"Iwould，"hesaid，"thatthatmomenthadgivenmetherighttokeepyouasmineforever"[shelistenedwithadelightedair]；"asyoulayfaintinguponthatbed，youwereenchanting。Ihaveneverinmylifeseenamorebeautifulperson，——andIhaveseenmanyhandsomewomen。
　　Plumpladieshavethisadvantage:theyaresuperbtolookupon；theyhaveonlytoshowthemselvesandtheytriumph。"
　　"Ifearyouaremakingfunofme，"saidtheoldmaid，"andthatisnotkindwhenallthetownwillprobablymisinterpretwhathappenedtomeyesterday。"
　　"AstrueasmynameisduBousquier，mademoiselle，Ihaveneverchangedinmyfeelingstowardyou；andyourfirstrefusalhasnotdiscouragedme。"
　　Theoldmaid'seyeswerelowered。TherewasamomentofcruelsilenceforduBousquier，andthenMademoiselleCormondecidedonhercourse。
　　Sheraisedhereyelids；tearsflowedfromhereyes，andshegaveduBousquieratenderglance。
　　"Ifthatisso，monsieur，"shesaid，inatremblingvoice，"promisemetoliveinaChristianmanner，andnotopposemyreligiouscustoms，buttoleavemetherighttoselectmyconfessors，andIwillgrantyoumyhand"；asshesaidthewords，shehelditouttohim。
　　DuBousquierseizedthegoodfathandsofullofmoney，andkisseditsolemnly。
　　"But，"shesaid，allowinghimtokissit，"onethingmoreImustrequireofyou。"
　　"Ifitisapossiblething，itisgranted，"repliedthepurveyor。
　　"Alas!"returnedtheoldmaid。"Formysake，ImustaskyoutotakeuponyourselfasinwhichIfeeltobeenormous，——fortolieisoneofthecapitalsins。Butyouwillconfessit，willyounot？Wewilldopenanceforittogether"[theylookedateachothertenderly]。
　　"Besides，itmaybeoneofthoselieswhichtheChurchpermitsasnecessary——"
　　"CanshebeasSuzannesayssheis？"thoughtduBousquier。"Whatluck!
　　Well，mademoiselle，whatisit？"hesaidaloud。
　　"Thatyouwilltakeuponyourselfto——"
　　"What？"
　　"Tosaythatthismarriagehasbeenagreeduponbetweenusforthelastsixmonths。"
　　"Charmingwoman，"saidthepurveyor，inthetoneofamanwillingtodevotehimself，"suchsacrificescanbemadeonlyforacreatureadoredthesetenyears。"
　　"Inspiteofmyharshness？"shesaid。
　　"Yes，inspiteofyourharshness。"
　　"MonsieurduBousquier，Ihavemisjudgedyou。"
　　Againsheheldoutthefatredhand，whichduBousquierkissedagain。
　　Atthismomentthedooropened；thebetrothedpair，lookingroundtoseewhoentered，beheldthedelightful，buttardyChevalierdeValois。
　　"Ah!"hesaid，onentering，"Iseeyouareabouttobeup，fairqueen。"
　　Shesmiledatthechevalier，feelingaweightuponherheart。MonsieurdeValois，remarkablyyoungandseductive，hadtheairofaLauzunre-
　　enteringtheapartmentsoftheGrandeMademoiselleinthePalais-
　　Royal。
　　"Hey!dearduBousquier，"saidhe，inajauntytone，sosurewasheofsuccess，"MonsieurdeTroisvilleandtheAbbedeSpondeareexaminingyourhouselikeappraisers。"
　　"Faith!"saidduBousquier，"iftheVicomtedeTroisvillewantsit，ititishisforfortythousandfrancs。Itisuselesstomenow。Ifmademoisellewillpermit——itmustsoonbeknown——Mademoiselle，mayI
　　tellit？——Yes!Well，then，bethefirst，MYDEARCHEVALIER，tohear"
　　[MademoiselleCormondroppedhereyes]"ofthehonorthatmademoisellehasdoneme，thesecretofwhichIhavekeptforsomemonths。Weshallbemarriedinafewdays；thecontractisalreadydrawn，andweshallsignitto-morrow。Yousee，therefore，thatmyhouseintherueduCygneisuselesstome。Ihavebeenprivatelylookingforapurchaserforsometime；andtheAbbedeSponde，whoknewthatfact，hasnaturallytakenMonsieurdeTroisvilletoseethehouse。"
　　Thisfalsehoodboresuchanappearanceoftruththatthechevalierwastakeninbyit。That"mydearchevalier"wasliketherevengetakenbyPetertheGreatonCharlesXII。atPultawaforallhispastdefeats。
