murad the unlucky and other tales-第26部分

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〃And　the　Chateau　de　Fleury　is　really　seized？and　you；　good　old
man；　are　turned　out　of　the　place　where　you　were　born？and　you　too；
Basile？and　Madame　de　Fleury　will　never　come　back　again！and
perhaps　she　may　be　put　into　prison　in　a　foreign　country；　and　may
die　for　wantand　I　might　have　prevented　all　this！〃

Unable　to　shed　a　tear；　Victoire　stood　in　silent　consternation；
whilst　Annette　explained　to　the　good　steward　and　his　son　the　whole
transaction。　　Basile；　who　was　naturally　of　an　impetuous　temper；　was
so　transported　with　indignation；　that　he　would　have　gone　instantly
with　the　note　from　Tracassier　to　denounce　him　before　the　whole
National　Convention；　if　he　had　not　been　restrained　by　his　more
prudent　father。　　The　old　steward　represented　to　him；　that　as　the
note　was　neither　signed　nor　written　by　the　hand　of　Tracassier；　no
proof　could　be　brought　home　to　him；　and　the　attempt　to　convict　one
of　so　powerful　a　party　would　only　bring　certain　destruction　upon
the　accusers。　　Besides；　such　was　at　this　time　the　general　depravity
of　manners；　that　numbers　would　keep　the　guilty　in　countenance。
There　was　no　crime　which　the　mask　of　patriotism　could　not　cover。
〃There　is　one　comfort　we　have　in　our　misfortunes；　which　these　men
can　never　have；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃when　their　downfall　comes；　and
come　it　will　most　certainly；　they　will　not　feel　as　we　do；　INNOCENT。
Victoire；　look　up！　and　do　not　give　way　to　despairall　will　yet　be
well。〃

〃At　all　events；　you　have　done　what　is　rightso　do　not　reproach
yourself；〃　said　Basile。　　〃EverybodyI　mean　everybody　who　is　good
for　anythingmust　respect；　admire；　and　love　you；　Victoire。〃



CHAPTER　XVI



〃Ne　mal　cio　che　v'annoja；
Quello　e　vero　gioire
Che　nasce　da　virtude　dopo　il　soffrire。〃

Basile　had　not　seen　without　emotion　the　various　instances　of
goodness　which　Victoire　showed　during　the　illness　of　Sister
Frances。　　Her　conduct　towards　M。　Tracassier　increased　his　esteem
and　attachment；　but　he　forbore　to　declare　his　affection；　because　he
could　not；　consistently　with　prudence；　or　with　gratitude　to　his
father；　think　of　marrying；　now　that　he　was　not　able　to　maintain　a
wife　and　family。　　The　honest　earnings　of　many　years　of　service　had
been　wrested　from　the　old　steward　at　the　time　the　Chateau　de　Fleury
was　seized；　and　he　now　depended　on　the　industry　of　his　son　for　the
daily　support　of　his　age。　　His　dependence　was　just；　and　not　likely
to　be　disappointed；　for　he　had　given　his　son　an　education　suitable
to　his　condition　in　life。　　Basile　was　an　exact　arithmetician；　could
write　an　excellent　hand；　and　was　a　ready　draughtsman　and　surveyor。
To　bring　these　useful　talents　into　action；　and　to　find　employment
for　them　with　men　by　whom　they　would　be　honestly　rewarded；　was　the
only　difficultya　difficulty　which　Victoire's　brother　Maurice　soon
removed。　　His　reputation　as　a　smith　had　introduced　him；　among　his
many　customers；　to　a　gentleman　of　worth　and　scientific　knowledge；
who　was　at　this　time　employed　to　make　models　and　plans　of　all　the
fortified　places　in　Europe；　he　was　in　want　of　a　good　clerk　and
draughtsman；　of　whose　integrity　he　could　be　secure。　　Maurice
mentioned　his　friend　Basile；　and　upon　inquiry　into　his　character；
and　upon　trial　of　his　abilities；　he　was　found　suited　to　the　place；
and　was　accepted。　　By　his　well…earned　salary　he　supported　himself
and　his　father；　and　began；　with　the　sanguine　hopes　of　a　young　man；
to　flatter　himself　that　he　should　soon　be　rich　enough　to　marry；　and
that　then　he　might　declare　his　attachment　to　Victoire。
Notwithstanding　all　his　boasted　prudence；　he　had　betrayed
sufficient　symptoms　of　his　passion　to　have　rendered　a　declaration
unnecessary　to　any　clear…sighted　observer：　　but　Victoire　was　not
thinking　of　conquests；　she　was　wholly　occupied　with　a　scheme　of
earning　a　certain　sum　of　money　for　her　benefactress；　who　was　now；
as　she　feared；　in　want。　　All　Madame　de　Fleury's　former　pupils
contributed　their　share　to　the　common　stock；　and　the　mantua…maker；
the　confectioner；　the　servants　of　different　sorts；　who　had　been
educated　at　her　school；　had　laid　by；　during　the　years　of　her
banishment；　an　annual　portion　of　their　wages　and　savings：　　with　the
sum　which　Victoire　now　added　to　the　fund；　it　amounted　to　ten
thousand　livres。　　The　person　who　undertook　to　carry　this　money　to
Madame　de　Fleury；　was　Francois；　her　former　footman；　who　had
procured　a　pass　to　go　to　England　as　a　hairdresser。　　The　night
before　he　set　out　was　a　happy　night　for　Victoire；　as　all　her
companions　met；　by　Madame　Feuillot's　invitation；　at　her　house；　and
after　tea　they　had　the　pleasure　of　packing　up　the　little　box；　in
which　each；　besides　the　money；　sent　some　token　their　gratitude；　and
some　proof　of　their　ingenuity。　　They　would　with　all　their　hearts
have　sent　twice　as　many　souvenirs　as　Francois　could　carry。

