a second home-第10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！


　Madame　de　Granville　had　perhaps　stamped　the　various　things　she　had　ordered　with　the　seal　of　her　own　character；　the　young　lawyer　was　certainly　startled　by　the　cold；　arid　solemnity　that　reigned　in　these　rooms；　he　found　nothing　to　charm　his　taste；　everything　was　discordant；　nothing　gratified　the　eye。　The　rigid　mannerism　that　prevailed　in　the　sitting…room　at　Bayeux　had　invaded　his　home；　the　broad　panels　were　hollowed　in　circles；　and　decorated　with　those　arabesques　of　which　the　long；　monotonous　mouldings　are　in　such　bad　taste。　Anxious　to　find　excuses　for　his　wife；　the　young　husband　began　again；　looking　first　at　the　long　and　lofty　ante…room　through　which　the　apartment　was　entered。　The　color　of　the　panels；　as　ordered　by　his　wife；　was　too　heavy；　and　the　very　dark　green　velvet　used　to　cover　the　benches　added　to　the　gloom　of　this　entrancenot；　to　be　sure；　an　important　room；　but　giving　a　first　impressionjust　as　we　measure　a　man's　intelligence　by　his　first　address。　An　ante…room　is　a　kind　of　preface　which　announces　what　is　to　follow；　but　promises　nothing。

The　young　husband　wondered　whether　his　wife　could　really　have　chosen　the　lamp　of　an　antique　pattern；　which　hung　in　the　centre　of　this　bare　hall；　the　pavement　of　black　and　white　marble；　and　the　paper　in　imitation　of　blocks　of　stone；　with　green　moss　on　them　in　places。　A　handsome；　but　not　new；　barometer　hung　on　the　middle　of　one　of　the　walls；　as　if　to　accentuate　the　void。　At　the　sight　of　it　all；　he　looked　round　at　his　wife；　he　saw　her　so　much　pleased　by　the　red　braid　binding　to　the　cotton　curtains；　so　satisfied　with　the　barometer　and　the　strictly　decent　statue　that　ornamented　a　large　Gothic　stove；　that　he　had　not　the　barbarous　courage　to　overthrow　such　deep　convictions。　Instead　of　blaming　his　wife；　Granville　blamed　himself；　accusing　himself　of　having　failed　in　his　duty　of　guiding　the　first　steps　in　Paris　of　a　girl　brought　up　at　Bayeux。

From　this　specimen；　what　might　not　be　expected　of　the　other　rooms？　What　was　to　be　looked　for　from　a　woman　who　took　fright　at　the　bare　legs　of　a　Caryatid；　and　who　would　not　look　at　a　chandelier　or　a　candle…stick　if　she　saw　on　it　the　nude　outlines　of　an　Egyptian　bust？　At　this　date　the　school　of　David　was　at　the　height　of　its　glory；　all　the　art　of　France　bore　the　stamp　of　his　correct　design　and　his　love　of　antique　types；　which　indeed　gave　his　pictures　the　character　of　colored　sculpture。　But　none　of　these　devices　of　Imperial　luxury　found　civic　rights　under　Madame　de　Granville's　roof。　The　spacious；　square　drawing…　room　remained　as　it　had　been　left　from　the　time　of　Louis　XV。；　in　white　and　tarnished　gold；　lavishly　adorned　by　the　architect　with　checkered　lattice…work　and　the　hideous　garlands　due　to　the　uninventive　designers　of　the　time。　Still；　if　harmony　at　least　had　prevailed；　if　the　furniture　of　modern　mahogany　had　but　assumed　the　twisted　forms　of　which　Boucher's　corrupt　taste　first　set　the　fashion；　Angelique's　room　would　only　have　suggested　the　fantastic　contrast　of　a　young　couple　in　the　nineteenth　century　living　as　though　they　were　in　the　eighteenth；　but　a　number　of　details　were　in　ridiculous　discord。　The　consoles；　the　clocks；　the　candelabra；　were　decorated　with　the　military　trophies　which　the　wars　of　the　Empire　commended　to　the　affections　of　the　Parisians；　and　the　Greek　helmets；　the　Roman　crossed　daggers；　and　the　shields　so　dear　to　military　enthusiasm　that　they　were　introduced　on　furniture　of　the　most　peaceful　uses；　had　no　fitness　side　by　side　with　the　delicate　and　profuse　arabesques　that　delighted　Madame　de　Pompadour。