　　DuBousquierrevengedhimselfdeliciouslyforthethousandlittleshaftshehadlongborneinsilence；butinhistriumphhemadealivelyyouthfulgesturebyrunninghishandsthroughhishair，andinsodoinghe——knockedasidehisfalsefront。
　　"Icongratulateyouboth，"saidthechevalier，withanagreeableair；
　　"andIwishthatthemarriagemayendlikeafairytale:THEYWERE
　　HAPPYEVERAFTER，ANDHAD——MANY——CHILDREN!"Sosaying，hetookapinchofsnuff。"But，monsieur，"headdedsatirically，"youforget——thatyouarewearingafalsefront。"
　　DuBousquierblushed。Thefalsefrontwashanginghalfadozeninchesfromhisskull。MademoiselleCormonraisedhereyes，sawthatskullinallitsnudity，andloweredthem，abashed。DuBousquiercastuponthechevalierthemostvenomouslookthattoadeverdartedonitsprey。
　　"Dogsofaristocratswhodespiseme，"thoughthe，"I'llcrushyousomeday。"
　　Thechevalierthoughthehadrecoveredhisadvantage。ButMademoiselleCormonwasnotawomantounderstandtheconnectionwhichthechevalierintimatedbetweenhiscongratulatorywishandthefalsefront。Besides，evenifshehadcomprehendedit，herwordwaspassed，herhandgiven。MonsieurdeValoissawatoncethatallwaslost。Theinnocentwoman，withthetwonowsilentmenbeforeher，wished，truetohersenseofduty，toamusethem。
　　"Whynotplayagameofpiquettogether？"shesaidartlessly，withouttheslightestmalice。
　　DuBousquiersmiled，andwent，asthefuturemasterofthehouse，tofetchthepiquettable。WhethertheChevalierdeValoislosthishead，orwhetherhewantedtostayandstudythecausesofhisdisasterandremedyit，certainitisthatheallowedhimselftobeledlikealambtotheslaughter。Hehadreceivedthemostviolentknock-downblowthateverstruckaman；anynoblemanwouldhavelosthissensesforless。
　　TheAbbedeSpondeandtheVicomtedeTroisvillesoonreturned。
　　MademoiselleCormoninstantlyrose，hurriedintotheantechamber，andtookheruncleaparttotellhimherresolution。LearningthatthehouseintherueduCygneexactlysuitedtheviscount，shebeggedherfuturehusbandtodoherthekindnesstotellhimthatheruncleknewitwasforsale。Shedarednotconfidethatlietotheabbe，fearinghisabsent-mindedness。Thelie，however，prosperedbetterthanifithadbeenavirtuousaction。InthecourseofthateveningallAlenconheardthenews。Forthelastfourdaysthetownhadhadasmuchtothinkofasduringthefataldaysof1814and1815。Somelaughed；
　　othersadmittedthemarriage。Theseblamedit；thoseapprovedit。ThemiddleclassesofAlenconrejoiced；theyregardeditasavictory。Thenextday，amongfriends，theChevalierdeValoissaidacruelthing:——
　　"TheCormonsendastheybegan；there'sonlyahand'sbreadthbetweenastewardandapurveyor。"
　　CHAPTERVII
　　OTHERRESULTS
　　ThenewsofMademoiselleCormon'schoicestabbedpoorAthanaseGransontotheheart；butheshowednooutwardsignoftheterribleagitationwithinhim。Whenhefirstheardofthemarriagehewasatthehouseofthechief-justice，duRonceret，wherehismotherwasplayingboston。
　　MadameGransonlookedathersoninamirror，andthoughthimpale；
　　buthehadbeensoallday，foravaguerumorofthematterhadalreadyreachedhim。
　　MademoiselleCormonwasthecardonwhichAthanasehadstakedhislife；andthecoldpresentimentofacatastrophewasalreadyuponhim。
　　Whenthesoulandtheimaginationhavemagnifiedamisfortuneandmadeittooheavyfortheshouldersandthebraintobear；whenahopelongcherished，therealizationofwhichwouldpacifythevulturefeedingontheheart，isbalked，andthemanhasfaithneitherinhimself，despitehispowers，norinthefuture，despiteoftheDivinepower，——
　　thenthatmanislost。AthanasewasafruitoftheImperialsystemofeducation。Fatality，theEmperor'sreligion，hadfiltereddownfromthethronetothelowestranksofthearmyandthebenchesofthelyceums。Athanasesatstill，withhiseyesfixedonMadameduRonceret'scards，inastuporthatmightsowellpassforindifferencethatMadameGransonherselfwasdeceivedabouthisfeelings。Thisapparentunconcernexplainedherson'srefusaltomakeasacrificeforthismarriageofhisLIBERALopinions，——theterm"liberal"havinglatelybeencreatedfortheEmperorAlexanderby，Ithink，MadamedeStael，throughthelipsofBenjaminConstant。
