the lily of the valley- 第34部分

making　me　understand　that　she　could　not　employ　on　my　behalf　an

authority　to　which　she　had　recourse　to　protect　her　children。　I　at　once

answered　the　count　seriously；　taking　up　the　political　question；　and

managing　his　peevish　spirit　with　the　utmost　care。



〃Poor　dear！　poor　dear！〃　she　murmured　two　or　three　times；　the　words

reaching　my　ear　like　a　gentle　breeze。　When　she　could　intervene　with

success　she　said；　interrupting　us；　〃Let　me　tell　you；　gentlemen；　that

you　are　very　dull　company。〃



Recalled　by　this　conversation　to　his　chivalrous　sense　of　what　was　due

to　a　woman；　the　count　ceased　to　talk　politics；　and　as　we　bored　him　in

our　turn　by　commonplace　matters；　he　presently　left　us　to　continue　our

walk；　declaring　that　it　made　his　head　spin　to　go　round　and　round　on

the　same　path。



My　sad　conjectures　were　true。　The　soft　landscape；　the　warm　atmosphere；

the　cloudless　skies；　the　soothing　poetry　of　this　valley；　which　for

fifteen　years　had　calmed　the　stinging　fancies　of　that　diseased　mind；

were　now　impotent。　At　a　period　of　life　when　the　asperities　of　other

men　are　softened　and　their　angles　smoothed；　the　disposition　of　this

man　became　more　and　more　aggressive。　For　the　last　few　months　he　had

taken　a　habit　of　contradicting　for　the　sake　of　contradiction；　without

reason；　without　even　trying　to　justify　his　opinions；　he　insisted　on

knowing　the　why　and　the　wherefore　of　everything；　grew　restless　under　a

delay　or　an　omission；　meddled　with　every　item　of　the　household

affairs；　and　compelled　his　wife　and　the　servants　to　render　him　the

most　minute　and　fatiguing　account　of　all　that　was　done；　never　allowing

them　the　slightest　freedom　of　action。　Formerly　he　did　not　lose　his

temper　except　for　some　special　reason；　now　his　irritation　was

constant。　Perhaps　the　care　of　his　farms；　the　interests　of　agriculture；

an　active　out…door　life　had　formerly　soothed　his　atrabilious　temper　by

giving　it　a　field　for　its　uneasiness；　and　by　furnishing　employment　for

his　activity。　Possibly　the　loss　of　such　occupation　had　allowed　his

malady　to　prey　upon　itself；　no　longer　exercised　on　matters　without；　it

was　showing　itself　in　more　fixed　ideas；　the　moral　being　was　laying

hold　of　the　physical　being。　He　had　lately　become　his　own　doctor；　he

studied　medical　books；　fancied　he　had　the　diseases　he　read　of；　and

took　the　most　extraordinary　and　unheard　of　precautions　about　his

health；precautions　never　the　same；　impossible　to　foresee；　and

consequently　impossible　to　satisfy。　Sometimes　he　wanted　no　noise；

then；　when　the　countess　had　succeeded　in　establishing　absolute

silence；　he　would　declare　he　was　in　a　tomb；　and　blame　her　for　not

finding　some　medium　between　incessant　noise　and　the　stillness　of　La

Trappe。　Sometimes　he　affected　a　perfect　indifference　for　all　earthly

things。　Then　the　whole　household　breathed　freely；　the　children　played；

family　affairs　went　on　without　criticism。　Suddenly　he　would　cry　out

lamentably；　〃They　want　to　kill　me！My　dear；〃　he　would　say　to　his

wife；　increasing　the　injustice　of　his　words　by　the　aggravating　tones

of　his　sharp　voice；　〃if　it　concerned　your　children　you　would　know　very

well　what　was　the　matter　with　them。〃



He　dressed　and　re…dressed　himself　incessantly；　watching　every　change

of　temperature；　and　doing　nothing　without　consulting　the　barometer。

Notwithstanding　his　wife's　attentions；　he　found　no　food　to　suit　him；

