modeste mignon-第2章

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willingly　have　given　his　life　for　hers。　The　poor　fellow；　whose　eyes

were　hollowed　beneath　their　heavy　lids　like　the　touch…holes　of　a

cannon；　whose　head　overweighted　his　body；　with　its　shock　of　crisp

hair；　and　whose　face　was　pock…marked；　had　lived　under　pitying　eyes

from　the　time　he　was　seven　years　of　age。　Is　not　that　enough　to　explain

his　whole　being？　Silent；　self…contained；　pious；　exemplary　in　conduct；

he　went　his　way　over　that　vast　tract　of　country　named　on　the　map　of

the　heart　Love…without…Hope；　the　sublime　and　arid　steppes　of　Desire。

Modeste　had　christened　this　grotesque　little　being　her　〃Black　Dwarf。〃

The　nickname　sent　him　to　the　pages　of　Walter　Scott's　novel；　and　he　one

day　said　to　Modeste：　〃Will　you　accept　a　rose　against　the　evil　day　from

your　mysterious　dwarf？〃　Modeste　instantly　sent　the　soul　of　her　adorer

to　its　humble　mud…cabin　with　a　terrible　glance；　such　as　young　girls

bestow　on　the　men　who　cannot　please　them。　Butscha's　conception　of

himself　was　lowly；　and；　like　the　wife　of　his　master；　he　had　never　been

out　of　Havre。



Perhaps　it　will　be　well；　for　the　sake　of　those　who　have　never　seen

that　city；　to　say　a　few　words　as　to　the　present　destination　of　the

Latournelle　family；the　head　clerk　being　included　in　the　latter　term。

Ingouville　is　to　Havre　what　Montmartre　is　to　Paris；a　high　hill　at

the　foot　of　which　the　city　lies；　with　this　difference；　that　the　hill

and　the　city　are　surrounded　by　the　sea　and　the　Seine；　that　Havre　is

helplessly　circumscribed　by　enclosing　fortifications；　and；　in　short；

that　the　mouth　of　the　river；　the　harbor；　and　the　docks　present　a　very

different　aspect　from　the　fifty　thousand　houses　of　Paris。　At　the　foot

of　Montmartre　an　ocean　of　slate　roofs　lies　in　motionless　blue　billows；

at　Ingouville　the　sea　is　like　the　same　roofs　stirred　by　the　wind。　This

eminence；　or　line　of　hills；　which　coasts　the　Seine　from　Rouen　to　the

seashore；　leaving　a　margin　of　valley　land　more　or　less　narrow　between

itself　and　the　river；　and　containing　in　its　cities；　its　ravines；　its

vales；　its　meadows；　veritable　treasures　of　the　picturesque；　became　of

enormous　value　in　and　about　Ingouville；　after　the　year　1816；　the

period　at　which　the　prosperity　of　Havre　began。　This　township　has

become　since　that　time　the　Auteuil；　the　Ville…d'Avray；　the

Montmorency；　in　short；　the　suburban　residence　of　the　merchants　of

Havre。　Here　they　build　their　houses　on　terraces　around　its　ampitheatre

of　hills；　and　breathe　the　sea　air　laden　with　the　fragrance　of　their

splendid　gardens。　Here　these　bold　speculators　cast　off　the　burden　of

their　counting…rooms　and　the　atmosphere　of　their　city　houses；　which

are　built　closely　together　without　open　spaces；　often　without　court…

yards；a　vice　of　construction　with　the　increasing　population　of

Havre；　the　inflexible　line　of　the　fortifications；　and　the　enlargement

of　the　docks　has　forced　upon　them。　The　result　is；　weariness　of　heart

in　Havre；　cheerfulness　and　joy　at　Ingouville。　The　law　of　social

development　has　forced　up　the　suburb　of　Graville　like　a　mushroom。　It

is　to…day　more　extensive　than　Havre　itself；　which　lies　at　the　foot　of

its　slopes　like　a　serpent。



At　the　crest　of　the　hill　Ingouville　has　but　one　street；　and　（as　in　all

such　situations）　the　houses　which　overlook　the　river　have　an　immense

advantage　over　those　on　the　other　side　of　the　road；　whose　view　they

obstruct；　and　which　present　the　effect　of　standing　on　tip…toe　to　look

over　the　opposing　roofs。　However；　there　exist　here；　as　elsewhere；

certain　servitudes。　Some　houses　standing　at　the　summit　have　a　finer

position　or　possess　legal　rights　of　view　which　compel　their　opposite

neighbors　to　keep　their　buildings　down　to　a　required　height。　Moreover；

the　openings　cut　in　the　capricious　rock　by　roads　which　follow　its

declensions　and　make　the　ampitheatre　habitable；　give　vistas　through

which　some　estates　can　see　the　city；　or　the　river；　or　the　sea。　Instead

of　rising　to　an　actual　peak；　the　hill　ends　abruptly　in　a　cliff。　At　the

