the vicar of tours-第15章

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respectable　laymen　to　have　derogated　from　the　peaceable；　conciliatory；

and　mild　character　hitherto　attributed　to　him；　that　Mademoiselle

Gamard；　known　to　be　a　kindly　woman　and　easy　to　live　with；　had　put

Birotteau　under　obligations　to　her　by　lending　him　the　money　he　needed

to　pay　the　legacy　duties　on　Chapeloud's　bequest　without　taking　from

him　a　receipt；　that　Birotteau　was　not　of　an　age　or　character　to　sign　a

deed　without　knowing　what　it　contained　or　understanding　the　importance

of　it；　that　in　leaving　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house　at　the　end　of　two

years；　when　his　friend　Chapeloud　had　lived　there　twelve　and　Troubert

fifteen；　he　must　have　had　some　purpose　known　to　himself　only；　and　that

the　lawsuit；　if　undertaken；　would　strike　the　public　as　an　act　of

ingratitude；〃　and　so　forth。　Letting　Birotteau　go　before　them　to　the

staircase；　the　lawyer　detained　Madame　de　Listomere　a　moment　to　entreat

her；　if　she　valued　her　own　peace　of　mind；　not　to　involve　herself　in

the　matter。



But　that　evening　the　poor　vicar；　suffering　the　torments　of　a　man　under

sentence　of　death　who　awaits　in　the　condemned　cell　at　Bicetre　the

result　of　his　appeal　for　mercy；　could　not　refrain　from　telling　his

assembled　friends　the　result　of　his　visit　to　the　lawyer。



〃I　don't　know　a　single　pettifogger　in　Tours；〃　said　Monsieur　de

Bourbonne；　〃except　that　Radical　lawyer；　who　would　be　willing　to　take

the　case；unless　for　the　purpose　of　losing　it；　I　don't　advise　you　to

undertake　it。〃



〃Then　it　is　infamous！〃　cried　the　navel　lieutenant。　〃I　myself　will　take

the　abbe　to　the　Radical〃



〃Go　at　night；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　interrupting　him。



〃Why？〃



〃I　have　just　learned　that　the　Abbe　Troubert　is　appointed　vicar…general

in　place　of　the　other　man；　who　died　yesterday。〃



〃I　don't　care　a　fig　for　the　Abbe　Troubert。〃



Unfortunately　the　Baron　de　Listomere　（a　man　thirty…six　years　of　age）

did　not　see　the　sign　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　made　him　to　be　cautious　in

what　he　said；　motioning　as　he　did　so　to　a　friend　of　Troubert；　a

councillor　of　the　Prefecture；　who　was　present。　The　lieutenant

therefore　continued：



〃If　the　Abbe　Troubert　is　a　scoundrel〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　cutting　him　short；　〃why　bring

Monsieur　Troubert　into　a　matter　which　doesn't　concern　him？〃



〃Not　concern　him？〃　cried　the　baron；　〃isn't　he　enjoying　the　use　of　the

Abbe　Birotteau's　household　property？　I　remember　that　when　I　called　on

the　Abbe　Chapeloud　I　noticed　two　valuable　pictures。　Say　that　they　are

worth　ten　thousand　francs；　do　you　suppose　that　Monsieur　Birotteau

meant　to　give　ten　thousand　francs　for　living　two　years　with　that

Gamard　woman；not　to　speak　of　the　library　and　furniture；　which　are

worth　as　much　more？〃



The　Abbe　Birotteau　opened　his　eyes　at　hearing　he　had　once　possessed　so

enormous　a　fortune。



The　baron；　getting　warmer　than　ever；　went　on　to　say：　〃By　Jove！　there's

that　Monsieur　Salmon；　formerly　an　expert　at　the　Museum　in　Paris；　he　is

down　here　on　a　visit　to　his　mother…in…law。　I'll　go　and　see　him　this

very　evening　with　the　Abbe　Birotteau　and　ask　him　to　look　at　those

pictures　and　estimate　their　value。　From　there　I'll　take　the　abbe　to

the　lawyer。〃



Two　days　after　this　conversation　the　suit　was　begun。　This　employment

of　the　Liberal　laywer　did　harm　to　the　vicar's　cause。　Those　who　were

opposed　to　the　government；　and　all　who　were　known　to　dislike　the

priests；　or　religion　（two　things　quite　distinct　which　many　persons

confound）；　got　hold　of　the　affair　and　the　whole　town　talked　of　it。　The

Museum　expert　estimated　the　Virgin　of　Valentin　and　the　Christ　of

Lebrun；　two　paintings　of　great　beauty；　at　eleven　thousand　francs。　As

to　the　bookshelves　and　the　gothic　furniture；　the　taste　for　such　things

was　increasing　so　rapidly　in　Paris　that　their　immediate　value　was　at

least　twelve　thousand。　In　short；　the　appraisal　of　the　whole　property

by　the　expert　reached　the　sum　of　over　thirty…six　thousand　francs。　Now

it　was　very　evident　that　Birotteau　never　intended　to　give　Mademoiselle

Gamard　such　an　enormous　sum　of　money　for　the　small　amount　he　might　owe

her　under　the　terms　of　the　deed；　therefore　he　had；　legally　speaking；

equitable　grounds　on　which　to　demand　an　amendment　of　the　agreement；　if

this　were　denied；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　was　plainly　guilty　of

