at the sign of the cat and racket-第7节

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a　hand　of　iron；　and　his　astonished　master　spun　him　round　in　front　of
him　once　more。

〃What　has　Augustine　to　do　with　this　matter？〃　he　asked；　in　a　voice
which　instantly　froze　the　luckless　Joseph。

〃Is　it　not　she　thatthatI　love？〃　stammered　the　assistant。

Much　put　out　by　his　own　want　of　perspicacity；　Guillaume　sat　down
again；　and　rested　his　long　head　in　his　hands　to　consider　the
perplexing　situation　in　which　he　found　himself。　Joseph　Lebas；
shamefaced　and　in　despair；　remained　standing。

〃Joseph；〃　the　draper　said　with　frigid　dignity；　〃I　was　speaking　of
Virginie。　Love　cannot　be　made　to　order；　I　know。　I　know；　too；　that　you
can　be　trusted。　We　will　forget　all　this。　I　will　not　let　Augustine
marry　before　Virginie。Your　interest　will　be　ten　per　cent。〃

The　young　man；　to　whom　love　gave　I　know　not　what　power　of　courage　and
eloquence；　clasped　his　hand；　and　spoke　in　his　turnspoke　for　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　with　so　much　warmth　and　feeling；　that　he　altered
the　situation。　If　the　question　had　been　a　matter　of　business　the　old
tradesman　would　have　had　fixed　principles　to　guide　his　decision；　but；
tossed　a　thousand　miles　from　commerce；　on　the　ocean　of　sentiment；
without　a　compass；　he　floated；　as　he　told　himself；　undecided　in　the
face　of　such　an　unexpected　event。　Carried　away　by　his　fatherly
kindness；　he　began　to　beat　about　the　bush。

〃Deuce　take　it；　Joseph；　you　must　know　that　there　are　ten　years　between
my　two　children。　Mademoiselle　Chevrel　was　no　beauty；　still　she　has　had
nothing　to　complain　of　in　me。　Do　as　I　did。　Come；　come；　don't　cry。　Can
you　be　so　silly？　What　is　to　be　done？　It　can　be　managed　perhaps。　There
is　always　some　way　out　of　a　scrape。　And　we　men　are　not　always　devoted
Celadons　to　our　wivesyou　understand？　Madame　Guillaume　is　very　pious。
。　。　。　Come。　By　Gad；　boy；　give　your　arm　to　Augustine　this　morning　as　we
go　to　Mass。〃

These　were　the　phrases　spoken　at　random　by　the　old　draper；　and　their
conclusion　made　the　lover　happy。　He　was　already　thinking　of　a　friend
of　his　as　a　match　for　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　as　he　went　out　of　the
smoky　office；　pressing　his　future　father…in…law's　hand；　after　saying
with　a　knowing　look　that　all　would　turn　out　for　the　best。

〃What　will　Madame　Guillaume　say　to　it？〃　was　the　idea　that　greatly
troubled　the　worthy　merchant　when　he　found　himself　alone。

At　breakfast　Madame　Guillaume　and　Virginie；　to　whom　the　draper　had　not
yet　confided　his　disappointment；　cast　meaning　glances　at　Joseph　Lebas；
who　was　extremely　embarrassed。　The　young　assistant's　bashfulness
commended　him　to　his　mother…in…law's　good　graces。　The　matron　became　so
cheerful　that　she　smiled　as　she　looked　at　her　husband；　and　allowed
herself　some　little　pleasantries　of　time…honored　acceptance　in　such
simple　families。　She　wondered　whether　Joseph　or　Virginie　were　the
taller；　to　ask　them　to　compare　their　height。　This　preliminary　fooling
brought　a　cloud　to　the　master's　brow；　and　he　even　made　such　a　point　of
decorum　that　he　desired　Augustine　to　take　the　assistant's　arm　on　their
way　to　Saint…Leu。　Madame　Guillaume；　surprised　at　this　manly　delicacy；
honored　her　husband　with　a　nod　of　approval。　So　the　procession　left　the
house　in　such　order　as　to　suggest　no　suspicious　meaning　to　the
neighbors。

