A TRIAL OF FAITH
The next day, about two in the afternoon, Madame d'Espard, who had seen and heard nothing of the princess for more than a month, went to see her under the impulse of extreme curiosity.Nothing was ever more amusing of its kind than the conversation of these two crafty adders during the first half-hour of this visit.
Diane d'Uxelles cautiously avoided, as she would the wearing of a yellow gown, all mention of d'Arthez.The marquise circled round and round that topic like a Bedouin round a caravan.Diane amused herself;the marquise fumed.Diane waited; she intended to utilize her friend and use her in the chase.Of these two women, both so celebrated in the social world, one was far stronger than the other.The princess rose by a head above the marquise, and the marquise was inwardly conscious of that superiority.In this, perhaps, lay the secret of their intimacy.The weaker of the two crouched low in her false attachment, watching for the hour, long awaited by feeble beings, of springing at the throat of the stronger and leaving the mark of a joyful bite.Diane saw clear; but the world was the dupe of the wile caresses of the two friends.
The instant that the princess perceived a direct question on the lips of her friend, she said:--"Ah! dearest, I owe you a most complete, immense, infinite, celestial happiness.""What can you mean?"
"Have you forgotten what we ruminated three months ago in the little garden, sitting on a bench in the sun, under the jasmine? Ah! there are none but men of genius who know how to love! I apply to my grand Daniel d'Arthez the Duke of Alba's saying to Catherine de' Medici:
'The head of a single salmon is worth all the frogs in the world.'""I am not surprised that I no longer see you," said Madame d'Espard.
"Promise me, if you meet him, not to say to him one word about me, my angel," said the princess, taking her friend's hand."I am happy, oh!
happy beyond all expression; but you know that in society a word, a mere jest can do much harm.One speech can kill, for they put such venom into a single sentence! Ah! if you knew how I long that you might meet with a love like this! Yes, it is a sweet, a precious triumph for women like ourselves to end our woman's life in this way;to rest in an ardent, pure, devoted, complete and absolute love; above all, when we have sought it long.""Why do you ask me to be faithful to my dearest friend?" said Madame d'Espard."Do you think me capable of playing you some villainous trick?""When a woman possesses such a treasure the fear of losing it is so strong that it naturally inspires a feeling of terror.I am absurd, Iknow; forgive me, dear."
A few moments later the marquise departed; as she watched her go the princess said to herself:--"How she will pluck me! But to save her the trouble of trying to get Daniel away from here I'll send him to her."At three o'clock, or a few moments after, d'Arthez arrived.In the midst of some interesting topic on which he was discoursing eloquently, the princess suddenly cut him short by laying her hand on his arm.
"Pardon me, my dear friend," she said, interrupting him, "but I fear Imay forget a thing which seems a mere trifle but may be of great importance.You have not set foot in Madame d'Espard's salon since the ever-blessed day when I met you there.Pray go at once; not for your sake, nor by way of politeness, but for me.You may already have made her an enemy of mine, if by chance she has discovered that since her dinner you have scarcely left my house.Besides, my friend, I don't like to see you dropping your connection with society, and neglecting your occupations and your work.I should again be strangely calumniated.What would the world say? That I held you in leading-strings, absorbed you, feared comparisons, and clung to my conquest knowing it to be my last! Who will know that you are my friend, my only friend? If you love me indeed, as you say you love me, you will make the world believe that we are purely and simply brother and sister-- Go on with what you were saying."In his armor of tenderness, riveted by the knowledge of so many splendid virtues, d'Arthez obeyed this behest on the following day and went to see Madame d'Espard, who received him with charming coquetry.
The marquise took very good care not to say a single word to him about the princess, but she asked him to dinner on a coming day.
On this occasion d'Arthez found a numerous company.The marquise had invited Rastignac, Blondet, the Marquis d'Ajuda-Pinto, Maxime de Trailles, the Marquis d'Esgrignon, the two brothers Vandenesse, du Tillet, one of the richest bankers in Paris, the Baron de Nucingen, Raoul Nathan, Lady Dudley, two very treacherous secretaries of embassies and the Chevalier d'Espard, the wiliest person in this assemblage and the chief instigator of his sister-in-law's policy.
