at the sign of the cat and racket-第3部分

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merely　for　the　good　conduct　and　training　of　the　lads。　If　one　of　them；
whose　character　was　unimpeachable；　suffered　misfortune；　these　old
tradesmen　knew　how　to　value　the　intelligence　he　had　displayed；　and
they　did　not　hesitate　to　entrust　the　happiness　of　their　daughters　to
men　whom　they　had　long　trusted　with　their　fortunes。　Guillaume　was　one
of　these　men　of　the　old　school；　and　if　he　had　their　ridiculous　side；
he　had　all　their　good　qualities；　and　Joseph　Lebas；　the　chief
assistant；　an　orphan　without　any　fortune；　was　in　his　mind　destined　to
be　the　husband　of　Virginie；　his　elder　daughter。　But　Joseph　did　not
share　the　symmetrical　ideas　of　his　master；　who　would　not　for　an　empire
have　given　his　second　daughter　in　marriage　before　the　elder。　The
unhappy　assistant　felt　that　his　heart　was　wholly　given　to　Mademoiselle
Augustine；　the　younger。　In　order　to　justify　this　passion；　which　had
grown　up　in　secret；　it　is　necessary　to　inquire　a　little　further　into
the　springs　of　the　absolute　government　which　ruled　the　old　cloth…
merchant's　household。

Guillaume　had　two　daughters。　The　elder；　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　was　the
very　image　of　her　mother。　Madame　Guillaume；　daughter　of　the　Sieur
Chevrel；　sat　so　upright　in　the　stool　behind　her　desk；　that　more　than
once　she　had　heard　some　wag　bet　that　she　was　a　stuffed　figure。　Her
long；　thin　face　betrayed　exaggerated　piety。　Devoid　of　attractions　or
of　amiable　manners；　Madame　Guillaume　commonly　decorated　her　headthat
of　a　woman　near　on　sixtywith　a　cap　of　a　particular　and　unvarying
shape；　with　long　lappets；　like　that　of　a　widow。　In　all　the
neighborhood　she　was　known　as　the　〃portress　nun。〃　Her　speech　was　curt；
and　her　movements　had　the　stiff　precision　of　a　semaphore。　Her　eye；
with　a　gleam　in　it　like　a　cat's；　seemed　to　spite　the　world　because　she
was　so　ugly。　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　brought　up；　like　her　younger
sister；　under　the　domestic　rule　of　her　mother；　had　reached　the　age　of
eight…and…twenty。　Youth　mitigated　the　graceless　effect　which　her
likeness　to　her　mother　sometimes　gave　to　her　features；　but　maternal
austerity　had　endowed　her　with　two　great　qualities　which　made　up　for
everything。　She　was　patient　and　gentle。　Mademoiselle　Augustine；　who
was　but　just　eighteen；　was　not　like　either　her　father　or　her　mother。
She　was　one　of　those　daughters　whose　total　absence　of　any　physical
affinity　with　their　parents　makes　one　believe　in　the　adage：　〃God　gives
children。〃　Augustine　was　little；　or；　to　describe　her　more　truly；
delicately　made。　Full　of　gracious　candor；　a　man　of　the　world　could
have　found　no　fault　in　the　charming　girl　beyond　a　certain　meanness　of
gesture　or　vulgarity　of　attitude；　and　sometimes　a　want　of　ease。　Her
silent　and　placid　face　was　full　of　the　transient　melancholy　which
comes　over　all　young　girls　who　are　too　weak　to　dare　to　resist　their
mother's　will。

