the duchesse de langeais-第21章

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it　for　her　bond…slave's　request　to　guess　his　desire。　　When　was　a　man's　desire　a　secret？　　And　have　not　women　an　intuitive　knowledge　of　the　meaning　of　certain　changes　of　countenance？

〃What！　you　wish　to　be　my　friend　no　longer？〃　she　broke　in　at　the　first　words；　and　a　divine　red　surging　like　new　blood　under　the　transparent　skin；　lent　brightness　to　her　eyes。　　〃As　a　reward　for　my　generosity；　you　would　dishonour　me？　　Just　reflect　a　little。　　I　myself　have　thought　much　over　this；　and　I　think　always　for　us　BOTH。　　There　is　such　a　thing　as　a　woman's　loyalty；　and　we　can　no　more　fail　in　it　than　you　can　fail　in　honour。　　_I_　cannot　blind　myself。　　If　I　am　yours；　how；　in　any　sense；　can　I　be　M。　de　Langeais's　wife？　　Can　you　require　the　sacrifice　of　my　position；　my　rank；　my　whole　life　in　return　for　a　doubtful　love　that　could　not　wait　patiently　for　seven　months？　　What！　already　you　would　rob　me　of　my　right　to　dispose　of　myself？　　No；　no；　you　must　not　talk　like　this　again。　　No；　not　another　word。　　I　will　not；　I　cannot　listen　to　you。〃

Mme　de　Langeais　raised　both　hands　to　her　head　to　push　back　the　tufted　curls　from　her　hot　forehead；　she　seemed　very　much　excited。

〃You　come　to　a　weak　woman　with　your　purpose　definitely　planned　out。　　You　say‘For　a　certain　length　of　time　she　will　talk　to　me　of　her　husband；　then　of　God；　and　then　of　the　inevitable　consequences。　　But　I　will　use　and　abuse　the　ascendancy　I　shall　gain　over　her；　I　will　make　myself　indispensable；　all　the　bonds　of　habit；　all　the　misconstructions　of　outsiders；　will　make　for　me；　and　at　length；　when　our　liaison　is　taken　for　granted　by　all　the　world；　I　shall　be　this　woman's　master。'Now；　be　frank；　these　are　your　thoughts！　　Oh！　you　calculate；　and　you　say　that　you　love。　　Shame　on　you！　　You　are　enamoured？　　Ah！　that　I　well　believe！　　You　wish　to　possess　me；　to　have　me　for　your　mistress；　that　is　all！　　Very　well　then；　No！　　The　DUCHESSE　DE　LANGEAIS　will　not　descend　so　far。　　Simple　bourgeoises　may　be　the　victims　of　your　treacheryI；　never！　　Nothing　gives　me　assurance　of　your　love。　　You　speak　of　my　beauty；　I　may　lose　every　trace　of　it　in　six　months；　like　the　dear　Princess；　my　neighbour。　　You　are　captivated　by　my　wit；　my　grace。　　Great　Heavens！　you　would　soon　grow　used　to　them　and　to　the　pleasures　of　possession。　　Have　not　the　little　concessions　that　I　was　weak　enough　to　make　come　to　be　a　matter　of　course　in　the　last　few　months？　　Some　day；　when　ruin　comes；　you　will　give　me　no　reason　for　the　change　in　you　beyond　a　curt；　‘I　have　ceased　to　care　for　you。'Then；　rank　and　fortune　and　honour　and　all　that　was　the　Duchesse　de　Langeais　will　be　swallowed　up　in　one　disappointed　hope。　　I　shall　have　children　to　bear　witness　to　my　shame；　and〃　　With　an　involuntary　gesture　she　interrupted　herself；　and　continued：　　〃But　I　am　too　good…natured　to　explain　all　this　to　you　when　you　know　it　better　than　I。　　Come！　let　us　stay　as　we　are。　　I　am　only　too　fortunate　in　that　I　can　still　break　these　bonds　which　you　think　so　strong。　　Is　there　anything　so　very　heroic　in　coming　to　the　Hotel　de　Langeais　to　spend　an　evening　with　a　woman　whose　prattle　amuses　you？a　woman　whom　you　take　for　a　plaything？　　Why；　half　a　dozen　young　coxcombs　come　here　just　as　regularly　every　afternoon　between　three　and　five。　　They；　too；　are　very　generous；　I　am　to　suppose？　　I　make　fun　of　them；　they　stand　my　petulance　and　insolence　pretty　quietly；　and　make　me　laugh；　but　as　for　you；　I　give　all　the　treasures　of　my　soul　to　you；　and　you　wish　to　ruin　me；　you　try　my　patience　in　endless　ways。　　Hush；　that　will　do；　that　will　do；〃　she　continued；　seeing　that　he　was　about　to　speak；　〃you　have　no　heart；　no　soul；　no　delicacy。　　I　know　what　you　want　to　tell　me。　　Very　well；　thenyes。　　I　would　rather　you　should　take　me　for　a　cold；　insensible　woman；　with　no　devotion　in　her　composition；　no　heart　even；　than　be　taken　by　everybody　else　for　a　vulgar　person；　and　be　condemned　to　your　so…called　pleasures；　of　which　you　would　most　certainly　tire；　and　to　everlasting　punishment　for　it　afterwards。　　Your　selfish　love　is　not　worth　so　many　sacrifices。　。　。　。〃

