beatrix-第26部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　Chevalier　du　Halga　were　talking　about　it。　She　can't　see　that　it
would　be　greater　perdition　for　me　to　marry　at　my　age〃

〃It　is　written　above；〃　said　the　old　maid；　interrupting　Calyste；　〃that
I　shall　not　die　tranquil　or　happy。　I　wanted　to　see　our　family
continued；　and　some；　at　least；　of　the　estates　brought　back；　but　it　is
not　to　be。　What　can　you；　my　fine　nephew；　put　in　the　scale　against　such
duties？　Is　it　that　actress　at　Les　Touches？〃

〃What？〃　said　the　baron；　〃how　can　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　hinder
Calyste's　marriage；　when　it　becomes　necessary　for　us　to　make　it？　I
shall　go　and　see　her。〃

〃I　assure　you；　father；〃　said　Calyste；　〃that　Felicite　will　never　be　an
obstacle　to　my　marriage。〃

Gasselin　appeared　with　the　horses。

〃Where　are　you　going；　chevalier？〃　said　his　father。

〃To　Saint…Nazaire。〃

〃Ha；　ha！　and　when　is　the　marriage　to　be？〃　said　the　baron；　believing
that　Calyste　was　really　in　a　hurry　to　see　Charlotte　de　Kergarouet。　〃It
is　high　time　I　was　a　grandfather。　Spare　the　horses；〃　he　continued；　as
he　went　on　the　portico　with　Fanny　to　see　Calyste　mount；　〃remember　that
they　have　more　than　thirty　miles　to　go。〃

Calyste　started　with　a　tender　farewell　to　his　mother。

〃Dear　treasure！〃　she　said；　as　she　saw　him　lower　his　head　to　ride
through　the　gateway。

〃God　keep　him！〃　replied　the　baron；　〃for　we　cannot　replace　him。〃

The　words　made　the　baroness　shudder。

〃My　nephew　does　not　love　Charlotte　enough　to　ride　to　Saint…Nazaire
after　her；〃　said　the　old　blind　woman　to　Mariotte；　who　was　clearing　the
breakfast…table。

〃No；　but　a　fine　lady；　a　marquise；　has　come　to　Les　Touches；　and　I'll
warrant　he's　after　her；　that's　the　way　at　his　age；〃　said　Mariotte。

〃They'll　kill　him；〃　said　Mademoiselle　du　Guenic。

〃That　won't　kill　him；　mademoiselle；　quite　the　contrary；〃　replied
Mariotte；　who　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　Calyste's　behavior。

The　young　fellow　started　at　a　great　pace；　until　Gasselin　asked　him　if
he　was　trying　to　catch　the　boat；　which；　of　course；　was　not　at　all　his
desire。　He　had　no　wish　to　see　either　Conti　or　Claude　again；　but　he　did
expect　to　be　invited　to　drive　back　with　the　ladies；　leaving　Gasselin
to　lead　his　horse。　He　was　gay　as　a　bird；　thinking　to　himself；

〃/She/　has　just　passed　here；　/her/　eyes　saw　those　trees！What　a
lovely　road！〃　he　said　to　Gasselin。

〃Ah！　monsieur；　Brittany　is　the　most　beautiful　country　in　all　the
world；〃　replied　the　Breton。　〃Where　could　you　find　such　flowers　in　the
hedges；　and　nice　cool　roads　that　wind　about　like　these？〃

〃Nowhere；　Gasselin。〃

〃/Tiens/！　here　comes　the　coach　from　Nazaire；〃　cried　Gasselin
presently。

〃Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　and　her　niece　will　be　in　it。　Let　us　hide；〃
said　Calyste。

〃Hide！　are　you　crazy；　monsieur？　Why；　we　are　on　the　moor！〃

The　coach；　which　was　coming　up　the　sandy　hill　above　Saint…Nazaire；　was
full；　and；　much　to　the　astonishment　of　Calyste；　there　were　no　signs　of
Charlotte。

〃We　had　to　leave　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　her　sister　and　niece；　they
are　dreadfully　worried；　but　all　my　seats　were　engaged　by　the　custom…
house；〃　said　the　conductor　to　Gasselin。

