an old maid-第19部分

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her　son；　who　could　not　be　made　to　see　the　connection　which　existed

between　his　love　and　his　political　opinions。　It　was　the　first　quarrel

that　had　ever　troubled　that　poor　household。







CHAPTER　VI



FINAL　DISAPPOINTMENT　AND　ITS　FIRST　RESULT



The　next　day；　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　packed　into　the　old　carriole　with

Josette；　and　looking　like　a　pyramid　on　a　vast　sea　of　parcels；　drove　up

the　rue　Saint…Blaise　on　her　way　to　Prebaudet；　where　she　was　overtaken

by　an　event　which　hurried　on　her　marriage；an　event　entirely　unlooked

for　by　either　Madame　Granson；　du　Bousquier；　Monsieur　de　Valois；　or

Mademoiselle　Cormon　himself。　Chance　is　the　greatest　of　all　artificers。



The　day　after　her　arrival　at　Prebaudet；　she　was　innocently　employed；

about　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　in　listening；　as　she　breakfasted；

to　the　various　reports　of　her　keeper　and　her　gardener；　when　Jacquelin

made　a　violent　irruption　into　the　dining…room。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　cried；　out　of　breath；　〃Monsieur　l'abbe　sends　you　an

express；　the　son　of　Mere　Grosmort；　with　a　letter。　The　lad　left　Alencon

before　daylight；　and　he　has　just　arrived；　he　ran　like　Penelope！　Can't

I　give　him　a　glass　of　wine？〃



〃What　can　have　happened；　Josette？　Do　you　think　my　uncle　can　be〃



〃He　couldn't　write　if　he　were；〃　said　Josette；　guessing　her　mistress's

fears。



〃Quick！　quick！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　as　soon　as　she　had　read　the

first　lines。　〃Tell　Jacquelin　to　harness　Penelope　Get　ready；　Josette；

pack　up　everything　in　half　an　hour。　We　must　go　back　to　town〃



〃Jacquelin！〃　called　Josette；　excited　by　the　sentiment　she　saw　on　her

mistress's　face。



Jacquelin；　informed　by　Josette；　came　in　to　say；



〃But；　mademoiselle；　Penelope　is　eating　her　oats。〃



〃What　does　that　signify？　I　must　start　at　once。〃



〃But；　mademoiselle；　it　is　going　to　rain。〃



〃Then　we　shall　get　wet。〃



〃The　house　is　on　fire！〃　muttered　Josette；　piqued　at　the　silence　her

mistress　kept　as　to　the　contents　of　the　letter；　which　she　read　and

reread。



〃Finish　your　coffee；　at　any　rate；　mademoiselle；　don't　excite　your

blood；　just　see　how　red　you　are。〃



〃Am　I　red；　Josette？〃　she　said；　going　to　a　mirror；　from　which　the

quicksilver　was　peeling；　and　which　presented　her　features　to　her

upside　down。



〃Good　heavens！〃　thought　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　〃suppose　I　should　look

ugly！　Come；　Josette；　come；　my　dear；　dress　me　at　once；　I　want　to　be

ready　before　Jacquelin　has　harnessed　Penelope。　If　you　can't　pack　my

things　in　time；　I　will　leave　them　here　rather　than　lose　a　single

minute。〃



If　you　have　thoroughly　comprehended　the　positive　monomania　to　which

the　desire　of　marriage　had　brought　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　you　will　share

her　emotion。　The　worthy　uncle　announced　in　this　sudden　missive　that

Monsieur　de　Troisville；　of　the　Russian　army　during　the　Emigration；

grandson　of　one　of　his　best　friends；　was　desirous　of　retiring　to

Alencon；　and　asked　his；　the　abbe's　hospitality；　on　the　ground　of　his

friendship　for　his　grandfather；　the　Vicomte　de　Troisville。　The　old

abbe；　alarmed　at　the　responsibility；　entreated　his　niece　to　return

instantly　and　help　him　to　receive　this　guest；　and　do　the　honors　of　the

house；　for　the　viscount's　letter　had　been　delayed；　and　he　might

descend　upon　his　shoulders　that　very　night。



After　reading　this　missive　could　there　be　a　question　of　the　demands　of

Prebaudet？　The　keeper　and　the　gardener；　witnesses　to　Mademoiselle

Cormon's　excitement；　stood　aside　and　awaited　her　orders。　But　when；　as

she　was　about　to　leave　the　room；　they　stopped　her　to　ask　for

instructions；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　the　despotic　old　maid；

