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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sister Anne (Novels of Paul de Kock, Volume
-X), by Charles Paul de Kock
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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/license
-
-
-Title: Sister Anne (Novels of Paul de Kock, Volume X)
-
-Author: Charles Paul de Kock
-
-Release Date: July 3, 2012 [EBook #40133]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SISTER ANNE ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
-produced from images available at The Internet Archive)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-[Illustration: Frontispiece; Copyright 1903 by G. Barrie & Sons]
-
-
-                  _A PREMEDITATED COLLISION_
-
-     _Frédéric looked up and recognized Dubourg; he was on the point of
-     laughing outright, when his friend forestalled him by running
-     toward him, exclaiming:
-
-     "I cannot be mistaken! What a fortunate meeting! It surely is
-     Monsieur Frédéric de Montreville!"_
-
-
-
-
-NOVELS
-
-BY
-
-Paul de Kock
-
-VOLUME X
-
-SISTER ANNE
-
-PRINTED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH
-
-[Illustration: colophon]
-
-GEORGE BARRIE'S SONS
-
-THE JEFFERSON PRESS
-
-BOSTON NEW YORK
-
-_Copyrighted, 1903-1904, by G. B. & Sons._
-
-
-
-
-SISTER ANNE
-
-
-
-
-I
-
-A NOCTURNAL WALK.--MY AUNT'S FIVE HUNDRED FRANCS
-
-
-The theatres had long since dismissed their audiences, the shops were
-closed, and the cafés were closing. Passers-by were becoming more and
-more infrequent, the cabs moved more rapidly, the street lights were
-burning, and the gas in the houses was disappearing; the streets of
-Paris, like the inhabitants thereof, were about to enjoy their brief
-hour of repose.
-
-But repose, like fine weather, is never universal: when we are enjoying
-it in Paris, it may be that people are fighting in some other quarter of
-the globe; and while we are revelling in mild and delicious weather,
-within a hundred leagues of us a tornado may be destroying the crops, or
-a tempest submerging ships. Since peace and fine weather cannot be
-universal, let us try to make the most of them while they are in our
-possession, and let us not worry as to what sort of weather our
-neighbors are having.
-
-A gentleman, who presumably had no desire to sleep, was walking through
-the streets of Paris, which had become almost silent. For more than an
-hour, he had been walking on the boulevards, from Rue du Temple to Rue
-Poissonničre; occasionally, without any very clear idea as to where he
-was going, he strayed into the faubourgs; but he soon stopped, looked
-about him, muttered between his teeth: "What the devil am I doing here?"
-and returned to the boulevards.
-
-This gentleman seemed to be in the neighborhood of thirty years of age;
-he was of medium height, and rather stout than thin. His face was
-neither ugly nor handsome; his round eyes protruded overmuch, and his
-nose, while not exactly flat, had neither the nobility of the Grecian
-nor the charm of the aquiline type. By way of compensation, he had what
-is called expression, and possessed the art of forcing his features to
-depict the sentiment which he desired to seem to feel: an art no less
-valuable in society than on the stage; for we are actors everywhere, and
-there are at court, in the city, in palaces, in salons, in boudoirs, and
-even in the servants' hall, people of unexcelled skill in the art of
-counterfeiting what they do not feel.
-
-Our promenader's costume was neither elegant nor shabby. He was dressed
-like one who is in the habit of going into society, but not for the
-purpose of exhibiting the cut of his coat or the color of his trousers.
-His bearing corresponded with his dress; it was not at all pretentious.
-You will say, perhaps, that a man does not select so late an hour of the
-night to adopt a swagger or a mincing gait; I shall, in that case, have
-the honor to reply that I am drawing the portrait of the man as he was
-under ordinary circumstances, and that I had made his acquaintance prior
-to the moment of his introduction to you.
-
-Now that you have the means of forming an idea of this individual's
-appearance, you will perhaps be curious to know what business detained
-him on the boulevards, why he was walking there so late instead of
-going home to bed. In order to find out, let us listen to him for a
-moment talking to himself as he walks, with both hands in his pockets,
-and as unconcernedly as if it were only eight o'clock in the evening.
-
-"I had a presentiment of what would happen to me. I didn't want to go to
-that little Delphine's. If I had stayed away, I should still have my
-five hundred francs in my pocket. But little Delphine is such a dear
-creature! she wrote me such a sweet little note! Am I still green enough
-to fall into such a trap? I, who know the world so well, especially
-women! If I had had sense enough to take only three hundred francs with
-me, I should have something left; but, no! I must needs play the
-millionaire! I played like a fool. That little man who won my money
-turned the king very often. Hum! it looks a little shady. But one thing
-is certain, and that is that I haven't a sou, and that my landlord
-turned me out of his house yesterday because I didn't pay him. For four
-paltry louis! the Arab! I was going to pay him yesterday, with the five
-hundred francs my old aunt sent me, when little Delphine's invitation
-came and upset all my virtuous plans. Poor Dubourg! you are
-incorrigible, my friend; and yet, you are beginning to be old enough to
-reform."
-
-At this point, Dubourg--for now we know his name--took his snuff-box
-from his pocket, and paused to take a pinch.
-
-"O my only comfort! my trusty companion!" he continued, gazing at his
-snuff-box with an expression that was almost sentimental; "it's very
-lucky that you are made of nothing more valuable than horn; if you had
-been, I should have parted with you long ago.--But let us reflect a
-little. What in the devil am I going to do? I have no employment; they
-are so ridiculous in these public offices! I earned only fifteen hundred
-francs, so it seemed fair to me that I shouldn't work any more than the
-deputy-chief who earned three thousand; strictly speaking, indeed, I
-ought to have worked only half as much. Now, as my deputy-chief never
-appeared till noon and went away at four o'clock, and passed that time
-reading the newspapers, cutting quill pens, chatting with his back to
-the stove in winter, and going out to take the air in summer, I saw no
-reason why I shouldn't get to the office as late as he did and go away
-as early; pass an hour reading the _Moniteur_, three-quarters of an hour
-on the _Constitutionnel_, and an hour and a quarter on the _Débats_;
-stare at my pen a long while before trimming the nib; look at the work
-before me without touching it; turn over a file of papers for an hour,
-and then put it back in its place, without the slightest intention of
-writing anything on it; and take as much time to go out to buy a roll as
-it would have taken me to go from Paris to Saint-Cloud. This conduct,
-dictated by a sense of justice, was not to the liking of my superiors;
-as they wanted to force me to work hard, so that they need do nothing,
-they didn't like it because I presumed to imitate them; they reported me
-to the minister, and I was kicked out. To be sure, they offered to take
-me back a little later, as a substitute, but I felt that I was unworthy
-of such an honor.
-
-"Then I went into a banking-house. Gad! what a difference! There, my
-superiors set the example of working hard. From the head clerk to the
-office-boy, everyone came at eight o'clock and stayed till five, then
-came back at seven and stayed till ten; and during all that time, not a
-minute's rest; writing, or making figures all the time. If by chance a
-fellow could venture to say a word, it was only while he was copying a
-letter or opening an account. No holidays! Always a mail coming in or
-going out. A man couldn't do too much; and if I happened to leave the
-office a few minutes before ten, an infernal Dutchman, who had passed
-forty-five years of his life over a ledger, would always take out his
-watch and say: 'You're in a great hurry to-night!'
-
-"Faith, I couldn't stand it! That animal life was ruining my health; and
-one fine morning, when they lectured me because I went out to get a
-glass of beer at a café near by, I took my hat and said good-bye to
-banking-houses and business.
-
-"I tried being a notary, but I was too absent-minded: I mistook a death
-certificate for a marriage contract, and a power of attorney for a will;
-so I was politely advised to abandon that profession.
-
-"Then I went into an old solicitor's office. Ah! I was in clover there
-for some little time. He had a wife who was past her prime; she was very
-fond of walking and driving, and she chose me for her escort. The
-husband, who was thus relieved of that duty, was very well pleased to
-have me escort her everywhere; I think he would have made me his first
-clerk, if I would have agreed to take madame to walk all my life. But I
-got tired of having always on my arm a costume _ŕ la_ Pompadour and the
-face of a country magistrate. I ceased to be attentive to madame,
-monsieur took offence and discharged me. _O tempora! O mores!_
-
-"Thereupon I renounced the legal profession; I felt in my heart the
-impulses of a noble independence, an intense love of liberty. So I began
-to do nothing--a superb profession, within everybody's reach; and a
-delightful one when it is supported by investments in the funds.
-Unluckily, my name is not inscribed on the books of the State, but only
-on those of my tailor, bootmaker, et cetera. I am an orphan; my parents
-left me very little, and that little could not last long, especially
-with me, who am neither miserly, nor economical, nor prudent, and who
-have no desire for money except to have the pleasure of spending it. My
-father, an estimable Breton, practised medicine; he ought to have made a
-fortune! Probably in his day there weren't enough colds, fevers, and bad
-air. He left me nothing but a most honorable name, which, for all my
-follies, I shall never suffer to be disgraced, because a man can be a
-reprobate and still be honest.
-
-"When I had spent my modest inheritance, I began to philosophize; I was
-tempted to write, as Seneca did, on contempt for wealth. But Seneca had
-a fortune of forty millions when he wrote that; so that he was better
-acquainted with his subject than I am, without a sou. So, as one should
-try to talk of nothing except what one knows about, I concluded not to
-talk about wealth, of which I know nothing.
-
-"Luckily, I still have an old aunt, in the wilds of Bretagne, who has
-never married. The dear woman has only a modest fortune, and yet she has
-never deserted her nephew. To be sure, I have written her some very
-affecting letters. Poor, dear soul! she thinks I am married! Faith! as I
-couldn't think of any other possible way of getting money from her, in
-my last letter I made myself out, at one stroke, a husband and father;
-yes, and the father of triplets! That was what brought the
-five-hundred-franc note that I have just lost at écarté. O cursed
-écarté! I swore that I wouldn't gamble any more, as I am in hard luck
-this month. But how could I resist? I went to little Delphine's, who,
-since she left the stage, receives the best people in Paris: artists,
-authors, journalists, English, Russian, and Tartar noblemen. Tartars,
-yes! indeed, I fancy that little man I played with was something of a
-Greek.[A] To pass eighteen times in succession is a little too much! And
-that other idiot, who made a point of offering me punch every time I
-lost! as if I could drink five hundred francs' worth of it! Ah! my poor
-old aunt! if you knew what had become of your money! The worst of it all
-is that she won't send me any more for a long time. I can't have the
-wife I have taken to my bosom, to touch my aunt's heart, lie in every
-month; I have said she was sick twice already; I have credited my
-triplets with all the diseases children have, and have given myself
-inflammation of the lungs and jaundice. But that sort of thing will be
-played out sooner or later. No, my poor aunt, no, I won't pester you any
-more. No, I don't propose that you shall deprive yourself any longer of
-all the little comforts of life, for your scamp of a nephew. I have
-abused your goodness of heart too much. I blush to think how often I
-have appealed to it; I feel in my heart a noble pride; and when I think
-of your last remittance of five hundred francs! gone in four games! Gad!
-it's horrible!"
-
-          [A] Greek, _i.e._, "sharper."
-
-Dubourg began to walk a little more rapidly; he took his hands from his
-pockets, as if he were furious to find nothing in them; but in a moment
-he became calm again, resumed his former gait, and once more exclaimed:
-
-"But what in the deuce am I going to do?"
-
-At that moment, he passed one of those individuals who wander about the
-streets at night, with a bag on their back and a hooked stick in their
-hand, and halt in front of places which we avoid during the day.
-
-"That's a last resort, to be sure," said Dubourg, glancing at the man
-with the lantern; "but I confess that I don't as yet feel courageous
-enough to employ it; and although a famous author has said: 'It is not
-the trade that honors the man, but the man should honor the trade,' I
-doubt whether I should be held in high esteem if I should take to that
-little hooked stick; even though I possessed with it the wisdom of Cato,
-the clemency of Titus, and the virtues of Marcus Aurelius.
-
-"However, I have some talents of my own, and I am not reduced to that
-yet. I love the arts; ah! I adore them! I was born to be an artist. I
-don't know how to draw, I cannot play on any instrument, I do not write
-poetry with great facility; but, for all that, I love painting, music,
-and poetry. If I should go on the stage, I believe I should make a
-success of it. But to make one's début at thirty years--that's rather
-late in life. And then, the idea of the son of a doctor at Rennes going
-on the stage! But why not? Louis XIV did it; he acted before his court;
-and if I had been in Racine's place, I certainly would have written some
-splendid parts for him, instead of trying to turn aside his inclination.
-Our present-day authors wouldn't be so stupid; consequently they are
-rich, whereas in Racine's time they were not.
-
-"But I can't begin to-morrow, and yet I must dine to-morrow: a desperate
-plight to be in when one has neither money nor credit. Come, come,
-Dubourg! come, my fine fellow, don't be downcast, retain that lightness
-of heart, that sang-froid which has never failed you thus far. Remember
-that it is a glorious thing to be able to endure misfortune; that it is
-in disaster that a brave heart manifests its courage. Oh! yes; it's easy
-enough for me to say all this now, while my stomach is still full of
-Mademoiselle Delphine's cakes and sweetmeats and punch; but when I am
-hungry, I am afraid I shall be a wretched philosopher.
-
-"In misfortune, one has recourse to one's friends; but one has no
-friends when one is unfortunate. But sometimes men aren't so selfish as
-they are said to be. Let me think! Frédéric! yes, he alone can be useful
-to me. Frédéric is only twenty; he still looks upon the world as a young
-man is likely to do at that age, when he has been, up to eighteen, under
-his father's eye and under the care of a tutor. Frédéric is
-kind-hearted, generous, easily moved--too easily, indeed; but it is not
-for me to blame him for following too readily the impulses of his heart.
-He has accommodated me several times; but, no matter; I am sure that
-he'll do it again, if he can. Let us go to see Frédéric."
-
-Dubourg mechanically put his hand to his fob, to see what time it was;
-then he sighed, and murmured:
-
-"Unlucky dog that I am! I have never been able to keep one a week. Ah!
-my poor aunt! If I only had your five hundred francs!"
-
-The weather was becoming threatening, and a few drops of rain fell. The
-cabs had ceased to break the silence of the night; the street lanterns
-cast only a faint and flickering light.
-
-"It must be very late," said Dubourg, glancing about. "Frédéric lives
-with his father, Monsieur le Comte de Montreville. How can I venture to
-go there at this time of night? The count is inclined to be strict; he's
-not one of your stage fathers, with whom you can do whatever you
-choose. On the contrary, they say that he demands the most absolute
-obedience from his son, and that his son trembles before him. But I have
-no doubt that his severity is exaggerated; at all events, he hardly
-knows me. I have been to the house several times, but he has seen me
-only once or twice. Frédéric's apartment is in a different wing from
-his, so we will try our luck."
-
-And Dubourg, leaving at last the circle to which he had confined his
-steps for so long, walked rapidly toward Rue de Provence, where the
-Comte de Montreville's mansion was situated.
-
-As he drew nearer to Frédéric's abode, his hope of seeing him before the
-next day became fainter and fainter. Ought he to turn the whole house
-upside down in the middle of the night? If he woke the son, he would
-wake the father too; and it was a decidedly ill-advised method of
-improving his acquaintance with Monsieur de Montreville, to call at his
-house between two and three o'clock in the morning.
-
-But Dubourg walked on, even while he reflected thus; like a lover, who
-has sworn never to see his faithless one again, but who prowls
-constantly about her abode and always ends by going in, still repeating:
-"I will never see her again!"--At such time, reason speaks, but passion
-guides our footsteps. Poor mortals! is it your fault, pray, that passion
-so often carries the day?
-
-As he approached the house, Dubourg's eyes were agreeably surprised by
-the appearance of a double row of private carriages, whose lanterns
-lighted a large part of the street. He quickened his pace; the carriages
-were most numerous in front of the Comte de Montreville's house, and the
-courtyard was filled with coupés, landaus, and vis-ŕ-vis. The coachmen
-were talking together, the footmen swearing impatiently; servants
-hurried to and fro across the courtyard. Lamps on the carriage-stones
-and on the broad steps banished the darkness, and delicious strains of
-music floated out through the windows of the beautiful salon,
-brilliantly lighted by thousands of candles, forming a strong contrast
-with the depressing silence that reigned a short distance away.
-
-Dubourg no longer walked: he ran, he leaped, he flew. The sight of the
-lanterns, the noise made by so numerous a company, and the strains of
-the contra-dances within, drove from his mind the serious thoughts which
-had begun to monopolize it.
-
-"There's a party going on," he cried, "a ball! Idiot that I am! to
-forget that this was Thursday, monsieur le comte's reception day; and
-they say he gives delightful parties. Frédéric has invited me several
-times; he said he wanted to introduce me to his father. Hum! it rested
-only with me to go into the best society, to make acquaintances who
-would have given me a boost in the world. But, no; it isn't in my power
-to be sensible and leave those damned billiard-tables! Ah! I recognize
-that tune; it's by Rossini; a three-step. I danced to it at Vauxhall,
-with the stout blonde."
-
-Dubourg was already in the courtyard, threading his way among carriages,
-coachmen, and footmen. No one had paid any attention to him; and, if he
-had been suitably dressed, he might have entered the salons, and,
-perhaps, have played cards and danced, without attracting the notice of
-the host; for at such large functions, it not infrequently happens that
-the master of the house fails to see and speak with all of his guests.
-
-But Dubourg stopped under the windows of the salon on the first floor,
-where dancing was in progress. In order to keep in the background, he
-had walked away from the brilliantly lighted steps and taken his stand
-in the shadow of a huge berlin, whence he could see the ball and
-distinguish the dancers.
-
-He was tempted for a moment to enter the salon; but, upon glancing down
-at his dress, he realized that it was not an opportune moment to appear
-before monsieur le comte, who was a great stickler for etiquette. His
-coat was blue, with metal buttons; he wore high boots and a black
-cravat. That was a very suitable costume in which to play écarté and
-talk nonsense at Mademoiselle Delphine's, but it would have been
-exceedingly out of place at Monsieur de Montreville's reception.
-
-"Ah! if I had kept my aunt's five hundred francs," he muttered again, as
-he turned his eyes from his costume to the ballroom, "I should have
-outshone all those fine clothes!"
-
-As he watched the dancing and eyed the ladies through the windows, most
-of which were open because of the heat, Dubourg spied a table with a
-green cloth in a smaller salon, at which two middle-aged men had just
-taken their seats. They were soon surrounded by onlookers, and the table
-was covered with gold.
-
-In order to obtain a better view of the small salon, Dubourg climbed up
-behind the carriage by which he was standing; there he could watch the
-game perfectly, and could see the hand of one of the players, who was
-sitting with his back to the window.
-
-"How lucky they are!" he thought; "they are playing écarté. The deuce!
-it's a warm old game; at least thirty louis a side! If I still had my
-aunt's money, I could bet from here. What am I saying? If I ever touch
-cards again, may I be damned! Ah! there's the same hand that I lost my
-last game on; and I ought to have won it; I played according to rule.
-Well! what the devil is he doing? He's going to ask for cards!"
-
-And Dubourg, oblivious of the fact that he was on top of a carriage in
-the courtyard, shouted:
-
-"Don't take any cards! Play your hand, play it, I tell you! I'll answer
-for the point!"
-
-The voice surprised the players beyond words. They turned and stared,
-and questioned each other.
-
-"Who was that who undertook to advise me?" demanded the old man whose
-turn it was to play. "Has he got more at stake than I have, to give him
-the right to talk like that? Why don't you answer, messieurs?"
-
-"The voice came from the courtyard," said a young man near the window.
-
-"From the courtyard! from the courtyard! Do you mean to say that those
-rascally footmen presume to watch us play and to make remarks?"
-
-And the old gentleman with the powdered head left his seat and looked
-into the courtyard. Dubourg jumped down from the carriage, and the shock
-woke the horses; whereupon they began to prance, and tried to run. The
-drowsy coachmen rubbed their eyes, thinking that the ball was over;
-those who were talking hurried to their seats, and those in the street,
-observing the commotion in the courtyard, did the same; while the
-coachman and footmen of the carriage on which Dubourg had perched
-struggled to pacify the horses.
-
-Meanwhile, Dubourg had slunk away by the side of the house.
-
-"It seems that I must always put my foot in it!" he muttered. "Here are
-thirty coachmen and as many footmen all stirred up, and a pair of horses
-have nearly trampled on me, just because I attempted to advise that old
-fellow who doesn't know how to play the game and was going to ask for
-cards when he ought to take every trick! That's the last time I'll ever
-meddle in other people's business."
-
-As Dubourg crept along by the wall, he came to a door just as a servant
-came out to ascertain the cause of the noise in the courtyard. Dubourg
-recognized Frédéric's valet, and instantly accosted him.
-
-"Where is your master, Germain?"
-
-"Ah! is it you, monsieur?" said the servant, who had often seen Dubourg
-with his young master. "Have you come to the ball?"
-
-"No, no; I have no desire to dance. Where is your master, I ask you?"
-
-"Oh! Monsieur Frédéric is dancing. There are some beautiful women
-inside, and he's an amateur, you know."
-
-"The deuce! I would like to speak with him; I have something very
-important to say to him, but I don't want to disturb him, or to go into
-the salon; I am not dressed."
-
-"If you wish, monsieur, I will take you to Monsieur Frédéric's
-apartment; you can wait there comfortably until he retires."
-
-"That's a delightful idea of yours, Germain; take me to Frédéric's
-apartment at once."
-
-Germain took a candle and went before Dubourg, who was overjoyed to have
-found a place to finish the night. The valet, who had seen his master
-display great friendliness to Dubourg, was certain that he would not be
-reproved for what he was doing.
-
-In due time, they arrived at the young man's apartment, which was so far
-from the ballroom that the music could barely be heard.
-
-"Would you like me to tell my master that you are here?" inquired
-Germain, as he placed the candle on a table.
-
-"No, it isn't worth while; I'll read while I am waiting. I am in no
-hurry at all now; let him dance as long as he pleases."
-
-Germain left Dubourg alone; whereupon he stretched himself out in a
-luxurious easy-chair and tossed away the book he had taken up.
-
-"To the devil with reading!" he said, assuming the position best adapted
-for a nap; "it's high time for me to rest; I have earned it. Dance,
-dance away! How comfortable it is in this chair, especially when one has
-been within an ace of sleeping in the street! Here am I installed under
-the roof of Monsieur le Comte de Montreville, a most respectable
-gentleman, who has at least thirty thousand francs a year, and just one
-son, whose friend I am, and whose education I aspire to finish; for they
-have stuffed a heap of rubbish into his head, and have neglected to
-teach him the most essential thing of all--knowledge of the human heart,
-and especially of the female heart. As I am decidedly well posted in
-that branch of knowledge, I propose to make something of our dear
-Frédéric, and to teach him to know the world; so that he may make his
-way, like me."
-
-While he thus communed with himself, Dubourg began to nod, and before he
-had been in the easy-chair five minutes he was sleeping soundly.
-
-
-
-
-II
-
-THE COMTE DE MONTREVILLE.--AN EVENING PARTY IN SOCIETY
-
-
-The Comte de Montreville was, at the time that we make his acquaintance,
-about sixty years old. The scion of a noble and wealthy family, he had
-served in the army, married, and retired from service, and had succeeded
-in coming safely through the tempests of the Revolution.
-
-He was a short, slender man, with a cold, stern face which commanded
-respect. He did not lack intelligence, nor was he the slave of a mass of
-absurd prejudices of the sort that some old men were trying to make
-fashionable, like paniers and curly wigs. Monsieur de Montreville was
-not one of those men who insist on retrograding while others go forward;
-he followed the general current of the time, and, wise amid a multitude
-of fools, he blamed only those who, from a proneness to exaggeration,
-from selfishness, or from incapacity, muddied the waters of a stream
-which all the efforts of all mankind could not prevent from flowing.
-
-But the count had been brought up strictly by his father. Accustomed
-early in life to unquestioning obedience, he desired his son to be no
-less submissive to him. At the age of six, young Frédéric lost his
-mother. The count did not choose to marry again; he had a son to inherit
-his name, and that was enough for him. He placed Frédéric at one of the
-best schools in Paris. At fourteen, the young count, who was endowed
-with an unusually fine intellect, had carried off several prizes. His
-education was not then completed; but his father, fearing that at that
-age he might form some dangerous intimacy, and impelled by his longing
-to have him always by his side, in order to accustom him to absolute
-obedience, took him away from the school, and gave him a private tutor.
-
-This tutor, in whose charge the count placed his son, and with whom we
-shall soon become very well acquainted, was neither a scholar nor a man
-of brains; far from it. But he was entirely at the orders of monsieur le
-comte, and would not have taken his pupil out to walk without first
-asking the father's permission; that was the reason for his selection,
-despite his limited mental qualifications.
-
-The count was very fond of his son, but he would have been very sorry to
-allow the full depth of his affection to appear; he would have
-considered that he had forfeited his dignity and his claim to Frédéric's
-respect if he had spoken to him in the kindly tone of a dear friend. But
-is not our father the first friend that nature gives us? and ought the
-respect we owe him to banish confidence and intimacy?
-
-Frédéric loved his father, but he trembled before him. Accustomed from
-childhood never to reply to him, and to obey promptly his lightest word,
-he had retained, as he grew to manhood, that habit of passive obedience
-and that timidity which made it impossible for him to allow his heart to
-speak freely in his father's presence.
-
-But we must do the Comte de Montreville the justice to say that he did
-not abuse his power over his son. When Frédéric was eighteen, and his
-education was at an end, the count dismissed the tutor, and, having sent
-for the young man to come to him, addressed him thus:
-
-"I am content with you, Frédéric. You have responded to the pains I have
-taken with your education, and I have no reason to complain of your
-disposition. But you are approaching the age at which a young man should
-study the world for himself. Henceforth, therefore, you are to enjoy
-absolute liberty. You will continue to live in the same house with me;
-but I will give you the apartment in the wing that looks on the street;
-mine is at the end of the courtyard; thus you will be able to go in and
-out at any hour without disturbing me. My steward has orders to supply
-you with money whenever you ask for it. I know you, and I am sure that
-you will not abuse this indulgence. You are at an age when young men are
-eager for pleasure; enjoy yourself, indulge in the follies
-characteristic of your years; I mean those that lead neither the heart
-nor the mind astray. You are easily moved, you adore all women! but this
-enthusiasm will vanish and never return. Be more particular about
-forming intimacies with men of your age; do not make friends too
-hurriedly: one should be more exacting in the choice of a friend than of
-a mistress. However, I shall not lose sight of you altogether; I trust
-that the principles I have instilled into you will keep you from any
-reprehensible excess, and that I shall have no reason to repent of
-having given you liberty of action."
-
-Frédéric, deeply touched by this harangue, would have rushed into his
-father's arms; but the count, repressing that affectionate impulse,
-which his own heart shared, confined himself to giving him his hand to
-press, and added in a voice that trembled slightly:
-
-"In a few years, I will look to your future; I will see about finding a
-suitable wife for you. But the time for that has not come yet; enjoy
-your youth, and do not abuse it."
-
-Having said this, the count hastily left the room, for the conversation
-had moved him; he felt tears in his eyes, and it would have distressed
-him to allow Frédéric to see them.
-
-Two years had passed since this interview, during which Frédéric, now
-his own master, had followed the first impulse of his heart. Endowed
-with an ardent and sensitive nature, Frédéric was certain speedily to
-feel the pangs of love. At eighteen, most young men say to themselves:
-"I must fall in love," as they say: "I must dance, or gamble, or ride."
-But the young count did not treat love so lightly: his inexperienced
-heart loved or believed that it loved sincerely, and desired to be
-repaid in kind; treachery broke his heart, and he wept bitterly over the
-infidelity of a mistress.
-
-Frédéric had a fine figure, and a most attractive face, dignified and
-sweet; his eyes expressed all that his heart felt. But he had not yet
-acquired the careless tone and the free and easy manners of the dandies
-of the day; he did not sway back and forth as he talked, he did not
-smile into mirrors, he did not deal in the airy nothings which are so
-popular in salons, and had not the art of looking a woman in the eye to
-tell her that she was adorable. And as such cavalierish manners are
-fashionable, and as the ladies care for nothing except what is
-consecrated by the goddess of fashion, they considered Frédéric rather
-sentimental, awkward even, and said to one another:
-
-"He's not very bad, but he needs to be trained."
-
-A _petite-maîtresse_ can hardly attach herself to a novice; she may
-indulge a fancy for him, but only a reprobate can inspire a _grande
-passion_; that is why poor Frédéric was constantly deceived and thrown
-over by his mistresses.
-
-It was at Tortoni's that he had made the acquaintance of Dubourg. On
-that day, the philosopher, being in funds, had created an uproar at that
-café, where he was entertaining four of his friends. Several strangers,
-annoyed by the noise they made, tried to impose silence on them;
-Dubourg's only reply was to throw the remains of a bowl of punch at
-their heads. They sprang to their feet, shouting and threatening, and
-during the quarrel Dubourg's four friends deemed it prudent to disappear
-in rapid succession. He, enraged by their cowardly conduct in abandoning
-him, was still holding out against his adversaries, when Frédéric
-espoused his quarrel and offered to act as his second. Dubourg accepted,
-and a duel took place the next day. Dubourg's antagonist was slightly
-wounded, and the affair had no more serious results; but it served to
-cement the friendship thus formed between Dubourg and Frédéric. The
-former, although nearly ten years the young count's senior, was far from
-being as reasonable as he; but his unfailing gayety pleased Frédéric,
-who often felt the need of his friend's merriment to help him to forget
-the infidelities of his charmers.
-
-Now that we know the Comte de Montreville and his son, let us enter the
-salons, where the most brilliant society of the capital was assembled,
-because, as Dubourg had said, it was the count's reception day.
-
-The company was scattered through several rooms, all resplendent with
-the light of innumerable candles; here there was dancing, there
-card-playing; elsewhere, the guests were chatting, or strolling about,
-or standing where they could get a breath of air; the heat was intense
-in the cardroom, where it was almost impossible to force one's way
-through the crowd of bettors.
-
-The ladies were remarkable for the elegance, and in some cases for the
-singularity, of their toilets. As a general rule, the costumes of the
-mothers are even more elaborate than those of the unmarried women. Is it
-because they think that their daughters stand less in need of external
-attractions? or is it true that coquetry increases as natural charm
-decreases? I do not presume to decide the question. It is different with
-men: with them, the ball costume, when once established, is soon adopted
-by all, and those who desire to distinguish themselves have no other
-resource than to dress their hair in some original way, or to devote
-their attention to the knot of their cravat; but this last-mentioned
-portion of the costume is beginning to be no longer a matter of choice.
-
-But it was nearly three o'clock, and the party was drawing to a close.
-It was the best of all times for the observer to use his faculties;
-there were fewer people dancing, the circulation was less impeded, and
-the guests who remained ventured to talk and laugh a little. Toward the
-close of a ball, informality takes the place of ceremony, and many women
-do not begin to be charming until they cease to be affected. Some
-persons who had not previously had an opportunity to speak together were
-conversing in a corner of the salon. Young men chatted with the pretty
-partners, whom they invited from choice rather than necessity. The
-ladies smiled more sweetly upon their escorts; people drew nearer
-together, they knew one another better.
-
-Monsieur de Montreville walked about his salons with the amiable manner
-of a host who excels in the art of doing the honors. He talked with an
-elderly marchioness who was sitting alone on a sofa; he said a
-courteous word to a lady who was not dancing; and, on his way to her,
-found time to bestow a compliment or two on the young dancers; he saw to
-it that the punch was passed around, and the ices; he spent a moment
-looking over the écarté table, and if somebody was wanted to take a bet
-he was always ready.
-
-But what was Frédéric doing, leaning against that mantel-shelf? he
-seemed to be devoting his whole attention to the dance; but was it
-really the quadrille which interested him so deeply? and why, if he was
-thinking of nothing but that pretty maiden's agile movements, did he
-seem to be suffering? Yes, to the keen observer, his tranquillity was
-assumed, the smile which passed over his lips when he was spoken to was
-forced and unnatural. Frédéric was preoccupied, but not with the dance.
-A few feet away from him a young woman was seated, a young woman not
-more than twenty years old, although she had been three years married to
-a sexagenarian notary, who was in the cardroom at that moment.
-
-Madame Dernange was very pretty; her vivacity, the sparkle of her eyes,
-her costume, her brilliant intellect, everything about her had a
-dazzling effect: she attracted, subjugated, enslaved, with a glance;
-but, as she knew the power of her charms, she sought constantly to add
-to the number of her adorers. At sixteen, she married Monsieur Dernange,
-without the slightest affection for him; but she married him joyfully.
-She was impatient to be her own mistress, and to give a free rein to her
-penchant for flirtation.
-
-With a husband nearly sixty, she was very certain of being able to do
-just what she chose; and, in fact, Monsieur Dernange left her perfectly
-untrammelled. She was seen at all receptions, balls, festivities of
-every description. Sometimes her husband escorted her, but generally he
-went to bed about the time that his wife left the house; which did not
-prevent them from leading a very peaceful life. It is a very simple
-matter to live happily with your wife: all you have to do is just to
-allow her to do whatever she desires.
-
-Monsieur Dernange had an abundance of _savoir vivre_; he was enchanted
-to have his wife enjoy herself. Many people declared that the young
-woman did not abuse his confidence, and it is very possible: she was a
-great flirt, but flirts love no one; however, it is not well to trust
-them too far.
-
-Frédéric had not been able to look upon the brilliant Madame Dernange
-with an indifferent eye. She had had no difficulty in setting him on
-fire with a glance, and with a glance she had realized her triumph. The
-young Comte de Montreville was not a conquest to be disdained; Madame
-Dernange resolved to fasten him to her chariot, and for that nothing
-more was necessary than a glance or two, an occasional smile, a faint
-pressure of the hand, and a veiled remark uttered in a voice that seemed
-to tremble slightly. And the coquette used all her powers with such art!
-She was not in love, and she knew so well how to win love! A person who
-loves sincerely has much more difficulty in making an impression than
-one who does not love at all; for the latter is able to avail herself of
-all her advantages, while the other, striving to appear amiable, is
-often only awkward and embarrassed. Ninon said that, and Ninon knew what
-she was talking about.
-
-Poor Frédéric very soon succumbed to that treatment; he believed that
-she loved, yes, adored him! and for a few days he lost his head. But at
-this party of his father's a young and gorgeous colonel had made his
-appearance; he was a man notorious for his _bonnes fortunes_, his
-amorous adventures; a man, in a word, whom any woman might be proud to
-number among her captives, and Madame Dernange had at once determined to
-achieve this new triumph.
-
-Poor Frédéric! you were utterly forgotten: she no longer gave a thought
-to you, but was engrossed by the handsome colonel. Now and again, she
-deigned to smile sweetly upon you, it is true; but you were in love, you
-were jealous, and you saw that the coquette instantly turned her eyes
-upon the man she desired to enslave.
-
-Several times the young man had approached the scintillating Dernange;
-he wished to show her that he had detected her perfidy; but she
-contented herself with smiling at him, and saying:
-
-"What on earth is the matter with you to-night, Monsieur de Montreville?
-You have a solemn air which is most amusing."
-
-How comforting such words are to a jealous lover! Frédéric made no
-reply, but walked away with rage in his heart, while the coquette
-laughed long and loud at a bright remark made by the colonel, or by some
-other of her adorers.
-
-Frédéric was on pins and needles all the evening; and, toward the close
-of the festivities, seeing Madame Dernange on a sofa, on which the
-colonel also had taken his seat, he stationed himself a few steps away.
-He leaned against a mantel, with his back turned to them, and pretended
-to be engrossed by the dance; but he did not lose a word of what was
-said on the sofa. The colonel was amiable and gallant; he strove to make
-himself agreeable to Madame Dernange, and she put forth all her powers
-and played with him with her usual grace. She laughed so heartily, she
-was so pretty, so fascinating, when she desired to make a favorable
-impression! There was a constant exchange of compliments and clever
-retorts, during which poor Frédéric was all on fire. If he had not held
-himself in check, he would have insulted the colonel and overwhelmed the
-faithless one with reproaches. Luckily, he retained his senses
-sufficiently to realize all the impropriety of such a scene, and all the
-ridicule it would bring upon him; for in love intrigues the party who
-complains, and who is betrayed, is always laughed at. It is said: the
-_vanquished_ pay the fine; we might vary this proverb slightly, and thus
-make it truer, except in England, where husbands are in the habit of
-exacting compensation in money when they are in the position which I
-understand by _vanquished_.
-
-The colonel paid his court in military fashion--that is to say, he made
-much progress in a short time. Unluckily, this method is often
-successful. Unluckily for timid lovers, that is; or is not she the best
-who makes us happy most promptly? Frédéric heard him ask Madame
-Dernange's permission to call to pay his respects. The respects of a
-colonel of hussars! Frédéric was bathed in cold perspiration at the
-thought. The pretty woman made some resistance; she laughed and joked,
-and said that he must ask her husband first; then added, with a rippling
-laugh:
-
-"But, no; no, you needn't! Monsieur Dernange will have no objection."
-
-The colonel was urgent, and he received permission. Frédéric was choking
-with rage; he walked hastily away, for he could stand it no longer. He
-went into a room which was empty for the moment, a large number of the
-guests having already taken their leave.
-
-He threw himself into an easy-chair. The room was but dimly lighted by
-the flickering candles in glass globes; he could abandon himself without
-reserve to his feelings. He drew his handkerchief, he was choking; his
-eyes were filled with tears. A young man almost always pays with tears
-the fees of his apprenticeship in society. In two or three years, he
-will laugh at the misfortune that now drives him to despair. After being
-deceived, he will deceive in his turn; but he will never again be so
-foolish as to fix his fancy on a coquette, and it may be that some
-hearts that love him sincerely will be rejected by him, for the innocent
-often have to pay for the guilty. But, let us wait: it is possible that
-Frédéric will always retain that emotional nature, that constancy in
-love, which now cause him to regret the loss of a heart that he never
-possessed.
-
-The words _faithless_, _fickle_, _traitress_, issued from his mouth,
-followed by long sighs. For more than half an hour he had been buried in
-his reflections. The candles had gone out, the music had ceased. Several
-people passed him without attracting his attention, nor was he, sitting
-in a dark corner, noticed by them. Some ladies came into the room to get
-their shawls, which they had left on a couch not far from Frédéric. But
-a familiar voice awoke the echoes in his heart: it was the voice of
-Madame Dernange, talking with one of her friends. They seemed in
-excellent spirits.
-
-"What sport I have had!" said the notary's wife. "That colonel is really
-very attractive!"
-
-"But, my dear, did you see the wry face Frédéric made?"
-
-"Yes, indeed I did, and I was strongly tempted to laugh!"
-
-"You drove him to despair."
-
-"What a calamity! That young man is romantic and sentimental enough to
-give one the blues; he's an idiot!"
-
-"Oh! he's a very pretty fellow, my dear; and when he has got rid of that
-schoolboy air, and has acquired the tone of fashionable gallantry,
-you'll see how popular he will be!"
-
-"When I choose to amuse myself with him again, I have only to say a
-word, to glance at him, and he will be at my feet. But give me my shawl,
-which you have had in your hand an hour. The colonel is waiting to
-escort me to my carriage."
-
-When the ladies had gone, Frédéric rose. He found it difficult to
-believe his ears. Shame, jealousy, anger, filled his heart, where love
-had already ceased to fill any space; for his self-esteem had been
-wounded, and wounded self-esteem soon triumphs over love.
-
-In this frame of mind, Frédéric retired to his apartment; he slammed the
-door as he entered, and thereby woke Dubourg with a start.
-
-
-
-
-III
-
-TRAVELLING PLANS.--MONSIEUR MÉNARD.--EN ROUTE.
-
-
-"I count four!" cried Dubourg, springing to his feet; while Frédéric,
-surprised to find him there, stared at him a moment in silence, then
-abandoned himself unreservedly to the pleasure of pouring out his heart
-and telling his sorrows to his friend.
-
-"Ah! my dear Dubourg! it must have been heaven that sent you."
-
-"No; it was my landlord, who has turned me out of the house."
-
-"At last I have found a heart which understands mine, which will
-appreciate my distress and pity my torments."
-
-"Have you been betting on the wrong side, too?"
-
-"The treacherous, fickle creature!"
-
-"Luck is a woman, my friend; that tells the whole story."
-
-"Yes, and a very heartless woman, too! If you knew what she dared to say
-about me!"
-
-"What's that! has luck been talking about you?"
-
-"I am an idiot! Indeed, she is right; I was an idiot to love her! But
-it's all over, yes, forever! She thinks that she can bring me to her
-feet, enslave me again, with a word and a smile! But, no, I will not be
-her dupe again; I know her now!"
-
-Dubourg rubbed his eyes and looked at Frédéric, who was pacing the floor
-with an air of desperation, sometimes stopping to beat his forehead,
-sometimes smiling bitterly.
-
-"Who in the devil are you talking about, my dear fellow?"
-
-"Why, Madame Dernange, that woman whose heart is as false as her face is
-pretty, that coquette whom I have adored for two months, and who, as I
-believed, loved me. But, my dear Dubourg, she was making a fool of me."
-
-"And that surprises you? Ah! my poor Frédéric, what a boy you still
-are!"
-
-"She made me believe that she reciprocated my love; and this evening, a
-new-comer, a colonel, has stolen her heart from me, apparently without
-much difficulty. I was strongly tempted to insult the fellow and kill
-him."
-
-"Would that have made your Madame Dernange less fickle?"
-
-"No, of course not; that is what I said to myself."
-
-"In making love to her, he did what any other man would have done in his
-place. You ought not to bear him any grudge for it; on the contrary, you
-ought to be grateful to him, for he has taught you to know a woman who
-was making a fool of you."
-
-"I believe you are right," said Frédéric sadly, seating himself in an
-easy-chair, while Dubourg, now wide awake, thought it a fitting moment
-to deliver a lecture to his friend.
-
-"Listen to me, my dear Frédéric; I am older than you are, I have seen a
-good deal of the world, and I have a large store of experience, although
-I still do foolish things. Now, let me tell you that you have an
-unfortunate tendency to indulge in sentimental and romantic passions,
-which will do you a bad turn some day. You absolutely insist on being
-loved, adored, if you will! Damnation! do you mean to pass your life
-sighing? Is that the way a young man ought to make love? It isn't that
-you are in reality more constant than other men, for this is your
-seventh ill-fated passion in the year that I have known you. The great
-trouble is that your seven passions have all left you first, whereas you
-ought to have taken the initiative. However, you have always found
-consolation thus far, and you will this time too, I promise you. But, my
-friend, don't, I implore you, take on so seriously for what ought to be
-simply a youthful folly. You must have a certain amount of sentiment, to
-gratify the ladies, but you mustn't overdo it; because, you see, excess
-of sentiment kills sentiment; and what I am saying to you is perfectly
-reasonable; I am sure that your father, the count, would agree with me,
-if he were here, and that he would be overjoyed to find that you have a
-friend who gives you nothing but good advice, and who would give you a
-lot more--if he had not lost last night the five hundred francs his poor
-aunt sent him."
-
-Frédéric had not listened very attentively to Dubourg's speech; but he
-had grown calmer, because the most violent tempests are always of the
-shortest duration, and the young man believed himself to be much more in
-love than he really was.
-
-"How does it happen that I find you here in the middle of the night?" he
-asked Dubourg, at last.
-
-"My dear fellow--what do you suppose?--a succession of unlucky
-circumstances. In the first place, my landlord, who is a genuine
-_Vulture_; secondly, an evening party at little Delphine's--you know, I
-took you there once; but as you must always have a touch of sentiment in
-everything, you never went again; and yet, she would have given you
-some, for your money, that would have been worth quite as much as Madame
-Dernange's. Lastly, I played, and I lost all that I possessed! Really,
-I didn't know which way to turn. But I thought of you; I know how loyal
-your friendship is. At first, I didn't expect to see you until
-to-morrow; but, finding everything in commotion in this house, it
-occurred to me that I might wait for you here; and I have had a nap
-while your charmer was being spirited away from you."
-
-"Poor Dubourg!"
-
-"Yes, very poor, in truth!"
-
-"Listen; I have an idea."
-
-"Let's hear it."
-
-"I am sick of life in Paris."
-
-"I shall soon be much sicker of it, as I haven't a sou."
-
-"The sight of all these coquettes makes me ill."
-
-"Oh! it's sure to do that."
-
-"I propose to run away from the disloyal hussies."
-
-"I don't know just where you can go to avoid them."
-
-"These parties where you talk without saying anything; where you make
-acquaintances, but not friends; where you go because you have nothing
-else to do, rather than for pleasure,--I am tired of the whole business.
-I have been going into society only two years and a half, and I am sick
-of it already. This is my plan----"
-
-"Do you mean to become a hermit?"
-
-"No; but I mean to leave Paris for some time; I mean to travel, to visit
-different countries; in that way, by comparing the manners and customs
-of the different peoples, by admiring the wonders and beauties of
-nature, a man can best form his mind and his judgment and increase his
-store of knowledge; and in that way the heart is made acquainted with
-pleasures which it could never know in these worldly gatherings,
-inspired by idleness and governed by etiquette."
-
-"Powerfully argued!" cried Dubourg, rising from his reclining-chair;
-"you must travel, my dear fellow, there is nothing better for the young.
-But when a man travels alone, he is always bored to death; one can't be
-more than half happy when he has no one to whom he can impart the
-sentiments inspired by a beautiful landscape, an ancient monument, or an
-imposing ruin! Besides, you are too young to run about the world alone;
-you need a companion who is wise, well informed, and, above all,
-experienced; well, my friend, I offer myself as your mentor."
-
-"I was about to make the same suggestion, my dear Dubourg."
-
-"Parbleu! I accept with great pleasure."
-
-"But is there nothing to keep you in Paris?"
-
-"Oh! nothing at all, not even a cot-bed."
-
-"No affair of the heart?"
-
-"Oh! with respect to affairs of the heart, I am not like you! I will
-form attachments as we go along, or, better still, I'll give them up
-altogether. My mind is made up; I propose to be virtuous and orderly;
-you will be edified by my behavior."
-
-"Well, then, my dear Dubourg, it is settled that we travel together."
-
-"There is just one little difficulty left: suppose your father doesn't
-want you to travel?"
-
-"Oh! I don't think that he'll object; I have already mentioned the
-subject to him, and he seemed to approve of it."
-
-"Then everything will go as nicely as possible; but will you tell him
-that you are going to take me?"
-
-"Why not? I shall say that a friend of mine, who is also about to
-travel, will be able to accompany me for some time."
-
-"All right; arrange it as best you can; if necessary, you can present me
-to your father, who hardly knows me, and you will see what a dignified
-and imposing manner I can assume. Above all things, don't mention little
-Delphine, or my aunt, or my supposed marriage, or my triplets."
-
-"Never fear."
-
-"As for my family, if it isn't noble, that doesn't prevent its being as
-good as the Comte de Montreville's, and very highly esteemed in
-Bretagne."
-
-"Oh! mon Dieu! I know all that."
-
-"It isn't on your account that I say it, but your father's. So, then,
-it's agreed. It is broad daylight now; I have slept enough, but you need
-rest. Go to bed; during the day, you can speak to your father, and come
-and tell me what he says. I'll expect you at six o'clock, at the Café de
-la Rotonde."
-
-"Agreed."
-
-"By the way, I forgot! Lend me a dozen louis; I owe you thirty already,
-but we will settle up when I get my next remittance from my aunt."
-
-"That's all right; ought there to be any settling among friends?"
-
-"Ah! my dear Frédéric, there aren't many friends like you!"
-
-Dubourg pocketed the twelve louis which Frédéric handed him; then,
-leaving his friend to go to bed, he went away from the house, humming a
-new couplet, and strolled along the boulevards, as well pleased as if he
-had just been appointed to a twelve-thousand-franc office where he would
-have nothing to do.
-
-During the day, Frédéric went to see his father. He trembled slightly
-when he appeared before him, and the count, instead of assisting his
-son to confide in him, waited silently for him to say what he wanted.
-
-Having bowed respectfully, Frédéric began his speech, in which he
-floundered a little at times, because the count's eyes, fastened on his
-face, seemed determined to read his inmost thoughts. He set forth his
-project, however, and awaited in fear and trembling his father's reply.
-The count seemed to reflect, and did not speak for some minutes.
-Frédéric dared not break the silence, and at last the count spoke.
-
-"You wish to leave Paris, Frédéric?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur le comte."
-
-"Are you tired already of its pleasures--balls and parties? It is rather
-early for that."
-
-Frédéric sighed, but made no reply.
-
-"You haven't told me everything," continued the count, with a sarcastic
-smile. "Confess that some disappointment in love----"
-
-Frédéric blushed, and lowered his eyes; whereupon the count went on, in
-a gentler tone:
-
-"Well, all that sort of thing belongs to your age. Travel; I am willing;
-it cannot fail to be useful to you. But if your presence should become
-necessary, I trust that nothing would delay your return?"
-
-"Oh! father, a single word from you, and I will be with you."
-
-"Very good; I rely upon your word."
-
-"A friend of mine, a young man named Dubourg, of an old Breton family,
-is also making arrangements to travel for some time. If you are willing,
-I will join forces with him."
-
-"No, monsieur; I am not willing. I have heard of this Monsieur Dubourg,
-whom you call your friend, and, although I have seen him with you only
-two or three times, I know enough of him to be unwilling that he should
-be my son's travelling companion. His family is respectable, I know, but
-Monsieur Dubourg is a great reprobate, they say."
-
-"I promise you, father----"
-
-"Don't interrupt me, monsieur. I cannot prevent your associating in
-Paris with such light-headed characters; but when you are to travel for
-your instruction, and to mature your judgment, I tell you again that a
-Monsieur Dubourg is not a proper person for you to travel with. I don't
-propose that you shall take Germain either; that fellow has been
-behaving badly for some time. Besides, when you are travelling you
-should be able to do without a valet. With your money, you will find
-servants enough wherever you stop."
-
-"Am I to go alone, then, father?"
-
-"No; you are not twenty-one yet; you are too young to be left to your
-own devices. Stay--yes--he's the very man you need: Monsieur Ménard will
-go with you."
-
-"What, monsieur le comte, my tutor?"
-
-"He hasn't been that for a long time, and he will not go with you in
-that capacity, my son, but as a friend, a judicious adviser. Monsieur
-Ménard is an educated man, and, in addition to that, is the mildest and
-most patient of men. You know him well enough, I think, not to regret
-having him for your travelling companion. Monsieur Ménard is not a mere
-pedant who will constantly reprove you for enjoying yourself; he is
-attached to you, and he will be able, I trust, to prevent the son of the
-Comte de Montreville from forgetting what he owes to himself."
-
-"But, father----"
-
-"Enough. I will write to Monsieur Ménard; if he accepts, as I think he
-will, you can set out to-morrow."
-
-Frédéric left his father, not overpleased with his choice, although he
-knew that Monsieur Ménard was an excellent man. He would have preferred
-to travel with Dubourg, whose inexhaustible gayety harmonized perfectly
-with his own sentimental disposition; a fact which seems strange, at
-first blush, but which is very common: small men love tall women, and
-small women large men; loquacious folk like those who say little;
-gourmands never dine satisfactorily except with those who are
-abstemious; the strong form alliances with the weak; men of genius
-select wives who attend strictly to their household duties; female
-authors rarely have men of intellect for their husbands; ostentatious
-people cannot live comfortably except with those who make no
-pretensions; knaves consort with men of probity; the most sentimental
-women often love the most frivolous men, and the most loyal of the one
-sex will give her heart to the most fickle of the other; lastly,
-libertines pursue innocence, and innocence often yields to the
-seductions of a ne'er-do-well. Extremes meet, contrasts are drawn
-together, and a painter finds his most beautiful effects in the
-opposition of light and shadow.
-
-"Well," said Dubourg, when Frédéric joined him at the appointed place;
-"what news?"
-
-"Why, not very good."
-
-"Doesn't your father want you to travel?"
-
-"Oh! yes, he has consented."
-
-"In that case, I don't see why everything isn't all right."
-
-"But--he--he isn't willing----"
-
-"Go on."
-
-"He isn't willing that I should travel with you."
-
-"Why not?"
-
-"Because--he says----"
-
-"He says---- Well, go on."
-
-"He says that you are a--reprobate."
-
-"Why, he has never seen me more than three times!"
-
-"It seems that somebody has talked to him about you."
-
-"There are always people who make it their business to slander
-innocence. Do you know that, if monsieur le comte were not your father,
-I---- Although, after all, he is not far from right. But if he knew how
-thoroughly I have reformed! and how I have preached at myself since last
-night!--Well, what else?"
-
-"He suggests as my travelling companion my former tutor, Monsieur
-Ménard."
-
-"The idea of giving a tutor to a young man who is almost twenty-one!
-That sort of thing positively makes me ill! No matter; let us allow
-monsieur le comte to have his way; we will carry out our plans, all the
-same."
-
-"How?"
-
-"You won't be sorry to have me travel with you, will you?"
-
-"Surely not."
-
-"And I shall not be sorry to leave Paris for a time; that will give my
-creditors, who are always at my heels, a chance to rest a bit."
-
-"But my father?"
-
-"Don't you worry. Just don't say a word, and I will arrange matters so
-that---- By the way, what sort of a man is this tutor?"
-
-"Oh! he's the best fellow in the world; but he's not a genius."
-
-"So much the better."
-
-"He thinks a great deal of a learned man."
-
-"I'll talk Latin, Greek, English, to him; yes, and Chinese, if he
-doesn't understand it."
-
-"I fancy that he has never travelled, except on the map."
-
-"I'll tell him that I have been round the world."
-
-"But it flatters him to be in the company of persons of high rank."
-
-"I'll assume a rank that will be high enough for him."
-
-"In heaven's name, what is your scheme?"
-
-"I'll arrange it all, I tell you; go back to your father, and start off
-with your tutor. By the way, get all the money you can, for money is
-never a disadvantage when you're travelling; and be sure to let me know
-what time you are to start, and in what direction you are going."
-
-The young men separated, Dubourg having told Frédéric where to send him
-word of the time at which he was to start, and having refused to divulge
-any of the details of his plan.
-
-Let us leave them for a moment, while we make the acquaintance of
-Monsieur Ménard, of whom the young count has given us only a faint
-sketch, and whom it is essential to know before we travel in his
-company.
-
-Monsieur Ménard was a man of about fifty years of age, very short and
-stout, and with a very fat face. He had a double chin, which was quite
-in harmony with a nose like a huge chestnut. Like Monsieur Tartufe, he
-had red ears and a florid complexion. His stomach was beginning to
-embarrass him a little, but his short legs, with their enormous calves,
-seemed strong enough to support an even heavier bulk.
-
-Monsieur Ménard had passed almost the whole of his life in teaching
-young people; he had retained the mild and benign manners which a tutor
-employed in good society always adopts with his pupils. He was not a
-great scholar, but he was proud of what he did know, and was by no means
-insensible to praise. His narrow intellect had become even more confined
-by having no exercise except with children; but Monsieur Ménard was
-upright, kindly, and peaceably disposed; his only weakness was a
-tendency to feel that his stature was increased when he conversed with a
-lord, and his only fault a very pronounced fondness for the pleasures of
-the table, which was sometimes the occasion of a slight indisposition;
-not that he drank immoderately, but because he returned too often to a
-truffled turkey or a salmi of partridges.
-
-The Comte de Montreville summoned Monsieur Ménard, who hastened to obey
-the summons and joyfully accepted the proposition that was made to him.
-To travel in a comfortable post chaise with the Comte de Montreville's
-son, with that one of his pupils who reflected the greatest credit on
-him! that was unexampled good fortune for the excellent tutor, who
-happened to be unemployed at the moment.
-
-The count urged him to have an eye upon Frédéric, but not to thwart his
-caprices when it was simply a question of indulging in the follies
-characteristic of his years. As he was well pleased with his son's ready
-submission in the matter of a travelling companion, he determined to
-reward him by allowing him to go wherever he chose.
-
-Everything being settled between the count and the two travellers,
-Monsieur de Montreville handed Monsieur Ménard a considerable sum of
-money, which was to be at Frédéric's disposal.
-
-"Travel in a manner befitting your rank, my son," said the count; "but
-do not squander this money foolishly. I have succeeded, by leading
-always an orderly, regular life, in saving a considerable fortune in
-anticipation of your marriage; but you must not encroach upon your
-patrimony. If you need more money, however, Monsieur Ménard will let me
-know."
-
-Frédéric promised to behave himself; but he had just written to Dubourg
-that he was to start the next morning, and that he should take the Lyon
-road.
-
-A young man's preparations are soon made. Monsieur Ménard's took a
-little longer; like the prudent man he was, he did not take his place in
-the carriage until he had bestowed one of Lesage's pâtés in the box, and
-a bottle of madeira in his pocket.
-
-At last, everything was ready. Frédéric was overjoyed to leave Paris and
-Madame Dernange. The poor boy fancied that she would regret him, and
-that his departure would make her miserable! He was certain to lose all
-such illusions after he had travelled a short time.
-
-The carriage was waiting; the postilion was in the saddle. Frédéric
-pressed his father's hand to his heart, Monsieur Ménard bowed six times
-to the count and entered the chaise backward in order to have the honor
-of continuing to bow. Frédéric jumped into his seat, the postilion
-cracked his whip, and they were off for Italy.
-
-
-
-
-IV
-
-A NOVEL WAY OF MAKING ACQUAINTANCES.--BARON POTOSKI
-
-
-The two travellers were not far from Paris, when the conversation
-between them began to flag; at the outset, Monsieur Ménard expressed to
-Frédéric his very great pleasure in being in his company, and Frédéric
-thanked him; then they admired the view at several points. But soon the
-younger man's thoughts reverted to Madame Dernange and other disloyal
-fair ones, and he became pensive and silent; whereupon Monsieur Ménard
-turned his attention to the pâté with which he had taken care to supply
-himself, and entered upon a conversation with it, which he interrupted
-only to say a word or two to the bottle of madeira.
-
-"I imagine that we shall have a delightful trip," said Frédéric,
-emerging from his reverie.
-
-"I agree with you, monsieur le comte; we have everything requisite for
-it," replied Monsieur Ménard, with a smile, making haste to swallow what
-he had in his mouth. "If monsieur le comte would like to taste this
-pâté--it is delicious."
-
-"No, thanks, my dear Ménard; I am not hungry yet."
-
-"As monsieur le comte pleases."
-
-"Oh! I beg you, no _monsieur le comte_ between ourselves; call me
-Frédéric, that is much better."
-
-"But, monsieur le comte--when we are travelling--at public-houses--it is
-well that people should know that they have the honor----"
-
-"Yes, of course; so that they can make us pay four times the usual
-prices. I tell you again that I want to avoid all those ceremonies which
-add nothing to the pleasure of a journey."
-
-"You will at least allow me to call you Monsieur de Montreville; for
-monsieur le comte your father might be angry if he knew that you
-travelled incognito."
-
-"By the way, how much money did he give you?"
-
-"Eight thousand francs, monsieur."
-
-"Eight thousand francs! that's none too much!"
-
-"Oh! Monsieur de Montreville, surely it is enough, when we have in
-addition a comfortable carriage and good horses. We are not going to the
-world's end. And then, you know, your father said that we could ask him
-for more, in an emergency."
-
-"True; besides, we're not going to do anything foolish."
-
-"And it would be imprudent to carry a larger sum on a journey. We are
-going to Italy, and that country is infested with brigands; between Rome
-and Naples, especially, they say the highroads are very dangerous. When
-we get there, we must take every precaution."
-
-Frédéric made no reply; he was thinking of Dubourg, and was surprised
-that he had heard nothing from him. They were already nine leagues from
-Paris, on a very fine road, where it was difficult to imagine any
-possible mishap.
-
-Suddenly the loud cracking of a postilion's whip announced that there
-were other travellers behind them. Frédéric looked back, and saw a small
-berlin coming up at a gallop. The clatter drew rapidly nearer,
-indicating that the berlin was overtaking them and would soon pass them
-by. A cloud of dust enveloped them, but the road was so wide that there
-was no need for them to turn out. But just as they expected to see the
-berlin whirl by, it collided with their carriage; and the shock was so
-violent that the post chaise was overturned beside the ditch, into which
-Monsieur Ménard was thrown headlong, shrieking at the top of his voice.
-
-The berlin stopped. The postilion of the chaise reviled the other
-postilion, calling him fool and blockhead and drunkard, for running into
-him on a road where three carriages could easily pass. The other
-postilion limited his reply to a sneering laugh, which inflamed his
-confrčre's wrath. Frédéric, who was not injured, went to Monsieur
-Ménard, to ascertain what his condition was. He proved to be more
-frightened than hurt; he felt himself all over, straightened his wig,
-and kept repeating that the fall would certainly upset his digestion.
-
-Meanwhile, the postilion of the berlin had dismounted; after exchanging
-a few words with his passenger, he, hat in hand, approached our
-travellers, who were still in the ditch, and, after apologizing for his
-awkwardness, said to them that Baron Ladislas Potoski, Palatine of Rava
-and Sandomir, requested permission to come in person to inquire for
-their welfare, and to offer them such assistance as was in his power.
-
-When he heard the postilion declaim the name and titles of his
-passenger, Monsieur Ménard scrambled out of the ditch, and removed from
-under his waistcoat one end of his ruff, which his fall had rumpled.
-
-"Tell your master that we appreciate his courtesy," said Frédéric; "but
-that it is unnecessary for him to put himself out; I think that the
-accident will have no serious results."
-
-"But there's something broken in our chaise," said Monsieur Ménard; "and
-we might avail ourselves of Monsieur le Palatine Pota--Poto--Potiouski's
-offer, to reach the next village."
-
-The tutor had not finished speaking, when the soi-disant Polish nobleman
-alighted from his berlin and walked toward them, with his hand on his
-hip, affecting a most dignified air and carriage. Frédéric looked up and
-recognized Dubourg; he was on the point of laughing outright, when his
-friend forestalled him by running toward him, exclaiming:
-
-"I cannot be mistaken! What a fortunate meeting! It surely is Monsieur
-Frédéric de Montreville!"
-
-And he threw his arms about Frédéric, who also feigned surprise and
-cried:
-
-"What! why! it is Monsieur de--Monsieur du----"
-
-"Baron Potoski!" whispered Dubourg.
-
-"Monsieur le Baron Potoski!"
-
-During this recognition, which took place on the edge of the ditch,
-Monsieur Ménard outdid himself in salutations, pulling Frédéric gently
-by his coat-tails the while, in order to lead him back to the highroad,
-which seemed to him a more suitable place for his introduction to the
-noble Pole.
-
-At last, Dubourg turned to Ménard, and said, addressing Frédéric:
-
-"Have I the honor of seeing monsieur le comte your father?" And he
-bestowed upon the tutor the most gracious and most dignified smile
-imaginable.
-
-"No," said Frédéric; "but he has been a second father to me. Allow me to
-present Monsieur Ménard, my former tutor."
-
-"Monsieur Ménard!" said Dubourg, assuming an expression of unfeigned
-admiration, and gazing at the tutor as one might gaze at Voltaire.
-"What! can it be that this is Monsieur Ménard? Peste! I have often
-heard of him; the _primus inter pares_ of tutors! How delighted I am to
-make his acquaintance! _Tandem felix_, Monsieur Ménard, since I know
-you."
-
-Monsieur Ménard did not know where he was; this deluge of courtesies and
-flattery from the Palatine of Rava and Sandomir so confused and
-delighted him, that his profuse salutations would have landed him in the
-ditch a second time, had not Frédéric caught him opportunely.
-
-Dubourg finally put an end to the poor man's embarrassment by taking his
-hand and pressing it hard.
-
-"What a great honor you do me, monsieur le baron," he stammered.--"So
-you are acquainted with Baron Potoski?" he added, turning to Frédéric.
-
-"Acquainted with him!" was the reply, accompanied by a smile; "why, we
-are close friends. Dear Dubourg!"
-
-"What do you say? Dubourg?" cried Ménard.
-
-"Yes," hastily interposed the pretended baron; "that is the name I went
-by at Paris, where I was compelled to maintain the strictest incognito,
-being intrusted by my government with a secret and very delicate
-mission."
-
-"I understand, I understand," said Ménard.
-
-"Continue to call me Dubourg, my dear Frédéric; that was my name when I
-first knew you, and it will always be dear to me."
-
-While Ménard went to inspect the overturned vehicle, Frédéric said to
-Dubourg, in an undertone:
-
-"The method you employed to join me was a little violent, do you know?
-You nearly killed poor Ménard and me."
-
-"It's that blockhead of a postilion's fault: I told him to upset me as
-we passed you; but the rascal preferred to upset you. That annoys me
-the more, because I expected to get a seat in your carriage, whereas I
-must offer to take you in mine, which is a very different matter. Never
-mind: let me talk and act. I see already that it will be easy enough to
-pull the wool over this poor Ménard's eyes. But be ready to second me,
-and back up what I say, when it's necessary. Above all things, don't
-forget that I am Baron Potoski, Palatine of Rava and Sandomir. You
-nearly spoiled everything by calling me Dubourg; luckily, I found a way
-to straighten that out; but don't make any more such blunders, or I
-shall be obliged to travel without you, and I assure you I shall not go
-very far."
-
-Ménard returned and announced that one of the axles of the chaise was
-broken, and that it could not be repaired before the next morning.
-
-"Well, messieurs," said Dubourg, "you must do me the honor to ride in my
-carriage; we will stop at the first village and pass the night there,
-while the local blacksmith repairs your chaise."
-
-This plan being adopted, they left the postilion to bring the vehicle to
-the village, and our three travellers entered the Polish baron's berlin.
-It was a wretched old affair, the lining patched and soiled, and so
-badly hung that the passengers were jolted terribly.
-
-Frédéric could not restrain a smile as he stepped into the palatine's
-equipage; but Dubourg hastened to say to Monsieur Ménard, who took his
-place modestly on the front seat and had not as yet done more than
-glance furtively at his surroundings:
-
-"This carriage is older than we are; it belonged to my grandfather. It
-was in this same carriage that he rescued Stanislas Leczinski, when he
-was pursued by his rival, Augustus, whose cause was espoused by the
-Czar, while Charles XII of Sweden was the protector of Stanislas.--But
-you know all that better than I do, Monsieur Ménard, for you are a
-scholar."
-
-"Oh! monsieur le baron."
-
-"To return to this carriage--all my family revere it as I do; it is a
-family carriage. When my father left Cracow, during a period of civil
-commotion, this modest berlin contained six millions in gold and jewels;
-it was the remnant of his fortune, with which he intended to live in
-retirement in Bretagne, where they have delicious milk and butter."
-
-At this point, Frédéric, who had bitten his lips at the six millions,
-began to cough to overcome his desire to laugh, while Monsieur Ménard
-looked at the carriage with the utmost respect.
-
-"You will appreciate, Monsieur Ménard," pursued Dubourg, wiping his
-forehead with a silk handkerchief, which he had thrust into his
-waistcoat to give himself the aspect of a foreigner, "you will
-appreciate that one becomes strongly attached to a carriage which
-recalls such honorable memories. I know that it is not modern, and that
-it might be hung better; twenty times, my steward has talked of having
-it repainted, and of having it newly lined inside, but I always refuse.
-This seat, which I now occupy, was once occupied by King Stanislas; that
-in which you sit, by a princess of Hungary; and I confess, Monsieur
-Ménard, that I am determined not to change this Utrecht velvet, which
-has had the honor of supporting those eminent persons."
-
-"I share your feelings in that respect to the full, monsieur le baron,"
-said Ménard, who, enchanted as he was to travel with two men of
-distinguished rank, was unable to contain himself when he was told that
-a princess of Hungary had once sat where he was sitting. "This carriage
-must be very dear to you; and I assure you, monsieur le baron, that it
-rides very nicely, and that I find it very comfortable----"
-
-At that moment a vicious jolt threw Monsieur Ménard forward, almost into
-his pupil's lap; but he added, clinging to the door:
-
-"_Ubi plura intent in carmine; non ego paucis offendar maculis._"
-
-"_Vitam impendere vero_," rejoined Dubourg.
-
-Frédéric looked out of the door, coughing harder than ever; while
-Monsieur Ménard said, with a bow:
-
-"I never doubted it, monsieur le baron."
-
-"As I am obliged to remain incognito," said Dubourg, "I have not brought
-any of my suite with me, and I confess that I am not inclined to
-complain; I detest all the pomp and parade and etiquette which are the
-accompaniments of high station. When I travel, I lay it all aside; I am
-the man of nature, and I play the part of a simple observer. But, by the
-way, my dear Frédéric, I haven't asked you yet where you are going;
-would it be presumptuous in me to inquire?"
-
-"No, indeed, my friend; I am leaving Paris because I found there only
-coquettish or heartless women, who do not understand my way of loving."
-
-"Well, my dear fellow, the trouble is that your way of loving is no
-longer fashionable! However, this is mere amorous petulance, I see; you
-are still a little romantic, a little sentimental.--We must cure
-Frédéric of all such nonsense, eh, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"That doesn't come within my functions, monsieur le baron; besides, we
-must overlook a little something; Seneca says, you know: _Non est
-magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementić._"
-
-"That is very true," Dubourg replied; "the greatest men have had their
-weak points. Alexander drank too much; Antiochus dressed as Bacchus to
-please Cleopatra; Ćneas consulted the Cumćan sibyl; the Emperor
-Maximilian died from eating too much melon. So it's not at all
-surprising that Frédéric should have a too sensitive heart."
-
-Monsieur Ménard bowed to monsieur le baron, who had given him a small
-specimen of his erudition; which added not a little to the respect he
-had already conceived for him.
-
-"I have no definite plan," said Frédéric; "I intend, however, to visit
-the countries which recall interesting events, or which have given birth
-to illustrious men. One loves to tread the ground from which the genius
-sprang that has outlived so many generations. In all that surrounds us,
-we fancy that we recognize the great man who, by his writings, his feats
-of arms, or his virtues, made his birthplace famous. In a word, my
-friend, we are going, first of all, to Italy."
-
-"What! can it be? Why, my own purpose, like yours, is to see a little of
-the world, in order to add some new light to my poor stock of knowledge.
-What a delightful idea! Suppose we make the journey together?"
-
-"Gladly, my dear baron! it will be most agreeable to me, I assure you."
-
-"Upon my honor, I am grateful to the chance that led to our meeting!
-What an unexpected pleasure to travel with my friend the Comte de
-Montreville and the learned Monsieur Ménard, to compare our reflections
-concerning the places we visit, to be enlightened by the observations,
-the friendship, and the learning of so distinguished a teacher!"
-
-Ménard outdid himself in reverences, and began to express his thanks;
-but Dubourg continued earnestly, giving him no time to reply:
-
-"What a delight to visit ancient Rome with you--and magnificent Genoa!
-to climb with Monsieur Ménard to the summit of Vesuvius, and even to go
-down into the crater, if there is no danger! How pleasant to view, in a
-friend's company, the tomb of Virgil and the Grotto of the Dog, and to
-ascend, with a profound scholar, the Tarpeian rock! What pleasures await
-us in Switzerland, the home of William Tell! that cradle of liberty,
-whose morals have retained all their purity amid revolutionary tempests!
-There we shall receive the most touching hospitality in every village;
-we shall eat cheese there, Monsieur Ménard--oh! such cheese! I don't
-undertake to say, however, that it's as good as the cheese in Bretagne,
-for there's nothing like that; a charming country, Bretagne, studded
-with woods, fields, and rich pastures. Ah! what fine cows they have
-there, Monsieur Ménard!"
-
-Frédéric nudged Dubourg, to make him leave Bretagne, whither he
-constantly returned with the affection of a native.
-
-"In Switzerland," he continued, "one often eats cheeses fifteen or
-twenty years old; the excellent Helvetians know the secret of keeping
-them for an indefinite time."
-
-"They must be even better than our roquefort," said Ménard, who felt
-sure of his ground when eating was the subject of conversation.
-
-"Oh! I promise you they are; compared with the old Swiss cheeses, our
-roquefort is no better than neufchâtel. However, Monsieur Ménard, if
-you travel with me, I shall hope to give you cheese to eat more than
-once."
-
-"Ah! monsieur le baron!"
-
-"We will visit the glaciers, we will ascend the Saint-Gothard, and the
-Rigi, which you have to climb on all fours. What magnificent views we
-shall have! And when we go down into the canton of Les Grisons, we will
-botanize. Monsieur Ménard will gather herbs. We will watch the Swiss
-maidens glean; they wear very short skirts--and we shall see some fine
-sights!"
-
-"Well, my dear master, what do you think of our plan?" queried Frédéric.
-The former tutor was enchanted with it: to travel with a man of such
-high rank, and so learned and agreeable, as Baron Potoski, seemed to him
-great good fortune; and although the hard cushions and the jolting of
-the berlin made him black and blue in spots, he felt brave enough to
-travel a thousand leagues in a carriage which had held King Stanislas,
-and in a seat which a princess of Hungary had occupied.
-
-"Most certainly I see no reason why we should not travel with monsieur
-le baron," he said; "and at the first post-office I will write to
-monsieur your father and tell him of our fortunate meeting; he cannot
-fail to approve our plan."
-
-"No, no!" cried Dubourg; "on the contrary, you must not write a single
-word to monsieur le comte. As I have told you, I am travelling
-incognito; I don't want anybody to know where I am. My government
-desires to appoint me ambassador to Turkey, but I am not at all desirous
-of that distinction. Monsieur le comte might inadvertently let the cat
-out of the bag, and all France would soon know my whereabouts; it will
-be much better not to say anything."
-
-"I agree with you," said Frédéric. "What's the use of saying anything
-about it to my father? He left me free to go wherever I please, and
-asked Monsieur Ménard to go with me as a friend, not as a mentor.
-Surely, my father would be exceedingly pleased to know that I am
-travelling with monsieur le baron; but in his delight at learning that I
-am in such company, he would undoubtedly betray your incognito, and you
-would be obliged to leave us."
-
-"Yes, I understand," said Ménard; "and yet--if----"
-
-Dubourg, seeing that the tutor still retained some scruples, made haste
-to produce his horn snuff-box, which he offered to Frédéric, looking at
-him with a meaning expression.
-
-"Do you recognize this, my dear Frédéric? it's the one I showed you at
-Paris."
-
-"Yes, I recognize it perfectly," said Frédéric, with no idea of
-Dubourg's purpose; while Monsieur Ménard glanced at the snuff-box and
-waited impatiently for the baron to explain himself.
-
-"Ah! it's a very precious object in my eyes!" said Dubourg, taking a
-pinch of snuff. "You have no suspicion, Monsieur Ménard, to whom this
-modest snuff-box belonged?"
-
-"No, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Modest as it is, I would not exchange it for one of solid gold. It was
-the King of Prussia's snuff-box, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-"The King of Prussia's?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; the great Frederick, who, as you know, was very fond of
-snuff and often carried it in his pocket; still, he had snuff-boxes,
-which were always very simple, like everything he carried. He himself
-gave this one to my father, from whom I had it."
-
-"Ah! monsieur le baron, if I might dare to crave the honor----"
-
-And Ménard respectfully put out two fingers to take a pinch of snuff
-from the Prussian king's snuff-box, which Dubourg smilingly offered him.
-
-Ménard took a pinch with becoming humility. He stuffed his nose full of
-snuff which he considered delicious, and, when he sneezed, the poor man
-fancied that he bore some slight resemblance to the King of Prussia. He
-had lost his head completely; the fumes of grandeur mingled with those
-of the snuff, and at the third sneeze he cried, saluting Baron Potoski
-with renewed deference:
-
-"It certainly is not necessary to write to monsieur le comte."
-
-
-
-
-V
-
-A VILLAGE INN, AND WHAT BEFELL OUR TRAVELLERS THERE
-
-
-At nightfall, our travellers arrived at a village of wretched aspect.
-Dubourg ordered his postilion to set them down at the best inn; but as
-there was only one in the place, they must needs content themselves with
-that.
-
-The inn in question was rarely patronized by travellers in carriages;
-pedestrians were its usual guests.
-
-Frédéric was disinclined to stop in that wretched hamlet, but Dubourg
-insisted upon passing the night there. He had reasons of his own for not
-wishing to go farther with his berlin; and as Monsieur Ménard was
-hungry, and the remains of his pâté had been left in the post chaise,
-he endorsed Dubourg's suggestion.
-
-The carriage drove into a great yard filled with mud and dungheaps. Half
-a score of ducks were splashing in a pool, apparently disputing
-possession of it with some geese which waddled majestically around the
-banks. Three pigs went grunting into every corner of the enclosure, an
-old lame horse was quenching his thirst at a trough, on the edge of
-which perched several hens, which laid their eggs in the house, in the
-street, or in the yard, as it happened, considering probably that there
-was little to choose between those places. Lastly, to complete the
-picture, a number of rabbits showed their heads from time to time under
-the hedge of a garden which had been turned into a warren; then fled in
-alarm at the barking of a huge dog, whose duty it seemed to be to watch
-the other beasts.
-
-There was hardly room for the berlin to pass through a gateway, whose
-dilapidated gate had not been closed for a long while. On one side the
-wheels sank into a deep rut, on the other they had to pass over a
-dungheap; so that, for a moment, Monsieur Ménard feared that the
-Palatine of Rava's venerable berlin would be overturned, and himself
-with it. But he got off with nothing worse than a fright. On the arrival
-of the carriage, the rabbits and pigs fled, the ducks quacked, the geese
-and hens flew away, and the dog barked under the travellers' noses;
-while a dozen or more of idlers, and as many peasant women, who formed
-substantially the whole population of the village, stood about the
-gateway to see the occupants of the carriage alight.
-
-"Where in the devil is he taking us?" said Frédéric, putting his head
-out of the window, and instantly drawing it in again; for the wheels
-had stirred up the filth which covered the ground and thereby caused it
-to emit an odor ill adapted to attract the travellers.
-
-"Let us hope that we are not in front of the kitchen," said Monsieur
-Ménard, holding his nose.
-
-"Don't be alarmed, messieurs," said Dubourg; "we shall be very
-comfortable here; we must not judge by appearances, you know. I have
-stopped at this inn, and I remember that they give you excellent rabbit
-stews and omelets."
-
-Although it might seem surprising that a palatine should be fond of such
-commonplace dishes, Monsieur Ménard at once considered the yard less
-offensive; and, alighting on the heels of Dubourg, who had stepped out
-on the dungheap, he looked about on all sides, trying to discover the
-kitchen.
-
-The innkeeper appeared, with his cap over his left ear; he did not
-salute the new arrivals, for, being accustomed to entertain only carters
-or peasants, who care little for polite manners, he had contracted a
-habit of treating all strangers with a certain familiarity; and the
-sight of a carriage made little impression on him, because it was not to
-such guests that he looked for the support of his establishment.
-
-He was a little man of fifty years or thereabout, with a slight limp,
-and a bloated nose which seemed to denote intemperate habits.
-
-"Are you going to drink a glass of wine, messieurs?" he said, addressing
-Ménard, who still had his nose in the air, trying to catch the scent of
-a rabbit stew, and to whom the innkeeper's manner seemed lacking in
-respect.
-
-"Take us to your best room, my good man," said Dubourg; "we are going to
-sup and sleep here. Set everyone at work; let the fire blaze and the
-spits turn, and serve our supper as soon as may be."
-
-"Yes," interposed Ménard, tapping the host's shoulder patronizingly;
-"and understand, my friend, that you have the honor of entertaining
-Monsieur le Comte Frédéric de Montreville, Monsieur le Baron Ladislas
-Potoski, Palatine of Rava and Sandomir, and Monsieur Benoît Ménard,
-master of arts and eminent professor."
-
-"I shall never have room enough to put up so many people," said the
-innkeeper, while Dubourg reproved Ménard for betraying his incognito and
-begged him to be more discreet in future.
-
-"Holŕ! Goton! Goton!" cried mine host, walking toward the garden; "come
-and show these gentlemen into the house, while I look after the horses;
-and tell my wife to see about getting supper."
-
-Mademoiselle Goton appeared; she was a tall, stoutly-built damsel of
-twenty, dark, with black eyes, and a sunburned complexion; her features
-were irregular, but her retroussé nose and her fine teeth, which she
-showed constantly, her mouth being rather large, made her face decidedly
-attractive. If, instead of a short stuff skirt, a waist of coarse blue
-woollen cloth, and a cotton cap, Goton had worn a dress which set off
-her figure; if her skin had been treated with almond paste, and her hair
-by a hair-dresser, she would undoubtedly have made many conquests in
-Paris.
-
-"Will you follow me, messieurs?" she said, smiling at the travellers;
-for Mademoiselle Goton smiled very often, because it added to her
-beauty; and in the smallest village, no less than in the largest city, a
-woman always knows how to make the most of her advantages. Lacking a
-mirror, a fountain is sufficient to train the simplest-minded.
-
-Dubourg estimated the servant's qualities at a glance, and, as they
-followed her, he said to himself:
-
-"I will amuse Ménard with the supper, which shall be a good one, if I
-can manage it. I can pass the time pleasantly with Mademoiselle Goton.
-Ah! if I only could find some sentimental beauty to engage Frédéric's
-attention! Failing a new passion, I will talk to him of Madame Dernange
-and all his faithless charmers in Paris; that will serve to make his
-evening pass quickly."
-
-The best room in the inn was the one usually occupied by the carters and
-peasants. Four itinerant merchants, who had arrived an hour before our
-illustrious travellers, were seated at a table, drinking, and discussing
-their business affairs.
-
-The arrival of three new guests in no wise disturbed the four men. They
-glanced at them, and continued their conversation.
-
-"I'll set plates for you here," said Goton, pointing to a table covered
-with a glazed cloth.
-
-"No, no," said Dubourg; "we can't eat our supper here; you may serve us
-in one of the rooms where we are to sleep."
-
-"But this is the eating-room."
-
-"That may be," said Ménard; "but monsieur le comte and monsieur le
-bar--at all events, we don't choose to eat here."
-
-These words caused the peddlers to raise their heads, and they
-scrutinized the travellers, laughing contemptuously among themselves.
-Ménard, fearing that he had offended them, and dreading a scene, was
-already in the passage, where he waited for the servant to come; while
-Dubourg, who was not long-suffering, eyed the four drinkers in his turn.
-Frédéric, his mind still engrossed by his memories, paid little heed to
-what was taking place.
-
-"You see, Goton," said one of the four, with a sneering smile, "these
-gents are too swell to eat in the same room with us. _Jarni_! we must
-take care and not look at 'em too close; it might offend 'em."
-
-"Nobody spoke to you," said Dubourg; "try not to be too insolent, or you
-may be sorry for it."
-
-"Oho! there's one of 'em who means to show his teeth!"
-
-"For heaven's sake, monsieur le baron," said Ménard, putting his nose in
-at the door, "don't let this go any further! These gentlemen certainly
-have no intention of----"
-
-"Hallo! he's a baron!" exclaimed another of the peddlers; "I took him
-for a Swiss liniment-maker, with his silk handkerchief across his
-breast."
-
-"Did you see their carriage?" said a third; "it's an old shack I
-wouldn't put my donkey in!"
-
-"The wretches! to talk so about King Stanislas's berlin!" said Ménard;
-but he made the remark in such a low tone that no one suspected that he
-had spoken.
-
-"Once more, hold your peace!" said Dubourg, "or we'll teach you whom you
-have to deal with."
-
-"Indeed!" said the peddlers, brandishing their cudgels; "perhaps we
-might teach you something more."
-
-Frédéric, who had been silent thus far, took a pair of pistols from his
-pocket, and, walking toward the table at which the four men were seated,
-he said calmly:
-
-"Messieurs, whatever may be the titles we bear, we are men, and we are
-quite able to prove it; we are not accustomed to using clubs, but here
-is something that will make matters even between us. Everyone knows how
-to fire a pistol. Which of you would like to begin with me?"
-
-"Yes," said Dubourg, producing in his turn a pair of pistols of heavier
-calibre; "and this is for the man who comes forward next."
-
-At sight of the pistols, the peddlers changed color and dropped their
-cudgels; those who presume too far upon their strength to insult those
-whom they deem weaker than themselves, generally appear very cowardly
-and foolish when confronted by such arguments.
-
-Goton shrieked when she saw the fire-arms; the innkeeper came limping
-into the room, and Monsieur Ménard, proposing to retreat to the end of
-the passage, where it was quite dark, collided with the hostess, who was
-coming to find out what was happening in the living-room.
-
-The hostess, whose acquaintance we have not made as yet, was a woman of
-fifty, short of stature, and almost as broad as she was tall. Her
-corpulence had within a short time increased to such a degree that she
-could hardly walk from her desk to the kitchen; even so, she had to make
-a judicious and abundant use of flour to keep herself from chafing when
-she walked. This difficulty in moving made her very sedentary; she
-passed almost all her time in an armchair which the village carpenter
-had made for her, of sufficient breadth to admit her enormous bulk. This
-mode of life naturally caused her embonpoint to make rapid progress from
-day to day. It was beginning to become disquieting, and the innkeeper,
-limping as he did, took a long time to walk around his spouse.
-
-She had heard Goton's outcry and her husband's exclamations, and,
-suspecting that something extraordinary was taking place, she had left
-her broad armchair and waddled along the corridor leading to the
-living-room. As this corridor was narrow, her body closed it
-hermetically and rubbed against the partitions on each side; so that it
-was impossible for anyone to pass through in the opposite direction,
-unless by jumping over her head or crawling between her legs.
-
-It was this enormous mass with which Monsieur Ménard collided when he
-attempted to leave the field of battle, all his youthful vigor being
-restored by the sight of the pistols. Despite the violence with which
-the tutor hurled himself against her, the hostess did not waver; solid
-as a rock, and upheld, too, by the walls of the corridor, the bulky dame
-contented herself with crying in a shrill falsetto:
-
-"What's all this? who is it?"
-
-Ménard, still dazed by the shock, was determined none the less to force
-a passage, and he returned toward the person he had struck, hoping that
-she had moved to one side or the other; he turned to the right and ran
-his nose against a breast which rivalled that of the Hottentot Venus; he
-stepped back and turned to the left, and collided with an arm that would
-have darkened a window.
-
-"Mon Dieu! where am I?" exclaimed poor Ménard, who had no idea of what
-he had come in contact with, and, still trying to go forward, lowered
-his head like a ram; while the hostess cried, louder than ever:
-
-"Who is it? what's he trying to do? where does he want to go?"
-
-Her shrieks attracted the attention of the travellers, peace having been
-restored in the living-room, since Frédéric and Dubourg had exhibited
-their pistols; the four peddlers had become more amiable and had
-mumbled some apologies, with which the young men were content, having no
-desire for a quarrel with such adversaries. So general attention was now
-directed to the corridor.
-
-"It's my wife's voice," said the innkeeper; "something very funny must
-have happened to make her leave her chair!"
-
-He hurried out into the passage with Goton, who carried a light; Dubourg
-and Frédéric followed them, and they discovered the hostess, who was
-shrieking louder than ever, because the sound of approaching footsteps
-had increased Ménard's terror; he had resolved to pass at any cost, and,
-being unable to force a passage on either side, had dropped on his hands
-and knees and tried to crawl between the corpulent dame's legs. But she,
-determined that the unknown, whom she believed to be a thief, should not
-escape, could devise no better way of detaining him than to sit upon
-him; so that she was fairly astride Ménard, when light was thrown on the
-scene.
-
-Goton laughed uproariously, and the innkeeper was petrified with
-amazement. Frédéric and Dubourg tried to discover the meaning of that
-amusing tableau.
-
-"I can't stand it any longer," gasped Ménard, in a dying voice.
-
-"I've got him! he's caught!" exclaimed the hostess triumphantly.
-
-The poor fellow was so effectively caught, that he would have been
-stifled if not rescued. But the innkeeper, jealous of his chaste better
-half, whom he regarded as the most beautiful creature to be found within
-a hundred leagues, instantly stooped and pulled Ménard from under his
-wife's skirts, swearing roundly.
-
-"You villain! sacrebleu! what was you doing under there? ten thousand
-eyes!"
-
-"Oh! he didn't do any harm, I promise you, ducky!" said the hostess
-sweetly, to allay her husband's suspicions; while Ménard, restored at
-last to the light of day, struggled to his feet, with wig awry and
-distorted features.
