an old maid-第21部分

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a　single　gentleman；　made　so　great　a　sensation　coming　down　the　rue

Saint…Blaise　and　turning　into　the　rue　du　Cours　that　several　little

gamains　and　some　grown　persons　followed　it；　and　stood　in　groups　about

the　gate　of　the　hotel　Cormon　to　see　it　enter。　Jacquelin；　who　foresaw

his　own　marriage　in　that　of　his　mistress；　had　also　heard　the　click…

clack　in　the　rue　Saint…Blaise；　and　had　opened　wide　the　gates　into　the

courtyard。　The　postilion；　a　friend　of　his；　took　pride　in　making　a　fine

turn…in；　and　drew　up　sharply　before　the　portico。　The　abbe　came　forward

to　greet　his　guest；　whose　carriage　was　emptied　with　a　speed　that

highwaymen　might　put　into　the　operation；　the　chaise　itself　was　rolled

into　the　coach…house；　the　gates　closed；　and　in　a　few　moments　all　signs

of　Monsieur　de　Troisville's　arrival　had　disappeared。　Never　did　two

chemicals　blend　into　each　other　with　greater　rapidity　than　the　hotel

Cormon　displayed　in　absorbing　the　Vicomte　de　Troisville。



Mademoiselle；　whose　heart　was　beating　like　a　lizard　caught　by　a

herdsman；　sat　heroically　still　on　her　sofa；　beside　the　fire　in　the

salon。　Josette　opened　the　door；　and　the　Vicomte　de　Troisville；

followed　by　the　Abbe　de　Sponde；　presented　himself　to　the　eyes　of　the

spinster。



〃Niece；　this　is　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　de　Troisville；　the　grandson　of　one

of　my　old　schoolmates；　Monsieur　de　Troisville；　my　niece；　Mademoiselle

Cormon。〃



〃Ah！　that　good　uncle；　how　well　he　does　it！〃　thought　Rose…Marie…

Victoire。



The　Vicomte　de　Troisville　was；　to　paint　him　in　two　words；　du　Bousquier

ennobled。　Between　the　two　men　there　was　precisely　the　difference　which

separates　the　vulgar　style　from　the　noble　style。　If　they　had　both　been

present；　the　most　fanatic　liberal　would　not　have　denied　the　existence

of　aristocracy。　The　viscount's　strength　had　all　the　distinction　of

elegance；　his　figure　had　preserved　its　magnificent　dignity。　He　had

blue　eyes；　black　hair；　an　olive　skin；　and　looked　to　be　about　forty…six

years　of　age。　You　might　have　thought　him　a　handsome　Spaniard　preserved

in　the　ice　of　Russia。　His　manner；　carriage；　and　attitude；　all　denoted

a　diplomat　who　had　seen　Europe。　His　dress　was　that　of　a　well…bred

traveller。　As　he　seemed　fatigued；　the　abbe　offered　to　show　him　to　his

room；　and　was　much　amazed　when　his　niece　threw　open　the　door　of　the

boudoir；　transformed　into　a　bedroom。



Mademoiselle　Cormon　and　her　uncle　then　left　the　noble　stranger　to

attend　to　his　own　affairs；　aided　by　Jacquelin；　who　brought　up　his

luggage；　and　went　themselves　to　walk　beside　the　river　until　their

guest　had　made　his　toilet。　Although　the　Abbe　de　Sponde　chanced　to　be

even　more　absent…minded　than　usual；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　was　not　less

preoccupied。　They　both　walked　on　in　silence。　The　old　maid　had　never

before　met　any　man　as　seductive　as　this　Olympean　viscount。　She　might

have　said　to　herself；　as　the　Germans　do；　〃This　is　my　ideal！〃　instead

of　which　she　felt　herself　bound　from　head　to　foot；　and　could　only　say；

〃Here's　my　affair！〃　Then　she　flew　to　Mariette　to　know　if　the　dinner

could　be　put　back　a　while　without　loss　of　excellence。



〃Uncle；　your　Monsieur　de　Troisville　is　very　amiable；〃　she　said；　on

returning。



〃Why；　niece；　he　hasn't　as　yet　said　a　word。〃



〃But　you　can　see　it　in　his　ways；　his　manners；　his　face。　Is　he　a

bachelor？〃



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　abbe；　who　was　thinking　of　a

