autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第14章

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fortunate　they　did；　for　the　spirit　of　the　girl　could　not　have　endured　more。

That　night　Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard　died；　the　wife　of　the　porter；　the
bon　cure；　and　Adrienne　alone　being　present。　Her　last　words　were　a
benediction　on　the　fair　and　gentle　being　who　had　so　faithfully　and
tenderly　nursed　her　in　old　age。　When　all　was　over；　and　the　body　was
laid　out；　Adrienne　asked　to　be　left　alone　with　it。　Living　or　dead；　her
grandmother　could　never　be　an　object　of　dread　to　her；　and　there　were
few　disposed　to　watch。　In　the　course　of　the　night；　Adrienne　even　caught
a　little　sleep；　a　tribute　that　nature　imperiously　demanded　of　her
weakness。

｛bon　cure　=　worthy　parish　priest｝

The　following　day　was　one　of　anguish　and　embarrassment。　The
physician；　who　always　inspects　the　dead　in　France；　came　to　make　his
report。　The　arrangements　were　to　be　ordered　for　the　funeral。
Fortunately；　as　Adrienne　then　thought；　Desiree　appeared　in　the　course
of　the　morning；　as　one　who　came　in　consequence　of　having　been
present　at　so　much　of　the　scene　of　the　preceding　day。　In　her　character
of　a　commissionaire　she　offered　her　services；　and　Adrienne；
unaccustomed　to　act　for　herself　in　such　offices；　was　fain　to　accept　them。
She　received　an　order；　or　rather　an　answer　to　a　suggestion　of　her　own；
and　hurried　off　to　give　the　necessary　directions。　Adrienne　was　now　left
alone　again　with　the　body　of　her　deceased　grandmother。　As　soon　as　the
excitement　ceased；　she　began　to　feel　languid；　and　she　became　sensible
of　her　own　bodily　wants。　Food　of　no　sort　had　passed　her　lips　in　more
than　thirty　hours；　and　her　last　meal　had　been　a　scanty　breakfast　of　dry
bread。　As　the　faintness　of　hunger　came　over　her；　Adrienne　felt　for　her
purse　with　the　intention　of　sending　Nathalie　to　a　neighboring　baker's；
when　the　truth　flashed　upon　her；　in　its　dreadful　reality。　She　had　not　a
liard。　Her　last　sou　had　furnished　the　breakfast　of　the　preceding　day。　A
sickness　like　that　of　death　came　over　her；　when；　casting　her　eyes
around　her　in　despair；　they　fell　on　the　little　table　that　usually　held　the
nourishment　prepared　for　her　grandmother。　A　little　arrowroot；　and　a
light　potage；　that　contained　bread；　still　remained。　Although　it　was　all　that
seemed　to　separate　the　girl　from　death；　she　hesitated　about　using　it。
There　was　an　appearance　of　sacrilege；　in　her　eyes；　in　the　act　of
appropriating　these　things　to　herself。　A　moment's　reflection；　however；
brought　her　to　a　truer　state　of　mind；　and　then　she　felt　it　to　be　a　duty　to
that　dear　parent　herself；　to　renew　her　own　strength；　in　order　to
discharge　her　duty　to　the　dead。　She　ate；　therefore；　though　it　was　with　a
species　of　holy　reverence。　Her　strength　was　renewed；　and　she　was
enabled　to　relieve　her　soul　by　prayer。

｛liard　=　half…farthing；　the　tiniest　of　coins｝

〃Mademoiselle　will　have　the　goodness　to　give　me　ten　francs；〃　said
Desiree；　on　her　return；　〃I　have　ordered　every　thing　that　is　proper；　but
money　is　wanting　to　pay　for　some　little　articles　that　will　soon　come。〃

〃I　have　no　money；　Desireenot　even　a　sou。〃

〃No　money；　mademoiselle？　In　the　name　of　heaven；　how　are　we　to　bury
your　grandmother？〃

〃The　handkerchief〃

Desiree　shook　her　head；　and　saw　that　she　must　countermand　most　of
the　orders。　Still　she　was　human；　and　she　was　a　female。　She　could　not
altogether　desert　one　so　helpless；　in　a　moment　of　such　extreme　distress。
She　reflected　on　the　matter　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　opened　her　mind。

〃This　handkerchief　might　sell　for　forty…five　francs；　mademoiselle；〃　she
said；　〃and　I　will　pay　that　much　for　it　myself；　and　will　charge　nothing　for
my　services　to…day。　Your　dear　grandmother　must　have　Christian　burial；
that　is　certain；　and　poor　enough　will　that　be　which　is　had　for　two
napoleons。　What　say　you；　mademoisellewill　you　accept　the　forty　five
francs；　or　would　you　prefer　seeing　the　marchande　de　mode？〃

〃I　can　see　no　one　now；　Desiree。　Give　me　the　money；　and　do　honor　to
the　remains　of　my　dear；　dear　grandmother。〃

Adrienne　said　this　with　her　hands　resting　on　her　lap　in　quiescent　despair。
Her　eyes　were　hollow　and　vacant；　her　cheeks　bloodless；　her　mind
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　diplo