the illustrious gaudissart-第9部分

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not　give　you　satisfaction；　because　there　is　neither　rhyme　nor　reason

nor　satisfaction　to　be　found　in　the　whole　business。　What　an　absurd

fool　he　is；　to　be　sure！〃



At　these　words　Gaudissart　flew　at　the　dyer　to　give　him　a　slap　on　the

face；　but　the　listening　crowd　rushed　between　them；　so　that　the

illustrious　traveller　only　contrived　to　knock　off　the　wig　of　his

enemy；　which　fell　on　the　head　of　Mademoiselle　Clara　Vernier。



〃If　you　are　not　satisfied；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　be　at　the

Soleil　d'Or　until　to…morrow　morning；　and　you　will　find　me　ready　to

show　you　what　it　means　to　give　satisfaction。　I　fought　in　July；

Monsieur。〃



〃And　you　shall　fight　in　Vouvray；〃　answered　the　dyer；　〃and　what　is

more；　you　shall　stay　here　longer　than　you　imagine。〃



Gaudissart　marched　off；　turning　over　in　his　mind　this　prophetic

remark；　which　seemed　to　him　full　of　sinister　portent。　For　the　first

time　in　his　life　the　prince　of　travellers　did　not　dine　jovially。　The

whole　town　of　Vouvray　was　put　in　a　ferment　about　the　〃affair〃　between

Monsieur　Vernier　and　the　apostle　of　Saint…Simonism。　Never　before　had

the　tragic　event　of　a　duel　been　so　much　as　heard　of　in　that　benign　and

happy　valley。



〃Monsieur　Mitouflet；　I　am　to　fight　to…morrow　with　Monsieur　Vernier；〃

said　Gaudissart　to　his　landlord。　〃I　know　no　one　here：　will　you　be　my

second？〃



〃Willingly；〃　said　the　host。



Gaudissart　had　scarcely　finished　his　dinner　before　Madame　Fontanieu

and　the　assistant…mayor　of　Vouvray　came　to　the　Soleil　d'Or　and　took

Mitouflet　aside。　They　told　him　it　would　be　a　painful　and　injurious

thing　to　the　whole　canton　if　a　violent　death　were　the　result　of　this

affair；　they　represented　the　pitiable　distress　of　Madame　Vernier；　and

conjured　him　to　find　some　way　to　arrange　matters　and　save　the　credit

of　the　district。



〃I　take　it　all　upon　myself；〃　said　the　sagacious　landlord。



In　the　evening　he　went　up　to　the　traveller's　room　carrying　pens；　ink；

and　paper。



〃What　have　you　got　there？〃　asked　Gaudissart。



〃If　you　are　going　to　fight　to…morrow；〃　answered　Mitouflet；　〃you　had

better　make　some　settlement　of　your　affairs；　and　perhaps　you　have

letters　to　write；we　all　have　beings　who　are　dear　to　us。　Writing

doesn't　kill；　you　know。　Are　you　a　good　swordsman？　Would　you　like　to

get　your　hand　in？　I　have　some　foils。〃



〃Yes；　gladly。〃



Mitouflet　returned　with　foils　and　masks。



〃Now；　then；　let　us　see　what　you　can　do。〃



The　pair　put　themselves　on　guard。　Mitouflet；　with　his　former　prowess

as　grenadier　of　the　guard；　made　sixty…two　passes　at　Gaudissart；　pushed

him　about　right　and　left；　and　finally　pinned　him　up　against　the　wall。



〃The　deuce！　you　are　strong；〃　said　Gaudissart；　out　of　breath。



〃Monsieur　Vernier　is　stronger　than　I　am。〃



〃The　devil！　Damn　it；　I　shall　fight　with　pistols。〃



〃I　advise　you　to　do　so；　because；　if　you　take　large　holster　pistols　and

load　them　up　to　their　muzzles；　you　can't　risk　anything。　They　are　SURE

