beatrix-第9部分

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honor　to　have　new　ailments。　Inquiries　might　be　alike；　but　the　nautical
hero　had　singular　advantages　in　the　way　of　replies。　To…day　it　chanced
that　his　ribs　troubled　him。　But　here's　a　remarkable　thing！　never　did
the　worthy　chevalier　complain　of　his　wounds。　The　ills　that　were　really
the　matter　with　him　he　expected；　he　knew　them　and　he　bore　them；　but
his　fancied　ailments；　his　headaches；　the　gnawings　in　his　stomach；　the
buzzing　in　his　ears；　and　a　thousand　other　fads　and　symptoms　made　him
horribly　uneasy；　he　posed　as　incurable；and　not　without　reason；　for
doctors　up　to　the　present　time　have　found　no　remedy　for　diseases　that
don't　exist。

〃Yesterday　the　trouble　was；　I　believe；　in　your　legs；〃　said　the　rector。

〃It　moves　about；〃　replied　the　chevalier。

〃Legs　to　ribs？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　Zephirine。

〃Without　stopping　on　the　way？〃　said　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　smiling。

The　chevalier　bowed　gravely；　making　a　negative　gesture　which　was　not　a
little　droll；　and　proved　to　an　observer　that　in　his　youth　the　sailor
had　been　witty　and　loving　and　beloved。　Perhaps　his　fossil　life　at
Guerande　hid　many　memories。　When　he　stood；　solemnly　planted　on　his　two
heron…legs　in　the　sunshine　on　the　mall；　gazing　at　the　sea　or　watching
the　gambols　of　his　little　dog；　perhaps　he　was　living　again　in　some
terrestrial　paradise　of　a　past　that　was　rich　in　recollections。

〃So　the　old　Duc　de　Lenoncourt　is　dead；〃　said　the　baron；　remembering
the　paragraph　of　the　〃Quotidienne；〃　where　his　wife　had　stopped
reading。　〃Well；　the　first　gentleman　of　the　Bedchamber　followed　his
master　soon。　I　shall　go　next。〃

〃My　dear；　my　dear！〃　said　his　wife；　gently　tapping　the　bony　calloused
hand　of　her　husband。

〃Let　him　say　what　he　likes；　sister；〃　said　Zephirine；　〃as　long　as　I　am
above　ground　he　can't　be　under　it；　I　am　the　elder。〃

A　gay　smile　played　on　the　old　woman's　lips。　Whenever　the　baron　made
reflections　of　that　kind；　the　players　and　the　visitors　present　looked
at　each　other　with　emotion；　distressed　by　the　sadness　of　the　king　of
Guerande；　and　after　they　had　left　the　house　they　would　say；　as　they
walked　home：　〃Monsieur　du　Guenic　was　sad　to…night。　Did　you　notice　how
he　slept？〃　And　the　next　day　the　whole　town　would　talk　of　the　matter。
〃The　Baron　du　Guenic　fails；〃　was　a　phrase　that　opened　the　conversation
in　many　houses。

〃How　is　Thisbe？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　of　the　chevalier；　as
soon　as　the　cards　were　dealt。

〃The　poor　little　thing　is　like　her　master；〃　replied　the　chevalier；
〃she　has　some　nervous　trouble；　she　goes　on　three　legs　constantly。　See；
like　this。〃

In　raising　and　crooking　his　arm　to　imitate　the　dog；　the　chevalier
exposed　his　hand　to　his　cunning　neighbor；　who　wanted　to　see　if　he　had
Mistigris　or　the　trump；a　first　wile　to　which　he　succumbed。

〃Oh！〃　said　the　baroness；　〃the　end　of　Monsieur　le　cure's　nose　is
turning　white；　he　has　Mistigris。〃

The　pleasure　of　having　Mistigris　was　so　great　to　the　rectoras　it　was
to　the　other　playersthat　the　poor　priest　could　not　conceal　it。　In
all　human　faces　there　is　a　spot　where　the　secret　emotions　of　the　heart
betray　themselves；　and　these　companions；　accustomed　for　years　to
observe　each　other；　had　ended　by　finding　out　that　spot　on　the　rector's
face：　when　he　had　Mistigris　the　tip　of　his　nose　grew　pale。

