the lily of the valley-第22部分

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on　the　equipment　of　a　pony。　This　wish　led　to　a　discussion　with　his

father；　who　bade　him　think　of　the　uncertainty　of　such　returns；　and　the

wisdom　of　creating　a　reserve　fund　for　the　years　when　the　trees　might

not　bear；　and　so　equalizing　his　resources。　I　felt　what　was　passing

through　the　mother's　mind　as　she　sat　by　in　silence；　she　rejoiced　in

the　way　Jacques　listened　to　his　father；　the　father　seeming　to　recover

the　paternal　dignity　that　was　lacking　to　him；　thanks　to　the　ideas

which　she　herself　had　prompted　in　him。　Did　I　not　tell　you　truly　that

in　picturing　this　woman　earthly　language　was　insufficient　to　render

either　her　character　or　her　spirit。　When　such　scenes　occurred　my　soul

drank　in　their　delights　without　analyzing　them；　but　now；　with　what

vigor　they　detach　themselves　on　the　dark　background　of　my　troubled

life！　Like　diamonds　they　shine　against　the　settling　of　thoughts

degraded　by　alloy；　of　bitter　regrets　for　a　lost　happiness。　Why　do　the

names　of　the　two　estates　purchased　after　the　Restoration；　and　in　which

Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Mortsauf　both　took　the　deepest　interest；　the

Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere；　move　me　more　than　the　sacred　names　of　the

Holy　Land　or　of　Greece？　〃Who　loves；　knows！〃　cried　La　Fontaine。　Those

names　possess　the　talismanic　power　of　words　uttered　under　certain

constellations　by　seers；　they　explain　magic　to　me；　they　awaken

sleeping　forms　which　arise　and　speak　to　me；　they　lead　me　to　the　happy

valley；　they　recreate　skies　and　landscape。　But　such　evocations　are　in

the　regions　of　the　spiritual　world；　they　pass　in　the　silence　of　my　own

soul。　Be　not　surprised；　therefore；　if　I　dwell　on　all　these　homely

scenes；　the　smallest　details　of　that　simple；　almost　common　life　are

ties　which；　frail　as　they　may　seem；　bound　me　in　closest　union　to　the

countess。



The　interests　of　her　children　gave　Madame　de　Mortsauf　almost　as　much

anxiety　as　their　health。　I　soon　saw　the　truth　of　what　she　had　told　me

as　to　her　secret　share　in　the　management　of　the　family　affairs；　into

which　I　became　slowly　initiated。　After　ten　years'　steady　effort　Madame

de　Mortsauf　had　changed　the　method　of　cultivating　the　estate。　She　had

〃put　it　in　fours；〃　as　the　saying　is　in　those　parts；　meaning　the　new

system　under　which　wheat　is　sown　every　four　years　only；　so　as　to　make

the　soil　produce　a　different　crop　yearly。　To　evade　the　obstinate

unwillingness　of　the　peasantry　it　was　found　necessary　to　cancel　the

old　leases　and　give　new　ones；　to　divide　the　estate　into　four　great

farms　and　let　them　on　equal　shares；　the　sort　of　lease　that　prevails　in

Touraine　and　its　neighborhood。　The　owner　of　the　estate　gives　the

house；　farm…buildings；　and　seed…grain　to　tenants…at…will；　with　whom　he

divides　the　costs　of　cultivation　and　the　crops。　This　division　is

superintended　by　an　agent　or　bailiff；　whose　business　it　is　to　take　the

share　belonging　to　the　owner；　a　costly　system；　complicated　by　the

market　changes　of　values；　which　alter　the　character　of　the　shares

constantly。　The　countess　had　induced　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　to　cultivate