-
-"Look ye, my friend," continued the innkeeper, "you didn't go in there,
-sacrebleu! to look for violets, did you?"
-
-Ménard looked from one to another, with a dazed expression; he had not
-fully recovered himself. Dubourg succeeded in adjusting matters to
-everybody's satisfaction; he divined why Ménard was trying to get away,
-so he dispelled the host's suspicions, and reassured his wife concerning
-the quarrel in the living-room. Then he ordered Goton to show them to
-their bedrooms; which she did after the landlady had concluded to return
-to her armchair and thus uncork the passage.
-
-The best quarters that they could give our three friends consisted of
-two very dirty rooms, with the ceiling rafters exposed, which cats and
-spiders seemed in the habit of occupying in company with the guests of
-the house. In each room there was a wretched bed, partly surrounded by
-blue and white curtains resembling in design the common salad-bowl we
-see in the country. Both beds were more than five feet high.
-
-"These are modest quarters," said Frédéric, with a smile; "but in war
-time we must take what comes, and it's the same when we travel, eh, my
-dear Ménard?"
-
-"To be sure; a night is soon passed, and these beds look comfortable."
-
-"We shall need a ladder to climb into them."
-
-"I see only two beds, monsieur le comte."
-
-"Oh! don't worry about me," said Dubourg; "I shall not go to bed; I have
-letters to write and despatches to send; and I will finish the night in
-a chair."
-
-"But I don't see any chairs, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Never mind--a chair or a bench. When a man has slept in camp, he's not
-hard to please. But the supper is a long while coming; I'll take a look
-at the kitchen."
-
-Dubourg went downstairs, and Frédéric walked to a window which looked on
-the fields. The moon was shining on the village, where the most perfect
-quiet reigned. The young man mused upon the contrast between life in
-Paris and in that hamlet; he reflected that, at that moment, when the
-villagers had all retired, the fashionable inhabitants of the city were
-at the play or at social festivities, exhibiting their fine clothes and
-jewels, and seeking pleasure. But need one leave the city to find
-striking contrasts? In the house where people are dancing on the first
-floor, on the second there is mourning for the death of a husband or
-father; on the third, a young man is making a passionate declaration of
-love to his sweetheart; on the fourth, a drunkard is beating his wife;
-on the fifth, a gambler is filling his pockets with gold preparatory to
-going out; and under the eaves, a poor girl passes the night in toil to
-earn bread for her mother.
-
-While Frédéric abandoned himself to such reflections, Monsieur Ménard
-inspected the beds, and was pained to find that what he had deemed at
-first sight so soft and comfortable was but a wretched mattress, and a
-straw bed itself nearly four feet thick.
-
-"What an insane idea it is of these villagers to have such enormous
-straw beds!" said Ménard, as he examined the sheets, which scratched his
-hand. "And I fancied that I was going to sink into a soft feather-bed!
-These are terribly poor sheets! And yet, monsieur le baron says that one
-is well taken care of here! I shall go to bed in my drawers. God grant
-that the supper may make up for the rest!"
-
-Dubourg had gone down to speak to his postilion, with whom he settled
-his account, ordering him to leave the place before dawn; for he had
-only three louis left of the twelve Frédéric had lent him, and he was
-not anxious to keep a carriage that he could not pay for. That business
-adjusted, he prowled about Mademoiselle Goton, to whom he wished to say
-a few words. The servant was inclined to look favorably on Dubourg,
-because he had borne himself gallantly with the peddlers; for a
-courageous act pleases a country wench no less than a _petite-maîtresse_;
-but Goton had to help her master in the kitchen, and then serve the four
-men in the living-room, who seemed disposed to pass the night drinking,
-and to postpone their departure till daybreak.
-
-They laughingly toyed with the buxom servant, who had much ado to defend
-herself from the familiarities of those gentry; but Goton was accustomed
-to fighting with such clowns: she boxed the ears of one and kicked
-another; she pinched and scratched, and the fellows found her all the
-more seductive.
-
-Being busily occupied thus in all directions, Goton could do no more
-than whisper a word of hope to Dubourg, giving him to understand that
-the peddlers would be gone at daybreak, her employers asleep, and
-herself more at liberty. This promise delighted our friend; he was
-talking with Goton at the foot of the staircase, and gave her a
-resounding kiss. The girl ran away; but, on looking up, Dubourg saw
-Ménard, who had come out, with a candle in his hand, to ascertain
-whether they were likely to have any supper, and was decidedly amazed to
-see the Palatine of Rava embracing a dishwasher.
-
-Dubourg, who was never disconcerted, went to meet him, saying:
-
-"The Emperor Heliogabalus rewarded the cook who invented a new dish; I
-embrace the person who informs me that our supper is ready."
-
-Ménard asked nothing more; he went back to Frédéric with Dubourg, and
-Goton laid the table in one of the rooms.
-
-"Now to the table, and _vive la gaieté_!" said Dubourg, more at ease
-since he was certain that he would soon be rid of his carriage. Ménard
-responded to the invitation by a gracious smile, and Frédéric finally
-decided to leave the moon and turn his mind to earthly affairs.
-
-"Let us taste the wine first of all," said Dubourg; "is it the best, my
-child?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; it's the best, for we haven't got any other."
-
-"It's a little sour," said Ménard, making a wry face.
-
-"We have some white that's sweeter," said Goton.
-
-"Go and get us some of the white, my dear; don't spare anything; you
-don't have people like us to supper every day."
-
-"No, indeed," said Ménard; "and we will hope that the rabbit stew is
-made with that understanding."
-
-Dubourg served the stew; but the innkeeper, disturbed by his wife's
-adventure in the corridor, had allowed it to burn, and Goton, being
-constantly beset by the four peddlers, had put the onions in too late
-and had not grated the bacon. Dubourg vainly insisted on declaring that
-it had a delicious odor; Ménard said nothing, because he dared not
-contradict monsieur le baron; but his face grew darker with every
-mouthful.
-
-"What infernal kind of a stew is this?" said Frédéric, pushing away the
-plate that Dubourg persisted in offering him. "A rabbit that has had
-nothing to eat but cabbage, raw onions, and rancid lard; and a
-detestable burned taste, in addition."
-
-"It can't be denied," said Ménard, "that it doesn't come up to what
-monsieur le baron told us."
-
-"What do you expect, messieurs?" said Dubourg; "a cook must make
-mistakes sometimes. _Errare humanum est_; isn't that so, Monsieur
-Ménard?"
-
-"A cook ought never _errare_, monsieur le baron."
-
-"It's partly your fault, too. You disturbed his mind; why in the devil
-did you go prowling about under his wife's skirts?"
-
-"I only wanted to get by, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Only a husband should take that road, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-"My intentions were pure, monsieur le baron."
-
-"I never doubted it; but your position was shockingly equivocal."
-
-"Monsieur le baron, in the temple of Apollo, the pythonesses, seated on
-the sacred tripod, received the prophetic exhalations under their
-robes."
-
-"If my wife had seated herself on that tripod, Monsieur Ménard, I should
-have asked for a separation."
-
-Goton put an end to this conversation by bringing an omelet and white
-wine.
-
-"Were the gentlemen satisfied with the stew?" she asked.
-
-"It was worse than the devil!" replied Frédéric.
-
-"It was a total failure," said Ménard.
-
-"My dear child," added Dubourg, "the rabbits in Bretagne don't smell so
-strong of cabbage. They have fine rabbits there; but here you have a
-very bad way of bringing them up."
-
-"It would seem that monsieur le baron has passed a good deal of time in
-Bretagne?" said Ménard, respectfully putting out his hand to take a
-pinch of snuff from the King of Prussia's snuff-box, which Dubourg
-offered him.
-
-"Yes, Monsieur Ménard; and I admit that I still have a weakness for that
-province. I have such delightful recollections of it! Ah! how lovely the
-sky is in Bretagne! And the fields--how pretty they are! What rich
-pastures, what enchanting groves! You can walk leagues and leagues
-without once leaving the leafy thickets and flower-grown paths which
-make the fields of Bretagne one endless garden."
-
-"But Poland, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Oh! Poland has its good points, of course. Have you ever been there,
-Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I have not had that honor, monsieur le baron."
-
-"As you are not familiar with the country, I will talk with you often
-about it."
-
-"It must be a very interesting country."
-
-"Extremely interesting, and extremely picturesque; first of all, we have
-the Krapach Mountains, beside which Mont Cenis is no more than a little
-hillock."
-
-"Oh, indeed! they are covered with snow, of course?"
-
-"Almost all the year. I have a château on the summit of one of those
-mountains, where only chamois can keep their footing."
-
-"But how do you reach your château, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"I have had a winding staircase constructed inside the mountain; it cost
-me a hundred thousand francs, but it's a wonderful piece of work, and
-people come hundreds of miles to see it. I trust, Monsieur Ménard, that
-I shall have the pleasure of showing it to you, and of entertaining you
-for some time at my castle of Krapach. I will give you a glass of a
-certain tokay which came to me from Tekely's cellar; and you will tell
-me what you think of it."
-
-"Ah! monsieur le baron, you overpower me. But it must be very cold at
-your château, is it not?"
-
-"It used to be very cold, in truth, in the days of my ancestors; but,
-thanks to recent scientific discoveries, I have found a way of modifying
-the temperature--a very simple method, which answers my purposes
-perfectly."
-
-"What is it, pray, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"I have built a gasometer under the château; gas, as you know, makes the
-earth very warm; indeed, in some places directly over the pipes, I raise
-green peas in January.--What is it, my dear count? drink, drink, or you
-will choke!"
-
-Frédéric had, in fact, much difficulty in listening to this discourse,
-which Dubourg delivered with imperturbable gravity, while Ménard
-listened with childlike confidence to every word uttered by the baron.
-
-At that moment, the conversation was interrupted by a violent shock,
-followed by an ominous cracking.
-
-"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed Ménard; "what can that be? This house doesn't seem
-to be very solidly built."
-
-"Can it be that they are firing cannon to celebrate our arrival in the
-village?" Dubourg asked Goton, who replied, with a laugh:
-
-"Oh! no, monsieur; it ain't anything; it's only madame going to bed,
-that's all."
-
-This explanation made the young men laugh; but Ménard was not satisfied
-until he was assured that the hostess slept on the same floor; he would
-not have consented to pass the night on the floor below a woman who
-shook the house whenever she moved; it was quite enough to remain under
-the same roof with her.
-
-The white wine, being a little more palatable than the red, enabled them
-to eat an omelet with parsley, which Dubourg tried in vain to make them
-think was tarragon. For dessert there was nothing to offer the
-travellers except some Géromé cheese, which could have walked to the
-table unassisted at need, and the odor of which drove Frédéric from his
-seat. He went to bed in the other room, bidding the servant wake him
-early in the morning, as he had no desire to prolong his stay at the
-inn. Monsieur Ménard deemed it his duty to remain with the baron, who
-plied him with bumper after bumper and went into raptures over the taste
-of the cheese, which, he said, reminded him of what he had eaten in
-Switzerland, thereby putting an end to the ex-tutor's desire to lunch or
-sup in a chalet.
-
-"Yes, Monsieur Ménard," said Dubourg; "if you should go to Gruyčre, a
-small Swiss village noted for its cheeses, which are its only source of
-wealth, you would smell a league away the chalets in which they are
-made. When you have passed a night in one of them, you smell the cheese
-for a week, an excellent thing for the lungs. But you must feel the need
-of rest, Monsieur Ménard; pray go to bed. I propose to pass the night
-writing."
-
-"Monsieur le baron, I shall never dare to take the liberty--before
-you----"
-
-"Why not, pray? Diogenes went to bed in his tub, before Alexander; and
-Crates did not hesitate to show his rump to his fellow citizens."
-
-"It is you who order me to do it, monsieur le baron."
-
-"I don't order you to show me your rump, Monsieur Ménard; but I urge you
-to go to bed as if I weren't here."
-
-Fatigue and the white wine combined to make sleep essential to Ménard,
-so he did not wait to be urged again; he went behind the flowered
-curtains, and prepared to retire. Meanwhile, Dubourg, seated at a table
-in a corner of the room, pretended to look over papers and take notes,
-but he was really waiting impatiently for the tutor to fall asleep, in
-order to give the postilion of the berlin the signal to go; for he was
-afraid that Ménard would wake early, and it would be very embarrassing
-if the carriage were not then at a safe distance from the village. For
-this reason, he was anxious to hasten the postilion's departure.
-
-The gate was not closed; Goton alone would see what took place; Dubourg
-knew how to assure her discretion.
-
-It was a quarter of an hour since Ménard had disappeared behind the
-curtains. Dubourg thought that he must be asleep, and was about to go
-downstairs, when he heard a suppressed groan from the direction of the
-bed.
-
-"Aren't you feeling well, Monsieur Ménard?" he asked, partly opening the
-curtains.
-
-What was his surprise to find poor Ménard, in shirt and drawers and a
-cotton nightcap, standing beside the bed, and trying in vain to reach
-the top with the aid of a chair which was too low to bring his short
-legs on a level with the mattress.
-
-"What, Monsieur Ménard! not in bed yet?"
-
-"No, monsieur le baron; I have been trying in vain for ten minutes to
-climb up into my bed. Isn't it an outrage? I call it making fools of
-their guests to give them beds that reach the ceiling! Everybody isn't
-six feet tall; and unless one's a giant----"
-
-"Come, come, don't get excited, Monsieur Ménard; why didn't you call me
-to help you?"
-
-"Oh! monsieur le baron, I shouldn't have presumed to take the liberty."
-
-"You were wrong, for you can't pass the whole night trying to climb into
-bed."
-
-Without awaiting a reply, Dubourg bade Ménard stand on the chair; then,
-placing his hands upon a certain rotund portion of the professor's
-anatomy, he put forth all his strength to lift him into the bed.
-
-"_Sic itur ad astra!_" he said.
-
-"_Labor improbus omnia vincit_" rejoined Ménard, trying to seize his
-bolster.
-
-"Ouf!" exclaimed Dubourg.
-
-"I am there, monsieur le baron!" cried Ménard, delighted to be safely in
-bed at last.
-
-"That's very lucky! Good-night!"
-
-"A thousand thanks, monsieur le baron!"
-
-When he left the bed, Dubourg was careful to remove the chair that stood
-beside it, thus making it certain that Ménard would not rise until he,
-Dubourg, chose. This precaution might result in placing the tutor in an
-unfortunate position; whether it did so, the sequel will show.
-
-Ménard had not been in bed five minutes before he was snoring
-vociferously.
-
-"Good! I am safe now," thought Dubourg; and, taking his light, he went
-down noiselessly into the innyard. As he passed the living-room, he
-glanced in: two of the peddlers were asleep on the table, the others
-were still drinking; but everything indicated that they would soon
-follow their companions' example.
-
-Dubourg found his postilion, and, putting a five-franc piece in his
-hand, ordered him to start at once. In a very few minutes, the horses
-were harnessed, and the noble palatine's berlin was out of the village.
-
-"But how are you going to manage about going away to-morrow?" queried
-Goton, who had just joined Dubourg in the yard.
-
-"Oh! we have another carriage, an excellent post chaise, which is being
-repaired for us; as to what I have just done, I am going to tell you
-what you must say; do you understand, Goton?"
-
-As he spoke, he slipped two five-franc pieces into the girl's pocket; it
-was a larger sum than the poor drudge often earned in six months at that
-wretched inn, and the sight of the two great coins made her as docile as
-a lamb.
-
-"Oh! that's enough," she said, as Dubourg put his arms about her robust
-figure; "that's enough! I'll say whatever you want me to; anyway, that
-carriage was yours, and you could do what you please with it. _Jarni!_
-you tickle me! don't pinch so hard! Oh! what a man!"
-
-"Where is your room, Goton?"
-
-"My room? I haven't got any room; I sleep in the little barn over there,
-with the cow. _Dame!_ I don't have anything but an old straw bed on the
-ground, because the missus says there's no use of wearing out sheets.
-But it ain't cold there, anyway; Bebelle keeps me warm."
-
-"Who's Bebelle?"
-
-"Why, she's our cow. Oh! she's so soft and warm! But how he pinches!
-Dieu! what a pincher you are!"
-
-"Come to your room; we can talk better there; with you, Goton, the barn
-becomes a boudoir, and straw, feathers."
-
-"What's a boudoir?"
-
-"Come, and I'll tell you."
-
-"And what about the peddlers?"
-
-"They don't need you any more; haven't they paid their bills?"
-
-"Yes. Anyway, master knows 'em."
-
-"In that case, there's no need of your sitting up any longer."
-
-"But suppose they should want anything?"
-
-"Two of them are sound asleep already, and the two others will very soon
-be in the same condition. Come, I tell you; it's nonsense to sit up till
-daylight for them. You need sleep, Goton."
-
-The servant was half vanquished. She ceased to resist Dubourg's
-arguments, and allowed him to lead her to the cow-barn, which they both
-entered, closing the door behind them. The door had no other fastening
-than a hook on the outside; but the girl slept there without fear, as
-there were no robbers thereabout.
-
-But one of the peddlers was not asleep; he, too, was engrossed by
-thoughts of Goton, and he was waiting for his companions to lose
-themselves in slumber before attempting to join the seductive servant.
-
-This man had noticed that one of the strangers was prowling about Goton,
-and it had irritated him; but he had not dared to watch him too closely,
-being still held in respect by the recollection of the pistols.
-
-When all three of his comrades had their heads on the table, he rose
-softly and went out to look for Goton, knowing the location of her
-bedroom. He took no light, in order not to betray his whereabouts, and
-crept stealthily toward the cow-barn.
-
-He was still some yards away, when he heard two voices saying some very
-pretty things to each other; he crept nearer, and grasped the thread of
-the conversation distinctly enough; for Dubourg and Goton, thinking
-that their only neighbors were animals, were talking together without
-restraint.
-
-The peddler was furious, but how could he be revenged? He had no desire
-to pick a quarrel with Dubourg; it would be a waste of time to call the
-landlord, for that worthy man and his spouse always locked themselves in
-their room to avoid being disturbed; besides, who would dare to assume
-the task of getting the hostess out of bed? and, after all, what did it
-matter to them that a guest was with their servant? they probably did
-not consider themselves responsible for Goton's virtue.
-
-The peddler determined to play some trick on the amorous couple. He
-could think of nothing better than to hook the door on the outside,
-which he did very softly, then stole away, delighted with his exploit,
-and saying to himself:
-
-"They won't get out of that place till someone lets 'em out; for the
-door's a stout one, and I defy 'em to break it down."
-
-He joined his companions; day broke ere long, and their business
-required the peddlers to leave the inn. They were soon ready, and, as
-they shouldered their packs, they listened to their confrčre's story of
-the trick he had played on the stranger. They all applauded him, being
-overjoyed to be revenged on a man who had refused to be frightened by
-their cudgels; and they went their way, laughing at the thought of the
-scene that would take place at the inn in the morning.
-
-During these occurrences, Ménard did not continue in the same tranquil
-state in which we left him. The white wine, with which monsieur le baron
-had filled his glass so often, produced its due effect. Ménard woke; he
-turned over and put out his hand to find the chair, which he expected to
-use as a means of descending from his bed; for in such wretched inns
-there is never a night table. But to no purpose did he stretch out his
-arm and feel about in all directions. He could find no chair! In that
-case, how was he to climb down from that bed, which reached to the roof?
-yet he felt sure that it was becoming absolutely necessary. He listened,
-but could hear nothing; he put aside the curtains--the most profound
-darkness reigned in the room. Monsieur le baron must have gone to sleep
-in his chair, as he had planned to do; but, in any event, how could he
-presume to ask the Palatine of Rava to give him the---- No, he could
-never do that! On the other hand, to jump out of bed was to run the risk
-of hurting himself, or at least of not being able to get back. It was
-most embarrassing, and poor Ménard, sitting up in bed, could not decide
-what course to pursue.
-
-Necessity knows no law, says an old proverb; besides, monsieur le baron
-was so kind and good-natured and obliging! This thought emboldened
-Ménard; he coughed, gently at first, then a little louder; and finally
-he ventured to call, in a low tone:
-
-"Monsieur le baron--if you are not asleep, may I presume to ask you to
-assist me? I am sadly embarrassed, monsieur le baron."
-
-But at that moment Baron Dubourg was with Goton, busily engaged in
-teaching her what a boudoir is, and that a garret, a thicket, a loft, a
-cave, a kitchen, a cellar, or a barn may deserve that name when one is
-in either of those places with one's love. And Goton understood the
-lesson perfectly, because she was quick-witted, and because Dubourg, who
-had had some experience, was an excellent teacher.
-
-"Monsieur le baron must sleep very soundly," thought Ménard. "What a
-cursed place this is! this infernal bed, where I can't turn over
-without pricking my legs--I believe the mattress is stuffed with oat
-straw! Well, no matter what happens, I must try to slide down."
-
-He had put one of his short legs over the edge of the bed, when he heard
-a tremendous uproar in the room; a chair was overturned, a jug that
-stood on it fell to the floor and broke, and a number of dark objects
-scuttled along the wall and went out through the door. Ménard was stiff
-with terror.
-
-"Monsieur le baron, monsieur le baron!" he called, in a stifled voice;
-"is that you?"
-
-There was no reply. The poor man had not the courage to leave the bed,
-but buried his head under the clothes; his fright causing him to lose
-all power of restraint, it soon became unnecessary for him to get out,
-and he fell asleep without being further disturbed; for it was neither
-thieves nor hobgoblins who had caused the tumult in his chamber, but
-simply two cats, which, finding the door open, had paid a visit to their
-usual place of abode. While fighting over a bit of rabbit, which
-monsieur le baron had tossed under the table while declaring that it was
-delicious, the beasts had overturned a chair on which was a jug of
-water, and the noise had so terrified them that they fled incontinently,
-abandoning the subject of controversy.
-
-Meanwhile, the day had broken. The innkeeper quitted his chaste partner,
-who rose at six but was not dressed until nine. Frédéric woke, and so
-did Ménard, the latter being very uncomfortable for reasons which you
-can guess. Dubourg, having no further instruction to give Goton, desired
-to return to his room, and Goton found it harder than usual to leave her
-pallet, because Dubourg's lessons had fatigued her. But the pretended
-baron tried in vain to leave the shed. For five minutes he pushed and
-shook the door, which did not yield.
-
-"Goton--Goton, did you lock the door?" he asked.
-
-"Naw! it don't lock," replied the girl, rubbing her eyes.
-
-"But I can't open it."
-
-"Push hard."
-
-"I am pushing as hard as I can, but it won't open."
-
-"Bah! you city folks haven't got any strength!" said the servant; and
-she struck the door a violent blow with her fist, but without effect.
-
-"_Jarni!_ someone must have hooked it outside."
-
-"Who in the devil can have played us such a trick?"
-
-"_Pardi!_ it must have been one of the peddlers--because they had their
-eyes on me, don't you see? and perhaps they saw that you was in here."
-
-"I haven't any desire to pass my day in this shed."
-
-"I'll milk the cow for you."
-
-"Much obliged."
-
-"And you can tell me something."
-
-"I don't know anything more. This smell of cow and filth goes to my
-head."
-
-"Oh! you said just now that this shed was a little--what d'you call
-it?--a pretty little _bouloir_, with me."
-
-"Oh! there's a great difference between _just now_ and _now_. A place
-ceases to be agreeable, Goton, when you are compelled to stay in it. But
-it's broad daylight; if that window wasn't so small, we could get out
-through it."
-
-"Oh! you can't do that."
-
-"Ah! I have an idea! We must make the best of it. Bring that stone here,
-Goton; stand on it with me, so that our heads will be near the window,
-and then shout as I do."
-
-"What will I shout?"
-
-"What I do."
-
-Dubourg put his face to the round hole over the door, and began to cry
-at the top of his voice:
-
-"Help! thieves! stop the carriage! thieves!"
-
-"Where's the thieves?" whispered Goton.
-
-"Will you do what I tell you to?" repeated Dubourg.
-
-"All right; I'll yell, if it amuses you," rejoined the servant. And her
-strong voice, reinforcing Dubourg's, soon aroused the whole household
-and a good part of the village.
-
-The innkeeper ran to the spot as fast as his left leg allowed, it being
-two inches shorter than the other. Frédéric came out of his room; Ménard
-sat up in bed, and succeeded, with his pupil's aid, in reaching the
-floor. He dressed in haste, and went downstairs close on the heels of
-Frédéric, who had recognized Dubourg's voice and was more curious than
-alarmed, suspecting some new invention on the baron's part. They all
-went out into the yard, where they were joined by the neighbors and a
-number of laborers on their way to work, who had been attracted by
-Dubourg's reiterated shouts of:
-
-"Thieves! stop the carriage!"
-
-They looked about, but saw no carriage; whereupon Goton roared:
-
-"Monsieur le baron's carriage has run off!"
-
-The shed door was opened at last, and Dubourg rushed out like a madman,
-raving and swearing, heedless of the fact that his trousers were stained
-with filth.
-
-"What's the matter, monsieur le baron?" queried Ménard, in dismay.
-
-"The matter? my berlin--that scoundrel of a postilion! he has run away
-and taken it with him--with fifty thousand francs in gold that I had in
-one of the pockets!"
-
-"Oh! mon Dieu!"
-
-"My father's berlin! the equipage of the Potoskis! It isn't the money
-that I regret--but a berlin in which the Princess of Hungary---- Ah! my
-friends, scour the country in all directions--follow every road--a
-hundred louis to the man who brings it back!"
-
-"A hundred louis to the man who brings back the carriage!" said Goton.
-
-"They will be very smart if they overtake it," said Dubourg, in an
-undertone; "it must be near to Paris now."
-
-"But how did you come to be locked into the shed with Goton?" inquired
-the innkeeper.
-
-"I should think you might guess that. I heard a noise in the yard during
-the night; I came downstairs softly and found my rascal harnessing the
-horses, intending to make his escape while we were asleep. Unluckily, I
-had no weapons, and the postilion is a much stronger man than I am. I
-attempted to go to call you, but the villain seized me, and, despite my
-resistance, forced me into the barn, where this girl was sleeping, and
-locked us in there. We began at once to shout for help; but you sleep
-like dead men."
-
-"Yes, yes, that's how it was!" said Goton, understanding now why Dubourg
-had told her to shout _thieves_.
-
-"You must go to monsieur le maire," said Ménard; "you must have the
-police ordered out.--There's a mayor here, of course?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; the wine merchant; but he'll have to send to the next
-village for the police, and that will take two hours."
-
-"Don't be disturbed, my dear Ménard," said Frédéric, with a smile, "we
-have a comfortable post chaise to take the place of monsieur le baron's
-berlin."
-
-"But fifty thousand francs in gold, monsieur le comte!"
-
-"Oh! it isn't the loss of the money that distresses me," said Dubourg;
-"my fortune can stand that loss. Luckily, I still have fifteen thousand
-francs in my wallet, to pay my expenses for some little time; but I
-especially regret my wardrobe; there was a great trunk under the
-carriage, full of clothes and linen."
-
-"Certainly," observed Frédéric, with a mischievous glance at Dubourg and
-Goton, "you need a change of clothing now; you must have fallen while
-you were in the barn."
-
-Dubourg looked at him with an expression that signified: "I don't know
-why you need have called attention to that!" as he replied:
-
-"I certainly didn't go in like a lamb; ask Goton how the rascal handled
-me!"
-
-"Oh! yes," said the servant, "he threw you down more'n four times."
-
-"At all events, my friend, my wardrobe is at your service," said
-Frédéric.
-
-"And mine too, monsieur le baron," added Ménard, bowing to Dubourg; and
-he went back to his room to finish dressing, the baron having promised
-to go and lodge a complaint with the mayor.
-
-Frédéric's postilion came at last to inform the travellers that the
-chaise was ready. Ménard came down from his room, thanking heaven that
-they were to leave that inn, which had been so disastrous to them. Goton
-came down behind him, and whispered to Dubourg:
-
-"One of your friends ain't very well brought up; a man of his age do
-such things as that! If my little brother did it, he'd get a licking."
-
-In two words, Dubourg learned what had happened; he could not help
-laughing at the catastrophe, for which he was responsible; while Ménard
-glared angrily at the servant, who put out her tongue at him, shrugged
-her shoulders, and followed him about, saying in an undertone:
-
-"For shame! what a dirty trick! a man fifty years old! who ain't learned
-to be clean!"
-
-The carriage awaited the travellers, and they took their seats with much
-satisfaction: Dubourg, overjoyed to be rid of his berlin; Ménard,
-impatient to leave Goton and the inn, for which he had conceived an
-intense aversion; and Frédéric, because he was much more comfortable in
-the roomy, well-hung post chaise than in monsieur le baron's wretched
-berlin.
-
-Ménard sighed once or twice for the seat that the Princess of Hungary
-had occupied; but he still had to console him the King of Prussia's
-snuff-box, and the prospect of drinking tokay from Tekely's cellar.
-
-
-
-
-VI
-
-THE LITTLE WOOD
-
-
-Our travellers reached the next village without mishap, and stopped
-there to breakfast. Ménard admired the tranquillity with which their
-noble companion bore the twofold loss of his carriage and his fifty
-thousand francs.
-
-"I am a philosopher, Monsieur Ménard," said Dubourg; "and I care little
-for money; indeed, I think that I should prefer mediocrity to a too
-exalted station: _Magna servitus est magna fortuna_."
-
-"You are no ordinary man, my dear Dubourg," said Frédéric; "there are so
-many people whose philosophy does not outlast their prosperity, like
-the coward who boasts of his courage when the danger has passed."
-
-"I certainly am not ambitious," rejoined Ménard; "and I know how to bow
-to circumstances; but I consider that it requires great strength of mind
-to give up without regret a good table and a good bed; and when I say a
-good bed, I don't mean a high one."
-
-Dubourg observed that when they had breakfasted it was Monsieur Ménard
-who paid the bill.
-
-"Don't you carry the purse?" he asked Frédéric, in an undertone.
-
-"No; my father gave the funds to Ménard."
-
-"The devil! that's a nuisance. What will he think, when he sees that I
-never pay?"
-
-"Why, after your saying that you had been robbed, did you add that you
-still had fifteen thousand francs in your pocket?"
-
-"Oh! why, why! because I wanted to play the great man, and not let your
-companion imagine that you would pay my expenses."
-
-"I don't dare to ask Ménard for the money; I should be afraid of hurting
-his feelings."
-
-"Never fear; I'll undertake to make him turn it over of his own motion."
-
-"How?"
-
-"You will see."
-
-"When you hold the purse-strings, don't play the swell too much;
-remember that we shall not have any more for a long while."
-
-"Can it be that you believe that I am still a rattle-head and gambler,
-as I was in Paris? No, my dear Frédéric, I am too well pleased to be
-travelling with you, to make a fool of myself; I tell you again, I mean
-to be a second Mentor."
-
-"Yes; your performance in the cow-barn is a very promising beginning."
-
-"Oh! but I had to invent some lie to account for the berlin."
-
-"And that made it necessary to lock yourself in there with Mademoiselle
-Goton! you ne'er-do-well!"
-
-"Bah! don't make yourself out such a Cato! If Mademoiselle Goton had had
-melancholy eyes and a sentimental cast of countenance, you would have
-gone with her to pasture the cows."
-
-"Well, at all events, I beg you not to do so much gasconading with poor
-Ménard, who believes every word; for, to remove any possible suspicion
-from his mind, I have taken pains to tell him that I know your family
-intimately, and that you are highly esteemed in Paris."
-
-"You have done very well. I only tell him as much as I think necessary
-to carry out my part; you don't seem to remember that I call myself a
-Polish nobleman."
-
-"That's the reason, I suppose, that you talk about nothing but
-Bretagne!"
-
-The travellers resumed their journey. Before reaching the town where
-they proposed to pass the night, they had to ride through a dense
-forest; and Dubourg, who had his scheme all prepared, began operations
-by giving a serious turn to the conversation, for he was well aware that
-one's frame of mind adds to or takes from the size of objects, and that
-in real life, as on the stage, one must know how to prepare and lead up
-to situations, in order that they may produce the greatest effect.
-
-"I know nothing more delightful than travelling," said Dubourg; "why is
-it that one's pleasure must always be lessened by the thought that some
-unfortunate accident may upset all one's plans?"
-
-"It is so with all the pleasures of life," rejoined Frédéric; "can you
-name one upon which we can rely for the morrow? It is a great joy to be
-loved by the woman you adore; but when you feel sure that you are not
-indifferent to her, when you rely on her heart and her oaths, some young
-Adonis appears, who fascinates her; some handsome soldier, who turns her
-head; some scintillating wit, who charms her mind--and that woman,
-faithful until then, betrays you at the very moment that you feel most
-confident of her love. Alas! the happiness of our whole future often
-depends only upon some trivial circumstance, and crumbles and falls like
-a house built of cards."
-
-"Monsieur de Montreville talks very wisely," said Ménard; "we are often
-sadly disappointed in our hopes; how many times have I dined at a famous
-restaurant, when the soup was a failure!"
-
-"A philosopher endures such disasters, in fortune, in love, or in
-pleasure," said Dubourg; "but there are things against which even
-philosophy cannot prevail; as, for instance, being attacked and murdered
-by brigands on the highroad."
-
-These words made Ménard shudder; his face lengthened, his expression
-became anxious, and he turned to Dubourg, whose features wore a gloomy
-look in which there was nothing reassuring.
-
-"Such affairs are, in truth, very unpleasant for travellers. They say,
-monsieur le baron, that travelling is very dangerous in Italy. You have
-travelled so much, that you can probably tell us."
-
-"Unquestionably there are brigands in Italy, Monsieur Ménard. The
-peculiarity of that country is that the roads are most dangerous at
-noon, for no one but the brigands dares to face the hot sun at that
-time of day. However, if there are highway robbers in the Apennines and
-in Germany and England, unfortunately there's no lack of them in France.
-It's quite as dangerous now to travel in France."
-
-"What! in France, monsieur le baron? I thought that the roads were
-perfectly safe."
-
-"Then you don't read the papers, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"Very rarely."
-
-"If you did, you would see that the forests of Sénart, Bondy,
-Fontainebleau, and even Villers-Cotterets, all have their bands of
-robbers."
-
-"Mon Dieu!"
-
-"Unfortunately, the villains are becoming more savage day by day. They
-used to content themselves with robbing you, but now they beat you with
-clubs, and you're lucky if you leave their hands alive."
-
-"The deuce! the deuce! if I had known this!" muttered Ménard, looking
-about him uneasily. They were just entering the wood.
-
-"Oh! don't be alarmed, Monsieur Ménard," continued Dubourg; "ordinarily,
-the robbers confine their attentions to the one who has the money; he
-has to pay for the others: they tie him to a tree and strip him as bare
-as a worm, to make sure that he has nothing hidden in his clothing."
-
-"That does not quiet my apprehensions at all, monsieur le baron; for, as
-it happens, I have charge of the money for our journey."
-
-"Oh! if I had known that, I wouldn't have told you. I thought that
-Frédéric---- But in that case you must sell your life dearly. You are
-armed, of course?"
-
-"I never use weapons, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Then you must learn to use them; at this moment, we are driving through
-a forest where three friends of mine were killed."
-
-"What's that! in this wood? It does seem very dense."
-
-And Ménard glanced fearfully to right and left. It was beginning to grow
-dark, and that fact added to his terror.
-
-"Drive at full speed, postilion!" he cried, in a trembling voice.
-
-But the postilion, who had received his instructions from Dubourg, did
-not quicken his pace. Frédéric said nothing, but seemed lost in thought,
-and Dubourg took his pistols from his pocket and examined them
-carefully, glancing into the woods from time to time.
-
-"Parbleu! Monsieur Ménard," he said, taking from his pocket a shabby
-green wallet, in which he had placed his last restaurant bill to make it
-appear well filled, "this contains my whole fortune for the moment. The
-fifteen thousand francs which I now have for my travelling expenses are
-in this wallet; as you have been obliging enough to take charge of
-Frédéric's funds, I am sure that you will consent to be my cashier, too;
-there is no need of having two of us to pay our hotel bills; it's much
-better that you should do it all."
-
-As he spoke, he handed Ménard the wallet; that worthy looked at it,
-considering what it was best to do; although flattered by that mark of
-confidence, he was not tempted to accept it.
-
-At that moment, they heard a shrill whistle in the woods.
-
-"Ah! what does that mean?" exclaimed Dubourg, glancing about with a
-terrified expression.
-
-"Perhaps we are going to be attacked, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Faith! I am afraid of it."
-
-"And Monsieur Frédéric is asleep; pray wake him."
-
-Frédéric, pretending to be fast asleep, was an amused listener.
-
-"There's no need of that.--Take these, Monsieur Ménard," said Dubourg,
-handing the tutor his wallet and his pistols; "they are loaded."
-
-"Keep them, keep them, in heaven's name, monsieur le baron. I can't take
-this wallet. On the contrary, if you were willing, you would be much
-better able than I to take care of these."
-
-And poor Ménard produced in one hand his wallet, and in the other a
-purse filled with gold, and fixed his eyes upon Dubourg with a suppliant
-expression.
-
-"Really," said the latter, "I don't know if I ought to undertake----
-Perhaps Frédéric will be offended if----"
-
-"Oh! no, no, monsieur le baron; I am sure that he will approve of my
-action."
-
-"Here are four men with rifles coming toward us," said the postilion.
-
-"Great God! we are lost!" cried Ménard.
-
-"Give them to me, quickly," said Dubourg, taking the wallet and the
-purse; "I see that this is a matter for me to attend to."
-
-Ménard hid under the seat; the postilion shouted and swore, and lashed
-his horses; Dubourg leaned out of the chaise and fired both his pistols
-in the air; Frédéric pretended to wake up; the carriage flew like the
-wind, and in five minutes they were out of the wood.
-
-"We are safe!" said Dubourg, assisting Ménard to rise.
-
-"Really, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"We are out of the woods; there's no more danger. We had a narrow
-escape, eh, Frédéric?"
-
-"And the robbers, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"I killed two of them."
-
-"I saw the other two run away," said Frédéric.
-
-"Ah! monsieur le baron, how lucky we were to have you with us!"
-
-They arrived in due time at their destination. Dubourg was delighted to
-be the treasurer of the party, and he inaugurated his functions by
-giving the postilion a gold piece for whistling in the forest.
-
-
-
-
-VII
-
-DUBOURG CONTINUES TO PLAY THE GREAT MAN.--HIS METHOD OF MANAGING THE
-TREASURY
-
-
-Dubourg had never had in his possession so large a sum of money as that
-which Ménard had intrusted to him. Young men, as a general rule, are not
-in the habit of hoarding money, and Dubourg, who was devoted to cards
-and pleasure and good cheer, thinking only of the present, oblivious of
-the past, and never worrying about the future, had not the faintest idea
-of economy.
-
-When he was a clerk in a government office, his salary was always so
-largely hypothecated that he never received more than a third of it, and
-that third never lasted more than three days, during which period, to be
-sure, Dubourg lived like the chief of a bureau.
-
-In the banking-house, being compelled to work hard, he took his revenge
-by ordering dainty breakfasts brought to the office; and his accounts at
-cafés and restaurants consumed a large part of the amount the cashier
-paid him at the month's end.
-
-At the notary's, he had contracted, with the other young men in the
-office, the deplorable habit of playing écarté. It was worse than ever
-there: the month's pay vanished in one evening, and he was in luck when
-he did not pledge the next month's as well.
-
-In the employ of the solicitor, being constantly abroad with the lady
-whom his employer intrusted to him, he lost the habit of working; he
-passed his time in dissipation, and strove to follow the fashions and
-rival the young dandies of the capital. During that period, his tailor,
-his bootmaker, and his stableman had divided his income.
-
-When his kind old aunt sent him money, it was never a large amount. The
-largest was the five hundred francs which he had extorted by the fable
-of his marriage and his triplets; we have seen what use he made of that.
-
-Eight thousand francs--for the amount was almost untouched--was, in
-Dubourg's eyes, a fortune of which he would never see the end. To be
-sure, it did not belong to him, strictly speaking; but he could direct
-the spending of it; he could do exactly as he pleased, for he was
-certain of not being called upon for an accounting. He did not propose
-to appropriate a single sou, but he did propose to put it to such use as
-would do honor to him to whom it belonged, and he was not sorry to be
-able to enjoy it with him.
-
-He ordered a delicious supper, which was served in their apartments, the
-finest in the house.
-
-When he saw all the dishes with which the table was laden, Frédéric
-exclaimed:
-
-"Why, are you mad, Dubourg?"--for he continued to call him by that name
-before Ménard, who had become accustomed to it--"here is supper enough
-for ten!"
-
-"I have an excellent appetite, my dear Frédéric, and am disposed to do
-full honor to it; I'll wager that Monsieur Ménard will second me."
-
-"With the very greatest pleasure, monsieur le baron; that affair in the
-woods made a hole in my stomach."
-
-"But you surely have condemned all the other guests of the house to a
-bread and water diet."
-
-"Faith! they may eat what they can find; it seems to me natural that we
-should make up to ourselves for the miserable meal we had last night at
-that horrible inn."
-
-"I quite agree with monsieur le baron; we are sadly in need of restoring
-our strength."
-
-"But----"
-
-"What the devil! do you want to travel like wolves? and eat at table
-d'hôte like paltry pedestrians? A man should support his rank, my
-friend, and I judge, from the feeling, that my stomach isn't inclined to
-backslide."
-
-"Monsieur le baron talks very judiciously; you must support your rank,"
-said Ménard, accepting a chicken wing which Dubourg offered him; "that
-is your father's wish, you know, Monsieur Frédéric."
-
-"Yes, my friend," said Dubourg, filling his glass with the oldest wine
-that the cellar of the inn contained; "I think you should certainly
-yield to your father's wish; and, on my word, all things considered, I
-don't see why I should retain my incognito any longer. We're a long way
-from Paris. I am done with it; I resume my titles, and I propose to be
-treated with the honors that are due me."
-
-"Oh! Dubourg, Dubourg! you will get us into some scrape," said Frédéric,
-in an undertone; but his friend paid no heed; he was excited by the
-wine, and he had never felt in such high spirits. He drank glass after
-glass, while Ménard, with a glutton's delight, helped himself to
-mushroom pie, the odor of which tickled his olfactory nerve.
-
-"What do you think of my plan, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"That has always been my wish, as you know, monsieur le baron."
-
-"It is settled; I am baron, palatine, et cetera; and we will make it
-manifest wherever we go."
-
-"Certainly, monsieur le baron; the nobility of your manners will always
-cause you to be recognized for what you are."
-
-"Bravo, Monsieur Ménard! spoken like a true boon companion! But as to
-Frédéric, he is unworthy to sit at our table. A little more of this
-hare, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"With pleasure, monsieur le baron."
-
-"We must be philosophical--when we can't help it; but true philosophy
-consists in making the most of life, in enjoying one's self whenever the
-opportunity offers. _Dulce est desipere in loco_, says Horace. Eh,
-Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur le baron; but Juvenal advises infrequent indulgence in
-pleasures: _Voluptatis commendat rarior usus_."
-
-"Juvenal probably had a weak stomach."
-
-"That is very possible, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Another glass, Monsieur Ménard; to the memory of Anacreon, Epicurus,
-Horace, and all good livers!"
-
-"We forget Lucullus, monsieur le baron."
-
-"True; another bumper, to Lucullus!"
-
-By dint of drinking to the memory of the ancients, the two were
-beginning to lose all memory of the present.
-
-"Faith!" cried Dubourg, rising from the table; "I defy all the palatines
-of Rava, Cracow, and Krapach to eat a better supper!"
-
-"Take care what you are saying, you infernal babbler!" muttered
-Frédéric.
-
-"Never you fear," retorted Dubourg, speaking louder than ever; "I'll
-answer for everything, I tell you; and Papa Ménard is a man whom I
-esteem and love, and whose eyes I will close with pheasants or
-truffles."
-
-Luckily, Ménard was in such a condition that he could not distinguish
-clearly what was being said. Bewildered by the frequent libations in
-which he had indulged with his noble companion, he left the table to go
-to his room. He felt his way along the walls till he reached his bed,
-which he had ordered to be made very low. He retired, well pleased with
-the feast he had enjoyed and with the baron's manner of doing the honors
-of the table; he considered that he had done exceedingly well to intrust
-the financial arrangements to him, for he himself would not have dared
-to order so delicious a repast; and he foresaw that the baron, who
-seemed to be both a gourmand and an epicure, would continue to feed them
-on the fat of the land, as he had abandoned his incognito. In a word,
-Ménard was delighted with their travelling companion, and he fell asleep
-musing upon the pleasures and the honor which he should enjoy on that
-journey.
-
-On the following day, Frédéric attempted to talk prudence to Dubourg,
-who instantly retorted:
-
-"Do you want to take the funds? Do so, give such orders as you please;
-it's your right. But, absorbed as you always are in melancholy
-reflections, you won't feed us decently; and when you are travelling
-for pleasure, it seems to me that food is a most essential thing to look
-out for."
-
-"But be reasonable, at least."
-
-"Oh! you are greatly to be pitied, aren't you, for having two men with
-you to keep you amused--one by his wit, the other by the way he puts
-himself outside of a partridge."
-
-"But what's the meaning of this idea of playing the great man before
-everybody?"
-
-"Because we shall have more sport. Besides, you are a count; I must be a
-baron at least, in order to travel on equal terms with you."
-
-"But the money will go much faster."
-
-"Bah! we shan't see the end of it for a long while yet; and then, you
-have a father, and I an aunt."
-
-"I advise you to rely on them!"
-
-"At all events, you see that your mentor approves of my method."
-
-"Parbleu! you make him tipsy, and he doesn't know what he's saying."
-
-"Don't worry; I'll answer for everything."
-
-When they resumed their journey, the horses, which belonged to Frédéric,
-went like the wind. Ménard was slightly dazed by the rapid motion, but
-he said to himself: "These nobles always travel at full speed;" and
-clung to the door to keep from falling.
-
-At every inn, they were treated with the greatest respect, as men of
-high rank. Everywhere they had the best rooms, the daintiest dishes, the
-oldest wines. And Ménard was delighted, enchanted, because he believed
-that monsieur le baron had put his fifteen thousand francs with the sum
-he had handed him, and because he judged him to be too large-hearted
-and generous to give a thought to the difference between their
-contributions.
-
-In due time, our travellers reached Lyon, having paused on the way only
-to admire an occasional view and to give their horses time to breathe.
-But they proposed to pass several days in that city. Young Montreville
-was very glad of an opportunity to see it and its suburbs, and, above
-all, to visit the shores of the Rhône; and his two companions consented,
-with pleasure, to tarry some time in a city where they could live as
-well as in Paris.
-
-They alighted at one of the best hotels. The noise made by Dubourg, the
-distinguished aspect of Frédéric, and the pains that Ménard took to
-repeat again and again: "You have the honor of entertaining Monsieur le
-Baron Potoski, Palatine of Rava, and the young Comte de Montreville,"
-attracted universal attention and consideration to the young men, who
-seemed disposed to spend money freely, which is the best of
-recommendations at a hotel.
-
-They were quartered in a superb suite on the first floor. Their meals
-were served in their rooms, and everything had to be of the best.
-Dubourg was the one who gave all the orders; Frédéric interfered with
-none of the details, beyond saying to his friend:
-
-"Be careful what you do."
-
-Whereupon Dubourg would reply: "Never fear," with such confidence that
-the young count finally allowed him to do as he pleased, without
-remonstrance.
-
-As for Ménard, he was more enthusiastic than ever about the baron, to
-whom he was indebted for such an agreeable life. Frédéric often went out
-alone to walk along the bank of the Rhône; fascinated by the beautiful
-landscape he discovered, he sometimes did not return to the hotel until
-night or the following day. Dubourg, like those liars who end by
-believing in their own false-hoods, had so identified himself with the
-part he was playing, that he would have struck anyone who expressed a
-doubt as to his rank; he amused himself, during his friend's absences,
-by displaying his magnificence in the city. Leaning nonchalantly on
-Ménard's arm, who, with his hat on the back of his head, the better to
-see and be seen, carried himself very straight, walked with much
-precision, and strove to assume an air that was both dignified and
-affable, when he went out with monsieur le baron--Dubourg walked all
-over the city, with a huge three-cornered hat, adorned with a black
-plume and a steel buckle, which he wore after the style of one of
-Moličre's marquises. To be sure, the rest of his costume hardly
-corresponded with his hat; but it was no longer fashionable to wear
-embroidered coats for walking, and Dubourg had confined himself to
-having silver tassels attached to his military boots, considering that
-there was a something Polish about them. He left his coat open, because
-that gave him a more careless air, and he made frequent use of a huge
-eyeglass hanging from his neck by a pink ribbon.
-
-His extraordinary garb attracted every eye. Some took him for an
-Englishman, some for a Russian or a Prussian; but if some curious
-individual stopped and looked after him with a smile on his face,
-Dubourg would flash a glance at him that put an end to any inclination
-to laugh at his expense, and conveyed the impression that the stranger,
-whoever he might be, was not of a disposition to endure being laughed
-at.
-
-But it was necessary to be in the neighborhood of our two friends only a
-very short time to ascertain the identity of the gentleman in the plumed
-hat, who sauntered along so gracefully with his glass at his eye; for
-Monsieur Ménard talked very loud, especially when he saw that someone
-was noticing them, and never failed to emphasize the "Baron Potoski," or
-"Monsieur le Palatine," when he addressed his companion; sometimes,
-indeed, he went so far as to call him "Monseigneur de Rava et de
-Sandomir."
-
-They had been in Lyon a week. Frédéric had not begun to tire of visiting
-the beautiful suburbs of the city, but Dubourg was beginning to tire of
-exhibiting himself in the public streets, arm in arm with Ménard. They
-had been to all the places of resort, all the theatres, and all the
-cafés; everywhere, Dubourg played the great nobleman, and Ménard
-unwittingly acted as his accomplice; for the poor fellow was entirely
-honest, and deemed himself highly honored to promenade with his pupil's
-noble friend, who was always able to produce an apt quotation and
-bewildered him by his anecdotes of travel in the four quarters of the
-globe.
-
-For several days, Dubourg had been urging Frédéric to leave Lyon, and he
-always postponed their departure to the next day, when one morning
-Dubourg received a letter which put an end to his desire to go away.
-This letter was addressed to _Monsieur le Baron Potoski, Seigneur
-Polonais_. Dubourg read the superscription twice. Who could have written
-to him, and by that name? He asked the landlady who had brought the
-letter, and was told that it was a servant in livery, who requested that
-it be delivered to monsieur le baron in person.
-
-Dubourg hastened to break the seal, and read as follows:
-
-    "Monsieur le Baron Potoski is invited to pass this evening with
-     Madame la Marquise de Versac, who will be delighted to entertain
-     the noble stranger, at his pleasure, during his stay in Lyon."
-
-The marchioness's address was at the foot of the note, which Dubourg
-reread several times, and which diffused an odor of musk and amber
-through his room.
-
-"The devil!" said Dubourg to himself; "an invitation from a marchioness!
-This is decidedly flattering! But how does she know me? Parbleu! a man
-very soon becomes known when he lives with a certain amount of style.
-Besides, people must be beginning to talk about me, after I've paraded
-the streets for a week with Ménard, like a white bear."
-
-Dubourg summoned the landlady again, and asked her if she knew Madame la
-Marquise de Versac.
-
-"The Marquise de Versac? I don't know her personally, but I know her
-very well by name. It's one of the oldest and richest families in the
-city, and I know madame la marquise has a magnificent country house on
-the river, four leagues from Lyon."
-
-Dubourg asked no more questions; he was in raptures. He dismissed the
-landlady, and began to pace the floor, saying to himself:
-
-"I shall certainly accept madame la marquise's invitation; the
-acquaintance cannot fail to be exceedingly agreeable to me, and, who
-knows? perhaps I may find there some baroness or viscountess whose head
-I can turn; who will marry me, and endow me with estates and châteaux!
-Well, what would there be so surprising in that? I am young, not
-bad-looking; I have a certain style, which must have attracted Madame la
-Marquise de Versac. But, deuce take me! what if she herself---- Ah! I
-forgot to ask about that."
-
-Dubourg rang again, and the landlady reappeared.
-
-"I beg your pardon, my dear hostess," he said; "but I have reasons for
-wishing to know if Madame la Marquise de Versac is married."
-
-"She is still a widow, I think, monsieur; it's only three years since
-Monsieur de Versac died, and since then I haven't heard----"
-
-"Very good, very good, madame," said Dubourg, dismissing her again; and
-he capered about the room, looking at himself in the mirror, and saying:
-
-"She's a widow! there's no doubt about her being a widow still, or the
-invitation would be in her husband's name. Now, this becomes
-interesting: a very rich young widow, who has a magnificent country
-house, and who writes me that she will be charmed to entertain me! for
-that's what it says. Let's read it again: yes, 'delighted to entertain
-you.'--It seems to me that that almost amounts to a declaration. You
-shall entertain me, charming creature! I promise you. By the way, I
-forgot to ask if she was charming, but it can't be otherwise; at all
-events, I don't care so much for beauty, now; I am reasonable, I am more
-attracted by solid advantages. This very evening she shall see the noble
-stranger. But, damnation! when she finds out that the palatine is only a
-humble bourgeois! After all, I am an honest Breton, and an honest
-Breton's as good as any other man; besides, we haven't come to that yet.
-I must begin by captivating her. When a woman is fascinated, does she
-recognize ranks and distances? Love equalizes everything: the lord of
-the thunder loved simple mortals, and the shepherd Paris had it in his
-power to lie with the loveliest goddesses in Olympus. To lie with Madame
-de Versac, I'll give her all the apples she wants."
-
-Ménard made his appearance while Dubourg was strutting about his
-bedroom, trying to assume a courtly air. As soon as he caught sight of
-the tutor, he thrust the letter into his face, crying:
-
-"_Tolle, lege_, my dear Ménard."
-
-Ménard recoiled, because the odor of musk exhaled by the letter made him
-ill.
-
-"Doesn't that smell rather like a marchioness, eh?" said Dubourg,
-inhaling the perfume ecstatically. "Well, Ménard, what do you say to
-this letter?"
-
-"I see nothing surprising in it, monsieur le baron; you must be
-accustomed to receive similar ones wherever you go."
-
-"True, you are right, Ménard; I don't mean to imply that I am surprised;
-I say that the note is well turned, eh?"
-
-"Very well turned, monsieur le baron."
-
-"It was evidently written by a woman who knows her man, wasn't it?"
-
-"Certainly, monsieur le baron, she must know him."
-
-"But I mean that it doesn't resemble such notes as--as little Delphine
-had the presumption to write me."
-
-"Who was this Delphine, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Oh! she was a little countess, on Boulevard du Temple, whose receptions
-used to be attended by a large number of noblemen of my stamp."
-
-"Monsieur le baron will accept Madame la Marquise de Versac's
-invitation, of course?"
-
-"Accept it? most assuredly. Let us dine at once, Monsieur Ménard, so
-that I need think of nothing but dressing. Where's Frédéric?"
-
-"Admiring some new view, no doubt; he told me that he should not return
-till evening; I think he intends to leave Lyon to-morrow."
-
-"To-morrow! Oh! we'll see about that; we have all the time there is, and
-we're very comfortable here, aren't we, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"Very, monsieur le baron; but, you know, we are traveling for----"
-
-"I know that we shouldn't leave a city till we know it thoroughly, and
-Frédéric can't know this city yet, as he's always in the suburbs. You
-must persuade him of that, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-"I will do my utmost, monsieur le baron."
-
-Dubourg ate little dinner; he was too much engrossed by thoughts of his
-evening to have any appetite; a child does not eat, when his father has
-promised to take him to the play. We are big children; the anticipation
-of a new pleasure always produces the same effect on us.
-
-Dubourg deliberated concerning his toilet. If he had had time, he would
-have ordered a dress-coat; but he must needs be content with one of
-Frédéric's, who was much more slender than he, so that he could never
-button it. Should he go in top-boots? That would be rather too informal,
-his hostess being a marchioness. But he had no trousers; Frédéric's were
-too small for him, and it was not the same with them as with a coat,
-which one is always at liberty to leave unbuttoned. Ménard would lend
-him a pair, but they would be too large; so he decided to go in boots;
-he was a foreigner, a Pole, that fact would be his excuse; moreover,
-his silver tassels pleased him immensely.
-
-At eight o'clock, Dubourg had been dressed more than an hour, and was
-pacing the floor of his room, his plumed hat under his arm, practising
-dignified bows, graceful smiles, and a noble bearing. He had put the
-whole contents of his treasury in his pocket, and, having no watch, he
-thought for a moment of taking his steel loop from his hat and placing
-it in his fob; but it might be recognized as having been on his hat, so
-he contented himself with a red ribbon, of which he showed only the end.
-The clock struck nine at last, the hour at which one may decently appear
-in society; a carriage was waiting; he entered it, and gave the driver
-the address indicated on the note.
-
-The carriage stopped in a lonely street, before a house of poor
-appearance. Dubourg alighted. A lackey, there being no concierge, stood
-at the door of the house, apparently posted there as a sentinel; and he
-lost no time in ushering Dubourg up a dirty staircase, at the foot of
-which were two lamps that seemed surprised to be there. But Dubourg was
-going over in his mind the sentence he had prepared for his salutation
-to the marchioness, and he did not notice the uncleanness of the house.
-
-The servant opened a door on the first floor and entered an anteroom,
-wherein the eye sought in vain any article of furniture; although it was
-dimly lighted, the spots of grease on the walls and the soiled,
-discolored floor could be plainly seen. But the servant led Dubourg
-through this room at a rapid pace, and, opening another door into the
-salon, announced in a loud tone:
-
-"Monsieur le Baron Potoski!"
-
-At that name, there was a great commotion in the salon, and a lady rose
-and rushed forward to meet Dubourg, expressing in the most cordial terms
-her pleasure in receiving him as her guest.
-
-Dubourg answered whatever came into his head; he walked into the room,
-saluting to right and left, and dropped into a chair beside the Marquise
-de Versac, whom he then took occasion to scrutinize. He saw that he had
-been wise not to indulge his imagination in advance. The mistress of the
-house was a woman who seemed to be fully forty-five years of age,
-despite the care with which she had blackened her eyebrows, reddened her
-lips, and whitened her complexion. She was fashionably dressed, but her
-gown, which had a long train, seemed to embarrass her; her head was
-overladen with flowers and ribbons, and a triple necklace of pearls
-embellished a long, yellow neck, rising pitifully above a pair of
-fleshless shoulders, which the marchioness was barbarous enough to
-expose to all eyes, as if they were pleasing to the sight.
-
-Dubourg did not stop to examine all that; he remembered what his
-landlady had said to him, and tried to think the marchioness charming.
-While she addressed him in the most flattering terms, he cast a glance
-about the salon.
-
-An antiquated chandelier, suspended from the ceiling, lighted the room,
-which was very large; the hangings must once have been handsome, but
-were beginning to show too many signs of age. The floor was covered with
-an immense rug, which was never made for a salon. The covering of the
-furniture was of two colors: there was a blue ottoman and yellow chairs;
-and the latter were not alike. In default of a clock, there was an
-enormous jar of flowers in the centre of the mantel, and a number of
-candlesticks on either side. Several card-tables of different sizes
-completed the furnishing of that salon, which seemed to Dubourg to be
-quite as venerable as Madame de Versac's family.
-
-Having examined the room, Dubourg turned his attention to the company.
-There were only three ladies besides the marchioness. One, who seemed to
-be about sixty years old, and who was called the baroness, talked
-incessantly of her estates, her châteaux, her property, and her
-servants; she talked so loud that there was not a moment's silence. A
-young woman, who was rather pretty, but seemed rather awkward, and did
-not open her mouth except to laugh or to say _yes_ or _no_, was called
-the Vicomtesse de Fairfignan; while the third, who was apparently about
-thirty years old, and whom they called Madame de Grandcourt, was half
-reclining on the ottoman, evidently disposed to flirt; for she cast
-languorous glances at all the men, and made abundant use of her eyes,
-which had been handsome, but were so encircled with black that her
-eyebrows seemed to extend all the way round.
-
-There were seven or eight men in the company; all of them seemed to be
-counts, or barons, or chevaliers, but not one of them, either in dress
-or bearing, gave any sign of wealth or rank. Monsieur le chevalier had a
-frock-coat, the sleeves of which were so short that they were far from
-reaching his wrists; and when he drew his handkerchief, he took great
-care to turn his back and conceal it from the company.
-
-The count wore torn lace wristbands, and a ruff stained with liquor and
-tobacco. He seemed to take great satisfaction in displaying his hands,
-which were covered with huge rings with red and yellow stones; but the
-blackness of the hands themselves produced a curious effect beside the
-wristbands and the jewels.
-
-The baron, who had his hair powdered, and seemed much embarrassed by his
-queue, which kept getting inside his collar, wore a new black coat and
-an old pair of nankeen trousers, over which dangled charms in the shape
-of fruit and shells.
-
-The other men were dressed in the same style.
-
-"Sacrebleu!" thought Dubourg, astounded by the aspect of all those noble
-personages; "if my landlady hadn't told me what she did about the
-Marquise de Versac, I should imagine that I was at an old-clothes
-dealer's, with a parcel of counts from Rue Vide-Gousset."
-
-Meanwhile, the conversation did not flag. Everybody talked and laughed
-at once. They manifested the greatest consideration for Baron Potoski;
-the marchioness overwhelmed him with attentions, the old baroness
-invited him to visit her in the country, the viscountess smiled upon
-him, and Madame de Grandcourt flashed glances at him the meaning whereof
-was not at all equivocal, while the men applauded everything he said.
-Dubourg was flattered by these attentions, for the shrewdest and
-cleverest men generally allow themselves to be cajoled by anything that
-flatters their self-esteem.
-
-Punch, liqueurs, and sweetmeats were served, and the whole company
-pounced upon them. The old baroness drank like a porter, the viscountess
-stuffed herself with cakes, and the languorous Grandcourt swallowed two
-glasses of punch in rapid succession, exclaiming that it was not strong
-enough.
-
-Dubourg imitated his neighbors; he helped himself to punch, and
-complimented Madame de Versac on the liveliness of her company.
-
-"Oh! we don't stand on ceremony," she replied; "what's the use of
-tedious formalities between people who are all as good as one another?"
-
-"True, you are right; I like this sort of thing," said Dubourg,
-beginning already to feel the effects of the punch. "Etiquette is a
-burden that people of sense should leave at the door."
-
-"Ah! Monsieur de Potoski, you talk like Baręme!" said the old baroness,
-returning to the punch. "You are a palatine of the old stock."
-
-"Not very old, madame."
-
-"But the best, at all events," said Madame de Versac, resting her foot
-lightly on Dubourg's; whereupon he turned and tried to gaze tenderly at
-her, at the same time passing his hand behind the marchioness, who
-allowed him to take liberties without seeming to notice it, which
-Dubourg considered very patrician behavior.
-
-"For my part, I like to talk nonsense," said the young viscountess, who
-was beginning to venture upon a sentence or two, now that she had eaten.
-"It makes me tired when[B] everyone's sober-faced."
-
-    [B] "_Ousqu'on_ est serieux," instead of _quand on_, etc.
-
-The viscountess's _ousqu'on_ made Dubourg wince; Madame de Versac
-noticed it, and made haste to whisper to him:
-
-"She's a German; she speaks with a strong accent."
-
-"But aren't you going to give us something to do this evening, madame la
-marquise?" said the chevalier, pulling at his sleeves to lengthen them.
-
-"That's so, my love," said the baroness; "why don't we play cards?"
-
-"Ah! yes, let us do something," said Madame de Grandcourt, rolling her
-eyes seductively; "I must always be doing something."
-
-"Perhaps Monsieur de Potoski does not play?" said the marchioness,
-turning to Dubourg.
-
-"I beg your pardon, madame; I shall be very glad to play."
-
-"In that case, I will start the tables. You are sure that you care to
-play, baron?"
-
-"With great pleasure, madame," said Dubourg, overjoyed to have an excuse
-for removing his hand, which he was tired of holding behind Madame de
-Versac's back.
-
-Several games of écarté were begun. The chevalier proposed a game of
-_creps_ for the ladies; whereupon Dubourg said to himself:
-
-"It seems that the ladies of the best society have tastes very different
-from their sisters of the bourgeoisie; perhaps madame la marquise is
-fond of _biribi_ too."
-
-Monsieur de Potoski found himself at an écarté table with the count,
-whose lace cuffs did not prevent his dealing the cards with rare skill.
-The game soon became animated. A tall, thin gentleman, who stood near
-Dubourg, bet rolls of twenty-five louis on his game, which he placed on
-the table without unrolling them, and which passed rapidly into the
-count's pockets, the tall man, whose threadbare costume might have led
-one to take him for an unfortunate petitioner for alms, seeming to pay
-no heed whatever to his loss.
-
-"These men play a very noble game," said Dubourg to himself; and, not
-choosing to be outdone by the person who was betting on him, he doubled
-his stakes, and his money passed into the hands with the lace cuffs. But
-the punch circulated freely; to please Madame de Grandcourt, it had
-been made much stronger; the company began to get excited and the game
-became animated.
-
-Madame de Versac seated herself beside Dubourg.
-
-"I mean to bring Monsieur de Potoski good luck," she said, sitting close
-against him, and showing a row of teeth set like a wild boar's tusks.
-
-"I trust that you will change the luck, madame!" observed Dubourg, who
-had already lost more than a thousand francs, which he was determined to
-win back. Madame la marquise made no other reply than to place her foot
-lovingly on his. With each game that Dubourg lost, she bore down a
-little heavier, and tried to make him forget his bad luck by saying
-sweet things to him; but Dubourg did not listen.
-
-"I hope to see you often, Monsieur de Potoski."
-
-"Yes, madame.--Ten louis more, this time."
-
-"I am a bold player," said the count; "I'll take whatever you bet."
-
-"Yes, of course, monsieur le comte will give you your revenge," said the
-marchioness, "if you lose to-night."
-
-"If I lose!" muttered Dubourg; "I should say so! almost two thousand
-francs! What a breach in my cash-box!"
-
-"You must come to my country house on the Rhône, my dear Potoski. I
-insist on your coming."
-
-"Yes, madame la marquise; yes, most certainly.--The king is always in
-the other hand! it's the most extraordinary thing!"
-
-"We will walk in my park."
-
-"Beaten again!"
-
-"We will enjoy the fresh, cool breezes in the evening."
-
-"It's stifling here!"
-
-"Pray take something."
-
-"I should be glad to take back just what I have lost."
-
-"Do you remain long in Lyon?"
-
-"The devil take me if I know!"
-
-And Dubourg, who had lost three thousand francs, and was tired of
-feeling madame la marquise's foot on his, rose abruptly and walked about
-the room.
-
-Madame de Grandcourt was stretched out on a long chair in a corner. A
-short man with whiskers and moustache sat on a stool almost at her feet;
-he had passed one arm about his charmer's waist, and the hand of the
-other was screened from view by the folds of a faded satin gown.
-
-The old baroness and the young viscountess were playing _creps_ with the
-chevalier. The faces of the ladies were much flushed; the baroness had a
-glass of punch before her, and was gazing with glassy eyes at the dice,
-shrieking and disputing over a ten-sou piece which she would not admit
-that she had lost. The viscountess had recovered the use of her tongue
-by eating sweetmeats, and she indulged in frequent solecisms which must
-have opened Dubourg's eyes if he had been himself; but he was not; his
-losses had disturbed his mental balance, already shaken by the punch and
-liqueurs. He strode about the salon, looking without seeing, listening
-without hearing the marchioness's compliments, and passing his hand
-across his forehead as if to tranquillize his thoughts. He tried to go
-away, but returned again and again to the card-tables, saying to
-himself:
-
-"I absolutely must win back my three thousand francs!"
-
-He took a seat at the _creps_ table and called to the count, who was
-talking in a corner with the man in the threadbare coat who staked rolls
-of louis which no one saw.
-
-"Monsieur," said Dubourg, raising his voice, "I trust that you will not
-refuse to give me my revenge at this game, at which I may perhaps have
-better luck."
-
-"With great pleasure," replied the count with the lace cuffs.
-
-He hastened to the _creps_ table, which the viscountess and baroness
-instantly quitted; indeed, they soon left the salon, as did Madame de
-Grandcourt; but Dubourg was too intent upon his game to observe the
-disappearance of the ladies.
-
-All the men formed a circle about the _creps_ table. Dubourg was allowed
-to choose whether he would punt or be banker. He chose the latter, and
-madame la marquise, seated close beside him, took pains always to pick
-up the dice and the box and hand them to him. Dubourg lost; he no longer
-knew what he was doing; he threw dice and dice-box on the floor. Someone
-proposed _trente-et-un_, and he accepted; that finished him; in less
-than half an hour, the rest of the contents of his cash-box vanished. He
-felt in all his pockets, in his fob--not a sou! he had lost everything,
-and the money was not his! He did not speak, but paced the floor for
-some moments, pale and haggard, biting his lips, clenching his fists,
-and uttering a fierce oath from time to time. The candles began to go
-out; the counts and chevaliers whispered together and seemed
-embarrassed; the marchioness withdrew to a corner of the salon, not
-deeming the moment favorable for treading on Monsieur de Potoski's foot.
-
-At last, Dubourg, throwing off his depression, seemed to have determined
-upon his course. He went to get his hat, which he had placed under a
-chair, and left the room, slamming the door violently behind him; he
-passed through the anteroom, where four tall fellows, only one of whom
-was in livery, were busily drinking, opened the door into the hall, and
-started downstairs. Not until he was halfway down, and attempted to put
-on his hat, did he discover that he had a wretched tile, without band or
-lining, which someone had substituted for his fine hat with a plume.
-
-"By heaven, this is too much!" he exclaimed, turning back; "not content
-with having filched my money, they propose to filch my hat too! Ah! my
-worthy counts and chevaliers, we'll see about that!"
-
-Dubourg rang the bell violently; no one came. He rang again, and beat
-the door with his hands and feet, until at last it was opened.
-
-"What do you want?" demanded the servant in livery.
-
-"What do I want? I want my hat, which your chevalier of
-I-don't-know-what has taken instead of his own miserable tile."
-
-"There's no hat of yours here."
-
-"What's that, you blackguard! you dare to tell me that?"
-
-"Hold your tongue, monsieur! don't make so much noise in the house;
-madame la marquise don't like it."
-
-"Go to the devil with your madame la marquise, who lets people pinch her
-wantonly so as to fleece them! I insist on going in; I'll find a way to
-get back my hat."
-
-"You cannot go in! Help, my friends! Here's a man who means to make
-trouble!"
-
-The three others ran to his assistance. They seized Dubourg by the
-shoulders; he struggled and fought to no purpose, being the weaker
-party. They forced him down the stairs, yelling and calling them curs
-and thieves, as well as their employers. The four tall rascals made no
-reply, but pushed him into the street and shut the door in his face.
-
-"Ah! the villains!" he cried, rearranging his clothes, which he had come
-near losing with all the rest in the struggle he had had. "Ah! the
-scoundrels! What a fine evening I have had, to be sure! Ouf! I've a good
-mind to stone the house and break the windows. But, no, I think I'll
-call--probably the watch will pass before long."
-
-He stood in the street a moment, undecided as to what he should do. But
-it was very late, the street was deserted, and by remaining there he ran
-the risk of being arrested himself; he reflected that he was a stranger
-in the city, and that he had assumed a title which did not belong to
-him. All these reasons led him to decide to wait until morning before he
-sought to obtain justice at the hands of madame la marquise. Meanwhile,
-it behooved him to find the way back to his hotel.
-
-But how could he show his face before Frédéric and Ménard, after losing
-all the money they had intrusted to him? He had nothing left, and they
-owed a considerable sum at their hotel.
-
-Dubourg tore his hair and beat his breast as he strode through the
-streets of Lyon. At last he arrived at the hotel, and addressed himself
-in the following words:
-
-"Whatever happens, I must end by making the best of it. Even if I should
-pass the night chastising myself in the street, it wouldn't bring back a
-sou to my purse. So I may as well go to bed; to-morrow, we'll see about
-getting out of the scrape."
-
-
-
-
-VIII
-
-BEHOLD HER!
-
-
-Frédéric, when he returned to the hotel during the evening, found Ménard
-seated alone before the remains of a chicken with which the quondam
-tutor had passed a part of the time since Dubourg's departure. Surprised
-not to find the latter, the young count inquired of Ménard as to his
-whereabouts, and was told that monsieur le baron had gone to pass the
-evening with one of the leading families of the city, from whom he had
-received an invitation.
-
-It seemed very strange to Frédéric that Dubourg should receive
-invitations at Lyon, where he knew nobody, and he feared that this
-"leading family" might be an invention of his friend. However, he was
-careful not to convey his suspicions to Ménard, but simply informed him
-that he proposed to resume his journey the next day.
-
-"Monsieur le baron isn't in such a hurry as he was," said Ménard; "he is
-very well pleased with Lyon."
-
-"Why, only this morning he urged me to leave the place!"
-
-"This invitation seems to have changed his views."
-
-"Monsieur le baron may do as he pleases, but we shall start to-morrow."
-
-Ménard made no reply, but went to bed, considering that his pupil was
-taking great liberties with such a man as the palatine; and Frédéric
-did the same, although he was somewhat disturbed by Dubourg's absence.
-
-Early the next morning, Ménard and the young count met in the room where
-they were accustomed to meet for breakfast. But Dubourg did not appear.
-
-"Can it be that he stayed out all night?" asked Frédéric.
-
-"I beg your pardon, monsieur," said one of the servants of the hotel;
-"monsieur le baron came in about three o'clock this morning; he seemed
-very tired, and he is still in bed."
-
-"What folly to sit up all night when we were to start to-day! But where
-in the devil has he been?--Go and tell him that we are waiting for him."
-
-After some time, the servant returned and announced that monsieur le
-baron was sick and could not rise.
-
-"The rascal must have been drunk last night," thought Frédéric; and,
-followed by Ménard, who began by rubbing his nose and temples with
-vinegar to ward off contagion, he went to Dubourg's bedroom. They found
-him in bed; he had pulled his nightcap over his eyes and tied his
-handkerchief over it, and his face wore such a piteous expression, that
-one would have thought that he had been confined to his bed in agony for
-three months.
-
-Ménard halted in the middle of the room and held a smelling-bottle to
-his nose, saying in an undertone to Frédéric.
-
-"Mon Dieu! how he has changed!"
-
-"What's the matter with you, in heaven's name, my poor Dubourg?" said
-Frédéric, taking the hand of the sick man, who had employed every known
-means to give himself an attack of fever.
-
-"Alas! my dear friend, I feel very ill."
-
-"How did it come on?"
-
-"Ah! it was brought on by something that happened--a terrible adventure;
-the shock of it was the cause of my illness."
-
-"You must see a doctor, first of all."
-
-"I will go for one, and an apothecary too," said Ménard, who was anxious
-for an excuse to go out into the open air.
-
-"No, no, my dear Monsieur Ménard," Dubourg interposed, in a faint voice;
-"I don't like doctors; we have plenty of time. Hippocrates himself said:
-_Vita brevis, ars longa, experientia fallax_."
-
-"Very true, monsieur le baron; but the same Hippocrates says in another
-place----"
-
-"Oh! for heaven's sake, drop Hippocrates!" cried Frédéric, fancying that
-he could read in Dubourg's eyes that he was not so ill as he chose to
-appear. "As you won't have a doctor, do at least tell us the cause of
-your illness, this terrible adventure----"
-
-"Yes," said Ménard, taking pains to seat himself as far as possible from
-the bed, where he could get the air from the hall. "Let us know if it
-might become contagious."
-
-Dubourg sat up in bed; he raised his eyes heaven-ward, uttered two or
-three plaintive groans, pulled his nightcap still further over his eyes,
-and began his tale in a most heartrending tone.
-
-"The excellent Ménard has undoubtedly told you that I received yesterday
-an invitation to one of the first houses in the city. At all events,
-that is what our landlady assured me--otherwise----"
-
-"Yes, he told me that--what next? explain yourself!" said Frédéric,
-impatient at Dubourg's roundabout way of reaching the facts.
-
-"Gently! I am in no condition to go so fast, my dear Frédéric.--Well, I
-started out in a cab last night, after making a careful toilet."
-
-"Yes; I noticed that you took one of my coats."
-
-"You know perfectly well that I lost my wardrobe with my berlin."
-
-"Well?"
-
-"By some fatality, it happened that I put the purse containing the whole
-of our fortune in the pocket of your coat."
-
-"Ah! this begins to look bad," whispered Frédéric, while Ménard, even
-more disturbed than he, began to draw his chair nearer.
-
-"Well? go on."
-
-"Well, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Well, my dear and noble friends, on leaving that brilliant society,
-where, to tell the truth, I stayed rather late, I found no carriage at
-the door. I was alone, in a street that I did not know. Suddenly four
-cutthroats leaped upon me. Alas! I had no weapons, but I defended myself
-like a lion. But all in vain! They beat me and threw me down, and the
-worst of it is that they robbed me of all the money I had about me."
-
-"Great God! and you had our funds?" cried Ménard.
-
-"I did."
-
-"And your own fifteen thousand francs?"
-
-"Everything--every sou, I tell you. There is nothing left, except what
-you two have about you. They took everything, even my superb hat, with
-its steel buckle worth sixty francs."
-
-"What a catastrophe! what are we to do?" exclaimed Ménard, who was
-terribly distressed to think that, after living like lords, they were
-reduced to living by their wits.
-
-Frédéric said nothing; he was suspicious of Dubourg's tale; and that
-worthy, perceiving his incredulity, tried to overcome it by crying every
-minute:
-
-"What a fatality! to be attacked and robbed! Such things happen to
-nobody but me!"
-
-"Indeed, monsieur le baron, you do seem to be unlucky," said Ménard,
-remembering the theft of the berlin.
-
-"With whom did you pass the evening?" inquired Frédéric.
-
-"With Madame la Marquise de Versac."
-
-"With Madame de Versac! That's very extraordinary, for I saw her
-yesterday at her country house."
-
-"You saw her! What do you mean? Do you know her?" cried Dubourg, in a
-voice that did not at all resemble an invalid's.
-
-"Madame de Versac came to my father's house several times, when she was
-in Paris last year. In the summer, she lives at her country house. I saw
-her there yesterday, I tell you, and she reproved me gently for not
-coming there to stay with her; she certainly did not come back to the
-city."
-
-"Great God! what do I hear? How old is this marchioness?"
-
-"Not over twenty-eight; her town house is on Place Bellecour."
-
-"Ten thousand cigars! that was a contraband marchioness! What an
-infernal fool, not to have discovered it!"
-
-Dubourg jumped up and down in his bed, rolled himself up in the
-bedclothes, snatched off his nightcap and threw it on the floor, while
-Ménard cried:
-
-"Monsieur le baron is mad; I am going to fetch an apothecary!"
-
-The tutor left the room, and Frédéric was not sorry, for it gave him an
-opportunity to have an explanation with Dubourg; but for several minutes
-he absolutely refused to keep still; he was in a frenzy at the
-recollection of the soi-disant counts and chevaliers. He dressed in hot
-haste, swearing that he would find his baron with the watch-charms, his
-threadbare chevalier, and his blackleg with lace cuffs; that he would
-break the baroness's remaining teeth, beat the viscountess, and
-horsewhip madame la marquise.
-
-At last, Frédéric succeeded in making himself heard.
-
-"So you gambled last night, you wretch, did you? and that is where our
-funds have gone?"
-
-"Ah! my friend, beat me, kill me! I know that I am a good-for-naught.
-But, really, you would have done the same in my place. When a person
-assumes a respectable name---- For my part, I went there in all
-confidence, hoping to make an advantageous match. I heard people all
-about me talking of nothing but 'my estates, my châteaux, my servants,
-my millions'--as I would say 'my cane' or 'my hat.' And then, they dazed
-me with attentions and liqueurs. Still, I ought to have noticed that
-there was a suspicious look to it all; but what can you expect?
-Unluckily, I am not accustomed to good society. I took the pressure of
-one woman's foot for patrician manners, and another woman's blunders in
-grammar for a German accent. We played cards,--I confess that I love
-cards,--and they stripped me of everything, even to my hat! But they
-haven't seen the end of it!"
-
-"Where are you going?" said Frédéric, trying to detain his friend, who
-had taken his shocking old hat as if to go out.
-
-"Let me go, let me go! I am going to hunt up my blacklegs, and
-perhaps---- Wait here for me."
-
-Dubourg opened the door just as Ménard returned with an apothecary's
-clerk, who had a sedative potion in each hand.
-
-Dubourg roughly pushed the tutor aside when he tried to stop him, and
-descended the stairs four at a time, while the tutor collided with the
-apothecary, who fell to the floor with his potions.
-
-"We must send somebody after him," said Ménard, thinking that Dubourg
-was in a high fever. Frédéric had some difficulty in inducing him to
-dismiss the apothecary, by assuring him that the baron was very much
-better.
-
-Dubourg betook himself to the residence of his false marchioness, whose
-address he had retained. He was obliged to go on foot, and he no longer
-assumed the air of a great noble. The eyeglass would have accorded but
-ill with the wretched tile, which was not half large enough for him. But
-at that time he was thinking exclusively of his money, not at all of his
-costume. When he reached the house he had visited the night before,
-which he readily recognized from having scrutinized it carefully in the
-night, he entered the hall, the door of which was open, went upstairs,
-and looked and listened, but neither saw anybody nor heard a sound. He
-rang at the door of the apartment from which he had been ejected so
-roughly, but no one answered the bell. He rang again and again, with
-increasing violence, until the bell-pull came off in his hand, but the
-door remained closed.
-
-"Open, you rascals, you blacklegs! or I'll go for a magistrate," cried
-Dubourg, putting his mouth to the keyhole. Finally an old woman appeared
-on the landing above and asked him why he was making such an uproar.
-
-"I want to speak with the people who live here on the first floor," he
-replied.
-
-"There's no one living there now, monsieur; it was let furnished to a
-woman who went away this morning before daybreak."
-
-Dubourg was petrified. He realized that he could not hope to recover his
-money. He returned slowly and dejectedly to the hotel, and joined
-Frédéric and Ménard with an expression of utter dismay.
-
-"Well, what about the robbers?" inquired Frédéric.
-
-"Ah! my friend, they have fled."
-
-"I was sure of it."
-
-"But you have entered a complaint with the magistrate, surely, monsieur
-le baron?"
-
-"I have done all that there was to do, Monsieur Ménard; but I fancy that
-we may say good-bye to our money."
-
-"In that case, what are we going to do?"
-
-"That is what we must consider.--How much money have you, Monsieur
-Ménard?"
-
-"Not more than two louis."
-
-"And you, Frédéric?"
-
-"I have about ten."
-
-"That isn't enough to pay our landlord, for we must owe him at least
-three hundred francs."
-
-"What! hasn't he been paid?"
-
-"Who ever heard of making people of our sort pay in advance?"
-
-"But think how extravagant we have been!"
-
-"We had to live; and what difference does it make whether we owe one
-hundred francs or three hundred, as we can't pay?"
-
-"However, we cannot leave this hotel without settling our account, and
-we cannot continue our journey without money."
-
-"That would be rather difficult, to be sure," said Ménard.
-
-"I see but one way to get any," said Dubourg, "and that is to apply to
-Monsieur le Comte de Montreville. He certainly won't leave his son in
-straits."
-
-"Ask monsieur le comte for money, when it isn't three weeks since we
-left Paris! What will he think?" murmured Ménard, with a sigh.--"What if
-monsieur le baron should write to his steward at Rava or Krapach?"
-
-"Why, I would write in a moment, but it's so far!--It would take at
-least two months to get an answer, because at this time of year the
-mails are greatly delayed by avalanches."
-
-"What, monsieur le baron, in summer?"
-
-"Summer is the season when the snow melts. Pardieu! if it was winter,
-they could make half the distance on snow-shoes. We couldn't wait all
-that time in this inn; we must have money at once."
-
-"My dear Ménard," said Frédéric, "you really must apply to my father."
-
-"Well, I will write him what has happened to monsieur le baron----"
-
-"No, no; you are the one he gave the money to, and you are the one who
-was robbed; it's useless to mention me. Just imagine that you were the
-one who was robbed last night."
-
-"Come, my dear Ménard, write my father a most pathetic letter."
-
-"The deuce! that's a very hard task."
-
-"I'll dictate to you, if you choose," said Dubourg.
-
-"You will oblige me very much, monsieur le baron."
-
-So Ménard took the pen, and Dubourg dictated the following letter:
-
-    "MONSIEUR LE COMTE:
-
-    "I have the honor to inform you of our safe arrival at Lyon, where
-     I was attacked at night, as I was returning to our hotel, and
-     robbed of all that we possessed; which places us in a very
-     embarrassing position, from which we beg you to extricate us as
-     soon as possible. Monsieur your son is as well as Esculapius
-     himself; the journey seems to have done him a vast amount of good.
-     He bids me offer you his most respectful homage."
-
-Ménard signed this letter, to which Dubourg desired Frédéric to add a
-few affectionate words. But Frédéric had never lied to his father, and
-he preferred to write nothing rather than to try to deceive him.
-
-The letter was mailed, and they had no choice but to await the reply.
-Luckily, their landlord did not seem at all disturbed. Moreover,
-Frédéric had a chaise and horses, which, at need, would bring more than
-enough to pay their bill; that fact set his mind at rest, but he none
-the less urged his companions to spend less on the table. Dubourg,
-however, did not agree with him; he thought that such a course might
-arouse suspicions of their plight, and Ménard was once more of monsieur
-le baron's opinion.
-
-Frédéric resumed his wanderings; but Dubourg abandoned his street
-promenades with Ménard; after parading his fashionable costume and
-playing the wealthy palatine on the public thoroughfares of Lyon, he did
-not care to show himself in a shabby hat and with a long face; he was
-convinced that people would divine that he was penniless: there are so
-many men who owe their self-confidence and their assurance entirely to
-the money they have in their pockets, which alone gives them aplomb in
-society.
-
-Dubourg passed his days talking philosophy with Ménard, who was no
-philosopher, but listened attentively to the baron, whom he considered a
-man of profound learning, though he was no longer so overjoyed to have
-him for a travelling companion, because, when he recalled their
-adventures, from the time that the palatine had overturned them into a
-ditch, it seemed to him that Monsieur de Potoski carried about with him
-a monumental ill luck, of which they had already felt the effects.
-
-After ten days, they received a reply from the count; it was addressed
-to Monsieur Ménard, but it was Frédéric who, with a trembling hand,
-broke the seal.
-
-"See what there is enclosed, first," said Dubourg.
-
-They found a draft on a Lyon banker for six thousand francs.
-
-"Good! here's something to help us endure papa's reproaches," said
-Dubourg; "now let's read his letter."
-
-Monsieur de Montreville wrote to Ménard these few words only:
-
-    "I place no sort of credence in your fable of robbers, but I am
-     very glad to forgive my son's first escapade; I trust, however,
-     that it will make him more prudent. I send you some money, but do
-     not rely upon the like indulgence again."
-
-"He didn't believe us," said Frédéric.
-
-"I am very much afraid that he is angry," said Ménard.
-
-"Oh! don't be alarmed; he'll cool down. Hereafter, we will travel like
-three little pasteboard Cupids; we will be virtuous, orderly; in short,
-true philosophers--which need not interfere with our living well,
-because that is necessary for our health; eh, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"_Credo equidem_, monsieur le baron."
-
-"But no more pomp and parade; I resume my incognito."
-
-"What, monsieur le baron!"
-
-"Yes, Monsieur Ménard; at all events, with six thousand francs we
-couldn't play the grandee very long--I mean, live up to our rank."
-
-"But, monsieur le baron, when you have received answers from Rava and
-Krapach?"
-
-"Oh! then it will be different; but I fear we shall not have them for a
-long time. As to the funds, I think that we had better let Frédéric take
-charge of them. He is calm and cool, and that is what we need in a
-cashier."
-
-"It's a great pity," muttered Ménard; "we lived so handsomely when
-monsieur le baron paid the bills!"
-
-All their plans being made, they paid their hotel bill; it amounted to
-eight hundred and fifty francs for the three weeks they had passed
-there, so that the count's remittance was seriously impaired at the
-outset; but meanwhile they had been lodged and fed like lords. Dubourg's
-only sentiment was regret at their inability to continue the same mode
-of life; Ménard sighed as he thought of the delicious repasts they had
-enjoyed; and Frédéric observed to Dubourg, in an undertone:
-
-"My friend, if we had continued to go so fast, we shouldn't have gone
-very far."
