Volume Ii Part 23 (1/2)
”Everybody is running to their doors and windows to see us pa.s.s, madame.”
”Good! they are quite right!”
”Shall I bow, my dear?”
”I should say not! Why should you bow? Do you imagine yourself somebody of importance--a prefect--a general?”
”I am not, but I might be! Well, then, I will content myself with smiling at the people.”
”No, no, monsieur; don't smile either, I beg you; it's not necessary.”
”But I must do something.”
”Look out for what you have on your knees; that's the best thing you can do.”
”Ah! the landscape becomes positively enchanting. Are we approaching our property?”
”Yes, monsieur; look--on the right--you can see it from here.”
”What! that magnificent house, with a terrace and jars of flowers?”
”Yes, monsieur.”
”And that beautiful avenue of lindens in front is ours too?”
”To be sure; it goes with the house.”
”And we are going to drive through that avenue?”
”Of course; would you prefer to fly over it?”
”Madame, I am dazzled--enchanted.”
”Don't look so enchanted, monsieur; one would think that you never had seen anything before.”
”But there's a gate at the end of the avenue; ah! it's open; is there somebody at the house?”
”There is the gardener, who acts as concierge too, and whom I have retained.”
”Very good. Yes, I see a man by the gate; he expects us, no doubt.”
”I sent him word that we should come to-day.”
The caleche arrived at the gate, at which stood an old peasant with a rake over his shoulder, who bowed humbly to his new masters when their carriage turned into the avenue.
Chamoureau, bewildered by all that he saw, exclaimed:
”Why didn't he fire?”
”Fire what, monsieur?”