an old maid-第16部分

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

singular　harm　in　her　mind　to　Monsieur　de　Valois　against　his

expectations。　The　worthy　man；　who　showed　such　judgment　in　the　matter

of　his　annuity；　was　at　fault　here。　Without　being　herself　aware　of　it；

the　thoughts　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon　on　the　too　virtuous　chevalier

might　be　translated　thus：



〃What　a　pity　that　he　isn't　a　trifle　dissipated！〃



Observers　of　the　human　heart　have　remarked　the　leaning　of　pious　women

toward　scamps；　some　have　expressed　surprise　at　this　taste；　considering

it　opposed　to　Christian　virtue。　But；　in　the　first　place；　what　nobler

destiny　can　you　offer　to　a　virtuous　woman　than　to　purify；　like

charcoal；　the　muddy　waters　of　vice？　How　is　it　some　observers　fail　to

see　that　these　noble　creatures；　obliged　by　the　sternness　of　their　own

principles　never　to　infringe　on　conjugal　fidelity；　must　naturally

desire　a　husband　of　wider　practical　experience　than　their　own？　The

scamps　of　social　life　are　great　men　in　love。　Thus　the　poor　woman

groaned　in　spirit　at　finding　her　chosen　vessel　parted　into　two　pieces。

God　alone　could　solder　together　a　Chevalier　de　Valois　and　a　du

Bousquier。



In　order　to　explain　the　importance　of　the　few　words　which　the

chevalier　and　Mademoiselle　Cormon　are　about　to　say　to　each　other；　it

is　necessary　to　reveal　two　serious　matters　which　agitated　the　town；

and　about　which　opinions　were　divided；　besides；　du　Bousquier　was

mysteriously　connected　with　them。



One　concerns　the　rector　of　Alencon；　who　had　formerly　taken　the

constitutional　oath；　and　who　was　now　conquering　the　repugnance　of　the

Catholics　by　a　display　of　the　highest　virtues。　He　was　Cheverus　on　a

small　scale；　and　became　in　time　so　fully　appreciated　that　when　he　died

the　whole　town　mourned　him。　Mademoiselle　Cormon　and　the　Abbe　de　Sponde

belonged　to　that　〃little　Church；〃　sublime　in　its　orthodoxy；　which　was

to　the　court　of　Rome　what　the　Ultras　were　to　be　to　Louis　XVIII。　The

abbe；　more　especially；　refused　to　recognize　a　Church　which　had

compromised　with　the　constitutionals。　The　rector　was　therefore　not

received　in　the　Cormon　household；　whose　sympathies　were　all　given　to

the　curate　of　Saint…Leonard；　the　aristocratic　parish　of　Alencon。　Du

Bousquier；　that　fanatic　liberal　now　concealed　under　the　skin　of　a

royalist；　knowing　how　necessary　rallying　points　are　to　all　discontents

（which　are　really　at　the　bottom　of　all　oppositions）；　had　drawn　the

sympathies　of　the　middle　classes　around　the　rector。　So　much　for　the

first　case；　the　second　was　this：



Under　the　secret　inspiration　of　du　Bousquier　the　idea　of　building　a

theatre　had　dawned　on　Alencon。　The　henchmen　of　the　purveyor　did　not

know　their　Mohammed；　and　they　thought　they　were　ardent　in　carrying　out

their　own　conception。　Athanase　Granson　was　one　of　the　warmest

partisans　for　the　theatre；　and　of　late　he　had　urged　at　the　mayor's

office　a　cause　which　all　the　other　young　clerks　had　eagerly　adopted。



The　chevalier；　as　we　have　said；　offered　his　arm　to　the　old　maid　for　a

turn　on　the　terrace。　She　accepted　it；　not　without　thanking　him　by　a

happy　look　for　this　attention；　to　which　the　chevalier　replied　by

motioning　toward　Athanase　with　a　meaning　eye。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　began；　〃you　have　so　much　sense　and　judgment　in

