按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
countenance； and the favor of the king； justified all the tales of
which he had now become the subject。
Cornelius travelled much in foreign lands after the death of his
persecutor； the Duke of Burgundy； and during his absence the king
caused his premises to be guarded by a detachment of his own Scottish
guard。 Such royal solicitude made the courtiers believe that the old
miser had bequeathed his property to Louis XI。 When at home； the
torconnier went out but little； but the lords of the court paid him
frequent visits。 He lent them money rather liberally； though
capricious in his manner of doing so。 On certain days he refused to
give them a penny； the next day he would offer them large
sums；always at high interest and on good security。 A good Catholic；
he went regularly to the services； always attending the earliest mass
at Saint…Martin； and as he had purchased there； as elsewhere； a chapel
in perpetuity； he was separated even in church from other Christians。
A popular proverb of that day； long remembered in Tours； was the
saying： 〃You passed in front of the Fleming； ill…luck will happen to
you。〃 Passing in front of the Fleming explained all sudden pains and
evils； involuntary sadness； ill…turns of fortune among the
Touraineans。 Even at court most persons attributed to Cornelius that
fatal influence which Italian； Spanish； and Asiatic superstition has
called the 〃evil eye。〃 Without the terrible power of Louis XI。； which
was stretched like a mantle over that house； the populace； on the
slightest opportunity； would have demolished La Malemaison； that 〃evil
house〃 in the rue du Murier。 And yet Cornelius had been the first to
plant mulberries in Tours； and the Touraineans at that time regarded
him as their good genius。 Who shall reckon on popular favor！
A few seigneurs having met Maitre Cornelius on his journeys out of
France were surprised at his friendliness and good…humor。 At Tours he
was gloomy and absorbed； yet always he returned there。 Some
inexplicable power brought him back to his dismal house in the rue du
Murier。 Like a snail； whose life is so firmly attached to its shell；
he admitted to the king that he was never at ease except under the
bolts and behind the vermiculated stones of his little bastille； yet
he knew very well that whenever Louis XI。 died； the place would be the
most dangerous spot on earth for him。
〃The devil is amusing himself at the expense of our crony； the
torconnier；〃 said Louis XI。 to his barber； a few days before the
festival of All…Saints。 〃He says he has been robbed again； but he
can't hang anybody this time unless he hangs himself。 The old vagabond
came and asked me if； by chance； I had carried off a string of rubies
he wanted to sell me。 'Pasques…Dieu！ I don't steal what I can take；' I
said to him。〃
〃Was he frightened？〃 asked the barber。
〃Misers are afraid of only one thing；〃 replied the king。 〃My crony the
torconnier knows very well that I shall not plunder him unless for
good reason； otherwise I should be unjust； and I have never done
anything but what is just and necessary。〃
〃And yet that old brigand overcharges you；〃 said the barber。
〃You wish he did； don't you？〃 replied the king； with the malicious
look at his barber。
〃Ventre…Mahom； sire； the inheritance would be a fine one between you
and the devil！〃
〃There； there！〃 said the king； 〃don't put bad ideas into my head。 My
crony is a more faithful man than those whose fortunes I have made
perhaps because he owes me nothing。〃
For the last two years Maitre Cornelius had lived entirely alone with
his aged sister； who was thought a witch。 A tailor in the neighborhood
declared that he had often seen her at night； on the roof of the
house； waiting for the hour of the witches' sabbath。 This fact seemed
the more extraordinary because it was known to be the miser's custom
to lock up his sister at night in a bedroom with iron…barred windows。
As he grew older； Cornelius； constantly robbed； and always fearful of
being duped by men； came to hate mankind； with the one exception of
the king； whom he greatly respected。 He fell into extreme misanthropy；
but； like most misers； his passion for gold； the assimilation； as it
were； of that metal with his own substance； became closer and closer；
and age intensified it。 His sister herself excited his suspicions；
though she was perhaps more miserly； more rapacious than her brother
whom she actually surpassed in penurious inventions。 Their daily
existence had something mysterious and problematical about it。 The old
woman rarely took bread from the baker； she appeared so seldom in the
market； that the least credulous of the townspeople ended by
attributing to these strange beings the knowledge of some secret for
the maintenance of life。 Those who dabbled in alchemy declared that
Maitre Cornelius had the power of making gold。 Men of science averred
that he had found the Universal Panacea。 According to many of the
country…people to whom the townsfolk talked of him； Cornelius was a
chimerical being； and many of them came into the town to look at his
house out of mere curiosity。
The young seigneur whom we left in front of that house looked about
him； first at the hotel de Poitiers； the home of his mistress； and
then at the evil house。 The moonbeams were creeping round their
angles； and tinting with a mixture of light and shade the hollows and
reliefs of the carvings。 The caprices of this white light gave a
sinister expression to both edifices； it seemed as if Nature herself
encouraged the superstitions that hung about the miser's dwelling。 The
young man called to mind the many traditions which made Cornelius a
personage both curious and formidable。 Though quite decided through
the violence of his love to enter that house； and stay there long
enough to accomplish his design； he hesitated to take the final step；
all the while aware that he should certainly take it。 But where is the
man who； in a crisis of his life； does not willingly listen to
presentiments as he hangs above the precipice？ A lover worthy of being
loved； the young man feared to die before he had been received for
love's sake by the countess。
This mental deliberation was so painfully interesting that he did not
feel the cold wind as it whistled round the corner of the building；
and chilled his legs。 On entering that house； he must lay aside his
name； as already he had laid aside the handsome garments of nobility。
In case of mishap； he could not claim the privileges of his rank nor
the protection of his friends without bringing hopeless ruin on the
Comtesse de Saint…Vallier。 If her husband suspected the nocturnal
visit of a lover； he was capable of roasting her alive in an iron
cage； or of killing her by degrees in the dungeons of a fortified
castle。 Looking down at the shabby clothing in which he had disguised
himself； the young nobleman felt ashamed。 His black leather belt； his
stout shoes； his ribbed socks； his linsey…woolsey breeches； and his
gray woollen doublet made him look like the clerk of some poverty…
stricken justice。 To a noble of the fifteenth century it was like
death itself to play the part of a beggarly burgher； and renounce the
privileges of his rank。 Butto climb the roof of the house where his
mistress wept； to descend the chimney； or creep along from gutter to
gutter to the window of her room； to risk his life to kneel beside her
on a silken cushion before a glowing fire； during the sleep of a
dangerous husband； whose snores would double their joy； to defy both
heaven and earth in snatching the boldest of all kisses； to say no
word that would not lead to death or at least to sanguinary combat if
overheard；all these voluptuous images and romantic dangers decided
the young man。 However slight might be the guerdon of his enterprise；
could he only kiss once more the hand of his lady； he still resolved
to venture all； impelled by the chivalrous and passionate spirit of
those days。 He never supposed for a moment that the countess would
refuse him the soft happiness of love in the midst of such mortal
danger。 The adventure was too perilous； too impossible not to be
attempted and carried out。
Suddenly all the bells in the town rang out the curfew；a custom
fallen elsewhere into desuetude； but still observed in the provinces；
where venerable habits are abolished slowly。 Though the lights were
not put out； the watchmen of each quarter stretched the chains across
the streets。 Many doors were locked； the steps of a few belated
burghers； attended by their servants； armed to the teeth and bearing
lanterns； echoed in the distance。 Soon the town； garroted as it were；
seemed to be asleep； and safe from robbers and evil…doers； except
through the roofs。 In those days the roofs of houses were much
frequented after dark。 The streets were so narrow in the provincial
towns； and even in Paris； that robbers could jump from t