modeste mignon-第3节

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predecessor　excited　Vilquin's　wrath。　He　would　fain　have　lodged　his

daughter　and　her　husband　in　the　cottage。　This　desire；　well　known　to

Dumay；　will　presently　serve　to　illustrate　the　Breton　obstinacy　of　the

latter。



The　entrance　to　the　Chalet　is　by　a　little　trellised　iron　door；　the

uprights　of　which；　ending　in　lance…heads；　show　for　a　few　inches　above

the　fence　and　its　hedge。　The　little　garden；　about　as　wide　as　the　more

pretentious　lawn；　was　just　now　filled　with　flowers；　roses；　and　dahlias

of　the　choicest　kind；　and　many　rare　products　of　the　hot…houses；　for

（another　Vilquinard　grievance）　the　elegant　little　hot…house；　a　very

whim　of　a　hot…house；　a　hot…house　representing　dignity　and　style；

belonged　to　the　Chalet；　and　separated；　or　if　you　prefer；　united　it　to

the　villa　Vilquin。　Dumay　consoled　himself　for　the　toils　of　business　in

taking　care　of　this　hot…house；　whose　exotic　treasures　were　one　of

Modeste's　joys。　The　billiard…room　of　the　villa　Vilquin；　a　species　of

gallery；　formerly　communicated　through　an　immense　aviary　with　this

hot…house。　But　after　the　building　of　the　wall　which　deprived　him　of　a

view　into　the　orchards；　Dumay　bricked　up　the　door　of　communication。

〃Wall　for　wall！〃　he　said。



In　1827　Vilquin　offered　Dumay　a　salary　of　six　thousand　francs；　and　ten

thousand　more　as　indemnity；　if　he　would　give　up　the　lease。　The　cashier

refused；　though　he　had　but　three　thousand　francs　from　Gobenheim；　a

former　clerk　of　his　master。　Dumay　was　a　Breton　transplanted　by　fate

into　Normandy。　Imagine　therefore　the　hatred　conceived　for　the　tenants

of　the　Chalet　by　the　Norman　Vilquin；　a　man　worth　three　millions！　What

criminal　leze…million　on　the　part　of　a　cashier；　to　hold　up　to　the　eyes

of　such　a　man　the　impotence　of　his　wealth！　Vilquin；　whose　desperation

in　the　matter　made　him　the　talk　of　Havre；　had　just　proposed　to　give

Dumay　a　pretty　house　of　his　own；　and　had　again　been　refused。　Havre

itself　began　to　grow　uneasy　at　the　man's　obstinacy；　and　a　good　many

persons　explained　it　by　the　phrase；　〃Dumay　is　a　Breton。〃　As　for　the

cashier；　he　thought　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Mignon　would　be　ill…lodged

