Never before had Odo so keenly felt the difference between theoreticalvisions of liberty and their practical application. His deepestheart-searchings showed him as sincerely devoted1 as ever to the causewhich had enlisted2 his youth. He still longed above all things to servehis fellows; but the conditions of such service were not what he haddreamed. How different a calling it had been in Saint Francis's day,when hearts inflamed3 with the new sense of brotherhood4 had but to setforth on their simple mission of almsgiving and admonition! To loveone's neighbour had become a much more complex business, one that taxedthe intelligence as much as the heart, and in the course of whichfeeling must be held in firm subjection to reason. He was discouraged byFulvia's inability to understand the change. Hers was the missionaryspirit; and he could not but reflect how much happier she would havebeen as a nun5 in a charitable order, a unit in some organised system ofbeneficence.
He too would have been happier to serve than to command! But it is notgiven to the lovers of the Lady Poverty to choose their special rank inher household. Don Gervaso's words came back to him with deepeningsignificance, and he thought how truly the old chaplain's prayer hadbeen fulfilled. Honour and power had come to him, and they had abasedhim to the dust. The "Humilitas" of his fathers, woven, carved andpainted on every side, pursued him with an ironical6 reminder7 of hisimpotence.
Fulvia had not been mistaken in attributing his depression of spirit tode Crucis's visit. It was the first time that de Crucis had returned toPianura since the new Duke's accession. Odo had welcomed him eagerly,had again pressed him to remain; but de Crucis was on his way toGermany, bound on some business which could not be deferred8. Odo, awareof the renewed activity of the Jesuits, supposed that this business wasconnected with the flight of the French refugees, many of whom were goneto Coblentz; but on this point the abate9 was silent. Of the state ofaffairs in France he spoke10 openly and despondently11. The immoderate hastewith which the reforms had been granted filled him with fears for thefuture. Odo knew that Crescenti shared these fears, and the judgment12 ofthese two men, with whom he differed on fundamental principles, weighedwith him far more than the opinions of the party he was supposed torepresent. But he was in the case of many greater sovereigns of his day.
He had set free the waters of reform, and the frail13 bark of hisauthority had been torn from its moorings and swept headlong into thecentral current.
The next morning, to his surprise, the Duchess sent one of her gentlemento ask an audience. Odo at once replied that he would wait on herHighness; and a few moments later he was ushered14 into his wife's closet.
She had just left her toilet, and was still in the morning negligee wornduring that prolonged and public ceremonial. Freshly perfumed andpowdered, her eyes bright, her lips set in a nervous smile, shecuriously recalled the arrogant15 child who had snatched her spaniel awayfrom him years ago in that same room. And was she not that child, afterall? Had she ever grown beyond the imperious instincts of her youth? Itseemed to him now that he had judged her harshly in the first months oftheir marriage. He had felt a momentary16 impatience17 when he had tried toforce her roving impulses into the line of his own endeavour: it waseasier to view her leniently18 now that she had almost passed out of hislife.
He wondered why she had sent for him. Some dispute with her household,doubtless; a quarrel with a servant, even--or perhaps some sordiddifficulty with her creditors19. But she began in a new key.
"Your Highness," she said, "is not given to taking my advice."Odo looked at her in surprise. "The opportunity is not often accordedme," he replied with a smile.
Maria Clementina made an impatient gesture; then her face softened20.
Contradictory emotions flitted over it like the reflections cast by ahurrying sky. She came close to him and then drew away and seatedherself in the high-backed chair where she had throned when he first sawher. Suddenly she blushed and began to speak.
"Once," she said in a low, almost inaudible voice, "I was able to giveyour Highness warning of an impending21 danger--" She paused and her eyesrested full on Odo.
He felt his colour rise as he returned her gaze. It was her firstallusion to the past. He had supposed she had forgotten. For a moment heremained awkwardly silent.
"Do you remember?" she asked.
"I remember.""The danger was a grave one. Your Highness may recall that but for mywarning you would not have been advised of it.""I remember," he said again.
