la mere bauche-第6部分
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in about half an hour she followed him； and unobserved crept to her
chamber。
Again we will pass over what took place between the mother and the
son； but late in that evening； after the guests had gone to bed；
Marie received a message； desiring her to wait on Madame Bauche in a
small salon which looked out from one end of the house。 It was
intended as a private sitting…room should any special stranger arrive
who required such accommodation； and therefore was but seldom used。
Here she found La Mere Bauche sitting in an arm…chair behind a small
table on which stood two candles； and on a sofa against the wall sat
Adolphe。 The capitaine was not in the room。
〃Shut the door； Marie； and come in and sit down；〃 said Madame Bauche。
It was easy to understand from the tone of her voice that she was
angry and stern； in an unbending mood； and resolved to carry out to
the very letter all the threats conveyed by those terrible
spectacles。
Marie did as she was bid。 She closed the door and sat down on the
chair that was nearest to her。
〃Marie；〃 said La Mere Baucheand the voice sounded fierce in the
poor girl's ears； and an angry fire glimmered through the green
glasses〃what is all this about that I hear？ Do you dare to say
that you hold my son bound to marry you？〃 And then the august mother
paused for an answer。
But Marie had no answer to give。 See looked suppliantly towards her
lover； as though beseeching him to carry on the fight for her。 But
if she could not do battle for herself； certainly he could not do it
for her。 What little amount of fighting he had had in him； had been
thoroughly vanquished before her arrival。
〃I will have an answer； and that immediately；〃 said Madame Bauche。
〃I am not going to be betrayed into ignominy and disgrace by the
object of my own charity。 Who picked you out of the gutter； miss；
and brought you up and fed you； when you would otherwise have gone to
the foundling？ And this is your gratitude for it all？ You are not
satisfied with being fed and clothed and cherished by me； but you
must rob me of my son！ Know this then； Adolphe shall never marry a
child of charity such as you are。〃
Marie sat still； stunned by the harshness of these words。 La Mere
Bauche had often scolded her； indeed； she was given to much scolding；
but she had scolded her as a mother may scold a child。 And when this
story of Marie's love first reached her ears； she had been very
angry； but her anger had never brought her to such a pass as this。
Indeed； Marie had not hitherto been taught to look at the matter in
this light。 No one had heretofore twitted her with eating the bread
of charity。 It had not occurred to her that on this account she was
unfit to be Adolphe's wife。 There； in that valley； they were all so
nearly equal； that no idea of her own inferiority had ever pressed
itself upon her mind。 But now！
When the voice ceased she again looked at him； but it was no longer a
beseeching look。 Did he also altogether scorn her？ That was now the
inquiry which her eyes were called upon to make。 No； she could not
say that he did。 It seemed to her that his energies were chiefly
occupied in pulling to pieces the tassel on the sofa cushion。
〃And now； miss； let me know at once whether this nonsense is to be
over or not；〃 continued La Mere Bauche； 〃and I will tell you at once；
I am not going to maintain you here； in my house； to plot against our
welfare and happiness。 As Marie Clavert you shall not stay here。
Capitaine Campan is willing to marry you； and as his wife I will keep
my word to you； though you little deserve it。 If you refuse to marry
him； you must go。 As to my son； he is there； and he will tell you
now； in my presence； that he altogether declines the honour you
propose for him。〃
And then she ceased； waiting for an answer； drumming the table with a
wafer stamp which happened to be ready to her hand； but Marie said
nothing。 Adolphe had been appealed to； but Adolphe had not yet
spoken。
〃Well； miss？〃 said La Mere Bauche
Then Marie rose from her seat； and walking round she touched Adolphe
lightly on the shoulder。 〃Adolphe；〃 she said； 〃it is for you to
speak now。 I will do as you bid me。〃
He gave a long sigh； looked first at Marie and then at his mother；
shook himself slightly； and then spoke： 〃Upon my word； Marie； I
think mother is right。 It would never do for us to marry； it would
not indeed。〃
〃Then it is decided；〃 said Marie； returning to her chair。
〃And you will marry the capitaine？〃 said La Mere Bauche。
Marie merely bowed her head in token of acquiescence。 〃Then we are
friends again。 Come here； Marie； and kiss me。 You must know that it
is my duty to take care of my own son。 But I don't want to be angry
with you if I can help it； I don't indeed。 When once you are Madame
Campan； you shall be my own child； and you shall have any room in the
house you like to choosethere！〃 And she once more imprinted a kiss
on Marie's cold forehead。
How they all got out of the room； and off to their own chambers； I