elsewhere。　His　two　idols　now　inhabited　a　temple　worthy　of　them；　the

sumptuous　little　cottage　gave　them　a　home；　where　these　dethroned

royalties　could　keep　the　semblance　of　majesty　about　them；a　species

of　dignity　usually　denied　to　those　who　have　seen　better　days。



Perhaps　as　the　story　goes　on；　the　reader　will　not　regret　having

learned　in　advance　a　few　particulars　as　to　the　home　and　the　habitual

companions　of　Modeste　Mignon；　for；　at　her　age；　people　and　things　have

as　much　influence　upon　the　future　life　as　a　person's　own　character；

indeed；　character　often　receives　ineffaceable　impressions　from　its

surroundings。







CHAPTER　II



A　PORTRAIT　FROM　LIFE



From　the　manner　with　which　the　Latournelles　entered　the　Chalet　a

stranger　would　readily　have　guessed　that　they　came　there　every

evening。



〃Ah；　you　are　here　already；〃　said　the　notary；　perceiving　the　young

banker　Gobenheim；　a　connection　of　Gobenheim…Keller；　the　head　of　the

great　banking　house　in　Paris。



This　young　man　with　a　livid　facea　blonde　of　the　type　with　black

eyes；　whose　immovable　glance　has　an　indescribable　fascination；　sober

in　speech　as　in　conduct；　dressed　in　black；　lean　as　a　consumptive；　but

nevertheless　vigorously　framedvisited　the　family　of　his　former

master　and　the　house　of　his　cashier　less　from　affection　than　from

self…interest。　Here　they　played　whist　at　two　sous　a　point；　a　dress…

coat　was　not　required；　he　accepted　no　refreshment　except　〃eau　sucree；〃

and　consequently　had　no　civilities　to　return。　This　apparent　devotion

to　the　Mignon　family　allowed　it　to　be　supposed　that　Gobenheim　had　a

heart；　it　also　released　him　from　the　necessity　of　going　into　the

society　of　Havre　and　incurring　useless　expenses；　thus　upsetting　the

orderly　economy　of　his　domestic　life。　This　disciple　of　the　golden　calf

went　to　bed　at　half…past　ten　o'clock　and　got　up　at　five　in　the

morning。　Moreover；　being　perfectly　sure　of　Latournelle's　and　Butscha's

discretion；　he　could　talk　over　difficult　business　matters；　obtain　the

advice　of　the　notary　gratis；　and　get　an　inkling　of　the　real　truth　of

the　gossip　of　the　street。　This　stolid　gold…glutton　（the　epithet　is

Butscha's）　belonged　by　nature　to　the　class　of　substances　which

chemistry　terms　absorbents。　Ever　since　the　catastrophe　of　the　house　of

Mignon；　where　the　Kellers　had　placed　him　to　learn　the　principles　of

maritime　commerce；　no　one　at　the　Chalet　had　ever　asked　him　to　do　the

smallest　thing；　no　matter　what；　his　reply　was　too　well　known。　The

young　fellow　looked　at　Modeste　precisely　as　he　would　have　looked　at　a

cheap　lithograph。



〃He's　one　of　the　pistons　of　the　big　engine　called　'Commerce；'〃　said

poor　Butscha；　whose　clever　mind　made　itself　felt　occasionally　by　such

little　sayings　timidly　jerked　out。



The　four　Latournelles　bowed　with　the　most　respectful　deference　to　an

old　lady　dressed　in　black　velvet；　who　did　not　rise　from　the　armchair

in　which　she　was　seated；　for　the　reason　that　both　eyes　were　covered

with　the　yellow　film　produced　by　cataract。　Madame　Mignon　may　be

sketched　in　one　sentence。　Her　august　countenance　of　the　mother　of　a

family　attracted　instant　notice　as　that　of　one　whose　irreproachable

life　defies　the　assaults　of　destiny；　which　nevertheless　makes　her　the

target　of　its　arrows　and　a　member　of　the　unnumbered　tribe　of　Niobes。

Her　blonde　wig；　carefully　curled　and　well　arranged　upon　her　head；

became　the　cold　white　face　which　resembled　that　of　some　burgomaster's

wife　painted　by　Hals　or　Mirevelt。　The　extreme　neatness　of　her　dress；

the　velvet　boots；　the　lace　collar；　the　shawl　evenly　folded　and　put　on；

all　bore　testimony　to　the　solicitous　care　which　Modeste　bestowed　upon

her　mother。



When　silence　was；　as　the　notary　had　predicted；　restored　in　the　pretty

salon；　Modeste；　sitting　beside　her　mother；　for　whom　she　was

embroidering　a　kerchief；　became　for　an　instant　the　centre　of

observation。　This　curiosity；　barely　veiled　by　the　commonplace

salutations　and　inquiries　of　the　visitors；　would　have　revealed　even　to

an　indifferent　person　the　existence　of　the　domestic　plot　to　which

Modeste　was　expected　to　fall　a　victim；　but　Gobenheim；　more　than

indifferent；　noticed　nothing；　and　proceeded　to　light　the　candles　on

the　card…table。　The　behavior　of　Dumay　made　the　whole　scene　terrifying

to　Butscha；　to　the　Latournelles；　and　above　all　to　Madame　Dumay；　who

knew　her　husband　to　be　capable　of　firing　a　pistol　at　Modeste's　lover

as　coolly　as　though　he　were　a　mad　dog。



After　dinner　that　day　the　cashier　had　gone　to　walk　followed　by　two

magnificent　Pyrenees　hounds；　whom　he　suspected　of　betraying　him；　and

therefore　left　in　charge　of　a　farmer；　a　former　tenant　of　Monsieur

Mignon。　On　his　return；　just　before　the　arrival　of　the　Latournelles；　he

had　taken　his　pistols　from　his　bed's　head　and　placed　them　on　the

chimney…piece；　concealing　this　action　from　Modeste。　The　young　girl

took　no　notice　whatever　of　these　preparations；　singular　as　they　were。



Though　short；　thick…set；　pockmarked；　and　speaking　always　in　a　low

voice　as　if　listening　to　himself；　this　Breton；　a　former　lieutenant　in

the　Guard；　showed　the　evidence　of　such　resolution；　such　sang…froid　on

his　face　that　throughout　life；　even　in　the　army；　no　one　had　ever

ventured　to　trifle　with　him。　His　little　eyes；　of　a　calm　blue；　were

like　bits　of　steel。　His　ways；　the　look　on　his　face；　his　speech；　his

carriage；　were　all　in　keeping　with　the　short　name　of　Dumay。　His

physical　strength；　well…known　to　every　one；　put　him　above　all　danger

of　attack。　He　was　able　to　kill　a　man　with　a　blow　of　his　fist；　and　had

performed　that　feat　at　Bautzen；　where　he　found　himself；　unarmed；　face

to　face　with　a　Saxon　at　the　rear　of　his　company。　At　the　present　moment

the　usually　firm　yet　gentle　expression　of　the　man's　face　had　risen　to

a　sort　of　tragic　sublimity；　his　lips　were　pale　as　the　rest　of　his

face；　indicating　a　tumult　within　him　mastered　by　his　Breton　will；　a

slight　sweat；　which　every　one　noticed　and　guessed　to　be　cold；

moistened　his　brow。　The　notary　knew　but　too　well　that　these　signs

might　result　in　a　drama　before　the　criminal　courts。　In　fact　the

cashier　was　playing　a　part　in　connection　with　Modeste　Mignon；　which

involved　to　his　mind　sentiments　of　honor　and　loyalty　of　far　greater

importance　than　mere　social　laws；　and　his　present　conduct　proceeded

from　one　of　those　compacts　which；　in　case　disaster　came　of　it；　could

be　judged　only　in　a　higher　court　than　one　of　earth。　The　majority　of

dramas　lie　really　in　the　ideas　which　we　make　to　ourselves　about

things。　Events　which　seem　to　us　dramatic　are　nothing　more　than

subjects　which　our　souls　convert　into　tragedy　or　comedy　according　to

the　bent　of　our　characters。



Madame　Latournelle　and　Madame　Dumay；　who　were　appointed　to　watch

Modeste；　had　a　certain　assumed　stiffness　of　demeanor　and　a　quiver　in

their　voices；　which　the　suspected　party　did　not　n