The　two　sisters；　always　plainly　dressed；　could　not　gratify　the　innate
vanity　of　womanhood　but　by　a　luxury　of　cleanliness　which　became　them
wonderfully；　and　made　them　harmonize　with　the　polished　counters　and
the　shining　shelves；　on　which　the　old　man…servant　never　left　a　speck
of　dust；　and　with　the　old…world　simplicity　of　all　they　saw　about　them。
As　their　style　of　living　compelled　them　to　find　the　elements　of
happiness　in　persistent　work；　Augustine　and　Virginie　had　hitherto
always　satisfied　their　mother；　who　secretly　prided　herself　on　the
perfect　characters　of　her　two　daughters。　It　is　easy　to　imagine　the
results　of　the　training　they　had　received。　Brought　up　to　a　commercial
life；　accustomed　to　hear　nothing　but　dreary　arguments　and　calculations
about　trade；　having　studied　nothing　but　grammar；　book…keeping；　a
little　Bible…history；　and　the　history　of　France　in　Le　Ragois；　and
never　reading　any　book　but　what　their　mother　would　sanction；　their
ideas　had　not　acquired　much　scope。　They　knew　perfectly　how　to　keep
house；　they　were　familiar　with　the　prices　of　things；　they　understood
the　difficulty　of　amassing　money；　they　were　economical；　and　had　a
great　respect　for　the　qualities　that　make　a　man　of　business。　Although
their　father　was　rich；　they　were　as　skilled　in　darning　as　in
embroidery；　their　mother　often　talked　of　having　them　taught　to　cook；
so　that　they　might　know　how　to　order　a　dinner　and　scold　a　cook　with
due　knowledge。　They　knew　nothing　of　the　pleasures　of　the　world；　and；
seeing　how　their　parents　spent　their　exemplary　lives；　they　very　rarely
suffered　their　eyes　to　wander　beyond　the　walls　of　their　hereditary
home；　which　to　their　mother　was　the　whole　universe。　The　meetings　to
which　family　anniversaries　gave　rise　filled　in　the　future　of　earthly
joy　to　them。

When　the　great　drawing…room　on　the　second　floor　was　to　be　prepared　to
receive　companyMadame　Roguin；　a　Demoiselle　Chevrel；　fifteen　months
younger　than　her　cousin；　and　bedecked　with　diamonds；　young　Rabourdin；
employed　in　the　Finance　Office；　Monsieur　Cesar　Birotteau；　the　rich
perfumer；　and　his　wife；　known　as　Madame　Cesar；　Monsieur　Camusot；　the
richest　silk　mercer　in　the　Rue　des　Bourdonnais；　with　his　father…in…
law；　Monsieur　Cardot；　two　or　three　old　bankers；　and　some　immaculate
ladiesthe　arrangements；　made　necessary　by　the　way　in　which
everything　was　packed　awaythe　plate；　the　Dresden　china；　the
candlesticks；　and　the　glassmade　a　variety　in　the　monotonous　lives　of
the　three　women；　who　came　and　went　and　exerted　themselves　as　nuns
would　to　receive　their　bishop。　Then；　in　the　evening；　when　all　three
were　tired　out　with　having　wiped；　rubbed；　unpacked；　and　arranged　all
the　gauds　of　the　festival；　as　the　girls　helped　their　mother　to
undress；　Madame　Guillaume　would　say　to　them；　〃Children；　we　have　done
nothing　today。〃

When；　on　very　great　occasions；　〃the　portress　nun〃　allowed　dancing；
restricting　the　games　of　boston；　whist；　and　backgammon　within　the
limits　of　her　bedroom；　such　a　concession　was　accounted　as　the　most
unhoped　felicity；　and　made　them　happier　than　going　to　the　great　balls；
to　two　or　three　of　which　Guillaume　would　take　the　girls　at　the　time　of
the　Carnival。

And　once　a　year　the　worthy　draper　gave　an　entertainment；　when　he
spared　no　expense。　However　rich　and　fashionable　the　persons　invited
might　be；　they　were　careful　not　to　be　absent；　for　the　most　important
houses　on　the　exchange　had　recourse　to　the　immense　credit；　the
fortune；　or　the　time…honored　experience　of　Monsieur　Guillaume。　Still；
the　excellent　merchant's　daughters　did　not　benefit　as　much　as　might　be
supposed　by　the　lessons　the　world　has　to　offer　to　young　spirits。　At
these　parties；　which　were　indeed　set　down　in　the　ledger　to　the　credit
of　the　house；　they　wore　dresses　the　shabbiness　of　which　made　them
blush。　Their　style　of　dancing　was　not　in　any　way　remarkable；　and　their
mother's　surveillance　did　not　allow　of　their　holding　any　conversation
with　their　partners　beyond　Yes　and　No。　Also；　the　law　of　the　old　sign
of　the　Cat　and　Racket　commanded　that　they　should　be　home　by　eleven
o'clock；　the　hour　when　balls　and　fetes　begin　to　be　lively。　Thus　their
pleasures；　which　seemed　to　conform　very　fairly　to　their　father's
position；　were　often　made　insipid　by　circumstances　which　were　part　of
the　family　habits　and　principles。

