an old maid-第22部分

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queen　of　Alencon；　and　boasted　of　her　excellent　preserves。　In　fact；　she

fished　for　compliments　in　speaking　of　herself；　for　she　saw　that　she

pleased　the　viscount；　the　truth　being　that　her　eager　desire　had　so

transformed　her　that　she　became　almost　a　woman。



At　dessert　she　heard；　not　without　emotions　of　delight；　certain　sounds

in　the　antechamber　and　salon　which　denoted　the　arrival　of　her　usual

guests。　She　called　the　attention　of　her　uncle　and　Monsieur　de

Troisville　to　this　prompt　attendance　as　a　proof　of　the　affection　that

was　felt　for　her；　whereas　it　was　really　the　result　of　the　poignant

curiosity　which　had　seized　upon　the　town。　Impatient　to　show　herself　in

all　her　glory；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　told　Jacquelin　to　serve　coffee　and

liqueurs　in　the　salon；　where　he　presently　set　out；　in　view　of　the

whole　company；　a　magnificent　liqueur…stand　of　Dresden　china　which　saw

the　light　only　twice　a　year。　This　circumstance　was　taken　note　of　by

the　company；　standing　ready　to　gossip　over　the　merest　trifle：



〃The　deuce！〃　muttered　du　Bousquier。　〃Actually　Madame　Amphoux's

liqueurs；　which　they　only　serve　at　the　four　church　festivals！〃



〃Undoubtedly　the　marriage　was　arranged　a　year　ago　by　letter；〃　said　the

chief…justice　du　Ronceret。　〃The　postmaster　tells　me　his　office　has

received　letters　postmarked　Odessa　for　more　than　a　year。〃



Madame　Granson　trembled。　The　Chevalier　de　Valois；　though　he　had　dined

with　the　appetite　of　four　men；　turned　pale　even　to　the　left　section　of

his　face。　Feeling　that　he　was　about　to　betray　himself；　he　said

hastily；



〃Don't　you　think　it　is　very　cold　to…day？　I　am　almost　frozen。〃



〃The　neighborhood　of　Russia；　perhaps；〃　said　du　Bousquier。



The　chevalier　looked　at　him　as　if　to　say；　〃Well　played！〃



Mademoiselle　Cormon　appeared　so　radiant；　so　triumphant；　that　the

company　thought　her　handsome。　This　extraordinary　brilliancy　was　not

the　effect　of　sentiment　only。　Since　early　morning　her　blood　had　been

whirling　tempestuously　within　her；　and　her　nerves　were　agitated　by　the

presentiment　of　some　great　crisis。　It　required　all　these　circumstances

combined　to　make　her　so　unlike　herself。　With　what　joy　did　she　now　make

her　solemn　presentation　of　the　viscount　to　the　chevalier；　the

chevalier　to　the　viscount；　and　all　Alencon　to　Monsieur　de　Troisville；

and　Monsieur　de　Troisville　to　all　Alencon！



By　an　accident　wholly　explainable；　the　viscount　and　chevalier；

aristocrats　by　nature；　came　instantly　into　unison；　they　recognized

each　other　at　once　as　men　belonging　to　the　same　sphere。　Accordingly；

they　began　to　converse　together；　standing　before　the　fireplace。　A

circle　formed　around　them；　and　their　conversation；　though　uttered　in　a

low　voice；　was　listened　to　in　religious　silence。　To　give　the　effect　of

this　scene　it　is　necessary　to　dramatize　it；　and　to　picture

Mademoiselle　Cormon　occupied　in　pouring　out　the　coffee　of　her

imaginary　suitor；　with　her　back　to　the　fireplace。



Monsieur　de　Valois。　〃Monsieur　le　vicomte　has　come；　I　am　told；　to

settle　in　Alencon？〃



Monsieur　de　Troisville。　〃Yes；　monsieur；　I　am　looking　for　a　house。〃

＇Mademoiselle　Cormon；　cup　in　hand；　turns　round。＇　〃It　must　be　a　large

house〃　＇Mademoiselle　Cormon　offers　him　the　cup＇　〃to　lodge　my　whole

family。〃　＇The　eyes　of　the　old　maid　are　troubled。＇



Monsieur　de　Valois。　〃Are　you　married？〃



Monsieur　de　Troisville。　〃Yes；　for　the　last　sixteen　years；　to　a

daughter　of　the　Princess　Scherbellof。〃



Mademoiselle　Cormon　fainted；　du　Bousquier；　who　saw　her　stagger；　sprang

forward　and　received　her　in　his　arms；　some　one　opened　the　door　and

allowed　him　to　pass　out　with　his　enormous　burden。　The　fiery

republican；　instructed　by　Josette；　found　strength　to　carry　the　old

maid　to　her　bedroom；　where　he　laid　her　out　on　the　bed。　Josette；　armed

with　scissors；　cut　the　corset；　which　was　terribly　tight。　Du　Bousquier

flung　water　on　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　face　and　bosom；　which；　released

from　the　corset；　overflowed　like　the　Loire　in　flood。　The　poor　woman

opened　her　eyes；　saw　du　Bousquier；　and　gave　a　cry　of　modesty　at　the

sight　of　him。　Du　Bousquier　retired　at　once；　leaving　six　women；　at　the

head　of　whom　was　Madame　Granson；　radiant　with　joy；　to　take　care　of　the

invalid。



What　had　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　been　about　all　this　time？　Faithful　to

his　system；　he　had　covered　the　retreat。



〃That　poor　Mademoiselle　Cormon；〃　he　said　to　Monsieur　de　Troisville；

gazing　at　the　assembly；　whose　laughter　was　repressed　by　his　cool

aristocratic　glances；　〃her　blood　is　horribly　out　of　order；　she

wouldn't　be　bled　before　going　to　Prebaudet　（her　estate）；and　see　the

result！〃



〃She　came　back　this　morning　in　the　rain；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Sponde；

