the two brothers-第34章

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to　make　me　love　you　that　you　are　your　mother's　son。　Besides；　you　have

talent；　so　the　late　Madame　Descoings　used　to　write　to　me；　she　was　the

only　one　of　late　years　who　told　me　much　about　you。〃



〃Talent！〃　exclaimed　the　artist；　〃not　as　yet；　but　with　time　and

patience　I　may　win　fame　and　fortune。〃



〃By　painting？〃　said　Monsieur　Hochon　ironically。



〃Come；　Adolphine；〃　said　Madame　Hochon；　〃go　and　see　about　dinner。〃



〃Mother；〃　said　Joseph；　〃I　will　attend　to　the　trunks　which　they　are

bringing　in。〃



〃Hochon；〃　said　the　grandmother　to　Francois；　〃show　the　rooms　to

Monsieur　Bridau。〃



As　the　dinner　was　to　be　served　at　four　o'clock　and　it　was　now　only

half　past　three；　Baruch　rushed　into　the　town　to　tell　the　news　of　the

Bridau　arrival；　describe　Agathe's　dress；　and　more　particularly　to

picture　Joseph；　whose　haggard；　unhealthy；　and　determined　face　was　not

unlike　the　ideal　of　a　brigand。　That　evening　Joseph　was　the　topic　of

conversation　in　all　the　households　of　Issoudun。



〃That　sister　of　Rouget　must　have　seen　a　monkey　before　her　son　was

born；〃　said　one；　〃he　is　the　image　of　a　baboon。〃



〃He　has　the　face　of　a　brigand　and　the　eyes　of　a　basilisk。〃



〃All　artists　are　like　that。〃



〃They　are　as　wicked　as　the　red　ass；　and　as　spiteful　as　monkeys。〃



〃It　is　part　of　their　business。〃



〃I　have　just　seen　Monsieur　Beaussier；　and　he　says　he　would　not　like　to

meet　him　in　a　dark　wood；　he　saw　him　in　the　diligence。〃



〃He　has　got　hollows　over　the　eyes　like　a　horse；　and　he　laughs　like　a

maniac。〃



〃The　fellow　looks　as　though　he　were　capable　of　anything；　perhaps　it's

his　fault　that　his　brother；　a　fine　handsome　man　they　tell　me；　has　gone

to　the　bad。　Poor　Madame　Bridau　doesn't　seem　as　if　she　were　very　happy

with　him。〃



〃Suppose　we　take　advantage　of　his　being　here；　and　have　our　portraits

painted？〃



The　result　of　all　these　observations；　scattered　through　the　town　was；

naturally；　to　excite　curiosity。　All　those　who　had　the　right　to　visit

the　Hochons　resolved　to　call　that　very　night　and　examine　the

Parisians。　The　arrival　of　these　two　persons　in　the　stagnant　town　was

like　the　falling　of　a　beam　into　a　community　of　frogs。



After　stowing　his　mother's　things　and　his　own　into　the　two　attic

chambers；　which　he　examined　as　he　did　so；　Joseph　took　note　of　the

silent　house；　where　the　walls；　the　stair…case；　the　wood…work；　were

devoid　of　decoration　and　humid　with　frost；　and　where　there　was

literally　nothing　beyond　the　merest　necessaries。　He　felt　the　brusque

transition　from　his　poetic　Paris　to　the　dumb　and　arid　province；　and

when；　coming　downstairs；　he　chanced　to　see　Monsieur　Hochon　cutting

slices　of　bread　for　each　person；　he　understood；　for　the　first　time　in

his　life；　Moliere's　Harpagon。



〃We　should　have　done　better　to　go　to　an　inn；〃　he　said　to　himself。



The　aspect　of　the　dinner　confirmed　his　apprehensions。　After　a　soup

whose　watery　clearness　showed　that　quantity　was　more　considered　than

quality；　the　bouilli　was　served；　ceremoniously　garnished　with　parsley；

the　vegetables；　in　a　dish　by　themselves；　being　counted　into　the　items

of　the　repast。　The　bouilli　held　the　place　of　honor　in　the　middle　of

the　table；　accompanied　with　three　other　dishes：　hard…boiled　eggs　on

sorrel　opposite　to　the　vegetables；　then　a　salad　dressed　with　nut…oil

to　face　little　cups　of　custard；　whose　flavoring　of　burnt　oats　did

service　as　vanilla；　which　it　resembles　much　as　coffee　made　of　chiccory

resembles　mocha。　Butter　and　radishes；　in　two　plates；　were　at　each　end

of　the　table；　pickled　gherkins　and　horse…radish　completed　the　spread；

which　won　Madam　Hochon's　approbation。　The　good　old　woman　gave　a

contented　little　nod　when　she　saw　that　her　husband　had　done　things

properly；　for　the　first　day　at　least。　The　old　man　answered　with　a

glance　and　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　which　it　was　easy　to　translate