his　stomach　being；　he　said；　impaired；　and　digestion　so　painful　as　to

keep　him　awake　all　night。　In　spite　of　this　he　ate；　drank；　digested；

and　slept；　in　a　manner　to　satisfy　any　doctor。　His　capricious　will

exhausted　the　patience　of　the　servants；　accustomed　to　the　beaten　track

of　domestic　service　and　unable　to　conform　to　the　requirements　of　his

conflicting　orders。　Sometimes　he　bade　them　keep　all　the　windows　open；

declaring　that　his　health　required　a　current　of　fresh　air；　a　few　days

later　the　fresh　air；　being　too　hot　or　too　damp；　as　the　case　might　be；

became　intolerable；　then　he　scolded；　quarrelled　with　the　servants；　and

in　order　to　justify　himself；　denied　his　former　orders。　This　defect　of

memory；　or　this　bad　faith；　call　it　which　you　will；　always　carried　the

day　against　his　wife　in　the　arguments　by　which　she　tried　to　pit　him

against　himself。　Life　at　Clochegourde　had　become　so　intolerable　that

the　Abbe　Dominis；　a　man　of　great　learning；　took　refuge　in　the　study　of

scientific　problems；　and　withdrew　into　the　shelter　of　pretended

abstraction。　The　countess　had　no　longer　any　hope　of　hiding　the　secret

of　these　insane　furies　within　the　circle　of　her　own　home；　the　servants

had　witnessed　scenes　of　exasperation　without　exciting　cause；　in　which

the　premature　old　man　passed　the　bounds　of　reason。　They　were；　however；

so　devoted　to　the　countess　that　nothing　so　far　had　transpired　outside；

but　she　dreaded　daily　some　public　outburst　of　a　frenzy　no　longer

controlled　by　respect　for　opinion。



Later　I　learned　the　dreadful　details　of　the　count's　treatment　of　his

wife。　Instead　of　supporting　her　when　the　children　were　ill；　he

assailed　her　with　dark　predictions　and　made　her　responsible　for　all

future　illnesses；　because　she　refused　to　let　the　children　take　the

crazy　doses　which　he　prescribed。　When　she　went　to　walk　with　them　the

count　would　predict　a　storm　in　the　face　of　a　clear　sky；　if　by　chance

the　prediction　proved　true；　the　satisfaction　he　felt　made　him　quite

indifferent　to　any　harm　to　the　children。　If　one　of　them　was　ailing；

the　count　gave　his　whole　mind　to　fastening　the　cause　of　the　illness

upon　the　system　of　nursing　adopted　by　his　wife；　whom　he　carped　at　for

every　trifling　detail；　always　ending　with　the　cruel　words；　〃If　your

children　fall　ill　again　you　have　only　yourself　to　thank　for　it。〃



He　behaved　in　the　same　way　in　the　management　of　the　household；　seeing

the　worst　side　of　everything；　and　making　himself；　as　his　old　coachman

said；　〃the　devil's　own　advocate。〃　The　countess　arranged　that　Jacques

and　Madeleine　should　take　their　meals　alone　at　different　hours　from

the　family；　so　as　to　save　them　from　the　count's　outbursts　and　draw　all

the　storms　upon　herself。　In　this　way　the　children　now　saw　but　little

of　their　father。　By　one　of　the　hallucinations　peculiar　to　selfish

persons；　the　count　had　not　the　slightest　idea　of　the　misery　he　caused。

In　the　confidential　communication　he　made　to　me　on　my　arrival　he

particularly　dwelt　on　his　goodness　to　his　family。　He　wielded　the

flail；　beat；　bruised；　and　broke　everything　about　him　as　a　monkey　might

have　done。　Then；　having　half…destroyed　his　prey；　he　denied　having

touched　it。　I　now　understood　the　lines　on　Henriette's　forehead；fine

lines；　traced　as　it　were　with　the　edge　of　a　razor；　which　I　had　noticed

the　moment　I　saw　her。　There　is　a　pudicity　in　noble　minds　which

