the village rector-第3章

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to　the　demands　of　religion。　The　old…iron　dealers　gave　their　alms
punctually　at　the　sacrament　and　to　all　the　collections　in　church。　When
the　vicar　of　Saint…Etienne　called　to　ask　help　for　his　poor；　Sauviat　or
his　wife　fetched　at　once　without　reluctance　or　sour　faces　the　sum　they
thought　their　fair　share　of　the　parish　duties。　The　mutilated　Virgin　on
their　corner　pillar　never　failed　（after　1799）　to　be　wreathed　with
holly　at　Easter。　In　the　summer　season　she　was　feted　with　bouquets　kept
fresh　in　tumblers　of　blue　glass；　this　was　particularly　the　case　after
the　birth　of　Veronique。　On　the　days　of　the　processions　the　Sauviats
scrupulously　hung　their　house　with　sheets　covered　with　flowers；　and
contributed　money　to　the　erection　and　adornment　of　the　altar；　which
was　the　pride　and　glory　of　the　whole　square。

Veronique　Sauviat　was；　therefore；　brought　up　in　a　Christian　manner。
From　the　time　she　was　seven　years　old　she　was　taught　by　a　Gray　sister
from　Auvergne　to　whom　the　Sauviats　had　done　some　kindness　in　former
times。　Both　husband　and　wife　were　obliging　when　the　matter　did　not
affect　their　pockets　or　consume　their　time；like　all　poor　folk　who
are　cordially　ready　to　be　serviceable　to　others　in　their　own　way。　The
Gray　sister　taught　Veronique　to　read　and　write；　she　also　taught　her
the　history　of　the　people　of　God；　the　catechism；　the　Old　and　the　New
Testaments；　and　a　very　little　arithmetic。　That　was　all；　the　worthy
sister　thought　it　enough；　it　was　in　fact　too　much。

At　nine　years　of　age　Veronique　surprised　the　whole　neighborhood　with
her　beauty。　Every　one　admired　her　face；　which　promised　much　to　the
pencil　of　artists　who　are　always　seeking　a　noble　ideal。　She　was　called
〃the　Little　Virgin〃　and　showed　signs　already　of　a　fine　figure　and
great　delicacy　of　complexion。　Her　Madonna…like　facefor　the　popular
voice　had　well　named　herwas　surrounded　by　a　wealth　of　fair　hair；
which　brought　out　the　purity　of　her　features。　Whoever　has　seen　the
sublime　Virgin　of　Titian　in　his　great　picture　of　the　〃Presentation〃　at
Venice；　will　know　that　Veronique　was　in　her　girlhood；the　same
ingenuous　candor；　the　same　seraphic　astonishment　in　her　eyes；　the　same
simple　yet　noble　attitude；　the　same　majesty　of　childhood　in　her
demeanor。

At　eleven　years　of　age　she　had　the　small…pox；　and　owed　her　life　to　the
care　of　Soeur　Marthe。　During　the　two　months　that　their　child　was　in
danger　the　Sauviats　betrayed　to　the　whole　community　the　depth　of　their
tenderness。　Sauviat　no　longer　went　about　the　country　to　sales；　he
stayed　in　the　shop；　going　upstairs　and　down　to　his　daughter's　room；
sitting　up　with　her　every　night　in　company　with　his　wife。　His　silent
anguish　seemed　so　great　that　no　one　dared　to　speak　to　him；　his
neighbors　looked　at　him　with　compassion；　but　they　only　asked　news　of
Veronique　from　Soeur　Marthe。　During　the　days　when　the　child's　danger
reached　a　crisis；　the　neighbors　and　passers　saw；　for　the　first　and
only　time　in　Sauviat's　life；　tears　in　his　eyes　and　rolling　down　his
hollow　cheeks；　he　did　not　wipe　them；　but　stood　for　hours　as　if
stupefied；　not　daring　to　go　upstairs　to　his　daughter's　room；　gazing
before　him　and　seeing　nothing；　so　oblivious　of　all　things　that　any　one
might　have　robbed　him。

Veronique　was　saved；　but　her　beauty　perished。　Her　face；　once
exquisitely　colored　with　a　tint　in　which　brown　and　rose　were
harmoniously　mingled；　came　out　from　the　disease　with　a　myriad　of　pits
which　thickened　the　skin；　the　flesh　beneath　it　being　deeply　indented。
Even　her　forehead　did　not　escape　the　ravages　of　the　scourge；　it　turned
brown　and　looked　as　though　it　were　hammered；　like　metal。　Nothing　can
be　more　discordant　than　brick　tones　of　the　skin　surrounded　by　golden
hair；　they　destroy　all　harmony。　These　fissures　in　the　tissues；
capriciously　hollowed；　injured　the　purity　of　the　profile　and　the
delicacy　of　the　lines　of　the　face；　especially　that　of　the　nose；　the
Grecian　form　of　which　was　lost；　and　that　of　the　chin；　once　as
exquisitely　rounded　as　a　piece　of　white　porcelain。　The　disease　left
nothing　unharmed　except　the　parts　it　was　unable　to　reach；the　eyes
and　the　teeth。　She　did　not；　however；　lose　the　elegance　and　beauty　of
her　shape；neither　the　fulness　of　its　lines　nor　the　grace　and
suppleness　of　her　waist。　At　fifteen　Veronique　was　still　a　fine　girl；
and　to　the　great　consolation　of　her　father　and　mother；　a　good　and
pious　girl；　busy；　industrious；　and　domestic。

