autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第4章

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procured　in　its　immediate　vicinity。　Here　Madame　de　la　Rocheaimard
whiled　away　the　close　of　a　varied　and　troubled　life；　if　not　in　absolute
peace；　still　not　in　absolute　misery；　while　her　grand…daughter　grew　into
young　womanhood；　a　miracle　of　goodness　and　pious　devotion　to　her
sole　surviving　parent。　The　strength　of　the　family　tie　in　France；　and　its
comparative　weakness　in　America；　has　been　the　subject　of　frequent
comment　among　travelers。　I　do　not　know　that　all　which　has　been　said　is
rigidly　just；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　much　of　it　is；　and；　as　I　am　now
writing　to　Americans；　and　of　French　people；　I　see　no　particular　reason
why　the　fact　should　be　concealed。　Respect　for　years；　deference　to　the
authors　of　their　being；　and　submission　to　parental　authority　are
inculcated　equally　by　the　morals　and　the　laws　of　France。　The　conseilles
de　famille　is　a　beautiful　and　wise　provision　of　the　national　code；　and　aids
greatly　in　maintaining　that　system　of　patriarchal　rule　which　lies　at　the
foundation　of　the　whole　social　structure。　Alas！　in　the　case　of　the
excellent　Adrienne；　this　conseille　de　famille　was　easily　assembled；　and
possessed　perfect　unanimity。　The　wars；　the　guillotine　and　exile　had
reduced　it　to　two；　one　of　which　was　despotic　in　her　government；　so　far
as　theory　was　concerned　at　least；　possibly；　at　times；　a　little　so　in
practice。　Still　Adrienne；　on　the　whole　grew　up　tolerably　happy。　She　was
taught　most　that　is　suitable　for　a　gentlewoman；　without　being　crammed
with　superfluous　accomplishments；　and；　aided　by　the　good　cure；　a　man
who　remembered　her　grandfather；　had　both　polished　and　stored　her
mind。　Her　manners　were　of　the　excellent　tone　that　distinguished　the
good　society　of　Paris　before　the　revolution；　being　natural；　quiet；　simple
and　considerate。　She　seldom　laughed；　I　fear；　but　her　smiles　were
sweetness　and　benevolence　itself。

｛conseille　de　famille　=　council　of　relatives；　supervised　by　a　judge；　that
supervised　the　care　of　minors　in　France；　cure　=　priest｝

The　bleaching　grounds　of　our　manufactory　were　in　the　old　park　of　the
chateau。　Thither　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　fond　of　coming　in　the
fine　mornings　of　June；　for　many　of　the　roses　and　lovely　Persian　lilacs
that　once　abounded　there　still　remained。　I　first　saw　Adrienne　in　one　of
these　visits；　the　quality　of　our　little　family　circle　attracting　her　attention。
One　of　the　bleachers；　indeed；　was　an　old　servant　of　the　vicomte's；　and　it
was　a　source　of　pleasure　to　him　to　point　out　any　thing　to　the　ladies　that
he　thought　might　prove　interesting。　This　was　the　man　who　so　diligently
read　the　Moniteur；　giving　a　religious　credence　to　all　it　contained。　He
fancied　no　hand　so　worthy　to　hold　fabrics　of　such　exquisite　fineness　as
that　of　Mademoiselle　Adrienne；　and　it　was　through　his　assiduity　that　I
had　the　honor　of　being　first　placed　within　the　gentle　pressure　of　her
beautiful　little　fingers。　This　occurred　about　a　month　before　our　departure
for　Paris。

Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　then　just　twenty。　Her　beauty　was　of　a
character　that　is　not　common　in　France；　but　which；　when　it　does　exist；　is
nowhere　surpassed。　She　was　slight　and　delicate　in　person；　of　fair　hair
and　complexion；　and　with　the　meekest　and　most　dove…like　blue　eyes　I
ever　saw　in　a　female　face。　Her　smile；　too；　was　of　so　winning　and　gentle
a　nature；　as　to　announce　a　disposition　pregnant　with　all　the　affections。
Still　it　was　well　understood　that　Adrienne　was　not　likely　to　marry；　her
birth　raising　her　above　all　intentions　of　connecting　her　ancient　name　with
mere　gold；　while　her　poverty　placed　an　almost　insuperable　barrier
between　her　and　most　of　the　impoverished　young　men　of　rank　whom
she　occasionally　saw。　Even　the　power　of　the　dauphine　was　not　sufficient
to　provide　Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　with　a　suitable　husband。　But　of
this　the　charming　girl　never　thought；　she　lived　more　for　her　grandmother
than　for　herself；　and　so　long　as　that　venerated　relative；　almost　the　only
one　that　remained　to　her　on　earth；　did　not　suffer　or　repine；　she　herself
could　be　comparatively　happy。

