第24章

CHAPTERVII

RULE:RECEIVENOONEEXCEPTINTHEEVENING

SuchwasM。Luc—EspritGillenormand，whohadnotlosthishair，——

whichwasgrayratherthanwhite，——andwhichwasalwaysdressedin"dog’sears。"Tosumup，hewasvenerableinspiteofallthis。

Hehadsomethingoftheeighteenthcenturyabouthim；frivolousandgreat。

In1814andduringtheearlyyearsoftheRestoration，M。Gillenormand，whowasstillyoung，——hewasonlyseventy—four，——livedintheFaubourgSaintGermain，RueServandoni，nearSaint—Sulpice。

HehadonlyretiredtotheMaraiswhenhequittedsociety，longafterattainingtheageofeighty。

And，onabandoningsociety，hehadimmuredhimselfinhishabits。

Theprincipalone，andthatwhichwasinvariable，wastokeephisdoorabsolutelyclosedduringtheday，andnevertoreceiveanyonewhateverexceptintheevening。Hedinedatfiveo’clock，andafterthathisdoorwasopen。Thathadbeenthefashionofhiscentury，andhewouldnotswervefromit。"Thedayisvulgar，"saidhe，"anddeservesonlyaclosedshutter。Fashionablepeopleonlylightuptheirmindswhenthezenithlightsupitsstars。"Andhebarricadedhimselfagainsteveryone，evenhaditbeenthekinghimself。

Thiswastheantiquatedeleganceofhisday。

CHAPTERVIII

TWODONOTMAKEAPAIR

WehavejustspokenofM。Gillenormand’stwodaughters。Theyhadcomeintotheworldtenyearsapart。Intheiryouththeyhadborneverylittleresemblancetoeachother，eitherincharacterorcountenance，andhadalsobeenaslittlelikesisterstoeachotheraspossible。Theyoungesthadacharmingsoul，whichturnedtowardsallthatbelongstothelight，wasoccupiedwithflowers，withverses，withmusic，whichflutteredawayintogloriousspace，enthusiastic，ethereal，andwasweddedfromherveryyouth，inideal，toavagueandheroicfigure。Theelderhadalsoherchimera；

sheespiedintheazuresomeverywealthypurveyor，acontractor，asplendidlystupidhusband，amillionmademan，orevenaprefect；

thereceptionsofthePrefecture，anusherintheantechamberwithachainonhisneck，officialballs，theharanguesofthetown—hall，tobe"MadamelaPrefete，"——allthishadcreatedawhirlwindinherimagination。Thusthetwosistersstrayed，eachinherowndream，attheepochwhentheywereyounggirls。

Bothhadwings，theonelikeanangel，theotherlikeagoose。

Noambitioniseverfullyrealized，herebelowatleast。

Noparadisebecomesterrestrialinourday。Theyoungerweddedthemanofherdreams，butshedied。Theelderdidnotmarryatall。

Atthemomentwhenshemakesherentranceintothishistorywhichwearerelating，shewasanantiquevirtue，anincombustibleprude，withoneofthesharpestnoses，andoneofthemostobtusemindsthatitispossibletosee。Acharacteristicdetail；outsideofherimmediatefamily，noonehadeverknownherfirstname。

ShewascalledMademoiselleGillenormand，theelder。

Inthematterofcant，MademoiselleGillenormandcouldhavegivenpointstoamiss。Hermodestywascarriedtotheotherextremeofblackness。Shecherishedafrightfulmemoryofherlife；oneday，amanhadbeheldhergarter。

Agehadonlyservedtoaccentuatethispitilessmodesty。Herguimpewasneversufficientlyopaque，andneverascendedsufficientlyhigh。

Shemultipliedclaspsandpinswherenoonewouldhavedreamedoflooking。Thepeculiarityofpruderyistoplaceallthemoresentinelsinproportionasthefortressisthelessmenaced。

Nevertheless，lethimwhocanexplaintheseantiquemysteriesofinnocence，sheallowedanofficeroftheLancers，hergrandnephew，namedTheodule，toembraceherwithoutdispleasure。