Bigotry　tends　to　an　indescribably　tiresome　kind　of　humility　which　does　not　exclude　pride。　Whether　from　modesty　or　by　choice；　Madame　de　Granville　seemed　to　have　a　horror　of　light　and　cheerful　colors；　perhaps；　too；　she　imagined　that　brown　and　purple　beseemed　the　dignity　of　a　magistrate。　How　could　a　girl　accustomed　to　an　austere　life　have　admitted　the　luxurious　divans　that　may　suggest　evil　thoughts；　the　elegant　and　tempting　boudoirs　where　naughtiness　may　be　imagined？

The　poor　husband　was　in　despair。　From　the　tone　in　which　he　approved；　only　seconding　the　praises　she　bestowed　on　herself；　Angelique　understood　that　nothing　really　pleased　him；　and　she　expressed　so　much　regret　at　her　want　of　success；　that　Granville；　who　was　very　much　in　love；　regarded　her　disappointment　as　a　proof　of　her　affection　instead　of　resentment　for　an　offence　to　her　self…conceit。　After　all；　could　he　expect　a　girl　just　snatched　from　the　humdrum　of　country　notions；　with　no　experience　of　the　niceties　and　grace　of　Paris　life；　to　know　or　do　any　better？　Rather　would　he　believe　that　his　wife's　choice　had　been　overruled　by　the　tradesmen　than　allow　himself　to　own　the　truth。　If　he　had　been　less　in　love；　he　would　have　understood　that　the　dealers；　always　quick　to　discern　their　customers'　ideas；　had　blessed　Heaven　for　sending　them　a　tasteless　little　bigot；　who　would　take　their　old…　fashioned　goods　off　their　hands。　So　he　comforted　the　pretty　provincial。

〃Happiness；　dear　Angelique；　does　not　depend　on　a　more　or　less　elegant　piece　of　furniture；　it　depends　on　the　wife's　sweetness；　gentleness；　and　love。〃

〃Why；　it　is　my　duty　to　love　you；〃　said　Angelique　mildly；　〃and　I　can　have　no　more　delightful　duty　to　carry　out。〃

Nature　has　implanted　in　the　heart　of　woman　so　great　a　desire　to　please；　so　deep　a　craving　for　love；　that；　even　in　a　youthful　bigot；　the　ideas　of　salvation　and　a　future　existence　must　give　way　to　the　happiness　of　early　married　life。　And；　in　fact；　from　the　month　of　April；　when　they　were　married；　till　the　beginning　of　winter；　the　husband　and　wife　lived　in　perfect　union。　Love　and　hard　work　have　the　grace　of　making　a　man　tolerably　indifferent　to　external　matters。　Being　obliged　to　spend　half　the　day　in　court　fighting　for　the　gravest　interests　of　men's　lives　or　fortunes；　Granville　was　less　alive　than　another　might　have　been　to　certain　facts　in　his　household。

If；　on　a　Friday；　he　found　none　but　Lenten　fare；　and　by　chance　asked　for　a　dish　of　meat　without　getting　it；　his　wife；　forbidden　by　the　Gospel　to　tell　a　lie；　could　still；　by　such　subterfuges　as　are　permissible　in　the　interests　of　religion；　cloak　what　was　premeditated　purpose　under　some　pretext　of　her　own　carelessness　or　the　scarcity　in　the　market。　She　would　often　exculpate　herself　at　the　expense　of　the　cook；　and　even　go　so　far　as　to　scold　him。　At　that　time　young　lawyers　did　not；　as　they　do　now；　keep　the　fasts　of　the　Church；　the　four　rogation　seasons；　and　the　vigils　of　festivals；　so　Granville　was　not　at　first　aware　of　the　regular　recurrence　of　these　Lenten　meals；　which　his　wife　took　care　should　be　made　dainty　by　the　addition　of　teal；　moor…　hen；　and　fish…pies；　that　their　amphibious　meat　or　high　seasoning　might　cheat　his　palate。　Thus　the　young　man　unconsciously　lived　in　strict　orthodoxy；　and　worked　out　his　salvation　without　knowing　it。

