by Eugène Sue
CHAPTER LIX. MEMORIES.
Djalma, having never before met the Princess de Saint-Dizier atAdrienne's, at first appeared rather astonished at her presence. Theprincess, keeping silence for a moment, contemplated with implacablehatred and envy those two beings, both so fair and young, so loving andhappy. Suddenly she started, as if she had just remembered something ofgreat importance, and for some seconds she remained absorbed in thought.
Adrienne and Djalma availed themselves of this interval to gaze fondlyon each other, with a sort of ardent idolatry, which filled their eyeswith sweet tears. Then, at a movement of the Princess de Saint-Dizier,who seemed to rouse herself from her momentary trance, Mdlle. deCardoville said to the young prince, with a smile: "My dear cousin, Ihave to repair an omission (voluntary, I confess, and for good reasons),in never having before mentioned to you one of my relations, whom I havenow the honor to present to you. The Princess de Saint-Dizier!"
Djalma bowed; but Mdlle. de Cardoville resumed, just as her aunt wasabout to make some reply: "Her Highness of Saint-Dizier came very kindlyto inform me of an event which is a most fortunate one for me, and ofwhich I will speak to you hereafter, cousin--unless this amiablelady should wish to deprive me of the pleasure of making such acommunication."
The unexpected arrival of the prince, and the recollections which hadsuddenly occurred to the princess, had no doubt greatly modified herfirst plans: for, instead of continuing the conversation with regardto Adrienne's threatened loss of fortune, the princess answered, with abland smile, that covered an odious meaning: "I should be sorry, prince,to deprive my dear and amiable niece of the pleasure of announcing toyou the happy news to which she alludes, and which, as a near relative,I lost no time in communicating to her. I have here some notes on thissubject," added the princess, delivering a paper to Adrienne, "which Ihope will prove, to her entire satisfaction, the reality of what I haveannounced to her."
"A thousand thanks, my dear aunt," said Adrienne, receiving the paperwith perfect indifference; "these precautions and proofs are quitesuperfluous. You know that I always believe you on your word, when itconcerns your good feeling towards myself."
Notwithstanding his ignorance of the refined perfidy and cruelpoliteness of civilized life, Djalma, endowed with a tact and finenessof perception common to most natures of extreme susceptibility, feltsome degree of mental discomfort as he listened to this exchange offalse compliments. He could not guess their full meaning, but theysounded hollow to his ear; and moreover, whether from instinct orpresentiment, he had conceived a vague dislike for the Princess deSaint-Dizier. That pious lady, full of the great affair in hand, was aprey to the most violent agitation, which betrayed itself in the growingcolor of her cheeks, her bitter smile, and the malicious brightness ofher glance. As he gazed on this woman, Djalma was unable to conquerhis rising antipathy, and he remained silent and attentive, whilst hishandsome countenance lost something of its former serenity. Mother Bunchalso felt the influence of a painful impression. She glanced in terrorat the princess, and then imploringly at Adrienne, as though sheentreated the latter to but an end to an interview of which the youngsempstress foresaw the fatal consequences. But, unfortunately, thePrincess de Saint-Dizier was too much interested in prolonging thisconversation; and Mdlle. de Cardoville, gathering new courage andconfidence from the presence of the man she adored, took delight invexing the princess with the exhibition of their happy love.
After a short silence, the Princess de Saint-Dizier observed, in a softand insinuating tone: "Really, prince, you cannot think how pleased Iwas to learn by public report (for people talk of nothing else, andwith good reason) of your chivalrous attachment to my dear niece; for,without knowing it, you will extricate me from a difficult position."
Djalma made no answer, but he looked at Mdlle. de Cardoville with asurprised and almost sorrowful air, as if to ask what her aunt meant toinsinuate.
The latter, not perceiving this mute interrogation, resumed as follows:"I will express myself more clearly, prince. You can understand that,being the nearest relative of this dear, obstinate girl, I am more orless responsible for her conduct in the eyes of the world; and you,prince, seem just to have arrived on purpose, from the end of theearth, to take charge of a destiny which had caused me considerableapprehension. It is charming, it is excellent; and I know not whichmost to admire, your courage or your good fortune." The princess threw aglance of diabolical malice at Adrienne, and awaited her answer with anair of defiance.
