按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of power by which a clever woman drives a man devoid of will。 But in
so doing she could not fail to lose much of her moral lustre。 Such
suspicions as she betrayed drag a woman into quarrels which lead to
disrespect； because she herself comes down from the high level on
which she had at first placed herself。 Next she made some concession；
Lousteau was allowed to entertain several of his friendsNathan；
Bixiou； Blondet； Finot； whose manners； language； and intercourse were
depraving。 They tried to convince Madame de la Baudraye that her
principles and aversions were a survival of provincial prudishness；
and they preached the creed of woman's superiority。
Before long； her jealousy put weapons into Lousteau's hands。 During
the carnival of 1840； she disguised herself to go to the balls at the
Opera…house； and to suppers where she met courtesans； in order to keep
an eye on all Etienne's amusements。
On the day of Mid…Lentor rather； at eight on the morning after
Dinah came home from the ball in her fancy dress to go to bed。 She had
gone to spy on Lousteau； who； believing her to be ill； had engaged
himself for that evening to Fanny Beaupre。 The journalist； warned by a
friend； had behaved so as to deceive the poor woman； only too ready to
be deceived。
As she stepped out of the hired cab； Dinah met Monsieur de la
Baudraye； to whom the porter pointed her out。 The little old man took
his wife by the arm； saying； in an icy tone：
〃So this is you； madame！〃
This sudden advent of conjugal authority； before which she felt
herself so small； and； above all； these words； almost froze the heart
of the unhappy woman caught in the costume of a /debardeur/。 To escape
Etienne's eye the more effectually； she had chosen a dress he was not
likely to detect her in。 She took advantage of the mask she still had
on to escape without replying； changed her dress； and went up to her
mother's rooms； where she found her husband waiting for her。 In spite
of her assumed dignity； she blushed in the old man's presence。
〃What do you want of me； monsieur？〃 she asked。 〃Are we not separated
forever？〃
〃Actually； yes；〃 said Monsieur de la Baudraye。 〃Legally； no。〃
Madame Piedefer was telegraphing signals to her daughter； which Dinah
presently observed and understood。
〃Nothing could have brought you here but your own interests；〃 she
said； in a bitter tone。
〃/Our/ interests；〃 said the little man coldly； 〃for we have two
children。Your Uncle Silas Piedefer is dead； at New York； where；
after having made and lost several fortunes in various parts of the
world； he has finally left some seven or eight hundred thousand francs
they say twelvebut there is stock…in…trade to be sold。 I am the
chief in our common interests； and act for you。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Dinah； 〃in everything that relates to business； I trust no
one but Monsieur de Clagny。 He knows the law； come to terms with him；
what he does； will be done right。〃
〃I have no occasion for Monsieur de Clagny；〃 answered Monsieur de la
Baudraye； 〃to take my children from you〃
〃Your children！〃 exclaimed Dinah。 〃Your children； to whom you have not
sent a sou！ /Your/ children！〃 She burst into a loud shout of laughter；
but Monsieur de la Baudraye's unmoved coolness threw ice on the
explosion。
〃Your mother has just brought them to show me；〃 he went on。 〃They are
charming boys。 I do not intend to part from them。 I shall take them to
our house at Anzy； if it were only to save them from seeing their
mother disguised like a〃
〃Silence！〃 said Madame de la Baudraye imperatively。 〃What do you want
of me that brought you here？〃
〃A power of attorney to receive our Uncle Silas' property。〃
Dinah took a pen； wrote two lines to Monsieur de Clagny； and desired
her husband to call again in the afternoon。
At five o'clock； Monsieur de Clagnywho had been promoted to the post
of Attorney…Generalenlightened Madame de la Baudraye as to her
position； still； he undertook to arrange everything by a bargain with
the old fellow； whose visit had been prompted by avarice alone。
Monsieur de la Baudraye； to whom his wife's power of attorney was
indispensable to enable him to deal with the business as he wished；
purchased it by certain concessions。 In the first place； he undertook
to allow her ten thousand francs a year so long as she found it
convenientso the document was wordedto reside in Paris； the
children； each on attaining the age of six； were to be placed in
Monsieur de la Baudraye's keeping。 Finally； the lawyer extracted the
payment of the allowance in advance。
Little La Baudraye； who came jauntily enough to say good…bye to his
wife and /his/ children； appeared in a white india…rubber overcoat。 He
was so firm on his feet； and so exactly like the La Baudraye of 1836；
that Dinah despaired of ever burying the dreadful little dwarf。 From
the garden； where he was smoking a cigar； the journalist could watch
Monsieur de la Baudraye for so long as it took the little reptile to
cross the forecourt； but that was enough for Lousteau； it was plain to
him that the little man had intended to wreck every hope of his dying
that his wife might have conceived。
This short scene made a considerable change in the writer's secret
scheming。 As he smoked a second cigar； he seriously reviewed the
position。
His life with Madame de la Baudraye had hitherto cost him quite as
much as it had cost her。 To use the language of business； the two
sides of the account balanced； and they could； if necessary； cry
quits。 Considering how small his income was； and how hardly he earned
it； Lousteau regarded himself； morally speaking； as the creditor。 It
was； no doubt； a favorable moment for throwing the woman over。 Tired
at the end of three years of playing a comedy which never can become a
habit； he was perpetually concealing his weariness； and this fellow；
who was accustomed to disguise none of his feelings； compelled himself
to wear a smile at home like that of a debtor in the presence of his
creditor。 This compulsion was every day more intolerable。
Hitherto the immense advantages he foresaw in the future had given him
strength； but when he saw Monsieur de la Baudraye embark for the
United States； as briskly as if it were to go down to Rouen in a
steamboat； he ceased to believe in the future。
He went in from the garden to the pretty drawing…room； where Dinah had
just taken leave of her husband。
〃Etienne；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye； 〃do you know what my lord and
master has proposed to me？ In the event of my wishing to return to
live at Anzy during his absence； he has left his orders； and he hopes
that my mother's good advice will weigh with me； and that I shall go
back there with my children。〃
〃It is very good advice；〃 replied Lousteau drily； knowing the
passionate disclaimer that Dinah expected； and indeed begged for with
her eyes。
The tone； the words； the cold look； all hit the hapless woman so hard；
who lived only in her love； that two large tears trickled slowly down
her cheeks； while she did not speak a word； and Lousteau only saw them
when she took out her handkerchief to wipe away these two beads of
anguish。
〃What is it； Didine？〃 he asked；