第10章

"Iwould，"hesaid，"thatthatmomenthadgivenmetherighttokeepyouasmineforever"[shelistenedwithadelightedair]；"asyoulayfaintinguponthatbed，youwereenchanting。Ihaveneverinmylifeseenamorebeautifulperson，——andIhaveseenmanyhandsomewomen。

Plumpladieshavethisadvantage:theyaresuperbtolookupon；theyhaveonlytoshowthemselvesandtheytriumph。"

"Ifearyouaremakingfunofme，"saidtheoldmaid，"andthatisnotkindwhenallthetownwillprobablymisinterpretwhathappenedtomeyesterday。"

"AstrueasmynameisduBousquier，mademoiselle，Ihaveneverchangedinmyfeelingstowardyou；andyourfirstrefusalhasnotdiscouragedme。"

Theoldmaid"seyeswerelowered。TherewasamomentofcruelsilenceforduBousquier，andthenMademoiselleCormondecidedonhercourse。

Sheraisedhereyelids；tearsflowedfromhereyes，andshegaveduBousquieratenderglance。

"Ifthatisso，monsieur，"shesaid，inatremblingvoice，"promisemetoliveinaChristianmanner，andnotopposemyreligiouscustoms，buttoleavemetherighttoselectmyconfessors，andIwillgrantyoumyhand"；asshesaidthewords，shehelditouttohim。

DuBousquierseizedthegoodfathandsofullofmoney，andkisseditsolemnly。

"But，"shesaid，allowinghimtokissit，"onethingmoreImustrequireofyou。"

"Ifitisapossiblething，itisgranted，"repliedthepurveyor。

"Alas!"returnedtheoldmaid。"Formysake，ImustaskyoutotakeuponyourselfasinwhichIfeeltobeenormous，——fortolieisoneofthecapitalsins。Butyouwillconfessit，willyounot？Wewilldopenanceforittogether"[theylookedateachothertenderly]。

"Besides，itmaybeoneofthoselieswhichtheChurchpermitsasnecessary——"

"CanshebeasSuzannesayssheis？"thoughtduBousquier。"Whatluck!

Well，mademoiselle，whatisit？"hesaidaloud。

"Thatyouwilltakeuponyourselfto——"

"What？"

"Tosaythatthismarriagehasbeenagreeduponbetweenusforthelastsixmonths。"

"Charmingwoman，"saidthepurveyor，inthetoneofamanwillingtodevotehimself，"suchsacrificescanbemadeonlyforacreatureadoredthesetenyears。"

"Inspiteofmyharshness？"shesaid。

"Yes，inspiteofyourharshness。"

"MonsieurduBousquier，Ihavemisjudgedyou。"

Againsheheldoutthefatredhand，whichduBousquierkissedagain。

Atthismomentthedooropened；thebetrothedpair，lookingroundtoseewhoentered，beheldthedelightful，buttardyChevalierdeValois。

"Ah!"hesaid，onentering，"Iseeyouareabouttobeup，fairqueen。"

Shesmiledatthechevalier，feelingaweightuponherheart。MonsieurdeValois，remarkablyyoungandseductive，hadtheairofaLauzunre-

enteringtheapartmentsoftheGrandeMademoiselleinthePalais-

Royal。

"Hey!dearduBousquier，"saidhe，inajauntytone，sosurewasheofsuccess，"MonsieurdeTroisvilleandtheAbbedeSpondeareexaminingyourhouselikeappraisers。"

"Faith!"saidduBousquier，"iftheVicomtedeTroisvillewantsit，ititishisforfortythousandfrancs。Itisuselesstomenow。Ifmademoisellewillpermit——itmustsoonbeknown——Mademoiselle，mayI

tellit？——Yes!Well，then，bethefirst，MYDEARCHEVALIER，tohear"

[MademoiselleCormondroppedhereyes]"ofthehonorthatmademoisellehasdoneme，thesecretofwhichIhavekeptforsomemonths。Weshallbemarriedinafewdays；thecontractisalreadydrawn，andweshallsignitto-morrow。Yousee，therefore，thatmyhouseintherueduCygneisuselesstome。Ihavebeenprivatelylookingforapurchaserforsometime；andtheAbbedeSponde，whoknewthatfact，hasnaturallytakenMonsieurdeTroisvilletoseethehouse。"

Thisfalsehoodboresuchanappearanceoftruththatthechevalierwastakeninbyit。That"mydearchevalier"wasliketherevengetakenbyPetertheGreatonCharlesXII。atPultawaforallhispastdefeats。

