an old maid-第5章

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for　fifteen　years；　was　as　yet　satisfied　by　no　victory；　not　even　that

of　July；　1830。



It　was　not　without　some　private　intention　that　the　Chevalier　de　Valois

had　turned　Suzanne's　designs　upon　Monsieur　du　Bousquier。　The　liberal

and　the　royalist　had　mutually　divined　each　other　in　spite　of　the　wide

dissimulation　with　which　they　hid　their　common　hope　from　the　rest　of

the　town。　The　two　old　bachelors　were　secretly　rivals。　Each　had　formed

a　plan　to　marry　the　Demoiselle　Cormon；　whom　Monsieur　de　Valois　had

mentioned　to　Suzanne。　Both；　ensconced　in　their　idea　and　wearing　the

armor　of　apparent　indifference；　awaited　the　moment　when　some　lucky

chance　might　deliver　the　old　maid　over　to　them。　Thus；　if　the　two　old

bachelors　had　not　been　kept　asunder　by　the　two　political　systems　of

which　they　each　offered　a　living　expression；　their　private　rivalry

would　still　have　made　them　enemies。　Epochs　put　their　mark　on　men。

These　two　individuals　proved　the　truth　of　that　axiom　by　the　opposing

historic　tints　that　were　visible　in　their　faces；　in　their

conversation；　in　their　ideas；　and　in　their　clothes。　One；　abrupt；

energetic；　with　loud；　brusque　manners；　curt；　rude　speech；　dark　in

tone；　in　hair；　in　look；　terrible　apparently；　in　reality　as　impotent　as

an　insurrection；　represented　the　republic　admirably。　The　other；　gentle

and　polished；　elegant　and　nice；　attaining　his　ends　by　the　slow　and

infallible　means　of　diplomacy；　faithful　to　good　taste；　was　the　express

image　of　the　old　courtier　regime。



The　two　enemies　met　nearly　every　evening　on　the　same　ground。　The　war

was　courteous　and　benign　on　the　side　of　the　chevalier；　but　du

Bousquier　showed　less　ceremony　on　his；　though　still　preserving　the

outward　appearances　demanded　by　society；　for　he　did　not　wish　to　be

driven　from　the　place。　They　themselves　fully　understood　each　other；

but　in　spite　of　the　shrewd　observation　which　provincials　bestow　on　the

petty　interests　of　their　own　little　centre；　no　one　in　the　town

suspected　the　rivalry　of　these　two　men。　Monsieur　le　Chevalier　de

Valois　occupied　a　vantage…ground：　he　had　never　asked　for　the　hand　of

Mademoiselle　Cormon；　whereas　du　Bousquier；　who　entered　the　lists　soon

after　his　rejection　by　the　most　distinguished　family　in　the　place；　had

been　refused。　But　the　chevalier　believed　that　his　rival　had　still　such

strong　chances　of　success　that　he　dealt　him　this　coup　de　Jarnac　with　a

blade　（namely；　Suzanne）　that　was　finely　tempered　for　the　purpose。　The

chevalier　had　cast　his　plummet…line　into　the　waters　of　du　Bousquier；

and；　as　we　shall　see　by　the　sequel；　he　was　not　mistaken　in　any　of　his

conjectures。



Suzanne　tripped　with　a　light　foot　from　the　rue　du　Cours；　by　the　rue　de

la　Porte　de　Seez　and　the　rue　du　Bercail；　to　the　rue　du　Cygne；　where；

about　five　years　earlier；　du　Bousquier　had　bought　a　little　house　built

of　gray　Jura　stone；　which　is　something　between　Breton　slate　and　Norman

granite。　There　he　established　himself　more　comfortably　than　any

householder　in　town；　for　he　had　managed　to　preserve　certain　furniture

and　decorations　from　the　days　of　his　splendor。　But　provincial　manners

and　morals　obscured；　little　by　little；　the　rays　of　this　fallen

Sardanapalus；　these　vestiges　of　his　former　luxury　now　produced　the

effect　of　a　glass　chandelier　in　a　barn。　Harmony；　that　bond　of　all

work；　human　or　divine；　was　lacking　in　great　things　as　well　as　in

little　ones。　The　stairs；　up　which　everybody　mounted　without　wiping

their　feet；　were　never　polished；　the　walls；　painted　by　some　wretched

artisan　of　the　neighborhood；　were　a　terror　to　the　eye；　the　stone

mantel…piece；　ill…carved；　〃swore〃　with　the　handsome　clock；　which　was

further　degraded　by　the　company　of　contemptible　candlesticks。　Like　the

period　which　du　Bousquier　himself　represented；　the　house　was　a　jumble

of　dirt　and　magnificence。　Being　considered　a　man　of　leisure；　du

