the countess of saint geran-第7章

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child；　steadily　maintaining　that　she　was　not　mistaken　when　she

assured　them　that　she　had　given　birth　to　one。　　The　midwife　with　great

effrontery　told　her　that　the　new　moon　was　unfavourable　to　childbirth；

and　that　she　must　wait　for　the　wane；　when　it　would　be　easier　as

matters　were　already　prepared。



Invalids'　fancies　do　not　obtain　much　credence；　still；　the　persistence

of　the　countess　would　have　convinced　everyone　in　the　long　run；　had

not　the　dowager　said　that　she　remembered　at　the　end　of　the　ninth

month　of　one　of　her　own　pregnancies　she　had　all　the　premonitory

symptoms　of　lying　in；　but　they　proved　false；　and　in　fact　the

accouchement　took　place　three　months　later。



This　piece　of　news　inspired　great　confidence。　　The　marquis　and　Madame

de　Bouille　did　all　in　their　power　to　confirm　it；　but　the　countess

obstinately　refused　to　listen　to　it；　and　her　passionate　transports　of

grief　gave　rise　to　the　greatest　anxiety。　　The　midwife；　who　knew　not

how　to　gain　time；　and　was　losing　all　hope　in　face　of　the　countess's

persistence；　was　almost　frightened　out　of　her　wits；　she　entered　into

medical　details；　and　finally　said　that　some　violent　exercise　must　be

taken　to　induce　labour。　　The　countess；　still　unconvinced；　refused　to

obey　this　order；　but　the　count；　the　dowager；　and　all　the　family

entreated　her　so　earnestly　that　she　gave　way。



They　put　her　in　a　close　carriage；　and　drove　her　a　whole　day　over

ploughed　fields；　by　the　roughest　and　hardest　roads。　　She　was　so

shaken　that　she　lost　the　power　of　breathing；　it　required　all　the

strength　of　her　constitution　to　support　this　barbarous　treatment　in

the　delicate　condition　of　a　lady　so　recently　confined。　　They　put　her

to　bed　again　after　this　cruel　drive；　and　seeing　that　nobody　took　her

view；　she　threw　herself　into　the　arms　of　Providence；　and　consoled

herself　by　religion；　the　midwife　administered　violent　remedies　to

deprive　her　of　milk；　she　got　over　all　these　attempts　to　murder　her；

and　slowly　got　better。



Time；　which　heals　the　deepest　affliction；　gradually　soothed　that　of

the　countess；　her　grief　nevertheless　burst　out　periodically　on　the

slightest　cause；　but　eventually　it　died　out；　till　the　following

events　rekindled　it。



There　had　been　in　Paris　a　fencing…master　who　used　to　boast　that　he

had　a　brother　in　the　service　of　a　great　house。　　This　fencing…master

had　married　a　certain　Marie　Pigoreau；　daughter　of　an　actor。　　He　had

recently　died　in　poor　circumstances；　leaving　her　a　widow　with　two

children。　　This　woman　Pigoreau　did　not　enjoy　the　best　of　characters；

and　no　one　knew　how　she　made　a　living；　when　all　at　once；　after　some

short　absences　from　home　and　visit　from　a　man　who　came　in　the

evening；　his　face　muffled　in　his　cloak；　she　launched　out　into　a　more

expensive　style　of　living；　the　neighbours　saw　in　her　house　costly

clothes；　fine　swaddling…clothes；　and　at　last　it　became　known　that　she

was　nursing　a　strange　child。



About　the　same　time　it　also　transpired　that　she　had　a　deposit　of　two

thousand　livres　in　the　hands　of　a　grocer　in　the　quarter；　named

Raguenet；　some　days　later；　as　the　child's　baptism　had　doubtless　been

put　off　for　fear　of　betraying　his　origin；　Pigoreau　had　him　christened

at　St。　Jean　en　Greve。　　She　did　not　invite　any　of　the　neighbours　to

the　function；　and　gave　parents'　names　of　her　own　choosing　at　the

church。　　For　godfather　she　selected　the　parish　sexton；　named　Paul

Marmiou；　who　gave　the　child　the　name　of　Bernard。　　La　Pigoreau

remained　in　a　confessional　during　the　ceremony；　and　gave　the　man　ten

sou。　　The　godmother　was　Jeanne　Chevalier；　a　poor　woman　of　the　parish。



The　entry　in　the　register　was　as　follows：…



　　　　　〃On　the　seventh　day　of　March　one　thousand　six　hundred　and

　　　　　forty…two　was　baptized　Bernard；　son　of　。　　。　　。　　and　。　　。　　。　　his

　　　　　godfather　being　Paul　Marmiou；　day　labourer　and　servant　of　this

　　　　　parish；　and　his　godmother　Jeanne　Chevalier；　widow　of　Pierre

　　　　　Thibou。〃



A　few　days　afterwards　la　Pigoreau　put　out　the　child　to　nurse　in　the

village　of　Torcy　en　Brie；　with　a　woman　who　had　been　her　godmother；

whose　husband　was　called　Paillard。　　She　gave　out　that　it　was　a　child

of　quality　which　had　been　entrusted　to　her；　and　that　she　should　not

hesitate；　if　such　a　thing　were　necessary；　to　save　its　life　by　the

loss　of　one　of　her　own　children。　　The　nurse　did　not　keep　it　long；

because　she　fell　ill；　la　Pigoreau　went　to　fetch　the　child　away；

lamenting　this　accident；　and　further　saying　that　she　regretted　it　all

the　more；　as　the　nurse　would　have　earned　enough　to　make　her

comfortable　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　　She　put　the　infant　out　again