into



〃See　the　extravagances　you　force　me　to　commit！〃



As　soon　as　Monsieur　Hochon　had；　as　it　were；　slivered　the　bouilli　into

slices；　about　as　thick　as　the　sole　of　a　dancing…shoe；　that　dish　was

replaced　by　another；　containing　three　pigeons。　The　wine　was　of　the

country；　vintage　1811。　On　a　hint　from　her　grandmother；　Adolphine　had

decorated　each　end　of　the　table　with　a　bunch　of　flowers。



〃At　Rome　as　the　Romans　do；〃　thought　the　artist；　looking　at　the　table；

and　beginning　to　eat；like　a　man　who　had　breakfasted　at　Vierzon；　at

six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　on　an　execrable　cup　of　coffee。　When　Joseph

had　eaten　up　all　his　bread　and　asked　for　more；　Monsieur　Hochon　rose；

slowly　searched　in　the　pocket　of　his　surtout　for　a　key；　unlocked　a

cupboard　behind　him；　broke　off　a　section　of　a　twelve…pound　loaf；

carefully　cut　a　round　of　it；　then　divided　the　round　in　two；　laid　the

pieces　on　a　plate；　and　passed　the　plate　across　the　table　to　the　young

painter；　with　the　silence　and　coolness　of　an　old　soldier　who　says　to

himself　on　the　eve　of　battle；　〃Well；　I　can　meet　death。〃　Joseph　took

the　half…slice；　and　fully　understood　that　he　was　not　to　ask　for　any

more。　No　member　of　the　family　was　the　least　surprised　at　this

extraordinary　performance。　The　conversation　went　on。　Agathe　learned

that　the　house　in　which　she　was　born；　her　father's　house　before　he

inherited　that　of　the　old　Descoings；　had　been　bought　by　the　Borniches；

she　expressed　a　wish　to　see　it　once　more。



〃No　doubt；〃　said　her　godmother；　〃the　Borniches　will　be　here　this

evening；　we　shall　have　half　the　townwho　want　to　examine　you；〃　she

added；　turning　to　Joseph；　〃and　they　will　all　invite　you　to　their

houses。〃



Gritte；　who　in　spite　of　her　sixty　years；　was　the　only　servant　of　the

house；　brought　in　for　dessert　the　famous　ripe　cheese　of　Touraine　and

Berry；　made　of　goat's　milk；　whose　mouldy　discolorations　so　distinctly

reproduce　the　pattern　of　the　vine…leaves　on　which　it　is　served；　that

Touraine　ought　to　have　invented　the　art　of　engraving。　On　either　side

of　these　little　cheeses　Gritte；　with　a　company　air；　placed　nuts　and

some　time…honored　biscuits。



〃Well；　Gritte；　the　fruit？〃　said　Madame　Hochon。



〃But；　madame；　there　is　none　rotten；〃　answered　Gritte。



Joseph　went　off　into　roars　of　laughter；　as　though　he　were　among　his

comrades　in　the　atelier；　for　he　suddenly　perceived　that　the　parsimony

of　eating　only　the　fruits　which　were　beginning　to　rot　had　degenerated

into　a　settled　habit。



〃Bah！　we　can　eat　them　all　the　same；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　the　heedless

