the collection of antiquities-第10节

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〃Well；　Chesnel；　is　it　something　new？〃　Mlle。　Armande　began　anxiously。

〃Yes；　things　that　cannot　be　told　to　M。　le　Marquis；　he　would　drop　down　in　an　apoplectic　fit。〃

〃Speak　out；〃　she　said。　With　her　beautiful　head　leant　on　the　back　of　her　low　chair；　and　her　arms　extended　listlessly　by　her　side；　she　looked　as　if　she　were　waiting　passively　for　her　deathblow。

〃Mademoiselle；　M。　le　Comte；　with　all　his　cleverness；　is　a　plaything　in　the　hands　of　mean　creatures；　petty　natures　on　the　lookout　for　a　crushing　revenge。　They　want　to　ruin　us　and　bring　us　low！　There　is　the　President　of　the　Tribunal；　M。　de　Ronceret；　he　has；　as　you　know；　a　very　great　notion　of　his　descent〃

〃His　grandfather　was　an　attorney；〃　interposed　Mlle。　Armande。

〃I　know　he　was。　And　for　that　reason　you　have　not　received　him；　nor　does　he　go　to　M。　de　Troisville's；　nor　to　M。　le　Duc　de　Verneuil's；　nor　to　the　Marquis　de　Casteran's；　but　he　is　one　of　the　pillars　of　du　Croisier's　salon。　Your　nephew　may　rub　shoulders　with　young　M。　Fabien　du　Ronceret　without　condescending　too　far；　for　he　must　have　companions　of　his　own　age。　Well　and　good。　That　young　fellow　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　M。　le　Comte's　follies；　he　and　two　or　three　of　the　rest　of　them　belong　to　the　other　side；　the　side　of　M。　le　Chevalier's　enemy；　who　does　nothing　but　breathe　threats　of　vengeance　against　you　and　all　the　nobles　together。　They　all　hope　to　ruin　you　through　your　nephew。　The　ringleader　of　the　conspiracy　is　this　sycophant　of　a　du　Croisier；　the　pretended　Royalist。　Du　Croisier's　wife；　poor　thing；　knows　nothing　about　it；　you　know　her；　I　should　have　heard　of　it　before　this　if　she　had　ears　to　hear　evil。　For　some　time　these　wild　young　fellows　were　not　in　the　secret；　nor　was　anybody　else；　but　the　ringleaders　let　something　drop　in　jest；　and　then　the　fools　got　to　know　about　it；　and　after　the　Count's　recent　escapades　they　let　fall　some　words　while　they　were　drunk。　And　those　words　were　carried　to　me　by　others　who　are　sorry　to　see　such　a　fine；　handsome；　noble；　charming　lad　ruining　himself　with　pleasure。　So　far　people　feel　sorry　for　him；　before　many　days　are　over　they　willI　am　afraid　to　say　what〃

〃They　will　despise　him；　say　it　out；　Chesnel！〃　Mlle。　Armande　cried　piteously。

〃Ah！　How　can　you　keep　the　best　people　in　the　town　from　finding　out　faults　in　their　neighbors？　They　do　not　know　what　to　do　with　themselves　from　morning　to　night。　And　so　M。　le　Comte's　losses　at　play　are　all　reckoned　up。　Thirty　thousand　francs　have　taken　flight　during　these　two　months；　and　everybody　wonders　where　he　gets　the　money。　If　they　mention　it　when　I　am　present；　I　just　call　them　to　order。　Ah！　but'Do　you　suppose'　（I　told　them　this　morning）；　'do　you　suppose　that　if　the　d'Esgrignon　family　have　lost　their　manorial　rights；　that　therefore　they　have　been　robbed　of　their　hoard　of　treasure？　The　young　Count　has　a　right　to　do　as　he　pleases；　and　so　long　as　he　does　not　owe　you　a　half…penny；　you　have　no　right　to　say　a　word。'　〃

Mlle；　Armande　held　out　her　hand；　and　the　notary　kissed　it　respectfully。

〃Good　Chesnel！　。　。　。　But；　my　friend；　how　shall　we　find　the　money　for　this　journey？　Victurnien　must　appear　as　befits　his　rank　at　court。〃

