at the sign of the cat and racket-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


expression　of　embarrassment　detracted　from　the　candor　of　her　face；　or
the　calm　look　of　eyes　immortalized　long　since　in　the　sublime　works　of
Raphael；　here　were　the　same　grace；　the　same　repose　as　in　those
Virgins；　and　now　proverbial。　There　was　a　delightful　contrast　between
the　cheeks　of　that　face　on　which　sleep　had；　as　it　were；　given　high
relief　to　a　superabundance　of　life；　and　the　antiquity　of　the　heavy
window　with　its　clumsy　shape　and　black　sill。　Like　those　day…blowing
flowers；　which　in　the　early　morning　have　not　yet　unfurled　their　cups；
twisted　by　the　chills　of　night；　the　girl；　as　yet　hardly　awake；　let　her
blue　eyes　wander　beyond　the　neighboring　roofs　to　look　at　the　sky；
then；　from　habit；　she　cast　them　down　on　the　gloomy　depths　of　the
street；　where　they　immediately　met　those　of　her　adorer。　Vanity；　no
doubt；　distressed　her　at　being　seen　in　undress；　she　started　back；　the
worn　pulley　gave　way；　and　the　sash　fell　with　the　rapid　run；　which　in
our　day　has　earned　for　this　artless　invention　of　our　forefathers　an
odious　name；　/Fenetre　a　la　Guillotine/。　The　vision　had　disappeared。　To
the　young　man　the　most　radiant　star　of　morning　seemed　to　be　hidden　by
a　cloud。

During　these　little　incidents　the　heavy　inside　shutters　that　protected
the　slight　windows　of　the　shop　of　the　〃Cat　and　Racket〃　had　been
removed　as　if　by　magic。　The　old　door　with　its　knocker　was　opened　back
against　the　wall　of　the　entry　by　a　man…servant；　apparently　coeval　with
the　sign；　who；　with　a　shaking　hand；　hung　upon　it　a　square　of　cloth；　on
which　were　embroidered　in　yellow　silk　the　words：　〃Guillaume；　successor
to　Chevrel。〃　Many　a　passer…by　would　have　found　it　difficult　to　guess
the　class　of　trade　carried　on　by　Monsieur　Guillaume。　Between　the
strong　iron　bars　which　protected　his　shop　windows　on　the　outside；
certain　packages；　wrapped　in　brown　linen；　were　hardly　visible；　though
as　numerous　as　herrings　swimming　in　a　shoal。　Notwithstanding　the
primitive　aspect　of　the　Gothic　front；　Monsieur　Guillaume；　of　all　the
merchant　clothiers　in　Paris；　was　the　one　whose　stores　were　always　the
best　provided；　whose　connections　were　the　most　extensive；　and　whose
commercial　honesty　never　lay　under　the　slightest　suspicion。　If　some　of
his　brethren　in　business　made　a　contract　with　the　Government；　and　had
not　the　required　quantity　of　cloth；　he　was　always　ready　to　deliver　it；
however　large　the　number　of　pieces　tendered　for。　The　wily　dealer　knew
a　thousand　ways　of　extracting　the　largest　profits　without　being
obliged；　like　them；　to　court　patrons；　cringing　to　them；　or　making　them
costly　presents。　When　his　fellow…tradesmen　could　only　pay　in　good
bills　of　long　date；　he　would　mention　his　notary　as　an　accommodating
man；　and　managed　to　get　a　second　profit　out　of　the　bargain；　thanks　to
this　arrangement；　which　had　made　it　a　proverb　among　the　traders　of　the
Rue　Saint…Denis：　〃Heaven　preserve　you　from　Monsieur　Guillaume's
notary！〃　to　signify　a　heavy　discount。

The　old　merchant　was　to　be　seen　standing　on　the　threshold　of　his　shop；
as　if　by　a　miracle；　the　instant　the　servant　withdrew。　Monsieur
Guillaume　looked　at　the　Rue　Saint…Denis；　at　the　neighboring　shops；　and
at　the　weather；　like　a　man　disembarking　at　Havre；　and　seeing　France
once　more　after　a　long　voyage。　Having　convinced　himself　that　nothing
had　changed　while　he　was　asleep；　he　presently　perceived　the　stranger
on　guard；　and　he；　on　his　part；　gazed　at　the　patriarchal　draper　as
Humboldt　may　have　scrutinized　the　first　electric　eel　he　saw　in
America。　Monsieur　Guillaume　wore　loose　black　velvet　breeches；　pepper…
and…salt　stockings；　and　square　toed　shoes　with　silver　buckles。　His
coat；　with　square…cut　fronts；　square…cut　tails；　and　square…cut　collar
clothed　his　slightly　bent　figure　in　greenish　cloth；　finished　with
white　metal　buttons；　tawny　from　wear。　His　gray　hair　was　so　accurately
combed　and　flattened　over　his　yellow　pate　that　it　made　it　look　like　a
furrowed　field。　His　little　green　eyes；　that　might　have　been　pierced
with　a　gimlet；　flashed　beneath　arches　faintly　tinged　with　red　in　the
place　of　eyebrows。　Anxieties　had　wrinkled　his　forehead　with　as　many
horizontal　lines　as　there　were　creases　in　his　coat。　This　colorless
face　expressed　patience；　commercial　shrewdness；　and　the　sort　of　wily
cupidity　which　is　needful　in　business。　At　that　time　these　old　families
were　less　rare　than　they　are　now；　in　which　the　characteristic　habits
and　costume　of　their　calling；　surviving　in　the　midst　of　more　recent
civilization；　were　preserved　as　cherished　traditions；　like　the
antediluvian　remains　found　by　Cuvier　in　the　quarries。