〃Dans　le　bon　vieux　temps；〃　said　the　vicomtesse；　examining　me　through
her　spectacles；　and　addressing　Georges；　who　stood；　hat　in　hand；　to
hearken　to　her　wisdom；　〃dans　le　bon　vieux　temps；　mon　ami；　the　ladies
of　the　chateau　did　not　want　for　these　things。　There　were　six　dozen　in　my
corbeille；　that　were　almost　as　fine　as　this；　as　for　the　trousseau；　I　believe
it　had　twice　the　number；　but　very　little　inferior。〃

｛dans　de　bon　vieux　temps　=　in　the　good　old　days；　corbeille　=　wedding
presents　from　a　bridegroom；　trousseau　=　wedding　outfit｝

〃I　remember　that　madame；〃　Georges　always　gave　his　old　mistress　this
title　of　honor；　〃kept　many　of　the　beautiful　garments　of　her　trousseau
untouched；　down　to　the　melancholy　period　of　the　revolution。〃

〃It　has　been　a　mine　of　wealth　to　me；　Georges；　in　behalf　of　that　dear
child。　You　may　remember　that　this　trousseau　was　kept　in　the　old
armoire；　on　the　right　hand　side　of　the　little　door　of　my　dressing…room〃

｛armoire　=　cupboard　or　closet　｝

〃Madame　la　Vicomtesse　will　have　the　goodness　to　pardon　meit　was
on　the　LEFT　hand　side　of　the　roomMonsieur's　medals　were　kept　in
the　opposite　armoire。〃

〃Our　good　Georges　is　right；　Adrienne！he　has　a　memory！　Your
grandfather　insisted　on　keeping　his　medals　in　my　dressing…room；　as　he
says。　Well；　Monsieur　Georges；　left　or　right；　THERE　I　left　the　remains　of
my　trousseau　when　I　fled　from　France；　and　there　I　found　it　untouched
on　my　return。　The　manufactory　had　saved　the　chateau；　and　the
manufacturers　had　spared　my　wardrobe。　Its　sale；　and　its　materials；　have
done　much　toward　rendering　that　dear　child　respectable　and　well　clad；
since　our　return。〃

I　thought　the　slight　color　which　usually　adorned　the　fair　oval　cheeks　of
Adrienne　deepened　a　little　at　this　remark；　and　I　certainly　felt　a　little
tremor　in　the　hand　which　held　me；　but　it　could　not　have　been　shame；　as
the　sweet　girl　often　alluded　to　her　poverty　in　a　way　so　simple　and
natural；　as　to　prove　that　she　had　no　false　feelings　on　that　subject。　And
why　should　she？　Poverty　ordinarily　causes　no　such　sensations　to　those
who　are　conscious　of　possessing　advantages　of　an　order　superior　to
wealth；　and　surely　a　well…educated；　well…born；　virtuous　girl　need　not
have　blushed　because　estates　were　torn　from　her　parents　by　a　political
convulsion　that　had　overturned　an　ancient　and　powerful　throne。



CHAPTER　IV。

》From　this　time；　the　charming　Adrienne　frequently　visited　the　bleaching
grounds；　always　accompanied　by　her　grandmother。　The　presence　of
Georges　was　an　excuse；　but　to　watch　the　improvement　in　our
appearance　was　the　reason。　Never　before　had　Adrienne　seen　a　fabric
as　beautiful　as　our　own；　and；　as　I　afterwards　discovered；　she　was　laying
by　a　few　francs　with　the　intention　of　purchasing　the　piece；　and　of
working　and　ornamenting　the　handkerchiefs；　in　order　to　present　them　to
her　benefactress；　the　dauphine。　Mad。　de　la　Rocheaimard　was　pleased
with　this　project；　it　was　becoming　in　a　de　la　Rocheaimard；　and　they
soon　began　to　speak　of　it　openly　in　their　visits。　Fifteen　or　twenty
napoleons　might　do　it；　and　the　remains　of　the　recovered　trousseau
would　still　produce　that　sum。　It　is　probable　this　intention　would　have
been　carried　out；　but　for　a　severe　illness　that　attacked　the　dear　girl；
during　which　her　life　was　even　despaired　of。　I　had　the　happiness　of
hearing　of　her　gradual　recovery；　however；　before　we　commenced　our
journey；　though　no　more　was　said　of　the　purchase。　Perhaps　it　was　as
well。　as　it　was；　for；　by　this　time；　such　a　feeling　existed　in　our　extreme
cote　gauche；　that　it　may　be　questioned　if　the　handkerchiefs　of　that　end
of　the　piece　would　have　behaved　themselves　in　the　wardrobe　of　the
dauphine　with　the　discretion　and　prudence　that　are　expected　from　every
thing　around　the　person　of　a　princess　of　her　exalted　rank　and　excellent
character。　It　is　true；　none　of　us　understood　the　questions　at　issue；　but
that　only　made　the　matter　worse；　the　violence　of　all　dissensions　being
very　generally　in　proportion　to　the　ignorance　and　consequent　confidence
of　the　disputants。

