an old maid-第17部分

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anatomy。　In　Paris　people　eat　with　their　teeth；　and　trifle　with　their

pleasure；　in　the　provinces　things　are　done　naturally；　and　interest　is

perhaps　rather　too　much　concentrated　on　the　grand　and　universal　means

of　existence　to　which　God　has　condemned　his　creatures。



It　was　at　the　end　of　the　first　course　that　Mademoiselle　Cormon　made

the　most　celebrated　of　her　〃speeches〃；　it　was　talked　about　for　fully

two　years；　and　is　still　told　at　the　gatherings　of　the　lesser

bourgeoisie　whenever　the　topic　of　her　marriage　comes　up。



The　conversation；　becoming　lively　as　the　penultimate　entree　was

reached；　had　turned　naturally　on　the　affair　of　the　theatre　and　the

constitutionally　sworn　rector。　In　the　first　fervor　of　royalty；　during

the　year　1816；　those　who　later　were　called　Jesuits　were　all　for　the

expulsion　of　the　Abbe　Francois　from　his　parish。　Du　Bousquier；

suspected　by　Monsieur　de　Valois　of　sustaining　the　priest　and　being　at

the　bottom　of　the　theatre　intrigues；　and　on　whose　back　the　adroit

chevalier　would　in　any　case　have　put　those　sins　with　his　customary

cleverness；　was　in　the　dock　with　no　lawyer　to　defend　him。　Athanase；

the　only　guest　loyal　enough　to　stand　by　du　Bousquier；　had　not　the

nerve　to　emit　his　ideas　in　the　presence　of　those　potentates　of

Alencon；　whom　in　his　heart　he　thought　stupid。　None　but　provincial

youths　now　retain　a　respectful　demeanor　before　men　of　a　certain　age；

and　dare　neither　to　censure　nor　contradict　them。　The　talk；　diminished

under　the　effect　of　certain　delicious　ducks　dressed　with　olives；　was

falling　flat。　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　feeling　the　necessity　of

maintaining　it　against　her　own　ducks；　attempted　to　defend　du

Bousquier；　who　was　being　represented　as　a　pernicious　fomenter　of

intrigues；　capable　of　any　trickery。



〃As　for　me；〃　she　said；　〃I　thought　that　Monsieur　du　Bousquier　cared

chiefly　for　childish　things。〃



Under　existing　circumstances　the　remark　had　enormous　success。

Mademoiselle　Cormon　obtained　a　great　triumph；　she　brought　the　nose　of

the　Princess　Goritza　flat　on　the　table。　The　chevalier；　who　little

expected　such　an　apt　remark　from　his　Dulcinea；　was　so　amazed　that　he

could　at　first　find　no　words　to　express　his　admiration；　he　applauded

noiselessly；　as　they　do　at　the　Opera；　tapping　his　fingers　together　to

imitate　applause。



〃She　is　adorably　witty；〃　he　said　to　Madame　Granson。　〃I　always　said

that　some　day　she　would　unmask　her　batteries。〃



〃In　private　she　is　always　charming；〃　replied　the　widow。



〃In　private；　madame；　all　women　have　wit；〃　returned　the　chevalier。



The　Homeric　laugh　thus　raised　having　subsided；　Mademoiselle　Cormon

asked　the　reason　of　her　success。　Then　began　the　FORTE　of　the　gossip。

Du　Bousquier　was　depicted　as　a　species　of　celibate　Pere　Gigogne；　a

monster；　who　for　the　last　fifteen　years　had　kept　the　Foundling

Hospital　supplied。　His　immoral　habits　were　at　last　revealed！　these

Parisian　saturnalias　were　the　result　of　them；　etc。；　etc。　Conducted　by

the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　a　most　able　leader　of　an　orchestra　of　this

