VI
Madame de Montevesso paused, looking at the white ashes in which the sparks had not died out yet. “Yes,” she went on, “I lived near Paris through the whole time of the Empire. I had a charming house in the country. Monsieur de Montevesso had established me in a style which he considered worthy of himself if not of me. He could never forgive me for being what I am. He was tolerated by the returned emigration for my sake, but he grew weary of his own unhappiness and resolved to live by himself in his own province where he could be a great personage. Perhaps he is not altogether a bad man. He consented eagerly to my parents, who had obtained permission to return to France, joining me in the country. I tasted again some happiness in the peace of our semi-retired life and in their affection. Our world was that of old society, the world of returned nobles. They hated and despised the imperial power, but most of them were ready to cringe before it. Yes, even the best were overawed by the real might under the tinsel of that greatness. Our circle was very small and composed of convinced royalists, but I could not share their hatreds and their contempts. I felt myself a Frenchwoman. I had liberal ideas. . . .”
She noticed Cosmo’s eyes fixed on her with eager and friendly curiosity, and paused with a faint smile.
“You understand me, Cosmo?” she asked. The latter gave a little nod without detaching his eyes from the face which seemed to him to glow with the light of generous feelings, but already Madame de Montevesso was going on.
“I did not want to be patronized by all those returned duchesses who wanted to teach me how to feel and how to behave. Their own behaviour was a mixture of insolence’and self-seeking before that government which they feared and despised. I didn’t fear it but neither could I despise it. My heart was heavy during all those years but it was not downcast. All Europe was aflame and the blaze scorched and dazzled and filled one with awe and with forebodings; but then one always heard that fire purifies all which it cannot destroy. The world would perhaps come out better from it.”
“Well, it’s all over,” said Cosmo, “and what has it done? The smoke hangs about yet and I cannot see, but how do you feel?”
Madame de Montevesso, leaning on her elbow on the mantelpiece, with one foot on the fender, looked down at the ashes in which a spark gleamed here and there.
“I feel a little cold,” she said, “and dazed perhaps. One doesn’t know where to look.”
Cosmo got up and made a step forward. His voice, however, was subdued. “Formerly there was a man.”
“A man, yes. One couldn’t help looking towards him. There was something unnatural in that uniqueness, but do you know, Cosmo, the man was nothing. You smile, you think you hear a royalist speaking, a woman full of silly aristocratic prejudice; a woman who sees only a small Corsican squire who hadn’t even the sense to catch the opportunity by the hair as it flew by and be the restorer of the Bourbon dynasty. You imagine all that of me! ... Of me!”
She kept her pose, desolate, as if looking down at the ashes of a burnt-up world.
“I don’t think you could be stupid if you tried,” he said. “But if the man was nothing, then what has done it?”
Madame de Montevesso remained silent for a while before murmuring the word “Destiny,” and only then turned her head slightly towards Cosmo. “What are you staring at in that corner? “ she asked, after another period of silence.
“Was I staring?” he said with a little start. “I didn’t know. Your words evoked a draped figure with an averted head.”
“Then it wasn’t that,” she said, looking at him with friendly eyes. “ Whatever your fancy might have seen it was not Destiny. One must live a very long time to see even the hem of her robe. Live a very, very long time,” she repeated in a tone of such weariness, tinged by fear, that Cosmo felt impelled to step forward, take up the hand that hung by her side, and press it to his lips. When released, it fell slowly to its previous position. But Madame de Montevesso did not move.
“ That’s very nice,” she said. “ It was a movement of sympathy. I have had very little of that in my life. There is something in me that does not appeal to the people with whom I live. My father, of course, loves me; but that is not quite the same thing. Your father, I believe, sympathized with the child and I am touched to see that the son seems to understand something of the woman; of an almost old woman.”
Cosmo would have been amused at the tone of unaffected conviction in which she called herself an old woman had it not been for the profound trouble on that young face bent downwards, and at the melancholy grace of the whole attitude of that woman who had once been the child Adele; a foreign, homeless child, sheltered for a moment by the old walls of his ancestral home, and the sharer of its hfe’s stately intimacies.
“No,” he said, marvelling that so much bitter experience should have been the lot of such a resplendent figure. “No. Destiny works quickly enough. We are both still young, and yet think of what we have already seen.”
He fancied she had shuddered a little. He felt ashamed at the thought of what she had lived through, how she had been affected in her daily life by what to him had been only a spectacle after all, though his country had played its part, the impressive part of a rock upraising its head above the flood. But he continued: “Why, the Man of Destiny himself is young yet. You must have seen him many times.”
“No. Once or twice a year I went to the Tuileries in the company of some reconciled royalist ladies and very much against my wish. It was expected from Madame de Montevesso and I always came away thankful to think that it was over for a time. You could hardly imagine how dull that Empire time was. All hopes were crushed. It was like a dreadful overdressed masquerade with the everlasting sound of the guns in the distance. Every year I spent a month with my husband to save appearances. That was in the bond. He used then to invite all the provincial grandees for a series of dinners. But even in the provinces one felt the sinister moral constraint of that imperial glory. No doubt all my movements were noticed and recorded by the proper people. Naturally I saw the Emperor several times. I saw him also in theatres, in his carriage driving about, but he spoke to me only once.”
