the village rector-第8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！


dined　with　his　wife；　but　his　unpunctuality　was　so　great　that　it　was
not　more　than　ten　times　a　month　that　he　began　a　meal　with　he；　he　had
exacted；　out　of　courtesy；　that　she　should　never　wait　for　him。
Veronique　did；　however；　always　remain　in　the　room　while　her　husband
took　his　meals；　serving　him　herself；　that　she　might　at　least　perform
voluntarily　some　of　the　visible　obligations　of　a　wife。

The　banker；　to　whom　the　things　of　marriage　were　very　indifferent；　and
who　had　seen　nothing　in　his　wife　but　seven　hundred　and　fifty　thousand
francs；　had　never　once　perceived　Veronique's　repugnance　to　him。　Little
by　little　he　now　abandoned　Madame　Graslin　for　his　business。　When　he
wished　to　put　a　bed　in　the　room　adjoining　his　office　on　the　ground…
floor；　Veronique　hastened　to　comply　with　the　request。　So　that　three
years　after　their　marriage　these　two　ill…assorted　beings　returned　to
their　original　estate；　each　equally　pleased　and　happy　to　do　so。　The
moneyed　man；　possessing　eighteen　hundred　thousand　francs；　returned
with　all　the　more　eagerness　to　his　old　avaricious　habits　because　he
had　momentarily　quitted　them。　His　two　clerks　and　the　office…boy　were
better　lodged　and　rather　better　fed；　and　that　was　the　only　difference
between　the　present　and　the　past。　His　wife　had　a　cook　and　maid　（two
indispensable　servants）；　but　except　for　the　actual　necessities　of
life；　not　a　penny　left　his　coffers　for　his　household。

Happy　in　the　turn　which　things　were　now　taking；　Veronique　saw　in　the
evident　satisfaction　of　the　banker　the　absolution　for　this　separation
which　she　would　never　have　asked　for　herself。　She　had　no　conception
that　she　was　as　disagreeable　to　Graslin　as　Graslin　was　repulsive　to
her。　This　secret　divorce　made　her　both　sad　and　joyful。　She　had　always
looked　to　motherhood　for　an　interest　in　life；　but　up　to　this　time
（1828）　the　couple　had　had　no　prospect　of　a　family。



IV

THE　HISTORY　OF　MANY　MARRIED　WOMEN　IN　THE　PROVINCES

So　now；　in　her　magnificent　house　and　envied　for　her　wealth　by　all　the
town；　Madame　Graslin　recovered　the　solitude　of　her　early　years　in　her
father's　house；　less　the　glow　of　hope　and　the　youthful　joys　of
ignorance。　She　lived　among　the　ruins　of　her　castles　in　the　air；
enlightened　by　sad　experience；　sustained　by　religious　faith；　occupied
by　the　care　of　the　poor；　whom　she　loaded　with　benefits。　She　made
clothes　for　the　babies；　gave　mattresses　and　sheets　to　those　who　slept
on　straw；　she　went　among　the　poor　herself；　followed　by　her　maid；　a
girl　from　Auvergne　whom　her　mother　procured　for　her；　and　who　attached
herself　body　and　soul　to　her　mistress。　Veronique　made　an　honorable　spy
of　her；　sending　her　to　discover　the　places　where　suffering　could　be
stilled；　poverty　softened。

This　active　benevolence；　carried　on　with　strict　attention　to　religious
duties；　was　hidden　in　the　deepest　secrecy　and　directed　by　the　various
rectors　in　the　town；　with　whom　Veronique　had　a　full　understanding　in
all　her　charitable　deeds；　so　as　not　to　suffer　the　money　so　needed　for
unmerited　misfortunes　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　vice。　It　was　during
this　period　of　her　life　that　she　won　a　friendship　quite　as　strong　and
quite　as　precious　as　that　of　old　Grossetete。　She　became　the　beloved
lamb　of　a　distinguished　priest；　who　was　persecuted　for　his　true
merits；　which　were　wholly　misunderstood；　one　of　the　two　grand…vicars
of　the　diocese；　named　the　Abbe　Dutheil。

