the countess of saint geran-第7章

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certain　instructions；　which　will　instantly　relieve　the　lady　from　her

burden。　　She　must　use　the　greatest　precaution；　and　study　to　carry　out

exactly　what　I　am　about　to　tell　you。　　My　God！　　only　such　desperate

occasions　as　this　one　could　induce　me　to　Here〃



She　took　a　flask　from　the　bottom　of　a　cupboard；　and　continued



〃Here　is　a　liquor　which　never　fails。〃



〃Oh；　madame；　you　save　my　honour；　which　is　dearer　to　me　than　life！

But　this　is　not　enough：　tell　me　what　use　I　am　to　make　of　this　liquor；

and　in　what　doses　I　am　to　administer　it。〃



〃The　patient；〃　replied　the　midwife；　〃must　take　one　spoonful　the　first

day；　the　second　day　two；　the　third〃



〃You　will　obey　me　to　the　minutest　particular？〃



〃I　swear　it。〃



〃Let　us　start；　then。〃



She　asked　but　for　time　to　pack　a　little　linen；　put　things　in　order；

then　fastened　her　doors；　and　left　the　house　with　the　marquis。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　they　were　galloping　through　the　night；

without　her　knowing　where　the　marquis　was　taking　her。



The　marquis　reappeared　three　days　later　at　the　chateau；　finding　the

count's　family　as　he　had　left　themthat　is　to　say；　intoxicated　with

hope；　and　counting　the　weeks；　days；　and　hours　before　the　accouchement

of　the　countess。　　He　excused　his　hurried　departure　on　the　ground　of

the　importance　of　the　business　which　had　summoned　him　away；　and

speaking　of　his　journey　at　table；　he　related　a　story　current　in　the

country　whence　he　came；　of　a　surprising　event　which　he　had　all　but

witnessed。　　It　was　the　case　of　a　lady　of　quality　who　suddenly　found

herself　in　the　most　dangerous　pangs　of　labour。　　All　the　skill　of　the

physicians　who　had　been　summoned　proved　futile；　the　lady　was　at　the

point　of　death；　at　last；　in　sheer　despair；　they　summoned　a　midwife　of

great　repute　among　the　peasantry；　but　whose　practice　did　not　include

the　gentry。　　From　the　first　treatment　of　this　woman；　who　appeared

modest　and　diffident　to　a　degree；　the　pains　ceased　as　if　by

enchantment；　the　patient　fell　into　an　indefinable　calm　languor；　and

after　some　hours　was　delivered　of　a　beautiful　infant；　but　after　this

was　attacked　by　a　violent　fever　which　brought　her　to　death's　door。

They　then　again　had　recourse　to　the　doctors；　notwithstanding　the

opposition　of　the　master　of　the　house；　who　had　confidence　in　the

matron。　　The　doctors'　treatment　only　made　matters　worse。　　In　this

extremity　they　again　called　in　the　midwife；　and　at　the　end　of　three

weeks　the　lady　was　miraculously　restored　to　life；　thus；　added　the

marquis；　establishing　the　reputation　of　the　matron；　who　had　sprung

into　such　vogue　in　the　town　where　she　lived　and　the　neighbouring

country　that　nothing　else　was　talked　about。



This　story　made　a　great　impression　on　the　company；　on　account　of　the

condition　of　the　countess；　the　dowager　added　that　it　was　very　wrong

to　ridicule　these　humble　country　experts；　who　often　through

observation　and　experience　discovered　secrets　which　proud　doctors

were　unable　to　unravel　with　all　their　studies。　　Hereupon　the　count

cried　out　that　this　midwife　must　be　sent　for；　as　she　was　just　the

kind　of　woman　they　wanted。　　After　this　other　matters　were　talked

about；　the　marquis　changing　the　conversation；　he　had　gained　his　point

in　quietly　introducing　the　thin　end　of　the　wedge　of　his　design。



After　dinner；　the　company　walked　on　the　terrace。　　The　countess

dowager　not　being　able　to　walk　much　on　account　of　her　advanced　age；

the　countess　and　Madame　de　Bouille　took　chairs　beside　her。　　The　count

walked　up　and　down　with　M。　de　Saint…Maixent。　　The　marquis　naturally

asked　how　things　had　been　going　on　during　his　absence；　and　if　Madame

de　Saint…Geran　had　suffered　any　inconvenience；　for　her　pregnancy　had

become　the　most　important　affair　in　the　household；　and　hardly

anything　else　was　talked　about。



〃By　the　way；〃　said　the　count；　〃you　were　speaking　just　now　of　a　very

skilful　midwife；　would　it　not　be　a　good　step　to　summon　her？〃



〃I　think；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃that　it　would　be　an　excellent

