modeste mignon-第5章

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York　freighted　with　silks　purchased　in　Lyons　at　reduced　prices。　He

sent　Dumay　on　the　ship　as　his　agent；　and　when　the　latter　returned；

after　making　a　double　profit　by　the　sale　of　the　silks　and　the　purchase

of　cottons　at　a　low　valuation；　he　found　the　colonel　installed　with　his

family　in　the　handsomest　house　in　the　rue　Royale；　and　studying　the

principles　of　banking　with　the　prodigious　activity　and　intelligence　of

a　native　of　Provence。



This　double　operation　of　Dumay's　was　worth　a　fortune　to　the　house　of

Mignon。　The　colonel　purchased　the　villa　at　Ingouville　and　rewarded　his

agent　with　the　gift　of　a　modest　little　house　in　the　rue　Royale。　The

poor　toiler　had　brought　back　from　New　York；　together　with　his　cottons；

a　pretty　little　wife；　attracted　it　would　seem　by　his　French　nature。

Miss　Grummer　was　worth　about　four　thousand　dollars　（twenty　thousand

francs）；　which　sum　Dumay　placed　with　his　colonel；　to　whom　he　now

became　an　alter　ego。　In　a　short　time　he　learned　to　keep　his　patron's

books；　a　science　which；　to　use　his　own　expression；　pertains　to　the

sergeant…majors　of　commerce。　The　simple…hearted　soldier；　whom　fortune

had　forgotten　for　twenty　years；　thought　himself　the　happiest　man　in

the　world　as　the　owner　of　the　little　house　（which　his　master's

liberality　had　furnished）；　with　twelve　hundred　francs　a　year　from

money　in　the　funds；　and　a　salary　of　three　thousand　six　hundred。　Never

in　his　dreams　had　Lieutenant　Dumay　hoped　for　a　situation　so　good　as

this；　but　greater　still　was　the　satisfaction　he　derived　from　the

knowledge　that　his　lucky　enterprise　had　been　the　pivot　of　good　fortune

to　the　richest　commercial　house　in　Havre。



Madame　Dumay；　a　rather　pretty　little　American；　had　the　misfortune　to

lose　all　her　children　at　their　birth；　and　her　last　confinement　was　so

disastrous　as　to　deprive　her　of　the　hope　of　any　other。　She　therefore

attached　herself　to　the　two　little　Mignons；　whom　Dumay　himself　loved；

or　would　have　loved；　even　better　than　his　own　children　had　they　lived。

Madame　Dumay；　whose　parents　were　farmers　accustomed　to　a　life　of

economy；　was　quite　satisfied　to　receive　only　two　thousand　four　hundred

francs　of　her　own　and　her　household　expenses；　so　that　every　year　Dumay

laid　by　two　thousand　and　some　extra　hundreds　with　the　house　of　Mignon。

When　the　yearly　accounts　were　made　up　the　colonel　always　added

something　to　this　little　store　by　way　of　acknowledging　the　cashier's

services；　until　in　1824　the　latter　had　a　credit　of　fifty…eight

thousand　francs。　In　was　then　that　Charles　Mignon；　Comte　de　La　Bastie；

a　title　he　never　used；　crowned　his　cashier　with　the　final　happiness　of

residing　at　the　Chalet；　where　at　the　time　when　this　story　begins

Madame　Mignon　and　her　daughter　were　living　in　obscurity。



The　deplorable　state　of　Madame　Mignon's　health　was　caused　in　part　by

the　catastrophe　to　which　the　absence　of　her　husband　was　due。　Grief　had

taken　three　years　to　break　down　the　docile　German　woman；　but　it　was　a

grief　that　gnawed　at　her　heart　like　a　worm　at　the　core　of　a　sound

fruit。　It　is　easy　to　reckon　up　its　obvious　causes。　Two　children；　dying

in　infancy；　had　a　double　grave　in　a　soul　that　could　never　forget。　The

exile　of　her　husband　to　Siberia　was　to　such　a　woman　a　daily　death。　The

failure　of　the　rich　house　of　Wallenrod；　and　the　death　of　her　father；

leaving　his　coffers　empty；　was　to　Bettina；　then　uncertain　about　the

fate　of　her　husband；　a　terrible　blow。　The　joy　of　Charles's　return　came

near　killing　the　tender　German　flower。　After　that　the　second　fall　of

the　Empire　and　the　proposed　expatriation　acted　on　her　feelings　like　a

