the village rector-第12章

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influential　persons　spoke　of　Madame　Graslin　as　a　flower　of　true　piety；
a　violet　fragrant　with　virtues；　in　consequence　of　which；　one　of　those
strong　reactions　set　in；　unknown　to　Veronique；　which　are　none　the　less
solid　and　durable　because　they　are　long　in　coming。　This　change　in
public　opinion　gave　additional　influence　to　Veronique's　salon；　which
was　now　visited　by　all　the　chief　persons　in　the　society　of　the　town；
in　consequence　of　certain　circumstances　we　shall　now　relate。

Toward　the　close　of　this　year　the　young　Vicomte　de　Grandville　was　sent
as　deputy　solicitor　to　the　courts　of　Limoges。　He　came　preceded　by　a
reputation　always　given　to　Parisians　in　the　provinces。　A　few　days
after　his　arrival；　during　a　soiree　at　the　prefecture；　he　made　answer
to　a　rather　foolish　question；　that　the　most　able；　intelligent；　and
distinguished　woman　he　had　met　in　the　town　was　Madame　Graslin。

〃Perhaps　you　think　her　the　handsomest　also？〃　said　the　wife　of　the
receiver…general。

〃I　cannot　think　so　in　your　presence；　madame；〃　he　replied；　〃and
therefore　I　am　in　doubt。　Madame　Graslin　possesses　a　beauty　which　need
inspire　no　jealousy；　for　it　seldom　shows　itself：　she　is　only　beautiful
to　those　she　loves；　you　are　beautiful　to　all　the　world。　When　Madame
Graslin's　soul　is　moved　by　true　enthusiasm；　it　sheds　an　expression
upon　her　face　which　changes　it　completely。　Her　countenance　is　like　a
landscape；dull　in　winter；　glorious　in　summer；　but　the　world　will
always　see　it　in　winter。　When　she　talks　with　friends　on　some　literary
or　philosophical　topic；　or　on　certain　religious　questions　which
interest　her；　she　is　roused　into　appearing　suddenly　an　unknown　woman
of　marvellous　beauty。〃

This　declaration；　which　was　caused　by　observing　the　phenomenon　that
formerly　made　Veronique　so　beautiful　on　her　return　from　the　holy
table；　made　a　great　noise　in　Limoges；　where　for　a　time　the　young
deputy；　to　whom　the　place　of　the　/procureur…general/　was　said　to　be
promised；　played　a　leading　part。　In　all　provincial　towns　a　man　who
rises　a　trifle　above　others　becomes；　for　a　period　more　or　less
protracted；　the　object　of　a　liking　which　resembles　enthusiasm；　and
which　usually　deceives　the　object　of　this　ephemeral　worship。　It　is　to
this　social　caprice　that　we　owe　so　many　local　geniuses；　soon　ignored
and　their　false　reputations　mortified。　The　men　whom　women　make　the
fashion　in　this　way　are　oftener　strangers　than　compatriots。

In　this　particular　case　the　admirers　of　the　Vicomte　de　Grandville　were
not　mistaken；　he　was　in　truth　a　superior　man。　Madame　Graslin　was　the
only　woman　he　found　in　Limoges　with　whom　he　could　exchange　ideas　and
keep　up　a　varied　conversation。　A　few　months　after　his　arrival；
attracted　by　the　increasing　charm　of　Veronique's　manners　and
conversation；　he　proposed　to　the　Abbe　Dutheil；　and　a　few　other　of　the
remarkable　men　in　Limoges；　to　meet　in　the　evenings　at　Madame　Graslin's
house　and　play　whist。　At　this　time　Madame　Graslin　was　at　home　five
evenings　in　the　week　to　visitors；　reserving　two　free　days；　as　she
said；　for　herself。

When　Madame　Graslin　had　thus　gathered　about　her　the　distinguished　men
we　have　mentioned；　others　were　not　sorry　to　give　themselves　the
reputation　of　cleverness　by　seeking　to　join　the　same　society。
Veronique　also　received　three　or　four　of　the　distinguished　officers　of
the　garrison　and　staff；　but　the　freedom　of　mind　displayed　by　her
guests；　and　the　tacit　discretion　enjoined　by　the　manners　of　the　best
society；　made　her　extremely　cautious　as　to　the　admission　of　those　who
now　vied　with　each　other　to　obtain　her　invitations。

The　other　women　in　this　provincial　society　were　not　without　jealousy
in　seeing　Madame　Graslin　surrounded　by　the　most　agreeable　and
distinguished　men　in　the　town；　but　by　this　time　Veronique's　social
power　was　all　the　stronger　because　it　was　exclusive；　she　accepted　the
intimacy　of　four　or　five　women　only；　and　these　were　strangers　in
Limoges　who　had　come　from　Paris　with　their　husbands；　and　who　held　in
horror　the　petty　gossip　of　provincial　life。　If　any　one　outside　of　this
little　clique　of　superior　persons　came　in　to　make　a　visit；　the
conversation　immediately　changed；　and　the　habitues　of　the　house　talked
commonplace。