Bousquier　led　the　same　parasite　life　as　the　chevalier；　and　he　who　does

not　spend　his　income　is　always　rich。　His　only　servant　was　a　sort　of

Jocrisse；　a　lad　of　the　neighborhood；　rather　a　ninny；　trained　slowly

and　with　difficulty　to　du　Bousquier's　requirements。　His　master　had

taught　him；　as　he　might　an　orang…outang；　to　rub　the　floors；　dust　the

furniture；　black　his　boots；　brush　his　coats；　and　bring　a　lantern　to

guide　him　home　at　night　if　the　weather　were　cloudy；　and　clogs　if　it

rained。　Like　many　other　human　beings；　this　lad　hadn't　stuff　enough　in

him　for　more　than　one　vice；　he　was　a　glutton。　Often；　when　du　Bousquier

went　to　a　grand　dinner；　he　would　take　Rene　to　wait　at　table；　on　such

occasions　he　made　him　take　off　his　blue　cotton　jacket；　with　its　big

pockets　hanging　round　his　hips；　and　always　bulging　with　handkerchiefs；

clasp…knives；　fruits；　or　a　handful　of　nuts；　and　forced　him　to　put　on　a

regulation　coat。　Rene　would　then　stuff　his　fill　with　the　other

servants。　This　duty；　which　du　Bousquier　had　turned　into　a　reward；　won

him　the　most　absolute　discretion　from　the　Breton　servant。



〃You　here；　mademoiselle！〃　said　Rene　to　Suzanne　when　she　entered；

〃't'isn't　your　day。　We　haven't　any　linen　for　the　wash；　tell　Madame

Lardot。〃



〃Old　stupid！〃　said　Suzanne；　laughing。



The　pretty　girl　went　upstairs；　leaving　Rene　to　finish　his　porringer　of

buckwheat　in　boiled　milk。　Du　Bousquier；　still　in　bed；　was　revolving　in

his　mind　his　plans　of　fortune；　for　ambition　was　all　that　was　left　to

him；　as　to　other　men　who　have　sucked　dry　the　orange　of　pleasure。

Ambition　and　play　are　inexhaustible；　in　a　well…organized　man　the

passions　which　proceed　from　the　brain　will　always　survive　the　passions

of　the　heart。



〃Here　am　I；〃　said　Suzanne；　sitting　down　on　the　bed　and　jangling　the

curtain…rings　back　along　the　rod　with　despotic　vehemence。



〃Quesaco；　my　charmer？〃　said　the　old　bachelor；　sitting　up　in　bed。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　Suzanne；　gravely；　〃you　must　be　astonished　to　see　me

here　at　this　hour；　but　I　find　myself　in　a　condition　which　obliges　me

not　to　care　for　what　people　may　say　about　it。〃



〃What　does　all　that　mean？〃　said　du　Bousquier；　crossing　his　arms。



〃Don't　you　understand　me？〃　said　Suzanne。　〃I　know；〃　she　continued；

making　a　pretty　little　face；　〃how　ridiculous　it　is　in　a　poor　girl　to

come　and　nag　at　a　man　for　what　he　thinks　a　mere　nothing。　But　if　you

really　knew　me；　monsieur；　if　you　knew　all　that　I　am　capable　of　for　a

man　who　would　attach　himself　to　me　as　much　as　I'm　attached　to　you；　you

would　never　repent　having　married　me。　Of　course　it　isn't　here；　in

Alencon；　that　I　should　be　of　service　to　you；　but　if　we　went　to　Paris；

you　would　see　where　I　could　lead　a　man　with　your　mind　and　your

capacities；　and　just　at　this　time　too；　when　they　are　remaking　the

government　from　top　to　toe。　Sobetween　ourselves；　be　it　saidIS　what

has　happened　a　misfortune？　Isn't　it　rather　a　piece　of　luck；　which　will

pay　you　well？　Who　and　what　are　you　working　for　now？〃



〃For　myself；　of　course！〃　cried　du　Bousquier；　brutally。



〃Monster！　you'll　never　be　a　father！〃　said　Suzanne；　giving　a　tone　of

prophetic　malediction　to　the　words。



〃Come；　don't　talk　nonsense；　Suzanne；〃　replied　du　Bousquier；　〃I　really

think　I　am　still　dreaming。〃



〃How　much　more　reality　do　you　want？〃　cried　Suzanne；　standing　up。



Du　Bousquier　rubbed　his　cotton　night…cap　to　the　top　of　his　head　with　a

rotatory　motion；　which　plainly　indicated　the　tremendous　fermentation

of　his　ideas。



〃He　actually　believes　it！〃　thought　Suzanne；　〃and　he's　flattered。

Heaven！　how　easy　it　is　to　gull　men！〃



〃Suzanne；　what　the　devil　must　I　do？　It　is　so　extraordinaryI；　who

thought　The　fact　is　that　No；　no；　it　can't　be〃



〃What？　you　can't　marry　me？〃



〃Oh！　as　for　that；　no；　I　have　engagements。〃



〃With　Mademoiselle　Armande　or　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　who　have　both

