albert savarus-第3章

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Rosalie　de　Watteville's　future　husband。　There　had　even　been　some
exchange　of　ideas　on　the　subject　between　the　Baroness　and　Amedee；　to
which　the　Baron's　apparent　nonentity　gave　some　certainty。

Mademoiselle　de　Watteville；　to　whom　her　enormous　prospective　fortune
at　that　time　lent　considerable　importance；　had　been　brought　up
exclusively　within　the　precincts　of　the　Hotel　de　Ruptwhich　her
mother　rarely　quitted；　so　devoted　was　she　to　her　dear　Archbishopand
severely　repressed　by　an　exclusively　religious　education；　and　by　her
mother's　despotism；　which　held　her　rigidly　to　principles。　Rosalie　knew
absolutely　nothing。　Is　it　knowledge　to　have　learned　geography　from
Guthrie；　sacred　history；　ancient　history；　the　history　of　France；　and
the　four　rules　all　passed　through　the　sieve　of　an　old　Jesuit？　Dancing
and　music　were　forbidden；　as　being　more　likely　to　corrupt　life　than　to
grace　it。　The　Baroness　taught　her　daughter　every　conceivable　stitch　in
tapestry　and　women's　workplain　sewing；　embroidery；　netting。　At
seventeen　Rosalie　had　never　read　anything　but　the　/Lettres　edifiantes/
and　some　works　on　heraldry。　No　newspaper　had　ever　defiled　her　sight。
She　attended　mass　at　the　Cathedral　every　morning；　taken　there　by　her
mother；　came　back　to　breakfast；　did　needlework　after　a　little　walk　in
the　garden；　and　received　visitors；　sitting　with　the　baroness　until
dinner…time。　Then；　after　dinner；　excepting　on　Mondays　and　Fridays；　she
accompanied　Madame　de　Watteville　to　other　houses　to　spend　the　evening；
without　being　allowed　to　talk　more　than　the　maternal　rule　permitted。

At　eighteen　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　was　a　slight；　thin　girl　with　a
flat　figure；　fair；　colorless；　and　insignificant　to　the　last　degree。
Her　eyes；　of　a　very　light　blue；　borrowed　beauty　from　their　lashes；
which；　when　downcast；　threw　a　shadow　on　her　cheeks。　A　few　freckles
marred　the　whiteness　of　her　forehead；　which　was　shapely　enough。　Her
face　was　exactly　like　those　of　Albert　Durer's　saints；　or　those　of　the
painters　before　Perugino；　the　same　plump；　though　slender　modeling；　the
same　delicacy　saddened　by　ecstasy；　the　same　severe　guilelessness。
Everything　about　her；　even　to　her　attitude；　was　suggestive　of　those
virgins；　whose　beauty　is　only　revealed　in　its　mystical　radiance　to　the
eyes　of　the　studious　connoisseur。　She　had　fine　hands　though　red；　and　a
pretty　foot；　the　foot　of　an　aristocrat。

She　habitually　wore　simple　checked　cotton　dresses；　but　on　Sundays　and
in　the　evening　her　mother　allowed　her　silk。　The　cut　of　her　frocks；
made　at　Besancon；　almost　made　her　ugly；　while　her　mother　tried　to
borrow　grace；　beauty；　and　elegance　from　Paris　fashions；　for　through
Monsieur　de　Soulas　she　procured　the　smallest　trifles　of　her　dress　from
thence。　Rosalie　had　never　worn　a　pair　of　silk　stockings　or　thin　boots；
but　always　cotton　stockings　and　leather　shoes。　On　high　days　she　was
dressed　in　a　muslin　frock；　her　hair　plainly　dressed；　and　had　bronze
kid　shoes。

This　education；　and　her　own　modest　demeanor；　hid　in　Rosalie　a　spirit
of　iron。　Physiologists　and　profound　observers　will　tell　you；　perhaps
to　your　astonishment；　that　tempers；　characteristics；　wit；　or　genius
reappear　in　families　at　long　intervals；　precisely　like　what　are　known
as　hereditary　diseases。　Thus　talent；　like　the　gout；　sometimes　skips
over　two　generations。　We　have　an　illustrious　example　of　this
phenomenon　in　George　Sand；　in　whom　are　resuscitated　the　force；　the
power；　and　the　imaginative　faculty　of　the　Marechal　de　Saxe；　whose
natural　granddaughter　she　is。

