the lily of the valley(幽谷百合)-第21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！


countess　took　my　arm　and　leaned　upon　it；　as　if　to　let　my　heart　feel
the　weight　of　hers；the　instinctive　movement　of　a　mother　who　seeks　to
convey　her　joy。　Then　she　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃You　bring　us
happiness。〃

Ah；　to　me；　who　knew　her　sleepless　nights；　her　cares；　her　fears；　her
former　existence；　in　which；　although　the　hand　of　God　sustained　her；
all　was　barren　and　wearisome；　those　words　uttered　by　that　rich　voice
brought　pleasures　no　other　woman　in　the　world　could　give　me。

〃The　terrible　monotony　of　my　life　is　broken；　all　things　are　radiant
with　hope；〃　she　said　after　a　pause。　〃Oh；　never　leave　me！　Do　not
despise　my　harmless　superstitions；　be　the　elder　son；　the　protector　of
the　younger。〃

In　this；　Natalie；　there　is　nothing　romantic。　To　know　the　infinite　of
our　deepest　feelings；　we　must　in　youth　cast　our　lead　into　those　great
lakes　upon　whose　shores　we　live。　Though　to　many　souls　passions　are
lava　torrents　flowing　among　arid　rocks；　other　souls　there　be　in　whom
passion；　restrained　by　insurmountable　obstacles；　fills　with　purest
water　the　crater　of　the　volcano。

We　had　still　another　fete。　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　wishing　to　accustom　her
children　to　the　practical　things　of　life；　and　to　give　them　some
experience　of　the　toil　by　which　men　earn　their　living；　had　provided
each　of　them　with　a　source　of　income；　depending　on　the　chances　of
agriculture。　To　Jacques　she　gave　the　produce　of　the　walnut…trees；　to
Madeleine　that　of　the　chestnuts。　The　gathering　of　the　nuts　began　soon
after　the　vintage；first　the　chestnuts；　then　the　walnuts。　To　beat
Madeleine's　trees　with　a　long　pole　and　hear　the　nuts　fall　and　rebound
on　the　dry；　matted　earth　of　a　chestnut…grove；　to　see　the　serious
gravity　of　the　little　girl　as　she　examined　the　heaps　and　estimated
their　probable　value；　which　to　her　represented　many　pleasures　on　which
she　counted；　the　congratulations　of　Manette；　the　trusted　servant　who
alone　supplied　Madame　de　Mortsauf's　place　with　the　children；　the
explanations　of　the　mother；　showing　the　necessity　of　labor　to　obtain
all　crops；　so　often　imperilled　by　the　uncertainties　of　climate；all
these　things　made　up　a　charming　scene　of　innocent；　childlike　happiness
amid　the　fading　colors　of　the　late　autumn。

Madeleine　had　a　little　granary　of　her　own；　in　which　I　was　to　see　her
brown　treasure　garnered　and　share　her　delight。　Well；　I　quiver　still
when　I　recall　the　sound　of　each　basketful　of　nuts　as　it　was　emptied　on
the　mass　of　yellow　husks；　mixed　with　earth；　which　made　the　floor　of
the　granary。　The　count　bought　what　was　needed　for　the　household；　the
farmers　and　tenants；　indeed；　every　one　around　Clochegourde；　sent
buyers　to　the　Mignonne；　a　pet　name　which　the　peasantry　give　even　to
strangers；　but　which　in　this　case　belonged　exclusively　to　Madeleine。

