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diff --git a/3550-h/3550-h.htm b/3550-h/3550-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..21c44d7 --- /dev/null +++ b/3550-h/3550-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1779 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>La Mere Bauche, by Anthony Trollope</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, La Mere Bauche, by Anthony Trollope + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + + + + +Title: La Mere Bauche + + +Author: Anthony Trollope + + + +Release Date: January 16, 2015 [eBook #3550] +[This file was first posted on June 6, 2001] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LA MERE BAUCHE*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1864 Chapman & Hall “Tales of +All Countries” edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>LA MÈRE BAUCHE.</h1> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Pyreneean valley in which the +baths of Vernet are situated is not much known to English, or +indeed to any travellers. Tourists in search of good hotels +and picturesque beauty combined, do not generally extend their +journeys to the Eastern Pyrenees. They rarely get beyond +Luchon; and in this they are right, as they thus end their +peregrinations at the most lovely spot among these mountains, and +are as a rule so deceived, imposed on, and bewildered by guides, +innkeepers, and horse-owners, at this otherwise delightful place, +as to become undesirous of further travel. Nor do invalids +from distant parts frequent Vernet. People of fashion go to +the Eaux Bonnes and to Luchon, and people who are really ill to +Baréges and Cauterets. It is at these places that +one meets crowds of Parisians, and the daughters and wives of +rich merchants from Bordeaux, with an admixture, now by no means +inconsiderable, of Englishmen and Englishwomen. But the +Eastern Pyrenees are still unfrequented. And probably they +will remain so; for though there are among them lovely +valleys—and of all such the valley of Vernet is perhaps the +most lovely—they cannot compete with the mountain scenery +of other tourists-loved regions in Europe. At the Port de +Venasquez and the Brèche de Roland in the Western +Pyrenees, or rather, to speak more truly, at spots in the close +vicinity of these famous mountain entrances from France into +Spain, one can make comparisons with Switzerland, Northern Italy, +the Tyrol, and Ireland, which will not be injurious to the scenes +then under view. But among the eastern mountains this can +rarely be done. The hills do not stand thickly together so +as to group themselves; the passes from one valley to another, +though not wanting in altitude, are not close pressed together +with overhanging rocks, and are deficient in grandeur as well as +loveliness. And then, as a natural consequence of all this, +the hotels—are not quite as good as they should be.</p> +<p>But there is one mountain among them which can claim to rank +with the Píc du Midi or the Maledetta. No one can +pooh-pooh the stern old Canigou, standing high and solitary, +solemn and grand, between the two roads which run from Perpignan +into Spain, the one by Prades and the other by Le Boulon. +Under the Canigou, towards the west, lie the hot baths of Vernet, +in a close secluded valley, which, as I have said before, is, as +far as I know, the sweetest spot in these Eastern Pyrenees.</p> +<p>The frequenters of these baths were a few years back gathered +almost entirely from towns not very far distant, from Perpignan, +Narbonne, Carcassonne, and Bézières, and the baths +were not therefore famous, expensive, or luxurious; but those who +believed in them believed with great faith; and it was certainly +the fact that men and women who went thither worn with toil, sick +with excesses, and nervous through over-care, came back fresh and +strong, fit once more to attack the world with all its +woes. Their character in latter days does not seem to have +changed, though their circle of admirers may perhaps be somewhat +extended.</p> +<p>In those days, by far the most noted and illustrious person in +the village of Vernet was La Mère Bauche. That there +had once been a Père Bauche was known to the world, for +there was a Fils Bauche who lived with his mother; but no one +seemed to remember more of him than that he had once +existed. At Vernet he had never been known. La +Mère Bauche was a native of the village, but her married +life had been passed away from it, and she had returned in her +early widowhood to become proprietress and manager, or, as one +may say, the heart and soul of the Hôtel Bauche at +Vernet.</p> +<p>This hotel was a large and somewhat rough establishment, +intended for the accommodation of invalids who came to Vernet for +their health. It was built immediately over one of the +thermal springs, so that the water flowed from the bowels of the +earth directly into the baths. There was accommodation for +seventy people, and during the summer and autumn months the place +was always full. Not a few also were to be found there +during the winter and spring, for the charges of Madame Bauche +were low, and the accommodation reasonably good.</p> +<p>And in this respect, as indeed in all others, Madame Bauche +had the reputation of being an honest woman. She had a +certain price, from which no earthly consideration would induce +her to depart; and there were certain returns for this price in +the shape of déjeuners and dinners, baths and beds, which +she never failed to give in accordance with the dictates of a +strict conscience. These were traits in the character of an +hotel-keeper which cannot be praised too highly, and which had +met their due reward in the custom of the public. But +nevertheless there were those who thought that there was +occasionally ground for complaint in the conduct even of Madame +Bauche.</p> +<p>In the first place she was deficient in that pleasant smiling +softness which should belong to any keeper of a house of public +entertainment. In her general mode of life she was stern +and silent with her guests, autocratic, authoritative and +sometimes contradictory in her house, and altogether irrational +and unconciliatory when any change even for a day was proposed to +her, or when any shadow of a complaint reached her ears.</p> +<p>Indeed of complaint, as made against the establishment, she +was altogether intolerant. To such she had but one +answer. He or she who complained might leave the place at a +moment’s notice if it so pleased them. There were +always others ready to take their places. The power of +making this answer came to her from the lowness of her prices; +and it was a power which was very dear to her.</p> +<p>The baths were taken at different hours according to medical +advice, but the usual time was from five to seven in the +morning. The déjeuner or early meal was at nine +o’clock, the dinner was at four. After that, no +eating or drinking was allowed in the Hôtel Bauche. +There was a café in the village, at which ladies and +gentlemen could get a cup of coffee or a glass of eau +sucré; but no such accommodation was to be had in the +establishment. Not by any possible bribery or persuasion +could any meal be procured at any other than the authorised +hours. A visitor who should enter the salle à manger +more than ten minutes after the last bell would be looked at very +sourly by Madame Bauche, who on all occasions sat at the top of +her own table. Should any one appear as much as half an +hour late, he would receive only his share of what had not been +handed round. But after the last dish had been so handed, +it was utterly useless for any one to enter the room at all.</p> +<p>Her appearance at the period of our tale was perhaps not +altogether in her favour. She was about sixty years of age +and was very stout and short in the neck. She wore her own +gray hair, which at dinner was always tidy enough; but during the +whole day previous to that hour she might be seen with it +escaping from under her cap in extreme disorder. Her +eyebrows were large and bushy, but those alone would not have +given to her face that look of indomitable sternness which it +possessed. Her eyebrows were serious in their effect, but +not so serious as the pair of green spectacles which she always +wore under them. It was thought by those who had analysed +the subject that the great secret of Madame Bauche’s power +lay in her green spectacles.</p> +<p>Her custom was to move about and through the whole +establishment every day from breakfast till the period came for +her to dress for dinner. She would visit every chamber and +every bath, walk once or twice round the salle à manger, +and very repeatedly round the kitchen; she would go into every +hole and corner, and peer into everything through her green +spectacles: and in these walks it was not always thought pleasant +to meet her. Her custom was to move very slowly, with her +hands generally clasped behind her back: she rarely spoke to the +guests unless she was spoken to, and on such occasions she would +not often diverge into general conversation. If any one had +aught to say connected with the business of the establishment, +she would listen, and then she would make her +answers,—often not pleasant in the hearing.