the collection of antiquities-第18部分

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e；　when　Victurnien　came　in。

The　Comte　d'Esgrignon；　with　all　his　stifled　capacity；　his　so　keen　intellect；　was　in　exactly　the　state　which　might　have　been　looked　for　in　the　woman。　His　heart　was　beating　violently；　the　perspiration　broke　out　over　him　as　he　stood　in　his　dandy's　trappings；　he　was　afraid　as　yet　to　lay　a　hand　on　the　corner…stone　which　upheld　the　pyramid　of　his　life　with　Diane。　So　much　it　cost　him　to　know　the　truth。　The　cleverest　men　are　fain　to　deceive　themselves　on　one　or　two　points　if　the　truth　once　known　is　likely　to　humiliate　them　in　their　own　eyes；　and　damage　themselves　with　themselves。　Victurnien　forced　his　own　irresolution　into　the　field　by　committing　himself。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　Diane　de　Maufrigneuse　had　said　at　once；　at　the　sight　of　her　beloved　Victurnien's　face。

〃Why；　dear　Diane；　I　am　in　such　a　perplexity；　a　man　gone　to　the　bottom　and　at　his　last　gasp　is　happy　in　comparison。〃

〃Pshaw！　it　is　nothing；〃　said　she；　〃you　are　a　child。　Let　us　see　now；　tell　me　about　it。〃

〃I　am　hopelessly　in　debt。　I　have　come　to　the　end　of　my　tether。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　she；　smiling　at　him。　〃Money　matters　can　always　be　arranged　somehow　or　other；　nothing　is　irretrievable　except　disasters　in　love。〃

Victurnien's　mind　being　set　at　rest　by　this　swift　comprehension　of　his　position；　he　unrolled　the　bright…colored　web　of　his　life　for　the　last　two　years　and　a　half；　but　it　was　the　seamy　side　of　it　which　he　displayed　with　something　of　genius；　and　still　more　of　wit；　to　his　Diane。　He　told　his　tale　with　the　inspiration　of　the　moment；　which　fails　no　one　in　great　crises；　he　had　sufficient　artistic　skill　to　set　it　off　by　a　varnish　of　delicate　scorn　for　men　and　things。　It　was　an　aristocrat　who　spoke。　And　the　Duchess　listened　as　she　could　listen。

One　knee　was　raised；　for　she　sat　with　her　foot　on　a　stool。　She　rested　her　elbow　on　her　knee　and　leant　her　face　on　her　hand　so　that　her　fingers　closed　daintily　over　her　shapely　chin。　Her　eyes　never　left　his；　but　thoughts　by　myriads　flitted　under　the　blue　surface；　like　gleams　of　stormy　light　between　two　clouds。　Her　forehead　was　calm；　her　mouth　gravely　intentgrave　with　love；　her　lips　were　knotted　fast　by　Victurnien's　lips。　To　have　her　listening　thus　was　to　believe　that　a　divine　love　flowed　from　her　heart。　Wherefore；　when　the　Count　had　proposed　flight　to　this　soul；　so　closely　knit　to　his　own；　he　could　not　help　crying；　〃You　are　an　angel！〃

The　fair　Maufrigneuse　made　silent　answer；　but　she　had　not　spoken　as　yet。

〃Good；　very　good；〃　she　said　at　last。　（She　had　not　given　herself　up　to　the　love　expressed　in　her　face；　her　mind　had　been　entirely　absorbed　by　deep…laid　schemes　which　she　kept　to　herself。）　〃But　THAT　is　not　the　question；　dear。〃　（The　〃angel〃　was　only　〃that〃　by　this　time。）　〃Let　us　think　of　your　affairs。　Yes；　we　will　go；　and　the　sooner　the　better。　Arrange　it　all；　I　will　follow　you。　It　is　glorious　to　leave　Paris　and　the　world　behind。　I　will　set　about　my　preparations　in　such　a　way　that　no　one　can　suspect　anything。〃

I　WILL　FOLLOW　YOU！　Just　so　Mlle。　Mars　might　have　spoken　those　words　to　send　a　thrill　through　two　thousand　listening　men　and　women。　When　a　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　offers；　in　such　words；　to　make　such　a　sacrifice　to　love；　she　has　paid　her　debt。　How　should　Victurnien　speak　of　sordid　details　after　that？　He　could　so　much　the　better　hide　his　schemes；　because　Diane　was　particularly　careful　not　to　inquire　into　them。　She　was　now；　and　always；　as　de　Marsay　said；　an　invited　guest　at　a　banquet　wreathed　with　roses；　a　banquet　which　mankind；　as　in　duty　bound；　made　ready　for　her。

