the deputy of arcis-第11章

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〃As　usual；　you　and　I　are　of　the　same　opinion；　father。〃

〃You　can　say　that　I　have　otherwise　disposed　of　Cecile's　hand；　and　that　will　cut　short　all　preposterous　pretensions　like　that　of　Antonin　Goulard。　Little　Vinet　may　offer　himself；　and　he　is　preferable　to　the　others　who　are　smelling　after　the　/dot/；　he　has　talent；　and　shrewdness；　and　he　belongs　to　the　Chargeboeufs　by　his　mother；　but　he　has　too　much　character　not　to　rule　his　wife；　and　he　is　young　enough　to　make　himself　loved。　You　would　perish　between　two　sentimentsfor　I　know　you　by　heart；　my　child。〃

〃I　shall　be　much　embarrassed　this　evening　at　the　Marions'　to　know　what　to　say；〃　remarked　Severine。

〃Well；　then；　my　dear；〃　said　her　father；　〃send　Madame　Marion　to　me；　I'll　talk　to　her。〃

〃I　knew；　father；　that　you　were　thinking　of　our　future；　but　I　had　no　idea　you　expected　it　to　be　so　brilliant；〃　said　Madame　Beauvisage；　taking　the　hands　of　the　old　man　and　kissing　them。

〃I　have　pondered　the　matter　so　deeply；〃　said　Grevin；　〃that　in　1831　I　bought　the　Beauseant　mansion　in　Paris；　which　you　have　probably　seen。〃

Madame　de　Beauvisage　made　a　movement　of　surprise　on　hearing　this　secret；　until　then　so　carefully　kept；　but　she　did　not　interrupt　her　father。

〃It　will　be　my　wedding　present；〃　he　went　on。　〃In　1832　I　let　it　for　seven　years　to　an　Englishman　for　twenty…four　thousand　francs　a　year；　a　pretty　stroke　of　business；　for　it　only　cost　me　three　hundred　and　twenty…five　thousand　francs；　of　which　I　thus　recover　nearly　two　hundred　thousand。　The　lease　ends　in　July　of　this　year。〃

Severine　kissed　her　father　on　the　forehead　and　on　both　cheeks。　This　last　revelation　so　magnified　her　future　that　she　was　well…nigh　dazzled。

〃I　shall　advise　my　father；〃　she　said　to　herself；　as　she　recrossed　the　bridge；　〃to　give　only　the　reversion　of　that　property　to　his　grandchildren；　and　let　me　have　the　life…interest　in　it。　I　have　no　idea　of　letting　my　daughter　and　son…in…law　turn　me　out　of　doors；　they　must　live　with　me。〃

At　dessert；　when　the　two　women…servants　were　safely　at　their　own　dinner　in　the　kitchen；　and　Madame　Beauvisage　was　certain　of　not　being　overheard；　she　thought　it　advisable　to　give　Cecile　a　little　lecture。

〃My　daughter；〃　she　said；　〃behave　this　evening　with　propriety；　like　a　well…bred　girl；　and　from　this　day　forth　be　more　sedate。　Do　not　chatter　heedlessly；　and　never　walk　alone　with　Monsieur　Giguet；　or　Monsieur　Olivier　Vinet；　or　the　sub…prefect；　or　Monsieur　Martener；in　fact；　with　any　one；　not　even　Achille　Pigoult。　You　will　not　marry　any　of　the　young　men　of　Arcis；　or　of　the　department。　Your　fate　is　to　shine　in　Paris。　Therefore　I　shall　now　give　you　charming　dresses；　to　accustom　you　to　elegance。　We　can　easily　find　out　where　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan　and　the　Marquise　de　Cinq…Cygne　get　their　things。　I　mean　that　you　shall　cease　to　look　provincial。　You　must　practise　the　piano　for　three　hours　every　day。　I　shall　send　for　Monsieur　Moise　from　Troyes　until　I　know　what　master　I　ought　to　get　from　Paris。　Your　talents　must　all　be　developed；　for　you　have　only　one　year　more　of　girlhood　before　you。　Now　I　have　warned　you；　and　I　shall　see　how　you　behave　this　evening。　You　must　manage　to　keep　Simon　at　a　distance；　but　without　coquetting　with　him。〃

〃Don't　be　uneasy；　mamma；　I　intend　to　adore　the　/stranger/。〃

These　words；　which　made　Madame　Beauvisage　laugh；　need　some　explanation。

〃Ha！　I　haven't　seen　him　yet；〃　said　Phileas；　〃but　everybody　is　talking　about　him。　When　I　want　to　know　who　he　is；　I　shall　send　the　corporal　or　Monsieur　Groslier　to　ask　him　for　his　passport。〃

