the duchesse de langeais-第29节

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〃I　only　want　you　to　understand　that　these　remarks　might　leave　a　wrong　impression　on　a　young　woman's　mind；〃　said　she；　and　interrupted　herself　to　exclaim；　〃But　this　niece；　this　niece　of　mine！〃

〃Dear　aunt；　I　still　refuse　to　believe　that　she　can　have　gone　to　M。　de　Montriveau；〃　said　the　Duc　de　Navarreins。

〃Bah！〃　returned　the　Princess。

〃What　do　you　think；　Vidame？〃　asked　the　Marquis。

〃If　the　Duchess　were　an　artless　simpleton；　I　should　think　that〃

〃But　when　a　woman　is　in　love　she　becomes　an　artless　simpleton；〃　retorted　the　Princess。　　〃Really；　my　poor　Vidame；　you　must　be　getting　older。〃

〃After　all；　what　is　to　be　done？〃　asked　the　Duke。

〃If　my　dear　niece　is　wise；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃she　will　go　to　Court　this　eveningfortunately；　today　is　Monday；　and　reception　dayand　you　must　see　that　we　all　rally　round　her　and　give　the　lie　to　this　absurd　rumour。　　There　are　hundreds　of　ways　of　explaining　things；　and　if　the　Marquis　de　Montriveau　is　a　gentleman；　he　will　come　to　our　assistance。　　We　will　bring　these　children　to　listen　to　reason〃

〃But；　dear　aunt；　it　is　not　easy　to　tell　M。　de　Montriveau　the　truth　to　his　face。　　He　is　one　of　Buonaparte's　pupils；　and　he　has　a　position。　　Why；　he　is　one　of　the　great　men　of　the　day；　he　is　high　up　in　the　Guards；　and　very　useful　there。　　He　has　not　a　spark　of　ambition。　　He　is　just　the　man　to　say；　‘Here　is　my　commission；　leave　me　in　peace；'　if　the　King　should　say　a　word　that　he　did　not　like。〃

〃Then；　pray；　what　are　his　opinions？〃

〃Very　unsound。〃

〃Really；〃　sighed　the　Princess；　〃the　King　is；　as　he　always　has　been；　a　Jacobin　under　the　Lilies　of　France。〃

〃Oh！　not　quite　so　bad；〃　said　the　Vidame。

〃Yes；　I　have　known　him　for　a　long　while。　　The　man　that　pointed　out　the　Court　to　his　wife　on　the　occasion　of　her　first　state　dinner　in　public　with；　‘These　are　our　people；'　could　only　be　a　black…hearted　scoundrel。　　I　can　see　Monsieur　exactly　the　same　as　ever　in　the　King。　　The　bad　brother　who　voted　so　wrongly　in　his　department　of　the　Constituent　Assembly　was　sure　to　compound　with　the　Liberals　and　allow　them　to　argue　and　talk。　　This　philosophical　cant　will　be　just　as　dangerous　now　for　the　younger　brother　as　it　used　to　be　for　the　elder；　this　fat　man　with　the　little　mind　is　amusing　himself　by　creating　difficulties；　and　how　his　successor　is　to　get　out　of　them　I　do　not　know；　he　holds　his　younger　brother　in　abhorrence；　he　would　be　glad　to　think　as　he　lay　dying；　‘He　will　not　reign　very　long'　〃

〃Aunt；　he　is　the　King；　and　I　have　the　honour　to　be　in　his　service〃

〃But　does　your　post　take　away　your　right　of　free　speech；　my　dear？　　You　come　of　quite　as　good　a　house　as　the　Bourbons。　　If　the　Guises　had　shown　a　little　more　resolution；　His　Majesty　would　be　a　nobody　at　this　day。　　It　is　time　I　went　out　of　this　world；　the　noblesse　is　dead。　　Yes；　it　is　all　over　with　you；　my　children；〃　she　continued；　looking　as　she　spoke　at　the　Vidame。　　〃What　has　my　niece　done　that　the　whole　town　should　be　talking　about　her？　　She　is　in　the　wrong；　I　disapprove　of　her　conduct；　a　useless　scandal　is　a　blunder；　that　is　why　I　still　have　my　doubts　about　this　want　of　regard　for　appearances；　I　brought　her　up；　and　I　know　that〃

