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！
that he may cease to do so。〃
Mme。 de Sautron stood still； petrified by amazement。 Her long face
turned white； she seemed to breathe with difficulty。
〃But。。； but。。 what are you saying？〃 she gasped。
Quietly Aline repeated her statement。
〃But this is outrageous！ You cannot be permitted to play
fast…and…loose with a gentleman of M。 le Marquis' quality！ Why； it
is little more than a week since you permitted him to be informed
that you would become his wife！〃
〃I did so in a moment of。。。 rashness。 Since then M。 le Marquis'
own conduct has convinced me of my error。〃
〃But … mon Dieu！〃 cried the Countess。 〃Are you blind to the great
honour that is being paid you？ M。 le Marquis will make you the
first lady in Brittany。 Yet； little fool that you are； and greater
fool that Quintin is； you trifle with this extraordinary good
fortune！ Let me warn you。〃 She raised an admonitory forefinger。
〃If you continue in this stupid humour M。 de La Tour d'Azyr may
definitely withdraw his offer and depart in justified mortification。〃
〃That； madame； as I am endeavouring to convey to you； is what I
most desire。〃
〃Oh； you are mad。〃
〃It may be； madame； that I am sane in preferring to be guided by my
instincts。 It may be even that I am justified in resenting that
the man who aspires to become my husband should at the same time
be paying such assiduous homage to a wretched theatre girl at the
Feydau。〃
〃Aline！〃
〃Is it not true？ Or perhaps you do not find it strange that M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr should so conduct himself at such a time？〃
〃Aline； you are so extraordinary a mixture。 At moments you shock
me by the indecency of your expressions； at others you amaze me by
the excess of your prudery。 You have been brought up like a little
bourgeoise； I think。 Yes； that is it … a little bourgeoise。
Quintin was always something of a shopkeeper at heart。〃
〃I was asking your opinion on the conduct of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr；
madame。 Not on my own。〃
〃But it is an indelicacy in you to observe such things。 You should
be ignorant of them； and I can't think who is so。。。 so unfeeling as
to inform you。 But since you are informed； at least you should be
modestly blind to things that take place outside the。。。 orbit of a
properly conducted demoiselle。〃
〃Will they still be outside my orbit when I am married？〃
〃If you are wise。 You should remain without knowledge of them。
It。。。 it deflowers your innocence。 I would not for the world that
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr should know you so extraordinarily instructed。
Had you been properly reared in a convent this would never have
happened to you。〃
〃But you do not answer me； madame！〃 cried Aline in despair。 〃It is
not my chastity that is in question； but that of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。〃
〃Chastity！〃 Madame's lips trembled with horror。 Horror overspread
her face。 〃Wherever did you learn that dreadful； that so improper
word？〃
And then Mme。 de Sautron did violence to her feelings。 She realized
that here great calm and prudence were required。 〃My child； since
you know so much that you ought not to know； there can be no harm in
my adding that a gentleman must have these little distractions。〃
〃But why； madame？ Why is it so？〃
〃Ah； mon Dieu； you are asking me riddles of nature。 It is so
because it is so。 Because men are like that。〃
〃Because men are beasts； you mean … which is what I began by asking
you。〃
〃You are incorrigibly stupid； Aline。〃
〃You mean that I do not see things as you do； madame。 I am not
over…expectant as you appear to think； yet surely I have the right
to expect that whilst M。 de La Tour d'Azyr is wooing me； he shall
not be wooing at the same time a drab of the theatre。 I feel that
in this there is a subtle association of myself with that
unspeakable creature which soils and insults me。 The Marquis is a
dullard whose wooing takes the form at best of stilted compliments；
stupid and unoriginal。 They gain nothing when they fall from lips
still warm from the contamination of that woman's kisses。〃
So utterly scandalized was madame that for a moment she remained
speechless。 Then …
〃Mon Dieu！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I should never have suspected you of
so indelicate an imagination。〃
〃I cannot help it； madame。 Each time his lips touch my fingers I
find myself thinking of the last object that they touched。 I at
once retire to wash my hands。 Next time； madame； unless you are
good enough to convey my message to him； I shall call for water and
wash them in his presence。〃
〃But what am I to tell him？ How。。。 in what words can I convey such
a message？〃 Madame was aghast。
〃Be frank with him； madame。 It is easiest in the end。 Tell him
that however impure may have been his life in the past； however
impure he intend that it shall be in the future； he must at least
study purity whilst approaching with a view to marriage a virgin
who is herself pure and without stain。〃
Madame recoiled； and put her hands to her ears； horror stamped on
her handsome face。 Her massive bosom heaved。
〃Oh； how can you？〃 she panted。 〃How can you make use of such
terrible expressions？ Wherever have you learnt them？〃
〃In church；〃 said Aline。
〃Ah； but in church many things are said that。。。 that one would not
dream of saying in the world。 My dear child； how could I possibly
say such a thing to M。 le Marquis？ How could I possibly？〃
〃Shall I say it？〃
〃Aline！〃
〃Well； there it is；〃 said Aline。 〃Something must be done to
shelter me from insult。 I am utterly disgusted with M。 le Marquis
… a disgusting man。 And however fine a thing it may be to become
Marquise de La Tour d'Azyr； why； frankly； I'd sooner marry a
cobbler who practised decency。〃
Such was her vehemence and obvious determination that Mme。 de Sautron
fetched herself out of her despair to attempt persuasion。 Aline was
her niece； and such a marriage in the family would be to the credit
of the whole of it。 At all costs nothing must frustrate it。
〃Listen； my dear；〃 she said。 〃Let us reason。 M。 le Marquis is away
and will not be back until to…morrow。〃
〃True。 And I know where he has gone … or at least whom he has gone
with。 Mon Dieu； and the drab has a father and a lout of a fellow
who intends to make her his wife； and neither of them chooses to do
anything。 I suppose they agree with you； madame； that a great
gentleman must have his little distractions。〃 Her contempt was as
scorching as a thing of fire。 〃However； madame； you were about to
say？〃
〃That on the day after to…morrow you are returning to Gavrillac。
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr will most likely follow at his leisure。〃
〃You mean when this dirty candle is burnt out？〃
〃Call it what you will。〃 Madame； you see； despaired by now of
controlling the impropriety of her niece's expressions。 〃At
Gavrillac there will be no Mlle。 Binet。 This thing will be in the
past。 It is unfortunate that he should have met her at such a
moment。 The chit is very attractive； after all。 You cannot deny
that。 And you must make allowances。〃
〃M。 le Marquis formally proposed to me a week ago。 Partly to
satisfy the wishes of the family； and partly。。。 〃 She broke off；
hes