〃Does　it　not　seem　to　you；　Mademoiselle　Augustine；〃　said　the　assistant；
and　he　trembled；　〃that　the　wife　of　a　merchant　whose　credit　is　as　good
as　Monsieur　Guillaume's；　for　instance；　might　enjoy　herself　a　little
more　than　Madame　your　mother　does？　Might　wear　diamondsor　keep　a
carriage？　For　my　part；　if　I　were　to　marry；　I　should　be　glad　to　take
all　the　work；　and　see　my　wife　happy。　I　would　not　put　her　into　the
counting…house。　In　the　drapery　business；　you　see；　a　woman　is　not　so
necessary　now　as　formerly。　Monsieur　Guillaume　was　quite　right　to　act
as　he　didand　besides；　his　wife　liked　it。　But　so　long　as　a　woman
knows　how　to　turn　her　hand　to　the　book…keeping；　the　correspondence；
the　retail　business；　the　orders；　and　her　housekeeping；　so　as　not　to
sit　idle；　that　is　enough。　At　seven　o'clock；　when　the　shop　is　shut；　I
shall　take　my　pleasures；　go　to　the　play；　and　into　company。But　you
are　not　listening　to　me。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　Monsieur　Joseph。　What　do　you　think　of　painting？　That　is
a　fine　calling。〃

〃Yes。　I　know　a　master　house…painter；　Monsieur　Lourdois。　He　is　well…to…
do。〃

Thus　conversing；　the　family　reached　the　Church　of　Saint…Leu。　There
Madame　Guillaume　reasserted　her　rights；　and；　for　the　first　time；
placed　Augustine　next　herself；　Virginie　taking　her　place　on　the　fourth
chair；　next　to　Lebas。　During　the　sermon　all　went　well　between
Augustine　and　Theodore；　who；　standing　behind　a　pillar；　worshiped　his
Madonna　with　fervent　devotion；　but　at　the　elevation　of　the　Host；
Madame　Guillaume　discovered；　rather　late；　that　her　daughter　Augustine
was　holding　her　prayer…book　upside　down。　She　was　about　to　speak　to　her
strongly；　when；　lowering　her　veil；　she　interrupted　her　own　devotions
to　look　in　the　direction　where　her　daughter's　eyes　found　attraction。
By　the　help　of　her　spectacles　she　saw　the　young　artist；　whose
fashionable　elegance　seemed　to　proclaim　him　a　cavalry　officer　on　leave
rather　than　a　tradesman　of　the　neighborhood。　It　is　difficult　to
conceive　of　the　state　of　violent　agitation　in　which　Madame　Guillaume
found　herselfshe；　who　flattered　herself　on　having　brought　up　her
daughters　to　perfectionon　discovering　in　Augustine　a　clandestine
passion　of　which　her　prudery　and　ignorance　exaggerated　the　perils。　She
believed　her　daughter　to　be　cankered　to　the　core。

〃Hold　your　book　right　way　up；　miss；〃　she　muttered　in　a　low　voice；
tremulous　with　wrath。　She　snatched　away　the　tell…tale　prayer…book　and
returned　it　with　the　letter…press　right　way　up。　〃Do　not　allow　your
eyes　to　look　anywhere　but　at　your　prayers；〃　she　added；　〃or　I　shall
have　something　to　say　to　you。　Your　father　and　I　will　talk　to　you　after
church。〃

These　words　came　like　a　thunderbolt　on　poor　Augustine。　She　felt　faint；
but；　torn　between　the　distress　she　felt　and　the　dread　of　causing　a
commotion　in　church　she　bravely　concealed　her　anguish。　It　was；
however；　easy　to　discern　the　stormy　state　of　her　soul　from　the
trembling　of　her　prayer…book；　and　the　tears　which　dropped　on　every
page　she　turned。　From　the　furious　glare　shot　at　him　by　Madame
Guillaume　the　artist　saw　the　peril　into　which　his　love　affair　had
fallen；　he　went　out；　with　a　raging　soul；　determined　to　venture　all。