-
-Monsieur le comte's horses were sold, and they arranged with a
-stable-keeper to journey from Lyon.
-
-"These two halts have cost you dear, monsieur le baron," said Ménard; "a
-berlin and fifty thousand francs the first time, and fifteen thousand
-the second! A man could not travel long at that price!"
-
-"My mind is at rest now, Monsieur Ménard; I defy anyone to rob me.
-Socrates found his house large enough to receive his friends, and I
-shall find my purse full enough so long as Frédéric pays for me."
-
-Ménard had no reply to make to that; the comparison did not seem to him
-a happy one.
-
-Instead of taking the road to Turin, Frédéric gave orders to drive
-toward Grenoble; he desired to visit that city and its suburbs,
-especially the Carthusian monastery, whose wild aspect astounds and
-almost terrifies the traveller. Dubourg was in no hurry to reach Italy;
-it mattered little to him in which direction they went. Moreover, since
-his last misadventure, he did not presume to offer his advice. As for
-Ménard, he was always ready to yield to Frédéric's wishes, but the name
-of the Carthusian monastery made him shudder; he was afraid that his
-former pupil would want to take up his quarters in some hermitage, and
-he felt no sort of inclination for a frugal life.
-
-As they drew near the banks of the Isčre, the country became more
-picturesque, more mountainous, and more impressive. The fields were
-interspersed with thickets; the brooks, after trickling across a plain,
-plunged in foamy cascades over steep cliffs. How different the scene
-from the noisy suburbs of Paris and the lovely landscapes of the Rhône
-valley! The picture was more serious, more majestic perhaps, disposing
-the mind to pleasant reverie, and wafting one's thoughts far from the
-turmoil of great cities.
-
-"What a beautiful country this is!" said Frédéric; "I find here an
-indefinable charm which fascinates my heart as well as my eyes. How
-pleasant it is to drive along these shady roads!"
-
-"And dream of Madame Dernange, I suppose?"
-
-"Oh! no, Dubourg; she has been out of my thoughts for a long while, I
-assure you, as have all the rest of the coquettes I knew in Paris."
-
-"Well, what do you dream about, then, in your long, solitary walks?"
-
-"Alas! I don't know; I dream of a being I have never seen, a woman who
-is lovely, sweet-tempered, loving, and, above all, faithful!"
-
-"And you look for her on the banks of a brook?"
-
-"I don't look for her; I am waiting for chance to bring us together."
-
-"If chance should wait for thirty years or so, you would both be a
-trifle mature."
-
-"Oh! Dubourg, how irritating you are! you have no idea of love!"
-
-"Love, my friend, is a doll that everyone dresses according to his own
-fancy;--isn't that so, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I cannot answer from experience, monsieur le baron."
-
-In due time they arrived at Grenoble, where they dismissed their driver.
-Their arrangements there were not the same as at Lyon; but although the
-hotel was less palatial, they had an excellent table; poultry was
-abundant, and the wine very good. Monsieur Ménard and Dubourg made the
-best of it.
-
-On the day following their arrival, Frédéric and his companions started
-off to visit the Carthusian monastery. Dubourg, having ceased to play
-the grand seigneur, was quite as willing to accompany his friend as to
-remain with Ménard, and the latter decided to go along, although he was
-a poor walker, and Frédéric, the better to enjoy the country, proposed
-to go on foot.
-
-The monastery, which they reached after half a day's walk, first appears
-to the visitor surrounded by mountains covered with firs, by fertile
-valleys and rich pasture lands. Approaching by Fourvoyerie, you follow a
-road hewn out of the solid rock, with a rushing mountain stream on the
-left, and a perpendicular cliff sixty feet high on the right. One
-inevitably feels an unfamiliar sensation, a blending of wonder and
-alarm, at sight of that wild landscape.
-
-They stopped to examine the peak called L'Aiguille, which towers above
-the gate of the Grande Chartreuse. Frédéric was lost in admiration,
-Dubourg looked calmly at the rock, and Ménard sighed; but the hospitable
-welcome they received at the Chartreuse revived the poor tutor's
-spirits; while he agreed that there were many superb views in that
-region, he felt that he preferred his little fourth-floor room on Rue
-Bétisy to the most picturesque cell in the monastery, where, moreover,
-fast-days were very numerous. It is not given to everybody to appreciate
-the beauties of nature; and it was with extreme delight that Ménard
-started to return to Grenoble, although Frédéric proposed that they
-should sleep at the Chartreuse to avoid overtiring themselves. Ménard
-declared that he was not tired, and that the walk of five leagues had no
-terrors for him; so they set out, after dinner.
-
-The sun was just setting and our travellers were still four leagues from
-Grenoble, because Frédéric paused every instant to call his friends'
-attention to a valley, a windmill, or a lovely view. Every time that
-Frédéric stopped, Ménard sat down on the turf, and they had much
-difficulty in inducing him to rise again. The worthy man was not a
-great walker, but he summoned all his courage and took the liberty of
-clinging to the arm of monsieur le baron, who was the most good-natured
-fellow in the world when he was not putting on the airs of a palatine.
-
-Frédéric's attention was attracted by strains of rustic music.
-
-"Come," he said, "let us go down in this direction; I see some villagers
-dancing below; let us enjoy the picture of their merrymaking."
-
-"Come on," said Dubourg; "there are probably some pretty girls among the
-dancers."
-
-"Let us go," said Ménard; "we shall have a chance to rest and refresh
-ourselves."
-
-They descended a hill into a valley bordered by oaks and firs, where
-there were assembled the people of a small village which could be seen
-farther up the valley. It was the local saint's day, and the peasants
-were celebrating it by dancing. The orchestra consisted of a bagpipe and
-tambourine, but that was quite enough for their purpose. Happiness shone
-on every face; the girls wore their best gowns, and the coquettish
-costume of the village maidens of that province makes them most
-attractive, as a general rule. The older people were seated a little
-apart, chatting together and drinking, while their children danced.
-
-Ménard seated himself at a table, and called for refreshments. Dubourg
-prowled about the dancers, making sweet speeches to the prettiest
-peasants; while Frédéric, after watching the picture for some time,
-walked away from the dance, along the bank of a stream which wound in
-and out among the willows on the edge of a dense forest.
-
-He had walked so far that the notes of the bagpipe hardly reached his
-ears, and was about to return to his companions, when, on turning his
-head, he espied, within a few paces, a young girl seated on the bank,
-looking toward the valley with a bewitchingly sweet expression, and
-smiling at the dance, which she could see in the distance; but there was
-in her smile a tinge of melancholy which seemed to be a natural part of
-it. She was apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age. Her garments
-indicated poverty, but her charms made one overlook them. Beautiful fair
-hair played in curls about her innocent brow, her features were refined
-and delicate, her mouth graceful and smiling, and her soft blue eyes
-wore a pathetic expression of gentle melancholy which harmonized with
-the pallor of her complexion.
-
-Frédéric stopped and gazed at the young woman; he could not tire of
-contemplating her. Why was she there, alone by the brook, while her
-companions were making merry and dancing? Why that melancholy
-expression? It was only a moment since Frédéric's eyes had fallen upon
-her, and his interest was already awakened; he longed to know all about
-her; it seemed to him that his heart already shared her sorrows.
-
-At that moment, several couples passed along the path on their way to
-the dance. Frédéric accosted a peasant woman, and said, pointing to the
-girl sitting by the brook:
-
-"Pray, who is that pretty child, and why doesn't she join in your
-sports?"
-
-The villagers stopped and replied, with a compassionate glance at the
-girl:
-
-"Oh! monsieur, the poor dear don't dance! That's Sister Anne."
-
-Frédéric, surprised, expected some further explanation; but they went on
-toward the dance, repeating sadly:
-
-"That's Sister Anne."
-
-
-
-
-IX
-
-WHAT WAS SHE DOING THERE?--THE VILLAGE DANCE
-
-
-The peasants had gone, but Frédéric remained on the path among the
-willows, where the last rays of the sun cast but a feeble light. He was
-still gazing at the girl, who did not see him because, being no longer
-able to see the dance, she had let her head fall on her breast, and her
-eyes were fixed on the water flowing at her feet.
-
-What did those women mean by those words: "Poor dear, she don't dance.
-That's Sister Anne"?
-
-Frédéric was deeply impressed by the tone of commiseration in which this
-was said. The villagers seemed to pity the lovely child, and to consider
-it perfectly natural that she should take no part in her companions'
-pleasures.
-
-What grief, what possible cause, could keep that pretty girl away from
-those scenes of merrymaking? Although her charming features wore an
-expression of gentle melancholy, she did not seem to be agitated by any
-recent sorrow; on the contrary, she seemed placid and calm; she smiled
-at the brook which rippled at her feet, and her soul was evidently as
-pure as the water in which her face was reflected.
-
-The girl was, as it were, wrapped in mystery, and Frédéric longed to
-solve that mystery. Anything that concerned Sister Anne was no longer a
-matter of indifference to him. He walked toward her very softly; he was
-close beside her, and she did not raise her eyes.
-
-"How is this?" said Frédéric, in a trembling voice; "you do not imitate
-your companions? They are dancing within a few yards, and you stay by
-yourself in this lonely spot?"
-
-At the sound of Frédéric's voice, the girl turned her head and started
-back in alarm; but, in a moment, reassured by his gentle tone, she
-became calm again, and simply rose and moved away from the brook.
-
-"Have you some trouble, some profound sorrow? Can it be that you, young
-as you are, are already acquainted with unhappiness? If it were in my
-power to lighten your burden, I should consider myself very fortunate."
-
-The girl glanced at him with an expression in which melancholy
-resignation was blended with gratitude. She fastened her lovely eyes on
-his for a moment, then, with a graceful courtesy, started to walk away.
-He took her hand and gently detained her. She seemed surprised, yes,
-frightened, and withdrew her hand from the young man's, who was already
-pressing it.
-
-"You are going away," said Frédéric, "without answering me, without
-deigning to say a word to me?"
-
-The girl's eyes became even more expressive, as if animated by
-indescribable pain; in a moment, they were filled with tears, which
-trickled down her almost colorless cheeks.
-
-"Great heaven! you weep! can it be that I am the cause?" cried Frédéric,
-seizing the poor child's hand again. She made a sign, as if to say that
-it was not his fault. A faint smile broke through her tears; but she
-withdrew her hand again, and, darting into the thickest part of the
-wood, as light of foot as a fawn, she speedily disappeared.
-
-He took a few steps in the same direction; but it was quite dark, and he
-could not see where she went. So he returned to the stream and stopped
-at the place where she had been sitting.
-
-Frédéric could not as yet fully realize his feelings, but he was
-conscious of a sentiment for that girl more tender, more intense, and at
-the same time much more delicious to his heart, than any of his previous
-passions. When he lost sight of her, his heart beat violently; it seemed
-to him already that she was something to him. What grace, what charms!
-But why that melancholy and that silence? They called her Sister Anne:
-what was the significance of that title of _Sister_? Did she belong to
-some religious order? But, no; her costume did not indicate anything of
-that kind, and she was free to go where she chose. But there was an air
-of mystery about her.
-
-"Lovely girl!" thought Frédéric, looking toward the forest in which she
-had vanished; "I propose to find out all about you; I propose to see you
-again and to allay your grief. I feel that I love you already; yes, I
-love you; not as I loved all those coquettes who deceived me, but as you
-deserve to be loved; for I read sincerity and innocence in your eyes.
-Ah! how happy I should be, if you should come to love me some day!"
-
-But it had grown quite dark; it was time for him to join his companions.
-Frédéric regretfully left the willow-bordered path where he had seen
-Sister Anne; but as he returned to the valley, he said to himself:
-
-"I will see her again; I absolutely must! I won't mention her to
-Dubourg; he would laugh at me; he believes that all women are alike; he
-has no conception of love.--Poor child! I will soon find out why you
-don't take part in your comrades' sports."
-
-The dancing had become very spirited; the villagers abandoned themselves
-with zest to the pastime; joy and happiness were depicted on every face.
-The songs of the drinkers blended with the music of the bagpipe and
-tambourine. The young men squeezed their sweethearts' hands as they
-danced, the maidens smiled sweetly at their lovers, the mothers at their
-little ones, and the old men at their bottles. Each smiled at what he
-loved best, as if in gratitude for the pleasure it afforded him.
-
-Ménard, who had seated himself between two sturdy drinkers, listened
-calmly to the gossip of the neighborhood, eating a salad the while, and
-clinking glasses with his neighbors; for pride is unknown in the
-village, and Ménard never exhibited that sentiment inopportunely--that
-is to say, he knew enough to make it subordinate to his appetite.
-
-Dubourg, forgetting his titles of nobility, had joined in the dance. He
-was capering about with a pretty brunette, with bright eyes, a retroussé
-nose, and an exceedingly shapely leg. The peasant girl was not at all
-intimidated by her elegant partner; on the contrary, she kept saying to
-him:
-
-"Come, why don't you dance? you don't move at all!"
-
-Dubourg performed his dainty little Parisian steps, which are so highly
-esteemed in the salons of the capital; but to the villagers that was
-nothing more than walking, and the girl said again and again:
-
-"Can't you dance better'n that? What kind of dancing do you call that?
-Come, you must kick up your heels, or I'll take another partner!"
-
-Thereupon Dubourg, who did not want her to take another partner, made a
-telegraph of his arms and legs, and kept them in motion incessantly.
-Ménard, watching his performance from his table, said to his neighbors:
-
-"There's monsieur le baron dancing a polonaise with your young women!
-Look, my boys, that's the way they dance at Cracow, and on the Krapach
-Mountains! How dignified it is! how graceful! What pretty steps he takes
-_per fas et nefas_!"
-
-Ménard's neighbors opened their eyes to their fullest extent,
-understanding nothing of what he said. But Dubourg's partner was
-content, and he, seeing that she was inclined to look favorably on him,
-ventured to steal a kiss; but she instantly retorted by boxing his ears,
-for the village damsels of the suburbs of Grenoble do not resemble the
-Gotons of the suburbs of Paris.
-
-Frédéric stood near the dancers, but paid no heed to the animated
-picture before his eyes. He fancied himself still in the lonely path,
-and saw, in his imagination, the girl sitting beside the stream.
-
-Dubourg joined him, having left his partner because he saw that he would
-have nothing but his capers and prancing for his pains, and because the
-cuffing the peasant had given him had cooled his ardor for the dance.
-
-"Where on earth have you been?" he asked; "you left us at just the wrong
-time."
-
-"I have been taking a walk."
-
-"What a tireless walker you are! But it seems to me that it's time for
-us to walk to Grenoble, which is still four leagues away."
-
-They joined Ménard, who complimented Dubourg on his dancing. Frédéric
-inquired the shortest way to Grenoble, and a young villager offered to
-guide them part of the way; but Ménard did not seem capable of walking
-four leagues, and even Dubourg was dismayed by the distance. The
-villager suggested his farm horse, on condition that they should ride
-him at a footpace. The suggestion was gratefully accepted by Dubourg and
-Ménard; the latter rode behind, clinging fast to the baron. Frédéric
-went on foot with their guide.
-
-The weather was superb, and the fields were bathed in moonlight. The
-forests of fir rose majestically on their left hand, and the smith's
-hammer alone broke the silence of the night. As they passed a forge, a
-bright glare would efface for a moment the moon's bluish light, and cast
-a reddish gleam over the landscape. The voices of the workmen blending
-with the clang of the hammer inspired Dubourg to say to Ménard:
-
-"Do you hear the Cyclops forging Jupiter's thunderbolts?"
-
-And Ménard replied:
-
-"Not for all the gold of Peru would I venture among those people alone,
-at night."
-
-And he dug his heels into their charger, which did not quicken its pace.
-Dubourg and the tutor were a little behind the others, because the road
-was very stony and the horse could make but slow progress. The guide was
-a boy of twelve, ingenuous and frank like most mountaineers.
-
-"What is this village we are leaving?" Frédéric asked him.
-
-"Vizille, monsieur; it's the prettiest village round Grenoble."
-
-"Do you live here?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; I was born here."
-
-"Do you know----"
-
-Before completing his question, Frédéric turned to see if his companions
-could hear him; but they were more than fifty yards behind. Dubourg was
-talking about Bretagne, and describing to Ménard how the people lived
-there. Frédéric saw that he could talk with their guide without any fear
-of being overheard.
-
-"Do you know a young girl in the village, who is called Sister Anne?"
-
-"Sister Anne? oh! yes, monsieur; of course I know her. She don't live
-just in the village, but her cottage ain't far away. Poor Sister Anne!
-who is there that don't know her, hereabouts?"
-
-"Why, you, too, seem to pity her? Is she so very unfortunate, pray?"
-
-"_Dam'_! of course I pity her; her story is very sad."
-
-"Do you know it?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; my mother's told it to me more than once; everybody in
-our village knows it."
-
-"Tell me the story; tell me all you know about Sister Anne; speak, my
-friend, and be sure not to forget anything."
-
-As he spoke, Frédéric put a silver coin in the boy's hand; he was much
-surprised to be paid for such a simple thing, and artlessly began his
-story, of which Frédéric, walking close beside him, did not lose a
-word.
-
-
-
-
-X
-
-SISTER ANNE'S STORY
-
-
-"Sister Anne's mother was a lady named Clotilde, who was sweet and
-pretty, so they say. She belonged to a rich family, and wasn't brought
-up like a peasant girl; she knew ever so much, but she and her husband
-came and lived in our village. Folks said it was a love match, and that
-Clotilde chose to have her lover and a cottage instead of the fine house
-she could have had with another husband.
-
-"Clotilde and her husband lived happily for some time in our village;
-they had a daughter first, little Anne, who was as pretty as her
-mother--but you've seen her, haven't you, monsieur?
-
-"Four years after, they had another child, a boy; and they were very
-glad, and the little girl never left her little brother. But, before
-long, the poor things had lots of trouble: a big storm beat down their
-crops, so they lost them; and poor Clotilde was taken sick. Then her
-husband couldn't see any other way to support his wife and children but
-to enlist. So he sold himself as a substitute, gave all the money to
-Clotilde, and went away.
-
-"'Take good care of our poor children,' he says to her.
-
-"Clotilde felt so bad to have her husband go away that she couldn't do
-anything for a long time, and little Anne took the whole care of her
-brother, because she loved him with all her heart. Her mother used to
-say to her:
-
-"'Take good care of your brother; perhaps he won't have anybody but you
-to support him before long.'
-
-"A whole year passed. Clotilde's husband used to write often at first,
-but all of a sudden his letters stopped. There had been a battle--for in
-those days they were fighting all the time.
-
-"Poor Clotilde's husband was killed. The folks in the neighborhood heard
-of it, but no one was brave enough to tell her; and Clotilde kept
-expecting to hear from him long after he was dead.
-
-"Every day, the poor woman used to go to the top of a hill, where you
-can see the road a long way in the direction of Grenoble; that was the
-way she expected to see her husband come. She often passed whole days
-sitting at the foot of a tree, looking at the road where she saw her
-dear husband the last time.
-
-"When anybody saw Clotilde there, they'd try to comfort her by talking
-about her children, but she'd say in a sad voice:
-
-"'Anne is with her brother; she never leaves him; she'll be a second
-mother to him.'
-
-"You see, the little girl was only seven years old, but she surprised
-the whole village by her intelligence and her loving care of her
-brother. The poor little fellow didn't see anybody but her most of the
-day, but he always had all he wanted. His Sister Anne dressed him, put
-him to sleep, played with him, and tried to guess what he was going to
-want; so her name, Sister Anne, was the first word he ever spoke, and
-everybody in the village called her that, and spoke of her as a model of
-sisterly affection; she has gone by that name ever since.
-
-"One day, Clotilde went out as usual, to go where she always used to go,
-and left Sister Anne with her brother. Their mother didn't come back at
-the usual time. The little boy kept on playing, but his sister kept
-looking out into the fields and saying:
-
-"'Why don't mamma come?'
-
-"When the night came, Clotilde hadn't come home. If Anne had been alone,
-she would have gone to the village and all around, to ask if anyone had
-seen her mother. But she couldn't leave her brother; he was a treasure
-that had been given to her to take care of, and she couldn't think of
-leaving him for an instant. At last, the poor girl decided to put her
-brother to bed, for he was only three years old and needed his sleep;
-then she sat down by his bed to wait for their mother. Every minute she
-suffered more and more; she couldn't help crying, and she kept saying to
-herself:
-
-"'Why don't mamma come? O mon Dieu! she can't have deserted us!'
-
-"To make it all the harder for her, a terrible storm came up. The
-thunder made a frightful uproar, and Sister Anne was awfully afraid of
-it; so she put her head into her brother's cradle and called to her
-mother to come and save them.
-
-"All of a sudden, there was a frightful crash that startled the whole
-village. Sister Anne was dazed by it, and didn't dare to open her eyes
-for some time. But when she did open them, and looked around, the
-cottage was filled with thick smoke. The poor girl looked to see where
-it could come from. The smoke got thicker every minute. Anne ran toward
-the window, but couldn't get to it on account of the flames. The
-lightning had struck the roof and set it on fire, and the two poor
-children were surrounded by flames on all sides.
-
-"Then the girl thought of nothing but her brother; she took him out of
-the cradle and ran all around the room, shrieking at the top of her
-voice. But the danger was increasing all the time, and she lost her
-strength; the smoke suffocated her; she tried to keep on calling, but
-she couldn't.
-
-"Everybody in the village ran to the cottage, of course, monsieur. They
-couldn't save the house, but they must save the children, anyway. They
-succeeded, by taking great risks, in getting into Sister Anne's room.
-They found her with her brother under their mother's bed; she was
-holding him tight against her breast, trying to save him from death; but
-it was no use; the poor little fellow was dead! Sister Anne had only
-fainted, and they succeeded in bringing her back to life.--But just
-imagine how surprised and grieved everybody was, monsieur, when they
-found that the terrible shock had made her dumb!--She opened her mouth,
-but could only make a sort of low, moaning noise. Since then, the poor
-girl has never spoken a word!"
-
-"Great God!" cried Frédéric; "poor child! so that is the cause of the
-melancholy expression of her lovely face!"
-
-"Yes, monsieur," resumed the boy; "Sister Anne is dumb; all that has
-been done since then to make her able to speak hasn't done any good. The
-city doctors said that the horrible fright, and her agony at seeing her
-brother die and not being able to save him, had taken away the power of
-speech, and that the same kind of shock might give it back to her,
-perhaps, but nothing else could. But the poor little girl still had a
-heart to feel her sorrow; she succeeded in making people understand all
-she had suffered. For ever so many years, she mourned for her brother
-and her mother; for poor Clotilde gave way to her grief the same night
-that was so fatal to her children, and they found her dead on top of
-the mountain, at the foot of the tree.
-
-"The burning of the little cottage deprived Anne of her only place of
-shelter. But everybody in the village subscribed to help her; and a good
-woman named Marguerite, who lives in a little cabin in the woods, near
-the valley, took her in and adopted her. Marguerite was poor, too; but
-with the money collected from the richest people in the village, Anne
-bought a cow and a number of goats.
-
-"For several years, she didn't seem able to do any kind of work. She
-passed her days sitting on the bank of a brook, or in the woods; she
-didn't listen to what anyone said to her, and couldn't seem to do
-anything but grieve for her father and mother and brother; but she got
-partly over her grief in time, and now she's more calm and resigned; she
-seems to appreciate what people do for her; she works like any country
-girl, and shows the greatest respect for Marguerite, who is very old and
-never leaves her cabin. Sister Anne is sweet and good and tender-hearted
-now, as she always used to be. She even smiles sometimes, but her smile
-is always sad. If she sees a little boy of her brother's age, it makes
-her excited and unhappy, and her eyes fill with tears. If you've seen
-her, monsieur, you know how pretty she is. She's sixteen now; even if
-she can't talk, she can make herself understood; her gestures mean so
-much, and her eyes speak so plain! We all understand her as easy as can
-be. But, for all that, it's a great pity she can't talk; for all the
-women say it would do her a lot of good."
-
-"Poor child!" said Frédéric; "yes, it is a great pity, indeed! How soft
-and sweet her voice would be! how I would have liked to hear it! But her
-misfortune makes her even more interesting in my eyes.--And you say
-that she lives in the woods?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; but it's easy enough to find old Marguerite's cabin. If
-you take the path to the left from the one where the willows are, you'll
-come to a clearing; then go down a low hill, and the cabin is in front
-of you."
-
-"Very good, my boy; thank you."
-
-"But here you are at Grenoble; you don't need me any more, do you,
-monsieur?"
-
-"No, my boy; here, take this with the other, for your trouble."
-
-"Thank you very much, monsieur; if you ever need anyone in the village
-to help you, my name's Julien, and I'd be glad to work for you."
-
-"Very well; I will remember."
-
-The two horsemen dismounted; the young guide took their place, doffed
-his cap to the travellers, and rode away at a footpace. Frédéric, musing
-upon all that he had heard, walked in silence beside his two companions,
-who, as they entered Grenoble, were discussing the proper way to serve a
-_canard aux olives_--a discussion in which they had been engaged for
-some time, Dubourg insisting upon the method in vogue in Bretagne, and
-Ménard immovable in the principles he had learned from the _Cuisinier
-Royal_.
-
-On reaching the inn, they retired to take the rest of which they stood
-in need after so tiresome a day. But Frédéric could not sleep; the dumb
-girl's face was constantly in his thoughts; he thought of her
-misfortune, of the pathetic story he had heard, and he said to himself:
-
-"How dearly she loved her brother! What a loving heart! How she will
-love, when love makes itself known to her! What pleasure to awaken love
-in her heart! to read in her lovely eyes, which fill the place so well
-of the organ she has lost!"
-
-This thought kept Frédéric busy all night. At daybreak, he rose, and,
-leaving his companions to enjoy the repose which he could not obtain,
-left the inn, ordered a horse, and galloped away toward Vizille.
-
-
-
-
-XI
-
-A DAY IN THE WOODS
-
-
-Love is the god who most agreeably employs our leisure; he scoffs at
-distances and disarranges time. A lover is never bored, even when he is
-not favored. Memories, schemes, hopes, afford constant occupation to a
-loving heart. Love is the god of all countries and of all classes; he
-finds his way into the humble cottage as well as into the palace. Love
-is as sweet on the heather as on the softest cushions; indeed, some
-persons go so far as to maintain that love is truer in the country than
-in the city; it ought, at all events, to be more natural there. The
-mountaineer, the woodchopper, the ploughman, may not devote his time to
-the fine arts, to financial schemes, to political intrigues; but
-everybody is at liberty to love, luckily for the human race. Some
-author, I know not who, has said with much truth: "The happiest time of
-a man's life is that which he spends paying court to his mistress."
-
-What a pity it is that this time is so short! It is probably to renew
-their happiness that men change mistresses so often. Women do not treat
-love so lightly. It is their life's history, while with us it is only a
-romance.
-
-Frédéric soon arrived at the valley where there was dancing the night
-before, and which was now as peaceful and quiet as the whole
-neighborhood. A few laboring men passed, on their way to work; here and
-there, a peasant could be seen in the fields. In the country, the
-evening's enjoyment does not impair the morrow's toil; the good people
-find their diversion in talking over the pleasures of the holiday, which
-will not return for a year; but the time will pass quickly to them: they
-know so well how to employ it.
-
-Frédéric rode toward the little, willow-lined path; there he dismounted,
-tied his horse to a tree, and plunged into the woods. He looked for the
-maid on the bank of the stream, but she was not at the place where he
-had seen her the night before. So he went farther into the woods,
-recalled what his guide had told him, and took the path to the left.
-Everything was peaceful and calm; the dark foliage of the firs almost
-excluded the daylight. At last he came to a clearing, descended a hill,
-and saw a wretched cabin before him. The wood of which it was built had
-rotted in several places, and the thatched roof threatened to fall in.
-There was a small garden at the right, surrounded by a picket fence, a
-part of which had fallen.
-
-Frédéric's heart ached at the aspect of the place, which was eloquent of
-utter poverty and of a lack of the prime necessities of life.
-
-"And this is where she lives," he said to himself; "where she has lived,
-in poverty and solitude, ever since she was seven years old! Poor child!
-When your sublime self-sacrifice, when the catastrophe which resulted
-from it, deserved the homage of all mankind, you had only this wretched
-hut in which to weep for your brother and parents, and were fortunate
-not to be left without a shelter and without bread!"
-
-He leaned against a tree and gazed at the cabin; his heart was so full
-that he could not go forward; he could only sigh and say to himself:
-
-"She is there!"
-
-Several minutes passed. Suddenly, the door of the cabin was thrown open,
-and a girl appeared in the doorway and looked out into the woods. It was
-she! The depressing aspect of that wild spot, the gloomy woods, the
-dilapidated cabin, all vanished! The girl's presence instantly made her
-surroundings beautiful.--The woman we love wields a tremendous power;
-she communicates her fascination to everything about her: by her side,
-the darkest cavern causes no fear, the wildest spot on earth seems a
-paradise.
-
-Sister Anne went back into the cabin, and soon came out again with four
-goats, her whole flock. There was a cow in the little garden; she patted
-her as she passed, as if promising to return soon. Then, driving her
-goats toward a hillside where there was an abundance of grass, the dumb
-girl walked slowly behind them, with her head bent forward, raising it
-only to see that her goats did not go astray.
-
-Frédéric had retained his position against the tree, which concealed him
-almost entirely, and watched every movement of Sister Anne. When she
-went toward the hill, he followed her noiselessly; he longed to be by
-her side, to speak to her; but he was afraid of startling her if he
-appeared too abruptly. She seemed so shy and timid: suppose she should
-run away from him again!
-
-But she seated herself on a green mound, and took from her little basket
-a piece of bread and some figs; she was about to breakfast. Frédéric
-drew nearer and nearer, until he stood close beside her; and when she
-turned her head to look after one of her goats, she saw before her again
-the young man of the previous evening.
-
-The girl made a movement which seemed to be due rather to surprise than
-alarm; indeed, there was nothing about Frédéric to inspire fear; as he
-stood before her, himself anxious and trembling, his glance was gentle
-and timid; his whole aspect and manner bore witness to the tender
-interest she aroused in him.
-
-As she seemed disposed to rise and go away, Frédéric said to her:
-
-"Do not fly from me, I entreat you, sweet girl; I should be very unhappy
-if I caused you the slightest fear."
-
-The child smiled, and gave him to understand, by shaking her head
-gently, that she had no such feeling.
-
-"I saw you last night by the brook," said Frédéric, walking toward her.
-Sister Anne looked at him, then lowered her eyes, smiling again, as if
-to say that she remembered him.
-
-"What! you remember me? And you, sweet girl, have not been out of my
-thoughts for one moment. How could I fail to be impressed by the sight
-of such lovely features and such charms of person and of manner?"
-
-The girl listened in surprise; all that he said was entirely strange to
-her ears. He sat down on the turf, a few feet away from her. This action
-seemed to surprise her still more; she looked at him again, with
-something like alarm, but the sentiment expressed in his eyes soon set
-her heart at rest. She looked at the ground, but it was easy to read on
-her ingenuous features that she was waiting curiously for him to speak
-again.
-
-"When I saw you yesterday, I felt the deepest interest in you. But how
-that interest has grown since I learned---- Poor child! Ah! I know of
-your sad plight! I know all the misfortunes that have been heaped upon
-you."
-
-The dumb girl's features became more expressive than ever; a
-heartrending memory seemed to agitate her. She groaned, raised her eyes
-to heaven, then turned them on the ground once more as a flood of tears
-poured from them.
-
-Frédéric went to her side; he put one arm lightly about her, and took
-her hand, which he placed upon his heart.
-
-"I have revived your grief," he said; "pray forgive me. Would to heaven
-that I could, on the contrary, help you to forget it by making you
-happy! Poor child! let me wipe away your tears. From this moment, you
-are no longer alone on earth; you have a friend, there is a heart that
-beats in answer to yours, a heart that will beat for you alone, so long
-as it lives. Anne, dear friend, give me leave to love you, to share your
-grief, your suffering, to think constantly of you, to see you every
-day--oh! do not deny me this favor, or I shall be much unhappier than
-you are!"
-
-Frédéric spoke with great animation; love excited him and made his voice
-sweeter than ever, his glance more seductive. The dumb girl listened to
-him at first with surprise; an unfamiliar sentiment disturbed her; she
-tried to withdraw her hand, but she had not the strength. Frédéric had
-ceased to speak, and she continued to listen.
-
-But soon the remembrance of her condition, of her misfortune, destroyed
-the spell that was upon her. She looked at Frédéric with a melancholy
-expression, and, with a much bitterer glance at herself, withdrew her
-hand and pushed him away, shaking her head as if to say:
-
-"No, you cannot love me; I am too unfortunate."
-
-Frédéric understood her; he put her hand to his heart again, and said,
-pointing to the cabin:
-
-"With you, I should be happy living here in these woods."
-
-At that moment, they heard the sound of a little bell. It was a signal
-which notified Anne that old Marguerite had risen. She hastily called
-her goats together and prepared to return to the cabin.
-
-"Will you come back?" asked Frédéric; "oh! do let me see you again
-to-day!"
-
-She pointed to the sun, whose beams were just beginning to shine through
-the foliage, then rested her head on the back of her hand.
-
-"When the sun goes to rest, you will go to the brook?"
-
-Sister Anne made an affirmative gesture, then hastened back to the
-cabin, driving her goats before her. But she turned her head before she
-went in, and looked back to the place where she had left Frédéric,
-smiled at him, and disappeared. That glance and smile enraptured the
-young lover; he had already ceased to be a stranger to Sister Anne; that
-thought filled his heart with joy. It needs so little to make one happy,
-in love!
-
-Frédéric went back to the place where he had left his horse; but, on the
-way, he asked himself whether he should go to Grenoble and return at
-night. It seemed to him more natural to remain in the village, to take a
-light lunch there, and then to wander about in the neighborhood of the
-cabin, which, even now, he found it so hard to leave. He cared little
-what his fellow travellers might think or say. They must end by
-accustoming themselves to his absences, for Frédéric had a feeling that
-he would come often to Vizille, or, rather, that he would rarely go to
-Grenoble. She whom he loved dwelt in those woods; Sister Anne was all in
-all to him; he no longer thought of the future, his station in life, or
-his father's plans; he saw only her, he had no wish to live except for
-her. To be sure, his love dated only from the night before, and he was
-only twenty-one.
-
-In the village, whither he went to rest and breakfast, he talked about
-Sister Anne; and everyone seemed to take pleasure in praising her
-virtue, her sweet nature, her tender heart; but they generally added:
-
-"The poor girl is greatly to be pitied; she stands a good chance of
-spending her life in that miserable hut; for what man would ever marry
-an unfortunate mute?"
-
-Frédéric smiled and held his peace; but he was thinking that he had seen
-in Paris many women resplendent with beauty, charm, and talents, and
-that he preferred the dumb girl of the forest to them all.
-
-He found in the village such refreshment as he required; he saw that his
-horse was bountifully fed; then, mounting him again, he rode back to the
-woods, where he fastened him to a tree near the stream, then bent his
-steps toward the lonely cabin.
-
-The sun had performed but half his journey; but Frédéric hoped that, if
-he prowled about the little house, he might see Sister Anne, which would
-make it easier for him to wait patiently until evening.
-
-As he approached the garden fence, which was only four feet high, he had
-no difficulty in taking in at a glance the whole extent of the garden.
-It was small, but they had made the most that could be made of it.
-Several fruit trees, a few grapevines, vegetables, and flowers, were
-growing together in that contracted space, where nature was at liberty
-to follow all her caprices.
-
-As he looked about, Frédéric saw an old woman seated under a fig-tree.
-She was evidently very old, but her venerable face was the mirror of a
-calm and peaceful soul. He gazed at her for some time with profound
-respect; it was she who had adopted Anne, who had filled her mother's
-place.
-
-The good old woman's face lighted up as the dumb girl approached her,
-carrying a wooden bowl filled with milk, which she placed on
-Marguerite's knees. The old woman patted her cheek, saying:
-
-"That is nice, my girl, my dear child. Sit down here by my side. You
-know how I like to look at you while I am eating."
-
-The girl at once sat down in front of Marguerite; she seemed to be on
-the alert to anticipate her lightest wish, and more than once she raised
-her withered hand and kissed it respectfully.
-
-Frédéric did not stir; he could have passed hours watching that picture.
-
-The old woman, after she had finished her meal of milk and fruit, rose,
-and with Sister Anne's assistance walked two or three times about the
-garden. Frédéric concealed himself when they passed, but he noticed that
-the girl glanced into the woods, as if looking for someone. Could that
-glance be for him! Ah! if so, how fortunate he would be! his heart dared
-to conceive the hope. He was tempted to enter the garden, to throw
-himself at the dumb girl's feet; but Marguerite's presence held him
-back.
-
-At last they returned to the cabin, and Frédéric left the spot from
-which he could look into the garden. He wandered about the woods for
-some time. Everything brought the orphan's face before him; every tree,
-every bush spoke of her. Had she not lived in those woods nine long
-years? Her feet had trodden every foot of turf, and doubtless her eyes
-had rested on everything that surrounded her.
-
-He walked slowly back to the brook, and sat down on the spot where he
-had first seen Sister Anne. It might be a long while before she came.
-Frédéric took his notebook and pencil from his pocket, and wrote--what?
-Poetry for Sister Anne; for is not every lover a poet? and are not poets
-more eloquent when they are lovers? We have the lines Tibullus wrote for
-Delia; Ovid immortalized Julia; Orpheus enchanted the Shades while
-seeking Eurydice; it was love that tuned Anacreon's lyre, love that
-inspired Sappho; Lesbia's charms aroused Catullus's poetic ardor, and
-Cynthia's imparted delicacy and passion to the flowing verses of
-Propertius. Does not Petrarch owe a large part of his renown to Laura?
-without her, he might have been a poet; but would he have sung of love?
-To you, Eucharis and Eléonore, we owe the moving elegies of Bertin and
-Parny's charming verses.
-
-Time passes very swiftly when we are writing poetry for her we love.
-Frédéric was still leaning over his notebook and writing busily, when he
-heard a faint sound; he turned his head and saw Sister Anne behind him,
-watching him with deep interest. She blushed when he detected her, but
-Frédéric set her mind at rest, and, bidding her sit down beside him,
-read what he had written.
-
-Sister Anne had no idea what poetry was; but she understood Frédéric's
-meaning in what he read. The heart is the key to an unsophisticated
-woman's mind; the opposite is true of women of worldly training.
-
-The girl was already less shy and embarrassed in Frédéric's presence; at
-sixteen, one is quick to make acquaintances, especially when one has no
-knowledge of the customs of society or of its laws. Frédéric was so
-gentle and kind and sympathetic! he pitied her, he talked of her sad
-story, and the poor orphan was surprised to find that there was somebody
-besides old Marguerite who was interested in her destiny. The village
-people always manifested much sympathy and pity for her; but there is in
-that sentiment something distressing to its object. But that was not
-what she read in Frédéric's eyes. He talked to her with deep interest
-and looked at her with affection, and she was already beginning to feel
-less unhappy.
-
-But the approach of night found them still seated by the stream. They
-had been there two hours, to their great surprise. Anne rose and pointed
-to Frédéric's horse; then turned her eyes anxiously toward the village,
-the woods, and the mountains, and lastly upon Frédéric himself.
-
-"I am going to Grenoble," he said; "I am staying there now with two
-friends, who may be alarmed by my long absence. But I will come again
-to-morrow, I will come every day. Do you think that I could pass a
-single day without seeing you?"
-
-The girl smiled, and seemed more content; she went with him to where his
-horse was waiting; he pressed her soft hand to his lips, and finally
-made up his mind to return to the city. Sister Anne went to the edge of
-the woods, in order to follow him with her eyes as far as the twilight
-permitted. Not until she could no longer hear his horse's step, did she
-return slowly to the cabin, pensive and dreamy, surprised by the
-unfamiliar sensations of which she was conscious, but which she could
-not understand.
-
-
-
-
-XII
-
-HOW A MAN LOVES AT TWENTY
-
-
-"Where in the devil have you been?" Dubourg inquired of Frédéric, who
-arrived at the inn just as his two companions were sitting down to
-supper.
-
-"I have been--riding about the neighborhood."
-
-"What a mania you have for travelling about the country! Are you going
-to lead the same kind of life here as at Lyon?"
-
-"Possibly."
-
-"That will be amusing for us! At Lyon, we could at least vary our
-amusements a little, see people----"
-
-"Yes, the Marquise de Versac, and others, eh?"
-
-"But here! why, we know the city by heart already. If one could make an
-acquaintance or two, obtain an introduction to a few houses--but when a
-man has no money, he doesn't dare to show his face anywhere, for it
-gives one an awkward manner that betrays one at once. If it's absolutely
-necessary, in every place we stop, for you to know the history of every
-tree, every stone, and every view, and to pause in rapt contemplation
-beside every brook, why, we shan't get to Italy for ten years! and your
-life won't be long enough for you to see half of Europe."
-
-"I must say," observed Ménard, "that monsieur le baron's remarks seem to
-me most judicious. We move about as rapidly as a tortoise, _si parva
-licet componere magnis_."
-
-"I could forgive you for making a minute examination of Naples or
-Florence; there are monuments there which one cannot contemplate too
-long. Gaze in admiration at the Coliseum or the Basilica of Saint Peter
-at Rome; walk on Mount Pausilippus or Vesuvius, and I shall not be
-surprised; but what do you find so extraordinary in this province? It is
-picturesque and romantic, I agree; but we shall find some much more
-remarkable views on our journey. Wait, before going into ecstasies,
-until you are on the glaciers of Mont Blanc, or on some peak of the
-Apennines; and don't stand a whole day in admiration before an old
-mulberry-tree overhanging a tiny stream; for there are trees, shrubbery,
-turf, and fountains everywhere--except in the African desert; and we are
-not going so far as that."
-
-"My friend," said Frédéric, with a smile, "I have found here what one
-would seek in vain elsewhere; and that, to my mind, is of more value
-than all the wonders of the world."
-
-With that, Frédéric went to his room and to bed, paying no heed to
-Dubourg, who called after him:
-
-"For heaven's sake, tell us what you've found?--What in the devil can he
-have found, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I am trying to think, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Gad! I wonder if it's the wallet that was stolen from me at Lyon."
-
-"Or your berlin, monsieur le baron."
-
-"My berlin! of course, that's all spent before now--that is to say, that
-rascal of a postilion has probably sold it to get money for drink."
-
-"True, that is probable. What a pity! such a venerable carriage!"
-
-"But what can he have found that's so delightful?"
-
-"Perhaps it's a method of keeping eggs fresh on a journey."
-
-"Bah! as if Frédéric ever gave a thought to such things!"
-
-"But it would be a most valuable discovery, monsieur le baron. Somebody
-gave me a receipt for it once, and also one for making milk punch, but I
-was unlucky enough to lose them while moving."
-
-"It is plain that we shall not find out what he has found, unless he
-chooses to tell us."
-
-"I will go and think about it while I sleep, monsieur le baron."
-
-"And I will go to sleep thinking about it, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-Early the next morning, Frédéric again set out for the village. He rode
-down into the valley, left his horse in a field where the grass was as
-high as his knees, and walked rapidly along the path toward the woods;
-in a moment he was on the hillside with Sister Anne, who had already
-driven her little flock to pasture.
-
-A deep flush overspread the girl's cheeks at sight of Frédéric; she
-smiled, and offered him her hand with a friendly air. She had begun to
-be impatient at his non-arrival; "Will he not come again?" she had said
-to herself, and had kept her eyes fastened on the path from the valley.
-She had known him only two days; but in a heart so affectionate and pure
-as hers, love is certain to make rapid progress. Was it, then, love that
-she already felt for the young stranger? Poor child! I am afraid so; and
-was it not natural? was she not at an age when love blends with all our
-other sentiments? and Frédéric was well adapted to inspire it.
-
-"I am late," he said, "for my horse did not share my impatience; dear
-friend, I am so happy with you! I would like never to leave you."
-
-Anne gazed earnestly at him for a long while; she sighed, pointed to the
-road leading to the city, then glanced at her cabin, as if to say:
-
-"We shall always be separated."
-
-"Leave that cabin, agree to come with me," cried Frédéric, eagerly; "and
-we will never part."
-
-The girl rose with a gesture of dismay, and, pointing again to the
-cabin, imitated old Marguerite's tottering steps; then shook her head
-emphatically, while her eyes shone with a divine expression which said
-to Frédéric:
-
-"No, I will never leave her."
-
-"Oh! forgive me; I am wrong, I can see it now; your heart cannot be
-ungrateful; forgive me! love led me astray."
-
-The dumb girl bore him no ill-will; she returned to her seat by his
-side, and a charming smile lighted up her features. Her beautiful hair,
-fluttering in the wind, caressed Frédéric's face, and she laughed as she
-drew it away. But he passed an arm about her waist, and held that lovely
-head against his heart. His eyes exchanged tender glances with Sister
-Anne's; his lips touched her cheeks, and the pretty dumb girl's sweet
-breath mingled with the air he breathed; are not such moments the
-sweetest in love, the happiest in life?
-
-They passed thus a great part of the day. Frédéric remained in the
-woods, where Sister Anne brought him fruit and milk, so that he need not
-go to the village. Already the girl dreaded to have him leave her. She
-ran again and again to the cabin to see if Marguerite needed her; but
-the good old woman slept much of the day, and Sister Anne soon ran back
-to her new friend.
-
-Toward evening, she remained longer with her adopted mother. Meanwhile,
-Frédéric went down to the stream and waited for her there, his notebook
-making the time pass quickly. When the girl surprised him writing, she
-heaved a profound sigh, and, looking sadly down at herself, seemed to
-say:
-
-"I don't know anything; I never shall know anything."
-
-"I will be your teacher," said Frédéric, in reply to her unspoken
-thoughts; "I will teach you to speak on paper."
-
-At nightfall, the young man left his friend, who accompanied him sadly
-to his horse, and whose eyes said:
-
-"Until to-morrow!"
-
-A week passed away. Every morning at daybreak Frédéric left Grenoble,
-and rode to Vizille on the first horse he found in the inn stable. He
-passed the whole day with Sister Anne, and left her at nightfall.
-
-When he was away from the dumb girl, Frédéric barely existed, and Sister
-Anne was no longer happy except when she was with him. Love had taken
-possession of her heart, without any resistance from her; it had made
-its appearance embellished by so many charms! why should she repel that
-sentiment which made her happy? Frédéric possessed every element of
-seduction; he kept telling her that he loved her and would love her all
-his life; she did not for one moment doubt his oaths; she did not know
-what inconstancy was. Why should he lie to her? She abandoned herself to
-the joy of loving. Her mouth could utter no loving words, but her eyes
-told him all that was taking place in her heart, and a single one of her
-glances was equal to the most loving protestations.
-
-Frédéric tried to teach her to write, but love constantly interfered
-with the lessons he gave her. Seated by her side, pressing her to his
-heart, with full liberty to gaze at leisure on her lovely features, her
-intoxicating eyes--he stopped, and forgot what he was about to show her.
-She looked at him and smiled, and the lesson was forgotten. Frédéric
-strained her to his heart, his passions were aroused--but one is timid
-with innocence, especially when one loves sincerely.
-
-But the most timid passion grows bold in time; the habit of seeing each
-other, of being together, of displaying their mutual affection, drew
-them closer together every day. They were always alone in the forest,
-and the forest is a very dangerous place for innocence. Could they long
-resist their hearts, the flame that consumed them? Frédéric became
-daring, and Sister Anne gave herself to him without regret, without
-remorse, for it seemed natural to her to make the man happy whom she was
-sure that she should love all her life.
-
-In the transports of passion, Frédéric determined not to leave his
-sweetheart in order to go to Grenoble to sleep. The eight leagues, going
-and coming, kept them apart a few moments longer, and compelled him to
-leave her a few moments earlier.
-
-"No," he said, "I do not propose to go away from you any more, not for
-an hour, not for a minute. When I cannot see you, why, I will sleep in
-the woods, on the grass, near your cabin. As if I could be uncomfortable
-there!"
-
-The lovely girl threw her arms about her lover's neck, kissed him, did a
-thousand foolish things; her every gesture was eloquent of her
-happiness. He would not leave her any more; therefore she would be happy
-every minute. The poor child believed that it was possible. Suddenly,
-as if struck by a new idea, she led Frédéric to the cabin and pointed to
-a window; it was in the room where old Marguerite slept, and close
-beside it was another window, in the dumb girl's room; she led Frédéric
-there, laid her head on the back of her hand, drew him to her, and gazed
-passionately into his face. The young man understood her; he pressed her
-to his heart, and cried:
-
-"Yes, I will sleep with you, always by your side! Ah! how happy we shall
-be!"
-
-Thus did the child of nature soon discover what would forward her love;
-for to love ardently requires neither art nor study; the heart is the
-best master. Several times, Sister Anne manifested a wish to present
-Frédéric to her adopted mother; she could not understand why he avoided
-her, until he said:
-
-"Marguerite would not leave you so entirely at liberty, if she knew that
-you saw me every day; on the contrary, she would tell you that you must
-avoid me and not speak to me."
-
-These words were enough to prevent Anne from returning to the subject.
-Forbid her to see Frédéric! order her to avoid him! why, that would be
-condemning her to weep all her life. She felt that she would not have
-the strength to obey; so it was much better to conceal her happiness
-from Marguerite. The good old woman was growing weaker every day; she
-rarely left her chair, where she dozed a great part of the time; so that
-it was very easy to conceal the truth from her.
-
-The night succeeded that day on which Frédéric had won the sweetest of
-all triumphs and had known the intoxication of a genuine passion. But
-the approach of darkness did not drive him forth from the woods; on the
-contrary, it was to increase his happiness tenfold.
-
-He did not give a thought to his companions, to their anxiety about him,
-or to their embarrassing position since he had all the money; he did not
-remember that he had a horse belonging to the inn; he had no thought for
-anything on earth but Sister Anne. Not even the memory of his father
-interfered to mar his happiness. The present was all in all to him;
-Sister Anne engrossed his heart and mind; he had never known a woman who
-could be compared with her. Could he find elsewhere in the world so much
-beauty, grace, innocence, and love? Her misfortune made her even dearer
-to him. Frédéric was very romantic, and he did not look upon love so
-lightly as most young men of his years; so that his conduct should
-appear less extraordinary to us. And then, too, the dumb girl was so
-pretty! In the first transports of love, a cabin, a forest, a desert, is
-what all lovers desire; but this intoxication is of short duration. Will
-Frédéric be more constant?
-
-In the path by the stream, where they sat together so often, he waited
-until old Marguerite should fall asleep. Then Sister Anne was to steal
-out of the cabin and come for her lover.
-
-Frédéric tied his horse to an old ruined hovel, where a woodcutter had
-once lived, and which he used as a stable.
-
-The moon was shining brightly; it was reflected in the limpid water of
-the brook and made the sparse clearings in the wood as light as day.
-Frédéric listened intently for his sweetheart's footstep! The time
-seemed very long; every minute robbed love of a sigh. He tried to look
-beneath the black firs and distinguish the cabin. At last he heard a
-faint sound: it was she. He could not see her, but his heart told him
-that she was near. As light of foot as a fawn, as swift as the hunter's
-arrow, as beautiful as happiness, the dumb girl sped through the paths
-of that forest, whose every corner she knew. In an instant, she was
-beside her lover, who kissed her on the forehead and could not forbear
-to gaze long and lovingly at her. He was proud of his good fortune; the
-time and place, the joy that shone on her features, the mystery that
-surrounded them--all seemed to make Sister Anne lovelier than ever. Her
-hair, carelessly caught up so that a part of it played about her neck;
-her shapely figure, which a light gown veiled without concealing; and
-her eyes, so sweet and so overflowing with love, renewed Frédéric's
-transports.
-
-"Come, come," he said; "lead me!"
-
-The girl took his arm and led him through the dense woods. They soon
-reached and entered the humble cabin, which had become in his eyes the
-most delicious retreat. He shared Sister Anne's bed; how could he envy
-those who sleep in palaces? Happy lovers! let us leave them to enjoy
-their happiness.
-
-
-
-
-XIII
-
-DUBOURG PLAYS THE GRAND SEIGNEUR ONCE MORE.--NEW ACQUAINTANCES
-
-
-On the day following Frédéric's first absence, Monsieur Ménard, having
-risen early, burst into Dubourg's chamber, crying with a triumphant air:
-
-"I have found it, monsieur le baron; I am certain that I have found it."
-
-"Found what?" said Dubourg, who was just awake; "your receipt for
-keeping eggs fresh?"
-
-"No; but what it was that charmed monsieur le comte so yesterday; that
-wonderful place where he passed the day."
-
-"Bah! you say you know where he was?"
-
-"Yes! I would stake my head on it!"
-
-"Tell me, then."
-
-"It was the Château de Bayard, which must be in this neighborhood, in
-the valley of Grésivaudan."
-
-"The Château de Bayard? Faith! it's quite possible; however, we'll ask
-him at breakfast."
-
-But Frédéric did not appear at breakfast. Dubourg summoned one of the
-servants.
-
-"Has our companion gone away already?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur, at daybreak; he took the first horse that was ready, and
-went off at a gallop."
-
-"Gone again! and left us here, perhaps for the whole day!"
-
-"I am convinced that it's the Château de Bayard that has turned his
-head."
-
-"Hum! I'm very much afraid myself that it's some more modern marvel.
-However, as we have nothing better to do, let's go and see the ruins of
-this château, and we can look for Frédéric there; what do you say,
-Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I agree with you perfectly, monsieur le baron; but perhaps we shall do
-well to carry a pâté or a chicken, for we probably shall not be able to
-get a dinner at the château."
-
-"You speak like the grammar, Monsieur Ménard; we will provide ourselves
-with supplies; it may not be very chivalrous, but it is prudent.
-Besides, we are travelling as amateur troubadours simply; and, however
-beautiful a view may be, however imposing a ruin, we belong to that
-class of small-minded mortals who must dine every day. Ah! Monsieur
-Ménard, we are not romantic! It was very lucky for us that we were not
-born in the days of Amadis and the four sons of Aymon."
-
-"Faith! that is true, monsieur le baron; for they didn't know how to
-truffle a chicken in those days, or cook _filets de sole au gratin_."
-
-Dubourg inquired the way to the valley of Grésivaudan, Monsieur Ménard
-filled his pockets with provisions, and our travellers set forth. They
-were told that it was a short three leagues to the Château de Bayard;
-but Ménard suggested a halt every half-hour. The baron invariably
-complied, and produced a bottle of the best wine he had been able to
-find at their inn; Ménard spread his provisions on the turf, on a large
-sheet of paper, and the travellers renewed their strength. When Dubourg
-caught sight of some tempting fruit, he would climb the tree to obtain
-some for dessert; and finally he cut a number of branches and, by
-spreading his handkerchief over them, constructed a little tent, so
-that they could dine in the shade.
-
-"One would hardly suspect that the man who does this is a noble
-palatine!" cried Ménard.
-
-"Why not, pray?" rejoined Dubourg; "the Princess Nausicaa made her own
-lye; Augustus's daughters spun their father's robes; Dionysius the
-Younger was a school teacher at Corinth; the son of Perseus, King of
-Macedonia, was a carpenter at Rome, as Peter the Great was in Holland;
-so it doesn't seem to me that I derogate from my rank by making a tent
-in Dauphiné."
-
-Monsieur Ménard, having nothing to reply, simply bowed, murmuring:
-
-"_Variant sententić._"
-
-At last, our two travellers discovered the ruins of the Château de
-Bayard, of which only the four towers remain standing; but they did not
-find Frédéric gazing in veneration upon them.
-
-"Well, do you see him, Monsieur Ménard?" said Dubourg.
-
-"The château?"
-
-"No; Frédéric."
-
-"Not yet, monsieur le baron; but let us sit down and rest; unluckily, I
-am afraid that this is the last halt that will refresh us much, as our
-provisions are near the end, and we have only a quarter of a bottle
-left."
-
-"We shall find plenty of springs, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-"But they won't be like those of Cana in Galilee, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Meanwhile, let's finish the bottle and this chicken. We are very well
-placed here to enjoy the landscape. This is a charming valley. See,
-Monsieur Ménard, what a picturesque effect these mountains make on our
-right; they're covered with snow, and that reminds me of Mount Krapach.
-See, the snow never melts up there."
-
-"I see, monsieur le baron, that this is our last wing; and I shudder to
-think of the walk back."
-
-"We'll go into some house--or a mill; there are plenty of those in this
-region."
-
-"Do you mean that you have any money, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Not a sou; and you?"
-
-"No more."
-
-"The devil! this becomes embarrassing. Think of Frédéric carrying the
-cash-box off with him, and leaving us in the lurch, without stopping to
-think what will become of us! I am aware that we may live on at the inn,
-where we have an open account; but it isn't pleasant to be tied down to
-an inn while my gentleman is travelling about the country."
-
-"One thing is certain, monsieur le baron, and that is that walking gives
-one an appetite."
-
-"Morbleu! I am beginning to find this travelling decidedly monotonous;
-and if I wasn't afraid of my creditors----"
-
-"Your creditors, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"I mean, if I hadn't the creditors of my government to settle with--that
-is to say, if---- But, hush! I see somebody--probably people who have
-come to inspect these ruins. They must live in the neighborhood, for
-they don't look as if they had taken a long walk."
-
-Ménard looked up and saw a man and woman at their left, walking slowly
-toward the château. The tutor hastily thrust the bottle and napkin into
-his pocket, then he rose and joined Dubourg, who was walking toward the
-new arrivals with a graceful swagger which reminded Ménard of their
-promenades in the streets of Lyon.
-
-"It seems that monsieur le baron proposes to lay aside his incognito
-again," he said to himself. Whereupon, he straightened the ends of his
-ruff and assumed a more dignified bearing.
-
-Dubourg had replaced by a very simple round hat the shabby tile which
-had been left for him at the false Marquise de Versac's, but he had
-retained the little silver tassels on his boots; above all, he had
-retained the power to impart to his features an expression befitting the
-part he proposed to play. When he approached the couple examining the
-ruins, one would have judged from his manners, his voice, his language,
-and the way in which he looked about, that he was some foreign nobleman.
-
-The gentleman and lady whom Dubourg seemed disposed to join were dressed
-in a style that indicated comfortable circumstances, but which smelt of
-the province and of a decided tendency to ostentation. The gentleman,
-who seemed to be about fifty years old, wore his hair powdered, and
-carried his hat in his hand in order not to disarrange his carefully
-curled locks; he had a black coat and trousers, and boots with tops
-which fell below the calf; he carried a cane, with which he pointed out
-the various objects of interest to his companion; and one could read on
-his face extreme self-satisfaction and contentment, heightened by an
-important air which, doubtless, he felt in duty bound to maintain.
-
-The lady on his arm was at least forty years old. She had evidently been
-comely in the past, but she made the mistake of trying to appear only
-twenty; for, despite her mincing manners, her infantile speech, the
-curls behind her ear, and those that peeped out from beneath her hat,
-and a manner which she strove to render giddy and kittenish, one could
-readily see that she had passed her majority.
-
-Dubourg walked toward the château, apparently without noticing the
-strangers further than to bow to them; he made a pretence of continuing
-his conversation with Ménard, speaking so loudly that he could be heard
-at some distance.
-
-"This château reminds me of my grandfather's in the neighborhood of
-Sandomir. You know, my dear Ménard, the one where we endured such a long
-and bloody siege?"
-
-Ménard opened his eyes as he met Dubourg's, but he instantly replied:
-
-"Yes, monsieur le baron, I know."
-
-"That tower yonder," continued Dubourg, "is very like the one on the
-western side of my castle of Krapach. I can imagine that I am still in
-the room where the Prince of Bulgaria slept, when he came to break bread
-with my father. Ah! my dear Ménard, I hope soon to give you some of that
-famous tokay I have told you of."
-
-"Tekely's tokay, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"The same; it has been a hundred and twenty-four years in bottle!"
-
-The gentleman and lady heard every word spoken by Dubourg, who kept on
-toward the château, pretending to examine it, but taking care not to go
-too far away from them.
-
-While Dubourg was speaking, the gentleman listened intently; his face
-soon assumed an expression of respectful consideration; he nudged his
-wife,--for his companion was his wife,--and, pointing to Dubourg,
-motioned to her to walk a little faster to overtake the illustrious
-foreigner.
-
-At the foot of one of the towers, they found themselves in close
-proximity to our two travellers, who were just about to enter the ruins.
-Dubourg stopped, to allow the lady to go first; her husband paid him the
-same attention, and even bowed low to Ménard. These ceremonies duly
-performed, they entered into conversation.
-
-"Does monsieur visit our country as an observer?" the husband asked
-Dubourg.
-
-"Yes, monsieur; I am travelling--for my pleasure--with a friend of mine,
-the Comte de Montreville, of whom you may have heard, and Monsieur
-Ménard, a distinguished professor of literature and a Hellenist of the
-first order, who improvises poetry like an angel--especially at
-dessert."
-
-The gentleman bowed to Ménard, who looked like an idiot when Dubourg
-said that he improvised readily, but he was very careful not to
-contradict him, none the less.
-
-"Do you live in this province, monsieur?" queried Dubourg.
-
-"Yes, monsieur," the lady replied, with a gracious smile. "We live two
-leagues and a half from here, at Allevard, where my husband bought a
-superb estate when he retired from the wine trade."
-
-At this point, the gentleman nudged his wife, but she continued,
-apparently without noticing the hint:
-
-"A trade we carried on for our pleasure, for my husband has always had a
-very handsome fortune; but one must do something."
-
-"What do you say, madame? For my own part, I have a great esteem for
-trade, especially the wine trade. Certainly Noah didn't plant the vine
-with the idea that we should eat nothing but dried grapes. Gideon, a
-Hebrew captain, threshed his own grain, Saul was a cowherd, David a
-shepherd, Cincinnatus ploughed his own fields, Pope Sixtus V kept pigs,
-and Urban IV was once a cobbler; so I can see nothing surprising in the
-fact that your husband once sold wine."
-
-"Surely not, monsieur," said the husband, bowing low to Dubourg.--"He's
-a noble philosopher," he whispered to his wife.
-
-"But since we retired," continued the lady, "we associate with only the
-best people in the province: the mayor and his clerk, and landowners who
-are electors--aristocratic people. We lead a delightful life; my husband
-is almost the lord of the district."
-
-"I certainly am looked upon in that light," added the husband, leaning
-on his cane. "It was in my power to be sub-prefect; but I should have
-had to move, and I am attached to my present home. We are so highly
-considered there! I entertain all the best people at dinner; we
-cultivate music and the arts--I am learning the violin just now; I have
-had a cabinet organ sent from Paris. My wife will play it; she has a
-fine ear."
-
-"Pardieu!" said Dubourg; "talking of ear, Monsieur Ménard here has one
-of the finest bassos I know? As for myself, I play all instruments."
-
-"Ah! monsieur," said the lady, with a smirk, "what a pleasure it would
-be to hear you! We have lots of amateur musicians at Allevard: monsieur
-le maire plays the bass-viol, and one of our neighbors is very strong on
-the hunting-horn. If monsieur should remain any length of time in this
-vicinity, we should be charmed to entertain him."
-
-This invitation was accompanied by a very tender smile; Dubourg replied
-with an expressive glance, and the husband, well pleased, meekly lowered
-his eyes, while Ménard looked at his companion to find out what he was
-to say.
-
-"Faith! madame," rejoined Dubourg, after their exchange of glances had
-lasted for some minutes, during which the husband contemplated the
-swallows, "it may be that my friends and I will remain some time at
-Grenoble. Monsieur le Comte de Montreville has a very pronounced liking
-for the banks of the Isčre, and I am too fond of him to go away without
-him. We are like Orestes and Pylades, except that we are never seen
-together; and although we are expected at the court of Sardinia, and I
-have promised to pass the winter at the court of Bulgaria, it is
-possible, as I say, that our sojourn in this province may be prolonged
-for some time;--isn't that so, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I think as you do, monsieur le baron," said Ménard; whereupon the lady
-whispered to her husband:
-
-"How affable he is for a baron!"
-
-And the husband replied:
-
-"He is affable just because he is a baron."
-
-"Especially," continued Ménard, who had assumed a more important air
-since he had learned that their new acquaintance was a former dealer in
-wines, "especially as Monsieur le Comte de Montreville, my pupil, is of
-an exceedingly romantic turn."
-
-"Ah! he is like me! he is just like me!" said the lady, with a sigh
-addressed to Dubourg; "I care for nothing but the romantic. I am mad
-over ghosts and elves--am I not, Monsieur Chambertin?"
-
-"Yes, my wife has always been very fond of spirits," Monsieur Chambertin
-replied, with a smile.
-
-"She had no lack of them with you," rejoined Dubourg.
-
-"True, I had them all the way from twenty-four degrees to seventy."
-
-"If madame should ever come to Poland," said Dubourg, "I trust that she
-will not fail to pass a few days at my castle of Krapach. She will see
-phantoms of all colors there; it's not so cheerful a place of residence
-as my castle at Cracow, but I would not part with it for two millions!
-And yet, it brings me nothing but snow; but I have my reasons for being
-attached to it--eh, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"Peste! I should say so! a castle where you have entertained----"
-
-"Hush, be still, Ménard; that doesn't interest Monsieur and Madame
-Chambertin."
-
-"I beg your pardon," said Chambertin, bowing once more; "we are too
-flattered to make the acquaintance of a Polish nobleman--for I think
-that monsieur le baron is a Pole?"
-
-"From my birth," replied Dubourg, turning his head away so that Ménard
-might have an opportunity to say to them in an undertone:
-
-"Monsieur le Baron Ladislas Potoski, Palatine of Rava and Sandomir."
-
-When he heard those titles, the former wine merchant was like one
-stupefied; he dared not take a step forward or back, while Madame
-Chambertin twisted her mouth in every conceivable way, and did her
-utmost to do away with it altogether, in order to seduce the Palatine of
-Rava.
-
-"Did you come here to see the ruins?" queried Dubourg, after giving his
-name and titles time to produce their due effect.
-
-"Yes," replied Monsieur Chambertin; "we have not seen them yet, and one
-should be acquainted with his neighborhood. This Bayard must have had a
-very fine château, to judge by what is left of it; but he was a very
-good sort of man."
-
-"He was a chevalier, wasn't he, my dear?" said Madame Chambertin, in a
-mincing tone.
-
-"Yes, my love; a chevalier of the time of Louis XIV."
-
-At that, Monsieur Ménard coughed and glanced slyly at Dubourg.
-
-"I like to see antiquities," continued Chambertin, "ancient monuments;
-they're interesting when one has a certain amount of education. Is
-monsieur le baron here for the same purpose?"
-
-"Faith! we were in a decidedly bad humor when we met you," said Dubourg;
-"we walked here from Grenoble, as we were told that it was a short three
-leagues, and I didn't care to wear out my horses in this mountainous
-country; but I hoped to find some decent inn hereabout, where we could
-dine; or at least some means of getting to the nearest village; I
-offered some peasants as much as six gold pieces to obtain a horse for
-me, and not one of the knaves moved.--Isn't that so, Ménard?"
-
-"It is quite true, monsieur le baron, that we couldn't find anything at
-all."
-
-"Ah! my dear," whispered Madame Chambertin to her husband, "what a happy
-idea! what a chance!"
-
-"I will seize it!" he replied; and he planted himself in front of
-Dubourg, with his feet in the third position.--"Monsieur le baron, if I
-wasn't afraid of presuming too far, if you would deign to accept a plain
-country gentleman's dinner, Madame Chambertin and I would be overjoyed
-to have at our table a distinguished nobleman and a professor of
-literature. My cabriolet is waiting for us close by, with Lunel, my
-jockey; we shall be at Allevard in an hour, and my cabriolet will take
-monsieur le baron to Grenoble this evening."
-
-"Really, Monsieur de Chambertin, you are too kind," replied Dubourg,
-with a bow.
-
-"He called me _De_ Chambertin!" said the ex-tradesman to his wife.
-
-"I heard him."
-
-"Do you suppose he means to make me a knight?"
-
-"I believe he's quite capable of making you something."
-
-"I am almost tempted to accept your invitation," said Dubourg; "it will
-afford me the pleasure of becoming better acquainted with some most
-delightful people.--What do you say, my dear Ménard? Will it make
-Montreville anxious? Do you think that we might accept Monsieur de
-Chambertin's invitation to dinner?"
-
-"Yes, certainly we may, monsieur le baron," replied Ménard, who was so
-excited by the prospect that he took from his pocket the paper napkin in
-which the carcass of the chicken was wrapped, and wiped his face with
-it, thinking that it was his handkerchief, and oblivious to the fact
-that he was besmearing himself with chicken jelly; but Monsieur and
-Madame Chambertin were in the seventh heaven and saw nothing of all
-that. To take home with them to dinner a great Polish nobleman, a
-palatine! who had put a _de_ before monsieur's name, and who made eyes
-at madame--that was quite enough to turn their heads.
-
-"The cabriolet will never hold four," said madame.
-
-"Don't be alarmed, my dear; I will take Lunel's pony, and he will ride
-behind. Whenever monsieur le baron chooses----"
-
-"Faith! let us go," said Dubourg; and he added in an undertone, as he
-offered the lady his hand: "All the ruins in the world could not prevail
-against you!"
-
-They left the château, Dubourg with Madame Chambertin on his arm, while
-her husband ran ahead, and Ménard followed, trying to discover the
-source of the smell of chicken which pursued him everywhere.
-
-At a turn in the path, they discovered the cabriolet, in charge of a
-little man of about his master's years, who looked more like a butler
-than a jockey; beside him was an animal which, judging from its size and
-ears, was halfway between a horse and an ass. Madame Chambertin entered
-the carriage with her two guests.
-
-"Give me your nag, Lunel," said Monsieur Chambertin.
-
-"And what am I to do, monsieur?"
-
-"Get up behind the carriage."
-
-"You know very well, monsieur, that I can't hold on there."
-
-"Then you shall walk. The idiot! not to have learned yet to hold on
-behind a carriage!"
-
-As he spoke, Monsieur Chambertin mounted the beast, and belabored him
-with his cane in default of a crop.
-
-"Excuse me, if I ride ahead," he called to Dubourg; "but I have some
-orders to give."
-
-"Oh! no ceremony for us, I beg you, Monsieur de Chambertin!" was the
-reply.
-
-But the host was already far away; when he heard himself called _De_
-Chambertin again, he took the bit in his teeth.
-
-Dubourg took the reins and drove, which did not prevent him from making
-many very gallant speeches to Madame Chambertin en route, or from
-motioning to Ménard to wipe his face. Lunel ran behind the cabriolet,
-consigning to the devil the strangers who were responsible for his
-master's taking his nag.
-
-In due time they arrived at Allevard, a pretty village, through which
-flowed a mountain stream of considerable size that furnished power for a
-large number of windmills, iron foundries, and factories. Monsieur
-Chambertin's estate was on the right, just at the entrance to the
-village; it was a beautiful house, built according to modern ideas, and,
-as Madame Chambertin said, almost a château.
-
-As they drove into a spacious courtyard shaded by tall lindens, Dubourg
-secretly felicitated himself on the chance meeting, and began to think
-that Madame Chambertin still possessed a very attractive figure and very
-bright eyes. As for Ménard, he had visions of a well-furnished kitchen,
-and he concluded that a man who owned such a charming estate deserved
-some consideration, although he was neither baron nor palatine.
-
-Madame Chambertin escorted the strangers into a pretty salon on the
-ground floor, which looked on a beautiful garden behind the house.
-Everything indicated wealth, profusion, and absence of taste. There were
-two clocks on the mantel, another on a console, a fourth on a desk. The
-furniture was costly, the floor covered with rich rugs, the walls
-overloaded with pictures, and three chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
-
-"This is my small summer salon," said Madame Chambertin, modestly. "If I
-had known that I was to have the honor of entertaining monsieur le
-baron, I would have had my large winter salon thrown open, where three
-sets can dance a quadrille without interfering with one another."
-
-"We have more room than we need, madame; and I should be very sorry to
-cause you any inconvenience; this salon is perfectly charming;
-everything here shows the touch of the goddess of this blest abode."
-
-"Ah! monsieur le baron--to be sure, I did arrange it. My husband wanted
-to put another clock in this corner, but he can do without it."
-
-"It would be very difficult not to know what time it is here."
-
-"This is rather a tasty rug, don't you think? I have a still finer one
-in my winter salon. You must use them a great deal in Poland, monsieur
-le baron?"
-
-"Oh! we have carpets six inches thick in Poland; you sink into them as
-you walk, just as you do into a feather-bed. I hope to have the honor of
-sending you a specimen."
-
-"Oh! monsieur le baron!"
-
-At that moment, Monsieur Chambertin appeared, with such guests as he had
-been able to collect in a hurry, to dine with a great noble at his
-table. He had found only four persons at liberty: a former village
-notary and his wife, who were just about to sit down to their own
-repast, when their neighbor rushed in, greatly excited, and told them of
-the acquaintances he had made, and that he was to have the honor of
-entertaining at his house the noble foreigner and the professor of
-belles-lettres.
-
-At that news, followed by an invitation to dine with the great man,
-Monsieur Bidault--such was the ex-notary's name--summoned his maid, and
-said:
-
-"Clear the table, Marianne; put the pâté in the sideboard, the chicken
-in the pantry, and the fish in the cellar, and keep them all for
-to-morrow; we dine with my neighbor."
-
-And Madame Bidault ran to her mirror, crying:
-
-"Quick, Marianne! my gown with orange blossoms, my straw hat, my lace
-collerette; I can't appear in négligé before those gentlemen.--Aren't
-you going to dress, Monsieur Bidault?"
-
-"Oh! I'll just put on my nut-brown coat, that's all.--Be sure that the
-fish is kept where it's cool, Marianne."
-
-"Marianne, do fetch my dress."
-
-Monsieur Chambertin hurried away to seek other guests, urging Monsieur
-and Madame Bidault not to be late. Poor Marianne, harried on every side,
-did not know which way to turn: she carried the straw hat to the cellar,
-and ran to her mistress with the platter of fish in her hand. At last,
-after twenty minutes of running hither and thither, the husband and wife
-were in condition to appear before the illustrious stranger. Monsieur
-Bidault, who had taken to writing poetry since he gave up his office,
-looked forward with pleasure to a discussion of the poetic art with the
-man of letters; and Madame Bidault, who prided herself upon having more
-style than anyone else in the neighborhood, was enchanted to exhibit her
-_savoir vivre_ before a grand seigneur.
-
-On leaving the Bidaults, Monsieur Chambertin went to the mayor's; but
-the mayor was in the fields overlooking his laborers, and would not
-return till evening. Then he hurried to the notary, Bidault's successor;
-but the notary was hunting, and his wife was in the midst of making
-preserves, which she could not leave.
-
-But the time was getting short, so Chambertin had recourse to an
-ex-apothecary of Lyon, who had retired from business and bought a
-pleasant little house at Allevard. He was not a very distinguished
-individual to place before a palatine; but as there was no time to
-choose, he had to be content with what he could get; besides, Monsieur
-Fondant talked very little, so he was not likely to say foolish things.
-
-So Chambertin burst in upon him, and, having no time to explain himself
-at length, said hurriedly:
-
-"My dear Fondant, I have a noble palatine, from Poland, at my house;
-he's going to dine with me; I want you, come! and a man of letters,
-who's a Hellenist incognito. Make haste! they are distinguished men of
-the first rank; we dine in half an hour."
-
-And he was gone. He thought that he might perhaps get his friend
-Frossard, the ironmaster, one of the richest landholders of the
-neighborhood. He hurried to his house and found him in the act of
-dining; he had already eaten his soup and beef, when Chambertin entered
-the dining-room, bathed in perspiration, and called to him from the
-doorway:
-
-"Stop, Frossard, stop! not another mouthful!"
-
-"What does this mean?" rejoined the ironmaster, holding his long knife
-in the air over a fat chicken he was preparing to carve; "not another
-mouthful! I fully expect to have a word to say to the thighs and wings;
-I won't leave anything but the carcass."
-
-"Stop, I tell you, my friend! you must come to dine with me."
-
-"Not to-day; it's too late, as you see."
-
-"You must."
-
-"I have eaten a third of my dinner already."
-
-"That won't make any difference."
-
-"I am very much afraid it will."
-
-"I have two noblemen to dine with me, one a literary man."
-
-"What do I care?"
-
-"From Poland--Cracow--a baron--a scholar!"
-
-"Well, what of it? that's no reason why I shouldn't eat my dinner."
-
-"I want you to have the honor of dining with them."
-
-"So long as I have a good dinner, my dear man, it matters little to me
-whether I dine with a baron or a miller."
-
-"Come, come, Frossard, my friend, have a little more elevation in your
-ideas."
-
-"My chicken is getting cold."
-
-"You shall have some delicious hare _piqué_ at my house; I also have a
-certain pâté de foie gras, which has just been sent to me from
-Strasbourg."
-
-"Ah! the traitor will succeed in tempting me."
-
-"We will have some of my old pomard, and some of that Saint-Péray you're
-so fond of."
-
-"It is impossible to resist you."
-
-"Will you come?"
-
-"Yes; but not for your noblemen and your scholars; I don't know anything
-about them. I'll come for the hare and the pomard, which I know all
-about."
-
-Monsieur Fondant was the first to arrive; but, being naturally timid,
-and more embarrassed than usual at the thought of appearing before two
-strangers, whom he supposed to be princes from the few words his
-neighbor had let fall, the ex-apothecary remained in the reception-room
-adjoining the salon where Madame Chambertin was talking with her guests;
-lacking courage to present himself alone, he waited for the other guests
-to arrive, so that he might steal in behind them.
-
-Monsieur and Madame Bidault came at last, and so did the corpulent
-Frossard. Monsieur Chambertin, who had been giving orders to his cook,
-hurried forward to greet his guests. He found Monsieur Fondant in the
-reception-room, and, throwing open the door of the salon, presented
-Madame Bidault to monsieur le baron. During the exchange of salutations
-between the ex-notary and his wife and our two travellers, Frossard, who
-did not stand so much on ceremony, pushed Fondant, who seemed inclined
-to remain in the reception-room, before him; and Madame Chambertin,
-having made her company welcome, disappeared to give a moment's
-attention to her toilet.
-
-"Monsieur le baron," said Chambertin, "I have got together a few
-friends, who, like myself, are overjoyed to have----"
-
-"Faith! my dear man," said Frossard, dropping into an easy-chair, and
-interrupting his host without ceremony, "you came just in time; if I had
-put my knife into the chicken, I wouldn't have left it."
-
-"That dear Frossard must have his joke," said Monsieur Bidault, slapping
-the ironmaster's leg, while his better half sat very stiffly in a chair
-facing Dubourg, who, half reclining on a couch, resembled a sultan
-passing his slaves in review; while Ménard, at a little distance,
-admired the ironmaster's appearance of robust health and the respectful
-bearing of Monsieur Fondant, who had seated himself near a window so as
-to be almost hidden by the curtain.
-
-"If I had known earlier that I was to entertain monsieur le baron," said
-Chambertin, "I would have arranged a little soirée musicale--a little
-party; but I flatter myself that I shall be better prepared another
-time."
-
-"You confuse me, Monsieur de Chambertin. Really, I shall not be able to
-leave this part of the country; and yet we are expected at the court of
-Bulgaria--as you know, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-At these words, Madame Bidault drew herself up and pressed her lips
-together; Chambertin glanced at his neighbors with an expression that
-said: "What did I tell you?" while Monsieur Fondant disappeared
-altogether behind the hangings.
-
-"In truth," continued Dubourg, "I am much pleased with this
-neighborhood, and the delightful people I meet here make it even more
-attractive."
-
-At that compliment, everybody rose and bowed; a similar manoeuvre was
-executed behind the curtains.
-
-"But I thought that I saw Monsieur Fondant," said the ironmaster; "what
-in the deuce has become of him?"
-
-"I am here, monsieur," said the ex-apothecary, in a hoarse voice,
-showing his face from behind the curtains.
-
-"What are you doing there, a mile away from us all? Come out here,
-Monsieur Fondant. What's the news from Lyon? what do you hear there?"
-
-Monsieur Fondant blushed to the ears, for he saw that the strangers were
-looking at him. He drew his handkerchief, blew his nose, moved his chair
-forward and back, and stammered at last, speaking through his nose to
-give himself confidence:
-
-"How hot it is to-day!"
-
-Luckily, Madame Chambertin returned, and her presence gave a different
-turn to the conversation. She had put on a thin muslin waist, trimmed
-with lace; she wore no hair other than her own, which was not very
-becoming, but she had donned her diamond ear-rings and a superb pearl
-necklace, which made her very seductive in the eyes of Dubourg, who went
-to meet her, and, as he offered her his hand, tenderly squeezed the ends
-of her fingers; to which she replied by a half-smile accompanied by a
-stifled sigh.
-
-Monsieur Bidault had joined Ménard, whom he judged to be the man of
-letters, and repeated divers sentences from the _Perfect Notary_,
-accompanied by verses from the _Almanach des Muses_. Ménard, who, in his
-endeavor to copy Dubourg, sometimes assumed his self-sufficient tone,
-smiled patronizingly at Monsieur Bidault as he replied emphatically:
-"_Studia adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant_;" and Monsieur
-Bidault, who had forgotten Cicero when he was learning the Codes,
-replied by offering him a pinch of snuff.
-
-Lunel, who had donned a short English jacket, in which he resembled a
-Limousin, announced that dinner was served.
-
-Everybody rose; Dubourg offered his hand to Madame Chambertin, Frossard
-to Madame Bidault, and the others followed, Monsieur Fondant bringing up
-the rear.
-
-They passed into a very handsome dining-room, where a sumptuous feast
-was spread. Ménard observed with satisfaction that there were four
-_hors-d'oeuvre_, which always indicates a well-arranged dinner.
-Monsieur le baron was seated between Madame Bidault and Madame
-Chambertin; but his face was generally turned toward the latter, and the
-deep flush which from time to time overspread the cheeks of the hostess
-might have raised a presumption that her illustrious guest was talking
-to her under the table as well.
-
-Ménard was between Messieurs Bidault and Fondant, the former of whom
-interlarded his conversation with insipid rhymes, while the other
-contented himself with filling his neighbor's glass. Ménard turned
-toward the ex-apothecary more frequently than toward the ex-notary.
-
-At the second course, Dubourg, beginning to be convivially inclined, for
-he had done full honor to his host's pomard, began to talk recklessly
-about his châteaux, his vast estates, Poland and Bretagne; he confounded
-the customs of Rennes with those of Cracow, and the products of his
-native province with the snowstorms on the Krapach Mountains. But the
-company, listening with rapt attention to what he said, simply opened
-their eyes and ears the wider. The corpulent Frossard had a fellow
-feeling for the baron because he drank his wine without water, and
-looked upon Ménard as a scholar of distinction because he discoursed
-learnedly upon the method of cooking every dish. Monsieur Bidault was
-delighted to have an opportunity of displaying his poetic talent; his
-wife considered herself a beauty because Dubourg told her that she had a
-look of Mademoiselle de Scudéri. Monsieur Fondant was more at his ease
-because nobody paid any attention to him. Monsieur Chambertin was in
-ecstasy because he had a nobleman at his table; and Madame Chambertin
-rolled her eyes because the aforesaid nobleman frequently touched her
-knee with his under the table.
-
-About nine o'clock in the evening, they made an effort to adjourn to the
-salon. Everybody had striven to hold his own with monsieur le baron,
-some from love of drinking, others for courtesy's sake, so that no one
-was quite firm on his legs; the ladies alone were able to stand erect,
-for they rarely lose their heads at table.
-
-Amid the Bacchic fumes, Dubourg retained sufficient presence of mind to
-realize that they were six leagues from Grenoble, and that it was time
-to return thither. Monsieur Chambertin proposed to keep them overnight;
-but if they remained, they must do what the others did; Monsieur Bidault
-and the ironmaster had already taken a pack of cards, and Dubourg, who
-found it difficult to resist the attraction of the gaming-table, felt
-that he would cut a very foolish figure with no money in his pocket.
-The better plan, therefore, was to go, and come again. Monsieur Frossard
-challenged him to a game at backgammon in the near future, and Dubourg,
-who considered himself very strong at that game, hoped to recoup a part
-of his losses at the hands of the blacklegs at Lyon.
-
-Ménard was so comfortable at Monsieur Chambertin's that he would have
-been glad to sleep there, and Madame Chambertin, who may have had some
-hidden purpose, tried to detain the young palatine. But he had his
-reasons for not yielding; and, seeing that his persuasions were of no
-avail, Monsieur Chambertin ordered Lunel to be ready with the cabriolet
-to drive monsieur le baron and his friend to Grenoble.
-
-Dubourg took leave of his hosts, promising to return very soon and pass
-several days with them. This promise allayed their regret at his
-departure.
-
-"Remember, monsieur le baron, that I rely on your word," said Monsieur
-Chambertin, with a low bow.
-
-"We shall expect you," added madame, with a glance that said all that
-was necessary.
-
-Dubourg replied by placing his foot on her husband's foot, which he
-mistook for hers, and cordially shook hands with his host, calling him
-his dear friend De Chambertin.
-
-Lunel and the cabriolet were waiting; Dubourg and Ménard took their
-seats and started for Grenoble.
-
-The swaying of the carriage soon put Ménard to sleep; and Dubourg,
-having no one else to talk to, communed with himself:
-
-"This acquaintance will be very agreeable to me, and will vary the
-monotony of our stay at Grenoble. Those excellent people think I am a
-nobleman; there's no great harm in that, and it may well be that I have
-the air of one. Madame Chambertin still has a vivacious glance; her
-husband has excellent wine and an excellent table. That big ironmaster's
-as rich as Croesus, and it seems that he likes a little game. Morbleu!
-if only I was still cashier! what a chance to repair our losses! I am
-sure that he hasn't an idea of backgammon. Such a man as that wouldn't
-notice a loss of five or six thousand francs. And Frédéric goes off and
-leaves us without a sou; passes his time no one knows where. I simply
-must find out what he does every day; I must watch over him, as poor
-Ménard here doesn't dare to say a word to him. A fine guardian monsieur
-le comte sent with him!"
-
-It was very late when they reached Grenoble. Ménard woke up to alight
-from the carriage. When Dubourg saw old Lunel before him, hat in hand,
-he instinctively felt in his pockets; but finding nothing in any of
-them, he put his hand under Lunel's chin and patted his cheek, saying:
-
-"All right, Lunel; good-night, my fine fellow! I am content with you."
-
-Whereupon the old groom turned on his heel, and muttered all the way
-home:
-
-"That was a fine _pourboire_ the Pole gave me!"
-
-
-
-
-XIV
-
-A VISIT TO THE FOREST
-
-
-When Dubourg and Ménard woke on the morning after their dinner at
-Allevard, Frédéric had been gone a long while.
-
-"We will wait till to-night," said Dubourg, "and then we will speak to
-him."
-
-"Yes, monsieur le baron," said Ménard; "you will speak to him."
-
-But we have seen that Frédéric remained with Sister Anne very late every
-day, until he had decided to remain with her altogether. It was four
-leagues from Grenoble to Vizille; the horse Frédéric took in the
-morning, at random, went but little better in the evening, although he
-had rested all day; for inn horses are rarely good saddle horses. So
-that the beast sometimes took three hours to return from Vizille; and
-Frédéric did not urge him, for he was not then on his way to Sister
-Anne.
-
-So that he returned very late, and Dubourg, after playing piquet with
-Ménard,--it was the only game the ex-tutor knew,--had ended by falling
-asleep over the cards; for, as neither of them had any money, they could
-only play on credit, so that the game never became exciting, although
-Ménard had at his service the King of Prussia's snuff-box, and took a
-pinch every two or three minutes, to give himself some resemblance to
-the great Frederick.
-
-Seeing Dubourg yawn, Ménard suggested that they go to bed; and they
-postponed their conversation with Frédéric until the next day. But the
-next day also passed without affording them a sight of him.
-
-Several other days passed in the same way. Dubourg's impatience
-increased; he was very desirous to return to Allevard, to follow up his
-conquest, and to play backgammon with the ironmaster. Monsieur Ménard,
-on his side, was no less desirous to drink some more of Monsieur
-Chambertin's pomard, and to sit beside Monsieur Fondant, who filled his
-glass so handily.
