the muse of the department-第3章

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of　course　presented　by　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye　to　his　wife。

As　soon　as　he　was　released　from　his　functions；　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye
returned　to　Paris　to　come　to　an　understanding　with　some　other　debtors。
This　time　he　was　made　a　Referendary　under　the　Great　Seal；　Baron；　and
Officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　He　sold　the　appointment　as
Referendary；　and　then　the　Baron　de　la　Baudraye　called　on　his　last
remaining　debtors；　and　reappeared　at　Sancerre　as　Master　of　Appeals；
with　an　appointment　as　Royal　Commissioner　to　a　commercial　association
established　in　the　Nivernais；　at　a　salary　of　six　thousand　francs；　an
absolute　sinecure。　So　the　worthy　La　Baudraye；　who　was　supposed　to　have
committed　a　financial　blunder；　had；　in　fact；　done　very　good　business
in　the　choice　of　a　wife。

Thanks　to　sordid　economy　and　an　indemnity　paid　him　for　the　estate
belonging　to　his　father；　nationalized　and　sold　in　1793；　by　the　year
1827　the　little　man　could　realize　the　dream　of　his　whole　life。　By
paying　four　hundred　thousand　francs　down；　and　binding　himself　to
further　instalments；　which　compelled　him　to　live　for　six　years　on　the
air　as　it　came；　to　use　his　own　expression；　he　was　able　to　purchase　the
estate　of　Anzy　on　the　banks　of　the　Loire；　about　two　leagues　above
Sancerre；　and　its　magnificent　castle　built　by　Philibert　de　l'Orme；　the
admiration　of　every　connoisseur；　and　for　five　centuries　the　property
of　the　Uxelles　family。　At　last　he　was　one　of　the　great　landowners　of
the　province！　It　is　not　absolutely　certain　that　the　satisfaction　of
knowing　that　an　entail　had　been　created；　by　letters　patent　dated　back
to　December　1820；　including　the　estates　of　Anzy；　of　La　Baudraye；　and
of　La　Hautoy；　was　any　compensation　to　Dinah　on　finding　herself　reduced
to　unconfessed　penuriousness　till　1835。

This　sketch　of　the　financial　policy　of　the　first　Baron　de　la　Baudraye
explains　the　man　completely。　Those　who　are　familiar　with　the　manias　of
country　folks　will　recognize　in　him　the　/land…hunger/　which　becomes
such　a　consuming　passion　to　the　exclusion　of　every　other；　a　sort　of
avarice　displayed　in　the　sight　of　the　sun；　which　often　leads　to　ruin
by　a　want　of　balance　between　the　interest　on　mortgages　and　the
products　of　the　soil。　Those　who；　from　1802　till　1827；　had　merely
laughed　at　the　little　man　as　they　saw　him　trotting　to　Saint…Thibault
and　attending　to　his　business；　like　a　merchant　living　on　his
vineyards；　found　the　answer　to　the　riddle　when　the　ant…lion　seized　his
prey；　after　waiting　for　the　day　when　the　extravagance　of　the　Duchesse
de　Maufrigneuse　culminated　in　the　sale　of　that　splendid　property。

Madame　Piedefer　came　to　live　with　her　daughter。　The　combined　fortunes
of　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye　and　his　mother…in…law；　who　had　been　content
to　accept　an　annuity　of　twelve　hundred　francs　on　the　lands　of　La
Hautoy　which　she　handed　over　to　him；　amounted　to　an　acknowledged
income　of　about　fifteen　thousand　francs。

During　the　early　days　of　her　married　life；　Dinah　had　effected　some
alterations　which　had　made　the　house　at　La　Baudraye　a　very　pleasant
residence。　She　turned　a　spacious　forecourt　into　a　formal　garden；
pulling　down　wine…stores；　presses；　and　shabby　outhouses。　Behind　the
manor…house；　which；　though　small；　did　not　lack　style　with　its　turrets
and　gables；　she　laid　out　a　second　garden　with　shrubs；　flower…beds；　and
lawns；　and　divided　it　from　the　vineyards　by　a　wall　hidden　under
creepers。　She　also　made　everything　within　doors　as　comfortable　as
their　narrow　circumstances　allowed。

In　order　not　to　be　ruined　by　a　young　lady　so　very　superior　as　Dinah
seemed　to　be；　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye　was　shrewd　enough　to　say　nothing
as　to　the　recovery　of　debts　in　Paris。　This　dead　secrecy　as　to　his
money　matters　gave　a　touch　of　mystery　to　his　character；　and　lent　him
dignity　in　his　wife's　eyes　during　the　first　years　of　their　married
lifeso　majestic　is　silence！