</p> +<p>And thus she walked her path through the world, a stern, hard, +solemn old woman, not without gusts of passionate explosion; but +honest withal, and not without some inward benevolence and true +tenderness of heart. Children she had had many, some seven +or eight. One or two had died, others had been married; she +had sons settled far away from home, and at the time of which we +are now speaking but one was left in any way subject to maternal +authority.</p> +<p>Adolphe Bauche was the only one of her children of whom much +was remembered by the present denizens and hangers-on of the +hotel, he was the youngest of the number, and having been born +only very shortly before the return of Madame Bauche to Vernet, +had been altogether reared there. It was thought by the +world of those parts, and rightly thought, that he was his +mother’s darling—more so than had been any of his +brothers and sisters,—the very apple of her eye and gem of +her life. At this time he was about twenty-five years of +age, and for the last two years had been absent from +Vernet—for reasons which will shortly be made to +appear. He had been sent to Paris to see something of the +world, and learn to talk French instead of the patois of his +valley; and having left Paris had come down south into Languedoc, +and remained there picking up some agricultural lore which it was +thought might prove useful in the valley farms of Vernet. +He was now expected home again very speedily, much to his +mother’s delight.</p> +<p>That she was kind and gracious to her favourite child does not +perhaps give much proof of her benevolence; but she had also been +kind and gracious to the orphan child of a neighbour; nay, to the +orphan child of a rival innkeeper. At Vernet there had been +more than one water establishment, but the proprietor of the +second had died some few years after Madame Bauche had settled +herself at the place. His house had not thrived, and his +only child, a little girl, was left altogether without +provision.</p> +<p>This little girl, Marie Clavert, La Mère Bauche had +taken into her own house immediately after the father’s +death, although she had most cordially hated that father. +Marie was then an infant, and Madame Bauche had accepted the +charge without much thought, perhaps, as to what might be the +child’s ultimate destiny. But since then she had +thoroughly done the duty of a mother by the little girl, who had +become the pet of the whole establishment, the favourite +plaything of Adolphe Bauche, and at last of course his early +sweetheart.</p> +<p>And then and therefore there had come troubles at +Vernet. Of course all the world of the valley had seen what +was taking place and what was likely to take place, long before +Madame Bauche knew anything about it. But at last it broke +upon her senses that her son, Adolphe Bauche, the heir to all her +virtues and all her riches, the first young man in that or any +neighbouring valley, was absolutely contemplating the idea of +marrying that poor little orphan, Marie Clavert!</p> +<p>That any one should ever fall in love with Marie Clavert had +never occurred to Madame Bauche. She had always regarded +the child as a child, as the object of her charity, and as a +little thing to be looked on as poor Marie by all the +world. She, looking through her green spectacles, had never +seen that Marie Clavert was a beautiful creature, full of +ripening charms, such as young men love to look on. Marie +was of infinite daily use to Madame Bauche in a hundred little +things about the house, and the old lady thoroughly recognised +and appreciated her ability. But for this very reason she +had never taught herself to regard Marie otherwise than as a +useful drudge. She was very fond of her +protégée—so much so that she would listen to +her in affairs about the house when she would listen to no one +else;—but Marie’s prettiness and grace and sweetness +as a girl had all been thrown away upon Maman Bauche, as Marie +used to call her.</p> +<p>But unluckily it had not been thrown away upon Adolphe. +He had appreciated, as it was natural that he should do, all that +had been so utterly indifferent to his mother; and consequently +had fallen in love. Consequently also he had told his love; +and consequently also Marie had returned his love.</p> +<p>Adolphe had been hitherto contradicted but in few things, and +thought that all difficulty would be prevented by his informing +his mother that he wished to marry Marie Clavert. But +Marie, with a woman’s instinct, had known better. She +had trembled and almost crouched with fear when she confessed her +love; and had absolutely hid herself from sight when Adolphe went +forth, prepared to ask his mother’s consent to his +marriage.</p> +<p>The indignation and passionate wrath of Madame Bauche were +past and gone two years before the date of this story, and I need +not therefore much enlarge upon that subject. She was at +first abusive and bitter, which was bad for Marie; and afterwards +bitter and silent, which was worse. It was of course +determined that poor Marie should be sent away to some asylum for +orphans or penniless paupers—in short anywhere out of the +way. What mattered her outlook into the world, her +happiness, or indeed her very existence? The outlook and +happiness of Adolphe Bauche,—was not that to be considered +as everything at Vernet?</p> +<p>But this terrible sharp aspect of affairs did not last very +long. In the first place La Mère Bauche had under +those green spectacles a heart that in truth was tender and +affectionate, and after the first two days of anger she admitted +that something must be done for Marie Clavert; and after the +fourth day she acknowledged that the world of the hotel, her +world, would not go as well without Marie Clavert as it would +with her. And in the next place Madame Bauche had a friend +whose advice in grave matters she would sometimes take. +This friend had told her that it would be much better to send +away Adolphe, since it was so necessary that there should be a +sending away of some one; that he would be much benefited by +passing some months of his life away from his native valley; and +that an absence of a year or two would teach him to forget Marie, +even if it did not teach Marie to forget him.</p> +<p>And we must say a word or two about this friend. At +Vernet he was usually called M. le Capitaine, though in fact he +had never reached that rank. He had been in the army, and +having been wounded in the leg while still a sous-lieutenant, had +been pensioned, and had thus been interdicted from treading any +further the thorny path that leads to glory. For the last +fifteen years he had resided under the roof of Madame Bauche, at +first as a casual visitor, going and coming, but now for many +years as constant there as she was herself.</p> +<p>He was so constantly called Le Capitaine that his real name +was seldom heard. It may however as well be known to us +that this was Theodore Campan. He was a tall, well-looking +man; always dressed in black garments, of a coarse description +certainly, but scrupulously clean and well brushed; of perhaps +fifty years of age, and conspicuous for the rigid uprightness of +his back—and for a black wooden leg.</p> +<p>This wooden leg was perhaps the most remarkable trait in his +character. It was always jet black, being painted, or +polished, or japanned, as occasion might require, by the hands of +the capitaine himself. It was longer than ordinary wooden +legs, as indeed the capitaine was longer than ordinary men; but +nevertheless it never seemed in any way to impede the rigid +punctilious propriety of his movements. It was never in his +way as wooden legs usually are in the way of their wearers. +And then to render it more illustrious it had round its middle, +round the calf of the leg we may so say, a band of bright brass +which shone like burnished gold.</p> +<p>It had been the capitaine’s custom, now for some years +past, to retire every evening at about seven o’clock into +the sanctum sanctorum of Madame Bauche’s habitation, the +dark little private sitting-room in which she made out her bills +and calculated her profits, and there regale himself in her +presence—and indeed at her expense, for the items never +appeared in the bill—with coffee and cognac. I have +said that there was never eating or drinking at the establishment +after the regular dinner-hours; but in so saying I spoke of the +world at large. Nothing further was allowed in the way of +trade; but in the way of friendship so much was now-a-days always +allowed to the capitaine.