Jacques　was　less　fortunate　in　gathering　his　walnuts。　It　rained　for
several　days；　but　I　consoled　him　with　the　advice　to　hold　back　his　nuts
and　sell　them　a　little　later。　Monsieur　de　Chessel　had　told　me　that　the
walnut…trees　in　the　Brehemont；　also　those　about　Amboise　and　Vouvray；
were　not　bearing。　Walnut　oil　is　in　great　demand　in　Touraine。　Jacques
might　get　at　least　forty　sous　for　the　product　of　each　tree；　and　as　he
had　two　hundred　the　amount　was　considerable；　he　intended　to　spend　it
on　the　equipment　of　a　pony。　This　wish　led　to　a　discussion　with　his
father；　who　bade　him　think　of　the　uncertainty　of　such　returns；　and　the
wisdom　of　creating　a　reserve　fund　for　the　years　when　the　trees　might
not　bear；　and　so　equalizing　his　resources。　I　felt　what　was　passing
through　the　mother's　mind　as　she　sat　by　in　silence；　she　rejoiced　in
the　way　Jacques　listened　to　his　father；　the　father　seeming　to　recover
the　paternal　dignity　that　was　lacking　to　him；　thanks　to　the　ideas
which　she　herself　had　prompted　in　him。　Did　I　not　tell　you　truly　that
in　picturing　this　woman　earthly　language　was　insufficient　to　render
either　her　character　or　her　spirit。　When　such　scenes　occurred　my　soul
drank　in　their　delights　without　analyzing　them；　but　now；　with　what
vigor　they　detach　themselves　on　the　dark　background　of　my　troubled
life！　Like　diamonds　they　shine　against　the　settling　of　thoughts
degraded　by　alloy；　of　bitter　regrets　for　a　lost　happiness。　Why　do　the
names　of　the　two　estates　purchased　after　the　Restoration；　and　in　which
Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Mortsauf　both　took　the　deepest　interest；　the
Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere；　move　me　more　than　the　sacred　names　of　the
Holy　Land　or　of　Greece？　〃Who　loves；　knows！〃　cried　La　Fontaine。　Those
names　possess　the　talismanic　power　of　words　uttered　under　certain
constellations　by　seers；　they　explain　magic　to　me；　they　awaken
sleeping　forms　which　arise　and　speak　to　me；　they　lead　me　to　the　happy
valley；　they　recreate　skies　and　landscape。　But　such　evocations　are　in
the　regions　of　the　spiritual　world；　they　pass　in　the　silence　of　my　own
soul。　Be　not　surprised；　therefore；　if　I　dwell　on　all　these　homely
scenes；　the　smallest　details　of　that　simple；　almost　common　life　are
ties　which；　frail　as　they　may　seem；　bound　me　in　closest　union　to　the
countess。

The　interests　of　her　children　gave　Madame　de　Mortsauf　almost　as　much
anxiety　as　their　health。　I　soon　saw　the　truth　of　what　she　had　told　me
as　to　her　secret　share　in　the　management　of　the　family　affairs；　into
which　I　became　slowly　initiated。　After　ten　years'　steady　effort　Madame
de　Mortsauf　had　changed　the　method　of　cultivating　the　estate。　She　had
〃put　it　in　fours；〃　as　the　saying　is　in　those　parts；　meaning　the　new
system　under　which　wheat　is　sown　every　four　years　only；　so　as　to　make
the　soil　produce　a　different　crop　yearly。　To　evade　the　obstinate
unwillingness　of　the　peasantry　it　was　found　necessary　to　cancel　the
old　leases　and　give　new　ones；　to　divide　the　estate　into　four　great
farms　and　let　them　on　equal　shares；　the　sort　of　lease　that　prevails　in
Touraine　and　its　neighborhood。　The　owner　of　the　estate　gives　the
house；　farm…buildings；　and　seed…grain　to　tenants…at…will；　with　whom　he
divides　the　costs　of　cultivation　and　the　crops。　This　division　is
superintended　by　an　agent　or　bailiff；　whose　business　it　is　to　take　the
share　belonging　to　the　owner；　a　costly　system；　complicated　by　the
market　changes　of　values；　which　alter　the　character　of　the　shares
constantly。　The　countess　had　induced　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　to　cultivate
a　fifth　farm；　made　up　of　the　reserved　lands　about　Clochegourde；　as
much　to　occupy　his　mind　as　to　show　other　farmers　the　excellence　of　the
new　method　by　the　evidence　of　facts。　Being　thus；　in　a　hidden　way；　the
mistress　of　the　estate；　she　had　slowly　and　with　a　woman's　persistency
rebuilt　two　of　the　farm…houses　on　the　principle　of　those　in　Artois　and
Flanders。　It　is　easy　to　see　her　motive。　She　wished；　after　the
expiration　of　the　leases　on　shares；　to　relet　to　intelligent　and
capable　persons　for　rental　in　money；　and　thus　simplify　the　revenues　of
Clochegourde。　Fearing　to　die　before　her　husband；　she　was　anxious　to
secure　for　him　a　regular　income；　and　to　her　children　a　property　which
no　incapacity　could　jeopardize。　At　the　present　time　the　fruit…trees
planted　during　the　last　ten　years　were　in　full　bearing；　the　hedges；
which　secured　the　boundaries　from　dispute；　were　in　good　order；　the
elms　and　poplars　were　growing　well。　With　the　new　purchases　and　the　new
farming　system　well　under　way；　the　estate　of　Clochegourde；　divided
into　four　great　farms；　two　of　which　still　needed　new　houses；　was
capable　of　bringing　in　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　ten　thousand　for
each　farm；　not　counting　the　yield　of　the　vineyards；　and　the　two
hundred　acres　of　woodland　which　adjoined　them；　nor　the　profits　of　the
model　home…farm。　The　roads　to　the　great　farms　all　opened　on　an　avenue
which　followed　a　straight　line　from　Clochegourde　to　the　main　road
leading　to　Chinon。　The　distance　from　the　entrance　of　this　avenue　to
Tours　was　only　fifteen　miles；　tenants　would　never　be　wanting；
especially　now　that　everybody　was　talking　of　the　count's　improvements
and　the　excellent　condition　of　his　land。

