beatrix-第6部分

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luminous　and　as　cheerful　as　that　ray　of　sunlight。　Soon　the　ray　took　on
the　ruddy　colors　which；　by　insensible　gradations；　sank　into　the
melancholy　tones　of　twilight。　The　baroness　also　sank　into　a　deep
meditation；　one　of　those　total　silences　which　her　sister…in…law　had
noticed　for　the　last　two　weeks；　trying　to　explain　them　to　herself；　but
making　no　inquiry。　The　old　woman　studied　the　causes　of　this　unusual
pre…occupation；　as　blind　persons；　on　whose　soul　sound　lingers　like　a
divining　echo；　read　books　in　which　the　pages　are　black　and　the　letters
white。　Mademoiselle　Zephirine；　to　whom　the　dark　hour　now　meant
nothing；　continued　to　knit；　and　the　silence　at　last　became　so　deep
that　the　clicking　of　her　knitting…needles　was　plainly　heard。

〃You　have　dropped　the　paper；　sister；　but　you　are　not　asleep；〃　said　the
old　woman；　slyly。

At　this　moment　Mariotte　came　in　to　light　the　lamp；　which　she　placed　on
a　square　table　in　front　of　the　fire；　then　she　fetched　her　distaff；　her
ball　of　thread；　and　a　small　stool；　on　which　she　seated　herself　in　the
recess　of　a　window　and　began　as　usual　to　spin。　Gasselin　was　still　busy
about　the　offices；　he　looked　to　the　horses　of　the　baron　and　Calyste；
saw　that　the　stable　was　in　order　for　the　night；　and　gave　the　two　fine
hunting…dogs　their　daily　meal。　The　joyful　barking　of　the　animals　was
the　last　noise　that　awakened　the　echoes　slumbering　among　the　darksome
walls　of　the　ancient　house。　The　two　dogs　and　the　two　horses　were　the
only　remaining　vestiges　of　the　splendors　of　its　chivalry。　An
imaginative　man　seated　on　the　steps　of　the　portico　and　letting　himself
fall　into　the　poesy　of　the　still　living　images　of　that　dwelling；　might
have　quivered　as　he　heard　the　baying　of　the　hounds　and　the　trampling
of　the　neighing　horses。

Gasselin　was　one　of　those　short；　thick；　squat　little　Bretons；　with
black　hair　and　sun…browned　faces；　silent；　slow；　and　obstinate　as
mules；　but　always　following　steadily　the　path　marked　out　for　them。　He
was　forty…two　years　old；　and　had　been　twenty…five　years　in　the
household。　Mademoiselle　had　hired　him　when　he　was　fifteen；　on　hearing
of　the　marriage　and　probable　return　of　the　baron。　This　retainer
considered　himself　as　part　of　the　family；　he　had　played　with　Calyste；
he　loved　the　horses　and　dogs　of　the　house；　and　talked　to　them　and
petted　them　as　though　they　were　his　own。　He　wore　a　blue　linen　jacket
with　little　pockets　flapping　about　his　hips；　waistcoat　and　trousers　of
the　same　material　at　all　seasons；　blue　stockings；　and　stout　hob…nailed
shoes。　When　it　was　cold　or　rainy　he　put　on　a　goat's…skin；　after　the
fashion　of　his　country。

Mariotte；　who　was　also　over　forty；　was　as　a　woman　what　Gasselin　was　as
a　man。　No　team　could　be　better　matched；same　complexion；　same　figure；
same　little　eyes　that　were　lively　and　black。　It　is　difficult　to
understand　why　Gasselin　and　Mariotte　had　never　married；　possibly　it
might　have　seemed　immoral；　they　were　so　like　brother　and　sister。
Mariotte's　wages　were　ninety　francs　a　year；　Gasselin's；　three　hundred。
But　thousands　of　francs　offered　to　them　elsewhere　would　not　have
induced　either　to　leave　the　Guenic　household。　Both　were　under　the
orders　of　Mademoiselle；　who；　from　the　time　of　the　war　in　La　Vendee　to
the　period　of　her　brother's　return；　had　ruled　the　house。　When　she
learned　that　the　baron　was　about　to　bring　home　a　mistress；　she　had
been　moved　to　great　emotion；　believing　that　she　must　yield　the　sceptre
of　the　household　and　abdicate　in　favor　of　the　Baronne　du　Guenic；　whose
subject　she　was　now　compelled　to　be。

