Lelia

by George Sand

  majestic and deplorable role you have chosen. Come, Lelia. "

  The crowd, which crowded under the peristyle to admire the large lightning bolts in which the sky was streaked, separated the two sisters as they left the locker room, wrapped in

  their blue satin caps. Lélia was carried away by a flood of masks, among which circulated so many costumes like hers she dared not try to recognize

  his sister Pulchérie; and, shy, scared, already disgusted with the role that she was going to tempt, she plunged into the gardens, resolved

  to abandon the remains of an existence to the whims of chance continuously aborted.

  This time she unknowingly entered part of the thickets which the prudent prince of 'Bambuccj had reserved for his elected officials: It was a labyrinth of greenery, whose entrance was guarded by a group of the prince's most junior experts.

  They were aware of all the intrigues of the court and, hour by hour, messengers, dispatched from within the palaces, came to modify their instructions and report them the new initiates they could admit into the sanctuary.

  All inconvenient jealous, all shady protector was rejected without appeal; single women could enter without to unmask: all, for the love of convenience.

  It was a field of asylum, a place of refuge for friends that annoying obstacles separated outside. We were there safety and everything went on with miraculous regularity. We walked there in groups; we sat there in a circle; the walkways and the green rooms were full of light and world. But the devotees knew well by which path, through which door we reached the pavilion of Aphrodise, whose huge terraces stretched out on the seashore.

  No sooner had Lélia taken a few steps under these dangerous shadows that a voice whispered to her:

  “This is Zinzolina, the famous Zinzolina. "

  Immediately a group of gilded and plumed men pressed in his footsteps.

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  "What, Zinzolina!" don't you recognize us Is how can we forget our faithful friends? Come on take my arms, beautiful solitary, and let us still celebrate the ancient deities.

  - No, no, said another, trying to grab the arm

  of Lélia. Do not listen to this bastard Piedmontese: come to me, who am a pure Neapolitan and who of the first introduced you to sweet secrets of love. Don't you remember, dove to voluptuous sighs, snake with warm embraces? "

  A great Spanish horseman forcibly put Lélia's arm under his.

  "It's me that the good Zinzolina has chosen among all," said he ; she is like me of noble Andalusian race and nothing no one would decide to displease a compatriot and a fidalgue.

  - Zinzolina is from all countries, says a German; she me said it in his boudoir in Vienna.

  - Tedesco! cried a Sicilian, if Zinzolina made us the affront of preferring you to us, here is a dagger which would avenge her.

  - Come on, come on, let's draw lots, shouted a young page; Zinzolina will mix our names in my hat.

  - My name, replied the fidalgue, is engraved on the blade of my sword. "

  And he pulled it from the scabbard threateningly.

  The people of the prince intervened and Lélia fled.

  But she was not long alone. A russian prince him said at the bend of an alley:

  "Zinzolina, what are you looking for here?" And why are you alone?

  Do you want to love me for an hour? I'll give you this chain of diamonds which is a present of the Czars. "

  Lélia made a gesture of contempt. A great French lord noticed it.

  "What rudeness! he said. How rough these strangers are and insolent! How long have we been talking to women like this? For Page 187

  who does this boor take you, Zinzolina? Listen. "

  And he offered his palate, his people, his wines and his horses.

  "But you hardly believe in the pleasure that you offer, says Zinzolina, since you join so many seductions for greed? Your embraces are therefore very hideous, since you pay them so dearly? where is the love In all of this ? where is only the ardor of the senses? Here the brutality, corruption. You have no other bait than the strength, vanity or gain. Is pleasure therefore dead, stifled under civilization? Did ancient love leave the earth and flew to other heavens? "

  Then she threw her hood over her shoulders; and, at the appearance of this face always so haughty and grave, the crowd dispersed and the daring worshipers of Pulchérie bowed respectfully before Lélia.

  "Are you already giving up your business?" Pulchérie tells him in striking with its wide sleeve. No, no, not yet, Lélia, all is not desperate: your time has not come.

