a prince of bohemia-第6部分

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of　the　Citizen…King；　could　a　Tullia；　now　metamorphosed　into　a　Mme。　du
Bruel；　be　accepted　in　the　society　which　her　good　sense　prevented　her
from　attempting　to　enter。　Mme。　de　Bonfalot；　Mme。　de　Chisse；　and　Mme。
du　Bruel　received　her；　she　was　satisfied。　She　took　up　the　position　of
a　well…conducted；　simple；　and　virtuous　woman；　and　never　acted　out　of
character。　In　three　years'　time　she　was　introduced　to　the　friends　of
these　ladies。

〃　'And　still　I　cannot　persuade　myself　that　young　Mme。　du　Bruel　used　to
display　her　ankles；　and　the　rest；　to　all　Paris；　with　the　light　of　a
hundred　gas…jets　pouring　upon　her；'　Mme。　Anselme　Popinot　remarked
naively。

〃From　this　point　of　view；　July　1830　inaugurated　an　era　not　unlike　the
time　of　the　Empire；　when　a　waiting　woman　was　received　at　Court　in　the
person　of　Mme。　Garat；　a　chief…justice's　'lady。'　Tullia　had　completely
broken；　as　you　may　guess；　with　all　her　old　associates；　of　her　former
acquaintances；　she　only　recognized　those　who　could　not　compromise　her。
At　the　time　of　her　marriage　she　had　taken　a　very　charming　little　hotel
between　a　court　and　a　garden；　lavishing　money　on　it　with　wild
extravagance　and　putting　the　best　part　of　her　furniture　and　du　Bruel's
into　it。　Everything　that　she　thought　common　or　ordinary　was　sold。　To
find　anything　comparable　to　her　sparkling　splendor；　you　could　only
look　back　to　the　days　when　Sophie　Arnould；　a　Guimard；　or　a　Duthe；　in
all　her　glory；　squandered　the　fortunes　of　princes。

〃How　far　did　this　sumptuous　existence　affect　du　Bruel？　It　is　a
delicate　question　to　ask；　and　a　still　more　delicate　one　to　answer。　A
single　incident　will　suffice　to　give　you　an　idea　of　Tullia's
crotchets。　Her　bed…spread　of　Brussels　lace　was　worth　ten　thousand
francs。　A　famous　actress　had　another　like　it。　As　soon　as　Claudine
heard　this；　she　allowed　her　cat；　a　splendid　Angora；　to　sleep　on　the
bed。　That　trait　gives　you　the　woman。　Du　Bruel　dared　not　say　a　word；　he
was　ordered　to　spread　abroad　that　challenge　in　luxury；　so　that　it
might　reach　the　other。　Tullia　was　very　fond　of　this　gift　from　the　Duc
de　Rhetore；　but　one　day；　five　years　after　her　marriage；　she　played
with　her　cat　to　such　purpose　that　the　coverletfurbelows；　flounces；
and　allwas　torn　to　shreds；　and　replaced　by　a　sensible　quilt；　a　quilt
that　was　a　quilt；　and　not　a　symptom　of　the　peculiar　form　of　insanity
which　drives　these　women　to　make　up　by　an　insensate　luxury　for　the
childish　days　when　they　lived　on　raw　apples；　to　quote　the　expression
of　a　journalist。　The　day　when　the　bed…spread　was　torn　to　tatters
marked　a　new　epoch　in　her　married　life。

〃Cursy　was　remarkable　for　his　ferocious　industry。　Nobody　suspects　the
source　to　which　Paris　owes　the　patch…and…powder　eighteenth　century
vaudevilles　that　flooded　the　stage。　Those　thousand…and…one
vaudevilles；　which　raised　such　an　outcry　among　the　/feuilletonistes/；
were　written　at　Mme。　du　Bruel's　express　desire。　She　insisted　that　her
husband　should　purchase　the　hotel　on　which　she　had　spent　so　much；
where　she　had　housed　five　hundred　thousand　francs'　worth　of　furniture。
Wherefore　Tullia　never　enters　into　explanations；　she　understands　the
sovereign　woman's　reason　to　admiration。

〃　'People　made　a　good　deal　of　fun　of　Cursy；'　said　she；　'but；　as　a
matter　of　fact；　he　found　this　house　in　the　eighteenth　century　rouge…
box；　powder；　puffs；　and　spangles。　He　would　never　have　thought　of　it
but　for　me；'　she　added；　burying　herself　in　the　cushions　in　her
fireside　corner。

