beatrix-第55部分

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myself　will　get　Calyste　out　of　the　hands　of　the　infidels。〃

〃Well；　Sabine；〃　said　the　duchess；　taking　her　daughter　into　her
bedroom；　〃tell　me；　what　new　trouble　is　there；　my　child？〃

〃Mamma；　I　am　lost！〃

〃But　how？〃

〃I　wanted　to　get　the　better　of　that　horrible　womanI　conquered　for　a
timeI　am　pregnant　againand　Calyste　loves　her　so　that　I　foresee　a
total　abandonment。　When　she　hears　of　it　she　will　be　furious。　Ah！　I
suffer　such　tortures　that　I　cannot　endure　them　long。　I　know　when　he　is
going　to　her；　I　know　it　by　his　joy；　and　his　peevishness　tells　me　as
plainly　when　he　leaves　her。　He　no　longer　troubles　himself　to　conceal
his　feelings；　I　have　become　intolerable　to　him。　She　has　an　influence
over　him　as　unhealthy　as　she　is　herself　in　soul　and　body。　You'll　see！
she　will　exact　from　him；　as　the　price　of　forgiveness；　my　public
desertion；　a　rupture　like　her　own；　she　will　take　him　away　from　me　to
Switzerland　or　Italy。　He　is　beginning　now　to　say　it　is　ridiculous　that
he　knows　nothing　of　Europe。　I　can　guess　what　those　words　mean；　flung
out　in　advance。　If　Calyste　is　not　cured　of　her　in　three　months　I　don't
know　what　he　may　become；　but　as　for　me；　I　will　kill　myself。〃

〃But　your　soul；　my　unhappy　child？　Suicide　is　a　mortal　sin。〃

〃Don't　you　understand？　She　may　give　him　a　child。　And　if　Calyste　loved
the　child　of　that　woman　more　than　mineOh！　that's　the　end　of　my
patience　and　all　my　resignation。〃

She　fell　into　a　chair。　She　had　given　vent　to　the　deepest　thought　in
her　heart；　she　had　no　longer　a　hidden　grief；　and　secret　sorrow　is　like
that　iron　rod　that　sculptors　put　within　the　structure　of　their　clay；
it　supports；　it　is　a　force。

〃Come；　go　home；　dear　sufferer。　In　view　of　such　misery　the　abbe　will
surely　give　me　absolution　for　the　venial　sins　which　the　deceits　of　the
world　compel　us　to　commit。　Leave　me　now；　my　daughter；〃　she　said；　going
to　her　/prie…Dieu/。　〃I　must　pray　to　our　Lord　and　the　Blessed　Virgin
for　you；　with　special　supplication。　Good…bye；　my　dear　Sabine；　above
all　things；　do　not　neglect　your　religious　duties　if　you　wish　us　to
succeed。〃

〃And　if　we　do　triumph；　mother；　we　shall　only　save　the　family。　Calyste
has　killed　within　me　the　holy　fervor　of　love；killed　it　by　sickening
me　with　all　things。　What　a　honey…moon　was　mine；　in　which　I　was　made　to
feel　on　that　first　day　the　bitterness　of　a　retrospective　adultery！〃

The　next　day；　about　two　in　the　afternoon；　one　of　the　vicars　of　the
faubourg　Saint…Germain　appointed　to　a　vacant　bishopric　in　1840　（an
office　refused　by　him　for　the　third　time）；　the　Abbe　Brossette；　one　of
the　most　distinguished　priests　in　Paris；　crossed　the　courtyard　of　the
hotel　de　Grandlieu；　with　a　step　which　we　must　needs　call　the
ecclesiastical　step；　so　significant　is　it　of　caution；　mystery；
calmness；　gravity；　and　dignity。　He　was　a　thin　little　man　about　fifty
years　of　age；　with　a　face　as　white　as　that　of　an　old　woman；　chilled　by
priestly　austerities；　and　hollowed　by　all　the　sufferings　which　he
espoused。　Two　black　eyes；　ardent　with　faith　yet　softened　by　an
expression　more　mysterious　than　mystical；　animated　that　truly
apostolical　face。　He　was　smiling　as　he　mounted　the　steps　of　the
portico；　so　little　did　he　believe　in　the　enormity　of　the　cases　about
which　his　penitent　sent　for　him；　but　as　the　hand　of　the　duchess　was　an
open　palm　for　charity；　she　was　worth　the　time　which　her　innocent
confessions　stole　from　the　more　serious　miseries　of　the　parish。