The　head　of　the　Guillaume　family　was　a　notable　upholder　of　ancient
practices；　he　might　be　heard　to　regret　the　Provost　of　Merchants；　and
never　did　he　mention　a　decision　of　the　Tribunal　of　Commerce　without
calling　it　the　/Sentence　of　the　Consuls/。　Up　and　dressed　the　first　of
the　household；　in　obedience；　no　doubt；　to　these　old　customs；　he　stood
sternly　awaiting　the　appearance　of　his　three　assistants；　ready　to
scold　them　in　case　they　were　late。　These　young　disciples　of　Mercury
knew　nothing　more　terrible　than　the　wordless　assiduity　with　which　the
master　scrutinized　their　faces　and　their　movements　on　Monday　in　search
of　evidence　or　traces　of　their　pranks。　But　at　this　moment　the　old
clothier　paid　no　heed　to　his　apprentices；　he　was　absorbed　in　trying　to
divine　the　motive　of　the　anxious　looks　which　the　young　man　in　silk
stockings　and　a　cloak　cast　alternately　at　his　signboard　and　into　the
depths　of　his　shop。　The　daylight　was　now　brighter；　and　enabled　the
stranger　to　discern　the　cashier's　corner　enclosed　by　a　railing　and
screened　by　old　green　silk　curtains；　where　were　kept　the　immense
ledgers；　the　silent　oracles　of　the　house。　The　too　inquisitive　gazer
seemed　to　covet　this　little　nook；　and　to　be　taking　the　plan　of　a
dining…room　at　one　side；　lighted　by　a　skylight；　whence　the　family　at
meals　could　easily　see　the　smallest　incident　that　might　occur　at　the
shop…door。　So　much　affection　for　his　dwelling　seemed　suspicious　to　a
trader　who　had　lived　long　enough　to　remember　the　law　of　maximum
prices；　Monsieur　Guillaume　naturally　thought　that　this　sinister
personage　had　an　eye　to　the　till　of　the　Cat　and　Racket。　After　quietly
observing　the　mute　duel　which　was　going　on　between　his　master　and　the
stranger；　the　eldest　of　the　apprentices；　having　seen　that　the　young
man　was　stealthily　watching　the　windows　of　the　third　floor；　ventured
to　place　himself　on　the　stone　flag　where　Monsieur　Guillaume　was
standing。　He　took　two　steps　out　into　the　street；　raised　his　head；　and
fancied　that　he　caught　sight　of　Mademoiselle　Augustine　Guillaume　in
hasty　retreat。　The　draper；　annoyed　by　his　assistant's　perspicacity；
shot　a　side　glance　at　him；　but　the　draper　and　his　amorous　apprentice
were　suddenly　relieved　from　the　fears　which　the　young　man's　presence
had　excited　in　their　minds。　He　hailed　a　hackney　cab　on　its　way　to　a
neighboring　stand；　and　jumped　into　it　with　an　air　of　affected
indifference。　This　departure　was　a　balm　to　the　hearts　of　the　other　two
lads；　who　had　been　somewhat　uneasy　as　to　meeting　the　victim　of　their
practical　joke。

〃Well；　gentlemen；　what　ails　you　that　you　are　standing　there　with　your
arms　folded？〃　said　Monsieur　Guillaume　to　his　three　neophytes。　〃In
former　days；　bless　you；　when　I　was　in　Master　Chevrel's　service；　I
should　have　overhauled　more　than　two　pieces　of　cloth　by　this　time。〃

〃Then　it　was　daylight　earlier；〃　said　the　second　assistant；　whose　duty
this　was。

The　old　shopkeeper　could　not　help　smiling。　Though　two　of　these　young
fellows；　who　were　confided　to　his　care　by　their　fathers；　rich
manufacturers　at　Louviers　and　at　Sedan；　had　only　to　ask　and　to　have　a
hundred　thousand　francs　the　day　when　they　were　old　enough　to　settle　in
life；　Guillaume　regarded　it　as　his　duty　to　keep　them　under　the　rod　of
an　old…world　despotism；　unknown　nowadays　in　the　showy　modern　shops；
where　the　apprentices　expect　to　be　rich　men　at　thirty。　He　made　them
work　like　Negroes。　These　three　assistants　were　equal　to　a　business
which　would　harry　ten　such　clerks　as　those　whose　sybaritical　tastes
now　swell　the　columns　of　the　budget。　Not　a　sound　disturbed　the　peace
of　this　solemn　house；　where　the　hinges　were　always　oiled；　and　where
the　meanest　article　of　furniture　showed　the　respectable　cleanliness
which　reveals　strict　order　and　economy。　The　most　waggish　of　the　three
youths　often　amused　himself　by　writing　the　date　of　its　first
appearance　on　the　Gruyere　cheese　which　was　left　to　their　tender
mercies　at　breakfast；　and　which　it　was　their　pleasure　to　leave
untouched。　This　bit　of　mischief；　and　a　few　others　of　the　same　stamp；
would　sometimes　bring　a　smile　on　the　face　of　the　younger　of
Guillaume's　daughters；　the　pretty　maiden　who　has　just　now　appeared　to
the　bewitched　man　in　the　street。

Though　each　of　these　apprentices；　even　the　eldest；　paid　a　round　sum
for　his　board；　not　one　of　them　would　have　been　bold　enough　to　remain
at　the　master's　table　when　dessert　was　served。　When　Madame　Guillaume
talked　of　dressing　the　salad；　the　hapless　youths　trembled　as　they
thought　of　the　thrift　with　which　her　prudent　hand　dispensed　the　oil。
They　could　never　think　of　spending　a　night　away　from　the　house　without
having　given；　long　be