the village rector-第11节

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protracted；　the　object　of　a　liking　which　resembles　enthusiasm；　and
which　usually　deceives　the　object　of　this　ephemeral　worship。　It　is　to
this　social　caprice　that　we　owe　so　many　local　geniuses；　soon　ignored
and　their　false　reputations　mortified。　The　men　whom　women　make　the
fashion　in　this　way　are　oftener　strangers　than　compatriots。

In　this　particular　case　the　admirers　of　the　Vicomte　de　Grandville　were
not　mistaken；　he　was　in　truth　a　superior　man。　Madame　Graslin　was　the
only　woman　he　found　in　Limoges　with　whom　he　could　exchange　ideas　and
keep　up　a　varied　conversation。　A　few　months　after　his　arrival；
attracted　by　the　increasing　charm　of　Veronique's　manners　and
conversation；　he　proposed　to　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　and　a　few　other　of　the
remarkable　men　in　Limoges；　to　meet　in　the　evenings　at　Madame　Graslin's
house　and　play　whist。　At　this　time　Madame　Graslin　was　at　home　five
evenings　in　the　week　to　visitors；　reserving　two　free　days；　as　she
said；　for　herself。

When　Madame　Graslin　had　thus　gathered　about　her　the　distinguished　men
we　have　mentioned；　others　were　not　sorry　to　give　themselves　the
reputation　of　cleverness　by　seeking　to　join　the　same　society。
Veronique　also　received　three　or　four　of　the　distinguished　officers　of
the　garrison　and　staff；　but　the　freedom　of　mind　displayed　by　her
guests；　and　the　tacit　discretion　enjoined　by　the　manners　of　the　best
society；　made　her　extremely　cautious　as　to　the　admission　of　those　who
now　vied　with　each　other　to　obtain　her　invitations。

The　other　women　in　this　provincial　society　were　not　without　jealousy
in　seeing　Madame　Graslin　surrounded　by　the　most　agreeable　and
distinguished　men　in　the　town；　but　by　this　time　Veronique's　social
power　was　all　the　stronger　because　it　was　exclusive；　she　accepted　the
intimacy　of　four　or　five　women　only；　and　these　were　strangers　in
Limoges　who　had　come　from　Paris　with　their　husbands；　and　who　held　in
horror　the　petty　gossip　of　provincial　life。　If　any　one　outside　of　this
little　clique　of　superior　persons　came　in　to　make　a　visit；　the
conversation　immediately　changed；　and　the　habitues　of　the　house　talked
commonplace。

The　hotel　Graslin　thus　became　an　oasis　where　intelligent　minds　found
relaxation　and　relief　from　the　dulness　of　provincial　life；　where
persons　connected　with　the　government　could　express　themselves　freely
on　politics　without　fear　of　having　their　words　taken　down　and
repeated；　where　all　could　satirize　that　which　provoked　satire；　and
where　each　individual　abandoned　his　professional　trammels　and　yielded
himself　up　to　his　natural　self。

So；　after　being　the　most　obscure　young　girl　in　all　Limoges；　considered
ugly；　dull；　and　vacant；　Madame　Graslin；　at　the　beginning　of　the　year
1828；　was　regarded　as　one　of　the　leading　personages　in　the　town；　and
the　most　noted　woman　in　society。　No　one　went　to　see　her　in　the
mornings；　for　all　knew　her　habits　of　benevolence　and　the　regularity　of
her　religious　observances。　She　always　went　to　early　mass　so　as　not　to
delay　her　husband's　breakfast；　for　which；　however；　there　was　no　fixed
hour；　though　she　never　failed　to　be　present　and　to　serve　it　herself。
Graslin　had　trained　his　wife　to　this　little　ceremony。　He　continued　to
praise　her　on　all　occasions；　he　thought　her　perfect；　she　never　asked
him　for　anything；　he　could　pile　up　louis　upon　louis；　and　spread　his
investments　over　a　wide　field　of　enterprise　through　his　relations　with
the　Brezacs；　he　sailed　with　a　fair　wind　and　well　freighted　over　the
ocean　of　commerce；his　intense　business　interest　keeping　him　in　the
still；　though　half…intoxicated；　frenzy　of　gamblers　watching　events　on
the　green　table　of　speculation。

During　this　happy　period；　and　until　the　beginning　of　the　year　1829；
Madame　Graslin　attained；　in　the　eyes　of　her　friends；　to　a　degree　of
beauty　that　was　really　extraordinary；　the　reasons　of　which　they　were
unable　to　explain。　The　blue　of　the　iris　expanded　like　a　flower；
diminishing　the　dark　circle　of　the　pupil；　and　seeming　to　float　in　a
liquid　and　languishing　light　that　was　full　of　love。　Her　forehead；
illumined　by　thoughts　and　memories　of　happiness；　was　seen　to　whiten
like　the　zenith　before　the　dawn；　and　its　lines　were　purified　by　an
inward　fire。　Her　face　lost　those　heated　brown　tones　which　betoken　a
disturbance　of　the　liver；that　malady　of　vigorous　constitutions；　or
of　persons　whose　soul　is　distressed　and　whose　affections　are　thwarted。
Her　temples　became　adorably　fresh　and　pure；　gleams　of　the　celestial
face　of　a　Raffaelle　showed　themselves　now　and　then　in　hers；a　face
hitherto　obscured　by　the　malady　of　grief；　as　the　canvas　of　the　great
master　is　encrusted　by　time。　Her　hands　seemed　whiter；　her　shoulders
took　on　an　exquisite　fulness；　her　graceful；　animated　movements　gave　to
her　supple　figure　its　utmost　charm。