social　proprieties；　and　also；　you　are　connected　with　that　young　man　by

certain　ties〃



〃Distant　ones；〃　she　said；　interrupting　him。



〃Ought　you　not；〃　he　continued；　〃to　use　the　influence　you　have　over　his

mother　and　over　himself　by　saving　him　from　perdition？　He　is　not　very

religious；　as　you　know；　indeed　he　approves　of　the　rector；　but　that　is

not　all；　there　is　something　far　more　serious；　isn't　he　throwing

himself　headlong　into　an　opposition　without　considering　what　influence

his　present　conduct　may　exert　upon　his　future？　He　is　working　for　the

construction　of　a　theatre。　In　this　affair　he　is　simply　the　dupe　of

that　disguised　republican　du　Bousquier〃



〃Good　gracious！　Monsieur　de　Valois；〃　she　replied；　〃his　mother　is

always　telling　me　he　has　so　much　mind；　and　yet　he　can't　say　two　words；

he　stands　planted　before　me　as　mum　as　a　post〃



〃Which　doesn't　think　at　all！〃　cried　the　recorder　of　mortgages。　〃I

caught　your　words　on　the　fly。　I　present　my　compliments　to　Monsieur　de

Valois；〃　he　added；　bowing　to　that　gentleman　with　much　emphasis。



The　chevalier　returned　the　salutation　stiffly；　and　drew　Mademoiselle

Cormon　toward　some　flower…pots　at　a　little　distance；　in　order　to　show

the　interrupter　that　he　did　not　choose　to　be　spied　upon。



〃How　is　it　possible；〃　he　continued；　lowering　his　voice；　and　leaning

towards　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　ear；　〃that　a　young　man　brought　up　in

those　detestable　lyceums　should　have　ideas？　Only　sound　morals　and

noble　habits　will　ever　produce　great　ideas　and　a　true　love。　It　is　easy

to　see　by　a　mere　look　at　him　that　the　poor　lad　is　likely　to　be

imbecile；　and　come；　perhaps；　to　some　sad　end。　See　how　pale　and　haggard

he　is！〃



〃His　mother　declares　he　works　too　hard；〃　replied　the　old　maid；

innocently。　〃He　sits　up　late；　and　for　what？　reading　books　and　writing！

What　business　ought　to　require　a　young　man　to　write　at　night？〃



〃It　exhausts　him；〃　replied　the　chevalier；　trying　to　bring　the　old

maid's　thoughts　back　to　the　ground　where　he　hoped　to　inspire　her　with

horror　for　her　youthful　lover。　〃The　morals　of　those　Imperial　lyceums

are　really　shocking。〃



〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　the　ingenuous　creature。　〃They　march　the　pupils　about

with　drums　at　their　head。　The　masters　have　no　more　religion　than

pagans。　And　they　put　the　poor　lads　in　uniform；　as　if　they　were　troops。

What　ideas！〃



〃And　behold　the　product！〃　said　the　chevalier；　motioning　to　Athanase。

〃In　my　day；　young　men　were　not　so　shy　of　looking　at　a　pretty　woman。　As

for　him；　he　drops　his　eyes　whenever　he　sees　you。　That　young　man

frightens　me　because　I　am　really　interested　in　him。　Tell　him　not　to

intrigue　with　the　Bonapartists；　as　he　is　now　doing　about　that　theatre。

When　all　these　petty　folks　cease　to　ask　for　it　insurrectionally；

which　to　my　mind　is　the　synonym　of　constitutionally；the　government

will　build　it。　Besides　which；　tell　his　mother　to　keep　an　eye　on　him。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　sure　she　will　prevent　him　from　seeing　those　half…pay；

questionable　people。　I'll　talk　to　her；〃　said　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　〃for

he　might　lose　his　place　in　the　mayor's　office；　and　then　what　would　he

and　his　mother　have　to　live　on？　It　makes　me　shudder。〃



As　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand　said　of　his　wife；　so　the　chevalier　said　to

