the vicar of tours-第12章

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！



understanding　of　the　reefs　among　which　the　Listomere　family　suddenly

found　themselves；　and　perhaps　the　action　of　taking　his　hat　and　cane

was　only　a　ruse　to　have　it　whispered　in　his　ear：　〃Stay　after　the

others；　we　want　to　talk　to　you。〃



The　baron's　sudden　return；　his　apparent　satisfaction；　which　was　quite

out　of　keeping　with　a　harrassed　look　that　occasionally　crossed　his

face；　informed　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　vaguely　that　the　lieutenant　had

met　with　some　check　in　his　crusade　against　Gamard　and　Troubert。　He

showed　no　surprise　when　the　baron　revealed　the　secret　power　of　the

Jesuit　vicar…general。



〃I　knew　that；〃　he　said。



〃Then　why；〃　cried　the　baroness；　〃did　you　not　warn　us？〃



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　sharply；　〃forget　that　I　was　aware　of　the　invisible

influence　of　that　priest；　and　I　will　forget　that　you　knew　it　equally

well。　If　we　do　not　keep　this　secret　now　we　shall　be　thought　his

accomplices；　and　shall　be　more　feared　and　hated　than　we　are。　Do　as　I

do；　pretend　to　be　duped；　but　look　carefully　where　you　set　your　feet。　I

did　warn　you　sufficiently；　but　you　would　not　understand　me；　and　I　did

not　choose　to　compromise　myself。〃



〃What　must　we　do　now？〃　said　the　baron。



The　abandonment　of　Birotteau　was　not　even　made　a　question；　it　was　a

first　condition　tactily　accepted　by　the　three　deliberators。



〃To　beat　a　retreat　with　the　honors　of　war　has　always　been　the　triumph

of　the　ablest　generals；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne。　〃Bow　to

