albert savarus-第6节
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such carefulness as made Mariette； the ladies'…maid； smile。
〃It is the first time I ever knew mademoiselle to be so fidgety；〃 said
Mariette。
〃It strikes me；〃 said Rosalie； with a glance at Mariette； which
brought poppies to her cheeks； 〃that you too are more particular on
some days than on others。〃
As she went down the steps； across the courtyard； and through the
gates； Rosalie's heart beat； as everybody's does in anticipation of a
great event。 Hitherto； she had never known what it was to walk in the
streets； for a moment she had felt as though her mother must read her
schemes on her brow； and forbid her going to confession； and she now
felt new blood in her feet； she lifted them as though she trod on
fire。 She had； of course； arranged to be with her confessor at a
quarter…past eight； telling her mother eight； so as to have about a
quarter of an hour near Albert。 She got to church before Mass； and
after a short prayer； went to see if the Abbe Giroud were in his
confessional； simply to pass the time； and she thus placed herself in
such a way as to see Albert as he came into church。
The man must have been atrociously ugly who did not seem handsome to
Mademoiselle de Watteville in the frame of mind produced by her
curiosity。 And Albert Savaron； who was really very striking； made all
the more impression on Rosalie because his mien； his walk； his
carriage； everything down to his clothing； had the indescribable stamp
which can only be expressed by the word Mystery。
He came in。 The church； till now gloomy； seemed to Rosalie to be
illuminated。 The girl was fascinated by his slow and solemn demeanor；
as of a man who bears a world on his shoulders and whose deep gaze；
whose very gestures； combine to express a devastating or absorbing
thought。 Rosalie now understood the Vicar…General's words in their
fullest extent。 Yes； those eyes of tawny brown； shot with golden
lights； covered ardor which revealed itself in sudden flashes。
Rosalie； with a recklessness which Mariette noted； stood in the
lawyer's way； so as to exchange glances with him； and this glance
turned her blood； for it seethed and boiled as though its warmth were
doubled。
As soon as Albert had taken a seat； Mademoiselle de Watteville quickly
found a place whence she could see him perfectly during all the time
the Abbe might leave her。 When Mariette said； 〃Here is Monsieur
Giroud；〃 it seemed to Rosalie that the interview had lasted no more
than a few minutes。 By the time she came out from the confessional；
Mass was over。 Albert had left the church。
〃The Vicar…General was right；〃 thought she。 〃/He/ is unhappy。 Why
should this eaglefor he has the eyes of an eagleswoop down on
Besancon？ Oh； I must know everything！ But how？〃
Under the smart of this new desire Rosalie set the stitches of her
worsted…work with exquisite precision； and hid her meditations under a
little innocent air； which shammed simplicity to deceive Madame de
Watteville。
From that Sunday； when Mademoiselle de Watteville had met that look；
or； if you please； received this baptism of firea fine expression of
Napoleon's which may be well applied to loveshe eagerly promoted the
plan for the Belvedere。
〃Mamma；〃 said she one day when two columns were turned； 〃my father has
taken a singular idea into his head； he is turning columns for a
Belvedere he intends to erect on the heap of stones in the middle of
the garden。 Do you approve of it？ It seems to me〃
〃I approve of everything your father does；〃 said Madame de Watteville
drily； 〃and it is a wife's duty to submit to her husband even if she
does not approve of his ideas。 Why should I object to a thing which is
of no importance in itself； if only it amuses Monsieur de Watteville？〃
〃Well； because from thence we shall see into Monsieur de Soulas'
rooms； and Monsieur de Soulas will see us when we are there。 Perhaps
remarks may be made〃
〃Do you presume； Rosalie； to guide your parents； and think you know
more than they do of life and the proprieties？〃
〃I say no more； mamma。 Besides； my father said that there would be a
room in the grotto； where it would be cool； and where we can take
coffee。〃
〃Your father has had an excellent idea；〃 said Madame de Watteville；
who forthwith went to look at the columns。
She gave her entire approbation to the Baron de Watteville's design；
while choosing for the erection of this monument a spot at the bottom
of the garden； which could not be seen from Monsieur de Soulas'
windows； but whence they could perfectly see into Albert Savaron's
