第10章

\"Iwould，\"hesaid，\"thatthatmomenthadgivenmetherighttokeepyouasmineforever\"[shelistenedwithadelightedair]；\"asyoulayfaintinguponthatbed，youwereenchanting。Ihaveneverinmylifeseenamorebeautifulperson，——andIhaveseenmanyhandsomewomen。 Plumpladieshavethisadvantage:theyaresuperbtolookupon；theyhaveonlytoshowthemselvesandtheytriumph。\" \"Ifearyouaremakingfunofme，\"saidtheoldmaid，\"andthatisnotkindwhenallthetownwillprobablymisinterpretwhathappenedtomeyesterday。\" \"AstrueasmynameisduBousquier，mademoiselle，Ihaveneverchangedinmyfeelingstowardyou；andyourfirstrefusalhasnotdiscouragedme。\" Theoldmaid\'seyeswerelowered。TherewasamomentofcruelsilenceforduBousquier，andthenMademoiselleCormondecidedonhercourse。 Sheraisedhereyelids；tearsflowedfromhereyes，andshegaveduBousquieratenderglance。 \"Ifthatisso，monsieur，\"shesaid，inatremblingvoice，\"promisemetoliveinaChristianmanner，andnotopposemyreligiouscustoms，buttoleavemetherighttoselectmyconfessors，andIwillgrantyoumyhand\"；asshesaidthewords，shehelditouttohim。 DuBousquierseizedthegoodfathandsofullofmoney，andkisseditsolemnly。 \"But，\"shesaid，allowinghimtokissit，\"onethingmoreImustrequireofyou。\" \"Ifitisapossiblething，itisgranted，\"repliedthepurveyor。 \"Alas!\"returnedtheoldmaid。\"Formysake，ImustaskyoutotakeuponyourselfasinwhichIfeeltobeenormous，——fortolieisoneofthecapitalsins。Butyouwillconfessit，willyounot？Wewilldopenanceforittogether\"[theylookedateachothertenderly]。 \"Besides，itmaybeoneofthoselieswhichtheChurchpermitsasnecessary——\" \"CanshebeasSuzannesayssheis？\"thoughtduBousquier。\"Whatluck! Well，mademoiselle，whatisit？\"hesaidaloud。 \"Thatyouwilltakeuponyourselfto——\" \"What？\" \"Tosaythatthismarriagehasbeenagreeduponbetweenusforthelastsixmonths。\" \"Charmingwoman，\"saidthepurveyor，inthetoneofamanwillingtodevotehimself，\"suchsacrificescanbemadeonlyforacreatureadoredthesetenyears。\" \"Inspiteofmyharshness？\"shesaid。 \"Yes，inspiteofyourharshness。\" \"MonsieurduBousquier，Ihavemisjudgedyou。\" Againsheheldoutthefatredhand，whichduBousquierkissedagain。 Atthismomentthedooropened；thebetrothedpair，lookingroundtoseewhoentered，beheldthedelightful，buttardyChevalierdeValois。 \"Ah!\"hesaid，onentering，\"Iseeyouareabouttobeup，fairqueen。\" Shesmiledatthechevalier，feelingaweightuponherheart。MonsieurdeValois，remarkablyyoungandseductive，hadtheairofaLauzunre- enteringtheapartmentsoftheGrandeMademoiselleinthePalais- Royal。 \"Hey!dearduBousquier，\"saidhe，inajauntytone，sosurewasheofsuccess，\"MonsieurdeTroisvilleandtheAbbedeSpondeareexaminingyourhouselikeappraisers。\" \"Faith!\"saidduBousquier，\"iftheVicomtedeTroisvillewantsit，ititishisforfortythousandfrancs。Itisuselesstomenow。Ifmademoisellewillpermit——itmustsoonbeknown——Mademoiselle，mayI tellit？——Yes!Well，then，bethefirst，MYDEARCHEVALIER，tohear\" [MademoiselleCormondroppedhereyes]\"ofthehonorthatmademoisellehasdoneme，thesecretofwhichIhavekeptforsomemonths。Weshallbemarriedinafewdays；thecontractisalreadydrawn，andweshallsignitto-morrow。Yousee，therefore，thatmyhouseintherueduCygneisuselesstome。Ihavebeenprivatelylookingforapurchaserforsometime；andtheAbbedeSponde，whoknewthatfact，hasnaturallytakenMonsieurdeTroisvilletoseethehouse。\" Thisfalsehoodboresuchanappearanceoftruththatthechevalierwastakeninbyit。That\"mydearchevalier\"wasliketherevengetakenbyPetertheGreatonCharlesXII。atPultawaforallhispastdefeats。 