The　Limoges　women　accused　her　of　being　in　love　with　Monsieur　de
Grandville；　who　certainly　paid　her　assiduous　attention；　to　which
Veronique　opposed　all　the　barriers　of　a　conscientious　resistance。　The
viscount　professed　for　her　one　of　those　respectful　attachments　which
did　not　blind　the　habitual　visitors　of　her　salon。　The　priests　and　men
of　sense　saw　plainly　that　this　affection；　which　was　love　on　the　part
of　the　young　man；　did　not　go　beyond　the　permissible　line　in　Madame
Graslin。　Weary　at　last　of　a　resistance　based　on　religious　principle；
the　Vicomte　de　Grandville　consoled　himself　（to　the　knowledge　of　his
intimates）　with　other　and　easier　friendships；　which　did　not；　however；
lessen　his　constant　admiration　and　worship　of　the　beautiful　Madame
Graslin；such　was　the　term　by　which　she　was　designated　in　1829。

The　most　clear…sighted　among　those　who　surrounded　her　attributed　the
change　which　rendered　Veronique　increasingly　charming　to　her　friends
to　the　secret　delight　which　all　women；　even　the　most　religious；　feel
when　they　see　themselves　courted；　and　to　the　satisfaction　of　living　at
last　in　a　circle　congenial　to　her　mind；　where　the　pleasure　of
exchanging　ideas　and　the　happiness　of　being　surrounded　by　intelligent
and　well…informed　men　and　true　friends；　whose　attachment　deepened　day
by　day；　had　dispersed　forever　the　weary　dulness　of　her　life。

Perhaps；　however；　closer；　more　perceptive　or　sceptical　observers　were
needed　than　those　who　frequented　the　hotel　Graslin；　to　detect　the
barbaric　grandeur；　the　plebeian　force　of　the　People　which　lay　deep…
hidden　in　her　soul。　If　sometimes　her　friends　surprised　her　in　a　torpor
of　meditation　either　gloomy　or　merely　pensive；　they　knew　she　bore　upon
her　heart　the　miseries　of　others；　and　had　doubtless　that　morning　been
initiated　in　some　fresh　sorrow；　or　had　penetrated　to　some　haunt　where
vices　terrify　the　soul　with　their　candor。

The　viscount；　now　promoted　to　be　/procureur…general/；　would
occasionally　blame　her　for　certain　unintelligent　acts　of　charity　by
which；　as　he　knew　from　his　secret　police…reports；　she　had　given
encouragement　to　criminal　schemes。

〃If　you　ever　want　money　for　any　of　your　paupers；　let　me　be　a　sharer　in
your　good　deeds；〃　said　old　Grossetete；　taking　Veronique's　hand。

〃Ah！〃　she　replied　with　a　sigh；　〃it　is　impossible　to　make　everybody
rich。〃

At　the　beginning　of　this　year　an　event　occurred　which　was　destined　to
change　the　whole　interior　life　of　this　woman　and　to　transform　the
splendid　expression　of　her　countenance　into　something　far　more
interesting　in　the　eyes　of　painters。

Becoming　uneasy　about　his　health；　Graslin；　to　his　wife's　despair；　no
longer　desired　to　live　on　the　ground…floor。　He　returned　to　the
conjugal　chamber　and　allowed　himself　to　be　nursed。　The　news　soon
spread　throughout　Limoges　that　Madame　Graslin　was　pregnant。　Her
sadness；　mingled　with　joy；　struck　the　minds　of　her　friends；　who　then
for　the　first　time　perceived　that　in　spite　of　her　virtues　she　had　been
happy　in　the　fact　of　living　separate　from　her　husband。　Perhaps　she　had
hoped　for　some　better　fate　ever　since　the　time　when；　as　it　was　known；
the　attorney…general　had　declined　to　marry　the　richest　heiress　in　the
place；　in　order　to　keep　his　loyalty　to　her。

From　this　suggestion　there　grew　up　in　the　minds　of　the　profound
politicians　who　played　their　whist　at　the　hotel　Graslin　a　belief　that
the　viscount　and　the　young　wife　had　based　certain　hopes　on　the　ill…
health　of　the　banker　which　were　now　frustrated。　The　great　agitations
which　marked　this　period　of　Veronique's　life；　the　anxieties　which　a
first　childbirth　causes　in　every　woman；　and　which；　it　is　said；
threatens　special　danger　when　she　is　past　her　first　youth；　made　her
friends　more　attentive　than　ever　to　her；　they　vied　with　each　other　in
showing　her　those　little　kindnesses　which　proved　how　warm　and　solid
their　affection　really　was。



V

TASCHERON

It　was　in　this　year　that　Limoges　witnessed　a　terrible　event　and　the
singular　drama　of　the　Tascheron　trial；　in　which　the　young　Vicomte　de
Grandville　displayed　the　talents　which　afterwards　made　him　/procureur…
general/。

An　old　man　living　in　a　lonely　house　in　the　suburb　of　Saint…Etienne　was
murdered。　A　large　fruit…garden　lay　between　the　road　and　the　house；
which　was　also　separated　from　the　adjoining　fields　by　a　pleasure…
garden；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　were　several　old　and　disused
greenhouses。　In　front　of　the　house　a　rapid　slope　to　the　river