who　saw　to　everything　at　Prebaudet　with　her　own　eyes；　said；　to　their

stupefaction；　〃Do　what　you　like。〃　This　from　a　mistress　who　carried　her

administration　to　the　point　of　counting　her　fruits；　and　marking　them

so　as　to　order　their　consumption　according　to　the　number　and　condition

of　each！



〃I　believe　I'm　dreaming；〃　thought　Josette；　as　she　saw　her　mistress

flying　down　the　staircase　like　an　elephant　to　which　God　has　given

wings。



Presently；　in　spite　of　a　driving　rain；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　drove　away

from　Prebaudet；　leaving　her　factotums　with　the　reins　on　their　necks。

Jacquelin　dared　not　take　upon　himself　to　hasten　the　usual　little　trot

of　the　peaceable　Penelope；　who；　like　the　beautiful　queen　whose　name

she　bore；　had　an　appearance　of　making　as　many　steps　backward　as　she

made　forward。　Impatient　with　the　pace；　mademoiselle　ordered　Jacquelin

in　a　sharp　voice　to　drive　at　a　gallop；　with　the　whip；　if　necessary；　to

the　great　astonishment　of　the　poor　beast；　so　afraid　was　she　of　not

having　time　to　arrange　the　house　suitably　to　receive　Monsieur　de

Troisville。　She　calculated　that　the　grandson　of　her　uncle's　friend　was

probably　about　forty　years　of　age；　a　soldier　just　from　service　was

undoubtedly　a　bachelor；　and　she　resolved；　her　uncle　aiding；　not　to　let

Monsieur　de　Troisville　quit　their　house　in　the　condition　he　entered

it。　Though　Penelope　galloped；　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　absorbed　in

