\"Iwould，\"hesaid，\"thatthatmomenthadgivenmetherighttokeepyouasmineforever\"[shelistenedwithadelightedair]；\"asyoulayfaintinguponthatbed，youwereenchanting。Ihaveneverinmylifeseenamorebeautifulperson，——andIhaveseenmanyhandsomewomen。
Plumpladieshavethisadvantage:theyaresuperbtolookupon；theyhaveonlytoshowthemselvesandtheytriumph。\"
\"Ifearyouaremakingfunofme，\"saidtheoldmaid，\"andthatisnotkindwhenallthetownwillprobablymisinterpretwhathappenedtomeyesterday。\"
\"AstrueasmynameisduBousquier，mademoiselle，Ihaveneverchangedinmyfeelingstowardyou；andyourfirstrefusalhasnotdiscouragedme。\"
Theoldmaid\'seyeswerelowered。TherewasamomentofcruelsilenceforduBousquier，andthenMademoiselleCormondecidedonhercourse。
Sheraisedhereyelids；tearsflowedfromhereyes，andshegaveduBousquieratenderglance。
\"Ifthatisso，monsieur，\"shesaid，inatremblingvoice，\"promisemetoliveinaChristianmanner，andnotopposemyreligiouscustoms，buttoleavemetherighttoselectmyconfessors，andIwillgrantyoumyhand\"；asshesaidthewords，shehelditouttohim。
DuBousquierseizedthegoodfathandsofullofmoney，andkisseditsolemnly。
\"But，\"shesaid，allowinghimtokissit，\"onethingmoreImustrequireofyou。\"
\"Ifitisapossiblething，itisgranted，\"repliedthepurveyor。
\"Alas!\"returnedtheoldmaid。\"Formysake，ImustaskyoutotakeuponyourselfasinwhichIfeeltobeenormous，——fortolieisoneofthecapitalsins。Butyouwillconfessit，willyounot？Wewilldopenanceforittogether\"[theylookedateachothertenderly]。
\"Besides，itmaybeoneofthoselieswhichtheChurchpermitsasnecessary——\"
\"CanshebeasSuzannesayssheis？\"thoughtduBousquier。\"Whatluck!
Well，mademoiselle，whatisit？\"hesaidaloud。
\"Thatyouwilltakeuponyourselfto——\"
\"What？\"
\"Tosaythatthismarriagehasbeenagreeduponbetweenusforthelastsixmonths。\"
\"Charmingwoman，\"saidthepurveyor，inthetoneofamanwillingtodevotehimself，\"suchsacrificescanbemadeonlyforacreatureadoredthesetenyears。\"
\"Inspiteofmyharshness？\"shesaid。
\"Yes，inspiteofyourharshness。\"
\"MonsieurduBousquier，Ihavemisjudgedyou。\"
Againsheheldoutthefatredhand，whichduBousquierkissedagain。
Atthismomentthedooropened；thebetrothedpair，lookingroundtoseewhoentered，beheldthedelightful，buttardyChevalierdeValois。
\"Ah!\"hesaid，onentering，\"Iseeyouareabouttobeup，fairqueen。\"
Shesmiledatthechevalier，feelingaweightuponherheart。MonsieurdeValois，remarkablyyoungandseductive，hadtheairofaLauzunre-
enteringtheapartmentsoftheGrandeMademoiselleinthePalais-
Royal。
\"Hey!dearduBousquier，\"saidhe，inajauntytone，sosurewasheofsuccess，\"MonsieurdeTroisvilleandtheAbbedeSpondeareexaminingyourhouselikeappraisers。\"
\"Faith!\"saidduBousquier，\"iftheVicomtedeTroisvillewantsit，ititishisforfortythousandfrancs。Itisuselesstomenow。Ifmademoisellewillpermit——itmustsoonbeknown——Mademoiselle，mayI
tellit？——Yes!Well，then，bethefirst，MYDEARCHEVALIER，tohear\"
[MademoiselleCormondroppedhereyes]\"ofthehonorthatmademoisellehasdoneme，thesecretofwhichIhavekeptforsomemonths。Weshallbemarriedinafewdays；thecontractisalreadydrawn，andweshallsignitto-morrow。Yousee，therefore，thatmyhouseintherueduCygneisuselesstome。Ihavebeenprivatelylookingforapurchaserforsometime；andtheAbbedeSponde，whoknewthatfact，hasnaturallytakenMonsieurdeTroisvilletoseethehouse。\"
Thisfalsehoodboresuchanappearanceoftruththatthechevalierwastakeninbyit。That\"mydearchevalier\"wasliketherevengetakenbyPetertheGreatonCharlesXII。atPultawaforallhispastdefeats。
