modeste mignon-第57部分

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of　a　rich　uncle。



〃My　dear　father；〃　said　Modeste；　returning　to　the　salon；　〃I　should　like

to　have　that　beautiful　whip；suppose　you　were　to　ask　Monsieur　de　La

Briere　to　exchange　it　for　your　picture　by　Van　Ostade。〃



Modeste　looked　furtively　at　Ernest；　while　the　colonel　made　him　this

proposition；　standing　before　the　picture　which　was　the　sole　thing　he

possessed　in　memory　of　his　campaigns；　having　bought　it　of　a　burgher　at

Rabiston；　and　she　said　to　herself　as　La　Briere　left　the　room

precipitately；　〃He　will　be　at　the　hunt。〃



A　curious　thing　happened。　Modeste's　three　lovers　each　and　all　went　to

Rosembray　with　their　hearts　full　of　hope；　and　captivated　by　her　many

perfections。



Rosembray；an　estate　lately　purchased　by　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　with

the　money　which　fell　to　him　as　his　share　of　the　thousand　millions

voted　as　indemnity　for　the　sale　of　the　lands　of　the　emigres；is

remarkable　for　its　chateau；　whose　magnificence　compares　only　with　that

of　Mesniere　or　of　Balleroy。　This　imposing　and　noble　edifice　is

approached　by　a　wide　avenue　of　four　rows　of　venerable　elms；　from　which

the　visitor　enters　an　immense　rising　court…yard；　like　that　at

Versailles；　with　magnificent　iron　railings　and　two　lodges；　and　adorned

with　rows　of　large　orange…trees　in　their　tubs。　Facing　this　court…yard；

the　chateau　presents；　between　two　fronts　of　the　main　building　which

retreat　on　either　side　of　this　projection；　a　double　row　of　nineteen

tall　windows；　with　carved　arches　and　diamond　panes；　divided　from　each

other　by　a　series　of　fluted　pilasters　surmounted　by　an　entablature

which　hides　an　Italian　roof；　from　which　rise　several　stone　chimneys

masked　by　carved　trophies　of　arms。　Rosembray　was　built；　under　Louis

XIV。；　by　a　〃fermier…general〃　named　Cottin。　The　facade　toward　the　park

differs　from　that　on　the　court…yard　by　having　a　narrower　projection　in

the　centre；　with　columns　between　five　windows；　above　which　rises　a

magnificent　pediment。　The　family　of　Marigny；　to　whom　the　estates　of

this　Cottin　were　brought　in　marriage　by　Mademoiselle　Cottin；　her

father's　sole　heiress；　ordered　a　sunrise　to　be　carved　on　this　pediment

by　Coysevox。　Beneath　it　are　two　angels　unwinding　a　scroll；　on　which　is

cut　this　motto　in　honor　of　the　Grand　Monarch；　〃Sol　nobis　benignus。〃



From　the　portico；　reached　by　two　grand　circular　and　balustraded

flights　of　steps；　the　view　extends　over　an　immense　fish…pond；　as　long

and　wide　as　the　grand　canal　at　Versailles；　beginning　at　the　foot　of　a

grass…plot　which　compares　well　with　the　finest　English　lawns；　and

bordered　with　beds　and　baskets　now　filled　with　the　brilliant　flowers

of　autumn。　On　either　side　of　the　piece　of　water　two　gardens；　laid　out

in　the　French　style；　display　their　squares　and　long　straight　paths；

like　brilliant　pages　written　in　the　ciphers　of　Lenotre。　These　gardens

are　backed　to　their　whole　length　by　a　border　of　nearly　thirty　acres　of

woodland。　From　the　terrace　the　view　is　bounded　by　a　forest　belonging

to　Rosembray　and　contiguous　to　two　other　forests；　one　of　which　belongs

to　the　Crown；　the　other　to　the　State。　It　would　be　difficult　to　find　a

nobler　landscape。







CHAPTER　XXVII



A　GIRL'S　REVENGE



Modeste's　arrival　at　Rosembray　made　a　certain　sensation　in　the　avenue

when　the　carriage　with　the　liveries　of　France　came　in　sight；

accompanied　by　the　grand　equerry；　the　colonel；　Canalis；　and　La　Briere

on　horseback；　preceded　by　an　outrider　in　full　dress；　and　followed　by

six　servants；among　whom　were　the　Negroes　and　the　mulatto；and　the

britzka　of　the　colonel　for　the　two　waiting…women　and　the　luggage。　The

carriage　was　drawn　by　four　horses；　ridden　by　postilions　dressed　with

an　elegance　specially　commanded　by　the　grand　equerry；　who　was　often

better　served　than　the　king　himself。　As　Modeste；　dazzled　by　the

magnificence　of　the　great　lords；　entered　and　beheld　this　lesser

Versailles；　she　suddenly　remembered　her　approaching　interview　with　the

celebrated　duchesses；　and　began　to　fear　that　she　might　seem　awkward；

or　provincial；　or　parvenue；　in　fact；　she　lost　her　self…possession；　and

heartily　repented　having　wished　for　a　hunt。



Fortunately；　however；　as　the　carriage　drew　up；　Modeste　saw　an　old　man；

in　a　blond　wig　frizzed　into　little　curls；　whose　calm；　plump；　smooth

face　wore　a　fatherly　smile　and　an　expression　of　monastic　cheerfulness

which　the　half…veiled　glance　of　the　eye　rendered　almost　noble。　This

was　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　master　of　Rosembray。　The　duchess；　a　woman　of

