the village rector-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　man　of　honor；　with　whom　she　would　lead　an　honorable　life。　Thus　it
was　that　Veronique　consented　to　receive　Monsieur　Graslin　as　her　future
husband。

When　it　happens　that　in　a　life　so　withdrawn　from　the　world；　so
solitary　as　that　of　Veronique；　a　single　person　enters　it　every　day；
that　person　cannot　long　remain　indifferent；　either　he　is　hated；　and
the　aversion；　justified　by　a　deepening　knowledge　of　his　character；
renders　him　intolerable；　or　the　habit　of　seeing　bodily　defects　dims
the　eye　to　them。　The　mind　looks　about　for　compensations；　his
countenance　awakens　curiosity；　its　features　brighten；　fleeting
beauties　appear　in　it。　At　last　the　inner；　hidden　beneath　the　outer；
shows　itself。　Then；　when　the　first　impressions　are　fairly　overcome；
the　attachment　felt　is　all　the　stronger；　because　the　soul　clings　to　it
as　its　own　creation。　That　is　love。　And　here　lies　the　reason　of　those
passions　conceived　by　beautiful　things　for　other　beings　apparently
ugly。　The　outward　aspect；　forgotten　by　affection；　is　no　longer　seen　in
a　creature　whose　soul　is　deeply　valued。　Besides　this；　beauty；　so
necessary　to　a　woman；　takes　many　strange　aspects　in　man；　and　there　is
as　much　diversity　of　feeling　among　women　about　the　beauty　of　men　as
there　is　among　men　about　the　beauty　of　women。　So；　after　deep
reflection　and　much　debating　with　herself；　Veronique　gave　her　consent
to　the　publication　of　the　banns。

From　that　moment　all　Limoges　rang　with　this　inexplicable　affair；
inexplicable　because　no　one　knew　the　secret　of　it；　namely；　the
immensity　of　the　dowry。　Had　that　dowry　been　known　Veronique　could　have
chosen　a　husband　where　she　pleased；　but　even　so；　she　might　have　made　a
mistake。

Graslin　was　thought　to　be　much　in　love。　Upholsterers　came　from　Paris
to　fit　up　the　house。　Nothing　was　talked　of　in　Limoges　but　the　profuse
expenditures　of　the　banker。　The　value　of　the　chandeliers　was
calculated；　the　gilding　of　the　walls；　the　figures　on　the　clocks；　all
were　discussed；　the　jardinieres；　the　caloriferes；　the　objects　of
luxury　and　novelty；　nothing　was　left　unnoticed。　In　the　garden　of　the
hotel　Graslin；　above　the　icehouse；　was　an　aviary；　and　all　the
inhabitants　of　the　town　were　presently　surprised　by　the　sight　of　rare
birds；Chinese　pheasants；　mysterious　breeds　of　ducks。　Every　one
flocked　to　see　them。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Grossetete；　an　old　couple　who
were　highly　respected　in　Limoges；　made　several　visits　to　the　Sauviats；
accompanied　by　Graslin。　Madame　Grossetete；　a　most　excellent　woman；
congratulated　Veronique　on　her　happy　marriage。　Thus　the　Church；　the
family；　society；　and　all　material　things　down　to　the　most　trivial；
made　themselves　accomplices　to　bring　about　this　marriage。

In　the　month　of　April　the　formal　invitations　to　the　wedding　were
issued　to　all　Graslin's　friends　and　acquaintance。　On　a　fine　spring
morning　a　caleche　and　a　coupe；　drawn　by　Limousin　horses　chosen　by
Monsieur　Grossetete；　drew　up　at　eleven　o'clock　before　the　shop　of　the
iron…dealer；　bringing；　to　the　great　excitement　of　the　neighborhood；
the　former　partners　of　the　bridegroom　and　the　latter's　two　clerks。　The
street　was　lined　with　spectators；　all　anxious　to　see　the　Sauviats'
daughter；　on　whose　beautiful　hair　the　most　renowned　hairdresser　in
Limoges　had　placed　the　bridal　wreath　and　a　costly　veil　of　English
lace。　Veronique　wore　a　gown　of　simple　white　muslin。　A　rather　imposing
assemblage　of　the　most　distinguished　women　in　the　society　of　the　town
attended　the　wedding　in　the　cathedral；　where　the　bishop；　knowing　the
religious　fervor　of　the　Sauviats；　deigned　to　marry　Veronique　himself。
The　bride　was　very　generally　voted　plain。

