第 16 节
作者:莫再讲      更新:2024-08-29 08:48      字数:9322
  the most influential merchants of Besancon was on the jury; he had
  a difficult task to fulfil; I did my utmost for the man; and my
  success was absolute and complete。 My client was innocent; I very
  dramatically secured the arrest of the real criminals; who had
  come forward as witnesses。 In short; the Court and the public were
  united in their admiration。 I managed to save the examining
  magistrate's pride by pointing out the impossibility of detecting
  a plot so skilfully planned。
  〃Then I had to fight a case for my merchant; and won his suit。 The
  Cathedral Chapter next chose me to defend a tremendous action
  against the town; which had been going on for four years; I won
  that。 Thus; after three trials; I had become the most famous
  advocate of Franche…Comte。
  〃But I bury my life in the deepest mystery; and so hide my aims。 I
  have adopted habits which prevent my accepting any invitations。 I
  am only to be consulted between six and eight in the morning; I go
  to bed after my dinner; and work at night。 The Vicar…General; a
  man of parts; and very influential; who placed the Chapter's case
  in my hands after they had lost it in the lower Court; of course
  professed their gratitude。 'Monsieur;' said I; 'I will win your
  suit; but I want no fee; I want more' (start of alarm on the
  Abbe's part)。 'You must know that I am a great loser by putting
  myself forward in antagonism to the town。 I came here only to
  leave the place as deputy。 I mean to engage only in commercial
  cases; because commercial men return the members; they will
  distrust me if I defend 〃the priests〃for to them you are simply
  priests。 If I undertake your defence; it is because I was; in
  1828; private secretary to such a Minister' (again a start of
  surprise on the part of my Abbe); 'and Master of Appeals; under
  the name of Albert de Savarus' (another start)。 'I have remained
  faithful to monarchical opinions; but; as you have not the
  majority of votes in Besancon; I must gain votes among the
  citizens。 So the fee I ask of you is the votes you may be able
  secretly to secure for me at the opportune moment。 Let us each
  keep our own counsel; and I will defend; for nothing; every case
  to which a priest of this diocese may be a party。 Not a word about
  my previous life; and we will be true to each other。'
  〃When he came to thank me afterwards; he gave me a note for five
  hundred francs; and said in my ear; 'The votes are a bargain all
  the same。'I have in the course of five interviews made a friend;
  I think; of this Vicar…General。
  〃Now I am overwhelmed with business; and I undertake no cases but
  those brought to me by merchants; saying that commercial questions
  are my specialty。 This line of conduct attaches business men to
  me; and allows me to make friends with influential persons。 So all
  goes well。 Within a few months I shall have found a house to
  purchase in Besancon; so as to secure a qualification。 I count on
  your lending me the necessary capital for this investment。 If I
  should die; if I should fail; the loss would be too small to be
  any consideration between you and me。 You will get the interest
  out of the rental; and I shall take good care to look out for
  something cheap; so that you may lose nothing by this mortgage;
  which is indispensable。
  〃Oh! my dear Leopold; no gambler with the last remains of his
  fortune in his pocket; bent on staking it at the Cercle des
  Etrangers for the last time one night; when he must come away rich
  or ruined; ever felt such a perpetual ringing in his ears; such a
  nervous moisture on his palms; such a fevered tumult in his brain;
  such inward qualms in his body as I go through every day now that
  I am playing my last card in the game of ambition。 Alas! my dear
  and only friend; for nearly ten years now I have been struggling。
  This battle with men and things; in which I have unceasingly
  poured out my strength and energy; and so constantly worn the
  springs of desire; has; so to speak; undermined my vitality。 With
  all the appearance of a strong man of good health; I feel myself a
  wreck。 Every day carries with it a shred of my inmost life。 At
  every fresh effort I feel that I should never be able to begin
  again。 I have no power; no vigor left but for happiness; and if it
  should never come to crown my head with roses; the /me/ that is
  really me would cease to exist; I should be a ruined thing。 I
  should wish for nothing more in the world。 I should want to cease
  from living。 You know that power and fame; the vast moral empire
  that I crave; is but secondary; it is to me only a means to
  happiness; the pedestal for my idol。
  〃To reach the goal and die; like the runner of antiquity! To see
  fortune and death stand on the threshold hand in hand! To win the
  beloved woman just when love is extinct! To lose the faculty of
  enjoyment after earning the right to be happy!Of how many men
  has this been the fate!