Troubert；　and　if　his　hatred　is　less　strong　than　his　vanity　you　will

make　him　your　ally；　but　if　you　bow　too　low　he　will　walk　over　you

rough…shod；　make　believe　that　you　intend　to　leave　the　service；　and

you'll　escape　him；　Monsieur　le　baron。　Send　away　Birotteau；　madame；　and

you　will　set　things　right　with　Mademoiselle　Gamard。　Ask　the　Abbe

Troubert；　when　you　meet　him　at　the　archbishop's；　if　he　can　play　whist。

He　will　say　yes。　Then　invite　him　to　your　salon；　where　he　wants　to　be

received；　he'll　be　sure　to　come。　You　are　a　woman；　and　you　can

certainly　win　a　priest　to　your　interests。　When　the　baron　is　promoted；

his　uncle　peer　of　France；　and　Troubert　a　bishop；　you　can　make

Birotteau　a　canon　if　you　choose。　Meantime　yield；but　yield

gracefully；　all　the　while　with　a　slight　menace。　Your　family　can　give

Troubert　quite　as　much　support　as　he　can　give　you。　You'll　understand

each　other　perfectly　on　that　score。　As　for　you；　sailor；　carry　your

deep…sea　line　about　you。〃



〃Poor　Birotteau？〃　said　the　baroness。



〃Oh；　get　rid　of　him　at　once；〃　replied　the　old　man；　as　he　rose　to　take

leave。　〃If　some　clever　Radical　lays　hold　of　that　empty　head　of　his；　he

may　cause　you　much　trouble。　After　all；　the　court　would　certainly　give

a　verdict　in　his　favour；　and　Troubert　must　fear　that。　He　may　forgive

you　for　beginning　the　struggle；　but　if　they　were　defeated　he　would　be

implacable。　I　have　said　my　say。〃



He　snapped　his　snuff…box；　put　on　his　overshoes；　and　departed。



The　next　day　after　breakfast　the　baroness　took　the　vicar　aside　and

said　to　him；　not　without　visible　embarrassment：



〃My　dear　Monsieur　Birotteau；　you　will　think　what　I　am　about　to　ask　of

you　very　unjust　and　very　inconsistent；　but　it　is　necessary；　both　for

you　and　for　us；　that　your　lawsuit　with　Mademoiselle　Gamard　be

withdrawn　by　resigning　your　claims；　and　also　that　you　should　leave　my

house。〃



As　he　heard　these　words　the　poor　abbe　turned　pale。



〃I　am；〃　she　continued；　〃the　innocent　cause　of　your　misfortunes；　and；

moreover；　if　it　had　not　been　for　my　nephew　you　would　never　have　begun

this　lawsuit；　which　has　now　turned　to　your　injury　and　to　ours。　But

listen　to　me。〃



She　told　him　succinctly　the　immense　ramifications　of　the　affair；　and

explained　the　serious　nature　of　its　consequences。　Her　own　meditations

during　the　night　had　told　her　something　of　the　probable　antecedents　of

Troubert's　life；　she　was　able；　without　misleading　Birotteau；　to　show

him　the　net　so　ably　woven　round　him　by　revenge；　and　to　make　him　see

the　power　and　great　capacity　of　his　enemy；　whose　hatred　to　Chapeloud；

under　whom　he　had　been　forced　to　crouch　for　a　dozen　years；　now　found

vent　in　seizing　Chapeloud's　property　and　in　persecuting　Chapeloud　in

the　person　of　his　friend。　The　harmless　Birotteau　clasped　his　hands　as

if　to　pray；　and　wept　with　distress　at　the　sight　of　human　horrors　that

his　own　pure　soul　was　incapable　of　suspecting。　As　frightened　as　though

he　had　suddenly　found　himself　at　the　edge　of　a　precipice；　he　listened；

with　fixed；　moist　eyes　in　which　there　was　no　expression；　to　the

revelations　of　his　friend；　who　ended　by　saying：　〃I　know　the　wrong　I　do

in　abandoning　your　cause；　but；　my　dear　abbe；　family　duties　must　be

considered　before　those　of　friendship。　Yield；　as　I　do；　to　this　storm；

and　I　will　prove　to　you　my　gratitude。　I　am　not　talking　of　your　worldly

interests；　for　those　I　take　charge　of。　You　shall　be　made　free　of　all

such　anxieties　for　the　rest　of　your　life。　By　means　of　Monsieur　de

Bourbonne；　who　will　know　how　to　save　appearances；　I　shall　arrange

matters　so　that　you　shall　lack　nothing。　My　friend；　grant　me　the　right

to　abandon　you。　I　shall　ever　be　your　friend；　though　forced　to　conform

to　the　axioms　of　the　world。　You　must　decide。〃



The　poor；　bewildered　abbe　cried　aloud：　〃Chapeloud　was　right　when　he

said　that　if　Troubert　could　drag　him　by　the　feet　out　of　his　grave　he

would　do　it！　He　sleeps　in　Chapeloud's　bed！〃



〃There　is　no　use　in　lamenting；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃and　we　have

little　time　now　left　to　us。　How　will　you　decide？〃



Birotteau　was　too　good　and　kind　not　to　obey　in　a　great　crisis　the

unreflecting　impulse　of　the　moment。　Besides；　his　life　was　already　in

the　agony　of　what　to　him　was　death。　He　said；　with　a　despairing　look　at

his　protectress　which　cut　her　to　the　heart；　〃I　trust　myself　to　youI

am　but　the　stubble　of　the　streets。〃



He　used　the　Tourainean　word　〃bourrier〃　which　has　no　other　meaning　than

a　〃bit　of　straw。〃　But　there　are　pretty　little　straws；　yellow；

polished；　and　shining；　the　delight　of　children；　whereas　the　bourrier

is　straw　discolored；　muddy；　sodden　in　the　puddles；　whirled　by　the

tempest；　crushed　under　feet　of　men。



〃But；　madame；　I　cannot　let　the　Abbe　Troubert　keep　Chapeloud's

portrait。　It　was　painted　for　me；　it　belongs　to　me；　obtain　that　for　me；

and　I　will　give　up　all　the　rest。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere。　〃I　will　go　myself　to　Mademoiselle

Gamard。〃　The　words　were　said　in　a　tone　which　plainly　showed　the

immense　effort　the　Baronne　de　Listomere　was　making　in　lowering　herself

to　flatter　the　pride　of　the　old　maid。　〃I　will　see　what　can　be　done；〃

she　said；　〃I　hardly　dare　hope　anything。　Go　and　consult　Monsieur　de

Bourbonne；　ask　him　to　put　your　renunciation　into　proper　form；　and

bring　me　the　paper。　I　will　see　the　archbishop；　and　with　his　help　we

may　be　able　to　stop　the　matter　here。〃



Birotteau　left　the　house　dismayed。　Troubert　assumed　in　his　eyes　the

dimensions　of　an　Egyptian　pyramid。　The　hands　of　that　man　were　in

Paris；　his　elbows　in　the　Cloister　of　Saint…Gatien。



〃He！〃　said　the　victim　to　himself；　〃HE　to　prevent　the　Baron　de

Listomere　from　becoming　peer　of　France！and；　perhaps；　'by　the　help　of

the　archbishop　we　may　be　able　to　stop　the　matter　here'！〃



In　presence　of　such　great　interests　Birotteau　felt　he　was　a　mere　worm；

he　judged　himself　harshly。



The　news　of　Birotteau's　removal　from　Madame　de　Listomere's　house

seemed　all　the　more　amazing　because　the　reason　of　it　was　wholly

impenetrable。　Madame　de　Listomere　said　that　her　nephew　was　intending

to　marry　and　leave　the　navy；　and　she　wanted　the　vicar's　apartment　to

enlarge　her　own。　Birotteau's　relinquishment　was　still　unknown。　The

advice　of　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　was　followed。　Whenever　the　two　facts

