an old maid-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



in　momentous　circumstances；　〃we　have　a　very　brilliant　society　here；

monsieur。　It　assembles　at　my　house；　and　you　shall　judge　of　it　this

evening；　for　some　of　my　faithful　friends　have　no　doubt　heard　of　my

return　and　your　arrival。　Among　them　is　the　Chevalier　de　Valois；　a

seigneur　of　the　old　court；　a　man　of　infinite　wit　and　taste；　then　there

is　Monsieur　le　Marquis　d'Esgrignon　and　Mademoiselle　Armande；　his

sister〃　（she　bit　her　tongue　with　vexation）；〃a　woman　remarkable　in

her　way；〃　she　added。　〃She　resolved　to　remain　unmarried　in　order　to

leave　all　her　fortune　to　her　brother　and　nephew。〃



〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　the　viscount。　〃Yes；　the　d'Esgrignons；I　remember

them。〃



〃Alencon　is　very　gay；〃　continued　the　old　maid；　now　fairly　launched。

〃There's　much　amusement：　the　receiver…general　gives　balls；　the　prefect

is　an　amiable　man；　and　Monseigneur　the　bishop　sometimes　honors　us　with

a　visit〃



〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　viscount；　smiling；　〃I　have　done　wisely　to　come

back；　like　the　hare；　to　die　in　my　form。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃I；　too；　attach　myself　or　I　die。〃



The　viscount　smiled。



〃Ah！〃　thought　the　old　maid；　〃all　is　well；　he　understands　me。〃



The　conversation　continued　on　generalities。　By　one　of　those　mysterious

unknown　and　undefinable　faculties；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　found　in　her

brain；　under　the　pressure　of　her　desire　to　be　agreeable；　all　the

phrases　and　opinions　of　the　Chevalier　de　Valois。　It　was　like　a　duel　in

which　the　devil　himself　pointed　the　pistol。　Never　was　any　adversary

better　aimed　at。　The　viscount　was　far　too　well…bred　to　speak　of　the

excellence　of　the　dinner；　but　his　silence　was　praise。　As　he　drank　the

delicious　wines　which　Jacquelin　served　to　him　profusely；　he　seemed　to

feel　he　was　with　friends；　and　to　meet　them　with　pleasure；　for　the　true

connoisseur　does　not　applaud；　he　enjoys。　He　inquired　the　price　of

land；　of　houses；　of　estates；　he　made　Mademoiselle　Cormon　describe　at

length　the　confluence　of　the　Sarthe　and　the　Brillante；　he　expressed

surprise　that　the　town　was　placed　so　far　from　the　river；　and　seemed　to

be　much　interested　in　the　topography　of　the　place。



The　silent　abbe　left　his　niece　to　throw　the　dice　of　conversation；　and

she　truly　felt　that　she　pleased　Monsieur　de　Troisville；　who　smiled　at

her　gracefully；　and　committed　himself　during　this　dinner　far　more　than

her　most　eager　suitors　had　ever　done　in　ten　days。　Imagine；　therefore；

the　little　attentions　with　which　he　was　petted；　you　might　have　thought

him　a　cherished　lover；　whose　return　brought　joy　to　the　household。

Mademoiselle　foresaw　the　moment　when　the　viscount　wanted　bread；　she

watched　his　every　look；　when　he　turned　his　head　she　adroitly　put　upon

his　plate　a　portion　of　some　dish　he　seemed　to　like；　had　he　been　a

gourmand；　she　would　almost　have　killed　him；　but　what　a　delightful

specimen　of　the　attentions　she　would　show　to　a　husband！　She　did　not

commit　the　folly　of　depreciating　herself；　on　the　contrary；　she　set

every　sail　bravely；　ran　up　all　her　flags；　assumed　the　bearing　of　the

queen　of　Alencon；　and　boasted　of　her　excellent　preserves。　In　fact；　she

fished　for　compliments　in　speaking　of　herself；　for　she　saw　that　she

pleased　the　viscount；　the　truth　being　that　her　eager　desire　had　so

transformed　her　that　she　became　almost　a　woman。



At　dessert　she　heard；　not　without　emotions　of　delight；　certain　sounds

in　the　antechamber　and　salon　which　denoted　the　arrival　of　her　usual

guests。　She　called　the　attention　of　her　uncle　and　Monsieur　de

Troisville　to　this　prompt　attendance　as　a　proof　of　the　affection　that

was　felt　for　her；　whereas　it　was　really　the　result　of　the　poignant

curiosity　which　had　seized　upon　the　town。　Impatient　to　show　herself　in

all　her　glory；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　told　Jacquelin　to　serve　coffee　and