-
-But they could not afford to walk to Allevard; it was essential that
-they should make their appearance there in a style befitting the rank
-they had assumed; above all things, they must have money in their
-pockets, if they wished to cut a figure at the card-table. Ménard was
-not convinced of the necessity of that; but as monsieur le baron thought
-that it was indispensable, of course he agreed with him.
-
-"So that we absolutely must see Frédéric."
-
-"Parbleu!" said Dubourg; "we'll wait till to-night; and to keep from
-going to sleep, we'll drink punch all night, if need be; what do you
-say, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I agree with you entirely, monsieur le baron, provided that we have
-some cake to go with the punch."
-
-"We will have four cakes; we will play piquet for them, and Frédéric
-shall pay the bill."
-
-In the evening, a huge bowl of punch was brought, and a plate laden with
-cakes. They began their game, and drank often to avoid falling asleep,
-thereby putting themselves to sleep rather earlier than usual. After
-they had drunk half a bowl each and eaten six or eight tarts and cakes,
-their heads fell forward.
-
-"I am _capot_," said Dubourg.
-
-"Show your hand," added Ménard.
-
-They woke at daybreak, intensely disgusted to have fallen asleep; but,
-at all events, Frédéric could not have gone away so early, and they
-would find him at last. Dubourg called and shouted, but no one answered.
-He went down into the innyard and asked about his friend.
-
-"He didn't come in last night," said the hostler.
-
-"Didn't come in!" cried Dubourg; "are you sure?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur; neither him nor the horse."
-
-"The devil!" ejaculated Dubourg; "this begins to be alarming. To stay
-out all night--it's very strange."
-
-He went up to tell Ménard, and that gentleman, after reflecting for
-fifteen minutes, inquired:
-
-"What do you think about it, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Morbleu! that's what I ask you, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I don't dare to form any opinion, monsieur le baron--that's my
-opinion."
-
-"It's very much like Brid'oison's."
-
-They passed the day waiting for Frédéric, who did not appear. Dubourg
-was anxious about his friend, Ménard trembled for his pupil, and the
-innkeeper would have been disturbed about his horse if he had not had
-the carriage for security.
-
-The next morning, at daybreak, Dubourg appeared at Ménard's bedside,
-with his hat on his head, and said:
-
-"Come, we must find Frédéric."
-
-"Let us find him, monsieur le baron."
-
-"To find him, we must look for him."
-
-"That is what I was thinking, monsieur le baron."
-
-"That doesn't seem to prevent your lying quietly in bed."
-
-"I am awaiting your final opinion."
-
-"My opinion is that we should start at once. That young man has a face
-and figure so far from commonplace that we must be able to learn which
-way he went; he can't be lost!"
-
-"We must hope not, for what would monsieur le comte his father say to
-me?"
-
-"Get up, then, and come with me."
-
-Ménard dressed and breakfasted, and accompanied Dubourg, who ordered
-saddles placed on two venerable farm horses, which the innkeeper
-intrusted to them with a bad grace, because their account was beginning
-to exceed the value of their carriage. At last they were mounted; Ménard
-warned his companion that he could not ride faster than a walk, and
-Dubourg replied that when one is making a search he does not travel
-rapidly.
-
-When they left the inn, they inquired and were told which direction
-Frédéric had taken. All along the road, people had noticed the young
-horseman who passed every morning, urging his horse to his utmost speed,
-and returned very slowly in the evening. Dubourg soon learned beyond
-question that Frédéric rode to Vizille every day.
-
-"What does he go there for?" queried Dubourg.
-
-"He has probably found some charming view."
-
-"I think it's more likely to be some charming face."
-
-"What! monsieur le baron, you think----"
-
-"Why, yes; Frédéric isn't fool enough to stare at nothing but trees and
-mountains all day. He was in search of a heart that would sympathize
-with his, a nature as loving as his own--in a word, a woman who would
-take his fancy; and who knows that he hasn't found some artless,
-simple-minded peasant girl who has turned his head?"
-
-"For my part, I'll wager that he spends his time looking at the Grande
-Chartreuse."
-
-"Consider, Monsieur Ménard, that Frédéric is only twenty-one."
-
-"Remember, monsieur le baron, that women have deceived him many times,
-and that he left Paris to avoid them."
-
-"Is that any reason why he should never love another woman? Indeed,
-Monsieur Ménard, when a man runs away from a thing, it's because he
-feels that he couldn't resist it long."
-
-"Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife, monsieur le baron; but it was not for
-fear of giving way to her."
-
-"Joseph allowed himself to be seduced at last, Monsieur Ménard, for his
-posterity peopled Canaan."
-
-Arguing thus, they arrived at Vizille. They inquired about Frédéric in
-the village; but the villagers, being busily employed, had paid little
-attention to the young man, who had dined at the inn only twice; for we
-have seen that he dined in the woods on what Sister Anne brought him.
-They had seen him several times, to be sure, but they had not noticed in
-which direction he went, or what he did in the village. So Dubourg and
-his companion left Vizille, knowing little more than when they arrived.
-
-"All is lost!" cried Ménard, from time to time; "my pupil must have been
-eaten by wolves or killed by highwaymen, or else he has fallen over a
-precipice while watching a sunset! Poor Frédéric! so gentle, amiable,
-and well-informed! there is nothing left for me but to weep for you!
-
-    "'Qualis populea moerens Philomela sub umbra
-      Amissos queritur foetus!'"
-
-"Oh! no, Monsieur Ménard; Frédéric hasn't been killed or eaten. There's
-no question here of a resemblance to Philomela weeping for her children;
-what we have to do is to find out where the young man has gone. Ah! look
-yonder--there's an animal who could give us some information about him,
-I fancy."
-
-On leaving the village, they had gone down into the valley, and were now
-on the outskirts of the forest, where Frédéric's horse was wandering at
-will along the paths leading into the valley.
-
-"That's his horse," said Ménard. "I know him by that white spot; I've
-seen him in the innyard; it's Frédéric's horse. And he's alone, without
-a rider. An additional proof, monsieur le baron, that the young man has
-fallen a victim to his imprudence. The horse undoubtedly threw him; my
-pupil is dead; he probably tried to climb one of these mountains; it was
-dark and he couldn't see the road at his feet. All is lost!"
-
-"I believe, on the contrary, that Frédéric is in these woods, and that
-he left his horse here so that he could go where he chose. Let us adopt
-the same method in looking for him; but let's be more prudent than he,
-and tie our horses to one of these firs."
-
-They dismounted, and entered the woods, Ménard still holding his
-handkerchief to his eyes, because he believed that Frédéric was dead or
-wounded, and Dubourg marching ahead and peering intently in every
-direction. Ere long he came quickly back to the tutor, with a triumphant
-air, and said, pointing to a grassy mound:
-
-"Look! see if my presentiments misled me? there's the marvel of nature
-that Frédéric comes here to admire."
-
-Ménard looked in the direction indicated, and saw, beneath a spreading
-tree, his pupil lying carelessly on the grass, holding in his arms a
-lovely girl, whose head rested against her lover's breast, and whose
-arms were about his neck.
-
-"You were right, monsieur le baron," said Ménard, after a moment of
-speechless surprise; "that isn't the Chartreuse! it is more modern."
-
-"That looks to me to be a lovely girl."
-
-"And to me also, monsieur le baron."
-
-"That sly dog of a Frédéric! It was decidedly clever of him to find such
-a pretty face in this desert. Do you still think that he shuns the
-ladies, Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"It doesn't look like it at this moment."
-
-"Pshaw! Monsieur Ménard, Frédéric, although rather sentimental, is made
-like other men; but we must go and offer him our respects."
-
-"That will disturb him, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Parbleu! as he passes all his days here, he has time enough to make
-love."
-
-Dubourg and Ménard walked toward the lovers; at the sound of their
-footsteps, Frédéric turned and saw them. The girl raised her eyes, and,
-at sight of the two strangers, pressed closer to Frédéric; and hiding
-her face against her lover's breast, seemed from that vantage-ground to
-defy all dangers.
-
-"Bravo! my dear Frédéric, bravo!" laughed Dubourg. "I understand now why
-you get up so early. Upon my word, your conquest is a charming creature,
-and that little shy manner adds to the piquancy of her features."
-
-The dumb girl, after a swift glance at Dubourg, turned her eyes again
-toward Frédéric, as if to ask him what it all meant.
-
-Frédéric rose and the girl did the same, clinging to her lover and
-gazing uneasily at the two strangers; she seemed to fear that they had
-come to take him from her; but Frédéric reassured her, then kissed her
-affectionately, and bade her go and wait for him in Marguerite's garden.
-It was hard for Sister Anne to obey, for she dreaded to leave him; but
-again Frédéric promised to join her in a moment. The girl pointed to the
-strangers, and her eyes said:
-
-"You won't go away with them?"
-
-He embraced her again, whereupon she became calmer, and at last went
-away, not without turning her head many times to look fondly at Frédéric
-and sadly at the strangers.
-
-"Very pretty, very pretty, on my word!" said Dubourg, looking after her.
-
-"If her speech resembles her plumage," murmured Ménard, between his
-teeth, "she is the phoenix of the denizens of this forest."
-
-"Why have you come here, messieurs?" demanded Frédéric, angrily.
-
-"Why have we come? parbleu! to look for you, who desert us and leave us
-penniless at an inn, to come to make love here in the woods with a
-peasant girl, who is very pretty, I agree, but who ought not to make you
-forget your friend and your venerable tutor."
-
-Frédéric made no reply, but seemed to be absorbed in thought.
-
-"Monsieur le comte," said Ménard, coming forward with an air of profound
-respect, "certainly it is lawful for every man to be susceptible to
-female charms; Adam was with Eve,--to be sure, he had no chance to be
-with any other woman,--Abraham with Hagar, David with Bathsheba, Samson
-with Delilah; and when such a man as Samson succumbed, how can we, who
-are not Samsons, be expected to resist? But still, monsieur le comte,
-_est modus in rebus_; you should not, for the sake of a new attachment,
-forget all that you owe to yourself, and descend from the rank in which
-destiny has placed you. Now, monsieur le comte your father did not allow
-you to take this journey for the purpose of living in the woods like a
-savage; whence I conclude----"
-
-"My dear Monsieur Ménard," said Frédéric, emerging at last from his
-reverie, but making no reply to his tutor's harangue, "I have something
-of great importance to say to monsieur le baron; I cannot say it before
-anyone else, so oblige me by taking a turn up the valley; we will join
-you very soon."
-
-"I cannot refuse you anything, monsieur le comte; I await your coming,
-with confidence."--And Ménard left the woods, saying to himself: "My
-sermon has had a good effect; the young man realizes his wrong-doing; he
-will mend his ways and return to us like the prodigal son, with a white
-staff in one hand and his horse's rein in the other."
-
-Ménard was no sooner out of sight, than Frédéric walked quickly to
-Dubourg's side.
-
-"Why did you bring our mentor here? why have you tracked me to this
-forest? am I no longer the master of my actions?"
-
-"In the first place, the mentor is not a very alarming person; secondly,
-we were bound to find out what had become of you, as we heard nothing
-from you; and, lastly, could I believe that, for an amourette, you would
-become an Orlando Furioso?"
-
-"An amourette! No, Dubourg; this is a genuine passion, and one that will
-last forever. I have never loved so passionately! I have never met a
-woman more worthy of my love. Ah! Dubourg, if you knew that sweet
-child's heart! she is an utter stranger to all the deceits and
-hypocrisies of the world; her heart is as pure and beautiful as her
-features. Ah! my friend, not in Paris, not in the brilliant salons of
-the capital, could I find a woman who would love me so dearly."
-
-"Nonsense! but you are excited, and I see that it will be hard for me to
-make you listen to reason. This girl seemed to me to be very pretty,
-indeed, and I agree that she's a phoenix; but, after all, what do you
-propose to do? surely you don't intend to pass your life in these
-woods?"
-
-"I don't intend to leave Sister Anne."
-
-"Very good; then bring your Sister Anne along; let her come with us;
-make a baroness of her, if you choose, for the benefit of poor Ménard;
-I'll undertake to arrange it all; but leave these old fir-trees, under
-which you'll turn into an orang-outang in time."
-
-"That isn't possible. In yonder cabin there is an excellent old woman,
-who has taken care of her ever since she was a child; she can't desert
-her."
-
-"The deuce! so you have a whole family on your hands!"
-
-"Go, Dubourg; return to Grenoble with Ménard; I will join you there in a
-few days, but I cannot leave her now."
-
-"Return to Grenoble, eh? Do you imagine that I enjoy myself there, with
-your tutor, when I can't show my face anywhere?"
-
-"Oh! I forgot. Take this wallet; it contains our fortune; take it, and
-do what you please with it. I have a few louis, that's all I need."
-
-"Really, my dear Frédéric, you are mad! to think of living in the woods
-and making love all day with your little villager!"
-
-"Ah! she's no ordinary woman. If you knew--poor child! But, no, I won't
-tell you anything; you can't understand my heart. Adieu, Dubourg!"
-
-"You insist upon it? All right, I'll take the cash-box, and leave you. I
-know what men are, I have had more experience than you have: within a
-fortnight, you'll have had enough of this kind of life, and you'll come
-back to us."
-
-"Yes, if Sister Anne will come with me."
-
-"You will come without her, I am perfectly sure. Au revoir! make love at
-your ease; make it all day and all night; in short, make so much of it,
-that a fortnight hence you'll have had more than enough."
-
-And Dubourg, having put the wallet in his pocket, hastened down into the
-valley, where he found Ménard sitting quietly by their horses.
-
-"To horse!" he exclaimed joyfully; "make haste!"
-
-"What's that? to horse? But I don't see monsieur le comte."
-
-"Because he has stayed with his Dulcinea."
-
-"He stays, and we go?"
-
-"To be sure; for, having no passions in the forest, we might be bored
-here."
-
-"But, monsieur le baron, I don't understand this at all."
-
-"Monsieur Ménard, I am acting like a man who knows the human heart,
-especially that of a young man. If we had undertaken to thwart his
-wishes, Frédéric would have been quite capable of doing some insane
-thing. Instead of that, let us allow him to follow his inclination. I
-will answer for it that, in a fortnight at the latest, his love, being
-satisfied, will have calmed down, and he will have recovered his senses.
-There is no passion deep enough to stand a tęte-ŕ-tęte of three
-consecutive weeks. Love is a fire which goes out of itself, because it
-never has sense enough to be sparing of its fuel."
-
-"Faith! monsieur le baron, I begin to think that you are right."
-
-"To horse, then, Monsieur Ménard, and _vive la gaieté_! To-morrow, I
-will take you to dine with our friend Chambertin."
-
-"Really, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"And I promise you that we'll make an entry into the village that will
-cause a sensation."
-
-"I don't understand you, monsieur le baron; but you arrange things so
-well, that I rely on you."
-
-And Ménard, overjoyed at the prospect of going to Monsieur Chambertin's
-the next day, dug his heels into his horse's sides for the first time in
-his life,--to be sure, he had no spurs,--and trotted along at Dubourg's
-side.
-
-"Still, it's a great pity that my pupil has made this new acquaintance,"
-he said; "a woman sometimes makes a man commit many follies! Cato said
-that wisdom and common sense were incompatible with a woman's mind."
-
-"Oh! probably Cato was unlucky in love, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-"Saint Bernard calls woman the _organum diaboli_."
-
-"But Confucius declares that a woman's mind is the masterpiece of the
-Creator."
-
-"Juvenal says that the thought of vengeance has more attraction for a
-woman than for a man."
-
-"Which proves, Monsieur Ménard, that she bears some resemblance to the
-gods."
-
-"And Origen says: 'Woman is the key to sin.'"
-
-"I had always supposed that she was only the lock."
-
-"Agnčs Sorel enfeebled the courage of Charles VII."
-
-"And another woman restored it."
-
-"Joanna of Naples caused her husband to be strangled."
-
-"Jeanne Hachette saved Beauvais."
-
-"On the whole, monsieur le baron, it seems to be about an even thing."
-
-Let us leave our two friends to return to Grenoble, discussing the
-nature of womankind,--a discussion which might lead them very far, and
-leave them without any additional knowledge of the subject; for a
-learned man has said that a woman's heart has as many varying moods as
-there are grains of sand on the seashore (and he must have been learned,
-indeed, to know the number of the latter),--and let us return to
-Frédéric.
-
-He breathed more freely when Dubourg had left him, and ere long he heard
-the steps of the horses which bore his companions away. Thereupon, as
-well pleased as Crates, who cried, after throwing all his money into the
-sea: "Now I am free!" he felt more at liberty to abandon himself to his
-passion for the dumb girl, since he was rid of Dubourg and Ménard; and
-he hurried away to the cabin. Frédéric did not look beyond the present;
-he did not reflect; for he was twenty-one years old, and he was
-passionately in love!
-
-Sister Anne was in the garden, trembling from head to foot; old
-Marguerite was asleep, and the girl could abandon herself without
-restraint to the sentiments which agitated her. The presence of those
-two men who knew Frédéric caused her a disquietude which became more
-painful with every minute that passed. To live without her friend seemed
-impossible to her now. Love was life itself to that heart of flame which
-had not learned, in that forest solitude, to control its passions. Her
-loving heart had flown to meet him who had said to her: "I love you."
-But when she gave herself to him, Sister Anne bound herself forever.
-Frédéric had taught her to know happiness; he had revivified her heart,
-withered by misfortune. When she finds that she has the power to please,
-a woman is born again. What would become of her, if she must renounce
-that hope at sixteen? Frédéric was all in all to her; and until that
-moment love had seemed to her the summit of earthly happiness. But there
-is no lasting happiness, especially in love. Only a few short days of
-bliss had passed, and already the poor child was beginning to know the
-suffering which that sentiment brings in its train.
-
-At last, Frédéric appeared. She did not run--she flew into his arms; she
-cast her eyes about; he was alone, and her heart was more at ease.
-
-"No," said her lover, kissing her; "I will not leave you. Where could I
-find a lovelier woman--one more faithful or more worthy to be loved?
-What do I care what they say? what do I care for a world to which no tie
-binds me? I am perfectly happy here. My father himself could not induce
-me to give you up!"
-
-Another kiss on the girl's sweet lips sealed the promise he had made.
-The night with its darkness brought even sweeter moments, for the lovers
-shared the same couch; and in the arms of her who lavished the most
-loving caresses upon him, Frédéric repeated his vow:
-
-"No, I will never leave you!"
-
-But after a week, the days passed less swiftly for our lover; the poor
-girl's fond caresses no longer sufficed to occupy the time; he felt that
-he must have some occupation, that one cannot dream one's whole life
-away beside a mountain stream.
-
-After another week, he went down into the valley, mounted the horse,
-which he had kept, and took several short rides in the neighborhood, to
-procure some provisions that they required, as he told Sister Anne;
-although he had done well enough without them at the beginning of his
-sojourn in the woods.
-
-After another week, he began to gaze longingly in the direction of
-Grenoble. He was surprised that Dubourg did not return to inquire as to
-his welfare, and that Ménard too had forgotten him. Indeed, I believe
-that in his heart he was offended. Did he no longer love Sister Anne?
-Oh! yes, he loved her still. But time!--And, as Dubourg had well said,
-there is no love strong enough to stand a tęte-ŕ-tęte of three weeks.
-
-But let us not anticipate; let us leave him with the dumb girl, who
-loves him as dearly as on the first day, because--oh! ask some woman
-why!--and let us return to Dubourg, who once more has the funds for the
-journey at his disposal.
-
-
-
-
-XV
-
-FĘTE, DINNER PARTY, FIREWORKS, SURPRISE
-
-
-On arriving at Grenoble, Dubourg ordered dinner, and the usual repast,
-common to all the guests, was served to them.
-
-"What kind of a dinner is this? we must have something different to eat,
-and, above all, some different wines," said Dubourg, beginning to make
-an uproar because he had money in his pocket.
-
-The host appeared, and informed the gentlemen that their account was
-already quite large, because, in addition to their board and lodging,
-their young companion had foundered all the horses belonging to the inn
-by overriding them. Dubourg's only reply was to take a five-hundred-franc
-note from his pocket and give it to the innkeeper, saying, with all the
-sang-froid of true grandeur:
-
-"Take your pay out of this."
-
-The host opened his eyes; his pinched nostrils expanded; his mouth, in
-his efforts to give it an amiable expression, split from ear to ear; he
-tied himself up in apologetic phrases, and ended by saying that he would
-at once make up his account, but that he hoped that the gentlemen would
-not leave him, and, if agreeable to them, he would give them muscatel
-with their dinner.
-
-When he had gone, Monsieur Ménard, whose expression was almost as
-comical as the innkeeper's, said to Dubourg:
-
-"Have you received funds from Poland, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Why, yes, to be sure, Monsieur Ménard. Parbleu! Money isn't apt to be
-scarce long, with me."
-
-"But I didn't see the courier who----"
-
-"You must have been asleep when he arrived. The main point is that we
-can go anywhere now, and not have to stand by, like misers, and watch
-other people play, which is not noble at all. To begin with, we will go
-to see our friend Chambertin to-morrow; but, in my judgment, we had
-better send a messenger to give him notice of our proposed visit, so
-that he may entertain us as we deserve. What do you think about it,
-Monsieur Ménard?"
-
-"I think that cannot fail to have a good effect, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Then find me a scullery boy, and dress him in your flannel waistcoat
-and my morning cap, to give him an English look. Meanwhile, I will go
-and write my letter."
-
-Ménard went out to look for a boy to be transformed into an English
-jockey, while Dubourg composed the following epistle:
-
-    "Baron Ladislas Potoski, Palatine of Rava, etc., etc., has the
-     honor to inform his honorable friend De Chambertin d 'Allevard that
-     he will visit his château to-morrow, accompanied by Professor
-     Ménard. Baron Potoski kisses the hand of Madame de Chambertin
-     d'Allevard."
-
-They handed the letter to the scullery boy disguised as a courier, who,
-in consideration of a five-franc piece, went off at once to deliver it
-at its address.
-
-Monsieur and Madame Chambertin were about to retire when the messenger
-arrived. It was half-past nine o'clock; and in the country, when one
-does not cultivate letters, or music, or painting, or one's garden, the
-evenings seem interminable. Monsieur Chambertin had played the violin,
-and madame had sung a new romanza; then they had talked of the noble
-Pole, whom they despaired of seeing again; and monsieur had said: "I am
-amazed; he gave me his word that he would come." And madame had added,
-with a sigh: "It surprises me much more than you."
-
-The noise made by the messenger caused Monsieur Chambertin to pause as
-he was about putting his legs under the bedclothes. He did not continue,
-although his wife said to him: "Do get into bed; the servants are there
-to answer the bell." But who could have come so late?
-
-Someone knocked at the bedroom door; it proved to be Lunel, who
-announced through the keyhole a message from Monsieur le Baron de
-Potoski.
-
-At that name, Monsieur Chambertin, who still held his leg in the air,
-ready to thrust it into bed, abruptly withdrew it and, losing his
-balance, rolled on the floor; while Madame Chambertin sat up in bed, and
-called loudly for a mirror to arrange her hair. Her husband rose
-meanwhile, and ran to get his dressing-gown, calling to Lunel:
-
-"I am coming, Lunel; I am coming right away!"
-
-"Give it to me instantly, monsieur," cried Madame Chambertin; "I am in a
-hurry, I shall never have time."
-
-Monsieur Chambertin handed his wife something that she had not asked
-for, and ran to open the door. Lunel entered, followed by the jockey,
-while Madame Chambertin, furious at her husband's mistake, drew her
-bed-curtains together with a jerk, that she might not be seen in an
-equivocal position.
-
-Monsieur Chambertin took the letter and read it; at each word, his face
-became more radiant; he could not contain himself, but called out to his
-wife:
-
-"The baron is coming! He calls me De Chambertin d'Allevard! He kisses
-your hand, wife!"
-
-And Chambertin ran to open the curtains, and came in collision with the
-object he had handed madame by mistake.
-
-"Take care, monsieur!" said she; "what on earth are you doing?"
-
-"D'Allevard, wife!" cried Chambertin, seizing the article in question
-and strutting about the room with it. "D'Allevard--just as if I were the
-lord of the district; indeed I am--almost--and I hope that, thanks to
-the baron, I shall soon be so altogether!"
-
-"Put that down, monsieur; put it down somewhere!" madame cried to her
-husband, who was so excited that he had no idea what he was doing. She
-then ordered Lunel to give the messenger something to eat and drink,
-and said to the latter that his master and his friend would be received
-with the honors they deserved.
-
-When the messenger had gone, Chambertin threw himself into an armchair,
-and madame replaced her head on the pillow; but the letter they had
-received made it impossible for them to think of sleep. Monsieur
-Chambertin read it again. He was especially flattered by the title
-_D'Allevard_.
-
-"It's the name of the village," said madame.
-
-"True; but by putting it after my name, it ennobles me."
-
-"You know perfectly well, monsieur, that that's what everybody does in
-Paris; aren't there two of our neighbors who call themselves by the name
-of their town: Monsieur Gérard de Villers-Cotterets, and Monsieur Leroux
-d'Ermenonville? Six months ago, I told you you ought to call yourself
-Chambertin d'Allevard; but you never listen to me."
-
-"My dear love, now that monsieur le baron has given me that title, I
-certainly shall not give it up; and I shall never sign my name any other
-way. To-morrow, wife, I give a party."
-
-"I trust so, monsieur."
-
-"Dinner, ball, concert, and fireworks. I believe no fireworks have ever
-been seen in the neighborhood, and they'll produce a tremendous effect.
-I shall invite all the best people among our neighbors."
-
-"I'll have my hair dressed _ŕ la_ Ferronničre; that's very becoming to
-me."
-
-"I'll have the whole estate illuminated."
-
-"My dress with a train----"
-
-"With colored lanterns."
-
-"A pale blue girdle."
-
-"Lamps in the courtyard----"
-
-"My cherry-colored slippers."
-
-"The largest I can find."
-
-"A scarf."
-
-"Festoons of flowers."
-
-"My pearl necklace."
-
-"And a fusillade!"
-
-The landlord made up his account so that it came to just five hundred
-francs, and monsieur le baron was entitled to no change. Any other than
-Dubourg would have contested the charge of three hundred francs for
-laming three or four wretched horses which were too old to draw the
-plough; but he did not enjoy scrutinizing accounts; he contented himself
-with ordering a neat tilbury for the morrow, and two of the landlord's
-servants to represent his suite.
-
-Dubourg then took cognizance of the contents of his cash-box; he found
-himself the possessor of forty-five hundred francs; that was more than
-he needed to win ten times as much. He trusted that the local
-ironmasters would make up the sum that the chevalier and the count with
-lace cuffs had filched from him.
-
-The next day, about noon, Dubourg and Ménard prepared for their visit to
-Allevard, where they planned to arrive for dinner. As the innkeeper had
-been unable to find a tilbury in the city, his guests were obliged to be
-content with a yellow char-ŕ-bancs with two seats. Dubourg and Ménard
-took their places on the first seat, and on the second they planted two
-little scullery boys, swaddled in jackets and trousers taken from
-different persons, and having on their heads old hunting-caps which came
-down to their noses and gave them a decidedly foreign aspect. Dubourg
-expressly enjoined upon them to pretend not to understand French, but
-to confine themselves to making signs, so that they might pass for two
-young Poles; and they solemnly promised to obey.
-
-They set out, Dubourg driving; but although he had asked the host for
-his best horses, he could not succeed in inducing them to gallop; he had
-to be content with a very moderate trot, which necessarily delayed their
-arrival. Ménard was afraid that they would dine without them, and
-Dubourg was in despair because he could not enter Monsieur Chambertin's
-domain with the speed of a locomotive.
-
-It was half-past five when at last they descried the roofs of Allevard.
-Dubourg exhausted himself trying to increase the speed of his horses. As
-they drew near Monsieur Chambertin's house, in front of which there was
-a large number of people, he said to Ménard:
-
-"Poke them with your cane, so that we may drive up at a decent trot at
-least."
-
-As Ménard put out his arm to comply, they heard a great outcry of: "Here
-they are! here they are!" Four musket-shots followed in rapid
-succession, two violins and a clarinet executed the overture to _La
-Caravane_; and the two nags, frightened by the reports and the music,
-shied and dragged the char-ŕ-bancs up a hillside to the right of the
-road, instead of keeping on toward the house.
-
-"This is charming, delightful!" cried Dubourg; while Ménard, who was
-afraid of being overturned, exclaimed:
-
-"Take care, monsieur le baron; our horses are running away!"
-
-And Monsieur Chambertin, who had been waiting to illuminate since two
-o'clock, said to his guests:
-
-"See how well monsieur le baron drives; he went up that hill on purpose
-to give us a specimen of his talent."
-
-But, when coming down the hill again, the horses went much faster, and
-at every instant the fragile carriage nearly overturned as it passed
-over the stones or sank into ruts; Ménard trembled with fear, the two
-jockeys cried out, and Dubourg said to them:
-
-"Be still, you rascals! I told you not to talk French; don't be afraid,
-I'll answer for everything."
-
-The carriage went like the wind; luckily, they were then headed toward
-the house; but instead of passing through the main gateway, the coursers
-ran full tilt at the wall. The shock was so violent that the two jockeys
-were thrown out on the grass. Dubourg jumped out, crying: "I will answer
-for everything!" Ménard alone remained in his seat, as if he were glued
-to it.
-
-No one was injured. Dubourg went forward laughing to salute the company,
-declaring that that was the usual way of alighting from a carriage in
-Poland. Ménard, proud of having retained his seat, joined the party,
-displaying his ruff; and the two scullions pointed to their buttocks,
-without a word, when Lunel asked them if they were hurt.
-
-Dubourg was welcomed most cordially. Monsieur Chambertin was in the
-seventh heaven, for the baron pressed his hand and called him his dear
-friend; Madame Chambertin was no less gratified, the illustrious
-stranger having whispered as he saluted her: "You have not been out of
-my mind one moment." And all the guests seemed overjoyed to be in the
-company of a great noble, who did not put on airs at all, and made
-everybody feel at ease.
-
-Monsieur Chambertin had got together some forty persons: all the wealthy
-landowners of the neighborhood, the mayor, the notary, the clerk of the
-peace, ironmasters, and a few friends from Paris and Lyon--in short,
-all those whom he deemed worthy to meet monsieur le baron.
-
-They took their places at the table, Dubourg in the seat of honor at
-madame's right, and Ménard, to his great delight, beside Monsieur
-Fondant, who talked no more than before, but was very attentive to him
-in the way of filling his glass and passing him food.
-
-"I hope," said Chambertin, "that monsieur le baron will give us a few
-days, and Monsieur Ménard as well."
-
-"Yes," said Dubourg, "we have arranged to pass several days in this
-delightful spot."
-
-As he spoke, he touched Madame Chambertin's knee with his own, whereupon
-she swallowed a chicken bone to cover an imprudent sigh. Ménard bowed,
-and Chambertin rejoined:
-
-"I have but one regret, and that is that you did not bring your friend
-the Comte de--the Comte du--you know whom I mean."
-
-"Oh! he's an original," said Dubourg; "he shuns society. I left him my
-berlin and my servants, and brought only my two little Poles."
-
-"Ah! they are Poles, are they? They are dapper little fellows; I took
-them for Cossacks."
-
-At that moment, Lunel appeared and informed Dubourg that his servants
-were raising the deuce in the kitchen and refused to answer any
-questions.
-
-"Parbleu! I should think so! they don't understand French."
-
-"Allow the baron's people to do as they choose," said Chambertin, "and
-try to understand their signs."
-
-"Very pretty signs they are," muttered Lunel; "they don't do anything
-but stick their fingers in the sauces and wipe 'em on their breeches!"
-
-The high spirits of Dubourg and the learned Ménard enlivened the whole
-company. They talked and laughed and ate and drank. But whenever Dubourg
-spoke, Chambertin looked about and said:
-
-"Sh! let us listen to monsieur le baron."
-
-At dessert, Monsieur Bidault proposed to sing; but Dubourg observed that
-in good society it was no longer fashionable to sing, and Chambertin
-imposed silence on the ex-notary.
-
-"Singing isn't fashionable," he said; "what were you thinking about?"
-
-But the corpulent Frossard was in the habit of singing, and he was not
-at all abashed by what Chambertin said; whereupon the host, seeing that
-he could not prevent him from singing his drinking-song, requested the
-company to walk into the adjoining room, where the concert was about to
-begin, hoping that the ironmaster's ditty would pass for an aria.
-
-A lady and gentleman regaled the company with a piece for harp and
-piano, with thirty-six variations. The mayor took his 'cello, and the
-notary a violin; a horn was presented to Dubourg, who had said that he
-played on all instruments, but who now declared that he could play only
-the English horn, and passed the instrument to Ménard, forcing him into
-a seat in front of a music stand. The tutor stared at him in amazement,
-but he whispered in his ear:
-
-"Just blow into it, and don't look embarrassed."
-
-Ménard, who had not spared his host's wine at dinner, was not afraid of
-anything; he took the horn and put the mouthpiece to his lips, blowing
-with all his might and rolling his eyes. They began a trio, Dubourg
-beating time. Whenever it was the horn's turn, not a sound was heard,
-because, try as hard as he would, Ménard could not find the mouthpiece;
-but Dubourg seemed content, and said, turning toward the company:
-
-"I have never heard such sweet music! no one would believe that it was a
-horn!"
-
-Everybody applauded, and Ménard, after it was all over, said to himself:
-
-"I knew how to play the horn, and I never suspected it!"
-
-The concert came to an end at last; Dubourg suggested a game, and the
-tables were soon arranged. Backgammon is not often played in a salon,
-but Dubourg said that they played nothing else at the Polish court;
-whereupon Monsieur Chambertin instantly produced a board, and declared
-that within a week he would have four in his salon. Dubourg and Frossard
-took their places, and Chambertin watched them play, although he did not
-understand the game at all.
-
-Dubourg was in luck; he urged his adversary to increase the stakes, and
-tried to taunt him into doing so. He had won some twenty louis, when
-there was a tremendous report in the garden.
-
-Cries of: "It's the fireworks!" arose on all sides, and everybody
-hurried into the garden.
-
-"To the devil with the fireworks!" exclaimed Dubourg; "the dice are just
-beginning to fall well for me!"
-
-But he tried in vain to detain the ironmaster, who was determined to see
-the fireworks; so Dubourg concluded to do as everybody else did.
-
-He left the salon. The fireworks were at the end of the garden, and
-Dubourg fell in with Madame Chambertin, who was coming to see what
-monsieur le baron was doing, and, it may be, to seek an opportunity for
-a tęte-ŕ-tęte. Dubourg offered her his arm; he was in excellent
-spirits, and, as he recalled the conversation under the table and the
-stifled sighs, he reflected that he was to pass several days in the
-house, and that he ought to show himself worthy of the welcome he had
-received. These considerations led him to take a path which did not lead
-to the place where the other guests were.
-
-"Where are you taking me, pray?" madame asked, now and then. But Dubourg
-replied:
-
-"I don't know at all, but let us go on."
-
-They soon came to a small summer-house, which was not lighted and had
-but one window, a little farther from the ground than an ordinary
-ground-floor window. Dubourg opened the door, pushed Madame Chambertin
-in, and entered behind her, taking care to close the door.
-
-Meanwhile, Monsieur Chambertin, who had provided the fireworks expressly
-for his friend the baron, was looking for him in the glare of a
-Bengal-light; as he did not see him, he ran hither and thither, crying:
-
-"Come, monsieur le baron, come, I entreat you! Two pieces have been set
-off already, and they're just lighting the first transparency!"
-
-Dubourg, who was probably not thinking of the transparency at that
-moment, heard Chambertin's voice, and called to him from the interior of
-the summer-house:
-
-"I am here, I can see very well; don't worry about me; your good wife is
-obliging enough to explain the fireworks to me."
-
-"What! I don't see you at the window."
-
-"Because madame is afraid of the rocket-sticks; but we can see very
-well."
-
-"Ah! that's good! I am delighted that you have a good place," said
-Chambertin, standing under the window. "I arranged the display myself;
-did you see the sun?"
-
-"No, but I smelt it; it smelt something like the moon."
-
-"Look at these little serpents; what perpetual motion! they go very
-well, don't they?"
-
-"Wonderfully well."
-
-"Pray explain the transparency to monsieur le baron, wife."
-
-"Oh! monsieur le baron grasps it all very quickly," replied Madame
-Chambertin, in a voice upon which the smoke seemed to have had a serious
-effect.
-
-"Look out! there goes the bouquet!"
-
-The bouquet exploded amid applause and shouts of _bravo_! The company
-returned to the house, enchanted by the display, and Madame Chambertin
-came out of the summer-house with monsieur le baron.
-
-"The bouquet was fine," said Chambertin, rubbing his hands.
-
-"I am still a little dazed by it," said madame, tremulously.
-
-"It was worthy of the lord of this domain," added Dubourg.
-
-"Upon my word," said Chambertin, "I believe I am almost that."
-
-"You are altogether, my dear friend; it is I who say it."
-
-"When a man of your eminence assures me of it, monsieur le baron, I can
-no longer doubt it."
-
-But it was after eleven o'clock, and that is unduly late in the country.
-Those of the guests who lived at some distance entered their carriages;
-those who lived in the village ordered their servants to light their
-lanterns; they took leave of Monsieur and Madame Chambertin,
-congratulating them on the magnificence of their party; they bowed
-deferentially to monsieur le baron, and departed to their respective
-abodes. Thereupon Monsieur Chambertin, thinking that his illustrious
-friend must long for repose, and seeing that the learned Ménard had
-fallen asleep in the salon, ordered the servants to escort those
-gentlemen to their rooms.
-
-The finest apartment on the first floor had been prepared for the young
-nobleman, and a pretty room on the second for the professor, who, if he
-had been nothing more than that, would probably have been relegated to
-the attic, but who was treated with the highest consideration because he
-was the baron's friend and companion.
-
-The whole household had retired. Ménard was already snoring like one of
-the blessed, which means that the blessed do not have bad dreams.
-Dubourg stretched himself out luxuriously in a soft bed, surrounded by
-rich silk curtains with gold fringe and tassels, and said to himself:
-
-"Gad! it's mighty amusing to play the baron! these people overwhelm me
-with attentions, and fly to meet my lightest wish! And all because they
-think me a palatine! If I had introduced myself as plain Monsieur
-Dubourg of Rennes, they would have told me to go my way; and yet this
-other name hasn't made a different man of me. But all men have their
-share of madness--a little more or a little less. Instead of trying to
-cure it, which would be very noble, no doubt, but which strikes me as
-rather too difficult, one must flatter their mania to make one's self
-agreeable to them. This Chambertin is an ass, who, after trading in wine
-two-thirds of his days, is trying to play the grandee and to ape the
-airs of the nobility during the last third. What do I care for his
-idiocy? he is delighted to entertain a baron, and I will play the baron
-as long as I enjoy myself here. His wife is very willing that I should
-make love to her, and I'll do it as long as I haven't anything better to
-do; and it is more than probable that I shan't find anything better as
-long as I am in her house, because a coquettish woman who has seen her
-best days never invites any pretty girls who may rob her of attentions."
-
-Reflecting thus, Dubourg was beginning to doze, when he heard a great
-uproar in the courtyard,--outcries, oaths, and roars of laughter,--and,
-in the midst of it, he fancied that he recognized the voice of one of
-his jockeys. He rose, partly dressed himself, and opened the window
-looking on the courtyard. He saw a number of servants assembled there,
-and old Lunel fighting for a chicken with one of the little Poles, while
-the other was shrieking and weeping in a corner.
-
-The two scullions, faithful to the orders Dubourg had given them, had
-replied only by signs to the other servants; but Lunel, who was Monsieur
-Chambertin's steward, valet, and groom, all in one, was very ill
-disposed toward the baron's servants, as well as toward their master,
-whom he had driven to Grenoble, and from whom he had received no other
-_pourboire_ than a tap on the cheek. The two boys had bruised themselves
-behind, when they were thrown out of the carriage; that was why, when
-trying to make themselves understood by signs, they frequently put their
-hands to the injured part: a gesture which seemed to Lunel most
-insulting, and he was convinced that the young Poles intended to make
-sport of him.
-
-To be revenged on them, he had taken them up to a small room under the
-eaves, and left them there, supperless. The little fellows did not go to
-bed, thinking all the time that food would be brought to them, or that
-they would be called to supper. At last, tired of waiting, they went
-downstairs. Everybody had retired except Lunel, who was sitting up
-because he suspected that the baron's servants would not remain quiet.
-
-The little fellows, spurred on by hunger, got scent of the store-closet,
-which was in the kitchen; and as one of the kitchen windows was open,
-they easily crawled in, and, making a hole in the canvas door of the
-closet, one of them seized a chicken which had not been touched, the
-other the carcass of a hare which still had some meat on it. They were
-about to fly with their booty when Lunel discovered them; he shouted
-_thief!_ and struck at them with a whip with which he had armed himself.
-The scullions ran to the window and climbed through; one fell and
-bruised his nose; the other, being less awkward, was running off with
-his chicken, when Lunel overtook him and tried to wrest it from him.
-Thereupon a struggle began.
-
-"You shan't have it!" cried the boy.
-
-"Oho! you little rascal! you can talk French now, can you? I'll teach
-you to make insulting signs to me!"
-
-Meanwhile, the one who had fallen cried:
-
-"I've broke my nose; it's that old dodger's fault for not giving us any
-supper!"
-
-It was at this crisis that Dubourg appeared at his window. All the
-servants had come down into the courtyard; and Monsieur Chambertin also
-appeared on his balcony, in his robe de chambre.
-
-"What's the meaning of all this noise?" he demanded.
-
-"Those are my little Poles."
-
-"Yes, your Poles, who talk French now," retorted Lunel; "I caught 'em
-stealing in the store-closet."
-
-"He didn't give us any supper," said the boys, "and he was waiting for
-us in a corner with a whip."
-
-"A miracle!" cried Dubourg; "they have spoken! they understand! That
-whip seems to have taught them more quickly than any schooling!--Come,
-my young friends, come up here and let me hear you speak French, and you
-shall have some supper."
-
-"And you, knave," shouted Monsieur Chambertin to his servant, "if you
-presume to lay a finger on monsieur le baron's Poles again, I'll have
-you horsewhipped, and discharge you!"
-
-"They're no more Poles than I am a Turk!" muttered Lunel, as he walked
-away.
-
-The jockeys went up to their master's apartments, with the chicken and
-the hare they had rescued from the battle; the servants returned to bed,
-and Monsieur Chambertin resumed his place beside his wife, who was
-dreaming that she was in the summer-house, and that they were about to
-set off a petard.
-
-Dubourg concluded that it would be imprudent to keep with him two young
-imps who would surely get into further mischief. So, early the next
-morning, he gave them each three francs and sent them back to Grenoble,
-to the great contentment of Lunel, who did not like Poles.
-
-The following days passed quietly; a few friends came to share Monsieur
-Chambertin's pleasure and to listen to all the fables Dubourg chose to
-tell them concerning his estates, his châteaux, his family, and his
-duties at the court of Poland. Ménard did not say much, but he ate and
-drank vigorously, and cited a Latin author now and then; so that the
-company, not understanding him, regarded him with renewed respect.
-
-Dubourg gambled every evening, but only for small stakes. Frossard was
-absent, Monsieur Chambertin never got excited over the game, and Dubourg
-began to think that he would not double his capital. But the host's
-birthday was approaching, and on that occasion the house was to be
-turned topsy-turvy once more. Some very wealthy friends from Paris were
-expected, who would play as high as monsieur le baron wished. It was
-Madame Chambertin who had invited them, for she did everything that she
-could to detain the agreeable guest; and she said to her husband every
-day:
-
-"You don't realize all the honor Monsieur de Potoski does you by paying
-you a visit; you have no conception of it!"
-
-"I assure you, my dear love, that I am very proud of it, and that I will
-do all that I can to keep him."
-
-"You will do well, monsieur; for his going would leave a great void in
-my life. He is a man who would be very hard to replace. He is noble to
-his finger-tips."
-
-But everything was in commotion at Monsieur Chambertin's, where great
-preparations were being made for the approaching function, of which the
-charming stranger was again to be the hero. Monsieur Chambertin seemed
-determined to outdo himself; he sent for workmen, whom he employed with
-a great show of mystery in the garden, and they seemed always to be in
-the neighborhood of the summer-house. He was preparing a surprise for
-his guest; and as his last fireworks were talked about all over the
-neighborhood, he determined that the renown of his next display should
-reach to Lyon.
-
-The great day came at last, and many guests arrived. Monsieur Chambertin
-was immensely pleased with the surprise he had arranged for the baron,
-and would not even take his wife into his confidence. The former wine
-merchant's circle was augmented by new faces. A sumptuous banquet was
-served; the dishes were exquisite, the wines delicious, and Dubourg did
-the honors of the table almost unassisted, because whenever he called
-his host "my friend D'Allevard," he was certain to turn his head.
-
-"Twice happy the day that I met you!" he whispered to madame.
-
-"What do you say? twice?" she replied, with a sigh; "oh! that is not
-enough! say rather four, or five, or six times!"
-
-"Let us call it seven, and stop at that!" said Dubourg.
-
-The dinner came to an end. Monsieur Chambertin had but one regret--that
-his friend Durosey, whom he had been expecting from Paris for several
-days, had not arrived. Every time that he heard friend Durosey's name,
-Dubourg said to himself:
-
-"I used to know someone of that name in Paris; but where in the devil
-did I know him?"
-
-He asked Chambertin who this Monsieur Durosey might be.
-
-"He's a wholesale merchant, who has just retired from business with
-twenty thousand francs a year."
-
-"In that case," thought Dubourg, "it can't be the man I knew, for I
-never associated with wholesale merchants."
-
-They returned to the salon, where a rich landowner, who was very fond of
-écarté, seemed inclined to try his luck against monsieur le baron, when
-Lunel announced that Monsieur Durosey had arrived. Chambertin was
-delighted; he left the room, and soon returned with his friend, whom he
-introduced to the assembled company. Dubourg glanced at the new-comer
-and recognized the former keeper of a restaurant in Paris, to whom he
-owed a matter of four hundred francs, which had been standing two years,
-and which he had not found himself in a position to pay. Monsieur
-Chambertin, through vanity, had represented him as a wholesale merchant
-instead of a retired restaurant keeper.
-
-The meeting was exceedingly disagreeable to Dubourg, but he did not lose
-his head; and when Chambertin came forward with Durosey, saying: "I
-present you to Monsieur le Baron de Potoski, a Polish palatine," Dubourg
-bowed and smirked, blinking his eyes, twisting his mouth, and making
-such grimaces that it was improbable that his creditor could recognize
-him.
-
-Monsieur Durosey did not stop in front of Dubourg, who felt more at ease
-and resumed his game more tranquilly. From time to time, however, he
-glanced about the salon, and when he met his former entertainer's eye he
-fancied that the latter was scrutinizing him carefully; whereupon he
-resumed his facial contortions and grimacing, and tried to affect a sort
-of Saint Vitus's dance by constantly twisting his nose and mouth toward
-his left ear.
-
-But his creditor's presence annoyed and embarrassed him; he could not
-pay attention to his game, he lost his head completely, and his money
-slowly but surely passed into his adversary's possession. Dubourg
-suggested doubling, then trebling, the stakes; the rich squire agreed,
-for he could not refuse monsieur le baron. A large part of the company
-stood about the table, which was covered with five-hundred-franc notes;
-and Monsieur Durosey planted himself exactly in front of Dubourg, who
-could not raise his eyes without meeting his creditor's, and who, to
-fill his cup to the brim, had the worst possible luck. In half an hour,
-the travelling fund had passed into other hands, and Dubourg rose,
-saying that he was going to get some more money.
-
-But as he was looking about for his friend Chambertin, to borrow a few
-thousand francs, with which he hoped to recover what he had lost,--for a
-gambler continues to hope until he is on his death-bed,--the former
-restaurant keeper, who had not lost sight of him, joined him in a window
-recess. It was impossible to avoid him.
-
-"How is Monsieur Dubourg?" he asked, with a roguish air.
-
-"Dubourg? what do you mean by Dubourg?" replied the pretended baron,
-working his nose and mouth more violently than ever.
-
-"Oh! I have the honor to recognize monsieur," retorted the creditor, in
-a louder tone; "but I didn't know that he was a Polish baron----"
-
-"Hush! not another word, my dear Monsieur Durosey," said Dubourg, seeing
-that it was impossible to hoodwink his interlocutor. "I didn't recognize
-you at first, but now I place you perfectly. I am delighted to see you."
-
-"The same with me, monsieur. You seem to be in very comfortable
-circumstances now, staking five hundred francs at once at écarté, and I
-trust that you will pay me the four hundred francs you----"
-
-"Yes, yes, with great pleasure; I will give them to you this very
-evening. When I left Paris, I forgot that trifling debt."
-
-"But I called on monsieur more than twenty times when he lived on the
-fifth floor on Rue d'Enfer, and again on Rue de----"
-
-"Hush! I know all about that; silence, Monsieur Durosey! Since then, I
-have come into my property, and my titles--I will pay you in a moment."
-
-"Oh! in that case, monsieur le baron may be assured that this will
-remain a secret between us."
-
-Dubourg walked away from Monsieur Durosey and once more looked about for
-Chambertin, when that gentleman entered the salon, crying:
-
-"Come into the garden, everybody; we are going to set off the
-fireworks."
-
-"I have a favor to ask of you," said Dubourg, walking up to him.
-
-"After the fireworks, monsieur le baron, I shall be entirely at your
-service. Be good enough to go to the summer-house; I flatter myself that
-you will be able to see as well there as you did before; my wife will
-take you there."
-
-And Chambertin hurried away, with a mischievous air, while Dubourg said
-to himself:
-
-"Parbleu! it's decidedly amusing that he should send me to the
-summer-house with his wife."
-
-He went into the garden and found Madame Chambertin, who remembered the
-last pyrotechnic display and was waiting for monsieur le baron for the
-second performance. Madame asked nothing better than to go again to the
-little summer-house, where they could see so well, and where they had
-such comfortable seats; which latter would be most essential, as she had
-urged her husband to make the display last as long as possible.
-
-Bombs were set off, and rockets, and transparencies. But when the moment
-arrived for the closing piece, Monsieur Chambertin said to the company
-assembled in the garden:
-
-"Turn toward the summer-house, and look at what comes next; that's where
-the surprise is to be."
-
-Everybody turned in that direction, Monsieur Chambertin gave the signal,
-the walls of the summer-house fell away as if by magic, leaving the roof
-supported by four pillars, and a lighted match instantly set fire to
-four Bengal-lights, which had been secretly placed inside, together with
-a transparency on which were these words: _To Baron Potoski, from his
-grateful friend Chambertin_.
-
-This was the surprise which Monsieur Chambertin had been mysteriously
-preparing for several days; but he did not expect the surprise that his
-friend the baron had in reserve for him: the explosion and the
-demolition of the summer-house had taken place so suddenly, that the
-couple inside had not even had time to cease their conversation, and it
-seemed to all the company to be exceedingly animated.
-
-The men laughed, the ladies bit their lips to avoid imitating them.
-Ménard, who was in the rear of the crowd, called out:
-
-"Pray explain the transparency!"
-
-And Monsieur Chambertin was struck dumb.
-
-All this was the affair of a minute; Dubourg required no longer time to
-realize what remained for him to do. He had not a sou, he had found a
-creditor, he could expect nothing from his friend Chambertin except a
-horsewhipping or a sword-thrust; so it behooved him to leave the house
-instanter.
-
-The Bengal-lights had gone out; Madame Chambertin had fainted, which was
-the best thing that she could do. Dubourg took advantage of the smoke
-which succeeded the bright light; he jumped down into the garden, lost
-himself in the crowd about the summer-house, seized Ménard, who came
-running after him, dragged him into a dark path, and ordered him to hold
-his tongue at the risk of being murdered.
-
-At the end of the path was a little gate leading into the fields;
-Dubourg opened it and pushed Ménard through, who had no idea where he
-was, and fancied that their friend Chambertin's house had caught fire.
-His companion locked the little gate and threw away the key.
-
-"Come," he said, "forward at the double-quick! We have drunk the cup of
-pleasure, now we must put ourselves on a strict diet; it will do us
-good. Now is the time for us to say: _Non est beatus qui cupida
-possidet, sed qui negata non cupit._"
-
-"Amen!" said Ménard, as he trotted along by his side.
-
-
-
-
-XVI
-
-THE IMPROMPTU ACTORS.--AN EVENT WHICH CHANGED THE WHOLE FACE OF AFFAIRS
-
-
-After they had run for more than a league, as if they were pursued,
-Ménard, utterly exhausted, stopped, declared that he could hold out no
-longer, and dropped on the turf. Dubourg thought that they could safely
-halt for a while, so he seated himself beside his companion.
-
-"Will you kindly tell me now, monsieur le baron," said Ménard, when he
-had recovered his breath, "why we are running away like thieves from our
-friend Chambertin's, where we were overwhelmed with attentions,
-luxuriously quartered, and fed like epicures; where, in a word, we were
-treated with the regard we deserve?"
-
-"My dear Monsieur Ménard, the jug that goes often to the well ends by
-being broken or filled, as you choose; and in this case I rather think
-both things have happened."
-
-"What jug are you talking about? what have you broken? I don't
-understand you, monsieur le baron."
-
-"So I see, and I will explain my meaning in another way. Did you notice
-that man they called Durosey, who didn't arrive at friend Chambertin's
-until this evening?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur le baron."
-
-"Do you know who that man is?"
-
-"I heard it said that he was a retired merchant."
-
-"Yes, he represented himself as such, the better to deceive me, no
-doubt. Did you notice what a forbidding face he had?"
-
-"I noticed that he looked at you very often, monsieur le baron, with
-close attention."
-
-"Parbleu! I should say as much; and he recognized me. Monsieur Ménard,
-that man is nothing else than a disguised Turkish spy, who has been sent
-in pursuit of me."
-
-"Is it possible?"
-
-"It is well known that I have pleaded the cause of the Greeks at several
-courts, and induced more than one prince to take up arms in their
-behalf. The Turks have sworn to have my life; this man is one of their
-agents, whom I recognized because I have often seen him at
-Constantinople; his presence is always followed by some disaster to me;
-I am sure that Monsieur Chambertin's house was surrounded by his
-confederates. They would have kidnapped me during the night,--and you
-too, because it is known that you are travelling with me,--and within a
-fortnight our two heads would have adorned the Castle of the Seven
-Towers, flanked by a horse's tail, the symbol of the Grand Turk's
-might. Tell me, now, whether I was wise to fly!"
-
-"Mon Dieu!" said Ménard, looking behind him; "I believe that my strength
-has come back. Suppose we go on?"
-
-"No, don't be alarmed, Monsieur Ménard; the rascals have lost our trail
-and won't dare to follow us."
-
-"But how does it happen that Monsieur Chambertin receives as a
-guest----"
-
-"Oh! my poor Ménard, you don't know mankind! With a dozen cashmere
-shawls, a collection of pastilles, a box of little bottles of attar of
-rose, you can make people do whatever you choose. However, I don't
-accuse Chambertin; he may very well have been deceived; but, just as the
-fireworks went off, I noticed several evil-looking men; and I at once
-determined to fly."
-
-"You acted very wisely. But our carriage?"
-
-"I certainly shall not go after it."
-
-"Nor I. But what about our landlord at Grenoble, who owns it?"
-
-"He has our post chaise to pay for it."
-
-"But what are we to travel with hereafter?"
-
-"With our legs, I fancy. Indeed, when one hasn't a sou to pay for
-horses, there's no use in having a post chaise."
-
-"What's that, monsieur le baron? you haven't any money?"
-
-"No, my dear Ménard; I lost all that I possessed, this evening. That
-Turk's presence confused me; I didn't know what I was doing, and I
-played like a fool."
-
-"That was well done! Luckily, my pupil, Monsieur Frédéric de
-Montreville, has the money for our journey, and the only thing for us to
-do is to go and find him."
-
-"How can we possibly rely on Frédéric's having any money. He has just
-made a new acquaintance, and new acquaintances, Monsieur Ménard, are
-always very expensive; we play the open-handed lover, we deny our
-charmer nothing. I am sure that that girl is making him spend money like
-water! At his age, a young man doesn't know the value of money, and has
-no idea of economy."
-
-"But, monsieur le baron, I don't quite see how they could spend much
-money, living in the woods."
-
-"You don't see? well, I do! It's first one thing, then another--no end
-to the whims. You don't suppose that they have stayed in their little
-cabin this whole month, do you? I can safely tell you, now, that
-Frédéric proposed to hire an apartment for the girl."
-
-"But, monsieur le baron, did you not point out to him----"
-
-"He's old enough to do as he pleases. However, don't get excited; I'll
-see him. I'll go alone first, so as not to anger him, and, if he is
-willing to listen to me, I'll bring him back. But, meanwhile, we must
-live. How much money have you?"
-
-"About thirty francs."
-
-"That isn't much; but if we are economical, it will last us some time;
-we shall have to live very sparingly; but that will do us good. These
-big dinners overheat our blood; it's very unhealthy to eat five or six
-rich dishes and drink several kinds of wine every day."
-
-"Still, monsieur le baron, I am inclined to think that we were both
-getting fat at Monsieur Chambertin's."
-
-"True; but that would have turned out badly for us; simple fare will
-check this tendency to corpulence. The pleasures of Capua enervated the
-Carthaginians; and Monsieur Chambertin's table would probably have
-produced the same effect on us, and I should have been distressed. I
-really must resume my incognito."
-
-"Ah! I agree with you this time, monsieur le baron; for if those Turks
-should find you----"
-
-"That's the reason why I think it wouldn't be prudent to return to
-Grenoble, where I might be arrested--I should say, kidnapped by those
-cutthroats. Besides, having no money, we should be ill received by our
-host, who would claim, I dare swear, that his carriage is worth more
-than ours. We will avoid passing through the town, and with your thirty
-francs we will take lodgings in some little village."
-
-"But when that's all gone, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"Parbleu! then we'll see; there's no use of worrying beforehand.
-Frédéric can write to his father."
-
-"I am afraid monsieur le comte will be angry----"
-
-"I will write to my aunt."
-
-"To your aunt, monsieur le baron?"
-
-"I should say, to my steward. At all events, we will find some way out
-of it. Besides, suppose we should groan and moan--would that help
-matters at all? So let us make the best of it. Come, it's a superb
-night, and we have had a good rest--let's push on. Faith! there's
-nothing like travelling on foot, if you want to admire the landscape.
-Come, my dear Ménard, summon your courage! Since we have been together,
-we have had lots of ups and downs; have you ever seen me mope?"
-
-"Ah! monsieur le baron, everybody isn't as philosophical as you are."
-
-"I will train you. Think of the misfortunes of Marius, Hannibal, Prince
-Edward; of the poverty of the grand-daughter of Henri IV; of the woes of
-Marguerite of Anjou; and of all the other people who have found
-themselves in much more difficult positions than ours--and complain
-again, if you dare!"
-
-The travellers resumed their journey. Dubourg was a curious sight in his
-full dress, starched ruff, and thin pumps, walking beside Ménard, who
-wore silk short-clothes, black stockings, and buckled shoes, and who was
-compelled, in that costume, to climb hills, jump ditches, and plod along
-over ground that, at the best, was very uneven. Luckily, they had taken
-their hats when they went out to see the fireworks, otherwise they would
-have had to traverse Dauphiné as if they were calling on their
-neighbors.
-
-At daybreak, they stopped at a peasant's house and obtained breakfast.
-Dubourg ordered an omelet and some native wine. They ate their repast
-under an arbor, surrounded by domestic animals who came to keep them
-company.
-
-"How pleasant it is in the open air!" said Dubourg; "are all the gilded
-halls and antechambers on earth equal to this open country--to the
-perfect liberty which is ours at this moment?"
-
-"It is certain," rejoined Ménard, driving away a big cat that persisted
-in putting its paws in his plate, "it is certain that we are entirely at
-liberty here,--that there is no suspicion of restraint---- Well, well,
-here's the dog now, trying to get my bread!"
-
-"Well, Monsieur Ménard, every creature must live. In the time of our
-first parents, these innocent beasts shared their masters' meals; the
-lion ate from the hand of man, and the tiger gambolled at his feet."
-
-"You must agree, monsieur le baron, that those animals have changed
-greatly in their disposition."
-
-"Never mind; I love everything that recalls those days of innocence.
-When I look at this hen walking on our table, and this duck splashing in
-the mud at our feet, I fancy that I am living in the Age of Gold. Not
-until I feel in my pocket do I realize the delusion."
-
-Unluckily, the eggs in the omelet were not fresh, and the wine was sour;
-Ménard made a wry face at every mouthful and every swallow, while
-Dubourg said:
-
-"I know of no healthier food than an omelet. Whatever country you travel
-in, wherever you may be, if there are eggs, you have an omelet!
-Everybody knows how to make it; it's a universal dish, the dish of
-nature."
-
-"If only the eggs were fresh!"
-
-"Faith! this little taste of straw isn't unpleasant; at need, it will
-take the place of tarragon. And this wine--at all events, I'll guarantee
-that it won't do us any harm."
-
-"It's infernally sour!"
-
-"A proof that it's unadulterated."
-
-Despite all that Dubourg could say to make Ménard approve of the
-breakfast, the tutor said, as they left the table:
-
-"I think that we must go to hunt up Monsieur Frédéric de Montreville."
-
-And Dubourg said to himself:
-
-"He'll receive me cordially, when he knows that I have broken the bank
-again in less than a month! How in the devil am I to get out of the
-scrape? And how am I going to ask him for anything, when he gave it all
-to me? I can't go and preach to him--that isn't in my line. Indeed, I
-think that I shall have to induce Ménard to come and live in the woods
-with me; we will become hermits, and I won't play écarté any more."
-
-The travellers made a détour round Grenoble, without entering the city.
-They halted in a small village, and Ménard spoke again of joining
-Frédéric. Dubourg lost his patience, and told him that he would go alone
-to Vizille to see what he could learn. He left the village, walked as
-far as a small patch of forest, lay down on the grass, slept there all
-day, and at night returned to Ménard, holding his handkerchief to his
-eyes and sighing as if his heart were broken.
-
-"Well, well! what in heaven's name has happened to him?" inquired the
-tutor, anxiously.
-
-"The ingrate! the harebrained fool!"
-
-"Speak, monsieur le baron, I entreat you!"
-
-"I suspected that he would do some insane thing. He has gone off with
-his fair one. They left the forest a fortnight ago."
-
-"Great heaven! what will monsieur le comte say? what answer shall I make
-him, when he asks me what I have done with his son?"
-
-"You must tell him that you lost him."
-
-"Do you believe, monsieur le baron, that such an answer will satisfy
-him?"
-
-"Then you can tell him that he lost himself. But be calm, my dear
-Ménard. I promise you that we will find Frédéric again. I have friends
-in all the courts of Europe; the young man will be restored to us."
-
-This promise pacified poor Ménard to some extent, and Dubourg continued:
-
-"Before we consider what to do about him, let us think of ourselves, for
-our position is not very splendid. We shall not find resources in this
-wretched village; let us go to the nearest town; and, above all things,
-my dear Ménard, do try to get rid of that heart-broken look, which will
-inspire an exceedingly unfavorable opinion of us in every inn at which
-we stop."
-
-The travellers resumed their journey, and at nightfall arrived at
-Voreppe, a small town about two leagues from Grenoble. Dubourg inquired
-for the best inn, and went thither with his companion. They entered the
-common-room, Dubourg with his head in the air and a determined bearing,
-Ménard with downcast eyes and a very modest mien.
-
-Several guests were talking together in the room, awaiting the supper
-hour.
-
-"Will the gentlemen eat at the table d'hôte?" the servant inquired.
-
-"Yes, of course," replied Dubourg; "we like company--don't we, my
-friend?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur le ba--yes, my friend," said Ménard, being reminded by a
-blow from his friend's elbow that there was to be no more mention of
-barons.
-
-Dubourg listened to what the other guests were saying, but the
-conversation was far from interesting; the tradesmen discussed business,
-the townspeople talked gossip, and Dubourg failed to discover any
-Chambertin to dazzle. He paced the floor of the common-room, jingling
-the few copper coins which he still had in his pocket, and halting now
-and then in front of Ménard to offer him a pinch of snuff; and Ménard,
-for all his depression, looked with unabated respect on the snuff-box
-which was held out to him.
-
-Suddenly a little man of some fifty years of age, in a cinnamon-colored
-coat, green breeches, cavalry boots, and a cap with a visor that might
-at need serve as an umbrella, entered the room, with the air of one full
-of business, and said in a very loud tone:
-
-"They won't come! they can't come! and my performance has fallen
-through. I am desperate! my mind is going!"
-
-The little man threw himself into a chair, and was instantly surrounded
-by all the gossips and guests of the inn.
-
-"What is it, Monsieur Floridor?" queried the hostess; "have your actors
-gone back on you?"
-
-"Yes, the most necessary and most important ones of the lot: the _jeune
-premier_, and the noble father, two talented actors, who would have
-completed my troupe. The _jeune premier_ was to come from Cambrai, where
-he has played such parts as Colin and Elleviou for twenty years; he is a
-man of the most charming, consummate talent. I saw him a month ago, in
-_Sargine, or Love's Pupil_, for he has been playing the _ingénus_ and
-young lovers for some years. Ah! how delighted I was! an affecting
-voice, and a superb figure! a little taller than I am. And in tragic
-parts--such fire! such spirit! I wept when I saw him do _Tartufe_. As
-for the noble father, he is a most invaluable actor. For thirty years he
-has been the delight of Beaugency, and I saw him act at Doyen's, in
-Paris, with marvellous success. He takes all sorts of parts--kings,
-fathers, tyrants, Cassandras--he can handle anything. He made a
-specialty of the _noble fathers'_ rôles only because he lost his teeth,
-which does not prevent his displaying plenty of _bite_ in his diction."
-
-"And why ain't they coming?"
-
-"Why, indeed! Because Colin has an attack of catarrh, forsooth! and the
-noble father, having had a row in a wine shop, is locked up for a
-fortnight. Such things never happen to anybody but me. After taking so
-much pains to make a pretty theatre out of the old stable, and
-succeeding too--for I flatter myself that our theatre is charming: an
-orchestra, pit, three boxes, and a gallery--all on the same level, and
-tastefully decorated! I would have left the Grenoble theatre out of
-sight! The people of this town would have been so delighted! They know
-a good thing when they see it, at Voreppe, and, although there's never
-been a theatre here, I am sure I should have made a lot of money! I had
-already let one box to the justice of the peace, who is admitted gratis
-with his family; and the principal men of the town had sent me word that
-perhaps they would come!"
-
-The little man paused at last to take breath and wipe his face. Dubourg,
-who had not lost a word of what he said, seated himself in a corner,
-evidently meditating some new plan.
-
-"It is annoying, sure enough," said the innkeeper; "I've ordered a new
-dress for my daughter to wear to the play."
-
-"Annoying, do you say!" repeated Floridor, twisting about on his chair
-like one possessed; "why, it is enough to drive one to despair! I would
-give a hundred francs if I could replace my two actors, and a hundred
-francs is quite a sum, it's equal to one evening's receipts; but, no
-matter, I would sacrifice it to be able to open my theatre."
-
-These words were overheard by Dubourg, who still held aloof, however,
-and seemed to pay no heed to what was being said.
-
-"Ah!" said one of the servants; "I wish I knew how to act! it would just
-suit me to be able to earn a hundred francs."
-
-"I had engaged my two artists for a month, at sixty francs each," said
-Floridor; "that's pretty high, but we have to pay for real talent."
-
-"Can't you get anybody to take their places?"
-
-"Who, pray? I have made a _tyrant_ of the wigmaker, and a _confidant_ of
-the carpenter's apprentice, who has a magnificent voice. I have
-persuaded the constable's wife to play the princesses, and I have made
-an _ingénue_ of the cooper's widow; those are all I've been able to find
-in the town; but they do very well, they're jewels. As for myself, I act
-when it's necessary; but, as I have to prompt too, I can't take any long
-rôles. I have a well-supplied wardrobe: three Spanish costumes, with
-which the last rope-dancer paid his bill at the wine shop; an old
-lawyer's gown to make tunics with; two otter-skin caps to serve for
-turbans, and some curtains I bought at Grenoble to make into cloaks. We
-were to have opened day after to-morrow, with _Phčdre_ and _Le Devin du
-Village_. In _Phčdre_, the carpenter was to do Aricie, because we have
-only two women; but he's a nice-looking boy, with no beard, and he'd
-have done very well. As for the other two _confidants_, Ismčne and
-Panope, I intended to declaim their rôles from the prompter's box. We
-should have given _Le Devin du Village_ without music, but that makes it
-all the prettier; the actors speak instead of singing, and it goes very
-well; I've seen it given so in many places. What a success we would have
-had! My Colin was to do Hippolyte; and my noble father would have been
-magnificent as Thésée. The wigmaker was cast for Théramčne; the fellow
-has his lines at his tongue's end, he doesn't shave a customer that he
-doesn't recite 'em; and Hippolyte must needs have the catarrh, and
-Thésée get into a row at a wine shop! How am I to get out of the scrape?
-Oh! if some great actor from Paris or some foreign country would happen
-to stop here--one of those men who travel so much! But they never come
-to Voreppe!"
-
-"Supper is served, messieurs," said the maid-servant.
-
-"Your trouble won't interfere with your supper, I take it, Monsieur
-Floridor," said a tradesman.
-
-"No, indeed. I shall eat my supper as a matter of habit, but I have no
-appetite. This calamity has cut off my arms and legs."
-
-"But not his tongue," observed Ménard, in an undertone, as he prepared
-to take his place at the table; when Dubourg, stalking majestically
-forward, halted in front of him and declaimed, waving his right arm
-about as if he were trying to swim:
-
-    "'Oui, puisque je retrouve un ami so fidčle,
-      Ma fortune va prendre une face nouvelle;
-      Et déjŕ mon courroux semble s'ętre adouci
-      Depuis qu'elle a pris soin de nous rejoindre ici.'"[C]
-
-  [C] Aye, since I find a friend so leal and true,
-      Methinks my fortune speedily will change;
-      Even now my wrath seems sensibly allayed,
-      Since she hath taken steps to join us here.
-
-Ménard stared at Dubourg in dismay.
-
-"You have found him?" he said; "who? my pupil? is he going to join us
-here?"
-
-Dubourg trod on Ménard's foot, for he saw that Floridor, instead of
-taking his seat at the table, had stopped and was listening to him. He
-seized the tutor's arm, and cried:
-
-    "'Est-ce toi, chčre Élise? O jour trois fois heureux!
-      Que béni soit le ciel, qui te rend ŕ mes voeux,
-      Toi qui, de Benjamin comme moi descendue,
-      Fus de mes premiers ans la compagne assidue.'"[D]
-
-  [D] Is it thou, O dear Élise? Thrice happy day!
-      Thank heaven, which doth restore thee to my prayers,
-      Thee, who, like me, from Benjamin descended,
-      Wast of my early years the comrade true.
-
-"Delicious! delicious!" cried Floridor, clapping his hands, while Ménard
-rolled his eyes about in amazement, looking for this Élise whom
-monsieur le baron addressed; and as he saw no one but the maid-servant,
-he asked her if her name was Élise.
-
-"Is monsieur an actor?" inquired Floridor, walking toward Dubourg, cap
-in hand.
-
-"I, monsieur!" he replied, pretending to be surprised and annoyed
-because he had been overheard. "I--I assure you, monsieur--what ground
-have you for such an opinion?" he demanded, in a gruff voice, like a
-villain of melodrama.
-
-"What ground!" cried the little man, delighted beyond words, and seizing
-Dubourg's hand. "Ah! monsieur, you betrayed yourself just now without
-knowing it; but even without that I should have recognized you. That
-voice, that carriage, those noble and majestic attitudes! None but an
-actor of the first rank combines all these; and you are such a one; it
-is useless for you to deny it."
-
-"I see," said Dubourg, smiling with an air of mock modesty, "that it is
-difficult to conceal anything from you. But my companion and I had fully
-resolved to retain our incognito."
-
-"Your companion!" cried the little man, leaping for joy; "can it be that
-monsieur is an actor, too?"
-
-"Unexcelled in tearful rôles, superb in tragedy, and absolutely natural
-in comedy," said Dubourg, while Ménard listened with the air of one
-listening to a language he does not understand. But Floridor did not
-allow him to remain in that benumbed condition; he threw his arms about
-Dubourg's neck, he threw his arms about Ménard's neck, and would have
-done the same by the maid if somebody had not stopped him.
-
-"They are sent by heaven!" he cried, rushing about the room like a
-madman. "I shall open my theatre! we will play _Phčdre_, we will make
-the whole town weep with _Le Devin du Village_!--Master innkeeper, a
-bottle of your best wine. I have the honor of inviting to supper the two
-artists who are travelling incognito."
-
-"What does this mean?" Ménard asked Dubourg, in an undertone.
-
-"It means that we are the two first actors to the King of Poland, that
-yonder little magpie has already invited us to supper, and that he is
-going to do a great deal more for us; further, that you must support
-what I say, and try not to look like an idiot."
-
-"What, monsieur le baron--you and I pass ourselves off as actors?"
-
-"Actors are built like other men, Monsieur Ménard; Roscius was admitted
-to the presence of Sylla, Garrick is buried beside the kings of England,
-Moličre was an actor, and none the less a great man; and two of the
-great authors of our own time have acted, and sacrificed none of their
-merit by so doing."
-
-"But, monsieur le baron, I have never acted."
-
-"Nor have I; but that doesn't alarm me."
-
-"But suppose it should become known, what will people say?"
-
-"It won't become known, as we are incognito."
-
-"But I have no memory; I shall never be able to remember a rôle."
-
-"They'll prompt you."
-
-"But I am very timid, and I shall never dare to appear in public."
-
-"When you are rouged and powdered, you'll be as bold as a page."
-
-"I shall be execrable."
-
-"We'll make him pay us a high price, and everybody will think we are
-superb."
-
-"But----"
-
-"Morbleu! there's enough _buts_. Just remember that it's only for three
-or four days; it's a little joke that will have no unpleasant
-consequences, and will give us the means of waiting for another
-remittance. Furthermore, when a man like myself, a Polish nobleman, an
-elector palatine, decides to do such a thing, I consider it very strange
-that a mere plebeian should presume to remonstrate with him. You will
-act with me, or I abandon you to the wrath of the Comte de Montreville,
-whose son you will never be able to find without assistance."
-
-"I'll do it, monsieur le baron."
-
-"That's very lucky for you!"
-
-During this little dialogue, Monsieur Floridor had rushed into the next
-house, where the wigmaker lived, to tell him that two great actors,
-whose names he did not know as yet, but who were sure to be overflowing
-with talent, because they were travelling incognito, had arrived at the
-Soleil d'Or, and that he proposed to do his utmost to engage them to
-appear two or three times in the town. The wigmaker abandoned the town
-clerk's wife's hair, which he was engaged in curling, and hurried off to
-carry the news to all his customers; the customers told their neighbors,
-and the word was passed from house to house, as in the game of scandal.
-The town of Voreppe being rather small, all the townspeople knew before
-sundown that they had within their walls two dramatic geniuses who were
-travelling incognito.
-
-Monsieur Floridor returned, and they took their places at the table.
-Dubourg seated Ménard at his side, so that he could whisper his replies
-to him, and the manager took his seat on Dubourg's other side. All the
-other guests treated the travellers with marked consideration, because
-they saw that Floridor did, and because we often do what we see others
-do, without very well knowing why.
-
-The little manager talked incessantly, Dubourg from time to time
-declaimed such passages as came to his mind, and Ménard concentrated his
-attention upon his plate.
-
-"May I not know," said Floridor, "with whom I have the honor of
-supping?"
-
-"We did not intend to make ourselves known," said Dubourg; "but, after
-the flattering attentions with which you have honored us, it is
-difficult to conceal anything from you. You see in us the two first
-actors of Cracow, who are taking advantage of a furlough to travel in
-France and perfect ourselves in the French tongue, in which all our
-plays are given in Poland; so that our theatre is frequented only by the
-most distinguished people of the country--like the Bouffons in Paris."
-
-"I understand, I understand! and what parts do you play?"
-
-"Everything, from pantomime to grand opera. My comrade here, Wolowitz,
-is the Fleury of Poland, and I make bold to say that I am the Talma. Ah!
-if you should see us together in _Les Chasseurs et la Laitičre_! but you
-don't give opera here, do you?"
-
-"Pardon me: opéra-comique, without music, to be sure, because we have no
-orchestra as yet; but if you will deign to accede to our prayers, how
-happy our town will be to see two such artists as you!"
-
-"It is true that we are terribly popular in Poland! Why, when we play
-anywhere, they always throw us something--it never fails.--Do you
-remember Smolensk, Wolowitz? We had given _Le Déserteur_ and _Le Chien
-de Montargis_. You played the assassin. I say, do you remember the
-sensation we produced there?"
-
-Wolowitz did not reply, because he had not yet learned his name; but
-Dubourg kicked him, under the table, and made him raise his head,
-whereupon he replied, still eating:
-
-"Yes, monsieur le baron."
-
-"You see, he continues to call me the _baron_," said Dubourg; "he
-imagines he is still on the stage."
-
-Another kick informed Ménard that he had made a blunder, and he muttered
-in Dubourg's ear:
-
-"Tell me your name, then; you can't expect me to guess it."
-
-"When people saw on the bill-board: _Boleslas and Wolowitz_," continued
-Dubourg, with a glance at Ménard, "the theatre was always crowded to
-suffocation, and we staggered under the wreaths that were thrown to us."
-
-"Oh! you'll get some here," said Floridor; "we will throw 'em to you.
-I've had a dozen made on purpose to have thrown on my actors' heads. You
-shall have verses too--quatrains; I've got all those things."
-
-"You are right; they always have a good effect, they flatter the artist
-and dazzle the audience."
-
-"Ah! Monsieur Boleslas, may I hope that you and your companion will
-consent to give us a few performances?"
-
-Dubourg did not consent at once; they had made a vow, he said, not to
-act in any French theatre. Floridor urged them, implored them, and
-ordered a fresh bottle of wine. Ménard was touched by the supper and the
-little manager's compliments, and when they left the table he was ready
-to promise to play any part he was asked to take; but Dubourg did not
-yield so readily, because he desired to obtain a high price. Floridor
-did not leave his side, he was ready to kneel at his feet; he would
-make any sacrifice, he said, to open his theatre with such notable
-artists, and he finally offered them a hundred francs for four
-performances, which was a fabulous sum for acting in a stable. Dubourg
-surrendered, declaring that he did it solely to oblige him.
-
-The little man was beside himself with joy; he instantly prepared three
-posters, which would be displayed in the town on the morrow, announcing
-to the people thereof that Messieurs Boleslas and Wolowitz, famous
-Polish actors, were to appear at their theatre.
-
-"We should like to open with _Phčdre_ or _Le Devin du Village_," said
-Floridor.
-
-"Oh! bless my soul! it's a matter of indifference to us," replied
-Dubourg; "whatever you choose."
-
-"Then we will begin with that."
-
-"Very well, I will do Phčdre."
-
-"Phčdre? do you mean to say that you play female parts too?"
-
-"Oh, no! I meant Hippolyte. Wolowitz will make a glorious Thésée."
-
-"Very good. For the _Devin_ I only need a Colin."
-
-"I'll undertake it. In four days we will be ready."
-
-"Four days--that's rather too long."
-
-"We must have a little rest."
-
-"All right, four days it is. You will be announced to-morrow. Have you
-any wardrobe?"
-
-"No; for we had no idea of acting."
-
-"No matter; I will see that you have costumes."
-
-With that, Floridor left our friends, and they went to bed, Dubourg
-laughing over this latest adventure, and Ménard murmuring:
-
-"If monsieur le baron does it, why shouldn't I do it?"
-
-When he woke the next morning, poor Ménard could not believe that he was
-really going to play Thésée; but Dubourg appeared, book in hand, and
-gave him his rôle, which the little manager had already sent, with the
-information that there would be a rehearsal at noon.
-
-"Bah!" said Dubourg; "there aren't a hundred lines in your part. What's
-that to you, who have learned Horace and Virgil and so many other
-authors by heart?"
-
-"That's all very well; but I have passed my life learning them, while I
-have only three days to commit this to memory."
-
-"Don't be afraid, I'll answer for everything; besides, there's a
-prompter."
-
-"That's true; I must depend on him."
-
-"As long as you know your first speech, that's all that's necessary."
-
-"Oh! as to that, I'm not at all alarmed:
-
-    "'La fortune ŕ mes voeux cesse d'ętre opposée,
-      Madame, et dans vos bras met----'"
-
-"Bravo! you say it like an angel."
-
-"It's the curse that bothers me."
-
-"See that you gesticulate enough, and it will be all right."
-
-At midday, Monsieur Floridor came to escort them to the theatre, where
-the rest of the troupe was waiting for them. The aspect of the little
-hall, which they reached through a dovecote, where the box-office was
-located, amused Dubourg mightily, while Ménard collided with two old
-hogsheads which did duty as mountains.
-
-The troupe manifested the greatest respect for the two new-comers, who
-rehearsed book in hand. Dubourg did not say a word that the others did
-not exclaim:
-
-"How well that was declaimed! what talent!"
-
-It was the same with Ménard; and the tutor, bewildered by the applause
-that was lavished upon him, was persuaded that he possessed a hitherto
-unsuspected talent for acting.
-
-"Do you take snuff while you are acting?" queried Floridor.
-
-"Why not? I take the part of a king, and the King of Prussia took snuff;
-witness that box, which----"
-
-"In Poland," interposed Dubourg, "we take as much of it as we please on
-the stage; it's a recognized thing; indeed, it's a matter of tradition
-in many rôles."
-
-"How glad I am!" said the constable's wife, who played Phčdre; "I didn't
-dare to take it when I was the princess."
-
-"In that case," said the carpenter's apprentice, "I'll put a little quid
-in my mouth when I play Aricie, as Monsieur Boleslas deigns to allow
-it."
-
-"Whatever you please; great artists indulge in innumerable whims."
-
-"_Non est magnum ingenium, sine mixtura dementić_," observed Ménard.
-
-"Do you hear him? that's Polish," said the manager to his troupe.
-
-Three days were occupied with rehearsals; at last, the day of the
-performance arrived. Ménard knew only his first speech by heart; but he
-knew that very well, and Dubourg had told him that that was enough. The
-latter did not know a word of his part, but he was not at all disturbed.
-On the morning of the performance, he took care to secure the hundred
-francs which Floridor had agreed to pay, saying that it was the custom
-in Poland. The little manager counted out the sum, and Dubourg put it in
-his pocket.
-
-The costumes they were to wear in _Phčdre_ were brought to the inn.
-
-"Don't we dress at the theatre?" Dubourg asked the manager.
-
-"We have no dressing-rooms, so everybody dresses at home; but the
-weather is fine, and there's no inconvenience in that."
-
-"Do you mean that I must walk through the town dressed as Hippolyte?"
-
-"The theatre is only a few steps from the inn, and you can play the part
-in boots, as Hippolyte is a hunter."
-
-"True."
-
-"In default of a bow, which we haven't, you will carry an old musket,
-which I have had brought here for you; the ramrod will represent the
-arrows."
-
-"That will do very well."
-
-"As for the wig, I think you will be pleased; as Hippolyte must have
-hair falling over his neck, I have prepared a Louis XIV wig, which will
-fill the bill perfectly."
-
-The manager took his leave, and Dubourg was assisted to dress by Ménard,
-who, as he did not appear till the third act, had plenty of time for his
-own toilet. Dubourg retained his black trousers, in which were the
-hundred francs; he thought it best to have the money about him, in case
-of accident. Over them he drew a very large pair of nankeen trousers,
-donned a white piqué waistcoat, and threw over his shoulders an ample
-cloak covered with rabbit skins, representing the skin of a tiger; then
-he put on his wig, daubed his face with rouge, took the musket in one
-hand and his handkerchief in the other, and betook himself to the
-theatre, urging Ménard to make haste, so that he would not be late for
-his _entrée_.
-
-The auditorium was full, which meant receipts of about eighty francs.
-Floridor was in ecstasies; he ran to and fro from the prompter's box to
-the stage, in full view of the audience; for there was no passage under
-the stage, and the sheet which did duty as a curtain was hung on a rod
-and drawn aside, like the curtain of a magic lantern.
-
-Dubourg arrived, bathed in perspiration, because the cloak covered with
-rabbit skins was very heavy and the wig was immense. The actors uttered
-a cry of admiration when he appeared.
-
-"How handsome he is!" could be heard on all sides; "how well he
-represents Hippolyte!"
-
-"Ah! I shall play Phčdre by inspiration!" exclaimed the constable's
-wife, with a passionate glance at Dubourg. But as Phčdre had a slight
-squint, and an enormous nose covered with snuff, Hippolyte did not
-return that amorous glance. He drew the curtain aside to look into the
-hall; when his face appeared, shouts arose on all sides; the ladies
-thought he was a lion. Thereupon Floridor came forth from his box, and
-addressed the audience thus:
-
-"I told you that you would be pleased, enchanted!"--and he applauded
-with all his might, the spectators followed suit, and Dubourg bowed with
-majestic dignity, then retired behind the curtain.
-
-Everybody was ready. Phčdre had a gown _ŕ la_ Mary Stuart, a mob-cap,
-and was covered with _mouches_ to the end of her nose. OEnone, to give
-herself a malignant aspect, was dressed in red and black, because
-Dubourg had told her that such a costume indicated a woman of character.
-The carpenter, on the contrary, had sacrificed a nascent whisker in
-order to represent Aricie; he was dressed in a white cambric gown, with
-a garland of roses in his hair, and he imitated a woman's voice
-reasonably well, although he constantly chewed tobacco.
-
-The wigmaker, who was cast for the part of Théramčne, wore a François I
-wig and a Spanish costume, with his National Guards sabre for a sword.
-The rôles of the other two confidants were to be read by Floridor from
-the prompter's box. Only Thésée was missing, and he did not appear; but
-he was not to come on till the third act.
-
-"Let us begin, the audience is growing restive," said the manager; "we
-mustn't keep them waiting any longer. Thésée will certainly be on hand
-for the third act."
-
-"It is undoubtedly his costume that detains him," said Dubourg; "he's
-very particular about having his costume just what it should be, and he
-never puts in a pin except in the way tradition demands."
-
-The manager, who was also prompter, stage manager, and scene shifter,
-struck the traditional three blows, then drew the curtain, which at
-first disclosed only half of the stage; but with the assistance of two
-spectators, who came on the stage, he succeeded in drawing it entirely
-aside. Thereupon he went down into his box, with a candlestick in his
-hand, and the play began.
-
-When Dubourg stalked upon the stage, majestically enveloped in his
-cloak, the audience emitted a murmur of surprise, which was not
-precisely admiration; for, with his huge wig, the rouge trickling down
-his cheeks, and his old musket over his shoulder, Dubourg was far from
-attractive to look upon. Judging from the head they had seen a moment
-before, they had expected to see a magnificent man of lofty stature;
-but, on the contrary, the cloak seemed to crush him, and Théramčne,
-being very tall, made him appear even shorter than he was.
-
-"He's a Pole," said the spectators.
-
-"He's terribly ugly," said the young women; "but he is said to have
-great talent."
-
-Dubourg rolled his eyes in terrifying fashion, to give character to his
-face; while the unlucky Théramčne, whose head touched the flies, was
-obliged to stoop, so that his wig should not sweep the spiders' webs
-from the ceiling of the palace.
-
-Dubourg, who was not at all timid, shouted his lines like a deaf man,
-and gesticulated so wildly that, before the end of the first scene,
-Théramčne had been struck twice by him. At the third blow, the wigmaker
-began to lose his temper, and muttered between his teeth:
-
-"Sacrebleu! look out what you're doing! if you go on like this, I shall
-be like a baked apple before the end of the play."
-
-But the audience were delighted with his spirited acting; they applauded
-and cried _bravo_! Dubourg continued as he had begun, but not without
-alarming one woman in the pit who, being singularly affected by his
-contortions, left the place.
