a second home-第9节

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nerous　feelings　that　expand　in　the　youthful　soul。

After　the　too　lengthy　feast　of　welcome　prepared　by　his　father；　who　awaited　him　with　some　friends；　the　impatient　youth　was　conducted　to　a　house；　long　familiar　to　him；　standing　in　the　Rue　Teinture。　His　heart　beat　high　when　his　fatherstill　known　in　the　town　of　Bayeux　as　the　Comte　de　Granvilleknocked　loudly　at　a　carriage　gate　off　which　the　green　paint　was　dropping　in　scales。　It　was　about　four　in　the　afternoon。　A　young　maid…servant；　in　a　cotton　cap；　dropped　a　short　curtsey　to　the　two　gentlemen；　and　said　that　the　ladies　would　soon　be　home　from　vespers。

The　Count　and　his　son　were　shown　into　a　low　room　used　as　a　drawing…　room；　but　more　like　a　convent　parlor。　Polished　panels　of　dark　walnut　made　it　gloomy　enough；　and　around　it　some　old…fashioned　chairs　covered　with　worsted　work　and　stiff　armchairs　were　symmetrically　arranged。　The　stone　chimney…shelf　had　no　ornament　but　a　discolored　mirror；　and　on　each　side　of　it　were　the　twisted　branches　of　a　pair　of　candle…　brackets；　such　as　were　made　at　the　time　of　the　Peace　of　Utrecht。　Against　a　panel　opposite；　young　Granville　saw　an　enormous　crucifix　of　ebony　and　ivory　surrounded　by　a　wreath　of　box　that　had　been　blessed。　Though　there　were　three　windows　to　the　room；　looking　out　on　a　country…　town　garden；　laid　out　in　formal　square　beds　edged　with　box；　the　room　was　so　dark　that　it　was　difficult　to　discern；　on　the　wall　opposite　the　windows；　three　pictures　of　sacred　subjects　painted　by　a　skilled　hand；　and　purchased；　no　doubt；　during　the　Revolution　by　old　Bontems；　who；　as　governor　of　the　district；　had　never　neglected　his　opportunities。　From　the　carefully　polished　floor　to　the　green　checked　holland　curtains　everything　shone　with　conventual　cleanliness。

The　young　man's　heart　felt　an　involuntary　chill　in　this　silent　retreat　where　Angelique　dwelt。　The　habit　of　frequenting　the　glittering　Paris　drawing…rooms；　and　the　constant　whirl　of　society；　had　effaced　from　his　memory　the　dull　and　peaceful　surroundings　of　a　country　life；　and　the　contrast　was　so　startling　as　to　give　him　a　sort　of　internal　shiver。　To　have　just　left　a　party　at　the　house　of　Cambaceres；　where　life　was　so　large；　where　minds　could　expand；　where　the　splendor　of　the　Imperial　Court　was　so　vividly　reflected；　and　to　be　dropped　suddenly　into　a　sphere　of　squalidly　narrow　ideaswas　it　not　like　a　leap　from　Italy　into　Greenland？〃Living　here　is　not　life！〃　said　he　to　himself；　as　he　looked　round　the　Methodistical　room。　The　old　Count；　seeing　his　son's　dismay；　went　up　to　him；　and　taking　his　hand；　led　him　to　a　window；　where　there　was　still　a　gleam　of　daylight；　and　while　the　maid　was　lighting　the　yellow　tapers　in　the　candle　branches　he　tried　to　clear　away　the　clouds　that　the　dreary　place　had　brought　to　his　brow。

