the brotherhood of consolation-第18节
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discovered that a second Madame de la Chanterie existed； widowed like
herself； and； like her； ruined。 That bigamist had found two angels
incapable of discarding him。
〃Towards 1803；〃 resumed Alain after a pause； 〃Monsieur de Boisfrelon；
uncle of Madame de la Chanterie； came to Paris； his name having been
erased from the list of /emigres/； and brought Madame the sum of two
hundred thousand francs which her father…in…law； the old purveyor； had
formerly entrusted to him for the benefit of his son's children。 He
persuaded the widow to return to Normandy； where she completed the
education of her daughter and purchased on excellent terms and still
by the advice of her uncle； a patrimonial estate。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried Godefroid。
〃All that is still nothing；〃 said Monsieur Alain； 〃we have not yet
reached the period of storms and darkness。 I resume：
〃In 1807； after four years of rest and peace； Madame de la Chanterie
married her daughter to a gentleman of rank； whose piety； antecedents；
and fortune offered every guarantee that could be given；a man who；
to use a popular saying； 'was after every one's own heart；' in the
best society of the provincial city where Madame and her daughter
passed their winters。 I should tell you that this society was composed
of seven or eight families belonging to the highest nobility in
France： d'Esgrignon； Troisville； Casteran； Nouatre； etc。 At the end of
eighteen months the baron deserted his wife； and disappeared in Paris；
where he changed his name。
〃Madame de la Chanterie never knew the causes of this desertion until
the lightning of a dreadful storm revealed them。 Her daughter； brought
up with anxious care and trained in the purest religious sentiments；
kept total silence as to her troubles。 This lack of confidence in her
mother was a painful blow to Madame de la Chanterie。 Already she had
several times noticed in her daughter indications of the reckless
disposition of the father； increased in the daughter by an almost
virile strength of will。
〃The husband； however； abandoned his home of his own free will；
leaving his affairs in a pitiable condition。 Madame de la Chanterie
is； even to this day； amazed at the catastrophe； which no human
foresight could have prevented。 The persons she prudently consulted
before the marriage had assured her that the suitor's fortune was
clear and sound； and that no mortgages were on his estate。
Nevertheless it appeared； after the husband's departure； that for ten
years his debts had exceeded the entire value of his property。
Everything was therefore sold； and the poor young wife； now reduced to
her own means； came back to her mother。 Madame de la Chanterie knew
later that the most honorable persons of the province had vouched for
her son…in…law in their own interests； for he owed them all large sums
of money； and they looked upon his marriage with Mademoiselle de la
Chanterie as a means to recover them。
〃There were； however； other reasons for this catastrophe； which you
will find later in a confidential paper written for the eyes of the
Emperor。 Moreover； this man had long courted the good…will of the
royalist families by his devotion to the royal cause during the
Revolution。 He was one of Louis XVIII。's most active emissaries； and
had taken part after 1793 in all conspiracies；escaping their
penalties； however； with such singular adroitness that he came； in the
end； to be distrusted。 Thanked for his services by Louis XVIII。； but
completely set aside in the royalist affairs； he had returned to live
on his property； now much encumbered with debt。
〃These antecedents were then obscure （the persons initiated into the
secrets of the royal closet kept silence about so dangerous a
coadjutor）； and he was therefore received with a species of reverence
in a city devoted to the Bourbons； where the cruellest deeds of the
Chouannerie were accepted as legitimate warfare。 The d'Esgrignons；
Casterans； the Chevalier de Valois； in short； the whole aristocracy
and the Church opened their arms to this royalist diplomat and drew
him into their circle。 Their protection was encouraged by the desire
of his creditors for the payment of his debts。 For three years this
man； who was a villain at heart； a pendant to the late Baron de la
Chanterie； contrived to restrain his vices and assume the appearance
of morality and religion。
〃During the first months of his marriage he exerted a sort of spell
over his wife； he tried to corrupt her mind by his doctrines （if it
can be said that atheism is a doctrine） and by the jesting tone in
