an old maid-第15部分

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

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

has　since　become　celebrated：　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　hear　much　talk

in　this　place　about　Posterity。　I　should　be　glad　to　know　what　that

power　has　ever　done　for　England。〃



Under　these　circumstances　the　heroic　Chevalier　de　Valois　would　bring

to　the　succor　of　the　old　maid　all　the　powers　of　his　clever　diplomacy；

whenever　he　saw　the　pitiless　smile　of　wiser　heads。　The　old　gentleman；

who　loved　to　assist　women；　turned　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　sayings　into

wit　by　sustaining　them　paradoxically；　and　he　often　covered　the　retreat

so　well　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　good　woman　had　said　nothing　silly。

She　asserted　very　seriously　one　evening　that　she　did　not　see　any

difference　between　an　ox　and　a　bull。　The　dear　chevalier　instantly

arrested　the　peals　of　laughter　by　asserting　that　there　was　only　the

difference　between　a　sheep　and　a　lamb。



But　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　served　an　ungrateful　dame；　for　never　did

Mademoiselle　Cormon　comprehend　his　chivalrous　services。　Observing　that

the　conversation　grew　lively；　she　simply　thought　that　she　was　not　so

stupid　as　she　was；the　result　being　that　she　settled　down　into　her

ignorance　with　some　complacency；　she　lost　her　timidity；　and　acquired　a

self…possession　which　gave　to　her　〃speeches〃　something　of　the

solemnity　with　which　the　British　enunciate　their　patriotic

absurdities；the　self…conceit　of　stupidity；　as　it　may　be　called。



As　she　approached　her　uncle；　on　this　occasion；　with　a　majestic　step；

she　was　ruminating　over　a　question　that　might　draw　him　from　a　silence；

which　always　troubled　her；　for　she　feared　he　was　dull。



〃Uncle；〃　she　said；　leaning　on　his　arm　and　clinging　to　his　side　（this

was　one　of　her　fictions；　for　she　said　to　herself　〃If　I　had　a　husband　I

should　do　just　so〃）；〃uncle；　if　everything　here　below　happens

according　to　the　will　of　God；　there　must　be　a　reason　for　everything。〃



〃Certainly；〃　replied　the　abbe；　gravely。　The　worthy　man；　who　cherished

his　niece；　always　allowed　her　to　tear　him　from　his　meditations　with

angelic　patience。



〃Then　if　I　remain　unmarried；supposing　that　I　do；God　wills　it？〃



〃Yes；　my　child；〃　replied　the　abbe。



〃And　yet；　as　nothing　prevents　me　from　marrying　to…morrow　if　I　choose；

His　will　can　be　destroyed　by　mine？〃



〃That　would　be　true　if　we　knew　what　was　really　the　will　of　God；〃

replied　the　former　prior　of　the　Sorbonne。　〃Observe；　my　daughter；　that

you　put　in　an　IF。〃



The　poor　woman；　who　expected　to　draw　her　uncle　into　a　matrimonial

discussion　by　an　argument　ad　omnipotentem；　was　stupefied；　but　persons

of　obtuse　mind　have　the　terrible　logic　of　children；　which　consists　in

turning　from　answer　to　question；a　logic　that　is　frequently

embarrassing。