DuBousquierrevengedhimselfdeliciouslyforthethousandlittleshaftshehadlongborneinsilence；butinhistriumphhemadealivelyyouthfulgesturebyrunninghishandsthroughhishair，andinsodoinghe——knockedasidehisfalsefront。 \"Icongratulateyouboth，\"saidthechevalier，withanagreeableair； \"andIwishthatthemarriagemayendlikeafairytale:THEYWERE HAPPYEVERAFTER，ANDHAD——MANY——CHILDREN!\"Sosaying，hetookapinchofsnuff。\"But，monsieur，\"headdedsatirically，\"youforget——thatyouarewearingafalsefront。\" DuBousquierblushed。Thefalsefrontwashanginghalfadozeninchesfromhisskull。MademoiselleCormonraisedhereyes，sawthatskullinallitsnudity，andloweredthem，abashed。DuBousquiercastuponthechevalierthemostvenomouslookthattoadeverdartedonitsprey。 \"Dogsofaristocratswhodespiseme，\"thoughthe，\"I\'llcrushyousomeday。\" Thechevalierthoughthehadrecoveredhisadvantage。ButMademoiselleCormonwasnotawomantounderstandtheconnectionwhichthechevalierintimatedbetweenhiscongratulatorywishandthefalsefront。Besides，evenifshehadcomprehendedit，herwordwaspassed，herhandgiven。MonsieurdeValoissawatoncethatallwaslost。Theinnocentwoman，withthetwonowsilentmenbeforeher，wished，truetohersenseofduty，toamusethem。 \"Whynotplayagameofpiquettogether？\"shesaidartlessly，withouttheslightestmalice。 DuBousquiersmiled，andwent，asthefuturemasterofthehouse，tofetchthepiquettable。WhethertheChevalierdeValoislosthishead，orwhetherhewantedtostayandstudythecausesofhisdisasterandremedyit，certainitisthatheallowedhimselftobeledlikealambtotheslaughter。Hehadreceivedthemostviolentknock-downblowthateverstruckaman；anynoblemanwouldhavelosthissensesforless。 TheAbbedeSpondeandtheVicomtedeTroisvillesoonreturned。 MademoiselleCormoninstantlyrose，hurriedintotheantechamber，andtookheruncleaparttotellhimherresolution。LearningthatthehouseintherueduCygneexactlysuitedtheviscount，shebeggedherfuturehusbandtodoherthekindnesstotellhimthatheruncleknewitwasforsale。Shedarednotconfidethatlietotheabbe，fearinghisabsent-mindedness。Thelie，however，prosperedbetterthanifithadbeenavirtuousaction。InthecourseofthateveningallAlenconheardthenews。Forthelastfourdaysthetownhadhadasmuchtothinkofasduringthefataldaysof1814and1815。Somelaughed； othersadmittedthemarriage。Theseblamedit；thoseapprovedit。ThemiddleclassesofAlenconrejoiced；theyregardeditasavictory。Thenextday，amongfriends，theChevalierdeValoissaidacruelthing:—— \"TheCormonsendastheybegan；there\'sonlyahand\'sbreadthbetweenastewardandapurveyor。\" CHAPTERVII OTHERRESULTS ThenewsofMademoiselleCormon\'schoicestabbedpoorAthanaseGransontotheheart；butheshowednooutwardsignoftheterribleagitationwithinhim。Whenhefirstheardofthemarriagehewasatthehouseofthechief-justice，duRonceret，wherehismotherwasplayingboston。 MadameGransonlookedathersoninamirror，andthoughthimpale； buthehadbeensoallday，foravaguerumorofthematterhadalreadyreachedhim。 MademoiselleCormonwasthecardonwhichAthanasehadstakedhislife；andthecoldpresentimentofacatastrophewasalreadyuponhim。 Whenthesoulandtheimaginationhavemagnifiedamisfortuneandmadeittooheavyfortheshouldersandthebraintobear；whenahopelongcherished，therealizationofwhichwouldpacifythevulturefeedingontheheart，isbalked，andthemanhasfaithneitherinhimself，despitehispowers，norinthefuture，despiteoftheDivinepower，—— thenthatmanislost。AthanasewasafruitoftheImperialsystemofeducation。Fatality，theEmperor\'sreligion，hadfiltereddownfromthethronetothelowestranksofthearmyandthebenchesofthelyceums。Athanasesatstill，withhiseyesfixedonMadameduRonceret\'scards，inastuporthatmightsowellpassforindifferencethatMadameGransonherselfwasdeceivedabouthisfeelings。