la mere bauche-第2章

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Bauche；　the　heir　to　all　her　virtues　and　all　her　riches；　the　first
young　man　in　that　or　any　neighbouring　valley；　was　absolutely
contemplating　the　idea　of　marrying　that　poor　little　orphan；　Marie
Clavert！

That　any　one　should　ever　fall　in　love　with　Marie　Clavert　had　never
occurred　to　Madame　Bauche。　　She　had　always　regarded　the　child　as　a
child；　as　the　object　of　her　charity；　and　as　a　little　thing　to　be
looked　on　as　poor　Marie　by　all　the　world。　　She；　looking　through　her
green　spectacles；　had　never　seen　that　Marie　Clavert　was　a　beautiful
creature；　full　of　ripening　charms；　such　as　young　men　love　to　look　on。
Marie　was　of　infinite　daily　use　to　Madame　Bauche　in　a　hundred　little
things　about　the　house；　and　the　old　lady　thoroughly　recognised　and
appreciated　her　ability。　　But　for　this　very　reason　she　had　never
taught　herself　to　regard　Marie　otherwise　than　as　a　useful　drudge。
She　was　very　fond　of　her　protegeeso　much　so　that　she　would　listen
to　her　in　affairs　about　the　house　when　she　would　listen　to　no　one
else；but　Marie's　prettiness　and　grace　and　sweetness　as　a　girl　had
all　been　thrown　away　upon　Maman　Bauche；　as　Marie　used　to　call　her。

But　unluckily　it　had　not　been　thrown　away　upon　Adolphe。　　He　had
appreciated；　as　it　was　natural　that　he　should　do；　all　that　had　been
so　utterly　indifferent　to　his　mother；　and　consequently　had　fallen　in
love。　　Consequently　also　he　had　told　his　love；　and　consequently　also
Marie　had　returned　his　love。

Adolphe　had　been　hitherto　contradicted　but　in　few　things；　and　thought
that　all　difficulty　would　be　prevented　by　his　informing　his　mother
that　he　wished　to　marry　Marie　Clavert。　　But　Marie；　with　a　woman's
instinct；　had　known　better。　　She　had　trembled　and　almost　crouched
with　fear　when　she　confessed　her　love；　and　had　absolutely　hid　herself
from　sight　when　Adolphe　went　forth；　prepared　to　ask　his　mother's
consent　to　his　marriage。

The　indignation　and　passionate　wrath　of　Madame　Bauche　were　past　and
gone　two　years　before　the　date　of　this　story；　and　I　need　not
therefore　much　enlarge　upon　that　subject。　　She　was　at　first　abusive
and　bitter；　which　was　bad　for　Marie；　and　afterwards　bitter　and
silent；　which　was　worse。　　It　was　of　course　determined　that　poor　Marie
should　be　sent　away　to　some　asylum　for　orphans　or　penniless　paupers
in　short　anywhere　out　of　the　way。　　What　mattered　her　outlook　into　the
world；　her　happiness；　or　indeed　her　very　existence？　　The　outlook　and
happiness　of　Adolphe　Bauche；was　not　that　to　be　considered　as
everything　at　Vernet？

But　this　terrible　sharp　aspect　of　affairs　did　not　last　very　long。　　In
the　first　place　La　Mere　Bauche　had　under　those　green　spectacles　a
heart　that　in　truth　was　tender　and　affectionate；　and　after　the　first
two　days　of　anger　she　admitted　that　something　must　be　done　for　Marie
Clavert；　and　after　the　fourth　day　she　acknowledged　that　the　world　of
the　hotel；　her　world；　would　not　go　as　well　without　Marie　Clavert　as
it　would　with　her。　　And　in　the　next　place　Madame　Bauche　had　a　friend
whose　advice　in　grave　matters　she　would　sometimes　take。　　This　friend
had　told　her　that　it　would　be　much　better　to　send　away　Adolphe；　since
it　was　so　necessary　that　there　should　be　a　sending　away　of　some　one；
that　he　would　be　much　benefited　by　passing　some　months　of　his　life
away　from　his　native　valley；　and　that　an　absence　of　a　year　or　two
would　teach　him　to　forget　Marie；　even　if　it　did　not　teach　Marie　to
forget　him。

And　we　must　say　a　word　or　two　about　this　friend。　　At　Vernet　he　was
usually　called　M。　le　Capitaine；　though　in　fact　he　had　never　reached
that　rank。　　He　had　been　in　the　army；　and　having　been　wounded　in　the
leg　while　still　a　sous…lieutenant；　had　been　pensioned；　and　had　thus
been　interdicted　from　treading　any　further　the　thorny　path　that　leads
to　glory。　　For　the　last　fifteen　years　he　had　resided　under　the　roof
of　Madame　Bauche；　at　first　as　a　casual　visitor；　going　and　coming；　but
now　for　many　years　as　constant　there　as　she　was　herself。

