gobseck-第4章

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tilbury　and　an　English　horse；　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　The　bill　bore

the　signature　of　one　of　the　prettiest　women　in　Paris；　married　to　a

Count；　a　great　landowner。　Now；　how　came　that　Countess　to　put　her　name

to　a　bill　of　exchange；　legally　not　worth　the　paper　it　was　written

upon；　but　practically　very　good　business；　for　these　women；　poor

things；　are　afraid　of　the　scandal　that　a　protested　bill　makes　in　a

family；　and　would　give　themselves　away　in　payment　sooner　than　fail？　I

wanted　to　find　out　what　that　bill　of　exchange　really　represented。　Was

it　stupidity；　imprudence；　love　or　charity？



〃　'The　second　bill；　bearing　the　signature　〃Fanny　Malvaut；〃　came　to　me

from　a　linen…draper　on　the　highway　to　bankruptcy。　Now；　no　creature　who

has　any　credit　with　a　bank　comes　to　ME。　The　first　step　to　my　door

means　that　a　man　is　desperately　hard　up；　that　the　news　of　his　failure

will　soon　come　out：　and；　most　of　all；　it　means　that　he　has　been

everywhere　else　first。　The　stag　is　always　at　bay　when　I　see　him；　and　a

pack　of　creditors　are　hard　upon　his　track。　The　Countess　lived　in　the

Rue　du　Helder；　and　my　Fanny　in　the　Rue　Montmartre。　How　many

conjectures　I　made　as　I　set　out　this　morning！　If　these　two　women　were

not　able　to　pay；　they　would　show　me　more　respect　than　they　would　show

their　own　fathers。　What　tricks　and　grimaces　would　not　the　Countess　try

for　a　thousand　francs！　She　would　be　so　nice　to　me；　she　would　talk　to

me　in　that　ingratiating　tone　peculiar　to　endorsers　of　bills；　she　would

pour　out　a　torrent　of　coaxing　words；　perhaps　she　would　beg　and　pray；

and　I　。　。　。'　（here　the　old　man　turned　his　pale　eyes　upon　me）'and　I

not　to　be　moved；　inexorable！'　he　continued。　'I　am　there　as　the

avenger；　the　apparition　of　Remorse。　So　much　for　hypotheses。　I　reached

the　house。



〃　'　〃Madame　la　Comtesse　is　asleep；〃　says　the　maid。



〃　'　〃When　can　I　see　her？〃



〃　'　〃At　twelve　o'clock。〃



〃　'　〃Is　Madame　la　Comtesse　ill？〃



〃　'　〃No；　sir；　but　she　only　came　home　at　three　o'clock　this　morning

from　a　ball。〃



〃　'　〃My　name　is　Gobseck；　tell　her　that　I　shall　call　again　at　twelve

o'clock；〃　and　I　went　out；　leaving　traces　of　my　muddy　boots　on　the

carpet　which　covered　the　paved　staircase。　I　like　to　leave　mud　on　a

rich　man's　carpet；　it　is　not　petty　spite；　I　like　to　make　them　feel　a

touch　of　the　claws　of　Necessity。　In　the　Rue　Montmartre　I　thrust　open

the　old　gateway　of　a　poor…looking　house；　and　looked　into　a　dark

courtyard　where　the　sunlight　never　shines。　The　porter's　lodge　was

grimy；　the　window　looked　like　the　sleeve　of　some　shabby　wadded　gown

greasy；　dirty；　and　full　of　holes。



〃　'　〃Mlle。　Fanny　Malvaut？〃



〃　'　〃She　has　gone　out；　but　if　you　have　come　about　a　bill；　the　money　is

waiting　for　you。〃



〃　'　〃I　will　look　in　again；〃　said　I。



〃　'As　soon　as　I　knew　that　the　porter　had　the　money　for　me；　I　wanted　to

know　what　the　girl　was　like；　I　pictured　her　as　pretty。　The　rest　of　the

morning　I　spent　in　looking　at　the　prints　in　the　shop　windows　along　the

boulevard；　then；　just　as　it　struck　twelve；　I　went　through　the

Countess'　ante…chamber。



〃　'　〃Madame　has　just　this　minute　rung　for　me；〃　said　the　maid；　〃I　don't

think　she　can　see　you　yet。〃



〃　'　〃I　will　wait；〃　said　I；　and　sat　down　in　an　easy…chair。



〃　'Venetian　shutters　were　opened；　and　presently　the　maid　came　hurrying

back。



〃　'　〃Come　in；　sir。〃



〃　'From　the　sweet　tone　of　the　girl's　voice；　I　knew　that　the　mistress

could　not　be　ready　to　pay。　What　a　handsome　woman　it　was　that　I　saw　in

another　moment！　She　had　flung　an　Indian　shawl　hastily　over　her　bare

shoulders；　covering　herself　with　it　completely；　while　it　revealed　the

bare　outlines　of　the　form　beneath。　She　wore　a　loose　gown　trimmed　with

snowy　ruffles；　which　told　plainly　that　her　laundress'　bills　amounted

to　something　like　two　thousand　francs　in　the　course　of　a　year。　Her

dark　curls　escaped　from　beneath　a　bright　Indian　handkerchief；　knotted

carelessly　about　her　head　after　the　fashion　of　Creole　women。　The　bed

