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to their houses； social intercourse between them is carried on by
cards from one to the other； and a dinner or soiree accepted and
returned。
This salon； in which the lesser nobility； the clergy； and the
magistracy meet together； exerts a great influence。 The judgment and
mind of the region reside in that solid； unostentatious society； where
each man knows the resources of his neighbor； where complete
indifference is shown to luxury and dress；pleasures which are
thought childish in comparison to that of obtaining ten or twelve
acres of pasture land；a purchase coveted for years； which has
probably given rise to endless diplomatic combinations。 Immovable in
its prejudices； good or evil； this social circle follows a beaten
track； looking neither before it nor behind it。 It accepts nothing
from Paris without long examination and trial； it rejects cashmeres as
it does investments on the Grand…Livre； it scoffs at fashions and
novelties； reads nothing； prefers ignorance； whether of science；
literature； or industrial inventions。 It insists on the removal of a
prefect when that official does not suit it； and if the administration
resists； it isolates him； after the manner of bees who wall up a snail
in wax when it gets into their hive。
In this society gossip is often turned into solemn verdicts。 Young
women are seldom seen there； when they come it is to seek approbation
of their conduct；a consecration of their self…importance。 This
supremacy granted to one house is apt to wound the sensibilities of
other natives of the region； who console themselves by adding up the
cost it involves； and by which they profit。 If it so happens that
there is no fortune large enough to keep open house in this way； the
big…wigs of the place choose a place of meeting； as they did at
Alencon； in the house of some inoffensive person； whose settled life
and character and position offers no umbrage to the vanities or the
interests of any one。
For some years the upper classes of Alencon had met in this way at the
house of an old maid； whose fortune was； unknown to herself； the aim
and object of Madame Granson； her second cousin； and of the two old
bachelors whose secret hopes in that direction we have just unveiled。
This lady lived with her maternal uncle； a former grand…vicar of the
bishopric of Seez； once her guardian； and whose heir she was。 The
family of which Rose…Marie…Victoire Cormon was the present
representative had been in earlier days among the most considerable in
the province。 Though belonging to the middle classes； she consorted
with the nobility； among whom she was more or less allied； her family
having furnished； in past years； stewards to the Duc d'Alencon； many
magistrates to the long robe； and various bishops to the clergy。
Monsieur de Sponde； the maternal grandfather of Mademoiselle Cormon；
was elected by the Nobility to the States…General； and Monsieur
Cormon； her father； by the Tiers…Etat； though neither accepted the
mission。 For the last hundred years the daughters of the family had
married nobles belonging to the provinces； consequently； this family
had thrown out so many suckers throughout the duchy as to appear on
nearly all the genealogical trees。 No bourgeois family had ever seemed
so like nobility。
The house in which Mademoiselle Cormon lived； build in Henri IV。's
time； by Pierre Cormon； the steward of the last Duc d'Alencon； had
always belonged to the family； and among the old maid's visible
possessions this one was particularly stimulating to the covetous
desires of the two old lovers。 Yet； far from producing revenue； the
house was a cause of expense。 But it is so rare to find in the very
centre of a provincial town a private dwelling without unpleasant
surroundings； handsome in outward structure and convenient within；
that Alencon shared the envy of the lovers。
This old mansion stands exactly in the middle of the rue du Val…Noble。
It is remarkable for the strength of its construction；a style of
building introduced by Marie de' Medici。 Though built of granite；a
stone which is hard to work；its angles； and the casings of the doors
and windows； are decorated with corner blocks cut into diamond facets。
It has only one clear story above the ground…floor； but the roof；
rising steeply； has several projecting windows； with carved spandrels
rather elegantly enclosed in oaken frames； and externally adorned with
balustrades。 Between each of these windows is a gargoyle presenting
the fantastic jaws of an animal without a body； vomiting the rain…
water upon large stones pierced with five holes。 The two gables are
surmounted by leaden bouquets；a symbol of the bourgeoisie； for
nobles alone had the privilege in former days of having weather…vanes。
To right of the courtyard are the stables and coach…house； to left；
the kitchen； wood…house； and laundry。
One side of the porte…cochere； being left open； allowed the passers in
the street to see in the midst of the vast courtyard a flower…bed； the
raised earth of which was held in place by a low privet hedge。 A few
monthly roses； pinkes； lilies； and Spanish broom filled this bed；
around which in the summer season boxes of paurestinus； pomegranates；
and myrtle were placed。 Struck by the scrupulous cleanliness of the
courtyard and its dependencies； a stranger would at once have divined
that the place belonged to an old maid。 The eye which presided there
must have been an unoccupied； ferreting eye； minutely careful； less
from nature than for want of something to do。 An old maid； forced to
employ her vacant days； could alone see to the grass being hoed from
between the paving stones； the tops of the walls kept clean； the broom
continually going； and the leather curtains of the coach…house always
closed。 She alone would have introduced； out of busy idleness； a sort
of Dutch cleanliness into a house on the confines of Bretagne and
Normandie；a region where they take pride in professing an utter
indifference to comfort。
Never did the Chevalier de Valois； or du Bousquier； mount the steps of
the double stairway leading to the portico of this house without
saying to himself； one； that it was fit for a peer of France； the
other； that the mayor of the town ought to live there。
A glass door gave entrance from this portico into an antechamber； a
species of gallery paved in red tiles and wainscoted； which served as
a hospital for the family portraits；some having an eye put out；
others suffering from a dislocated shoulder； this one held his hat in
a hand that no longer existed； that one was a case of amputation at
the knee。 Here were deposited the cloaks； clogs； overshoes； umbrellas；
hoods； and pelisses of the guests。 It was an arsenal where each
arrival left his baggage on arriving； and took it up when departing。
Along each wall was a bench for the servants who arrived with
lanterns； and a large stove； to counteract the north wind； which blew
through this hall from the garden to the courtyard。
The house was divided in two equal parts。 On one side； toward the
courtyard； was the well of the staircase； a large dining…room looking
to the garden； and an office or pantry which communicated with the
kitchen。 On the other side was the salon； with four windows； beyond
which were two smaller rooms；one looking on the garden； and used as
a boudoir； the other lighted from the courtyard； and used as a sort of
office。
The upper floor contained a complete apartment for a family household；
and a suite of rooms where the venerable Abbe de Sponde had his abode。
The garrets offered fine quarters to the rats and mice； whose
nocturnal performances were related by Mademoiselle Cormon to the
Chevalier de Valois； with many expressions of surprise at the
inutility of her efforts to get rid of them。 The garden； about half an
acre in size； is margined by the Brillante； so named from the
particles of mica which sparkle in its bed elsewhere than in the Val…
Noble； where its shallow waters are stained by the dyehouses； and
loaded with refuse from the other industries of the town。 The shore
opposite to Mademoiselle Cormon's garden is crowded with houses where
a variety of trades are carried on； happily for her； the occupants are
quiet people；a baker； a cleaner； an upholsterer； and several
bourgeois。 The garden； full of common flowers； ends in a natural
terrace； forming a quay； down which are several steps leading to the
river。 Imagine on the balustrade of this terrace a number of tall
vases of blue and white pottery； in which are gilliflowers； and to
right and left； along the neighboring walls； hedges of linden closely
trimmed in； and you will gain an idea of the landscape； full of
tranquil chastity； modest cheerfulness； but commonplace withal； which
surrounded the venerable edifice of the Cormon family。 What peace！
what tranquillity！ nothing pretentious； but nothing transitory； all
seems eternal there！
The ground…f