an old maid-第24章

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whispering　as　she　passed　her；　〃I　loved　him！〃



Suzanne；　faithful　to　her　nature；　did　not　leave　Alencon　on　this

occasion　without　changing　the　orange…blossoms　of　the　bride　to　rue。　She

was　the　first　to　declare　that　Madame　du　Bousquier　would　never　be

anything　but　Mademoiselle　Cormon。　With　one　stab　of　her　tongue　she

revenged　poor　Athanase　and　her　dear　chevalier。



Alencon　now　witnessed　a　suicide　that　was　slower　and　quite　differently

pitiful　from　that　of　poor　Athanase；　who　was　quickly　forgotten　by

society；　which　always　makes　haste　to　forget　its　dead。　The　poor

Chevalier　de　Valois　died　in　life；　his　suicide　was　a　daily　occurrence

for　fourteen　years。　Three　months　after　the　du　Bousquier　marriage

society　remarked；　not　without　astonishment；　that　the　linen　of　the

chevalier　was　frayed　and　rusty；　that　his　hair　was　irregularly　combed

and　brushed。　With　a　frowsy　head　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　could　no

longer　be　said　to　exist！　A　few　of　his　ivory　teeth　deserted；　though　the

keenest　observers　of　human　life　were　unable　to　discover　to　what　body

they　had　hitherto　belonged；　whether　to　a　foreign　legion　or　whether

they　were　indigenous；　vegetable　or　animal；　whether　age　had　pulled　them

from　the　chevalier's　mouth；　or　whether　they　were　left　forgotten　in　the

drawer　of　his　dressing…table。　The　cravat　was　crooked；　indifferent　to

elegance。　The　negroes'　heads　grew　pale　with　dust　and　grease。　The

wrinkles　of　the　face　were　blackened　and　puckered；　the　skin　became

parchment。　The　nails；　neglected；　were　often　seen；　alas！　with　a　black

velvet　edging。　The　waistcoat　was　tracked　and　stained　with　droppings

which　spread　upon　its　surface　like　autumn　leaves。　The　cotton　in　the

ears　was　seldom　changed。　Sadness　reigned　upon　that　brow；　and　slipped

its　yellowing　tints　into　the　depths　of　each　furrow。　In　short；　the

ruins；　hitherto　so　cleverly　hidden；　now　showed　through　the　cracks　and

crevices　of　that　fine　edifice；　and　proved　the　power　of　the　soul　over

the　body；　for　the　fair　and　dainty　man；　the　cavalier；　the　young　blood；

died　when　hope　deserted　him。　Until　then　the　nose　of　the　chevalier　was

ever　delicate　and　nice；　never　had　a　damp　black　blotch；　nor　an　amber

drop　fall　from　it；　but　now　that　nose；　smeared　with　tobacco　around　the

nostrils；　degraded　by　the　driblets　which　took　advantage　of　the　natural

gutter　placed　between　itself　and　the　upper　lip；that　nose；　which　no

longer　cared　to　seem　agreeable；　revealed　the　infinite　pains　which　the

chevalier　had　formerly　taken　with　his　person；　and　made　observers

comprehend；　by　the　extent　of　its　degradation；　the　greatness　and

persistence　of　the　man's　designs　upon　Mademoiselle　Cormon。



Alas；　too；　the　anecdotes　went　the　way　of　the　teeth；　the　clever　sayings

grew　rare。　The　appetite；　however；　remained；　the　old　nobleman　saved

nothing　but　his　stomach　from　the　wreck　of　his　hopes；　though　he

languidly　prepared　his　pinches　of　snuff；　he　ate　alarming　dinners。

Perhaps　you　will　more　fully　understand　the　disaster　that　this　marriage

was　to　the　mind　and　heart　of　the　chevalier　when　you　learn　that　his

intercourse　with　the　Princess　Goritza　became　less　frequent。



One　day　he　appeared　in　Mademoiselle　Armande's　salon　with　the　calf　of

his　leg　on　the　shin…bone。　This　bankruptcy　of　the　graces　was；　I　do

assure　you；　terrible；　and　struck　all　Alencon　with　horror。　The　late

young　man　had　become　an　old　one；　this　human　being；　who；　by　the

breaking…down　of　his　spirit；　had　passed　at　once　from　fifty　to　ninety

years　of　age；　frightened　society。　Besides；　his　secret　was　betrayed；　he

had　waited　and　watched　for　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　he　had；　like　a　patient

