at the sign of the cat and racket-第7部分

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trembling　of　her　prayer…book；　and　the　tears　which　dropped　on　every
page　she　turned。　From　the　furious　glare　shot　at　him　by　Madame
Guillaume　the　artist　saw　the　peril　into　which　his　love　affair　had
fallen；　he　went　out；　with　a　raging　soul；　determined　to　venture　all。

〃Go　to　your　room；　miss！〃　said　Madame　Guillaume；　on　their　return　home；
〃we　will　send　for　you；　but　take　care　not　to　quit　it。〃

The　conference　between　the　husband　and　wife　was　conducted　so　secretly
that　at　first　nothing　was　heard　of　it。　Virginie；　however；　who　had
tried　to　give　her　sister　courage　by　a　variety　of　gentle　remonstrances；
carried　her　good　nature　so　far　as　to　listen　at　the　door　of　her
mother's　bedroom　where　the　discussion　was　held；　to　catch　a　word　or
two。　The　first　time　she　went　down　to　the　lower　floor　she　heard　her
father　exclaim；　〃Then；　madame；　do　you　wish　to　kill　your　daughter？〃

〃My　poor　dear！〃　said　Virginie；　in　tears；　〃papa　takes　your　part。〃

〃And　what　do　they　want　to　do　to　Theodore？〃　asked　the　innocent　girl。

Virginie；　inquisitive；　went　down　again；　but　this　time　she　stayed
longer；　she　learned　that　Joseph　Lebas　loved　Augustine。　It　was　written
that　on　this　memorable　day；　this　house；　generally　so　peaceful；　should
be　a　hell。　Monsieur　Guillaume　brought　Joseph　Lebas　to　despair　by
telling　him　of　Augustine's　love　for　a　stranger。　Lebas；　who　had　advised
his　friend　to　become　a　suitor　for　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　saw　all　his
hopes　wrecked。　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　overcome　by　hearing　that　Joseph
had；　in　a　way；　refused　her；　had　a　sick　headache。　The　dispute　that　had
arisen　from　the　discussion　between　Monsieur　and　Madame　Guillaume；
when；　for　the　third　time　in　their　lives；　they　had　been　of　antagonistic
opinions；　had　shown　itself　in　a　terrible　form。　Finally；　at　half…past
four　in　the　afternoon；　Augustine；　pale；　trembling；　and　with　red　eyes；
was　haled　before　her　father　and　mother。　The　poor　child　artlessly
related　the　too　brief　tale　of　her　love。　Reassured　by　a　speech　from　her
father；　who　promised　to　listen　to　her　in　silence；　she　gathered　courage
as　she　pronounced　to　her　parents　the　name　of　Theodore　de　Sommervieux；
with　a　mischievous　little　emphasis　on　the　aristocratic　/de/。　And
yielding　to　the　unknown　charm　of　talking　of　her　feelings；　she　was
brave　enough　to　declare　with　innocent　decision　that　she　loved　Monsieur
de　Sommervieux；　that　she　had　written　to　him；　and　she　added；　with　tears
in　her　eyes：　〃To　sacrifice　me　to　another　man　would　make　me　wretched。〃

〃But；　Augustine；　you　cannot　surely　know　what　a　painter　is？〃　cried　her
mother　with　horror。

〃Madame　Guillaume！〃　said　the　old　man；　compelling　her　to　silence。
〃Augustine；〃　he　went　on；　〃artists　are　generally　little　better　than
beggars。　They　are　too　extravagant　not　to　be　always　a　bad　sort。　I
served　the　late　Monsieur　Joseph　Vernet；　the　late　Monsieur　Lekain；　and
the　late　Monsieur　Noverre。　Oh；　if　you　could　only　know　the　tricks
played　on　poor　Father　Chevrel　by　that　Monsieur　Noverre；　by　the
Chevalier　de　Saint…Georges；　and　especially　by　Monsieur　Philidor！　They
are　a　set　of　rascals；　I　know　them　well！　They　all　have　a　gab　and　nice
manners。　Ah；　your　Monsieur　Sumer；　Somm〃

〃De　Sommervieux；　papa。〃

〃Well；　well；　de　Sommervieux；　well　and　good。　He　can　never　have　been
half　so　sweet　to　you　as　Monsieur　le　Chevalier　de　Saint…Georges　was　to
me　the　day　I　got　a　verdict　of　the　consuls　against　him。　And　in　those
days　they　were　gentlemen　of　quality。〃

