autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第13节

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almost　as　helpless　as　that　of　an　infant。　Desiree　laid　down　two
napoleons；　keeping　the　five　francs　to　pay　for　some　necessaries；　and
then　she　took　me　in　her　hands；　as　if　to　ascertain　whether　she　had　done
too　much。　Satisfied　on　this　head；　I　was　carefully　replaced　in　the　basket；
when　the　commissionaire　went　out　again；　on　her　errands；　honorably
disposed　to　be　useful。　Still　she　did　not　deem　it　necessary　to　conceal　her
employer's　poverty；　which　was　soon　divulged　to　the　porteress；　and　by
her　to　the　bourgeois。

｛bourgeois　=　towns…people；　neighbors｝

Adrienne　had　now　the　means　of　purchasing　food；　but；　ignorant　how
much　might　be　demanded　on　behalf　of　the　approaching　ceremony；　she
religiously　adhered　to　the　use　of　dry　bread。　When　Desiree　returned　in
the　evening；　she　told　the　poor　girl　that　the　convoi　was　arranged　for　the
following　morning；　that　she　had　ordered　all　in　the　most　economical　way；
but　that　thirty…five　francs　were　the　lowest　sou　for　which　the　funeral
could　be　had。　Adrienne　counted　out　the　money；　and　then　found　herself
the　mistress　of　just　FOUR　FRANCS　TEN　SOUS。　When　Desiree　took
her　leave　for　the　night；　she　placed　me　in　her　basket；　and　carried　me　to
her　own　lodgings；　in　virtue　of　her　purchase。

｛convoi　=　funeral；　lowest　sou　=　cheapest　price｝

I　was　laid　upon　a　table　where　I　could　look　through　an　open　window；　up
at　the　void　of　heaven。　It　was　glittering　with　those　bright　stars　which　the
astronomers　tell　us　are　suns　of　other　systems；　and　the　scene　gradually
drew　me　to　reflections　on　that　eternity　which　is　before　us。　My　feelings
got　to　be　gradually　soothed；　as　I　remembered　the　moment　of　time　that
all　are　required　to　endure　injustice　and　wrongs　on　earth。　Some　such
reflections　are　necessary　to　induce　us　to　submit　to　the　mysterious　reign
of　Providence；　whose　decrees　so　often　seem　unequal；　and　whose
designs　are　so　inscrutable。　By　remembering　what　a　speck　is　time；　as
compared　with　eternity；　and　that　〃God　chasteneth　those　he　loveth；〃　the
ills　of　life　may　be　borne；　even　with　joy。

The　manner　in　which　Desiree　disposed　of　me；　shall　be　related　in　another
number。

｛another　number　=　in　the　Graham's　Magazine　periodical　version；　not
divided　into　chapters；　this　paragraph　closed　the　first　of　the　four
installments　in　which　the　story　was　printed；　in　later　book　versions　it　was
changed　to　read　〃in　the　next　chapter〃｝



CHAPTER　VIII。

The　reader　is　not　to　infer　that　Desiree　was　unusually　mercenary。　That
she　was　a　little　addicted　to　this　weakness；　is　truewho　ever　knew　a
commissionaire　that　was　not？　But　she　had　her　moments　of　benevolence；
as　well　as　others；　and　had　really　made　some　sacrifice　of　her　time；　and
consequently　of　her　interests；　in　order　to　serve　Adrienne　in　her　distress。
As　for　the　purchase　of　myself；　that　was　in　the　way　of　her　commerce；
and　it　is　seldom；　indeed；　that　philanthropy　can　overcome　the　habits　of
trade。