〃She　delivered　herself　thus　on　her　return　from　a　first　night。　Du
Bruel's　piece　had　succeeded；　and　she　foresaw　an　avalanche　of
criticisms。　Tullia　had　her　At　Homes。　Every　Monday　she　gave　a　tea…
party；　her　society　was　as　select　as　might　be；　and　she　neglected
nothing　that　could　make　her　house　pleasant。　There　was　a　bouillotte　in
one　room；　conversation　in　another；　and　sometimes　a　concert　（always
short）　in　the　large　drawing…room。　None　but　the　most　eminent　artists
performed　in　the　house。　Tullia　had　so　much　good　sense；　that　she
attained　to　the　most　exquisite　tact；　and　herein；　in　all　probability；
lay　the　secret　of　her　ascendency　over　du　Bruel；　at　any　rate；　he　loved
her　with　the　love　which　use　and　wont　at　length　makes　indispensable　to
life。　Every　day　adds　another　thread　to　the　strong；　irresistible；
intangible　web；　which　enmeshes　the　most　delicate　fancies；　takes
captive　every　most　transient　mood；　and　binding　them　together；　holds　a
man　captive　hand　and　foot；　heart　and　head。

〃Tullia　knew　Cursy　well；　she　knew　every　weak　point　in　his　armor；　knew
also　how　to　heal　his　wounds。

〃A　passion　of　this　kind　is　inscrutable　for　any　observer；　even　for　a
man　who　prides　himself；　as　I　do；　on　a　certain　expertness。　It　is
everywhere　unfathomable；　the　dark　depths　in　it　are　darker　than　in　any
other　mystery；　the　colors　confused　even　in　the　highest　lights。

〃Cursy　was　an　old　playwright；　jaded　by　the　life　of　the　theatrical
world。　He　liked　comfort；　he　liked　a　luxurious；　affluent；　easy
existence；　he　enjoyed　being　a　king　in　his　own　house；　he　liked　to　be
host　to　a　party　of　men　of　letters　in　a　hotel　resplendent　with　royal
luxury；　with　carefully　chosen　works　of　art　shining　in　the　setting。
Tullia　allowed　du　Bruel　to　enthrone　himself　amid　the　tribe；　there　were
plenty　of　journalists　whom　it　was　easy　enough　to　catch　and　ensnare；
and；　thanks　to　her　evening　parties　and　a　well…timed　loan　here　and
there；　Cursy　was　not　attacked　too　seriouslyhis　plays　succeeded。　For
these　reasons　he　would　not　have　separated　from　Tullia　for　an　empire。
If　she　had　been　unfaithful；　he　would　probably　have　passed　it　over；　on
condition　that　none　of　his　accustomed　joys　should　be　retrenched；　yet；
strange　to　say；　Tullia　caused　him　no　twinges　on　this　account。　No　fancy
was　laid　to　her　charge；　if　there　had　been　any；　she　certainly　had　been
very　careful　of　appearances。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　du　Bruel　would　say；　laying　down　the　law　to　us　on
the　boulevard；　'there　is　nothing　like　one　of　these　women　who　have　sown
their　wild　oats　and　got　over　their　passions。　Such　women　as　Claudine
have　lived　their　bachelor　life；　they　have　been　over　head　and　ears　in
pleasure；　and　make　the　most　adorable　wives　that　could　be　wished；　they
have　nothing　to　learn；　they　are　formed；　they　are　not　in　the　least
prudish；　they　are　well　broken　in；　and　indulgent。　So　I　strongly
recommend　everybody　to　take　the　〃remains　of　a　racer。〃　I　am　the　most
fortunate　man　on　earth。'

〃Du　Bruel　said　this　to　me　himself　with　Bixiou　there　to　hear　it。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；'　said　the　caricaturist；　'perhaps　he　is　right　to　be
in　the　wrong。'

〃About　a　week　afterwards；　du　Bruel　asked　us　to　dine　with　him　one
Tuesday。　That　morning　I　went　to　see　him　on　a　piece　of　theatrical
business；　a　case　submitted　to　us　for　arbitration　by　the　commission　of
dramatic　authors。　We　were　obliged　to　go　out　again；　but　before　we
started　he　went　to　Claudine's　room；　knocked；　as　he　always　does；　and
asked　for　leave　to　enter。

