登陆注册
34541700000112

第112章 THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL RELATIONS AND POSITION(1)

In accordance with the advice of the Abbe Brossette the Duchesse de Grandlieu asked the Marquis d'Ajuda to bring her that king of political cut-throats, the celebrated Comte Maxime de Trailles, archduke of Bohemia, the youngest of young men, though he was now fully fifty years of age. Monsieur d'Ajuda arranged to dine with Maxime at the club in the rue de Beuane, and proposed to him after dinner to go and play dummy whist with the Duc de Grandlieu, who had an attack of gout and was all alone.

Though the son-in-law of the duke and the cousin of the duchess had every right to present him in a salon where he had never yet set foot, Maxime de Trailles did not deceive himself as to the meaning of an invitation thus given. He felt certain that the duke or the duchess had some need of him. Club life where men play cards with other men whom they do not receive in their own houses is by no means one of the most trifling signs of the present age.

The Duc de Grandlieu did Maxime the honor of appearing to suffer from his gout. After several games of whist he went to bed, leaving his wife /tete-a-tete/ with Maxime and d'Ajuda. The duchess, seconded by the marquis, communicated her project to Monsieur de Trailles, and asked his assistance, while ostensibly asking only for his advice.

Maxime listened to the end without committing himself, and waited till the duchess should ask point-blank for his co-operation before replying.

"Madame, I fully understand you," he then said, casting on her and the marquis one of those shrewd, penetrating, astute, comprehensive glances by which such great scamps compromise their interlocutors.

"D'Ajuda will tell you that if any one in Paris can conduct that difficult negotiation, it is I,--of course without mixing you up in it; without its being even known that I have come here this evening.

Only, before anything is done, we must settle preliminaries. How much are you willing to sacrifice?""All that is necessary."

"Very well, then, Madame la duchesse. As the price of my efforts you must do me the honor to receive in your house and seriously protect Madame la Comtesse de Trailles.""What! are you married?" cried d'Ajuda.

"I shall be married within a fortnight to the heiress of a rich but extremely bourgeois family,--a sacrifice to opinion! I imbibe the very spirit of my government, and start upon a new career. Consequently, Madame la duchesse will understand how important it is to me to have my wife adopted by her and by her family. I am certain of being made deputy by the resignation of my father-in-law, and I am promised a diplomatic post in keeping with my new fortune. I do not see why my wife should not be as well received as Madame de Portenduere in that society of young women which includes Mesdames de la Bastie, Georges de Maufrigneuse, de L'Estorade, du Guenic, d'Ajuda, de Restaud, de Rastignac, de Vandenesse. My wife is pretty, and I will undertake to /un-cotton-night-cap/ her. Will this suit you, Madame la duchesse? You are religious, and if you say yes, your promise, which I know to be sacred, will greatly aid in my change of life. It will be one more good action to your account. Alas! I have long been the king of /mauvais sujets/, and I want to make an end of it. After all, we bear, azure, a wivern or, darting fire, ongle gules, and scaled vert, a chief ermine, from the time of Francois I., who thought proper to ennoble the valet of Louis XI., and we have been counts since Catherine de' Medici.""I will receive and protect your wife," said the duchess, solemnly, "and my family will not turn its back upon her; I give you my word.""Ah! Madame la duchesse," cried Maxime, visibly touched, "if Monsieur le duc would also deign to treat me with some kindness, I promise you to make your plan succeed without its costing you very much. But," he continued after a pause, "you must take upon yourself to follow my instructions. This is the last intrigue of my bachelor life; it must be all the better managed because it concerns a good action," he added, smiling.

"Follow your instructions!" said the duchess. "Then I must appear in all this.""Ah! madame, I will not compromise you," cried Maxime. "I esteem you too much to demand guarantees. I merely mean that you must follow my advice. For example, it will be necessary that du Guenic be taken away by his wife for at least two years; she must show him Switzerland, Italy, Germany,--in short, all possible countries.""Ah! you confirm a fear of my director," said the duchess, *****ly, remembering the judicious objection of the Abbe Brossette.

Maxime and d'Ajuda could not refrain from smiling at the idea of this agreement between heaven and hell.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 瑶知睿清寒

    瑶知睿清寒

    你以为这是关于什么的故事?爱情?友情?亲情?世间正道?他们来这世间一遭,历尽磨难,却初心不变;所期所愿不过是与心中那人的朝朝暮暮;这是关于他们的故事,也是关于我们心中所期盼的世界。
  • 赏金佣兵团

    赏金佣兵团

    人总要牺牲掉一些什么东西,才能在这个世界上努力的活下去。可是当牺牲的一切都变得毫无意义,成为别人拿来任意挥霍使用的玩具,并且拒绝支付报酬。那么:赏金佣兵团不介意亲自动手,并且在其中收取他们应付的利息!
  • 冥王追妻之妹子,你好

    冥王追妻之妹子,你好

    她前世的佣兵今世的废柴,他暗夜的王者大陆的邪神当她遇上他是兵戎相见还是携手天涯
  • 重生之终于等到你

    重生之终于等到你

    上辈子赵媚儿执迷不悟,没能珍惜眼前人,撒手人寰之际,她告诉自己如果上天再给她一次机会,她一定掌握幸福。纳尼……她真的重生了。老天一定是舍不得让她红颜薄命,舍不得秦盛楠这么好的男人落到小三手里,才让她生后复生!重生后,她弥补前世过错,潜心做人,夺回老公,惩治小三……
  • 我从废铁到神兵

    我从废铁到神兵

    杨辰很悲催地发现,自己变成了一块废铁但很快发现,是一块有逆天吞噬能力的废铁!吞噬逆天材料,废铁也有春天!只要本体不灭,就能永生不死;吞噬各路稀有材料,就能轻松获得属性;更是能晋登神兵之位,获亿万信徒朝拜;这是一块废铁永不言败,努力拼搏的故事。
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 星辰无垠

    星辰无垠

    浩瀚星辰.无垠宇宙.是谁谱写了谁的人生?是谁站在了宇宙颠峰?是谁让整个星辰为之欢呼.让整个宇宙为之震颤?是他?是她?还是....?一切的答案都在本书当中.一个传奇的缔造..将从这里开始........
  • 江爱止于夏

    江爱止于夏

    年少的惊鸿一瞥。成为了岁月年华的眷念。以前,夏初的喜欢是春天。现在,夏初的爱只有江路。
  • 萌宠魔尊:逆天特工王妃

    萌宠魔尊:逆天特工王妃

    超级特工夏清幽,决绝冷厉,却不慎穿越,成了夏家废柴的嫡女,母亲早亡,父亲寡恩,她身陷险境,却与当世魔尊缔结契约!生死不能弃。他,世人皆称魔尊,强大冷酷,计谋卓越,却无人知道他的隐痛,一朝不慎,竟然栽在一个废柴手里,杀不得,恨不得,他只好宠着她,带着她登上这个世界的巅峰!且看这一对男女如何成就天下第一,君临天下!
  • 耀芒