〃I　am　lost！〃　thought　Calyste；　〃they　will　meet　me　down　there。〃

When　Calyste　reached　the　little　esplanade　which　surrounds　the　church
of　Saint…Nazaire；　and　from　which　is　seen　Paimboeuf　and　the　magnificent
Mouths　of　the　Loire　as　they　struggle　with　the　sea；　he　found　Camille
and　the　marquise　waving　their　handkerchiefs　as　a　last　adieu　to　two
passengers　on　the　deck　of　the　departing　steamer。　Beatrix　was　charming
as　she　stood　there；　her　features　softened　by　the　shadow　of　a　rice…
straw　hat；　on　which　were　tufts　and　knots　of　scarlet　ribbon。　She　wore　a
muslin　gown　with　a　pattern　of　flowers；　and　was　leaning　with　one　well…
gloved　hand　on　a　slender　parasol。　Nothing　is　finer　to　the　eyes　than　a
woman　poised　on　a　rock　like　a　statue　on　its　pedestal。　Conti　could　see
Calyste　from　the　vessel　as　he　approached　Camille。

〃I　thought；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃that　you　would　probably　come　back
alone。〃

〃You　have　done　right；　Calyste；〃　she　replied；　pressing　his　hand。

Beatrix　turned　round；　saw　her　young　lover；　and　gave　him　the　most
imperious　look　in　her　repertory。　A　smile；　which　the　marquise　detected
on　the　eloquent　lips　of　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　made　her　aware　of
the　vulgarity　of　such　conduct；　worthy　only　of　a　bourgeoise。　She　then
said　to　Calyste；　smiling；

〃Are　you　not　guilty　of　a　slight　impertinence　in　supposing　that　I
should　bore　Camille；　if　left　alone　with　her？〃

〃My　dear；　one　man　to　two　widows　is　none　too　much；〃　said　Mademoiselle
des　Touches；　taking　Calyste's　arm；　and　leaving　Beatrix　to　watch　the
vessel　till　it　disappeared。

At　this　moment　Calyste　heard　the　approaching　voices　of　Mademoiselle　de
Pen…Hoel；　the　Vicomtesse　de　Kergarouet；　Charlotte；　and　Gasselin；　who
were　all　talking　at　once；　like　so　many　magpies。　The　old　maid　was
questioning　Gasselin　as　to　what　had　brought　him　and　his　master　to
Saint…Nazaire；　the　carriage　of　Mademoiselle　des　Touches　had　already
caught　her　eye。　Before　the　young　Breton　could　get　out　of　sight；
Charlotte　had　seen　him。

〃Why；　there's　Calyste！〃　she　exclaimed　eagerly。

〃Go　and　offer　them　seats　in　my　carriage；〃　said　Camille　to　Calyste；
〃the　maid　can　sit　with　the　coachman。　I　saw　those　ladies　lose　their
places　in　the　mail…coach。〃

Calyste；　who　could　not　help　himself；　carried　the　message。　As　soon　as
Madame　de　Kergarouet　learned　that　the　offer　came　from　the　celebrated
Camille　Maupin；　and　that　the　Marquise　de　Rochefide　was　of　the　party；
she　was　much　surprised　at　the　objections　raised　by　her　elder　sister；
who　refused　positively　to　profit　by　what　she　called　the　devil's
carryall。　At　Nantes；　which　boasted　of　more　civilization　than　Guerande；
Camille　was　read　and　admired；　she　was　thought　to　be　the　muse　of
Brittany　and　an　honor　to　the　region。　The　absolution　granted　to　her　in
Paris　by　society；　by　fashion；　was　there　justified　by　her　great　fortune
and　her　early　successes　in　Nantes；　which　claimed　the　honor　of　having
been；　if　not　her　birthplace；　at　least　her　cradle。　The　viscountess；
therefore；　eager　to　see　her；　dragged　her　old　sister　forward；　paying　no
attention　to　her　jeremiads。

〃Good…morning；　Calyste；〃　said　Charlotte。

〃Oh！　good…morning；　Charlotte；〃　replied　Calyste；　not　offering　his　arm。

Both　were　confused；　she　by　his　coldness；　he　by　his　cruelty；　as　they
walked　up　the　sort　of　ravine；　which　is　called　in　Saint…Nazaire　a
street；　following　the　two　sisters　in　silence。　In　a　moment　the　little
girl　of　sixteen　saw　her　castle　in　Spain；　built　and　furnished　with
romantic　hopes；　a　heap　of　ruins。　She　and　Calyste　had　played　together
so　much　in　childhood；　she　was　so　bound　up　with　him；　as　it　were；　that
she　had　quietly　supposed　her　future　unassailable；　she　arrived　now；
swept　along　by　thoughtless　happiness；　like　a　circling　bird　darting
down　upon　a　wheat…field；　and　lo！　she　was　stopped　in　her　flight；　unable
to　imagine　the　obstacle。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Calyste？〃　she　said；　taking　his　hand。