to　fire　wide　of　the　mark；　and　both　parties　can　retire　from　the　field

with　honor。　Let　me　manage　all　that。　Hein！　'sapristi；'　two　brave　men

would　be　arrant　fools　to　kill　each　other　for　a　joke。〃



〃Are　you　sure　the　pistols　will　carry　WIDE　ENOUGH？　I　should　be　sorry　to

kill　the　man；　after　all；〃　said　Gaudissart。



〃Sleep　in　peace；〃　answered　Mitouflet；　departing。



The　next　morning　the　two　adversaries；　more　or　less　pale；　met　beside

the　bridge　of　La　Cise。　The　brave　Vernier　came　near　shooting　a　cow

which　was　peaceably　feeding　by　the　roadside。



〃Ah；　you　fired　in　the　air！〃　cried　Gaudissart。



At　these　words　the　enemies　embraced。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　traveller；　〃your　joke　was　rather　rough；　but　it

was　a　good　one　for　all　that。　I　am　sorry　I　apostrophized　you：　I　was

excited。　I　regard　you　as　a　man　of　honor。〃



〃Monsieur；　we　take　twenty　subscriptions　to　the　'Children's　Journal；'〃

replied　the　dyer；　still　pale。



〃That　being　so；〃　said　Gaudissart；　〃why　shouldn't　we　all　breakfast

together？　Men　who　fight　are　always　the　ones　to　come　to　a　good

understanding。〃



〃Monsieur　Mitouflet；〃　said　Gaudissart　on　his　return　to　the　inn；　〃of

course　you　have　got　a　sheriff's　officer　here？〃



〃What　for？〃



〃I　want　to　send　a　summons　to　my　good　friend　Margaritis　to　deliver　the

two　casks　of　wine。〃



〃But　he　has　not　got　them；〃　said　Vernier。



〃No　matter　for　that；　the　affair　can　be　arranged　by　the　payment　of　an

indemnity。　I　won't　have　it　said　that　Vouvray　outwitted　the　illustrious

Gaudissart。〃



Madame　Margaritis；　alarmed　at　the　prospect　of　a　suit　in　which　the

plaintiff　would　certainly　win　his　case；　brought　thirty　francs　to　the

placable　traveller；　who　thereupon　considered　himself　quits　with　the

happiest　region　of　sunny　France；a　region　which　is　also；　we　must　add；

the　most　recalcitrant　to　new　and　progressive　ideas。



On　returning　from　his　trip　through　the　southern　departments；　the

illustrious　Gaudissart　occupied　the　coupe　of　a　diligence；　where　he　met

a　young　man　to　whom；　as　they　journeyed　between　Angouleme　and　Paris；　he

deigned　to　explain　the　enigmas　of　life；　taking　him；　apparently；　for　an

infant。



As　they　passed　Vouvray　the　young　man　exclaimed；　〃What　a　fine　site！〃



〃Yes；　Monsieur；〃　said　Gaudissart；　〃but　not　habitable　on　account　of　the

people。　You　get　into　duels　every　day。　Why；　it　is　not　three　months

since　I　fought　one　just　there；〃　pointing　to　the　bridge　of　La　Cise；

〃with　a　damned　dyer；　but　I　made　an　end　of　him；he　bit　the　dust！〃









ADDENDUM



The　following　personages　appear　in　other　stories　of　the　Human　Comedy。



Finot；　Andoche

　　Cesar　Birotteau

　　A　Bachelor's　Establishment

　　A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris

　　Scenes　from　a　Courtesan's　Life

　　The　Government　Clerks

　　A　Start　in　Life

　　The　Firm　of　Nucingen



Gaudissart；　Felix

　　Scenes　from　a　Courtesan's　Life

　　Cousin　Pons

　　Cesar　Birotteau

　　Honorine



Popinot；　Anselme

　　Cesar　Birotteau

　　Cousin　Pons

　　Cousin　Betty











End