albert savarus-第4节

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her　mother　well　enough　to　be　sure　that　if　she　had　thought　young
Monsieur　de　Soulas　/nice/；　she　would　have　drawn　down　on　herself　a
smart　reproof。　Thus；　to　all　her　mother's　incitement　she　replied　merely
by　such　phrases　as　are　wrongly　called　Jesuiticalwrongly；　because　the
Jesuits　were　strong；　and　such　reservations　are　the　/chevaux　de　frise/
behind　which　weakness　takes　refuge。　Then　the　mother　regarded　the　girl
as　a　dissembler。　If　by　mischance　a　spark　of　the　true　nature　of　the
Wattevilles　and　the　Rupts　blazed　out；　the　mother　armed　herself　with
the　respect　due　from　children　to　their　parents　to　reduce　Rosalie　to
passive　obedience。

This　covert　battle　was　carried　on　in　the　most　secret　seclusion　of
domestic　life；　with　closed　doors。　The　Vicar…General；　the　dear　Abbe
Grancey；　the　friend　of　the　late　Archbishop；　clever　as　he　was　in　his
capacity　of　the　chief　Father　Confessor　of　the　diocese；　could　not
discover　whether　the　struggle　had　stirred　up　some　hatred　between　the
mother　and　daughter；　whether　the　mother　were　jealous　in　anticipation；
or　whether　the　court　Amedee　was　paying　to　the　girl　through　her　mother
had　not　overstepped　its　due　limits。　Being　a　friend　of　the　family；
neither　mother　nor　daughter；　confessed　to　him。　Rosalie；　a　little　too
much　harried；　morally；　about　young　de　Soulas；　could　not　abide　him；　to
use　a　homely　phrase；　and　when　he　spoke　to　her；　trying　to　take　her
heart　by　surprise；　she　received　him　but　coldly。　This　aversion；
discerned　only　by　her　mother's　eyes；　was　a　constant　subject　of
admonition。

〃Rosalie；　I　cannot　imagine　why　you　affect　such　coldness　towards
Amedee。　Is　it　because　he　is　a　friend　of　the　family；　and　because　we
like　himyour　father　and　I？〃

〃Well；　mamma；〃　replied　the　poor　child　one　day；　〃if　I　made　him　welcome；
should　I　not　be　still　more　in　the　wrong？〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　cried　Madame　de　Watteville。　〃What　is　the
meaning　of　such　words？　Your　mother　is　unjust；　no　doubt；　and　according
to　you；　would　be　so　in　any　case！　Never　let　such　an　answer　pass　your
lips　again　to　your　mother〃　and　so　forth。

This　quarrel　lasted　three　hours　and　three…quarters。　Rosalie　noted　the
time。　Her　mother；　pale　with　fury；　sent　her　to　her　room；　where　Rosalie
pondered　on　the　meaning　of　this　scene　without　discovering　it；　so
guileless　was　she。　Thus　young　Monsieur　de　Soulas；　who　was　supposed　by
every　one　to　be　very　near　the　end　he　was　aiming　at；　all　neckcloths
set；　and　by　dint　of　pots　of　patent　blackingan　end　which　required　so
much　waxing　of　his　moustaches；　so　many　smart　waistcoats；　wore　out　so
many　horseshoes　and　staysfor　he　wore　a　leather　vest；　the　stays　of
the　/lion/Amedee；　I　say；　was　further　away　than　any　chance　comer；
although　he　had　on　his　side　the　worthy　and　noble　Abbe　de　Grancey。