When　the　vicar　was　announced　the　duchess　rose；　and　made　a　few　steps
toward　him　in　the　salon；a　distinction　she　granted　only　to　cardinals；
bishops；　simple　priests；　duchesses　older　then　herself；　and　persons　of
royal　blood。

〃My　dear　abbe；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　a　chair　and　speaking　in　a　low
voice；　〃I　need　the　authority　of　your　experience　before　I　throw　myself
into　a　rather　wicked　intrigue；　although　it　is　one　which　must　result　in
great　good；　and　I　desire　to　know　from　you　whether　I　shall　make
hindrances　to　my　own　salvation　in　the　course　I　propose　to　follow。〃

〃Madame　la　duchesse；〃　replied　the　abbe；　〃do　not　mix　up　spiritual
things　with　worldly　things；　they　are　usually　irreconcilable。　In　the
first　place；　what　is　this　matter？〃

〃You　know　that　my　daughter　Sabine　is　dying　of　grief；　Monsieur　du
Guenic　has　left　her　for　Madame　de　Rochefide。〃

〃It　is　very　dreadful；　very　serious；　but　you　know　what　our　dear　Saint
Francois　de　Sales　says　on　that　subject。　Remember　too　how　Madame　Guyon
complained　of　the　lack　of　mysticism　in　the　proofs　of　conjugal　love；
she　would　have　been　very　willing　to　see　her　husband　with　a　Madame　de
Rochefide。〃

〃Sabine　is　only　too　gentle；　she　is　almost　too　completely　a　Christian
wife；　but　she　has　not　the　slightest　taste　for　mysticism。〃

〃Poor　young　woman！〃　said　the　abbe；　maliciously。　〃What　method　will　you
take　to　remedy　the　evil？〃

〃I　have　committed　the　sin；　my　dear　director；　of　thinking　how　to　launch
upon　Madame　de　Rochefide　a　little　man；　very　self…willed　and　full　of
the　worst　qualities；　who　will　certainly　induce　her　to　dismiss　my　son…
in…law。〃

〃My　daughter；〃　replied　the　abbe；　stroking　his　chin；　〃we　are　not　now　in
the　confessional；　I　am　not　obliged　to　make　myself　your　judge。　From　the
world's　point　of　view；　I　admit　that　the　result　would　be　decisive〃

〃The　means　seem　to　me　odious；〃　she　said。

〃Why？　No　doubt　the　duty　of　a　Christian　woman　is　to　withdraw　a　sinning
woman　from　an　evil　path；　rather　than　push　her　along　it；　but　when　a
woman　has　advanced　upon　that　path　as　far　as　Madame　de　Rochefide；　it　is
not　the　hand　of　man；　but　that　of　God；　which　recalls　such　a　sinner；　she
needs　a　thunderbolt。〃

〃Father；〃　replied　the　duchess；　〃I　thank　you　for　your　indulgence；　but
the　thought　has　occurred　to　me　that　my　son…in…law　is　brave　and　a
Breton。　He　was　heroic　at　the　time　of　the　rash　affair　of　that　poor
MADAME。　Now；　if　the　young　fellow　who　undertook　to　make　Madame　de
Rochefide　love　him　were　to　quarrel　with　Calyste；　and　a　duel　should
ensue〃

〃You　have　thought　wisely；　Madame　la　duchesse；　and　it　only　proves　that
in　crooked　paths　you　will　always　find　rocks　of　stumbling。〃

〃I　have　discovered　a　means；　my　dear　abbe；　to　do　a　great　good；　to
withdraw　Madame　de　Rochefide　from　the　fatal　path　in　which　she　now　is；
to　restore　Calyste　to　his　wife；　and　possibly　to　save　from　hell　a　poor
distracted　creature。〃

〃In　that　case；　why　consult　me？〃　asked　the　vicar；　smiling。

〃Ah！〃　replied　the　duchess；　〃Because　I　must　permit　myself　some　rather
nasty　actions〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　rob　anybody？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　shall　apparently　have　to　spend　a　great　deal　of
money。〃

〃You　will　not　calumniate；　or〃

〃Oh！　oh！〃

〃injure　your　neighbor？〃

〃I　don't　know　about　that。〃

〃Come；　tell　me　your　plan；〃　said　the　abbe；　now　becoming　curious。

〃Suppose；　instead　of　driving　out　one　nail　by　another；this　is　what　I
thought　at　my　/prie…Dieu/　after　imploring　the　Blessed　Virgin　to
enlighten　me；I　were　to　free　Calyste　by　persuading　Monsieur　de
Rochefide　to　take　back　his　wife？　Instead　of　lending　a　hand　to　evil　for
the　sake　of　doing　good　to　my　daughter；　I　should　do　one　great　good　by
another　almost　as　great〃