</p> +<p>It was at these moments that Madame Bauche discussed her +private affairs, and asked for and received advice. For +even Madame Bauche was mortal; nor could her green spectacles +without other aid carry her through all the troubles of +life. It was now five years since the world of Vernet +discovered that La Mère Bauche was going to marry the +capitaine; and for eighteen months the world of Vernet had been +full of this matter: but any amount of patience is at last +exhausted, and as no further steps in that direction were ever +taken beyond the daily cup of coffee, that subject died +away—very much unheeded by La Mère Bauche.</p> +<p>But she, though she thought of no matrimony for herself, +thought much of matrimony for other people; and over most of +those cups of evening coffee and cognac a matrimonial project was +discussed in these latter days. It has been seen that the +capitaine pleaded in Marie’s favour when the fury of Madame +Bauche’s indignation broke forth; and that ultimately Marie +was kept at home, and Adolphe sent away by his advice.</p> +<p>“But Adolphe cannot always stay away,” Madame +Bauche had pleaded in her difficulty. The truth of this the +capitaine had admitted; but Marie, he said, might be married to +some one else before two years were over. And so the matter +had commenced.</p> +<p>But to whom should she be married? To this question the +capitaine had answered in perfect innocence of heart, that La +Mère Bauche would be much better able to make such a +choice than himself. He did not know how Marie might stand +with regard to money. If madame would give some little +“dot,” the affair, the capitaine thought, would be +more easily arranged.</p> +<p>All these things took months to say, during which period Marie +went on with her work in melancholy listlessness. One +comfort she had. Adolphe, before he went, had promised to +her, holding in his hand as he did so a little cross which she +had given him, that no earthly consideration should sever +them;—that sooner or later he would certainly be her +husband. Marie felt that her limbs could not work nor her +tongue speak were it not for this one drop of water in her +cup.</p> +<p>And then, deeply meditating, La Mère Bauche hit upon a +plan, and herself communicated it to the capitaine over a second +cup of coffee into which she poured a full teaspoonful more than +the usual allowance of cognac. Why should not he, the +capitaine himself, be the man to marry Marie Clavert?</p> +<p>It was a very startling proposal, the idea of matrimony for +himself never having as yet entered into the capitaine’s +head at any period of his life; but La Mère Bauche did +contrive to make it not altogether unacceptable. As to that +matter of dowry she was prepared to be more than generous. +She did love Marie well, and could find it in her heart to give +her anything—any thing except her son, her own +Adolphe. What she proposed was this. Adolphe, +himself, would never keep the baths. If the capitaine would +take Marie for his wife, Marie, Madame Bauche declared, should be +the mistress after her death; subject of course to certain +settlements as to Adolphe’s pecuniary interests.</p> +<p>The plan was discussed a thousand times, and at last so far +brought to bear that Marie was made acquainted with +it—having been called in to sit in presence with La +Mère Bauche and her future proposed husband. The +poor girl manifested no disgust to the stiff ungainly lover whom +they assigned to her,—who through his whole frame was in +appearance almost as wooden as his own leg. On the whole, +indeed, Marie liked the capitaine, and felt that he was her +friend; and in her country such marriages were not +uncommon. The capitaine was perhaps a little beyond the age +at which a man might usually be thought justified in demanding +the services of a young girl as his nurse and wife, but then +Marie of herself had so little to give—except her youth, +and beauty, and goodness.</p> +<p>But yet she could not absolutely consent; for was she not +absolutely pledged to her own Adolphe? And therefore, when +the great pecuniary advantages were, one by one, displayed before +her, and when La Mère Bauche, as a last argument, informed +her that as wife of the capitaine she would be regarded as second +mistress in the establishment and not as a servant, she could +only burst out into tears, and say that she did not know.</p> +<p>“I will be very kind to you,” said the capitaine; +“as kind as a man can be.”</p> +<p>Marie took his hard withered hand and kissed it; and then +looked up into his face with beseeching eyes which were not +without avail upon his heart.</p> +<p>“We will not press her now,” said the +capitaine. “There is time enough.”</p> +<p>But let his heart be touched ever so much, one thing was +certain. It could not be permitted that she should marry +Adolphe. To that view of the matter he had given in his +unrestricted adhesion; nor could he by any means withdraw it +without losing altogether his position in the establishment of +Madame Bauche. Nor indeed did his conscience tell him that +such a marriage should be permitted. That would be too +much. If every pretty girl were allowed to marry the first +young man that might fall in love with her, what would the world +come to?</p> +<p>And it soon appeared that there was not time enough—that +the time was growing very scant. In three months Adolphe +would be back. And if everything was not arranged by that +time, matters might still go astray.</p> +<p>And then Madame Bauche asked her final question: “You do +not think, do you, that you can ever marry Adolphe?” +And as she asked it the accustomed terror of her green spectacles +magnified itself tenfold. Marie could only answer by +another burst of tears.</p> +<p>The affair was at last settled among them. Marie said +that she would consent to marry the capitaine when she should +hear from Adolphe’s own mouth that he, Adolphe, loved her +no longer. She declared with many tears that her vows and +pledges prevented her from promising more than this. It was +not her fault, at any rate not now, that she loved her +lover. It was not her fault—not now at +least—that she was bound by these pledges. When she +heard from his own mouth that he had discarded her, then she +would marry the capitaine—or indeed sacrifice herself in +any other way that La Mère Bauche might desire. What +would anything signify then?</p> +<p>Madame Bauche’s spectacles remained unmoved; but not her +heart. Marie, she told the capitaine, should be equal to +herself in the establishment, when once she was entitled to be +called Madame Campan, and she should be to her quite as a +daughter. She should have her cup of coffee every evening, +and dine at the big table, and wear a silk gown at church, and +the servants should all call her Madame; a great career should be +open to her, if she would only give up her foolish girlish +childish love for Adolphe. And all these great promises +were repeated to Marie by the capitaine.</p> +<p>But nevertheless there was but one thing in the world which in +Marie’s eyes was of any value; and that one thing was the +heart of Adolphe Bauche. Without that she would be nothing; +with that,—with that assured, she could wait patiently till +doomsday.</p> +<p>Letters were written to Adolphe during all these eventful +doings; and a letter came from him saying that he greatly valued +Marie’s love, but that as it had been clearly proved to him +that their marriage would be neither for her advantage, nor for +his, he was willing to give it up. He consented to her +marriage with the capitaine, and expressed his gratitude to his +mother for the pecuniary advantages which she had held out to +him. Oh, Adolphe, Adolphe! But, alas, alas! is not +such the way of most men’s hearts—and of the hearts +of some women?</p> +<p>This letter was read to Marie, but it had no more effect upon +her than would have had some dry legal document. In those +days and in those places men and women did not depend much upon +letters; nor when they were written, was there expressed in them +much of heart or of feeling. Marie would understand, as she +was well aware, the glance of Adolphe’s eye and the tone of +Adolphe’s voice; she would perceive at once from them what +her lover really meant, what he wished, what in the innermost +corner of his heart he really desired that she should do. +But from that stiff constrained written document she could +understand nothing.</p> +<p>It was agreed therefore that Adolphe should return, and that +she would accept her fate from his mouth. The capitaine, +who knew more of human nature than poor Marie, felt tolerably +sure of his bride. Adolphe, who had seen something of the +world, would not care very much for the girl of his own +valley. Money and pleasure, and some little position in the +world, would soon wean him from his love; and then Marie would +accept her destiny—as other girls in the same position had +done since the French world began.