an old maid-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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

dominant。　Du　Bousquier；　furious　against　Bonaparte；　relating　stories

against　him　of　his　meanness；　of　Josephine's　improprieties；　and　all　the

other　scandalous　anecdotes　of　the　last　ten　years；　was　well　received。



About　this　time；　when　he　was　somewhere　between　forty　and　fifty；　du

Bousquier's　appearance　was　that　of　a　bachelor　of　thirty…six；　of　medium

height；　plump　as　a　purveyor；　proud　of　his　vigorous　calves；　with　a

strongly　marked　countenance；　a　flattened　nose；　the　nostrils　garnished

with　hair；　black　eyes　with　thick　lashes；　from　which　darted　shrewd

glances　like　those　of　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand；　though　somewhat　dulled。

He　still　wore　republican　whiskers　and　his　hair　very　long；　his　hands；

adorned　with　bunches　of　hair　on　each　knuckle；　showed　the　power　of　his

muscular　system　in　their　prominent　blue　veins。　He　had　the　chest　of　the

Farnese　Hercules；　and　shoulders　fit　to　carry　the　stocks。　Such

shoulders　are　seen　nowadays　only　at　Tortoni's。　This　wealth　of

masculine　vigor　counted　for　much　in　du　Bousquier's　relations　with

others。　And　yet　in　him；　as　in　the　chevalier；　symptoms　appeared　which

contrasted　oddly　with　the　general　aspect　of　their　persons。　The　late

purveyor　had　not　the　voice　of　his　muscles。　We　do　not　mean　that　his

voice　was　a　mere　thread；　such　as　we　sometimes　hear　issuing　from　the

mouth　of　these　walruses；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　a　strong　voice；　but

