murad the unlucky and other tales-第23部分

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Annette　had　an　aunt；　who　was　nearly　of　Madame　de　Fleury's　size；　and
who　had　just　obtained　a　pass　to　go　to　Bourdeaux；　to　visit　some　of
her　relations。　　The　pass　was　willingly　given　up　to　Madame　de
Fleury；　and　upon　reading　it　over　it　was　found　to　answer　tolerably
wellthe　colour　of　the　eyes　and　hair　at　least　would　do；　though　the
words　un　nez　gros　were　not　precisely　descriptive　of　this　lady's。
Annette's　mother；　who　had　always　worn　the　provincial　dress　of
Auvergne；　furnished　the　high　cornette；　stiff　stays；　bodice；　&c。；
and　equipped　in　these；　Madame　de　Fleury　was　so　admirably　well
disguised；　that　even　Victoire　declared　she　should　scarcely　have
known　her。　　Money；　that　most　necessary　passport　in　all　countries；
was　still　wanting：　　as　seals　had　been　put　upon　all　Madame　de
Fleury's　effects　the　day　she　had　been　first　imprisoned　in　her　own
house；　she　could　not　save　even　her　jewels。　　She　had；　however；　one
ring　on　her　finger　of　some　value。　　How　to　dispose　of　it　without
exciting　suspicion　was　the　difficulty。　　Babet；　who　was　resolved　to
have　her　share　in　assisting　her　benefactress；　proposed　to　carry　the
ring　to　a　colporteura　pedlar；　or　sort　of　travelling　jewellerwho
had　come　to　lay　in　a　stock　of　hardware　at　Paris：　　he　was　related　to
one　of　Madame　de　Fleury's　little　pupils；　and　readily　disposed　of
the　ring　for　her：　　she　obtained　at　least　two…thirds　of　its　valuea
great　deal　in　those　times。

The　proofs　of　integrity；　attachment；　and　gratitude　which　she
received　in　these　days　of　peril；　from　those　whom　she　had　obliged　in
her　prosperity；　touched　her　generous　heart　so　much；　that　she　has
often　since　declared　she　could　not　regret　having　been　reduced　to
distress。　　Before　she　quitted　Paris　she　wrote　letters　to　her
friends；　recommending　her　pupils　to　their　protection；　she　left
these　letters　in　the　care　of　Victoire；　who　to　the　last　moment
followed　her　with　anxious　affection。　　She　would　have　followed　her
benefactress　into　exile；　but　that　she　was　prevented　by　duty　and
affection　from　leaving　her　mother；　who　was　in　declining　health。

Madame　de　Fleury　successfully　made　her　escape　from　Paris。　　Some　of
the　municipal　officers　in　the　towns　through　which　she　passed　on　her
road　were　as　severe　as　their　ignorance　would　permit　in　scrutinising
her　passport。　　It　seldom　happened　that　more　than　one　of　these　petty
committees　of　public　safety　could　read。　　One　usually　spelled　out
the　passport　as　well　as　he　could；　whilst　the　others　smoked　their
pipes；　and　from　time　to　time　held　a　light　up　to　the　lady's　face　to
examine　whether　it　agreed　with　the　description。

〃Mais　toi！　tu　n'as　pas　le　nez　gros！〃　said　one　of　her　judges　to　her。
〃Son　nez　est　assez　gros；　et　c'est　moi　qui　le　dit；〃　said　another。
The　question　was　put　to　the　vote；　and　the　man　who　had　asserted　what
was　contrary　to　the　evidence　of　his　senses　was　so　vehement　in
supporting　his　opinion；　that　it　was　carried　in　spite　of　all　that
could　be　said　against　it。　　Madame　de　Fleury　was　suffered　to　proceed
on　her　journey。　　She　reached　Bordeaux　in　safety。　　Her　husband's
friendsthe　good　have　always　friends　in　adversityher　husband's
friends　exerted　themselves　for　her　with　the　most　prudent　zeal。　　She
was　soon　provided　with　a　sum　of　money　sufficient　for　her　support
for　some　time　in　England；　and　she　safely　reached　that　free　and
happy　country；　which　has　been　the　refuge　of　so　many　illustrious
exiles。