This　priest　belonged　to　the　portion　of　the　French　clergy　who　incline
toward　certain　concessions；　who　would　be　glad　to　associate　the　Church
with　the　people's　interests；　and　so　enable　it　to　regain；　through　the
application　of　true　evangelical　doctrine；　its　former　influence　over
the　masses；　which　it　might　then　draw　to　closer　relations　with　the
monarchy。　Whether　it　was　that　the　Abbe　Dutheil　recognized　the
impossibility　of　enlightening　the　court　of　Rome　and　the　higher　clergy
on　this　point；　or　that　he　had　consented　to　sacrifice　his　own　opinions
to　those　of　his　superiors；　it　is　certain　that　he　remained　within　the
limits　of　the　strictest　orthodoxy；　being　very　well　aware　that　any
manifestation　of　his　principles　at　the　present　time　would　deprive　him
of　all　chance　of　the　episcopate。

This　eminent　priest　united　in　himself　great　Christian　modesty　and　a
noble　character。　Without　pride　or　ambition　he　remained　at　his　post　and
did　his　duty　in　the　midst　of　perils。　The　liberals　of　the　town　were
ignorant　of　the　motives　of　his　conduct；　they　claimed　him　as　being　of
their　opinions　and　considered　him　a　patriot；a　word　which　meant
revolutionist　in　Catholic　minds。　Loved　by　his　inferiors；　who　dared
not；　however；　proclaim　his　merits；　feared　by　his　equals　who　kept　watch
upon　him；　he　was　a　source　of　embarrassment　to　the　bishop。　His　virtues
and　his　knowledge；　envied；　no　doubt；　prevented　persecution；　it　was
impossible　to　complain　of　him；　though　he　criticized　frankly　the
political　blunders　by　which　both　the　throne　and　the　clergy　mutually
compromised　themselves。　He　often　foretold　results；　but　vainly；like
poor　Cassandra；　who　was　equally　cursed　before　and　after　the　disaster
she　predicted。　Short　of　a　revolution　the　Abbe　Dutheil　was　likely　to
remain　as　he　was；　one　of　those　stones　hidden　in　the　foundation　wall　on
which　the　edifice　rests。　His　utility　was　recognized　and　they　left　him
in　his　place；　like　many　other　solid　minds　whose　rise　to　power　is　the
terror　of　mediocrities。　If；　like　the　Abbe　de　Lamennais；　he　had　taken
up　his　pen　he　would　doubtless；　like　him；　have　been　blasted　by　the
court　of　Rome。

The　Abbe　Dutheil　was　imposing　in　appearance。　His　exterior　revealed　the
underlying　of　a　profound　nature　always　calm　and　equable　on　the
surface。　His　tall　figure　and　its　thinness　did　not　detract　from　the
general　effect　of　his　lines；　which　recalled　those　by　which　the　genius
of　Spanish　painters　delights　to　represent　the　great　monastic
meditators；　and　those　selected　at　a　later　period　by　Thorwaldsen　for
the　Apostles。　The　long；　almost　rigid　folds　of　the　face；　in　harmony
with　those　of　his　vestment；　had　the　charm　which　the　middle…ages　bring
into　relief　in　the　mystical　statues　placed　beside　the　portals　of　their
churches。　Gravity　of　thought；　word；　and　accent；　harmonized　in　this　man
and　became　him　well。　Seeing　his　dark　eyes　hollowed　by　austerities　and
surrounded　by　a　brown　circle；　seeing；　too；　his　forehead；　yellow　as
some　old　stone；　his　head　and　hands　almost　fleshless；　men　desired　to
hear　the　voice　and　the　instructions　which　issued　from　his　lips。　This
purely　physical　grandeur　which　accords　with　moral　grandeur；　gave　this
priest　a　somewhat　haughty　and　disdainful　air；　which　was　instantly
counteracted　to　an　observer　by　his　modesty　and　by　his　speech；　though
it　did　not　predispose　others　in　his　favor。　In　some　more　elevated
station　these　advantages　would　have　obtained　that　necessary　ascendancy
over　the　masses　which　the　people　willingly　allow　to　men　who　are　thus
endowed。　But　superiors　will　not　forgive　their　inferiors　for　possessing
the　externals　of　greatness；　nor　for　displaying　that　majesty　so　prized
by　the　ancients　but　so　often　lacking　to　the　administrators　of　modern
power。