The　countess　wished　to　put　some　fifteen　thousand　francs　into　each　of
the　estates　lately　purchased；　and　to　turn　the　present　dwellings　into
two　large　farm…houses　and　buildings；　in　order　that　the　property　might
bring　in　a　better　rent　after　the　ground　had　been　cultivated　for　a　year
or　two。　These　ideas；　so　simple　in　themselves；　but　complicated　with　the
thirty　odd　thousand　francs　it　was　necessary　to　expend　upon　them；　were
just　now　the　topic　of　many　discussions　between　herself　and　the　count；
sometimes　amounting　to　bitter　quarrels；　in　which　she　was　sustained　by
the　thought　of　her　children's　interests。　The　fear；　〃If　I　die　to…morrow
what　will　become　of　them？〃　made　her　heart　beat。　The　gentle；　peaceful
hearts　to　whom　anger　is　an　impossibility；　and　whose　sole　desire　is　to
shed　on　those　about　them　their　own　inward　peace；　alone　know　what
strength　is　needed　for　such　struggles；　what　demands　upon　the　spirit
must　be　made　before　beginning　the　contest；　what　weariness　ensues　when
the　fight　is　over　and　nothing　has　been　won。　At　this　moment；　just　as
her　children　seemed　less　anemic；　less　frail；　more　active　（for　the
fruit　season　had　had　its　effect　on　them）；　and　her　moist　eyes　followed
them　as　they　played　about　her　with　a　sense　of　contentment　which
renewed　her　strength　and　refreshed　her　heart；　the　poor　woman　was
called　upon　to　bear　the　sharp　sarcasms　and　attacks　of　an　angry
opposition。　The　count；　alarmed　at　the　plans　she　proposed；　denied　with
stolid　obstinacy　the　advantages　of　all　she　had　done　and　the
possibility　of　doing　more。　He　replied　to　conclusive　reasoning　with　the
folly　of　a　child　who　denies　the　influence　of　the　sun　in　summer。　The
countess；　however；　carried　the　day。　The　victory　of　commonsense　over
insanity　so　healed　her　wounds　that　she　forgot　the　battle。　That　day　we
all　went　to　the　Cassine　and　the　Rhetoriere；　to　decide　upon　the
buildings。　The　count　walked　alone　in　front；　the　children　went　next；
and　we　ourselves　followed　slowly；　for　she　was　speaking　in　a　low；
gentle　tone；　which　made　her　words　like　the　murmur　of　the　sea　as　it
ripples　on　a　smooth　beach。

She　was；　she　said；　certain　of　success。　A　new　line　of　communication
between　Tours　and　Chinon　was　to　be　opened　by　an　active　man；　a　carrier；
a　cousin　of　Manette's；　who　wanted　a　large　farm　o