a daughter of eve-第29章

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later　why　I　feel　desirous　to　know　the　truth　of　all　this。〃



〃You　shall　know　it；〃　said　Vandenesse。　〃If　you　stay　masked　I　will　take

you　to　supper　with　Nathan　and　Florine；　it　would　be　rather　amusing　for

a　woman　of　your　rank　to　fool　an　actress　after　bewildering　the　wits　of

a　clever　man　about　these　important　facts；　you　can　harness　them　both　to

the　same　hoax。　I'll　make　some　inquiries　about　Nathan's　infidelities；

and　if　I　discover　any　of　his　recent　adventures　you　shall　enjoy　the

sight　of　a　courtesan's　fury；　it　is　magnificent。　Florine　will　boil　and

foam　like　an　Alpine　torrent；　she　adores　Nathan；　he　is　everything　to

her；　she　clings　to　him　like　flesh　to　the　bones　or　a　lioness　to　her

cubs。　I　remember　seeing；　in　my　youth；　a　celebrated　actress　（who　wrote

like　a　scullion）　when　she　came　to　a　friend　of　mine　to　demand　her

letters。　I　have　never　seen　such　a　sight　again；　such　calm　fury；　such

insolent　majesty；　such　savage　self…control　Are　you　ill；　Marie？〃



〃No；　they　have　made　too　much　fire。〃　The　countess　turned　away　and　threw

herself　on　a　sofa。　Suddenly；　with　an　unforeseen　movement；　impelled　by

the　horrible　anguish　of　her　jealousy；　she　rose　on　her　trembling　legs；

crossed　her　arms；　and　came　slowly　to　her　husband。



〃What　do　you　know？〃　she　asked。　〃You　are　not　a　man　to　torture　me；　you

would　crush　me　without　making　me　suffer　if　I　were　guilty。〃



〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　know；　Marie？〃



〃Well！　about　Nathan。〃



〃You　think　you　love　him；〃　he　replied；　〃but　you　love　a　phantom　made　of

words。〃



〃Then　you　know〃



〃All；〃　he　said。



The　word　fell　on　Marie's　head　like　the　blow　of　a　club。



〃If　you　wish　it；　I　will　know　nothing；〃　he　continued。　〃You　are　standing

on　the　brink　of　a　precipice；　my　child；　and　I　must　draw　you　from　it。　I

have　already　done　something。　See！〃



He　drew　from　his　pocket　her　letter　of　guarantee　and　the　four　notes

endorsed　by　Schmucke；　and　let　the　countess　recognize　them；　then　he

threw　them　into　the　fire。



〃What　would　have　happened　to　you；　my　poor　Marie；　three　months　hence？〃

he　said。　〃The　sheriffs　would　have　taken　you　to　a　public　court…room。

Don't　bow　your　head；　don't　feel　humiliated；　you　have　been　the　dupe　of

noble　feelings；　you　have　coquetted　with　poesy；　not　with　a　man。　All

womenall；　do　you　hear　me；　Marie？would　have　been　seduced　in　your

position。　How　absurd　we　should　be；　we　men；　we　who　have　committed　a

thousand　follies　through　a　score　of　years；　if　we　were　not　willing　to

grant　you　one　imprudence　in　a　lifetime！　God　keep　me　from　triumphing

over　you　or　from　offering　you　a　pity　you　repelled　so　vehemently　the

other　day。　Perhaps　that　unfortunate　man　was　sincere　when　he　wrote　to

you；　sincere　in　attempting　to　kill　himself；　sincere　in　returning　that

same　night　to　Florine。　Men　are　worth　less　than　women。　It　is　not　for　my

own　sake　that　I　speak　at　this　moment；　but　for　yours。　I　am　indulgent；

but　the　world　is　not；　it　shuns　a　woman　who　makes　a　scandal。　Is　that

just？　I　know　not；　but　this　I　know；　the　world　is　cruel。　Society　refuses

to　calm　the　woes　itself　has　caused；　it　gives　its　honors　to　those　who

best　deceive　it；　it　has　no　recompense　for　rash　devotion。　I　see　and

know　all　that。　I　can't　reform　society；　but　this　I　can　do；　I　can

protect　you；　Marie；　against　yourself。　This　matter　concerns　a　man　who

has　brought　you　trouble　only；　and　not　one　of　those　high　and　sacred

loves　which　do；　at　times；　command　our　abnegation；　and　even　bear　their

own　excuse。　Perhaps　I　have　been　wrong　in　not　varying　your　happiness；

in　not　providing　you　with　gayer　pleasures；　travel；　amusements；

distractions　for　the　mind。　Besides；　I　can　explain　to　myself　the

impulse　that　has　driven　you　to　a　celebrated　man；　by　the　jealous　envy

you　have　roused　in　certain　women。　Lady　Dudley；　Madame　d'Espard；　and　my

sister…in…law　Emilie　count　for　something　in　all　this。　Those　women；

against　whom　I　ought　to　have　put　you　more　thoroughly　on　your　guard；

have　cultivated　your　curiosity　more　to　trouble　me　and　cause　me

