la mere bauche-第1章

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La　Mere　Bauche　

by　Anthony　Trollope






The　Pyreneean　valley　in　which　the　baths　of　Vernet　are　situated　is　not
much　known　to　English；　or　indeed　to　any　travellers。　　Tourists　in
search　of　good　hotels　and　picturesque　beauty　combined；　do　not
generally　extend　their　journeys　to　the　Eastern　Pyrenees。　　They　rarely
get　beyond　Luchon；　and　in　this　they　are　right；　as　they　thus　end　their
peregrinations　at　the　most　lovely　spot　among　these　mountains；　and　are
as　a　rule　so　deceived；　imposed　on；　and　bewildered　by　guides；
innkeepers；　and　horse…owners；　at　this　otherwise　delightful　place；　as
to　become　undesirous　of　further　travel。　　Nor　do　invalids　from　distant
parts　frequent　Vernet。　　People　of　fashion　go　to　the　Eaux　Bonnes　and
to　Luchon；　and　people　who　are　really　ill　to　Bareges　and　Cauterets。
It　is　at　these　places　that　one　meets　crowds　of　Parisians；　and　the
daughters　and　wives　of　rich　merchants　from　Bordeaux；　with　an
admixture；　now　by　no　means　inconsiderable；　of　Englishmen　and
Englishwomen。　　But　the　Eastern　Pyrenees　are　still　unfrequented。　　And
probably　they　will　remain　so；　for　though　there　are　among　them　lovely
valleysand　of　all　such　the　valley　of　Vernet　is　perhaps　the　most
lovelythey　cannot　compete　with　the　mountain　scenery　of　other
tourists…loved　regions　in　Europe。　　At　the　Port　de　Venasquez　and　the
Breche　de　Roland　in　the　Western　Pyrenees；　or　rather；　to　speak　more
truly；　at　spots　in　the　close　vicinity　of　these　famous　mountain
entrances　from　France　into　Spain；　one　can　make　comparisons　with
Switzerland；　Northern　Italy；　the　Tyrol；　and　Ireland；　which　will　not
be　injurious　to　the　scenes　then　under　view。　　But　among　the　eastern
mountains　this　can　rarely　be　done。　　The　hills　do　not　stand　thickly
together　so　as　to　group　themselves；　the　passes　from　one　valley　to
another；　though　not　wanting　in　altitude；　are　not　close　pressed
together　with　overhanging　rocks；　and　are　deficient　in　grandeur　as
well　as　loveliness。　　And　then；　as　a　natural　consequence　of　all　this；
the　hotelsare　not　quite　as　good　as　they　should　be。

But　there　is　one　mountain　among　them　which　can　claim　to　rank　with　the
Pic　du　Midi　or　the　Maledetta。　　No　one　can　pooh…pooh　the　stern　old
Canigou；　standing　high　and　solitary；　solemn　and　grand；　between　the
two　roads　which　run　from　Perpignan　into　Spain；　the　one　by　Prades　and
the　other　by　Le　Boulon。　　Under　the　Canigou；　towards　the　west；　lie　the
hot　baths　of　Vernet；　in　a　close　secluded　valley；　which；　as　I　have
said　before；　is；　as　far　as　I　know；　the　sweetest　spot　in　these　Eastern
Pyrenees。

The　frequenters　of　these　baths　were　a　few　years　back　gathered　almost
entirely　from　towns　not　very　far　distant；　from　Perpignan；　Narbonne；
Carcassonne；　and　Bezieres；　and　the　baths　were　not　therefore　famous；
expensive；　or　luxurious；　but　those　who　believed　in　them　believed　with
great　faith；　and　it　was　certainly　the　fact　that　men　and　women　who
went　thither　worn　with　toil；　sick　with　excesses；　and　nervous　through
over…care；　came　back　fresh　and　strong；　fit　once　more　to　attack　the
world　with　all　its　woes。　　Their　character　in　latter　days　does　not
seem　to　have　changed；　though　their　circle　of　admirers　may　perhaps　be
somewhat　extended。

In　those　days；　by　far　the　most　noted　and　illustrious　person　in　the
village　of　Vernet　was　La　Mere　Bauche。　　That　there　had　once　been　a
Pere　Bauche　was　known　to　the　world；　for　there　was　a　Fils　Bauche　who
lived　with　his　mother；　but　no　one　seemed　to　remember　more　of　him　than
that　he　had　once　existed。　　At　Vernet　he　had　never　been　known。　　La
Mere　Bauche　was　a　native　of　the　village；　but　her　married　life　had
been　passed　away　from　it；　and　she　had　returned　in　her　early　widowhood
to　become　proprietress　and　manager；　or；　as　one　may　say；　the　heart　and
soul　of　the　Hotel　Bauche　at　Vernet。

