Volume Ii Part 25 (1/2)
”Poor dear man!” muttered the gardener; ”I should think so!”
”Here you are at last, monsieur! Where on earth were you hiding? what pretty behavior now! to make us scour the whole place for you!” said Thelenie when her husband appeared in the dining-room.
”I did not hide for my own amus.e.m.e.nt, madame. I have been a prisoner in a place which I certainly should not have selected for a prison.”
”A prisoner! what do you mean by that?”
Chamoureau explained to his wife what had happened to him. When she learned where her husband had pa.s.sed the day, she laughed so loud and long that it seemed as if she would never stop. This outburst of hilarity seemed decidedly unseasonable to Chamoureau; but he wreaked his vengeance on the dinner; he ate enough for four, so that Thelenie said to him:
”For heaven's sake, monsieur, do you want to give yourself an attack of indigestion?”
”I have a right to, madame! When a man has pa.s.sed six hours in that place, he owes himself some compensation.”
IX
THE GOLDFISH
On the following day Thelenie said to her husband:
”Monsieur, you will be dressed at two o'clock, when we will have the horses put in the caleche and go to pay some visits.”
”Visits! to whom, pray, madame? we don't know anyone here.”
”That is the very reason why we must make acquaintances. We do not propose to live like bears, I presume?”
”My dear love, I never pretended to pa.s.s for a bear; in the first place, I haven't that animal's hairy coat.--We will go then; and where shall we go?”
”Don't worry about that; I have obtained through Melie a list of the princ.i.p.al people of the village.”
”Does your maid know them?”
”You don't understand, monsieur, that servants go to the fruit-shops and the butchers, and in ten minutes learn all they want to know.”
”That is true; I am a donkey.--Shall I dress in black?”
”Why not?”
”White cravat?”
”To be sure; don't you know that it is the dress which commands consideration, before all else?”
”I shall be most imposing, madame.”
”Do your utmost, monsieur.”
At two o'clock, Thelenie was arrayed in a lovely gown, made in the best possible taste; the carriage was ready and waiting in the courtyard.
Madame came down and looked about for her husband.