the vicar of tours-第7章

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grotesque　designs；　representing　Turkish　landscapes；　on　a　varnished

paper　which　decorated　the　walls　of　the　dining…room。　Mademoiselle

Gamard　usually　sat　in　this　room；　which　boasted　of　two　pier　tables　and

a　barometer。　Before　the　chair　of　each　abbe　was　a　little　cushion

covered　with　worsted　work；　the　colors　of　which　were　faded。　The　salon

in　which　she　received　company　was　worthy　of　its　mistress。　It　will　be

visible　to　the　eye　at　once　when　we　state　that　it　went　by　the　name　of

the　〃yellow　salon。〃　The　curtains　were　yellow；　the　furniture　and　walls

yellow；　on　the　mantelpiece；　surmounted　by　a　mirror　in　a　gilt　frame；

the　candlesticks　and　a　clock　all　of　crystal　struck　the　eye　with　sharp

brilliancy。　As　to　the　private　apartment　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard；　no　one

had　ever　been　permitted　to　look　into　it。　Conjecture　alone　suggested

that　it　was　full　of　odds　and　ends；　worn…out　furniture；　and　bits　of

stuff　and　pieces　dear　to　the　hearts　of　all　old　maids。



Such　was　the　woman　destined　to　exert　a　vast　influence　on　the　last

years　of　the　Abbe　Birotteau。



For　want　of　exercising　in　nature's　own　way　the　activity　bestowed　upon

women；　and　yet　impelled　to　spend　it　in　some　way　or　other；　Mademoiselle

Gamard　had　acquired　the　habit　of　using　it　in　petty　intrigues；

provincial　cabals；　and　those　self…seeking　schemes　which　occupy；　sooner

or　later；　the　lives　of　all　old　maids。　Birotteau；　unhappily；　had

developed　in　Sophie　Gamard　the　only　sentiments　which　it　was　possible

for　that　poor　creature　to　feel；those　of　hatred；　a　passion　hitherto

latent　under　the　calmness　and　monotony　of　provincial　life；　but　which

was　now　to　become　the　more　intense　because　it　was　spent　on　petty

things　and　in　the　midst　of　a　narrow　sphere。　Birotteau　was　one　of　those

beings　who　are　predestined　to　suffer　because；　being　unable　to　see

things；　they　cannot　avoid　them；　to　them　the　worst　happens。



〃Yes；　it　will　be　a　fine　day；〃　replied　the　canon；　after　a　pause；

apparently　issuing　from　a　revery　and　wishing　to　conform　to　the　rules

of　politeness。



Birotteau；　frightened　at　the　length　of　time　which　had　elapsed　between

the　question　and　the　answer；for　he　had；　for　the　first　time　in　his

life；　taken　his　coffee　without　uttering　a　word；now　left　the　dining…

room　where　his　heart　was　squeezed　as　if　in　a　vise。　Feeling　that　the

coffee　lay　heavy　on　his　stomach；　he　went　to　walk　in　a　sad　mood　among

the　narrow；　box…edged　garden　paths　which　outlined　a　star　in　the　little

garden。　As　he　turned　after　making　the　first　round；　he　saw　Mademoiselle

Gamard　and　the　Abbe　Troubert　standing　stock…still　and　silent　on　the

threshold　of　the　door；he　with　his　arms　folded　and　motionless　like　a

statue　on　a　tomb；　she　leaning　against　the　blind　door。　Both　seemed　to

be　gazing　at　him　and　counting　his　steps。　Nothing　is　so　embarrassing　to

a　creature　naturally　timid　as　to　feel　itself　the　object　of　a　close

examination；　and　if　that　is　made　by　the　eyes　of　hatred；　the　sort　of

suffering　it　causes　is　changed　into　intolerable　martyrdom。



Presently　Birotteau　fancied　he　was　preventing　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and

the　abbe　from　walking　in　the　narrow　path。　That　idea；　inspired　equally

by　fear　and　kindness；　became　so　strong　that　he　left　the　garden　and

went　to　the　church；　thinking　no　longer　of　his　canonry；　so　absorbed　was

he　by　the　disheartening　tyranny　of　the　old　maid。　Luckily　for　him　he

happened　to　find　much　to　do　at　Saint…Gatien；several　funerals；　a

marriage；　and　two　baptisms。　Thus　employed　he　forgot　his　griefs。　When

his　stomach　told　him　that　dinner　was　ready　he　drew　out　his　watch　and

saw；　not　without　alarm；　that　it　was　some　minutes　after　four。　Being

well　aware　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　punctuality；　he　hurried　back　to

