Fleurange, Part Second, No. XVI-XIX [pp. 342-355]

Fleurange.
"And she lives here alone?"
"Alone, of course, with Monsieur
le Comte."
"The count?"
"Yes; her son,who always lives with
her when here. There-in that room,"
said she, pointing towards the door
Fleurange had just closed.
"Her son! What is his name?"
"Count George de Walden."
"Count George de Walden?"
echoed Fleurange, as if in a dream.
"Why, yes; that was the name of
the princess' first husband. Did
you not know it?"
"No, I did not."
" lIe died young-that one. Madame, too, was young. She mourned
for him a long time, and then married again, but had no more children. The prince is dead also,
but-"
Just at that moment a servant appeared with an armful of packages
of all sizes. one of which fell from
his hand. Barbara left Fleurange
abruptly, and sought relief from her
fatigue in a severe reprimand to the
awkward man, more tired than herself..
XVIII.
Fleurange returned to her seat on
the top of the three steps that led to
her window, and was again looking
down on the quiet and secluded
court. But vwhat a change had been
wrought in her feelings since she sat
there half an hour before! What
contrast between this tranquil scene,
which then harmonized so perfectly
with the serenity of her thoughts, and
her present agitation of mind! She
endeavored to be calm, but for some
time could not succeed. Was the
emotion caused by this unexpected
discovery surprise and joy, or regret
and fear? She could not clearly
decide, but it was a mixture of all
these different sensations; and she
gave herself up for a time to be buffeted by a whirlwind of contradictory
thoughts. By degrees they at last
became clearer and more distinct.
Fleurange recalled the last time she
heard Count George's name mentioned, as well as the resolution she
made that day. That resolution had
been easily kept, thanks to all that
had since happened to divert and
absorb her attention. She must
still remain faithful to it under entirely different circumstances. It was,
however, no longer a question of for
getting the very name of Count
George, as she was doubtless to see
him, know him, and live under the
same roof. But what she must impress most seriously on her mind was
-that he would be as widely separated from her here in his mother's
house as when he only lived in the
world of her dreams. This of course
would be extremely difficult, but it
was evidently a duty she owed to
herself. This point once established,
her course was plain.
The gentle hand that guided her
childhood did not try to extinguish
the exquisite though somewhat dangerous qualities with which she was
gifted. She did not stifle the liveliness of her imagination, or the ardent
tenderness of her heart, or the tendency of her sentiments to extremes.
Madre Maddalena considered
these precious gifts only dangerous
in the absence of two other qualities
which she sought to develop in
Fleurange, with a care only comparable to that which is used (in an inferior
sense) in developing the human voice,
and transforming it into an instrument at once powerful, harmonious,
and almost divine. However musical a voice may be, one cannot sing
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