〃But；　father；　Monsieur　Theodore　is　of　good　family；　and　he　wrote　me
that　he　is　rich；　his　father　was　called　Chevalier　de　Sommervieux　before
the　Revolution。〃

At　these　words　Monsieur　Guillaume　looked　at　his　terrible　better　half；
who；　like　an　angry　woman；　sat　tapping　the　floor　with　her　foot　while
keeping　sullen　silence；　she　avoided　even　casting　wrathful　looks　at
Augustine；　appearing　to　leave　to　Monsieur　Guillaume　the　whole
responsibility　in　so　grave　a　matter；　since　her　opinion　was　not
listened　to。　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　her　apparent　self…control；　when
she　saw　her　husband　giving　way　so　mildly　under　a　catastrophe　which　had
no　concern　with　business；　she　exclaimed：

〃Really；　monsieur；　you　are　so　weak　with　your　daughters！　However〃

The　sound　of　a　carriage；　which　stopped　at　the　door；　interrupted　the
rating　which　the　old　draper　already　quaked　at。　In　a　minute　Madame
Roguin　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　looking　at　the
actors　in　this　domestic　scene：　〃I　know　all；　my　dear　cousin；〃　said　she；
with　a　patronizing　air。

Madame　Roguin　made　the　great　mistake　of　supposing　that　a　Paris
notary's　wife　could　play　the　part　of　a　favorite　of　fashion。

〃I　know　all；〃　she　repeated；　〃and　I　have　come　into　Noah's　Ark；　like　the
dove；　with　the　olive…branch。　I　read　that　allegory　in　the　/Genie　du
Christianisme/；〃　she　added；　turning　to　Madame　Guillaume；　〃the　allusion
ought　to　please　you；　cousin。　Do　you　know；〃　she　went　on；　smiling　at
Augustine；　〃that　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux　is　a　charming　man？　He　gave　me
my　portrait　this　morning；　painted　by　a　master's　hand。　It　is　worth　at
least　six　thousand　francs。〃　And　at　these　words　she　patted　Monsieur
Guillaume　on　the　arm。　The　old　draper　could　not　help　making　a　grimace
with　his　lips；　which　was　peculiar　to　him。

〃I　know　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux　very　well；〃　the　Dove　ran　on。　〃He　has
come　to　my　evenings　this　fortnight　past；　and　made　them　delightful。　He
has　told　me　all　his　woes；　and　commissioned　me　to　plead　for　him。　I　know
since　this　morning　that　he　adores　Augustine；　and　he　shall　have　her。
Ah；　cousin；　do　not　shake　your　head　in　refusal。　He　will　be　created
Baron；　I　can　tell　you；　and　has　just　been　made　Chevalier　of　the　Legion
of　Honor；　by　the　Emperor　himself；　at　the　Salon。　Roguin　is　now　his
lawyer；　and　knows　all　his　affairs。　Well！　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux　has
twelve　thousand　francs　a　year　in　good　landed　estate。　Do　you　know　that
the　father…in…law　of　such　a　man　may　get　a　rise　in　lifebe　mayor　of
his　/arrondissement/；　for　instance。　Have　we　not　seen　Monsieur　Dupont
become　a　Count　of　the　Empire；　and　a　senator；　all　because　he　went　as
mayor　to　congratulate　the　Emperor　on　his　entry　into　Vienna？　Oh；　this
marriage　must　take　place！　For　my　part；　I　adore　the　dear　young　man。　His
behavior　to　Augustine　is　only　met　with　in　romances。　Be　easy；　little
one；　you　shall　be　happy；　and　every　girl　will　wish　she　were　in　your
place。　Madame　la　Duchesse　de　Carigliano；　who　comes　to　my　'At　Homes；'
raves　about　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux。　Some　spiteful　people　say　she　only
comes　to　me　to　meet　him；　as　if　a　duchesse　of　yesterday　was　doing　too
much　honor　to　a　Chevrel；　whose　family　have　been　respected　citizens
these　hundred　years！