〃Madame；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Soulas；　addressing　the　Baroness；　while
waiting　till　his　soup　was　cool　enough　to　swallow；　and　affecting　to
give　a　romantic　turn　to　his　narrative；　〃one　fine　morning　the　mail…
coach　dropped　at　the　Hotel　National　a　gentleman　from　Paris；　who；　after
seeking　apartments；　made　up　his　mind　in　favor　of　the　first　floor　in
Mademoiselle　Galard's　house；　Rue　du　Perron。　Then　the　stranger　went
straight　to　the　Mairie；　and　had　himself　registered　as　a　resident　with
all　political　qualifications。　Finally；　he　had　his　name　entered　on　the
list　of　the　barristers　to　the　Court；　showing　his　title　in　due　form；
and　he　left　his　card　on　all　his　new　colleagues；　the　Ministerial
officials；　the　Councillors　of　the　Court；　and　the　members　of　the　bench；
with　the　name；　'ALBERT　SAVARON。'　〃

〃The　name　of　Savaron　is　famous；〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville；　who
was　strong　in　heraldic　information。　〃The　Savarons　of　Savarus　are　one
of　the　oldest；　noblest；　and　richest　families　in　Belgium。〃

〃He　is　a　Frenchman；　and　no　man's　son；〃　replied　Amedee　de　Soulas。　〃If
he　wishes　to　bear　the　arms　of　the　Savarons　of　Savarus；　he　must　add　a
bar…sinister。　There　is　no　one　left　of　the　Brabant　family　but　a
Mademoiselle　de　Savarus；　a　rich　heiress；　and　unmarried。〃

〃The　bar…sinister　is；　of　course；　the　badge　of　a　bastard；　but　the
bastard　of　a　Comte　de　Savarus　is　noble；〃　answered　Rosalie。

〃Enough；　that　will　do；　mademoiselle！〃　said　the　Baroness。

〃You　insisted　on　her　learning　heraldry；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Watteville；
〃and　she　knows　it　very　well。〃

〃Go　on；　I　beg；　Monsieur　de　Soulas。〃

〃You　may　suppose　that　in　a　town　where　everything　is　classified；　known；
pigeon…holed；　ticketed；　and　numbered；　as　in　Besancon；　Albert　Savaron
was　received　without　hesitation　by　the　lawyers　of　the　town。　They　were
satisfied　to　say；　'Here　is　a　man　who　does　not　know　his　Besancon。　Who
the　devil　can　have　sent　him　here？　What　can　he　hope　to　do？　Sending　his
card　to　the　Judges　instead　of　calling　in　person！　What　a　blunder！'　And
so；　three　days　after；　Savaron　had　ceased　to　exist。　He　took　as　his
servant　old　Monsieur　Galard's　manGalard　being　deadJerome；　who　can
cook　a　little。　Albert　Savaron　was　all　the　more　completely　forgotten；
because　no　one　had　seen　him　or　met　him　anywhere。〃

〃Then；　does　he　not　go　to　mass？〃　asked　Madame　de　Chavoncourt。

〃He　goes　on　Sundays　to　Saint…Pierre；　but　to　the　early　service　at　eight
in　the　morning。　He　rises　every　night　between　one　and　two　in　the
morning；　works　till　eight；　has　his　breakfast；　and　then　goes　on
working。　He　walks　in　his　garden；　going　round　fifty；　or　perhaps　sixty
times；　then　he　goes　in；　dines；　and　goes　to　bed　between　six　and　seven。〃

〃How　did　you　learn　all　that？〃　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　asked　Monsieur　de
Soulas。

〃In　the　first　place；　madame；　I　live　in　the　Rue　Neuve；　at　the　corner　of
the　Rue　du　Perron；　I　look　out　on　the　house　where　this　mysterious
personage　lodges；　then；　of　course；　there　are　communications　between　my
tiger　and　Jerome。〃

〃And　you　gossip　with　Babylas？〃

〃What　would　you　have　me　do　out　riding？〃

〃Welland　how　was　it　that　you　engaged　a　stranger　for　your　defence？〃
asked　the　Baroness；　thus　placing　the　conversation　in　the　hands　of　the
Vicar…General。