He　was　so　constantly　called　Le　Capitaine　that　his　real　name　was
seldom　heard。　　It　may　however　as　well　be　known　to　us　that　this　was
Theodore　Campan。　　He　was　a　tall；　well…looking　man；　always　dressed　in
black　garments；　of　a　coarse　description　certainly；　but　scrupulously
clean　and　well　brushed；　of　perhaps　fifty　years　of　age；　and
conspicuous　for　the　rigid　uprightness　of　his　backand　for　a　black
wooden　leg。

This　wooden　leg　was　perhaps　the　most　remarkable　trait　in　his
character。　　It　was　always　jet　black；　being　painted；　or　polished；　or
japanned；　as　occasion　might　require；　by　the　hands　of　the　capitaine
himself。　　It　was　longer　than　ordinary　wooden　legs；　as　indeed　the
capitaine　was　longer　than　ordinary　men；　but　nevertheless　it　never
seemed　in　any　way　to　impede　the　rigid　punctilious　propriety　of　his
movements。　　It　was　never　in　his　way　as　wooden　legs　usually　are　in　the
way　of　their　wearers。　　And　then　to　render　it　more　illustrious　it　had
round　its　middle；　round　the　calf　of　the　leg　we　may　so　say；　a　band　of
bright　brass　which　shone　like　burnished　gold。

It　had　been　the　capitaine's　custom；　now　for　some　years　past；　to
retire　every　evening　at　about　seven　o'clock　into　the　sanctum
sanctorum　of　Madame　Bauche's　habitation；　the　dark　little　private
sitting…room　in　which　she　made　out　her　bills　and　calculated　her
profits；　and　there　regale　himself　in　her　presenceand　indeed　at　her
expense；　for　the　items　never　appeared　in　the　billwith　coffee　and
cognac。　　I　have　said　that　there　was　never　eating　or　drinking　at　the
establishment　after　the　regular　dinner…hours；　but　in　so　saying　I
spoke　of　the　world　at　large。　　Nothing　further　was　allowed　in　the　way
of　trade；　but　in　the　way　of　friendship　so　much　was　now…a…days　always
allowed　to　the　capitaine。

It　was　at　these　moments　that　Madame　Bauche　discussed　her　private
affairs；　and　asked　for　and　received　advice。　　For　even　Madame　Bauche
was　mortal；　nor　could　her　green　spectacles　without　other　aid　carry
her　through　all　the　troubles　of　life。　　It　was　now　five　years　since
the　world　of　Vernet　discovered　that　La　Mere　Bauche　was　going　to　marry
the　capitaine；　and　for　eighteen　months　the　world　of　Vernet　had　been
full　of　this　matter：　　but　any　amount　of　patience　is　at　last
exhausted；　and　as　no　further　steps　in　that　direction　were　ever　taken
beyond　the　daily　cup　of　coffee；　that　subject　died　awayvery　much
unheeded　by　La　Mere　Bauche。

But　she；　though　she　thought　of　no　matrimony　for　herself；　thought　much
of　matrimony　for　other　people；　and　over　most　of　those　cups　of　evening
coffee　and　cognac　a　matrimonial　project　was　discussed　in　these　latter
days。　　It　has　been　seen　that　the　capitaine　pleaded　in　Marie's　favour
when　the　fury　of　Madame　Bauche's　indignation　broke　forth；　and　that
ultimately　Marie　was　kept　at　home；　and　Adolphe　sent　away　by　his
advice。

〃But　Adolphe　cannot　always　stay　away；〃　Madame　Bauche　had　pleaded　in
her　difficulty。　　The　truth　of　this　the　capitaine　had　admitted；　but
Marie；　he　said；　might　be　married　to　some　one　else　before　two　years
were　over。　　And　so　the　matter　had　commenced。

But　to　whom　should　she　be　married？　　To　this　question　the　capitaine
had　answered　in　perfect　innocence　of　heart；　that　La　Mere　Bauche　would
be　much　better　able　to　make　such　a　choice　than　himself。　　He　did　not
know　how　Marie　might　stand　with　regard　to　money。　　If　madame　would
give　some　little　〃dot；〃　the　affair；　the　capitaine　thought；　would　be
more　easily　arranged。