Mademoiselle　Zephirine　was　therefore　agreeably　surprised　to　find　in
Fanny　O'Brien　a　young　woman　born　to　the　highest　rank；　to　whom　the
petty　cares　of　a　poor　household　were　extremely　distasteful；one　who；
like　other　fine　souls；　would　far　have　preferred　to　eat　plain　bread
rather　than　the　choicest　food　if　she　had　to　prepare　it　for　herself；　a
woman　capable　of　accomplishing　all　the　duties；　even　the　most　painful；
of　humanity；　strong　under　necessary　privations；　but　without　courage
for　commonplace　avocations。　When　the　baron　begged　his　sister　in　his
wife's　name　to　continue　in　charge　of　the　household；　the　old　maid
kissed　the　baroness　like　a　sister；　she　made　a　daughter　of　her；　she
adored　her；　overjoyed　to　be　left　in　control　of　the　household；　which
she　managed　rigorously　on　a　system　of　almost　inconceivable　economy；
which　was　never　relaxed　except　for　some　great　occasion；　such　as　the
lying…in　of　her　sister；　and　her　nourishment；　and　all　that　concerned
Calyste；　the　worshipped　son　of　the　whole　household。

Though　the　two　servants　were　accustomed　to　this　stern　regime；　and　no
orders　need　ever　have　been　given　to　them；　for　the　interests　of　their
masters　were　greater　in　their　minds　than　their　own；/were/　their　own
in　fact；Mademoiselle　Zephirine　insisted　on　looking　after　everything。
Her　attention　being　never　distracted；　she　knew；　without　going　up　to
verify　her　knowledge；　how　large　was　the　heap　of　nuts　in　the　barn；　and
how　many　oats　remained　in　the　bin　without　plunging　her　sinewy　arm　into
the　depths　of　it。　She　carried　at　the　end　of　a　string　fastened　to　the
belt　of　her　/casaquin/；　a　boatswain's　whistle；　with　which　she　was　wont
to　summon　Mariotte　by　one；　and　Gasselin　by　two　notes。

Gasselin's　greatest　happiness　was　to　cultivate　the　garden　and　produce
fine　fruits　and　vegetables。　He　had　so　little　work　to　do　that　without
this　occupation　he　would　certainly　have　felt　lost。　After　he　had
groomed　his　horses　in　the　morning；　he　polished　the　floors　and　cleaned
the　rooms　on　the　ground…floor；　then　he　went　to　his　garden；　where　weed
or　damaging　insect　was　never　seen。　Sometimes　Gasselin　was　observed
motionless；　bare…headed；　under　a　burning　sun；　watching　for　a　field…
mouse　or　the　terrible　grub　of　the　cockchafer；　then；　as　soon　as　it　was
caught；　he　would　rush　with　the　joy　of　a　child　to　show　his　masters　the
noxious　beast　that　had　occupied　his　mind　for　a　week。　He　took　pleasure
in　going　to　Croisic　on　fast…days；　to　purchase　a　fish　to　be　had　for
less　money　there　than　at　Guerande。

Thus　no　household　was　ever　more　truly　one；　more　united　in　interests；
more　bound　together　than　this　noble　family　sacredly　devoted　to　its
duty。　Masters　and　servants　seemed　made　for　one　another。　For　twenty…
five　years　there　had　been　neither　trouble　nor　discord。　The　only　griefs
were　the　petty　ailments　of　the　little　boy；　the　only　terrors　were
caused　by　the　events　of　1814　and　those　of　1830。　If　the　same　things
were　invariably　done　at　the　same　hours；　if　the　food　was　subjected　to
the　regularity　of　times　and　seasons；　this　monotony；　like　that　of
Nature　varied　only　by　alterations　of　cloud　and　rain　and　sunshine；　was
sustained　by　the　affection　existing　in　the　hearts　of　all；the　more
fruitful；　the　more　beneficent　because　it　emanated　from　natural　causes。



III

THREE　BRETON　SILHOUETTES

When　night　had　fairly　fallen；　Gasselin　came　into　the　hall　and　asked
his　master　respectfully　if　he　had　further　need　of　him。

