登陆注册
4606300000366

第366章

"I could not sleep soundly, my love, if I did not ease my conscience of an unpleasant weight. Perhaps you did not approve of the 'partie carree' with our young friend, and you may not have objected out of mere politeness. Tell me the truth, dearest, for, should you not look forward to that meeting with pleasure, I can contrive to undo it without implicating you in any way; trust me for that. If, however, you have no objection to the party, it will take place as agreed.

Believe me, I love your soul more than your heart--I mean than your person. Adieu."

Her fear was very natural, but out of shamefacedness I did not like to retract. M---- M---- knew me well, and as a skilful tactician she attacked my weak side.

Here is my answer:

"I expected your letter, my best beloved, and you cannot doubt it, because, as you know me thoroughly, you must be aware that I know you as well. Yes, I know your mind, and I know what idea you must entertain of mine, because I have exposed to you all my weakness and irritability by my sophisms. I do penance for it, dearest, when I

think that having raised your suspicions your tenderness for me must have been weakened. Forget my visions, I beg, and be quite certain that for the future my soul will be in unison with yours. The supper must take place, it will be a pleasure for me, but let me confess that in accepting it I have shewn myself more grateful than polite.

C---- C---- is a novice, and I am not sorry to give her an opportunity of seeing the world. In what school could she learn better than yours? Therefore I recommend her to you, and you will please me much by continuing to shew your care and friendship towards her, and by increasing, if possible, the sum of your goodness. I

fear that you may entice her to take the veil, and if she did I would never console myself. Your friend has quite captivated me; he is a superior man, and truly charming."

Thus did I wittingly deprive myself of the power of drawing back, but I was able to realize the full force of the situation. I had no difficulty in guessing that the ambassador was in love with C----

C----, and that he had confessed as much to M---- M----, who, not being in a position to object to it, was compelled to shew herself compliant, and to assist him in everything that could render his passion successful. She could certainly not do anything without my consent, and she had evidently considered the affair too delicate to venture upon proposing the party point-blank to me. They had, no doubt, put their heads together, so that by bringing the conversation on that subject I should find myself compelled, for the sake of politeness and perhaps of my inward feelings, to fall into the snare.

The ambassador, whose profession it was to carry on intrigues skilfully, had succeeded well, and I had taken the bait as he wished.

There was nothing left for me but to put a good face on the matter, not only so as not to shew myself a very silly being, but also in order not to prove myself shamefully ungrateful towards a man who had granted me unheard-of privileges. Nevertheless, the consequence of it all was likely to be some coolness in my feelings towards both my mistresses. M---- M---- had become conscious of this after she had returned to the convent, and wishing to screen herself from all responsibility she had lost no time in writing to me that she would cause the projected supper to be abandoned, in case I should disapprove of it, but she knew very well that I would not accept her offer. Self-love is a stronger passion even than jealousy; it does not allow a man who has some pretension to wit to shew himself jealous, particularly towards a person who is not tainted by that base passion, and has proved it.

The next day, having gone early to the casino, I found the ambassador already there, and he welcomed me in the most friendly manner. He told me that, if he had known me in Paris he would have introduced me at the court, where I should certainly have made my fortune. Now, when I think of that, I say to myself, "That might have been the case, but of what good would it have been to me?" Perhaps I should have fallen a victim of the Revolution, like so many others. M. de Bernis himself would have been one of those victims if Fate had not allowed him to die in Rome in 1794. He died there unhappy, although wealthy, unless his feelings had undergone a complete change before his death, and I do not believe it.

I asked him whether he liked Venice, and he answered that he could not do otherwise than like that city, in which he enjoyed excellent health, and in which, with plenty of money, life could be enjoyed better than anywhere else.

"But I do not expect," he added, "to be allowed to keep this embassy very long. Be kind enough to let that remain between us. I do not wish to make M---- M----- unhappy."

We were conversing in all confidence when M---- M---- arrived with her young friend, who showed her surprise at seeing another man with me, but I encouraged her by the most tender welcome; and she recovered all her composure when she saw the delight of the stranger at being answered by her in good French. It gave us both an opportunity of paying the warmest compliments to the mistress who had taught her so well.

C---- C---- was truly charming; her looks, bright and modest at the same time, seemed to say to me, "You must belong to me:" I wished to see her shine before our friends; and I contrived to conquer a cowardly feeling of jealousy which, in spite of myself, was beginning to get hold of me. I took care to make her talk on such subjects as I knew to be familiar to her. I developed her natural intelligence, and had the satisfaction of seeing her admired.

Applauded, flattered, animated by the satisfaction she could read in my eyes, C---- C---- appeared a prodigy to M. de Bernis, and, oh!

what a contradiction of the human heart! I was pleased, yet I

trembled lest he should fall in love with her! What an enigma! I

was intent myself upon a work which would have caused me to murder any man who dared to undertake it.

