an old maid-第16节

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president　of　the　Maternity　Society。　As　for　the　innocent　du　Bousquier；

he　was　taking　a　walk　on　the　promenade；　and　beginning　to　suspect　that

Suzanne　had　tricked　him；　this　suspicion　confirmed　him　in　his

principles　as　to　women。



On　gala　days　the　table　was　laid　at　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　about　half…

past　three　o'clock。　At　that　period　the　fashionable　people　of　Alencon

dined　at　four。　Under　the　Empire　they　still　dined　as　in　former　times　at

half…past　two；　but　then　they　supped！　One　of　the　pleasures　which

Mademoiselle　Cormon　valued　most　was　（without　meaning　any　malice；

although　the　fact　certainly　rests　on　egotism）　the　unspeakable

satisfaction　she　derived　from　seeing　herself　dressed　as　mistress　of

the　house　to　receive　her　guests。　When　she　was　thus　under　arms　a　ray　of

hope　would　glide　into　the　darkness　of　her　heart；　a　voice　told　her　that

nature　had　not　so　abundantly　provided　for　her　in　vain；　and　that　some

man；　brave　and　enterprising；　would　surely　present　himself。　Her　desire

was　refreshed　like　her　person；　she　contemplated　herself　in　her　heavy

stuffs　with　a　sort　of　intoxication；　and　this　satisfaction　continued

when　she　descended　the　stairs　to　cast　her　redoubtable　eye　on　the

salon；　the　dinner…table；　and　the　boudoir。　She　would　then　walk　about

with　the　naive　contentment　of　the　rich；who　remember　at　all　moments

that　they　are　rich　and　will　never　want　for　anything。　She　looked　at　her

eternal　furniture；　her　curiosities；　her　lacquers；　and　said　to　herself

that　all　these　fine　things　wanted　was　a　master。　After　admiring　the

dining…room；　and　the　oblong　dinner…table；　on　which　was　spread　a　snow…

white　cloth　adorned　with　twenty　covers　placed　at　equal　distances；

after　verifying　the　squadron　of　bottles　she　had　ordered　to　be　brought

up；　and　which　all　bore　honorable　labels；　after　carefully　verifying　the

names　written　on　little　bits　of　paper　in　the　trembling　handwriting　of

the　abbe　（the　only　duty　he　assumed　in　the　household；　and　one　which

gave　rise　to　grave　discussions　on　the　place　of　each　guest）；after

going　through　all　these　preliminary　acts　mademoiselle　went；　in　her

fine　clothes；　to　her　uncle；　who　was　accustomed　at　this；　the　best　hour

in　the　day；　to　take　his　walk　on　the　terrace　which　overlooked　the

Brillante；　where　he　could　listen　to　the　warble　of　birds　which　were

resting　in　the　coppice；　unafraid　of　either　sportsmen　or　children。　At

such　times　of　waiting　she　never　joined　the　Abbe　de　Sponde　without

asking　him　some　ridiculous　question；　in　order　to　draw　the　old　man　into

a　discussion　which　might　serve　to　amuse　him。　And　her　reason　was　this；

which　will　serve　to　complete　our　picture　of　this　excellent　woman's

nature：



Mademoiselle　Cormon　regarded　it　as　one　of　her　duties　to　talk；　not　that

she　was　talkative；　for　she　had　unfortunately　too　few　ideas；　and　did

not　know　enough　phrases　to　converse　readily。　But　she　believed　she　was

accomplishing　one　of　the　social　duties　enjoined　by　religion；　which

orders　us　to　make　ourselves　agreeable　to　our　neighbor。　This　obligation

cost　her　so　much　that　she　consulted　her　director；　the　Abbe　Couturier；

upon　the　subject　of　this　honest　but　puerile　civility。　In　spite　of　the

humble　remark　of　his　penitent；　confessing　the　inward　labor　of　her　mind

in　finding　anything　to　say；　the　old　priest；　rigid　on　the　point　of

discipline；　read　her　a　passage　from　Saint…Francois　de　Sales　on　the

duties　of　women　in　society；　which　dwelt　on　the　decent　gayety　of　pious

Christian　women；　who　were　bound　to　reserve　their　sternness　for

themselves；　and　to　be　amiable　and　pleasing　in　their　homes；　and　see

that　their　neighbors　enjoyed　themselves。　Thus；　filled　with　a　sense　of

duty；　and　wishing；　at　all　costs；　to　obey　her　director；　who　bade　her

converse　with　amenity；　the　poor　soul　perspired　in　her　corset　when　the

talk　around　her　languished；　so　much　did　she　suffer　from　the　effort　of

emitting　ideas　in　order　to　revive　it。　Under　such　circumstances　she

would　put　forth　the　silliest　statements；　such　as：　〃No　one　can　be　in

two　places　at　onceunless　it　is　a　little　bird；〃　by　which　she　one　day

roused；　and　not　without　success；　a　discussion　on　the　ubiquity　of　the

apostles；　which　she　was　unable　to　comprehend。　Such　efforts　at

conversation　won　her　the　appellation　of　〃that　good　Mademoiselle

Cormon；〃　which；　from　the　lips　of　the　beaux　esprits　of　society；　means

that　she　was　as　ignorant　as　a　carp；　and　rather　a　poor　fool；　but　many

persons　of　her　own　calibre　took　the　remark　in　its　literal　sense；　and

answered：



〃Yes；　oh　yes！　Mademoiselle　Cormon　is　an　excellent　woman。〃



Sometimes　she　would　put　such　absurd　questions　（always　for　the　purpose

of　fulfilling　her　duties　to　society；　and　making　herself　agreeable　to

her　guests）　that　everybody　burst　out　laughing。　She　asked；　for

instance；　what　the　government　did　with　the　taxes　they　were　always

receiving；　and　why　the　Bible　had　not　been　printed　in　the　days　of　Jesus

Christ；　inasmuch　as　it　was　written　by　Moses。　Her　mental　powers　were

those　of　the　English　〃country　gentleman〃　who；　hearing　constant　mention

of　〃posterity〃　in　the　House　of　Commons；　rose　to　make　the　speech　that

has　since　become　celebrated：　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　hear　much　talk

