the vicar of tours-第13章

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

pious　and　excellent　Mademoiselle　Gamard　is　dying。〃　（〃I　don't　care　a

fig　for　the　old　thing；〃　thought　he；　〃but　I　mean　to　put　her　death　on

your　shoulders　and　harass　your　conscience　if　you　are　such　a　fool　as　to

listen　to　it。〃）



〃On　hearing　of　her　illness；〃　replied　the　baroness；　〃I　entreated

Monsieur　Birotteau　to　relinquish　his　claims；　I　have　brought　the

document；　intending　to　give　it　to　that　excellent　woman。〃　（〃I　see　what

you　mean；　you　wily　scoundrel；〃　thought　she；　〃but　we　are　safe　now　from

your　calumnies。　If　you　take　this　document　you'll　cut　your　own　fingers

by　admitting　you　are　an　accomplice。〃）



There　was　silence　for　a　moment。



〃Mademoiselle　Gamard's　temporal　affairs　do　not　concern　me；〃　said　the

priest　at　last；　lowering　the　large　lids　over　his　eagle　eyes　to　veil

his　emotions。　（〃Ho！　ho！〃　thought　he；　〃you　can't　compromise　me。　Thank

God；　those　damned　lawyers　won't　dare　to　plead　any　cause　that　could

smirch　me。　What　do　these　Listomeres　expect　to　get　by　crouching　in　this

way？〃）



〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　baroness；　〃Monsieur　Birotteau's　affairs　are　no

more　mine　than　those　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard　are　yours；　but；

unfortunately；　religion　is　injured　by　such　a　quarrel；　and　I　come　to

you　as　a　mediatorjust　as　I　myself　am　seeking　to　make　peace。〃　（〃We

are　not　decieving　each　other；　Monsieur　Troubert；〃　thought　she。　〃Don't

you　feel　the　sarcasm　of　that　answer？〃）



〃Injury　to　religion；　madame！〃　exclaimed　the　vicar…general。　〃Religion

is　too　lofty　for　the　actions　of　men　to　injure。〃　（〃My　religion　is　I；〃

thought　he。）　〃God　makes　no　mistake　in　His　judgments；　madame；　I

recognize　no　tribunal　but　His。〃



〃Then；　monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃let　us　endeavor　to　bring　the　judgments

of　men　into　harmony　with　the　judgments　of　God。〃　（〃Yes；　indeed；　your

religion　is　you。〃）



The　Abbe　Troubert　suddenly　changed　his　tone。



〃Your　nephew　has　been　to　Paris；　I　believe。〃　（〃You　found　out　about　me

there；〃　thought　he；　〃you　know　now　that　I　can　crush　you；　you　who　dared

to　slight　me；　and　you　have　come　to　capitulate。〃）



〃Yes；　monsieur；　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　take　in　him。　He　returns

to…night；　the　minister；　who　is　very　considerate　of　us；　sent　for　him；

he　does　not　want　Monsieur　de　Listomere　to　leave　the　service。〃

（〃Jesuit；　you　can't　crush　us；〃　thought　she。　〃I　understand　your

civility。〃）



A　moment's　silence。



〃I　did　not　think　my　nephew's　conduct　in　this　affair　quite　the　thing；〃

she　added；　〃but　naval　men　must　be　excused；　they　know　nothing　of　law。〃

（〃Come；　we　had　better　make　peace；〃　thought　she；　〃we　sha'n't　gain

anything　by　battling　in　this　way。〃）



A　slight　smile　wandered　over　the　priests　face　and　was　lost　in　its

wrinkles。



〃He　has　done　us　the　service　of　getting　a　proper　estimate　on　the　value

of　those　paintings；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　the　pictures。　〃They　will

be　a　noble　ornament　to　the　chapel　of　the　Virgin。〃　（〃You　shot　a　sarcasm

at　me；〃　thought　he；　〃and　there's　another　in　return；　we　are　quits；

madame。〃）



〃If　you　intend　to　give　them　to　Saint…Gatien；　allow　me　to　offer　frames

that　will　be　more　suitable　and　worthy　of　the　place；　and　of　the　works

themselves。〃　（〃I　wish　I　could　force　you　to　betray　that　you　have　taken

Birotteau's　things　for　your　own；〃　thought　she。）



〃They　do　not　belong　to　me；〃　said　the　priest；　on　his　guard。



〃Here　is　the　deed　of　relinquishment；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃it