CHAPTER　XI



〃Cosi　rozzo　diamante　appena　splende
Dalla　rupe　natia　quand'　esce　fuora；
E　a　poco　a　poco　lucido　se　rende
Sotto　l'attenta　che　lo　lavora。〃

Madame　de　Fleury　joined　her　husband；　who　was　in　London；　and　they
both　lived　in　the　most　retired　and　frugal　manner。　　They　had　too
much　of　the　pride　of　independence　to　become　burthensome　to　their
generous　English　friends。　　Notwithstanding　the　variety　of
difficulties　they　had　to　encounter；　and　the　number　of　daily
privations　to　which　they　were　forced　to　submit；　yet　they　were
happyin　a　tranquil　conscience；　in　their　mutual　affection；　and　the
attachment　of　many　poor　but　grateful　friends。　　A　few　months　after
she　came　to　England；　Madame　de　Fleury　received；　by　a　private　hand；
a　packet　of　letters　from　her　little　pupils。　　Each　of　them；　even　the
youngest；　who　had　but　just　begun　to　learn　joining…hand；　would　write
a　few　lines　in　this　packet。

In　various　hands；　of　various　sizes；　the　changes　were　rung　upon
these　simple　words：…


〃MY　DEAR　MADAME　DE　FLEURY；

〃I　love　youI　wish　you　were　here　againI　will　be　VERY　VERY　good
whilst　you　are　away。　　If　you　stay　away　ever　so　long；　I　shall　never
forget　you；　nor　your　goodness；　but　I　hope　you　will　soon　be　able　to
come　back；　and　this　is　what　I　pray　for　every　night。　　Sister　Frances
says　I　may　tell　you　that　I　am　very　good；　and　Victoire　thinks　so
too。〃


This　was　the　substance　of　several　of　their　little　letters。
Victoire's　contained　rather　more　information：…