〃Listen；　my　boy；〃　said　he。　〃Old　Bontems'　widow　is　a　frenzied　bigot。　'When　the　devil　is　old'　you　know！　I　see　that　the　place　goes　against　the　grain。　Well；　this　is　the　whole　truth；　the　old　woman　is　priest…　ridden；　they　have　persuaded　her　that　it　was　high　time　to　make　sure　of　heaven；　and　the　better　to　secure　Saint　Peter　and　his　keys　she　pays　before…hand。　She　goes　to　Mass　every　day；　attends　every　service；　takes　the　communion　every　Sunday　God　has　made；　and　amuses　herself　by　restoring　chapels。　She　had　given　so　many　ornaments；　and　albs；　and　chasubles；　she　has　crowned　the　canopy　with　so　many　feathers；　that　on　the　occasion　of　the　last　Corpus　Christi　procession　as　great　a　crowd　came　together　as　to　see　a　man　hanged；　just　to　stare　at　the　priests　in　their　splendid　dresses　and　all　the　vessels　regilt。　This　house　too　is　a　sort　of　Holy　Land。　It　was　I　who　hindered　her　from　giving　those　three　pictures　to　the　Churcha　Domenichino；　a　Correggio；　and　an　Andrea　del　Sartoworth　a　good　deal　of　money。〃

〃But　Angelique？〃　asked　the　young　man。

〃If　you　do　not　marry　her；　Angelique　is　done　for；〃　said　the　Count。　〃Our　holy　apostles　counsel　her　to　live　a　virgin　martyr。　I　have　had　the　utmost　difficulty　in　stirring　up　her　little　heart；　since　she　has　been　the　only　child；　by　talking　to　her　of　you；　but；　as　you　will　easily　understand；　as　soon　as　she　is　married　you　will　carry　her　off　to　Paris。　There；　festivities；　married　life；　the　theatres；　and　the　rush　of　Parisian　society；　will　soon　make　her　forget　confessionals；　and　fasting；　and　hair　shirts；　and　Masses；　which　are　the　exclusive　nourishment　of　such　creatures。〃

〃But　the　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year　derived　from　Church　property？　Will　not　all　that　return〃

〃That　is　the　point！〃　exclaimed　the　Count；　with　a　cunning　glance。　〃In　consideration　of　this　marriagefor　Madame　Bontems'　vanity　is　not　a　little　flattered　by　the　notion　of　grafting　the　Bontems　on　to　the　genealogical　tree　of　the　Granvillesthe　aforenamed　mother　agrees　to　settle　her　fortune　absolutely　on　the　girl；　reserving　only　a　life…　interest。　The　priesthood；　therefore；　are　set　against　the　marriage；　but　I　have　had　the　banns　published；　everything　is　ready；　and　in　a　week　you　will　be　out　of　the　clutches　of　the　mother　and　her　Abbes。　You　will　have　the　prettiest　girl　in　Bayeux；　a　good　little　soul　who　will　give　you　no　trouble；　because　she　has　sound　principles。　She　has　been　mortified；　as　they　say　in　their　jargon；　by　fasting　and　prayerand；〃　he　added　in　a　low　voice；　〃by　her　mother。〃

A　modest　tap　at　the　door　silenced　the　Count；　who　expected　to　see　the　two　ladies　appear。　A　little　page　came　in；　evidently　in　a　great　hurry；　but；　abashed　by　the　presence　of　the　two　gentlemen；　he　beckoned　to　a　housekeeper；　who　followed　him。　Dressed　in　a　blue　cloth　jacket　with　short　tails；　and　blue…and…white　striped　trousers；　his　hair　cut　short　all　round；　the　boy's　expression　was　that　of　a　chorister；　so　strongly　was　it　stamped　with　the　compulsory　propriety　that　marks　every　member　of　a　bigoted　household。

〃Mademoiselle　Gatienne；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　know　where　the　books　are　for　the　offices　of　the　Virgin？　The　ladies　of　the　Congregation　of　the　Sacred　Heart　are　going　in　procession　this　evening　round　the　church。〃

Gatienne　went　in　search　of　the　books。

〃Will　they　go　on　much　longer；　my　little　man？〃　asked　the　Count。

〃Oh；　half　an　hour　at　most。〃

〃Let　us　go　to　look　on；〃　said　the　father　to　his　son。　〃There　will　be　some　pretty　women　there；　and　a　visit　to　the　Cathedral　can　do　us　no　harm。〃

