the vicar of tours-第16章

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

adroitly　into　provincial　detectives；　and　his　personal　capacity；　had

induced　the　Congregation　of　Jesus　to　select　him　out　of　all　the

ecclesiastics　in　the　town；　as　the　secret　proconsul　of　Touraine。

Archbishop；　general；　prefect；　all　men；　great　and　small；　were　under　his

occult　dominion。　The　Baron　de　Listomere　decided　at　once　on　his　course。



〃I　shall　take　care；〃　he　said　to　his　uncle；　〃not　to　get　another　round

shot　below　my　water…line。〃



Three　days　after　this　diplomatic　conference　between　the　uncle　and

nephew；　the　latter；　returning　hurriedly　in　a　post…chaise；　informed　his

aunt；　the　very　night　of　his　arrival；　of　the　dangers　the　family　were

running　if　they　peristed　in　supporting　that　〃fool　of　a　Birotteau。〃　The

baron　had　detained　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　as　the　old　gentleman　was

taking　his　hat　and　cane　after　the　usual　rubber　of　whist。　The　clear…

sightedness　of　that　sly　old　fox　seemed　indispensable　for　an

understanding　of　the　reefs　among　which　the　Listomere　family　suddenly

found　themselves；　and　perhaps　the　action　of　taking　his　hat　and　cane

was　only　a　ruse　to　have　it　whispered　in　his　ear：　〃Stay　after　the

others；　we　want　to　talk　to　you。〃



The　baron's　sudden　return；　his　apparent　satisfaction；　which　was　quite

out　of　keeping　with　a　harrassed　look　that　occasionally　crossed　his

face；　informed　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　vaguely　that　the　lieutenant　had

met　with　some　check　in　his　crusade　against　Gamard　and　Troubert。　He

showed　no　surprise　when　the　baron　revealed　the　secret　power　of　the

Jesuit　vicar…general。



〃I　knew　that；〃　he　said。



〃Then　why；〃　cried　the　baroness；　〃did　you　not　warn　us？〃



〃Madame；〃　he　said；　sharply；　〃forget　that　I　was　aware　of　the　invisible

influence　of　that　priest；　and　I　will　forget　that　you　knew　it　equally

well。　If　we　do　not　keep　this　secret　now　we　shall　be　thought　his

accomplices；　and　shall　be　more　feared　and　hated　than　we　are。　Do　as　I

do；　pretend　to　be　duped；　but　look　carefully　where　you　set　your　feet。　I

did　warn　you　sufficiently；　but　you　would　not　understand　me；　and　I　did

not　choose　to　compromise　myself。〃



〃What　must　we　do　now？〃　said　the　baron。



The　abandonment　of　Birotteau　was　not　even　made　a　question；　it　was　a

first　condition　tactily　accepted　by　the　three　deliberators。



〃To　beat　a　retreat　with　the　honors　of　war　has　always　been　the　triumph

of　the　ablest　generals；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne。　〃Bow　to

