the brotherhood of consolation-第4章

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sensations　Godefroid　felt　when　he　found　himself　in　this　old　dwelling；
in　presence　of　four　silent　human　beings；　who　seemed　as　solemn　as　the
things　which　surrounded　them。

He　did　not　look　about　him；　being　seized　with　curiosity　as　to　Madame　de
la　Chanterie；　whose　name　was　already　a　puzzle　to　him。　This　lady　was
evidently　a　person　of　another　epoch；　not　to　say　of　another　world。　Her
face　was　placid；　its　tones　both　soft　and　cold；　the　nose　aquiline；　the
forehead　full　of　sweetness；　the　eyes　brown；　the　chin　double；　and　all
were　framed　in　silvery　white　hair。　Her　gown　could　only　be　called　by
its　ancient　name　of　〃fourreau；〃　so　tightly　was　she　sheathed　within　it；
after　the　fashion　of　the　eighteenth　century。　The　materiala　brown
silk；　with　very　fine　and　multiplied　green　linesseemed　also　of　that
period。　The　bodice；　which　was　one　with　the　skirt；　was　partly　hidden
beneath　a　mantle　of　/poult…de…soie/　edged　with　black　lace；　and
fastened　on　the　bosom　by　a　brooch　enclosing　a　miniature。　Her　feet；　in
black　velvet　boots；　rested　on　a　cushion。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　like
her　maid；　was　knitting　a　stocking；　and　she；　too；　had　a　needle　stuck
through　her　white　curls　beneath　the　lace　of　her　cap。

〃Have　you　seen　Monsieur　Millet？〃　she　said　to　Godefroid；　in　the　head
voice　peculiar　to　the　dowagers　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain；
observing　that　her　visitor　seemed　confused；　and　as　if　to　put　the　words
into　his　mouth。

〃Yes；　madame。〃

〃I　fear　that　the　apartment　will　scarcely　suit　you；〃　she　said；　noticing
the　elegance　and　newness　of　his　clothes。

Godefroid　was　wearing　polished　leather　boots；　yellow　gloves；　handsome
studs；　and　a　very　pretty　gold　chain　passed　through　the　buttonhole　of
his　waistcoat　of　black　silk　with　blue　flowers。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
took　a　little　silver　whistle　from　her　pocket　and　blew　it。　The　serving…
woman　came。

〃Manon；　my　child；　show　this　gentleman　the　apartment。　Would　you；　my
dear　vicar；　be　so　kind　as　to　accompany　him？〃　she　said；　addressing　the
priest。　〃If　by　chance；〃　she　added；　rising　and　again　looking　at
Godefroid；　〃the　apartment　suits　you；　we　will　talk　of　the　conditions。〃

Godefroid　bowed　and　went　out。　He　heard　the　rattle　of　keys　which　Manon
took　from　a　drawer；　and　he　saw　her　light　the　candle　in　a　large　brass
candlestick。　Manon　went　first；　without　uttering　a　word。　When　Godefroid
found　himself　again　on　the　staircase；　winding　up　two　flights；　he
doubted　the　reality　of　life；　he　dreamed　awake；　he　saw　with　his　eyes
the　fantastic　world　of　romances　he　had　read　in　his　idle　hours。　Any
Parisian　leaving；　as　he　did；　the　modern　quarter；　with　its　luxury　of
houses　and　furniture；　the　glitter　of　its　restaurants　and　theatres；　the
tumult　and　movement　of　the　heart　of　Paris；　would　have　shared　his
feeling。

The　candle　carried　by　the　woman　feebly　lighted　the　winding　stair；
where　spiders　swung　their　draperies　gray　with　dust。　Manon　wore　a
petticoat　with　heavy　plaits　of　a　coarse　woollen　stuff；　the　bodice　was
square　before　and　square　behind；　and　all　her　clothes　seemed　to　hang
together。　When　she　reached　the　second　floor；　which；　it　will　be
remembered；　was　actually　the　third；　Manon　stopped；　turned　a　key　in　an
ancient　lock；　and　opened　a　door　painted　in　a　coarse　imitation　of
mahogany。

〃This　is　it；〃　she　said；　entering　first。

Was　it　a　miser；　was　it　an　artist　dying　in　penury；　was　it　a　cynic　to
whom　the　world　was　naught；　or　some　religious　soul　detached　from　life；
who　had　occupied　this　apartment？　That　triple　question　might　well　be
asked　by　one　who　breathed　the　odor　of　that　poverty；　who　saw　the　greasy
spots　upon　the　papers　yellow　with　smoke；　the　blackened　ceilings；　the
dusty　windows　with　their　casement　panes；　the　discolored　floor…bricks；
the　wainscots　layered　with　a　sort　of　sticky　glaze。　A　damp　chill　came
from　the　chimneys　with　their　mantels　of　painted　stone；　surmounted　by
mirrors　in　panels　of　the　style　of　the　seventeenth　century。　The
apartment　was　square；　like　the　house；　and　looked　out　upon　the　inner
court；　which　could　not　now　be　seen　because　of　the　darkness。