The　alterations　effected　at　La　Baudraye　made　everybody　eager　to　see
the　young　mistress；　all　the　more　so　because　Dinah　would　never　show
herself；　nor　receive　any　company；　before　she　felt　quite　settled　in　her
home　and　had　thoroughly　studied　the　inhabitants；　and；　above　all；　her
taciturn　husband。　When；　one　spring　morning　in　1825；　pretty　Madame　de
la　Baudraye　was　first　seen　walking　on　the　Mall　in　a　blue　velvet　dress；
with　her　mother　in　black　velvet；　there　was　quite　an　excitement　in
Sancerre。　This　dress　confirmed　the　young　woman's　reputation　for
superiority；　brought　up；　as　she　had　been；　in　the　capital　of　Le　Berry。
Every　one　was　afraid　lest　in　entertaining　this　phoenix　of　the
Department；　the　conversation　should　not　be　clever　enough；　and；　of
course；　everybody　was　constrained　in　the　presence　of　Madame　de　la
Baudraye；　who　produced　a　sort　of　terror　among　the　woman…folk。　As　they
admired　a　carpet　of　Indian　shawl…pattern　in　the　La　Baudraye　drawing…
room；　a　Pompadour　writing…table　carved　and　gilt；　brocade　window
curtains；　and　a　Japanese　bowl　full　of　flowers　on　the　round　table　among
a　selection　of　the　newest　books；　when　they　heard　the　fair　Dinah
playing　at　sight；　without　making　the　smallest　demur　before　seating
herself　at　the　piano；　the　idea　they　conceived　of　her　superiority
assumed　vast　proportions。　That　she　might　never　allow　herself　to　become
careless　or　the　victim　of　bad　taste；　Dinah　had　determined　to　keep
herself　up　to　the　mark　as　to　the　fashions　and　latest　developments　of
luxury　by　an　active　correspondence　with　Anna　Grossetete；　her　bosom
friend　at　Mademoiselle　Chamarolles'　school。

Anna；　thanks　to　a　fine　fortune；　had　married　the　Comte　de　Fontaine's
third　son。　Thus　those　ladies　who　visited　at　La　Baudraye　were
perpetually　piqued　by　Dinah's　success　in　leading　the　fashion；　do　what
they　would；　they　were　always　behind；　or；　as　they　say　on　the　turf；
distanced。

While　all　these　trifles　gave　rise　to　malignant　envy　in　the　ladies　of
Sancerre；　Dinah's　conversation　and　wit　engendered　absolute　aversion。
In　her　ambition　to　keep　her　mind　on　the　level　of　Parisian　brilliancy；
Madame　de　la　Baudraye　allowed　no　vacuous　small　talk　in　her　presence；
no　old…fashioned　compliments；　no　pointless　remarks；　she　would　never
endure　the　yelping　of　tittle…tattle；　the　backstairs　slander　which
forms　the　staple　of　talk　in　the　country。　She　liked　to　hear　of
discoveries　in　science　or　art；　or　the　latest　pieces　at　the　theatres；
the　newest　poems；　and　by　airing　the　cant　words　of　the　day　she　made　a
show　of　uttering　thoughts。

The　Abbe　Duret；　Cure　of　Sancerre；　an　old　man　of　a　lost　type　of　clergy
in　France；　a　man　of　the　world　with　a　liking　for　cards；　had　not　dared
to　indulge　this　taste　in　so　liberal　a　district　as　Sancerre；　he；
therefore；　was　delighted　at　Madame　de　la　Baudraye's　coming；　and　they
got　on　together　to　admiration。　The　/sous…prefet/；　one　Vicomte　de
Chargeboeuf；　was　delighted　to　find　in　Madame　de　la　Baudraye's　drawing…
room　a　sort　of　oasis　where　there　was　a　truce　to　provincial　life。　As　to
Monsieur　de　Clagny；　the　Public　Prosecutor；　his　admiration　for　the　fair
Dinah　kept　him　bound　to　Sancerre。　The　enthusiastic　lawyer　refused　all
promotion；　and　became　a　quite　pious　adorer　of　this　angel　of　grace　and
beauty。　He　was　a　tall；　lean　man；　with　a　minatory　countenance　set　off
by　terrible　eyes　in　deep　black　circles；　under　enormous　eyebrows；　and
his　eloquence；　very　unlike　his　love…making；　could　be　incisive。