  〃But there surely is a moment when Tantalus rebels; crosses his
  arms; and defies hell; throwing up his part of the eternal dupe。
  That is what I shall come to if anything should thwart my plan;
  if; after stooping to the dust of provincial life; prowling like a
  starving tiger round these tradesmen; these electors; to secure
  their votes; if; after wrangling in these squalid cases; and
  giving them my timethe time I might have spent on Lago Maggiore;
  seeing the waters she sees; basking in her gaze; hearing her voice
  if; after all; I failed to scale the tribune and conquer the
  glory that should surround the name that is to succeed to that of
  Argaiolo! Nay; more than this; Leopold; there are days when I feel
  a heady languor; deep disgust surges up from the depths of my
  soul; especially when; abandoned to long day…dreams; I have lost
  myself in anticipation of the joys of blissful love! May it not be
  that our desire has only a certain modicum of power; and that it
  perishes; perhaps; of a too lavish effusion of its essence? For;
  after all; at this present; my life is fair; illuminated by faith;
  work; and love。
  〃Farewell; my friend; I send love to your children; and beg you to
  remember me to your excellent wife。Yours;
  〃ALBERT。〃
  Rosalie read this letter twice through; and its general purport was
  stamped on her heart。 She suddenly saw the whole of Albert's previous
  existence; for her quick intelligence threw light on all the details;
  and enabled her to take it all in。 By adding this information to the
  little novel published in the /Review/; she now fully understood
  Albert。 Of course; she exaggerated the greatness; remarkable as it
  was; of this lofty soul and potent will; and her love for Albert
  thenceforth became a passion; its violence enhanced by all the
  strength of her youth; the weariness of her solitude; and the unspent
  energy of her character。 Love is in a young girl the effect of a
  natural law; but when her craving for affection is centered in an
  exceptional man; it is mingled with the enthusiasm which overflows in
  a youthful heart。 Thus Mademoiselle de Watteville had in a few days
  reached a morbid and very dangerous stage of enamored infatuation。 The
  Baroness was much pleased with her daughter; who; being under the
  spell of her absorbing thoughts; never resisted her will; seemed to be
  devoted to feminine occupations; and realized her mother's ideal of a
  docile daughter。
  The lawyer was now engaged in Court two or three times a week。 Though
  he was overwhelmed with business; he found time to attend the trials;
  call on the litigious merchants; and conduct the /Review/; keeping up
  his personal mystery; from the conviction that the more covert and
  hidden was his influence; the more real it would be。 But he neglected
  no means of success; reading up the list of electors of Besancon; and
  finding out their interests; their characters; their various
  friendships and antipathies。 Did ever a Cardinal hoping to be made
  Pope give himself more trouble?
  One evening Mariette; on coming to dress Rosalie for an evening party;
  handed to her; not without many groans over this treachery; a letter
  of which the address made Mademoiselle de Watteville shiver and redden
  and turn pale again as she read the address:
  To Madame la Duchesse d'Argaiolo
  (nee Princesse Soderini)
  At Belgirate;
  Lago Maggiore; Italy。
  In her eyes this direction blazed as the words /Mene/; /Tekel/;
  /Upharsin/; did in the eyes of Belshazzar。 After concealing the
  letter; Rosalie went downstairs to accompany her mother to Madame de
  Chavoncourt's; and as long as the endless evening lasted; she was
  tormented by remorse and scruples。 She had already felt shame at
  having violated the secrecy of Albert's letter to Leopold; she had
  several times asked herself whether; if he knew of her crime; infamous
  inasmuch as it necessarily goes unpunished; the high…minded Albert
  could esteem her。 Her conscience answered an uncompromising 〃No。〃
  She had expiated her sin by self…imposed penances; she fasted; she
  mortified herself by remaining on her knees; her arms outstretched for
  hours; and rep