Volume I Part 27 (2/2)
”Ah! I was wrong, I was wrong!” she cried. ”Forgive me, Honorine; you know that I don't know what I am saying, that I speak without thinking, I won't do it any more! Why, I know well enough that it would be as impossible for you to part with me as for me to live away from you.”
”Well, it's all over now; let us forget it and apologize to monsieur, for we are wasting his time by forcing him to witness a scene which can hardly interest him.”
The young woman was very generous to apologize to Chamoureau, for he had been paying no attention to their conversation for some time. He was thinking only of his clothes,--of the new coat left at Freluchon's, which Madame Monin did not bring back.
”I must have my coat to call on Madame de Sainte-Suzanne,” he was saying to himself; ”for I certainly will not appear there in a sack-coat.”
”Well, monsieur, let us come down to business,” continued the young woman. ”Do you know of any modest house for sale in the outskirts of Paris?”
”There are plenty of them, madame; but first of all, in what part of the suburbs do you wish to live?”
”It makes no difference, monsieur.”
”That will simplify matters.”
”However, I should not care to live in one of those neighborhoods which have become the rendezvous of equestrians and driving parties; for in those places, if one leaves the house, one must dress as carefully as in Paris. That is not what we want; we want genuine country, where there is no formality, no ostentation, where one meets more peasants than city folk.”
”I understand; in that case, madame would not care to purchase at Pa.s.sy, Auteuil, or Enghien?”
”No, too many people go there.”
”And the distance--is that a matter of indifference to you, also?”
”Yes, although I should not want to be too far from Paris; I may have business there occasionally; and then, ladies must keep abreast of the fas.h.i.+ons, and if it were a long journey it would be tiresome and expensive.”
”Wait, madame; I believe that I have just what you want.”
Chamoureau took down a pasteboard box, looked over some papers, and read:
”'A pretty country house for sale on easy terms, at Creteil, on the bank of the river.'”
”Oh! my dear friend, the bank of the river!--that's lovely!”
”Yes, but it isn't healthy.”
”'Large house, six bedrooms----'”
”Oh! we don't need so many, monsieur!”
”'Billiard-room, stable, poultry yard, a garden of an acre----'”
”But the price, monsieur, the price?”
”Thirty-five thousand francs.”
”That is too dear for me; I can hardly afford more than twenty thousand.”
”Let us see if we can find something else then. Ah! it just occurs to me that a client of mine, who has just made a large amount of money on the Bourse, is looking for a small chateau now, and told me to sell a country estate of his a few leagues from the city, which is too modest for his present circ.u.mstances. Let us see if that would suit you; I imagine that we could get it at a bargain. I have a little memorandum here that he gave me--yes, here it is; listen, madame.
”'A small house at Ch.e.l.les, six leagues from Paris, near the main street and just on the outskirts of the town. Ground floor, first floor and attics; four rooms on each floor. A nice lawn in front, and yard behind, with hencoop, pump and a large shed; a pretty garden entirely planted, and a wall around the whole place.'”
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