the　house。



He　saw　at　once　on　passing　the　kitchen　door　that　the　first　course　had

been　removed。　When　he　reached　the　dining…room　the　old　maid　said；　with

a　tone　of　voice　in　which　were　mingled　sour　rebuke　and　joy　at　being

able　to　blame　him：



〃It　is　half…past　four；　Monsieur　Birotteau。　You　know　we　are　not　to　wait

for　you。〃



The　vicar　looked　at　the　clock　in　the　dining…room；　and　saw　at　once；　by

the　way　the　gauze　which　protected　it　from　dust　had　been　moved；　that

his　landlady　had　opened　the　face　of　the　dial　and　set　the　hands　in

advance　of　the　clock　of　the　cathedral。　He　could　make　no　remark。　Had　he

uttered　his　suspicion　it　would　only　have　caused　and　apparently

justified　one　of　those　fierce　and　eloquent　expositions　to　which

Mademoiselle　Gamard；　like　other　women　of　her　class；　knew　very　well　how

to　give　vent　in　particular　cases。　The　thousand　and　one　annoyances

which　a　servant　will　sometimes　make　her　master　bear；　or　a　woman　her

husband；　were　instinctively　divined　by　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and　used

upon　Birotteau。　The　way　in　which　she　delighted　in　plotting　against　the

poor　vicar's　domestic　comfort　bore　all　the　marks　of　what　we　must　call

a　profoundly　malignant　genius。　Yet　she　so　managed　that　she　was　never；

so　far　as　eye　could　see；　in　the　wrong。





III



Eight　days　after　the　date　on　which　this　history　began；　the　new

arrangements　of　the　household　and　the　relations　which　grew　up　between

the　Abbe　Birotteau　and　Mademoiselle　Gamard　revealed　to　the　former　the

existence　of　a　plot　which　had　been　hatching　for　the　last　six　months。



As　long　as　the　old　maid　exercised　her　vengeance　in　an　underhand　way；

and　the　vicar　was　able　to　shut　his　eyes　to　it　and　refuse　to　believe　in

her　malevolent　intentions；　the　moral　effect　upon　him　was　slight。　But

since　the　affair　of　the　candlestick　and　the　altered　clock；　Birotteau

would　doubt　no　longer　that　he　was　under　an　eye　of　hatred　turned　fully

upon　him。　From　that　moment　he　fell　into　despair；　seeing　everywhere　the

skinny；　clawlike　fingers　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard　ready　to　hook　into　his

heart。　The　old　maid；　happy　in　a　sentiment　as　fruitful　of　emotions　as

that　of　vengeance；　enjoyed　circling　and　swooping　above　the　vicar　as　a

bird　of　prey　hovers　and　swoops　above　a　field…mouse　before　pouncing

down　upon　it　and　devouring　it。　She　had　long　since　laid　a　plan　which

the　poor　dumbfounded　priest　was　quite　incapable　of　imagining；　and

which　she　now　proceeded　to　unfold　with　that　genius　for　little　things

often　shown　by　solitary　persons；　whose　souls；　incapable　of　feeling　the

grandeur　of　true　piety；　fling　themselves　into　the　details　of　outward

devotion。



The　petty　nature　of　his　troubles　prevented　Birotteau；　always　effusive

and　liking　to　be　pitied　and　consoled；　from　enjoying　the　soothing

pleasure　of　taking　his　friends　into　his　confidence；a　last　but　cruel

aggravation　of　his　misery。　The　little　amount　of　tact　which　he　derived

from　his　timidity　made　him　fear　to　seem　ridiculous　in　concerning

himself　with　such　pettiness。　And　yet　those　petty　things　made　up　the

sum　of　his　existence；that　cherished　existence；　full　of　busyness

about　nothings；　and　of　nothingness　in　its　business；　a　colorless　barren

life　in　which　strong　feelings　were　misfortunes；　and　the　absence　of

emotion　happiness。　The　poor　priest's　paradise　was　changed；　in　a

moment；　into　hell。　His　sufferings　became　intolerable。　The　terror　he

felt　at　the　prospect　of　a　discussion　with　Mademoiselle　Gamard

increased　day　by　day；　the　secret　distress　which　blighted　his　life

began　to　injure　his　health。　One　morning；　as　he　put　on　his　mottled　blue

stockings；　he　noticed　a　marked　dimunition　in　the　circumference　of　his

calves。　Horrified　by　so　cruel　and　undeniable　a　symptom；　he　resolved　to

make　an　effort　and　appeal　to　the　Abbe　Troubert；　requesting　him　to

intervene；　officially；　between　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and　himself。



