the vicar of tours-第16节
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at me；〃 thought he； 〃and there's another in return； we are quits；
madame。〃）
〃If you intend to give them to Saint…Gatien； allow me to offer frames
that will be more suitable and worthy of the place； and of the works
themselves。〃 （〃I wish I could force you to betray that you have taken
Birotteau's things for your own；〃 thought she。）
〃They do not belong to me；〃 said the priest； on his guard。
〃Here is the deed of relinquishment；〃 said Madame de Listomere； 〃it
ends all discussion； and makes them over to Mademoiselle Gamard。〃 She
laid the document on the table。 （〃See the confidence I place in you；〃
thought she。） 〃It is worthy of you； monsieur；〃 she added； 〃worthy of
your noble character； to reconcile two Christians；though at present
I am not especially concerned for Monsieur Birotteau〃
〃He is living in your house；〃 said Troubert； interrupting her。
〃No； monsieur； he is no longer there。〃 （〃That peerage and my nephew's
promotion force me to do base things；〃 thought she。）
The priest remained impassible； but his calm exterior was an
indication of violent emotion。 Monsieur Bourbonne alone had fathomed
the secret of that apparent tranquillity。 The priest had triumphed！
〃Why did you take upon yourself to bring that relinquishment；〃 he
asked； with a feeling analogous to that which impels a woman to fish
for compliments。
〃I could not avoid a feeling of compassion。 Birotteau； whose feeble
nature must be well known to you； entreated me to see Madaemoiselle
Gamard and to obtain as the price of his renunciation〃
The priest frowned。
〃of rights upheld by distinguished lawyers； the portrait of〃
Troubert looked fixedly at Madame de Listomere。
〃the portrait of Chapeloud；〃 she said； continuing： 〃I leave you to
judge of his claim。〃 （〃You will be certain to lose your case if we go
to law； and you know it；〃 thought she。）
The tone of her voice as she said the words 〃distinguished lawyers〃
showed the priest that she knew very well both the strength and
weakness of the enemy。 She made her talent so plain to this
connoisseur emeritus in the course of a conversation which lasted a
long time in the tone here given； that Troubert finally went down to
Mademoiselle Gamard to obtain her answer to Birotteau's request for
the portrait。
He soon returned。
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃I bring you the words of a dying woman。 'The Abbe
Chapeloud was so true a friend to me；' she said； 'that I cannot
consent to part with his picture。' As for me；〃 added Troubert； 〃if it
were mine I would not yield it。 My feelings to my late friend were so
faithful that I should feel my right to his portrait was above that of
others。〃
〃Well； there's no need to quarrel over a bad picture。〃 （〃I care as
little about it as you do；〃 thought she。） 〃Keep it； and I will have a
copy made of it。 I take some credit to myself for having averted this
deplorable lawsuit； and I have gained； personally； the pleasure of
your acquaintance。 I hear you have a great talent for whist。 You will
forgive a woman for curiosity；〃 she said； smiling。 〃If you will come
and play at my house sometimes you cannot doubt your welcome。〃
Troubert stroked his chin。 （〃Caught！ Bourbonne was right！〃 thought
she； 〃he has his quantum of vanity！〃）
It was true。 The vicar…general was feeling the delightful sensation
which Mirabeau was unable to subdue when in the days of his power he
found gates opening to his carriage which were barred to him in
earlier days。
〃Madame；〃 he replied； 〃my avocations prevent my going much into
society； but for you； what will not a man do？〃 （〃The old maid is going
to die； I'll get a footing at the Listomere's； and serve them if they
serve me；〃 thought he。 〃It is better to have them for friends than
enemies。〃）
Madame de Listomere went home； hoping that the archbishop would
complete the work of peace so auspiciously begun。 But Birotteau was
fated to gain nothing by his relinquishment。 Mademoiselle Gamard died
the next day。 No one felt surprised when her will was opened to find
that she had left everything to the Abbe Troubert。 Her fortune was
appraised at three hundred thousand francs。 The vicar…general sent to
Madame de Listomere two notes of invitation for the services and for
the funeral procession of his friend； one for herself and one for her
nephew。
〃We must go；〃 she said。
〃It can't be helped；〃 said Monsieur de Bourbonne。 〃It is a test to
