paz-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



connections　in　Prussia；　the　authorities　shut　their　eyes　to　my　escape。

I　got　my　dear　captain　through　as　a　man　of　no　consequence；　a　family

servant；　and　we　reached　Dantzic。　There　we　got　on　board　a　Dutch　vessel

and　went　to　London。　It　took　us　two　months　to　get　there。　My　mother　was

ill　in　England；　and　expecting　me。　Paz　and　I　took　care　of　her　till　her

death；　which　the　Polish　troubles　hastened。　Then　we　left　London　and

came　to　France。　Men　who　go　through　such　adversities　become　like

brothers。　When　I　reached　Paris；　at　twenty…two　years　of　age；　and　found

I　had　an　income　of　over　sixty　thousand　francs　a　year；　without　counting

the　proceeds　of　the　diamonds　and　the　pictures　sold　by　my　mother；　I

wanted　to　secure　the　future　of　my　dear　Paz　before　I　launched　into

dissipation。　I　had　often　noticed　the　sadness　in　his　eyessometimes

tears　were　in　them。　I　had　had　good　reason　to　understand　his　soul；

which　is　noble；　grand；　and　generous　to　the　core。　I　thought　he　might

not　like　to　be　bound　by　benefits　to　a　friend　who　was　six　years　younger

than　himself；　unless　he　could　repay　them。　I　was　careless　and

frivolous；　just　as　a　young　fellow　is；　and　I　knew　I　was　certain　to　ruin

myself　at　play；　or　get　inveigled　by　some　woman；　and　Paz　and　I　might

then　be　parted；　and　though　I　had　every　intention　of　always　looking　out

for　him；　I　knew　I　might　sometime　or　other　forget　to　provide　for　him。

In　short；　my　dear　angel；　I　wanted　to　spare　him　the　pain　and

mortification　of　having　to　ask　me　for　money；　or　of　having　to　hunt　me

up　if　he　got　into　distress。　SO；　one　morning；　after　breakfast；　when　we

were　sitting　with　our　feet　on　the　andirons　smoking　pipes；　I　produced；

with　the　utmost　precaution；　for　I　saw　him　look　at　me　uneasily；a

certificate　of　the　Funds　payable　to　bearer　for　a　certain　sum　of　money

a　year。〃



Clementine　jumped　up　and　went　and　seated　herself　on　Adam's　knee；　put

her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　kissed　him。　〃Dear　treasure！〃　she　said；