stifled；　an　idea　of　which　can　be　given　only　by　comparing　it　with　the

noise　of　a　saw　cutting　into　soft　and　moistened　wood；the　voice　of　a

worn…out　speculator。



In　spite　of　the　claims　which　the　enmity　of　the　First　Consul　gave

Monsieur　du　Bousquier　to　enter　the　royalist　society　of　the　province；

he　was　not　received　in　the　seven　or　eight　families　who　composed　the

faubourg　Saint…Germain　of　Alencon；　among　whom　the　Chevalier　de　Valois

was　welcome。　He　had　offered　himself　in　marriage；　through　her　notary；

to　Mademoiselle　Armande；　sister　of　the　most　distinguished　noble　in　the

town；　to　which　offer　he　received　a　refusal。　He　consoled　himself　as

best　he　could　in　the　society　of　a　dozen　rich　families；　former

manufacturers　of　the　old　point　d'Alencon；　owners　of　pastures　and

cattle；　or　merchants　doing　a　wholesale　business　in　linen；　among　whom；

as　he　hoped；　he　might　find　a　wealthy　wife。　In　fact；　all　his　hopes　now

converged　to　the　perspective　of　a　fortunate　marriage。　He　was　not

without　a　certain　financial　ability；　which　many　persons　used　to　their

profit。　Like　a　ruined　gambler　who　advises　neophytes；　he　pointed　out

enterprises　and　speculations；　together　with　the　means　and　chances　of

conducting　them。　He　was　thought　a　good　administrator；　and　it　was　often

a　question　of　making　him　mayor　of　Alencon；　but　the　memory　of　his

underhand　jobbery　still　clung　to　him；　and　he　was　never　received　at　the

prefecture。　All　the　succeeding　governments；　even　that　of　the　Hundred

Days；　refused　to　appoint　him　mayor　of　Alencon；a　place　he　coveted；

which；　could　he　have　had　it；　would；　he　thought；　have　won　him　the　hand

of　a　certain　old　maid　on　whom　his　matrimonial　views　now　turned。



Du　Bousquier's　aversion　to　the　Imperial　government　had　thrown　him　at

first　into　the　royalist　circles　of　Alencon；　where　he　remained　in　spite

of　the　rebuffs　he　received　there；　but　when；　after　the　first　return　of

the　Bourbons；　he　was　still　excluded　from　the　prefecture；　that

mortification　inspired　him　with　a　hatred　as　deep　as　it　was　secret

against　the　royalists。　He　now　returned　to　his　old　opinions；　and　became

the　leader　of　the　liberal　party　in　Alencon；　the　invisible　manipulator

of　elections；　and　did　immense　harm　to　the　Restoration　by　the

cleverness　of　his　underhand　proceedings　and　the　perfidy　of　his　outward

behavior。　Du　Bousquier；　like　all　those　who　live　by　their　heads　only；

carried　on　his　hatreds　with　the　quiet　tranquillity　of　a　rivulet；

feeble　apparently；　but　inexhaustible。　His　hatred　was　that　of　a　negro；

so　peaceful　that　it　deceived　the　enemy。　His　vengeance；　brooded　over

for　fifteen　years；　was　as　yet　satisfied　by　no　victory；　not　even　that

of　July；　1830。



It　was　not　without　some　private　intention　that　the　Chevalier　de　Valois

had　turned　Suzanne's　designs　upon　Monsieur　du　Bousquier。　The　liberal

and　the　royalist　had　mutually　divined　each　other　in　spite　of　the　wide

dissimulation　with　which　they　hid　their　common　hope　from　the　rest　of

the　town。　The　two　old　bachelors　were　secretly　rivals。　Each　had　formed

a　plan　to　marry　the　Demoiselle　Cormon；　whom　Monsieur　de　Valois　had

mentioned　to　Suzanne。　Both；　ensconced　in　their　idea　and　wearing　the

armor　of　apparent　indifference；　awaited　the　moment　when　some　lucky

chance　might　deliver　the　old　maid　over　to　them。　Thus；　if　the　two　old

bachelors　had　not　been　kept　asunder　by　the　two　political　systems　of

which　they　each　offered　a　living　expression；　their　private　rivalry

would　still　have　made　them　enemies。　Epochs　put　their　mark　on　men。

These　two　individuals　proved　the　truth　of　that　axiom　by　the　opposing

historic　tints　that　were　visible　in　their　faces；　in　their

conversation；　in　their　ideas；　and　in　their　clothes。　One；　abrupt；

energetic；　with　loud；　brusque　manners；　curt；　rude　speech；　dark　in

tone；　in　hair；　in　look；　terrible　apparently；　in　reality　as　impotent　as

an　insurrection；　represented　the　republic　admirably。　The　other；　gentle

and　polished；　elegant　and　nice；　attaining　his　ends　by　the　slow　and

infallible　means　of　diplomacy；　faithful　to　good　taste；　was　the　express

image　of　the　old　courtier　regime。



The　two　enemies　met　nearly　every　evening　on　the　same　ground。　The　war

was　courteous　and　benign　on　the　side　of　the　chevalier；　but　du

Bousquier　showed　less　ceremony　on　his；　though　still　preserving　the

