beatrix-第5部分

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kingdom　for　her　son；　the　father　judged　it　right　to　take　his　boy　to
join　her；　and　put　in　practice　the　motto　of　their　ancestors。　The　baron
started　in　the　dead　of　night；　saying　no　word　to　his　wife；　who　might
perhaps　have　weakened　him；　taking　his　son　under　fire　as　if　to　a　fete；
and　Gasselin；　his　only　vassal；　who　followed　him　joyfully。　The　three
men　of　the　family　were　absent　for　three　months　without　sending　news　of
their　whereabouts　to　the　baroness；　who　never　read　the　〃Quotidienne〃
without　trembling　from　line　to　line；　nor　to　his　old　blind　sister；
heroically　erect；　whose　nerve　never　faltered　for　an　instance　as　she
heard　that　paper　read。　The　three　guns　hanging　to　the　walls　had
therefore　seen　service　recently。　The　baron；　who　considered　the
enterprise　useless；　left　the　region　before　the　affair　of　La
Penissiere；　or　the　house　of　Guenic　would　probably　have　ended　in　that
hecatomb。

When；　on　a　stormy　night　after　parting　from　MADAME；　the　father；　son；
and　servant　returned　to　the　house　in　Guerande；　they　took　their　friends
and　the　baroness　and　old　Mademoiselle　du　Guenic　by　surprise；　although
the　latter；　by　the　exercise　of　senses　with　which　the　blind　are　gifted；
recognized　the　steps　of　the　three　men　in　the　little　lane　leading　to
the　house。　The　baron　looked　round　upon　the　circle　of　his　anxious
friends；　who　were　seated　beside　the　little　table　lighted　by　the
antique　lamp；　and　said　in　a　tremulous　voice；　while　Gasselin　replaced
the　three　guns　and　the　sabres　in　their　places；　these　words　of　feudal
simplicity：

〃The　barons　did　not　all　do　their　duty。〃

Then；　having　kissed　his　wife　and　sister；　he　sat　down　in　his　old　arm…
chair　and　ordered　supper　to　be　brought　for　his　son；　for　Gasselin；　and
for　himself。　Gasselin　had　thrown　himself　before　Calyste　on　one
occasion；　to　protect　him；　and　received　the　cut　of　a　sabre　on　his
shoulder；　but　so　simple　a　matter　did　it　seem　that　even　the　women
scarcely　thanked　him。　The　baron　and　his　guests　uttered　neither　curses
nor　complaints　of　their　conquerors。　Such　silence　is　a　trait　of　Breton
character。　In　forty　years　no　one　ever　heard　a　word　of　contumely　from
the　baron's　lips　about　his　adversaries。　It　was　for　them　to　do　their
duty　as　he　did　his。　This　utter　silence　is　the　surest　indication　of　an
unalterable　will。

This　last　effort；　the　flash　of　an　energy　now　waning；　had　caused　the
present　weakness　and　somnolence　of　the　old　man。　The　fresh　defeat　and
exile　of　the　Bourbons；　as　miraculously　driven　out　as　miraculously
re…established；　were　to　him　a　source　of　bitter　sadness。

About　six　o'clock　on　the　evening　of　the　day　on　which　this　history
begins；　the　baron；　who；　according　to　ancient　custom；　had　finished
dining　by　four　o'clock；　fell　asleep　as　usual　while　his　wife　was
reading　to　him　the　〃Quotidienne。〃　His　head　rested　against　the　back　of
the　arm…chair　which　stood　beside　the　fireplace　on　the　garden　side。

Near　this　gnarled　trunk　of　an　ancient　tree；　and　in　front　of　the
fireplace；　the　baroness；　seated　on　one　of　the　antique　chairs；
presented　the　type　of　those　adorable　women　who　exist　in　England；
Scotland；　or　Ireland　only。　There　alone　are　born　those　milk…white
creatures　with　golden　hair　the　curls　of　which　are　wound　by　the　hands
of　angels；　for　the　light　of　heaven　seems　to　ripple　in　their　silken
spirals　swaying　to　the　breeze。　Fanny　O'Brien　was　one　of　those　sylphs；
strong　in　tenderness；　invincible　under　misfortune；　soft　as　the　music
of　her　voice；　pure　as　the　azure　of　her　eyes；　of　a　delicate；　refined
beauty；　blessed　with　a　skin　that　was　silken　to　the　touch　and　caressing
to　the　eye；　which　neither　painter's　brush　nor　written　word　can
picture。　Beautiful　still　at　forty…two　years　of　age；　many　a　man　would
have　thought　it　happiness　to　marry　her　as　she　looked　at　the　splendors
of　that　autumn　coloring；　redundant　in　flowers　and　fruit；　refreshed　and
refreshing　with　the　dews　of　heaven。

