the village rector-第3节

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Venice；　will　know　that　Veronique　was　in　her　girlhood；the　same
ingenuous　candor；　the　same　seraphic　astonishment　in　her　eyes；　the　same
simple　yet　noble　attitude；　the　same　majesty　of　childhood　in　her
demeanor。

At　eleven　years　of　age　she　had　the　small…pox；　and　owed　her　life　to　the
care　of　Soeur　Marthe。　During　the　two　months　that　their　child　was　in
danger　the　Sauviats　betrayed　to　the　whole　community　the　depth　of　their
tenderness。　Sauviat　no　longer　went　about　the　country　to　sales；　he
stayed　in　the　shop；　going　upstairs　and　down　to　his　daughter's　room；
sitting　up　with　her　every　night　in　company　with　his　wife。　His　silent
anguish　seemed　so　great　that　no　one　dared　to　speak　to　him；　his
neighbors　looked　at　him　with　compassion；　but　they　only　asked　news　of
Veronique　from　Soeur　Marthe。　During　the　days　when　the　child's　danger
reached　a　crisis；　the　neighbors　and　passers　saw；　for　the　first　and
only　time　in　Sauviat's　life；　tears　in　his　eyes　and　rolling　down　his
hollow　cheeks；　he　did　not　wipe　them；　but　stood　for　hours　as　if
stupefied；　not　daring　to　go　upstairs　to　his　daughter's　room；　gazing
before　him　and　seeing　nothing；　so　oblivious　of　all　things　that　any　one
might　have　robbed　him。

Veronique　was　saved；　but　her　beauty　perished。　Her　face；　once
exquisitely　colored　with　a　tint　in　which　brown　and　rose　were
harmoniously　mingled；　came　out　from　the　disease　with　a　myriad　of　pits
which　thickened　the　skin；　the　flesh　beneath　it　being　deeply　indented。
Even　her　forehead　did　not　escape　the　ravages　of　the　scourge；　it　turned
brown　and　looked　as　though　it　were　hammered；　like　metal。　Nothing　can
be　more　discordant　than　brick　tones　of　the　skin　surrounded　by　golden
hair；　they　destroy　all　harmony。　These　fissures　in　the　tissues；
capriciously　hollowed；　injured　the　purity　of　the　profile　and　the
delicacy　of　the　lines　of　the　face；　especially　that　of　the　nose；　the
Grecian　form　of　which　was　lost；　and　that　of　the　chin；　once　as
exquisitely　rounded　as　a　piece　of　white　porcelain。　The　disease　left
nothing　unharmed　except　the　parts　it　was　unable　to　reach；the　eyes
and　the　teeth。　She　did　not；　however；　lose　the　elegance　and　beauty　of
her　shape；neither　the　fulness　of　its　lines　nor　the　grace　and
suppleness　of　her　waist。　At　fifteen　Veronique　was　still　a　fine　girl；
and　to　the　great　consolation　of　her　father　and　mother；　a　good　and
pious　girl；　busy；　industrious；　and　domestic。

After　her　convalescence　and　after　she　had　made　her　first　communion；
her　parents　gave　her　the　two　chambers　on　the　second　floor　for　her　own
particular　dwelling。　Sauviat；　so　course　in　his　way　of　living　for
himself　and　his　wife；　now　had　certain　perceptions　of　what　comfort
might　be；　a　vague　idea　came　to　him　of　consoling　his　child　for　her
great　loss；　which；　as　yet；　she　did　not　comprehend。　The　deprivation　of
that　beauty　which　was　once　the　pride　and　joy　of　those　two　beings　made
Veronique　the　more　dear　and　precious　to　them。　Sauviat　came　home　one
day；　bearing　a　carpet　he　had　chanced　upon　in　some　of　his　rounds；　which
he　nailed　himself　on　Veronique's　floor。　For　her　he　saved　from　the　sale
of　an　old　chateau　the　gorgeous　bed　of　a　fine　lady；　upholstered　in　red
silk　damask；　with　curtains　and　chairs　of　the　same　rich　stuff。　He
furnished　her　two　rooms　with　antique　articles；　of　the　true　value　of
which　he　was　wholly　ignorant。　He　bought　mignonette　and　put　the　pots　on
the　ledge　outside　her　window；　and　he　returned　from　many　of　his　trips
with　rose　trees；　or　pansies；　or　any　kind　of　flower　which　gardeners　or
tavern…keepers　would　give　him。

If　Veronique　could　have　made　comparisons　and　known　the　character；　past
habits；　and　ignorance　of　her　parents　she　would　have　seen　how　much
there　was　of　affection　in　these　little　things；　but　as　it　was；　she
simply　loved　them　from　her　own　sweet　nature　and　without　reflection。

The　girl　wore　the　finest　linen　her　mother　could　find　in　the　shops。
Madame　Sauviat　left　her　daughter　at　liberty　to　buy　what　materials　she
liked　for　her　gowns　and　other　garments；　and　the　father　and　mother　were
proud　of　her　choice；　which　was　never　extravagant。　Veronique　was
satisfied　with　a　blue　silk　gown　for　Sundays　and　fete…days；　and　on
working…days　she　wore　merino　in　winter　and　striped　cotton　dresses　in
summer。　On　Sundays　she　went　to　church　with　her　father　and　mother；　and
took　a　walk　after　vespers　along　the　banks　of　the　Vienne　or　about　the
environs。　On　other　days　she　stayed　at　home；　busy　in　filling　worsted…
work　patterns；　the　payment　for　which　she　gave　to　the　poor；a　life　of
simple；　chaste；　and　exemplary　principles　and　habits。　She　did　some
reading　together　with　her　tapestry；　but　never　in　any　books　except
those　lent　to　her　by　the　vicar　of　Saint…Etienne；　a　priest　whom　Soeur
Marthe　had　first　made　known　to　her　parents。