DuBousquierrevengedhimselfdeliciouslyforthethousandlittleshaftshehadlongborneinsilence；butinhistriumphhemadealivelyyouthfulgesturebyrunninghishandsthroughhishair，andinsodoinghe——knockedasidehisfalsefront。

"Icongratulateyouboth，"saidthechevalier，withanagreeableair；

"andIwishthatthemarriagemayendlikeafairytale:THEYWERE

HAPPYEVERAFTER，ANDHAD——MANY——CHILDREN!"Sosaying，hetookapinchofsnuff。"But，monsieur，"headdedsatirically，"youforget——thatyouarewearingafalsefront。"

DuBousquierblushed。Thefalsefrontwashanginghalfadozeninchesfromhisskull。MademoiselleCormonraisedhereyes，sawthatskullinallitsnudity，andloweredthem，abashed。DuBousquiercastuponthechevalierthemostvenomouslookthattoadeverdartedonitsprey。

"Dogsofaristocratswhodespiseme，"thoughthe，"I"llcrushyousomeday。"

Thechevalierthoughthehadrecoveredhisadvantage。ButMademoiselleCormonwasnotawomantounderstandtheconnectionwhichthechevalierintimatedbetweenhiscongratulatorywishandthefalsefront。Besides，evenifshehadcomprehendedit，herwordwaspassed，herhandgiven。MonsieurdeValoissawatoncethatallwaslost。Theinnocentwoman，withthetwonowsilentmenbeforeher，wished，truetohersenseofduty，toamusethem。

"Whynotplayagameofpiquettogether？"shesaidartlessly，withouttheslightestmalice。

DuBousquiersmiled，andwent，asthefuturemasterofthehouse，tofetchthepiquettable。WhethertheChevalierdeValoislosthishead，orwhetherhewantedtostayandstudythecausesofhisdisasterandremedyit，certainitisthatheallowedhimselftobeledlikealambtotheslaughter。Hehadreceivedthemostviolentknock-downblowthateverstruckaman；anynoblemanwouldhavelosthissensesforless。

TheAbbedeSpondeandtheVicomtedeTroisvillesoonreturned。

MademoiselleCormoninstantlyrose，hurriedintotheantechamber，andtookheruncleaparttotellhimherresolution。LearningthatthehouseintherueduCygneexactlysuitedtheviscount，shebeggedherfuturehusbandtodoherthekindnesstotellhimthatheruncleknewitwasforsale。Shedarednotconfidethatlietotheabbe，fearinghisabsent-mindedness。Thelie，however，prosperedbetterthanifithadbeenavirtuousaction。InthecourseofthateveningallAlenconheardthenews。Forthelastfourdaysthetownhadhadasmuchtothinkofasduringthefataldaysof1814and1815。Somelaughed；

othersadmittedthemarriage。Theseblamedit；thoseapprovedit。ThemiddleclassesofAlenconrejoiced；theyregardeditasavictory。Thenextday，amongfriends，theChevalierdeValoissaidacruelthing:——

"TheCormonsendastheybegan；there"sonlyahand"sbreadthbetweenastewardandapurveyor。"

CHAPTERVII

OTHERRESULTS

ThenewsofMademoiselleCormon"schoicestabbedpoorAthanaseGransontotheheart；butheshowednooutwardsignoftheterribleagitationwithinhim。Whenhefirstheardofthemarriagehewasatthehouseofthechief-justice，duRonceret，wherehismotherwasplayingboston。

MadameGransonlookedathersoninamirror，andthoughthimpale；

buthehadbeensoallday，foravaguerumorofthematterhadalreadyreachedhim。

MademoiselleCormonwasthecardonwhichAthanasehadstakedhislife；andthecoldpresentimentofacatastrophewasalreadyuponhim。

Whenthesoulandtheimaginationhavemagnifiedamisfortuneandmadeittooheavyfortheshouldersandthebraintobear；whenahopelongcherished，therealizationofwhichwouldpacifythevulturefeedingontheheart，isbalked，andthemanhasfaithneitherinhimself，despitehispowers，norinthefuture，despiteoftheDivinepower，——

thenthatmanislost。AthanasewasafruitoftheImperialsystemofeducation。Fatality，theEmperor"sreligion，hadfiltereddownfromthethronetothelowestranksofthearmyandthebenchesofthelyceums。Athanasesatstill，withhiseyesfixedonMadameduRonceret"scards，inastuporthatmightsowellpassforindifferencethatMadameGransonherselfwasdeceivedabouthisfeelings。Thisapparentunconcernexplainedherson"srefusaltomakeasacrificeforthismarriageofhisLIBERALopinions，——theterm"liberal"havinglatelybeencreatedfortheEmperorAlexanderby，Ithink，MadamedeStael，throughthelipsofBenjaminConstant。

