the vicar of tours-第17章

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dimensions　of　an　Egyptian　pyramid。　The　hands　of　that　man　were　in

Paris；　his　elbows　in　the　Cloister　of　Saint…Gatien。



〃He！〃　said　the　victim　to　himself；　〃HE　to　prevent　the　Baron　de

Listomere　from　becoming　peer　of　France！and；　perhaps；　'by　the　help　of

the　archbishop　we　may　be　able　to　stop　the　matter　here'！〃



In　presence　of　such　great　interests　Birotteau　felt　he　was　a　mere　worm；

he　judged　himself　harshly。



The　news　of　Birotteau's　removal　from　Madame　de　Listomere's　house

seemed　all　the　more　amazing　because　the　reason　of　it　was　wholly

impenetrable。　Madame　de　Listomere　said　that　her　nephew　was　intending

to　marry　and　leave　the　navy；　and　she　wanted　the　vicar's　apartment　to

enlarge　her　own。　Birotteau's　relinquishment　was　still　unknown。　The

advice　of　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　was　followed。　Whenever　the　two　facts

reached　the　ears　of　the　vicar…general　his　self…love　was　certain　to　be

gratified　by　the　assurance　they　gave　that　even　if　the　Listomere　family

did　not　capitulate　they　would　at　least　remain　neutral　and　tacitly

recognize　the　occult　power　of　the　Congregation；to　reconize　it　was；

in　fact；　to　submit　to　it。　But　the　lawsuit　was　still　sub　judice；　his

opponents　yielded　and　threatened　at　the　same　time。



The　Listomeres　had　thus　taken　precisely　the　same　attitude　as　the

vicar…general　himself；　they　held　themselves　aloof；　and　yet　were　able

to　direct　others。　But　just　at　this　crisis　an　event　occurred　which

complicated　the　plans　laid　by　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　and　the　Listomeres