  - My time will not come, said Lélia. I don't like all of this and irritates me. Their breath is cold, their hair is rough, their embraces bruise and the amber of their clothes badly conceals I don't know what acrid and coarse emanations who repel me. In the midst of them my blood calms, my ideas clear up, my will rises: I have no other desire to sit and watch them go by

  contemptuous.

  - Well ! come here, Lélia. Listen to a youngster speak man, whom I have just met and whom I annoy in vain.

  Perhaps compassion will be more effective on you than the rest. "

  Lélia followed her sister under an artificial cave, lit

  weakly in the background by a small lamp.

  "Stop here," said Pulchérie, hiding her in a dark angle and look at this handsome teenage boy with brown hair.

  Do you know it ?

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  - Yes, I know it ! answered Lélia, it is Sténio. But that does he do in the reserved gardens and in this cave which is, if I do not deceive me, one of the underground entrances of the famous pavilion? Him, Sténio the poet, Sténio the mystic, Sténio the lover ?

  - Oh ! listen to him, said Pulchérie, you will see that he is mad of love, and that we must pity him. "

  Then Pulchérie left Lélia where she had hidden it and, approaching Sténio on tiptoe, she tried to kiss her.

  "Leave me, Madame," said the young man proudly, "

  don't need your petting. I told you, it's not you that I was looking for, when deceived by the sound of your voice, I followed you in these gardens. But since I ripped off your mask, I know you're just a courtesan. Come on, madam, I cannot be yours. I am poor and, moreover, I do not desire the pleasures that are necessary pay. There is in the world only one woman for me it is Lélia.

  Is she here do you know her

  - I know Lélia, because she is my sister, answered Pulchérie.

  If you want to follow me under these obscure vaults, I will lead to a place where you can see it.

  - Oh ! you lie, said the young man, Lélia is not you and your sister cannot show it to me. I followed you so far, gullible like a child I am, hoping always that you would show it to me. But you cheated on me

  and here you come back alone.

  - Child! I can lead you to her if I want. But know before that Lélia does not love you. Lélia never will reward your love. Believe me, look elsewhere for joys that you hoped for from her and, if you cannot drive this chimera from your mind, at least get drunk, by the way, at the sources of pleasure; tomorrow you will wake up to run after your ghost. But at least, during this breathless and crazy race, your life will not be consumed entirely in waiting and in dream.

  You will make sweet stops under the palm trees with the girls of the men and you will not follow the demon with the wings of fire, which Page 189

  call you from the depths of the clouds, that refreshed and comforted by our libations and our caresses. Come and rest your head on my breast, young fool that you are; you will see that i don't want to keep you and fall asleep for a long time. I only want to relieve you in your strenuous walking, so that you can take off again courageous towards poetry and towards Lélia.

  - Leave me, leave me, said Sténio forcefully, I despise and I hate you: you are not Lélia, you are not his sister, you are not even his shadow. I don't want to your pleasures, I don't need it: it's Lélia alone that I would like to hold happiness. If she rejects me, I will live alone an
d I will die a virgin. I will not stain on the breast of a courtesan my chest, ablaze with pure love.

  - Come on, Lélia, said Pulchérie, drawing her sister to Sténio; come and reward a loyalty worthy of the times chivalrous. "

  Seeing Lélia, Sténio made a cry of surprise and its joy was so deep that it seemed like a pain. He was forced to sit down again, her beautiful face turns pale and her head leaned

  involuntarily on the courtesan's breast.

  Lélia spoke low with her sister and this one disappeared, without Sténio deigned to watch by what exit she had withdrawn.

  Then Lélia took the hand of the young poet and led him under these dark and cold vaults that were lit up at intervals by lamps hanging from the vault. Sténio trembled and thought to do a dream. He was too confused to wonder where he was taking him Lelia. He felt his hand in his and was afraid of awaken.

  When they were at the end of this underground gallery, Lélia put on his mask and drew the silk cord from a bell. A the door opened alone as if by magic. Lélia and Sténio went up the steps which led to the pavilion of Aphrodisias.