〃D'abord　c'est　impossible！〃　cried　he；　when　he　saw　the　box　that　was
prepared　for　him　to　carry　to　England：　　but　his　good　nature　was
unable　to　resist　the　entreaties　of　each　to　have　her　offering
carried；　〃which　would　take　up　no　room。〃

He　departedarrived　safe　in　Englandfound　out　Madame　de　Fleury；
who　was　in　real　distress；　in　obscure　lodgings　at　Richmond。　　He
delivered　the　money；　and　all　the　presents　of　which　he　had　taken
charge：　　but　the　person　to　whom　she　entrusted　a　letter；　in　answer
to　Victoire；　was　not　so　punctual；　or　was　more　unlucky：　　for　the
letter　never　reached　her；　and　she　and　her　companions　were　long
uncertain　whether　their　little　treasure　had　been　received。　　They
still　continued；　however；　with　indefatigable　gratitude；　to　lay　by　a
portion　of　their　earnings　for　their　benefactress；　and　the　pleasure
they　had　in　this　perseverance　made　them　more　than　amends　for　the
loss　of　some　little　amusements；　and　for　privations　to　which　they
submitted　in　consequence　of　their　resolution。

In　the　meantime；　Basile；　going　on　steadily　with　his　employments；
advanced　every　day　in　the　favour　of　his　master；　and　his　salary　was
increased　in　proportion　to　his　abilities　and　industry；　so　that　he
thought　he　could　now；　without　any　imprudence；　marry。　　He　consulted
his　father；　who　approved　of　his　choice；　he　consulted　Maurice　as　to
the　probability　of　his　being　accepted　by　Victoire；　and　encouraged
by　both　his　father　and　his　friend；　he　was　upon　the　eve　of
addressing　himself　to　Victoire；　when　he　was　prevented　by　a　new　and
unforeseen　misfortune。　　His　father　was　taken　up；　by　an　emissary　of
Tracassier's；　and　brought　before　one　of　their　revolutionary
committees；　where　he　was　accused　of　various　acts　of　incivisme。
Among　other　things　equally　criminal；　it　was　proved　that　one　Sunday；
when　he　went　to　see　Le　Petit　Trianon；　then　a　public…house；　he
exclaimed；　〃C'est　ici　que　le　canaille　danse；　et　que　les　honnetes
gens　pleurent！〃

