autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第5章

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a　very　strong　case　for　reparation　of　any　sort；　in　this　righteous　world　of
ours；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　goodness　of　the　dauphine　it　is　probable
that　the　vicomtesse　and　her　grand…daughter　would　have　been　reduced
to　downright　beggary。　But　the　daughter　of　the　late　King　got　intelligence
of　the　necessities　of　the　two　descendants　of　Crusaders；　and　a　pension
of　two　thousand　francs　a　year　was　granted；　en　attendant。

｛Rocheaimard　=　both　the　Chateau　and　the　family　are　fictitious；　marechal
du　camp　=　general　commanding　a　brigade；　le　bon　vieux　temps　=　the
good　old　days；　late　King　=　Louis　XVI；　guillotined　in　1793；　en　attendant
=　for　the　time　being｝

Four　hundred　dollars　a　year　does　not　appear　a　large　sum；　even　to　the
nouveaux　riches　of　America；　but　it　sufficed　to　give　Adrienne　and　her
grandmother　a　comfortable；　and　even　a　respectable　subsistence　in　the
provinces。　It　was　impossible　for　them　to　inhabit　the　chateau；　now
converted　into　a　workshop　and　filled　with　machinery；　but　lodgings　were
procured　in　its　immediate　vicinity。　Here　Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard
whiled　away　the　close　of　a　varied　and　troubled　life；　if　not　in　absolute
peace；　still　not　in　absolute　misery；　while　her　grand…daughter　grew　into
young　womanhood；　a　miracle　of　goodness　and　pious　devotion　to　her
sole　surviving　parent。　The　strength　of　the　family　tie　in　France；　and　its
comparative　weakness　in　America；　has　been　the　subject　of　frequent
comment　among　travelers。　I　do　not　know　that　all　which　has　been　said　is
rigidly　just；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　much　of　it　is；　and；　as　I　am　now
writing　to　Americans；　and　of　French　people；　I　see　no　particular　reason
why　the　fact　should　be　concealed。　Respect　for　years；　deference　to　the
authors　of　their　being；　and　submission　to　parental　authority　are
inculcated　equally　by　the　morals　and　the　laws　of　France。　The　conseilles
de　famille　is　a　beautiful　and　wise　provision　of　the　national　code；　and　aids
greatly　in　maintaining　that　system　of　patriarchal　rule　which　lies　at　the
foundation　of　the　whole　social　structure。　Alas！　in　the　case　of　the
excellent　Adrienne；　this　conseille　de　famille　was　easily　assembled；　and
possessed　perfect　unanimity。　The　wars；　the　guillotine　and　exile　had
reduced　it　to　two；　one　of　which　was　despotic　in　her　government；　so　far
as　theory　was　concerned　at　least；　possibly；　at　times；　a　little　so　in
practice。　Still　Adrienne；　on　the　whole　grew　up　tolerably　happy。　She　was
taught　most　that　is　suitable　for　a　gentlewoman；　without　being　crammed
with　superfluous　accomplishments；　and；　aided　by　the　good　cure；　a　man
who　remembered　her　grandfather；　had　both　polished　and　stored　her
mind。　Her　manners　were　of　the　excellent　tone　that　distinguished　the
good　society　of　Paris　before　the　revolution；　being　natural；　quiet；　simple
and　considerate。　She　seldom　laughed；　I　fear；　but　her　smiles　were
sweetness　and　benevolence　itself。

｛conseille　de　famille　=　council　of　relatives；　supervised　by　a　judge；　that
supervised　the　care　of　minors　in　France；　cure　=　priest｝

The　bleaching　grounds　of　our　manufactory　were　in　the　old　park　of　the
chateau。　Thither　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　fond　of　coming　in　the
fine　mornings　of　June；　for　many　of　the　roses　and　lovely　Persian　lilacs
that　once　abounded　there　still　remained。　I　first　saw　Adrienne　in　one　of
these　visits；　the　quality　of　our　little　family　circle　attracting　her　attention。
One　of　the　bleachers；　indeed；　was　an　old　servant　of　the　vicomte's；　and　it
was　a　source　of　pleasure　to　him　to　point　out　any　thing　to　the　ladies　that
he　thought　might　prove　interesting。　This　was　the　man　who　so　diligently
read　the　Moniteur；　giving　a　religious　credence　to　all　it　contained。　He
fancied　no　hand　so　worthy　to　hold　fabrics　of　such　exquisite　fineness　as
that　of　Mademoiselle　Adrienne；　and　it　was　through　his　assiduity　that　I
had　the　honor　of　being　first　placed　within　the　gentle　pressure　of　her
beautiful　little　fingers。　This　occurred　about　a　month　before　our　departure
for　Paris。

Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　then　just　twenty。　Her　beauty　was　of　a
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　inten