The　decisive　character　and　romantic　daring　of　the　famous　Watteville
had　reappeared　in　the　soul　of　his　grand…niece；　reinforced　by　the
tenacity　and　pride　of　blood　of　the　Rupts。　But　these　qualitiesor
faults；　if　you　will　have　it　sowere　as　deeply　buried　in　this　young
girlish　soul；　apparently　so　weak　and　yielding；　as　the　seething　lavas
within　a　hill　before　it　becomes　a　volcano。　Madame　de　Watteville　alone；
perhaps；　suspected　this　inheritance　from　two　strains。　She　was　so
severe　to　her　Rosalie；　that　she　replied　one　day　to　the　Archbishop；　who
blamed　her　for　being　too　hard　on　the　child；　〃Leave　me　to　manage　her；
monseigneur。　I　know　her！　She　has　more　than　one　Beelzebub　in　her　skin！〃

The　Baroness　kept　all　the　keener　watch　over　her　daughter；　because　she
considered　her　honor　as　a　mother　to　be　at　stake。　After　all；　she　had
nothing　else　to　do。　Clotilde　de　Rupt；　at　this　time　five…and…thirty；
and　as　good　as　widowed；　with　a　husband　who　turned　egg…cups　in　every
variety　of　wood；　who　set　his　mind　on　making　wheels　with　six　spokes　out
of　iron…wood；　and　manufactured　snuff…boxes　for　everyone　of　his
acquaintance；　flirted　in　strict　propriety　with　Amedee　de　Soulas。　When
this　young　man　was　in　the　house；　she　alternately　dismissed　and
recalled　her　daughter；　and　tried　to　detect　symptoms　of　jealousy　in
that　youthful　soul；　so　as　to　have　occasion　to　repress　them。　She
imitated　the　police　in　its　dealings　with　the　republicans；　but　she
labored　in　vain。　Rosalie　showed　no　symptoms　of　rebellion。　Then　the
arid　bigot　accused　her　daughter　of　perfect　insensibility。　Rosalie　knew
her　mother　well　enough　to　be　sure　that　if　she　had　thought　young
Monsieur　de　Soulas　/nice/；　she　would　have　drawn　down　on　herself　a
smart　reproof。　Thus；　to　all　her　mother's　incitement　she　replied　merely
by　such　phrases　as　are　wrongly　called　Jesuiticalwrongly；　because　the
Jesuits　were　strong；　and　such　reservations　are　the　/chevaux　de　frise/
behind　which　weakness　takes　refuge。　Then　the　mother　regarded　the　girl
as　a　dissembler。　If　by　mischance　a　spark　of　the　true　nature　of　the
Wattevilles　and　the　Rupts　blazed　out；　the　mother　armed　herself　with
the　respect　due　from　children　to　their　parents　to　reduce　Rosalie　to
passive　obedience。

This　covert　battle　was　carried　on　in　the　most　secret　seclusion　of
domestic　life；　with　closed　doors。　The　Vicar…General；　the　dear　Abbe
Grancey；　the　friend　of　the　late　Archbishop；　clever　as　he　was　in　his
capacity　of　the　chief　Father　Confessor　of　the　diocese；　could　not
discover　whether　the　struggle　had　stirred　up　some　hatred　between　the
mother　and　daughter；　whether　the　mother　were　jealous　in　anticipation；
or　whether　the　court　Amedee　was　paying　to　the　girl　through　her　mother
had　not　overstepped　its　due　limits。　Being　a　friend　of　the　family；
neither　mother　nor　daughter；　confessed　to　him。　Rosalie；　a　little　too
much　harried；　morally；　about　young　de　Soulas；　could　not　abide　him；　to
use　a　homely　phrase；　and　when　he　spoke　to　her；　trying　to　take　her
heart　by　surprise；　she　received　him　but　coldly。　This　aversion；
discerned　only　by　her　mother's　eyes；　was　a　constant　subject　of
admonition。

〃Rosalie；　I　cannot　imagine　why　you　affect　such　coldness　towards
Amedee。　Is　it　because　he　is　a　friend　of　the　family；　and　because　we
like　himyour　father　and　I？〃

〃Well；　mamma；〃　replied　the　poor　child　one　day；　〃if　I　made　him　welcome；
should　I　not　be　still　more　in　the　wrong？〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　cried　Madame　de　Watteville。　〃What　is　the
meaning　of　such　words？　Your　mother　is　unjust；　no　doubt；　and　according
to　you；　would　be　so　in　any　case！　Never　let　such　an　answer　pass　your
lips　again　to　your　mother〃　and　so　forth。

This　quarrel　lasted　three　hours　and　three…quarters。　Rosalie　noted　the
time。　Her　mother；　pale　with　fury；　sent　her　to　her　room；　where　Rosalie
pondered　on　the　meaning　of　this　scene　without　discovering　it；　so
guileless　was　she。　Thus　young　Monsieur　de　Soulas；　who　was　supposed　by
every　one　to　be　very　near　the　end　he　was　aiming　at；　all　neckcloths
set；　and　by　dint　of　pots　of　patent　blackingan　end　which　required　so
much　waxing　of　his　moustaches；　so　many　smart　waistcoats；　wore　out　so
many　horseshoes　and　staysfor　he　wore　a　leather　vest；　the　stays　of
the　/lion/Amedee；　I　say；　was　further　away　than　any　chance　comer；
although　he　had　on　his　side　the　worthy　and　noble　Abbe　de　Grancey。



