the brotherhood of consolation-第4章

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resolving　to　sell　all　and　let　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　furnish　the　rooms
for　him。　He　wanted　a　new　life；　and　the　very　sight　of　these　objects
would　remind　him　of　that　which　he　wished　to　forget。　In　his　desire　for
transformation　（for　he　belonged　to　those　characters　who　spring　at　a
bound　into　the　middle　of　a　situation；　instead　of　advancing；　as　others
do；　step　by　step）；　he　was　seized　while　he　breakfasted　with　an　idea；
he　would　turn　his　whole　property　into　money；　pay　his　debts；　and　place
the　remainder　of　his　capital　in　the　banking…house　with　which　his
father　had　done　business。

This　house　was　the　firm　of　Mongenod　and　Company；　established　in　1816
or　1817；　whose　reputation　for　honesty　and　uprightness　had　never　been
questioned　in　the　midst　of　the　commercial　depravity　which　smirched；
more　or　less；　all　the　banking…houses　of　Paris。　In　spite　of　their
immense　wealth；　the　houses　of　Nucingen；　du　Tillet；　the　Keller
Brothers；　Palma　and　Company；　were　each　regarded；　more　or　less；　with
secret　disrespect；　although　it　is　true　this　disrespect　was　only
whispered。　Evil　means　had　produced　such　fine　results；　such　political
successes；　dynastic　principles　covered　so　completely　base　workings；
that　no　one　in　1834　thought　of　the　mud　in　which　the　roots　of　these
fine　trees；　the　mainstay　of　the　State；　were　plunged。　Nevertheless
there　was　not　a　single　one　of　those　great　bankers　to　whom　the
confidence　expressed　in　the　house　of　Mongenod　was　not　a　wound。　Like
English　houses；　the　Mongenods　made　no　external　display　of　luxury。　They
lived　in　dignified　stillness；　satisfied　to　do　their　business
prudently；　wisely；　and　with　a　stern　uprightness　which　enabled　them　to
carry　it　from　one　end　of　the　globe　to　the　other。

The　actual　head　of　the　house；　Frederic　Mongenod；　is　the　brother…in…law
of　the　Vicomte　de　Fontaine；　therefore；　this　numerous　family　is　allied
through　the　Baron　de　Fontaine　to　Monsieur　Grossetete；　the　receiver…
general；　brother　of　the　Grossetete　and　Company　of　Limoges；　to　the
Vandenesses；　and　to　Planat　de　Baudry；　another　receiver…general。　These
connections；　having　procured　for　the　late　Mongenod；　father　of　the
present　head　of　the　house；　many　favors　in　the　financial　operations
under　the　Restoration；　obtained　for　him　also　the　confidence　of　the　old
/noblesse/；　whose　property　and　whose　savings；　which　were　immense；　were
deposited　in　this　bank。　Far　from　coveting　a　peerage；　like　the　Kellers；
Nucingen；　and　du　Tillet；　the　Mongenods　kept　away　from　politics；　and
only　knew　as　much　about　them　as　their　banking　interests　demanded。

The　house　of　Mongenod　is　established　in　a　fine　old　mansion　in　the　rue
de　la　Victoire；　where　Madame　Mongenod；　the　mother；　lived　with　her　two
sons；　all　three　being　partners　in　the　house；the　share　of　the
Vicomtesse　de　Fontaine　having　been　bought　out　by　them　on　the　death　of
the　elder　Mongenod　in　1827。

Frederic　Mongenod；　a　handsome　young　man　about　thirty…five　years　of
age；　cold；　silent；　and　reserved　in　manner　like　a　Swiss；　and　neat　as　an
Englishman；　had　acquired　by　intercourse　with　his　father　all　the
qualities　necessary　for　his　difficult　profession。　Better　educated　than
the　generality　of　bankers；　his　studies　had　the　breadth　and
universality　which　characterize　the　polytechnic　training；　and　he　had；
like　most　bankers；　predilections　and　tastes　outside　of　his　business；
he　loved　mechanics　and　chemistry。　The　second　brother；　who　was　ten
years　younger　than　Frederic；　held　the　same　position　in　the　office　of
his　elder　brother　that　a　head　clerk　holds　in　that　of　a　notary　or
lawyer。　Frederic　trained　him；　as　he　had　himself　been　trained　by　his
father；　in　the　variety　of　knowledge　necessary　to　a　true　banker；　who　is
to　money　what　a　writer　is　to　ideas；they　must　both　know　all　of　that
with　which　they　have　to　deal。

