第56章

The Marquis died in 1830.The great d'Esgrignon, with a following of all the less infirm noblesse from the Collection of Antiquities, went to wait upon Charles X.at Nonancourt; he paid his respects to his sovereign, and swelled the meagre train of the fallen king.It was an act of courage which seems simple enough to-day, but, in that time of enthusiastic revolt, it was heroism.

"The Gaul has conquered!" These were the Marquis' last words.

By that time du Croisier's victory was complete.The new Marquis d'Esgrignon accepted Mlle.Duval as his wife a week after his old father's death.His bride brought him three millions of francs for du Croisier and his wife settled the reversion of their fortunes upon her in the marriage-contract.Du Croisier took occasion to say during the ceremony that the d'Esgrignon family was the most honorable of all the ancient houses in France.

Some day the present Marquis d'Esgrignon will have an income of more than a hundred thousand crowns.You may see him in Paris, for he comes to town every winter and leads a jolly bachelor life, while he treats his wife with something more than the indifference of the grand seigneur of olden times; he takes no thought whatever for her.

"As for Mlle.d'Esgrignon," said Emile Blondet, to whom all the detail of the story is due, "if she is no longer like the divinely fair woman whom I saw by glimpses in my childhood, she is decidedly, at the age of sixty-seven, the most pathetic and interesting figure in the Collection of Antiquities.She queens it among them still.I saw her when I made my last journey to my native place in search of the necessary papers for my marriage.When my father knew who it was that I had married, he was struck dumb with amazement; he had not a word to say until I told him that I was a prefect.

" 'You were born to it,' he said, with a smile.

"As I took a walk around the town, I met Mlle.Armande.She looked taller than ever.I looked at her, and thought of Marius among the ruins of Carthage.Had she not outlived her creed, and the beliefs that had been destroyed? She is a sad and silent woman, with nothing of her old beauty left except the eyes, that shine with an unearthly light.I watched her on her way to mass, with her book in her hand, and could not help thinking that she prayed to God to take her out of the world."LES JARDIES, July 1837.

ADDENDUM

The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.

Note: The Old Maid is a companion piece to The Collection of Antiquities.In other Addendum appearances they are combined under the title of The Jealousies of a Country Town.

Blondet (Judge)

Beatrix Blondet, Emile A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Modeste Mignon Another Study of Woman The Secrets of a Princess A Daughter of Eve The Firm of Nucingen The Peasantry Blondet, Virginie The Secrets of a Princess The Peasantry A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Another Study of Woman The Member for Arcis A Daughter of Eve Bousquier, Du (or Du Croisier or Du Bourguier)The Old Maid The Middle Classes Bousquier, Madame du (or du Croisier)The Old Maid Camusot de Marville Cousin Pons The Commission in Lunacy Scenes from a Cuortesan's Life Camusot de Marville, Madame The Vendetta Cesar Birotteau Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Cousin Pons Cardot (Parisian notary)The Muse of the Department A Man of Business Pierre Grassou The Middle Classes Cousin Pons Casteran, De The Chouans The Seamy Side of History The Old Maid Beatrix The Peasantry Chesnel (or Choisnel)The Seamy Side of History The Old Maid Coudrai, Du The Old Maid Esgrignon, Charles-Marie-Victor-Ange-Carol, Marquis d' (or Des Grignons)The Chouans The Old Maid Esgrignon, Victurnien, Comte (then Marquis d')Letters of Two Brides A Man of Business The Secrets of a Princess Cousin Betty Esgrignon, Marie-Armande-Claire d'

The Old Maid Herouville, Duc d'

The Hated Son Modeste Mignon Cousin Betty Lenoncourt, Duc de The Lily of the Valley Cesar Birotteau The Old Maid The Gondreville Mystery Beatrix Leroi, Pierre The Chouans The Seamy Side of History Marsay, Henri de The Thirteen The Unconscious Humorists Another Study of Woman The Lily of the Valley Father Goriot Ursule Mirouet A Marriage Settlement Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Letters of Two Brides The Ball at Sceaux Modest Mignon The Secrets of a Princess The Gondreville Mystery A Daughter of Eve Maufrigneuse, Duchesse de The Secrets of a Princess Modeste Mignon The Muse of the Department Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Letters of Two Brides Another Study of Woman The Gondreville Mystery The Member for Arcis Michu, Francois The Gondreville Mystery The Member for Arcis Pamiers, Vidame de The Thirteen Ronceret, Du The Old Maid Beatrix Ronceret, Madame du The Old Maid Ronceret, Fabien-Felicien du (or Duronceret)Beatrix Gaudissart II

Scherbelloff, Princesse (or Scherbellof or Sherbelloff)The Peasantry Thirion The Vendetta Cesar Birotteau Troisville, Guibelin, Vicomte de The Seamy Side of History The Chouans The Old Maid The Peasantry Valois, Chevalier de The Chouans The Old Maid Verneuil, Duc de The Chouans The Old Maid End