thoughts　of　her　trousseau　and　the　wedding…day；　declared　again　and

again　that　Jacquelin　made　no　way　at　all。　She　twisted　about　in　the

carriole　without　replying　to　Josette's　questions；　and　talked　to

herself　like　a　person　who　is　mentally　revolving　important　designs。



The　carriole　at　last　arrived　in　the　main　street　of　Alencon；　called　the

rue　Saint…Blaise　at　the　end　toward　Montagne；　but　near　the　hotel　du

More　it　takes　the　name　of　the　rue　de　la　Porte…de…Seez；　and　becomes　the

rue　du　Bercail　as　it　enters　the　road　to　Brittany。　If　the　departure　of

Mademoiselle　Cormon　made　a　great　noise　in　Alencon；　it　is　easy　to

imagine　the　uproar　caused　by　her　sudden　return　on　the　following　day；

in　a　pouring　rain　which　beat　her　face　without　her　apparently　minding

it。　Penelope　at　a　full　gallop　was　observed　by　every　one；　and

Jacquelin's　grin；　the　early　hour；　the　parcels　stuffed　into　the

carriole　topsy…turvy；　and　the　evident　impatience　of　Mademoiselle

Cormon　were　all　noted。



The　property　of　the　house　of　Troisville　lay　between　Alencon　and

Mortagne。　Josette　knew　the　various　branches　of　the　family。　A　word

dropped　by　mademoiselle　as　they　entered　Alencon　had　put　Josette　on　the

scent　of　the　affair；　and　a　discussion　having　started　between　them；　it

was　settled　that　the　expected　de　Troisville　must　be　between　forty　and

forty…two　years　of　age；　a　bachelor；　and　neither　rich　nor　poor。

Mademoiselle　Cormon　beheld　herself　speedily　Vicomtesse　de　Troisville。



〃And　to　think　that　my　uncle　told　me　nothing！　thinks　of　nothing！

inquires　nothing！　That's　my　uncle　all　over。　He'd　forget　his　own　nose

if　it　wasn't　fastened　to　his　face。〃



Have　you　never　remarked　that；　under　circumstances　such　as　these；　old

maids　become；　like　Richard　III。；　keen…witted；　fierce；　bold；

promissory；if　one　may　so　use　the　word；and；　like　inebriate　clerks；

no　longer　in　awe　of　anything？



Immediately　the　town　of　Alencon；　speedily　informed　from　the　farther

end　of　the　rue　de　Saint…Blaise　to　the　gate　of　Seez　of　this　precipitate

return；　accompanied　by　singular　circumstances；　was　perturbed

throughout　its　viscera；　both　public　and　domestic。　Cooks；　shopkeepers；

street　passengers；　told　the　news　from　door　to　door；　thence　it　rose　to

the　upper　regions。　Soon　the　words：　〃Mademoiselle　Cormon　has　returned！〃

burst　like　a　bombshell　into　all　households。　At　that　moment　Jacquelin

was　descending　from　his　wooden　seat　（polished　by　a　process　unknown　to

cabinet…makers）；　on　which　he　perched　in　front　of　the　carriole。　He

opened　the　great　green　gate；　round　at　the　top；　and　closed　in　sign　of

mourning；　for　during　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　absence　the　evening

assemblies　did　not　take　place。　The　faithful　invited　the　Abbe　de　Sponde

to　their　several　houses；　and　Monsieur　de　Valois　paid　his　debt　by

inviting　him　to　dine　at　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon's。　Jacquelin；　having

opened　the　gate；　called　familiarly　to　Penelope；　whom　he　had　left　in

the　middle　of　the　street。　That　animal；　accustomed　to　this　proceeding；

turned　in　of　herself；　and　circled　round　the　courtyard　in　a　manner　to

avoid　injuring　the　flower…bed。　Jacquelin　then　took　her　bridle；　and　led

the　carriage　to　the　portico。



〃Mariette！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　Cormon。



〃Mademoiselle！〃　exclaimed　Mariette；　who　was　occupied　in　closing　the

gate。



〃Has　the　gentleman　arrived？〃



〃No；　mademoiselle。〃



〃Where's　my　uncle？〃



〃He　is　at　church；　mademoiselle。〃



Jacquelin　and　Josette　were　by　this　time　on　the　first　step　of　the

portico；　holding　out　their　hands　to　manoeuvre　the　exit　of　their

mistress　from　the　carriole　as　she　pulled　herself　up　by　the　sides　of

the　vehicle　and　clung　to　the　curtains。　Mademoiselle　then　threw　herself

into　their　arms；　because　for　the　last　two　years　she　dared　not　risk　her

weight　on　the　iron　step；　affixed　to　the　frame　of　the　carriage　by　a

horrible　mechanism　of　clumsy　bolts。



When　Mademoiselle　Cormon　reached　the　level　of　the　portico　she　looked

about　her　courtyard　with　an　air　of　satisfaction。



〃Come；　come；　Mariette；　leave　that　gate　alone；　I　want　you。〃



〃There's　something　in　the　wind；〃　whispered　Jacquelin；　as　Mariette

passed　the　carriole。



〃Mariette；　what　provisions　have　you　in　the　house？〃　asked　Mademoiselle

Cormon；　sitting　down　on　the　bench　in　the　long　antechamber　like　a

person　overcome　with　fatigue。



〃I　haven't　anything；〃　replied　Mariette；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips。

〃Mademoiselle　knows　very　well　that　during　her　absence　Monsieur　l'abbe

dines　out　every　day。　Yesterday　I　went　to　fetch　him　from　Mademoiselle

Armande's。〃



〃Where　is　he　now？〃



〃Monsieur　l'abbe？　Why；　at　church；　he　won't　be　in　before　three

o'clock。〃



〃He　thinks　of　nothing！　he　ought　to　have　told　you　to　go　to　market。

Mariette；　go　at　once；　and　without　wasting　money；　don't　spare　it；　get

all　there　is　that　is　good　and　delicate。　Go　to　the　diligence　office　and

see　if　you　can　send　for　pates；　and　I　want　shrimps　from　the　Brillante。

What　o'clock　is　i