the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-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！


course　it　was　my　duty　to　be　present。　Had　I　no　mother？　Was　she　not
always　thinking　of　the　welfare　of　her　children？〃

In　a　moment　the　semi…disinherited　son　had　become　a　personage！　I　was
more　dumfounded　by　my　importance　than　by　the　deluge　of　ironical
reasoning　with　which　my　mother　received　my　request。　I　questioned　my
sisters；　and　then　discovered　that　my　mother；　who　liked　such　theatrical
plots；　was　already　attending　to　my　clothes。　The　tailors　in　Tours　were
fully　occupied　by　the　sudden　demands　of　their　regular　customers；　and
my　mother　was　forced　to　employ　her　usual　seamstress；　whoaccording　to
provincial　customcould　do　all　kinds　of　sewing。　A　bottle…blue　coat
had　been　secretly　made　for　me；　after　a　fashion；　and　silk　stockings　and
pumps　provided；　waistcoats　were　then　worn　short；　so　that　I　could　wear
one　of　my　father's；　and　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　had　a　shirt
with　a　frill；　the　pleatings　of　which　puffed　out　my　chest　and　were
gathered　in　to　the　knot　of　my　cravat。　When　dressed　in　this　apparel　I
looked　so　little　like　myself　that　my　sister's　compliments　nerved　me　to
face　all　Touraine　at　the　ball。　But　it　was　a　bold　enterprise。　Thanks　to
my　slimness　I　slipped　into　a　tent　set　up　in　the　gardens　of　the　Papion
house；　and　found　a　place　close　to　the　armchair　in　which　the　duke　was
seated。　Instantly　I　was　suffocated　by　the　heat；　and　dazzled　by　the
lights；　the　scarlet　draperies；　the　gilded　ornaments；　the　dresses；　and
the　diamonds　of　the　first　public　ball　I　had　ever　witnessed。　I　was
pushed　hither　and　thither　by　a　mass　of　men　and　women；　who　hustled　each
other　in　a　cloud　of　dust。　The　brazen　clash　of　military　music　was
drowned　in　the　hurrahs　and　acclamations　of　〃Long　live　the　Duc
d'Angouleme！　Long　live　the　King！　Long　live　the　Bourbons！〃　The　ball　was
an　outburst　of　pent…up　enthusiasm；　where　each　man　endeavored　to　outdo
the　rest　in　his　fierce　haste　to　worship　the　rising　sun；an　exhibition
of　partisan　greed　which　left　me　unmoved；　or　rather；　it　disgusted　me
and　drove　me　back　within　myself。

Swept　onward　like　a　straw　in　the　whirlwind；　I　was　seized　with　a
childish　desire　to　be　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　himself；　to　be　one　of　these
princes　parading　before　an　awed　assemblage。　This　silly　fancy　of　a
Tourangean　lad　roused　an　ambition　to　which　my　nature　and　the
surrounding　circumstances　lent　dignity。　Who　would　not　envy　such
worship？a　magnificent　repetition　of　which　I　saw　a　few　months　later；
when　all　Paris　rushed　to　the　feet　of　the　Emperor　on　his　return　from
Elba。　The　sense　of　this　dominion　exercised　over　the　masses；　whose
feelings　and　whose　very　life　are　thus　merged　into　one　soul；　dedicated
me　then　and　thenceforth　to　glory；　that　priestess　who　slaughters　the
Frenchmen　of　to…day　as　the　Druidess　once　sacrificed　the　Gauls。

Suddenly　I　met　the　woman　who　was　destined　to　spur　these　ambitious
desires　and　to　crown　them　by　sending　me　into　the　heart　of　royalty。　Too
timid　to　ask　any　one　to　dance；fearing；　moreover；　to　confuse　the
figures；I　naturally　became　very　awkward；　and　did　not　know　what　to　do
with　my　arms　and　legs。　Just　as　I　was　suffering　severely　from　the
pressure　of　the　crowd　an　officer　stepped　on　my　feet；　swollen　by　the
new　leather　of　my　shoes　as　well　as　by　the　heat。　This　disgusted　me　with
the　whole　affair。　It　was　impossible　to　get　away；　but　I　took　refuge　in
a　corner　of　a　room　at　the　end　of　an　empty　bench；　where　I　sat　with
fixed　eyes；　motionless　and　sullen。　Misled　by　my　puny　appearance；　a
womantaking　me　for　a　sleepy　childslid　softly　into　the　place　beside
me；　with　the　motion　of　a　bird　as　she　drops　upon　her　nest。　Instantly　I
breathed　the　woman…atmosphere；　which　irradiated　my　soul　as；　in　after
days；　oriental　poesy　has　shone　there。　I　looked　at　my　neighbor；　and　was
more　dazzled　by　that　vision　than　I　had　been　by　the　scene　of　the　fete。