Just　at　that　moment　the　Duchess　came　out　of　her　boudoir。　　She　had　recognised　her　aunt's　voice　and　heard　the　name　of　Montriveau。　　She　was　still　in　her　loose　morning…gown；　and　even　as　she　came　in；　M。　de　Grandlieu；　looking　carelessly　out　of　the　window；　saw　his　niece's　carriage　driving　back　along　the　street。　　The　Duke　took　his　daughter's　face　in　both　hands　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。

〃So；　dear　girl；〃　he　said；　〃you　do　not　know　what　is　going　on？〃

〃Has　anything　extraordinary　happened；　father　dear？〃

〃Why；　all　Paris　believes　that　you　are　with　M。　de　Montriveau。〃

〃My　dear　Antoinette；　you　were　at　home　all　the　time；　were　you　not？〃　said　the　Princess；　holding　out　a　hand；　which　the　Duchess　kissed　with　affectionate　respect。

〃Yes；　dear　mother；　I　was　at　home　all　the　time。　　And；〃　she　added；　as　she　turned　to　greet　the　Vidame　and　the　Marquis；　〃I　wished　that　all　Paris　should　think　that　I　was　with　M。　de　Montriveau。〃

The　Duke　flung　up　his　hands；　struck　them　together　in　despair；　and　folded　his　arms。

〃Then；　cannot　you　see　what　will　come　of　this　mad　freak？〃　he　asked　at　last。

But　the　aged　Princess　had　suddenly　risen；　and　stood　looking　steadily　at　the　Duchess；　the　younger　woman　flushed；　and　her　eyes　fell。　　Mme　de　Chauvry　gently　drew　her　closer；　and　said；　〃My　little　angel；　let　me　kiss　you！〃

She　kissed　her　niece　very　affectionately　on　the　forehead；　and　continued　smiling；　while　she　held　her　hand　in　a　tight　clasp。

〃We　are　not　under　the　Valois　now；　dear　child。　　You　have　compromised　your　husband　and　your　position。　　Still；　we　will　arrange　to　make　everything　right。〃

〃But；　dear　aunt；　I　do　not　wish　to　make　it　right　at　all。　　It　is　my　wish　that　all　Paris　should　say　that　I　was　with　M。　de　Montriveau　this　morning。　　If　you　destroy　that　belief；　however　ill　grounded　it　may　be；　you　will　do　me　a　singular　disservice。〃

〃Do　you　really　wish　to　ruin　yourself；　child；　and　to　grieve　your　family？〃

〃My　family；　father；　unintentionally　condemned　me　to　irreparable　misfortune　when　they　sacrificed　me　to　family　considerations。　　You　may；　perhaps；　blame　me　for　seeking　alleviations；　but　you　will　certainly　feel　for　me。〃

〃After　all　the　endless　pains　you　take　to　settle　your　daughters　suitably！〃　muttered　M。　de　Navarreins；　addressing　the　Vidame。

The　Princess　shook　a　stray　grain　of　snuff　from　her　skirts。　　〃My　dear　little　girl；〃　she　said；　〃be　happy；　if　you　can。　　We　are　not　talking　of　troubling　your　felicity；　but　of　reconciling　it　with　social　usages。　　We　all　of　us　here　assembled　know　that　marriage　is　a　defective　institution　tempered　by　love。　　But　when　you　take　a　lover；　is　there　any　need　to　make　your　bed　in　the　Place　du　Carrousel？　　See　now；　just　be　a　bit　reasonable；　and　hear　what　we　have　to　say。〃

