the vicar of tours-第8章

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

few　years　longer　in　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house　he　would　learn　to

understand　her　better　and　acknowledge　the　real　value　of　her　excellent

nature。〃



Birotteau　left　the　room　confounded。　In　the　direful　necessity　of

consulting　no　one；　he　now　judged　Mademoiselle　Gamard　as　he　would

himself；　and　the　poor　man　fancied　that　if　he　left　her　house　for　a　few

days　he　might　extinguish；　for　want　of　fuel；　the　dislike　the　old　maid

felt　for　him。　He　accordingly　resolved　to　spend；　as　he　formerly　did；　a

week　or　so　at　a　country…house　where　Madame　de　Listomere　passed　her

autumns；　a　season　when　the　sky　is　usually　pure　and　tender　in　Touraine。

Poor　man！　in　so　doing　he　did　the　thing　that　was　most　desired　by　his

terrible　enemy；　whose　plans　could　only　have　been　brought　to　nought　by

the　resistant　patience　of　a　monk。　But　the　vicar；　unable　to　divine

them；　not　understanding　even　his　own　affairs；　was　doomed　to　fall；　like

a　lamb；　at　the　butcher's　first　blow。



Madame　de　Listomere's　country…place；　situated　on　the　embankment　which

lies　between　Tours　and　the　heights　of　Saint…Georges；　with　a　southern

exposure　and　surrounded　by　rocks；　combined　the　charms　of　the　country

with　the　pleasures　of　the　town。　It　took　but　ten　minutes　from　the

bridge　of　Tours　to　reach　the　house；　which　was　called　the　〃Alouette；〃

a　great　advantage　in　a　region　where　no　one　will　put　himself　out　for

anything　whatsoever；　not　even　to　seek　a　pleasure。



The　Abbe　Birotteau　had　been　about　ten　days　at　the　Alouette；　when；　one

morning　while　he　was　breakfasting；　the　porter　came　to　say　that

Monsieur　Caron　desired　to　speak　with　him。　Monsieur　Caron　was

Mademoiselle　Gamard's　laywer；　and　had　charge　of　her　affairs。

Birotteau；　not　remembering　this；　and　unable　to　think　of　any　matter　of

litigation　between　himself　and　others；　left　the　table　to　see　the

lawyer　in　a　stage　of　great　agitation。　He　found　him　modestly　seated　on

the　balustrade　of　a　terrace。



〃Your　intention　of　ceasing　to　reside　in　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house

being　made　evident〃　began　the　man　of　business。



〃Eh！　monsieur；〃　cried　the　Abbe　Birotteau；　interrupting　him；　〃I　have

not　the　slightest　intention　of　leaving　it。〃



〃Nevertheless；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　lawyer；　〃you　must　have　had　some

agreement　in　the　matter　with　Mademoiselle；　for　she　has　sent　me　to　ask

how　long　you　intend　to　remain　in　the　country。　The　event　of　a　long

absence　was　not　foreseen　in　the　agreement；　and　may　lead　to　a　contest。

Now；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　understanding　that　your　board〃



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Birotteau；　amazed；　and　again　interrupting　the　lawyer；

〃I　did　not　suppose　it　necessary　to　employ；　as　it　were；　legal　means

to〃



〃Mademoiselle　Gamard；　who　is　anxious　to　avoid　all　dispute；〃　said

Monsieur　Caron；　〃has　sent　me　to　come　to　an　understanding　with　you。〃



〃Well；　if　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　return　to…morrow；〃　said　the