When　Godefroid　reached　the　banking　house　and　gave　his　name；　he　saw　at
once　the　estimation　in　which　his　father　had　been　held；　for　he　was
ushered　through　the　offices　without　delay　to　the　private　counting…room
of　the　Mongenods。　This　counting…room　was　closed　with　a　glass　door；　so
that　Godefroid；　without　any　desire　to　listen；　overheard　as　he
approached　it　what　was　being　said　there。

〃Madame；　your　account　is　balanced　to　sixteen　hundred　thousand　francs；〃
said　the　younger　Mongenod。　〃I　do　not　know　what　my　brother's　intentions
are；　he　alone　can　say　whether　an　advance　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs
can　be　made。　You　must　have　been　imprudent。　Sixteen　hundred　thousand
francs　should　not　be　entrusted　to　any　business。〃

〃Do　not　speak　so　loud；　Louis！〃　said　a　woman's　voice。　〃Your　brother　has
often　told　you　to　speak　in　a　low　voice。　There　may　be　some　one　in　the
next　room。〃

At　this　moment　Frederic　Mongenod　himself　opened　the　door　of
communication　between　his　private　house　and　the　counting…room。　He　saw
Godefroid　and　crossed　the　room；　bowing　respectfully　to　the　lady　who
was　conversing　with　his　brother。

〃To　whom　have　I　the　honor　of　speaking？〃　he　said　to　Godefroid。

As　soon　as　Godefroid　gave　his　name；　Frederic　begged　him　to　be　seated；
and　as　the　banker　opened　the　lid　of　his　desk；　Louis　Mongenod　and　the
lady；　who　was　no　other　than　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　rose　and　went　up
to　him。　All　three　then　moved　into　the　embrasure　of　a　window　and　talked
in　a　low　voice　with　Madame　Mongenod；　the　mother；　who　was　sitting
there；　and　to　whom　all　the　affairs　of　the　bank　were　confided。　For　over
thirty　years　this　woman　had　given；　to　her　husband　first　and　then　to
her　sons；　such　proofs　of　business　sagacity　that　she　had　long　been　a
managing　partner　in　the　firm　and　signed　for　it。

Godefroid；　as　he　looked　about　him；　noticed　on　a　shelf　certain　boxes
ticketed　with　the　words　〃De　la　Chanterie；〃　and　numbered　1　to　7。　When
the　conference　was　ended　by　the　banker　saying　to　his　brother；　〃Very
good；　go　down　to　the　cashier；〃　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　turned　round；
saw　Godefroid；　checked　a　gesture　of　surprise；　and　asked　a　few
questions　of　the　banker　in　a　low　voice；　to　which　he　replied　in　a　few
words　spoken　equally　in　a　whisper。

Madame　de　la　Chanterie　now　wore　gray　silk　stockings　and　small　prunella
shoes；　her　gown　was　the　same　as　before；　but　she　was　wrapped　in　a
Venetian　〃mantua；〃a　sort　of　cloak　which　was　just　then　returning　into
fashion。　On　her　head　was　a　drawn　bonnet　of　green　silk；　lined　with
white　silk；　of　a　style　called　/a　la　bonne　femme/。　Her　face　was　framed
by　a　cloud　of　lace。　She　held　herself　very　erect；　in　an　attitude　which
bespoke；　if　not　noble　birth；　certainly　the　habits　of　an　aristocratic
life。　Without　the　extreme　affability　of　her　manner；　she　might　have
seemed　haughty；　she　was　certainly　imposing。

〃It　is　the　will　of　Providence　rather　than　mere　chance　that　has　brought
us　here　together；　monsieur；〃　she　said　to　Godefroid；　〃for　I　had　almost
decided　to　refuse　a　lodger　whose　ways　of　life　seemed　to　me　quite
antipathetic　to　those　of　my　household；　but　Monsieur　Mongenod　has　just
given　me　some　information　about　your　family　which〃

〃Ah；　madame；monsieur！〃　said　Godefroid；　addressing　both　Madame　de　la
Chanterie　and　the　banker；　〃I　have　no　longer　a　family；　and　I　have　come
here　now　to　ask　some　financial　advice　of　my　father's　business　advisers
as　to　the　best　method　of　adapting　my　means　to　a　new　way　of　life。〃

Godefroid　then　succinctly；　and　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　related
his　history；　and　expressed　his　desire　to　change　his　existence。

〃Formerly；〃　he　said；　〃a　man　in　my　position　would　have　made　himself　a
monk；　but　there　are　no　longer　any　religious　orders。〃

