第7章

Rememberthatthismonologue，addressedtothePrincessGoritza，wasmentallyutteredwhilehetookapinchofsnuff。 MadameGransonhaddivinedthatthechevalierwastalkingaboutAthanase。Eagertoknowtheresultoftheconversation，shefollowedMademoiselleCormon，whowasnowapproachingtheyoungmanwithmuchdignity。ButatthismomentJacquelinappearedtoannouncethatmademoisellewasserved。Theoldmaidgaveaglanceofappealtothechevalier；butthegallantrecorderofmortgages，whowasbeginningtoseeinthemannersofthatgentlemanthebarrierwhichtheprovincialnoblesweresettingupaboutthistimebetweenthemselvesandthebourgeoisie，madethemostofhischancetocutoutMonsieurdeValois。HewasclosetoMademoiselleCormon，andpromptlyofferedhisarm，whichshefoundherselfcompelledtoaccept。Thechevalierthendarted，outofpolicy，uponMadameGranson。 \"MademoiselleCormon，mydearlady，\"hesaidtoher，walkingslowlyafteralltheotherguests，\"feelstheliveliestinterestinyourdearAthanase；butIfearitwillvanishthroughhisownfault。Heisirreligiousandliberal；heisagitatingthismatterofthetheatre； hefrequentstheBonapartists；hetakesthesideofthatrector。Suchconductmaymakehimlosehisplaceinthemayor\'soffice。Youknowwithwhatcarethegovernmentisbeginningtoweedoutsuchopinions。 IfyourdearAthanaseloseshisplace，wherecanhefindotheremployment？Iadvisehimnottogethimselfinbadodorwiththeadministration。\" \"MonsieurleChevalier，\"saidthepoorfrightenedmother，\"howgratefulIamtoyou!Youareright:mysonisthetoolofabadsetofpeople；Ishallenlightenhim。\" ThechevalierhadlongsincefathomedthenatureofAthanase，andrecognizedinitthatunyieldingelementofrepublicanconvictionstowhichinhisyouthayoungmaniswillingtosacrificeeverything，carriedawaybytheword\"liberty，\"soill-definedandsolittleunderstood，butwhichtopersonsdisdainedbyfateisabannerofrevolt；andtosuch，revoltisvengeance。Athanasewouldcertainlypersistinthatfaith，forhisopinionswerewoveninwithhisartisticsorrows，withhisbittercontemplationofthesocialstate。 Hewasignorantofthefactthatatthirty-sixyearsofage，——theperiodoflifewhenamanhasjudgedmenandsocialinterestsandrelations，——theopinionsforwhichhewasreadytosacrificehisfuturewouldbemodifiedinhim，astheyareinallmenofrealsuperiority。ToremainfaithfultotheLeftsideofAlenconwastogaintheaversionofMademoiselleCormon。There，indeed，thechevaliersawtrue。 Thusweseethatthissociety，sopeacefulinappearance，wasinternallyasagitatedasanydiplomaticcircle，wherecraft，ability，andpassionsgroupthemselvesaroundthegravequestionsofanempire。 Theguestswerenowseatedatthetableladenwiththefirstcourse，whichtheyateasprovincialseat，withoutshameatpossessingagoodappetite，andnotasinParis，whereitseemsasifjawsgnashedundersumptuarylaws，whichmadeittheirbusinesstocontradictthelawsofanatomy。InParispeopleeatwiththeirteeth，andtriflewiththeirpleasure；intheprovincesthingsaredonenaturally，andinterestisperhapsrathertoomuchconcentratedonthegrandanduniversalmeansofexistencetowhichGodhascondemnedhiscreatures。 ItwasattheendofthefirstcoursethatMademoiselleCormonmadethemostcelebratedofher\"speeches\"；itwastalkedaboutforfullytwoyears，andisstilltoldatthegatheringsofthelesserbourgeoisiewheneverthetopicofhermarriagecomesup。 Theconversation，becominglivelyasthepenultimateentreewasreached，hadturnednaturallyontheaffairofthetheatreandtheconstitutionallyswornrector。