in　this　place　about　Posterity。　I　should　be　glad　to　know　what　that

power　has　ever　done　for　England。〃



Under　these　circumstances　the　heroic　Chevalier　de　Valois　would　bring

to　the　succor　of　the　old　maid　all　the　powers　of　his　clever　diplomacy；

whenever　he　saw　the　pitiless　smile　of　wiser　heads。　The　old　gentleman；

who　loved　to　assist　women；　turned　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　sayings　into

wit　by　sustaining　them　paradoxically；　and　he　often　covered　the　retreat

so　well　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　good　woman　had　said　nothing　silly。

She　asserted　very　seriously　one　evening　that　she　did　not　see　any

difference　between　an　ox　and　a　bull。　The　dear　chevalier　instantly

arrested　the　peals　of　laughter　by　asserting　that　there　was　only　the

difference　between　a　sheep　and　a　lamb。



But　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　served　an　ungrateful　dame；　for　never　did

Mademoiselle　Cormon　comprehend　his　chivalrous　services。　Observing　that

the　conversation　grew　lively；　she　simply　thought　that　she　was　not　so

stupid　as　she　was；the　result　being　that　she　settled　down　into　her

ignorance　with　some　complacency；　she　lost　her　timidity；　and　acquired　a

self…possession　which　gave　to　her　〃speeches〃　something　of　the

solemnity　with　which　the　British　enunciate　their　patriotic

absurdities；the　self…conceit　of　stupidity；　as　it　may　be　called。



As　she　approached　her　uncle；　on　this　occasion；　with　a　majestic　step；

she　was　ruminating　over　a　question　that　might　draw　him　from　a　silence；

which　always　troubled　her；　for　she　feared　he　was　dull。



〃Uncle；〃　she　said；　leaning　on　his　arm　and　clinging　to　his　side　（this

was　one　of　her　fictions；　for　she　said　to　herself　〃If　I　had　a　husband　I

should　do　just　so〃）；〃uncle；　if　everything　here　below　happens

according　to　the　will　of　God；　there　must　be　a　reason　for　everything。〃



〃Certainly；〃　replied　the　abbe；　gravely。　The　worthy　man；　who　cherished

his　niece；　always　allowed　her　to　tear　him　from　his　meditations　with

angelic　patience。



〃Then　if　I　remain　unmarried；supposing　that　I　do；God　wills　it？〃



〃Yes；　my　child；〃　replied　the　abbe。



〃And　yet；　as　nothing　prevents　me　from　marrying　to…morrow　if　I　choose；

His　will　can　be　destroyed　by　mine？〃



〃That　would　be　true　if　we　knew　what　was　really　the　will　of　God；〃

replied　the　former　prior　of　the　Sorbonne。　〃Observe；　my　daughter；　that

you　put　in　an　IF。〃



The　poor　woman；　who　expected　to　draw　her　uncle　into　a　matrimonial

discussion　by　an　argument　ad　omnipotentem；　was　stupefied；　but　persons

of　obtuse　mind　have　the　terrible　logic　of　children；　which　consists　in

turning　from　answer　to　question；a　logic　that　is　frequently

embarrassing。



〃But；　uncle；　God　did　not　make　women　intending　them　not　to　marry；

otherwise　they　ought　all　to　stay　unmarried；　if　not；　they　ought　all　to

marry。　There's　great　injustice　in　the　distribution　of　parts。〃




〃Daughter；〃　said　the　worthy　abbe；　〃you　are　blaming　the　Church；　which

declares　celibacy　to　be　the　better　way　to　God。〃



〃But　if　the　Church　is　right；　and　all　the　world　were　good　Catholics；

wouldn't　the　human　race　come　to　an　end；　uncle？〃



〃You　have　too　much　mind；　Rose；　you　don't　need　so　much　to　be　happy。〃



That　remark　brought　a　smile　of　satisfaction　to　the　lips　of　the　poor

woman；　and　confirmed　her　in　the　good　opinion　she　was　beginning　to

acquire　about　herself。　That　is　how　the　world；　our　friends；　and　our

enemies　are　the　accomplices　of　our　defects！



At　this　moment　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　successive

arrival　of　the　guests。　On　these　ceremonial　days；　friendly

familiarities　were　exchanged　between　the　servants　of　the　house　and　the

company。　Mariette　remarked　to　the　chief…justice　as　he　passed　the

kitchen：



〃Ah；　Monsieur　du　Ronceret；　I've　cooked　the　cauliflowers　au　gratin

expressly　for　you；　for　mademoiselle　knows　how　you　like　them；　and　she

said　to　me：　'Now　don't　forget；　Mariette；　for　Mon