an old maid-第6部分

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



〃What　does　all　that　mean？〃　said　du　Bousquier；　crossing　his　arms。



〃Don't　you　understand　me？〃　said　Suzanne。　〃I　know；〃　she　continued；

making　a　pretty　little　face；　〃how　ridiculous　it　is　in　a　poor　girl　to

come　and　nag　at　a　man　for　what　he　thinks　a　mere　nothing。　But　if　you

really　knew　me；　monsieur；　if　you　knew　all　that　I　am　capable　of　for　a

man　who　would　attach　himself　to　me　as　much　as　I'm　attached　to　you；　you

would　never　repent　having　married　me。　Of　course　it　isn't　here；　in

Alencon；　that　I　should　be　of　service　to　you；　but　if　we　went　to　Paris；

you　would　see　where　I　could　lead　a　man　with　your　mind　and　your

capacities；　and　just　at　this　time　too；　when　they　are　remaking　the

government　from　top　to　toe。　Sobetween　ourselves；　be　it　saidIS　what

has　happened　a　misfortune？　Isn't　it　rather　a　piece　of　luck；　which　will

pay　you　well？　Who　and　what　are　you　working　for　now？〃



〃For　myself；　of　course！〃　cried　du　Bousquier；　brutally。



〃Monster！　you'll　never　be　a　father！〃　said　Suzanne；　giving　a　tone　of

prophetic　malediction　to　the　words。



〃Come；　don't　talk　nonsense；　Suzanne；〃　replied　du　Bousquier；　〃I　really

think　I　am　still　dreaming。〃



〃How　much　more　reality　do　you　want？〃　cried　Suzanne；　standing　up。



Du　Bousquier　rubbed　his　cotton　night…cap　to　the　top　of　his　head　with　a

rotatory　motion；　which　plainly　indicated　the　tremendous　fermentation

of　his　ideas。



〃He　actually　believes　it！〃　thought　Suzanne；　〃and　he's　flattered。

Heaven！　how　easy　it　is　to　gull　men！〃



〃Suzanne；　what　the　devil　must　I　do？　It　is　so　extraordinaryI；　who

thought　The　fact　is　that　No；　no；　it　can't　be〃



〃What？　you　can't　marry　me？〃



〃Oh！　as　for　that；　no；　I　have　engagements。〃



〃With　Mademoiselle　Armande　or　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　who　have　both

refused　you？　Listen　to　me；　Monsieur　du　Bousquier；　my　honor　doesn't

need　gendarmes　to　drag　you　to　the　mayor's　office。　I　sha'n't　lack　for

husbands；　thank　goodness！　and　I　don't　want　a　man　who　can't　appreciate

what　I'm　worth。　But　some　day　you'll　repent　of　the　way　you　are

behaving；　for　I　tell　you　now　that　nothing　on　earth；　neither　gold　nor

silver；　will　induce　me　to　return　the　good　thing　that　belongs　to　you；

if　you　refuse　to　accept　it　to…day。〃



〃But；　Suzanne；　are　you　sure？〃



〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　cried　the　grisette；　wrapping　her　virtue　round　her；

〃what　do　you　take　me　for？　I　don't　remind　you　of　the　promises　you　made

me；　which　have　ruined　a　poor　young　girl　whose　only　blame　was　to　have

as　much　ambition　as　love。〃



Du　Bousquier　was　torn　with　conflicting　sentiments；　joy；　distrust；

calculation。　He　had　long　determined　to　marry　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　for