Thisapparentunconcernexplainedherson\'srefusaltomakeasacrificeforthismarriageofhisLIBERALopinions，——theterm\"liberal\"havinglatelybeencreatedfortheEmperorAlexanderby，Ithink，MadamedeStael，throughthelipsofBenjaminConstant。 AfterthatfataleveningtheyoungmantooktoramblingamongthepicturesqueregionsoftheSarthe，thebanksofwhicharemuchfrequentedbysketcherswhocometoAlenconforpointsofview。 Windmillsarethere，andtheriverisgayinthemeadows。TheshoresoftheSartheareborderedwithbeautifultrees，wellgrouped。Thoughthelandscapeisflat，itisnotwithoutthosemodestgraceswhichdistinguishFrance，wheretheeyeisneverweariedbythebrilliancyofOrientalskies，norsaddenedbyconstantfog。Theplaceissolitary。Intheprovincesnoonepaysmuchattentiontoafineview，eitherbecauseprovincialsareblasesonthebeautyaroundthem，orbecausetheyhavenopoesyintheirsouls。Ifthereexistsintheprovincesamall，apromenade，avantage-groundfromwhichafineviewcanbeobtained，thatisthepointtowhichnoonegoes。Athanasewasfondofthissolitude，enlivenedbythesparklingwater，wherethefieldswerethefirsttogreenundertheearliestsmilingofthespringtidesun。Thosepersonswhosawhimsittingbeneathapoplar，andwhonoticedthevacanteyewhichheturnedtothem，wouldsaytoMadameGranson:—— \"Somethingisthematterwithyourson。\" \"Iknowwhatitis，\"themotherwouldreply；hintingthathewasmeditatingoversomegreatwork。 Athanasenolongertookpartinpolitics:heceasedtohaveopinions； butheappearedattimesquitegay，——gaywiththesatireofthosewhothinktoinsultawholeworldwiththeirownindividualscorn。Thisyoungman，outsideofalltheideasandallthepleasuresoftheprovinces，interestedfewpersons；hewasnotevenanobjectofcuriosity。Ifpersonsspokeofhimtohismother，itwasforhersake，nothis。TherewasnotasinglesoulinAlenconthatsympathizedwithhis；notawoman，notafriendcameneartodryhistears；theydroppedintotheSarthe。IfthegorgeousSuzannehadhappenedthatway，howmanyyoungmiseriesmighthavebeenbornofthemeeting!forthetwowouldsurelyhavelovedeachother。 Shedidcome，however。Suzanne\'sambitionwasearlyexcitedbythetaleofastrangeadventurewhichhadhappenedatthetavernoftheMore，——atalewhichhadtakenpossessionofherchildishbrain。A Parisianwoman，beautifulastheangels，wassentbyFouchetoentangletheMarquisdeMontauran，otherwisecalled\"TheGars，\"inalove-affair(see\"TheChouans\")。ShemethimatthetavernoftheMoreonhisreturnfromanexpeditiontoMortagne；shecajoledhim，madehimloveher，andthenbetrayedhim。Thatfantasticpower——thepowerofbeautyovermankind；infact，thewholestoryofMariedeVerneuilandtheGars——dazzledSuzanne；shelongedtogrowupinordertoplayuponmen。SomemonthsafterherhastydepartureshepassedthroughhernativetownwithanartistonhiswaytoBrittany。ShewantedtoseeFougeres，wheretheadventureoftheMarquisdeMontauranculminated，andtostanduponthesceneofthatpicturesquewar，thetragediesofwhich，stillsolittleknown，hadfilledherchildishmind。Besidesthis，shehadafancytopassthroughAlenconsoelegantlyequippedthatnoonecouldrecognizeher；toputhermotherabovethereachofnecessity，andalsotosendtopoorAthanase，inadelicatemanner，asumofmoney，——whichinourageistogeniuswhatinthemiddleageswasthechargerandthecoatofmailthatRebeccaconveyedtoIvanhoe。 OnemonthpassedawayinthestrangestuncertaintiesrespectingthemarriageofMademoiselleCormon。Apartyofunbelieversdeniedthemarriagealtogether；thebelievers，ontheotherhand，affirmedit。