All　these　things　took　months　to　say；　during　which　period　Marie　went
on　with　her　work　in　melancholy　listlessness。　　One　comfort　she　had。
Adolphe；　before　he　went；　had　promised　to　her；　holding　in　his　hand　as
he　did　so　a　little　cross　which　she　had　given　him；　that　no　earthly
consideration　should　sever　them；that　sooner　or　later　he　would
certainly　be　her　husband。　　Marie　felt　that　her　limbs　could　not　work
nor　her　tongue　speak　were　it　not　for　this　one　drop　of　water　in　her
cup。

And　then；　deeply　meditating；　La　Mere　Bauche　hit　upon　a　plan；　and
herself　communicated　it　to　the　capitaine　over　a　second　cup　of　coffee
into　which　she　poured　a　full　teaspoonful　more　than　the　usual
allowance　of　cognac。　　Why　should　not　he；　the　capitaine　himself；　be
the　man　to　marry　Marie　Clavert？

It　was　a　very　startling　proposal；　the　idea　of　matrimony　for　himself
never　having　as　yet　entered　into　the　capitaine's　head　at　any　period
of　his　life；　but　La　Mere　Bauche　did　contrive　to　make　it　not
altogether　unacceptable。　　As　to　that　matter　of　dowry　she　was　prepared
to　be　more　than　generous。　　She　did　love　Marie　well；　and　could　find　it
in　her　heart　to　give　her　anythingany　thing　except　her　son；　her　own
Adolphe。　　What　she　proposed　was　this。　　Adolphe；　himself；　would　never
keep　the　baths。　　If　the　capitaine　would　take　Marie　for　his　wife；
Marie；　Madame　Bauche　declared；　should　be　the　mistress　after　her
death；　subject　of　course　to　certain　settlements　as　to　Adolphe's
pecuniary　interests。

The　plan　was　discussed　a　thousand　times；　and　at　last　so　far　brought
to　bear　that　Marie　was　made　acquainted　with　ithaving　been　called　in
to　sit　in　presence　with　La　Mere　Bauche　and　her　future　proposed
husband。　　The　poor　girl　manifested　no　disgust　to　the　stiff　ungainly
lover　whom　they　assigned　to　her；who　through　his　whole　frame　was　in
appearance　almost　as　wooden　as　his　own　leg。　　On　the　whole；　indeed；
Marie　liked　the　capitaine；　and　felt　that　he　was　her　friend；　and　in
her　country　such　marriages　were　not　uncommon。　　The　capitaine　was
perhaps　a　little　beyond　the　age　at　which　a　man　might　usually　be
thought　justified　in　demanding　the　services　of　a　young　girl　as　his
nurse　and　wife；　but　then　Marie　of　herself　had　so　little　to　give
except　her　youth；　and　beauty；　and　goodness。

But　yet　she　could　not　absolutely　consent；　for　was　she　not　absolutely
pledged　to　her　own　Adolphe？　　And　therefore；　when　the　great　pecuniary
advantages　were；　one　by　one；　displayed　before　her；　and　when　La　Mere
Bauche；　as　a　last　argument；　informed　her　that　as　wife　of　the
capitaine　she　would　be　regarded　as　second　mistress　in　the
establishment　and　not　as　a　servant；　she　could　only　burst　out　into
tears；　and　say　that　she　did　not　know。

〃I　will　be　very　kind　to　you；〃　said　the　capitaine；　〃as　kind　as　a　man
can　be。〃

Marie　took　his　hard　withered　hand　and　kissed　it；　and　then　looked　up
into　his　face　with　beseeching　eyes　which　were　not　without　avail　upon
his　heart。

〃We　will　not　press　her　now；〃　said　the　capitaine。　　〃There　is　time
enough。〃

But　let　his　heart　be　touched　ever　so　much；　one　thing　was　certain。　　It
could　not　be　permitted　that　she　should　marry　Adolphe。　　To　that　view
of　the　matter　he　had　given　in　his　unrestricted　adhesion；　nor　could　he
by　any　means　withdraw　it　without　losing　altogether　his　position　in
the　establishment　of　Madame　Bauche。　　Nor　indeed　did　his　conscience
tell　him　that　such　a　marriage　should　be　permitted。　　That　would　be　too
much。　　If　every　pretty　girl　were　allowed　to　marry　the　first　young　man
that　might　fall　in　love　with　her；　what　would　the　world　come　to？

And　it　soon　appeared　that　there　was　not　time　enoughthat　the　time
was　growing　very　scant。　　In　three　months　Adolphe　would　be　back。　　And
if　everything　was　not　arranged　by　that　time；　matters　might　still　go
astray。

And　then　Madame　Bauche　asked　her　final　question：　　〃You　do　not　think；
do　you；　that　you　can　ever　marry　Adolphe？〃　　And　as