la mere bauche-第3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！


retire　every　evening　at　about　seven　o'clock　into　the　sanctum
sanctorum　of　Madame　Bauche's　habitation；　the　dark　little　private
sitting…room　in　which　she　made　out　her　bills　and　calculated　her
profits；　and　there　regale　himself　in　her　presenceand　indeed　at　her
expense；　for　the　items　never　appeared　in　the　billwith　coffee　and
cognac。　　I　have　said　that　there　was　never　eating　or　drinking　at　the
establishment　after　the　regular　dinner…hours；　but　in　so　saying　I
spoke　of　the　world　at　large。　　Nothing　further　was　allowed　in　the　way
of　trade；　but　in　the　way　of　friendship　so　much　was　now…a…days　always
allowed　to　the　capitaine。

It　was　at　these　moments　that　Madame　Bauche　discussed　her　private
affairs；　and　asked　for　and　received　advice。　　For　even　Madame　Bauche
was　mortal；　nor　could　her　green　spectacles　without　other　aid　carry
her　through　all　the　troubles　of　life。　　It　was　now　five　years　since
the　world　of　Vernet　discovered　that　La　Mere　Bauche　was　going　to　marry
the　capitaine；　and　for　eighteen　months　the　world　of　Vernet　had　been
full　of　this　matter：　　but　any　amount　of　patience　is　at　last
exhausted；　and　as　no　further　steps　in　that　direction　were　ever　taken
beyond　the　daily　cup　of　coffee；　that　subject　died　awayvery　much
unheeded　by　La　Mere　Bauche。

But　she；　though　she　thought　of　no　matrimony　for　herself；　thought　much
of　matrimony　for　other　people；　and　over　most　of　those　cups　of　evening
coffee　and　cognac　a　matrimonial　project　was　discussed　in　these　latter
days。　　It　has　been　seen　that　the　capitaine　pleaded　in　Marie's　favour
when　the　fury　of　Madame　Bauche's　indignation　broke　forth；　and　that
ultimately　Marie　was　kept　at　home；　and　Adolphe　sent　away　by　his
advice。

〃But　Adolphe　cannot　always　stay　away；〃　Madame　Bauche　had　pleaded　in
her　difficulty。　　The　truth　of　this　the　capitaine　had　admitted；　but
Marie；　he　said；　might　be　married　to　some　one　else　before　two　years
were　over。　　And　so　the　matter　had　commenced。

But　to　whom　should　she　be　married？　　To　this　question　the　capitaine
had　answered　in　perfect　innocence　of　heart；　that　La　Mere　Bauche　would
be　much　better　able　to　make　such　a　choice　than　himself。　　He　did　not
know　how　Marie　might　stand　with　regard　to　money。　　If　madame　would
give　some　little　〃dot；〃　the　affair；　the　capitaine　thought；　would　be
more　easily　arranged。

All　these　things　took　months　to　say；　during　which　period　Marie　went
on　with　her　work　in　melancholy　listlessness。　　One　comfort　she　had。
Adolphe；　before　he　went；　had　promised　to　her；　holding　in　his　hand　as
he　did　so　a　little　cross　which　she　had　given　him；　that　no　earthly
consideration　should　sever　them；that　sooner　or　later　he　would
certainly　be　her　husband。　　Marie　felt　that　her　limbs　could　not　work
nor　her　tongue　speak　were　it　not　for　this　one　drop　of　water　in　her
cup。

And　then；　deeply　meditating；　La　Mere　Bauche　hit　upon　a　plan；　and
herself　communicated　it　to　the　capitaine　over　a　second　cup　of　coffee
into　which　she　poured　a　full　teaspoonful　more　than　the　usual
allowance　of　cognac。　　Why　should　not　he；　the　capitaine　himself；　be
the　man　to　marry　Marie　Clavert？

It　was　a　very　startling　proposal；　the　idea　of　matrimony　for　himself
never　having　as　yet　entered　into　the　capitaine's　head　at　any　period
of　his　life；　but　La　Mere　Bauche　did　contrive　to　make　it　not
altogether　unacceptable。　　As　to　that　matter　of　dowry　she　was　prepared
to　be　more　than　generous。　　She　did　love　Marie　well；　and　could　find　it
in　her　heart　to　give　her　anythingany　thing　except　her　son；　her　own
Adolphe。　　What　she　proposed　was　this。　　Adolphe；　himself；　would　never
keep　the　baths。　　If　the　capitaine　would　take　Marie　for　his　wife；
Marie；　Madame　Bauche　declared；　should　be　the　mistress　after　her
death；　subject　of　course　to　certain　settlements　as　to　Adolphe's
pecuniary　interests。