｛napoleon　=　French　gold　coin　worth　twenty　francs｝

I　could　not　but　remember　Adrienne；　as　the　commissionaire　laid　us　down
before　the　eyes　of　the　wife　of　the　head　of　the　firm；　in　the　rue　de　
。　We　were　carefully　examined；　and　pronounced　〃parfaits；〃　still　it　was　not
in　the　sweet　tones；　and　with　the　sweeter　smiles　of　the　polished　and
gentle　girl　we　had　left　in　Picardie。　There　was　a　sentiment　in　HER
admiration　that　touched　all　our　hearts；　even　to　the　most　exaggerated
republican　among　us；　for　she　seemed　to　go　deeper　in　her　examination　of
merits　than　the　mere　texture　and　price。　She　saw　her　offering　in　our
beauty；　the　benevolence　of　the　dauphine　in　our　softness；　her　own
gratitude　in　our　exquisite　fineness；　and　princely　munificence　in　our
delicacy。　In　a　word；　she　could　enter　into　the　sentiment　of　a　pocket…
handkerchief。　Alas！　how　different　was　the　estimation　in　which　we　were
held　by　Desiree　and　her　employers。　With　them；　it　was　purely　a　question
of　francs；　and　we　had　not　been　in　the　magazin　five　minutes；　when　there
was　a　lively　dispute　whether　we　were　to　be　put　at　a　certain　number　of
napoleons；　or　one　napoleon　more。　A　good　deal　was　said　about　Mad。　la
Duchesse；　and　I　found　that　it　was　expected　that　a　certain　lady　of　that
rank；　one　who　had　enjoyed　the　extraordinary　luck　of　retaining　her
fortune；　being　of　an　old　and　historical　family；　and　who　was　at　the　head
of　fashion　in　the　faubourg；　would　become　the　purchaser。　At　all　events；　it
was　determined　no　one　should　see　us　until　this　lady　returned　to　town；
she　being　at　the　moment　at　Rosny；　with　madame；　whence　she　was
expected　to　accompany　that　princess　to　Dieppe；　to　come　back　to　her
hotel；　in　the　rue　de　Bourbon；　about　the　last　of　October。　Here；　then；
were　we　doomed　to　three　months　of　total　seclusion　in　the　heart　of　the
gayest　capital　of　Europe。　It　was　useless　to　repine；　and　we　determined
among　ourselves　to　exercise　patience　in　the　best　manner　we　could。

｛faubourg　=　neighborhood　；　Rosny　=　Chateau　of　Rosny；　country　estate
of　the　Dukes　of　Berry　at　Rosny…sur…Seine；　Madame　=　title　of　Princess
Marie　Therese　Charlotte；　wife　of　the　Dauphin　Louis　Antoine；　heir　to
Charles　X｝

Accordingly；　we　were　safely　deposited　in　a　particular　drawer；　along
with　a　few　other　favorite　articles；　that；　like　our　family；　were　reserved　for
the　eyes　of　certain　distinguished　but　absent　customers。　These　specialites
in　trade　are　of　frequent　occurrence　in　Paris；　and　form　a　pleasant　bond
of　union　between　the　buyer　and　seller；　which　gives　a　particular　zest　to
this　sort　of　commerce；　and　not　unfrequently　a　particular　value　to　goods。
To　see　that　which　no　one　else　has　seen；　and　to　own　that　which　no　one
else　can　own；　are　equally　agreeable；　and　delightfully　exclusive。　All　minds
that　do　not　possess　the　natural　sources　of　exclusion；　are　fond　of　creating
them　by　means　of　a　subordinate　and　more　artificial　character。

｛specialites　=　specialties　｝

On　the　whole；　I　think　we　enjoyed　our　new　situation；　rather　than
otherwise。　The　drawer　was　never　opened；　it　is　true；　but　that　next　it　was
in　constant　use；　and　certain　crevices　beneath　the　counter　enabled　us　to
see　a　little；　and　to　hear　more；　of　what　passe