can hardly tell。 But in five minutes from the time of this last kiss
they were divided。 La Mere Bauche had patted Marie； and smiled on
her； and called her her dear good little Madame Campan； her young
little Mistress of the Hotel Bauche； and had then got herself into
her own room； satisfied with her own victory。
Nor must my readers be too severe on Madame Bauche。 She had already
done much for Marie Clavert； and when she found herself once more by
her own bedside； she prayed to be forgiven for the cruelty which she
felt that she had shown to the orphan。 But in making this prayer；
with her favourite crucifix in her hand and the little image of the
Virgin before her； she pleaded her duty to her son。 Was it not
right； she asked the Virgin； that she should save her son from a bad
marriage？ And then she promised ever so much of recompense； both to
the Virgin and to Marie； a new trousseau for each； with candles to
the Virgin； with a gold watch and chain for Marie； as soon as she
should be Marie Campan。 She had been cruel； she acknowledged it。
But at such a crisis was it not defensible？ And then the recompense
should be so full！
But there was one other meeting that night； very short indeed； but
not the less significant。 Not long after they had all separated；
just so long as to allow of the house being quiet； Adolphe； still
sitting in his room； meditating on what the day had done for him；
heard a low tap at his door。 〃Come in；〃 he said； as men always do
say； and Marie opening the door； stood just within the verge of his
chamber。 She had on her countenance neither the soft look of
entreating love which she had worn up there in the grotto； nor did
she appear crushed and subdued as she had done before his mother。
She carried her head somewhat more erect than usual； and looked
boldly out at him from under her soft eyelashes。 There might still
be love there； but it was love proudly resolving to quell itself。
Adolphe； as he looked at her； felt that he was afraid of her。
〃It is all over then between us； M。 Adolphe？〃 she said。
〃Well； yes。 Don't you think it had better be so； eh； Marie？〃
〃And this is the meaning of oaths and vows； sworn to each other so
sacredly？〃
〃But； Marie； you heard what my mother said。〃
〃Oh； sir！ I have not come to ask you again to love me。 Oh no！ I am
not thinking of that。 But this； this would be a lie if I kept it
now； it would choke me if I wore it as that man's wife。 Take it
back；〃 and she tendered to him the little charm which she had always
worn round her neck since he had given it to her。 He took it
abstractedly； without thinking what he did； and placed it on his
dressing…table。
〃And you；〃 she continued； 〃can you still keep that cross？ Oh； no！
you must give me back that。 It would remind you too often of vows
that were untrue。〃
〃Marie；〃 he said； 〃do not be so harsh to me。〃
〃Harsh！〃 said she； 〃no； there has been enough of harshness。 I would
not be harsh to you； Adolphe。 But give me the cross； it would prove
a curse to you if you kept it。〃
He then opened a little box which stood upon the table； and taking
out the cross gave it to her。
〃And now good…bye；〃 she said。 〃We shall have but little more to say
to each other。 I know this now； that I was wrong ever to have loved
you。 I should have been to you as one of the other poor girls in the
house。 But； oh！ how was I to help it？〃 To this he made no answer；
and she； closing the door softly； went back to her chamber。 And thus
ended the first day of Adolphe Bauche's return to his own house。
On the next morning the capitaine and Marie were formally betrothed。
This was done with some little ceremony； in the presence of all the
guests who were staying at the establishment； and with all manner of
gracious acknowledgments of Marie's virtues。 It seemed as though La
Mere Bauche could not be courteous enough to her。 There was no more
talk of her being a child of charity； no more allusion now to the
gutter。 La Mere Bauche with her own hand brought her cake with a
glass of wine after her betrothal was over； and patted her on the
cheek； and called her her dear little Marie Campan。 And then the
capitaine was made up of infinite politeness； and the guests all
wished her joy； and the servants of the house began to perceive that
she was a person entitled to respect。 How different was all this
from that harsh attack that was made on her the preceding evening！
Only Adolphe；he alone kept aloof。 Though he was present there he
said nothing。 He； and he only； offered no congratulations。
In the midst of all these gala doings Marie herself said little or
nothing。 La Mere Bauche perceived this； but she forgave it。 Angrily
as she had expressed herself at the idea of Marie's daring to love
her son； she had still acknowledged within her own heart that such
love had been natural。 She could feel no pity for Marie as long as
Adolphe was in danger； but now she knew how to pity her。 So Marie
was still petted and still encouraged； though she went through the
day's work sullenly and in silence。
As to the capitaine it was all one to him。 He was a man of the
w