The　young　lawyer　followed　him　with　a　doubtful　expression。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　asked　the　Count。

〃The　matter；　father；　is　that　I　am　sure　I　am　right。〃

〃But　you　have　said　nothing。〃

〃No；　but　I　have　been　thinking　that　you　have　still　ten　thousand　francs　a　year　left　of　your　original　fortune。　You　will　leave　them　to　meas　long　a　time　hence　as　possible；　I　hope。　But　if　you　are　ready　to　give　me　a　hundred　thousand　francs　to　make　a　foolish　match；　you　will　surely　allow　me　to　ask　you　for　only　fifty　thousand　to　save　me　from　such　a　misfortune；　and　enjoy　as　a　bachelor　a　fortune　equal　to　what　your　Mademoiselle　Bontems　would　bring　me。〃

〃Are　you　crazy？〃

〃No；　father。　These　are　the　facts。　The　Chief　Justice　promised　me　yesterday　that　I　should　have　a　seat　on　the　Bench。　Fifty　thousand　francs　added　to　what　I　have；　and　to　the　pay　of　my　appointment；　will　give　me　an　income　of　twelve　thousand　francs　a　year。　And　I　then　shall　most　certainly　have　a　chance　of　marrying　a　fortune；　better　than　this　alliance；　which　will　be　poor　in　happiness　if　rich　in　goods。〃

〃It　is　very　clear；〃　said　his　father；　〃that　you　were　not　brought　up　under　the　old　/regime/。　Does　a　man　of　our　rank　ever　allow　his　wife　to　be　in　his　way？〃

〃But；　my　dear　father；　in　these　days　marriage　is〃

〃Bless　me！〃　cried　the　Count；　interrupting　his　son；　〃then　what　my　old　/emigre/　friends　tell　me　is　true；　I　suppose。　The　Revolution　has　left　us　habits　devoid　of　pleasure；　and　has　infected　all　the　young　men　with　vulgar　principles。　You；　like　my　Jacobin　brother…in…law；　will　harangue　me；　I　suppose；　on　the　Nation；　Public　Morals；　and　Disinterestedness！　Good　Heavens！　But　for　the　Emperor's　sisters；　where　should　we　be？〃

The　still　hale　old　man；　whom　the　peasants　on　the　estate　persisted　in　calling　the　Signeur　de　Granville；　ended　his　speech　as　they　entered　the　Cathedral　porch。　In　spite　of　the　sanctity　of　the　place；　and　even　as　he　dipped　his　fingers　in　the　holy　water；　he　hummed　an　air　from　the　opera　of　/Rose　et　Colas/；　and　then　led　the　way　down　the　side　aisles；　stopping　by　each　pillar　to　survey　the　rows　of　heads；　all　in　lines　like　ranks　of　soldiers　on　parade。

The　special　service　of　the　Sacred　Heart　was　about　to　begin。　The　ladies　affiliated　to　that　congregation　were　in　front　near　the　choir；　so　the　Count　and　his　son　made　their　way　to　that　part　of　the　nave；　and　stood　leaning　against　one　of　the　columns　where　there　was　least　light；　whence　they　could　command　a　view　of　this　mass　of　faces；　looking　like　a　meadow　full　of　flowers。　Suddenly；　close　to　young　Granville；　a　voice；　sweeter　than　it　seemed　possible　to　ascribe　to　a　human　being；　broke　into　song；　like　the　first　nightingale　when　winter　is　past。　Though　it　mingled　with　the　voices　of　a　thousand　other　women　and　the　notes　of　the　organ；　that　voice　stirred　his　nerves　as　though　they　vibrated　to　the　too　full　and　too　piercing　sounds　of　a　harmonium。　The　Parisian　turned　round；　and；　seeing　a　young　figure；　though；　the　head　being　bent；　her　face　was　entirely　concealed　by　a　large　white　bonnet；　concluded　that　the　voice　was　hers。　He　fancied　tha