autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第4章

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！


the　cote　droit　of　our　piece；　while　the　cote　gauche　sneered　at　it　as
manifesting　a　sneaking　regard　for　station　without　the　spirit　to　avow　it。
Both　were　mistaken；　however；　no　unworthy　sentiments　entering　into　my
decision。　Accident　had　made　me　acquainted　with　the　virtues　of　this
estimable　woman；　and　I　felt　assured　that　she　would　treat　even　a　pocket…
handkerchief　kindly。　This　early　opinion　has　been　confirmed　by　her
deportment　under　very　trying　and　unexpected　events。　I　wish；　as　I
believe　she　wishes　herself；　she　had　never　been　a　queen。

｛daughter　of　Louis　XVI　=　the　dauphine；　Marie　Therese　Charlotte；
Duchesse　d'Angouleme；　mentioned　above；　　Amelie　=　Marie　Amelie
（1782…1866）；　daughter　of　King　Ferdinand　IV　of　Naples；　sister　of　King
Francis　I　of　The　Two　Siciliesreluctantly　became　queen　in　France
when　her　husband　the　Duke　of　Orleans　seized　the　throne　from　Charles
X　on　July　31；　1830；　and　was　proclaimed　King　Louis　Philippe　of　the
French｝

All　our　family　did　not　aspire　as　high　as　royalty。　Some　looked　forward　to
the　glories　of　a　banker's　daughter's　trousseau；we　all　understood　that
our　PRICE　would　be　too　high　for　any　of　the　old　nobility；while　some
even　fancied　that　the　happiness　of　traveling　in　company　was　reserved
for　us　before　we　should　be　called　regularly　to　enter　on　the　duties　of　life。
As　we　were　so　closely　connected；　and　on　the　whole　were　affectionate
as　became　brothers　and　sisters；　it　was　the　common　wish　that　we　might
not　be　separated；　but　go　together　into　the　same　wardrobe；　let　it　be
foreign　or　domestic；　that　of　prince　or　plebeian。　There　were　a　few　among
us　who　spoke　of　the　Duchesse　de　Berri　as　our　future　mistress；　but　the
notion　prevailed　that　we　should　so　soon　pass　into　the　hands　of　a　femme
de　chambre；　as　to　render　the　selection　little　desirable。　In　the　end　we
wisely　and　philosophically　determined　to　await　the　result　with　patience；
well　knowing　that　we　were　altogether　in　the　hands　of　caprice　and
fashion。

｛Duchesse　de　Berri　=　Marie　Caroline　（1798…1870）；　wife　of　Charles
Ferdinand　of　Artois；　Duke　of　Berry；　second　son　of　King　Charles　X；
femme　de　chambre　=　lady's　maid｝

At　length　the　happy　moment　arrived　when　we　were　to　quit　the
warehouse　of　the　manufacturer。　Let　what　would　happen；　this　was　a
source　of　joy；　inasmuch　as　we　all　knew　that　we　could　only　vegetate
while　we　continued　where　we　then　were；　and　that　too　without
experiencing　the　delights　of　our　former　position；　with　good　roots　in　the
earth；　a　genial　sun　shedding　its　warmth　upon　our　bosom；　and　balmy　airs
fanning　our　cheeks。　We　loved　change；　too；　like　other　people；　and　had
probably　seen　enough　of　vegetation；　whether　figurative　or　real；　to　satisfy
us。　Our　departure　from　Picardie　took　place　in　June；　1830；　and　we
reached　Paris　on　the　first　day　of　the　succeeding　month。　We　went
through　the　formalities　of　the　custom…houses；　or　barrieres；　the　same
day；　and　the　next　morning　we　were　all　transferred　to　a　celebrated　shop
that　dealt　in　articles　of　our　genus。　Most　of　the　goods　were　sent　on　drays
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