in　the　same　village；　with　the　widow　of　a　peasant　named　Marc　Peguin。

The　monthly　wage　was　regularly　paid；　and　the　child　brought　up　as　one

of　rank。　　La　Pigoreau　further　told　the　woman　that　it　was　the　son　of　a

great　nobleman；　and　would　later　make　the　fortunes　of　those　who　served

him。　　An　elderly　man；　whom　the　people　supposed　to　be　the　child's

father；　but　who　Pigoreau　assured　them　was　her　brother…in…law；　often

came　to　see　him。



When　the　child　was　eighteen　months　old；　la　Pigoreau　took　him　away　and

weaned　him。　　Of　the　two　by　her　husband　the　elder　was　called　Antoine；

the　second　would　have　been　called　Henri　if　he　had　lived；　but　he　was

born　on　the　9th　of　August　1639；　after　the　death　of　his　father；　who

was　killed　in　June　of　the　same　year；　and　died　shortly　after　his

birth。　　La　Pigoreau　thought　fit　to　give　the　name　and　condition　of

this　second　son　to　the　stranger；　and　thus　bury　for　ever　the　secret　of

his　birth。　　With　this　end　in　view；　she　left　the　quarter　where　she

lived；　and　removed　to　conceal　herself　in　another　parish　where　she　was

not　known。　　The　child　was　brought　up　under　the　name　and　style　of

Henri；　second　son　of　la　Pigoreau；　till　he　was　two　and　a　half　years　of

age；　but　at　this　time；　whether　she　was　not　engaged　to　keep　it　any

longer；　or　whether　she　had　spent　the　two　thousand　livres　deposited

with　the　grocer　Raguenet；　and　could　get　no　more　from　the　principals；

she　determined　to　get　rid　of　it。



Her　gossips　used　to　tell　this　woman　that　she　cared　but　little　for　her

eldest　son；　because　she　was　very　confident　of　the　second　one　making

his　fortune；　and　that　if　she　were　obliged　to　give　up　one　of　them；　she

had　better　keep　the　younger；　who　was　a　beautiful　boy。　　To　this　she

would　reply　that　the　matter　did　not　depend　upon　her；　that　the　boy's

godfather　was　an　uncle　in　good　circumstances；　who　would　not　charge

himself　with　any　other　child。　　She　often　mentioned　this　uncle；　her

brother…in…law；　she　said；　who　was　major…domo　in　a　great　house。



One　morning；　the　hall　porter　at　the　hotel　de　Saint…Geran　came　to

Baulieu　and　told　him　that　a　woman　carrying　a　child　was　asking　for　him

at　the　wicket　gate；　this　Baulieu　was；　in　fact；　the　brother　of　the

fencing　master；　and　godfather　to　Pigoreau's　second　son。　　It　is　now

supposed　that　he　was　the　unknown　person　who　had　placed　the　child　of

quality　with　her；　and　who　used　to　go　and　see　him　at　his　nurse's。　　La

Pigoreau　gave　him　a　long　account　of　her　situation。　　The　major…domo

took　the　child　with　some　emotion；　and　told　la　Pigoreau　to　wait　his

answer　a　short　distance　off；　in　a　place　which　he　pointed　out。



Baulieu's　wife　made　a　great　outcry　at　the　first　proposal　of　an

increase　of　family；　but　he　succeeded　in　pacifying　her　by　pointing　out

the　necessities　of　his　sister…in…law；　and　how　easy　and　inexpensive　it

was　to　do　this　good　work　in　such　a　house　as　the　count's。　　He　went　to

his　master　and　mistress　to　ask　permission　to　bring　up　this　child　in

their　hotel；　a　kind　of　feeling　entered　into　the　charge　he　was

undertaking　which　in　some　measure　lessened　the　weight　on　his

conscience。



The　count　and　countess　at　first　opposed　this　project；　telling　him

that　having　already　five　children　he　ought　not　to　burden　himself　with

