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第45章 tg lve（第1页）

twastheendofthedinnerthatoenedtheshootingseason。TheMarquisdeBertranswithhisguestssataroundabrightlylightedtable，coveredwithfruitandflowers。

Theconversationdriftedtolove。Immediatelytherearoseananimateddiscussion，thesameeternaldiscussionastowhetheritwereossibletolovemorethanonce。Examlesweregivenofersonswhohadlovedonce;thesewereoffsetbythosewhohadlovedviolentlymanytimes。Themenagreedthatassion，likesickness，mayattackthesameersonseveraltimes，unlessitstrikestokill。Thisconclusionseemedquiteincontestable。Thewomen，however，whobasedtheiroiniononoetryratherthanonracticalobservation，maintainedthatlove，thegreatassion，maycomeonlyoncetomortals。Itresembleslightning，theysaid，thislove。Aheartoncetouchedbyitbecomesforeversuchawaste，soruined，soconsumed，thatnootherstrongsentimentcantakerootthere，notevenadream。

Themarquis，whohadindulgedinmanyloveaffairs，disutedthisbelief。

"Itellyouitisossibletoloveseveraltimeswithallone&aos;sheartandsoul。Youquoteexamlesofersonswhohavekilledthemselvesforlove，torovetheimossibilityofasecondassion。Iwagerthatiftheyhadnotfoolishlycommittedsuicide，andsodestroyedtheossibilityofasecondexerience，theywouldhavefoundanewlove，andstillanother，andsoontilldeath。Itiswithloveaswithdrink。Hewhohasonceindulgedisforeveraslave。Itisathingoftemerament。

"

Theychosetheolddoctorasumire。Hethoughtitwasasthemarquishadsaid，athingoftemerament。

"Asforme，

"hesaid，

"Ionceknewofalovewhichlastedfifty-fiveyearswithoutoneday&aos;sresite，andwhichendedonlywithdeath。

"Thewifeofthemarquislclasedherhands。

"Thatisbeautiful!Ah，whatadreamtobelovedinsuchaway!Whatblisstoliveforfifty-fiveyearsenveloedinanintense，unwaveringaffection!Howthishaybeingmusthaveblessedhislifetobesoadored!

"

Thedoctorsmiled。

"Youarenotmistaken，madame，onthisointthelovedonewasaman。Youevenknowhim;itisMonsieurChouquet，thechemist。Astothewoman，youalsoknowher，theoldchair-mender，whocameeveryyeartothechateau。

"

Theenthusiasmofthewomenfell。Someexressedtheircontemtwith

"Pouah!

"forthelovesofcommoneoledidnotinterestthem。

Thedoctorcontinued:

"ThreemonthsagoIwascalledtothedeathbedoftheoldchair-mender。Theriesthadrecededme。Shewishedtomakeustheexecutorsofherwill。Inorderthatwemightunderstandherconduct，shetoldusthestoryofherlife。Itismostsingularandtouching:

"Herfatherandmotherwerebothchair-menders。Shehadneverlivedinahouse。Asalittlechildshewanderedaboutwiththem，dirty，unkemt，hungry。Theyvisitedmanytowns，leavingtheirhorse，wagonanddogjustoutsidethelimits，wherethechildlayedinthegrassaloneuntilherarentshadreairedallthebrokenchairsinthelace。Theyseldomsoke，excettocry，‘Chairs!Chairs!Chair-mender!’Whenthelittleonestrayedtoofaraway，shewouldbecalledbackbytheharsh，angryvoiceofherfather。Sheneverheardawordofaffection。

"Whenshegrewolder，shefetchedandcarriedthebrokenchairs。Thenitwasshemadefriendswiththechildreninthestreet，buttheirarentsalwayscalledthemawayandscoldedthemforseakingtothebarefootedchild。Oftentheboysthrewstonesather。Onceakindwomangaveherafewennies。Shesavedthemmostcarefully。

"Oneday-shewasthenelevenyearsold-asshewaswalkingthroughacountrytownshemet，behindthecemetery，littleChouquet，weeingbitterly，becauseoneofhislaymateshadstolentworeciousliards（mills）。Thetearsofthesmallbourgeois，oneofthosemuch-enviedmortals，who，sheimagined，neverknewtrouble，comletelyusether。Shearoachedhimand，assoonasshelearnedthecauseofhisgrief，sheutintohishandsallhersavings。Hetookthemwithouthesitationanddriedhiseyes。Wildwithjoy，shekissedhim。Hewasbusycountinghismoney，anddidnotobject。Seeingthatshewasnotreulsed，shethrewherarmsroundhimandgavehimahug-thensheranaway。

"Whatwasgoingoninheroorlittlehead?Wasitbecauseshehadsacrificedallherfortunethatshebecamemadlyfondofthisyoungster，orwasitbecauseshehadgivenhimthefirsttenderkiss?Themysteryisalikeforchildrenandforthoseofrieryears。

"Formonthsshedreamedofthatcornernearthecemeteryandofthelittlecha。Shestoleasouhereand，therefromherarentsonthechairmoneyorgroceriesshewassenttobuy。Whenshereturnedtothesotnearthecemeteryshehadtwofrancsinherocket，buthewasnotthere。

Passinghisfather&aos;sdrugstore，shecaughtsightofhimbehindthecounter。Hewassittingbetweenalargeredglobeandablueone。Sheonlylovedhimthemore，quitecarriedawayatthesightofthebrilliant-coloredglobes。Shecherishedtherecollectionofitforeverinherheart。

"Thefollowingyearshemethimneartheschool。layingmarbles。Sherushedutohim，threwherarmsroundhim，andkissedhimsoassionatelythathescreamed，infear。Toquiethim，shegavehimallhermoney。Threefrancsandtwentycentimes!Arealgoldmine，atwhichhegazedwithstaringeyes。

"Afterthisheallowedhertokisshimasmuchasshewished。

"Duringthenextfouryearssheutintohishandsallhersavings，whichheocketedconscientiouslyinexchangeforkisses。Atonetimeitwasthirtysons，atanothertwofrancs。Again，sheonlyhadtwelvesous。Shewetwithgriefandshame，exlainingbrokenlythatithadbeenaooryear。Thenexttimeshebroughtfivefrancs，inonewholeiece，whichmadeherlaughwithjoy。

"Shenolongerthoughtofanyonebuttheboy，andhewatchedforherwithimatience;sometimeshewouldruntomeether。Thismadeherheartthumwithjoy。

"Suddenlyhedisaeared。Hehadgonetoboardingschool。Shefoundthisoutbycarefulinvestigation。Thensheusedgreatdilomacytoersuadeherarentstochangetheirrouteandassbythiswayagainduringvacation。Afterayearofschemingshesucceeded。Shehadnotseenhimfortwoyears，andscarcelyrecognizedhim，hewassochanged，hadgrowntaller，betterlookingandwasimosinginhisuniform，withitsbrassbuttons。Heretendednottoseeher，andassedbywithoutaglance。

"Shewetfortwodaysandfromthattimelovedandsufferedunceasingly。