an old maid-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



gymnastics。　These　uncertainties　of　temper　were　accepted　by　Josette　and

Jacquelin　as　changes　in　the　weather　are　accepted　by　husbandmen。　Those

worthy　souls　remark；　〃It　is　fine　to…day；〃　or　〃It　rains；〃　without

arraigning　the　heavens。　And　so　when　they　met　in　the　morning　the

servants　would　wonder　in　what　humor　mademoiselle　would　get　up；　just　as

a　farmer　wonders　about　the　mists　at　dawn。



Mademoiselle　Cormon　had　ended；　as　it　was　natural　she　should　end；　in

contemplating　herself　only　in　the　infinite　pettinesses　of　her　life。

Herself　and　God；　her　confessor　and　the　weekly　wash；　her　preserves　and

the　church　services；　and　her　uncle　to　care　for；　absorbed　her　feeble

intellect。　To　her　the　atoms　of　life　were　magnified　by　an　optic

peculiar　to　persons　who　are　selfish　by　nature　or　self…absorbed　by　some

accident。　Her　perfect　health　gave　alarming　meaning　to　the　least　little

derangement　of　her　digestive　organs。　She　lived　under　the　iron　rod　of

the　medical　science　of　our　forefathers；　and　took　yearly　four

precautionary　doses；　strong　enough　to　have　killed　Penelope；　though

they　seemed　to　rejuvenate　her　mistress。　If　Josette；　when　dressing　her；

chanced　to　discover　a　little　pimple　on　the　still　satiny　shoulders　of

mademoiselle；　it　became　the　subject　of　endless　inquiries　as　to　the

various　alimentary　articles　of　the　preceding　week。　And　what　a　triumph

when　Josette　reminded　her　mistress　of　a　certain　hare　that　was　rather

〃high；〃　and　had　doubtless　raised　that　accursed　pimple！　With　what　joy

they　said　to　each　other：　〃No　doubt；　no　doubt；　it　WAS　the　hare！〃



〃Mariette　over…seasoned　it；〃　said　mademoiselle。　〃I　am　always　telling

her　to　do　so　lightly　for　my　uncle　and　for　me；　but　Mariette　has　no　more

memory　than〃



〃The　hare；〃　said　Josette。



〃Just　so；〃　replied　Mademoiselle；　〃she　has　no　more　memory　than　a　hare；

a　very　just　remark。〃



Four　times　a　year；　at　the　beginning　of　each　season；　Mademoiselle

Cormon　went　to　pass　a　certain　number　of　days　on　her　estate　of

Prebaudet。　It　was　now　the　middle　of　May；　the　period　at　which　she

wished　to　see　how　her　apple…trees　had　〃snowed；〃　a　saying　of　that

region　which　expressed　the　effect　produced　beneath　the　trees　by　the

falling　of　their　blossoms。　When　the　circular　deposit　of　these　fallen

petals　resembled　a　layer　of　snow　the　owner　of　the　trees　might　hope　for

an　abundant　supply　of　cider。　While　she　thus　gauged　her　vats；

Mademoiselle　Cormon　also　attended　to　the　repairs　which　the　winter

necessitated；　she　ordered　the　digging　of　her　flower…beds　and　her

vegetable　garden；　from　which　she　supplied　her　table。　Every　season　had

its　own　business。　Mademoiselle　always　gave　a　dinner　of　farewell　to　her

intimate　friends　the　day　before　her　departure；　although　she　was

certain　to　see　them　again　within　three　weeks。　It　was　always　a　piece　of

news　which　echoed　through　Alencon　when　Mademoiselle　Cormon　departed。

All　her　visitors；　especially　those　who　had　missed　a　visit；　came　to　bid

her　good…bye；　the　salon　was　thronged；　and　every　one　said　farewell　as

though　she　were　starting　for　Calcutta。　The　next　day　the　shopkeepers

would　stand　at　their　doors　to　see　the　old　carriole　pass；　and　they

seemed　to　be　telling　one　another　some　news　by　repeating　from　shop　to

shop：



〃So　Mademoiselle　Cormon　is　going　to　Prebaudet！〃



Some　said：　〃HER　bread　is　baked。〃



〃Hey！　my　lad；〃　replied　the　next　man。　〃She's　a　worthy　woman；　if　money

always　came　into　such　hands　we　shouldn't　see　a　beggar　in　the　country。〃



Another　said：　〃Dear　me；　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　the　vineyards　were

