"True."
"And now, my dear friend, grant me your indulgence, and perhaps, too, your compa.s.sion, while I tell you the rest of my sad story."
"Compa.s.sion, indulgence! Surely you feel that you can count upon both, my poor Valentine! But go on. I am listening."
"I have never told you that the windows of my bedroom, which is in the second story of M. d"Infreville"s house, overlook a small garden which belongs to the ground floor of the adjoining house. About three months before I discovered that my husband had a mistress, and while he was still in a precarious state of health, the garden, as well as the apartments I speak of,--which had been vacant for a long time,--underwent numerous changes. I spent most of my time at home, my husband"s ill health preventing me from going out at all. It was the beginning of summer. In order that I might enjoy more privacy when M.
d"Infreville did not need my care, I often retired to my own room, and sewed or embroidered by the open window. The weather was delightful, and I began to notice with great interest the extensive improvements that were being made in the neighbouring garden. As I said a moment ago, they were peculiar changes, but they indicated so much originality, as well as good taste, that my curiosity gradually became much excited, especially as I saw all these changes effected without ever catching a glimpse of the new inmate of the neighbouring _rez-de-chaussee_. It was interesting to watch the transformation of this rather neglected, commonplace garden into a place of ravishing beauty. A conservatory filled with rare plants, and communicating with one of the rooms, was built along the south wall; the opposite wall was concealed from view by a grotto built of large rocks intermingled with shrubbery. A tiny waterfall trickled down one side of this rocky grotto into a big basin below, diffusing a refreshing coolness around; and finally, a sort of rustic summer-house, roofed with thatch and divided into arches, was constructed against the other side of the wall which enclosed this garden, which was soon so filled with flowers that, seen from my window, it resembled one gigantic bouquet. You will understand presently why I enter into these details."
"But this ravishing spot in the heart of Paris was a veritable paradise!"
"It was, indeed, a charming spot. A gilded aviary, filled with magnificent birds, was placed in the middle of the gra.s.s plot, and a sort of veranda or broad covered gallery was built in front of the windows, and furnished with rattan couches, Turkish divans, and costly rugs. A piano, too, was placed there, and this broad piazza, protected by Venetian blinds during the day, if necessary, made a delightfully cool and shady retreat in summer."
"Really, it seems to be a tale from the Arabian Nights that I am listening to! What a clever person it must have been who could gather together so many marvels of good taste and comfort in so small a s.p.a.ce.
But did the originator never show himself?"
"He did not appear until after all these arrangements had been completed."
"But hadn"t you endeavoured to find out who this mysterious neighbour was? I confess that I couldn"t have resisted the temptation to do so."
Valentine smiled sadly as she replied:
"It so happened that the sister of M. d"Infreville"s steward was my mysterious neighbour"s only servant. Informed by her brother, this woman had told her employer of this apartment and garden. One day, my curiosity so far got the better of me that I asked our steward if he knew who had just leased the ground floor in the next house, and he told me several things that excited my curiosity still more."
"Indeed, and what were these things, my dear Valentine?"
"He said that this new neighbour was the best and most generous-hearted man in the world,--for instance, when, after the death of an uncle who left him quite a handsome fortune, he wanted to hire several servants, and live in a rather more luxurious fashion, this same old woman whom I have spoken of, and who used to be his nurse, told him, with tears in her eyes, that she could not endure the thought of seeing other servants in his house. In vain he promised her that she should have authority over them all, act as a sort of confidential servant or housekeeper in short, but she would not listen to him. In his kindness of heart, he did not insist, so, in spite of his newly acquired wealth, he kept in his service only this old servant. This may seem a trivial incident to you, my dear Florence, but--"
"On the contrary, I think the delicate consideration he displayed extremely touching, and not unfrequently these apparent trifles enable one to judge very accurately of a person"s character."
"I think so, too. In fact, from that time, I felt sure that my neighbour was both kind-hearted and generous. I soon discovered, too, that his name was Michel Renaud."
"Michel Renaud? Good Heavens!" exclaimed Madame de Luceval.
"Yes; but what is the matter, Florence?"
"How strange, how pa.s.sing strange that--"
"Pray go on."
"Is he the son of General Renaud, who was killed in the last war of the Empire?"
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"He is M. de Luceval"s cousin."
"Michel, M. de Luceval"s cousin?"
"And hardly a day pa.s.ses that my husband does not speak of him."
"Of Michel?"
"Yes, but I have never seen him. Possibly he took offence on account of M. de Luceval"s marriage, like nearly all the members of the family, for he has never called to see us. That doesn"t surprise me much, however, for my husband has never been on particularly friendly terms with any of his relatives."
"What you say amazes me! Michel, your husband"s cousin? But how does M.
de Luceval happen to speak of Michel so often?"
"Alas! my poor Valentine, it is on account of a grievous fault of which M. Michel Renaud and I are both guilty, it seems,--a fault which is my chief happiness, and, to speak plainly, my husband"s greatest safeguard; but men are so blind!"
"Explain, I beg of you."
"You know I was considered incorrigibly indolent at the convent. How many remonstrances, how many punishments I received on account of that fault!"
"True."
"Well, this fault seems to increase with age,--it has attained truly colossal proportions now, so colossal, in fact, that it has become almost a virtue."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that, far from experiencing any desire to imitate them, I feel only the greatest pity and compa.s.sion for those unfortunate women whom a mad love of society plunges into a whirlpool of gaiety and dissipation.
