The Essential Guy de Maupassant Collection. Guy de Maupassant

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      More than admirable. She never sang better. In the first act she has a long recitative: "O God of all believers, hear my prayer," which made the body of the house rise to their feet. And in the third act, after that phrase, "Bright heaven of beauty," I never saw such enthusiasm.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      She was pleased?

      M. DE SALLUS

      Pleased? She was enchanted.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      You know her well, don't you?

      M. DE SALLUS

      Oh, yes, for some time back. I had supper with her and some of her friends after the performance.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Were there many of you?

      M. DE SALLUS

      No, about a dozen. You know she is rather particular.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL.

      It is pleasant to be intimate with her, is it not?

      M. DE SALLUS

      Exquisite! And then, you know, she is a woman in a million. I do not know whether you agree with me, but I find there are so few women that are really women.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL [_laughs_]

      I have found that out.

      M. DE SALLUS

      Yes, and you have found out that there are women who have a feminine air, but who are not women.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Explain yourself.

      M. DE SALLUS

      Good gracious! Our society women, with very rare exceptions, are simply pictures; they are pretty; they are distinguished; but they charm you only in their drawing-rooms. The part they play consists entirely in making men admire their dress, their dainty ways, all of which are assumed.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Men love them, nevertheless.

      M. DE SALLUS

      Oh, very rarely, my dear fellow.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Pardon me!

      M. DE SALLUS

      Oh, yes, dreamers do. But men--real men--men who are passionate, men who are positive, men who are tender, do not love the society woman of to-day, since she is incapable of love. My dear fellow, look around you. You see intrigues--everyone sees them; but can you lay your finger upon a single real love affair--a love that is disinterested, such a love as there used to be--inspired by a single woman of our acquaintance? Don't I speak the truth? It flatters a man to have a mistress--it flatters him, it amuses him, and then it tires him. But turn to the other picture and look at the woman of the stage. There is not one who has not at least five or six love affairs on the carpet; idiotic follies, causing bankruptcy, scandal, and suicides. Men love them; yes, they love these women because these women know how to inspire love, and because they are loving women. Yes, indeed, _they_ know how to conquer men; they understand the seduction of a smile; they know how to attract, seize, and wrap us up in their hearts, how to enslave us with a look, and they need not be beautiful at that. They have a conquering power that we never find in our wives.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      And the Santelli is a seductress of this kind?

      M. DE SALLUS

      She is first among the first! Ah, the cunning little coquette! _She_ knows how to make men run after her.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Does she do only that?

      M. DE SALLUS

      A woman of that sort does not give herself the trouble of making men run after her unless she has some further object in view.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      The devil! You make me believe you attend two first nights in the same evening.

      M. DE SALLUS

      My dear boy, don't imagine such a thing.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Great heavens! you have such a satisfied and triumphant air--an air so desirous of calm at home. If I am deceived I am sorry--for your sake.

      M. DE SALLUS

      Well, we will assume that you are deceived and--

      SCENE IV.

      (_The same, and_ Mme. de Sallus.)

      M. DE SALLUS [_gaily_]

      Well, my dear, Jacques remains. He has consented for my sake.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      I congratulate you. And how did you achieve that miracle?

      M. DE SALLUS

      Oh, easily enough, in the course of conversation.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      And of what have you been talking?

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Of the happiness that comes to a man who remains quietly at home.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      That sort of happiness has but little attraction for me. I like the excitement of travel.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      There is a time for everything; and travel is very often inopportune and very inconvenient.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      But how about that important appointment of yours at nine o'clock? Have you given it up altogether, Monsieur de Randol?

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      I have, Madame.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      You are very changeable.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      No, no, I am simply adapting myself to circumstances.

      M. DE SALLUS

      Will СКАЧАТЬ