“Only once!” exclaimed Cosmo under his breath.
“You may imagine I tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible, and I did not belong to the Court. It was on the occasion of a ball given to the Princess of Baden. There was an enormous crowd. Early in the evening I found myself standing in the front row in the Gaierie de Diane between two women who were perfect strangers to me. By and by the Court came in, the Empress, the Princess, the Chamberlains in full dress, and took their place on a platform at the end. In the intervals of dancing the Emperor came down alone, speaking only to the women. He wore his imperial dress of red velvet, laced in all the seams, with white satin breeches, with diamonds on the hilt of his sword and the buckles of his shoes and on his cap with white plumes. It was a well-designed costume but with his short thick figure and the clumsiness of his movements he looked to me frightful and like a mock king. When he came opposite me he stopped. I am certain he knew who I was, but he asked me my name. I told him.
“‘Your husband lives in his province?’
“‘Yes, sire.’
“‘Your husband employs much labour, I hear. I am grateful to him for giving work to the people. This is the proper use of wealth. Hasn’t he served in the English army in India?’
“His tone was friendly. I said I didn’t know that-but I did know that he had fought against them there.
“He smiled in a fascinating manner and said, ‘That’s very possible. A soldier of fortune. He is a native of Piedmont, is he not?’
“‘Yes, sire.’
“‘But you are French, entirely French. We have a claim on you. How old are you?’
“I told him. He said, ‘You look younger.’ Then he came nearer to me and, speaking in a confidential tone, said, ‘You have no children. I know. I know. It isn’t your fault, but you should try to make some other arrangement. Believe m
e, I am giving you good advice.’
“I was dumb with astonishment. He gave me again a very gracious smile and went on. That is the only conversation I ever had with the Emperor.”
She fell silent with downcast eyes, then she added: “It was very characteristic of him.” Cosmo was mainly struck by the fact that he knew so little of her, that this was the first intimation he had of the Monte-vessos being childless. He had never asked himself the question before, but this positive if indirect statement was agreeable to him.
“I did not make any other arrangements,” began Madame de Montevesso with a slightly ironic intonation. “I was only too thankful to be left alone. At the time the Russian campaign began I paid my annual visit to Monsieur de Montevesso. Except for the usual entertainments to local people I was alone with Count Helion, and as usual when we were quite alone he behaved in a tolerable way. There was nobody and nothing that could arouse his jealousy and the dormant hatred he nurses for me deep down in his heart. We had only the slight discussion, at the end of which he admitted, gnashing his teeth, that he had nothing to reproach me with except that I was what I was. I told him I could not help it and that as things were he ought rather to congratulate himself on that fact. He gave me only a black look. He can restrain himself wonderfully when he likes. Upon the whole I had a quiet time. I played and sang to myself, I read a little, I took long walks, I rode almost every day, attended by Bernard. That wasn’t so agreeable. You remember Bernard?”
Cosmo nodded.
“For years he had been a very devoted and faithful servant to us but I suppose he, too, like so many of his betters, fell under the spell of Monsieur de Mon- tevesso’s wealth. When my parents rejoined me in France he had his wish at last and married Aglae, my mulatto maid. He was quite infatuated with her and now he makes her terribly wretched. She is really devoted to me, and there cannot be any doubt that Bernard has been bribed by my husband to play the part of a spy. It seems incredible but I have had it from the Count in so many words. Bernard let himself be corrupted years ago, when M. de Montevesso first sent me back to my parents in a rage and next day was nearly out of his mind with agony at having done so. Yes, it dates as far back as that. That man so faithful to us in our misfortunes allowed himself to be bought with the greatest ease. Everybody, from the highest to the lowest, was in a conspiracy against a poor girl whose only sin was her perfect frankness. W^en Bernard came over to France with my parents I was already aware of this, but Aglae wanted to marry him and so I said nothing. She probably would not have believed me then.”
“And could you bear that wretch near you all those years?” exclaimed Cosmo, full of indignation. She smiled sadly. She had borne the disclosure and had kept the secret of greater infamies. She had all her illusions about rectitude destroyed so early that it did not matter to her now what she knew of the people about her.
“Oh, Cosmo,” she exclaimed suddenly, “I am a hardened woman now, but I assure you that sometimes when I remember the girl of sixteen I was, without an evil thought in her head and in her ignorance surrounded by the basest slanderers and intrigues, tears come into my eyes. And since the baseness of selfish passions I have seen seething round the detestable glory of that man in Elba, it seems to me that there is nowhere any honesty on earth — nowhere!” The energy of that outburst, contrasted with the immobility of the pose, gave to Cosmo the sensation of a chill.