</p> +<p>And now it was the evening before Adolphe’s expected +arrival. La Mère Bauche was discussing the matter +with the capitaine over the usual cup of coffee. Madame +Bauche had of late become rather nervous on the matter, thinking +that they had been somewhat rash in acceding so much to +Marie. It seemed to her that it was absolutely now left to +the two young lovers to say whether or no they would have each +other or not. Now nothing on earth could be further from +Madame Bauche’s intention than this. Her decree and +resolve was to heap down blessings on all persons +concerned—provided always that she could have her own way; +but, provided she did not have her own way, to heap +down,—anything but blessings. She had her code of +morality in this matter. She would do good if possible to +everybody around her. But she would not on any score be +induced to consent that Adolphe should marry Marie Clavert. +Should that be in the wind she would rid the house of Marie, of +the capitaine, and even of Adolphe himself.</p> +<p>She had become therefore somewhat querulous, and +self-opinionated in her discussions with her friend.</p> +<p>“I don’t know,” she said on the evening in +question; “I don’t know. It may be all right; +but if Adolphe turns against me, what are we to do +then?”</p> +<p>“Mère Bauche,” said the capitaine, sipping +his coffee and puffing out the smoke of his cigar, “Adolphe +will not turn against us.” It had been somewhat +remarked by many that the capitaine was more at home in the +house, and somewhat freer in his manner of talking with Madame +Bauche, since this matrimonial alliance had been on the tapis +than he had ever been before. La Mère herself +observed it, and did not quite like it; but how could she prevent +it now? When the capitaine was once married she would make +him know his place, in spite of all her promises to Marie.</p> +<p>“But if he says he likes the girl?” continued +Madame Bauche.</p> +<p>“My friend, you may be sure that he will say nothing of +the kind. He has not been away two years without seeing +girls as pretty as Marie. And then you have his +letter.”</p> +<p>“That is nothing, capitaine; he would eat his letter as +quick as you would eat an omelet aux fines herbes.”</p> +<p>Now the capitaine was especially quick over an omelet aux +fines herbes.</p> +<p>“And, Mère Bauche, you also have the purse; he +will know that he cannot eat that, except with your good +will.”</p> +<p>“Ah!” exclaimed Madame Bauche, “poor +lad! He has not a sous in the world unless I give it to +him.” But it did not seem that this reflection was in +itself displeasing to her.</p> +<p>“Adolphe will now be a man of the world,” +continued the capitaine. “He will know that it does +not do to throw away everything for a pair of red lips. +That is the folly of a boy, and Adolphe will be no longer a +boy. Believe me, Mère Bauche, things will be right +enough.”</p> +<p>“And then we shall have Marie sick and ill and half +dying on our hands,” said Madame Bauche.</p> +<p>This was not flattering to the capitaine, and so he felt +it. “Perhaps so, perhaps not,” he said. +“But at any rate she will get over it. It is a malady +which rarely kills young women—especially when another +alliance awaits them.”</p> +<p>“Bah!” said Madame Bauche; and in saying that word +she avenged herself for the too great liberty which the capitaine +had lately taken. He shrugged his shoulders, took a pinch +of snuff and uninvited helped himself to a teaspoonful of +cognac. Then the conference ended, and on the next morning +before breakfast Adolphe Bauche arrived.</p> +<p>On that morning poor Marie hardly knew how to bear +herself. A month or two back, and even up to the last day +or two, she had felt a sort of confidence that Adolphe would be +true to her; but the nearer came that fatal day the less strong +was the confidence of the poor girl. She knew that those +two long-headed, aged counsellors were plotting against her +happiness, and she felt that she could hardly dare hope for +success with such terrible foes opposed to her. On the +evening before the day Madame Bauche had met her in the passages, +and kissed her as she wished her good night. Marie knew +little about sacrifices, but she felt that it was a sacrificial +kiss.</p> +<p>In those days a sort of diligence with the mails for Olette +passed through Prades early in the morning, and a conveyance was +sent from Vernet to bring Adolphe to the baths. Never was +prince or princess expected with more anxiety. Madame +Bauche was up and dressed long before the hour, and was heard to +say five several times that she was sure he would not come. +The capitaine was out and on the high road, moving about with his +wooden leg, as perpendicular as a lamp-post and almost as +black. Marie also was up, but nobody had seen her. +She was up and had been out about the place before any of them +were stirring; but now that the world was on the move she lay +hidden like a hare in its form.</p> +<p>And then the old char-à-banc clattered up to the door, +and Adolphe jumped out of it into his mother’s arms. +He was fatter and fairer than she had last seen him, had a larger +beard, was more fashionably clothed, and certainly looked more +like a man. Marie also saw him out of her little window, +and she thought that he looked like a god. Was it probable, +she said to herself, that one so godlike would still care for +her?</p> +<p>The mother was delighted with her son, who rattled away quite +at his ease. He shook hands very cordially with the +capitaine—of whose intended alliance with his own +sweetheart he had been informed, and then as he entered the house +with his hand under his mother’s arm, he asked one question +about her. “And where is Marie?” said he. +“Marie! oh upstairs; you shall see her after +breakfast,” said La Mère Bauche. And so they +entered the house, and went in to breakfast among the +guests. Everybody had heard something of the story, and +they were all on the alert to see the young man whose love or +want of love was considered to be of so much importance.</p> +<p>“You will see that it will be all right,” said the +capitaine, carrying his head very high.</p> +<p>“I think so, I think so,” said La Mère +Bauche, who, now that the capitaine was right, no longer desired +to contradict him.</p> +<p>“I know that it will be all right,” said the +capitaine. “I told you that Adolphe would return a +man; and he is a man. Look at him; he does not care this +for Marie Clavert;” and the capitaine, with much eloquence +in his motion, pitched over a neighbouring wall a small stone +which he held in his hand.</p> +<p>And then they all went to breakfast with many signs of outward +joy. And not without some inward joy; for Madame Bauche +thought she saw that her son was cured of his love. In the +mean time Marie sat up stairs still afraid to show herself.</p> +<p>“He has come,” said a young girl, a servant in the +house, running up to the door of Marie’s room.</p> +<p>“Yes,” said Marie; “I could see that he has +come.”</p> +<p>“And, oh, how beautiful he is!” said the girl, +putting her hands together and looking up to the ceiling. +Marie in her heart of hearts wished that he was not half so +beautiful, as then her chance of having him might be greater.</p> +<p>“And the company are all talking to him as though he +were the préfet,” said the girl.</p> +<p>“Never mind who is talking to him,” said Marie; +“go away, and leave me—you are wanted for your +work.” Why before this was he not talking to +her? Why not, if he were really true to her? Alas, it +began to fall upon her mind that he would be false! And +what then? What should she do then? She sat still +gloomily, thinking of that other spouse that had been promised to +her.</p> +<p>As speedily after breakfast as was possible Adolphe was +invited to a conference in his mother’s private room. +She had much debated in her own mind whether the capitaine should +be invited to this conference or no. For many reasons she +would have wished to exclude him. She did not like to teach +her son that she was unable to manage her own affairs, and she +would have been well pleased to make the capitaine understand +that his assistance was not absolutely necessary to her. +But then she had an inward fear that her green spectacles would +not now be as efficacious on Adolphe, as they had once been, in +old days, before he had seen the world and become a man. It +might be necessary that her son, being a man, should be opposed +by a man. So the capitaine was invited to the +conference.</p> +<p>What took place there need not be described at length. +The three were closeted for two hours, at the end of which time +they came forth together. The countenance of Madame Bauche +was serene and comfortable; her hopes of ultimate success ran +higher than ever. The face of the capitaine was masked, as +are always the faces of great diplomatists; he walked placid and +upright, raising his wooden leg with an ease and skill that was +absolutely marvellous. But poor Adolphe’s brow was +clouded. Yes, poor Adolphe! for he was poor in spirit, he +had pledged himself to give up Marie, and to accept the liberal +allowance which his mother tendered him; but it remained for him +now to communicate these tidings to Marie herself.