renewed　attack　of　the　same　fever。　At　last；　however；　after　ten　years　of

continual　prosperity；　the　comforts　of　her　house；　which　was　the　finest

in　Havre；　the　dinners；　balls；　and　fetes　of　a　prosperous　merchant；　the

splendors　of　the　villa　Mignon；　the　unbounded　respect　and　consideration

enjoyed　by　her　husband；　his　absolute　affection；　giving　her　an

unrivalled　love　in　return　for　her　single…minded　love　for　him；all

these　things　brought　the　woman　back　to　life。　At　the　moment　when　her

doubts　and　fears　at　last　left　her；　when　she　could　look　forward　to　the

bright　evening　of　her　stormy　life；　a　hidden　catastrophe；　buried　in　the

heart　of　the　family；　and　of　which　we　shall　presently　make　mention；

came　as　the　precursor　of　renewed　trials。



In　January；　1826；　on　the　day　when　Havre　had　unanimously　chosen　Charles

Mignon　as　its　deputy；　three　letters；　arriving　from　New　York；　Paris；

and　London；　fell　with　the　destruction　of　a　hammer　upon　the　crystal

palace　of　his　prosperity。　In　an　instant　ruin　like　a　vulture　swooped

down　upon　their　happiness；　just　as　the　cold　fell　in　1812　upon　the

grand　army　in　Russia。　One　night　sufficed　Charles　Mignon　to　decide　upon

his　course；　and　he　spent　it　in　settling　his　accounts　with　Dumay。　All

he　owned；　not　excepting　his　furniture；　would　just　suffice　to　pay　his

creditors。



〃Havre　shall　never　see　me　doing　nothing；〃　said　the　colonel　to　the

lieutenant。　〃Dumay；　I　take　your　sixty　thousand　francs　at　six　per

cent。〃



〃Three；　my　colonel。〃



〃At　nothing；　then；〃　cried　Mignon；　peremptorily；　〃you　shall　have　your

share　in　the　profits　of　what　I　now　undertake。　The　'Modeste；'　which　is

no　longer　mine；　sails　to…morrow；　and　I　sail　in　her。　I　commit　to　you　my

wife　and　daughter。　I　shall　not　write。　No　news　must　be　taken　as　good

news。〃



Dumay；　always　subordinate；　asked　no　questions　of　his　colonel。　〃I

think；〃　he　said　to　Latournelle　with　a　knowing　little　glance；　〃that　my

colonel　has　a　plan　laid　out。〃



The　following　day　at　dawn　he　accompanied　his　master　on　board　the

〃Modeste〃　bound　for　Constantinople。　There；　on　the　poop　of　the　vessel；

the　Breton　said　to　the　Provencal；



〃What　are　your　last　commands；　my　colonel？〃



〃That　no　man　shall　enter　the　Chalet；〃　cried　the　father　with　strong

emotion。　〃Dumay；　guard　my　last　child　as　though　you　were　a　bull…dog。

Death　to　the　man　who　seduces　another　daughter！　Fear　nothing；　not　even

the　scaffoldI　will　be　with　you。〃



〃My　colonel；　go　in　peace。　I　understand　you。　You　shall　find

Mademoiselle　Mignon　on　your　return　such　as　you　now　give　her　to　me；　or

I　shall　be　dead。　You　know　me；　and　you　know　your　Pyrenees　hounds。　No

man　shall　reach　your　daughter。　Forgive　me　for　troubling　you　with

words。〃



The　two　soldiers　clasped　arms　like　men　who　had　learned　to　understand

each　other　in　the　solitudes　of　Siberia。



On　the　same　day　the　Havre　〃Courier〃　published　the　following　terrible；

simple；　energetic；　and　honorable　notice：



　　〃The　house　of　Charles　Mignon　suspends　payment。　But　the

　　undersigned；　assignees　of　the　estate；　undertake　to　pay　all

　　liabilities。　On　and　after　this　date；　holders　of　notes　may　obtain

　　the　usual　discount。　The　sale　of　the　landed　estates　will　fully

　　cover　all　current　indebtedness。



　　〃This　notice　is　issued　for　the　honor　of　the　house；　and　to　prevent

　　any　disturbance　in　the　money…market　of　this　town。



　　〃Monsieur　Charles　Mignon　sailed　this　morning　on　the　'Modeste'　for

　　Asia　Minor；　leaving　full　powers　with　the　undersigned　to　sell　his

　　whole　property；　both　landed　and　personal。



　　　　DUMAY；　assignee　of　the　Bank　accounts；

　　　　LATOURNELLE；　notary；　assignee　of　the　city　and　villa　property；

　　　　GOBENHEIM；　assignee　of　the　commercial　property。〃



