the village rector-第10节

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manifestation　of　his　principles　at　the　present　time　would　deprive　him
of　all　chance　of　the　episcopate。

This　eminent　priest　united　in　himself　great　Christian　modesty　and　a
noble　character。　Without　pride　or　ambition　he　remained　at　his　post　and
did　his　duty　in　the　midst　of　perils。　The　liberals　of　the　town　were
ignorant　of　the　motives　of　his　conduct；　they　claimed　him　as　being　of
their　opinions　and　considered　him　a　patriot；a　word　which　meant
revolutionist　in　Catholic　minds。　Loved　by　his　inferiors；　who　dared
not；　however；　proclaim　his　merits；　feared　by　his　equals　who　kept　watch
upon　him；　he　was　a　source　of　embarrassment　to　the　bishop。　His　virtues
and　his　knowledge；　envied；　no　doubt；　prevented　persecution；　it　was
impossible　to　complain　of　him；　though　he　criticized　frankly　the
political　blunders　by　which　both　the　throne　and　the　clergy　mutually
compromised　themselves。　He　often　foretold　results；　but　vainly；like
poor　Cassandra；　who　was　equally　cursed　before　and　after　the　disaster
she　predicted。　Short　of　a　revolution　the　Abbe　Dutheil　was　likely　to
remain　as　he　was；　one　of　those　stones　hidden　in　the　foundation　wall　on
which　the　edifice　rests。　His　utility　was　recognized　and　they　left　him
in　his　place；　like　many　other　solid　minds　whose　rise　to　power　is　the
terror　of　mediocrities。　If；　like　the　Abbe　de　Lamennais；　he　had　taken
up　his　pen　he　would　doubtless；　like　him；　have　been　blasted　by　the
court　of　Rome。

The　Abbe　Dutheil　was　imposing　in　appearance。　His　exterior　revealed　the
underlying　of　a　profound　nature　always　calm　and　equable　on　the
surface。　His　tall　figure　and　its　thinness　did　not　detract　from　the
general　effect　of　his　lines；　which　recalled　those　by　which　the　genius
of　Spanish　painters　delights　to　represent　the　great　monastic
meditators；　and　those　selected　at　a　later　period　by　Thorwaldsen　for
the　Apostles。　The　long；　almost　rigid　folds　of　the　face；　in　harmony
with　those　of　his　vestment；　had　the　charm　which　the　middle…ages　bring
into　relief　in　the　mystical　statues　placed　beside　the　portals　of　their
churches。　Gravity　of　thought；　word；　and　accent；　harmonized　in　this　man
and　became　him　well。　Seeing　his　dark　eyes　hollowed　by　austerities　and
surrounded　by　a　brown　circle；　seeing；　too；　his　forehead；　yellow　as
some　old　stone；　his　head　and　hands　almost　fleshless；　men　desired　to
hear　the　voice　and　the　instructions　which　issued　from　his　lips。　This
purely　physical　grandeur　which　accords　with　moral　grandeur；　gave　this
priest　a　somewhat　haughty　and　disdainful　air；　which　was　instantly
counteracted　to　an　observer　by　his　modesty　and　by　his　speech；　though
it　did　not　predispose　others　in　his　favor。　In　some　more　elevated
station　these　advantages　would　have　obtained　that　necessary　ascendancy
over　the　masses　which　the　people　willingly　allow　to　men　who　are　thus
endowed。　But　superiors　will　not　forgive　their　inferiors　for　possessing
the　externals　of　greatness；　nor　for　displaying　that　majesty　so　prized
by　the　ancients　but　so　often　lacking　to　the　administrators　of　modern
power。

By　one　of　those　strange　freaks　of　circumstance　which　are　never
accounted　for；　the　other　vicar…general；　the　Abbe　de　Grancour；　a　stout
little　man　with　a　rosy　complexion　and　blue　eyes；　whose　opinions　were
diametrically　opposed　to　those　of　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　liked　to　be　in　the
latter's　company；　although　he　never　testified　this　liking　enough　to
put　himself　out　of　the　good　graces　of　the　bishop；　to　whom　he　would
have　sacrificed　everything。　The　Abbe　de　Grancour　believed　in　the　merit
of　his　colleague；　recognized　his　talents；　secretly　accepted　his
doctrines；　and　condemned　them　openly；　for　the　little　priest　was　one　of
those　men　whom　superiority　attracts　and　intimidates；who　dislike　it
and　yet　cultivate　it。　〃He　would　embrace　me　and　condemn　me；〃　the　Abbe
Dutheil　said　of　him。　The　Abbe　de　Grancour　had　neither　friends　nor
enemies；　he　was　therefore　likely　to　live　and　die　a　vicar…general。　He
said　he　was　drawn　to　visit　Madame　Graslin　by　the　desire　of　counselling
so　religious　and　benevolent　a　person；　and　the　bishop　approved　of　his
doing　so；Monsieur　de　Grancour's　real　object　being　to　spend　a　few
evenings　with　the　Abbe　Dutheil　in　Veronique's　salon。

