the deputy of arcis-第11节

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on　in　the　Simeuse　trial）；　the　proceeds　of　which　amounted　to　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Beauvisage　had　also　in　prospect　their　double　inheritance　from　old　Grevin　on　one　side；　and　the　old　farmer's　wife　Beauvisage　on　the　other。　Great　provincial　fortunes　are　usually　the　product　of　time　multiplied　by　economy。　Thirty　years　of　old　age　make　capital。

In　giving　to　Cecile…Renee　a　/dot/　of　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year；　her　parents　still　reserved　for　themselves　the　two　inheritances；　thirty　thousand　a　year　on　the　Grand　Livre；　and　their　house　in　Arcis。

If　the　Marquise　de　Cinq…Cygne　were　only　dead；　Cecile　might　assuredly　marry　the　young　marquis；　but　the　health　of　that　great　lady；　who　was　still　vigorous　and　almost　beautiful　at　sixty　years　of　age；　precluded　all　hope　of　such　a　marriage　if　it　even　entered　the　minds　of　Grevin　and　his　daughter；　as　some　persons；　surprised　at　their　rejection　of　eligible　suitors　like　the　sub…prefect　and　the　/procureur…du…roi/；　declared　that　it　did。

The　Beauvisage　residence；　one　of　the　best　in　Arcis；　stands　on　the　Place　du　Pont　on　a　line　with　the　rue　Vide…Bourse；　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　du　Pont；　which　leads　to　the　Place　de　l'Eglise。　Though；　like　many　provincial　houses；　without　either　court　or　garden；　it　produces　a　certain　effect；　in　spite　of　its　ornamentation　in　bad　taste。　The　front　door　opens　on　the　Place；　the　windows　of　the　ground…floor　look　out　on　the　street…side　towards　the　post…house　and　inn；　and　command　beyond　the　Place　a　rather　picturesque　view　of　the　Aube；　the　navigation　of　which　begins　at　the　bridge。　Beyond　the　bridge　is　another　little　Place　or　square；　on　which　lives　Monsieur　Grevin；　and　from　which　the　high…road　to　Sezanne　starts。

On　the　street　and　on　the　square；　the　Beauvisage　house；　painted　a　spotless　white；　looks　as　though　built　of　stone。　The　height　of　the　windows　and　their　external　mouldings　contribute　to　give　a　certain　style　to　the　house　which　contrasts　strongly　with　the　generally　forlorn　appearance　of　the　houses　of　Arcis；　constructed；　as　we　have　already　said；　of　wood；　and　covered　with　plaster；　imitating　the　solidity　of　stone。　Still；　these　houses　are　not　without　a　certain　originality；　through　the　fact　that　each　architect；　or　each　burgher；　has　endeavored　to　solve　for　himself　the　problem　of　styles　of　building。

The　bridge　at　Arcis　is　of　wood。　About　four　hundred　feet　above　the　bridge　the　river　is　crossed　by　another　bridge；　on　which　rise　the　tall　wooden　sides　of　a　mill　with　several　sluices。　The　space　between　the　public　bridge　and　this　private　bridge　forms　a　basin；　on　the　banks　of　which　are　several　large　houses。　By　an　opening　between　the　roofs　can　be　seen　the　height　on　which　stands　the　chateau　of　Arcis　with　its　park　and　gardens；　its　outer　walls　and　trees　which　overhand　the　river　above　the　bridges；　and　the　rather　scanty　pastures　of　the　left　bank。

The　sound　of　the　water　as　it　runs　through　the　courses　above　the　dam；　the　music　of　the　wheels；　from　which　the　churned　water　falls　back　into　the　basin　in　sparkling　cascades；　animate　the　rue　du　Pont；　contrasting　in　this　respect　with　the　tranquillity　of　the　river　flowing　downward　between　the　garden　of　Monsieur　Grevin；　whose　house　is　at　one　angle　of　the　bridge　on　the　left　bank；　and　the　port　where　the　boats　and　barges　discharge　their　merchandise　before　a　line　of　poor　but　picturesque　houses。

Nothing　can　better　express　provincial　life　than　the　deep　silence　that　envelops　the　little　town　and　reigns　in　its　busiest　region。　It　is　easy　to　imagine；　therefore；　how　disquieting　the　presence　of　a　stranger；　if　he　only　spends　half　a　day　there；　may　be　to　the　inhabitants；　with　what　attention　faces　protrude　from　the　windows　to　observe　him；　and　also　the　condition　of　espial　in　which　all　the　residents　of　the　little　place　stand　to　each　other。　Life　has　there　become　so　conventional　that；　except　on　Sundays　and　fete…days；　a　stranger　meets　no　one　either　on　the　boulevards　or　the　Avenue　of　Sighs；　not　even；　in　fact；　upon　the　streets。

It　will　now　be　readily　understood　why　the　ground…floor　of　the　Beauvisage　house　is　on　a　level　with　the　street　and　square。　The　square　serves　as　its　courtyard。　Sitting　at　his　window　the　eyes　of　the　late　hosier　could　take　in　the　whole　of　the　Place　de　l'Eglise；　the　two　squares　of　the　bridge；　and　the　road　to　Sezanne。　He　could　see　the　coaches　arriving　and　the　travellers　descending　at　the　post…inn；　and　on　court　days　he　could　watch　the　proceedings　around　the　offices　of　the　mayor　and　the　justice　of　peace。　For　these　reasons；　Beauvisage　would　not　have　exchanged　his　house　for　the　chateau；　in　spite　of　its　lordly　air；　its　stone　walls；　and　its　splendid　situation。