unhappiness；　than　to　fling　you　into　a　whirlpool　which；　as　I　believe；

you　would　never　have　entered。〃



As　she　listened　to　these　words；　so　full　of　kindness；　the　countess　was

torn　by　many　conflicting　feelings；　but　the　storm　within　her　breast　was

ruled　by　one　of　them；a　keen　admiration　for　her　husband。　Proud　and

noble　souls　are　prompt　to　recognize　the　delicacy　with　which　they　are

treated。　Tact　is　to　sentiments　what　grace　is　to　the　body。　Marie

appreciated　the　grandeur　of　the　man　who　bowed　before　a　woman　in　fault；

that　he　might　not　see　her　blush。　She　ran　from　the　room　like　one　beside

herself；　but　instantly　returned；　fearing　lest　her　hasty　action　might

cause　him　uneasiness。



〃Wait；〃　she　said；　and　disappeared　again。



Felix　had　ably　prepared　her　excuse；　and　he　was　instantly　rewarded　for

his　generosity。　His　wife　returned　with　Nathan's　letters　in　her　hand；

and　gave　them　to　him。



〃Judge　me；〃　she　said；　kneeling　down　beside　him。



〃Are　we　able　to　judge　where　we　love？〃　he　answered；　throwing　the

letters　into　the　fire；　for　he　felt　that　later　his　wife　might　not

forgive　him　for　having　read　them。　Marie；　with　her　head　upon　his　knee；

burst　into　tears。



〃My　child；〃　he　said；　raising　her　head；　〃where　are　your　letters？〃



At　this　question　the　poor　woman　no　longer　felt　the　intolerable　burning

of　her　cheeks；　she　turned　cold。



〃That　you　may　not　suspect　me　of　calumniating　a　man　whom　you　think

worthy　of　you；　I　will　make　Florine　herself　return　you　those　letters。〃



〃Oh！　Surely　he　would　give　them　back　to　me　himself。〃



〃Suppose　that　he　refused　to　do　so？〃



The　countess　dropped　her　head。



〃The　world　disgusts　me；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　enter　it　again。　I

want　to　live　alone　with　you；　if　you　forgive　me。〃



〃But　you　might　get　bored　again。　Besides；　what　would　the　world　say　if

you　left　it　so　abruptly？　In　the　spring　we　will　travel；　we　will　go　to

Italy；　and　all　over　Europe；　you　shall　see　life。　But　to…morrow　night　we

must　go　to　the　Opera…ball；　there　is　no　other　way　to　get　those　letters

without　compromising　you；　besides；　by　giving　them　up；　Florine　will

prove　to　you　her　power。〃



〃And　must　I　see　that？〃　said　the　countess；　frightened。



〃To…morrow　night。〃



The　next　evening；　about　midnight；　Nathan　was　walking　about　the　foyer

of　the　Opera　with　a　mask　on　his　arm；　to　whom　he　was　attending　in　a

sufficiently　conjugal　manner。　Presently　two　masked　women　came　up　to

him。



〃You　poor　fool！　Marie　is　here　and　is　watching　you；〃　said　one　of　them；

who　was　Vandenesse；　disguised　as　a　woman。



〃If　you　choose　to　listen　to　me　I　will　tell　you　secrets　that　Nathan　is

hiding　from　you；〃　said　the　other　woman；　who　was　the　countess；　to

Florine。



Nathan　had　abruptly　dropped　Florine's　arm　to　follow　the　count；　who

adroitly　slipped　into　the　crowd　and　was　out　of　sight　in　a　moment。

Florine　followed　the　countess；　who　sat　down　on　a　seat　close　at　hand；

to　which　the　count；　doubling　on　Nathan；　returned　almost　immediately　to

guard　his　wife。



〃Explain　yourself；　my　dear；〃　said　Florine；　〃and　don't　think　I　shall

stand　this　long。　No　one　can　tear　Raoul　from　me；　I'll　tell　you　that；　I

hold　him　by　habit；　and　that's　even　stronger　than　love。〃



〃In　the　first　place；　are　you　Florine？〃　said　the　count；　speaking　in　his

natural　voice。



〃A　pretty　question！　if　you　don't　know　that；　my　joking　friend；　why

should　I　believe　you？〃



〃Go　and　ask　Nathan；　who　has　left　you　to　look　for　his　other　mistress；

where　he　passed　the　night；　three　days　ago。　He　tried　to　kill　himself

without　a　word　to　you；　my　dear；and　all　for　want　of　money。　That　shows

how　much　you　know　about　the　affairs　of　a　man　whom　you　say　you　love；

and　who　leaves　you　without　a　penny；　and　kills　himself；or；　rather；

doesn't　kill　himself；　for　his　misses　it。　Suicides　that　don't　kill　are

about　as　absurd　as　a　duel　without　a　scratch。〃



〃That's　a　lie；〃　said　Florine。　〃He　dined　with　me　that　very　day。　The

poor　fellow　had　the　sheriff　after　him；　he　was　hiding；　as　well　he

might。〃



〃Go　and　ask　at　the　hotel　du　Mail；　ru