〃Go　and　live　with　madame；　if　she　is　willing　to　take　you；〃　said
Frederic　Mongenod；　after　exchanging　a　glance　with　Madame　de　la
Chanterie；　〃and　do　not　sell　out　your　property；　leave　it　in　my　hands。
Give　me　the　exact　amount　of　your　debts；　I　will　agree　with　your
creditors　for　payment　at　certain　dates；　and　you　can　have　for　yourself
about　a　hundred　and　fifty　francs　a　month。　It　will　thus　take　two　years
to　clear　you。　During　those　two　years；　if　you　take　those　quiet
lodgings；　you　will　have　time　to　think　of　a　career；　especially　among
the　persons　with　whom　you　will　live；　who　are　all　good　counsellors。〃

Here　Louis　Mongenod　returned；　bringing　in　his　hand　a　hundred　notes　of
a　thousand　francs　each；　which　he　gave　to　Madame　de　la　Chanterie。
Godefroid　offered　his　arm　to　his　future　hostess；　and　took　her　down　to
the　hackney…coach　which　was　waiting　for　her。

〃I　hope　I　shall　see　you　soon；　monsieur；〃　she　said　in　a　cordial　tone　of
voice。

〃At　what　hour　shall　you　be　at　home；　madame？〃　he　asked。

〃At　two　o'clock。〃

〃I　shall　have　time　to　sell　my　furniture；〃　he　said；　as　he　bowed　to　her。

During　the　short　time　that　Madame　de　la　Chanterie's　arm　rested　upon
his　as　they　walked　to　the　carriage；　Godefroid　could　not　escape　the
glamour　of　the　words：　〃Your　account　is　for　sixteen　hundred　thousand
francs！〃words　said　by　Louis　Mongenod　to　the　woman　whose　life　was
spent　in　the　depths　of　the　cloisters　of　Notre…Dame。　The　thought；　〃She
must　be　rich！〃　entirely　changed　his　way　of　looking　at　the　matter。　〃How
old　is　she？〃　he　began　to　ask　himself；　and　a　vision　of　a　romance　in　the
rue　Chanoinesse　came　to　him。　〃She　certainly　has　an　air　of　nobility！
Can　she　be　concerned　in　some　bank？〃　thought　he。

In　our　day　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　young　men　out　of　a　thousand　in
Godefroid's　position　would　have　had　the　thought　of　marrying　that
woman。

A　furniture　dealer；　who　also　had　apartments　to　let；　paid　about　three
thousand　francs　for　the　articles　Godefroid　was　willing　to　sell；　and
agreed　to　let　him　keep　them　during　the　few　days　that　were　needed　to
prepare　the　shabby　apartment　in　the　rue　Chanoinesse　for　this　lodger
with　a　sick　mind。　Godefroid　went　there　at　once；　and　obtained　from
Madame　de　la　Chanterie　the　address　of　a　painter　who；　for　a　moderate
sum；　agreed　to　whiten　the　ceilings；　clean　the　windows；　paint　the
woodwork；　and　stain　the　floors；　within　a　week。　Godefroid　took　the
measure　of　the　rooms；　intending　to　put　the　same　carpet　in　all　of　them；
a　green　carpet　of　the　cheapest　kind。　He　wished　for　the　plainest
uniformity　in　this　retreat；　and　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　approved　of　the
idea。　She　calculated；　with　Manon's　assistance；　the　number　of　yards　of
white　calico　required　for　the　window　curtains；　and　also　for　those　of
the　modest　iron　bed；　and　she　undertook　to　buy　and　have　them　made　for　a
price　so　moderate　as　to　surprise　Godefroid。　Having　brought　with　him　a
certain　amount　of　furniture；　the　whole　cost　of　fitting　up　the　rooms
proved　to　be　not　over　six　hundred　francs。

〃We　lead　here；〃　said　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　〃a　Christian　life；　which
does　not；　as　you　know；　accord　with　many　superfluities；　I　think　you
have　too　many　as　it　is。〃

In　giving　this　hint　to　her　future　lodger；　she　looked　at　a　diamond
which　gleamed　in　the　ring　through　which　Godefroid's　blue　cravat　was
slipped。

〃I　only　speak　of　this；〃　she　added；　〃because　of　the　intention　you
expressed　to　abandon　the　frivolous　life　you　complained　of　to　Monsieur
Mongenod。〃

Godefroid　looked　at　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　as　he　listened　to　the
harmonies　of　her　limpid　voice；　he　examined　that　face　so　purely　white；
resembling　those　of　the　cold；　grave　women　of　Holland　whom　the　Flemish
painters　have　so　wonderfully　reproduced　with　their　smooth　skins；　in
which　a　wrinkle　is　impossible。

〃White　and　plump！〃　he　said　to　himself；　as　he　walked　away；　〃but　her
hair