modeste mignon-第26部分

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like　myself；　who　has　suffered；　who　knows　what　misery　is。　I　will　write

to　her　and　console　her；　and　be　her　guardian　spirit；　she　shall　read　my

heart；　my　soul；　she　shall　possess　by　double　wealth；　my　two　wealths；

my　gold；　delicately　offered；　and　my　thought　robed　in　all　the　splendor

which　the　accident　of　birth　has　denied　to　my　grotesque　body。　But　I

myself　shall　remain　hidden　like　the　cause　that　science　seeks。　God

himself　may　not　be　glorious　to　the　eye。　Well；　naturally；　the　maiden

will　be　curious；　she　will　wish　to　see　me；　but　I　shall　tell　her　that　I

am　a　monster　of　ugliness；　I　shall　picture　myself　hideous。〃



At　these　words　Modeste　gave　Butscha　a　glance　that　looked　him　through

and　through。　If　she　had　said　aloud；　〃What　do　you　know　of　my　love？〃　she

could　not　have　been　more　explicit。



〃If　I　have　the　honor　of　being　loved　for　the　poem　of　my　heart；　if　some

day　such　love　may　make　a　woman　think　me　only　slightly　deformed；　I　ask

you；　mademoiselle；　shall　I　not　be　happier　than　the　handsomest　of　men；

as　happy　as　a　man　of　genius　beloved　by　some　celestial　being　like

yourself。〃



The　color　which　suffused　the　young　girl's　face　told　the　cripple　nearly

all　he　sought　to　know。



〃Well；　if　that　be　so；〃　he　went　on；　〃if　we　enrich　the　one　we　love；　if

we　please　the　spirit　and　withdraw　the　body；　is　not　that　the　way　to

make　one's　self　beloved？　At　any　rate　it　is　the　dream　of　your　poor

dwarf；a　dream　of　yesterday；　for　to…day　your　mother　gives　me　the　key

to　future　wealth　by　promising　me　the　means　of　buying　a　practice。　But

before　I　become　another　Gobenheim；　I　seek　to　know　whether　this　dream

could　be　really　carried　out。　What　do　you　say；　mademoiselle；　YOU？〃



Modeste　was　so　astonished　that　she　did　not　notice　the　question。　The

trap　of　the　lover　was　much　better　baited　than　that　of　the　soldier；　for

the　poor　girl　was　rendered　speechless。



〃Poor　Butscha！〃　whispered　Madame　Latournelle　to　her　husband。　〃Do　you

think　he　is　going　mad？〃



〃You　want　to　realize　the　story　of　Beauty　and　the　Beast；〃　said　Modeste

at　length；　〃but　you　forget　that　the　Beast　turned　into　Prince

Charming。〃



〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃Now　I　have　always　thought　that

that　transformation　meant　the　phenomenon　of　the　soul　made　visible；

obliterating　the　form　under　the　light　of　the　spirit。　If　I　were　not

loved　I　should　stay　hidden；　that　is　all。　You　and　yours；　madame；〃　he

continued；　addressing　his　mistress；　〃instead　of　having　a　dwarf　at　your

service；　will　now　have　a　life　and　a　fortune。〃



So　saying；　Butscha　resumed　his　seat；　remarking　to　the　three　whist…

players　with　an　assumption　of　calmness；　〃Whose　deal　is　it？〃　but　within

his　soul　he　whispered　sadly　to　himself：　〃She　wants　to　be　loved　for

herself；　she　corresponds　with　some　pretended　great　man；　how　far　has　it

gone？〃



〃Dear　mamma；　it　is　nearly　ten　o'clock；〃　said　Modeste。



Madame　Mignon　said　good…night　to　her　friends；　and　went　to　bed。



They　who　wish　to　love　in　secret　may　have　Pyrenean　hounds；　mothers；

Dumays；　and　Latournelles　to　spy　upon　them；　and　yet　not　be　in　any

danger；　but　when　it　comes　to　a　lover！ah！　that　is　diamond　cut

diamond；　flame　against　flame；　mind　to　mind；　an　equation　whose　terms

are　mutual。



On　Sunday　morning　Butscha　arrived　at　the　Chalet　before　Madame

Latournelle；　who　always　came　to　take　Modeste　to　church；　and　he

proceeded　to　blockade　the　house　in　expectation　of　the　postman。



〃Have　you　a　letter　for　Mademoiselle　Mignon？〃　he　said　to　that　humble

functionary　when　he　appeared。



〃No；　monsieur；　none。〃



〃This　house　has　been　a　good　customer　to　the　post　of　late；〃　remarked

the　clerk。



〃You　may　well　say　that；〃　replied　the　man。



Modeste　both　heard　and　saw　the　little　colloquy　from　her　chamber

window；　where　she　always　posted　herself　behind　the　blinds　at　this

particular　hour　to　watch　for　the　postman。　She　ran　downstairs；　went

into　the　little　garden；　and　called　in　an　imperative　voice：



〃Monsieur　Butscha！〃



〃Here　am　I；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　cripple；　reaching　the　gate　as

