at the sign of the cat and racket-第8章

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smoky　office；　pressing　his　future　father…in…law's　hand；　after　saying
with　a　knowing　look　that　all　would　turn　out　for　the　best。

〃What　will　Madame　Guillaume　say　to　it？〃　was　the　idea　that　greatly
troubled　the　worthy　merchant　when　he　found　himself　alone。

At　breakfast　Madame　Guillaume　and　Virginie；　to　whom　the　draper　had　not
yet　confided　his　disappointment；　cast　meaning　glances　at　Joseph　Lebas；
who　was　extremely　embarrassed。　The　young　assistant's　bashfulness
commended　him　to　his　mother…in…law's　good　graces。　The　matron　became　so
cheerful　that　she　smiled　as　she　looked　at　her　husband；　and　allowed
herself　some　little　pleasantries　of　time…honored　acceptance　in　such
simple　families。　She　wondered　whether　Joseph　or　Virginie　were　the
taller；　to　ask　them　to　compare　their　height。　This　preliminary　fooling
brought　a　cloud　to　the　master's　brow；　and　he　even　made　such　a　point　of
decorum　that　he　desired　Augustine　to　take　the　assistant's　arm　on　their
way　to　Saint…Leu。　Madame　Guillaume；　surprised　at　this　manly　delicacy；
honored　her　husband　with　a　nod　of　approval。　So　the　procession　left　the
house　in　such　order　as　to　suggest　no　suspicious　meaning　to　the
neighbors。

〃Does　it　not　seem　to　you；　Mademoiselle　Augustine；〃　said　the　assistant；
and　he　trembled；　〃that　the　wife　of　a　merchant　whose　credit　is　as　good
as　Monsieur　Guillaume's；　for　instance；　might　enjoy　herself　a　little
more　than　Madame　your　mother　does？　Might　wear　diamondsor　keep　a
carriage？　For　my　part；　if　I　were　to　marry；　I　should　be　glad　to　take
all　the　work；　and　see　my　wife　happy。　I　would　not　put　her　into　the
counting…house。　In　the　drapery　business；　you　see；　a　woman　is　not　so
necessary　now　as　formerly。　Monsieur　Guillaume　was　quite　right　to　act
as　he　didand　besides；　his　wife　liked　it。　But　so　long　as　a　woman
knows　how　to　turn　her　hand　to　the　book…keeping；　the　correspondence；
the　retail　business；　the　orders；　and　her　housekeeping；　so　as　not　to
sit　idle；　that　is　enough。　At　seven　o'clock；　when　the　shop　is　shut；　I
shall　take　my　pleasures；　go　to　the　play；　and　into　company。But　you
are　not　listening　to　me。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　Monsieur　Joseph。　What　do　you　think　of　painting？　That　is
a　fine　calling。〃

〃Yes。　I　know　a　master　house…painter；　Monsieur　Lourdois。　He　is　well…to…
do。〃

Thus　conversing；　the　family　reached　the　Church　of　Saint…Leu。　There
Madame　Guillaume　reasserted　her　rights；　and；　for　the　first　time；
placed　Augustine　next　herself；　Virginie　taking　her　place　on　the　fourth
chair；　next　to　Lebas。　During　the　sermon　all　went　well　between
Augustine　and　Theodore；　who；　standing　behind　a　pillar；　worshiped　his
Madonna　with　fervent　devotion；　but　at　the　elevation　of　the　Host；
Madame　Guillaume　discovered；　rather　late；　that　her　daughter　Augustine
was　holding　her　prayer…book　upside　down。　She　was　about　to　speak　to　her
strongly；　when；　lowering　her　veil；　she　interrupted　her　own　devotions
to　look　in　the　direction　where　her　daughter's　eyes　found　attraction。
By　the　help　of　her　spectacles　she　saw　the　young　artist；　whose
fashionable　elegance　seemed　to　proclaim　him　a　cavalry　officer　on　leave
rather　than　a　tradesman　of　the　neighborhood。　It　is　difficult　to
conceive　of　the　state　of　violent　agitation　in　which　Madame　Guillaume
found　herselfshe；　who　flattered　herself　on　having　brought　up　her
daughters　to　perfectionon　discovering　in　Augustine　a　clandestine
passion　of　which　her　prudery　and　ignorance　exaggerated　the　perils。　She
believed　her　daughter　to　be　cankered　to　the　core。

〃Hold　your　book　right　way　up；　miss；〃　she　muttered　in　a　low　voice；
tremulous　with　wrath。　She　snatched　away　the　tell…tale　prayer…book　and
returned　it　with　the　letter…press　right　way　up。　〃Do　not　allow　your
eyes　to　look　anywhere　but　at　your　prayers；〃　she　added；　〃or　I　shall
have　something　to　say　to　you。　Your　father　and　I　will　talk　to　you　after
church。〃

These　words　came　like　a　thunderbolt　on　poor　Augustine。　She　felt　faint；
but；　torn　between　the　distress　she　felt　and　the　dread　of　causing　a
commotion　in　church　she　bravely　concealed　her　anguish。　It　was；
however；　easy　to　discern　the　stormy　state　of　her　soul　from　the
trembling　of　her　prayer…book；　and　the　tears　which　dropped　on　every
page　she　turned。　From　the　furious　glare　shot　at　him　by　Madame
Guillaume　the　artist　saw　the　peril　into　which　his　love　affair　had
fallen；　he　went　out；　with　a　raging　soul；　determined　to　venture　all。