〃Madame；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Soulas；　addressing　the　Baroness；　while
waiting　till　his　soup　was　cool　enough　to　swallow；　and　affecting　to
give　a　romantic　turn　to　his　narrative；　〃one　fine　morning　the　mail…
coach　dropped　at　the　Hotel　National　a　gentleman　from　Paris；　who；　after
seeking　apartments；　made　up　his　mind　in　favor　of　the　first　floor　in
Mademoiselle　Galard's　house；　Rue　du　Perron。　Then　the　stranger　went
straight　to　the　Mairie；　and　had　himself　registered　as　a　resident　with
all　political　qualifications。　Finally；　he　had　his　name　entered　on　the
list　of　the　barristers　to　the　Court；　showing　his　title　in　due　form；
and　he　left　his　card　on　all　his　new　colleagues；　the　Ministerial
officials；　the　Councillors　of　the　Court；　and　the　members　of　the　bench；
with　the　name；　'ALBERT　SAVARON。'　〃

〃The　name　of　Savaron　is　famous；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville；　who
was　strong　in　heraldic　information。　〃The　Savarons　of　Savarus　are　one
of　the　oldest；　noblest；　and　richest　families　in　Belgium。〃

〃He　is　a　Frenchman；　and　no　man's　son；〃　replied　Amedee　de　Soulas。　〃If
he　wishes　to　bear　the　arms　of　the　Savarons　of　Savarus；　he　must　add　a
bar…sinister。　There　is　no　one　left　of　the　Brabant　family　but　a
Mademoiselle　de　Savarus；　a　rich　heiress；　and　unmarried。〃

〃The　bar…sinister　is；　of　course；　the　badge　of　a　bastard；　but　the
bastard　of　a　Comte　de　Savarus　is　noble；〃　answered　Rosalie。

〃Enough；　that　will　do；　mademoiselle！〃　said　the　Baroness。

〃You　insisted　on　her　learning　heraldry；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Watteville；
〃and　she　knows　it　very　well。〃

〃Go　on；　I　beg；　Monsieur　de　Soulas。〃

〃You　may　suppose　that　in　a　town　where　everything　is　classified；　known；
pigeon…holed；　ticketed；　and　numbered；　as　in　Besancon；　Albert　Savaron
was　received　without　hesitation　by　the　lawyers　of　the　town。　They　were
satisfied　to　say；　'Here　is　a　man　who　does　not　know　his　Besancon。　Who
the　devil　can　have　sent　him　here？　What　can　he　hope　to　do？　Sending　his
card　to　the　Judges　instead　of　calling　in　person！　What　a　blunder！'　And
so；　three　days　after；　Savaron　had　ceased　to　exist。　He　took　as　his
servant　old　Monsieur　Galard's　manGalard　being　deadJerome；　who　can
cook　a　little。　Albert　Savaron　was　all　the　more　completely　forgotten；
because　no　one　had　seen　him　or　met　him　anywhere。〃

〃Then；　does　he　not　go　to　mass？〃　asked　Madame　de　Chavoncourt。

〃He　goes　on　Sundays　to　Saint…Pierre；　but　to　the　early　service　at　eight
in　the　morning。　He　rises　every　night　between　one　and　two　in　the
morning；　works　till　eight；　has　his　breakfast；　and　then　goes　on
working。　He　walks　in　his　garden；　going　round　fifty；　or　perhaps　sixty
times；　then　he　goes　in；　dines；　and　goes　to　bed　between　six　and　seven。〃

〃How　did　you　learn　all　that？〃　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　asked　Monsieur　de
Soulas。

〃In　the　first　place；　madame；　I　live　in　the　Rue　Neuve；　at　the　corner　of
the　Rue　du　Perron；　I　look　out　on　the　house　where　this　mysterious
personage　lodges；　then；　of　course；　there　are　communications　between　my
tiger　and　Jerome。〃

〃And　you　gossip　with　Babylas？〃

〃What　would　you　have　me　do　out　riding？〃

〃Welland　how　was　it　that　you　engaged　a　stranger　for　your　defence？〃
asked　the　Baroness；　thus　placing　the　conversation　in　the　hands　of　the
Vicar…General。

〃The　President　of　the　Court　played　this　pleader　a　trick　by　appointing
him　to　defend　at　the　Assizes　a　half…witted　peasant　accused　of　forgery。
But　Monsieur　Savaron　procured　the　poor　man's　acquittal　by　proving　his
innocence　and