Modeste　herself　opened　it。



〃Will　you　be　good　enough　to　tell　me　whether　among　your　various　titles

to　a　woman's　affection　you　count　that　of　the　shameless　spying　in　which

you　are　now　engaged？〃　demanded　the　girl；　endeavoring　to　crush　her

slave　with　the　glance　and　gesture　of　a　queen。



〃Yes；　mademoiselle；〃　he　answered　proudly。　〃Ah！　I　never　expected；〃　he

continued　in　a　low　tone；　〃that　the　grub　could　be　of　service　to　a　star；

but　so　it　is。　Would　you　rather　that　your　mother　and　Monsieur　Dumay

and　Madame　Latournelle　had　guessed　your　secret　than　one；　excluded　as

it　were　from　life；　who　seeks　to　be　to　you　one　of　those　flowers　that

you　cut　and　wear　for　a　moment？　They　all　know　you　love；　but　I；　I　alone；

KNOW　HOW。　Use　me　as　you　would　a　vigilant　watch…dog；　I　will　obey　you；

protect　you；　and　never　bark；　neither　will　I　condemn　you。　I　ask　only　to

be　of　service　to　you。　Your　father　has　made　Dumay　keeper　of　the　hen…

roost；　take　Butscha　to　watch　outside；poor　Butscha；　who　doesn't　ask

for　anything；　not　so　much　as　a　bone。〃



〃Well；　I've　give　you　a　trial；〃　said　Modeste；　whose　strongest　desire

was　to　get　rid　of　so　clever　a　watcher。　〃Please　go　at　once　to　all　the

hotels　in　Graville　and　in　Havre；　and　ask　if　a　gentleman　has　arrived

from　England　named　Monsieur　Arthur〃



〃Listen　to　me；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Butscha；　interrupting　Modeste

respectfully。　〃I　will　go　and　take　a　walk　on　the　seashore；　for　you

don't　want　me　to　go　to　church　to…day；　that's　what　it　is。〃



Modeste　looked　at　her　dwarf　with　a　perfectly　stupid　astonishment。



〃Mademoiselle；　you　have　wrapped　your　face　in　cotton…wool　and　a　silk

handkerchief；　but　there's　nothing　the　matter　with　you；　and　you　have

put　that　thick　veil　on　your　bonnet　to　see　some　one　yourself　without

being　seen。〃



〃Where　did　you　acquire　all　that　perspicacity？〃　cried　Modeste；

blushing。



〃Moreover；　mademoiselle；　you　have　not　put　on　your　corset；　a　cold　in

the　head　wouldn't　oblige　you　to　disfigure　your　waist　and　wear　half　a

dozen　petticoats；　nor　hide　your　hands　in　these　old　gloves；　and　your

pretty　feet　in　those　hideous　shoes；　nor　dress　yourself　like　a　beggar…

woman；　nor〃



〃That's　enough；〃　she　said。　〃How　am　I　to　be　certain　that　you　will　obey

me？〃



〃My　master　is　obliged　to　go　to　Sainte…Adresse。　He　does　not　like　it；

but　he　is　so　truly　good　he　won't　deprive　me　of　my　Sunday；　I　will　offer

to　go　for　him。〃



〃Go；　and　I　will　trust　you。〃



〃You　are　sure　I　can　do　nothing　for　you　in　Havre？〃



〃Nothing。　Hear　me；　mysterious　dwarf；look；〃　she　continued；　pointing

to　the　cloudless　sky；　〃can　you　see　a　single　trace　of　that　bird　that

flew　by　just　now？　No；　well　then；　my　actions　are　pure　as　the　air　is

pure；　and　leave　no　stain　behind　them。　You　may　reassure　Dumay　and　the

Latournelles；　and　my　mother。　That　hand；〃　she　said；　holding　up　a　pretty

delicate　hand；　with　the　points　of　the　rosy　fingers；　through　which　the

light　shone；　slightly　turning　back；　〃will　never　be　given；　it　will

never　even　be　kissed　by　what　people　call　a　lover　until　my　father　has

returned。〃



〃Why　don't　you　want　me　in　the　church　to…day？〃



〃Do　you　venture　to　question　me　after　all　I　have　done　you　the　honor　to

say；　and　to　ask　of　you？〃



Butscha　bowed　without　another　word；　and　departed　to　find　his　master；

in　all　the　rapture　of　being　taken　into　the　service　of　his　goddess。



Half　an　hour　later；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Latournelle　came　to　fetch

Modeste；　who　complained　of　a　horrible　toothache。



〃I　really　have　not　had　the　courage　to　dress　myself；〃　she　said。



〃Well　then；〃　replied　the　worthy　chaperone；　〃stay　at　home。〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　said　Modeste。　〃I　would　rather　not。　I　have　bundled　myself　up；

and　I　don't　think　it　will　do　me　any　harm　to　go　out。〃



And　Mademoiselle　Mignon　marched　off　beside　Latournelle；　refusing　to

take　his　arm　lest　she　should　be　questioned　about　the　outward　trembling

which　betrayed　her　inward　agitation　at　the　thought　of　at　last　seeing

her　great　poet。　One　look；　the　first；was　it　not　about　to　decide　her

fate？







CHAPTER　XIII



A　FULL…LENGTH　PORTRAIT　OF　MONSIEUR　DE　LA　BRIERE



Is　there　in　the　life　of　man　a　more　delightful　moment　than　that　of　a

first　rendezvous？　Are　the　sensations　then　hidden　at　the　bottom　of　our

hearts　and　finding　their　first　expression　ever　renewed？　Can　we　feel

again　the　nameless　pleasures　that　we　felt　when；　like　Ernest　de　La

Briere；　we　looked　up　our　sharpest　razors；　our　finest　shirt；　an

irreproachable　collar；　and　our　best　clothes？　We　deify　the　garments

associated　with　that　all…supreme　moment。　We　weave　within　us　poetic

fancies　quite　equal　to　those　of　the　woman；　and　the　day　when　either

party　guesses　them　they　take　wings　to　themselves　and　fly　away。　Are　not

such　things　like　the　flower　of　wild　fruits；　bitter…sweet；　grown　in　the

heart　of　a　forest；　the　joy　of　the　scant　sun…rays；　the　joy；　as　Canalis

says　in　the　〃Maiden's　Song；〃　of　the　plant　itself　whose　eyes　unclosing

see　its　own　image　within　its　breast？



Such　emotions；　now