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第45章 Lasting Love（第1页）

第45章LastingLove

ItwastheehatopeiheMarquisdeBertranswithhisguestssatarhtlylightedtable，coveredwithfruitandflowers。

Theversatioolove。Immediatelytherearoseananimateddiseeternaldisastowhetheritwerepossibletolovemorethanonce。Examplesweregivenofpersonswhohadlovedohesewereoffsetbythosewhohadlovedviolentlymahemepassion，likesiess，mayattackthesamepersoimes，urikestokill。Thisedquiteihehobasedtheiropinioherthanonpracticalobservation，mailove，thegreatpassion，mayeoals。Itresembleslighthislove。Aheartobeesforeversuchawaste，soruined，soed，thatroakerootthere，notevenadream。

Themarquis，whohadindulgedinmanyloveaffairs，disputedthisbelief。

"Itellyouitispossibletoloveseveraltimeswithallone'sheartandsoul。Youquoteexamplesofpersonswhohavekilledthemselvesforlove，toprovetheimpossibilityofasedpassioiftheyhadnotfoolishlyittedsuidsodestroyedthepossibilityofasedexperieheywouldhavefoundaillanother，andsooiswithloveaswithdrink。Hewhohasondulgedisforeveraslave。Itisathi。"

&heolddopire。Hethoughtitwasasthemarquishadsaid，athi。

"Asforme，"hesaid，"Ionewofalovewhichlastedfifty-fiveyearswithoutoneday'srespite，andwhidedonlywithdeath。"Thewifeofthemarquislclaspedherhands。

"Thatisbeautiful!Ah，whatadreamtobelovedinsuchaway!Whatblisstoliveforfifty-fiveyearsenvelopedinanintense，unwaveriion!Hoybeingmusthaveblessedhislifetobesoadored!"

&orsmiled。

"Youarenotmistakehispointthelovedonewasaman。Youevenknowhim;itisMonsieurChouquet，thechemist。Astothewoman，youalsokheoldder，whocameeveryyeartothechateau。"

&husiasmofthewomenfell。Someexpressedtheirptwith"Pouah!"forthelovesofoihem。

&orued:"ThreemonthsagoIwascalledtothedeathbedoftheoldder。Thepriesthadprecededme。Shewishedtomakeustheexecutorsofherwill。Iwemightua，shetoldusthestoryofherlife。Itismostsingularandtoug:

"Herfatherandmotherwerebothders。Shehadneverliveditlechildshewawiththem，dirty，u，huedmanytowheirhonanddogjustoutsidethelimits，wherethechildplayedinthegrassaloilherparentshadrepairedallthebrokentheplace。Theyseldomspoke，excepttocry，‘Chairs!Chairs!der!’Wheleooofaraway，shewouldbecalledbackbytheharsh，angryvoiceofherfather。Sheneverheardawordofaffe。

"Whenshegrewolder，shefetdcarriedthebrokenchairs。Thenitwasshemadefriendswiththeiheirparentsalwayscalledthemawayahemftothebarefootedchild。Oftehrewstoher。Ondwomangaveherafewpehemmostcarefully。

"Ohenelevenyearsold-asshewaswalkingthroughaet，behiery，littleChouquet，weepingbitterly，beeofhisplaymateshadstolentwopreciousliards（mills）。Thetearsofthesmallbeois，ohosemuviedmortals，who，sheimagirouble，pletelyupsether。Sheapproachedhimand，assoonasshelearhecauseofhisgrief，sheputintohishandsallhersavihemwithouthesitationanddriedhiseyes。Wildwithjoy，shekissedhim。Hewasbusyghismoney，anddid。Seeingthatsheulsed，shethrewherarmsroundhimandgavehimahug-thensherana>

"Whatwasgoingoninherpoorlittlehead?Wasitbecauseshehadsacrificedallherfortushebecamemadlyfondofthisyoungster，orwasitbecauseshehadgiveehemysteryisalikeforandforthoseofriperyears。

"Formonthsshedreamedofthatearthecemeteryalechap。Shestoleasouhereand，therefromherparentsontheeyroceriesshewassenttobuy。Wheothespoteryshehadtwofra，buthewasnotthere。

Passinghisfather&apstore，shecaughtsightofhimbehier。Hewassittiweenalargeredglobeandablueone。Sheohemore，quitecarriedawayatthesightofthebrilliant-clobes。Shecherishedthereofitforeveri。

"Thefollowingyearshemethimheschool。playingmarbles。Sherusheduptohim，threwherarmsroundhim，andkissedhimsopassiohesfear。Toquiethim，shegavehimallhermohreefrandtweimes!Arealgoldmiwhichhegazedwithstaringeyes。

"Afterthisheallowedhertokisshimasmuchasshewished。

&quthefouryearssheputintohishandsallhersavings，whichhepostiouslyinexgeforkisses。Atohirtysons，atawain，sheonlyhadtwelvesous。Sheweptwithgriefandshame，explaiithadbeenapooryear。Theimeshebroughtfivefranewholepiece，whichmadeherlaughwithjoy。

"Sheofaheboy，achedforherwithimpatieimeshewouldruhismadeherheartthumpwithjoy。

"Suddenlyhedisappeared。Hehadgoschool。Shefoundthisoutbyvestigation。Thediplomacytopersuadeherparentstogetheirrouteandpassbythiswayagainduringva。Afterayearofsgshesucceeded。Shehadnotseenhimfortwoyears，andscarcelyreizedhim，hewassoged，hadgrowerlookingandosinginhisuniform，withitsbrassbuttoeoseeher，ahoutaglance。

"Sheweptfortwodaysandfromthattimelovedandsufferedungly。

"Everyyearheeandshepassedhim，ntolifthereyes。Heneverdedtoturowardher。Shelovedhimmadly，hopelessly。Shesaidtome:‘HeistheonlymanwhomIhaveeverseen。Idon'tevenknowifas。’

"Herparentsdied。Sheuedtheirwork。