AfterthatfataleveningtheyoungmantooktoramblingamongthepicturesqueregionsoftheSarthe，thebanksofwhicharemuchfrequentedbysketcherswhocometoAlenconforpointsofview。

Windmillsarethere，andtheriverisgayinthemeadows。TheshoresoftheSartheareborderedwithbeautifultrees，wellgrouped。Thoughthelandscapeisflat，itisnotwithoutthosemodestgraceswhichdistinguishFrance，wheretheeyeisneverweariedbythebrilliancyofOrientalskies，norsaddenedbyconstantfog。Theplaceissolitary。Intheprovincesnoonepaysmuchattentiontoafineview，eitherbecauseprovincialsareblasesonthebeautyaroundthem，orbecausetheyhavenopoesyintheirsouls。Ifthereexistsintheprovincesamall，apromenade，avantage-groundfromwhichafineviewcanbeobtained，thatisthepointtowhichnoonegoes。Athanasewasfondofthissolitude，enlivenedbythesparklingwater，wherethefieldswerethefirsttogreenundertheearliestsmilingofthespringtidesun。Thosepersonswhosawhimsittingbeneathapoplar，andwhonoticedthevacanteyewhichheturnedtothem，wouldsaytoMadameGranson:——

"Somethingisthematterwithyourson。"

"Iknowwhatitis，"themotherwouldreply；hintingthathewasmeditatingoversomegreatwork。

Athanasenolongertookpartinpolitics:heceasedtohaveopinions；

butheappearedattimesquitegay，——gaywiththesatireofthosewhothinktoinsultawholeworldwiththeirownindividualscorn。Thisyoungman，outsideofalltheideasandallthepleasuresoftheprovinces，interestedfewpersons；hewasnotevenanobjectofcuriosity。Ifpersonsspokeofhimtohismother，itwasforhersake，nothis。TherewasnotasinglesoulinAlenconthatsympathizedwithhis；notawoman，notafriendcameneartodryhistears；theydroppedintotheSarthe。IfthegorgeousSuzannehadhappenedthatway，howmanyyoungmiseriesmighthavebeenbornofthemeeting!forthetwowouldsurelyhavelovedeachother。

Shedidcome，however。Suzanne"sambitionwasearlyexcitedbythetaleofastrangeadventurewhichhadhappenedatthetavernoftheMore，——atalewhichhadtakenpossessionofherchildishbrain。A

Parisianwoman，beautifulastheangels，wassentbyFouchetoentangletheMarquisdeMontauran，otherwisecalled"TheGars，"inalove-affair(see"TheChouans")。ShemethimatthetavernoftheMoreonhisreturnfromanexpeditiontoMortagne；shecajoledhim，madehimloveher，andthenbetrayedhim。Thatfantasticpower——thepowerofbeautyovermankind；infact，thewholestoryofMariedeVerneuilandtheGars——dazzledSuzanne；shelongedtogrowupinordertoplayuponmen。SomemonthsafterherhastydepartureshepassedthroughhernativetownwithanartistonhiswaytoBrittany。ShewantedtoseeFougeres，wheretheadventureoftheMarquisdeMontauranculminated，andtostanduponthesceneofthatpicturesquewar，thetragediesofwhich，stillsolittleknown，hadfilledherchildishmind。Besidesthis，shehadafancytopassthroughAlenconsoelegantlyequippedthatnoonecouldrecognizeher；toputhermotherabovethereachofnecessity，andalsotosendtopoorAthanase，inadelicatemanner，asumofmoney，——whichinourageistogeniuswhatinthemiddleageswasthechargerandthecoatofmailthatRebeccaconveyedtoIvanhoe。