She paused a moment. "The danger," she repeated, "was a grave one; butit threatened only your Highness's person. Your Highness listened to methen; will you listen again if I advise you of a greater--a perilthreatening not only your person but your throne?"Odo smiled. He could guess now what was coming. She had been drilled toact as the mouthpiece of the opposition23. He composed his features andsaid quietly: "These are grave words, madam. I know of no suchperil--but I am always ready to listen to your Highness."His smile had betrayed him, and a quick flame of anger passed over herface.
"Why should you listen to me, since you never heed24 what I say?""Your Highness has just reminded me that I did so once--""Once!" she repeated bitterly. "You were younger then--and so was I!"She glanced at herself in the mirror with a dissatisfied laugh.
Something in her look and movement touched the springs of compassion25.
"Try me again," he said gently. "If I am older, perhaps I am also wiser,and therefore even more willing to be guided--we all knew that." Shebroke off, as though she felt her mistake and wished to make a freshbeginning. Again her face was full of fluctuating meaning; and he saw,beneath its shallow surface, the eddy26 of incoherent impulses. When shespoke, it was with a noble gravity.
"Your Highness," she said, "does not take me into your counsels; but itis no secret at court and in the town that you have in contemplation agrave political measure.""I have made no secret of it," he replied.
"No--or I should be the last to know it!" she exclaimed, with one of hersudden lapses27 into petulance28.
Odo made no reply. Her futility29 was beginning to weary him. She saw itand again attempted an impersonal30 dignity of manner.
"It has been your Highness's choice," she said, "to exclude me frompublic affairs. Perhaps I was not fitted by education or intelligence toshare in the cares of government. Your Highness will at least bearwitness that I have scrupulously31 respected your decision, and have neverattempted to intrude32 upon your counsels."Odo bowed. It would have been useless to remind her that he had soughther help and failed to obtain it.
"I have accepted my position," she continued. "I have led the life towhich it has pleased your Highness to restrict me. But I have not beenable to detach my heart as well as my thoughts from your Highness'sinterests. I have not learned to be indifferent to your danger."Odo looked up quickly. She ceased to interest him when she spoke by thebook, and he was impatient to make an end.
"You spoke of danger before," he said. "What danger?""That of forcing on your subjects liberties which they do not desire!""Ah," said he thoughtfully. That was all, then. What a poor tool shemade! He marvelled33 that, in all these years, Trescorre's skilful34 handsshould not have fashioned her to better purpose.
"Your Highness," he said, "has reminded me that since our marriage youhad lived withdrawn35 from public affairs. I will not pause to dispute bywhose choice this has been; I will in turn merely remind your Highnessthat such a life does not afford much opportunity of gauging36 publicopinion."In spite of himself a note of sarcasm37 had again crept into his voice;but to his surprise she did not seem to resent it.
"Ah," she exclaimed, with more feeling than she had hitherto shown, "youfancy that, because I am kept in ignorance of what you think, I amignorant also of what others think of you! Believe me," she said, with aflash of insight that startled him, "I know more of you than if we stoodcloser. But you mistake my purpose. I have not sent for you to force mycounsels on you. I have no desire to appear ridiculous. I do not ask youto hear what _I_ think of your course, but what others think of it.""What others?"The question did not disconcert her. "Your subjects," she said quickly.
"My subjects are of many classes.""All are of one class in resenting this charter. I am told you intend toproclaim it within a few days. I entreat38 you at least to delay, toreconsider your course. Oh, believe me when I say you are in danger! Ofwhat use to offer a crown to our Lady, when you have it in your heart toslight her servants? But I will not speak of the clergy39, since youdespise them--nor of the nobles, since you ignore their claims. I willspeak only of the people--the people, in whose interest you profess40 toact. Believe me, in striking at the Church you wound the poor. It is nottheir bodily welfare I mean--though Heaven knows how many sources ofbounty must now run dry! It is their faith you insult. First you turnthem against their masters, then against their God. They may acclaim41 youfor it now--but I tell you they will hate you for it in the end!"She paused, flushed with the vehemence42 of her argument, and eager topress it farther. But her last words had touched an unexpected fibre inOdo. He looked at her with his unseeing visionary gaze.
"The end?" he murmured. "Who knows what the end will be?""Do you still need to be told?" she exclaimed. "Must you always come tome to learn that you are in danger?""If the state is in danger the danger must be faced. The state existsfor the people; if they do not need it, it has ceased to serve itspurpose."She clasped her hands in an ecstasy43 of wonder. "Oh, fool, madman--but itis not of the state I speak! It is you who are indanger--you--you--you--"He raised his head with an impatient gesture.