By　one　of　those　strange　freaks　of　circumstance　which　are　never
accounted　for；　the　other　vicar…general；　the　Abbe　de　Grancour；　a　stout
little　man　with　a　rosy　complexion　and　blue　eyes；　whose　opinions　were
diametrically　opposed　to　those　of　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　liked　to　be　in　the
latter's　company；　although　he　never　testified　this　liking　enough　to
put　himself　out　of　the　good　graces　of　the　bishop；　to　whom　he　would
have　sacrificed　everything。　The　Abbe　de　Grancour　believed　in　the　merit
of　his　colleague；　recognized　his　talents；　secretly　accepted　his
doctrines；　and　condemned　them　openly；　for　the　little　priest　was　one　of
those　men　whom　superiority　attracts　and　intimidates；who　dislike　it
and　yet　cultivate　it。　〃He　would　embrace　me　and　condemn　me；〃　the　Abbe
Dutheil　said　of　him。　The　Abbe　de　Grancour　had　neither　friends　nor
enemies；　he　was　therefore　likely　to　live　and　die　a　vicar…general。　He
said　he　was　drawn　to　visit　Madame　Graslin　by　the　desire　of　counselling
so　religious　and　benevolent　a　person；　and　the　bishop　approved　of　his
doing　so；Monsieur　de　Grancour's　real　object　being　to　spend　a　few
evenings　with　the　Abbe　Dutheil　in　Veronique's　salon。

The　two　priests　now　came　pretty　regularly　to　see　Madame　Graslin；　and
make　her　a　sort　of　report　about　her　poor　and　discuss　the　best　means　of
succoring　and　improving　them。　But　Monsieur　Graslin　had　now　begun　to
tighten　his　purse…strings；　having　made　the　discovery；　in　spite　of　the
innocent　deceptions　of　his　wife　and　her　maid；　that　the　money　he　paid
did　not　go　solely　for　household　expenses　and　for　dress。　He　was　angry
when　he　found　out　how　much　money　his　wife's　charities　cost　him；　he
called　the　cook　to　account；　inquired　into　all　the　details　of　the
housekeeping；　and　showed　what　a　grand　administrator　he　was　by
practically　proving　that　his　house　could　be　splendidly　kept　for　three
thousand　francs　a　year。　Then　he　put　his　wife　on　an　allowance　of　a
hundred　francs　a　month；　and　boasted　of　his　liberality　in　so　doing。　The
office…boy；　who　liked　flowers；　was　made　to　take　care　of　the　garden　on
Sundays。　Having　dismissed　the　gardener；　Graslin　used　the　greenhouse　to
store　articles　conveyed　to　him　as　security　for　loans。　He　let　the　birds
in　the　aviary　die　for　want　of　care；　to　avoid　the　cost　of　their　food
and　attendance。　And　he　even　took　advantage　of　a　winter　when　there　was
no　ice；　to　give　up　his　icehouse　and　save　the　expense　of　filling　it。

By　1828　there　was　not　a　single　article　of　luxury　in　the　house　which　he
had　not　in　some　way　got　rid　of。　Parsimony　reigned　unchecked　in　the
hotel　Graslin。　The　master's　face；　greatly　improved　during　the　three
years　spent　with　his　wife　（who　induced　him　to　follow　his　physician's
advice）；　now　became　redder；　more　fiery；　more　blotched　than　before。
Business　had　taken　such　proportions　that　it　was　necessary　to　promote
the　boy…of…all…work　to　the　position　of　cashier；　and　to　find　some　stout
Auvergnat　for　the　rougher　service　of　the　hotel　Graslin。

Thus；　four　years　after　her　marriage；　this　very　rich　woman　could　not
dispose　of　a　single　penny　by　her　own　will。　The　avarice　of　her　husband
succeeded　the　avarice　of　her　parents。　Madame　Graslin　had　never
understood　the　necessity　of　money　until　the　time　came　when　her
benevolence　was　checked。

By　the　beginning　of　the　year　1828　Veronique　had　entirely　recovered　the
blooming　health　which　had　given　such　beauty　to　the　innocent　young　girl
sitting　at　her　window　in　the　old　house　in　the　rue　de　la　Cite；　but　by
this　time　she　had　acquired　a　fine　literary　education；　and　was　fully
able　to　think　and　to　speak。　An　excellent　judgment　gave　real　depth　to
her　words。　Accustomed　now　to　the　little　things　of　life；　she　wore　the
fashions　of　the　period　with　infinite　grace。　When　she　chanced　about
this　time　to　visit　a　salon　she　found　herselfnot　without　a　certain
inward　surprisereceived　by　all　with　respectful　esteem。　These　changed
feelings　and　this　welcome　were　due　to　the　two　vicars…general　and　to
old　Grossetete。　Informed　by　them　of　her　noble　hidden　life；　and　the
good　deeds　so　constantly　done　in　their　midst；　the　bishop　and　a　few
influential　persons　spoke　of　Madame　Graslin　as　a　flower　of　true　piety；
a　violet　fragrant　with　virtues；　in　conse