an old maid-第22章

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of　the　Sarthe　are　bordered　with　beautiful　trees；　well　grouped。　Though

the　landscape　is　flat；　it　is　not　without　those　modest　graces　which

distinguish　France；　where　the　eye　is　never　wearied　by　the　brilliancy

of　Oriental　skies；　nor　saddened　by　constant　fog。　The　place　is

solitary。　In　the　provinces　no　one　pays　much　attention　to　a　fine　view；

either　because　provincials　are　blases　on　the　beauty　around　them；　or

because　they　have　no　poesy　in　their　souls。　If　there　exists　in　the

provinces　a　mall；　a　promenade；　a　vantage…ground　from　which　a　fine　view

can　be　obtained；　that　is　the　point　to　which　no　one　goes。　Athanase　was

fond　of　this　solitude；　enlivened　by　the　sparkling　water；　where　the

fields　were　the　first　to　green　under　the　earliest　smiling　of　the

springtide　sun。　Those　persons　who　saw　him　sitting　beneath　a　poplar；

and　who　noticed　the　vacant　eye　which　he　turned　to　them；　would　say　to

Madame　Granson：



〃Something　is　the　matter　with　your　son。〃



〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　the　mother　would　reply；　hinting　that　he　was

meditating　over　some　great　work。



Athanase　no　longer　took　part　in　politics：　he　ceased　to　have　opinions；

but　he　appeared　at　times　quite　gay；gay　with　the　satire　of　those　who

think　to　insult　a　whole　world　with　their　own　individual　scorn。　This

young　man；　outside　of　all　the　ideas　and　all　the　pleasures　of　the

provinces；　interested　few　persons；　he　was　not　even　an　object　of

curiosity。　If　persons　spoke　of　him　to　his　mother；　it　was　for　her　sake；

not　his。　There　was　not　a　single　soul　in　Alencon　that　sympathized　with

his；　not　a　woman；　not　a　friend　came　near　to　dry　his　tears；　they

dropped　into　the　Sarthe。　If　the　gorgeous　Suzanne　had　happened　that

way；　how　many　young　miseries　might　have　been　born　of　the　meeting！　for

the　two　would　surely　have　loved　each　other。



She　did　come；　however。　Suzanne's　ambition　was　early　excited　by　the

tale　of　a　strange　adventure　which　had　happened　at　the　tavern　of　the

More；a　tale　which　had　taken　possession　of　her　childish　brain。　A

Parisian　woman；　beautiful　as　the　angels；　was　sent　by　Fouche　to

entangle　the　Marquis　de　Montauran；　otherwise　called　〃The　Gars；〃　in　a

love…affair　（see　〃The　Chouans〃）。　She　met　him　at　the　tavern　of　the　More

on　his　return　from　an　expedition　to　Mortagne；　she　cajoled　him；　made

him　love　her；　and　then　betrayed　him。　That　fantastic　powerthe　power

of　beauty　over　mankind；　in　fact；　the　whole　story　of　Marie　de　Verneuil

and　the　Garsdazzled　Suzanne；　she　longed　to　grow　up　in　order　to　play

upon　men。　Some　months　after　her　hasty　departure　she　passed　through　her

native　town　with　an　artist　on　his　way　to　Brittany。　She　wanted　to　see

Fougeres；　where　the　adventure　of　the　Marquis　de　Montauran　culminated；

and　to　stand　upon　the　scene　of　that　picturesque　war；　the　tragedies　of

which；　still　so　little　known；　had　filled　her　childish　mind。　Besides

this；　she　had　a　fancy　to　pass　through　Alencon　so　elegantly　equipped

that　no　one　could　recognize　her；　to　put　her　mother　above　the　reach　of

necessity；　and　also　to　send　to　poor　Athanase；　in　a　delicate　manner；　a

sum　of　money；which　in　our　age　is　to　genius　what　in　the　middle　ages

was　the　charger　and　the　coat　of　mail　that　Rebecca　conveyed　to　Ivanhoe。



One　month　passed　away　in　the　strangest　uncertainties　respecting　the

marriage　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon。　A　party　of　unbelievers　denied　the