Latournelle　owed　his　prosperity　to　the　kindness　of　Monsieur　Mignon；

who　lent　him　one　hundred　thousand　francs　in　1817　to　buy　the　finest　law

practice　in　Havre。　The　poor　man；　who　had　no　pecuniary　means；　was

nearly　forty　years　of　age　and　saw　no　prospect　of　being　other　than

head…clerk　for　the　rest　of　his　days。　He　was　the　only　man　in　Havre

whose　devotion　could　be　compared　with　Dumay's。　As　for　Gobenheim；　he

profited　by　the　liquidation　to　get　a　part　of　Monsieur　Mignon's

business；　which　lifted　his　own　little　bank　into　prominence。



While　unanimous　regrets　for　the　disaster　were　expressed　in　counting…

rooms；　on　the　wharves；　and　in　private　houses；　where　praises　of　a　man

so　irreproachable；　honorable；　and　beneficent　filled　every　mouth；

Latournelle　and　Dumay；　silent　and　active　as　ants；　sold　land；　turned

property　into　money；　paid　the　debts；　and　settled　up　everything。

Vilquin　showed　a　good　deal　of　generosity　in　purchasing　the　villa；　the

town…house；　and　a　farm；　and　Latournelle　made　the　most　of　his

liberality　by　getting　a　good　price　out　of　him。　Society　wished　to　show

civilities　to　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Mignon；　but　they　had　already

obeyed　the　father's　last　wishes　and　taken　refuge　in　the　Chalet；　where

they　went　on　the　very　morning　of　his　departure；　the　exact　hour　of

which　had　been　concealed　from　them。　Not　to　be　shaken　in　his　resolution

by　his　grief　at　parting；　the　brave　man　said　farewell　to　his　wife　and

daughter　while　they　slept。　Three　hundred　visiting　cards　were　left　at

the　house。　A　fortnight　later；　just　as　Charles　had　predicted；　complete

forgetfulness　settled　down　upon　the　Chalet；　and　proved　to　these　women

the　wisdom　and　dignity　of　his　command。



Dumay　sent　agents　to　represent　his　master　in　New　York；　Paris；　and

London；　and　followed　up　the　assignments　of　the　three　banking…houses

whose　failure　had　caused　the　ruin　of　the　Havre　house；　thus　realizing

five　hundred　thousand　francs　between　1826　and　1828；　an　eighth　of

Charles's　whole　fortune；　then；　according　to　the　latter's　directions

given　on　the　night　of　his　departure；　he　sent　that　sum　to　New　York

through　the　house　of　Mongenod　to　the　credit　of　Monsieur　Charles

Mignon。　All　this　was　done　with　military　obedience；　except　in　a　matter

of　withholding　thirty　thousand　francs　for　the　personal　expenses　of

Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Mignon　as　the　colonel　had　ordered　him　to　do；

but　which　Dumay　did　not　do。　The　Breton　sold　his　own　little　house　for

twenty　thousand　francs；　which　sum　he　gave　to　Madame　Mignon；　believing

that　the　more　capital　he　sent　to　his　colonel　the　sooner　the　latter

would　return。



〃He　might　perish　for　the　want　of　thirty　thousand　francs；〃　Dumay

remarked　to　Latournelle；　who　bought　the　little　house　at　its　full

value；　where　an　apartment　was　always　kept　ready　for　the　inhabitants　of

the　Chalet。







CHAPTER　IV



A　SIMPLE　STORY



Such　was　the　result　to　the　celebrated　house　of　Mignon　at　Havre　of　the

crisis　of　1825…26；　which　convulsed　many　of　the　principal　business

centres　in　Europe　and　caused　the　ruin　of　several　Parisian　bankers；

among　them　（as　those　who　remember　that　crisis　will　recall）　the

president　of　the　chamber　of　commerce。



We　can　now　understand　how　this　great　disaster；　coming　suddenly　at　the

close　of　ten　years　of　domestic　happiness；　might　well　have　been　the

death　of　Bettina　Mignon；　again　separated　from　her　husband　and　ignorant

of　his　fate；to　her　as　adventurous　and　perilous　as　the　exile　to

Siberia。　But　the　grief　which　was　dragging　her　to　the　grave　was　far

other　than　these　visible　sorrows。　The　caustic　that　was　slowly　eating

into　her　heart　lay　beneath　a　stone　in　the　little　graveyard　of

Ingouville；　on　which　was　inscribed：



B