an old maid-第23节

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name！　Our　property　will　go　to　a　good　family；　at　any　rate。〃



She　fell　a　prey　to　an　irritation　which　made　every　fibre　of　her　nerves

quiver　to　all　their　papillae；　long　sunk　in　flesh。　Her　blood；　lashed　by

this　new　hope；　was　in　motion。　She　felt　the　strength　to　converse；　if

necessary；　with　Monsieur　de　Troisville。



It　is　useless　to　relate　the　activity　with　which　Josette；　Jacquelin；

Mariette；　Moreau；　and　his　agents　went　about　their　functions。　It　was

like　the　busyness　of　ants　about　their　eggs。　All　that　daily　care　had

already　rendered　neat　and　clean　was　again　gone　over　and　brushed　and

rubbed　and　scrubbed。　The　china　of　ceremony　saw　the　light；　the　damask

linen　marked　〃A；　B；　C〃　was　drawn　from　depths　where　it　lay　under　a

triple　guard　of　wrappings；　still　further　defended　by　formidable　lines

of　pins。　Above　all；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　sacrificed　on　the　altar　of　her

hopes　three　bottles　of　the　famous　liqueurs　of　Madame　Amphoux；　the　most

illustrious　of　all　the　distillers　of　the　tropics；a　name　very　dear　to

gourmets。　Thanks　to　the　devotion　of　her　lieutenants；　mademoiselle　was

soon　ready　for　the　conflict。　The　different　weaponsfurniture；

cookery；　provisions；　in　short；　all　the　various　munitions　of　war；

together　with　a　body　of　reserve　forceswere　ready　along　the　whole

line。　Jacquelin；　Mariette；　and　Josette　received　orders　to　appear　in

full　dress。　The　garden　was　raked。　The　old　maid　regretted　that　she

couldn't　come　to　an　understanding　with　the　nightingales　nesting　in　the

trees；　in　order　to　obtain　their　finest　trilling。



At　last；　about　four　o'clock；　at　the　very　moment　when　the　Abbe　de

Sponde　returned　home；　and　just　as　mademoiselle　began　to　think　she　had

set　the　table　with　the　best　plate　and　linen　and　prepared　the　choicest

dishes　to　no　purpose；　the　click…clack　of　a　postilion　was　heard　in　the

Val…Noble。



〃'Tis　he！〃　she　said　to　herself；　the　snap　of　the　whip　echoing　in　her

heart。



True　enough；　heralded　by　all　this　gossip；　a　post…chaise；　in　which　was

a　single　gentleman；　made　so　great　a　sensation　coming　down　the　rue

Saint…Blaise　and　turning　into　the　rue　du　Cours　that　several　little

gamains　and　some　grown　persons　followed　it；　and　stood　in　groups　about

the　gate　of　the　hotel　Cormon　to　see　it　enter。　Jacquelin；　who　foresaw

his　own　marriage　in　that　of　his　mistress；　had　also　heard　the　click…

clack　in　the　rue　Saint…Blaise；　and　had　opened　wide　the　gates　into　the

courtyard。　The　postilion；　a　friend　of　his；　took　pride　in　making　a　fine

turn…in；　and　drew　up　sharply　before　the　portico。　The　abbe　came　forward

to　greet　his　guest；　whose　carriage　was　emptied　with　a　speed　that

highwaymen　might　put　into　the　operation；　the　chaise　itself　was　rolled

into　the　coach…house；　the　gates　closed；　and　in　a　few　moments　all　signs

of　Monsieur　de　Troisville's　arrival　had　disappeared。　Never　did　two

chemicals　blend　into　each　other　with　greater　rapidity　than　the　hotel

Cormon　displayed　in　absorbing　the　Vicomte　de　Troisville。



Mademoiselle；　whose　heart　was　beating　like　a　lizard　caught　by　a

herdsman；　sat　heroically　still　on　her　sofa；　beside　the　fire　in　the

salon。　Josette　opened　the　door；　and　the　Vicomte　de　Troisville；

followed　by　the　Abbe　de　Sponde；　presented　himself　to　the　eyes　of　the

spinster。



〃Niece；　this　is　Monsieur　le　Vicomte　de　Troisville；　the　grandson　of　one

of　my　old　schoolmates；　Monsieur　de　Troisville；　my　niece；　Mademoiselle

Cormon。〃



〃Ah！　that　good　uncle；　how　well　he　does　it！〃　thought　Rose…Marie…

Victoire。



The　Vicomte　de　Troisville　was；　to　paint　him　in　two　words；　du　Bousquier

ennobled。　Between　the　two　men　there　was　precisely　the　difference　which

separates　the　vulgar　style　from　the　noble　style。　If　they　had　both　been

present；　the　most　fanatic　liberal　would　not　have　denied　the　existence

of　aristocracy。　The　viscount's　strength　had　all　the　distinction　of

elegance；　his　figure　had　preserved　its　magnificent　dignity。　He　had

blue　eyes；　black　hair；　an　olive　skin；　and　looked　to　be　about　forty…six

years　of　age。　You　might　have　thought　him　a　handsome　Spaniard　preserved

in　the　ice　of　Russia。　His　manner；　carriage；　and　attitude；　all　denoted

a　diplomat　who　had　seen　Europe。　His　dress　was　that　of　a　well…bred

traveller。　As　he　seemed　fatigued；　the　abbe　offered　to　show　him　to　his

room；　and　was　much　amazed　when　his　niece　threw　open　the　door　of　the

boudoir；　transformed　into　a　bedroom。



Mademoiselle　Cormon　and　her　uncle　then　left　the　noble　stranger　to

attend　to　his　own　affairs；　aided　by　Jacquelin；　who　brought　up　his

luggage；　and　went　themselves　to　walk　beside　the　river　until　their

guest　had　made　his　toilet。　Although　the　Abbe　de　Sponde　chanced　to　be

even　more　absent…minded　than　usual；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　was　not　less