  As they crossed a silent corridor where the noise of the steps was absorbed on the carpets, Sténio believed to see passing quickly near him a woman dressed like Lélia or like Pulchérie. It did not worry about it, because Lélia held Page 190

  still his hand, and he entered a boudoir with her delicious. She took off her mask, and threw it into a closet neighbour ; then she returned to sit near Sténio on a sofa silk brocaded with gold and a bolt was pulled outside by I don't know what a malicious or discreet hand.

  "Sténio!" you disobeyed me, said Lélia. I had you forbidden to try to see me again before a month and here is already that you run after me.

  - Was it to scold me that you brought me here? said-he. After a separation that seemed so long to me, must I find you irritated with me? Hasn't it been a year since I have you left? How do you want me to know the account

  days dragging away from you?

  - You cannot therefore live without me, Sténio?

  - I can't, or I have to go crazy. see

  as my cheeks have already widened, as my lips are are withered by the heat of fever, like my eyes and my eyelids have been ravaged by insomnia. Will you say again that my imagination alone is sick and don't you see that the soul can kill the body?

  - So I don't blame you, child. Your

  pallor touches me and embellishes you; and, just now, your resistance to my sister's seductions gave me pride.

  I understand how beautiful it is to be loved like this and I want to strive, Sténio, to find my happiness in you. Yes I am there decided, I will not search anymore. The only thing that can softening life is an affection like yours. I don't not deserve, but I gratefully accept it. Don't say more than Lélia is insensitive. I love you, Sténio, you know well. Only I was struggling against this feeling that I was afraid of misunderstanding and sharing badly. But you have told me many times that you would accept the love that I would grant you, were it below yours: I will not resist so more. I surrender to the goodness of God and the power of your heart. Here, I feel that I love you. Are you happy, are you happy, Sténio?

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  - Oh ! very happy! said Sténio distraught, falling to his feet and covering them with tears. Is it true that I never dream period? Is it Lélia who is speaking like this? My happiness is so great that i don't believe it yet.

  - Believe, Sténio, and hope. Maybe god will have mercy of you and me. Maybe it will rejuvenate my heart and

  will make it worthy of yours. God owes you this reward to you who are so pure and pious. Call on me a ray of his divine fire.

  - Oh ! do not speak thus, Lélia. Are you not a hundred times more taller than me in front of him? Didn't you like, didn't you suffered much longer than me? Oh ! be happy and finally rest in my arms of such a rough destiny. Do not don't tire of loving me, don't torment your poor heart, in the fear of not doing enough for me. Oh ! I'm telling you again, love me as you can. "

  Lélia passed its arm around the neck of Sténio; she laid down on her lips a long kiss of mother and lover; then she showed the sky that had just received with an ineffable smile their oath.

  Sténio remained drunk with love and joy at his feet; then a long silence followed this embrace.

  "Well, Sténio! said Lélia coming out of a long and sweet reverie, what do you have to say to me? Are you already less happy ?

  - Oh no, my angel! Answered Sténio.

  But his face said the opposite; his hands were shaking convulsively: a cloud had passed over his forehead.

  "Do you want us to go for a walk

  gondola in the bay? said Lélia, getting up.

  - What! already leave us? answered Sténio with sadness.

  "We will not leave each other," she said.

  - Hey! is it not leaving us to return among this crowd? We were so good here! Cruel! you have Page 192

  always need movement and distraction. Admit it,

  Lélia, boredom is already chasing you near me.

  - You lie, my love, answered Lélia while

  reseating.

  Its face was so beautiful and so radiant that Sténio took trust.

  " Well ! he said, kiss me again. "

  Lélia kissed her like the first time. But when she wanted to separate his lips from hers, Sténio made a groaned in pain and dropped to the carpet.

  " Oh my God ! what have you got said Lélia in lifting up and drawing his head to his lap.

  - I have a fever, he said, I feel bad.