The　baroness　held　the　paper　in　the　dimpled　hand；　the　fingers　of　which
curved　slightly　backward；　their　nails　cut　square　like　those　of　an
antique　statue。　Half　lying；　without　ill…grace　or　affectation；　in　her
chair；　her　feet　stretched　out　to　warm　them；　she　was　dressed　in　a　gown
of　black　velvet；　for　the　weather　was　now　becoming　chilly。　The　corsage；
rising　to　the　throat；　moulded　the　splendid　contour　of　the　shoulders
and　the　rich　bosom　which　the　suckling　of　her　son　had　not　deformed。　Her
hair　was　worn　in　/ringlets/；　after　the　English　fashion；　down　her
cheeks；　the　rest　was　simply　twisted　to　the　crown　of　her　head　and　held
there　with　a　tortoise…shell　comb。　The　color；　not　undecided　in　tone　as
other　blond　hair；　sparkled　to　the　light　like　a　filagree　of　burnished
gold。　The　baroness　always　braided　the　short　locks　curling　on　the　nape
of　her　neckwhich　are　a　sign　of　race。　This　tiny　braid；　concealed　in
the　mass　of　hair　always　carefully　put　up；　allowed　the　eye　to　follow
with　delight　the　undulating　line　by　which　her　neck　was　set　upon　her
shoulders。　This　little　detail　will　show　the　care　which　she　gave　to　her
person；　it　was　her　pride　to　rejoice　the　eyes　of　the　old　baron。　What　a
charming；　delicate　attention！　When　you　see　a　woman　displaying　in　her
own　home　the　coquetry　which　most　women　spend　on　a　single　sentiment；
believe　me；　that　woman　is　as　noble　a　mother　as　she　is　a　wife；　she　is
the　joy　and　the　flower　of　the　home；　she　knows　her　obligations　as　a
woman；　in　her　soul；　in　her　tenderness；　you　will　find　her　outward
graces；　she　is　doing　good　in　secret；　she　worships；　she　adores　without
a　calculation　of　return；　she　loves　her　fellows；　as　she　loves　God；for
their　own　sakes。　And　so　one　might　fancy　that　the　Virgin　of　paradise；
under　whose　care　she　lived；　had　rewarded　the　chaste　girlhood　and　the
sacred　life　of　the　old　man's　wife　by　surrounding　her　with　a　sort　of
halo　which　preserved　her　beauty　from　the　wrongs　of　time。　The
alterations　of　that　beauty　Plato　would　have　glorified　as　the　coming　of
new　graces。　Her　skin；　so　milk…white　once；　had　taken　the　warm　and
pearly　tones　which　painters　adore。　Her　broad　and　finely　modelled　brow
caught　lovingly　the　light　which　played　on　its　polished　surface。　Her
eyes；　of　a　turquoise　blue；　shone　with　unequalled　sweetness；　the　soft
lashes；　and　the　slightly　sunken　temples　inspired　the　spectator　with　I
know　now　what　mute　melancholy。　The　nose；　which　was　aquiline　and　thin；
recalled　the　royal　origin　of　the　high…born　woman。　The　pure　lips；
finely　cut；　wore　happy　smiles；　brought　there　by　loving…kindness
inexhaustible。　Her　teeth　were　small　and　white；　she　had　gained　of　late
a　slight　embonpoint；　but　her　delicate　hips　and　slender　waist　were　none
the　worse　for　it。　The　autumn　of　her　beauty　presented　a　few　perennial
flowers　of　her　springtide　among　the　richer　blooms　of　summer。　Her　arms
became　more　nobly　rounded；　her　lustrous　skin　took　a　finer　grain；　the
outlines　of　her　form　gained　plenitude。　Lastly　and　best　of　all；　her
open　countenance；　serene　and　slightly　rosy；　the　purity　of　her　blue
eyes；　that　a　look　too　eager　might　have　wounded；　expressed　illimitable
sympathy；　the　tenderness　of　angels。