Monsieur　Gravier　was　a　little；　round　man；　who　in　the　days　of　the
Empire　had　been　a　charming　ballad…singer；　it　was　this　accomplishment
that　had　won　him　the　high　position　of　Paymaster…General　of　the　forces。
Having　mixed　himself　up　in　certain　important　matters　in　Spain　with
generals　at　that　time　in　opposition；　he　had　made　the　most　of　these
connections　to　the　Minister；　who；　in　consideration　of　the　place　he　had
lost；　promised　him　the　Receivership　at　Sancerre；　and　then　allowed　him
to　pay　for　the　appointment。　The　frivolous　spirit　and　light　tone　of　the
Empire　had　become　ponderous　in　Monsieur　Gravier；　he　did　not；　or　would
not；　understand　the　wide　difference　between　manners　under　the
Restoration　and　under　the　Empire。　Still；　he　conceived　of　himself　as
far　superior　to　Monsieur　de　Clagny；　his　style　was　in　better　taste；　he
followed　the　fashion；　was　to　be　seen　in　a　buff　waistcoat；　gray
trousers；　and　neat；　tightly…fitting　coats；　he　wore　a　fashionable　silk
tie　slipped　through　a　diamond　ring；　while　the　lawyer　never　dressed　in
anything　but　blackcoat；　trousers；　and　waistcoat　alike；　and　those
often　shabby。

These　four　men　were　the　first　to　go　into　ecstasies　over　Dinah's
cultivation；　good　taste；　and　refinement；　and　pronounced　her　a　woman　of
most　superior　mind。　Then　the　women　said　to　each　other；　〃Madame　de　la
Baudraye　must　laugh　at　us　behind　our　back。〃

This　view；　which　was　more　or　less　correct；　kept　them　from　visiting　at
La　Baudraye。　Dinah；　attainted　and　convicted　of　pedantry；　because　she
spoke　grammatically；　was　nicknamed　the　Sappho　of　Saint…Satur。　At　last
everybody　made　insolent　game　of　the　great　qualities　of　the　woman　who
had　thus　roused　the　enmity　of　the　ladies　of　Sancerre。　And　they　ended
by　denying　a　superiorityafter　all；　merely　comparative！which
emphasized　their　ignorance；　and　did　not　forgive　it。　Where　the　whole
population　is　hunch…backed；　a　straight　shape　is　the　monstrosity；　Dinah
was　regarded　as　monstrous　and　dangerous；　and　she　found　herself　in　a
desert。

Astonished　at　seeing　the　women　of　the　neighborhood　only　at　long
intervals；　and　for　visits　of　a　few　minutes；　Dinah　asked　Monsieur　de
Clagny　the　reason　of　this　state　of　things。

〃You　are　too　superior　a　woman　to　be　liked　by　other　women；〃　said　the
lawyer。

Monsieur　Gravier；　when　questioned　by　the　forlorn　fair；　only；　after
much　entreaty；　replied：

〃Well；　lady　fair；　you　are　not　satisfied　to　be　merely　charming。　You　are
clever　and　well　educated；　you　know　every　book　that　comes　out；　you　love
poetry；　you　are　a　musician；　and　you　talk　delightfully。　Women　cannot
forgive　so　much　superiority。〃

Men　said　to　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye：

〃You　who　have　such　a　Superior　Woman　for　a　wife　are　very　fortunate〃
And　at　last　he　himself　would　say：

〃I　who　have　a　Superior　Woman　for　a　wife；　am　very　fortunate；〃　etc。

Madame　Piedefer；　flattered　through　her　daughter；　also　allowed　herself
to　say　such　things〃My　daughter；　who　is　a　very　Superior　Woman；　was
writing　yesterday　to　Madame　de　Fontaine　such　and　such　a　thing。〃

Those　who　know　the　worldFrance；　Parisknow　how　true　it　is　that　many
celebrities　are　thus　created。



Two　years　later；　by　the　end　of　the　year　1825；　Dinah　de　la　Baudraye　was
accused　of　not　choosing　to　have　any　visitors　but　men；　then　it　was　said
that　she　did　not　care　for　womenand　that　was　a　crime。　Not　a　thing
could　she　do；　not　her　most　trifling　action；　could　escape　criticism　and
misrepresentation。　After　making　every　sacrifice　that　a　well…bred　woman
can　make；　and　placing　herself　entirely　in　the　right；　Madame　de　la
Baudraye　was　so　rash　as　to　say　to　a　false　friend　who　condoled　with　her
on　her　isolation：

〃I　would　rather　have　my　bowl　empty　than　with　anything　in　it！〃

This　speech　produced　a　terrible　effect　on　Sancerre；　and　was　cruelly
retorted　on　the　Sappho　of　Saint…Satur　when；　seeing　her　childless　after
five　years　of　married　life；　/little/　de　la　Baudraye　became　a　byword
for　laughter。　To　understand　this　provincial　witticism；　readers　may　be
r