〃　'We　live　in　grand　style；'　said　he；　smiling；　'we　are　free。　Each　is
independent。'

〃We　were　admitted。　Du　Bruel　spoke　to　Claudine。　'I　have　asked　a　few
people　to　dinner　to…day〃

〃　'Just　like　you！'　cried　she。　'You　ask　people　without　speaking　to　me；
I　count　for　nothing　here。Now'　（taking　me　as　arbitrator　by　a　glance）
'I　ask　you　yourself。　When　a　man　has　been　so　foolish　as　to　live　with　a
woman　of　my　sort；　for；　after　all；　I　was　an　opera　danceryes；　I　ought
always　to　remember　that；　if　other　people　are　to　forget　itwell；　under
those　circumstances；　a　clever　man　seeking　to　raise　his　wife　in　public
opinion　would　do　his　best　to　impose　her　upon　the　world　as　a　remarkable
woman；　to　justify　the　step　he　had　taken　by　acknowledging　that　in　some
ways　she　was　something　more　than　ordinary　women。　The　best　way　of
compelling　respect　from　others　is　to　pay　respect　to　her　at　home；　and
to　leave　her　absolute　mistress　of　the　house。　Well；　and　yet　it　is
enough　to　awaken　one's　vanity　to　see　how　frightened　he　is　of　seeming
to　listen　to　me。　I　must　be　in　the　right　ten　times　over　if　he　concedes
a　single　point。'

〃（Emphatic　negative　gestures　from　du　Bruel　at　every　other　word。）

〃　'Oh；　yes；　yes；'　she　continued　quickly；　in　answer　to　this　mute
dissent。　'I　know　all　about　it；　du　Bruel；　my　dear；　I　that　have　been
like　a　queen　in　my　house　all　my　life　till　I　married　you。　My　wishes
were　guessed；　fulfilled；　and　more　than　fulfilled。　After　all；　I　am
thirty…five；　and　at　five…and…thirty　a　woman　cannot　expect　to　be　loved。
Ah；　if　I　were　a　girl　of　sixteen；　if　I　had　not　lost　something　that　is
dearly　bought　at　the　Opera；　what　attention　you　would　pay　me；　M。　du
Bruel！　I　feel　the　most　supreme　contempt　for　men　who　boast　that　they
can　love　and　grow　careless　and　neglectful　in　little　things　as　time
grows　on。　You　are　short　and　insignificant；　you　see；　du　Bruel；　you　love
to　torment　a　woman；　it　is　your　only　way　of　showing　your　strength。　A
Napoleon　is　ready　to　be　swayed　by　the　woman　he　loves；　he　loses　nothing
by　it；　but　as　for　such　as　you；　you　believe　that　you　are　nothing
apparently；　you　do　not　wish　to　be　ruled。Five…and…thirty；　my　dear
boy；'　she　continued；　turning　to　me；　'that　is　the　clue　to　the　riddle。
〃No；〃　does　he　say　again？You　know　quite　well　that　I　am　thirty…seven。
I　am　very　sorry；　but　just　ask　your　friends　to　dine　at　the　/Rocher　de
Cancale/。　I　/could/　have　them　here；　but　I　will　not；　they　shall　not
come。　And　then　perhaps　my　poor　little　monologue　may　engrave　that
salutary　maxim；　〃Each　is　master　at　home；〃　upon　your　memory。　That　is
our　character；'　she　added；　laughing；　with　a　return　of　the　opera　girl's
giddiness　and　caprice。

〃　'Well；　well；　my　dear　little　puss；　there；　there；　never　mind。　We　can
manage　to　get　on　together；'　said　du　Bruel；　and　he　kissed　her　hands；
and　we　came　away。　But　he　was　very　wroth。

〃The　whole　way　from　the　Rue　de　la　Victoire　to　the　boulevard　a　perfect
torrent　of　venomous　words　poured　from　his　mouth　like　a　waterfall　in
flood；　but　as　the　shocking　language　which　he　used　on　occasion　was
quite　unfit　to　print；　the　report　is　necessarily　inadequate。

〃　'My　dear　fellow；　I　will　leave　that　vile；　shameless　opera　dancer；　a
worn…out　jade　that　has　been　set　spinning　like　a　top　to　every　operatic
air；　a　foul　hussy；　an　organ…grinder's　monkey！　Oh；　my　dear　boy；　you
have　taken　up　with　an　actress；　may　the　notion　of　marrying　your