down　upon　it　and　devouring　it。　She　had　long　since　laid　a　plan　which
  the　poor　dumbfounded　priest　was　quite　incapable　of　imagining；　and
  which　she　now　proceeded　to　unfold　with　that　genius　for　little　things
  often　shown　by　solitary　persons；　whose　souls；　incapable　of　feeling　the
  grandeur　of　true　piety；　fling　themselves　into　the　details　of　outward
  devotion。
  The　petty　nature　of　his　troubles　prevented　Birotteau；　always　effusive
  and　liking　to　be　pitied　and　consoled；　from　enjoying　the　soothing
  pleasure　of　taking　his　friends　into　his　confidence；a　last　but　cruel
  aggravation　of　his　misery。　The　little　amount　of　tact　which　he　derived
  from　his　timidity　made　him　fear　to　seem　ridiculous　in　concerning
  himself　with　such　pettiness。　And　yet　those　petty　things　made　up　the
  sum　of　his　existence；that　cherished　existence；　full　of　busyness
  about　nothings；　and　of　nothingness　in　its　business；　a　colorless　barren
  life　in　which　strong　feelings　were　misfortunes；　and　the　absence　of
  emotion　happiness。　The　poor　priest's　paradise　was　changed；　in　a
  moment；　into　hell。　His　sufferings　became　intolerable。　The　terror　he
  felt　at　the　prospect　of　a　discussion　with　Mademoiselle　Gamard
  increased　day　by　day；　the　secret　distress　which　blighted　his　life
  began　to　injure　his　health。　One　morning；　as　he　put　on　his　mottled　blue
  stockings；　he　noticed　a　marked　dimunition　in　the　circumference　of　his
  calves。　Horrified　by　so　cruel　and　undeniable　a　symptom；　he　resolved　to
  make　an　effort　and　appeal　to　the　Abbe　Troubert；　requesting　him　to
  intervene；　officially；　between　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and　himself。
  When　he　found　himself　in　presence　of　the　imposing　canon；　who；　in　order
  to　receive　his　visitor　in　a　bare　and　cheerless　room；　had　hastily
  quitted　a　study　full　of　papers；　where　he　worked　incessantly；　and　where
  no　one　was　ever　admitted；　the　vicar　felt　half　ashamed　at　speaking　of
  Mademoiselle　Gamard's　provocations　to　a　man　who　appeared　to　be　so
  gravely　occupied。　But　after　going　through　the　agony　of　the　mental
  deliberations　which　all　humble；　undecided；　and　feeble　persons　endure
  about　things　of　even　no　importance；　he　decided；　not　without　much
  swelling　and　beating　of　the　heart；　to　explain　his　position　to　the　Abbe
  Troubert。
  The　canon　listened　in　a　cold；　grave　manner；　trying；　but　in　vain；　to
  repress　an　occasional　smile　which　to　more　intelligent　eyes　than　those
  of　the　vicar　might　have　betrayed　the　emotions　of　a　secret
  satisfaction。　A　flame　seemed　to　dart　from　his　eyelids　when　Birotteau
  pictured　with　the　eloquence　of　genuine　feeling　the　constant　bitterness
  he　was　made　to　swallow；　but　Troubert　laid　his　hand　above　those　lids
  with　a　gesture　very　common　to　thinkers；　maintaining　the　dignified
  demeanor　which　was　usual　with　him。　When　the　vicar　had　ceased　to　speak
  he　would　indeed　have　been　puzzled　had　he　sought　on　Troubert's　face；
  marbled　with　yellow　blotches　even　more　yellow　than　his　usually　bilious
  skin；　for　any　trace　of　the　feelings　he　must　have　excited　in　that
  mysterious　priest。
  After　a　moment's　silence　the　canon　made　one　of　those　answers　which
  required　long　study　before　their　meaning　could　be　thoroughly
  perceived；　though　later　they　proved　to　reflecting　persons　the
  astonishing　depths　of　his　spirit　and　the　power　of　his　mind。　He　simply
  crushed　Birotteau　by　telling　him　that　〃these　things　amazed　him　all　the
  more　because　he　should　never　have　suspected　their　existence　were　it
  not　for　his　brother's　confession。　He　attributed　such　stupidity　on　his
  part　to　the　gravity　of　his　occupations；　his　labors；　the　absorption　in
  which　his　mind　was　held　by　certain　elevated　thoughts　which　prevented
  his　taking　due　notice　of　the　petty　details　of　life。〃　He　made　the　vicar
  observe；　but　without　appearing　to　censure　the　conduct　of　a　man　whose
  age　and　connections　deserved　all　respect；　that　〃in　former　days；
  recluses　thought　little　about　their　food　and　lodging　in　the　solitude
  of　their　retreats；　where　they　were　lost　in　holy　contemplations；〃　and
  that　〃in　our　days；　priests　could　make　a　retreat　for　themselves　in　the
  solitude　of　their　own　hearts。〃　Then；　reverting　to　Birotteau's　affairs；
  he　added　that　〃such　disagreements　were　a　novelty　to　him。　For　twelve
  years　nothing　of　the　kind　had　occurred　between　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and
  the　venerable　Abbe　Chapeloud。　As　for　himself；　he　might；　no　doubt；　be
  an　arbitrator　between　the　vicar　and　their　landlady；　because　his
  friendship　for　that　person　had　never　gone　beyond　the　limits　imposed　by
  the　Church　on　her　faithful　servants；　but　if　so；　justice　demanded　that
