Paul et Virginie. English
Page 15
alone had been witness; she saw,she said, the hand of Providence in the assistance of an affectionatemother, who approved of her attachment; and would guide her by hercounsels; and as she was now strengthened by such support, everyconsideration led her to remain with her mother, without anxiety for thepresent, and without apprehension for the future.
Madame de la Tour, perceiving that this confidential conversation hadproduced an effect altogether different from that which she expected,said,--"My dear child, I do not wish to constrain you; think over it atleisure, but conceal your affection from Paul. It is better not to let aman know that the heart of his mistress is gained."
Virginia and her mother were sitting together by themselves the sameevening, when a tall man, dressed in a blue cassock, entered theircottage. He was a missionary priest and the confessor of Madame de laTour and her daughter, who had now been sent to them by the governor."My children," he exclaimed as he entered, "God be praised! you arenow rich. You can now attend to the kind suggestions of your benevolenthearts, and do good to the poor. I know what Monsieur de la Bourdonnaishas said to you, and what you have said in reply. Your health, dearmadam, obliges you to remain here; but you, young lady, are withoutexcuse. We must obey our aged relations, even when they are unjust.A sacrifice is required of you; but it is the will of God. Our Lorddevoted himself for you; and you in imitation of his example, must giveup something for the welfare of your family. Your voyage to France willend happily. You will surely consent to go, my dear young lady."
Virginia, with downcast eyes, answered, trembling, "If it is the commandof God, I will not presume to oppose it. Let the will of God be done!"As she uttered these words, she wept.
The priest went away, in order to inform the governor of the success ofhis mission. In the meantime Madame de la Tour sent Domingo to requestme to come to her, that she might consult me respecting Virginia'sdeparture. I was not at all of opinion that she ought to go. I considerit as a fixed principle of happiness, that we ought to prefer theadvantages of nature to those of fortune, and never go in search of thatat a distance, which we may find at home,--in our own bosoms. But whatcould be expected from my advice, in opposition to the illusions of asplendid fortune?--or from my simple reasoning, when in competition withthe prejudices of the world, and an authority held sacred by Madame dela Tour? This lady indeed only consulted me out of politeness; she hadceased to deliberate since she had heard the decision of her confessor.Margaret herself, who, notwithstanding the advantages she expected forher son from the possession of Virginia's fortune, had hitherto opposedher departure, made no further objections. As for Paul, in ignorance ofwhat had been determined, but alarmed at the secret conversations whichVirginia had been holding with her mother, he abandoned himself tomelancholy. "They are plotting something against me," cried he, "forthey conceal every thing from me."
A report having in the meantime been spread in the island that fortunehad visited these rocks, merchants of every description were seenclimbing their steep ascent. Now, for the first time, were seendisplayed in these humble huts the richest stuffs of India; the finedimity of Gondelore; the handkerchiefs of Pellicate and Masulipatan;the plain, striped, and embroidered muslins of Dacca, so beautifullytransparent: the delicately white cottons of Surat, and linens of allcolours. They also brought with them the gorgeous silks of China,satin damasks, some white, and others grass-green and bright red; pinktaffetas, with the profusion of satins and gauze of Tonquin, both plainand decorated with flowers; soft pekins, downy as cloth; and white andyellow nankeens, and the calicoes of Madagascar.
Madame de la Tour wished her daughter to purchase whatever she liked;she only examined the goods, and inquired the price, to take care thatthe dealers did not cheat her. Virginia made choice of everything shethought would be useful or agreeable to her mother, or to Margaret andher son. "This," said she, "will be wanted for furnishing the cottage,and that will be very useful to Mary and Domingo." In short, the bag ofpiastres was almost emptied before she even began to consider her ownwants; and she was obliged to receive back for her own use a share ofthe presents which she had distributed among the family circle.
Paul, overcome with sorrow at the sight of these gifts of fortune, whichhe felt were a presage of Virginia's departure, came a few days after tomy dwelling. With an air of deep despondency he said to me--"My sisteris going away; she is already making preparations for her voyage. Iconjure you to come and exert your influence over her mother andmine, in order to detain her here." I could not refuse the young man'ssolicitations, although well convinced that my representations would beunavailing.