　　AfterthatfataleveningtheyoungmantooktoramblingamongthepicturesqueregionsoftheSarthe，thebanksofwhicharemuchfrequentedbysketcherswhocometoAlenconforpointsofview。
　　Windmillsarethere，andtheriverisgayinthemeadows。TheshoresoftheSartheareborderedwithbeautifultrees，wellgrouped。Thoughthelandscapeisflat，itisnotwithoutthosemodestgraceswhichdistinguishFrance，wheretheeyeisneverweariedbythebrilliancyofOrientalskies，norsaddenedbyconstantfog。Theplaceissolitary。Intheprovincesnoonepaysmuchattentiontoafineview，eitherbecauseprovincialsareblasesonthebeautyaroundthem，orbecausetheyhavenopoesyintheirsouls。Ifthereexistsintheprovincesamall，apromenade，avantage-groundfromwhichafineviewcanbeobtained，thatisthepointtowhichnoonegoes。Athanasewasfondofthissolitude，enlivenedbythesparklingwater，wherethefieldswerethefirsttogreenundertheearliestsmilingofthespringtidesun。Thosepersonswhosawhimsittingbeneathapoplar，andwhonoticedthevacanteyewhichheturnedtothem，wouldsaytoMadameGranson:——
　　"Somethingisthematterwithyourson。"
　　"Iknowwhatitis，"themotherwouldreply；hintingthathewasmeditatingoversomegreatwork。
　　Athanasenolongertookpartinpolitics:heceasedtohaveopinions；
　　butheappearedattimesquitegay，——gaywiththesatireofthosewhothinktoinsultawholeworldwiththeirownindividualscorn。Thisyoungman，outsideofalltheideasandallthepleasuresoftheprovinces，interestedfewpersons；hewasnotevenanobjectofcuriosity。Ifpersonsspokeofhimtohismother，itwasforhersake，nothis。TherewasnotasinglesoulinAlenconthatsympathizedwithhis；notawoman，notafriendcameneartodryhistears；theydroppedintotheSarthe。IfthegorgeousSuzannehadhappenedthatway，howmanyyoungmiseriesmighthavebeenbornofthemeeting!forthetwowouldsurelyhavelovedeachother。
　　Shedidcome，however。Suzanne'sambitionwasearlyexcitedbythetaleofastrangeadventurewhichhadhappenedatthetavernoftheMore，——atalewhichhadtakenpossessionofherchildishbrain。A
　　Parisianwoman，beautifulastheangels，wassentbyFouchetoentangletheMarquisdeMontauran，otherwisecalled"TheGars，"inalove-affairsee"TheChouans"。ShemethimatthetavernoftheMoreonhisreturnfromanexpeditiontoMortagne；shecajoledhim，madehimloveher，andthenbetrayedhim。Thatfantasticpower——thepowerofbeautyovermankind；infact，thewholestoryofMariedeVerneuilandtheGars——dazzledSuzanne；shelongedtogrowupinordertoplayuponmen。SomemonthsafterherhastydepartureshepassedthroughhernativetownwithanartistonhiswaytoBrittany。ShewantedtoseeFougeres，wheretheadventureoftheMarquisdeMontauranculminated，andtostanduponthesceneofthatpicturesquewar，thetragediesofwhich，stillsolittleknown，hadfilledherchildishmind。Besidesthis，shehadafancytopassthroughAlenconsoelegantlyequippedthatnoonecouldrecognizeher；toputhermotherabovethereachofnecessity，andalsotosendtopoorAthanase，inadelicatemanner，asumofmoney，——whichinourageistogeniuswhatinthemiddleageswasthechargerandthecoatofmailthatRebeccaconveyedtoIvanhoe。