〃But；　uncle；　God　did　not　make　women　intending　them　not　to　marry；

otherwise　they　ought　all　to　stay　unmarried；　if　not；　they　ought　all　to

marry。　There's　great　injustice　in　the　distribution　of　parts。〃




〃Daughter；〃　said　the　worthy　abbe；　〃you　are　blaming　the　Church；　which

declares　celibacy　to　be　the　better　way　to　God。〃



〃But　if　the　Church　is　right；　and　all　the　world　were　good　Catholics；

wouldn't　the　human　race　come　to　an　end；　uncle？〃



〃You　have　too　much　mind；　Rose；　you　don't　need　so　much　to　be　happy。〃



That　remark　brought　a　smile　of　satisfaction　to　the　lips　of　the　poor

woman；　and　confirmed　her　in　the　good　opinion　she　was　beginning　to

acquire　about　herself。　That　is　how　the　world；　our　friends；　and　our

enemies　are　the　accomplices　of　our　defects！



At　this　moment　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　successive

arrival　of　the　guests。　On　these　ceremonial　days；　friendly

familiarities　were　exchanged　between　the　servants　of　the　house　and　the

company。　Mariette　remarked　to　the　chief…justice　as　he　passed　the

kitchen：



〃Ah；　Monsieur　du　Ronceret；　I've　cooked　the　cauliflowers　au　gratin

expressly　for　you；　for　mademoiselle　knows　how　you　like　them；　and　she

said　to　me：　'Now　don't　forget；　Mariette；　for　Monsieur　du　Ronceret　is

coming。'〃



〃That　good　Mademoiselle　Cormon！〃　ejaculated　the　chief　legal　authority

of　the　town。　〃Mariette；　did　you　steep　them　in　gravy　instead　of　soup…

stock？　it　is　much　richer。〃



The　chief…justice　was　not　above　entering　the　chamber　of　council　where

Mariette　held　court；　he　cast　the　eye　of　a　gastronome　around　it；　and

offered　the　advice　of　a　past　master　in　cookery。



〃Good…day；　madame；〃　said　Josette　to　Madame　Granson；　who　courted　the

maid。　〃Mademoiselle　has　thought　of　you；　and　there's　fish　for　dinner。〃



As　for　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　he　remarked　to　Mariette；　in　the　easy

tone　of　a　great　seigneur　who　condescends　to　be　familiar：



〃Well；　my　dear　cordon…bleu；　to　whom　I　should　give　the　cross　of　the

Legion　of　honor；　is　there　some　little　dainty　for　which　I　had　better

reserve　myself？〃



〃Yes；　yes；　Monsieur　de　Valois；a　hare　sent　from　Prebaudet；　weighs

fourteen　pounds。〃



Du　Bousquier　was　not　invited。　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　faithful　to　the

system　which　we　know　of；　treated　that　fifty…year…old　suitor　extremely

ill；　although　she　felt　inexplicable　sentiments　towards　him　in　the

depths　of　her　heart。　She　had　refused　him；　yet　at　times　she　repented；

and　a　presentiment　that　she　should　yet　marry　him；　together　with　a

terror　at　the　idea　which　prevented　her　from　wishing　for　the　marriage；

assailed　her。　Her　mind；　stimulated　by　these　feelings；　was　much

occupied　by　du　Bousquier。　Without　being　aware　of　it；　she　was

influenced　by　the　herculean　form　of　the　republican。　Madame　Granson　and

the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　although　they　could　not　explain　to　themselves