</p> +<p>“Could not you tell her?” he had said to his +mother, with very little of that manliness in his face on which +his mother now so prided herself. But La Mère Bauche +explained to him that it was a part of the general agreement that +Marie was to hear his decision from his own mouth.</p> +<p>“But you need not regard it,” said the capitaine, +with the most indifferent air in the world. “The girl +expects it. Only she has some childish idea that she is +bound till you yourself release her. I don’t think +she will be troublesome.” Adolphe at that moment did +feel that he should have liked to kick the capitaine out of his +mother’s house.</p> +<p>And where should the meeting take place? In the hall of +the bath-house, suggested Madame Bauche; because, as she +observed, they could walk round and round, and nobody ever went +there at that time of day. But to this Adolphe objected; it +would be so cold and dismal and melancholy.</p> +<p>The capitaine thought that Mère Bauche’s little +parlour was the place; but La Mère herself did not like +this. They might be overheard, as she well knew; and she +guessed that the meeting would not conclude without some sobs +that would certainly be bitter and might perhaps be loud.</p> +<p>“Send her up to the grotto, and I will follow +her,” said Adolphe. On this therefore they +agreed. Now the grotto was a natural excavation in a high +rock, which stood precipitously upright over the establishment of +the baths. A steep zigzag path with almost never-ending +steps had been made along the face of the rock from a little +flower garden attached to the house which lay immediately under +the mountain. Close along the front of the hotel ran a +little brawling river, leaving barely room for a road between it +and the door; over this there was a wooden bridge leading to the +garden, and some two or three hundred yards from the bridge began +the steps by which the ascent was made to the grotto.</p> +<p>When the season was full and the weather perfectly warm the +place was much frequented. There was a green table in it, +and four or five deal chairs; a green garden seat also was there, +which however had been removed into the innermost back corner of +the excavation, as its hinder legs were somewhat at fault. +A wall about two feet high ran along the face of it, guarding its +occupants from the precipice. In fact it was no grotto, but +a little chasm in the rock, such as we often see up above our +heads in rocky valleys, and which by means of these steep steps +had been turned into a source of exercise and amusement for the +visitors at the hotel.</p> +<p>Standing at the wall one could look down into the garden, and +down also upon the shining slate roof of Madame Bauche’s +house; and to the left might be seen the sombre, silent, +snow-capped top of stern old Canigou, king of mountains among +those Eastern Pyrenees.</p> +<p>And so Madame Bauche undertook to send Marie up to the grotto, +and Adolphe undertook to follow her thither. It was now +spring; and though the winds had fallen and the snow was no +longer lying on the lower peaks, still the air was fresh and +cold, and there was no danger that any of the few guests at the +establishment would visit the place.</p> +<p>“Make her put on her cloak, Mère Bauche,” +said the capitaine, who did not wish that his bride should have a +cold in her head on their wedding-day. La Mère +Bauche pished and pshawed, as though she were not minded to pay +any attention to recommendations on such subjects from the +capitaine. But nevertheless when Marie was seen slowly to +creep across the little bridge about fifteen minutes after this +time, she had a handkerchief on her head, and was closely wrapped +in a dark brown cloak.</p> +<p>Poor Marie herself little heeded the cold fresh air, but she +was glad to avail herself of any means by which she might hide +her face. When Madame Bauche sought her out in her own +little room, and with a smiling face and kind kiss bade her go to +the grotto, she knew, or fancied that she knew that it was all +over.</p> +<p>“He will tell you all the truth,—how it all +is,” said La Mère. “We will do all we +can, you know, to make you happy, Marie. But you must +remember what Monsieur le Curé told us the other +day. In this vale of tears we cannot have everything; as we +shall have some day, when our poor wicked souls have been purged +of all their wickedness. Now go, dear, and take your +cloak.”</p> +<p>“Yes, maman.”</p> +<p>“And Adolphe will come to you. And try and behave +well, like a sensible girl.”</p> +<p>“Yes, maman,”—and so she went, bearing on +her brow another sacrificial kiss—and bearing in her heart +such an unutterable load of woe!</p> +<p>Adolphe had gone out of the house before her; but standing in +the stable yard, well within the gate so that she should not see +him, he watched her slowly crossing the bridge and mounting the +first flight of the steps. He had often seen her tripping +up those stairs, and had, almost as often, followed her with his +quicker feet. And she, when she would hear him, would run; +and then he would catch her breathless at the top, and steal +kisses from her when all power of refusing them had been robbed +from her by her efforts at escape. There was no such +running now, no such following, no thought of such kisses.</p> +<p>As for him, he would fain have skulked off and shirked the +interview had he dared. But he did not dare; so he waited +there, out of heart, for some ten minutes, speaking a word now +and then to the bath-man, who was standing by, just to show that +he was at his ease. But the bath-man knew that he was not +at his ease. Such would-be lies as those rarely achieve +deception;—are rarely believed. And then, at the end +of the ten minutes, with steps as slow as Marie’s had been, +he also ascended to the grotto.</p> +<p>Marie had watched him from the top, but so that she herself +should not be seen. He however had not once lifted up his +head to look for her; but with eyes turned to the ground had +plodded his way up to the cave. When he entered she was +standing in the middle, with her eyes downcast and her hands +clasped before her. She had retired some way from the wall, +so that no eyes might possibly see her but those of her false +lover. There she stood when he entered, striving to stand +motionless, but trembling like a leaf in every limb.</p> +<p>It was only when he reached the top step that he made up his +mind how he would behave. Perhaps after all, the capitaine +was right; perhaps she would not mind it.</p> +<p>“Marie,” said he, with a voice that attempted to +be cheerful; “this is an odd place to meet in after such a +long absence,” and he held out his hand to her. But +only his hand! He offered her no salute. He did not +even kiss her cheek as a brother would have done! Of the +rules of the outside world it must be remembered that poor Marie +knew but little. He had been a brother to her before he had +become her lover.</p> +<p>But Marie took his hand saying, “Yes, it has been very +long.”</p> +<p>“And now that I have come back,” he went on to +say, “it seems that we are all in a confusion +together. I never knew such a piece of work. However, +it is all for the best, I suppose.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps so,” said Marie, still trembling +violently, and still looking upon the ground. And then +there was silence between them for a minute or so.</p> +<p>“I tell you what it is, Marie,” said Adolphe at +last, dropping her hand and making a great effort to get through +the work before him. “I am afraid we two have been +very foolish. Don’t you think we have now? It +seems quite clear that we can never get ourselves married. +Don’t you see it in that light?”</p> +<p>Marie’s head turned round and round with her, but she +was not of the fainting order. She took three steps +backwards and leant against the wall of the cave. She also +was trying to think how she might best fight her battle. +Was there no chance for her? Could no eloquence, no love +prevail? On her own beauty she counted but little; but +might not prayers do something, and a reference to those old vows +which had been so frequent, so eager, so solemnly pledged between +them?</p> +<p>“Never get ourselves married!” she said, repeating +his words. “Never, Adolphe? Can we never be +married?”</p> +<p>“Upon my word, my dear girl, I fear not. You see +my mother is so dead against it.”</p> +<p>“But we could wait; could we not?”</p> +<p>“Ah, but that’s just it, Marie. We cannot +wait. We must decide now,—to-day. You see I can +do nothing without money from her—and as for you, you see +she won’t even let you stay in the house unless you marry +old Campan at once. He’s a very good sort of fellow +though, old as he is. And if you do marry him, why you see +you’ll stay here, and have it all your own way in +everything. As for me, I shall come and see you all from +time to time, and shall be able to push my way as I ought to +do.”</p> +<p>“Then, Adolphe, you wish me to marry the +capitaine?”</p> +<p>“Upon my honour I think it is the best thing you can do; +I do indeed.”</p> +<p>“Oh, Adolphe!”