The　two　priests　now　came　pretty　regularly　to　see　Madame　Graslin；　and
make　her　a　sort　of　report　about　her　poor　and　discuss　the　best　means　of
succoring　and　improving　them。　But　Monsieur　Graslin　had　now　begun　to
tighten　his　purse…strings；　having　made　the　discovery；　in　spite　of　the
innocent　deceptions　of　his　wife　and　her　maid；　that　the　money　he　paid
did　not　go　solely　for　household　expenses　and　for　dress。　He　was　angry
when　he　found　out　how　much　money　his　wife's　charities　cost　him；　he
called　the　cook　to　account；　inquired　into　all　the　details　of　the
housekeeping；　and　showed　what　a　grand　administrator　he　was　by
practically　proving　that　his　house　could　be　splendidly　kept　for　three
thousand　francs　a　year。　Then　he　put　his　wife　on　an　allowance　of　a
hundred　francs　a　month；　and　boasted　of　his　liberality　in　so　doing。　The
office…boy；　who　liked　flowers；　was　made　to　take　care　of　the　garden　on
Sundays。　Having　dismissed　the　gardener；　Graslin　used　the　greenhouse　to
store　articles　conveyed　to　him　as　security　for　loans。　He　let　the　birds
in　the　aviary　die　for　want　of　care；　to　avoid　the　cost　of　their　food
and　attendance。　And　he　even　took　advantage　of　a　winter　when　there　was
no　ice；　to　give　up　his　icehouse　and　save　the　expense　of　filling　it。

By　1828　there　was　not　a　single　article　of　luxury　in　the　house　which　he
had　not　in　some　way　got　rid　of。　Parsimony　reigned　unchecked　in　the
hotel　Graslin。　The　master's　face；　greatly　improved　during　the　three
years　spent　with　his　wife　（who　induced　him　to　follow　his　physician's
advice）；　now　became　redder；　more　fiery；　more　blotched　than　before。
Business　had　taken　such　proportions　that　it　was　necessary　to　promote
the　boy…of…all…work　to　the　position　of　cashier；　and　to　find　some　stout
Auvergnat　for　the　rougher　service　of　the　hotel　Graslin。

Thus；　four　years　after　her　marriage；　this　very　rich　woman　could　not
dispose　of　a　single　penny　by　her　own　will。　The　avarice　of　her　husband
succeeded　the　avarice　of　her　parents。　Madame　Graslin　had　never
understood　the　necessity　of　money　until　the　time　came　when　her
benevolence　was　checked。

By　the　beginning　of　the　year　1828　Veronique　had　entirely　recovered　the
blooming　health　which　had　given　such　beauty　to　the　innocent　young　girl
sitting　at　her　window　in　the　old　house　in　the　rue　de　la　Cite；　but　by
this　time　she　had　acquired　a　fine　literary　education；　and　was　fully
able　to　think　and　to　speak。　An　excellent　judgment　gave　real　depth　to
her　words。　Accustomed　now　to　the　little　things　of　life；　she　wore　the
fashions　of　the　period　with　infinite　grace。　When　she　chanced　about
this　time　to　visit　a　salon　she　found　herselfnot　without　a　certain
inward　surprisereceived　by　all　with　respectful　esteem。　These　changed
feelings　and　this　welcome　were　due　to　the　two　vicars…general　and　to
old　Grossetete。　Informed　by　them　of　her　noble　hidden　life；　and　the
good　deeds　so　constantly　done　in　their　midst；　the　bishop　and　a　few
influential　persons　spoke　of　Madame　Graslin　as　a　flower　of　true　piety；
a　violet　fragrant　with　virtues；　in　consequence　of　which；　one　of　those
strong　reactions　set　in；　unknown　to　Veronique；　which　are　none　the　less
solid　and　durable　because　they　are　long　in　coming。　This　change　in
public　opinion　gave　additional　influence　to　Veronique's　salon；　which
was　now　visited　by　all　the　chief　persons　in　the　society　of　the　town；
in　consequence　of　certain　circumstances　we　shall　now　relate。

Toward　the　close　of　this　year　the　young　Vicomte　de　Grandville　was　sent
as　deputy　solicitor　to　the　courts　of　Limoges。　He　came　preceded　by　a
reputation　always　given　to　Parisians　in　the　provinces。　A　few　days
after　his　arrival；　during　a　soiree　at　the　prefecture；　he　made　answer
to　a　rather　foolish　question；　that　the　most　able；　intelligent；　and
distinguished　woman　he　had　met　in　the　town　was　Madame　Graslin。

〃Perhaps　you　think　her　the　handsomest　also？〃　said　the　wife　of　the
receiver…general。

〃I　cannot　think　so　in　your　presence；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃and
therefore　I　am　in　doubt。　Madame　Graslin　possesses　a　beauty　which　need
inspire　no　jealousy；　for　it　seldom　shows　itself：　she　is　only　beautiful
to　those　she　loves；　you　are　beautiful　to　all　the　world。　When　Madame
Graslin's　soul　is　moved　by　true　enthusiasm；　it　sheds　an　expression
upon　her　face　which　changes　it　completely。　Her　countenance　is　like　a
landscape；dull　in　winter；　glorious　in　summer；　but　the　world　will
always　see　it　in　winter。　When　she　talks　with　friends　on　some　literary
or　philosophical　topic；　or　on　certain　religious　questions　which
interest　her；　she　is　roused　into　appearing　suddenly　an　unknown　woman
of　marvellous　beauty。〃

This　declaration；　which　was　caused　by　observing　the　phenomenon　that
formerly　made　Veronique　so　beautiful　on　her　return　from　the　holy
table；　made　a　great　noise　in　Limoges；　where　for　a　time　the　young
deputy；　to　whom　the　place　of　the　/procureur…general/　was　said　to　be
promised；　played　a　leading　part。　In　all　provincial　towns　a　man　who
rises　a　trifle　above　others　becomes；　for　a　period　more　or　less
protracted；　the　object　of　a　liking　which　resembles　enthusiasm；　and
which　usua