〃Who　has　lived　here？〃　asked　Godefroid　of　the　priest。

〃A　former　councillor　of　the　parliament；　a　great…uncle　of　madame；
Monsieur　de　Boisfrelon。　After　the　Revolution　he　fell　into　dotage；　but
he　did　not　die　until　1832；　at　the　age　of　ninety…six。　Madame　could　not
at　first　make　up　her　mind　to　let　his　rooms　to　a　stranger；　but　she
finds　she　cannot　afford　to　lose　the　rent。〃

〃Madame　will　have　the　apartment　cleaned　and　furnished　in　a　manner　to
satisfy　monsieur；〃　said　Manon。

〃That　will　depend　on　the　arrangement　you　make　with　her；〃　said　the
priest。　〃You　have　here　a　fine　parlor；　a　large　sleeping…room　and
closet；　and　those　little　rooms　in　the　angle　will　make　an　excellent
study。　It　is　the　same　arrangement　as　in　my　apartment　below；　also　in
the　one　overhead。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Manon；　〃Monsieur　Alain's　apartment　is　just　like　this；　only
his　has　a　view　of　the　tower。〃

〃I　think　I　had　better　see　the　rooms　by　daylight；〃　said　Godefroid；
timidly。

〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　Manon。

The　priest　and　Godefroid　went　downstairs；　leaving　the　woman　to　lock
the　doors。　When　they　re…entered　the　salon；　Godefroid；　who　was　getting
inured　to　the　surroundings；　looked　about　him　while　discoursing　with
Madame　de　la　Chanterie；　and　examined　the　persons　and　things　there
present。

The　salon　had　curtains　at　its　windows　of　old　red　damask；　with
lambrequins；　tied　back　at　the　sides　with　silken　cords。　The　red…tiled
floor　showed　at　the　edges　of　an　old　tapestry　carpet　too　small　to　cover
the　whole　room。　The　woodwork　was　painted　gray。　The　plastered　ceiling；
divided　in　two　parts　by　a　heavy　beam　which　started　from　the　fireplace；
seemed　a　concession　tardily　made　to　luxury。　Armchairs；　with　their
woodwork　painted　white；　were　covered　with　tapestry。　A　paltry　clock；
between　two　copper…gilt　candlesticks；　decorated　the　mantel…shelf。
Beside　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　was　an　ancient　table　with　spindle　legs；
on　which　lay　her　balls　of　worsted　in　a　wicker　basket。　A　hydrostatic
lamp　lighted　the　scene。　The　four　men；　who　were　seated　there；　silent；
immovable；　like　bronze　statues；　had　evidently　stopped　their
conversation　with　Madame　de　la　Chanterie　when　they　heard　the　stranger
returning。　They　all　had　cold；　discreet　faces；　in　keeping　with　the
room；　the　house；　the　quarter　of　the　town。

Madame　de　la　Chanterie　admitted　the　justice　of　Godefroid's
observations；　but　told　him　that　she　did　not　wish　to　make　any　change
until　she　knew　the　intentions　of　her　lodger；　or　rather　her　boarder。　If
he　would　conform　to　the　customs　of　the　house　he　could　become　her
boarder；　but　these　customs　were　widely　different　from　those　of　Paris。
Life　in　the　rue　Chanoinesse　was　like　provincial　life：　the　lodger　must
always　be　in　by　ten　o'clock　at　night；　they　disliked　noise；　and　could
have　no　women　or　children　to　break　up　their　customary　habits。　An
ecclesiastic　might　conform　to　these　ways。　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
desired；　above　all；　some　one　of　simple　life；　who　would　not　be
exacting；　she　could　afford　to　put　only　the　strictest　necessaries　into
the　apartment。　Monsieur　Alain　（here　she　designated　one　of　the　four　men
present）　was　satisfied；　and　she　would　do　for　a　new　tenant　just　as　she
did　for　the　others。

〃I　do　not　think；〃　said　the　priest；　〃that　monsieur　is　inclined　to　enter
our　convent。〃

〃Eh！　why　not？〃　said　Monsieur　Alain；　〃we　are　all　well　off　here；　we　have
nothing　to　complain　of。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　Godefroid；　rising；　〃I　shall　have　the　honor　of　calling
again　to…morrow。〃

Though　he　was　a　young　man；　the　four　old　men　and　Madame　de　la　Chanterie
rose；　and　the　vicar　accompanied　him　to　the　portico。　A　whistle　sounded。
At　that　signal　the　porter　came　with　a　lantern；　guided　Godefroid　to　the
street；　and　closed　behind　him　the　enormous　yellow　door；ponderous　as
that　of　a　prison；　and　decorated　with　arabesque　ironwork　of　a　remote
period　that　was　difficult　to　determine。

Though　Godefroid　got　into　a　cabriolet；　and　was　soon　rolling　into　the
living；　lighted；　glowing　regions　of　Paris；　what　he　had　seen　still
appeared　to　him　a　dream；　and　his　impressions；　as　he　made　his　way　along
the　boulevard　des　Italiens；　had　already　the　remoteness　of　a　memory。　He
asked　himself；　〃Shall　I　to…morrow　find　those　people　there？〃



III

THE　HOUSE　OF　M