the vicar of tours-第7章

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loved　good　things　and　was　amused　by　trifles　with　the　simplicity　of　a

man　who　knew　no　spite　or　malice。　The　Abbe　Troubert　roused；　at　first

sight；　an　involuntary　feeling　of　fear；　while　the　vicar's　presence

brought　a　kindly　smile　to　the　lips　of　all　who　looked　at　him。　When　the

tall　canon　marched　with　solemn　step　through　the　naves　and　cloisters　of

Saint…Gatien；　his　head　bowed；　his　eye　stern；　respect　followed　him；

that　bent　face　was　in　harmony　with　the　yellowing　arches　of　the

cathedral；　the　folds　of　his　cassock　fell　in　monumental　lines　that　were

worthy　of　statuary。　The　good　vicar；　on　the　contrary；　perambulated

about　with　no　gravity　at　all。　He　trotted　and　ambled　and　seemed　at

times　to　roll　himself　along。　But　with　all　this　there　was　one　point　of

resemblance　between　the　two　men。　For；　precisely　as　Troubert's

ambitious　air；　which　made　him　feared；　had　contributed　probably　to　keep

him　down　to　the　insignificant　position　of　a　mere　canon；　so　the

character　and　ways　of　Birotteau　marked　him　out　as　perpetually　the

vicar　of　the　cathedral　and　nothing　higher。



Yet　the　Abbe　Troubert；　now　fifty　years　of　age；　had　entirely　removed；

partly　by　the　circumspection　of　his　conduct　and　the　apparent　lack　of

all　ambitions；　and　partly　by　his　saintly　life；　the　fears　which　his

suspected　ability　and　his　powerful　presence　had　roused　in　the　minds　of

his　superiors。　His　health　having　seriously　failed　him　during　the　last

year；　it　seemed　probable　that　he　would　soon　be　raised　to　the　office　of

vicar…general　of　the　archbishopric。　His　competitors　themselves　desired

the　appointment；　so　that　their　own　plans　might　have　time　to　mature

during　the　few　remaining　days　which　a　malady；　now　become　chronic；

might　allow　him。　Far　from　offering　the　same　hopes　to　rivals；

Birotteau's　triple　chin　showed　to　all　who　wanted　his　coveted　canonry

an　evidence　of　the　soundest　health；　even　his　gout　seemed　to　them；　in

accordance　with　the　proverb；　an　assurance　of　longevity。



The　Abbe　Chapeloud；　a　man　of　great　good　sense；　whose　amiability　had

made　the　leaders　of　the　diocese　and　the　members　of　the　best　society　in

Tours　seek　his　company；　had　steadily　opposed；　though　secretly　and　with

much　judgment；　the　elevation　of　the　Abbe　Troubert。　He　had　even

adroitly　managed　to　prevent　his　access　to　the　salons　of　the　best

society。　Nevertheless；　during　Chapeloud's　lifetime　Troubert　treated

him　invariably　with　great　respect；　and　showed　him　on　all　occasions　the

utmost　deference。　This　constant　submission　did　not；　however；　change

the　opinion　of　the　late　canon；　who　said　to　Birotteau　during　the　last

walk　they　took　together：　〃Distrust　that　lean　stick　of　a　Troubert；

Sixtus　the　Fifth　reduced　to　the　limits　of　a　bishopric！〃



Such　was　the　friend；　the　abiding　guest　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard；　who　now

came；　the　morning　after　the　old　maid　had；　as　it　were；　declared　war

against　the　poor　vicar；　to　pay　his　brother　a　visit　and　show　him　marks

of　friendship。



〃You　must　excuse　Marianne；〃　said　the　canon；　as　the　woman　entered。　〃I

suppose　she　went　first　to　my　rooms。　They　are　very　damp；　and　I　coughed

all　night。　You　are　most　healthily　situated　here；〃　he　added；　looking　up

at　the　cornice。



〃Yes；　I　am　lodged　like　a　canon；〃　replied　Birotteau。



〃And　I　like　a　vicar；〃　said　the　other；　humbly。



〃But　you　will　soon　be　settled　in　the　archbishop's　palace；〃　said　the

kindly　vicar；　who　wanted　everybody　to　be　happy。



〃Yes；　or　in　the　cemetery；　but　God's　will　be　done！〃　and　Troubert　raised

his　eyes　to　heaven　resignedly。　〃I　came；〃　he　said；　〃to　ask　you　to　lend

me　the　'Register　of　Bishops。'　You　are　the　only　man　in　Tours　I　know　who

has　a　copy。〃



〃Take　it　out　of　my　library；〃　replied　Birotteau；　reminded　by　the

canon's　words　of　the　greatest　happiness　of　his　life。



The　canon　passed　into　the　library　and　stayed　there　while　the　vicar

dressed。　Presently　the　breakfast　bell　rang；　and　the　gouty　vicar

reflected　that　if　it　had　not　been　for　Troubert's　visit　he　would　have

had　no　fire　to　dress　by。　〃He's　a　kind　man；〃　thought　he。



The　two　priests　went　downstairs　together；　each　armed　with　a　huge　folio

which　they　laid　on　one　of　the　side　tables　in　the　dining…room。



〃What's　all　that？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　Gamard；　in　a　sharp　voice；

