at the sign of the cat and racket-第3节

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They　could　never　think　of　spending　a　night　away　from　the　house　without
having　given；　long　before；　a　plausible　reason　for　such　an
irregularity。　Every　Sunday；　each　in　his　turn；　two　of　them　accompanied
the　Guillaume　family　to　Mass　at　Saint…Leu；　and　to　vespers。
Mesdemoiselles　Virginie　and　Augustine；　simply　attired　in　cotton　print；
each　took　the　arm　of　an　apprentice　and　walked　in　front；　under　the
piercing　eye　of　their　mother；　who　closed　the　little　family　procession
with　her　husband；　accustomed　by　her　to　carry　two　large　prayer…books；
bound　in　black　morocco。　The　second　apprentice　received　no　salary。　As
for　the　eldest；　whose　twelve　years　of　perseverance　and　discretion　had
initiated　him　into　the　secrets　of　the　house；　he　was　paid　eight　hundred
francs　a　year　as　the　reward　of　his　labors。　On　certain　family　festivals
he　received　as　a　gratuity　some　little　gift；　to　which　Madame
Guillaume's　dry　and　wrinkled　hand　alone　gave　valuenetted　purses；
which　she　took　care　to　stuff　with　cotton　wool；　to　show　off　the　fancy
stitches；　braces　of　the　strongest　make；　or　heavy　silk　stockings。
Sometimes；　but　rarely；　this　prime　minister　was　admitted　to　share　the
pleasures　of　the　family　when　they　went　into　the　country；　or　when；
after　waiting　for　months；　they　made　up　their　mind　to　exert　the　right
acquired　by　taking　a　box　at　the　theatre　to　command　a　piece　which　Paris
had　already　forgotten。

As　to　the　other　assistants；　the　barrier　of　respect　which　formerly
divided　a　master　draper　from　his　apprentices　was　that　they　would　have
been　more　likely　to　steal　a　piece　of　cloth　than　to　infringe　this
time…honored　etiquette。　Such　reserve　may　now　appear　ridiculous；　but
these　old　houses　were　a　school　of　honesty　and　sound　morals。　The
masters　adopted　their　apprentices。　The　young　man's　linen　was　cared
for；　mended；　and　often　replaced　by　the　mistress　of　the　house。　If　an
apprentice　fell　ill；　he　was　the　object　of　truly　maternal　attention。　In
a　case　of　danger　the　master　lavished　his　money　in　calling　in　the　most
celebrated　physicians；　for　he　was　not　answerable　to　their　parents
merely　for　the　good　conduct　and　training　of　the　lads。　If　one　of　them；
whose　character　was　unimpeachable；　suffered　misfortune；　these　old
tradesmen　knew　how　to　value　the　intelligence　he　had　displayed；　and
they　did　not　hesitate　to　entrust　the　happiness　of　their　daughters　to
men　whom　they　had　long　trusted　with　their　fortunes。　Guillaume　was　one
of　these　men　of　the　old　school；　and　if　he　had　their　ridiculous　side；
he　had　all　their　good　qualities；　and　Joseph　Lebas；　the　chief
assistant；　an　orphan　without　any　fortune；　was　in　his　mind　destined　to
be　the　husband　of　Virginie；　his　elder　daughter。　But　Joseph　did　not
share　the　symmetrical　ideas　of　his　master；　who　would　not　for　an　empire
have　given　his　second　daughter　in　marriage　before　the　elder。　The
unhappy　assistant　felt　that　his　heart　was　wholly　given　to　Mademoiselle
Augustine；　the　younger。　In　order　to　justify　this　passion；　which　had
grown　up　in　secret；　it　is　necessary　to　inquire　a　little　further　into
the　springs　of　the　absolute　government　which　ruled　the　old　cloth…
merchant's　household。

Guillaume　had　two　daughters。　The　elder；　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　was　the
very　image　of　her　mother。　Madame　Guillaume；　daughter　of　the　Sieur
Chevrel；　sat　so　upright　in　the　stool　behind　her　desk；　that　more　than
once　she　had　heard　some　wag　bet　that　she　was　a　stuffed　figure。　Her
long；　thin　face　betrayed　exaggerated　piety。　Devoid　of　attractions　or
of　amiable　manners；　Madame　Guillaume　commonly　decorated　her　headthat
of　a　woman　near　on　sixtywith　a　cap　of　a　particular　and　unvarying
shape；　with　long　lappets；　like　that　of　a　widow。　In　all　the
neighborhood　she　was　known　as　the　〃portress　nun。〃　Her　speech　was　curt；
and　her　movements　had　the　stiff　precision　of　a　semaphore。　Her　eye；
with　a　gleam　in　it　like　a　cat's；　seemed　to　spite　the　world　because　she
was　so　ugly。　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　brought　up；　like　her　younger
sister；　under　the　domestic　rule　of　her　mother；　had　reached　the　age　of
eight…and…twenty。　Youth　mitigated　the　graceless　effect　which　her
likeness　to　her　mother　sometimes　gave　to　her　features；　but　maternal
austerity　had　endowed　her　with　two　great　qualities　which　made　up　for
everything。　She　was　patient　and　gentle。　Mademoiselle　Augustine；　who
was　but　just　eighteen；　was　not　like　either　her　father　or　her　mother。
She　was　one　of　those　daughters　whose　total　absence　of　any　physical
affinity　with　their　parents　makes　one　believe　in　the　adage：　〃God　gives
children。〃　Augustine　was　little；　or；　to　describe　her　more　truly；
delicately　made。　Full　of　gracious　candor；　a　man　of　the　world　could
have　found　no　fault　in　the　charming　girl　beyond　a　certain　meanness　of
gesture　or　vulgarity　of　attitude；　and　sometimes　a　want　of　ease。　Her
silent　and　placid　face　was　full　of　the　transient　melancholy　which
comes　over　all　young　girls　who　are　too　weak　to　dare　to　resist　their
mother's　will。

