a daughter of eve-第4章

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This　stern　and　rigid　education　was　the　cause　of　the　marriages　of　the

two　sisters　welded　together　by　misfortune；　as　Rita…Christina　by　the

hand　of　Nature。　Many　men；　driven　to　marriage；　prefer　a　girl　taken　from

a　convent；　and　saturated　with　piety；　to　a　girl　brought　up　to　worldly

ideas。　There　seems　to　be　no　middle　course。　A　man　must　marry　either　an

educated　girl；　who　reads　the　newspapers　and　comments　upon　them；　who

waltzes　with　a　dozen　young　men；　goes　to　the　theatre；　devours　novels；

cares　nothing　for　religion；　and　makes　her　own　ethics；　or　an　ignorant

and　innocent　young　girl；　like　either　of　the　two　Maries。　Perhaps　there

may　be　as　much　danger　with　the　one　kind　as　with　the　other。　Yet　the

vast　majority　of　men　who　are　not　so　old　as　Arnolphe；　prefer　a

religious　Agnes　to　a　budding　Celimene。



The　two　Maries；　who　were　small　and　slender；　had　the　same　figure；　the

same　foot；　the　same　hand。　Eugenie；　the　younger；　was　fair…haired；　like

her　mother；　Angelique　was　dark…haired；　like　the　father。　But　they　both

had　the　same　complexion；a　skin　of　the　pearly　whiteness　which　shows

the　richness　and　purity　of　the　blood；　where　the　color　rises　through　a

tissue　like　that　of　the　jasmine；　soft；　smooth；　and　tender　to　the

touch。　Eugenie's　blue　eyes　and　the　brown　eyes　of　Angelique　had　an

expression　of　artless　indifference；　of　ingenuous　surprise；　which　was

rendered　by　the　vague　manner　with　which　the　pupils　floated　on　the

fluid　whiteness　of　the　eyeball。　They　were　both　well…made；　the　rather

thin　shoulders　would　develop　later。　Their　throats；　long　veiled；

delighted　the　eye　when　their　husbands　requested　them　to　wear　low

dresses　to　a　ball；　on　which　occasion　they　both　felt　a　pleasing　shame；

which　made　them　first　blush　behind　closed　doors；　and　afterwards；

through　a　whole　evening　in　company。



On　the　occasion　when　this　scene　opens；　and　the　eldest；　Angelique；　was

weeping；　while　the　younger；　Eugenie；　was　consoling　her；　their　hands

and　arms　were　white　as　milk。　Each　had　nursed　a　child；one　a　boy；　the

other　a　daughter。　Eugenie；　as　a　girl；　was　thought　very　giddy　by　her

mother；　who　had　therefore　treated　her　with　especial　watchfulness　and

severity。　In　the　eyes　of　that　much…feared　mother；　Angelique；　noble　and

proud；　appeared　to　have　a　soul　so　lofty　that　it　would　guard　itself；

whereas；　the　more　lively　Eugenie　needed　restraint。　There　are　many

charming　beings　misused　by　fate；beings　who　ought　by　rights　to

prosper　in　this　life；　but　who　live　and　die　unhappy；　tortured　by　some

evil　genius；　the　victims　of　unfortunate　circumstances。　The　innocent

and　naturally　light…hearted　Eugenie　had　fallen　into　the　hands　and

beneath　the　malicious　despotism　of　a　self…made　man　on　leaving　the

maternal　prison。　Angelique；　whose　nature　inclined　her　to　deeper

sentiments；　was　thrown　into　the　upper　spheres　of　Parisian　social　life；

with　the　bridle　lying　loose　upon　her　neck。







CHAPTER　II



A　CONFIDENCE　BETWEEN　SISTERS



Madame　de　Vandenesse；　Marie…Angelique；　who　seemed　to　have　broken　down

under　a　weight　of　troubles　too　heavy　for　her　soul　to　bear；　was　lying

back　on　the　sofa　with　bent　limbs；　and　her　head　tossing　restlessly。　She

had　rushed　to　her　sister's　house　after　a　brief　appearance　at　the

Opera。　Flowers　were　still　in　her　hair；　but　others　were　scattered　upon

the　carpet；　together　with　her　gloves；　her　silk　pelisse；　and　muff　and

hood。　Tears　were　mingling　with　the　pearls　on　her　bosom；　her　swollen

eyes　appeared　to　make　strange　confidences。　In　the　midst　of　so　much

luxury　her　distress　was　horrible；　and　she　seemed　unable　to　summon

courage　to　speak。



〃Poor　darling！〃　said　Madame　du　Tillet；　〃what　a　mistaken　idea　you　have

of　my　marriage　if　you　think　that　I　can　help　you！〃



Hearing　this　revelation；　dragged　from　her　sister's　heart　by　the

violence　of　the　storm　she　herself　had　raised　there；　the　countess

looked　with　stupefied　eyes　at　the　banker's　wife；　her　tears　stopped；

and　her　eyes　grew　fixed。



〃Are　you　in　misery　as　well；　my　dearest？〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。