</p> +<p>“What can I do for you, you know? Suppose I was to +go down to my mother and tell her that I had decided to keep you +myself; what would come of it? Look at it in that light, +Marie.”</p> +<p>“She could not turn you out—you her own +son!”</p> +<p>“But she would turn you out; and deuced quick, too, I +can assure you of that; I can, upon my honour.”</p> +<p>“I should not care that,” and she made a motion +with her hand to show how indifferent she would be to such +treatment as regarded herself. “Not that—; if I +still had the promise of your love.”</p> +<p>“But what would you do?”</p> +<p>“I would work. There are other houses beside that +one,” and she pointed to the slate roof of the Bauche +establishment.</p> +<p>“And for me—I should not have a penny in the +world,” said the young man.</p> +<p>She came up to him and took his right hand between both of +hers and pressed it warmly, oh, so warmly. “You would +have my love,” said she; “my deepest, warmest best +heart’s love should want nothing more, nothing on earth, if +I could still have yours.” And she leaned against his +shoulder and looked with all her eyes into his face.</p> +<p>“But, Marie, that’s nonsense, you know.”</p> +<p>“No, Adolphe, it is not nonsense. Do not let them +teach you so. What does love mean, if it does not mean +that? Oh, Adolphe, you do love me, you do love me, you do +love me?”</p> +<p>“Yes;—I love you,” he said slowly;—as +though he would not have said it, if he could have helped +it. And then his arm crept slowly round her waist, as +though in that also he could not help himself.</p> +<p>“And do not I love you?” said the passionate +girl. “Oh, I do, so dearly; with all my heart, with +all my soul. Adolphe, I so love you, that I cannot give you +up. Have I not sworn to be yours; sworn, sworn a thousand +times? How can I marry that man! Oh Adolphe how can +you wish that I should marry him?” And she clung to +him, and looked at him, and besought him with her eyes.</p> +<p>“I shouldn’t wish it;—only—” and +then he paused. It was hard to tell her that he was willing +to sacrifice her to the old man because he wanted money from his +mother.</p> +<p>“Only what! But Adolphe, do not wish it at +all! Have you not sworn that I should be your wife? +Look here, look at this;” and she brought out from her +bosom a little charm that he had given her in return for that +cross. “Did you not kiss that when you swore before +the figure of the Virgin that I should be your wife? And do +you not remember that I feared to swear too, because your mother +was so angry; and then you made me? After that, +Adolphe! Oh, Adolphe! Tell me that I may have some +hope. I will wait; oh, I will wait so patiently.”</p> +<p>He turned himself away from her and walked backwards and +forwards uneasily through the grotto. He did love +her;—love her as such men do love sweet, pretty +girls. The warmth of her hand, the affection of her touch, +the pure bright passion of her tear-laden eye had re-awakened +what power of love there was within him. But what was he to +do? Even if he were willing to give up the immediate golden +hopes which his mother held out to him, how was he to begin, and +then how carry out this work of self-devotion? Marie would +be turned away, and he would be left a victim in the hands of his +mother, and of that stiff, wooden-legged militaire;—a +penniless victim, left to mope about the place without a grain of +influence or a morsel of pleasure.</p> +<p>“But what can we do?” he exclaimed again, as he +once more met Marie’s searching eye.</p> +<p>“We can be true and honest, and we can wait,” she +said, coming close up to him and taking hold of his arm. +“I do not fear it; and she is not my mother, Adolphe. +You need not fear your own mother.”</p> +<p>“Fear! no, of course I don’t fear. But I +don’t see how the very devil we can manage it.”</p> +<p>“Will you let me tell her that I will not marry the +capitaine; that I will not give up your promises; and then I am +ready to leave the house?”</p> +<p>“It would do no good.”</p> +<p>“It would do every good, Adolphe, if I had your promised +word once more; if I could hear from your own voice one more tone +of love. Do you not remember this place? It was here +that you forced me to say that I loved you. It is here also +that you will tell me that I have been deceived.”</p> +<p>“It is not I that would deceive you,” he +said. “I wonder that you should be so hard upon +me. God knows that I have trouble enough.”</p> +<p>“Well, if I am a trouble to you, be it so. Be it +as you wish,” and she leaned back against the wall of the +rock, and crossing her arms upon her breast looked away from him +and fixed her eyes upon the sharp granite peaks of Canigou.</p> +<p>He again betook himself to walk backwards and forwards through +the cave. He had quite enough of love for her to make him +wish to marry her; quite enough now, at this moment, to make the +idea of her marriage with the capitaine very distasteful to him; +enough probably to make him become a decently good husband to +her, should fate enable him to marry her; but not enough to +enable him to support all the punishment which would be the sure +effects of his mother’s displeasure. Besides, he had +promised his mother that he would give up Marie;—had +entirely given in his adhesion to that plan of the marriage with +the capitaine. He had owned that the path of life as marked +out for him by his mother was the one which it behoved him, as a +man, to follow. It was this view of his duties as a man +which had I been specially urged on him with all the +capitaine’s eloquence. And old Campan had entirely +succeeded. It is so easy to get the assent of such young +men, so weak in mind and so weak in pocket, when the arguments +are backed by a promise of two thousand francs a year.</p> +<p>“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” at last +he said. “I’ll get my mother by herself, and +will ask her to let the matter remain as it is for the +present.”</p> +<p>“Not if it be a trouble, M. Adolphe;” and the +proud girl still held her hands upon her bosom, and still looked +towards the mountain.</p> +<p>“You know what I mean, Marie. You can understand +how she and the capitaine are worrying me.”</p> +<p>“But tell me, Adolphe, do you love me?”</p> +<p>“You know I love you, only.”</p> +<p>“And you will not give me up?”</p> +<p>“I will ask my mother. I will try and make her +yield.”</p> +<p>Marie could not feel that she received much confidence from +her lover’s promise; but still, even that, weak and +unsteady as it was, even that was better than absolute fixed +rejection. So she thanked him, promised him with tears in +her eyes that she would always, always be faithful to him, and +then bade him go down to the house. She would follow, she +said, as soon as his passing had ceased to be observed.</p> +<p>Then she looked at him as though she expected some sign of +renewed love. But no such sign was vouchsafed to her. +Now that she thirsted for the touch of his lip upon her check, it +was denied to her. He did as she bade him; he went down, +slowly loitering, by himself; and in about half an hour she +followed him, and unobserved crept to her chamber.</p> +<p>Again we will pass over what took place between the mother and +the son; but late in that evening, after the guests had gone to +bed, Marie received a message, desiring her to wait on Madame +Bauche in a small salon which looked out from one end of the +house. It was intended as a private sitting-room should any +special stranger arrive who required such accommodation, and +therefore was but seldom used. Here she found La +Mère Bauche sitting in an arm-chair behind a small table +on which stood two candles; and on a sofa against the wall sat +Adolphe. The capitaine was not in the room.</p> +<p>“Shut the door, Marie, and come in and sit down,” +said Madame Bauche. It was easy to understand from the tone +of her voice that she was angry and stern, in an unbending mood, +and resolved to carry out to the very letter all the threats +conveyed by those terrible spectacles.</p> +<p>Marie did as she was bid. She closed the door and sat +down on the chair that was nearest to her.</p> +<p>“Marie,” said La Mère Bauche—and the +voice sounded fierce in the poor girl’s ears, and an angry +fire glimmered through the green glasses—“what is all +this about that I hear? Do you dare to say that you hold my +son bound to marry you?” And then the august mother +paused for an answer.</p> +<p>But Marie had no answer to give. See looked suppliantly +towards her lover, as though beseeching him to carry on the fight +for her. But if she could not do battle for herself, +certainly he could not do it for her. What little amount of +fighting he had had in him, had been thoroughly vanquished before +her arrival.</p> +<p>“I will have an answer, and that immediately,” +said Madame Bauche. “I am not going to be betrayed +into ignominy and disgrace by the object of my own charity. +Who picked you out of the gutter, miss, and brought you up and +fed you, when you would otherwise have gone to the +foundling? And this is your gratitude for it all? You +are not satisfied with being fed and clothed and cherished by me, +but you must rob me of my son! Know this then, Adolphe +shall never marry a child of charity such as you are.”