Part 6 (1/2)
Heloise and Victorine have just been here. Heloise even has got an ugly dress on, and Victorine has scrubbed her face with soap--I suppose to get that greasy look off--until it s.h.i.+nes like an apple, her nose is crimson, and her eyes look like two beads. They have gone downstairs.
More talking--I am sure he is putting his heels together. I'll finish this after they have gone, so as to tell you what happens.
_Evening_.--Such a day! After I had heard mumbling talking for quite a while--the windows were all open, and the salon is under me--suddenly the piano began. Victorine plays really well generally--that is, she has brilliant execution--but you should have heard the jumble! hardly a note right, and in the middle of it up rushed Heloise to me and sank into a chair. It was going as badly as it possibly could, she said.
Victorine was so nervous that her voice was like a file, and her face so crimson that the Marquis must think she has erysipelas! And then, to complete matters, when she is told by G.o.dmamma to show her accomplishments, to think that she should play like this! Especially as the Marquis is very musical! Heloise said she could see he was quite ”degote,” and the only thing for it now, was for me to change my frock instantly, and to put on a becoming one, and to go down and talk. Then he would go away having enjoyed his visit, he won't reason why, and will come again; and then when I am gone, he can be pushed into the marriage with Victorine!
She rang for Agnes while she spoke, and I was simply pitched into the blue _batiste_, and hustled downstairs.
Such a scene in the salon! The Baronne seated on the large sofa with Jean; G.o.dmamma and the mother of the young man in two of the armchairs; while Victorine fumbled with some music on the piano with the _dame de compagnie_, whom Heloise calls ”_le Remorqueur_,” because she looks like a teeny tug pulling along a coal barge (Victorine). The Marquis was standing up by himself--with his hat and gloves in his hand--first on one foot, then on the other; and Marie and Yolande were making horrid, shuffling, squeaking noises, sliding on the _parquet_ by the window.
[Sidenote: _Wandering Glances_]
When I was introduced and had made a reverence to the old ladies, the Marquis was presented, and when we had done bowing, he said: ”Vous etes anglaise, mademoiselle?” and, even for that, Victorine's eyes shot two yellow flames at me! Heloise nipped my arm to tell me to talk, so of course everything went out of my head, and I could only think of ”Oui, monsieur.” Just then breakfast was announced, and we all went in arm-in-arm, G.o.dmamma and the Marquis together. It is a huge round table, and I had done the flowers, because they wanted to be shown how we have tables in England. I was next but one to the Marquis, with Heloise between. We had scarcely sat down, when he began. How beautiful the table looked, and what taste in the flowers! Upon which Heloise said, that they _were_ lovely, and were the arrangement of her ”_chere pet.i.te belle-soeur!_” and she smiled angelically at Victorine, who looked down with conscious pride. Then Heloise said that it was a great joy in life to have the absorbing love of flowers as Victorine had! and I could not help laughing, because Victorine doesn't know one from another, and would not even help me this morning. The Marquis looked and looked at me when I laughed, and then lifting his gla.s.s of _vin ordinaire_, he said: ”Les belles dents rendent gai.” Wasn't it nice of him? I think it is hard he should be tied to Victorine. He talked to me all the time after that, across Heloise, and considering she told me to be agreeable to him, I don't see why she should have been annoyed.
After breakfast--which we left as usual arm-in-arm--we sat in the salon, while the Marquis and Jean went back to smoke. It was appalling!
If Victorine had been a four-legged cat, she would have spit at me, but fortunately the two-legged ones can't spit in drawing-rooms, so I escaped. The Baronne, after a good deal of manoeuvring, got by me near the window, and then said in a distinct voice, ”Ma pet.i.te cherie j'ai trop chaud, donnez-moi votre bras un instant;” and so we got outside on the terrace, where the huge orange trees in pots stand.
[Sidenote: _A Lecture on Duty_]
As soon as we were out of earshot, she began to scold me. Why had I attracted the Marquis? how naughty of me, when it was essential his debts should be paid, etc., etc. If she had not been so nice, I should have been furious, and you can see, Mamma, how impossible to understand them it is; to be told one moment to be nice, and then, when one is, to be scolded! I just said as respectfully as I could, that I had done nothing, and that Heloise had told me to do it, and the reason why.
That made the Baronne think a little. I am sure she wished for the advice of Hippolyte; but the end of it was, that she asked me how much _dot_ you were going to allow me! I said I did not know, and that seemed to stump her. At last she said she supposed, as we were people of consideration, and that I was the only child, it would be something considerable. I do believe, Mamma, she was thinking that I might do for the Marquis! It was only a question of having his debts paid--any one who could do that would answer. It did make me _cross_, just as if I would dream of marrying into a nation that eats badly, and doesn't have a bath except to be smart. Think of always having to shout across the table, day after day, and never to be able to do anything except by rules and regulations; and the stuffy rooms and the eight armchairs! I saw myself! and probably ending up with a moustache, or an _embonpoint_, or something like that.