hunter；　adjusted　his　aim　for　ten　whole　years；　and　finally　had　missed

the　game！　In　short；　the　impotent　Republic　had　won　the　day　from　Valiant

Chivalry；　and　that；　too；　under　the　Restoration！　Form　triumphed；　mind

was　vanquished　by　matter；　diplomacy　by　insurrection。　And；　O　final

blow！　a　mortified　grisette　revealed　the　secret　of　the　chevalier's

mornings；　and　he　now　passed　for　a　libertine。　The　liberals　cast　at　his

door　all　the　foundlings　hitherto　attributed　to　du　Bousquier。　But　the

faubourg　Saint…Germain　of　Alencon　accepted　them　proudly：　it　even　said；

〃That　poor　chevalier；　what　else　could　he　do？〃　The　faubourg　pitied　him；

gathered　him　closer　to　their　circle；　and　brought　back　a　few　rare

smiles　to　his　face；　but　frightful　enmity　was　piled　upon　the　head　of　du

Bousquier。　Eleven　persons　deserted　the　Cormon　salon；　and　passed　to

that　of　the　d'Esgrignons。



The　old　maid's　marriage　had　a　signal　effect　in　defining　the　two

parties　in　Alencon。　The　salon　d'Esgrignon　represented　the　upper

aristocracy　（the　returning　Troisvilles　attached　themselves　to　it）；　the

Cormon　salon　represented；　under　the　clever　influence　of　du　Bousquier；

that　fatal　class　of　opinions　which；　without　being　truly　liberal　or

resolutely　royalist；　gave　birth　to　the　221　on　that　famous　day　when　the

struggle　openly　began　between　the　most　august；　grandest；　and　only　true

power；　ROYALTY；　and　the　most　false；　most　changeful；　most　oppressive　of

all　powers；the　power　called　PARLIAMENTARY；　which　elective　assemblies

exercise。　The　salon　du　Ronceret；　secretly　allied　to　the　Cormon　salon；

was　boldly　liberal。



The　Abbe　de　Sponde；　after　his　return　from　Prebaudet；　bore　many　and

continual　sufferings；　which　he　kept　within　his　breast；　saying　no　word

of　them　to　his　niece。　But　to　Mademoiselle　Armande　he　opened　his　heart；

admitting　that；　folly　for　folly；　he　would　much　have　preferred　the

Chevalier　de　Valois　to　Monsieur　du　Bousquier。　Never　would　the　dear

chevalier　have　had　the　bad　taste　to　contradict　and　oppose　a　poor　old

man　who　had　but　a　few　days　more　to　live；　du　Bousquier　had　destroyed

everything　in　the　good　old　home。　The　abbe　said；　with　scanty　tears

moistening　his　aged　eyes；



〃Mademoiselle；　I　haven't　even　the　little　grove　where　I　have　walked　for

fifty　years。　My　beloved　lindens　are　all　cut　down！　At　the　moment　of　my

death　the　Republic　appears　to　me　more　than　ever　under　the　form　of　a

horrible　destruction　of　the　Home。〃



〃You　must　pardon　your　niece；〃　said　the　Chevalier　de　Valois。

〃Republican　ideas　are　the　first　error　of　youth　which　seeks　for

liberty；　later　it　finds　it　the　worst　of　despotisms；that　of　an

impotent　canaille。　Your　poor　niece　is　punished　where　she　sinned。〃



〃What　will　become　of　me　in　a　house　where　naked　women　are　painted　on

the　walls？〃　said　the　poor　abbe。　〃Where　shall　I　find　other　lindens

beneath　which　to　read　my　breviary？〃



Like　Kant；　who　was　unable　to　collect　his　thoughts　after　the　fir…tree

at　which　he　was　accustomed　to　gaze　while　meditating　was　cut　down；　so

the　poor　abbe　could　never　attain　the　ardor　of　his　former　prayers　while

walking　up　and　down　the　shadeless　paths。　Du　Bousquier　had　planted　an

English　garden。



〃It　was　best；〃　said　Madame　du　Bousquier；　without　thinking　so；　but　the

Abbe　Couterier　had　authorized　her　to　commit　many　wrongs　to　please　her

husband。



These　restorations　destroyed　all　the　venerable　dignity；　cordiality；

and　patriarchal　air　of　the　old　house。　Like　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；