discussion　on　mercy；　lately　begun　between　the　Abbe　Couturier　and

himself。　〃Monsieur　de　Troisville　wrote　me　that　he　wanted　to　buy　a

house　here。　If　he　was　married；　he　wouldn't　come　alone　on　such　an

errand；〃　added　the　abbe；　carelessly；　not　conceiving　the　idea　that　his

niece　could　be　thinking　of　marriage。



〃Is　he　rich？〃



〃He　is　a　younger　son　of　the　younger　branch；〃　replied　her　uncle。　〃His

grandfather　commanded　a　squadron；　but　the　father　of　this　young　man

made　a　bad　marriage。〃



〃Young　man！〃　exclaimed　the　old　maid。　〃It　seems　to　me；　uncle；　that　he

must　be　at　least　forty…five。〃　She　felt　the　strongest　desire　to　put

their　years　on　a　par。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃but　to　a　poor　priest　of　seventy；　Rose；　a　man　of

forty　seems　a　youth。〃



All　Alencon　knew　by　this　time　that　Monsieur　de　Troisville　had　arrived

at　the　Cormons。　The　traveller　soon　rejoined　his　hosts；　and　began　to

admire　the　Brillante；　the　garden；　and　the　house。



〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　he　said；　〃my　whole　ambition　is　to　have　a　house　like

this。〃　The　old　maid　fancied　a　declaration　lurked　in　that　speech；　and

she　lowered　her　eyes。　〃You　must　enjoy　it　very　much；　mademoiselle；〃

added　the　viscount。



〃How　could　it　be　otherwise？　It　has　been　in　our　family　since　1574；　the

period　at　which　one　of　our　ancestors；　steward　to　the　Duc　d'Alencon；

acquired　the　land　and　built　the　house；〃　replied　Mademoiselle　Cormon。

〃It　is　built　on　piles；〃　she　added。



Jacquelin　announced　dinner。　Monsieur　de　Troisville　offered　his　arm　to

the　happy　woman；　who　endeavored　not　to　lean　too　heavily　upon　it；　she

feared；　as　usual；　to　seem　to　make　advances。



〃Everything　is　so　harmonious　here；〃　said　the　viscount；　as　he　seated

himself　at　table。



〃Yes；　our　trees　are　full　of　birds；　which　give　us　concerts　for　nothing；

no　one　ever　frightens　them；　and　the　nightingales　sing　at　night；〃　said

Mademoiselle　Cormon。



〃I　was　speaking　of　the　interior　of　the　house；〃　remarked　the　viscount；

who　did　not　trouble　himself　to　observe　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　and

therefore　did　not　perceive　the　dulness　of　her　mind。　〃Everything　is　so

in　keeping；the　tones　of　color；　the　furniture；　the　general

character。〃



〃But　it　costs　a　great　deal；　taxes　are　enormous；〃　responded　the

excellent　woman。



〃Ah！　taxes　are　high；　are　they？〃　said　the　viscount；　preoccupied　with

his　own　ideas。



〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　abbe。　〃My　niece　manages　the　property　of

each　of　us。〃



〃Taxes　are　not　of　much　importance　to　the　rich；〃　said　Mademoiselle

Cormon；　not　wishing　to　be　thought　miserly。　〃As　for　the　furniture；　I

shall　leave　it　as　it　is；　and　change　nothing；unless　I　marry；　and

then；　of　course；　everything　here　must　suit　the　husband。〃



〃You　have　noble　principles；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　viscount；　smiling。