refused　you？　Listen　to　me；　Monsieur　du　Bousquier；　my　honor　doesn't

need　gendarmes　to　drag　you　to　the　mayor's　office。　I　sha'n't　lack　for

husbands；　thank　goodness！　and　I　don't　want　a　man　who　can't　appreciate

what　I'm　worth。　But　some　day　you'll　repent　of　the　way　you　are

behaving；　for　I　tell　you　now　that　nothing　on　earth；　neither　gold　nor

silver；　will　induce　me　to　return　the　good　thing　that　belongs　to　you；

if　you　refuse　to　accept　it　to…day。〃



〃But；　Suzanne；　are　you　sure？〃



〃Oh；　monsieur！〃　cried　the　grisette；　wrapping　her　virtue　round　her；

〃what　do　you　take　me　for？　I　don't　remind　you　of　the　promises　you　made

me；　which　have　ruined　a　poor　young　girl　whose　only　blame　was　to　have

as　much　ambition　as　love。〃



Du　Bousquier　was　torn　with　conflicting　sentiments；　joy；　distrust；

calculation。　He　had　long　determined　to　marry　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　for

the　Charter；　on　which　he　had　just　been　ruminating；　offered　to　his

ambition；　through　the　half　of　her　property；　the　political　career　of　a

deputy。　Besides；　his　marriage　with　the　old　maid　would　put　him　socially

so　high　in　the　town　that　he　would　have　great　influence。　Consequently；

the　storm　upraised　by　that　malicious　Suzanne　drove　him　into　the

wildest　embarrassment。　Without　this　secret　scheme；　he　would　have

married　Suzanne　without　hesitation。　In　which　case；　he　could　openly

assume　the　leadership　of　the　liberal　party　in　Alencon。　After　such　a

marriage　he　would；　of　course；　renounce　the　best　society　and　take　up

with　the　bourgeois　class　of　tradesmen；　rich　manufacturers　and

graziers；　who　would　certainly　carry　him　in　triumph　as　their　candidate。

Du　Bousquier　already　foresaw　the　Left　side。



This　solemn　deliberation　he　did　not　conceal；　he　rubbed　his　hands　over

his　head；　displacing　the　cap　which　covered　its　disastrous　baldness。

Suzanne；　meantime；　like　all　those　persons　who　succeed　beyond　their

hopes；　was　silent　and　amazed。　To　hide　her　astonishment；　she　assumed

the　melancholy　pose　of　an　injured　girl　at　the　mercy　of　her　seducer；

inwardly　she　was　laughing　like　a　grisette　at　her　clever　trick。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　du　Bousquier　at　length；　〃I'm　not　to　be　taken　in

with　such　BOSH；　not　I！〃



Such　was　the　curt　remark　which　ended　du　Bousquier's　meditation。　He

plumed　himself　on　belonging　to　the　class　of　cynical　philosophers　who

could　never　be　〃taken　in〃　by　women；putting　them；　one　and　all；　unto

the　same　category；　as　SUSPICIOUS。　These　strong…minded　persons　are

usually　weak　men　who　have　a　special　catechism　in　the　matter　of

womenkind。　To　them　the　whole　sex；　from　queens　of　France　to　milliners；

are　essentially　depraved；　licentious；　intriguing；　not　a　little

rascally；　fundamentally　deceitful；　and　incapable　of　thought　about

anything　but　trifles。　To　them；　women　are　evil…doing　queens；　who　must

be　allowed　to　dance　and　sing　and　laugh　as　they　please；　they　see

nothing　sacred　or　saintly　in　them；　nor　anything　grand；　to　them　there

is　no　poetry　in　the　senses；　only　gross　sensuality。　Where　such

jurisprudence　prevails；　if　a　woman　is　not　perpetually　tyrannized　over；

she　reduces　the　man　to　the　condition　of　a　slave。　Under　this　aspect　du

Bousquier　was　again　the　antithesis　of　the　chevalier。　When　he　made　his

final　remark；　he　flung　his　night…cap　to　the　foot　of