As　to　their　usual　life；　one　remark　will　sufficiently　paint　it。　Madame
Guillaume　required　her　daughters　to　be　dressed　very　early　in　the
morning；　to　come　down　every　day　at　the　same　hour；　and　she　ordered
their　employments　with　monastic　regularity。　Augustine；　however；　had
been　gifted　by　chance　with　a　spirit　lofty　enough　to　feel　the　emptiness
of　such　a　life。　Her　blue　eyes　would　sometimes　be　raised　as　if　to
pierce　the　depths　of　that　gloomy　staircase　and　those　damp　store…rooms。
After　sounding　the　profound　cloistral　silence；　she　seemed　to　be
listening　to　remote；　inarticulate　revelations　of　the　life　of　passion；
which　accounts　feelings　as　of　higher　value　than　things。　And　at　such
moments　her　cheek　would　flush；　her　idle　hands　would　lay　the　muslin
sewing　on　the　polished　oak　counter；　and　presently　her　mother　would　say
in　a　voice；　of　which　even　the　softest　tones　were　sour；　〃Augustine；　my
treasure；　what　are　you　thinking　about？〃　It　is　possible　that　two
romances　discovered　by　Augustine　in　the　cupboard　of　a　cook　Madame
Guillaume　had　lately　discharged/Hippolyte　Comte　de　Douglas/　and　/Le
Comte　de　Comminges/may　have　contributed　to　develop　the　ideas　of　the
young　girl；　who　had　devoured　them　in　secret；　during　the　long　nights　of
the　past　winter。

And　so　Augustine's　expression　of　vague　longing；　her　gentle　voice；　her
jasmine　skin；　and　her　blue　eyes　had　lighted　in　poor　Lebas'　soul　a
flame　as　ardent　as　it　was　reverent。　From　an　easily　understood　caprice；
Augustine　felt　no　affection　for　the　orphan；　perhaps　she　did　not　know
that　he　loved　her。　On　the　other　hand；　the　senior　apprentice；　with　his
long　legs；　his　chestnut　hair；　his　big　hands　and　powerful　frame；　had
found　a　secret　admirer　in　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　who；　in　spite　of　her
dower　of　fifty　thousand　crowns；　had　as　yet　no　suitor。　Nothing　could　be
more　natural　than　these　two　passions　at　cross…purposes；　born　in　the
silence　of　the　dingy　shop；　as　violets　bloom　in　the　depths　of　a　wood。
The　mute　and　constant　looks　which　made　the　young　people's　eyes　meet　by
sheer　need　of　change　in　the　midst　of　persistent　work　and　cloistered
peace；　was　sure；　sooner　or　later；　to　give　rise　to　feelings　of　love。
The　habit　of　seeing　always　the　same　face　leads　insensibly　to　our
reading　there　the　qualities　of　the　soul；　and　at　last　effaces　all　its
defects。

〃At　the　pace　at　which　that　man　goes；　our　girls　will　soon　have　to　go　on
their　knees　to　a　suitor！〃　said　Monsieur　Guillaume　to　himself；　as　he
read　the　first　decree　by　which　Napoleon　drew　in　advance　on　the
conscript　classes。

From　that　day　the　old　merchant；　grieved　at　seeing　his　eldest　daughter
fade；　remembered　how　he　had　married　Mademoiselle　Chevrel　under　much
the　same　circumstances　as　those　of　Joseph　Lebas　and　Virginie。　A　good
bit　of　business；　to　marry　off　his　daughter；　and　discharge　a　sacred
debt　by　repaying　to　an　orphan　the　benefit　he　had　formerly　received
from　his　predecessor　under　similar　conditions！　Joseph　Lebas；　who　was
now　three…and…thirty；　was　aware　of　the　obstacle　which　a　difference　of
fifteen　years　placed　between　Augustine　and　himself。　Being　also　too
clear…sighted　not　to　und