Part 58 (2/2)
”Has not Madame de Pontchartrain a magnificent house, of which she occupies only one-half? You are to live there with your wife.”
”At her aunt's? I don't like that very much.”
”Don't be disturbed; your suite is by itself, and a long way from hers; you need have nothing to say to each other, except when you please. I knew, of course, that you would like to be by yourself, and I have had everything arranged with that end in view.”
”All right.--By the way, has Pelagie received all the usual gifts?”
”Yes, my dear; have you forgotten that I showed them to you yesterday and told you Deneterre had spent three thousand francs out of the money you gave him?”
”True; it had gone out of my head.”
”Pelagie will be enchanted, I a.s.sure you. There's a beautiful set of jewelry--and shawls--and dress materials.”
”Very good; so, then, there's nothing for me to do to-day but to get married?”
”Mon Dieu! that's all, my dear.”
”So much the better. What time is it to be?”
”At eleven o'clock you are to call for your wife and take her to the mayor's office. We shall have two carriages; I have ordered them.”
”Two carriages! it seems to me that's very few.”
”There are no more to be had in town.”
”That makes a difference.”
”But this evening we shall have several sedan chairs and Bath chairs.”
”Aha! so they have those things here?”
”To be sure; they are very convenient and much less dangerous than your horse vehicles, which always frighten me.”
”It is true that in a Bath chair the steed doesn't take the bit in his teeth. And from the mayor's office we go to the church?”
”Yes; at one o'clock.”
”And then?”
”Then we come back here, and chat until three.”
”Where is the wedding feast to be?”
”Here, my dear. At first Madame de Pontchartrain insisted on having it at her house, but I finally carried the day. We shall be much more free here, you know. We can laugh and sing and frolic.”
”I confess that I shall be delighted to be allowed to frolic. And the ball is to be here also, I suppose?”
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