the countess of saint geran- 第6部分

enchantment；　the　patient　fell　into　an　indefinable　calm　languor；　and

after　some　hours　was　delivered　of　a　beautiful　infant；　but　after　this

was　attacked　by　a　violent　fever　which　brought　her　to　death's　door。

They　then　again　had　recourse　to　the　doctors；　notwithstanding　the

opposition　of　the　master　of　the　house；　who　had　confidence　in　the

matron。　　The　doctors'　treatment　only　made　matters　worse。　　In　this

extremity　they　again　called　in　the　midwife；　and　at　the　end　of　three

weeks　the　lady　was　miraculously　restored　to　life；　thus；　added　the

marquis；　establishing　the　reputation　of　the　matron；　who　had　sprung

into　such　vogue　in　the　town　where　she　lived　and　the　neighbouring

country　that　nothing　else　was　talked　about。



This　story　made　a　great　impression　on　the　company；　on　account　of　the

condition　of　the　countess；　the　dowager　added　that　it　was　very　wrong

to　ridicule　these　humble　country　experts；　who　often　through

observation　and　experience　discovered　secrets　which　proud　doctors

were　unable　to　unravel　with　all　their　studies。　　Hereupon　the　count

cried　out　that　this　midwife　must　be　sent　for；　as　she　was　just　the

kind　of　woman　they　wanted。　　After　this　other　matters　were　talked

about；　the　marquis　changing　the　conversation；　he　had　gained　his　point

in　quietly　introducing　the　thin　end　of　the　wedge　of　his　design。



After　dinner；　the　company　walked　on　the　terrace。　　The　countess

dowager　not　being　able　to　walk　much　on　account　of　her　advanced　age；

the　countess　and　Madame　de　Bouille　took　chairs　beside　her。　　The　count

walked　up　and　down　with　M。　de　Saint…Maixent。　　The　marquis　naturally

asked　how　things　had　been　going　on　during　his　absence；　and　if　Madame

de　Saint…Geran　had　suffered　any　inconvenience；　for　her　pregnancy　had

become　the　most　important　affair　in　the　household；　and　hardly

anything　else　was　talked　about。



〃By　the　way；〃　said　the　count；　〃you　were　speaking　just　now　of　a　very

skilful　midwife；　would　it　not　be　a　good　step　to　summon　her？〃



〃I　think；〃　replied　the　marquis；　〃that　it　would　be　an　excellent

selection；　for　I　do　not　suppose　there　is　one　in　this　neighbourhood　to

compare　to　her。〃



〃I　have　a　great　mind　to　send　for　her　at　once；　and　to　keep　her　about

the　countess；　whose　constitution　she　will　be　all　the　better

acquainted　with　if　she　studies　it　beforehand。　　Do　you　know　where　I

can　send　for　her？〃



〃Faith；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃she　lives　in　a　village；　but　I　don't　know

