albert savarus-第6章

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with　an　affected　sweetness　which　made　her　daughter　cautious　for　the
rest　of　her　days。

〃It　might　be　carried　to　the　Court　of　Appeal；　but　our　adversaries　will
think　twice　about　that；〃　replied　the　Abbe。

〃I　never　could　have　believed　that　Rosalie　would　think　about　a　lawsuit
all　through　a　dinner；〃　remarked　Madame　de　Watteville。

〃Nor　I　either；〃　said　Rosalie；　in　a　dreamy　way　that　made　every　one
laugh。　〃But　Monsieur　de　Grancey　was　so　full　of　it；　that　I　was
interested。〃

The　company　rose　from　table　and　returned　to　the　drawing…room。　All
through　the　evening　Rosalie　listened　in　case　Albert　Savaron　should　be
mentioned　again；　but　beyond　the　congratulations　offered　by　each
newcomer　to　the　Abbe　on　having　gained　his　suit；　to　which　no　one　added
any　praise　of　the　advocate；　no　more　was　said　about　it。　Mademoiselle　de
Watteville　impatiently　looked　forward　to　bedtime。　She　had　promised
herself　to　wake　at　between　two　and　three　in　the　morning；　and　to　look
at　Albert's　dressing…room　windows。　When　the　hour　came；　she　felt　almost
pleasure　in　gazing　at　the　glimmer　from　the　lawyer's　candles　that　shone
through　the　trees；　now　almost　bare　of　their　leaves。　By　the　help　of　the
strong　sight　of　a　young　girl；　which　curiosity　seems　to　make　longer；
she　saw　Albert　writing；　and　fancied　she　could　distinguish　the　color　of
the　furniture；　which　she　thought　was　red。　From　the　chimney　above　the
roof　rose　a　thick　column　of　smoke。

〃While　all　the　world　is　sleeping；　he　is　awakelike　God！〃　thought　she。

The　education　of　girls　brings　with　it　such　serious　problemsfor　the
future　of　a　nation　is　in　the　motherthat　the　University　of　France
long　since　set　itself　the　task　of　having　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Here
is　one　of　these　problems：　Ought　girls　to　be　informed　on　all　points？
Ought　their　minds　to　be　under　restraint？　It　need　not　be　said　that　the
religious　system　is　one　of　restraint。　If　you　enlighten　them；　you　make
them　demons　before　their　time；　if　you　keep　them　from　thinking；　you　end
in　the　sudden　explosion　so　well　shown　by　Moliere　in　the　character　of
Agnes；　and　you　leave　this　suppressed　mind；　so　fresh　and　clear…seeing；
as　swift　and　as　logical　as　that　of　a　savage；　at　the　mercy　of　an
accident。　This　inevitable　crisis　was　brought　on　in　Mademoiselle　de
Watteville　by　the　portrait　which　one　of　the　most　prudent　Abbes　of　the
Chapter　of　Besancon　imprudently　allowed　himself　to　sketch　at　a　dinner
party。

Next　morning；　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville；　while　dressing；　necessarily
looked　out　at　Albert　Savaron　walking　in　the　garden　adjoining　that　of
the　Hotel　de　Rupt。

〃What　would　have　become　of　me；〃　thought　she；　〃if　he　had　lived　anywhere
else？　Here　I　can；　at　any　rate；　see　him。What　is　he　thinking　about？〃

Having　seen　this　extraordinary　man；　though　at　a　distance；　the　only　man
whose　countenance　stood　forth　in　contrast　with　crowds　of　Besancon
faces　she　had　hitherto　met　with；　Rosalie　at　once　jumped　at　the　idea　of
getting　into　his　house；　of　ascertaining　the　reason　of　so　much　mystery；
of　hearing　that　eloquent　voice；　of　winning　a　glance　from　those　fine
eyes。　All　this　she　set　her　heart　on；　but　how　could　she　achieve　it？

All　that　day　she　drew　her　needle　through　her　embroidery　with　the
obtuse　concentration　of　a　girl　who；　like　Agnes；　seems　to　be　thinking
of　nothing；　but　who　is　reflecting　on　things　in　general　so　deeply；　that
her　artifice　is　unfailing。　As　a　result　of　this　profound　meditation；
Rosalie　thought　she　would　go　to　confession。　Next　morning；　after　Mass；
she　had　a　brief　interview　with　the　Abbe　Giroud　at　Saint…Pierre；　and
managed　so　ingeniously　that　the　hour　of　her　confession　was　fixed　for
Sunday　morning　at　half…past　seven；　before　the　eight　o'clock　Mass。　She
committed　herself　to　a　dozen　fibs　in　order　to　find　herself；　just　for
once；　in　the　church　at　the　hour　when　the　lawyer　came　to　Mass。　Then　she
was　seized　with　an　impulse　of　extreme　affection　for　her　father；　she
went　to　see　him　in　his　workroom；　and　asked　him　for　all　sorts　of
information　on　the　art　of　turning；　ending　by　advising　him　to　turn
larger　pieces；　columns。　After　persuading　her　father　to　set　to　work　on
some　twisted　pillars；　one　of　the　difficulties　of　the　turner's　art；　she
suggested　that　he　should　make　use　of　a　large　heap　of　stones　that　lay
in　the　middle　of　the　garden　to　construct　a　sort　of　grotto　on　which　he
might　erect　a　little　temple　or　Belvedere　in　which　his　twisted　pillars
could　be　used　and　shown　off　to　all　the　world。