She　entered　her　new　house；　and　went　from　one　surprise　to　another。　A
grand　dinner　was　to　precede　the　ball；　to　which　Graslin　had　invited
nearly　all　Limoges。　The　dinner；　given　to　the　bishop；　the　prefect；　the
judge　of　the　court；　the　attorney…general；　the　mayor；　the　general；　and
Graslin's　former　partners　with　their　wives；　was　a　triumph　for　the
bride；　who；　like　all　other　persons　who　are　simple　and　natural；　showed
charms　that　were　not　expected　in　her。　Neither　of　the　bridal　pair　could
dance；　Veronique　continued　therefore　to　do　the　honors　to　her　guests；
and　to　win　the　esteem　and　good　graces　of　nearly　all　the　persons　who
were　presented　to　her；　asking　Grossetete；　who　took　an　honest　liking　to
her；　for　information　about　the　company。　She　made　no　mistakes　and
committed　no　blunders。　It　was　during　this　evening　that　the　two　former
partners　of　the　banker　announced　the　amount　of　the　dowry　（immense　for
Limousin）　given　by　the　Sauviats　to　their　daughter。　At　nine　o'clock　the
old　iron…dealer　returned　home　and　went　to　bed；　leaving　his　wife　to
preside　over　the　bride's　retiring。　It　was　said　by　everyone　throughout
the　town　that　Madame　Graslin　was　very　plain；　though　well　made。

Old　Sauviat　now　wound　up　his　business　and　sold　his　house　in　town。　He
bought　a　little　country…place　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Vienne　between
Limoges　and　Cluzeau；　ten　minutes'　walk　from　the　suburb　of　Saint…
Martial；　where　he　intended　to　finish　his　days　tranquilly　with　his
wife。　The　old　couple　had　an　apartment　in　the　hotel　Graslin　and　always
dined　once　or　twice　a　week　with　their　daughter；　who；　as　often；　made
their　house　in　the　country　the　object　of　her　walks。

This　enforced　rest　almost　killed　old　Sauviat。　Happily；　Graslin　found　a
means　of　occupying　his　father…in…law。　In　1823　the　banker　was　forced　to
take　possession　of　a　porcelain　manufactory；　to　the　proprietors　of
which　he　had　advanced　large　sums；　which　they　found　themselves　unable
to　repay　except　by　the　sale　of　their　factory；　which　they　made　to　him。
By　the　help　of　his　business　connections　and　by　investing　a　large
amount　of　property　in　the　concern；　Graslin　made　it　one　of　the　finest
manufactories　of　Limoges　ware　in　the　town。　Afterwards　he　resold　it　at
a　fine　profit；　meantime　he　placed　it　under　the　superintendence　of　his
father…in…law；　who；　in　spite　of　his　seventy…two　years；　counted　for
much　in　the　return　of　prosperity　to　the　establishment；　who　himself
renewed　his　youth　in　the　employment。　Graslin　was　then　able　to　attend
to　his　legitimate　business　of　banking　without　anxiety　as　to　the
manufactory。

Sauviat　died　in　1827　from　an　accident。　While　taking　account　of　stock
he　fell　into　a　/charasse/；a　sort　of　crate　with　an　open　grating　in
which　the　china　was　packed；　his　leg　was　slightly　injured；　so　slightly
that　he　paid　no　attention　to　it；　gangrene　set　in；　he　would　not　consent
to　amputation；　and　therefore　died。　The　widow　gave　up　about　two　hundred
and　fifty　thousand　francs　which　came　to　her　from　Sauviat's　estate；
reserving　only　a　stipend　of　two　hundred　francs　a　month；　which　amply
sufficed　for　her　wants。　Graslin　bound　himself　to　pay　her　that　sum
duly。　She　kept　her　little　house　in　the　country；　and　lived　there　alone
without　a　servant　and　against　the　remonstrances　of　her　daughter；　who
could　not　induce　her　to　alter　this　determination；　to　which　she　clung
with　the　obstinacy　peculiar　to　old　persons。　Madame　Sauviat　came　nearly
every　day　into　Limoges　to　see　her　daughter；　and　the　latter　still
continued　to　make　her　mother's　house；　from　which　was　a　charming　view
of　the　river；　the　object　of　her　walks。　From　the　road　leading　to　it
could　be　seen　that　island　long　loved　by　Veronique　and　called　by　her
the　Ile　de　France。