DuBousquierrevengedhimselfdeliciouslyforthethousandlittleshaftshehadlongborneinsilence；butinhistriumphhemadealivelyyouthfulgesturebyrunninghishandsthroughhishair，andinsodoinghe——knockedasidehisfalsefront。
\"Icongratulateyouboth，\"saidthechevalier，withanagreeableair；
\"andIwishthatthemarriagemayendlikeafairytale:THEYWERE
HAPPYEVERAFTER，ANDHAD——MANY——CHILDREN!\"Sosaying，hetookapinchofsnuff。\"But，monsieur，\"headdedsatirically，\"youforget——thatyouarewearingafalsefront。\"
DuBousquierblushed。Thefalsefrontwashanginghalfadozeninchesfromhisskull。MademoiselleCormonraisedhereyes，sawthatskullinallitsnudity，andloweredthem，abashed。DuBousquiercastuponthechevalierthemostvenomouslookthattoadeverdartedonitsprey。
\"Dogsofaristocratswhodespiseme，\"thoughthe，\"I\'llcrushyousomeday。\"
Thechevalierthoughthehadrecoveredhisadvantage。ButMademoiselleCormonwasnotawomantounderstandtheconnectionwhichthechevalierintimatedbetweenhiscongratulatorywishandthefalsefront。Besides，evenifshehadcomprehendedit，herwordwaspassed，herhandgiven。MonsieurdeValoissawatoncethatallwaslost。Theinnocentwoman，withthetwonowsilentmenbeforeher，wished，truetohersenseofduty，toamusethem。
\"Whynotplayagameofpiquettogether？\"shesaidartlessly，withouttheslightestmalice。
DuBousquiersmiled，andwent，asthefuturemasterofthehouse，tofetchthepiquettable。WhethertheChevalierdeValoislosthishead，orwhetherhewantedtostayandstudythecausesofhisdisasterandremedyit，certainitisthatheallowedhimselftobeledlikealambtotheslaughter。Hehadreceivedthemostviolentknock-downblowthateverstruckaman；anynoblemanwouldhavelosthissensesforless。
TheAbbedeSpondeandtheVicomtedeTroisvillesoonreturned。
MademoiselleCormoninstantlyrose，hurriedintotheantechamber，andtookheruncleaparttotellhimherresolution。LearningthatthehouseintherueduCygneexactlysuitedtheviscount，shebeggedherfuturehusbandtodoherthekindnesstotellhimthatheruncleknewitwasforsale。Shedarednotconfidethatlietotheabbe，fearinghisabsent-mindedness。Thelie，however，prosperedbetterthanifithadbeenavirtuousaction。InthecourseofthateveningallAlenconheardthenews。Forthelastfourdaysthetownhadhadasmuchtothinkofasduringthefataldaysof1814and1815。Somelaughed；
othersadmittedthemarriage。Theseblamedit；thoseapprovedit。ThemiddleclassesofAlenconrejoiced；theyregardeditasavictory。Thenextday，amongfriends，theChevalierdeValoissaidacruelthing:——
\"TheCormonsendastheybegan；there\'sonlyahand\'sbreadthbetweenastewardandapurveyor。\"
CHAPTERVII
OTHERRESULTS
ThenewsofMademoiselleCormon\'schoicestabbedpoorAthanaseGransontotheheart；butheshowednooutwardsignoftheterribleagitationwithinhim。Whenhefirstheardofthemarriagehewasatthehouseofthechief-justice，duRonceret，wherehismotherwasplayingboston。
MadameGransonlookedathersoninamirror，andthoughthimpale；
buthehadbeensoallday，foravaguerumorofthematterhadalreadyreachedhim。
MademoiselleCormonwasthecardonwhichAthanasehadstakedhislife；andthecoldpresentimentofacatastrophewasalreadyuponhim。
Whenthesoulandtheimaginationhavemagnifiedamisfortuneandmadeittooheavyfortheshouldersandthebraintobear；whenahopelongcherished，therealizationofwhichwouldpacifythevulturefeedingontheheart，isbalked，andthemanhasfaithneitherinhimself，despitehispowers，norinthefuture，despiteoftheDivinepower，——
thenthatmanislost。AthanasewasafruitoftheImperialsystemofeducation。Fatality，theEmperor\'sreligion，hadfiltereddownfromthethronetothelowestranksofthearmyandthebenchesofthelyceums。Athanasesatstill，withhiseyesfixedonMadameduRonceret\'scards，inastuporthatmightsowellpassforindifferencethatMadameGransonherselfwasdeceivedabouthisfeelings。Thisapparentunconcernexplainedherson\'srefusaltomakeasacrificeforthismarriageofhisLIBERALopinions，——theterm\"liberal\"havinglatelybeencreatedfortheEmperorAlexanderby，Ithink，MadamedeStael，throughthelipsofBenjaminConstant。