〃You　had　company　to…day；〃　said　the　chevalier　to　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…
Hoel。

〃Yes；　a　cousin　of　my　brother…in…law。　He　surprised　me　by　announcing　the
marriage　of　the　Comtesse　de　Kergarouet；　a　Demoiselle　de　Fontaine。〃

〃The　daughter　of　'Grand…Jacques；'〃　cried　the　chevalier；　who　had　lived
with　the　admiral　during　his　stay　in　Paris。

〃The　countess　is　his　heir；　she　has　married　an　old　ambassador。　My
visitor　told　me　the　strangest　things　about　our　neighbor；　Mademoiselle
des　Touches；so　strange　that　I　can't　believe　them。　If　they　were　true；
Calyste　would　never　be　so　constantly　with　her；　he　has　too　much　good
sense　not　to　perceive　such　monstrosities〃

〃Monstrosities？〃　said　the　baron；　waked　up　by　the　word。

The　baroness　and　the　rector　exchanged　looks。　The　cards　were　dealt；
Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　had　Mistigris！　Impossible　to　continue　the
conversation！　But　she　was　glad　to　hide　her　joy　under　the　excitement
caused　by　her　last　word。

〃Your　play；　monsieur　le　baron；〃　she　said；　with　an　air　of　importance。

〃My　nephew　is　not　one　of　those　youths　who　like　monstrosities；〃
remarked　Zephirine；　taking　out　her　knitting…needle　and　scratching　her
head。

〃Mistigris！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　making　no　reply　to　her
friend。

The　rector；　who　appeared　to　be　well…informed　in　the　matter　of　Calyste
and　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　did　not　enter　the　lists。

〃What　does　she　do　that　is　so　extraordinary；　Mademoiselle　des　Touches？〃
asked　the　baron。

〃She　smokes；〃　replied　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel。

〃That's　very　wholesome；〃　said　the　chevalier。

〃About　her　property？〃　asked　the　baron。

〃Her　property？〃　continued　the　old　maid。　〃Oh；　she　is　running　through
it。〃

〃The　game　is　mine！〃　said　the　baroness。　〃See；　I　have　king；　queen；　knave
of　trumps；　Mistigris；　and　a　king。　We　win　the　basket；　sister。〃

This　victory；　gained　at　one　stroke；　without　playing　a　card；　horrified
Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　who　ceased　to　concern　herself　about　Calyste
and　Mademoiselle　des　Touches。　By　nine　o'clock　no　one　remained　in　the
salon　but　the　baroness　and　the　rector。　The　four　old　people　had　gone　to
their　beds。　The　chevalier；　according　to　his　usual　custom；　accompanied
Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel　to　her　house　in　the　Place　de　Guerande；　making
remarks　as　they　went　along　on　the　cleverness　of　the　last　play；　on　the
joy　with　which　Mademoiselle　Zephirine　engulfed　her　gains　in　those
capacious　pockets　of　hers；for　the　old　blind　woman　no　longer
repressed　upon　her　face　the　visible　signs　of　her　feelings。　Madame　du
Guenic's　evident　preoccupation　was　the　chief　topic　of　conversation；
however。　The　chevalier　had　remarked　the　abstraction　of　the　beautiful
Irish　woman。　When　they　reached　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel's　door…step；
and　her　page　had　gone　in；　the　old　lady　answered；　confidentially；　the
remarks　of　the　chevalier　on　the　strangely　abstracted　air　of　the
baroness：

〃I　know　the　cause。　Calyste　is　lost　unless　we　marry　him　promptly。　He
loves　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　an　actress！〃

〃In　that　case；　send　for　Charlotte。〃

〃I　have　sent；　my　sister　will　receive　my　letter　to…morrow；〃　replied
Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　bowing　to　the　chevalier。

Imagine　from　this　sketch　of　a　normal　evening　the　hubbub　excited　in
Guerande　homes　by　the　arrival；　the　stay；　the　departure；　or　even　the
mere　passage　through　the　town；　of　a　stranger。

When　no　sounds　echoed　from　the　baron's　chamber　nor　from　that　of　his
sister；　the　baroness　looked　at　the　rector；　who　was　playing　pensively
with　the　counters。