intentional　fraud。　The　Radical　lawyer　accordingly　began　the　affair　by

serving　a　writ　on　Mademoiselle　Gamard。　Though　very　harsh　in　language；

this　document；　strengthened　by　citations　of　precedents　and　supported

by　certain　clauses　in　the　Code；　was　a　masterpiece　of　legal　argument；

and　so　evidently　just　in　its　condemnation　of　the　old　maid　that　thirty

or　forty　copies　were　made　and　maliciously　distributed　through　the

town。





IV



A　few　days　after　this　commencement　of　hostilities　between　Birotteau

and　the　old　maid；　the　Baron　de　Listomere；　who　expected　to　be　included

as　captain　of　a　corvette　in　a　coming　promotion　lately　announced　by　the

minister　of　the　Navy；　received　a　letter　from　one　of　his　friends

warning　him　that　there　was　some　intention　of　putting　him　on　the

retired　list。　Greatly　astonished　by　this　information　he　started　for

Paris　immediately；　and　went　at　once　to　the　minister；　who　seemed　to　be

amazed　himself；　and　even　laughed　at　the　baron's　fears。　The　next　day；

however；　in　spite　of　the　minister's　assurance；　Monsieur　de　Listomere

made　inquiries　in　the　different　offices。　By　an　indiscretion　（often

practised　by　heads　of　departments　in　favor　of　their　friends）　one　of

the　secretaries　showed　him　a　document　confirming　the　fatal　news；　which

was　only　waiting　the　signature　of　the　director；　who　was　ill；　to　be

submitted　to　the　minister。



The　Baron　de　Listomere　went　immediately　to　an　uncle　of　his；　a　deputy；

who　could　see　the　minister　of　the　Navy　at　the　chamber　without　loss　of

time；　and　begged　him　to　find　out　the　real　intentions　of　his　Excellency

in　a　matter　which　threatened　the　loss　of　his　whole　future。　He　waited

in　his　uncle's　carriage　with　the　utmost　anxiety　for　the　end　of　the

session。　His　uncle　came　out　before　the　Chamber　rose；　and　said　to　him

at　once　as　they　drove　away：　〃Why　the　devil　have　you　meddled　in　a

priest's　quarrel？　The　minister　began　by　telling　me　you　had　put

yourself　at　the　head　of　the　Radicals　in　Tours；　that　your　political

opinions　were　objectionable；　you　were　not　following　in　the　lines　of

the　government；with　other　remarks　as　much　involved　as　if　he　were

addressing　the　Chamber。　On　that　I　said　to　him；　'Nonsense；　let　us　come

to　the　point。'　The　end　was　that　his　Excellency　told　me　frankly　you

were　in　bad　odor　with　the　diocese。　In　short；　I　made　a　few　inquiries

among　my　colleagues；　and　I　find　that　you　have　been　talking　slightingly

of　a　certan　Abbe　Troubert；　the　vicar…general；　but　a　very　important

personage　in　the　province；　where　he　represents　the　Jesuits。　I　have

made　myself　responsible　to　the　minister　for　your　future　conduct。　My

good　nephew；　if　you　want　to　make　your　way　be　careful　not　to　excite

ecclesiastical　enmities。　Go　at　once　to　Tours　and　try　to　make　your

peace　with　that　devil　of　a　vicar…general；　remember　that　such　priests

are　men　with　whom　we　absolutely　MUST　live　in　harmony。　Good　heavens！

when　we　are　all　striving　and　working　to　re…establish　religion　it　is

actually　stupid；　in　a　lieutenant　who　wants　to　be　made　a　captain；　to

affront　the　priests。　If　you　don't　make　up　matters　with　that　Abbe

Troubert　you　needn't　count　on　me；　I　shall　abandon　you。　The　minister　of

ecclesiastical　affairs　told　me　just　now　that　Troubert　was　certain　to

be　made　bishop　before　long；　if　he　takes　a　dislike　to　our　family　he

could　hinder　me　from　being　included　in　the　next　batch　of　peers。　Don't

you　understand？〃



These　words　explained　to　the　naval　officer　the　nature　of　Troubert's

secret　occupations；　about　which　Birotteau　often　remarked　in　his　silly

way：　〃I　can't　think　what　he　does　with　himself；sitting　up　all　night。〃



The　canon's　position　in　the　midst　of　his　female　senate；　converted　so

adroitly　into　provincial　detectives；　an