OnemonthpassedawayinthestrangestuncertaintiesrespectingthemarriageofMademoiselleCormon。Apartyofunbelieversdeniedthemarriagealtogether；thebelievers，ontheotherhand，affirmedit。Attheendoftwoweeks，thefactionofunbeliefreceivedavigorousblowinthesaleofduBousquier"shousetotheMarquisdeTroisville，whoonlywantedasimpleestablishmentinAlencon，intendingtogotoParisafterthedeathofthePrincessScherbellof；heproposedtoawaitthatinheritanceinretirement，andthentoreconstitutehisestates。Thisseemedpositive。Theunbelievers，however，werenotcrushed。TheydeclaredthatduBousquier，marriedornot，hadmadeanexcellentsale，forthehousehadonlycosthimtwenty-seventhousandfrancs。Thebelieversweredepressedbythispracticalobservationoftheincredulous。Choisnel，MademoiselleCormon"snotary，assertedthelatter，hadheardnothingaboutthemarriagecontract；butthebelievers，stillfirmintheirfaith，carriedoff，onthetwentiethday，asignalvictory:MonsieurLepressoir，thenotaryoftheliberals，wenttoMademoiselleCormon"shouse，andthecontractwassigned。

ThiswasthefirstofthenumeroussacrificeswhichMademoiselleCormonwasdestinedtomaketoherhusband。DuBousquierborethedeepesthatredtoChoisnel；tohimheowedtherefusalofthehandofMademoiselleArmande，——arefusalwhich，ashebelieved，hadinfluencedthatofMademoiselleCormon。Thiscircumstancealonemadethemarriagedragalong。Mademoisellereceivedseveralanonymousletters。Shelearned，tohergreatastonishment，thatSuzannewasastrulyavirginasherselfsofarasduBousquierwasconcerned，forthatseducerwiththefalsetoupetcouldneverbetheheroofanysuchadventure。

MademoiselleCormondisdainedanonymousletters；butshewrotetoSuzanneherself，onthegroundofenlighteningtheMaternitySociety。

Suzanne，whohadnodoubtheardofduBousquier"sproposedmarriage，acknowledgedhertrick，sentathousandfrancstothesociety，anddidalltheharmshecouldtotheoldpurveyor。MademoiselleCormonconvokedtheMaternitySociety，whichheldaspecialmeetingatwhichitwasvotedthattheassociationwouldnotinfutureassistanymisfortunesabouttohappen，butsolelythosethathadhappened。

Inspiteofallthesevariouseventswhichkeptthetowninthechoicestgossip，thebannswerepublishedinthechurchesandatthemayor"soffice。Athanasepreparedthedeeds。Asamatterofproprietyandpublicdecency，thebrideretiredtoPrebaudet，whereduBousquier，bearingsumptuousandhorriblebouquets，betookhimselfeverymorning，returninghomefordinner。

Atlast，onadullandrainymorninginJune，themarriageofMademoiselleCormonandtheSieurduBousquiertookplaceatnoonintheparishchurchofAlencon，insightofthewholetown。Thebridalpairwentfromtheirownhousetothemayor"soffice，andfromthemayor"sofficetothechurchinanopencaleche，amagnificentvehicleforAlencon，whichduBousquierhadsentforsecretlytoParis。Thelossoftheoldcarriolewasaspeciesofcalamityintheeyesofthecommunity。Theharness-makerofthePortedeSeezbemoanedit，forhelostthefiftyfrancsayearwhichitcostinrepairs。Alenconsawwithalarmthepossibilityofluxurybeingthusintroducedintothetown。Everyonefearedariseinthepriceofrentsandprovisions，andacominginvasionofParisianfurniture。SomepersonsweresufficientlyprickedbycuriositytogivetensoustoJacquelintoallowthemacloseinspectionofthevehiclewhichthreatenedtoupsetthewholeeconomyoftheregion。Apairofhorses，boughtinNormandie，werealsomostalarming。

"Ifweboughtourownhorses，"saidtheRonceretcircle，"wecouldn"tsellthemtothosewhocometobuy。"

Stupidasitwas，thisreasoningseemedsound；forsurelysuchacoursewouldpreventtheregionfromgraspingthemoneyofforeigners。

Intheeyesoftheprovinceswealthconsistedlessintherapidturningoverofmoneythaninsterileaccumulation。ItmaybementionedherethatPenelopesuccumbedtoapleurisywhichsheacquiredaboutsixweeksbeforethemarriage；nothingcouldsaveher。

