two poets-第16章

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ened　by　massive　gold　studs。　His　dress；　in　fact；　was　exaggerated；　till　he　looked　almost　like　a　living　caricature；　which　no　one　could　behold　for　the　first　time　with　gravity。

Stanislas　looked　himself　over　from　top　to　toe　with　a　kind　of　satisfaction；　he　verified　the　number　of　his　waistcoat　buttons；　and　followed　the　curving　outlines　of　his　tight…fitting　trousers　with　fond　glances　that　came　to　a　standstill　at　last　on　the　pointed　tips　of　his　shoes。　When　he　ceased　to　contemplate　himself　in　this　way；　he　looked　towards　the　nearest　mirror　to　see　if　his　hair　still　kept　in　curl；　then；　sticking　a　finger　in　his　waistcoat　pocket；　he　looked　about　him　at　the　women　with　happy　eyes；　flinging　his　head　back　in　three…quarters　profile　with　all　the　airs　of　a　king　of　the　poultry…yard；　airs　which　were　prodigiously　admired　by　the　aristocratic　circle　of　which　he　was　the　beau。　There　was　a　strain　of　eighteenth　century　grossness；　as　a　rule；　in　his　talk；　a　detestable　kind　of　conversation　which　procured　him　some　success　with　womenhe　made　them　laugh。　M。　du　Chatelet　was　beginning　to　give　this　gentleman　some　uneasiness；　and；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　since　Mme。　de　Bargeton　had　taken　him　up；　the　lively　interest　taken　by　the　women　in　the　Byron　of　Angouleme　was　distinctly　on　the　increase。　His　coxcomb　superciliousness　tickled　their　curiosity；　he　posed　as　the　man　whom　nothing　can　arouse　from　his　apathy；　and　his　jaded　Sultan　airs　were　like　a　challenge。

Amelie　de　Chandour；　short；　plump；　fair…complexioned；　and　dark…haired；　was　a　poor　actress；　her　voice　was　loud；　like　everything　else　about　her；　her　head；　with　its　load　of　feathers　in　winter　and　flowers　in　summer；　was　never　still　for　a　moment。　She　had　a　fine　flow　of　conversation；　though　she　could　never　bring　a　sentence　to　an　end　without　a　wheezing　accompaniment　from　an　asthma；　to　which　she　would　not　confess。

M。　de　Saintot；　otherwise　Astolphe；　President　of　the　Agricultural　Society；　a　tall；　stout；　high…colored　personage；　usually　appeared　in　the　wake　of　his　wife；　Elisa；　a　lady　with　a　countenance　like　a　withered　fern；　called　Lili　by　her　friendsa　baby　name　singularly　at　variance　with　its　owner's　character　and　demeanor。　Mme。　de　Saintot　was　a　solemn　and　extremely　pious　woman；　and　a　very　trying　partner　at　a　game　of　cards。　Astolphe　was　supposed　to　be　a　scientific　man　of　the　first　rank。　He　was　as　ignorant　as　a　carp；　but　he　had　compiled　the　articles　on　Sugar　and　Brandy　for　a　Dictionary　of　Agriculture　by　wholesale　plunder　of　newspaper　articles　and　pillage　of　previous　writers。　It　was　believed　all　over　the　department　that　M。　Saintot　was　engaged　upon　a　treatise　on　modern　husbandry；　but　though　he　locked　himself　into　his　study　every　morning；　he　had　not　written　a　couple　of　pages　in　a　dozen　years。　If　anybody　called　to　see　him；　he　always　contrived　to　be　discovered　rummaging　among　his　papers；　hunting　for　a　stray　note　or　mending　a　pen；　but　he　spent　the　whole　time　in　his　study　on　puerilities；　reading　the　newspaper　through　from　end　to　end；　cutting　figures　out　of　corks　with　his　penknife；　and　drawing　patterns　on　his　blotting…paper。　He　would　turn　over　the　leaves　of　his　Cicero　to　see　if　anything　applicable　to　the　events　of　the　day　might　catch　his　eye；　and　drag　his　quotation　by　the　heels　into　the　conversation　that　evening　saying；　〃There　is　a　passage　in　Cicero　which　might　have　been　written　to　suit　modern　times；〃　and　out　came　his　phrase；　to　the　astonishment　of　his　audience。　〃Really；〃　they　said　among　themselves；　〃Astolphe　is　a　well　of　learning。〃　The　interesting　fact　circulated　all　over　the　town；　and　sustained　the　general　belief　in　M。　de　Saintot's　abilities。

