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of the Sarthe are bordered with beautiful trees； well grouped。 Though
the landscape is flat； it is not without those modest graces which
distinguish France； where the eye is never wearied by the brilliancy
of Oriental skies； nor saddened by constant fog。 The place is
solitary。 In the provinces no one pays much attention to a fine view；
either because provincials are blases on the beauty around them； or
because they have no poesy in their souls。 If there exists in the
provinces a mall； a promenade； a vantage…ground from which a fine view
can be obtained； that is the point to which no one goes。 Athanase was
fond of this solitude； enlivened by the sparkling water； where the
fields were the first to green under the earliest smiling of the
springtide sun。 Those persons who saw him sitting beneath a poplar；
and who noticed the vacant eye which he turned to them； would say to
Madame Granson：
〃Something is the matter with your son。〃
〃I know what it is；〃 the mother would reply； hinting that he was
meditating over some great work。
Athanase no longer took part in politics： he ceased to have opinions；
but he appeared at times quite gay；gay with the satire of those who
think to insult a whole world with their own individual scorn。 This
young man； outside of all the ideas and all the pleasures of the
provinces； interested few persons； he was not even an object of
curiosity。 If persons spoke of him to his mother； it was for her sake；
not his。 There was not a single soul in Alencon that sympathized with
his； not a woman； not a friend came near to dry his tears； they
dropped into the Sarthe。 If the gorgeous Suzanne had happened that
way； how many young miseries might have been born of the meeting！ for
the two would surely have loved each other。
She did come； however。 Suzanne's ambition was early excited by the
tale of a strange adventure which had happened at the tavern of the
More；a tale which had taken possession of her childish brain。 A
Parisian woman； beautiful as the angels； was sent by Fouche to
entangle the Marquis de Montauran； otherwise called 〃The Gars；〃 in a
love…affair （see 〃The Chouans〃）。 She met him at the tavern of the More
on his return from an expedition to Mortagne； she cajoled him； made
him love her； and then betrayed him。 That fantastic powerthe power
of beauty over mankind； in fact； the whole story of Marie de Verneuil
and the Garsdazzled Suzanne； she longed to grow up in order to play
upon men。 Some months after her hasty departure she passed through her
native town with an artist on his way to Brittany。 She wanted to see
Fougeres； where the adventure of the Marquis de Montauran culminated；
and to stand upon the scene of that picturesque war； the tragedies of
which； still so little known； had filled her childish mind。 Besides
this； she had a fancy to pass through Alencon so elegantly equipped
that no one could recognize her； to put her mother above the reach of
necessity； and also to send to poor Athanase； in a delicate manner； a
sum of money；which in our age is to genius what in the middle ages
was the charger and the coat of mail that Rebecca conveyed to Ivanhoe。
One month passed away in the strangest uncertainties respecting the
marriage of Mademoiselle Cormon。 A party of unbelievers denied the
marriage altogether； the believers； on the other hand； affirmed it。 At
the end of two weeks； the faction of unbelief received a vigorous blow
in the sale of du Bousquier's house to the Marquis de Troisville； who
only wanted a simple establishment in Alencon； intending to go to
Paris after the death of the Princess Scherbellof； he proposed to
await that inheritance in retirement； and then to reconstitute his
estates。 This seemed positive。 The unbelievers； however； were not
crushed。 They declared that du Bousquier； married or not； had made an
excellent sale； for the house had only cost him twenty…seven thousand
francs。 The believers were depressed by this practical observation of
the incredulous。 Choisnel； Mademoiselle Cormon's notary； asserted the
latter； had heard nothing about the marriage contract； but the
believers； still firm in their faith； carried off； on the twentieth
day； a signal victory： Monsieur Lepressoir； the notary of the
liberals； went to Mademoiselle Cormon's house； and the contract was
signed。
This was the first of the numerous sacrifices which Mademoiselle
Cormon was destined to make to her husband。 Du Bousquier bore the
deepest hatred to Choisnel； to him he owed the refusal of the hand of
Mademoiselle Armande；a refusal which； as he believed； had influenced
that of Mademoiselle Cormon。 This circumstance alone made the marriage
drag along。 Mademoiselle received several anonymous letters。 She
learned； to her great astonishment； that Suzanne was as truly a virgin
as herself so far as du Bousquier was concerned； for that seducer with
the false toupet could never be the hero of any such adventure。
Mademoiselle Cormon disdained anonymous letters； but she wrote to
Suzanne herself； on the ground of enlightening the Maternity Society。
Suzanne； who had no doubt heard of du Bousquier's proposed marriage；
acknowledged her trick； sent a thousand francs to the society； and did
all the harm she could to the old purveyor。 Mademoiselle Cormon
convoked the Maternity Society； which held a special meeting at which
it was voted that the association would not in future assist any
misfortunes about to happen； but solely those that had happened。
In spite of all these various events which kept the town in the
choicest gossip； the banns were published in the churches and at the
mayor's office。 Athanase prepared the deeds。 As a matter of propriety
and public decency； the bride retired to Prebaudet； where du
Bousquier； bearing sumptuous and horrible bouquets； betook himself
every morning； returning home for dinner。
At last； on a dull and rainy morning in June； the marriage of
Mademoiselle Cormon and the Sieur du Bousquier took place at noon in
the parish church of Alencon； in sight of the whole town。 The bridal
pair went from their own house to the mayor's office； and from the
mayor's office to the church in an open caleche； a magnificent vehicle
for Alencon； which du Bousquier had sent for secretly to Paris。 The
loss of the old carriole was a species of calamity in the eyes of the
community。 The harness…maker of the Porte de Seez bemoaned it； for he
lost the fifty francs a year which it cost in repairs。 Alencon saw
with alarm the possibility of luxury being thus introduced into the
town。 Every one feared a rise in the price of rents and provisions；
and a coming invasion of Parisian furniture。 Some persons were
sufficiently pricked by curiosity to give ten sous to Jacquelin to
allow them a close inspection of the vehicle which threatened to upset
the whole economy of the region。 A pair of horses； bought in
Normandie； were also most alarming。
〃If we bought our own horses；〃 said the Ronceret circle