the vicar of tours-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



made　the　leaders　of　the　diocese　and　the　members　of　the　best　society　in

Tours　seek　his　company；　had　steadily　opposed；　though　secretly　and　with

much　judgment；　the　elevation　of　the　Abbe　Troubert。　He　had　even

adroitly　managed　to　prevent　his　access　to　the　salons　of　the　best

society。　Nevertheless；　during　Chapeloud's　lifetime　Troubert　treated

him　invariably　with　great　respect；　and　showed　him　on　all　occasions　the

utmost　deference。　This　constant　submission　did　not；　however；　change

the　opinion　of　the　late　canon；　who　said　to　Birotteau　during　the　last

walk　they　took　together：　〃Distrust　that　lean　stick　of　a　Troubert；

Sixtus　the　Fifth　reduced　to　the　limits　of　a　bishopric！〃



Such　was　the　friend；　the　abiding　guest　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard；　who　now

came；　the　morning　after　the　old　maid　had；　as　it　were；　declared　war

against　the　poor　vicar；　to　pay　his　brother　a　visit　and　show　him　marks

of　friendship。



〃You　must　excuse　Marianne；〃　said　the　canon；　as　the　woman　entered。　〃I

suppose　she　went　first　to　my　rooms。　They　are　very　damp；　and　I　coughed

all　night。　You　are　most　healthily　situated　here；〃　he　added；　looking　up

at　the　cornice。



〃Yes；　I　am　lodged　like　a　canon；〃　replied　Birotteau。



〃And　I　like　a　vicar；〃　said　the　other；　humbly。



〃But　you　will　soon　be　settled　in　the　archbishop's　palace；〃　said　the

kindly　vicar；　who　wanted　everybody　to　be　happy。



〃Yes；　or　in　the　cemetery；　but　God's　will　be　done！〃　and　Troubert　raised

his　eyes　to　heaven　resignedly。　〃I　came；〃　he　said；　〃to　ask　you　to　lend

me　the　'Register　of　Bishops。'　You　are　the　only　man　in　Tours　I　know　who

has　a　copy。〃



〃Take　it　out　of　my　library；〃　replied　Birotteau；　reminded　by　the

canon's　words　of　the　greatest　happiness　of　his　life。



The　canon　passed　into　the　library　and　stayed　there　while　the　vicar

dressed。　Presently　the　breakfast　bell　rang；　and　the　gouty　vicar

reflected　that　if　it　had　not　been　for　Troubert's　visit　he　would　have

had　no　fire　to　dress　by。　〃He's　a　kind　man；〃　thought　he。



The　two　priests　went　downstairs　together；　each　armed　with　a　huge　folio

which　they　laid　on　one　of　the　side　tables　in　the　dining…room。



〃What's　all　that？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　Gamard；　in　a　sharp　voice；

addressing　Birotteau。　〃I　hope　you　are　not　going　to　litter　up　my

dining…room　with　your　old　books！〃



〃They　are　books　I　wanted；〃　replied　the　Abbe　Troubert。　〃Monsieur

Birotteau　has　been　kind　enough　to　lend　them　to　me。〃



〃I　might　have　guessed　it；〃　she　said；　with　a　contemptuous　smile。

〃Monsieur　Birotteau　doesn't　often　read　books　of　that　size。〃



〃How　are　you；　mademoiselle？〃　said　the　vicar；　in　a　mellifluous　voice。



〃Not　very　well；〃　she　replied；　shortly。　〃You　woke　me　up　last　night　out

of　my　first　sleep；　and　I　was　wakeful　for　the　rest　of　the　night。〃　Then；

sitting　down；　she　added；　〃Gentlemen；　the　milk　is　getting　cold。〃



Stupefied　at　being　so　ill…naturedly　received　by　his　landlady；　from

whom　he　half　expected　an　apology；　and　yet　alarmed；　like　all　timid

people　at　the　prospect　of　a　discussion；　especially　if　it　relates　to

themselves；　the　poor　vicar　took　his　seat　in　silence。　Then；　observing

in　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　face　the　visible　signs　of　ill…humour；　he　was