If　you　have　understood　this　history　of　my　early　life　you　will　guess
the　feelings　which　now　welled　up　within　me。　My　eyes　rested　suddenly　on
white；　rounded　shoulders　where　I　would　fain　have　laid　my　head；
shoulders　faintly　rosy；　which　seemed　to　blush　as　if　uncovered　for　the
first　time；　modest　shoulders；　that　possessed　a　soul；　and　reflected
light　from　their　satin　surface　as　from　a　silken　texture。　These
shoulders　were　parted　by　a　line　along　which　my　eyes　wandered。　I　raised
myself　to　see　the　bust　and　was　spell…bound　by　the　beauty　of　the　bosom；
chastely　covered　with　gauze；　where　blue…veined　globes　of　perfect
outline　were　softly　hidden　in　waves　of　lace。　The　slightest　details　of
the　head　were　each　and　all　enchantments　which　awakened　infinite
delights　within　me；　the　brilliancy　of　the　hair　laid　smoothly　above　a
neck　as　soft　and　velvety　as　a　child's；　the　white　lines　drawn　by　the
comb　where　my　imagination　ran　as　along　a　dewy　path；all　these　things
put　me；　as　it　were；　beside　myself。　Glancing　round　to　be　sure　that　no
one　saw　me；　I　threw　myself　upon　those　shoulders　as　a　child　upon　the
breast　of　its　mother；　kissing　them　as　I　laid　my　head　there。　The　woman
uttered　a　piercing　cry；　which　the　noise　of　the　music　drowned；　she
turned；　saw　me；　and　exclaimed；　〃Monsieur！〃　Ah！　had　she　said；　〃My
little　lad；　what　possesses　you？〃　I　might　have　killed　her；　but　at　the
word　〃Monsieur！〃　hot　tears　fell　from　my　eyes。　I　was　petrified　by　a
glance　of　saintly　anger；　by　a　noble　face　crowned　with　a　diadem　of
golden　hair　in　harmony　with　the　shoulders　I　adored。　The　crimson　of
offended　modesty　glowed　on　her　cheeks；　though　already　it　was　appeased
by　the　pardoning　instinct　of　a　woman　who　comprehends　a　frenzy　which
she　inspires；　and　divines　the　infinite　adoration　of　those　repentant
tears。　She　moved　away　with　the　step　and　carriage　of　a　queen。

I　then　felt　the　ridicule　of　my　position；　for　the　first　time　I　realized
that　I　was　dressed　like　the　monkey　of　a　barrel　organ。　I　was　ashamed。
There　I　stood；　stupefied；tasting　the　fruit　that　I　had　stolen；
conscious　of　the　warmth　upon　my　lips；　repenting　not；　and　following
with　my　eyes　the　woman　who　had　come　down　to　me　from　heaven。　Sick　with
the　first　fever　of　the　heart　I　wandered　through　the　rooms；　unable　to
find　mine　Unknown；　until　at　last　I　went　home　to　bed；　another　man。

A　new　soul；　a　soul　with　rainbow　wings；　had　burst　its　chrysalis。
Descending　from　the　azure　wastes　where　I　had　long　admired　her；　my　star
had　come　to　me　a　woman；　with　undiminished　lustre　and　purity。　I　loved；
knowing　naught　of　love。　How　strange　a　thing；　this　first　irruption　of
the　keenest　human　emotion　in　the　heart　of　a　man！　I　had　seen　pretty
women　in　other　places；　but　none　had　made　the　slightest　impression　upon
me。　Can　there　be　an　appointed　hour；　a　conjunction　of　stars；　a　union　of
circumstances；　a　certain　woman　among　all　others　to　awaken　an　exclusive
passion　at　the　period　of　life　when　love　includes　the　whole　sex？