kind；　the　opening　of　the　CANCAN　was　magnificent。



〃I　really　don't　know；〃　he　said；　〃what　should　hinder　a　du　Bousquier

from　marrying　a　Mademoiselle　Suzanne　What's…her…name。　What　IS　her

name；　do　you　know？　Suzette！　Though　I　have　lodgings　at　Madame　Lardot's；

I　know　her　girls　only　by　sight。　If　this　Suzette　is　a　tall；　fine；　saucy

girl；　with　gray　eyes；　a　slim　waist；　and　a　pretty　foot；　whom　I　have

occasionally　seen；　and　whose　behavior　always　seemed　to　me　extremely

insolent；　she　is　far　superior　in　manners　to　du　Bousquier。　Besides；　the

girl　has　the　nobility　of　beauty；　from　that　point　of　view　the　marriage

would　be　a　poor　one　for　her；　she　might　do　better。　You　know　how　the

Emperor　Joseph　had　the　curiosity　to　see　the　du　Barry　at　Luciennes。　He

offered　her　his　arm　to　walk　about；　and　the　poor　thing　was　so　surprised

at　the　honor　that　she　hesitated　to　accept　it：　'Beauty　is　ever　a

queen；'　said　the　Emperor。　And　he；　you　know；　was　an　Austrian…German；〃

added　the　chevalier。　〃But　I　can　tell　you　that　Germany；　which　is

thought　here　very　rustic；　is　a　land　of　noble　chivalry　and　fine

manners；　especially　in　Poland　and　Hungary；　where〃



Here　the　chevalier　stopped；　fearing　to　slip　into　some　allusion　to　his

personal　happiness；　he　took　out　his　snuff…box；　and　confided　the　rest

of　his　remarks　to　the　princess；　who　had　smiled　upon　him　for　thirty…six

years　and　more。



〃That　speech　was　rather　a　delicate　one　for　Louis　XV。；〃　said　du

Ronceret。



〃But　it　was；　I　think；　the　Emperor　Joseph　who　made　it；　and　not　Louis

XV。；〃　remarked　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　in　a　correcting　tone。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　the　chevalier；　observing　the　malicious　glance

exchanged　between　the　judge；　the　notary；　and　the　recorder；　〃Madame　du

Barry　was　the　Suzanne　of　Louis　XV。；a　circumstance　well　known　to

scamps　like　ourselves；　but　unsuitable　for　the　knowledge　of　young

ladies。　Your　ignorance　proves　you　to　be　a　flawless　diamond；　historical

corruptions　do　not　enter　your　mind。〃



The　Abbe　de　Sponde　looked　graciously　at　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　and

nodded　his　head　in　sign　of　his　laudatory　approbation。



〃Doesn't　mademoiselle　know　history？〃　asked　the　recorder　of　mortgages。



〃If　you　mix　up　Louis　XV。　and　this　girl　Suzanne；　how　am　I　to　know

history？〃　replied　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　angelically；　glad　to　see　that

the　dish　of　ducks　was　empty　at　last；　and　the　conversation　so　ready　to

revive　that　all　present　laughed　with　their　mouths　full　at　her　last

remark。



〃Poor　girl！〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Sponde。　〃When　a　great　misfortune

happens；　charity；　which　is　divine　love；　and　as　blind　as　pagan　love；

ought　not　to　look　into　the　causes　of　it。　Niece；　you　are　president　of

the　Maternity　Society；　you　must　succor　that　poor　girl；　who　will　now

find　it　difficult　to　marry。〃



〃Poor　child！〃　ejaculated　Mademoiselle　Cormon。



〃Do　you　suppose　du　Bousquier　would　marry　her？〃　asked　the　judge。



〃If　he　is　an　honorable　man　he　ought　to　do　so；〃　said　Madame　Granson；

〃but　really；　to　tell　the　truth；　my　dog　has　better　morals　than　he〃



〃Azor　is；　however；　a　good　purveyor；〃　said　the　recorder　of　mortgages；

with　the　air　of　saying　a　witty　thing。



At　dessert　du　Bousquier　was　still　the　topic　of　conversation；　having

given　rise　to　various　little　jokes　which　the　wine　rendered　sparkling。

Following　the　example　of　the　recorder；　each　guest　capped　his

neighbor's　joke　with　another：　Du　Bousquier　was　a　father；　but　not　a

confessor；　he　was　father　less；　he　was　father　LY；　he　was　not　a　reverend

father；　nor　yet　a　conscript…father



〃Nor　can　he　be　a　foster…father；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Sponde；　with　a