AfterthatfataleveningtheyoungmantooktoramblingamongthepicturesqueregionsoftheSarthe，thebanksofwhicharemuchfrequentedbysketcherswhocometoAlenconforpointsofview。
Windmillsarethere，andtheriverisgayinthemeadows。TheshoresoftheSartheareborderedwithbeautifultrees，wellgrouped。Thoughthelandscapeisflat，itisnotwithoutthosemodestgraceswhichdistinguishFrance，wheretheeyeisneverweariedbythebrilliancyofOrientalskies，norsaddenedbyconstantfog。Theplaceissolitary。Intheprovincesnoonepaysmuchattentiontoafineview，eitherbecauseprovincialsareblasesonthebeautyaroundthem，orbecausetheyhavenopoesyintheirsouls。Ifthereexistsintheprovincesamall，apromenade，avantage-groundfromwhichafineviewcanbeobtained，thatisthepointtowhichnoonegoes。Athanasewasfondofthissolitude，enlivenedbythesparklingwater，wherethefieldswerethefirsttogreenundertheearliestsmilingofthespringtidesun。Thosepersonswhosawhimsittingbeneathapoplar，andwhonoticedthevacanteyewhichheturnedtothem，wouldsaytoMadameGranson:——
\"Somethingisthematterwithyourson。\"
\"Iknowwhatitis，\"themotherwouldreply；hintingthathewasmeditatingoversomegreatwork。
Athanasenolongertookpartinpolitics:heceasedtohaveopinions；
butheappearedattimesquitegay，——gaywiththesatireofthosewhothinktoinsultawholeworldwiththeirownindividualscorn。Thisyoungman，outsideofalltheideasandallthepleasuresoftheprovinces，interestedfewpersons；hewasnotevenanobjectofcuriosity。Ifpersonsspokeofhimtohismother，itwasforhersake，nothis。TherewasnotasinglesoulinAlenconthatsympathizedwithhis；notawoman，notafriendcameneartodryhistears；theydroppedintotheSarthe。IfthegorgeousSuzannehadhappenedthatway，howmanyyoungmiseriesmighthavebeenbornofthemeeting!forthetwowouldsurelyhavelovedeachother。
Shedidcome，however。Suzanne\'sambitionwasearlyexcitedbythetaleofastrangeadventurewhichhadhappenedatthetavernoftheMore，——atalewhichhadtakenpossessionofherchildishbrain。A
Parisianwoman，beautifulastheangels，wassentbyFouchetoentangletheMarquisdeMontauran，otherwisecalled\"TheGars，\"inalove-affair(see\"TheChouans\")。ShemethimatthetavernoftheMoreonhisreturnfromanexpeditiontoMortagne；shecajoledhim，madehimloveher，andthenbetrayedhim。Thatfantasticpower——thepowerofbeautyovermankind；infact，thewholestoryofMariedeVerneuilandtheGars——dazzledSuzanne；shelongedtogrowupinordertoplayuponmen。SomemonthsafterherhastydepartureshepassedthroughhernativetownwithanartistonhiswaytoBrittany。ShewantedtoseeFougeres，wheretheadventureoftheMarquisdeMontauranculminated，andtostanduponthesceneofthatpicturesquewar，thetragediesofwhich，stillsolittleknown，hadfilledherchildishmind。Besidesthis，shehadafancytopassthroughAlenconsoelegantlyequippedthatnoonecouldrecognizeher；toputhermotherabovethereachofnecessity，andalsotosendtopoorAthanase，inadelicatemanner，asumofmoney，——whichinourageistogeniuswhatinthemiddleageswasthechargerandthecoatofmailthatRebeccaconveyedtoIvanhoe。