  - So my love did you no good, child?

  How unhappy I am if I still afflict you!

  - Lélia, will you not have pity on me?

  - Have mercy on you! And what else can I do? I submitted you all the rebellious powers of my soul. I have recanted all my fantastic future plans to take refuge in your love.

  I have vowed you the purest and most exquisite feeling of my soul ... What do you still want?

  - What I want! what I want! ... You're cold, Lélia, oh! cold as marble! I'm bad, I'm burning, there is no air in my chest; these scents irritate my brain: remove these flowers, they kill me! "

  Sténio paled, Lélia looked at him with a dark air.

  "You pity me," she said almost

  contemptuous. It is not a soul that you want: it is a woman, right?

  - It is both, replied Sténio; because I don't am not God and my youth tortures me. You know, Lélia, that I would not want of a woman only. Goal you, who are God and soul, cannot you be a woman one

  day in my arms? How do you expect me to believe in Page 193

  your love if you don't deviate from any of your claims. O Lélia! don't you feel that this is the wish of the nature and that there must be untold pleasures in the fusion of two beings who love each other? Is it not in essence of man wanting to own everything he admires? When a beautiful flower hits your sight, don't you want it breathe, hide it in your breast, tear it from its stem, so may it be yours, yours alone? You are so beautiful, Lélia!…

  You don't want me to be happier than anyone who look at you and admire you? "

  The forehead of Lélia darkens more and more.

  "Always," she said finally with spite, "always the desire rough mixed with sublime outbursts of intelligence! Always the stained breath of man on the purest creations of the thought! So that's all you wanted from me? here what a miraculous and divine end your passion was proposing if poetic and so great? "

  Desperate Sténio threw his face against the cushions and bit the couch embroidery.

  "Oh! You will kill me, he said sobbing, you will kill me by your contempt!… ”

  It seemed to him that Lélia left and it raised the head with fright.

  He found himself in deep darkness and stood up for the look in the darkness. A wet hand took hers.

  "Come on! Said Lélia's softened voice! I pity of you, child: come to my heart, and forget your pain. "

  2

  When Sténio raised its weigh
tless head, songs of birds announced far in the countryside the

  approaches of the day. The horizon was whitening and the fresh morning air came in balmy puffs on the damp and pale forehead of the young man. His first movement was to kiss Lélia; Page 194

  but she had put on her mask and pushed him away gently, beckoning him to remain silent. Sténio se lifted with effort and, shattered with fatigue, emotion and pleasure, he approached the half-open window. The storm was fully dissipated, the heavy vapors which the sky was loaded a few hours before had rolled in

  long black bands and went away one by one pushed by the wind towards the grayish horizon. The sea broke with a slight noise its foaming and nonchalant blades on the sand of the shore and on the white marble steps of the villa. The orange trees and myrtles, agitated by the morning breath, leaned over the waves and shook their flowering branches in the bitter wave. The lights faded from the thousand windows of the Bambuccj palace and some masks barely wandered under the peristyle bordered by pale statues.

  "Oh, what a delicious hour! exclaimed Sténio, opening his nostrils and his chest with this invigorating air. O my Lélia! I am saved, I'm rejuvenated. I feel in myself a new man. I live a more suave and fuller life. Lélia, I want you thank on my knees: because I was dying and you wanted to heal and you let me know the delights of heaven.

  - Dear angel! said Lélia, wrapping her arms around him, you are you happy now?

  - I was the happiest of men, he said, but I want to still be. Take off your mask, Lélia. Why hide your face? Give me back your lips that intoxicated me: kiss me as earlier.

  - No, no: listen, said Lélia, listen to this music which seems to come out of the sea and approach the shore on the ridge moving waves. "

  Indeed, the sounds of an admirable orchestra rose over the waves and soon several gondolas, filled with musicians and masks, came out successively from a small shaped loop by the woods of orange trees and catalpas. They were sliding limply like beautiful swans on the calm waters of the bay and soon they would pass the terraces of the flag.