an old maid-第4部分

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lawyer's　comment　to　her　words。　The　chevalier；　who；　you　must　know；　was

a　sly　old　bird；　lowered　his　right　eye　on　the　grisette；　still　holding

the　razor　at　his　throat；　and　pretended　to　understand。



〃Well；　well；　my　little　duck；　we'll　talk　about　that　presently。　But　you

are　rather　previous；　it　seems　to　me。〃



〃Why；　Monsieur　le　chevalier；　ought　I　to　wait　until　my　mother　beats　me

and　Madame　Lardot　turns　me　off？　If　I　don't　get　away　soon　to　Paris；　I

shall　never　be　able　to　marry　here；　where　men　are　so　ridiculous。〃



〃It　can't　be　helped；　my　dear；　society　is　changing；　women　are　just　as

much　victims　to　the　present　state　of　things　as　the　nobility

themselves。　After　political　overturn　comes　the　overturn　of　morals。

Alas！　before　long　woman　won't　exist〃　（he　took　out　the　cotton…wool　to

arrange　his　ears）：　〃she'll　lose　everything　by　rushing　into　sentiment；

she'll　wring　her　nerves；　good…bye　to　all　the　good　little　pleasures　of

our　time；　desired　without　shame；　accepted　without　nonsense。〃　（He

polished　up　the　little　negroes'　heads。）　〃Women　had　hysterics　in　those

days　to　get　their　ends；　but　now〃　（he　began　to　laugh）　〃their　vapors　end

in　charcoal。　In　short；　marriage〃　（here　he　picked　up　his　pincers　to

remove　a　hair）　〃will　become　a　thing　intolerable；　whereas　it　used　to　be

so　gay　in　my　day！　The　reigns　of　Louis　XIV。　and　Louis　XV。remember

this；　my　childsaid　farewell　to　the　finest　manners　and　morals　ever

known　to　the　world。〃



〃But；　Monsieur　le　chevalier；〃　said　the　grisette；　〃the　matter　now

concerns　the　morals　and　honor　of　your　poor　little　Suzanne；　and　I　hope

you　won't　abandon　her。〃



〃Abandon　her！〃　cried　the　chevalier；　finishing　his　hair；　〃I'd　sooner

abandon　my　own　name。〃



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Suzanne。



〃Now；　listen　to　me；　you　little　mischief；〃　said　the　chevalier；　sitting

down　on　a　huge　sofa；　formerly　called　a　duchesse；　which　Madame　Lardot

had　been　at　some　pains　to　find　for　him。



He　drew　the　magnificent　Suzanne　before　him；　holding　her　legs　between

his　knees。　She　let　him　do　as　he　liked；　although　in　the　street　she　was

offish　enough　to　other　men；　refusing　their　familiarities　partly　from

decorum　and　partly　for　contempt　for　their　commonness。　She　now　stood

audaciously　in　front　of　the　chevalier；　who；　having　fathomed　in　his　day

many　other　mysteries　in　minds　that　were　far　more　wily；　took　in　the

situation　at　a　single　glance。　He　knew　very　well　that　no　young　girl

would　joke　about　a　real　dishonor；　but　he　took　good　care　not　to　knock

over　the　pretty　scaffolding　of　her　lie　as　he　touched　it。



〃We　slander　ourselves；〃　he　said　with　inimitable　craft；　〃we　are　as

virtuous　as　that　beautiful　biblical　girl　whose　name　we　bear；　we　can

always　marry　as　we　please；　but　we　are　thirsty　for　Paris；　where

charming　creaturesand　we　are　no　foolget　rich　without　trouble。　We

want　to　go　and　see　if　the　great　capital　of　pleasures　hasn't　some　young

Chevalier　de　Valois　in　store　for　us；　with　a　carriage；　diamonds；　an

opera…box；　and　so　forth。　Russians；　Austrians；　Britons；　have　millions

on　which　we　have　an　eye。　Besides；　we　are　patriotic；　we　want　to　help

France　in　getting　back　her　money　from　the　pockets　of　those　gentry。

Hey！　hey！　my　dear　little　devil's　duck！　it　isn't　a　bad　plan。　The　world

you　live　in　may　cry　out　a　bit；　but　success　justifies　all　things。　The