On　week…days　he　did　not　know　whether　his　wife　went　to　Mass　or　no。　On　Sundays；　with　very　natural　amiability；　he　accompanied　her　to　church　to　make　up　to　her；　as　it　were；　for　sometimes　giving　up　vespers　in　favor　of　his　company；　he　could　not　at　first　fully　enter　into　the　strictness　of　his　wife's　religious　views。　The　theatres　being　impossible　in　summer　by　reason　of　the　heat；　Granville　had　not　even　the　opportunity　of　the　great　success　of　a　piece　to　give　rise　to　the　serious　question　of　play…　going。　And；　in　short；　at　the　early　stage　of　a　union　to　which　a　man　has　been　led　by　a　young　girl's　beauty；　he　can　hardly　be　exacting　as　to　his　amusements。　Youth　is　greedy　rather　than　dainty；　and　possession　has　a　charm　in　itself。　How　should　he　be　keen　to　note　coldness；　dignity；　and　reserve　in　the　woman　to　whom　he　ascribes　the　excitement　he　himself　feels；　and　lends　the　glow　of　the　fire　that　burns　within　him？　He　must　have　attained　a　certain　conjugal　calm　before　he　discovers　that　a　bigot　sits　waiting　for　love　with　her　arms　folded。

Granville；　therefore；　believed　himself　happy　till　a　fatal　event　brought　its　influence　to　bear　on　his　married　life。　In　the　month　of　November　1808　the　Canon　of　Bayeux　Cathedral　who　had　been　the　keeper　of　Madame　Bontems'　conscience　and　her　daughter's；　came　to　Paris；　spurred　by　the　ambition　to　be　at　the　head　of　a　church　in　the　capitala　position　which　he　regarded　perhaps　as　the　stepping…stone　to　a　bishopric。　On　resuming　his　former　control　of　this　wandering　lamb；　he　was　horrified　to　find　her　already　so　much　deteriorated　by　the　air　of　Paris；　and　strove　to　reclaim　her　to　his　chilly　fold。　Frightened　by　the　exhortations　of　this　priest；　a　man　of　about　eight…and…thirty；　who　brought　with　him；　into　the　circle　of　the　enlightened　and　tolerant　Paris　clergy；　the　bitter　provincial　catholicism　and　the　inflexible　bigotry　which　fetter　timid　souls　with　endless　exactions；　Madame　de　Granville　did　penance　and　returned　from　her　Jansenist　errors。

It　would　be　tiresome　to　describe　minutely　all　the　circumstances　which　insensibly　brought　disaster　on　this　household；　it　will　be　enough　to　relate　the　simple　facts　without　giving　them　in　strict　order　of　time。

The　first　misunderstanding　between　the　young　couple　was；　however；　a　serious　one。

When　Granville　took　his　wife　into　society　she　never　declined　solemn　functions；　such　as　dinners；　concerts；　or　parties　given　by　the　Judges　superior　to　her　husband　in　the　legal　profession；　but　for　a　long　time　she　constantly　excused　herself　on　the　plea　of　a　sick　headache　when　they　were　invited　to　a　ball。　One　day　Granville；　out　of　patience　with　these　assumed　indispositions；　destroyed　a　note　of　invitation　to　a　ball　at　the　house　of　a　Councillor　of　State；　and　gave　his　wife　only　a　verbal　invitation。　Then；　on　the　evening；　her　health　being　quite　above　suspicion；　he　took　her　to　a　magnificent　entertainment。

〃My　dear；〃　said　he；　on　their　return　home；　seeing　her　wear　an　offensive　air　of　depression；　〃your　position　as　a　wife；　the　rank　you　hold　in　society；　and　the　fortune　you　enjoy；　impose　on　you　certain　duties　of　which　no　divine　law　can　relieve　you。　Are　you　not　your　husband's　pride？　You　are　required　to　go　to　balls　when　I　go；　and　to　appear　in　a　becoming　manner。〃

〃And　what　is　there；　my　dear；　so　disastrous　in　my　dress？〃

〃It　is　your　manner；　my　dear。　When　a　young　man　comes　up　to　speak　to　you；　you　look　so　serious　that　a　spiteful　person　might　believe　you　doubtful　of　your　own　virtue。　You　seem　to　fear　lest　a　smile