There　is　no　little　town　in　France　where；　at　a　given　time；　the　drama　or　the　comedy　of　the　/stranger/　is　not　played。　Often　the　stranger　is　an　adventurer　who　makes　dupes　and　departs；　carrying　with　him　the　reputation　of　a　woman；　or　the　money　of　a　family。　Oftener　the　stranger　is　a　real　stranger；　whose　life　remains　mysterious　long　enough　for　the　town　to　busy　itself　curiously　about　his　words　and　deeds。

Now　the　probable　accession　to　power　of　Simon　Giguet　was　not　the　only　serious　event　that　was　happening　in　Arcis。　For　the　last　two　days　the　attention　of　the　little　town　had　been　focussed　on　a　personage　just　arrived；　who　proved　to　be　the　first　Unknown　of　the　present　generation。　The　/stranger/　was　at　this　moment　the　subject　of　conversation　in　every　household　in　the　place。　He　was　the　beam　fallen　from　heaven　into　the　city　of　the　frogs。

The　situation　of　Arcis…sur…Aube　explains　the　effect　which　the　arrival　of　a　stranger　was　certain　to　produce。　About　eighteen　miles　from　Troyes；　on　the　high…road　to　Paris；　opposite　to　a　farm　called　〃La　Belle　Etoile；〃　a　county　road　branches　off　from　the　main　road；　and　leads　to　Arcis；　crossing　the　vast　plains　where　the　Seine　cuts　a　narrow　green　valley　bordered　with　poplars；　which　stand　out　upon　the　whiteness　of　the　chalk　soil　of　Champagne。　The　main　road　from　Arcis　to　Troyes　is　eighteen　miles　in　length；　and　makes　the　arch　of　a　bow；　the　extremities　of　which　are　Troyes　and　Arcis；　so　that　the　shortest　route　from　Paris　to　Arcis　is　by　the　county　road　which　turns　off；　as　we　have　said；　near　the　Belle　Etoile。　The　Aube　is　navigable　only　from　Arcis　to　its　mouth。　Therefore　this　town；　standing　eighteen　miles　from　a　high…road；　and　separated　from　Troyes　by　monotonous　plains；　is　isolated　more　or　less；　and　has　but　little　commerce　or　transportation　either　by　land　or　water。　Arcis　is；　in　fact；　a　town　completely　isolated；　where　no　travellers　pass；　and　is　attached　to　Troyes　and　La　Belle　Etoile　by　stage…coaches　only。　All　the　inhabitants　know　each　other；　they　even　know　the　commercial　travellers　who　come；　now　and　then；　on　business　from　the　large　Parisian　houses。　Thus；　as　in　all　provincial　towns　in　a　like　position；　a　stranger；　if　he　stayed　two　days；　would　wag　the　tongues　and　excite　the　imaginations　of　the　whole　community　without　his　name　or　his　business　being　known。

Now；　Arcis　being　still　in　a　state　of　tranquillity　three　days　before　the　morning　when；　by　the　will　of　the　creator　of　so　many　histories；　the　present　tale　begins；　there　was　seen　to　arrive　by　the　county　road　a　stranger；　driving　a　handsome　tilbury　drawn　by　a　valuable　horse；　and　accompanied　by　a　tiny　groom；　no　bigger　than　my　fist；　mounted　on　a　saddle…horse。　The　coach；　connecting　with　the　diligences　to　Troyes；　had　brought　from　La　Belle　Etoile　three　trunks　coming　from　Paris；　marked　with　no　name；　but　belonging　to　this　stranger；　who　took　up　his　quarters　at　the　Mulet　inn。　Every　one　in　Arcis　supposed；　on　the　first　evening；　that　this　personage　had　come　with　the　intention　of　buying　the　estate　of　Arcis；　and　much　was　said　in　all　households　about　the　future　owner　of　the　chateau。　The　tilbury；　the　traveller；　his　horses；　his　servant；　one　and　all　appeared　to　belong　to　a　man　who　had　dropped　upon　Arcis　from　the　highest　social　sphere。

The　stranger；　no　doubt　fatigued；　did　not　show　himself　for　a　time；　perhaps　he　spent　part　of　the　day　in　arranging　himself　in　the　rooms　he　had　chosen；　announcing　his　intention　of　staying　a　certain　time。　He　requested　to　see　the　stable　where　his　horses　were　to　be　kept；　showed　himself　very　exacting；　and　insisted　that　they　should　be　placed　in　stalls　apart　from　those　of　the　innkeeper's　horses；　and　from　those　of　guests　who　might　come　later。　In　consequence　of　such　singular　demands；　the　landlord　of　the　hotel　du　Mulet　considered　his　guest　to　be　an　Englishman。