himself；　looking　at　Mademoiselle　Cormon：



〃Find　me　another　as　stupid！　Good　powers！　isn't　virtue　which　drives　out

intellect　vice？　But　what　an　adorable　wife　for　a　man　of　my　age！　What

principles！　what　ignorance！〃



Remember　that　this　monologue；　addressed　to　the　Princess　Goritza；　was

mentally　uttered　while　he　took　a　pinch　of　snuff。



Madame　Granson　had　divined　that　the　chevalier　was　talking　about

Athanase。　Eager　to　know　the　result　of　the　conversation；　she　followed

Mademoiselle　Cormon；　who　was　now　approaching　the　young　man　with　much

dignity。　But　at　this　moment　Jacquelin　appeared　to　announce　that

mademoiselle　was　served。　The　old　maid　gave　a　glance　of　appeal　to　the

chevalier；　but　the　gallant　recorder　of　mortgages；　who　was　beginning　to

see　in　the　manners　of　that　gentleman　the　barrier　which　the　provincial

nobles　were　setting　up　about　this　time　between　themselves　and　the

bourgeoisie；　made　the　most　of　his　chance　to　cut　out　Monsieur　de

Valois。　He　was　close　to　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　and　promptly　offered　his

arm；　which　she　found　herself　compelled　to　accept。　The　chevalier　then

darted；　out　of　policy；　upon　Madame　Granson。



〃Mademoiselle　Cormon；　my　dear　lady；〃　he　said　to　her；　walking　slowly

after　all　the　other　guests；　〃feels　the　liveliest　interest　in　your　dear

Athanase；　but　I　fear　it　will　vanish　through　his　own　fault。　He　is

irreligious　and　liberal；　he　is　agitating　this　matter　of　the　theatre；

he　frequents　the　Bonapartists；　he　takes　the　side　of　that　rector。　Such

conduct　may　make　him　lose　his　place　in　the　mayor's　office。　You　know

with　what　care　the　government　is　beginning　to　weed　out　such　opinions。

If　your　dear　Athanase　loses　his　place；　where　can　he　find　other

employment？　I　advise　him　not　to　get　himself　in　bad　odor　with　the

administration。〃



〃Monsieur　le　Chevalier；〃　said　the　poor　frightened　mother；　〃how

grateful　I　am　to　you！　You　are　right：　my　son　is　the　tool　of　a　bad　set

of　people；　I　shall　enlighten　him。〃



The　chevalier　had　long　since　fathomed　the　nature　of　Athanase；　and

recognized　in　it　that　unyielding　element　of　republican　convictions　to

which　in　his　youth　a　young　man　is　willing　to　sacrifice　everything；

carried　away　by　the　word　〃liberty；〃　so　ill…defined　and　so　little

understood；　but　which　to　persons　disdained　by　fate　is　a　banner　of

revolt；　and　to　such；　revolt　is　vengeance。　Athanase　would　certainly

persist　in　that　faith；　for　his　opinions　were　woven　in　with　his

artistic　sorrows；　with　his　bitter　contemplation　of　the　social　state。

He　was　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　at　thirty…six　years　of　age；the

period　of　life　when　a　man　has　judged　men　and　social　interests　and

relations；the　opinions　for　which　he　was　ready　to　sacrifice　his

future　would　be　modified　in　him；　as　they　are　in　all　men　of　real

superiority。　To　remain　faithful　to　the　Left　side　of　Alencon　was　to

gain　the　aversion　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon。　There；　indeed；　the　chevalier

saw　true。



Thus　we　see　that　this　society；　so　peaceful　in　appearance；　was

internally　as　agitated　as　any　diplomatic　circle；　where　craft；　ability；

and　passions　group　themselves　around　the　grave　questions　of　an　empire。

The　guests　were　now　seated　at　the　table　laden　with　the　first　course；

which　they　ate　as　provincials　eat；　without　shame　at　possessing　a　good

appetite；　and　not　as　in　Paris；　where　it　seems　as　if　jaws　gnashed　under

sumptuary　laws；　which　made　it　their　business　to　contradict　the　laws　of

anatomy。　In　Paris　people　eat　with　their　teeth；　and