第 4 节
作者:莫再讲      更新:2024-08-29 08:48      字数:9322
  her mother well enough to be sure that if she had thought young
  Monsieur de Soulas /nice/; she would have drawn down on herself a
  smart reproof。 Thus; to all her mother's incitement she replied merely
  by such phrases as are wrongly called Jesuiticalwrongly; because the
  Jesuits were strong; and such reservations are the /chevaux de frise/
  behind which weakness takes refuge。 Then the mother regarded the girl
  as a dissembler。 If by mischance a spark of the true nature of the
  Wattevilles and the Rupts blazed out; the mother armed herself with
  the respect due from children to their parents to reduce Rosalie to
  passive obedience。
  This covert battle was carried on in the most secret seclusion of
  domestic life; with closed doors。 The Vicar…General; the dear Abbe
  Grancey; the friend of the late Archbishop; clever as he was in his
  capacity of the chief Father Confessor of the diocese; could not
  discover whether the struggle had stirred up some hatred between the
  mother and daughter; whether the mother were jealous in anticipation;
  or whether the court Amedee was paying to the girl through her mother
  had not overstepped its due limits。 Being a friend of the family;
  neither mother nor daughter; confessed to him。 Rosalie; a little too
  much harried; morally; about young de Soulas; could not abide him; to
  use a homely phrase; and when he spoke to her; trying to take her
  heart by surprise; she received him but coldly。 This aversion;
  discerned only by her mother's eyes; was a constant subject of
  admonition。
  〃Rosalie; I cannot imagine why you affect such coldness towards
  Amedee。 Is it because he is a friend of the family; and because we
  like himyour father and I?〃
  〃Well; mamma;〃 replied the poor child one day; 〃if I made him welcome;
  should I not be still more in the wrong?〃
  〃What do you mean by that?〃 cried Madame de Watteville。 〃What is the
  meaning of such words? Your mother is unjust; no doubt; and according
  to you; would be so in any case! Never let such an answer pass your
  lips again to your mother〃 and so forth。
  This quarrel lasted three hours and three…quarters。 Rosalie noted the
  time。 Her mother; pale with fury; sent her to her room; where Rosalie
  pondered on the meaning of this scene without discovering it; so
  guileless was she。 Thus young Monsieur de Soulas; who was supposed by
  every one to be very near the end he was aiming at; all neckcloths
  set; and by dint of pots of patent blackingan end which required so
  much waxing of his moustaches; so many smart waistcoats; wore out so
  many horseshoes and staysfor he wore a leather vest; the stays of
  the /lion/Amedee; I say; was further away than any chance comer;
  although he had on his side the worthy and noble Abbe de Grancey。
  〃Madame;〃 said Monsieur de Soulas; addressing the Baroness; while
  waiting till his soup was cool enough to swallow; and affecting to
  give a romantic turn to his narrative; 〃one fine morning the mail…
  coach dropped at the Hotel National a gentleman from Paris; who; after
  seeking apartments; made up his mind in favor of the first floor in
  Mademoiselle Galard's house; Rue du Perron。 Then the stranger went
  straight to the Mairie; and had himself registered as a resident with
  all political qualifications。 Finally; he had his name entered on the
  list of the barristers to the Court; showing his title in due form;
  and he left his card on all his new colleagues; the Ministerial
  officials; the Councillors of the Court; and the members of the bench;
  with the name; 'ALBERT SAVARON。' 〃
  〃The name of Savaron is famous;〃 said Mademoiselle de Watteville; who
  was strong in heraldic information。 〃The Savarons of Savarus are one
  of the oldest; noblest; and richest families in Belgium。〃
  〃He is a Frenchman; and no man's son;〃 replied Amedee de Soulas。 〃If
  he wishes to bear the arms of the Savarons of Savarus; he must add a
  bar…sinister。 There is no one left of the Brabant family but a
  Mademoiselle de Savarus; a rich heiress; and unmarried。〃
  〃The bar…sinister is; of course; the badge of a bastard; but the
  bastard of a Comte de Savarus is noble;〃 answered Rosalie。
  〃Enough; that will do; mademoiselle!〃 said the Baroness。
  〃You insisted on her learning heraldry;〃 said Monsieur de Watteville;
  〃and she knows it very well。〃
  〃Go on; I beg; Monsieur de Soulas。〃
  〃You may suppose that in a town where everything is classified; known;
  pigeon…holed; ticketed; and numbered; as in Besancon; Albert Savaron
  was received without hesitation by the lawyers of the town。 They were
  satisfied to say; 'Here is a man who does not know his Besancon。 Who