marriage　altogether；　the　believers；　on　the　other　hand；　affirmed　it。　At

the　end　of　two　weeks；　the　faction　of　unbelief　received　a　vigorous　blow

in　the　sale　of　du　Bousquier's　house　to　the　Marquis　de　Troisville；　who

only　wanted　a　simple　establishment　in　Alencon；　intending　to　go　to

Paris　after　the　death　of　the　Princess　Scherbellof；　he　proposed　to

await　that　inheritance　in　retirement；　and　then　to　reconstitute　his

estates。　This　seemed　positive。　The　unbelievers；　however；　were　not

crushed。　They　declared　that　du　Bousquier；　married　or　not；　had　made　an

excellent　sale；　for　the　house　had　only　cost　him　twenty…seven　thousand

francs。　The　believers　were　depressed　by　this　practical　observation　of

the　incredulous。　Choisnel；　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　notary；　asserted　the

latter；　had　heard　nothing　about　the　marriage　contract；　but　the

believers；　still　firm　in　their　faith；　carried　off；　on　the　twentieth

day；　a　signal　victory：　Monsieur　Lepressoir；　the　notary　of　the

liberals；　went　to　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　house；　and　the　contract　was

signed。



This　was　the　first　of　the　numerous　sacrifices　which　Mademoiselle

Cormon　was　destined　to　make　to　her　husband。　Du　Bousquier　bore　the

deepest　hatred　to　Choisnel；　to　him　he　owed　the　refusal　of　the　hand　of

Mademoiselle　Armande；a　refusal　which；　as　he　believed；　had　influenced

that　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon。　This　circumstance　alone　made　the　marriage