selection；　for　I　do　not　suppose　there　is　one　in　this　neighbourhood　to

compare　to　her。〃



〃I　have　a　great　mind　to　send　for　her　at　once；　and　to　keep　her　about

the　countess；　whose　constitution　she　will　be　all　the　better

acquainted　with　if　she　studies　it　beforehand。　　Do　you　know　where　I

can　send　for　her？〃



〃Faith；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃she　lives　in　a　village；　but　I　don't　know

which。〃



〃But　at　least　you　know　her　name？〃



〃I　can　hardly　remember　it。　　Louise　Boyard；　I　think；　or　Polliard；　one

or　the　other。〃



〃How！　have　you　not　even　retained　the　name？〃



〃I　heard　the　story；　that's　all。　　Who　the　deuce　can　keep　a　name　in　his

head　which　he　hears　in　such　a　chance　fashion？〃



〃But　did　the　condition　of　the　countess　never　occur　to　you？〃



〃It　was　so　far　away　that　I　did　not　suppose　you　would　send　such　a

distance。　　I　thought　you　were　already　provided。〃



〃How　can　we　set　about　to　find　her？〃



〃If　that　is　all；　I　have　a　servant　who　knows　people　in　that　part　of

the　country；　and　who　knows　how　to　go　about　things：　if　you　like；　he

shall　go　in　quest　of　her。〃



〃If　I　like？　　This　very　moment。〃



The　same　evening　the　servant　started　on　his　errand　with　the　count's

instructions；　not　forgetting　those　of　his　master。　　He　went　at　full

speed。　　It　may　readily　be　supposed　that　he　had　not　far　to　seek　the

woman　he　was　to　bring　back　with　him；　but　he　purposely　kept　away　for

three　days；　and　at　the　end　of　this　time　Louise　Goillard　was　installed

in　the　chateau。



She　was　a　woman　of　plain　and　severe　exterior；　who　at　once　inspired

confidence　in　everyone。　　The　plots　of　the　marquis　and　Madame　de

Bouille　thus　throve　with　most　baneful　success；　but　an　accident

happened　which　threatened　to　nullify　them；　and；　by　causing　a　great

disaster；　to　prevent　a　crime。



The　countess；　passing　into　her　apartments；　caught　her　foot　in　a

carpet；　and　fell　heavily　on　the　floor。　　At　the　cries　of　a　footman　all

the　household　was　astir。　　The　countess　was　carried　to　bed；　the　most

intense　alarm　prevailed；　but　no　bad　consequences　followed　this

accident；　which　produced　only　a　further　succession　of　visits　from　the

neighbouring　gentry。　　This　happened　about　the　end　of　the　seventh

month。



At　length　the　moment　of　accouchement　came。　　Everything　had　long

before　been　arranged　for　the　delivery；　and　nothing　remained　to　be

done。　　The　marquis　had　employed　all　this　time　in　strengthening　Madame

de　Bouille　against　her　scruples。　　He　often　saw　Louise　Goillard　in

private；　and　gave　her　his　instructions；　but　he　perceived　that　the

corruption　of　Baulieu；　the　house　steward；　was　an　essential　factor。

Baulieu　was　already　half　gained　over　by　the　interviews　of　the　year

preceding；　a　large　sum　of　ready　money　and　many　promises　did　the　rest。

This　wretch　was　not　ashamed　to　join　a　plot　against　a　master　to　whom

he　owed　everything。　　The　marchioness　for　her　part；　and　always　under

the　instigation　of　M。　de　Saint…Maixent；　secured　matters　all　round　by

bringing　into　the　abominable　plot　the　Quinet　girls；　her　maids；　so

that　there　was　nothing　but　treason　and　conspiracy　against　this　worthy

family　among　their　upper　servants；　usually　styled　confidential。

Thus；　having　prepared　matters；　the　conspirators　awaited　the　event。



On　the　16th　of　August　16￠1　the　Countess　de　Saint…Geran　was　overtaken

by　the　pangs　of　labour　in　the　chapel　of　the　chateau；　where　she　was

hearing　mass。　　They　carried　her　to　her　room　before　mass　was　over；　her

women　ran　around　her；　and　the　countess　dowager　with　her　own　hands

arranged　on　her　head　a　cap　of　the　pattern　worn　by　ladies　about　to　be

confineda　cap　which　is　not　usually　removed　till　some　time　later。



The　pains　recurred　with　terrible　intensity。　　The　count　wept　at　his

wife's　cries。　　Many　persons　were　present。　　The　dowager's　two

daughters　by　her　second　marriage；　one　of　whom；　then　sixteen　years　of

age；　afterwards　married　the　Duke　de　Ventadour　and　was　a　party　to　the

lawsuit；　wished　to　be　present　at　this　accouchement；　which　was　to

perpetuate　by