the village rector-第2节

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interest。

Except　during　the　time　required　for　her　household　duties；　Madame
Sauviat　was　always　seated　in　a　rickety　wooden　chair　placed　against　the
corner　pillar　of　the　building。　There　she　knitted　and　looked　at　the
passers；　watched　over　the　old　iron；　sold　and　weighed　it；　and　received
payment　if　Sauviat　was　away　making　purchases。　When　at　home　the　husband
could　be　heard　at　daybreak　pushing　open　his　shutters；　the　household
dog　rushed　out　into　the　street；　and　Madame　Sauviat　presently　came　out
to　help　her　man　in　spreading　upon　the　natural　counter　made　by　the　low
walls　on　either　side　of　the　corner　of　the　house　on　the　two　streets；
the　multifarious　collection　of　bells；　springs；　broken　gunlocks；　and
the　other　rubbish　of　their　business；　which　gave　a　poverty…stricken
look　to　the　establishment；　though　it　usually　contained　as　much　as
twenty　thousand　francs'　worth　of　lead；　steel；　iron；　and　other　metals。

Never　were　the　former　peddler　and　his　wife　known　to　speak　of　their
fortune；　they　concealed　its　amount　as　carefully　as　a　criminal　hides　a
crime；　and　for　years　they　were　suspected　of　shaving　both　gold　and
silver　coins。　When　Champagnac　died　the　Sauviats　made　no　inventory　of
his　property；　but　they　rummaged；　with　the　intelligence　of　rats；　into
every　nook　and　corner　of　the　old　man's　house；　left　it　as　naked　as　a
corpse；　and　sold　the　wares　it　contained　in　their　own　shop。

Once　a　year；　in　December；　Sauviat　went　to　Paris　in　one　of　the　public
conveyances。　The　gossips　of　the　neighborhood　concluded　that　in　order
to　conceal　from　others　the　amount　of　his　fortune；　he　invested　it
himself　on　these　occasions。　It　was　known　later　that；　having　been
connected　in　his　youth　with　one　of　the　most　celebrated　dealers　in
metal；　an　Auvergnat　like　himself；　who　was　living　in　Paris；　Sauviat
placed　his　funds　with　the　firm　of　Bresac；　the　mainspring　and　spine　of
that　famous　association　known　by　the　name　of　the　〃Bande　Noire；〃　which；
as　we　have　already　said；　took　its　rise　from　a　suggestion　made　by
Sauviat　himself。

Sauviat　was　a　fat　little　man　with　a　weary　face；　endowed　by　Nature　with
a　look　of　honesty　which　attracted　customers　and　facilitated　the　sale
of　goods。　His　straightforward　assertions；　and　the　perfect　indifference
of　his　tone　and　manner；　increased　this　impression。　In　person；　his
naturally　ruddy　complexion　was　hardly　perceptible　under　the　black
metallic　dust　which　powdered　his　curly　black　hair　and　the　seams　of　a
face　pitted　with　the　small…pox。　His　forehead　was　not　without　dignity；
in　fact；　it　resembled　the　well…known　brow　given　by　all　painters　to
Saint　Peter；　the　man　of　the　people；　the　roughest；　but　withal　the
shrewdest；　of　the　apostles。　His　hands　were　those　of　an　indefatigable
worker；large；　thick；　square；　and　wrinkled　with　deep　furrows。　His
chest　was　of　seemingly　indestructible　muscularity。　He　never
relinquished　his　peddler's　costume；thick；　hobnailed　shoes；　blue
stockings　knit　by　his　wife　and　hidden　by　leather　gaiters；　bottle…green
velveteen　trousers；　a　checked　waistcoat；　from　which　depended　the　brass
key　of　his　silver　watch　by　an　iron　chain　which　long　usage　had　polished
till　it　shone　like　steel；　a　jacket　with　short　tails；　also　of
velveteen；　like　that　of　the　trousers；　and　around　his　neck　a　printed
cotton　cravat　much　frayed　by　the　rubbing　of　his　beard。

On　Sundays　and　fete…days　Sauviat　wore　a　frock…coat　of　maroon　cloth；　so
well　taken　care　of　that　two　new　ones　were　all　he　bought　in　twenty
years。　The　living　of　galley…slaves　would　be　thought　sumptuous　in
comparison　with　that　of　the　Sauviats；　who　never　ate　meat　except　on　the
great　festivals　of　the　Church。　Before　paying　out　the　money　absolutely
needed　for　their　daily　subsistence；　Madame　Sauviat　would　feel　in　the
two　pockets　hidden　between　her　gown　and　petticoat；　and　bring　forth　a
single　well…scraped　coin；a　crown　of　six　francs；　or　perhaps　a　piece
of　fifty…five　sous；which　she　would　gaze　at　for　a　long　time　before
she　could　bring　herself　to　change　it。　As　a　general　thing　the　Sauviats
ate　herrings；　dried　peas；　cheese；　hard　eggs　in　salad；　vegetables
seasoned　in　the　cheapest　manner。　Never　did　they　lay　in　provisions；
except　perhaps　a　bunch　of　garlic　or　onions；　which　could　not　spoil　and
cost　but　little。　The　small　amount　of　wood　they　burned　in　winter　they
bought　of　itinerant　sellers　day　by　day。　By　seven　in　winter；　by　nine　in
summer；　the　household　was　in　bed；　and　the　shop　was　closed　and　guarded
by　a　huge　dog；　which　got　its　living　from　the　kitchens　in　the
neighborhood。　Madame　Sauviat　used　about　three　francs'　worth　of　candles
in　the　course　of　the　year。