whose　personal　neglect　might　be　called　an　abdication；　the　bourgeois

dignity　of　the　Cormon　salon　no　longer　existed　when　it　was　turned　to

white　and　gold；　with　mahogany　ottomans　covered　in　blue　satin。　The

dining…room；　adorned　in　modern　taste；　was　colder　in　tone　than　it　used

to　be；　and　the　dinners　were　eaten　with　less　appetite　than　formerly。

Monsieur　du　Coudrai　declared　that　he　felt　his　puns　stick　in　his　throat

as　he　glanced　at　the　figures　painted　on　the　walls；　which　looked　him

out　of　countenance。　Externally；　the　house　was　still　provincial；　but

internally　everything　revealed　the　purveyor　of　the　Directory　and　the

bad　taste　of　the　money…changer；for　instance；　columns　in　stucco；

glass　doors；　Greek　mouldings；　meaningless　outlines；　all　styles

conglomerated；　magnificence　out　of　place　and　out　of　season。



The　town　of　Alencon　gabbled　for　two　weeks　over　this　luxury；　which

seemed　unparalleled；　but　a　few　months　later　the　community　was　proud　of

it；　and　several　rich　manufacturers　restored　their　houses　and　set　up

fine　salons。　Modern　furniture　came　into　the　town；　and　astral　lamps

were　seen！



The　Abbe　de　Sponde　was　among　the　first　to　perceive　the　secret

unhappiness　this　marriage　now　brought　to　the　private　life　of　his

beloved　niece。　The　character　of　noble　simplicity　which　had　hitherto

ruled　their　lives　was　lost　during　the　first　winter；　when　du　Bousquier

gave　two　balls　every　month。　Oh；　to　hear　violins　and　profane　music　at

these　worldly　entertainments　in　the　sacred　old　house！　The　abbe　prayed

on　his　knees　while　the　revels　lasted。　Next　the　political　system　of　the

sober　salon　was　slowly　perverted。　The　abbe　fathomed　du　Bousquier；　he

shuddered　at　his　imperious　tone；　he　saw　the　tears　in　his　niece's　eyes

when　she　felt　herself　losing　all　control　over　her　own　property；　for

her　husband　now　left　nothing　in　her　hands　but　the　management　of　the

linen；　the　table；　and　things　of　a　kind　which　are　the　lot　of　women。

Rose　had　no　longer　any　orders　to　give。　Monsieur's　will　was　alone

regarded　by　Jacquelin；　now　become　coachman；　by　Rene；　the　groom；　and　by

the　chef；　who　came　from　Paris；　Mariette　being　reduced　to　kitchen　maid。

Madame　du　Bousquier　had　no　one　to　rule　but　Josette。　Who　knows　what　it

costs　to　relinquish　the　delights　of　power？　If　the　triumph　of　the　will

is　one　of　the　intoxicating　pleasures　in　the　lives　of　great　men；　it　is

the　ALL　of　life　to　narrow　minds。　One　must　needs　have　been　a　minister

dismissed　from　power　to　comprehend　the　bitter　pain　which　came　upon

Madame　du　Bousquier　when　she　found　herself　reduced　to　this　absolute

servitude。　She　often　got　into　the　carriage　against　her　will；　she　saw

herself　surrounded　by　servants　who　were　distasteful　to　her；　she　no

longer　had　the　handling　of　her　dear　money；she　who　had　known　herself

free　to　spend　money；　and　did　not　spend　it。



All　imposed　limits　make　the　human　being　desire　to　go　beyond　them。　The

keenest　sufferings　come　from　the　thwarting　of　self…will。　The　beginning

of　this　state　of　things　was；　however；　rose…colored。　Every　concession

made　to　marital　authority　was　an　effect　of　the　love　which　the　poor

woman　felt　for　her　husband。　Du　Bousquier　behaved；　in　the　first

instance；　admirably　to　his　wife：　he　was　wise；　he　was　excellent；　he

gave　her　the　best　of　reasons　for　each　new　encroachment。　So　for　the

first　two　years　of　her　marriage　Madame　du　Bousquier　appeared　to　be

satisfied。　She　had　that　deliberate；　demure　little　air　which

distinguishes　young　women　who　have　married　for　love。　The　rush　of　blood

to　her　head　no　longer　tormented　her。　This　appearance　of　satisfaction

routed　the　scoffers；　contradicted　certain　rumors　about　du　Bousquier；

and　puzzled　all　observers　of　the　human　heart。　Rose…Marie…Victoire　was

so　afraid　that　if　she　displeased　her　husband　or　opposed　him；　she　would

lose　his　affection　and　be　deprived　of　his　company；　that　she　would

willingly　have　sacrificed　all　to　him；　even　her　uncle。　Her　silly　little

forms　of　pleasure　deceived　even　the　poor　ab