murad the unlucky and other tales-第27部分

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the　mines　of　this　town；　which　he　had　seen　when　he　was　employed　as
draughtsman　by　his　Parisian　friend。　　He　remembered　that　there　was
formerly　an　old　mine　that　had　been　stopped　up　somewhere　near　the
place　where　the　engineer　was　at　work；　he　mentioned　in　private　his
suspicions　to　the　general；　who　gave　orders　in　consequence。　　The　old
mine　was　discovered；　cleared　out；　and　by　these　means　the　town　was
taken　the　day　before　the　time　appointed。　　Basile　did　not　arrogate
to　himself　any　of　the　glory　of　this　success；　he　kept　his　general's
secret　and　his　confidence。　　Upon　their　return　to　Paris；　after　a
fortunate　campaign；　the　general　was　more　grateful　than　some　others
have　been；　perhaps　because　more　room　was　given　by　Basile's　prudence
for　the　exercise　of　this　virtue。

〃My　friend；〃　said　he　to　Basile；　〃you　have　done　me　a　great　service
by　your　counsel；　and　a　greater　still　by　holding　your　tongue。　　Speak
now；　and　tell　me　freely　if　there　is　anything　I　can　do　for　you。　　You
see；　as　a　victorious　general；　I　have　the　upper　hand　amongst　these
fellowsTracassier's　scheme　to　ruin　me　missedwhatever　I　ask　will
at　this　moment　be　granted；　speak　freely；　therefore。〃

Basile　asked　what　he　knew　Victoire　most　desiredthat　Monsieur　and
Madame　de　Fleury　should　be　struck　from　the　list　of　emigrants；　and
that　their　property　now　in　the　hands　of　the　nation　should　be
restored　to　them。　　The　general　promised　that　this　should　be　done。
A　warm　contest　ensued　upon　the　subject　between　him　and　Tracassier；
but　the　general　stood　firm；　and　Tracassier；　enraged；　forgot　his
usual　cunning；　and　quarrelling　irrevocably　with　a　party　now　more
powerful　than　his　own；　he　and　his　adherents　were　driven　from　that
station　in　which　they　had　so　long　tyrannised。　　From　being　the
rulers　of　France；　they　in　a　few　hours　became　banished　men；　or；　in
the　phrase　of　the　times；　des　deportes。

We　must　not　omit　to　mention　the　wretched　end　of　Manon。　　The　man
with　whom　she　lived　perished　by　the　guillotine。　　From　his　splendid
house　she　went　upon　the　stage；　did　not　succeed；　sank　from　one
degree　of　profligacy　to　another；　and　at　last　died　in　an　hospital。

In　the　meantime；　the　order　for　the　restoration　of　the　Fleury
property；　and　for　permission　for　the　Fleury　family　to　return　to
France；　was　made　out　in　due　form；　and　Maurice　begged　to　be　the
messenger　of　these　good　tidingshe　set　out　for　England　with　the
order。

Victoire　immediately　went　down　to　the　Chateau　de　Fleury；　to　get
everything　in　readiness　for　the　reception　of　the　family。

Exiles　are　expeditious　in　their　return　to　their　native　country。
Victoire　had　but　just　time　to　complete　her　preparations；　when
Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Fleury　arrived　at　Calais。　　Victoire　had
assembled　all　her　companions；　all　Madame　de　Fleury's　former　pupils；
and　the　hour　when　she　was　expected　home；　they；　with　the　peasants　of
the　neighbourhood；　were　all　in　their　holiday　clothes；　and；
according　to　the　custom　of　the　country；　singing　and　dancing。
Without　music　and　dancing　there　is　no　perfect　joy　in　France。　　Never
was　fete　du　village　or　fete　du　Seigneur　more　joyful　than　this。

The　old　steward　opened　the　gate；　the　carriage　drove　in。　　Madame　de
Fleury　saw　that　home　which　she　had　little　expected　evermore　to
behold；　but　all　other　thoughts　were　lost　in　the　pleasure　of　meeting
her　beloved　pupils。

〃My　children！〃　cried　she；　as　they　crowded　round　her　the　moment　she
got　out　of　her　carriage〃my　dear；　GOOD　children！〃

It　was　all　she　could　say。　　She　leaned　on　Victoire's　arm　as　she　went
into　the　house；　and　by　degrees　recovering　from　the　almost　painful
excess　of　pleasure；　began　to　enjoy　what　she　yet　only　confusedly
felt。

Several　of　her　pupils　were　so　much　grown　and　altered　in　their
external　appearance；　that　she　could　scarcely　recollect　them　till
they　spoke；　and　then　their　voices　and　the　expression　of　their
countenances　brought　their　childhood　fully　to　her　memory。
Victoire；　she　thought；　was　changed　the　least；　and　at　this　she
rejoiced。

The　feeling　and　intelligent　reader　will　imagine　all　the　pleasure
that　Madame　de　Fleury　enjoyed　this　day；　nor　was　it　merely　the
pleasure　of　a　day。　　She　heard　from　all　her　friends；　with　prolonged
satisfaction；　repeated　accounts　of　the　good　conduct　of　these　young
people　during　her　absence。　　She　learned　with　delight　how　her
restoration　to　her　country　and　her　fortune　had　been　effected；　and
is　it　necessary　to　add；　that　Victoire　consented　to　marry　Basile；
and　that　she　was　suitably　portioned；　and；　what　is　better　still；
that　she　was　perfectly　happy？　　Monsieur　de　Fleury　rewarded　the
attachment　and　good　conduct　of　Maurice　by　taking　him　into　his
service；　and　making　him　his　manager　under　the　old　steward　at　the
Chateau　de　Fleury。

On　Victoire's　wedding…day　Madame　de　Fleury　produced　all　the　little
offerings　of　gratitude　which　she　had　received　from　her　and　her
companions　during　her　exile。　　It　was　now　her　turn　to　confer
favours；　and　she　knew　how　to　confer　them　both　with　grace　and
judgment。

〃No　gratitude　in　human　nature！　　No　gratitude　in　the　lower　classes
of　the　people！〃　cried　she；　〃how　much　those　are　mistaken　who　think
so！　　I　wish　they　could　know　my　history；　and　the　history　of　these　my
children；　and　they　would　acknowledge　their　error。〃



Footnotes：

｛1｝　　〃Whom　the　gods　wish　to　destroy；　they　first　deprive　of
understanding。〃





End