which he spoke of sacred principles。 From the time of his return to
the provinces this political manoeuvrer had an intimacy with a young
man； overwhelmed with debt like himself； but whose natural character
was as frank and courageous as the baron's was hypocritical and base。
This frequent guest； whose accomplishments； strong character； and
adventurous life were calculated to influence a young girl's mind； was
an instrument in the hands of the husband to bring the wife to adopt
his theories。 Never did she let her mother know the abyss into which
her fate had cast her。
〃We may well distrust all human prudence when we think of the infinite
precautions taken by Madame de la Chanterie in marrying her only
daughter。 The blow； when it came to a life so devoted； so pure； so
truly religious as that of a woman already tested by many trials； gave
Madame de la Chanterie a distrust of herself which served to isolate
her from her daughter； and all the more because her daughter； in
compensation for her misfortunes； exacted complete liberty； ruled her
mother； and was even； at times； unkind to her。
〃Wounded thus in all her affections； mistaken in her devotion and love
for her husband； to whom she had sacrificed without a word her
happiness； her fortune； and her life； mistaken in the education
exclusively religious which she had given to her daughter； mistaken in
the confidence she had placed in others in the affair of her
daughter's marriage； and obtaining no justice from the heart in which
she had sown none but noble sentiments； she united herself still more
closely to God as the hand of trouble lay heavy upon her。 She was
indeed almost a nun； going daily to church； performing cloistral
penances； and practising economy that she might have means to help the
poor。
〃Could there be； up to this point； a saintlier life or one more tried
than that of this noble woman； so gentle under misfortune； so brave in
danger； and always Christian？〃 said Monsieur Alain； appealing to
Godefroid。 〃You know Madame now；you know if she is wanting in sense；
judgment； reflection； in fact； she has those qualities to the highest
degree。 Well！ the misfortunes I have now told you； which might be said
to make her life surpass all others in adversity； are as nothing to
those that were still in store for this poor woman。 But now let us
concern ourselves exclusively with Madame de la Chanterie's daughter；〃
said the old man； resuming his narrative。
〃At eighteen years of age； the period of her marriage； Mademoiselle de
la Chanterie was a young girl of delicate complexion； brown in tone
with a brilliant color； graceful in shape； and very pretty。 Above a
forehead of great beauty was a mass of dark hair which harmonized with
the brown eyes and the general gaiety of her expression。 A certain
daintiness of feature was misleading as to her true character and her
almost virile decision。 She had small hands and small feet； in fact；
there was something fragile about her whole person which excluded the
idea of vigor and determination。 Having always lived beside her
mother； she had a most perfect innocence of thought and behavior and a
really remarkable piety。 This young girl； like her mother； was
fanatically attached to the Bourbons； she was therefore a bitter enemy
to the Revolution； and regarded the dominion of Napoleon as a curse
inflicted by Providence upon France in punishment of the crimes of
1793。
〃The conformity of opinion on this subject between Madame de la
Chanterie and her daughter； and the daughter's suitor； was one of the
determining reasons of the marriage。
〃The friend of the husband had commanded a body of Chouans at the time
that hostilities were renewed in 1799； and it seems that the baron's
object （Madame de la Chanterie's son…in…law was a baron） in fostering
the intimacy between his wife and his friend was to obtain； through
her influence； certain succor from that friend。
〃This requires a few words of explanation；〃 said Monsieur Alain；
interrupting his narrative； 〃about an association which in those days
made a great deal of noise。 I mean the 'Chauffeurs。'＇*＇ Every province
in the west of France was at that time more or less overrun with these
'brigands；' whose object was far less pillage than a resurrection of
the royalist warfare。 They profited； so it was said； by the great
number of 'refractories；'the name applied to those who evaded the
conscription； which was at that time； as you probably know； enforced
to actual abuse。
＇*＇ /Chauffeurs/。 This name applies to royalists who robbed the mail…
coaches conveying government funds； and levied tribute on those
wh