liqueurs　in　the　salon；　where　he　presently　set　out；　in　view　of　the

whole　company；　a　magnificent　liqueur…stand　of　Dresden　china　which　saw

the　light　only　twice　a　year。　This　circumstance　was　taken　note　of　by

the　company；　standing　ready　to　gossip　over　the　merest　trifle：



〃The　deuce！〃　muttered　du　Bousquier。　〃Actually　Madame　Amphoux's

liqueurs；　which　they　only　serve　at　the　four　church　festivals！〃



〃Undoubtedly　the　marriage　was　arranged　a　year　ago　by　letter；〃　said　the

chief…justice　du　Ronceret。　〃The　postmaster　tells　me　his　office　has

received　letters　postmarked　Odessa　for　more　than　a　year。〃



Madame　Granson　trembled。　The　Chevalier　de　Valois；　though　he　had　dined

with　the　appetite　of　four　men；　turned　pale　even　to　the　left　section　of

his　face。　Feeling　that　he　was　about　to　betray　himself；　he　said

hastily；



〃Don't　you　think　it　is　very　cold　to…day？　I　am　almost　frozen。〃



〃The　neighborhood　of　Russia；　perhaps；〃　said　du　Bousquier。



The　chevalier　looked　at　him　as　if　to　say；　〃Well　played！〃



Mademoiselle　Cormon　appeared　so　radiant；　so　triumphant；　that　the

company　thought　her　handsome。　This　extraordinary　brilliancy　was　not

the　effect　of　sentiment　only。　Since　early　morning　her　blood　had　been

whirling　tempestuously　within　her；　and　her　nerves　were　agitated　by　the

presentiment　of　some　great　crisis。　It　required　all　these　circumstances

combined　to　make　her　so　unlike　herself。　With　what　joy　did　she　now　make

her　solemn　presentation　of　the　viscount　to　the　chevalier；　the

chevalier　to　the　viscount；　and　all　Alencon　to　Monsieur　de　Troisville；

and　Monsieur　de　Troisville　to　all　Alencon！



By　an　accident　wholly　explainable；　the　viscount　and　chevalier；

aristocrats　by　nature；　came　instantly　into　unison；　they　recognized

each　other　at　once　as　men　belonging　to　the　same　sphere。　Accordingly；

they　began　to　converse　together；　standing　before　the　fireplace。　A

circle　formed　around　them；　and　their　conversation；　though　uttered　in　a

low　voice；　was　listened　to　in　religious　silence。　To　give　the　effect　of

this　scene　it　is　necessary　to　dramatize　it；　and　to　picture

Mademoiselle　Cormon　occupied　in　pouring　out　the　coffee　of　her

imaginary　suitor；　with　her　back　to　the　fireplace。



Monsieur　de　Valois。　〃Monsieur　le　vicomte　has　come；　I　am　told；　to

settle　in　Alencon？〃



Monsieur　de　Troisville。　〃Yes；　monsieur；　I　am　looking　for　a　house。〃

＇Mademoiselle　Cormon；　cup　in　hand；　turns　round。＇　〃It　must　be　a　large

house〃　＇Mademoiselle　Cormon　offers　him　the　cup＇　〃to　lodge　my　whole

family。〃　＇The　eyes　of　the　old　maid　are　troubled。＇



Monsieur　de　Valois。　〃Are　you　married？〃



Monsieur　de　Troisville。　〃Yes；　for　the　last　sixteen　years；　to　a

daughter　of　the　Princess　Scherbellof。〃



Mademoiselle　Cormon　fainted；　du　Bousquier；　who　saw　her　stagger；　sprang

forward　and　received　her　in　his　arms；　some　one　opened　the　door　and

allowed　him　to　pass　out　with　his　enormous　burden。　The　fiery

republican；　instructed　by　Josette；　found　strength　to　carry　the　old

maid　to　her　bedroom；　where　he　laid　her　out　on　the　bed。　Josette；　armed

with　scissors；　cut　the　corset；　which　was　terribly　tight。　Du　Bousquier

flung　water　on　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　face　and　bosom；　which；　released

from　the　corset；　overflowed　like　the　Loire　in　flood。　The　poor　woman

opened　her　eyes；　saw　du　Bousquier；　and　gave　a　cry　of　modesty　at　the

sight　of　him。　Du　Bousquier　retired　at　once；　leaving　six　women；　at　the

head　of　whom　was　Madame　Granson；　radiant　with　joy；　to　take　care　of　the

invalid。



What　had　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　been　about　all　this　time？　Faithful　to

his　system；　he　had　covered　the　retreat。



〃That　poor　Mademoiselle　Cormon；〃　he　said　to　Monsieur　de　Troisville；

gazing　at　the　assembly；　whose　laughter　was　repressed　by　his　cool

aristocratic　glances；　〃her　blood　is　horribly　out　of　order；　she

wouldn't　be　bled　before　going　to　Prebaudet　（her　estate）；and　see　the

result！〃



〃She　came　back　this　morning　in　the　rain；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Sponde；

〃and　she　may　have　taken　cold。　It　won't　be　anything；　it　is　only　a

little　upset　she　is　subject　to。〃



〃She　told　me　yesterday　she　had　not　had　one　for　three　months；　adding

that　she　was　afraid　it　would　play　her　a　trick　at　last；〃　said　the

chevalier。



〃Ha！　so　you　are　married？〃　said　Jacquelin　to　himself　as　he　looked　at

Monsieur　de　Troisville；　who　was　quietly　sipping　his　coffee。



The　faithful　servant　espoused　his　mistress's　disappointment；　he

divined　it；　and　he　promptly　carried　away　the　liqueurs　of　Madame

Amphoux；　which　were　offered　to　a　bachelor；　and　not　to　the　husband　of　a

Russian　woman。



All　these　details　were　noticed　and　laughed　at。　The　Abbe　de　Sponde　knew

the　object　of　Monsieur　de　Troisville's　journey；　but；　absent…minded　as

usual；　he　forgot　it；　not　supposing　that　his　niece　could　have　the

slightest　interest　in　Monsieur　de　Troisville's　marriage。　As　for　the

viscount；　preoccupied　with　the　object　of　his　journey；　and；　like　many

husbands；　not　eager　to　talk　about　his　wife；　he　had　had　no　occasion　to

say　he　was　married；　besides；　he　would　naturally　suppose　that

Mademoiselle　Cormon　knew　it。



Du　Bousquier　reappeared；　and　was　questioned　furiously。　One　of　the　six

women　came　down　soon　after；　and　announced　that　Mademoiselle　Cormon　was

much　better