After　her　convalescence　and　after　she　had　made　her　first　communion；
her　parents　gave　her　the　two　chambers　on　the　second　floor　for　her　own
particular　dwelling。　Sauviat；　so　course　in　his　way　of　living　for
himself　and　his　wife；　now　had　certain　perceptions　of　what　comfort
might　be；　a　vague　idea　came　to　him　of　consoling　his　child　for　her
great　loss；　which；　as　yet；　she　did　not　comprehend。　The　deprivation　of
that　beauty　which　was　once　the　pride　and　joy　of　those　two　beings　made
Veronique　the　more　dear　and　precious　to　them。　Sauviat　came　home　one
day；　bearing　a　carpet　he　had　chanced　upon　in　some　of　his　rounds；　which
he　nailed　himself　on　Veronique's　floor。　For　her　he　saved　from　the　sale
of　an　old　chateau　the　gorgeous　bed　of　a　fine　lady；　upholstered　in　red
silk　damask；　with　curtains　and　chairs　of　the　same　rich　stuff。　He
furnished　her　two　rooms　with　antique　articles；　of　the　true　value　of
which　he　was　wholly　ignorant。　He　bought　mignonette　and　put　the　pots　on
the　ledge　outside　her　window；　and　he　returned　from　many　of　his　trips
with　rose　trees；　or　pansies；　or　any　kind　of　flower　which　gardeners　or
tavern…keepers　would　give　him。

If　Veronique　could　have　made　comparisons　and　known　the　character；　past
habits；　and　ignorance　of　her　parents　she　would　have　seen　how　much
there　was　of　affection　in　these　little　things；　but　as　it　was；　she
simply　loved　them　from　her　own　sweet　nature　and　without　reflection。

The　girl　wore　the　finest　linen　her　mother　could　find　in　the　shops。
Madame　Sauviat　left　her　daughter　at　liberty　to　buy　what　materials　she
liked　for　her　gowns　and　other　garments；　and　the　father　and　mother　were
proud　of　her　choice；　which　was　never　extravagant。　Veronique　was
satisfied　with　a　blue　silk　gown　for　Sundays　and　fete…days；　and　on
working…days　she　wore　merino　in　winter　and　striped　cotton　dresses　in
summer。　On　Sundays　she　went　to　church　with　her　father　and　mother；　and
took　a　walk　after　vespers　along　the　banks　of　the　Vienne　or　about　the
environs。　On　other　days　she　stayed　at　home；　busy　in　filling　worsted…
work　patterns；　the　payment　for　which　she　gave　to　the　poor；a　life　of
simple；　chaste；　and　exemplary　principles　and　habits。　She　did　some
reading　together　with　her　tapestry；　but　never　in　any　books　except
those　lent　to　her　by　the　vicar　of　Saint…Etienne；　a　priest　whom　Soeur
Marthe　had　first　made　known　to　her　parents。

All　the　rules　of　the　Sauviat's　domestic　economy　were　suspended　in
favor　of　Veronique。　Her　mother　delighted　in　giving　her　dainty　things
to　eat；　and　cooked　her　food　separately。　The　father　and　mother　still
ate　their　nuts　and　dry　bread；　their　herrings　and　parched　peas
fricasseed　in　salt　butter；　while　for　Veronique　nothing　was　thought　too
choice　and　good。

〃Veronique　must　cost　you　a　pretty　penny；〃　said　a　hatmaker　who　lived
opposite　to　the　Sauviats　and　had　designs　on　their　daughter　for　his
son；　estimating　the　fortune　of　the　old…iron　dealer　at　a　hundred
thousand　francs。

〃Yes；　neighbor；　yes；〃　Pere　Sauviat　would　say；　〃if　she　asked　me　for　ten
crowns　I'd　let　her　have　them。　She　has　all　she　wants；　but　she　never
asks　for　anything；　she　is　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。〃

Veronique　was；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　absolutely　ignorant　of　the　value
of　things。　She　had　never　wanted　for　anything；　she　never　saw　a　piece　of
gold　till　the　day　of　her　marriage；　she　had　no　money　of　her　own；　her
mother　bought　and　gave　her　everything　she　needed　and　wished　for；　so
that　even　when　she　wanted　to　give　alms　to　a　beggar；　the　girl　felt　in
her　mother's　pocket　for　the　coin。

〃If　that's　so；〃　remarked　the　hatmaker；　〃she　can't　cost　you　much。〃

〃So　you　think；　do　you？〃　replied　Sauviat。　〃You　wouldn't　get　off　under
forty　crowns　a　year；　I　can　tell　you　that。　Why；　her　room；　she　has　at
least　a　hundred　crowns'　worth　of　furniture　in　it！　But　when　a　man　has
but　one　child；　he　doesn't　mind。　The　littl