"Listen to our good aunt, my dear cousin," said the young lady, smilingcalmly. "Since our affectionate kinswoman sees you and me united andhappy, her heart is swelling with such a flood of joy, that it must runover, and the effects will be delightful. Only have a little patience,and you will behold them in their full beauty. I do not know,"added Adrienne, in the most natural tone, "why, in thinking of theseoutpourings of our dear aunt's affection, I should remember what youtold me, cousin, of a certain viper in your country which sometimes,in a powerless bite, breaks its fangs, and, absorbing its own venom,becomes the victim of the poison it distills. Come, my dear aunt, youthat had so good and noble a heart, I am sure you must feel interestedin the fate of those poor vipers."
The princess darted an implacable look at her niece, and replied, in anagitated voice, "I do not see the object of this selection of naturalhistory. Do you, prince?"
Djalma made no answer; leaning with his arm on the mantelpiece, he threwdark and piercing glances upon the princess. His involuntary hatred ofthis woman filled his heart.
"Ah, my dear aunt!" resumed Adrienne, in a tone of self-reproach; "haveI presumed too much on the goodness of your heart? Have you not evensympathy for vipers? For whom, then, have you any? After all, I can verywell understand it," added Adrienne, as if to herself; "vipers are sothin. But, to lay aside these follies," she continued, gayly, as shesaw the ill-repressed rage of the pious woman, "tell us at once, my dearaunt, all the tender things which the sight of our happiness inspires."
"I hope to do so, my amiable niece. First, I must congratulate this dearprince, on having come so far to take charge, in all confidence, andwith his eyes shut, of you, my poor child, whom we were obliged toconfine as mad, in order to give a decent color to your excesses. Youremember the handsome lad, that we found in your apartment. You cannotbe so faithless, as already to have forgotten his name? He was a fine,youth, and a poet--one Agricola Baudoin--and was discovered in a secretplace, attached to your bed-chamber. All Paris was amused with thescandal--for you are not about to marry an unknown person, dear prince;her name has been in every mouth."
At these unexpected and dreadful words, Adrienne, Djalma, and MotherBunch, though under the influence of different kinds of resentment,remained for a moment mute with surprise; and the princess, judging itno longer necessary to repress her infernal joy and triumphant hatred,exclaimed, as she rose from her seat, with flushed cheek, and flashingeyes, "Yes, I defy you to contradict me. Were we not forced to confineyou, on the plea of madness? And did we not find a workman (your lover)concealed in your bedroom?"
On this horrible accusation, Djalma's golden complexion, transparent asamber, became suddenly the color of lead; his eyes, fixed and staringshowed the white round the pupil--his upper lip, red as blood,was curled in a kind of wild convulsion, which exposed to view thefirmly-set teeth--and his whole countenance became so frightfullythreatening and ferocious, that Mother Bunch shuddered with terror.Carried away by the ardor of his blood, the young Oriental felt a sortof dizzy, unreflecting, involuntary rage--a fiery commotion, like thatwhich makes the blood leap to the brave man's eyes and brain, when hefeels a blow upon his face. If, during that moment, rapid as the passageof the lightning through the cloud, action could have taken the place ofthought, the princess and Adrienne, Mother Bunch and himself, would allhave been annihilated by an explosion as sudden and fatal as that ofthe bursting of a mine. He would have killed the princess, because sheaccused Adrienne of infamous deception he would have killed Adrienne,becau
se she could even be suspected of such infamy--and Mother Bunch,for being a witness of the accusation--and himself, in order not tosurvive such horrid treachery. But, oh wonder! his furious and bloodshotgaze met the calm look of Adrienne--a look so full of dignity and sereneconfidence--and the expression of ferocious rage passed away like aflash of lightning.
