the countess of saint geran- 第6部分

in　this　affair；　for　fear　of　the　consequences。〃



〃Could　not；　for　instance；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃a　confinement　be

effected　without　pain？〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；　but　this　I　do〃　know；　that　I　shall　take　very

good　care　not　to　practise　any　method　contrary　to　the　laws　of　nature。〃



〃You　are　deceiving　me：　you　are　acquainted　with　this　method；　you　have

already　practised　it　upon　a　certain　person　whom　I　could　name　to　you。〃



〃Who　has　dared　to　calumniate　me　thus？　　I　operate　only　after　the

decision　of　the　Faculty。　　God　forbid　that　I　should　be　stoned　by　all

the　physicians；　and　perhaps　expelled　from　France！〃



〃Will　you　then　let　me　die　of　despair？　　If　I　were　capable　of　making　a

bad　use　of　your　secrets；　I　could　have　done　so　long　ago；　for　I　know

them。　　In　Heaven's　name；　do　not　dissimulate　any　longer；　and　tell　me

how　it　is　possible　to　stifle　the　pangs　of　labour。　　Do　you　want　more

gold？　　Here　it　is。〃　　And　he　threw　more　Louis　on　the　table。



〃Stay；〃　said　the　matron：　〃there　is　perhaps　a　method　which　I　think　I

have　discovered；　and　which　I　have　never　employed；　but　I　believe　it

efficacious。〃



〃But　if　you　have　never　employed　it；　it　may　be　dangerous；　and　risk　the

life　of　the　lady　whom　I　love。〃



〃When　I　say　never；　I　mean　that　I　have　tried　it　once；　and　most

successfully。　　Be　at　your　ease。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　marquis；　〃you　have　earned　my　everlasting　gratitude！

But；〃　continued　he；　〃if　we　could　anticipate　the　confinement　itself；

and　remove　from　henceforth　the　symptoms　of　pregnancy？〃



〃Oh；　sir；　that　is　a　great　crime　you　speak　of！〃



〃Alas！〃　continued　the　marquis；　as　if　speaking　to　himself　in　a　fit　of

intense　grief；　〃I　had　rather　lose　a　dear　child；　the　pledge　of　our

love；　than　bring　into　the　world　an　unhappy　creature　which　might

possibly　cause　its　mother's　death。〃



〃I　pray　you；　sir；　let　no　more　be　said　on　the　subject；　it　is　a

horrible　crime　even　to　think　of　such　a　thing。〃



〃But　what　is　to　be　done？　　Is　it　better　to　destroy　two　persons　and

perhaps　kill　a　whole　family　with　despair？　　Oh；　madame；　I　entreat　you；

extricate　us　from　this　extremity！〃



The　marquis　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　sobbed　as　though　he

were　weeping　copiously。



〃Your　despair　grievously　affects　me；〃　said　the　matron；　〃but　consider

that　for　a　woman　of　my　calling　it　is　a　capital　offence。〃



〃What　are　you　talking　about？　　Do　not　our　mystery；　our　safety；　and　our

credit　come　in　first？



They　can　never　get　at　you　till　after　the　death　and　dishonour　of　all

that　is　dear　to　me　in　the　world。〃



〃I　might　then；　perhaps。　　But　in　this　case　you　must　insure　me　against

legal　complications；　fines；　and　procure　me　a　safe　exit　from　the

kingdom。〃



〃Ah！　that　is　my　affair。　　Take　my　whole　fortune！　　Take　my　life！〃



And　he　threw　the　whole　purse　on　the　table。



〃In　this　case；　and　solely　to　extricate　you　from　the　extreme　danger　in

which　I　see　you　placed；　I　consent　to　give　you　a　decoction；　and

certain　instructions；　which　will　instantly　relieve　the　lady　from　her

burden。　　She　must　use　the　greatest　precaution；　and　study　to　carry　out

exactly　what　I　am　about　to　tell　you。　　My　God！　　only　such　desperate

occasions　as　this　one　could　induce　me　to　Here〃



She　took　a　flask　from　the　bottom　of　a　cupboard；　and　continued



〃Here　is　a　liquor　which　never　fails。〃



〃Oh；　madame；　you　save　my　honour；　which　is　dearer　to　me　than　life！

But　this　is　not　enough：　tell　me　what　use　I　am　to　make　of　this　liquor；

and　in　what　doses　I　am　to　administer　it。〃



〃The　patient；〃　replied　the　midwife；　〃must　take　one　spoonful　the　first

day；　the　second　day　two；　the　third〃



〃You　will　obey　me　to　the　minutest　particular？〃



〃I　swear　it。〃



〃Let　us　start；　then。〃



She　asked　but　for　time　to　pack　a　little　linen；　put　things　in　order；

then　fastened　her　doors；　and　left　the　house　with　the　marquis。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　they　were　galloping　through　the　night；

without　her　knowing　where　the　marquis　was　taking　her。



The　marquis　reappeared　three　days　later　at　the　chateau；　finding　the

count's　family　as　he　had　left　themthat　is　to　say；　intoxicated　with

hope；　and　counting　the　weeks；　days；　and　hours　before　the　accouchement

of　the　countess。　　He　excused　his　hurried　departure　on　the　ground　of

the　importance　of　the　business　which　had　summoned　him　away；　and

speaking　of　his　journey　at　table；　he　related　a　story　current　in　the

country　whence　he　came；　of　a　surprising　event　which　he　had　all　but

witnessed。　　It　was　the　case　of　a　lady　of　quality　who　suddenly　found

herself　in　the　most　dangerous　pangs　of　labour。　　All　the　skill　of　the

physicians　who　had　been　summoned　proved　futile；　the　lady　was　at　the

point　of　death；　at　last；　in　sheer　despair；　they　summoned　a　midwife　of

great　repute　among　the　peasantry；　but　whose　practice　did　not　include

the　gentry。　　From　the　first　treatment　of　this　woman；　who　appeared

modest　and　diffident　to　a　degree；　the　pains　ceased　as　if　by

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　co