Victurnien　would　not　go　till　the　promise　had　been　sealed。　He　must　draw　courage　from　his　happiness　before　he　could　bring　himself　to　do　a　deed　on　which；　as　he　inwardly　told　himself；　people　would　be　certain　to　put　a　bad　construction。　Still　（and　this　was　the　thought　that　decided　him）　he　counted　on　his　aunt　and　father　to　hush　up　the　affair；　he　even　counted　on　Chesnel。　Chesnel　would　think　of　one　more　compromise。　Besides；　〃this　business；〃　as　he　called　it　in　his　thoughts；　was　the　only　way　of　raising　money　on　the　family　estate。　With　three　hundred　thousand　francs；　he　and　Diane　would　lead　a　happy　life　hidden　in　some　palace　in　Venice；　and　there　they　would　forget　the　world。　They　went　through　their　romance　in　advance。

Next　day　Victurnien　made　out　a　bill　for　three　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　took　it　to　the　Kellers。　The　Kellers　advanced　the　money；　for　du　Croisier　happened　to　have　a　balance　at　the　time；　but　they　wrote　to　let　him　know　that　he　must　not　draw　again　on　them　without　giving　them　notice。　Du　Croisier；　much　astonished；　asked　for　a　statement　of　accounts。　It　was　sent。　Everything　was　explained。　The　day　of　his　vengeance　had　arrived。



When　Victurnien　had　drawn　〃his〃　money；　he　took　it　to　Mme。　de　Maufrigneuse。　She　locked　up　the　banknotes　in　her　desk；　and　proposed　to　bid　the　world　farewell　by　going　to　the　Opera　to　see　it　for　the　last　time。　Victurnien　was　thoughtful；　absent；　and　uneasy。　He　was　beginning　to　reflect。　He　thought　that　his　seat　in　the　Duchess'　box　might　cost　him　dear；　that　perhaps；　when　he　had　put　the　three　hundred　thousand　francs　in　safety；　it　would　be　better　to　travel　post；　to　fall　at　Chesnel's　feet；　and　tell　him　all。　But　before　they　left　the　opera…　house；　the　Duchess；　in　spite　of　herself；　gave　Victurnien　an　adorable　glance；　her　eyes　were　shining　with　the　desire　to　go　back　once　more　to　bid　farewell　to　the　nest　which　she　loved　so　much。　And　boy　that　he　was；　he　lost　a　night。

The　next　day；　at　three　o'clock；　he　was　back　again　at　the　Hotel　de　Maufrigneuse；　he　had　come　to　take　the　Duchess'　orders　for　that　night's　escape。　And；　〃Why　should　we　go？〃　asked　she；　〃I　have　thought　it　all　out。　The　Vicomtesse　de　Beauseant　and　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　disappeared。　If　I　go　too；　it　will　be　something　quite　commonplace。　We　will　brave　the　storm。　It　will　be　a　far　finer　thing　to　do。　I　am　sure　of　success。〃　Victurnien's　eyes　dazzled；　he　felt　as　if　his　skin　were　dissolving　and　the　blood　oozing　out　all　over　him。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　cried　the　fair　Diane；　noticing　a　hesitation　which　a　woman　never　forgives。　Your　truly　adroit　lover　will　hasten　to　agree　with　any　fancy　that　Woman　may　take　into　her　head；　and　suggest　reasons　for　doing　otherwise；　while　leaving　her　free　exercise　of　her　right　to　change　her　mind；　her　intentions；　and　sentiments　generally　as　often　as　she　pleases。　Victurnien　was　angry　for　the　first　time；　angry　with　the　wrath　of　a　weak　man　of　poetic　temperament；　it　was　a　storm　of　rain　and　lightning　flashes；　but　no　thunder　followed。　The　angel　on　whose　faith　he　had　risked　more　than　his　life；　the　honor　of　his　house；　was　very　roughly　handled。

〃So；〃　said　she；　〃we　have　come　to　this　after　eighteen　months　of　tenderness！　You　are　unkind；　very　unkind。　Go　away！I　do　not　want　to　see　you　again。　I　thought　that　you　loved　me。　You　do　not。〃

