the countess of saint geran-第5章

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be　distributed　among　the　servants。



The　servants　uttered　cries　of　joy；　the　marquis　and　marchioness

exchanged　a　look；　but　a　very　troublous　one；　they；　however；　restrained

themselves　so　far　as　to　simulate　a　great　satisfaction；　and　the

marquis　brought　himself　to　congratulate　the　servants　on　their

attachment　to　their　master　and　mistress。　　After　this　they　were　left

alone；　looking　very　serious；　while　crackers　exploded　and　violins

resounded　under　the　windows。　　For　some　time　they　preserved　silence；

the　first　thought　which　occurred　to　both　being　that　the　count　and

countess　had　allowed　themselves　to　be　deceived　by　trifling　symptoms；

that　people　had　wished　to　flatter　their　hopes；　that　it　was　impossible

for　a　constitution　to　change　so　suddenly　after　twenty　years；　and　that

it　was　a　case　of　simulative　pregnancy。　　This　opinion　gaining　strength

in　their　minds　made　them　somewhat　calmer。



The　next　day　they　took　a　walk　side　by　side　in　a　solitary　path　in　the

park　and　discussed　the　chances　of　their　situation。　　M。　de

Saint…Maixent　brought　before　the　marchioness　the　enormous　injury

which　this　event　would　bring　them。　　He　then　said　that　even　supposing

the　news　to　be　true；　there　were　many　rocks　ahead　to　be　weathered

before　the　succession　could　be　pronounced　secure。



〃The　child　may　die；〃　he　said　at　last。



And　he　uttered　some　sinister　expressions　on　the　slight　damage　caused

by　the　loss　of　a　puny　creature　without　mind；　interest；　or

consequence；　nothing；　he　said；　but　a　bit　of　ill…organised　matter；

which　only　came　into　the　world　to　ruin　so　considerable　a　person　as

the　marchioness。



〃But　what　is　the　use　of　tormenting　ourselves？〃　he　went　on

impatiently；　〃the　countess　is　not　pregnant；　nor　can　she　be。〃



A　gardener　working　near　them　overheard　this　part　of　the　conversation；

but　as　they　walked　away　from　him　he　could　not　hear　any　more。



A　few　days　later；　some　outriders；　sent　before　him　by　the　count；

entered　the　chateau；　saying　that　their　master　and　mistress　were　close

at　hand。　　In　fact；　they　were　promptly　followed　by　brakes　and

travelling…carriages；　and　at　length　the　countess's　litter　was

descried；　which　M。　de　Saint…Geran；　on　horse　back；　had　never　lost

sight　of　during　the　journey。　　It　was　a　triumphal　reception：　all　the

peasants　had　left　their　work；　and　filled　the　air　with　shouts　of

welcome；　the　servants　ran　to　meet　their　mistress；　the　ancient

retainers　wept　for　joy　at　seeing　the　count　so　happy　and　in　the　hope

that　his　noble　qualities　might　be　perpetuated　in　his　heir。　　The

marquis　and　Madame　de　Bouille　did　their　best　to　tune　up　to　the　pitch

of　this　hilarity。



The　dowager　countess；　who　had　arrived　at　the　chateau　the　same　day；

unable　to　convince　herself　as　to　this　news；　had　the　pleasure　of

satisfying　her　self　respecting　it。　　The　count　and　countess　were　much

beloved　in　the　Bourbonnais　province；　this　event　caused　therein　a

general　satisfaction；　particularly　in　the　numerous　houses　attached　to

them　by　consanguinity。　　Within　a　few　days　of　their　return；　more　than

twenty　ladies　of　quality　flocked　to　visit　them　in　great　haste；　to

show　the　great　interest　they　took　in　this　pregnancy。　　All　these

ladies；　on　one　occasion　or　another；　convinced　themselves　as　to　its

genuineness；　and　many　of　them；　carrying　the　subject　still　further；　in

a　joking　manner　which　pleased　the　countess；　dubbed　themselves

prophetesses；　and　predicted　the　birth　of　a　boy。　　The　usual　symptoms

incidental　to　the　situation　left　no　room　for　doubt：　the　country

physicians　were　all　agreed。　The　count　kept　one　of　these　physicians　in

the　chateau　for　two　months；　and　spoke　to　the　Marquis　of　Saint…

Maixent　of　his　intention　of　procuring　a　good　mid…wife；　on　the　same

terms。　　Finally；　the　dowager　countess；　who　was　to　be　sponsor；　ordered

at　a　great　expense　a　magnificent　store　of　baby　linen；　which　she

desired　to　present　at　the　birth。



The　marchioness　devoured　her　rage；　and　among　the　persons　who　went

