the brotherhood of consolation-第15章

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and　fortune　offered　every　guarantee　that　could　be　given；a　man　who；
to　use　a　popular　saying；　'was　after　every　one's　own　heart；'　in　the
best　society　of　the　provincial　city　where　Madame　and　her　daughter
passed　their　winters。　I　should　tell　you　that　this　society　was　composed
of　seven　or　eight　families　belonging　to　the　highest　nobility　in
France：　d'Esgrignon；　Troisville；　Casteran；　Nouatre；　etc。　At　the　end　of
eighteen　months　the　baron　deserted　his　wife；　and　disappeared　in　Paris；
where　he　changed　his　name。

〃Madame　de　la　Chanterie　never　knew　the　causes　of　this　desertion　until
the　lightning　of　a　dreadful　storm　revealed　them。　Her　daughter；　brought
up　with　anxious　care　and　trained　in　the　purest　religious　sentiments；
kept　total　silence　as　to　her　troubles。　This　lack　of　confidence　in　her
mother　was　a　painful　blow　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。　Already　she　had
several　times　noticed　in　her　daughter　indications　of　the　reckless
disposition　of　the　father；　increased　in　the　daughter　by　an　almost
virile　strength　of　will。

〃The　husband；　however；　abandoned　his　home　of　his　own　free　will；
leaving　his　affairs　in　a　pitiable　condition。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
is；　even　to　this　day；　amazed　at　the　catastrophe；　which　no　human
foresight　could　have　prevented。　The　persons　she　prudently　consulted
before　the　marriage　had　assured　her　that　the　suitor's　fortune　was
clear　and　sound；　and　that　no　mortgages　were　on　his　estate。
Nevertheless　it　appeared；　after　the　husband's　departure；　that　for　ten
years　his　debts　had　exceeded　the　entire　value　of　his　property。
Everything　was　therefore　sold；　and　the　poor　young　wife；　now　reduced　to
her　own　means；　came　back　to　her　mother。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　knew
later　that　the　most　honorable　persons　of　the　province　had　vouched　for
her　son…in…law　in　their　own　interests；　for　he　owed　them　all　large　sums
of　money；　and　they　looked　upon　his　marriage　with　Mademoiselle　de　la
Chanterie　as　a　means　to　recover　them。

〃There　were；　however；　other　reasons　for　this　catastrophe；　which　you
will　find　later　in　a　confidential　paper　written　for　the　eyes　of　the
Emperor。　Moreover；　this　man　had　long　courted　the　good…will　of　the
royalist　families　by　his　devotion　to　the　royal　cause　during　the
Revolution。　He　was　one　of　Louis　XVIII。's　most　active　emissaries；　and
had　taken　part　after　1793　in　all　conspiracies；escaping　their
penalties；　however；　with　such　singular　adroitness　that　he　came；　in　the
end；　to　be　distrusted。　Thanked　for　his　services　by　Louis　XVIII。；　but
completely　set　aside　in　the　royalist　affairs；　he　had　returned　to　live
on　his　property；　now　much　encumbered　with　debt。

〃These　antecedents　were　then　obscure　（the　persons　initiated　into　the
secrets　of　the　royal　closet　kept　silence　about　so　dangerous　a
coadjutor）；　and　he　was　therefore　received　with　a　species　of　reverence
in　a　city　devoted　to　the　Bourbons；　where　the　cruellest　deeds　of　the
Chouannerie　were　accepted　as　legitimate　warfare。　The　d'Esgrignons；
Casterans；　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　in　short；　the　whole　aristocracy
and　the　Church　opened　their　arms　to　this　royalist　diplomat　and　drew
him　into　their　circle。　Their　protection　was　encouraged　by　the　desire
of　his　creditors　for　the　payment　of　his　debts。　For　three　years　this
man；　who　was　a　villain　at　heart；　a　pendant　to　the　late　Baron　de　la
Chanterie；　contrived　to　restrain　his　vices　and　assume　the　appearance
of　morality　and　religion。

〃During　the　first　months　of　his　marriage　he　exerted　a　sort　of　spell
over　his　wife；　he　tried　to　corrupt　her　mind　by　his　doctrines　（if　it
can　be　said　that　atheism　is　a　doctrine）　and　by　the　jesting　tone　in
which　he　spoke　of　sacred　principles。　From　the　time　of　his　return　to
the　provinces　this　political　manoeuvrer　had　an　intimacy　with　a　young
man；　overwhelmed　with　debt　like　himself；　but　whose　natural　character
was　as　frank　and　courageous　as　the　baron's　was　hypocritical　and　base。
This　frequent　guest；　whose　accomplishments；　strong　character；　and
adventurous　life　were　calculated　to　influence　a　young　girl's　mind；　was
an　instrument　in　the　hands　of　the　husband　to　bring　the　wife　to　adopt
his　theories。　Never　did　she　let　her　mother　know　the　abyss　into　which
her　fate　had　cast　her。