〃I　DO　NOT　LOVE　YOU？〃　repeated　he；　thunderstruck　by　the　reproach。

〃No；　monsieur。〃

〃And　yet〃　he　cried。　〃Ah！　if　you　but　knew　what　I　have　just　done　for　your　sake！〃

〃And　how　have　you　done　so　much　for　me；　monsieur？　As　if　a　man　ought　not　to　do　anything　for　a　woman　that　has　done　so　much　for　him。〃

〃You　are　not　worthy　to　know　it！〃　Victurnien　cried　in　a　passion　of　anger。

〃Oh！〃

After　that　sublime；　〃Oh！〃　Diane　bowed　her　head　on　her　hand　and　sat；　still；　cold；　and　implacable　as　angels　naturally　may　be　expected　to　do；　seeing　that　they　share　none　of　the　passions　of　humanity。　At　the　sight　of　the　woman　he　loved　in　this　terrible　attitude；　Victurnien　forgot　his　danger。　Had　he　not　just　that　moment　wronged　the　most　angelic　creature　on　earth？　He　longed　for　forgiveness；　he　threw　himself　before　her；　he　kissed　her　feet；　he　pleaded；　he　wept。　Two　whole　hours　the　unhappy　young　man　spent　in　all　kinds　of　follies；　only　to　meet　the　same　cold　face；　while　the　great　silent　tears　dropping　one　by　one；　were　dried　as　soon　as　they　fell　lest　the　unworthy　lover　should　try　to　wipe　them　away。　The　Duchess　was　acting　a　great　agony；　one　of　those　hours　which　stamp　the　woman　who　passes　through　them　as　something　august　and　sacred。

Two　more　hours　went　by。　By　this　time　the　Count　had　gained　possession　of　Diane's　hand；　it　felt　cold　and　spiritless。　The　beautiful　hand；　with　all　the　treasures　in　its　grasp；　might　have　been　supple　wood；　there　was　nothing　of　Diane　in　it；　he　had　taken　it；　it　had　not　been　given　to　him。　As　for　Victurnien；　the　spirit　had　ebbed　out　of　his　frame；　he　had　ceased　to　think。　He　would　not　have　seen　the　sun　in　heaven。　What　was　to　be　done？　What　course　should　he　take？　What　resolution　should　he　make？　The　man　who　can　keep　his　head　in　such　circumstances　must　be　made　of　the　same　stuff　as　the　convict　who　spent　the　night　in　robbing　the　Bibliotheque　Royale　of　its　gold　medals；　and　repaired　to　his　honest　brother　in　the　morning　with　a　request　to　melt　down　the　plunder。　〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　the　brother。　〃Make　me　some　coffee；〃　replied　the　thief。　Victurnien　sank　into　a　bewildered　stupor；　darkness　settled　down　over　his　brain。　Visions　of　past　rapture　flitted　across　the　misty　gloom　like　the　figures　that　Raphael　painted　against　a　black　background；　to　these　he　must　bid　farewell。　Inexorable　and　disdainful；　the　Duchess　played　with　the　tip　of　her　scarf。　She　looked　in　irritation　at　Victurnien　from　time　to　time；　she　coquetted　with　memories；　she　spoke　to　her　lover　of　his　rivals　as　if　anger　had　finally　decided　her　to　prefer　one　of　them　to　a　man　who　could　so　change　in　one　moment　after　twenty…eight　months　of　love。

〃Ah！　that　charming　young　Felix　de　Vandenesse；　so　faithful　as　he　was　to　Mme。　de　Mortsauf；　would　never　have　permitted　himself　such　a　scene！　He　can　love；　can　de　Vandenesse！　De　Marsay；　that　terrible　de　Marsay；　such　a　tiger　as　everyone　thought　him；　was　rough　with　other　men；　but　like　all　strong　men；　he　kept　his　gentleness　for　women。　Montriveau　trampled　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　under　foot；　as　Othello　killed　Desdemona；　in　a　burst　of　fury　which　at　any　rate　proved　the　extravagance　of　his　love。　It　was　not　like　a　paltry　squabble。　There　was　rapture　in　being　so　crushed。　Little；　fair…haired；　slim；　and　slender　men　loved　to　torment　women；　they　could　only　reign　over　poor；　weak　creatures；　it　pleased　them　to　have　some　ground　for　believing　that　they　were　men。　The　tyranny　of　love　was　their　one　chance　of　asserting　their　power。　She　did　not　know　why　she　had