This　hotel　was　a　large　and　somewhat　rough　establishment；　intended　for
the　accommodation　of　invalids　who　came　to　Vernet　for　their　health。
It　was　built　immediately　over　one　of　the　thermal　springs；　so　that　the
water　flowed　from　the　bowels　of　the　earth　directly　into　the　baths。
There　was　accommodation　for　seventy　people；　and　during　the　summer　and
autumn　months　the　place　was　always　full。　　Not　a　few　also　were　to　be
found　there　during　the　winter　and　spring；　for　the　charges　of　Madame
Bauche　were　low；　and　the　accommodation　reasonably　good。

And　in　this　respect；　as　indeed　in　all　others；　Madame　Bauche　had　the
reputation　of　being　an　honest　woman。　　She　had　a　certain　price；　from
which　no　earthly　consideration　would　induce　her　to　depart；　and　there
were　certain　returns　for　this　price　in　the　shape　of　dejeuners　and
dinners；　baths　and　beds；　which　she　never　failed　to　give　in　accordance
with　the　dictates　of　a　strict　conscience。　　These　were　traits　in　the
character　of　an　hotel…keeper　which　cannot　be　praised　too　highly；　and
which　had　met　their　due　reward　in　the　custom　of　the　public。　　But
nevertheless　there　were　those　who　thought　that　there　was　occasionally
ground　for　complaint　in　the　conduct　even　of　Madame　Bauche。

In　the　first　place　she　was　deficient　in　that　pleasant　smiling
softness　which　should　belong　to　any　keeper　of　a　house　of　public
entertainment。　　In　her　general　mode　of　life　she　was　stern　and　silent
with　her　guests；　autocratic；　authoritative　and　sometimes
contradictory　in　her　house；　and　altogether　irrational　and
unconciliatory　when　any　change　even　for　a　day　was　proposed　to　her；　or
when　any　shadow　of　a　complaint　reached　her　ears。

Indeed　of　complaint；　as　made　against　the　establishment；　she　was
altogether　intolerant。　　To　such　she　had　but　one　answer。　　He　or　she
who　complained　might　leave　the　place　at　a　moment's　notice　if　it　so
pleased　them。　　There　were　always　others　ready　to　take　their　places。
The　power　of　making　this　answer　came　to　her　from　the　lowness　of　her
prices；　and　it　was　a　power　which　was　very　dear　to　her。

The　baths　were　taken　at　different　hours　according　to　medical　advice；
but　the　usual　time　was　from　five　to　seven　in　the　morning。　　The
dejeuner　or　early　meal　was　at　nine　o'clock；　the　dinner　was　at　four。
After　that；　no　eating　or　drinking　was　allowed　in　the　Hotel　Bauche。
There　was　a　cafe　in　the　village；　at　which　ladies　and　gentlemen　could
get　a　cup　of　coffee　or　a　glass　of　eau　sucre；　but　no　such
accommodation　was　to　be　had　in　the　establishment。　　Not　by　any
possible　bribery　or　persuasion　could　any　meal　be　procured　at　any
other　than　the　authorised　hours。　　A　visitor　who　should　enter　the
salle　a　manger　more　than　ten　minutes　after　the　last　bell　would　be
looked　at　very　sourly　by　Madame　Bauche；　who　on　all　occasions　sat　at
the　top　of　her　own　table。　　Should　any　one　appear　as　much　as　half　an
hour　late；　he　would　receive　only　his　share　of　what　had　not　been
handed　round。　　But　after　the　last　dish　had　been　so　handed；　it　was
utterly　useless　for　any　one　to　enter　the　room　at　all。

Her　appearance　at　the　period　of　our　tale　was　perhaps　not　altogether
in　her　favour。　　She　was　about　sixty　years　of　age　and　was　very　stout
and　short　in　the　neck。　　She　wore　her　own　gray　hair；　which　at　dinner
was　always　tidy　enough；　but　during　the　'whole　day　previous　to　that
hour　she　might　be　seen　with　it　escaping　from　under　her　cap　in　extreme
disorder。　　Her　eyebrows　were　large　and　bushy；　but　those　alone　would
not　have　given　to　her　face　that　look　of　indomitable　sternness　which
it　possessed。　　Her　eyebrows　were　serious　in　their　effect；　but　not　so
serious　as　the　pair　of　green　spectacles　which　she　always　wore　under
them。　　It　was　thought　by　those　who　had　analysed　the　subject　that　the
great　secret　of　Madame　Bauche's　power　lay　in　her　green　spectacles。