In　order　not　to　complicate　our　history　of　the　Graslin　household　with
the　foregoing　incidents；　we　have　thought　it　best　to　end　that　of　the
Sauviats　by　anticipating　events；　which　are　moreover　useful　as
explaining　the　private　and　hidden　life　which　Madame　Graslin　now　led。
The　old　mother；　noticing　that　Graslin's　miserliness；　which　returned
upon　him；　might　hamper　her　daughter；　was　for　some　time　unwilling　to
resign　the　property　left　to　her　by　her　husband。　But　Veronique；　unable
to　imagine　a　case　in　which　a　woman　might　desire　the　use　of　her　own
property；　urged　it　upon　her　mother　with　reasons　of　great　generosity；
and　out　of　gratitude　to　Graslin　for　restoring　to　her　the　liberty　and
freedom　of　a　young　girl。　But　this　is　anticipating。

The　unusual　splendor　which　accompanied　Graslin's　marriage　had
disturbed　all　his　habits　and　constantly　annoyed　him。　The　mind　of　the
great　financier　was　a　very　small　one。　Veronique　had　had　no　means　of
judging　the　man　with　whom　she　was　to　pass　her　life。　During　his　fifty…
five　visits　he　had　let　her　see　nothing　but　the　business　man；　the
indefatigable　worker；　who　conceived　and　sustained　great　enterprises；
and　analyzed　public　affairs；　bringing　them　always　to　the　crucial　test
of　the　Bank。　Fascinated　by　the　million　offered　to　him　by　Sauviat；　he
showed　himself　generous　by　calculation。　Carried　away　by　the　interests
of　his　marriage　and　by　what　he　called　his　〃folly；〃　namely；　the　house
which　still　goes　by　the　name　of　the　hotel　Graslin；　he　did　things　on　a
large　scale。　Having　bought　horses；　a　caleche；　and　a　coupe；　he
naturally　used　them　to　return　the　wedding　visits　and　go　to　those
dinners　and　balls；　called　the　〃retours　de　noces；〃　which　the　heads　of
the　administration　and　the　rich　families　of　Limoges　gave　to　the　newly
married　pair。　Under　this　impulsion；　which　carried　him　entirely　out　of
his　natural　sphere；　Graslin　sent　to　Paris　for　a　man…cook　and　took　a
reception　day。　For　a　year　he　kept　the　pace　of　a　man　who　possesses　a
fortune　of　sixteen　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　he　became　of　course
the　most　noted　personage　in　Limoges。　During　this　year　he　generously
put　into　his　wife's　purse　every　month　twenty…five　gold　pieces　of
twenty　francs　each。

Society　concerned　itself　much　about　Veronique　from　the　day　of　her
marriage；　for　she　was　a　boon　to　its　curiosity；　which　has　little　to
feed　on　in　the　provinces。　Veronique　was　all　the　more　studied　because
she　had　appeared　in　the　social　world　like　a　phenomenon；　but　once
there；　she　remained　always　simple　and　modest；　in　the　attitude　of　a
person　who　is　observing　habits；　customs；　manners；　things　unknown　to
her；　and　endeavoring　to　conform　to　them。　Already　voted　ugly　but　well…
shaped；　she　was　now　declared　kindly　but　stupid。　She　was　learning　so
many　things；　she　had　so　much　to　hear　and　to　see　that　her　looks　and
speech　did　certainly　give　some　reason　for　this　judgment。　She　showed　a
sort　of　torpor　which　resembled　lack　of　mind。　Marriage；　that　hard
calling；　as　she　said；　for　which　the　Church；　the　Code；　and　her　mother
exhorted　her　to　resignation　and　obedience；　under　pain　of　transgressing
all　human　laws　and　causing　irreparable　evil；　threw　her　into　a　dazed
and　dizzy　condition；　which　amounted　sometimes　to　a　species　of　inward
delirium。

Silent　and　self…contained；　she　listened　as　much　to　herself　as　she　did
to　others。　Feeling　within　her　the　most　violent　〃difficulty　of
existing；〃　to　use　an　expression　of　Fontenelle's；　which　was　constantly
increasing；　she　became　terrified　at　herself。　Nature　resisted　the
commands　of　the　mind；　the　body　denied　the　will。　The　poor　creature；
caught　in　the　net；　wept　on　the　breast　of　that　great　Mother　of　the　poor
and　the　afflicted；she　went　for　comfort　to　the　Church；　her　piety
redoubled；　she　confided　the　assaults　of　the　demon　to　her　confessor；
she　prayed　to　heaven　for　succor。　Never；　at　any　period　of　her　life；　did
she　fulfil　her　religious　duties　with　such　fervor。　The　despair　of　not
loving　her　husband　flung　her　violently　at　the　foot　of　t