the deputy of arcis-第42部分

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；　in　the　history　of　Don　Quixote　（which　I　have　heard　you　admire　for　its　common…　sense　and　jovial　reasoning）　the　rather　disagreeable　adventures　of　Rosinante　and　the　muleteers；　you　will　have　a　foretaste　of　the　good　luck　which　the　development　of　Mademoiselle　Antonia's　new　passion　brought　to　us。

Our　rival；　Beauvisage；　is　not　only　a　successful　stocking…maker　and　an　exemplary　mayor；　but　he　is　also　a　model　husband；　having　never　tripped　in　loyalty　to　his　wife；　whom　he　respects　and　admires。　Every　evening；　by　her　orders；　he　goes　to　bed　before　ten　o'clock；　while　Madame　Beauvisage　and　her　daughter　go　into　what　Arcis　is　pleased　to　call　society。　But　there　is　no　more　treacherous　water；　they　say；　than　still　water；　just　as　there　was　nothing　less　proper　and　well…behaved　than　the　calm　and　peaceable　Rosinante　on　the　occasion　referred　to。

At　any　rate；　while　making　the　tour　of　his　town　according　to　his　laudable　official　habit；　Beauvisage　from　the　top　of　the　bridge　chanced　to　catch　sight　of　the　fair　Parisian　who　with　outstretched　arms　and　gracefully　bent　body　was　pursuing　her　favorite　pastime。　A　slight　movement；　the　charming　impatience　with　which　the　pretty　fisher　twitched　her　line　from　the　water　when　the　fish　had　not　bitten；　was　perhaps　the　electric　shock　which　struck　upon　the　heart　of　the　magistrate；　hitherto　irreproachable。　No　one　can　say；　perhaps；　how　the　thing　really　came　about。　But　I　ought　to　remark　that　during　the　interregnum　that　occurred　between　the　making　of　socks　and　night…caps　and　the　assumption　of　municipal　duties；　Beauvisage　himself　had　practised　the　art　of　fishing　with　a　line　with　distinguished　success。　Probably　it　occurred　to　him　that　the　poor　young　lady；　having　more　ardor　than　science；　was　not　going　the　right　way　to　work；　and　the　thought　of　improving　her　method　may　have　been　the　real　cause　of　his　apparent　degeneracy。　However　that　may　be；　it　is　certain　that；　crossing　the　bridge　in　company　with　her　mother；　Mademoiselle　Beauvisage　suddenly　cried　out；　like　a　true　/enfant　terrible/；

〃Goodness！　there's　papa　talking　with　that　Parisian　woman！〃

To　assure　herself　at　a　glance　of　the　monstrous　fact；　to　rush　down　the　bank　and　reach　her　husband　（whom　she　found　with　laughing　lips　and　the　happy　air　of　a　browsing　sheep）；　to　blast　him　with　a　stern　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　to　order　his　retreat　to　Arcis　with　the　air　of　a　queen；　while　Mademoiselle　Chocardelle；　first　astonished　and　then　enlightened　as　to　what　it　all　meant；　went　off　into　fits　of　laughter；　took　scarcely　the　time　I　have　taken　to　tell　it。　Such；　madame；　was　the　proceeding　by　which　Madame　Beauvisage；　/nee/　Grevin；　rescued　her　husband；　and　though　that　proceeding　may　be　called　justifiable；　it　was　certainly　injudicious；　for　before　night　the　whole　town　had　heard　of　the　catastrophe；　and　Beauvisage；　arraigned　and　convicted　by　common　consent　of　deplorable　immorality；　saw　fresh　desertions　taking　place　in　the　already　winnowed　phalanx　of　his　partisans。

However；　the　Gondreville　and　Grevin　side　still　held　firm；　andwould　you　believe　it；　madame？it　was　again　Mademoiselle　Antonia　to　whom　we　owe　the　overthrow　of　their　last　rampart。