a　fifth　farm；　made　up　of　the　reserved　lands　about　Clochegourde；　as

much　to　occupy　his　mind　as　to　show　other　farmers　the　excellence　of　the

new　method　by　the　evidence　of　facts。　Being　thus；　in　a　hidden　way；　the

mistress　of　the　estate；　she　had　slowly　and　with　a　woman's　persistency

rebuilt　two　of　the　farm…houses　on　the　principle　of　those　in　Artois　and

Flanders。　It　is　easy　to　see　her　motive。　She　wished；　after　the

expiration　of　the　leases　on　shares；　to　relet　to　intelligent　and

capable　persons　for　rental　in　money；　and　thus　simplify　the　revenues　of

Clochegourde。　Fearing　to　die　before　her　husband；　she　was　anxious　to

secure　for　him　a　regular　income；　and　to　her　children　a　property　which

no　incapacity　could　jeopardize。　At　the　present　time　the　fruit…trees

planted　during　the　last　ten　years　were　in　full　bearing；　the　hedges；

which　secured　the　boundaries　from　dispute；　were　in　good　order；　the

elms　and　poplars　were　growing　well。　With　the　new　purchases　and　the　new

farming　system　well　under　way；　the　estate　of　Clochegourde；　divided

into　four　great　farms；　two　of　which　still　needed　new　houses；　was

capable　of　bringing　in　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　ten　thousand　for

each　farm；　not　counting　the　yield　of　the　vineyards；　and　the　two

hundred　acres　of　woodland　which　adjoined　them；　nor　the　profits　of　the

model　home…farm。　The　roads　to　the　great　farms　all　opened　on　an　avenue

which　followed　a　straight　line　from　Clochegourde　to　the　main　road

leading　to　Chinon。　The　distance　from　the　entrance　of　this　avenue　to

Tours　was　only　fifteen　miles；　tenants　would　never　be　wanting；

especially　now　that　everybody　was　talking　of　the　count's　improvements

and　the　excellent　condition　of　his　land。



The　countess　wished　to　put　some　fifteen　thousand　francs　into　each　of

the　estates　lately　purchased；　and　to　turn　the　present　dwellings　into

two　large　farm…houses　and　buildings；　in　order　that　the　property　might

bring　in　a　better　rent　after　the　ground　had　been　cultivated　for　a　year

or　two。　These　ideas；　so　simple　in　themselves；　but　complicated　with　the

thirty　odd　thousand　francs　it　was　necessary　to　expend　upon　them；　were

just　now　the　topic　of　many　discussions　between　herself　and　the　count；

sometimes　amounting　to　bitter　quarrels；　in　which　she　was　sustained　by

the　thought　of　her　children's　interests。　The　fear；　〃If　I　die　to…morrow

what　will　become　of　them？〃　made　her　heart　beat。　The　gentle；　peaceful

hearts　to　whom　anger　is　an　impossibility；　and　whose　sole　desire　is　to

shed　on　those　about　them　their　own　inward　peace；　alone　know　what

strength　is　needed　for　such　struggles；　what　demands　upon　the　spirit

must　be　made　before　beginning　the　contest；　what　weariness　ensues　when

the　fight　is　over　and　nothing　has　been　won。　At　this　moment；　just　as

her　children　seemed　less　anemic；　less　frail；　more　active　（for　the

fruit　season　had　had　its　effect　on　them）；　and　her　moist　eyes　followed

them　as　they　played　about　her　with　a　sense　of　contentment　which

renewed　her　strength　and　refreshed　her　heart；　the　poor　woman　was

called　upon　to　bear　the　sharp　sarcasms　and　attacks　of　an　angry

opposition。　The　count；　alarmed　at　the　plans　she　proposed；　denied　with

stolid　obstinacy　the　advantages　of　all　she　had　done　and　the

possibility　of　doing　more。　He　replied　to　conclusive　reasoning　with　the

folly　of　a　child　who　denies　the　influence　of　the　sun　in　summer。　The

countess；　however；　carried　the　day。　The　victory　of　commonsense　over

insanity　so　healed　her　wounds　that　she　forgot　the　battle。　That　day　we

all　went　to　the　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere；　to　decide　upon　the