drag　along。　Mademoiselle　received　several　anonymous　letters。　She

learned；　to　her　great　astonishment；　that　Suzanne　was　as　truly　a　virgin

as　herself　so　far　as　du　Bousquier　was　concerned；　for　that　seducer　with

the　false　toupet　could　never　be　the　hero　of　any　such　adventure。

Mademoiselle　Cormon　disdained　anonymous　letters；　but　she　wrote　to

Suzanne　herself；　on　the　ground　of　enlightening　the　Maternity　Society。

Suzanne；　who　had　no　doubt　heard　of　du　Bousquier's　proposed　marriage；

acknowledged　her　trick；　sent　a　thousand　francs　to　the　society；　and　did

all　the　harm　she　could　to　the　old　purveyor。　Mademoiselle　Cormon

convoked　the　Maternity　Society；　which　held　a　special　meeting　at　which

it　was　voted　that　the　association　would　not　in　future　assist　any

misfortunes　about　to　happen；　but　solely　those　that　had　happened。



In　spite　of　all　these　various　events　which　kept　the　town　in　the

choicest　gossip；　the　banns　were　published　in　the　churches　and　at　the

mayor's　office。　Athanase　prepared　the　deeds。　As　a　matter　of　propriety

and　public　decency；　the　bride　retired　to　Prebaudet；　where　du

Bousquier；　bearing　sumptuous　and　horrible　bouquets；　betook　himself

every　morning；　returning　home　for　dinner。



At　last；　on　a　dull　and　rainy　morning　in　June；　the　marriage　of

Mademoiselle　Cormon　and　the　Sieur　du　Bousquier　took　place　at　noon　in

the　parish　church　of　Alencon；　in　sight　of　the　whole　town。　The　bridal

pair　went　from　their　own　house　to　the　mayor's　office；　and　from　the

mayor's　office　to　the　church　in　an　open　caleche；　a　magnificent　vehicle

for　Alencon；　which　du　Bousquier　had　sent　for　secretly　to　Paris。　The

loss　of　the　old　carriole　was　a　species　of　calamity　in　the　eyes　of　the

community。　The　harness…maker　of　the　Porte　de　Seez　bemoaned　it；　for　he

lost　the　fifty　francs　a　year　which　it　cost　in　repairs。　Alencon　saw

with　alarm　the　possibility　of　luxury　being　thus　introduced　into　the

town。　Every　one　feared　a　rise　in　the　price　of　rents　and　provisions；

and　a　coming　invasion　of　Parisian　furniture。　Some　persons　were

sufficiently　pricked　by　curiosity　to　give　ten　sous　to　Jacquelin　to

allow　them　a　close　inspection　of　the　vehicle　which　threatened　to　upset

the　whole　economy　of　the　region。　A　pair　of　horses；　bought　in

Normandie；　were　also　most　alarming。



〃If　we　bought　our　own　horses；〃　said　the　Ronceret　circle；　〃we　couldn't

sell　them　to　those　who　come　to　buy。〃



Stupid　as　it　was；　this　reasoning　seemed　sound；　for　surely　such　a

course　would　prevent　the　region　from　grasping　the　money　of　foreigners。

In　the　eyes　of　the　provinces　wealth　consisted　less　in　the　rapid

turning　over　of　money　than　in　sterile　accumulation。　It　may　be

mentioned　here　that　Penelope　succumbed　to　a　pleurisy　which　she

acquired　about　six　weeks　before　the　marriage；　nothing　could　save　her。



Madame　Granson；　Mariette；　Madame　du　Coudrai；　Madame　du　Ronceret；　and

through　them　the　whole　town；　remarked　that　Madame　du　Bousquier　entered

the　church　WITH　HER　LEFT　FOOT；an　omen　all　the　more　dreadful　because

the　term　Left　was　beginning　to　acquire　a　political　meaning。　The　priest

whose　duty　it　was　to　read　the　opening　formula　opened　his　book　by

chance　at　the　De　Profundis。　Thus　the　marriage　was　accompanied　by

circumstances　so　fateful；　so　alarming；　so　annihilating　that　no　one

dared　to　augur　well　of　it。　Matters；　in　fact；　went　from　bad　to　worse。

There　was　no　wedding　party；　the　married　pair　departed　immediately　for

Prebaudet。　Parisian　customs；　said　the　community；　were　about　to　triumph

over　time…honored　provincial　ways。



The　marriage　of　Jacquelin　and　Josette　now　took　place：　it　was　gay；　and

they　were　the　only　two　persons　in　Alencon　who　refuted　the　sinister

prophecies　relating　to　the　marriage　of　their　mistress。



Du　Bousquier　determined　to　use　the　proceeds　of　the　sale　of　his　late

residence　in　restoring　and　modernizing　the　hotel　Cormon。　He　decided　to

remain　through　two　seasons　at　Prebaudet；　and　took　the　Abbe　de　Sponde

with　them。　This　news　spread　terror　through　the　town；　where　every

individual　felt　that　du　Bousquier　was　about　to　drag　the　community　into

the　fatal　path　of　〃comfort。〃　This　fear　increased　when　the　inhabitants

of　Alencon　saw　the　bridegroom　driving　in　from　Prebaudet　one　morning　to

inspect　his　works；　in　a　fine　tilbury　drawn　by　a　new　horse；　having　Rene

at　his　side　in　livery。　The　first　act　of　his　administration　had　been　to

place　his　wife's　savings　on　the　Grand…Livre；　which　was　then　quoted　at

67　fr。　50　cent。　In　the　space　of　one　year；　during　which　he　played

constantly　for　a　rise；　he　made　himself　a　personal　fortune　almost　as

considerable　as　that　of　his　wife。



But　all　these　foreboding　prophecies；　these　perturbing　innovations；

were　superseded　and　surpassed　by　an　event　connected　with　this　marriage

which　gave　a　still　more　fatal　aspect　to　it。



On　the　very　evening　of　the　ceremony；　Athanase　and　his　mother　were

sitting；　after　their　dinner；　over　a　little　fire　of　fagots；　which　the

servant　lighted　usually　at　dessert。



〃Well；　we　will　go　this　evening　to　the　du　Roncerets'；　inasmuch　as　we

have　lost　Mademoiselle　Cormon；〃　said　Madame　Granson。　〃Heavens！　how

shall　I　ever　accustom　myself　to　call　her　Madame　du　Bousquier！　that

name　burns　my　lips。〃



Athanase　looked　at　his　mother　with　a　constrained　and　melancholy　air；

he　could　not　smile；　but　he　seemed　to　wish　to　welcome　that　naive

sentiment　which　soothed　his　wound；　though　it　could　not　cure　his

anguish。



〃Mamma；〃　he　said；　in　the　voice　of　his　childhood；　so　tender　was　it；　and

using　the　name　he　had　abandoned　for　several　years；〃my　dear　mamma；　do

not　let　us　go　out　just　yet；　it　is　so　pleasant　here　before　the　fire。〃



The　mother　heard；　without　comprehending；　that　supreme　prayer　of　a

mortal　sorrow。



〃Yes；　let　us　stay；　my　child；〃　she　said。　〃I　like　much　better　to　talk

with　you　and　listen　to　your　projects　than　to　play　at　boston　and　lose

my　money。〃



〃You　are　so　handsome　to…night　I　love　to　look　at　you。　Besides；　I　am　in

a　current　of　ideas　which　harmonize　with　this　poor　little　salon　where

we　have　suffered　so　much。〃



〃And　where　we　shall　still　suffer；　my　poor　Athanase；　until　your　works

succeed。　For　myself；　I　am　trained　to　poverty；　but　you；　my　treasure！　to

see　your　youth　go　by　without　a　joy！　nothing　but　toil　for　my　poor　boy

in　life！　That　thought　is　like　an　ill