The　hotel　Graslin　thus　became　an　oasis　where　intelligent　minds　found
relaxation　and　relief　from　the　dulness　of　provincial　life；　where
persons　connected　with　the　government　could　express　themselves　freely
on　politics　without　fear　of　having　their　words　taken　down　and
repeated；　where　all　could　satirize　that　which　provoked　satire；　and
where　each　individual　abandoned　his　professional　trammels　and　yielded
himself　up　to　his　natural　self。

So；　after　being　the　most　obscure　young　girl　in　all　Limoges；　considered
ugly；　dull；　and　vacant；　Madame　Graslin；　at　the　beginning　of　the　year
1828；　was　regarded　as　one　of　the　leading　personages　in　the　town；　and
the　most　noted　woman　in　society。　No　one　went　to　see　her　in　the
mornings；　for　all　knew　her　habits　of　benevolence　and　the　regularity　of
her　religious　observances。　She　always　went　to　early　mass　so　as　not　to
delay　her　husband's　breakfast；　for　which；　however；　there　was　no　fixed
hour；　though　she　never　failed　to　be　present　and　to　serve　it　herself。
Graslin　had　trained　his　wife　to　this　little　ceremony。　He　continued　to
praise　her　on　all　occasions；　he　thought　her　perfect；　she　never　asked
him　for　anything；　he　could　pile　up　louis　upon　louis；　and　spread　his
investments　over　a　wide　field　of　enterprise　through　his　relations　with
the　Brezacs；　he　sailed　with　a　fair　wind　and　well　freighted　over　the
ocean　of　commerce；his　intense　business　interest　keeping　him　in　the
still；　though　half…intoxicated；　frenzy　of　gamblers　watching　events　on
the　green　table　of　speculation。

During　this　happy　period；　and　until　the　beginning　of　the　year　1829；
Madame　Graslin　attained；　in　the　eyes　of　her　friends；　to　a　degree　of
beauty　that　was　really　extraordinary；　the　reasons　of　which　they　were
unable　to　explain。　The　blue　of　the　iris　expanded　like　a　flower；
diminishing　the　dark　circle　of　the　pupil；　and　seeming　to　float　in　a
liquid　and　languishing　light　that　was　full　of　love。　Her　forehead；
illumined　by　thoughts　and　memories　of　happiness；　was　seen　to　whiten
like　the　zenith　before　the　dawn；　and　its　lines　were　purified　by　an
inward　fire。　Her　face　lost　those　heated　brown　tones　which　betoken　a
disturbance　of　the　liver；that　malady　of　vigorous　constitutions；　or
of　persons　whose　soul　is　distressed　and　whose　affections　are　thwarted。
Her　temples　became　adorably　fresh　and　pure；　gleams　of　the　celestial
face　of　a　Raffaelle　showed　themselves　now　and　then　in　hers；a　face
hitherto　obscured　by　the　malady　of　grief；　as　the　canvas　of　the　great
master　is　encrusted　by　time。　Her　hands　seemed　whiter；　her　shoulders
took　on　an　exquisite　fulness；　her　graceful；　animated　movements　gave　to
her　supple　figure　its　utmost　charm。

The　Limoges　women　accused　her　of　being　in　love　with　Monsieur　de
Grandville；　who　certainly　paid　her　assiduous　attention；　to　which
Veronique　opposed　all　the　barriers　of　a　conscientious　resistance。　The
viscount　professed　for　her　one　of　those　respectful　attachments　which
did　not　blind　the　habitual　visitors　of　her　salon。　The　priests　and　men
of　sense　saw　plainly　that　this　affection；　which　was　love　on　the　part
of　the　young　man；　did　not　go　beyond　the　permissible　line　in　Madame
Graslin。　Weary　at　last　of　a　resistance　based　on　religious　principle；
the　Vicomte　de　Grandville　consoled　himself　（to　the　knowledge　of　his
intimates）　with　other　and　easier　friendships；　which　did　not；　however；
lessen　his　constant　admiration　and　worship　of　the　beautiful　Madame
Graslin；such　was　the　term　by　which　she　was　designated　in　1829。

The　most　clear…sighted　among　those　who　surrounded　her　attributed　the
change　which　rendered　Veronique　increasingly　charming　to　her　friends
to　the　secret　delight　which　all　women；　even　the　most　religious；　feel
when　they　see　themselves　courted；　and　to　the　satisfaction　of　living　at
last　in　a　circle　congenial　to　her　mind；　where　the　pleasure　of
exchanging　ideas　and　the　happiness　of　being　surrounded　by　intelligent
and　well…informed　men　and　true　friends；　whose　attachment　deepened　day
by　day；　had　dispersed　forever　the　weary　dulness　of　her　life。

Per