〃We　may　well　distrust　all　human　prudence　when　we　think　of　the　infinite
precautions　taken　by　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　in　marrying　her　only
daughter。　The　blow；　when　it　came　to　a　life　so　devoted；　so　pure；　so
truly　religious　as　that　of　a　woman　already　tested　by　many　trials；　gave
Madame　de　la　Chanterie　a　distrust　of　herself　which　served　to　isolate
her　from　her　daughter；　and　all　the　more　because　her　daughter；　in
compensation　for　her　misfortunes；　exacted　complete　liberty；　ruled　her
mother；　and　was　even；　at　times；　unkind　to　her。

〃Wounded　thus　in　all　her　affections；　mistaken　in　her　devotion　and　love
for　her　husband；　to　whom　she　had　sacrificed　without　a　word　her
happiness；　her　fortune；　and　her　life；　mistaken　in　the　education
exclusively　religious　which　she　had　given　to　her　daughter；　mistaken　in
the　confidence　she　had　placed　in　others　in　the　affair　of　her
daughter's　marriage；　and　obtaining　no　justice　from　the　heart　in　which
she　had　sown　none　but　noble　sentiments；　she　united　herself　still　more
closely　to　God　as　the　hand　of　trouble　lay　heavy　upon　her。　She　was
indeed　almost　a　nun；　going　daily　to　church；　performing　cloistral
penances；　and　practising　economy　that　she　might　have　means　to　help　the
poor。

〃Could　there　be；　up　to　this　point；　a　saintlier　life　or　one　more　tried
than　that　of　this　noble　woman；　so　gentle　under　misfortune；　so　brave　in
danger；　and　always　Christian？〃　said　Monsieur　Alain；　appealing　to
Godefroid。　〃You　know　Madame　now；you　know　if　she　is　wanting　in　sense；
judgment；　reflection；　in　fact；　she　has　those　qualities　to　the　highest
degree。　Well！　the　misfortunes　I　have　now　told　you；　which　might　be　said
to　make　her　life　surpass　all　others　in　adversity；　are　as　nothing　to
those　that　were　still　in　store　for　this　poor　woman。　But　now　let　us
concern　ourselves　exclusively　with　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　daughter；〃
said　the　old　man；　resuming　his　narrative。

〃At　eighteen　years　of　age；　the　period　of　her　marriage；　Mademoiselle　de
la　Chanterie　was　a　young　girl　of　delicate　complexion；　brown　in　tone
with　a　brilliant　color；　graceful　in　shape；　and　very　pretty。　Above　a
forehead　of　great　beauty　was　a　mass　of　dark　hair　which　harmonized　with
the　brown　eyes　and　the　general　gaiety　of　her　expression。　A　certain
daintiness　of　feature　was　misleading　as　to　her　true　character　and　her
almost　virile　decision。　She　had　small　hands　and　small　feet；　in　fact；
there　was　something　fragile　about　her　whole　person　which　excluded　the
idea　of　vigor　and　determination。　Having　always　lived　beside　her
mother；　she　had　a　most　perfect　innocence　of　thought　and　behavior　and　a
really　remarkable　piety。　This　young　girl；　like　her　mother；　was
fanatically　attached　to　the　Bourbons；　she　was　therefore　a　bitter　enemy
to　the　Revolution；　and　regarded　the　dominion　of　Napoleon　as　a　curse
inflicted　by　Providence　upon　France　in　punishment　of　the　crimes　of
1793。

〃The　conformity　of　opinion　on　this　subject　between　Madame　de　la
Chanterie　and　her　daughter；　and　the　daughter's　suitor；　was　one　of　the
determining　reasons　of　the　marriage。

〃The　friend　of　the　husband　had　commanded　a　body　of　Chouans　at　the　time
that　hostilities　were　renewed　in　1799；　and　it　seems　that　the　baron's
object　（Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　son…in…law　was　a　baron）　in　fostering
the　intimacy　between　his　wife　and　his　friend　was　to　obtain；　through
her　influence；　certain　succor　from　that　friend。