InspiteofthisfavoredLancer，thelabel:Prude，underwhichwehaveclassedher，suitedhertoabsoluteperfection。MademoiselleGillenormandwasasortoftwilightsoul。Pruderyisademi—virtueandademi—vice。

Topruderysheaddedbigotry，awell—assortedlining。ShebelongedtothesocietyoftheVirgin，woreawhiteveiloncertainfestivals，mumbledspecialorisons，revered"theholyblood，"venerated"thesacredheart，"remainedforhoursincontemplationbeforearococo—jesuitaltarinachapelwhichwasinaccessibletotherankandfileofthefaithful，andthereallowedhersoultosoaramonglittlecloudsofmarble，andthroughgreatraysofgildedwood。

Shehadachapelfriend，anancientvirginlikeherself，namedMademoiselleVaubois，whowasapositiveblockhead，andbesidewhomMademoiselleGillenormandhadthepleasureofbeinganeagle。BeyondtheAgnusDeiandAveMaria，MademoiselleVauboishadnoknowledgeofanythingexceptofthedifferentwaysofmakingpreserves。MademoiselleVaubois，perfectinherstyle，wastheermineofstupiditywithoutasinglespotofintelligence。

Letussayitplainly，MademoiselleGillenormandhadgainedratherthanlostasshegrewolder。Thisisthecasewithpassivenatures。

Shehadneverbeenmalicious，whichisrelativekindness；andthen，yearswearawaytheangles，andthesofteningwhichcomeswithtimehadcometoher。Shewasmelancholywithanobscuresadnessofwhichshedidnotherselfknowthesecret。Therebreathedfromherwholepersonthestuporofalifethatwasfinished，andwhichhadneverhadabeginning。

Shekepthouseforherfather。M。Gillenormandhadhisdaughternearhim，aswehaveseenthatMonseigneurBienvenuhadhissisterwithhim。Thesehouseholdscomprisedofanoldmanandanoldspinsterarenotrare，andalwayshavethetouchingaspectoftwoweaknessesleaningoneachotherforsupport。

Therewasalsointhishouse，betweenthiselderlyspinsterandthisoldman，achild，alittleboy，whowasalwaystremblingandmuteinthepresenceofM。Gillenormand。M。Gillenormandneveraddressedthischildexceptinaseverevoice，andsometimes，withupliftedcane:"Here，sir！rascal，scoundrel，comehere！——

Answerme，youscamp！Justletmeseeyou，yougood—for—nothing！"

etc。，etc。Heidolizedhim。

Thiswashisgrandson。Weshallmeetwiththischildagainlateron。

BOOKTHIRD。——THEGRANDFATHERANDTHEGRANDSON

CHAPTERI

ANANCIENTSALON

WhenM。GillenormandlivedintheRueServandoni，hehadfrequentedmanyverygoodandveryaristocraticsalons。Althoughabourgeois，M。Gillenormandwasreceivedinsociety。Ashehadadoublemeasureofwit，inthefirstplace，thatwhichwasbornwithhim，andsecondly，thatwhichwasattributedtohim，hewasevensoughtoutandmademuchof。Heneverwentanywhereexceptonconditionofbeingthechiefpersonthere。Therearepeoplewhowillhaveinfluenceatanyprice，andwhowillhaveotherpeoplebusythemselvesoverthem；whentheycannotbeoracles，theyturnwags。

M。Gillenormandwasnotofthisnature；hisdominationintheRoyalistsalonswhichhefrequentedcosthisself—respectnothing。

Hewasanoracleeverywhere。IthadhappenedtohimtoholdhisownagainstM。deBonald，andevenagainstM。Bengy—Puy—Vallee。

