beatrix-第7部分

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the　coming　lady；　who　was　accompanied　by　a　page　supplied　with　a
lantern。　Seeing　this　lad；　Mariotte　removed　her　stool　to　the　great　hall
for　the　purpose　of　talking　with　him　by　the　gleam　of　his　rush…light；
which　was　burned　at　the　cost　of　his　rich　and　miserly　mistress；　thus
economizing　those　of　her　own　masters。

This　elderly　demoiselle　was　a　thin；　dried…up　old　maid；　yellow　as　the
parchment　of　a　Parliament　record；　wrinkled　as　a　lake　ruffled　by　the
wind；　with　gray　eyes；　large　prominent　teeth；　and　the　hands　of　a　man。
She　was　rather　short；　a　little　crooked；　possibly　hump…backed；　but　no
one　had　ever　been　inquisitive　enough　to　ascertain　the　nature　of　her
perfections　or　her　imperfections。　Dressed　in　the　same　style　as
Mademoiselle　du　Guenic；　she　stirred　an　enormous　quantity　of　petticoats
and　linen　whenever　she　wanted　to　find　one　or　other　of　the　two
apertures　of　her　gown　through　which　she　reached　her　pockets。　The
strangest　jingling　of　keys　and　money　then　echoed　among　her　garments。
She　always　wore；　dangling　from　one　side；　the　bunch　of　keys　of　a　good
housekeeper；　and　from　the　other　her　silver　snuff…box；　thimble；
knitting…needles；　and　other　implements　that　were　also　resonant。
Instead　of　Mademoiselle　Zephirine's　wadded　hood；　she　wore　a　green
bonnet；　in　which　she　may　have　visited　her　melons；　for　it　had　passed；
like　them；　from　green　to　yellowish；　as　for　its　shape；　our　present
fashions　are　just　now　bringing　it　back　to　Paris；　after　twenty　years
absence；　under　the　name　of　Bibi。　This　bonnet　was　constructed　under　her
own　eye　and　by　the　hands　of　her　nieces；　out　of　green　Florence　silk
bought　at　Guerande；　and　an　old　bonnet…shape；　renewed　every　five　years
at　Nantes；for　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　allowed　her　bonnets　the
longevity　of　a　legislature。　Her　nieces　also　made　her　gowns；　cut　by　an
immutable　pattern。　The　old　lady　still　used　the　cane　with　the　short
hook　that　all　women　carried　in　the　early　days　of　Marie…Antoinette。　She
belonged　to　the　very　highest　nobility　of　Brittany。　Her　arms　bore　the
ermine　of　its　ancient　dukes。　In　her　and　in　her　sister　the　illustrious
Breton　house　of　the　Pen…Hoels　ended。　Her　younger　sister　had　married　a
Kergarouet；　who；　in　spite　of　the　deep　disapproval　of　the　whole　region；
added　the　name　of　Pen…Hoel　to　his　own　and　called　himself　the　Vicomte
de　Kergarouet…Pen…Hoel。

〃Heaven　has　punished　him；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃he　has　nothing　but
daughters；　and　the　Kergarouet…Pen…Hoel　name　will　be　wiped　out。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　possessed　about　seven　thousand　francs　a　year
from　the　rental　of　lands。　She　had　come　into　her　property　at　thirty…six
years　of　age；　and　managed　it　herself；　inspecting　it　on　horseback；　and
displaying　on　all　points　the　firmness　of　character　which　is　noticeable
in　most　deformed　persons。　Her　avarice　was　admired　by　the　whole　country
round；　never　meeting　with　the　slightest　disapproval。　She　kept　one
woman…servant　and　the　page。　Her　yearly　expenses；　not　including　taxes；
did　not　amount　to　over　a　thousand　francs。　Consequently；　she　was　the
object　of　the　cajoleries　of　the　Kergarouet…Pen…Hoels；　who　passed　the
winters　at　Nantes；　and　the　summers　at　their　estate　on　the　banks　of　the
Loire　below　l'Indret。　She　was　supposed　to　be　ready　to　leave　her
fortune　and　her　savings　to　whichever　of　her　nieces　pleased　her　best。
Every　three　months　one　or　other　of　the　four　demoiselles　de　Kergarouet…
Pen…Hoel；　（the　youngest　of　whom　was　twelve；　and　the　eldest　twenty
years　of　age）　came　to　spend　a　few　days　with　her。

