at the sign of the cat and racket-第8节
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are a set of rascals； I know them well！ They all have a gab and nice
manners。 Ah； your Monsieur Sumer； Somm〃
〃De Sommervieux； papa。〃
〃Well； well； de Sommervieux； well and good。 He can never have been
half so sweet to you as Monsieur le Chevalier de Saint…Georges was to
me the day I got a verdict of the consuls against him。 And in those
days they were gentlemen of quality。〃
〃But； father； Monsieur Theodore is of good family； and he wrote me
that he is rich； his father was called Chevalier de Sommervieux before
the Revolution。〃
At these words Monsieur Guillaume looked at his terrible better half；
who； like an angry woman； sat tapping the floor with her foot while
keeping sullen silence； she avoided even casting wrathful looks at
Augustine； appearing to leave to Monsieur Guillaume the whole
responsibility in so grave a matter； since her opinion was not
listened to。 Nevertheless； in spite of her apparent self…control； when
she saw her husband giving way so mildly under a catastrophe which had
no concern with business； she exclaimed：
〃Really； monsieur； you are so weak with your daughters！ However〃
The sound of a carriage； which stopped at the door； interrupted the
rating which the old draper already quaked at。 In a minute Madame
Roguin was standing in the middle of the room； and looking at the
actors in this domestic scene： 〃I know all； my dear cousin；〃 said she；
with a patronizing air。
Madame Roguin made the great mistake of supposing that a Paris
notary's wife could play the part of a favorite of fashion。
〃I know all；〃 she repeated； 〃and I have come into Noah's Ark； like the
dove； with the olive…branch。 I read that allegory in the /Genie du
Christianisme/；〃 she added； turning to Madame Guillaume； 〃the allusion
ought to please you； cousin。 Do you know；〃 she went on； smiling at
Augustine； 〃that Monsieur de Sommervieux is a charming man？ He gave me
my portrait this morning； painted by a master's hand。 It is worth at
least six thousand francs。〃 And at these words she patted Monsieur
Guillaume on the arm。 The old draper could not help making a grimace
with his lips； which was peculiar to him。
〃I know Monsieur de Sommervieux very well；〃 the Dove ran on。 〃He has
come to my evenings this fortnight past； and made them delightful。 He
has told me all his woes； and commissioned me to plead for him。 I know
since this morning that he adores Augustine； and he shall have her。
Ah； cousin； do not shake your head in refusal。 He will be created
Baron； I can tell you； and has just been made Chevalier of the Legion
of Honor； by the Emperor himself； at the Salon。 Roguin is now his
lawyer； and knows all his affairs。 Well！ Monsieur de Sommervieux has
twelve thousand francs a year in good landed estate。 Do you know that
the father…in…law of such a man may get a rise in lifebe mayor of
his /arrondissement/； for instance。 Have we not seen Monsieur Dupont
become a Count of the Empire； and a senator； all because he went as
mayor to congratulate the Emperor on his entry into Vienna？ Oh； this
marriage must take place！ For my part； I adore the dear young man。 His
behavior to Augustine is only met with in romances。 Be easy； little
one； you shall be happy； and every girl will wish she were in your
place。 Madame la Duchesse de Carigliano； who comes to my 'At Homes；'
raves about Monsieur de Sommervieux。 Some spiteful people say she only
comes to me to meet him； as if a duchesse of yesterday was doing too
much honor to a Chevrel； whose family have been respected citizens
these hundred years！
〃Augustine；〃 Madame Roguin went on； after a short pause； 〃I have seen
the portrait。 Heavens！ How lovely it is！ Do you know that the Emperor
wanted to have it？ He laughed； and said to the Deputy High Constable
that if there were many women like that in his court while all the
kings visited it； he should have no difficulty about preserving the
peace of Europe。 Is not that a compliment？〃
The tempests with which the day had begun were to resemble those of
nature； by ending in clear and serene weather。 Madame Roguin displayed
so much address in her harangue； she was able to touch so many strings
in the dry hearts of Monsieur and Madame Guillaume； that at last she
hit on one which she could work upon。 At this strange period commerce
and finance were more than ever possessed by the crazy mania for
seeking alliance with rank； and the generals of the Empire took full
advantage of this desire。 Monsieur Guillaume； as a singular exception；
opposed this deplorable craving。 His favorite axioms were that； to