The　plan　was　discussed　a　thousand　times；　and　at　last　so　far　brought
to　bear　that　Marie　was　made　acquainted　with　ithaving　been　called　in
to　sit　in　presence　with　La　Mere　Bauche　and　her　future　proposed
husband。　　The　poor　girl　manifested　no　disgust　to　the　stiff　ungainly
lover　whom　they　assigned　to　her；who　through　his　whole　frame　was　in
appearance　almost　as　wooden　as　his　own　leg。　　On　the　whole；　indeed；
Marie　liked　the　capitaine；　and　felt　that　he　was　her　friend；　and　in
her　country　such　marriages　were　not　uncommon。　　The　capitaine　was
perhaps　a　little　beyond　the　age　at　which　a　man　might　usually　be
thought　justified　in　demanding　the　services　of　a　young　girl　as　his
nurse　and　wife；　but　then　Marie　of　herself　had　so　little　to　give
except　her　youth；　and　beauty；　and　goodness。

But　yet　she　could　not　absolutely　consent；　for　was　she　not　absolutely
pledged　to　her　own　Adolphe？　　And　therefore；　when　the　great　pecuniary
advantages　were；　one　by　one；　displayed　before　her；　and　when　La　Mere
Bauche；　as　a　last　argument；　informed　her　that　as　wife　of　the
capitaine　she　would　be　regarded　as　second　mistress　in　the
establishment　and　not　as　a　servant；　she　could　only　burst　out　into
tears；　and　say　that　she　did　not　know。

〃I　will　be　very　kind　to　you；〃　said　the　capitaine；　〃as　kind　as　a　man
can　be。〃

Marie　took　his　hard　withered　hand　and　kissed　it；　and　then　looked　up
into　his　face　with　beseeching　eyes　which　were　not　without　avail　upon
his　heart。

〃We　will　not　press　her　now；〃　said　the　capitaine。　　〃There　is　time
enough。〃

But　let　his　heart　be　touched　ever　so　much；　one　thing　was　certain。　　It
could　not　be　permitted　that　she　should　marry　Adolphe。　　To　that　view
of　the　matter　he　had　given　in　his　unrestricted　adhesion；　nor　could　he
by　any　means　withdraw　it　without　losing　altogether　his　position　in
the　establishment　of　Madame　Bauche。　　Nor　indeed　did　his　conscience
tell　him　that　such　a　marriage　should　be　permitted。　　That　would　be　too
much。　　If　every　pretty　girl　were　allowed　to　marry　the　first　young　man
that　might　fall　in　love　with　her；　what　would　the　world　come　to？

And　it　soon　appeared　that　there　was　not　time　enoughthat　the　time
was　growing　very　scant。　　In　three　months　Adolphe　would　be　back。　　And
if　everything　was　not　arranged　by　that　time；　matters　might　still　go
astray。

And　then　Madame　Bauche　asked　her　final　question：　　〃You　do　not　think；
do　you；　that　you　can　ever　marry　Adolphe？〃　　And　as　she　asked　it　the
accustomed　terror　of　her　green　spectacles　magnified　itself　tenfold。
Marie　could　only　answer　by　another　burst　of　tears。

The　affair　was　at　last　settled　among　them。　　Marie　said　that　she　would
consent　to　marry　the　capitaine　when　she　should　hear　from　Adolphe's
own　mouth　that　he；　Adolphe；　loved　her　no　longer。　　She　declared　with
many　tears　that　her　vows　and　pledges　prevented　her　from　promising
more　than　this。　　It　was　not　her　fault；　at　any　rate　not　now；　that　she
loved　her　lover。　　It　was　not　her　faultnot　now　at　leastthat　she
was　bound　by　these　pledges。　　When　she　heard　from　his　own　mouth　that
he　had　discarded　her；　then　she　would　marry　the　capitaineor　indeed
sacrifice　herself　in　any　other　way　that　La　Mere　Bauche　might　desire。
What　would　anything　signify　then？

Madame　Bauche's　spectacles　remained　unmoved；　but　not　her　heart。
Marie；　she　told　the　capitaine；　should　be　equal　to　herself　in　the
establishment；　when　once　she　was　entitled　to　be　called　Madame　Campan；
and　she　should　be　to　her　quite　as　a　daughter。　　She　should　have　her
cup　of　coffee　every　evening；　and　dine　at　the　big　table；　and　wear　a
silk　gown　at　church；　and　the　servants　should　all　call　her　Madame；　a
great　career　should　be　open　to　her；　if　she　would　only　give　up　her
foolish　girlish　childish　love　for　Adolphe。　　And　all　these　great
promises　were　repeated　to　Marie　by　the　capitaine。

But　nevertheless　there　was　but　one　thing　in　the　world　which　in
Marie's　eyes　was　of　any　value；　and　that　one　thing　was　the　heart　of
Adolphe　Bauche。　　Without　that　she　would　be　nothing；　with　that；with
that　assured；　she　could　wait　patiently　till　doomsday。

Letters　were　written　to　Adolphe　during　all　these　eventful　doings；　and
a　letter　came　from　him　saying　that　he　greatly　valued　Marie's　love；
but　that　as　it　had　been　clearly　proved　to　him　that　their　marriage
would　be　neither　for　her　advantage；　nor　for　his；　he　was　willing　to
give　it　up。　　He　consented　to　her　marriage　with　the　capitaine；　and
expressed　his　gratitude　to　his　mother　for　the　pecuniary　advantages
which　she　had