〃Augustine；〃　Madame　Roguin　went　on；　after　a　short　pause；　〃I　have　seen
the　portrait。　Heavens！　How　lovely　it　is！　Do　you　know　that　the　Emperor
wanted　to　have　it？　He　laughed；　and　said　to　the　Deputy　High　Constable
that　if　there　were　many　women　like　that　in　his　court　while　all　the
kings　visited　it；　he　should　have　no　difficulty　about　preserving　the
peace　of　Europe。　Is　not　that　a　compliment？〃

The　tempests　with　which　the　day　had　begun　were　to　resemble　those　of
nature；　by　ending　in　clear　and　serene　weather。　Madame　Roguin　displayed
so　much　address　in　her　harangue；　she　was　able　to　touch　so　many　strings
in　the　dry　hearts　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Guillaume；　that　at　last　she
hit　on　one　which　she　could　work　upon。　At　this　strange　period　commerce
and　finance　were　more　than　ever　possessed　by　the　crazy　mania　for
seeking　alliance　with　rank；　and　the　generals　of　the　Empire　took　full
advantage　of　this　desire。　Monsieur　Guillaume；　as　a　singular　exception；
opposed　this　deplorable　craving。　His　favorite　axioms　were　that；　to
secure　happiness；　a　woman　must　marry　a　man　of　her　own　class；　that
every　one　was　punished　sooner　or　later　for　having　climbed　too　high；
that　love　could　so　little　endure　under　the　worries　of　a　household；
that　both　husband　and　wife　needed　sound　good　qualities　to　be　happy；
that　it　would　not　do　for　one　to　be　far　in　advance　of　the　other；
because；　above　everything；　they　must　understand　each　other；　if　a　man
spoke　Greek　and　his　wife　Latin；　they　might　come　to　die　of　hunger。　He
had　himself　invented　this　sort　of　adage。　And　he　compared　such
marriages　to　old…fashioned　materials　of　mixed　silk　and　wool。　Still；
there　is　so　much　vanity　at　the　bottom　of　man's　heart　that　the　prudence
of　the　pilot　who　steered　the　Cat　and　Racket　so　wisely　gave　way　before
Madame　Roguin's　aggressive　volubility。　Austere　Madame　Guillaume　was
the　first　to　see　in　her　daughter's　affection　a　reason　for　abdicating
her　principles　and　for　consenting　to　receive　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux；
whom　she　promised　herself　she　would　put　under　severe　inquisition。

The　old　draper　went　to　look　for　Joseph　Lebas；　and　inform　him　of　the
state　of　affairs。　At　half…past　six；　the　dining…room　immortalized　by
the　artist　saw；　united　under　its　skylight；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Roguin；
the　young　painter　and　his　charming　Augustine；　Joseph　Lebas；　who　found
his　happiness　in　patience；　and　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　convalescent
from　her　headache。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Guillaume　saw　in　perspective
both　their　children　married；　and　the　fortunes　of　the　Cat　and　Racket
once　more　in　skilful　hands。　Their　satisfaction　was　at　its　height　when；
at　dessert；　Theodore　made　them　a　present　of　the　wonderful　picture
which　they　had　failed　to　see；　representing　the　interior　of　the　old
shop；　and　to　which　they　all　owed　so　much　happiness。

〃Isn't　it　pretty！〃　cried　Guillaume。　〃And　to　think　that　any　one　would
pay　thirty　thousand　francs　for　that！〃

〃Because　you　can　see　my　lappets　in　it；〃　said　Madame　Guillaume。

〃And　the　cloth　unrolled！〃　added　Lebas；　〃you　might　take　it　up　in　your
hand。〃

〃Drapery　always　comes　out　well；〃　replied　the　painter。　〃We　should　be
only　too　happy；　we　modern　artists；　if　we　could　touch　the　perfection　of
antique　drapery。〃

〃So　you　like　drapery！〃　cried　old　Guillaume。　〃Well；　then；　by　Gad！　shake
hands　on　that；　my　young　friend。　Since　you　can　respect　trade；　we　shall
understand　each　other。　And　why　should　it　be　despised？　The　world　began
with　trade；　since　Adam　sold　Paradise　for　an　apple。　He　did　not　strike　a
good　bargain　though！〃　And　the　old　man　roared　with　honest　laughter；
encouraged　by　the　champagne；　which　he　sent　round　with　a　liberal　hand。
The　band　that　covered　the　young　artist's　eyes　w