第 19 节
作者:莫再讲      更新:2024-08-29 08:48      字数:9322
  window the fine expanse of water; from which the light mists rose like
  smoke; and were caught in the firs and larches; rolling up and along
  the hills till they reached the heights; and she gave a cry of
  admiration。
  〃They loved by the lakes! /She/ lives by a lake! A lake is certainly
  full of love!〃 she thought。
  A lake fed by snows has opalescent colors and a translucency that
  makes it one huge diamond; but when it is shut in like that of les
  Rouxey; between two granite masses covered with pines; when silence
  broods over it like that of the Savannas or the Steppes; then every
  one must exclaim as Rosalie did。
  〃We owe that;〃 said her father; 〃to the notorious Watteville。〃
  〃On my word;〃 said the girl; 〃he did his best to earn forgiveness。 Let
  us go in a boat to the further end; it will give us an appetite for
  breakfast。〃
  The Baron called two gardener lads who knew how to row; and took with
  him his prime minister Modinier。 The lake was about six acres in
  breadth; in some places ten or twelve; and four hundred in length。
  Rosalie soon found herself at the upper end shut in by the Dent de
  Vilard; the Jungfrau of that little Switzerland。
  〃Here we are; Monsieur le Baron;〃 said Modinier; signing to the
  gardeners to tie up the boat; 〃will you come and look?〃
  〃Look at what?〃 asked Rosalie。
  〃Oh; nothing!〃 exclaimed the Baron。 〃But you are a sensible girl; we
  have some little secrets between us; and I may tell you what ruffles
  my mind。 Some difficulties have arisen since 1830 between the village
  authorities of Riceys and me; on account of this very Dent de Vilard;
  and I want to settle the matter without your mother's knowing anything
  about it; for she is stubborn; she is capable of flinging fire and
  flames broadcast; particularly if she should hear that the Mayor of
  Riceys; a republican; got up this action as a sop to his people。〃
  Rosalie had presence of mind enough to disguise her delight; so as to
  work more effectually on her father。
  〃What action?〃 said she。
  〃Mademoiselle; the people of Riceys;〃 said Modinier; 〃have long
  enjoyed the right of grazing and cutting fodder on their side of the
  Dent de Vilard。 Now Monsieur Chantonnit; the Maire since 1830;
  declares that the whole Dent belongs to his district; and maintains
  that a hundred years ago; or more; there was a way through our
  grounds。 You understand that in that case we should no longer have
  them to ourselves。 Then this barbarian would end by saying; what the
  old men in the village say; that the ground occupied by the lake was
  appropriated by the Abbe de Watteville。 That would be the end of les
  Rouxey; what next?〃
  〃Indeed; my child; between ourselves; it is the truth;〃 said Monsieur
  de Watteville simply。 〃The land is an usurpation; with no title…deed
  but lapse of time。 And; therefore; to avoid all worry; I should wish
  to come to a friendly understanding as to my border line on this side
  of the Dent de Vilard; and I will then raise a wall。〃
  〃If you give way to the municipality; it will swallow you up。 You
  ought to have threatened Riceys。〃
  〃That is just what I told the master last evening;〃 said Modinier。
  〃But in confirmation of that view I proposed that he should come to
  see whether; on this side of the Dent or on the other; there may not
  be; high or low; some traces of an enclosure。〃
  For a century the Dent de Vilard had been used by both parties without
  coming to extremities; it stood as a sort of party wall between the
  communes of Riceys and les Rouxey; yielding little profit。 Indeed; the
  object in dispute; being covered with snow for six months in the year;
  was of a nature to cool their ardor。 Thus it required all the hot
  blast by which the revolution of 1830 inflamed the advocates of the
  people; to stir up this matter; by which Monsieur Chantonnit; the
  Maire of Riceys; hoped to give a dramatic turn to his career on the
  peaceful frontier of Switzerland; and to immortalize his term of
  office。 Chantonnit; as his name shows; was a native of Neuchatel。
  〃My dear father;〃 said Rosalie; as they got into the boat again; 〃I
  agree with Modinier。 If you wish to secure the joint possession of the
  Dent de Vilard; you must act with decision; and get a legal opinion
  which will protect you against this enterprising Chantonnit。 Why
  should you be afraid? Get the famous lawyer Savaronengage him at
  once; lest Chantonnit should place the interests of the village in his
  hands。 The man who won the case for the Chapter against the town can
  certainly win that of Watteville /versus/ Riceys! Besides;〃 she added;