When　he　found　himself　in　presence　of　the　imposing　canon；　who；　in　order

to　receive　his　visitor　in　a　bare　and　cheerless　room；　had　hastily

quitted　a　study　full　of　papers；　where　he　worked　incessantly；　and　where

no　one　was　ever　admitted；　the　vicar　felt　half　ashamed　at　speaking　of

Mademoiselle　Gamard's　provocations　to　a　man　who　appeared　to　be　so

gravely　occupied。　But　after　going　through　the　agony　of　the　mental

deliberations　which　all　humble；　undecided；　and　feeble　persons　endure

about　things　of　even　no　importance；　he　decided；　not　without　much

swelling　and　beating　of　the　heart；　to　explain　his　position　to　the　Abbe

Troubert。



The　canon　listened　in　a　cold；　grave　manner；　trying；　but　in　vain；　to

repress　an　occasional　smile　which　to　more　intelligent　eyes　than　those

of　the　vicar　might　have　betrayed　the　emotions　of　a　secret

satisfaction。　A　flame　seemed　to　dart　from　his　eyelids　when　Birotteau

pictured　with　the　eloquence　of　genuine　feeling　the　constant　bitterness

he　was　made　to　swallow；　but　Troubert　laid　his　hand　above　those　lids

with　a　gesture　very　common　to　thinkers；　maintaining　the　dignified

demeanor　which　was　usual　with　him。　When　the　vicar　had　ceased　to　speak

he　would　indeed　have　been　puzzled　had　he　sought　on　Troubert's　face；

marbled　with　yellow　blotches　even　more　yellow　than　his　usually　bilious

skin；　for　any　trace　of　the　feelings　he　must　have　excited　in　that

mysterious　priest。



After　a　moment's　silence　the　canon　made　one　of　those　answers　which

required　long　study　before　their　meaning　could　be　thoroughly

perceived；　though　later　they　proved　to　reflecting　persons　the

astonishing　depths　of　his　spirit　and　the　power　of　his　mind。　He　simply

crushed　Birotteau　by　telling　him　that　〃these　things　amazed　him　all　the

more　because　he　should　never　have　suspected　their　existence　were　it

not　for　his　brother's　confession。　He　attributed　such　stupidity　on　his

part　to　the　gravity　of　his　occupations；　his　labors；　the　absorption　in

which　his　mind　was　held　by　certain　elevated　thoughts　which　prevented

his　taking　due　notice　of　the　petty　details　of　life。〃　He　made　the　vicar

observe；　but　without　appearing　to　censure　the　conduct　of　a　man　whose

age　and　connections　deserved　all　respect；　that　〃in　former　days；

recluses　thought　little　about　their　food　and　lodging　in　the　solitude

of　their　retreats；　where　they　were　lost　in　holy　contemplations；〃　and

that　〃in　our　days；　priests　could　make　a　retreat　for　themselves　in　the

solitude　of　their　own　hearts。〃　Then；　reverting　to　Birotteau's　affairs；

he　added　that　〃such　disagreements　were　a　novelty　to　him。　For　twelve

years　nothing　of　the　kind　had　occurred　between　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and

the　venerable　Abbe　Chapeloud。　As　for　himself；　he　might；　no　doubt；　be

an　arbitrator　between　the　vicar　and　their　landlady；　because　his

friendship　for　that　person　had　never　gone　beyond　the　limits　imposed　by

the　Church　on　her　faithful　servants；　but　if　so；　justice　demanded　that

he　should　hear　both　sides。　He　certainly　saw　no　change　in　Mademoiselle

Gamard；　who　seemed　to　him　the　same　as　ever；　he　had　always　submitted　to

a　few　of　her　caprices；　knowing　that　the　excellent　woman　was　kindness

and　gentleness　itself；　the　slight　fluctuations　of　her　temper　should　be

attributed；　he　thought；　to　sufferings　caused　by　a　pulmonary　affection；

of　which　she　said　little；　resigning　herself　to　bear　them　in　a　truly

Christian　spirit。〃　He　ended　by　assuring　the　vicar　that　〃if　he　stayed　a

few　years　longer　i