　　OnemonthpassedawayinthestrangestuncertaintiesrespectingthemarriageofMademoiselleCormon。Apartyofunbelieversdeniedthemarriagealtogether；thebelievers，ontheotherhand，affirmedit。Attheendoftwoweeks，thefactionofunbeliefreceivedavigorousblowinthesaleofduBousquier'shousetotheMarquisdeTroisville，whoonlywantedasimpleestablishmentinAlencon，intendingtogotoParisafterthedeathofthePrincessScherbellof；heproposedtoawaitthatinheritanceinretirement，andthentoreconstitutehisestates。Thisseemedpositive。Theunbelievers，however，werenotcrushed。TheydeclaredthatduBousquier，marriedornot，hadmadeanexcellentsale，forthehousehadonlycosthimtwenty-seventhousandfrancs。Thebelieversweredepressedbythispracticalobservationoftheincredulous。Choisnel，MademoiselleCormon'snotary，assertedthelatter，hadheardnothingaboutthemarriagecontract；butthebelievers，stillfirmintheirfaith，carriedoff，onthetwentiethday，asignalvictory:MonsieurLepressoir，thenotaryoftheliberals，wenttoMademoiselleCormon'shouse，andthecontractwassigned。
　　ThiswasthefirstofthenumeroussacrificeswhichMademoiselleCormonwasdestinedtomaketoherhusband。DuBousquierborethedeepesthatredtoChoisnel；tohimheowedtherefusalofthehandofMademoiselleArmande，——arefusalwhich，ashebelieved，hadinfluencedthatofMademoiselleCormon。Thiscircumstancealonemadethemarriagedragalong。Mademoisellereceivedseveralanonymousletters。Shelearned，tohergreatastonishment，thatSuzannewasastrulyavirginasherselfsofarasduBousquierwasconcerned，forthatseducerwiththefalsetoupetcouldneverbetheheroofanysuchadventure。
　　MademoiselleCormondisdainedanonymousletters；butshewrotetoSuzanneherself，onthegroundofenlighteningtheMaternitySociety。
　　Suzanne，whohadnodoubtheardofduBousquier'sproposedmarriage，acknowledgedhertrick，sentathousandfrancstothesociety，anddidalltheharmshecouldtotheoldpurveyor。MademoiselleCormonconvokedtheMaternitySociety，whichheldaspecialmeetingatwhichitwasvotedthattheassociationwouldnotinfutureassistanymisfortunesabouttohappen，butsolelythosethathadhappened。
　　Inspiteofallthesevariouseventswhichkeptthetowninthechoicestgossip，thebannswerepublishedinthechurchesandatthemayor'soffice。Athanasepreparedthedeeds。Asamatterofproprietyandpublicdecency，thebrideretiredtoPrebaudet，whereduBousquier，bearingsumptuousandhorriblebouquets，betookhimselfeverymorning，returninghomefordinner。
　　Atlast，onadullandrainymorninginJune，themarriageofMademoiselleCormonandtheSieurduBousquiertookplaceatnoonintheparishchurchofAlencon，insightofthewholetown。Thebridalpairwentfromtheirownhousetothemayor'soffice，andfromthemayor'sofficetothechurchinanopencaleche，amagnificentvehicleforAlencon，whichduBousquierhadsentforsecretlytoParis。Thelossoftheoldcarriolewasaspeciesofcalamityintheeyesofthecommunity。Theharness-makerofthePortedeSeezbemoanedit，forhelostthefiftyfrancsayearwhichitcostinrepairs。Alenconsawwithalarmthepossibilityofluxurybeingthusintroducedintothetown。Everyonefearedariseinthepriceofrentsandprovisions，andacominginvasionofParisianfurniture。SomepersonsweresufficientlyprickedbycuriositytogivetensoustoJacquelintoallowthemacloseinspectionofthevehiclewhichthreatenedtoupsetthewholeeconomyoftheregion。Apairofhorses，boughtinNormandie，werealsomostalarming。
　　"Ifweboughtourownhorses，"saidtheRonceretcircle，"wecouldn'tsellthemtothosewhocometobuy。"
　　Stupidasitwas，thisreasoningseemedsound；forsurelysuchacoursewouldpreventtheregionfromgraspingthemoneyofforeigners。
　　Intheeyesoftheprovinceswealthconsistedlessintherapidturningoverofmoneythaninsterileaccumulation。ItmaybementionedherethatPenelopesuccumbedtoapleurisywhichsheacquiredaboutsixweeksbeforethemarriage；nothingcouldsaveher。