〃My　griefs　will　not　ease　yours。〃



〃But　tell　them　to　me；　darling；　I　am　not　yet　too　selfish　to　listen。　Are

we　to　suffer　together　once　more；　as　we　did　in　girlhood？〃



〃But　alas！　we　suffer　apart；〃　said　the　banker's　wife。　〃You　and　I　live

in　two　worlds　at　enmity　with　each　other。　I　go　to　the　Tuileries　when

you　are　not　there。　Our　husbands　belong　to　opposite　parties。　I　am　the

wife　of　an　ambitious　banker；a　bad　man；　my　darling；　while　you　have　a

noble；　kind；　and　generous　husband。〃



〃Oh！　don't　reproach　me！〃　cried　the　countess。　〃To　understand　my

position；　a　woman　must　have　borne　the　weariness　of　a　vapid　and　barren

life；　and　have　entered　suddenly　into　a　paradise　of　light　and　love；　she

must　know　the　happiness　of　feeling　her　whole　life　in　that　of　another；

of　espousing；　as　it　were；　the　infinite　emotions　of　a　poet's　soul；　of

living　a　double　existence；going；　coming　with　him　in　his　courses

through　space；　through　the　world　of　ambition；　suffering　with　his

griefs；　rising　on　the　wings　of　his　high　pleasures；　developing　her

faculties　on　some　vast　stage；　and　all　this　while　living　calm；　serene；

and　cold　before　an　observing　world。　Ah！　dearest；　what　happiness　in

having　at　all　hours　an　enormous　interest；　which　multiplies　the　fibres

of　the　heart　and　varies　them　indefinitely！　to　feel　no　longer　cold

indifference！　to　find　one's　very　life　depending　on　a　thousand　trifles！

on　a　walk　where　an　eye　will　beam　to　us　from　a　crowd；　on　a　glance

which　pales　the　sun！　Ah！　what　intoxication；　dear；　to　live！　to　LIVE

when　other　women　are　praying　on　their　knees　for　emotions　that　never

come　to　them！　Remember；　darling；　that　for　this　poem　of　delight　there

is　but　a　single　moment；youth！　In　a　few　years　winter　comes；　and　cold。

Ah！　if　you　possessed　these　living　riches　of　the　heart；　and　were

threatened　with　the　loss　of　them〃



Madame　du　Tillet；　terrified；　had　covered　her　face　with　her　hands

during　the　passionate　utterance　of　this　anthem。



〃I　did　not　even　think　of　reproaching　you；　my　beloved；〃　she　said　at

last；　seeing　her　sister's　face　bathed　in　hot　tears。　〃You　have　cast

into　my　soul；　in　one　moment；　more　brands　than　I　have　tears　to　quench。

Yes；　the　life　I　live　would　justify　to　my　heart　a　love　like　that　you

picture。　Let　me　believe　that　if　we　could　have　seen　each　other　oftener；

we　should　not　now　be　where　we　are。　If　you　had　seen　my　sufferings；　you

must　have　valued　your　own　happiness　the　more；　and　you　might　have

strengthened　me　to　resist　my　tyrant；　and　so　have　won　a　sort　of　peace。

Your　misery　is　an　incident　which　chance　may　change；　but　mine　is　daily

and　perpetual。　To　my　husband　I　am　a　peg　on　which　to　hang　his　luxury；

the　sign…post　of　his　ambition；　a　satisfaction　to　his　vanity。　He　has　no

real　affection　for　me；　and　no　confidence。　Ferdinand　is　hard　and

polished　as　that　piece　of　marble；〃　she　continued；　striking　the

chimney…piece。　〃He　distrusts　me。　Whatever　I　may　want　for　myself　is

refused　before　I　ask　it；　but　as　for　what　flatters　his　vanity　and

proclaims　his　wealth；　I　have　no　occasion　to　express　a　wish。　He

decorates　my　apartments；　he　spends　enormous　sums　upon　my

entertainments；　my　servants；　my　opera…box；　all　external　matters　are

maintained　with　the　utmost　splendor。　His　vanity　spares　no　expense；　he

would　trim　his　children's　swaddling…clothes　with　lace　if　he　could；　but

he　would　never　hear　their　cries；　or　guess　their　needs。　Do　you

understand　me？　I　am　covered　with　diamonds　when　I　go　to　court；　I　wear

the　richest　jewels　in　society；　but　I　have　not　one　farthing　I　can　use。

Madame　du　Tillet；　who；　they　say；　is　envied；　who　appears　to　float　in

gold；　has　not　a　hundred　francs　she　can　call　her　own。　If　the　father

cares　little　for　his　child；　he　cares　less　for　its　mother。　Ah！　he　has

cruelly　made　me　feel　that　he　bought　me；　and　that　in　marrying　me

without　a　〃dot〃　he　was　wronged。　I　might　perhaps　have　won　him　to　love

me；　but　there's　an　outside　influence　against　it；that　of　a　woman；　who

is　over　fifty　years　of　age；　the　widow　of　a　notary；　who　rules　him。　I

shall　never　be　free；　I