la mere bauche-第4节

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had　ever　been　before。　　La　Mere　herself　observed　it；　and　did　not　quite
like　it；　but　how　could　she　prevent　it　now？　　When　the　capitaine　was
once　married　she　would　make　him　know　his　place；　in　spite　of　all　her
promises　to　Marie。

〃But　if　he　says　he　likes　the　girl？〃　continued　Madame　Bauche。

〃My　friend；　you　may　be　sure　that　he　will　say　nothing　of　the　kind。　　He
has　not　been　away　two　years　without　seeing　girls　as　pretty　as　Marie。
And　then　you　have　his　letter。〃

〃That　is　nothing；　capitaine；　he　would　eat　his　letter　as　quick　as　you
would　eat　an　omelet　aux　fines　herbes。〃

Now　the　capitaine　was　especially　quick　over　an　omelet　aux　fines
herbes。

〃And；　Mere　Bauche；　you　also　have　the　purse；　he　will　know　that　he
cannot　eat　that；　except　with　your　good　will。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Bauche；　〃poor　lad！　　He　has　not　a　sous　in　the
world　unless　I　give　it　to　him。〃　　But　it　did　not　seem　that　this
reflection　was　in　itself　displeasing　to　her。

〃Adolphe　will　now　be　a　man　of　the　world；〃　continued　the　capitaine。
〃He　will　know　that　it　does　not　do　to　throw　away　everything　for　a　pair
of　red　lips。　　That　is　the　folly　of　a　boy；　and　Adolphe　will　be　no
longer　a　boy。　　Believe　me；　Mere　Bauche；　things　will　be　right　enough。〃

〃And　then　we　shall　have　Marie　sick　and　ill　and　half　dying　on　our
hands；〃　said　Madame　Bauche。

This　was　not　flattering　to　the　capitaine；　and　so　he　felt　it。
〃Perhaps　so；　perhaps　not；〃　he　said。　　〃But　at　any　rate　she　will　get
over　it。　　It　is　a　malady　which　rarely　kills　young　womenespecially
when　another　alliance　awaits　them。〃

〃Bah！〃　said　Madame　Bauche；　and　in　saying　that　word　she　avenged
herself　for　the　too　great　liberty　which　the　capitaine　had　lately
taken。　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　took　a　pinch　of　snuff　and
uninvited　helped　himself　to　a　teaspoonful　of　cognac。　　Then　the
conference　ended；　and　on　the　next　morning　before　breakfast　Adolphe
Bauche　arrived。

On　that　morning　poor　Marie　hardly　knew　how　to　bear　herself。　　A　month
or　two　back；　and　even　up　to　the　last　day　or　two；　she　had　felt　a　sort
of　confidence　that　Adolphe　would　be　true　to　her；　but　the　nearer　came
that　fatal　day　the　less　strong　was　the　confidence　of　the　poor　girl。
She　knew　that　those　two　long…headed；　aged　counsellors　were　plotting
against　her　happiness；　and　she　felt　that　she　could　hardly　dare　hope
for　success　with　such　terrible　foes　opposed　to　her。　　On　the　evening
before　the　day　Madame　Bauche　had　met　her　in　the　passages；　and　kissed
her　as　she　wished　her　good　night。　　Marie　knew　little　about
sacrifices；　but　she　felt　that　it　was　a　sacrificial　kiss。

In　those　days　a　sort　of　diligence　with　the　mails　for　Olette　passed
through　Prades　early　in　the　morning；　and　a　conveyance　was　sent　from
Vernet　to　bring　Adolphe　to　the　baths。　　Never　was　prince　or　princess
expected　with　more　anxiety。　　Madame　Bauche　was　up　and　dressed　long
before　the　hour；　and　was　heard　to　say　five　several　times　that　she　was
sure　he　would　not　come。　　The　capitaine　was　out　and　on　the　high　road；
moving　about　with　his　wooden　leg；　as　perpendicular　as　a　lamp…post　and
almost　as　black。　　Marie　also　was　up；　but　nobody　had　seen　her。　　She
was　up　and　had　been　out　about　the　place　before　any　of　them　were
stirring；　but　now　that　the　world　was　on　the　move　she　lay　hidden　like
a　hare　in　its　form。

