第46章 THE FASCINATION(11)

I feel with you in this, that our present mode of existence cannot last.""Oh! 'tis your mother.Yes, that's it! I knew it.""Never mind what it is.Believe this, I cannot let myself lose you.I must have you always with me.

This very evening I do not like to let you go.

There is only one cure for this anxiety, dearest--you must be my wife."She started--then endeavoured to say calmly, "Cynics say that cures the anxiety by curing the love.""But you must answer me.Shall I claim you some day--Idon't mean at once?"

"I must think," Eustacia murmured."At present speak of Paris to me.Is there any place like it on earth?""It is very beautiful.But will you be mine?""I will be nobody else's in the world--does that satisfy you?""Yes, for the present."

"Now tell me of the Tuileries, and the Louvre,"she continued evasively.

"I hate talking of Paris! Well, I remember one sunny room in the Louvre which would make a fitting place for you to live in--the Galerie d'Apollon.Its windows are mainly east;and in the early morning, when the sun is bright, the whole apartment is in a perfect blaze of splendour.

The rays bristle and dart from the encrustations of gilding to the magnificent inlaid coffers, from the coffers to the gold and silver plate, from the plate to the jewels and precious stones, from these to the enamels, till there is a perfect network of light which quite dazzles the eye.

But now, about our marriage----"

"And Versailles--the King's Gallery is some such gorgeous room, is it not?""Yes.But what's the use of talking of gorgeous rooms?

By the way, the Little Trianon would suit us beautifully to live in, and you might walk in the gardens in the moonlight and think you were in some English shrubbery;It is laid out in English fashion."

"I should hate to think that!"

"Then you could keep to the lawn in front of the Grand Palace.

All about there you would doubtless feel in a world of historical romance."He went on, since it was all new to her, and described Fontainebleau, St.Cloud, the Bois, and many other familiar haunts of the Parisians; till she said--"When used you to go to these places?"

"On Sundays."

"Ah, yes.I dislike English Sundays.How I should chime in with their manners over there! Dear Clym, you'll go back again?"Clym shook his head, and looked at the eclipse.

"If you'll go back again I'll--be something,"she said tenderly, putting her head near his breast.

"If you'll agree I'll give my promise, without making you wait a minute longer.""How extraordinary that you and my mother should be of one mind about this!" said Yeobright."I have vowed not to go back, Eustacia.It is not the place I dislike;it is the occupation."

"But you can go in some other capacity."

"No.Besides, it would interfere with my scheme.

Don't press that, Eustacia.Will you marry me?""I cannot tell."

"Now--never mind Paris; it is no better than other spots.

Promise, sweet!"

"You will never adhere to your education plan, I am quite sure; and then it will be all right for me;and so I promise to be yours for ever and ever."Clym brought her face towards his by a gentle pressure of the hand, and kissed her.

"Ah! but you don't know what you have got in me," she said.

"Sometimes I think there is not that in Eustacia Vye which will make a good homespun wife.Well, let it go--see how our time is slipping, slipping, slipping!" She pointed towards the half-eclipsed moon.

"You are too mournful."

"No.Only I dread to think of anything beyond the present.

What is, we know.We are together now, and it is unknown how long we shall be so; the unknown always fills my mind with terrible possibilities, even when I may reasonably expect it to be cheerful....Clym, the eclipsed moonlight shines upon your face with a strange foreign colour, and shows its shape as if it were cut out in gold.

That means that you should be doing better things than this.""You are ambitious, Eustacia--no, not exactly ambitious, luxurious.I ought to be of the same vein, to make you happy, I suppose.And yet, far from that, I could live and die in a hermitage here, with proper work to do."There was that in his tone which implied distrust of his position as a solicitous lover, a doubt if he were acting fairly towards one whose tastes touched his own only at rare and infrequent points.She saw his meaning, and whispered, in a low, full accent of eager assurance "Don't mistake me, Clym--though I should like Paris, I love you for yourself alone.To be your wife and live in Paris would be heaven to me; but I would rather live with you in a hermitage here than not be yours at all.

It is gain to me either way, and very great gain.

There's my too candid confession."

"Spoken like a woman.And now I must soon leave you.

I'll walk with you towards your house."

"But must you go home yet?" she asked."Yes, the sand has nearly slipped away, I see, and the eclipse is creeping on more and more.Don't go yet! Stop till the hour has run itself out; then I will not press you any more.

You will go home and sleep well; I keep sighing in my sleep! Do you ever dream of me?""I cannot recollect a clear dream of you.""I see your face in every scene of my dreams, and hear your voice in every sound.I wish I did not.It is too much what I feel.They say such love never lasts.

But it must! And yet once, I remember, I saw an officer of the Hussars ride down the street at Budmouth, and though he was a total stranger and never spoke to me, I loved him till I thought I should really die of love--but I didn't die, and at last I left off caring for him.

How terrible it would be if a time should come when I could not love you, my Clym!""Please don't say such reckless things.When we see such a time at hand we will say, 'I have outlived my faith and purpose,' and die.There, the hour has expired--now let us walk on."Hand in hand they went along the path towards Mistover.