an old maid-第24章

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〃I　believe　I'm　dreaming；〃　thought　Josette；　as　she　saw　her　mistress

flying　down　the　staircase　like　an　elephant　to　which　God　has　given

wings。



Presently；　in　spite　of　a　driving　rain；　Mademoiselle　Cormon　drove　away

from　Prebaudet；　leaving　her　factotums　with　the　reins　on　their　necks。

Jacquelin　dared　not　take　upon　himself　to　hasten　the　usual　little　trot

of　the　peaceable　Penelope；　who；　like　the　beautiful　queen　whose　name

she　bore；　had　an　appearance　of　making　as　many　steps　backward　as　she

made　forward。　Impatient　with　the　pace；　mademoiselle　ordered　Jacquelin

in　a　sharp　voice　to　drive　at　a　gallop；　with　the　whip；　if　necessary；　to

the　great　astonishment　of　the　poor　beast；　so　afraid　was　she　of　not

having　time　to　arrange　the　house　suitably　to　receive　Monsieur　de

Troisville。　She　calculated　that　the　grandson　of　her　uncle's　friend　was

probably　about　forty　years　of　age；　a　soldier　just　from　service　was

undoubtedly　a　bachelor；　and　she　resolved；　her　uncle　aiding；　not　to　let

Monsieur　de　Troisville　quit　their　house　in　the　condition　he　entered

it。　Though　Penelope　galloped；　Mademoiselle　Cormon；　absorbed　in

thoughts　of　her　trousseau　and　the　wedding…day；　declared　again　and

again　that　Jacquelin　made　no　way　at　all。　She　twisted　about　in　the

carriole　without　replying　to　Josette's　questions；　and　talked　to

herself　like　a　person　who　is　mentally　revolving　important　designs。



The　carriole　at　last　arrived　in　the　main　street　of　Alencon；　called　the

rue　Saint…Blaise　at　the　end　toward　Montagne；　but　near　the　hotel　du

More　it　takes　the　name　of　the　rue　de　la　Porte…de…Seez；　and　becomes　the

rue　du　Bercail　as　it　enters　the　road　to　Brittany。　If　the　departure　of

Mademoiselle　Cormon　made　a　great　noise　in　Alencon；　it　is　easy　to

imagine　the　uproar　caused　by　her　sudden　return　on　the　following　day；

in　a　pouring　rain　which　beat　her　face　without　her　apparently　minding

it。　Penelope　at　a　full　gallop　was　observed　by　every　one；　and

Jacquelin's　grin；　the　early　hour；　the　parcels　stuffed　into　the

carriole　topsy…turvy；　and　the　evident　impatience　of　Mademoiselle

Cormon　were　all　noted。



The　property　of　the　house　of　Troisville　lay　between　Alencon　and

Mortagne。　Josette　knew　the　various　branches　of　the　family。　A　word

dropped　by　mademoiselle　as　they　entered　Alencon　had　put　Josette　on　the

scent　of　the　affair；　and　a　discussion　having　started　between　them；　it

was　settled　that　the　expected　de　Troisville　must　be　between　forty　and

forty…two　years　of　age；　a　bachelor；　and　neither　rich　nor　poor。

Mademoiselle　Cormon　beheld　herself　speedily　Vicomtesse　de　Troisville。



〃And　to　think　that　my　uncle　told　me　nothing！　thinks　of　nothing！

inquires　nothing！　That's　my　uncle　all　over。　He'd　forget　his　own　nose

if　it　wasn't　fastened　to　his　face。〃



Have　you　never　remarked　that；　under　circumstances　such　as　these；　old

maids　become；　like　Richard　III。；　keen…witted；　fierce；　bold；

promissory；if　one　may　so　use　the　word；and；　like　inebriate　clerks；

no　longer　in　awe　of　anything？



Immediately　the　town　of　Alencon；　speedily　informed　from　the　farther

end　of　the　rue　de　Saint…Blaise　to　the　gate　of　Seez　of　this　precipitate

return；　accompanied　by　singular　circumstances；　was　perturbed

throughout　its　viscera；　both　public　and　domestic。　Cooks；　shopkeepers；

street　passengers；　told　the　news　from　door　to　door；　thence　it　rose　to

the　upper　regions。　Soon　the　words：　〃Mademoiselle　Cormon　has　returned！〃

burst　like　a　bombshell　into　all　households。　At　that　moment　Jacquelin

was　descending　from　his　wooden　seat　（polished　by　a　process　unknown　to

cabinet…makers）；　on　which　he　perched　in　front　of　the　carriole。　He

opened　the　great　green　gate；　round　at　the　top；　and　closed　in　sign　of

mourning；　for　during　Mademoiselle　Cormon's　absence　the　evening

assemblies　did　not　take　place。　The　faithful　invited　the　Abbe　de　Sponde

to　their　several　houses；　and　Monsieur　de　Valois　paid　his　debt　by

inviting　him　to　dine　at　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon's。　Jacquelin；　having