secure happiness； a woman must marry a man of her own class； that
every one was punished sooner or later for having climbed too high；
that love could so little endure under the worries of a household；
that both husband and wife needed sound good qualities to be happy；
that it would not do for one to be far in advance of the other；
because； above everything； they must understand each other； if a man
spoke Greek and his wife Latin； they might come to die of hunger。 He
had himself invented this sort of adage。 And he compared such
marriages to old…fashioned materials of mixed silk and wool。 Still；
there is so much vanity at the bottom of man's heart that the prudence
of the pilot who steered the Cat and Racket so wisely gave way before
Madame Roguin's aggressive volubility。 Austere Madame Guillaume was
the first to see in her daughter's affection a reason for abdicating
her principles and for consenting to receive Monsieur de Sommervieux；
whom she promised herself she would put under severe inquisition。
The old draper went to look for Joseph Lebas； and inform him of the
state of affairs。 At half…past six； the dining…room immortalized by
the artist saw； united under its skylight； Monsieur and Madame Roguin；
the young painter and his charming Augustine； Joseph Lebas； who found
his happiness in patience； and Mademoiselle Virginie； convalescent
from her headache。 Monsieur and Madame Guillaume saw in perspective
both their children married； and the fortunes of the Cat and Racket
once more in skilful hands。 Their satisfaction was at its height when；
at dessert； Theodore made them a present of the wonderful picture
which they had failed to see； representing the interior of the old
shop； and to which they all owed so much happiness。
〃Isn't it pretty！〃 cried Guillaume。 〃And to think that any one would
pay thirty thousand francs for that！〃
〃Because you can see my lappets in it；〃 said Madame Guillaume。
〃And the cloth unrolled！〃 added Lebas； 〃you might take it up in your
hand。〃
〃Drapery always comes out well；〃 replied the painter。 〃We should be
only too happy； we modern artists； if we could touch the perfection of
antique drapery。〃
〃So you like drapery！〃 cried old Guillaume。 〃Well； then； by Gad！ shake
hands on that； my young friend。 Since you can respect trade； we shall
understand each other。 And why should it be despised？ The world began
with trade； since Adam sold Paradise for an apple。 He did not strike a
good bargain though！〃 And the old man roared with honest laughter；
encouraged by the champagne； which he sent round with a liberal hand。
The band that covered the young artist's eyes was so thick that he
thought his future parents amiable。 He was not above enlivening them
by a few jests in the best taste。 So he too pleased every one。 In the
evening； when the drawing…room； furnished with what Madame Guillaume
called 〃everything handsome；〃 was deserted； and while she flitted from
the table to the chimney…piece； from the candelabra to the tall
candlesticks； hastily blowing out the wax…lights； the worthy draper；
who was always clear…sighted when money was in question； called
Augustine to him； and seating her on his knee； spoke as follows：
〃My dear child； you shall marry your Sommervieux since you insist； you
may； if you like； risk your capital in happiness。 But I am not going
to be hoodwinked by the thirty thousand francs to be made by spoiling
good canvas。 Money that is lightly earned is lightly spent。 Did I not
hear that hare…brained youngster declare this evening that money was
made round that it might roll。 If it is round for spendthrifts； it is
flat for saving folks who pile it up。 Now； my child； that fine
gentleman talks of giving you carriages and diamonds！ He has money；
let him spend it on you； so be it。 It is no concern of mine。 But as to
what I can give you； I will not have the crown…pieces I have picked up
with so much toil wasted in carriages and frippery。 Those who spend
too fast never grow rich。 A hundred thousand crowns； which is your
fortune； will not buy up Paris。 It is all very well to look forward to
a few hundred thousand francs to be yours some day； I shall keep you
waiting for them as long as possible； by Gad！ So I took your lover
aside； and a man who managed the Lecocq bankruptcy had not much
difficulty in persuading the artist to marry under a settlement of his
wife's money on herself。 I will keep an eye on the marriage contract
to see that what he is to settle on you is safely tied up。 So now； my
child； I hope to be a grandfather； by Gad！ I will begin at once to lay
up for my grandchildren； but swear to me； here and now；
