autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第5节

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character　that　is　not　common　in　France；　but　which；　when　it　does　exist；　is
nowhere　surpassed。　She　was　slight　and　delicate　in　person；　of　fair　hair
and　complexion；　and　with　the　meekest　and　most　dove…like　blue　eyes　I
ever　saw　in　a　female　face。　Her　smile；　too；　was　of　so　winning　and　gentle
a　nature；　as　to　announce　a　disposition　pregnant　with　all　the　affections。
Still　it　was　well　understood　that　Adrienne　was　not　likely　to　marry；　her
birth　raising　her　above　all　intentions　of　connecting　her　ancient　name　with
mere　gold；　while　her　poverty　placed　an　almost　insuperable　barrier
between　her　and　most　of　the　impoverished　young　men　of　rank　whom
she　occasionally　saw。　Even　the　power　of　the　dauphine　was　not　sufficient
to　provide　Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　with　a　suitable　husband。　But　of
this　the　charming　girl　never　thought；　she　lived　more　for　her　grandmother
than　for　herself；　and　so　long　as　that　venerated　relative；　almost　the　only
one　that　remained　to　her　on　earth；　did　not　suffer　or　repine；　she　herself
could　be　comparatively　happy。

〃Dans　le　bon　vieux　temps；〃　said　the　vicomtesse；　examining　me　through
her　spectacles；　and　addressing　Georges；　who　stood；　hat　in　hand；　to
hearken　to　her　wisdom；　〃dans　le　bon　vieux　temps；　mon　ami；　the　ladies
of　the　chateau　did　not　want　for　these　things。　There　were　six　dozen　in　my
corbeille；　that　were　almost　as　fine　as　this；　as　for　the　trousseau；　I　believe
it　had　twice　the　number；　but　very　little　inferior。〃

｛dans　de　bon　vieux　temps　=　in　the　good　old　days；　corbeille　=　wedding
presents　from　a　bridegroom；　trousseau　=　wedding　outfit｝

〃I　remember　that　madame；〃　Georges　always　gave　his　old　mistress　this
title　of　honor；　〃kept　many　of　the　beautiful　garments　of　her　trousseau
untouched；　down　to　the　melancholy　period　of　the　revolution。〃

〃It　has　been　a　mine　of　wealth　to　me；　Georges；　in　behalf　of　that　dear
child。　You　may　remember　that　this　trousseau　was　kept　in　the　old
armoire；　on　the　right　hand　side　of　the　little　door　of　my　dressing…room〃

｛armoire　=　cupboard　or　closet　｝

〃Madame　la　Vicomtesse　will　have　the　goodness　to　pardon　meit　was
on　the　LEFT　hand　side　of　the　roomMonsieur's　medals　were　kept　in
the　opposite　armoire。〃

〃Our　good　Georges　is　right；　Adrienne！he　has　a　memory！　Your
grandfather　insisted　on　keeping　his　medals　in　my　dressing…room；　as　he
says。　Well；　Monsieur　Georges；　left　or　right；　THERE　I　left　the　remains　of
my　trousseau　when　I　fled　from　France；　and　there　I　found　it　untouched
on　my　return。　The　manufactory　had　saved　the　chateau；　and　the
manufacturers　had　spared　my　wardrobe。　Its　sale；　and　its　materials；　have
done　much　toward　rendering　that　dear　child　respectable　and　well　clad；
since　our　return。〃

I　thought　the　slight　color　which　usually　adorned　the　fair　oval　cheeks　of
Adrienne　deepened　a　little　at　this　remark；　and　I　certainly　felt　a　little
tremor　in　the　hand　which　held　me；　but　it　could　not　have　been　shame；　as
the　sweet　girl　often　alluded　to　her　poverty　in　a　way　so　simple　and
natural；　as　to　prove　that　she　had　no　false　feelings　on　that　subject。　And
why　should　she？　Poverty　ordinarily　causes　no　such　sensations　to　those
who　are　conscious　of　possessing　advantages　of　an　order　superior　to
wealth；　and　surely　a　well…educated；　well…born；　virtuous　girl　need　not
have　blushed　because　estates　were　torn　from　her　parents　by　a　political
convulsion　that　had　overturned　an　ancient　and　powerful　throne。



CHAPTER　IV。

》From　this　time；　the　charming　Adrienne　frequently　visited　the　bleaching
grounds；　always　accompanied　by　her　grandmother。　The　presence　of
Georges　was　an　excuse；　but　to　watch　the　improvement　in　our
appearance　was　the　reason。　Never　before　had　Adrienne　seen　a　fabric
as　beautiful　as　our　own；　and；　as　I　afterwards　discovered；　she　was　laying
by　a　few　francs　with　the　intention　of　purchasing　the　piece；　and　of
working　and　ornamenting　the　handkerchiefs；　in　order　to　present　them　to
her　benefactress；　the　dauphine。　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　pleased
with　this　project；　it　was　becoming　in　a　de　la　Rocheaimard；　and　they
soon　began　to　speak　of　it　openly　in　their　visits。　Fifteen　or　twenty
napoleons　might　do　it；　and　the　remains　of　the　recovered　trousseau
would　still　produce　that　sum。　It　is　probable　this　intention　would　have
been　carried　out；　but　for　a　severe　illness　that　attacked　the　dear　girl；
during　which　her　life　was　even　despaired　of。　I　had　the　happiness　of
hearing　of　her　gradual　recovery；　however；　before　we　commenced　our
journey；　though　no　more　was　said　of　the　purchase。　Perhaps　it　was　as
well。　as　it　was；　for；　by　this　time；　such　a　feeling　existed　in　our　extreme
cote　gauche；　that　it　may　be　questioned　if　the　handkerchiefs　of　that　end
of　the　piece　would　have　behaved　themselves　in　the　wardrobe　of　the
dauphine　with　the　discretion　and　prudence　that　are　expected　from　every
thing　around　the　person　of　a　princess　of　her　exalted　rank　and　excellent
character。　It　is　true；　none　of　us　understood　the　questions　at　issue；　but
that　only　made　the　matter　worse；　the　violence　of　all　dissensions　being
very　generally　in　proportion　to　the　ignorance　and　consequent　confidence
of　the　disputants。