Troubert；　and　if　his　hatred　is　less　strong　than　his　vanity　you　will

make　him　your　ally；　but　if　you　bow　too　low　he　will　walk　over　you

rough…shod；　make　believe　that　you　intend　to　leave　the　service；　and

you'll　escape　him；　Monsieur　le　baron。　Send　away　Birotteau；　madame；　and

you　will　set　things　right　with　Mademoiselle　Gamard。　Ask　the　Abbe

Troubert；　when　you　meet　him　at　the　archbishop's；　if　he　can　play　whist。

He　will　say　yes。　Then　invite　him　to　your　salon；　where　he　wants　to　be

received；　he'll　be　sure　to　come。　You　are　a　woman；　and　you　can

certainly　win　a　priest　to　your　interests。　When　the　baron　is　promoted；

his　uncle　peer　of　France；　and　Troubert　a　bishop；　you　can　make

Birotteau　a　canon　if　you　choose。　Meantime　yield；but　yield

gracefully；　all　the　while　with　a　slight　menace。　Your　family　can　give

Troubert　quite　as　much　support　as　he　can　give　you。　You'll　understand

each　other　perfectly　on　that　score。　As　for　you；　sailor；　carry　your

deep…sea　line　about　you。〃



〃Poor　Birotteau？〃　said　the　baroness。



〃Oh；　get　rid　of　him　at　once；〃　replied　the　old　man；　as　he　rose　to　take

leave。　〃If　some　clever　Radical　lays　hold　of　that　empty　head　of　his；　he

may　cause　you　much　trouble。　After　all；　the　court　would　certainly　give

a　verdict　in　his　favour；　and　Troubert　must　fear　that。　He　may　forgive

you　for　beginning　the　struggle；　but　if　they　were　defeated　he　would　be

implacable。　I　have　said　my　say。〃



He　snapped　his　snuff…box；　put　on　his　overshoes；　and　departed。



The　next　day　after　breakfast　the　baroness　took　the　vicar　aside　and

said　to　him；　not　without　visible　embarrassment：



〃My　dear　Monsieur　Birotteau；　you　will　think　what　I　am　about　to　ask　of

you　very　unjust　and　very　inconsistent；　but　it　is　necessary；　both　for

you　and　for　us；　that　your　lawsuit　with　Mademoiselle　Gamard　be

withdrawn　by　resigning　your　claims；　and　also　that　you　should　leave　my

house。〃



As　he　heard　these　words　the　poor　abbe　turned　pale。



〃I　am；〃　she　continued；　〃the　innocent　cause　of　your　misfortunes；　and；

moreover；　if　it　had　not　been　for　my　nephew　you　would　never　have　begun

this　lawsuit；　which　has　now　turned　to　your　injury　and　to　ours。　But

listen　to　me。〃



She　told　him　succinctly　the　immense　ramifications　of　the　affair；　and

explained　the　serious　nature　of　its　consequences。　Her　own　meditations

during　the　night　had　told　her　something　of　the　probable　antecedents　of

Troubert's　life；　she　was　able；　without　misleading　Birotteau；　to　show

him　the　net　so　ably　woven　round　him　by　revenge；　and　to　make　him　see

the　power　and　great　capacity　of　his　enemy；　whose　hatred　to　Chapeloud；

under　whom　he　had　been　forced　to　crouch　for　a　dozen　years；　now　found

vent　in　seizing　Chapeloud's　property　and　in　persecuting　Chapeloud　in

the　person　of　his　friend。　The　harmless　Birotteau　clasped　his　hands　as

if　to　pray；　and　wept　with　distress　at　the　sight　of　human　horrors　that

his　own　pure　soul　was　incapable　of　suspecting。　As　frightened　as　though

he　had　suddenly　found　himself　at　the　edge　of　a　precipice；　he　listened；

with　fixed；　moist　eyes　in　which　there　was　no　expression；　to　the

revelations　of　his　friend；　who　ended　by　saying：　〃I　know　the　wrong　I　do

in　abandoning　your　cause；　but；　my　dear　abbe；　family　duties　must　be

considered　before　those　of　friendship。　Yield；　as　I　do；　to　this　storm；

and　I　will　prove　to　you　my　gratitude。　I　am　not　talking　of　your　worldly

interests；　for　those　I　take　charge　of。　You　shall　be　made　free　of　all

such　anxieties　for　the　rest　of　your　life。　By　means　of　Monsieur　de

Bourbonne；　who　will　know　how　to　save　appearances；　I　shall　arrange

matters　so　that　you　shall　lack　nothing。　My　friend；　grant　me　the　right

to　abandon　you。　I　shall　ever　be　your　friend；　though　forced　to　conform

to　the　axioms　of　the　world。　You　must　decide。〃



The　poor；　bewildered　abbe　cried　aloud：　〃Chapeloud　was　right　when　he

said　that　if　Troubert　could　drag　him　by　the　feet　out　of　his　grave　he

would　do　it！　He　sleeps　in　Chapeloud's　bed！〃



〃There　is　no　use　in　lamenting；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃and　we　have

little　time　now　left　to　us。　How　will　you　decide？〃



Birotteau　was　too　good　and　kind　not　to　obey　in　a　great　crisis　the

unreflecting　impulse　of　the　moment。　Besides；　his　life　was　already　in

the　agony　of　what　to　him　was　death。　He　said；　with　a　despairing　look　at

his　protectress　which　cut　her　to　the　heart；　〃I　trust　myself　to　youI

am　but　the　stubble　of　the　streets。〃



He　used　the　Tourainean　word　〃bourrier〃　which　has　no　other　meaning　than

a　〃bit　of　straw。〃　But　there　are　pretty　little　straws；　yellow；

polished；　and　shining；　the　delight　of　children；　whereas　the　bourrier

is　straw　discolored；　muddy；　sodden　in　the　puddles；　whirled　by　the

tempest；　crushed　under　feet　of　men。



〃But；　madame；　I　cannot　let　the　Abbe　Troubert　keep　Chapeloud's

portrait。　It　was　painted　for　me；　it　belongs　to　me；　obtain　that　for　me；

and　I　will　give　up　all　the　rest。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere。　〃I　will　go　myself　to　Mademoiselle

Gamard。〃　The　words　were　said　in　a　tone　which　plainly　showed　the

immense　effort　the　Baronne　de　Listomere　was　making　in　lowering　herself

to　flatter　the　pride　of　the　old　maid。　〃I　will　see　what　can　be　done；〃

she　said；　〃I　hardly　dare　hope　anything。　Go　and　consult　Monsieur　de

Bourbonne；　ask　him　to　put　your　renunciation　into　proper　form；　and

bring　me　the　paper。　I　will　see　the　archbishop；　and　with　his　help　we

may　be　able　to　stop　the　matter　here。〃



Birotteau　left　the　house　dismayed。　Troubert　assumed　in　his　eyes　the

dimensions　of　an　Egyptian　pyramid。　The　hands　of　that　man　were　in

Paris；　his　elbows