Red and black spells第五节.docx

Red and black spells第五节.docx

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Redandblackspells第五节

Part1Chapter8

MinorEventsThenthereweresighs,thedeeperforsuppression,Andstolenglances,sweeterforthetheft,Andburningblushes,thoughfornotransgression.

　　DonJuan,I.74TheangelicsweetnesswhichMadamedeRenalderivedfromherowncharacteraswellasfromherpresenthappinesswasinterruptedonlywhenshehappenedtothinkofhermaidElisa.Thisyoungwomanreceivedalegacy,wenttomakeherconfessiontothecureChelan,andrevealedtohimherintentiontomarryJulien.Thecurewasgenuinelydelightedathisfriend'sgoodfortune;buthissurprisewasgreatwhenJulieninformedhimwitharesoluteairthatMissElisa'soffercouldnotbeaccepted.

　　'Paygoodheed,myson,towhatistakingplaceinyourheart,'saidthecure,frowning;'Icongratulateyouonyourvocation,ifitistoitalonethatmustbeascribedyourscornofamorethanadequateprovision.Forfifty-sixyearsandmorehaveIbeencureatVerrieres,andyet,sofarasonecansee,Iamgoingtobedeprived.Thisdistressesme,albeitIhaveanincomeofeighthundredlivres.Itellyouofthisdetailinorderthatyoumaynotbeunderanyillusionastowhatisinstoreforyouinthepriestlycalling.Ifyouthinkofpayingcourttothemeninpower,youreternalruinisassured.Youmaymakeyourfortune,butyouwillhavetoinjurethepoorandneedy,flattertheSub-Prefect,theMayor,theimportantperson,andministertohispassions:

suchconduct,whichintheworldiscalledtheartoflife,may,inalayman,benotwhollyincompatiblewithsalvation;butinourcalling,wehavetochoose;wemustmakeourfortuneeitherinthisworldorinthenext,thereisnomiddleway.

　　Go,mydearfriend,reflect,andcomebackinthreedays'timewithadefiniteanswer.Iamsorrytoseeunderlyingyourcharacter,asmoulderingardourwhichdoesnotsuggesttomymindthemoderationandcompleterenunciationofearthlyadvantagesnecessaryinapriest;Iaugurwellfromyourintelligence;but,allowmetotellyou,'thegoodcurewenton,withtearsinhiseyes,'inthecallingofapriest,Ishalltrembleforyoursalvation.'

　　Julienwasashamedofhisemotion;forthefirsttimeinhislife,hesawhimselfloved;heweptforjoy,andwenttohidehistearsinthegreatwoodsaboveVerrieres.

　　'WhyamIinthisstate?

'heaskedhimselfatlength;'IfeelthatIwouldgivemylifeahundredtimesoverforthatgoodFatherChelan,andyethehasjustprovedtomethatIamnobetterthanafool.ItisheaboveallthatIhavetodeceive,andheseesthroughme.Thatsecretardourofwhichhespeaksismyplanformakingmyfortune.Hethinksmeunfittobeapriest,attheverymomentwhenIimaginedthatthesacrificeofanincomeoffiftylouiswasgoingtogivehimthemostexaltedideaofmypietyandmyvocation.

　　'Forthefuture,'Juliencontinued,'IshallrelyonlyuponthoseelementsofmycharacterwhichIhavetested.WhowouldeverhavesaidthatIshouldfindpleasureinsheddingtears?

ThatIshouldlovethemanwhoprovestomethatIamnothingmorethanafool?

'

　　Threedayslater,Julienhadfoundthepretextwithwhichheshouldhavearmedhimselffromthefirst;thispretextwasacalumny,butwhatofthat?

Headmittedtothecure,aftermuchhesitation,thatareasonwhichhecouldnotexplaintohim,becausetorevealitwouldinjureathirdparty,haddissuadedhimfromthefirstfromtheprojectedmarriage.ThiswastantamounttoanindictmentofElisa'sconduct.M.

　　Chelandetectedinhismannerafirethatwaswhollymundane,andverydifferentfromthatwhichshouldhaveinspiredayoungLevite.

　　'Myfriend,'heappealedtohimagain,'beanhonestyeoman,educatedandrespected,ratherthanapriestwithoutavocation.'

　　Julienrepliedtothesefreshremonstrancesextremelywell,sofaraswordswent;hehitupontheexpressionswhichaferventyoungseminaristwouldhaveemployed;butthetoneinwhichheutteredthem,theill-concealedfirethatsmoulderedinhiseyesalarmedM.Chelan.

　　WeneednotaugurillforJulien'sfuture;hehituponthecorrectformofwordsofacunningandprudenthypocrisy.Thatisnotbadathisage.

　　Asforhistoneandgestures,helivedamongcountryfolk;hehadbeendebarredfromseeingthegreatmodels.Inthesequel,nosoonerhadhebeenpermittedtomixwiththesegentlementhanhebecameadmirableaswellingestureasinspeech.

　　MadamedeRenalwassurprisedthathermaid'snewlyacquiredfortunehadnotmadethegirlmorehappy;shesawhergoingincessantlytothecure's,andreturningwithtearsinhereyes;finallyElisaspoketohermistressofhermarriage.

　　MadamedeRenalbelievedherselftohavefallenill;asortoffeverpreventedherenjoyinganysleep;shewasaliveonlywhenshehadhermaidorJulienbeforehereyes.Shecouldthinkofnothingbutthemandthehappinesstheywouldfindintheirmarriedlife.Thepovertyofthesmallhouseinwhichpeoplewouldbeobligedtolive,withanincomeoffiftylouis,portrayeditselftoherinenchantingcolours.JulienmightverywellbecomealawyeratBray,theSub-PrefecturetwoleaguesfromVerrieres;inthateventshewouldseesomethingofhim.