outward　appearances　demanded　by　society；　for　he　did　not　wish　to　be

driven　from　the　place。　They　themselves　fully　understood　each　other；

but　in　spite　of　the　shrewd　observation　which　provincials　bestow　on　the

petty　interests　of　their　own　little　centre；　no　one　in　the　town

suspected　the　rivalry　of　these　two　men。　Monsieur　le　Chevalier　de

Valois　occupied　a　vantage…ground：　he　had　never　asked　for　the　hand　of

Mademoiselle　Cormon；　whereas　du　Bousquier；　who　entered　the　lists　soon

after　his　rejection　by　the　most　distinguished　family　in　the　place；　had

been　refused。　But　the　chevalier　believed　that　his　rival　had　still　such

strong　chances　of　success　that　he　dealt　him　this　coup　de　Jarnac　with　a

blade　（namely；　Suzanne）　that　was　finely　tempered　for　the　purpose。　The

chevalier　had　cast　his　plummet…line　into　the　waters　of　du　Bousquier；

and；　as　we　shall　see　by　the　sequel；　he　was　not　mistaken　in　any　of　his

conjectures。



Suzanne　tripped　with　a　light　foot　from　the　rue　du　Cours；　by　the　rue　de

la　Porte　de　Seez　and　the　rue　du　Bercail；　to　the　rue　du　Cygne；　where；

about　five　years　earlier；　du　Bousquier　had　bought　a　little　house　built

of　gray　Jura　stone；　which　is　something　between　Breton　slate　and　Norman

granite。　There　he　established　himself　more　comfortably　than　any

householder　in　town；　for　he　had　managed　to　preserve　certain　furniture

and　decorations　from　the　days　of　his　splendor。　But　provincial　manners

and　morals　obscured；　little　by　little；　the　rays　of　this　fallen

Sardanapalus；　these　vestiges　of　his　former　luxury　now　produced　the

effect　of　a　glass　chandelier　in　a　barn。　Harmony；　that　bond　of　all

work；　human　or　divine；　was　lacking　in　great　things　as　well　as　in

little　ones。　The　stairs；　up　which　everybody　mounted　without　wiping

their　feet；　were　never　polished；　the　walls；　painted　by　some　wretched

artisan　of　the　neighborhood；　were　a　terror　to　the　eye；　the　stone

mantel…piece；　ill…carved；　〃swore〃　with　the　handsome　clock；　which　was

further　degraded　by　the　company　of　contemptible　candlesticks。　Like　the

period　which　du　Bousquier　himself　represented；　the　house　was　a　jumble

of　dirt　and　magnificence。　Being　considered　a　man　of　leisure；　du

Bousquier　led　the　same　parasite　life　as　the　chevalier；　and　he　who　does

not　spend　his　income　is　always　rich。　His　only　servant　was　a　sort　of

Jocrisse；　a　lad　of　the　neighborhood；　rather　a　ninny；　trained　slowly

and　with　difficulty　to　du　Bousquier's　requirements。　His　master　had

taught　him；　as　he　might　an　orang…outang；　to　rub　the　floors；　dust　the

furniture；　black　his　boots；　brush　his　coats；　and　bring　a　lantern　to

guide　him　home　at　night　if　the　weather　were　cloudy；　and　clogs　if　it

rained。　Like　many　other　human　beings；　this　lad　hadn't　stuff　enough　in

him　for　more　than　one　vice；　he　was　a　glutton。　Often；　when　du　Bousquier

went　to　a　grand　dinner；　he　would　take　Rene　to　wait　at　table；　on　such

occasions　he　made　him　take　off　his　blue　cotton　jacket；　with　its　big

pockets　hanging　round　his　hips；　and　always　bulging　with　handkerchiefs；

clasp…knives；　fruits；　or　a　handful　of　nuts；　and　forced　him　to　put　on　a

regulation　coat。　Rene　would　then　stuff　his　fill　with　the　other

servants。　This　duty；　which　du　Bousquier　had　turned　into　a　reward；　won

him　the　most　absolute　discretion　from　the　Breton　servant。



〃You　here；　mademoiselle！〃　said　Rene　to　Suzanne　when　she　entered；

〃't'isn't　your　day。　We　haven't　any　linen　for　the　wash；　tell　Madame

Lardot。〃



〃Old　stupid！〃　said　Suzanne；　laughing。



The　pretty　girl　went　upstairs；　leaving　Rene　to　finish　his　porringer　of

buckwheat　in　boiled　milk。　Du　Bousquier；　still　in　bed；　was　revolving　in

his　mind　his　plans　of　fortune；　for　ambition　was　all　that　was　left　to

him；　as　to　other　men　who　have　sucked　dry　the　orange　of　pleasure。

Ambition　and　play　are　inexhaustible；　in　a　well…organized　man　the

passions　which　proceed　from　the　brain　will　always　survive　the　passions

of　the　heart。



〃Here　am　I；〃　said　Suzanne；　sitting　down　on　the　bed　and　jangling　the

curtain…rings　back　along　the　rod　with　despotic　vehemence。



〃Quesaco；　my　charmer？〃　said　the　old　bachelor；　sitting　up　in　bed。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Suzanne；　gravely；　〃you　must　be　astonished　to　see　me

here　at　this　hour；　but　I　find　myself　in　a　condition　which　obliges　me

not　to　care　for　what　people　may　say　about　it。〃



〃What