〃how　handsome　he　is！　Well；　what　did　Paz　do？〃



〃Thaddeus　turned　pale；〃　said　the　count；　〃but　he　didn't　say　a　word。〃



〃Oh！　his　name　is　Thaddeus；　is　it？〃



〃Yes；　Thaddeus　folded　the　paper　and　gave　it　back　to　me；　and　then　he

said：　'I　thought；　Adam；　that　we　were　one　for　life　or　death；　and　that

we　should　never　part。　Do　you　want　to　be　rid　of　me？'　'Oh！'　I　said；　'if

you　take　it　that　way；　Thaddeus；　don't　let　us　say　another　word　about

it。　If　I　ruin　myself　you　shall　be　ruined　too。'　'You　haven't　fortune

enough　to　live　as　a　Laginski　should；'　he　said；　'and　you　need　a　friend

who　will　take　care　of　your　affairs；　and　be　a　father　and　a　brother　and

a　trusty　confidant。'　My　dear　child；　as　Paz　said　that　he　had　in　his

look　and　voice；　calm　as　they　were；　a　maternal　emotion；　and　also　the

gratitude　of　an　Arab；　the　fidelity　of　a　dog；　the　friendship　of　a

savage；not　displayed；　but　ever　ready。　Faith！　I　seized　him；　as　we

Poles　do；　with　a　hand　on　each　shoulder；　and　I　kissed　him　on　the　lips。

'For　life　and　death；　then！　all　that　I　have　is　yoursdo　what　you　will

with　it。'　It　was　he　who　found　me　this　house　and　bought　it　for　next　to

nothing。　He　sold　my　Funds　high　and　bought　in　low；　and　we　have　paid　for

this　barrack　with　the　profits。　He　knows　horses；　and　he　manages　to　buy

and　sell　at　such　advantage　that　my　stable　really　costs　very　little；

and　yet　I　have　the　finest　horses　and　the　most　elegant　equipages　in　all

Paris。　Our　servants；　brave　Polish　soldiers　chosen　by　him；　would　go

through　fire　and　water　for　us。　I　seem；　as　you　say；　to　be　ruining

myself；　and　yet　Paz　keeps　the　house　with　such　method　and　economy　that

he　has　even　repaired　some　of　my　foolish　losses　at　play；the

thoughtless　folly　of　a　young　man。　My　dear；　Thaddeus　is　as　shrewd　as

two　Genoese；　as　eager　for　gain　as　a　Polish　Jew；　and　provident　as　a

good　housekeeper。　I　never　could　force　him　to　live　as　I　did　when　I　was

a　bachelor。　Sometimes　I　had　to　use　a　sort　of　friendly　coercion　to　make

him　go　to　the　theatre　with　me　when　I　was　alone；　or　to　the　jovial

little　dinners　I　used　to　give　at　a　tavern。　He　doesn't　like　social

life。〃



〃What　does　he　like；　then？〃　asked　Clementine。



〃Poland；　he　loves　Poland　and　pines　for　it。　His　only　spendings　are　sums

he　gives；　more　in　my　name　than　in　his　own；　to　some　of　our　poor

brother…exiles。〃



〃Well；　I　shall　love　him；　the　fine　fellow！〃　said　the　countess；　〃he

looks　to　me　as　simple…hearted　as　he　is　grand。〃



〃All　these　pretty　things　you　have　about　you；〃　continued　Adam；　who

praised　his　friend　in　the　noblest　sincerity；　〃he　picked　up；　he　bought

them　at　auction；　or　as　bargains　from　the　dealers。　Oh！　he's　keener　than

they　are　themselves。　If　you　see　him　rubbing　his　hands　in　the

courtyard；　you　may　be　sure　he　has　traded　away　one　good　horse　for　a

better。　He　lives　for　me；　his　happiness　is　to　see　me　elegant；　in　a

perfectly　appointed　equipage。　The　duties　he　takes　upon　himself　are　all

accomplished　without　fuss　or　emphasis。　One　evening　I　lost　twenty

thousand　francs　at　whist。　'What　will　Paz　say？'　thought　I　as　I　walked

home。　Paz　paid　them　to　me；　not　without　a　sigh；　but　he　never　reproached

me；　even　by　a　look。　But　that　sigh　of　his　restrained　me　more　than　the

remonstrances　of　uncles；　mothers；　or　wives　could　have　done。　'Do　you

regret　the　money？'　I　said　to　him。　'Not　for　you　or　me；　no；'　he　replied；

'but　I　was　thinking　that　twenty　poor　Poles　could　have　lived　a　year　on

that　sum。'　You　must　understand　that　the　Pazzi　are　fully　the　equal　of

the　Laginski；　so　I　couldn't　regard　my　dear　Paz　as　an　inferior。　I　never

went　out　or　came　in　without　going　first　to　Paz；　as　I　would　to　my

father。　My　fortune　is　his；　and　Thaddeus　knows　that　if　danger

threatened　him　I　would　fling　myself　into　it　and　drag　him　out；　as　I

have　done　before。〃



〃And　that　is　saying　a　good　deal；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　the　countess。

〃Devotion　is　like　a　flash　of　lightning。　Men　devote　themselves　in

battle；　but　they　no　longer　have　the　heart　for　it　in　Paris。〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Adam；　〃I　am　always　ready；　as　in　battle；　to　devote

myself　to　Paz。　Our　two　characters　have　kept　their　natural　asperities

and　defects；　but　the　mutual　comprehension　of　our　souls　has　tightened

the　bond　already　close　between　us。　It　is　quite　possible　to　save　a

man's　life　and　kill　him　afterwards　if　we　find　him　a　bad　fellow；　but

Paz　and　I　know　THAT　of　each　other　which　makes　our　friendship

indissoluble。　There's　a　constant　exchange　of　happy　thoughts　and

impressions　between　us；　and　really；　perhaps；　such　a　friendship　as　ours

is　richer　than　love。〃



A　pretty　hand　closed　the　count's　mouth　so　promptly　that　the　action　was

somewhat　like　a　blow。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃friendship；　my　dear　angel；　knows　nothing　of　bankrupt