extreme　piety；　the　only　daughter　of　a　rich　and　deceased　chief…justice；

spare　and　erect；　and　the　mother　of　four　children；　resembled　Madame

Latournelle；if　the　imagination　can　go　so　far　as　to　adorn　the

notary's　wife　with　the　graces　of　a　bearing　that　was　truly　abbatial。



〃Ah；　good　morning；　dear　Hortense！〃　said　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville；

kissing　the　duchess　with　the　sympathy　that　united　their　haughty

natures；　〃let　me　present　to　you　and　to　the　dear　duke　our　little　angel；

Mademoiselle　de　La　Bastie。〃



〃We　have　heard　so　much　of　you；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　duchess；　〃that

we　were　in　haste　to　receive　you。〃



〃And　regret　the　time　lost；〃　added　the　Duc　de　Verneuil；　with　courteous

admiration。



〃Monsieur　le　Comte　de　La　Bastie；〃　said　the　grand　equerry；　taking　the

colonel　by　the　arm　and　presenting　him　to　the　duke　and　duchess；　with　an

air　of　respect　in　his　tone　and　gesture。



〃I　am　glad　to　welcome　you；　Monsieur　le　comte！〃　said　Monsieur　de

Verneuil。　〃You　possess　more　than　one　treasure；〃　he　added；　looking　at

Modeste。



The　duchess　took　Modeste　under　her　arm　and　led　her　into　an　immense

salon；　where　a　dozen　or　more　women　were　grouped　about　the　fireplace。

The　men　of　the　party　remained　with　the　duke　on　the　terrace；　except

Canalis；　who　respectfully　made　his　way　to　the　superb　Eleonore。　The

Duchesse　de　Chaulieu；　seated　at　an　embroidery…frame；　was　showing

Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　how　to　shade　a　flower。



If　Modeste　had　run　a　needle　through　her　finger　when　handling　a　pin…

cushion　she　could　not　have　felt　a　sharper　prick　than　she　received　from

the　cold　and　haughty　and　contemptuous　stare　with　which　Madame　de

Chaulieu　favored　her。　For　an　instant　she　saw　nothing　but　that　one

woman；　and　she　saw　through　her。　To　understand　the　depths　of　cruelty　to

which　these　charming　creatures；　whom　our　passions　deify；　can　go；　we

must　see　women　with　each　other。　Modeste　would　have　disarmed　almost　any

other　than　Eleonore　by　the　perfectly　stupid　and　involuntary　admiration

which　her　face　betrayed。　Had　she　not　known　the　duchess's　age　she　would

have　thought　her　a　woman　of　thirty…six；　but　other　and　greater

astonishments　awaited　her。



The　poet　had　run　plump　against　a　great　lady's　anger。　Such　anger　is　the

worst　of　sphinxes；　the　face　is　radiant；　all　the　rest　menacing。　Kings

themselves　cannot　make　the　exquisite　politeness　of　a　mistress's　cold

anger　capitulate　when　she　guards　it　with　steel　armor。　Canalis　tried　to

cling　to　the　steel；　but　his　fingers　slipped　on　the　polished　surface；

like　his　words　on　the　heart；　and　the　gracious　face；　the　gracious

words；　the　gracious　bearing　of　the　duchess　hid　the　steel　of　her　wrath；

now　fallen　to　twenty…five　below　zero；　from　all　observers。　The

appearance　of　Modeste　in　her　sublime　beauty；　and　dressed　as　well　as

Diane　de　Maufrigneuse　herself；　had　fired　the　train　of　gunpowder　which

reflection　had　been　laying　in　Eleonore's　mind。



All　the　women　had　gone　to　the　windows　to　see　the　new　wonder　get　out　of

the　royal　carriage；　attended　by　her　three　suitors。



〃Do　not　let　us　seem　so　curious；〃　Madame　de　Chaulieu　had　said；　cut　to

the　heart　by　Diane's　exclamation；〃She　is　divine！　where　in　the　world

does　she　come　from？〃and　with　that　the　bevy　flew　back　to　their　seats；

resuming　their　composure；　though　Eleonore's　heart　was　full　of　hungry

vipers　all　clamorous　for　a　meal。



Mademoiselle　d'Herouville　said　in　a　low　voice　and　with　much　meaning　to

the　Duchesse　de　Verneuil；　〃Eleonore　receives　her　Melchior　very

ungraciously。〃



〃The　Duchesse　de　Maufrigneuse　thinks　there　is　a　coolness　between

them；〃　said　Laure　de　Verneuil；　with　simplicity。



Charming　phrase！　so　often　used　in　the　world　of　society；how　the　north

wind　blows　through　it。



〃Why　so？〃　asked　Modeste　of　the　pretty　young　girl　who　had　lately　left

the　Sacre…Coeur。



〃The　great　poet；〃　said　the　pious　duchessmaking　a　sign　to　her

daughter　to　be　silent〃left　Madame　de　Chaulieu　without　a　letter　for

more　than　two　weeks　after　he　went　to　Havre；　having　told　her　that　he

went　there　for　his　health〃



Modeste　made　a　hasty　movement；　which　caught　the　attention　of　Laure；

Helene；　and　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville。



〃and　during　that　time；〃　continued　the　devout　duchess；　〃she　was

endeavoring　to　have　him　appointed　commander　of　the　Legion　of　honor；

and　minister　at　Baden。〃



〃Oh；　that　was　shameful　in　Canalis；　he　owes　everything　to　her；〃

exclaimed　Mademoiselle　d'Herouville。



〃Why　did　not　Madame　de　Chaulieu　come　to　Havre？〃　asked　Modeste　of

Helene；　innocently。



〃M