Much more: to the great surprise of the princess and the young workgirl,as the glances which Djalma cast upon Adrienne went (as it were) deeperinto that pure soul, not only did the Indian grow calm, but, by akind of transfiguration, his countenance seemed to borrow her sereneexpression, and reflect, as in a mirror, the noble serenity impressedon the young lady's features. Let us explain physically this moralrevolution, as consoling to the terrified workgirl, as provoking to theprincess. Hardly had the princess distilled the atrocious calumny fromher venomous lips, than Djalma, then standing before the fireplace, had,in the first paroxysm of his fury, advanced a step towards her;but, wishing as it were to moderate his rage, he held by the marblechimney-piece, which he grasped with iron strength. A convulsivetrembling shook his whole body, and his features, altered andcontracted, became almost frightful. Adrienne, on her part, when sheheard the accusation, yielding to a first impulse of just indignation,even as Djalma had yielded to one of blind fury, rose abruptly, withoffended pride flashing from her eyes; but, almost immediately appeasedby the consciousness of her own purity, her charming face resumed itsexpression of adorable serenity. It was then that her eyes met Djalma's.For a second, the young lady was even more afflicted than terrifiedat the threatening and formidable expression of the young Indian'scountenance. "Can stupid indignity exasperate him to this degree?" saidAdrienne to herself. "Does he suspect me; then?"
But to this reflection, as rapid as it was painful, succeeded the mostlively joy, when the eyes of Adrienne rested for a short time on thoseof the Indian, and she saw his agitated countenance grow calm as ifby magic, and become radiant and beautiful as before. Thus was theabominable plot of the princess de Saint-Dizier utterly confounded bythe sincere and confiding expression of Adrienne's face. That was notall. At the moment, when, as a spectator of this mute and expressivescene (which proved so well the wondrous sympathy of those two beings,who, without speaking a word, had understood and satisfied each other),the princess was choking with rage and vexation--Adrienne, with acharming smile and gesture, extended her fair hand to Djalma, who,kneeling, imprinted on it a kiss of fire, which sent a light blush tothe forehead of the young lady.
Then the Hindoo, placing himself on the ermine carpet at the feet ofMdlle. de Cardoville, in an attitude full of grace: and respect, restedhis chin on the palm of one of his hands, and gazed on her silently, ina sort of mute adoration--while Adrienne, bending over him with a happysmile "looked at the babies in his eyes," as the song says, with as muchamorous complacency, as if the hateful princess had not been present.But soon, as if something were wanting to complete her happiness,Adrienne beckoned to Mother Bunch, and made her sit down by her side.Then, with her hand clasped in that of this excellent friend, Mdlle. deCardoville smiled on Djalma, stretched adoringly at her feet, and caston the dismayed princess a look of such calm and firm serenity, sonobly expressive of the invincible quiet of her happiness, and her loftydisdain of all calumnious attacks, that the Princess de Saint-Dizier,confused and stupefied, murmured some hardly intelligible words, in avoice trembling with passion, and, completely losing her presence ofmind, rushed towards the door. But, at this moment, the hunchback, whofeared some ambush, some perfidious plot in the background, resolved,after exchanging a glance with Adrienne, to accompany the princess toher carriage.
The angry disappointment of the Princess de Saint-Dizier, when she sawherself thus followed and watched, appeared so comical to Mdlle. deCardoville that she could not help laughing aloud; and it was to thesound of contemptuous hilarity that the hypocritical princess, with rageand despair in her heart, quitted the house to which she had hoped tobring trouble end misery. Adrienne and Djalma were left alone. Beforerelating the scene which took place between them, a few retrospectivewords are indispensable. It will easily be imagined, that since Mdlle.de Cardoville and the Oriental had been brought into such close contact,after so many disappointments, their days had passed away like a dreamof happiness. Adrienne had especially taken pains to bring to light, oneby one, all the generous qualities of Djalma, of which she had read somuch in her books of travels. The young lady had imposed on herself thistender and patient study of Djalma's character, not only to justifyto her own mind the intensity of her love, but because this periodof trial, to which she had assigned a term, enabled her to temper anddivert the violence of Djalma's passion--a task the more meritorious,as she herself was of the same ardent temperament. For, in those twolovers, the finest qualities of sense and soul seemed exactly to balanceeach other, and heaven had bestowed on them the rarest beauty of form,and the most adorable excellence of heart, as if to legitimatize theirresistible attraction which drew and bound them together. What, then,was to be the term of this painful trial, which Adrienne had imposedon Djalma and on herself? This is what Mdlle. de Cardoville intendedto tell the prince, in the interview she had with him, after the abruptdeparture of the Princess de Saint-Dizier.