beside　themselves　with　joy　not　one　remarked　the　disappointment　which

overspread　her　soul。　　Every　day　she　saw　the　marquis；　who　did　all　he

could　to　increase　her　regret；　and　incessantly　stirred　up　her

ill…humour　by　repeating　that　the　count　and　countess　were　triumphing

over　her　misfortune；　and　insinuating　that　they　were　importing　a

supposititious　child　to　disinherit　her。　　As　usual　both　in　private　and

political　affairs；　he　began　by　corrupting　the　marchioness's　religious

views；　to　pervert　her　into　crime。　　The　marquis　was　one　of　those

libertines　so　rare　at　that　time；　a　period　less　unhappy　than　is

generally　believed；　who　made　science　dependent　upon；　atheism。　　It　is

remarkable　that　great　criminals　of　this　epoch；　Sainte…Croix　for

instance；　and　Exili；　the　gloomy　poisoner；　were　the　first　unbelievers；

and　that　they　preceded　the　learned　of　the　following　age　both；　in

philosophy　and　in　the　exclusive　study　of　physical　science；　in　which

they　included　that　of　poisons。　　Passion；　interest；　hatred　fought　the

marquis's　battles　in　the　heart　of　Madame　de　Bouille；　she　readily　lent

herself　to　everything　that　M。　de　Saint…Maixent　wished。



The　Marquis　de　Saint…Maixent　had　a　confidential　servant；　cunning；

insolent；　resourceful；　whom　he　had　brought　from　his　estates；　a

servant　well　suited　to　such　a　master；　whom　he　sent　on　errands

frequently　into　the　neighbourhood　of　Saint…Geran。



One　evening；　as　the　marquis　was　about　to　go　to　bed；　this　man；

returning　from　one　of　his　expeditions；　entered　his　room；　where　he

remained　for　a　long　time；　telling　him　that　he　had　at　length　found

what　he　wanted；　and　giving　him　a　small　piece　of　paper　which　contained

several　names　of　places　and　persons。



Next　morning；　at　daybreak；　the　marquis　caused　two　of　his　horses　to　be

saddled；　pretended　that　he　was　summoned　home　on　pressing　business；

foresaw　that　he　should　be　absent　for　three　or　four　days；　made　his

excuses　to　the　count；　and　set　off　at　full　gallop；　followed　by　his

servant。



They　slept　that　night　at　an　inn　on　the　road　to　Auvergne；　to　put　off

the　scent　any　persons　who　might　recognise　them；　then；　following

cross…country　roads；　they　arrived　after　two　days　at　a　large　hamlet；

which　they　had　seemed　to　have　passed　far　to　their　left。



In　this　hamlet　was　a　woman　who　practised　the　avocation　of　midwife；

and　was　known　as　such　in　the　neighbourhood；　but　who　had；　it　was　said；

mysterious　and　infamous　secrets　for　those　who　paid　her　well。

Further；　she　drew　a　good　income　from　the　influence　which　her　art　gave

her　over　credulous　people。　　It　was　all　in　her　line　to　cure　the　king's

evil；　compound　philtres　and　love　potions；　she　was　useful　in　a　variety

of　ways　to　girls　who　could　afford　to　pay　her；　she　was　a　lovers'

go…between；　and　even　practised　sorcery　for　country　folk。　　She　played

her　cards　so　well；　that　the　only　persons　privy　to　her　misdeeds　were

unfortunate　creatures　who　had　as　strong　an　interest　as　herself　in

keeping　them　profoundly　secret；　and　as　her　terms　were　very　high；　she

lived　comfortably　enough　in　a　house　her　own　property；　and　entirely

alone；　for　greater　security。　　In　a　general　way；　she　was　considered

skilful　in　her　ostensible　profession；　and　was　held　in　estimation　by

many　persons　of　rank。　　This　woman's　name　was　Louise　Goillard。



Alone　one　evening　after　curfew；　she　heard　a　loud　knocking　at　the　door

of　her　house。　　Accustomed　to　receive　visits　at　all　hours；　she　took

her　lamp　without　hesitation；　and　opened　the　door。　　An　armed　man；

apparently　much　agitated；　entered　the　room。　　Louise　Goillard；　in　a

great　fright；　fell　into　a　chair；　this　man　was　the　Marquis　de

Saint…Maixent。



〃Calm　yourself；　good　woman；〃　said　the　stranger；　panting　and

stammering；　〃be　calm；　I　beg；　for　it　is　I；　not　you；　who　have　any　cause

for　emotion。　　I　am　not　a　brigand；　and　far　from　your　having　anything

to　fear；　it　is　I；　on　the　contrary；　who　am　come　to　beg　for　your

assistance。〃



He　threw　his　cloak　into　a　corner；　unbuckled　his　waistbelt；　and　laid

aside　his　sword。　　Then　falling　into　a　chair；　he　said



〃First　of　all；　let　me　rest　a　little。〃