modeste mignon-第40节
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charmed the poor secretary； already dazzled by Modeste's beauty； and
in his sudden surprise he answered by a phrase that would have been
sublime； had it been true。
〃He is my friend；〃 he said。
〃Ah； then you do pardon me；〃 she replied。
〃He is more than a friend；〃 cried Canalis taking Ernest by the
shoulder and leaning upon it like Alexander on Hephaestion； 〃we love
each other as though we were brothers〃
Madame Latournelle cut short the poet's speech by pointing to Ernest
and saying aloud to her husband； 〃Surely that is the gentleman we saw
at church。〃
〃Why not？〃 said Charles Mignon； quickly； observing that Ernest
reddened。
Modeste coldly took up her embroidery。
〃Madame may be right； I have been twice in Havre lately；〃 replied La
Briere； sitting down by Dumay。
Canalis； charmed with Modeste's beauty； mistook the admiration she
expressed； and flattered himself he had succeeded in producing his
desired effects。
〃I should think a man without heart； if he had no devoted friend near
him；〃 said Modeste； to pick up the conversation interrupted by Madame
Latournelle's awkwardness。
〃Mademoiselle； Ernest's devotion makes me almost think myself worth
something；〃 said Canalis； 〃for my dear Pylades is full of talent； he
was the right hand of the greatest minister we have had since the
peace。 Though he holds a fine position； he is good enough to be my
tutor in the science of politics； he teaches me to conduct affairs and
feeds me with his experience； when all the while he might aspire to a
much better situation。 Oh！ he is worth far more than I。〃 At a gesture
from Modeste he continued gracefully： 〃Yes； the poetry that I express
he carries in his heart； and if I speak thus openly before him it is
because he has the modesty of a nun。〃
〃Enough； oh； enough！〃 cried La Briere； who hardly knew which way to
look。 〃My dear Canalis； you remind me of a mother who is seeking to
marry off her daughter。〃
〃How is it； monsieur；〃 said Charles Mignon； addressing Canalis； 〃that
you can even think of becoming a political character？〃
〃It is abdication；〃 said Modeste； 〃for a poet； politics are the
resource of matter…of…fact men。〃
〃Ah； mademoiselle； the rostrum is to…day the greatest theatre of the
world； it has succeeded the tournaments of chivalry； it is now the
meeting…place for all intellects； just as the army has been the
rallying…point of courage。〃
Canalis stuck spurs into his charger and talked for ten minutes on
political life： 〃Poetry was but a preface to the statesman。〃 〃To…day
the orator has become a sublime reasoner； the shepherd of ideas。〃 〃A
poet may point the way to nations or individuals； but can he ever
cease to be himself？〃 He quoted Chateaubriand and declared that he
would one day be greater on the political side than on the literary。
〃The forum of France was to be the pharos of humanity。〃 〃Oral battles
supplanted fields of battle： there were sessions of the Chamber finer
than any Austerlitz； and orators were seen to be as lofty as generals；
they spent their lives； their courage； their strength； as freely as
those who went to war。〃 〃Speech was surely one of the most prodigal
outlets of the vital fluid that man had ever known；〃 etc。
This improvisation of modern commonplaces； clothed in sonorous phrases
and newly invented words； and intended to prove that the Comte de
Canalis was becoming one of the glories of the French government； made
a deep impression upon the notary and Gobenheim； and upon Madame
Latournelle and Madame Mignon。 Modeste looked as though she were at
the theatre； in an attitude of enthusiasm for an actor；very much
like that of Ernest toward herself； for though the secretary knew all
these high…sounding phrases by heart； he listened through the eyes； as
it were； of the young girl； and grew more and more madly in love with
her。 To this true lover； Modeste was eclipsing all the Modestes he had
created as he read her letters and answered them。
This visit； the length of which was predetermined by Canalis； careful
not to allow his admirers a chance to get surfeited； ended by an
invitation to dinner on the following Monday。
〃We shall not be at the Chalet；〃 said the Comte de La Bastie。 〃Dumay
will have sole possession of it。 I return to the villa； having bought
it back under a deed of redemption within six months； which I have