Here　is　the　tale　of　that　phenomenon：　Mother　Marie…des…Anges　wanted　an　interview　with　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　but　how　to　get　it　she　did　not　know；　because　to　ask　for　it　was　not；　as　she　thought；　proper。　Having；　it　appears；　unpleasant　things　to　say　to　him；　she　did　not　wish　to　bring　the　old　man　to　the　convent　expressly　to　hear　them；　such　a　proceeding　seemed　to　her　uncharitable。　Besides；　things　comminatory　delivered　point…blank　will　often　provoke　their　recipient　instead　of　alarming　him；　whereas　the　same　things　slipped　in　sweetly　never　fail　of　their　effect。　Still；　time　was　passing；　the　election；　as　you　know；　takes　place　to…morrow；　Sunday；　and　the　preparatory　meeting　of　all　the　candidates　and　the　electors；　to…night。　The　poor　dear　saintly　woman　did　not　know　what　course　to　take；　when　a　little　matter　occurred；　most　flattering　to　her　vanity；　which　solved　her　doubts。　A　pretty　sinner；　she　was　told；　who　had　come　to　Arcis　to　〃do〃　Monsieur　Keller　the　financier；　then　at　Gondreville；　out　of　some　money；　had　heard　of　the　virtues　and　the　inexhaustible　kindness　of　Mother　Marie…des…Angesin　short；　she　regarded　her；　after　Danton；　as　the　most　interesting　object　of　the　place；　and　deeply　regretted　that　she　dared　not　ask　to　be　admitted　to　her　presence。

An　hour　later　the　following　note　was　left　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste：

　　Mademoiselle；I　am　told　that　you　desire　to　see　me；　but　that　you　　　do　not　know　how　to　accomplish　it。　Nothing　is　easier。　Ring　the　　　door…bell　of　my　quiet　house；　ask　to　see　me；　and　do　not　be　alarmed　　　at　my　black　robe　and　aged　face。　I　am　not　one　of　those　who　force　　　their　advice　upon　pretty　young　women　who　do　not　ask　for　it；　and　　　who　may　become　in　time　greater　saints　than　I。　That　is　the　whole　　　mystery　of　obtaining　an　interview　with　Mother　Marie…des…Anges；　who　　　salutes　you　in　the　name　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。　＇Picture　of　　　small　cross。＇

An　invitation　so　graciously　given　was　not　to　be　resisted；　and　Mademoiselle　Antonia；　after　putting　on　the　soberest　costume　she　could　get　together；　went　to　the　convent。

I　wish　I　could　give　you　the　details　of　that　interview；　which　must　have　been　curious；　but　no　one　was　present；　and　nothing　was　known　except　what　the　lost　sheep；　who　returned　in　tears；　told　of　it。　When　the　journalist　tried　to　joke　her　on　this　conversion；　Mademoiselle　Antonia　turned　upon　him。

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　she　said；　〃you　never　in　your　life　wrote　a　sentence　like　what　she　said　to　me。〃

〃What　did　she　say　to　you？〃

〃'Go；　my　child；'　said　that　old　woman；　'the　ways　of　God　are　beautiful；　and　little　known；　there　is　often　more　of　a　saint　in　a　Magdalen　than　in　a　nun。'〃

The　journalist　laughed；　but　scenting　danger　he　said；

〃When　are　you　going　again　to　Gondreville　to　see　that　Keller？　If　he　doesn't　pay　the　money　soon；　I'll　hit　him　a　blow　in　some　article；　in　spite　of　all　Maxime　may　say。〃

〃I　don't　play　dirty　tricks　myself；〃　replied　Antonia；　with　dignity。

〃Don't　you？　Do　you　mean　you　are　not　going　to　present　that　note　again？〃

〃Not　now；〃　replied　the　admirer　and　probably　the　echo　of　Mother　Marie…　des…Anges；　but　using　her　own　language；　〃I　don't　blackmail　a　family　in　affliction。　I　should　remember　it　on　my　death…bed；　and　doubt　God's　mercy。〃

〃Why　don't　you　make　yourself　an　Ursuline；　now　that　we　are　here？〃

〃Ha；　if　I　only　had　the　courage！　I　might　be　happier　if　I　did。　But；　in　any　case；　I　am　not　going　to　Gondreville；　Mother　Marie…des…Anges　has　undertaken　to　arrange　that　matter　for　me。〃

〃Foolish　girl！　Have　you　given　her　that　note？〃

〃I　wanted　to　tear　it　up；　but　she　prevented　me；　and　told　me　to　give　it　to　her　and　she　would　arrange　it　honestly　for　my　interests。〃