Basile　was　present　at　this　mock　examination　of　his　fatherhe　saw
him　on　the　point　of　being　dragged　to　prisonwhen　a　hint　was　given
that　he　might　save　his　father　by　enlisting　immediately；　and　going
with　the　army　out　of　France。　　Victoire　was　full　in　Basile's
recollection；　but　there　was　no　other　means　of　saving　his　father。
He　enlisted；　and　in　twenty…four　hours　left　Paris。

What　appear　to　be　the　most　unfortunate　circumstances　of　life　often
prove　ultimately　the　most　advantageousindeed；　those　who　have
knowledge；　activity；　and　integrity；　can　convert　the　apparent　blanks
in　the　lottery　of　fortune　into　prizes。　　Basile　was　recommended　to
his　commanding　officer　by　the　gentleman　who　had　lately　employed　him
as　a　clerk；　his　skill　in　drawing　plans；　and　in　taking　rapid　surveys
of　the　country　through　which　they　passed；　was　extremely　useful　to
his　general；　and　his　integrity　made　it　safe　to　trust　him　as　a
secretary。　　His　commanding　officer；　though　a　brave　man；　was
illiterate；　and　a　secretary　was　to　him　a　necessary　of　life。　　Basile
was　not　only　useful；　but　agreeable；　without　any　mean　arts；　or
servile　adulation；　he　pleased　by　simply　showing　the　desire　to
oblige　and　the　ability　to　serve。

〃Diable！〃　exclaimed　the　general　one　day；　as　he　looked　at　Basile's
plan　of　a　town　which　the　army　was　besieging。　　〃How　comes　it　that
you　are　able　to　do　all　these　things？　　But　you　have　a　genius　for
this　sort　of　work；　apparently。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Basile；　〃these　things　were　taught　to　me　when　I　was
a　child　by　a　good　friend。〃

〃A　good　friend　he　was；　indeed！　he　did　more　for　you　than　if　he　had
given　you　a　fortune；　for；　in　these　times；　that　might　have　been　soon
taken　from　you；　but　now　you　have　the　means　of　making　a　fortune　for
yourself。〃

This　observation　of　the　general's；　obvious　as　it　may　seem；　is
deserving　of　the　serious　consideration　of　those　who　have　children
of　their　own　to　educate；　or　who　have　the　disposal　of　money　for
public　charities。　　In　these　times　no　sensible　person　will　venture
to　pronounce　that　a　change　of　fortune　and　station　may　not　await　the
highest　and　the　lowest；　whether　we　rise　or　fall　in　the　scale　of
society；　personal　qualities　and　knowledge　will　be　valuable。　　Those
who　fall　cannot　be　destitute；　and　those　who　rise　cannot　be
ridiculous　or　contemptible；　if　they　have　been　prepared　for　their
fortune　by　proper　education。　　In　shipwreck　those　who　carry　their
all　in　their　minds　are　the　most　secure。

But　to　return　to　Basile。　　He　had　sense　enough　not　to　make　his
general　jealous　of　him　by　any　unseasonable　display　of　his　talents；
or　any　officious　intrusion　of　advice；　even　upon　subjects　which　he
best　understood。

The　talents　of　the　warrior　and　the　secretary　were　in　such　different
lines；　that　there　was　no　danger　of　competition；　and　the　general；
finding　in　his　secretary　the　soul　of　all　the　arts；　good　sense；
gradually　acquired　the　habit　of　asking　his　opinion　on　every　subject
that　came　within　his　department。　　It　happened　that　the　general
received　orders　from　the　Directory　at　Paris　to　take　a　certain　town；
let　it　cost　what　it　would；　within　a　given　time：　　in　his　perplexity
he　exclaimed　before　Basile　against　the　unreasonableness　of　these
orders；　and　declared　his　belief　that　it　was　impossible　he　should
succeed；　and　that　this　was　only　a　scheme　of　his　enemies　to　prepare
his　ruin。　　Basile　had　attended　to　the　operations　of　the　engineer
who　acted　under　the　general；　and　perfectly　recollected　the　model　of
the　mines　of　this　town；　which　he　had　seen　when　he　was　employed　as
dr