any　more；　but　he　petitioned　so　earnestly　that　he　obtained　what　he

wanted。　　The　countess　wished　to　see　it；　and　as　she　was　about　to　start

for　Moulins　she　ordered　it　to　be　put　in　her　women's　coach；　when　it

was　shown　her；　she　cried　out；　〃What　a　lovely　child！〃　　The　boy　was

fair；　with　large　blue　eyes　and　very　regular　features；　She　gave　him　a

hundred　caresses；　which　the　child　returned　very　prettily。　　She　at

once　took　a　great　fancy　to　him；　and　said　to　Baulieu；　〃I　shall　not　put

him　in　my　women's　coach；　I　shall　put　him　in　my　own。〃



After　they　arrived　at　the　chateau　of　Saint…Geran；　her　affection　for

Henri；　the　name　retained　by　the　child；　increased　day　by　day。　　She

often　contemplated　him　with　sadness；　then　embraced　him　with

tenderness；　and　kept　him　long　on　her　bosom。　　The　count　shared　this

affection　for　the　supposed　nephew　of　Baulieu；　who　was　adopted；　so　to

speak；　and　brought　up　like　a　child　of　quality。



The　Marquis　de　Saint…Maixent　and　Madame　de　Bouille　had　not　married；

although　the　old　Marquis　de　Bouille　had　long　been　dead。　　It　appeared

that　they　had　given　up　this　scheme。　　The　marchioness　no　doubt　felt

scruples　about　it；　and　the　marquis　was　deterred　from　marriage　by　his

profligate　habits。　　It　is　moreover　supposed　that　other　engagements

and　heavy　bribes　compensated　the　loss　he　derived　from　the

marchioness's　breach　of　faith。



He　was　a　man　about　town　at　that　period；　and　was　making　love　to　the

demoiselle　Jacqueline　de　la　Garde；　he　had　succeeded　in　gaining　her

affections；　and　brought　matters　to　such　a　point　that　she　no　longer

refused　her　favours　except　on　the　grounds　of　her　pregnancy　and　the

danger　of　an　indiscretion。　　The　marquis　then　offered　to　introduce　to

her　a　matron　who　could　deliver　women　without　the　pangs　of　labour；　and

who　had　a　very　successful　practice。　　The　same　Jacqueline　de　la　Garde

further　gave　evidence　at　the　trial　that　M。　de　Saint…Maixent　had　often

boasted；　as　of　a　scientific　intrigue；　of　having　spirited　away　the　son

of　a　governor　of　a　province　and　grandson　of　a　marshal　of　France；　that

he　spoke　of　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille；　said　that　he　had　made　her

rich；　and　that　it　was　to　him　she　owed　her　great　wealth；　and　further；

that　one　day　having　taken　her　to　a　pretty　country　seat　which　belonged

to　him；　she　praised　its　beauty；　saying　〃c'etait　un　beau　lieu〃；　he

replied　by　a　pun　on　a　man's　name；　saying　that　he　knew　another　Baulieu

who　had　enabled　him　to　make　a　fortune　of　five　hundred　thousand

crowns。　　He　also　said　to　Jadelon；　sieur　de　la　Barbesange；　when

posting　with　him　from　Paris；　that　the　Countess　de　Saint…Geran　had

been　delivered　of　a　son　who　was　in　his　power。



The　marquis　had　not　seen　Madame　de　Bouille　for　a　long　time；　a　common

danger　reunited　them。　　They　had　both　learned　with　terror　the　presence

of　Henri　at　the　hotel　de　Saint…Geran。　　They　consulted　about　this；　the

marquis　undertook　to　cut　the　danger　short。　　However；　he　dared　put　in

practice　nothing　overtly　against　the　child；　a　matter　still　more

difficult　just　then；　inasmuch　as　some　particulars　of　his

discreditable　adventures　had　leaked　out；　and　the　Saint…Geran　family

received　him　more　than　coldly。