At　the　climax　of　the　pleasure　the　poor　unoccupied　man　derived　from
this　scheme；　Rosalie　said；　as　she　kissed　him；　〃Above　all；　do　not　tell
mamma　who　gave　you　the　notion；　she　would　scold　me。〃

〃Do　not　be　afraid！〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Watteville；　who　groaned　as
bitterly　as　his　daughter　under　the　tyranny　of　the　terrible　descendant
of　the　Rupts。

So　Rosalie　had　a　certain　prospect　of　seeing　ere　long　a　charming
observatory　built；　whence　her　eye　would　command　the　lawyer's　private
room。　And　there　are　men　for　whose　sake　young　girls　can　carry　out　such
masterstrokes　of　diplomacy；　while；　for　the　most　part；　like　Albert
Savaron；　they　know　it　not。

The　Sunday　so　impatiently　looked　for　arrived；　and　Rosalie　dressed　with
such　carefulness　as　made　Mariette；　the　ladies'…maid；　smile。

〃It　is　the　first　time　I　ever　knew　mademoiselle　to　be　so　fidgety；〃　said
Mariette。

〃It　strikes　me；〃　said　Rosalie；　with　a　glance　at　Mariette；　which
brought　poppies　to　her　cheeks；　〃that　you　too　are　more　particular　on
some　days　than　on　others。〃

As　she　went　down　the　steps；　across　the　courtyard；　and　through　the
gates；　Rosalie's　heart　beat；　as　everybody's　does　in　anticipation　of　a
great　event。　Hitherto；　she　had　never　known　what　it　was　to　walk　in　the
streets；　for　a　moment　she　had　felt　as　though　her　mother　must　read　her
schemes　on　her　brow；　and　forbid　her　going　to　confession；　and　she　now
felt　new　blood　in　her　feet；　she　lifted　them　as　though　she　trod　on
fire。　She　had；　of　course；　arranged　to　be　with　her　confessor　at　a
quarter…past　eight；　telling　her　mother　eight；　so　as　to　have　about　a
quarter　of　an　hour　near　Albert。　She　got　to　church　before　Mass；　and
after　a　short　prayer；　went　to　see　if　the　Abbe　Giroud　were　in　his
confessional；　simply　to　pass　the　time；　and　she　thus　placed　herself　in
such　a　way　as　to　see　Albert　as　he　came　into　church。

The　man　must　have　been　atrociously　ugly　who　did　not　seem　handsome　to
Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　in　the　frame　of　mind　produced　by　her
curiosity。　And　Albert　Savaron；　who　was　really　very　striking；　made　all
the　more　impression　on　Rosalie　because　his　mien；　his　walk；　his
carriage；　everything　down　to　his　clothing；　had　the　indescribable　stamp
which　can　only　be　expressed　by　the　word　Mystery。

He　came　in。　The　church；　till　now　gloomy；　seemed　to　Rosalie　to　be
illuminated。　The　girl　was　fascinated　by　his　slow　and　solemn　demeanor；
as　of　a　man　who　bears　a　world　on　his　shoulders　and　whose　deep　gaze；
whose　very　gestures；　combine　to　express　a　devastating　or　absorbing
thought。　Rosalie　now　understood　the　Vicar…General's　words　in　their
fullest　extent。　Yes；　those　eyes　of　tawny　brown；　shot　with　golden
lights；　covered　ardor　which　revealed　itself　in　sudden　flashes。
Rosalie；　with　a　recklessness　which　Mariette　noted；　stood　in　the
lawyer's　way；　so　as　to　exchange　glances　with　him；　and　this　glance
turned　her　blood；　for　it　seethed　and　boiled　as　though　its　warmth　were
doubled。

As　soon　as　Albert　had　taken　a　seat；　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　quickly
found　a　place　whence　she　could　see　him　perfectly　during　all　the　time
the　Abbe　might　leave　her。　When　Mariette　said；　〃Here　is　Monsieur
Giroud；〃　it　seemed　to　Rosalie　that　the　interview　had　lasted　no　more
than　a　few　minutes。　By　the　time　she　came　out　from　the　confessional；
Mass　was　over。　Albert　had　left　the　church。

〃The　Vicar…General　was　right；〃　thought　she。　〃/He/　is　unhappy。　Why
should　this　eaglefor　he　has　the　eyes　of　an　eagleswoop　down　on
Besancon？　Oh；　I　must　know　everything！　But　how？〃

Under　the　smart　of　this　new　desire　Rosalie　set　the　stitches　of　her
worsted…work　with　exquisite　precision；　and　hid　her　meditations　under　a
little　innocent　air；　which　shammed　simplicity　to　deceive　Madame　de
Watteville。

From　that　Sunday；　when　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　had　met　that　look；
or；　if　you　please；　received　this　baptism　of　firea