And　then　the　old　char…a…banc　clattered　up　to　the　door；　and　Adolphe
jumped　out　of　it　into　his　mother's　arms。　　He　was　fatter　and　fairer
than　she　had　last　seen　him；　had　a　larger　beard；　was　more　fashionably
clothed；　and　certainly　looked　more　like　a　man。　　Marie　also　saw　him
out　of　her　little　window；　and　she　thought　that　he　looked　like　a　god。
Was　it　probable；　she　said　to　herself；　that　one　so　godlike　would　still
care　for　her？

The　mother　was　delighted　with　her　son；　who　rattled　away　quite　at　his
ease。　　He　shook　hands　very　cordially　with　the　capitaineof　whose
intended　alliance　with　his　own　sweetheart　he　had　been　informed；　and
then　as　he　entered　the　house　with　his　hand　under　his　mother's　arm；　he
asked　one　question　about　her。　　〃And　where　is　Marie？〃　said　he。
〃Marie！　oh　upstairs；　you　shall　see　her　after　breakfast；〃　said　La　Mere
Bauche。　　And　so　they　entered　the　house；　and　went　in　to　breakfast
among　the　guests。　　Everybody　had　heard　something　of　the　story；　and
they　were　all　on　the　alert　to　see　the　young　man　whose　love　or　want　of
love　was　considered　to　be　of　so　much　importance。

〃You　will　see　that　it　will　be　all　right；〃　said　the　capitaine；
carrying　his　head　very　high。

〃I　think　so；　I　think　so；〃　said　La　Mere　Bauche；　who；　now　that　the
capitaine　was　right；　no　longer　desired　to　contradict　him。

〃I　know　that　it　will　be　all　right；〃　said　the　capitaine。　　〃I　told　you
that　Adolphe　would　return　a　man；　and　he　is　a　man。　　Look　at　him；　he
does　not　care　this　for　Marie　Clavert；〃　and　the　capitaine；　with　much
eloquence　in　his　motion；　pitched　over　a　neighbouring　wall　a　small
stone　which　he　held　in　his　hand。

And　then　they　all　went　to　breakfast　with　many　signs　of　outward　joy。
And　not　without　some　inward　joy；　for　Madame　Bauche　thought　she　saw
that　her　son　was　cured　of　his　love。　　In　the　mean　time　Marie　sat　up
stairs　still　afraid　to　show　herself。

〃He　has　come；〃　said　a　young　girl；　a　servant　in　the　house；　running　up
to　the　door　of　Marie's　room。

〃Yes；〃　said　Marie；　〃I　could　see　that　he　has　come。〃

〃And；　oh；　how　beautiful　he　is！〃　said　the　girl；　putting　her　hands
together　and　looking　up　to　the　ceiling。　　Marie　in　her　heart　of　hearts
wished　that　he　was　not　half　so　beautiful；　as　then　her　chance　of
having　him　might　be　greater。

〃And　the　company　are　all　talking　to　him　as　though　he　were　the
prefet；〃　said　the　girl。

〃Never　mind　who　is　talking　to　him；〃　said　Marie；　〃go　away；　and　leave
meyou　are　wanted　for　your　work。〃　　Why　before　this　was　he　not
talking　to　her？　　Why　not；　if　he　were　really　true　to　her？　　Alas；　it
began　to　fall　upon　her　mind　that　he　would　be　false！　　And　what　then？
What　should　she　do　then？　　She　sat　still　gloomily；　thinking　of　that
other　spouse　that　had　been　promised　to　her。