The mere thought of the tiresome, unsatisfactory, wearing manner in which they enjoy themselves makes me shudder. Think of attending three or four b.a.l.l.s or receptions every evening, to say nothing of the play; of rushing madly from one"s dressmaker to one"s milliner, and from there to one"s florist; of dressing and undressing oneself, and of trying on gowns, and having one"s hair arranged; of making three toilets a day, and dancing and riding and waltzing from morning till night. One must have nerves of steel, and the const.i.tution of a prize-fighter to stand such a fatiguing life. How different all this is from the delightful rest I enjoy on this armchair, finding inexpressible enjoyment in my languid contemplation of earth and sky. When winter comes, I find myself equally happy half dozing in my armchair, or nestling under my eider-down quilt while the hail dashes against the window-panes. I thus enjoy all the varying charms of _dolce far niente_ at all seasons of the year, thinking and dreaming, sometimes awake, sometimes half asleep. I am quite capable, I must admit, of spending an entire day stretched out on the gra.s.s, watching the pa.s.sing clouds, listening to the sighing of the wind, the buzzing of the insects, and the soft murmur of the brooklet,--in short, my dear Valentine, no savage denizen of the forest ever appreciated the infinite delight of a free and idle life more keenly than I do, and never was there a person more devoutly grateful to Heaven who has provided such simple and innocent enjoyment for us.
But what is the matter, Valentine?" asked Madame de Luceval, gazing at her friend in surprise. "What is the meaning of these troubled looks, this emotion which you cannot conceal, try as you will? Valentine, once more I entreat you, answer me."
A brief silence followed this appeal, after which Madame d"Infreville, pa.s.sing her hand across her forehead, replied, in a slightly constrained voice:
"Listen to the conclusion of my story, Florence, and you will, perhaps, divine what I cannot and dare not tell you."
"Speak, then, I beg of you."
"The first time I saw Michel," Valentine continued, "he was on the veranda I told you about. He spent most of his time there during the summer. Concealed from view by my window-shutter, I could examine him at my leisure, and it would be difficult to conceive of a handsomer man.
Half reclining on a Turkish divan, enveloped in a long robe of India silk, he was smoking a narghile in an att.i.tude of Oriental _abandon_, with his eyes fixed upon his garden. After listening awhile with evident delight to the murmur of the waterfall, and the singing of the beautiful birds in his aviary, he picked up a book, which he laid down again now and then, as if to think over what he had just read. Soon two of his friends dropped in. One of them is justly considered one of the most eminent men of the day. It was M. M----"
"You are right. He is one of the most brilliant and famous men of his time. I know him by sight and by reputation, and his exalted position, as well as the great difference in age between Michel and himself, make his visit to a rather obscure young man certainly very extraordinary.
Did M. Michel seem to be very much flattered by this visit?"
"On the contrary, Michel welcomed him with affectionate familiarity. It seemed to me that M. M---- treated him on a footing of perfect equality.
A long conversation ensued, of which I, of course, could not hear a word. To compensate for this disappointment, I took an opera-gla.s.s, and from my place of concealment studied Michel"s face closely during the interview. I could even watch the movements of his lips. I found a singular charm in this close scrutiny, and though I, of course, had no idea concerning the subject of the conversation, I could see that an animated discussion was going on between M---- and Michel. At first, M---- seemed to be arguing his point in the most energetic manner, but subsequently I saw, by the expression of his face, that he was gradually becoming a convert to Michel"s opinion, though not without a stubborn resistance on his part. Nevertheless, an involuntary sign of a.s.sent occasionally testified to the advantage Michel was gaining, and he finally won a complete victory. I cannot describe the charm of your cousin"s features during this long contest. By their mobility, as well as by the animation of his gestures, I could see that he was employing, in turn, fervid eloquence, keen raillery, and weighty arguments, to refute the statements of his guests and convert them to his way of thinking. The interview lasted a long time; when it was ended, Michel"s friends took leave of him with even greater cordiality. He made a movement as if to rise and accompany them to the door, but they, laughingly, compelled him to retain his half rec.u.mbent att.i.tude, apparently telling him that they knew what a terrible effort it would be for him to move. I learned afterwards that M----, being obliged to make a very important decision, had come--as he was frequently in the habit of doing--to consult Michel, whose tact is as unerring as his judgment is sound. From that day, my dear friend, though I had never even spoken to Michel, I felt a deep interest in him, which, alas, was fated to exert entirely too great an influence on my life."
The young woman remained silent for a moment.
As her friend proceeded, Florence had become more and more interested in the story and its hero, especially as she noted the many points of similarity between that gentleman"s tastes and character and her own, for M. de Luceval, in reverting to his cousin Michel"s incurable indolence, had never said anything that would serve to excuse it or imbue it with any romantic charm. And Florence also understood now the surprise, and, perhaps, even the feeling of involuntary jealousy that Valentine had not been able to entirely conceal when she, Florence, had expounded her ingenious theory on the subject of indolence and its delights.
Not that Madame d"Infreville was really jealous of Madame de Luceval; that would have been the height of folly. Florence did not even know Michel Renaud, and she was too sincere in her friendship to desire to make his acquaintance with the intention of alienating him from her friend.
Nevertheless, Madame d"Infreville experienced a sort of vague envy and uneasiness as she thought of all the elements of sympathy and happiness which were combined in the strange similarity of character which she now perceived in Florence and Michel Renaud.