OnemonthpassedawayinthestrangestuncertaintiesrespectingthemarriageofMademoiselleCormon。Apartyofunbelieversdeniedthemarriagealtogether；thebelievers，ontheotherhand，affirmedit。Attheendoftwoweeks，thefactionofunbeliefreceivedavigorousblowinthesaleofduBousquier\'shousetotheMarquisdeTroisville，whoonlywantedasimpleestablishmentinAlencon，intendingtogotoParisafterthedeathofthePrincessScherbellof；heproposedtoawaitthatinheritanceinretirement，andthentoreconstitutehisestates。Thisseemedpositive。Theunbelievers，however，werenotcrushed。TheydeclaredthatduBousquier，marriedornot，hadmadeanexcellentsale，forthehousehadonlycosthimtwenty-seventhousandfrancs。Thebelieversweredepressedbythispracticalobservationoftheincredulous。Choisnel，MademoiselleCormon\'snotary，assertedthelatter，hadheardnothingaboutthemarriagecontract；butthebelievers，stillfirmintheirfaith，carriedoff，onthetwentiethday，asignalvictory:MonsieurLepressoir，thenotaryoftheliberals，wenttoMademoiselleCormon\'shouse，andthecontractwassigned。
ThiswasthefirstofthenumeroussacrificeswhichMademoiselleCormonwasdestinedtomaketoherhusband。DuBousquierborethedeepesthatredtoChoisnel；tohimheowedtherefusalofthehandofMademoiselleArmande，——arefusalwhich，ashebelieved，hadinfluencedthatofMademoiselleCormon。Thiscircumstancealonemadethemarriagedragalong。Mademoisellereceivedseveralanonymousletters。Shelearned，tohergreatastonishment，thatSuzannewasastrulyavirginasherselfsofarasduBousquierwasconcerned，forthatseducerwiththefalsetoupetcouldneverbetheheroofanysuchadventure。
MademoiselleCormondisdainedanonymousletters；butshewrotetoSuzanneherself，onthegroundofenlighteningtheMaternitySociety。
Suzanne，whohadnodoubtheardofduBousquier\'sproposedmarriage，acknowledgedhertrick，sentathousandfrancstothesociety，anddidalltheharmshecouldtotheoldpurveyor。MademoiselleCormonconvokedtheMaternitySociety，whichheldaspecialmeetingatwhichitwasvotedthattheassociationwouldnotinfutureassistanymisfortunesabouttohappen，butsolelythosethathadhappened。
Inspiteofallthesevariouseventswhichkeptthetowninthechoicestgossip，thebannswerepublishedinthechurchesandatthemayor\'soffice。Athanasepreparedthedeeds。Asamatterofproprietyandpublicdecency，thebrideretiredtoPrebaudet，whereduBousquier，bearingsumptuousandhorriblebouquets，betookhimselfeverymorning，returninghomefordinner。
Atlast，onadullandrainymorninginJune，themarriageofMademoiselleCormonandtheSieurduBousquiertookplaceatnoonintheparishchurchofAlencon，insightofthewholetown。Thebridalpairwentfromtheirownhousetothemayor\'soffice，andfromthemayor\'sofficetothechurchinanopencaleche，amagnificentvehicleforAlencon，whichduBousquierhadsentforsecretlytoParis。Thelossoftheoldcarriolewasaspeciesofcalamityintheeyesofthecommunity。Theharness-makerofthePortedeSeezbemoanedit，forhelostthefiftyfrancsayearwhichitcostinrepairs。Alenconsawwithalarmthepossibilityofluxurybeingthusintroducedintothetown。Everyonefearedariseinthepriceofrentsandprovisions，andacominginvasionofParisianfurniture。SomepersonsweresufficientlyprickedbycuriositytogivetensoustoJacquelintoallowthemacloseinspectionofthevehiclewhichthreatenedtoupsetthewholeeconomyoftheregion。Apairofhorses，boughtinNormandie，werealsomostalarming。
\"Ifweboughtourownhorses，\"saidtheRonceretcircle，\"wecouldn\'tsellthemtothosewhocometobuy。\"
Stupidasitwas，thisreasoningseemedsound；forsurelysuchacoursewouldpreventtheregionfromgraspingthemoneyofforeigners。
Intheeyesoftheprovinceswealthconsistedlessintherapidturningoverofmoneythaninsterileaccumulation。ItmaybementionedherethatPenelopesuccumbedtoapleurisywhichsheacquiredaboutsixweeksbeforethemarriage；nothingcouldsaveher。