to　quiet　the　Gamard　and　Troubert　party；　and　made　them　more　difficult

to　carry　out。



Mademoiselle　Gamard　took　cold　one　evening　in　coming　out　of　the

cathedral；　the　next　day　she　was　confined　to　her　bed；　and　soon　after

became　dangerously　ill。　The　whole　town　rang　with　pity　and　false

commiseration：　〃Mademoiselle　Gamard's　sensitive　nature　has　not　been

able　to　bear　the　scandal　of　this　lawsuit。　In　spite　of　the　justice　of

her　cause　she　was　likely　to　die　of　grief。　Birotteau　has　killed　his

benefactress。〃　Such　were　the　speeches　poured　through　the　capillary

tubes　of　the　great　female　conclave；　and　taken　up　and　repeated　by　the

whole　town　of　Tours。



Madame　de　Listomere　went　the　day　after　Mademoiselle　Gamard　took　cold

to　pay　the　promised　visit；　and　she　had　the　mortification　of　that　act

without　obtaining　any　benefit　from　it；　for　the　old　maid　was　too　ill　to

see　her。　She　then　asked　politely　to　speak　to　the　vicar…general。



Gratified；　no　doubt；　to　receive　in　Chapeloud's　library；　at　the　corner

of　the　fireplace　above　which　hung　the　two　contested　pictures；　the

woman　who　had　hitheto　ignored　him；　Troubert　kept　the　baroness　waiting

a　moment　before　he　consented　to　admit　her。　No　courtier　and　no

diplomatist　ever　put　into　a　discussion　of　their　personal　interests　or

into　the　management　of　some　great　national　negotiation　more

shrewdness；　dissimulation；　and　ability　than　the　baroness　and　the

priest　displayed　when　they　met　face　to　face　for　the　struggle。



Like　the　seconds　or　sponsors　who　in　the　Middle　Age　armed　the　champion；

and　strengthened　his　valor　by　useful　counsel　until　he　entered　the

lists；　so　the　sly　old　fox　had　said　to　the　baroness　at　the　last　moment：

〃Don't　forget　your　cue。　You　are　a　mediator；　and　not　an　interested

party。　Troubert　also　is　a　mediator。　Weigh　your　words；　study　the

inflection　of　the　man's　voice。　If　he　strokes　his　chin　you　have　got

him。〃



Some　sketchers　are　fond　of　caricaturing　the　contrast　often　observable

between　〃what　is　said〃　and　〃what　is　thought〃　by　the　speaker。　To　catch

the　full　meaning　of　the　duel　of　words　which　now　took　place　between　the

priest　and　the　lady；　it　is　necessary　to　unveil　the　thoughts　that　each

hid　from　the　other　under　spoken　sentences　of　apparent　insignificance。

Madame　de　Listomere　began　by　expressing　the　regret　she　had　felt　at

Birotteau's　lawsuit；　and　then　went　on　to　speak　of　her　desire　to　settle

the　matter　to　the　satisfaction　of　both　parties。



〃The　harm　is　done；　madame；〃　said　the　priest；　in　a　grave　voice。　〃The

pious　and　excellent　Mademoiselle　Gamard　is　dying。〃　（〃I　don't　care　a

fig　for　the　old　thing；〃　thought　he；　〃but　I　mean　to　put　her　death　on

your　shoulders　and　harass　your　conscience　if　you　are　such　a　fool　as　to

listen　to　it。〃）



〃On　hearing　of　her　illness；〃　replied　the　baroness；　〃I　entreated

Monsieur　Birotteau　to　relinquish　his　claims；　I　have　brought　the

document；　intending　to　give　it　to　that　excellent　woman。〃　（〃I　see　what

you　mean；　you　wily　scoundrel；〃　thought　she；　〃but　we　are　safe　now　from

your　calumnies。　If　you　take　this　document　you'll　cut　your　own　fingers

by　admitting　you　are　an　accomplice。〃）



There　was　silence　for　a　moment。



〃Mademoiselle　Gamard's　temporal　affairs　do　not　concern　me；〃　said　the

priest　at　last；　lowering　the　large　lids　over　his　eagle　eyes　to　veil

his　emotions。　（〃Ho！　ho！〃　thought　he；　〃you　can't　compromise　me。　Thank

God；　those　damned　lawyers　won't　dare　to　plead　any　cause　that　could

smirch　me。　What　do　these　Listomeres　expect　to　get　by　crouching　in　this

way？〃）



〃Monsieur；〃　replied　the　baroness；　〃Monsieur　Birotteau's　affairs　are　no

more　mine　than　those　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard　are　yours；　but；

unfortunately；　religion　is　injured　by　such　a　quarrel；　and　I　come　to

you　as　a　mediatorjust　as　I　myself　am　seeking　to　make　peace。〃　（〃We

are　not　decieving　each　other；　Monsieur　Troubert；〃　thought　she。　〃Don't

you　feel　the　sarcasm　of　that　answer？〃）



〃Injury　to　religion；　madame！〃　exclaimed　the　vicar…general。　〃Religion

is　too　lofty　for　the　actions　of　men　to　injure。〃　（〃My　religion　is　I；〃

thought　he。）　〃God　makes　no　mistake　in　His　judgments；　madame；　I

recognize　no　tribunal　but　His。〃



〃Then；　monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃let　us　endeavor　to　bring　the　judgments

of　men　into　harmony　with　the　judgments　of　God。〃　（〃Yes；　indeed；　your

religion　is　you。〃）



The　Abbe　Troubert　suddenly　changed　his　tone。



〃Your　nephew　has　been　to　Paris；　I　believe。〃　（〃You　found　out　about　me

there；〃　thought　he；　〃you　know　now　that　I　can　crush　you；　you　who　dared

to　slight　me；　and　you　have　come　to　capitulate。〃）



〃Yes；　monsieur；　thank　you　for　the　interest　you　take　in　him。　He　returns

to…night；　the　minister；　who　is　very　considerate　of　us；　sent　for　him；

he　does　not　want　Monsieur　de　Listomere　to　leave　the　service。〃

（〃Jesuit；　you　can't　crush　us；〃　thought　she。　〃I　understand　your

civility。〃）



A　moment's　silence。



〃I　did　not　think　my　nephew's　conduct　in　this　affair　quite　the　thing；〃

she　added；　〃but　naval　men　must　be　excused；　they　know　nothing　of　law。〃

（〃Come；　we　had　better　make　peace；〃　thought　she；　〃we　sha'n't　gain

anything　by　battling　in　this　way。〃）



A　slight　smile　wandered　over　the　priests　face　and　was　lost　in　its

wrinkles。



〃He　has　done　us　the　service　of　getting　a　proper　estimate　on　the　value

of　those　paintings；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　the　pictures。　〃They　will

be　a　noble　ornament　to　the　chapel　of　the　Virgin。〃　（〃You　shot　a　sarcasm

at　me；〃　thought　he；　〃and　there's　another　in　return；　we　are　quits；

madame。〃）



〃If　you　intend　to　give　them　to　Saint…Gatien；　allow　me　to　offer　frames

that　will　be　more　suitable　and　worthy　of　the　place；　and　of　the　works

themselves。〃　（〃I　wish　I　could　force　you　to　betray　that　you　have　taken

Birotteau's　things　for　your　own；〃　thought　she。）



〃They　do　not　belong　to　me；〃　said　the　priest；　on　his　guard。



〃Here　is　the　deed　of　relinquishment；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃it

ends　all　discussion；　and　makes　them　over　to　Mademoiselle　Gamard。〃　She

laid　the　document　on　the　table。　（〃See　the　confidence　I　place　in　you；〃

thought　she。）　〃It　is　worthy　of　you；　monsieur；〃　she　added；　〃worthy　of

your　noble　character；　to　reconcile　two　Christians；though　at　present

I　am　not　especially　concerned　for　Monsieur　Birotteau〃



〃He　is　living　in　your　house；〃　said　Troubert；　interrupting　her。



〃No；　monsieur；　he　is　no　longer　there。〃　（〃That　peerage　and　my　nephew's

promotion　force　me　to　do　base　things；〃　thought　she。）



The　priest　remained　impassible；　but　his　calm　exterior　was　an

indication　of　violent　emot