〃Oh！　I　have　borrowed　money　on　Le　Jard；　mademoiselle。〃

〃What？　You　have　nothing　left！　Ah；　heaven！　what　can　we　do　to　reward　you？〃

〃You　can　take　the　hundred　thousand　francs　which　I　hold　at　your　disposal。　You　can　understand　that　the　loan　was　negotiated　in　confidence；　so　that　it　might　not　reflect　on　you；　for　it　is　known　in　the　town　that　I　am　closely　connected　with　the　d'Esgrignon　family。〃

Tears　came　into　Mlle。　Armande's　eyes。　Chesnel　saw　them；　took　a　fold　of　the　noble　woman's　dress　in　his　hands；　and　kissed　it。

〃Never　mind；〃　he　said；　〃a　lad　must　sow　his　wild　oats。　In　great　salons　in　Paris　his　boyish　ideas　will　take　a　new　turn。　And；　really；　though　our　old　friends　here　are　the　worthiest　folk　in　the　world；　and　no　one　could　have　nobler　hearts　than　they；　they　are　not　amusing。　If　M。　le　Comte　wants　amusement；　he　is　obliged　to　look　below　his　rank；　and　he　will　end　by　getting　into　low　company。〃

Next　day　the　old　traveling　coach　saw　the　light；　and　was　sent　to　be　put　in　repair。　In　a　solemn　interview　after　breakfast；　the　hope　of　the　house　was　duly　informed　of　his　father's　intentions　regarding　himhe　was　to　go　to　court　and　ask　to　serve　His　Majesty。　He　would　have　time　during　the　journey　to　make　up　his　mind　about　his　career。　The　navy　or　the　army；　the　privy　council；　an　embassy；　or　the　Royal　Household；all　were　open　to　a　d'Esgrignon；　a　d'Esgrignon　had　only　to　choose。　The　King　would　certainly　look　favorably　upon　the　d'Esgrignons；　because　they　had　asked　nothing　of　him；　and　had　sent　the　youngest　representative　of　their　house　to　receive　the　recognition　of　Majesty。

But　young　d'Esgrignon；　with　all　his　wild　pranks；　had　guessed　instinctively　what　society　in　Paris　meant；　and　formed　his　own　opinions　of　life。　So　when　they　talked　of　his　leaving　the　country　and　the　paternal　roof；　he　listened　with　a　grave　countenance　to　his　revered　parent's　lecture；　and　refrained　from　giving　him　a　good　deal　of　information　in　reply。　As；　for　instance；　that　young　men　no　longer　went　into　the　army　or　the　navy　as　they　used　to　do；　that　if　a　man　had　a　mind　to　be　a　second　lieutenant　in　a　cavalry　regiment　without　passing　through　a　special　training　in　the　Ecoles；　he　must　first　serve　in　the　Pages；　that　sons　of　the　greatest　houses　went　exactly　like　commoners　to　Saint…Cyr　and　the　Ecole　polytechnique；　and　took　their　chances　of　being　beaten　by　base　blood。　If　he　had　enlightened　his　relatives　on　these　points；　funds　might　not　have　been　forthcoming　for　a　stay　in　Paris；　so　he　allowed　his　father　and　Aunt　Armande　to　believe　that　he　would　be　permitted　a　seat　in　the　King's　carriages；　that　he　must　support　his　dignity　at　court　as　the　d'Esgrignon　of　the　time；　and　rub　shoulders　with　great　lords　of　the　realm。

It　grieved　the　Marquis　that　he　could　send　but　one　servant　with　his　son；　but　he　gave　him　his　own　valet　Josephin；　a　man　who　can　be　trusted　to　take　care　of　his　young　master；　and　to　watch　faithfully　over　his　interests。　The　poor　father　must　do　without　Josephin；　and　hope　to　replace　him　with　a　young　lad。

