a prince of bohemia-第7部分

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have　taken　up　with　an　actress；　may　the　notion　of　marrying　your
mistress　never　get　a　hold　on　you。　It　is　a　torment　omitted　from　the
hell　of　Dante；　you　see。　Look　here！　I　will　beat　her；　I　will　give　her　a
thrashing；　I　will　give　it　to　her！　Poison　of　my　life；　she　sent　me　off
like　a　running　footman。'

〃By　this　time　we　had　reached　the　boulevard；　and　he　had　worked　himself
up　to　such　a　pitch　of　fury　that　the　words　stuck　in　his　throat。

〃　'I　will　kick　the　stuffing　out　of　her！'

〃　'And　why？'

〃　'My　dear　fellow；　you　will　never　know　the　thousand…and…one　fancies
that　slut　takes　into　her　head。　When　I　want　to　stay　at　home；　she；
forsooth；　must　go　out；　when　I　want　to　go　out；　she　wants　me　to　stop　at
home；　and　she　spouts　out　arguments　and　accusations　and　reasoning　and
talks　and　talks　till　she　drives　you　crazy。　Right　means　any　whim　that
they　happen　to　take　into　their　heads；　and　wrong　means　our　notion。
Overwhelm　them　with　something　that　cuts　their　arguments　to　pieces
they　hold　their　tongues　and　look　at　you　as　if　you　were　a　dead　dog。　My
happiness　indeed！　I　lead　the　life　of　a　yard…dog；　I　am　a　perfect　slave。
The　little　happiness　that　I　have　with　her　costs　me　dear。　Confound　it
all。　I　will　leave　her　everything　and　take　myself　off　to　a　garret。　Yes；
a　garret　and　liberty。　I　have　not　dared　to　have　my　own　way　once　in
these　five　years。'

〃But　instead　of　going　to　his　guests；　Cursy　strode　up　and　down　the
boulevard　between　the　Rue　de　Richelieu　and　the　Rue　du　Mont　Blanc；
indulging　in　the　most　fearful　imprecations；　his　unbounded　language　was
most　comical　to　hear。　His　paroxysm　of　fury　in　the　street　contrasted
oddly　with　his　peaceable　demeanor　in　the　house。　Exercise　assisted　him
to　work　off　his　nervous　agitation　and　inward　tempest。　About　two
o'clock；　on　a　sudden　frantic　impulse；　he　exclaimed：

〃　'These　damned　females　never　know　what　they　want。　I　will　wager　my
head　now　that　if　I　go　home　and　tell　her　that　I　have　sent　to　ask　my
friends　to　dine　with　me　at　the　/Rocher　de　Cancale/；　she　will　not　be
satisfied　though　she　made　the　arrangement　herself。But　she　will　have
gone　off　somewhere　or　other。　I　wonder　whether　there　is　something　at
the　bottom　of　all　this；　an　assignation　with　some　goat？　No。　In　the
bottom　of　her　heart　she　loves　me！'　〃

The　Marquise　could　not　help　smiling。

〃Ah；　madame；〃　said　Nathan；　looking　keenly　at　her；　〃only　women　and
prophets　know　how　to　turn　faith　to　account。Du　Bruel　would　have　me　go
home　with　him；〃　he　continued；　〃and　we　went　slowly　back。　It　was　three
o'clock。　Before　he　appeared；　he　heard　a　stir　in　the　kitchen；　saw
preparations　going　forward；　and　glanced　at　me　as　he　asked　the　cook　the
reason　of　this。

〃　'Madame　ordered　dinner；'　said　the　woman。　'Madame　dressed　and　ordered
a　cab；　and　then　she　changed　her　mind　and　ordered　it　again　for　the
theatre　this　evening。'

〃　'Good；'　exclaimed　du　Bruel；　'what　did　I　tell　you？'

〃We　entered　the　house　stealthily。　No　one　was　there。　We　went　from　room
to　room　until　we　reached　a　little　boudoir；　and　came　upon　Tullia　in
tears。　She　dried　her　eyes　without　affectation；　and　spoke　to　du　Bruel。

〃　'Send　a　note　to　the　/Rocher　de　Cancale/；'　she　said；　'and　ask　your
guests　to　dine　here。'