lay　in　disorder　that　told　of　broken　slumber。　A　painter　would　have　paid

money　to　stay　a　while　to　see　the　scene　that　I　saw。　Under　the　luxurious

hanging　draperies；　the　pillow；　crushed　into　the　depths　of　an　eider…

down　quilt；　its　lace　border　standing　out　in　contrast　against　the

background　of　blue　silk；　bore　a　vague　impress　that　kindled　the

imagination。　A　pair　of　satin　slippers　gleamed　from　the　great　bear…skin

rug　spread　by　the　carved　mahogany　lions　at　the　bed…foot；　where　she　had

flung　them　off　in　her　weariness　after　the　ball。　A　crumpled　gown　hung

over　a　chair；　the　sleeves　touching　the　floor；　stockings　which　a　breath

would　have　blown　away　were　twisted　about　the　leg　of　an　easy…chair；

while　ribbon　garters　straggled　over　a　settee。　A　fan　of　price；　half

unfolded；　glittered　on　the　chimney…piece。　Drawers　stood　open；　flowers；

diamonds；　gloves；　a　bouquet；　a　girdle；　were　littered　about。　The　room

was　full　of　vague　sweet　perfume。　Andbeneath　all　the　luxury　and

disorder；　beauty　and　incongruity；　I　saw　Misery　crouching　in　wait　for

her　or　for　her　adorer；　Misery　rearing　its　head；　for　the　Countess　had

begun　to　feel　the　edge　of　those　fangs。　Her　tired　face　was　an　epitome

of　the　room　strewn　with　relics　of　past　festival。　The　scattered

gewgaws；　pitiable　this　morning；　when　gathered　together　and　coherent；

had　turned　heads　the　night　before。



〃　'What　efforts　to　drink　of　the　Tantalus　cup　of　bliss　I　could　read　in

these　traces　of　love　stricken　by　the　thunderbolt　remorsein　this

visible　presentment　of　a　life　of　luxury；　extravagance；　and　riot。　There

were　faint　red　marks　on　her　young　face；　signs　of　the　fineness　of　the

skin；　but　her　features　were　coarsened；　as　it　were；　and　the　circles

about　her　eyes　were　unwontedly　dark。　Nature　nevertheless　was　so

vigorous　in　her；　that　these　traces　of　past　folly　did　not　spoil　her

beauty。　Her　eyes　glittered。　She　looked　like　some　Herodias　of　da

Vinci's　（I　have　dealt　in　pictures）；　so　magnificently　full　of　life　and

energy　was　she；　there　was　nothing　starved　nor　stinted　in　feature　or

outline；　she　awakened　desire；　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　some

passion　in　her　yet　stronger　than　love。　I　was　taken　with　her。　It　was　a

long　while　since　my　heart　had　throbbed；　so　I　was　paid　then　and　there

for　I　would　give　a　thousand　francs　for　a　sensation　that　should　bring

me　back　memories　of　youth。



〃　'　〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　finding　a　chair　for　me；　〃will　you　be　so　good

as　to　wait？〃



〃　'　〃Until　this　time　to…morrow；　madame；〃　I　said；　folding　up　the　bill

again。　〃I　cannot　legally　protest　this　bill　any　sooner。〃　And　within

myself　I　said〃Pay　the　price　of　your　luxury；　pay　for　your　name；　pay

for　your　ease；　pay　for　the　monopoly　which　you　enjoy！　The　rich　have

invented　judges　and　courts　of　law　to　secure　their　goods；　and　the

guillotinethat　candle　in　which　so　many　lie　in　silk；　under　silken

coverlets；　there　is　remorse；　and　grinding　of　teeth　beneath　a　smile；

and　those　fantastical　lions'　jaws　are　gaping　to　set　their　fangs　in

your　heart。〃



〃　'　〃Protest　the　bill！　Can　you　mean　it？〃　she　cried；　with　her　eyes　upon

me；　〃could　you　have　so　little　consideration　for　me？〃



〃　'　〃If　the　King　himself　owed　money　to　me；　madame；　and　did　not　pay　it；

I　should　summons　him　even　sooner　than　any　other　debtor。〃



〃　'While　we　were　speaking；　somebody　tapped　gently　at　the　door。



〃　'　〃I　cannot　see　any　one；〃　she　cried　imperiously。



〃　'　〃But；　Anastasie；　I　particularly　wish　to　speak　to　you。〃



〃　'　〃Not　just　now；　dear；〃　she　answered　in　a　milder　tone；　but　with　no

sign　of　relenting。



〃　'　〃What　nonsense！　You　are　talking　to　some　one；〃　said　the　voice；　and

in　came　a　man　who　could　only　be　the　Count。



〃　'The　Countess　gave　me　a　glance。　I　saw　how　it　was。　She　was　thoroughly

in　my　power。　There　was　a　time；　when　I　was　young；　and　might　perhaps

have　been　stupid　enough　not　to　protest　the　bill。　At　Pondicherry；　in

1763；　I　let　a　woman　off；　and　nicely　she　paid　me　out　afterwards。　I

deserved　it；　what　call　was　there　for　me　to　trust　her？



〃　'　〃What　does　this　gentleman　wan