The Baronne at last patted my hand, and said: Well, well, she supposed I had not meant anything, but that I _must_ leave the Marquis alone, and turn my attention to ”Gaston” (the Vicomte), who was really in love with me. Then if I made him sufficiently miserable, he would be willing to fall in with another plan of hers, when I was gone, through sheer _desoeuvrement_. So you see, Mamma, they look upon me as a regular catspaw, and I won't put up with it. I shall just talk to the Marquis or ”Gaston” whenever I like, I was quite polite to the Baronne, because she is such a dear; but I am afraid, if G.o.dmamma had said it all, I should have been impudent.
[Sidenote: _An Alternative Plan_]
By this time the others had joined us on the terrace. They had all been up to fix their hats on, because even if you have been out, and are running out again just after, you always have to take your hat off, and make a _toilette_ for _dejener_; it does seem waste of time. The Baronne is considered quite eccentric because she keeps hers on sometimes. I had not even a parasol. G.o.dmamma looked as if she thought it almost indecent. Presently Jean and the Marquis came out of the smoking-room and joined us. The Marquis at once began to pay compliments about the sun on my hair, and was really so clever in getting in little things, while he was talking to G.o.dmamma, that I quite took to him. Victorine had to converse with her future _belle-mere_ all the time, and finally the carriage came round, and they went.
They were no sooner out of sight, than G.o.dmamma said, with a long rigmarole, that she felt it her duty to you to look after me, and she must tell me that it was _inconvenant_ for a young girl to smile or speak to a man as much as I had done to the Marquis. I was so furious at that, that I said, as I found it impossible to understand their ways, I would ask Agnes to pack my things at once, if she would kindly spare a servant to go with a telegram to you, to say I was coming home immediately. She was petrified at my answering her! It appears no one else ever dares to; and she at once tried to smooth me down, especially when I said I should just like time to write and tell the Baronne why I was leaving, as she had been so kind to me. After that they all tried to cajole me, except Victorine, who left the room and slammed the door.
And so I have consented to stay, and here I am finis.h.i.+ng my letter to you.--With best love, from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth.
CHAMPS ELYSeES
Champs Elysees,
_Friday, 26th August_.
[Sidenote: _A Visit to the Dentist_]
Dearest Mamma,--You will be surprised to see this address, but Heloise and I are only staying here for the night, and go back to Croixmare to-morrow. Early this morning she had bad toothache, and said she must go to Paris to see her dentist G.o.dmamma and Jean made as much fuss about it as if the poor thing had suggested something quite unheard of; and one could see how she was suffering, by the way she kept her handkerchief up to her face. G.o.dmamma said she could not possibly accompany her, as she had to pay some important calls; and Jean had promised to be at St. Germain to see some horses with the Vicomte, so Heloise suggested I should go with her; and that we should stay the night at the _appartement_ in the Champs Elysees, so that she could have two appointments with M. Adam, the dentist. She has such beautiful teeth, it seems hard that they should ache, and I felt very sorry for her. After a lot of talking it was arranged that we should go up by the 11 o'clock train, and accordingly we started with as much fuss as if we had been departing for a month. We had no sooner got to Paris than Heloise felt better. She left me to go on with the maids and luggage to the Champs Elysees, while she went to see M. Adam.
Paris looked out-of-seasonish and full of Americans as we drove through. I am sitting in the little salon now, waiting for her to come in, and I have got awfully tired just looking out of the window.
Everything is covered up with brown holland, but I dare say it is nice when they are here. The tapestries are beautiful, so is the furniture, judging by the piece I have lifted the coverings from. If she does not come in soon I shall go for a walk with Agnes.
[Sidenote: _Paris in August_]
_9 p.m._--Heloise came in just as I was writing this morning, and we had a sc.r.a.ppy kind of _dejener_ on the corner of the dining-room table. Then she said we had better go to her _couturier_ in the Rue de la Paix. She seemed all right now, and said M. Adam had not hurt her much, and that she was to go to him again to-morrow morning. I always like Paris even out of the season, don't you, Mamma? it is so gay. We had a little victoria and rushed along, not minding who we ran into, as is always the way with French cabs. When we got to Paquin's there were n.o.body but Americans there, and every one looked tired. Heloise tried on her things, and we went to Caroline's for some hats. They were too lovely, and Heloise gave me a dream; it's an owl lighting on a cornfield, which perhaps is a little incongruous as they only come out at night, but the effect is good.