第66章

After one glance given to this ridiculous and lamentable exhibition,--an obligatory part of all funerals, according to the etiquette of the Roman aristocracy,--Desroziers exclaimed: "There's the end; now come and see the beginning."Not replying to any of my questions, because he was arranging a dramatic effect, he took me to the Albani gallery and placed me before a statue representing Adonis stretched on a lion's skin.

"What do you think of that?" he said.

"What?" I replied at a first glance; "why, it is as fine as an antique.""Antique as much as I am!" replied Desroziers."It is a portrait in youth of that wizened old being we have just seen dead.""Antique or not, it is a masterpiece," I said."But how is all this beauty, or its hideous caricature, to get us to Sicily? That is the question.""I'll tell you," replied Desroziers."I know the family of that old scarecrow.His niece married the Comte de Lanty, and they have long wanted to buy this statue which the Albani museum won't give up at any price.They have tried to have it copied, but they never got anything satisfactory.Now, you know the director of the museum well.Get him to let you make a copy of it.I give music-lessons to the Comte de Lanty's daughter, Mademoiselle Marianina, and I'll talk of your copy.

If you succeed, as of course you will, the count will buy it and pay you forty times the cost of a trip to Sicily."Two days later I began the work, and, as it suited my taste, I worked so hotly at it that by the end of three weeks the Lanty family, escorted by Desroziers, came to see my copy.The count, who seemed to me a good connoisseur, declared himself satisfied with the work and bought it.Mademoiselle Marianina, who was the heiress and favorite of her grand-uncle, was particularly delighted with it.Marianina was then about twenty-one years old, and I shall not make you her portrait because you know Madame de l'Estorade, to whom her likeness is extraordinary.Already an accomplished musician, this charming girl had a remarkable inclination for all the arts.Coming from time to time to my studio to watch the completion of the statue, a taste for sculpture seized her, as it did the Princesse Marie d'Orleans, and until the departure of the family, which took place a few months before I myself left Rome, Mademoiselle de Lanty took lessons from me in modelling.

I never dreamed of being another Saint-Preux or Abelard, but I must own that I found rare happiness in imparting my knowledge.Marianina was so gay and happy, her judgment of art so sound, her voice, when she sang, so stirred my heart, that had it not been for her vast fortune, which kept me at a distance, I should have run great danger to my peace of mind.Admitted into the household on the footing of a certain familiarity, I could see that my beautiful pupil took pleasure in our intercourse, and when the family returned to Paris she expressed the utmost regret at leaving Rome; I even fancied, God forgive me, that I saw something like a tear in her eye when we parted.

On my return to Paris, some months later, my first visit was to the hotel de Lanty.Marianina was too well bred and too kind at heart to be discourteous to any one, but I felt at once that a cold restrained manner was substituted for the gracious friendliness of the past.It seemed to me probable that her evident liking, I will not say for me personally, but for my conversation and acquirements, had been noticed by her parents, who had doubtless taught her a lesson; in fact, the stiff and forbidding manner of Monsieur and Madame de Lanty left me no other supposition.

Naturally, I did not call again; but a few months later, when Iexhibited my Pandora in the salon of 1837, I one day saw the whole Lanty family approach it.The mother was on the arm of Comte Maxime de Trailles, a well-known lion.Nil admirari is the natural instinct of all men of the world; so, after a very cursory glance at my work, Monsieur de Trailles began to find shocking faults in it, and in so high and clear a voice that not a word was lost within a certain range.Marianina shrugged her shoulders as she listened to this profound discourse, and when it was ended she said,--"How fortunate you came with us! Without your enlightened knowledge Imight, with the rest of the good public, have thought this statue admirable.It is a pity the sculptor is not here to learn his business from you.""He is here, behind you," said a stout woman, who had once been my landlady, and was standing near, laughing heartily.Involuntarily Marianina turned; when she saw me a vivid color came into her cheeks, and I slipped away into the crowd.A girl who took my part so warmly, and then showed such emotion on being detected in doing so, could not be absolutely indifferent to me; and as on my first visit I had only, after all, been coldly received, I decided, after my great success at the Exhibition, in consequence of which I was made a chevalier of the Legion of honor, to call again upon the Lantys; perhaps my new distinctions would procure me a better reception.

Monsieur de Lanty received me without rising, and with the following astounding apostrophe:--"I think you very courageous, monsieur, to venture to present yourself here.""I have never been received in a manner that seemed to require courage on my part.""You have come, no doubt," continued Monsieur de Lanty, "in search of your property which you were careless enough to leave in our hands.Ishall return you that article of gallantry."So saying, he rose and took from a drawer in his secretary an elegant little portfolio, which he gave to me.

As I looked at it in a sort of stupefaction, he added:

"Yes; I know the letters are not there; I presume you will allow me to keep them.""This portfolio, the letters you mention--all this is an enigma to me, monsieur."At this moment Madame de Lanty entered the room.

"What do you want?" said her husband, roughly.