同类推荐
  • 大方广华严十恶品经

    大方广华严十恶品经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • PHAEDRA

    PHAEDRA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 鸡肋编

    鸡肋编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 神功妙济真君礼文

    神功妙济真君礼文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • S151

    S151

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 官殇

    官殇

    伍九生挑着行李担走进乡大院的时候,正赶上乡干部大会散场,一溜人便都停住了脚步,盯着步伐一下变乱心里一下变慌的伍九生看。伍九生把脑袋低下去,脚下被小石块绊了一下,险些摔倒,行李担就撞在一个人的身上。伍九生猛抬起头,那个人和蔼地说:小伍,来上班了。随手接下伍九生肩上的担子。伍九生轻轻地叫了声金师傅,跟着他走进乡食堂。听得身后有人说:可惜了,这么年轻。八月的天气,正炎热着。走了许多山路,本已汗湿衣衫,加上刚才的一阵紧张,伍九生脸上身上的汗珠就像蘑菇似的往外冒。金师傅把他拉到电扇底下说:这天就是热,快把长褂脱下,凉凉。
  • 我的青春不存在的

    我的青春不存在的

    来自大陆的少年,在面对真物和伪物的诱惑下,会走出一条怎样的道路?请拭目以待。
  • 仙道神圣

    仙道神圣

    倘若…你真的只是一介凡人…你甘心放弃追求成仙之道吗?【可能没希望签约了,一怒发到十万字】
  • 女扮男装:复仇娇娘14岁

    女扮男装:复仇娇娘14岁

    (养成系)九岁那年,她成了他的伴读,与他结拜成兄弟,同吃同睡同学艺;十岁那年,同窗之间流传着这样一个说法:她是他圈养的兔儿爷;十三岁那年,她与他一起南征北战;十四岁那年,她成了他的女人……她接近他的目的:杀他,杀他,杀他,哪怕爱也必须要杀他靠近他的理由:宠她,宠她,宠她,不管她是男还是女
  • 宛如阿修罗

    宛如阿修罗

    2016年,在向田邦子因空难逝去35周年之际,一部《豆豆电视台》让人们再度记起一代日剧女皇的风姿。她曾是日本电视界的“金牌编剧”,她的经典剧目占据了上世纪六七十年代的日本荧屏,甚至新年期间的必播剧。她的作品既带着日本经济腾飞时期的乐观与自信,又充满旧时代的纯真与温馨。《宛如阿修罗》是向田邦子的代表作之一,描写了现代女性在婚姻生活中,面临背叛时的两难境地。为背叛及难以抗拒的生活变故所折磨的她们,只能无奈隐忍,以至性格扭曲,变成表里不一、面目可憎的“阿修罗”。
  • 寒江·雪

    寒江·雪

    风急,雪飘,大地一片苍茫。寒江冰冻,蜿蜒曲折,盘绕远去,天地似乎凝成冰雪一色,凄清孤寂中透着无边的萧瑟。老树枯枝,斜伸向天,在寒风中摇摆狂舞,仿佛沉沦在炼狱之中不甘的冤魂张开干枯的鬼手,向着苍天发出凄惨尖怖的绝望嘶吼,凭空增添了难言的忧郁和丝丝幽冥的阴寒。一小片稀疏的寒梅三三两两围绕着一排低矮的茅屋,梅花满树芳香,空间暗香浮动,洒脱而淡然。急骤的蹄声远远传来,铁蹄过处,敲碎了一路冰凌,踢起了一路散雪,马上一紫衣人,年轻潇洒,散发披肩,迎风飞舞。
  • 红楼之白魔法神贾珠

    红楼之白魔法神贾珠

    尼斯大陆十项全能的白魔法圣封神之时出了岔子,成了《红楼梦》里那个最有前途却早逝的贾珠的故事。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 旧时光里的仰慕

    旧时光里的仰慕

    爱情是永不止息的思念,不管有没有结果,我还是情愿和你好好爱……七年之痒,我没有想到我们的结局会是这个样子!也许是命中注定!但终究我们还是改变了,变得面目全非……
  • 沃尔玛家族全传

    沃尔玛家族全传

    沃尔顿,曾经的穷孩子,曾经的仅读过普通院校的平凡学生,曾经的退伍军人……如今的商业巨擘。沃尔玛,曾经不名一文的平价商店,曾经饱受挤兑的乡间小店,曾经被对手侧目的小字辈……如今雄冠全球的商业帝国。
  • 九转不灭诀

    九转不灭诀

    【2018超人气作品,亿万收藏,十三亿读者倾情荐】少年获《九转不灭诀》,渡九劫,修不死之身,战绝世强者,一剑,破九天!