  the devil can have sent him here? What can he hope to do? Sending his
  card to the Judges instead of calling in person! What a blunder!' And
  so; three days after; Savaron had ceased to exist。 He took as his
  servant old Monsieur Galard's manGalard being deadJerome; who can
  cook a little。 Albert Savaron was all the more completely forgotten;
  because no one had seen him or met him anywhere。〃
  〃Then; does he not go to mass?〃 asked Madame de Chavoncourt。
  〃He goes on Sundays to Saint…Pierre; but to the early service at eight
  in the morning。 He rises every night between one and two in the
  morning; works till eight; has his breakfast; and then goes on
  working。 He walks in his garden; going round fifty; or perhaps sixty
  times; then he goes in; dines; and goes to bed between six and seven。〃
  〃How did you learn all that?〃 Madame de Chavoncourt asked Monsieur de
  Soulas。
  〃In the first place; madame; I live in the Rue Neuve; at the corner of
  the Rue du Perron; I look out on the house where this mysterious
  personage lodges; then; of course; there are communications between my
  tiger and Jerome。〃
  〃And you gossip with Babylas?〃
  〃What would you have me do out riding?〃
  〃Welland how was it that you engaged a stranger for your defence?〃
  asked the Baroness; thus placing the conversation in the hands of the
  Vicar…General。
  〃The President of the Court played this pleader a trick by appointing
  him to defend at the Assizes a half…witted peasant accused of forgery。
  But Monsieur Savaron procured the poor man's acquittal by proving his
  innocence and showing that he had been a tool in the hands of the real
  culprits。 Not only did his line of defence succeed; but it led to the
  arrest of two of the witnesses; who were proved guilty and condemned。
  His speech struck the Court and the jury。 One of these; a merchant;
  placed a difficult case next day in the hands of Monsieur Savaron; and
  he won it。 In the position in which we found ourselves; Monsieur
  Berryer finding it impossible to come to Besancon; Monsieur de
  Garcenault advised him to employ this Monsieur Albert Savaron;
  foretelling our success。 As soon as I saw him and heard him; I felt
  faith in him; and I was not wrong。〃
  〃Is he then so extraordinary?〃 asked Madame de Chavoncourt。
  〃Certainly; madame;〃 replied the Vicar…General。
  〃Well; tell us about it;〃 said Madame de Watteville。
  〃The first time I saw him;〃 said the Abbe de Grancey; 〃he received me
  in his outer room next the ante…roomold Galard's drawing…roomwhich
  he has had painted like old oak; and which I found entirely lined with
  law…books; arranged on shelves also painted as old oak。 The painting
  and the books are the sole decoration of the room; for the furniture
  consists of an old writing table of carved wood; six old armchairs
  covered with tapestry; window curtains of gray stuff bordered with
  green; and a green carpet over the floor。 The ante…room stove heats
  this library as well。 As I waited there I did not picture my advocate
  as a young man。 But this singular setting is in perfect harmony with
  his person; for Monsieur Savaron came out in a black merino dressing…
  gown tied with a red cord; red slippers; a red flannel waistcoat; and
  a red smoking…cap。〃
  〃The devil's colors!〃 exclaimed Madame de Watteville。
  〃Yes;〃 said the Abbe; 〃but a magnificent head。 Black hair already
  streaked with a little gray; hair like that of Saint Peter and Saint
  Paul in pictures; with thick shining curls; hair as stiff as horse…
  hair; a round white throat like a woman's; a splendid forehead;
  furrowed by the strong median line which great schemes; great
  thoughts; deep meditations stamp on a great man's brow; an olive
  complexion marbled with red; a square nose; eyes of flame; hollow
  cheeks; with two long lines; betraying much suffering; a mouth with a
  sardonic smile; and a small chin; narrow; and too short; crow's feet
  on his temples; deep…set eyes; moving in their sockets like burning
  balls; but; in spite of all these indications of a violently
  passionate nature; his manner was calm; deeply resigned; and his voice
  of penetrating sweetness; which surprised me in Court by its easy
  flow; a true orator's voice; now clear and appealing; sometimes
  insinuating; but a voice of thunder when needful; and lending itself
  to sarcasm to become incisive。
  〃Monsieur Albert Savaron is of middle height; neither stout nor thin。
  And his hands are those of a prelate。
  〃The second time I called on him he received me in his bed…room;
  adjoining the library; and smiled at my astonishment when I saw there
  a wretched chest of drawers; a shabby carpet; a camp…be