rooms。 A builder was sent for； who undertook to construct a grotto； of
which the top should be reached by a path three feet wide through the
rock…work； where periwinkles would grow； iris； clematis； ivy；
honeysuckle； and Virginia creeper。 The Baroness desired that the
inside should be lined with rustic wood…work； such as was then the
fashion for flower…stands； with a looking…glass against the wall； an
ottoman forming a box； and a table of inlaid bark。 Monsieur de Soulas
proposed that the floor should be of asphalt。 Rosalie suggested a
hanging chandelier of rustic wood。
〃The Wattevilles are having something charming done in their garden；〃
was rumored in Besancon。
〃They are rich； and can afford a thousand crowns for a whim〃
〃A thousand crowns！〃 exclaimed Madame de Chavoncourt。
〃Yes； a thousand crowns；〃 cried young Monsieur de Soulas。 〃A man has
been sent for from Paris to rusticate the interior but it will be very
pretty。 Monsieur de Watteville himself is making the chandelier； and
has begun to carve the wood。〃
〃Berquet is to make a cellar under it；〃 said an Abbe。
〃No；〃 replied young Monsieur de Soulas； 〃he is raising the kiosk on a
concrete foundation； that it may not be damp。〃
〃You know the very least things that are done in that house；〃 said
Madame de Chavoncourt sourly； as she looked at one of her great girls
waiting to be married for a year past。
Mademoiselle de Watteville； with a little flush of pride in thinking
of the success of her Belvedere； discerned in herself a vast
superiority over every one about her。 No one guessed that a little
girl； supposed to be a witless goose； had simply made up her mind to
get a closer view of the lawyer Savaron's private study。
Albert Savaron's brilliant defence of the Cathedral Chapter was all
the sooner forgotten because the envy of the other lawyers was
aroused。 Also； Savaron； faithful to his seclusion； went nowhere。
Having no friends to cry him up； and seeing no one； he increased the
chances of being forgotten which are common to strangers in Besancon。
Nevertheless； he pleaded three times at the Commercial Tribunal in
three knotty cases which had to be carried to the superior Court。 He
thus gained as clients four of the chief merchants of the place； who
discerned in him so much good sense and sound legal purview that they
placed their claims in his hands。
On the day when the Watteville family inaugurated the Belvedere；
Savaron also was founding a monument。 Thanks to the connections he had
obscurely formed among the upper class of merchants in Besancon； he
was starting a fortnightly paper； called the /Eastern Review/； with
the help of forty shares of five hundred francs each； taken up by his
first ten clients； on whom he had impressed the necessity for
promoting the interests of Besancon； the town where the traffic should
meet between Mulhouse and Lyons； and the chief centre between Mulhouse
and Rhone。
To compete with Strasbourg； was it not needful that Besancon should
become a focus of enlightenment as well as of trade？ The leading
questions relating to the interests of Eastern France could only be
dealt with in a review。 What a glorious task to rob Strasbourg and
Dijon of their literary importance； to bring light to the East of
France； and compete with the centralizing influence of Paris！ These
reflections； put forward by Albert； were repeated by the ten
merchants； who believed them to be their own。
Monsieur Savaron did not commit the blunder of putting his name in
front； he left the finance of the concern to his chief client；
Monsieur Boucher； connected by marriage with one of the great
publishers of important ecclesiastical works； but he kept the
editorship； with a share of the profits as founder。 The commercial
interest appealed to Dole； to Dijon； to Salins； to Neufchatel； to the
Jura； Bourg； Nantua； Lous…le…Saulnier。 The concurrence was invited of
the learning and energy of every scientific student in the districts
of le Bugey； la Bresse； and Franche Comte。 By the influence of
commercial interests and common feeling； five hundred subscribers were
booked in consideration of the low price； the /Review/ cost eight
francs a quarter。
To avoid hurting the conceit of the provincials by refusing their
articles； the lawyer hit on the good idea of suggesting a desire for
the literary management of this /Review/ to Monsieur Boucher's eldest
son； a young man of two…and…twenty； very eager for fame； to whom the
snares and woes of literary responsibilities were utterly unknown。
Albert quietly kept the upper hand and made Alfred Boucher his devoted
adherent。 Alfred was the only man in Besancon with