Virginia had ever appeared to me charming when clad in the coarsecloth of Bengal, with a red handkerchief tied round her head: youmay therefore imagine how much her beauty was increased, when she wasattired in the graceful and elegant costume worn by the ladies of thiscountry! She had on a white muslin dress, lined with pink taffeta.Her somewhat tall and slender figure was shown to advantage in her newattire, and the simple arrangement of her hair accorded admirably withthe form of her head. Her fine blue eyes were filled with an expressionof melancholy; and the struggles of passion, with which her heart wasagitated, imparted a flush to her cheek, and to her voice a tone of deepemotion. The contrast between her pensive look and her gay habilimentsrendered her more interesting than ever, nor was it possible to see orhear her unmoved. Paul became more and more melancholy; and at lengthMargaret, distressed at the situation of her son, took him aside andsaid to him,--"Why, my dear child, will you cherish vain hopes, whichwill only render your disappointment more bitter? It is time for me tomake known to you the secret of your life and of mine. Mademoiselle dela Tour belongs, by her mother's side, to a rich and noble family, whileyou are but the son of a poor peasant girl; and what is worse you areillegitimate."
Paul, who had never heard this last expression before, inquired witheagerness its meaning. His mother replied, "I was not married to yourfather. When I was a girl, seduced by love, I was guilty of a weaknessof which you are the offspring. The consequence of my fault is, that youare deprived of the protection of a father's family, and by my flightfrom home you have also lost that of your mother's. Unfortunate child!you have no relations in the world but me!"--and she shed a flood oftears. Paul, pressing her in his arms, exclaimed, "Oh, my dear mother!since I have no relation in the world but you, I will love you all themore. But what a secret have you just disclosed to me! I now see thereason why Mademoiselle de la Tour has estranged herself so much from mefor the last two months, and why she has determined to go to France. Ah!I perceive too well that she despises me!"
The hour of supper being arrived, we gathered round the table; butthe different sensations with which we were agitated left us littleinclination to eat, and the meal, if such it may be called, passedin silence. Virginia was the first to rise; she went out, and seatedherself on the very spot where we now are. Paul hastened after her,and sat down by her side. Both of them, for some time, kept a profoundsilence. It was one of those delicious nights which are so commonbetween the tropics, and to the beauty of which no pencil can dojustice. The moon appeared in the midst of the firmament, surroundedby a curtain of clouds, which was gradually unfolded by her beams. Herlight insensibly spread itself over the mountains of the island, andtheir distant peaks glistened with a silvery green. The winds wereperfectly still. We heard among the woods, at the bottom of the valleys,and on the summits of the rocks, the piping cries and the soft notes ofthe birds, wantoning in their nests, and rejoicing in the brightnessof the night and the serenity of the atmosphere. The hum of insects washeard in the grass. The stars sparkled in the heavens, and their luridorbs were reflected, in trembling sparkles, from the tranquil bosom ofthe ocean. Virginia's eye wandered distractedly over its vast and gloomyhorizon, distinguishable from the shore of the island only by the redfires in the fishing boats. She perceived at the entrance of the harboura light and a shadow; these were the watchlight and the hull of thevessel in which she was to embark for Europe, and which, all ready
forsea, lay at anchor, waiting for a breeze. Affected at this sight, sheturned away her head, in order to hide her tears from Paul.
Madame de la Tour, Margaret, and I, were seated at a little distance,beneath the plantain-trees; and, owing to the stillness of the night, wedistinctly heard their conversation, which I have not forgotten.
Paul said to her,--"You are going away from us, they tell me, in threedays. You do not fear then to encounter the danger of the sea, at thesight of which you are so much terrified?" "I must perform my duty,"answered Virginia, "by obeying my parent." "You leave us," resumedPaul, "for a distant relation, whom you have never seen." "Alas!" criedVirginia, "I would have remained here my whole life, but my mother wouldnot have it so. My confessor, too, told me it was the