to…day signed with Monsieur Vilquin。〃
〃I hope；〃 said Dumay； 〃that Vilquin will not be able to return to you
the sum you have just lent him； and that the villa will remain yours。〃
〃It is an abode in keeping with your fortune；〃 said Canalis。
〃You mean the fortune that I am supposed to have；〃 replied Charles
Mignon； hastily。
〃It would be too sad；〃 said Canalis； turning to Modeste with a
charming little bow； 〃if this Madonna were not framed in a manner
worthy of her divine perfections。〃
That was the only thing Canalis said to Modeste。 He affected not to
look at her； and behaved like a man to whom all idea of marriage was
interdicted。
〃Ah！ my dear Madame Mignon；〃 cried the notary's wife； as soon as the
gravel was heard to grit under the feet of the Parisians； 〃what an
intellect！〃
〃Is he rich？that is the question；〃 said Gobenheim。
Modeste was at the window； not losing a single movement of the great
poet； and paying no attention to his companion。 When Monsieur Mignon
returned to the salon； and Modeste； having received a last bow from
the two friends as the carriage turned； went back to her seat； a
weighty discussion took place； such as provincials invariably hold
over Parisians after a first interview。 Gobenheim repeated his phrase；
〃Is he rich？〃 as a chorus to the songs of praise sung by Madame
Latournelle； Modeste； and her mother。
〃Rich！〃 exclaimed Modeste； 〃what can that signify！ Do you not see that
Monsieur de Canalis is one of those men who are destined for the
highest places in the State。 He has more than fortune； he possesses
that which gives fortune。〃
〃He will be minister or ambassador；〃 said Monsieur Mignon。
〃That won't hinder tax…payers from having to pay the costs of his
funeral；〃 remarked the notary。
〃How so？〃 asked Charles Mignon。
〃He strikes me as a man who will waste all the fortunes with whose
gifts Mademoiselle Modeste so liberally endows him；〃 answered
Latournelle。
〃Modeste can't avoid being liberal to a poet who called her a
Madonna；〃 said Dumay； sneering； and faithful to the repulsion with
which Canalis had originally inspired him。
Gobenheim arranged the whist…table with all the more persistency
because； since the return of Monsieur Mignon； Latournelle and Dumay
had allowed themselves to play for ten sous points。
〃Well； my little darling；〃 said the father to the daughter in the
embrasure of a window。 〃Admit that papa thinks of everything。 If you
send your orders this evening to your former dressmaker in Paris； and
all your other furnishing people； you shall show yourself eight days
hence in all the splendor of an heiress。 Meantime we will install
ourselves in the villa。 You already have a pretty horse； now order a
habit； you owe that amount of civility to the grand equerry。〃
〃All the more because there will be a number of us to ride；〃 said
Modeste； who was recovering the colors of health。
〃The secretary did not say much；〃 remarked Madame Mignon。
〃A little fool；〃 said Madame Latournelle； 〃the poet has an attentive
word for everybody。 He thanked Monsieur Latournelle for his help in
choosing the house； and said he must have taken counsel with a woman
of good taste。 But the other looked as gloomy as a Spaniard； and kept
his eyes fixed on Modeste as though he would like to swallow her
whole。 If he had even looked at me I should have been afraid of him。〃
〃He had a pleasant voice；〃 said Madame Mignon。
〃No doubt he came to Havre to inquire about the Mignons in the
interests of his friend the poet；〃 said Modeste； looking furtively at
her father。 〃It was certainly he whom we saw in church。〃
Madame Dumay and Monsieur and Madame Latournelle； accepted this as the
natural explanation of Ernest's journey。
CHAPTER XIX
OF WHICH THE AUTHOR THINKS A GOOD DEAL
〃Do you know； Ernest；〃 cried Canalis； when they had driven a short
distance from the house； 〃I don't see any marriageable woman in
society in Paris who compares with that adorable girl。〃
〃Ah； that ends it！〃 replied Ernest。 〃She loves you； or she will love
you if you desire it。 Your fame won half the battle。 Well； you may now
have it all your own way。 You shall go there alone in future。 Modeste
despises me； she is right to do so； and I don't see any reason why I
should condemn myself to see； to love； desire； and adore that which I
can never possess。〃
After a few consoling remarks； dashed with his own satisfaction at
having made a new version of Caesar's phrase； Ca
