an old maid-第6章

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Bousquier　was　again　the　antithesis　of　the　chevalier。　When　he　made　his

final　remark；　he　flung　his　night…cap　to　the　foot　of　the　bed；　as　Pope

Gregory　did　the　taper　when　he　fulminated　an　excommunication；　Suzanne

then　learned　for　the　first　time　that　du　Bousquier　wore　a　toupet

covering　his　bald　spot。



〃Please　to　remember；　Monsieur　du　Bousquier；〃　she　replied　majestically；

〃that　in　coming　here　to　tell　you　of　this　matter　I　have　done　my　duty；

remember　that　I　have　offered　you　my　hand；　and　asked　for　yours；　but

remember　also　that　I　behaved　with　the　dignity　of　a　woman　who　respects

herself。　I　have　not　abased　myself　to　weep　like　a　silly　fool；　I　have

not　insisted；　I　have　not　tormented　you。　You　now　know　my　situation。　You

must　see　that　I　cannot　stay　in　Alencon：　my　mother　would　beat　me；　and

Madame　Lardot　rides　a　hobby　of　principles；　she'll　turn　me　off。　Poor

work…girl　that　I　am；　must　I　go　to　the　hospital？　must　I　beg　my　bread？

No！　I'd　rather　throw　myself　into　the　Brillante　or　the　Sarthe。　But

isn't　it　better　that　I　should　go　to　Paris？　My　mother　could　find　an

excuse　to　send　me　there；an　uncle　who　wants　me；　or　a　dying　aunt；　or　a

lady　who　sends　for　me。　But　I　must　have　some　money　for　the　journey　and

foryou　know　what。〃



This　extraordinary　piece　of　news　was　far　more　startling　to　du

Bousquier　than　to　the　Chevalier　de　Valois。　Suzanne's　fiction

introduced　such　confusion　into　the　ideas　of　the　old　bachelor　that　he

was　literally　incapable　of　sober　reflection。　Without　this　agitation

and　without　his　inward　delight　（for　vanity　is　a　swindler　which　never

fails　of　its　dupe）；　he　would　certainly　have　reflected　that；　supposing

it　were　true；　a　girl　like　Suzanne；　whose　heart　was　not　yet　spoiled；

would　have　died　a　thousand　deaths　before　beginning　a　discussion　of

this　kind　and　asking　for　money。



〃Will　you　really　go　to　Paris；　then？〃　he　said。



A　flash　of　gayety　lighted　Suzanne's　gray　eyes　as　she　heard　these

words；　but　the　self…satisfied　du　Bousquier　saw　nothing。



〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　she　said。



Du　Bousquier　then　began　bitter　lamentations：　he　had　the　last　payments

to　make　on　his　house；　the　painter；　the　mason；　the　upholsterers　must　be

paid。　Suzanne　let　him　run　on；　she　was　listening　for　the　figures。　Du

Bousquier　offered　her　three　hundred　francs。　Suzanne　made　what　is

called　on　the　stage　a　false　exit；　that　is；　she　marched　toward　the

door。



〃Stop；　stop！　where　are　you　going？〃　said　du　Bousquier；　uneasily。　〃This

is　what　comes　of　a　bachelor's　life！〃　thought　he。　〃The　devil　take　me　if

I　ever　did　anything　more　than　rumple　her　collar；　and；　lo　and　behold！

she　makes　THAT　a　ground　to　put　her　hand　in　one's　pocket！〃



〃I'm　going；　monsieur；〃　replied　Suzanne；　〃to　Madame　Granson；　the

treasurer　of　the　Maternity　Society；　who；　to　my　knowledge；　has　saved

many　a　poor　girl　in　my　condition　from　suicide。〃



〃Madame　Granson！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Suzanne；　〃a　relation　of　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　the　president

of　the　Maternity　Society。　Saving　your　presence；　the　ladies　of　the　town

have　created　an　institution　to　protect　poor　creatures　from　destroying

their　infants；　like　that　handsome　Faustine　of　Argentan　who　was

executed　for　it　three　years　ago。〃



〃Here；　Suzanne；〃　said　du　Bousquier；　giving　her　a　key；　〃open　that

secretary；　and　take　out　the　bag　you'll　find　there：　there's　about　six

hundred　francs　in　it；　it　is　all　I　possess。〃



〃Old　cheat！〃　thought　Suzanne；　doing　as　he　told　her；　〃I'll　tell　about

your　false　toupet。〃



She　compared　du　Bousquier　with　that　charming　chevalier；　who　had　given

her　nothing；　it　is　true；　but　who　had　comprehended　her；　advised　her；

and　carried　all　grisettes　in　his　heart。



〃If　you　deceive　me；　Suzanne；〃　cried　du　Bousquier；　as　he　saw　her　with

her　hand　in　the　drawer；　〃you〃



〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　interrupting　him　with　ineffable　impertinence；