As　speedily　after　breakfast　as　was　possible　Adolphe　was　invited　to　a
conference　in　his　mother's　private　room。　　She　had　much　debated　in　her
own　mind　whether　the　capitaine　should　be　invited　to　this　conference
or　no。　　For　many　reasons　she　would　have　wished　to　exclude　him。　　She
did　not　like　to　teach　her　son　that　she　was　unable　to　manage　her　own
affairs；　and　she　would　have　been　well　pleased　to　make　the　capitaine
understand　that　his　assistance　was　not　absolutely　necessary　to　her。
But　then　she　had　an　inward　fear　that　her　green　spectacles　would　not
now　be　as　efficacious　on　Adolphe；　as　they　had　once　been；　in　old　days；
before　he　had　seen　the　world　and　become　a　man。　　It　might　be　necessary
that　her　son；　being　a　man；　should　be　opposed　by　a　man。　　So　the
capitaine　was　invited　to　the　conference。

What　took　place　there　need　not　be　described　at　length。　　The　three
were　closeted　for　two　hours；　at　the　end　of　which　time　they　came　forth
together。　　The　countenance　of　Madame　Bauche　was　serene　and
comfortable；　her　hopes　of　ultimate　success　ran　higher　than　ever。　　The
face　of　the　capitaine　was　masked；　as　are　always　the　faces　of　great
diplomatists；　he　walked　placid　and　upright；　raising　his　wooden　leg
with　an　ease　and　skill　that　was　absolutely　marvellous。　　But　poor
Adolphe's　brow　was　clouded。　　Yes；　poor　Adolphe！　for　he　was　poor　in
spirit；　he　had　pledged　himself　to　give　up　Marie；　and　to　accept　the
liberal　allowance　which　his　mother　tendered　him；　but　it　remained　for
him　now　to　communicate　these　tidings　to　Marie　herself。

〃Could　not　you　tell　her？〃　he　had　said　to　his　mother；　with　very　little
of　that　manliness　in　his　face　on　which　his　mother　now　so　prided
herself。　　But　La　Mere　Bauche　explained　to　him　that　it　was　a　part　of
the　general　agreement　that　Marie　was　to　hear　his　decision　from　his
own　mouth。

〃But　you　need　not　regard　it；〃　said　the　capitaine；　with　the　most
indifferent　air　in　the　world。　　〃The　girl　expects　it。　　Only　she　has
some　childish　idea　that　she　is　bound　till　you　yourself　release　her。
I　don't　think　she　will　be　troublesome。〃　　Adolphe　at　that　moment　did
feel　that　he　should　have　liked　to　kick　the　capitaine　out　of　his
mother's　house。

And　where　should　the　meeting　take　place？　　In　the　hall　of　the　bath…
house；　suggested　Madame　Bauche；　because；　as　she　observed；　they　could
walk　round　and　round；　and　nobody　ever　went　there　at　that　time　of　day。
But　to　this　Adolphe　objected；　it　would　be　so　cold　and　dismal　and
melancholy。

The　capitaine　thought　that　Mere　Bauche's　little　parlour　was　the
place；　but　La　Mere　herself　did　not　like　this。　　They　might　be
overheard；　as　she　well　knew；　and　she　guessed　that　the　meeting　would
not　conclude　without　some　sobs　that　would　certainly　be　bitter　and
might　perhaps　be　loud。

〃Send　her　up　to　the　grotto；　and　I　will　follow　her；〃　said　Adolphe。　　On
this　therefore　they　agreed。　　Now　the　grotto　was　a　natural　excavation
in　a　high　rock；　which　stood　precipitously　upright　over　the
establishment　of　the　baths。　　A　steep　zigzag　path　with　almost　never…
ending　steps　had　been　made　along　the　face　of　the　rock　from　a　little
flower　garden　attached　to　the　house　which　lay　immediately　under　the
mountain。　　Close　along　the　front　of　the　hotel　ran　a　little　brawling
river；　leaving　barely　room　for　a　road　between