〃Very　fine！　You　were　a　creditor；　and　now　you　are　a　beggar。〃

〃No；　for　I　have　given　the　money　in　alms。　I　told　madame　to　keep　it　for　her　poor。〃

〃Oh！　if　you　add　the　vice　of　patronizing　convents　to　your　other　vice　of　fishing　in　rivers；　you　will　be　a　pleasant　girl　to　frequent。〃

〃You　won't　frequent　me　much　longer；　for　I　go　to…night；　and　leave　you　to　your　dirty　work。〃

〃Bless　me！　so　you　retire　to　the　Carmelites？〃

〃The　Carmelites！〃　replied　Antonia；　wittily；　〃no；　my　old　fellow；　we　don't　retire　to　the　Carmelites　unless　we　leave　a　king。〃

Such　women；　even　the　most　ignorant；　all　know　the　story　of　La　Valliere；　whom　they　would　assuredly　have　made　their　patroness　if　Sister　Louise…　of…the…Sacred…Mercy　had　been　canonized。

I　don't　know　how　Mother　Marie…des…Anges　managed　it；　but　early　this　morning　the　carriage　of　the　old　Comte　de　Gondreville　stopped　before　the　gate　of　the　convent；　and　when　the　count　again　entered　it　he　was　driven　to　the　office　of　his　friend　Grevin；　and　later　in　the　day　the　latter　said　to　several　friends　that　certainly　his　son…in…law　was　too　much　of　a　fool；　he　had　compromised　himself　with　that　Parisian　woman；　and　would　undoubtedly　lose　his　election。

I　am　told　that　the　rectors　of　the　two　parishes　in　Arcis　have　each　received　a　thousand　crowns　for　their　poor　from　Mother　Marie…des…Anges；　who　informed　them　that　it　came　from　a　benefactor　who　did　not　wish　his　name　known。　Sallenauve　is　furious　because　our　partisans　are　going　about　saying　that　the　money　came　from　him。　But　when　you　are　running　before　the　wind　you　can't　mathematically　measure　each　sail；　and　you　sometimes　get　more　of　a　breeze　than　you　really　want。

Monsieur　Maxime　de　Trailles　makes　no　sign；　but　there　is　every　reason　to　suppose　that　this　failure　of　his　candidate；　which　he　must　see　is　now　inevitable；　will　bury　both　him　and　his　marriage。　But；　at　any　rate；　he　is　a　clever　fellow；　who　will　manage　to　get　his　revenge。

What　a　curious　man；　madame；　this　organist　is！　His　name　is　that　of　one　of　our　greatest　physicians；though　they　are　not　related　to　each　other；Bricheteau。　No　one　ever　showed　more　activity；　more　presence　of　mind；　more　devotion；　more　intelligence；　and　there　are　not　two　men　in　all　Europe　who　can　play　the　organ　as　he　does。　You　say　you　do　not　want　Nais　to　be　a　mere　piano　/strummer/；　then　I　advise　you　to　let　this　Bricheteau　teach　her。　He　is　a　man　who　would　show　her　what　music　really　is；　he　will　not　give　himself　airs；　for　I　assure　you　he　is　as　modest　as　he　is　gifted。　To　Sallenauve　he　is　like　a　little　terrier；　as　watchful；　as　faithful；　and　I　may　add　as　ugly；if　so　good　and　frank　a　countenance　as　his　can　ever　be　thought　anything　but　handsome！



XVII

MARIE…GASTON　TO　MADAME　LA　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE

Arcis…sur…Aube；　May　16；　1839。

Madame；Last　evening　the　preparatory　meeting　took　place；a　ridiculous　ceremony；　very　annoying　to　the　candidates；　which　cannot；　however；　be　avoided。

Perhaps　it　is　natural　that　before　pledging　themselves　to　a　man　who　is　to　represent　them　for　four　or　five　years；　voters　should　want　to　question　him；　and　discover；　if　possible；　what　he　really　is。　Is　he　a　man　of　intelligence？　Does　he　really　sustain　the　ideas　put　forth　about　him？　Will　he　be　cordial　and　affable　to　the　various　interests　which　may　claim　his　support？　Is　he　firm　in　character？　Can　he　defend　his　ideas　if　he　has　any？　In　a　word；　will　the　constituency　be　worthily；　faithfully；　and　honestly　represented？　That　is　the　serious　and　respectable　aspect　of　this　institution；　which；　not　being　a　part　of　the　law；　must；　in　order　to　be　so　firmly　fixed　in　our　customs；　have　a　sound