My Neighbor Raymond Part 58

"Oh, yes!"

"And never listen to other men?"

"Oh, yes!"

I could stand it no longer; I leaped from my chair. Pelagie, terribly frightened, rose also and looked at me. I paced the floor with long strides. But she came toward me.

"Have you hurt yourself?" she asked, opening her eyes to their fullest extent. I could not help smiling at her question. I put my arms around her and embraced her with considerable warmth; I was determined to try to animate her at any cost. At first she tried to release herself; but I told her that a future husband had the right to hold his intended in his arms.

"Oh! that makes a difference," she said; and she ceased to resist.

"He may kiss you, too," I said; and I proceeded to kiss her repeatedly, on her cheeks and her lips. She made no objection.--See how dangerous ignorance often is! there was an innocent with whom a man might do whatever he chose by means of false arguments.

But as I heard my sister I released Pelagie, who allowed herself to be kissed with charming docility. Indeed, I fancied that she was beginning to show some animation.

"Come," said my sister, as she entered the room, "it's time to go back to your aunt, my dear Pelagie; she might not like it if you should stay away any longer. You have had plenty of time to talk, and you will have still more when you're married. Take your shawl and let us go."

Pelagie took her shawl without a word, and prepared to go with my sister. I bade her adieu, whereupon she gave me a decidedly tender glance. I believed that my kisses had produced some effect on her heart, and that belief made me a little more hopeful of the future.

I realized now that my bride had no intelligence; perhaps I might have gone further; but I must needs make the best of it. I did not think that, in order to be happy, one must have a genius for a wife; bright women are generally very tiresome in their homes, and she who devotes her time to displaying the gifts she has received from nature very rarely thinks of taking care of her children and gratifying her husband.

As soon as a woman believes herself to be more intelligent than her husband, she refuses to be governed by him. Moreover, I had had many liaisons with clever women, and the result had not been flattering to me. Agathe, Caroline, and Madame de Marsan were all bright. And Nicette?

she was, too; and yet---- Well, it was very fortunate that my betrothed was not. I was well aware that there was a great distance between a genius and a blockhead, and that if pretentiousness is irksome, stupidity is even more so. But I hoped that marriage, which works so many metamorphoses, would succeed in forming Pelagie's judgment. I had already fancied that I could see that my caresses had stirred her pulses. There is a time when nature seems benumbed; at such a time a crisis is necessary. Perhaps Pelagie's heart and mind only needed that crisis to develop rapidly.

x.x.xI

I MARRY

The great day arrived when I was to utter that solemn _yes_ which would bind me forever. Forever is a very long time--it is very short when one is happy!

At times melancholy thoughts oppressed me. I was not in love with the woman I was about to marry, and I felt that it was the absence of love that made us walk so carelessly toward the altar. Love, who charms the present and embellishes the future, is a G.o.d whose presence is most essential on the wedding day; he ought always to preside on such occasions. However, I proposed to do without him; indeed, I must, for whom could I love now? I should have ceased to think of _her_, but I still thought of her. She did not love me; and if she had loved me, could I have married her? It would have been madness; but is the madness which makes one happy so very blameworthy?

I felt tears in my eyes. Was that the proper way to begin that day? It was my last thought of her. Henceforth I would never think of the past.

I must try to be light-hearted, to be amiable with Pelagie. Amiable! she would not notice it! But, no matter; I must forget myself.

My sister was the first who entered my room. I fancy that she noticed my depression; she kissed me and embraced me, and a.s.sured me that I should be very happy.

"G.o.d grant it!" I thought. "Thus far I have not been happy in love; perhaps I shall be in marriage."

I overcame my weakness and was myself once more. Poor Amelie! she was so pleased when she saw me smile!

By the way, where were my wife and I to live? I had not given that matter a thought; but I was not at all disturbed, for my sister had undertaken to look out for everything, and she was not the woman to forget anything so important. However, I felt that I should be very glad to know where I was to take my better half that night.

"You haven't told me yet, sister, where I am to live."

"That goes without saying, my dear."

"Nevertheless, you will have to tell me, for I can't guess."

"Has not Madame de Pontchartrain a magnificent house, of which she occupies only one-half? You are to live there with your wife."

"At her aunt's? I don't like that very much."

"Don't be disturbed; your suite is by itself, and a long way from hers; you need have nothing to say to each other, except when you please. I knew, of course, that you would like to be by yourself, and I have had everything arranged with that end in view."

"All right.--By the way, has Pelagie received all the usual gifts?"

"Yes, my dear; have you forgotten that I showed them to you yesterday and told you Deneterre had spent three thousand francs out of the money you gave him?"

"True; it had gone out of my head."

"Pelagie will be enchanted, I a.s.sure you. There's a beautiful set of jewelry--and shawls--and dress materials."

"Very good; so, then, there's nothing for me to do to-day but to get married?"

"Mon Dieu! that's all, my dear."

"So much the better. What time is it to be?"

"At eleven o'clock you are to call for your wife and take her to the mayor's office. We shall have two carriages; I have ordered them."

"Two carriages! it seems to me that's very few."

"There are no more to be had in town."

"That makes a difference."

"But this evening we shall have several sedan chairs and Bath chairs."

"Aha! so they have those things here?"

"To be sure; they are very convenient and much less dangerous than your horse vehicles, which always frighten me."

"It is true that in a Bath chair the steed doesn't take the bit in his teeth. And from the mayor's office we go to the church?"

"Yes; at one o'clock."

"And then?"

"Then we come back here, and chat until three."

"Where is the wedding feast to be?"

"Here, my dear. At first Madame de Pontchartrain insisted on having it at her house, but I finally carried the day. We shall be much more free here, you know. We can laugh and sing and frolic."

"I confess that I shall be delighted to be allowed to frolic. And the ball is to be here also, I suppose?"