abbe；　〃I　shall　then　have　taken　advice　in　the　matter。〃



The　quill…driver　withdrew。　The　poor　vicar；　frightened　at　the

persistence　with　which　Mademoiselle　Gamard　pursued　him；　returned　to

the　dining…room　with　his　face　so　convulsed　that　everybody　cried　out

when　they　saw　him：　〃What　IS　the　matter；　Monsieur　Birotteau？〃



The　abbe；　in　despair；　sat　down　without　a　word；　so　crushed　was　he　by

the　vague　presence　of　approaching　disaster。　But　after　breakfast；　when

his　friends　gathered　round　him　before　a　comfortable　fire；　Birotteau

naively　related　the　history　of　his　troubles。　His　hearers；　who　were

beginning　to　weary　of　the　monotony　of　a　country…house；　were　keenly

interested　in　a　plot　so　thoroughly　in　keeping　with　the　life　of　the

provinces。　They　all　took　sides　with　the　abbe　against　the　old　maid。



〃Don't　you　see；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃that　the

Abbe　Troubert　wants　your　apartment？〃



Here　the　historian　ought　to　sketch　this　lady；　but　it　occurs　to　him

that　even　those　who　are　ignorant　of　Sterne's　system　of　〃cognomology；〃

cannot　pronounce　the　three　words　〃Madame　de　Listomere〃　without

picturing　her　to　themselves　as　noble　and　dignified；　softening　the

sternness　of　rigid　devotion　by　the　gracious　elegance　and　the　courteous

manners　of　the　old　monarchical　regime；　kind；　but　a　little　stiff；

slightly　nasal　in　voice；　allowing　herself　the　perusal　of　〃La　Nouvelle

Heloise〃；　and　still　wearing　her　own　hair。



〃The　Abbe　Birotteau　must　not　yield　to　that　old　vixen；〃　cried　Monsieur

de　Listomere；　a　lieutenant　in　the　navy　who　was　spending　a　furlough

with　his　aunt。　〃If　the　vicar　has　pluck　and　will　follow　my　suggestions

he　will　soon　recover　his　tranquillity。〃



All　present　began　to　analyze　the　conduct　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard　with

the　keen　perceptions　which　characterize　provincials；　to　whom　no　one

can　deny　the　talent　of　knowing　how　to　lay　bare　the　most　secret　motives

of　human　actions。



〃You　don't　see　the　whole　thing　yet；〃　said　an　old　landowner　who　knew

the　region　well。　〃There　is　something　serious　behind　all　this　which　I

can't　yet　make　out。　The　Abbe　Troubert　is　too　deep　to　be　fathomed　at


once。　Our　dear　Birotteau　is　at　the　beginning　of　his　troubles。　Besides；

would　he　be　left　in　peace　and　comfort　even　if　he　did　give　up　his

lodging　to　Troubert？　I　doubt　it。　If　Caron　came　here　to　tell　you　that

you　intended　to　leave　Mademoiselle　Gamard；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the

bewildered　priest；　〃no　doubt　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　intention　is　to

turn　you　out。　Therefore　you　will　have　to　go；　whether　you　like　it　or

not。　Her　sort　of　people　play　a　sure　game；　they　risk　nothing。〃



This　old　gentleman；　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　could　sum　up　and　estimate

provincial　ideas　as　correctly　as　Voltaire　summarized　the　spirit　of　his

times。　He　was　thin　and　tall；　and　chose　to　exhibit　in　the　matter　of

clothes　the　quiet　indifference　of　a　landowner　whose　territorial　value

is　quoted　in　the　department。　His　face；　tanned　by　the　Touraine　sun；　was

less　intellectual　than　shrewd。　Accustomed　to　weigh　his　words　and

measure　his　actions；　he　concealed　a　profound　vigilance　behind　a

misleading　appearance　of　simplicity。　A　very　slight　observation　of　him

sufficed　to　show　that；　like　a　Norman　peasant；　he　invariably　held　the

upper　hand　in　business　matters。　He　was　an　authority　on　wine…making；

the　leading　science　of　Touraine。　He　had　managed　to　extend　the　meadow

lands　of　his　domain　by　taking　in　a　part　of　the　alluvial　soil　of　the

Loire　without　getting　into　difficulties　with　the　State。　This　clever

proceeding　gave　him　the　reputation　of　a　man　of　talent。　If　Monsieur　de

Bourbonne's　conversation　pleased　you　and　you　were　to　ask　who　he　was　of

a　Tourainean；　〃Ho！　a　sly　old　fox！〃　would　be　the　answer　of　those　who

were　envious　of　himand　they　were　many。　In　Touraine；　as　in　many　of

the　provinces；　jealousy　is　the　root　of　language。



Monsieur　de　Bourbonne's　remark　occasioned　a　momentary　silence；　during

which　the　persons　who　composed　the　little　party　seemed　to　be

reflecting。　Meanwhile　Mademoiselle　Salomon　de　Villenoix　was　announced。

She　came　from　Tours　in　the　hope　of　being　useful　to　the　poor　abbe；　and

the　news　she　brought　completely　changed　the　aspect　of　the　affair。　As

she　entered；　every　one　except　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　was　urging

