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had not got out of bed to open the door as she said she had。 He then
recollected that for the last two weeks he had been deprived of
various little attentions which for eighteen months had made life
sweet to him。 Now； as the nature of narrow minds induces them to study
trifles； Birotteau plunged suddenly into deep meditation on these four
circumstances； imperceptible in their meaning to others； but to him
indicative of four catastrophes。 The total loss of his happiness was
evidently foreshadowed in the neglect to place his slipppers； in
Marianne's falsehood about the fire； in the unusual removal of his
candlestick to the table of the antechamber； and in the evident
intention to keep him waiting in the rain。
When the fire was burning on the hearth； and the lamp was lighted； and
Marianne had departed without saying； as usual； 〃Does Monsieur want
anything more？〃 the Abbe Birotteau let himself fall gently into the
wide and handsome easy…chair of his late friend； but there was
something mournful in the movement with which he dropped upon it。 The
good soul was crushed by a presentiment of coming calamity。 His eyes
roved successively to the handsome tall clock； the bureau； curtains；
chairs； carpets； to the stately bed； the basin of holy…water； the
crucifix； to a Virgin by Valentin； a Christ by Lebrun；in short； to
all the accessories of this cherished room； while his face expressed
the anguish of the tenderest farewell that a lover ever took of his
first mistress； or an old man of his lately planted trees。 The vicar
had just perceived； somewhat late it is true； the signs of a dumb
persecution instituted against him for the last three months by
Mademoiselle Gamard； whose evil intentions would doubtless have been
fathomed much sooner by a more intelligent man。 Old maids have a
special talent for accentuating the words and actions which their
dislikes suggest to them。 They scratch like cats。 They not only wound
but they take pleasure in wounding； and in making their victim see
that he is wounded。 A man of the world would never have allowed
himself to be scratched twice； the good abbe； on the contrary； had
taken several blows from those sharp claws before he could be brought
to believe in any evil intention。
But when he did perceive it； he set to work； with the inquisitorial
sagacity which priests acquire by directing consciences and burrowing
into the nothings of the confessional； to establish； as though it were
a matter of religious controversy； the following proposition：
〃Admitting that Mademoiselle Gamard did not remember it was Madame de
Listomere's evening； and that Marianne did think I was home； and did
really forget to make my fire； it is impossible； inasmuch as I myself
took down my candlestick this morning； that Mademoiselle Gamard；
seeing it in her salon； could have supposed I had gone to bed。 Ergo；
Mademoiselle Gamard intended that I should stand out in the rain； and；
by carrying my candlestick upstairs； she meant to make me understand
it。 What does it all mean？〃 he said aloud； roused by the gravity of
these circumstances； and rising as he spoke to take off his damp
clothes； get into his dressing…gown； and do up his head for the night。
Then he returned from the bed to the fireplace； gesticulating； and
launching forth in various tones the following sentences； all of which
ended in a high falsetto key； like notes of interjection：
〃What the deuce have I done to her？ Why is she angry with me？ Marianne
did NOT forget my fire！ Mademoiselle told her not to light it！ I must
be a child if I can't see； from the tone and manner she has been
taking to me； that I've done something to displease her。 Nothing like
it ever happened to Chapeloud！ I can't live in the midst of such
torments asAt my age〃
He went to bed hoping that the morrow might enlighten him on the
causes of the dislike which threatened to destroy forever the
happiness he had now enjoyed two years after wishing for it so long。
Alas！ the secret reasons for the inimical feelings Mademoiselle Gamard
bore to the luckless abbe were fated to remain eternally unknown to
him；not that they were difficult to fathom； but simply because he
lacked the good faith and candor by which great souls and scoundrels
look within and judge themselves。 A man of genius or a trickster says
to himself； 〃I did wrong。〃 Self…interest and native talent are the
only infallible and lucid guides。 Now the Abbe Birotteau； whose
goodness amounted to stupidity； whose knowledge was only； as it were；
plastered on him by dint of study； who had no experience whatever of
the world and its ways； who lived between the mass and the
confessional； chiefly occupied in dealing the most trivial matters of
conscience in his capacity of confessor to all the schools in town and
to a few noble souls who rightly appreciated him；the Abbe Birotteau
must be regarded as a great child； to whom most of the practices of
social life were utterly unknown。 And yet； the natural selfishness of
all human beings； reinforced by the selfishness peculiar to the
priesthood and that of the narrow life of the provinces had
insensibly； and unknown to himself； developed within him。 If any one
had felt enough interest in the good man to probe his spirit and prove
to him that in the numerous petty details of his life and in the
minute duties of his daily existence he was essentially lacking in the
self…sacrifice he professed； he would have punished and mortified
himself in good faith。 But those whom we offend by such unconscious
selfishness pay little heed to our real innocence； what they want is
vengeance； and they take it。 Thus it happened that Birotteau； weak
brother that he was； was made to undergo the decrees of that great
distributive Justice which goes about compelling the world to execute
its judgments；called by ninnies 〃the misfortunes of life。〃
There was this difference between the late Chapeloud and the vicar；
one was a shrewd and clever egoist； the other a simple…minded and
clumsy one。 When the canon went to board with Mademoiselle Gamard he
knew exactly how to judge of his landlady's character。 The
confessional had taught him to understand the bitterness that the
sense of being kept outside the social pale puts into the heart of an
old maid； he therefore calculated his own treatment of Mademoiselle
Gamard very wisely。 She was then about thirty…eight years old； and
still retained a few pretensions； which； in well…behaved persons of
her condition； change； rather later； into strong personal self…esteem。
The canon saw plainly that to live comfortably with his landlady he
must pay her invariably the same attentions and be more infallible
than the pope himself。 To compass this result； he allowed no points of
contact between himself and her except those that politeness demanded；
and those which necessarily exist between two persons living under the
same roof。 Thus； though he and the Abbe Troubert took their regular
three meals