Attheendoftwoweeks，thefactionofunbeliefreceivedavigorousblowinthesaleofduBousquier\'shousetotheMarquisdeTroisville，whoonlywantedasimpleestablishmentinAlencon，intendingtogotoParisafterthedeathofthePrincessScherbellof；heproposedtoawaitthatinheritanceinretirement，andthentoreconstitutehisestates。Thisseemedpositive。Theunbelievers，however，werenotcrushed。TheydeclaredthatduBousquier，marriedornot，hadmadeanexcellentsale，forthehousehadonlycosthimtwenty-seventhousandfrancs。Thebelieversweredepressedbythispracticalobservationoftheincredulous。Choisnel，MademoiselleCormon\'snotary，assertedthelatter，hadheardnothingaboutthemarriagecontract；butthebelievers，stillfirmintheirfaith，carriedoff，onthetwentiethday，asignalvictory:MonsieurLepressoir，thenotaryoftheliberals，wenttoMademoiselleCormon\'shouse，andthecontractwassigned。 ThiswasthefirstofthenumeroussacrificeswhichMademoiselleCormonwasdestinedtomaketoherhusband。DuBousquierborethedeepesthatredtoChoisnel；tohimheowedtherefusalofthehandofMademoiselleArmande，——arefusalwhich，ashebelieved，hadinfluencedthatofMademoiselleCormon。Thiscircumstancealonemadethemarriagedragalong。Mademoisellereceivedseveralanonymousletters。Shelearned，tohergreatastonishment，thatSuzannewasastrulyavirginasherselfsofarasduBousquierwasconcerned，forthatseducerwiththefalsetoupetcouldneverbetheheroofanysuchadventure。 MademoiselleCormondisdainedanonymousletters；butshewrotetoSuzanneherself，onthegroundofenlighteningtheMaternitySociety。 Suzanne，whohadnodoubtheardofduBousquier\'sproposedmarriage，acknowledgedhertrick，sentathousandfrancstothesociety，anddidalltheharmshecouldtotheoldpurveyor。MademoiselleCormonconvokedtheMaternitySociety，whichheldaspecialmeetingatwhichitwasvotedthattheassociationwouldnotinfutureassistanymisfortunesabouttohappen，butsolelythosethathadhappened。 Inspiteofallthesevariouseventswhichkeptthetowninthechoicestgossip，thebannswerepublishedinthechurchesandatthemayor\'soffice。Athanasepreparedthedeeds。Asamatterofproprietyandpublicdecency，thebrideretiredtoPrebaudet，whereduBousquier，bearingsumptuousandhorriblebouquets，betookhimselfeverymorning，returninghomefordinner。 Atlast，onadullandrainymorninginJune，themarriageofMademoiselleCormonandtheSieurduBousquiertookplaceatnoonintheparishchurchofAlencon，insightofthewholetown。Thebridalpairwentfromtheirownhousetothemayor\'soffice，andfromthemayor\'sofficetothechurchinanopencaleche，amagnificentvehicleforAlencon，whichduBousquierhadsentforsecretlytoParis。Thelossoftheoldcarriolewasaspeciesofcalamityintheeyesofthecommunity。Theharness-makerofthePortedeSeezbemoanedit，forhelostthefiftyfrancsayearwhichitcostinrepairs。Alenconsawwithalarmthepossibilityofluxurybeingthusintroducedintothetown。Everyonefearedariseinthepriceofrentsandprovisions，andacominginvasionofParisianfurniture。SomepersonsweresufficientlyprickedbycuriositytogivetensoustoJacquelintoallowthemacloseinspectionofthevehiclewhichthreatenedtoupsetthewholeeconomyoftheregion。Apairofhorses，boughtinNormandie，werealsomostalarming。 \"Ifweboughtourownhorses，\"saidtheRonceretcircle，\"wecouldn\'tsellthemtothosewhocometobuy。\" Stupidasitwas，thisreasoningseemedsound；forsurelysuchacoursewouldpreventtheregionfromgraspingthemoneyofforeigners。 Intheeyesoftheprovinceswealthconsistedlessintherapidturningoverofmoneythaninsterileaccumulation。ItmaybementionedherethatPenelopesuccumbedtoapleurisywhichsheacquiredaboutsixweeksbeforethemarriage；nothingcouldsaveher。 MadameGranson，Mariette，MadameduCoudrai，MadameduRonceret，andthroughthemthewholetown，remarkedthatMadameduBousquierenteredthechurchWITHHERLEFTFOOT，——anomenallthemoredreadfulbecausethetermLeftwasbeginningtoacquireapoliticalmeaning。