Bonaparte paused as if smitten1 with admiration2. Madame de Beauharnais, at the time of which we are writing, was, as we have said, about twenty-seven years of age, of indisputable beauty, with a charming grace of manner, exhaling3 from her whole person that subtle fascination4 which resembles the perfume which Venus gave to her chosen ones to inspire love.
Her hair and eyes were black, her nose was straight, her mouth a smiling curve; the oval outline of her face was irreproachable5. Her neck was set gracefully6 upon her shoulders, her figure was flexible and undulating, her arm was perfectly7 shaped, and her hand beautiful beyond comparison.
Nothing could have been more attractive than her Creole accent, of which she had retained only sufficient trace to betray her tropical birth.
As her maiden8 name indicated, Madame de Beauharnais belonged to a noble family. Born at Martinique, her education, like that of all Creoles, was left entirely9 to herself; but rare qualities of mind and heart had made of Mademoiselle Tascher de la Pagerie one of the most cultivated women of any age. Her kind heart had taught her early in life that, although they had wool on their heads, the negroes were more to be pitied than other men, since, through the power and cupidity10 of the whites, they had been torn from their own country and transferred to a land where they suffered constantly, and not infrequently were killed by cruelty.
[Pg 346]
The thing that attracted her attention was the plight11 of these unhappy men. All their family ties were sundered12, but brothers in toil13 they stood with bent14 backs, toiling15 beneath the rays of the sun, delving16 in a soil which their blood and their sweat fertilized17, but not for themselves.
She asked herself in her youthful intelligence, why these men had been placed beyond the pale of the law? Why they should vegetate18, naked, without shelter, without property, honor, liberty? and she herself found the answer—that all this was to enrich avaricious19 masters, who, from infancy20, condemned21 this race to a life of hopeless and unending torture. And young Josephine's pity had influenced her parents, at least, to make an earthly paradise for the slaves.
They were still white and black; but almost to the extent of being free, these blacks shared in all the advantages and some of the pleasures of life. And, while nowhere in the island were the negroes sure of marrying the women of their choice, marriages for love rewarded with affectionate and faithful service more surely their young mistress Josephine than was the case with any of the other slave owners.
She was about thirteen years old when a young officer of great merit and noble birth arrived at Martinique, and became acquainted with her at her Aunt Renaudin's house.
This was the Vicomte de Beauharnais.
The one possessed22 in his person everything calculated to please. She possessed in heart everything destined23 to inspire love. They loved each other therefore with all the ardor24 of two young people who have the delight of realizing their dreams of kindred souls.
"I have chosen you," said Alexandre, pressing her hand tenderly.
"And I have found you," replied Josephine, holding up her forehead to him to kiss.
Her Aunt Renaudin felt that it would be opposing the decrees of Providence25 to forbid the loves of the two young people. Their relatives were all in France. Their consent was necessary in order to consummate26 this marriage to which[Pg 347] Aunt Renaudin saw no obstacle. Obstacles were raised, however, by Messieurs de Beauharnais, the father and uncle of the young man. In an access of fraternal affection they had once promised each other that their children should marry each other. He whom the young Creole already regarded as her husband was therefore the destined spouse27 of another, and that other his cousin.
Alexandre's father yielded first. When he saw the despair into which his refusal had plunged28 the young people, he himself agreed to go to his brother and tell him of the change which threatened to upset their plans. But the latter was less kindly29 in disposition30, and informed his brother that while he might be willing to break his word, a thing unworthy of a gentleman, he, the brother, would not acquiesce32 in any such arrangement.
The vicomte's father came away in despair at having quarreled with his brother, but he not only renewed his promise to consent, he actually did consent.
It was then that the young Josephine, who was later to give the world an example of such heroic self-sacrifice and absolute devotion, sounded the prelude33 as it were to the great divorce scene. She insisted that the vicomte should sacrifice his passion for her to the tranquillity34 and welfare of his family.
She informed the vicomte that she wished to have an interview with his uncle, and accompanied him to M. de Beauharnais's house. She bade him enter a smaller room, adjacent to the one where M. de Beauharnais, marvelling35 at her visit, had consented to receive her. M. de Beauharnais rose, for he was a gentleman and was receiving a lady.