Inthefirstfervorofroyalty，duringtheyear1816，thosewholaterwerecalledJesuitswereallfortheexpulsionoftheAbbeFrancoisfromhisparish。DuBousquier，suspectedbyMonsieurdeValoisofsustainingthepriestandbeingatthebottomofthetheatreintrigues，andonwhosebacktheadroitchevalierwouldinanycasehaveputthosesinswithhiscustomarycleverness，wasinthedockwithnolawyertodefendhim。Athanase，theonlyguestloyalenoughtostandbyduBousquier，hadnotthenervetoemithisideasinthepresenceofthosepotentatesofAlencon，whominhishearthethoughtstupid。Nonebutprovincialyouthsnowretainarespectfuldemeanorbeforemenofacertainage，anddareneithertocensurenorcontradictthem。Thetalk，diminishedundertheeffectofcertaindeliciousducksdressedwitholives，wasfallingflat。MademoiselleCormon，feelingthenecessityofmaintainingitagainstherownducks，attemptedtodefendduBousquier，whowasbeingrepresentedasaperniciousfomenterofintrigues，capableofanytrickery。 \"Asforme，\"shesaid，\"IthoughtthatMonsieurduBousquiercaredchieflyforchildishthings。\" Underexistingcircumstancestheremarkhadenormoussuccess。 MademoiselleCormonobtainedagreattriumph；shebroughtthenoseofthePrincessGoritzaflatonthetable。Thechevalier，wholittleexpectedsuchanaptremarkfromhisDulcinea，wassoamazedthathecouldatfirstfindnowordstoexpresshisadmiration；heapplaudednoiselessly，astheydoattheOpera，tappinghisfingerstogethertoimitateapplause。 \"Sheisadorablywitty，\"hesaidtoMadameGranson。\"Ialwayssaidthatsomedayshewouldunmaskherbatteries。\" \"Inprivatesheisalwayscharming，\"repliedthewidow。 \"Inprivate，madame，allwomenhavewit，\"returnedthechevalier。 TheHomericlaughthusraisedhavingsubsided，MademoiselleCormonaskedthereasonofhersuccess。ThenbegantheFORTEofthegossip。 DuBousquierwasdepictedasaspeciesofcelibatePereGigogne，amonster，whoforthelastfifteenyearshadkepttheFoundlingHospitalsupplied。Hisimmoralhabitswereatlastrevealed!theseParisiansaturnaliasweretheresultofthem，etc。，etc。ConductedbytheChevalierdeValois，amostableleaderofanorchestraofthiskind，theopeningoftheCANCANwasmagnificent。 \"Ireallydon\'tknow，\"hesaid，\"whatshouldhinderaduBousquierfrommarryingaMademoiselleSuzanneWhat\'s-her-name。WhatIShername，doyouknow？Suzette!ThoughIhavelodgingsatMadameLardot\'s，Iknowhergirlsonlybysight。IfthisSuzetteisatall，fine，saucygirl，withgrayeyes，aslimwaist，andaprettyfoot，whomIhaveoccasionallyseen，andwhosebehavioralwaysseemedtomeextremelyinsolent，sheisfarsuperiorinmannerstoduBousquier。Besides，thegirlhasthenobilityofbeauty；fromthatpointofviewthemarriagewouldbeapooroneforher；shemightdobetter。YouknowhowtheEmperorJosephhadthecuriositytoseetheduBarryatLuciennes。Heofferedherhisarmtowalkabout，andthepoorthingwassosurprisedatthehonorthatshehesitatedtoacceptit:\'Beautyiseveraqueen，\'saidtheEmperor。Andhe，youknow，wasanAustrian-German，\" addedthechevalier。\"ButIcantellyouthatGermany，whichisthoughthereveryrustic，isalandofnoblechivalryandfinemanners，especiallyinPolandandHungary，where——\" Herethechevalierstopped，fearingtoslipintosomeallusiontohispersonalhappiness；hetookouthissnuff-box，andconfidedtherestofhisremarkstotheprincess，whohadsmileduponhimforthirty-sixyearsandmore。 \"ThatspeechwasratheradelicateoneforLouisXV。，\"saidduRonceret。 \"Butitwas，Ithink，theEmperorJosephwhomadeit，andnotLouisXV。，\"remarkedMademoiselleCormon，inacorrectingtone。 \"Mademoiselle，\"saidthechevalier，observingthemaliciousglanceexchangedbetweenthejudge，thenotary，andtherecorder，\"MadameduBarrywastheSuzanneofLouisXV。，——acircumstancewellknowntoscampslikeourselves，butunsuitablefortheknowledgeofyoungladies。Yourignoranceprovesyoutobeaflawlessdiamond；historicalcorruptionsdonotenteryourmind。\" TheAbbedeSpondelookedgraciouslyattheChevalierdeValois，andnoddedhisheadinsignofhislaudatoryapprobation。 \"Doesn\'tmademoiselleknowhistory？\"askedtherecorderofmortgages。 \"IfyoumixupLouisXV。andthisgirlSuzanne，howamItoknowhistory？\"repliedMademoiselleCormon，angelically，gladtoseethatthedishofduckswasemptyatlast，andtheconversationsoreadytorevivethatallpresentlaughedwiththeirmouthsfullatherlastremark。 \"Poorgirl!\"saidtheAbbedeSponde。\"Whenagreatmisfortunehappens，charity，whichisdivinelove，andasblindaspaganlove，oughtnottolookintothecausesofit。Niece，youarepresidentoftheMaternitySociety；youmustsuccorthatpoorgirl，whowillnowfinditdifficulttomarry。\" \"Poorchild!\"ejaculatedMademoiselleCormon。 \"DoyousupposeduBousquierwouldmarryher？\"askedthejudge。 \"Ifheisanhonorablemanheoughttodoso，\"saidMadameGranson； \"butreally，totellthetruth，mydoghasbettermoralsthanhe——\" \"Azoris，however，agoodpurveyor，\"saidtherecorderofmortgages，withtheairofsayingawittything。 AtdessertduBousquierwasstillthetopicofconversation，havinggivenrisetovariouslittlejokeswhichthewinerenderedsparkling。 Followingtheexampleoftherecorder，eachguestcappedhisneighbor\'sjokewithanother:DuBousquierwasafather，butnotaconfessor；hewasfatherless；hewasfatherLY；hewasnotareverendfather；noryetaconscript-father—— \"Norcanhebeafoster-father，\"saidtheAbbedeSponde，withagravitywhichstoppedthelaughter。 \"Noranoblefather，\"addedthechevalier。 TheChurchandthenobilitydescendedthusintothearenaofpuns，without，however，losingtheirdignity。 \"Hush!\"exclaimedtherecorderofmortgages。\"IhearthecreakingofduBousquier\'sboots。\" Itusuallyhappensthatamanisignorantofrumorsthatareafloatabouthim。Awholetownmaybetalkingofhisaffairs；maycalumniateanddecryhim，butifhehasnogoodfriends，hewillknownothingaboutit。NowtheinnocentduBousquierwassuperbinhisignorance。 NoonehadtoldhimasyetofSuzanne\'srevelations；hethereforeappearedveryjauntyandslightlyconceitedwhenthecompany，leavingthedining-room，returnedtothesalonfortheircoffee；severalotherguestshadmeantimeassembledfortheevening。MademoiselleCormon，fromasenseofshamefacedness，darednotlookattheterribleseducer。SheseizeduponAthanase，andbegantolecturehimwiththequeerestplatitudesaboutroyalistpoliticsandreligiousmorality。 Notpossessing，liketheChevalierdeValois，asnuff-boxadornedwithaprincess，bythehelpofwhichhecouldstandthistorrentofsilliness，thepoorpoetlistenedtothewordsofherwhomhelovedwithastupidair，gazing，meanwhile，atherenormousbust，whichhelditselfbeforehiminthatstillreposewhichistheattributeofallgreatmasses。Hisloveproducedinhimasortofintoxicationwhichchangedtheshrillvoiceoftheoldmaidintoasoftmurmur，andherflatremarksintowittyspeeches。Loveisamakeroffalsecoin，continuallychangingcopperpenniesintogold-pieces，andsometimesturningitsrealgoldintocopper。 \"Well，Athanase，willyoupromiseme？\" Thisfinalsentencestrucktheearoftheabsorbedyoungmanlikeoneofthosenoiseswhichwakeuswithabound。 \"What，mademoiselle？