the village rector-第7章

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would　never　compel　himself　to　take　the　healthful　precautions　which
might　have　prevented；　or　would　at　least　modify；　this　malady；　which　was
slight　at　first；　but　had　greatly　increased　from　year　to　year。　He
wanted　to　cure　it；　and　would　sometimes　take　baths　or　drink　some
prescribed　potion；　but；　hurried　along　on　the　current　of　his　business；
he　soon　neglected　the　care　of　his　person。　Sometimes　he　thought　of
suspending　work　for　a　time；　travelling　about；　and　visiting　the　noted
baths　for　such　diseases；　but　where　is　the　hunter　after　millions　who　is
willing　to　stop　short？

In　that　blazing　furnace　shone　two　gray　eyes　rayed　with　green　lines
starting　from　the　pupils；　and　speckled　with　brown　spots；two
implacable　eyes；　full　of　resolution；　rectitude；　and　shrewd
calculation。　Graslin's　nose　was　short　and　turned　up；　he　had　a　mouth
with　thick　lips；　a　prominent　forehead；　and　high　cheek…bones；　coarse
ears　with　large　edges　discolored　by　the　condition　of　his　blood；in
short；　he　was　an　ancient　satyr　in　a　black　satin　waistcoat；　brown
frock…coat；　and　white　cravat。　His　strong　and　vigorous　shoulders；　which
began　life　by　bearing　heavy　burdens；　were　now　rather　bent；　and　beneath
this　torso；　unduly　developed；　came　a　pair　of　weak　legs；　rather　badly
affixed　to　the　short　thighs。　His　thin　and　hairy　hands　had　the　crooked
fingers　of　those　whose　business　it　is　to　handle　money。　The　habit　of
quick　decision　could　be　seen　in　the　way　the　eyebrows　rose　into　a　point
over　each　arch　of　the　eye。　Though　the　mouth　was　grave　and　pinched；　its
expression　was　that　of　inward　kindliness；　it　told　of　an　excellent
nature；　sunk　in　business；　smothered　possibly；　though　it　might　revive
by　contact　with　a　woman。

At　this　apparition　Veronique's　heart　was　violently　agitated；　blackness
came　before　her　eyes；　she　thought　she　cried　aloud；　but　she　really　sat
there　mute；　with　fixed　and　staring　gaze。

〃Veronique；　this　is　Monsieur　Graslin；〃　said　old　Sauviat。

Veronique　rose；　curtsied；　dropped　back　into　her　chair；　and　looked　at
her　mother；　who　was　smiling　at　the　millionaire；　seeming；　as　her　father
did；　so　happy；so　happy　that　the　poor　girl　found　strength　to　hide　her
surprise　and　her　violent　repulsion。　During　the　conversation　which　then
took　place　something　was　said　of　Graslin's　health。　The　banker　looked
naively　into　the　mirror；　with　bevelled　edges　in　an　ebony　frame。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not　good…looking。〃

Thereupon　he　proceeded　to　explain　the　blotches　on　his　face　as　the
result　of　his　overworked　life。　He　related　how　he　had　constantly
disobeyed　his　physician's　advice；　and　remarked　that　he　hoped　to　change
his　appearance　altogether　when　he　had　a　wife　to　rule　his　household；
and　take　better　care　of　him　than　he　took　of　himself。

〃Is　a　man　married　for　his　face；　compatriot？〃　said　Sauviat；　giving　the
other　a　hearty　slap　on　the　thigh。

Graslin's　speech　went　straight　to　those　natural　feelings　which；　more
or　less；　fill　the　heart　of　every　woman。　The　thought　came　into
Veronique's　mind　that　her　face；　too；　had　been　destroyed　by　a　horrible
disease；　and　her　Christian　modesty　rebuked　her　first　impression。

Hearing　a　whistle　in　the　street；　Graslin　went　downstairs；　followed　by
Sauviat。　They　speedily　returned。　The　office…boy　had　brought　the　first
bouquet；　which　was　a　little　late　in　coming。　When　the　banker　exhibited
this　mound　of　exotic　flowers；　the　fragrance　of　which　completely　filled
the　room；　and　offered　it　to　his　future　wife；　Veronique　felt　a　rush　of
conflicting　emotions；　she　was　suddenly　plunged　into　the　ideal　and
fantastic　world　of　tropical　nature。　Never　before　had　she　seen　white
camelias；　never　had　she　smelt　the　fragrance　of　the　Alpine　cistus；　the
Cape　jessamine；　the　cedronella；　the　volcameria；　the　moss…rose；　or　any
of　the　divine　perfumes　which　woo　to　love；　and　sing　to　the　heart　their
hymns　of　fragrance。　Graslin　left　Veronique　that　night　in　the　grasp　of
such　emotions。