"Sir," said she, "you do not, and you cannot love me; but what do you know of me that you should hate me? Whence comes this hatred36 which you have declared for me, and what justifies37 it? Certainly not my affection for the Vicomte de Beauharnais, for that is pure and legitimate38, and is returned by him. When we first revealed our love to each other we were ignorant that social obligations[Pg 348] and family interest, of which I knew nothing, could make that confession39 of love a crime. Well, Monsieur de Beauharnais, all our faults, and above all mine, hinge upon this marriage which was planned by my aunt and agreed to by M. de Beauharnais. Alexandre and I, more considerate of your wishes than of our own happiness, have the terrible courage to sacrifice that happiness to you. If he and I renounce40 this marriage, which prevents the one you have at heart, will you still think your nephew unworthy of your friendship and deem me deserving of your scorn?"
The Marquis de Beauharnais, amazed at what he had heard, studied Mademoiselle Tascher de la Pagerie for some time in silence; but not being able to credit the sincerity41 of her remarks, he retorted, concealing42 with a veneer43 of politeness the insulting nature of his remarks:
"Mademoiselle, I have heard of the beauty, the wit, and the noble sentiments of Mademoiselle Tascher de la Pagerie, always in terms of the highest praise; but this union which I feared, and in which my nephew is so well justified44, or at least excusable, I find all the more blameworthy, because it is so invincible—because a rival, far from overcoming its influence, only tended to increase it, and because it was very difficult to foresee that it had the power to check its own progress. This, mademoiselle, is the spectacle which you present to-day—a spectacle so singular that, permit me to say, in order not to suspect you of the most adroit45 egotism and the most profound and well-acted dissimulation46, I must have recourse to a third supposition, which you will perhaps resent just because it is a natural one."
"What is that supposition, sir?" asked Mademoiselle de la Pagerie.
"That you have either ceased to love my nephew or that he no longer loves you."
The vicomte, who had been listening with mingled47 grief and astonishment48, opened the door and rushed into the room.
"You are mistaken, sir," he said; "she still loves me and I love her more than ever. But as she is an angel, she is[Pg 349] sacrificing herself and me to our families; but by misunderstanding and calumniating49 her you have proved that you are not worthy31 of the sacrifice she was willing to make. Come, Josephine, come. All that I can do, and it is my last concession50, is to leave the matter to my father to decide. What he determines upon we will do."
They returned to the house, where Mademoiselle de la Pagerie related to Monsieur de Beauharnais all that had just occurred, asking for his final decision, and promising51, on her own behalf and that of his son, to abide52 by it.
But the count, with tears in his eyes, took the hands of the two young people and said:
"Never were you more worthy of one another than when you renounced53 your hopes of mutual54 happiness. You ask my final decision. It is that you shall marry, and it is my earnest wish that you may be happy."
A week later Mademoiselle de la Pagerie became the Vicomtesse de Beauharnais.
Nothing happened to disturb the happiness of the young people until the Revolution began. The Vicomte de Beauharnais ranged himself among those who favored its adoption55; only he made the mistake of thinking that the avalanche56 could be directed as it rushed on, carrying all before it. He was swept in its wake to the scaffold.
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1
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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exhaling
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的现在分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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irreproachable
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| adj.不可指责的，无过失的 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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7
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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8
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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9
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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10
cupidity
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| n.贪心，贪财 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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12
sundered
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| v.隔开，分开( sunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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15
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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16
delving
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| v.深入探究，钻研( delve的现在分词 ) | |
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17
Fertilized
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| v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
vegetate
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| v.无所事事地过活 | |
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19
avaricious
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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22
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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24
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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28
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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29
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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30
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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31
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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32
acquiesce
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| vi.默许，顺从，同意 | |
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prelude
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| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
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34
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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35
marvelling
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 ) | |
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36
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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37
justifies
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| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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38
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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39
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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40
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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41
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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42
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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43
veneer
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| n.(墙上的)饰面，虚饰 | |
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44
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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45
adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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46
dissimulation
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| n.掩饰，虚伪，装糊涂 | |
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47
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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48
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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49
calumniating
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| v.诽谤，中伤( calumniate的现在分词 ) | |
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50
concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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51
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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52
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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53
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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54
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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55
adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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56
avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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