the village rector-第6章

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suited　to　a　man　who　was　busy　from　morning　till　night；　overrun　with
work；　eager　in　the　pursuit　of　money　as　a　hunter　for　game；　and　always
tired　out　with　his　day's　labor；　that　Graslin　fell　into　none　of　the
traps　laid　for　him　by　ambitious　mothers　who　coveted　so　brilliant　a
position　for　their　daughters。

Graslin；　another　Sauviat　in　an　upper　sphere；　did　not　spend　more　than
forty　sous　a　day；　and　clothed　himself　no　better　than　his　under…clerk。
Two　clerks　and　an　office…boy　sufficed　him　to　carry　on　his　business；
which　was　immense　through　the　multiplicity　of　its　details。　One　clerk
attended　to　the　correspondence；　the　other　had　charge　of　the　accounts；
but　Pierre　Graslin　was　himself　the　soul；　and　body　too；　of　the　whole
concern。　His　clerks；　chosen　from　his　own　relations；　were　safe　men；
intelligent　and　as　well…trained　in　the　work　as　himself。　As　for　the
office…boy；　he　led　the　life　of　a　truck　horse；up　at　five　in　the
morning　at　all　seasons；　and　never　getting　to　bed　before　eleven　at
night。

Graslin　employed　a　charwoman　by　the　day；　an　old　peasant　from　Auvergne；
who　did　his　cooking。　The　brown　earthenware　off　which　he　ate；　and　the
stout　coarse　linen　which　he　used；　were　in　keeping　with　the　character
of　his　food。　The　old　woman　had　strict　orders　never　to　spend　more　than
three　francs　daily　for　the　total　expenses　of　the　household。　The
office…boy　was　also　man…of…all…work。　The　clerks　took　care　of　their　own
rooms。　The　tables　of　blackened　wood；　the　straw　chairs　half　unseated；
the　wretched　beds；　the　counters　and　desks；　in　short；　the　whole
furniture　of　house　and　office　was　not　worth　more　than　a　thousand
francs；　including　a　colossal　iron　safe；　built　into　the　wall；　before
which　slept　the　man…of…all…work　with　two　dogs　at　his　feet。

Graslin　did　not　often　go　into　society；　which；　however；　discussed　him
constantly。　Two　or　three　times　a　year　he　dined　with　the　receiver…
general；　with　whom　his　business　brought　him　into　occasional
intercourse。　He　also　occasionally　took　a　meal　at　the　prefecture；　for
he　had　been　appointed；　much　to　his　regret；　a　member　of　the　Council…
general　of　the　department〃a　waste　of　time；〃　he　remarked。　Sometimes
his　brother　bankers　with　whom　he　had　dealings　kept　him　to　breakfast　or
dinner；　and　he　was　forced　also　to　visit　his　former　partners；　who　spent
their　winters　in　Limoges。　He　cared　so　little　to　keep　up　his　relations
to　society　that　in　twenty…five　years　Graslin　had　not　offered　so　much
as　a　glass　of　water　to　any　one。　When　he　passed　along　the　street
persons　would　nudge　each　other　and　say：　〃That's　Monsieur　Graslin〃；
meaning；　〃There's　a　man　who　came　to　Limoges　without　a　penny　and　has
now　acquired　an　enormous　fortune。〃　The　Auvergnat　banker　was　a　model
which　more　than　one　father　pointed　out　to　his　son；　and　wives　had　been
known　to　fling　him　in　the　faces　of　their　husbands。

We　can　now　understand　the　reasons　that　led　a　man　who　had　become　the
pivot　of　the　financial　machine　of　Limoges　to　repulse　the　various
propositions　of　marriage　which　parents　never　ceased　to　make　to　him。
The　daughters　of　his　partners；　Messrs。　Perret　and　Grossetete；　were
married　before　Graslin　was　in　a　position　to　take　a　wife；　but　as　each
of　these　ladies　had　young　daughters；　the　wiseheads　of　the　community
finally　concluded　that　old　Perret　or　old　Grossetete　had　made　an
arrangement　with　Graslin　to　wait　for　one　of　his　granddaughters；　and
thenceforth　they　left　him　alone。

Sauviat　had　watched　the　ascending　career　of　his　compatriot　more
attentively　and　seriously　than　any　one　else。　He　had　known　him　from　the
time　he　first　came　to　Limoges；　but　their　respective　positions　had
changed　so　much；　at　least　apparently；　that　their　friendship；　now
become　merely　superficial；　was　seldom　freshened。　Still；　in　his
relation　as　compatriot；　Graslin　never　disdained　to　talk　with　Sauviat
when　they　chanced　to　meet。　Both　continued　to　keep　up　their　early
/tutoiement/；　but　only　in　their　native　dialect。　When　the　receiver…
general　of　Bourges；　the　youngest　of　the　brothers　Grossetete；　married
his　daughter　in　1823　to　the　youngest　son　of　Comte　Fontaine；　Sauviat
felt　sure　that　the　Grossetetes　would　never　allow　Graslin　to　enter
their　family。