After　this　pair　came　M。　de　Bartas；　known　as　Adrien　among　the　circle。　It　was　M。　de　Bartas　who　boomed　out　his　song　in　a　bass　voice；　and　made　prodigious　claims　to　musical　knowledge。　His　self…conceit　had　taken　a　stand　upon　solfeggi；　he　began　by　admiring　his　appearance　while　he　sang；　passed　thence　to　talking　about　music；　and　finally　to　talking　of　nothing　else。　His　musical　tastes　had　become　a　monomania；　he　grew　animated　only　on　the　one　subject　of　music；　he　was　miserable　all　evening　until　somebody　begged　him　to　sing。　When　he　had　bellowed　one　of　his　airs；　he　revived　again；　strutted　about；　raised　himself　on　his　heels；　and　received　compliments　with　a　deprecating　air；　but　modesty　did　not　prevent　him　from　going　from　group　to　group　for　his　meed　of　praise；　and　when　there　was　no　more　to　be　said　about　the　singer；　he　returned　to　the　subject　of　the　song；　discussing　its　difficulties　or　extolling　the　composer。

M。　Alexandre　de　Brebian　performed　heroic　exploits　in　sepia；　he　disfigured　the　walls　of　his　friends'　rooms　with　a　swarm　of　crude　productions；　and　spoiled　all　the　albums　in　the　department。　M。　Alexandre　de　Brebian　and　M。　de　Bartas　came　together；　each　with　his　friend's　wife　on　his　arm；　a　cross…cornered　arrangement　which　gossip　declared　to　be　carried　out　to　the　fullest　extent。　As　for　the　two　women；　Mesdames　Charlotte　de　Brebian　and　Josephine　de　Bartas；　or　Lolotte　and　Fifine；　as　they　were　called；　both　took　an　equal　interest　in　a　scarf；　or　the　trimming　of　a　dress；　or　the　reconciliation　of　several　irreconcilable　colors；　both　were　eaten　up　with　a　desire　to　look　like　Parisiennes；　and　neglected　their　homes；　where　everything　went　wrong。　But　if　they　dressed　like　dolls　in　tightly…fitting　gowns　of　home　manufacture；　and　exhibited　outrageous　combinations　of　crude　colors　upon　their　persons；　their　husbands　availed　themselves　of　the　artist's　privilege　and　dressed　as　they　pleased；　and　curious　it　was　to　see　the　provincial　dowdiness　of　the　pair。　In　their　threadbare　clothes　they　looked　like　the　supernumeraries　that　represent　rank　and　fashion　at　stage　weddings　in　third…rate　theatres。

One　of　the　queerest　figures　in　the　rooms　was　M。　le　Comte　de　Senonches；　known　by　the　aristocratic　name　of　Jacques；　a　mighty　hunter；　lean　and　sunburned；　a　haughty　gentleman；　about　as　amiable　as　a　wild　boar；　as　suspicious　as　a　Venetian；　and　jealous　as　a　Moor；　who　lived　on　terms　of　the　friendliest　and　most　perfect　intimacy　with　M。　du　Hautoy；　otherwise　Francis；　the　friend　of　the　house。

Madame　de　Senonches　（Zephirine）　was　a　tall；　fine…looking　woman；　though　her　complexion　was　spoiled　already　by　pimples　due　to　liver　complaint；　on　which　grounds　she　was　said　to　be　exacting。　With　a　slender　figure　and　delicate　proportions；　she　could　afford　to　indulge　in　languid　manners；　savoring　somewhat　of　affectation；　but　revealing　passion　and　the　consciousness　that　every　least　caprice　will　be　gratified　by　love。

Francis；　the　house　friend；　was　rather　distinguished…looking。　He　had　given　up　his　consulship　in　Valence；　and　sacrificed　his　diplomatic　prospects　to　live　near　Zephirine　（also　known　as　Zizine）　in　Angouleme。　He　had　taken　the　household　in　charge；　he　superintended　the　children's　education；　taught　them　foreign　languages；　and　looked　after　the　fortunes　of　M。　and　Mme。　de　Senonches　with　the　most　complete　devotion。　Noble　Angouleme；　administrative　Angouleme；　and　bourgeois　Angouleme　alike　had　looked　askance　for　a　long　while　at　this　phenomenon　of　the　perfect　union　of　three　persons；　but　finally　the　mysterious　conjugal　trinity　appeared　to　them　so　rare　and　pleasing　a　spectacle；　that　if　M。　du　Hautoy　had　shown　any　intention　of　marrying；　he　would　have　been　thought　monstrously　immoral。　Mme。　de　Senonches；　however；　had　a　lady　companion；　a　goddaughter；　and　her　excessive　attachment　to　this　Mlle。　de　la　Haye　was　beginning　to　raise　surmises　of　disquieting　mysteries；　it　was　thought；　in　spite　of　some　impossible　discrepancies　in　dates；　that　Francoise　de　la　Haye　bore　a　striking　likeness　to　Francis　du　Hautoy。