the　Charter；　on　which　he　had　just　been　ruminating；　offered　to　his

ambition；　through　the　half　of　her　property；　the　political　career　of　a

deputy。　Besides；　his　marriage　with　the　old　maid　would　put　him　socially

so　high　in　the　town　that　he　would　have　great　influence。　Consequently；

the　storm　upraised　by　that　malicious　Suzanne　drove　him　into　the

wildest　embarrassment。　Without　this　secret　scheme；　he　would　have

married　Suzanne　without　hesitation。　In　which　case；　he　could　openly

assume　the　leadership　of　the　liberal　party　in　Alencon。　After　such　a

marriage　he　would；　of　course；　renounce　the　best　society　and　take　up

with　the　bourgeois　class　of　tradesmen；　rich　manufacturers　and

graziers；　who　would　certainly　carry　him　in　triumph　as　their　candidate。

Du　Bousquier　already　foresaw　the　Left　side。



This　solemn　deliberation　he　did　not　conceal；　he　rubbed　his　hands　over

his　head；　displacing　the　cap　which　covered　its　disastrous　baldness。

Suzanne；　meantime；　like　all　those　persons　who　succeed　beyond　their

hopes；　was　silent　and　amazed。　To　hide　her　astonishment；　she　assumed

the　melancholy　pose　of　an　injured　girl　at　the　mercy　of　her　seducer；

inwardly　she　was　laughing　like　a　grisette　at　her　clever　trick。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　du　Bousquier　at　length；　〃I'm　not　to　be　taken　in