On　the　evening　of　the　first　day　several　attempts　were　made　at　the　Mulet　by　inquisitive　persons　to　satisfy　their　curiosity；　but　no　light　whatever　could　be　obtained　from　the　little　groom；　who　evaded　all　inquiries；　not　by　refusals　or　by　silence；　but　by　sarcasms　which　seemed　to　be　beyond　his　years　and　to　prove　him　a　corrupt　little　mortal。

After　making　a　careful　toilet　and　dining　at　six　o'clock；　the　stranger　mounted　a　horse；　and；　followed　by　his　groom；　rode　off　along　the　road　to　Brienne；　not　returning　till　a　very　late　hour　to　the　Mulet。　The　landlord；　his　wife；　and　her　maids　had　meantime　gained　no　information　from　a　careful　examination　of　his　trunks；　and　the　articles　about　his　rooms；　as　to　the　projects　or　the　condition　of　their　mysterious　inmate。

On　the　stranger's　return　the　mistress　of　the　house　carried　up　to　him　the　book　in　which；　according　to　police　regulations；　he　was　required　to　inscribe　his　name；　rank；　the　object　of　his　journey；　and　the　place　from　which　he　came。

〃I　shall　write　nothing；〃　he　said　to　the　mistress　of　the　inn。　〃If　any　one　questions　you；　you　can　say　I　refused；　and　you　may　send　the　sub…　prefect　to　see　me；　for　I　have　no　passport。　I　dare　say　that　many　persons　will　make　inquiries　about　me；　madame；　and　you　can　tell　them　just　what　you　like。　I　wish　you　to　know　nothing　about　me。　If　you　worry　me　on　this　point；　I　shall　go　to　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste　on　the　Place　du　Pont　and　remain　there　for　the　fortnight　I　propose　to　spend　here。　I　should　be　sorry　for　that；　because　I　know　that　you　are　the　sister　of　Gothard；　one　of　the　heroes　of　the　Simeuse　affair。〃

〃Enough；　monsieur；〃　said　the　sister　of　the　steward　of　Cinq…Cygne。

After　such　a　beginning；　the　stranger　kept　the　mistress　of　the　house　a　whole　hour　and　made　her　tell　him　all　she　knew　of　Arcis；　of　its　fortunes；　its　interests；　and　its　functionaries。　The　next　day　he　disappeared　on　horseback；　followed　by　his　tiger；　returning　at　midnight。

We　can　now　understand　Mademoiselle　Cecile's　little　joke；　which　Madame　Beauvisage　thought　to　be　without　foundation。　Beauvisage　and　Cecile；　surprised　by　the　order　of　the　day　promulgated　by　Severine；　were　enchanted。　While　his　wife　went　to　dress　for　Madame　Marion's　reception；　the　father　listened　to　the　many　conjectures　it　was　natural　a　girl　should　make　in　such　a　case。　Then；　fatigued　with　his　day；　he　went　to　bed　as　soon　as　his　wife　and　daughter　had　departed。

As　may　readily　be　supposed　by　those　who　know　anything　of　country　towns；　a　crowd　of　persons　flocked　to　Madame　Marion's　that　evening。　The　triumph　of　Giguet　junior　was　thought　to　be　a　victory　won　against　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　and　to　insure　forever　the　independence　of　Arcis　in　the　matter　of　elections。　The　news　of　the　death　of　poor　Charles　Keller　was　regarded　as　a　judgment　from　heaven；　intended　to　silence　all　rivalries。

Antonin　Goulard；　Frederic　Marest；　Olivier　Vinet；　and　Monsieur　Martener；　the　authorities　who；　until　then；　had　frequented　this　salon　（the　prevailing　opinions　of　which　did　not　seem　to　them　contrary　to　the　government　created　by　the　popular　will　in　July；　1830）；　came　as　usual；　possessed　by　curiosity　to　see　what　attitude　the　Beauvisage　family　would　take　under　the　circumstances。

The　salon；　restored　to　its　usual　condition；　showed　no　signs　of　the　meeting　which　appeared　to　have　settled　the　destiny　of　Simon　Giguet。　By　eight　o'clock　four　card…tables；　each　with　four　players；　were　under　way。　The　smaller　salon　and　the　dining…room　were　full　of　people。　Never；　except　on　grand　occasions；　such　as　balls　and　fete…days；　had　Madame　Marion　seen　such　an　influx　at　the　door　of　her　salon；　forming　as　it　were　the　tail　of　a　comet。

〃It　is　the　dawn　of　power；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet　to　the　mistress　of　the　house；　showing　her　this　spectacle；　so　gratifying　to　the　heart　of　a　person　who　delighted　in　receiving　company。

〃No　one　knows　what　there　is　in　Simon；〃　replied　the　mother。　〃We　live　in　times　when　young　men　who　persevere　and　are　moral　and　upright　can　aspire　to　everything。〃

This　answer　was　made；　not　so　much　to　Vinet　a