　　MadameGranson，Mariette，MadameduCoudrai，MadameduRonceret，andthroughthemthewholetown，remarkedthatMadameduBousquierenteredthechurchWITHHERLEFTFOOT，——anomenallthemoredreadfulbecausethetermLeftwasbeginningtoacquireapoliticalmeaning。ThepriestwhosedutyitwastoreadtheopeningformulaopenedhisbookbychanceattheDeProfundis。Thusthemarriagewasaccompaniedbycircumstancessofateful，soalarming，soannihilatingthatnoonedaredtoaugurwellofit。Matters，infact，wentfrombadtoworse。
　　Therewasnoweddingparty；themarriedpairdepartedimmediatelyforPrebaudet。Parisiancustoms，saidthecommunity，wereabouttotriumphovertime-honoredprovincialways。
　　ThemarriageofJacquelinandJosettenowtookplace:itwasgay；andtheyweretheonlytwopersonsinAlenconwhorefutedthesinisterpropheciesrelatingtothemarriageoftheirmistress。
　　DuBousquierdeterminedtousetheproceedsofthesaleofhislateresidenceinrestoringandmodernizingthehotelCormon。HedecidedtoremainthroughtwoseasonsatPrebaudet，andtooktheAbbedeSpondewiththem。Thisnewsspreadterrorthroughthetown，whereeveryindividualfeltthatduBousquierwasabouttodragthecommunityintothefatalpathof"comfort。"ThisfearincreasedwhentheinhabitantsofAlenconsawthebridegroomdrivinginfromPrebaudetonemorningtoinspecthisworks，inafinetilburydrawnbyanewhorse，havingReneathissideinlivery。Thefirstactofhisadministrationhadbeentoplacehiswife'ssavingsontheGrand-Livre，whichwasthenquotedat67fr。50cent。Inthespaceofoneyear，duringwhichheplayedconstantlyforarise，hemadehimselfapersonalfortunealmostasconsiderableasthatofhiswife。
　　Butalltheseforebodingprophecies，theseperturbinginnovations，weresupersededandsurpassedbyaneventconnectedwiththismarriagewhichgaveastillmorefatalaspecttoit。
　　Ontheveryeveningoftheceremony，Athanaseandhismotherweresitting，aftertheirdinner，overalittlefireoffagots，whichtheservantlightedusuallyatdessert。
　　"Well，wewillgothiseveningtotheduRoncerets'，inasmuchaswehavelostMademoiselleCormon，"saidMadameGranson。"Heavens!howshallIeveraccustommyselftocallherMadameduBousquier!thatnameburnsmylips。"
　　Athanaselookedathismotherwithaconstrainedandmelancholyair；
　　hecouldnotsmile；butheseemedtowishtowelcomethatnaivesentimentwhichsoothedhiswound，thoughitcouldnotcurehisanguish。
　　"Mamma，"hesaid，inthevoiceofhischildhood，sotenderwasit，andusingthenamehehadabandonedforseveralyears，——"mydearmamma，donotletusgooutjustyet；itissopleasantherebeforethefire。"
　　Themotherheard，withoutcomprehending，thatsupremeprayerofamortalsorrow。
　　"Yes，letusstay，mychild，"shesaid。"Ilikemuchbettertotalkwithyouandlistentoyourprojectsthantoplayatbostonandlosemymoney。"
　　"Youaresohandsometo-nightIlovetolookatyou。Besides，Iaminacurrentofideaswhichharmonizewiththispoorlittlesalonwherewehavesufferedsomuch。"
　　"Andwhereweshallstillsuffer，mypoorAthanase，untilyourworkssucceed。Formyself，Iamtrainedtopoverty；butyou，mytreasure!toseeyouryouthgobywithoutajoy!nothingbuttoilformypoorboyinlife!Thatthoughtislikeanillnesstoamother；ittorturesmeatnight；itwakesmeinthemorning。OGod!whathaveIdone？forwhatcrimedostthoupunishmethus？"
　　Shelefthersofa，tookalittlechair，andsatclosetoAthanase，soastolayherheadonthebosomofherchild。Thereisalwaysthegraceofloveintruemotherhood。Athanasekissedherontheeyes，onhergrayhair，onherforehead，withthesacreddesireoflayinghissoulwhereverheappliedhislips。
　　"Ishallneversucceed，"hesaid，tryingtodeceivehismotherastothefatalresolutionhewasrevolvinginhismind。
　　"Pooh!don'tgetdiscouraged。Asyouoftensay，thoughtcandoallthings。Withtenbottlesofink，tenreamsofpaper，andhispowerfulwill，LutherupsetallEurope。Well，you'llmakeyourselffamous；youwilldogoodthingsbythesamemeanswhichheusedtodoevilthings。