lucile-第28章
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LUVOIS。
Now？ yes！ I； mon cher； am a true Parisien： Now； the red revolution； the tocsin； and then The dance and the play。 I am now at the play。
ALFRED。
At the play； are you now？ Then perchance I now may Presume； Duke； to ask you what； ever until Such a moment； I waited 。 。 。
LUVOIS。
Oh！ ask what you will。 Franc jeu！ on the table my cards I spread out。 Ask！
ALFRED。
Duke； you were called to a meeting （no doubt You remember it yet） with Lucile。 It was night When you went； and before you return'd it was light。 We met： you accosted me then with a brow Bright with triumph： your words （you remember them now！） Were 〃Let us be friends！〃
LUVOIS。
Well？
ALFRED。
How then； after that Can you and she meet as acquaintances？
LUVOIS。
What！ Did she not then； herself； the Comtesse de Nevers； Solve your riddle to…night with those soft lips of hers？
ALFRED。
In our converse to…night we avoided the past。 But the question I ask should be answer'd at last： By you； if you will； if you will not； by her。
LUVOIS。
Indeed？ but that question； milord； can it stir Such an interest in you； if your passion be o'er？
ALFRED。
Yes。 Esteem may remain； although love be no more。 Lucile ask'd me； this night； to my wife （understand； To MY WIFE！） to present her。 I did so。 Her hand Has clasp'd that of Matilda。 We gentlemen owe Respect to the name that is ours： and； if so； To the woman that bears it a twofold respect。 Answer； Duc de Luvois！ Did Lucile then reject The proffer you made of your hand and your name？ Or did you on her love then relinquish a claim Urged before？ I ask bluntly this question； because My title to do so is clear by the laws That all gentlemen honor。 Make only one sign That you know of Lucile de Nevers aught； in fine； For which； if your own virgin sister were by； From Lucile you would shield her acquaintance； and I And Matilda leave Ems on the morrow。
XXXI。
The Duke Hesitated and paused。 He could tell； by the look Of the man at his side； that he meant what he said； And there flash'd in a moment these thoughts through his head： 〃Leave Ems！ would that suit me？ no！ that were again To mar all。 And besides； if I do not explain； She herself will 。 。 。 et puis； il a raison： on est Gentilhomme avant tout！〃 He replied therefore； 〃Nay！ Madame de Nevers had rejected me。 I； In those days； I was mad； and in some mad reply I threatened the life of the rival to whom That rejection was due； I was led to presume。 She fear'd for his life； and the letter which then She wrote me； I show'd you； we met： and again My hand was refused； and my love was denied； And the glance you mistook was the vizard which Pride Lends to Humiliation。 〃And so；〃 half in jest； He went on； 〃in this best world； 'tis all for the best； You are wedded （bless'd Englishman！） wedded to one Whose past can be called into question by none： And I （fickle Frenchman！） can still laugh to feel I am lord of myself； and the Mode： and Lucile Still shines from her pedestal； frigid and fair As yon German moon o'er the linden…tops there！ A Dian in marble that scorns any troth With the little love gods； whom I thank for us both； While she smiles from her lonely Olympus apart； That her arrows are marble as well as her heart。 Stay at Ems； Alfred Vargrave！〃
XXXII。
The Duke； with a smile； Turn'd and enter'd the Rooms which； thus talking； meanwhile； They had reach'd。
XXXIII。
Alfred Vargrave strode on （overthrown Heart and mind！） in the darkness bewilder'd； alone： 〃And so；〃 to himself did he mutter； 〃and so 'Twas to rescue my life； gentle spirit！ and； oh； For this did I doubt her？ 。 。 。 a light worda look The mistake of a moment！ 。 。 。 for this I forsook For this？ Pardon； pardon； Lucile！ O Lucile！〃 Thought and memory rang； like a funeral peal； Weary changes on one dirge…like note through his brain； As he stray'd down the darkness。
XXXIV。
Re…entering again The Casino； the Duke smiled。 He turned to roulette； And sat down； and play'd fast； and lost largely； and yet He still smiled： night deepen'd： he play'd his last number： Went home： and soon slept： and still smil'd in his slumber。
XXXV。
In his desolate Maxims； La Rochefoucauld wrote； 〃In the grief or mischance of a friend you may note； There is something which always gives pleasure。〃 Alas！ That reflection fell short of the truth as it was。 La Rochefoucauld might have as truly set down 〃No misfortune； but what some one turns to his own Advantage its mischief： no sorrow； but of it There ever is somebody ready to profit： No affliction without its stock…jobbers； who all Gamble； speculate； play on the rise and the fall Of another man's heart； and make traffic in it。〃 Burn thy book； O La Rochefoucauld！ Fool！ one man's wit All men's selfishness how should it fathom？ O sage； Dost thou satirize Nature？ She laughs at thy page。
CANTO II。
I。
COUSIN JOHN TO COUSIN ALFRED。
LONDON； 18
〃My dear Alfred； Your last letters put me in pain。 This contempt of existence； this listless disdain Of your own life；its joys and its duties；the deuce Take my wits if they find for it half an excuse！ I wish that some Frenchman would shoot off your leg； And compel you to stump through the world on a peg。 I wish that you had； like myself （more's the pity！）； To sit seven hours on this cursed committee。 I wish that you knew； sir； how salt is the bread Of another（what is it that Dante has said？） And the trouble of other men's stairs。 In a word； I wish fate had some real affliction conferr'd On your whimsical self； that； at least； you had cause For neglecting life's duties； and damning its laws！ This pressure against all the purpose of life； This self…ebullition； and ferment； and strife； Betoken'd； I grant that it may be in truth； The richness and strength of the new wine of youth。 But if； when the wine should have mellow'd with time； Being bottled and binn'd； to a flavor sublime； It retains the same acrid； incongruous taste； Why； the sooner to throw it away that we haste The better； I take it。 And this vice of snarling； Self…love's little lapdog； the overfed darling Of a hypochondriacal fancy appears； To my thinking； at least； in a man of your years； At the midnoon of manhood with plenty to do； And every incentive for doing it too； With the duties of life just sufficiently pressing For prayer； and of joys more than most men for blessing； With a pretty young wife； and a pretty full purse； Like poltroonery； puerile truly； or worse！ I wish I could get you at least to agree To take life as it is； and consider with me； If it be not all smiles； that it is not all sneers； It admits honest laughter； and needs honest tears。 Do you think none have known but yourself all the pain Of hopes that retreat； and regrets that remain？ And all the wide distance fate fixes； no doubt； 'Twixt the life that's within； and the life that's without？ What one of us finds the world just as he likes？ Or gets what he wants when he wants it？ Or strikes Without missing the thing that he strikes at the first？ Or walks without stumbling？ Or quenches his thirst At one draught？ Bah！ I tell you！ I； bachelor John； Have had griefs of my own。 But what then？ I push on All the faster perchance that I yet feel the pain Of my last fall； albeit I may stumble again。 God means every man to be happy； be sure。 He sends us no sorrows that have not some cure。 Our duty down here is to do； not to know。 Live as though life were earnest； and life will be so。 Let each moment； like Time's last ambassador； come： It will wait to deliver its message； and some Sort of answer it merits。 It is not the deed A man does； but the way that he does it； should plead For the man's compensation in doing it。