reached　the　ears　of　the　vicar…general　his　self…love　was　certain　to　be

gratified　by　the　assurance　they　gave　that　even　if　the　Listomere　family

did　not　capitulate　they　would　at　least　remain　neutral　and　tacitly

recognize　the　occult　power　of　the　Congregation；to　reconize　it　was；

in　fact；　to　submit　to　it。　But　the　lawsuit　was　still　sub　judice；　his

opponents　yielded　and　threatened　at　the　same　time。



The　Listomeres　had　thus　taken　precisely　the　same　attitude　as　the

vicar…general　himself；　they　held　themselves　aloof；　and　yet　were　able

to　direct　others。　But　just　at　this　crisis　an　event　occurred　which

complicated　the　plans　laid　by　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　and　the　Listomeres

to　quiet　the　Gamard　and　Troubert　party；　and　made　them　more　difficult

to　carry　out。



Mademoiselle　Gamard　took　cold　one　evening　in　coming　out　of　the

cathedral；　the　next　day　she　was　confined　to　her　bed；　and　soon　after

became　dangerously　ill。　The　whole　town　rang　with　pity　and　false

commiseration：　〃Mademoiselle　Gamard's　sensitive　nature　has　not　been

able　to　bear　the　scandal　of　this　lawsuit。　In　spite　of　the　justice　of

her　cause　she　was　likely　to　die　of　grief。　Birotteau　has　killed　his

benefactress。〃　Such　were　the　speeches　poured　through　the　capillary

tubes　of　the　great　female　conclave；　and　taken　up　and　repeated　by　the

whole　town　of　Tours。



Madame　de　Listomere　went　the　day　after　Mademoiselle　Gamard　took　cold

to　pay　the　promised　visit；　and　she　had　the　mortification　of　that　act

without　obtaining　any　benefit　from　it；　for　the　old　maid　was　too　ill　to

see　her。　She　then　asked　politely　to　speak　to　the　vicar…general。



Gratified；　no　doubt；　to　receive　in　Chapeloud's　library；　at　the　corner

of　the　fireplace　above　which　hung　the　two　contested　pictures；　the

woman　who　had　hitheto　ignored　him；　Troubert　kept　the　baroness　waiting

a　moment　before　he　consented　to　admit　her。　No　courtier　and　no

diplomatist　ever　put　into　a　discussion　of　their　personal　interests　or

into　the　management　of　some　great　national　negotiation　more

shrewdness；　dissimulation；　and　ability　than　the　baroness　and　the

priest　displayed　when　they　met　face　to　face　for　the　struggle。



Like　the　seconds　or　sponsors　who　in　the　Middle　Age　armed　the　champion；

and　strengthened　his　valor　by　useful　counsel　until　he　entered　the

lists；　so　the　sly　old　fox　had　said　to　the　baroness　at　the　last　moment：

〃Don't　forget　your　cue。　You　are　a　mediator；　and　not　an　interested

party。　Troubert　also　is　a　mediator。　Weigh　your　words；　study　the

inflection　of　the　man's　voice。　If　he　strokes　his　chin　you　have　got

him。〃



Some　sketchers　are　fond　of　caricaturing　the　contrast　often　observable

between　〃what　is　said〃　and　〃what　is　thought〃　by　the　speaker。　To　catch

the　full　meaning　of　the　duel　of　words　which　now　took　place　between　the

priest　and　the　lady；　it　is　necessary　to　unveil　the　thoughts　that　each

hid　from　the　other　under　spoken　sentences　of　apparent　insignificance。

Madame　de　Listomere　began　by　expressing　the　regret　she　had　felt　at

Birotteau's　lawsuit；　and　then　went　on　to　speak　of　her　desire　to　settle

the　matter　to　the　satisfaction　of　both　parties。



〃The　harm　is　done；　madame；〃　said　the　priest；　in　a　grave　voice。　〃The

pious　and　excellent　Mademoiselle　Gamard