which。〃



〃But　at　least　you　know　her　name？〃



〃I　can　hardly　remember　it。　　Louise　Boyard；　I　think；　or　Polliard；　one

or　the　other。〃



〃How！　have　you　not　even　retained　the　name？〃



〃I　heard　the　story；　that's　all。　　Who　the　deuce　can　keep　a　name　in　his

head　which　he　hears　in　such　a　chance　fashion？〃



〃But　did　the　condition　of　the　countess　never　occur　to　you？〃



〃It　was　so　far　away　that　I　did　not　suppose　you　would　send　such　a

distance。　　I　thought　you　were　already　provided。〃



〃How　can　we　set　about　to　find　her？〃



〃If　that　is　all；　I　have　a　servant　who　knows　people　in　that　part　of

the　country；　and　who　knows　how　to　go　about　things：　if　you　like；　he

shall　go　in　quest　of　her。〃



〃If　I　like？　　This　very　moment。〃



The　same　evening　the　servant　started　on　his　errand　with　the　count's

instructions；　not　forgetting　those　of　his　master。　　He　went　at　full

speed。　　It　may　readily　be　supposed　that　he　had　not　far　to　seek　the

woman　he　was　to　bring　back　with　him；　but　he　purposely　kept　away　for

three　days；　and　at　the　end　of　this　time　Louise　Goillard　was　installed

in　the　chateau。



She　was　a　woman　of　plain　and　severe　exterior；　who　at　once　inspired

confidence　in　everyone。　　The　plots　of　the　marquis　and　Madame　de

Bouille　thus　throve　with　most　baneful　success；　but　an　accident

happened　which　threatened　to　nullify　them；　and；　by　causing　a　great

disaster；　to　prevent　a　crime。



The　countess；　passing　into　her　apartments；　caught　her　foot　in　a

carpet；　and　fell　heavily　on　the　floor。　　At　the　cries　of　a　footman　all

the　household　was　astir。　　The　countess　was　carried　to　bed；　the　most

intense　alarm　prevailed；　but　no　bad　consequences　followed　this

accident；　which　produced　only　a　further　succession　of　visits　from　the

neighbouring　gentry。　　This　happened　about　the　end　of　the　seventh

month。



At　length　the　moment　of　accouchement　came。　　Everything　had　long

before　been　arranged　for　the　delivery；　and　nothing　remained　to　be

done。　　The　marquis　had　employed　all　this　time　in　strengthening　Madame

de　Bouille　against　her　scruples。　　He　often　saw　Louise　Goillard　in

private；　and　gave　her　his　instructions；　but　he　perceived　that　the

corruption　of　Baulieu；　the　house　steward；　was　an　essential　factor。

Baulieu　was　already　half　gained　over　by　the　interviews　of　the　year

preceding；　a　large　sum　of　ready　money　and　many　promises　did　the　rest。

This　wretch　was　not　ashamed　to　join　a　plot　against　a　master　to　whom

he　owed　everything。　　The　marchioness　for　her　part；　and　always　under

the　instigation　of　M。　de　Saint…Maixent；　secured　matters　all　round　by

bringing　into　the　abominable　plot　the　Quinet　girls；　her　maids；　so

that　there　was　nothing　but　treason　and　conspiracy　against　this　worthy

family　among　their　upper　servants；　usually　styled　confidential。

Thus；　having　prepared　matters；　the　conspirators　awaited　the　event。



On　the　16th　of　August　16￠1　the　Countess　de　Saint…Geran　was　overtaken

by　the　pangs　of　labour　in　the　chapel　of　the　chateau；　where　she　was

hearing　mass。　　They　carried　her　to　her　room　before　mass　was　over；　her

women　ran　around　her；　and　the　countess　dowager　with　her　own　hands

arranged　on　her　head　a　cap　of　the　pattern　worn　by　ladies　about　to　be

confineda　cap　which　is　not　usually　removed　till　some　time　later。



The　pains　recurred　with　terrible　intensity。　　The　count　wept　at　his

wife's　cries。　　Many　persons　were　present。　　The　dowager's　two

daughters　by　her　second　marriage；　one　of　whom；　then　sixteen　years　of

age；　afterwards　married　the　Duke　de　Ventadour　and　was　a　party　to　the

lawsuit；　wished　to　be　present　at　this　accouchement；　which　was　to

perpetuate　by　a　new　scion　an　illustrious　race　near　extinction。　　There

were　also　Dame　Saligny；　sister　of　the　late　Marshal　Saint…Geran；　the

Marquis　de　Saint…Maixent；　and　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille。



