the village rector-第6部分

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did；　so　happy；so　happy　that　the　poor　girl　found　strength　to　hide　her
surprise　and　her　violent　repulsion。　During　the　conversation　which　then
took　place　something　was　said　of　Graslin's　health。　The　banker　looked
naively　into　the　mirror；　with　bevelled　edges　in　an　ebony　frame。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　good…looking。〃

Thereupon　he　proceeded　to　explain　the　blotches　on　his　face　as　the
result　of　his　overworked　life。　He　related　how　he　had　constantly
disobeyed　his　physician's　advice；　and　remarked　that　he　hoped　to　change
his　appearance　altogether　when　he　had　a　wife　to　rule　his　household；
and　take　better　care　of　him　than　he　took　of　himself。

〃Is　a　man　married　for　his　face；　compatriot？〃　said　Sauviat；　giving　the
other　a　hearty　slap　on　the　thigh。

Graslin's　speech　went　straight　to　those　natural　feelings　which；　more
or　less；　fill　the　heart　of　every　woman。　The　thought　came　into
Veronique's　mind　that　her　face；　too；　had　been　destroyed　by　a　horrible
disease；　and　her　Christian　modesty　rebuked　her　first　impression。

Hearing　a　whistle　in　the　street；　Graslin　went　downstairs；　followed　by
Sauviat。　They　speedily　returned。　The　office…boy　had　brought　the　first
bouquet；　which　was　a　little　late　in　coming。　When　the　banker　exhibited
this　mound　of　exotic　flowers；　the　fragrance　of　which　completely　filled
the　room；　and　offered　it　to　his　future　wife；　Veronique　felt　a　rush　of
conflicting　emotions；　she　was　suddenly　plunged　into　the　ideal　and
fantastic　world　of　tropical　nature。　Never　before　had　she　seen　white
camelias；　never　had　she　smelt　the　fragrance　of　the　Alpine　cistus；　the
Cape　jessamine；　the　cedronella；　the　volcameria；　the　moss…rose；　or　any
of　the　divine　perfumes　which　woo　to　love；　and　sing　to　the　heart　their
hymns　of　fragrance。　Graslin　left　Veronique　that　night　in　the　grasp　of
such　emotions。

From　this　time　forth；　as　soon　as　all　Limoges　was　sleeping；　the　banker
would　slip　along　the　walls　to　the　Sauviats'　house。　There　he　would　tap
gently　on　the　window…shutter；　the　dog　did　not　bark；　old　Sauviat　came
down　and　let　him　in；　and　Graslin　would　then　spend　an　hour　or　two　with
Veronique　in　the　brown　room；　where　Madame　Sauviat　always　served　him　a
true　Auvergnat　supper。　Never　did　this　singular　lover　arrive　without　a
bouquet　made　of　the　rarest　flowers　from　the　greenhouse　of　his　old
partner；　Monsieur　Grossetete；　the　only　person　who　as　yet　knew　of　the
approaching　marriage。　The　man…of…all…work　went　every　evening　to　fetch
the　bunch；　which　Monsieur　Grossetete　made　himself。

Graslin　made　about　fifty　such　visits　in　two　months；　each　time；　besides
the　flowers；　he　brought　with　him　some　rich　present；rings；　a　watch；　a
gold　chain；　a　work…box；　etc。　These　inconceivable　extravagances　must　be
explained；　and　a　word　suffices。　Veronique's　dowry；　promised　by　her
father；　consisted　of　nearly　the　whole　of　old　Sauviat's　property；
namely；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。　The　old　man　retained
an　income　of　eight　thousand　francs　derived　from　the　Funds；　bought　for
him　originally　for　sixty　thousand　francs　in　assignats　by　his
correspondent　Brezac；　to　whom；　at　the　time　of　his　imprisonment；　he　had
confided　that　sum；　and　who　kept　it　for　him　safely。　These　sixty
thousand　francs　in　assignats　were　the　half　of　Sauviat's　fortune　at　the
time　he　came　so　near　being　guillotined。　Brezac　was　also；　at　the　same
time；　the　faithful　repository　of　the　rest；　namely；　seven　hundred　louis
d'or　（an　enormous　sum　at　that　time　in　gold）；　with　which　old　Sauviat
began　his　business　once　more　as　soon　as　he　recovered　his　liberty。　In
thirty　years　each　of　those　louis　d'or　had　been　transformed　into　a
bank…note　for　a　thousand　francs；　by　means　of　the　income　from　the
Funds；　of　Madame　Sauviat's　inheritance　from　her　father；　old
Champagnac；　and　of　the　profits　accruing　from　the　business　and　the
accumulated　interest　thereon　in　the　hands　of　the　Brezac　firm。　Brezac
himself　had　a　loyal　and　honest　friendship　for　Sauviat；such　as　all
Auvergnats　are　apt　to　feel　for　one　another。