〃wouldn't　you　have　given　me　money　if　I　had　asked　for　it？〃



Recalled　to　a　sense　of　gallantry；　du　Bousquier　had　a　remembrance　of

past　happiness　and　grunted　his　assent。　Suzanne　took　the　bag　and

departed；　after　allowing　the　old　bachelor　to　kiss　her；　which　he　did

with　an　air　that　seemed　to　say；　〃It　is　a　right　which　costs　me　dear；

but　it　is　better　than　being　harried　by　a　lawyer　in　the　court　of

assizes　as　the　seducer　of　a　girl　accused　of　infanticide。〃



Suzanne　hid　the　sack　in　a　sort　of　gamebag　made　of　osier　which　she　had

on　her　arm；　all　the　while　cursing　du　Bousquier　for　his　stinginess；　for

one　thousand　francs　was　the　sum　she　wanted。　Once　tempted　of　the　devil

to　desire　that　sum；　a　girl　will　go　far　when　she　has　set　foot　on　the

path　of　trickery。　As　she　made　her　way　along　the　rue　du　Bercail；　it

came　into　her　head　that　the　Maternity　Society；　presided　over　by

Mademoiselle　Cormon；　might　be　induced　to　complete　the　sum　at　which　she

had　reckoned　her　journey　to　Paris；　which　to　a　grisette　of　Alencon

seemed　considerable。　Besides；　she　hated　du　Bousquier。　The　latter　had

evidently　feared　a　revelation　of　his　supposed　misconduct　to　Madame

Granson；　and　Suzanne；　at　the　risk　of　not　getting　a　penny　from　the

society；　was　possessed　with　the　desire；　on　leaving　Alencon；　of

entangling　the　old　bachelor　in　the　inextricable　meshes　of　a　provincial

slander。　In　all　grisettes　there　is　something　of　the　malevolent

mischief　of　a　monkey。　Accordingly；　Suzanne　now　went　to　see　Madame

Granson；　composing　her　face　to　an　expression　of　the　deepest　dejection。







CHAPTER　III



ATHANASE



Madame　Granson；　widow　of　a　lieutenant…colonel　of　artillery　killed　at

Jena；　possessed；　as　her　whole　means　of　livelihood；　a　meagre　pension　of

nine　hundred　francs　a　year；　and　three　hundred　francs　from　property　of

her　own；　plus　a　son　whose　support　and　education　had　eaten　up　all　her

savings。　She　occupied；　in　the　rue　du　Bercail；　one　of　those　melancholy

ground…floor　apartments　which　a　traveller　passing　along　the　principal

street　of　a　little　provincial　town　can　look　through　at　a　glance。　The

street　door　opened　at　the　top　of　three　steep　steps；　a　passage　led　to

an　interior　courtyard；　at　the　end　of　which　was　the　staircase　covered

by　a　wooden　gallery。　On　one　side　of　the　passage　was　the　dining…room

and　the　kitchen；　on　the　other　side；　a　salon　put　to　many　uses；　and　the

widow's　bedchamber。



Athanase　Granson；　a　young　man　twenty…three　years　of　age；　who　slept　in

an　attic　room　above　the　second　floor　of　the　house；　added　six　hundred

francs　to　the　income　of　his　poor　mother；　by　the　salary　of　a　little

place　which　the　influence　of　his　relation；　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　had