The　words　give　but　a　very　inadequate　idea　of　the　discourse　which　the　Duchess　trilled　out　with　the　quick　volubility　of　a　bird…organ。　　Nor；　truly；　was　there　anything　to　prevent　her　from　talking　on　for　some　time　to　come；　for　poor　Armand's　only　reply　to　the　torrent　of　flute　notes　was　a　silence　filled　with　cruelly　painful　thoughts。　　He　was　just　beginning　to　see　that　this　woman　was　playing　with　him；　he　divined　instinctively　that　a　devoted　love；　a　responsive　love；　does　not　reason　and　count　the　consequences　in　this　way。　　Then；　as　he　heard　her　reproach　him　with　detestable　motives；　he　felt　something　like　shame　as　he　remembered　that　unconsciously　he　had　made　those　very　calculations。　　With　angelic　honesty　of　purpose；　he　looked　within；　and　self…examination　found　nothing　but　selfishness　in　all　his　thoughts　and　motives；　in　the　answers　which　he　framed　and　could　not　utter。　　He　was　self…convicted。　　In　his　despair　he　longed　to　fling　himself　from　the　window。　　The　egoism　of　it　was　intolerable。

What　indeed　can　a　man　say　when　a　woman　will　not　believe　in　love？　　Let　me　prove　how　much　I　love　you。The　_I_　is　always　there。

The　heroes　of　the　boudoir；　in　such　circumstances；　can　follow　the　example　of　the　primitive　logician　who　preceded　the　Pyrrhonists　and　denied　movement。　　Montriveau　was　not　equal　to　this　feat。　　With　all　his　audacity；　he　lacked　this　precise　kind　which　never　deserts　an　adept　in　the　formulas　of　feminine　algebra。　　If　so　many　women；　and　even　the　best　of　women；　fall　a　prey　to　a　kind　of　expert　to　whom　the　vulgar　give　a　grosser　name；　it　is　perhaps　because　the　said　experts　are　great　PROVERS；　and　love；　in　spite　of　its　delicious　poetry　of　sentiment；　requires　a　little　more　geometry　than　people　are　wont　to　think。

Now　the　Duchess　and　Montriveau　were　alike　in　thisthey　were　both　equally　unversed　in　love　lore。　　The　lady's　knowledge　of　theory　was　but　scanty；　in　practice　she　knew　nothing　whatever；　she　felt　nothing；　and　reflected　over　everything。　　Montriveau　had　had　but　little　experience；　was　absolutely　ignorant　of　theory；　and　felt　too　much　to　reflect　at　all。　　Both　therefore　were　enduring　the　consequences　of　the　singular　situation。　　At　that　supreme　moment　the　myriad　thoughts　in　his　mind　might　have　been　reduced　to　the　formula〃Submit　to　be　mine　'　words　which　seem　horribly　selfish　to　a　woman　for　whom　they　awaken　no　memories；　recall　no　ideas。　　Something　nevertheless　he　must　say。　　And　what　was　more；　though　her　barbed　shafts　had　set　his　blood　tingling；　though　the　short　phrases　that　she　discharged　at　him　one　by　one　were　very　keen　and　sharp　and　cold；　he　must　control　himself　lest　he　should　lose　all　by　an　outbreak　of　anger。

〃Mme　la　Duchesse；　I　am　in　despair　that　God　should　have　invented　no　way　for　a　woman　to　confirm　the　gift　of　her　heart　save　by　adding　the　gift　of　her　person。　　The　high　value　which　you　yourself　put　upon　the　gift　teaches　me　that　I　cannot　attach　less　importance　to　it。　　If　you　have　given　me　your　inmost　self　and　your　whole　heart；　as　you　tell　me；　what　can　the　rest　matter？　　And　besides；　if　my　happiness　means　so　painful　a　sacrifice；　let　us　say　no　more　about　it。　　But　you　must　pardon　a　man　of　spirit　if　he　feels　humiliated　at　being　taken　for　a　spaniel。〃

The　tone　in　which　the　last　remark　was　uttered　might　perhaps　have　frightened　another　woman；　but　when　the　wearer　of　a　petticoat　has　allowed　herself　to　be　addressed　as　a　Divinity；　and　thereby　set　herself　above　all　other　mortals；　no　power　on　earth　can　be　so　haughty。

〃M。　le　Marquis；　I　am　in　despair　that　God　should　not　have　invented　some　nobler　way　for　a　man　to　confirm　the　gift　of　his　heart　than　by　the　manifestation　of　prodigiously　vulgar　desires。　　We　become　bond…slaves　when　we　give　ourselves　body　and　soul；　but　a　man　is　bound　to　nothing　by　accepting　the　gift。　　Who　will　assure　me　that　love　will　last？　　The　very　love　that　I　might　show　for　you　at　every　moment；　the　better　to　keep　your　love；　might　serve　you　as　a　reason　for　deserting　me。　　I　have　no　wish　to　be　a　second　edition　of　Mme　de　Beauseant。　　Who　can　ever　know　what　it　is　that　keeps　you　beside　us？　　Our　persistent　coldness　of　heart　is　the　cause　of　an　unfailing　passion　in　some　of　you；　other　men　ask　for　an　untiring　devotion；　to　be　idolised　at　every　moment；　some　for　gentleness；　others　for　tyranny。