So；　whenever　Sauviat　passed　the　front　of　the　Graslin　mansion　he　had
said　to　himself；　〃Veronique　shall　live　in　that　fine　palace。〃　He　knew
very　well　that　no　girl　in　all　the　department　would　have　seven　hundred
and　fifty　thousand　francs　as　a　marriage　portion；　besides　the
expectation　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　more。　Graslin；　his
chosen　son…in…law；　would　therefore　infallibly　marry　Veronique；　and　so；
as　we　have　seen；　it　came　about。

Every　evening　Veronique　had　her　fresh　bunch　of　flowers；　which　on　the
morrow　decked　her　little　salon　and　was　carefully　concealed　from　the
neighbors。　She　admired　the　beautiful　jewels；　the　pearls　and　diamonds；
the　bracelets；　the　rubies；　gifts　which　assuredly　gratify　all　the
daughters　of　Eve。　She　thought　herself　less　plain　when　she　wore　them。
She　saw　her　mother　happy　in　the　marriage；　and　she　had　no　other　point
of　view　from　which　to　make　comparisons。　She　was；　moreover；　totally
ignorant　of　the　duties　or　the　purpose　of　marriage。　She　heard　the
solemn　voice　of　the　vicar　of　Saint…Etienne　praising　Graslin　to　her　as
a　man　of　honor；　with　whom　she　would　lead　an　honorable　life。　Thus　it
was　that　Veronique　consented　to　receive　Monsieur　Graslin　as　her　future
husband。

When　it　happens　that　in　a　life　so　withdrawn　from　the　world；　so
solitary　as　that　of　Veronique；　a　single　person　enters　it　every　day；
that　person　cannot　long　remain　indifferent；　either　he　is　hated；　and
the　aversion；　justified　by　a　deepening　knowledge　of　his　character；
renders　him　intolerable；　or　the　habit　of　seeing　bodily　defects　dims
the　eye　to　them。　The　mind　looks　about　for　compensations；　his
countenance　awakens　curiosity；　its　features　brighten；　fleeting
beauties　appear　in　it。　At　last　the　inner；　hidden　beneath　the　outer；
shows　itself。　Then；　when　the　first　impressions　are　fairly　overcome；
the　attachment　felt　is　all　the　stronger；　because　the　soul　clings　to　it
as　its　own　creation。　That　is　love。　And　here　lies　the　reason　of　those
passions　conceived　by　beautiful　things　for　other　beings　apparently
ugly。　The　outward　aspect；　forgotten　by　affection；　is　no　longer　seen　in
a　creature　whose　soul　is　deeply　valued。　Besides　this；　beauty；　so
necessary　to　a　woman；　takes　many　strange　aspects　in　man；　and　there　is
as　much　diversity　of　feeling　among　women　about　the　beauty　of　men　as
there　is　among　men　about　the　beauty　of　women。　So；　after　deep
reflection　and　much　debating　with　herself；　Veronique　gave　her　consent
to　the　publication　of　the　banns。

From　that　moment　all　Limoges　rang　with　this　inexplicable　affair；
inexplicable　because　no　one　knew　the　secret　of　it；　namely；　the
immensity　of　the　dowry。　Had　that　dowry　been　known　Veronique　could　have
chosen　a　husband　where　she　pleased；　but　even　so；　she　might　have　made　a
mistake。