with　such　BOSH；　not　I！〃



Such　was　the　curt　remark　which　ended　du　Bousquier's　meditation。　He

plumed　himself　on　belonging　to　the　class　of　cynical　philosophers　who

could　never　be　〃taken　in〃　by　women；putting　them；　one　and　all；　unto

the　same　category；　as　SUSPICIOUS。　These　strong…minded　persons　are

usually　weak　men　who　have　a　special　catechism　in　the　matter　of

womenkind。　To　them　the　whole　sex；　from　queens　of　France　to　milliners；

are　essentially　depraved；　licentious；　intriguing；　not　a　little

rascally；　fundamentally　deceitful；　and　incapable　of　thought　about

anything　but　trifles。　To　them；　women　are　evil…doing　queens；　who　must

be　allowed　to　dance　and　sing　and　laugh　as　they　please；　they　see

nothing　sacred　or　saintly　in　them；　nor　anything　grand；　to　them　there

is　no　poetry　in　the　senses；　only　gross　sensuality。　Where　such

jurisprudence　prevails；　if　a　woman　is　not　perpetually　tyrannized　over；

she　reduces　the　man　to　the　condition　of　a　slave。　Under　this　aspect　du

Bousquier　was　again　the　antithesis　of　the　chevalier。　When　he　made　his

final　remark；　he　flung　his　night…cap　to　the　foot　of　the　bed；　as　Pope

Gregory　did　the　taper　when　he　fulminated　an　excommunication；　Suzanne

then　learned　for　the　first　time　that　du　Bousquier　wore　a　toupet

covering　his　bald　spot。



〃Please　to　remember；　Monsieur　du　Bousquier；〃　she　replied　majestically；

〃that　in　coming　here　to　tell　you　of　this　matter　I　have　done　my　duty；

remember　that　I　have　offered　you　my　hand；　and　asked　for　yours；　but

remember　also　that　I　behaved　with　the　dignity　of　a　woman　who　respects

herself。　I　have　not　abased　myself　to　weep　like　a　silly　fool；　I　have

not　insisted；　I　have　not　tormented　you。　You　now　know　my　situation。　You

must　see　that　I　cannot　stay　in　Alencon：　my　mother　would　beat　me；　and

Madame　Lardot　rides　a　hobby　of　principles；　she'll　turn　me　off。　Poor

work…girl　that　I　am；　must　I　go　to　the　hospital？　must　I　beg　my　bread？

No！　I'd　rather　throw　myself　into　the　Brillante　or　the　Sarthe。　But

isn't　it　better　that　I　should　go　to　Paris？　My　mother　could　find　an

excuse　to　send　me　there；an　uncle　who　wants　me；　or　a　dying　aunt；　or　a

lady　who　sends　for　me。　But　I　must　have　some　money　for　the　journey　and

foryou　know　what。〃



This　extraordinary　piece　of　news　was　far　more　startling　to　du

Bousquier　than　to　the　Chevalier　de　Valois。　Suzanne's　fiction

introduced　such　confusion　into　the　ideas　of　the　old　bachelor　that　he

was　literally　incapable　of　sober　reflection。　Without　this　agitation

and　without　his　inward　delight　（for　vanity　is　a　swindler　which　never

fails　of　its　dupe）；　he　would　certainly　have　reflected　that；　supposing

it　were　true；　a　girl　like　Suzanne；　whose　heart　was　not　yet　spoiled；

would　have　died　a　thousand　deaths　before　beginning　a　discussion　of

this　kind　and　asking　for　money。



〃Will　you　really　go　to　Paris；　then？〃　he　said。



A　flash　of　gayety　lighted　Suzanne's　gray　eyes　as　she　heard　these

words；　but　the　self…satisfied　du　Bousquier　saw　nothing。



〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　she　said。



Du　Bousquier　then　began　bitter　lamentations：　he　had　the　last　payments

to　make　on　his　house；　the　painter；　the　mason；　the　upholsterers　must　be

paid。　Suzanne　let　him　run　on；　she　was　listening　for　the　figures。　Du

Bousquier　offered　her　three　hundred　francs。　Suzanne　made　what　is

called　on　the　stage　a　false　exit；　that　is；　she　marched　toward　the

door。



〃Stop；　stop！　where　are　you　going？〃　said　du　Bousquier；　uneasily。　〃This

is　what　comes　of　a　bachelor's　life！〃　thought　he。　〃The　devil　take　me　if

I　ever　did　anything　more　than　rumple　her　collar；　and；　lo　and　behold！

she　makes　THAT　a　ground　to　put　her　hand　in　one's　pocket！〃



〃I'm　going；　monsieur；〃　replied　Suzanne；　〃to　Madame　Granson；　the

treasurer　of　the　Maternity　Society；　who；　to　my　knowledge；　has　saved

many　a　poor　girl　in　my　condition　from　suicide。〃



〃Madame　Granson！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Suzanne；　〃a　relation　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　the　president

of　the　Maternity　Society。　Saving　your　presence；　the　ladies　of　the　town

have　created　an　institution　to　protect　poor　creatures　from　destroying

their　infants；　like　that　handsome　Faustine　of　Argentan　who　was

executed　for　it　three　years　ago。〃



〃Here；　Suzanne；〃　said　du　Bousquier；　giving　her　a　key；　〃open　that

secretary；　and　take　out　the　bag　you'll　find　there：　there's　about　six

hundred　francs　in　it；　it　is　all　I　possess。〃



〃Old　cheat！〃　thought　Suzanne；　doing　as　he　told　her；　〃I'll　tell　about

your　false　toupet。〃



She　compared　du　Bousquier　with　that　charming　chevalier；　who　had　given

her　nothing；　it　is　true；　but　who　had　comprehended　her；　advised　her；

and　carried　all　grisettes　in　his　heart。



〃If　you　deceive　me；　Suzanne；〃　cried　du　Bousquier；　as　he　saw　her　with

her　hand　in　the　drawer；　〃you〃



〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　interrupting　him　with　ineffable　impertinence；

〃wouldn't　you　have　given　me　money　if　I　had　asked　for　it？〃



Recalled　to　a　sense　of　gallantry；　du　Bousquier　had　a　remembrance　of

past　happiness　and　grunted　his　assent。　Suzanne　took　the　bag　and

departed；　after　allowing　the　old　bachelor　to　kiss　her；　which　he　did

with　an　air　that　seemed　to　say；　〃It　is　a　right　which　costs　me　dear；

but　it　is　better　than　being　harried　by　a　lawyer　in　the　court　of

assizes　as　the　seducer　of　a　girl　accused　of　infanticide。〃



Suzanne　hid　the　sack　in　a　sort　of　gamebag　made　of　osier　which　she　had

on　her　arm；　all　the　while　cursing　du　Bousquier　for　his　stinginess；　for

one　thousand　francs　was　the　sum　she　wanted。　Once　tempted　of　the　devil

to　desire　that　sum；　a　girl　will　go　far　when　she　has　set　foot　on　the

path　of　trickery。　As　she　made　her　way　along　the　rue　du　Bercail；　it

came　into　her　head　that　the　Maternity　Society；　presided　over　by

Mademoiselle　Cormon；　might　be　induced　to　complete　the　sum　at　which　she

had　reckoned　her　journey　to　Paris；　which　to　a　grisette　of　Alencon

seemed　considerable。　Besides；　she　hated　du　Bousquier。　The　latter　had

evidently　feared　a　revelation　of　his　supposed　misconduct　to　Madame

Granson；　and　Suzanne；　at　the　risk　of　not　getting　a　penny　from　the

society；　was　possessed　with