in　bloom；　here's　Mademoiselle　Cormon　going　to　Prebaudet。　How　happens

it　she　doesn't　marry？〃



〃I'd　marry　her　myself；〃　said　a　wag；　〃in　fact；　the　marriage　is　half…

made；　for　here's　one　consenting　party；　but　the　other　side　won't。　Pooh！

the　oven　is　heating　for　Monsieur　du　Bousquier。〃



〃Monsieur　du　Bousquier！　Why；　she　has　refused　him。〃



That　evening　at　all　the　gatherings　it　was　told　gravely：



〃Mademoiselle　Cormon　has　gone。〃



Or：



〃So　you　have　really　let　Mademoiselle　Cormon　go。〃



The　Wednesday　chosen　by　Suzanne　to　make　known　her　scandal　happened　to

be　this　farewell　Wednesday；a　day　on　which　Mademoiselle　Cormon　drove

Josette　distracted　on　the　subject　of　packing。　During　the　morning；

therefore；　things　had　been　said　and　done　in　the　town　which　lent　the

utmost　interest　to　this　farewell　meeting。　Madame　Granson　had　gone　the

round　of　a　dozen　houses　while　the　old　maid　was　deliberating　on　the

things　she　needed　for　the　journey；　and　the　malicious　Chevalier　de

Valois　was　playing　piquet　with　Mademoiselle　Armande；　sister　of　a

distinguished　old　marquis；　and　the　queen　of　the　salon　of　the

aristocrats。　If　it　was　not　uninteresting　to　any　one　to　see　what　figure

the　seducer　would　cut　that　evening；　it　was　all　important　for　the

chevalier　and　Madame　Granson　to　know　how　Mademoiselle　Cormon　would

take　the　news　in　her　double　capacity　of　marriageable　woman　and

president　of　the　Maternity　Society。　As　for　the　innocent　du　Bousquier；

he　was　taking　a　walk　on　the　promenade；　and　beginning　to　suspect　that

Suzanne　had　tricked　him；　this　suspicion　confirmed　him　in　his

principles　as　to　women。



On　gala　days　the　table　was　laid　at　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　about　half…