ends　all　discussion；　and　makes　them　over　to　Mademoiselle　Gamard。〃　She

laid　the　document　on　the　table。　（〃See　the　confidence　I　place　in　you；〃

thought　she。）　〃It　is　worthy　of　you；　monsieur；〃　she　added；　〃worthy　of

your　noble　character；　to　reconcile　two　Christians；though　at　present

I　am　not　especially　concerned　for　Monsieur　Birotteau〃



〃He　is　living　in　your　house；〃　said　Troubert；　interrupting　her。



〃No；　monsieur；　he　is　no　longer　there。〃　（〃That　peerage　and　my　nephew's

promotion　force　me　to　do　base　things；〃　thought　she。）



The　priest　remained　impassible；　but　his　calm　exterior　was　an

indication　of　violent　emotion。　Monsieur　Bourbonne　alone　had　fathomed

the　secret　of　that　apparent　tranquillity。　The　priest　had　triumphed！



〃Why　did　you　take　upon　yourself　to　bring　that　relinquishment；〃　he

asked；　with　a　feeling　analogous　to　that　which　impels　a　woman　to　fish

for　compliments。



〃I　could　not　avoid　a　feeling　of　compassion。　Birotteau；　whose　feeble

nature　must　be　well　known　to　you；　entreated　me　to　see　Madaemoiselle

Gamard　and　to　obtain　as　the　price　of　his　renunciation〃



The　priest　frowned。



〃of　rights　upheld　by　distinguished　lawyers；　the　portrait　of〃



Troubert　looked　fixedly　at　Madame　de　Listomere。



〃the　portrait　of　Chapeloud；〃　she　said；　continuing：　〃I　leave　you　to

judge　of　his　claim。〃　（〃You　will　be　certain　to　lose　your　case　if　we　go

to　law；　and　you　know　it；〃　thought　she。）



The　tone　of　her　voice　as　she　said　the　words　〃distinguished　lawyers〃

showed　the　priest　that　she　knew　very　well　both　the　strength　and

weakness　of　the　enemy。　She　made　her　talent　so　plain　to　this

connoisseur　emeritus　in　the　course　of　a　conversation　which　lasted　a

long　time　in　the　tone　here　given；　that　Troubert　finally　went　down　to

Mademoiselle　Gamard　to　obtain　her　answer　to　Birotteau's　request　for

the　portrait。



He　soon　returned。



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃I　bring　you　the　words　of　a　dying　woman。　'The　Abbe

Chapeloud　was　so　true　a　friend　to　me；'　she　said；　'that　I　cannot

consent　to　part　with　his　picture。'　As　for　me；〃　added　Troubert；　〃if　it

were　mine　I　would　not　yield　it。　My　feelings　to　my　late　friend　were　so

faithful　that　I　should　feel　my　right　to　his　portrait　was　above　that　of

others。〃



〃Well；　there's　no　need　to　quarrel　over　a　bad　picture。〃　（〃I　care　as

little　about　it　as　you　do；〃　thought　she。）　〃Keep　it；　and　I　will　have　a

copy　made　of　it。　I　take　some　credit　to　myself　for　having　averted　this

deplorable　lawsuit；　and　I　have　gained；　personally；　the　pleasure　of

your　acquaintance。　I　hear　you　have　a　great　talent　for　whist。　You　will

forgive　a　woman　for　curiosity；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃If　you　will　come

and　play　at　my　house　sometimes　you　cannot　doubt　your　welcome。〃



Troubert　stroked　his　chin。　（〃Caught！　Bourbonne　was　right！〃　thought

she；　〃he　has　his　quantum　of　vanity！〃）



It　was　true。　The　vicar…general　was　feeling　the　delightful　sensation

which　Mirabeau　was　unable　to　subdue　when　in　the　days　of　his　power　he

found　gates　opening　to　his　carriage　which　were　barred　to　him　in

earlier　days。



〃Madame；〃　he　replied；　〃my　avocations　prevent　my　going　much　into

society；　but　for　you；　what　will　not　a　man　do？〃　（〃The　old　maid　is　going

to　die；　I'll　get　a　footing　at　the　Listomere's；　and　serve　them　if　they

serve　me；〃　thought　he。　〃It　is　better　to　have　them　for　friends　than

enemies。〃）



Madame　de　Listomere　went　home；　hoping　that　the　archbishop　would

complete　the　work　of　peace　so　auspiciously　begun。　But　Birotteau　was

fated　to　gain　nothing　by　his　relinquishment。　Mademoiselle　Gamard　died

the　next　day。　No　one　felt　surprised　when　her　will　was　opened　to　find

that　she　had　left　everything　to　the　Abbe　Troubert。　Her　fortune　was

appraised　at　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　The　vicar…general　sent　to