MadameGranson，Mariette，MadameduCoudrai，MadameduRonceret，andthroughthemthewholetown，remarkedthatMadameduBousquierenteredthechurchWITHHERLEFTFOOT，——anomenallthemoredreadfulbecausethetermLeftwasbeginningtoacquireapoliticalmeaning。ThepriestwhosedutyitwastoreadtheopeningformulaopenedhisbookbychanceattheDeProfundis。Thusthemarriagewasaccompaniedbycircumstancessofateful，soalarming，soannihilatingthatnoonedaredtoaugurwellofit。Matters，infact，wentfrombadtoworse。

Therewasnoweddingparty；themarriedpairdepartedimmediatelyforPrebaudet。Parisiancustoms，saidthecommunity，wereabouttotriumphovertime-honoredprovincialways。

ThemarriageofJacquelinandJosettenowtookplace:itwasgay；andtheyweretheonlytwopersonsinAlenconwhorefutedthesinisterpropheciesrelatingtothemarriageoftheirmistress。

DuBousquierdeterminedtousetheproceedsofthesaleofhislateresidenceinrestoringandmodernizingthehotelCormon。HedecidedtoremainthroughtwoseasonsatPrebaudet，andtooktheAbbedeSpondewiththem。Thisnewsspreadterrorthroughthetown，whereeveryindividualfeltthatduBousquierwasabouttodragthecommunityintothefatalpathof"comfort。"ThisfearincreasedwhentheinhabitantsofAlenconsawthebridegroomdrivinginfromPrebaudetonemorningtoinspecthisworks，inafinetilburydrawnbyanewhorse，havingReneathissideinlivery。Thefirstactofhisadministrationhadbeentoplacehiswife"ssavingsontheGrand-Livre，whichwasthenquotedat67fr。50cent。Inthespaceofoneyear，duringwhichheplayedconstantlyforarise，hemadehimselfapersonalfortunealmostasconsiderableasthatofhiswife。

Butalltheseforebodingprophecies，theseperturbinginnovations，weresupersededandsurpassedbyaneventconnectedwiththismarriagewhichgaveastillmorefatalaspecttoit。

Ontheveryeveningoftheceremony，Athanaseandhismotherweresitting，aftertheirdinner，overalittlefireoffagots，whichtheservantlightedusuallyatdessert。

"Well，wewillgothiseveningtotheduRoncerets"，inasmuchaswehavelostMademoiselleCormon，"saidMadameGranson。"Heavens!howshallIeveraccustommyselftocallherMadameduBousquier!thatnameburnsmylips。"

Athanaselookedathismotherwithaconstrainedandmelancholyair；

hecouldnotsmile；butheseemedtowishtowelcomethatnaivesentimentwhichsoothedhiswound，thoughitcouldnotcurehisanguish。

"Mamma，"hesaid，inthevoiceofhischildhood，sotenderwasit，andusingthenamehehadabandonedforseveralyears，——"mydearmamma，donotletusgooutjustyet；itissopleasantherebeforethefire。"

Themotherheard，withoutcomprehending，thatsupremeprayerofamortalsorrow。

"Yes，letusstay，mychild，"shesaid。"Ilikemuchbettertotalkwithyouandlistentoyourprojectsthantoplayatbostonandlosemymoney。"

"Youaresohandsometo-nightIlovetolookatyou。Besides，Iaminacurrentofideaswhichharmonizewiththispoorlittlesalonwherewehavesufferedsomuch。"

"Andwhereweshallstillsuffer，mypoorAthanase，untilyourworkssucceed。Formyself，Iamtrainedtopoverty；butyou，mytreasure!toseeyouryouthgobywithoutajoy!nothingbuttoilformypoorboyinlife!Thatthoughtislikeanillnesstoamother；ittorturesmeatnight；itwakesmeinthemorning。OGod!whathaveIdone？forwhatcrimedostthoupunishmethus？"

Shelefthersofa，tookalittlechair，andsatclosetoAthanase，soastolayherheadonthebosomofherchild。Thereisalwaysthegraceofloveintruemotherhood。Athanasekissedherontheeyes，onhergrayhair，onherforehead，withthesacreddesireoflayinghissoulwhereverheappliedhislips。

"Ishallneversucceed，"hesaid，tryingtodeceivehismotherastothefatalresolutionhewasrevolvinginhismind。

"Pooh!don"tgetdiscouraged。Asyouoftensay，thoughtcandoallthings。Withtenbottlesofink，tenreamsofpaper，andhispowerfulwill，LutherupsetallEurope。Well，you"llmakeyourselffamous；youwilldogoodthingsbythesamemeanswhichheusedtodoevilthings。