〃She　was　dressed　as　only　women　of　the　theatre　can　dress；　in　a　simply…
made　gown　of　some　dainty　material；　neither　too　costly　nor　too　common；
graceful　and　harmonious　in　outline　and　coloring；　there　was　nothing
conspicuous　about　her；　nothing　exaggerateda　word　now　dropping　out　of
use；　to　be　replaced　by　the　word　'artistic；'　used　by　fools　as　current
coin。　In　short；　Tullia　looked　like　a　gentlewoman。　At　thirty…seven　she
had　reached　the　prime　of　a　Frenchwoman's　beauty。　At　this　moment　the
celebrated　oval　of　her　face　was　divinely　pale；　she　had　laid　her　hat
aside；　I　could　see　a　faint　down　like　the　bloom　of　fruit　softening　the
silken　contours　of　a　cheek　itself　so　delicate。　There　was　a　pathetic
charm　about　her　face　with　its　double　cluster　of　fair　hair；　her
brilliant　gray　eyes　were　veiled　by　a　mist　of　tears；　her　nose；
delicately　carved　as　a　Roman　cameo；　with　its　quivering　nostrils；　her
little　mouth；　like　a　child's　even　now；　her　long　queenly　throat；　with
the　veins　standing　out　upon　it；　her　chin；　flushed　for　the　moment　by
some　secret　despair；　the　pink　tips　of　her　ears；　the　hands　that
trembled　under　her　gloves；　everything　about　her　told　of　violent
feeling。　The　feverish　twitching　of　her　eyebrows　betrayed　her　pain。　She
looked　sublime。

〃Her　first　words　had　crushed　du　Bruel。　She　looked　at　us　both；　with
that　penetrating；　impenetrable　cat…like　glance　which　only　actresses
and　great　ladies　can　use。　Then　she　held　out　her　hand　to　her　husband。

〃　'Poor　dear；　you　had　scarcely　gone　before　I　blamed　myself　a　thousand
times　over。　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　been　horribly　ungrateful。　I
told　myself　that　I　had　been　unkind。Was　I　very　unkind？'　she　asked；
turning　to　me。'Why　not　receive　your　friends？　Is　it　not　your　house？
Do　you　want　to　know　the　reason　of　it　all？　Well；　I　was　afraid　that　I
was　not　loved；　and　indeed　I　was　half…way　between　repentance　and　the
shame　of　going　back。　I　read　the　newspapers；　and　saw　that　there　was　a
first　night　at　the　Varietes；　and　I　thought　you　had　meant　to　give　the
dinner　to　a　collaborator。　Left　to　myself；　I　gave　way；　I　dressed　to
hurry　out　after　youpoor　pet。'

〃Du　Bruel　looked　at　me　triumphantly；　not　a　vestige　of　a　recollection
of　his　orations　/contra　Tullia/　in　his　mind。

〃　'Well；　dearest；　I　have　not　spoken　to　any　one　of　them；'　he　said。

〃　'How　well　we　understand　each　other！'　quoth　she。

〃Even　as　she　uttered　those　bewildering　sweet　words；　I　caught　sight　of
something　in　her　belt；　the　corner　of　a　little　note　thrust　sidewise
into　it；　but　I　did　not　need　that　indication　to　tell　me　that　Tullia's
fantastic　conduct　was　referable　to　occult　causes。　Woman；　in　my
opinion；　is　the　most　logical　of　created　beings；　the　child　alone
excepted。　In　both　we　behold　a　sublime　phenomenon；　the　unvarying
triumph　of　one　dominant；　all…excluding　thought。　The　child's　thought
changes　every　moment；　but　while　it　possesses　him；　he　acts　upon　it　with
such　ardor　that　others　give　way　before　him；　fascinated　by　the
ingenuity；　the　persistence　of　a　strong　desire。　Woman　is　less
changeable；　but　to　call　her　capricious　is　a　stupid　insult。　Whenever
she　acts；　she　is　always　swayed　by　one　dominant　passion；　and　wonderful
it　is　to　see　how　she　makes　that　passion　the　very　centre　of　her　world。

〃Tullia　was　irresistible；　she　twisted　du　Bruel　round　her　fingers；　the
sky　grew　blue　again；　the　evening　was　glorious。　And　ingenious　writer　of
plays　as　he　is；　he　never　so　much　as　saw　that　his　wife　had　buried　a
trouble　out　of　sight。

〃　'Such　is　life；　my　dear　fellow；'　he　said　to　me；　'ups　and　downs　and
contrasts。'

〃　'Especially　life　off　the　stage；'　I　put　in。

〃　'That　is　just　what　I　mean；'　he　continued。　'Why；　but　for　these
violent　emotions；　one　would　be　bored　to　death！　Ah！　that　woman　has　the
gift　of　rousing　me。'