VIII

IN　WHICH　THE　DOT；　ONE　OF　THE　HEROINES　OF　THIS　HISTORY；　APPEARS

Entering　the　Beauvisage　house　we　find　a　versatile；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　rises　the　staircase。　To　right　we　enter　a　large　salon　with　two　windows　opening　on　the　square；　to　left　is　a　handsome　dining…room；　looking　on　the　street。　The　floor　above　is　the　one　occupied　by　the　family。

Notwithstanding　the　large　fortune　of　the　Beauvisage　husband　and　wife；　their　establishment　consisted　of　only　a　cook　and　a　chamber…maid；　the　latter　a　peasant；　who　washed　and　ironed　and　frotted　the　floors　rather　than　waited　on　her　two　mistresses；　who　were　accustomed　to　spend　their　time　in　dressing　and　waiting　upon　each　other。　Since　the　sale　of　the　business　to　Jean　Violette；　the　horse　and　cabriolet　used　by　Phileas；　and　kept　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste；　had　been　relinquished　and　sold。

At　the　moment　when　Phileas　reached　his　house　after　the　Giguet　meeting；　his　wife；　already　informed　of　the　resolutions　passed；　had　put　on　her　boots　and　shawl　and　was　preparing　to　go　to　her　father；　for　she　felt　very　sure　that　Madame　Marion　would；　on　that　same　evening；　make　her　certain　overtures　relating　to　Simon　and　Cecile。　After　telling　his　wife　of　Charles　Keller's　death；　Phileas　asked　her　opinion　with　an　artless　〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　wife？〃　which　fully　pictured　his　habit　of　deferring　to　Severine's　opinion　in　all　things。　Then　he　sat　down　in　an　arm…chair　and　awaited　her　reply。

In　1839；　Madame　Beauvisage；　then　forty…four　years　old；　was　so　well…　preserved　that　she　might；　in　that　respect；　rival　Mademoiselle　Mars。　By　calling　to　mind　the　most　charming　Celimene　that　the　Theatre…Francais　ever　had；　an　excellent　idea　of　Severine　Grevin's　appearance　will　be　obtained。　The　same　richness　of　coloring；　the　same　beauty　of　features；　the　same　clearly　defined　outlines；　but　the　hosier's　wife　was　short；a　circumstance　which　deprived　her　of　that　noble　grace；　that　charming　coquetry　/a　la/　Sevigne；　through　which　the　great　actress　commends　herself　to　the　memory　of　men　who　saw　both　the　Empire　and　the　Restoration。

Provincial　life　and　the　rather　careless　style　of　dress　into　which；　for　the　last　ten　years；　Severine　had　allowed　herself　to　fall；　gave　a　somewhat　common　air　to　that　noble　profile　and　those　beautiful　features；　increasing　plumpness　was　destroying　the　outlines　of　a　figure　magnificently　fine　during　the　first　twelve　years　of　her　married　life。　But　Severine　redeemed　these　growing　imperfections　with　a　sovereign；　superb；　imperious　glance；　and　a　certain　haughty　carriage　of　her　head。　Her　hair；　still　black　and　thick　and　long；　was　raised　high　upon　her　head；　giving　her　a　youthful　look。　Her　shoulders　and　bosom　were　snowy；　but　they　now　rose　puffily　in　a　manner　to　obstruct　the　free　movement　of　the　neck；　which　had　grown　too　short。　Her　plump　and　dimpled　arms　ended　in　pretty　little　hands　that　were；　alas；　too　fat。　She　was；　in　fact；　so　overdone　with　fulness　of　life　and　health　that　her　flesh　formed　a　little　pad；　as　one　might　call　it；　above　her　shoes。　Two　ear…drops；　worth　about　three…thousand　francs　each；　adorned　her　ears。　She　wore　a　lace　cap　with　pink　ribbons；　a　mousseline…de…laine　gown　in　pink　and　gray　stripes　with　an　edging　of　green；　opened　at　the　bottom　to　show　a　petticoat　trimmed　with　valencienne　lace；　and　a　green　cashmere　shawl　with　palm…leaves；　the　point　of　which　reached　the　ground　as　she　walked。

〃You　are　not　so　hungry；〃　she　said；　casting　her　eyes　on　Beauvisage；　〃that　you　can't　wait　half　an　hour？　My　father　has　finished　dinner　and　I　couldn't　eat　mine　in　peace　without　knowing　what　he　thinks　and　whether　we　ought　to　go　to　Gondreville。〃

〃Go；　go；　my　dear。　I'll　wait；〃　said　Phileas；　using　the　〃thee〃　and　〃thou。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Severine　with　a　significant　gesture　of　her　shoulders。　〃Shall　I　never　break　you　of　that　habit　of　tutoying　me？〃

〃I　never　do　it　before　companynot　since　1817；〃　said　Phileas。

〃You　do　it　constantly　before　the　servants　and　your　daughter。〃

〃As　you　will；　Severine；〃　replied　Beauvisage　sadly。

〃Above　all；　don't　say　a　word　to　Cecile　about　this　resolution　of　the　electors；〃　added　Madame　Beauvisage；　who　was　looking　in　the　glass　to　arrange　her　shawl。

〃Shall　I　go　with　you　to　your　father's？〃　asked　Phileas。

〃No；　stay　with　Cecile。　Besides；　Jean　Violette　was　to　pay　the　rest　of　the　purchase…money　to…day。　He　has　twenty　thousand　francs　to　bring　you。　This　is　the　third　time　he　has　put　us　off　three　months；　don't　grant　him　any　more　delays；　if　he　can't　pay　now；　give　his　note　to　Courtet；　the　sheriff；　and　take　the　law　of　him。　Achille　Pigoult　will　tell　you　how　to　proceed。　That　Violette　is　the　worthy　son　of　his　grandfather；　I　think　he　is　capable　of　enriching　himself　by　going　i