\" MademoiselleCormonrosehastily，andlookedatduBousquier，whoatthatmomentresembledthestoutgodofFablewhichtheRepublicstampeduponhercoins。ShewalkeduptoMadameGranson，andsaidinherear:—— \"Mydearfriend，yousonisanidiot。Thatlyceumhasruinedhim，\"sheadded，rememberingtheinsistencewithwhichthechevalierhadspokenoftheevilsofeducationinsuchschools。 Whatacatastrophe!Unknowntohimself，thelucklessAthanasehadhadanoccasiontoflinganemberofhisownfireuponthepileofbrushgatheredintheheartoftheoldmaid。Hadhelistenedtoher，hemighthavemadeher，thenandthere，perceivehispassion；for，intheagitatedstateofMademoiselleCormon\'smind，asinglewordwouldhavesufficed。Butthatstupidabsorptioninhisownsentiments，whichcharacterizesyoungandtruelove，hadruinedhim，asachildfulloflifesometimeskillsitselfoutofignorance。 \"WhathaveyoubeensayingtoMademoiselleCormon？\"demandedhismother。 \"Nothing。\" \"Nothing；well，Icanexplainthat，\"shethoughttoherself，puttingofftillthenextdayallfurtherreflectiononthematter，andattachingbutlittleimportancetoMademoiselleCormon\'swords；forshefullybelievedthatduBousquierwasforeverlostintheoldmaid\'sesteemaftertherevelationofthatevening。 Soonthefourtableswerefilledwiththeirsixteenplayers。Fourpersonswereplayingpiquet，——anexpensivegame，atwhichthemostmoneywaslost。MonsieurChoisnel，theprocureur-du-roi，andtwoladieswentintotheboudoirforagameatbackgammon。Theglasslustreswerelighted；andthentheflowerofMademoiselleCormon\'scompanygatheredbeforethefireplace，onsofas，andaroundthetables，andeachcouplesaidtoherastheyarrived，—— \"Soyouaregoingto-morrowtoPrebaudet？\" \"Yes，Ireallymust，\"shereplied。 Onthisoccasionthemistressofthehouseappearedpreoccupied。 MadameGransonwasthefirsttoperceivethequiteunnaturalstateoftheoldmaid\'smind，——MademoiselleCormonwasthinking! \"Whatareyouthinkingof，cousin？\"shesaidatlast，findingherseatedintheboudoir。 \"Iamthinking，\"shereplied，\"ofthatpoorgirl。AsthepresidentoftheMaternitySociety，Iwillgiveyoufiftyfrancsforher。\" \"Fiftyfrancs!\"criedMadameGranson。\"Butyouhavenevergivenasmuchasthat。\" \"But，mydearcousin，itissonaturaltohavechildren。\" ThatimmoralspeechcomingfromtheheartoftheoldmaidstaggeredthetreasureroftheMaternitySociety。DuBousquierhadevidentlyadvancedintheestimationofMademoiselleCormon。 \"Uponmyword，\"saidMadameGranson，\"duBousquierisnotonlyamonster，heisavillain。Whenamanhasdoneawronglikethat，heoughttopaytheindemnity。Isn\'tithisplaceratherthanourstolookafterthegirl？——who，totellyouthetruth，seemstomeratherquestionable；thereareplentyofbettermeninAlenconthanthatcynicduBousquier。Agirlmustbedepraved，indeed，togoafterhim。\" \"Cynic!YoursonteachesyoutotalkLatin，mydear，whichiswhollyincomprehensible。CertainlyIdon\'twishtoexcuseMonsieurduBousquier；butprayexplaintomewhyawomanisdepravedbecausesheprefersonemantoanother。\" \"Mydearcousin，supposeyoumarriedmysonAthanase；nothingcouldbemorenatural。Heisyoungandhandsome，fullofpromise，andhewillbethegloryofAlencon；andyeteverybodywillexclaimagainstyou: eviltongueswillsayallsortsofthings；jealouswomenwillaccuseyouofdepravity，——butwhatwillthatmatter？youwillbeloved，andlovedtruly。IfAthanaseseemedtoyouanidiot，mydear，itisthathehastoomanyideas；extremesmeet。Helivesthelifeofagirloffifteen；hehasneverwallowedintheimpuritiesofParis，nothe! Well，changetheterms，asmypoorhusbandusedtosay；itisthesamethingwithduBousquierinconnectionwithSuzanne。