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！
She had a chapel friend； an ancient virgin like herself； named Mademoiselle Vaubois； who was a positive blockhead； and beside whom Mademoiselle Gillenormand had the pleasure of being an eagle。
Beyond the Agnus Dei and Ave Maria； Mademoiselle Vaubois had no knowledge of anything except of the different ways of making preserves。
Mademoiselle Vaubois； perfect in her style； was the ermine of stupidity without a single spot of intelligence。
Let us say it plainly； Mademoiselle Gillenormand had gained rather than lost as she grew older。
This is the case with passive natures。 She had never been malicious； which is relative kindness； and then； years wear away the angles； and the softening which es with time had e to her。
She was melancholy with an obscure sadness of which she did not herself know the secret。
There breathed from her whole person the stupor of a life that was finished； and which had never had a beginning。
She kept house for her father。
M。 Gillenormand had his daughter near him； as we have seen that Monseigneur Bienvenu had his sister with him。
These households prised of an old man and an old spinster are not rare； and always have the touching aspect of two weaknesses leaning on each other for support。
There was also in this house； between this elderly spinster and this old man； a child； a little boy； who was always trembling and mute in the presence of M。 Gillenormand。
M。 Gillenormand never addressed this child except in a severe voice； and sometimes； with uplifted cane：
〃Here； sir！ rascal； scoundrel； e here！ Answer me； you scamp！
Just let me see you； you good…for…nothing！〃 etc。； etc。
He idolized him。
This was his grandson。
We shall meet with this child again later on。
BOOK THIRD。THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
CHAPTER I
AN ANCIENT SALON
When M。 Gillenormand lived in the Rue Servandoni； he had frequented many very good and very aristocratic salons。
Although a bourgeois； M。 Gillenormand was received in society。
As he had a double measure of wit； in the first place； that which was born with him； and secondly； that which was attributed to him； he was even sought out and made much of。
He never went anywhere except on condition of being the chief person there。
There are people who will have influence at any price； and who will have other people busy themselves over them； when they cannot be oracles； they turn wags。 M。 Gillenormand was not of this nature； his domination in the Royalist salons which he frequented cost his self…respect nothing。 He was an oracle everywhere。
It had happened to him to hold his own against M。 de Bonald； and even against M。 Bengy…Puy…Vallee。
About 1817； he invariably passed two afternoons a week in a house in his own neighborhood； in the Rue Ferou； with Madame la Baronne de T。； a worthy and respectable person； whose husband had been Ambassador of France to Berlin under Louis XVI。
Baron de T。； who； during his lifetime； had gone very passionately into ecstasies and magnetic visions； had died bankrupt； during the emigration； leaving； as his entire fortune； some very curious Memoirs about Mesmer and his tub； in ten manuscript volumes； bound in red morocco and gilded on the edges。 Madame de T。 had not published the memoirs； out of pride； and maintained herself on a meagre ine which had survived no one knew how。
Madame de T。 lived far from the Court； 〃a very mixed society；〃 as she said； in a noble isolation； proud and poor。
A few friends assembled twice a week about her widowed hearth； and these constituted a purely Royalist salon。
They sipped tea there； and uttered groans or cries of horror at the century； the charter； the Bonapartists； the prostitution of the blue ribbon； or the Jacobinism of Louis XVIII。； according as the wind veered towards elegy or dithyrambs； and they spoke in low tones of the hopes which were presented by Monsieur； afterwards Charles X。
The songs of the fishwomen； in which Napoleon was called Nicolas； were received there with transports of joy。
Duchesses； the most delicate and charming women in the world； went into ecstasies over couplets like the following； addressed to 〃the federates〃： Refoncez dans vos culottes＇20＇
Le bout d' chemis' qui vous pend。
Qu'on n' dis' pas qu' les patriotes
Ont arbore l' drapeau blanc？
＇20＇ Tuck into your trousers the shirt…tail that is hanging out。 Let it not be said that patriots have hoisted the white flag。
There they amused themselves with puns which were considered terrible； with innocent plays upon words which they supposed to be venomous； with quatrains； with distiches even； thus； upon the Dessolles ministry； a moderate cabinet； of which MM。
Decazes and Deserre were members：Pour raffermir le trone ebranle sur sa base；＇21＇
Il faut changer de sol； et de serre et de case。
＇21＇ In order to re…establish the shaken throne firmly on its base； soil （Des solles）； greenhouse and house （Decazes） must be changed。
Or they drew up a list of the chamber of peers； 〃an abominably Jacobin chamber；〃 and from this list they bined alliances of names； in such a manner as to form； for example； phrases like the following： Damas。
Sabran。
Gouvion…Saint…Cyr。All this was done merrily。 In that society； they parodied the Revolution。
They used I know not what desires to give point to the same wrath in inverse sense。 They sang their little Ca ira： Ah！ ca ira ca ira ca ira！
Les Bonapartistes a la lanterne！
Songs are like the guillotine； they chop away indifferently； to…day this head； to…morrow that。
It is only a variation。
In the Fualdes affair； which belongs to this epoch； 1816； they took part for Bastide and Jausion； because Fualdes was 〃a Buonapartist。〃 They designated the liberals as friends and brothers； this constituted the most deadly insult。
Like certain church towers； Madame de T。's salon had two cocks。 One of them was M。 Gillenormand； the other was te de Lamothe…Valois； of whom it was whispered about； with a sort of respect：
〃Do you know？ That is the Lamothe of the affair of the necklace。〃
These singular amnesties do occur in parties。
Let us add the following：
in the bourgeoisie； honored situations decay through too easy relations； one must beware whom one admits； in the same way that there is a loss of caloric in the vicinity of those who are cold； there is a diminution of consideration in the approach of despised persons。
The ancient society of the upper classes held themselves above this law； as above every other。
Marigny； the brother of the Pompadour； had his entry with M。 le Prince de Soubise。 In spite of？
No； because。
Du Barry； the god…father of the Vaubernier； was very wele at the house of M。 le Marechal de Richelieu。 This society is Olympus。
Mercury and the Prince de Guemenee are at home there。
A thief is admitted there； provided he be a god。
The te de Lamothe； who； in 1815； was an old man seventy…five years of age； had nothing remarkable about him except his silent and sententious air； his cold and angular face； his perfectly polished manners； his coat b