worst　thing　in　this　world；　my　dear；　is　to　be　without　money；　that's　our

disease；　yours　and　mine。　Now　inasmuch　as　we　have　plenty　of　wit；　we

thought　it　would　be　a　good　thing　to　parade　our　dear　little　honor；　or

dishonor；　to　catch　an　old　boy；　but　that　old　boy；　my　dear　heart；　knows

the　Alpha　and　Omega　of　female　tricks；which　means　that　you　could

easier　put　salt　on　a　sparrow's　tail　than　to　make　me　believe　I　have

anything　to　do　with　your　little　affair。　Go　to　Paris；　my　dear；　go　at

the　cost　of　an　old　celibate；　I　won't　prevent　it；　in　fact；　I'll　help

you；　for　an　old　bachelor；　Suzanne；　is　the　natural　money…box　of　a　young

girl。　But　don't　drag　me　into　the　matter。　Listen；　my　queen；　you　who

know　life　pretty　well；　you　would　me　great　harm　and　give　me　much　pain；

harm；　because　you　would　prevent　my　marriage　in　a　town　where　people

cling　to　morality；　pain；　because　if　you　are　in　trouble　（which　I　deny；

you　sly　puss！）　I　haven't　a　penny　to　get　you　out　of　it。　I'm　as　poor　as

a　church　mouse；　you　know　that；　my　dear。　Ah！　if　I　marry　Mademoiselle

Cormon；　if　I　am　once　more　rich；　of　course　I　would　prefer　you　to

Cesarine。　You've　always　seemed　to　me　as　fine　as　the　gold　they　gild　on

lead；　you　were　made　to　be　the　love　of　a　great　seigneur。　I　think　you　so

clever　that　the　trick　you　are　trying　to　play　off　on　me　doesn't

surprise　me　one　bit；　I　expected　it。　You　are　flinging　the　scabbard

after　the　sword；　and　that's　daring　for　a　girl。　It　takes　nerve　and

superior　ideas　to　do　it；　my　angel；　and　therefore　you　have　won　my

respectful　esteem。〃



〃Monsieur　le　chevalier；　I　assure　you；　you　are　mistaken；　and〃



She　colored；　and　did　not　dare　to　say　more。　The　chevalier；　with　a

single　glance；　had　guessed　and　fathomed　her　whole　plan。



〃Yes；　yes！　I　understand：　you　want　me　to　believe　it；〃　he　said。　〃Well！　I

do　believe　it。　But　take　my　advice：　go　to　Monsieur　du　Bousquier。

Haven't　you　taken　linen　there　for　the　last　six　or　eight　months？　I'm

not　asking　what　went　on　between　you；　but　I　know　the　man：　he　has

immense　conceit；　he　is　an　old　bachelor；　and　very　rich；　and　he　only

spends　a　quarter　of　a　comfortable　income。　If　you　are　as　clever　as　I

suppose；　you　can　go　to　Paris　at　his　expense。　There；　run　along；　my

little　doe；　go　and　twist　him　round　your　finger。　Only；　mind　this：　be　as

supple　as　silk；　at　every　word　take　a　double　turn　round　him　and　make　a

knot。　He　is　a　man　to　fear　scandal；　and　if　he　has　given　you　a　chance　to

put　him　in　the　pilloryin　short；　understand；　threaten　him　with　the

ladies　of　the　Maternity　Hospital。　Besides；　he's　ambitious。　A　man

succeeds　through　his　wife；　and　you　are　handsome　and　clever　enough　to

make　the　fortune　of　a　husband。　Hey！　the　mischief！　you　could　hold　your

own　against　all　the　court　ladies。〃



Suzanne；　whose　mind　took　in　at　a　flash　the　chevalier's　last　words；　was

eager　to　run　off　to　du　Bousquier；　but；　not　wishing　to　depart　too

abruptly；　she　questioned　the　chevalier　about　Paris；　all　the　while

helping　him　to　dress。　The　chevalier；　however；　divined　her　desire　to　be

off；　and　favored　it　by　asking　her　to　tell　Cesarine　to　bring　up　his

chocolate；　which　Madame　Lardot　made　for　him　every　morning。　Suzanne

then　slipped　away　to　her　new　victim；　whose　biography　must　here　be

given。



Born　of　an　old　Alencon　family；　du　Bousquier　was　a　cross　between　the

bourgeois　and　the　country　squire。　Finding　himself　without　means　on　the

