the muse of the department-第26章

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lace　bonnet　with　flowers　in　it。　As　to　Lousteau；　the　wretch　had　assumed
his　war…paintpatent　leather　boots；　trousers　of　English　kerseymere
with　pleats　in　front；　a　very　open　waistcoat　showing　a　particularly
fine　shirt　and　the　black　brocade　waterfall　of　his　handsome　cravat；　and
a　very　thin；　very　short　black　riding…coat。

Monsieur　de　Clagny　and　Monsieur　Gravier　looked　at　each　other；　feeling
rather　silly　as　they　beheld　the　two　Parisians　in　the　carriage；　while
they；　like　two　simpletons；　were　left　standing　at　the　foot　of　the
steps。　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye；　who　stood　at　the　top　waving　his　little
hand　in　a　little　farewell　to　the　doctor；　could　not　forbear　from
smiling　as　he　heard　Monsieur　de　Clagny　say　to　Monsieur　Gravier：

〃You　should　have　escorted　them　on　horseback。〃

At　this　juncture；　Gatien；　riding　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye's　quiet
little　mare；　came　out　of　the　side　road　from　the　stables　and　joined　the
party　in　the　chaise。

〃Ah；　good；〃　said　the　Receiver…General；　〃the　boy　has　mounted　guard。〃

〃What　a　bore！〃　cried　Dinah　as　she　saw　Gatien。　〃In　thirteen　yearsfor
I　have　been　married　nearly　thirteen　yearsI　have　never　had　three
hours'　liberty。

〃Married；　madame？〃　said　the　journalist　with　a　smile。　〃You　remind　me　of
a　saying　of　Michaud'she　was　so　witty！　He　was　setting　out　for　the
Holy　Land；　and　his　friends　were　remonstrating　with　him；　urging　his
age；　and　the　perils　of　such　an　expedition。　'And　then；'　said　one；　'you
are　married。''Married！'　said　he；　'so　little　married。'　〃

Even　the　rigid　Madame　Piedefer　could　not　repress　a　smile。

〃I　should　not　be　surprised　to　see　Monsieur　de　Clagny　mounted　on　my
pony　to　complete　the　escort；〃　said　Dinah。

〃Well；　if　the　Public　Prosecutor　does　not　pursue　us；　you　can　get　rid　of
this　little　fellow　at　Sancerre。　Bianchon　must；　of　course；　have　left
something　behind　on　his　tablethe　notes　for　the　first　lecture　of　his
courseand　you　can　ask　Gatien　to　go　back　to　Anzy　to　fetch　it。〃

This　simple　little　plot　put　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　into　high　spirits。
From　the　road　between　Anzy　to　Sancerre；　a　glorious　landscape
frequently　comes　into　view；　of　the　noble　stretches　of　the　Loire；
looking　like　a　lake；　and　it　was　got　over　very　pleasantly；　for　Dinah
was　happy　in　finding　herself　well　understood。　Love　was　discussed　in
theory；　a　subject　allowing　lovers　/in　petto/　to　take　the　measure；　as
it　were；　of　each　other's　heart。　The　journalist　took　a　tone　of　refined
corruption　to　prove　that　love　obeys　no　law；　that　the　character　of　the
lovers　gives　infinite　variety　to　its　incidents；　that　the　circumstances
of　social　life　add　to　the　multiplicity　of　its　manifestations；　that　in
love　all　is　possible　and　true；　and　that　any　given　woman；　after
resisting　every　temptation　and　the　seductions　of　the　most　passionate
lover；　may　be　carried　off　her　feet　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours　by　a
fancy；　an　internal　whirlwind　of　which　God　alone　would　ever　know　the
secret！

〃Why；〃　said　he；　〃is　not　that　the　key　to　all　the　adventures　we　have
talked　over　these　three　days　past？〃

For　these　three　days；　indeed；　Dinah's　lively　imagination　had　been　full
of　the　most　insidious　romances；　and　the　conversation　of　the　two
Parisians　had　affected　the　woman　as　the　most　mischievous　reading　might
have　done。　Lousteau　watched　the　effects　of　this　clever　manoeuvre；　to
seize　the　moment　when　his　prey；　whose　readiness　to　be　caught　was
hidden　under　the　abstraction　caused　by　irresolution；　should　be　quite
dizzy。

Dinah　wished　to　show　La　Baudraye　to　her　two　visitors；　and　the　farce
was　duly　played　out　of　remembering　the　papers　left　by　Bianchon　in　his
room　at　Anzy。　Gatien　flew　off　at　a　gallop　to　obey　his　sovereign；
Madame　Piedefer　went　to　do　some　shopping　in　Sancerre；　and　Dinah　went
on　to　Cosne　alone　with　the　two　friends。　Lousteau　took　his　seat　by　the
lady；　Bianchon　riding　backwards。　The　two　friends　talked　affectionately
and　with　deep　compassion　for　the　fate　of　this　choice　nature　so　ill
understood　and　in　the　midst　of　such　vulgar　surroundings。　Bianchon
served　Lousteau　well　by　making　fun　of　the　Public　Prosecutor；　of
Monsieur　Gravier；　and　of　Gatien；　there　was　a　tone　of　such　genuine
contempt　in　his　remarks；　that　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　dared　not　take　the
part　of　her　adorers。

