Lady of Camellias IV.docx

Lady of Camellias IV.docx

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LadyofCamelliasIV

Twodayslater,thesalewascompletelyover.Ithadrealized（besoldfor）onehundredandfiftythousanddollars.

Thecreditorshaddivided（分得了）twothirdsamongthemselvesandthefamily-asisterandayoungnephew-hadinheritedtherest.

Thesister’seyeshadopenedwidewhentheagenthadwrittentellingherthatshecomeintofiftythousandfrancs.

Itwassixorsevenyearssincethisyoungwomanhadseteyesonhersisterwhohaddisappearedonedaywithoutanyoneeverdiscovering,eitherfromherorthroughotherpeople,anythingwhatsoeveraboutherlifefromthetimeofherdisappearance.

Soshehadnowarrivedpost-hasteinParis,andgreatwastheastonishmentofthosewhohadknownMargueritewhentheysawthathersoleheirwasahearty,good-lookingcountrygirlwho,uptothatmoment,hadneversetfootoutsidehervillage.

Herfortunehadbeenmadeatastroke,withoutherhavingtheleastideaofthesourcefromwhichithadsounexpectedmaterialized.

Shereturned,Ihavesincebeentold,toherpartofthecountry,bearingawayfromhersister’sdeathadeepsadnesswhichwas,however,easedbyaninvestmentatfourandahalfpercentwhichshehadjustmade.

Allthesehappenings,whichhadgonetheroundsofParis,themothertownofscandal,werebeginningtobeforgotten,andImyselfwasforgettingquitewhatmypartineventshadbeen,whensomethingoccurredwhichledtomybecomingacquiredwiththewholeofMarguerite’slife,andputinmywayparticularssoaffectingthatIwasseizedwithanurgetowritethisstoryandnowdoso.

Theapartment,emptynowofthefurniturewhichhadallbeenauctionedoff,hadbeentolet（出租）forthreeorfourdayswhenonewasringatmydoor.

Myservant,orrathertheporterwhoactedasmyservant,wenttoseewhoitwasandbroughtmeavisitingcard,sayingthatthepersonwhohadhandedittohimwishedtospeaktome.

IglancedatthecardandthereIsawthesetwowords:

ArmandDuval.

ItriedtorecallwhereIhadseenthename,andthenIrememberedthefly-leafofthecopyofManonLescaut.

WhatcouldthepersonwhohadgiventhebooktoMargueritewantwithme?

Isaidthatthegentlemanwhowaswaitingshouldbeshowninatonce.

ThenextmomentIsawayoungmanwithfairhair,tall,pale,wearingtravellingclotheswhichlookedasthoughtheyhadnotbeenoffhisbackforseveraldaysandwhich,onhisarrivalinParis,hehadnoteventakenthetroubletobrushdown,forhewascoveredindust.

MonsieurDuval,deeplyagitated,madenoattempttohidehisfeelings,anditwaswithtearsinhiseyesandatremblinginhisvoicethathesaid:

‘Pleaseexcusemyvisitandtheseclothes;notsimplybecauseyoungmandonotstandmuchonceremonywitheachother,butbecauseIwantedtoseeyousobadlytodaythatIhavenoteventakentimetostopoffatthehotelwhereIsetmyluggage,andhaverushedstraighthere,dreadingevenso,earlyasitis,thatIshouldmissyou.’

IbeggedMonsieurDuvaltositdownbythefire,whichhedid,takingfromhispocketahandkerchiefwithwhichhemomentarilyhidhisface.

‘Youmustbewondering,’heresumedwithamelancholysigh,‘whatastrangercanwantwithyouatsuchanhour,dressedinsuchclothesandweepinglikethis.Ihavecome,quitesimply,toaskyouagreatfavor.’

‘Sayon.Iamatyourservice.’

‘WereyoupresentattheMargueriteGautierauction?

’

Ashesaidthis,theemotionwhichtheyoungmanhadheldincheckwasforaninstantstrongerthanhe,andhewasobligedtoputhishandstohiseyes.

‘Imustappearveryridiculoustoyou,’headded,‘forgivemethistoo,andpleasebelievethatIshallneverforgetthepatiencewithwhichyouaregoodenoughtolisten.’

‘Well,’Ireplied,‘ifaservicewhichitseemsIcandoforyouwillinsomesmallwayeasethepainthatyoufeel,tellmeatonceinwhatwayIcanhelp,andyouwillfindinmeamanhappytooblige.’

MonsieurDuval’sgriefwasaffectingand,evenhadIfeltdifferently,Ishallstillhavewishedtobeagreeabletohim.

Hethensaid:

‘DidyoubuyanythingatMarguerite’ssale?

’

‘Yes.Abook.’

‘ManonLescaut?

’

‘That’sright.’

‘Doyoustillhaveit?

’

‘It’sinmybedroom.’

Atthis,ArmandDuvalasthoughagreatweighthadbeentakenfromhisshoulders,andhethankedmeasthoughIhadalreadybeguntorenderhimaservicesimplybyholdingontothevolume.

Igotup,wenttofetchthebookfrommybedroomandhandedittohim.

‘Thatisit,’saidhe,glancingatthededicationonthefirstpageandrifflingthroughtherest,‘thisisit.’

Andtwolargetearsfellontotheopenpages.

‘MayIask,’hesaid,raisinghiseyestomeandmakingnoeffortnowtohidethefactthathehadweptandwasneartotearsoncemore,‘ifyouaregreatlyattachedtothisbook?

’

‘Whydoyouask?

’

‘BecauseIhavecometoaskyoutosurrenderittome.’