〃You　will　be　glad　to　learn　that　dear　Sister　Frances　is　safe；　and
that　the　good　chestnut…woman；　in　whose　cellar　she　took　refuge；　did
not　get　into　any　difficulty。　　After　you　were　gone；　M。　T…　said　that
he　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　pursue　her；　as　it　was　only　you
he　wanted　to　humble。　　Manon；　who　has；　I　do　not　know　how；　means　of
knowing；　told　me　this。　　Sister　Frances　is　now　with　her　abbess；　who；
as　well　as　everybody　else　that　knows　her；　is　very　fond　of　her。
What　was　a　convent　is　no　longer　a　conventthe　nuns　are　turned　out
of　it。　　Sister　Frances'　health　is　not　so　good　as　it　used　to　be；
though　she　never　complains。　　I　am　sure　she　suffers　much；　she　has
never　been　the　same　person　since　that　day　when　we　were　driven　from
our　happy　school…room。　　It　is　all　destroyedthe　garden　and
everything。　　It　is　now　a　dismal　sight。　　Your　absence　also　afflicts
Sister　Frances　much；　and　she　is　in　great　anxiety　about　all　of　us。
She　has　the　six　little　ones　with　her　every　day　in　her　own
apartment；　and　goes　on　teaching　them　as　she　used　to　do。　　We　six
eldest　go　to　see　her　as　often　as　we　can。　　I　should　have　begun；　my
dear　Madame　de　Fleury；　by　telling　you；　that；　the　day　after　you　left
Paris；　I　went　to　deliver　all　the　letters　you　were　so　very　kind　to
write　for　us　in　the　midst　of　your　hurry。　　Your　friends　have　been
exceedingly　good　to　us；　and　have　got　places　for　us　all。　　Rose　is
with　Madame　la　Grace；　your　mantua…maker；　who　says　she　is　more　handy
and　more　expert　at　cutting　out　than　girls　she　has　had　these　three
years。　　Marianne　is　in　the　service　of　Madame　de　V…；　who　has　lost　a
great　part　of　her　large　fortune；　and　cannot　afford　to　keep　her
former　waiting…maid。　　Madame　de　V…　is　well　pleased　with　Marianne；
and　bids　me　tell　you　that　she　thanks　you　for　her。　　Indeed；
Marianne；　though　she　is　only　fourteen；　can　do　everything　her　lady
wants。　　Susanne　is　with　a　confectioner。　　She　gave　Sister　Frances　a
box　of　bonbons　of　her　own　making　this　morning；　and　Sister　Frances；
who　is　a　judge；　says　they　are　excellentshe　only　wishes　you　could
taste　them。　　Annette　and　I　（thanks　to　your　kindness！）　are　in　the
same　service　with　Madame　Feuillot；　the　brodeuse；　to　whom　you
recommended　us。　　She　is　not　discontented　with　our　work；　and；
indeed；　sent　a　very　civil　message　yesterday　to　Sister　Frances　on
this　subject；　but　believe　it　is　too　flattering　for　me　to　repeat　in
this　letter。　　We　shall　do　our　best　to　give　her　satisfaction。　　She
is　glad　to　find　that　we　can　write　tolerably；　and　that　we　can　make
out　bills　and　keep　accounts；　this　being　particularly　convenient　to
her　at　present；　as　the　young　man　she　had　in　the　shop　is　become　an
orator；　and　good　for　nothing　but　la　chose　publique；　her　son；　who
could　have　supplied　his　place；　is　ill；　and　Madame　Feuillot　herself；
not　having　had；　as　she　says；　the　advantage　of　such　a　good　education
as　we　have　been　blessed　with；　writes　but　badly；　and　knows　nothing
of　arithmetic。　　Dear　Madame　de　Fleury；　how　much；　how　very　much　we
are　obliged　to　you！　　We　feel　it　every　day　more　and　more；　in　these
times　what　would　have　become　of　us　if　we　could　do　nothing　useful？
Who　would；　who　could　be　burdened　with　us？　　Dear　madame；　we　owe
everything　to　youand　we　can　do　nothing；　not　the　least　thing　for
you！　　My　mother　is　still　in　bad　health；　and　I　fear　will　never
recover；　Babet　is　with　her　always；　and　Sister　Frances　is　very　good
to　her。　　My　brother　Maurice　is　now　so　good　a　workman　that　he　earns
a　louis　a　week。　　He　is　very　steady　to　his　business；　and　never　goes
to　the　revolutionary　meetings；　though　once　he　had　a　great　mind　to
be　an　orator　of　the　people；　but　never　since　the　day　that　you
explained　to　him　that　he　knew　nothing　about　equality　and　the　rights
of　men；　&c。　　How　could　I　forget　to　tell　you；　that　his　master　the
smith；　who　was　one　of　your　guards；　and　who　assisted　you　to　escape；
has　returned　without　suspicion　to　his　former　trade？　and　he　declares
that　he　will　never　more　meddle　with　public　affairs。　　I　gave　him　the
money　you　left　with　me　for　him。　　He　is　very　kind　to　my　brother。
Yesterday　Maurice　mended　for　Annette's　mistress　the　lock　of　an
English　writing…desk；　and　he　mended　it　so　astonishingly　well；　that
an　English　gentleman；　who　saw　it；　could　not　believe　the　work　was
done　by　a　Frenchman；　so　my　brother　was　sent　for；　to　prove　it；　and
they　were　forced　to　believe　it。　　To…day　he　has　more　work　than　he
can　finish　this　twelve…monthall　this　we　owe　to　you。　　I　shall
never　forget　the　day　when　you　promised　that　you　would　grant　my
brother's　wish　to　be　apprenticed　to　the　smith；　if　I　was　not　in　a
passion　for　a　month；　that　cured　me　of　being　so　passionate。

〃Dear　Madame　de　Fleury；　I　have　written　you　too　long　a　letter；　and
not　so　well　as　I　can　write　when　I　am　not　in　a　hurry；　but　I　wanted
to　tell　you　everything　at　once；　because；　may　be；　I　shall　not　for　a
long　time　have　so　safe　an　opportunity　of　sending　a　letter　to　you。

〃VICTOIRE。〃


Several　months　elapsed　before　Madame　do　Fleury　received　another
letter　from　Victoire；　it　was　short　and　evidently　written　in　great
distress　of　mind。　　It　contained　an　account　of　her　mother's　death。
She　was　now　left　at　the　early　age　of　sixteen　an　orphan。　　Madame
Feuillot；　the　brodeuse；　with　whom　she　lived；　added　few　lines　to　her
letter；　penned　with　difficulty　and　strangely　spelled；　but；
expressive　of　her　being　highly　pleased　with　both　the　girls
recommended　to　her　by　Madame　de　Fleury；　especially　Victoire；　who
she　said　was