the awakening and selected short stories(苏醒)-第40部分
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crystal candelabra； which negroes； moving noiselessly and respectfully
about； are lighting； one after the other。 How the gleam of them reflects
and glances from the polished marble pillars！
The room holds a number of guests。 There is old Monsieur Lucien
Santien； leaning against one of the pillars； and laughing at something
which Monsieur Lafirme is telling him； till his fat shoulders shake。 His
son Jules is with himJules； who wants to marry her。 She laughs。 She
wonders if Felix has told her father yet。 There is young Jerome Lafirme
playing at checkers upon the sofa with Leandre。 Little Pauline stands
annoying them and disturbing the game。 Leandre reproves her。 She
begins to cry； and old black Clementine； her nurse； who is not far off；
limps across the room to pick her up and carry her away。 How sensitive
the little one is！ But she trots about and takes care of herself better than
she did a year or two ago； when she fell upon the stone hall floor and
raised a great 〃bo…bo〃 on her forehead。 Pelagie was hurt and angry enough
about it； and she ordered rugs and buffalo robes to be brought and laid
thick upon the tiles； till the little one's steps were surer。
〃Il ne faut pas faire mal a Pauline。〃 She was saying it aloud 〃faire
mal a Pauline。〃
But she gazes beyond the salon； back into the big dining hall； where
the white crepe myrtle grows。 Ha！ how low that bat has circled。 It has
struck Ma'ame Pelagie full on the breast。 She does not know it。 She is
beyond there in the dining hall； where her father sits with a group of
friends over their wine。 As usual they are talking politics。 How
tiresome！ She has heard them say 〃la guerre〃 oftener than once。 La
guerre。 Bah！ She and Felix have something pleasanter to talk about；
out under the oaks； or back in the shadow of the oleanders。
But they were right！ The sound of a cannon； shot at Sumter； has
rolled across the Southern States； and its echo is heard along the whole
stretch of Cote Joyeuse。
Yet Pelagie does not believe it。 Not till La Ricaneuse stands before
her with bare； black arms akimbo； uttering a volley of vile abuse and of
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brazen impudence。 Pelagie wants to kill her。 But yet she will not
believe。 Not till Felix comes to her in the chamber above the dining hall…
…there where that trumpet vine hangscomes to say good…by to her。 The
hurt which the big brass buttons of his new gray uniform pressed into the
tender flesh of her bosom has never left it。 She sits upon the sofa； and he
beside her； both speechless with pain。 That room would not have been
altered。 Even the sofa would have been there in the same spot； and
Ma'ame Pelagie had meant all along； for thirty years； all along； to lie there
upon it some day when the time came to die。
But there is no time to weep； with the enemy at the door。 The door
has been no barrier。 They are clattering through the halls now； drinking
the wines； shattering the crystal and glass； slashing the portraits。
One of them stands before her and tells her to leave the house。 She
slaps his face。 How the stigma stands out red as blood upon his blanched
cheek！
Now there is a roar of fire and the flames are bearing down upon her
motionless figure。 She wants to show them how a daughter of Louisiana
can perish before her conquerors。 But little Pauline clings to her knees in
an agony of terror。 Little Pauline must be saved。
〃Il ne faut pas faire mal a Pauline。〃 Again she is saying it aloud〃faire
mal a Pauline。〃
The night was nearly spent； Ma'ame Pelagie had glided from the bench
upon which she had rested； and for hours lay prone upon the stone
flagging； motionless。 When she dragged herself to her feet it was to walk
like one in a dream。 About the great； solemn pillars； one after the other；
she reached her arms； and pressed her cheek and her lips upon the
senseless brick。
〃Adieu； adieu！〃 whispered Ma'ame Pelagie。
There was no longer the moon to guide her steps across the familiar
pathway to the cabin。 The brightest light in the sky was Venus； that
swung low in the east。 The bats had ceased to beat their wings about the
ruin。 Even the mocking…bird that had warbled for hours in the old
mulberry…tree had sung himself asleep。 That darkest hour before the day
was mantling the earth。 Ma'ame Pelagie hurried through the wet；
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clinging grass； beating aside the heavy moss that swept across her face；
walking on toward the cabin…toward Pauline。 Not once did she look back
upon the ruin that brooded like a huge monstera black spot in the
darkness that enveloped it。
IV
Little more than a year later the transformation which the old Valmet
place had undergone was the talk and wonder of Cote Joyeuse。 One would
have looked in vain for the ruin； it was no longer there； neither was the log
cabin。 But out in the open； where the sun shone upon it； and the breezes
blew about it； was a shapely structure fashioned from woods that the
forests of the State had furnished。 It rested upon a solid foundation of
brick。
Upon a corner of the pleasant gallery sat Leandre smoking his
afternoon cigar； and chatting with neighbors who had called。 This was to
be his pied a terre now； the home where his sisters and his daughter dwelt。
The laughter of young people was heard out under the trees； and within the
house where La Petite was playing upon the piano。 With the enthusiasm
of a young artist she drew from the keys strains that seemed marvelously
beautiful to Mam'selle Pauline； who stood enraptured near her。
Mam'selle Pauline had been touched by the re…creation of Valmet。 Her
cheek was as full and almost as flushed as La Petite's。 The years were
falling away from her。
Ma'ame Pelagie had been conversing with her brother and his friends。
Then she turned and walked away； stopping to listen awhile to the music
which La Petite was making。 But it was only for a moment。 She went
on around the curve of the veranda； where she found herself alone。 She
stayed there； erect； holding to the banister rail and looking out calmly in
the distance across the fields。
She was dressed in black； with the white kerchief she always wore
folded across her bosom。 Her thick； glossy hair rose like a silver diadem
from her brow。 In her deep； dark eyes smouldered the light of fires that
would never flame。 She had grown very old。 Years instead of months
seemed to have passed over her since the night she bade farewell to her
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visions。
Poor Ma'ame Pelagie！ How could it be different！ While the
outward pressure of a young and joyous existence had forced her footsteps
into the light； her soul had stayed in the shadow of the ruin。
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Desiree's Baby
As the day was pleasant； Madame Valmonde drove over to L'Abri to
see Desiree and the baby。
It made her laugh to think of Desiree with a baby。 Why； it seemed
but yesterday that Desiree was little more than a baby herself； when
Monsieur in riding through the gateway of Valmonde had found her lying
asleep in the shadow of the big stone pillar。
The little one awoke in his arms and began to cry for 〃Dada。〃 That was
as much as she could do or say。 Some people thought she might have
strayed there of her own accord； for she was of the toddling age。 The
prevailing belief was that she had been purposely left by a party of Texans；
whose canvas…covered wagon； late in the day； had crossed the ferry that
Coton Mais kept； just below the plantation。 In time Madame Valmonde
abandoned every speculation but the one that Desiree had been sent to her
by a beneficent Providence to be the child of her affection； seeing that she
was without child of the flesh。 For the girl grew to be beautiful and
gentle； affectionate and sincere；the idol of Valmonde。
It was no wonder； when she stood one day against the stone pillar in
whose shadow s