‘Forgivemycuriosity,’Isaidnext,‘butitwasyou,then,whogaveittoMargueriteGautier?

’

‘ItwasI.’

‘Thebookisyours.Takeit.Iamhappytobeabletorestoreittoyou.’

‘But,’continuedMonsieurDuvalwithembarrassment,‘theleastIcandoistogiveyouwhatyoupaidforit’

‘Pleasetakeitasagift.Thepricefetchedbyasinglevolumeinasalelikethatisatrifle,andIcan’tevenrememberhowmuchIgaveforit.’

‘Yougaveahundredfrancsforit.’

‘Youarequiteright,’saidI,embarrassedinmyturn,‘howdidyouknow?

’

‘Quitesimple.IhopedtoreachParisintimeforMarguerite’ssale,butgotbackonlythismorning.Iwasabsolutelydeterminedtohavesomethingthathadbeenhers,andIwentdirectlytotheauctioneer’stoaskifImightinspectthelistofitemssoldandofthebuyers’names.Isawthatthisvolumehadbeenboughtbyyou,andIresolvedtobegyoutoletmehaveit,thoughthepriceyoupaidforitdidmakemefearthatyouyourselfassociatedsomememorywithpossessionofthebook.’

Inspeakingthus,ArmandclearlyseemedtobeafraidthatIhadknownMargueriteinthewaythathehadknownher.

Ihastenedtoreassurehim.

‘IknewMademoiselleGautierbysightonly,’Isaid.‘Herdeathmadethesortofimpressiononmethatthedeathofanyprettywomanhehashadpleasureinmeetingmakesonanyyoungman.Iwishedtobuysomethingathersale,andtookitintomyheadtobidforthisvolume,Idon’tknowwhy,forthesatisfactionofannoyingamanwhowasbentongettingitandseemeddeterminedtopreventitgoingtome.Irepeat,thebookisyours,andIbegyouoncemoretoacceptit.Thiswayitwon’tcometoyouasitcametome,fromanauctioneer,anditwillbebetweenusthepledgeofamoredurableacquaintanceandcloserbonds.’

‘Verywell,’saidArmand,extendinghishandandgraspingmine,‘Iacceptandshallbegratefultoyoufortherestofmylife.’

IverymuchwantedtoquestionArmandaboutMarguerite,forthededicationinthebook,theyoungman’sjourney,hisdesiretopossessthevolume,allexcitedmycuriosity;butIfearedthatbyquestioningmyvisitor,Ishouldappeartohaverefusedhismoneysimplytotherighttopryintohisbusiness.

Itwasasthoughhesensedmywish,forhesaid:

‘Haveyoureadthebook?

’

‘Everyword.’

‘WhatdidyoumakeofthetwolinesIwrote?

’

‘Isawstraightwaythat,inyoureyes,thepoorgirltowhomyouhadgiventhebookdidnotbelongintheusualcategory,forIcouldnotbringmyselftoseethelinessimplyasaconventionalcompliment.’

‘Andyouwereright.Thatgirlwasanangel.Here,’hesaid,‘readthisletter.’

Andhehandedmeasheetofpaperwhich,bythelookofit,hadbeenreadmanytimesover.

Iopenedit.Thisiswhatitsaid:

‘MydearArmand,Ihavereceivedyourletter.Youarestillgood,andIthankGodforit.Yes,mydear,Iamill,andmineisthesortofillnesswhichsparesnoone;buttheconcernwhichyouaregenerousdoubtlessnotlivelongenoughtohavethehappinessofgraspingthehandwhichwrotethekindlyletterIhavejustreceived;itswordswouldcureme,ifanythingcould.Ishallnotseeyou,forIamclosetodeath,andhundredsofleaguesseparateyoufromme.Mypoorfriend!

TheMargueriteyouknewissadlyaltered,anditisperhapsbetterthatyoudonotseeheragainthanseeherassheis.YouaskifIforgiveyou;oh!

Withallmyheart,mydear,forthehurtyousoughttodomewasbutatokenoftheloveyouboreme.Ihavekeptmybednowforamonth,andsoprecioustomeisyourgoodopinion,thateachdayIwritealettermoreofajournalofmylifefromthemomentweparteduntilthemomentwhenIshallbenolongerabletoholdmypen.

Iftheinterestyoutakeinmeisreal,Armand,thenonyourreturn,goandseeJulieDuprat.Shewillplacethisjournalinyourkeeping.Inityouwillfindthereasonsandtheexcuseforwhathaspassedbetweenus.Julieisverygoodtome.Weoftentalkaboutyou.Shewasherewhenyourlettercame,andwewepttogetheraswereadit.

ShouldInothearfromyou,shehasbeenentrustedwithseeingthatyougetthesepapersonyourreturntoFrance.Donotbegratefultome.Returningeachdaytotheonlyhappymomentsofmylifedoesmeenormousgoodandif,asyouread,youfindthepastexoneratedinmywords,Iformypartfindinthemanever-endingsolace.

Iwouldliketoleaveyousomethingbywhichyouwouldalwaysrememberme,buteverythingIownhasbeenseized,andnothingbelongstome.

Doyouunderstand,mydear?

Iamgoingtodie,andfrommybedroomIcanhearthefootstepsofthewatchmanmycreditorshaveplacedinthedrawing-roomtoseethatnothingisremovedandtoensurethatifIdonotdie,Ishallbeleftwithnothing.Wemusthopethattheywillwaitfortheendbeforetheysellmeup.

Oh!

Howpitilessmenare!

Orrather,forIamwrong,itisGodwhoisjustandunbendi