Everything　seemed　to　favour　the　projects　of　these　last　two　persons；

who　took　an　interest　in　the　event　of　a　very　different　character　from

that　generally　felt。　　As　the　pains　produced　no　result；　and　the

accouchement　was　of　the　most　difficult　nature；　while　the　countess　was

near　the　last　extremity；　expresses　were　sent　to　all　the　neighbouring

parishes　to　offer　prayers　for　the　mother　and　the　child；　the　Holy

Sacrament　was　elevated　in　the　churches　at　Moulins。



The　midwife　attended　to　everything　herself。　　She　maintained　that　the

countess　would　be　more　comfortable　if　her　slightest　desires　were

instantly　complied　with。　　The　countess　herself　never　spoke　a　word；

only　interrupting　the　gloomy　silence　by　heart…rending　cries。　　A11　at

once；　Madame　de　Boulle；　who　affected　to　be　bustling　about；　pointed

out　that　the　presence　of　so　many　persons　was　what　hindered　the

countess's　accouchement；　and；　assuming　an　air　of　authority　justified

by　fictitious　tenderness；　said　that　everyone　must　retire；　leaving　the

patient　in　the　hands　of　the　persons　who　were　absolutely　necessary　to

her；　and　that；　to　remove　any　possible　objections；　the　countess

dowager　her　mother　must　set　the　example。　　The　opportunity　was　made

use　of　to　remove　the　count　from　this　harrowing　spectacle；　and

everyone　followed　the　countess　dowager。　　Even　the　countess's　own

maids　were　not　allowed　to　remain；　being　sent　on　errands　which　kept

them　out　of　the　way。　　This　further　reason　was　given；　that　the　eldest

being　scarcely　fifteen；　they　were　too　young　to　be　present　on　such　an

occasion。　　The　only　persons　remaining　by　the　bedside　were　the

Marchioness　de　Bouille；　the　midwife；　and　the　two　Quinet　girls；　the

countess　was　thus　in　the　hands　of　her　most　cruel　enemies。



It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　labours　continued；　the　elder

Quinet　girl　held　the　patient　by　the　hand　to　soothe　her。　　The　count

and　the　dowager　sent　incessantly　to　know　the　news。　　They　were　told

that　everything　was　going　on　well；　and　that　shortly　their　wishes

would　be　accomplished；　but　none　of　the　servants　were　allowed　to　enter

the　room。



Three　hours　later；　the　midwife　declared　that　the　countess　could　not

hold　out　any　longer　unless　she　got　some　rest。　　She　made　her　swallow　a

liquor　which　was　introduced　into　her　mouth　by　spoonfuls。　　The

countess　fell　into　so　deep　a　sleep　that　she　seemed　to　be　dead。　　The

younger　Quinet　girl　thought　for　a　moment　that　they　had　killed　her；

and　wept　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　till　Madame　de　Bouille　reassured

her。



During　this　frightful　night　a　shadowy　figure　prowled　in　the

corridors；　silently　patrolled　the　rooms；　and　came　now　and　then　to　the

door　of　the　bedroom；　where　he　conferred　in　a　low　tone　with　the

midwife　and　the　Marchioness　de　Bouille。　　This　was　the　Marquis　de

Saint…Maixent；　who　gave　his　orders；　encouraged　his　people；　watched

over　every　point　of　his　plot；　himself　a　prey　to　the　agonies　of

nervousness　which　accompany　the　preparations　for　a　great　crime。



The　dowager　countess；　owing　to　her　great　age；　had　been　compelled　to

take　some　rest。　　The　count　sat　up；　worn　out　with　fatigue；　in　a

downstairs　room　hard　by　that　in　which　they　were　compassing　the　ruin

of　all　most　dear　to　him　in　the　world。



The　countess；　in　her　profound　lethargy；　gave　birth；　without　being

aware　of　it；　to　a　boy；　who　thus　fell　on　his　entry　into　the　world　into

the　hands　of　his　enemies；　his　mother　powerless　to　defend　him　by　her

cries　and　tears。　　The　door　was　half　opened；　and　a　man　who　was　waiting

outside　brought　in；　this　was　the　major…domo　Baulieu。



The　midwife；　pretending　to　afford　the　first　necessary　cares　to　the

child；　had　taken　it　into　a　corner。　　Baulieu　watched　her　movements；

and　springing　upon　her；　pinioned　her　arms。　　The　wretched　woman　dug

her　nails