Her　custom　was　to　move　about　and　through　the　whole　establishment
every　day　from　breakfast　till　the　period　came　for　her　to　dress　for
dinner。　　She　would　visit　every　chamber　and　every　bath；　walk　once　or
twice　round　the　salle　a　manger；　and　very　repeatedly　round　the
kitchen；　she　would　go　into　every　hole　and　corner；　and　peer　into
everything　through　her　green　spectacles：　　and　in　these　walks　it　was
not　always　thought　pleasant　to　meet　her。　　Her　custom　was　to　move　very
slowly；　with　her　hands　generally　clasped　behind　her　back：　　she　rarely
spoke　to　the　guests　unless　she　was　spoken　to；　and　on　such　occasions
she　would　not　often　diverge　into　general　conversation。　　If　any　one
had　aught　to　say　connected　with　the　business　of　the　establishment；
she　would　listen；　and　then　she　would　make　her　answers；often　not
pleasant　in　the　hearing。

And　thus　she　walked　her　path　through　the　world；　a　stern；　hard；　solemn
old　woman；　not　without　gusts　of　passionate　explosion；　but　honest
withal；　and　not　without　some　inward　benevolence　and　true　tenderness
of　heart。　　Children　she　had　had　many；　some　seven　or　eight。　　One　or
two　had　died；　others　had　been　married；　she　had　sons　settled　far　away
from　home；　and　at　the　time　of　which　we　are　now　speaking　but　one　was
left　in　any　way　subject　to　maternal　authority。

Adolphe　Bauche　was　the　only　one　of　her　children　of　whom　much　was
remembered　by　the　present　denizens　and　hangers…on　of　the　hotel；　he
was　the　youngest　of　the　number；　and　having　been　born　only　very
shortly　before　the　return　of　Madame　Bauche　to　Vernet；　had　been
altogether　reared　there。　　It　was　thought　by　the　world　of　those　parts；
and　rightly　thought；　that　he　was　his　mother's　darlingmore　so　than
had　been　any　of　his　brothers　and　sisters；the　very　apple　of　her　eye
and　gem　of　her　life。　　At　this　time　he　was　about　twenty…five　years　of
age；　and　for　the　last　two　years　had　been　absent　from　Vernetfor
reasons　which　will　shortly　be　made　to　appear。　　He　had　been　sent　to
Paris　to　see　something　of　the　world；　and　learn　to　talk　French　instead
of　the　patois　of　his　valley；　and　having　left　Paris　had　come　down
south　into　Languedoc；　and　remained　there　picking　up　some　agricultural
lore　which　it　was　thought　might　prove　useful　in　the　valley　farms　of
Vernet。　　He　was　now　expected　home　again　very　speedily；　much　to　his
mother's　delight。

That　she　was　kind　and　gracious　to　her　favourite　child　does　not
perhaps　give　much　proof　of　her　benevolence；　but　she　had　also　been
kind　and　gracious　to　the　orphan　child　of　a　neighbour；　nay；　to　the
orphan　child　of　a　rival　innkeeper。　　At　Vernet　there　had　been　more
than　one　water　establishment；　but　the　proprietor　of　the　second　had
died　some　few　years　after　Madame　Bauche　had　settled　herself　at　the
place。　　His　house　had　not　thrived；　and　his　only　child；　a　little　girl；
was　left　altogether　without　provision。

This　little　girl；　Marie　Clavert；　La　Mere　Bauche　had　taken　into　her
own　house　immediately　after　the　father's　death；　although　she　had　most
cordially　hated　that　father。　　Marie　was　then　an　infant；　and　Madame
Bauche　had　accepted　the　charge　without　much　thought；　perhaps；　as　to
what　might　be　the　child's　ultimate　destiny。　　But　since　then　she　had
thoroughly　done　the　duty　of　a　mother　by　the　little　girl；　who　had
become　the　pet　of　the　whole　establishment；　the　favourite　plaything　of
Adolphe　Bauche；　and　at　last　of　course　his　early　sweetheart。

And　then　and　therefore　there　had　come　troubles　at　Vernet。　　Of　course
all　the　world　of　the　valley　had　seen　what　was　taking　place　and　what
was　likely　to　take　place；　long　before　Madame　Bauche　knew　anything
about　it。　　But　at　last　it　broke　upon　her　senses　that　her　son；　Adolphe
Bauche；　the　heir　to　all　her　virtues　and　all　her　riches；　the　first
young　man　i