-
-The first act went very well; but the audience manifested some little
-surprise when, instead of seeing Panope appear, they heard the prompter
-reading the rôle in his box; but, as it was not long, they let it pass,
-especially as Floridor, turning toward the pit, explained:
-
-"Messieurs, the rôles of confidants are almost always given in this way
-in towns of the third order."
-
-But Thésée had not arrived.
-
-"What in the devil can he be doing at the inn?" said Dubourg; "do you
-suppose he can't put on his costume?"
-
-"Impossible!" said the manager; "I sent him a superb yellow tunic, and
-trousers of the same stuff; for his diadem he has a turban of the same
-color, that I use in _Mahomet_."
-
-"Oho! so Thésée will be all yellow, eh?"
-
-"That's traditional, and tradition is never wrong. But let's go on with
-the second act; we must hope that he will turn up."
-
-They began the second act, which did not go so well as the first.
-Aricie, in a moment of passion, spat her tobacco into Hippolyte's face,
-whereupon the latter kicked her viciously just as her lover said to her:
-
-    "'Modérez des bontés dont l'excčs m'embarrasse!'"[E]
-
- [E] Be not so kind to me; your excessive kindness embarrasses me.
-
-"That will teach you to be more careful," said Dubourg.
-
-"If I wasn't a woman, I'd answer you in another way," retorted the
-carpenter, shaking his fist at him.
-
-"I advise you to keep quiet!"
-
-Floridor hurried from his box to reconcile Hippolyte and Aricie; he
-succeeded at last in pacifying them, and the performance continued. But,
-a moment later, Dubourg, being on the stage with Phčdre, waited for the
-prompter to give him his cue; but the cue did not come, because the
-prompter could not see.
-
-"Snuffers!" he cried; "give me some snuffers!"
-
-"What a stupid!" said Phčdre, and she stooped and took the candle, and
-gracefully snuffed it with her fingers. "There, my boy, that's the way
-we do when we have any instinct." And she replaced the candlestick in
-the box.
-
-This little interlude was not agreeable to the audience, who had already
-begun to murmur at the quarrel between Hippolyte and the princess; and
-one enthusiast, who was more exacting than the rest because he had
-occasionally attended the theatre at Grenoble, threw a raw potato,
-which struck Phčdre in the left eye. The constable's wife finished the
-scene in tears, and the second act came to an end at the same time, with
-indications that a storm was brewing.
-
-Floridor, who came out of his box after each act, ran on to the stage to
-console Phčdre, who declared that she would not act any more. He tried
-to restore the courage of his actors by assuring them that the later
-acts would make amends for everything; he relied especially on the début
-of Thésée, who had not yet appeared, and to whom he looked to produce a
-prodigious effect. But Thésée did not arrive, and the anxiety became
-general.
-
-"What can have happened to him? I'll run back to the inn," said Dubourg,
-"for his delay begins to surprise me; I'll bring him back with me at
-once."
-
-"Make haste!" cried Floridor; "for if we keep the audience waiting,
-everything will be hopelessly ruined."
-
-Let us see why Ménard, who was so scrupulously exact in everything he
-had to do, had not arrived at the theatre. After Dubourg left him, he
-turned his attention to his toilet; and that was no small matter to a
-man who had never been to a ball, had never disguised himself, and had
-worn the same costume for thirty years. Ménard scrutinized the tunic,
-the Turkish trousers, and the turban, in every part; he had some
-difficulty in making up his mind to put on those yellow garments and to
-besmear his _venerable_ cheeks with rouge; he had to remind himself
-constantly of Roscius, Garrick, and Moličre, else he would have
-abandoned the idea of acting. But he had promised, his word was pledged;
-monsieur le baron, a noble Pole, set the example, and he must needs
-adapt himself to circumstances.
-
-After an infinitude of trouble, he succeeded at last in arraying himself
-in the costume of Thésée. He looked at himself in the mirror, smiled at
-himself, and concluded that he looked very well; he kindled his own
-ardor by reflecting that he was about to represent the King of Athens,
-repeated his lines to himself, especially his first speech, then left
-his room to go to the theatre, saying to himself:
-
-"Thus the Fates decree!"
-
-At that very moment, a traveller had arrived at the inn in a comfortable
-carriage. Everything about him denoted a man of wealth and of high rank.
-The innkeeper made haste to ask what he desired, and the traveller, who
-was a short, thin, old man, stern of face, inquired curtly what
-travellers had recently passed through the town, and, on receiving the
-landlord's reply, exclaimed:
-
-"Shall I never learn what has become of them?"
-
-"Will monsieur have supper?" inquired the innkeeper.
-
-"No; I am not hungry. Let my horses be fed. I may go away again very
-soon. Give me a room where I can rest quietly for a few moments."
-
-The traveller's tone did not invite conversation. The innkeeper at once
-took a light and escorted the new arrival to the stairs. As they were
-going up, they came face to face with Ménard, who was descending with
-majestic mien, declaiming:
-
-    "'La fortune ŕ mes voeux cesse d'ętre opposée,
-      Madame, et dans mes bras met----'"
-
-The little old man raised his eyes when he heard Ménard's voice; he
-gazed at him for some time in surprise, and exclaimed at last:
-
-"Can it be possible that it is Monsieur Ménard whom I see in such a
-costume as this!"
-
-Ménard looked at the traveller, and was transfixed with amazement when
-he recognized the Comte de Montreville, Frédéric's father, whose eyes
-gleamed with anger, and who, taking Thésée by the arm, marched him back
-abruptly to his room, planted himself in front of him, and began sternly
-to question him.
-
-"What does all this mean, Monsieur Ménard? what is the meaning of that
-turban on your head, and this yellow costume that makes you look like an
-escaped lunatic?"
-
-"Monsieur le comte, yellow is not a color to be scorned; in China, the
-marks of highest distinction consist of yellow waistcoats and peacocks'
-feathers."
-
-"Morbleu! monsieur, never mind the Chinese, but answer my question: why
-do I find you rigged out like this?"
-
-"Because I am to play Thésée this evening, monsieur le comte."
-
-"You, play Thésée!"
-
-"Yes, monsieur le comte; in _Phčdre_, which is to be given at the local
-theatre."
-
-"What! monsieur le précepteur, you propose to act?"
-
-"Why not, monsieur le comte? circumstances---- Besides, Roscius was
-entertained by Sylla, Garrick is buried at Westminster, and Moličre----"
-
-"Do you consider yourself on a level with those men, monsieur? Do you
-suppose that I sent you with my son, with the idea of your being an
-actor? Was it with that end in view that you undertook this journey? Did
-you think, as well as Frédéric, that you could deceive me for long? In a
-fortnight, you spent the eight thousand francs I handed you----"
-
-"We didn't spend them, monsieur le comte----"
-
-"Silence, monsieur! I was willing to forgive that first escapade; I sent
-you more money, and I learned that, instead of continuing your journey,
-you had remained at Grenoble, and that my son was making the tour of
-Europe in Dauphiné."
-
-"It's a superb country, monsieur le comte."
-
-"I left Paris; I was determined to find out for myself what detained you
-in this neighborhood. I went to Grenoble, and failed to find you; I
-sought you in vain in that vicinity. And at last I find you here, in
-this absurd costume! I did not expect this, I admit.--But my son--where
-is he? is he acting, also?"
-
-"No, monsieur le comte."
-
-"Where is he, then?--speak!"
-
-"He is lost, monsieur le comte."
-
-"Lost! What do you mean? Answer me, monsieur!"
-
-"That is to say, monsieur le comte, he has gone astray."
-
-"Remember, monsieur, that I intrusted my son to you."
-
-"We will find him, monsieur le comte. Monsieur le Baron Potoski is going
-to send couriers to all the European courts."
-
-"Who is this Baron Potoski?"
-
-"He's a Polish nobleman, a very intelligent young man, Palatine of Rava
-and Sandomir, who has a magnificent castle in the Krapach Mountains,
-which he heats with gas."
-
-"Upon my word, Monsieur Ménard, I believe they have made you an absolute
-idiot!"
-
-"No, monsieur le comte; I know what I am saying, and I am telling the
-simple truth."
-
-"Where did you find this baron?"
-
-"We found him on the road, near Paris; he overturned our carriage, by
-the way, and I was thrown into a ditch. But monsieur your son recognized
-Baron Potoski as one of his friends; so we joined him in King
-Stanislas's berlin, where I sat in the seat once occupied by the
-Princess of Hungary; and we have travelled with the baron ever since."
-
-The Comte de Montreville paced the floor, stamping angrily, and looking
-up at the ceiling in despair. Ménard cowered in a corner, with his
-turban in his hand, afraid to move. After making the circuit of the room
-three or four times, the count returned to him.
-
-"What has become of this baron?"
-
-"He is playing Hippolyte, monsieur le comte; he is on the stage at this
-moment, and---- But, stay, here he is himself, monsieur le comte."
-
-At this moment, in fact, Dubourg rushed into the room, crying:
-
-"Come on, Thésée; we're waiting for you, to begin the third act."
-
-But he stopped short when he saw the count, who exclaimed:
-
-"I was sure of it! It's that scamp Dubourg!"
-
-Ménard opened his eyes at that, and Dubourg contented himself with
-bowing low to Frédéric's father.
-
-"Come, Monsieur Ménard, follow me," continued the count; "take off that
-costume, which you should never have put on, and let us leave this place
-at once."
-
-The unhappy tutor did not wait for the order to be repeated; in an
-instant, he had cast aside the tunic and trousers; then he resumed his
-own clothes, took his hat, and stood humbly before the count, who said
-to Dubourg:
-
-"As for you, monsieur, whose company has been so profitable to my son,
-remember that if I do not find Frédéric soon, my wrath will fall on
-you.--Come, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-A moment later, the count and the tutor were in the carriage, from which
-the horses had not been taken; and they drove rapidly away from the inn
-toward Grenoble, where the count hoped to obtain news of his son.
-
-Meanwhile, Dubourg, somewhat bewildered by what had taken place,
-considered what was likely to happen to him; the audience was waiting
-for Thésée, without whom the play could not go on, and the good people
-of Voreppe seemed disposed to be unamiable when they were dissatisfied.
-On the other hand, he had received from the manager his own pay and
-Ménard's; and now that Ménard had gone, how was their agreement to be
-kept?
-
-While he reflected, a confused noise arose in the street. Dubourg ran to
-the window and saw Floridor approaching with several of the spectators,
-who were swearing and making a great uproar, declaring that the two
-Poles should act or they would thrash them.
-
-"They will act," cried Floridor; "they will act, messieurs; I paid them
-in advance."
-
-Dubourg realized the danger that threatened him; he hesitated whether he
-should give back the money, whether he should excuse himself by
-disclosing his colleague's departure, or whether he should leave the
-manager to settle with his audience. The last plan was the most
-agreeable to him; he was afraid of being beaten, even if he did return
-the money; moreover, he considered that his performance of Hippolyte was
-well worth what he had received. So he ran to another window, looking on
-the open country, and, hearing the crowd enter the innyard, he no longer
-wavered; he jumped down into the sorrel, picked himself up, wrapped
-himself in his cloak, and ran across the fields as if the whole town
-were at his heels.
-
-The count and Ménard soon arrived at Grenoble, and alighted at the inn
-where our three travellers had sojourned, and which the tutor had
-pointed out to the count at his request. On the way, he had questioned
-Ménard closely concerning his son, and the replies he obtained satisfied
-him that it was nothing more than an amourette which detained Frédéric
-in that neighborhood; so that he was a little more at ease, having no
-doubt that his presence would suffice to bring his son to his senses.
-
-When they reached the inn, Ménard had a scene with the landlord on the
-subject of the char-ŕ-bancs which had been let to him and Dubourg. The
-landlord also spoke of Dubourg, saying that a creditor of the pretended
-Baron Potoski had come to Grenoble in search of him, and was now on his
-trail, meaning to have him arrested.
-
-Poor Ménard had nothing to say; he was utterly overwhelmed when he
-learned that the man whom he had believed to be a Polish nobleman had
-done nothing but make sport of him ever since they had travelled
-together. The Comte de Montreville put an end to the innkeeper's talk by
-paying him what he demanded. They slept at Grenoble, the count proposing
-to go with Ménard the next day to the place where he had said that he
-last saw Frédéric.
-
-But the next morning, as they were preparing to start, Ménard uttered a
-joyful exclamation, saying:
-
-"Here he is, monsieur le comte; the lamb returns to the fold, the son to
-his father. Here is your son; let us kill the fatted calf!"
-
-Frédéric was, in fact, entering the innyard at that moment, but he was
-very far from suspecting that he would find his father there.
-
-The count hastened downstairs, followed by Ménard; he walked toward his
-son, with a stern expression, and the young man hung his head and seemed
-stricken dumb when he saw who was before him.
-
-"I have found you at last, monsieur," said the count; "I have heard of
-your behavior, I have seen your boon companion, I have learned that your
-travels have been confined to a miserable village and a forest near by,
-where you consider, doubtless, that you have acquired sufficient
-knowledge of the world. But I will abstain from reproaching you; I
-deserve reproach myself for giving you such a companion as monsieur. Let
-us forget it all, and return to Paris."
-
-These last words went to Frédéric's heart; he had endured bravely his
-father's reproaches, but now he became confused, seemed to be deeply
-distressed, glanced behind him, and stammered a request for a delay of a
-day or two. But the count pretended not to hear, and said in a harsh
-tone:
-
-"I am waiting for you, my son."
-
-The carriage was ready; what was he to do? How could he disobey his
-father? Frédéric trembled with agitation; he was still hesitating; but
-the count took him by the hand and led him toward the carriage, and he
-dared not resist. He had had no time for reflection before he was
-already at some distance from Grenoble. He put his head out of the
-window and gazed in the direction of Vizille; he heaved a profound sigh,
-his eyes filled with tears, as he thought of Sister Anne, and he said to
-himself again and again:
-
-"Poor child! what will she think?"
-
-
-
-
-XVII
-
-THE JOYS OF LOVE LAST BUT A MOMENT, THE SORROWS OF LOVE ENDURE THROUGH
-LIFE
-
-
-Why does the love of a month bear so little resemblance to the love of a
-day? why is the love of a year still less passionate than that of a
-month? why are we so indifferent to the enjoyment of that which we
-possess without any obstacles, and why does our enjoyment sometimes
-cease altogether when we possess what we have ardently desired? It is
-because everything passes away in this world, where we ourselves are
-simply birds of passage; it is because men who are greedy of pleasure
-are always seeking new forms of pleasure, and to many of them love is
-simply a diversion. But you will say to me, perhaps: "I have been
-married three years, and I love my wife as dearly as I did the first
-day;" or: "My lover has adored me for six months, and he is more in love
-than ever." I have no doubt of it; there are exceptions to every rule,
-and everyone can invoke them in his favor; and, furthermore, I do not
-say that love vanishes; I mean simply that it changes its hue; and,
-unhappily, the last variations have not the splendor, the lustre, the
-charm, of the original color.
-
-Frédéric still loved the pretty mute, beyond question; but he had been
-living with her in the woods for three weeks, and it began to seem a
-little monotonous to him. The great fault of lovers is to yield too
-freely to the intoxication of passion in the first days of their
-happiness. They are like those gluttons who go to the table with a
-tremendous appetite, and who eat so fast that they are filled to
-repletion before the repast is half served.
-
-Sister Anne felt none of this ennui; she was happier and more loving
-with Frédéric than ever. As a general rule, women love more truly than
-men, and, moreover, the unfortunate orphan was no ordinary woman; to
-her, Frédéric was the whole earth, the universe. Since she had known
-him, her intelligence had awakened, her mind had developed; she had
-learned to think, to reflect, to form desires, to fear, and to hope; a
-thousand new sensations had made her heart beat fast. Before she knew
-what love was, her life had been only a dream, but Frédéric had roused
-her from it.
-
-When she saw that he was depressed and preoccupied, she redoubled her
-attentions and caresses; she would lead him into the woods, and hide
-behind a bush or a clump of trees; then, suddenly appearing, would rush
-into his arms; and her childlike grace heightened the sweet expression
-of her features.
-
-When night came, they returned to the garden of the cottage. Sister
-Anne, alert and light of foot, prepared in a twinkling their evening
-meal, which they ate as soon as old Marguerite had gone to bed. The dumb
-girl gathered fruit, brought milk and rye bread, then seated herself
-beside Frédéric, close against him, and selected for him what seemed to
-her the finest and best morsels. When her lover spoke, she listened in
-rapture; one could see that Frédéric's words echoed in her heart. Once
-he sang a love song, and the girl listened without moving a muscle, as
-if she feared to lose a note, then motioned to him to sing it again.
-Since then, her greatest joy had been to hear him sing; he had a sweet
-and flexible voice, and she would gladly have passed the whole day
-listening to him.
-
-Thus did Sister Anne seek to enchain the man she loved. It was not the
-tactics of a coquette--it was love, pure and simple, and nothing else;
-whereas in the manoeuvres of a coquette there is not the faintest
-trace of that sentiment.
-
-Why, then, fools that we are, do we allow ourselves to be caught in the
-nets of the one, and repay with cold disdain the sincere love of the
-other? Because the coquette has the art to keep us in suspense; when she
-sees that we are well caught, she plays the cruel; if we seem a little
-cool, she excites us by giving us some cause of jealousy; if we seem
-overconfident, her mockery arouses our fears; if we are disgusted and
-ready to turn our back, she becomes tender, sentimental, passionate, and
-with a word brings us back to her feet. These constant changes do not
-give the heart time to grow cold. I was on the point of comparing us men
-to the epicures whose appetites are sharpened by a variety of dishes,
-but I refrain; you would think that I had studied the art of love in the
-_Cuisinier Royal_.
-
-For several days, Frédéric had taken to making short excursions in the
-neighborhood. Sister Anne was alarmed at first; but he was away only a
-little while, and her fears vanished. Frédéric was beginning to think of
-the future, of his father. What would the Comte de Montreville say, if
-he knew that his son was living in the woods with a village girl? That
-question frequently disturbed Frédéric's repose, and as the days passed
-it recurred with increasing frequency.
-
-Sometimes he said to himself:
-
-"If father should see her, it would be impossible for him not to love
-her. But would he accept her as his son's wife? No, that is not to be
-expected; the Comte de Montreville is not in the least romantic; he is
-proud; he loves wealth, because he knows that money always adds to the
-estimation in which one is held; so there is no hope that he will allow
-his son to marry a penniless village girl."
-
-To be sure, he could act without his father's consent; but, in that
-case, he must renounce his fortune, turn his talents to account, and
-work for his living; in any event, he must leave the woods, for he was
-beginning to realize that it is absurd for a young man to turn his back
-on the world at twenty-one; that men are made for society; and that the
-being in love with a pretty woman is no reason for burying one's self
-alive with her in the depths of a forest.
-
-These arguments assumed greater force from day to day; especially when
-he was away from Sister Anne, he abandoned himself to such reflections,
-and his absences became longer every day. The poor child groaned in
-secret; she counted the minutes that she spent without her lover; she
-ran down into the valley to watch for his coming, and she pouted--oh! so
-sadly!--when he had been long absent; but she was so overjoyed to see
-him again, that her dejection soon passed away; she forgot all her
-anxieties when she held him to her heart.
-
-A month had passed. Dubourg and Ménard had not returned to inquire
-concerning his plans, and he was greatly surprised. He did not know, as
-we do, that his two travelling companions were at that time installed
-under their friend Chambertin's roof, where that surprise in the way of
-fireworks was being prepared, which disclosed to their host what you
-already know, but what he did not know, even after the event, so they
-say, because his wife convinced him that he had seen nothing but fire.
-
-So that Frédéric was at a loss to understand the indifference of his
-friends, especially of Ménard.
-
-"Something new must have happened to them," he said to himself. "Dubourg
-has probably performed some further crazy exploit. I did wrong to trust
-him with all the money I possessed."
-
-The invariable result of his reflections was that he must go to
-Grenoble, to find out what those gentlemen were doing. But to join them
-after saying to Dubourg that he would never leave those woods again,
-that he had abandoned forever a false and wicked world, all of whose
-pleasures were not equal to the tranquil life of a cottage--that was
-most embarrassing, and that was why Frédéric could not make up his mind
-to go to the town; for a man often chooses to persevere in an act of
-folly rather than admit that he is wrong.
-
-Meanwhile, Frédéric's absolute idleness had become a heavy burden to
-him; with the best will in the world, one cannot talk twenty-four hours
-at a stretch to a pretty woman, and the poor girl was unhappy because
-she saw that her lover was melancholy and often sighed. At last, one
-fine evening, Frédéric, finding that he could endure it no longer, said
-to her:
-
-"To-morrow, at daybreak, I shall go to Grenoble, to learn something
-about my friends."
-
-As if struck by an unforeseen blow, the girl did not move for an
-instant, then her bosom heaved, and two streams of tears gushed from her
-eyes. She pointed to the road to the town, then to herself, as if to
-say:
-
-"And me? are you going to leave me?"
-
-The poor child was unable, in order to detain her lover, to resort to
-the sweet, loving words and entreaties which it is so hard to resist.
-But how expressive her gestures were, and how eloquent her eyes! one had
-but to glance at them to read all her thoughts.
-
-"I will return," said Frédéric, "I promise you; I will return, and I
-shall never love anyone but you."
-
-These words at once allayed Sister Anne's grief, for she did not doubt
-her lover's word. Remember, mesdames, that Sister Anne did not know the
-world--a very painful knowledge sometimes, since it teaches us to
-renounce the illusions of the heart.
-
-The evening passed sadly enough; for, although she did not doubt that he
-would return soon, the idea of her friend's departure was very cruel to
-that glowing heart, upon which love had bestowed an unalloyed happiness
-which she had thought would endure to the end of her life. Frédéric did
-all that he could to comfort her; but by giving fresh proofs of his love
-a man inspires greater love than ever. Surely, then, that is not the
-best way to lessen the pain of a separation; but it is the way that is
-usually employed.
-
-The dawn was a gloomy one in the eyes of the young orphan. Can that be a
-pleasant day which is to part us from all that we love best? Frédéric
-climbed the hill to the road, holding the poor girl's trembling hand in
-his. There, having repeated his promises and bade her a most
-affectionate farewell, he rode away and vanished from his sweetheart's
-sight.
-
-A heavy weight settled down upon the girl's heart. She could not see
-Frédéric, but still she stood there, still she sought him with her eyes.
-Suddenly she turned them upon her immediate surroundings; a groan
-escaped her, and she fell on her knees at the foot of an old oak, which
-she kissed with profound respect. Poor child! she was on the very spot
-where her mother had died while waiting for her father! She recognized
-the spot, and, clasping her hands, prayed fervently, and commended
-herself to her mother.
-
-Sister Anne was in the habit of going several times a year to pray by
-the old oak, near which the unhappy Clotilde had breathed her last; but
-she had never been there with Frédéric. On that day they had climbed
-that hill, over which ran the road to the town, and Sister Anne,
-absorbed by her grief, had not noticed it.
-
-Poor child! what melancholy presentiment oppresses your heart? You think
-of your mother's fate, and say to yourself:
-
-"Shall I be as unhappy as she was?"
-
-But she must needs return to the cabin; old Marguerite might need her
-attention. She walked slowly down the hillside, sighing as she looked
-back at the old oak. There he had parted from her, and there, as her
-mother had done, she would come every day to await his return.
-
-She returned to her cabin, her goats, and her woods; she resumed her
-ordinary habits and occupations. But everything was changed in her eyes;
-the woods seemed gloomy to her; wherever she went, she was oppressed by
-ennui. Her garden no longer had any charm for her, her home was like a
-desert. Frédéric embellished everything, and Frédéric was not there!
-Before she knew him, her eyes looked with pleasure upon things that she
-now viewed with indifference; and yet, the things themselves had not
-changed; but she had lost peace of mind and repose, and nothing looked
-to her as it did before.
-
-Frédéric had not said how many days he would be absent, and the girl
-hoped to see him soon; she did not dream that he had found his father
-at Grenoble, and that the Comte de Montreville was at that moment taking
-his son with him to Paris.
-
-Each day, Sister Anne went to the hilltop with her goats, and her eyes
-were constantly fixed on the road to the town; she sought Frédéric
-there, even as poor Clotilde had sought her husband. She amused herself
-by tracing her lover's name on the ground with a stick; that was all
-that he had taught her, but she had practised writing the name so often
-with him that she had succeeded in writing it legibly.
-
-Several days passed, and Frédéric did not return. Sister Anne still
-hoped, because she could not believe that her lover would break his
-promise; and every morning, as she went up the hill, she said to
-herself:
-
-"To-day I shall certainly come down with him."
-
-Vain hope! she must needs return alone once more to her cabin, to that
-abode whence repose had fled since love had crossed the threshold.
-
-But a new sentiment diverted her thoughts from her sorrow. Sister Anne
-bore within her a pledge of her love for Frédéric; she was enceinte, but
-had not yet tried to understand the change that she observed in herself.
-In her simplicity, it had not occurred to her that she might be a
-mother; but that thought suddenly came into her mind. Thereupon an
-unfamiliar joy took possession of her heart; she abandoned herself in
-ecstasy to that newborn hope. She would have a child--a child by
-Frédéric! It seemed to her that he must love her more than ever. The
-thought filled her heart with joy. To be a mother! what bliss! and what
-pleasure to be able to tell Frédéric! The girl leaped and ran about
-through the woods; in her excitement, she did innumerable foolish
-things; she looked at herself in the brook and in the fountain; she was
-proud to be a mother, and would have been glad that people should see it
-when they looked at her.
-
-Poor child! whose every action manifests your perfect innocence--enjoy
-to the utmost this sentiment newborn in your heart! That, at all events,
-will never grow less.
-
-But the days passed, and Frédéric did not return. Sister Anne was
-certain that she was to be a mother, and she could not tell her lover
-the joyful news! There can be no pleasure without pain; hers was
-poisoned by the anxiety she felt at the non-appearance of the being whom
-she adored; and every day the old oak was a silent witness of her sighs
-and her tears.
-
-
-
-
-XVIII
-
-THE GREAT BEAST
-
-
-We left Dubourg running across the fields to escape Monsieur Floridor,
-the angry audience, and the raw potatoes of which Phčdre had received a
-specimen in the eye; we must not forget that his flight was so sudden
-that he had no time to change his costume, that his head was still
-buried under the huge Louis XIV wig, which fell in great curls over his
-neck and shoulders, and that his body was enveloped in the cloak covered
-with rabbit skins.
-
-For an hour he ran at full speed, crossing highroads, jumping ditches,
-stumbling through fields of wheat and tracts of ploughed land, with no
-idea where he was or whither he was going, for the reader will remember
-that these things happened late in the evening; consequently, it was
-dark, and, as it was raining, there was no moon to light his path.
-
-He paused at last and listened; he heard nothing to indicate that he was
-pursued. The most profound silence reigned all about him; he tried to
-look about and find out where he was; he no longer was afraid of being
-caught, and he felt the need of rest. It was the middle of autumn, the
-evenings were beginning to be cool, and our fugitive was not at all
-desirous to pass the night in the open air, unprotected from the rain;
-to be sure, his wig took the place of a hat, and his cloak was as good
-as an umbrella; but they would be drenched in time, and then he would be
-very uncomfortable; so that it was most advisable to seek a place of
-shelter.
-
-He knew by the feeling that he was walking over vegetables, and soon his
-path was barred by a tall hedge; but as his cloak protected him from the
-thorns, he climbed over, leaving two or three rabbit skins and two curls
-from his wig in the bushes, and found himself at last on the other side,
-uncertain whether he would be any better off there. But various
-fruit-trees, pots of flowers, and a trellis, led him to think that he
-was in a garden. He walked on, holding his hands in front of him, and
-came to a wall; then he found that he was under a roof, where his
-progress was arrested by bundles of hay and straw: he was in a shed
-which was evidently used to store fodder.
-
-"Parbleu!" he said to himself; "I have found all that I need for a
-comfortable night; I am sheltered from the rain, so I'll just lie down
-on this straw, wrap myself in my cloak, and sleep. To-morrow, we will
-consider our future plans."
-
-Dubourg was soon ready for the night; he was exceedingly comfortable
-under the shed, and, after blessing the chance to which he owed that
-shelter, he fell sound asleep.
-
-The shed in which he lay was at the end of a garden belonging to a very
-pretty little cottage, occupied by a farmer named Bertrand, who had
-married, seven years before, a pretty damsel of his village, a fresh,
-wide-awake young woman known as La Belle Claudine; she had already
-presented Monsieur Bertrand with two bouncing children, and hoped that
-the end was not yet.
-
-In the country, everyone rises early. At daybreak, Fanfan and Marie, the
-farmer's two children, one five years old and the other four, having had
-their porridge, went out as usual to run about and play in the garden.
-Happening to pass near the shed, what did they see on the straw? Imagine
-Azor in _Beauty and the Beast_, and you will have an idea of the aspect
-of Dubourg, whose face was entirely hidden by a profusion of
-reddish-brown curls, which fell over his breast, while his whole body
-was covered by the cloak, which counterfeited some other animal if not
-the tiger; fancy, therefore, the fright of those children when they saw
-that shapeless mass.
-
-Little Marie dropped the slice of bread and butter she held in her hand;
-while the little boy opened his mouth and could not close it again,
-being almost petrified by fear.
-
-"Oh! oh! brother, do you see?" said little Marie at last, clinging to
-him and pointing to the object stretched out on the straw.
-
-"Oh! oh! what a horrid beast!" said Fanfan, running behind his sister.
-
-Then they ran at full speed to the house, uttering piercing shrieks
-which did not wake Dubourg, because the fatigue of the preceding night
-made his sleep very sound.
-
-Bertrand had just kissed his Claudine, preparatory to going into the
-fields to work, when the two frightened, screaming children appeared.
-
-"What's the matter?" said their papa; "why don't you speak, you
-rascals?"
-
-The children were so panic-stricken that they could not speak
-coherently. At last, they cried in unison:
-
-"Over there--under the shed--a great big beast all covered with hair--on
-the straw--with a black head and a red mane; he's bigger'n our donkey!
-He's a horrid-looking thing!"
-
-"Can you make anything of all that?" Bertrand asked his wife.
-
-"They said something about a big beast, goodman."
-
-"_Morgué!_ there's only us in the house; how could it get in? Perhaps
-it's neighbor Gervais's bull, or Dame Catherine's donkey."
-
-"No, papa, no; it's all gray and red. Oh! it's awful-looking!"
-
-"The devil! what does it mean?"
-
-"Has it got any tail?" inquired Claudine.
-
-"I don't know 'bout that, mamma; he looked as if he was asleep, and we
-ran right away."
-
-"You must go and see what it is, goodman."
-
-"Yes, yes; I must go and see."
-
-But Bertrand, who was not naturally brave, had already begun to quake,
-and, as a matter of prudence, went to get his gun, which was loaded with
-salt. Claudine took a broom, the children seized sticks, and they
-marched toward the shed. The little ones went first, because at that
-age, although frightened, a child delights in anything out of the
-ordinary, and the slightest event is a pleasure. Bertrand walked beside
-his wife, who kept pushing him to make him go ahead. The nearer they
-came to the shed, the more slowly they walked; they had ordered the
-children to make no noise, because it was better to view the beast
-asleep than awake.
-
-At last they stood in front of the little building, and the children
-said, their voices trembling with fear and excitement:
-
-"There--look, in there!"
-
-Bertrand and Claudine thrust their heads forward, saw the horrifying
-object, and dared not advance; the husband turned pale and drew closer
-to his wife, who motioned to the children not to go any nearer.
-
-"Let's go and call help," said Bertrand at last, in a choking voice.
-
-"S'pose you fire at it, goodman."
-
-"I guess not! my gun's only loaded with salt; that wouldn't kill him,
-but would just wake him up, and he'd be mad and go for us."
-
-"Ah! you're right, you mustn't fire; let's run to the village. Come,
-children. Great God! I hope he won't wake up!"
-
-Bertrand had already started; he ran, as if the beast were after him, to
-the village, which was only a gunshot from his house, and he was soon
-joined by Claudine. They both told everybody they met what they had
-found in their garden. As fear always magnifies objects, the beast they
-had seen became as large as a bull; and as events are always exaggerated
-by passing from mouth to mouth, because everyone adds a little to what
-he hears, the beast was transformed from a bull to a camel, then into a
-lion, then into an elephant; nor would it have stopped there if they had
-been able to think of any larger animal.
-
-The one undoubted fact was that there was an extraordinary creature in
-Bertrand's garden, and in a moment that news had put the whole village
-in a ferment. The people assembled, and took counsel together; the women
-went to fetch their husbands from the fields, and the mothers brought
-their little ones into the house and forbade them to go out. They called
-on the mayor, who, like his constituents, was an honest peasant, and who
-declared that he knew no more about beasts than did the other
-inhabitants of his bailiwick. But there was a certain Latouche in the
-village, who had once been a customs clerk at the barrier in Paris, and
-who set up for a wit, a joker, and a scholar. They hunted up Latouche,
-who was at work on a process of making preserves without sugar, and told
-him of the event which had upset the equilibrium of the whole village.
-
-Latouche listened gravely, passed his hand under his chin, required
-every detail to be repeated several times, made a pretence of reflecting
-long and profoundly, and said at last:
-
-"We must go and see what it is."
-
-"That is true, he's quite right," said all those who heard him; "let's
-go and see the beast."
-
-"When I have seen it," said Latouche, "I will tell you at once what it
-is, and to what genus it belongs; I ought to know about such things; I
-studied botany once, and my cousin was under-porter at the Museum of
-Natural History."
-
-The whole village made ready to visit Bertrand's garden. Everyone took
-such weapon as he could find; even the women took hoes or rakes, because
-the beast might be dangerous. The mayor joined the villagers, and
-Latouche, who was the only man in the place who had a gun in working
-order,--for Bertrand's would carry nothing heavier than salt,--Latouche
-undertook to lead the march and to direct all the operations that were
-to take place.
-
-They left the village; men, women, boys, and girls plodded along,
-discussing the adventure. But the nearer they came to Bertrand's house,
-the less inclined they were to talk; and soon, as a result of the
-general terror, the silence became general. They marched in closer
-order, and everyone tried to gather courage from the glance of his
-neighbor.
-
-Latouche walked ahead, with his gun over his shoulder, arranging his
-forces as if it were a matter of surprising a hostile camp. As they drew
-near the garden hedge, Bertrand uttered an exclamation and dodged behind
-a large rock.
-
-"There it is!" he cried.
-
-Instantly the whole body of peasants executed a retrograde movement, and
-Latouche darted into the centre of his battalion; but soon, hearing no
-sound, they moved forward again, looking for the object which had
-frightened Bertrand. It was a red cat, which had glided under the hedge.
-
-"Morbleu! Bertrand," said Latouche, hastily resuming his place as
-leader, "do you know that you're terribly chicken-hearted? it's shameful
-for a man of your years to have so little courage!"
-
-"Yes, that's true enough," said Claudine; "he ain't brave a bit, and I
-often tell him so."
-
-"The idea of calling out and spreading an alarm just for a cat!"
-
-"_Dame!_ Monsieur Latouche, I saw something crawling, and I
-thought----"
-
-"Perhaps it was some foolish thing like that that made him turn the
-whole village upside down, and interrupt the chemical experiment I was
-making."
-
-"Oh, no! that wasn't anything foolish! you'll soon see that it was worth
-the trouble; here we are, close to the shed; just go through this little
-gate and you'll be right there."
-
-"No; let's go in by the house, and examine the creature first at a
-distance."
-
-Latouche's advice was followed: they went through Bertrand's house into
-the garden. As they approached the shed, the bravest turned pale,
-several women dared not go any farther, and Latouche, who resembled
-those persons who sing to dissemble their fear, issued precautionary
-orders on this side and that, but found an excuse for abandoning his
-position at the head of the procession.
-
-"There it is! there it is!" exclaimed several of the villagers, pointing
-to Dubourg, who was still in the same position, because he was in a
-heavy sleep. Terror was depicted on every face, but it was blended with
-curiosity; everyone stretched out his neck, or stooped forward, or
-leaned against his neighbor. Latouche instantly ordered a halt, and one
-could hear on all sides:
-
-"Oh! what a horrid beast! oh! how ugly! What a head! what a body! I
-can't see any eyes. No, nor any paws."
-
-"Hush! hush!" said Latouche; "don't talk so loud, you may wake him up.
-Wait till I examine him. Neighbors, did you ever hear of the famous
-beast that ravaged Gévaudan?"
-
-"No, no!" said the villagers.
-
-"Well, this one looks to me very much like him. You don't see this
-monster's feet, because he has them folded under him, like the Turks;
-as for his eyes, they are turned toward the straw, luckily for us; for
-the eyes of such creatures often emit a deadly poison. The more I look
-at that skin and that mane--yes, it's a sea-lion, that must have found
-its way here from Normandie."
-
-"A sea-lion!" repeated the peasants; "are they ugly?"
-
-"Parbleu! they eat a man as if he was an oyster."
-
-"Oh! mon Dieu! What shall we do? how shall we catch him?"
-
-"Perhaps he's dead," said Claudine; "he ain't changed his position since
-this morning."
-
-"Dead? where's the man who'll go and find out?"
-
-"What if you should give him a shot?" suggested the mayor.
-
-"To fire at him is taking a great risk; the bullet often glances off of
-their skin."
-
-"Aim at his ear."
-
-"I should have to see it, first."
-
-"No matter," said the mayor; "we must capture the animal, dead or alive;
-take good aim, and fire; and we, that is I myself and the bravest men
-here, will guard you with our hoes; and, _morgué!_ if he comes at us,
-we'll give him a warm reception."
-
-The mayor's speech revived the courage of the villagers; they formed in
-line and stood with upraised hoes, ready to strike. Latouche finally
-decided to fire, although he was not at all eager to do so. He stood
-behind the line, passed the barrel of his gun between two peasants,
-spent five minutes taking aim, and at last pulled the trigger--and the
-gun missed fire, luckily for Dubourg, who had no suspicion of the danger
-he had escaped.
-
-The mayor was in despair, Latouche refused to try again, and the
-peasants made no motion. Suddenly our sleeper turned over, with a yawn
-which everybody took for a roar. Instantly the most courageous dropped
-their weapons and fled, pushing and crowding one another, and listening
-to nothing but their fright; the boys tumbled over the girls, the women
-dragged their husbands away, Latouche climbed a tree, the mayor was
-thrown down by Bertrand, the most agile leaped the hedge, the heaviest
-slipped and fell when they tried to run. Claudine fell flat, as did
-several of her neighbors, and, in the confusion, all the women, young
-and old, were more on exhibition than they were in the habit of being in
-public; but no one paid any heed to them; the most seductive objects do
-not stop fugitives, for in great crises we do not give a thought to such
-trifles.
-
-But Dubourg was now fully awake; he rubbed his eyes, and, first of all,
-snatched off his wig, which prevented his seeing, then removed his
-cloak, in which he was stifling. He stood up, for he heard shouts, cries
-of terror, words that he did not understand--in short, an uproar, the
-cause of which he was very far from suspecting. He left the shed and
-went out into the garden, where he was thunderstruck by the scene before
-his eyes. There was ample ground for amazement; but as he saw some very
-pleasing details amid the chaos, he walked on, saying to himself:
-
-"I don't know what insect has stung all these people, but they have a
-strange way of receiving travellers in this country; one ought to have
-little difficulty in making acquaintances."
-
-The boldest of the villagers, hearing no repetition of the roaring,
-gradually turned his head; he saw Dubourg's features, which were in no
-wise alarming when they were no longer surrounded by that infernal wig.
-
-"Well, well! who's that man, and where did he come from?" said the
-peasant.
-
-At that, all his companions turned their heads and stared at Dubourg,
-who, having politely assisted Claudine to rise, thus answered the mayor,
-who repeated the question:
-
-"I am an unfortunate devil, albeit an honest man, who, when surprised by
-the storm last night, did not know where to go, so took the liberty of
-lying on yonder bundles of straw, where I slept without waking until
-this moment. I trust that I have done no harm."
-
-"You say you slept under that shed?" said the mayor.
-
-"To be sure."
-
-"And the big beast didn't eat you?" asked Bertrand.
-
-"What big beast?"
-
-"_Pardi!_ the beast with long hair and red mane that was lying there."
-
-Dubourg turned, and his eye fell on his cloak and wig; he divined the
-source of the peasants' terror, and gave way to a longing to laugh,
-which he could not control for several minutes. The villagers, hearing
-his laughter, began to take courage; the fugitives stopped, the women
-rose and arranged their dresses; everybody looked at Dubourg and awaited
-an explanation from him. He went back to the shed, took his cloak in one
-hand and his wig in the other, and returned to the villagers.
-
-"Here, my friends, is the beast that seems to have frightened you. I
-abandon it to your wrath."
-
-As he spoke, he threw the cloak and wig on the ground; and the peasants
-drew near, ventured to touch them, and laughed with Dubourg, saying:
-
-"What! is that what it was? Mon Dieu! what a pack of idiots!"
-
-At this juncture, Latouche descended from his pear-tree, crying:
-
-"I told you that that idiot of a Bertrand, who's as cowardly as a hare,
-had told us some fool story, and taken a nut-cracker for an ox. Tell me,
-now, if I wasn't right."
-
-"_Morguienne!_" retorted Bertrand; "I don't see but what my nut-cracker
-gave you a good fright, too; for you climbed that pear-tree like a cat,
-and knocked Claudine down when you ran by her."
-
-"Hush!" said Latouche, turning as red as a beet at Bertrand's retort;
-"hush, you clown! I only climbed the tree so that I could aim better at
-what you called an animal."
-
-"And you threw your gun away!"
-
-"Unintentionally, of course."
-
-"Come, come," said Dubourg; "I am the cause of all this confusion; and,
-in truth, I don't wonder you were frightened when you saw me at a
-distance in this cloak and wig; the bravest men aren't always eager to
-fight with a savage beast, and Monsieur Latouche must be very brave to
-have dared to fire at me."
-
-This adroit speech conciliated everybody, and Latouche recovered his
-good humor.
-
-"This stranger expresses himself well," he said; "he is certainly a
-learned man."
-
-Dubourg might easily have passed himself off as a baron again, he had
-created such a favorable impression; but since the happenings at
-Chambertin's, he was little inclined to play the nobleman; and when the
-mayor asked him whence he had come in such an extraordinary costume, he
-instantly invented a fable of robbers who had attacked and stripped him,
-stifled his cries with the wig, and wrapped him in the cloak, probably
-intending to carry him to their cavern, when they had taken alarm at the
-sound of horses' steps, and had run away, leaving him in the midst of
-the fields.
-
-This tale aroused the deepest interest among the villagers, in Dubourg's
-favor; they found him very agreeable, having ceased to be afraid of him.
-The mayor drew up a report, and Latouche observed:
-
-"I have been saying for a long while that there are robbers in the
-neighborhood; they stole two hens from me a week ago, and that isn't all
-they've done. We must have a general _battue_, neighbors; I'll take
-charge of it, and you know what a good hand I am at making plans. We
-will begin immediately after the constables have made theirs in
-pursuance of monsieur le maire's report."
-
-Awaiting the general _battue_, they turned their attention to Dubourg,
-who obviously stood in need of refreshment. Everyone wanted to treat
-him, to give him food and lodging. Every male villager cordially offered
-him a jacket to replace his cloak, and urged him to make his house his
-home for a few days. Dubourg gave the preference to Bertrand, because he
-had not forgotten certain impressions he had received when he assisted
-Claudine to rise. Bertrand's better half seemed flattered by that honor;
-she courtesied to the stranger, and accompanied the courtesy with a
-smile, which smile meant many things. After all that Dubourg had
-witnessed, it was a great triumph for her over her neighbors.
-
-The mayor, as the official head of the commune, had the privilege of
-offering him a stout woollen jacket to replace the coat the robbers had
-stolen from him. As compensation, he awarded to himself the famous
-cloak, with which he proposed to make a winter coverlet; and Monsieur
-Latouche secured the wig, which he had well earned by his behavior
-throughout the affair.
-
-The villagers returned to their customary occupations: some to the
-fields, others to their cottages. Bertrand, who had a large field to
-plow, went off to his work, enjoining upon his wife to take good care of
-the gentleman until his return. Claudine promised, and kept her word.
-She was active and obliging; she was most anxious to prove to the
-stranger that he had done well to give her the preference, and she
-spared no trouble to make him content with his choice. For his part,
-Dubourg desired to efface the ghastly impression produced by his
-appearance in the village, and we know that he had a great talent for
-making himself agreeable to the ladies; and so, when Bertrand returned
-from the field at night, his wife ran to meet him, saying:
-
-"_Jarni!_ goodman, what fools we was to be afraid of that gentleman;
-he's just like anybody else, you see, and he knows a lot more'n you do."
-
-Dubourg was extremely well treated by the villagers, and he found it
-very convenient to pass some little time among those honest folk, who
-strove, by their attentions, to make him forget his misadventure. He
-paid for his entertainment by telling ghost stories in the evening. To
-the peasant, a man who can talk for hours of interesting, terrifying,
-and, consequently, amusing things, is a veritable treasure. Dubourg was
-such a man, and when Monsieur Latouche was present he always sprinkled
-his tales with a few Latin words; whereupon the village oracle, although
-he did not understand, would turn to the peasants and say:
-
-"This is all true, my friends; he just made oath to it in German."
-
-But, after a fortnight, Dubourg began to tire of telling the peasants
-fairy tales in the evening and making love to their wives during the
-day; and he determined to leave the village, and go in search of news of
-his former companions. He still had in his pocket, untouched, the
-hundred francs he had earned by acting Hippolyte; with that amount he
-could safely set out without being obliged to disguise himself as a
-strange beast. Despite all that Claudine could do to detain him, he
-determined to go. He thanked the mayor, Latouche, and all the villagers
-for their kind treatment. He thanked Bertrand, and especially his wife,
-with peculiar warmth. Then, with a stout knotted stick in his hand,
-which harmonized with his jacket, and a broad-brimmed hat in place of
-his wig, he left the village, saying to himself:
-
-"Those people who saw me playing the swell will never recognize me; and
-that is precisely what I desire."
-
-However, he deemed it prudent to avoid Voreppe, where he might fall in
-with Floridor or some member of his troupe. Nor did he care to pass
-through Grenoble, where Durosey might still be lying in wait for him,
-and a creditor's eyes are not easily deceived. So he headed for Vizille,
-where he hoped to find Frédéric, or, at least, to learn something about
-him.
-
-He strode gayly along, singing all the time, and sitting down on the
-grass to eat the provisions with which Claudine had filled his pockets;
-for women think of everything. Dubourg blessed Madame Bertrand's
-foresight.
-
-"How can I be melancholy," he thought, "when I have had ample proof, a
-hundred times over, that tender-hearted women will always take an
-interest in my fate! Here's to Claudine's health, and Madame
-Chambertin's, and Goton's, and little Delphine's, and all the others to
-whom I owe so many pleasant hours and delicious memories."
-
-He drank their healths in water from a brook, for he could adapt himself
-to anything. Moreover, he had money and might have wine, which
-consideration made the water seem less disagreeable. Toward nightfall,
-he drew near Vizille.
-
-"If monsieur le comte learned of Frédéric's amourette from Ménard," he
-said to himself, "he probably came here after him, and I shall not find
-him; but I shall find the pretty blonde, and she will tell me what has
-happened."
-
-He did not then know that the poor girl could not tell him anything. He
-walked through the valley, entered the woods, looked about, and called,
-but saw no one. At last he discovered the cabin; he entered the garden,
-which was deserted; then he went into the little house, where he found
-no one but old Marguerite, dozing in her big armchair.
-
-Surprised not to find the girl, Dubourg left the cabin; he was afraid
-that the story he had invented for Ménard would prove to be true, and
-that Frédéric had really taken his sweetheart away with him. He was on
-his way to the village to try to learn something about Sister Anne,
-when, in one of the paths in the forest, he met her walking slowly
-toward her home.
-
-Her whole bearing was so dejected, her features wore an expression of
-such profound sorrow, that Dubourg was touched. He gazed at her for
-several minutes, saying to himself:
-
-"Poor creature! he has gone, and he didn't take you! How much better it
-would have been for you if he had never come!"
-
-At that moment, Sister Anne, hearing footsteps, looked up and saw that
-someone was approaching. She ran forward like a flash; when she reached
-Dubourg's side, she stopped, and her features, which hope had brightened
-for a moment, resumed their grief-stricken expression; sadly she shook
-her head--it was not he!
-
-But Dubourg spoke; recognizing his voice, she looked at him more
-carefully, and again her heart beat fast with joy. It was one of
-Frédéric's friends, who had come once before to seek him; doubtless he
-came now to announce his return. She walked closer to him, questioning
-him with her eyes, and waiting impatiently for him to explain his
-presence; whereupon Dubourg, much surprised, asked her what had become
-of Frédéric.
-
-The name of Frédéric made her quiver; she pointed to the road he had
-taken, counted on her fingers the number of days he had been gone, and
-seemed to be trying to ask him why he did not bring him back.
-
-This pantomime revealed to Dubourg Sister Anne's unhappy condition, and
-he devoted all his efforts to consoling her. But for Sister Anne there
-was no consolation, no happiness, without Frédéric.
-
-"Poor girl!" thought Dubourg; "he was quite right to assure me that she
-did not resemble any woman he had ever known! But to leave her in these
-woods--that was an outrage! for such grace and charm to live in a
-wretched hovel is downright murder! Upon my word, I have a mind to take
-her to Paris!"
-
-"Why didn't you go with him?" he asked her; "what detains you here in
-the woods? Come with me, my child, and we will find Frédéric; or, if we
-don't find him, there are thousands of others who will be only too happy
-to fill his place."
-
-Sister Anne stared at him in amazement; she seemed not to understand
-him; but when he waved his hand in the direction of the town, she
-hastily drew back, and, pointing to the cabin, made him understand by
-signs that there was someone there whom she could not leave. Ah! had it
-not been for Marguerite, how willingly she would have gone with Dubourg!
-for she believed that he would lead her at once to her lover's arms. But
-as for abandoning the one who had taken charge of her in her childhood,
-who had been a second mother to her,--now, when she was advanced in
-years and was most in need of her assistance!--such a thought did not
-enter the dumb girl's mind; ingratitude was a vice to which her heart
-was a stranger.
-
-"Very good," said Dubourg; "then remain here in these woods, my child;
-and may you recover your happiness and peace of mind!"
-
-Sister Anne's eyes questioned him anew.
-
-"Yes, yes," he said; "he will come back; you will see him again, I have
-no doubt. Dry your tears. He will surely come soon and comfort you."
-
-These words brought a gleam of hope to the dumb girl's pale, sorrowful
-face. She smiled at him who had given her that assurance, and, bidding
-him adieu with a motion of her head, left him, to return to Marguerite.
-
-Dubourg left the woods, and, despite his heedless nature, he did not
-sing as he walked back through the valley to the highroad. Like a heavy
-weight upon his heart lay the image of that unhappy child, to whom he
-had held out a hope which he thought would never be realized. He had
-never been so moved. For several leagues, he thought constantly of
-Sister Anne, saying to himself:
-
-"Poor girl! she was well worth the trouble!"
-
-But, at last, the thought of his own plight brought him back to his
-natural frame of mind. He sold his jacket and hat to a second-hand
-dealer, and for a few crowns obtained a more fitting costume; then he
-started for Lyon, whence he proposed to return to Paris, in the hope of
-finding his former travelling companions.
-
-
-
-
-XIX
-
-ILLUSIONS OF THE HEART.--INCONSTANCY AND LOYALTY
-
-
-The post chaise which bore Frédéric Parisward went like the wind. The
-Comte de Montreville was in haste to deaden the intensity of his son's
-memories, and seemed impatient to arrive at the capital.
-
-They exchanged very few words: Frédéric thought exclusively of Sister
-Anne, his father of the best means of bringing his son to his senses,
-and Ménard of all the lies the false Polish baron had told him.
-
-The count did not address a word of reproach to Frédéric; he seemed to
-have forgotten all his grounds of dissatisfaction; and Ménard, who was
-mortally afraid of Monsieur de Montreville's stern glance, because he
-realized that his conduct had been far from exemplary, began to breathe
-more freely, and ventured to hold up his head.
-
-They arrived at Paris. Before Ménard took leave of the count, Frédéric
-found an opportunity to speak with him in private, and asked him about
-Dubourg. Ménard did not answer for a moment; he bit his lips, as if he
-were not quite sure whether he ought to take offence, and said at last,
-with what he intended for a sly look:
-
-"Is it Monsieur le Baron Potoski that you wish to know about?"
-
-"Potoski, Dubourg--call him what you please."
-
-"Faith! monsieur, I might well call him rather impertinent, considering
-all the fables he told me. The idea of claiming to be a palatine----"
-
-"Come, come, my dear Ménard, forget all that."
-
-"And his snuff-box that belonged to the King of Prussia!"
-
-"That was a joke!"
-
-"But I thought more of that tokay from Tekely's cellar than of anything
-else."
-
-"Remember that I am as much to blame as he, for giving him permission to
-deceive you."
-
-"That closes my mouth, monsieur le comte; besides, if it weren't for his
-recklessness and his passion for gambling, he would be a man of great
-merit. He is well informed, he knows his classics."
-
-"But what has become of him? where did you leave him?"
-
-"I left him acting Hippolyte, and coming to get me to make my _entrée_
-on the stage."
-
-As Frédéric was entirely in the dark, Ménard described their adventures
-in the little town, at which anybody but the young count would have
-laughed heartily. But he heard only this, that Dubourg had been left in
-a very embarrassing position. He could form no idea when he would see
-him again, which was a grievous disappointment; for he had proposed to
-send Dubourg to Sister Anne, to allay the poor girl's apprehensions and
-explain his failure to return.
-
-The Comte de Montreville dismissed Ménard with a reasonable
-compensation, not for the way he had looked after his son during their
-journey, but for the time he had lost. Ménard bade adieu to his dear
-pupil, expressing the hope that he would remember him in case he should
-ever propose to start around the world again.
-
-Several days had passed since Frédéric's return to Paris, and the dumb
-girl's image was constantly in his thoughts. He imagined her in the
-woods, awaiting his return, watching the road by which he was to come,
-and in despair at his desertion of her. Every moment added to his
-remorse and his longing to see Sister Anne again. But what could he do?
-He dared not leave his father; he had no money, and, for the first time
-in his life, the steward, at the count's bidding, had refused to supply
-him. Monsieur de Montreville feared that his son would use it to resume
-his travels, and he did not propose to let him go away again.
-
-Every day, Frédéric formed the most extravagant projects. He determined
-to leave Paris on foot, to join his young sweetheart and conceal himself
-with her in the heart of some forest. But Sister Anne could not leave
-Marguerite; so that they must remain near the cabin, where his father
-could easily find him; for Ménard had told him everything.
-
-Then what was he to do?--write? Alas! the poor child did not know how to
-read--she knew how to do nothing, except love; and that is very little
-in these days.
-
-Frédéric rarely went into society, for he did not enjoy himself. In vain
-did pretty little Madame Dernange renew her provocations; he paid no
-heed to them; and she, piqued by his indifference, employed all the
-resources of coquetry to bring him to her feet. But Frédéric did not
-fall into the trap, for he had learned what true love is; he realized
-the worthlessness of all those promptings of self-esteem, those caprices
-of the senses, which one mistakes for love until he has learned to know
-the real thing.
-
-The count treated his son coldly, but never alluded to his adventures in
-Dauphiné. On the contrary, he avoided the subject; and when Frédéric,
-desirous to obtain some idea of his father's feelings, ventured to
-mention his stay at Grenoble, to speak of the country in that
-neighborhood, and of the pretty village of Vizille, a stern glance from
-the count closed his mouth and forbade him to continue.
-
-Frédéric called again and again at the various lodgings which Dubourg
-had occupied in Paris; but he could not find him at any of them. He went
-to Ménard, and urged him to do his utmost to unearth Dubourg, who, he
-said, had perhaps returned to the capital, but was afraid to call upon
-him, Frédéric, for fear of meeting Monsieur de Montreville.
-
-"Suppose I find him?" said Ménard.
-
-"Send him to me at once."
-
-"Send him to you! God forbid! Monsieur le comte your father spoke very
-harshly to him when he saw him in the costume of Hippolyte. To be sure,
-the costume was unbecoming."
-
-"Tell him to write to me; what is there to prevent his meeting me
-somewhere else, if he's afraid to come to the house? Am I watched? Ah!
-Monsieur Ménard, I can't stand it any longer. Every day adds to my
-torture! I must see her again, or at least hear something from her."
-
-"Hear from whom?"
-
-"From the woman I adore, the woman whom--I was compelled to desert, in
-order to return to Paris with you."
-
-"Ah! I understand--the little maid of the forest. Monsieur Dubourg told
-me that you had furnished a lodging for her and had taken her away with
-you."
-
-"Would to God that I had! I should be with her now. Ah! my dear Monsieur
-Ménard, if you were a different man---- But you are kind-hearted and
-sympathetic; you are fond of me, and you would restore me to life if you
-would consent to go to her and tell her that I love her more dearly than
-ever!"
-
-"I am very sorry, monsieur; but I shall not go to tell her that or
-anything else. I will do nothing to forward a passion which your worthy
-father does not approve; he has too much reason now to complain of my
-negligence. I love you dearly, and that is why I will not help you to
-continue a guilty connection which would lead to no good end. Monsieur
-your father knows very well what he is doing; it was high time that he
-should come, for we were all making fools of ourselves, I most of all.
-His presence restored our equilibrium. He snatched you away from
-temptation; that distresses you, and yet it was the best thing he could
-possibly do. _Qui bene amat, bene castigat; experto crede Roberto._"
-
-Frédéric went home, to think of Sister Anne, and to try to devise some
-means of seeing her. If he had known that she bore within her a pledge
-of his love, that she was about to become a mother, nothing could have
-kept him in Paris. He would have flown to her, defying his father's
-wrath. But he knew nothing of that circumstance, so he confined himself
-to saying every day:
-
-"I will go to her."
-
-The count sent to ask his son to come to him, and Frédéric obeyed, his
-brow still clouded with ennui.
-
-"You have ceased to appear in society," said the count; "have your
-travels made a misanthrope of you?"
-
-Frédéric said nothing,--always the best course to pursue when one has
-nothing to say.
-
-"I wish you to go with me this evening," continued the count, "to call
-on one of my old comrades in arms, Général de Valmont. After a long
-residence on his estates in the country, he has come to Paris to stay
-some little time. He desires to see you, and I desire to present you to
-him."
-
-Frédéric bowed, and prepared to accompany his father. He had heard him
-speak of this Monsieur de Valmont, with whom he had served in the army,
-and who was of about his age; so that there was nothing to cause
-surprise in his desire to present his son to his old friend.
-
-On their way to the general's house, Monsieur de Montreville was
-unusually amiable, and Frédéric strove to appear less melancholy than
-usual. When they reached their destination, they were announced in due
-course, and Monsieur de Valmont came forward to meet them. At first
-sight, his appearance was most prepossessing. His manners were frank and
-cordial, his features instinct with sincerity and good humor. He
-embraced his old friend, shook hands heartily with Frédéric, and seemed
-delighted to see him.
-
-After the exchange of greetings, the general invited his visitors to
-step into an adjoining room.
-
-"You have shown me your family," he said to the count; "now, I must show
-you mine. It surprises you, perhaps, that I, an old bachelor, have a
-family; it is not quite so near to me, to be sure, but it is none the
-less dear."
-
-As he spoke, they entered the room, where a young lady was seated at a
-piano. At sight of the strangers, she hastily rose.
-
-"Constance," said the general, "this is my friend, the Comte de
-Montreville, and his son; messieurs, let me present my niece--my
-daughter--for I love her as dearly as if I were her father."
-
-Constance courtesied gracefully to the two visitors. Frédéric looked at
-her--he could not do otherwise than think her charming. As for the
-count, a smile of satisfaction played over his features. I believe that
-the sly old fellow had heard of Mademoiselle Constance, and that he had
-his little scheme in his head when he took his son to see the general.
-
-Constance was slender and graceful; there was something sweet and modest
-in her aspect, which impressed one favorably. She was fair, with a touch
-of color in her cheeks. Her great blue eyes, set off by long, dark
-lashes, had an indefinable charm; her expression was amiable and frank;
-every movement was instinct with grace, and she seemed absolutely
-unconscious of it. Far from seeking to attract attention, she seemed
-desirous to shun the admiration she aroused.
-
-The two old friends fell to talking over their campaigns and their
-youthful adventures, and, at sixty, such subjects are inexhaustible. So
-that it was necessary for Frédéric to talk with the general's niece;
-and, although one's heart is heavy, one does not like to bore a pretty
-woman, but makes an effort to forget one's sorrow momentarily, in order
-not to appear too dull. That is what our hero tried to do while chatting
-with Mademoiselle Constance, who talked very agreeably, and, without the
-least trace of ostentation, revealed a judicious, cultivated mind, great
-love for art, and a candor and modesty which imparted an additional
-charm to everything she said. She was not one of those young women who
-know everything and discuss every subject, of whom we have so many, and
-whom we are good-natured enough to call little prodigies because they
-chatter on for hours with extraordinary assurance, and because it is
-customary to praise every word that falls from a pretty mouth, even when
-it lacks common sense.
-
-May God protect you from prodigies, reader, especially of the female
-variety! There is nothing comparable to that which is simple, modest,
-and natural; we are always glad to return to that. Those qualities do
-not exclude intelligence and knowledge, but they add to them a varnish
-of unassuming gentleness which makes them even more attractive, and
-which is never found in the others.
-
-The young people talked of painting, music, and the pleasures of the
-country. Suddenly the general said to his niece:
-
-"Sing us something, Constance; sit you down at your piano and sing. I
-like singing myself, and perhaps it will entertain our young friend
-here."
-
-Constance did not wait to be urged; she took her place at the piano and
-sang, accompanying herself excellently; her voice was sweet and full of
-expression; it had not a great range, but she sang with so much taste
-that one never tired of listening to her. Frédéric listened with keen
-delight; he had never heard a voice that pleased him so much. Constance
-sang several pieces, until at last her uncle said to her:
-
-"That is well, very well; you are good-natured and don't make so much
-fuss about singing as some people do. Morbleu! I can't endure such
-affectation!"
-
-The count and his son joined in their praise of the singing, and thanked
-Constance, who blushed at their compliments. But their visit had lasted
-two hours, and they rose to go.
-
-"I will pay you a visit," said the general; "I have just bought a little
-country house in the suburbs for mademoiselle, who drives me crazy with
-her chatter about fields and birds. I hope that we shall see you and
-your son there before the season is much further advanced."
-
-The count promised, and returned to his carriage with Frédéric, to whom
-he was careful not to say a word of the general's niece. The sight of
-Constance was certain to do more than anything a father could say.
-Frédéric said nothing; his thoughts had returned to the poor dumb girl
-in the woods. For two hours he had almost forgotten her! Two hours is no
-great matter; but Sister Anne did not forget him for an instant.
-
-Three days after this visit, the general and his niece dined with the
-Comte de Montreville, who entertained quite a large party. When he
-learned that he was to see Mademoiselle de Valmont again, Frédéric was
-conscious of a thrill of excitement, which he attributed to the
-annoyance of being obliged to conceal his melancholy. Was that the real
-cause?
-
-The general was jovial, outspoken, and unaffected, as usual; his niece
-was as pretty and affable and modest as ever. In a large party, it is
-easier to arrange a tęte-ŕ-tęte than when the guests are few in number,
-and Frédéric returned again and again to Constance's side. He fancied
-that he did so from courtesy simply, because it was his duty to pay
-especial attention to the general's niece; but he could not blind
-himself to the fact that, of all the assembled company, Constance was
-the one who attracted him the most, if it were possible for anyone to
-attract him. He could talk with her without having to think what he was
-going to say. The words that fell from her mouth were not mere trite
-phrases and tasteless epigrams; Constance did not devote her attention
-exclusively to other women's costumes; she did not pass them in review
-and criticise them one after another, as a young woman is very likely to
-do. With her, he felt more free, more at his ease; it seemed to him that
-he had known her a long while. She smiled at him so pleasantly when he
-seated himself beside her, her voice was so tender, her eyes so sweet,
-that it was natural that he should prefer her conversation to that of
-all the rest; even when he was not talking with her, he was conscious of
-a secret charm in her presence. Although he strove to overcome his
-sadness, his face still wore a melancholy expression, which was not
-unbecoming to him; and women often yield to the seduction of such
-expressions. When he was pensive, Constance looked at him with deep
-interest, her eyes seemed to ask him if he was unhappy. And when she
-spoke to him, her voice was even softer, her manner more sympathetic;
-one would have said that she unconsciously shared his sorrow, or that
-she was trying to make him forget it.
-
-Several young ladies exhibited their talents and their voices in
-selections self-accompanied on the harp or piano, but Frédéric heard no
-one but Mademoiselle de Valmont. She sang only one ballad, but she sang
-it so beautifully! As he listened, Frédéric examined her more closely
-than he had hitherto dared to do. Whether it was mere chance, or an
-illusion of the heart, he discovered in Constance's features a striking
-resemblance to those of Sister Anne: the same expression, the same
-melting sweetness; and if the poor mute could speak, surely her voice
-would be as tender and expressive. Frédéric, while listening to
-Constance, persuaded himself that it was Sister Anne's voice that he
-heard, and his eyes were wet with tears. Full of that illusion, and
-discovering every moment some new point of resemblance in feature, he
-did not take his eyes from Mademoiselle de Valmont. When she had
-finished singing, Frédéric remained by her side, and his eyes,
-persistently fastened on her face, shone with a new fire and meaning.
-Constance noticed it, and avoided his gaze; a crimson flush overspread
-her cheeks. If Frédéric, when he gazed so tenderly at her, fancied that
-the dumb girl was before him, should he not have told Mademoiselle de
-Valmont of the real object of his preoccupation? And was not Constance
-justified in the belief that the Comte de Montreville's son did not look
-upon her with indifference?
-
-The evening passed very swiftly to Frédéric. When the general and his
-niece went away, the former announced that they were going to their
-country house on the following day, and that he should await impatiently
-a visit from the count and his son.
-
-When Constance had gone, Frédéric felt entirely alone in the midst of
-the company; and as soon as he could with courtesy retire, he hastened
-to his room to think--of Constance? oh, no! of Sister Anne; it was still
-the poor dumb girl who filled his thoughts; but was it his fault if now
-and then the memory of Mademoiselle de Valmont intruded itself? It was
-solely because of the resemblance between them. A loving heart sees its
-loved one everywhere, even where she is not. It loves her in another who
-recalls her features. That is why it is no safer to trust sentimental
-lovers than fickle ones.
-
-Several days passed; Frédéric heard nothing from Dubourg, and concluded
-that he had not yet returned to Paris. The young count was still sad and
-thoughtful, but there was something not unpleasant in his sadness. The
-thought of Sister Anne often caused him to sigh. He was intensely
-anxious to see her again; but he had ceased to form those extravagant
-projects which, in the first days after his return, seemed so easy of
-execution. He longed to ensure Sister Anne's happiness and repose
-forever; but he thought of the future, and he was more certain than ever
-that his father would never consent to give her to him for his wife. He
-said to himself:
-
-"What should we do? what would be the result of our liaison? One cannot
-always live in the woods. Man is made for society, and Sister Anne is
-utterly unfitted for it: she is ignorant of everything that it is
-indispensable to know."
-
-Poor girl! why did he not think of all these things the first time he
-saw you by the brook? Ah! then you seemed fascinating to him, just as
-you were; your very ignorance made you a thousand times more alluring in
-his eyes; and now---- I say again, that men whose sentiments are so
-easily stirred are no better than other men.
-
-One morning, the count suggested to his son a visit to the general at
-his country house. Frédéric was always at his father's orders, but he
-now chose to take unusual pains with his toilet. Even though one have no
-desire to please, one does not wish to repel. The count closely observed
-his son's actions, and exulted in secret; but he said no more to him on
-the subject of Mademoiselle de Valmont than on any other subject.
-
-The general's country house was in the outskirts of Montmorency, and the
-visitors arrived about noon. As he alighted from the carriage, Frédéric
-was conscious of a quickening of the pulses, which he attributed to the
-pleasure of seeing a woman whose features recalled those of his beloved.
-He was, in truth, deeply moved, and, when he entered the house, his
-eyes sought Mademoiselle de Valmont. But he saw no one but the general,
-who welcomed them with great cordiality.
-
-"You must stay with us several days," he said; "I have you in my power,
-and I shall not let you go at present. We will talk and laugh and hunt
-and play cards; my niece will play and sing to us; in short, we will
-pass the time as pleasantly as we can."
-
-Frédéric continued to look about for the niece, whom he did not see; and
-as the general had already begun to discuss with his father one of their
-campaigns, which was likely to lead them far afield, he ventured to
-inquire for her.
-
-"She is probably in the garden," said the general; "either in her
-aviary, or looking after her flowers, or in her summer-house. Go and
-find her, young man; corbleu! that's your business; at your age, I would
-have run here from Paris for a pretty face."
-
-Frédéric profited by the permission; he went down into a garden, which
-seemed to be extensive and well kept, and walked about at random,
-looking for Mademoiselle Constance. He passed the aviary, but she was
-not there; he turned into an avenue of lindens, at the end of which the
-ground rose slightly and a winding path led to a sort of platform, where
-there was a beautiful view. That was presumably what the general called
-the summer-house, for Constance was sitting there, with a drawing-board
-on her lap, sketching the lovely valley which could be seen from that
-point. She did not see Frédéric, because her back was turned to the path
-leading to the platform, and the young man drew near and leaned over her
-shoulder without attracting her attention.
-
-"So you have all the talents?" he said. Constance looked up, and at
-sight of him her eyes expressed the pleasure she felt, while her bosom
-rose and fell more rapidly. She made a motion as if to lay aside her
-drawing.
-
-"Go on, I pray you," said Frédéric; "I did not come here to interrupt
-your studies; on the contrary, I should be glad to join you in them.
-And, furthermore, your uncle insists that we must remain here several
-days; so that our presence must not be allowed to disarrange your
-habits."
-
-"And are you really going to give us the pleasure of keeping you for
-some days?" said Constance, unsteadily.
-
-"Most assuredly. I cannot believe that my father will refuse his old
-friend's invitation; he is much too happy with him for that."
-
-"I am afraid, monsieur, that you, not having the same reason to enjoy
-yourself here, will soon regret the diversions of Paris. We see very few
-people here; you will surely be bored."
-
-"You judge me very ill, if you think it possible for me to be bored with
-you."
-
-"Oh! I beg your pardon. I said that--because I was afraid; but if you
-really love the country and music and drawing and reading, you ought to
-enjoy yourself here."
-
-Frédéric did not reply at once; he looked closely at Constance, and his
-heart was oppressed by innumerable conflicting feelings. He saw in her
-features a face that was still dear to him; he transported himself in
-his imagination to the little wood by the brook, and a cloud of
-melancholy darkened his brow. A profound sigh escaped him, and not until
-several minutes had passed did he answer Constance, as if waking from a
-dream:
-
-"Yes, I am very fond of the country."
-
-The young woman looked at him in amazement, and smiled; then, finding
-that he said nothing more, she returned to her drawing-board, and tried
-to continue her sketch. But Frédéric's presence embarrassed her; the
-hand that held the pencil trembled, and she did not know what she was
-doing.
-
-Frédéric continued to gaze at her in silence; he was charmed by her
-manner, her grace, her amiable yet reserved air. If Sister Anne had had
-a good education, she would have been like her; she would have had her
-manners, her talents; she would have had the same command of language.
-And he began to consider that education, instead of lessening a woman's
-attractions, imparts an additional fascination to them.
-
-The conversation languished, for Frédéric often relapsed into reverie;
-but, for all that, the time passed very quickly; it seemed that they
-were happy to be together, and that that sufficed them. So far as
-Frédéric was concerned, he would gladly have passed the whole day
-looking at Constance and drawing comparisons. She noticed that he kept
-his eyes constantly upon her; but his eyes were so soft, there was in
-their expression something so tender and touching, that no woman could
-have been offended at being the object of their scrutiny.
-
-The arrival of the two old friends put an end to this situation, which
-was very agreeable to the young people, although they dared not confess
-as much, even to themselves. The general pointed out to the count all
-the beauties of his garden, and the summer-house was one of them. The
-count seemed extremely well pleased, for, as he approached the
-platform, he detected a certain embarrassment, a certain emotion, which
-added greatly to its attractions in his eyes. The general saw nothing of
-it; he was not so keen an observer as his friend.
-
-"We have two guests, as you see, niece," he said; "try to do the honors
-of the establishment so satisfactorily that they won't think of leaving
-us for a long time."
-
-"I will do my best," said Constance, blushing.
-
-"Mademoiselle," said the count, "your presence alone is enough to detain
-us."
-
-Frédéric said nothing, but looked at Constance, who, as she thanked the
-count, cast a furtive glance at his son, as if to make sure that he
-thought the same.
-
-After dinner, two of the general's neighbors called. One was an
-enthusiastic player of billiards, who could not sleep if he had not had
-his game; the other, who was somewhat younger, had seen service in the
-army, and had an endless stock of campaign stories, which he
-interspersed with compliments and gallant speeches to Mademoiselle de
-Valmont.
-
-Frédéric declined to join them at billiards, in order to remain with
-Constance and to hear her sing or play.
-
-"Don't feel bound to stay with me," she said; "remember that we are not
-in Paris."
-
-"Unless it is disagreeable to you," Frédéric replied, "I prefer to stay
-with you."
-
-Constance smiled, and it was easy to see that it was not disagreeable to
-her. In the country, especially under the general's roof, the most
-delightful liberty of action was the rule. During the day, everyone did
-whatever he chose; the count and his friend made frequent excursions in
-the neighborhood, while Frédéric remained with Constance; they passed a
-part of every day together in the garden.
-
-"We must make the most of the last fine days," said Constance; "the
-winter is at hand, and I must say good-bye to my trees and my flowers
-and my birds. But I shall see them again; it is not an eternal
-farewell."
-
-"Don't you expect to return to your uncle's estate in the provinces?"
-
-"Oh, no! I like this house much better; he bought it for me, and he is
-willing that I should spend seven months of the year here. We shall
-return to Paris for the winter. Uncle is so kind to me! He does whatever
-I want, for he is very fond of me."
-
-"Who could fail to----"
-
-Frédéric did not finish his question; he checked himself, as if he
-regretted what he had said, and Constance, taken by surprise, lowered
-her eyes and said nothing. But she was beginning to become accustomed to
-the young man's eccentricities. Sometimes, when he sat by her for a long
-while without speaking, and seemed to be sad and distressed, she was
-tempted to ask him what was troubling him; but she dared not; so she
-held her peace, and sighed with him, although she did not quite know
-why. Melancholy is a disease readily transmitted between two young
-people of different sexes. Often the hours of silence are more dangerous
-than a conversation devoted to love making.
-
-Meanwhile, the intimacy between Frédéric and Constance was growing
-closer day by day: hardly a week had passed, and they had abandoned that
-reserve, that tone of gallantry and of formality, which is never the
-tone of friendship or of love. The count talked of returning to Paris,
-and Frédéric was surprised to find that he himself had not thought of
-it; the week had passed so quickly!--Upon reflection, he was almost
-angry with himself; he was remorseful because he had enjoyed himself.
-But remorse never comes until after the fact.
-
-"No," he said to himself, "I have not forgotten Sister Anne. I always
-see her when I look at Constance. I always think of her when I have
-Constance's lovely features before my eyes; I fancy that I am with her,
-when, sitting beside Constance, I quiver with delicious emotion."
-
-And he was probably still thinking of Sister Anne, when, on the day
-before he returned to Paris with his father, as he sat beside Constance
-in the garden, he took her hand and held it a long while in his.
-Constance did not withdraw her hand. She lowered her eyes, and seemed
-deeply moved. Frédéric said nothing, but he pressed her hand very
-tenderly; and the sweet-tempered girl, perhaps unconsciously, returned
-the pressure.
-
-Thereupon the young man's embarrassment revived; he dropped the hand he
-held, and hastily moved away from Constance, who raised her head, and,
-observing his agitation, smiled at him with that indefinable charm which
-captures and enslaves.
-
-"Are you really going to-morrow?" she said.
-
-"I must," faltered Frédéric, returning to her side; "I should have gone
-sooner, I fear---- Ah! yes, it is she, always she, whom I see! I would
-like to stay with you forever; I am so happy here! Oh! forgive me,
-mademoiselle; I don't know where I am."
-
-Constance was at a loss to understand this speech; but lovers never know
-what they say, or say it very badly; and she readily forgave him,
-because she interpreted it all according to her own heart, which told
-her that Frédéric loved her; and such sentiments always seem to be well
-expressed, for, in love, the eyes speak as loudly as the voice.
-
-The count took his son back to Paris; but never a word concerning
-Constance! Ah! monsieur le comte, you have your project, and you are
-well aware what you are doing. A few days later, Frédéric said that they
-ought to take advantage of the last of the fine weather to call on the
-general; for he was burning to see Constance again--so that he could
-think of Sister Anne!
-
-
-
-
-XX
-
-LUNEL, DUBOURG, AND MADELON
-
-
-We left Dubourg about to start for Paris. He no longer travelled as a
-Polish nobleman, but fared modestly on foot, with a stick in his hand,
-which he swung jauntily as if he were simply out for a walk. He had no
-bundle to carry, because he had his whole wardrobe on his back, which he
-found much more convenient for a pedestrian. He saw at a distance the
-localities where he had recently appeared in such magnificent and noble
-guise. He passed quite near to Monsieur Chambertin's house, waved his
-hand by way of salutation to that hospitable abode, and sighed--not for
-its mistress, but for the old pomard in the cellar.
-
-However, he walked quickly, for he still dreaded a meeting with that
-infernal Durosey, whose presence he looked upon as the cause of all his
-misfortunes. As he emerged from a narrow pathway into the highroad, he
-found himself face to face with old Lunel, who was returning home in
-charge of an ass laden with divers objects he had bought at Grenoble.
-Dubourg hurriedly pulled his hat over his eyes and lowered his head,
-having no desire to be recognized by Monsieur Chambertin's jockey. But
-as he walked blindly on, he collided with the ass and nearly threw her
-down.
-
-"Can't you see where you're going, idiot?" exclaimed Lunel; "the road
-isn't so narrow that you need to run into my donkey."
-
-At the word _idiot_, Dubourg, who had never liked the old jockey, for he
-had waited upon him with an ill grace during the whole of his sojourn at
-Monsieur Chambertin's, and had constantly sought opportunities to show
-his spite to him and to Ménard--Dubourg, who had not forgotten, either,
-the horsewhipping Lunel had given the two little Poles, turned suddenly
-upon him and struck him thrice with his knotted stick.
-
-"Help! murder!" cried Lunel.
-
-And as Dubourg's sudden movement had disarranged his hat, the old
-servant recognized his features, and shouted louder than ever:
-
-"It's that miserable palatine, who owes four hundred francs at his
-restaurant! It's that sham baron, who showed madame such attention and
-surprised monsieur! Peste! he ain't such a swell now!"
-
-"Will you hold your tongue, you rascal!" said Dubourg, raising his stick
-again.
-
-"What are you hitting me for?"
-
-"I am simply returning what you gave my servants; I've owed you this a
-long while."
-
-"Your servants--your servants! pretty servants they were! I suppose this
-is my _pourboire_, because my master boarded you for a month, you and
-your great scholar, who ate enough for six!"
-
-"If I did your master the honor to visit him, what business have you to
-make comments on it, you clown?"
-
-"Oh, yes! a great honor you did him!"
-
-"Take care, or I'll begin again."
-
-As Dubourg still had his cane in the air, the old jockey decided to
-lower his tone. He held his peace and looked about for the ass, in order
-to go his way; but the animal had disappeared while they were
-quarrelling; she had wandered into the underbrush that lined the road,
-and was nowhere to be seen.
-
-"Oh! mon Dieu! my ass! where is my ass?" cried Lunel, searching
-anxiously in every direction.
-
-"Faith! I have no idea. Find your ass, and I'll continue my journey.
-Give my compliments to your mistress, and tell your master that, if he
-ever comes to Paris, I'll give him a little reception, with fireworks."
-
-Lunel paid no heed; he ran to right and left, calling: "Madelon! ohé!
-Madelon!"--He rushed into a wooded path, and Dubourg, having lost sight
-of him, went his way, laughing heartily at the adventure. About half an
-hour after he had parted from Lunel, as he reached a place where the
-road left the woods for the open country, he saw Madelon within twenty
-paces, trotting slowly along with her pack on her back, following such
-roads as she pleased, and halting now and then to eat a thistle or a
-mouthful of wild briers.
-
-"Parbleu! this is a strange chance," said Dubourg; "can it be that this
-beast is sent to me by Providence? But I must be wary; the law may not
-approve of my receiving gifts from Providence. However, I had nothing to
-do with diverting this jenny from her road. Am I to blame because she
-left her master? Never mind; I will begin by trying to restore her to
-him."
-
-Thereupon he walked back some distance into the forest he had just left,
-and began to shout at the top of his lungs:
-
-"Lunel! holŕ, Lunel! here's your jenny!"
-
-There was no reply; Dubourg called again and again, to no purpose. Weary
-at last of calling, he returned to the ass, saying to himself:
-
-"It seems to me that I have done all I can, and my conscience is
-beginning to be less troublesome. I can't go back half a league, and I
-have no desire to present myself again at the house of my friend
-Chambertin, who is no longer my friend. But let us see what this
-creature has on her back; it is not probable that there's anything of
-much value."
-
-Dubourg began an examination of the two baskets, which were covered with
-stout canvas. In one he found two syringes, one mechanical, marked: _For
-madame_; the other plain: _For monsieur_; also, a large box containing a
-number of phials and small pasteboard boxes.
-
-"Oho! I seem to have struck a whole apothecary's shop! But here's a big
-sheet of paper. Ah! it's the receipted bill; this will tell me what we
-have here. 'Sold by Dardanus, Apothecary, Grenoble, to Madame
-Chambertin.' Let us see: 'Tooth powder, salve for the gums, three jars
-of superfine rouge, liquid almond paste, macassar oil to dye the hair,
-bear's grease to keep it from falling out, Essence of Venus to soften
-the skin, rouge _au vinaigre_ for the evening, vegetable blue to make
-veins.'--Great God!" exclaimed Dubourg, interrupting his reading; "it's
-very lucky that I didn't find this bill a month sooner, for it would
-have taken away my courage, and I shouldn't have dared to make pretty
-speeches to Madame Chambertin. Let us read on: 'Laxative pastilles,
-emollient pills, soothing tablets.'--The deuce! it would seem that
-madame is very excitable.--'Two pounds of hygienic chocolate.'--Ah!
-that's better. Now, let's see what monsieur requires: 'Three hundred
-issue peas.'--Ah! the rascal! that's what keeps his complexion so
-fresh.--'Three bottles of Eau de Baréges, salve for corns, ointment for
-bunions, cachou pastilles, mint, astringent pills, tonic tablets.'--Hum!
-monsieur evidently isn't constipated. That's all of that. Now, let's
-have a look at the other basket."
-
-First of all, he found a box containing an exquisitely curled wig, which
-madame probably wore when she had not time to arrange her hair. Also, a
-wooden head, designed to hold the wig when it was not in use. Also, a
-pair of riding-boots, and doeskin gloves.
-
-"Deuce take me if I'll walk back to Allevard for a couple of syringes
-and a parcel of pills!" said Dubourg, when he had concluded his
-examination; "monsieur and madame may go without their supplies for a
-few days. I will take possession--although I don't quite know what I am
-to do with all these drugs. But I have an idea. Parbleu! an excellent
-means of making use of this donkey and of travelling without touching my
-purse, which is none too full. Who knows if I may not make my fortune?
-Well, the die is cast! I have been a baron, a palatine, and an actor; I
-have even played the part of a beast, unwittingly; surely I can play the
-charlatan: it's the simplest trade, the easiest of all parts to play,
-provided one has ever so little wit, cheek, and loquacity, and I have
-all three. A charlatan I am, then. Indeed, who is not, in this world?
-everyone plays the part in his own way: men in office with petitioners,
-speculators with capitalists, knaves with fools, gallants with women,
-coquettes with their lovers, debtors with their creditors, authors with
-actors, booksellers with readers, and tradesmen with everybody. I am
-one of those who cure all diseases, who divine them and forestall them;
-in short, I am a second Cagliostro; I am familiar with the universal
-pharmacopoeia, I have no confederate, I deal honorably; I have
-discovered a thousand secrets, a single one of which would suffice to
-make a man's fortune; and I sell pills for two sous, because I am a
-philanthropist."
-
-Having fully decided to embark upon this new escapade, Dubourg led his
-donkey into a dense thicket. There he began operations by removing his
-palatine boots, which were badly worn, and throwing them into the
-bushes; he replaced them with the long riding-boots, which came halfway
-to his hips, so that no one might recognize Baron Potoski in the dealer
-in pills; he pulled over his head the blonde wig intended for Madame
-Chambertin, having first tied the hair behind and made a Prussian queue;
-he daubed his cheeks, forehead, and chin with superfine rouge; then,
-mounting Madelon _en croupe_, with the two baskets containing his
-itinerant pharmacy in front of him, he resumed his journey, inciting his
-steed with his stick, by way of riding-whip.
-
-Dubourg's singular aspect, his face surrounded by beautiful flaxen
-curls, the long queue falling down his back, his high boots, which he
-held as far back as possible because the baskets were much in his way,
-and, lastly, his majestic bearing, attracted the attention of all the
-peasants he met. They called to one another to look at him. They stood
-at doors and windows to watch him pass, and at times a number of boys
-followed at his heels. Dubourg bowed to right and left, with a
-benevolent expression, calling out in a loud tone:
-
-"Have you any aches or pains, my children, in the foot or the ear? do
-you have bad dreams? do you suffer when you are asleep? have you been
-beaten? are you blind, dumb, or paralyzed? Draw near; grasp the golden
-opportunity! I am the great restorer, the great cure-all, the great
-operator! Make haste to profit by my presence in this province; I shall
-not come again for thirty years, and probably I shall not find you all
-then. Come, my friends; I cure everything, I do everything--I even make
-children, when they are ordered in advance. The only thing I don't do is
-extract teeth, but I can supply a lotion that makes them drop out, and
-the result is the same."
-
-Peasants are naturally credulous. On hearing this harangue, some of them
-approached Dubourg, and, after respectfully removing their hats or
-making a reverence, proceeded to tell him their ills. When the number
-about him was considerable, Dubourg took from his basket the mechanical
-syringe, which he had filled with Eau de Baréges; then he pressed the
-spring, and the villagers had to hold their noses; but they remained,
-because the syringe played the air _Avec les Jeux dans le Village_, and
-Dubourg said:
-
-"This magic syringe, my children, came to me from the favorite sultana
-of the Sultan of Egypt. It plays three hundred tunes; but, as it is
-subject to whims, it insists on playing the same one over and over
-to-day. This marvellous water that comes from it--it does not smell like
-rosewater, by the way--is a prompt and certain remedy for women with the
-colic. I sometimes administer these remedies myself, but I have to be
-very particular as to persons, for this syringe doesn't fit all
-figures."
-
-After this speech, Dubourg listened to the complaints of each one in
-turn, then looked through his pharmacy, and distributed drugs at random,
-but received the price with the utmost assurance, promising that the
-effects would soon appear. He gave a nurse liquid almond paste; a man
-with a fever, cachou pastilles; for a cold, he prescribed pellets that
-he had made of the salve for corns; for asthma, macassar oil; for a pain
-in the chest, bear's grease; and for the stomach-ache, rouge _au
-vinaigre_.
-
-After this promising début, he belabored Madelon and rode away as fast
-as possible from his patients. He was not half a league away, when the
-poor creatures began to feel the effects of his remedies. Some held
-their hands to their bellies, some were nauseated, some had a violent
-headache, some could not endure the taste of the drug they had
-swallowed, and some ran after the charlatan, calling him _swindler_ and
-_thief_. But he did not wait for them. Luckily, he was prudent enough to
-administer his remedies in very small quantities, so that the results
-were not serious.