The　thought　that　my　Elect　lived　in　Touraine　made　the　air　I　breathed
delicious；　the　blue　of　the　sky　seemed　bluer　than　I　had　ever　yet　seen
it。　I　raved　internally；　but　externally　I　was　seriously　ill；　and　my
mother　had　fears；　not　unmingled　with　remorse。　Like　animals　who　know
when　danger　is　near；　I　hid　myself　away　in　the　garden　to　think　of　the
kiss　that　I　had　stolen。　A　few　days　after　this　memorable　ball　my　mother
attributed　my　neglect　of　study；　my　indifference　to　her　tyrannical
looks　and　sarcasms；　and　my　gloomy　behavior　to　the　condition　of　my
health。　The　country；　that　perpetual　remedy　for　ills　that　doctors
cannot　cure；　seemed　to　her　the　best　means　of　bringing　me　out　of　my
apathy。　She　decided　that　I　should　spend　a　few　weeks　at　Frapesle；　a
chateau　on　the　Indre　midway　between　Montbazon　and　Azay…le…Rideau；
which　belonged　to　a　friend　of　hers；　to　whom；　no　doubt；　she　gave
private　instructions。

By　the　day　when　I　thus　for　the　first　time　gained　my　liberty　I　had　swum
so　vigorously　in　Love's　ocean　that　I　had　well…nigh　crossed　it。　I　knew
nothing　of　mine　unknown　lady；　neither　her　name；　nor　where　to　find　her；
to　whom；　indeed；　could　I　speak　of　her？　My　sensitive　nature　so
exaggerated　the　inexplicable　fears　which　beset　all　youthful　hearts　at
the　first　approach　of　love　that　I　began　with　the　melancholy　which
often　ends　a　hopeless　passion。　I　asked　nothing　better　than　to　roam
about　the　country；　to　come　and　go　and　live　in　the　fields。　With　the
courage　of　a　child　that　fears　no　failure；　in　which　there　is　something
really　chivalrous；　I　determined　to　search　every　chateau　in　Touraine；
travelling　on　foot；　and　saying　to　myself　as　each　old　tower　came　in
sight；　〃She　is　there！〃

Accordingly；　of　a　Thursday　morning　I　left　Tours　by　the　barrier　of
Saint…Eloy；　crossed　the　bridges　of　Saint…Sauveur；　reached　Poncher
whose　every　house　I　examined；　and　took　the　road　to　Chinon。　For　the
first　time　in　my　life　I　could　sit　down　under　a　tree　or　walk　fast　or
slow　as　I　pleased　without　being　dictated　to　by　any　one。　To　a　poor　lad
crushed　under　all　sorts　of　despotism　（which　more　or　less　does　weigh
upon　all　youth）　the　first　employment　of　freedom；　even　though　it　be
expended　upon　nothing；　lifts　the　soul　with　irrepressible　buoyancy。
Several　reasons　combined　to　make　that　day　one　of　enchantment。　During
my　school　years　I　had　never　been　taken　to　walk　more　than　two　or　three
miles　from　a　city；　yet　there　remained　in　my　mind　among　the　earliest
recollections　of　my　childhood　that　feeling　for　the　beautiful　which　the
scenery　about　Tours　inspires。　Though　quite　untaught　as　to　the　poetry
of　such　a　landscape；　I　was；　unknown　to　myself；　critical　upon　it；　like
those　who　imagine　the　ideal　of　art　without　knowing　anything　of　its
practice。

To　reach　the　chateau　of　Frapesle；　foot…passengers；　or　those　on
horseback；　shorten　the　way　by　crossing　the　Charlemagne　moors；
uncultivated　tracts　of　land　lying　on　the　summit　of　the　plateau　which
separates　the　valley　of　the　Cher　from　that　of　the　Indre；　and　over
which　there　is　a　cross…road　leading　to　Champy。　These　moors　are　flat
and　sandy；　and　for　more　than　three　miles　are　dreary　enough　until　you
reach；　through　a　clump　of　woods；　the　road　to　Sache；　the　name　of　the
township　in　which　Frapesle　stands。　This　road；　which　joins　that　of
Chinon　beyond　Ballan；　skirts　an　undulating　plain　to　the　little　hamlet
of　Artanne。　Here　we　come　upon　a　valley；　which　begins　at　Montbazon；
ends　at　the　Loire；　and　seems　to　rise　and　fall；to　bound；　as　it　were；
beneath　the　chateaus　placed　on　its　double　hillsides；a　splendid
emer