〃I　am　listening。〃

〃Mme　la　Duchesse；〃　began　the　Duc　de　Grandlieu；　〃if　it　were　any　part　of　an　uncle's　duty　to　look　after　his　nieces；　he　ought　to　have　a　position；　society　would　owe　him　honours　and　rewards　and　a　salary；　exactly　as　if　he　were　in　the　King's　service。　　So　I　am　not　here　to　talk　about　my　nephew；　but　of　your　own　interests。　　Let　us　look　ahead　a　little。　　If　you　persist　in　making　a　scandalI　have　seen　the　animal　before；　and　I　own　that　I　have　no　great　liking　for　himLangeais　is　stingy　enough；　and　he　does　not　care　a　rap　for　anyone　but　himself；　he　will　have　a　separation；　he　will　stick　to　your　money；　and　leave　you　poor；　and　consequently　you　will　be　a　nobody。　　The　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　livres　that　you　have　just　inherited　from　your　maternal　great…aunt　will　go　to　pay　for　his　mistresses'　amusements。　　You　will　be　bound　and　gagged　by　the　law；　you　will　have　to　say　Amen　to　all　these　arrangements。　　Suppose　M。　de　Montriveau　leaves　youdear　me！　do　not　let　us　put　ourselves　in　a　passion；　my　dear　niece；　a　man　does　not　leave　a　woman　while　she　is　young　and　pretty；　still；　we　have　seen　so　many　pretty　women　left　disconsolate；　even　among　princesses；　that　you　will　permit　the　supposition；　an　all　but　impossible　supposition　I　quite　wish　to　believe。Well；　suppose　that　he　goes；　what　will　become　of　you　without　a　husband？　　Keep　well　with　your　husband　as　you　take　care　of　your　beauty；　for　beauty；　after　all；　is　a　woman's　parachute；　and　a　husband　also　stands　between　you　and　worse。　　I　am　supposing　that　you　are　happy　and　loved　to　the　end；　and　I　am　leaving　unpleasant　or　unfortunate　events　altogether　out　of　the　reckoning。　　This　being　so；　fortunately　or　unfortunately；　you　may　have　children。　　What　are　they　to　be？　　Montriveaus？　　Very　well；　they　certainly　will　not　succeed　to　their　father's　whole　fortune。　　You　will　want　to　give　them　all　that　you　have；　he　will　wish　to　do　the　same。　　Nothing　more　natural；　dear　me！　　And　you　will　find　the　law　against　you。　　How　many　times　have　we　seen　heirs…at…law　bringing　a　law…suit　to　recover　the　property　from　illegitimate　children？　　Every　court　of　law　rings　with　such　actions　all　over　the　world。　　You　will　create　a　fidei　commissum　perhaps；　and　if　the　trustee　betrays　your　confidence；　your　children　have　no　remedy　against　him；　and　they　are　ruined。　　So　choose　carefully。　　You　see　the　perplexities　of　the　position。　　In　every　possible　way　your　children　will　be　sacrificed　of　necessity　to　the　fancies　of　your　heart；　they　will　have　no　recognised　status。　　While　they　are　little　they　will　be　charming；　but；　Lord！　some　day　they　will　reproach　you　for　thinking　of　no　one　but　your　two　selves。　　We　old　gentlemen　know　all　about　it。　　Little　boys　grow　up　into　men；　and　men　are　ungrateful　beings。　　When　I　was　in　Germany；　did　I　not　hear　young　de　Horn　say；　after　supper；　‘If　my　mother　had　been　an　honest　woman；　I　should　be　prince…regnant！'　　‘IF？'　　We　have　spent　our　lives　in　hearing　plebeians　say　IF。　　IF　brought　about　the　Revolution。　　When　a　man　cannot　lay　the　blame　on　his　father　or　mother；　he　holds　God　responsible　for　his　hard　lot。　　In　short；　dear　child；　we　are　here　to　open　your　eyes。　　I　will　say　all　I　have　to　say　in　a　few　words；　on　which　you　had　better　meditate：　　A　woman　ought　never　to　put　her　husband　in　the　right。〃　

〃Uncle；　so　long　as　I　cared　for　nobody；　I　could　calculate；　I　looked　at　interests　then；　as　you　do；　now；　I　can　only　feel。〃

〃But；　my　dear　little　girl；〃　remonstrated　the　Vidame；　〃life