goaded　into　a　struggle　between　his　reason；　which　told　him　that　he

ought　not　to　submit　to　such　discourtesy　from　a　landlady；　and　his

natural　character；　which　prompted　him　to　avoid　a　quarrel。



Torn　by　this　inward　misery；　Birotteau　fell　to　examining　attentively

the　broad　green　lines　painted　on　the　oilcloth　which；　from　custom

immemorial；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　left　on　the　table　at　breakfast…time；

without　regard　to　the　ragged　edges　or　the　various　scars　displayed　on

its　surface。　The　priests　sat　opposite　to　each　other　in　cane…seated

arm…chairs　on　either　side　of　the　square　table；　the　head　of　which　was

taken　by　the　landlady；　who　seemed　to　dominate　the　whole　from　a　high

chair　raised　on　casters；　filled　with　cushions；　and　standing　very　near

to　the　dining…room　stove。　This　room　and　the　salon　were　on　the　ground…

floor　beneath　the　salon　and　bedroom　of　the　Abbe　Birotteau。



When　the　vicar　had　received　his　cup　of　coffee；　duly　sugared；　from

Mademoiselle　Gamard；　he　felt　chilled　to　the　bone　at　the　grim　silence

in　which　he　was　forced　to　proceed　with　the　usually　gay　function　of

breakfast。　He　dared　not　look　at　Troubert's　dried…up　features；　nor　at

the　threatening　visage　of　the　old　maid；　and　he　therefore　turned；　to

keep　himself　in　countenance；　to　the　plethoric　pug　which　was　lying　on　a

cushion　near　the　stove；a　position　that　victim　of　obesity　seldom

quitted；　having　a　little　plate　of　dainties　always　at　his　left　side；

and　a　bowl　of　fresh　water　at　his　right。



〃Well；　my　pretty；〃　said　the　vicar；　〃are　you　waiting　for　your　coffee？〃



The　personage　thus　addressed；　one　of　the　most　important　in　the

household；　though　the　least　troublesome　inasmuch　as　he　had　ceased　to

bark　and　left　the　talking　to　his　mistress；　turned　his　little　eyes；

sunk　in　rolls　of　fat；　upon　Birotteau。　Then　he　closed　them　peevishly。

To　explain　the　misery　of　the　poor　vicar　it　should　be　said　that　being

endowed　by　nature　with　an　empty　and　sonorous　loquacity；　like　the

resounding　of　a　football；　he　was　in　the　habit　of　asserting；　without

any　medical　reason　to　back　him；　that　speech　favored　digestion。

Mademoiselle　Gamard；　who　believed　in　this　hygienic　doctrine；　had　not

as　yet　refrained；　in　spite　of　their　coolness；　from　talking　at　meals；

though；　for　the　last　few　mornings；　the　vicar　had　been　forced　to　strain

his　mind　to　find　beguiling　topics　on　which　to　loosen　her　tongue。　If

the　narrow　limits　of　this　history　permitted　us　to　report　even　one　of

the　conversations　which　often　brought　a　bitter　and　sarcastic　smile　to

the　lips　of　the　Abbe　Troubert；　it　would　offer　a　finished　picture　of

the　Boeotian　life　of　the　provinces。　The　singular　revelations　of　the

Abbe　Birotteau　and　Mademoiselle　Gamard　relating　to　their　personal

opinions　on　politics；　religion；　and　literature　would　delight　observing

minds。　It　would　be　highly　entertaining　to　transcribe　the　reasons　on

which　they　mutually　doubted　the　death　of　Napoleon　in　1820；　or　the

conjectures　by　which　they　mutually　believed　that　the　Dauphin　was

living；rescued　from　the　Temple　in　the　hollow　of　a　huge　log　of　wood。

Who　could　have　helped　laughing　to　hear　them　assert　and　prove；　by

reasons　evidently　their　own；　that　the　King　of　France　alone　imposed　the

taxes；　that　the　Chambers　were　convoked　to　destroy　the　clergy；　that

thirteen　hundred　thousand　persons　had　perished　on　the　scaffold　during

the　Revolution？　They　frequently　discussed　the　press；　without　either　of

