a second home-第7部分

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ed　the　easy…going　egotist；　his　powdered　hair　gave　him　a　pleasant　look；　till　he　raised　his　small；　brown　eyes；　prominent　under　a　flat　forehead；　and　not　unworthy　to　glitter　under　the　brows　of　a　Tartar。

〃Monsieur　l'Abbe；〃　said　Francoise；　〃I　thank　you　for　all　your　advice；　but　believe　me；　I　have　taken　the　greatest　care　of　the　dear　soul。〃

But　the　servant；　with　her　dragging　step　and　woe…begone　look；　was　silent　when　she　saw　that　the　door　of　the　apartment　was　open；　and　that　the　most　insinuating　of　the　three　dowagers　was　standing　on　the　landing　to　be　the　first　to　speak　with　the　confessor。　When　the　priest　had　politely　faced　the　honeyed　and　bigoted　broadside　of　words　fired　off　from　the　widow's　three　friends；　he　went　into　the　sickroom　to　sit　by　Madame　Crochard。　Decency；　and　some　sense　of　reserve；　compelled　the　three　women　and　old　Francoise　to　remain　in　the　sitting…room；　and　to　make　such　grimaces　of　grief　as　are　possible　in　perfection　only　to　such　wrinkled　faces。

〃Oh；　is　it　not　ill…luck！〃　cried　Francoise；　heaving　a　sigh。　〃This　is　the　fourth　mistress　I　have　buried。　The　first　left　me　a　hundred　francs　a　year；　the　second　a　sum　of　fifty　crowns；　and　the　third　a　thousand　crowns　down。　After　thirty　years'　service；　that　is　all　I　have　to　call　my　own。〃

The　woman　took　advantage　of　her　freedom　to　come　and　go；　to　slip　into　a　cupboard；　whence　she　could　hear　the　priest。

〃I　see　with　pleasure；　daughter；〃　said　Fontanon；　〃that　you　have　pious　sentiments；　you　have　a　sacred　relic　round　your　neck。〃

Madame　Crochard；　with　a　feeble　vagueness　which　seemed　to　show　that　she　had　not　all　her　wits　about　her；　pulled　out　the　Imperial　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　The　priest　started　back　at　seeing　the　Emperor's　head；　he　went　up　to　the　penitent　again；　and　she　spoke　to　him；　but　in　such　a　low　tone　that　for　some　minutes　Francoise　could　hear　nothing。

〃Woe　upon　me！〃　cried　the　old　woman　suddenly。　〃Do　not　desert　me。　What；　Monsieur　l'Abbe；　do　you　think　I　shall　be　called　to　account　for　my　daughter's　soul？〃

The　Abbe　spoke　too　low；　and　the　partition　was　too　thick　for　Francoise　to　hear　the　reply。

〃Alas！〃　sobbed　the　woman；　〃the　wretch　has　left　me　nothing　that　I　can　bequeath。　When　he　robbed　me　of　my　dear　Caroline；　he　parted　us；　and　only　allowed　me　three　thousand　francs　a　year；　of　which　the　capital　belongs　to　my　daughter。〃

〃Madame　has　a　daughter；　and　nothing　to　live　on　but　an　annuity；〃　shrieked　Francoise；　bursting　into　the　drawing…room。

The　three　old　crones　looked　at　each　other　in　dismay。　One　of　them；　whose　nose　and　chin　nearly　met　with　an　expression　that　betrayed　a　superior　type　of　hypocrisy　and　cunning；　winked　her　eyes；　and　as　soon　as　Francoise's　back　was　turned；　she　gave　her　friends　a　nod；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃That　slut　is　too　knowing　by　half；　her　name　has　figured　in　three　wills　already。〃

So　the　three　old　dames　sat　on。

However；　the　Abbe　presently　came　out；　and　at　a　word　from　him　the　witches　scuttered　down　the　stairs　at　his　heels；　leaving　Francoise　alone　with　her　mistress。　Madame　Crochard；　whose　sufferings　increased　in　severity；　rang；　but　in　vain；　for　this　woman；　who　only　called　out；　〃Coming；　comingin　a　minute！〃　The　doors　of　cupboards　and　wardrobes　were　slamming　as　though　Francoise　were　hunting　high　and　low　for　a　lost　lottery　ticket。

Just　as　this　crisis　was　at　a　climax；　Mademoiselle　de　Bellefeuille　came　to　stand　by　her　mother's　bed；　lavishing　tender　words　on　her。