｛napoleon　=　French　gold　coin　worth　twenty　francs｝

I　could　not　but　remember　Adrienne；　as　the　commissionaire　laid　us　down
before　the　eyes　of　the　wife　of　the　head　of　the　firm；　in　the　rue　de　
。　We　were　carefully　examined；　and　pronounced　〃parfaits；〃　still　it　was　not
in　the　sweet　tones；　and　with　the　sweeter　smiles　of　the　polished　and
gentle　girl　we　had　left　in　Picardie。　There　was　a　sentiment　in　HER
admiration　that　touched　all　our　hearts；　even　to　the　most　exaggerated
republican　among　us；　for　she　seemed　to　go　deeper　in　her　examination　of
merits　than　the　mere　texture　and　price。　She　saw　her　offering　in　our
beauty；　the　benevolence　of　the　dauphine　in　our　softness；　her　own
gratitude　in　our　exquisite　fineness；　and　princely　munificence　in　our
delicacy。　In　a　word；　she　could　enter　into　the　sentiment　of　a　pocket…
handkerchief。　Alas！　how　different　was　the　estimation　in　which　we　were
held　by　Desiree　and　her　employers。　With　them；　it　was　purely　a　question
of　francs；　and　we　had　not　been　in　the　magazin　five　minutes；　when　there
was　a　lively　dispute　whether　we　were　to　be　put　at　a　certain　number　of
napoleons；　or　one　napoleon　more。　A　good　deal　was　said　about　Mad。　la
Duchesse；　and　I　found　that　it　was　expected　that　a　certain　lady　of　that
rank；　one　who　had　enjoyed　the　extraordinary　luck　of　retaining　her
fortune；　being　of　an　old　and　historical　family；　and　who　was　at　the　head
of　fashion　in　the　faubourg；　would　become　the　purchaser。　At　all　events；　it
was　determined　no　one　should　see　us　until　this　lady　returned　to　town；
she　being　at　the　moment　at　Rosny；　with　madame；　whence　she　was
expected　to　accompany　that　princess　to　Dieppe；　to　come　back　to　her
hotel；　in　the　rue　de　Bourbon；　about　the　last　of　October。　Here；　then；
were　we　doomed　to　three　months　of　total　seclusion　in　the　heart　of　the
gayest　capital　of　Europe。　It　was　useless　to　repine；　and　we　determined
among　ourselves　to　exercise　patience　in　the　best　manner　we　could。

｛faubourg　=　neighborhood　；　Rosny　=　Chateau　of　Rosny；　country　estate
of　the　Dukes　of　Berry　at　Rosny…sur…Seine；　Madame　=　title　of　Princess
Marie　Therese　Charlotte；　wife　of　the　Dauphin　Louis　Antoine；　heir　to
Charles　X｝

Accordingly；　we　were　safely　deposited　in　a　particular　drawer；　along
with　a　few　other　favorite　articles；　that；　like　our　family；　were　reserved　for
the　eyes　of　certain　distinguished　but　absent　customers。　These　specialites
in　trade　are　of　frequent　occurrence　in　Paris；　and　form　a　pleasant　bond
of　union　between　the　buyer　and　seller；　which　gives　a　particular　zest　to
this　sort　of　commerce；　and　not　unfrequently　a　particular　value　to　goods。
To　see　that　which　no　one　else　has　seen；　and　to　own　that　which　no　one
else　can　own；　are　equally　agreeable；　and　delightfully　exclusive。　All　minds
that　do　not　possess　the　natural　sources　of　exclusion；　are　fond　of　creating
them　by　means　of　a　subordinate　and　more　artificial　character。

｛specialites　=　specialties　｝

On　the　whole；　I　think　we　enjoyed　our　new　situation；　rather　than
otherwise。　The　drawer　was　never　opened；　it　is　true；　but　that　next　it　was
in　constant　use；　and　certain　crevices　beneath　the　counter　enabled　us　to
see　a　little；　and　to　hear　more；　of　what　passed　in　the　magazin。　We　were
in　a　part　of　the　shop　most　frequented　by　ladies；　and　we　overheard　a　few
tete…a…tetes　that　were　not　without　amusement。　These　generally　related
to　cancans。　Paris　is　a　town　in　which　cancans　do　not　usually　flourish；
their　proper　theatre　being　provincial　and　trading　places；　beyond　a
question；　still　there　ARE　cancans　at　Paris；　for　all　sorts　of　persons
frequent　that　centre　of　civilization。　The　only　difference　is；　that　in　the
social　pictures　offered　by　what　are　called　cities；　the　cancans　are　in　the
strongest　light；　and　in　the　most　conspicuous　of　the　grouping；　whereas　in
Paris　they　are　kept　in　shadow；　and　in　the　background。　Still　there　are
cancans　at　Paris；　and　cancans　we　overheard；　and　precisely　in　the
manner　I　have　related。　Did　pretty　ladies　remember　that　pocket…
handkerchiefs　have　ears；　they　might　possibly　have　more　reserve　in　the
indulgence　of　this　extraordinary　propensity。

｛cancans　=　scandals　（French　slang）｝

We　had　been　near　a　month　in　the　drawer；