"I?" he said. "I had thought you meant a graver peril22."She looked at him in silence. Her pride met his and thrilled with it;and for a moment the two were one.
"Odo!" she cried. She sank into a chair, and he went to her and took herhand.
"Such fears are worthy44 neither of us," he said gravely.
"I am not ashamed of them," she said. Her hand clung to him and shelifted her eyes to his face. "You will listen to me?" she whispered in aglow45.
He drew back chilled. If only she had kept the feminine in abeyance46! Butsex was her only weapon.
"I have listened," he said quietly. "And I thank you.""But you will not be counselled?""In the last issue one must be one's own counsellor."Her face flamed. "If you were but that!" she tossed back at him.
The taunt47 struck him full. He knew that he should have let it lie; buthe caught it up in spite of himself.
"Madam!" he said.
"I should have appealed to our sovereign, not to her servant!" shecried, dashing into the breach48 she had made.
He stood motionless, stunned49 almost. For what she had said was true. Hewas no longer the sovereign: the rule had passed out of his hands.
His silence frightened her. With an instinctive50 jealousy51 she saw thather words had started a train of thought in which she had no part. Shefelt herself ignored, abandoned; and all her passions rushed to thedefence of her wounded vanity.
"Oh, believe me," she cried, "I speak as your Duchess, not as your wife.
That is a name in which I should never dream of appealing to you. I haveever stood apart from your private pleasures, as became a woman of myhouse." She faced him with a flash of the Austrian insolence52. "But whenI see the state drifting to ruin as the result of your caprice, when Isee your own life endangered, your people turned against you, religionopenly insulted, law and authority made the plaything ofthis--this--false atheistical53 creature, that has robbed me--robbed me ofall--" She broke off helplessly and hid her face with a sob54.
Odo stood speechless, spell-bound. He could not mistake what hadhappened. The woman had surged to the surface at last--the real woman,passionate, self-centred, undisciplined, but so piteous, after all, inthis sudden subjection to the one tenderness that survived in her. Sheloved him and was jealous of her rival. That was the instinct which hadswept all others aside. At that moment she cared nothing for her safetyor his. The state might perish if they but fell together. It was thedistance between them that maddened her.
The tragic55 simplicity56 of the revelation left Odo silent. For a fantasticmoment he yielded to the vision of what that waste power might haveaccomplished. Life seemed to him a confusion of roving force that metonly to crash in ruins.
His silence drew her to her feet. She repossessed herself, throbbing57 butvaliant.
"My fears for your Highness's safety have led my speech astray. I havegiven your Highness the warning it was my duty to give. Beyond that Ihad no thought of trespassing58."And still Odo was silent. A dozen answers struggled to his lips; butthey were checked by the stealing sense of duality that so oftenparalysed his action. He had recovered his lucidity59 of vision, and hisimpulses faded before it like mist. He saw life again as it was, anincomplete and shabby business, a patchwork60 of torn and ravelled effort.
Everywhere the shears61 of Atropos were busy, and never could the cutthreads be joined again.
He took his wife's hand and bent62 over it ceremoniously. It lay in hislike a stone.
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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nun
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| n.修女，尼姑 | |
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ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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deferred
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| adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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abate
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| vi.(风势，疼痛等)减弱，减轻，减退 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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despondently
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| adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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leniently
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| 温和地，仁慈地 | |
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creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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lapses
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| n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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petulance
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| n.发脾气，生气，易怒，暴躁，性急 | |
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futility
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| n.无用 | |
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impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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gauging
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| n.测量[试]，测定，计量v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的现在分词 )；估计；计量；划分 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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acclaim
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| v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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abeyance
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| n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定 | |
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taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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48
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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49
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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50
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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51
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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52
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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53
atheistical
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| adj.无神论（者）的 | |
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54
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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56
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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57
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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58
trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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59
lucidity
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| n.明朗，清晰，透明 | |
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patchwork
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| n.混杂物；拼缝物 | |
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61
shears
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| n.大剪刀 | |
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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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