Madame　de　Listomere　two　notes　of　invitation　for　the　services　and　for

the　funeral　procession　of　his　friend；　one　for　herself　and　one　for　her

nephew。



〃We　must　go；〃　she　said。



〃It　can't　be　helped；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne。　〃It　is　a　test　to

which　Troubert　puts　you。　Baron；　you　must　go　to　the　cemetery；〃　he

added；　turning　to　the　lieutenant；　who；　unluckily　for　him；　had　not　left

Tours。



The　services　took　place；　and　were　performed　with　unusual

ecclesiastical　magnificence。　Only　one　person　wept；　and　that　was

Birotteau；　who；　kneeling　in　a　side　chapel　and　seen　by　none；　believed

himself　guilty　of　the　death　and　prayed　sincerely　for　the　soul　of　the

deceased；　bitterly　deploring　that　he　was　not　able　to　obtain　her

forgiveness　before　she　died。



The　Abbe　Troubert　followed　the　body　of　his　friend　to　the　grave；　at　the

verge　of　which　he　delivered　a　discourse　in　which；　thanks　to　his

eloquence；　the　narrow　life　the　old　maid　had　lived　was　enlarged　to

monumental　proportions。　Those　present　took　particular　note　of　the

following　words　in　the　peroration：



〃This　life　of　days　devoted　to　God　and　to　His　religion；　a　life　adorned

with　noble　actions　silently　performed；　and　with　modest　and　hidden

virtues；　was　crushed　by　a　sorrow　which　we　might　call　undeserved　if　we

could　forget；　here　at　the　verge　of　this　grave；　that　our　afflictions

are　sent　by　God。　The　numerous　friends　of　this　saintly　woman；　knowing

the　innocence　and　nobility　of　her　soul；　foresaw　that　she　would　issue

safely　from　her　trials　in　spite　of　the　accusations　which　blasted　her

life。　It　may　be　that　Providence　has　called　her　to　the　bosom　of　God　to

withdraw　her　from　those　trials。　Happy　they　who　can　rest　here　below　in

the　peace　of　their　own　hearts　as　Sophie　now　is　resting　in　her　robe　of

innocence　among　the　blest。〃



〃When　he　had　ended　his　pompous　discourse；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；

after　relating　the　incidents　of　the　internment　to　Madame　de　Listomere

when　whist　was　over；　the　doors　shut；　and　they　were　alone　with　the

baron；　〃this　Louis　XI。　in　a　cassockimagine　him　if　you　can！gave　a

last　flourish　to　the　sprinkler　and　aspersed　the　coffin　with　holy

water。〃　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　picked　up　the　tongs　and　imitated　the

priest's　gesture　so　satirically　that　the　baron　and　his　aunt　could　not

help　laughing。　〃Not　until　then；〃　continued　the　old　gentleman；　〃did　he

contradict　himself。　Up　to　that　time　his　behavior　had　been　perfect；　but

it　was　no　doubt　impossible　for　him　to　put　the　old　maid；　whom　he

despised　so　heartily　and　hated　almost　as　much　as　he　hated　Chapeloud；

out　of　sight　forever　without　allowing　his　joy　to　appear　in　that　last

gesture。〃



The　next　day　Mademoiselle　Salomon　came　to　breakfast　with　Madame　de

Listomere；　chiefly　to　say；　with　deep　emotion：　〃Our　poor　Abbe　Birotteau

has　just　received　a　frightful　blow；　which　shows　the　most　determined

hatred。　He　is　appointed　curate　of　Saint…Symphorien。〃



Saint…Symphorien　is　a　suburb　of　Tours　lying　beyond　the　bridge。　That

bridge；　one　of　the　finest　monuments　of　French　architecture；　is

nineteen　hundred　feet　long；　and　the　two　open　squares　which　surround

each　end　are　precisely　alike。



〃Don't　you　see　the　misery　of　it？〃　she　said；　after　a　pause；　amazed　at

the　coldness　with　which　Madame　de　Listomere　received　the　news。　〃It　is

just　as　if　the　abbe　were　a　hundred　miles　from　Tours；　from　his　friends；

from　everything！　It　is　a　frightful　exile；　and　all　the　more　cruel

because　he　is　kept　within　sight　of　the　town　where　he　can　hardly　ever

come。　Since　his　troubles　he　walks　very　feebly；　yet　he　will　have　to

walk　three　miles　to　see　his　old　friends。　He　has　taken　to　his　bed；　just

now；　with　fever。　The　parsonage　at　Saint…Symphorien　is　very　cold　and

damp；　and　the　parish　is　too　poor　to　repair　it。　The　poor　old　man　will