About1817，heinvariablypassedtwoafternoonsaweekinahouseinhisownneighborhood，intheRueFerou，withMadamelaBaronnedeT。，aworthyandrespectableperson，whosehusbandhadbeenAmbassadorofFrancetoBerlinunderLouisXVI。BarondeT。，who，duringhislifetime，hadgoneverypassionatelyintoecstasiesandmagneticvisions，haddiedbankrupt，duringtheemigration，leaving，ashisentirefortune，someverycuriousMemoirsaboutMesmerandhistub，intenmanuscriptvolumes，boundinredmoroccoandgildedontheedges。

MadamedeT。hadnotpublishedthememoirs，outofpride，andmaintainedherselfonameagreincomewhichhadsurvivednooneknewhow。

MadamedeT。livedfarfromtheCourt；"averymixedsociety，"

asshesaid，inanobleisolation，proudandpoor。Afewfriendsassembledtwiceaweekaboutherwidowedhearth，andtheseconstitutedapurelyRoyalistsalon。Theysippedteathere，andutteredgroansorcriesofhorroratthecentury，thecharter，theBonapartists，theprostitutionoftheblueribbon，ortheJacobinismofLouisXVIII。，accordingasthewindveeredtowardselegyordithyrambs；

andtheyspokeinlowtonesofthehopeswhichwerepresentedbyMonsieur，afterwardsCharlesX。

Thesongsofthefishwomen，inwhichNapoleonwascalledNicolas，werereceivedtherewithtransportsofjoy。Duchesses，themostdelicateandcharmingwomenintheworld，wentintoecstasiesovercoupletslikethefollowing，addressedto"thefederates":——

Refoncezdansvosculottes[20]

Leboutd’chemis’quivouspend。

Qu’onn’dis’pasqu’lespatriotesOntarborel’drapeaublanc？

[20]Tuckintoyourtrouserstheshirt—tailthatishangingout。

Letitnotbesaidthatpatriotshavehoistedthewhiteflag。

Theretheyamusedthemselveswithpunswhichwereconsideredterrible，withinnocentplaysuponwordswhichtheysupposedtobevenomous，withquatrains，withdisticheseven；thus，upontheDessollesministry，amoderatecabinet，ofwhichMM。DecazesandDeserreweremembers:——

Pourraffermirletroneebranlesursabase，[21]

Ilfautchangerdesol，etdeserreetdecase。

[21]Inordertore—establishtheshakenthronefirmlyonitsbase，soil（Dessolles），greenhouseandhouse（Decazes）mustbechanged。

Ortheydrewupalistofthechamberofpeers，"anabominablyJacobinchamber，"andfromthislisttheycombinedalliancesofnames，insuchamannerastoform，forexample，phraseslikethefollowing:

Damas。Sabran。Gouvion—Saint—Cyr。——Allthiswasdonemerrily。

Inthatsociety，theyparodiedtheRevolution。TheyusedIknownotwhatdesirestogivepointtothesamewrathininversesense。

TheysangtheirlittleCaira:——

Ah！cairacairacaira！

LesBonapartistesalalanterne！

Songsareliketheguillotine；theychopawayindifferently，to—daythishead，to—morrowthat。Itisonlyavariation。

IntheFualdesaffair，whichbelongstothisepoch，1816，theytookpartforBastideandJausion，becauseFualdeswas"aBuonapartist。"

Theydesignatedtheliberalsasfriendsandbrothers；thisconstitutedthemostdeadlyinsult。

Likecertainchurchtowers，MadamedeT。’ssalonhadtwococks。

OneofthemwasM。Gillenormand，theotherwasComtedeLamothe—Valois，ofwhomitwaswhisperedabout，withasortofrespect:"Doyouknow？

ThatistheLamotheoftheaffairofthenecklace。"Thesesingularamnestiesdooccurinparties。

Letusaddthefollowing:inthebourgeoisie，honoredsituationsdecaythroughtooeasyrelations；onemustbewarewhomoneadmits；

inthesamewaythatthereisalossofcaloricinthevicinityofthosewhoarecold，thereisadiminutionofconsiderationintheapproachofdespisedpersons。Theancientsocietyoftheupperclassesheldthemselvesabovethislaw，asaboveeveryother。Marigny，thebrotherofthePompadour，hadhisentrywithM。lePrincedeSoubise。