When　〃Jacques〃　was　shooting　in　the　neighborhood；　people　used　to　inquire　after　Francis；　and　Jacques　would　discourse　on　his　steward's　little　ailments；　and　talk　of　his　wife　in　the　second　place。　So　curious　did　this　blindness　seem　in　a　man　of　jealous　temper；　that　his　greatest　friends　used　to　draw　him　out　on　the　topic　for　the　amusement　of　others　who　did　not　know　of　the　mystery。　M。　du　Hautoy　was　a　finical　dandy　whose　minute　care　of　himself　had　degenerated　into　mincing　affectation　and　childishness。　He　took　an　interest　in　his　cough；　his　appetite；　his　digestion；　his　night's　rest。　Zephirine　had　succeeded　in　making　a　valetudinarian　of　her　factotum；　she　coddled　him　and　doctored　him；　she　crammed　him　with　delicate　fare；　as　if　he　had　been　a　fine　lady's　lap…　dog；　she　embroidered　waistcoats　for　him；　and　pocket…handkerchiefs　and　cravats　until　he　became　so　used　to　wearing　finery　that　she　transformed　him　into　a　kind　of　Japanese　idol。　Their　understanding　was　perfect。　In　season　and　out　of　season　Zizine　consulted　Francis　with　a　look；　and　Francis　seemed　to　take　his　ideas　from　Zizine's　eyes。　They　frowned　and　smiled　together；　and　seemingly　took　counsel　of　each　other　before　making　the　simplest　commonplace　remark。

The　largest　landowner　in　the　neighborhood；　a　man　whom　every　one　envied；　was　the　Marquis　de　Pimentel；　he　and　his　wife；　between　them；　had　an　income　of　forty　thousand　livres；　and　spent　their　winters　in　Paris。　This　evening　they　had　driven　into　Angouleme　in　their　caleche；　and　had　brought　their　neighbors；　the　Baron　and　Baroness　de　Rastignac　and　their　party；　the　Baroness'　aunt　and　daughters；　two　charming　young　ladies；　penniless　girls　who　had　been　carefully　brought　up；　and　were　dressed　in　the　simple　way　that　sets　off　natural　loveliness。

These　personages；　beyond　question　the　first　in　the　company；　met　with　a　reception　of　chilling　silence；　the　respect　paid　to　them　was　full　of　jealousy；　especially　as　everybody　saw　that　Mme。　de　Bargeton　paid　marked　attention　to　the　guests。　The　two　families　belonged　to　the　very　small　minority　who　hold　themselves　aloof　from　provincial　gossip；　belong　to　no　clique；　live　quietly　in　retirement；　and　maintain　a　dignified　reserve。　M。　de　Pimentel　and　M。　de　Rastignac；　for　instance；　were　addressed　by　their　names　in　full；　and　no　length　of　acquaintance　had　brought　their　wives　and　daughters　into　the　select　coterie　of　Angouleme；　both　families　were　too　nearly　connected　with　the　Court　to　compromise　themselves　through　provincial　follies。

The　Prefect　and　the　General　in　command　of　the　garrison　were　the　last　comers；　and　with　them　came　the　country　gentleman　who　had　brought　the　treatise　on　silkworms　to　David　that　very　morning。　Evidently　he　was　the　mayor　of　some　canton　or　other；　and　a　fine　estate　was　his　sufficient　title　to　gentility；　but　from　his　appearance；　it　was　plain　that　he　was　quite　unused　to　polite　society。　He　looked　uneasy　in　his　clothes；　he　was　at　a　loss　to　know　what　to　do　with　his　hands；　he　shifted　about　from　one　foot　to　another　as　he　spoke；　and　half　rose　and　sat　down　again　when　anybody　spoke　to　him。　He　seemed　ready　to　do　some　menial　service；　he　was　obsequious；　nervous；　and　grave　by　turns；　laughing　eagerly　at　every　joke；　listening　with　servility；　and　occasionally；　imagining　that　people　were　laughing　at　him；　he　assumed　a　knowing　air。　His　treatise　weighed　upon　his　mind；　again　and　again　he　tried　to　talk　about　silkworms；　but　the　luckless　wight　happened　first　upon　M。　de　Bartas；　who　talked　music　in　reply；　and　next　on　M。　de　Saintot；　who　quoted　Cicero　to　him；　and　not　until　the　evening　was　half　over　did　the　mayor　meet　with　sympathetic　listeners　in　Mme。　and　Mlle。　du　Brossard；　a　widowed　gentlewoman　and　her　daughter。

Mme。　and　Mlle。　du　Brossard　were　not　the　least　interesting　persons　in　the　clique；　but　their　story　may　b