〃Go　to　your　room；　miss！〃　said　Madame　Guillaume；　on　their　return　home；
〃we　will　send　for　you；　but　take　care　not　to　quit　it。〃

The　conference　between　the　husband　and　wife　was　conducted　so　secretly
that　at　first　nothing　was　heard　of　it。　Virginie；　however；　who　had
tried　to　give　her　sister　courage　by　a　variety　of　gentle　remonstrances；
carried　her　good　nature　so　far　as　to　listen　at　the　door　of　her
mother's　bedroom　where　the　discussion　was　held；　to　catch　a　word　or
two。　The　first　time　she　went　down　to　the　lower　floor　she　heard　her
father　exclaim；　〃Then；　madame；　do　you　wish　to　kill　your　daughter？〃

〃My　poor　dear！〃　said　Virginie；　in　tears；　〃papa　takes　your　part。〃

〃And　what　do　they　want　to　do　to　Theodore？〃　asked　the　innocent　girl。

Virginie；　inquisitive；　went　down　again；　but　this　time　she　stayed
longer；　she　learned　that　Joseph　Lebas　loved　Augustine。　It　was　written
that　on　this　memorable　day；　this　house；　generally　so　peaceful；　should
be　a　hell。　Monsieur　Guillaume　brought　Joseph　Lebas　to　despair　by
telling　him　of　Augustine's　love　for　a　stranger。　Lebas；　who　had　advised
his　friend　to　become　a　suitor　for　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　saw　all　his
hopes　wrecked。　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　overcome　by　hearing　that　Joseph
had；　in　a　way；　refused　her；　had　a　sick　headache。　The　dispute　that　had
arisen　from　the　discussion　between　Monsieur　and　Madame　Guillaume；
when；　for　the　third　time　in　their　lives；　they　had　been　of　antagonistic
opinions；　had　shown　itself　in　a　terrible　form。　Finally；　at　half…past
four　in　the　afternoon；　Augustine；　pale；　trembling；　and　with　red　eyes；
was　haled　before　her　father　and　mother。　The　poor　child　artlessly
related　the　too　brief　tale　of　her　love。　Reassured　by　a　speech　from　her
father；　who　promised　to　listen　to　her　in　silence；　she　gathered　courage
as　she　pronounced　to　her　parents　the　name　of　Theodore　de　Sommervieux；
with　a　mischievous　little　emphasis　on　the　aristocratic　/de/。　And
yielding　to　the　unknown　charm　of　talking　of　her　feelings；　she　was
brave　enough　to　declare　with　innocent　decision　that　she　loved　Monsieur
de　Sommervieux；　that　she　had　written　to　him；　and　she　added；　with　tears
in　her　eyes：　〃To　sacrifice　me　to　another　man　would　make　me　wretched。〃

〃But；　Augustine；　you　cannot　surely　know　what　a　painter　is？〃　cried　her
mother　with　horror。

〃Madame　Guillaume！〃　said　the　old　man；　compelling　her　to　silence。
〃Augustine；〃　he　went　on；　〃artists　are　generally　little　better　than
beggars。　They　are　too　extravagant　not　to　be　always　a　bad　sort。　I
served　the　late　Monsieur　Joseph　Vernet；　the　late　Monsieur　Lekain；　and
the　late　Monsieur　Noverre。　Oh；　if　you　could　only　know　the　tricks
played　on　poor　Father　Chevrel　by　that　Monsieur　Noverre；　by　the
Chevalier　de　Saint…Georges；　and　especially　by　Monsieur　Philidor！　They
are　a　set　of　rascals；　I　know　them　well！　They　all　have　a　gab　and　nice