an old maid-第9节

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insurmountable；　she　could　think　of　nothing　but　patience　as　being　able

to　vanquish　them。　Like　du　Bousquier；　like　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　she

had　a　policy　of　her　own；　she　was　on　the　watch　for　circumstances；

awaiting　the　propitious　moment　for　a　move　with　the　shrewdness　of

maternal　instinct。　Madame　Granson　had　no　fears　at　all　as　to　the

chevalier；　but　she　did　suppose　that　du　Bousquier；　although　refused；

retained　certain　hopes。　As　an　able　and　underhand　enemy　to　the　latter；

she　did　him　much　secret　harm　in　the　interests　of　her　son；　from　whom；

by　the　bye；　she　carefully　concealed　all　such　proceedings。



After　this　explanation　it　is　easy　to　understand　the　importance　which

Suzanne's　lie；　confided　to　Madame　Granson；　was　about　to　acquire。　What

a　weapon　put　into　the　hands　of　this　charitable　lady；　the　treasurer　of

the　Maternity　Society！　How　she　would　gently　and　demurely　spread　the

news　while　collecting　assistance　for　the　chaste　Suzanne！



At　the　present　moment　Athanase；　leaning　pensively　on　his　elbow　at　the

breakfast　table；　was　twirling　his　spoon　in　his　empty　cup　and

contemplating　with　a　preoccupied　eye　the　poor　room　with　its　red　brick

floor；　its　straw　chairs；　its　painted　wooden　buffet；　its　pink　and　white

curtains　chequered　like　a　backgammon　board；　which　communicated　with

the　kitchen　through　a　glass　door。　As　his　back　was　to　the　chimney　which

his　mother　faced；　and　as　the　chimney　was　opposite　to　the　door；　his

pallid　face；　strongly　lighted　from　the　window；　framed　in　beautiful

black　hair；　the　eyes　gleaming　with　despair　and　fiery　with　morning

thoughts；　was　the　first　object　which　met　the　eyes　of　the　incoming

Suzanne。　The　grisette；　who　belonged　to　a　class　which　certainly　has　the

instinct　of　misery　and　the　sufferings　of　the　heart；　suddenly　felt　that

electric　spark；　darting　from　Heaven　knows　where；　which　can　never　be

explained；　which　some　strong　minds　deny；　but　the　sympathetic　stroke　of

which　has　been　felt　by　many　men　and　many　women。　It　is　at　once　a　light

which　lightens　the　darkness　of　the　future；　a　presentiment　of　the

sacred　joys　of　a　shared　love；　the　certainty　of　mutual　comprehension。

Above　all；　it　is　like　the　touch　of　a　firm　and　able　hand　on　the

keyboard　of　the　senses。　The　eyes　are　fascinated　by　an　irresistible

attraction；　the　heart　is　stirred；　the　melodies　of　happiness　echo　in

the　soul　and　in　the　ears；　a　voice　cries　out；　〃It　is　he！〃　Often

reflection　casts　a　douche　of　cold　water　on　this　boiling　emotion；　and

all　is　over。



In　a　moment；　as　rapid　as　the　flash　of　the　lightning；　Suzanne　received

the　broadside　of　this　emotion　in　her　heart。　The　flame　of　a　real　love

burned　up　the　evil　weeds　fostered　by　a　libertine　and　dissipated　life。

She　saw　how　much　she　was　losing　of　decency　and　value　by　accusing

herself　falsely。　What　had　seemed　to　her　a　joke　the　night　before　became

to　her　eyes　a　serious　charge　against　herself。　She　recoiled　at　her　own

success。　But　the　impossibility　of　any　result；　the　poverty　of　the　young

man；　a　vague　hope　of　enriching　herself；　of　going　to　Paris；　and

returning　with　full　hands　to　say；　〃I　love　you！　here　are　the　means　of

happiness！〃　or　mere　fate；　if　you　will　have　it　so；　dried　up　the　next

moment　this　beneficent　dew。



The　ambitious　grisette　asked　with　a　timid　air　for　a　moment's　interview

with　Madame　Granson；　who　took　her　at　once　into　her　bedchamber。　When

Suzanne　came　out　she　looked　again　at　Athanase；　he　was　still　in　the

same　position；　and　the　tears　came　into　her　eyes。　As　for　Madame

Granson；　she　was　radiant　with　joy。　At　last　she　had　a　weapon；　and　a

terrible　one；　against　du　Bousquier；　she　could　now　deal　him　a　mortal

blow。　She　had　of　course　promised　the　poor　seduced　girl　the　support　of

all　charitable　ladies　and　that　of　the　members　of　the　Maternity　Society

in　particular；　she　foresaw　a　dozen　visits　which　would　occupy　her　whole

day；　and　brew　up　a　frightful　storm　on　the　head　of　the　guilty　du

Bousquier。　The　Chevalier　de　Valois；　while　foreseeing　the　turn　the

affair　would　take；　had　really　no　idea　of　the　scandal　which　would

result　from　his　own　action。



〃My　dear　child；〃　said　Madame　Granson　to　her　son；　〃we　are　to　dine；　you

know；　with　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　do　take　a　little　pains　with　your

appearance。　You　are　wrong　to　neglect　your　dress　as　you　do。　Put　on　that

handsome　frilled　shirt　and　your　green　coat　of　Elbeuf　cloth。　I　have　my

reasons；〃　she　added　slyly。　〃Besides；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　is　going　to