〃Nothing；〃　replied　the　young　man；　releasing　himself　with　cruel　haste
as　he　remembered　the　projects　of　his　aunt　and　her　friend。

Tears　came　into　Charlotte's　eyes。　She　looked　at　the　handsome　Calyste
without　ill…humor；　but　a　first　spasm　of　jealousy　seized　her；　and　she
felt　the　dreadful　madness　of　rivalry　when　she　came　in　sight　of　the　two
Parisian　women；　and　suspected　the　cause　of　his　coldness。

Charlotte　de　Kergarouet　was　a　girl　of　ordinary　height；　and　commonplace
coloring；　she　had　a　little　round　face；　made　lively　by　a　pair　of　black
eyes　which　sparkled　with　cleverness；　abundant　brown　hair；　a　round
waist；　a　flat　back；　thin　arms；　and　the　curt；　decided　manner　of　a
provincial　girl；　who　did　not　want　to　be　taken　for　a　little　goose。　She
was　the　petted　child　of　the　family　on　account　of　the　preference　her
aunt　showed　for　her。　At　this　moment　she　was　wrapped　in　a　mantle　of
Scotch　merino　in　large　plaids；　lined　with　green　silk；　which　she　had
worn　on　the　boat。　Her　travelling…dress；　of　some　common　stuff；　chastely
made　with　a　chemisette　body　and　a　pleated　collar；　was　fated　to　appear；
even　to　her　own　eyes；　horrible　in　comparison　with　the　fresh　toilets　of
Beatrix　and　Camille。　She　was　painfully　aware　of　the　stockings　soiled
among　the　rocks　as　she　had　jumped　from　the　boat；　of　shabby　leather
shoes；　chosen　for　the　purpose　of　not　spoiling　better　ones　on　the
journey；a　fixed　principle　in　the　manners　and　customs　of　provincials。

As　for　the　Vicomtesse　de　Kergarouet；　she　might　stand　as　the　type　of　a
provincial　woman。　Tall；　hard；　withered；　full　of　pretensions；　which　did
not　show　themselves　until　they　were　mortified；　talking　much；　and
catching；　by　dint　of　talking　（as　one　cannons　at　billiards）；　a　few
ideas；　which　gave　her　the　reputation　of　wit；　endeavoring　to　humiliate
Parisians；　whenever　she　met　them；　with　an　assumption　of　country　wisdom
and　patronage；　humbling　herself　to　be　exalted　and　furious　at　being
left　upon　her　knees；　fishing；　as　the　English　say；　for　compliments；
which　she　never　caught；　dressed　in　clothes　that　were　exaggerated　in
style；　and　yet　ill　cared　for；　mistaking　want　of　good　manners　for
dignity；　and　trying　to　embarrass　others　by　paying　no　attention　to
them；　refusing　what　she　desired　in　order　to　have　it　offered　again；　and
to　seem　to　yield　only　to　entreaty；　concerned　about　matters　that　others
have　done　with；　and　surprised　at　not　being　in　the　fashion；　and
finally；　unable　to　get　through　an　hour　without　reference　to　Nantes；
matters　of　social　life　in　Nantes；　complaints　of　Nantes；　criticism　of
Nantes；　and　taking　as　personalities　the　remarks　she　forced　out　of
absent…minded　or　wearied　listeners。

Her　manners；　language；　and　ideas　had；　more　or　less；　descended　to　her
four　daughters。　To　know　Camille　Maupin　and　Madame　de　Rochefide　would
be　for　her　a　future；　and　the　topic　of　a　hundred　conversations。
Consequently；　she　advanced　toward　the　church　as　if　she　meant　to　take
it　by　assault；　waving　her　handkerchief；　unfolded　for　the　purpose　of
displaying　the　heavy　corners　of　domestic　embroidery；　and　trimmed　with
flimsy　lace。　Her　gait　was　tolerably　bold　and　cavalier；　which；　however；
was　of　no　consequence　in　a　woman　forty…seven　years　of　age。

〃Monsieur　le　chevalier；〃　she　said　to　Camille　and　Beatrix；　pointing　to
Calyste；　who　was　mournfully　followin