第63部分(第4/8 頁)

but　what　she　said　is　yet　to　be　recorded　in　the　book　of　Fate。　For　ten　long　years　I　roved　about；　living　first　in　one　capital；　then　another：　sometimes　in　St。　Petersburg；　oftener　in　Paris；　occasionally　in　Rome；　Naples；　and　Florence。　Provided　with　plenty　of　money　and　the　passport　of　an　old　name；　I　could　choose　my　own　society：　no　circles　were　closed　against　me。　I　sought　my　ideal　of　a　woman　amongst　English　ladies；　French　countesses；　Italian　signoras；　and　German　grafinnen。　I　could　not　find　her。　Sometimes；　for　a　fleeting　moment；　I　thought　I　caught　a　glance；　heard　a　tone；　beheld　a　form；　which　announced　the　realisation　of　my　dream：　but　I　was　presently　undeserved。　You　are　not　to　suppose　that　I　desired　perfection；　either　of　mind　or　person。　I　longed　only　for　what　suited　me—for　the　antipodes　of　the　Creole：　and　I　longed　vainly。　Amongst　them　all　I　found　not　one　whom；　had　I　been　ever　so　free；　I—warned　as　I　was　of　the　risks；　the　horrors；　the　loathings　of　incongruous　unions—would　have　asked　to　marry　me。　Disappointment　made　me　reckless。　I　tried　dissipation—never　debauchery：　that　I　hated；　and　hate。　That　was　my　Indian　Messalina’s　attribute：　rooted　disgust　at　it　and　her　restrained　me　much；　even　in　pleasure。　Any　enjoyment　that　bordered　on　riot　seemed　to　approach　me　to　her　and　her　vices；　and　I　eschewed　it。

“Yet　I　could　not　live　alone；　so　I　tried　the　panionship　of　mistresses。　The　first　I　chose　was　Céline　Varens—another　of　those　steps　which　make　a　man　spurn　himself　when　he　recalls　them。　You　alrea