〃You　will　make　one　happy　man。〃



〃No　one　ever　made　to　me　such　a　pretty　speech；〃　thought　the　old　maid。



The　viscount　complimented　Mademoiselle　Cormon　on　the　excellence　of　her

service　and　the　admirable　arrangements　of　the　house；　remarking　that　he

had　supposed　the　provinces　behind　the　age　in　that　respect；　but；　on　the

contrary；　he　found　them；　as　the　English　say；　〃very　comfortable。〃



〃What　can　that　word　mean？〃　she　thought。　〃Oh；　where　is　the　chevalier　to

explain　it　to　me？　'Comfortable；'there　seem　to　be　several　words　in

it。　Well；　courage！〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃I　can't　be　expected　to

answer　a　foreign　language　But；〃　she　continued　aloud；　feeling　her

tongue　untied　by　the　eloquence　which　nearly　all　human　creatures　find

in　momentous　circumstances；　〃we　have　a　very　brilliant　society　here；

monsieur。　It　assembles　at　my　house；　and　you　shall　judge　of　it　this

evening；　for　some　of　my　faithful　friends　have　no　doubt　heard　of　my

return　and　your　arrival。　Among　them　is　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　a

seigneur　of　the　old　court；　a　man　of　infinite　wit　and　taste；　then　there

is　Monsieur　le　Marquis　d'Esgrignon　and　Mademoiselle　Armande；　his

sister〃　（she　bit　her　tongue　with　vexation）；〃a　woman　remarkable　in

her　way；〃　she　added。　〃She　resolved　to　remain　unmarried　in　order　to

leave　all　her　fortune　to　her　brother　and　nephew。〃



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　viscount。　〃Yes；　the　d'Esgrignons；I　remember

them。〃



〃Alencon　is　very　gay；〃　continued　the　old　maid；　now　fairly　launched。

〃There's　much　amusement：　the　receiver…general　gives　balls；　the　prefect

is　an　amiable　man；　and　Monseigneur　the　bishop　sometimes　honors　us　with

a　visit〃



〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　viscount；　smiling；　〃I　have　done　wisely　to　come

back；　like　the　hare；　to　die　in　my　form。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃I；　too；　attach　myself　or　I　die。〃



The　viscount　smiled。



〃Ah！〃　thought　the　old　maid；　〃all　is　well；　he　understands　me。〃



The　conversation　continued　on　generalities。　By　one　of　those　mysterious

unknown　and　undefinable　faculties；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　found　in　her

brain；　under　the　pressure　of　her　desire　to　be　agreeable；　all　the

phrases　and　opinions　of　the　Chevalier　de　Valois。　It　was　like　a　duel　in

which　the　devil　himself　pointed　the　pistol。　Never　was　any　adversary

better　aimed　at。　The　viscount　was　far　too　well…bred　to　speak　of　the

excellence　of　the　dinner；　but　his　silence　was　praise。　As　he　drank　the

delicious　wines　which　Jacquelin　served　to　him　profusely；　he　seemed　to

feel　he　was　with　friends；　and　to　meet　them　with　pleasure；　for　the　true

connoisseur　does　not　applaud；　he　enjoys。　He　inquired　the　price　of

land；　of　houses；　of　estates；　he　made　Mademoiselle　Cormon　describe　at

length　the　confluence　of　the　Sarthe　and　the　Brillante；　he　expressed

surprise　that　the　town　was　placed　so　far　from　the　river；　and　seemed　to

be　much　interested　in　the　topography　of　the　place。



The　silent　abbe　left　his　niece　to　throw　the　dice　of　conversation；　and

she　truly　felt　that　she　pleased　Monsieur　de　Troisville；　who　smiled　at

her　gracefully；　and　committed　himself　during　this　dinner　far　more　than

her　most　eager　suitors　had　ever　done　in　ten　days。　Imagine；　therefore；

the　little　attentions　with　which　he　was　petted；　you　might　have　thought

him　a　cherished　lover；　whose　return　brought　joy　to　the　household。

Mademoiselle　foresaw　the　moment　when　the　viscount　wanted　bread；　she

watched　his　every　look；　when　he　turned　his　head　she　adroitly　put　upon

his　plate　a　portion　of　some　dish　he　seemed　to　like；　had　he　been　a

gourmand；　she　would　almost　have　killed　him；　but　what　a　delightful

specimen　of　the　attentions　she　would　show　to　a　husband！　She　did　not

commit　the　folly　of　depreciating　herself；　on　the　contrary；　she　set

every　sail　bravely；　ran　up　all　her　flags；　assumed　the　bearing　of　the

queen　of　Alencon；　and　boasted　of　her　excellent　preserves。　In　fac