〃We　went　to　the　Varietes　after　dinner；　but　before　we　left　the　house　I
slipped　into　du　Bruel's　room；　and　on　a　shelf　among　a　pile　of　waste
papers　found　the　copy　of　the　/Petites…Affiches/；　in　which；　agreeably
to　the　reformed　law；　notice　of　the　purchase　of　the　house　was　inserted。
The　words　stared　me　in　the　face'At　the　request　of　Jean　Francois　du
Bruel　and　Claudine　Chaffaroux；　his　wife'　/Here/　was　the
explanation　of　the　whole　matter。　I　offered　my　arm　to　Claudine；　and
allowed　the　guests　to　descend　the　stairs　in　front　of　us。　When　we　were
alone'If　I　were　La　Palferine；'　I　said；　'I　would　not　break　an
appointment。'

〃Gravely　she　laid　her　finger　on　her　lips。　She　leant　on　my　arm　as　we
went　downstairs；　and　looked　at　me　with　almost　something　like　happiness
in　her　eyes　because　I　knew　La　Palferine。　Can　you　see　the　first　idea
that　occurred　to　her？　She　thought　of　making　a　spy　of　me；　but　I　turned
her　off　with　the　light　jesting　talk　of　Bohemia。

〃A　month　later；　after　a　first　performance　of　one　of　du　Bruel's　plays；
we　met　in　the　vestibule　of　the　theatre。　It　was　raining；　I　went　to　call
a　cab。　We　had　been　delayed　for　a　few　minutes；　so　that　there　were　no
cabs　in　sight。　Claudine　scolded　du　Bruel　soundly；　and　as　we　rolled
through　the　streets　（for　she　set　me　down　at　Florine's）；　she　continued
the　quarrel　with　a　series　of　most　mortifying　remarks。

〃　'What　is　this　about？'　I　inquired。

〃　'Oh；　my　dear　fellow；　she　blames　me　for　allowing　you　to　run　out　for　a
cab；　and　thereupon　proceeds　to　wish　for　a　carriage。'

〃　'As　a　dancer；'　said　she；　'I　have　never　been　accustomed　to　use　my
feet　except　on　the　boards。　If　you　have　any　spirit；　you　will　turn　out
four　more　plays　or　so　in　a　year；　you　will　make　up　your　mind　that
succeed　they　must；　when　you　think　of　the　end　in　view；　and　that　your
wife　will　not　walk　in　the　mud。　It　is　a　shame　that　I　should　have　to　ask
for　it。　You　ought　to　have　guessed　my　continual　discomfort　during　the
five　years　since　I　married　you。'

〃　'I　am　quite　willing；'　returned　du　Bruel。　'But　we　shall　ruin
ourselves。'

〃　'If　you　run　into　debt；'　she　said；　'my　uncle's　money　will　clear　it
off　some　day。'

〃　'You　are　quite　capable　of　leaving　me　the　debts　and　taking　the
property。'

〃　'Oh！　is　that　the　way　you　take　it？'　retorted　she。　'I　have　nothing
more　to　say　to　you；　such　a　speech　stops　my　mouth。'

〃Whereupon　du　Bruel　poured　out　his　soul　in　excuses　and　protestations
of　love。　Not　a　word　did　she　say。　He　took　her　hands；　she　allowed　him　to
take　them；　they　were　like　ice；　like　a　dead　woman's　hands。　Tullia；　you
can　understand；　was　playing　to　admiration　the　part　of　corpse　that
women　can　play　to　show　you　that　they　refuse　their　consent　to　anything
and　everything；　that　for　you　they　are　suppressing　soul；　spirit；　and
life；　and　regard　themselves　as　beasts　of　burden。　Nothing　so　provokes　a
man　with　a　heart　as　this　strategy。　Women　can　only　use　it　with　those
who　worship　them。

〃She　turned　to　me。　'Do　you　suppose；'　she　said　scornfully；　'that　a
Count　would　have　uttered　such　an　insult　even　if　the　thought　had
entered　his　mind？　For　my　misfortune　I　have　lived　with　dukes；
ambassadors；　and　great　lords；　and　I　know　their　ways。　How　intolerable
it　makes　bourgeois　life！　After　all；　a　playwright　is　not　a　Rastignac
nor　a　Rhetore'

〃Du　Bruel　looked　ghastly　at　this。　Two　days　afterwards　we　met　in　the
/foyer/　at　the　Opera；　an