The　vicar　looked　at　the　Portuguese　lady；　and　was　pensive。

〃That　is　evidently　an　idea　that　came　to　you　from　afar；〃　he　said；　〃so
far　that〃

〃I　have　thanked　the　Virgin　for　it；〃　replied　the　good　and　humble
duchess；　〃and　I　have　made　a　vownot　counting　a　novenato　give　twelve
hundred　francs　to　some　poor　family　if　I　succeed。　But　when　I
communicated　my　plan　to　Monsieur　de　Grandlieu　he　began　to　laugh；　and
said：　'Upon　my　honor；　at　your　time　of　life　I　think　you　women　have　a
devil　of　your　own。'〃

〃Monsieur　le　duc　made　as　a　husband　the　same　reply　I　was　about　to　make
when　you　interrupted　me；〃　said　the　abbe；　who　could　not　restrain　a
smile。

〃Ah！　Father；　if　you　approve　of　the　idea；　will　you　also　approve　of　the
means　of　execution？　It　is　necessary　to　do　to　a　certain　Madame　Schontz
（a　Beatrix　of　the　quartier　Saint…Georges）　what　I　proposed　to　do　to
Madame　de　Rochefide。〃

〃I　am　certain　that　you　will　not　do　any　real　wrong；〃　said　the　vicar；
cleverly；　not　wishing　to　hear　any　more；　having　found　the　result　so
desirable。　〃You　can　consult　me　later　if　you　find　your　conscience
muttering；〃　he　added。　〃But　why；　instead　of　giving　that　person　in　the
rue　Saint…Georges　a　fresh　occasion　for　scandal；　don't　you　give　her　a
husband？〃

〃Ah！　my　dear　director；　now　you　have　rectified　the　only　bad　thing　I　had
in　my　plan。　You　are　worthy　of　being　an　archbishop；　and　I　hope　I　shall
not　die　till　I　have　had　the　opportunity　of　calling　you　Your　Eminence。〃

〃I　see　only　one　difficulty　in　all　this；〃　said　the　abbe。

〃What　is　that？〃

〃Suppose　Madame　de　Rochefide　chooses　to　keep　your　son…in…law　after　she
goes　back　to　her　husband？〃

〃That's　my　affair；〃　replied　the　duchess；　〃when　one　doesn't　often
intrigue；　one　does　so〃

〃Badly；　very　badly；〃　said　the　abbe。　〃Habit　is　necessary　for
everything。　Try　to　employ　some　of　those　scamps　who　live　by　intrigue；
and　don't　show　your　own　hand。〃

〃Ah！　monsieur　l'abbe；　if　I　make　use　of　the　means　of　hell；　will　Heaven
help　me？〃

〃You　are　not　at　confession；〃　repeated　the　abbe。　〃Save　your　child。〃

The　worthy　duchess；　delighted　with　her　vicar；　accompanied　him　to　the
door　of　the　salon。



XXII

THE　NORMAL　HISTORY　OF　AN　UPPER…CLASS　GRISETTE

A　storm　was　gathering；　as　we　see；　over　Monsieur　de　Rochefide；　who
enjoyed　at　that　moment　the　greatest　amount　of　happiness　that　a
Parisian　can　desire　in　being　to　Madame　Schontz　as　much　a　husband　as　he
had　been　to　Beatrix。　It　seemed　therefore；　as　the　duke　had　very
sensibly　said　to　his　wife；　almost　an　impossibility　to　upset　so
agreeable　and　satisfactory　an　existence。　This　opinion　will　oblige　us
to　give　certain　details　on　the　life　led　by　Monsieur　de　Rochefide　after
his　wife　had　placed　him　in　the　position　of　a　/deserted　husband/。　The
reader　will　then　be　enabled　to　understand　the　enormous　difference
which　our　laws　and　our　morals　put　between　the　two　sexes　in　the　same
situation。　That　which　turns　to　misery　for　the　woman　turns　to　happiness
for　the　man。　This　contrast　may　inspire　more　than　one　young　woman　with
the　determination　to　remain　in　her　own　home；　and　to　struggle　there；
like　Sabine　du　Guenic；　by　practising　（as　she　may　select）　the　most
aggressive　or　the　most　inoffe