defects　by　their　genius。　Tullia；　still　in　the　height　of
her　glory；　retired　before　younger　and　cleverer　dancers；　she　did
wisely。　She　was　an　aristocrat；　she　had　scarcely　stooped　below　the
noblesse　in　her　/liaisons/；　she　declined　to　dip　her　ankles　in　the
troubled　waters　of　July。　Insolent　and　beautiful　as　she　was；　Claudine
possessed　handsome　souvenirs；　but　very　little　ready　money；　still；　her
jewels　were　magnificent；　and　she　had　as　fine　furniture　as　any　one　in
Paris。

〃On　quitting　the　stage　when　she；　forgotten　to…day；　was　yet　in　the
height　of　her　fame；　one　thought　possessed　hershe　meant　du　Bruel　to
marry　her；　and　at　the　time　of　this　story；　you　must　understand　that　the
marriage　had　taken　place；　but　was　kept　a　secret。　How　do　women　of　her
class　contrive　to　make　a　man　marry　them　after　seven　or　eight　years　of
intimacy？　What　springs　do　they　touch？　What　machinery　do　they　set　in
motion？　But；　however　comical　such　domestic　dramas　may　be；　we　are　not
now　concerned　with　them。　Du　Bruel　was　secretly　married；　the　thing　was
done。

〃Cursy　before　his　marriage　was　supposed　to　be　a　jolly　companion；　now
and　again　he　stayed　out　all　night；　and　to　some　extent　led　the　life　of
a　Bohemian；　he　would　unbend　at　a　supper…party。　He　went　out　to　all
appearance　to　a　rehearsal　at　the　Opera…Comique；　and　found　himself　in
some　unaccountable　way　at　Dieppe；　or　Baden；　or　Saint…Germain；　he　gave
dinners；　led　the　Titanic　thriftless　life　of　artists；　journalists；　and
writers；　levied　his　tribute　on　all　the　greenrooms　of　Paris；　and；　in
short；　was　one　of　us。　Finot；　Lousteau；　du　Tillet；　Desroches；　Bixiou；
Blondet；　Couture；　and　des　Lupeaulx　tolerated　him　in　spite　of　his
pedantic　manner　and　ponderous　official　attitude。　But　once　married；
Tullia　made　a　slave　of　du　Bruel。　There　was　no　help　for　it。　He　was　in
love　with　Tullia；　poor　devil。

〃　'Tullia'　（so　he　said）　'had　left　the　stage　to　be　his　alone；　to　be　a
good　and　charming　wife。'　And　somehow　Tullia　managed　to　induce　the　most
Puritanical　members　of　du　Bruel's　family　to　accept　her。　From　the　very
first；　before　any　one　suspected　her　motives；　she　assiduously　visited
old　Mme。　de　Bonfalot；　who　bored　her　horribly；　she　made　handsome
presents　to　mean　old　Mme。　de　Chisse；　du　Bruel's　great…aunt；　she　spent
a　summer　with　the　latter　lady；　and　never　missed　a　single　mass。　She
even　went　to　confession；　received　absolution；　and　took　the　sacrament；
but　this；　you　must　remember；　was　in　the　country；　and　under　the　aunt's
eyes。

〃　'I　shall　have　real　aunts　now；　do　you　understand？'　she　said　to　us
when　she　came　back　in　the　winter。

〃She　was　so　delighted　with　her　respectability；　so　glad　to　renounce　her
independence；　that　she　found　means　to　compass　her　end。　She　flattered
the　old　people。　She　went　on　foot　every　day　to　sit　for　a　couple　of
hours　with　Mme。　du　Bruel　the　elder　while　that　lady　was　illa
Maintenon's　stratagem　which　amazed　du　Bruel。　And　he　admired　his　wife
without　criticism；　he　was　so　fast　in　the　toils　already　that　he　did　not
feel　his　bonds。

〃Claudine　succeeded　in　making　him　understand　that　only　under　the
elastic　system　of　a　bourgeois　government；　only　at　the　bourgeois　court
of　the　Citizen…King；　could　a　Tullia；　now　metamorphosed　into　a　Mme。　du
Bruel；　be　accepte