</p> +<p>Marie sat still, stunned by the harshness of these +words. La Mère Bauche had often scolded her; indeed, +she was given to much scolding; but she had scolded her as a +mother may scold a child. And when this story of +Marie’s love first reached her ears, she had been very +angry; but her anger had never brought her to such a pass as +this. Indeed, Marie had not hitherto been taught to look at +the matter in this light. No one had heretofore twitted her +with eating the bread of charity. It had not occurred to +her that on this account she was unfit to be Adolphe’s +wife. There, in that valley, they were all so nearly equal, +that no idea of her own inferiority had ever pressed itself upon +her mind. But now—!</p> +<p>When the voice ceased she again looked at him; but it was no +longer a beseeching look. Did he also altogether scorn +her? That was now the inquiry which her eyes were called +upon to make. No; she could not say that he did. It +seemed to her that his energies were chiefly occupied in pulling +to pieces the tassel on the sofa cushion.</p> +<p>“And now, miss, let me know at once whether this +nonsense is to be over or not,” continued La Mère +Bauche; “and I will tell you at once, I am not going to +maintain you here, in my house, to plot against our welfare and +happiness. As Marie Clavert you shall not stay here. +Capitaine Campan is willing to marry you; and as his wife I will +keep my word to you, though you little deserve it. If you +refuse to marry him, you must go. As to my son, he is +there; and he will tell you now, in my presence, that he +altogether declines the honour you propose for him.”</p> +<p>And then she ceased, waiting for an answer, drumming the table +with a wafer stamp which happened to be ready to her hand; but +Marie said nothing. Adolphe had been appealed to; but +Adolphe had not yet spoken.</p> +<p>“Well, miss?” said La Mère Bauche</p> +<p>Then Marie rose from her seat, and walking round she touched +Adolphe lightly on the shoulder. “Adolphe,” she +said, “it is for you to speak now. I will do as you +bid me.”</p> +<p>He gave a long sigh, looked first at Marie and then at his +mother, shook himself slightly, and then spoke: “Upon my +word, Marie, I think mother is right. It would never do for +us to marry; it would not indeed.”</p> +<p>“Then it is decided,” said Marie, returning to her +chair.</p> +<p>“And you will marry the capitaine?” said La +Mère Bauche.</p> +<p>Marie merely bowed her head in token of acquiescence. +“Then we are friends again. Come here, Marie, and +kiss me. You must know that it is my duty to take care of +my own son. But I don’t want to be angry with you if +I can help it; I don’t indeed. When once you are +Madame Campan, you shall be my own child; and you shall have any +room in the house you like to choose—there!” +And she once more imprinted a kiss on Marie’s cold +forehead.</p> +<p>How they all got out of the room, and off to their own +chambers, I can hardly tell. But in five minutes from the +time of this last kiss they were divided. La Mère +Bauche had patted Marie, and smiled on her, and called her her +dear good little Madame Campan, her young little Mistress of the +Hôtel Bauche; and had then got herself into her own room, +satisfied with her own victory.</p> +<p>Nor must my readers be too severe on Madame Bauche. She +had already done much for Marie Clavert; and when she found +herself once more by her own bedside, she prayed to be forgiven +for the cruelty which she felt that she had shown to the +orphan. But in making this prayer, with her favourite +crucifix in her hand and the little image of the Virgin before +her, she pleaded her duty to her son. Was it not right, she +asked the Virgin, that she should save her son from a bad +marriage? And then she promised ever so much of recompense, +both to the Virgin and to Marie; a new trousseau for each, with +candles to the Virgin, with a gold watch and chain for Marie, as +soon as she should be Marie Campan. She had been cruel; she +acknowledged it. But at such a crisis was it not +defensible? And then the recompense should be so full!</p> +<p>But there was one other meeting that night, very short indeed, +but not the less significant. Not long after they had all +separated, just so long as to allow of the house being quiet, +Adolphe, still sitting in his room, meditating on what the day +had done for him, heard a low tap at his door. “Come +in,” he said, as men always do say; and Marie opening the +door, stood just within the verge of his chamber. She had +on her countenance neither the soft look of entreating love which +she had worn up there in the grotto, nor did she appear crushed +and subdued as she had done before his mother. She carried +her head somewhat more erect than usual, and looked boldly out at +him from under her soft eyelashes. There might still be +love there, but it was love proudly resolving to quell +itself. Adolphe, as he looked at her, felt that he was +afraid of her.</p> +<p>“It is all over then between us, M. Adolphe?” she +said.</p> +<p>“Well, yes. Don’t you think it had better be +so, eh, Marie?”</p> +<p>“And this is the meaning of oaths and vows, sworn to +each other so sacredly?”</p> +<p>“But, Marie, you heard what my mother said.”</p> +<p>“Oh, sir! I have not come to ask you again to love +me. Oh no! I am not thinking of that. But this, +this would be a lie if I kept it now; it would choke me if I wore +it as that man’s wife. Take it back;” and she +tendered to him the little charm which she had always worn round +her neck since he had given it to her. He took it +abstractedly, without thinking what he did, and placed it on his +dressing-table.</p> +<p>“And you,” she continued, “can you still +keep that cross? Oh, no! you must give me back that. +It would remind you too often of vows that were +untrue.”</p> +<p>“Marie,” he said, “do not be so harsh to +me.”</p> +<p>“Harsh!” said she, “no; there has been +enough of harshness. I would not be harsh to you, +Adolphe. But give me the cross; it would prove a curse to +you if you kept it.”</p> +<p>He then opened a little box which stood upon the table, and +taking out the cross gave it to her.</p> +<p>“And now good-bye,” she said. “We +shall have but little more to say to each other. I know +this now, that I was wrong ever to have loved you. I should +have been to you as one of the other poor girls in the +house. But, oh! how was I to help it?” To this +he made no answer, and she, closing the door softly, went back to +her chamber. And thus ended the first day of Adolphe +Bauche’s return to his own house.</p> +<p>On the next morning the capitaine and Marie were formally +betrothed. This was done with some little ceremony, in the +presence of all the guests who were staying at the establishment, +and with all manner of gracious acknowledgments of Marie’s +virtues. It seemed as though La Mère Bauche could +not be courteous enough to her. There was no more talk of +her being a child of charity; no more allusion now to the +gutter. La Mère Bauche with her own hand brought her +cake with a glass of wine after her betrothal was over, and +patted her on the cheek, and called her her dear little Marie +Campan. And then the capitaine was made up of infinite +politeness, and the guests all wished her joy, and the servants +of the house began to perceive that she was a person entitled to +respect. How different was all this from that harsh attack +that was made on her the preceding evening! Only +Adolphe,—he alone kept aloof. Though he was present +there he said nothing. He, and he only, offered no +congratulations.</p> +<p>In the midst of all these gala doings Marie herself said +little or nothing. La Mère Bauche perceived this, +but she forgave it. Angrily as she had expressed herself at +the idea of Marie’s daring to love her son, she had still +acknowledged within her own heart that such love had been +natural. She could feel no pity for Marie as long as +Adolphe was in danger; but now she knew how to pity her. So +Marie was still petted and still encouraged, though she went +through the day’s work sullenly and in silence.</p> +<p>As to the capitaine it was all one to him. He was a man +of the world. He did not expect that he should really be +preferred, con amore, to a young fellow like Adolphe. But +he did expect that Marie, like other girls, would do as she was +bid; and that in a few days she would regain her temper and be +reconciled to her life.</p> +<p>And then the marriage was fixed for a very early day; for as +La Mère said, “What was the use of waiting? +All their minds were made up now, and therefore the sooner the +two were married the better. Did not the capitaine think +so?”</p> +<p>The capitaine said that he did think so.