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。