end　of　the　street　which　follows　the　line　of　the　summit；　ravines　appear

in　which　a　few　villages　are　clustered　（Sainte…Adresse　and　two　or　three

other　Saint…somethings）　together　with　several　creeks　which　murmur　and

flow　with　the　tides　of　the　sea。　These　half…deserted　slopes　of

Ingouville　form　a　striking　contrast　to　the　terraces　of　fine　villas

which　overlook　the　valley　of　the　Seine。　Is　the　wind　on　this　side　too

strong　for　vegetation？　Do　the　merchants　shrink　from　the　cost　of

terracing　it？　However　this　may　be；　the　traveller　approaching　Havre　on

a　steamer　is　surprised　to　find　a　barren　coast　and　tangled　gorges　to

the　west　of　Ingouville；　like　a　beggar　in　rags　beside　a　perfumed　and

sumptuously　apparelled　rich　man。



In　1829　one　of　the　last　houses　looking　toward　the　sea；　and　which　in

all　probability　stands　about　the　centre　of　the　Ingouville　to…day；　was

called；　and　perhaps　is　still　called；　〃the　Chalet。〃　Originally　it　was　a

porter's　lodge　with　a　trim　little　garden　in　front　of　it。　The　owner　of

the　villa　to　which　it　belonged；a　mansion　with　park；　gardens；

aviaries；　hot…houses；　and　lawnstook　a　fancy　to　put　the　little

dwelling　more　in　keeping　with　the　splendor　of　his　own　abode；　and　he

reconstructed　it　on　the　model　of　an　ornamental　cottage。　He　divided

this　cottage　from　his　own　lawn；　which　was　bordered　and　set　with

flower…beds　and　formed　the　terrace　of　his　villa；　by　a　low　wall　along

which　he　planted　a　concealing　hedge。　Behind　the　cottage　（called；　in

spite　of　all　his　efforts　to　prevent　it；　the　Chalet）　were　the　orchards

and　kitchen　gardens　of　the　villa。　The　Chalet；　without　cows　or　dairy；

is　separated　from　the　roadway　by　a　wooden　fence　whose　palings　are

hidden　under　a　luxuriant　hedge。　On　the　other　side　of　the　road　the

opposite　house；　subject　to　a　legal　privilege；　has　a　similar　hedge　and

paling；　so　as　to　leave　an　unobstructed　view　of　Havre　to　the　Chalet。



This　little　dwelling　was　the　torment　of　the　present　proprietor　of　the

villa；　Monsieur　Vilquin；　and　here　is　the　why　and　the　wherefore。　The

original　creator　of　the　villa；　whose　sumptuous　details　cry　aloud；

〃Behold　our　millions！〃　extended　his　park　far　into　the　country　for　the

purpose；　as　he　averred；　of　getting　his　gardeners　out　of　his　pockets；

and　so；　when　the　Chalet　was　finished；　none　but　a　friend　could　be

allowed　to　inhabit　it。　Monsieur　Mignon；　the　next　owner　of　the

property；　was　very　much　attached　to　his　cashier；　Dumay；　and　the

following　history　will　prove　that　the　attachment　was　mutual；　to　him

therefore　he　offered　the　little　dwelling。　Dumay；　a　stickler　for　legal

methods；　insisted　on　signing　a　lease　for　three　hundred　francs　for

twelve　years；　and　Monsieur　Mignon　willingly　agreed；　remarking；



〃My　dear　Dumay；　remember；　you　have　now　bound　yourself　to　live　with　me

for　twelve　years。〃



In　consequence　of　certain　events　which　will　presently　be　related；　the

estates　of　Monsieur　Mignon；　formerly　the　richest　merchant　in　Havre；

were　sold　to　Vilquin；　one　of　his　business　competitors。　In　his　joy　at

getting　possession　of　the　celebrated　villa　Mignon；　the　latter　forgot

to　demand　the　cancelling　of　the　lease。　Dumay；　anxious　not　to　hinder

the　sale；　would　have　signed　anything　Vilquin　required；　but　the　sale

once　made；　he　held　to　his　lease　like　a　vengeance。　And　there　he

remained；　in　Vilquin's　pocket　as　it　were；　at　the　heart　of　Vilquin's

family　life；　observing　Vilquin；　irritating　Vilquin；in　short；　the

gadfly　of　all　the　Vilquins。　Every　morning；　when　he　looked　out　of　his

window；　Vilquin　felt　a　violent　shock　of　annoyance　as　his　eye　lighted

on　the　little　gem　of　a　building；　the　Chalet；　which　had　cost　sixty

thousand　francs　and　sparkled　like　a　ruby　in　the　sun。　That　comparison

is　very　nearly　exact。　The　architect　has　constructed　the　cottage　of

brilliant　red　brick　pointed　with　white。　The　window…frames　are　painted

of　a　lively　green；　the　woodwork　is　brown　verging　on　yellow。　The　roof

overhangs　by　several　feet。　A　pretty　gallery；　with　open…worked

balustrade；　surmounts　the　lower　floor　and　projects　at　the　centre　of

th