  〃les Rouxey will some day be minenot for a long time yet; I trust。
  Well; then do not leave me with a lawsuit on my hands。 I like this
  place; I shall often live here; and add to it as much as possible。 On
  those banks;〃 and she pointed to the feet of the two hills; 〃I shall
  cut flowerbeds and make the loveliest English gardens。 Let us go to
  Besancon and bring back with us the Abbe de Grancey; Monsieur Savaron;
  and my mother; if she cares to come。 You can then make up your mind;
  but in your place I should have done so already。 Your name is
  Watteville; and you are afraid of a fight! If you should lose your
  casewell; I will never reproach you by a word!〃
  〃Oh; if that is the way you take it;〃 said the Baron; 〃I am quite
  ready; I will see the lawyer。〃
  〃Besides a lawsuit is really great fun。 It brings some interest into
  life; with coming and going and raging over it。 You will have a great
  deal to do before you can get hold of the judges。We did not see the
  Abbe de Grancey for three weeks; he was so busy!〃
  〃But the very existence of the Chapter was involved;〃 said Monsieur de
  Watteville; 〃and then the Archbishop's pride; his conscience;
  everything that makes up the life of the priesthood; was at stake。
  That Savaron does not know what he did for the Chapter! He saved it!〃
  〃Listen to me;〃 said his daughter in his ear; 〃if you secure Monsieur
  de Savaron; you will gain your suit; won't you? Well; then; let me
  advise you。 You cannot get at Monsieur Savaron excepting through
  Monsieur de Grancey。 Take my word for it; and let us together talk to
  the dear Abbe without my mother's presence at the interview; for I
  know a way of persuading him to bring the lawyer to us。〃
  〃It will be very difficult to avoid mentioning it to your mother!〃
  〃The Abbe de Grancey will settle that afterwards。 But just make up
  your mind to promise your vote to Monsieur Savaron at the next
  election; and you will see!〃
  〃Go to the election! take the oath?〃 cried the Baron de Watteville。
  〃What then!〃 said she。
  〃And what will your mother say?〃
  〃She may even desire you to do it;〃 replied Rosalie; knowing as she
  did from Albert's letter to Leopold how deeply the Vicar…General had
  pledged himself。
  Four days after; the Abbe de Grancey called very early one morning on
  Albert de Savarus; having announced his visit the day before。 The old
  priest had come to win over the great lawyer to the house of the
  Wattevilles; a proceeding which shows how much tact and subtlety
  Rosalie must have employed in an underhand way。
  〃What can I do for you; Monsieur le Vicaire…General?〃 asked Savarus。
  The Abbe; who told his story with admirable frankness; was coldly
  heard by Albert。
  〃Monsieur l'Abbe;〃 said he; 〃it is out of the question that I should
  defend the interests of the Wattevilles; and you shall understand why。
  My part in this town is to remain perfectly neutral。 I will display no
  colors; I must remain a mystery till the eve of my election。 Now; to
  plead for the Wattevilles would mean nothing in Paris; but here!
  Here; where everything is discussed; I should be supposed by every one
  to be an ally of your Faubourg Saint…Germain。〃
  〃What! do you suppose that you can remain unknown on the day of the
  election; when the candidates must oppose each other? It must then
  become known that your name is Savaron de Savarus; that you have held
  the appointment of Master of Appeals; that you are a man of the
  Restoration!〃
  〃On the day of the election;〃 said Savarus; 〃I will be all I am
  expected to be; and I intend to speak at the preliminary meetings。〃
  〃If you have the support of Monsieur de Watteville and his party; you
  will get a hundred votes in a mass; and far more to be trusted than
  those on which you rely。 It is always possible to produce division of
  interests; convictions are inseparable。〃
  〃The deuce is in it!〃 said Savarus。 〃I am attached to you; and I could
  do a great deal for you; Father! Perhaps we may compound with the
  Devil。 Whatever Monsieur de Watteville's business may be; by engaging
  Girardet; and prompting him; it will be possible to drag the
  proceedings out till the elections are over。 I will not undertake to
  plead till the day after I am returned。〃
  〃Do this one thing;〃 said the Abbe。 〃Come to the Hotel de Rupt: there
  is a young person of nineteen there who; one of these days; will have
  a hundred thousand francs a year; and you can seem to be paying your
  court to her〃
  〃Ah! the young lady I sometimes see in the kiosk?〃
  〃Yes; Mademoiselle Rosalie;〃 replied the Abbe de Grancey。 〃You are
  ambitious。 If she takes a fancy to you; you may be everything an
  ambitious man can wi