〃Remember　that　you　are　a　Carol；　my　boy；〃　he　said；　〃remember　that　you　come　of　an　unalloyed　descent；　and　that　your　scutcheon　bears　the　motto　Cil　est　nostre；　with　such　arms　you　may　hold　your　head　high　everywhere；　and　aspire　to　queens。　Render　grace　to　your　father；　as　I　to　mine。　We　owe　it　to　the　honor　of　our　ancestors；　kept　stainless　until　now；　that　we　can　look　all　men　in　the　face；　and　need　bend　the　knee　to　none　save　a　mistress；　the　King；　and　God。　This　is　the　greatest　of　your　privileges。〃

Chesnel；　good　man；　was　breakfasting　with　the　family。　He　took　no　part　in　counsels　based　on　heraldry；　nor　in　the　inditing　of　letters　addressed　to　divers　mighty　personages　of　the　day；　but　he　had　spent　the　night　in　writing　to　an　old　friend　of　his；　one　of　the　oldest　established　notaries　of　Paris。　Without　this　letter　it　is　not　possible　to　understand　Chesnel's　real　and　assumed　fatherhood。　It　almost　recalls　Daedalus'　address　to　Icarus；　for　where；　save　in　old　mythology；　can　you　look　for　comparisons　worthy　of　this　man　of　antique　mould？



　　〃MY　DEAR　AND　ESTIMABLE　SORBIER；I　remember　with　no　little　　　pleasure　that　I　made　my　first　campaign　in　our　honorable　profession　　　under　your　father；　and　that　you　had　a　liking　for　me；　poor　little　　　clerk　that　I　was。　And　now　I　appeal　to　old　memories　of　the　days　　　when　we　worked　in　the　same　office；　old　pleasant　memories　for　our　　　hearts；　to　ask　you　to　do　me　the　one　service　that　I　have　ever　asked　　　of　you　in　the　course　of　our　long　lives；　crossed　as　they　have　been　　　by　political　catastrophes；　to　which；　perhaps；　I　owe　it　that　I　have　　　the　honor　to　be　your　colleague。　And　now　I　ask　this　service　of　you；　　　my　friend；　and　my　white　hairs　will　be　brought　with　sorrow　to　the　　　grave　if　you　should　refuse　my　entreaty。　It　is　no　question　of　　　myself　or　of　mine；　Sorbier；　for　I　lost　poor　Mme。　Chesnel；　and　I　　　have　no　child　of　my　own。　Something　more　to　me　than　my　own　family　　　（if　I　had　one）　is　involvedit　is　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon's　only　　　son。　I　have　had　the　honor　to　be　the　Marquis'　land　steward　ever　　　since　I　left　the　office　to　which　his　father　sent　me　at　his　own　　　expense；　with　the　idea　of　providing　for　me。　The　house　which　　　nurtured　me　has　passed　through　all　the　troubles　of　the　Revolution。　　　I　have　managed　to　save　some　of　their　property；　but　what　is　it；　　　after　all；　in　comparison　with　the　wealth　that　they　have　lost？　I　　　cannot　tell　you；　Sorbier；　how　deeply　I　am　attached　to　the　great　　　house；　which　has　been　all　but　swallowed　up　under　my　eyes　by　the　　　abyss　of　time。　M。　le　Marquis　was　proscribed；　and　his　lands　　　confiscated；　he　was　getting　on　in　years；　he　had　no　child。　　　Misfortunes　upon　misfortunes！　Then　M。　le　Marquis　married；　and　his　　　wife　died　when　the　young　Count　was　born；　and　to…day　this　noble；　　　dear；　and　precious　child　is　all　the　life　of　the　d'Esgrignon　　　family；　the　fate　of　the　house　hangs　upon　him。　He　has　got　into　debt　　　here　with　amusing　himself。　What　else　should　he　do　in　the　provinces　　　with　an　allowance　of　a　miserable　hundred　louis？　Yes；　my　friend；　a　　　hundred　louis；　the　great　house　has　come　to　this。

　　〃In　this　extremity　his　father　thinks　it　necessary　to　send　the　　　　Count　to　Paris　to　ask　for