which Troubert puts you。 Baron； you must go to the cemetery；〃 he
added； turning to the lieutenant； who； unluckily for him； had not left
Tours。
The services took place； and were performed with unusual
ecclesiastical magnificence。 Only one person wept； and that was
Birotteau； who； kneeling in a side chapel and seen by none； believed
himself guilty of the death and prayed sincerely for the soul of the
deceased； bitterly deploring that he was not able to obtain her
forgiveness before she died。
The Abbe Troubert followed the body of his friend to the grave； at the
verge of which he delivered a discourse in which； thanks to his
eloquence； the narrow life the old maid had lived was enlarged to
monumental proportions。 Those present took particular note of the
following words in the peroration：
〃This life of days devoted to God and to His religion； a life adorned
with noble actions silently performed； and with modest and hidden
virtues； was crushed by a sorrow which we might call undeserved if we
could forget； here at the verge of this grave； that our afflictions
are sent by God。 The numerous friends of this saintly woman； knowing
the innocence and nobility of her soul； foresaw that she would issue
safely from her trials in spite of the accusations which blasted her
life。 It may be that Providence has called her to the bosom of God to
withdraw her from those trials。 Happy they who can rest here below in
the peace of their own hearts as Sophie now is resting in her robe of
innocence among the blest。〃
〃When he had ended his pompous discourse；〃 said Monsieur de Bourbonne；
after relating the incidents of the internment to Madame de Listomere
when whist was over； the doors shut； and they were alone with the
baron； 〃this Louis XI。 in a cassockimagine him if you can！gave a
last flourish to the sprinkler and aspersed the coffin with holy
water。〃 Monsieur de Bourbonne picked up the tongs and imitated the
priest's gesture so satirically that the baron and his aunt could not
help laughing。 〃Not until then；〃 continued the old gentleman； 〃did he
contradict himself。 Up to that time his behavior had been perfect； but
it was no doubt impossible for him to put the old maid； whom he
despised so heartily and hated almost as much as he hated Chapeloud；
out of sight forever without allowing his joy to appear in that last
gesture。〃
The next day Mademoiselle Salomon came to breakfast with Madame de
Listomere； chiefly to say； with deep emotion： 〃Our poor Abbe Birotteau
has just received a frightful blow； which shows the most determined
hatred。 He is appointed curate of Saint…Symphorien。〃
Saint…Symphorien is a suburb of Tours lying beyond the bridge。 That
bridge； one of the finest monuments of French architecture； is
nineteen hundred feet long； and the two open squares which surround
each end are precisely alike。
〃Don't you see the misery of it？〃 she said； after a pause； amazed at
the coldness with which Madame de Listomere received the news。 〃It is
just as if the abbe were a hundred miles from Tours； from his friends；
from everything！ It is a frightful exile； and all the more cruel
because he is kept within sight of the town where he can hardly ever
come。 Since his troubles he walks very feebly； yet he will have to
walk three miles to see his old friends。 He has taken to his bed； just
now； with fever。 The parsonage at Saint…Symphorien is very cold and
damp； and the parish is too poor to repair it。 The poor old man will
be buried in a living tomb。 Oh； it is an infamous plot！〃
To end this history it will suffice to relate a few events in a simple
way； and to give one last picture of its chief personages。
Five months later the vicar…general was made Bishop of Troyes； and
Madame de Listomere was dead； leaving an annuity of fifteen hundred
francs to the Abbe Birotteau。 The day on which the dispositions in her
will were made known Monseigneur Hyacinthe； Bishop of Troyes； was on
the point of leaving Tours to reside in his diocese； but he delayed
his departure on receiving the news。 Furious at being foiled by a
woman to whom he had lately given his countenance while she had been
secretly holding the hand of a man whom he regarded as his enemy；
Troubert again threatened the baron's future career； and put in
jeopardy the peerage of his uncle。 He made in the salon of the
archbishop； and before an assembled party； one of those priestly
speeches which are big with vengeance and soft with honi