Birotteau　to　hold　his　own　against　Troubert　and　Gamard；　under　the

auspices　of　the　aristocractic　society　of　the　place；　which　would

certainly　stand　by　him。



〃The　vicar…general；　to　whom　the　appointments　to　office　are　entrusted；

is　very　ill；〃　said　Mademoiselle　Salomon；　〃and　the　archbishop　has

delegated　his　powers　to　the　Abbe　Troubert　provisionally。　The　canonry

will；　of　course；　depend　wholly　upon　him。　Now　last　evening；　at

Mademoiselle　de　la　Blottiere's　the　Abbe　Poirel　talked　about　the

annoyances　which　the　Abbe　Birotteau　had　inflicted　on　Mademoiselle

Gamard；　as　though　he　were　trying　to　cast　all　the　blame　on　our　good

abbe。　'The　Abbe　Birotteau；'　he　said；　'is　a　man　to　whom　the　Abbe

Chapeloud　was　absolutely　necessary；　and　since　the　death　of　that

venerable　man；　he　has　shown'and　then　came　suggestions；　calumnies！

you　understand？〃



〃Troubert　will　be　made　vicar…general；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；

sententiously。



〃Come！〃　cried　Madame　de　Listomere；　turning　to　Birotteau；　〃which　do　you

prefer；　to　be　made　a　canon；　or　continue　to　live　with　Mademoiselle

Gamard？〃



〃To　be　a　canon！〃　cried　the　whole　company。



〃Well；　then；〃　resumed　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃you　must　let　the　Abbe

Troubert　and　Mademoiselle　Gamard　have　things　their　own　way。　By　sending

Caron　here　they　mean　to　let　you　know　indirectly　that　if　you　consent　to

leave　the　house　you　shall　be　made　canon；one　good　turn　deserves

another。〃



Every　one　present　applauded　Madame　de　Listomere's　sagacity；　except　her

nephew　the　Baron　de　Listomere；　who　remarked　in　a　comic　tone　to

Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　〃I　would　like　to　have　seen　a　fight　between　the

Gamard　and　the　Birotteau。〃



But；　unhappily　for　the　vicar；　forces　were　not　equal　between　these

persons　of　the　best　society　and　the　old　maid　supported　by　the　Abbe

Troubert。　The　time　soon　came　when　the　struggle　developed　openly；　went

on　increasing；　and　finally　assumed　immense　proportions。　By　the　advice

of　Madame　de　Listomere　and　most　of　her　friends；　who　were　now　eagerly

enlisted　in　a　matter　which　threw　such　excitement　into　their　vapid

provincial　lives；　a　servant　was　sent　to　bring　back　Monsieur　Caron。　The

lawyer　returned　with　surprising　celerity；　which　alarmed　no　one　but

Monsieur　de　Bourbonne。



〃Let　us　postpone　all　decision　until　we　are　better　informed；〃　was　the

advice　of　that　Fabius　in　a　dressing…gown；　whose　prudent　reflections

revealed　to　him　the　meaning　of　these　moves　on　the　Tourainean　chess…

board。　He　tried　to　enlighten　Birotteau　on　the　dangers　of　his　position；

but　the　wisdom　of　the　old　〃sly…boots〃　did　not　serve　the　passions　of

the　moment；　and　he　obtained　but　little　attention。



The　conference　between　the　lawyer　and　Birotteau　was　short。　The　vicar

came　back　quite　terrified。



〃He　wants　me　to　sign　a　paper　stating　my　relinquishment　of　domicile。〃



〃That's　formidable　language！〃　said　the　naval　lieutenant。



〃What　does　it　mean？〃　asked　Madame　de　Listomere。



〃Merely　that　the　abbe　must　declare　in　writing　his　intention　of　leaving

Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　taking　a

pinch　of　snuff。



〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere。　〃Then　sign　it　at　once；〃　she

added；　turning　to　Birotteau。　〃If　you　positively　decide　to　leave　her

house；　there　can　be　no　harm　in　declaring　that　such　is　your　will。〃



Birotteau's　will！



〃That　is　true；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　closing　his　snuff…box　with

a　gesture　the　significance　of　which　it　is　impossible　to　render；　for　it

was　a　language　in　itself。　〃But　writing　is　always　dangerous；〃　he　added；

putting　his　snuff…box　on　the　mantelpiece　with　an　air　and　manner　that

alarmed　the　vicar。



Birotteau　was　so　bewildered　by　the　upsetting　of　all　his　ideas；　by　the

rapidity　of　events　which　found　him　defenceless；　by　the　ease　with　which

his　friends　wer