MadameGranson，Mariette，MadameduCoudrai，MadameduRonceret，andthroughthemthewholetown，remarkedthatMadameduBousquierenteredthechurchWITHHERLEFTFOOT，——anomenallthemoredreadfulbecausethetermLeftwasbeginningtoacquireapoliticalmeaning。ThepriestwhosedutyitwastoreadtheopeningformulaopenedhisbookbychanceattheDeProfundis。Thusthemarriagewasaccompaniedbycircumstancessofateful，soalarming，soannihilatingthatnoonedaredtoaugurwellofit。Matters，infact，wentfrombadtoworse。
Therewasnoweddingparty；themarriedpairdepartedimmediatelyforPrebaudet。Parisiancustoms，saidthecommunity，wereabouttotriumphovertime-honoredprovincialways。
ThemarriageofJacquelinandJosettenowtookplace:itwasgay；andtheyweretheonlytwopersonsinAlenconwhorefutedthesinisterpropheciesrelatingtothemarriageoftheirmistress。
DuBousquierdeterminedtousetheproceedsofthesaleofhislateresidenceinrestoringandmodernizingthehotelCormon。HedecidedtoremainthroughtwoseasonsatPrebaudet，andtooktheAbbedeSpondewiththem。Thisnewsspreadterrorthroughthetown，whereeveryindividualfeltthatduBousquierwasabouttodragthecommunityintothefatalpathof\"comfort。\"ThisfearincreasedwhentheinhabitantsofAlenconsawthebridegroomdrivinginfromPrebaudetonemorningtoinspecthisworks，inafinetilburydrawnbyanewhorse，havingReneathissideinlivery。Thefirstactofhisadministrationhadbeentoplacehiswife\'ssavingsontheGrand-Livre，whichwasthenquotedat67fr。50cent。Inthespaceofoneyear，duringwhichheplayedconstantlyforarise，hemadehimselfapersonalfortunealmostasconsiderableasthatofhiswife。
Butalltheseforebodingprophecies，theseperturbinginnovations，weresupersededandsurpassedbyaneventconnectedwiththismarriagewhichgaveastillmorefatalaspecttoit。
Ontheveryeveningoftheceremony，Athanaseandhismotherweresitting，aftertheirdinner，overalittlefireoffagots，whichtheservantlightedusuallyatdessert。
\"Well，wewillgothiseveningtotheduRoncerets\'，inasmuchaswehavelostMademoiselleCormon，\"saidMadameGranson。\"Heavens!howshallIeveraccustommyselftocallherMadameduBousquier!thatnameburnsmylips。\"
Athanaselookedathismotherwithaconstrainedandmelancholyair；
hecouldnotsmile；butheseemedtowishtowelcomethatnaivesentimentwhichsoothedhiswound，thoughitcouldnotcurehisanguish。
\"Mamma，\"hesaid，inthevoiceofhischildhood，sotenderwasit，andusingthenamehehadabandonedforseveralyears，——\"mydearmamma，donotletusgooutjustyet；itissopleasantherebeforethefire。\"
Themotherheard，withoutcomprehending，thatsupremeprayerofamortalsorrow。
\"Yes，letusstay，mychild，\"shesaid。\"Ilikemuchbettertotalkwithyouandlistentoyourprojectsthantoplayatbostonandlosemymoney。\"
\"Youaresohandsometo-nightIlovetolookatyou。Besides，Iaminacurrentofideaswhichharmonizewiththispoorlittlesalonwherewehavesufferedsomuch。\"
\"Andwhereweshallstillsuffer，mypoorAthanase，untilyourworkssucceed。Formyself，Iamtrainedtopoverty；butyou，mytreasure!toseeyouryouthgobywithoutajoy!nothingbuttoilformypoorboyinlife!Thatthoughtislikeanillnesstoamother；ittorturesmeatnight；itwakesmeinthemorning。OGod!whathaveIdone？forwhatcrimedostthoupunishmethus？\"
Shelefthersofa，tookalittlechair，andsatclosetoAthanase，soastolayherheadonthebosomofherchild。Thereisalwaysthegraceofloveintruemotherhood。Athanasekissedherontheeyes，onhergrayhair，onherforehead，withthesacreddesireoflayinghissoulwhereverheappliedhislips。
\"Ishallneversucceed，\"hesaid，tryingtodeceivehismotherastothefatalresolutionhewasrevolvinginhismind。
\"Pooh!don\'tgetdiscouraged。Asyouoftensay，thoughtcandoallthings。Withtenbottlesofink，tenreamsofpaper，andhispowerfulwill，LutherupsetallEurope。Well，you\'llmakeyourselffamous；youwilldogoodthingsbythesamemeanswhichheusedtodoevilthings。