  he　should　hear　both　sides。　He　certainly　saw　no　change　in　Mademoiselle
  Gamard；　who　seemed　to　him　the　same　as　ever；　he　had　always　submitted　to
  a　few　of　her　caprices；　knowing　that　the　excellent　woman　was　kindness
  and　gentleness　itself；　the　slight　fluctuations　of　her　temper　should　be
  attributed；　he　thought；　to　sufferings　caused　by　a　pulmonary　affection；
  of　which　she　said　little；　resigning　herself　to　bear　them　in　a　truly
  Christian　spirit。〃　He　ended　by　assuring　the　vicar　that　〃if　he　stayed　a
  few　years　longer　in　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house　he　would　learn　to
  understand　her　better　and　acknowledge　the　real　value　of　her　excellent
  nature。〃
  Birotteau　left　the　room　confounded。　In　the　direful　necessity　of
  consulting　no　one；　he　now　judged　Mademoiselle　Gamard　as　he　would
  himself；　and　the　poor　man　fancied　that　if　he　left　her　house　for　a　few
  days　he　might　extinguish；　for　want　of　fuel；　the　dislike　the　old　maid
  felt　for　him。　He　accordingly　resolved　to　spend；　as　he　formerly　did；　a
  week　or　so　at　a　country…house　where　Madame　de　Listomere　passed　her
  autumns；　a　season　when　the　sky　is　usually　pure　and　tender　in　Touraine。
  Poor　man！　in　so　doing　he　did　the　thing　that　was　most　desired　by　his
  terrible　enemy；　whose　plans　could　only　have　been　brought　to　nought　by
  the　resistant　patience　of　a　monk。　But　the　vicar；　unable　to　divine
  them；　not　understanding　even　his　own　affairs；　was　doomed　to　fall；　like
  a　lamb；　at　the　butcher's　first　blow。
  Madame　de　Listomere's　country…place；　situated　on　the　embankment　which
  lies　between　Tours　and　the　heights　of　Saint…Georges；　with　a　southern
  exposure　and　surrounded　by　rocks；　combined　the　charms　of　the　country
  with　the　pleasures　of　the　town。　It　took　but　ten　minutes　from　the
  bridge　of　Tours　to　reach　the　house；　which　was　called　the　〃Alouette；〃
  a　great　advantage　in　a　region　where　no　one　will　put　himself　out　for
  anything　whatsoever；　not　even　to　seek　a　pleasure。
  The　Abbe　Birotteau　had　been　about　ten　days　at　the　Alouette；　when；　one
  morning　while　he　was　breakfasting；　the　porter　came　to　say　that
  Monsieur　Caron　desired　to　speak　with　him。　Monsieur　Caron　was
  Mademoiselle　Gamard's　laywer；　and　had　charge　of　her　affairs。
  Birotteau；　not　remembering　this；　and　unable　to　think　of　any　matter　of
  litigation　between　himself　and　others；　left　the　table　to　see　the
  lawyer　in　a　stage　of　great　agitation。　He　found　him　modestly　seated　on
  the　balustrade　of　a　terrace。
  〃Your　intention　of　ceasing　to　reside　in　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house
  being　made　evident〃　began　the　man　of　business。
  〃Eh！　monsieur；〃　cried　the　Abbe　Birotteau；　interrupting　him；　〃I　have
  not　the　slightest　intention　of　leaving　it。〃
  〃Nevertheless；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　lawyer；　〃you　must　have　had　some
  agreement　in　the　matter　with　Mademoiselle；　for　she　has　sent　me　to　ask
  how　long　you　intend　to　remain　in　the　country。　The　event　of　a　long
  absence　was　not　foreseen　in　the　agreement；　and　may　lead　to　a　contest。
  Now；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　understanding　that　your　board〃
  〃Monsieur；〃　said　Birotteau；　amazed；　and　again　interrupting　the　lawyer；
  〃I　did　not　suppose　it　necessary　to　employ；　as　it　were；　legal　means
  to〃
  〃Mademoiselle　Gamard；　who　is　anxious　to　avoid　all　dispute；〃　said
  Monsieur　Caron；　〃has　sent　me　to　come　to　an　understanding　with　you。〃
  〃Well；　if　you　will　have　the　goodness　to　return　to…morrow；〃　said　the
  abbe；　〃I　shall　then　have　taken　advice　in　the　matter。〃
  The　quill…driver　withdrew。　The　poor　vicar；　frightened　at　the
  persistence　with　which　Mademoiselle　Gamard　pursued　him；　returned　to
  the　dining…room　with　his　face　so　convulsed　that　everybody　cried　out
  when　they　saw　him：　〃What　IS　the　matter；　Monsieur　Birotteau？〃
  The　abbe；　in　despair；　sat　down　without　a　word；　so　crushed　was　he　by
  the　vague　presence　of　approaching　disaster。　But　after　breakfast；　when
  his　friends　gathered　round　him　before　a　comfortable　fire；　Birotteau
  naively　related　the　history　of　his　troubles。　His　hearers；　who　were
  beginning　to　weary　of　the　monotony　of　a　country…house；　were　keenly
  interested　in　a　plot　so　thoroughly　in　keeping　with　the　life　of　the
  provinces。　They　all　took　sides　with　the　abbe　against　the　old　maid。
  〃Don't　you　see；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Madame　de　Listomere；　〃that　the
  Abbe　Troubert　wants　your　apartment？〃
  Here　the　historian　ought　to　sketch　this　lady；　but　it　occurs　to　him
  that　even　those　who　are　ignorant　of　Sterne's　system　of　〃cognomology；〃
  cannot　pronounce　the　three　words　〃Madame　de　Listomere〃　without
  picturing　her　t