At　the　other　chimney…corner；　in　an　arm…chair；　the　octogenarian　sister；
like　in　all　points　save　clothes　to　her　brother；　sat　listening　to　the
reading　of　the　newspaper　and　knitting　stockings；　a　work　for　which
sight　is　needless。　Both　eyes　had　cataracts；　but　she　obstinately
refused　to　submit　to　an　operation；　in　spite　of　the　entreaties　of　her
sister…in…law。　The　secret　reason　of　that　obstinacy　was　known　to
herself　only；　she　declared　it　was　want　of　courage；　but　the　truth　was
that　she　would　not　let　her　brother　spend　twenty…five　louis　for　her
benefit。　That　sum　would　have　been　so　much　the　less　for　the　good　of　the
household。

These　two　old　persons　brought　out　in　fine　relief　the　beauty　of　the
baroness。　Mademoiselle　Zephirine；　being　deprived　of　sight；　was　not
aware　of　the　changes　which　eighty　years　had　wrought　in　her　features。
Her　pale；　hollow　face；　to　which　the　fixedness　of　the　white　and
sightless　eyes　gave　almost　the　appearance　of　death；　and　three　or　four
solitary　and　projecting　teeth　made　menacing；　was　framed　by　a　little
hood　of　brown　printed　cotton；　quilted　like　a　petticoat；　trimmed　with　a
cotton　ruche；　and　tied　beneath　the　chin　by　strings　which　were　always　a
little　rusty。　She　wore　a　/cotillon/；　or　short　skirt　of　coarse　cloth；
over　a　quilted　petticoat　（a　positive　mattress；　in　which　were　secreted
double　louis…d'ors）；　and　pockets　sewn　to　a　belt　which　she　unfastened
every　night　and　put　on　every　morning　like　a　garment。　Her　body　was
encased　in　the　/casaquin/　of　Brittany；　a　species　of　spencer　made　of
the　same　cloth　as　the　/cotillon/；　adorned　with　a　collarette　of　many
pleats；　the　washing　of　which　caused　the　only　dispute　she　ever　had　with
her　sister…in…law；her　habit　being　to　change　it　only　once　a　week。
From　the　large　wadded　sleeves　of　the　/casaquin/　issued　two　withered
but　still　vigorous　arms；　at　the　ends　of　which　flourished　her　hands；
their　brownish…red　color　making　the　white　arms　look　like　poplar…wood。
These　hands；　hooked　or　contracted　from　the　habit　of　knitting；　might　be
called　a　stocking…machine　incessantly　at　work；　the　phenomenon　would
have　been　had　they　stopped。　From　time　to　time　Mademoiselle　du　Guenic
took　a　long　knitting　needle　which　she　kept　in　the　bosom　of　her　gown；
and　passed　it　between　her　hood　and　her　hair　to　poke　or　scratch　her
white　locks。　A　stranger　would　have　laughed　to　see　the　careless　manner
in　which　she　thrust　back　the　needle　without　the　slightest　fear　of
wounding　herself。　She　was　straight　as　a　steeple。　Her　erect　and
imposing　carriage　might　pass　for　one　of　those　coquetries　of　old　age
which　prove　that　pride　is　a　necessary　passion　of　life。　Her　smile　was
gay。　She；　too；　had　done　her　duty。

As　soon　as　the　baroness　saw　that　her　husband　was　asleep　she　stopped
reading。　A　ray　of　sunshine；　stretching　from　one　window　to　the　other；
divided　by　a　golden　band　the　atmosphere　of　that　old　room　and　burnished
the　now　black　furniture。　The　light　touched　the　carvings　of　the
ceiling；　danced　on　the　time…worn　chests；　spread　its　shining　cloth　on
the　old　oak　table；　enlivening　the　still；　brown　room；　as　Fanny's　voice
cast　into　the　heart　of　her　octogenarian　blind　sister　a　music　as
luminous　and　as　cheerful　as　that　ray　of　sunlight。　Soon　the　ray　took　on
the　ruddy　colors　which；　by　insensible　gradations；　sank