Prebaudet；　and　many　persons　will　doubtless　call　to　bid　her　good…bye。

When　a　young　man　is　marriageable　he　ought　to　take　every　means　to　make

himself　agreeable。　If　girls　would　only　tell　the　truth；　heavens！　my

dear　boy；　you'd　be　astonished　at　what　makes　them　fall　in　love。　Often

it　suffices　for　a　man　to　ride　past　them　at　the　head　of　a　company　of

artillery；　or　show　himself　at　a　ball　in　tight　clothes。　Sometimes　a

mere　turn　of　the　head；　a　melancholy　attitude；　makes　them　suppose　a

man's　whole　life；　they'll　invent　a　romance　to　match　the　herowho　is

often　a　mere　brute；　but　the　marriage　is　made。　Watch　the　Chevalier　de

Valois：　study　him；　copy　his　manners；　see　with　what　ease　he　presents

himself；　he　never　puts　on　a　stiff　air；　as　you　do。　Talk　a　little　more；

one　would　really　think　you　didn't　know　anything；you；　who　know　Hebrew

by　heart。〃



Athanase　listened　to　his　mother　with　a　surprised　but　submissive　air；

then　he　rose；　took　his　cap；　and　went　off　to　the　mayor's　office；　saying

to　himself；　〃Can　my　mother　suspect　my　secret？〃



He　passed　through　the　rue　du　Val…Noble；　where　Mademoiselle　Cormon

lived；a　little　pleasure　which　he　gave　himself　every　morning；

thinking；　as　usual；　a　variety　of　fanciful　things：



〃How　little　she　knows　that　a　young　man　is　passing　before　her　house　who

loves　her　well；　who　would　be　faithful　to　her；　who　would　never　cause

her　any　grief；　who　would　leave　her　the　entire　management　of　her

fortune　without　interference。　Good　God！　what　fatality！　here；　side　by

side；　in　the　same　town；　are　two　persons　in　our　mutual　condition；　and

yet　nothing　can　bring　them　together。　Suppose　I　were　to　speak　to　her

this　evening？〃



During　this　time　Suzanne　had　returned　to　her　mother's　house　thinking

of　Athanase；　and；　like　many　other　women　who　have　longed　to　help　an

adored　man　beyond　the　limit　of　human　powers；　she　felt　herself　capable

of　making　her　body　a　stepping…stone　on　which　he　could　rise　to　attain

his　throne。



It　is　now　necessary　to　enter　the　house　of　this　old　maid　toward　whom　so

many　interests　are　converging；　where　the　actors　in　this　scene；　with

the　exception　of　Suzanne；　were　all　to　meet　this　very　evening。　As　for

Suzanne；　that　handsome　individual　bold　enough　to　burn　her　ships　like

Alexander　at　her　start　in　life；　and　to　begin　the　battle　by　a

falsehood；　she　disappears　from　the　stage；　having　introduced　upon　it　a

violent　element　of　interest。　Her　utmost　wishes　were　gratified。　She

quitted　her　native　town　a　few　days　later；　well　supplied　with　money　and

good　clothes；　among　which　was　a　fine　dress　of　green　reps　and　a

charming　green　bonnet　lined　with　pink；　the　gift　of　Monsieur　de　Valois；

a　present　which　she　preferred　to　all　the　rest；　even　the　money。　If

the　chevalier　had　gone　to　Paris　in　the　days　of　her　future　brilliancy；

she　would　certainly　have　left　every　one　for　him。　Like　the　chaste

Susannah　of　the　Bible；　whom　the　Elders　hardly　saw；　she　established

herself　joyously　and　full　of　hope　in　Paris；　while　all　Alencon　was

deploring　her　misfortunes；　for　which　the　ladies　of　two　Societies

（Charity　and　Maternity）　manifested　the　liveliest　sympathy。　Though

Suzanne　is　a　fair　specimen　of　those　handsome　Norman　women　whom　a

learned　physician　reckons　as　comprising　one　third　of　her　fallen　class

whom　our　monstrous　Paris　absorbs；　it　must　be　stated　that　she　remained

in　the　upper　and　more　decent　regions　of　gallantry。　At　an　epoch　when；

as　Monsieur　de　Valois　said；　Woman　no　longer　existed；　she　was　simply

〃Madame　du　Val…Noble〃；　in　other　days　she　would　have　rivalled　the

Rhodopes；　the　Imperias；　the　Ninons　of　the　past。　One　of　the　most

distinguished　writers　of　the　Restoration　has　taken　her　under　his

protection；　perhaps　he　may　marry　her。　He　is　a　journalist；　and

consequently　above　public　opinion；　inasmuch　as　he　manufactures　it

afresh　every　year　or　two。







CHAPTER　III



MADEMOISELLE　CORMON



In　nearly　all　the　second…class　prefectures　of　France　there　exists　one

salon　which　is　the　meeting…ground　of　those　considerable　and　well…

considered　persons　of　the　community　who　are；　nevertheless；　NOT　the

cream　of　the　best　society。　The　master　and　mistress　of　such　an

establishment　are　counted　among　the　leading　persons　of　the　town；　they

are　received　wherever　it　may　please　them　to　visit；　no　fete　is　given；

no　formal　or　diplomatic　dinner　takes　place；　to　which　they　are　not

invited。　But　the　chateau　people；　heads　of　families　possessing　great

estates；　in　short；　the　highest　personages　in　the　department；　do　not　go

to　their　houses；　social　intercourse　between　them　is　carried　on　by

cards　from　one　to　the　other；　and　a　dinner　or　soiree　accept