</p> +<p>And then Marie was asked. It was all one to her, she +said. Whatever Maman Bauche liked, that she would do; only +she would not name a day herself. Indeed she would neither +do nor say anything herself which tended in any way to a +furtherance of these matrimonials. But then she acquiesced, +quietly enough if not readily, in what other people did and said; +and so the marriage was fixed for the day week after +Adolphe’s return.</p> +<p>The whole of that week passed much in the same way. The +servants about the place spoke among themselves of Marie’s +perverseness, obstinacy, and ingratitude, because she would not +look pleased, or answer Madame Bauche’s courtesies with +gratitude; but La Mère herself showed no signs of +anger. Marie had yielded to her, and she required no +more. And she remembered also the harsh words she had used +to gain her purpose; and she reflected on all that Marie had +lost. On these accounts she was forbearing and exacted +nothing—nothing but that one sacrifice which was to be made +in accordance to her wishes.</p> +<p>And it was made. They were married in the great salon, +the dining-room, immediately after breakfast. Madame Bauche +was dressed in a new puce silk dress, and looked very magnificent +on the occasion. She simpered and smiled, and looked gay +even in spite of her spectacles; and as the ceremony was being +performed, she held fast clutched in her hand the gold watch and +chain which were intended for Marie as soon as ever the marriage +should be completed.</p> +<p>The capitaine was dressed exactly as usual, only that all his +clothes were new. Madame Bauche had endeavoured to persuade +him to wear a blue coat; but he answered that such a change would +not, he was sure, be to Marie’s taste. To tell the +truth, Marie would hardly have known the difference had he +presented himself in scarlet vestments.</p> +<p>Adolphe, however, was dressed very finely, but he did not make +himself prominent on the occasion. Marie watched him +closely, though none saw that she did so; and of his garments she +could have given an account with much accuracy—of his +garments, ay! and of every look. “Is he a man,” +she said at last to herself, “that he can stand by and see +all this?”</p> +<p>She too was dressed in silk. They had put on her what +they pleased, and she bore the burden of her wedding finery +without complaint and without pride. There was no blush on +her face as she walked up to the table at which the priest stood, +nor hesitation in her low voice as she made the necessary +answers. She put her hand into that of the capitaine when +required to do so; and when the ring was put on her finger she +shuddered, but ever so slightly. No one observed it but La +Mère Bauche. “In one week she will be used to +it, and then we shall all be happy,” said La Mère to +herself. “And I,—I will be so kind to +her!”</p> +<p>And so the marriage was completed, and the watch was at once +given to Marie. “Thank you, maman,” said she, +as the trinket was fastened to her girdle. Had it been a +pincushion that had cost three sous, it would have affected her +as much.</p> +<p>And then there was cake and wine and sweetmeats; and after a +few minutes Marie disappeared. For an hour or so the +capitaine was taken up with the congratulating of his friends, +and with the efforts necessary to the wearing of his new honours +with an air of ease; but after that time he began to be uneasy +because his wife did not come to him. At two or three in +the afternoon he went to La Mère Bauche to complain. +“This lackadaisical nonsense is no good,” he +said. “At any rate it is too late now. Marie +had better come down among us and show herself satisfied with her +husband.”</p> +<p>But Madame Bauche took Marie’s part. “You +must not be too hard on Marie,” she said. “She +has gone through a good deal this week past, and is very young; +whereas, capitaine, you are not very young.”</p> +<p>The capitaine merely shrugged his shoulders. In the mean +time Mère Bauche went up to visit her +protégée in her own room, and came down with a +report that she was suffering from a headache. She could +not appear at dinner, Madame Bauche said; but would make one at +the little party which was to be given in the evening. With +this the capitaine was forced to be content.</p> +<p>The dinner therefore went on quietly without her, much as it +did on other ordinary days. And then there was a little +time for vacancy, during which the gentlemen drank their coffee +and smoked their cigars at the café, talking over the +event that had taken place that morning, and the ladies brushed +their hair and added some ribbon or some brooch to their usual +apparel. Twice during this time did Madame Bauche go up to +Marie’s room with offers to assist her. “Not +yet, maman; not quite yet,” said Marie piteously through +her tears, and then twice did the green spectacles leave the +room, covering eyes which also were not dry. Ah! what had +she done? What had she dared to take upon herself to +do? She could not undo it now.</p> +<p>And then it became quite dark in the passages and out of +doors, and the guests assembled in the salon. La +Mère came in and out three or four times, uneasy in her +gait and unpleasant in her aspect, and everybody began to see +that things were wrong. “She is ill, I am +afraid,” said one. “The excitement has been too +much,” said a second; “and he is so old,” +whispered a third. And the capitaine stalked about erect on +his wooden leg, taking snuff, and striving to look indifferent; +but he also was uneasy in his mind.</p> +<p>Presently La Mère came in again, with a quicker step +than before, and whispered something, first to Adolphe and then +to the capitaine, whereupon they both followed her out of the +room.</p> +<p>“Not in her chamber,” said Adolphe.</p> +<p>“Then she must be in yours,” said the +capitaine.</p> +<p>“She is in neither,” said La Mère Bauche, +with her sternest voice; “nor is she in the +house!”</p> +<p>And now there was no longer an affectation of indifference on +the part of any of them. They were anything but +indifferent. The capitaine was eager in his demands that +the matter should still be kept secret from the guests. She +had always been romantic, he said, and had now gone out to walk +by the river side. They three and the old bath-man would go +out and look for her.</p> +<p>“But it is pitch dark,” said La Mère +Bauche.</p> +<p>“We will take lanterns,” said the capitaine. +And so they sallied forth with creeping steps over the gravel, so +that they might not be heard by those within, and proceeded to +search for the young wife.</p> +<p>“Marie! Marie!” said La Mère Bauche, +in piteous accents; “do come to me; pray do!”</p> +<p>“Hush!” said the capitaine. +“They’ll hear you if you call.” He could +not endure that the world should learn that a marriage with him +had been so distasteful to Marie Clavert.</p> +<p>“Marie, dear Marie!” called Madame Bauche, louder +than before, quite regardless of the capitaine’s feelings; +but no Marie answered. In her innermost heart now did La +Mère Bauche wish that this cruel marriage had been left +undone.</p> +<p>Adolphe was foremost with his lamp, but he hardly dared to +look in the spot where he felt that it was most likely that she +should have taken refuge. How could he meet her again, +alone, in that grotto? Yet he alone of the four was +young. It was clearly for him to ascend. +“Marie,” he shouted, “are you there?” as +he slowly began the long ascent of the steps.</p> +<p>But he had hardly begun to mount when a whirring sound struck +his ear, and he felt that the air near him was moved; and then +there was a crash upon the lower platform of rock, and a moan, +repeated twice, but so faintly, and a rustle of silk, and a +slight struggle somewhere as he knew within twenty paces of him; +and then all was again quiet and still in the night air.</p> +<p>“What was that?” asked the capitaine in a hoarse +voice. He made his way half across the little garden, and +he also was within forty or fifty yards of the flat rock. +But Adolphe was unable to answer him. He had fainted and +the lamp had fallen from his hands and rolled to the bottom of +the steps.</p> +<p>But the capitaine, though even his heart was all but quenched +within him, had still strength enough to make his way up to the +rock; and there, holding the lantern above his eyes, he saw all +that was left for him to see of his bride.</p> +<p>As for La Mère Bauche, she never again sat at the head +of that table,—never again dictated to guests,—never +again laid down laws for the management of any one. A poor +bedridden old woman, she lay there in her house at Vernet for +some seven tedious years, and then was gathered to her +fathers.</p> +<p>As for the capitaine—but what matters? He was made +of sterner stuff. What matters either the fate of such a +one as Adolphe Bauche?</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LA MERE BAUCHE***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 3550-h.htm or 3550-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/5/3550 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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