“I will not mention us two,” said Cosmo, “herein this room. But I know of at least two honest men on earth. They are your father and mine. Why didn’t you write to Father, Adele?”
“ I tell you I was a child. What could I write to him? Hasn’t he retired out of the world for so many years only not to see and not to hear? That’s one of your honest men. And as to my poor father, who is the soul of honour, such is the effect of long misfortune on the best characters and of temptations associated with his restored rank, that there have been moments when I watched his conduct with dread. Caste prejudices are an awful thing, but thank God he had never a thought of vengeance in his mind. He is not a courtier.”
“I have heard about it,” interrupted Cosmo, “from the Marquis himself. He is a dear old man.”
The two by the mantelpiece exchanged dim smiles.
“I had to come here with him,” said Adele. “He cannot do without me. I too was glad to get away from the evil passions and the hopeless stupidities of all the people that had come back without a single patriotic feeling, without a single new idea in their heads, like merciless spectres out of a grave, hating the world to which they had returned. They had forgotten nothing and learned nothing.”
“I have seen something of that myself,” murmured Cosmo. “ But the world can’t be put back where it was before you and I were born.”
“No! But to see them trying to do it was intolerable. Then my husband appeared on the scene, hired this Palazzo, and insisted on us all living here. It was impossible to raise a rational objection to that. Father was never aware of half I went through in my life. 1 learned early to suppress every expression of feeling. But in the main we understand each other without talking. When he received Count Helion’s letter offering us this house he just looked at me and said, 41 suppose we must.’ For my part, I go through life without raising any objections to anything. One has to preserve one’s dignity in some way; and is there another way open to me? Yes, I have made up my mind; but I must tell you, Cosmo, that notwithstanding that amazing tour we made ten years ago amongst M. de Montevesso’s problematic relations, those two sisters and that niece have been a perfect novelty to me. I only hope I never betrayed my surprise or any feeling at all about it.” The Countess raised her eyes to Cosmo’s face. “I have spoken of it to you as I have never spoken to anybody in my life, because of old memories which are so much to me and because I could not mistrust anybody of your name. Have you been wearied by this long tale?”
“No,” said Cosmo. “But have you thought how it is going to end?”
“To end?” she said in a startled tone which affected Cosmo profoundly. “To end? WTiat do you mean? Everything is ended already.”
“I was thinking of your endurance,” said Cosmo.
“Do I look worn out?” she asked.
Cosmo raised his head and looked at her steadily. The impression of her grace and her strength filled his breast with an admiring and almost oppressive emotion. He could find nothing to say, not knowing what was uppermost in his mind, pity or admiration, mingled with a vague anger.
“Well, what do you see in my face?”
“I never have seen such serenity on any face,” said Cosmo. “How sure of itself your soul must be!”
Her colour became heightened for a moment, her eyes darkened as she said in a grateful tone, “You are right, Cosmo. My face is not a mask.”
But he hardly heard her. He was lost in wonder at the sudden disorder of his thoughts. When he regained his mental composure he noticed that Madame de Montevesso seemed to be listening.
“I wonder whether the Count is still with my father,” she said. “Ring that bell on the table at your hand* Cosmo.”
Cosmo did so and they waited, looking at each other. Presently the door swung open, and at the same time the cartel above it began to strike the hour. Cosmo counted eleven and then Madame de Montevesso spoke to Bernard, who waited in silence.
“Is M. le Comte still with my father?”
“I haven’t seen him come out yet, Madame la Comtesse.”
“Tell your wife not to wait for me, Bernard.”
“Yes, Madame la Comtesse.” Bernard backed out respectfully through the door.
“How fat he is, and what sleek hair,” marvelled Cosmo. “And what a solemn manner. No wonder I did not recognize him at once. He showed me into your father’s room, you know. He looks a Special Envoy’s confidential man all over. And to think that he is your household spy! I wonder at your patience.”
“Perhaps if I had anything to conceal I would have had less patience with the spy,�
� she said, equably. “I believe that when we lived in Paris he wrote every week to M. de Montevesso, because, you know, he can write quite well. I wonder what he found to write about.
Lists of names, I suppose. Or perhaps his own views of the people who called with bits of overheard con’ versations.”
“ It’s incredible,” murmured Cosmo. “ It’s fantastic. What contempt he must have for your husband.”
“The most remarkable thing,” said Madame de Montevesso, “is that I am convinced that he doesn’t write any lies.”
“Yes,” said Cosmo, “I assume that. And do you mean that the Count is paying him every week for that sort of thing. It’s an ugly farce.”
“Don’t you think,” said the Countess, “that something serious may come of it some day? “ Cosmo made a hopeless gesture.
“The man you married is mad,” he said with intense conviction.
“There have been times when I felt as if I were mad myself,” murmured Madame de Montevesso. “Take up your hat,” she added quickly.
Complete Works of Joseph Conrad (Illustrated) Page 503