The　two　sisters；　always　plainly　dressed；　could　not　gratify　the　innate
vanity　of　womanhood　but　by　a　luxury　of　cleanliness　which　became　them
wonderfully；　and　made　them　harmonize　with　the　polished　counters　and
the　shining　shelves；　on　which　the　old　man…servant　never　left　a　speck
of　dust；　and　with　the　old…world　simplicity　of　all　they　saw　about　them。
As　their　style　of　living　compelled　them　to　find　the　elements　of
happiness　in　persistent　work；　Augustine　and　Virginie　had　hitherto
always　satisfied　their　mother；　who　secretly　prided　herself　on　the
perfect　characters　of　her　two　daughters。　It　is　easy　to　imagine　the
results　of　the　training　they　had　received。　Brought　up　to　a　commercial
life；　accustomed　to　hear　nothing　but　dreary　arguments　and　calculations
about　trade；　having　studied　nothing　but　grammar；　book…keeping；　a
little　Bible…history；　and　the　history　of　France　in　Le　Ragois；　and
never　reading　any　book　but　what　their　mother　would　sanction；　their
ideas　had　not　acquired　much　scope。　They　knew　perfectly　how　to　keep
house；　they　were　familiar　with　the　prices　of　things；　they　understood
the　difficulty　of　amassing　money；　they　were　economical；　and　had　a
great　respect　for　the　qualities　that　make　a　man　of　business。　Although
their　father　was　rich；　they　were　as　skilled　in　darning　as　in
embroidery；　their　mother　often　talked　of　having　them　taught　to　cook；
so　that　they　might　know　how　to　order　a　dinner　and　scold　a　cook　with
due　knowledge。　They　knew　nothing　of　the　pleasures　of　the　world；　and；
seeing　how　their　parents　spent　their　exemplary　lives；　they　very　rarely
suffered　their　eyes　to　wander　beyond　the　walls　of　their　hereditary
home；　which　to　their　mother　was　the　whole　universe。　The　meetings　to
which　family　anniversaries　gave　rise　filled　in　the　future　of　earthly
joy　to　them。

When　the　great　drawing…room　on　the　second　floor　was　to　be　prepared　to
receive　companyMadame　Roguin；　a　Demoiselle　Chevrel；　fifteen　months
younger　than　her　cousin；　and　bedecked　with　diamonds；　young　Rabourdin；
employed　in　the　Finance　Office；　Monsieur　Cesar　Birotteau；　the　rich
perfumer；　and　his　wife；　known　as　Madame　Cesar；　Monsieur　Camusot；　the
richest　silk　mercer　in　the　Rue　des　Bourdonnais；　with　his　father…in…
law；　Monsieur　Cardot；　two　or　three　old　bankers；　and　some　immaculate
ladiesthe　arrangements；　made　necessary　by　the　way　in　which
everything　was　packed　awaythe　plate；　the　Dresden　china；　the
candlesticks；　and　the　glassmade　a　variety　in　the　monotonous　lives　of
the　three　women；　who　came　and　went　and　exerted　themselves　as　nuns
would　to　receive　their　bishop。　Then；　in　the　evening；　when　all　three
were　tired　out　with　having　wiped；　rubbed；　unpacked；　and　arranged　all
the　gauds　of　the　festival；　as　the　girls　helped　their　mother　to
undress；　Madame　Guillaume　would　say　to　them；　〃Children；　we　have　done
nothing　today。〃

When；　on　very　great　occasions；　〃the　portress　nun〃　allowed　dancing；
restricting　the　games　of　boston；　whist；　and　backgammon　within　the
limits　of　her　bedroom；　such　a　concession　was　accounted　as　the　most
unhoped　felicity；　and　made　them　happier　than　going　to　the　great　balls；
to　two　or　three　of　which　Guillaume　would　take　the　girls　at　the　time　of
the　Carnival。

And　once　a　year　the　worthy　draper　gave　an　entertainment；　when　he
spared　no　expense。　However　rich　and　fashionable　the　persons　invited
might　be；　they　were　careful　not　to　be　absent；　for　the　most　important
houses　on　the　exchange　had　recourse　to　the　immense　credit；　the
fortune；　or　the　time…honored　experience　of　Monsieur　Guillaume。　Still；
the　excellent　merchant's　daughters　did　not　benefit　as　much　as　might　be
supposed　by　the　lessons　the　world　has　to　offer　to　young　spirits。　At
these　parties；　which　were　indeed　set　down　in　the　ledger　to　the　credit
of　the　house；　they　wore　dresses　the　shabbiness　of　which　made　them
blush。　Their　style　of　dancing　was　not　in　any　way　remarkable；　and　their
mother's　surveillance　did　not　allow　of　their　holding　any　conversation
with　their　partners　beyond　Yes　and　No。　Also；　the　law　of　the　old　sign
of　the　Cat　and　Racket　commanded　that　they　should　be　home　by　eleven
o'clock；　the　hour　when　balls　and　fetes　begin　to　be　lively。　Thus　their
pleasures；　which　seemed　to　conform　very　fairly　to　their　father's
position；　were　often　made　insipid　by　circumstances　which　were　part　of
the　family　habits　and　principles。

As　to　their　usual　life；