〃You　can　go　out；　or　go　to　bed；　after　prayers；〃　replied　the　baron；
waking　up；　〃unless　Madame　or　my　sister〃

The　two　ladies　here　made　a　sign　of　consent。　Gasselin　then　knelt　down；
seeing　that　his　masters　rose　to　kneel　upon　their　chairs；　Mariotte　also
knelt　before　her　stool。　Mademoiselle　du　Guenic　then　said　the　prayer
aloud。　After　it　was　over；　some　one　rapped　at　the　door　on　the　lane。
Gasselin　went　to　open　it。

〃I　dare　say　it　is　Monsieur　le　cure；　he　usually　comes　first；〃　said
Mariotte。

Every　one　now　recognized　the　rector's　foot　on　the　resounding　steps　of
the　portico。　He　bowed　respectfully　to　the　three　occupants　of　the　room；
and　addressed　them　in　phrases　of　that　unctuous　civility　which　priests
are　accustomed　to　use。　To　the　rather　absent…minded　greeting　of　the
mistress　of　the　house；　he　replied　by　an　ecclesiastically　inquisitive
look。

〃Are　you　anxious　or　ill；　Madame　la　baronne？〃　he　asked。

〃Thank　you；　no；〃　she　replied。

Monsieur　Grimont；　a　man　of　fifty；　of　middle　height；　lost　in　his
cassock；　from　which　issued　two　stout　shoes　with　silver　buckles；
exhibited　above　his　hands　a　plump　visage；　and　a　generally　white　skin
though　yellow　in　spots。　His　hands　were　dimpled。　His　abbatial　face　had
something　of　the　Dutch　burgomaster　in　the　placidity　of　its　complexion
and　its　flesh　tones；　and　of　the　Breton　peasant　in　the　straight　black
hair　and　the　vivacity　of　the　brown　eyes；　which　preserved；
nevertheless；　a　priestly　decorum。　His　gaiety；　that　of　a　man　whose
conscience　was　calm　and　pure；　admitted　a　joke。　His　manner　had　nothing
uneasy　or　dogged　about　it；　like　that　of　many　poor　rectors　whose
existence　or　whose　power　is　contested　by　their　parishioners；　and　who
instead　of　being；　as　Napoleon　sublimely　said；　the　moral　leaders　of　the
population　and　the　natural　justices　of　peace；　are　treated　as　enemies。
Observing　Monsieur　Grimont　as　he　marched　through　Guerande；　the　most
irreligious　of　travellers　would　have　recognized　the　sovereign　of　that
Catholic　town；　but　this　same　sovereign　lowered　his　spiritual
superiority　before　the　feudal　supremacy　of　the　du　Guenics。　In　their
salon　he　was　as　a　chaplain　in　his　seigneur's　house。　In　church；　when　he
gave　the　benediction；　his　hand　was　always　first　stretched　out　toward
the　chapel　belonging　to　the　Guenics；　where　their　mailed　hand　and　their
device　were　carved　upon　the　key…stone　of　the　arch。

〃I　thought　that　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　had　already　arrived；〃　said
the　rector；　sitting　down；　and　taking　the　hand　of　the　baroness　to　kiss
it。　〃She　is　getting　unpunctual。　Can　it　be　that　the　fashion　of
dissipation　is　contagious？　I　see　that　Monsieur　le　chevalier　is　again
at　Les　Touches　this　evening。〃

〃Don't　say　anything　about　those　visits　before　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…
Hoel；〃　cried　the　old　maid；　eagerly。

〃Ah！　mademoiselle；〃　remarked　Mariotte；　〃you　can't　prevent　the　town
from　gossiping。〃

〃What　do　they　say？〃　asked　the　baroness。

〃The　young　girls　and　the　old　women　all　say　that　he　is　in　love　with
Mademoiselle　des　Touches。〃

〃A　lad　of　Calyste's　make　is　playing　his　proper　part　in　making　the
women　love　him；〃　said　the　baron。

〃Here　comes　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；〃　said　Mariotte。

The　gravel　in　the　court…yard　crackled　under　the　discreet　footsteps　of
the　coming　lady；　who　was　accompanied　by　a　page　supplied　with　a
lantern。　Se