the deputy of arcis-第52章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Mademoiselle Antonia had； during the absence of Charles Keller； shown some kindness。 〃I am going to Arcis；〃 seems to have been said at the same instant by writer and lady。 The most commonplace lives encounter similar coincidences。
Now； madame； admire the manner in which things link together。 Setting forth on a purely selfish financial enterprise； behold Mademoiselle Chocardelle suddenly brought to the point of wielding an immense electoral influence！ And observe also that her influence is of a nature to compensate for all the witty pin…pricks of her gallant companion。
Mademoiselle's affair； it appears； hung fire。 Twice she went to Gondreville； and was not admitted。 The journalist was busy；partly with his articles； and partly with certain commissions given to him by Monsieur de Trailles； under whose orders he was told to place himself。 Mademoiselle Antonia was therefore much alone； and in the ennui of such solitude； she was led to create for herself a really desperate amusement。
A few steps from the Hotel de la Poste is a bridge across the Aube； a path leads down beside it； by a steep incline； to the water's edge； which； being hidden from the roadway above and little frequented； offers peace and solitude to whoever may like to dream there to the sound of the rippling current。 Mademoiselle Antonia at first took a book with her； but books not being； as she says； in her line； she looked about for other ways of killing her time； and bethought herself of fishing； for which amusement the landlord of the inn supplied her with a rod。 Much pleased with her first successes； the pretty exile devoted herself to an occupation which must be attractive；witness the fanatics that it makes； and the few persons who crossed the bridge could admire at all hours a charming naiad in a flounced gown and a broad…brimmed straw hat； engaged in fishing with the conscientious gravity of a /gamin de Paris/。
Up to this time Mademoiselle Antonia and her fishing have had nothing to do with our election； but if you will recall； madame； in the history of Don Quixote （which I have heard you admire for its common… sense and jovial reasoning） the rather disagreeable adventures of Rosinante and the muleteers； you will have a foretaste of the good luck which the development of Mademoiselle Antonia's new passion brought to us。
Our rival； Beauvisage； is not only a successful stocking…maker and an exemplary mayor； but he is also a model husband； having never tripped in loyalty to his wife； whom he respects and admires。 Every evening； by her orders； he goes to bed before ten o'clock； while Madame Beauvisage and her daughter go into what Arcis is pleased to call society。 But there is no more treacherous water； they say； than still water； just as there was nothing less proper and well…behaved than the calm and peaceable Rosinante on the occasion referred to。
At any rate； while making the tour of his town according to his laudable official habit； Beauvisage from the top of the bridge chanced to catch sight of the fair Parisian who with outstretched arms and gracefully bent body was pursuing her favorite pastime。 A slight movement； the charming impatience with which the pretty fisher twitched her line from the water when the fish had not bitten； was perhaps the electric shock which struck upon the heart of the magistrate； hitherto irreproachable。 No one can say； perhaps； how the thing really came about。 But I ought to remark that during the interregnum that occurred between the making of socks and night…caps and the assumption of municipal duties； Beauvisage himself had practised the art of fishing with a line with distinguished success。 Probably it occurred to him that the poor young lady； having more ardor than science； was not going the right way to work； and the thought of improving her method may have been the real cause of his apparent degeneracy。 However that may be； it is certain that； crossing the bridge in company with her mother； Mademoiselle Beauvisage suddenly cried out； like a true /enfant terrible/；
〃Goodness！ there's papa talking with that Parisian woman！〃
To assure herself at a glance of the monstrous fact； to rush down the bank and reach her husband （whom she found with laughing lips and the happy air of a browsing sheep）； to blast him with a stern 〃What are you doing here？〃 to order his retreat to Arcis with the air of a queen； while Mademoiselle Chocardelle； first astonished and then enlightened as to what it all meant； went off into fits of laughter； took scarcely the time I have taken to tell it。 Such； madame； was the proceeding by which Madame Beauvisage； /nee/ Grevin； rescued her husband； and though that proceeding may be called justifiable； it was certainly injudicious； for before night the whole town had heard of the catastrophe； and Beauvisage； arraigned and convicted by common consent of deplorable immorality； saw fresh desertions taking place in the already winnowed phalanx of his partisans。
However； the Gondreville and Grevin side still held firm； andwould you believe it； madame？it was again Mademoiselle Antonia to whom we owe the overthrow of their last rampart。
Here is the tale of that phenomenon： Mother Marie…des…Anges wanted an interview with the Comte de Gondreville； but how to get it she did not know； because to ask for it was not； as she thought； proper。 Having； it appears； unpleasant things to say to him； she did not wish to bring the old man to the convent expressly to hear them； such a proceeding seemed to her uncharitable。 Besides； things comminatory delivered point…blank will often provoke their recipient instead of alarming him； whereas the same things slipped in sweetly never fail of their effect。 Still； time was passing； the election； as you know； takes place to…morrow； Sunday； and the preparatory meeting of all the candidates and the electors； to…night。 The poor dear saintly woman did not know what course to take； when a little matter occurred； most flattering to her vanity； which solved her doubts。 A pretty sinner； she was told； who had come to Arcis to 〃do〃 Monsieur Keller the financier； then at Gondreville； out of some money； had heard of the virtues and the inexhaustible kindness of Mother Marie…des…Angesin short； she regarded her； after Danton； as the most interesting object of the place； and deeply regretted that she dared not ask to be admitted to her presence。
An hour later the following note was left at the Hotel de la Poste：
Mademoiselle；I am told that you desire to see me； but that you do not know how to accomplish it。 Nothing is easier。 Ring the door…bell of my quiet house； ask to see me； and do not be alarmed at my black robe and aged face。 I am not one of those who force their advice upon pretty young women who do not ask for it； and who may become in time greater saints than I。 That is the whole mystery of obtaining an interview with Mother Marie…des…Anges； who salutes you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ。 ＇Picture of small cross。＇
An invitation so graciously given was not to be resisted； and Mademoiselle Antonia； after putting on the soberest costume she could get together； went to the convent。
I wish I could give you the details of that interview； which must have been curious； but no one was present； and nothing was known except what the lost sheep； who returned in tears； told of it。 When the journalist tried to joke her on this conversion； Mademoiselle Antonia turned upon him。
〃Hold your tongue；〃 she said； 〃you never in your life wrote a sentence like what she said to me。〃
〃What did she say to you？〃
〃'Go； my child；' said that old woman； 'the ways of God are beautiful； and little known； there is often more of a saint in a Magdalen than in a nun。'〃
The journalist laughed； but scenting danger he said；
〃When are you going again to Gondreville to see that Keller？ If he doesn't pay the money soon； I'll hit him a blow in some article； in spite of all Maxime may say。〃
〃I don't play dirty tricks myself；〃 replied Antonia； with dignity。
〃Don't you？ Do you mean you are not going to present that note again？〃
〃Not now；〃 replied the admirer and probably the echo of Mother Marie… des…Anges； but using her own language； 〃I don't blackmail a family in