Desiree　was　not　wholly　without　means；　and　she　was　in　no　hurry　to　reap
the　benefit　of　her　purchase。　I　remained　in　her　possession；　according　to
my　calculation；　some　two　or　three　years　before　she　ever　took　me　out　of
the　drawer　in　which　I　had　been　deposited　for　safe　keeping。　I　was
considered　a　species　of　corps　de　reserve。　At　the　end　of　that　period；
however；　her　thoughts　recurred　to　her　treasure；　and　an　occasion　soon
offered　for　turning　me　to　account。　I　was　put　into　the　reticule；　and　carried
about；　in　readiness　for　any　suitable　bargain　that　might　turn　up。

｛corps　de　reserve　=　reserve　corps；　reticule　=　a　large　pocketbook｝

One　day　Desiree　and　I　were　on　the　Boulevards　Italiens　together；　when
a　figure　caught　the　commissionaire's　eye　that　sent　her　across　the　street　in
a　great　hurry。　I　scarcely　know　how　to　describe　this　person；　who；　to　my
simple　eyes；　had　the　appearance　of　a　colonel　of　the　late　Royal　Guards；
or；　at　least；　of　an　attache　of　one　of　the　northern　legations。　He　was
dressed　in　the　height　of　the　latest　fashion；　as　well　as　he　knew　how　to　be；
wore　terrible　moustaches；　and　had　a　rare　provision　of　rings；　eye…
glasses；　watch…guards；　chains；　&c。

｛Boulevards　Italiens　=　a　fashionable　Paris　street；　attache　=　a　diplomat
European　diplomats　at　this　period　often　wore　uniforms｝

〃Bon　jour；　monsieur；〃　exclaimed　Desiree；　in　haste；　〃parole　d'　honneur；　I
scarcely　knew　you！　I　have　been　waiting　for　your　return　from　Lyons　with
the　most　lively　impatience；　for；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　have　the　greatest
bijou　for　your　American　ladies　that　ever　came　out　of　a　bleaching
groundun　mouchoir　de　poche。〃

｛bijou　=　jewel；　mouchoir　de　poche　=　pocket　handkerchief｝

〃Doucementdoucement；　ma　bonne；〃　interrupted　the　other；　observing
that　the　woman　was　about　to　exhibit　me　on　the　open　Boulevards；　an
expose　for　which　he　had　no　longings；　〃you　can　bring　it　to　my　lodgings〃

｛doucement。。。　=　not　so　fast；　my　good　woman；　expose　=　public　display｝

〃Rue　de　Clery；　numero　cent　vingt〃

｛Rue　de　Clery。。。　=　Clery　Street；　number　one　twenty〃

〃Not　at　all；　my　good　Desiree。　You　must　know　I　have　transacted　all　my
ordinary　businessmade　my　purchases；　and　am　off　for　New　York　in
the　next　packet〃

｛packet　=　ship　sailing　on　a　fixed　schedule｝

〃Mais；　le　malle；　monsieur？〃

｛Mais；　le　malle。。。　=　But；　what　about　your　trunk；　sir？｝

〃Yes；　the　trunk　will　have　a　corner　in　it　for　any　thing　particular；　as　you
say。　I　shall　go　to　court　this　evening；　to　a　great　ball；　Madame　la
Marquise　de　Dolomien　and　the　Aide　de　Camp　de　Service　having　just
notified　me　that　I　am　invited。　To　be　frank　with　you；　Desiree；　I　am
lodging　in　la　Rue　de　la　Paix；　and　appear；　just　now；　as　a　mere　traveler。
You　will　inquire　for　le　Colonel　Silky；　when　you　call。〃

｛Aide　de　Camp　de　Service　=　duty　officer　of　the　French　royal　court｝

〃Le　Colonel　Silky！〃　repeated　Desiree　with　a　look　of　admiration；　a　little
mingled　with　contempt。

〃De　la　garde　nationale　Americaine；〃　answered　Mr。　Silky；　smiling。　He
then　gave　the　woman　his　new　address；　and　appointed　an　hour　to　see
her。

｛De　la　garde　nationale　Americaine　=　of　the　American　national　guard
Cooper　is　here　satirizing　the　pretensions　and　gaudy　uniforms　of　civilians
holding　nominal　commissions　as　〃Colonels〃　of　American　state　militias｝

