Books: Zibeline, v2
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Phillipe de Massa >> Zibeline, v2
"Monsieur le Marquis de Prerolles is in the drawing-room," a domestic
announced.
"Beg him to wait," said Eugenie, reassured by this visit, which was
earlier than the usual hour. "You see that you are badly informed,
Monsieur Desvanneaux," she added.
"For heaven's sake, spare me this embarrassing meeting!" said the
informer, whose complexion had become livid.
"I understand. You fear a challenge?"
"Oh, no, not that! My religious principles would forbid me to fight a
duel. But the General would not fail to rally me before my wife
regarding my presence here, and Madame Desvanneaux would be pitiless."
"Own, however, that you richly deserve a lesson, Lovelace that you are!
But I will take pity on you," said Eugenie, opening a door at the end of
the room. "The servants' stairway is at the end of that corridor. You
know the way!" she added, laughing.
"I am beginning to know it, dear Mademoiselle!" said the pitiful
beguiler, slipping through the doorway on tiptoe.
CHAPTER XIX
BROKEN TIES
After picking up a chair which, in his alarm, the fugitive had overturned
in his flight, Mademoiselle Gontier herself opened the door leading to
the drawing-room.
"Come in, Henri!" said she, lifting the portiere.
"Do I disturb you?" the General inquired, entering the library.
"Never! You know that well! But how gravely you asked the question!"
"For the reason that I wish to speak to you about serious matters, my
dear Eugenie."
The image of Zibeline passed before the eyes of the actress. That which
Desvanneaux had revealed, in accusing the girl of debauchery, now
appeared plausible to her, if considered in another way.
"You are about to marry!" she exclaimed.
They were the same words pronounced by Fanny Dorville in similar
circumstances.
"Never! You know that well enough!" he replied, in his turn.
"Speak, then!" said she, sinking upon a chair and motioning him to a
seat before her.
He obeyed, and sitting so far forward upon his chair that his knees
touched her skirt, he took both her hands in his own, and said gently:
"You know how much I love you, and how much I esteem you. You know, too,
the story of my life: my past follies, and also the honorable career I
have run in order to atone for them morally, for in a material sense they
are irreparable--according to my ideas, at least. This career has been
fortunate. I have reached the highest rank that a soldier can attain to-
day. But my rapid promotion, however justifiable it may be, has none the
less awakened jealousy. The nature of my services being above all
possibility of suspicion, calumny has sought another quarter at which to
strike, and at this moment it is my delicacy which is impugned."
"Your delicacy, Henri! What do you mean?" asked Eugenie, in an altered
voice.
"Our friendship is well known. You are rich, and I have only my pay: the
antithesis is flagrant! The gossips comment upon it, and exploit the
fact against me."
"Against you!" cried Eugenie, indignantly.
"Against me--yes. I have proof of it. A man in private life would be
justified in ignoring such gossip, but for a man in my profession
ambiguity has no place, nor has compromise. Himself a severe judge of
the conduct of others, he must not afford them a single instance whereby
they can accuse him of not following his own precepts."
And, as his companion remained silent and startled before an explanation
so unexpected, he added:
"You say nothing, my love. You must divine the depth of my chagrin at
the prospect of a necessary separation, and you are sufficiently
charitable not to remind me that I ought to have made these tardy
reflections before I yielded to a fascination which made me close my eyes
to facts."
"I reproach you with nothing, Henri," said Eugenie in a trembling voice.
"I myself yielded to the same enchantment, and in abandoning myself to
it, I did not foresee that some day it might be prejudicial to your
honor. A singular moral law is that of the world!" she pursued, growing
more excited. "Let General de Prerolles be the lover of Madame de
Lisieux or of Madame de Nointel; let him sit every day at their tables--
if there be only a husband whose hand he may clasp in greeting, no one
will call this hospitable liaison a crime! But let him feel anything
more than a passing fancy for Eugenie Gontier, who violates no conjugal
vow in loving him, but whose love he is not rich enough to buy--even were
that love for sale--oh, then, everyone must point at him the finger of
scorn! As for myself, it seems that it was useless for me to resist so
many would-be lovers in order to open my door more freely to the man of
my choice--an action which no one holds against me, however, because I am
only an actress, and the public classes us in a separate category, so
that they may more readily offer up to us the incense with which they
smother us! Be it so! There are also in my profession disinterested
hearts which may serve as examples--and I pretend to the very highest
rank as an actress in every role I assume, even in this city. Take back
your liberty, Henri!"
"I have most unwillingly offended you," said he, sadly.
"You? Ah, no! I know that you are loyal and sincere, and I could not
harbor resentment against you after your avowal. You would have lacked
self-confidence had you acted otherwise. But," she continued, "have you
indeed told me all?"
"All!" he replied, without hesitation.
"Will you give me your word of honor that no other woman stands between
you and me?"
"I swear it to you!"
"I thank you! You are incapable of lying. Whatever happens, you never
will have a better friend than I, for your just pride is still more dear
to me than my own. If you cease to come to the theatre, and appear no
more at my receptions, that will be sufficient to insure the silence of
gossip concerning us. Go without remorse, Henri! But come back to see
me sometimes--quietly, without the knowledge of the envious--will you
not?"
"Do you doubt it?" he responded, folding her tenderly in his arms.
"Yes and no! But if this is our supreme farewell, do not tell me so!"
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Ambiguity has no place, nor has compromise
But if this is our supreme farewell, do not tell me so!
Chain so light yesterday, so heavy to-day
Every man is his own master in his choice of liaisons
If I do not give all I give nothing
Indulgence of which they stand in need themselves
Ostensibly you sit at the feast without paying the cost
Paris has become like a little country town in its gossip
The night brings counsel
You are in a conquered country, which is still more dangerous