obtained　for　him　in　the　mayor's　office；　where　he　was　placed　in　charge

of　the　archives。



From　these　indications　it　is　easy　to　imagine　Madame　Granson　in　her

cold　salon　with　its　yellow　curtains　and　Utrecht　velvet　furniture；　also

yellow；　as　she　straightened　the　round　straw　mats　which　were　placed

before　each　chair；　that　visitors　might　not　soil　the　red…tiled　floor

while　they　sat　there；　after　which　she　returned　to　her　cushioned

armchair　and　little　work…table　placed　beneath　the　portrait　of　the

lieutenant…colonel　of　artillery　between　two　windows；a　point　from

which　her　eye　could　rake　the　rue　du　Bercail　and　see　all　comers。　She

was　a　good　woman；　dressed　with　bourgeois　simplicity　in　keeping　with

her　wan　face　furrowed　by　grief。　The　rigorous　humbleness　of　poverty

made　itself　felt　in　all　the　accessories　of　this　household；　the　very

air　of　which　was　charged　with　the　stern　and　upright　morals　of　the

provinces。　At　this　moment　the　son　and　mother　were　together　in　the

dining…room；　where　they　were　breakfasting　with　a　cup　of　coffee；　with

bread　and　butter　and　radishes。　To　make　the　pleasure　which　Suzanne's

visit　was　to　give　to　Madame　Granson　intelligible；　we　must　explain

certain　secret　interests　of　the　mother　and　son。



Athanase　Granson　was　a　thin　and　pale　young　man；　of　medium　height；　with

a　hollow　face　in　which　his　two　black　eyes；　sparkling　with　thoughts；

gave　the　effect　of　bits　of　coal。　The　rather　irregular　lines　of　his

face；　the　curve　of　his　lips；　a　prominent　chin；　the　fine　modelling　of

his　forehead；　his　melancholy　countenance；　caused　by　a　sense　of　his

poverty　warring　with　the　powers　that　he　felt　within　him；　were　all

indications　of　repressed　and　imprisoned　talent。　In　any　other　place

than　the　town　of　Alencon　the　mere　aspect　of　his　person　would　have　won

him　the　assistance　of　superior　men；　or　of　women　who　are　able　to

recognize　genius　in　obscurity。　If　his　was　not　genius；　it　was　at　any

rate　the　form　and　aspect　of　it；　if　he　had　not　the　actual　force　of　a

great　heart；　the　glow　of　such　a　heart　was　in　his　glance。　Although　he

was　capable　of　expressing　the　highest　feeling；　a　casing　of　timidity

destroyed　all　the　graces　of　his　youth；　just　as　the　ice　of　poverty　kept

him　from　daring　to　put　forth　all　his　powers。　Provincial　life；　without

an　opening；　without　appreciation；　without　encouragement；　described　a

circle　about　him　in　which　languished　and　died　the　power　of　thought；a

power　which　as　yet　had　scarcely　reached　its　dawn。　Moreover；　Athanase

possessed　that　savage　pride　which　poverty　intensifies　in　noble　minds；

exalting　them　in　their　struggle　with　men　and　things；　although　at　their

start　in　life　it　is　an　obstacle　to　their　advancement。　Genius　proceeds

in　two　ways：　either　it　takes　its　opportunitylike　Napoleon；　like

Molierethe　moment　that　it　sees　it；　or　it　waits　to　be　sought　when　it

has　patiently　revealed　itself。　Young　Granson　belonged　to　that　class　of

men　of　talent　who　distrust　themselves　and　are　easily　discouraged。　His

soul　was　contemplative。　He　lived　more　by　thought　than　by　action。

Perhaps　he　might　have　seemed　deficient　or　incomplete　to　those　who

cannot　conceive　of　genius　without　the　sparkle　of　French　passion；　but

he　was　powerful　in　the　world　of　mind；　and　he　was　liable　to　reach；

through　a　series　of　emotions　imperceptible　to　common　souls；　those

sudden　determinations　which　make　fools　say　of　a　man；　〃He　is　mad。〃



The　contempt　which　the　world　pours　out　on　poverty　was　death　to

Athanase；　the　enervating　heat　of　solitude；　without　a　breath　or　current

of　air；　relaxed　the　bow　which　ever　strove　to　tighten　itself；　his　soul

grew　weary　in　this　painful　effort　without　results。　Athanase　was　a　man

who　might　have　taken　his　place　among　the　glories　of　France；　but；　eagle

as　he　was；　cooped　in　a　cage　without　his　proper　nourishment；　he　was

about　to　die　of　hunger　after　contemplating　with　an　ardent　eye　the

fields　of　air　and　the　mountain　heights　where　genius　soars。　His　work　in

the　city　library　escaped　attention；　and　he　buried　in　his　soul　his

thoughts　of　fame；　fearing　that　they　might　injure　him；　but　deeper　than

all　lay　buried　within　him　the　secret　of　his　heart；a　passion　which

hollowed　his　cheeks　and　yellowed　his　brow。　He　loved　his　distant

cousin；　this　very　Mademoiselle　Cormon　whom　the　Chevalier　de　Valois　and

du　Bousquier；　his　hidden　rivals；　were　stalking。　This　love　had　had　its

origin　in　calculation。　Mademoiselle　Cormon　was　thought　to　be　one　of

the　richest　persons　in　the　town：　the　poor　lad　had　therefore　been　led

to　love　her　by　desires　fo