At dinner d'Arthez was placed beside the princess, who, far from imitating the eccentricities of diet which many affected women display, ate her dinner with a very good appetite, making it a point of honor to seem a natural woman, without strange ways or fancies.
Between two courses she took advantage of the conversation becoming general to say to d'Arthez, in a sort of aside:--"The secret of the pleasure I take in finding myself beside you, is the desire I feel to learn something of an unfortunate friend of yours, monsieur.He died for another cause greater than ours; but Iwas under the greatest obligations to him, although unable to acknowledge or thank him for them.I know that you were one of his best friends.Your mutual friendship, pure and unalterable, is a claim upon me.You will not, I am sure, think it extraordinary, that I have wished to know all you could tell me of a man so dear to you.Though Iam attached to the exiled family, and bound, of course, to hold monarchical opinions, I am not among those who think it is impossible to be both republican and noble in heart.Monarchy and the republic are two forms of government which do not stifle noble sentiments.""Michel Chrestien was an angel, madame," replied Daniel, in a voice of emotion."I don't know among the heroes of antiquity a greater than he.Be careful not to think him one of those narrow-minded republicans who would like to restore the Convention and the amenities of the Committee of Public Safety.No, Michel dreamed of the Swiss federation applied to all Europe.Let us own, between ourselves, that AFTER the glorious government of one man only, which, as I think, is particularly suited to our nation, Michel's system would lead to the suppression of war in this old world, and its reconstruction on bases other than those of conquest, which formerly feudalized it.From this point of view the republicans came nearest to his idea.That is why he lent them his arm in July, and was killed at Saint-Merri.Though completely apart in opinion, he and I were closely bound together as friends.""That is noble praise for both natures," said Madame de Cadignan, timidly.
"During the last four years of his life," continued Daniel, "he made to me alone a confidence of his love for you, and this confidence knitted closer than ever the already strong ties of brotherly affection.He alone, madame, can have loved you as you ought to be loved.Many a time I have been pelted with rain as we accompanied your carriage at the pace of the horses, to keep at a parallel distance, and see you--admire you.""Ah! monsieur," said the princess, "how can I repay such feelings!""Why is Michel not here!" exclaimed Daniel, in melancholy accents.
"Perhaps he would not have loved me long," said the princess, shaking her head sadly."Republicans are more absolute in their ideas than we absolutists, whose fault is indulgence.No doubt he imagined me perfect, and society would have cruelly undeceived him.We are pursued, we women, by as many calumnies as you authors are compelled to endure in your literary life; but we, alas! cannot defend ourselves either by our works or by our fame.The world will not believe us to be what we are, but what it thinks us to be.It would soon have hidden from his eyes the real but unknown woman that is in me, behind the false portrait of the imaginary woman which the world considers true.
He would have come to think me unworthy of the noble feelings he had for me, and incapable of comprehending him."Here the princess shook her head, swaying the beautiful blond curls, full of heather, with a touching gesture.This plaintive expression of grievous doubts and hidden sorrows is indescribable.Daniel understood them all; and he looked at the princess with keen emotion.
"And yet, the night on which I last saw him, after the revolution of July, I was on the point of giving way to the desire I felt to take his hand and press it before all the world, under the peristyle of the opera-house.But the thought came to me that such a proof of gratitude might be misinterpreted; like so many other little things done from noble motives which are called to-day the follies of Madame de Maufrigneuse--things which I can never explain, for none but my son and God have understood me."These words, breathed into the ear of the listener, in tones inaudible to the other guests, and with accents worthy of the cleverest actress, were calculated to reach the heart; and they did reach that of d'Arthez.There was no question of himself in the matter; this woman was seeking to rehabilitate herself in favor of the dead.She had been calumniated; and she evidently wanted to know if anything had tarnished her in the eyes of him who had loved her; had he died with all his illusions?
"Michel," replied d'Arthez, "was one of those men who love absolutely, and who, if they choose ill, can suffer without renouncing the woman they have once elected.""Was I loved thus?" she said, with an air of exalted beatitude.
"Yes, madame."
"I made his happiness?"
"For four years."
"A woman never hears of such a thing without a sentiment of proud satisfaction," she said, turning her sweet and noble face to d'Arthez with a movement full of modest confusion.
One of the most skilful manoeuvres of these actresses is to veil their manner when words are too expressive, and speak with their eyes when language is restrained.These clever discords, slipped into the music of their love, be it false or true, produce irresistible attractions.
"Is it not," she said, lowering her voice and her eyes, after feeling well assured they had produced her effect,--"is it not fulfilling one's destiny to have rendered a great man happy?""Did he not write that to you?"