withholds　them　from　speaking　of　their　personal　sufferings；　proudly

they　hide　the　extent　of　their　woes　from　hearts　that　love　them；　feeling

a　merciful　joy　in　doing　so。　Therefore　in　spite　of　my　urgency；　I　did

not　immediately　obtain　the　truth　from　Henriette。　She　feared　to　grieve

me；　she　made　brief　admissions；　and　then　blushed　for　them；　but　I　soon

perceived　myself　the　increase　of　trouble　which　the　count's　present

want　of　regular　occupation　had　brought　upon　the　household。



〃Henriette；〃　I　said；　after　I　had　been　there　some　days；　〃don't　you

think　you　have　made　a　mistake　in　so　arranging　the　estate　that　the

count　has　no　longer　anything　to　do？〃



〃Dear；〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃my　situation　is　critical　enough　to　take

all　my　attention；　believe　me；　I　have　considered　all　my　resources；　and

they　are　now　exhausted。　It　is　true　that　the　bickerings　are　getting

worse　and　worse。　As　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　and　I　are　always　together；　I

cannot　lessen　them　by　diverting　his　attention　in　other　directions；　in

fact　the　pain　would　be　the　same　to　me　in　any　case。　I　did　think　of

advising　him　to　start　a　nursery　for　silk…worms　at　Clochegourde；　where

we　have　many　mulberry…trees；　remains　of　the　old　industry　of　Touraine。

But　I　reflected　that　he　would　still　be　the　same　tyrant　at　home；　and　I

should　have　many　more　annoyances　through　the　enterprise。　You　will

learn；　my　dear　observer；　that　in　youth　a　man's　ill　qualities　are

restrained　by　society；　checked　in　their　swing　by　the　play　of　passions；

subdued　under　the　fear　of　public　opinion；　later；　a　middle…aged　man；

living　in　solitude；　shows　his　native　defects；　which　are　all　the　more

terrible　because　so　long　repressed。　Human　weaknesses　are　essentially

base；　they　allow　of　neither　peace　nor　truce；　what　you　yield　to　them

to…day　they　exact　to…morrow；　and　always；　they　fasten　on　concessions

and　compel　more　of　them。　Power；　on　the　other　hand；　is　merciful；　it

conforms　to　evidence；　it　is　just　and　it　is　peaceable。　But　the　passions

born　of　weakness　are　implacable。　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　takes　an

absolute　pleasure　in　getting　the　better　of　me；　and　he　who　would

deceive　no　one　else；　deceives　me　with　delight。〃



One　morning　as　we　left　the　breakfast　table；　about　a　month　after　my

arrival；　the　countess　took　me　by　the　arm；　darted　through　an　iron　gate

which　led　into　the　vineyard；　and　dragged　me　hastily　among　the　vines。



〃He　will　kill　me！〃　she　cried。　〃And　I　want　to　livefor　my　children's

sake。　But　oh！　not　a　day's　respite！　Always　to　walk　among　thorns！　to

come　near　falling　every　instant！　every　instant　to　have　to　summon　all

my　strength　to　keep　my　balance！　No　human　being　can　long　endure　such

strain　upon　the　system。　If　I　were　certain　of　the　ground　I　ought　to

take；　if　my　resistance　could　be　a　settled　thing；　then　my　mind　might

concentrate　upon　itbut　no；　every　day　the　attacks　change　character

and　leave　me　without　defence；　my　sorrows　are　not　one；　they　are

manifold。　Ah！　my　friend〃　she　cried；　leaning　her　head　upon　my

shoulder；　and　not　continuing　her　confidence。　〃What　will　become　of　me？

Oh；　what　shall　I　do？〃　she　said　presently；　struggling　with　thoughts　she

did　not　express。　〃How　can　I　resist？　He　will　kill　me！　No；　I　will　kill

myselfbut　that　would　be　a　crime！　Escape？　yes；　but　my　children！

Separate　fro