gravity　which　stopped　the　laughter。



〃Nor　a　noble　father；〃　added　the　chevalier。



The　Church　and　the　nobility　descended　thus　into　the　arena　of　puns；

without；　however；　losing　their　dignity。



〃Hush！〃　exclaimed　the　recorder　of　mortgages。　〃I　hear　the　creaking　of

du　Bousquier's　boots。〃



It　usually　happens　that　a　man　is　ignorant　of　rumors　that　are　afloat

about　him。　A　whole　town　may　be　talking　of　his　affairs；　may　calumniate

and　decry　him；　but　if　he　has　no　good　friends；　he　will　know　nothing

about　it。　Now　the　innocent　du　Bousquier　was　superb　in　his　ignorance。

No　one　had　told　him　as　yet　of　Suzanne's　revelations；　he　therefore

appeared　very　jaunty　and　slightly　conceited　when　the　company；　leaving

the　dining…room；　returned　to　the　salon　for　their　coffee；　several　other

guests　had　meantime　assembled　for　the　evening。　Mademoiselle　Cormon；

from　a　sense　of　shamefacedness；　dared　not　look　at　the　terrible

seducer。　She　seized　upon　Athanase；　and　began　to　lecture　him　with　the

queerest　platitudes　about　royalist　politics　and　religious　morality。

Not　possessing；　like　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　a　snuff…box　adorned　with

a　princess；　by　the　help　of　which　he　could　stand　this　torrent　of

silliness；　the　poor　poet　listened　to　the　words　of　her　whom　he　loved

with　a　stupid　air；　gazing；　meanwhile；　at　her　enormous　bust；　which　held

itself　before　him　in　that　still　repose　which　is　the　attribute　of　all

great　masses。　His　love　produced　in　him　a　sort　of　intoxication　which

changed　the　shrill　voice　of　the　old　maid　into　a　soft　murmur；　and　her

flat　remarks　into　witty　speeches。　Love　is　a　maker　of　false　coin；

continually　changing　copper　pennies　into　gold…pieces；　and　sometimes

turning　its　real　gold　into　copper。



〃Well；　Athanase；　will　you　promise　me？〃



This　final　sentence　struck　the　ear　of　the　absorbed　young　man　like　one

of　those　noises　which　wake　us　with　a　bound。



〃What；　mademoiselle？〃



Mademoiselle　Cormon　rose　hastily；　and　looked　at　du　Bousquier；　who　at

that　moment　resembled　the　stout　god　of　Fable　which　the　Republic

stamped　upon　her　coins。　She　walked　up　to　Madame　Granson；　and　said　in

her　ear：



〃My　dear　friend；　you　son　is　an　idiot。　That　lyceum　has　ruined　him；〃　she

added；　remembering　the　insistence　with　which　the　chevalier　had　spoken

of　the　evils　of　education　in　such　schools。



What　a　catastrophe！　Unknown　to　himself；　the　luckless　Athanase　had　had

an　occasion　to　fling　an　ember　of　his　own　fire　upon　the　pile　of　brush

gathered　in　the　heart　of　the　old　maid。　Had　he　listened　to　her；　he

might　have　made　her；　then　and　there；　perceive　his　passion；　for；　in　the

agitated　state　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　mind；　a　single　word　would　have

sufficed。　But　that　stupid　absorption　in　his　own　sentiments；　which

characterizes　young　and　true　love；　had　ruined　him；　as　a　child　full　of

life　sometimes　kills　itself　out　of　ignorance。



〃What　have　you　been　saying　to　Mademoiselle　Cormon？〃　demanded　his

mother。



〃Nothing。〃



〃Nothing；　well；　I　can　explain　that；〃　she　thought　to　herself；　putting

off　till　the　next　day　all　further　reflection　on　the　matter；　and

attaching　but　little　importance　to　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　words；　for

she　fully　believed　that　du　Bousquier　was　forever　lost　in　the　old

maid's　esteem　after　the　revelation　of　that　evening。



Soon　the　four　tables　were　filled　with　their　sixteen　players。　Four

persons　were　playing　pi