〃Oh　my　dear　mother；　how　criminal　I　have　been！　You　are　ill；　and　I　did　not　know　it；　my　heart　did　not　warn　me。　However；　here　I　am〃

〃Caroline〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃They　fetched　a　priest〃

〃But　send　for　a　doctor；　bless　me！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　de　Bellefeuille。　〃Francoise；　a　doctor！　How　is　it　that　these　ladies　never　sent　for　a　doctor？〃

〃They　sent　for　a　priest〃　repeated　the　old　woman　with　a　gasp。

〃She　is　so　illand　no　soothing　draught；　nothing　on　her　table！〃

The　mother　made　a　vague　sign；　which　Caroline's　watchful　eye　understood；　for　she　was　silent　to　let　her　mother　speak。

〃They　brought　a　priestto　hear　my　confession；　as　they　said。Beware；　Caroline！〃　cried　the　old　woman　with　an　effort；　〃the　priest　made　me　tell　him　your　benefactor's　name。〃

〃But　who　can　have　told　you；　poor　mother？〃

The　old　woman　died；　trying　to　look　knowingly　cunning。　If　Mademoiselle　de　Bellefeuille　had　noted　her　mother's　face　she　might　have　seen　what　no　one　ever　will　seeDeath　laughing。

To　enter　into　the　interests　that　lay　beneath　this　introduction　to　my　tale；　we　must　for　a　moment　forget　the　actors　in　it；　and　look　back　at　certain　previous　incidents；　of　which　the　last　was　closely　concerned　with　the　death　of　Madame　Crochard。　The　two　parts　will　then　form　a　wholea　story　which；　by　a　law　peculiar　to　life　in　Paris；　was　made　up　of　two　distinct　sets　of　actions。

Towards　the　close　of　the　month　of　November　1805；　a　young　barrister；　aged　about　six…and…twenty；　was　going　down　the　stairs　of　the　hotel　where　the　High　Chancellor　of　the　Empire　resided；　at　about　three　o'clock　one　morning。　Having　reached　the　courtyard　in　full　evening　dress；　under　a　keen　frost；　he　could　not　help　giving　vent　to　an　exclamation　of　dismayqualified；　however；　by　the　spirit　which　rarely　deserts　a　Frenchmanat　seeing　no　hackney　coach　waiting　outside　the　gates；　and　hearing　no　noises　such　as　arise　from　the　wooden　shoes　or　harsh　voices　of　the　hackney…coachmen　of　Paris。　The　occasional　pawing　of　the　horses　of　the　Chief　Justice's　carriagethe　young　man　having　left　him　still　playing　/bouillote/　with　Cambaceresalone　rang　out　in　the　paved　court；　which　was　scarcely　lighted　by　the　carriage　lamps。　Suddenly　the　young　lawyer　felt　a　friendly　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　turning　round；　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　Judge；　to　whom　he　bowed。　As　the　footman　let　down　the　steps　of　his　carriage；　the　old　gentleman；　who　had　served　the　Convention；　suspected　the　junior's　dilemma。

〃All　cats　are　gray　in　the　dark；〃　said　he　good…humoredly。　〃The　Chief　Justice　cannot　compromise　himself　by　putting　a　pleader　in　the　right　way！　Especially；〃　he　went　on；　〃when　the　pleader　is　the　nephew　of　an　old　colleague；　one　of　the　lights　of　the　grand　Council　of　State　which　gave　France　the　Napoleonic　Code。〃

At　a　gesture　from　the　chief　magistrate　of　France　under　the　Empire；　the　foot…passenger　got　into　the　carriage。

〃Where　do　you　live？〃　asked　the　great　man；　before　the　footman　who　awaited　his　orders　had　closed　the　door。

〃Quai　des　Augustins；　monseigneur。〃

The　horses　started；　and　the　young　man　found　himself　alone　with　the　Minister；　to　whom　he　had　vainly　tried　to　speak　before　and　after　the　sumptuous　dinner　given　by　Cambaceres；　in　fact；　the　great　man　had　evidently　avoided　him　throughout　the　evening。

〃Well；　Monsieur　/de/　Granville；　you　are　on　the　high　road！〃

〃So　long　as　I　sit　by　your　Excellency's　side〃

〃Nay；　I　am　not　jesting；〃　said　the　Minister。　〃You　were　called　two　years　since；　and　your　defence　in　the　case　of　Simeuse　and　Hauteserre　had　raised　you　high　in　your　profession。〃

