autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第4节

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to　the　magazin；　but　our　reputation　having　preceded　us；　we　were
honored　with　a　fiacre；　making　the　journey　between　the　Douane　and　the
shop　on　the　knee　of　a　confidential　commissionaire。

｛Picardie　=　province　of　France；　north　of　Evreux；　barrieres　=　gates　　at
the　edge　of　Paris；　where　local　customs　duties　were　collected；　magazin　=
shop；　fiacre　=　a　kind　of　carriage；　　Douane　=　customs　house；　confidential
commissionaire　=　special　messenger｝

Great　was　the　satisfaction　of　our　little　party　as　we　first　drove　down
through　the　streets　of　this　capital　of　Europethe　centre　of　fashion　and
the　abode　of　elegance。　Our　natures　had　adapted　themselves　to
circumstances；　and　we　no　longer　pined　for　the　luxuries　of　the　linum
usitatissimum；　but　were　ready　to　enter　into　all　the　pleasures　of　our　new
existence；　which　we　well　understood　was　to　be　one　of　pure　parade；　for
no　handkerchief　of　our　quality　was　ever　employed　on　any　of　the　more
menial　offices　of　the　profession。　We　might　occasionally　brush　a　lady's
cheek；　or　conceal　a　blush　or　a　smile；　but　the　usitatissimum　had　been　left
behind　us　in　the　fields。　The　fiacre　stopped　at　the　door　of　a　celebrated
perfumer；　and　the　commissionaire；　deeming　us　of　too　much　value　to　be
left　on　a　carriage　seat；　took　us　in　her　hand　while　she　negotiated　a　small
affair　with　its　mistress。　This　was　our　introduction　to　the　pleasant
association　of　sweet　odors；　of　which　it　was　to　be　our　fortune　to　enjoy　in
future　the　most　delicate　and　judicious　communion。　We　knew　very　well
that　things　of　this　sort　were　considered　vulgar；　unless　of　the　purest
quality　and　used　with　the　tact　of　good　society；　but　still　it　was　permitted
to　sprinkle　a　very　little　lavender；　or　exquisite　eau　de　cologne；　on　a
pocket…handkerchief。　The　odor　of　these　two　scents；　therefore；
appeared　quite　natural　to　us；　and　as　Madame　Savon　never　allowed　any
perfume；　or　articles　（as　these　things　are　technically　termed）；　of　inferior
quality　to　pollute　her　shop；　we　had　no　scruples　about　inhaling　the
delightful　fragrance　that　breathed　in　the　place。　Desiree；　the
commissionaire；　could　not　depart　without　permitting　her　friend；
Madame　Savon；　to　feast　her　eyes　on　the　treasure　in　her　own　hands。　The
handkerchiefs　were　unfolded；　amidst　a　hundred　dieux！　ciels！　and
dames！　Our　fineness　and　beauty　were　extolled　in　a　manner　that　was
perfectly　gratifying　to　the　self…esteem　of　the　whole　family。　Madame
Savon　imagined　that　even　her　perfumes　would　be　more　fragrant　in　such
company；　and　she　insisted　on　letting　one　dropa　single　dropof　her
eau　de　cologne　fall　on　the　beautiful　texture。　I　was　the　happy
handkerchief　that　was　thus　favored；　and　long　did　I　riot　in　that　delightful
odor；　which　was　just　strong　enough　to　fill　the　air　with　sensations；　rather
than　impressions　of　all　that　is　sweet　and　womanly　in　the　female
wardrobe。

｛usitatissimum　had　been　left　behind　=　the　species　name　of　linen　means
〃most　useful〃；　Madame　Savon　=　literally；　Mrs。　Soap；　articles　=　short　for
〃articles　de　Paris〃　or　Parisian　specialties；　dieux！　=　dear　me！；　ciels！　=
good　heavens！；　dames　=　my　oh　my！｝



CHAPTER　III。

Notwithstanding　this　accidental　introduction　to　one　of　the　nicest
distinctions　of　good　society；　and　the　general　exhilaration　that　prevailed
in　our　party；　I　was　far　from　being　perfectly　happy。　To　own　the　truth；　I
had　left　my　heart　in　Picardie。　I　do　not　say　I　was　in　love；　I　am　far　from
certain　that　there　is　any　precedent　for　a　pocket…handkerchief's　being　in
love　at　all；　and　I　am　quite　sure　that　the　sensations　I　experienced　were
different　from　those　I　have　since　had　frequent　occasion　to　hear
described。　The　circumstances　which　called　them　forth　were　as　follows：