preoccupied。　They　both　walked　on　in　silence。　The　old　maid　had　never

before　met　any　man　as　seductive　as　this　Olympean　viscount。　She　might

have　said　to　herself；　as　the　Germans　do；　〃This　is　my　ideal！〃　instead

of　which　she　felt　herself　bound　from　head　to　foot；　and　could　only　say；

〃Here's　my　affair！〃　Then　she　flew　to　Mariette　to　know　if　the　dinner

could　be　put　back　a　while　without　loss　of　excellence。



〃Uncle；　your　Monsieur　de　Troisville　is　very　amiable；〃　she　said；　on

returning。



〃Why；　niece；　he　hasn't　as　yet　said　a　word。〃



〃But　you　can　see　it　in　his　ways；　his　manners；　his　face。　Is　he　a

bachelor？〃



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　abbe；　who　was　thinking　of　a

discussion　on　mercy；　lately　begun　between　the　Abbe　Couturier　and

himself。　〃Monsieur　de　Troisville　wrote　me　that　he　wanted　to　buy　a

house　here。　If　he　was　married；　he　wouldn't　come　alone　on　such　an

errand；〃　added　the　abbe；　carelessly；　not　conceiving　the　idea　that　his

niece　could　be　thinking　of　marriage。



〃Is　he　rich？〃



〃He　is　a　younger　son　of　the　younger　branch；〃　replied　her　uncle。　〃His

grandfather　commanded　a　squadron；　but　the　father　of　this　young　man

made　a　bad　marriage。〃



〃Young　man！〃　exclaimed　the　old　maid。　〃It　seems　to　me；　uncle；　that　he

must　be　at　least　forty…five。〃　She　felt　the　strongest　desire　to　put

their　years　on　a　par。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃but　to　a　poor　priest　of　seventy；　Rose；　a　man　of

forty　seems　a　youth。〃



All　Alencon　knew　by　this　time　that　Monsieur　de　Troisville　had　arrived

at　the　Cormons。　The　traveller　soon　rejoined　his　hosts；　and　began　to

admire　the　Brillante；　the　garden；　and　the　house。



〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　he　said；　〃my　whole　ambition　is　to　have　a　house　like

this。〃　The　old　maid　fancied　a　declaration　lurked　in　that　speech；　and

she　lowered　her　eyes。　〃You　must　enjoy　it　very　much；　mademoiselle；〃

added　the　viscount。



〃How　could　it　be　otherwise？　It　has　been　in　our　family　since　1574；　the

period　at　which　one　of　our　ancestors；　steward　to　the　Duc　d'Alencon；

acquired　the　land　and　built　the　house；〃　replied　Mademoiselle　Cormon。

〃It　is　built　on　piles；〃　she　added。



Jacquelin　announced　dinner。　Monsieur　de　Troisville　offered　his　arm　to

the　happy　woman；　who　endeavored　not　to　lean　too　heavily　upon　it；　she

feared；　as　usual；　to　seem　to　make　advances。



〃Everything　is　so　harmonious　here；〃　said　the　viscount；　as　he　seated

himself　at　table。



〃Yes；　our　trees　are　full　of　birds；　which　give　us　concerts　for　nothing；

no　one　ever　frightens　them；　and　the　nightingales　sing　at　night；〃　said

Mademoiselle　Cormon。



〃I　was　speaking　of　the　interior　of　the　house；〃　remarked　the　viscount；

who　did　not　trouble　himself　to　observe　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　and

therefore　did　not　perceive　the　dulness　of　her　mind。　〃Everything　is　so

in　keeping；the　tones　of　color；　the　furniture；　the　general

character。〃



〃But　it　costs　a　great　deal；　taxes　are　enormous；〃　responded　the

excellent　woman。



〃Ah！　taxes　are　high；　are　they？〃　said　the　viscount；　preoccupied　with

his　own　ideas。



〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　abbe。　〃My　niece　manages　the　property　of

each　of　us。〃



〃Taxes　are　not　of　much　importance　to　the　rich；〃　said　Mademoiselle

Cormon；　not　wishing　to　be　thought　miserly。　〃As　for　the　furniture；　I

shall　leave　it　as　it　is；　and　change　nothing；unless　I　marry；　and

then；　of　course；　everything　here　must　suit　the　husband。〃



〃You　have　noble　principles；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　viscount；　smiling。

〃You　will　make　one　happy　man。〃



〃No　one　ever　made　to　me　such　a　pretty　speech；〃　thought　the　old　maid。



The　viscount　complimented　Mademoiselle　Cormon　on　the　excellence　of　her

service　and　the　admirable　arrangements　of　the　house；　remarking　that　he

had　supposed　the　provinces　behind　the　age　in　that　respect；　but；　on　the

contrary；　he　found　them；　as　the　English　say；　〃very　comfortable。〃



〃What　can　that　word　mean？〃　she　thought。　〃Oh；　where　is　the　chevalier　to

explain　it　to　me？　'Comfortable；'there　seem　to　be　several　words　in

it。　Well；　courage！〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃I　can't　be　expected　to

answer　a　foreign　language　But；〃　she　continued　aloud；　feeling　her

tongue　untied　by　the　eloquence　which　nearly　all　human　creatures　find

in　momentous　circumstances；　〃we　have　a　very　brilliant　society　here；

monsieur。　It　assembles　at　my　house；　and　you　shal