past　three　o'clock。　At　that　period　the　fashionable　people　of　Alencon

dined　at　four。　Under　the　Empire　they　still　dined　as　in　former　times　at

half…past　two；　but　then　they　supped！　One　of　the　pleasures　which

Mademoiselle　Cormon　valued　most　was　（without　meaning　any　malice；

although　the　fact　certainly　rests　on　egotism）　the　unspeakable

satisfaction　she　derived　from　seeing　herself　dressed　as　mistress　of

the　house　to　receive　her　guests。　When　she　was　thus　under　arms　a　ray　of

hope　would　glide　into　the　darkness　of　her　heart；　a　voice　told　her　that

nature　had　not　so　abundantly　provided　for　her　in　vain；　and　that　some

man；　brave　and　enterprising；　would　surely　present　himself。　Her　desire

was　refreshed　like　her　person；　she　contemplated　herself　in　her　heavy

stuffs　with　a　sort　of　intoxication；　and　this　satisfaction　continued

when　she　descended　the　stairs　to　cast　her　redoubtable　eye　on　the

salon；　the　dinner…table；　and　the　boudoir。　She　would　then　walk　about

with　the　naive　contentment　of　the　rich；who　remember　at　all　moments

that　they　are　rich　and　will　never　want　for　anything。　She　looked　at　her

eternal　furniture；　her　curiosities；　her　lacquers；　and　said　to　herself

that　all　these　fine　things　wanted　was　a　master。　After　admiring　the

dining…room；　and　the　oblong　dinner…table；　on　which　was　spread　a　snow…

white　cloth　adorned　with　twenty　covers　placed　at　equal　distances；

after　verifying　the　squadron　of　bottles　she　had　ordered　to　be　brought

up；　and　which　all　bore　honorable　labels；　after　carefully　verifying　the

names　written　on　little　bits　of　paper　in　the　trembling　handwriting　of

the　abbe　（the　only　duty　he　assumed　in　the　household；　and　one　which

gave　rise　to　grave　discussions　on　the　place　of　each　guest）；after

going　through　all　these　preliminary　acts　mademoiselle　went；　in　her

fine　clothes；　to　her　uncle；　who　was　accustomed　at　this；　the　best　hour

in　the　day；　to　take　his　walk　on　the　terrace　which　overlooked　the

Brillante；　where　he　could　listen　to　the　warble　of　birds　which　were

resting　in　the　coppice；　unafraid　of　either　sportsmen　or　children。　At

such　times　of　waiting　she　never　joined　the　Abbe　de　Sponde　without

asking　him　some　ridiculous　question；　in　order　to　draw　the　old　man　into

a　discussion　which　might　serve　to　amuse　him。　And　her　reason　was　this；

which　will　serve　to　complete　our　picture　of　this　excellent　woman's

nature：



Mademoiselle　Cormon　regarded　it　as　one　of　her　duties　to　talk；　not　that

she　was　talkative；　for　she　had　unfortunately　too　few　ideas；　and　did

not　know　enough　phrases　to　converse　readily。　But　she　believed　she　was

accomplishing　one　of　the　social　duties　enjoined　by　religion；　which

orders　us　to　make　ourselves　agreeable　to　our　neighbor。　This　obligation

cost　her　so　much　that　she　consulted　her　director；　the　Abbe　Couturier；

upon　the　subject　of　this　honest　but　puerile　civility。　In　spite　of　the

humble　remark　of　his　penitent；　confessing　the　inward　labor　of　her　mind

in　finding　anything　to　say；　the　old　priest；　rigid　on　the　point　of

discipline；　read　her　a　passage　from　Saint…Francois　de　Sales　on　the

duties　of　women　in　society；　which　dwelt　on　the　decent　gayety　of　pious

Christian　women；　who　were　bound　to　reserve　their　sternness　for

themselves；　and　to　be　amiable　and　pleasing　in　their　homes；　and　see

that　their　neighbors　enjoyed　themselves。　Thus；　filled　with　a　sense　of

duty；　and　wishing；　at　all　costs；　to　obey　her　director；　who　bade　her

converse　with　amenity；　the　poor　soul　perspired　in　her　corset　when　the

talk　around　her　languished；　so　much　did　she　suffer　from　the　effort　of

emitting　ideas　in　order　to　revive　it。　Under　such　circumstances　she

would　put　forth　the　silliest　statements；　such　as：　〃No　one　can　be　in

two　places　at　onceunless　it　is　a　little　bird；〃　by　which　she　one　day

roused；　and　not　without　success；　a　discussion　on　the　ubiquity　of　the

apostles；　which　she　was　unable　to　comprehend。　Such　efforts　at

conversation　won　her　the　appellation　of　〃that　good　Mademoiselle

Cormon；〃　which；　from　the　lips　of　the　beaux　esprits　of　society；　means

that　she　was　as　ignorant　as　a　carp；　and　rather　a　poor　fool；　but　many

persons　of　her　own　calibre　took　the　remark　in　its　literal　sense；　and

answered：



〃Yes；　oh　yes！　Mademoiselle　Cormon　is　an　excellent　woman。〃



Sometimes　she　would　put　such　absurd　questions　（always　for　the　purpose

of　fulfilling　her　duties　to　society；　and　making　herself　agreeable　to

her　guests）　that　everybody　burst　out　laughing。　She　asked；　for

instance；　what　the　government　did　with　the　taxes　they　were　always

receiving；　and　why　the　Bible　had　not　been　printed　in　the　days　of　Jesus

Christ；　inasmuch　as　it　was　written　by　Moses。　Her　mental　powers　were

those　of　the　English　〃country　gentleman〃　who；　hearing　constant　mention

of　〃posterity〃　in　the　House　of　Commons；　rose　to　make　the　speech　that

ha