gayety　of　a　man　who　will　have　his　say。



〃Monsieur　Hochon；　pray　get　some；〃　said　the　old　lady。



Monsieur　Hochon；　much　incensed　at　the　artist's　speech；　fetched　some

peaches；　pears；　and　Saint　Catherine　plums。



〃Adolphine；　go　and　gather　some　grapes；〃　said　Madame　Hochon　to　her

granddaughter。



Joseph　looked　at　the　two　young　men　as　much　as　to　say：　〃Is　it　to　such

high　living　as　this　that　you　owe　your　healthy　faces？〃



Baruch　understood　the　keen　glance　and　smiled；　for　he　and　his　cousin

Hochon　were　behaving　with　much　discretion。　The　home…life　was　of　less

importance　to　youths　who　supped　three　times　the　week　at　Mere

Cognette's。　Moreover；　just　before　dinner；　Baruch　had　received　notice

that　the　grand　master　convoked　the　whole　Order　at　midnight　for　a

magnificent　supper；　in　the　course　of　which　a　great　enterprise　would　be

arranged。　The　feast　of　welcome　given　by　old　Hochon　to　his　guests

explains　how　necessary　were　the　nocturnal　repasts　at　the　Cognette's　to

two　young　fellows　blessed　with　good　appetites；　who；　we　may　add；　never

missed　any　of　them。



〃We　will　take　the　liqueur　in　the　salon；〃　said　Madame　Hochon；　rising

and　motioning　to　Joseph　to　give　her　his　arm。　As　they　went　out　before

the　others；　she　whispered　to　the　painter：



〃Eh！　my　poor　boy；　this　dinner　won't　give　you　an　indigestion；　but　I　had

hard　work　to　get　it　for　you。　It　is　always　Lent　here；　you　will　get

enough　just　to　keep　life　in　you；　and　no　more。　So　you　must　bear　it

patiently。〃



The　kind…heartedness　of　the　old　woman；　who　thus　drew　her　own

predicament；　pleased　the　artist。



〃I　have　lived　fifty　years　with　that　man；　without　ever　hearing　half…a…

dozen　gold　pieces　chink　in　my　purse；〃　she　went　on。　〃Oh！　if　I　did　not

hope　that　you　might　save　your　property；　I　would　never　have　brought　you

and　your　mother　into　my　prison。〃



〃But　how　can　you　survive　it？〃　cried　Joseph　naively；　with　the　gayety

which　a　French　artist　never　loses。



〃Ah；　you　may　well　ask！〃　she　said。　〃I　pray。〃



Joseph　quivered　as　he　heard　the　words；　which　raised　the　old　woman　so

much　in　his　estimation　that　he　stepped　back　a　little　way　to　look　into

her　face；　it　was　radiant　with　so　tender　a　serenity　that　he　said　to

her；



〃Let　me　paint　your　portrait。〃



〃No；　no；〃　she　answered；　〃I　am　too　weary　of　life　to　wish　to　remain　here

on　canvas。〃



Gayly　uttering　the　sad　words；　she　opened　a　closet；　and　brought　out　a

flask　containing　ratafia；　a　domestic　manufacture　of　her　own；　the

receipt　for　which　she　obtained　from　the　far…famed　nuns　to　whom　is　also

due　the　celebrated　cake　of　Issoudun；one　of　the　great　creations　of

French　confectionery；　which　no　chef；　cook；　pastry…cook；　or

confectioner　has　ever　been　able　to　reproduce。　Monsieur　de　Riviere；

ambassador　at　Constantinople；　ordered　enormous　quantities　every　year

for　the　Seraglio。



Adolphine　held　a　lacquer　tray　on　which　were　a　number　of　little　old

glasses　with　engraved　sides　and　gilt　edges；　and　as　her　mother　filled

each　of　them；　she　carried　it　to　the　company。



〃It　seems　as　though　my　father's　turn　were　coming　round！〃　exclaimed

Agathe；　to　whom　this　immutable　provincial　custom　recalled　the　scenes

of　her　youth。



〃Hochon　will　go　to　his　club　presently　to　read　the　papers；　and　we　shall

have　a　little　time　to　ourselves；〃　said　the　old　lady　in　a　low　voice。



In　fact；　ten　minutes　later；　the　three　women　and　Joseph　were　alone　in

the　salon；　where　the　floor　was　never　waxed；　only　swept；　and　the

worsted…work　designs　in　oaken　frames　with　grooved　mouldings；　and　all

the　other　plain　and　rather　dismal　furniture　seemed　to　Madame　Bridau　to

be　in　exactly　the　same　state　as　when　she　had　left　Issoudun。　Monarchy；

Revolution；　Empire；　and　Restoration；　which　respected　little；　had

certainly　respected　this　room　where　their　glories　and　their　disasters

had　left　not　the　slightest　trace。



〃Ah！　my　godmother；　in　comparison　with　your　life；　mine　has　been　cruelly

tried；〃　exclaimed　Madame　Bridau；　surprised　to　find　even　a　canary　which

she　had　known　when　alive；　stuffed；　and　standing　on　the　mantleshelf

between　the　old　clock；　the　old　brass　brackets；　and　the　silver

candlesticks。



〃My　child；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃trials　are　in　the　heart。　The　greater

and　more　necessary　the　resignation；　the　harder　the　struggle　with　our

own　selves。　But　don't　speak　of　me；　let　us　talk　of　your　affairs。　You

are　directly　in　front　of　the　enemy；〃　she　added；　pointing　to　the

windows　of　the　Rouget　house。



〃They　are　sitting　down　to　dinner；〃　said　Adolphine。



The　young　girl；　destined　for　a　cloister；　was　c