ThepriestwhosedutyitwastoreadtheopeningformulaopenedhisbookbychanceattheDeProfundis。Thusthemarriagewasaccompaniedbycircumstancessofateful，soalarming，soannihilatingthatnoonedaredtoaugurwellofit。Matters，infact，wentfrombadtoworse。 Therewasnoweddingparty；themarriedpairdepartedimmediatelyforPrebaudet。Parisiancustoms，saidthecommunity，wereabouttotriumphovertime-honoredprovincialways。 ThemarriageofJacquelinandJosettenowtookplace:itwasgay；andtheyweretheonlytwopersonsinAlenconwhorefutedthesinisterpropheciesrelatingtothemarriageoftheirmistress。 DuBousquierdeterminedtousetheproceedsofthesaleofhislateresidenceinrestoringandmodernizingthehotelCormon。HedecidedtoremainthroughtwoseasonsatPrebaudet，andtooktheAbbedeSpondewiththem。Thisnewsspreadterrorthroughthetown，whereeveryindividualfeltthatduBousquierwasabouttodragthecommunityintothefatalpathof\"comfort。\"ThisfearincreasedwhentheinhabitantsofAlenconsawthebridegroomdrivinginfromPrebaudetonemorningtoinspecthisworks，inafinetilburydrawnbyanewhorse，havingReneathissideinlivery。Thefirstactofhisadministrationhadbeentoplacehiswife\'ssavingsontheGrand-Livre，whichwasthenquotedat67fr。50cent。Inthespaceofoneyear，duringwhichheplayedconstantlyforarise，hemadehimselfapersonalfortunealmostasconsiderableasthatofhiswife。 Butalltheseforebodingprophecies，theseperturbinginnovations，weresupersededandsurpassedbyaneventconnectedwiththismarriagewhichgaveastillmorefatalaspecttoit。 Ontheveryeveningoftheceremony，Athanaseandhismotherweresitting，aftertheirdinner，overalittlefireoffagots，whichtheservantlightedusuallyatdessert。 \"Well，wewillgothiseveningtotheduRoncerets\'，inasmuchaswehavelostMademoiselleCormon，\"saidMadameGranson。\"Heavens!howshallIeveraccustommyselftocallherMadameduBousquier!thatnameburnsmylips。\" Athanaselookedathismotherwithaconstrainedandmelancholyair； hecouldnotsmile；butheseemedtowishtowelcomethatnaivesentimentwhichsoothedhiswound，thoughitcouldnotcurehisanguish。 \"Mamma，\"hesaid，inthevoiceofhischildhood，sotenderwasit，andusingthenamehehadabandonedforseveralyears，——\"mydearmamma，donotletusgooutjustyet；itissopleasantherebeforethefire。\" Themotherheard，withoutcomprehending，thatsupremeprayerofamortalsorrow。 \"Yes，letusstay，mychild，\"shesaid。\"Ilikemuchbettertotalkwithyouandlistentoyourprojectsthantoplayatbostonandlosemymoney。\" \"Youaresohandsometo-nightIlovetolookatyou。Besides，Iaminacurrentofideaswhichharmonizewiththispoorlittlesalonwherewehavesufferedsomuch。\" \"Andwhereweshallstillsuffer，mypoorAthanase，untilyourworkssucceed。Formyself，Iamtrainedtopoverty；butyou，mytreasure!toseeyouryouthgobywithoutajoy!nothingbuttoilformypoorboyinlife!Thatthoughtislikeanillnesstoamother；ittorturesmeatnight；itwakesmeinthemorning。OGod!whathaveIdone？forwhatcrimedostthoupunishmethus？\" Shelefthersofa，tookalittlechair，andsatclosetoAthanase，soastolayherheadonthebosomofherchild。Thereisalwaysthegraceofloveintruemotherhood。Athanasekissedherontheeyes，onhergrayhair，onherforehead，withthesacreddesireoflayinghissoulwhereverheappliedhislips。 \"Ishallneversucceed，\"hesaid，tryingtodeceivehismotherastothefatalresolutionhewasrevolvinginhismind。 \"Pooh!don\'tgetdiscouraged。Asyouoftensay，thoughtcandoallthings。Withtenbottlesofink，tenreamsofpaper，andhispowerfulwill，LutherupsetallEurope。Well，you\'llmakeyourselffamous；youwilldogoodthingsbythesamemeanswhichheusedtodoevilthings。