death　of　his　father；　he　went；　like　other　ruined　provincials；　to　Paris。

On　the　breaking　out　of　the　Revolution　he　took　part　in　public　affairs。

In　spite　of　revolutionary　principles；　which　made　a　hobby　of　republican

honesty；　the　management　of　public　business　in　those　days　was　by　no

means　clean。　A　political　spy；　a　stock…jobber；　a　contractor；　a　man　who

confiscated　in　collusion　with　the　syndic　of　a　commune　the　property　of

emigres　in　order　to　sell　them　and　buy　them　in；　a　minister；　and　a

general　were　all　equally　engaged　in　public　business。　From　1793　to　1799

du　Bousquier　was　commissary　of　provisions　to　the　French　armies。　He

lived　in　a　magnificent　hotel　and　was　one　of　the　matadors　of　finance；

did　business　with　Ouvrard；　kept　open　house；　and　led　the　scandalous

life　of　the　period；the　life　of　a　Cincinnatus；　on　sacks　of　corn

harvested　without　trouble；　stolen　rations；　〃little　houses〃　full　of

mistresses；　in　which　were　given　splendid　fetes　to　the　Directors　of　the

Republic。



The　citizen　du　Bousquier　was　one　of　Barras'　familiars；　he　was　on　the

best　of　terms　with　Fouche；　stood　very　well　with　Bernadotte；　and　fully

expected　to　become　a　minister　by　throwing　himself　into　the　party　which

secretly　caballed　against　Bonaparte　until　Marengo。　If　it　had　not　been

for　Kellermann's　charge　and　Desaix's　death；　du　Bousquier　would

probably　have　become　a　minister。　He　was　one　of　the　chief　assistances

of　that　secret　government　whom　Napoleon's　luck　send　behind　the　scenes

in　1793。　（See　〃An　Historical　Mystery。〃）　The　unexpected　victory　of

Marengo　was　the　defeat　of　that　party　who　actually　had　their

proclamations　printed　to　return　to　the　principles　of　the　Montagne　in

case　the　First　Consul　succumbed。



Convinced　of　the　impossibility　of　Bonaparte's　triumph；　du　Bousquier

staked　the　greater　part　of　his　property　on　a　fall　in　the　Funds；　and

kept　two　couriers　on　the　field　of　battle。　The　first　started　for　Paris

when　Melas'　victory　was　certain；　the　second；　starting　four　hours

later；　brought　the　news　of　the　defeat　of　the　Austrians。　Du　Bousquier

cursed　Kellermann　and　Desaix；　he　dared　not　curse　Bonaparte；　who　might

owe　him　millions。　This　alternative　of　millions　to　be　earned　and

present　ruin　staring　him　in　the　face；　deprived　the　purveyor　of　most　of

his　faculties：　he　became　nearly　imbecile　for　several　days；　the　man　had

so　abused　his　health　by　excesses　that　when　the　thunderbolt　fell　upon

him　he　had　no　strength　to　resist。　The　payment　of　his　bills　against　the

Exchequer　gave　him　some　hopes　for　the　future；　but；　in　spite　of　all

efforts　to　ingratiate　himself；　Napoleon's　hatred　to　the　contractors

who　had　speculated　on　his　defeat　made　itself　felt；　du　Bousquier　was

left　without　a　sou。　The　immorality　of　his　private　life；　his　intimacy

with　Barras　and　Bernadotte；　displeased　the　First　Consul　even　more　than

his　manoeuvres　at　the　Bourse；　and　he　struck　du　Bousquier's　name　from

the　list　of　the　government　contractors。



Out　of　all　his　past　opulence　du　Bousquier　saved　only　twelve　hundred

francs　a　year　from　an　investment　in　the　Grand　Livre；　which　he　had

happened　to　place　there　by　pure　caprice；　and　which　saved　him　from

penury。　A　man　ruined　by　the　First　Consul　interested　the　town　of

Alencon；　to　which　he　now　returned；　where　royalism　was　secretly

dominant。　Du　Bousquier；　furious　against　Bonaparte；　relating　stories

against　him　of　his　meanne