〃and　she　may　have　taken　cold。　It　won't　be　anything；　it　is　only　a

little　upset　she　is　subject　to。〃



〃She　told　me　yesterday　she　had　not　had　one　for　three　months；　adding

that　she　was　afraid　it　would　play　her　a　trick　at　last；〃　said　the

chevalier。



〃Ha！　so　you　are　married？〃　said　Jacquelin　to　himself　as　he　looked　at

Monsieur　de　Troisville；　who　was　quietly　sipping　his　coffee。



The　faithful　servant　espoused　his　mistress's　disappointment；　he

divined　it；　and　he　promptly　carried　away　the　liqueurs　of　Madame

Amphoux；　which　were　offered　to　a　bachelor；　and　not　to　the　husband　of　a

Russian　woman。



All　these　details　were　noticed　and　laughed　at。　The　Abbe　de　Sponde　knew

the　object　of　Monsieur　de　Troisville's　journey；　but；　absent…minded　as

usual；　he　forgot　it；　not　supposing　that　his　niece　could　have　the

slightest　interest　in　Monsieur　de　Troisville's　marriage。　As　for　the

viscount；　preoccupied　with　the　object　of　his　journey；　and；　like　many

husbands；　not　eager　to　talk　about　his　wife；　he　had　had　no　occasion　to

say　he　was　married；　besides；　he　would　naturally　suppose　that

Mademoiselle　Cormon　knew　it。



Du　Bousquier　reappeared；　and　was　questioned　furiously。　One　of　the　six

women　came　down　soon　after；　and　announced　that　Mademoiselle　Cormon　was

much　better；　and　that　the　doctor　had　come。　She　intended　to　stay　in

bed；　as　it　was　necessary　to　bleed　her。　The　salon　was　now　full。

Mademoiselle　Cormon's　absence　allowed　the　ladies　present　to　discuss

the　tragi…comic　sceneembellished；　extended；　historified；

embroidered；　wreathed；　colored；　and　adornedwhich　had　just　taken

place；　and　which；　on　the　morrow；　was　destined　to　occupy　all　Alencon。



〃That　good　Monsieur　du　Bousquier！　how　well　he　carried　you！〃　said

Josette　to　her　mistress。　〃He　was　really　pale　at　the　sight　of　you；　he

loves　you　still。〃



That　speech　served　as　closure　to　this　solemn　and　terrible　evening。



Throughout　the　morning　of　the　next　day　every　circumstance　of　the　late

comedy　was　known　in　the　household　of　Alencon；　andlet　us　say　it　to

the　shame　of　that　town；they　caused　inextinguishable　laughter。　But　on

that　day　Mademoiselle　Cormon　（much　benefited　by　the　bleeding）　would

have　seemed　sublime　even　to　the　boldest　scoffers；　had　they　witnessed

the　noble　dignity；　the　splendid　Christian　resignation　which　influenced

her　as　she　gave　her　arm　to　her　involuntary　deceiver　to　go　into

breakfast。　Cruel　jesters！　why　could　you　not　have　seen　her　as　she　said

to　the　viscount；



〃Madame　de　Troisville　will　have　difficulty　in　finding　a　suitable

house；　do　me　the　favor；　monsieur；　of　accepting　the　use　of　mine　during

the　time　you　are　in　search　of　yours。〃



