the brotherhood of consolation-第49章
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antecedents？〃
〃No； I only know that he made a love…match with the daughter of
General Tarlowski； that the daughter is named after the mother； Vanda；
the grandson is called Auguste； and I have seen a portrait of Monsieur
Bernard in the red robes of a president of the Royal Courts。〃
〃Here； read that；〃 said Monsieur Joseph； pointing to the titlepage of
the manuscript； written probably in Auguste's handwriting：
ON THE
SPIRIT OF MODERN LAWS
By M。 Bernard…Jean…Baptiste Macloud；
Baron Bourlac。
Formerly attorney…general to the Royal Court of Rouen。
Grand officer of the Legion of honor。
＇Aha！ Thought so。JB。＇
〃Ha！ the slayer of Madame's daughter！ of the Chevalier du Vissard！ the
man who condemned her to twenty years' imprisonment！〃 said Godefroid；
in a feeble voice。 His legs gave way under him； and he dropped into a
chair。 〃What a beginning！〃 he muttered。
〃This matter； my dear Godefroid；〃 resumed Monsieur Joseph； 〃concerns
us all。 You have done your part； leave the rest to us。 I beg you to
have no more to do with it； go and fetch the things you have left
behind you。 Don't say a word of all this。 Practise absolute
discretion。 Tell the Baron de Bourlac to address himself to me。 By
that time we shall have decided how to act under the circumstances。〃
Godefroid left him； took a cab； and went back as fast as he could to
the boulevard du Mont…Parnasse； filled with horror as he remembered
that indictment signed with Bourlac's name； the bloody drama ending on
the scaffold； and Madame de la Chanterie's imprisonment at Bicetre。 He
understood now the abandonment in which this former attorney…general；
another Fourquier…Tinville in the public mind； was ending his days；
and the true reasons for the concealment of his name。
〃May Monsieur Joseph avenge her terribly！〃 he thought。 As he uttered
the wish in his own mind； he saw Auguste。
〃What do you want of me？〃 he asked。
〃My good friend； such a dreadful misfortune has overtaken us that I am
almost mad。 Wretches have come here and seized all my mother's
property； and they are going to put my grandfather in prison。 But it
is not on account of those misfortunes that I come to implore you；〃
said the lad； with Roman pride； 〃it is to ask you to do me a service
such as people do to those who are condemned to die。〃
〃Go on； what is it？〃 said Godefroid。
〃They came here to seize my grandfather's manuscript； and as I think
he gave you the book itself I want you to take the notes； for Madame
Vauthier will not let me carry anything out of the house。 Put them
with the volumes and〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Godefroid； 〃go and get them at once。〃
While the lad went back to his own rooms； returning immediately；
Godefroid reflected that the poor child was guilty of no crime； and
that he ought not to put despair into that young heart by speaking of
his grandfather and of the punishment for his savage political actions
that had overtaken his old age。 He therefore took the little package
with a good grace。
〃What is your mother's name？〃 he asked。
〃My mother is the Baronne de Mergi； my father was the son of the
president of the Royal Court at Rouen。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Godefroid； 〃then your grandfather married his daughter to
the son of the famous president Mergi。〃
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃Now； my little friend； leave me；〃 said Godefroid。 He went with young
Mergi to the landing； and called to Madame Vauthier。
〃Mere Vauthier；〃 he said； 〃you can let my rooms。 I shall not come back
any more。〃
He gathered his things together； went downstairs； and got into the
cab。
〃Have you given anything to that gentleman？〃 said the Vauthier to
Auguste。
〃Yes；〃 said the young man。
〃You're a pretty fellow！ that's the agent of your grandfather's
enemies。 He managed this whole business； and the proof is that； now
that the trick is played； he goes off and isn't coming back any more。
He has just told me I can let his lodgings。〃
Auguste flew to the boulevard and ran after the cab shouting so loudly
that he finally stopped it。
〃What do you want？〃 asked Godefroid。
〃My grandfather's manuscripts。〃
〃Tell them he can get them from Monsieur Joseph。〃
The youth thought the words were intended as a cruel joke。 He sat down
in the snow as he saw the cab disappearing rapidly。 Presently he
sprang up with momentary vigor； returned to his room and went to bed
worn out with fatigue and distress。
The next morning； when the poor boy woke alone in that apartment so
lately occupied by his mother and grandfather； the painful emotions of
his cruel position filled his mind。 The solitude of his home； where up
to this time every moment had had its duty and its occupation； seemed
so hard to bear that he went down to Madame Vauthier to ask if she had
received any news of his grandfather。 The woman answered sneeringly
that he knew very well； or he might know； where to find his
grandfather； the reason why he had not come in； she said； was because
he had gone to live at the chateau de Clichy。 This malicious speech；
from the woman who had coaxed and wheedled him the evening before； put
the lad into another frenzy； and he rushed to the hospital once more；
desperate with the idea that his grandfather was in prison。
Baron Bourlac had wandered all night round the hospital； where he was
refused entrance； and round the private residence of Dr。 Halpersohn
from whom he wished； naturally； to obtain an explanation of such
treatment。 The doctor did not get home till two in the morning。 At
half…past one the old man was at his door； on being told he was
absent； he turned and walked about the grand alley of the Champs
Elysees until half…past two。 When he again went to the house； the
porter told him that Monsieur Halpersohn had returned； gone to bed；
was asleep； and could not be disturbed。
The poor father； in despair； wandered along the quay and under the
frost…laden trees of the Cours…la…reine； waiting for daylight。 At nine
o'clock in the morning he again presented himself at the doctor's
house； demanding to know the reason why his daughter was thus
virtually imprisoned。
〃Monsieur；〃 replied the doctor； to whose presence he was admitted；
〃yesterday I told you I would answer for your daughter's recovery； but
to…day I am responsible for her life and you will readily understand
that I must be the sovereign master in such a case。 Yesterday your
daughter took a medicine intended to bring out her disease； the /plica
polonica/； until that horrible disease shows itself on the surface you
cannot see her。 I will not allow excitement or any mistake of
management to carry off my patient and your daughter。 If you
positively insist on seeing her； I shall call a consultation of three
physicians； so as to relieve myself of responsibility； for the patient
may die of it。〃
The old man； worn out with fatigue； dropped on a chair； but he rose
immediately； saying：
〃Forgive me； monsieur。 I have spent the night waiting for you in
dreadful distress of mind。 You cannot know to what degree I love my
daughter； I have nursed her for fifteen years hovering between life
and death； and this week of waiting is torture to me。〃
The baron left the room staggering like a drunken man。 The doctor
followed and supported him by the arm until he saw him safely down the
staircase。
An hour later Auguste de Mergi entered the doctor's room。 On
questioning the porter at the hospital the unhappy lad heard that his
grandfather had been refused an entrance and had gone away to find
Monsieur Halpersohn； who could probably give information about him。 As
Auguste entered the doctor's study Halpersohn was breakfasting on a
cup of chocolate and a glass of water。 He did not disturb himself at
the young man's entrance； but went on sopping his bread in the
chocolate； for he never ate anything for breakfast but a small roll
cut into four strips with careful precision。
〃Well； young man；〃 he said； glancing at Vanda's son； 〃so you have
come； too； to find out about your mother？〃
〃Yes； monsieur；〃 replied Auguste de Mergi。
Auguste was standing near the table on which lay several bank…notes
among a pile of gold louis。 Under the circumstances in which the
unhappy boy was plac