-
-Dubourg was careful not to attempt any cures in the neighborhood of the
-places where he stopped to eat or to sleep. After travelling about forty
-leagues in a fortnight,--for, as the great healer halted frequently to
-sell his drugs, and as his steed's best gait was a slow trot, he did not
-get ahead very fast,--Dubourg found himself one day in front of an
-extensive farm. It was a long while since he had sold anything, for as
-he drew nearer to the capital he found the country people less and less
-gullible. His fortune had not increased. He spent regularly at night
-what he had earned during the day; and when his receipts were large, he
-fared sumptuously, content to leave his original hoard untouched.
-
-The appearance of the farm made Dubourg disposed to stop there. As he
-had neither bugle nor hunting-horn, he announced his presence with his
-mechanical syringe, beating time with his cane on the wig-block. The
-farm people came out. Among them Dubourg noticed a fresh, rosy-cheeked
-girl, with a mischievous eye and a small foot, and he at once conceived
-a fervent desire to become her physician.
-
-Several buxom dairymaids procured ointments for fever and chilblains,
-and a number of peasants bought pastilles of mint and cachou for
-toothache; but one and all stared in amazement at the marvellous syringe
-that made music, and the wig-block that spoke when it was stormy, as its
-owner assured them.
-
-The pretty girl was a daughter of the farmer, who happened to be absent.
-With her was her aunt, a good old soul who believed in dreams, fortune
-telling, magic, ghosts, talismans, and sorcerers. She was anxious to
-consult Dubourg, because for three nights past she had fallen asleep on
-her back and waked up on her stomach, which she considered very
-extraordinary.
-
-"I'll give you something that will keep you from changing your
-position," said our charlatan to the old woman, while ogling the young
-one; "here are some pastilles that came to me from a native of the
-Guinea Coast, who sometimes slept a whole week on his left ear. But if
-you take them in moderate doses, you pass a delightful night, and have
-charming dreams, divine dreams, such dreams as you had at fifteen! It is
-so pleasant, that you don't want to wake up. And then, my dear lady,
-when you have taken them, you are certain to dream of any person you
-choose; all you need to do is walk round your somno before you go to
-bed."
-
-"Oh! my dear monsieur," said the old woman, "pray give me some of the
-pastilles at once; I'll eat some every night. I mean to dream of my
-first husband this very night; he was a dear, good man, not a sot like
-my second. I'll walk round the somno, monsieur; I won't fail."
-
-Dubourg gave her a box of laxative pills, which she received with deep
-gratitude; then he turned to the young woman and asked her what he could
-do for her.
-
-"_Dame!_ monsieur," she replied, "a week ago, while I was dancing with
-Thomas, I fell and sprained my wrist, and since then I haven't been able
-to use it as well as usual; have you got anything that will cure that
-right away?"
-
-"Have I, my sweet child! As if I hadn't everything! In a quarter of an
-hour, I'll drive away your pain, and it will never come back. All I've
-got to do is rub you with a certain ointment of mine; but I must say
-some magic words over it, and I can't say them before witnesses; that
-would break the spell. So take me to your chamber, or some other place
-where we shall be alone, and I'll operate."
-
-"Shall I, aunt?" asked the farmer's daughter.
-
-"Shall you!" repeated the good woman; "why, of course. Make the most of
-this great man's kindness, and let him rub you."
-
-The girl made no further objection, but requested Dubourg to follow her.
-He fastened his donkey, with his whole outfit, at the farmhouse door,
-and walked quickly after his pretty patient, who led him to her chamber
-and closed the door, abandoning herself with perfect confidence to the
-skill of the sorcerer, whose appearance was rather laughable than
-terrifying.
-
-Meanwhile, the aunt, being in haste to enjoy the effect of the
-pastilles, and too impatient to wait for the night in order to dream of
-her first husband, had also withdrawn to her apartment, and, having
-swallowed a pill and performed the prescribed ceremonial, had gone to
-bed and was anxiously awaiting the operation of the charm, which was not
-precisely ushered in by prodigies.
-
-While the ladies were experimenting with Dubourg's specifics, the farmer
-came home. He began by inquiring who owned the ass that he found at his
-door, and was told that it was the property of the great healer who had
-recently arrived. The farmer asked who this great healer was, and his
-servants replied that they did not know, but that he was probably a
-sorcerer, because he wore his hair in curls, like a woman, and had a
-long queue, enormous boots, a syringe that played dance music, and a
-wig-block that spoke when it was stormy.
-
-Now, the farmer was one of those men who are so unfortunate as not to
-believe in sorcerers, spells, and magic, who insist on seeing with their
-eyes and hearing with their ears, and cannot be convinced that a black
-hen evokes the devil, or that the future can be read by means of a
-sheep's liver, coffee grounds, or molten lead thrown in water. Such men
-are the bane of the occult sciences.
-
-Vexed by what he learned from his servants, the farmer inquired where
-this great healer had gone. They told him that they had seen him go into
-the house with the young woman and her aunt. The farmer hurried to the
-old lady's chamber and found her in bed, still awaiting the delicious
-dream that did not come.
-
-"Oh! brother! what are you doing?" she cried. "You have disturbed
-me--upset me completely. The dream was coming! I was going to see my
-first husband, and we were going to pick nuts together. Do go away;
-you'll prevent the pill that wonderful man gave me from working."
-
-"Morbleu!" retorted the farmer; "ain't you nearly through with your
-fairy tales and nonsense? Where is your sorcerer? stealing my rabbits,
-most likely."
-
-"What an idea! he's with your daughter, in her room, saying magic words
-to cure her wrist."
-
-"Locked in with my daughter!" cried the farmer; "_morgué!_ we'll see
-about this!"
-
-And he ran to his daughter's chamber without listening to what the old
-woman said. He opened the door with a vigorous kick, and it is to be
-presumed that he was not pleased with the great healer's method of
-healing his daughter; for he seized a broom, and opened the conversation
-by striking him with it again and again.
-
-Dubourg had no time to parley; with a muttered oath, he fled; the girl
-wept, the father swore, and the whole household was up in arms.
-
-Our charlatan, seeing that the farm hands were arming themselves with
-clubs in imitation of their master, thought of nothing but his personal
-safety; he fled from the farm, abandoning his ass, his syringes, and all
-his remedies; all of which was very fortunate for the invalids along the
-route he still had to traverse.
-
-
-
-
-XXI
-
-LOVE IS ALWAYS THE STRONGEST
-
-
-Dubourg reached Paris at last. He had taken only a few days more than a
-month to travel nearly a hundred and eighty leagues; which is not an
-inordinately long time, when one makes marvellous cures all along the
-road. As he fled from the farm, where his last miracle had been so ill
-rewarded, he was careful to throw away his blonde wig with the long
-pigtail, which tempted all the little ragamuffins to run after him. He
-arrived in the capital rather travel-stained and muddy and unkempt; but
-nevertheless he arrived, and went at once to his last lodgings, which no
-longer belonged to him, but where he had left a pair of trousers in the
-custody of his concierge, an excellent woman, who was rather partial to
-ne'er-do-wells, because they are, as a general rule, more open-handed
-than virtuous and orderly young men.
-
-Together with his trousers, the concierge handed him a bulky sealed
-package, which Dubourg took with a trembling hand, supposing it to be a
-bundle of summonses or judgments; of executions and levies he had no
-fear.
-
-He broke the seal and read a letter which he found inside; an expression
-of delirious joy stole over his features, but soon he began to make wry
-faces as if he were trying to weep; however, as he could not manage it,
-he abandoned the attempt.
-
-"My dear Madame Benoît," he said to the concierge, "you must often have
-heard me speak of my venerable aunt in Bretagne, who used to send me
-money sometimes?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur."
-
-"Well, she is dead, Madame Benoît--that venerable woman is no more."
-
-"Ah! mon Dieu! what a misfortune!"
-
-"Indeed, yes. But I am her only heir; her fortune was not large, but
-there is enough for a man to live on, especially if he is prudent and
-philosophical."
-
-"What did she die of, monsieur?"
-
-"As to that, I'll tell you some other time. I am expected in Bretagne,
-and I must start at once."
-
-"During your absence, monsieur, your friend Monsieur Frédéric has sent
-here several times to inquire about you."
-
-"I will see him when I return; the interests of my inheritance demand my
-presence, and they are more important; a man should attend to his own
-business before other people's. Adieu, Madame Benoît, adieu! Here, I'll
-make you a present of these trousers, for the news you have given me;
-you can make a blouse out of them for your daughter. As for myself, I go
-away just as I arrived, except that I shall not go on foot this time."
-
-He ran to the diligence office, having money enough still to pay his
-fare; to be sure, that left him only five francs to live on during the
-journey, but he put himself on a strict diet, promising to make up for
-his abstinence before long.
-
-The old aunt had left all her property to her nephew, believing him to
-be married and a father. He found himself possessed of sixteen hundred
-francs a year. A man cannot play the baron with that, but he can live on
-it in a modest way, when he is orderly in his habits and economical.
-Those were not among Dubourg's qualities, but, like all men, he made a
-vow to reform and not to pledge his income.
-
-"Monsieur," said the attorney who was settling the estate, "your worthy
-aunt instructed me to recommend you to be faithful to your wife, and to
-give your little triplets a good education."
-
-"Never fear, monsieur; I shall carry out my dear aunt's wishes to the
-letter. My wife and I are like turtle-doves, and my triplets already
-love each other like Castor and Pollux."
-
-Dubourg sold the furniture and personal effects of the deceased, in
-order to obtain a supply of ready money. He was detained two months in
-Bretagne, at the end of which time he returned to Paris, dressed in
-black from head to foot. To signalize his return to virtue, he began by
-paying his creditors, and strove to retain the serene expression and
-dignified bearing which he had assumed as soon as he learned of his
-inheritance.
-
-He thought of Frédéric, but was still hesitating whether he should write
-to him or call on him, when, as he entered a café one evening, he spied
-Ménard watching a game of dominoes and absorbed in the play. Dubourg
-touched him lightly on the arm; he turned, recognized his former
-travelling companion, and could not decide how he ought to receive him.
-
-"Surely I have the pleasure of seeing my dear friend Monsieur Ménard,"
-said Dubourg, with a smile.
-
-"Himself, monsieur le--monsieur du--really, I am not at all sure what I
-should call you now." And the ex-tutor smiled, delighted by the epigram
-he had achieved.
-
-"How now, Monsieur Ménard! are we at odds?"
-
-"Really, monsieur, I ought to bear you a grudge, after all the fables
-you told me. Hereafter, if I ever believe you----"
-
-"Come, come, Monsieur Ménard, let us leave gall and bitterness to
-atrabilious souls, and let it not be said of us: _Nec ipsa mors odium
-illorum internocinum exstinxit._"
-
-"Oh, yes! I know that you are very well read," said the tutor, softening
-a little; "but that castle of Krapach! And then, to make me act!"
-
-"Allow me to offer you a cup of coffee, and a glass of Liqueur des
-Iles."
-
-"Very well, if you insist."--And the tutor said to himself, as he
-followed Dubourg to a table: "This devil of a fellow has a persuasive
-way that seduces you and carries you away; it's impossible to remain
-angry with him."
-
-"Where are you from?" he asked; "my pupil has been looking for you a
-long while; he's very anxious to see you."
-
-"I have just arrived from my province--Bretagne."
-
-"Ah! so you are from Bretagne? I am not surprised, then, that you were
-constantly bringing it into your descriptions of Poland; and then, the
-milk and butter that you were always boasting about."
-
-"Excellent they are, Monsieur Ménard."
-
-"And what have you been doing in Bretagne?"
-
-"I have just inherited a very pretty little fortune from my aunt."
-
-"I'll wager that that isn't true!"
-
-"O Monsieur Ménard! don't you see that I am in mourning?"
-
-"That proves nothing; you were dressed as a Polish nobleman when we
-walked arm in arm through the streets of Lyon. Oh! when I think of
-that----"
-
-"Do you think also of the delicious dinners I ordered for you?"
-
-"Of course, of course! Oh! you order a dinner perfectly. But that poor
-Monsieur Chambertin! To make him believe that he was entertaining an
-illustrious character!"
-
-"Look you, Monsieur Ménard, I don't see why I'm not as good as another
-man----"
-
-"And to make him give parties and fireworks and magnificent dinners!"
-
-"Where you did your part wonderfully well."
-
-"I acted in perfect good faith, myself; I was your accomplice, without
-suspecting it. Do you know that you compromised me, and that that was
-very ill done of you?"
-
-"Have a glass of punch; what do you say?"
-
-"Oh! I am afraid----"
-
-"It shall be very mild."
-
-"All right, if it's mild----"
-
-"Waiter, two glasses of punch."
-
-"For, you see, my friend, I am not as young as you are, and the follies
-which are overlooked in the young admit of no excuse in those of mature
-years."
-
-"You talk like Cicero; but I reply that Cato learned to dance at sixty."
-
-"Are you quite sure of that?"
-
-"I didn't see it; but our follies were very reasonable ones.--Let us
-take a drink."
-
-"I admit that we didn't injure anybody, after all. This punch is good,
-very good. But when you made me run across fields on account of that
-imaginary Turk----"
-
-"Faith! I'll admit that he was a creditor; but aren't they Turks to
-their unfortunate debtors?--Another drink."
-
-"It is true that creditors---- Look you, my dear Dubourg, you have all
-the qualities of a charming companion: you know all the good authors,
-you know history; take my advice, reform, settle down----"
-
-"I have done it; it's all over now: no more gambling, no more escapades,
-no more drunkenness.--But we aren't drinking."
-
-"Your health, my dear friend!"
-
-"No more fairy tales, no more lies."
-
-"Ah, yes! no more lies, above all; for lying destroys confidence; and
-then, you made me look like an idiot."
-
-"Oh! not altogether."
-
-"That's a very handsome seal ring of yours."
-
-"It's an emerald that was worn by Ali Pacha."
-
-"It's magnificent."
-
-"Another glass."
-
-"Dear Dubourg! My friend, I am extremely glad to have renewed my
-acquaintance with you."
-
-The liqueur and the punch had completely melted Ménard, who, when he
-parted from Dubourg, called him his loving friend, and assured him that
-he might safely go to the Hôtel de Montreville, that monsieur le comte
-bore him no ill-will and would receive him cordially.
-
-On the day following this meeting, Dubourg did, in fact, call upon
-Frédéric, who had just returned from the general's country house. He
-passed all his time with Mademoiselle de Valmont. As it was no longer
-necessary that he should be accompanied by his father, for the general
-treated him like his own son, he made the most of the liberty accorded
-him. Every day, he invented some pretext for going to see Constance; for
-he persisted in deluding himself, in excusing himself in his own eyes,
-and strove to persuade himself that there was no trace of love in the
-feeling that drew him to the general's niece. He still thought of Sister
-Anne, but no longer with the same ardor and affection, and that was what
-he refused to acknowledge to himself; perhaps, if he should see her
-again, it would still be inexpressibly sweet to him to hold her in his
-arms. But it was not she whom he saw, it was Constance; Constance, who
-was more amiable, more tender, more sentimental with him, day by day;
-who felt such unbounded pleasure in seeing him and made no attempt to
-conceal it. Already there was the closest intimacy between them. When
-she passed two or three days without seeing him, she would reproach him
-good-naturedly, and avow that she was vexed at his absence; and she said
-it with such perfect candor and sincerity that Frédéric was deeply
-touched. However, he had never breathed a word of love to her; but is it
-necessary to speak to make one's self understood? and what woman, in
-Constance's place, would not have believed that she was loved?
-
-At sight of Dubourg, Frédéric made a gesture of surprise; a keen
-observer might even have detected a trace of embarrassment.
-
-"Here I am," said Dubourg; "I have been in Paris only a week."
-
-"Yes, I supposed that you were away. But why this mourning?"
-
-"Ah! my friend, my poor aunt--she is no more!"
-
-At this point, Dubourg drew his handkerchief and blew his nose three or
-four times.
-
-"Come, come, Dubourg, stop blowing your nose; you know perfectly well
-that you're not crying."
-
-"Never mind; she was a most respectable old lady: she has left me
-sixteen hundred francs a year."
-
-"That is something; try not to gamble it away."
-
-"What do you say? Why, écarté is like an emetic to me. But tell me about
-your love affairs. Do you know, you don't seem to me to look any too
-wretched for an unhappy lover."
-
-"But I---- Since my father suddenly appeared at Grenoble, where I had
-gone to find out something about you, I have not been able to see that
-poor girl, we started for Paris so hurriedly! Since then, he hardly
-leaves my side. I could write--but who would read my letters? we can't
-use that method; and I don't know how to communicate with her."
-
-"Well, I can tell you something."
-
-"Have you seen her?"
-
-"Yes; but it was a long while ago--about a fortnight after you left."
-
-"Well! where was she? what was she doing?"
-
-"Where was she? in the woods, returning from the road, where she had
-been watching for you, no doubt. What was she doing?--weeping; that is
-her only resource now, I fancy."
-
-"She was weeping!"
-
-"Yes; and I confess that she made my heart ache."
-
-"Poor child! but you spoke to her, I suppose--she saw you? Tell me about
-it."
-
-"She saw me; indeed, she recognized me, although she had seen me only
-once. You didn't tell me that she was dumb, but I very soon understood
-her pantomime. She counted off the days you had been away, and asked me
-if you would return soon. I told her _yes_."
-
-"Ah! you did well."
-
-"But that was three months ago."
-
-"True: but I haven't been able----"
-
-"I left her at last, after giving her a little hope; I could do nothing
-more for her; but in three months that hope must have vanished."
-
-Dubourg said no more, and Frédéric sat for some moments buried in
-melancholy reflections.
-
-"If you knew, Dubourg," he said at last, "what a most surprising thing
-has happened to me!"
-
-"I should know, if you told me."
-
-"It is really inconceivable; it is a stroke of fate. On returning to
-Paris, I found Sister Anne."
-
-"You found her here?"
-
-"Yes; I saw her again--in another woman, the niece of Général de
-Valmont, a former comrade in arms of my father. Why, my friend, it is an
-astonishing thing--I never saw such a perfect resemblance."
-
-"Ah! I begin to understand."
-
-"If you should see Constance,--that is the name of the general's
-niece,--you would be as surprised as I was--not at once, but on a close
-examination."
-
-"Ah! you were surprised after some time, eh?"
-
-"It's her eyes--their sweet expression. Constance's are a little darker,
-to be sure. The hair is the same color; the forehead as high and noble;
-the same complexion--but Constance isn't as pale as Sister Anne. The
-same expression in the features."
-
-"I am surprised that a general's niece should have all the features of a
-goatherd."
-
-"Of course, there's the difference due to rank and education and social
-customs. In the first place, Constance is much taller; she has a
-beautiful, well-proportioned figure; but so has Sister Anne. Constance
-has the grace, the dignified carriage which no one can attain who lives
-in the woods."
-
-"Ah! you have discovered that now."
-
-"And she has a charming voice, an enchanting voice, that goes to the
-very bottom of your heart. Well, my friend, when I listen to her, I
-persuade myself that the poor orphan is no longer dumb; I imagine that I
-am listening to her; her voice, I am sure, would have the same sweet
-quality, the same fascination. So that I am deeply moved when I listen
-to that other voice."
-
-"I doubt whether that emotion would make Sister Anne very happy."
-
-"But it is impossible for me not to feel it. Tell me, isn't it strange
-that there should be such a resemblance?"
-
-"Exceedingly strange, no doubt; but I fancy that it would be less
-striking to my eyes. I am no longer surprised at your leaving the little
-one in her woods. You have found her here, you see her, and listen to
-her--a pleasure that you did not enjoy when you were with her. You are
-privileged to gaze upon her every day, at your leisure; here, she has
-graces and talents which she did not have down yonder. It is extremely
-convenient. I congratulate you. I can understand that you don't need to
-bother your head about the one who is far away, in her cabin or on the
-hilltop, watching for you to come, since you can still be with her,
-without putting yourself out, and since she is more lovely and
-fascinating here than there."
-
-There was an undercurrent of satire, of reproach, in Dubourg's tone that
-made Frédéric lower his eyes.
-
-"No," he said, with evident embarrassment, "no, I will not desert Sister
-Anne. I shall certainly go to see her--I haven't forgotten her, for I
-think of her every day. Is it my fault that I find all her features in
-another woman's? On the contrary, isn't it a proof that I am always
-thinking of her? But really it is surprising; Mademoiselle de Valmont
-resembles her so closely--in spite of some slight differences--she is so
-sweet and kind! her voice moves me so deeply! Ah! I would like you to
-see Constance!"
-
-Dubourg did not reply at once, and for some minutes there was silence
-between them. Dubourg broke it at last.
-
-"Look you, Frédéric, I confess that I am sorry that I saw that
-girl--that I saw her waiting for you and weeping."
-
-"Why so?"
-
-"Why? Because I imagine that I still see her, and, despite my
-heedlessness, I feel--it makes me unhappy. I am nothing more than a
-reckless chap, a libertine, a ne'er-do-well, if you please; but, after
-all, I prefer my way of loving to yours. With your great passions, which
-are destined never to end, but which do end just like others, you
-wheedle inexperienced young hearts, sentimental women, who allow
-themselves to be touched by your sighs, your noble sentiments; they give
-themselves to you, and then--why, they weep and tear their hair over
-your inconstancy. Faith! I know none but women of easy virtue, grisettes
-or coquettes, who, if they're no better, are at least more lively. They
-deceive me, I deceive them, we deceive each other; it's all understood
-and accepted beforehand. But we don't rave about it; we weep only for
-sport; and when we fall out altogether, it doesn't make us melancholy. I
-agree that the ladies I speak of are not absolutely virtuous; but for an
-amourette, a caprice, should we seek that flower of pure sentiment, an
-inexperienced heart that knows love only from romantic novels in which
-it is always painted in colors that, while they may be very seductive,
-are altogether false? No; on the contrary, I think that it's barbarous
-to try to win a girl's whole heart, to inspire a great passion, and then
-to leave your victim to waste her best days in tears and despair."
-
-"Why do you say this to me? I still love Sister Anne; I am not
-unfaithful to her. Is it my fault that my father dragged me back to
-Paris all of a sudden? and that it has been impossible for me to absent
-myself since then? Most certainly I shall see her again, I shall not
-abandon her; she is still dear to me."
-
-"Pshaw! Frédéric, don't talk that humbug to me! Do you want to make me
-believe that my nose is crooked? I tell you, I'm an old hand, and I am
-not to be hoodwinked; indeed, I may have read your heart better than you
-have yourself. You no longer love Sister Anne, or at least you are no
-longer enamored of her; for you are burning now for this fascinating
-Constance, who is a perfect image of the poor dumb girl, except that she
-is taller and stouter, has darker eyes and a different complexion,
-and----"
-
-"No, no, Dubourg! I swear that I am not in love with Constance; I love
-her--like a brother--but no word of love has ever passed my lips."
-
-"Well, I give you my word that that will soon come. Oh! it's of no use
-for you to look up at the sky; I tell you that you are in love with
-Mademoiselle Constance. I don't charge you with it as a crime; it's
-perfectly natural: she is pretty, she attracts you--and why not? But
-what I do blame is your prowling about in the woods after that poor
-little creature who has no knowledge of the world or men, and who
-yielded to your seductions and believed all your oaths, because they
-were the first oaths she had ever heard. What was wrong was your
-inspiring in her heart an exalted passion, which will ruin her life,
-because she has nothing there in the woods to divert her thoughts. If,
-yielding to a sudden temptation, you had seduced her and then left her
-at once, the pain would have been sharp, but it wouldn't have lasted so
-long; she wouldn't have had time to love you so dearly; but you always
-have to run things into the ground. You abandon everything to live in
-the woods--in order not to be separated from her; for six weeks, you
-don't leave her for a single moment; you eat nuts together and lie on
-the grass; you would live on roots, if need be, in order to speak of
-love to her. How in the devil do you think that that can fail to turn
-her head? The girl has reached a point where she cannot do without you;
-she lives and breathes for you alone; she imagines that that sort of
-life will last forever; and then--presto! my gentleman vanishes;
-good-evening, it's all over! Weep, and tear your hair! you won't see him
-again.--But I have seen her, and I'm almighty sorry; for I fancy that I
-see her still, pale, dishevelled, walking without seeing, listening
-without hearing, and, absorbed by a single thought, keeping her
-tear-dimmed eyes fixed on the road by which he went away; then returning
-to her poor cabin, to weep on; and so again the next day, and forever!
-And remember that she has not even the one poor consolation of the
-unhappy, the power to complain and pour her sorrows into a friend's
-bosom. That is what you have caused, and it isn't the noblest chapter in
-your history. That is what you would have avoided if you had not
-followed the guidance of your romantic ideas, or if you had paid your
-addresses to women of the world only."
-
-Frédéric made no response; he seemed to be lost in thought.
-
-"My friend," continued Dubourg, taking his hand, "I have told you just
-what I think; you ought not to be angry. Moreover, all that one can say
-to a lover never makes any difference; he always follows his own
-impulses solely. I know, too, that you cannot marry Sister Anne.
-Parbleu! if a man had to marry all the charmers he has loved, I should
-have as many wives as King Solomon. I tell you simply that it gave me
-great pain to---- But, enough of that! I am none the less your friend,
-do with me as you will. Adieu! I am going to dine at a thirty-two-sou
-ordinary, because when a man has an income of sixteen hundred francs a
-year and wants to keep it, he doesn't go to Beauvilliers."
-
-Long after Dubourg had gone, Frédéric remained where he had left him,
-absorbed in his reflections. Argue as he would, Dubourg had opened his
-eyes to the state of his heart, and, although he still tried to delude
-himself, he knew that he was no longer the dumb girl's devoted, ardent,
-faithful lover, who was ready to sacrifice everything in order to pass
-his days with her.
-
-It is hard for a man to admit his faults to himself, and even when he
-does he always finds some excuse to palliate his conduct, and says to
-himself that he could not have done otherwise. Especially in love do we
-reason thus, and the last passion, being always the strongest, speedily
-vanquishes its predecessor.
-
-Frédéric, cudgelling his brains for some means of repairing the wrong he
-had done, said to himself:
-
-"I will see Sister Anne again, I will not leave her to pass her life in
-a wretched hovel, cut off from all intercourse with society; I will buy
-her a pretty cottage, with a lovely garden, and some cows and sheep; I
-will surround her with everything that will make her life pleasant and
-happy; I will find some village girl, of her own age, to wait upon her,
-whose presence will enliven her; she will live there with old
-Marguerite, and she shall have everything that she needs; the sight of
-her neighbors, of the passers-by, and of the people at work in the
-fields, with her own household cares, will drive away her melancholy; I
-will go to see her sometimes, and she will be happy."
-
-Happy, without Frédéric! No; to Sister Anne, that was impossible.
-Comfort, even wealth, would not compensate her for the loss of her love;
-for Sister Anne was not brought up in Paris; she could not conceive that
-anyone could prefer diamonds and fine clothes to joys of the heart, or
-that a wrong could be atoned for with gold. Nor, five months earlier,
-could Frédéric have conceived it; but as he could readily do so now, it
-was natural that he should believe that Sister Anne could do the same:
-we judge others' hearts by our own.
-
-For several days, Frédéric, tormented by what Dubourg had said to him,
-had the dumb girl's image constantly before his eyes; even when he was
-with Constance, his melancholy, which had at one time almost
-disappeared, seemed to weigh upon him more heavily than ever. The
-general and his niece had returned to Paris. Frédéric was able to see
-Constance every day. But he trembled when he entered her presence, and
-she, though surprised by his dejection, dared not ask him the cause of
-it; but her eyes, when they met Frédéric's, spoke for her, and revealed
-all the concern she felt for his secret sorrow, and often, too, her
-longing to know its cause.
-
-In his desire to be relieved from his anxiety, and to have news of
-Sister Anne, Frédéric several times urged Dubourg to go to Vizille, to
-see the poor girl and try to comfort her. But on that point Dubourg was
-immovable.
-
-"I will not go," he said; "I saw her once, and that was quite enough. I
-have no desire to see her again, and then have unpleasant thoughts for
-six weeks--I, who never knew what such thoughts were. Besides, my
-presence would not comfort her; she wouldn't believe anything that I
-could say to her, because I lied to her once; so my journey would do no
-good and would not change her plight at all."
-
-As he could not induce Dubourg to take the journey, Frédéric decided to
-ask his father's permission to leave Paris for a fortnight. Not until
-after long hesitation did he determine upon that step; but his remorse
-was troublesome, he was constantly tormented by the memory of the poor
-mute, and he was persuaded that he would be calmer and less
-conscience-stricken after he had seen her.
-
-For some time past, the count had treated his son most affectionately;
-convinced that he had entirely forgotten the person who had fascinated
-him during his stay in Dauphiné, and having no doubt of his love for
-Mademoiselle de Valmont, the count had entirely laid aside his former
-sternness of manner with Frédéric; he hoped soon to see the plan he had
-formed successfully carried out, being confident in advance of the
-general's consent; so that he was greatly surprised when his son asked
-his permission to leave Paris for a few days.
-
-The Comte de Montreville's brow became clouded and severe, and Frédéric,
-who was accustomed to tremble before his father, anxiously awaited his
-reply.
-
-"Where do you want to go?" asked the count, after a brief silence.
-
-Frédéric attempted to stammer some pretext, but the count did not give
-him time.
-
-"Don't try to beat about the bush; I don't like it. You are still
-thinking of a woman who interested you during your journey, and for
-whom, I know, you committed a thousand follies. I thought, I confess,
-that you had become reasonable; I thought that the memory of that fancy
-had long since vanished from your mind--I do not say from your heart,
-for the heart has no concern in such affairs."
-
-"Ah! father, if you knew her!"
-
-"Enough, monsieur! You do not propose to marry your conquest, I presume?
-Still, it is possible that you have some wrongs to undo. I do not know
-this girl. Perhaps you are more culpable than I think; perhaps she whom
-you seduced, or led astray, is now cast off and abandoned through your
-fault, and is living in want. If her misfortunes can be mended with
-money, you may be sure that I will not spare it, monsieur; but I will
-attend to the business, not you."
-
-"You, father?"
-
-"Yes, monsieur, I; I shall be better able to arrange it than anyone
-else. So you need not leave Paris now. Besides," the count continued,
-after a moment's thought, "your presence here is indispensable. The
-general expects to marry his niece to a young colonel, who will probably
-arrive in Paris very soon."
-
-"The general expects to marry his niece!" echoed Frédéric. Already his
-features had assumed a different expression: sadness and melancholy were
-succeeded by violent emotion, a jealous perturbation which was manifest
-in his excited glance, and which made it impossible for him to remain
-seated. His voice trembled, and, as he questioned his father, it seemed
-as if his life or death hung upon the answer he was to receive.
-
-"Yes," said the count, in an indifferent tone, pretending not to notice
-Frédéric's state of mind, "yes; and, for my part, I see nothing
-surprising about it."
-
-"And--this colonel is coming to Paris? Do you know him, father? Is he
-young? Is he supposed to be handsome? Mademoiselle de Valmont loves him,
-of course?"
-
-"You don't think that I am in Mademoiselle de Valmont's confidence, do
-you? She met the colonel in society, I presume. I believe he's a young
-man of twenty-eight or thirty."
-
-"Good-looking?"
-
-"Oh! whether he's good-looking or ugly, isn't an honorable man always
-attractive?"
-
-"And this marriage is all arranged?"
-
-"So it seems."
-
-"And Mademoiselle Constance has never mentioned it to me!"
-
-"Why on earth should she have told you beforehand of something that a
-well-bred young woman never mentions?"
-
-"Oh! of course--I had no claim--there was no reason why I should
-know--and still, I should have thought----"
-
-"Besides, it is possible that the general hasn't mentioned his plans to
-his niece as yet."
-
-"And this is the reason why I must stay in Paris?"
-
-"To be sure; at such times, there are innumerable details to be attended
-to--clothes and presents and wedding festivities; the general, being
-accustomed to camp life, knows nothing about such things; a bachelor
-always needs advice, and he relies on you to help him."
-
-"Indeed! that's very kind of him; I am highly flattered that he
-considers me good enough for that."
-
-"So, Frédéric, I say again that you must not think of leaving Paris
-now."
-
-This argument was no longer necessary. The count left the house to call
-upon his old friend, to whom he had something to say privately; and
-Frédéric, long after his father's departure, was completely crushed by
-what he had learned. Poor Sister Anne! your image had vanished.
-
-Pale and excited, hardly able to breathe, Frédéric paced the floor of
-his apartment, now throwing himself into a chair for a moment, then
-springing abruptly to his feet, sighing, and clenching his fists
-convulsively. It was in that frame of mind that Dubourg found him when
-he came to bid him good-bye, for Frédéric had told him of his projected
-journey.
-
-"What in God's name is the matter, Frédéric?" he said, pausing in the
-doorway, alarmed to see him in that condition. "Come, won't you speak,
-instead of rushing about like this and banging the furniture?"
-
-"Who would have believed it? who would have thought it?" said Frédéric,
-dropping into a chair. "Ah! these women!"
-
-"Oho! so it's a question of women, is it? I begin to feel less alarmed."
-
-"With such an honest face, such lovely eyes, to conceal such perfidy!
-for it is perfidy! she ought to have told me that she loved another. To
-welcome me so cordially! to seem so pleased to see me! Oh! it's
-horrible!"
-
-"There's no doubt of that. Whom are you talking about?"
-
-"Mademoiselle de Valmont--Constance. She is so lovely! so sweet!"
-
-"Oh, yes! and she looks so much like Sister Anne!"
-
-"Would you believe, my friend, that she is going to be married--to a
-young colonel whom I don't know, but whom she loves--that goes without
-saying; whom I have never seen, and who is coming to Paris very soon to
-marry her?"
-
-"Mademoiselle de Valmont is going to be married?"
-
-"Yes, Dubourg."
-
-"Well, what difference does that make to you? you don't love her; you're
-not in love with her; no word of love has ever passed your lips; you are
-her brother, her friend, nothing more. You told me this yourself, within
-a month."
-
-"No, I certainly do not love her; but one owes some regard, some mark of
-confidence, to a friend; and when you see a person every day----"
-
-"Oho! you see her every day, do you?"
-
-"She might have told me, have let fall a hint. Ah! I never would have
-believed it, Constance!"
-
-"By the way, have you given up going to Dauphiné? I say--Frédéric!
-Frédéric!"
-
-But he was already far away, running like a madman to Mademoiselle de
-Valmont; and Dubourg left the house, saying to himself:
-
-"He's a good one to accuse women of perfidy! Ah! these men!--I must go
-and dine. I don't know how it has happened, but I am already in debt at
-my restaurant, and the month has only half gone!"
-
-When Frédéric reached the general's house, he had formed no plan of
-action, and had no idea what he was going to say or do. He entered the
-house, where his was a familiar presence, and walked rapidly through
-several rooms to the salon where Constance usually sat. She was there,
-seated at her piano. Seeing that she was intent upon her music and as
-placid as ever, Frédéric stood for a moment, gazing at her.
-
-Constance turned her head when she heard footsteps. She smiled when she
-recognized her visitor, whose excitement she did not notice at once.
-
-"Is it you, monsieur," she said; "I am glad you have come; you are a
-good musician and can help me decipher this piece."
-
-The young man did not reply, but continued to gaze at Constance, who,
-being accustomed to his peculiar and often taciturn humor, did not at
-first observe that anything was wrong; but, finding that he did not
-approach, she turned again, and then his evident excitement did not
-escape her notice.
-
-"What is the matter, monsieur?" she asked, with manifest concern; "you
-seem excited."
-
-"Oh! nothing's the matter, mademoiselle; what could be the matter?"
-
-"I am sure I don't know; you are not in the habit of telling me your
-troubles."
-
-There was a faint tinge of reproach in the tone in which Constance made
-this remark. Frédéric sat down beside her, and seemed to try to read in
-her eyes; never before had he looked at her with such an expression, and
-Constance, in her surprise, felt that she was blushing, and averted her
-lovely eyes.
-
-"You are afraid that I shall guess what is taking place in your heart,"
-said Frédéric, affecting an ironical tone to dissemble his suffering.
-
-"I, monsieur! on my word, I don't know what you mean; I don't understand
-you. Why should I fear to allow my thoughts to be read? I am conscious
-of no guilt; and if it were otherwise, you are not the one to reprove
-me."
-
-"Oh! certainly not! you are entirely free as to your feelings,
-mademoiselle; I know that I have no claim to your heart."
-
-"Mon Dieu! what is the matter, Monsieur Frédéric? really, you alarm me;
-your agitation is not natural."
-
-"What is the matter! Ah! Constance, you love another, and you ask me
-that question!"
-
-Mademoiselle de Valmont was speechless with surprise; Frédéric had never
-called her by that name before, and are not the words: "You love
-another" equivalent to: "You should love no one but me"? A wave of
-blissful emotion surged in Constance's heart, which beat faster and with
-greater force; joy and happiness shone in her eyes, and her voice was
-softer than ever, as she said:
-
-"I, love another! Mon Dieu! what does he mean? Explain yourself,
-Frédéric: I don't understand."
-
-The dear girl had understood but one thing, and that was that Frédéric
-did not want her to love another; and that was enough to make her
-understand that he loved her. For a long time, she had hoped that she
-had inspired the sweetest of sentiments in Frédéric's heart; but he had
-never said a word to her on the subject, nothing that signified: "I love
-you;" and even when everything tends to that conclusion, a woman longs
-none the less to hear the words.
-
-Again Frédéric was silent; he sighed long and loud, but said nothing.
-
-"Will you speak, monsieur? what has happened to disturb you so
-to-day?--what have I done to deserve your reproaches? Explain yourself
-clearly; I insist upon it--do you hear, monsieur? I insist upon it."
-
-The expression of her voice was so tender that Frédéric could not resist
-the temptation to look at her again, and doubtless her eyes were in
-accord with her voice, for he gazed at them several minutes in a sort of
-ecstasy; but suddenly he cried again:
-
-"What an unhappy wretch I am!"
-
-"You unhappy, Frédéric? Why so?"
-
-"You are going to be married."
-
-"Married! This is the first I've heard of it."
-
-"Oh! it's useless for you to try to conceal it from me; I know all,
-mademoiselle: I know that your future husband will be here in a few
-days, that he's a colonel, and that you love him."
-
-"What do you say? a colonel? and I love him? Upon my word, this is
-rather strong! What is the name of this colonel I am going to marry, if
-you please?"
-
-"His name! Faith! I forgot to ask that. But you must know perfectly well
-whom I mean. Will you say that you don't know a colonel?"
-
-"Several colonels have called on my uncle, but----"
-
-"Ah! several of them--you admit it now."
-
-"Who told you, monsieur, that I am going to be married?"
-
-"Someone who is absolutely certain of it: my father, who learned it from
-your uncle."
-
-"From my uncle? Why, I can't understand this at all."
-
-"You pretend not to understand; but, I doubt not, you are impatiently
-waiting for your future husband's arrival."
-
-Constance reflected for some little time, then replied in a tone which
-she struggled to make indifferent:
-
-"Really, monsieur, I am very much surprised by what you have told me;
-but, after all, suppose it to be true that I am to be married--how does
-it concern you? I imagine that it is a matter of the utmost indifference
-to you."
-
-"Ah! you think that, do you? You are quite right, mademoiselle; of
-course, it cannot make any difference to me."
-
-"Very well! then why do you ask me all these questions, monsieur?"
-
-"Why? O Constance! are you going to be married? and this colonel--do you
-really love him?"
-
-"And if I did love anyone--would that cause you any grief?"
-
-She was determined to force him to the wall and make him avow his
-sentiments. Frédéric could contain himself no longer; his heart could
-not keep its secret.
-
-"Yes," he cried, "I love you, I adore you! I shall die if you marry
-another man!"
-
-"He loves me!--Ah! it's very lucky that I have extorted that from you! I
-thought you would never say it."
-
-And the blushing girl gave her hand to Frédéric, who had fallen at her
-feet; and he covered that hand with kisses, while she said to him with
-deep earnestness:
-
-"Ah! Frédéric, I love you, too. I shall never love anyone else. Why, my
-dear, did you not long ago say those words, which make me so happy, and
-which I have been expecting so long? My uncle is very fond of me; he
-will never do anything to make me unhappy. If it be true that he has
-planned a marriage for me--he has never mentioned the subject--why, he
-must abandon it, for I will tell him that I will marry no one but you,
-that you alone can obtain my heart and hand; and he will consent, I am
-certain of it. He is fond of you too, Frédéric; indeed, who would not
-be? You see, you do wrong to be sad and depressed, and to conceal your
-sorrows from me. My dear, I read your heart long ago; should you not
-have been able to read mine?"
-
-Frédéric replied only by protestations of love; he was beside himself
-with joy; Mademoiselle de Valmont's avowal had disturbed his reason; not
-without difficulty did she succeed in calming him, and he did not leave
-her until she had repeated her solemn promise that she would never give
-her hand to another.
-
-Frédéric left the house in a very different frame of mind from that in
-which he had entered it. The certainty that Constance loved him had
-revolutionized all his ideas in an instant: in his delirious joy, Sister
-Anne was entirely forgotten; he did not even feel a pang of remorse.
-Like those sick persons who, when the fever is at its height, are
-unconscious of pain, he said to himself again and again:
-
-"Dubourg was quite right: I do love Constance, I adore her! I can never
-again love anybody else."
-
-Two days after this declaration, the Comte de Montreville, well assured
-that his son no longer thought of leaving Constance, set out for
-Dauphiné, in his own carriage, attended by a single servant and a
-postilion.
-
-
-
-
-XXII
-
-DEATH OF MARGUERITE.--SISTER ANNE LEAVES HER CABIN
-
-
-Let us now return to the dumb girl in the woods, whom we left awaiting
-Frédéric's coming, and whom we shall find still awaiting him.
-
-But the trees have lost their foliage; the fields no longer offer to the
-eye the pleasing prospect of luxuriant vegetation; there is no green
-turf in the valley, no verdure on the banks of the stream. The leaves
-have fallen, and the villager's steps are deadened by that which shaded
-him and embellished his garden a few days since. He tramples under foot
-the beautiful foliage to which the approach of a harsher season has
-brought death. Thus do all things pass away. Other foliage will be born,
-only to die in its turn; and the man who tramples upon it must likewise
-return to the dust whereon future generations will tread. He fancies
-himself of some account because his allotted time is longer; but when
-the ages have dispersed his ashes, what more will he have left behind
-him than those leaves have done which whirl about in the wind at his
-feet?
-
-The autumn disposes us to melancholy; it brings reverie and reflection,
-not to him who lives in the city, detained in the vortex of the world by
-the necessities of business or pleasure, but to the man of the fields
-who can contemplate each day the successive changes in the face of
-nature. Not without emotion does he look upon the forest, whose black,
-skeleton-like trees seem to be in mourning for the spring; if he walks
-along a path but lately shaded by dense foliage, if he seeks the thicket
-where he was wont to rest during the heat of the day, he sees naught but
-dry branches, often broken by the poor man's hand. The forest is less
-dark than in summer, for the sunlight finds its way in on all sides. But
-that brightness, far from embellishing it, robs it of all its charm; one
-regrets the dark, mysterious paths, through which it is so pleasant to
-wander in the season of love.
-
-As he watches the approach of the frost and snow, as he contemplates the
-effects of the winter's cold, man, always buoyed up by hope, says to
-himself:
-
-"The spring will come again; I shall see once more my leafy lanes, my
-lawns, and my shrubs."
-
-The spring comes again--but many men do not see it!
-
-Sister Anne observed the change in the season only because it emphasized
-the length of time that had elapsed since Frédéric left her. The unhappy
-child could no longer count the days; their number was too great.
-However, hope had not vanished from her heart; she could not believe
-that her lover intended to abandon her forever; sometimes, she imagined
-that he had ceased to live, and then the blackest despair took
-possession of her thoughts. When that idea forced itself upon her, life
-seemed to be only one long agony. Could she live on, unsustained by the
-hope of seeing her lover? Often she longed to die. But she was soon to
-be a mother; that thought made her cling to life once more; something
-told her that she must live for her child.
-
-It was a very long time since she had been to the village. An old
-shepherd, who went back and forth through the woods, was in the habit of
-leaving every day, at the foot of a tree, the loaf of rye bread
-required by the occupants of the cabin, and always found there, in
-exchange, a large pitcher filled with milk. This bread, with milk and
-fresh eggs, was all that the two poor women ate in winter. When Sister
-Anne had finished preparing the meal, and had given the old woman all
-that she required, she drove her goats to the hilltop, and seated
-herself at the foot of her mother's tree. Despite the cold, which was
-beginning to be severe, the girl did not fail to go thither a single
-day. Wrapped in a wretched woollen cloak, half worn out, she defied the
-rigor of the season, although the garment was but little protection to
-her; her goats, finding nothing on the hill to browse upon, huddled at
-her feet; and Sister Anne, her features pinched and worn by her
-condition and her sufferings, presented only too faithfully the image of
-poverty and sorrow.
-
-More than once, the snow, falling in great flakes, formed an icy cloak
-about her body, so that the poor girl's form could hardly be
-distinguished from the ground she lay upon; and often she removed her
-cloak to cover her shivering companions. The traveller who happened to
-pass over the hill could make out nothing in that snow-covered group
-save the dumb girl's head, always turned toward the road to the town.
-But, unheeding the cold, she did not realize that her whole body
-shivered, that her teeth chattered, that her limbs stiffened; she was
-unconscious of physical suffering; a single sentiment absorbed her whole
-being, and the pain it caused left her no feeling for any other.
-
-When the darkness made it impossible for her to see the road, she rose
-and looked at herself, amazed to find that she was almost buried in
-snow. Then she would shake her cloak, caress her goats, and slowly
-descend the hill to the cabin and old Marguerite. When the old woman was
-asleep, and she threw herself on her solitary couch, she no longer found
-love there, nor even rest, to which she had long been a stranger. The
-memory of her lover was there, as it was everywhere. If only she could
-express her grief in words, call to him and implore him to return! It
-seemed to her that her voice would reach his ears.--Poor girl! heaven
-had deprived you of that priceless organ. Tears! always tears! those
-were all that remained to you!
-
-But, meanwhile, Sister Anne saw that old Marguerite was failing from day
-to day. For a long while she had not left the house; she was hardly able
-to totter to her great armchair. Marguerite was seventy-six years of
-age; she had led an active, laborious life, and her old age was placid;
-she had no disease and did not suffer; age alone was wearing out her
-strength, which was daily diminishing. She was going out like a lamp
-whose light has been soft and mellow; she had not shone with great
-brilliancy, but she had been useful, which is far preferable.
-
-The hour fixed by nature drew near; Marguerite was destined not to see
-another spring. Sister Anne redoubled her loving attentions to her
-adopted mother; observing the gradual weakening of her faculties, she
-gave up going to the hilltop, in order to be always with her. She could
-have made no greater sacrifice. Good Marguerite, touched by her
-devotion, smiled at her affectionately, and called her her dear child.
-
-But one morning, when Sister Anne went as usual to her mother's bed to
-ask how she had passed the night, Marguerite did not answer, or, as her
-custom was, hold out her trembling hand. Her eyes were closed, never to
-open again. Sister Anne was terrified; she seized the old woman's
-hand--it was cold and inert, and she tried in vain to warm it in her
-own. She stooped and kissed Marguerite's forehead, but no smile rewarded
-her.
-
-The girl stood by her aged companion's bedside, overwhelmed with grief;
-she gazed at the venerable features of her who had taken care of her
-from childhood, of her only friend, who had been taken from
-her!--Marguerite seemed like one asleep; the serenity of her face
-indicated the serenity of her mind in its last moments. Sister Anne,
-standing beside the bed, with one hand resting upon it, could not tire
-of gazing at her adopted mother. Her grief was calm, but none the less
-profound; her eyes were dry, but their expression was none the less
-heartrending.
-
-She passed a large part of the day beside the good woman's lifeless
-remains; not without difficulty did she succeed in tearing herself away;
-but she knew that she must perform the last duties for Marguerite, that
-she must consign her to her last resting-place; and she realized that
-she was incapable of doing it alone, without assistance. She must go to
-the village, therefore, where she had not been seen for a long while.
-
-She left her cabin and went out of the woods on her way to Vizille. As
-she passed, she bowed, as usual, to those of the village women whom she
-knew; but she could not understand why they turned their heads away, or
-stared at her with contempt. Instead of stopping, as their custom was,
-to bid her good-day, they walked quickly away, and seemed desirous to
-avoid meeting her. The young men looked at her with mocking smiles; some
-pointed at her, whispering to one another; and not upon a single face
-did she observe the marks of interest which they were accustomed to
-manifest.
-
-"What can be the matter?" thought the poor child; "everybody seems to
-avoid me; is it because I am more unhappy than ever, because I have lost
-my kind mother, and Frédéric has abandoned me?"
-
-She forgot that she bore the testimony of her weakness; that pledge of
-love, of which she was so proud, was, in the eyes of the peasants, a
-proof of her shame. In villages, people are more severe than in cities;
-they set great store by innocence, because it is often the only treasure
-they possess. The good people of Vizille held very austere views on the
-subject of such falls from virtue: a girl who had been seduced became an
-object of general contempt, so long as her seducer did not repair her
-fault before the altar. Perhaps they should have been more indulgent to
-the dumb girl, who, living in the woods, did not know that she was
-culpable in yielding to the promptings of her heart. But peasants do not
-reason; they act in obedience to habit, and often mechanically. They had
-shown deep interest, so long as she was innocent as well as unfortunate;
-now that she bore manifest proofs of her weakness, they spurned her,
-without waiting to inquire whether she was not more unfortunate than
-before.
-
-At last she reached the village, unable to understand the conduct of the
-people, having no idea why the young girls fled at her approach without
-deigning to answer her signs, or why their parents stared at her with a
-stern, disdainful air.
-
-She knocked at the door of a cottage, the owners of which were friends
-of Marguerite. The woman who opened the door made a gesture of surprise
-when she saw her, then drove her away from the house. Sister Anne tried
-to insist and to make her understand the loss she had met with; but,
-refusing to notice her signs, the woman pushed her into the street,
-where a number of peasants had assembled and stood staring at her.
-
-"How do you dare to come to the village in that state?" asked an old
-man; "to show your face here and try to get into our houses? You're
-carrying the token of your shame; you'd do better to hide it in your
-woods. And you come here and show yourself to our daughters! Do you do
-it to let them admire your pretty behavior, and set them an example? Off
-with you, Clotilde's child! you ought to die of shame! Go back to your
-cabin, clear out with your seducer, but don't come here again among our
-wives and children!"
-
-Sister Anne could not understand how a person could be guilty for having
-known love. She gazed at the peasants in surprise; she held out her
-hands, clasped in entreaty: she tried to make them understand that she
-had not come to seek their aid for herself. But they did not choose to
-understand; they turned their backs on her and went into their houses;
-some escorted her to the outskirts of the village, and did not leave her
-until they had ordered her never to return.
-
-The poor child was suffocated by the sobs that convulsed her whole body.
-To be treated so for having loved Frédéric! That thought sustained her
-courage; it was for him that she was subjected to such humiliation; she
-would endure everything rather than cease to love him. She returned to
-her cabin, weeping bitterly. It was dark. Absolute solitude reigned in
-her poor home, thenceforth the abode of silence. She was utterly alone
-on earth. Proof against idle terrors, against the childish fear which
-even the greatest geniuses sometimes feel at sight of death, Sister Anne
-went to the bed on which Marguerite lay, and, falling on her knees
-beside it, held out her arms to her protectress, as if to say:
-
-"You would not have spurned me, mother, if I had come before you even
-guiltier than I am! You would have had pity on me. Your great age, your
-enfeebled sight, did not permit you to notice my condition; but you
-would have forgiven me; and they turned me away! Is it by heaping
-obloquy on the unfortunate that the path of repentance should be pointed
-out to them?"
-
-She passed the whole night by Marguerite's bed. She prayed with all her
-heart for her who had been a mother to her; she implored her to protect
-her still, and during that mournful night Frédéric's image did not
-disturb her pious occupation.
-
-The next morning, at daybreak, Sister Anne went to the woods to wait for
-the old shepherd who supplied her with bread in exchange for milk. He
-soon appeared. He was a man of some sixty years, still strong and well,
-who had passed most of his life in the forest, and, like Sister Anne,
-knew almost nothing of what happened in the village, which is the whole
-world to a woodsman. The girl took him by the hand and seemed to urge
-him to go with her to the cabin. The old shepherd complied with her
-entreaty, and she led him to Marguerite's bedside. He shook his head,
-but did not seem moved: the habit of living the life of a savage
-sometimes makes men indifferent to the suffering of others. But Sister
-Anne appealed to him by signs which he could not fail to understand, and
-the old fellow consented to perform the service she asked at his hands.
-
-She led him into the garden, to the fig-tree under which Marguerite
-loved to sit, and pointed to the ground: that was where she wished that
-her adopted mother should rest. The old shepherd soon dug the grave,
-then carried the old woman's remains thither and covered them with
-earth. Sister Anne planted a cross by the spot. It was the only monument
-she could erect to her benefactress's memory; but she would come often
-to water it with her tears. How many magnificent mausoleums there are
-whereon no tear was ever shed!
-
-The shepherd went his way, and Sister Anne was once more alone--and
-forever! At that moment, she felt more keenly than ever the loss she had
-sustained. Marguerite talked little; for some time past, she had dozed
-constantly; but she was always there, and the poor child felt that she
-was not altogether alone in the world. There was one person who could
-comfort her; but he did not come, and each succeeding day helped to
-destroy the little hope that still sustained her. She would not have had
-the courage to endure her torments, but for the feeling that heaven
-would soon give her someone to lighten them. She was now fully aware of
-the existence of the being in whom she was to live again. She had
-already suffered much for its sake: people shunned and despised her; she
-could no longer seek help or shelter in the village; but the mere sight
-of that little creature would bring forgetfulness of all her agony; is
-it not just that we should find in the cause of our sorrows their
-compensation?
-
-As the days passed, Sister Anne's profound grief for the loss of
-Marguerite changed into a tender, grateful memory; but time, which
-soothes the regrets of friendship, does not allay the sufferings of a
-lover. The memory of Frédéric was more constantly in her mind than
-ever, for there was nothing to divert her thoughts from it. She saw no
-one; and if the movements within her reminded her that she was soon to
-be a mother, that fact made her desire more ardently the presence of her
-child's father.
-
-While Frédéric was with Sister Anne, he had talked to her sometimes of
-the outside world, of his father, and very often of Paris, his
-birthplace. During the day, while they sat together by the brook, it
-amused him to draw a picture of the great city for the wondering girl,
-to describe the pleasures, the plays, the splendid avenues, which make
-it a place of enchantment. She did not always comprehend what he said,
-but she listened with wide-open eyes, manifesting her amazement by
-artless gestures, by curious tokens of surprise; and it amused Frédéric,
-who was often obliged to tell her stories to satisfy her, for one cannot
-be always making love. Some people maintain that it is a great pity;
-they forget that those things which one can do all the time end by
-losing their value.
-
-What Frédéric had told Sister Anne was engraved in her memory. Each day
-she thought about it more and more, and said to herself:
-
-"He is probably in that great city, Paris, that he used to tell me so
-much about, where he was born. Perhaps his father won't let him come
-back to me. But if I could go there and find him, if I could once throw
-myself into his arms, I'm very sure he would be glad to see me. Then he
-would keep me with him, I would never leave him again, and I should be,
-oh! so happy! But how can I find my way to Paris?"
-
-Every day, the longing to set out in search of her lover became stronger
-in that loving heart, which could not persuade itself that Frédéric had
-forgotten her, but believed that the reason he did not return was that
-someone was keeping him away from her. Marguerite being dead, there was
-nothing to detain Sister Anne in the woods. In her condition, and bereft
-as she was of so essential an organ, she ought doubtless to have felt
-that her cabin was preferable to the dangers, the suffering, and the
-fatigue that would be her portion in the journey she contemplated; but a
-woman who loves truly sees neither danger nor suffering; she dares
-everything, sustained by the hope of seeing once more the object of her
-affection. Sister Anne, unacquainted with the world, unable to speak,
-and bearing within her the fruit of her love, determined to leave her
-home to go in search of her lover; to face every danger, to endure
-poverty and privations of every sort; and even though she should have to
-employ years in her search, it seemed to her that every step would bring
-her nearer to her lover.
-
-Having formed her decision, she devoted all her thought to its
-execution; but she did not wish to leave her cabin and Marguerite's
-grave to be utterly neglected. Again it was the old shepherd to whom she
-addressed herself: she led him into the house one morning, and pointed
-to a small bundle containing her clothing, which she slung over her
-shoulders, to indicate that she was going away; then she motioned to him
-to sit down, as if to say:
-
-"This cabin is yours, stay here; I ask you only to take care of the
-fig-tree that shades my mother's tomb, and these poor creatures who have
-been my only companions so long."
-
-The old man readily understood her; but, although the hovel was a palace
-in his eyes, and Sister Anne's cession of it to him made him richer than
-he had ever been, he tried to induce the girl to abandon a plan which
-seemed to him insane.
-
-"Where do you propose to go, my child?" he asked; "can you think of
-leaving home in the condition you are in? Within two months you will be
-a mother, and you propose to go on a journey; and you a poor, dumb girl!
-Who will take you in, who will help you, how will you ask the way? Come,
-my girl, you are going to do a very foolish thing. Wait a little while,
-at least."
-
-But Sister Anne had made up her mind, and nothing could move her; she
-shook her head as she looked at the old shepherd; then raised her eyes
-to heaven, as if to say:
-
-"God will take pity on me and guide my steps."
-
-He tried once more to keep her.
-
-"What about money?" he said; "you need money in the world, my girl; I
-know that, although I haven't lived much in the world. I haven't got any
-myself, and I can't give you anything for your house and what there is
-in it, although it's well worth something."
-
-Sister Anne smiled, then took from her bosom a small canvas bag, and
-showed the old man four gold pieces: it was Marguerite's little hoard.
-Some time before she died, the good woman had told her to look in the
-corner of the cabin, under her bed; there she had found the little bag
-securely tied, and Marguerite had said to her:
-
-"Take it, my child; it's for you; it's the fruit of my savings in sixty
-years of toil. I have always meant it for you; perhaps it will help you
-to buy some more goats."
-
-At sight of the four gold pieces, the old shepherd ceased his efforts to
-detain her, for he believed that with that amount of money she could go
-round the world.
-
-"Go, my child," he said; "I will keep your cabin; remember that it still
-belongs to you, if ever you want to come back to it."
-
-Sister Anne smiled sadly; then, with a last glance at her home, she went
-forth, with her light bundle in one hand, and in the other a stick on
-which she leaned as she walked. She saluted Marguerite's grave in the
-garden; her goats ran after her, as if they expected her to drive them
-to the hill as usual. She caressed them, weeping, for they had come to
-be her only friends, and something told her that she would never see
-them again.
-
-What memories stirred her heart as she walked through the woods! There
-was the place where they had sat so often! yonder the brook, by which
-she first saw him, and where he told her that he loved her! Those
-familiar spots seemed alive with his presence, and she found it hard to
-make up her mind to leave them. But she said to herself, to sustain her
-courage:
-
-"I am going to join him; and perhaps we shall return together."
-
-She climbed the hill, and knelt at the foot of the tree where Clotilde
-died. She prayed to her mother to watch over her from on high, and to
-guide her in her journey. Then she descended the hill, in the direction
-of the town; she followed the road that he had taken, and wished that
-she could discover his footprints.
-
-
-
-
-XXIII
-
-SISTER ANNE'S JOURNEY.--THE FOREST
-
-
-The dumb girl had begun her journey at daybreak; it was a cold but fine
-morning; a heavy frost had dried up the roads, frozen the streams, and
-checked the torrents. The fields were deserted; the peasants who were
-abroad wasted no time, but hastened to return to their cabins and sit
-down in front of the fireplace, where the stumps they had brought from
-the forest snapped and crackled. A bright fire enlivens the long winter
-evening, and the poor beggar, as he passes through a village, stops and
-gazes enviously at the flame that shines through a cottage window,
-overjoyed when he finds an opportunity to warm himself on the public
-square, before a bundle or two of straw which other poor wretches have
-set on fire.
-
-It was only four hours since Sister Anne had set out, and her eyes were
-already struck by the novelty of what she saw. Having never seen
-anything besides her own cabin, her woods, and the village of Vizille,
-she paused in amazement before a forge, or a mill, or a country house,
-which seemed to her a very castle. Everything was new to her; but how
-was she to find her way in this world, which seemed to her so immense,
-how could she find that city which she could not name, and of which she
-did not even know the direction? Sometimes these thoughts made her heart
-sink; she would stop and look sadly about; then she would think of
-Frédéric, and resume her journey.
-
-Toward midday, she arrived at a small hamlet, and knocked at the door of
-a peasant's cottage; it was opened by a young woman, who was nursing one
-child, while four others played about her, and an old woman kindled the
-fire with an armful of dry branches she had just brought from the woods.
-
-"What do you want, my good woman?" asked the young mother. Sister Anne
-gazed at the picture before her, and could not take her eyes from the
-child at its mother's breast. A gleam of joy lighted up her face; one
-could see that she was thinking at that moment:
-
-"I will nurse my child, too; I will carry him at my bosom and receive
-his caresses."
-
-"Why don't you say what you want?" said the old woman, without taking
-her eyes from the fire.
-
-"Oh! see how pale she is, mother!" said the younger woman; "and how she
-seems to be suffering! To think of such a young thing, and so near her
-time, travelling about when it's as cold as this!--You are going to join
-your husband, I suppose?"
-
-Sister Anne sighed; then, seeing that they were waiting for her answer,
-she explained by signs that she could not speak.
-
-"Mon Dieu! mother, she's dumb! Poor woman!"
-
-"Dumb!" cried the old mother. "What, my dear, can't you talk? How I pity
-you, poor child! Are you deaf too?"
-
-Sister Anne's pantomime indicated that she could hear them perfectly.
-
-"Well, that's lucky, on my word!" exclaimed the old woman, walking
-toward the traveller; while all the children stared curiously at her,
-thinking that a mute was not like other people.
-
-"Was it some accident that made you dumb, my girl? have you been so
-long? Was it an illness? Can't it be cured?"
-
-"Let us first give the poor creature what she needs, mother," said the
-young woman; "let her rest and eat something; then you can question
-her."
-
-They bustled about, and seated Sister Anne in front of the fire; one
-child took her bundle, another her stick, and the old mother brought her
-food, for the daughter could not leave the child she was nursing. Sister
-Anne, touched by their kindness to her, manifested her gratitude by such
-pathetic gestures, that the occupants of the little cottage were deeply
-moved.
-
-"So it isn't the same everywhere as it is at my village," thought the
-young wayfarer; "here, instead of turning me away and looking down on
-me, they are kind to me, and treat me like their own child. The world
-isn't so cruel, after all."
-
-This welcome revived her courage; but she could not answer all the old
-woman's questions. The peasants believed, according to her signs, that
-she was going to join her husband.
-
-"He's in the city, I suppose?" queried the old woman.
-
-Sister Anne nodded her head; and as Grenoble was the nearest city, they
-concluded that that was her destination.
-
-After remaining several hours beneath that hospitable roof, she
-determined to resume her journey; but first she took one of the gold
-pieces from her little bag and offered it to the young woman.
-
-"Keep it, my dear," said she; "we don't want anything for what we've
-done. You're so much to be pitied for not being able to talk, that you
-deserve to be taken in and put up everywhere for nothing; but,
-unluckily, everybody don't think so; there's some folks with hard,
-unfeeling hearts. You're going to the city, and you'll need all your
-money; they won't refuse it there."
-
-Sister Anne expressed her gratitude as best she could. She kissed the
-young mother and her little nursling affectionately, then left the
-cottage, after they had pointed out the road to Grenoble, where they
-supposed that she was going.
-
-The young woman did not travel rapidly; her pregnancy, her lack of
-practice in walking, and the bundle of clothing she carried, compelled
-her to stop frequently. She would sit down on a felled tree, a stone, or
-the bank of a ditch, and wait until her strength had returned and she
-could go on.
-
-Sometimes other travellers passed her while she was resting. Those in
-carriages did not look at her; several men on horseback cast a glance at
-her; but the pedestrians stopped and said a few words to her. Receiving
-no reply, they went their way, some thinking that she was half-witted,
-others calling her impertinent because she did not deign to speak to
-them. Sister Anne gazed at them with an air of surprise, smiled at a
-peasant who proposed to take her on his horse, and lowered her eyes when
-another lost his temper because she did not answer him; the most curious
-ended by doing as the others did, and left her.
-
-Toward nightfall, Sister Anne, having followed the directions given her,
-reached Grenoble. The sight of a large city was a source of fresh
-surprise, which increased with every step she took in the streets, where
-the people were dressed so much more handsomely than in her village.
-Everything surprised and bewildered her, and she trembled as she
-walked. The tall houses, the shops, the throng of people moving in every
-direction, the continual uproar, the strange way in which the passers-by
-gazed at her--everything tended to increase her confusion. Poor girl!
-how would it be if you were in Paris?
-
-But it grew dark, and she must seek shelter for the night. She dared not
-enter any of the houses; they all seemed too fine; she was afraid that
-she would not be admitted. For a long while, she wandered at random
-through those unfamiliar streets; but she was tired out at last, and
-determined to knock somewhere. The poor child did not know what an inn
-was; she thought that she could obtain a place to sleep anywhere by
-paying for it.
-
-She knocked at the door of a house of modest appearance. The door
-opened, and she entered trembling.
-
-"What do you want?" demanded an old tailor, who acted as concierge.
-
-The girl looked sadly at him, and made signs to indicate that she could
-not speak; but he paid no attention to them, and repeated his question.
-Receiving no reply, he sprang to his feet in a rage, ran to Sister Anne,
-took her by the arm, and put her out of the door, saying:
-
-"Oho! so you won't tell where you're going, won't you? Folks don't get
-in here that way, my girl."
-
-This reception was not encouraging; the poor girl was once more in the
-street; her eyes filled with tears, but she summoned all her courage and
-knocked at another door. There, they called her a beggar, and refused to
-admit her. She could stand it no longer; her sobs choked her; she sat
-down on a stone bench beside a door and wept bitterly. In a moment the
-door opened, and an old couple came out, wrapped in furs and
-comforters, followed by a servant carrying a lantern. As they passed,
-they ordered Sister Anne to leave the bench, which belonged to their
-house, calling her an idler and a beggar, and threatening to have her
-put in prison if she did not move on. Sister Anne rose, trembling in
-every limb, and dragged her sorrow and weariness elsewhere; and the old
-couple went their way, chuckling over what they had done, and promising
-to hold forth concerning the audacity of the lower classes at the party
-where they were to pass the evening.
-
-The dumb girl, utterly worn out, could hardly stand erect, and did not
-know which way to turn. The treatment she had met with gave her a very
-depressing idea of life in cities. But she must find a shelter for the
-night. She spied a house more brightly lighted than the others; the
-front door was open, and many persons were going in and out. She took
-one of her gold pieces in her hand, afraid to enter unless she exhibited
-it. This time she had made a more fortunate selection: the house in
-question was an inn, and the sight of the gold piece procured her a
-cordial reception.
-
-When the landlady found that the young traveller could not answer her
-questions, she felt called upon to talk for two, and, while she led the
-way to a small bedroom, extolled the advantages of her house and the way
-in which it was kept, asked her where she came from and where she was
-going, then interrupted herself by exclaiming:
-
-"Mon Dieu! what a fool I am! I ask that just as if you could answer."
-
-A moment later, she resumed her chatter, saying:
-
-"It's very hard! I don't understand your signs, I don't understand 'em
-at all. Never mind, my child; you shall be served on the dot. If my
-nephew was only here! he knows mathematics, and he'd soon explain your
-signs. But he's gone away, poor boy! he's a clerk in the telegraph
-office at Lyon, now."
-
-At last she left Sister Anne, who, having eaten sparingly, was able to
-enjoy the rest she needed so sorely. Sleep, poor girl, and may happy
-dreams bring momentary oblivion of your sufferings!
-
-As she had heard the hostess say more than once: "You are in the best
-hotel in Grenoble," she knew the name of the city, and remembered that
-Frédéric had mentioned that name. That recollection led her to resolve
-not to leave that place until she had sought him there; and the next
-morning, after she had succeeded in making her hostess understand that
-she proposed to pass that day also at Grenoble, she left the inn and set
-out to search the city, which seemed to her enormously large.
-
-As she walked along, she looked at every window in every house. If
-Frédéric were there, she thought that he would see her pass, and would
-either call to her or run after her. Sometimes she stopped, thinking
-that she recognized his figure; but she soon discovered her error. She
-passed the whole day thus, and did not return to the inn until it was so
-dark that she could see nothing.
-
-"Have you been looking about our city?" inquired the landlady; "it's a
-very pretty place, I tell you, a very pretty place, our city of
-Grenoble. But it isn't as big as Lyon, and even Lyon don't come near
-Paris."
-
-At the word _Paris_, the young traveller made a joyful movement, and,
-grasping the hostess's arm, signified that that was where she wanted to
-go. But she did not make her meaning clear.
-
-"You are going to Lyon, I'll wager," said the hostess; "that isn't so
-far; fifteen leagues, that's all. To be sure, in your condition you
-can't walk very fast; but in three or four days at most, you ought to do
-it."
-
-Sister Anne went sadly to her room. How could she find the road to
-Paris, if she could not make people understand that that was where she
-wanted to go? That thought disheartened her; but she had implored her
-mother to guide her on her journey; she prayed to her again, and hope
-was born anew in her heart; without hope, what would be left for the
-unhappy?
-
-The next day, the girl prepared to leave the inn; the landlady presented
-a bill to her, of which she could make nothing; but she tendered a gold
-piece and received very little change. In cities, one has to pay for
-every reverence, every attention. Sister Anne had been treated with
-great courtesy, so that her stay at the inn cost her rather dear.
-
-They pointed out the road to Lyon, and she set forth once more, with her
-little bundle and her stick. But how easy it is to lose one's way in the
-hilly, wooded paths between Grenoble and Lyon! She abandoned herself to
-Providence for guidance. She walked most of the day, and at night,
-thoroughly exhausted, went to a farmhouse, where they consented to let
-her sleep in a barn. But, provided that she could pass the night where
-she was sheltered from the cold, she slept as well on straw as on
-feathers; fatigue enabled her at last to sleep several hours.
-
-Her accommodation at the farm helped to exhaust her little store, and
-the young traveller began to realize that she must be sparing of it, for
-it was almost the only talisman by means of which she could obtain
-shelter. Hospitable folk are rare. The most humane think that they are
-doing much for the poor wayfarer when they give him a trifling sum of
-money and a crust of bread; but they will not receive him under their
-roof. Far distant are the days when men deemed it an honor to give
-shelter to a stranger, without inquiring as to his rank and his means;
-when they shared their fire and their repast and their bed with him.
-Other times, other manners! We have become very proud, we are no longer
-inclined to share anything. By way of compensation, we have excellent
-friends, who come to our house and eat our bread, drink our wine, and
-sometimes make love to our wives, and who, when they leave, go elsewhere
-and say countless cruel things about us; but they do it from excess of
-affection, and because they are afraid that we may have other friends
-than themselves.
-
-Toward noon of the second day after she left Grenoble, Sister Anne,
-absorbed by her recollections, did not notice that she had strayed from
-the road that had been pointed out to her. Not until she began to feel
-the need of rest did she look about for the village, which, according to
-the directions she had received in the morning, could not be far away.
-
-The place where she was at that moment was wild and deserted; there was
-no house in sight. She climbed a hill, and could see nothing in front of
-her but an extensive forest of firs. On her left, a mountain stream,
-with ice floating on the surface, plunged into a deep and winding
-ravine; on her right was a bare mountain side, with steep cliffs, but no
-human habitation.
-
-She began to fear that she had lost her way, and hesitated for some time
-as to the best course for her to pursue. The roads to the right and left
-had a most unpromising look; she was reluctant to retrace her steps; so
-she decided to take the road leading to the forest. After walking about
-half an hour, she found herself among the stately firs, which time had
-not bent, and whose branches, although partly despoiled of their
-foliage, seemed to rise no less proudly toward the clouds and to defy
-wind and frost.
-
-An excellent road led directly into the forest, and Sister Anne did not
-hesitate to take it. She could see the marks of wheels and of horses'
-feet, and she hoped that it would lead her to the village or to some
-nearby city. She surmounted her fatigue, in order that she might reach a
-place of shelter before dark. As she walked on, she did not meet a human
-being, and there was a sombreness and gloom about that road, hemmed in
-by the forest on both sides, that depressed her beyond words. Her eyes,
-straining to discover the end of the interminable road, saw naught save
-the dark firs, and there was no indication that she was approaching the
-village. Her heart sank; night was beginning to envelop the earth in its
-dark folds; she could no longer distinguish anything in the paths that
-led to right and left; and soon Sister Anne, her strength giving way
-before her courage, felt that it was impossible for her to go farther.
-So she was forced to make up her mind to pass the night in the forest.
-It was not fear that made the poor child's heart beat fast; she did not
-know what robbers were, for there had never been any in her woods. But
-the thought of passing a whole night in the forest, without shelter, in
-such cold weather, and in her condition! However, it must be done. She
-seated herself at the foot of a large tree. She was always careful, when
-she passed through a town or a village, to supply herself with
-provisions; so she ate some bread and dried nuts; then, wrapping
-herself as well as she could in her clothes, and placing her bundle
-under her head, she waited for sleep to come. Thanks to the fatigue of
-that long day's journey, she had not long to wait.
-
-It was midnight when the dumb girl opened her eyes, and the moon,
-shining directly over the road on the edge of which she had fallen
-asleep, lighted the strange picture which awaited her at her awakening.
-
-Four men stood about her, all dressed like poor woodcutters, in jackets
-and loose trousers held in place by broad belts; they wore broad-brimmed
-hats, some with the brims turned down, while the others, being turned up
-in front, revealed faces that bore no trace of gentleness or humanity.
-Their long, uncombed hair and beards intensified the sinister expression
-of their features; each of them carried a gun, on which he leaned; and
-each had a hunting-knife and a pair of pistols in his belt.
-
-Two of these men were stooping over Sister Anne; another held a dark
-lantern near her face; while the fourth, who also had his eyes upon her,
-seemed to be listening, to make sure that everything was quiet on the
-road.
-
-The sight of those four faces fixed upon hers caused Sister Anne an
-involuntary shock; and, although she did not appreciate the danger that
-threatened her, she was conscious of a feeling of terror which she could
-not understand, and closed her eyes to avoid those searching glances.
-
-"What in the devil have we got here?" said one of the two who were
-leaning over her; "I'm very much afraid that it don't amount to much,
-and I doubt if it's worth while to stop."
-
-"Eh? why not?" said the man with the lantern; "it's better'n nothing,
-anyway. Look, Pierre, she's got a bundle under her head."
-
-"A lot of worthless rags; don't you see that she's a woman as works in
-the fields?"
-
-"I say! is she dead or asleep?" said a third. "Come, Leroux, just push
-her a bit! Are we going to spend the night staring at this drudge?"
-
-"Death of my life! I don't know as we've got anything better to do.
-All's quiet on the road--eh, Jacques?"
-
-Jacques was the man who stood a few steps away, apparently listening.
-When his comrades addressed him, he approached the group about the girl,
-saying:
-
-"Damnation! another bad night!"
-
-"Not so bad as it might be!" rejoined Leroux, still gazing at Sister
-Anne; "morbleu! that's a pretty woman!"
-
-It was at that moment that Sister Anne opened her eyes, resolved to
-appeal to the compassion of the men who surrounded her, and whose
-language she did not comprehend, having no suspicion of their
-profession.
-
-"I say, look!" cried Leroux; "she's waking up. She's got a fine pair of
-eyes, on my word! I'm curious to hear what she'll say."
-
-Sister Anne cast a glance of entreaty upon them, one after another,
-clasping her hands as if to implore their pity.
-
-"Oh! don't you be afraid," said Pierre; "we ain't going to hurt you.
-Where did you come from? where you going? what put it into your head to
-sleep in our forest?"
-
-The dumb girl, taking the robbers for woodcutters, tried to make them
-understand that she had lost her way.
-
-"What's this! a woman, and she won't speak!" cried Jacques; "what does
-this mean? Is it fear that makes her dumb? Come, speak--damnation!"
-
-Sister Anne rose, and indicated by signs that she could not speak.
-
-"What devilish kind of a woman is this?" cried Pierre; while Leroux,
-holding his lantern still nearer to her, exclaimed, with a roar of
-laughter:
-
-"My eyes, comrades! Dumb or not, the hen has found her rooster, and the
-egg won't be long coming!"
-
-This jest was welcomed with a savage laugh by the other three robbers;
-and all four kept their eyes fixed on the poor girl, who, not divining
-the cause of their merriment, but unable to endure their glances,
-timidly lowered her eyes and stood trembling in the midst of them.
-
-"Come on, let's leave the woman," said Pierre; "she's a poor deaf mute;
-we mustn't take her on our shoulders."
-
-"Deaf?" rejoined Leroux, whose eyes gleamed with a terrifying
-expression; "why, such a woman as that's a downright treasure. She's so
-pretty! she takes my eye, and I'll make her my moll as soon as she gets
-rid of her load."
-
-"Nonsense, Leroux! you're joking."
-
-"No! ten thousand thunders! a deaf mute--think how useful she'll be to
-us in our business."
-
-Sister Anne, trembling like a leaf, did not fully understand the
-conversation of the miscreants; but, observing their indecision, and
-fearing that they would refuse to give her the shelter of which she felt
-more in need than ever, for the cold had benumbed all her limbs, she
-took her little store from her bosom. She knew that the sight of money
-smooths all obstacles; so she took a coin from her little bag, and
-offered it with an air of entreaty to one of the ruffians.
-
-"Oho! she's got money, and she offers it to us; that's good! Parbleu!
-give it here, give it here, girl!"
-
-As he spoke, Pierre snatched the bag from Sister Anne, who was stupefied
-at being thus forcibly despoiled of her treasure; while the robbers
-greedily counted its contents.
-
-"Three gold pieces, as I'm alive!" cried Jacques; and the brigands'
-faces gleamed with savage joy. "That's more'n we've made in five days!"
-
-"Didn't I tell you this wasn't a bad find?" rejoined Leroux. "Come,
-comrades, let's take this girl to our hole, and have a good time."
-
-With that, the fellow seized Sister Anne's arm and dragged her into the
-forest; Jacques took charge of the bundle, Pierre followed him, and
-Franck, the fourth man, taking the lantern from Leroux's hand, went
-ahead to light his companions.
-
-The dumb girl walked unresistingly in the midst of the robbers, still
-not realizing the horror of her position; she thought they were taking
-her to their home, to their wives and children. But their brutal
-features, their abrupt and insolent manners, the weapons they carried,
-and the strangeness of their language, inspired her with a terror she
-could not control. She glanced timidly at them again and again, hoping
-to find, for her comfort, a look of sympathy or pity on their faces; but
-whenever she raised her eyes, they met Leroux's fastened upon her and
-blazing with brutal passion. That ruffian's features intensified the
-fear caused by his manners: his curly hair corresponded in color with
-his name, which his companions had given him on that account; his pale,
-gray eyes rolled this way and that with amazing rapidity; his mouth,
-about which a ferocious smile always lurked, was surmounted by heavy
-moustaches of the color of his hair; and a broad scar, extending from
-the top of the nose to the bottom of the left ear, put the finishing
-touch to his sinister countenance. He had one arm about the girl's
-body, supporting her as they walked rapidly along the forest paths,
-while the other bandits, by their actions and their speech, momentarily
-added to Sister Anne's alarm.
-
-The robbers lived in a wretched hovel in the heart of the forest; by
-day, they passed for poor woodcutters, being careful to keep their
-weapons out of sight in a cellar under their den. But at night they
-armed themselves to the teeth and betook themselves to the highroad,
-where, when they considered that they were sufficiently numerous, they
-attacked belated travellers.
-
-Sister Anne was surprised that they had to go so far to reach their
-home, and even more surprised by the almost impassable paths they chose.
-At last, after walking more than an hour, they led her down into a
-ravine, amid dense underbrush. Soon she made out a flickering light in
-the window of a hut, and a woman opened the door after the robbers had
-whistled several times.
-
-The appearance of one of her own sex cheered Sister Anne for a moment;
-but when she looked closely at the woman who appeared in the doorway,
-her short-lived hope vanished. In truth, the aspect of the robbers'
-companion was not calculated to restore tranquillity to the unhappy
-girl's mind: she was a tall woman, shockingly thin, and her strongly
-marked features wore an expression of calm, cold cruelty which pointed
-to absolute lack of sensibility; her face was of a livid pallor; a red
-silk handkerchief covered her head, and a handful of rags barely
-concealed her emaciated body.
-
-"Here we are, Christine," cried the brigands, as they approached. "We've
-got a prize; we've brought you a companion you can't quarrel with."
-
-At that, Christine stepped out of the house, and, snatching the lantern
-from Franck's hand, held it close to Sister Anne's face. After examining
-her closely for several minutes, she said, in a harsh voice:
-
-"What's all this?"
-
-"A woman, can't you see? And a rare woman, too! a deaf mute!"
-
-"A deaf mute! A fine capture, I swear! What do you expect to do with
-her?"
-
-"That's none of your business," said Leroux, in a voice that echoed
-through the forest; "I took this woman for myself; I like her, she suits
-me just as she is. Don't you dare to look crooked at her, or I'll hang
-you up to the tallest fir in the forest!"
-
-Christine did not seem alarmed by the threat; she continued to stare at
-the girl, and, when she noticed her condition, a sarcastic smile lighted
-up her face, and she muttered between her teeth:
-
-"You'll be sure of having a brat, anyway."
-
-A blow which sent her reeling against the wall of the cabin was Leroux's
-only reply to this remark of the repellent Christine; she rushed at him
-with a threatening air, but Pierre stepped between them.
-
-"Come, come, comrades," he said, "that's enough of such fooling; we
-mustn't let the new-comer raise a row here. Go in, Christine, and see
-about giving us some supper, quick; we're as hungry as wolves!"
-
-During this altercation between the robbers and their housekeeper, the
-unfortunate dumb girl felt a sensation of fear, of absolute terror, such
-as she had never known before. The aspect of the woman, the language of
-the men, whose brutal character she began to divine, the appearance of
-that horrible lair--everything combined to give her some conception of
-the perils that encompassed her. But what could she do? what would
-become of her? She would have been only too glad, at that moment, to be
-far away from that spot, even though she had to endure the severe cold,
-unsheltered, in the forest. But there was no means of escape, and they
-did not return her money; they had taken her treasure and her clothes;
-was it for a moment only? she dared not hope so, and she discovered some
-new cause of alarm every minute. She shuddered from head to foot, her
-teeth chattered, her knees gave way under her.
-
-"See!" said Leroux, holding her up; "that fury has frightened my pretty
-bird.--Come, don't be afraid, little one, and let's go in and get warm."
-
-The robbers entered the hovel, which was divided into two rooms: the
-outer one was that in which the occupants of that horrible den passed
-most of their time; there they ate, and slept on bundles of straw in one
-corner. There was a fireplace, where a huge fire was blazing, which
-warmed the room, the larger and better of the two. The other, which had
-no fireplace, and but a single window looking into the forest, was
-Christine's bedroom; they kept their provisions and firewood there.
-
-When she entered that dirty, smoke-begrimed room, and saw the heap of
-straw in a corner, the weapons standing against the wall, and the great
-fire, at which several huge joints of meat were cooking for the robbers'
-supper, Sister Anne's strength gave way, and Leroux carried her to the
-fire, saying:
-
-"Sit down there and warm yourself; the supper'll bring back your
-strength."
-
-"What a damned fool you are, to talk to her as if she could hear you!"
-
-"That's so, but I keep forgetting it."
-
-"How do you know she's deaf, anyway?" said Franck; "perhaps she's making
-believe. She might be just dumb."
-
-"Then someone must have cut her tongue out," said Leroux; "but anyone
-can see that she's got one like anybody else; so, as she can't speak, it
-must be because she's deaf. You fellows don't understand about that; but
-I've travelled in my time, I know more'n you do, and I know that deaf
-mutes are mute because they can't hear. All you've got to do is look at
-the woman; anybody can see that she don't hear a word we're saying."
-
-In truth, Sister Anne, since she had entered the cabin, being completely
-prostrated by fatigue, pain, and fear, had seemed to be insensible to
-everything that was taking place. However, she heard every word that the
-brigands said; but, on learning that they believed her to be deaf, a
-secret presentiment warned her not to correct their error. If they felt
-sure that she could not hear them, they would not hesitate to discuss
-their plans before her; thus she would learn what she must fear or hope;
-and perhaps they might unwittingly suggest a means of escape. That ray
-of hope sustained the poor girl's courage, and she strove to conceal the
-emotion caused by the conversation of the cutthroats.
-
-They had laid aside their arms, and while waiting for supper discoursed
-of their exploits. The dumb girl learned with dismay that she was among
-villains capable of any crime. But in the very excess of her despair she
-found a source of courage; and realizing at last the full extent of the
-perils which encompassed her, she felt that her only hope of escaping
-them was by craft and adroitness. If she alone were threatened with
-death, she would not fear it, but she wished to save the life of the
-being she carried within her. Mother-love has inspired many acts of
-heroism; it was that sentiment which sustained Sister Anne and gave her
-strength to endure her horrible situation.
-
-Christine placed a table in the middle of the room, and covered it with
-food, bottles, and glasses; the robbers seated themselves about the
-table, and fell to with a sort of brutal satisfaction. Sister Anne
-remained in front of the fire. Leroux placed bread, wine, and roast meat
-before her; she thanked him with an inclination of the head, and forced
-herself to eat a little, in order to keep up her strength and to
-dissemble her terror.
-
-"You see that woman?" said Leroux to his companions; "well, I'll bet
-she's as meek as a lamb; I'll do whatever I choose with her."
-
-"Don't trust to looks," said Christine, as she joined the robbers at the
-table; "a woman can take a man in with those airs and graces; but faces
-are deceitful."
-
-"Yours isn't, for you're the picture of Lucifer's sister!"
-
-This jest made them all laugh, they filled and emptied their glasses
-with startling rapidity; the more they drank, the more they talked. The
-hideous Christine kept pace with them, and only Leroux, whose thoughts
-were fixed on Sister Anne, retained some show of reason.
-
-"Where could this woman have come from?" queried one of the thieves;
-"she don't look as if she worked in the fields."
-
-"Bah! it's some girl that's gone wrong; her lover's left her, and she's
-travelling about looking for him. That's the way with all the girls that
-listen to lovers!"
-
-Sister Anne wiped away the tears that trembled on her eyelids, for her
-heart told her that the man was right.
-
-"_Morgué!_" said Christine; "if I had a daughter, and she was unlucky
-enough to go wrong, I'd strangle her with my own hands."
-
-"Hear that!" said Jacques; "it's a blasted shame that you haven't got
-some children; they'd be a handsome lot!"
-
-"I don't care who the woman is," said Leroux; "she shan't leave this
-house.--And you, Christine, treat her well, or remember what I promised
-you!"
-
-"I snap my fingers at your hussy. Look, you'd do much better to comfort
-her; I believe she's squalling now; go and give her a kiss."
-
-"What about us?" said the other robbers, heated by the fumes of the
-wine; "we'll comfort her, too. Let's go and kiss the pretty mute; we
-must cheer her up a bit."
-
-With that, Leroux's three comrades rose to go to Sister Anne; but he
-planted himself in front of them, and, taking a pistol in each hand,
-shouted to them in stentorian tones:
-
-"Not another step, corbleu! or I'll kill you! That woman's mine; I found
-her on the road, when you were going by like fools without seeing her; I
-insisted on bringing her here; I swore I'd make her my wife; and, damn
-your eyes! the first man who touches her dies by my hand!"
-
-This harangue checked the ardor of his fellows; they knew their
-companion, they knew that the act would follow close on the heels of the
-threat; so they contented themselves with laughing at Leroux's jealousy,
-while Sister Anne, frozen with terror by the scene, retreated into a
-corner of the room and fell on her knees before her captors.
-
-Leroux went to her and tried to soothe her; but, fearing some new
-enterprise on the part of his companions, he led her into the other
-room, and, pointing to a wretched pallet, motioned to her to lie down
-upon it; then he went out, locking the door on her.
