The Countess of Saint Geran

He laid a pile of gold on the table. The matron weakly owned that she had sometimes attempted astrological combinations which were not always fortunate, and that she had been only induced to do so by the fascination of the phenomena of science. The secret of her guilty practices was drawn from her at the very outset of her defence.

“That being so,” replied the marquis, “you must be already aware of the situation in which I find myself; you must know that, hurried away by a blind and ardent passion, I have betrayed the confidence of an old lady and violated the laws of hospitality by seducing her daughter in her own house; that matters have come to a crisis, and that this noble damsel, whom I Love to distraction, being pregnant, is on the point of losing her life and honour by the discovery of her fault, which is mine.”

The matron replied that nothing could be ascertained about a person except from private questions; and to further impose upon the marquis, she fetched a kind of box marked with figures and strange emblems. Opening this, and putting together certain figures which it contained, she declared that what the marquis had told her was true, and that his situation was a most melancholy one. She added, in order to frighten him, that he was threatened by still more serious misfortunes than those which had already overtaken him, but that it was easy to anticipate and obviate these mischances by new consultations.

“Madame,” replied the marquis, “I fear only one thing in the world, the dishonour of the woman I love. Is there no method of remedying the usual embarrassment of a birth?”

“I know of none,” said the matron.

“The young lady has succeeded in concealing her condition; it would be easy for her confinement to take place privately.”

“She has already risked her life; and I cannot consent to be mixed up in this affair, for fear of the consequences.”

“Could not, for instance,” said the marquis, “a confinement be effected without pain?”

“I don’t know about that, but this I do” know, that I shall take very good care not to practise any method contrary to the laws of nature.”

“You are deceiving me: you are acquainted with this method, you have already practised it upon a certain person whom I could name to you.”

“Who has dared to calumniate me thus? I operate only after the decision of the Faculty. God forbid that I should be stoned by all the physicians, and perhaps expelled from France!”

“Will you then let me die of despair? If I were capable of making a bad use of your secrets, I could have done so long ago, for I know them. In Heaven’s name, do not dissimulate any longer, and tell me how it is possible to stifle the pangs of labour. Do you want more gold? Here it is.” And he threw more Louis on the table.

“Stay,” said the matron: “there is perhaps a method which I think I have discovered, and which I have never employed, but I believe it efficacious.”

“But if you have never employed it, it may be dangerous, and risk the life of the lady whom I love.”

“When I say never, I mean that I have tried it once, and most successfully. Be at your ease.”

“Ah!” cried the marquis, “you have earned my everlasting gratitude! But,” continued he, “if we could anticipate the confinement itself, and remove from henceforth the symptoms of pregnancy?”

“Oh, sir, that is a great crime you speak of!”

“Alas!” continued the marquis, as if speaking to himself in a fit of intense grief; “I had rather lose a dear child, the pledge of our love, than bring into the world an unhappy creature which might possibly cause its mother’s death.”

“I pray you, sir, let no more be said on the subject; it is a horrible crime even to think of such a thing.”

“But what is to be done? Is it better to destroy two persons and perhaps kill a whole family with despair? Oh, madame, I entreat you, extricate us from this extremity!”

The marquis buried his face in his hands, and sobbed as though he were weeping copiously.

“Your despair grievously affects me,” said the matron; “but consider that for a woman of my calling it is a capital offence.”

“What are you talking about? Do not our mystery, our safety, and our credit come in first?

“They can never get at you till after the death and dishonour of all that is dear to me in the world.”

“I might then, perhaps. But in this case you must insure me against legal complications, fines, and procure me a safe exit from the kingdom.”

“Ah! that is my affair. Take my whole fortune! Take my life!”

And he threw the whole purse on the table.

“In this case, and solely to extricate you from the extreme danger in which I see you placed, I consent to give you a decoction, and certain instructions, which will instantly relieve the lady from her burden. She must use the greatest precaution, and study to carry out exactly what I am about to tell you. My God! only such desperate occasions as this one could induce me to – Here – ”

She took a flask from the bottom of a cupboard, and continued —

“Here is a liquor which never fails.”

“Oh, madame, you save my honour, which is dearer to me than life! But this is not enough: tell me what use I am to make of this liquor, and in what doses I am to administer it.”

“The patient,” replied the midwife, “must take one spoonful the first day; the second day two; the third – ”

“You will obey me to the minutest particular?”

“I swear it.”

“Let us start, then.”

She asked but for time to pack a little linen, put things in order, then fastened her doors, and left the house with the marquis. A quarter of an hour later they were galloping through the night, without her knowing where the marquis was taking her.

The marquis reappeared three days later at the chateau, finding the count’s family as he had left them – that is to say, intoxicated with hope, and counting the weeks, days, and hours before the accouchement of the countess. He excused his hurried departure on the ground of the importance of the business which had summoned him away; and speaking of his journey at table, he related a story current in the country whence he came, of a surprising event which he had all but witnessed. It was the case of a lady of quality who suddenly found herself in the most dangerous pangs of labour. All the skill of the physicians who had been summoned proved futile; the lady was at the point of death; at last, in sheer despair, they summoned a midwife of great repute among the peasantry, but whose practice did not include the gentry. From the first treatment of this woman, who appeared modest and diffident to a degree, the pains ceased as if by enchantment; the patient fell into an indefinable calm languor, and after some hours was delivered of a beautiful infant; but after this was attacked by a violent fever which brought her to death’s door. They then again had recourse to the doctors, notwithstanding the opposition of the master of the house, who had confidence in the matron. The doctors’ treatment only made matters worse. In this extremity they again called in the midwife, and at the end of three weeks the lady was miraculously restored to life, thus, added the marquis, establishing the reputation of the matron, who had sprung into such vogue in the town where she lived and the neighbouring country that nothing else was talked about.

This story made a great impression on the company, on account of the condition of the countess; the dowager added that it was very wrong to ridicule these humble country experts, who often through observation and experience discovered secrets which proud doctors were unable to unravel with all their studies. Hereupon the count cried out that this midwife must be sent for, as she was just the kind of woman they wanted. After this other matters were talked about, the marquis changing the conversation; he had gained his point in quietly introducing the thin end of the wedge of his design.

After dinner, the company walked on the terrace. The countess dowager not being able to walk much on account of her advanced age, the countess and Madame de Bouille took chairs beside her. The count walked up and down with M. de Saint-Maixent. The marquis naturally asked how things had been going on during his absence, and if Madame de Saint-Geran had suffered any inconvenience, for her pregnancy had become the most important affair in the household, and hardly anything else was talked about.

“By the way,” said the count, “you were speaking just now of a very skilful midwife; would it not be a good step to summon her?”

“I think,” replied the marquis, “that it would be an excellent selection, for I do not suppose there is one in this neighbourhood to compare to her.”

“I have a great mind to send for her at once, and to keep her about the countess, whose constitution she will be all the better acquainted with if she studies it beforehand. Do you know where I can send for her?”

“Faith,” said the marquis, “she lives in a village, but I don’t know which.”

“But at least you know her name?”

“I can hardly remember it. Louise Boyard, I think, or Polliard, one or the other.”

“How! have you not even retained the name?”

“I heard the story, that’s all. Who the deuce can keep a name in his head which he hears in such a chance fashion?”

“But did the condition of the countess never occur to you?”

“It was so far away that I did not suppose you would send such a distance. I thought you were already provided.”

“How can we set about to find her?”