〃This　requires　a　few　words　of　explanation；〃　said　Monsieur　Alain；
interrupting　his　narrative；　〃about　an　association　which　in　those　days
made　a　great　deal　of　noise。　I　mean　the　'Chauffeurs。'＇*＇　Every　province
in　the　west　of　France　was　at　that　time　more　or　less　overrun　with　these
'brigands；'　whose　object　was　far　less　pillage　than　a　resurrection　of
the　royalist　warfare。　They　profited；　so　it　was　said；　by　the　great
number　of　'refractories；'the　name　applied　to　those　who　evaded　the
conscription；　which　was　at　that　time；　as　you　probably　know；　enforced
to　actual　abuse。

＇*＇　/Chauffeurs/。　This　name　applies　to　royalists　who　robbed　the　mail…
　　　　coaches　conveying　government　funds；　and　levied　tribute　on　those
　　　　who　bought　the　confiscated　property　of　/emigres/　at　the　West。　When
　　　　the　Thermidorian　reaction　began；　after　the　fall　of　Robespierre；
　　　　other　companies　of　royalists；　chiefly　young　nobles　who　had　not
　　　　emigrated；　were　formed　at　the　South　and　East　under　various　names；
　　　　such　as　〃The　Avengers；〃　and　〃The　Company　of　Jehu；〃　who　stopped　the
　　　　diligences　containing　government　money；　which　they　transmitted　to
　　　　Brittany　and　La　Vendee　for　the　support　of　the　royalist　troops。
　　　　They　regarded　this　as　legitimate　warfare；　and　were　scrupulous　not
　　　　to　touch　private　property。　When　captured；　however；　they　were　tried
　　　　and　executed　as　highwaymen。TR。

〃Between　Mortagne　and　Rennes；　and　even　beyond；　as　far　as　the　banks　of
the　Loire；　nocturnal　expeditions　were　organized；　which　attacked；
especially　in　Normandy；　the　holders　of　property　bought　from　the
National　domain。＇*＇　These　armed　bands　sent　terror　throughout　those
regions。　I　am　not　misleading　you　when　I　ask　you　to　observe　that　in
certain　departments　the　action　of　the　laws　was　for　a　long　time
paralyzed。

＇*＇　The　National　domain　was　the　name　given　to　the　confiscated　property
　　　　of　the　/emigres/；　which　was　sold　from　time　to　time　at　auction　to
　　　　the　highest　bidder。TR。

〃These　last　echoes　of　the　civil　war　made　much　less　noise　than　you
would　imagine；　accustomed　as　we　are　now　to　the　frightful　publicity
given　by　the　press　to　every　trial；　even　the　least　important；　whether
political　or　individual。　The　system　of　the　Imperial　government　was
that　of　all　absolute　governments。　The　censor　allowed　nothing　to　be
published　in　the　matter　of　politics　except　accomplished　facts；　and
those　were　travestied。　If　you　will　take　the　trouble　to　look　through
files　of　the　'Moniteur'　and　the　other　newspapers　of　that　time；　even
those　of　the　West；　you　will　not　find　a　word　about　the　four　or　five
criminal　trials　which　cost　the　lives　of　sixty　or　eighty　'brigands。'
The　term　/brigands/；　applied　during　the　revolutionary　period　to　the
Vendeans；　Chouans；　and　all　those　who　took　up　arms　for　the　house　of
Bourbon；　was　afterwards　continued　judicially　under　the　Empire　against
all　royalists　accused　of　plots。　To　some　ardent　and　loyal　natures　the
emperor　and　his　government　were　the　enemy；　any　form　of　warfare　against
them　was　legitimate。　I　am　only　explaining　to　you　these　opinions；　not
justifying　them。

〃Now；〃　he　said；　after　one　of　those　pauses　which　are　necessary　in　such
long　narratives；　〃if　you　realize　how　these　royalists；　ruined　by　the
civil　war　of　1793；　were　dominated　by　violent　passions；　and　how　some
exceptional　natures　（like　that　of　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　son…in…law
and　his　friend）　were　eaten　up　with　desires　of　all　kinds；　you　may　be
able　to　understand　how　it　was　that　the　acts　of　brigandage　which　their
political　views　justified　when　employed　against　the　government　in　the
service　of　the　good　cause；　might　in　some　cases　be　committed　for
personal　ends。

〃The　younger　of　the　two　men　had　been　for　some　time　employed　in
collecting　the　scattered　fragments　of　C