-
-Sister Anne was alone in the little room, where there was no light
-except that which shone through the interstices of the partition, and
-which enabled her to make out her surroundings. Having made a pretence
-of lying down on the pallet, she soon rose and listened intently to what
-the robbers said. They continued to drink, and began to sing. If only
-she could escape while they were thus engaged! She felt along the wall
-until she came to a window; it must open into the forest, and the room
-was level with the ground, so that it would be easy to escape that way.
-But a moment later her hand came in contact with stout bars, which
-prevented her passing through. Poor girl! the pangs of disappointment
-were more cruel than all the sufferings she had endured hitherto. When
-she believed that she was on the point of recovering her liberty, to
-lose that last hope! to be unable to conceive any possible means of
-escaping from that horrible den! It was like dying twice over. She fell,
-utterly disheartened, on the bed, and tried to stifle with her hands the
-groans that escaped from her breast.
-
-
-
-
-XXIV
-
-THE STRANGER
-
-
-Thus the night passed. The robbers fell asleep in front of the fire;
-and, luckily for Sister Anne, their vile housekeeper did the same, and
-did not come to share the bed with the poor girl, who lay there all
-night, listening intently, quivering at the slightest sound in the next
-room, and praying to heaven to send her a rescuer.
-
-At daybreak, the ruffians woke; they hastily concealed their weapons,
-then went forth into the forest to work as woodcutters. Before he left,
-Leroux went to Sister Anne, smiled at her, patted her under the chin,
-and muttered under his breath:
-
-"To-night, my beauty, I'll say a couple of words to you."
-
-The unhappy girl could not evade those disgusting caresses. Not without
-an effort did she restrain her indignation. But he went away at last, on
-the heels of his companions, bidding Christine to keep a sharp lookout
-on her prisoner.
-
-When Sister Anne was alone with the robbers' female confederate, she was
-fain to endure the ill humor of that fury, who, being jealous of her
-presence there, tried to avenge herself by heaping all sorts of
-indignities upon her, being well assured that she could not complain of
-them. She laughed at her tears and gestures of entreaty, and the poor
-child felt that she would die if she did not escape soon from that
-horrible place.
-
-At night, the four men returned; they ate a little, then took their
-weapons, Leroux alone excepted.
-
-"Well! don't you propose to go out on the trail with us?" his companions
-asked him.
-
-"No, no, not yet; I'll join you later; but I'm glad of the chance to say
-a word to my little mute."
-
-As he said this, a bestial smile gleamed in his eyes, which were
-constantly fixed upon Sister Anne.
-
-"Oh, yes! I understand," said Pierre; "we'll let it pass to-day, but you
-mustn't let love make you forget your duty."
-
-"But if a well-lined post chaise should happen along," said Jacques, "we
-shan't be strong enough to attack."
-
-"Bah! it ain't likely that there'll be one to-night; anyway, I tell you
-I'll join you soon."
-
-"All right! all right! we'll get along without him; and if some rich
-prize does turn up, why, it will belong to us, and he won't get any of
-it."
-
-"That's fair enough, mates."
-
-The three men left the cabin, with a mocking glance at the dumb girl,
-who did not divine her impending peril, or the meaning of their smile.
-But when she saw that Leroux did not accompany them, she shuddered
-involuntarily and turned her eyes on Christine, as if she hoped for aid
-from her. But she, after glancing at her and at Leroux with the same
-mocking smile, went into the other room and slammed the door behind her.
-
-Sister Anne started to follow her, but when she saw that it was
-impossible she fell back on the straw on which she had been sitting; she
-trembled convulsively; she was alone with the brigand.
-
-Leroux seated himself in front of the fire and poked it; then lighted a
-pipe and smoked for several minutes, interrupting his smoking only to
-drink and to glance at Sister Anne. She trembled in every limb, in the
-corner where she had seated herself in order to be as far as possible
-from the robber, whose eyes, as he glanced at her, were inflamed with
-lust.
-
-"Damned fine, ten thousand devils!" he cried, from time to time. "Fine
-eyes, fine teeth. She'll be even better looking in a few months, but
-damn the odds! And those clowns didn't see her! Oh! I won't give her up
-to you, my mates! We don't capture such prizes often."
-
-These words added to the poor girl's alarm; it was increased tenfold
-when Leroux, who had not remained behind solely to drink and smoke,
-motioned to her to come to him. She pretended not to understand, and
-lowered her eyes. Thereupon he rose and walked toward her. The girl
-could hardly breathe. The brigand threw himself on the straw, beside
-her; she tried to rise and go away from him, but he detained her by
-force, passing his arm about her waist, and putting his repulsive face
-close to hers. The poor girl put her hand before her eyes, so that she
-could not see Leroux's.
-
-"Ha! ha! I really believe she's trembling!" he exclaimed, with a roar of
-savage laughter. "I promise you, my dear, it don't become you to play
-the prude; anyone can see you haven't always been one."
-
-With that, he put his face still nearer to hers, and tried to kiss her
-on the lips; but she, summoning all her courage, pushed him away, and,
-taking advantage of his surprise, sprang quickly to her feet and ran to
-the other end of the room, behind the table on which the robbers ate.
-
-Leroux stared at her in amazement, but in a moment smiled again,
-saying:
-
-"Oho! so you're balky, are you? Pretty good! Do you really think of
-resisting me?"
-
-He rose and went toward her; with a well-directed kick, he sent the
-table to the other end of the room; then, seizing the girl, who
-struggled to no purpose, he took her in his arms and carried her back to
-the heap of straw. Once more she summoned all her courage, all her
-strength, to resist the brigand, who was determined to triumph over her,
-and who, after laughing scornfully at her defence, finally became
-furious at her obstinate resistance. This pitiful struggle lasted a long
-time, but the unfortunate girl felt that her strength was failing her;
-tears and sobs suffocated her, and she was on the point of becoming the
-victim of the villain who strove to force her, when of a sudden there
-was a succession of violent blows on the door of the cabin.
-
-"The devil take anybody who comes just now!" cried Leroux. "Those
-fellows have done it on purpose; but I won't let 'em in."
-
-At that moment, he heard a strange voice, which said:
-
-"Open, for God's sake! save me! you shall be handsomely rewarded!"
-
-It was not the voice of any of Leroux's companions. The robber was
-surprised beyond words. He listened in terror, while Sister Anne fell on
-her knees and thanked heaven for rescuing her.
-
-Christine came hastily from the other room, and ran up to Leroux in
-evident perturbation.
-
-"Somebody's knocking, do you hear? It's a strange voice."
-
-"Morbleu! yes, I hear it well enough. Go and look out of the window, and
-try to see whether it's just one man."
-
-Christine obeyed, and returned in a moment.
-
-"Yes, he's alone," she said.
-
-"Then let's let him in," said Leroux; "but we must be prudent till our
-friends return."
-
-Having replaced the table in the middle of the room, Leroux resumed his
-pipe and his seat before the fire, while Christine opened the door of
-the hovel to the person who had knocked.
-
-The stranger who appeared in the doorway was an elderly man, whose dress
-denoted wealth, and his manners high rank; but he was hatless, his
-clothes were in disorder, and the pallor of his cheeks betrayed
-agitation and fear. He rushed into the cabin, and did not seem to
-breathe freely until he saw the door closed and locked behind him.
-
-"Pardon, pardon, good people!" he said, addressing Leroux and Christine;
-"I fear I have disturbed you and interrupted your rest; but by giving me
-shelter you save my life."
-
-"How so, monsieur?" said Leroux, with an air of deep interest.
-
-"I have just been attacked, my friends, yonder, on the road that crosses
-the forest I was in my carriage, with my servant, and the postilion was
-urging the horses. Suddenly a party of robbers came out of the forest;
-they rushed to the horses' heads and fired point-blank at the postilion;
-the poor fellow fell dead! Having stopped the carriage, they ordered me
-and my servant to alight, and one of them got in to search it; while he
-was inside, I took advantage of a moment when the villains had not their
-eyes on me, and plunged into the forest, selecting the darkest paths; I
-succeeded in getting thus far, when I saw this light and knocked at your
-door."
-
-"You did well, monsieur," said Leroux, with a significant glance at
-Christine. "Sit you down before the fire, and warm yourself and get back
-your breath."
-
-"Oh! you are too kind!" said the traveller, seating himself by the
-hearth; "but my unfortunate servant--what have they done to him? will
-he, too, be their victim?"
-
-"Oh! that ain't likely. They probably let him go, after robbing him.
-They only killed the postilion to make him stop. I know their ways;
-there's so much robbery in this infernal forest!"
-
-"I ought not to have taken that road; it was out of my way; but I wanted
-to see this region."
-
-"Did the rascals rob you, monsieur?"
-
-"No, thank heaven! they were going to do it, no doubt, when I got away.
-I have saved my wallet and my purse, at all events."
-
-"You're very lucky, on my word," said Leroux, with another glance at
-Christine. "Well, monsieur, you must make the best of it, and try to
-forget all about it. We'll do our best for you; for you mustn't think of
-leaving here before daylight; that would be very imprudent."
-
-"I have no intention of doing so, if you will allow me to remain."
-
-"Allow you! why, with great pleasure! Come, Christine, be spry! prepare
-our guest's supper."
-
-Throughout this conversation, Sister Anne had kept her eyes fixed on the
-stranger, whose face, although rather stern, aroused her interest and
-respect. She shuddered at the thought that he had escaped one danger
-only to fall into another. Knowing now the unmitigated villainy of the
-occupants of the hovel, she trembled for the traveller's life, and her
-gaze, fastened insistently upon him, seemed to be striving to warn him
-of the perils by which he was surrounded.
-
-But the stranger had not yet noticed the dumb girl, who was seated on
-the floor in a corner of the room; hardly recovered from his agitation,
-he drew nearer to the fire, and rarely removed his eyes from it.
-
-"It's lucky, on my word, that the robbers didn't follow you," said
-Leroux, offering the traveller a glass of wine.
-
-"What saved me, I fancy, was this: at the moment I escaped, I heard a
-great clatter of hoofs----"
-
-"Oho! you heard the sound of horses?" queried Leroux, uneasily.
-
-"Yes; at least, I thought so. But I was so excited! It may have been
-other brigands, or the constables in pursuit of them."
-
-"Yes, that's so; it might have been."
-
-"I served in the army once, but I confess that I don't care for an
-encounter with robbers; against such hounds, courage is often of no
-avail. Besides, I had no weapons about me."
-
-"Ah! you have no weapons?"
-
-"No; my pistols were in the carriage, but they didn't give me time to
-take them."
-
-Leroux seemed to reflect. Since the stranger had said that he had heard
-horses on the road, he was less tranquil in his mind.
-
-"You are a woodcutter, I presume?" said the traveller.
-
-"Yes, monsieur; I'm a woodcutter; and this is my wife," said Leroux,
-pointing to Christine, who was laying the table for supper.
-
-"Aren't you at all afraid, here in the heart of this forest?"
-
-"Why, what should we be afraid of? We're not rich enough to tempt
-robbers. Come, Christine, look alive; monsieur will want to sleep when
-he's had his supper."
-
-"Oh! don't hurry her so."
-
-The stranger, having recovered somewhat from his excitement, began to
-look about him with more attention; and as he scrutinized the different
-parts of the room, he at last observed Sister Anne seated on the heap of
-straw, with her eyes fixed upon his with an expression which made it
-impossible for him not to notice her. Taken by surprise, he gazed for
-some time with interest at the dumb girl's pale, worn features, and
-seemed puzzled by the strange way in which she looked at him.
-
-"Who is that girl?" he asked Christine; "I didn't notice her before."
-
-"That! oh! she don't amount to much," replied the tall woman, shortly.
-
-"Isn't she your child?"
-
-"No, monsieur," said Leroux; "she's an unfortunate deaf mute that I
-found in the forest; and we took her in from charity. She'll soon be a
-mother, and I took pity on her."
-
-"That does you honor, monsieur; the poor thing is so young, and her face
-so sweet! Haven't you been able to find out where she came from, or her
-name?"
-
-"How in the devil do you suppose one can find out anything from a deaf
-and dumb woman? However, it don't make much difference; she's pretty
-near an idiot, too, I think; but I'll keep her here."
-
-When she heard this, Sister Anne rose and walked slowly toward the
-stranger, still gazing at him with an expression of interest blended
-with compassion.
-
-"Well, well! what's she doing?" said Leroux; "the poor girl has surely
-lost her reason! Make her go into the other room, Christine; it's time
-she went to bed."
-
-Christine pushed the dumb girl roughly toward the door of the rear room.
-Sister Anne left the stranger's presence with profound regret; she would
-have liked to keep him in sight, because she took the liveliest interest
-in his welfare; but she was forced to obey. She walked slowly toward the
-door, still looking at the stranger, who seemed touched by the intensity
-of her gaze and followed her with his eyes until the door closed upon
-her.
-
-Christine went into the rear room with Sister Anne; she looked through
-the window, and seemed disturbed by the non-return of the robbers. The
-dumb girl lay down on the pallet, not to sleep, but to reflect upon the
-means of saving the stranger by warning him of the risk he ran if he
-remained in the cabin. How could she gain access to him, and how make
-herself understood? At that moment, Leroux entered the room and closed
-the door carefully; then he went up to Christine, and, thanks to their
-conviction that Sister Anne could not hear them, she was soon made
-acquainted with their plans.
-
-"Well! can't you hear them coming?" asked Leroux.
-
-"No; I can't hear anything."
-
-"It's very strange! what can they be doing in the forest since that man
-got here? I don't feel easy in my mind; he said something about horses
-and constables. Suppose our friends are arrested!"
-
-"The devil! would they sell us?"
-
-"Hark ye! when this stranger's had his supper and gone to sleep, I'll go
-out and try to find out something. If the others are in the forest, I
-know where to find 'em. If they're taken or gone, we'll take advantage
-of the stranger's sleep to make way with him, and with what he has on
-him we'll do well to get out of danger ourselves by leaving the forest."
-
-"That's a good idea; give him his supper, and let him go to sleep; and
-then, when you come back, we'll go to work. Meanwhile, I'll lie down and
-rest a bit."
-
-"Yes, do; don't be afraid but what I'll wake you when I need you."
-
-Leroux went back to the traveller, and the repulsive Christine threw
-herself on the bed, beside Sister Anne, who had to endure the close
-proximity of a creature whom she knew to be planning a murder with the
-most revolting deliberation. But the poor girl did not stir; she had
-overheard all the conversation of those monsters, she had not lost a
-word of their schemes, and she still hoped to save the stranger. A
-single fear oppressed her: that the three robbers would return; for then
-all would be lost; she would be compelled to witness the unfortunate
-man's death, or to die with him.
-
-Christine was hardly on the bed when a prolonged snore indicated that
-she was asleep. Thereupon Sister Anne rose softly and crept to the
-partition, where she put her eye to a crack through which she could look
-into the other room.
-
-The stranger was tranquilly eating his supper; Leroux strove to
-entertain him, but he constantly listened with marked disquietude for
-sounds out of doors, and seemed desirous that the traveller should go to
-bed at once. Sister Anne was able to observe the old man's features at
-her leisure; and the more she looked at him, the stronger grew her
-feeling of interest and attachment, which seemed not to be born solely
-of his perilous situation. At the slightest noise caused by the wind or
-by the falling of a dead branch, the girl shivered in mortal terror,
-fancying that it was the three brigands returning; whereas, on the
-contrary, Leroux's face would assume a look of satisfaction, as he ran
-and listened at the door, hoping to hear his confederates' voices.
-
-"Are you expecting company?" inquired the stranger.
-
-"No, monsieur, no; it's the fear of robbers that makes me keep my ears
-open; but I'm beginning to think they haven't followed you; so you can
-go to sleep quietly."
-
-"I'll lie down till daybreak; then you will be good enough to guide me
-to the nearest village."
-
-"Yes, monsieur, with pleasure; but you can sleep comfortably; it's a
-long while to daybreak. This is the only bed I can offer you--fresh
-straw; I'm sorry not to be able to give you anything better, but we're
-pretty poor!"
-
-"Oh! I shall be very comfortable; don't worry at all about me."
-
-As he spoke, the stranger lay down on the straw and tried to sleep;
-while Leroux stood before the fire, turning his head now and again to
-see if his guest had fallen asleep. The dumb girl, her eye still glued
-to the crack in the partition, did not lose either of them from sight,
-and prayed fervently that Christine might not wake.
-
-At last, the traveller seemed to doze, and Leroux went to fetch his
-weapons from the cellar, the opening to which was covered by a plank and
-concealed by a heap of straw. Sister Anne shuddered; suppose the villain
-proposed to murder the old man at once! But, no; having replaced the
-board, he stole softly from the cabin, muttering: "I'll go to the usual
-place; and if they ain't there, I'll come right back."
-
-He opened the door without a sound, and disappeared. The time to act had
-come; the dumb girl summoned all her courage, and stole into the other
-room, walking on tiptoe for fear of waking Christine; then she locked
-the door securely, to prevent her from coming out in case she should
-wake. The room in which the stranger lay asleep was lighted only by the
-fire on the hearth. Sister Anne went to him, grasped his arm, and
-squeezed it with all her force. The old man woke, and was surprised to
-see her bending over him with an expression of the most intense and
-painful anxiety on her face. He was about to speak, but she hastily
-placed a finger on his lips, and her eyes, as she glanced about in
-terror, bade him keep perfectly still. He rose and nervously awaited an
-explanation of this mysterious scene.
-
-Sister Anne ran to the cellar, succeeded in raising the opening, took a
-blazing brand from the fire, and, motioning to the traveller to come
-near, showed him the interior, where there were weapons and garments of
-all sorts, the blood with which they were covered sufficiently attesting
-the method by which the robbers had come into possession of them. The
-stranger shuddered.
-
-"Great God!" he said; "am I in a den of thieves?"
-
-The girl nodded her head, then ran to the pile of straw, and indicated
-by signs that they intended to return and murder him while he slept.
-
-The stranger at once took possession of a pair of pistols which he found
-near the entrance to the cellar.
-
-"At all events, I will sell my life dearly," he said. "But you, poor
-woman, what are you to do?"
-
-Sister Anne interrupted him by running to the door of the cabin,
-throwing it open, and making signs that he must fly at once and that she
-would go with him. The stranger took her hand, and they left the house.
-At that moment, Christine, hearing a noise, rose and tried to leave her
-room; when she found that she was locked in, she began to shriek and
-call Leroux, and, running to the window, saw the dumb girl and the
-stranger just disappearing in the forest.
-
-"Damnation! they've got away!" cried Christine, trying to remove the
-bars at the window.
-
-The old man pointed one of his pistols at her; but Sister Anne stopped
-him, making him understand that the report would attract the brigands.
-Her companion saw that she was right; so they fled, and, leaving the
-vile creature hurling curses at them, they were soon far away from the
-robbers' lair.
-
-After wandering about the forest more than an hour, trembling at the
-slightest sound, lest they should fall in with Leroux and his
-confederates, the fugitives heard the steps of several horses. That
-could be nothing but the constabulary in search of the brigands. The
-dumb girl and the stranger started in the direction of the sound. Soon a
-man passed them, running at full speed; it was Leroux, with a horseman
-in pursuit. Another man on horseback followed, and, when he saw Sister
-Anne's companion, cried: "Here's my master! Thank heaven, the scoundrels
-didn't kill him!"
-
-The traveller pointed out to the officers the abode of the brigands;
-then, mounting a horse that his servant was leading, he took the dumb
-girl _en croupe_ who had saved his life, and they rode rapidly out of
-the forest.
-
-The traveller did not cease to express his gratitude to his liberatress,
-while she thanked God that she was no longer in the power of the
-robbers.
-
-The servant told his master that, a few moments after he had fled into
-the forest, the constables appeared, and the outlaws thought of nothing
-but escape; but two of them were overtaken, and were killed while
-resisting capture. Thereupon, taking the horses, which had already been
-unhitched from the chaise, the servant had mounted one and joined the
-constables who were searching the forest, hoping to find his master.
-
-A danger passed is soon forgotten. They arrived at a large village, and
-the travellers knocked at the door of a farmhouse, where they were made
-welcome and received every attention. The dumb girl was especially in
-need of speedy assistance. The horrible situation in which she had been
-placed for two days, the danger she had barely escaped, the superhuman
-effort she had made during that ghastly night--all these things together
-had been too much for the unfortunate child, who was hardly able to
-stand erect. They put her in a warm bed; the people at the farm, when
-they learned of her condition and of what she had done to save the aged
-traveller, manifested the most sympathetic interest in her, and her
-companion would not go to bed until he was certain that everything
-possible had been done for his liberatress.
-
-The next day, the carriage, which had been found on the road, was
-brought to the farm, and there was nothing to prevent the stranger from
-continuing his journey; but Sister Anne was in a high fever, and he was
-unwilling to leave her until he was assured that her life was in no
-danger. The best physician in the neighborhood was summoned; the
-stranger spent money lavishly to provide her with everything that her
-condition demanded. He passed a large part of the day in her room,
-adding his attentions to those of the farmer's family.
-
-Sister Anne was conscious of all that he did for her, and her heart was
-deeply touched. Despite her weakness and suffering, she seized his hand
-and pressed it gratefully.
-
-"Poor woman!" said the stranger, profoundly affected; "I will not leave
-you until my mind is at rest concerning your life. I would have liked to
-take you to your destination, in my carriage. What can I do for you? You
-can hear me, I see; so that you are deprived of the power of speech
-only. Do you know how to write?"
-
-Sister Anne shook her head; then she seemed suddenly to remember
-something, and made a movement with her hand as if she were trying to
-form letters. The old man handed her a pen, but she could not use it;
-then he gave her a piece of chalk; whereupon she sat up in bed, leaned
-over a table that stood beside it, and succeeded, not without a mighty
-effort, in writing the name _Frédéric_ with the chalk. That done, she
-pointed to it and sadly shook her head, as if to say:
-
-"That is all I know."
-
-The old man seemed greatly surprised when he read the name she had
-written on the table. He reflected a moment, then looked at Sister Anne
-with renewed interest; but it seemed to her that the expression of his
-eyes was less gentle, that there was in it a touch of sternness which
-she could not define.
-
-"And your own name," he said; "can't you write that?"
-
-Sister Anne shook her head, and again wrote the name _Frédéric_.
-
-The traveller seemed extremely preoccupied all the rest of the day, and
-whenever his eyes rested on the dumb girl he fell into a profound
-reverie. For five days, Sister Anne's condition was such that her life
-was in danger, and the old man did not leave the farm. At the end of
-that time there was a perceptible improvement; the physician promised
-that she would recover, but said that she would be very weak for a long
-time, and that it would be imprudent in the extreme for her to leave
-the farm before her lying-in.
-
-Sister Anne's eyes filled with tears when she was told of this; she was
-afraid of being a burden to the kind-hearted folk who had taken her in;
-but the stranger lost no time in pacifying and consoling her.
-
-"I have provided for everything," he said; "wait here until your health
-is fully restored, and, if nothing calls you elsewhere, remain
-permanently with these good people; they love you, and you will be happy
-here."
-
-But Sister Anne sadly shook her head, and motioned with her hand that
-she must go a long, long way. The stranger, who had already given
-twenty-five louis to the villagers for their past and future care of the
-young woman, put a purse filled with gold in his rescuer's hands. She
-would fain have refused it, and was sadly at a loss to express her
-gratitude.
-
-"You owe me nothing, my child," he said; "remember that you saved my
-life, and that I shall owe you gratitude as long as I live. Take this
-paper too; my name and address are written on it. If you are ever in
-difficulty, let me know, and always count on my protection."
-
-Sister Anne took the paper and placed it in the purse he had given her.
-He, after gazing at her for some moments with evident emotion, kissed
-her on the forehead, then, tearing himself away from her demonstrations
-of gratitude, entered his carriage and drove away, leaving at the farm
-abundant tokens of his generosity.
-
-After he had gone, Sister Anne was melancholy and depressed for a long
-while. Her heart went out to that stranger; in her mind, his image had
-taken its place beside Frédéric's; but the loving friendship she felt
-for the one in no wise impaired her ardent love for the other.
-
-
-
-
-XXV
-
-THE MARRIAGE TAKES PLACE
-
-
-Frédéric did not pass a day without seeing Constance; since the lovers
-had mutually avowed their love, that sentiment seemed to grow stronger
-hourly in both their hearts. Mademoiselle de Valmont loved with the
-unrestrained ardor of a heart that no longer seeks to conceal its
-feelings. She was proud of Frédéric's love for her, and her happiness
-consisted in returning it.
-
-Frédéric, even more passionate and impulsive, yielded to the sentiment
-that swept him off his feet; but, while he loved as dearly, he could not
-be so happy; he needed to forget himself, to banish recollections which
-disturbed his bliss. Like those persons who never look behind, for fear
-of seeing something to frighten them, Frédéric tried to drive away the
-thoughts that carried him back to a still recent period. He desired to
-think solely of Constance, he knew that thenceforth she ought to prevail
-over all other women; of what use, then, was an occasional sigh which
-would bring no comfort to her whom he had abandoned? A man may argue
-thus, but, none the less, even in the very bosom of happiness, there is
-something in the bottom of his heart that reproves him for the wrong he
-has done--unless, indeed, he has no heart, and there are many people in
-whom we should seek for it in vain.
-
-The Comte de Montreville had been absent a fortnight. Frédéric was not
-certain as to the purpose of his father's journey, although he
-suspected it; but he had no desire to take advantage of his absence to
-go away himself. Could he leave Constance for a single day? Although she
-had set his mind at rest as to the marriage that had frightened him,
-Frédéric was not altogether satisfied. He begged his betrothed to
-question her uncle on that subject. Constance dared not mention it to
-the general; but at last, vanquished by Frédéric's entreaties, she made
-up her mind to question him, and one morning she went to him in his
-study.
-
-"Uncle," she began, blushing, and lowering her eyes, "I have been told
-that you have been making plans for me."
-
-The general smiled as he looked at her, then tried to assume a serious
-tone, with which, however, his expression did not harmonize.
-
-"Who told you, mademoiselle, that I had made plans concerning you?"
-
-"Monsieur Frédéric, uncle, who learned it from his father."
-
-"The devil! so Monsieur Frédéric interests himself in it, does he? What
-might these plans be, mademoiselle?"
-
-"You should know better than I, uncle."
-
-"Gad! that's true, you're right. Well, yes, I have a plan of my own."
-
-"For my future, uncle?" asked Constance, in a trembling voice.
-
-"Yes, for your marriage, in fact."
-
-"Marriage! can it be possible? Oh! uncle----"
-
-And the sweet girl looked up at the general, with appealing eyes already
-filled with tears.
-
-"Come, come, calm yourself, morbleu!" exclaimed the general, taking her
-hand. "Here you are up in arms, as if I proposed to make you unhappy.
-Don't you want to marry?"
-
-"Oh! I don't say that, uncle."
-
-"Well, then, why this terror when I tell you that I think of giving you
-a husband?"
-
-"Why, because I want--I don't want----"
-
-"Because you want and don't want! Deuce take it! why can't a woman ever
-say what she means! Why don't you tell me at once that you don't want to
-marry anyone but Frédéric?"
-
-"Oh! uncle, did you know----"
-
-"I should have to be as blind as a bat not to know that; and this fine
-gentleman, who presumes to love my niece--and who sighs and is
-melancholy and tears his hair, instead of just coming to me and asking
-for her hand----"
-
-"Oh! my dear uncle--are you really willing?"
-
-"Parbleu! am I in the habit of not being willing to do anything you
-want?"
-
-"But this marriage with some colonel?"
-
-"That was a fable invented by my old friend--I don't quite know why; but
-he came to me and begged me to let him say that; I couldn't refuse to
-let him do as he chose, although I don't understand all this mystery;
-for it seems to me that when two young people love each other and are
-suited to each other, there's no need of marching and countermarching to
-marry them. But, no matter; Montreville has his tactics, and he's bound
-to follow them. Don't think of telling Frédéric this, for his father
-would be angry with me; but when he comes back, which will be soon, I'll
-put an end to all this prevarication, and give you to your lover, or
-he'll end by making himself ill with his sighing."
-
-Constance kissed her uncle and left him; the certainty of happiness made
-her more beautiful than ever. Frédéric soon returned, and inquired
-anxiously what her uncle had said to her. Constance tried to dissemble
-her joy; the most loving woman is not sorry to tease her lover a little
-now and then, for in his torments she sees fresh proofs of his love.
-
-"Well!" said Frédéric, impatiently; "why don't you answer me? You have
-spoken to your uncle about this proposed marriage--has he formed such a
-plan?"
-
-"Why, yes; he is thinking of marrying me."
-
-"Then I was right!" cried the young man, with an agitation that made
-Constance tremble; "he is thinking of it; my father told me the truth.
-But you shall not be stolen from my love----"
-
-"My dear, don't get excited."
-
-"How can I help it, when you tell me that you are to be married?
-Constance, if your uncle is a tyrant, I will carry you off. We will fly
-together to the ends of the earth! You, you alone, will suffice for my
-happiness! This very night, if you agree, we will start. What,
-mademoiselle, you laugh at sight of my despair!"
-
-"Oh! Frédéric, what a hot-headed boy you are!"
-
-"Ah! mademoiselle is pleased to give me lessons in self-restraint! It
-seems to me that this projected marriage doesn't disturb you much. Is
-this how you love me?"
-
-"Naughty boy! what a savage reproof! Ah! my dear, because my love is
-more placid than yours, don't think that it is less strong and deep."
-
-"But this marriage that your uncle has in mind?"
-
-"Suppose it were you, monsieur, to whom he thinks of marrying me?"
-
-"Me!"
-
-Frédéric's features lightened up with a new expression; and Constance
-put her finger on his lips, saying:
-
-"Hush! not a word, my dear; uncle forbade me to speak--but how can I let
-you suffer long?"
-
-"What, Constance, can it really be true? Oh! what bliss! your uncle is
-the best of men! Let me go and throw myself at his feet!"
-
-"No, indeed! do you want him to scold me? shall I never be able to make
-you amenable to reason? Sit down here, monsieur, by my side."
-
-"But when may I tell him that I love you?"
-
-"When your father returns--he won't be away much longer, I am sure. Do
-you know whether he went very far?"
-
-"Why--no--I don't think so; I am not certain."
-
-"Well, my dear, now you are pensive."
-
-"No, indeed I'm not!"
-
-"So long as we were not certain of our happiness, I overlooked these
-dreamy airs, these fits of melancholy that seize you sometimes when you
-are with me; but understand, monsieur, that I won't have any more of
-such nonsense. You have no trouble, dear, no secret sorrow, that you
-can't confide to Constance, have you?"
-
-"Of course not!"
-
-"Promise me that you will tell me everything, absolutely everything;
-that I shall have your entire confidence. Ought a husband and wife to
-conceal anything from each other?"
-
-"Yes, Constance, I promise; I will tell you all my thoughts."
-
-Frédéric was not absolutely truthful at that moment, but his falsehood
-was excusable, for his entire confidence just then would not have
-afforded great pleasure to Constance, who was convinced that her lover
-thought of no one but her, and who, despite her tranquil air, her
-gentleness, and her confidence, loved Frédéric too ardently not to be
-susceptible to jealousy, a sentiment which, in women, is almost always
-inseparably connected with love.
-
-The Comte de Montreville returned to Paris after an absence of nearly a
-month. Under any other circumstances, Frédéric would have been surprised
-at the length of a journey which might have been completed in a
-fortnight, but in Constance's company he had given little thought to it.
-When he saw his father again, however, all his memories of Dauphiné
-rushed back into his mind; he was embarrassed in his presence, longing
-to question him, but shrinking from it.
-
-The count himself did not seem the same as before his departure; he was
-often pensive and abstracted, as if his thoughts were engrossed by some
-subject; and when he looked at his son, he, too, seemed to desire and
-dread an explanation. At last, Frédéric ventured to question him, and,
-contrary to his expectation, his father replied with no trace of the
-stern, cold manner which he was wont to assume on approaching that
-subject.
-
-"Have you been in Dauphiné?" said Frédéric; "did you go to Vizille?"
-
-"Yes," said the count; "I visited the neighborhood of that village,
-including the wood where you lived so long."
-
-"And did you see that--girl?"
-
-"No, I did not see her; she had left her cabin only a few days before,
-and there was nobody there but an old shepherd."
-
-"What! Sister Anne not at her old home? Is it possible? And what of
-Marguerite?"
-
-"The old woman died some months ago."
-
-"And Sister Anne has gone away? Poor child! what can have become of her?
-In her plight, how could she find her way, make herself understood? Ah!
-unfortunate girl!"
-
-"What do you mean?" cried the count, gazing at his son with an
-expression of the most intense interest; "what is this girl's plight,
-which makes her such an object of pity? Answer me, Frédéric!"
-
-"When she was seven years old, father, Sister Anne lost the power of
-speech; a shocking calamity and a horrible fright deprived the poor
-child of the possibility of making herself understood."
-
-"Great God!" said the count, thunderstruck by what his son had said; "it
-is she! I had divined it!"
-
-But Frédéric did not hear his father's last words. He was engrossed by
-the thought of Sister Anne, fancying that he saw her wandering through
-the woods and fields, helpless and without shelter, turned away from
-most public-houses, and everywhere exposed to want and misfortune. He
-reflected that that was all his work, that, if he had not tried to
-arouse in her heart a violent passion, she would have lived quietly in
-her solitude, with no thirst for pleasures of which she knew nothing,
-and with no dreams of happiness and of a different existence. At that
-moment, Frédéric was overwhelmed by remorse, and he reproached himself
-bitterly for his conduct to a woman of whom he was no longer enamored,
-but who was still dear to him.
-
-For a long time, the count and his son were buried in thought. The count
-broke the silence at last, saying in a voice that shook with emotion:
-
-"Have no concern as to that young woman's present lot. I have found
-her."
-
-"You have found her, father? is it possible?"
-
-"Yes; on a farm near Grenoble. I left her there, and I provided against
-her ever being in want."
-
-"But how did you find her? You could not recognize her."
-
-"Her misfortune, her youth--she interested me deeply; something told me
-that she was the person I sought, and I have no doubt of it now, since
-you have told me that she is dumb. I tell you again that you need not be
-alarmed concerning her future; I left her with excellent people, who are
-fond of her, and she will be very comfortable there; moreover, I shall
-not fail to have an eye to her welfare."
-
-The count was careful not to mention his adventure in the forest and his
-indebtedness to Sister Anne; he was afraid that Frédéric's love would
-blaze up anew if he should learn that she had saved his father's life.
-He was especially solicitous that Frédéric should not know that the dumb
-girl was on the point of becoming a mother; that intelligence might
-disarrange the plans he had formed. For the count, although he was
-interested now in Sister Anne, and proposed to take care of her and her
-child, was none the less desirous for his son's marriage to his old
-friend's niece; and to that end he considered it most essential to
-conceal everything relating to the unhappy mute.
-
-On arriving in Paris, he had expressly forbidden his servant to mention
-the adventure in the forest or the young woman they had left at the
-farm.
-
-His father's assurance that Sister Anne was living among kindly people,
-and was amply provided against want, allayed Frédéric's remorse. That
-sentiment rarely lasts long in love, and the new passion is always at
-hand to dispel the memories of the old one. By Constance's side the
-young man entirely forgot the poor maid of the woods; and while renewing
-his oaths and protestations of love to Constance, he lost the memory of
-those he had laid at another woman's feet.
-
-The Comte de Montreville's return was soon to be followed by the
-marriage of the young people. Frédéric longed for it, Constance hoped
-for it, and the general made no objection, because he did not believe in
-making lovers sigh too long.
-
-Thus everybody was agreed; there was no obstacle to delay their
-happiness. The wedding day was fixed. The general vowed that he would
-dance at his niece's wedding, although he had never danced in his life;
-the count was anxious to greet Constance by the sweet name of daughter,
-and the lovers--oh! you know what their desires were; it may be guessed,
-but must not be said.
-
-Engrossed by his approaching happiness, Frédéric was rarely disturbed by
-the memories which brought a sad expression to his face; if by chance a
-sigh escaped him, a glance from Constance speedily put to flight the
-thoughts of other times. Constance was so sweet-tempered, and the near
-approach of happiness made her so beautiful, that it was impossible not
-to adore her.
-
-At last the day arrived which was to witness the union of Frédéric and
-Constance. The Comte de Montreville was so overjoyed that he allowed his
-son to invite everyone he chose. Frédéric knew no better friend than
-Dubourg, who, with all his follies, had often given him proofs of a
-genuine attachment. Moreover, since Dubourg had inherited his aunt's
-property, he had become much more sensible. To be sure, he was always
-hard up about the middle of the month, but he had not pledged his
-income, and he had taken up dominoes instead of écarté, that being a
-game at which one gets much less excited.
-
-Ménard was not forgotten, either. The worthy man was much attached to
-Frédéric; he had been a little too indulgent on the journey, but the
-count had forgiven that; moreover, he had always acted with the best
-intentions. As for his fondness for the table, that is often considered
-in society an estimable quality.
-
-Constance was dressed with taste and elegance; but one could pay no heed
-to her toilet, in presence of her beauty and her charms; for happiness,
-which embellishes everything, adds to the fascination of a pretty face.
-The men can only admire that; as for the women, they see at a glance
-every detail of the costume, and can, at need, tell us how every pin was
-put in, and how many pleats there were in the gown, in front and behind;
-our perspicacity will never go so far as that.
-
-Frédéric was radiant with love; he did not lose sight of Constance,
-which is the surest means of having no unpleasant recollections.
-Frédéric was very comely, too; his face was noble and winning; and if
-the men admired Constance, the women were not inclined to pity her for
-marrying Frédéric.
-
-The general and the count felt the keenest satisfaction in the union of
-their children. In his joy, Monsieur de Valmont was more hilarious and
-effusive than the Comte de Montreville; but the latter smiled benignly
-upon everybody, and, for the first time, embraced his son tenderly.
-
-Monsieur Ménard was dressed with care and maintained a very sedate
-bearing until the dinner. As for Dubourg, he was overjoyed to be invited
-to his friend's wedding, and, as he desired to obtain the count's good
-graces, he assumed throughout the day such a dignified air, that he
-looked as if he had a fit of the _spleen_; and he tried so hard to be
-staid and respectable, that he might well have been taken for a man of
-sixty. Whenever the count approached him, he discoursed upon the
-illusive pleasures of the world, of the bliss of retirement, and of the
-joys that await the just man after death. He carried it so far, that the
-general said to Frédéric:
-
-"What a devil of a fellow your friend Dubourg is! Does he pass his time
-in graveyards? I have been to him once or twice to talk, and he at once
-quotes a passage from Young's _Night Thoughts_ or Massillon's _Petit
-Caręme_. He's a very cheerful guest for a wedding party."
-
-Frédéric went to Dubourg and urged him to act as he naturally would;
-but, convinced that his conversation, his tone, and his bearing
-delighted Monsieur de Montreville, it was impossible to induce Dubourg
-to change them.
-
-A magnificent dinner was served at the Hôtel de Montreville, whence the
-young people were to return in the evening to the general's house, where
-they were to live. As the general was often absent, he required only a
-small suite, and gave up three-fourths of the house to the newly married
-pair.
-
-Marriages in the first society have not the hilarity of bourgeois
-marriages; which fact is some compensation to the bourgeoisie for not
-belonging to the first society. However, the repast was rather merry in
-a mild way. Monsieur Ménard devoted himself to the good cheer, as he did
-at Monsieur Chambertin's; but Dubourg ate little; he refused almost
-every dish, because he thought it much more _comme il faut_. Nor was it
-possible to induce him to accept a glass of champagne or liqueur.
-
-"I never take it," he said, with imperturbable phlegm.
-
-The Comte de Montreville stared at him in amazement, while Ménard, who
-sat next to him, said again and again:
-
-"You used to take it, though; I've seen you take it often enough! Say
-you're sick, and I'll believe you."
-
-"Your friend is wonderfully sober," said the general to Frédéric; "you
-have brought us an anchorite."
-
-After the dinner, dancing engaged the attention of the guests for the
-rest of the evening. The new husband and wife indulged in that pastime,
-which enabled them to wait with more patience for the greater pleasures
-to come; dancing is always essential to bring a wedding party to a
-cheerful termination.
-
-But Dubourg did not dance; he walked stiffly through the salons, holding
-his head as if he had a stiff neck, and never stopping near an écarté
-table.
-
-"Don't you play, Monsieur Dubourg?" asked the count, with a smile.
-
-"No, monsieur le comte; I have altogether renounced all games for money;
-I care for nothing but chess; that is the only sensible game, and the
-only one suited to me."
-
-"Don't you dance, either?"
-
-"Never; I care for nothing but the minuet, which is a sedate and
-dignified dance. It's a great pity that it isn't danced nowadays."
-
-"The deuce! Monsieur Dubourg, you are tremendously changed. You used to
-be a little giddy, I think."
-
-"Ah! monsieur le comte, other times, other cares; with advancing years,
-one grows wiser."
-
-"Advancing years! why, it's not one year yet since you played Hippolyte,
-and would have made poor Ménard play Thésée."
-
-"Oh! monsieur le comte, a very great revolution has taken place in me
-since then. I care for nothing now but study and science--science above
-all things; for, as Cato says: _Sine doctrina vita est quasi mortis
-imago_."
-
-The count walked away with a smile on his face, and Dubourg was
-convinced that he was greatly pleased with him. The day was at an end.
-Ménard returned to his tiny lodging, reviewing in his mind all the
-delicious dishes he had eaten. Dubourg was no sooner outside the house
-than he began to jump and run like a schoolboy who is no longer under
-the master's eye. Frédéric and Constance were happy. Annoying witnesses
-were no longer present to curb the transports of their affection.
-Company is a burden to lovers, and they await impatiently solitude and
-mystery. At last, Frédéric was permitted to take his wife away; on the
-wedding night, a husband is a lover who abducts his mistress.
-
-
-
-
-XXVI
-
-SISTER ANNE BECOMES A MOTHER.--HER LONG STAY AT THE FARM
-
-
-Sister Anne was still at the farmhouse where the Comte de Montreville
-left her; for it is no longer a secret to us that the stranger whom she
-had rescued from the robbers' hovel was Frédéric's father, then
-returning from Vizille, where he had been to inquire concerning the fate
-of the girl whom his son had abandoned. He had found no one in the cabin
-in the woods but the old shepherd, who did not know in what direction
-Sister Anne had gone. To all the count's questions, he could make no
-other answer than:
-
-"She's gone away; she insisted on going; I don't know where she's gone."
-
-On leaving the woods, the count had visited the outskirts of Grenoble,
-and was on his way back to Lyon when his carriage was stopped in the
-forest.
-
-Sister Anne, despite her longing to continue her journey, realized that
-she was in no condition to travel; the moment of her delivery was
-drawing near, when she could press to her heart the fruit of her love.
-That thought diminished her suffering to some extent; the hope of seeing
-her child diverted her thoughts at times from her troubles, and everyone
-at the farm strove to restore her peace of mind and to bring back a
-smile to her lips. They were worthy people, who took the most
-affectionate interest in the poor girl. Even without recompense, they
-would have been no less kind to her; but money does no harm, and the sum
-the Comte de Montreville had given them, when he requested them to
-continue to take care of Sister Anne, was considerable, according to
-their ideas.
-
-The dumb girl, realizing that her stay among them must be long, offered
-them the purse that the old gentleman had given her just before he went
-away; but they would take nothing from her.
-
-"Keep the money," said the farmer's wife; "keep it, my child; that
-excellent man you saved from the robbers paid for everything; in fact,
-he paid us too much. We didn't need that to be kind to you; you're so
-pretty and sweet and unfortunate! Poor little woman! I can make a guess
-at your situation. Some man abused your innocence and inexperience; he
-deceived you, and then dropped you! That's the story of most young girls
-who haven't got any father and mother to protect 'em from the snares
-those fine fellows lay for 'em. Don't cry, my child; I'm a long way
-from blaming you; you're less to blame than other women! But the man who
-deserted you's the one as ought to be punished. The idea of leaving you,
-in the condition you're in! he must be a hard-hearted wretch!"
-
-When she heard that, Sister Anne made a hasty gesture as if to prevent
-the farmer's wife from saying any more; she put her finger on her lips
-and shook her head vigorously, evidently to deny what the woman had
-said.
-
-"Well, well!" said the farmer's wife; "she don't want me to speak ill of
-him! she still loves him! That's just like a woman: always ready to make
-excuses for the man that does 'em the most harm. But don't you be
-worried about the future, my child; stay with us; we'll love you like
-our own daughter and take good care of you. You're out of reach of want
-forever here."
-
-Sister Anne pressed her hand affectionately, but her eyes refused to
-make a promise which her heart had no intention of keeping. Frédéric was
-still supreme in that ardent heart, and the girl did not renounce the
-hope of finding him.
-
-A short time after the stranger's departure, Sister Anne, remembering
-that he had given her a paper, took it from the purse and carried it to
-the farmer's wife, being anxious to know what was written on it. The
-woman read: _Comte de Montreville_, _Rue de Provence_, _Paris_. There
-was nothing else on the paper, and Sister Anne had no suspicion that it
-was Frédéric's father's name, for her lover had never mentioned his
-family name in her presence. But she was overjoyed when the farmer's
-wife read _Paris;_ she tried to make her understand that that was where
-she wanted to go; then she carefully replaced the paper in the purse.
-
-"That's the gentleman's address," said her hostess; "I tell you, he
-ain't like most men; he's grateful, and he won't ever forget what you
-did for him. I'm sure he'd give you a kind reception, if you should go
-to Paris; but what would you do in that big city? Take my advice, my
-child, and stay with us; you'll be happier here."
-
-Sister Anne was overjoyed to possess that paper with the name of the
-city to which she meant to go some day. With it, she could make herself
-understood, and she thanked heaven for that gift, which would enable her
-to find that wonderful Paris where she hoped to find her lover as well.
-
-After she had been two months at the farm, Sister Anne brought a son
-into the world. With what delirious joy did she contemplate her child!
-with what transports did she listen to his first cries! One must have
-been a mother to understand the perfect bliss of that moment. Already
-she fancied that she could recognize Frédéric's features in her child's;
-she gazed at him incessantly and covered him with kisses; her son was
-never out of her arms; weak as she was, she nursed him herself. The
-farmer's wife did not try to thwart her desire, for it is a source of
-ever-recurring delight to a mother, and Sister Anne seemed to enjoy it
-more keenly than another. She was so proud and happy when she held her
-child to her breast, that she forgot her sorrows for the moment. She did
-not forget Frédéric, but her heart was no longer oppressed by sombre
-melancholy; the sight of her child often brought a smile to her lips;
-she felt that for her son a mother can endure everything.
-
-Some weeks after her confinement, Sister Anne manifested a wish to
-resume her journey; but the good people at the farm remonstrated with
-her.
-
-"Can you think of such a thing," said the farmer's wife, "as starting on
-a journey, with a child at the breast? Remember that you don't expose
-your own life only, but his too. Do you suppose that if you set out in
-search of new dangers and fatigue, he'll be able to get nourishment from
-your breast? No, it isn't possible; the child will soon get sick and
-die, if you persist in your plan."
-
-Endanger her son's life! that thought made the dumb girl shudder. There
-was no sacrifice she would not make for her child; it was a very great
-one to postpone her journey; but what the farmer's wife had said
-instantly decided her to remain at the farm until her son could no
-longer feel the effects of his mother's trials and sorrows.
-
-"Good, good! you are going to stay," said the good woman, reading in
-Sister Anne's eyes that she would not insist. "That's right, my child;
-you are sensible. In a year, or a year and a half, if your son is strong
-enough, then we'll see; but till then you mustn't think of travelling."
-
-Sister Anne had made up her mind, and, although she still thought of
-Frédéric, she devoted her whole attention to her child. As the result of
-her unremitting care, she had the joy of seeing him grow larger and
-stronger every day; his cheeks glowed with health, his lips wore a sweet
-smile, and his little arms seemed to embrace with gratitude her who had
-given him life.
-
-By writing before her hosts the name of Frédéric, Sister Anne had
-succeeded in making them understand that this was the name she wished to
-give her son. They called him by no other name, and the young mother
-felt a fresh thrill of joy every time that that name fell upon her ear;
-how much greater her joy would be when her child should answer to it!
-
-She had been at the farm six months, when a courier arrived with a
-package containing twenty-five louis and a note from the Comte de
-Montreville to the farmer and his wife. In the note, he once more
-commended the young woman to their care, and informed them that he would
-send them a like sum for her every six months.
-
-The farmer's wife lost no time in telling Sister Anne what Monsieur de
-Montreville had done for her, and the poor girl's eyes filled with tears
-of gratitude.
-
-"What an excellent man!" said the farmer's wife. "I was sure he wouldn't
-forget you. _Morgué!_ I tell you once more, if the fancy to go to Paris
-should take you again by and by, you must go to this gentleman's house
-right away. _Dame!_ my child, he's a count, you see, a nobleman, a
-powerful man. He seems to be very rich, too; and if your seducer's in
-Paris, he'll soon find him for you; and perhaps he'll give him such good
-advice that he'll induce him not to leave you again."
-
-Sister Anne signified that she agreed with the farmer's wife, and that
-she would do all that she suggested. Then she compelled her to accept
-the money sent by the count, and was much happier in the thought that
-she was not a burden to the good people who treated her so kindly.
-
-The weeks and months passed. Sister Anne fairly idolized her son. He
-filled the place of all that she had lost; in him, she saw once more the
-brother who was so dear to her, and whose death caused her such a fatal
-shock; she saw Frédéric too; his features were reproduced in his son's.
-She sought to anticipate the child's slightest desires; she watched his
-glance, his smile; and her touching devotion made the time since she had
-seen her lover, and that which was still to pass before she could hope
-to see him again, seem less long to her.
-
-Little Frédéric promised to have the beauty and the sweet temper of her
-who gave him life; he had already learned to lisp that name which is so
-sweet to a mother's ear, and Sister Anne realized how essential it was
-that he should not be deprived of the care and thought that were so
-freely bestowed on him at the farm. If he knew no one but her, the poor
-child would never speak; for speech is an art in which a teacher is
-necessary.
-
-The count sent a second remittance at the time he had fixed. His
-messenger inquired concerning the dumb girl's condition and the health
-of her child, and urged Sister Anne not to leave the farm, where she led
-a peaceful life and could devote all her care to her son.
-
-But Sister Anne did not renounce her desire to go to Paris. Despite the
-remonstrances of the farmer's wife, she was determined to resort to
-every means of finding Frédéric. Her love for her son did not lessen her
-regret at her separation from her lover; on the contrary, it seemed
-that, as she contemplated the child's beauty, she felt a most intense
-longing to present him to his father.
-
-"If he should see him," she thought, "could he help loving him? No; and
-then he would not dream of parting from me again."
-
-Little Frédéric was twenty months old. He had long since ceased to
-receive nourishment at his mother's breast. He was beginning to take his
-first steps; every day he walked more steadily. Sister Anne guided him
-and held him up; she watched the growth of his strength and his
-faculties. Like the gardener, who observes the changes that the night
-has wrought in his young plants, a mother observes each day with delight
-the changes that denote her child's progress.
-
-Being at ease in her mind concerning the boy's health, and ensured
-against want by the sum the count had given her when he went away;
-moreover, having no doubt that on her arrival in Paris she would find in
-him a protector and a friend--Sister Anne determined to undertake the
-journey, and one morning she showed the farmer's wife the paper the
-count had left with her. That was to announce her purpose.
-
-Again her hosts tried to induce her to change her resolution, but this
-time Sister Anne was immovable; she was determined to leave them and go
-to Paris; her heart told her that she would find Frédéric there.
-
-"Why do you take your child?" said the farmer's wife; "leave him with
-us; you know how dearly we love him."
-
-But Sister Anne could not comprehend a mother's parting from her child
-for a single instant; she pressed him to her heart, and signified that
-she would never leave him.
-
-"At least," said the good woman, "as you're bent on going to Paris, you
-won't go on foot, like a beggar. I'll take you in my wagon to Lyon, and
-there I'll put you into a diligence that will take you and your child to
-the end of your journey. When you get there, just show the address
-you've got, and they'll show you the way to the Comte de Montreville's.
-That gentleman won't turn you away; and when you want to come back to
-us, he'll find a way to send you back."
-
-Sister Anne expressed as best she could her gratitude for all the
-kindness she had received. The journey being determined on, they turned
-their attention to the preparations. The villagers bought the young
-mother linen and clothes and everything that her son needed; they even
-tried to force money on her; but her purse contained fifty louis; that
-seemed an enormous sum to her, and much more than sufficient to live on
-for an indefinite time in Paris, even if the Comte de Montreville should
-not help her. She refused to accept any more, and the clothes in which
-she was dressed seemed magnificent to her in comparison with those she
-had worn in her woods. Her heart throbbed joyfully when she looked at
-her simple and tasteful costume, which was that of a young farmer's wife
-of Dauphiné.
-
-"He'll think me prettier than before," she thought; "perhaps he'll love
-me more."
-
-All the preparations were completed; the farmer's wife had her horse
-hitched to the wagon, in which she took her place beside Sister Anne,
-who held her son in her lap. They started early in the morning, and
-arrived at Lyon the same evening. The farmer's wife engaged a seat for
-the young mother in the diligence which was to start for Paris the next
-day, and recommended her to the conductor, so that he would keep an eye
-on her during the journey.
-
-The hour for their departure arrived: not without abundant tears did the
-kind-hearted peasant part from the dumb girl and little Frédéric.
-
-"You would leave us, my child," she said; "I'm very much afraid you're
-making a mistake. You're going to an enormous city. People there won't
-be so much interested in you as the folks in our village are. But don't
-forget us. Send us word how you're getting along, through Monsieur de
-Montreville, who seems to be very fond of you; and if the time should
-ever come when you're miserable and unhappy, why, come right back to us;
-you'll always be as welcome as a child of our own."
-
-Sister Anne kissed the good woman affectionately; then, with her son in
-her arms, she entered the carriage that was to take her to Paris.
-
-
-
-
-XXVII
-
-THE DILIGENCE.--SISTER ANNE IN PARIS
-
-
-A young woman who has never been away from her cabin in the woods until
-she is sixteen years of age, whose condition makes her peculiarly
-unfamiliar with the world and its customs, must experience countless
-novel sensations when she finds herself for the first time surrounded by
-strangers in one of those rolling houses that bear us through city and
-country.
-
-Such was the case with Sister Anne, who was not eighteen and a half when
-she left Lyon for Paris with her little son of twenty-one months. Seated
-in the inmost corner of the conveyance, with her child on her knees, she
-dared not look at her fellow travellers, and blushed when she saw that
-they were scrutinizing her.
-
-Her youth, her beauty, her manifest affection for her son, were certain
-to make her interesting in the eyes of every sympathetic person. But one
-finds little of that quality in a diligence, and the people about Sister
-Anne did not seem abundantly provided with it. At her left was a
-tradesman who talked incessantly of his business, with another tradesman
-who sat opposite him. The course of shares, the price of sugar, coffee,
-and cochineal, the transactions that were carried through at the last
-market, engrossed these gentlemen so completely that they did not even
-find time to apologize to their neighbors when, in their gesticulations,
-they stuck an elbow into their ribs or a snuff-box into their faces. At
-her right, our young mother had a man of some forty years, with a long,
-gaunt face and an oblique glance, who talked little, but seemed to be
-listening and trying to become acquainted with his neighbors. Opposite
-him was a woman of fifty, in an old, stained silk dress, with a
-dilapidated velvet hat embellished by feathers which resembled fish
-bones; her bloated face was daubed with rouge, _mouches_, and snuff.
-This lady had told her fellow passengers, within ten minutes after
-starting, that, having played _ingénue_ parts at Strasbourg, princesses
-at Caen, _amoureuses_ at Saint-Malo, shepherdesses at Quimper, queens at
-Nantes, noble mothers at Noisy-le-Sec, and _jeunes premičres_ at Troyes,
-she was on her way to Paris to take the _grande coquette_ parts at the
-Théâtre des Funambules; and that she expected to obtain at once an order
-permitting her to make her début at the Comédie-Française, which she had
-been soliciting for thirty-six years. Lastly, beside the would-be
-débutante was a stout man, who slept most of the time, waking up now and
-then only to say:
-
-"Oh! we're going over! I thought we had upset!"
-
-An exceedingly pleasant neighbor in a diligence.
-
-During the first few moments, Sister Anne heard nothing but a confused
-jumble of words which she could not understand, the tradesmen's talk of
-indigo and cochineal being inextricably mingled with the adventures of
-the _grande coquette_, who paused only to take snuff and say to her
-neighbor the sleeper:
-
-"Be careful, monsieur; you're rolling over on me. Show me the respect
-due to my sex!"
-
-"Oh! we're going over!" the stout man would reply, rubbing his eyes.
-
-After attending to our own comfort, we generally end by turning our
-attention to other people. The party with the sidelong glance had
-already complimented Sister Anne on the beauty of her son, and had
-thereby earned a sweet smile from the dumb girl; one is certain to
-please a mother by praising her child.
-
-The lady in the old hat also scrutinized Sister Anne, and said:
-
-"She's very good-looking, that little woman--a very interesting face.
-That's just the costume I wore in _Annette et Lubin_, in 1792; how
-becoming it was to me! I must play that part at the Funambules."
-
-The two tradesmen glanced at Sister Anne; but as little Frédéric had a
-lump of sugar in his hand, that naturally brought them back to the
-recent fluctuations in the price of that staple.
-
-"It's a pretty child," said the actress; "he has a lot of expression
-already. If he was mine, I'd put him on the stage. In a year he could
-play Little Joas in _Athalie_, and in two he could manage the antics of
-Polichinello as a vampire. Ah! that's the way children are brought up
-now! It's superb! All who stand it are Foriosos at twelve years of age!"
-
-Sister Anne had no idea what Forioso was, or Little Joas, but she saw
-that her companions were noticing her child, and her heart throbbed with
-the pleasure and pride so natural in a mother. Soon, however, they began
-to question her.
-
-"Are you going to Paris to have him vaccinated?" said the actress. "Has
-he been vaccinated at home? What are you going to do in Paris? Has your
-husband gone ahead of you?"
-
-As she received no reply to any of these questions, the lady began to
-lose patience and to consider the young woman's conduct exceedingly
-impertinent.
-
-"Don't you hear me, madame?" she continued, ironically. "It seems to me
-that you might do me the honor to answer, when I speak to you."
-
-Sister Anne shook her head and sadly lowered her eyes.
-
-"Well! what does that mean?" cried the old débutante; "I verily believe
-that she means to imply that she won't answer me! Let me tell you, you
-little hussy, that I can find a way to make you speak, and that
-Primerose Bérénice de Follencourt is not of a temper to put up with an
-insult! I've fought on the stage more than once. I've played men's
-parts, and I know how to use a sword--do you hear, little saucebox?"
-
-Sister Anne, alarmed by the old woman's tone and by her wrathful glance,
-looked imploringly at her right-hand neighbor; and he, after gazing at
-her with interest, said to the actress:
-
-"You do wrong to be angry, madame."
-
-"What do you say? I do wrong?"
-
-"Surely; for this young woman's silence is not natural. She has not
-spoken a word, even to her child, since she has been in the diligence; I
-think that she is dumb."
-
-"Dumb! a dumb woman! that's impossible, monsieur."
-
-But Sister Anne eagerly nodded her head to confirm the supposition;
-whereupon the old actress voiced her amazement so emphatically that her
-neighbor woke up.
-
-"Dumb! can it be possible? Do you hear, monsieur? she's dumb!"
-
-"Oh! I thought we had upset!"
-
-"What an insufferable creature you are! He'll give me the hysterics with
-his upsets. Poor angel! dear love! are you really dumb, my sweet child?
-Oh! how I pity you! how you must suffer! I should much rather be blind
-and deaf. Poor little thing! how interesting she is! what a charming
-face! And to be unable to talk! How did it happen, my child?"
-
-Sister Anne, almost as surprised by the actress's sudden outpouring of
-friendliness as she had been by her anger, took her purse from her
-bosom, took out the paper which she always carried about her, and handed
-it to her neighbor, who read it to himself and simply said:
-
-"It's the address of the house she's going to."
-
-"To be a wet-nurse, no doubt. Ah! how beautifully she would act in
-pantomime! Such a pretty face! how lovely she'd be in _Philomčle et
-Térée_!"
-
-Sister Anne's right-hand neighbor paid no further heed to the old
-actress; he seemed preoccupied since he had seen the well-filled purse
-which the young mother took from her breast in order to show him the
-count's address. From that moment, he redoubled his attentions to her;
-he caressed little Frédéric, and carried his gallantry so far as to buy
-him barley candy and gingerbread at the first stopping-place. Sister
-Anne, whose pure and guileless mind saw only friends and protectors
-everywhere, did not notice the shiftiness of her neighbor's expression,
-but, on the contrary, felt disposed to give him her full confidence.
-Poor child! what will you do in Paris?
-
-During the second day, Sister Anne's neighbor said to her:
-
-"I'm well acquainted with the Comte de Montreville, to whose house you
-are going. He's a friend of mine. If you like, I'll take you there
-myself."
-
-The dumb girl signified that she accepted his offer with gratitude; and
-the old actress, seeing that Sister Anne smiled at her neighbor, pursed
-up her lips and cast a contemptuous glance at her, muttering between her
-teeth:
-
-"They're doing well; acquaintance is soon made in a diligence."
-
-Which shows how quick one is to suspect evil, especially when one has
-done it all one's life. As for Sister Anne, she stared at the actress in
-amazement; she was utterly unable to understand why, within twenty-four
-hours, she should treat her with indignation, friendliness, and scorn.
-
-At last the diligence reached the great city: Sister Anne was dazed and
-bewildered by all that she saw and heard; she felt as if she were in a
-new world; for having arrived at Lyon after dark and left early in the
-morning, she had seen nothing of that city, whose great size, wealth,
-and populousness would have given her some idea of Paris.
-
-The thin, shifty-eyed gentleman, who was persistent in his attentions to
-the dumb girl and her son, helped them to alight from the diligence; and
-while the _grande coquette_ of the Funambules rearranged her hat and
-crumpled feathers, while the two tradesmen hurried to the Bourse, and
-the stout man walked away congratulating himself that the diligence had
-not been overturned, the gallant man called a cab, and, having put
-Sister Anne's bundles inside, he got in with her and the child.
-
-The stranger spoke to the driver, then said to the young mother:
-
-"We will go at once to Monsieur le Comte de Montreville's; I am
-delighted to take you there myself, for, being a stranger in Paris, you
-might be seriously embarrassed, as you can't make yourself understood."
-
-Sister Anne thanked him with a glance; the poor child had no suspicion
-that she had fallen into the hands of a sharper, a vile blackleg, who,
-after exhibiting his talents in all the larger cities, by divers little
-exploits which had compelled him to fly from one after another, was now
-returning to Paris in the hope that an absence of eight years would have
-caused his former dupes to forget him, and that he would be able to make
-new ones. But it was inevitable that the dumb girl should fall into the
-first trap that was set for her. Meek, trusting, unacquainted with craft
-in any form, she never suspected evil. Her adventure in the forest would
-have made her afraid of robbers under similar circumstances; but it had
-not taught her to distrust those robbers whom she met in the world, and
-whom it is much more difficult to recognize, because they cover
-themselves with the mask of probity, which often makes them more
-dangerous than those who attack us on the highroad.
-
-The cab stopped in front of a handsome house. Sister Anne's escort at
-once alighted, saying to her:
-
-"Wait a moment; this is the count's house, but we must make sure that he
-is at home."
-
-With that, he went in, but returned in a few moments with a disappointed
-air.
-
-"My dear lady, what I was afraid of has happened: the Comte de
-Montreville is in the country; he won't return for two days."
-
-The girl's expression seemed to say:
-
-"What shall I do meanwhile? where am I to go?"
-
-"Don't be alarmed," said the obliging man; "I will not leave you in
-embarrassment; I will take you to a respectable house, where you will be
-well cared for. Two days are soon passed; then you can return to
-monsieur le comte's."
-
-Sister Anne again expressed her gratitude; she was touched by all the
-trouble he took for her, although she was not surprised by it: she
-imagined that that was the way everybody acted in the large cities. The
-cab started again. The movement delighted little Frédéric; he crowed,
-and jumped about on his mother's lap; and she, as she gazed at the tall
-houses, the shops, and the crowds of people, artlessly manifested her
-amazement.
-
-"Oh! you'll see much more than this," said her friend; "you'll be
-surprised in a thousand different ways; this journey will be very useful
-to you."
-
-The cab stopped in front of a wretched furnished lodging-house in
-Faubourg Saint-Jacques; and Sister Anne, on going in, found that that
-respectable abode was very dirty and very gloomy; but she followed her
-escort, who ordered her bundles carried to the room assigned to them,
-and was soon left alone there with the young mother and her child.
-
-"Before I leave you," he said to Sister Anne, "I must tell you that
-there is one little formality to be attended to: when you hire lodgings
-in Paris, you must make a statement of what money you have about you.
-This is a rule made by the police, so that nothing can ever be lost in
-the city; for if you declare to-day that you have forty louis, and one
-of them is stolen from you to-morrow, then they go about and count the
-contents of the purses of everybody in the capital, and the man who has
-one louis too many is the thief. What do you say to that? it's a bright
-idea, isn't it?"
-
-Sister Anne did not clearly understand what he said; she looked at him
-as if awaiting a further explanation, and he continued:
-
-"Will you go to settle the matter with the mistress of the house? or
-would you like me to go for you? That will be better. Give me your
-purse; it's the quickest way."
-
-The poor child drew her purse from her bosom; and the obliging gentleman
-took it, saying:
-
-"Don't be impatient; I'll go and count what there is in it."
-
-Then he left the room, and as he went downstairs he gave the mistress of
-the house a gold piece, saying:
-
-"This is to pay for that young woman's lodging; she's a mute."
-
-With that, he hurried away, flattering himself that he had performed a
-very neat trick; he went to the Palais-Royal, where he found other
-blacklegs of his stamp, and soon lost the money he had stolen from a
-helpless woman; then, as he was unable to find other dupes who would
-give him their purses, he filched one from the pocket of a stout English
-milord; the Englishman, having detected him in the act, caused his
-arrest; he was taken to the Préfecture, then to Bicętre, then to the
-galleys, where he kept his hand in by stealing from his fellow convicts.
-There we will leave him.
-
-Sister Anne waited and waited for the return of the kind friend who had
-gone out with her purse; the poor child had no suspicion, she was not at
-all anxious, and played quietly with her son, glancing out of the window
-now and then, but instantly drawing back in alarm, because the room was
-on the third floor, and she had never been so far above the ground.
-
-But her friend did not return, and Sister Anne was beginning to wonder
-at his long absence, when the landlady appeared.
-
-The young mother put out her hand for her purse, but the woman simply
-asked what she could do for her.
-
-"I'll take good care of you," said she; "for the gentleman, when he went
-away, paid for your board and lodging and whatever you might want during
-the two days that he said you would stay here."
-
-He had gone away! A horrible presentiment enlightened Sister Anne at
-last; she tried to make herself understood, constantly holding out her
-hand and going through the motion of counting money.
-
-"I am paid, I tell you," said the landlady; "I don't want anything, my
-child, and I'll send up your dinner."
-
-Sister Anne was overwhelmed; it was not the money simply that she
-regretted, for she did not realize its value; but the Comte de
-Montreville's address was in her purse, and the villain had carried that
-away with all that she possessed. What would become of her? how could
-she find her protector's house now?
-
-During the day, the young woman still retained a little hope, trying to
-convince herself that the stranger would return; but night came, and he
-did not appear. Sister Anne strained her child to her breast, weeping
-bitterly; it was not for herself alone that she trembled, and her terror
-was all the more intense on that account. Already she imagined her child
-deprived of the sustenance he required; she shuddered as the whole
-horror of their situation dawned upon her, and she was sorry now that
-she had left the farm, for the thought that her son would suffer
-destroyed her courage.
-
-She passed in her room the second day after her arrival in Paris; the
-villain who had robbed her had told her that the count was absent for
-two days, so she waited until the third day before trying to find him.
-She flattered herself that she could recognize the house in front of
-which the cab had stopped. The poor child thought that she could find
-her way in that immense city, where she had never been before! she did
-not know that the wretch who had deceived her had caused the cab to stop
-in front of a house which was not the count's.
-
-The next day, she took her son in her arms, and, with the bundle that
-contained her effects, left the lodging-house, whose mistress made no
-attempt to keep her, because she had been paid for two days only. Sister
-Anne commended herself to Providence, and tried to revive her courage as
-she ventured forth into that city which was entirely unknown to her.
-Every minute the horses and carriages frightened her, and the cries of
-the street peddlers deafened her; the sight of all those people, going
-and coming in every direction, and often jostling and crowding her, so
-confused her that she had no idea where she was. The poor child went
-under a porte cochčre and began to cry. The concierge asked her what the
-trouble was, but Sister Anne was unable to reply except with more tears;
-whereupon the concierge turned away in a pet, saying:
-
-"What's the use of sympathizing with people who won't tell you what's
-the matter!"
-
-After she had wept a long while, Sister Anne walked on; but she had been
-on her feet four hours and had made no progress; she saw nothing but
-endless streets, and shops; she had no idea in which direction she
-should go, and often walked a long distance only to find herself at the
-point she had started from. How was she to recognize that house of the
-count's? she began to think that it was impossible. She was sinking with
-fatigue, for she had had her child in her arms all the time; and soon
-hunger made itself felt, and added to the horror of her plight.
-
-She sat down on a stone bench; the passers-by glanced at her, but went
-on; they would have stopped if, instead of a woman weeping over a child,
-they had seen a cat fighting with Polichinello.
-
-Luckily, it was midsummer; the weather was beautiful, and the approach
-of night did not drive people indoors. The dumb girl entered a
-pastry-cook's shop and bought cakes for her child, offering a garment
-from her bundle in payment; but they gave it back, looking at her with
-compassion and surprise; for her appearance did not denote poverty, and
-they could not understand her having no money.
-
-She tried to walk on, but the darkness increased her terror tenfold,
-and, despite the lamps in the streets, the clatter of the horses' feet
-seemed to her more terrifying than ever; she was in mortal dread of
-being run over with her son by the carriages which often surrounded her
-on every side; so she sat down again on a bench.
-
-At this time she was on Rue Montmartre; several times during the day,
-she had walked through Rue de Provence and had passed Monsieur de
-Montreville's house; but the poor child did not know it. It was
-impossible now for her to find her lodging-house, and she was on the
-point of giving way to despair; but she pressed her son to her heart,
-and tried to recover her strength by covering him with kisses. The child
-smiled at her and played with her hair; he was at the age at which a
-child does not know what unhappiness is when he is in his mother's arms.
-
-The night advanced; the shops were closing, the pedestrians becoming
-less numerous, the carriages passed at longer intervals. Sister Anne
-raised her eyes and looked about her with a little more confidence.
-Where should she ask shelter for the night? She felt lost amid all those
-buildings; she dared not apply anywhere. She gazed imploringly at those
-who passed her, and several men stopped to look at her.
-
-"She's very pretty!" they said; but as soon as she held out her child,
-they walked on.
-
-"Great God!" thought the unhappy girl; "don't the people of Paris love
-children? they walk away very fast as soon as I show them mine."
-
-About midnight, a patrol passed through the street. As they drew near,
-she shuddered; one of the soldiers went up to her, and said:
-
-"Come, come! what are you doing here with your child? Go home, or we'll
-take you to the guard-house!"
-
-The man's harsh tone made her tremble; she rose hastily and hurried
-away, with her child in her arms. But before she had gone a hundred
-yards, she discovered that she had left her bundle of clothes on the
-bench. She went back to look for it, and found the place where she had
-been sitting; but, alas! her clothes had already disappeared. They were
-the unfortunate creature's last resource.
-
-She shed no tears over this last catastrophe; an enormous weight seemed
-to have settled on her chest. She moved away with her child, afraid to
-think. She walked more rapidly, with no idea where she was going; she
-embraced her son convulsively; a sort of nervous contraction stiffened
-her limbs; she had almost lost consciousness of her sufferings. She
-descended Rue Montmartre to the boulevard, where the trees caught her
-eye, and her heart dilated. The poor child thought that she had reached
-the outskirts of that city where fate pursued her so pitilessly; she
-fancied that she was once more approaching her fields and her woods; and
-running wildly to the nearest tree, she stood close against it, touched
-it with rapture, and the tears came at last.
-
-She sat down beneath the foliage, the sight of which had given her fresh
-courage; she covered her child with her apron and determined to wait
-there for the dawn.
-
-The day came at last, but the dumb girl had not enjoyed one moment's
-rest; she thought of the future, and saw that she must needs appeal to
-public charity for herself and her son. If she had been alone, she would
-have preferred death; but for him she could endure everything. She had
-been so comfortable at the farm, surrounded by people who were attached
-to her and who loved her son, and now she was reduced to beg for bread!
-How bitterly she repented having left that peaceful abode! When she
-looked at her son, she reproached herself even more severely.
-
-"Poor little fellow!" she thought; "all your sufferings will be caused
-by me. But am I so guilty, after all, for longing to give you a father?
-Ah, me! if only I could find my way back there! if only I could return
-to those kind-hearted peasants who treated me like their own daughter! I
-feel that I must abandon all hope of finding Frédéric; but if my grief
-kills me, what will become of my son in this great city?"
-
-The poor mother wept as she gazed at little Frédéric, who was still
-asleep. Some peasants on their way to market offered her bread and
-fruit; a milkwoman gave her and the child some milk to drink; all hearts
-are not insensible to pity, and even the Parisians give freely to the
-poor; if they do not do it more frequently, it is only because they
-dread to make themselves melancholy by the contemplation of misfortune.
-
-During a large part of the day, Sister Anne continued to wander about
-the city in search of her protector's abode; she met many men who had
-Frédéric's figure and were dressed like him; she quickened her pace to
-overtake them; but when she was near enough to see their faces,
-recognized her error. Some looked at her in amazement, others with a
-sneer; whereupon she would turn away, shamefaced and broken-hearted.
-
-"O God!" she thought; "I shall never meet him again!"
-
-By the end of the day, the food that had been given her in the morning
-was exhausted, and it became necessary to hold out her hand to the
-passers-by, in quest of charity. In order to obtain courage to beg for
-bread, Sister Anne had to gaze upon her boy. If those who give alms
-always did so with a gracious manner, the unfortunate would be less to
-be pitied; but many persons accompany their charity with a harsh or
-disdainful air; in fact, they almost grumble at those they relieve.
-
-"Alas!" thought the poor girl, as she wept; "why do they consider it a
-crime that I am poor?"
-
-She longed to leave Paris, for the country people seemed to her to be
-more humane and gentle; with them, she felt less abashed. But in what
-direction must she go to return to the hospitable farm? She could only
-trust in Providence, which had not thus far been very propitious to her.
-Poor child! may it guide thee at last to the end of thy woes!
-
-Having no idea what road she should take, but absolutely determined to
-leave the city, she decided to follow a man who was walking beside a
-small canvas-covered wagon. As it happened, this man went through one of
-the faubourgs, and in due time passed the barrier. Thus, by dint of
-following the wagon, which went always at a walk, the young mother found
-herself at last in the country; she breathed more freely; she kissed her
-son, and, beseeching the mercy of heaven for him, bent her steps toward
-the nearest village to ask hospitality.
-
-
-
-
-XXVIII
-
-CHANCE BRINGS THEM TOGETHER
-
-
-Frédéric still loved his wife--perhaps with a less violent passion than
-during the first month of their union; but the husband's facility of
-intercourse with his wife had not diminished his love, for he discovered
-new qualities, new virtues, in Constance every day. Beauty of feature
-fascinates, but does not suffice to enslave; happy the husband who finds
-in his wife attractions over which time has no power!
-
-Constance was chargeable with but one fault--a very lamentable one when
-one cannot control it, but which she confined sedulously within her own
-breast. She was jealous; the very excess of her love for Frédéric
-sometimes caused her a secret alarm. When he seemed dreamy and pensive,
-Constance became uneasy, and a multitude of apprehensions crowded into
-her mind. What could it be that engrossed her husband's thoughts,
-saddened him, and made him sigh?--for he still sighed sometimes. Before
-their marriage, she attributed to his love for her the melancholy that
-often darkened his brow. But now that they were united, now that they
-could give a free rein to their affection, and there was nothing to mar
-their happiness, why did Frédéric continue to sigh? why was he sometimes
-preoccupied? That was what Constance asked herself, but the amiable girl
-was careful not to let her husband see what she felt; she would have
-been terribly distressed to display the slightest suspicion. Although
-jealous, she would not annoy her husband; she would continue to be as
-loving and sweet as always; and if she suffered, she would carefully
-conceal her suffering, in order not to distress him whom she loved
-better than her life.
-
-After a year, their happiness was interrupted for a moment by the
-general's death. Monsieur de Valmont was beloved by all who knew him; he
-was very dear to his niece, to whom he had been as an affectionate and
-indulgent father. Her husband's love alone could comfort Constance in
-her profound grief for her uncle's death. Monsieur de Montreville
-mingled his regrets with her tears; he had lost a true friend; but in
-old age we often show more courage than in the springtime of life, in
-bearing the death of those who are dear to us. Is it because age makes
-us selfish? Is it because the heart, having become insensible to the
-flames of love, closes its doors to the transports of friendship; or is
-it rather because of the reflection that the separation cannot be for
-long, and that we shall soon join those whom we have lost?
-
-Constance was her uncle's sole heir; the general was very rich, and
-owned a number of farms and estates in the provinces, with which
-Frédéric wished to make himself familiar. So he had formed a plan of
-visiting their new possessions, and Constance was to remain at Paris, in
-order not to leave Monsieur de Montreville alone with his grief for the
-loss of his friend. But how could he make up his mind to leave his wife
-before her grief had begun to subside? As the visit of inspection was
-not urgent, Frédéric postponed it from month to month; and Constance,
-who had not as yet been separated from her husband for a single day,
-could not decide to let him go.
-
-Some time after the general's death, Frédéric learned that Monsieur
-Ménard, being frequently incapacitated by the gout, had lost all his
-pupils and was in very reduced circumstances. So he went to see his
-former tutor, and asked him to come to live with him.
-
-"I need a prudent, clever man," he said, "to take charge of my affairs,
-overlook my stewards' accounts, and correspond with them. Be that man,
-my dear Ménard. Remember that it is not as an employé, but as a friend
-that I ask you to come; and if heaven sends me children, you shall be to
-them what you were to their father."
-
-Ménard accepted gratefully, and he was installed under Frédéric's roof,
-where Constance treated him with much consideration and affection; she
-loved the former tutor, because he was attached to her husband, and
-Ménard, deeply touched by the young woman's attentions, often exclaimed,
-as he kissed her hand respectfully:
-
-"Ah! madame, do have children! I will be their tutor, and they'll grow
-up like their excellent father, who was my pupil and who does me
-credit."
-
-Constance smiled at that; doubtless she would have asked nothing better,
-but we do not always obtain what we desire.
-
-Dubourg had not abandoned his friend.
-
-"Come and see me whenever you please," Frédéric had said to him; "your
-room will always be ready for you."
-
-Dubourg made the most of that permission, not to quarter himself on
-Frédéric in Paris, but to visit him at his country house. He was
-particularly apt to appear during the latter half of the quarter; for
-his income was paid quarterly, and he could never succeed in making it
-last more than six weeks; then he would take his meals at Frédéric's, if
-he was in Paris, or would visit him in the country.
-
-"Thanks to you, my friend," he would say, "with my sixteen hundred
-francs a year, I live as if I had twice that; I spend my income in six
-months, and you pay my expenses the other half of the year."
-
-Dubourg's merry humor pleased Constance, and Frédéric was always glad to
-see his friend, for he knew that he would never say a word to his wife
-that she ought not to hear, and that, despite his easy principles, he
-would look upon her as a sister. We can overlook some faults in the man
-who respects friendship. There are so many sincere, virtuous,
-high-minded friends, who take delight in sowing discord in families!
-
-When Dubourg and Ménard met at Frédéric's board, which always happened
-toward the end of the quarter, the former tutor never failed to sing the
-praises of the couple who lived under his eyes.
-
-"They are like Orpheus and Eurydice, Deucalion and Pyrrha, Philemon and
-Baucis, Pyramus and Thisbe!"
-
-"Morbleu! yes," Dubourg would reply; "Frédéric has a charming wife, who
-has every estimable quality--a perfect treasure, in short. It would be
-infernally strange if he were not content."
-
-"True enough! But if I had not inculcated in my pupil excellent
-principles of virtue and morality, perhaps he wouldn't lead so decorous
-a life as he does, although loving his wife none the less. Peter the
-Great adored Catherine, but that didn't interfere with his having
-mistresses; many princes have had concubines; and I have known some
-excellent husbands who slept with their maid-servants, probably from a
-sense of ownership."
-
-"Don't extol Frédéric's virtue so highly, my dear Monsieur Ménard! if he
-had had nobody but you to guide him----"
-
-"Perhaps you would have done it better; for instance, when you travelled
-with us as Baron Potoski----"
-
-"Hush, hush, Monsieur Ménard! Let that journey be forgotten; there was
-nothing to choose between us. I trust that you have never spoken of that
-little adventure in the woods--that love affair of Frédéric's--before
-Madame de Montreville?"
-
-"Oh! what do you take me for? I am well aware that it would be a great
-mistake now: _non est hic locus_; and yet, Madame de Montreville could
-not take offence; anything that happened before her marriage doesn't
-concern her; she has too much good sense not to laugh at her husband's
-little escapades as a bachelor."
-
-"Despite her good sense, there are some things a woman never likes to
-hear about; we should always avoid saying anything to make her think
-that another has possessed her husband's heart. Although when she
-marries a young man, a woman is well aware that he has already known
-love, she persuades herself that he has never loved anyone as dearly as
-he loves her; she desires to be the one who has inspired the most ardent
-passion, and it is a great affliction to her to lose that illusion."
-
-"I understand; it's like telling a cook that one has never eaten a
-better dish of macaroni."
-
-"Precisely. You're an amazing fellow for similes. Besides, I believe
-that the young woman is capable of being jealous, she loves her husband
-so passionately!"
-
-"Indeed, I believe you are right. I noticed one day that she didn't seem
-in such good spirits as usual; I suppose that it was because her
-husband had amused himself for some time patting a cat."
-
-"The devil take you and your cats! the idea of suspecting Constance of
-such folly!"
-
-"Folly? Why, there are men who prefer their dog to their wives, just as
-there are women who prefer their canary to their husband. I don't refer
-to my pupil; but----"
-
-"But has Madame de Montreville ever asked you, as she has me, whether
-Frédéric has always been subject to fits of depression, of melancholy?"
-
-"Yes, yes; I remember that only the other evening she said to me in an
-undertone: 'See how Frédéric sighs! Do you know whether anything is
-troubling him? Can you guess the reason?'"
-
-"Well! what was your answer?"
-
-"Parbleu! I answered: 'I suppose it's because he has indigestion,
-madame; that interferes with the breathing; it is often the
-case.'--Since then, she hasn't asked me any questions on that subject."
-
-"I can well believe it!"
-
-Although Frédéric was happy, he had not forgotten the dumb girl of the
-woods, and it was the thought of her that caused his frequent fits of
-abstraction. He longed to know Sister Anne's fate, but he dared not
-mention her to his father. The count had told him that he would take
-care of her, and Frédéric knew that he could rely on his promise; but to
-have no idea where she was or what she was doing--not even to know
-whether she still loved him!--The ingrate dared to doubt it, for he had
-done all that he could to kill her love! Meanwhile, as his love for
-Constance became more calm and placid, the memory of Sister Anne
-obtruded itself more frequently upon his mind; a smile or a caress from
-his wife quickly made him forget the dumb girl, but a little later her
-image returned again; it would seem that the heart of man always craves
-memories or hopes.
-
-For more than two years, Frédéric had been Constance's husband. Their
-only sorrow was their failure to have children. Frédéric longed for a
-son, Constance would have been overjoyed to present her husband with a
-pledge of her affection, and Monsieur Ménard ardently desired the
-arrival of some little pupils.
-
-The Comte de Montreville did not live with his children; but he came
-often to their house; he still had in his service the man who was with
-him when he was attacked in the forest, and whom he had forbidden to
-mention that adventure. But one evening, when he was talking with the
-other servants, he forgot his master's injunction; and as the others
-told stories about robbers, he did not fail to tell of the risk he had
-run in company with monsieur le comte, who had been saved, almost
-miraculously, by a young dumb woman. Frédéric's valet was present; and
-the next day, while dressing his master, he asked him if what Dumont had
-said was true; because he believed that Dumont was a liar, and that
-monsieur le comte had never mentioned being attacked by robbers and
-saved by a dumb woman.
-
-These last words attracted Frédéric's attention; a secret presentiment
-told him that Sister Anne was concerned in the adventure. He made no
-reply to his servant, but hastened to his father's house. The count was
-absent, but Dumont was there; Frédéric was able to speak to him alone,
-which was just what he desired. At his first question, Dumont blushed,
-remembering his master's orders; but it was too late for him to keep
-silent. Moreover, it did not seem to him that he was committing any
-great sin in telling his master's son the whole story, and he could not
-understand why Monsieur de Montreville wished to make a mystery of the
-adventure.
-
-Frédéric made him describe the girl his father had taken to the farm;
-from the beginning, he had no doubt that it was Sister Anne. He asked
-Dumont innumerable questions, and the valet told him all that he knew.
-
-"Do you think that she remained at the farm?" Frédéric asked.
-
-"Oh! yes, monsieur; she wasn't well enough to continue her journey; and
-then, I forgot to tell you that she was on the point of becoming a
-mother."
-
-"What do you say, Dumont?--that girl----"
-
-"Girl or wife, I don't know which; but I can swear she was enceinte."
-
-Sister Anne had a child! Frédéric understood now why his father had
-acted with so much mystery. He inquired particularly as to the name of
-the village and the location of the farm at which they had left the dumb
-girl; then, giving Dumont a handsome present, he enjoined upon him
-absolute secrecy concerning their interview. Dumont promised not to
-mention the subject again, and lost himself in conjectures touching the
-conduct of father and son alike.
-
-After Frédéric had learned that Sister Anne had made him a father, he
-did not enjoy a moment's repose. The thought haunted him incessantly,
-and he was consumed by the desire to see his child. His reveries were
-more frequent, his brow was clouded more often than ever before, and
-Constance heard him sigh. She dared not question him; but she suffered
-torments in secret; she flattered herself that she filled Frédéric's
-heart, that she was the sole object of all his thoughts; but she was
-always near him, she held his hand in hers, and it could not be she who
-made him sigh.
-
-When she ventured to ask him what the matter was, he strove to recover
-himself, pressed her to his heart, and said:
-
-"What more can I possibly desire?"
-
-But, even then, Constance detected a trace of sadness in his smile; he
-did not seem to her entirely happy.
-
-One day Frédéric told his wife that he was about to undertake the
-journey which he had postponed so long, but which had become absolutely
-necessary. Constance had flattered herself that Ménard would go in his
-stead; indeed, Frédéric himself had suggested it; but he had changed his
-mind, and was evidently determined to go. Constance dared not try to
-detain him, or to propose to accompany him; she was afraid of annoying
-him; she was unwilling to thwart him in the most trivial thing.
-Moreover, if Frédéric had wanted her to go with him, he would have had
-but to say the word; she would have left everything to go; but he did
-not say the word! Constance groaned in secret, but she showed her
-husband a cloudless brow and a smiling face.
-
-Frédéric embraced her tenderly; he promised to hasten his return, and to
-be with her again within a month. She tried to be brave; and Frédéric
-took his departure, commending her to the care of Ménard and Dubourg.
-But Constance did not need to be entertained: although absent, Frédéric
-was always with her.
-
-It was the month of August, that lovely season when it is so pleasant to
-live in the pure air of the country. Constance determined to pass at her
-country house near Montmorency all the time that her husband was
-absent. As it was much quieter there than in Paris, it seemed to her
-that she would be more free to think of him, to count the moments which
-must pass before his return. Monsieur de Montreville visited his
-daughter-in-law in the country. But at the count's age a man has settled
-habits, and amusement becomes a necessity. The count loved Paris, for he
-had a great number of acquaintances there; and the never-ceasing life
-and animation of the capital had always attracted him. After a week's
-stay in the country, he returned to his favorite city and his wonted
-amusements.