A　friend　of　Zephirine　du　Guenic；　Jacqueline　de　Pen…Hoel；　brought　up　to
adore　the　Breton　grandeur　of　the　du　Guenics；　had　formed；　ever　since
the　birth　of　Calyste；　the　plan　of　transmitting　her　property　to　the
chevalier　by　marrying　him　to　whichever　of　her　nieces　the　Vicomtesse　de
Kergarouet…Pen…Hoel；　their　mother；　would　bestow　upon　him。　She　dreamed
of　buying　back　some　of　the　best　of　the　Guenic　property　from　the　farmer
/engagistes/。　When　avarice　has　an　object　it　ceases　to　be　a　vice；　it
becomes　a　means　of　virtue；　its　privations　are　a　perpetual　offering；　it
has　the　grandeur　of　an　intention　beneath　its　meannesses。　Perhaps
Zephirine　was　in　the　secret　of　Jacqueline's　intention。　Perhaps　even
the　baroness；　whose　whole　soul　was　occupied　by　love　for　her　son　and
tenderness　for　his　father；　may　have　guessed　it　as　she　saw　with　what
wily　perseverance　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　brought　with　her　her
favorite　niece；　Charlotte　de　Kergarouet；　now　sixteen　years　of　age。　The
rector；　Monsieur　Grimont；　was　certainly　in　her　confidence；　it　was　he
who　helped　the　old　maid　to　invest　her　savings。

But　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　might　have　had　three　hundred　thousand
francs　in　gold；　she　might　have　had　ten　times　the　landed　property　she
actually　possessed；　and　the　du　Guenics　would　never　have　allowed
themselves　to　pay　her　the　slightest　attention　that　the　old　woman　could
construe　as　looking　to　her　fortune。　From　a　feeling　of　truly　Breton
pride；　Jacqueline　de　Pen…Hoel；　glad　of　the　supremacy　accorded　to　her
old　friend　Zephirine　and　the　du　Guenics；　always　showed　herself　honored
by　her　relations　with　Madame　du　Guenic　and　her　sister…in…law。　She　even
went　so　far　as　to　conceal　the　sort　of　sacrifice　to　which　she　consented
every　evening　in　allowing　her　page　to　burn　in　the　Guenic　hall　that
singular　gingerbread…colored　candle　called　an　/oribus/　which　is　still
used　in　certain　parts　of　western　France。

Thus　this　rich　old　maid　was　nobility；　pride；　and　grandeur　personified。
At　the　moment　when　you　are　reading　this　portrait　of　her；　the　Abbe
Grimont　has　just　indiscreetly　revealed　that　on　the　evening　when　the
old　baron；　the　young　chevalier；　and　Gasselin　secretly　departed　to　join
MADAME　（to　the　terror　of　the　baroness　and　the　great　joy　of　all
Bretons）　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　had　given　the　baron　ten　thousand
francs　in　gold；an　immense　sacrifice；　to　which　the　abbe　added　another
ten　thousand；　a　tithe　collected　by　him；charging　the　old　hero　to
offer　the　whole；　in　the　name　of　the　Pen…Hoels　and　of　the　parish　of
Guerande；　to　the　mother　of　Henri　V。

Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　treated　Calyste　as　if　she　felt　that　her
intentions　gave　her　certain　rights　over　him；　her　plans　seemed　to
authorize　a　supervision。　Not　that　her　ideas　were　strict　in　the　matter
of　gallantry；　for　she　had；　in　fact；　the　usual　indulgence　of　the　old
women　of　the　old　school；　but　she　held　in　horror　the　modern　ways　of
revolutionary　morals。　Calyste；　who　might　have　gained　in　her　estimation
by　a　few　adventures　with　Breton　girls；　would　have　lost　it　considerably
had　she　seen　him　entangled　in　what　she　called　innovations。　She　might
have　disinterred　a　little　gold　to　pay　for　the　results　of　a　love…
affair；　but　if　Calyste　had　driven　a　tilbury　or　talked　of　a　visit　to
Paris　she　would　have　thought　him　dissipated；　and　declared　him　a
spendthrift。　Impossible　to　say　what　she　might　not　have　done　had　she
found　him　reading　novels　or　an　impious　newspaper。　To　her；　novel　ideas
meant　the　overthrow　of　succession　of　crops；　ruin　under　the　name　of
improvements　and　methods；　in　short；　mortgaged　lands　as　the　inevitable
result　of　experiments。　To　her；　prudence　was　the　true　method　of　making
your　fortune；　good　management　consisted　in　filling　your　granaries　with
wheat；　rye；　and　flax；　and　waiting　for　a　rise　at　the　risk　of　being
called　a　monopolist；　and　clinging　to　those　grain…sacks　obstinately。　By
singular　chance　she　had　often　made　lucky　sales　which　confirmed　her
principles。　She　was　thought　to　be　maliciously　clever；　but　in　fact　she
was　not　quick…witted；　on　the　other　hand；　being　as　methodical　as　a
Dutchman；　prudent　as　a　cat；　and　persistent　as　a　priest；　those
qualities　in　a　region　of　routine　like　Brittany　were；　practically；　the
equivalent　of　intellect。

〃Will　Monsieur　du　Halga　join　us　this　evening？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　de
Pen…Hoel；　taking　off　her　knitted　mittens　after　the　usual　exchange　of
greetings。

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；　I　met　him　taking　his　dog　to　walk　on　the　mall；〃
replied　the　rector。

〃Ha！　then　our　/mouche/　will　be　lively　to…night。　Last　evening　we　were
only　four。〃

At　the　word　/mouche/　the　rector　rose　and　took　from　a　drawer　in　one　of
the　tall　chests　a　small　round　basket　made　of　fine　osier；　a　pile　of
ivory　counters　yellow　as　a　Turkish　pipe　after　twenty　years'　usage；　and
a　pack　of　cards　as　greasy　as　those　of　the　custom…house　officers　at
Saint…Nazaire；　who　change　them　only　once　in　two　weeks。　These　the　abbe
brought　to　the　table；　arranging　the　proper　number　of　counters　before
each　player；　and　putting　the　basket　in　the　centre　of　the　table　beside
the　lamp；　with　infantine　eagerness；　and　the　manner　of　a　man　accustomed
to　perform　this　little　service。

A　knock　at　the　outer　gate　given　firmly　in　military　fashion　echoed
through　the　stillness　of　the　ancient　mansion。　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…
Hoel's　page　went　gravely　to　open　the　door；　and　presently　the　long；
lean；　methodically…clothed　person　of　the　Chevalier　du　Halga；　former
flag…captain　to　Admiral　de　Kergarouet；　defined　itself　in　black　on　the
penumbra　of　the　portico。

〃Welcome；　chevalier！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel。

〃The　altar　is　raised；〃　said　the　abbe。

The　chevalier　was　a　man　in　poor　health；　who　wore　flannel　for　his
rheumatism；　a　black…silk　skull…cap　to　protect　his　head　from　fog；　and　a
spencer　to　guard　his　precious　chest　from　the　sudden　gusts　which
freshen　the　atmosphere　of　Guerande。　He　always　went　armed　with　a　gold…
headed　cane　to　drive　away　the　dogs　who　paid　untimely　court　to　a
favorite　little　bitch　who　usually　accompanied　him。　This　man；　fussy　as
a　fine　lady；　worried　by　the　slightest　/contretemps/；　speaking　low　to
spare　his　voice；　had　been　in　his　early　days　one　of　the　most　intrepid
and　most　competent　officers　of　the　old　navy。　He　had　won　the　confidence
of　de　Suffren　in　the　Indian　Ocean；　and　the　friendship　of　the　Comte　de
Portenduere。　His　splendid　conduct　while　flag…captain　to　Admiral
Kergarouet　was　written　in　visible　letters　on　his　scarred　face。　To　see
him　now　no　one　would　have　imagined　the　voice　that　ruled　the　storm；　the
eye　that　compassed　the　sea；　the　courage；　indomitable；　of　the　Breton
sailor。

The　chevalier　never　smoked；　never　swore；　he　was　gentle　and　tranquil　as
a　girl；　as　much　concerned　about　his　little　dog　Thisbe　and　her　caprices
as　though　he　were　an　elderly　dowager。　In　this　way　he　gave　a　high　idea