After　his　conference　with　the　banker；　Pere　Sauviat　returned　home
joyously。　He　dined　that　night　in　his　daughter's　room；　and　after　dinner
he　said　to　his　womenkind：

〃Veronique　will　be　Madame　Graslin。〃

〃Madame　Graslin！〃　exclaimed　Mere　Sauviat；　astounded。

〃Is　it　possible？〃　said　Veronique；　to　whom　Graslin　was　personally
unknown；　and　whose　imagination　regarded　him　very　much　as　a　Parisian
grisette　would　regard　a　Rothschild。

〃Yes；　it　is　settled；〃　said　old　Sauviat　solemnly。　〃Graslin　will　furnish
his　house　magnificently；　he　is　to　give　our　daughter　a　fine　Parisian
carriage　and　the　best　horses　to　be　found　in　the　Limousin；　he　will　buy
an　estate　worth　five　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　settle　that　and　his
town…house　upon　her。　Veronique　will　be　the　first　lady　in　Limoges；　the
richest　in　the　department；　and　she　can　do　what　she　pleases　with
Graslin。〃

Veronique's　education；　her　religious　ideas；　and　her　boundless
affection　for　her　parents；　prevented　her　from　making　a　single
objection；　it　did　not　even　cross　her　mind　to　think　that　she　had　been
disposed　of　without　reference　to　her　own　will。　On　the　morrow　Sauviat
went　to　Paris；　and　was　absent　for　nearly　a　week。

Pierre　Graslin　was；　as　can　readily　be　imagined；　not　much　of　a　talker；
he　went　straight　and　rapidly　to　deeds。　A　thing　decided　on　was　a　thing
done。　In　February；　1822；　a　strange　piece　of　news　burst　like　a
thunderbolt　on　the　town　of　Limoges。　The　hotel　Graslin　was　being
handsomely　furnished；　carriers'　carts　came　day　after　day　from　Paris；
and　their　contents　were　unpacked　in　the　courtyard。　Rumors　flew　about
the　town　as　to　the　beauty　and　good　taste　of　the　modern　or　the　antique
furniture　as　it　was　seen　to　arrive。　The　great　firm　of　Odiot　and
Company　sent　down　a　magnificent　service　of　plate　by　the　mail…coach。
Three　carriages；　a　caleche；　a　coupe；　and　a　cabriolet　arrived；　wrapped
in　straw　with　as　much　care　as　if　they　were　jewels。

〃Monsieur　Graslin　is　going　to　be　married！〃

These　words　were　said　by　every　pair　of　lips　in　Limoges　in　the　course
of　a　single　evening；in　the　salons　of　the　upper　classes；　in　the
kitchens；　in　the　shops；　in　the　streets；　in　the　suburbs；　and　before
long　throughout　the　whole　surrounding　country。　But　to　whom？　No　one
could　answer。　Limoges　had　a　mystery。



III

MARRIAGE

On　the　return　of　old　Sauviat　Graslin　paid　his　first　evening　visit　at
half…past　nine　o'clock。　Veronique　was　expecting　him；　dressed　in　her
blue　silk　gown　and　muslin　guimpe；　over　which　fell　a　collaret　made　of
lawn　with　a　deep　hem。　Her　hair　was　simply　worn　in　two　smooth　bandeaus；
gathered　into　a　Grecian　knot　at　the　back　of　her　head。　She　was　seated
on　a　tapestried　chair　beside　her　mother；　who　occupied　a　fine　armchair
with　a　carved　back；　covered　with　red　velvet　（evidently　the　relic　of
some　old　chateau）；　which　stood　beside　the　fireplace。　A　bright　fire
blazed　on　the　hearth。　On　the　chimney…piece；　at　either　side　of　an
antique　clock；　the　value　of　which　was　wholly　unknown　to　the　Sauviats；
six　wax　candles　in　two　brass　sconces　twisted　like　vine…shoots；　lighted
the　dark　room　and　Veronique　in　all　her　budding　prime。　The　old　mother
was　wearing　her　best　gown。

From　the　silent　street；　at　that　tranquil　hour；　through　the　soft
shadows　of　the　ancient　stairway；　Graslin　appeared　to　the　modest；
artless　Veronique；　her　mind　still　dwelling　on　the　sweet　ideas　which
Bernadin　de　Saint…Pierre　had　given　her　of　love。

Graslin；　who　was　short　and　thin；　had　thick　black　hair　like　the
bristles　of　a　brush；　which　brought　into　vigorous　relief　a　face　as　red
as　that　of　a　drunkard　emeritus；　and　covered　with　suppurating　pimples；
either　bleeding　or　about　to　burst。　Without　being　caused　by　eczema　or
scrofula；　these　signs　of　a　blood　overheated　by　continual　toil；
anxiety；　and　the　lust　of　business；　by　wakeful　nights；　poor　food；　and　a
sober　life；　seemed　to　partake　of　both　these　diseases。　In　spite　of　the
advice　of　his　partners；　his　clerks；　and　his　physician；　the　banker
would　never　compel　himself　to　take　the　healthful　precautions　which
might　have　prevented；　or　would　at　least　modify；　this　malady；　which