〃I　see　that　you　begin　to　share　my　anxiety　about　Calyste；〃　she　said　to
him。

〃Did　you　notice　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel's　displeased　looks　to…night？〃
asked　the　rector。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　baroness。

〃She　has；　as　I　know；　the　best　intentions　about　our　dear　Calyste；　she
loves　him　as　though　he　were　her　son；　his　conduct　in　Vendee　beside　his
father；　the　praises　that　MADAME　bestowed　upon　his　devotion；　have　only
increased　her　affection　for　him。　She　intends　to　execute　a　deed　of　gift
by　which　she　gives　her　whole　property　at　her　death　to　whichever　of　her
nieces　Calyste　marries。　I　know　that　you　have　another　and　much　richer
marriage　in　Ireland　for　your　dear　Calyste；　but　it　is　well　to　have　two
strings　to　your　bow。　In　case　your　family　will　not　take　charge　of
Calyste's　establishment；　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel's　fortune　is　not　to
be　despised。　You　can　always　find　a　match　of　seven　thousand　francs　a
year　for　the　dear　boy；　but　it　is　not　often　that　you　could　come　across
the　savings　of　forty　years　and　landed　property　as　well　managed；　built
up；　and　kept　in　repair　as　that　of　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel。　That
ungodly　woman；　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　has　come　here　to　ruin　many
excellent　things。　Her　life　is　now　known。〃

〃And　what　is　it？〃　asked　the　mother。

〃Oh！　that　of　a　trollop；〃　replied　the　rector；〃a　woman　of　questionable
morals；　a　writer　for　the　stage；　frequenting　theatres　and　actors；
squandering　her　fortune　among　pamphleteers；　painters；　musicians；　a
devilish　society；　in　short。　She　writes　books　herself；　and　has　taken　a
false　name　by　which　she　is　better　known；　they　tell　me；　than　by　her
own。　She　seems　to　be　a　sort　of　circus　woman　who　never　enters　a　church
except　to　look　at　the　pictures。　She　has　spent　quite　a　fortune　in
decorating　Les　Touches　in　a　most　improper　fashion；　making　it　a
Mohammedan　paradise　where　the　houris　are　not　women。　There　is　more　wine
drunk　there；　they　say；　during　the　few　weeks　of　her　stay　than　the　whole
year　round　in　Guerande。　The　Demoiselles　Bougniol　let　their　lodgings
last　year　to　men　with　beards；　who　were　suspected　of　being　Blues；　they
sang　wicked　songs　which　made　those　virtuous　women　blush　and　weep；　and
spent　their　time　mostly　at　Les　Touches。　And　this　is　the　woman　our　dear
Calyste　adores！　If　that　creature　wanted　to…night　one　of　the　infamous
books　in　which　the　atheists　of　the　present　day　scoff　at　holy　things；
Calyste　would　saddle　his　horse　himself　and　gallop　to　Nantes　for　it。　I
am　not　sure　that　he　would　do　as　much　for　the　Church。　Moreover；　this
Breton　woman　is　not　a　royalist！　If　Calyste　were　again　called　upon　to
strike　a　blow　for　the　cause；　and　Mademoiselle　des　Touchesthe　Sieur
Camille　Maupin；　that　is　her　other　name；　as　I　have　just　rememberedif
she　wanted　to　keep　him　with　her　the　chevalier　would　let　his　old　father
go　to　the　field　without　him。〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　said　the　baroness。

〃I　should　not　like　to　put　him　to　the　proof；　you　would　suffer　too
much；〃　replied　the　rector。　〃All　Guerande　is　turned　upside　down　about
Calyste's　passion　for　this　amphibious　creature；　who　is　neither　man　nor
woman；　who　smokes　like　an　hussar；　writes　like　a　journalist；　and　has　at
this　very　moment　in　her　house　the　most　venomous　of　all　writers；so
the　postmaster　says；　and　he's　a　/juste…milieu/　man　who　reads　the
papers。　They　are　even　talking　about　her　at　Nantes。　This　morning　the
Kergarouet　cousin　who　wants　to　marry　Charlotte　to　a　man　with　sixty
thousand　francs　a　year；　went　to　see　Mademoiselle　de　Pen…Hoel；　and
filled　her　mind　with　tales　about　Mademoiselle　de