Inspiteof？No，because。DuBarry，thegod—fatheroftheVaubernier，wasverywelcomeatthehouseofM。leMarechaldeRichelieu。

ThissocietyisOlympus。MercuryandthePrincedeGuemeneeareathomethere。Athiefisadmittedthere，providedhebeagod。

TheComtedeLamothe，who，in1815，wasanoldmanseventy—fiveyearsofage，hadnothingremarkableabouthimexcepthissilentandsententiousair，hiscoldandangularface，hisperfectlypolishedmanners，hiscoatbuttoneduptohiscravat，andhislonglegsalwayscrossedinlong，flabbytrousersofthehueofburntsienna。

Hisfacewasthesamecolorashistrousers。

ThisM。deLamothewas"heldinconsideration"inthissalononaccountofhis"celebrity"and，strangetosay，thoughtrue，becauseofhisnameofValois。

AsforM。Gillenormand，hisconsiderationwasofabsolutelyfirst—ratequality。Hehad，inspiteofhislevity，andwithoutitsinterferinginanywaywithhisdignity，acertainmannerabouthimwhichwasimposing，dignified，honest，andlofty，inabourgeoisfashion；

andhisgreatageaddedtoit。Oneisnotacenturywithimpunity。

Theyearsfinallyproducearoundaheadavenerabledishevelment。

Inadditiontothis，hesaidthingswhichhadthegenuinesparkleoftheoldrock。Thus，whentheKingofPrussia，afterhavingrestoredLouisXVIII。，cametopaythelatteravisitunderthenameoftheCountdeRuppin，hewasreceivedbythedescendantofLouisXIV。

somewhatasthoughhehadbeentheMarquisdeBrandebourg，andwiththemostdelicateimpertinence。M。Gillenormandapproved:"AllkingswhoarenottheKingofFrance，"saidhe，"areprovincialkings。"

Oneday，thefollowingquestionwasputandthefollowinganswerreturnedinhispresence:"TowhatwastheeditoroftheCourrierFrancaiscondemned？""Tobesuspended。""Susissuperfluous，"

observedM。Gillenormand。[22]Remarksofthisnaturefoundasituation。

[22]Suspendu，suspended；pendu，hung。

AttheTeDeumontheanniversaryofthereturnoftheBourbons，hesaid，onseeingM。deTalleyrandpassby:"TheregoeshisExcellencytheEvilOne。"

M。Gillenormandwasalwaysaccompaniedbyhisdaughter，thattallmademoiselle，whowasoverfortyandlookedfifty，andbyahandsomelittleboyofsevenyears，white，rosy，fresh，withhappyandtrustingeyes，whoneverappearedinthatsalonwithouthearingvoicesmurmuraroundhim:"Howhandsomeheis！

Whatapity！Poorchild！"Thischildwastheoneofwhomwedroppedawordawhileago。Hewascalled"poorchild，"

becausehehadforafather"abrigandoftheLoire。"

ThisbrigandoftheLoirewasM。Gillenormand’sson—in—law，whohasalreadybeenmentioned，andwhomM。Gillenormandcalled"thedisgraceofhisfamily。"

CHAPTERII

ONEOFTHEREDSPECTRESOFTHATEPOCH

AnyonewhohadchancedtopassthroughthelittletownofVernonatthisepoch，andwhohadhappenedtowalkacrossthatfinemonumentalbridge，whichwillsoonbesucceeded，letushope，bysomehideousironcablebridge，mighthaveobserved，hadhedroppedhiseyesovertheparapet，amanaboutfiftyyearsofagewearingaleathercap，andtrousersandawaistcoatofcoarsegraycloth，towhichsomethingyellowwhichhadbeenaredribbon，wassewn，shodwithwoodensabots，tannedbythesun，hisfacenearlyblackandhishairnearlywhite，alargescaronhisforeheadwhichrandownuponhischeek，bowed，bent，prematurelyaged，whowalkednearlyeveryday，hoeandsickleinhand，inoneofthosecompartmentssurroundedbywallswhichabutonthebridge，andbordertheleftbankoftheSeinelikeachainofterraces，charmingenclosuresfullofflowersofwhichonecouldsay，weretheymuchlarger:"thesearegardens，"andweretheyalittlesmaller:

"thesearebouquets。"Alltheseenclosuresabutupontheriveratoneend，andonahouseattheother。Themaninthewaistcoatandthewoodenshoesofwhomwehavejustspoken，inhabitedthesmallestoftheseenclosuresandthemosthumbleofthesehousesabout1817。Helivedtherealoneandsolitary，silentlyandpoorly，withawomanwhowasneitheryoungnorold，neitherhomelynorpretty，neitherapeasantnorabourgeoise，whoservedhim。

Theplotofearthwhichhecalledhisgardenwascelebratedinthetownforthebeautyoftheflowerswhichhecultivatedthere。

Theseflowerswerehisoccupation。

Bydintoflabor，ofperseverance，ofattention，andofbucketsofwater，hehadsucceededincreatingaftertheCreator，andhehadinventedcertaintulipsandcertaindahliaswhichseemedtohavebeenforgottenbynature。Hewasingenious；hehadforestalledSoulangeBodinintheformationoflittleclumpsofearthofheathmould，forthecultivationofrareandpreciousshrubsfromAmericaandChina。Hewasinhisalleysfromthebreakofday，insummer，planting，cutting，hoeing，watering，walkingamidhisflowerswithanairofkindness，sadness，andsweetness，sometimesstandingmotionlessandthoughtfulforhours，listeningtothesongofabirdinthetrees，thebabbleofachildinahouse，orwithhiseyesfixedonadropofdewatthetipofaspearofgrass，ofwhichthesunmadeacarbuncle。Histablewasveryplain，andhedrankmoremilkthanwine。Achildcouldmakehimgiveway，andhisservantscoldedhim。Hewassotimidthatbeseemedshy，herarelywentout，andhesawnoonebutthepoorpeoplewhotappedathispaneandhiscure，theAbbeMabeuf，agoodoldman。

Nevertheless，iftheinhabitantsofthetown，orstrangers，oranychancecomers，curioustoseehistulips，rangathislittlecottage，heopenedhisdoorwithasmile。Hewasthe"brigandoftheLoire。"

Anyonewhohad，atthesametime，readmilitarymemoirs，biographies，theMoniteur，andthebulletinsofthegrandarmy，wouldhavebeenstruckbyanamewhichoccurstherewithtolerablefrequency，thenameofGeorgesPontmercy。Whenveryyoung，thisGeorgesPontmercyhadbeenasoldierinSaintonge’sregiment。Therevolutionbrokeout。

Saintonge’sregimentformedapartofthearmyoftheRhine；

fortheoldregimentsofthemonarchypreservedtheirnamesofprovincesevenafterthefallofthemonarchy，andwereonlydividedintobrigadesin1794。PontmercyfoughtatSpire，atWorms，atNeustadt，atTurkheim，atAlzey，atMayence，wherehewasoneofthetwohundredwhoformedHouchard’srearguard。ItwasthetwelfthtoholditsgroundagainstthecorpsofthePrinceofHesse，behindtheoldrampartofAndernach，andonlyrejoinedthemainbodyofthearmywhentheenemy’scannonhadopenedabreachfromthecordoftheparapettothefootoftheglacis。HewasunderKleberatMarchiennesandatthebattleofMont—Palissel，whereaballfromabiscaienbrokehisarm。ThenhepassedtothefrontierofItaly，andwasoneofthethirtygrenadierswhodefendedtheColdeTendewithJoubert。Joubertwasappointeditsadjutant—general，andPontmercysub—lieutenant。PontmercywasbyBerthier’ssideinthemidstofthegrape—shotofthatdayatLodiwhichcausedBonapartetosay:"Berthierhasbeencannoneer，cavalier，andgrenadier。"