-
-Constance was left alone with Ménard and the servants. It was still
-early in the quarter, and Dubourg was not in the country; but Constance
-did not suffer one moment from ennui; when the heart is well occupied,
-the head is never empty. The old tutor was always ready to bear her
-company; he talked to her of Greek and Roman history, quoted his
-favorite Latin authors, and sometimes plunged into Biblical history. It
-is not certain that Constance was greatly entertained; but when Ménard
-had finished speaking, she would smile at him so amiably that he was
-invariably satisfied.
-
-Toward nightfall Constance always went to the summer-house. It was her
-favorite spot; there she and Frédéric had begun to understand each
-other, there she had felt the first approach of love. Since that time,
-she had often visited the summer-house, more often than ever now that
-she was awaiting her husband's return. From that eminence she could
-overlook the whole valley and the country round about the walls of her
-garden.
-
-One fine evening, as she happened to glance at the road which passed the
-house, Constance noticed a young woman seated at the foot of a tree,
-with an infant in her arms; the unfortunate creature was evidently in
-the last stages of destitution; she was gazing mournfully at her child,
-and, while covering him with kisses, seemed to be utterly hopeless and
-desperate.
-
-Constance was deeply affected. At that moment, Monsieur Ménard joined
-her on the platform.
-
-"Look!" she said; "do you see that poor woman? See how frantically she
-kisses her child! She seems in terrible distress. Do you see her?"
-
-"One moment, madame," said Ménard; "I can't find my spectacles.--Where
-in the devil have I put them?"
-
-At that instant the poor woman raised her eyes, and, when she saw
-Constance, her glance became so expressive, so full of entreaty, that it
-was impossible not to understand her.
-
-"Oh! she is crying," exclaimed Constance; "wait, wait, my poor woman! I
-will come down."
-
-She rushed out of the summer-house, while Ménard was still looking for
-his spectacles.
-
-Not far away was a small gate by which the road was reached. Constance
-opened it, and soon stood beside the unfortunate creature she longed to
-assist. As she drew near to her, she was even more touched, for the
-wayfarer's every feature was eloquent of suffering and despair; but it
-was for her child, above all, that she implored Constance's pity. She
-held him out to her, and great tears flowed from her drawn and reddened
-eyes.
-
-"Poor child!" said Constance; "how pale and thin he is! but what lovely
-features!"--And she took the child in her arms, saying to the mother:
-"Come, and I will give you something to restore your strength. Follow
-me."
-
-The woman walked a few steps, but soon fell to the ground; her strength
-had failed her.
-
-"Great heaven!" said Constance; "what a state the poor creature is
-in!--Monsieur Ménard, do come and help me take her to the house."
-
-"Here I am, here I am, madame! They were in my waistcoat pocket," said
-Ménard. "Oho! this young person seems sadly in need of help."
-
-"Support her--let us help her to walk. Poor woman! how she distresses
-me! Mon Dieu! is it possible that there can be people so unfortunate?"
-
-"Very possible, certainly, madame; but it is important to know the
-_causa causarum_."
-
-With the assistance of Ménard and Constance, the latter of whom carried
-the child as well as supported the mother, the poor woman succeeded in
-reaching the house. There Constance at once gave her whatever she
-thought would do her and the child good; and while the mother recovered
-her strength, she observed her with interest.
-
-"Just see," she said to Ménard, "she is still a mere girl--and already
-so greatly to be pitied! Her features are sweet and pathetic. Poor
-mother! where have you come from? what do you mean to do?"
-
-The unfortunate creature did not reply to these questions; the reader
-will have divined the cause: it was Sister Anne and her son to whom
-Constance had brought succor.
-
-Ten days had passed since the dumb girl left Paris, during which she had
-wandered about the country, guided by chance alone. Being forced
-constantly to beg for shelter and food, often repulsed, often depriving
-herself of sustenance to give it to her son, she had felt her strength
-and her courage grow less day by day; despair took possession of her
-mind, it sapped all her faculties, and the unhappy mother was embracing
-her child in momentary expectation of death, when chance, which had led
-her to Madame de Montreville's house, decreed that she should notice her
-and fly to her assistance.
-
-Surprised at receiving no reply to her questions, Constance repeated
-them; whereupon Sister Anne, putting her hand to her lips and mournfully
-shaking her head, succeeded in making her understand her pitiful
-condition.
-
-"O heaven! she cannot speak! Poor soul! All alone with her child, and
-without money, without a guide, and unable to ask her way! Oh! this is
-too much, too many trials at once!"
-
-And Constance stooped over Sister Anne, weeping freely at the sight of
-her misery, while the dumb girl, touched by a compassion to which she
-had become unaccustomed, took her benefactress's hand, covered it with
-kisses, and pressed it to her heart.
-
-"Faith!" said Ménard, drawing his handkerchief,--for the kind-hearted
-tutor could not witness this scene without emotion,--"faith! I agree
-that she was in a critical position. Indeed, speech is essential
-throughout life; and anyone who has no tongue, or can't use it, is like
-a fox without a tail, a butterfly without wings, or a fish without
-fins."
-
-Constance continued to devote her whole attention to Sister Anne and her
-son; already the child was laughing in her arms; he was at the happy age
-when grief vanishes at sight of a cake or a toy. It seemed that
-Constance could not tire of caressing him.
-
-"See," she said to Ménard, "see how he smiles at me!"
-
-"Of course, for you are giving him bonbons. Men are caught by sugared
-words, and children by sugar without words; wherein they show more
-sagacity than men."
-
-"What pretty features, what lovely eyes! It may be a delusion, but it
-seems to me that he has my husband's eyes."
-
-"My pupil's? I can hardly conceive eyes of two years resembling eyes of
-twenty-three."
-
-"Poor little dear! I feel that I love him already. How happy I should be
-to have a child like him!"
-
-"That will come, madame: Sarah was ninety years old when she gave birth
-to Isaac. You have plenty of time before you."
-
-Sister Anne's heart throbbed with joy when she saw Constance caress her
-son. Madame de Montreville did not tire of gazing at him, for she
-detected in his features some resemblance to those of her husband.
-Ménard gazed compassionately at Sister Anne; he was very far from
-suspecting that that poor mendicant was the young girl he had seen
-seated beside Frédéric in the woods at Vizille. How could he have
-recognized her! He had seen her only a moment, and then she was radiant
-with happiness and love; her lovely features were not worn by tears and
-sorrow; the fatigue of a long and toilsome journey, and of incessant
-suffering, had not made her body weak and her steps tottering. And,
-lastly, Ménard did not know that that girl was dumb; so that it was
-impossible for him to suspect that she was before him at that moment.
-
-"Do you know how to write, poor woman?" Constance asked her.
-
-She shook her head.
-
-"What a pity! I would like to know this pretty boy's name."
-
-The dumb girl looked eagerly about. They had taken her to a room on the
-ground floor, looking on the garden. She went out, motioning to
-Constance to follow her. She broke a branch from the first shrub she
-came to; then, stooping over, she traced on the gravel path her son's
-name.
-
-"Frédéric!" cried Constance, after reading the name; "what! your child's
-name is Frédéric? Ah! that will make him all the dearer to me. Frédéric!
-why, that is my husband's name.--What do you think of this, Monsieur
-Ménard? isn't it strange?"
-
-"I don't see anything so extraordinary in it," said the tutor. "As there
-are great numbers of Martins, Pierres, and Pauls, there may very well be
-as many Frédérics. I know of no name but _Thesaurochrysonicochrysides_,
-which Plautus invented, that has never become common. So, if I had had a
-son, I should have insisted on giving him that name, although it isn't
-very easy to say."
-
-Constance took the child in her arms again. She called him Frédéric; and
-he, answering to that name, by which he had been called at the farm,
-lisped the word _mamma_, and looked about as if in search of the good
-peasants who used to call him so.
-
-"I am determined that my husband shall see this dear child," said
-Constance; then, after a moment's reflection, she went up to Sister
-Anne, took her hand, and said, following her signs closely so that she
-might understand her answers:
-
-"Where were you going with your child?--She doesn't know.--Unfortunate
-creature! have you no father or mother?--Ah! they are dead!--And your
-child's father, your husband--why isn't he with you?--She weeps! Poor
-dear! He has deserted her! The idea of deserting such a pretty child!
-and such a sweet, unfortunate mother! Why, it's perfectly ghastly! he
-must have a terribly hard heart.--But cheer up, and dry your tears; I
-will not abandon you! No, my mind is made up; I will take care of you
-and your child. You shall not leave me. You shall live with me; I will
-give you needlework to do; I will teach you to work, and I will have
-your child educated under your eyes. My husband is kind, tender-hearted,
-and generous; I am perfectly certain that he won't blame me for what I
-am doing. He will love you, too, and you shall end your days with us. Do
-you understand, poor dear? Don't cry any more, don't worry about your
-child. Hereafter you shall be out of reach of want.--Why, look, Monsieur
-Ménard! she actually throws herself at my feet and kisses my hand, as if
-I were a god! What would be the use of wealth, if we could not do a
-little good with it?"
-
-"To be charitable, madame, is one of the precepts of the Gospel;
-unfortunately, everybody doesn't put it in practice as you do!"
-
-"But it's high time to think about arranging a room for this young
-woman," said Constance, leading Sister Anne back to the house. "After
-all the fatigue she has undergone, she must feel the need of rest. Where
-shall we put her? Oh! I know; in that little building adjoining the
-greenhouse in the garden. My husband intended to make a study of it; but
-he can work in his own room. Yes, that is what we'll do. Be kind enough
-to give orders accordingly, Monsieur Ménard. Have a bed taken there, and
-everything she needs for the night; to-morrow, I will have it properly
-arranged. She will be quiet there, and she will have her son with her
-and can take him to walk in the garden in the morning."
-
-Ménard went to tell the servants to prepare a room in the pavilion in
-the garden. Meanwhile, Constance remained with Sister Anne, who was
-unable to express her boundless gratitude; her features were beginning
-already to lose their haggard, hopeless look. As she looked at her,
-Constance found her face more and more interesting; the dumb girl in no
-respect resembled those beggars who seem determined to extort alms by
-lamentations and importunities, and who receive it without gratitude.
-Sister Anne was meek and shrinking; she was amazed at the interest she
-inspired; her gratitude could be read in her eyes; and in her whole
-bearing, her whole aspect, there was something which seemed to indicate
-that she was not born in the lowest rank of society.
-
-"The more I look at her," thought Constance, "the more surprised I am
-that anyone could have deserted her. Her features are refined, her eyes
-sweet and full of charm. How lovely she will be in other clothes!--And
-you, dear love, ah! I will take good care of you!"
-
-Ménard announced that everything was ready in the pavilion for the
-reception of the poor woman and her son. Constance took Sister Anne's
-arm and led her thither, made sure that she had everything that she
-needed for the night, and left her, urging her not to grieve any more,
-but to go to bed and sleep.
-
-Sister Anne pressed her hand to her heart, and Constance said to Ménard
-as they walked away:
-
-"Now the time won't seem so long while Frédéric is away! I realize that
-the best way to divert one's thoughts from one's own troubles is to
-relieve those of other people."
-
-
-
-
-XXIX
-
-ARRIVAL OF DUBOURG.--THE STORM GATHERS
-
-
-On waking the next morning, Sister Anne feared for a moment that all
-that she saw was an illusion of her eyesight. After suffering the most
-horrible tortures of destitution; after wandering so long, often unable
-to obtain a place to lay her head and her son's; after going through all
-that a mother can go through who trembles every moment for her child's
-life--to find herself in a handsome and comfortable apartment, lying in
-a soft bed, and with her mind at rest concerning her future; instead of
-the cold contempt of pity, to receive the loving attentions of a
-noble-hearted woman, who added tenfold to the value of her kind acts by
-the grace with which she did them--was to pass abruptly into a situation
-so entirely different, that her softened heart feared to give way to the
-enjoyment of a happiness in which it could not as yet believe.
-
-Sister Anne embraced little Frédéric; then rose and took him into the
-garden, which surrounded on all sides the building in which she was
-lodged. What a lovely spot! what bliss to live there, and guide her
-child's first hesitating steps! He tried to run about alone among the
-paths bordered by roses and lilacs; when he fell, the soft gravel
-deadened his fall, and the child waited, smiling, for his mother to come
-and help him to start afresh.
-
-Constance was awake very early; she had thought all night of the dumb
-girl and her son; her determination to be their benefactress made it
-impossible for her to sleep; for pleasure has its insomnia, and women
-display in all their decisions more ardor and more sentiment than men.
-If they sometimes seem to be unduly engrossed by a piece of jewelry or
-some other trivial object, with what energy and what heartfelt sympathy
-do they perform a good deed!
-
-Madame de Montreville hurried down into the garden to see her protégée.
-She found Sister Anne and the child under an arbor of honeysuckle. The
-boy was playing by his mother, who, when she saw Constance, flew to meet
-her, and seized one of her hands, which she held for a long time to her
-heart.
-
-"Up so early!" said Constance, as she kissed little Frédéric; "how did
-you pass the night? Well? I am glad. After so much trouble and fatigue,
-you needed a long rest. The dear boy! see how he smiles at me; one would
-think that he recognizes me already. But you must not continue to wear
-those clothes; come with me and I will give you one of my dresses. It
-will fit you, for we're very nearly of the same size. Oh! I won't allow
-you to refuse; remember that you must obey me, or I shall be angry."
-
-Constance took Sister Anne and little Frédéric to her own room, where
-she selected one of her simplest gowns and compelled her protégée to put
-it on. In that new costume the dumb girl seemed to acquire new charms,
-and her timidity and embarrassment were entirely free from the
-awkwardness which characterizes so many people in clothes that were not
-made for them.
-
-"She is charming," said Constance, when she had summoned her maid and
-had caused her to arrange the young woman's hair, quite simply, but with
-excellent taste. "How lovely she is so! And in a few days, when she has
-entirely recovered from her fatigue, when her cheeks have a little
-color, she'll be lovelier still.--Come, come and look at yourself, and
-don't lower your eyes. Is it anything to be ashamed of that one is
-pretty?"
-
-Constance led Sister Anne in front of a mirror. The dumb girl looked at
-her own image, hesitatingly at first; but she soon recovered her
-self-possession to some extent, and her face flushed with modest
-pleasure. Is it possible for a woman to be insensible to anything that
-beautifies her? Sister Anne, after looking at herself for several
-minutes, fell at Madame de Montreville's knees.
-
-"Oh! I don't want you to do this any more," said Constance, raising her;
-"I want you to love me and to be happy, that's all. As for your son, I
-propose to make him handsome, too, and I will send to Paris for whatever
-is necessary."
-
-Monsieur Ménard, whose sleep had not been interfered with by thoughts of
-the wayfarer, came down at last, and was thunderstruck when he saw
-Sister Anne in such different guise.
-
-"Well, Monsieur Ménard, what do you think of her?"
-
-"Faith! madame, she is so much improved that I should not recognize
-her."
-
-"Because in her other clothes you saw nothing but her misery, and
-overlooked the refinement of her features."
-
-"It is an undeniable fact that misery is a great disfigurement. Indeed,
-a handsome setting adds to the charm of everything. We cannot dine so
-satisfactorily when the cloth is soiled, and the commonest wine tastes
-much better in a dainty glass."
-
-Constance was busy all day with her plans for Sister Anne. The room on
-the first floor of the pavilion was arranged, and supplied with
-everything that could make it more attractive. By Madame de
-Montreville's orders a pretty cradle was procured, and placed beside the
-young mother's bed. The windows were embellished with flowers in boxes.
-
-"She is debarred from other enjoyments," said Constance; "books and
-music are useless to her; as yet, the poor child doesn't know how to do
-anything, so we must surround her with things that are pleasing to the
-eye."
-
-Sister Anne was at a loss to express her gratitude for such overwhelming
-kindness. Constance was much amused by the astonishment which each new
-thing caused her. Above all, when she heard for the first time the notes
-of a piano, blended with Constance's sweet voice, was she conscious of a
-fascination, an intoxicating pleasure, which moved her to tears. The
-charm of music was keenly appreciated by that ardent soul, which knew
-not the art of concealing its sensations.
-
-As she watched Constance sew and embroider, Sister Anne sighed and
-revealed her grief at her inability to do as much. But Constance
-undertook to teach her; and the dumb girl was so anxious to make herself
-useful, that in a very short time she did all that she saw others do.
-
-A week had passed since Constance had taken Sister Anne and the child
-into her family, and every hour seemed to increase her affection for
-them. The child very soon learned to love her, for she lavished caresses
-upon him; and Sister Anne, always gentle, attentive, and grateful,
-proved to her that her benefactions were well bestowed.
-
-One morning, while the dumb girl was walking with her son in the garden,
-Dubourg appeared at his friend's house; the quarter was more than half
-gone, and Constance, who knew something of Dubourg's habits from her
-husband, was not at all surprised at his arrival.
-
-"Welcome!" she said; "you promised my husband that you would come to see
-me while he was away, and I was beginning to be offended with you."
-
-"Madame," said Dubourg, with a smile, "I am not one of those friends who
-undertake to make a wife forget her husband; but if I have it in my
-power to entertain you, I am entirely at your service until next
-quarter-day; or the whole year, if I can be of any use to you."
-
-"Oh! you will find a change here; I have someone with me. I have made a
-new acquaintance since Frédéric went away."
-
-"Indeed! I am sure that it is an acquaintance which will be agreeable to
-your husband too."
-
-"Why, I hope so."
-
-"My dear Dubourg," said Ménard, "madame does not tell you that she has
-taken into her family an unfortunate woman and her son; she doesn't
-boast of her good deeds."
-
-"Hush, Monsieur Ménard! as if that young woman did not deserve all that
-I have done for her! Could I have placed my benefactions more wisely?"
-
-"I agree that she has learned to work beautifully; I expect very soon to
-teach her to read."
-
-"You will see, Monsieur Dubourg, how pretty and how interesting she is.
-And then, her child, a boy of two, is a charming little fellow."
-
-"Ah! she has a son, has she?"
-
-"Yes; and I am sure that you will agree with me that he looks like----
-But I want you to see for yourself; I will go and find her."
-
-Constance was already in the garden.
-
-"The dear soul!" said Dubourg; "what a happy mortal Frédéric ought to
-be! And yet, here he is travelling already!"
-
-"Business before everything, my dear Dubourg.--A pinch of snuff, if you
-please. My pupil has come into extensive estates, through his wife, and
-a man ought to be familiar with his estates."
-
-"But why not take his wife with him? Don't you think that she would have
-been very glad to go along?"
-
-"I don't say she wouldn't, but---- What a fellow you are! always harping
-on the same subject!"
-
-"Hum! I trust that this journey doesn't conceal some scheme! I know that
-Frédéric would be terribly sorry to cause his wife the slightest pain;
-but I know also that such sentimental fellows as he take fire when they
-hear a woman sigh!"
-
-"I tell you that my pupil is visiting his estates, deuce take it!--What
-about dominoes? are you beginning to be strong at it?"
-
-"Much stronger than you, who can never guess where the double-six is.
-But let us join Madame de Montreville; I am curious to see this woman
-she has taken under her wing."
-
-"She's a woman whom you will find it hard not to agree with, for there
-can't be a quarrel without a dispute; now, when there's no dispute,
-there can't be a quarrel; and there can't be a dispute in this case,
-because----"
-
-But Dubourg was not listening; he was already in the garden, where he
-saw Madame de Montreville in the distance, with a child in her arms, and
-beside her a young woman dressed in a simple white gown. He walked
-toward them; the young woman saw him and ran, yes, flew to his side,
-seized his arm, and gazed at him in anxious suspense; while Dubourg
-stood like one petrified, for he had recognized Sister Anne.
-
-"Mon Dieu! what has happened to her?" Constance asked Dubourg, who was
-completely bewildered to find the dumb girl, in such a different
-costume, walking with Constance, who was carrying her son in her arms.
-"What an extraordinary effect your presence has produced on her! See how
-she looks at you! She seems to be questioning you with those eloquent
-eyes. Do you know this poor child?"
-
-"Why, no--that is, yes, yes, I saw her once; but she was so different
-then; in this dress--and with this child--faith, I did not recognize
-her!"
-
-Dubourg was confused and embarrassed; he did not know what he ought to
-say, and Sister Anne still held his arm, while her eyes implored him to
-speak.
-
-"What! you know her?" said Constance, in surprise; "but what does she
-want of you now? can't you guess what it is that she seems to want to
-know?"
-
-"Oh! I beg your pardon--I begin to understand. I knew this poor girl's
-lover, and she is trying to ask me about him."
-
-"Well, answer her, then, at once; see! her eyes are full of tears."
-
-"Faith! I have nothing pleasant to tell her; her seducer has gone
-abroad, and, in all probability, she will never see him again.--I don't
-know what has become of him," he said to Sister Anne; "I have never seen
-him since, any more than you. And so, my dear child, you must try to
-forget him."
-
-Sister Anne, who had listened with the closest attention to every word
-that fell from Dubourg's lips, dropped her head on her breast when he
-had finished; then she went and sat down under a tree, and gave free
-vent to her grief and her tears.
-
-"Poor woman!" said Constance; "alas! she still loves the man who
-deserted her. Who could have abused her innocence so heartlessly?"
-
-"He was a young painter, madame; he was travelling at the time--for his
-instruction. While in search of fine views, he fell in with Sister
-Anne--for that is her name. She is, I believe, the child of peasants;
-but I can't say so with certainty, for I do not know her family;
-however, my friend saw her and fell in love with her. These painters
-have flighty imaginations--and a child was the result. That's all that I
-know; I never saw this girl but once, when I was riding with my friend."
-
-"In my eyes, he is very blameworthy. You men treat such affairs very
-lightly. To seduce a woman, and then abandon her, is, in your eyes, a
-mere youthful escapade, of which, indeed, you often boast!"
-
-"Oh! madame, I can flatter myself that I never seduced anybody."
-
-"I am speaking generally; but I am very certain that my Frédéric never
-did as so many thoughtless, heedless young men do! He is too sensitive,
-too loving, to try to deceive a young and inexperienced heart. See what
-horrible results such reckless conduct may have! This poor child,
-finding that she was enceinte, must have left her parents and fled from
-her native place. Without money, and bereft of that organ which is so
-necessary in the world, she travelled through city and country at
-random, and exposed to all the horrors of want. The unhappy creature!
-how she must have suffered! Oh! if you had seen her when I took her in,
-she would have made your heart ache. But she has found a friend now; I
-will not desert her, and, if I cannot make her altogether happy, she
-will not, at all events, have to dread want while she is with me."
-
-Dubourg made no reply; the sight of Sister Anne gave him too much to
-think about.
-
-"Your presence has renewed her grief by recalling her seducer," said
-Constance; "go away for a moment, and I will try to comfort her,
-although I am well aware that for such griefs there is no comfort. Could
-I enjoy a moment's happiness if Frédéric should forget me? But she has
-her son at least, and his caresses will allay her sorrow."
-
-Constance carried little Frédéric to his mother and placed him on her
-knees, while Dubourg walked quickly back to the house and joined Ménard,
-who did not know what to think when he saw his former travelling
-companion's horrified expression.
-
-"All is lost, Monsieur Ménard!" cried Dubourg, halting in front of the
-tutor.
-
-"What? what is lost? King Stanislas's berlin or the King of Prussia's
-snuff-box? You know perfectly well that I am not to be taken in in that
-way again."
-
-"Oh! let's hear no more of all that nonsense! This is a very serious
-matter, involving the happiness and peace of mind of Frédéric and his
-wife."
-
-"I'll bet that it's not true; you're going to tell me some new fairy
-tale to lead me into a trap; but _non me ludit amabilis insania_."
-
-"Will you listen to me, Monsieur Ménard? Morbleu! how could a man of
-your years fail to anticipate what has happened?"
-
-"What do you mean by that? a man of my years! I beg that you will
-explain yourself, Monsieur Dubourg."
-
-"You allow Madame de Montreville to take into her house, to install
-there----"
-
-"Whom, in heaven's name?"
-
-"Whom! morbleu! the girl for whom Frédéric made a fool of himself; the
-girl who turned his head, and with whom he lived six weeks in the woods;
-the girl whom he adored then, and whom, for all I know, he loves still;
-for a man's heart is beyond comprehension! In short, Sister Anne, the
-dumb girl of the woods, of Vizille, is the one whom Madame de
-Montreville now has in her house!"
-
-"Mon Dieu! what do I hear?"
-
-"Do you mean to say you didn't recognize her?"
-
-"Recognize her! a girl I never saw but once, and then at a distance? I
-don't scrutinize young women as you do, monsieur; and could I suspect,
-did I know, that she was dumb? did anyone tell me so? No; no one tells
-me anything, and then they expect me to know everything by divination!
-You young men are inconceivable! do you suppose I should know Latin if I
-had never learned it?"
-
-"Well! you know it now."
-
-"Parbleu! I was thrashed often enough to know it! Gad! how many stripes
-I got for the _Epitome_, and how many _pensums_ for Phćdrus's fables!"
-
-"Great heaven! Monsieur Ménard, I am talking about Sister Anne, who is
-here in this house, with Frédéric's wife."
-
-"I understand, I understand perfectly."
-
-"When Frédéric returns, she will see him; her excitement, her tears, and
-her caresses will betray the truth. Just think of Madame de
-Montreville's feelings, when the husband whom she adores and believes to
-be a model of fidelity finds in his house a mistress and a child--a
-child, above all!"
-
-"Yes, yes; I realize all that."
-
-"Well, then, speak! what are we to do?"
-
-"I have no idea."
-
-"It is impossible to let Sister Anne live under the same roof as
-Frédéric."
-
-"Of course; it's most embarrassing! But she was so wretched!"
-
-"Do you think that I mean to abandon her? I've only sixteen hundred
-francs a year, but I would gladly sacrifice it all to prevent her
-presence from disturbing the happiness of this young couple. Yes; I will
-work for my living, if necessary, or I'll pass the whole of every
-quarter with Frédéric; but that young woman and her child shall be
-placed beyond the reach of want."
-
-"That is very noble, my dear Dubourg, and if I had any property--but I
-have nothing save my old classics, which wouldn't be of any use to her,
-because she can't read."
-
-"But how are we to set about inducing Sister Anne to leave this house?"
-
-"That would be a very hard task: Madame de Montreville is very fond of
-her, and is wild over the child; she thinks that he looks like my
-pupil--Frédéric. By the way, I can conceive a reason for that
-resemblance now."
-
-"I don't know what to do; I can think of nothing. When does Frédéric
-return?"
-
-"In a week; we have plenty of time."
-
-"Time! a week will soon be gone; and if he finds Sister Anne here!"
-
-"Why, it seems to me that we might tell the girl not to speak."
-
-"Of course she won't speak; but her gestures, the expression of her
-face, will say enough."
-
-"Indeed! well, I give you my word that I often can't understand her at
-all."
-
-Dubourg tortured his brain to find some method of sending away Sister
-Anne and her son. Ménard sat with his eyes fixed on his snuff-box, and
-pretended to be equally engrossed by that subject, but in reality his
-thoughts were full of a pâté of hare which had arrived from Paris the
-night before, and which they were to attack at dinner.
-
-Constance returned to the house with the dumb girl and the child; Sister
-Anne's face still bore traces of suffering, but she was calmer and more
-resigned; when she saw Dubourg, she smiled sadly at him, and presented
-her son, at whom he gazed with interest, dismayed by the striking
-resemblance between his features and his father's.
-
-"Don't you think he's a lovely boy?" said Constance.
-
-"Yes, madame," Dubourg replied, as he kissed the child; "he's very
-pretty."
-
-"Does he look like his father?"
-
-"Very much."
-
-"And don't you think he has a look of my husband?"
-
-"Oh! not the slightest!"
-
-"That's strange; it impressed me at once. His name is Frédéric, too, the
-dear child; I believe that I love him the more for that."
-
-As she spoke, Constance took the child in her arms; Sister Anne watched
-her, deeply moved, and Dubourg turned his face away to conceal the
-sensations aroused by that scene.
-
-During the rest of the day, Dubourg cudgelled his brain to think how he
-could bring about Sister Anne's departure from Madame de Montreville's
-house, but he could not decide upon any plan. How was he to remove her
-from a luxurious home, where the most affectionate attentions were
-lavished upon her, and where her son was overwhelmed with caresses?
-Would not Sister Anne, far from consenting to such a plan, refuse to see
-therein anything more than shocking ingratitude, of which her loving,
-grateful heart was utterly incapable? To tell her that Constance's
-husband was her seducer would not avail to induce her to go away, for
-her intense longing to see Frédéric would prevail in her heart over
-every other consideration. She conceived herself to be united to her
-lover by the oaths they had exchanged; could she imagine that another
-woman had rights, more sacred at least, if not more equitable, than her
-own?
-
-Dubourg dared not risk that method, and he tormented himself in vain to
-find another. At last he went to Ménard, and said to him:
-
-"Well, have you thought of any expedient to induce Sister Anne to leave
-this house?"
-
-And Ménard, after taking a pinch of snuff and reflecting for five
-minutes, led Dubourg into a corner and replied in an undertone:
-
-"I can't think of anything at all."
-
-While talking with Constance, Dubourg tried to persuade her to send the
-dumb girl to live on one of her estates at some distance from Paris; but
-Madame de Montreville scouted the suggestion with much earnestness.
-
-"Why," she said, "should I deprive myself of this young woman's company,
-and of the presence of her son, whom I love as if he belonged to me? If
-the unhappy creature were not under my eyes, would she receive all the
-attentions that tend to alleviate her position? No; I shall never part
-with her; every day I feel that I become more and more attached to her.
-If you knew how grateful she is to me for everything I do for her! Ah! I
-have read to the very bottom of her heart; I have not misplaced my
-benefactions, and I am certain that Frédéric will not blame me."
-
-"Well," said Dubourg to himself, "I have done all I could; and even if I
-should give myself the jaundice trying to separate these two women, I
-fancy that I shouldn't succeed; I'll just let things take their course,
-and see what happens. The most that I can do will be to warn Frédéric
-when he comes home."
-
-On the evening after Dubourg's arrival, Constance said to him:
-
-"I want you to see what pleasure my unfortunate companion derives from
-music; when she hears me play and sing, it always seems to me as if she
-were going to speak."
-
-She took Sister Anne's hand and led her to a seat near the piano; the
-dumb girl was more melancholy than usual; Dubourg's presence had revived
-all her sorrows; however, she smiled at her benefactress, and did her
-utmost to appear less downcast.
-
-Constance had played several pieces, when she said:
-
-"I believe I have never sung her that pretty little thing that my
-husband likes so much."
-
-She played the prelude to the air. Dubourg paid little attention to the
-music; he was still thinking of the strange chance that had brought
-Sister Anne and Frédéric's wife together. Ménard was sitting in a corner
-of the salon, doing all that he could to understand the music; and
-little Frédéric was playing near his mother, who listened intently to
-her benefactress.
-
-Constance had no sooner sung the first words of the ballad than Sister
-Anne manifested an emotion which seemed to increase with every measure;
-she leaned toward the singer, listening with all her ears, and hardly
-breathing; her whole body shook, all her faculties were absorbed by an
-overpowering memory; and before Constance had finished the first stanza,
-a deadly pallor overspread the dumb girl's features; she uttered a
-plaintive moan, and fainted.
-
-Intent upon her music as she was, Constance had not observed Sister
-Anne's agitation; but when she heard her groan, she sprang to her feet
-and flew to her side.
-
-"Great God!" she exclaimed; "what is the matter with her? She is
-unconscious!"
-
-Dubourg hastened to her assistance, while Ménard ran to fetch salts and
-call the servants.
-
-"Can you imagine what upset her? She was listening to me with evident
-pleasure, and suddenly she fainted."
-
-"Madame," said Dubourg, attempting to take advantage of this incident,
-"haven't you noticed that this young woman is not always in her right
-mind; that there are moments when she seems--rather light-headed?"
-
-"Why, no; I have never noticed anything of the sort. Since she has been
-here, she has always been very reasonable, and her depression seems
-perfectly natural to me. Poor dear! she doesn't open her eyes."
-
-"Oh! this will amount to nothing; probably her emotion when she saw me
-this morning is the cause of her swoon."
-
-"I am inclined to think so."
-
-Ménard returned, armed with a dozen bottles of salts. For a long while,
-all their efforts were unavailing: Sister Anne did not recover
-consciousness, and Constance was in despair; at last, a long-drawn sigh
-announced that the sufferer was returning to life, and she soon opened
-her eyes. Her first thought was for her son; he was too young to realize
-his mother's danger, and had not interrupted his play. Sister Anne took
-him in her arms and kissed him, then looked at all those who stood about
-her, as if to thank them for their kindness.
-
-"Come with me, and go to bed," said Madame de Montreville; "all your
-sorrow has been revived to-day, and you must forget it in sleep."
-
-But, instead of following her, Sister Anne took her hand, led her to the
-piano, and motioned to her to sit down again.
-
-"No, to-morrow," said Constance; "the music excites you too much. I will
-sing to you to-morrow."
-
-Sister Anne clasped her hands, and her glance was so expressive, it
-besought her so earnestly to do what she desired, that Constance had not
-the heart to refuse; she seated herself at the piano, while Ménard
-observed _sotto voce_:
-
-"That young woman is passionately fond of music; it would be a good idea
-to teach her to play."
-
-Constance began an air, but Sister Anne stopped her and shook her head
-emphatically, as if to say: "Not that."--Thereupon she played another,
-but still the dumb girl was not satisfied. At last, Constance remembered
-that she was singing a ballad when she was interrupted; she sang it
-again, and had no sooner begun it than Sister Anne's emotion and the
-strained attention with which she listened showed plainly enough that
-that was what she wanted to hear.
-
-"Just see how this ballad excites her!" said Constance; "it's the one
-Frédéric always liked so much!"
-
-The words were hardly out of her mouth, when Sister Anne seized her
-hand, pressed it with all her strength, and nodded her head. Madame de
-Montreville did not understand her pantomime; she looked at Dubourg, who
-said in an undertone:
-
-"I assure you that there are times when she doesn't know what she is
-doing. She thinks that she sees her lover everywhere; love has turned
-her brain."
-
-Sister Anne's agitation partially subsided; the tears forced their way
-to the surface and relieved the strain. Constance gazed at her with
-emotion, repeating again and again:
-
-"Poor child! what a guilty wretch he was to desert you!"
-
-For several minutes everybody was silent. Constance resorted to her
-usual method of allaying the young mother's suffering: she took little
-Frédéric in her arms and carried him to her. She looked up gratefully at
-her benefactress, and, having covered her son with kisses, rose and
-prepared to go to her room.
-
-Constance insisted on accompanying her to the pavilion; there she left
-her, after urging her anew to be brave.
-
-"Your troubles will come to an end before long, I hope," she said. "Yes,
-your seducer will certainly return to sentiments more worthy of the man
-you love; he cannot have forgotten you entirely. Dubourg may not be
-accurately informed. Dry your tears; some day you will see him again;
-and how can he ever leave you after you put this darling boy in his
-arms?"
-
-These comforting words went to Sister Anne's heart; she welcomed the
-soothing hope that Constance held out to her, and parted from her
-somewhat less unhappy. Madame de Montreville returned slowly to her
-apartment; the sight of the suffering of the woman she had saved from
-want made her sad; Frédéric was not there to divert her thoughts and
-make her forget everything but her own happiness; she had never been
-separated from him for so long a time, and his absence tended to
-increase her melancholy.
-
-Ménard had retired, after saying to Dubourg:
-
-"This has been rather a tempestuous day."
-
-"Ah!" was the reply; "I apprehend a much more violent storm! If that
-young woman fainted simply because she heard the ballad that Frédéric
-used to sing to her, what will happen to her when she sees him again,
-and when she learns that he is another woman's husband? I tell you,
-Monsieur Ménard, I can't think of anything else!"
-
-"I can well believe it; it has taken away my appetite!"
-
-"Let us try to ward off that catastrophe."
-
-"Let us ward it off; I ask nothing better."
-
-"Remember that the repose, the happiness, yes, even the honor, of your
-pupil are at stake, and that his sins will rebound on you."
-
-"I beg your pardon: a mistake in syntax, or in Latin verses, I agree;
-but I never taught him to seduce innocent girls; it was rather your evil
-counsels that perverted him."
-
-"Monsieur Ménard!"
-
-"Monsieur Dubourg!"
-
-"Let's go to bed."
-
-"_Recte dicis._"
-
-
-
-
-XXX
-
-FRÉDÉRIC'S RETURN.--CONSTANCE AND SISTER ANNE
-
-
-Dubourg had been Madame de Montreville's guest for ten days, and during
-those ten days he had not ceased his efforts to invent some means of
-warding off the effect that the sight of Frédéric would surely produce
-on Sister Anne. He saw that Constance's attachment to her protégée and
-the latter's gratitude to her benefactress increased from day to day. To
-separate them seemed more difficult than ever; Constance frequently said
-that she could not do without Sister Anne and her son, and the young
-mother seemed to feel her grief less keenly by her side.
-
-Frédéric was expected at any moment; indeed, he was already overdue.
-Constance was worried by his delay; she was less cheerful than usual,
-and her eyes were often wet with tears. At such times, Sister Anne
-strove to comfort her, and to say to her by signs that her husband would
-soon return.
-
-"Suppose he no longer loves me!" Constance would say sometimes; and the
-dumb girl would take her hand and lead her before a mirror, as if to
-say:
-
-"Look at yourself; can anyone help loving you?"
-
-"Alas!" Constance would reply; "someone forgot you very quickly, and you
-are as pretty as I am!"
-
-The Comte de Montreville, who had promised to pass a few days in the
-country, was detained by the gout. Dubourg was not sorry; he preferred
-that he should not be a witness of the recognition he dreaded; he had no
-idea that the count knew Sister Anne.
-
-At last, Constance received a letter from her husband: he wrote her that
-unforeseen circumstances had delayed his return, but that he hoped to
-arrange everything soon. His letter was affectionate and expansive; he
-seemed to be as much in love as ever. Nevertheless, Constance was not
-satisfied: to stay away from her so long seemed in itself to indicate
-less warmth. Frédéric was not there, so she was at liberty to weep;
-before him, she concealed her tears. As always, it was to Sister Anne
-that she confided her troubles; on her bosom she poured out her tears
-and found consolation.
-
-Dubourg saw in this delay so much time gained.
-
-"Let us try to make use of it to prevent an interview between the
-lovers," he said to Ménard.
-
-"Let's prevent it; I agree with you."
-
-"But I've been trying for ten days to think up some expedient, and I
-can't find anything."
-
-"Faith! then I'm luckier than you, for I found something the day before
-yesterday."
-
-"What! if that's so, for heaven's sake tell me what it is!"
-
-"It's my receipt for making milk punch, which I thought I had lost."
-
-On leaving home, Frédéric had gone at once to the farm to ascertain the
-whereabouts of Sister Anne, and of his son, whom he ardently desired to
-embrace. But when he arrived there, he learned from the worthy peasants
-that the lone girl had started for Paris with her child long before.
-Frédéric did not know what to do, and what caused him the greatest
-distress was that a messenger from his father followed close on his
-heels, bringing, as usual, money and divers other things for her whom
-the count called his liberatress; which fact proved that he was unaware
-that Sister Anne had left the farm, and that she had failed to find her
-friend's house in Paris.
-
-Frédéric was distressed beyond words; the people at the farm shared his
-disappointment. They regretted that they had allowed Sister Anne to go;
-but how could they have opposed her resolution with success? What had
-become of her? what was she doing in Paris, without friends or
-protector? If they had known that the unfortunate girl had been
-heartlessly robbed of all that she possessed, their grief would have
-been greater.
-
-Frédéric remained only one day at the farm; he started back toward
-Paris, and all along the road tried to obtain some information that
-might put him on Sister Anne's track. On reaching Paris, he did not go
-home; he did not wish his presence in the city to be known, because he
-desired his wife to remain in ignorance of it, so that he might have
-time to institute a search for the dumb girl and her son. For more than
-a week he searched the vast city, visiting the most deserted as well as
-the most populous quarters, often going up to rooms under the eaves, and
-asking everywhere if anyone had seen a young woman who could not speak
-and who had a child. But his search was fruitless; he did not obtain a
-shred of information to put him on Sister Anne's track. With an aching
-heart, he decided at last to return to Constance; he was very far from
-thinking that he would find there those whom he had been seeking so
-long.
-
-Every day, Dubourg lay in ambush on one road, and stationed Ménard as a
-sentry on the other to notify him if he should see Frédéric coming. As
-the country house could not be reached except by those two roads, he
-felt certain of not missing him. But one morning, Ménard, having taken
-his Horace with him, became so interested in an ode he was reading, that
-the man for whom he was watching passed him unnoticed. Frédéric entered
-the house and hurried to Constance's room, where she was sitting, alone,
-thinking of her husband.
-
-She looked up, uttered a joyful cry, and flew into his arms. All the
-pain of separation was instantly forgotten on her husband's breast.
-Frédéric responded affectionately to her outbursts of love. After the
-first transports of joy had subsided, Constance said:
-
-"During your absence, I have taken an unfortunate woman into the house.
-Oh! I hope that you will love her as I do."
-
-"Whatever you do is well done, my dear Constance; your heart could never
-lead you astray; I am certain beforehand that your benefactions have
-been well bestowed."
-
-"Oh! she is such an interesting young thing! a victim of love, and we
-women are always sympathetic with that sort of unhappiness. Her seducer
-deserted her, with a charming child, whom I am perfectly wild over. His
-name is Frédéric, like yours.--Why, what's the matter, dear? you are as
-pale as a ghost, and all of a tremble!"
-
-"Oh!--fatigue, I fancy--I was in such a hurry to get home!"
-
-Frédéric sat down, for his legs were giving way: what Constance had told
-him caused him an emotion that he could not control. He looked about
-him, shuddering involuntarily.
-
-"And this woman--this child--where are they?" he asked, in a trembling
-voice.
-
-"She has a room in the pavilion in the garden. But I see her now.--Come
-here, my dear, come quickly," Constance called, running to meet Sister
-Anne, who was coming through the hall with her son. "My husband has
-returned; oh! I am so happy! Now my happiness is complete!"
-
-She took the dumb girl's hand and drew her into the room, where her
-husband was still sitting. At sight of Frédéric, Sister Anne uttered a
-heartrending shriek; she ran to him, threw herself into his arms,
-pointed to her son, and lost consciousness.
-
-With one hand Frédéric supported Sister Anne, whose lifeless head lay
-against his breast; with the other he covered his eyes, as if he were
-afraid to look about him. His son was at his feet, still holding his
-mother's hand, and Constance, speechless with amazement and trembling
-from head to foot, stood before them.
-
-In an instant a thousand conflicting sensations seemed to be at work in
-Constance's breast. She changed color her eyes expressed surprise and
-apprehension; she shuddered, and seemed to be trying to banish the
-thought that had forced itself upon her mind. But her glance, resting
-alternately on Sister Anne and her husband, strove to discover the
-truth. Her first impulse was to run to Sister Anne and take her from
-Frédéric's arms.
-
-"What is the matter? Why did the sight of you put her in such a
-condition?" she faltered, looking at Frédéric. "Answer me, dear; do you
-know this young woman?"
-
-Frédéric had not the courage to reply, or even to look at Constance. But
-his eye fell upon his son, and he took him in his arms and covered him
-with kisses; thereupon Constance's heart received a terrible shock, for
-the whole truth was laid bare before her.
-
-Dubourg appeared upon the scene, followed by Ménard; at sight of
-Frédéric, he divined all that had happened, and he instantly ran to the
-assistance of Sister Anne, crying:
-
-"Fainted again! an attack of madness, I'll wager! I told you before,
-this poor creature has times when she loses her reason."
-
-Constance made no reply; she left Sister Anne to the ministrations of
-Dubourg and Ménard, and returned to her husband, who still held the
-child in his arms.
-
-"He is lovely--is he not?" she asked, in a trembling voice, with her
-eyes still fastened on Frédéric. He did not speak, whereupon Constance
-roughly snatched the child from his arms; but soon, repenting of that
-impulsive movement, which she could not control, she covered the child
-with kisses, crying in a heart-broken tone:
-
-"Poor child! you are not guilty!"
-
-Dubourg and Ménard carried Sister Anne away to the pavilion, leaving
-Frédéric and Constance with the child. Frédéric's eyes were fixed on the
-floor, as if he were afraid to meet those of Constance, who had seated
-herself a few steps away and had taken little Frédéric on her knees. She
-tried to restrain her tears, but she had not the courage to speak. For
-some minutes neither of them broke the silence. At last, Frédéric raised
-his eyes and saw his wife caressing Sister Anne's son. At that sight he
-was on the point of throwing himself at her feet and confessing all,
-when Dubourg rushed into the room.
-
-"It's all right! I don't think it will amount to anything," he said,
-motioning to Frédéric not to betray himself. "That young woman is
-subject to attacks of insanity; then she thinks that she sees her lover
-everywhere. I have already advised madame more than once not to keep
-her in the house."
-
-"Really," faltered Frédéric, trying to recover his self-possession, "I
-am utterly unable to understand what has happened. I was so agitated by
-that poor creature's condition--that I didn't realize what I was doing."
-
-Constance said nothing; she simply looked from her husband to Dubourg.
-
-"I'll take her son to her," said the latter, walking toward Constance to
-take the child.
-
-"Let him stay," said Constance; "Frédéric will do that."
-
-Frédéric was thrown into confusion again; he could not support his
-wife's glance. In vain did Dubourg whisper:
-
-"Come, come, morbleu! have your wits about you. Remember that, for her
-own happiness, you must deceive her."
-
-At that moment Ménard appeared, in a comical state of dismay.
-
-"She has recovered her senses," he said to Dubourg, in an undertone;
-"but it's impossible to make her stay quietly in her room! She's a
-perfect devil! She insists on seeing him. She's running about the garden
-like a madwoman."
-
-"Why did you leave her?"
-
-And Dubourg hurried from the room.
-
-"What is the matter?" said Constance; "is she worse?"
-
-"No, madame," replied Ménard, who had no idea what he ought to say or
-do; "but, I'm afraid--her head--these women--love--_quid femina
-possit_."
-
-"I will go and look after her," said Constance; "I will take her her
-son, and perhaps, when she sees him---- Aren't you coming with me,
-Frédéric; won't you add your efforts to mine to pacify the poor,
-unhappy creature?"
-
-Frédéric hesitated; he did not know what it was best for him to do. He
-longed to see Sister Anne, whose terrible plight had torn his heart; but
-he was afraid of betraying himself when he saw her. At that moment, they
-heard cries in the garden; they looked out and saw Sister Anne running
-hither and thither, pursued by the servants and Dubourg. The former,
-when they saw how intensely excited she was, rushing in all directions,
-with her hair flying in the wind, had no doubt that she had lost her
-reason; and Dubourg confirmed them in that idea, which might prevent
-their guessing the truth.
-
-But Sister Anne spied Frédéric at one of the windows on the ground
-floor; instantly she rushed in that direction, entered the room, and, in
-the twinkling of an eye, threw herself into Frédéric's arms, pushing
-away Constance, who stood beside him, and looking at her with a jealous
-and at the same time anxious expression, as if to say:
-
-"I alone have the right to be here."
-
-The servants halted in the doorway and gazed at the picture before them.
-Constance felt a terrible sinking at the heart when she saw Sister Anne
-in her husband's arms; but she retained sufficient strength to walk
-toward the servants and say in a trembling voice:
-
-"Go, my friends; this unhappy woman is not in her right mind, but we
-shall be able to pacify her."
-
-The servants retired; Ménard had gone in search of Dubourg, to whom he
-always had recourse at difficult crises; Sister Anne was left alone with
-her son and Frédéric and Constance.
-
-The dumb girl seemed as if she would attach herself inseparably to
-Frédéric, who had not the courage to push her away. She smiled at him,
-she took his hands and held them to her heart, then pointed to their
-son. At the same time, she glanced uneasily at Constance, who was seated
-a few steps away, with her face hidden in her hands, unable to endure
-that scene. But her tears were suffocating her; they burst forth at
-last, and she sobbed as if her heart would break. Sister Anne shuddered.
-Constance's grief seemed to touch her to the quick. Frédéric could
-contain himself no longer; he ran and threw himself at his wife's feet;
-but she, without looking at him, gently repulsed him.
-
-"Go, go," she said; "this unhappy girl has more claim to your love than
-I; this child is your son. Console her for all she has suffered since
-you deserted her. I know the whole truth now. No; she has not lost her
-reason; she has found her seducer, the father of her child!"
-
-Frédéric was thunderstruck. Pale and trembling, he remained at
-Constance's feet; and Sister Anne, with her eyes fixed upon his face,
-seemed to be waiting to hear what he would say. But Frédéric seized his
-wife's hand and covered it with tears and kisses; at that sight a
-plaintive moan escaped the dumb girl, and again she fell unconscious to
-the floor.
-
-Constance hastened to her assistance.
-
-"Leave us," she said to Frédéric; "your presence is too painful to her.
-Oh! you can trust her to me; I shall be no different to her from what I
-have always been."
-
-Frédéric made no reply, but left the room, in a state of complete
-bewilderment. He met Dubourg and Ménard hurrying toward him.
-
-"The pretence is of no avail," he said; "Constance has divined the
-truth; she knows all."
-
-"As she knows all," said Ménard, "we mustn't conceal anything more from
-her."
-
-Constance lavished upon Sister Anne the most zealous attention. At last,
-the dumb girl opened her eyes. When they fell upon Frédéric's wife, her
-first impulse was to push her away; then she looked about in search of
-Frédéric. Constance beckoned to the child, who held out his little arms
-to his mother. Sister Anne seemed touched by Constance's conduct; she
-looked at her with less jealousy, but she shuddered from head to foot,
-her teeth chattered violently, her eyes closed again, and a ghastly
-pallor overspread her cheeks.
-
-Constance ordered the servants to carry her to the pavilion, where she
-was put to bed. She was in a raging fever, and was really delirious. Her
-eyes rolled from side to side with an expression of intense anxiety; she
-recognized nobody, and even repulsed her son.
-
-"Poor dear! I will not abandon you," said Constance; and she passed the
-whole day beside Sister Anne's bed. Not until evening, when she found
-that she was a little calmer, did she decide to leave her; but she left
-her in charge of faithful and willing servants, intending to return
-frequently to ascertain her condition.
-
-She returned to her own apartment, where Frédéric awaited her. How
-different was that day, which reunited them, from those that they had
-previously passed together! Constance said nothing; her heart was drawn
-hither and thither by a multitude of conflicting emotions; her bosom
-rose and fell convulsively, but she tried to conceal her suffering and
-to appear calm before her husband. Frédéric stood before her,
-motionless, like a criminal awaiting his doom; her kindness made him
-keenly alive to his wrong-doing. At last he approached her, not daring
-to speak, and fell at her feet.
-
-"What are you doing?" said Constance, gently; "why do you kneel at my
-feet? You are not guilty toward me. Ah! it would be more just for you to
-kneel at the feet of her whom you have betrayed and deserted! I have no
-right to complain: your fault is only too common among men. You knew
-this poor girl before your marriage. She has become a mother. But, in
-the world, your conduct would be considered perfectly natural and
-proper. Far from blaming you, society would perhaps applaud you for
-forgetting a woman who could not be your wife. But, I confess, I thought
-that you were different from the heedless rakes who pride themselves on
-the tears of which they are the cause. What lamentable results your
-fault has had! If you only knew all that the unhappy creature has
-suffered! She was in the last stages of destitution, actually dying of
-starvation, when I took her in; yes, dying of starvation--with your son
-in her arms. Oh! Frédéric! do you realize what your remorse would have
-been? You weep? Ah! my dear, let your tears flow; I would rather lose
-your heart than believe that it was capable of utter lack of feeling.
-Listen: you have found your child's mother; you must not abandon her
-again. If you will leave everything to me, I will assure her future; she
-shall live in a house which I will buy for her in some pleasant place in
-the country; she shall want nothing. Her son is a dear boy; I would have
-liked to be a mother to him, but it would be a horrible thing to
-separate her from her child. He shall have a good education. When he has
-grown up, you shall decide his fate; and be assured that I shall never
-consider anything that you do for him more than you ought to do. That is
-what I propose to do for the woman you once loved. But it may be that
-this plan does not satisfy you. Perhaps, on seeing the poor girl again,
-the love that she formerly inspired in you has revived. Perhaps you love
-her still. Oh! Frédéric, I entreat you to be sincere with me; let me
-read in the bottom of your heart. There is no sacrifice of which I am
-not capable to make you happy. Yes, my dear; I shall be able to endure
-anything--except the sight of your regret for another. If you love
-her--if you still feel drawn to her--I will go away, I will bury myself
-on one of our estates; you will not see me again, and you will be at
-liberty to keep the mother of your child with you."
-
-Constance could no longer hold back the tears that were suffocating her.
-She had made a prolonged effort to restrain her feelings, but her
-courage gave way when she proposed to Frédéric that they should part.
-
-"I, leave you!" he cried, throwing his arms about her. "Oh! Constance,
-can you believe that I have ceased for one instant to love you? No, I
-swear to you, you alone possess my heart! I realize the wrong I have
-done; I propose to assure Sister Anne's future; I must do it. Could I
-help feeling profoundly moved when I saw her again? And the child--I
-love him, and I propose to see to his future welfare and happiness; for
-that you cannot blame me. I approve all your plans; I know the goodness
-of your heart, the nobility of your soul. How few wives would have acted
-as you have done! Command me: send Sister Anne away; let her go
-to-morrow."
-
-"To-morrow! oh! no, dear. The poor child is ill--very ill! she shall not
-leave this place until she has fully recovered. So long as she is
-here--you must avoid seeing her; your presence can do her nothing but
-harm. Promise me that you will not see her; that is the only sacrifice I
-ask of you."
-
-"I will do whatever you say."
-
-"When she has recovered, I will go with her myself to her new home, and
-I will not leave her until I am certain that she lacks nothing."
-
-Frédéric embraced Constance with profound affection; her kindness of
-heart made her even dearer to him. A wife ought never to employ any
-other weapons; reproaches and complaints repel a husband; gentleness and
-indulgence always end by winning back his heart.
-
-In her husband's arms, Constance found happiness once more; he swore to
-her that he loved no one but her, and she believed his oaths: could she
-live without his love?
-
-Early the next morning, Constance went to the pavilion; and Frédéric
-sought Dubourg and Ménard, to tell them of his wife's noble conduct.
-
-"There aren't many women like her," said Dubourg; "guard her carefully;
-you cannot love her too dearly; you have a veritable treasure in her!"
-
-"Madame de Montreville's conduct," said Ménard, "is certainly worthy of
-one of Plutarch's heroines; and I know of nothing finer in history save
-that of Cunegunde, wife of the Emperor Henry II, who grasped a red-hot
-iron to prove her chastity."
-
-Sister Anne was still in an alarming condition; she recognized nobody,
-but she seemed to be constantly looking for somebody and holding out her
-arms to him. Constance looked to it that she wanted nothing; she herself
-brought a doctor to her, and installed at her bedside an old
-maid-servant, who did not leave her for an instant. Then Constance took
-little Frédéric and carried him to her husband.
-
-"Love him dearly," she said, as she placed him in his arms; "by making
-the child happy, you can best atone for the wrong you have done the
-mother. I feel that I, too, love him as if he were my own son. When I
-first saw him, a secret presentiment seemed to tell me that he belonged
-to you; and that thought made me love him more rather than less."
-
-Frédéric embraced his son, who thenceforth passed a large part of the
-time with him; for the poor child no longer received the caresses of his
-mother, who was still in a raging fever, and delirious, and, for nearly
-a fortnight, lay at the gates of death. During that time, Constance
-passed whole days and often whole nights in the pavilion, refusing to
-leave to another the nursing that the young patient required; she hung
-over her pillow, and held her in the most violent paroxysms of her
-delirium; she triumphed over fatigue, she was unconscious of suffering,
-she devoted her whole attention to Sister Anne; in vain did Frédéric,
-day after day, urge her to be careful of her own health and to take some
-rest.
-
-"Let me nurse her," said Constance; "by devoting myself to her, it seems
-to me that I repair a part of the wrong that you have done her."
-
-Frédéric had not a moment's peace of mind so long as he knew that Sister
-Anne was in danger. He was consumed with the longing to see her again,
-but he had promised his wife not to enter her presence; and how could he
-break his promise, after all that Constance had done for him? He often
-hovered about the pavilion where the poor girl lay, and waited
-impatiently for someone to come out from whom he could obtain news of
-her condition. But when it was Constance who came out, he concealed a
-part of what he felt, afraid to reveal the extent of his interest in the
-dumb girl.
-
-Thanks to the unremitting care of Frédéric's wife, the patient returned
-to life; her delirium ceased, she recognized her child, strained him to
-her heart, and refused to be separated from him. When she first saw
-Constance again, her whole body quivered; but in a moment she seemed to
-recover herself, and seized her benefactress's hand, which she covered
-with tears and kisses; it was as if she were trying to ask her
-forgiveness for the wrong she had done her.
-
-"Poor girl!" said Constance, affectionately pressing her hand; "I shall
-always be the same to you; it is my place to try to make up for your
-misfortunes. I am your friend; your child is mine; henceforth his fate
-and yours are assured. Oh! don't shake your head--I am simply paying a
-debt. Your son is a sweet, lovely boy; his happiness will enable you to
-forget your own sorrows some day. Courage! you may yet be happy!"
-
-Sister Anne sighed, and her eyes seemed to say that it was impossible.
-Constance herself did not believe that it was possible to forget
-Frédéric; but it is lawful to lie a little in order to comfort others.
-The dumb girl looked about the room, but, in a moment, turned her eyes
-again upon her benefactress, as if resigned to her fate.
-
-"I will do what you order me to do," she seemed to say.
-
-Constance informed her husband that Sister Anne was saved, although her
-convalescence would be long and slow; the doctor had said that the
-invalid would not be able to travel for a long time, but that the
-proximity of the garden would afford her an excellent opportunity to
-test without injury the return of her strength.
-
-Frédéric was overjoyed to learn that his victim was restored to life;
-every day the longing to see her, though but for a moment, tormented him
-more. Nor was that his only longing: while the dumb girl was very ill,
-they had brought his son to him, and he had passed a great part of the
-time with him. He had become accustomed to his presence, he had learned
-to know the pleasures of a father's love; and that sentiment is not one
-of those which time or separation impairs. Frédéric, who dared not let
-his wife know of his longing to see Sister Anne, had no hesitation in
-asking for his son.
-
-"He is his mother's sole consolation now, my dear; do you want to
-deprive her of him? Later, when time has allayed her suffering somewhat,
-I have no doubt that she will consent to send him to you now and then;
-but just at this time she wants him with her every moment."
-
-Frédéric said no more, but tried to conceal his feelings; for Constance
-was gazing at him as if she would read his inmost thoughts.
-
-Sister Anne recovered her strength very slowly; it was several days
-before she was able to go down into the garden with her son, leaning on
-Constance's arm. As she supported the convalescent's tottering steps,
-Constance glanced anxiously about, dreading to see Frédéric, although
-she had told him that Sister Anne was coming into the garden, which was
-equivalent to asking him not to appear there. Frédéric knew that his
-presence would certainly cause an agitation that would be dangerous to
-the invalid, and he remained in his apartment.
-
-Sister Anne was calmer, but her calmness seemed to be the result of
-complete prostration rather than of resignation; she kept her eyes fixed
-on the ground, except when she turned them on her son; she did not weep,
-but the expression of her face indicated her mental suffering;
-meanwhile, her strength constantly increased, and soon she was able to
-go out alone with her son, to stroll about the pavilion.
-
-A few days more, and Madame de Montreville was to set out with Sister
-Anne and her son for the estate on which she proposed that they should
-make their home. Frédéric approved his wife's plan, but he was consumed
-by the desire to see once more the woman he had loved so dearly, and
-whom he was not certain that he did not love still.
-
-He knew that Sister Anne and her son went every morning at daybreak to
-sit in an arbor near the pavilion. One morning he rose softly, while
-Constance was still asleep; it was almost dawn; he could not resist the
-craving to see the dumb girl and her son; he did not mean to speak to
-her, or to show himself to her, but only to see her once more. She was
-to go away the next day, so that that day was the last on which it would
-be possible for him to satisfy the desire that beset him.
-
-He dressed noiselessly and walked to the bed where Constance lay; she
-was not resting quietly, but her eyes were closed, she was asleep; he
-determined to seize the opportunity, and he stole quickly from the room
-and into the garden. The first rays of dawn were just beginning to
-dispel the mists of the night; he walked rapidly toward Sister Anne's
-favorite arbor; his heart beat fast; it seemed to him that he was living
-anew those moments of his first love when he arrived at the wood of
-Vizille and looked for the dumb girl on the bank of the stream where
-they were wont to meet.
-
-She was not yet in the arbor; she probably would not be there for at
-least a quarter of an hour; he sat down on the bench where she usually
-sat, from which he could see the pavilion where she and her son lived.
-He fastened his eyes upon that building; his heart was full, he felt
-again the delicious emotion that he used to feel as he gazed at old
-Marguerite's miserable hovel. At that moment, he forgot all that had
-happened since; he waited impatiently for her to come out; it seemed to
-him that he would see her come running toward him, driving her goats.
-
-Time passes very quickly when one is engrossed by such memories.
-Suddenly the door of the pavilion opened and a child appeared--it was
-his son. Frédéric was on the point of running forward to embrace him,
-but he remembered the promise he had given Constance. If he went nearer
-to the pavilion, Sister Anne would see him, for she could not be far
-behind her child. He must keep out of her sight; so he crept behind the
-shrubbery, and there, hidden by a thick clump of hornbeams, he waited
-tremblingly for her to appear.
-
-He had hardly left the arbor, when the dumb girl came out of the
-pavilion and took her son by the hand. Frédéric could not take his eyes
-from her. She was dressed in a plain white gown; her hair, gathered
-carelessly on top of her head, fell over her forehead, whereon sadness
-and suffering were written. She smiled, however, as she looked at her
-child; then paused, glanced about the garden, and heaved a profound
-sigh.
-
-Frédéric did not tire of gazing at her; that unfamiliar costume, in
-which he was now for the first time able to examine her at his
-leisure,--for in his wife's presence he had hardly dared to look at
-her,--seemed to add to her charms and make her more beautiful than ever.
-She came toward him, she entered the arbor; he hardly breathed. She sat
-on the bench--she was close beside him--only a few branches separated
-them; he heard her sighs, he could count the throbs of her heart. How
-sad she seemed! Alas! who would console her now? He was the cause of her
-woes, and he could do nothing to put an end to them. The child put his
-little arms about his mother's neck; it was as if he were already
-trying, young as he was, to soothe her grief. She pressed him to her
-heart, but her tears continued to flow. Frédéric could control himself
-no longer; he heard her sobs, he forgot his promise, he saw nothing but
-Sister Anne's tears, which fell upon his heart. He abruptly put aside
-the branches that separated them; he fell at her feet and embraced her
-knees, crying:
-
-"Forgive me!"
-
-At sight of Frédéric, Sister Anne started to rise and fly, but she had
-not the strength; she fell back on the bench and tried to look the other
-way, but an irresistible power forced her to turn her eyes upon her
-lover. He was at her feet, entreating her forgiveness; she had not the
-courage to repel him; she placed her son in his arms, and soon she was
-straining him to her heart. At that moment they heard a cry, not far
-away. Frédéric, disturbed and alarmed, left the arbor and looked in
-every direction; seeing no one, he returned to Sister Anne. But she was
-already going back to the pavilion with her son; he tried to detain her;
-she slipped from his arms, while her eyes bade him an affectionate
-adieu. She had enjoyed a moment's happiness, but she did not propose to
-be culpable toward her benefactress by remaining longer with Frédéric.
-
-Sister Anne and the child having returned to the pavilion, Frédéric was
-alone in the garden; he was still agitated by the pleasure it had
-afforded him to see his former sweetheart, but that pleasure was
-mingled with anxiety. The cry he had heard worried him. He searched
-every part of the garden, but found no one. He persuaded himself that he
-had made a mistake, that the voice came from the fields. For a moment he
-thought of his wife. Suppose that Constance had seen him! But he soon
-rejected that idea, for Constance was asleep when he left his room. He
-returned to the house. The servants were astir. Dubourg and Ménard came
-down into the garden. Frédéric dared not go to his wife, but waited till
-breakfast before seeing her again.
-
-He strolled about the garden with his friends; but he was thoughtful and
-ill at ease.
-
-"Are you grieving over Sister Anne's approaching departure?" said
-Dubourg. "I tell you, my dear fellow, it is indispensable. A man can't
-live under the same roof with his wife and his mistress, even if the
-latter has ceased to be anything to him; for the wife must always stand
-in dread of chance meetings and accidents; and if she loves her husband
-ever so little, she won't sleep peacefully."
-
-"Unquestionably," said Ménard, "one cannot live with the wolf and the
-lamb. It's as if you should put a canary and a parrot in the same cage;
-they'll always end by fighting. I don't refer to Madame de Montreville;
-she's an angel of gentleness; and certainly the other little woman will
-never talk loud. But, after all: _naturam expellas furca, tamen usque
-recurret_. Furthermore, a Greek philosopher has said: 'Do you want to
-have hell on earth? if so, live with your wife and your mistress.'"
-
-"But, Monsieur Ménard, far from having any such desire, I wish with all
-my heart that the poor creature were already far away. I realize too
-well that I must not rely on my resolutions."
-
-"There's only one thing in the world you can rely on; and that is
-indigestion, if you bathe right after eating."
-
-The breakfast hour arrived; Constance appeared, and, as usual, went to
-her husband and kissed him.
-
-"I was mistaken; she knows nothing," said Frédéric to himself.
-
-However, it seemed to him that she was pale, that her eyes were red and
-swollen, that her hand trembled in his. He inquired affectionately
-concerning her health.
-
-"I am all right," said Constance; "I am not sick; there's nothing the
-matter with me."
-
-But her tone seemed to contradict her words.
-
-The day passed, and Frédéric was surprised to see that Constance made no
-preparations for Sister Anne's departure and her own. He ventured at
-last to mention the subject.
-
-"I have changed my mind," said Constance, struggling to conceal her
-emotion; "I don't see why that young woman should leave the house; she
-is so happy with us! Her presence cannot be disagreeable to you; on the
-other hand, her absence might cause you too much regret."
-
-"What do you say?" cried Frédéric.
-
-"No, she shall not go," continued Constance, coldly; apparently not
-noticing her husband's bewilderment. "It is useless now."
-
-With that, she turned away and shut herself up in her own apartment.
-Frédéric did not know what to think of that sudden change of plan; but
-that evening Constance's maid went to the pavilion, at her bidding, and
-informed Sister Anne that she was to live on at the pavilion; that
-there was no further question of her going away.
-
-The dumb girl was greatly surprised; but her heart could not be
-indifferent to the bliss of remaining near Frédéric. She was astonished,
-however, that her benefactress, who had been so unvaryingly kind to her,
-did not come to her and explain her change of plan. Several days passed,
-and she did not see Madame de Montreville. The same attention was paid
-to her comfort and her son's, but her benefactress had ceased to visit
-the occupants of the pavilion.
-
-Constance passed all her time in her own room; she did not say a word to
-Frédéric; but her face was drawn and haggard; it was evident that she
-was suffering and that she was doing her utmost to conceal it. Frédéric
-hardly dared to question her, and when he did she always answered
-gently:
-
-"Nothing is the matter with me."
-
-"Morbleu!" said Dubourg; "this isn't natural! That young woman has
-something on her mind. She insists now that the other one shall stay; I
-can't make anything out of it."
-
-"Nor I," said Ménard; "but I think, with you, that there's some mystery
-about it. Tertullian says that the devil isn't as mischievous as woman,
-and I agree with Tertullian."
-
-
-
-
-XXXI
-
-THE CATASTROPHE
-
-
-Sister Anne and her son continued to occupy the pavilion in the garden.
-She went out very rarely, and then only to walk in the paths that were
-near by. She did not go near the house; she was afraid of meeting
-Frédéric again, although her heart still burned for him with the same
-ardent flame.
-
-Nor did Frédéric dare to go near the pavilion; his wife's conduct, ever
-since the day that he embraced the dumb girl, had left no doubt in his
-mind that it was she who had uttered that cry of which he had
-unavailingly sought the author. If Constance had seen him at Sister
-Anne's feet, what could she think of his promises? Of course, she
-believed now that she was not the sole object of his love. He was often
-tempted to throw himself at her feet, to assure her that he adored her
-still; but, in that case, he must confess that he had broken his word;
-and suppose his wife did not know it, after all! In his uncertainty,
-Frédéric held his peace, hoping, by keeping a close watch upon himself,
-to dispel the suspicions which were devouring Constance's heart in
-secret.
-
-Constance did not leave the house; she did not even go into the garden.
-Her face was careworn, her cheeks had lost their color; she tried in
-vain to smile; the melancholy that was eating her heart away betrayed
-itself in every act. She was still as sweet and amiable as ever; she
-seemed to appreciate her husband's attentions, and, noticing that he
-never went into the garden, she often urged him to do so.
-
-"Why do you wish me to leave you?" said Frédéric; "can I be as happy
-elsewhere as I am with you?"
-
-Whereupon Constance lovingly pressed his hand and turned away to conceal
-a tear. She had the scene in the arbor constantly before her eyes; she
-saw her husband pressing Sister Anne to his heart; she believed that she
-no longer possessed his love, and persuaded herself that he was unhappy
-because he no longer saw the dumb girl, but that he was sacrificing
-himself for her peace of mind. That cruel thought was the source of the
-keenest torture to her heart,--torture the more painful because she
-strove to conceal it.
-
-"Things can't go on like this," Dubourg often said to Frédéric. "Your
-wife is changing perceptibly, and the poor dumb girl's melancholy is
-enough to break one's heart. Morbleu! if these two women remain
-together, both of them will very soon die of consumption."
-
-"What can I do? Is not Sister Anne's fate absolutely in Constance's
-hands? When I attempt to speak to her about it, she closes my mouth, or
-else declares again that she doesn't choose to send her away."
-
-"It's very embarrassing, on my word," said Ménard; "and if I were in my
-pupil's place, I know what I would do."
-
-"Well, what would you do?" queried Dubourg.
-
-"Pardieu! I would do as he does--not know what to do."
-
-A very simple occurrence was destined to effect a revolution in
-Frédéric's household: one morning, the Comte de Montreville, having at
-last shaken off the gout, arrived at his son's country house.
-
-Dubourg, although he had no idea that the count knew Sister Anne, was
-pleased by his arrival, because he felt sure that his presence would
-compel Frédéric to take some decisive step. Frédéric was terribly
-disturbed when his father appeared, having as yet had no explanation
-with him. Should he tell him the truth--that the dumb girl was under his
-roof? But, before he was left alone with the count, Constance made him
-promise that he would not mention Sister Anne; for she thought that the
-count was ignorant of his son's wrong-doing, and she did not want him to
-know of it at all.
-
-The Comte de Montreville had been anxious for a long while concerning
-the fate of the young woman who had saved his life. His last messenger
-had brought him the intelligence that she had left the farm, intending
-to go to Paris. As she did not appear at his house, he had caused a
-search to be made for her, but to no purpose; he had no idea what could
-have become of her.
-
-On arriving at his son's house, the count was at once impressed by
-Constance's melancholy and dejection. He inquired anxiously concerning
-the cause of the change; the young woman tried to evade his questions,
-on the pretext that she was slightly indisposed; but the old man was
-sharp-eyed: he saw that some mystery was being hidden from him, and he
-determined to fathom it. His son was embarrassed in his presence. Ménard
-avoided him as if he were afraid of being reprimanded for something.
-Dubourg alone appeared delighted by his arrival. Everything seemed to
-indicate that something extraordinary was taking place in the house.
-
-As Constance knew that Monsieur de Montreville was accustomed, when he
-was at Montmorency, to go to the pavilion in the garden to read, she
-lost no time in informing him that a young woman and her son, of whom
-she had taken charge, were quartered there. The count asked no
-questions; he was far from suspecting that that young woman was the one
-he had been seeking so long: he certainly did not expect to find her
-under his son's roof.
-
-On the day after his arrival, the count rose early, as usual, and went
-into the garden. He walked toward the pavilion, and not until he was
-about to enter did he remember what Constance had told him the day
-before. He turned away, and was walking in another direction, when a
-child came out of the pavilion and ran toward him; in a moment, another
-person had seized his hand and pressed it to her heart. The Comte de
-Montreville was surprised beyond expression when he found himself in the
-presence of the dumb girl and her son.
-
-Sister Anne had seen the count from her window as he came toward the
-pavilion; she recognized him instantly; her protector's features were
-engraved on her memory. When he turned away, she at once ran after him.
-The poor girl did her best to express the pleasure she felt at seeing
-him again; and he was a long while recovering from his amazement.
-
-"You here!" he said, at last; "who took you in? Do you know that the
-young woman who has given you shelter is Frédéric's wife--your seducer's
-wife?"
-
-Sister Anne explained by signs that she did know it, that she had seen
-Frédéric, and that it was Constance who insisted that she should live in
-that pavilion.
-
-Every instant added to the count's bewilderment. As he could not obtain
-from the dumb girl all the information he desired, he was intensely
-anxious to see his son.
-
-"Go back to the pavilion," he said to Sister Anne; "you will soon leave
-it. You have been here only too long. Go, my poor child; I will see you
-again soon."
-
-Sister Anne obeyed; she returned to the pavilion with her son, whom the
-count could not refrain from embracing tenderly.
-
-Frédéric dreaded just what had happened; he trembled lest his father
-should meet Sister Anne, and was on the point of going to him to tell
-him the truth, when the count appeared before him; his stern expression
-announced that it was too late to warn him.
-
-"I have just seen the person who is living in the pavilion in the
-garden," said the count, watching his son closely; "and I am no longer
-surprised at the depression, the great change, which I have noticed in
-your wife's whole appearance. Unhappy man! so this is the recompense of
-her love! of her virtues! You permit the woman you seduced to live under
-the same roof as your wife!"
-
-"I am not to blame in this," said Frédéric; and he told his father how
-his wife had taken in the dumb girl and her child during his absence;
-how she had become attached to the unfortunate creature; and everything
-that had happened on his return.
-
-The count listened in silence to Frédéric's story.
-
-"So your wife knows all!" he said; "she knows that you are that girl's
-seducer, the father of her child; and she insists that she shall
-continue to live in your house?"
-
-"Her purpose at first was to send her away, to take her and the child to
-one of our estates, where she would have everything that her comfort and
-welfare required; the day for their departure was fixed. I have no idea
-why she changed her mind, but now she insists that Sister Anne shall not
-go."
-
-"And you can't divine the reason? My son, such conduct is too
-extraordinary not to have some secret cause. It is not natural that a
-wife who loves, yes, adores her husband, should want to keep by her side
-her rival, or, at all events, the woman he once loved and may love
-again. But Constance has a soul capable of sacrificing everything, of
-immolating itself for your happiness! Ought you to allow that? Don't you
-see how she has changed? She conceals her tears from you, but she can't
-conceal her pallor, the suffering that is working havoc on her lovely
-features. There is not a minute in the day when she is not thinking that
-you are under the same roof as the mother of your son; that you can see
-her, speak to her."
-
-"Oh! I swear to you, father, that I never----"
-
-"I am glad to believe you; but your wife is in a cruel position.
-To-morrow, your victim will no longer be under your eyes."
-
-"What! father!"
-
-"Do you disapprove of my determination?"
-
-"I? oh, no! far from it. No; I realize all that I owe you. Surely I do
-not need to commend that poor creature--and my son--to your care!"
-
-"No, monsieur; I know what my duty is; your wife's beneficent intentions
-shall be carried out. Indeed, do you suppose that that young woman is
-indifferent to me, or that her son has no claim upon my heart? Because
-it is no longer subject to the ardent passions of youth, do you think
-that it is closed to all sentiment? Let me restore peace of mind and
-repose to your wife; and do you restore her happiness, if possible, by
-redoubling your devotion and your love. That is the way to atone for
-your wrong-doing, Frédéric, and to pay me for all that I propose to do
-for Sister Anne and her son."
-
-Frédéric shed tears upon his father's hand. The count left him, to go to
-Constance; he did not mention the dumb girl to her, but, as he looked
-into her face, he felt that he admired her and loved her more than ever.
-Constance did not know to what she should attribute the marks of
-affection which the count, usually so cold, took pleasure in lavishing
-upon her; she could not divine the explanation of them. She believed
-that he was ignorant of his son's fault.
-
-The count sent his servant to Paris, with orders to have a post chaise
-with two good horses at the garden gate the next morning at daybreak. He
-proposed to accompany Sister Anne, and he went to the pavilion to tell
-her what he had determined upon.
-
-His frequent going and coming led Dubourg to conclude that the count had
-some project in contemplation.
-
-"We shall have a change here," he said to Ménard; "God grant that it may
-restore happiness and pleasure to this house!"
-
-"It certainly hasn't been very gay here of late," said Ménard; "madame
-la comtesse sighs, my pupil is preoccupied, the dumb girl says nothing;
-and I can hardly recognize you yourself, my dear Dubourg."
-
-"Well! how do you expect me to be in high spirits, when I see that all
-the people I love are unhappy? In spite of my philosophy, I am not
-insensible to my friends' suffering."
-
-"You're like me; I think of it all day long."
-
-"Indeed! but it doesn't take away your appetite."
-
-"Would you have me make myself ill, to cheer them up?"
-
-"You're not likely to; you're getting to be a regular ball!"
-
-"That fool of a cook gives us beefsteak every day; how can I help
-growing fat?"
-
-"I expect great things from the arrival of Frédéric's father; he has
-been to the pavilion and seen Sister Anne, and a change is coming, I am
-sure of it."
-
-"Ah! do you think that we shan't have any more beefsteaks?"
-
-"Really, Monsieur Ménard, you weren't born to live in France; you ought
-to take up your abode in Switzerland, where they eat all day."
-
-"I was born, monsieur, to live anywhere; and when you called yourself
-Baron Potoski, you had a pretty knack of squandering our funds with your
-three-course dinners; but I won't say of you: _Quantum mutatus ab illo_,
-because I noticed you at table yesterday; you ate all the tunny, and
-when I wanted some more it was all gone."
-
-"Tunny is very indigestible, Monsieur Ménard; it isn't good for you."
-
-"I beg you, monsieur, not to worry about my health, and to leave some
-tunny for me at the next opportunity. You will see that, old as I am, I
-can steer clear of indigestion if I choose!"
-
-While those whom he left in the house lost themselves in conjectures,
-the count walked through the garden to the pavilion. It was dark when he
-was ready to tell Sister Anne what he proposed to do. Her room was on
-the first floor; he hesitated a moment before he went upstairs to the
-woman who had saved his life.
-
-"Poor child!" he said to himself; "I am going to deal her a heavy blow.
-I must take her away from Frédéric; I must separate them forever; but I
-am simply doing my duty, and her heart is too pure not to feel that she
-must think first of all of the peace of mind, yes, the life, of the
-woman who saved her and her son from the horrors of starvation, and who
-has taken pleasure in heaping kindnesses upon her."
-
-The old man entered the dumb girl's room; at sight of him, she rose and
-ran to meet him; one could read in her eyes the respect and affection
-that she felt for him. The count was touched to the heart; he looked at
-her for several minutes in silence; but he felt that he must say at once
-what he had to say, so that she might be ready at dawn.
-
-"My child," he said, "I told you this morning that you cannot, you must
-not, remain any longer in this house; your presence here will in the end
-be fatal to her who rescued you. Constance loves her husband dearly; do
-you wish to rob her of repose and happiness forever? She conceals the
-torments she is suffering; but I have read her inmost thoughts. You
-surely do not wish to cause the death of the woman who saved your son?"
-
-Sister Anne, by a most eloquent gesture, signified that she was prepared
-to sacrifice herself for Constance.
-
-"Very well," continued the count; "then you must go away, you must leave
-this place--to-morrow at daybreak--without seeing your benefactress. I
-will undertake to tell her all that your heart would impel you to say to
-her. You must not see any of this household again; it is unnecessary.
-There is one person in particular--but I need not urge upon you the
-necessity of taking every precaution to avoid meeting him."
-
-Sister Anne was overwhelmed with grief. To go away so suddenly, without
-any preparation! to go without seeing him, and forever! Her courage
-failed her, and the tears gushed from her eyes.
-
-The count went to her and took her hand.
-
-"Poor child!" he said; "this sudden departure grieves you, but it must
-be; under such circumstances, every minute's delay is a crime. I tear
-you away from this house, but I have a right to be harsh. Courage, dear
-child! It is Frédéric's father, whom you saved from the knives of the
-brigands, it is he who asks you to sacrifice yourself once more, for his
-son's good."
-
-These words produced upon the dumb girl all the effect that the count
-anticipated; on learning that he was her lover's father, she fell at his
-knees, and with clasped hands seemed to implore his forgiveness.
-
-"Rise, rise," he said, kissing her on the forehead; "unfortunate girl!
-would to God that I could give you back your happiness! At all events,
-you may be assured of a comfortable home, and your son's future is
-provided for. I am going to take you to a farm, which I propose to give
-you; there is a pretty little cottage connected with it, where you will
-live, attended by faithful servants who will love you dearly. There you
-will bring up your son; I will come often to share your retirement, and
-before long, I hope, peace and tranquillity will have returned to your
-heart."
-
-Sister Anne listened, and was ready to obey; she had no hope of being
-happy again, but her eyes seemed to say:
-
-"Do with me as you will; I am ready to abide by your slightest wish."
-
-"Until to-morrow, then," said the count; "I will come for you at
-daybreak; I want to be away before anybody in the house is astir. A
-comfortable carriage will be ready for us at the garden gate. Make all
-your preparations to-night; they need not be long, for you will find in
-your new home everything that you and your son will require. Au revoir,
-dear child; be brave! At daybreak I shall be with you."
-
-The count took his leave, and Sister Anne was alone; her son was asleep;
-it was night, the last night that she was to pass near Frédéric. She
-must go away from him--fly from him forever. That thought overwhelmed
-her. She sat, perfectly motionless, on a chair beside her son's cradle;
-a single thought absorbed all her faculties: she must go away from him
-whom her heart had ached to find, whom she idolized, and who, in the
-arbor, had acted as if he loved her still; she must go away from him;
-the peace of mind, the existence, of her benefactress demanded that
-terrible sacrifice.
-
-The last hours that she was to pass in the house seemed to fly with
-unexampled rapidity. Engrossed by these thoughts, she had done nothing
-toward preparing for her departure. The village clock struck twelve, and
-the dumb girl still sat beside her son's cradle, in the same position in
-which the count had left her.
-
-The mournful clang of the bell roused her from her reverie; she rose,
-and made a small bundle of her clothes; her preparations were soon
-completed, and there were still several hours before the dawn. Should
-she try to sleep? no; she knew that it would be in vain! But what
-thought is this that makes her heart beat fast? Everybody in the house
-is asleep; suppose she should take advantage of her last remaining
-moments to go a little nearer to him! She did not propose to see him,
-for she knew that that would be a breach of her promise to the count and
-of her duty to her benefactress. But she could go, without Frédéric's
-knowledge, to bid him a last farewell; she knew which were the windows
-of his room; it seemed to her that she should go away a little less
-unhappy, and that Frédéric might perhaps hear her whispered farewell in
-his sleep.
-
-She hesitated no longer; she put her bundles on a chair and placed her
-candle on the hearth. Her son was sleeping soundly; she leaned over and
-looked at him, and shed tears upon his pillow at the thought that she
-was soon to take him away from his father.
-
-Everything was perfectly quiet, as she stole noiselessly from the
-pavilion. It was a dark night, but she was familiar with the garden.
-Like a shadow, her feet barely touching the earth, she glided swiftly
-along the paths, until at last she reached the house. Frédéric's
-apartment was on the first floor, at the right; she knelt under his
-windows, she held out her arms to him, and bade him a last farewell.
-
-Weeping bitterly, with her head resting on her hand, but unable to
-remove her eyes from the room in which she knew him to be, Sister Anne
-abandoned herself to her love, her regret, her despair. It was a long
-while since she had left the pavilion; the minutes were passing rapidly,
-but she could not tear herself away from that spot. But it must be done.
-The unhappy girl made a final effort; she rose and walked away,
-broken-hearted; she staggered along the paths, hardly able to restrain
-her sobs.
-
-Suddenly she became conscious of a bright light in the garden; she
-raised her eyes; she could not conceive where it came from. As she
-walked on, the light became brighter and brighter; the darkness of the
-night was succeeded by a terrifying glare; it was fire, which lighted up
-every nook and corner of the garden. As that certainty burst upon her
-mind, Sister Anne, seized by an indescribable fear, no longer walked,
-but ran, aye, flew toward the pavilion; the flames were pouring forth in
-clouds from the windows of the first floor.
-
-A heartrending shriek burst from the young mother's lips; she could see
-nothing but her son, whom she had left in that room, her son, whom the
-flames were perhaps already consuming!
-
-In her desperation, she recovered her strength; she rushed into the
-pavilion; the hall was filled with dense smoke; but a mother knows no
-danger, she must have her child. She groped her way upstairs, felt for
-the door, which the smoke concealed and which her trembling hands sought
-in vain. At last the flames guided her; she entered the room; everything
-was ablaze. A bundle of clothes had fallen against the candle, and the
-flames had spread rapidly to all parts of the room. Sister Anne ran to
-the cradle, which the fire had just reached; she held her son in her
-arms; she tried to go out, but she could not see what direction to take.
-Already the flames surrounded her; her limbs were badly burned; she
-tried to call, for she felt that she was dying. At that moment, her
-voice, yielding to a mighty effort of nature, broke the bonds that held
-it; and the unfortunate girl, as she fell, exclaimed distinctly:
-
-"Frédéric, come and save your son!"
-
-The flames rising from the pavilion had been seen by the people at the
-house, several of whom were unable to sleep. Frédéric rushed from his
-room in dismay, shouting as he ran. Everyone rose and dressed in haste.
-
-"The pavilion's on fire!" was the general cry.
-
-Frédéric arrived there ahead of all the rest; he defied death, to make
-his way to Sister Anne; he entered the room a few seconds after she had
-lost consciousness; he took her on one arm and his son on the other; he
-passed through the flames into the garden; he had saved them both.
-
-On learning what had happened, everybody had followed Frédéric.
-Constance was not the last to fly upon her husband's footsteps. It was
-she who received Sister Anne in her arms, who hung over her with loving
-solicitude, and ordered the unconscious girl to be carried to her
-apartment. They all gathered about the young woman, whose body bore the
-marks of the flames; but her son was uninjured, and they waited
-impatiently for her to open her eyes, so that they might show him to her
-safe and sound.
-
-At last, she drew a long, quivering breath; her eyes opened. Constance
-led her child to her side.
-
-"My son!" cried Sister Anne, covering the child with kisses.
-
-Those words caused the greatest surprise to all who heard them. They
-stared at Sister Anne, listening intently, as if they doubted whether
-they had heard aright.
-
-"O my God!" continued the young mother; "it is not a dream; Thou hast
-given me back the use of my tongue.--Ah! Frédéric! I can tell you now
-how I loved you--how I love you still! Forgive me, madame; I feel that I
-shall not long enjoy this voice which has been restored to me. All that
-I have suffered to-day has exhausted my strength; I am going to die, but
-my son is saved. Oh! don't pity me!"
-
-The unfortunate woman had made a mighty effort to say thus much; her
-eyes lost their expression, her hand became like ice, a ghastly pallor
-overspread her face. Frédéric fell on his knees beside her; he bathed
-with his tears the hand she abandoned to him. The count was overcome by
-grief. Constance tried to recall the dying girl to life by holding up
-her son before her. Even Dubourg, the man who had never shed a tear,
-could not restrain his sobs as he supported Sister Anne's head.
-
-"Why do you weep for me?" she said, making a final effort; "I could not
-be happy, but I die less wretched. Keep my son, madame; he is so happy
-in your arms! you will be a mother to him. Adieu, Frédéric--and you--his
-father--oh! forgive me for loving him so much!"
-
-Sister Anne cast a last glance at Constance, who held little Frédéric in
-her arms; then she closed her eyes, still smiling at her son.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sister Anne (Novels of Paul de Kock,
-Volume X), by Charles Paul de Kock
-
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