Desiree　was　punctual　to　a　minute。　The　porter；　the　garcons；　the
bourgeois；　all　knew　le　Colonel　Silky；　who　was　now　a　great　man；　wore
moustaches；　and　went　to　courtas　the　court　was。　In　a　minute　the
commissionaire　was　in　the　colonel's　ante…chamber。　This　distinguished
officer　had　a　method　in　his　madness。　He　was　not　accustomed　to
keeping　a　body　servant；　and；　as　his　aim　was　to　make　a　fortune；　will　ye
nill　ye；　he　managed；　even　now；　in　his　hours　of　pride　and　self…indulgence；
to　get　along　without　one。　It　was　not　many　moments；　therefore；　before
he　came　out　and　ushered　Desiree　himself　into　his　salon；　a　room　of　ten
feet　by　fourteen；　with　a　carpet　that　covered　just　eight　feet　by　six；　in　its
centre。　Now　that　they　were　alone；　in　this　snuggery；　which　seemed
barely　large　enough　to　contain　so　great　a　man's　moustaches；　the　parties
understood　each　other　without　unnecessary　phrases；　and　I　was；　at
once；　produced。

｛as　the　court　was　=　the　Royal　Court　of　King　Louis　Philippe　prided　itself
on　its　simplicity　and　informality；　garcons；　bourgeois　=　waiters；
neighbors；　salon　=　living　room｝

Colonel　Silky　was　evidently　struck　with　my　appearance。　An　officer　of
his　readiness　and　practice　saw　at　once　that　I　might　be　made　to　diminish
no　small　part　of　the　ways　and　means　of　his　present　campaign；　and
precisely　in　proportion　as　he　admired　me；　he　began　to　look　cold　and
indifferent。　This　management　could　not　deceive　me；　my　clairvoyance
defying　any　such　artifices；　but　it　had　a　sensible　effect　on　Desiree；　who；
happening　very　much　to　want　money　for　a　particular　object　just　at　that
moment；　determined；　on　the　spot；　to　abate　no　less　than　fifty　francs　from
the　price　she　had　intended　to　ask。　This　was　deducting　five　francs　more
than　poor　Adrienne　got　for　the　money　she　had　expended　for　her
beautiful　lace；　and　for　all　her　toil；　sleepless　nights；　and　tears；　a　proof　of
the　commissionaire's　scale　of　doing　business。　The　bargain　was　now
commenced　in　earnest；　offering　an　instructive　scene　of　French
protestations；　assertions；　contradictions　and　volubility　on　one　side；　and
of　cold；　seemingly　phlegmatic；　but　wily　Yankee　calculation；　on　the
other。　Desiree　had　set　her　price　at　one　hundred　and　fifty　francs；　after
abating　the　fifty　mentioned；　and　Colonel　Silky　had　early　made　up　his
mind　to　give　only　one　hundred。　After　making　suitable　allowances　for　my
true　value　before　I　was　embellished；　the　cost　of　the　lace　and　of　the
work；　Desiree　was　not　far　from　the　mark；　but　the　Colonel　saw　that　she
wanted　money；　and　he　knew　that　two　napoleons　and　a　half；　with　his
management；　would　carry　him　from　Paris　to　Havre。　It　is　true　he　had
spent　the　difference　that　morning　on　an　eye…glass　that　he　never　used；　or
when　he　did　it　was　only　to　obscure　his　vision；　but　the　money　was　not
lost；　as　it　aided　in　persuading　the　world　he　was　a　colonel　and　was
afflicted　with　that　genteel　defect；　an　imperfect　vision。　These　extremes　of
extravagance　and　meanness　were　not　unusual　in　his　practice。　The　one；
in　truth；　being　a　consequence　of　the　other。

｛management　=　in　Cooper's　time；　a　word　suggesting　conniving　or
unscrupulous　ma