The　manufactory　in　which　our　family　was　fabricated　was　formerly
known　as　the　Chateau　de　la　Rocheaimard；　and　had　been　the　property
of　the　Vicomte　de　la　Rocheaimard　previously　to　the　revolution　that
overturned　the　throne　of　Louis　XVI。　The　vicomte　and　his　wife　joined
the　royalists　at　Coblentz；　and　the　former；　with　his　only　son；　Adrien　de　la
Rocheaimard；　or　the　Chevalier　de　la　Rocheaimard；　as　he　was　usually
termed；　had　joined　the　allies　in　their　attempted　invasion　on　the　soil　of
France。　The　vicomte；　a　marechal　du　camp；　had　fallen　in　battle；　but　the
son　escaped；　and　passed　his　youth　in　exile；　marrying　a　few　years　later；　a
cousin　whose　fortunes　were　at　as　low　an　ebb　as　his　own。　One　child；
Adrienne；　was　the　sole　issue　of　this　marriage；　having　been　born　in　the
year　1810。　Both　the　parents　died　before　the　Restoration；　leaving　the
little　girl　to　the　care　of　her　pious　grandmother；　la　vicomtesse；　who
survived；　in　a　feeble　old　age；　to　descant　on　the　former　grandeur　of　her
house；　and　to　sigh；　in　common　with　so　many　others；　for　le　bon　vieux
temps。　At　the　Restoration；　there　was　some　difficulty　in　establishing　the
right　of　the　de　la　Rocheaimards　to　their　share　of　the　indemnity；　a
difficulty　I　never　heard　explained；　but　which　was　probably　owing　to　the
circumstance　that　there　was　no　one　in　particular　to　interest　themselves　in
the　matter；　but　an　old　woman　of　sixty…five　and　a　little　girl　of　four。　Such
appellants；　unsupported　by　money；　interest；　or　power；　seldom　make　out
a　very　strong　case　for　reparation　of　any　sort；　in　this　righteous　world　of
ours；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　goodness　of　the　dauphine　it　is　probable
that　the　vicomtesse　and　her　grand…daughter　would　have　been　reduced
to　downright　beggary。　But　the　daughter　of　the　late　King　got　intelligence
of　the　necessities　of　the　two　descendants　of　Crusaders；　and　a　pension
of　two　thousand　francs　a　year　was　granted；　en　attendant。

｛Rocheaimard　=　both　the　Chateau　and　the　family　are　fictitious；　marechal
du　camp　=　general　commanding　a　brigade；　le　bon　vieux　temps　=　the
good　old　days；　late　King　=　Louis　XVI；　guillotined　in　1793；　en　attendant
=　for　the　time　being｝

Four　hundred　dollars　a　year　does　not　appear　a　large　sum；　even　to　the
nouveaux　riches　of　America；　but　it　sufficed　to　give　Adrienne　and　her
grandmother　a　comfortable；　and　even　a　respectable　subsistence　in　the
provinces。　It　was　impossible　for　them　to　inhabit　the　chateau；　now
converted　into　a　workshop　and　filled　with　machinery；　but　lodgings　were
procured　in　its　immediate　vicinity。　Here　Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard
whiled　away　the　close　of　a　varied　and　troubled　life；　if　not　in　absolute
peace；　still　not　in　absolute　misery；　while　her　grand…daughter　grew　into
young　womanhood；　a　miracle　of　goodness　and　pious　devotion　to　her
sole　surviving　parent。　The　strength　of　the　family　tie　in　France；　and　its
comparative　weakness　in　America；　has　been　the　subject　of　frequent
comment　among　travelers。　I　do　not　know　that　all　which　has　been　said　is
rigidly　just；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　much　of　it　is；　and；　as　I　am　now
writing　to　Americans；　and　of　French　people；　I　see　no　particular　reason
why　the　fact　should　be　concealed。　Respect　for　years；　deference　to　the
authors　of　their　being；　and　submission　to　parental　authority　are
inculcated　equally　by　the　morals　and　the　laws　of　France。　The　conseilles
de　famille　is　a　beautiful　and　wise　provision　of　the　national　code；　and　aids
greatly　in　maintaining　that　system　of　patriarchal　rule　which　lies　at　the
foundation　of　the　whole　social　structure。　Alas！　in　the　case　of　the
excellent　Adrienne；　this　conseille　de　famille　was　easily　assembled；　and
possessed　perfect　unanimity。　The　wars；　the　guillotine　and　exile　had
reduced　it　to　two；　one　of　which　was　despotic　in　her　government；　so　far
as　theory　was　concerned　at　least；　possibly；　at　times；　a　little　so　in
practice。　Still　Adrienne；　on　the　whole　grew　up　tolerably　happy。　She　was
taught　most　that　is　suitable　for　a　gentlewoman；　without　being　crammed
with　superfluous　accomplishments；　and；　aided　by　the　good　cure；　a　man
who　remembered　her　grandfather；　had　both　polished　and　stored　her
mind。　Her　manners　were　of　the　excellent　tone　that　distinguished　the
good　society　of　Paris　before　the　revolution；　being　natural；　quiet；　simple
and　considerate。　She　seldom　laughed；　I　fear；　but　her　smiles　were
sweetness　and　benevolence　itself。

｛conseille　de　famille　=　council　of　relatives；　supervised　by　a　judge；　that
supervised　the　care　of　minors　in　France；　cure　=　priest｝

The　bleaching　grounds　of　our　manufactory　were　in　the　old　park　of　the
chateau。　Thither　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　fond　of　coming　in　the
fine　mornings　of　June；　for　many　of　the　roses　and　lovely　Persian　lilacs
that　once　abounded　there　still　remained。　I　first　saw　Adrienne　in　one　of
these　visits；　the　quality　of　our　little　family　circle　attracting　her　attention。
One　of　the　bleachers；　indeed；　was　an　old　servant　of　the　vicomte's；　and　it
was　a　source　of　pleasure　to　him　to　point　out　any　thing　to　the　ladies　that
he　thought　might　prove　interesting。　This　was　the　man　who　so　diligently
read　the　Moniteur；　giving　a　religious　credence　to　all　it　contained。　He
fancied　no　hand　so　worthy　to　hold　fabrics　of　such　exquisite　fineness　as
that　of　Mademoiselle　Adrienne；　and　it　was　through　his　assiduity　that　I
had　the　honor　of　being　first　placed　within　the　gentle　pressure　of　her
beautiful　little　fingers。　This　occurred　about　a　month　before　our　departure
for　Paris。

Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　then　just　twenty。　Her　beauty　was　of　a
character　that　is　not　common　in　France；　but　which；　when　it　does　exist；　is
now