buildings。　The　count　walked　alone　in　front；　the　children　went　next；

and　we　ourselves　followed　slowly；　for　she　was　speaking　in　a　low；

gentle　tone；　which　made　her　words　like　the　murmur　of　the　sea　as　it

ripples　on　a　smooth　beach。



She　was；　she　said；　certain　of　success。　A　new　line　of　communication

between　Tours　and　Chinon　was　to　be　opened　by　an　active　man；　a　carrier；

a　cousin　of　Manette's；　who　wanted　a　large　farm　on　the　route。　His

family　was　numerous；　the　eldest　son　would　drive　the　carts；　the　second

could　attend　to　the　business；　the　father　living　half…way　along　the

road；　at　Rabelaye；　one　of　the　farms　then　to　let；　would　look　after　the

relays　and　enrich　his　land　with　the　manure　of　the　stables。　As　to　the

other　farm；　la　Baude；　the　nearest　to　Clochegourde；　one　of　their　own

people；　a　worthy；　intelligent；　and　industrious　man；　who　saw　the

advantages　of　the　new　system　of　agriculture；　was　ready　to　take　a　lease

on　it。　The　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere　need　give　no　anxiety；　their　soil

was　the　very　best　in　the　neighborhood；　the　farm…houses　once　built；　and

the　ground　brought　into　cultivation；　it　would　be　quite　enough　to

advertise　them　at　Tours；　tenants　would　soon　apply　for　them。　In　two

years'　time　Clochegourde　would　be　worth　at　least　twenty…four　thousand

francs　a　year。　Gravelotte；　the　farm　in　Maine；　which　Monsieur　de

Mortsauf　had　recovered　after　the　emigration；　was　rented　for　seven

thousand　francs　a　year　for　nine　years；　his　pension　was　four　thousand。

This　income　might　not　be　a　fortune；　but　it　was　certainly　a　competence。

Later；　other　additions　to　it　might　enable　her　to　go　to　Paris　and

attend　to　Jacques'　education；　in　two　years；　she　thought；　his　health

would　be　established。



With　what　feeling　she　uttered　the　word　〃Paris！〃　I　knew　her　thought；

she　wished　to　be　as　little　separated　as　possible　from　her　friend。　On

that　I　broke　forth；　I　told　her　that　she　did　not　know　me；　that　without

talking　of　it；　I　had　resolved　to　finish　my　education　by　working　day

and　night　so　as　to　fit　myself　to　be　Jacques'　tutor。　She　looked　grave。



〃No；　Felix；〃　she　said；　〃that　cannot　be；　any　more　than　your　priesthood。

I　thank　you　from　my　heart　as　a　mother；　but　as　a　woman　who　loves　you

sincerely　I　can　never　allow　you　to　be　the　victim　of　your　attachment　to

me。　Such　a　position　would　be　a　social　discredit　to　you；　and　I　could

not　allow　it。　No！　I　cannot　be　an　injury　to　you　in　any　way。　You；

Vicomte　de　Vandenesse；　a　tutor！　You；　whose　motto　is　'Ne　se　vend！'　Were

you　Richelieu　himself　it　would　bar　your　way　in　life；　it　would　give　the

utmost　pain　to　your　family。　My　friend；　you　do　not　know　what　insult

women　of　the　world；　like　my　mother；　can　put　into　a　patronizing　glance；

what　degradation　into　a　word；　what　contempt　into　a　bow。〃



〃But　if　you　love　me；　what　is　the　world　to　me？〃



She　pretended　not　to　hear；　and　went　on：



〃Though　my　father　is　most　kind　and　desirous　of　doing　all　I　ask；　he

would　never　forgive　your　taking　so　humble　a　position；　he　would　refuse

you　his　protection。　I　could　not　consent　to　your　becoming　tutor　to　the

Dauphin　even。　You　must　accept　society　as　it　is；　never　commit　the　fault

of　flying　in　the　face　of　it。　My　friend；　this　rash　proposal　of〃



〃Love；〃　I　whispered。



〃No；　charity；〃　she　said；　controlling　her　tears；　〃this　wild　idea

enlightens　me　as　to　your　character；　your　heart　will　be　your　bane。　I

shall　claim　from　this　moment　the　right　to　t