　　MadamedeRenalsincerelybelievedthatshewasgoingmad;shesaidsotoherhusband,andfinallydidfallill.Thatevening,ashermaidwaswaitinguponher,shenoticedthatthegirlwascrying.SheloathedElisaatthatmoment,andhadspokensharplytoher;shebeggedthegirl'spardon.Elisa'stearsincreased;shesaidthatifhermistresswouldallowit,shewouldtellherthewholetaleofherdistress.

　　'Speak,'repliedMadamedeRenal.

　　'Well,thefactis,Ma'am,hewon'thaveme;wickedpeoplemusthavespokenevilofmetohim,andhebelievesthem.'

　　'Whowon'thaveyou?

'saidMadamedeRenal,scarcelyabletobreathe.

　　'Andwhocoulditbe,Ma'am,butM.Julien?

'themaidrepliedthroughhersobs.'HisReverencehasfailedtoovercomehisresistance;forHisReverenceconsidersthatheoughtnottorefuseadecentgirl,justbecauseshehasbeenalady'smaid.Afterall,M.Julien'sownfatherisnobetterthanacarpenter;andhehimself,howwasheearninghislivingbeforehecametoMadame's?

'

　　MadamedeRenalhadceasedtolisten;surfeitofhappinesshadalmostdeprivedheroftheuseofherreason.ShemadethegirlrepeattoherseveraltimestheassurancethatJulienhadrefusedinapositivemanner,whichwouldnotpermitofhiscomingtoamorereasonabledecisionlateron.

　　'Iwishtomakeafinaleffort,'shesaidtohermaid.'IshallspeaktoM.

　　Julien.'

　　Nextdayafterluncheon,MadamedeRenalgaveherselftheexquisitesensationofpleadingherrival'scause,andofseeingElisa'shandandfortunepersistentlyrefusedforanhouronend.

　　LittlebylittleJulienabandonedhisattitudeofstudiedreserve,andendedbymakingspiritedanswerstothesoundargumentsadvancedbyMadamedeRenal.Shecouldnotholdoutagainstthetorrentofhappinesswhichnowpouredintoherheartafterallthosedaysofdespair.Shefoundherselfreallyill.Whenshehadcometoherself,andwascomfortablysettledinherownroom,sheaskedtobeleftalone.Shewasinastateofprofoundastonishment.

　　'CanIbeinlovewithJulien?

'sheaskedherselfatlength.

　　Thisdiscovery,whichatanyothertimewouldhavefilledherwithremorseandwithaprofoundagitation,wasnomoretoherthanasingularspectacle,butonethatleftherindifferent.Herheart,exhaustedbyallthatshehadjustundergone,hadnosensibilitylefttoplaceattheserviceofherpassions.

　　MadamedeRenaltriedtowork,andfellintoadeepsleep;whensheawoke,shewaslessalarmedthansheshouldhavebeen.Shewastoohappytobeabletotakeanythingamiss.Artlessandinnocentasshewas,thishonestprovincialhadnevertormentedhersoulinanattempttowringfromitsomelittlesensibilitytosomenovelshadeofsentimentordistress.Entirelyabsorbed,beforeJuliencame,inthatmassofworkwhich,outsideParis,isthelotofagoodwifeandmother,MadamedeRenalthoughtaboutthepassions,aswethinkaboutthelottery:

acertaindisappointmentandahappinesssoughtbyfoolsalone.

　　Thedinnerbellrang;MadamedeRenalblusheddeeplywhensheheardJulien'svoiceashebroughtinthechildren.Havingacquiredsomeadroitnesssinceshehadfalleninlove,sheaccountedforhercolourbycomplainingofasplittingheadache.

　　'Thereyouhavewomen,'putinM.deRenal,withacoarselaugh.

　　'There'salwayssomethingoutoforderintheirmachinery.'

　　Accustomedasshewastothisformofwit,thetoneofhisvoicehurtMadamedeRenal.ShesoughtreliefinstudyingJulien'sfeatures;hadhebeentheugliestmanintheworld,hewouldhavecharmedheratthatmoment.

　　AlwayszealousinimitatingthehabitsoftheCourt,withthefirstfinedaysofspringM.deRenalremovedhishouseholdtoVergy;itisthevillagerenderedfamousbythetragicadventureofGabrielle.Afewhundredyardsfromthepicturesqueruinsoftheoldgothicchurch,M.

　　deRenalownedanoldcastlewithitsfourtowers,andagardenlaidoutlikethatoftheTuileries,withanumberofboxborders,andchestnutalleystrimmedtwiceintheyear.Anadjoiningfield,plantedwithappletrees,allowedthefamilytotaketheair.Nineortensplendidwalnutsgrewattheendoftheorchard;theirmassivefoliagerosetoaheightofsomeeightyfeet.

　　'Eachofthosedamnedwalnuts,'M.deRenalwouldsaywhenhiswifeadmiredthem,'costsmehalfanacreofcrop;thecornwillnotgrowintheirshade.'

　　TherusticsceneappearedtocomeasanoveltytoMadamedeRenal;heradmirationknewnobounds.Thefeelingthatanimatedhergaveheranewspiritanddetermination.OntheseconddayaftertheirremovaltoVergy,M.deRenalhavingreturnedtotownuponsome