addressing　Birotteau。　〃I　hope　you　are　not　going　to　litter　up　my

dining…room　with　your　old　books！〃



〃They　are　books　I　wanted；〃　replied　the　Abbe　Troubert。　〃Monsieur

Birotteau　has　been　kind　enough　to　lend　them　to　me。〃



〃I　might　have　guessed　it；〃　she　said；　with　a　contemptuous　smile。

〃Monsieur　Birotteau　doesn't　often　read　books　of　that　size。〃



〃How　are　you；　mademoiselle？〃　said　the　vicar；　in　a　mellifluous　voice。



〃Not　very　well；〃　she　replied；　shortly。　〃You　woke　me　up　last　night　out

of　my　first　sleep；　and　I　was　wakeful　for　the　rest　of　the　night。〃　Then；

sitting　down；　she　added；　〃Gentlemen；　the　milk　is　getting　cold。〃



Stupefied　at　being　so　ill…naturedly　received　by　his　landlady；　from

whom　he　half　expected　an　apology；　and　yet　alarmed；　like　all　timid

people　at　the　prospect　of　a　discussion；　especially　if　it　relates　to

themselves；　the　poor　vicar　took　his　seat　in　silence。　Then；　observing

in　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　face　the　visible　signs　of　ill…humour；　he　was

goaded　into　a　struggle　between　his　reason；　which　told　him　that　he

ought　not　to　submit　to　such　discourtesy　from　a　landlady；　and　his

natural　character；　which　prompted　him　to　avoid　a　quarrel。



Torn　by　this　inward　misery；　Birotteau　fell　to　examining　attentively

the　broad　green　lines　painted　on　the　oilcloth　which；　from　custom

immemorial；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　left　on　the　table　at　breakfast…time；

without　regard　to　the　ragged　edges　or　the　various　scars　displayed　on

its　surface。　The　priests　sat　opposite　to　each　other　in　cane…seated

arm…chairs　on　either　side　of　the　square　table；　the　head　of　which　was

taken　by　the　landlady；　who　seemed　to　dominate　the　whole　from　a　high

chair　raised　on　casters；　filled　with　cushions；　and　standing　very　near

to　the　dining…room　stove。　This　room　and　the　salon　were　on　the　ground…

floor　beneath　the　salon　and　bedroom　of　the　Abbe　Birotteau。



When　the　vicar　had　received　his　cup　of　coffee；　duly　sugared；　from

Mademoiselle　Gamard；　he　felt　chilled　to　the　bone　at　the　grim　silence

in　which　he　was　forced　to　proceed　with　the　usually　gay　function　of

breakfast。　He　dared　not　look　at　Troubert's　dried…up　features；　nor　at

the　threatening　visage　of　the　old　maid；　and　he　therefore　turned；　to

keep　himself　in　countenance；　to　the　plethoric　pug　which　was　lying　on　a

cushion　near　the　stove；a　position　that　victim　of　obesity　seldom

quitted；　having　a　little　plate　of　dainties　always　at　his　left　side；

and　a　bowl　of　fresh　water　at　his　right。



〃Well；　my　pretty；〃　said　the　vicar；　〃are　you　waiting　for　your　coffee？〃



The　personage　thus　addressed；　one　of　the　most　important　in　the

household；　though　the　least　troublesome　inasmuch　as　he　had　ceased　to

bark　and　left　the　talking　to　his　mistress；　turned　his　little　eyes；

sunk　in　rolls　of　fat；　upon　Birotteau。　Then　he　closed　them　peevishly。

To　explain　the　misery　of　the　poor　vicar　it　should　be　said　that　being

endowed　by　nature　with　an　empty　and　sonorous　loquacity；　like　the

resounding　of　a　football；　he　was　in　the　habit　of　asserting；　without

any　medical　reason　to　back　him；　that　speech　favored　digestion。

Mademoiselle　Gamard；　who　believed　in　this　hygienic　doctrine；　had　not

as　yet　refrained；　in　spite　of　their　coolness；　from　talking　at　meals；

though；　for　the　last　few　mornings；　the　vicar　had　been　forced　to　strain

his　mind　to　find　beguiling　topics　on　which　to　loosen　her　tongue。　If

the　narrow　limits　of　this　history　permitted　us　to　report　even　one　of

the　conversations　which　often　brought　a　bitter　and　sarcastic　smile　to

the　lips　of　the　Abbe　Troubert；　it　would　offer　a　finished　picture　of

the　Boeotian　life　of　the　provinces。　The　singular　revelations　of　the

Abbe　Birotteau　and　Mademoiselle　Gamard　relating　to　their　personal

opinions　on　politics；　religion；　and　literature　would　delight　observing

minds。　It　would　be　highly　entert