Hebeheldhisoldgeneral，Joubert，fallatNovi，atthemomentwhen，withupliftedsabre，hewasshouting:"Forward！"Havingbeenembarkedwithhiscompanyintheexigenciesofthecampaign，onboardapinnacewhichwasproceedingfromGenoatosomeobscureportonthecoast，hefellintoawasps’—nestofsevenoreightEnglishvessels。

TheGenoesecommanderwantedtothrowhiscannonintothesea，tohidethesoldiersbetweendecks，andtoslipalonginthedarkasamerchantvessel。Pontmercyhadthecolorshoistedtothepeak，andsailedproudlypastunderthegunsoftheBritishfrigates。

Twentyleaguesfurtheron，hisaudacityhavingincreased，heattackedwithhispinnace，andcapturedalargeEnglishtransportwhichwascarryingtroopstoSicily，andwhichwassoloadeddownwithmenandhorsesthatthevesselwassunktothelevelofthesea。

In1805hewasinthatMalherdivisionwhichtookGunzbergfromtheArchdukeFerdinand。AtWeltingenhereceivedintohisarms，beneathastormofbullets，ColonelMaupetit，mortallywoundedattheheadofthe9thDragoons。HedistinguishedhimselfatAusterlitzinthatadmirablemarchinechelonseffectedundertheenemy’sfire。

WhenthecavalryoftheImperialRussianGuardcrushedabattalionofthe4thoftheline，PontmercywasoneofthosewhotooktheirrevengeandoverthrewtheGuard。TheEmperorgavehimthecross。

PontmercysawWurmseratMantua，Melas，andAlexandria，MackatUlm，madeprisonersinsuccession。HeformedapartoftheeighthcorpsofthegrandarmywhichMortiercommanded，andwhichcapturedHamburg。

Thenhewastransferredtothe55thoftheline，whichwastheoldregimentofFlanders。AtEylauhewasinthecemeterywhere，forthespaceoftwohours，theheroicCaptainLouisHugo，theuncleoftheauthorofthisbook，sustainedalonewithhiscompanyofeighty—threemeneveryeffortofthehostilearmy。

Pontmercywasoneofthethreewhoemergedalivefromthatcemetery。

HewasatFriedland。ThenhesawMoscow。ThenLaBeresina，thenLutzen，Bautzen，Dresden，Wachau，Leipzig，andthedefilesofGelenhausen；

thenMontmirail，Chateau—Thierry，Craon，thebanksoftheMarne，thebanksoftheAisne，andtheredoubtablepositionofLaon。

AtArnay—Le—Duc，beingthenacaptain，heputtenCossackstothesword，andsaved，nothisgeneral，buthiscorporal。Hewaswellslasheduponthisoccasion，andtwenty—sevensplinterswereextractedfromhisleftarmalone。EightdaysbeforethecapitulationofParishehadjustexchangedwithacomradeandenteredthecavalry。

Hehadwhatwascalledundertheoldregime，thedoublehand，thatistosay，anequalaptitudeforhandlingthesabreorthemusketasasoldier，orasquadronorabattalionasanofficer。Itisfromthisaptitude，perfectedbyamilitaryeducation，whichcertainspecialbranchesoftheservicearise，thedragoons，forexample，whoarebothcavalry—menandinfantryatoneandthesametime。

HeaccompaniedNapoleontotheIslandofElba。AtWaterloo，hewaschiefofasquadronofcuirassiers，inDubois’brigade。ItwashewhocapturedthestandardoftheLunenburgbattalion。HecameandcasttheflagattheEmperor’sfeet。Hewascoveredwithblood。

Whiletearingdownthebannerhehadreceivedasword—cutacrosshisface。TheEmperor，greatlypleased，shoutedtohim:"Youareacolonel，youareabaron，youareanofficeroftheLegionofHonor！"

Pontmercyreplied:"Sire，Ithankyouformywidow。"Anhourlater，hefellintheravineofOhain。Now，whowasthisGeorgesPontmercy？

Hewasthissame"brigandoftheLoire。"

Wehavealreadyseensomethingofhishistory。AfterWaterloo，P

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