〃I　perfectly　understand　the　position　you　have　maintained；〃　said　the
doctor　as　they　crossed　the　Loire。　〃You　were　inaccessible　excepting　to
that　brain…love　which　often　leads　to　heart…love；　and　not　one　of　those
men；　it　is　very　certain；　is　capable　of　disguising　what；　at　an　early
stage　of　life；　is　disgusting　to　the　senses　in　the　eyes　of　a　refined
woman。　To　you；　now；　love　is　indispensable。〃

〃Indispensable！〃　cried　Dinah；　looking　curiously　at　the　doctor。　〃Do　you
mean　that　you　prescribe　love　to　me？〃

〃If　you　go　on　living　as　you　live　now；　in　three　years　you　will　be
hideous；〃　replied　Bianchon　in　a　dictatorial　tone。

〃Monsieur！〃　said　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　almost　frightened。

〃Forgive　my　friend；〃　said　Lousteau；　half　jestingly。　〃He　is　always　the
medical　man；　and　to　him　love　is　merely　a　question　of　hygiene。　But　he
is　quite　disinterestedit　is　for　your　sake　only　that　he　speaksas　is
evident；　since　he　is　starting　in　an　hour〃

At　Cosne　a　little　crowd　gathered　round　the　old　repainted　chaise；　with
the　arms　on　the　panels　granted　by　Louis　XIV。　to　the　new　La　Baudraye。
Gules；　a　pair　of　scales　or；　on　a　chief　azure　（color　on　color）　three
cross…crosslets　argent。　For　supporters　two　greyhounds　argent；　collared
azure；　chained　or。　The　ironical　motto；　/Deo　sic　patet　fides　et
hominibus/；　had　been　inflicted　on　the　converted　Calvinist　by　Hozier
the　satirical。

〃Let　us　get　out；　they　will　come　and　find　us；〃　said　the　Baroness；
desiring　her　coachman　to　keep　watch。

Dinah　took　Bianchon's　arm；　and　the　doctor　set　off　by　the　banks　of　the
Loire　at　so　rapid　a　pace　that　the　journalist　had　to　linger　behind。　The
physician　had　explained　by　a　single　wink　that　he　meant　to　do　Lousteau
a　good　turn。

〃You　have　been　attracted　by　Etienne；〃　said　Bianchon　to　Dinah；　〃he　has
appealed　strongly　to　your　imagination；　last　night　we　were　talking
about　you。He　loves　you。　But　he　is　frivolous；　and　difficult　to　hold；
his　poverty　compels　him　to　live　in　Paris；　while　everything　condemns
you　to　live　at　Sancerre。Take　a　lofty　view　of　life。　Make　Lousteau
your　friend；　do　not　ask　too　much　of　him；　he　will　come　three　times　a
year　to　spend　a　few　days　with　you；　and　you　will　owe　to　him　your
beauty；　happiness；　and　fortune。　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye　may　live　to　be
a　hundred；　but　he　might　die　in　a　few　days　if　he　should　leave　off　the
flannel　winding…sheet　in　which　he　swathes　himself。　So　run　no　risks；　be
prudent　both　of　you。Say　not　a　workI　have　read　your　heart。〃

Madame　de　la　Baudraye　was　defenceless　under　this　serried　attack；　and
in　the　presence　of　a　man　who　spoke　at　once　as　a　doctor；　a　confessor；
and　confidential　friend。

〃Indeed！〃　said　she。　〃Can　you　suppose　that　any　woman　would　care　to
compete　with　a　journalist's　mistresses？Monsieur　Lousteau　strikes　me
as　agreeable　and　witty；　but　he　is　/blase/；　etc。；　etc。〃

Dinah　had　turned　back；　and　was　obliged　to　check　the　flow　of　words　by
which　she　tried　to　disguise　her　intentions；　for　Etienne；　who　seemed　to
be　studying　progress　in　Cosne；　was　coming　to　meet　them。

〃Believe　me；〃　said　Bianchon；　〃what　he　wants　is　to　be　truly　loved；　and
if　he　alters　his　course　of　life；　it　will　be　to　the　benefit　of　his
talent。〃

Dinah's　coachman　hurried　up　breathlessly　to　say　that　the　diligence　had
come　in；　and　they　walked　on　quickly；　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　between　the
two　men。

〃Good…bye；　my　children！〃　said　Bianchon；　before　they　got　into　the　town；
〃you　have　my　blessing！〃

He　released　Madame　de　la　Baudraye's　hand　from　his　arm；　and　allowed
Lousteau　to　draw　it　into　his；　with　a　tender　look；　as　he　pressed　it　to
his　heart。　What　a　difference　to　Dinah！　Etienne's　arm　thrilled　her
deeply。　Bianchon's　had　not　stirred　her　in　the　least。　She　and　the
journalist　exchanged　one　of　those　glowing　looks　that　are　more　than　an
avowal。

〃Only　provincial　women　wear　muslin　gowns　in　these　days；〃　thought
Lousteau　to　himself；　〃the　only　stuff　which　shows　every　crease。　This
woman；　who　has　chosen　me　for　her　lover；　will　make　a　fuss　over　her
frock！　If　she　had　but　put　on　a　foulard　skirt；　I　should　be　h