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〃I say no more； mamma。 Besides； my father said that there would be a
room in the grotto； where it would be cool； and where we can take
coffee。〃
〃Your father has had an excellent idea；〃 said Madame de Watteville；
who forthwith went to look at the columns。
She gave her entire approbation to the Baron de Watteville's design；
while choosing for the erection of this monument a spot at the bottom
of the garden； which could not be seen from Monsieur de Soulas'
windows； but whence they could perfectly see into Albert Savaron's
rooms。 A builder was sent for； who undertook to construct a grotto； of
which the top should be reached by a path three feet wide through the
rock…work； where periwinkles would grow； iris； clematis； ivy；
honeysuckle； and Virginia creeper。 The Baroness desired that the
inside should be lined with rustic wood…work； such as was then the
fashion for flower…stands； with a looking…glass against the wall； an
ottoman forming a box； and a table of inlaid bark。 Monsieur de Soulas
proposed that the floor should be of asphalt。 Rosalie suggested a
hanging chandelier of rustic wood。
〃The Wattevilles are having something charming done in their garden；〃
was rumored in Besancon。
〃They are rich； and can afford a thousand crowns for a whim〃
〃A thousand crowns！〃 exclaimed Madame de Chavoncourt。
〃Yes； a thousand crowns；〃 cried young Monsieur de Soulas。 〃A man has
been sent for from Paris to rusticate the interior but it will be very
pretty。 Monsieur de Watteville himself is making the chandelier； and
has begun to carve the wood。〃
〃Berquet is to make a cellar under it；〃 said an Abbe。
〃No；〃 replied young Monsieur de Soulas； 〃he is raising the kiosk on a
concrete foundation； that it may not be damp。〃
〃You know the very least things that are done in that house；〃 said
Madame de Chavoncourt sourly； as she looked at one of her great girls
waiting to be married for a year past。
Mademoiselle de Watteville； with a little flush of pride in thinking
of the success of her Belvedere； discerned in herself a vast
superiority over every one about her。 No one guessed that a little
girl； supposed to be a witless goose； had simply made up her mind to
get a closer view of the lawyer Savaron's private study。
Albert Savaron's brilliant defence of the Cathedral Chapter was all
the sooner forgotten because the envy of the other lawyers was
aroused。 Also； Savaron； faithful to his seclusion； went nowhere。
Having no friends to cry him up； and seeing no one； he increased the
chances of being forgotten which are common to strangers in Besancon。
Nevertheless； he pleaded three times at the Commercial Tribunal in
three knotty cases which had to be carried to the superior Court。 He
thus gained as clients four of the chief merchants of the place； who
discerned in him so much good sense and sound legal purview that they
placed their claims in his hands。
On the day when the Watteville family inaugurated the Belvedere；
Savaron also was founding a monument。 Thanks to the connections he had
obscurely formed among the upper class of merchants in Besancon； he
was starting a fortnightly paper； called the /Eastern Review/； with
the help of forty shares of five hundred francs each； taken up by his
first ten clients； on whom he had impressed the necessity for
promoting the interests of Besancon； the town where the traffic should
meet between Mulhouse and Lyons； and the chief centre between Mulhouse
and Rhone。
To compete with Strasbourg； was it not needful that Besancon should
become a focus of enlightenment as well as of trade？ The leading
questions relating to the interests of Eastern France could only be
dealt with in a review。 What a glorious task to rob Strasbourg and
Dijon of their literary importance； to bring light to the East of
France； and compete with the centralizing influence of Paris！ These
reflections； put forward by Albert； were repeated by the ten
merchants； who believed them to be their own。
Monsieur Savaron did not commit the blunder of putting his name in
front； he left the finance of the concern to his chief client；
Monsieur Boucher； connected by marriage with one of the great
publishers of important ecclesiastical works； but he kept the
editorship； with a share of the profits as founder。 The commercial
interest appealed to Dole； to Dijon； to Salins； to Neufchatel； to the
Jura； Bourg； Nantua； Lous…le…Saulnier。 The concurrence was invited of
the learning and energy of every scientific student in the districts
of le Bugey； la Bresse； and Franche Comte。 By the influence of
commercial interests and common feeling； five hundred subscribers were
booked in consideration of the low price； the /Review/ cost eight
francs a quarter。
To avoid hurting the conceit of the provincials by refusing their
articles； the lawyer hit on the good idea of suggesting a desire for
the literary management of this /Review/ to Monsieur Boucher's eldest
son； a young man of two…and…twenty； very eager for fame； to whom the
snares and woes of literary responsibilities were utterly unknown。
Albert quietly kept the upper hand and made Alfred Boucher his devoted
adherent。 Alfred was the only man in Besancon with whom the king of
the bar was on familiar terms。 Alfred came in the morning to discuss
the articles for the next number with Albert in the garden。 It is
needless to say that the trial number contained a 〃Meditation〃 by
Alfred； which Savaron approved。 In his conversations with Alfred；
Albert would let drop some great ideas； subjects for articles of which
Alfred availed himself。 And thus the merchant's son fancied he was
making capital out of the great man。 To Alfred； Albert was a man of
genius； of profound politics。 The commercial world； enchanted at the
success of the /Review/； had to pay up only three…tenths of their
shares。 Two hundred more subscribers； and the periodical would pay a
dividend to the share…holders of five per cent； the editor remaining
unpaid。 This editing； indeed； was beyond price。
After the third number the /Review/ was recognized for exchange by all
the papers published in France； which Albert henceforth read at home。
This third number included a tale signed 〃A。 S。；〃 and attributed to
the famous lawyer。 In spite of the small attention paid by the higher
circle of Besancon to the /Review/ which was accused of Liberal views；
this； the first novel produced in the county； came under discussion
that mid…winter at Madame de Chavoncourt's。
〃Papa；〃 said Rosalie； 〃a /Review/ is published in Besancon； you ought
to take it in； and keep it in your room； for mamma would not let me
read it； but you will lend it to me。〃
Monsieur de Watteville； eager to obey his dear Rosalie； who for the
last five months had given him so many proofs of filial affection；
Monsieur de Watteville went in person to subscribe for a year to the
/Eastern Review/； and lent the four numbers already out to his
daughter。 In the course of the night Rosalie devoured the talethe
first she had ever read in her lifebut she had only known life for
two months past。 Hence the effect produced on her by this work must
not be judged by ordinary rules。 Without prejudice of any kin