From　this　time　forth；　as　soon　as　all　Limoges　was　sleeping；　the　banker
would　slip　along　the　walls　to　the　Sauviats'　house。　There　he　would　tap
gently　on　the　window…shutter；　the　dog　did　not　bark；　old　Sauviat　came
down　and　let　him　in；　and　Graslin　would　then　spend　an　hour　or　two　with
Veronique　in　the　brown　room；　where　Madame　Sauviat　always　served　him　a
true　Auvergnat　supper。　Never　did　this　singular　lover　arrive　without　a
bouquet　made　of　the　rarest　flowers　from　the　greenhouse　of　his　old
partner；　Monsieur　Grossetete；　the　only　person　who　as　yet　knew　of　the
approaching　marriage。　The　man…of…all…work　went　every　evening　to　fetch
the　bunch；　which　Monsieur　Grossetete　made　himself。

Graslin　made　about　fifty　such　visits　in　two　months；　each　time；　besides
the　flowers；　he　brought　with　him　some　rich　present；rings；　a　watch；　a
gold　chain；　a　work…box；　etc。　These　inconceivable　extravagances　must　be
explained；　and　a　word　suffices。　Veronique's　dowry；　promised　by　her
father；　consisted　of　nearly　the　whole　of　old　Sauviat's　property；
namely；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。　The　old　man　retained
an　income　of　eight　thousand　francs　derived　from　the　Funds；　bought　for
him　originally　for　sixty　thousand　francs　in　assignats　by　his
correspondent　Brezac；　to　whom；　at　the　time　of　his　imprisonment；　he　had
confided　that　sum；　and　who　kept　it　for　him　safely。　These　sixty
thousand　francs　in　assignats　were　the　half　of　Sauviat's　fortune　at　the
time　he　came　so　near　being　guillotined。　Brezac　was　also；　at　the　same
time；　the　faithful　repository　of　the　rest；　namely；　seven　hundred　louis
d'or　（an　enormous　sum　at　that　time　in　gold）；　with　which　old　Sauviat
began　his　business　once　more　as　soon　as　he　recovered　his　liberty。　In
thirty　years　each　of　those　louis　d'or　had　been　transformed　into　a
bank…note　for　a　thousand　francs；　by　means　of　the　income　from　the
Funds；　of　Madame　Sauviat's　inheritance　from　her　father；　old
Champagnac；　and　of　the　profits　accruing　from　the　business　and　the
accumulated　interest　thereon　in　the　hands　of　the　Brezac　firm。　Brezac
himself　had　a　loyal　and　honest　friendship　for　Sauviat；such　as　all
Auvergnats　are　apt　to　feel　for　one　another。

So；　whenever　Sauviat　passed　the　front　of　the　Graslin　mansion　he　had
said　to　himself；　〃Veronique　shall　live　in　that　fine　palace。〃　He　knew
very　well　that　no　girl　in　all　the　department　would　have　seven　hundred
and　fifty　thousand　francs　as　a　marriage　portion；　besides　the
expectation　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　more。　Graslin；　his
chosen　son…in…law；　would　therefore　infallibly　marry　Veronique；　and　so；
as　we　have　seen；　it　came　about。

Every　evening　Veronique　had　her　fresh　bunch　of　flowers；　which　on　the
morrow　decked　her　little　salon　and　was　carefully　concealed　from　the
neighbors。　She　admired　the　beautiful　jewels；　the　pearls　and　diamonds；
the　bracelets；　the　rubies；　gifts　which　assuredly　gratify　all　the
daughters　of　Eve。　She　thought　herself　less　plain　when　she　wore　them。
She　saw　her　mother　happy　in　the　marriage；　and　she　had　no　other　point
of　view　from　which　to　make　comparisons。　She　was；　moreover；　totally
ignorant　of　the　duties　or　the　purpose　of　marriage。　She　heard　the
solemn　voice　of　the　vicar　of　Saint…Etienne　praising　Graslin　to　her　as
a　man　of　honor；　with　whom　she　would　lead　an　honorable　life。　Thus　it
was　that　Veronique　consented　to　receive　Monsieur　Graslin　as　her　future
husband。

When　it　happens　that　in　a　life　so　withdrawn　from　the　world；　so
solitary　as　that　of　Veronique；　a　single　person　enters　it　every　day；
that　person　cannot　long　remain　indifferent；　either　he　is　hated；　and
the　aversion；　justified　by　a　deepening　knowledge　of　his　character；
renders　him　intolerable；　or　the　habit　of　seeing　bodily　defects　dims
the　eye　to　them。　The　mind　looks　about　for　compensations；　his
countenance　awakens　curiosity；　its　features　brighten；　fleeting
beauties　appear　in　it。　At　last　the　inner；　hidden　beneath　the　outer；
shows　itself。　Then；　when　the　first　impressions　are　fairly　overcome；
the　attachment　felt　is　all　the　stronger；　because　the　soul　clings　to　it
as　its　own　creation。　That　is　love。　And　here　lies　the　reason　of　those
passions　conceived　by　beautiful　things　for　other　beings　apparently
ugly。　The　outward　aspect；　forgotten　by　affection；　is　no　longer　seen　in
a　creature　whose　soul　is　deeply　valued。　Besides　this；　beauty；　so
necessary　to　a　woman；　tak