opened　the　gate；　called　familiarly　to　Penelope；　whom　he　had　left　in

the　middle　of　the　street。　That　animal；　accustomed　to　this　proceeding；

turned　in　of　herself；　and　circled　round　the　courtyard　in　a　manner　to

avoid　injuring　the　flower…bed。　Jacquelin　then　took　her　bridle；　and　led

the　carriage　to　the　portico。



〃Mariette！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　Cormon。



〃Mademoiselle！〃　exclaimed　Mariette；　who　was　occupied　in　closing　the

gate。



〃Has　the　gentleman　arrived？〃



〃No；　mademoiselle。〃



〃Where's　my　uncle？〃



〃He　is　at　church；　mademoiselle。〃



Jacquelin　and　Josette　were　by　this　time　on　the　first　step　of　the

portico；　holding　out　their　hands　to　manoeuvre　the　exit　of　their

mistress　from　the　carriole　as　she　pulled　herself　up　by　the　sides　of

the　vehicle　and　clung　to　the　curtains。　Mademoiselle　then　threw　herself

into　their　arms；　because　for　the　last　two　years　she　dared　not　risk　her

weight　on　the　iron　step；　affixed　to　the　frame　of　the　carriage　by　a

horrible　mechanism　of　clumsy　bolts。



When　Mademoiselle　Cormon　reached　the　level　of　the　portico　she　looked

about　her　courtyard　with　an　air　of　satisfaction。



〃Come；　come；　Mariette；　leave　that　gate　alone；　I　want　you。〃



〃There's　something　in　the　wind；〃　whispered　Jacquelin；　as　Mariette

passed　the　carriole。



〃Mariette；　what　provisions　have　you　in　the　house？〃　asked　Mademoiselle

Cormon；　sitting　down　on　the　bench　in　the　long　antechamber　like　a

person　overcome　with　fatigue。



〃I　haven't　anything；〃　replied　Mariette；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips。

〃Mademoiselle　knows　very　well　that　during　her　absence　Monsieur　l'abbe

dines　out　every　day。　Yesterday　I　went　to　fetch　him　from　Mademoiselle

Armande's。〃



〃Where　is　he　now？〃



〃Monsieur　l'abbe？　Why；　at　church；　he　won't　be　in　before　three

o'clock。〃



〃He　thinks　of　nothing！　he　ought　to　have　told　you　to　go　to　market。

Mariette；　go　at　once；　and　without　wasting　money；　don't　spare　it；　get

all　there　is　that　is　good　and　delicate。　Go　to　the　diligence　office　and

see　if　you　can　send　for　pates；　and　I　want　shrimps　from　the　Brillante。

What　o'clock　is　it？〃



〃A　quarter　to　nine。〃



〃Good　heavens！　Mariette；　don't　stop　to　chatter。　The　person　my　uncle

expects　may　arrive　at　any　moment。　If　we　had　to　give　him　breakfast；

where　should　we　be　with　nothing　in　the　house？〃



Mariette　turned　back　to　Penelope　in　a　lather；　and　looked　at　Jacquelin

as　if　she　would　say；　〃Mademoiselle　has　put　her　hand　on　a　husband　THIS

time。〃



〃Now；　Josette；〃　continued　the　old　maid；　〃let　us　see　where　we　had

better　put　Monsieur　de　Troisville　to　sleep。〃



With　what　joy　she　said　the　words；　〃Put　Monsieur　de　Troisville〃

（pronounced　Treville）　〃to　sleep。〃　How　many　ideas　in　those　few　words！

The　old　maid　was　bathed　in　hope。



〃Will　you　put　him　in　the　green　chamber？〃



〃The　bishop's　room？　No；　that's　too　near　mine；〃　said　Mademoiselle

Cormon。　〃All　very　well　for　monseigneur；　he's　a　saintly　man。〃



〃Give　him　your　uncle's　room。〃



〃Oh；　that's　so　bare；　it　is　actually　indecent。〃



〃Well；　then；　mademoiselle；　why　not　arrange　a　bed　in　your　boudoir？　It

is　easily　done；　and　there's　a　fire…place。　Moreau　can　certainly　find　in

his　warerooms　a　bed　to　match　the　hangings。〃



〃You　are　right；　Josette。　Go　yourself　to　Moreau；　consult　with　him　what

to　do；　I　authorize　you　to　get　what　is　wanted。　If　the　bed　could　be　put

up　to…night　without　Monsieur　de　Troisville　observing　it　（in　case

Monsieur　de　Troisville　arrives　while　Moreau　is　here）；　I　should　like

it。　If　Moreau　won't　engage　to　do　this；　then　I　must　put　Monsieur　de

Troisville　in　the　green　room；　although　Monsieur　de　Troisville　would　be

so　very　near　to　me。〃



Josette　was　departing　when　her　mistress　recalled　her。



〃Stop！　explain　the　matter　to　Jacquelin；〃　she　cried；　in　a　loud　nervous

tone。　〃Tell　HIM　to　go　to　Moreau；　I　must　be　dressed！　Fancy　if　Monsieur

de　Troisville　surprised　me　as　I　am　now！　and　my　uncle　not　here　to

receive　him！　Oh；　uncle；　uncle！　Come；　Josette；　come　and　dress　me　at

once。〃



〃But　Penelope？〃　said　Josette；　imprudently。



〃Always　Pene