〃Go　to　your　room；　miss！〃　said　Madame　Guillaume；　on　their　return　home；
〃we　will　send　for　you；　but　take　care　not　to　quit　it。〃

The　conference　between　the　husband　and　wife　was　conducted　so　secretly
that　at　first　nothing　was　heard　of　it。　Virginie；　however；　who　had
tried　to　give　her　sister　courage　by　a　variety　of　gentle　remonstrances；
carried　her　good　nature　so　far　as　to　listen　at　the　door　of　her
mother's　bedroom　where　the　discussion　was　held；　to　catch　a　word　or
two。　The　first　time　she　went　down　to　the　lower　floor　she　heard　her
father　exclaim；　〃Then；　madame；　do　you　wish　to　kill　your　daughter？〃

〃My　poor　dear！〃　said　Virginie；　in　tears；　〃papa　takes　your　part。〃

〃And　what　do　they　want　to　do　to　Theodore？〃　asked　the　innocent　girl。

Virginie；　inquisitive；　went　down　again；　but　this　time　she　stayed
longer；　she　learned　that　Joseph　Lebas　loved　Augustine。　It　was　written
that　on　this　memorable　day；　this　house；　generally　so　peaceful；　should
be　a　hell。　Monsieur　Guillaume　brought　Joseph　Lebas　to　despair　by
telling　him　of　Augustine's　love　for　a　stranger。　Lebas；　who　had　advised
his　friend　to　become　a　suitor　for　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　saw　all　his
hopes　wrecked。　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　overcome　by　hearing　that　Joseph
had；　in　a　way；　refused　her；　had　a　sick　headache。　The　dispute　that　had
arisen　from　the　discussion　between　Monsieur　and　Madame　Guillaume；
when；　for　the　third　time　in　their　lives；　they　had　been　of　antagonistic
opinions；　had　shown　itself　in　a　terrible　form。　Finally；　at　half…past
four　in　the　afternoon；　Augustine；　pale；　trembling；　and　with　red　eyes；
was　haled　before　her　father　and　mother。　The　poor　child　artlessly
related　the　too　brief　tale　of　her　love。　Reassured　by　a　speech　from　her
father；　who　promised　to　listen　to　her　in　silence；　she　gathered　courage
as　she　pronounced　to　her　parents　the　name　of　Theodore　de　Sommervieux；
with　a　mischievous　little　emphasis　on　the　aristocratic　/de/。　And
yielding　to　the　unknown　charm　of　talking　of　her　feelings；　she　was
brave　enough　to　declare　with　innocent　decision　that　she　loved　Monsieur
de　Sommervieux；　that　she　had　written　to　him；　and　she　added；　with　tears
in　her　eyes：　〃To　sacrifice　me　to　another　man　would　make　me　wretched。〃

〃But；　Augustine；　you　cannot　surely　know　what　a　painter　is？〃　cried　her
mother　with　horror。

〃Madame　Guillaume！〃　said　the　old　man；　compelling　her　to　silence。
〃Augustine；〃　he　went　on；　〃artists　are　generally　little　better　than
beggars。　They　are　too　extravagant　not　to　be　always　a　bad　sort。　I
served　the　late　Monsieur　Joseph　Vernet；　the　late　Monsieur　Lekain；　and
the　late　Monsieur　Noverre。　Oh；　if　you　could　only　know　the　tricks
played　on　poor　Father　Chevrel　by　that　Monsieur　Noverre；　by　the
Chevalier　de　Saint…Georges；　and　especially　by　Monsieur　Philidor！　They
are　a　set　of　rascals；　I　know　them　well！　They　all　have　a　gab　and　nice
manners。　Ah；　your　Monsieur　Sumer；　Somm〃

〃De　Sommervieux；　papa。〃

〃Well；　well；　de　Sommervieux；　well　and　good。　He　can　never　have　been
half　so　sweet　to　you　as　Monsieur　le　Chevalier　de　Saint…Georges　was　to
me　the　day　I　got　a　verdict　of　the　consuls　against　him。　And　in　those
days　they　were　gentlemen　of　quality。〃

〃But；　father；　Monsieur　Theodore　is　of　good　family；　and　he　wrote　me
that　he　is　rich；　his　father　was　called　Chevalier　de　Sommervieux　before
the　Revolution。〃

At　these　words　Monsieur　Guillaume　looked　at　his　terrible　better　half；
who；　like　an　angry　woman；　sat　tapping　the　floor　with　her　foot　while
keeping　sullen　silence；　she　avoided　even　casting　wrathful　looks　at
Augustine；　appearing　to　leave　to　Monsieur　Guillaume　the　whole
responsibility　in　so　grave　a　matter；　since　her　opinion　was　not
listened　to。　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　her　apparent　self…control；　when
she　saw　her　husband　giving　way　so　mildly　under　a　catastrophe　which　had
no　concern　with　business；　she　exclaimed：

〃Really；　monsieur；　you　are　so　weak　with　your　daughters！