All　the　rules　of　the　Sauviat's　domestic　economy　were　suspended　in
favor　of　Veronique。　Her　mother　delighted　in　giving　her　dainty　things
to　eat；　and　cooked　her　food　separately。　The　father　and　mother　still
ate　their　nuts　and　dry　bread；　their　herrings　and　parched　peas
fricasseed　in　salt　butter；　while　for　Veronique　nothing　was　thought　too
choice　and　good。

〃Veronique　must　cost　you　a　pretty　penny；〃　said　a　hatmaker　who　lived
opposite　to　the　Sauviats　and　had　designs　on　their　daughter　for　his
son；　estimating　the　fortune　of　the　old…iron　dealer　at　a　hundred
thousand　francs。

〃Yes；　neighbor；　yes；〃　Pere　Sauviat　would　say；　〃if　she　asked　me　for　ten
crowns　I'd　let　her　have　them。　She　has　all　she　wants；　but　she　never
asks　for　anything；　she　is　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。〃

Veronique　was；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　absolutely　ignorant　of　the　value
of　things。　She　had　never　wanted　for　anything；　she　never　saw　a　piece　of
gold　till　the　day　of　her　marriage；　she　had　no　money　of　her　own；　her
mother　bought　and　gave　her　everything　she　needed　and　wished　for；　so
that　even　when　she　wanted　to　give　alms　to　a　beggar；　the　girl　felt　in
her　mother's　pocket　for　the　coin。

〃If　that's　so；〃　remarked　the　hatmaker；　〃she　can't　cost　you　much。〃

〃So　you　think；　do　you？〃　replied　Sauviat。　〃You　wouldn't　get　off　under
forty　crowns　a　year；　I　can　tell　you　that。　Why；　her　room；　she　has　at
least　a　hundred　crowns'　worth　of　furniture　in　it！　But　when　a　man　has
but　one　child；　he　doesn't　mind。　The　little　we　own　will　all　go　to　her。〃

〃The　little！　Why；　you　must　be　rich；　pere　Sauviat！　It　is　pretty　nigh
forty　years　that　you　have　been　doing　a　business　in　which　there　are　no
losses。〃

〃Ha！　I　sha'n't　go　to　the　poorhouse　for　want　of　a　thousand　francs　or
so！〃　replied　the　old…iron　dealer。

From　the　day　when　Veronique　lost　the　soft　beauty　which　made　her
girlish　face　the　admiration　of　all　who　saw　it；　Pere　Sauviat　redoubled
in　activity。　His　business　became　so　prosperous　that　he　now　went　to
Paris　several　times　a　year。　Every　one　felt　that　he　wanted　to
compensate　his　daughter　by　force　of　money　for　what　he　called　her　〃loss
of　profit。〃　When　Veronique　was　fifteen　years　old　a　change　was　made　in
the　internal　manners　and　customs　of　the　household。　The　father　and
mother　went　upstairs　in　the　evenings　to　their　daughter's　apartment；
where　Veronique　would　read　to　them；　by　the　light　of　a　lamp　placed
behind　a　glass　globe　full　of　water；　the　〃Vie　des　Saints；〃　the　〃Lettres
Edifiantes；〃　and　other　books　lent　by　the　vicar。　Madame　Sauviat　knitted
stockings；　feeling　that　she　thus　recouped　herself　for　the　cost　of　oil。
The　neighbors　could　see　through　the　window　the　old　couple　seated
motionless　in　their　armchairs；　like　Chinese　images；　listening　to　their
daughter；　and　admiring　her　with　all　the　powers　of　their　contracted
minds；　obtuse　to　everything　that　was　not　business　or　religious　faith。



II

VERONIQUE

There　are；　no　doubt；　many　young　girls　in　the　world　as　pure　as
Veronique；　but　none　purer　or　more　modest。　Her　confessions　might　have
surprised　the　angels　and　rejoiced　the　Blessed　Virgin。

At　sixteen　years　of　age　she　was　fully　developed；　and　appeared　the
woman　she　was　eventually　to　become。　She　was　of　medium　height；　neither
her　father　nor　her　mother　being　tall；　but　her　figure　was　charming　in
its　graceful　suppleness；　and　in　the　serpentine　curves　laboriously
sought　by　painters　and　sculptors；curves　which　Nature　herself　draws
so　delicately　with　her　lissom　outlines；　revealed　to　the　eye　of　artists
in　spite　of　swathing　linen　and　thick　clothes；　which　mould　themselves；
inevitably；　upon　the　nude。　Sincere；　simple；　and　natural；　Veronique　set
these　beauties　of　her　form　into　relief　by　movements　that　were　wholly
free　from　affectation。　She　brought　out　her　〃full　and　complete　effect；〃
if　we　may　borrow　that　strong　term　from　legal　phraseology。　She　had　the
plump　arms　of　the　Auvergnat　women；　the　red　and　dimpled　hand　of　a
barmaid；　and　her　strong　but　well…shaped　feet　were　in　keeping　with　the
rest　of　her　figure。

At　times　there　seemed　to　pass　within　her　a　marvellous　and　delightful
phenomenon　which　promised　to　Love　a　woman　concealed　thus　far　from
every　eye。　This　phenomenon　was　perhaps　one　cause　of　the　admiration　her
father　and　mother　felt　for　her　beauty；　which　they　often　declared　to　be
divine；to　the　great　astonishment　of　their　neighbors。　The　first　to
remark　it　were　the　priests　of　the　cathedral　and　the　worshippers　with
her　at　the　same　altar。　When　a　strong　emotion　took　possession　of
Veronique；and　the　religious　exaltation　to　whi