sentiments　and　collapsed　joys。　Love；　after　giving　more　than　it　has；

ends　by　giving　less　than　it　receives。〃



〃One　side　as　well　as　the　other；〃　remarked　Clementine　laughing。



〃Yes；〃　continued　Adam；　〃whereas　friendship　only　increases。　You　need

not　pucker　up　your　lips　at　that；　for　we　are；　you　and　I；　as　much

friends　as　lovers；　we　have；　at　least　I　hope　so；　combined　the　two

sentiments　in　our　happy　marriage。〃



〃I'll　explain　to　you　what　it　is　that　has　made　you　and　Thaddeus　such

good　friends；〃　said　Clementine。　〃The　difference　in　the　lives　you　lead

comes　from　your　tastes　and　from　necessity；　from　your　likings；　not　your

positions。　As　far　as　one　can　judge　from　merely　seeing　a　man　once；　and

also　from　what　you　tell　me；　there　are　times　when　the　subaltern　might

become　the　superior。〃



〃Oh；　Paz　is　truly　my　superior；〃　said　Adam；　naively；　〃I　have　no

advantage　over　him　except　mere　luck。〃



His　wife　kissed　him　for　the　generosity　of　those　words。



〃The　extreme　care　with　which　he　hides　the　grandeur　of　his　feelings　is

one　form　of　his　superiority；〃　continued　the　count。　〃I　said　to　him

once：　'You　are　a　sly　one；　you　have　in　your　heart　a　vast　domain　within

which　you　live　and　think。'　He　has　a　right　to　the　title　of　count；　but

in　Paris　he　won't　be　called　anything　but　captain。〃



〃The　fact　is　that　the　Florentine　of　the　middle…ages　has　reappeared　in

our　century；〃　said　the　countess。　〃Dante　and　Michael　Angelo　are　in

him。〃



〃That's　the　very　truth；〃　cried　Adam。　〃He　is　a　poet　in　soul。〃



〃So　here　I　am；　married　to　two　Poles；〃　said　the　young　countess；　with　a

gesture　worthy　of　some　genius　of　the　stage。



〃Dear　child！〃　said　Adam；　pressing　her　to　him；　〃it　would　have　made　me

very　unhappy　if　my　friend　did　not　please　you。　We　were　both　rather

afraid　of　it；　he　and　I；　though　he　was　delighted　at　my　marriage。　You

will　make　him　very　happy　if　you　tell　him　that　you　love　him；yes；　as

an　old　friend。〃



〃I'll　go　and　dress；　the　day　is　so　fine；　and　we　will　all　three　ride

together；〃　said　Clementine；　ringing　for　her　maid。







II



Paz　was　leading　so　subterranean　a　life　that　the　fashionable　world　of

Paris　asked　who　he　was　when　the　Comtesse　Laginska　was　seen　in　the　Bois

de　Boulogne　riding　between　her　husband　and　a　stranger。　During　the　ride

Clementine　insisted　that　Thaddeus　should　dine　with　them。　This　caprice

of　the　sovereign　lady　compelled　Paz　to　make　an　evening　toilet。

Clementine　dressed　for　the　occasion　with　a　certain　coquetry；　in　a

style　that　impressed　even　Adam　himself　when　she　entered　the　salon

where　the　two　friends　awaited　her。



〃Comte　Paz；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　go　with　us　to　the　Opera。〃



This　was　said　in　the　tone　which；　coming　from　a　woman　means：　〃If　you

refuse　we　shall　quarrel。〃



〃Willingly；　madame；〃　replied　the　captain。　〃But　as　I　have　not　the

fortune　of　a　count；　have　the　kindness　to　call　me　captain。〃



〃Very　good；　captain；　give　me　your　arm；〃　she　said；taking　it　and

leading　the　way　to　the　dining…room　with　the　flattering　familiarity

which　enchants　all　lovers。



The　countess　placed　the　captain　beside　her；　his　behavior　was　that　of　a

poor　sub…lieutenant　dining　at　his　general's　table。　He　let　Clementine

talk；　listened　deferentially　as　to　a　superior；　did　not　differ　with　her

in　anything；　and　waited　to　be　questioned　before　he　spoke　at　all。　He

seemed　actually　stupid　to　the　countess