〃I　had　supposed　that　my　interest　in　those　unfortunate　emigres　had　done　me　no　good。〃

〃You　are　still　very　young；〃　said　the　great　man　gravely。　〃But　the　High　Chancellor；〃　he　went　on；　after　a　pause；　〃was　greatly　pleased　with　you　this　evening。　Get　a　judgeship　in　the　lower　courts；　we　want　men。　The　nephew　of　a　man　in　whom　Cambaceres　and　I　take　great　interest　must　not　remain　in　the　background　for　lack　of　encouragement。　Your　uncle　helped　us　to　tide　over　a　very　stormy　season；　and　services　of　that　kind　are　not　forgotten。〃　The　Minister　sat　silent　for　a　few　minutes。　〃Before　long；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　shall　have　three　vacancies　open　in　the　Lower　Courts　and　in　the　Imperial　Court　in　Paris。　Come　to　see　me；　and　take　the　place　you　prefer。　Till　then　work　hard；　but　do　not　be　seen　at　my　receptions。　In　the　first　place；　I　am　overwhelmed　with　work；　and　besides　that；　your　rivals　may　suspect　your　purpose　and　do　you　harm　with　the　patron。　Cambaceres　and　I；　by　not　speaking　a　word　to　you　this　evening；　have　averted　the　accusation　of　favoritism。〃

As　the　great　man　ceased　speaking；　the　carriage　drew　up　on　the　Quai　des　Augustins；　the　young　lawyer　thanked　his　generous　patron　for　the　two　lifts　he　had　conferred　on　him；　and　then　knocked　at　his　door　pretty　loudly；　for　the　bitter　wind　blew　cold　about　his　calves。　At　last　the　old　lodgekeeper　pulled　up　the　latch；　and　as　the　young　man　passed　his　window；　called　out　in　a　hoarse　voice；　〃Monsieur　Granville；　here　is　a　letter　for　you。〃

The　young　man　took　the　letter；　and　in　spite　of　the　cold；　tried　to　identify　the　writing　by　the　gleam　of　a　dull　lamp　fast　dying　out。　〃From　my　father！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　took　his　bedroom　candle；　which　the　porter　at　last　had　lighted。　And　he　ran　up　to　his　room　to　read　the　following　epistle：

　　〃Set　off　by　the　next　mail；　and　if　you　can　get　here　soon　enough；　　　your　fortune　is　made。　Mademoiselle　Angelique　Bontems　has　lost　her　　　sister；　she　is　now　an　only　child；　and；　as　we　know；　she　does　not　　　hate　you。　Madame　Bontems　can　now　leave　her　about　forty　thousand　　　francs　a　year；　besides　whatever　she　may　give　her　when　she　marries。　　　I　have　prepared　the　way。

　　〃Our　friends　will　wonder　to　see　a　family　of　old　nobility　allying　　　itself　to　the　Bontems；　old　Bontems　was　a　red　republican　of　the　　　deepest　dye；　owning　large　quantities　of　the　nationalized　land；　　　that　he　bought　for　a　mere　song。　But　he　held　nothing　but　convent　　　lands；　and　the　monks　will　not　come　back；　and　then；　as　you　have　　　already　so　far　derogated　as　to　become　a　lawyer；　I　cannot　see　why　　　we　should　shrink　from　a　further　concession　to　the　prevalent　ideas。　　　The　girl　will　have　three　hundred　thousand　francs；　I　can　give　you　a　　　hundred　thousand；　your　mother's　property　must　be　worth　fifty　　　thousand　crowns；　more　or　less；　so　if　you　choose　to　take　a　　　judgeship；　my　dear　son；　you　are　quite　in　a　position　to　become　a　　　senator　as　much　as　any　other　man。　My　brother…in…law　the　Councillor　　　of　State　will　not　indeed　lend　you　a　helping…hand；　still；　as　he　is　　　not　married；　his　property　will　some　day　be　yours；　and　if　you　are　　　not　senator　by　your　own　efforts；　you　will　get　it　through　him。　Then　　　you　will　be　perched　high　enough　to　look　on　at　events。　Farewell。　　　Yours　affectionately。〃

So　young　Granville　went　to　bed　full　of　schemes；　each　fairer　than　the　last。　Under　the　powerful　protection　of　the　High　Chancellor；　the　Chief　Justice；　and　his　mother's　brotherone　of　the　origin