YOUwouldbecalumniated；butinthecaseofduBousquier，thechargewouldbetrue。Don\'tyouunderstandme？\" \"NomorethanifyouweretalkingGreek，\"repliedMademoiselleCormon，whoopenedhereyeswide，andstrainedalltheforcesofherintellect。 \"Well，cousin，ifImustdotallthei\'s，itisimpossibleforSuzannetoloveduBousquier。Andiftheheartcountsfornothinginthisaffair——\" \"But，cousin，whatdopeoplelovewithifnottheirhearts？\" HereMadameGransonsaidtoherself，asthechevalierhadpreviouslythought:\"Mypoorcousinisaltogethertooinnocent；suchstupiditypassesallbounds!——Dearchild，\"shecontinuedaloud，\"itseemstomethatchildrenarenotconceivedbythespiritonly。\" \"Why，yes，mydear；theHolyVirginherself——\" \"But，mylove，duBousquierisn\'ttheHolyGhost!\" \"True，\"saidtheoldmaid；\"heisaman!——amanwhosepersonalappearancemakeshimdangerousenoughforhisfriendstoadvisehimtomarry。\" \"Youcouldyourselfbringaboutthatresult，cousin。\" \"Howso？\"saidtheoldmaid，withthemeeknessofChristiancharity。 \"Bynotreceivinghiminyourhouseuntilhemarries。Youoweittogoodmoralsandtoreligiontomanifestundersuchcircumstancesanexemplarydispleasure。\" \"OnmyreturnfromPrebaudetwewilltalkfurtherofthis，mydearMadameGranson。IwillconsultmyuncleandtheAbbeCouturier，\"saidMademoiselleCormon，returningtothesalon，wheretheanimationwasnowatitsheight。 Thelights，thegroupofwomenintheirbestclothes，thesolemntone，thedignifiedairoftheassembly，madeMademoiselleCormonnotalittleproudofhercompany。TomanypersonsnothingbettercouldbeseeninParisinthehighestsociety。 AtthismomentduBousquier，whowasplayingwhistwiththechevalierandtwooldladies，——MadameduCoudraiandMadameduRonceret，——wastheobjectofdeepbutsilentcuriosity。Afewyoungwomenarrived，who，underpretextofwatchingthegame，gazedfixedlyathiminsosingularamanner，thoughslyly，thattheoldbachelorbegantothinkthattheremustbesomedeficiencyinhistoilet。 \"Canmyfalsefrontbecrooked？\"heaskedhimself，seizedbyoneofthoseanxietieswhichbesetoldbachelors。 Hetookadvantageofalosttrick，whichendedaseventhrubber，toriseandleavethetable。 \"Ican\'ttouchacardwithoutlosing，\"hesaid。\"Iamdecidedlytoounlucky。\" \"Butyouareluckyinotherways，\"saidthechevalier，givinghimaslylook。 Thatspeechnaturallymadetheroundsofthesalon，whereeveryoneexclaimedontheexquisitetasteofthechevalier，thePrincedeTalleyrandoftheprovince。 \"There\'snoonelikeMonsieurdeValoisforsuchwit。\" DuBousquierwenttolookathimselfinalittleoblongmirror，placedabovethe\"Deserter，\"buthesawnothingstrangeinhisappearance。 Afterinnumerablerepetitionsofthesametext，variedinallkeys，thedepartureofthecompanytookplaceaboutteno\'clock，throughthelongantechamber，MademoiselleCormonconductingcertainofherfavoritegueststotheportico。Therethegroupsparted；somefollowedtheBretagneroadtowardsthechateau；theotherswentinthedirectionoftheriverSarthe。Thenbegantheusualconversation，whichfortwentyyearshadechoedatthathourthroughthisparticularstreetofAlencon。Itwasinvariably:—— \"MademoiselleCormonlookedverywellto-night。\" \"MademoiselleCormon？why，Ithoughtherratherstrange。\" \"Howthatpoorabbefails!Didyounoticethatheslept？Hedoesnotknowwhatcardsheholds；heisgettingveryabsent-minded。\" \"Weshallsoonhavethegriefoflosinghim。\" \"Whatafinenight!Itwillbeafinedayto-morrow。\"