Mademoiselle　Cormon's　inconsistencies；　had　detected　her　naive　glances

in　that　direction；　the　meaning　of　which　seemed　clear　enough　to　make

them　both　resolve　to　ruin　the　hopes　of　the　already　rejected　purveyor；

hopes　which　it　was　evident　he　still　indulged。



Two　guests；　whose　functions　excused　them；　kept　the　dinner　waiting。　One

was　Monsieur　du　Coudrai；　the　recorder　of　mortgages；　the　other　Monsieur

Choisnel；　former　bailiff　to　the　house　of　Esgrignon；　and　now　the　notary

of　the　upper　aristocracy；　by　whom　he　was　received　with　a　distinction

due　to　his　virtues；　he　was　also　a　man　of　considerable　wealth。　When　the

two　belated　guests　arrived；　Jacquelin　said　to　them　as　he　saw　them

about　to　enter　the　salon：



〃THEY　are　all　in　the　garden。〃



No　doubt　the　assembled　stomachs　were　impatient；　for　on　the　appearance

of　the　register　of　mortgageswho　had　no　defect　except　that　of　having

married　for　her　money　an　intolerable　old　woman；　and　of　perpetrating

endless　puns；　at　which　he　was　the　first　to　laughthe　gentle　murmur　by

which　such　late…comers　are　welcomed　arose。　While　awaiting　the　official

announcement　of　dinner；　the　company　were　sauntering　on　the　terrace

above　the　river；　and　gazing　at　the　water…plants；　the　mosaic　of　the

currents；　and　the　various　pretty　details　of　the　houses　clustering

across　the　river；　their　old　wooden　galleries；　their　mouldering　window…

frames；　their　little　gardens　where　clothes　were　drying；　the　cabinet…

maker's　shop；in　short；　the　many　details　of　a　small　community　to

which　the　vicinity　of　a　river；　a　weeping　willow；　flowers；　rose…bushes；

added　a　certain　grace；　making　the　scene　quite　worthy　of　a　landscape

painter。



The　chevalier　studied　all　faces；　for　he　knew　that　his　firebrand　had

been　very　successfully　introduced　into　the　chief　houses　of　the　place。

But　no　one　as　yet　referred　openly　to　the　great　news　of　Suzanne　and　du

Bousquier。　Provincials　possess　in　the　highest　degree　the　art　of

distilling　gossip；　the　right　moment　for　openly　discussing　this　strange

affair　had　not　arrived；　it　was　first　necessary　that　all　present　should

put　themselves　on　record。　So　the　whispers　went　round　from　ear　to

ear：



〃You　have　heard？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Du　Bousquier？〃



〃And　that　handsome　Suzanne。〃



〃Does　Mademoiselle　Cormon　know　of　it？〃



〃No。〃



〃Ha！〃



This　was　the　PIANO　of　the　scandal；　the　RINFORZANDO　would　break　forth

as　soon　as　the　first　course　had　been　removed。　Suddenly　Monsieur　de

Valois's　eyes　lighted　on　Madame　Granson；　arrayed　in　her　green　hat　with

bunches　of　auriculas；　and　beaming　with　evident　joy。　Was　it　merely　the

joy　of　opening　the　concert？　Though　such　a　piece　of　news　was　like　a

gold　mine　to　work　in　the　monotonous　lives　of　these　personages；　the

observant　and　distrustful　chevalier　thought　he　recognized　in　the

worthy　woman　a　far　more　extended　sentiment；　namely；　the　joy　caused　by

the　triumph　of　self…interest。　Instantly　he　turned　to　examine　Athanase；

and　detected　him　in　the　significant　silence　of　deep　meditation。

Presently；　a　look　cast　by　the　young　man　on　Mademoiselle　Cormon　carried

to　the　soul　of　the　chevalier　a　sudden　gleam。　That　momentary　flash　of

lightning　enabled　him　to　read　the　past。



〃Ha！　the　devil！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃what　a　checkmate　I'm　exposed

to！〃



Monsieur　de　Valois　now　approached　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　and　offered　his

arm。　The　old　maid's　feeling　to　the　chevalier　was　that　of　respectful

consideration；　and　certainly　his　name；　together　with　the　position　he

occupied　among　the　aristocratic　constellations　of　the　department　made

him　the　most　brilliant　ornament　of　her　salon。　In　her　inmost　mind

Mademoiselle　Cormon　had　wished　for　the　last　dozen　years　to　become

Madame　de　Valois。　That　name　was　like　the　branch　of　a　tree；　to　which

the　ideas　which　SWARMED　in　her　mind　about　rank；　nobility；　and　the

external　qualities　of　a　husband　had　fastened。　But；　though　the

Chevalier　de　Valois　was　the　man　chosen　by　her　heart；　and　mind；　and

ambition；　that　elderly　ruin；　combed　and　curled　like　a　little　Saint…

John　in　a　procession；　alarmed　Mademoiselle　Cormon。　She　saw　the

gentleman　in　him；　but　she　could　not　see　a　husband。　The　indifference

which　the　chevalier　affected　as　to　marriage；　above　all；　the　apparent

purity　of　his　morals　in　a　house　which　abounded　in　grisettes；　did

singular　harm　in　her　mind