The　sober；　toilsome　life　of　these　persons　was　brightened　by　one　joy；
but　that　was　a　natural　joy；　and　for　it　they　made　their　only　known
outlays。　In　May；　1802；　Madame　Sauviat　gave　birth　to　a　daughter。　She
was　confined　all　alone；　and　went　about　her　household　work　five　days
later。　She　nursed　her　child　in　the　open　air；　seated　as　usual　in　her
chair　by　the　corner　pillar；　continuing　to　sell　old　iron　while　the
infant　sucked。　Her　milk　cost　nothing；　and　she　let　her　little　daughter
feed　on　it　for　two　years；　neither　of　them　being　the　worse　for　the　long
nursing。

Veronique　（that　was　the　infant's　name）　became　the　handsomest　child　in
the　Lower　town；　and　every　one　who　saw　her　stopped　to　look　at　her。　The
neighbors　then　noticed　for　the　first　time　a　trace　of　feeling　in　the
old　Sauviats；　of　which　they　had　supposed　them　devoid。　While　the　wife
cooked　the　dinner　the　husband　held　the　little　one；　or　rocked　it　to　the
tune　of　an　Auvergnat　song。　The　workmen　as　they　passed　sometimes　saw
him　motionless　gazing　at　Veronique　asleep　on　her　mother's　knees。　He
softened　his　harsh　voice　when　he　spoke　to　her；　and　wiped　his　hands　on
his　trousers　before　taking　her　up。　When　Veronique　tried　to　walk；　the
father　bent　his　legs　and　stood　at　a　little　distance　holding　out　his
arms　and　making　little　grimaces　which　contrasted　funnily　with　the
rigid　furrows　of　his　stern；　hard　face。　The　man　of　iron；　brass；　and
lead　became　a　being　of　flesh　and　blood　and　bones。　If　he　happened　to　be
standing　with　his　back　against　the　corner　pillar　motionless；　a　cry
from　Veronique　would　agitate　him　and　send　him　flying　over　the　mounds
of　iron　fragments　to　find　her；　for　she　spent　her　childhood　playing
with　the　wreck　of　ancient　castles　heaped　in　the　depths　of　that　old
shop。　There　were　other　days　on　which　she　went　to　play　in　the　street　or
with　the　neighboring　children；　but　even　then　her　mother's　eye　was
always　on　her。

It　is　not　unimportant　to　say　here　that　the　Sauviats　were　eminently
religious。　At　the　very　height　of　the　Revolution　they　observed　both
Sunday　and　fete…days。　Twice　Sauviat　came　near　having　his　head　cut　off
for　hearing　mass　from　an　unsworn　priest。　He　was　put　in　prison；　being
justly　accused　of　helping　a　bishop；　whose　life　he　saved；　to　fly　the
country。　Fortunately　the　old…iron　dealer；　who　knew　the　ways　of　bolts
and　bars；　was　able　to　escape；　nevertheless　he　was　condemned　to　death
by　default；　and　as；　by　the　bye；　he　never　purged　himself　of　that
contempt；　he　may　be　said　to　have　died　dead。

His　wife　shared　his　piety。　The　avariciousness　of　the　household　yielded
to　the　demands　of　religion。　The　old…iron　dealers　gave　their　alms
punctually　at　the　sacrament　and　to　all　the　collections　in　church。　When
the　vicar　of　Saint…Etienne　called　to　ask　help　for　his　poor；　Sauviat　or
his　wife　fetched　at　once　without　reluctance　or　sour　faces　the　sum　they
thought　their　fair　share　of　the　parish　duties。　The　mutilated　Virgin　on
their　corner　pillar　never　failed　（after　1799）　to　be　wreathed　with
holly　at　Easter。　In　the　summer　season　she　was　feted　with　bouquets　kept
fresh　in　tumblers　of　blue　glass；　this　was　particularly　the　case　after
the　birth　of　Veronique。　On　the　days　of　the　processions　the　Sauviats
scrupulously　hung　their　house　with　sheets　covered　with　flowers；　and
contributed　money　to　the　erection　and　adornment　of　the　altar；　which
was　the　pride　and　glory　of　the　whole　square。

Veronique　Sauviat　was；　therefore；　brought　up　in　a　Christian　manner。
From　the　time　she　was　seven　years　old　she　was　taught　by　a　Gray　sister
from　Auvergne　to　whom　the　Sauviats　had　done　some　kindness　in　former
times。　Both　husband　and　wife　were　obliging　when　the　matter　did　not
affect　their　pockets　or　consume　their　time；like　all　poor　folk　who
are　cordially　ready　to　be　serviceable　to　others　in　their　own　way。　The
Gray　sister　taught　Veronique　to　read　and　write；　she　also　taught　her
the　history　of　the　people　of　God；　the　catechism；　the　Old　and　the　New
Testaments；　and　a　very　little　arithmetic。　That　was　all；　the　worthy
sister　thought　it　enough；　it　was　in　fact　too　much。

At　nine　years　of　age　Veronique　surprised　the　whole　neighborhood　with
her　beauty。　Every　one　admired　her　face；　which　promised　much　to　the
pencil　of　artists　who　are　always　seeking　a　noble　ideal。　She　was　called
〃the　Little　Virgin〃　and　showed　signs　already　of　a　fine　figure　and
great　delicacy　of　complexion。　Her　Madonna…like　facefor　the　popular
voice　had　well　named　herwas　surrounded　by　a　wealth　of　fair　hair；
which　brought　out　the　purity　of　her　features。　Whoever　has　seen　the
sublime　Virgin　of　Titian　in　his　great　picture　of　the　〃Presentation〃　at
Venice；　will　know　that　Veronique　was　in　her　girlhood；the　same
ingenuous　candor；　the　same　seraphi