〃The　President　of　the　Court　played　this　pleader　a　trick　by　appointing
him　to　defend　at　the　Assizes　a　half…witted　peasant　accused　of　forgery。
But　Monsieur　Savaron　procured　the　poor　man's　acquittal　by　proving　his
innocence　and　showing　that　he　had　been　a　tool　in　the　hands　of　the　real
culprits。　Not　only　did　his　line　of　defence　succeed；　but　it　led　to　the
arrest　of　two　of　the　witnesses；　who　were　proved　guilty　and　condemned。
His　speech　struck　the　Court　and　the　jury。　One　of　these；　a　merchant；
placed　a　difficult　case　next　day　in　the　hands　of　Monsieur　Savaron；　and
he　won　it。　In　the　position　in　which　we　found　ourselves；　Monsieur
Berryer　finding　it　impossible　to　come　to　Besancon；　Monsieur　de
Garcenault　advised　him　to　employ　this　Monsieur　Albert　Savaron；
foretelling　our　success。　As　soon　as　I　saw　him　and　heard　him；　I　felt
faith　in　him；　and　I　was　not　wrong。〃

〃Is　he　then　so　extraordinary？〃　asked　Madame　de　Chavoncourt。

〃Certainly；　madame；〃　replied　the　Vicar…General。

〃Well；　tell　us　about　it；〃　said　Madame　de　Watteville。

〃The　first　time　I　saw　him；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　〃he　received　me
in　his　outer　room　next　the　ante…roomold　Galard's　drawing…roomwhich
he　has　had　painted　like　old　oak；　and　which　I　found　entirely　lined　with
law…books；　arranged　on　shelves　also　painted　as　old　oak。　The　painting
and　the　books　are　the　sole　decoration　of　the　room；　for　the　furniture
consists　of　an　old　writing　table　of　carved　wood；　six　old　armchairs
covered　with　tapestry；　window　curtains　of　gray　stuff　bordered　with
green；　and　a　green　carpet　over　the　floor。　The　ante…room　stove　heats
this　library　as　well。　As　I　waited　there　I　did　not　picture　my　advocate
as　a　young　man。　But　this　singular　setting　is　in　perfect　harmony　with
his　person；　for　Monsieur　Savaron　came　out　in　a　black　merino　dressing…
gown　tied　with　a　red　cord；　red　slippers；　a　red　flannel　waistcoat；　and
a　red　smoking…cap。〃

〃The　devil's　colors！〃　exclaimed　Madame　de　Watteville。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Abbe；　〃but　a　magnificent　head。　Black　hair　already
streaked　with　a　little　gray；　hair　like　that　of　Saint　Peter　and　Saint
Paul　in　pictures；　with　thick　shining　curls；　hair　as　stiff　as　horse…
hair；　a　round　white　throat　like　a　woman's；　a　splendid　forehead；
furrowed　by　the　strong　median　line　which　great　schemes；　great
thoughts；　deep　meditations　stamp　on　a　great　man's　brow；　an　olive
complexion　marbled　with　red；　a　square　nose；　eyes　of　flame；　hollow
cheeks；　with　two　long　lines；　betraying　much　suffering；　a　mouth　with　a
sardonic　smile；　and　a　small　chin；　narrow；　and　too　short；　crow's　feet
on　his　temples；　deep…set　eyes；　moving　in　their　sockets　like　burning
balls；　but；　in　spite　of　all　these　indications　of　a　violently
passionate　nature；　his　manner　was　calm；　deeply　resigned；　and　his　voice
of　penetrating　sweetness；　which　surprised　me　in　Court　by　its　easy
flow；　a　true　orator's　voice；　now　clear　and　appealing；　sometimes
insinuating；　but　a　voice　of　thunder　when　needful；　and　lending　itself
to　sarcasm　to　become　incisive。

〃Monsieur　Albert　Savaron　is　of　middle　height；　neither　stout　nor　thin。
And　his　hands　are　those　of　a　prelate。

〃The　second　time　I　called　on　him　he　received　me　in　his　bed…room；
adjoining　the　library；　and　smiled　at　my　astonishment　when　I　saw　there
a　wretched　chest　of　drawers；　a　shabby　carpet；　a　camp…be