modeste mignon-第3章
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balustrade; surmounts the lower floor and projects at the centre of
the facade into a veranda with glass sides。 The ground…floor has a
charming salon and a dining…room; separated from each other by the
landing of a staircase built of wood; designed and decorated with
elegant simplicity。 The kitchen is behind the dining…room; and the
corresponding room back of the salon; formerly a study; is now the
bedroom of Monsieur and Madame Dumay。 On the upper floor the architect
has managed to get two large bedrooms; each with a dressing…room; to
which the veranda serves as a salon; and above this floor; under the
eaves; which are tipped together like a couple of cards; are two
servants' rooms with mansard roofs; each lighted by a circular window
and tolerably spacious。
Vilquin has been petty enough to build a high wall on the side toward
the orchard and kitchen garden; and in consequence of this piece of
spite; the few square feet which the lease secured to the Chalet
resembled a Parisian garden。 The out…buildings; painted in keeping
with the cottage; stood with their backs to the wall of the adjoining
property。
The interior of this charming dwelling harmonized with its exterior。
The salon; floored entirely with iron…wood; was painted in a style
that suggested the beauties of Chinese lacquer。 On black panels edged
with gold; birds of every color; foliage of impossible greens; and
fantastic oriental designs glowed and shimmered。 The dining…room was
entirely sheathed in Northern woods carved and cut in open…work like
the beautiful Russian chalets。 The little antechamber formed by the
landing and the well of the staircase was painted in old oak to
represent Gothic ornament。 The bedrooms; hung with chintz; were
charming in their costly simplicity。 The study; where the cashier and
his wife now slept; was panelled from top to bottom; on the walls and
ceiling; like the cabin of a steamboat。 These luxuries of his
predecessor excited Vilquin's wrath。 He would fain have lodged his
daughter and her husband in the cottage。 This desire; well known to
Dumay; will presently serve to illustrate the Breton obstinacy of the
latter。
The entrance to the Chalet is by a little trellised iron door; the
uprights of which; ending in lance…heads; show for a few inches above
the fence and its hedge。 The little garden; about as wide as the more
pretentious lawn; was just now filled with flowers; roses; and dahlias
of the choicest kind; and many rare products of the hot…houses; for
(another Vilquinard grievance) the elegant little hot…house; a very
whim of a hot…house; a hot…house representing dignity and style;
belonged to the Chalet; and separated; or if you prefer; united it to
the villa Vilquin。 Dumay consoled himself for the toils of business in
taking care of this hot…house; whose exotic treasures were one of
Modeste's joys。 The billiard…room of the villa Vilquin; a species of
gallery; formerly communicated through an immense aviary with this
hot…house。 But after the building of the wall which deprived him of a
view into the orchards; Dumay bricked up the door of communication。
〃Wall for wall!〃 he said。
In 1827 Vilquin offered Dumay a salary of six thousand francs; and ten
thousand more as indemnity; if he would give up the lease。 The cashier
refused; though he had but three thousand francs from Gobenheim; a
former clerk of his master。 Dumay was a Breton transplanted by fate
into Normandy。 Imagine therefore the hatred conceived for the tenants
of the Chalet by the Norman Vilquin; a man worth three millions! What
criminal leze…million on the part of a cashier; to hold up to the eyes
of such a man the impotence of his wealth! Vilquin; whose desperation
in the matter made him the talk of Havre; had just proposed to give
Dumay a pretty house of his own; and had again been refused。 Havre
itself began to grow uneasy at the man's obstinacy; and a good many
persons explained it by the phrase; 〃Dumay is a Breton。〃 As for the
cashier; he thought Madame and Mademoiselle Mignon would be ill…lodged
elsewhere。 His two idols now inhabited a temple worthy of them; the
sumptuous little cottage gave them a home; where these dethroned
royalties could keep the semblance of majesty about them;a species
of dignity usually denied to those who have seen better days。
Perhaps as the story goes on; the reader will not regret having
learned in advance a few particulars as to the home and the habitual
companions of Modeste Mignon; for; at her age; people and things have
as much influence upon the future life as a person's own character;
indeed; character often receives ineffaceable impressions from its
surroundings。
CHAPTER II
A PORTRAIT FROM LIFE
From the manner with which the Latournelles entered the Chalet a
stranger would readily have guessed that they came there every
evening。
〃Ah; you are here already;〃 said the notary; perceiving the young
banker Gobenheim; a connection of Gobenheim…Keller; the head of the
great banking house in Paris。
This young man with a livid facea blonde of the type with black
eyes; whose immovable glance has an indescribable fascination; sober
in speech as in conduct; dressed in black; lean as a consumptive; but
nevertheless vigorously framedvisited the family of his former
master and the house of his cashier less from affection than from
self…interest。 Here they played whist at two sous a point; a dress…
coat was not required; he accepted no refreshment except 〃eau sucree;〃
and consequently had no civilities to return。 This apparent devotion
to the Mignon family allowed it to be supposed that Gobenheim had a
heart; it also released him from the necessity of going into the
society of Havre and incurring useless expenses; thus upsetting the
orderly economy of his domestic life。 This disciple of the golden calf
went to bed at half…past ten o'clock and got up at five in the
morning。 Moreover; being perfectly sure of Latournelle's and Butscha's
discretion; he could talk over difficult business matters; obtain the
advice of the notary gratis; and get an inkling of the real truth of
the gossip of the street。 This stolid gold…glutton (the epithet is
Butscha's) belonged by nature to the class of substances which
chemistry terms absorbents。 Ever since the catastrophe of the house of
Mignon; where the Kellers had placed him to learn the principles of
maritime commerce; no one at the Chalet had ever asked him to do the
smallest thing; no matter what; his reply was too well known。 The
young fellow looked at Modeste precisely as he would have looked at a
cheap lithograph。
〃He's one of the pistons of the big engine called 'Commerce;'〃 said
poor Butscha; whose clever mind made itself felt occasionally by such
little sayings timidly jerked out。
The four Latournelles bowed with the most respectful deference to an
old lady dressed in black velvet; who did not rise from the armchair
in which she was seated; for the reason that both eyes were covered
with the yellow film produced by cataract。 Madame Mignon may be
sketched in one sentence。 Her august countenance of the mother of a
family attracted instant notice as that of one whose irreproachable
life defies the assaults of destiny; which nevertheless makes her the
target of its arrows and a member of the unnumbered tribe of Niobes。
Her blonde wig; carefully curled and well arranged upon her head;
became the cold white face which resembled that of some burgomaster's
wife painted by Hals or Mirevelt。 The extreme neatness of her dress;
the velvet boots; the lace collar; the shawl evenly folded and put on;
all bore testimony to the solicitous care which Modeste bestowed upon
her mother。
When silence was; as the notary had predicted; restored in the pretty
salon; Modeste; sitting beside her mother; for whom she was
embroidering a kerchief; became for an instant the centre of
observation。 This curiosity; barely vei