〃But；　mademoiselle；　I　have　two　sons　and　two　daughters；　we　should

greatly　inconvenience　you。〃



〃Pray　do　not　refuse　me；〃　she　said　earnestly。



〃I　made　you　the　same　offer　in　the　answer　I　wrote　to　your　letter；〃　said

the　abbe；　〃but　you　did　not　receive　it。〃



〃What；　uncle！　then　you　knew〃



The　poor　woman　stopped。　Josette　sighed。　Neither　the　viscount　nor　the

abbe　observed　anything　amiss。　After　breakfast　the　Abbe　de　Sponde

carried　off　his　guest；　as　agreed　upon　the　previous　evening；　to　show

him　the　various　houses　in　Alencon　which　could　be　bought；　and　the　lots

of　lands　on　which　he　might　build。



Left　alone　in　the　salon；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　said　to　Josette；　with　a

deeply　distressed　air；　〃My　child；　I　am　now　the　talk　of　the　whole

town。〃



〃Well；　then；　mademoiselle；　you　should　marry。〃



〃But　I　am　not　prepared　to　make　a　choice。〃



〃Bah！　if　I　were　in　your　place；　I　should　take　Monsieur　du　Bousquier。〃



〃Josette；　Monsieur　de　Valois　says　he　is　so　republican。〃



〃They　don't　know　what　they　say；　your　gentlemen：　sometimes　they　declare

that　he　robbed　the　republic；　he　couldn't　love　it　if　he　did　that；〃　said

Josette；　departing。



〃That　girl　has　an　amazing　amount　of　sense；〃　thought　Mademoiselle

Cormon；　who　remained　alone；　a　prey　to　her　perplexities。



She　saw　plainly　that　a　prompt　marriage　was　the　only　way　to　silence　the

town。　This　last　checkmate；　so　evidently　mortifying；　was　of　a　nature　to

drive　her　into　some　extreme　action；　for　persons　deficient　in　mind　find

difficulty　in　getting　out　of　any　path；　either　good　or　evil；　into　which

they　have　entered。



Each　of　the　two　old　bachelors　had　fully　understood　the　situation　in

which　Mademoiselle　Cormon　was　about　to　find　herself；　consequently；

each　resolved　to　call　in　the　course　of　that　morning　to　ask　after　her

health；　and　take　occasion；　in　bachelor　language；　to　〃press　his　point。〃

Monsieur　de　Valois　considered　that　such　an　occasion　demanded　a

painstaking　toilet；　he　therefore　took　a　bath　and　groomed　himself　with

extraordinary　care。　For　the　first　and　last　time　Cesarine　observed　him

putting　on　with　incredible　art　a　suspicion　of　rouge。　Du　Bousquier；　on

the　other　hand；　that　coarse　republican；　spurred　by　a　brisk　will；　paid

no　attention　to　his　dress；　and　arrived　the　first。



Such　little　things　decide　the　fortunes　of　men；　as　they　do　of　empires。

Kellerman's　charge　at　Marengo；　Blucher's　arrival　at　Waterloo；　Louis

XIV。's　disdain　for　Prince　Eugene；　the　rector　of　Denain；all　these

great　causes　of　fortune　or　catastrophe　history　has　recorded；　but　no

one　ever　profits　by　them　to　avoid　the　small　neglects　of　their　own

life。　Consequently；　observ