Graslin　was　thought　to　be　much　in　love。　Upholsterers　came　from　Paris
to　fit　up　the　house。　Nothing　was　talked　of　in　Limoges　but　the　profuse
expenditures　of　the　banker。　The　value　of　the　chandeliers　was
calculated；　the　gilding　of　the　walls；　the　figures　on　the　clocks；　all
were　discussed；　the　jardinieres；　the　caloriferes；　the　objects　of
luxury　and　novelty；　nothing　was　left　unnoticed。　In　the　garden　of　the
hotel　Graslin；　above　the　icehouse；　was　an　aviary；　and　all　the
inhabitants　of　the　town　were　presently　surprised　by　the　sight　of　rare
birds；Chinese　pheasants；　mysterious　breeds　of　ducks。　Every　one
flocked　to　see　them。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Grossetete；　an　old　couple　who
were　highly　respected　in　Limoges；　made　several　visits　to　the　Sauviats；
accompanied　by　Graslin。　Madame　Grossetete；　a　most　excellent　woman；
congratulated　Veronique　on　her　happy　marriage。　Thus　the　Church；　the
family；　society；　and　all　material　things　down　to　the　most　trivial；
made　themselves　accomplices　to　bring　about　this　marriage。

In　the　month　of　April　the　formal　invitations　to　the　wedding　were
issued　to　all　Graslin's　friends　and　acquaintance。　On　a　fine　spring
morning　a　caleche　and　a　coupe；　drawn　by　Limousin　horses　chosen　by
Monsieur　Grossetete；　drew　up　at　eleven　o'clock　before　the　shop　of　the
iron…dealer；　bringing；　to　the　great　excitement　of　the　neighborhood；
the　former　partners　of　the　bridegroom　and　the　latter's　two　clerks。　The
street　was　lined　with　spectators；　all　anxious　to　see　the　Sauviats'
daughter；　on　whose　beautiful　hair　the　most　renowned　hairdresser　in
Limoges　had　placed　the　bridal　wreath　and　a　costly　veil　of　English
lace。　Veronique　wore　a　gown　of　simple　white　muslin。　A　rather　imposing
assemblage　of　the　most　distinguished　women　in　the　society　of　the　town
attended　the　wedding　in　the　cathedral；　where　the　bishop；　knowing　the
religious　fervor　of　the　Sauviats；　deigned　to　marry　Veronique　himself。
The　bride　was　very　generally　voted　plain。

She　entered　her　new　house；　and　went　from　one　surprise　to　another。　A
grand　dinner　was　to　precede　the　ball；　to　which　Graslin　had　invited
nearly　all　Limoges。　The　dinner；　given　to　the　bishop；　the　prefect；　the
judge　of　the　court；　the　attorney…general；　the　mayor；　the　general；　and
Graslin's　former　partners　with　their　wives；　was　a　triumph　for　the
bride；　who；　like　all　other　persons　who　are　simple　and　natural；　showed
charms　that　were　not　expected　in　her。　Neither　of　the　bridal　pair　could
dance；　Veronique　continued　therefore　to　do　the　honors　to　her　guests；
and　to　win　the　esteem　and　good　graces　of　nearly　all　the　persons　who
were　presented　to　her；　asking　Grossetete；　who　took　an　honest　liking　to
her；　for　information　about　the　company。　She　made　no　mistakes　and
committed　no　blunders。　It　was　during　this　evening　that　the　two　former
partners　of　the　banker　announced　the　amount　of　the　dowry　（immense　for
Limousin）　given　by　the　Sauviats　to　their　daughter。　At　nine　o'clock　the
old　iron…dealer　returned　home　and　went　to　bed；　leaving　his　wife　to
preside　over　the　bride's　retiring。　It　was　said　by　everyone　throughout
the　town　that　Madame　Graslin　was　very　plain；　though　well　made。

Old　Sauviat　now　wound　up　his　business　and　sold　his　house　in　town。　He
bought　a　little　country…place　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Vienne　between
Limoges　and　Cluzeau；　ten　minutes'　walk　from　the　suburb　of　Saint…
Martial；　where　he　intended　to　finish　his　days　tranquilly　with　his
wife。　The　old　couple　had　an　apartment　in　the　hotel　Graslin　and　always
dined　once　or　twice　a　week　with　their　daughter；　who；　as　often；　made
their　ho