them　having　the　faintest　idea　of　what　that　modern　engine　really　was。

Monsieur　Birotteau　listened　with　acceptance　to　Mademoiselle　Gamard

when　she　told　him　that　a　man　who　ate　an　egg　every　morning　would　die　in

a　year；　and　that　facts　proved　it；　that　a　roll　of　light　bread　eaten

without　drinking　for　several　days　together　would　cure　sciatica；　that

all　the　workmen　who　assisted　in　pulling　down　the　Abbey　Saint…Martin

had　died　in　six　months；　that　a　certain　prefect；　under　orders　from

Bonaparte；　had　done　his　best　to　damage　the　towers　of　Saint…Gatien；

with　a　hundred　other　absurd　tales。



But　on　this　occasion　poor　Birotteau　felt　he　was　tongue…tied；　and　he

resigned　himself　to　eat　a　meal　without　engaging　in　conversation。　After

a　while；　however；　the　thought　crossed　his　mind　that　silence　was

dangerous　for　his　digestion；　and　he　boldly　remarked；　〃This　coffee　is

excellent。〃



That　act　of　courage　was　completely　wasted。　Then；　after　looking　at　the

scrap　of　sky　visible　above　the　garden　between　the　two　buttresses　of

Saint…Gatien；　the　vicar　again　summoned　nerve　to　say；　〃It　will　be　finer

weather　to…day　than　it　was　yesterday。〃



At　that　remark　Mademoiselle　Gamard　cast　her　most　gracious　look　on　the

Abbe　Troubert；　and　immediately　turned　her　eyes　with　terrible　severity

on　Birotteau；　who　fortunately　by　that　time　was　looking　on　his　plate。



No　creature　of　the　feminine　gender　was　ever　more　capable　of　presenting

to　the　mind　the　elegaic　nature　of　an　old　maid　than　Mademoiselle　Sophie

Gamard。　In　order　to　describe　a　being　whose　character　gives　a　momentous

interest　to　the　petty　events　of　the　present　drama　and　to　the　anterior

lives　of　the　actors　in　it；　it　may　be　useful　to　give　a　summary　of　the

ideas　which　find　expression　in　the　being　of　an　Old　Maid；remembering

always　that　the　habits　of　life　form　the　soul；　and　the　soul　forms　the

physical　presence。



Though　all　things　in　society　as　well　as　in　the　universe　are　said　to

have　a　purpose；　there　do　exist　here　below　certain　beings　whose　purpose

and　utility　seem　inexplicable。　Moral　philosophy　and　political　economy

both　condemn　the　individual　who　consumes　without　producing；　who　fills

a　place　on　the　earth　but　does　not　shed　upon　it　either　good　or　evil；

for　evil　is　sometimes　good　the　meaning　of　which　is　not　at　once　made

manifest。　It　is　seldom　that　old　maids　of　their　own　motion　enter　the

ranks　of　these　unproductive　beings。　Now；　if　the　consciousness　of　work

done　gives　to　the　workers　a　sense　of　satisfaction　which　helps　them　to

support　life；　the　certainty　of　being　a　useless　burden　must；　one　would

think；　produce　a　contrary　effect；　and　fill　the　minds　of　such　fruitless

beings　with　the　same　contempt　for　themselves　which　they　inspire　in

others。　This　harsh　social　reprobation　is　one　of　the　causes　which

contribute　to　fill　the　souls　of　old　maids　with　the　distress　that

appears　in　their　faces。　Prejudice；　in　which　there　is　truth；　does　cast；

throughout　the　world　but　especially　in　France；　a　great　stigma　on　the

woman　with　whom　no　man　has　been　willing　to　share　the　blessings　or

endure　the　ills　of　life。　Now；　there　comes　to　all　unmarried　women　a

period　when　the　world；　be　it　right　or　wrong；　condemns　them　on　the　fact

of　this　contempt；　this　rejection。　If　they　are　ugly；　the　goodness　of

their　characters　ought　to　have　compensated　for　their　natural

imperfections；　if；　on　the　contrary；　they　are　handsome；　that　fact

argues　that　their　misfortune　has　som